U.S. gov't shutdown enters 2nd week, with no end in sight

Xinhua) 16:37, October 09, 2025

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. federal government's shutdown entered its second week on Wednesday, with no end on the horizon as the Senate was unable to reach an agreement to reopen it.

On the day, two bills to fund the government -- one from Democrats and the other from Republicans -- failed to pass for the sixth time.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, the top Republican in the lower chamber, said that Senate Democrats should back the GOP stopgap measure to reopen the government.

The two parties continued to trade blame for the impasse.

"Washington Democrats voted for this government shutdown -- and it's families, workers, and small businesses who are being forced to pay the price," Johnson said Wednesday on X.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the upper chamber, said on X that "The government is shut down because Trump and the Republicans are hellbent on taking health care away" from Americans, and that Republicans "won't even come to the table to talk to us about it."

Top Republicans are standing firm that there is nothing to negotiate on health care before reopening the government.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed during this shutdown, according to an analysis by Congressional Budget Office last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to terminate the employment of federal workers and cut programs if the shutdown continues. He said Tuesday that some furloughed federal employees may not receive back pay once the government reopens.

"I would say it depends on who we're talking about. I can tell you this, the Democrats have put a lot of people in great risk and jeopardy, but it really depends on who you're talking about," Trump said at the White House Oval Office while meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

"But for the most part, we're going to take care of our people. There are some people that really don't deserve to be taken care of, and we'll take care of them in a different way," Trump said.

The shutdown has led to flight delays, as essential employees such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are working without pay. That has led to staff shortages.

One of the core hurdles between the two political parties is a dispute over health care.

Democrats are calling for strengthened healthcare benefits, including extending the enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that are set to expire at the end of the year, and restoring ACA coverage for certain immigrants with lawful status.

Republicans maintain that Democrats refuse to vote on a funding bill unless it includes what the GOP refers to as "free health care for illegals," or those living in the United States illegally. Democrats have repeatedly called the statement that they are trying to provide healthcare to "undocumented immigrants" a lie.

"The shutdown hasn't affected payrolls yet but soon will start to do so. Those who work in the government won't get paid and contractors who rely upon public funding will see their money stop," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"The longer it wears on, the more serious the fiscal ramifications," West said. "Neither side appears close to caving at this point. Each party believes it is doing well, so they have little incentive to compromise."

Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, told Xinhua: "If workers in various agencies look for other jobs after going unpaid for long periods of time, that could be a big deal."

"There was a concern about that with air traffic controllers in the last shutdown. Many agencies, like Social Security and the Internal Revenue Service are already seriously understaffed. If more people leave, they will have a hard time providing services," Baker said.

Some analysts believe that both parties could benefit politically from the deadlock.

"Democrats benefit because this is a high-profile example of them using what little leverage they have against the Trump administration." Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua.

"Trump has been using this to continue his criticisms of Democrats, and the agencies and departments that are core to his deportation agenda are able to function despite the shutdown, so the shutdown doesn't hurt the White House in terms of its immediate policy goals," Galdieri said.

"So, as with the Democrats, I don't think there's a ton of urgency to reopen the government among Republicans, either. So resolving this could take a longer time than it has in the past," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
UN ready to scale up humanitarian relief to Gazans following ceasefire deal: Guterres

Xinhua) 08:50, October 10, 2025

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press outside the Security Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 9, 2025. Guterres said Thursday that the world body is ready to scale up humanitarian relief to Gazans following the announcement of a ceasefire deal. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the world body is ready to scale up humanitarian relief to Gazans following the announcement of a ceasefire deal.

"The United Nations will provide its full support. We and our partners are prepared to move -- now," Guterres told reporters. "We have the expertise, the distribution networks, and community relationships in place to act. Supplies are in place, and our teams are on standby. We can scale up food, water, medical and shelter assistance at once."

He stressed that the silencing of the guns is not enough to turn this ceasefire into real progress.

"We need full, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers; the removal of red tape and impediments; and the rebuilding of shattered infrastructure. And we need (UN) Member States to ensure that humanitarian operations are properly funded to meet the immense needs," he said.

For Israelis and Palestinians alike, this deal offers a glimmer of relief. That glimmer must become the dawn of peace, and the beginning of the end of this devastating war, said Guterres.

"I urge all to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward. A path toward ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution. A path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians -- and to wider peace and security in the Middle East," said the UN chief.

He noted that this breakthrough demonstrates the power and potential of diplomacy and is a reminder that the solutions to conflicts are not found on the battlefield. They must be forged at the negotiating table, and then, crucially, they must be fully implemented, Guterres said.

He welcomed Wednesday's announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release, based on the proposal of U.S. President Donald Trump. He also commended the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Trkiye in brokering this breakthrough.

Guterres urged all parties to fully abide by the terms of the agreement and to fully embrace the opportunities it presents.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press outside the Security Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 9, 2025. Guterres said Thursday that the world body is ready to scale up humanitarian relief to Gazans following the announcement of a ceasefire deal. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press outside the Security Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 9, 2025. Guterres said Thursday that the world body is ready to scale up humanitarian relief to Gazans following the announcement of a ceasefire deal. (Xinhua/Xie E)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the Company's procedures and policies regarding tooling and equipment maintenance in its Tyman Mexico facility were significantly "underinvested"; (2) as a result, the Company's tooling and equipment conditions had significantly degraded to near "catastrophic" levels; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company was likely to incur significant costs, "pushing out the timing" of expected benefits from the Tyman integration; (4) that Quanex had previously identified the foregoing issues; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On September 4, 2025, after the market closed, Quanex announced financial results for the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. Among other things, the Company disclosed "operational issues related to the legacy Tyman window and door hardware business in Mexico that are ongoing" which "impacted results more than expected during the third quarter of 2025." Specifically, the Company reported a diluted EPS of ($6.04), compared to $0.77 in the prior year period and an adjusted EBIDTA of $70.30. The Company further disclosed that it was "adjusting for lower expected volumes and pushing out the timing of when [it] expect[s] to realize procurement savings" from the integration of the Tyman business.

Then, on September 5, 2025, the Company held an earnings call pursuant to the Company's third quarter 2025 financial results. During the earnings call, Chief Executive Officer, George Wilson ("Wilson") explained "operational challenges" in the Tyman facility in Mexico "negatively impacted EBITDA in the Hardware Solutions segment by almost $5 million in the third quarter alone." Wilson further explained that the issue was previously "identified midyear" as it got "deeper into the integration" with Tyman, and described how the systems used to "anticipate and plan for tooling repairs" were significantly deficient, indicating it was near "nonexistent." Wilson stated because Quanex was "underinvested" in "the tooling condition and the equipment condition" it "had to make some changes and fix some things before it was catastrophic."

On this news, Quanex's stock price fell $2.73, or 13.1%, to close at $18.18 per share on September 5, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock price continued to decline on the subsequent trading day, falling $1.98 or 10.9%, to close at $16.20 per share on September 8, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Quanex's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Quanex Building Products class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/NX or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

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A former cop was arrested in north Alabama Thursday for allegedly shooting into three separate occupied homes.

According to the Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office, the agency obtained warrants and arrested Seth Kimbrough, 31.

Kimbrough allegedly fired shots into three residences on on the early in the morning hours of September 14 .

The warrants against Kimbrough allowed investigators to obtain cell phone and vehicle data and to also seize multiple firearms, the sheriffs office said.

Kimbrough was booked into the Lauderdale County Detention Center on a 90,000 bond.

According to WHNT, Lauderdale County Sheriff Joe Hamilton said Kimbrough was a former officer of the Killen Police Department.

In May, Kimbrough was arrested and charged with driving under the influence (DUI) while off-duty.
The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board on Thursday increased a fee that liquor companies pay the state, a move intended to help offset the cost of a new warehouse.

The board voted 3-0 to increase the bailment fee from 72 cents per case to $1 per case, effective January 1.

ABC Board Administrator Curtis Stewart said companies pay the bailment fee to compensate the board for storing their products.

The fee was last increased in 2013.

The Retirement Systems of Alabama is building the 250,000-square foot warehouse on Dickinson Drive in Montgomery, across the road from the Gunter Annex of Maxwell Air Force Base.

The total cost is expected to be $98 million, including $35 million for new material handling equipment.

The ABC Board plans to lease the building from the RSA for 20 years and will own it at the end of that term.

The plan calls for the warehouse to be ready by June of next year. The ABC Board would then need about 60 days to make the transition and work out any kinks, Stewart said.

He said the construction is ahead of schedule.

The new facility will replace a main warehouse the ABC Board leases, as well as three other leased facilities.

Stewart said the board needs a larger warehouse and that the material handling equipment in the current warehouse is obsolete and hard to maintain.

The board initially considered raising the bailment fee to $1.50 per case in three phases - to $1 next year and adding another 25 cents each of the following two years.

Board member John Knight opposed that and said he would like for the board to consider other options.

The resolution was scaled back to include only the increase to $1, effective next year.

All three board members voted for it - Knight, Colonel Alan Spencer, the board chair, and Melissa Morrissette.

Board members said they would likely reconsider the additional increases sometime next year.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 2: An In-N-Out Burger logo is displayed outside their restaurants on August 2, 2025 in San Diego, California. Getty Images

In-N-Out is bringing its classic burgers and Animal Style Fries to the Volunteer state.

The California-based burger chain has five new locations opening soon in three states, including Tennessee, where the company will establish its second headquarters, according to USA TODAY.

In recent years, In-N-Out has expanded its reach beyond California with stores opening in Colorado, Texas, and Idaho.

The company announced on Instagram that it intends to open a new location in New Mexico by 2027.

In-N-Outs website lists five locations that are opening soon, including:

13864 Foothill Blvd. Sylmar, California

255 Ken Pratt Blvd. Longmont, Colorado

4130 William Turner Pkwy Antioch, Tennessee

915 South Hartmann Drive Lebanon, Tennessee

2508 Medical Center Pkwy. Murfreesboro, Tennessee

In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder downplayed the likelihood of further expansion into the East Coast during an appearance on the Relatable podcast on July 18. She mentioned that logistical challenges could hinder such plans.

Were able to reach Tennessee from our Texas warehouse. Well have a warehouse, but not do our own meat there, so well be able to deliver from Texas, said Snyder.

Florida has begged us, and were still saying no, Snyder added. The East Coast states, were still saying no.

While the family-run burger chain has the majority of its locations in California along with its headquarters, Snyder alluded to grievances about doing business in the Golden State and difficulties surrounding Californias rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Where I raise my family has nothing to do with my love and appreciation for our Customers in California, Snyder said.

Im very proud of where In-N-Out started. Anyone who knows me knows how often I talk about our beginnings and how our Customers here in California helped bring us to where we are today, Snyder said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Five years ago, the Mobile Police Department faced significant staffing shortages, low morale, and a national reevaluation of policing.

Mobile was hit hard. The department lost more than 120 officers, and hiring efforts stalled.

Weve seen a trend nationally where a lot of places were in crisis mode with retention and qualified personnel, said Mobile Police Deputy Chief Matt Garrett. That has sort of shifted and come back around.

That shift was on display Thursday at Cottage Hill Baptist Church, where 19 new officers were sworn into the Mobile Police Department during a graduation ceremony. The class included 30 total graduates, with 11 heading to other law enforcement agencies in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

The departments goal is to raise its force above 500 officers for the first time in years. With another academy class of 28 recruits already in progress, department leaders are optimistic.

I would say that 10 years ago, around 2015 is when we started to see these dips and had problems with retention, Garrett said. For the better part of a decade, and within the past year, weve really seen a resurgence. For us to get over 500 is something Im excited about and very proud.

Mayor Sandy Stimpson acknowledged the progress in his Thursday night newsletter.

The department is as close to full staffing as it has been in years, and thats a testament to what our public safety leaders and the Mobile City Council have done to provide our officers with the training, equipment, and compensation they deserve, Stimpson said.

Struggles, Solutions

Across the country, law enforcement recruitment has begun to rebound. Still, staffing remains a concern in many cities.

In Montgomery, the issue resurfaced after a mass shooting downtown on a Saturday night that killed two people and injured at least a dozen others. The incident prompted Gov. Kay Ivey to pledge more state law enforcement support for the city.

Earlier in 2024, the Fraternal Order of Police in Montgomery reported low morale and said the department had dropped to 290 officers, far below its budgeted strength of 490. In response, the City Council approved a 15 percent pay raise for officers, overriding a veto from Mayor Steven Reed. It is unclear whether the increase has significantly improved recruiting.

The struggles of recruiting police have been a topic of concern, as well, for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. He focused on the issue during a visit to Mobile early last year at a time that Mobile was down 60 police officers from its 488 budgeted number.

In Mobile, compensation has played a key role in the departments steady turnaround. Entry-level officers now earn $52,000 per year with no prior post-secondary education. Salaries increase with associates, bachelors, and graduate degrees.

If you compare us with agencies within Mobile and Baldwin counties, I think youll find us above or right at the highest, Garrett said.

Other changes have helped modernize the department and appeal to a younger generation of recruits.

Mobile recently dropped its long-standing ban on facial hair for male officers.

Its a popular thing with the generation entering the workforce to have beards, Garrett said. We didnt allow beards. Many agencies are starting to allow them, so we finally gave in as well. Its widely popular with our officers. We had to change with the times.

The department also revised its vehicle take-home policy. Previously, officers had to live within a 25-mile radius of their precinct to keep a patrol car at home. Now, officers living in Baldwin County can take their vehicles home, making employment more accessible for those outside Mobile County.

Intensive training

Tony McCarron, director of recruiting for the department, said a mix of targeted outreach and support throughout the academy process has helped strengthen the pipeline.

We are getting here more and more young people who want to make a difference in the community, McCarron said. They are tired of sitting behind a desk. Its up to me to get them from Point A to Point B. My standard phrase that I like to preach all the time is that I sell opportunity. Whatever you want to make of that opportunity is up to you.

McCarron said new hires go through a 90-day pre-hire period before the academys 14-week training begins. The initial phase includes physical conditioning and mental preparation. One graduate lost 40 pounds before even starting the academy.

And he was a huge success in the academy, McCarron said. We like to joke with them that its the preseason leading up to the regular season. They are getting their butts handed to them.

McCarron, a 36-year veteran of the department, said he intends to keep the current system in place. He anticipates support from Mayor-elect Spiro Cheriogotis, who made public safety a centerpiece of his campaign.

We havent sat down and talked about policies going forward, but this has been a success, McCarron said. Dont fix it if its not broken.

During the graduation ceremony, McCarron described his pride in watching new officers take the oath.

I get to watch 20 to 30 kids who come to me, who had no structure, and they were searching, he said. It matters to me.
The Mobile County Sheriff's Office on the scene of an arrest of immigrants June 3, 2025. Provided by FBI Mobile

President Trump is targeting violent criminals for deportation. Yet the immigrants detained in Alabama who have criminal records are mostly low-level offenders, an AL.com review of 2025 detentions found.

A quarter had only traffic offenses.

Criminal illegals are simply not welcome in Alabama, Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kay Ivey, told AL.com last week.

Of the roughly 2,500 people detained in the state since Trump took office, 1,913 people have pending criminal charges and 464 are convicted criminals, according to data from U.S. Customs and Enforcement published by the Deportation Data Project.

Their most common offense was traffic violations, at 24%.

Violent criminals were a small minority of the Alabama detainees with charges or convictions in 2025. Just 2.6% of the detainees had been charged with or convicted of homicide, 2.6% for sexual assault, and 3.2% for weapons offenses.

Dangerous drug convictions were charges or convictions in the cases of another 15%.

The majority of people detained are men.

In Alabama, arrests of undocumented immigrants have doubled over the last year.

Traffic enforcement is an area where officers have gained new authority under 287G agreements which are partnerships between local law enforcement and federal agents.

That allows state and local cops to pull someone over for a traffic offense and then arrest them for immigration purposes, said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.

Attorney Brett Pouncey says his immigrant clients are often stopped at roadblocks and asked for their drivers licenses, which is new under this administration.

Its definitely very new for someone, for a minor traffic violation, to be stopped, he said. A number of municipalities now are working with ICE to do roadblocks, and that also includes the Alabama State Troopers.

Of the Alabama detainees with crimes or convictions this year, 15% had immigration violations, like re-entering the country after being deported.

They may not have a criminal history as what you would normally think of, but they have an immigration criminal history, Huey Hoss Mack, head of the Alabama Sheriffs Association, told AL.com in July.

Entering the country, in and of itself, without proper documentation, and going through the process, is a crime.
Authorities are asking for the publics help after a 55-year-old man was found dead next to his motorcycle on a Tuscaloosa County road.

The victim has been identified as Michael Lee Jordan. His death has been deemed suspicious.

The investigation began at 5 a.m. Wednesday when volunteer firefighters and Tuscaloosa County sheriffs deputies were dispatched to 15000 Block of Sylvan Loop Road in the Fosters Community.

A passerby found a motorcycle, standing on its kickstand, near the side of the road. Jordan was lying alongside the motorcycle.

Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said there were no signs of injury to Jordan or damage to the motorcycle.

An autopsy determined Jordan died from an internal injury from some type of blunt force, Kennedy said.

It is believed that the riders helmet protected (Jordan), as the injuries are internal, he said.

Anyone who was in area of Sylvan Loop Road in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Oct. 8, who believes they may have witnessed anything related to this motorcycle and its rider, or has any information about the case, is asked to contact investigators at 205-464-8692.
Jordan Lashelle Fitzpatrick disappeared in 2023 in Tuskegee. Her remains were identified in September 2025. (Contributed)

Authorities have released new information in the death of a missing Alabama girl whose remains were found two years ago and positively identified last month.

The Montgomery County District Attorneys Office on Friday said the remains of Jordan Lashelle Fitzpatrick were found Aug. 18, 2023, in the back of a building in the 2300 block of Poplar Street in Montgomery.

Her body had been burned beyond recognition.

Jordan was living with a family member in Tuskegee in April 2023 when she vanished.

The family filed a missing persons report in Tuskegee, but the disappearance seemingly went cold.

There was no announcement made in 2023 when the remains were discovered, but the case at that time was ruled a homicide, according to a Friday news release from District Attorney Azzie Olivers office.

Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mike Segrest on Thursday was the first person to announce Jordans death was being investigated as a homicide. The Fifth Judicial Circuit includes Macon County, where Jordan disappeared.

Through a genetic genealogy report shared with he Montgomery County District Attorneys Office Cold Case Unit, investigators were able to locate a DNA profile belonging to Jordan.

The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences was then able to positively identify the teen after analyzing and comparing that DNA profile with he one that was at the time of her autopsy.

Segrest said Jordans family was notified in September. An obituary was published on Sept. 25.

Authorities said no additional information is being released at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to please call the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office at 334-832-2550.
The Huntsville Pinhook Creek-Skybridge project includes a cable suspended bridge across Memorial Parkway and Governors Drive. City of Huntsville

The Huntsville City Council voted Thursday at City Hall to accept $20 million in federal funding for the $78 million Pinhook Creek-Skybridge project.

City Urban and Economic Development Director Shane Davis said the funding is for construction only. While Skybridge gets most of the attention, he noted it is a very, very small portion of the project.

He also said the grant funding cannot be diverted for other purposes. Davis said Huntsville will lose the federal funding if it is not used for its intended purpose.

The funding is from a Fiscal 2022 U.S. Department of Transportation RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant. The project, officially known as the Pedestrian Access and Redevelopment Corridor (PARC) Project.

According to documents, the projects completion date has been pushed back to Dec. 31, 2028, due to delays in the environmental process.

The project is expected to be completed in phases. Davis told AL.com in August that dirt could move on the first phase later this year. He said the city was working on the final permits with the Army Corps of Engineers to get the project ready to bid.

The first phase involves widening 3,200 linear feet of Pinhook Creek from Holmes Avenue to Memorial Parkway, aiming to reduce flooding in the downtown core and promote economic development.

It includes stream stabilization and restoration with an eight-foot retaining wall along the eastern channel bank and the installation of spurs dikes and rock clusters to aid sediment transport, bank protection and low-flow channel maintenance.

Davis said the project includes the restoration of vegetation and habitat along the creek.

The flood mitigation alone makes this a really good project, District 3 City Councilwoman Jennie Robinson said.

Skybridge

The second phase includes the part that receives the most attention: the 1,100-foot-long cable suspended pedestrian bridge across Memorial Parkway and Governors Drive, which city officials said will improve safety, mobility and accessibility using alternative forms of transportation to connect underserved areas with employment centers, health care facilities and public services within the downtown core.

One of the landing spots is in the Lowe Mill area not far from the $400 million Mill Creek Choice Neighborhood Initiative project.

Artist rendering of the1,100-foot-long cable suspended pedestrian bridge that will be across Memorial Parkway and Governors Drive. City of Huntsville

The bridge will be constructed using three piers with a 12-foot-wide multiuse path that includes 42-inch-high railing, eight-foot-high safety fencing and pedestrian lighting.

Huntsville resident Dean Sharp asked the council to reconsider building the Skybridge portion of the project. Sharp feels the money could be better spent elsewhere. He said the city needs a couple more high schools, as well as school resource officers.

I believe it is not wanted by most people in the city, Sharp said, basing the belief on social media posts.

But Davis cited statistics from 2018-22 showing 35 automotive accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists in justifying the need for the bridge. He said six of the accidents involved pedestrian fatalities, and 24 others involved serious injuries.

Davis said the safety component of the project helped the city score high in the grant process.

Other components

The project includes removing and replacing the existing Madison County Railroad Bridge near the Von Braun Center with a new 440-foot-long, 25-foot wide concrete deck bridge supported by shaft piers aligned with creek flow to reduce flooding in the downtown area.

A pedestrian and cyclist corridor about 6,000-foot long will be constructed in the bench area associated with the overflow of Pinhook Creek. Three precast pedestrian bridges will be constructed across Pinhook Creek.

The project will include about 1.3 miles of greenways, and 11 acres of park space. The project will connect with other greenways from Alabama A&M, the University of Alabama in Huntsville to south Huntsville.

Its more than just a Skybridge, Davis said. Its more than just flood mitigation.
Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Joe Benison has responded to an audit report released last week says he misspent $5 million in bingo funds.

The sheriff provided a statement to the Greene County Democrat disputing the audits findings.

It is regrettable that, in the face of documentation justifying the millions of dollars of expenditures made to improve the lives of the citizens of Greene County, the vendetta of the forces in Montgomery continues, Benison told the newspaper.

Benison has not returned calls from AL.com about the audit, which tracked revenues and expenditures by sheriffs office from Oct. 1, 2018 to April 30, 2024.

The audit report includes an order that Benison repay the money and says the matter has been referred to the district attorney and attorney general.

Mark Parnell, an attorney for the Greene County Commission, said Thursday that commissioners were waiting to hear the sheriffs response to the audit. The commission held a work session Wednesday.

They are concerned about the findings in the Examiners report, and the Chairman has asked me to contact the Sheriffs legal counsel to see how he plans to respond, Parnell said in an email.

I have been asked to be in a position to discuss this in greater detail at next Tuesdays Commission meeting.

Greene County voters approved an amendment to the state constitution in 2003 allowing nonprofit organizations to conduct bingo games to raise money.

Bingo has helped support healthcare, education, municipal governments, and other services in the rural west Alabama county.

The amendment put the sheriff in charge of regulating the bingo.

The audit report said the sheriff provided no documentation or inadequate documentation to support $3.16 million paid to 38 county employees from 2022-2024.

The money was called incentive pay and was in addition to what the employees were paid by the County Commission.

The report said there was no documentation or inadequate documentation to support another $1.8 million spent in bingo funds.

Numerous check and debit card transactions in the Bingo Fund were disbursed without adequate documentation to support the allowable purpose of the disbursements, the report said.

This amount includes payments made to consultants, attorneys, merchants, individuals, restaurants, hotels, automotive repair shops, gas stations, and grocery stores.

The audit shows the sheriff collected $16.9 million in bingo funds from Oct. 1, 2018 through April 30, 2024 - $4 million from license fees and $12.9 million from proceeds.

In addition to the unauthorized spending, the examiners report said the sheriff failed to reconcile bank accounts and to document and deposit funds received according to state law.

The report says the same problems were identified in audits from 2014 and 2018.

In Benisons statement to the Greene County Democrat, the sheriff said he is the sole regulator of bingo in the county.

Less than a year ago, the litigation waged by the Attorney General for seven years ended with the reaffirmation of my role under the Constitution as the sole regulator of bingo in Greene County, Benison said.

Now, here we go again: The Examiners of Public Accounts have now issued a report questioning the expenditure of money for, among other things, the scholarships paid to every Greene County high school senior and the payments made to the deputies who protect and serve our county.

They should be ashamed. I didnt back down when they sued me, and I wont back down now.

The audit initially identified more than $5.3 million in unauthorized spending.

A Sept. 12 order by Chief Examiner Rachel Riddle that is included in the audit report said Benison submitted evidence to reduce that by $370,383, leaving the amount he was ordered to repay at $4.97 million.
President Donald Trump holds up the GENIUS Act, a bill that regulates stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency, after he signs the bill in the East Room of the White House, Friday, July 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

This is a guest opinion column

I have spent my career representing rural Alabama. I know firsthand what makes small towns thrive: strong families, hard work, and the ability to build something with the right tools and support. In districts like mine, that support often comes from our community banks.

Community banks are not just financial institutions; they are partners in growth. They help a young couple buy their first home. They make it possible for a farmer to purchase a new tractor. They offer a small business owner the loan needed to expand and hire a few more folks from the neighborhood. In rural communities, these banks are woven into the fabric of daily life, and our local economies rely on them.

But now, a dangerous loophole in the GENIUS Act threatens to pull the rug out from under these banks and by extension, the communities that depend on them.

One of the GENIUS Acts goals is to prevent stablecoin issuers, cryptocurrency providers that offer stable digital tokens, from offering interest or yield to their customers. The goal was simple and sound: to ensure these companies do not act like unregulated banks and lure consumers into risky territory with promises of easy returns.

But as it stands today, a loophole in the GENIUS Act allows stablecoin issuers to offer those same financial incentives through affiliated third parties. Its a clever workaround that completely undermines the spirit of the law. And while it might benefit crypto firms and large investors, it will come at a serious cost to small-town America.

Heres why that matters: community banks rely on deposits from local customers to make loans. They do not have billion-dollar safety nets. They are not backed by hedge funds. They are local institutions that need your deposits to lend back to your community. If people start pulling those deposits out of their local banks to chase high yields in crypto, that pool of lending capital shrinks fast.

And when community banks cannot lend, the ripple effects are felt immediately. A family cannot get the loan to build a new home. A farmer might delay replacing outdated equipment. A local shop owner puts off expansion or worse, closes their doors. Thats how rural economies stall out.

This loophole effectively incentivizes moving money away from institutions that invest in real people and real communities and toward digital assets that do not have the same obligations or oversight. Stablecoins are not protected by the FDIC. If something goes wrong, the folks who moved their money into those products will have little to no way to get their money back.

Rural Alabama cannot afford to have its financial lifelines cut off. Community banks have weathered recessions, natural disasters, and pandemics by staying focused on local needs. They deserve a level playing field, not a policy that favors speculative technology over stable, proven financial institutions.

Our leaders in Congress, especially Senator Katie Britt and her colleagues on the Senate Banking Committee, should work to close this loophole. Enforce the GENIUS Act as it was written and intended. Make sure crypto firms cannot offer yield and ensure our community banks remain strong.

Our rural communities are resilient, but we should not be forced to compete with unregulated markets that play by different rules. Let us stand up for what works and protect the institutions that have always stood by us.

Steve Hurst serves in the Alabama Legislature representing Calhoun and Talladega Counties
The council unites leading scientists, clinicians, and advocates to ensure that cutting-edge research and lived experience together shape the future of mental health care.

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has announced the launch of a new Scientific Advisory Council which will strengthen NAMI's leadership at the cutting edge of mental health research, science, and lived experience. The advisory body brings together some of the nation's most respected scientists, researchers, and clinical practitioners. Together, they will ensure that the latest science will continue to drive NAMI's work, giving those with lived experience an even stronger voice in mental health and brain science.

"In forming this remarkable Scientific Advisory Council, NAMI is doubling down on providing the best science and research to serve families as well as our peers," said Ken Duckworth, M.D., NAMI's chief medical officer. "These prominent thinkers and researchers have a broad range of expertise that will help us further improve our educational materials and advocacy  on topics ranging from A.I.'s role in mental health, to schizophrenia research, program evaluation, mood disorders, early intervention, crisis care, and more."

The Scientific Advisory Council will support NAMI in multiple ways:

Increasing NAMI's impact on science and in promoting lived experience in the design, execution, and presentation of research.

Providing expert review of NAMI content to further ensure that its extensive nationwide community is informed with accurate, up-to-date scientific information.

Identifying opportunities for NAMI's involvement in external research, including strengthening its research promotion strategy and advocacy.

The inaugural members of NAMI's Scientific Council are as follows:

Margie Balfour, M.D. , associate professor, Psychiatry, University of Arizona; founder, MultiPass Consulting

, associate professor, Psychiatry, University of Arizona; founder, MultiPass Consulting Robert O. Cotes, M.D. , professor, Emory University School of Medicine; chief, Psychiatry, Grady Health System; editor-in-chief, Community Mental Health Journal

, professor, Emory University School of Medicine; chief, Psychiatry, Grady Health System; editor-in-chief, Lisa Dixon, M.D., M.P.H. , Edna L. Edison Professor of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital; editor-in-chief, Psychiatric Services

, Edna L. Edison Professor of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital; editor-in-chief, Robert K. Heinssen, Ph.D., ABPP, former director, Division of Services and Intervention Research, National Institute of Mental Health

former director, Division of Services and Intervention Research, National Institute of Mental Health Ebonee T. Johnson, Ph.D. , assistant professor, Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa

, assistant professor, Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa Matcheri Keshavan, M.D. , Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

, Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Andrew A. Nierenberg, M.D. , director, Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation, Massachusetts General Hospital; professor, Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; editor-in-chief, Psychiatric Annals

, director, Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation, Massachusetts General Hospital; professor, Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; editor-in-chief, Oladunni Oluwoye, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University

associate professor, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University Carolyn Rekerdres, M.D. , associate medical director, Pecan Valley Centers for Behavioral & Developmental Healthcare; adjunct professor, Rural Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical School

, associate medical director, Pecan Valley Centers for Behavioral & Developmental Healthcare; adjunct professor, Rural Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical School Altha Stewart, M.D. , senior associate dean, Community Health Engagement and director, Public and Community Psychiatry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

, senior associate dean, Community Health Engagement and director, Public and Community Psychiatry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center John Torous, M.D., M.B.I., director, Digital Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

"We are deeply honored that these noteworthy leaders have committed to volunteering to help us, and I thank them for their service to our mission," said Duckworth.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Council will serve on a volunteer basis for terms of one, two, or three years.

To learn more about the Scientific Advisory Council and NAMI's commitment to evidence-based advocacy, education and support for those with mental illness and caregivers, visit nami.org/scientificcouncil.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Join the conversation: Instagram.com/namicommunicate | x.com/namicommunicate | Facebook.com/nami | LinkedIn.com/company/nami | YouTube.com/NAMIvideo | TikTok.com/@nami

SOURCE National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
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The brand new thriller-mystery series The Last Frontier releases on Apple TV+ with a two-episode premiere Friday, Oct. 10.

Starring Jason Clarke, Dominic Cooper, Haley Bennett, Simone Kessell and more, The Last Frontier follows a U.S. marshal as his jurisdiction is turned upside down by a failed prison transport.

How to watch The Last Frontier

Those looking to check out the latest Apple TV+ original series can stream its debut season exclusively through Apples streaming service. Those who have yet to commit to a paid subscription can enjoy a 7-day free trial before the $12.99/month subscription kicks in.

More about The Last Frontier

The Last Frontier follows Frank Remnick (Clarke), the lose U.S. marshal in charge of the quiet, rugged barrens of Alaska. Remicks jurisdiction is turned upside down when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Tasked with protecting the town hes vowed to keep safe, he begins to suspect the crash wasnt an accident, but the first step of a well-crafted plan with far-reaching and devastating implications.

More about Apple TV+

Designed by Apple, Apple TV+ is a popular streaming service that offers exclusive Apple Original shows and movies from some of the industrys top talent. New content arrives each month meaning users will never be short of entertaining content to watch.

Along with hit original thriller shows like The Last Frontier, subscribers can catch other popular Apple TV+ movies, documentaries and award-winning shows.










English News China has approved 43 innovative drugs in the first half of 2024, up 59 percent year on year

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 6 Octobre 2025



Since last year, the NMPA has piloted reforms in 11 provincial-level branches, cutting the review period for supplemental drug applications requiring verification from 200 working days to just 60. The agency is also exploring a 30-day approval timeline for priority innovative drug trials.

By Wang Yunna, People's Daily "I used to enjoy seafood with beer when I was younger, but for years, I haven't dared to indulge," said 63-year-old Lu Ping, diagnosed with gout eight years ago. "Because of tophi, my big toe joint swelled so severely that even the slightest movement caused excruciating pain. I had to wear size-52 shoes."



During a hospital visit, Lu learned that a new innovative drug was undergoing clinical trials and immediately signed up. "The pain from gout attacks was unbearable, and I wanted to try any potential solution," he explained.

Now, he takes one pill a day, under the close supervision of his doctors, who monitor safety and assess the drug's effectiveness by testing his uric acid levels every month or two.



The new drug was developed by ApicHope Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., based in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong province. Gouty arthritis is intensely painful, and patients have a significant demand for effective treatments. When reviewing global research on gout therapy, the company's R&D team discovered that there had never been an oral medication specifically designed to dissolve tophi.



"Developing new drugs is highly challenging, but if we can solve this problem, we will fill a major gap in the market," said Li Hanxiong, chairman of ApicHope.



The process of identifying a potential compound involves screening between 5,000 and 10,000 molecules. "It's like searching for a needle in a haystack," explained Yang Wenqian, head of a research institute under ApicHope.



An even greater challenge was pinpointing a viable drug target. "Much like aiming an arrow, a drug only works if it targets specific proteins or nucleic acids within the body. However, these targets are hidden among trillions of cells. There are no shortcuts, only patience and persistence," Yang added.



After several attempts, the team identified a urate transporter protein. Normally, most uric acid filtered by the kidneys is reabsorbed into the bloodstream through this transporter, boosting the body's antioxidant and anti-infection capacity.



"By inhibiting this transporter, could we lower uric acid levels in gout patients?" the team wondered.



Building on this hypothesis, the team began developing urate transporter inhibitors while optimizing molecular structures to minimize side effects and enhance efficacy.



At the end of 2022, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved clinical trials for the drug to ensure its safety and effectiveness before it could be released to the market. More than 1,500 patients have since participated in the trials.



"Leveraging the wealth of top-tier hospitals in Guangzhou, we partnered with local doctors and doctors to accelerate research, clinical testing, and market entry," said Li.



Beyond medical resources, Guangzhou has also rolled out supportive policies to foster a robust biopharmaceutical industry ecosystem. The combined efforts of the government and enterprises have significantly accelerated the development and approval of innovative drugs.



The city has introduced policy measures to support the high-quality growth of the biopharmaceutical sector, invested in global science initiatives such as the human cell atlas and human proteome project, and now hosts 45 institutions certified under good clinical practice standards. These efforts create a comprehensive support system covering the entire innovation process.



"Our new drug follows a model where R&D is carried out in the Greater Bay Area, while regulatory filings are made globally," Li noted. The NMPA's Greater Bay Area branch has designated the drug as a priority project, providing early-stage guidance in clinical research to accelerate the approval process.



With strong infrastructure, sound policies, and a supportive environment, companies are better able to attract top talent, refine their R&D and commercialization systems, and bring new treatments to market more rapidly.



"Our company has 15 innovative drugs in the pipeline, with more soon to move into mass production," he added.



Recently, China's National Healthcare Security Administration and the National Health Commission issued 16 measures to promote the high-quality development of innovative drugs, injecting fresh momentum into the industry.



Since last year, the NMPA has piloted reforms in 11 provincial-level branches, cutting the review period for supplemental drug applications requiring verification from 200 working days to just 60. The agency is also exploring a 30-day approval timeline for priority innovative drug trials.



In the first half of this year alone, China approved 43 innovative drugs, up 59 percent year on year, demonstrating that reform dividends are driving industry growth.



Over the past five years, China has approved 210 innovative drugs, maintaining rapid growth. Today, China accounts for about 30 percent of the world's innovative drugs in development.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare: Theater as a bridge for global cultural dialogue Shanghai seed bank hits 100 million samples in biodiversity conservation push China unveils world's first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Why is China targeting asteroids?

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 6 Octobre 2025



The China National Space Administration has in recent years launched a series of feasibility studies and preliminary programs focused on NEA detection and defense, including a formal proposal to build a national a near-Earth object defense system. Chinese scientists have outlined a comprehensive two-pronged strategy: first, the development of an integrated early warning system that leverages both ground-based and space-based monitoring assets; and second, the establishment of mitigation capabilities centered on kinetic impactors, supplemented by additional technologies and supported by a mission response library to ensure that each credible threat can be addressed with a pre-planned, executable solution.

By Wu Weiren The solar system is home not only to the eight major planets but also to an immense number of smaller celestial bodies - asteroids and comets - varying in size, shape, and orbital characteristics. Among them, asteroids are defined as solar-orbiting objects smaller than planets and dwarf planets, typically inactive in releasing gas or dust. These bodies, numbering in the billions, are often referred to as "living fossils" of the solar system's formation and evolution.

Asteroids with a perihelion distance of less than 1.3 astronomical units (AU) are categorized as near-Earth asteroids (NEAs).



NEAs represent one of the most significant potential threats to Earth. The United Nations has ranked asteroid impacts among the top 20 existential threats to humanity. The prevailing scientific consensus holds that an asteroid approximately 10 kilometers in diameter was responsible for the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, which eradicated roughly 75 percent of Earth's species, including the dinosaurs. More recent examples include the 1908 Tunguska event, which flattened over 2,000 square kilometers of Siberian forest, and the 2013 Chelyabinsk incident, in which a meteor explosion injured approximately 1,500 people and damaged some 3,000 buildings.



While the likelihood of such catastrophic events remains low, their potential consequences are profound. As of March 2025, 38,171 near-Earth objects had been identified, comprising 38,048 near-Earth asteroids and 123 near-Earth comets. However, due to the technical challenges of detection, only about 1 percent of near-Earth asteroids are currently catalogued. Early in 2025, asteroid 2024 YR4 briefly showed a 3.1 percent probability of Earth impact, triggering global concern.



How should we respond to these "uninvited guests"?



At the third International Deep Space Exploration Conference, held recently in Hefei of Anhui province, Chinese scientists presented their vision for asteroid exploration, planetary defense, and resource utilization, while extending an open invitation for international cooperation.



The China National Space Administration has in recent years launched a series of feasibility studies and preliminary programs focused on NEA detection and defense, including a formal proposal to build a national a near-Earth object defense system. Chinese scientists have outlined a comprehensive two-pronged strategy: first, the development of an integrated early warning system that leverages both ground-based and space-based monitoring assets; and second, the establishment of mitigation capabilities centered on kinetic impactors, supplemented by additional technologies and supported by a mission response library to ensure that each credible threat can be addressed with a pre-planned, executable solution.



China aims to conduct its first asteroid deflection demonstration mission around 2027. This kinetic impact test has three primary objectives: to alter the trajectory of the target asteroid; to observe the impact in detail, including velocity and energy transfer; and to monitor post-impact changes to assess the operation's success.



The mission involves targeting a small asteroid approximately 10 million kilometers from Earth, aiming to change its velocity by 3 to 5 centimeters per second, sufficient to alter its trajectory. The selected target poses no risk of Earth impact for at least the next century.



From the standpoint of planetary defense and the long-term survival of humanity, developing asteroid mitigation capabilities is a global imperative. As a responsible major player in space, China is committed to contributing its expertise and resources to the establishment of an international asteroid detection and defense system.



Beyond defense, asteroid exploration and resource utilization also hold immense promise.



Asteroids contain significant reserves of iron, nickel, platinum-group metals, and water ice. They are broadly classified into metallic, carbonaceous, and silicate types. The exploitation of asteroid resources - long pursued by leading spacefaring nations - holds transformative economic potential. According to authoritative estimates, over 700 of the roughly 1,000 asteroids studied in detail are each valued at more than $100 trillion. Over the next 30 years, the projected economic value of main-belt asteroid resources may exceed $700 quintillion.



This field is not only a strategic pillar of deep-space exploration but also a foundational component of the emerging extraterrestrial resource economy. With ongoing advances in nuclear space propulsion, quantum technologies, and embodied intelligence, the development of asteroid resource is expected to become increasingly intelligent, cost-effective, and commercially viable. In the future, a large-scale industrial chain centered on asteroid exploitation is likely to emerge, becoming an integral part of the deep-space economy.



(Wu Weiren is the chief designer of China's lunar exploration program, and the director and chief scientist of the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory.)



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare: Theater as a bridge for global cultural dialogue Shanghai seed bank hits 100 million samples in biodiversity conservation push China unveils world's first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Palindrome Technologies, a distinguished Cyber Security Research and Testing Lab, today announced it has been awarded a coveted Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS). This significant achievement enables federal, state, and local government agencies to readily access Palindrome Technologies' cutting-edge cybersecurity expertise and solutions, streamlining the procurement process for critical cyber defense capabilities.

The GSA HACS SINs (Special Item Numbers) cover a comprehensive range of cybersecurity services, including:

SIN 54151HACS  Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS)

Task Area 1: Penetration Testing



Task Area 4: Vulnerability Assessment



Task Area 5: Security Architecture Review

This award underscores Palindrome Technologies' commitment to providing robust and reliable cybersecurity solutions to protect vital government assets and infrastructure.

"We are incredibly proud to receive this GSA HACS award, which is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire team," said Peter Thermos, CEO of Palindrome Technologies. "In an increasingly complex and threatening cyber landscape, the security of our nation's critical infrastructure is paramount. This award significantly expands our ability to directly support U.S. government agencies in strengthening their defenses against sophisticated cyber threats. Palindrome Technologies' proven capabilities and extensive experience in safeguarding complex systems will now be readily available to those on the front lines of protecting essential services and national security. We look forward to partnering with government entities to build resilient, secure environments that can withstand the challenges of tomorrow."

With this GSA MAS contract, Palindrome Technologies is poised to further its mission supporting government agencies ensure the security and resiliency of the national critical infrastructure.

About Palindrome Technologies:

Palindrome Technologies is a leading applied information security research firm and analysis laboratory with expertise in emerging technologies, AI, embedded systems, communication networks, software, and cloud-based infrastructures. Palindrome is an accredited ISO/IEC 17025 testing and product certification laboratory and provides professional services to help global enterprise organizations, service providers and network equipment suppliers with deploying and maintaining secure networks, services, and products. With a focus on innovation and client success, Palindrome Technologies delivers tailored security solutions that empower organizations to confidently navigate the evolving cyber threat landscape.

Visit https://palindrometech.com/gsa-highly-adaptive-cybersecurity-services for more information.

SOURCE Palindrome Technologies
This is a very simplified political map of Japan showing various prefectures in the northern end of Honshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands. Our area of interest today is the region marked by the bright red pin.

If you zoom into this area, you will notice a very peculiar cartographic oddity. The borders of Fukushima, Niigata and Yamagata doesnt meet at a tri-point as the zoomed-out map seems to suggest. Instead, you will see a very thin strip of land attached to Fukushima snaking into Niigata. This is called a salient. The Fukushima Prefecture salient famously called the umbilical cordextends about 8 km starting from the summit of Mount Mikuni, following the ridge of Mount Kengamine, passing through the summit of Mount Iide, and ending on the summit of Mount Onishi. At its narrowest, it is only about 35 inches across (90 centimetres).

Why does this strange piece of border exist?

Before Japans modernization in the 19th century, the area now known as Fukushima Prefecture was divided into several han, or feudal domains, ruled by various daimyo under the Tokugawa shogunate. The powerful Aizu Domain ruled the mountainous west; Iwaki and Soma Domains governed the coastal east; and other smaller domains and shogunal territories filled the spaces between. The borders between them often followed old trade routes and mountain ridges, not any single administrative logic.

When the Meiji Restoration of 1868 swept away the feudal order, the new government replaced the domains with a modern prefectural system. At first, there were hundreds of small prefectures, each roughly corresponding to an old domain. Over the next few years, these were consolidated into the larger, more manageable units seen today. In this process, the Aizu lands were merged with the coastal regions to form Fukushima Prefecture  a political decision meant partly to diminish the lingering power of the Aizu samurai, who had fought fiercely against the imperial forces during the Boshin War.

By the mid-1870s, the map of northeastern Japan had begun to resemble its modern form, but the details of prefectural boundaries, especially in the mountains, remained fluid. At the heart of these neglected highlands stood Mount Iide, a soaring peak on the border between the two prefectures. On its slopes lay Iide Shrine, a sacred site venerated by locals for centuries. The mountain and the shrine had long been associated with the former Aizu Domain, and hence with what became Fukushima.

In 1886, the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly proposed moving the prefectural capital from Fukushima City to Koriyama, partly because access was difficult from some areas. As part of balancing and administrative convenience, the national government approved transferring Higashikanbara District, which included the eastern approaches to Mount Iide, from Fukushima to Niigata Prefecture. The redrawn border placed Mount Iides summit and the upper shrine under Niigatas jurisdiction.

This change did not sit well with the residents of nearby villages in Fukushima. For them, Mount Iide and its shrine were not mere landmarks but part of their cultural and spiritual identity. Losing them felt like losing a piece of their heritage. Local officials and villagers petitioned the government, arguing that historical records and old domain maps proved the mountain had always belonged to Aizu.

For more than twenty years, the issue simmered. Finally, in the early 1900s, the Home Ministry ordered a field survey to settle the matter. The surveyors confirmed that the disputed shrine and the ridge leading up to it had deep historical and cultural ties to Fukushima. In 1907, a compromise was reached: while the rest of Higashikanbara District remained in Niigata, the border was redrawn to follow the ridge of the Iide Mountains, returning the summit and the shrine to Fukushima. This resulted in this narrow strip of land.



The approach to Mount Lide along the ridge belongs to Fukushima Prefecture. The left slope belongs to Niigata Prefecture, the right slope belongs to Yamagata Prefecture. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

References:

# Iidesan, Fukushimas Odd Border: Gods, Mountains, Lines in the Sand, Unseen Japan

# Japan's most mysterious prefectural border! Fukushima Prefecture cuts between Niigata and Yamagata prefectures!?, Gendai.media

# What is the true identity of the "navel cord" in Fukushima?, Nikkei
In this day and age, were living more connected to each other than before. Companies and countries are relying on each other more so than ever, and that makes sense. Some countries have industries that do things better or more affordably than home, so trading with them is a smart play. However, in recent years, these connections are being politicized. This includes moves by the US government to impose tariffs on goods imported into the country. So it doesnt come as a surprise that the EU has announced a $1.1 billion plan to invest more into AI to reduce its reliance on other nations.

EU introduces $1.1 billion AI investment plan

The European Commission unveiled its Apply AI strategy, allocating 1 billion (~$1.1 billion) to speed up AI adoption across 10 key sectors. These include healthcare, energy, manufacturing, defense, and agri-food. The EU AI billion initiative draws funding from existing programs like Horizon Europe and Digital Europe, while encouraging member states and private companies to contribute matching investments.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Europe wants the future of AI made locally, not imported. Currently, only 13% of European businesses use AI. The goal is to push that number to 75% by 2030. Specific actions include establishing AI-powered healthcare screening centers and developing autonomous AI technologies for manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.

The EU Commission President was quoted as saying, I want the future of AI to be made in Europe. AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process. We will drive this AI first mindset across all our key sectors, from robotics to healthcare, energy and automotive.

The EU isnt alone in this push for tech independence. The US has been reducing its reliance on China through tariffs and restrictions on semiconductor exports. American policymakers have prioritized domestic chip manufacturing and AI development to maintain global competitiveness.

Weve already seen this in action. The Trump administration announced 100% tariffs on semiconductors imported into the US. However, companies will be exempt if they demonstrate their willingness to set up shop in the US. This has resulted in several companies, such as Samsung and TSMC, to increase their investment and presence stateside.
While the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold does look to be very similar to its predecessor on the outside, theres quite a few differences on the inside. The biggest difference is the new gearless hinge, which Google is now showing off, with the device officially being available to purchase now.

This hinge is actually a pretty big deal, as it is what allowed the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to achieve an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The first foldable to achieve this level of dust resistance, most others are IP48 which isnt really resistant to dust, but rocks instead.

In Googles blog post, the company noted that it used a method for the hinge that was less safe and more aggressive. The reason for this was to give us a better hinge without sacrificing the benefits of pro-level phones according to Google.

Going gearless was huge for Google. As you might have figured out, gears can cause issues over time, and accumulate dust between them, which then degrades the opening and closing of the phone. This is actually why a lot of foldables do not open to a fully flat 180-degrees after a few days or even weeks of using the foldable.

Google used CAMs instead of gears

So instead of using gears in the hinge, Google used CAMs, which are mechanical components that convert rotational motion to linear motion, in order to maintain the symmetrical motion. These CAMs are loaded with springs. So when either side of the phone is opened, the other half is forced to follow.

By using a gearless hinge, it allowed Google to offer bigger screens and smaller bezels. As well as adding in a larger battery. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold has a 5,015mAh capacity battery, the largest in a foldable in the US. And the largest in a foldable that is not using Silicon-Carbon, which is quite the feat.
Google and the DOJ (Department of Justice) have met in court yet again, following Judge Amit Mehtas decision on Googles remedies. The two parties met at a hearing in a federal courthouse to hammer out the details of Mehtas final order on remedies. Google had one specific goal during that hearing.

Google is trying to keep its Gemini AI out of the line of fire

Googles attorney, John Schmidtlein, told Judge Amit Mehta that he should not prevent the company from bundling its Gemini AI app with other Google apps, according to Bloomberg.

Judge Mehta stated that he has concerns that this move would give Google leverage to better position Gemini. Google is obviously trying to prevent Google Search remedies from messing up its AI plans.

Google is trying to argue that AI is a different story entirely. The company is trying to prevent Judge Mehta from imposing restrictions in that area. Google also gave Microsoft as an example, mentioning the companys use of Copilot in its Office products.

Schmidtlein said that Maps and YouTube are not monopoly products, and when it comes to the AI market, theres no notion that Google has to date gained monopoly or market power.

Well see what Judge Mehta ends up deciding in that regard, but theres a possibility that Google will end up being limited in the AI department. Either way, this story should end very soon.

All of this follows the final remedies decision

As a reminder, all of this comes following Judge Amit Mehtas final decision on Googles remedies, as the court is trying to restore competition to the search market. Prior to that, Google lost in court, as it was proclaimed that Google illegally monopolized the search market.

Judge Amit Mehta decided not to pull the trigger on the most devastating sanctions, as Google will not be forced to divest Chrome or Android. However, the company will not be allowed to make exclusive contracts for distributing several of its products, like the huge one with Apple. The company will also be required to share some search information with rivals.
ELKO, Nev., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- RAM Enterprise, Inc., a leader in conveyor and maintenance services, has officially announced a strategic partnership with Vayeron Pty Ltd, a leading manufacturer of smart conveyor monitoring technology. This partnership will combine RAM Enterprise's expertise in installation, maintenance, and service with Vayeron's cutting-edge conveyor monitoring and industrial technology.

Under the terms of the partnership, Vayeron has designated RAM Enterprise as a Factory-Preferred Service Provider within the United States. Through this designation, RAM Enterprise and its representatives will receive priority for all U.S. service work involving Vayeron products. Vayeron will provide RAM Enterprise onboarding, technical enablement, marketing tools, and training and certification under the instruction of Vayeron standards and procedures.

"We are thrilled to partner with Vayeron," said Laila Miguel, Vice President and CFO of RAM Enterprise. "This partnership reflects a shared vision to bring technology-driven conveyor solutions to our industry. At RAM, we look toward the future of the industry, and this agreement marks a significant step toward helping our customers achieve safer, smarter, and more efficient operations."

"Our operations team is excited to bring this partnership to life," added Michael Black, Vice President and COO of RAM Enterprise. "With Vayeron's innovative Smart-Idler technology and RAM's service expertise, we are well-positioned to deliver powerful, data-driven solutions that will reduce downtime and enhance performance for our clients across the U.S."

About RAM Enterprise

RAM Enterprise, Inc., based in Elko, Nevada, is a safety-focused provider of conveyor and maintenance services for the mining, aggregate, and power generation industries. The company provides reliable, comprehensive conveyor and process equipment solutions designed to minimize downtime and reduce operating costs. With a team of skilled professionals experienced in demanding conditions, RAM Enterprise works closely with clients to deliver innovative solutions. For more information, visit ram-enterprise.com.

About Vayeron

Vayeron Pty Ltd, a pioneer of smart conveying monitoring, based in Mackay, Queensland, first developed smart conveyor technology in 2014. Since innovating the cutting-edge technologies, the company has successfully installed numerous predictive wireless monitoring solutions for bulk material handling applications. Its flagship Smart Idler technology embeds sensors inside conveyor rollers to predict failures, reduce fire risk, and enable predictive maintenance. The company helps mines, ports, and process plants maximize productivity and mitigate operational risk by turning critical conveyor and rotating equipment into data rich assets. For more information, visit vayeron.com.

SOURCE RAM Enterprise, Inc.
TSMC is currently the worlds largest manufacturer of chipsets. The company is responsible for producing chipsets for some of the biggest tech companies in the world. Were talking about clients such as Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and NVIDIA, just to name a few. While Samsung has its own foundry services, it isnt on par with TSMC. But it seems that Samsung could be on the cusp of landing Qualcomm as a future customer, thanks to a recent Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 AP sample.

Samsung shows Qualcomm a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 AP sample

According to a post on X by user @Jukanlosreve, Samsung has supplied Qualcomm with an AP sample of its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. At the moment, it is largely expected that TSMC will manufacture the chipset for Qualcomm. However, Samsungs sample was made using the companys 2nm process.

Building the chipset on the 2nm process over the 3nm process has its advantages. It adopts the Gate-All-Around architecture, which is said to improve both the chips performance and power consumption. That being said, one sample isnt going to be enough to convince Qualcomm to jump ship from TSMC to Samsung.

The company is expected to put the sample through its paces, testing for power efficiency, performance, heat generation, and more. Assuming all goes to plan, Qualcomm could then request for trial production.

Samsung isnt overtaking TSMC yet

That being said, even if the sample impresses Qualcomm, the company might not ditch TSMC for Samsung completely. Instead, Qualcomm might go with a dual-sourcing strategy. This means that it may buy from both Samsung and TSMC. This is actually a smart play and one Qualcomm might have gone for, except that TSMCs manufacturing and tech is so advanced that its hard to find alternatives.

Samsung and Qualcomm had previously worked together. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which was produced on the 4nm process, resulted in heat and yield issues. This ultimately led to Qualcomm shifting production to TSMC. We had previously heard rumors that Qualcomm was planning to work with Samsung for the Snapdragon 8 Elite 5. However, those plans were cancelled.

Maybe this sample could prove to Qualcomm that Samsung is ready to start producing its next-gen chipsets. 2026 is expected to be the year we start seeing 2nm chipsets hit the market, so who knows, maybe Samsung could land some orders for Qualcomms next-gen flagship chipset.
The Xiaomi 17 series debuted last month as the brands newest flagship lineup. The series includes a total of three phones, and they all ship with the mighty Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC. Like always, Xiaomi reserved the Ultra model for a later date. Though not confirmed, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra may arrive early, reportedly by the end of this year, in China. However, you dont have to wait that long to know more, as a new leak sheds light on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra cameras.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra cameras leak

Prolific leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo spilled the beans on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra cameras. According to him, the upcoming flagship will feature a quad-camera setup, comprising a 50MP + 50MP + 50MP + 200MP system. He says the primary camera will feature a large sensor with support for ultra-high dynamic range. Furthermore, the periscope sensor may get a new optical technology.

While the sensor details are not out, there are speculations that the ultra phone from Xiaomi may feature a 50MP OmniVision OV50X main sensor. This will be accompanied by a 50MP Samsung JN5 ultra-wide-angle lens, a 50MP Samsung JN5 telephoto lens, and a 200MP Samsung HPE periscope telephoto camera. It may house a 50MP OmniVision OV50M 50MP front camera.

There could be two versions

Furthermore, Digital Chat Station notes that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will arrive in two versions. The Weibo post explicitly says two versions. There will be no major difference in the camera setup and lens configuration. However, the top-end version will apparently include innovative camera smarts under its sleeve. There could be a few notable self-developed camera technologies on board.

Digital Chat Station previously claimed that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will introduce an advanced continuous optical zoom system, combining the 200MP sensor with a multi-element periscope zoom lens. This uses a shared CMOS between focal lengths, offering smoother zoom transitions without switching cameras. Well know more when it launches officially.
Christopher Harborne donated 1m to a private company Boris Johnson set up after resigning as prime minister. Composite: LNP/Getty Images/Guardian Design

As he boarded the night train to Ukraine, Boris Johnson had the usual entourage of aides and bodyguards  plus the man who had given him 1m.

Less than a year had passed since Johnson accepted what is thought to be the largest donation ever to an individual MP. It was from Christopher Harborne, one of the UKs biggest and most private political donors.

Harborne, whose millions helped bankroll Brexit, made the payment to a private company Johnson set up after resigning as prime minister. Now leaked files show that Johnson, a champion of Ukraine in office and since, was accompanied in September 2023 by his benefactor on a two-day visit that included meetings with top officials.

What the files do not explain is why. And neither the former prime minister nor his backer will say.

Related: Boris Johnson after No 10: files reveal troubling secrets of the ex-PMs pursuit of profit

The organisers of the high-level gathering they attended in Kyiv say Harborne was registered as adviser, Office of Boris Johnson.

Harborne has wide expertise: a self-described digital nomad, his holdings range from cryptocurrency and a wellness centre to jet fuel and stakes in at least three military contractors. His only apparent connection to Ukraine is as the biggest shareholder in a British weapons manufacturer whose robots and drones are reportedly supplied to its armed forces.

The Boris Files, leaked documents from Johnsons private office, have exposed how the former PM has sought to enrich himself since leaving office by sitting down with a Venezuelan despot and courting Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince accused of ordering the murder of a journalist.

The Ukrainian cause, by contrast, is sacred to Johnson, one political consultant says, an enduring source of moral authority for a politician who was forced out of Downing Street amid scandal.

The leaked files raise questions about whether, even here, he has blurred the lines between public service and money-making.

In an extraordinary statement to the Guardian when asked about his relationship with Harborne, Johnson said: Your pathetic non-stories  seem mostly to be derived from some illegal Russian hack job. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), the US-based transparency group that obtained the leaked files, said it did not know their provenance.

Johnson added: Why dont you just change your name to Pravda? Your stories are rubbish and you are doing Putins work.

Boris and Chris only

In Downing Street, Johnson rallied western powers as Vladimir Putins armies poured into Ukraine in February 2022. Since resigning, he has continued to travel there, pledging to maintain allies commitment, and remains so popular that he is cheered in the streets.

When he disembarked from the night train in Kyiv on 8 September 2023, Johnson had time for a quick shower at his hotel before heading for the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum, an itinerary in the leaked files indicates. According to a published list of participants, Ukrainian ministers, spymasters and military chiefs mingled with foreign diplomats, politicians, industrialists and executives.

Related: What are the Boris Files and what do they reveal about former PMs conduct?

The itinerary has Boris and Chris [Harborne] only down to attend the opening session of the high-level gathering. Images show Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Johnson addressed the gathered luminaries and the itinerary suggests they then retired for a private meeting. Zelenskyys office did not respond when asked if Johnsons benefactor joined them.

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Afterwards, Zelenskyy posted a picture of himself with Johnson. From the first hours of the full-scale war, Boris Johnson sincerely supports Ukraine and helps defend against Russian aggression, Zelenskyy wrote. And now continues to add international support to Ukraine. Thank you for your energy, friend!

Johnsons itinerary says he had further meetings scheduled that day with Zelenskyys foreign minister, who said he could not recall whether Harborne attended, and the oligarch who runs the forum.

The next day Johnson headed west to Lviv to lay flowers at war graves, visit the wounded and receive an honorary degree. Footage shows Harborne standing nearby as Johnson greets troops. A photograph shows a meeting with another senior Ukrainian official, Lvivs mayor, Andriy Sadovyy. Harborne looks on while Johnson holds court.

The 1m donation

In a recent court filing against the Wall Street Journal, Harborne calls himself an intensely private person. Although he has lived in Thailand for more than 20 years, holds a Thai passport and sometimes goes by a Thai name, Harborne has put considerable money into British politics.

He has given 10m to Nigel Farages Brexit party  now Reform UK  and 1m to the Conservatives while Johnson was completing the UKs departure from the EU. And Johnson seems to have nurtured the beneficial relationship while he was in No 10.

Harborne visited Chequers at least twice during Johnons premiership. Once, he arrived at the prime ministerial retreat by helicopter. The second time was for a Tory megadonor barbecue in August 2022.

Within days, Johnsons tenure was over, but his relationship with Harborne endured, and the 1m personal donation followed. A copy of the financial advice Johnson received soon after leaving Downing Street raises questions about it.

While Johnson was still an MP he set up a private company, The Office of Boris Johnson Ltd. The financial advice reveals that he was expecting a payment to fund the companys first few years. He was advised to consider whether this would represent a political donation or if it might be simpler for the company to invoice the donors company for services.

The following month, in November 2022, Johnsons entry in the register of MPs interests records a 1m donation to his company from Harborne. The payment does not appear on the Electoral Commissions donation database of money given towards the recipients political activities as an MP. This appears to suggest it may have been a contribution towards Johnsons money-making activities.

Related: The lucrative secrets of Boris Johnson  podcast

The month of the 1m payment, Johnson and Harborne dined together twice in Singapore. A January 2023 entry in Johnsons schedule set aside half an hour for a call with his backer. It was labelled Ukraine readout. That September, by which time Johnson had quit parliament, he and Harborne stepped aboard a Dassault Falcon at Stansted airport, the leaked files indicate. The private jet, apparently operated by Harborne, carried them to eastern Poland to catch the sleeper to Kyiv.

Harbornes lawyers said: Mr Harbornes donation was given to enable Mr Johnson to stay actively engaged in mainstream UK politics. It is and was a donation, and its reporting as such is appropriate.

They added: Mr Harborne had and has no expectation of personal gain whatsoever. Any suggestion otherwise is completely without evidence and materially and knowingly false.

The letter

Harbornes lawyers did not give substantive answers to questions about why he went on the trip to Ukraine, beyond saying they appear to have little to no basis in reality. But there are possible clues in the leaked files.

The itinerary features a closed meeting at the military-tech R&D centre. It does not say whether Harborne attended, but this is an area he knows well. While his position as the largest shareholder in QinetiQ, with 13%, does not give him a role in the day-to-day running of the privatised research unit of the UK armed forces, his financial stake in its operations is significant.

QinetiQ has interests in Ukraine, albeit not its biggest. Ukraines forces reportedly use the companys Banshee drones and bomb-disposal robots. In April 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence announced QinetiQ would help Ukraines military make kit with 3D printers.

Johnson refers to the trip in one of the Boris Files more mysterious documents. Dated 23 October 2023, the month after the visit, it is a letter carrying his signature. I write in support of Christopher Harborne, Johnson writes. He is both a friend and a supporter of my office  He came with me on a recent trip to Ukraine and I know him to be a passionate opponent of the Putin regime.

Johnson states in the letter that he is aware of no suggestion or evidence whatsoever that Christopher is in any way supportive of the Russian government, or has links to Russia commercial or otherwise. There is nothing to indicate why anyone might think otherwise. No such connections have emerged and Harbornes lawyers say none exist.

The lawyers would not say who the letter, addressed only to Dear Sirs, was written for. Mr Johnson provided a character reference for Mr Harborne in response to attacks on Mr Harbornes character, they said. Mr Harborne is grateful to Mr Johnson.
Good to go? Strict age limits apply for car rental (Simon Calder)

This is the definitive guide to the 50 ages (and six heights) of a traveller.

Minus 12 weeks: The Civil Aviation Authority says: Most airlines require a certificate after 28 weeks, confirming that the pregnancy is progressing normally, that there are no complications and the expected date of delivery.

Minus eight weeks: British Airways does not carry women who are pregnant with more than one baby after 32 weeks.

Minus four weeks: BA will not let women with single pregnancies fly after 36 weeks.

Nought: You can travel free on public transport across the UK.

Eight days: Ryanair will let you fly on domestic routes, but your fare may be higher than your mother: the flat infant fare is 25.

You will not be allowed to fly outside the UK with Ryanair because you will not have a passport. However, you can reach Ireland on British Airways, which also has a minimum age of eight days for passengers and does not require a passport for travel within the Common Travel Area  including Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Two weeks: EasyJet will let you fly.

Three weeks: Assuming your parents applied for a passport on the day you were born, you can expect it to be delivered by now. Eurostar will take you through the Channel Tunnel from London St Pancras to Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris at any age.

Four months: Neilson will welcome you into its Starfish Creche, with a promise: We have one nanny for every two babies. Experts in their field, they can recite any Disney song in a flash. The weekly cost, on top of the price of the holiday, is 390.

The activity operator has eight separate age bands for childrens activities.

Six months: Crystal Skis Pepi Penguin Nursery is all yours, until you are four; prices start from 475 for six days.

Many cruise lines will allow you aboard, though for some longer voyages (typically those with three or more consecutive days at sea) the minimum age is one year.

Six months and one day: P&O Cruises will allow you on board most voyages.

Two years: On many scheduled flights you must pay the full fare (less Air Passenger Duty).

And its time to start paying the child fare on some trains. The railways of the Canada, Colombia and Namibia will charge you half the adult fare. On weekday Acela trains run by Amtrak in the US, its the full fare for you.

Three: Time to pay half fare on Taiwanese trains, and on Inca Rail links to Machu Picchu in Peru.

Full fare in Indonesia, but your parents are unlikely to be bankrupted as a result: the 100-mile trip from Jakarta to Bandung clocks in at a reasonable 63,000 Indonesian rupiah (3), through the handy English-language website en.tiket.com.

What you pay on some other railways depends on how fast you grow.

90cm: You now need to pay half fare on trains in the Philippines. But you can ride on the Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride in CBeebies Land at Alton Towers, in the company of an adult.

100cm: Half-fare on Thai and Chinese railways.

110cm: Ditto, in Chile. Back in Alton Towers, you can go on that Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride alone.

3ft 8in (112cm): Until this height, you travel free on New Yorks subway and buses.

Four: You start paying child fares on Eurostar and on many trains in Australia and New Zealand.

120cm: Time, or rather height, to pay full whack on trains in the Philippines.

Five: Most British and European rail and bus operators charge you half fare  though Transport for London allows anyone aged under 10 to travel free when accompanied by an adult.

Six: Time to pay half fare on Japans Bullet Trains. G Adventures family trips are now open to you.

Seven: Many of the most generous train operators are in southern Africa: Zambia, South Africa and Botswana Railway; you only start paying half fares now.

Across in Madagascar, though, adult fares now apply.

Eight: Minimum age for the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb  but you must also be at least 120cm tall.

PGL Childrens Camps are now open to you.

140cm: Minimum height for the five most exciting rides at Alton Towers, including Nemesis and Oblivion.

Nine: You are now eligible for some of Exodus Travels family activity holidays.

10: Flixbus will carry you on UK journeys on your own with signed permission from a parent.

11: To qualify for free buses and trams in London, and child-rate fares on the Tube, you must pay 15 for an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard.

12: Under the EU entry-exit system, you must start providing fingerprints if you are a third-country nationals hoping to travel to the Schengen area.

This is also the age when many aspects of travel get more expensive. Train operators in most European nations insist you should pay full fare. And boys are now banned from ladies carriages on trains in Pakistan.

Most of those airlines that offer child fares make you pay full fare from age 12. No 1 Lounges now categorises you as an adult.

But there is some good news: Eurostar will let you travel unaccompanied between London, Brussels and Paris on trains departing before 5pm local time; for Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the minimum age is 16.

14: British Airways will allow you to travel on your own, though your parents/guardians must fill in a form. National Express will allow you to travel unaccompanied.

You can stay in a German youth hostel on your own, with your parents consent. And you can start driving with a learners permit in the US states of Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and North and South Dakota.

15: Intrepid will allow you on many of its trips, if accompanied by someone aged 18 or over.

15 years 9 months: you can apply for a provisional UK driving licence, but you cant start driving a car until 17.

16: You are now expected to pay full fare on British trains, but you qualify for the 16-17 Saver which costs 30 per year and gets you half price on the railways.

Air Passenger Duty applies to all the flights you take from the UK, adding anything from 13 (short-haul economy) to 200 (ultra long haul in anything but economy).

On an easyJet or Ryanair flight, you can travel unaccompanied.

You can stay in a UK youth hostel without an adult.

Visiting London? Youll now need the 16+ photocard to qualify for half-price travel, valid until age 18 (residents of the capital get extra benefits).

You qualify for Tui adults-only holidays.

And on a P&O cruise, you can be left unaccompanied on board at a port of call.

17: At last youre an adult on Mozambique Railways.

18: British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic will accept your application to work as cabin crew.

In New York State and Michigan, Hertz will hire you a car ($84 a day surcharge). And you can rent a car in Saskatchewan without any under-age fee.

19: Hertz will rent you a vehicle in Alabama and Nebraska. And you can legally drink in most Canadian provinces (in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec the minimum drinking age is 18).

20: You can now legally order a drink in Paraguay.

21: Minimum age for renting a car with Hertz in the UK and many other locations, though a young driver surcharge is likely to apply.

23: Avis will rent you a car in the UK.

24: You are old enough to drive a bus in the UK.

25: Most of the car-rental surcharges vanish, and in the US Hertz will now rent you a Maserati or a Range Rover, but some rental car companies continue to impose restrictions on the kinds of car you can drive.

26: You no longer qualify for the 16-25 Railcard  though you can buy one on the eve of your 26th birthday, and it will be valid for a full year. The 26-30 Railcard takes effect, though its benefits are not as good.

Residents of the European Union must start paying to get into the Louvre (for non-EU residents, the age is 18).

27: You start paying a surcharge for youth hostels in Germany.

28: You are no longer a youth in the eyes of Interrail, which means you lose the discount of up to 25% on unlimited travel passes. Age benefits return when you are 60.

30: Hertz UK will now rent you a Ford Mustang, a Bentley GTC or a Lamborghini.

31: You no longer qualify for the Australia Working Holiday visa unless you are a British, Irish or Canadian citizen, in which case you can stretch it to 35.

36: You are now too old to stay in a dorm at the Hans Brinker hostels in Lisbon and Amsterdam.

Contiki, the youth travel organiser, will no longer accept you on one of its trips.

40: You are no longer welcome on G Adventures 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.

50: You qualify for Saga holidays (though travelling companions can be as young as 40).

ScotRail invites you to join Club 50 (15 annually) which is a kind of trainee version of a Senior Railcard. Scotland only, 20 per cent off advance and off-peak tickets. It also features flash sales of 17 return flat fares for any length of journey in Scotland

59 years 50 weeks: you can apply for, and start using instantly, a real Senior Railcard (30 for a year). This will put you back on a par with those under 30, saving you one-third off rail travel in the UK. If you are feeling in good shape, buy the three-year version, price 70.

60: The National Trust confers a 25 per cent discount on annual subscriptions for the people it describes as its bedrock.

The charity says: With your support, we can keep looking after nature, beauty and history for ever. We want you to be able to stay with us, so that's why this concession is there for you if you need it.

The most important thing for us is to make sure you can afford to continue your membership and that is why we are happy to offer this concession.

To qualify, though, you must have been paying the full annual subscription for at least three consecutive years.

Interrail will give you a 10 per cent discount off adult fares. No strings attached.

62: Isola 2000, a French ski resort 90 minutes north of Nice, offers a 16 per cent discount off a lift pass. Give it another decade and things get even better at high altitude (see 72).

65: Start watching for those insurance policies that reject or surcharge older travellers.

Commercial airline pilots must retire in many nations.

All public transport in the city of Prague is free, except for commuter rail services. For trams, trolleybuses and the Metro, there is no need to do anything beyond carrying your passport to prove your age if challenged.

66: Congratulations, you qualify for a bus pass in England (sexagenarians in Wales, Scotland and Greater London gain free transport benefits from aged 60).

70: Private pilots in the UK must start self-declaring to the Civil Aviation Authority that they meet the same health requirements as an ordinary driving licence  which mainly involve visual acuity.

You will receive a free Etias permit when the euro-visa scheme is finally unveiled by the European Union.

In the Czech city of Brno, you enjoy free public transport.

72: Isola 2000 offers free lift passes for everyone this age or more. The same applies for everyone aged 4 or less.

75: Zipcar, which rents cars by the hour, insists that customers aged 75 or more have held a licence for at least two years and have no more than three penalty points.

Europcar will not rent you a car in Argentina or Lebanon. And the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb demands a Certificate of Fitness signed by your GP.

But in the Trois Vallees of France, which claims to be the worlds largest ski area, 600km of runs are yours for free.

76: Europcar will no longer rent you a car from Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton or York.

80: Explore will discuss the itinerary with you before booking you on the trip and may ask additional questions about your health and fitness.

90: Aspen Snowmass in Colorado will gift you a ski pass.

96: You currently qualify for a free UK passport if you were born before 3 September 1929. You can even use the Post Office check and send facility free of charge.

99: Many car rental firms will no longer hire you a vehicle (but Europcar will from most locations in the UK).
British passport holders  as well as other third-country nationals, from the US, Canada, Australia and elsewhere  are about to become subject to the European Unions entry-exit system (EES). The digital border scheme begins on Sunday 12 October. Many readers of The Independent have posed questions about the EES, so here are the key issues you need to know about...

Whats the big idea?

The long-awaited entry-exit system connects every frontier crossing point in the Schengen area (comprising all EU nations except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) with a central database. It aims to crack down on crime and enforce the 90-day stay limit, which applies to British travellers and other third-country nationals, within any 180-day period.

The system will collect or check biometrics from all third-country nationals when they either enter or leave at an external Schengen border. These borders include international airports, sea ports, railway stations and road crossings.

On the first occasion on which the traveller comes into contact with the system, it will create a digital record: registering their face and fingerprints, along with personal data from their passport. (Under-12s are excused from providing fingerprints.)

On subsequent crossings of the Schengen area border, the facial biometric will be checked against this record.

What is the mechanism?

Most travellers will register on kiosks installed at borders. You place the photo page of your passport as indicated, and then follow the instructions.

On subsequent visits, you will either use a kiosk to confirm that your face and passport match the details stored on the system, or an eGate if these have been modified to perform the face-check for non-EU travellers.

At some frontiers, you may instead have a face-to-face encounter with a border guard who will ask you to perform the biometric checks.

What will I notice on day one?

Probably nothing. The EES is being rolled out gradually over the course of 180 days, from 12 October 2025 to 9 April 2026.

Initially, member states are only required to introduce the EES on a token basis. Germany is starting with Dusseldorf airport, while Spain will begin with a single flight arrival at Madrid airport on Sunday morning.

An EES kiosk on show during a preview at Kings Cross St Pancras before its rollout (PA)

Spain, the most popular nation for British holidaymakers, says: During the six-month trial period for the EU EES, it will be implemented gradually at Spanish border crossings, first at airports, then at land borders, and finally at sea borders.

On Sunday 12 October, the first test will be conducted with passengers on a flight arriving at Madrid-Barajas-Adolfo Suarez Airport early in the morning.

The Independent has identified three countries that will be fully prepared from day one: the Czech Republic, Estonia and Luxembourg.

For the first few weeks only a small proportion of travellers will be required to go through the entry-exit system.

Do I need to prepare anything in advance?

No. This is an additional layer of red tape at the port of entry. For the first six months, the old-style analogue business of checking and stamping passports will continue as normal  but you may be asked for biometrics too.

It will be another year before you have to enrol for an Etias euro visa ahead of a trip.

What happens to EU passport holders when the EES starts?

They will breeze through the frontier via special lanes, where the only check will be a glance at their passport to check that a) its valid and b) its theirs. Just as it used to be for British passport holders before Brexit. If you have an EU passport, you can wave us all farewell and be in the bar or art gallery in record time.

How long does my digital record last?

For three years after an interaction with the EES. Each new visit triggers another three years of validity of the initial registration. In other words, if you dont cross a Schengen area frontier for three years, you will need to register again.

An entry-exit system kiosk at Vilnius airport, Lithuania (Charlotte Hindle)

Renewing a passport should not require you to register again. The system should update automatically when you present your new passport and the system checks your facial biometric.

Note that my interpretation of the European Union legislation conflicts with the Home Office, which says: Registration is valid for a rolling three-year period or until the passport expires. I base it on a UK government Procedures for entering data in the EES. It says that if the third-country national presents a valid travel document which differs from the one that was previously recorded (ie a new passport), the individuals online file will be updated with the fresh details.

Do I need to provide proof of travel insurance?

Almost certainly not. The EES kiosks in the Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras International and at the Port of Dover ask travellers: Do you have medical insurance?.

This has been a requirement to enter France (but no other EU country) for many years, and has never been enforced for UK visitors. The kiosks at Folkestone, for Eurotunnel crossings, are not asking this question.

The UK government insists: Medical insurance will not be a mandatory requirement for UK citizens travelling to the EU under EES. However, we strongly recommend that all passengers purchase comprehensive travel insurance, including medical cover, before travelling abroad.

What if I am on a cruise?

If the voyage starts and ends in the UK, you should not need to use the entry-exit system. The Home Office says: Sailings that start and finish their journey outside of the Schengen area (for example, at a UK port) will generally be exempt from EES checks, including for any day trips into the Schengen area that are part of their itinerary.

If you are on a fly cruise and are joining and/or leaving the ship in a Schengen area port, you will need to go through the entry-exit system at the Schengen frontier.
Angelina Jolie says she hasnt set foot in winery since painful events leading up to Brad Pitt divorce

Angelina Jolie has no plans to visit the winery she once owned with her ex-husband, Brad Pitt.

The exes have been embroiled in a legal battle since 2022 over Jolies sale of her shares of their winery in France, Chateau Miraval, to alcohol company Stoli Group.

In his lawsuit, Pitt, 61, accused Jolie, 50, of reneging on their deal not to sell their shares without the others consent. In response, the Maria actor filed a countersuit in September 2022, accusing Pitt of conducting a vindictive campaign against her since their 2016 divorce filing.

The legal battle continued on Monday with Jolie filing court documents, obtained by People, in Los Angeles. In a statement, the Maleficent star claimed she has avoided going to the vineyard for years.

To this day, the children and I have never again set foot on the property, given its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce, she wrote. Post-separation, I immediately began to look for a new house for me and our children, initially renting a home while looking for a more stable solution.

Angelina Jolie says immediately began to look for a new house after Brad Pitt split (Getty Images)

Because I wanted to ensure that Brad remained an important part of our childrens lives, I looked to buy a property near his home, Jolie, who split from Pitt in 2016, continued. At the time, my savings were tied up in Miraval, and I had not asked Brad for alimony or any other financial support.

She also wrote that after she and Pitt separated, she left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.

A source close to the matter also shared a comment to The Independent, saying: This is a commercial dispute that has nothing to do with the divorce proceedings, this filing is one side trying to conflate the two and justify the sale of Miraval.

The filing came a year after Pitt asked for the judge to strike down Jolies motion asking him to release third-party communications about his allegedly abusive behavior towards her during an infamous 2016 private jet voyage. The Fight Club actors legal team slammed Jolies request as an intrusive and sensationalist fishing expedition.

In July, Pitt filed a motion asking his ex-wife to produce private emails she exchanged with her legal team and Stoli Groups Alexey Oliynik, a Russian oligarch. Jolies lawyer declined the request and claimed her messages are covered by the attorney-client privilege.

In the new documents, Jolie is also seeking $33,000 in legal fees from her ex-husband, according to USA TODAY. She further challenged Pitts previous request for her emails and documents discussing legal advice or legal strategy, noting that these communications were to be confidential.

The former couple share six children: Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 16.
Television personality Ant Middleton is being sued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the High Court over an alleged breach of contract.

Court records show that the MoD issued a legal claim against Mr Middleton, who presented Channel 4s SAS: Who Dares Wins, on Wednesday.

No further details or documents related to the case are currently available, but The Sun claimed on Friday that it related to social media posts about his time in the special forces.

An MoD spokesperson said: We can confirm ongoing proceedings around contractual procedures.

We will not comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.

In 2021, Channel 4 said it would not work with Middleton again on SAS: Who Dares Wins following discussions with the adventurer over his personal conduct.

He faced a backlash in 2020 over comments he made about the Black Lives Matter protests and coronavirus.

Middleton said at the time that he had decided its time to move on from SAS Who Dares Wins UK.

He has since appeared as a speaker at the Reform UK party conference last year, and earlier this year announced that he will run to be mayor of London in 2028 as an independent.
Dogs can show signs of addiction to their toys that are similar to those displayed by humans with gambling issues, new research has revealed.

Some canines, which are referred to as ball junkies in the dog training world, experience an excessive fixation on toys leading to the development of addiction-like behavioural traits including cravings and withdrawal symptoms, according to the researchers.

The study marked the first time scientists examined whether dogs could become obsessed with toys in a way similar to behavioural addictions in humans, like gambling or gaming.

A behavioural addiction in humans is described by the researchers as repeated failure to resist an impulse, drive or urge to perform an act that is rewarding to the person, at least in the short term, despite longer-term harm to the individual or others.

Dogs can show signs of addiction to their toys that are similar to those displayed by humans with gambling issues, new research has revealed (Getty)

Scientists conducted their research on 105 dogs described by their owners as especially interested in play, 56 males and 49 females, ranging in age from one to ten years, and belonging to various breeds.

The animals were able to choose their own toy to play with before it was removed. Their behaviour was then analysed using an addictive-like behaviour test, with 33 of those found to exhibit addictive-like tendencies.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, discovered parallels between excessive toy motivation in dogs and human behavioural addictions.

The findings are hoped to provide foundational insights and propose future research directions that have the potential to significantly deepen our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying behavioural addictions across species.

The researchers, from the University of Bern and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, said: [Addictive behaviours] included being excessively fixated on their toy, showing a lack of interest in alternatives to their toy such as food or playing with their owner, making persistent efforts to access their toy when it was unavailable, and being unable to calm down for 15 minutes after all toys were removed.

However, they said it was important to note that many dogs love toys but are not addicted to them, and so are not negatively impacted.

Some people are excessive gamers, but only a minority would be classified as addicts, they told The Times. Similarly, many dogs may greatly enjoy toy play without developing harmful compulsions.
Steve Witkoff, Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner on Friday. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas for the Gaza Strip has come into effect. The deal is hoped to bring about a pause to Israeli bombardment, a break in the siege and an exchange of captives.

Here are the key people linked to the deal:

Donald Trump, US president

The US has been Israels biggest military and political backer during two years of attacks on Gaza that have killed more than 67,000 people, with Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden sending more explosives than any other country to Israel while repeatedly blocking diplomatic efforts to end the bombing.

Trumps 20-point peace plan released last month provided the framework behind the current Gaza deal.

Steve Witkoff, US Middle East envoy

Witkoff was sent by Trump to join the final talks in Egypt. The New York real estate developer turned diplomat later moved on to Israel to oversee the US approval of the deal.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister

Israels longest-serving leader, voted into office six times since the mid-1990s, has overseen the latest, and deadliest, Gaza war. The prime minister is subject to an arrest warrant by the international criminal court (ICC) for war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare. He rejects the courts authority.

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas chief negotiator

The senior Hamas official, who has been based in Doha, survived an Israeli raid on Qatar in September. A month after the current war started, Hayya was cited as praising the 7 October attack on Israel  in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage  as a great act.

Jared Kushner, Trump son-in-law

Kushner accompanied Steve Witkoff to the final round of talks in Egypt. Trumps son-in-law was active in the Middle East during the presidents first term and continues to have business interests in the Gulf.

Tony Blair, former British prime minister

Under Trumps plan, the former British Labour party leader is seen as a potential Gaza interim governor, but he is viewed with skepticism by Palestinian officials.

Distrusted across the Middle East for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Blair has kept a role in the region for the past two decades.

Ron Dermer, Israeli minister of strategic affairs

A close confidant of Netanyahu, Dermer was appointed to lead the Israeli delegation for discussions in the Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, earlier this week.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatari prime minister

A key figure in the talks, the prime minister (who also holds the foreign ministry portfolio) attended the talks in Egypt as the representative for Qatar, one of the main go-between nations.
MIAMI, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedano's Supermarkets, the leading Hispanic grocer in the U.S., is proud to announce that Miami-Dade County has officially proclaimed October 10 as "Sedano's Supermarkets Day" in recognition of the company's decades-long commitment to serving the community. The formal proclamation was held during a private ceremony at Sedano's corporate headquarters in Hialeah, bringing together company leadership, employees, local officials, and community partners for an intimate celebration of this milestone. Festivities included the reading of the proclamation, employee recognition, and remarks from civic leaders and company executives.

Sedanos Supermarkets Receives Miami-Dade County Proclamation Declaring October 10 as Sedanos Supermarkets Day. Left to right: Pedro Mesa, Director of Community Affairs, Sedano's Supermarkets; Annabelle Urrea-Guzman, Government Liaison, Office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Javier Herran, Chief Marketing Officer of Sedanos Supermarkets and Sophia Herran, Creative Director of Sedano's Supermarkets.

The honor reflects Sedano's more-than-60-year legacy as a trusted grocery destination and community partner, providing culturally relevant products and services while fostering deep ties across South Florida's diverse neighborhoods.

"We are incredibly honored and humbled to receive this recognition," said Javier Herran, Chief Marketing Officer of Sedano's Supermarkets. "This is not just about our company; it's about the people who have walked through our doors, the families we've fed, and the generations who continue to trust Sedano's as part of their everyday lives. Sedano's Supermarkets Day is a celebration of that shared journey."

The proclamation from Miami-Dade County underscores Sedano's integral role in the economic and cultural fabric of the region. "Sedano's is more than a supermarket; it's a reflection of the vibrant communities it serves," the official declaration reads. "From supporting local food drives to championing small businesses and celebrating cultural heritage, Sedano's embodies the values that make Miami-Dade strong."

This week, renowned James Beard Awardwinning chef Michelle Bernstein recommended Sedano's in the BBC feature "A Latina chef's guide to Miami's best Cuban sandwiches." In the interview, Bernstein named Sedano's the #1 spot for an authentic Miami experience.

"Sedano's is known for its deli and prepared foods. You can get [Cuban sandwiches] fresh and hot  everything is done to order," Bernstein told the BBC. "If I drive by a Sedano's, I can't not pull in, order a Cubano and do a little shopping."

About Sedano's Supermarkets

Founded in 1962 by the Herran and Guerra families, Sedano's Supermarkets has grown to become one of the leading independent grocery chains in the United States. Sedano's serves Florida's growing multicultural communities with 32 stores and more than 3,000 employees in Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, and Osceola counties. As America's largest independently owned Hispanic supermarket chain, Sedano's is recognized for its tradition of excellent customer service, ethnic product offering, and competitive prices. For more information, visit sedanos.com or follow Sedano's on social media via Facebook , X , and Instagram .

SOURCE Sedanos Supermarkets
Clutching little more than a small rucksack or a metal can to hold water, tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza began their long walk home on Friday after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect.

Snaking along the coastal road heading north to Gaza City, those displaced countless times over two years of unprecedented bloodshed took to the road once more. Many carried nothing more than the clothes they were wearing as they dared to hope that a pause in the fighting might finally be more permanent.

Flanking the road were the ashen remains of buildings destroyed by relentless Israeli bombing. Mangled skylines loomed up around them, above piles of concrete rubble and twisted metal.

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians are heading back to northern Gaza, but many have little if anything to return to (Reuters)

Among those travelling was Mahmoud Al-Kafarneh, 37, who headed home to northern Gaza. Living displaced in a tent for so long, he risked the long road north to find shelter.

Your body shivers from the scale of the destruction, he said. I felt extremely happy, the feeling of returning to the place I have always loved to live in, the streets that I know and remember well, despite the destruction that befell them. But there is a more important reason for my happiness, which is that the sounds of violent shelling have stopped and the constant fear for my family and mother from the shelling has gone.

We hope that the ceasefire will last permanently.

The mass movement of people started shortly after midday, when the Israeli government declared that the long-awaited ceasefire had started.

Under the phase one rules of Donald Trumps plan, Hamas now has 72 hours to deliver the 48 remaining hostages  only 20 of whom are believed to be alive  who have been held since the atrocities of 7 October, 2023. In return, 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails will be released. While this is happening, Israeli forces will begin the staged withdrawal to what is known as the yellow line, which runs several kilometres deep into Gaza but will mean pulling out of some of the more populated cities.

An Israeli official told The Independent that the handover could begin as early as Sunday, with hostages being brought into Israel via multiple crossings. In the agreement, all 48 are supposed to be released at the same time but the same official said that was unlikely.

Families may have to wait as Hamas does not know the locations of all the deceased hostages. The Independent understands an international task force, including regional countries such as Qatar and Turkey, will be assembled to locate and retrieve the missing.

President Trump, eager to keep up the pressure on this deal working, has said he intends to visit Israel at the start of next week to address the government and is expected to meet families of the hostages still held, but hopes of a longer-term peace remain very much in the balance, with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting his troops would remain in the enclave until Hamas has fully disarmed. Israeli forces currently control around 50 per cent of Gaza.

If this is achieved the easy way, so be it. If not, it will be achieved the hard way, Mr Netanyahu said. He added that Hamas had agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck  and it is still on its neck.

In Gaza, Palestinians were told not to stray from their assigned areas, with Brigadier General Effie Defrin warning: I am calling from here on the residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under IDF control. Keep to the agreement and ensure your safety.

Displaced Palestinians walking with their belongings near Wadi Gaza (AP)

As the enclave starts to open up and the bombings stop, aid agencies have made urgent calls for all crossings to be opened for food aid to combat the growing famine in the Gaza Strip. Aid convoys are expected to be allowed in from Sunday.

Unicef spokesperson Ricardo Pires said children are especially vulnerable because they have gone without proper food for long periods. The situation is critical, he said. We risk seeing a massive spike in child death, not only neonatal but also infants, given their immune systems are more compromised than ever before.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, hundreds of Palestinians returning to their homes found wrecked buildings, rubble and destruction after Israeli troops withdrew. There was nothing left. Just a few clothes, pieces of wood and pots, said Fatma Radwan.

We came to a place that is unidentifiable, said Hani Omran, also displaced from Khan Younis. An unidentifiable town. Destruction is everywhere.

Ohad Ben Ami, who survived 16 months in captivity in Gaza, leads a special shabbat on Hostages Square (Bel Trew / The Independent)

Speaking at a special Shabbat dinner held on Hostages Square, a rally point for relatives and families of the hostages, Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, 24, who was seized from Nir Oz, appealed to the Israeli people to help keep the ceasefire alive.

We are in days when we need you more than ever  a tense and nerve-racking day, she said in tears, adding that the struggle was not over until all 48 hostages were brought home. We are experiencing a storm of emotions. We are worried and dont know anything beyond what you also know.

Arbel Yehoud, who was a captive of Palestinian Islamic Jihad herself until she was released in an earlier ceasefire, spoke about her partner, Ariel Cunio, who remains in captivity. Just a little longer and youll be home, my beloved, she said in tears.

Omri Lifhshitz, 51, the son of Oded, a peace activist seized on 7 October and killed in captivity, said the families were holding their breath and struggling with an emotional rollercoaster as they waited.

Odeds body was retrieved from Gaza and delivered back to his family in February so they could hold a funeral, which Omri said was vital for family closure.

We dont know how they are going to locate all of the hostages. I hope they find and return the bodies. We are afraid some will never be found. But this feels like the end of the war. I hope this will be better for all of us, to make Gaza a beautiful place again. My father was a peace activist all of his life, who drove Palestinian kids to hospitals.

I dont know if you can call this peace  it is a ceasefire, but Im optimistic. We need to fight for a better future for all.
Boris Johnson pictured with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022 (Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS)

Boris Johnson has been criticised by Whitehalls appointments watchdog for allegedly failing to explain his dealings with the Saudi crown prince after leaving his role as prime minister.

Last month, a series of media reports claimed Mr Johnson lobbied a senior Saudi official he met while in office to share a pitch with Mohammed bin Salman.

Mr Johnson responded by saying the information came from material illegally hacked by a hostile state actor.

The former Conservative prime minister told Acoba (Advisory Committee on Business Appointments) it was plainly wrong in principle to respond to stories generated in this way, when the watchdog contacted him.

Isabel Doverty, interim chairperson of Acoba, accused Mr Johnson of a lack of cooperation with her organisation, and has invited Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones to decide what action to take in relation to this breach.

Then prime minister Boris Johnson is welcomed by Mohammed bin Salman Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives for a meeting at the Royal Court in Riyadh (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

She also claimed he failed to deny allegations that he sought to make introductions or discuss work on behalf of two companies without first receiving Acoba advice.

To do so would be a breach of the rules and/or Acobas advice, Ms Doverty warned, referring to the ministerial code which demands ministers do not take on new roles for up to two years after leaving office without advice.

The Guardian published a series of stories last month, based on leaked data provided by a non-profit organisation, that suggested Mr Johnson profited from contacts and influence he gained in office.

He is alleged to have made approaches for a company linked to him, called Better Earth.

Ms Doverty asked him for details of meetings, discussions and correspondence with Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, minister of commerce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where Better Earth was discussed.

She also asked him for information about his relationship with a second company, BIA Advisory, in the two-year period after he left No 10, which came to an end on September 6 2024.

Her questions were based on media reports, she wrote.

As he complained the reports were based on hacked information, Mr Johnson added they contained assertions that are either false or misleading.

Johnson failed to deny allegations that he sought to make introductions or discuss work on behalf of two companies, Acobas interim chairperson said (PA Wire)

He continued: It is plainly wrong in principle to respond to stories generated in this way since any such response will be taken to legitimate and encourage further illegal activity.

Ms Doverty followed up with a set of five questions, asking Mr Johnson whether Better Earth came up at any meetings with the crown prince, and when he signed his contracts.

He replied that in addition to holding off working with Better Earth until he received Acobas advice, he sought advice about working with BIA, but the idea was not proceeded with, and no such company was ever set up.

Ms Doverty wrote twice more to Mr Johnson, and in her final letter warned him: Your failure to answer specific questions and provide a factual denial of these allegations suggests there has been a breach of the rules.

According to Acobas advice, Mr Johnson was told he should not become personally involved in lobbying contacts he developed during his time in government, for Better Earth.

The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment.
Buying a home with a mortgage in some major cities across Britain could be cheaper than renting  even with a low deposit  according to analysis by a major bank.

The analysis by Lloyds compared typical monthly rental costs with potential first-time buyer mortgage payments in 11 major cities.

In nine cities, owning a home could work out less expensive in terms of monthly mortgage payments than renting, the research suggested.

Peoples individual circumstances will vary and the research made several assumptions, including that a buyer would have a 5% deposit and be paying a 4.78% interest rate fixed for five years, with a 30-year repayment term.

Lloyds used Office for National Statistics (ONS) data in its calculations for average first-time buyer property prices and average rental figures.

While the research looked at potential mortgage payments, it did not include costs such as legal fees or other ongoing costs associated with home ownership.

London was excluded from the analysis due to significantly higher property prices there and different affordability dynamics, Lloyds said.

The typical 5% deposit needed could be around 11,412, based on an average first-time buyer property price of 228,233, the research found.

Among major cities outside London, the biggest gap between owning and renting in the study is in Glasgow, with mortgage payments around 32% cheaper than rent.

Home buyers could potentially save 396 a month, or 4,752 a year, compared with renting, according to Lloyds calculations.

With an average first-time buyer property price of 172,000, a deposit of just 8,600 could be enough for some people to get on the ladder, it said.

Newcastle was placed second for savings, with first-time buyers paying 20% less on average for a mortgage than they would in rent  making a potential monthly saving of 217, or 2,604 a year.

With an average first-time buyer property price of 180,000, a deposit of 9,000 may be enough for some people to get onto the property ladder.

The biggest gap between owning and renting in Lloyds study was in Glasgow (Danny Lawson/PA Archive)

Even in cities such as Cardiff and Sheffield, where renting worked out slightly cheaper in the short-term in the Lloyds study, the longer-term benefit of building up equity in the property could outweigh the difference, the report suggested.

Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Lloyds, said: We know that saving for a deposit is one of the biggest hurdles for first-time buyers.

With rents having risen sharply over the last two years, many are already managing monthly payments that are higher than a typical mortgage.

Thats why low-deposit mortgages could be the right solution for many  helping people move from renting to owning sooner than they thought possible.

Its also important to consider other upfront costs like legal fees and moving expenses  but for most, the long-term savings will outweigh these.

While buying may be cheaper than renting in some circumstances, some people may prefer to rent for reasons such as having more flexibility and to be able to move around for work.

Ms Bryden added: The impact of growing equity in your own home  money that would otherwise have been lost in rent  means a more secure financial future.

For anyone thinking about buying, speaking to a mortgage adviser or broker is a great first step.

Here are average first-time buyer house prices, followed by the typical amount needed for a 5% deposit, the monthly mortgage cost, the monthly rent, the percentage saving from having a mortgage rather than renting, the monthly saving, and the annual saving, according to Lloyds calculations. Where minus figures are shown, renting was found to be less expensive than mortgage payments:

Glasgow, 172,000, 8,600, 855, 1,251, 31.7%, 396, 4,752

Newcastle, 180,000, 9,000, 895, 1,112, 19.5%, 217, 2,604

Edinburgh, 243,000, 12,150, 1,208, 1,392, 13.2%, 184, 2,208

Bristol, 311,000, 15,550, 1,547, 1,778, 13.0%, 231, 2,772

Manchester, 234,000, 11,700, 1,164, 1,317, 11.6%, 153, 1,836

Nottingham, 183,000, 9,150, 910, 996, 8.6%, 86, 1,032

Leeds, 209,000, 10,450, 1,039, 1,098, 5.4%, 59, 708

Liverpool, 167,000, 8,350, 830, 864, 3.9%, 34, 408

Birmingham, 208,000, 10,400, 1,034, 1,068, 3.2%, 34, 408

Cardiff, 231,000, 11,550, 1,149, 1,138, minus 1.0%, minus 11, minus 132

Sheffield, 190,000, 9,500, 945, 893, minus 5.8%, minus 52, minus 624
A mother-of-three was left homeless after an electrical fire caused by an exploding modified e-bike destroyed her family home.

Emma Wills from Chilworth in Surrey was left heartbroken when the fire destroyed her possessions and killed one of her beloved kittens.

She had gone away to Cornwall for the night in January and a family friend visiting her home charged the bike, which had recently been modified using a conversion kit bought from an online marketplace.

It hadnt been on charge for long, no more than 20 minutes, but it went up so quickly and destroyed everything, Ms Wills said.

It had exploded and left a hole in the living room floor, and the fire wrecked the kitchen and my bedroom. The house was so unsafe we couldnt live there anymore, she added.

Fire cause by exploding e-bike destroys family home (Emma Wills)

Conversion kits are often more financially attainable for many as opposed to purchasing a fully manufactured e-bike, however substandard components making up these kits, often sold via online marketplaces, can cause catastrophic fires, experts have warned.

Now Ms Wills is warning others of the dangers of modified e-bikes.

Ive always been aware of the risks of lithium-ion batteries because of having kids that are into those things. Most people assume it wont happen to them, but it can, and in some cases, it will, she warned.

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of UK bike owners surveyed said they would consider turning their push-bike into an e-bike using a conversion kit.

Worryingly, almost a third (28 per cent) said they would likely buy their kit from an online marketplace, where unsafe and unregulated products sold by third-party sellers have been found to be widely available.

My advice to others would be to think carefully about where you charge these products, Ms Wills said.

If you can, charge them outside. Always read the reviews before you buy, I would have never done that before, but I do now, and make sure youre purchasing from a reputable company, she added.

In 2024, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) received 170 reports of e-bike fires, with 45 per cent confirmed to be from converted e-bikes, although the actual number is expected to be much higher as not all fire and rescue services notify OPSS of fires involving consumer products.

A Government consultation is imminent that will explore ways to tackle the issue of battery fires and potentially dangerous goods.

Safety experts are urging shoppers to stick to reputable manufacturers and professional installers for conversion kits, warning that purchasing kits via online marketplaces could risk a ticking time bomb being brought into their home.

Conversion kits can be a great way to upgrade your bike, but in reality, kits made up of substandard components can cause devastating fires, Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First said.

Technology has outpaced regulation meaning there are no existing safety standards for conversion kits, something we desperately need the government to change.

Mr Capanna explained many of these kits sold via online marketplaces are poorly made and do not include a battery and charger - meaning buyers have to shop for a compatible pair themselves. This is also a fire risk.

He added: If youre one of the many push bike owners considering converting your device, its vital you stick to a reputable manufacturer or retailer where you can be sure your kit will be made to a high standard and leave your bike legally road compliant.
Chinese company Ming Yang has announced plans to build the UKs largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland.

The firm said the project will involve investment of up to 1.5 billion, creating as many as 1,500 jobs.

A number of sites in Scotland have been shortlisted for the factory, with Ardersier in the Highlands identified as the preferred option.

Under the first of three phases, Ming Yang said it will invest up to 750 million in an advanced manufacturing facility  with the first production taking place by late 2028.

Latter phases will see the facility expand and create an offshore wind industry ecosystem around the hub.

The announcement follows discussions with the Scottish and UK governments over the past two years.

Ardersier is one of the green freeport initiatives which offer tax and customs incentives to encourage investment.

Last month Ming Yang and Octopus Energy announced they would be in partnership to develop new wind projects.

Ming Yang said it supports the UKs green energy mission (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Zhang Chuanwei, founder and chairman of the Ming Yang group, said: As a global leader in wind technology, Ming Yang is committed to accelerating the global energy transition through innovation and community-focused comprehensive energy solutions.We are excited by the prospect of investing in the UK and look forward to finalising our investment decision.

UK chief executive Aman Wang said: We firmly believe that by moving forward with our plans to create jobs, skills and a supply chain in the UK, we can make this country the global hub for offshore wind technology.

We fully support the Governments mission to become a clean energy superpower, and Im confident that once the plans are approved we can make a valued contribution to this goal.

In November last year, Conservative MP Nick Timothy asked energy minister Michael Shanks about Ming Yangs plans to invest in Scotland, saying the Government should rule out investment from hostile states.

He said Ming Yang benefits from huge subsidies in China but there are serious questions about energy security and national security.

Mr Shanks replied: We are encouraging investment in the UK to build the infrastructure that we need in the future.

A UK government spokesperson said: This is one of a number of companies that wants to invest in the UK.

Any decisions made will be consistent with our national security.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: We welcome that Ming Yang Smart Energy has chosen Ardersier as their preferred location for investment.

This port is strategically important to the growth and success of the offshore wind sector.

This illustrates the strength of opportunity and huge economic potential that the Scottish offshore wind sector offers.

We recognise that Ming Yangs investment is subject to a decision from the UK Government and look forward to the outcome of that process.
Tracy Ann Dunkley, pictured with her daughter Zharia-Rae, has been a British citizen since 2024. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

The UK has failed to learn lessons since the Windrush scandal, campaigners say, after a UK-born toddler was denied a British passport and asked to prove she has the right to free NHS treatment.

Three-year-old Zharia-Raes mother, Tracy Ann Dunkley, has been a British citizen since 2024 and the childs older brother, born to the same parents in 2020, was given a British passport in 2022.

But Dunkley, from the Caribbean island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory (BOT), was told her daughter was not eligible for a British passport and was classed as a BOT citizen, which differs from full British citizenship and limits her rights and privileges in the UK.

Dunkley has also been sent letters demanding proof that the child  who was born in Birmingham with hip dysplasia, is non-verbal and is being assessed for autism  is entitled to free NHS treatment.

The latest letter, received on Thursday, states that the investigation into the childs eligibility is based on the answers to questions asked about Zharia-Raes nationality and immigration status and adds that an invoice will be prepared and issued.

Dunkley, who is a stay-at-home mother and a carer for Zharia-Rae and her four-year-old brother, who is also thought to be autistic, said the letters had left her scared and distraught as she has no way of paying for the treatment.

She said this was not the first issue she had encountered since migrating to the UK from Anguilla. After attempting to return to work from maternity leave after having Zharia-Rae, she was told she was not eligible to work in the UK.

My manager told me that theres a new feature at work. You have to upload the documents on to an app. And that needs to be done before you can return to work. After uploading the same documents that I used to get hired initially, my manager then calls me back and tells me Im not eligible to work. So I could not return to work, she said.

The weight of having to deal with two young children with additional needs and manage immigration and NHS questions had become unbearable, she added.

You know you have to deal with it. But you just feel like there is no fight left in you to do anything because you feel like youre the only one thats fighting.

I dont think a lot of people understand what its like when your child is in pain and cant tell you something is wrong. When they need something and they cant express that to you, the only thing they know is anger or throwing themselves against the wall or something like that. I dont think people understand what thats like to go through on a daily basis for 24 hours a day, she said.

A Home Office spokesperson said: We do not comment on individual cases. A child born in the UK will acquire British citizenship if, at the time of birth, at least one parent is either a British citizen or settled in the UK.

Euen Herbert-Small, a Windrush activist and nationality researcher, said lessons had not been learned since the Windrush scandal, when Caribbean people were wrongly detained and deported, and he said immigration policies were still deliberately discriminatory and confusing.

Its striking that if Zharia had been born in Anguilla, she would automatically be a British citizen  yet being born in the UK, under the same circumstances, disqualifies her from that status, he said.

This exposes the absurdity of British nationality laws and the urgent need for reform. Her brother, born in the UK just two years earlier to the same parents, and in the same circumstances, holds a British passport, while she is being denied one. This case draws clear parallels with the Windrush scandal and highlights the governments continued failure to right historical wrongs.

Last week the Guardian reported on the case of Cherry Brown, 69, a BOT citizen from Montserrat who was sleeping rough in a park in Swanley, Kent. Brown had been funded by the Montserrat government to travel to the UK to receive treatment on the NHS, which is not available on the island, but ended up receiving letters from the NHS demanding payment for her care.

Donaldson Romeo, a Montserrat MP, accused the UK of treating the people of BOTs as second-class citizens. It is clear that UK policy toward British overseas territory and Caribbean citizens often falls short of compliance with both UK and international human rights laws, treaties and even the most basic principles of fairness and logic, Romeo said.

The Windrush scandal stands as a stark example of this failure. Despite the shame it brought and the ongoing injury, hardship and loss of life resulting from such systemic neglect and violations, little meaningful reform has taken place. While journalists can raise awareness, real change requires decisive legal action. Both governments and the affected communities must now turn to the courts to compel justice and policy reform.
The U.S. Navy has fired the commanding officer of the USS Wyoming in the latest shakeup under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Commander Robert Moreno was removed by Rear Admiral Bob Wirth, commander of Submarine Group Ten, the Navy said in a statement, indicating that Moreno had been removed because of a loss of confidence in his ability to carry out his duties.

Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct, the Navy said in the release.

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming approaches Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia (Rebecca Rebarich/U.S. Navy)

They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.

No specifics were given about the circumstances that led to Morenos dismissal. Still, The Navy Times notes that the service generally uses the phrase loss of confidence as a blanket statement when explaining senior dismissals.

Moreno earned his commission in December 2005, spent time aboard the USS Pennsylvania, USS Dallas, and USS North Carolina, and only took over as commanding officer of the Wyoming in May 2024. He has been temporarily reassigned to the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay.

The vessel in question is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine commissioned in July 1996 and home-ported in Kings Bay, Georgia. According to the Navy, it is currently undergoing maintenance, meaning the change of command will not impact its service.

Captain David Burke, Submarine Squadron 20 deputy for training, has been handed temporary responsibility for the sub in Morenos stead.

The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming approaches Norfolk, Virginia (Cameron Stoner/U.S. Navy)

Hegseth  who recently delivered an address to Americas top generals and admirals at Quantico, Virginia, on warrior ethos, personal appearance and fitness standards, and his mission to purge the U.S. military of political correctness  has overseen a massive change in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces this year.

The Navy alone has changed its chief of naval operations, the commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado, the commanding officer of Navy Reserve Center Manchester, New Hampshire, and the executive officer for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants.

Most recently, it has removed a doctor over her social media use, the commanding officer of the USS Santa Barbara, and the Navy chief of staff.
Low consumer confidence ahead of a potential tax-rising Budget kept many shoppers away from retail locations in September, according to latest figures.

Tube strikes in London, heavy rainfall in the first half of September and Storm Amy towards the end of the month exacerbated the decline, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

Total UK footfall was down by 1.8% in September on a year ago, significantly more than the 0.4% decline registered in August, BRC-Sensormatic data shows.

Source: BRC

High street footfall decreased by 2.5% year on year in September while visits to retail parks and shopping centres were down 0.8% and 2% respectively.

Footfall fell year on year across all nations again, down 0.5% in Northern Ireland, 1.8% in England, 2.3% in Scotland and the largest decrease of 2.5% in Wales.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: Retailers ability to invest in local communities and high streets has been hampered by last years budget, which added 5 billion in employment costs to the industry, in addition to a new packaging tax.

For retailers to invest in shopping destinations that will entice shoppers back, the Government-imposed cost burdens holding back that investment must be lifted.

The upcoming Budget is the moment for the Chancellor to do just that, deliver the Labour manifesto commitment of a meaningful reduction in business rates for the industry and ensure no shop pays more in the process.

Andy Sumpter, from Sensormatic, said: The month began with a modest uplift, driven by back-to-school shopping, but momentum was quickly disrupted.

Londons Tube strikes mid-month and Storm Amy at the end brought widespread disruption, impacting shopper activity nationwide.

These events compounded an already cautious consumer mood, with many still navigating cost pressures and economic uncertainty.

Retailers will now be hoping that Septembers slowdown was less a sign of retreat and more a pause for thought.
Damysus has the chance to end his season on a high a week later than planned in the Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes at Newmarket.

John and Thady Gosdens son of Frankel roared back from Derby disappointment to win in Listed company at Deauville and was set for another outing in France before soft ground at ParisLongchamp put paid to his participation in the Prix Dollar.

He has instead been rerouted to a race the Clarehaven team won not only 12 months ago with subsequent Lockinge scorer Lead Artist but also the Prince of Waless Stakes and Juddmonte International-winning Mostahdaf in 2021.

Damysus follows in the footsteps of Ombudsman in taking the Listed @AgaKhanStuds Prix Nureyev at Deauville!  pic.twitter.com/ovNNNnLkor  At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 17, 2025

John and Thady say Damysus is in great nick and obviously he has a little weekend trip to Paris without doing anything, but he enjoyed his time out there, said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

I hope this is a nice place to finish the season over here. He got upset in the stalls in the Derby and things just didnt go his way at Epsom. There was a lot against him and we learned hes probably not a mile-and-a-half horse and we dont think he wants soft ground.

Hes a strong traveller with a good turn of foot and he was impressive in the Prix Nureyev. I think nine furlongs at Newmarket will hopefully be ideal for him.

Damysus performance on Saturday could open some exciting adventures overseas, with Brown adding: Well see what happens on Saturday and how he fares, but it would definitely be on the radar to look at going abroad for a race or two over the winter.

Liberty Lane is proven at the course (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA)

Liberty Lane was second in the Group Three event last year and has the chance to go one better, while trainer Karl Burke and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid are represented by Flying Scotsman runner-up Hankelow in the Emirates Emirates Autumn Stakes.

Others of note in that one-mile contest include Charlie Applebys Al Zanati, who made a winning start on the July course in the summer, and Aidan OBriens pair of Straight Up and New Zealand.

One electing to step up in trip for the Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes is Alan Kings Yarmouth scorer Spyce who adds plenty of seasoning to the 10-furlong Group Three stepping into deeper waters.

King said: We had the option of both the Autumn Stakes and this, but he didnt look to be stopping at the end of a mile at Yarmouth last time so we thought this might be a more suitable race than the Autumn Stakes, we will see.

So game! Spyce  who has a Futurity Trophy entry  stays straight and true throughout, putting his experience to good use and claiming this maiden contest@Rossaryan15 | @GTYarmouthRaces pic.twitter.com/Ao1y9WQX3v  At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 16, 2025

Weve got to have a go and see where we are with him. Its exciting and Rossa (Ryan) rode him a bit of work last week and was very happy with him, so well see what happens Saturday and Im looking forward to running him.

Appleby and OBrien are again strongly represented, with the Godolphin handler fielding Look To The Stars who registered back-to-back victories in Newburys typically warm Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes.

OBrien runs Endorsement and Pierre Bonnard, with the latter an eyecatching Dundalk winner in August and the mount of Christophe Soumillon.

The action concludes with the Listed Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes, where Alfa Kellenic will bid to gain compensation for defeat in the race when heavy favourite last year.

Alfa Kellenic racked up a winning sequence last season (Steve Welsh/PA)

Now under the tutelage of Ivan Furtado, she made her seasonal return in the Ayr Gold Cup and conditions expected to be much more suitable on the Rowley Mile.

She has come out of Ayr well, the ground was probably against her there, said Furtado.

She hadnt run for a long time so I think she needed the run and she seems in great form at the moment.

She was probably a bit unlucky in the same race last year and it would be nice if she could go and do a bit better this time around. Were hoping for a big run.
Didnt see that coming: Fortune tellers accused of stealing almost $600,000 from victim by claiming theyd remove curse, police say

A pair of fortune tellers in Pennsylvania stole more than $600,000 from clients claiming they would cure them of a curse or protect them from harm in exchange for cash and luxury goods, police allege.

These defendants, through their con scheme, preyed on people who were looking for help, guidance and hope, exploiting them for financial gain, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in a statement. They are now going to be held accountable for their actions.

Gina Marie Marks, 52, of Huntingdon Valley, and Steve Nicklas, 40, of Jenkintown, were arrested on Tuesday and have been charged with felonies including theft by deception and receiving stolen property, as well as fortune telling. Pennsylvania is among a group of U.S. states where fortune telling is illegal.

Between September 2022 and August 2023, the accused fortune tellers allegedly told one client she was the target of a curse that was stopping her from finding love and happiness, convincing her the spell would destroy her marriage, business, and family.

During this period, the pair demanded money, jewelry, clothing, gift cards, and concert tickets they said would help cleanse her of the curse, items that were never returned, police said.

Gina Marie Marks, 52, of Huntingdon Valley and Steve Nicklas, 40, of Jenkintown, allegedly stole from clients and claimed that luxury items would help protect them from a curse and reputational harm (Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)

All told, they stole $595,959 from the first victim, police said.

During a second scheme, lasting from June 2023 to February 2024, Marks and Nicklas allegedly demanded photos and personal details from a woman as part of a ritual, claiming she would face reputational damage and personal repercussions if she didnt follow their instructions.

The psychics allegedly demanded money and a Chanel purse as well.

They stole $18,000 from this victim, police said.

Pennsylvania is among a group of U.S. states where fortune telling is illegal (Getty)

"Mr. Nicklas denies any involvement in this alleged scheme and maintains his complete innocence," an attorney for one of the defendants told NBC Philadelphia. "We intend to challenge the accusations vigorously in court, where the factsnot assumptions or headlineswill speak for themselves. I urge the public and the media to withhold judgment and respect the presumption of innocence that every person is entitled to under the law."

The Independent has contacted Jenkintown Psychic Visions, where the alleged scams took place, for comment.

Both defendants have been released on bail.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for October 20.
Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

According to the lawsuit, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Quantum Corporation improperly recognized revenue during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025; (2) Quantum Corporation would therefore need to restate its previously filed financial statements for the fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2024; and (3) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

On June 30, 2025, Quantum disclosed that it would be unable to timely file its annual financial report for the fiscal year 2025 as it is "reviewing its accounting related to certain revenue contracts as well as the application of standalone selling price under applicable accounting standards."

On this news, Quantum's stock price fell $1.00, or 10.03%, to close at $8.97 per share on June 30, 2025, thereby injuring investors.

Then, on August 8, 2025, Quantum announced that its third quarter 2024 financial statements "should no longer be relied upon" due to "deficiencies in the Company's internal control over financial reporting and the Company's disclosure controls and procedures that constituted material weaknesses." The Company further disclosed that the affected financial statements would be restated to show a new decrease of approximately $3.9 million in revenue.

On this news, Quantum's stock price fell $0.14, or 1.79%, to close at $7.66 per share on August 11, 2025.

Then, on August 18, 2025, Quantum disclosed that its CEO would be resigning from the role after only five months in the position.

On this news, Quantum's stock price fell $0.61, or 8.2%, to close at $6.83 per share on August 19, 2025, thereby injuring investors further.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Quantum Corporation's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Quantum Corporation class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/QMCO or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP
Turning the ceasefire into lasting peace will depend on forcing what remains of Hamas to give up its guns - Moiz Salhi/Anadolu

Their most feared leaders are dead. Their brigades are shattered. And they have almost entirely lost control of Gaza. Yet Hamas, somehow, is still standing and still has the weapons  well, some  to fight.

So turning the ceasefire into lasting peace will depend on forcing or persuading what remains of the group to give up its guns. The trouble is, no one seems quite sure how to do that.

This was an agreement of principles that deliberately left the critical issues till later, says Chuck Freilich, a former Israeli national security advisor. And [disarming Hamas] is, of course, one of the critical issues. With the end of the war, what is Hamas incentive to really disarm and whos going to force them to do it? he asks.

The disarmament conundrum

The problem is an old one.

Giving up weapons, as Muammar Gaddafi and the people of Ukraine can attest, is no guarantee of security.

Libyas late dictator gave up weapons of mass destruction in the early 2000s only to face a civil war and Nato intervention in 2011. Soon he was lying dead in a ditch. Ukraine, a democracy, surrendered its nuclear arsenal in 1994, only to face invasion.

On the other hand, there can be no true peace without decommissioning  just ask the people of Northern Ireland, where getting weapons off the streets has been crucial to ending the Troubles.

Can enough trust be built to persuade Hamas that laying down its weapons would not be suicide? Can Israel or an international stabilisation force find a way to disarm them forcibly?

Armed Hamas fighters stand guard during the handover of three Israeli hostages in February - Mohammed Saber/Shutterstock

What weapons must go?

In the initial draft agreement proposed by Donald Trump, Hamas agreed to the decommissioning of their heavy offensive weapons  a vague term that has been generally taken to mean giving up their rockets capable of hitting Israel  as well as their facilities for building such weapons, and their attack tunnels leading from Gaza into Israel.

This was not enough for Benjamin Netanyahu, but there is a reason Trump used that wording as a starting point.

First, these are the key dangers to Israel. From a security perspective, what are the capabilities that Hamas has to threaten Israel directly with a repeat of the Oct 7 attacks? Clearly, the rockets and clearly the attack tunnels, says Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Secondly, it is also something of a fait accompli. Almost all of those heavy weapons, some of which appeared to have been supplied by Iran, plus Hamas main attack tunnels, have already been destroyed. Theres potential for Hamas to rebuild and reconstruct all that, but certainly the fact that its lost all of this makes it easier for it to give it up, notes Lovatt.

In other words, it meets immediate Israeli security needs and requires Hamas only to accept reality.

The underground city

The next, and more difficult question, is not so much about guns as infrastructure.

Theyre no longer a coherent military force, but they havent been destroyed. And they still do retain a large number of light arms, grenades, IEDs and things like that. But there isnt really that much, says Freilich. The problem isnt the fact that they still have rifles. The problem is the tunnels.

While the IDF has destroyed the tunnels leading into Israel, they say there are still hundreds of kilometres of tunnels underneath Gaza providing Hamas with a crucial refuge from both Israeli forces and potential rival Palestinian groups.

Israeli soldiers guard the entrance of a tunnel in Gaza City - Jack Guez/AFP

A stabilisation force that takes on the task of dismantling this secret underground city would be a positive for Israel, says Freilich, but he believes the task would take years to complete.

Hamas will be reluctant to cooperate with dismantling its secret subterranean world for reasons of pure survival. It is a refuge and a bolt hole, and they are unlikely to lay down their small arms unless other Palestinian groups, like Islamic Jihad, do it at the same time.

For domestic political reasons, they will not want to appear to have surrendered when others are fighting on, and for reasons of personal safety, they will not want to be the only ones without guns when the time comes to settle grudges.

So how do you disarm Hamas?

The standard model diplomats use for persuading armed groups to lay down their guns is called disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, or DDR.

Its a reliable tool that has proven its worth in multiple conflicts since the end of the Cold War, says Dr Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow in Middle East security at the Royal United Services Institute.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, the 2016 deal ending the Colombian governments long war with FARC and the current peace process in Turkey, where the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) this summer began the first steps of disarmament after 40 years of fighting, all borrow from the idea. And it has clear lessons for Gaza.

Weapons being destroyed during the final act of FARC disarmament in Colombia in 2017 - Leonardo Munoz/Shutterstock

The Northern Ireland example is one that Israelis in the security and defence sector will often refer to, mainly because its relatable in the intimacy, the proximity of the violence. They tend to say examples from Colombia or Afghanistan or Iraq dont really convey the nature of what its like to live with an adversary with a threat being so intimately there, says Ozcelik.

That said, theres still an absence of a sophisticated plan for how to carry this out, even on the Israeli side. DDR provides a roadmap, but it must be adapted to the unique conflict dynamics on the ground. And thats where it becomes very complicated.

How DDR works

Experience shows it is a long, imperfect and frustrating process; that outside pressure helps; and that the group being disarmed must consent to doing so.

In Northern Ireland, the IRA and loyalist armed groups agreed in principle to give up their weapons in 1998.

An IRA gunman pictured during a demonstration to mark the sixth anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 1978 - Getty

But it took three more years of haggling, and the near collapse of the deal, before the IRA agreed to an actual mechanism. The last of the Provisional IRAs weapons were officially put beyond use in 2005. Some other Republican and Loyalist groups did not disarm until 2010.

Even now MI5, Britains internal security service, still considers the threat of terrorism attack in Northern Ireland substantial. And how can you verify whether those giving up their weapons are telling the truth?

It is notoriously difficult, acknowledges Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former army officer who was involved in the tracking down and decommissioning of old chemical weapon shells in Iraq in the 2000s.

What was done in Iraq was the Americans offered money, and maybe that is what they can do this time. Money seems to talk louder than a lot of other things.

Say $20,000. If you offer that sort of money, then either the person who has the weapon will hand it in, or somebody else will dob them in for that money. In a place like Gaza, I would have thought, where everybody is so desperately poor, money is probably the best way to do it, and in the long run, probably the cheapest.

The other option is just lots of search operations by the stabilisation force. Laborious, slow, difficult searches of underground tunnels, back yards and basements for probably booby-trapped weapons.

There are obvious questions about the moral strategic wisdom of paying money to Hamas operatives to give up their kit. And from the Israeli point of view, a great deal of scepticism about whether the group can be trusted to disarm even if it says it will.

How they managed to survive [the war] is a really good question, says Feilich. Their definition of victory in all the rounds with Israel over the years has always been just to survive organisationally and live for another day, for the next round.

And one of the questions to my way of thinking, or its not even so much a question, is, Does this agreement really set the stage for another round and probably not in the very distant future?

What everyone agrees on is that even if this process were to work, it would not be a smooth one.

Some people will lie about surrendering weapons. Some will reject the idea altogether. There will be more violent incidents over the years. It will depend largely on the political will of either side to stop such things spiralling into a new war.

But there is one glimmer of hope this time.

What is positive is the fact Qatar, Turkey and Egypt were incentivised enough by the Trump presidency to pressure Hamas to agree, says Ozcelik. But if America looks away, this could unravel.
Economics is edging closer to making his long-awaited reappearance on British Champions Day at Ascot next week.

Trainer William Haggas confirmed the chestnut colt on track for the Qipco Champion Stakes having suffered no ill effects from a racecourse gallop at Newmarket last weekend.

Winner of the Dante Stakes last season, Haggas resisted the urge to run him in the Derby and that patience was rewarded when he won the Irish Champion Stakes.

Economics leads home Dubai Honour in his racecourse gallop on a windswept Rowley Mile pic.twitter.com/iO7yvTlHBt  Adam Morgan (@Adam_Morgs) October 4, 2025

From Leopardstown he went to Ascot for last years Champion Stakes, but has not run since finishing in sixth place behind Anmaat and Calandagan, when he was found to have bled.

Speaking at Newmarket on Friday, Haggas told the PA news agency: He worked this morning and was fine. Weve a few hurdles to jump, but if he is confirmed on Monday the plan will be to run.

I would say he is on track (for Ascot), and he was fine this morning.
Ethan Ampadu insisted bruised Wales will recover from their Wembley defeat and bounce back for Mondays massive World Cup qualifier against Belgium.

Wales were dismantled by England inside the first 20 minutes of Thursdays friendly as goals from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka underlined the gulf in class between the two sides.

Although Wales did not concede again and kept the scoreline to 3-0, manager Craig Bellamy was forced to defend choosing England  who are ranked fourth in the world  as opponents four days from Belgiums visit to Cardiff.

Wales players applaud the fans after their 3-0 friendly defeat to England at Wembley (John Walton/PA)

Wales must beat Belgium to retain hopes of finishing top of their qualification group and reaching next summers finals automatically, although their strong Nations League showing last year almost certainly guarantees them a play-off spot in March.

Asked if morale had been damaged by being swept aside by England, Leeds midfielder Ampadu said: Maybe naturally in the moment, because were all professionals.

We came here with the highest expectations of ourselves. We wanted to put on a better performance and show what we can do, what weve been practising and what were capable of.

But whether we like it or not, we have to go again on Monday and we know how big it is.

So whether the morales gone or the ego is a little bit bruised we have to pick ourselves up as a team, which we will do.

Weve already spoken about that. Its time to go again.

While Thomas Tuchel took aim at England fans, insisting his players deserved more support from the silent Wembley crowd, Wales were applauded by many of their 7,000-strong travelling support at the final whistle.

Ampadu said he expected the Red Wall to be at their loudest for the visit of group favourites Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium.

Diolch am eich cefnogaeth anhygoel heno  See you back in Cardiff on Monday evening  pic.twitter.com/6Hf22D08dT  Wales  (@Cymru) October 9, 2025

I was disappointed (at the end) because the support they gave us and the performance we put out, especially in the first 20 minutes, they deserve more, said Ampadu.

That sums us up as a nation. We always stick together. We dont take that for granted.

We know what Mondays going to be like at Cardiff City Stadium. Weve had a few games like this and we know those moments, so its one that were relishing.

We expected more from ourselves here, we prepared well, but we just did not execute, especially in the first half.

David Brooks said Wales cannot start games the way they did at Wembley (John Walton/PA)

Wales also trailed 3-0 to Belgium in the first half in June before fighting back to draw level, only for Kevin De Bruyne to grab a late winner for the hosts.

Bournemouth forward David Brooks said: I feel we should have learned the lesson from Belgium really. We cant start games like that.

When youre 3-0 down against a quality side like that its going to be a very long night.

A few of us were probably just half a yard off where we needed to be, but in the second half we showed a bit more of what were about.

Quick turnround and hopefully we can put it right on Monday. Belgium is obviously the main one.
Farage says ex-Reform leader in Wales who took Russian bribes was bad apple

Nigel Farage has insisted that a former senior figure in his party convicted of taking pro-Russian bribes is a bad apple.

Nathan Gill, who led Reform UK in Wales in 2021, admitted taking bribes to make statements in favour of Vladimir Putins Russia while he was a member of the European Parliament.

His activities were said to include making pro-Russian statements about events in Ukraine in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets.

Speaking at a campaign visit in Caerphilly on Friday, Mr Farage said he was shocked by Gills admissions, but claimed Reform does everything it can to vet their candidates despite the partys vetting process being beset by issues.

Nigel Farage, seen here campaigning in Wales, described Gill as a bad apple (Ben Birchall/PA)

Asked about Gills admission, Mr Farage said: Any political party can find in their midst all sorts of terrible people.

Gill is particularly shocking because I knew him as a devout Christian, very clean-living, honest person. So Im deeply shocked. But you know, that is a different time.

Im the only one [in Reform] that really knew him, going back a long way.

Gill, 52, pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.

He was the leader of Reform UK Wales from March to May 2021.

Mr Farage added: Every single political party has a bad apple, in fact, many families finish up with a bad apple, these things happen.

Its not to downplay the severity of it but its historic. You can never, ever guarantee 100 per cent that everyone you meet in your life, you shake hands with in the pub, is a good person.

What you can do is, you know, do everything you can through vetting and everything else, to make sure that you put before the public good, decent people, and that is something we work very hard at.

Reform UK has been plagued by issues with its candidates, councillors and MPs, despite Mr Farage promising to professionalise the party.

Earlier this year, Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock James McMurdock resigned the party whip amid allegations that he took out government loans during the Covid pandemic for businesses with no employees.

It came just months after MP Rupert Lowe was stripped of the whip amid allegations he made verbal threats against Zia Yusuf, the partys chair  allegations Mr Lowe denied. The Crown Prosecution Service later said there was insufficient evidence to pursue a case against Mr Lowe.

And during the general election campaign, the party was hit by a series of revelations about the online activities of some of its would-be MPs, from links to a British fascist leader to suggestions the UK should have remained neutral in the fight against the Nazis and admiration of Adolf Hitlers brilliant ability to inspire action.

But in July, Mr Farage said he cant apologise for the 2024 election vetting process because he was not involved in it.

I came in, I inherited this situation where hundreds of candidates who stood in the last general election had not gone through a vetting process, he said.

The Reform leader threatened legal action against Vetting.com, alleging it stitched up the right-wing party due to chair Colin Blooms past links to the Conservative Party.

Vetting said it simply did not have time to scrutinise all 609 of Reforms candidates before the snap summer poll.
The five common signs of a heart attack you want to watch out for

The number of heart attack deaths has plummeted in the U.S. over the course of the last half-century.

Doctors have tied the remarkable shift to improved detection and more effective treatment for cardiac events.

But, researchers have also found an increase in deaths from heart disease and other conditions that trigger these attacks and more than 800,000 Americans still have a heart attack every year.

Most people recognize chest pain as a sign of a heart attack, but there are five symptoms you may not be aware of. Knowing what they are could save your life - especially during a heart attack you dont know is happening.

"It's not necessarily that there were no symptoms; it may just be that the patient didn't recognize them as heart symptoms and wasn't concerned," Dr. Eduardo Marban, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, told AARP.org.

More than 800,000 Americans suffer from heart attacks each year. Knowing the symptoms can help save your life (Getty Images for The American Heart Association)

Fatigue

Some 3.3 million Americans struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome. It can have many causes, such as sleep deprivation and anemia.

But fatigue is also a sign of a heart attack if its new and constant. Or it may even signal coronary artery disease and heart failure.

Blood flow to the heart, which is decreased due to blockages, can make you tired.

"You start to show other signs of heart failure like feet or leg swelling or increased fluid retention in the belly and real significant shortness of breath," Dr. Angela Brittsan, a cardiologist at Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians Indianapolis, said.

Nausea and indigestion

Nausea or indigestion can be symptoms of many conditions, but women in particular often report feeling this way before a heart attack.

One patient told Goshen Health she thought she had food poisoning.

I felt my heart flutter, but that was all, she said. No chest burning  zero symptoms that people think about with a heart attack.

Blocked arteries can lead to a heart attack and also result in chest, jaw and neck pain (AFP via Getty Images)

Jaw and neck pain

While chest pain is the most common sign youre having a heart attack, pain from the blockage of blood to the heart is not always felt in the chest.

Sometimes it is felt in the shoulders, arms, back, jaw, or abdomen, Harvard Medical School explains. Particularly when pain in these locations occurs with exercise and disappears with rest, the pain could well be a sign of heart disease.

Sweating

A brief and sudden cold sweat could warn that a heart attack is looming.

This sweat occurs because the body is in distress and the nervous system is responding to the lack of blood reaching your tissues, according to Baylor Scott & White Health.

Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath may mean youre out of shape. Or, it could be an indicator that your heart is having trouble.

This can happen when the heart is unable to pump enough blood.

"If you climb up five flights of stairs, I expect you to be short of breath. But if you go up 10 stairs and you're short of breath, that may indicate a heart problem," Dr. Randall Zusman, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, told Harvard Medical School.
Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, with Steve Witkoff, left, and Jared Kushner during a meeting about the deal in Jerusalem on Wednesday - Maayan Toaf/GPO

Donald Trump was able to strike his Gaza peace deal when Hamas terrorists began to see hostages as a liability, US officials have said.

The key moment in weeks of negotiations came when the terror group stopped seeing the captured Israelis as an asset and had grown tired of the war.

The result was a historic deal, struck after 20 hours of negotiations in Egypt on Wednesday.

A day later, the Israeli cabinet approved the agreement, paving the way for Israeli forces to move back from the heart of Gaza and for Hamas to release the final 20 living hostages within 72 hours.

A senior US official said a shift in the Hamas stance had made it possible. It had grown weary of a war that was turning the Gaza population against it.

People at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of Donald Trumps peace plan - Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press

Mr Trumps top negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who travelled to Egypt for the final round of talks, sensed that Hamas had simply had enough.

Hamas was at that place where they wanted to do a deal, said a US official. And I would describe it as this, where they were almost looking at the hostages less as an asset and more as a liability.

Hamas initially captured 251 hostages during its deadly October 7 2023 attack on Israel. Today, it still holds 48, of whom 20 are believed to be alive.

For the past two years, and throughout the Israeli assault on Gaza, they have been used as a bargaining chip by terrorist leaders, hidden in tunnels and exchanged for aid or prisoners in Israeli jails.

Last week, Mr Trump set out an ambitious 20-point plan to end the conflict and build a pathway to a lasting peace in the Middle East.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, flew to the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh for the final round of negotiations.

The officials said the final evening of talks involved working through some consequential things and some misunderstandings.

The two men arrived at 6.30am and finalised the deal at 2.30am the following day.

From there, they flew to meet Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian president, and then on to Tel Aviv, where they briefed the Israeli cabinet on Thursday evening.

Jared Kushner (left) and Steve Witkoff meet Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister - Ma'ayan Toaf/Anadolu via Getty Images

The deal really came together, the official said, when Mr Kushner and Mr Witkoff were able to decouple the hostage release from the wider plan: demilitarising Gaza, setting up an international stabilisation force, and a transitional authority to run the territory.

I think Hamas began to realise that they didnt need the hostages necessarily to enforce their view that it was better for them to concede, that a release was a positive thing, that better things would happen as a result of that decision on their part, said one official.

Families had been destroyed, and public opinion seemed to be turning against the terrorist group as starving Gazans increasingly began to see Hamas as villains.

The deal leaves the thornier question of whether Hamas will give up its weapons and who will govern Gaza for another day.

A second senior official said the process was not over, adding: The reason were here in Israel is just to make sure the implementation occurs.

Theres still, you know, just a lot of ways that this can go wrong. So were staying on top of the details to make sure everyone fulfils their obligations and that any misunderstandings are quickly discussed and adjudicated.

The official said Israel was motivated to convert military victories over Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran into political progress and strengthen its economy.

He added: And I think from Hamas and the Arab countries, there was a general fatigue with the way this war was going, and a desire also to try something new.

The war deepened Israels international isolation and upended the Middle East, drawing Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon into a regional conflict.

Earlier in the day, Mr Trump used a meeting of his cabinet to herald peace in the Middle East. He announced that he expected the final hostages to be returned on Monday or Tuesday, and that he would be travelling to the region.

Its going to be a very big day, he said. I think its going to be a day of great celebration.
Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace is claiming up to 10,000 in damages from the BBC and one of its subsidiaries after they allegedly caused him distress and harassment by failing to disclose his personal data, court documents show.

Mr Wallace is suing the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited after being sacked in July.

His dismissal followed an investigation into historical allegations of misconduct, which upheld multiple accusations against him.

The BBC and BBC Studios have not yet filed a defence to the claim (Ian West/PA)

The BBC and BBC Studios have not yet filed a defence to the claim.

In court documents, seen by the PA news agency, barrister Lawrence Power said that Mr Wallace had requested personal data from the BBC and BBC Studios related to his work, contractual relations and conduct.

Mr Power continued that Mr Wallace made subject access requests (SARs) to both the BBC and BBC Studios on March 6.

Requests for access to personal data should be processed within a month, but this deadline can be extended if the information is complex, Mr Power said.

The barrister continued that on August 7, the BBC emailed Mr Wallace to apologise for the delay and stated they were taking all reasonable steps to process the request in a timely manner as possible going forward, but he has still not received a response.

BBC Studios is claimed to have told Mr Wallace that it was withholding parts of his personal data due to freedom of expression.

Mr Power said that the body had wrongly redacted information and had unlawfully failed to supply all of the claimants personal data.

He said: By reason of the defendants failing to fully comply with the SARs made by the claimant for his own personal data, the defendants acted in breach of their statutory duty and in doing so caused distress and harassment to the claimant.

Mr Power said that Mr Wallace was seeking damages for distress, harassment and loss of amenity not exceeding 10,000, damages under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, and interest.

He is also seeking a court order that the BBC and BBC Studios comply with the subject access requests.

Wallace, after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2023 (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Wallace began co-presenting MasterChef in 2005, but it was announced in November 2024 that he would step away from his role while the misconduct allegations were investigated.

A review by law firm Lewis Silkin later upheld 45 of the 83 allegations against him, including one of unwelcome physical contact.

The report found that the majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with only one allegation substantiated after that year.

It also concluded that the majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, adding that a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.

The report noted that during the course of the investigation, which was over a seven-month period, Wallace was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and said that the findings should be viewed in the context of his neurodiversity.

In July, MasterChef production company Banijay UK and the BBC said they had agreed that Mr Wallaces return to MasterChef is untenable, with the BBC saying in a statement that Wallaces behaviour falls below the values of the BBC and the expectations we have for anyone who works with or for us.

It said: Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour, both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC.

We accept more could and should have been done sooner.

Wallace issued an apology saying he was deeply sorry for any distress caused and that he never set out to harm or humiliate.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the former greengrocer said: For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud. Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait.

None of the serious allegations against me were upheld. I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching, but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. It was never intended.
Protesters from a number of London universities attend a pro-Palestine demonstration on October 7, 2025 in London, EnglandPalestine. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Central London is preparing for a significant pro-Palestinian demonstration this Saturday, with hundreds of thousands expected to participate just a day after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire came into effect.

Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), this marks the 32nd national protest since October 2023. Demonstrators will set off from Embankment at midday, marching towards a rally in Whitehall scheduled for 2::green-background[30] pm.

The Metropolitan Police anticipate a counter-protest by Stop The Hate at the Aldwych and Strand junction. Officers have imposed conditions on both events, specifying gathering areas and march routes.

Protesters taking part in the Palestine Coalition march  organised by PSC, Stop the War, CND, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al Aqsa and Palestine Forum in Britain  will call for the ceasefire to become a permanent agreement.

Organisers say it will be the 32nd national pro-Palestinian demonstration since October 2023 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Ben Jamal, PSC director, said: For two years weve seen Israel commit a no-holds barred genocide with the political and military support of successive UK governments.

In response, a community of resistance in this country has responded with an historic show of solidarity  actively and intensively campaigning, day in day out, to demand politicians, public bodies and corporations end their complicity with Israels crimes.

This is a movement supported by millions of people in this country and around the world who want freedom and justice for Palestine.

That work will go on. Because we know Israel is capable of breaking the ceasefire at any time, as it has done on every previous occasion. And we know this ceasefire based on (US President Donald) Trumps plan does nothing to address the root causes of Israeli occupation and colonisation of Palestine, and its system of apartheid against Palestinians. It also does nothing to hold those responsible for genocide to account.

The rights of the Palestinian people are enshrined under international law  they are inviolable and non-negotiable. They will never give up those rights, and we will never stop supporting them to achieve a free Palestine.

The Met made reference to recent Government proposals for changes to legislation which would grant police powers to place conditions on or prevent repeat protests but said that at this time, the law remains unchanged.

The Israeli military said on Friday that the ceasefire agreement came into effect at noon local time (10am BST).

The pause in the two-year war in the Middle East follows Hamas agreeing to release the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

News of the ceasefire agreement came just two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
French border

The European Union has seen finer days. Its ageing population is about to enter a steep decline, driven by tumbling birth rates. Geopolitically, it is fast becoming an irrelevance, as talks on Ukraine, on Israel and on the future shape of the global security order are carried out above its head. And economically it is moribund, a drifting hulk tangled in a sargasso sea of regulations, watching enviously as American and Chinese tech companies build the industries of the future.

With high energy costs holding back manufacturing and tech already departed, one option for the continent was to double down on what it does best: show off old buildings and museums, and capitalise on its status as the tourist destination of choice for visitors from more dynamic regions.

Regrettably, confronted with the prospect of a healthy, thriving industry, the European Union has done what it does best: regulate and drive up costs. This weekend, after many delays, the EU entry-exit system (EES) will come into force. British citizens  and citizens of other non-EU nations  will be required to submit fingerprints, a facial scan and answer a questionnaire before entering the Schengen Area.

That the mass rollout of such a system could prove less than optimally smooth has, at least, been taken into account. Nevertheless, the warning from the Port of Dover that the new system will take six times as long to process each car is emblematic of the probable consequences.

For Britain, in particular, the system is a dual irritant. While the UK has bent over backwards to maintain smooth trade flows with Europe, agreeing to a significant loss of sovereignty in Northern Ireland, and allowing EU citizens to make use of biometric passport gates, the approach from Brussels has been markedly intransigent. Indeed, earlier this week the EU announced plans to raise the tariffs charged on steel sold by Britain, with the apparent intent of securing further concessions in other fields.

This, in and of itself, would make the added friction of travel a pointed insult. But it beggars belief that the bloc should talk with a straight face about the security of its borders even as it appears to turn a blind eye to the constant flow of illegal migrants through its territory to the French coast, there to launch themselves towards our shores.

The French state, which clearly possesses the means to disrupt the small boats flowing from Calais towards Dover, has shown little apparent inclination to do so. Yet when it comes to the tourists and goods making the legitimate journey the other way, little effort is spared in the quest to erect obstacles and clamp down on the risk of overstayers. The hypocrisy of the bloc is little short of breathtaking.
India says it will reopen embassy in Kabul as it hosts Taliban foreign minister for controversial visit

India has announced that it will join a small group of countries in reopening its embassy in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, as part of a rapid and controversial upgrade in its dealings with the Islamist groups regime.

India is hosting the Talibans de facto foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, for a landmark visit to New Delhi, and Muttaqi held meetings with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday.

Mr Jaishankar announced that Indias embassy, closed after the group seized power in Kabul in August 2021, would reopen. India had launched a downgraded technical mission in Kabul earlier in June 2022.

India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan, Mr Jaishankar said in his opening remarks in New Delhi as he hosted the senior Taliban leader. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience.

Mr Muttaqi is one of a number of Taliban leaders facing UN sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, and his visit to Delhi had to be specially approved by the UN Security Council. That process delayed his six-day visit to India, which was originally scheduled for August this year.

He was first sanctioned by the UN in 2001 over the abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan during the hardline Islamist groups previous rule in the 1990s.

The UN General Assembly has not recognised the legitimacy of the Talibans administration in Afghanistan, but around a dozen countries have embassies operating in Kabul, including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. Only Russia has formally recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Western diplomats have said the main roadblock on the Talibans path to recognition is its misogynistic policies towards Afghan women, barring them from secondary schools, higher education and most workplaces, and severely limiting their freedoms in public.

Such policies were reflected even during events on Friday in India, with female journalists  high-profile Indian TV correspondents and a reporter for The Independent among them  barred from a press conference given by Mr Muttaqi.

In his opening remarks, Mr Muttaqi referred to ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and said the Taliban administration would not allow anyone to use Afghanistan's territory for targeting other nations.

"We hope that Afghanistan and India, on an official level and in different areas, increase their engagement," he said.

Analysts have suggested Indias engagement with the Taliban reflects a pragmatic approach to dealing with an important regional player, rather than an endorsement of the Islamist groups policies, as well as a concern that New Delhi could be left behind by Pakistan and China in building new ties with Kabul.

Jayant Prasad, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan told The Independent that reopening the embassy would allow India to operate better on a number of fronts.

This is a welcome step in the direction of India-Afghanistan ties for regional cooperation and was overdue. Given the traditional ties between India and Afghanistan, India has rightly decided to review its social and economic partnership, he said.

Harsh Pant, foreign policy head at India's Observer Research Foundation think-tank, told Reuters: "Engagement does not mean endorsement. There are many things that India is uncomfortable about (under Taliban rule) - minority rights, gender rights, and the human rights landscape in Afghanistan.

But there is a pragmatism inherent in India's engagement with the Taliban ... And this visit is, in some ways, continuing that tradition. It certainly can be considered the beginning of a new phase in India-Afghanistan relations under the Taliban government, which have been one-directional so far.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In virtual remarks delivered earlier today to a ministerial meeting of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity ("GFSEC") in Gqeberha, South Africa, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer highlighted actions taken by the Trump Administration to counter excess capacity in the U.S. market and emphasized the importance of Forum members working expeditiously to develop a new framework to address global steel excess capacity.

The Specialty Steel Industry of North America ("SSINA") strongly supports Ambassador Greer's remarks and the Trump Administration's efforts to address global excess steel capacity. Chris Zimmer, SSINA's Chairman and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Stainless & Alloy Products Inc., made the following statement:

SSINA and its members are very grateful for the efforts of the Trump Administration to address and counter global excess steel capacity. For too long, excess steel capacity, which is uneconomic and results from foreign government subsidies and non-market policies, has distorted global markets and harmed SSINA member companies. Persistent, state-supported capacity growth abroad continues to distort high-performance and stainless markets, causing direct negative effects on U.S. specialty steel producers and their workforces. Ambassador Greer is exactly right that there is an urgent need for collective action now by GFSEC members to develop a new framework to address excess steel capacity. SSINA urges other governments to work together with the United States to develop a new joint framework and action plan to resolve this urgent and long-standing problem.

About the Specialty Steel Industry of North America: The Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) is a voluntary trade association representing the majority of the producers of specialty metals in North America. Our members produce a variety of products including semi-finished, bar, rod, wire, angles, plate, sheet and strip, in stainless steel and other high-performance materials.

Established in 1963 and funded by SSINA members and sponsors, the association is the voice of the North American specialty metals industry. SSINA promotes sound public policies to ensure a healthy and vibrant industry and works to expand the recognition and use of specialty metals in North America. The association also serves as a critical data and information resource for its membership and the public at large.

SOURCE Specialty Steel Industry of North America
The girl was reported missing at around noon Wednesday by a staff member from the McGarity Elementary School during the visit to Carlton Farms in Rockmart (Google Maps)

An investigation has been launched in Georgia after a six-year-old girl drowned in a swimming pool while on a school trip.

The child was reported missing at around noon Wednesday by a staff member from the McGarity Elementary School during the visit to Carlton Farms in Rockmart.

A press release from Polk County public information office said the youngster was later "located unresponsive in a pool beside the residence." The nature or exact location of the residence was unclear.

"Life-saving measures were immediately conducted by bystanders until professional medical staff arrived to take over," a statement, shared with The Independent, said.

The student, who has not been identified, was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The girl was found unresponsive in a swimming pool (Google Maps)

Polk County said it would not be commenting further on the incident.

We ask for respect and privacy as the appropriate teams continue their investigation, the statement said.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, staff, and students affected by Wednesdays tragic events.

A sign seen outside McGarity Elementary School Thursday said pray. In a letter to the school community, obtained by 11Alive, Principal Jamesa Hodge wrote: "Our hearts are with the student's family and loved ones.

As our school community processes this tragedy, we will offer counseling and bereavement support services to all students and staff." the letter said.

Counselling services are being made available to students and staff that need it.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it will be assisting the Polk County Sheriff's Office in the investigation into the incident.
The Daily Show host Jon Stewart has mocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a human flat tire over his and his partys ineffective response to the U.S. government shutdown.

During his Monday night opening monologue, Stewart ran a clip of Schumer declaring at a press conference: Democrats are adamant that we must protect the healthcare of the American people.

The comic interjected: If you had stopped there, that would be great, but youre gonna keep talking arent you?

Jon Stewart rolls his eyes at Chuck Schumer on The Daily Show (The Daily Show/Comedy Central)

The clip continues with the veteran New Yorker turning to Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and joking: New data came out today from KFF, and that is not Kentucky Fried French Fries. KFF Thatd be Kentucky French Fries, hmmm?

Incensed by the childishness of Schumers gag in a moment of national crisis, Stewart asked: Who is that joke even for? Six-year-olds who watch C-SPAN? What the f*** are you doing?!

Chuck Schumer is a human flat tire. You just cant [impersonates Schumers voice] Kentucky Fried French Fry. Look at Klobuchar! Poor Klobuchar. That is the face of someone who talked to their dad, who said, Just please dont do your Indian accent in the restaurant. Thats all Im asking.

The host went on to label the Democratic leader Hack-ie Mason and complained at the end of his segment: Look, Ive given Democrats an enormous amount of s*** for their poor leadership, lack of specific and actionable plans, terrible messaging, abysmal wordplay  did I mention poor leadership?  but standing up for 75 million Americans in this moment, to defend the rights of people to go into a little less medical debt seems like the least they can f***ing do.

And perhaps, maybe, that will remind the Republicans that their mandate wasnt 100 percent. Theyve just caught a constitutional, administrative and logistics break.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has become a frequent target of Stewarts ire (Kent Nishimura/Getty)

This is by no means the first time Stewart has gone after Schumer.

The host has frequently mocked him in the past, often by perching a pair of spectacles on the end of his nose and imitating the Senate leaders leaden and uninspiring delivery.

He has previously bemoaned Schumers lack of rizz and, after a particularly weak argument against President Donald Trumps high tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports in February, Stewart complained: Democrats, can you please stop f***ing trotting Schumer out there every time Trump traverses into the unreal? Hes not good at this.

What is the decision-making process here? Hey, who should we get out there to effectively battle one of the most savvy presidential media manipulators in history? Oh, I dont know, how about Schumer? Hes uninteresting, but at least hes monotone. Oh wait, and Chuck, before you go out there, you look too young! Put on these readers and lower them on your nose. Perfect!'

Honestly, listening to Chuck Schumer speak on almost any topic makes me want to bomb Canada, Stewart concluded.
A judge has said there is no evidence of rebellion in Chicago, the site of frequent protests against US President Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Anadolu/Anadolu

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops to Chicago.

In the latest twist in the US presidents efforts to deploy the soldiers amid opposition from state and local leaders, a judge ruled the deployment of troops to Illinois largest city would be illegal.

Lawyers for the US government claimed the soldiers were needed to protect immigration officers doing their work. It comes after two migrants were shot dead by a gunman using bullets scrawled with anti-ICE at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centre in Dallas. Earlier this year, an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, was ambushed by a gunman.

The Department for homeland security (DHS) said there had been an 830 per cent increase in assaults on ICE officers in 2025.

Troops from the Texas National Guard are training for a 60-day mobilisation to protect immigration officers - Jim Vondruska/Reuters

Judge April Perry said she had seen no credible evidence that there is a danger of a rebellion in the state of Illinois.

The judges ruling was only partial and is likely to be challenged by lawyers for the government. Mr Trump has vowed to send soldiers to numerous Democrat-run cities where he alleges federal officers are in danger and crime is out of control.

Having sent troops to Los Angeles and Washington, DC, he next has plans for Chicago and Portland, both of which have Democratic mayors and are in states with Democratic governors.

Mr Trumps decision to send in soldiers has been one of the most controversial policies of his second term.

Last week, Mr Trump and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth gathered military commanders and told them troops under their command would soon be deployed to US cities to take on the enemy within.

Polls consistently show a majority of Americans want to prevent the military from being politicised, and a recent survey for Reuters/Ipsos suggested 58 per cent of Americans think armed troops should only be sent to confront external threats.

About 500 soldiers from the Texas and Illinois National Guards arrived in the Chicago area this weekend for a 60-day mission to protect immigration officers. Before they arrived, local officials had filed lawsuits seeking to block their deployment.

Mr Trump has threatened to have JB Pritzker arrested after the Illinois governor criticised the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago - Jim Vondruska/Reuters

Mr Trump has called for both Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, and JB Pritzker, Illinois governor, to be jailed for failing to protect ICE officers.

In an apparent reference to New Yorks Central Park Five, a group of black teenagers wrongly accused of assaulting a jogger who were later exonerated, Mr Johnson said: This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a black man unjustly arrested. Im not going anywhere.

Mr Pritzker, who is among those expected to make a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, said of Mr Trump: Hes a coward. He says a lot of things to the camera. He likes to pretend to be a tough guy. Come and get me. Come and get me.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from federalizing National Guard troops in Chicago, warning that deploying U.S. military forces into volatile scenes with a surge of federal law enforcement officers will only add fuel to the fire.

District Judge April Perry argued Thursday that the presidents deployment likely violates the 10th and 14th Amendments as well as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the military from enforcing domestic law.

The order remains in effect through at least October 23 while the legal battle continues.

Judge Perry also cast doubt on the Trump administrations credibility in assessing the need for National Guard troops, finding the administrations perception of demonstrations and law enforcement activity is simply unreliable.

Perry issued her order following courtroom arguments in a lawsuit brought by Illinois and Chicago officials, who accused the Trump administration of escalating his long-declared war against Americas third-largest city on unlawful and dangerous grounds with purely pretextual and baseless reasons.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump from federalizing National Guard in Chicago as a legal battle continues over the presidents use of the military to combat protests against his agenda (REUTERS)

Her order is another blow to the administrations attempts to send troops into Democratic-led states and cities to combat protests against his mass deportation agenda, spilling out into a multi-state legal battle.

Last week, Oregon officials similarly sued the administration, arguing that the presidents threats to send in the troops are wholly pretextual and designed to stir up unrest to justify boots on the ground.

On Sunday, a Trump-appointed judge argued that relatively small protests in Portland did not justify the use of federalized forces that imperil Oregons sovereignty.

But a three-judge federal appeals court panel  including two judges appointed by Trump  appeared prepared Thursday to strike down the order, teeing up a potential Supreme Court battle over the presidents authority to federalize troops.

On Thursday, roughly 200 troops from Texas began their deployment in the Chicago area, where they have been ordered to support federal buildings and Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities that have become flashpoints for protests against the administration.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued memos earlier this month calling up 300 members of the Illinois National Guard and 400 Texas troops for up to 60 days.

The memos cited federal statute that grants the president the ability to federalize state-controlled National Guard troops in the event of a foreign invasion or rebellion.

While Perry said she defers to the president when it comes to how to best combat national security threats, there does not appear to be one in Chicago that state and local law enforcement cant handle themselves.

I have seen no credible evidence that there is danger of rebellion in the state of Illinois, she said.

Deportations are up. Arrests are up.  The courthouse remains open and always has. Federal laws are being executed. Theyre also being broken, as they have been since the beginning of time, she said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. There is no evidence that the president is unable, with the regular forces, to execute the laws of the United States.

Hundreds of National Guard service members arrived in Illinois this week as federal judges across the country mulled arguments over the legality of their deployment (REUTERS)

She also questioned whether National Guard troops were sufficiently trained to confront people on the street, noting the citys strained history of police abuse.

Its something that I think the state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate, Perry said.

Governor J.B. Pritzker hailed the decision, saying in a statement that Donald Trump is not a king  and his administration is not above the law.

In a separate case Thursday, Illinois District Judge Sara Ellis blocked federal officers from using riot control weapons and other force against clearly identified members of the press as well as protesters and faith leaders who arent posing any immediate threat to law enforcement.

Her order follows a lawsuit from reporters and demonstrators accusing federal agents of a pattern of extreme brutality by firing on protesters and violating their First Amendment and religions freedom rights.
Recently unsealed court documents reveal that two jurors deliberating on the Harvey Weinstein trial felt threatened by other jurors to deliver a guilty verdict.

Weinstein is now trying to use this development to have his conviction thrown out, alleging that "substantial misconduct and gross unqualification of jurors" robbed him of a fair trial.

In June, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault against former Project Runway assistant Miriam Haley. He was acquitted of assaulting former model Kaja Sokola, and a rape charge against him was dropped after a mistrial was declared due to the jury foreperson claiming they were being threatened by other jurors.

In the recently released court documents, one juror  whose number is redacted  claims they overheard other jurors saying they needed to "set an example" with their verdict, and further claimed they were "aggressively screamed at" for wanting to return a not-guilty verdict on all three charges.

"During this interaction, Juror Number [redacted] stood up, spoke in an extremely loud volume and said to me, 'You are deliberately making this a hung jury.' I noticed that his hands were shaking as he screamed very loudly at me."

Harvey Weinstein has filed to have the verdict in his criminal sexual assault trial overturned, after court documents revealed that some members of the jury felt threatened by others in their cohort to deliver a guilty verdict against their will (Steven Hirsch /New York Post via AP, Pool)

The same juror also recalls a fellow juror insisting that there was "something mentally wrong with you," and another juror expressing her desire to have them removed from the panel, saying, "We have to get rid of you."

The juror said they lived near one of the other jurors who was angry with them and claimed they felt "physically threatened by her" and another juror.

They said the fear of retaliation from other jurors ultimately forced them to go along with the guilty verdict.

"I was so afraid of the repercussions and feared for my physical safety that I ultimately voted with the majority," the juror said, despite having "really wanted to vote not guilty."

The juror said that they "regret the verdict."

During the trial, one of the jurors had asked to address the court twice during deliberations because he said he had heard other jurors discussing another member of the panel in the elevators. The juror wanted to be excused from the jury, saying they did not feel the process was "fair."

The jury foreperson also reportedly told the judge that other jurors were considering parts of Weinstein's past not directly related to the case and not entered as evidence while considering their verdicts, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Juror number one, left, speaks to Judge Curtis Farber regarding the dynamic in the jury room during Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct trial in Manhattan criminal court, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in New York (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Arthur Aidala, Weinstein's lawyer, called for a mistrial more than a dozen times during the trial but was denied each time. In the most recent filing, Aidala alleges that the court failed to conduct a sufficient inquiry when such misconduct was brought to its attention.

In an affidavit filed on August 4, a juror said that fellow jurors "who believed Mr Weinstein was not guilty were aggressively challenged and forced to explain themselves, while pro-guilty views were accepted without question.

The juror noted that another juror threatened them, reportedly saying, I check people who talk to me like that. You dont know me. Ill catch you outside."

During the trial, Judge Curtis Farber questioned the jurors in court and in chambers about what had been reported to him by the concerned jurors, but found that no misconduct had occurred.

Prosecutors are planning to retry Weinstein on the rape charge relating to actress Jessica Mann. Weinstein has already filed to have that verdict tossed out, and he is still facing sentencing on the criminal sexual assault charge. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

Aidala said he plans to request a hearing regarding the alleged jury misconduct and to assess the adequacy of the Courts response during trial.
A man who shouted abuse about Islam while burning a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London has won his bid to overturn his conviction.

Hamit Coskun was found guilty in June of a religiously aggravated public order offence after shouting f*** Islam, Islam is religion of terrorism and Koran is burning while holding the flaming religious text aloft outside the Turkish consulate on February 13 2025.

Before travelling to London, the 51-year-old wrote posts on social media detailing his plan and saying it was to protest the Islamist government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he claimed has made Turkey a base for radical Islamists and is trying to establish a Sharia regime, the court heard.

He later made comments to police that all these Muslim people have been raping young children, young girls, adding: 99% of those rapists are Muslim.

Mr Coskun mounted an appeal against his conviction under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, arguing his actions were not criminal and amounted to a legitimate expression of his opinion on Islam.

On Friday, Mr Justice Bennathan delivered the appeal ruling, overturning Mr Coskuns conviction.

The High Court judge began the ruling by pointing out there is no blasphemy offence in UK criminal law, and courts are not empowered to create or enforce one.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick (left) walks with Hamit Coskun outside Southwark Crown Court (James Manning/PA Wire)

Burning the Koran may be an act many Muslims find desperately upsetting and offensive, he said. The criminal law, however, is not a mechanism that seeks to avoid people being upset, even grievously upset.

The right to freedom of expression, if it is a right worth having, must include rights to express views that offend, shock, and disturb.

The judge said we live in a liberal democracy, he pointed out criminal courts can interfere if an act causes harassment, alarm or distress to others, and he said the circumstances of the protest were significant in deciding the appeal.

The judge, sitting with two magistrates, pointed out the demonstration lasted a few minutes rather than several hours, it was in daylight, he was alone and not in a crowd, and it took place outside the Turkish consulate, a recognised location for political protest.

A protest outside someones home or place of worship may well create an anticipation those who witness it feel vulnerable, and very easily feel harassment, alarm, and distress, he said. Outside a secure location recognised for such activity, less so.

He said the reaction on the video of passersby was also telling.

Two or three people stop to watch, there is no sense any of the passersby feel sufficiently alarmed to hurry by or even cross the road. They see a man by himself on the pavement in a fairly empty road, setting fire to a book.

Mounting the appeal this week, Tim Owen KC, for Mr Coskun, told Southwark crown court had been attacking the institution of Islam, and the book.

He was not at any point saying: F*** Muslims or individualising.

The Free Speech Union, which helped to fund the appeal, hailed the judgment as a victory for free speech, saying the magistrates court had conflated his political protest against Islam with hatred of Muslims, effectively reviving blasphemy law by the back door.

Had the verdict been allowed to stand, it would have sent a message to religious fundamentalists up and down the country that all they need to do to enforce their blasphemy codes is to violently attack the blasphemer, thereby making him or her guilty of having caused public disorder, it said.

Instead, the Crown Court has sent the opposite message - that anti-religious protests, however offensive to true believers, must be tolerated.

Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of the National Secular Society which also supported the appeal, called the protest a lawful act of political dissent.

There is no need to condone the nature of his demonstration  what is important is that it was not criminal, he said.

Todays decision reaffirms the vital principle that free speech protects the right to offend, shock, or disturb  even when it challenges deeply held religious beliefs. England and Wales rightly abolished its blasphemy laws more than a decade ago. This ruling helps ensure they are not reintroduced by stealth under the guise of public order, and that our commitment to free speech remains strong.

Mr Coskun himself said after the ruling: I came to England, having been persecuted in Turkey, to be able to speak freely about the dangers of radical Islam. I am reassured that  despite many troubling developments  I will now be free to educate the British public about my beliefs.

Philip McGhee, for the prosecution, said Coskuns action was motivated, at least in part, by hostility towards followers of Islam.

Mr McGhee quoted social media posts written by Coskun prior to the incident, which said: Koran is a book that orders terror, permits plunder, rape, paedophilia, and does not recognise the right to life for anyone outside the Islamic faith and Islam is a terrorist ideology.

During the incident, Mr Coskun came under attack from a man called Moussa Kadri, who told him Im going to kill you and later return to slash at him with a knife.

Kadri, who received a 20-month suspended prison sentence for the attack, told police he was protecting his religion.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick arrived at Southwark crown court (James Manning/PA Wire)

Prosecutors argued Mr Coskun must have been aware that his actions may have been disorderly by the time that Mr Kadri emerged from the neighbouring building and that Mr Kadri was evidently distressed by Coskuns actions before he went on to assault him.

The appeal was backed by the National Secular Society (NSS) and the Free Speech Union (FSU), and they have spoken out against Mr Coskuns conviction, claiming it is a sign of a modern blasphemy law.

Turkey-born Coskun, who is half-Kurdish and half-Armenian, was briefly accompanied at court on Thursday by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick.

The politician said outside court: I dont agree with what Mr Coskun did but I dont believe its a crime.

Hamit Coskun (James Manning/PA Wire)

Parliament made a very important decision 20 years ago to abolish our blasphemy laws and we cant allow them to be re-created by the back door, inadvertently, by our court service.

Free speech is under threat in our country and we have to defend it at all costs, and that sometimes means defending those who do things you wont condone yourself.
An artists impression of the proposed new Chinese embassy complex near the Tower of London

The Government could delay its decision further on whether to approve the planned Chinese super-embassy in London amid intense scrutiny of its attempts to foster ties with Beijing.

The Telegraph understands that officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which is handling the planning case, are preparing to announce that the Oct 21 deadline will be pushed back.

China has been seeking to build a vast new embassy near the Tower of London since 2018, but the decision has been delayed repeatedly.

Changes made in last months Cabinet reshuffle, which saw the appointment of new communities, home and foreign secretaries, are being cited internally as the reason for the latest delay in the public deadline. No announcement or final decision has been made.

But critics claim the focus on the collapse of the China spying case and questions over Labours approach to China may be contributing factors.

Luke de Pulford, the co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: The reason for this delay stretches credulity, to put it kindly. Planning officials in Steve Reeds [the Communities Secretary] department have already had six weeks longer than planned, and done a very diligent job.

Everybody knows the final call on the mega-embassy will be determined by politics, not planning law. The real reason for this delay is that current scrutiny makes giving the anticipated green light inconvenient.

In the spying case, Christopher Cash, who worked for Tory MPs, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, were charged with passing intelligence to Beijing last year, but charges were dropped last month.

Sir Keir Starmer and his senior officials are facing claims they failed to provide evidence declaring China an enemy, despite requests from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Yvette Cooper, the newly appointed Foreign Secretary, said on Friday that China poses threats to UK national security and that she was deeply frustrated by the collapse of the case.

Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash, depicted by a court artist as they appeared before Westminster magistrates last April - Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire

Beijing has appeared to push for approval of its new embassy in the face of opposition. The initial planning application was rejected by Tower Hamlets in December 2022, before a new one was submitted shortly after Labour won the general election last July.

Sir Keirs ministers called in the proposal from the council, triggering an investigation by the Planning Inspectorate and a final decision by ministers in the communities department.

When planning decisions are called in by ministers, they must act in a quasi-judicial capacity. Officials stress that a decision must be based on planning laws, not political issues.

Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, raised the matter directly with Sir Keir in August 2024. The Prime Minister then mentioned his Governments involvement in the project during a meeting with Mr Xi at the G20 summit in Brazil last November.

But some figures in Donald Trumps administration have raised red flags. The Telegraph understands that officials from the White House National Security Council voiced concerns to Foreign Office officials during a meeting in London on Aug 19.

It is understood fears were raised about access to cables running nearby that are used by financial firms in London. A Foreign Office spokesman declined to comment.

Protesters against the embassy plans, including people from Hong Kong, Tibet and Taiwan, as well as members of the Uyghur minority in China, staged a demonstration on the proposed site in February - Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images

The US is thought to have voiced concerns previously, with an unnamed senior US official reported to have said in June: The United States is deeply concerned about providing China with potential access to the sensitive communications of one of our closest allies.

However, figures in the US diplomatic network never found out who issued the quote, suggesting it was not the official position of the White House.

It is also understood that the embassy was not among the list of policy points for Mr Trump to raise with British counterparts during his state visit last month.

The Planning Inspectorate has reportedly concluded that the project should be approved, though a spokesman declined to confirm that outcome on Friday. The Inspectorate held an eight-day session looking into the proposals in February and sent the completed report on June 10.

Angela Rayner, who was Communities Secretary at the time, delayed the decision over the summer while seeking more information from China about the plans, including the redaction of basement rooms on the design drawings.

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She announced a new decision date of Oct 21 before resigning last month  but that is expected to be pushed back, with Mr Reed yet to receive formal advice in his red ministerial box about the proposal.

The Tories are continuing to put pressure on Labour over the collapse of the spy case, with questions expected to be asked via a series of parliamentary routes when MPs return on Monday.

Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, is raising the possibility that Government figures have perverted the course of justice in not giving extra evidence to the CPS.

Mr Jenrick said: Anybody who pressured witnesses not to give evidence should face criminal charges for perverting the course of justice. At every stage of this scandal, Labour have tried to conceal the truth, doing all that they can to stop the facts getting out.

Government sources have argued that evidence was not withdrawn and insisted they are disappointed by the collapse of the case.
Loose Women star Charlene White has announced her amazing father Denniston has taken his own life.

A message from White, 45, and the TV presenters family members, said they had decided to be open about their loss as hiding emotions and the true depth of our feelings  hurt, pain, shock, grief etc.  helps no-one.

Whites Instagram post, which included a photo of her father smiling on a beach, said two weeks ago our lives changed forever because unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldnt lift.

White added: This kind of grief is new and unexpected and were still finding our way.

Hug your parents close, and always tell them that you love them. Because thats sort of our job as children, to love them, no matter where the road eventually takes them.

Even if they end up taking the hardest most unfathomable path.

But we have each other, and I dont know how wed ever be able to see a sliver of brightness and light in everyday without each other to lean on.

And the million extended family members, and tribes of friends whove held our hearts and our hands over the past two weeks.

White said the family had celebrated Jamaican nine night, a traditional funeral celebration held on the ninth night after a death.

The ancestors were right  it was the most perfect way to release our grief through food, dancing, drink and joy, with hundreds of friends and family. All organised by our tribe of friends and family. Were incredibly blessed, White said.

Denniston was an amazing dad, step dad, surrogate dad to many, friend, brother, grandad, uncle, cousin and husband. And were all just taking it step by step.

From Charlene, Liz, Joshua, Carina, Jade, Gemma, Justin, Soriah, Alfie, Florence, Kairo, Elisha and Shaniya.

White is a presenter on ITV News and Loose Women and appeared on Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2022.
Loose Women star Charlene White has revealed her father has died by suicide.

The panellist, 45, announced that her father Denniston died two weeks ago after battling a dark cloud he couldnt lift.

She shared the heartbreaking news in a statement on Instagram on Friday, writing: Unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldnt lift.

"So he made the decision to take control of that cloud and take his own life. This despite the fact he lived a life full of love. FULL to the brim. Overflowing in fact.

"But sometimes the darkness is stronger, and heartbreakingly for all of us, he chose to keep what he was going through to himself. Very typical of dad.

"So we too have made a choice - his children, step-children, and wife - not to hide the circumstances of our loss. Because hiding emotions and the true depth of our feelings  hurt, pain, shock, grief etc.  helps no-one. Least of all us."

The TV star said her family are "still finding our way" while navigating the "unexpected" grief.

White urged her fans to "hug your parents close" and "tell them that you love them".

"But we have each other, and I dont know how wed ever be able to see a sliver of brightness and light in everyday without each other to lean on," she continued.

"And the million extended family members, and tribes of friends whove held our hearts and our hands over the past two weeks."

The former Im A Celebrity star revealed hundreds of loved ones paid tribute to Denniston at a traditional Jamaican Nine Night on Sunday.

The service is a funeral celebration held on the ninth night after a death and typically involves a gathering of friends and family with food, music and singing.

White pictured far left with Brenda Edwards, Judi Love, and Kelle Bryan on Loose Women (ITV)

"Denniston was an amazing dad, step dad, surrogate dad to many, friend, brother, grandad, uncle, cousin and husband. And were all just taking it step by step," White wrote.

"From Charlene, Liz, Joshua, Carina, Jade, Gemma, Justin, Soriah, Alfie, Florence, Kairo, Elisha and Shaniya."

Whites Loose Women co-stars shared their condolences in the comments.

Nadia Sawalha wrote: Charlene... oh my darling Im in total shock for you . You have such a wonderfully close and loving family.

Your adoration for your father always shines so brightly when you talk about him. The hugest of hugs. xx

Coleen Nolan added: Oh Charlene so so sorry to hear this news thinking of you and your family! Love you.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
Representatives of the Socialists, Communists and Greens arrive at the Elysee Palace for a meeting with the president on Friday. Photograph: Teresa Suarez/EPA

Emmanuel Macron has summoned the leaders of several political parties to his office to demand they show collective responsibility as he attempts to appoint a new prime minister amid a deepening political crisis.

All political parties except Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally, which is the biggest single opposition party, and Jean-Luc Melenchons leftwing La France Insoumise were called to the meeting at the presidential palace before Macrons self-imposed deadline to name a new prime minister by Friday night.

Parties including the Socialists, Greens and Les Republicains received the invitation at 2am in a sign of the frantic effort to resolve a seemingly intractable political crisis.

Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally, which had refused to back any new government, said his party was honoured not to have been invited, adding: Our party is not for sale. Melenchon said only Macrons resignation as president and an early presidential election would bring stability to France. Macrons office has repeatedly said he will not resign before his second term ends in spring 2027.

The centrist Macron is facing the worst domestic crisis since he first won the presidency in 2017. On Monday, the prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, a Macron ally, resigned only 14 hours after appointing a new government, amid fierce criticism from opposition parties that he was refusing to broaden the government to different political groups and viewpoints that reflected parliament.

Lecornu quit before he had attended his first cabinet meeting or made his first policy speech to parliament. Weeks earlier, his predecessor Francois Bayrou was ousted over his proposed budget cuts.

Lecornu was the third French prime minister in a year as the country lurched from one political crisis to another after Macrons gamble on an inconclusive snap election last year. The parliament remains divided into three blocs: the left, the far right and the centre, none of which has a clear majority. A budget for next year must be agreed within the coming weeks, even though the political parties are at loggerheads and there has been no stable government for weeks.

Macron is searching for his sixth prime minister in less than two years and will need to find a figure who can find some kind of compromise or non-aggression pact between very different political parties in order to steer a budget through a fractured parliament.

Lecornu has said a revised draft budget for 2026 could be presented at a cabinet meeting on Monday, the deadline for the bill to pass parliament by the end of the year. Macron has promised to announce a new prime minister by Friday night, but that nominee would then have to form a new government by the end of the weekend in order to meet early budget deadlines.

Frances central bank chief, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, forecast that the political uncertainty would have an impact on business and consumer confidence and economic growth. Uncertainty is  the No 1 enemy of growth, he told RTL radio.

Under the French political system, the president, who is head of state and has authority on foreign policy and national security, directly appoints a prime minister as head of government to run domestic affairs.
DANIA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines, LLC ("Spirit" or the "Company"), today announced it has received approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the "Court") for a multi-tranche debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing facility of up to $475 million from its existing bondholders. In addition, Spirit has received Court approval for the agreement with AerCap Ireland Limited ("AerCap"), its largest aircraft lessor. These approvals mark an important milestone in the Company's ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring to position Spirit for the future.

The DIP financing will provide Spirit with additional financial flexibility to support normal business operations during its restructuring. Of the total financing, $200 million is immediately available to the Company.

The Court's approval of Spirit's agreement with AerCap includes a $150 million payment from AerCap to Spirit, the rejection of 27 aircraft leases and the resolution of all claims and disputes between the parties. The agreement allows the Company to reduce operating costs by hundreds of millions of dollars and provides for the future delivery of 30 aircraft. The Company continues to make progress with other lessors as it pursues its fleet optimization strategy.

"We are pleased to have reached another significant milestone in our restructuring, which represents continued progress toward securing a successful future for Spirit," said Dave Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With these approvals in place, we are better equipped to build a stronger airline that delivers unmatched value to American consumers. We thank our stakeholders for their support and the Spirit team for their dedication and resilience during this process."

Additional Information

The Company maintains a dedicated website about its restructuring process at www.spiritrestructuring.com. Additional information about the Company's Chapter 11 case, including access to Court filings and other documents related to the restructuring process, is available at https://dm.epiq11.com/SpiritAirlines or by calling Spirit's restructuring information line at (855) 952-6606 (U.S. toll free) or +1 (971) 715-2831 (international).

Advisors

Spirit is supported by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as legal counsel, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as fleet counsel, FTI Consulting as restructuring, fleet and communications advisor and PJT Partners as investment banker.

About Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is committed to safely delivering the best value in the sky by offering an enhanced travel experience with flexible, affordable options. Spirit serves destinations throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean with its all-Airbus Fit Fleet, one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the U.S. Discover elevated travel options with exceptional value at spirit.com.

SOURCE Spirit Airlines
Madeleine McCann's great-aunt has told a court she was "stunned" when an alleged stalker attended an annual vigil for the missing girl.

Janet Kennedy, who is Kate McCann's aunt, told Leicester Crown Court she "could not accept" that Julia Wandelt was her missing great-niece when she approached her on 3 May last year.

The three-year-old disappeared on 3 May 2007 after her parents left her asleep in their holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz.

Throughout the trial, the court heard that Wandelt, 24, also allegedly called and messaged Kate McCann, Madeleine's mother, 60 times in a day.

Appearing in court on Friday, Mrs Kennedy said Wandelt confronted her and gave her an envelope with information "that would prove she was Madeleine" during the yearly gathering in Rothley, Leicestershire.

"She said that she was Madeleine and that she was sorry that the McCanns weren't there," the great-aunt said, "but she wished me to give them some information and she presented me with an envelope with information in that would prove she was Madeleine.

"I was rather stunned by her approach. I looked at her and thought 'she is not Madeleine'. There's just no way she could be Madeleine at all."

Mrs Kennedy then said that when Wandelt "said she was Madeleine... with the colour of your skin, you are Polish, there are distinct differences in the way people look according to where they are from".

She added: "And the eyes as well. The eyes did not look like Madeleine's eyes. So I could not accept that."

The alleged stalker, from Lubin, southwest Poland, is on trial with Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court Road, Caerau, Cardiff.

They both deny one count of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann, causing serious alarm or distress, between June 2022 and February this year.

Read more from Sky News:

How withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza could work

Man jailed for murdering 16-year-old after teen brushed past girlfriend

Farage 'stunned' at guilty plea of former Reform leader

The trial continues.
Khan had a very large presence online with his TikTok videos, where he documented his journey to enter the UK via a small boat. Photograph: CPS/PA

A man who came to the UK on a small boat has been found guilty of making a threat to kill Nigel Farage in a TikTok video.

Fayaz Khan, 26, an Afghan national, was found guilty by a majority of 10 jurors to two after almost 12 hours of deliberation at Southwark court court. He had made the threat to kill the Reform UK leader in October last year in a video that Farage told the court was pretty chilling.

Khan had a very large presence online with his videos on TikTok, amassing hundreds of thousands of views, jurors had heard.

In autumn last year Khans videos were focused on his attempts to come to the UK by small boat. He had lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019, the prosecutor, Peter Ratliff , told the court.

On 12 October last year, Farage uploaded a video to YouTube titled the journey of an illegal migrant that highlighted Khan and referenced young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little, jurors were told.

Ratliff said Khan responded with a video on 14 October in which he appeared to say: Englishman Nigel, dont talk shit about me. You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me.

Dont talk about me more. Delete the video. Im coming to England. Im going to pop, pop, pop.

While Khan said pop, pop, pop he made gun gestures with his hand, headbutted the camera and was pointing to an AK-47 tattoo on his face to emphasise he wasnt joking, Ratliff told jurors.

Farage said on Tuesday that Khans video was pretty chilling, adding: Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried. He says hes coming to England and hes going to shoot me.

Jurors were shown a screenshot of a subsequent TikTok post by Khan with the caption I mean what I say written on an image of a GB News report about the alleged threat against Farage.

The court was also shown other videos on social media by Khan in which he appeared to make pop, pop, pop noises and similar hand gestures to those in the TikTok video referencing Farage.

The court heard that Khan had livestreamed his journey across the Channel from France and was arrested on 31 October after arriving in the UK on a small boat.

Khan said in a police interview it was never my intention to kill him or anything  this is my character, this is how I act in my videos. In every video I make those sounds, I say pop, pop pop.

Khan was not called to give evidence.

Ratliff said in his closing speech the alleged threat to kill was not some off-the-cuff comment and the video was sinister and menacing. He added that Khan was a dangerous man with an interest in firearms. If youve got an AK-47 tattooed on your arm and your face, its because you love AK-47s and you want the world to know that.

In his closing speech, the defence lawyer, Charles Royle, said Khan was remonstrating in his own idiosyncratic, moronic, comedic, eye-catching, attention-seeking way, rather than making a threat to kill in the TikTok video.

Khan will be sentenced on Tuesday for the threat to kill conviction and for entering the UK illegally.
Alfie Franco will serve a minimum of 23 years in jail (West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)

A man who fatally stabbed a teenage Syrian refugee in the neck after he brushed past his girlfriend on a busy shopping street has been detained for life.

Alfie Franco, 20, must serve a minimum term of 23 years for the murder of 16-year-old Syrian refugee Ahmad Al Ibrahim in Huddersfield town centre.

Al Ibrahim who fled war-torn Homs after being injured in a bombing, had been living in Huddersfield for only a couple of weeks when he crossed paths with Franco, who had been for a Jobcentre appointment that day and was going to buy eyelash glue with his girlfriend.

Leeds Crown Court heard Franco  who had consumed cannabis, cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, and codeine  took some petty exception to Ahmad innocuously walking past his girlfriend in the street.

Ahmad Al Ibrahim, 16, was murdered in Huddersfield town centre (West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)

CCTV footage showed Franco saying something to Ahmad, and calling him over after a short verbal altercation.

As Ahmad walked over, Franco opened the blade on a flick knife he was carrying in his trousers and drove it into the boys neck.

Prosecutors said Franco kept the savage knife hidden until the last second so that Ahmad, who was unarmed, didnt have a chance.

Footage played during the trial showed Ahmad clutching his throat and staggering a few yards up the street before collapsing.

Franco denied murder, but was found guilty by a jury who deliberated for just over three hours. He pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place.

Franco, who spent most of his childhood in South Africa before returning to Huddersfield at the age of 13, told the trial he thought he had seen Ahmad reaching for a weapon in his waistband.

Franco had consumed cannabis, cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, and codeine before the attack (West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)

He said he had been aiming for the boys cheek and just wanted to cut him and get away.

Sentencing him to life with a minimum term of 23 years on Friday, Judge Howard Crowson said Francos claims of being in fear of Ahmad were incredible as the CCTV footage showed the defendant calmly eating ice cream while preparing to stab him.

He told Franco: During this trial you tried to portray Ahmad as aggressive and threatening.

The CCTV reveals you were under no threat whatsoever. Ahmad was unarmed as he walked peacefully about Huddersfield town centre that day.

He said Francos claim to have seen a weapon on Ahmads waistband was a lie.

The judge said: Before Ahmad made any movement towards you, you prepared your knife for use.

Al Ibrahim had only been living in Huddersfield for only a couple of weeks after fleeing Homs, Syria, before he was killed by Franco (West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)

You calmly and surreptitiously removed the knife from your waistband, opened it and concealed it in your pocket.

He said he was satisfied that Franco intended to kill Ahmad and that he had lured the boy to within striking distance before lunging at him with the knife, deliberately aiming for his neck.

Jurors heard Franco had a wider interest in knives and had messaged a friend the day before threatening to stab someone over a stolen pushbike.

In a victim impact statement read in court, Ahmads uncle, Ghazwan Al Ibrahim, said Ahmad was an intelligent and outstanding student whose dream was to become a doctor.

He said his nephew had a sociable and ambitious personality, loved helping people and was passionate about life.

Mr Al Ibrahim said Ahmad spent three months travelling to the UK and initially lived in a Home Office hotel in Swansea with other people his own age before being moved to Huddersfield to be near his uncle.

He said Ahmads death had disappointed all his hopes of a better life in the UK and wasted all his familys efforts to get him there.

Mr Al Ibrahim said: It was the end of everything we had hoped for Ahmad after we had been happy about his arrival in the UK  the land of peace and the fulfilment of dreams.
IOPC has launched an investigation into the incident on Friday (PA Wire)

A man is in a life threatening condition in hospital after being shot by police in London.

Police were called on Friday morning to a home in Walthamstow, north-east London, to reports that a man had a gun and was making threats to kill, Scotland Yard said.

Along with negotiators, police spent around four hours on the scene before officers entered the property by force, which is when the man was shot.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: Police were called to an incident within an address in Stow Crescent, Walthamstow, at around 10:00 on Friday 10 October.

It was reported a man inside the property had a firearm and was making threats to kill.

Officers and trained negotiators were on scene for a number of hours and a cordon remained in place.

Police spent around four hours on the scene before officers entered the property by force, which is when the man was shot (Alamy/PA)

At around 14:00, officers had reason to enter the property by force, and following this discharged their weapons.

The circumstances of what happened will form part of the investigation.

The spokesperson added: The man was treated at the scene by police medics and the London Ambulance Service. He is in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

Officers found what they believed to be a gun inside the property.

Cordons remain in place and we ask the public to stay away from the area. The incident is contained and there is no wider threat to the public.

The incident is being referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards, who in turn will make a mandatory referral to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct).

An IOPC spokesperson said: We can confirm that we have started an independent investigation into the actions of the Met Police during an incident at an address in Walthamstow, east London, where we understand a man was shot by police this afternoon and taken to hospital.

After being notified by the Met Police we declared an independent investigation at 4.13pm this afternoon and have sent investigators to the scene and to the post-incident procedure to begin gathering evidence.

Our investigation is in the very early stages.
Maria Corina Machado: The Nobel Peace Prize winner who beat Trump but wont appear to accept the award

Maria Corina Machado, who has become a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The opposition leader was forced into hiding and banned from running for office by the administration of President Nicolas Maduro. But her fearless campaigns and rock-star appeal have made her an incredibly popular politician in her country  and led her to beat US President Donald Trump in winning this years honour.

When her win was announced in October, the activist was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, added: In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist."

Maria Corina Machado became a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela (AP)

Machados ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a video of himself speaking by phone with her after she received the news. I am in shock, Machado said. I cannot believe it.

The award ceremony is due to take place on Wednesday, 10 December, but at the eleventh hour it was announced that Machado is not going to attend.

What is Machados background?

Machado, 58, was born in Caracas on 7 October 1967. Her father was a prominent businessman in Venezuelas steel industry, with her upper-class roots making her a target of criticism from the countrys governing socialist party.

Now a mother of three children, Machado is an industrial engineer by training, studying engineering at university before she gained a masters degree in finance, and went on to have a short career in business.

In 1992, she also started a foundation for orphaned children living on the streets of Caracas, the Atenea Foundation.

But she went on to co-found the vote-monitoring organisation Sumate in 2002, which aims to promote free and fair elections, marking her official entry into politics.

President Nicolas Maduros time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis (AP)

Banned from public office

In 2010, Machado won a record number of votes to get elected to the National Assembly, where she served from 2011 until the regime expelled her from office in 2014.

She later became the national coordinator of the liberal political party Vente Venezuela, which she co-founded in 2012 and currently leads. Five years later, she helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance, aimed at bringing together pro-democracy forces from across the political divide.

Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023, and her rallies attracted large crowds. However, a ban from holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in an election in 2024, and she went into hiding. Mr Gonzalez took her place, having never run for office before.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations, with Maduro's government routinely targeting its real or perceived opponents.

The Venezuelan opposition leader addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas in January (AP)

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results sparked protests across the country, to which the government responded with force and ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado emerged from hiding in January to make a brief appearance during a protest before the inauguration of Maduro  whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis. She was briefly arrested and then freed.

The 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Gonzalez  who has been granted asylum in Spain after a Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for him  celebrated Machado's Nobel win in a post on X/Twitter, calling it a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.

Last year, Machado and Gonzalez were awarded the European Union's top human rights honour, The Sakharov Prize.

Machado now becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honoured.

Machado and Gonzalez join hands during a protest against the result of the presidential election last year (Getty)

She advocates for liberal economic reforms, including the privatisation of state-owned enterprises such as PDVSA, Venezuelas oil company. She also supports the creation of welfare programs aimed at aiding the country's poorest citizens.

Her political activism has come at a cost, leaving her isolated as nearly all of her senior advisers have been detained or forced to leave the country. Machado herself has accused Maduro's administration of operating as a criminal mafia.

Though sometimes criticised for being egotistical, even by her own mother, Machado rarely speaks about herself in public. Instead, she frames her campaign as a collective struggle for redemption and unity, aiming to inspire hope among Venezuelans weary of economic hardship and social decay.

What happened to Machado attending the ceremony?

Machado was due to receive the award in defiance of a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in her home country and after spending more than a year in hiding.

Last seen in public 11 months ago, she had been due to hold a traditional news conference by the laureate the day before the formal award ceremony.

But the lunchtime event was delayed without explanation, until the Norwegian Nobel Institute said three hours after the scheduled time that it will not take place today.

On the day of the ceremony, the organisers confirmed she would not be attending and the award will be accepted by her daughter instead.

She is unfortunately not in Norway and will not stand on stage at Oslo City Hall at 1 p.m. when the ceremony starts, Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the institute and the permanent secretary of the award body, told broadcaster NRK.

Asked where she was, Harpviken said: I don't know.

Last month Venezuelas attorney general said Machado would be considered a fugitive if she went to Norway to accept the prize.
Credit: Reuters

Melania Trump convinced Vladimir Putin to reunite eight Ukrainian children with their families through one-on-one talks with the Russian president.

In a rare public speech at the White House, the first lady said Putin had engaged with her directly on the issue of repatriating Ukrainian children held in Russia.

President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children, she said. For the past three months, both sides have participated in several back channel meetings and calls, all in good faith.

We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war.

My representative has been working directly with President Putins team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine.

Melania Trump made the announcement in a rare speech

In August, the White House revealed she had written to Putin, asking him to help protect children afflicted by the Ukraine-Russia war.

Her letter was handed to the Russian president when he met with his American counterpart in Alaska for high-level talks about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Mrs Trump wrote that it is time to protect children and future generations worldwide.

Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nations rustic countryside or a magnificent city centre. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger, her letter said.

US researchers have identified more than 210 sites where Ukrainian children have been taken for military training, drone manufacturing, and other forced re-education by Russia, as part of a large-scale deportation programme.

Again, this remains an ongoing effort, Mrs Trump said. Plans are already on their way to reunify more children in the immediate future.

I hope peace will come soon. It can begin with children.

The first lady made her announcement in the grand entry foyer of the White House, against a backdrop of portraits of former US presidents.

Mrs Trump approaches the podium in the Grand Foyer of the White House - Alex Brandon

Mrs Trump, recently emerging as a quiet diplomatic power in the White House, was a largely absent figure for much of Mr Trumps first six months.

She made clear that she detests the attention of the press and is reluctant to speak in public. Her announcement was brief and she left without taking questions.

Despite rarely appearing in public, Mrs Trump has emerged as a quiet force in the administrations foreign policy.

Mr Trump has described how his wife has guided him at times in his talks with Putin, and how they had looked at horrifying images of emaciated children in Gaza together.

She has advised her husband to take a more sceptical approach to Putin.

I go home, Mr Trump told reporters in July. I tell the first lady I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.

She said oh really? Another city was just hit.

Mrs Trump says she hopes peace will come soon - Aaron Schwartz/ 2025 Bloomberg Finance LP

Earlier this year, The Telegraph revealed how the first lady had been the driving force in her husbands decision to launch air strikes on Syria in 2017.

A former official described how she had been deeply moved by images of children dying after a chemical weapons attack by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

I think she reacts to human suffering as a mom, without a policy or political filter, and shares her gut reaction with her husband, they said.

Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for the release of Ukrainian children held in Russia.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky said that returning the children was a priority.

We need to bring them back to their families, to their relatives, he said, announcing that preparations are under way for a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.

Mrs Trumps diplomatic efforts have also extended past Ukraine. In September, the Turkish first lady wrote to her American counterpart urging her help in ending the suffering in Gaza.

Slow progress in ending Ukraine war

Her announcement came at the end of an extraordinary week of diplomacy.

Mr Trump is expected to fly to the Middle East at the weekend as Hamas begins to release hostages as part of its historic ceasefire deal with Israel to end the war in Gaza.

Mr Trump has not enjoyed the same luck in making progress to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite pledging to end it on day one of his presidency.

Following a meeting with Mr Zelensky at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Mr Trump made a post on Truth Social in which he urged the Ukrainian leader to take back all of Ukraines territory won by Russia and go even further than that.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump meet at the United Nations General Assembly in New York - PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock

He said in his post: I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

Dismissing Russia as a paper tiger in economic peril, Mr Trump added that Ukraine could take back their country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!.

On Friday, the Russian leader praised Mr Trumps peace efforts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Asked about the US presidents apparent Nobel Peace Prize snub, Putin said: [Trump] is really doing a lot to resolve such complex crises that have lasted for years and even decades.

There have been cases where the committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to people who have done nothing for peace... In my view, these decisions have done enormous damage to the prestige of this prize.

Mr Trump thanked Putin for his comments in a post on Truth Social.
Eight Ukrainian children who were kidnapped from their families and held captive in Russia have been returned to Ukraine following back-channel negotiations between Melania Trump and Russian representatives, the First Lady said on Friday.

Trump, a former model who was born in what is now Slovenia when that country was part of what was then Yugoslavia, made the stunning announcement in the Grand Foyer of the White House. She told reporters that much [had] unfolded since she sent a letter in August to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of the thousands of children who have been taken to Russia after being seized by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine.

She said Putin had responded in writing to signal a willingness to engage with the First Lady directly, and provided her with details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia.

Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children, she said.

Trump also told reporters that both sides of the talks had participated in several back-channel meetings and calls and had agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war.

First Lady Melania Trump made the stunning revelation in the Grand Foyer of the White House (Getty)

Additionally, she said her representative had been working directly with President Putins team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine, starting with eight such children who had been rejoined with their families over the past 24 hours.

Of those eight, Trump said that three had been separated from their parents and displaced to the Russian Federation because of frontline fighting while the other five had been separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, with one of the five children being a Russian girl who was repatriated to Russia.

Although the First Lady described the children as having been separated from their parents because of frontline fighting as if it were an accident, Ukrainian officials and human rights groups have documented evidence that Russian forces have actively seized Ukrainian children and forcibly deported them to Russia.

While the exact number of missing children remains unclear, the Institute for the Study of War reported in March that Ukraine had verified that nearly 19,500 children had been deported by Russia. But the research non-profit said: The true figure is likely to be much higher, because Russia frequently targets vulnerable children without anyone to speak for them.

Melania Trump looks on as her husband greets Vladimir Putin ahead of a meeting in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2018 (Sputnik/AFP/Getty)

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of the war crimes of unlawfully deporting children and unlawfully transferring them from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. The Russian government has denied the allegations.

Trump said that over the past three months, Moscow had demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective and detailed information about the children, including biographical details and photographs, plus what she called an overview of the social, medical and psychological services provided to them while in captivity  including a detailed report on the eight children who were part of the recent repatriation effort.

She also said the U.S. government had confirmed the information provided in cooperation with Ukraines government.

The work outlined by the First Lady on Friday is not the first involvement she has had in shaping the American response to Russias ongoing war against Ukraine.

Over the summer, President Donald Trump revealed that his wife had been frequently reminding him of Russias continuous strikes against Ukrainian civilian targets.

Firefighters battle a blaze following a Russian attack in Kyiv on Friday (AP)

Neighbors carry an injured woman to safety following the shelling of an apartment block in Kyiv (AP)

At one Oval Office appearance in July, he told reporters that she would routinely weigh in after he described his phone calls with Putin in positive terms.

I go home, I tell the First Lady, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation. And she says, Oh really, another city was just hit, he said at the time.

Ms Trump said her work on the fate of the kidnapped Ukrainian minors would be an ongoing mission and that it is an important initiative for her. She added that moving forward she would be working to optimize a transparent free-flow exchange of health-related information surrounding all children who have fallen victim to this war, and to facilitate the regular communication of children with their families until each individual returns home.

She added that plans were underway to return more children to Ukraine from Russia in the immediate future, and said that Russia had further agreed to return adults who were kidnapped while they were minors but have since turned 18 in captivity.
A screengrab taken from a video issued by the CPS of Fayaz Khan making threats to Nigel Farage (PA Media)

An Afghan migrant who came over to the UK via small boats has been found guilty of making threats to kill Nigel Farage on TikTok.

Fayaz Khan, 26, shared a video between 12 and 15 October last year in which he claimed he wanted to come to England to marry the politicians sister, and made gun gestures while saying pop, pop, pop.

During his trial at Southwark Crown Court, the Reform UK leader said that the post had been pretty chilling, adding given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried.

Nicholas Coates of the Crown Prosecution Service said he hopes the conviction sends a clear message and stressed elected politicians must be able to carry out their jobs free from the fear of harm or abuse and we will make sure that those who seek to intimidate them face the full force of the law.

Having already charged Khan with coming to the UK illegally, we were determined to bring him to justice for his threats against Nigel Farage, he added.

Jurors were told that Khan had a very large presence online with his videos on TikTok, under the username madapasa, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.

In autumn last year, he filmed his attempts to come to the UK by small boat  with the defendant having lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019.

On 12 October last year, Mr Farage uploaded a video to YouTube titled the journey of an illegal migrant which highlighted Khan and referenced young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little.

The prosecution said Khan responded with a video on 14 October, which was played to the jury, in which Khan appears to say: Englishman Nigel, dont talk s**t about me.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage outside Southwark Crown Court on Friday (PA Wire)

You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me.

Dont talk about me more. Delete the video. Im coming to England. Im going to pop, pop, pop.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told jurors that while Khan said pop, pop, pop he made gun gestures with his hand, as well as headbutting the camera during the video, and pointing to an AK47 tattoo on his face to emphasise he wasnt joking.

Mr Farage said: He says hes coming to England and hes going to shoot me.

I understood that very clearly indeed as did many people who saw it at the same time.

The right-wing politician added: In high-profile politics, a lot of nasty stuff gets posted. A lot of nasty stuff gets said.

What you dont see is an individual say on social media they are coming for you directly, and secondly, the means by which they are going to do it.

Asked by the prosecution about the reference to his sister, Mr Farage said: Im not sure he wanted to marry my sister, you could perhaps draw a different inference from that.

Asked by defence lawyer Charles Royle whether he was concerned that Khan wanted to marry his sister, Mr Farage said: Really, are you being serious? It said so much about the mindset of this individual.

I was concerned there was a man who clearly treats women as mere objects and could be a threat to them on our streets.

Mr Farage added that the comment was deeply misogynistic.

Jurors were shown a screenshot of a subsequent TikTok post by Khan with the caption I mean what I say written on an image of a GB News report about the alleged threat against Mr Farage.

In a police interview on 1 November last year, Khan said through an interpreter that he had attempted to come to the UK 10 times and was in Dunkirk, France, when he recorded the video in which he is alleged to have made a threat to kill Mr Farage.

Khan told police: I come here because I want to live here. I want new life. I dont come here because I want to kill Nigel Farage.

He also said that he had been smoking cannabis and was high at the time of posting the video.
A self-described Republican voter has given House Speaker Mike Johnson a grim reminder of the consequences of a prolonged government shutdown.

"My kids could die," a woman, calling herself Samantha and a Republican voter, said.

Samantha called in to speak to Johnson while he was taking questions from callers on C-SPAN on Thursday. She said shes concerned about what will happen to her family if military service members don't get paid next week as a result of the shutdown.

She revealed that she has "two medically fragile children" and that her husband "actively serves his country" and was twice deployed to Afghanistan.

I think that it is awful, and the audacity of someone who makes six figures a year to do this to military families is insane, she said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson was confronted by a Republican voter calling into C-SPAN who told him she was disappointed in his party and worried the government shutdown could kill her medically fragile children if military service members do not receive their pay (AP)

During her call, Samantha noted comments Johnson made on Wednesday after he was asked if he would allow a vote on a bill providing members of the military with emergency pay during the shutdown.

Johnson responded by saying the Democrats were "clamoring to get back here and have another vote, because some of them want to get on record and say they're for paying the troops."

"We already had that vote," Johnson said. "It's called the [continuing resolution]."

Both the Trump administration and broader Congressional Republicans have continued to shift all responsibility for the problems caused by the shutdown onto Democrats.

Active-duty servicemembers are required to work unpaid during the shutdown. Their paychecks will stop coming next Wednesday October 15 if the Senate doesnt pass a funding bill by then, the Military Times reports.

Many government workers, including servicemembers, should expect to receive backpay once the government shutdown comes to an end.

Democrats were holding out for an extension for expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits in an effort to prevent health insurance costs from skyrocketing for some Americans. They also were demanding a reversal of Trumps Medicaid cuts and the removal of proposed spending cuts to a number of government health agencies.

A placard at the U.S. Capitol noting that the federal government is shut down (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Republicans have opted to refuse further negotiations and blame the Democrats for the problems caused by a shuttered federal government, which is now in its second week.

Samantha has bigger worries than which lawmaker will come out on top in the political game of chicken being played at the Capitol.

If we see a lapse in pay come the 15th, my children do not get to get the medication thats needed for them to live their life, because we live paycheck to paycheck, she told Johnson.

She continued, saying she was "very disappointed in my party, and I'm very disappointed in you," reminding Johnson that he has the power to call the House back into session.

The next session of the House will convene on Tuesday.

I am begging you to pass this legislation, she said. My kids could die.

Johnson took no responsibility for the shutdown. He told Samantha that he was "angry because of situations just like yours," adding that many military families live in his district and "have children in health situations like yours."

This is what keeps me up at night, he said. I want you to hear something very clearly: The Republicans are the ones delivering for you.

He continued, using the opportunity to heap blame on Democrats for refusing to back the Republicans' continuing resolution.

The Democrats are the ones that are preventing you from getting a check. If we did another, a vote on the floor, pay troops, its not a lawmaking exercise, because [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer is going to hold that up in the Senate, Johnson said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has ripped into House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to send House members home and prolong the ongoing government shutdown (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

NBC News spoke to a representative for Schumer about Johnson's allegations, who said the senator's team has "no idea what Speaker Johnson is talking about."

On Thursday, Schumer lashed out at Republicans, who he said "refuse to negotiate."

"Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans and the clearer it becomes who is fighting for them each day. Our case to fix health care and end the shutdown gets better and better, stronger and stronger, because families are opening their letters showing how high their premiums will climb if Republicans get their way, theyre seeing why this fight matters," Schumer said. "Its about protecting their health care, their bank accounts, their futures.

Johnson reportedly told fellow Republican lawmakers during a Thursday conference call that he had no intention of allowing the passage of a standalone bill to pay military service members, according to two sources on the call who spoke to NBC News.

The sources said that two Republicans on the call expressed concerns about how Johnson was handling the shutdown, but others spoke up to support his current strategy.
Millions of home workers across Britain are being hampered by unreliable internet connections, research has shown.

A report commissioned by technology company Airties revealed that four in five Britons experience broadband issues at least once a month, while some face outages and slow speeds on a weekly or even daily basis.

According to the Office for National Statistics, nearly ten million Britons, more than a quarter of the working population, are now hybrid workers who split their time between home and the office. A further five million work entirely remotely.

But the study found that many of these workers struggle with unreliable connections, causing frustration for employers, colleagues and customers.

A significant majority of people say they suffer wifi issues while working from home (Getty/iStock)

Around 79 per cent of respondents said they suffered wifi problems at least once a month, seven per cent reported weekly issues, and 1.2 million reportedly experienced disruptions every day.

Slow browsing speeds were the most common complaint, followed by devices disconnecting from the network. More than half of those surveyed said their video calls frequently froze.

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader, urged broadband providers to take action.

The infrastructure is there but we have to find ways to make broadband more reliable in the home, he told The Times. There are simply too many hours being lost and the prize for solving this problem is much-needed improved economic growth.

Industry experts said that while telecoms companies have poured billions into fibre optic networks, the final challenge lies in ensuring stable connections inside homes.

Metin Taskin, chief executive of Airties, said: There is little understanding about whats happening inside the home when it comes to wifi. This is a challenge for the industry and a source of daily frustration for consumers.

With the right software solutions in place, the UK can finally give customers the experience they deserve.

The survey found that 71 per cent of respondents had contacted their provider about connectivity problems, yet only 24 per cent had switched suppliers.

A separate study by Which? found that Zen Internet, Plusnet and Utility Warehouse scored highest for reliability, each earning four out of five stars for customer satisfaction.

A Which? spokesperson said: If youre with one of the big four of Virgin Media, Talk Talk, Sky or BT, its worth exploring whether there isnt another available provider that deserves your custom more. Our research shows that the grass really can be greener.
BOSTON, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- STAT addiction reporter Lev Facher won a 2025 Loeb Award, the highest honor in business and financial journalism, on Thursday evening for explanatory reporting for his series "The War on Recovery." The six-part series exposed how the U.S. denies lifesaving medications to people with opioid addiction.

This is the second year in a row, and the third time in STAT's 10-year history, that the publication has won a Loeb. Facher was presented with the award at a ceremony held at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center in New York.

STAT reporter Lev Facher won a 2025 Loeb Award for his series The War on Recovery." Post this STAT team at 2025 Loeb Awards from left: Casey Ross, Chief Investigative Reporter, Data & Technology; Adam Feuerstein, Senior Writer, Biotech; Lev Facher, Addiction Reporter; Laura Chang, Editorial Director; Lizzy Lawrence, FDA Reporter; Rick Berke, Co-Founder & Executive Editor Credit: Thumy Phan for STAT

In accepting the honor, Facher said, "'The War on Recovery' is about the fact that Americans have largely given up on solving our opioid crisis. While other countries work hard to provide access to these lifesaving medications, the U.S. works even harder to restrict access. I hope this series can play a small role in reminding us that we're living through the deadliest drug epidemic in human history, and in inspiring both government and the private sector to act."

STAT also was honored with two finalists: Adam Feuerstein for commentary for "Adam Feuerstein: Truth-Teller on the Biotech Industry," and Casey Ross, Lizzy Lawrence, Bob Herman, and Tara Bannow in the beat reporting category for "Health Care's Colossus,'' a series revealing how UnitedHealth Group wields its unrivaled physician empire to boost its profits and expand its influence.

The Boston Globe, STAT's sister publication, won a Loeb in the local category for its Steward Health Care investigation, which uncovered extensive financial mismanagement and showed how Steward's owners profited handsomely as the company collapsed  with deadly consequences.

The first STAT winner of a Loeb Award was Ed Silverman, who in 2018 won for commentary for his " Pharmalot View " column.

Last year, Casey Ross and Bob Herman  who were among the finalists this year  won the 2024 investigative prize for " Denied by AI : Consequences for Sick and Vulnerable Americans." The series revealed an explicit strategy by the nation's largest health insurer to use a flawed computer algorithm to cut off care for seniors, increasing profits in its Medicare Advantage business at the expense of vulnerable older Americans.

Facher's series challenges the myth that the opioid crisis is intractable. In truth, methadone and buprenorphine could prevent tens of thousands of deaths annually. The series documented the harms of draconian methadone protocols, the refusal of jails and recovery programs to offer medication, and the myths equating these drugs with heroin. The investigation also revealed that private equity firms now own roughly one-third of U.S. methadone clinics, and that the clinic chains backed by private equity have lobbied to maintain their exclusive right to provide the medication and oppose reforms that would bring U.S. methadone policy in line with that in other Western countries.

The series was edited by STAT's editorial director, Laura Chang, and included additional multimedia and editing support from across STAT's newsroom, including video from senior multimedia producer Alex Hogan and interactive data visualizations from data editor Emory Parker.

"We are especially proud of this recognition because in the past, reporting focused on the opioid crisis was often defeatist,'' said Rick Berke, STAT's co-founder and executive editor. "'The War on Recovery' is anything but: It illustrates a vision for an alternate American reality in which our response to the drug overdose crisis is rooted in evidence, best practice, and the strategies known to be most effective at saving lives."

The series sparked two congressional inquiries into the private equity-backed methadone clinics at the center of STAT's reporting. In a letter to one clinic chain, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) wrote, "We are concerned that there is incompatibility manifesting itself in private-equity-backed OTPs [opioid treatment programs] seeking to maintain their monopoly on methadone access, not because it is good for the patient, but because it is good for the bottom line."

The series inspired a research project at Harvard and Virginia Commonwealth University, was included in public policy courses, led to commentary from addiction experts, and has been widely cited at academic conferences. The series also inspired a Boston Globe editorial , radio , and television segments.





Last year, STAT was also honored at the Loeb banquet as a finalist in the explanatory category for its yearlong series, "The Obesity Revolution." It chronicled the rise of a new class of weight-loss-inducing drugs and their potential to transform patients' lives for the better  but also to worsen inequities, increase anti-fat bias, strain national health spending, and make billions for drug companies. The reporters cited were Elaine Chen, Megan Molteni, Nicholas Florko, Isabella Cueto, and Matthew Herper.

Facher started at STAT as a Washington reporter in 2016 and has covered addiction since 2022. "The War on Recovery" has received other major recognition this year, including first place in the AHCJ Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism in the health policy category, and as a Livingston Award finalist for national reporting.

The Loeb Awards were established in 1957 by Gerald Loeb, a founding partner of E.F. Hutton, and they have been presented by the UCLA Anderson School of Management since 1973. Find the full list of The Loeb Award winners here and view all of STAT's recent awards here .

Contact: Boston Globe Media Communications, 617-851-3396, [email protected]

About STAT:

Founded in 2015, STAT is a digital media company that focuses on delivering fast, deep, and tough-minded journalism about health, medicine and the life sciences. STAT takes you inside academic labs, biotech boardrooms, and political backrooms, casting a critical eye on scientific discoveries, scrutinizing corporate strategies, and chronicling the roiling battles for talent, money, and market share. With an award-winning newsroom, STAT provides indispensable insights and exclusive stories on the technologies, personalities, power brokers, and political forces driving massive changes in the life sciences industry  and a revolution in human health.

STAT has twice been named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has won a number of prestigious journalism prizes .

STAT is affiliated with Boston Globe Media, and its headquarters is in Boston. It also has reporters in Washington, D.C., New York City, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago, and Minneapolis.

About Boston Globe Media:

Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Boston and New England for over 153 years. Its cornerstone is The Boston Globe, a 27-time Pulitzer Prize-winning news source and one of the most successful metro news organizations in the United States. The Globe is headquartered in Boston with regional bureaus in Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The Globe has been successfully growing its direct subscriber base, today boasting the highest total number of subscribers the organization has had since 2008. The Globe hosts events that connect community members to its journalism and provides a range of digital and home-delivered advertising solutions that reach more consumers than any other New England media brand. Boston Globe Media's portfolio includes The Boston Globe, Globe Opinion, Boston.com, STAT, The B-Side, Globe Publishing Services, Globe Events, Studio/B, and Boston magazine.

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More Americans like how President Donald Trumps second term is going compared to the first, but most still hate both.

Trumps flood the zone tactic appears to be getting attention as Americans say theres been more immigration enforcement, federal agency shake-ups and military force on cities in his second term  but that doesnt mean they like it.

A newly published YouGov poll asked Americans which of Trumps two presidential terms they approve of more. Nearly half of respondents, 46 percent, said neither, while 14 percent said his first term, 16 percent said his second term and 20 percent liked both terms equally.

When comparing Trumps two terms by initiatives, 83 percent said theres been more immigration enforcement actions, 71 percent said theres been more restructuring of federal agencies and 69 percent said theres been more use of military force domestically.

More Americans like how President Donald Trumps second term is going compared to the first, but most still hate both (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In fulfilling the presidents campaign promise of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, the Trump administration has carried out Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country.

In another controversial move, Trump has deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE protesters, to Washington D.C. and Memphis in the name of cracking down on crime, and near Chicago to help in his immigration enforcement efforts.

A federal judge paused the deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois Thursday, after Trump was temporarily blocked from deploying guardsmen to Portland, Oregon, to stop what the president called lawless mayhem.

Trumps 'flood the zone' tactic appears to be getting attention as Americans say theres been more immigration enforcement, federal agency shake-ups and military force on cities in his second term (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier in his term, Trump slashed the federal government with the help of tech billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. CNN reported in July more than 50,000 federal workers have been laid off or targeted for layoffs in Trumps second term.

The White House has also threatened mass layoffs amid the ongoing government shutdown, which began on October 1 after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a spending plan. According to the YouGov poll, 43 percent of Americans believe theres been less bipartisan cooperation in Congress in Trumps second term.
Multiple people are dead and more are missing following a blast at an explosives manufacturing plant in Tennessee, law enforcement officials have said.

A massive explosion took place at Accurate Energetic Systems, near Bucksnort, just before 8 a.m. local time, with secondary blasts initially forcing rescuers to keep their distance from the burning site.

At least 19 were initially reported missing and multiple others were hospitalized, according to Humphrey County Emergency Management officials. The official number of victims is not yet known.

We do have several people at this time unaccounted for. We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference. "We do have some that are deceased.

Video from the scene showed the remains of the plant, much of which were still on fire, with thick black smoke also visible (AP)

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said it was also supporting local officials in Hickman and Humphreys counties with the response of the explosion.

The Tennessee Department of Health has not yet reported or confirmed any fatalities or injuries. At this time, we urge the public to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to work safely and efficiently, the agency wrote on X.

Video from the scene showed the remains of the plant, much of which were still on fire, with thick black smoke also visible. The eight-building facility sprawls across wooded hills near Bucksnort, which is located around 60 miles southwest of Nashville.

The cause of the explosion is not yet known. A statement put out by Humphreys County urged people to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the victims.

Emergency personnel are on scene and actively managing the situation. Please avoid the area to allow responders to work safely and efficiently, the statement read.

The cause of the explosion is not yet known. A statement put out by Humphreys County urged people to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the victims (AP)

We appreciate your patience and cooperation  and we ask that you keep everyone involved in your prayers.

Tennessee Congressman Scott DesJarlais wrote on X: Please join Amy and I in praying for the employees and the families and friends of those at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in Hickman County. Please also pray for all of the first responders on the scene.

State Senator Marsha Blackburn added: We are closely monitoring the explosion reported in Hickman County this morning and praying for those who are still missing. Thank you to the first responders on the scene.

Emergency crews were initially unable to enter the plant because of continuing detonations, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart said by phone. He didnt have any details on whether anyone had been hurt.

Debris covers the ground and vehicles after a powerful blast ripped through a military explosives manufacturing plant in Hickman County, Tennessee (AP)

Tennessee residents reported hearing the blast from miles away. Beyonica Holt, lives arounf 15 miles from the factory, said she thought we were at war and that I was going to die.

I was standing in my bedroom. It shook the whole house. I thought it was going to blow out my windows  it didn't, but that's how big it was, she told The Tennessean.

Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwan, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment Friday morning from The Associated Press. The company's website says it makes and tests explosives.

Public records show that the company sold numerous types of weapons to the U.S. military, including dynamite, landmines and explosive powder for large-caliber shells.
A deal for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian captives has been met with celebration in both Israel and Gaza, where it is widely seen as a breakthrough that signals an end to the war.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to the initial terms of a deal which promises at least a ceasefire, if not a permanent end to the conflict. But it leaves questions over his political future, which has largely hinged on continuing the war in Gaza.

Analysts have argued that Netanyahu prolonged the war as a tactic to remain in power, given the likelihood that he would lose a future election. Critics also say the war has served as a distraction and delay to the long-running corruption case against him, which Netanyahu has denounced as a witch hunt, consistently and vehemently denying any wrongdoing.

Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving leader, faced widespread near-weekly protests in the year before the war began in October 2023 over his controversial plans for judicial reform, and the International Criminal Court has since issued a warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

Israelis in Tel Aviv celebrate the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace deal (AP)

These risks havent diminished, Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, told Al Jazeera. You need to remember, [Donald] Trump is not like [Joe] Biden. Netanyahu cant rely on all his friends in the Republican Party to try to circumvent the president. That leverage has all gone. If Trump wants to, hes in a position to make life very difficult for Netanyahu  and Netanyahu knows that.

Since the beginning of the war, Netanyahu has been determined to achieve his stated goal of total victory over Hamas while appeasing his coalition government, on which his political career depends. But Netanyahu had to counteract that by doing enough not to alienate his Western allies, particularly the US, whose military and diplomatic backing has been crucial for Israels war effort.

Netanyahu has, however, faced international condemnation over his conduct of the war, which has been catastrophic for Palestinians. Yet despite the challenges he faces both at home and abroad, he has managed to claw back some points in opinion polls in Israel. According to reports, he maintains a solid core of voters among the ultra-Orthodox Jews and settler populations, and surveys show the Israeli public has generally shifted to the right since the 7 October attacks two years ago.

Netanyahu addressing an almost empty UN General Assembly last month after delegates staged a mass walkout (Getty)

Critics noted that pre-war demonstrations focused largely on issues affecting Jewish Israelis, while overlooking the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. Similarly, the current protests calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza have drawn scrutiny for their limited attention to the humanitarian crisis and suffering faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

Netanyahus government is propped up by far-right factions that are not only determined to eliminate Hamas and prolong the conflict in Gaza, but also strongly oppose any moves toward a two-state solution.

Lets not assume this is the overall end of war and the overall end of Netanyahus war leader mantle, Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project and a former peace negotiator who worked with previous Israeli prime ministers, told The Independent.

With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.



From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025

He suggested that even if the fighting in Gaza ends, the broader conflict is far from over. He highlighted ongoing Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon, and pointed to Iran as the next major issue on the horizon. He also warned that Israel is likely to continue military operations, especially in the West Bank, where its actions have become increasingly destructive.

We may well see the West Bank paying an even bigger price for this, said Mr Levy, noting that this is partly driven by political pressure from within Netanyahus coalition, including hard-right figures such as Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Mitchell Barak, an Israeli pollster and former political aide to senior Israeli figures, including Netanyahu, said he believed that the government was nearing its end, but he did not expect an immediate collapse given that the opposition supports the peace plan put forward by Trump, according to a report by Reuters.

Israels opposition leader, Yair Lapid, offered to lend the government support to prevent it from collapsing in order to see through Trumps plan. On Sunday, Lapid said Netanyahu could agree to an election date, offering insurance from what he called the prime ministers extremist and irresponsible partners.

Children celebrate at a camp in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, following news of a ceasefire deal (AFP/Getty)

Mr Levy is sceptical of what the ceasefire deal will mean in reality for the Palestinians, and the crucial question remains of whether Hamas will agree to give up its weapons.

Netanyahu may try to use a potential hostage deal to boost his political standing, framing it as a personal success despite criticism. He could head into Israels next elections  which must be held by October 2026  campaigning as the leader who defeated Hamas and brought the hostages home, Mr Levy suggested. He added that the deal could be presented in such a way as to prove he succeeded without major concessions, such as a full Gaza withdrawal.

If that doesnt work, he will say, Look, Hamas isnt going to disarm. I will have an excuse to go back on to a forward military footing the resumption of some military activity which could then escalate in Gaza is a very reasonable scenario, Mr Levy said.

The other crucial thing is that the same narrative media consent mechanisms for generating support for a war will still be in place in Israel, including the weakness of the opposition, in terms of offering any robust alternative. So Netanyahu has quite a bit going for him. Maybe he wont be able to hold a coalition together, but he will try.
Labour must do more to uphold the right to free speech and explain more clearly why there is a ban on Palestine Action, a Labour peer has urged.

The former Deputy Labour Leader, Harriet Harman, said that the party should not only ensure the safety of the Jewish community but also ensure that Brits still have the right to protest.

Her remarks come as hundreds of activists have been arrested in recent weeks for holding signs saying I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.

Speaking on the Sky News Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Ms Harman spoke about police arresting elderly protestors and urged the government to do more to explain why Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation.

"At the moment, it just looks like the police are arresting octogenarian vicars who are worried about the awful situation in Gaza," she said, adding: "So they've got to actually be much clearer in why Palestine Action is a terrorist group and that they're justified in prescribing them and making them illegal.

During the podcast, Baroness Harman also maintained that supporting the Jewish community and ensuring their safety is crucial, while also acknowledging the devastating loss of life in Gaza.

She suggested the government must "try and create an atmosphere where the Jewish people should not feel that they are under threat and be asking themselves whether this is the right country for them to live in and be bringing up their families".

They also have to support and uphold the right to free speech and the right of protest. And people have felt so horrified, she continued.

More than 68,000 Palestinians, including many women and children, have been killed by Israel in a brutal two-year onslaught in the Gaza Strip that a growing chorus of experts describes as a genocide.

Palestine Action, which was protesting against the UK allowing arms sales to Israel, was proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK government this summer in a widely criticised move that many feel is silencing those who oppose the conflict.

The proscription means that Palestine Action falls into the same category as proscribed international terrorist groups, like al Qaida and ISIS.

Since then, a number of demonstrators have been arrested for showing support for Palestine Action, donning placards that voice opposition to the genocide and support for the group.

This week, a ceasefire was finally announced between Hamas and Israel, but some are viewing the tentative peace with caution.

So what is Palestine Action?

Police speak to people taking part in a demonstration at Trafalgar Square in London in support of Palestine Action (Lucy North/PA Wire)

Who are Palestine Action?

Palestine Action is a pro-Palestinian protest network that seeks to disrupt Israeli weapons factories in Britain.

The group was founded by Huda Ammori and Richard Barnard in 2020. That year, members of the group allegedly climbed onto the roof of Elbit factory in Staffordshire with sledgehammers and whips, reportedly causing 1m worth of damage.

Elbit Systems manufactures 85 per cent of Israels drones. Two factories have permanently closed and their London headquarters have been abandoned following Palestine Actions disruption.

A protester holds a placard in support of the activist group Palestine Action during a demonstration (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty)

Were very clear that our primary purpose is disruption. Naturally we use social media to broadcast our actions, to inform people about whats going on in these factories and encourage others to join us. But the point is not simply to raise awareness or put pressure on politicians. We bypass politicians and go straight to the aggressors, Ammori wrote in a post on New Left Review.

She added that disruption had two forms. Firstly, focusing on stifling Israels ability to carry out its military aims and secondly, disrupting Israels economy.

The group have claimed responsibility for over 300 incidents at buildings such as universities and British-based defence facilities, resulting in the imprisonment of several members.

Members of Palestine Action occupy and deface the entrance of a branch of Allianz Insurance commercial offices in Gracechurch Street (Lucy North/PA Wire)

In August 2024, five Palestine Action members were jailed for a total of five years and two months, after reportedly causing more than 1,130,783 of damage at a weapons factory in Glasgow.

A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: When our government fails to uphold their moral and legal obligations, it is the responsibility of ordinary citizens to take direct action. The terrorists are the ones committing a genocide, not those who break the tools used to commit it.

Palestine Action founders

Huda Ammori

Huda Ammori was born in Bolton to a Palestinian father, who is a surgeon, and an Iraqi mother. She went on to study international business and finance at the University of Manchester, where she founded the universitys Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

The 31-year-old said that her Palestinian great-grandfather was killed by British soldiers in the 1936 uprising against the British.

Ms Ammori has been outspoken about the risk she is willing to take through her activism. When you do these types of actions, you do it with an understanding that you could end up in prison, she told Prospect.

Richard Barnard

Raised Catholic, Barnard was once part of a Christian anarchist group called the Catholic Worker, which seeks to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. He has broken into American Air Force bases in Germany nine times, alongside local monks, Prospect has reported.

Today, Mr Barnard identifies as Muslim. As well as co-founding Palestine Action, hes also a member of Extinction Rebellion.

Hes currently facing three charges for two speeches he gave on October 8 and October 11 2023, for which he is asking for donations to help cover legal costs.

He wrote on Crowd Justice: I've been accused of one count of inviting support for a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, under section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act and two counts of encouraging 'criminal damage' against Israeli weapons factories under s44 of the Serious Crime Act.
Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza by the war head back north to their homes. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza have begun to return to the ruins of their homes after the ceasefire rapidly negotiated in recent days between Hamas and Israel came into effect at noon local time on Friday  the first relief from relentless violence that inhabitants of the devastated territory have had since March.

Israeli troops withdrew to new agreed-upon positions during Friday morning and Hamas is expected to release the 20 living Israeli hostages it is holding early next week, after which Israel will free 250 Palestinians serving long-term sentences in Israeli prisons, as well as 1,700 others detained during the war.

The hostages for prisoners deal, approved by the Israeli cabinet on Thursday night, is the first phase of a US-drafted peace proposal announced by Donald Trump last week that has raised hopes of a durable end to the two-year conflict, though all involved recognise the difficulties ahead.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed credit for the hostage release, saying in an address on Friday that the security of Israel had dictated his actions in Gaza.

I believed that if we applied heavy military pressure, combined with heavy diplomatic pressure, we would absolutely be able to return all of our hostages, said Netanyahu, who thanked Trump for his support. The US president is expected to visit Israel on Monday to address the Knesset in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu also threatened a return to violence. Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt the sword resting on its neck and it is still on its neck  Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised  If this is achieved the easy way, so much the better. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way, he said.

Officials from Hamas appeared equally sceptical. Basel Naim, a senior leader of the militant group, said in an interview with Sky News on Friday that it would not disarm, contrary to the Trump plan.

Our weapons are going to be handed over only to the hands of a Palestinian state, and our fighters can be integrated into the Palestinian national army, Naim said.

In a joint statement issued later on Friday evening, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine rejected any foreign guardianship over Gaza, stressing that its governance was a purely internal Palestinian matter.

But they expressed their readiness to benefit from Arab and international participation in the reconstruction of the territory.

Officials have said Israeli forces will remain in control of 53% of Gaza in the initial withdrawal phase before the hostages are released, and Israeli bombing in Gaza had intensified on Friday morning up until the ceasefire began. However, Israeli troops were seen pulling back from areas such as the eastern part of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, and the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza.

With the announcement that a ceasefire had begun, thousands of Palestinians began heading north towards Gaza City, the territorys biggest urban area, mostly on foot. Nearly half a million Palestinians living in north Gaza were displaced by Israels military advance into Gaza City, and many were eager to return to their homes.

Footage showed huge crowds on the coastal road, which had been closed to returnees just days prior.

On the road, I saw someone returning. When he saw his house still standing from a distance, he began to run and shout with joy, Asmaa Zuheir said. At that moment, I felt pain because I was returning to my area knowing my house was already completely destroyed.

In the south of Gaza, thousands left the crowded coastal strip of al-Mawasi to travel inland to the partly ruined city of Khan Younis. Ahmed al-Brim pushed a bicycle loaded with wood through row after row of buildings crumpled by bombardment and streets strewn with rubble. We went to our area  it was exterminated, he said. We dont know where we will go after that.

Another Khan Younis resident, Muhannad al-Shawaf, said it used to take him three minutes to reach a nearby street from his house. Now, it took over an hour as he picked his way through piles of debris. The destruction is huge and indescribable  indescribable, he said. It is almost all in ruins and not suitable for living in.

The conflict has destroyed or damaged more than 90% of homes in Gaza and almost all infrastructure. Almost everyone in the territory has been displaced many times. Malnutrition is rife across all of Gaza, and there is famine in parts, according to UN-backed food experts.

The ceasefire is meant to be accompanied by a surge in humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza through all five crossings from Israel, though it is unclear how and when this will happen. Israeli army radio said Israel would allow 600 aid trucks into Gaza each day. Aid agencies say such quantities are grossly insufficient.

Leading international agencies, including the UN Palestinian refugee relief agency, Unrwa, said they had yet to receive details on what role they would be able to play during the ceasefire. Unrwa, which has been banned from operating in Israel, urged Israeli authorities to allow it to take 6,000 trucks worth of aid into Gaza, including enough food to feed the population for three months, from Jordan and Egypt.

Weve not had any progress to move those supplies into Gaza  and this is absolutely critical in controlling the spread of famine, Juliette Touma, the spokesperson for Unrwa, said.

Care International said on Friday it still had not received clearance for its supplies to enter. We still need clarity on how well be able to get supplies into Gaza that have been stuck outside for months, said Jolien Veldwijk, Cares Palestine director.

More than 67,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed during Israels offensive, and the toll is expected to rise. Medical workers announced that they would use the ceasefire period to start recovering bodies trapped under rubble. Thousands of bodies are though to lie under the debris of ruined buildings, as fighting made excavation and recovery difficult.

Israel launched the war in response to a Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage.

Though there is much relief in Israel and in Gaza at the ceasefire, there is anxiety too. Trumps ambitious 20-point proposal calls for the disarmament of Hamas, further Israeli withdrawals, the creation of an international stabilisation force and a new technocratic Palestinian administration which would answer to Trump.

Little of this has been discussed in detail during the frantic negotiations in recent days, and securing agreement from all parties on the thornier issues will be extremely difficult.

Already disagreements have emerged over the makeup of the body that will take power from Hamas in Gaza. The US has said Trump and the former UK prime minister Tony Blair will lead the body, while Hamas has called for a Palestinian led-entity to oversee administration of the strip.

Naim rejected the involvement of Blair in particular.

Bringing the war in Gaza to a close would mark the biggest foreign policy achievement so far for Trump, who took office in January promising to quickly end the conflict there and in Ukraine, only to be confronted with obstacles and complexities he had apparently not foreseen.

The war has evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, and reshaping the Middle East.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are visiting New York for three days - Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have echoed the Princess of Wales warnings over social media.

The couple spoke of the dangers of technology for children as they were named humanitarians of the year at the Project Healthy Minds gala in New York, on Thursday night.

Hours before their appearance, the Princess of Wales had published a personal essay saying a reliance on mobile phones was undermining family life and causing an epidemic of distraction.

The Duke, described on Project Healthy Minds website as a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist and military combat veteran, gave a speech while accepting the award.

He said more needed to be done to protect young people from online dangers, adding: Tonight, we are all here together to focus on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.

The Duke and Duchess said mental health was one of the most pressing issues of our time - Getty Images

He accused social media algorithms of preying on children, adding: When we learnt that thousands of families from every corner of society were facing the same challenges, many learning for the first time that it was actually social media that took their child, we knew this movement needed to grow.

These families are not only up against corporations and lobbyists, many of whom spend tens of millions of dollars every year in suppressing the truth, but also algorithms designed to maximise data collection at any cost.

And their kids? They werent struggling with mental health issues, they werent distinctly vulnerable, they were preyed upon.

The Duchess added that the couple often discussed how they would protect their own children Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, as they grow older.

She said: Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technologys benefits while safeguarding against its dangers.

That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.

Look the people you care about in the eye

In the Princess of Wales essay, published on Thursday morning, she suggested that by reducing human connection a generation was being raised to be more isolated, more lonely, and less equipped to form the warm, meaningful relationships that are the basis of a happy, healthy life.

Look the people you care about in the eye and be fully there  because that is where love begins, the Princess wrote.

Our smartphones, tablets, and computers have become sources of constant distraction, fragmenting our focus and preventing us from giving others the undivided attention that relationships require.

Project Healthy Minds listed Prince Harrys autobiography, Spare  which was the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time  as one of his significant achievements.

The Dukes memoir contained accusations about the Royal household that deepened a rift between him and his family.

He moved to California with the Duchess of Sussex in 2020. The pair run a charitable foundation and have had a number of commercial deals, including with Netflix and Spotify.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has her own lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, is described on the Project Healthy Minds website as a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose lifelong advocacy for women and girls remains a constant thread she weaves through both humanitarian and business ventures.

The ceremony was hosted by Carson Daly, the Emmy award-winning host of Today, with a theme of festive cocktail.

The Duke and Duchess arrived in semi-formal wear, both opting for black suits.

In a joint statement, they said: Working with families and young people to prioritise safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.

Prince Harry speaks at a panel for Movember on Wednesday night - PA

As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honoured to support them.

Were proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.

They arrived in New York earlier this week on a three-day visit that coincides with World Mental Health Day on Friday.

On Wednesday night, Prince Harry spoke at a panel discussion for the mens health organisation Movember.

He said he became more involved with mental health work after speaking with veterans following his service in the Army.

I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them I realised the silence is killing people, he said.

Stamping out the stigma globally, weve come a long way. Access to therapy is still a massive problem.

On Friday, the Duke and Duchess attended Project Healthy Minds annual World Mental Health Day Festival in New York, where Archewell Foundation hosted three panel discussions.

Introducing the first session, Prince Harry said that maintaining mental health was not an individual challenge but a community responsibility.

He said: Our digital world has fundamentally changed how we experience reality.

Young people exposed to relentless comparison, harassment, misinformation and an attention economy designed to keep us scrawling at the expense of sleep and real human contact.

Young people learning to navigate a digital world that wasnt designed with their wellbeing.

The Duchess later introduced a different panel, which she said would explore how children could be allowed to be children.

She also spoke of Archewells The Parents Network, which supports parents impacted by social media harm, describing how when those affected came together, they created a movement.

Chad cuts ties with Dukes charity

It was earlier revealed that a government in Africa had cut ties with the Dukes charity over accusations of financial misconduct.

Chads environment minister on Wednesday accused African Parks, which counts Prince Harry as one of its board members, of disrespect and said it had failed in its mission to protect Chads wildlife.

The charity, of which the Duke was also president for six years, maintains more than 20 protected national parks and reserves in 13 countries.

Its backers include billionaire investors Warren Buffet and Bill Ackman and it has been supported by the EU, the WWF and Peoples Postcode Lottery.

There is no suggestion that Prince Harry has been accused of any wrongdoing.

In a statement, African Parks said it had initiated discussions with the Ministry to understand the Governments position and to explore the best possible way forward in support of the continued protection of these critical conservation landscapes.
Arctic seals are being pushed closer to extinction by the climate crisis, while more than half of the world's bird species are in decline due to deforestation and agricultural expansion, a new assessment from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned.

However, the IUCN's latest Red List of Threatened Species, released on Friday, also offers a glimmer of hope.

Green sea turtles have made a substantial recovery, a testament to decades of dedicated conservation efforts.

Rima Jabado, deputy chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, emphasised that while many animals face increasing risks of disappearing, the updated list demonstrates how species can be brought back from the brink, namely the Green Turtle.

She said: "Hope and concern go hand in hand in this work. The same persistence that brought back the green sea turtle can be mirrored in small, everyday actions  supporting sustainable choices, backing conservation initiatives, and urging leaders to follow through on their environmental promises."

The annual list, compiled by teams of scientists assessing global data, is an "enormous and important" scientific undertaking, according to Andrew Farnsworth, a visiting scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Every time one is done and every time theres revision, theres more information, and theres more ability to answer questions on species, some of which are still largely a mystery to researchers, Farnsworth said.

Sea ice loss

The three species highlighted in the latest IUCN report  harp, hooded and bearded seals  have been moved up to a designation of greater concern in the latest update (The Day Publishing Company)

Because all the marine mammals native to the Arctic  seals, whales and polar bears  rely on the habitat provided by sea ice, they're all at risk as it diminishes because of human-caused climate change, said Kit Kovacs, co-chair of IUCNs Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group, which focuses on seals.

The three species highlighted in the latest IUCN report  harp, hooded and bearded seals  have been moved up to a designation of greater concern in the latest update, indicating they are increasingly threatened by extinction, Kovacs said.

The same melting of glaciers and sea ice destroying seal habitats also generally will bring escalation in extreme weather events, which are already impacting people around the globe, wrote Kovacs.

Acting to help seals is acting to help humanity when it comes to climate change, Kovacs said.

Global bird decline

The same melting of glaciers and sea ice destroying seal habitats also generally will bring escalation in extreme weather events, which are already impacting people around the globe (Associated Press/Joel Page)

The update also highlighted Madagascar, West Africa and Central America, where Schlegels asity, the black-casqued hornbill and the tail-bobbing northern nightingale-wren were all moved to near-threatened status. Those are three specific birds in trouble, but numbers are dropping for around three-fifths of birds globally.

Deforestation of tropical forests is one of a depressing litany of threats to birds, a list that includes agricultural expansion and intensification, competition from invasive species and climate change, said Stuart Butchart, chief scientist at BirdLife International.

The fact that 61 per cent of the worlds birds are declining is an alarm bell that we cant afford to ignore, Butchart said.

The annual UN climate summit will be held in November in Belem, Brazil, with much attention on the Amazon and the value of tropical forests to humans and animals. But Farnsworth, of Cornell, said he was not so confident that worlds leaders would take decisive action to protect imperiled bird species.

I would like to think things like birds are nonpartisan, and you can find common ground, he said. "But it's not easy.

Green sea turtles

Researchers from the Aruana Project measure a green sea turtle after capturing it temporarily at a feeding site on Itaipu Beach in Niteroi, Brazil (Associated Press/Silvia Izquierdo)

One success story is the rebound of green sea turtles in many parts of the world's oceans. Experts see that as a bright spot because it shows how effective human interventions, like legal protections and conservation programs, can be.

Still, "its important to note that conservation efforts of sea turtles can take decades before you realise the fruits of that labor, said Justin Perrault, vice president of research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, who wasn't involved with the IUCN report.

The overall success with green sea turtles should be celebrated and used as an example with other species, some of which, like hawksbills and leatherbacks, aren't doing nearly as well, said Nicolas Pilcher, executive director of the Marine Research Foundation.

And even for green sea turtles, areas still remain where climate change and other factors like erosion are damaging habitats, Pilcher said, and some of those are poorer communities that receive less conservation funding.

But in the places where they have recovered, it's "a great story of, actually, we can do something about this, Pilcher said. We can. We can make a difference.
Ronnie OSullivan continued his excellent form at the Xian Grand Prix with two centuries and three more 50-plus breaks in a 5-2 win over Jak Jones.

OSullivan had dropped just one frame in three matches to reach the last 16 in China and the seven-time world champion was similarly untroubled by his Welsh opponent on Friday afternoon.

Breaks of 58, 135 and 100 helped OSullivan establish a 3-1 lead by the mid-session interval, while a 53 saw him move further ahead before Jones pulled one back with a fine 140 visit.

HE CAN'T STOP! Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Jak Jones 5-2, striking two centuries to book his spot in the Quarter-Final. Gary Wilson next for the Rocket.#XianGP pic.twitter.com/2ytdngHBIF  WST (@WeAreWST) October 10, 2025

OSullivan, back in action this week for the first time since losing a last-frame decider to Neil Robertson at the Saudi Arabia Masters final in August, then made an 81 break to seal victory.

He will next take on Gary Wilson, who reeled off breaks of 101 and 117 en route to a 5-0 thrashing of home hope He Guoqiang, the conqueror of world number three Neil Robertson in the previous round.

Shaun Murphy produced an outstanding display to whitewash defending champion and world number two Kyren Wilson, who was restricted to just six points to his opponents 533 in a row.

As with OSullivan, Murphy made a fifty-plus break in each frame, including scores of 141 and 133 against Wilson.

Thats pretty much as good as Ive ever played, Murphy said afterwards. Thats one of the best best-of-nine matches Ive ever been a part of.

Its a mad game really.@Magician147 reflects on his astonishing 5-0 destruction of Kyren Wilson  in a match where his opponent didnt pot a single ball.  Click below to watch the full interview   WST (@WeAreWST) October 10, 2025

Its mad. You play so many matches around the world through all your life and every now and then it comes together. I didnt expect to play that well.

Ahead of his quarter-final showdown against Ding Junhui, who beat Oliver Lines 5-1, Murphy added: It was just a mad day.

You put all the hours of practice in for moments like that. Ill do exactly the same for my match tomorrow and Ill probably play rubbish. Its a mad game.

Mark Williams edged out Barry Hawkins 5-4, while Liam Pullen, Daniel Wells and Lyu Haotian also advanced to the last eight.
John Swinney is putting Scottish independence front and centre at the SNP conference - Jane Barlow/PA

Several hundred people will be dancing on the head of a pin this weekend as they seek to come to an agreement that very few of the rest of us will either understand or even give a damn about.

Were talking here about the Scottish National Partys annual conference to be held at the vast Event Complex Aberdeen, which is the nationalists favourite venue because it is able to accommodate their numbers.

Mind you, if theyre not careful, it wont be too long before theyre renting rural village halls for their annual get-togethers because what political parties need to please the voters is relevance and popularity. And, as things stand at present, the SNP has neither.

Top of the agenda for this conference, as it always is with the Nats, is breaking up the United Kingdom to create a fully independent Scotland. But, with a party whose obsession with the minutiae of its internal workings would not be out of place in a John Cleese sketch, theyve lost all sense of what the voters would like them to be concerned about.

Its not quite a re-run of the Peoples Front of Judea versus the Judean Peoples Front, but not far off.

Members at loggerheads

Far from debating issues like education, the NHS or the economy, the leaders and a sizeable proportion of their members will be at loggerheads over how theyll achieve that independence following next Mays Scottish Parliament election.

One side  that of First Minister John Swinney  says that a referendum will be demanded from the UK government if the SNP grabs a majority of the seats in the election. The other side  the supposed bad guys in this contest  will insist that the process for separation can begin if all the parties supporting independence, such as the SNP, the Scottish Greens and Alba get a majority of the votes cast.

Whats the difference, ask those voters whore at all interested in such arcane matters? After all, it is true that this is an argument thats strictly for the nit-pickers, given that both sides appear to agree that Scotland needs independence. However, to this piece of bravado most people of my acquaintance normally add aye like a hole in the head when they hear this claim of need.

Turning now to popularity, it would appear that the SNP is in trouble here, too. For as long as anyone can remember the party has always managed to hoover up at least 30 per cent of the popular vote at just about every election.

Thats no longer the case, with the recent by-election result in Hamilton delivering a Labour victory and the Nat share dropping to 29 per cent. That figure has been confirmed in recent opinion polls and worryingly for the SNP is that the Labour vote is recovering fast.

It is generally reckoned that Mr Swinney will get his way in what is said to be his conferences main vote but the question then will be  what hell do with his victory?
Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis has pulled out of this weekends Strictly Come Dancing show due to illness.

The 66-year-old and his dance partner Dianne Buswell will receive a bye to next weeks show.

A statement from Strictly on Instagram read: Due to illness over the past few days, Stefan Dennis has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, he will not dance this weekend.

In line with the rules of Strictly, Stefan and Dianne will receive a bye through to next week when they will hopefully be able to dance again.

A post in the comments from Denniss official account read: A huge cheers and thanks to everyone who has been supporting myself and Dianne.

So sorry to disappoint for tomorrow night but I expect to be back on deck with a full recovery and a rip roaring dance next week to make up.

Buswell also posted on Instagram to wish Dennis well, adding: You are such a trooper and I know how much you wanted to dance. Hopefully we will be back in full force next week.

The other 13 couples will take to the dancefloor for Movie Week on Saturday.
New collaboration pairs daily skincare rituals with guided breathwork and meditation to support inner calm and outer radiance

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World Mental Health Day (October 10), Japanese beauty and skincare brand Tatcha has partnered with Open to launch a special initiative on the Open app that celebrates the connection between emotional well-being and radiant skin.

Tatcha

Debuting today on the Open app, the two brands have co-created a 7-class guided program that transforms the act of caring for skin into a mindful ritual. Through breathwork and meditation, daily routines become opportunities to ease stress, cultivate presence, and awaken a deeper connection to self. By caring for both mind and skin, participants are left brighter, more radiant, and more aligned with their inner beauty.

The collaboration reflects the Tatcha's guiding principle hinou-dokon, meaning "skin-mind, same root"in Japanese. Science affirms this truth: the brain and skin arise from the same cells during development, creating a lifelong dialogue between inner state and outward appearance. Stress manifests not only in how we feel, but also in how our skin looks. This partnership was born from a shared belief that true beauty is a reflection of harmony within.

Through this collaboration, Tatcha and Open invite participants to slow down, breathe deeply, and reimagine daily care as a pathway to both radiance and self-love. Beyond the digital program, the year-long partnership will extend into community events and opportunities to unlock complimentary access, creating inclusive spaces for the care of both skin and soul.

The Tatcha x Open program launches on the Open app October 10, 2025, with year-round initiatives, including community events, sampling and opportunities to unlock complimentary program access, to follow.

About Tatcha: Tatcha is a true story of harmony and transformation. In 2008, Vicky Tsai encountered classical beauty rituals in Kyoto that forever altered her life. The pure, natural formulas and philosophy of harmony healed her acute dermatitis and helped her regain balance inside and out. Founded the following year, Tatcha creates sensorial rituals that care for you, gently transform your skin, and elevate your senses by pairing timeless traditions with emerging research.

About Open: Open is a daily practice designed for your life. Learn science-backed techniques blending breathwork, meditation, movement, and sound.

SOURCE Tatcha
Strictly Come Dancing star Alex Kingston has revealed she was treated for womb cancer last year.

The Doctor Who actress, 62, told the Independent she haemorrhaged before being diagnosed with the cancer, later undergoing a hysterectomy and radiation therapy.

Kingston was told the cancer was in her fallopian tubes  and her treatment finished toward the end of last year, according to the publication.

She said: I had a major operation. I had to have a hysterectomy, I had to go into radiation therapy, and that took up a huge part of my life.

She continued: I had assumed that the way I was feeling was old age, and I just sort of accepted it I thought, OK, this is what its like to be in my sixties. But a lot of how I was feeling was to do with my illness.

I never went down the cancer road in my head. It was a shock, because I have a very positive outlook on life in general, she added.

Even though my body was telling me there was something very seriously wrong, I kept thinking, Oh, Ive got a bad UTI or fibroids.

It was while she was doing a play at Chichester Festival last summer, wearing a Tudor dress and knee pads, that she haemorrhaged, the Independent reported.

Kingston said: That night on stage, I haemorrhaged. That was really shocking. I just knocked my knees together and prayed that it would soak everything up.

She added: The wardrobe women were incredible. I ran off stage and said, Grab me some pads! We shoved some pads in my pants and I went back on stage and carried on. That was how we finished the show.

Womb cancer affects the uterus and symptoms include vaginal bleeding, heavy periods, pelvic pain and swelling in your stomach, according to the NHS website.

Despite having gone through all of that  and any cancer is really tough to accept, to steel yourself to go through all of the necessary procedures to get back into health  the minute I had the operation, I suddenly felt like myself again, she said.

She continued: Womb cancer is really tricky because it is so sneaky. What I would say is, the body does know  and that was the body saying to me, Help! Theres something really wrong. Its so important to seek advice and have a check-up.

Surgery is often the main treatment for womb cancer, with treatment also tending to include chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as targeted medicines, according to the NHS.

Speaking about her decision to go on Strictly, Kingston said: When they approached me, I thought of that cliche: life is too short.

Go for whatever it is you secretly long to do, because if youre not brave and you dont do it, it wont happen.

Another Strictly star who has recently undergone cancer treatment is Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden, who returned as a competitor last year, following chemotherapy and a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Kingston said: The very first time I met her, it was the day that all of the contestants met the dancers.

They walked into the room and looked like gods and goddesses. But I went and found Amy and gave her a hug and said, Ive been through it.

I told her how incredible she is, how strong and brave shes been.

Kingston, who has starred in medical drama series ER and ITVs Douglas Is Cancelled, is partnered with dancer Johannes Radebe on this years series of the BBC One dancing show.
Brenda Garcia (left) and Tania Garcia were arrested and charged with multiple felonies connected to the alleged child abuse (Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)

A 12-year-old girl told investigators she was forced to crawl naked on the floor and bark like a dog before she escaped from months of alleged torture inside her sisters Texas home.

Brenda Garcia, 38, and Tania Garcia, 37, are now behind bars, after being accused of holding the girl captive at their Conroe home, while starving her, and beating her with belts, cords, and sticks.

According to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, the girl escaped on September 28 and told detectives the sisters had physically and sexually abused her for months.

Court documents obtained by 11Alive detail disturbing allegations  including that the sisters forced her to eat dirt and hair off the floor, tied her to furniture with zip ties, and only allowed her to eat ramen noodles and drink water twice a day.

At one point, Brenda allegedly choked the girl with a belt and told her to just die already, according to investigators.

Brenda Garcia, 38, and her sister are now behind bars, after being accused of holding a girl captive at their home while they allegedly beat and starved her (Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)

When deputies found the child, she had visible injuries all over her body, including an infected gash on her forehead. The girl, whose name was not released, was taken to Texas Childrens Hospital in The Woodlands, where doctors confirmed signs of abuse, neglect, and malnutrition.

The child was taken to a local hospital, where medical staff confirmed injuries consistent with abuse and malnutrition, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. She is safe and receiving medical care and support services.

Detectives say surveillance video from inside the home and footage found on Brendas cell phone support the girls account. They said they also found text messages in which Brenda allegedly admitted to hitting the child.

When questioned, the sisters denied the allegations and told investigators the girl was psychotic and had injured herself.

Both women were arrested on October 3 and are charged with injury to a child and unlawful restraint. Brenda also faces an additional charge of invasive visual recording. She is being held on bonds totaling $280,000, while her sister Tania is being held on $200,000.

Tania Garcia, 37, and her sister allegedly forced the child to eat dirt and hair off the floor, tied her to furniture with zip ties, and only allowed her to eat ramen noodles and drink water twice a day (Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)

Sheriff Wesley Doolittle called the case deeply disturbing and praised the victim for having the courage to come forward.

The safety and well-being of children will always be my highest priority, Doolittle said. This case is deeply disturbing, but it also highlights the importance of community awareness and the courage it takes to speak up. Together, we can protect the most vulnerable among us and ensure that justice is served.

Investigators said the girl had previously lived with an uncle in Houston who also allegedly sexually assaulted her. She told detectives she sought help from Brenda, who knew the uncle. Brenda picked her up from school in March and took her to Conroe, the girl said, but instead of providing refuge, the abuse reportedly continued.

Detectives said Child Protective Services (CPS) had been searching for the girl, but Brenda told them she had moved back to Honduras with her biological mother.

Regarding any further arrests, the investigation is ongoing, and we cannot provide anything further right now to protect the integrity of the case, a District Attorney's office representative in Montgomery County told ABC13.

The investigation remains active and ongoing, MCSO said.

To protect the childs privacy and preserve the integrity of the case, no further details will be released at this time, officials added.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential.
A man welds a pickaxe to participate in the destruction of the Berlin Wall - Jacques Langevin/Sygma/ Getty Images

Germany celebrates the 35th anniversary of its reunification this month. To Europeans born since, it must be hard to imagine a capital disfigured by the Berlin Wall and a continent divided by the Iron Curtain. To me  then a foreign correspondent for The Daily Telegraph  that era feels like yesterday.

On the evening of November 9 1989, I was one of the foreign journalists gathered to hear the East German Communist spokesman, Gunter Schabowski, report from a meeting of the partys central committee. Unusually, it was televised live, so East Berliners could watch the most extraordinary press conference in history unfold in real time.

At 6.53pm, after an hour of tedium, an Italian journalist asked about travel to the West. Schabowski announced a new regulation: every citizen would be allowed to emigrate.

This was a bombshell. For months, East Germans had been fleeing across the Hungarian border and besieging the West German embassy in Prague. Erich Honecker, the man who had built the Wall, came close to ordering East German forces to shoot demonstrators in Leipzig.

Now Honecker was gone, cold-shouldered by the Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. In a desperate gamble to cling onto power, his deputy Egon Krenz was proposing to let the people go.

A flurry of questions followed. Schabowski  unaccustomed to scrutiny and out of his depth  revealed that not just emigration but short trips would be permitted. West Berlin (still nominally under Allied control) was included.

One German reporter asked the crucial question: when would the new rules come into effect? Visibly rattled, Schabowski peered at his papers and blurted out: Right away. This was not in his script: someone had blundered.

November 9, 1989: Gunter Schabowski during the press conference to announce that visas would be freely granted to those wanting to travel outside the GDR - DPA/AFP via Getty Images

Finally, it was my turn. Unlike the other journalists who had shouted out their questions anonymously, I had a microphone and the cameras zeroed in on me. The grainy footage shows a pale, skinny young fellow in tweeds (my three-piece suit of armour that had once been worn by my journalist father).

Herr Schabowski, I asked in German, what will happen with the Berlin Wall now?

Nobody had yet mentioned the monstrosity that had become the visible face of the postwar division of Europe  the all too concrete symbol of tyranny at which scores of civilians had been shot while trying to escape. Everyone wanted to hear the answer to this question  not least the East Germans watching at home, agog at news they had never dared hope to hear.

The hubbub of excited hacks was hushed for what seemed like an eternity. It occurred to me later that this was the moment when the Cold War ended: not with a bang, but an excruciating silence. For if East Germans could freely cross over to the West, why keep a Wall in the middle of Berlin?

At last Schabowski pulled himself together. It has been drawn to my attention that it is 7.00pm. This is the last question, yes, please understand! He had had enough. A truthful answer would have meant admitting that the Wall had lost its raison detre. Instead, Schabowski burbled on about disarmament, leaving everyone confused. Then he abruptly ended the press conference.

The rest, as they say, is history. Later that evening, having filed the most sensational story of my life, I ventured onto the streets, now thronged with jubilant people. The officer in charge at the Bornholmer Strasse checkpoint had opened the floodgates and the people poured through.

The next day, ordinary people began demolishing the Berlin Wall. Less than a year later, on October 3 1990, East Germany ceased to exist, along with the Stasi and the apparatus of repression. That was the real answer to my question.
Trai Humes first Northern Ireland goal helped them to a 2-0 win over Slovakia which keeps their World Cup qualifying campaign on track.

Patrik Hrosovskys 18th-minute own goal rewarded Northern Ireland for a strong start but, after wasting two outstanding chances to double their lead either side of the break, they endured some nervy moments before Hume lifted the ball over the stranded Martin Dubravka with 10 minutes to go.

Michael ONeill had refused to call this a must-win, but the reality was they needed all three points to keep pace in a tight group in which Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Germany all have six points from three games.

It was reward for a strong performance, particularly in the first half, but the man at heart of it, captain Conor Bradley, picked up a cheap late yellow card which will rule him out of Mondays visit of Germany.

Bradley had looked like a man on a mission from the start as Northern Ireland played with energy and desire and it was the Liverpool man who sparked the move for the opening goal.

He picked out Ethan Galbraith in space inside the box, and the Swansea midfielder pulled back a low cross which the hapless Hrosovsky turned into his own net.

Three of Northern Irelands five goals against Slovakia in their six meetings to date have been own goals.

With half an hour gone, Galbraith picked Ondrej Dudas pocket and though he could not find the run of Jamie Reid, the ball broke to Justin Devenny, whose strike was pushed around the post by Burnleys Dubravka.

Slovakias Patrik Hrosovsky (second left) scored an own goal (Liam McBurney/PA)

Bradley surged forward again the 35th minute and cut the ball inside to Shea Charles. His route to goal was blocked but it deflected to Reid in front of goal. Stretching, the Stevenage man could only put a glorious chance over.

Bradley looked just as keen at the start of the second half, twisting and turning on the edge of the box before sending a shot over within seconds of the restart, then slicing a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Northern Ireland wanted a 57th-minute penalty when Shea Charles ran into a Slovakia sandwich but the appeals were rightly waved away.

Seconds later the ball was in the Slovakian net but Reid was offside as he got a toe on a Charles shot which looked to have been goal-bound regardless.

It was a second clear chance for Northern Ireland to gain some breathing space in an increasingly frantic game, with a yellow card for Daniel Ballard a result of rising temperatures.

Galbraith is a special talent  pic.twitter.com/2R4AOQ7FqQ  Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 10, 2025

The hosts had lost their control and should have lost the lead in the 65th minute as Middlesbrough forward David Strelec got clear of Paddy McNair, only to poke the ball wide.

There was then another hugely-frustrating moment for Northern Ireland in the 76th minute when Bradley tussled with Lukas Haraslin on the wing to bring a booking which rules him out of Mondays showdown with Germany.

But few were worrying about that four minutes later when Dubravka, unconvincing in commanding his area for much of the night, punched the ball weakly and it landed for Hume to lift it back over him and into an unguarded net.
Benny Johnson received a threatening letter which outlined plans to shoot him through the neck - Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Benny Johnson, a Conservative influencer, was targeted in a plot mirroring the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Pam Bondi has said.

The attorney general announced that George Isbell Jr has been arrested as part of the White Houses crackdown on Left-wing political violence.

Mr Isbell was charged with posting threatening communications to the home of Mr Johnson and his wife, Kate, which allegedly outlined plans to orphan their children and described his head being blown off.

On Friday, Ms Bondi said the alleged threats against the influential conservative activist were part of an Antifa plot to wreak havoc on the streets of our cities.

She linked them to the killing of Kirk, who was shot dead during a talk at Utah Valley University in September.

This arrest will serve as a reminder, we will find you, Ms Bondi said, drawing comparison to a recent attack on an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, and an antisemitic attack against Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvanias Democrat governor, in April.

She added: Benny is a well-known media personality carrying a message very similar to Charlies, grounded in faith and love of country.

The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views and he wanted Benny dead.

Pam Bondi announced an arrest had been made in connection to the threats

Mr Johnson said the suspect targeted him because I was a white, cis, Christian, Trump supporter.

They described in great detail how Id be killed in an open field just like Charlie, how much blood would come out of my head and neck when it was blown off, he said.

This individual described orphaning my four beautiful children and widowing my wife, with great joy.

An individual has been arrested for threatening to kill my wife, my four children, and me. He sent a letter to my home saying he hated our views and wanted us dead.



He is being charged federally and faces prison time.



I want to thank President Trump, AG Pam Bondi, and the pic.twitter.com/yRAw53QGOg  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 10, 2025

Authorities shared an image of the letter Mr Johnson was sent, in which he was accused of being part of a group of white racists and paedophiles.

Here is hoping the American flag strangles the life out of you, it read, before calling for his followers to be exterminated.

It continued: Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!

Democrats have mainstreamed violence

Referring to Kirks assassination, the ICE centre shooting, and a gunman who opened fire at a Michigan church service in Minnesota, Mr Johnson blamed the recent spate of political violence on the Democrats.

He said: If its happening every single week, is it that extreme, or have the Democrats mainstreamed violence as a political tool?

Kirks alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, is said to have written anti-fascist messages on bullets left at the scene of the killing.

The gunman who killed two migrants in Texas wrote anti-ICE on his ammunition. Robin Westman, the Minnesota church shooter, who was transgender, wrote Jew gas on his weapon.

In 2021, Mr Johnson moved to Florida from Washington, DC after an arsonist almost burnt down his home while his family were inside.

Addressing the ordeal during an August visit to the White House, he said: My house was set ablaze in an arson [attack] with my infant child inside.

No parent should have to go through what my family went through - having the fire department rip open their door to save their infant child.
Presidents Putin and Trump shake hands at a summit on Ukraine - Drew Angerer/AFP

Vladimir Putin has suggested that Donald Trump is too good for the Nobel Peace Prize after the US president was snubbed for the award.

Mr Trump, who brokered the deal to end the Gaza War, lost out after the Nobel committee voted to hand the award to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition politician in hiding.

The president and his supporters had lobbied for him to win the prize after securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and for the part he claims to have played in ending seven other conflicts during his second term.

Putin said Mr Trump was truly doing a lot to resolve complex crises and the award had lost credibility, adding: I dont know whether the current US president deserves a Nobel Prize. But hes truly doing a lot to resolve complex crises that last for years, even decades.

Hes definitely trying, hes definitely working on these issues, on achieving peace and resolving complex international situations. The most striking example is the situation in the Middle East. If Donald can achieve everything hes strived for, everything hes talked about and is trying to accomplish, it will be a historic event.

But, I repeat, it is not for me to decide whether this is worthy of a prize or not, and whether this prize is worthy of achievements of this kind. That said, the credibility has largely been lost.

Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel winner, is regarded as a leading opponent of Nicolas Maduros government - Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

In response, Mr Trump thanked the Russian leader in a public post on his Truth Social network. The White House reacted to Mr Trump missing out on the 2025 by accusing the committee of choosing politics over peace.

Steven Cheung, a White House spokesman, said: President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Ms Machado was honoured for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, the chairman of the committee, in Oslo.

Mr Frydnes added that Ms Machado - who has been nicknamed Venezuelas Iron Lady - was a unifying figure and one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.

After her victory had been announced, Ms Machado acknowledged Mr Trump, praising him for supporting Venezuela.

She said: This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.

We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, tells Donald Trump that a Gaza peace deal is agreed. The president hoped it would secure him a Nobel prize

Asked by The Telegraph on Friday night what he thought of Ms Machados Nobel Peace Prize win, Mr Trump said: The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called me and said, Im accepting this in honour of you because you really deserved it. It was a very nice thing to do.

Speaking from the Oval Office following an announcement about drug prices, Mr Trump joked: I didnt say, then give it to me, though I think she might have. She was very nice.

Ive been helping her along the way. They need a lot of help in Venezuela. Its a basic disaster.

You could also say it was given out for [20]24 and I wasnt running for office in [20]24, he added.

The Nobel Peace Prize committees role is to choose a person - or group - that has done the most to promote fraternity between nations, in keeping with the will of the awards founder Alfred Nobel.

Two days before the committee announced a winner, Mr Trump declared he had secured peace in the Middle East after brokering the agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year conflict.

At the 11th hour, Mr Trumps campaign received a spate of late backers, and his allies went into overdrive to help win him the award. But despite the president claiming also to have ended seven unendable wars, it was not enough.

Ms Machado has emerged as one of the strongest and most critical voices denouncing Nicolas Maduros regime and its campaign of repression. Her powerful social movement brought thousands to the streets before the election last year and she was banned from standing against Maduro.

Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a relatively unknown opposition candidate, won about 70 per cent of the vote, but Maduro declared victory and refused to hand over power. After the election, Maduros forces crushed protests and arrested opposition figures.

Mr Gonzalez fled into exile in Spain, while Ms Machado went into hiding in Venezuela. She has not been seen in public since January, leaving her refuge only on a handful of occasions, and has not seen her three children in months.

Mr Gonzalez called her win a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy. He posted a video of himself speaking by phone with Ms Machado on Friday. I am in shock, she said, adding, I cannot believe it.

Ms Machado told Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the Nobel Institute, she was confident the opposition would succeed in securing a peaceful transition to democracy in her country.



Were not there yet. Were working very hard to achieve it, but Im sure that we will prevail, she told Mr Harpviken when he called to inform her that she had won the prize.

This is certainly the biggest recognition to our people [who] certainly deserve it, she said, adding: I am just, you know, one person. I certainly do not deserve it.

Mr Trump has been outspoken in his desire for a prize won by four of his predecessors, Barack Obama in 2009, Jimmy Carter in 2002, Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

With the exception of Carter, they each won the award while in office, with Mr Obama honoured less than eight months into his presidency.

Benjamin Netanyahus office had pledged its support for Mr Trump by posting this AI image of him winning the Nobel medal

In his first term in office, Mr Trump brokered what are known as the Abraham Accords, normalisation deals between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan.

The five-strong committee, however, would have probably chosen its winner long before the Gaza ceasefire agreement, after months of deliberations. Its final meeting was held on Monday, two days before Mr Trump announced that the first phase of the peace deal had been agreed.

Courting Putin counts against Trump

Those with knowledge of the Nobel process had said that a Trump win was extremely unlikely, citing what they saw as his efforts to dismantle the post-Second World War international world order, which the Nobel committee cherishes.

Nina Graeger, head of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said Mr Trumps withdrawal from the World Health Organisation and the 2015 Paris climate accords, and his trade war with allies, went against the spirit of Nobels 1895 will.

If you look at Alfred Nobels will, it emphasises three areas: one is the achievements regarding peace  brokering a peace deal, she said. The other is to work and promote disarmament and the third is to promote international cooperation.

Asle Sveen, a historian of the award, said Mr Trumps attempted rapprochement with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, would have counted against him. His admiration of dictators also counts against him, Sveen said. This goes against Alfred Nobels will.

Mr Harpviken, the committee secretary, who participates in all the deliberations of the five-strong panel but does not vote, said the award was not intended for last-minute achievements.

This is a prize primarily for work done in 2024 and prior years, Mr Harpviken told the broadcaster NRK on Friday. Its not a prize for the work done in the most recent weeks or months.

Last years award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grass-roots movement of atomic-bomb survivors, who have advocated for the global abolition of nuclear weapons.

Insiders say the award follows a year-long process, during which the committee debates the candidates strengths and weaknesses.

Nominations for the prize must reach the committee by Jan 31. Committee members can also make nominations before the committees first meeting in February. Thereafter, the committee meets about once a month. The decision tends to be taken in August or September.

The Nobel committee says it is used to working under pressure from people, or their supporters, who say they deserve the prize. Mr Frydnes told Reuters: All politicians want to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

A favourite to win this year had been Emergency Response Rooms, a community-led network in Sudan that is the backbone of the countrys humanitarian response to its civil war.
World leaders, diplomatic insiders, and much of the media are celebrating a ceasefire in Gaza calling it a peace deal and endorsing President Donald Trumps now unsuccessful campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize.

After the release of all the living Israeli hostages by Hamas, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset cheered the arrival of the US president in Israel, heaping platitude after platitude on him, claiming that his election meant that overnight, everything changed.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio insisted the turning point came when Trump convened meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.

The president had some extraordinary phone calls and meetings that required a high degree of intensity and commitment and made this happen, Rubio said.

As the deal emerged, Trump let it be known that it was his conversations with Netanyahu when he told him, you cant fight the world, Bibi, that also played a part.

Yet even Trump himself seemed to acknowledge that it wasnt all just down to the art of the deal when he said: So many different things happened that were so amazing. Its a lot of talent involved, Ill tell you. But there was a certain degree of luck, too. You know, you need luck also. There is such a thing as luck.

Trump said there was a lot of talent and luck involved in the peace deal (AP)

The Knesset lifted up the prospect of the Nobel peace prize again. The most detailed argument for The Donald to get the Norwegian gong came from an Israeli hostage negotiator who said it was only the current US president who could have delivered on a deal that was on the desk of his predecessor a year ago.

On the face of it, Gershon Baskins revelations, which he published on social media, show that Trump succeeded where Joe Biden failed.

This deal could have been done a long time ago, he wrote. Hamas agreed to all of the same terms in September 2024. But at that point the response of the Israeli negotiators was that the prime minister did not agree to end the war.

That Netanyahu refused the deal a year ago and that Biden failed to make him take it is not new. But it does reinforce the idea that Biden was weak  and that only Trump could have held Bibis feet to the fire to get him to agree to end the slaughter in Gaza, and to get the remaining hostages, dead and alive, back home.

I met with members of the American negotiating team in October 2024, and they were as frustrated as I was in their inability to convince Biden and Bidens people to look seriously at the deal on the table, said Baskin, who was running back-channel negotiations for the release of hostages with Hamas at the time.

The Independents sources have confirmed that Bidens own staff were deeply frustrated at his refusal to put pressure on Netanyahu to limit his military campaign in Gaza to a few weeks after the October 7 atrocities.

Biden, they said, would not take their advice and sided with Netanyahu.

Benjamin Netanyahu meets Joe Biden in the White House in October 2024 (AP)

A year later, with much (but not all) of Gaza in ruins, Baskins proposals, thrashed out with the help of Qatar, were getting nowhere in the White House.

Hamas was ready for a deal to release all of the hostages, not to govern Gaza any longer and to end the war. But Israel was not ready, says Baskin.

Exactly.

A year ago, Netanyahu had not seen his military achieve what he wanted from them. The far-right elements of his government want Gaza depopulated so that they can absorb the strip into the Israeli state.

For him, Gaza was not yet flattened enough to meet his tactical aim  which was, and is, the annihilation of any militants ability to attack Israel again for the next couple of decades.

This is not a quest for peace  it is the absence of threat.

Baskin went on to argue that it was clear only the Trump administration could deliver Israeli support for a ceasefire that Hamas had agreed to.

On December 26, 2024, it was clear to me that the only way that the war would come to an end is when President Trump makes the decision that it has to end... The Israeli side would accept whatever Trump forced them to accept.

That last sentence is the argument that underpins the Trump for Nobel argument. It can be true and nonsense at the same time.

Hamas is an extremist organisation that fetishises martyrdom for itself and the population it rules in Gaza. But by October last year it had clearly had enough. It wanted to survive as a movement and had achieved its aim of provoking a clash of civilisations with Israel and forcing the Palestinian issue back onto the world agenda.

Palestinians attempt to return to the north after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on 10 October 2025 (Reuters)

In September this year, with Trump eight months into office, Baskin says he was getting Hamas close to accepting a ceasefire deal and longer-term peace, but was thwarted when Israel bombed Doha, targeting the chief Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.

That bombing shows that Israel had contempt for Trump. It showed that the US was being played while Israel continued to smash Gaza and the Hamas leadership.

For over a year I believed that if President Trump decides that the war has to end, Trump will force Netanyahu into the agreement. That is exactly what happened.

Really?

A more straightforward view would be that Netanyahu achieved what he set out to do  which is to make the Gaza Strip, home to 2.2 million people, unliveable. At least 80 per cent of its buildings, including all of its hospitals, have been destroyed in what the United Nations has said is a genocide.

Israels prime minister even endorsed Trumps loopy scheme to move Gazans out of Gaza and turn it into a holiday resort.

When the shooting and the bombing stop, Gazans will leave the smoking rubble of their homeland in huge numbers and for ever. That, for Netanyahu, will be a victory in itself and one that he could not guarantee a year ago, but he sure can now.

On top of that, he has headed off a growing global chorus calling for boycotts, disinvestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

Sure, for now, Gazans can stay in Gaza. There will be plans to rebuild it. Gulf autocracies will stump up billions for the effort while Israel blocks most reconstruction efforts in the name of its own security (not unreasonably, as Hamas used building funds to make its network of terror tunnels).

Talks about a future Palestinian state will be protracted, and continue while Israel continues to annex chunks of the West Bank, while the tired and broken masses of Gaza emigrate to anywhere they can live behind four walls, not tent canvas.

"President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize we can breathe again, says Baskin.

Trump has delivered the conditions for what Netanyahu will consider a victory, but the hardest part comes next in determining peace for either Israelis or their nearest neighbours.
Palestinians are met with severe destruction as they return to their homes in Gaza City - Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu

Prominent Palestinians from around the world have been lined up to help run Gaza in the wake of Hamass promised disarmament and Israels withdrawal, The Telegraph understands.

A senior source with detailed knowledge of the US-led preparations to stabilise Gaza said a whole group of candidates had been identified both from Gaza and its extensive global diaspora.

They would be responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services, until such time as the Palestinian Authority (PA) had reformed sufficiently to take control, they added.

Oversight would be provided by the Board of Peace, an external international body to be chaired by Donald Trump with the assistance of Sir Tony Blair, the former prime minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, announced a ceasefire across the shattered coastal enclave at noon local time on Friday, kickstarting the 72-hour countdown for Hamas to release the 48 hostages still held inside the territory.

Credit: Reuters

Under Mr Trumps 20-point plan for peace, the next stage will involve the dismantling of Hamass military infrastructure and the demilitarisation of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors.

Mr Netanyahu insisted on Friday that Hamas must be disarmed  either the easy way or the hard way  before Israel would completely withdraw from Gaza.

In a televised address, he claimed victory for being able to secure the release of the hostages while maintaining troops inside Gaza.

In this way, we are gripping Hamas from all sides in preparation for the next stages of the plan, in which Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarised, he said. If this is achieved the easy way, then that will be good, and if not, then it will be achieved the hard way.

The US says Hamas and Israel have signed up to all of the 20-point plan, not just parts of it.

The plan requires that Hamas gives up any role in the running of Gaza and puts its weapons beyond use, in much the same way as the IRA was required under the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

In return, Israel has agreed to eventually withdraw entirely from Gaza, while Hamas members who commit to peace will be given amnesty, and talks on Palestinian self determination and statehood will restart.

With the first phase of the plan agreed and preparations being made for a major hostage and prisoner exchange early next week, the US and others are scrambling to put in place new security and governance for Gaza.

Thousands of displaced Gazans trek home after Israel declared a ceasefire - Bashar Taleb/AFP

On Friday, it was announced that the US is sending 200 soldiers to oversee the ceasefire and start building a new International Stabilisation Force (ISF).

Clause 15 of Mr Trumps 20-point plan envisages that a US-backed but Arab-led force will immediately deploy in Gaza to fill the security vacuum as Israel pulls back.

The US troops are led by Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the US militarys Central Command. Admiral Cooper played a key role in closing the Gaza deal, with Hamas said to regard his involvement as a marker of Americas seriousness in forcing a permanent end to the war.

His men are expected to deploy to Egypt where they will work with military officials from the country, as well as Qatar, Turkey, Jordan and the UAE  all nations that are expected to provide troops for the ISF.

Egypt and Jordan will play a major role in training a separate police force for Gaza and are understood to have been training men for the role for almost two years.

You have two elements to the security side of it, said a source. One will be the stabilisation force, that is credible and allows the Israelis to say, Okay, were getting out and not leaving Hamas to revive. And secondly, youll have a civil, Palestinian policing force, which will be run by Palestinians for Gazans.

The source, who has a close knowledge of the US plans, said governance structures for Gaza were also being prioritised.

They also rejected the idea  widespread in Arabic media  that the Board of Peace was a neo-colonial construct.

Credit: Reuters

Instead they said it was a vital mechanism for securing investment from surrounding Arab states and protecting against Israeli meddling in Gazas new administration.

They added that a UN resolution formally recognising the new ISF may be needed before all Arab states would commit troops to it.

Across Gaza, thousands of Palestinians began a trek back from displacement camps in the south and centre of the Strip towards their shattered homes further north on Friday.

A huge column of displaced Gazans filed north through the dust and rubble towards Gaza City, the enclaves biggest urban area, which had been under attack just days ago in one of Israels biggest offensives of the war.

In a televised address, Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped Israel would mark a day of national joy when the hostages are returned - CHP/GPO

Thank God my house is still standing, Ismail Zayda, 40, in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City, told Reuters. But the place is destroyed, my neighbours houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone.

Mahdi Saqla, 40, another resident, said that despite returning to the city to find most of it destroyed, we are happy just to return to where our homes were, even over the rubble. That too is a great joy. For two years weve been suffering, displaced from place to place.

In Israel, there is huge anticipation for the release of the hostages, expected as early as Monday.

You must understand this is the first day in two years that I can breathe and the air actually gets into my lungs, Yael Cherni, an Israeli activist, told The Telegraph at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. We have been waiting to be rescued by someone. That someone is apparently Donald Trump. He is our saviour.
The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to punish federal workers at agencies thought to be favored by Democrats with mass layoffs in order to force Senate Democrats to vote for an end to the government shutdown.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced the long-threatened move in a post on X, writing that the RIFs  meaning Reductions in Force or mass firings  had begun.

The OMB said in a court filing more than 4,000 employees would be fired, including over 1,400 at the Treasury Department and 1,100 at the Health and Human Services Department. But the budget office did say the funding lapse is a fluid and rapidly evolving situation.

Vought is a right-wing activist who was a chief architect of the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 plan for weaponizing the federal government against Democrats and centralizing power in Republican political appointees at the expense of nonpartisan civil servants.

He had previewed the administrations intention to use a government shutdown as an excuse to fire more federal workers en masse in a memorandum to agency heads sent last month.

White House budget director Russ Vought said the long-threatened layoffs of federal workers impacted by the government shutdown have started (AP)

The agencies, according to the earlier memo, should consider reductions in employees in programs that dont have another source of funding, and are not consistent with the Presidents priorities.

A White House official told The Independent that the number of workers who may receive notification of their impending termination could number in the thousands.

Typically, non-emergency employees are furloughed, meaning theyre instructed not to report for work and are not paid during the shutdown. There is no reason why a shutdown would necessitate firings. Typically, furloughed employees return to work - with back pay - when shutdowns end.

But last week, Trump said his administration planned to make use of the lapse in government funding that began on October 1 to target civil servants as a way of punishing Democrats in Congress.

We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people and cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like, Trump said last Tuesday during a media availability in the Oval Office. Theyre taking a risk by having a shutdown.

Earlier this week, he said layoffs would target what he described as very popular Democrat programs. Its unclear what that means, since federal government programs service all Americans.

Virginia congressman Don Beyer, a Democrat whose district includes one of the largest percentages of federal employees in the country, called the administrations decision cruel, illegal, and yet another attack on our economy in a statement.

He accused Trump and Vought of illegally firing more workers, hurting essential services for the American people, and damaging our economy in Virginia and across the country.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also condemned Voughts announcement, which he described as firing thousands of Americans with a tweet.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York condemned Voughts announcement, which he described as firing 'thousands of Americans with a tweet' (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Let's be blunt: nobody's forcing Trump and Vought to do this. They dont have to do it; they want to. They're callously choosing to hurt peoplethe workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike. This is deliberate chaos, Schumer said.

He added that Republicans would rather see thousands of Americans lose their jobs than sit down and negotiate with Democrats to reopen the government and called on the GOP to come to the table, negotiate, and reopen the government.

Until Republicans get serious, they own thisevery job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted is because of their decisions, he said.

The shutdown has left many aspects of government closed with visitors to Washington, D.C., making the best of the situation (Getty Images)

Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, slammed the administrations move in a statement, calling it disgraceful that the White House has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country.

These workers show up every day to serve the American people, and for the past nine months have been met with nothing but cruelty and viciousness from President Trump. Every single American citizen should be outraged, Kelley said. He added that Congress should do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees president Lee Saunders also hit out at the administrations plans for mass layoffs in a separate statement, calling them illegal and predicting they would have devastating effects on the services millions of Americans rely on every day.

Whether its food inspectors, public safety workers, or the countless other public service workers who keep America running, federal employees should not be bargaining chips in this administrations political games, Saunders added.

A group of labor unions that had sued to block the mass firings immediately filed papers with a California federal court asking for a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from proceeding with any reductions in force. A hearing in the case is scheduled for October 16.

Rachel Dobkin contributed to this reporting.
A major Russian attack on central Kyiv triggered a fire in a high-rise apartment building and targeted energy sites early on Friday, cutting power to parts of the capital, officials said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nine people had been injured, with five of them taken to hospital. He said power cuts and disruptions to the water supply had hit districts on the east bank of the Dnipro River that runs through the city. The capital of the country is under an enemy ballistic missile attack and a massive attack by the enemy strike drones, the Ukrainian air force said, urging Kyiv residents to remain in shelters.

Twenty-three Ukrainian children and adolescents have been brought out of Russian-occupied areas of the country to territory under Kyivs control, President Volodymyr Zelenskyys chief of staff said on Thursday. Andriy Yermak, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the rescue was carried out under the presidents Bring Kids Back UA programme aimed at bringing to safe areas children deported to Russia or confined to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington and Nato allies were stepping up the pressure to end the war in Ukraine, after his outreach to Russias Vladimir Putin failed to achieve a ceasefire. Yeah, we are stepping up the pressure, Trump said in an Oval Office during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Were stepping it up together. Were all stepping it up. Nato has been great, he added. Trump said his administration might impose more sanctions on Russia.

Russia accused Ukraine on Thursday of rupturing a now defunct pipeline used to transport Russian ammonia into Ukraine for export, releasing toxic gas into the air. The incident took place near the frontline village of Rusin Yar in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, Russia said.

The UNs nuclear watchdog said on Thursday the process had started to restore external power to the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, cut off from the electricity grid for more than two weeks. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the process had begun after consultation with authorities in Ukraine and Russia, who blame each other for the downing of the external lines.

Strikes on Russian oil facilities by Ukraines newly developed long-range missiles and drones are causing significant gas shortages in Russia, while on the battlefield a recent Ukrainian counteroffensive has derailed Russias plans to capture parts of the eastern Donetsk region, Zelenskyy said. Ukraines new Palianytsia missile has hit dozens of Russian military depots, he said. The Ruta missile drone, meanwhile, recently struck a Russian offshore oil platform more than 150 miles (250km) away in what Zelenskyy called a major success for the new weapon.

Zelenskyy floated the idea of nominating the US president, Donald Trump, for the Nobel peace prize in a briefing to reporters, ahead of the announcement of this years winner, who would have been selected earlier in the autumn. Zelenskyy said in comments released on Thursday: If Trump gives the world  above all, the Ukrainian people  the chance for such a ceasefire, then yes, he should be nominated for the Nobel peace prize. We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of wanting to sow chaos in Ukraine by launching strikes on his countrys energy grid and railway infrastructure, in comments published on Thursday. Moscow has in recent weeks escalated aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities and rail systems.

The Ukrainian military said on Thursday that it had struck the Korobkovsky gas processing plant and oil transport infrastructure in Russias Volgograd region overnight. The Russian defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces had struck port facilities and energy infrastructure in Ukraines Odesa region that were used by the Ukrainian army.
China to hire 7,000 retired teachers to support rural schools

Chinadaily.com.cn) 08:52, October 10, 2025

Ren Dabing instructs students at Molao Youyi Primary School in Biancheng town of Huayuan county, Central China's Hunan province, Sept 9, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua)

China plans to hire 7,000 retired teachers in 2025 to improve teaching quality and strengthen educational management in rural schools, according to a recent notice.

The program seeks to leverage the experience of veteran educators in order to raise the standard of rural education and promote balanced, high-quality development between urban and rural areas, the notice said.

According to the document, issued by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, the 2025 program will be carried out at the county level, mainly targeting regions that have recently emerged from poverty, underdeveloped ethnic minority counties, old revolutionary base areas, and border counties.

Recruited teachers can serve as vice-principals at receiving schools and take part in school management. They will also conduct teaching activities, observe and evaluate lessons, deliver demonstration classes, organize seminars and workshops, and mentor young teachers, thereby serving as role models to help raise the educational standards of their host schools.

The standard service period is no less than one academic year, and teachers who perform well will be encouraged to stay in their positions. County authorities will assess their work and may terminate contracts if teachers fail to meet their obligations, or due to health reasons.

The retired teachers brought back into service will keep their pension benefits and receive a monthly allowance that includes subsidies, travel expenses, and insurance coverage.

For teachers at the compulsory education level, the central and local governments will jointly fund the program, with an annual per capita standard of 20,000 yuan ($2,800). Host counties are required to provide accommodation with basic facilities.

The Ministry of Education launched the Silver Age Teaching Program for primary and secondary schools in 2018 and introduced a similar program for universities in 2020. By 2023, more than 20,000 retired schoolteachers and nearly 1,000 retired professors from leading universities had taken part in the programs.

Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the initiative helps address teacher shortages in less-developed regions and promotes educational equity.

"These excellent retired teachers can make a real difference by teaching students, mentoring young teachers, and helping with school management," Xiong said. "Their rich experience can help raise both teaching and administrative standards."

However, Xiong emphasized that silver-age teachers should play a supporting rather than a central role. "Their main task is to assist in teaching and research. They should not be seen as the core or main teaching force of a school," he said.

While acknowledging that the national policy defines their supportive role clearly, he noted an emerging issue in some areas. "Some localities rely heavily on recruiting silver-age teachers to fill teaching positions. In some cases, this is done to cut formal teaching posts or delay the hiring of new full-time teachers  a practice that deserves attention," he said.

He added that as student numbers decline, the focus should shift toward smaller class sizes, which require a stable and full-time teaching workforce rather than an excessive reliance on temporary or retired teachers.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The report 'Transformer Insulation Market by Material (Liquid, Solid Insulation), Voltage Class, Type (Liquid Filled, Dry-type Transformer), End-use Industry (Electrical Utilities, Data Centers, Oil & Gas, Power), and Region - Global Forecast to 2030', transformer insulation market is projected to be valued at USD 6.97 billion in 2025 and USD 9.68 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on 'Transformer Insulation Market'

335 - Tables

54 - Figures

274 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=128579433

The increasing electricity consumption due to urbanization, industrial growth, and other electrical devices augments the demand for transformer insulation systems. Emerging economies, such as China and India, are emerging as major hubs for the transformer insulation market due to the substantial investments in infrastructure and improvements in the electrical grid to expand electricity access. The switch to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, also increases the demand for insulation in the transformer insulation market, due to the need for insulation to regulate load changes and power quality in smart grids. Sustainability goals also increase demand for environmentally friendly, fire-friendly insulation, especially dry-type insulation for urban settings and data center builds. In developed regions, aging power infrastructure requiring refurbishment can use insulation with improved electrical and thermal properties and reduced flammability for better reliability.

Solid insulation segment is expected to record the highest CAGR between 2025 and 2030.

The transformer insulation market is dominated by solid insulation due to its affordability and versatility. Materials such as cellulose paper, pressboard, and advanced composites deliver exemplary dielectric strength and thermal stability in high voltage and high temperature situations. They have become a common choice for dry-type transformers adopted in urban locations, data centers, and renewable energy systems as they are considered safe and do not pose a risk of leaking fluids such as mineral oil. The demand for smart transformer converters from AC to DC for solar and wind projects will increase the use of solid insulation due to their compact size and weight, for the same performance characteristics as their insulating fluids. Advancements in the polymer sciences, such as nanotechnology, improve solid insulation's mechanical and electrical properties and offer longer service life. The requirements for eco-friendly and low-maintenance approaches to insulating will drive solid insulation to retain its position as the most advanced insulating system.

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Power industry segment is anticipated to capture the largest share of the transformer insulation market in 2025.

The power industry is a significant end-use industry for the transformer insulation market. The power sector is vital to power generation, transmission, and distribution, and therefore requires heavy-duty and reliable transformer insulation. Rapid urbanization and industrialization drive increased global energy consumption. There is a pressing need for substantial power grid infrastructure, especially in developing economies, including China and India, where large-scale grids are being developed. On the other hand, renewables have introduced heater variations in voltage, requiring more advanced insulation to manage these higher voltages and keep the grid stable. In addition, the power industry's continuous use of fresh transformers using insulating material, like cellulose and composite materials, keeps the demand high. In developed regions, aging power infrastructure requires revitalization/upgrades with high-performance insulation to increase efficiency and reliability. Since there is a concern about sustainability and energy efficiency increasing, the power sector will require a commitment to implementing eco-friendly insulation, as both liquid-filled and dry-type transformers will remain common. The power industry has a strong hold on the market.

North America is likely to be the second-largest region in the transformer insulation market during the forecast period.

North America is the second-largest transformer insulation market due to its sophisticated power infrastructure, strong investments in grid modernization, and rising integration of renewable energy. The US and Canada advance the market by investing heavily in upgrades to outdated electrical grids and electricity distribution systems, which require insulation materials with improved performance to improve the efficiency and reliability of transformers. The emphasis on integrating solar energy, wind energy, and other renewable forms of energy into the energy mix often requires high-performance insulation materials to accommodate variable load and high voltage requirements of renewable systems. Continual investments in renewable technologies also coincide with the more restrictive standards in the environmental space governing the use of insulation materials that are not environmentally friendly or non-fire-resistant. This allows approval of eco-friendly, fire-resistant insulation products, including dry-type systems applicable to urban and industrial settings. In addition, with the economy remaining one of the strongest industrial sectors in the world, the demand for electric vehicle infrastructure is a driving force for transformers to provide a reliable supply to electric vehicle applications. Furthermore, market growth is supported by developments in insulation systems and technologies such as composite insulation systems using nanotechnology. North America has become a pivotal player in the global transformer insulation market due to the strong growth in these segments of the industry, in the field of transformer insulation.

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Key players

The transformer insulation market report comprises key manufacturers, such as DuPont (US), 3M (US), Hitachi Energy Ltd (Switzerland), Krempel GmbH (Germany), WEG (Brazil), Huntsman International LLC (US), Weidmann Electrical Technology AG (Switzerland), Ahlstrom (Finland), delfortgroup AG (Austria), Nordic Paper (Sweden), TOMOEGAWA CORPORATION (Japan), and ALTANA AG (Germany), among others.

Get access to the latest updates on Transformer Insulation Companies and Transformer Insulation Market Size

Browse Adjacent Market: Foam and Insulation Market Research Reports & Consulting

Related Reports:

Dry Transformer Insulation Market - Global Forecast to 2030

Electrical Insulation Materials Market - Global Forecast to 2027

HVAC Insulation Market - Global Forecast to 2030

Subsea Thermal Insulation Material market - Global Forecast to 2030

OEM Insulation Market - Global Forecast to 2030

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Ant Middleton attended the Reform Party conference in 2024 - Joe Giddens/PA

Ant Middleton, the television presenter, is being sued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the High Court over an alleged breach of contract.

Court records show that the MoD issued a legal claim against Middleton, who previously presented Channel 4s SAS: Who Dares Wins, on Wednesday.

No further details or documents related to the case are available, but The Sun claimed on Friday that it related to social media posts about Middletons time in the special forces.

An MoD spokesman said: We can confirm ongoing proceedings around contractual procedures.

We will not comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.

Middleton seemed to hit back at the MoD after the claim, writing on X: An organisation so secretive that cant keep a secret! I smell cow s---.

Its been compromised for a while now. Sad but true! Ill sort this s--- show out soon enough!

Middleton has links to Reform and Tommy Robinson.

He attended last months Unite the Kingdom rally, where he addressed the crowd and announced his decision to run for the London mayoralty in 2028 as an independent.

Writing on X, he claimed that it would take him just six months to make London the most secure place on the planet.

My country is calling me once again! Ive fought for it once before and I WILL come back and serve it again! Standby, standby, he said.

Middleton also attended the Reform Party conference in 2024 and visited Washington with Nigel Farage for Donald Trumps inauguration in January.

Ant Middleton pictured with Nigel Farage and Nick Candy in Washington for Donald Trumps inauguration - Stuart Mitchell

In 2021, Channel 4 said it would not work with Middleton again on SAS: Who Dares Wins following discussions with the adventurer over his personal conduct.

In a statement, the channel said: It has become clear that our views and values are not aligned.

These allegations are not understood to be linked to the MoD legal claim.

Middleton said at the time that he had decided its time to move on from SAS Who Dares Wins UK.

Its been a journey Ill never forget. Thanks to everyone that took part and made the show what it is, he said.

Middleton has been contacted for comment.
A developer that wants to build the UKs largest solar farm offered landowners up to 50,000 on condition that they did not object to its plans.

Island Green Power sent letters, seen by The Telegraph, offering farmers the payments for access to land for up to five years as part of its Lime Down Solar Park proposal. About 45 of the letters are believed to have been sent out to farms where the company would need to dig cables into the ground.

The terms of the payments include an agreement not to object to any application for the scheme near Chippenham in Wiltshire and to write to Ed Miliband withdrawing any previous objections. The firm has now admitted the condition should not have been included and said it would send a corrected version of the offer.

Mr Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, will have the final say over the application. Wiltshire council, which has no say in the projects approval, voted unanimously in July to oppose Lime Down.

Councillor Martin Smith, who represents Sherston on Wiltshire council, said the letters were almost akin to bribery, adding: This is familiar behaviour, its big business trying to trample over the democratic process and the people being affected.

A protest in Westminster last year showed the strength of feeling against the solar farm plans - Jeff Gilbert

A farmer who received the first version of the letter said recipients felt threatened by it and that they had no option but to sign. The letters included the offer of up 3,500 to accept the agreement quickly, making some recipients feel pressured.

If Lime Down Solar Park is approved it will become the biggest solar farm in the UK, covering more than 2,000 acres with solar panels over five sites, plus a route about 14 miles long where cables to the National Grid would be buried.

Richard Tanner, 62, a farmer whose family has lived on Park Farm near Grittleton since 1913, said it was sad that developers were playing hard ball to try to get residents to comply and advance their own interests at the expense of others.

The solar sites would surround the village of Norton in Wiltshire and affect villagers in Alderton, Corston, Foxley, Grittleton, Hullavington, Rodbourne and Sherston, as well as the town of Malmesbury.

Anna-Kate Fuller, 52, a Norton resident who is part of the Stop Lime Down campaign group, said the countryside had remained unspoilt throughout her lifetime but was now under threat. She said: Its utterly devastating for locals. These are industrial power stations which will change the character of this landscape forever.

A spokesperson for Island Green Power said: The wording on objecting to the project is not in our standard heads of terms and should not have been included. After investigating, we are addressing this with the team responsible and corrected versions will be sent to landowners.

Heads of terms are voluntary agreements, and landowners are not obliged to sign them. However, any who choose to sign will also be able to object to the project and make representations to the Planning Inspectorate if that is what they wish to do.
The graffiti-style art is not appropriate for a cathedral, say critics - Triangle News/Canterbury Cathedral

JD Vance and Elon Musk have led criticism of shameful graffiti art at Canterbury Cathedral.

The US vice president said the art installation in the building made a beautiful historical building really ugly.

The brightly coloured temporary display is designed to display questions people have for God in moments of doubt and curiosity but has attracted controversy with one critic describing it as belonging in a car park.

Mr Vance wrote on X:

It is weird to me that these people don't see the irony of honoring "marginalized communities" by making a beautiful historical building really ugly. https://t.co/j7GEtCFsMY  JD Vance (@JDVance) October 10, 2025

Mr Musk, the billionaire Tesla owner, shared the post with the word shameful.

Religious leaders and activists claimed the installation was symbolic of decay and said Canterbury Cathedral no longer had a sense of the sacred.

The Rev Marcus Walker, rector of St Bartholomew the Great in the City of London and chairman of the Save the Parish campaign group, told The Telegraph he would like to set Canterbury Cathedral a challenge to not embarrass the rest of the Church of England for one clear calendar year.

He added: The leadership of Canterbury Cathedral may no longer have a sense of the sacred, but millions do and they have a duty to keep this a place of prayer and worship for the rest of us, not turn it into a private plaything of the elites.

Disciples Of Christ, a Christian activist group, called for the disrespectful graffiti to be removed immediately and said the cathedral had vandalised itself in the name of art.

Some of the questions posed in the exhibition - Ferrari Press Agency/Canterbury Cathedral

The Rev Dr Gavin Ashenden, who served as chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II but converted to Roman Catholicism in 2019, said: Im shocked... It belongs more to the architecture for a car park or a modern church. But in a cathedral? No.

The notion of a cathedral is essentially to be the summit of the transcendent. If you want to do imminence and get down with the people, then you do that in a different building. Its a category error... its about artistic congruence.

He added that graffiti was a sign of decay, rebellion and anger, and asked: How is that congruent with the art of a cathedral? Its undermining. It has a different kind of aesthetic dissonance which I dont think helps with the quest for God.

The artwork will be removed before Dame Sarah Mullally is installed as Archbishop - Triangle News

The artwork is due to be removed before the ceremony at which Dame Sarah Mullally will legally become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in January.

Dame Sarah, formerly the Bishop of London, was announced this month as the first woman to hold the role, and gave an address in the cathedral.

The temporary graffiti-style imagery includes questions aimed at God such as, Are you there? and Why did you create hate when love is by far more powerful?

Others posed include, Does everything have a soul? and Do you regret your creation?

Critics say that the graffiti artwork undermines the sense of the sacred in the cathedral - Godong/Robert Harding

David Monteith, the Dean of Canterbury, said: There is a rawness which is magnified by the graffiti style, which is disruptive. There is also an authenticity in what is said because it is unfiltered and not tidied up or sanitised.

Above all, this graffiti makes me wonder why I am not always able to be as candid, not least in my prayers.

This exhibition intentionally builds bridges between cultures, styles and genres, and in particular allows us to receive the gifts of younger people who have much to say and from whom we need to hear much.

The graffiti is the work of Alex Vellis, a poet, and Jacquiline Creswell, a curator for English cathedrals, in collaboration with marginalised communities and a team of artists who responded to the question What would you ask God?

Canterbury Cathedral has been approached for comment.
Paco Navarro/Tetra Images R

Children who spend a lot of time on screens perform worse in reading and maths tests, a new study suggests.

The results of the research in Canada have prompted the study team to call for more to be done to reduce pupils screen time and boost their academic performance.

More than 5,000 Canadian children took part in the study. The group comprised 3,300 children aged nine, who would be in Year 4 at primary school in Britain, and 2,000 children aged 12, who would be in their first year in secondary school in Britain.

The researchers, led by experts from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, gathered information on screen time, TV and digital media and video game use through questionnaires sent to parents. This was assessed alongside scores from standardised tests in reading, writing and maths.

They found each additional hour of screen time was linked to 9 per cent lower odds of achieving a high grade in reading and maths for the younger pupils studied. For the older pupils, the figure was 10 per cent.

Similarly, higher TV time was associated with lower achievement levels in reading and maths among younger pupils and in maths for older pupils.

Among younger children in the study, video game use was linked to lower achievement in reading.

High levels of early total screen time, and TV and digital media time, were associated with lower reading and maths achievement in elementary school, the researchers wrote in the journal Jama Network Open.

Our findings underscore the importance of developing and testing targeted early guidelines and interventions to reduce screen time and TV and digital media exposure, with the goal of improving academic achievement in elementary school.

But other experts warned that the findings should be interpreted with caution.

Chris Ferguson, the professor of psychology at Stetson University in Florida in the US, said: Many studies, including studies of higher quality than this one, have found no evidence screen time influences school outcomes, so we need to look at the totality of evidence.

Put simply, this study provides little real evidence for a link between screen time and school performance in youth.

Epidemic of disconnection

On Thursday morning, the Princess of Wales published a personal essay saying a reliance on mobile phones was undermining family life and causing an epidemic of disconnection.

In the piece, she suggested that by reducing human connection, a generation was being raised to be more isolated, more lonely, and less equipped to form the warm, meaningful relationships that are the basis of a happy, healthy life.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex later spoke of the dangers of technology for children at the Project Healthy Minds gala in New York, where they were named humanitarians of the year for their charity work.

The Duke said more needed to be done to protect young people from online dangers, while the Duchess added that the couple often discussed how they would protect their own children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, as they grow older.
Spectators at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament protect themselves from the sun. Photograph: Alex Plavevski/EPA

While northern parts of China felt their first autumnal chill under persistent heavy rain this week, large areas farther south have continued to swelter in summer-like heat. In south-east China, temperatures have climbed steadily since late September under the influence of higher than average pressure to the north-east, reaching the mid-to-high 30Cs during a period when conditions would normally be cooling from about 30C to the mid-20s. Inland areas have neared 40C (104F), with Xiushui, in Jiangxi province, recording 38.9C on Wednesday, about 13C above average for early October.

Overnight warmth has also persisted. In Hong Kong, further heat on Wednesday brought Octobers tally of very hot days  defined by temperatures remaining above 28C throughout the day  to four, the highest ever recorded for the month. Models suggest the unusual heat across south-east China will last for another eight to 10 days, before colder air pushes in from the north.

In northern China, a much colder air mass clashed with the warmth to produce stubborn, heavy rain. There had been at least 36 hours of continuous rainfall in Beijing as of Thursday afternoon, averaging 68.8mm (2.71in) across the city, with one Daxing district station recording 140.4mm since Wednesday. The persistent rain kept temperatures unusually low; Thursday was Beijings coldest early October day since 1951, with a maximum of just 10.6C  about 10-15C below average.

China has experienced numerous extreme rainfall events this year, an increase that can be linked to a warming global climate. For every 1C increase in global temperature, the atmosphere can hold 7% more moisture.

Meanwhile, typhoon activity continues over the Pacific. Tropical Storm Nakri, which formed on Wednesday, has tracked north-east towards Japan over the last few days. However, it is expected to veer east, following a similar path to Typhoon Halong, which is now travelling out into the northern Pacific.

Nakri is forecast to reach typhoon strength as it moves parallel to the southern Japanese coasts this weekend, with gusts up to 105mph (169km/h), before becoming extratropical as it moves into an area of increased vertical wind shear. While Japans mainland should avoid the worst of the storm, the Izu Islands south of Tokyo are again likely to face strong winds and heavy rain, compounding damage left by Halong, which tore off roofs, downed power lines and blocked roads.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Venezuelan political opposition leader Maria Corina Machado "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

Norwegian Nobel Committee Chair Jrgen Watne Frydnes, in announcing the award, called Machado "a brave and committed champion of peace."

He lauded Machado as a "key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government."

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures during an anti-government protest on Jan. 9, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela. / Credit: Jesus Vargas/Getty

"In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions," said Frydnes. "When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist."

"I am in shock," Machado said after learning she had been awarded the prize on Friday, according to the French news agency AFP, which said it received a video from her press team in which she could be heard reacting to the accolade in a phone call with a close ally.

In a separate post on X, Machado said the "immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is an impetus to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom."

"We are on the threshold of victory and today more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve Freedom and democracy," she added. "Venezuela will be free!"

Venezuela has been ruled by an autocratic regime for decades and is currently led by President Nicolas Maduro, whose election in 2024 was widely dismissed as non-democratic and whose leadership is not recognized by the U.S. and many other nations. Maduro has been locked in an increasingly tense standoff with the Trump administration, which has accused Maduro of working with drug smuggling gangs that traffic narcotics into the U.S.

The administration has instead recognized an opposition politician backed by Machado, Senator Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, as the legitimate winner of the 2024 election.

In a post on social media shortly after the winner was announced, Urrutia said, "Our beloved Maria Corina Machado, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2025! Well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy. Venezuela's first Nobel! Congratulations @mariacorinaya, Venezuela will be free!"

Rumors have circulated on social media for weeks that Machado, who has remained in hiding since the 2024 election, could be sheltering at the U.S. embassy in her country's capital. Machado has backed the U.S. military pressure on Maduro's regime as a "necessary measure" toward the "restoration of popular sovereignty in Venezuela."

Following a brief detention of Machado early this year, when she was arrested after leading anti-government protests in Caracas, President Trump issued a warning to Maduro about the safety of opposition leaders.

Mr. Trump said Machado was "peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime. The great Venezuelan American community in the United States overwhelmingly support a free Venezuela and strongly supported me. These freedom fighters should not be harmed and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!"

What is the Nobel Peace Prize and how is it awarded?

The Nobel Prize was established by a Swedish businessman and prolific inventor named Alfred Nobel, who died 1896. In his will, Nobel said his fortune was to be used to establish a fund to distribute prizes "to those who ... shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind," according to the Nobel Peace Prize's website.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which determines the recipient, says the award should be given to the person who has done the most to advance peace in the world. Today that committee consists of five members, selected by the Norwegian Parliament. They consider the nominees for the prize in secret, and candidates' names are kept under seal for 50 years. The nomination deadline is eight months before the announcement.

The award money for 2025 is 11 million Swedish kronor, the equivalent of more than 1 million U.S. dollars.

Four U.S. presidents and former presidents, as well as a former vice president, have won the Nobel Peace Prize, with former President Barack Obama winning in his first year in office for his "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation."

The other two sitting presidents who have been awarded the honor are Teddy Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1920. Former President Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, and former Vice President Al Gore was given the honor in 2007.

President Trump's Nobel Prize ambitions

Mr. Trump had said he "deserves" the prize, and he had expressed multiple times his desire to receive it, citing his involvement in halting foreign conflicts.

And the White House criticized the Nobel committee's pick.

In a social media post, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said the committee "proved they place politics over peace."

Cheung said, "President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will."

Political allies of the president and some foreign leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had announced their intentions to nominate Mr. Trump for the prize, though the committee doesn't divulge the names of nominees.

The president claims he's ended seven wars  between India and Pakistan, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Thailand and Cambodia, Serbia and Kosovo, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Armenia and Azerbaijan. Foreign policy experts say some of those conflicts were not full-scale wars, and several remain unresolved.

During a speech to U.S. military leaders on Sept. 30, Mr. Trump said it would be a "big insult" to the country if he didn't get the prize.

Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly last month, he said, "Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize," citing his role in the Middle East Abraham Accords and his efforts to stop international conflicts.

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Lake Township, Ohio, logo

LAKE TWP.  Voters here will put at least one new face on the township's three-member board of trustees.

Six candidates  including a lone incumbent  are in the running for two available seats in this fall's general election, which concludes with in-person voting at the polls on Nov. 4.

Current Trustee Jeremy Yoder is seeking a third four-year term. One colleague, Steven Miller, did not run for reelection. The term of the other current trustee, John Arnold, doesn't expire for two more years, because trustee elections are purposefully staggered by Ohio law.

The quintet of Sue Grabowski, Aaron Floom, Jeffrey Miller, Carter Ridgway and David Chambers rounds out the field. Chambers did not respond to requests for information and an interview for this story.

The township of 30,318 residents is situated along the northern border of Stark County. The median annual household income is about $100,000. The township has its own zoning and road departments, but fire service is provided by the Greentown, Uniontown and Hartville fire departments, and police from Uniontown and the Stark County Sheriff's Office.

Trustees have both executive and legislative duties, though their power is somewhat limited by state law. Each elected trustee will be paid a salary of $26,882 next year  a figure established by a formula in state law.

Jeremy Yoder

Jeremy Yoder

Yoder and his wife, Claudia, have two adult children who graduated from Lake Local Schools, then went to Ohio University. He holds master's degrees from Walsh and Kent State universities and works as a regional business director in the biotech industry.

The 48-year-old said it would likely be his final term, should he win reelection.

Yoder said zoning and development are among the pressing issues in the community. Developers, he explained, will continue to eye various projects, especially for farmland that's being sold.

"We need to do a better job of working with developers," he said.

That, Yoder said, would pave the way for "creative" plans, which can satisfy both the developer and current residents, who are concerned about growth and its effect on the character of the community.

Although a 2-mill, 10-year park levy was soundly defeated by voters six years ago, Yoder said a demand for more parks remains.

"Maybe something less ... scaled down," he said.

Sue Grabowski

Sue Grabowski

The 56-year-old Grabowski, a mother of three adult children, founded the marketing firm Grabowski & Co., in 1997.

She later changed the name to Desidara, as part of a strategic shift. The firm's clients include Timken Co., Morgan Engineering, Progressive Insurance and Akron Children's Hospital.

Grabowski said she's always been interested in a trustee seat, and the timing for her is now ideal.

She noted that zoning is a hot topic lately. Especially with developers eyeing large vacant tracts for new housing and commercial projects. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on how it's done.

"I'm about smart development," Grabowski said.

A GlenOak High and Malone University graduate, she serves on boards at Malone, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and ArtsinStark. Grabwoski said she doesn't want to upend what's working.

But, she added, there's always room to improve.

"I think we can always communcate better with constituents," she said.

Aaron Floom

Aaron Floom

This is Floom's second bid for a trustee post. He finished last in a four-way race for two seats in 2013.

"So, I don't have a ton of political experience," he said.

However, the 32-year-old auto parts store manager said he wants to examine issues such as the creation of a parks or police department, to determine how residents are best served.

He lives in Greentown with his wife, Klarissa, and two daughters.

"Lake Township is a great place to live," he said.

Jeffrey Miller

Jeffrey Miller

Miller, 54, was twice elected to Hartville Village Council, but he resigned in 2022 when he moved out of the village.

"I just miss being in office," he said.

An operations supervisor and estimator for a remodeling and handyman business, Miller had initially retired in April from a remodeing subcontractor position for Hartville Hardware.

As a trustee, he'd like to examine how to make some township intersections safer and perhaps facilitate a way to get Hartville or Uniontown police officers in the schools as opposed to sheriff's deputies.

"And that's nothing against the sheriff's office, but I think local officers should be protecting our children," he said.

Carter Ridgway

Carter Ridgway

The 20-year-old Ridgway is a law school student at the University of Akron and works as a law clerk for a Cleveland-based law firm.

His mission statement: "To protect our townships rural character and community values by guiding development in line with those principles  ensuring growth that strengthens, not replaces, what makes us unique."

He said that includes prioritizing residents who already live in the township, instead of those who want to move in.

A Lake High graduate, Ridgway said he's always all-in on anything he does in life. Whether it's his time as a Boy Scout, earning a full law school scholarship at age 19, or being a trustee.

Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Lake Twp. voters have 6 choices for 2 trustee seats | Election 2025
People watch a televised press briefing by Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, in Karachi, Pakistan, October 10, 2025. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

By Saeed Shah

ISLAMABAD/KABUL/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Afghanistan's Taliban government accused Pakistan on Friday of carrying out airstrikes on its territory and warned of "consequences" as Islamabad said it was taking action against militants.

Eleven more Pakistani soldiers were killed on Friday in a clash with Islamist militants in the Tirah area close to the Afghan border, according to Pakistani security officials. Islamabad says militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group operate from Afghanistan, a charge denied by Kabul.

The Taliban administration blamed Pakistan for airstrikes in Kabul, the capital, late on Thursday and in the eastern province of Paktika around midnight.

"This is an unprecedented, violent and provocative act in the history of Afghanistan and Pakistan," an Afghan Defence Ministry statement said. "If the situation escalates further following these actions, the consequences will be the responsibility of the Pakistani military."

According to the Taliban, there were no casualties from the airstrikes.

A Pakistani security official said a vehicle used by the leader of the TTP, Noor Wali Mehsud, was targeted in the Kabul airstrike. It was unclear if he survived.

The Afghan Defence Ministry declined to answer queries about Mehsud, pointing to its statement, which did not mention him.

PAKISTAN VOWS TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY

Islamabad has said its patience with Kabul is running out, without acknowledging or denying carrying out the airstrikes.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Pakistani military spokesman, "noted" the reports of the strikes.

"To protect the lives of the people of Pakistan, we are doing, and will continue to do, whatever is necessary," Chaudhry told a press conference. "Our demand to Afghanistan: Your soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan."

The TTP has been fighting to overthrow the Islamabad government and replace it with a strict Islamic-led system of governance. It has had a close relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which inspired the establishment of the TTP.

Pakistan accuses regional big power adversary India of supporting the TTP, through Afghanistan. India denies such accusations, terming them "baseless".

The airstrikes coincided with a rare visit to India by a Taliban leader - Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

His trip resulted in an announcement by India on Friday that it would upgrade ties with the Taliban administration - giving a boost to the diplomatically isolated group - by reopening its embassy in Kabul shut since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

(Reporting by Saeed Shah, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Mushtaq Ali and Shivam Patel; writing by Saeed Shah and Sakshi Dayal; editing by Mark Heinrich)
President Donald Trump and leaders across the Middle East are celebrating the long-awaited diplomatic agreement aimed at putting a permanent end to the fighting in Gaza, but officials and analysts tell ABC News there is still a long road ahead when it comes to ensuring that peace will be lasting.

Trump announced on Wednesday that a deal had been reached to free all living and dead hostages in Gaza taken on Oct. 7, 2023, in exchange for the release of scores of Palestinian prisoners and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area.

But the agreement covers just a fraction of the presidents 20-point plan for Gaza, which extends well beyond spelling out the initial steps for ending the two-year-long conflict -- establishing a framework for reconstructing Gaza and building what Trump has described as an "everlasting peace."

Mahmoud Issa/Reuters

How much of a role did Trump play in latest Israel-Hamas deal?: ANALYSIS

At the White House on Thursday, the president appeared singularly focused on seeing out the first steps of his plan.

"Well, the first thing we're doing is getting our hostages back," Trump told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce. And that's what people wanted more than anything else."

Evan Vucci/AP - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza: What to know about proposed deal and next steps

Trump was vague about what would follow.

"After that, we'll see, but they've agreed to things," he said. "There will be disarming. There will be pullbacks. There'll be a lot of things that are happening."

A critical 72 hours

Despite the agreement, mediators could encounter trouble even when it comes to implementing the initial steps of the agreement.

Israel delayed a cabinet vote on Thursday, pushing back the timeline for the release of hostages from Gaza, which is set to take place within a 72-hour window after the Israeli government formally approves the ceasefire deal.

Ahead of the meeting, negotiators were finalizing a list of Palestinian prisoners set to be released in the swap, which is expected to number in the thousands.

What aid organizations say is needed in Gaza amid Israel-Hamas ceasefire plan

The Israeli government eventually approved the deal overnight on Friday local time, and Trumps Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff later posted on X that U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, had confirmed the Israel Defense Forces had completed the first phase of the military withdrawal --starting the clock on the next chapter of the arrangement to unfold.

"The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun," Witkoff wrote.

But earlier, with the ceasefire on the verge of being cemented, Israel and Hamas continued to trade blows. The IDF said on Thursday it struck a major terrorist cell in northern Gaza, stating it was "operating in close proximity to IDF troops and posed an immediate threat to the troops operating in the area. Hamas decried the attack as a massacre."

Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A convoy of Israeli tanks is deployed at Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on Sept. 16, 2025.

The IDF also released a statement indicating it was on high alert for potential Hamas attacks and abductions ahead of the ceasefires implementation.

"This is not the first time Hamas has tried to abduct Israeli soldiers during ceasefire negotiations," said Ahmad Sharawi, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

"This serves as a testament that, despite the positive news that the hostages will return home, allowing Hamas to operate as it did before October 7, 2023, would mean that it will remain a threat to Israel in the future. That is why Hamas must be disarmed and prevented from ruling the Gaza Strip," he added.

Hamas has not said publicly whether it would be willing to disarm, but Khalil al-Hayya, the militant groups chief negotiator, said Hamas had received guarantees from the U.S. and other mediators "that the war has completely ended" with the signing of the agreement.

While Trumps overall 20-point plan does indeed call for the disarming of Hamas and stipulates that the militant group cannot play a role in the future governance of Gaza, these points are not covered by the initial phase of the agreement.

A potential security vacuum in Gaza could quickly become a major point of concern, according to David Butter, an associate fellow at Chatham Houses Middle East and North Africa Programme.

"The Trump plan calls for aid deliveries to be stepped up, including through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which is to be opened in both directions," Butter said.

"But the plan does not spell out what will happen to the Israeli military presence on the Gaza side of this crossing, and in the Philadelphi Corridor," he continued.

A U.S. official said on Thursday that CENTCOM was establishing a coordination center in Israel to monitor the ceasefire agreement and help facilitate the flow of aid and security assistance into Gaza. But the official and the White House have stressed that no American troops will be on the ground in Gaza.

Trumps framework also calls for the creation of an "International Stabilization Force (ISF)" to be deployed to Gaza, but officials say negotiators have yet to scratch the surface when it comes to establishing and financing the entity.

Butter also says that, as it stands, the presidents plan for disarming Hamas lacks "any clear enforcement mechanism."

In the wake of the initial agreement, Trump did not indicate that the U.S. would play any part in securing Gaza.

"Well, were going to work with very wealthy countries that love people, frankly," he said. "You know, these are the wealthiest countries in the world. And theyll be, very much involved in making it -- making it as good as possible."

Omar Al-qattaa/AFP via Getty Images

A hazy future for Gaza

When asked on Thursday whether he would stand by his commitment that no Palestinians would be forced to leave Gaza, the president was similarly vague, despite assurances included in his plan.

"We're going to create something where people can live. You can't live right now in Gaza. I mean, you know, the places, it's a horrible situation. Nobody's ever seen anything like it, he said, avoiding the question on forced relocation.

Trump was also noncommittal on the prospect of an independent Palestinian state in the future.

"I don't have a view. I'm going to go with what they agree to," he said.

Battling past this ambiguity and continuing pressure on all parties may be the deciding factor when it comes to determining whether peace can in fact be "everlasting," according to Daniel Byman, a professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and the Director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"The current deal is a major accomplishment and an important step forward for both Gaza and Israel -- making it last will prove even harder, Byman said in an op-ed for Foreign Policy.

"The good news is that some of the factors that contributed to a deal, such as exhaustion on both sides and Arab and European pressure, are likely to continue. Other factors are more tenuous," he said, arguing either side could ultimately decide the sacrifices it must make to uphold the plan are untenable and violate the terms of the deal.

"All this means the United States must constantly coordinate with its partners and press all parties to honor the deal -- and move to more ambitious steps involving the reconstruction of Gaza, the return of a non-Hamas government, and progress toward a Palestinian state," Byman added.

Whether the president will stay committed long beyond the signing ceremony is an open question, he said.

"Trump, however, is mercurial. His positions might change; he might focus on a different problem or otherwise reduce the pressure on Israel," he said.
LAPD; Cindyana Santangelo/Instagram Libby Adame; Cindyana Santangelo

NEED TO KNOW

Libby Adame, known as the "butt lady," was convicted of second-degree murder and of practicing medicine without a certification on Oct. 9

Adame was taken to court on accusations that actress Cindyana Santangelo died from silicone injections Adame administered

Adame was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 in a similar case

A California woman, known as the "butt lady," has learned her fate following the death of model and actress Cindyana Santangelo, according to reports.

On Thursday, Oct. 9, Libby Adame, 55, of Riverside County, was convicted of second-degree murder and of practicing medicine without a certification by a Los Angeles jury following the death of Married with Children and ER actress, Santangelo, 58, at her Malibu home on March 24, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Santangelo died from silicone injections Adame had administered, the outlet stated, citing authorities. She'd suffered a fatal embolism after being given an injection.

Adame's conviction comes after she and her daughter, Alicia Galaz, were convicted in March 2024 of involuntary manslaughter following the Oct. 15, 2019 death of Karissa Rajpaul, 26, per NBC4 Los Angeles. They were acquitted on the more serious charge of murder.

Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic Cindyana Santangelo is pictured in 2011

As previously reported by PEOPLE, Rajpaul died after undergoing an unauthorized butt-implant procedure performed by Adame and Galaz, authorities said. Rajpaul's cause of death was listed as homicide due to acute cardiopulmonary dysfunction and intramuscular/intravascular silicone injections.

Investigators believed that, during the procedures, Adame and Galaz  who allegedly presented themselves as specialists  injected Rajpaul with substances used by qualified cosmetic physicians but combined them with dangerous chemicals, ABC7 reported at the time.

Both Adame and Galaz were sentenced to prison following Rajpaul's death, but were released after a judge determined they earned credit for time served in custody and time under electronic monitoring for their 2021 arrest, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles. This put Adame out of prison and working within a year of her sentencing.

In her closing argument during Thursday's trial, L.A. County Deputy District Attorney, Lee Cernok, said that Adame had been warned at her 2024 trial that she could be charged with murder if another client died, NBC4 Los Angeles reported.

"Did she know better?" Cernok questioned jurors of Adame, insisting the answer was "a resounding yes," according to the outlet.

LAPD Libby Adame

Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan said his client "did not do it," and claimed there were "no injections this time by her," per NBC4 Los Angeles.

The lawyer noted that Adame had still been on probation at the time of Santangelo's death and knew she wasn't able to perform "butt work" in California, alleging she'd been working as a "consultant" on behalf of doctors who could legally do the injections in Tijuana, Mexico, the outlet stated.

Flanagan argued that Santangelo had already had bandages on her buttocks when Adame had a consultation with her in the "beauty room," alleging that somebody else had previously performed the procedure, which resulted in the actress' death, NBC4 Los Angeles reported.

Adame denied she was the one who gave Santangelo the injections as she testified on Monday in her own defense, claiming she didn't know who did, but it wasn't her, per the outlet.

Santangelos husband, Frank Santangelo, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Adame, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mr. Santangelo claimed his wife was killed in the prime of her life in her own home after being unlawfully injected with unsafe and unapproved substances by Libby Adame, an unlicensed individual falsely holding herself out as qualified to perform cosmetic procedures, the paper noted, citing the civil complaint.

Tragically, her death not only could have, but should have been prevented, he added in the documents, per the outlet.

Mr. Santangelo testified during the trial that his wife of 24 years seemed to have been breathing normally before her meeting with Adame, but was later "struggling to breathe" on the massage table, and "had blood coming from each butt cheek," according to NBC4 Los Angeles.

He testified that Adame had told him, "This has never happened to a client of mine before," before telling him she might have something in her car that could help, the outlet stated. However, he alleged she then packed her bag and never came back into the house after this.

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Adame is set to be sentenced on Nov. 5, per the Los Angeles Times.

Second-degree murder has a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in California, while practicing medicine without a certification could land you in jail for up to three years, the outlet stated.

Adame was also found guilty of a special allegation of causing great bodily harm, meaning she could face an extra three to six years in addition to her sentence, per the paper.

The Los Angeles County courts and the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.



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A roundup of the most newsworthy tech announcements from PR Newswire this week, including Johnson Controls' investment in Accelsius, PayPal Ads Manager, and Honeywell and LS ELECTRIC's Partnership

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Corrin Rankin

Just a few months ago, newly elected California GOP Chair Corrin Rankin was focused on upping her partys game in the deep-blue state to make inroads in the 2026 midterms and prevent Democrats from forging a path to the House majority through her state.

Now Rankin is staring down the prospect of losing four to six Congressional GOP seats in one fell special-election swoop in early November. Thats when all the ballots will be counted in the special election California Gov. Gavin Newsom designed to gerrymander Republican House members out of their seats, decimating the current nine-seat California GOP delegation.

Language in the ballot initiative pledges that it will only redraw the lines temporarily, but opponents are more than skeptical that Democrats will relinquish that control once they have it.

The states nearly 6 million registered Republicans and the GOP House delegation are now looking to Rankin, along with several other state GOP leaders and billionaires, to stop Newsoms power grab in his tracks and prevent the Republican bloodletting.

Clearly focused on a 2028 White House run, Newsom is trying to elevate his standing among his fellow Democrats by countering a brazen Texas mid-decade plan designed to help Republicans maintain their narrow majority in the House.

The Texas redistricting is an unabashed effort to insulate the House Republicans from losing majority control and prevent Trump from being impeached in 2027. In Texas, unlike California, however, pursuing these new congressional lines has the added benefit of complying with state law.

State law and previous voter-approved measures appear to be of little concern to Newsom. The governor, with the backing of several of the states largest unions, came up with a plan to "fight fire with fire" and further gerrymander Californias congressional maps and throw Republican representation into oblivion. In doing so, he convinced the super-majority Democratic-controlled state legislature to ignore the state Constitution language banning mid-decade redistricting to put the issue to voters in a special election, which is costing the state - already tens of billions of dollars in the red - $300 million.

Newsoms Nov. 4 ballot initiative, known as Prop 50, would also wrest control of the map-drawing process from an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and place it back in the hands of the Democratic state legislature - even though voters in California in 2008 and again in 2010 voted to de-politicize the issue by taking that power away from politicians.

"Two wrongs dont make a right," former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently lectured, after previously calling Newsoms gerrymander efforts "insane." The aging former bodybuilder turned blockbuster Hollywood star led the effort to create the Citizen Redistricting Committee in his final years as governor and is vocally opposed to Newsoms effort to dismantle it.

"Whatever happens in Texas, we cannot save democracy by destroying it in California," Rev. Mac Shorty, a civil rights leader, who is also vehemently opposed, recently remarked.

Newsom, however, has money and the states political power brokers on his side. The California GOP, and other opposition forces, including Schwarzenegger, are being grossly outspent.

In just a matter of weeks, the Prop 50 referendum has become the second-most expensive ballot measure in California state history with both sides contributing more than $220 million so far in the intense, compressed high-stakes battle. Special elections are usually low-turnout affairs, and without a good GOP GOTV strategy, registered Democrats, who outnumber Republicans nearly two to one in California, would have a natural edge.

National and California teachers unions, along with the California Nurses Association, are pouring millions into the pro-gerrymandering side. And Newsom, eager to nationalize the issue into a drive to stand up to Trump, has enlisted Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, two far-left progressives, to help sell the idea to California voters.

MoveOn.org, a liberal grassroots organization, cut a check for $6.9 million, while the House Majority PAC, a super PAC focused on electing Democrats to Congress, has added $10 million; and George Soros Fund for Policy Reform, which purportedly focuses on drug policy and electoral reforms, according to IRS filings, has ponied up another $10 million.

Opposing forces have managed to collect close to $83 million at last count, with the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC controlled by Republican leaders in Congress, providing $10million so far, and billionaire Charles Munger Jr., who backed the original ballot measure that created the independent redistricting commission, doling out another $33 million.

Thomas Siebel, a Bay Area businessman who is related to Newsoms wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, donated $1 million, while former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy transferred another $1 million from his campaign account, far less than the $100 million he vowed to raise a few weeks ago.

Newsoms decision to throw in with Soros, a Hungarian-American dual citizen and multi-billionaire who has donated billions to liberal dark-money causes, demonstrates his willingness to win at any cost even if it undermines recent attempts to moderate his image and reach out to right-wing figures on his podcast.

Rankin, the first black California GOP leader, who previously served as a national surrogate for Trump in 2016 and 2024, took over her fathers bail bond business that had operated for decades in Menlo Park since the late 1960s. And shes no stranger to beating back deep-pocketed Soros-backed drives.

In 2014, a Soros-backed organization tried to abolish bail in California as part of a campaign to overhaul the states criminal justice system to a far more lenient approach. Rankin, as president of the California Bail Agents Association, teamed up with former prosecutor Harmeet Dhillon, who now serves as the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department, to defend the states bail system when then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris bowed to Democratic pressure and declined to do so.

Though they lost their legal fight to protect many aspects of Californias cash bail system, Rankins grassroots organizational and advocacy efforts ultimately paid off when California voters in 2020 rejected Proposition 25, a ballot initiative that would have ended the states bail system for all but the most serious offenses. The bail system remains in place while court decisions, state laws, and local reforms have winnowed away at the practice.

During her time leading the Bail Agents Association, she launched its legal committee with Dhillon and also chaired the legislative committee and hired lobbyists to help wage the fight in the state Capitol. Although Rankin left the bail bonds business in 2017, she said the infrastructure she built there remains.

"I started it, and they carried it through, and ultimately [our side] prevailed," Rankin, who previously served as the partys vice chair and Central Valley Republican vice chair, told RealClearPolitics.

Similar to that bail-bond fight, the first attempts to block Newsoms plan to redraw congressional districts failed. The California Supreme Court in late August rejected an attempt by Republican state lawmakers to temporarily block the redistricting efforts.

Rankin points to several legal scholars who believe the law is legally vulnerable even if voters approve it in November. (Laura Halgran, a retired San Diego Superior Court judge, has identified multiple legal issues with Proposition 50 and anticipates several constitutional challenges if the measure passes.)

Meanwhile, Steve Hilton, a GOP candidate for governor who was polling second behind Democrat Katie Porter before Porters embarrassing viral spat with a local CBS reporter, has filed suit against several officials involved in getting Prop 50 placed on the ballot. In early October, he asked for a preliminary injunction to try to halt the ballot initiative before the election concludes. U.S. District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato set the hearing for Nov. 6, two days after the election wraps up, although Californias all-mail-in system may delay ballot-counting past that date.

In Democrat-controlled California, Rankin knows she cant rely on the courts as a backstop and must fight the ballot initiative with as big a funding arsenal as she can muster. Some Republicans across the state have privately griped about the California GOPs decision to charge $30 per "No on Prop 50" yard sign as a way to raise some additional cash. But the real concern among the party faithful is a dearth of outreach to the GOP base so far - something Rankin vows to quickly change with a new infusion of cash from Republicans back in Washington.

Reliable Republicans who regularly turn out for elections havent been the primary focus for many groups opposed to Prop 50, including the Munger-funded Protect Voters First, which has reportedly aimed its messaging at the persuadables - independents and ambivalent Democrats. Stop Sacramentos Power Grab, a group run by former California GOP Chair Jessica Millan Patterson, has also said its trying to drill down on "who we can persuade," arguing that extreme gerrymandering is not a partisan but a good-government issue.

Rankin acknowledges that her new job has switched into high gear much faster than she anticipated, but says shes up for the challenge.

"Its unprecedented for any brand-new [party] chair to have this major proposition come within the first six months of their chairmanship," she said. "But I believe were ready for it."

Within her first weeks on the job, the Republicans across the state successfully beat back an effort by Democrats to exclude older teenagers from an existing law that increases penalties on people who solicit minors for sex. Ultimately, Newsom sided with Republicans on the issue, but only after the California GOP engaged in an aggressive and unprecedented social media campaign.

"We were able to do that right out of the gate, and we saw a lot of success in that," Rankin said. "So, when Proposition 50 came along, we decided to use that same playbook."

With voters receiving their mail-in ballots this week, Rankin is focused on waging a voter education and outreach battle. The party, she said, is committed to responding to a well-financed television and digital ad onslaught in favor of Prop 50 with her own October blitz of digital, direct mail, and expanded field work. Party officials also said they plan to provide extensive in-person canvassing, phone banking drives, and text messaging.

Meanwhile, county GOP initiatives are micro-targeting voters they need to turn out in order to win. Thirty-seven out of 58 of the states county sheriffs, including those from Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, last week announced they would oppose Prop 50. In addition, numerous GOP-controlled city councils across the state are locking arms to pass resolutions opposing Newsoms gerrymandering plan.

Over the last week, the Congressional Leadership Fund helped the California GOP cause by donating $5 million to further those efforts, and House Speaker Mike Johnsons American Renewal Leadership PAC contributed another $869,000 on Thursday. The funding follows Rankins commitment to spend up to $500,000 in existing party funds for targeted digital video ads.

The California Republican Party has rolled out a different video each day for the last two weeks on X.com starring Rankin; former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who chairs the partys fundraising efforts; and former Congresswoman Michelle Steel, who narrowly lost her seat to Derek Tran in Orange County last year.

"Californians have already voted twice to keep redistricting with the people, not Sacramento insiders," Rankin said. "Prop 50 tried to take that back. Its a power grab, plain and simple. It says one thing and does another. Our October blitz is about cutting through the noise with daily videos and targeted outreach, so voters get the facts and vote no."

A spate of recent polls indicates that supporters of Proposition 50 are gaining ground. In mid-August, a Politico-Citrin-Center-Possibility Lab survey found that just 36% of respondents backed returning congressional redistricting authority to California lawmakers. But early this week, a survey from the firm co/efficient found that a majority of California voters now back Proposition 50.

But the poll showed some serious cracks in the idea of re-politicizing the map-making process. Only 12% said they trust the legislature most to redistrict while 35% said they trust the existing commission the most.

Opponents of Prop 50 also point to the same polls findings that 49% of California voters have yet to commit to a "yes" or "no" position on the initiative, underscoring the importance of late voter contact.

Thats a bit of good news for nervous Republicans worried that the opposition message has yet to penetrate while voters are getting hit with a barrage of union and Soros-funded ads.

"The California Republican Party is putting these dollars to work where they matter most: persuading undecided voters and turning out our supporters," said Shawn Steel, chairman of the partys Redistricting Committee, who has helped lead the recent fundraising push. "This October blitz is about clarity and reach. Californians deserve a clear explanation of what Prop. 50 would do to their voice in government, and theyre going to hear it from us, one conversation, one ad, and one door knock at a time."

For Rankin, the crux of the issue is Democrats willingness to throw out the citizen-led redistricting commission and California constitutional law preventing the redrawing of congressional lines mid-decade just to oppose Trump at the national level.

"California voters overwhelmingly voted in 2010 for an independent, citizen-led redistricting commission to redraw the maps every 10 years, following the census," Rankin said. "And when we start giving up our constitutional laws and protections, they start falling by the wayside, little by little."

"You give up one, then youre asked to give up another, and then another and another," Rankin added. "I stand firmly in the belief that weve earned every single one of our constitutional laws and rights, and we should be fighting to protect every one of them."

Rankin also pointed out Democrats selective citing of the Voting Rights Act, making minority-rights arguments to oppose gerrymandering efforts in Texas while ignoring those same principles in Californiasdrive.

"You can't say, I respect your rights, but Im going to take them away temporarily. But don't worry, youre going to get them back later," Rankin asserted. "Thats not the way it works. Its blatant hypocrisy."

Susan Crabtree is RealClearPolitics' national political correspondent.
A powerful explosion that ripped through a military explosives facility in Tennessee left no survivors, officials said.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed 16 victims in the blast at a news conference on Saturday night, saying he has contacted all their family members after authorities discovered two of the initially missing people were found alive and not on site at the time of the incident.

"We've recovered no survivors," Davis said.

Davis also said he did not yet have details on the identities of the victims as of Saturday night. The sheriff said earlier in the day that teams will enter to start conducting a rapid DNA search to identify the victims. There were no updates regarding injuries.

The explosion took place at Accurate Energetic Systems, a military explosives plant, around 7:45 a.m. CT on Friday morning, according to Davis. The blast occurred in one of the eight buildings on the campus. Video from the scene showed damaged vehicles and charred debris scattered around the area.

Earlier officials said 19 people were missing, but revised the number on Saturday, saying a person who was initially believed to be on site was located safely at home. Another person was also later found to not have been there at the time of the explosion, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said.

CBS affiliate WTVF-TV in Nashville broadcast video of debris strewn about the site, with damaged vehicles in a parking lot.

Smoke fills the air as debris covers the ground and vehicles after a powerful blast ripped through a military explosives manufacturing plant in Hickman County, Tenn., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. / Credit: WTVF-TV via AP

"I'm not gonna lie to you," Davis said. "This is probably one of the most devastating scenes that I've ever seen in my career."

When asked to describe the affected building, Davis said: "There's nothing to describe. It's gone."

The Associated Press reported that the blast rattled homes miles away. Gentry Stover, a nearby resident, told AP that it woke him up.

"I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it," he said in a phone interview. "I live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that."

What caused the explosion in Tennessee?

The cause of the explosion was not yet known, and the investigation could take days, the sheriff said.

Agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were on site, Davis said. The Metro Nashville Police Department Bomb Squad also said it was responding to help process the scene. Davis said he expected crews to remain on the site for several days.

Sources close to the investigation told CBS News on Saturday morning that investigators are back assessing the site of the blast. The area "appears to be much more unstable than they thought," which is slowing down the process, and there are some small fires still smoldering around the building, sources said.

Davis warned there could be continued small explosions at the site. Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart told The Associated Press that emergency crews initially couldn't enter the plant because of continuing detonations. Sources said several small "controlled" explosions will likely occur throughout the day.

Agencies are using multiple methods to find and identify missing people; the FBI is using cell phone analysis to determine if the cell phone of someone who was reported missing was at or near the building at the time of the blast, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will use rapid DNA testing to identify any victims that are found.

On Friday, October 10, an explosion was reported at a Tennessee explosives manufacturer in Hickman County.



The explosion took place at the Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area. pic.twitter.com/B7MA2VJgyR  NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) October 10, 2025

On Friday, October 10, an explosion was reported at a Tennessee explosives manufacturer in Hickman County.



The explosion took place at the Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area. pic.twitter.com/B7MA2VJgyR  NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) October 10, 2025

What is Accurate Energetic Systems?

Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in the development, manufacture, handling and storage of products and explosives for military, aerospace and commercial demolition markets, according to their website. The company also tests those explosives on the 1,300-acre campus.

AES has been awarded numerous military contracts primarily from the U.S. Army and Navy, according to public records reviewed by The Associated Press, and produced items including bulk explosives, small breaching charges and landmines. Officials at the Pentagon told AP they were aware of the explosion and were looking into the situation.

AES was cited and fined $7,200 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2019, online records show. There were three violations recorded. One violation described as being related to sanitation is listed as "serious." The other two violations are categorized as "other."

The company is cooperating with law enforcement in relation to the explosion, Davis said.

The facility is on the border of Hickman and Humphreys counties, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville.

The state's emergency operations center in Nashville has been activated to Level 4Elevated to support local requests, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said. People can call a missing persons hotline at 1-800-TBI-FIND/1-800-824-3463.

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FILE PHOTO: A staff uploads packages on Delta Air Lines plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York City, U.S., April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico challenged a Trump administration decision ordering them to unwind a joint venture by January 1 that let the carriers coordinate scheduling, pricing and capacity decisions for U.S.Mexico flights.

The companies filed a legal challenge to the U.S. Transportation Department decision last month in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that was made public Friday. The department ordered an end to the nearly nine-year-old joint venture as part of a number of actions aimed at Mexican aviation, citing competition concerns.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane Craft)
Washington  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced a finalized agreement that will allow the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

The agreement, which Hegseth announced alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon, will allow Qatari pilots to receive training alongside U.S. soldiers. There are no foreign military bases in the U.S., but some foreign militaries do maintain a presence for training. The Singaporean Air Force also has a presence at the Mountain Home base.

Hegseth said he is "proud that today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho."

"The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15's and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability, it's just another example of our partnership," Hegseth said. "And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us."

Later Friday, Hegseth clarified that Qatar would not have its own base in the U.S., writing on X: "The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including today's announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, Qatar will not have their own base in the United States-nor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners."

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 10, 2025. / Credit: Ken Cedeno / REUTERS

The move is another demonstration of the Trump administration's increasingly close relationship with Qatar.

President Trump signed an executive order last month "assuring the security of the state of Qatar," following Israel's decision to carry out a military strike in Qatar's capital city of Doha, where the vast majority of Qataris live. "The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States," the executive order reads.

Qatar also played a "substantial" role in the Israel-Hamas peace deal, as Hegseth said Friday and as other top administration officials have acknowledged.

Mr. Trump's decision to an accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jetliner from Qatar to use as a presidential plane also stirred up debate about ethical and national security-related concerns. When finished, the plane will be used as Air Force One.

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Two former secretaries of state, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, on Friday praised the Trump administration's success in reaching a Middle East peace deal. Both of the former top U.S. diplomats are still cautiously watching to see how the early phases play out but expressed some optimism about its prospects.

Clinton and Rice joined CBS News for an interview with CBS News senior correspondent Norah O'Donnell on Friday to discuss the Israel-Hamas peace plan brokered by President Trump as the first stage of the deal takes shape.

The conversation took place two days after the signing of a landmark deal in which Hamas agreed to release all remaining hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel pledged to withdraw its military from parts of the Gaza Strip. Mr. Trump has called the deal the "first phase" of a comprehensive 20-point plan to end the two-year-long Israel-Hamas war. The president plans to travel to the Middle East as soon as this weekend, and said he hopes to be present for the return of the hostages.

"I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what's often called the day after," Clinton told O'Donnell.

O'Donnell asked Rice if she is confident this is the end of the war.

"No one can be completely confident, given the history of the Middle East," Rice replied, but she added that there are good reasons to be optimistic.

Rice and Clinton both said the Israelis and Palestinians must first get through this first phase of the deal  and that still isn't certain.

"That's not self-evident," Clinton said. It's going to take a lot of work. It's going to take a lot of coordination."

One of the difficulties in achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East is getting various parties on board, but the fact that there's a broader coalition of Middle Eastern states involved in this agreement is a good sign, Rice said.

"The one piece that I'm most concerned about is, how do you get from a kind of transitional authority of some kind, a truly representative Palestinian authority?" Rice asked. "The Palestinian authority, which controls the West Bank, lost control of Gaza after 2006, has not really been reformed in a long time. And it needs reform. It needs younger blood."

Clinton called Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar's capital of Doha in September "ill advised" and a "strategic error" that gave Mr. Trump's negotiators an opening.

"That provided an opening for both President Trump and his representatives to marshal all of the regional powers, including, of course, Qatar, but also to make it clear to Israel, 'No, this is now enough. We cannot continue this. This conflict needs to end, and we've got to move on.'"

Clinton said of U.S. negotiators, "They took advantage of an opening that was available and were able to be successful."

Rice suggested a two-state solution isn't likely to be feasible right now, but she said there are things the Palestinians can do to prepare for a future state. Palestinians are going to need to insist on reforms themselves, she said.

"They've got to start to recognize that Israel is going to exist, and it's going to be a part of this Middle East," Rice said. "And that means, change the lessons that you teach your kids about the state of Israel. Stop putting up maps that (say) the state of Israel doesn't exist. Don't create another generation of Palestinians who believe that somehow the resistance is the way to peace and security."

Clinton said the Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank that has been encouraged by the Israeli government "has to cease."

Clinton said the work of rebuilding Gaza will be arduous, laborious and intensive, and she called on the U.S. and international community to commit together to bring peace to the Middle East.

"Let's now support this process and bring it together, not just in a nonpartisan way in our own country, but literally internationally as a great global commitment to try to bring peace, security, stability and a better future to the Middle East," Clinton said.

The deal is expected to allow dozens of hostages to return to their families on Monday or Tuesday, ending a two-year ordeal that began with Hamas' attack on southern Israel. It would also offer a reprieve to millions of residents of the Gaza Strip who have faced an intense and nearly uninterrupted two-year bombardment and ground invasion by Israel's military.

Some questions remain, however. Mr. Trump's 20-point peace plan calls for Israel to withdraw from much of the Gaza Strip in phases, but the exact cadence of those withdrawals isn't clear. It also calls for control of Gaza to be handed over to a still-unformed "technocratic" committee that does not include Hamas and  at least for now  also leaves out the Palestinian Authority. The deal recognizes an independent Palestinian state as "the aspiration of the Palestinian people," but it's unclear if or when discussions on statehood could take place.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has vexed every U.S. administration in recent history  including the two that Friday's guests worked in. Clinton pressed for a two-state solution  but Obama struggled with a chilly relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a period that also saw two smaller wars in Gaza. Rice also championed a two-state solution and made extensive efforts in the last years of the Bush administration to help negotiate peace.

But in part because Ohlmert and Abbas were each short on the political support necessary to make a lasting deal, the conflict continued. One common critique of past administrations is that they have not made sufficient use of U.S. leverage over Israel, to pressure it to make concessions. Pressure on the Netanyahu government from President Trump appears to have been a critical factor in bringing about this peace deal now.

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Watch: Clinton, Rice on a two-state solution as Trump's Gaza peace plan rolls out

Watch: Clinton, Rice on Hamas giving up control in Gaza and surrendering arms
Jared Kushner walks into the State Dining Room of the White House on September 29, ahead of a joint press conference by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. - Evan Vucci/AP/File

As President Donald Trump was predicting this week that peace could be imminent in Gaza, he pointed to the man he dispatched to seal the deal as a source for his optimism.

I have Jared, he said. Find anybody more capable. And we have the A-plus team working on it.

Jared, of course, is Jared Kushner: presidential son-in-law, onetime senior adviser and, this week, envoy to peace talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where  alongside Trumps current Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff  he helped finalize an arrangement that would see all hostages released from Gaza and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Trump spent hours on the phone with Kushner and Witkoff this week, both before and after he announced the deal had been reached, US officials said. From Egypt, the two men traveled to Israel, where they presented the plan to Israels Cabinet on Thursday evening before the body eventually approved it. The two men got a combined five hours of sleep from the time they left the United States, one senior US official said.

As the talks were getting underway on Wednesday, video from the Red Sea resort showed a grinning Kushner  clad in a navy blue suit, open-necked white shirt and black aviator sunglasses  emerging from a black SUV with Witkoff and heading into the talks.

It wasnt until that evening that the negotiators arrived at what the senior official called very serious breakthroughs on the outstanding issues.

Plenty of details remain outstanding, including whether Hamas will disarm and what future governance of Gaza will look like. Kushner is expected to continue playing a very active role in the next phases of the negotiations, another White House official told CNN.

Theres still, you know, just a lot of ways that this can go wrong, another senior US official said Thursday evening in a phone call with reporters. So were staying on top of the details to make sure everyone fulfills their obligations and that any misunderstandings are quickly discussed and adjudicated, and we really want to make sure that we get to the withdrawal, we get to the cease fire, and then we get to a place where the hostages can return home, the exchange is done, and then well go into the next phase, which is figuring out what comes next in Gaza.

We have a lot of concepts and ideas that weve been trying to get developed for a long time that now well have to get operationalized and hopefully done. So this is a very delicate time, the official said.

On Thursday, administration officials and Trump allies praised Kushner and Witkoff for getting the first phase of the deal across the finish line. One ally told CNN that Kushner was responsible for making many of the negotiators and leaders from Arab countries feel more comfortable with the negotiation process, given his close relationships in the region.

I put Jared there because hes a very smart person, and he knows the region, knows the people, knows a lot of the players, Trump said during a Cabinet meeting.

Before they left for Egypt, Witkoff and Kushner privately said they would not leave the region until they had an agreement to release hostages and end the war, a senior US official told CNN. Sources said the negotiating teams on the ground operated on very little sleep, sitting through hours of discussions and meetings to bridge final differences in the agreement.

Now, Trump is preparing to join his son-in-law and envoy in the region. He said he could travel within days to celebrate the agreement.

Business and diplomatic interests in Middle East

For Kushner, the envoy role represents a return to public global diplomacy after declining to take a formal role in Trumps second administration. For months, he has operated mostly behind the scenes to informally advise administration officials on Middle East diplomacy and compile the 20-point plan that has emerged as the latest, best hope to resolve the conflict.

Kushners intention once the Gaza deal is finalized is to return to the same informal advising role he was carrying out in the first months of Trumps second term.

His involvement has not been without controversy. Following the presidents 2020 election loss, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, moved to Miami and largely exited politics. Kushner founded an investment fund, Affinity Partners, shortly after leaving Washington with major backing from sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf  some of the very monarchies who are now heavily invested in the ongoing peace efforts.

In a deal last month, Kushners firm teamed up with Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund and other partners for a $55 billion deal to take the video-game maker Electronic Arts private, the largest leveraged buyout in history.

Affinity has also raised billions in capital from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the latter of which has played a key mediating role in the ongoing efforts to end the Gaza war.

The set-up in many ways illustrates Trumps preferred way of doing business in his second term: Rely on longtime confidants, many of them wealthy, to execute his objectives, give them broad operational leeway and mostly gloss over the ethical questions raised by their complex finances.

Earlier this month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took umbrage when a reporter asked about Kushners parallel business and diplomatic dealings in the Middle East.

I think its frankly despicable that youre trying to suggest that its inappropriate for Jared Kushner, who is widely respected around the world and has great trust and relationships with these critical partners in these countries, to strike a 20-point comprehensive, detailed peace plan that no other administration would ever be able to achieve, she said. Jared is donating his energy and his time to our government, to the president of the United States, to secure world peace, and that is a very noble thing.

Kushner has told the president and Witkoff that he views securing a peace deal between Israel and Hamas as something that supersedes anything he has going on in the region, a White House official told CNN.

He has told me himself that the business stuff doesnt matter as long as theres a peace deal, the official said, arguing that Kushners role in the negotiations could impact some of his business ties.

A person close to Kushner said that the presidents son-in-law talks about legacy a lot.

Hell often say he wont be remembered for the business deals he made. He will be remembered for the peace deals, this person said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Jerusalem on Thursday. Seated next to Netanyahu is Ron Dermer, Netanyahus confidant and Minister for Strategic Affairs. - Israel Government Press Office

Hes never not been in the fold

Few inside the Trump administration are surprised at Kushners role in the current talks, given his continued influence with the president. Kushners father Charles, a real estate developer, is Trumps ambassador to France. A number of Trumps nominees read Kushners 2022 book detailing some of his experience in Trumps first term to understand the players and dynamics in the Middle East, sources said during the transition period last year.

Kushner and Witkoff  another real estate developer and longtime friend of Trumps  have maintained a close personal relationship for years, sources told CNN. The two have been in regular contact since the presidents transition after last Novembers election, often with Kushner offering advice to Witkoff on how to handle certain Arab leaders and relationships in the region.

They bounce ideas off each other, they give each other advice  that has been happening since the beginning of this administration, one White House official told CNN.

Witkoff has privately referred to Kushner as one of his rabbis when it comes to his efforts to drive a solution to the Gaza conflict, one source said.

He has never really been gone, said another source of Kushners engagement, noting frequent text exchanges with Witkoff throughout the last months and frequent meetings between the two men at the White House and in Miami.

White House officials told CNN there wasnt a specific point in the presidents second term when Kushner got heavily involved in the talks to end the war in the Middle East. Instead, they argued he has always played a critical role  albeit a quiet, more behind the scenes one  in negotiations.

Even on the campaign trail, Jared had a heavy presence. Hes never not been in the fold, particularly on matters related to the Middle East and the war, one of the officials said.

Kushner is among a small handful of people who speak on behalf of the president with the authority of the president of the United States, said David Schenker, who served as assistant secretary of state for Middle East issues during Trumps first term.

Jareds involvement was a positive indication of the administrations investment in this process, he told CNN.

Schenker noted that although they have reached a phase one deal, the second phase, the next 15 points or so of the plan, are really the challenging part, and what will require intensive, high-level engagement from Washington and pressure to push this through.

Jared is the administrations sort of Mighty Mouse on this, he said.

Kushner quietly began working with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair almost a year ago on developing a post-war plan for Gaza, building on a relationship between the two men going back to the first Trump administration, two sources said.

Blair and Kushner, who had met multiple times at the White House during the first Trump administration, spoke with regional players for input. They both attended an August meeting in the Oval Office with Trump to discuss the framework.

But it was the Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha on September 9 that jumpstarted the discussions that are unfolding this week, turning Witkoff and Kushners efforts into a collective push to create an overall plan to stop the fighting, bring home the hostages and work on day-after plans.

The Doha strike brought them together, with all of the American players saying it is time to end this, so lets do everything at once. It catalyzed everyone, a source familiar with the discussions said at the time.

As the new Trump-led framework gained traction, Kushner moved from the background of the discussions to the forefront. He was in the Oval Office in late September when Trump met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, standing behind top Trump administration officials a sofa as the Israeli leader placed an apology call to Qatars prime minister.

Later, he huddled with Netanyahu and his delegation to go over the framework point-by-point in the Cabinet Room. And after Netanyahu publicly agreed to the deal during a press conference, he walked alongside the prime minister and Trump down the West Wing Colonnade as they absorbed the moment.

Jared is a trusted voice on Middle East, as someone who played a major role in the Abraham Accords and he still has great relationships in the region, an official said, describing Kushners value to the mission and his regular communication with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on relations in the region, with both men valuing his input.

Personal relationships with Arab and Israeli leaders

Influential players in the region have also privately welcomed Kushners return to the diplomatic scene in an active way, multiple sources said. While officials in the Middle East predicted he would always be involved behind the scenes, many feel his involvement at the table now could drive real results.

Its extremely needed to have him in meetings because they listen to him, the Israelis. Its super needed, otherwise nothing will be done, said one regional diplomat, adding that Kushner also has personal relationships with the Arab leaders, which could result in effective pressure also being applied to Hamas.

During Trumps first term, Kushner became close enough with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the men communicated over text  to the occasional frustration of career national security officials, who were kept in the dark about the substance of the conversations.

On Trumps first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia in 2017, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were feted alongside the president at a series of ceremonies and events. Later, Kushner would travel on separate visits to the kingdom for discussions with the crown prince that stretched late into the night.

Kushner is also close to Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, who he has known since he was young. An anecdote emerged during Trumps first presidency that when he was a teenager, Kushner gave up his bedroom for a night so Netanyahu would have a place to sleep while visiting the Kushners home in New Jersey.

Kushner himself has not spoken extensively in public on the situation in Gaza, though comments he made during an interview at Harvard University in 2024 caused controversy when he cited the potential real estate value of the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Kushner said at the time.

Ultimately, it was a sentiment his father-in-law would come to echo during his first days in office this year, when he proposed seizing Gaza, razing the rubble left from the war and redeveloping the land into a glass-fronted Middle Eastern Riviera.

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FILE PHOTO: Heavy equipment works on a piece of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline lies north of Oyen, Alberta, Canada February 1, 2021. REUTERS/Todd Korol/File Photo

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Reviving the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. could play a part in tightening U.S.-Canada energy cooperation, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday.

Carney raised the idea during a Tuesday meeting in the Oval Office with U.S. President Donald Trump on defusing trade tensions, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

"We are looking for areas where the integration of our economies will be better for us both. We have opportunities in the energy sector - there are many possible projects, including Keystone XL, but there are others," he told a press conference.

The proposed pipeline was rejected by U.S. President Barack Obama's administration and revived by Trump during his first term. U.S. President Joe Biden revoked a key permit in 2021 and there is currently no proponent for the pipeline.

Reviving Keystone XL could help improve Carney's relations with the oil-producing province of Alberta, which says Ottawa is strangling the energy industry with such measures as a west coast tanker ban and a proposed cap on emissions.

Asked whether Ottawa could scrap those measures, Carney replied: "It depends".

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Mark Porter and Bill Berkrot)
Publix Super Markets in Florida now allow open carry of firearms, following a September court ruling that struck down the states ban.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed open carry is now legal statewide. However, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw warns gun owners to act responsibly, emphasizing that recklessness wont be tolerated.

While open carry is permitted, restrictions still apply in sensitive areas like schools and courthouses. Publix managers confirmed compliance with the law, but the grocery chain retains the right to ask armed individuals to leave.

What is Florida's open carry law? What you need to know

In Florida, "open carry" means legally carrying a firearm in public that is visible to others, often in a holster on the hip.

This practice became legal for the first time in the state on September 25, 2025, following a court ruling that overturned the previous ban on openly carrying firearms. It is a significant legal change from the previous practice, where concealed carry was only permitted with a license.

Is Florida's Publix the exception with open carry in stores?

Publix now allows open carry of guns by customers in stores.

People contacted by the Sentinel newspapers differed in their reactions to Publix's decisions.

Sheila Alu, a former city commissioner in the Broward County community of Sunrise, Sunrise commissioner, said she supports the Second Amendment but was concerned open carry at Publix would frighten people. Alu said she plans to stop shopping at stores allowing open carry.

A Fort Lauderdale private investigator told the newspaper she would feel safer shopping in stores or malls allowing open carry.

Thats assuming the person is a responsible gun owner, said the investigator, identified as Ana Campos. And if theres a problem, they will be there (to respond) before the police show up.

Winn-Dixie, Walmart and Sams Club say they plan to continue to prohibit open carry in Florida stores despite the recent ruling, the Sentinel also reported.

Where are you not allowed to carry a concealed weapon in Florida?

In Florida, you cannot conceal carry on school campuses, in courthouses, police and sheriff's offices, detention facilities, government buildings, at government meetings, and in bars where alcohol sales constitute over 50% of revenue. Private businesses can also ban concealed carry on their property by posting signs indicating this prohibition.

Restricted Locations:

Schools and Educational Institutions: This includes K-12 schools and college and university campuses.

Government Buildings and Meetings: Firearms are prohibited in government buildings and at government meetings.

Courthouses and Police Facilities: You cannot carry a firearm in courthouses, police stations, sheriff's offices, or detention facilities.

Bars: Bars that derive more than 50% of their revenue from alcohol sales are off-limits.

Polling Places: Locations where voting takes place are prohibited.

Hospitals: While generally permitted, hospitals may post signs to prohibit concealed carry.

State Park Walkways and Trails: You cannot operate a firearm on these state-administered areas, though you may be able to carry it concealed if you have a permit.

What do you think about this change? Take a poll and share your opinion on Floridas new open carry policy at Publix.

Francesca Abarca is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at fabarca@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Publix open carry, take poll on gun policy in grocery stores
Displaced Palestinians walk along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip, moving toward northern Gaza, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza were starting to walk north to return to their homes Friday, after the Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time and that its soldiers were withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines. Palestinians had reported heavy shelling Friday morning in northern Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said early Friday that his Cabinet approved U.S. President Donald Trumps plan for a ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and of many Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those releases are expected to begin Sunday or Monday.

Although the broader ceasefire plan leaves many questions unanswered, including whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza, the pause in fighting marks a key step toward ending the devastating two-year war and will allow more food, medicine and other aid into Gaza.

Here's the latest:

Hamas presses mediators after Israel refuses to free key Palestinian prisoners

A senior Hamas official said Friday that the group was in contact with mediators about several Palestinian leaders who Israel has refused to free under the U.S.-brokered deal, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.

The movement (Hamas) is insisting on their release and negotiations are still ongoing, Mousa Abu Marzouk told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV network.

He said Israel turned down several other proposed names. When asked if those included Abdullah Barghouti, Hassan Salama, Ibrahim Hamed and Abbas al-Sayyed, he replied, Yes. These are the most prominent names that the occupation always rejects.

Marwan Barghouti, 66, is widely popular and considered a potentially unifying Palestinian political figure. Hes serving five life sentences in an Israeli jail.

UN wants Israel to open more border crossings for aid into Gaza

As the U.N. prepares for resumption of aid to Gaza this weekend, officials said Friday that they need Israeli officials to open additional border crossings, provide safe movement for aid workers and civilians who are returning to parts of the strip that had just recently been under heavy firing.

Stephane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesperson, told reporters that humanitarian partners have already begun to deploy an ambulance as well as fuel, medical items and other critical items through the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they also offloaded incoming supplies to replenish stocks. He added that the ceasefire announcement has generated a new hope for relief at last.

U.N. officials and Israeli authorities have been engaging in a series of discussions and negotiations in Jerusalem over the last 24 hours about the volume of aid humanitarians can bring in and through which entry points.

The International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and his former defense minister for allegedly using starvation as a method of war.

UN official says scaled-up aid deliveries to Gaza will begin Sunday

A U.N. official says Israel has given the green light for United Nations authorities to begin delivering aid into Gaza starting Sunday.

The official was granted anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The aid will include the 170,000 metric tons that have already been positioned in the pipeline in neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt as humanitarian officials awaited permission from Israeli forces to restart their work.

In recent months, the U.N. and its humanitarian partners have only been able to deliver 20% of the aid needed to address the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, according to U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.

Following the announcement Wednesday of a ceasefire deal, he said Thursday that all entry points to Gaza must be opened to deliver aid at a much, much greater scale.

By Farnoush Amiri

France, U.K. and Germany praise Trumps leadership on ceasefire

In a joint statement Friday, the leaders of France, Germany and the U.K. paid tribute to President Donald Trumps leadership on the ceasefire plan, the planned release of hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

They also praised the diplomatic efforts of the mediators, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

It is now of utmost importance that all parties implement their obligations in full and without delay, the statement said. The countries added that the U.N. Security Council should give its full backing to the plan and support its implementation.

Putin praises Trump for helping broker ceasefire plan

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised U.S. President Donald Trump for helping broker a ceasefire deal for Gaza and said that Russia stands ready to help implement it.

Putin said that if the agreement is successfully implemented, it would mark a major achievement and a historic event.

He noted that Russia has close ties with the Palestinian authority and could help carry out the deal if asked.

Bearing in mind the level of trust that exists between Russia and our Arab friends, and especially Palestinian friends, of course, I believe our participation could be in demand, Putin told reporters on a trip to Tajikistan.

Putin noted that he decided to postpone a Russia-Arab summit in Moscow that had been scheduled for Oct. 15 in order not to interfere with the process that has been initiated by President Trump.

Netanyahu says Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, has tweeted that Trump deserves it.

The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen. The facts speak for themselves. President #Trump deserves it, he wrote on X on Friday.

Trump was passed over for the prestigious award on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and  most vocally  himself.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the prize.

Family of hostage believed dead hopes his body will be returned for burial

A relative of one of the Israeli hostages believed to have died in captivity says the family hopes his body will be returned for burial as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, even as the pain and disappointment of the past two years temper their optimism.

Stephen Brisleys brother, Yossi, is believed to have died in an airstrike in January 2024. His sister, Lianne Sharabi, and her two teenage daughters were killed when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Its a measured sense of hope in all hostage families, Brisley told The Associated Press from his home in South Wales.

Its a guarded optimism because its the kind of optimism thats born out of heartbreaking experience. We hold our hope lightly because weve had our hopes dashed before, he said. It still feels like a long way between the announcement of the deal and actually getting Yossis body back to bury him.

Trump envoy says clock is ticking to hostage release

Steve Witkoff, Trumps top negotiator on the Gaza conflict, said the U.S. military confirmed that Israeli soldiers have pulled back as part of the ceasefire agreement on Friday.

The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun, Witkoff wrote on social media at 7 a.m. ET.

Turkeys Erdogan warns Israel against renewed violence in Gaza

Speaking at a rally in northern Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a return to conflict would come at a very high cost.

We are well aware of Israels poor track record when it comes to keeping its promises. They have broken their commitments using flimsy excuses and, unfortunately, betrayed the agreements they signed, Erdogan told the crowd. Returning to an environment of genocide would come at a very high cost.

Turkey has frequently accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel denies.

Erdogan stressed the importance of swiftly getting humanitarian aid to Gaza, adding that Turkish ships were docked at a port in Egypt, waiting to deliver aid.

Red Cross says hostage and prisoner release will be a huge challenge

In an interview with the AP, the International Committee of the Red Cross says the expected hostage and prisoner release will be more challenging than previous ones given the scale and speed of the operation.

Christian Cardon, chief spokesman for the ICRC, said Friday that while the group is expected to play a role as hostages are released from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israel, it has not been given details in terms of when, how or where the releases would occur.

Our colleagues are preparing themselves for all possible scenarios, said Cardon.

He said that the terms of the deal, which call for the hostages to be released from Gaza within 72 hours, was an extremely tight time frame.

The ICRC was involved in prisoner and hostage releases in the two previous ceasefires during the war.

Palestinians who left Gaza will be able to go home, official says

Palestinians who previously left Gaza will be able to return for the first time, according to an Israeli security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Palestinians from Gaza who left the besieged Gaza Strip during the war or before the war started will be able to return to Gaza after undergoing security checks from Israel and Egypt. The official did not provide details on when Palestinians hoping to return to Gaza can begin to do so.

The measure is part of humanitarian policies that will be implemented as part of the ceasefire, the official said. Israel will revert to the same humanitarian measures that were in place during the previous ceasefire in January 2025, which include the entry of 600 trucks per day of humanitarian aid carrying food, medical supplies, shelter, cooking gas and fuel for essential services.

Italian police will resume patrolling Rafah border crossing next week

Italys Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday that Italian police will resume patrolling the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt next week, under the ceasefire plan agreed between Israel and Hamas.

In compliance with the Trump agreement, the Rafah Crossing Point will be opened in two directions alternately, outbound to Egypt and inbound to Gaza, on Oct. 14, 2025, Crosetto said in a statement.

The Italian minister added that Israel is working to restore the crossings infrastructure as quickly as possible.

Crosetto also said about 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza from other crossings every day.

Netanyahu says Israel will achieve central goal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is about to achieve one of its central goals in the two-year war  the return of the hostages.

Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck  and it is still on its neck, Netanyahu said on Friday. Hamas agreed to the deal after Trumps plan, which I agreed to with the President in Washington.

I promised the families of the hostages, and I also promised you, citizens of Israel, that we will return everyone, without exception. We promised and we are fulfilling it, he said.

Under the ceasefire plan agreed with Hamas, all 48 hostages still in captivity are expected to be released. Israel believes around 20 of them are alive.

Netanyahu added that Israel would continue with its demilitarization of Hamas after the return of the hostages.

Israel publishes list of Palestinian prisoners to be released under ceasefire plan

Under the ceasefire deal, Israeli troops are withdrawing to new positions in Gaza  a process already underway  and all 48 hostages still in captivity are expected to be released. Israel believes around 20 of them are alive.

In exchange, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. A list of those prisoners published Friday by Israel did not include high-profile prisoner Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian leader who has spend more than two decades imprisoned for deadly attacks.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians begin walking to northern Gaza

Large crowds of people who had gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza in the morning started walking north after the militarys announcement that a ceasefire had taken effect at noon local time.

Earlier, Palestinians reported heavy shelling in parts of Gaza throughout Friday morning.

We want to go back, said Fayez AlMajdoub, who was displaced from northern Gaza. "I want to go and make sure my home is still there. Thats what I want to know.

Israeli army spokesman says movement to northern Gaza is now allowed

The spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said that Palestinians can now return to northern Gaza by two roads, though he warned against approaching areas in northern Gaza including Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, Al-Shujaiyya, and areas where troops are still present.

Elsewhere in southern Gaza, Adraee warned Palestinians against approaching the Rafah crossing the philadelphi corridor and all areas where troops are present in Khan Younis.

He spoke Friday as the Israeli military said the ceasefire with Hamas has taken effect.

Shelling had continued in Gaza earlier Friday

Earlier Friday morning, Gaza residents reported intensified shelling after Israels Cabinet approved the ceasefire plan.

In central Gazas Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Sharkawy, one of the many people sheltering there after being displaced from Gaza City, said artillery shelling intensified in the early hours.

The shelling has significantly increased today, said Sharkawy, adding that low flying military aircraft had been flying over central Gaza.

In northern Gaza, two Gaza City residents told The Associated Press that bombing went on in the early hours, mostly artillery shelling.

The managing director of Shifa hospital, Rami Mhanna, said the shelling in southern and northern Gaza City had not stopped following the Israeli Cabinets approval of the ceasefire plan.

US to send about 200 troops to Israel to monitor Gaza ceasefire deal

The troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that were not authorized for release, said U.S. Central Command is going to establish a civil-military coordination center in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory.
A model of oil pump jack stands next to a logo of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec, at the company's booth at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, China, September 11, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

By Chen Aizhu, Trixie Yap and Siyi Liu

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -The latest U.S. sanctions on Iranian petroleum exports deal a blow to Chinese refining giant Sinopec by targeting a terminal through which the state major handles one-fifth of its crude oil imports, industry executives and analysts said.

The sanctions announced on Thursday further complicate U.S.-China relations, coming ahead of planned talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month.

The move follows China's decision to tighten controls on rare earth exports and reflects Washington's continued efforts to restrict Irans oil trade with its largest customer.

Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co. Ltd, half-owned by a Sinopec logistics unit, was among the entities listed by the U.S. Treasury in a round of sanctions that also includes ships transporting Iranian crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas, as well as an independent Chinese refinery.

Rizhao Shihua terminal, in the Shandong province city of Lanshan, was designated for receiving Iranian oil on board sanctioned vessels, the U.S. said.

KEY CRUDE HUB UNDER SCRUTINY

The terminal, which runs three berths that can service VLCCs, very large crude carriers, is 50%-owned by Sinopec Kantons Holding, a Sinopec-controlled logistics operator, while the remainder is held by local-government-backed Shandong Port Group's Rizhao Port, according to Chinese business portal Qichacha.

The majority of crude oil passing through the terminal is handled by Sinopec, according to tanker tracker Vortexa and two industry executives familiar with the port.

Sinopec has steered clear of buying Iranian oil, traders and analysts have said.

A Sinopec spokesperson did not immediately comment.

Calls to Shandong Port Group and Rizhao Port went unanswered and Sinopec Kantons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest measures bring to five the number of sanctioned oil import terminals in the refining hub of Shandong, accounting for half of the province's capacity to handle VLCCs that carry 2 million barrels of oil each.

VESSELS MAY SEEK ALTERNATIVE PORTS

Shandong, where independent Chinese refiners are clustered, is the largest destination for oil shipments from sanctions-hit Iran, Venezuela and Russia.

"Compared to the previous round of sanctions on Chinese terminals, the impact could be larger," said Samuel Kong, senior analyst at FGE, which estimates that only 10-20% of the oil imported at Rizhao is from sanctioned sources.

"In the near term, we could see disruptions to discharges around Rizhao, and vessels carrying non-sanctioned barrels might seek alternative ports in Shandong to unload their cargoes."

Spot VLCC freight rates for the Mideast-China route gained 3% on Friday, several shipping sources said, buoyed by concerns of congestion or discharge delays resulting from sanctions.

Last year, Sinopec imported about 804,000 barrels per day via the Rizhao Shihua terminal, 20% of its total imports, according to Vortexa and one of the industry executives.

To avoid using the terminal, Sinopec would be forced to re-direct shipments to other facilities to supply at least two major subsidiary refineries, Sinopec Luoyang Petrochemical in Henan province and Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical in Jiangsu province. Both plants are connected to the Rizhao terminal via pipelines, the two executives said.

These two plants have a combined crude processing capacity of 420,000 bpd. Rizhao terminal indirectly serves several smaller Sinopec refineries along the Yangtze River via pipelines, said a third industry official familiar with Sinopec's refining system.

As a workaround, Sinopec may ramp up imports at Ningbo or Qingdao port, or raise throughput at other nearby plants to compensate for possible production cuts at Luoyang and Yangzi, said a second executive, who is close to Sinopec.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu, Trixie Yap and Siyi Liu; Additional reporting by Sam Li in Beijing; Editing by Tony Munroe and Louise Heavens)
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The bad blood between President Donald Trump and New York Attorney General Letitia James, which has led to Thursday's federal indictment, has been building for seven years after the New York Democrat called out the president and successfully litigated him.

James made Trump and his policies the forefront of her 2018 campaign for the attorney general seat.

"I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president," James said in a video after winning the Democratic primary that year.

Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images - PHOTO: New York State's recently elected Attorney General Letitia James takes the oath of office and attends her and Governor Cuomo's inauguration, Jan. 1, 2019, on Ellis Island in New York.

After winning the election, James told her supporters that as attorney general, she would "be shining a bright light into every dark corner of [Trump] real estate dealings, and every dealing, demanding truthfulness at every turn."

New York AG Letitia James indicted for alleged fraud following pressure from Trump

Trump pushed back in interviews and tweets, accusing the attorney general of bias.

"It is very hard and expensive to live in New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes. They sue on everything, always in search of a crime," Trump tweeted in 2019.

James slammed the president on the social media site.

"Make no mistake: No one is above the law, not even the President. P.S. My name is Letitia James. (You can call me Tish.)," she posted on Twitter.

In March 2019, the New York AG's office, which had already challenged the administration on a number of its policies, including the travel ban, began to probe the Trump Organization into alleged fraud.

James' office probed allegations that the organization inflated the former president's net worth by billions of dollars and cheated lenders and others with false and misleading financial statements.

Trump and his business officials did not cooperate with subpoenas and other court orders over the three years that the probe took place. Eventually, the then-former president gave a deposition in August 2022, but repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.

A month later, James filed a civil lawsuit against Trump, his three adult children and former president, the Trump Organization, and two of its executives, Allan Weisselberg and Jeff McConney.

Seth Wenig/Pool/Getty Images - PHOTO: Attorney General Letitia James sits in the courtroom during the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump at New York Supreme Court, Jan. 11, 2024, in New York.

Trump, who pleaded not guilty, repeatedly denied the allegations and accused James, who is Black, of being racist.

The case went to trial in October 2023 and lasted into January.

On Feb. 16, 2024, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled, "In order to borrow more and at lower rates, defendants submitted blatantly false financial data to the accountants, resulting in fraudulent financial statements."

Here's a list of the individuals, including Letitia James, targeted so far by the Trump administration

Engoron temporarily barred Trump and his sons from leading New York-based companies and ordered Trump to pay a fine of more than $454 million. That number increased to around half a billion dollars based on interest accrued on the judgment.

Trump blasted the judge and James after the ruling.

"A crooked New State judge just ruled I need to pay a fine," he said.

James, however, touted her office's meticulous investigation.

"The scale and scope of Donald Trump's fraud is staggering -- and so, too, is his ego and his belief that the rules don't apply to him," she said.

Trump appealed the decision and even requested that James drop the case after the election, but the New York attorney general refused.

After the ruling, Trump continued to rail against James during the campaign trail and once being elected into office, repeated his claims that she was crooked and her case against him was biased.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images | Leon Neal/Getty Images - PHOTO: Attorney General of New York Letitia James speaks onstage during the 39th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 20, 2025, in New York. President Donald Trump attends a press conference, Sept. 18, 2025, in Aylesbury, England.

In August, a New York appeals court upheld Trump's liability; however, it voided the penalty as excessive. James said she intended to appeal the ruling.

Trump ramped up his attacks on James and in April, Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent the DOJ a criminal referral about James over a mortgage application.

The referral alleged James committed fraud in 2023 during a home purchase by falsely indicating the property would be her primary residence. The New York Attorney General's office accused the administration of "weaponizing the federal government."

"She will not be intimidated by bullies -- no matter who they are," the office said in a statement in April.

"It looks to me like [James] is very guilty of something, but I really don't know," Trump told reporters last month.

Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington.

The investigation, however, has run into controversy.

Erik Siebert, the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, had expressed doubts internally about bringing cases against James and former FBI Director James Comey, sources told ABC News.

Following a five-month investigation and interviews with more than a dozen witnesses, federal prosecutors uncovered no clear evidence against James, sources told ABC News.

Siebert resigned last month, following pressure from the administration. Trump replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, one of Trump's former personal attorneys who has no prosecutorial experience, as the acting head of the EDVA.

James continued to speak out against the president after she was charged, calling the charges "baseless."

"This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General," she said in a statement Thursday.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills delivers her State of the State address at the State House in Augusta, Maine, on January 30, 2024. - Robert F. Bukaty/AP/File

Maine Gov. Janet Mills is expected to announce her bid for US Senate on Tuesday, becoming the most high-profile Democrat to date to enter the race to challenge GOP Sen. Susan Collins, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The announcement date, the source cautioned, could shift due to the ongoing government shutdown.

Mills, a two-term governor and former attorney general, is a major recruit for Democrats looking for a seasoned opponent to take on the five-term incumbent. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke with her earlier this year about running.

But Mills is joining a crowded field of political novices, some of whom have vowed to stay in the race whether she ran or not. The Democratic primary will test how strongly voters in the state value experience over generational change.

Mills top opponents  oysterman Graham Platner, brewery owner Dan Kleban and former US House staffer Jordan Wood  have never held political office but argue they understand the affordability challenges facing Maine voters better than Collins, the 72-year-old incumbent.

Mills, 77, would be the oldest freshman senator in US history if she won, but also has a proven record of winning statewide.

And at a time when Democrats are also looking for fighters to stand up to President Donald Trump, Mills has shown a willingness to push back on the administration. During a meeting between the president and governors earlier this year, Mills sparred with Trump over transgender athletes and federal funding.

Any chance Democrats have of winning back the Senate or narrowing Republicans three-seat majority likely runs through Maine. Collins is the only Republican senator up for reelection next year in a state then-Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024.

Democrats acknowledge that Collins, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, will be difficult to beat. In 2020, Democrats saw an opportunity to oust her by capitalizing on anger over her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Millions were poured into a fund to back an eventual Collins challenger, and Democrats avoided a messy primary by rallying around former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon.

Collins was reelected by nearly nine points even as President Joe Biden won the state by a similar margin.

Democrats have notched prominent recruits in North Carolina, where former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper will run for an open seat. And in Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown is running against Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed earlier this year to the seat formerly held by Vice President JD Vance.

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Kyiv, Ukraine  Russian drone and missile strikes overnight Friday caused blackouts across large swaths of Ukraine, damaged residential buildings and injured at least 20 people in Kyiv, authorities said. A child was killed in attacks in the southeast of the country.

In the heart of the Ukrainian capital, rescue crews pulled more than 20 people out of a 17-story apartment building as flames engulfed the sixth and seventh floors. Five people were hospitalized, while others received first aid at the scene, authorities said.



The Russian "cynical and calculated" strikes targeted civilian and energy infrastructure as Ukraine prepared for falling winter temperatures, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media.



Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko also described the attack as "one of the largest concentrated strikes" against Ukraine's energy infrastructure of the war that began with Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Residential districts on Kyiv's left bank remain without electricity due to Russian strikes on Oct. 10, 2025. / Credit: Andriy Zhyhaylo/Oboz.ua / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Ukraine's air force said Friday that the latest Russian barrage included 465 strike and decoy drones, as well as 32 missiles of various types. Air defenses intercepted or jammed 405 drones and 15 missiles, it said.

Zelenskyy wrote that parts of nine regions of the country were hit with blackouts.

"It is precisely the civilian and energy infrastructure that is the main target of Russia's strikes ahead of the heating season," he said.

"Together, we can protect people from this terror. What's needed is not window dressing but decisive action  from the United States, Europe, and the G7  in delivering air defense systems and enforcing sanctions. We count on a response to this brutality from the G20 and from all those who speak of peace in their statements yet refrain from taking real steps.



"The world can defend itself against these crimes  and doing so will undoubtedly strengthen global security."

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Friday's attack knocked out power on both sides of the city, divided by the Dnipro River, while Ukraine's biggest electricity operator, DTEK, said repair work was already underway on multiple damaged thermal plants.

Ukraine's energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk wrote on Facebook later on Friday that power had been restored to 270,000 customers in Kyiv but didn't say how many had been affected in all, according to the Reuters news service.

Reuters reported that Russia's barrage temporarily cut off water supplies for 2 million consumers in Kyiv, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba in a post on Telegram. He said that 4,000 buildings in the capital stil lhad no water and work was continuing to get their service back.

The energy sector has been a key battleground since the war started.



Each year, Russia has tried to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before the bitter winter season, hoping to erode public morale. Ukraine's winter runs from late October through March, with January and February the coldest months.

In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, residential areas and energy sites were pounded with attack drones, missiles and guided bombs, killing a 7-year-old boy and wounding his parents and others, military administration officials said. A hydroelectric plant in the area was taken offline as a precaution, they said.

Separately, Reuters notes, Ukraine's top general said Ukraine struck Russian territory 70 times last month.

"We are destroying the production of fuels and lubricants, explosives, and other components of the Russian military-industrial complex in the aggressor country," Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote on Facebook.

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First Lady Melania Trump Makes Announcement In The Grand Foyer Of The White House (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

THE WHITE HOUSE  First lady Melania Trump announced Friday that she secured an agreement with Russia on the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families.

Trump spoke for six minutes, sharing that she had been keeping an open channel of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin over displaced Ukrainian children. She shared that Russia agreed to return Ukrainian children with their families, and in the 24 hours since the agreement, eight children have been returned. (RELATED: Melania Trump Set To Make Surprise Big-Screen Debut)

Each child has lived in turmoil because of the war in Ukraine, Melania Trump said. Three were separated from their parents and displaced to the Russian Federation because of frontline fighting. The other five were separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, including one young girl who has now been reunited from Ukraine to Russia.

The first lady also said she had expressed concern over children who were displaced as minors but have since turned 18 years old. Russia has also agreed to return these children, she announced.

She wrote Putin a letter for her husband to deliver to the Russian president during their meeting in Alaska. That letter started an open channel of communication after Putin responded to the letter, the first lady shared.

Plans to continue to reunite more children with their families are already underway, she said.

We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war, Melania Trump said.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum looks on ahead of her speech marking her first year in office, reporting on government actions included in her first State of the Union address, to supporters and government officials at Zocalo Square, in Mexico City, Mexico, October 5, 2025. REUTERS/Toya Sarno Jordan

By Diego Ore and Emily Green

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's Congress will hold off approving proposed tariff hikes on nearly 1,500 products from China and other Asian countries while Mexico holds talks with those countries and considers changes to the proposal, President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday.

Sheinbaum sent the proposal - which seeks to increase tariffs by up to 50% on cars, textiles, clothing, plastics, steel, and other products - in early September to the lower house of Congress, where her Morena Party holds a large majority. Many analysts saw the move as an attempt to placate U.S. President Donald Trump.

But since then, China  Mexicos second-biggest trading partner after the U.S.  has criticized the proposal, saying it would undermine investor confidence. China warned Mexico it would take "necessary measures" to safeguard its "legitimate rights and interests."

PROPOSAL UNDER REVIEW

On Thursday, Sheinbaum said her government was analyzing potential changes to the tariff hikes.

"We are holding these meetings with different countries to see if we can adapt what we are presenting to Congress for approval this year," she said during her daily press conference.

Her comments came a day after Ricardo Monreal, leader of Morena in the Chamber of Deputies, told reporters that Congress would "pause" the proposal for now and pick it up again at the end of November.

We are reviewing the proposal very seriously, he said.

Morena legislators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the tariffs would not be approved by Congress in their current form and that the plan would likely have to be softened. It was unclear what changes there might be.

Any adjustments could create holes in the governments 2026 budget, as Mexicos Finance Ministry projected the proposed tariffs would generate $3.76 billion.

The proposed tariffs would affect imports from countries Mexico does not have trade agreements with, including China, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey.

VEHICLE, AUTO PARTS TARIFFS COULD JUMP

As currently drafted, tariffs on light vehicles would rise to 50% from 15%-20%, and on auto parts to 10%-50% from the current zero-35%.

Some analysts estimate the increased tariff on cars would primarily affect electric vehicles manufactured in China and sold in Mexico, hitting BYD and Tesla the hardest.

The Sheinbaum administration argues the tariff increases are a means of protecting Mexicos domestic production, although they also come amid pressure from the U.S. for Mexico to curtail business with China.

One Morena politician who spoke on condition of anonymity said approval of the tariffs has been delayed amid concern that they could boost consumer prices and harm Mexican businesses.

The person said that long-term, they believe Mexico is moving toward a plan for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to impose matching tariffs on China.

(Reporting by Diego Ore and Emily Green; Additional reporting by Ana Isabel MartinezEditing by Rod Nickel)
FILE PHOTO: MIT President Sally Kornbluth speaks during Commencement ceremonies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

By Julia Harte

(Reuters) -Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth on Friday said she "cannot support" a memo that the White House sent to nine elite U.S. universities last week detailing policies they should follow to get preferential consideration for federal funding.

In an open letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Kornbluth said some of the policies would restrict MIT's independence and freedom of expression.

"The premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone," Kornbluth said in her letter, which was posted to an MIT website.

Some of the policies included in the memo were capping international undergraduate enrollment at 15%, banning the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions and defining genders based on biology. Schools that pursue "models and values" beyond those outlined in the memo could "forgo federal benefits," the memo reads, while institutions that comply could be rewarded.

MIT was the first university to refuse to support the White House memo, which followed Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to use financial pressure to force some of the country's top institutions of higher learning to submit to unprecedented control over who and what they teach.

Other universities said they were studying the administration's demands and drafting responses.

The Education Department and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Brown University was one of the universities that received the memo even though it reached a deal with the federal government in July, agreeing to pay $50 million over 10 years to support workforce development in Rhode Island in exchange for the government unfreezing $510 million in funding for medical and health sciences research.

In an open letter on Friday, Brown President Christina Paxson said she was working with her university community to draft a response to the memo.

On Monday, the University of Virginia's rector and interim president announced the formation of a working group to advise the university how to respond, but said that "it would be difficult for the University to agree to certain provisions" in the memo.

Dartmouth University, the University of Arizona, the University of Southern California and Vanderbilt also sent statements saying they were deciding how to respond. The University of Texas had said earlier this month that it was "enthusiastically" looking forward to working with the administration.

The White House's 10-point memo called for "transforming or abolishing institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas," but did not include similar measures to protect liberal ideas.

It also proposed that the Classic Learning Test, embraced by some conservatives and already authorized for use by Florida's public university system, be among the college entrance exams considered alongside the SAT and ACT.

Since Trump took office in January, his White House has targeted what it deems liberal-leaning institutions in various fields and tried to withhold funding from colleges and universities over issues such as pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza, transgender policies, climate initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The administration's threats to cut off federal funding to schools such as Harvard University for allegedly favoring "radical left" policies have hit legal roadblocks.

(Reporting by Julia Harte; editing by Donna Bryson and David Gregorio)
New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference at the offices of the Attorney General on January 08, 2025 in New York City. Credit - Michael M. Santiago - Getty Images

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false bank statements on Thursday as President Donald Trump incites public pressure for the prosecution of his political foes.

The charges, which allege that James made false statements to a financial institution when applying for a mortgage in 2020 for a property in Virginia, were brought forward just two weeks after the indictment of former FBI Chief James Comey, who has pleaded not guilty in his case. The President made public calls for the prosecution of the two officials ahead of their respective indictments.

No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the publics trust, said Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan regarding the indictment.

James has called the charges baseless and said that Trumps motivations a grave violation of our constitutional order.

This is nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system, said James on Thursday. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General.

The indictment has sparked outrage in the Democratic partyand beyondas elected officials condemn Trump over what they call politically motivated attacks. This indictment isnt about the law, its about political revenge directed by Donald Trump at someone he deems his enemy, said DNC Chair Ken Martin in a statement. This is a line that cannot be uncrossed.

Prosecutors allege that James was granted the mortgage for her Virginia property under the condition that the three-bedroom house be used as a secondary residence. Instead, James rented the property to a family.

This misrepresentation allowed James to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, the indictment reads.

The Virginia court says that if convicted, James could face up to 30 years in prison for each of the two charges, as well as up to $1 million in fines for each.

Halligan, the sole prosecutor listed on the indictment, was appointed in late September as the districts head attorney by the President in September after the Trump Administration put increasing pressure on predecessor Erik Siebert to be removed from the role.

Siebert, a long-standing lawyer and prosecutor, had told senior Department of Justice officials that there was not sufficient evidence to charge James over fraud allegations before his resignation, the New York Times reported.

James called Trumps pressure on Siebert to resign and subsequent appointment of Halligan as antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country, on Thursday.

Others have similarly attacked the decision.

President Trumps open interference in the Department of Justices investigation  demanding charges, forcing out the prosecutor, and installing a loyalist  is a stunning violation of our countrys long tradition of an independent judicial system, said NYCLU executive director Donna Lieberman and ACLU chief political and advocacy officer Deirdre Schifeling.

The New York Attorney General has long been targeted by the Trump Administration since she won a New York Supreme Court case against the President in 2024. Trump was found to have provided misleading accounts to lenders, falsely inflating his net worth.

Donald Trump is finally facing accountability for his lying, cheating, and staggering fraud. Because no matter how big, rich, or powerful you think you are, no one is above the law, said James in reaction to the ruling in February of last year.

Justice Arthur F. Engoron ordered Trump alongside his sons Eric and Donald Jr. among other defendants to pay $450 million, as well as barring the family from being officers or directors for any New York company for 2-3 years.

The New York Attorney General defended her legal battle against the President, saying on Thursday: I stand strongly behind my offices litigation against the Trump Organization. We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence  not politics.

James lawyer, Abbe Lowell, denied the charges according to The Associated Press.

We are deeply concerned that this case is driven by President Trumps desire for revenge, Lowell said in a statement.

When a President can publicly direct charges to be filed against someone  when it was reported that career attorneys concluded none were warranted  it marks a serious attack on the rule of law. We will fight these charges in every process allowed in the law.

James is set to make an initial appearance in relation to the indictment in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, on October 24.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Ah, October: Pumpkins, falling leaves, Halloween decorations  and hurricanes?

Yes, October is still hurricane season, and there have been no shortage of destructive, deadly storms in past Octobers. From Mitch and Sandy to Wilma and Hazel, memorable October hurricanes have left their mark over the decades.

"When you think of October, you think of well, football, fall foliage  but October is the third-busiest month of hurricane season that starts in June and ends in November, AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist Bernie Rayno said in an online report.

In fact, two of the deadliest hurricanes in the Atlantic basins history developed in October  and the strongest hurricane to ever churn in the ocean also brewed during the tenth month, AccuWeather said.

Hurricane Mitch

The deadliest October hurricane was Mitch in 1998, which killed thousands of people in Central America. "It stalled over Central America and killed nearly 20,000 people," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dave Samuhel said. Mitch is considered the second-deadliest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history.

This hurricane, at its peak intensity, had 180 mph winds, making it a Category 5 hurricane. Mitch bottomed out with a minimum central pressure of 905 millibars  the fourth-lowest pressure ever recorded for a hurricane in the Atlantic basin this century. Millibars measure barometric pressure: the lower the pressure, the more intense the storm.

Mitch made landfall in Honduras as a Category 1 hurricane, but it battered the offshore islands with high winds, waves and storm surge, NOAA said.

"The greatest impact, however, was from the widespread heavy rain and severe flooding in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador that left thousands dead or missing and caused tremendous property, infrastructure and crop damage in Central America," according to a report from NOAA.

As a result of the hurricane, roughly 2.7 million people were left homeless. Mitch's flooding caused extreme damage, estimated at over $6 billion in U.S. dollars.

A satellite image shows Hurricane Mitch off the coast of Central America on October 26, 1998.

Superstorm Sandy

Even though Sandy was not technically a hurricane when it hit New Jersey in October 2012, Sandy is a prime example of a monster October storm that caused devastation and years of cleanup for some communities, AccuWeather said.

The storm, also known as "Superstorm Sandy," unleashed catastrophic storm surge flooding, claimed 159 lives in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. caused in excess of $70 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, according to NOAA.

In the United States, Superstorm Sandy affected 24 states, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit New York City on Oct. 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city.

Superstorm Sandy left Mantoloking, N.J., devastated and vulnerable.

Hurricane Wilma

Wilma was a classic October hurricane, which struck South Florida as a Category 3 on October 24, 2005. Wilma developed on the afternoon of October 15, 2005 from a tropical depression in the Caribbean Sea near Jamaica, a typical source region for October tropical cyclones, the National Weather Service said.

It rapidly intensified from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 behemoth with winds of 185 mph in just 24 hours. Wilma was blamed for more than 20 fatalities and also is listed as the ninth-costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. history, NOAA said.

Wilma underwent a rapid intensification cycle which began on October 18th and ended in the early morning hours of October 19th, with a central barometric pressure decrease of an incredible 88 millibars in only 12 hours, NOAA said. The central pressure reached 882 millibars, making Wilma the most intense hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin, a full 6 millibars lower than Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988.

Wilma holds the Atlantic record not only for lowest pressure but also for the fastest 24-hour intensification rate on record for an Atlantic hurricane, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.

"It is also the costliest hurricane in Mexican history," Samuhel said, explaining that the powerful storm remained nearly stationary over Cancun and Cozumel as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Hazel

With an estimated loss of 1,200 lives and $381 million in damages, Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest storm of the 1954 hurricane season, the weather service said.

Because of the storm's rapid movement, it traveled northward through the United States to areas that were not prepared for such an event. Besides the violent winds, much of the damage was caused by heavy rains, which in some areas fell at a rate of 12 inches in less than 24 hours.

Of the estimated $281 million in damages caused by Hazel in the United States, more than half occurred in the Carolinas ($136 million in North Carolina and $38 million in South Carolina).

"Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was the only hurricane to hit North Carolina as a Category 4 storm. It was moving quickly, and caused devastating winds from the Carolinas to Canada. Winds gusted over 90 mph in Washington, DC," Samuhel said.

A gust of 113 mph was reported at Battery Park, in New York City, which was pummeled by Sandy decades later. But the storm didn't stop there. "Hazel produced the worst flooding in the history of Toronto," Samuhel said of the storm's journey into Canada.

A man surveys the damage after Hurricane Hazel struck Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in October 1954.

In addition to the four storms listed here, other notorious October hurricanes include Michael, Matthew, Opal, and Gladys.

How common are hurricane landfalls in October?

Since 1950, 19 hurricanes have made a U.S. landfall in October, not including Sandy since it did not officially make landfall as a tropical cyclone. Ten of those 19 hurricane hits occurred in Florida.

Where do storms typically form in October?

By October, the formation zones of tropical storms and hurricanes shift westward toward the western Caribbean Sea, eastern Gulf of Mexico (renamed by the U.S. government as Gulf of America) and far western Atlantic Ocean. Storms can develop in these warm waters of the Caribbean and Gulf.

In the Gulf, low-pressure troughs during early winter can pick up these storms and propel them toward Florida.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A grim reminder: October is still hurricane season
A gavel rests on a block atop a judges bench in an empty courtroom. Photo: Shopify Partners / Burst

Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week is observed during the first week of October in Louisiana and across the country. The goal of this awareness campaign is to shine a light on the injustices plaguing our civil justice system by informing citizens about the costs and consequences of lawsuit abuse.

While other southern states like Florida and Georgia are passing sweeping reform packages, Louisiana continues to progress limited changes. A small number of reform-minded legislators have authored bills to improve our system but have met resistance in the process. Texas, arguably our biggest competitor, implemented comprehensive reforms decades ago and continues to enact changes that ensure their reputation as a top state in the U.S. to do business.

Much more remains to be done in Louisiana. Legislation is needed to address phantom damage awards for medical costs that are paid in cash by a plaintiff or their attorney, resulting in windfall awards for amounts far more than those actually paid. Another trend that has dampened businesses willingness to expand or come to Louisiana is that of government-sponsored litigation. A prime example is coastal lawsuits against oil and gas companies for operations over the last half century, much of which were permitted by state and federal agencies, resulting in outrageous verdicts. One such nuclear verdict in Louisiana reached $745,000. Much more can be done to make Louisiana a more attractive destination for new and existing businesses.

These are not just Louisiana issues. Their impact reverberates across the national business and economic development landscape. The American Tort Reform Foundation ranked Louisiana the 10th-worst Judicial Hellhole in the U.S. in its 2024-25 report. Earlier this year, a study conducted by The Perryman Group for Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse found excessive tort litigation in Louisiana resulted in a hidden tort tax of more than $1,000 per person (or nearly $4,500 for a family of 4) and roughly 40,0000 lost jobs for hardworking residents.

Louisianans deserve better. We all pay the price when our legal system is abused. We must work together to level the playing field and help ensure our courts are used for justice, not personal gain. Legal reform is simply good public policy, helping us remain competitive while bringing much-needed relief we can all feel in our pocketbooks.

We still have a long way to go. Lets keep our foot on the gas, Louisiana.
spirit of halloweentown at st helens oregon based on disney channel movie

Halloweentown is a Disney Channel original movie that debuted in 1998. The movie was a success and led Disney to create three more movies in the franchise.

The majority of the first movie was shot in a small sleepy town, which has now leaned into the movie's lore and created a yearly celebration that brings to life many of the iconic areas from the film during the weekends leading up to Halloween. We went to this Spirit of Halloweentown celebration to share all of the fun with you.

READ MORE  These Abandoned Disneyland Rides Can Still Be Seen in the Parks Today

Spirit of Halloweentown Based on Disney Movie

halloweentown benny cab

During a trolley tour of the town, we learned that initially, Halloweentown was going to be made by NBC for $30-40 million, and would be much scarier. Disney acquired it and gave it a budget of $4 million instead, which led to the lighter, more family-friendly version that we see today.

That lower budget led the team to be very frugal in how they approached shooting the movie. One of the location scouts immediately thought of his small hometown as a potential place to shoot the entire thing. He suggested they look at Saint Helens, Oregon, as the location for Halloweentown.

halloweentown main square

The Spirit of Halloweentown transforms the town of Saint Helens, Oregon, back into the setting for the movie. Much of the original Halloweentown movie was shot right here, and the town takes pride in recreating the iconic main square setting from the movie for the event each year.

Located about 30 minutes from Portland, Oregon, this small town uses the Halloweentown iconic location as a jumping-off point to create a lovely autumn festival that is a perfect weekend activity. My sister and I recently visited the town to check out this fun offering.

Exploring Spirit of Halloweentown

columbia theater spirit of halloweentown

There are a couple of different aspects of the Spirit of Halloweentown festival. Some parts of the experience are paid and others are not.

Seeing a replica of the big pumpkin from the movie standing in front of the actual city hall was a surreal experience. I have loved watching this series of family-friendly Halloween movies growing up, and I highly recommend you watch them on Disney+ if you haven't seen them yet.

halloweentown benny the taxi cab

The entire town square was decorated for Halloween to look just like the main area from the movie. In the square, there were roaming performers who brought this area to life. Music from the movie and other Halloween music played in the background.

There was even the taxi cab that Benny the skeleton drives the kids around in, complete with a replica of Benny himself.

bus stop halloweentown

Down the street is the movie theater where part of the battle with the evil Kalabar takes place. This is an active theater, but you can see the outside marquee.

There is clearly a cult following that agrees with me, because there were tons of people very excited about the experience. Many lined up for a paid photo experience with Kimberly J. Brown, the star who played Marnie as a kid, and Daniel Kountz, her now husband, who also played the young Kalabar in the second movie. Each weekend, there are star photo sessions as part of an extra ticket charge.

line for celebrity signging

Each night at 8:30 pm, there is a lighting of the big pumpkin. On Saturday night, we heard that the two stars who were in town led the lighting ceremony by saying the magic words used in the movie. The music from the movie plays, and the pumpkin glows to life. Hundreds of people filled the square to see the ceremony.

We spoke to some people who came a very long way to take in the experience. We happened to already be in Portland, Oregon, so this was a nice day activity. I'm not sure how far I would travel for the event. Some reviews of the event claim that they were underwhelmed. I disagree with this overall, but I can see the critique for some of the paid elements. I felt that everything we saw delivered at pretty much exactly what I was expecting. This is a fall festival that also happens to be home to an iconic movie shooting location.

spirit of halloweentown main square

In addition to seeing these main sights, the festival has a fun row of Halloween-themed vendors and food trucks.

There is also a family-friendly haunted house that was largely filled with props you might find to dress up your front yard. There were a couple of fun scenes in here with cool props, but this was unrelated to the Halloweentown movies.

Upstairs in that building was an alien-themed walkthrough and exhibit with "creepies and crawlies" that included snakes and spiders.

In the same building as the haunted house was a shop with very cute merchandise. Check out the shirt below.

spirit of halloweentown shirt

There was also a tent with a DJ. Outside, there was pumpkin bowling and a straw maze that was fun for kids.

In the tent, there was a bar with very cute Halloween-themed cocktails.

halloween cocktail halloween

Finally, there was a fun trolley tour with a delightful host, who gave us a quick 30-minute loop tour of the town, pointing out different filming locations and sharing more about the filming in the town.

On the tour, we also saw some highlights of locations where they filmed some of the movies from the Twilight franchise. We saw Bella's house and a house that was transformed into a restaurant for one of the films.

READ MORE  This is the Least Visited Disney Park in the World  See Why.

Visiting Spirit of Halloweentown

spirit of halloweentown

During the first weekends, they expect to welcome 15,000-20,000 people each day, and during the last two weekends, they expect to welcome 40,000-50,000 people each day. There are a lot of people coming into this small town for this event.

When I read how many people come to this event, I changed our plans around so that we wouldn't be caught in massive crowds. We arrived right before the event actually started at 11 am. This allowed us to easily get parking just off the main square. We walked around for two hours and saw all of the highlights of the town. The only thing we really missed was the pumpkin lighting. Maybe next time.

Most aspects of the festival run from 11 am to 9 pm.

spirit of halloweentown main square

Seeing the main sights in the town was completely free and open to the public. Anyone can walk around in the main square and see the little magic shows and performances that take place on a stage there. You can also take a photo with the pumpkin and look at all the vendors.

The Haunted House, alien experience, DJ area, celebrity meeting, and trolley tour are all ticketed experiences. Proceeds from the event support other community events in St. Helens throughout the year. The all-in ticket price is $49 for adults and $28 for kids. Though none of these experiences felt essential, the trolley tour was the most fun because of our great guide.

The main unpaid part of the festival is by far the coolest part. I really love this photo in front of the pumpkin seen below. You can easily skip paying the extra money for the experiences. For diehard fans, getting a photo with the stars could also be a fun splurge. I felt you could skip the Haunted House and other areas.

halloweentown pumpkin

If you are not one of the first people to get to the event, you'll have to use remote parking lots with shuttles. There is a fee for parking in those lots.

Seeing the Halloweentown shooting location was a ton of fun and a great way to kick off the Halloween season. The festival atmosphere was also a perfect addition to the central event area. You could easily come here just to enjoy the festival without purchasing a ticket if you are not interested in some of the aspects of the festival. The offering delivers an interesting look at the place where this fun Halloween movie was filmed for diehard fans and a great fall feeling for everyone.

Don't Miss the Latest Disney News

Don't miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.

We were provided tickets by the organizers to come see this event, but all opinions are our own. We always share our honest opinion of what we cover.

The post Small Town Where Disney's Halloweentown Was Filmed Brings the Movie Back to Life Every Year appeared first on Mickey Visit - Disney News & Planning Tips.
Police emergency lights flash red and blue at night. Photo: Scott Rodgerson / Unsplash

(The Center Square) - The Northeast corner is the safest part of the U.S., according to a new WalletHub study.

The Southwest?

Not so much.

Issues such as high crime rates landed California at No. 38 in overall safety and 47th among the 50 states for personal and residential safety. California also ranked toward the very bottom for financial and road safety in WalletHubs new Safest States in America study. The state managed to do a little better in its overall score because of its rankings in workplace safety and emergency preparedness.

Colorado did worse than California in the overall ranking, landing at No. 44.

And the rest of the Southwest, with the exception of No. 5-ranked Utah, didnt score high on the list, although some states were clearly seen as safer than others.

Utah did well on the list thanks to its low crime, said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub writer and analyst who lives in Columbia, S.C. It was the only Southwestern state to appear in the top 10 of the list, where the four safest states, in the order of their rankings, were Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

Other than the recent Charlie Kirk assassination at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah hasnt seen any national crime stories since murderer Gary Gilmore, Lupo told The Center Square this week. Gilmore received the death penalty and was executed in 1977.

Its a pretty conservative state, Lupo said, noting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, has seen success in getting Utah laws passed and promoting family values.

And Utah scored high on emergency preparedness and road safety and very high in financial safety, Lupo said. Utah residents have a history of being frugal with money, being financially savvy. Theres not a lot of debt and foreclosure.

The New England states topped the list because of their low crime rates, safe roads and safe workplaces, Lupo said. "And other than occasional snowfall, there are not too many disasters like in the Midwest or on the West Coast, where earthquakes and wildfires are an issue."

Landing around the middle of the WalletHub list were several Southwestern states: Arizona at No. 21; New Mexico, No. 27, and Nevada, No. 30.

Besides high crime rates and natural disasters, California has seen a lot of financial fraud, Lupo said.

Another take on California comes from Steve Smith, a senior fellow with Pacific Research Institute, a think tank based in Pasadena.

Smith wasn't surprised by the Golden State's dismal ranking on crime in the WalletHub report.

We saw a huge increase in aggravated assaults with firearms, Smith told The Center Square this week.

He noted California experienced 29,179 aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon in 2023, up by 62% from 17,908 in 2018. He credited the states trauma response and medical system for limiting the states murders to 1,892 in 2023, which was down from 2,206 in 2022, as listed in a Pacific Research Institute report.

Most of our crimes are occurring in large cities, including in Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area, said Smith, who lives in Santa Cruz County.

Crimes are being committed by convicts being released early from prisons and jails, Smith said.

He cited a CalMatters report about 14,800 people who were released between April 2020 and December 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of them, approximately 4,600 returned to prison, which is remarkably high recidivism. We are very bad at predicting who will commit crimes once theyre released.

In response to the crime rates, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36 last year to make certain thefts and drug charges felonies for repeat offenders, meaning more time in prison. The measure also provides treatment for repeat drug offenders.

But Gov. Gavin Newsom isnt funding Prop. 36 properly with only $100 million in the state budget, Smith said. Hes thumbing his nose at 68% of voters statewide.

Although Colorado did worse than California in its overall safety rating, it did slightly better than the Golden State for personal and residential safety. It ranked No. 45 in the nation for that, but Smith noted, Outside of the Denver area and Aurora, Colorado is a fairly low crime state.

Colorado saw its better scores in other categories, although a couple were near the bottom of the list: No. 17 in financial safety, No. 38 in road safety and No. 42 in workplace safety.

Elsewhere in the Southwest, Arizona, which was ranked 21st overall, saw a higher ranking, 17th, for workplace safety. It fared less well in other categories: 36th for personal and residential safety, 31st for financial safety and 48th for road safety. Only No. 50-ranked Mississippi and No. 49-ranked New Mexico got lower scores for road safety.

Theres a high number of traffic fatalities in Arizona, Lupo told The Center Square. And because its a border state, you have folks driving uninsured or without a license, who may not be citizens.

Ranking worse than Arizona and even California for personal and residential safety was Nevada - 48th in the nation. The silver lining for the Silver State was its overall ranking at No. 30, helped by its ranking as the 11th best state for workplace safety.

Crime is a different story. Nevada has long stretches of rural areas where there isnt enough law enforcement, Lupo said.

The WalletHub analyst and writer added he wasnt surprised that as home to Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada ranked 49th for financial safety. People find themselves in debt after too many trips to the casino.
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  Robert Roberson, the man convicted on capital murder charges for the death of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki, in 2003, will get another chance to prove his innocence in a district court after the states highest criminal court blocked his execution scheduled for next week.

Texas court blocks execution of death row inmate Robert Roberson

This is the second time in less than a year that Robersons execution was halted. Last October, a group of bipartisan lawmakers led a dramatic last-minute legal battle that stayed Robersons execution. Roberson has maintained his innocence since 2003.

A 5-4 decision from the all Republican court granted Robersons application to stay his execution under the states 2013 junk science law that allows prisoners to request a second look at their case when the science used to convict is found to be debunked.

What happens next?

The case now returns to the district court in Anderson County. We have won the battle but we have certainly not won the war, Gretchen Sween, Robersons attorney, said in a virtual news conference following the decision.

Robersons team will now have to prove to a court that he should be awarded a new trial based on a ruling made last year by the Criminal Court of Appeals. In that case, Andrew Roark was convicted by a jury of injury to a child. The prosecution in that case argued that Roark injured the child through Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), and he was sentenced to 35 years.

Roark filed a petition saying new scientific evidence contradicted the evidence used to convict him at trial. The Criminal Court of Appeals granted his application and ruled that the science behind SBS had evolved, and if it had been presented at the time of his trial, he would not have been found guilty.

Robersons defense team claims the facts in that case parallel his own. We have to fight this battle essentially again, but in light of that change of law, Sween said to reporters. We will be able to go back to a new judge at the trial level and utilize the Roark case to make that case that these cases are materially indistinguishable.

Lawmakers react

However, State Rep. Mitch Little, R  Lewisville, argues the Roberson case is not an SBS case, but a blunt force trauma case. He said he was dismayed and disappointed with the outcome.

Everyone who put their hands on Nikki from the time she came to the hospital, until the time she passed away, saw this case for what it was, which is a set of intentionally inflicted traumatic injuries on her body, Little said.

Little argued that the expert evidence the defense is offering to show the SBS theory is debunked was available before Robersons trial, which would disqualify the junk science law. He points to the dissenting opinion written by judges Mary Lou Keel and Gina G. Parker.

He has never shown his evidence to have been previously unavailable or material as required by

Article 11.073, nor has he overcome the subsequent writ bar, the judges wrote. They went on to conclude in their opinion, Applicant claims that SBS has been debunked, but he is wrong; SBS is a matter of ongoing and acrimonious debate.

A group of bipartisan lawmakers disagrees with Littles viewpoint and hopes Roberson is successful in his attempt for a new trial.

Mr. Roberson, going back over two decades, has never had due process and he has never had a fair trial, and so I hope the truth is going to come out here and the justice will be served, State Rep. Brian Harrison, R  Midlothian, said.

State Rep. John Bucy, D  Austin, argues the junk science law needs to be followed in Robersons case. We do the best with science at the time, and as that continues to evolve, we need to take another look, Bucy said. Thats how we have fair justice in our system.

He, along with other lawmakers, visited Roberson on death row on Wednesday. He said Roberson remained confident he would prevail even a week before he was supposed to be put to death.

This is a man full of hope and faith, and he maintains that faith that one day he will have justice for himself and for his daughter, Bucy explained.

The next hearing in Robersons case has not been scheduled, but Sween said she has reached out to the Attorney Generals office, which is representing the state in this case, to schedule a time to get back in the courtroom.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 9, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

By Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday the NATO alliance should weigh throwing Spain out of its membership ranks over a dispute about the Western European nation's lagging military spending.

Members of the U.S.-backed security alliance agreed in June to sharply increase their military spending to 5% of gross domestic product, delivering on a major priority for Trump, who wants Europeans to spend more on their own defense.

But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time that he would not commit to the 5% target, calling it "incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision."

At an Oval Office meeting with the leader of NATO's second-newest member, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump said European leaders need to prevail upon Spain to boost its commitments to the alliance.

"You people are gonna have to start speaking to Spain," Trump said. "You have to call them and find why are they a laggard."

He added: "They have no excuse not to do this, but that's alright. Maybe you should throw 'em out of NATO frankly."

Spain joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1982. The 32-member collective-defense alliance has been in focus since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and launched the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Diane Craft and Alistair Bell)
U.S. President Donald Trump walks before boarding Marine One to depart for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 10, 2025. REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak

By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to hike tariffs on Chinese exports and cancel a meeting with President Xi Jinping, in a broadside against Beijing on Friday that sent markets and relations between the world's largest economies into a spiral.

Trump, due to meet Xi in about three weeks in South Korea, complained on social media about what he characterized as China's plans to hold the global economy hostage after China dramatically expanded its rare earth element export controls on Thursday. China dominates the market for such elements, which are essential to tech manufacturing.

Trump said there was no reason to hold the meeting with Xi that he had previously announced. Beijing had never confirmed the meeting between the leaders.

The remarks signaled the biggest rupture in relations in four months and immediately raised questions about whether an economic detente between Beijing and Washington - the world's biggest factory and its biggest consumer - can survive.

Trump, a Republican who has wielded tariffs paid by U.S. importers against friends and foes, said on Friday that he was weighing a "massive" increase in such levies on Chinese-made goods.

Such a step could revive a destabilizing tit-for-tat trade war that Washington and Beijing paused amid painstaking diplomacy earlier this year. Beijing has long called for Washington to abandon unilateral trade restrictions it says undermine global commerce.

MARKETS TUMBLE ON TARIFF THREATS

The unexpected broadside shook global financial markets, sending the benchmark S&P 500 Index sliding by 2%, its biggest one-day drop since April when a steady barrage of tariff announcements by Trump was a central feature of market volatility. Investors fled into the safe haven of gold and U.S. Treasury securities, and the U.S. dollar weakened against a basket of foreign currencies.

"Trump's post could mark the beginning of the end of the tariff truce," said Craig Singleton, a China expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who said Washington viewed the export control steps as a betrayal. "Beijing appears to have overplayed its hand."

In his post, Trump said China has been sending letters to countries worldwide saying it planned to impose export controls on every element of production related to rare earths.

He said he had been contacted by unnamed countries incensed over Beijing's steps and said he was surprised because of the "very good" recent relationship with China.

TRUMP CONDEMNS BEIJING'S 'HOSTILE ORDER'

"Dependent on what China says about the hostile 'order' that they have just put out, I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move," Trump said on Truth Social. "For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two."

He added: "I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so." Trump had earlier said he would meet Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum being held in Gyeongju, South Korea, starting October 31.

The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Trade Representative declined comment on what countermeasures Trump was contemplating while a spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The two offices have led talks with Beijing on trade.

Economic tensions had been rising in recent days. The Trump administration on Thursday, for instance, proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on routes to and from the United States. The Federal Communications Commission said on Friday that major U.S. online retail websites have removed millions of listings for prohibited Chinese electronics.

China's move on Thursday included adding five new elementsas well as dozens of pieces of refining technology to its export-restricting control list. It also required foreign rare earth producers that use Chinese materials to comply with its rules.

China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. Many are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, David Lawder and Maiya Keidan; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Deepa Babington)
Key Points

It benefited from a Chinese government move.

Tighter controls on rare earth exports from that country benefit its operations.

10 stocks we like better than Ramaco Resources 

Companies specializing in mining rare earth minerals had quite a fine day on U.S. stock exchanges Thursday. One of the beneficiaries was Ramaco Resources (NASDAQ: METC), which saw its share price leap nearly 12% higher on the back of a significant development across the Pacific Ocean. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) didn't do nearly as well, as it fell by 0.3% that trading session.

Tightening the screws

On Thursday, China's Commerce Ministry tightened its control and oversight of rare earths exported from that country. It announced that shipments of certain rare earths will be required to obtain an export license from the government.

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Two people smiling and shaking hands while inside a mine.

Image source: Getty Images.

The move is an attempt to further restrict these rather limited resources from landing in the hands of companies that might use them for strategic goods, such as weapons and electronics.

This is the latest development in the China-U.S. trade standoff, which has been heightened with President Trump's imposition of tariffs on various goods coming from the sprawling Asian nation.

A most valuable asset now

As long as these new restrictions remain in place, Ramaco stands to benefit handsomely. The company owns and operates Brook Mine in Wyoming, which it doesn't hesitate to mention is the first new rare earth element in the U.S. to be operational in 70 years.

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Interpol said Friday it has identified a cold case victim nicknamed "The Woman with the German keys" more than two decades after her corpse was found at the Dutch seaside. The case was solved thanks to a tip to police in the Netherlands, the agency said.

This is the fourth case to be solved by the international police organization's "Identify Me" campaign, which was founded in 2023 and is tasked with identifying women who were found dead across Europe in recent decades  murdered or in suspicious circumstances.

Interpol identified the woman as Eva Maria Pommer, a German citizen who was 35 years old when she died.

Her body was found on July 4, 2004 in the dunes in Meijendel, a nature reserve in the southern Netherlands. The cause of her death remains unknown, and Interpol would not rule out foul play.

Pommer was found dressed in an unusual number of layers of clothing for the summertime, including two pairs of trousers, according to the law enforcement agency.

"Her keys, clothing, and glasses all seem to point to Germany," Interpol added.

Interpol identified a cold case victim nicknamed

The discovery that one of the keys on her person had previously been delivered to a company in the German city of Bottrop, not far from the Dutch border, allowed investigators to probe the German connection.

But the destruction of the company's archives in a fire prevented them from tracing the key back to Pommer's address, a Dutch police spokesperson said.

After two programs bringing the affair's Bottrop connection to light were broadcast in October 2024 on both Dutch and German television, the police received "hundreds of tip-offs about the case," which allowed them to link the key to "a number of potential addresses."

In parallel, a Dutch foundation specialized in unresolved cases traced "a very interesting lead about a German woman who was said to have been missing for some 20 years," before sharing the information with the police.

DNA analysis then confirmed that Pommer's identity matched that of the body on the shore.

Interpol has asked the public to come forward with any information about Pommer to the Dutch authorities.

"This latest identification is more than just a milestone in our ongoing campaign  it's a testament to what we can accomplish when nations stand together," Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said in a statement.

The breakthrough comes just weeks after the Identify Me campaign announced it had finally put a name to the so-called "Woman in Pink," revealing her to be Russian national Liudmila Zavada. One of Zavada's relatives provided a DNA sample that was compared to the sample investigators had from the initial investigation. The samples matched, allowing officials to confirm that the woman was Zavada.

Earlier this year, 33-year-old Ainoha Izaga Ibieta Lima was identified when Paraguayan authorities matched fingerprints uploaded by Spain against their own national databases. She was previously known only as "the woman in the chicken coop."

In 2023 it also led to the identification of Rita Roberts, a British woman who was found murdered in Antwerp in 1992, after her relatives recognized her tattoo.

The Identify Me campaign is still trying to solve the cases of 43 unidentified women.

Cell where Jeffrey Epstein died never underwent proper inspection, experts say

Watch: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado learns she's awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Trump at Walter Reed for medical checkup
Donald Trump is making sure America does no drown in violence.MEGA

America is currently drowning in chaos as violent protests, political assassinations, and deadly attacks on churches and government buildings have left the country uncertain of its future, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

President Trump and his team, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, are said to have called up the country's top military leaders to meet in Virginia to devise a plan to end the crime and terror in America.

America Attempts To Survive Chaos

Protests have come in batches ever since Trump stepped foot into the White House again.MEGA

"Trump is taking whatever action is necessary, and thats why there was a meeting of all the generals and admirals at Quantico, Va., to look at all the internal and external threats against American cities, Retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, who claimed "agitators are professionals hired" to destroy the country, said.

He continued: "These are insurgents that specialize in anarchy. They are very well organized, and they are paid protesters for the most part. There is going to be resistance until you defeat the resistance. Its like a military operation."

According to a recent University of Maryland study, there were 150 politically motivated attacks in the country during the first six months of this year, almost twice as many as the same period in 2024.

Violence During Trump's Second Term

Trump has sent the National Guard to several cities in America.MEGA

"What were witnessing right now is not the product of a single group or ideology, but perhaps evidence of growing widespread civil unrest," UMD researcher Michael Jensen said.

Trump, 79, being sworn in for his second term in the White House, has only increased the violence, as the controversial president has made it a point to order Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to round up illegal immigrants. However, that has not occurred without pushback.

On July 4, about 16 people, some dressed in black military-style clothing, vandalized an ICE detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, and fatally shot an officer in what the feds called an orchestrated "ambush. Then, on August 8, Patrick Joseph White, 30, fired several rounds at the Atlanta headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing cop David Rose, 33.

White, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, reportedly believed the COVID-19 vaccine made him depressed and suicidal.

Charlie Kirk's Murder Amid Violence In America

Charlie Kirk's murder also set off chaos in America... Tyler Robinson is accused of killing the podcaster.MEGA

Charlie Kirk's murder on September 10 while hosting a college event in Utah also set off chaos and protests. Days after the public assassination, Tyler Robinson was arrested and charged with the conservative podcaster's murder.

The alleged assassin is said to be facing the death penalty.

And just weeks following Kirk's death, Joshua Allen opened fire on an ICE detention center in Dallas, killing two detainees and wounding another before killing himself, according to officials. A note allegedly written by the 29-year-old gun read, "Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror."

Trump, citing Kirks murder and the increasing attacks on ICE agents, signed an executive order declaring the Antifa movement as a "major terrorist organization.

'They've Got To Be Defeated!'

There were 150 politically motivated attacks in the country during the first six months of 2025.MEGA

However, Vallely also thinks foreign agents from China, Russia, and Venezuela are also funding, encouraging, and participating in the violence.

"If local leaders cannot protect people from crime committed by insurgents, then the government has all the rights under the Constitution to go in and do that," Vallely declared. "You just cant let these people run amok in our cities. Theyve got to be defeated!"

Despite Trump's best efforts, several cities have pushed back against the military entering their state, including Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, who went off on the president in a text message exchange.

"... I believe this is unlawful and unwarranted. You broke your promise to speak with me before taking further action against Portland. I will be in touch later," Kotek said after Trump ordered the National Guard to enter Portland after, according to Trump, the "ICE Facility in Portland was attacked again last night."
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) is warning that New York City's next mayor may rattle its financial ecosystem, which could have reverberations across state lines.

"New York City success is our success, especially when it comes to finance and Wall Street," Lamont told Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid.

His comments come amid growing investor chatter over the prospect of a win by Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist whose mayoral campaign has leaned heavily on promises to rein in corporate power and tax the wealthy.

Mamdani's rhetoric, which leans on a pro-worker, union-backed agenda, has triggered unease among some business leaders  and neighboring states that benefit from New York's financial industry.

Whether Mamdani's administration could spark an exodus of Wall Street jobs, Lamont did not rule out the possibility.

"There's a risk of that," he said. "Or for him, there's a risk that some of those folks in New York City say, 'Hey, maybe I want to come to Connecticut, seems to be a more stable environment.'"

Wall Street is the beating heart of the tristate economy, and any shake-up in City Hall could spill over into Connecticut, where financial services anchor thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue.

Southern Connecticut, in particular, functions as a commuter hub for finance professionals who work in Manhattan. But Lamont is facing a delicate moment for his own state's economy.

A recent report by National Business Capital ranked Connecticut the second most at-risk state in the country for entering stagflation  an economic condition defined by high inflation and sluggish growth. California was the only state deemed more vulnerable.

The report cited high expenditures, low productivity, and elevated underemployment, tempered only by strong personal income growth.

Read More: What is stagflation, and how does it impact you?

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont speaks at the state capitol on Feb. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Lamont argued the state's "income tax revenues are still pretty strong" and called its overall economy "quite strong."

He noted the state's labor market showing "some softness." But he cited sectors like healthcare, fintech, and advanced manufacturing  tied to military submarines, helicopters, and jet engines  as particularly robust.

Lamont downplayed recession concerns flagged by Moody's economist Mark Zandi, who included Connecticut as one of 22 states in a recession or at a high risk of one. The governor pointed to a string of balanced budgets, a budget surplus, and a $4 billion rainy day fund.

He also highlighted ongoing investments and federal initiatives, noting that projects like the $5 billion Orsted offshore wind development show Connecticut remains attractive to major industrial and clean-energy players.

The project recently resumed after a temporary stop-work order from the Trump administration. This week, Orsted announced it would cut 2,000 jobs, or 25% of its workforce, over the next couple of years.

On healthcare, Lamont warned that legislation, such as Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA), could raise costs by as much as $1,000 a month next year for families. He urged lawmakers to "get that act together as part of the government shutdown."

"Everybody's talking about affordability. Don't do that to middle-class families," he said.

Francisco Velasquez is a Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on LinkedIn and X, or email him at francisco.velasquez@yahooinc.com.

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When Mary Beth Laughton became CEO of REI this year, one of the first things she did was aimed at improving relations with employees of the struggling outdoor gear retailer: She apologized for REIs endorsement in January of President Donald Trumps candidate for Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum.

Let me be clear, signing that letter was a mistake, she said, referring to a letter her predecessor Eric Artz signed, along with a number of other outdoor-focused companies, supporting Burgums nomination.

As detailed in 2024 in a Fortune report, REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) employees, known as Green Vests for their trademark in-store apparel, had been increasingly unhappy in recent years with what they saw as the rise of a corporate culture that undermined the values and purpose of the beloved co-op. (As a co-op, REI pays members a dividend, essentially a store credit equal to 10% of what they spent on full-price items the year before. In addition, REI has historically given back amounts equivalent to about 70% of profits each year in the form of dividends, employee bonuses, and investments in the outdoor industry.)

Repairing relations with those frontline workers was key for Laughton, especially as the brand struggled: In 2024, REI sales fell 6% to $3.53 billion, following declines in the two prior years. The new CEO told Fortune in May 2025 that she wanted to return to focusing on our roots, and she praised the Green Vests. But in the past week, Laughton and her executive team have made moves that could complicate those efforts and revive tensions.

Earlier this week, REI announced that it was closing three stores in 2026 including its massive, bustling flagship in New Yorks SoHo district, as well as stores in Boston and Paramus, N.J. And in a letter to employees sent last week before the store closings, Laughton outlined a three-year strategic plan that she called Peak 28: Ascending Together, a reference to goals to hit by 2028 and to REIs origins as a mountaineering supplies company. Laughton warned staff that to grow sales the brand would have to make tough choices without specifying what those choices might be, according to Bicycle Retailer, a trade publication. (The only change Laughton specified was that REI would overhaul its customer loyalty program.)

She went on to say that she and the REI workforce should challenge ourselves to be not just the best co-op, but also the best retailer.

In a statement following this weeks announcement, the union representing the workers at the New York and Boston stores (the Paramus, N.J., store is not unionized) hinted that it had been blindsided by the news. It suggested that the closings, and the layoffs that will ensue, could jeopardize the progress made this summer when REI Co-op agreed to begin contract negotiations with its 11 unionized stores, on whose behalf the union dropped a federal complaint after the retailer agreed to restore wage increases.

We are seeking more information to understand this decision, the union said in an email to Fortune, and we hope that the new relationship established this past summer between REI and the REI Union will enable both parties to secure the best possible outcome for the affected workers.

Relations between the Green Vests and the company have been strained for some time. Indeed, after the pandemicwhich initially decimated sales but then led to a surge in business that overwhelmed REIs supply chain and operationsArtz made moves that angered many employees.

To stabilize the company, he implemented more centralized decision-making, conducted a costly overhaul of REIs e-commerce, and hired a raft of executives from large national retailersleaving many Green Vests, and industry observers, to wonder whether REI would lose its soul by operating like big-box rivals such as Cabelas, Dicks Sporting Goods, or Walmart. Artz and other executives defended the hiring of executives from other retailersa change from its prior focus on internal recruitmentand blamed the companys financial problems on REIs high costs from member dividends and the donations it makes.

During Artzs tenure, efforts to unionize stores proliferated: The New York City store was the first to unionize, in 2022, and is now one of 11 such REI locations, along with Boston.

Like Artz before her, Laughton has argued that REI has to be competitive with rivals to survive, and in her letter she warned staff against falling into the mindset of nostalgia. This plan is not about getting back to what the co-op used to be, she wrote. Its about climbing the challenging peak thats in front of us, putting the co-op on more solid footing.

While REI did not say exactly why it was closing the stores, its statement about the matter sounded a note similar to Laughtons letter, framing the decision as necessary for the companys health: Exiting stores at the time of lease renewal that do not meet these considerations is a responsible and prudent part of running a retail business.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A growing trend of injecting the blood of other drug users to get a quick high, a practice called bluetoothing, has been contributing to a surge in HIV cases across global hotspots, including South Africa and Fiji, reports suggest.

The cheap method of getting a high has become popular among drug users in poverty-stricken areas of Africa and the Pacific islands.

For instance, the UN has warned that the practice could be linked to a nearly 10-fold rise in HIV infections in Fiji in the decade between 2014 and 2024.

A growing body of studies warns that heroin, or nyaope, users in South Africa are increasingly following this dangerous method.

In this drug-taking method, after one user injects the drug, they withdraw blood from their veins for another user to inject it voluntarily for a less-potent, secondary high.

Photograph shows syringes used by drug addicts and boxes containing HIV and hepatitis prevention tool, thrown on a mattress (AFP via Getty Images)

The practice, also known as flashblood has been well documented in South Africa, where one study published in the journal PLOS One in 2023 found that as many as nearly two in five people injecting drugs could be following bluetoothing.

It has also been documented as early as 2010 among heroin users in Tanzania, where researchers found that vulnerable women, who are heavy drug users and also living in shorter term housing, were following the practice.

The people following this method to get a high are also generally poor and unable to afford or continue antiretroviral treatment for HIV, research suggests.

It has been described mainly in areas of poverty with limited access to needle exchanges.

Despite over a third of such users living with HIV, only 40 per cent accessed antiretroviral therapy within the past year, and one accessed pre-exposure prophylactics, the 2023 study found.

Eamonn Murphy, the UNAids Regional Director to Asia Pacific, called the bluetoothing trend among Meth users in the region "extremely alarming.

Last week, Fijis assistant health minister Penioni Ravunawa warned that by the end of 2025, the country could record over 3,000 new HIV cases compared to 2014 when the island nation had fewer than 500 people living with the viral infection.

Researchers warn that the practice coupled with the low uptake of treatment and preventative medicines, including HIV testing, could negate efforts to prevent and treat HIV across the globe.

Scientists call for routine interviews with frequent drug users to screen for this practice and reduce stigma to allow for better harm reduction services.
Members of the Texas National Guard assemble in Elwood, Illinois, at the Army Reserve Training Center in the southwest suburb of Chicago. | Brian Cassella/TNS/Newscom

Every American who is concerned about the state of our liberties ought to find harrowing President Donald Trump's recent declaration that the National Guard is now in place in Portland, Oregon. As he wrote on social media, the goal is to restore law and order as "conditions continue to deteriorate into lawless mayhem."

There are some protests against ICE's increasingly abusive raids and detentions, but this is nothing more than a pretext to exert federal control over cities. I'm in Portland regularly, and it's one of the nation's most placid and safest big cities. Protests have at times been unruly over the years, but are well within the ability of local police to control.

This is problematic. For starters, the president is vastly exaggerating the nature of the protests. "While Democrat politicians deny reality, it's obvious what's happening in Portland isn't protest; it's premeditated anarchy that has scarred the city for years  leaving officers battered, citizens terrorized, and property defaced," he posted. People living there have no idea what he's talking about, given that, as usual, his claims are far afield from reality.

We should all be fearful when politicians exaggerate problems to grab more power. And it's not just Portland. Trump previously deployed National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles and is threatening to do so in Chicago and Memphis. The president's declared reasonto tamp down on protestsshould raise the hair on everyone's neck. He also suggested federal troops would target crime problems.

In his speech to the nation's generals, Trump said, "We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds" for military intervention, as he prattled about a "war from within." That's authoritarian bluster of the sort heard in despotisms. Note the support or eerie silence from limited-government, constitutional conservatives who spent years warning us about government oppression.

These are also direct assaults on three conservative principles. First, the First Amendment upholds every American's right to protest the government's policies. Every state and city has the tools necessary to deal with protests that become less than peaceful. It's hard to imagine a more aggressive threat to our traditional free-speech rights. It smacks of intimidation.

Second, Republicans have traditionally espoused the principle of local control. The Tenth Amendment is clear: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." As the Congressional Western Caucus explains, "local governments are better suited to deal with local issues than a distant, out-of-touch federal government."

If Republicans believe in leaving matters up to local officials rather than an out-of-touch federal behemoth, they should be leery of using federal troops to handle local policing matters. It's just the latest example of how conservatives only believe in these constitutional principles when their foes are in powerand quickly abandon them once they control the federal apparatus.

Third, the nation's founders were fixated on controlling the national government's ability to deploy standing armies for the obvious reason that the British crown did so to pummel its American subjects into submission.

Most of the Constitution is simply stated: "Congress shall make no law" But the Second Amendment is awkwardly worded (at least to modern eyes): "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The amendment's strange syntax has remained a source of legal and philosophical debate. The language was as much about controlling standing armies as gun ownership.

Its intent was better expressed in Pennsylvania's 1776 Declaration of Rights: "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; And that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power."

Overall, the founders wanted to limit the ability of the feds to use military forces against civilians at home. If the Constitution wasn't clear enough, the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 directly bans the authorities from using federal troops for civilian law enforcement unless authorized by Congress.

Trump's efforts to use federal troops on U.S. soil is an affront to our nation's Constitution and subsequent legal system. Legalities aside, every freedom-loving American should be appalled by the images of masked federal agents grabbing people at courthouses, tackling elderly citizens, roughing up reporters, and marching down city streets.

Portlanders have posted funny photos of the "chaos" in their city, which includes people strolling through parks and lining up to buy homemade bread at farmers' markets. But even if you believe the president, aren't you worried that a government that can send troops to a faraway city can send them to a neighborhood near you?

This column was first published in The Orange County Register.

Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute and a member of the Southern California News Group editorial board. Write to him at sgreenhut@rstreet.org.

The post Deploying Troops to American Cities Is an Assault on the Constitution appeared first on Reason.com.
Tyler Robinson | Utah Governors Office

PROVO, Utah (KSL.com)  Attorneys for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk would like their client to appear at all upcoming hearings in regular clothes and without shackles.

Indeed, given the pervasive media coverage in this case, the repeated and ubiquitous display of Mr. Robinson in jail garb, shackles, and a suicide vest will undoubtedly be viewed by prospective jurors and will inevitably lead to prospective juror perception that he is guilty and deserving of death, attorneys for Tyler James Robinson argue in their motion filed Thursday in 4th District Court.

Robinson, 22, of Washington, Washington County, is charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense, and facies a potential death sentence if convicted of shooting and killing Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Kirk, 31  a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA  was sitting under a tent of an outdoor amphitheater-courtyard area at UVU, speaking in front of approximately 3,000 people, when he was shot in the neck by a gunman on the roof of the nearby Losee Center building.

Robinsons next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30. During his initial hearing, he appeared via livestream from the Utah County Jail where he was seen wearing a safety smock or turtle suit, a one-piece, tear-resistant garment worn by incarcerated or detained individuals to prevent them from committing suicide by forming a noose. At his second hearing on Sept. 29, he again was at the jail, but his video was blacked out at his attorneys request.

During his next hearing, however, his attorneys say he will be present in the courtroom.

But according to a motion filed Thursday, his defense team wants their client to appear in civilian attire and without physical restraints.

These requests are necessary to maintain the presumption of innocence, to protect Mr. Robinsons rights to a fair and impartial trial, and to maintain courtroom decorum and dignity, the motion states.

While a defendant is innocent until proven guilty, the psychological reality is that the human beings who serve on the bench are likewise not immune to such subconscious and subliminal influence from seeing a human being in chains to protect others from him, according to the motion.

His attorneys say reliable decision-making in death penalty cases must be grounded in admissible evidence, not on innuendo derived from a defendants custodial status.

Robinsons motion points to his initial hearing on Sept. 16 as an example, stating that media outlets from all over the world covered it.

Mr. Robinsons physical appearance alone was and is subject to endless scrutiny and speculation. One article described Mr. Robinson during his initial appearance as emotionless and star(ing) blankly ahead and sporting slightly mussed locks, several days worth of facial hair and wearing a green suicide smock,' the motion says.

With each development in the case generating thousands of articles and comments online, the likelihood of potential jurors seeing and drawing conclusions regarding Mr. Robinsons guilt and or deserved punishment from obvious signs of pretrial incarceration will only increase, the motion continues. In the face of worldwide scrutiny, permitting Mr. Robinson to wear civilian clothing for court appearances is a minor inconvenience compared to the already present concerns with securing a fair trial before an impartial jury.

His attorneys argue that the world is watching Mr. Robinson and these proceedings, and because of that, additional care must be taken to preserve the presumption of innocence and to prevent tainting the pool of jurors that will ultimately decide Mr. Robinsons guilt or innocence, and if guilty, if Mr. Robinson should receive the death penalty.

Robinsons defense team is asking for a temporary order to allow their client to appear at the next court hearing in civilian clothes and without restraints. At that time, a date can be scheduled for a closed hearing to discuss the full motion.

Attorneys are asking for a hearing closed to the public, presumably so more sensitive evidence such as security can be discussed. The motion notes that a similar order was granted in the high profile case of Bryan Kohberger, convicted of killing four college students in Idaho.

The post Man accused of killing Charlie Kirk requests street clothes and no shackles during hearings appeared first on East Idaho News.
Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Jcuneok | Dreamstime.com | Midjourney

After the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, many on the political right set out to punish anyone making light of the tragedy, or even simply being insufficiently upset. In one of the more brazen examples, a Tennessee man was arrested, accused of threatening a school shooting, and held on a $2 million bond, for posting a somewhat uncivil meme on Facebook.

Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old former police officer, posted the offending meme last month. In response to a Facebook post about an upcoming vigil for Kirk, Bushart shared an image of President Donald Trump with the quote, "We have to get over it," which Trump said in January 2024 after a shooting at Iowa's Perry High School. Text added to the image said, "This seems relevant today."

Bushart did not elaborate, but the context seems clear: Why should I care about this shooting, when the sitting president said I should "get over" this other shooting?

The image was one of several Bushart posted, and it was far from the most offensive. Still, it certainly feels crass; as people mourned a brutal public murder, Bushart snidely used the occasion to make a partisan political point. But it's certainly well within the bounds of average social media discourse, and you certainly wouldn't expect it to bring the attention of the local police.

"Received a visit from Lexington PD regarding my posted memes," Bushart wrote in a September 21 Facebook status. According to Sheriff Nick Weems of nearby Perry County, "numerousteachers, parents and students" somehow interpreted Bushart's memewith its citation in fine print about a previous school shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowaas a threat to carry out a similar shooting at nearby Perry County High School.

According to the Perry County Sheriff's Office website, Bushart was arrested the following morning on a charge of Threats of Mass Violence on School Property and Activitiesa class E felony punishable by between one and six years in prison and up to a $3,000 fine. Worse, Bushart's bail is set at an astonishing $2 million.

Perry County Sheriff's Office

Under a Tennessee law that went into effect July 1, anyone posting bond must put up at least 10 percent of the total amount, and bail bondsmen must charge a "premium fee" of at least five percent of the total bond amount. Even just to get out of jail ahead of trial, state law says Bushart would have to pay a bondsman at least $210,000.

The Perry County Circuit Court website indicates Bushart had a motion hearing scheduled for October 9, but when reached by phone Friday, a court clerk told Reason the hearing was "reset" for December 4.

Bushart posted the Trump meme "to indicate or make the audience think it was referencing our Perry High School," Weems told The Tennesseean in a statement. "Investigators believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community." Weems also told local radio station WOPC the meme "eluded [sic] to a hypothetical shooting at a place called Perry High School."

This justification is downright laughable. In its entirety, the post consists of a direct quote of a statement by the then-former president about a newsworthy event, with text providing context, plus a four-word phrase added. Bushart didn't even create the meme: The Tennesseean's Angele Latham noted it had been "posted numerous times across multiple social media platforms not connected to Bushart going back to 2024."

"Quote the President of the United States, go to jail," Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, posted on X.

In context, it's clear Bushart meant to suggest that since Trump previously said people should "get over" a school shooting, then they shouldn't be expected to care about the murder of a conservative public figure. It's quite a stretch to suggest this constituted a threat to shoot up a high school. Yes, a nearby high school happened to have a similar name, but that was clearly a coincidence, and there is nothing to suggest Bushart intended to carry out violence against the local school.

On social media, some have suggested the meme in question was part of a larger pattern indicating Bushart posed a threat. But in his statement to The Tennesseean, Weems specifically singled out the Trump meme as the offender, saying while the other posts were "hate memes," they were "not against the law and would be recognized as free speech."

Perhaps some teachers, parents, or students really did find Bushart's post threateningthough since it was a reply on a Facebook page for local news, it's not clear how many people even saw it. And even if people did see and interpret it as a threat of violence, that doesn't mean it meets the standard for a "true threat," in violation of the First Amendment.

"True threats are not protected speech but not everything is a true threat," David Hudson, professor at Belmont University School of Law, tells Reason. "This seems to me to be heated rhetorical hyperbole, which is an incredibly important conceptor should bein true threat-type cases."

The U.S. Supreme Court created the true threat exception to the First Amendment in the 1969 decision Watts v. United States. Even then, Hudson adds, it made the point of distinguishing between true threats and "crude political hyperbole"in that case, a protester's remark that if he were drafted into the Army, "the first man I want to get in my sights is" then-President Lyndon Johnson. The court agreed with the plaintiff that it was not a true threat but simply "a kind of very crude offensive method of stating a political opposition to the President."

"Suppression of speech as an effective police measure is an old, old device, outlawed by our Constitution," Justice William O. Douglas wrote in a concurring opinion.

Bushart's arrest would be humorous if it weren't so serious. He now faces a potential years-long prison sentence for reposting a Facebook meme that doesn't come anywhere close to qualifying as an exception to the First Amendment. Even if the case gets thrown out, he has already spent two weeks in jail and is set to spend two more months until his first hearing.

The post Tennessee Man Arrested, Gets $2 Million Bond for Posting Facebook Meme appeared first on Reason.com.
Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani claimed he didnt know that the anti-gay Ugandan politician he posed with in a notorious pic  but records show his dad knew the official for years.

Mamdani had characterized a photo of him and Ugandan Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga as an impromptu airport run-in at an airport in the African nation after backlash to him flashing a smile with the official who pushed some of the most oppressive anti-LGBT laws in the world.

But Mamdanis father, Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, had been named in a 2019 lawsuit that Kadaga oversaw when she was speaker of the Ugandan parliament.

Zohran Mamdani sparked outrage for posing alongside controversial Ugandan Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga. X/@RebeccaKadagaUG

Several academics at Makerere University had sued several people including Mahmood Mamdani  who was then also the executive director at the Makerere Institute of Social Research  for wrongful termination.

Reports from various Ugandan outlets on the connection were shared in an X post by former independent candidate for mayor Jim Walden.

The reports also suggest that Kadaga and Mahmood Mamdani go as far back as 2011, with the Ivy League academic even praising Kadaga in an article, saying he saluted her handling of debates in the oil sector when she was a member of parliament.

The unlikely duo were both keynote speakers at a legislative assembly symposium earlier that same year.

Photos of Zohran Mamdani, his father and Kadaga  shared by The Post in a previous report  sparked outrage among local pols and gay rights activists. Though Mamdani claimed he was unaware the pol was the architect of the harsh anti-gay policies in Uganda was when he agreed to pose for the shot.

Mamdanis father, Mahmood (right), was found to have been involved professionally with Kadaga in many instances. Getty Images

Here with Zohran Mamdhani and Prof Mamdhani as Zohran returns to New York after his traditional wedding in Kampala, Kadaga gushed in the photo posted to X.

The photo was taken over summer in Uganda as the younger Mamdani celebrated his recent marriage at a family compound in the country.

Zohran Mamdani was on break from the campaign trail after winning a June Democratic Party primary, in which beat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a slew of other Democrats in a ranked-choice election.

Cuomo is now running as an independent against Mamdani to replace current Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the election last month and will leave office at the end of the year.

Dora Pekec a spokesperson for Zohran Mamdani, dodged questions about Mahmood Mamdanis relationship to Kadaga  but attributed Waldens X post to Cuomo.

Zohran has repeatedly said that hes outraged by the anti-LBGTQ policies of the Ugandan government and, unlike Andrew Cuomo, he has a policy platform to actually support and protect LGBTQ New Yorkers right here in our city, Pekec said.

The Post featured the notorious photo on its Oct. 6 cover.

This is just another sad and desperate distraction by a campaign thats running out of time and long ago ran out of ideas, she said.

Cuomo blasted the proud socialist at a press conference on Monday over the photos and his dual citizenship with Uganda, where he was born.

Why would you keep a citizen in Uganda, which is a country that outlaws the LGBTQ community? Why? Cuomo asked.
October 10, 2025: Three years ago, Iran's response to Israeli attacks on its two underground nuclear fuel production sites at Natanz and Fordow was to build the new Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La underground facility near the Natanz site. The new operation is 1,600 meters underground, 50 percent deeper than Natanz or Fordow. The space available inside Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La is about 50 percent less than the two current underground sites. Iran is installing more efficient centrifuges there to match current Natanz/Fordow production while occupying less space. The new facility may be more difficult to disable with an airstrike, but the last two attacks were carried out using malware or bombs planted by Israeli Mossad operatives, with the assistance of Iranians opposed to the current Iranian religious dictatorship and its obsession with creating nuclear weapons.

Iran continues to work on nuclear weapons. In 2021, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported activity at Iran's Natanz underground nuclear fuel enrichment facility. Israel had smuggled a large bomb into Natanz and detonated it on April 11. The IAEA reported on Natanz's enriched uranium production 54 days before the April explosion and 40 days after it. Iran initially called the explosion an accident. Within a week, Iran admitted the explosion was an attack that caused major damage to their new high-performance nuclear enrichment system, which turned uranium into weapons-grade material. IAEA inspectors were allowed to view the damage, and the recent IAEA report provides details of Natanz operations before and after the April explosion. The IAEA found that between February and May 2021, Iran enriched 335.7 kg of uranium ore to five percent Uranium-235. Unenriched uranium ore is only about 0.7 percent U-235. Uranium enrichment is a process that increases the content of Uranium-235 in uranium ore sufficiently for nuclear applications.

Soon after the April explosion, Iran was hard at work repairing the damage at Natanz, their most modern and productive enrichment facility. The other enrichment facility is at Fordow, also underground. Together, these two facilities operate 5,060 centrifuges, and Iran has another 13,000 centrifuges in storage to replace those that wear out or are lost to accidents, deliberate sabotage, or attacks.

The April 2021 bomb attack on Natanz caused massive equipment failure and damage on a scale similar to the 2010 attack carried out with malware against the heavily guarded Natanz compound and its computer-controlled uranium centrifuges. Later analysis indicated that the 50-meter-deep underground factory was effectively destroyed by the 2021 explosion. The target was its thousands of centrifuges. Israeli hackers accessed the centrifuges in 2010 via a computer worm called Stuxnet. A worm is malware that infiltrates target systems via stealth and physical media like USB thumb drives. Stuxnet was released four or five years before it reached Natanz, apparently via a USB drive containing the normally invisible malware. Once that USB drive is used on any local or internet-connected computer, Stuxnet automatically copies itself onto all computers connected to the network, especially industrial microprocessors used to control equipment. Stuxnet checked for centrifuge systems and disrupted their operations.

The 2021 attack required several years of preparation. The Israelis first obtained technical details of the Natanz electrical system and the new generation of centrifuges Iran installed there. The Israeli plan used explosives detonated where they would shut down the primary and backup power systems when the maximum number of new centrifuges were powered up and vulnerable to severe damage if these systems failed simultaneously. This worked as intended, and Natanz again suffered major centrifuge loss that took months to restore to production and over a year to completely fix.

Needed security upgrades were uncertain until Iran could learn more about exactly how the attack was carried out. They knew a lot of explosives were involved but were unsure how the attackers determined how and where to place them without being discovered. To aid in solving that mystery, Iran went public with details and the name of a suspected key operative. Iran is looking for Reza Karimi, a 43-year-old Iranian who left the country several days before the attack. Other Iranians were involved, as well as suspected Israeli Mossad agents who came to Iran and worked with a growing number of Iranians seeking to overthrow the current religious dictatorship. The Iranians have been seeking more of these Mossad-linked Iranians since a 2018 Mossad operation in the capital, when a heavily protected warehouse containing top-secret documents was covertly entered, half a ton of documents on the Iranian nuclear program were removed, and 24 hours later, they showed up in Israel. Until 2021, Iran denied this Mossad operation occurred.

There were no casualties at Natanz because of the bomb, which was a deliberate part of the attack plan. As a result, many Iranians supported the attack, and Iranians living outside their homeland openly expressed their hostility toward the Iranian nuclear program.

The two attacks on Natanz were very damaging to Iran's claims that it does not have a nuclear weapons program. In the aftermath of both attacks, it became clear that Iran was using powerful new centrifuge designs to create nuclear material far more refined (above 20 percent) than needed for a nuclear power plant. Iran needed hundreds of kilograms of U-235 refined to 90 percent to make enough nuclear weapons to deter further attacks and/or destroy Israel. The data Mossad made public in 2018 and the aftermath of the 2021 attack demonstrate that Iran was still seeking nuclear weapons.

The growing number of Mossad operations in Iran has led to public criticism, often by the senior clerics who rule the country. There has been more public criticism in Iran because the government has, for decades, devoted major resources to destroying Israel. That effort has consistently, and often spectacularly, failed at great cost to Iran. This makes the religious dictatorship look incompetent, as these senior clerics always insisted they were doing Gods work. The 2021 Mossad attack made many more Iranians realize that Mossad was apparently entrenched inside Iran and finding more Iranians willing to work with Mossad against projects that many Iranians agreed were endangering and impoverishing Iran, contributing to declining living standards and growing crackdowns by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and police. The IRGC knew that the Israelis had been successful at establishing a clandestine Mossad presence in Arab nations but thought Iranians were too loyal for this to happen in Iran.

Iran is trying to portray itself to foreigners as the innocent victim of Israeli aggression. Iranians insist that Natanz was only producing enriched uranium suitable for power plant fuel. However, recent IAEA reports describe evidence that Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear bomb and needs highly enriched (to 90 percent purity) U-235 for that. Foreigners are not as easily deceived as before, and more questions are being asked about Natanz. Inside Iran, the accidental fire at Natanz in mid-2020, described as a construction accident, is now being revisited as details emerge of how Mossad agents inside Natanz got 150 kg of explosives into the underground complex and managed to hide them, along with their remote-control detonators, where they would not be found and would do maximum damage when detonated.

Even before the bold Israeli attack on Natanz, Iran was violating the IAEA inspection requirements for the 2015 treaty that lifted Iranian economic sanctions. Since Natanz was bombed in 2021, Iran has announced further restrictions on the IAEA and is demanding that full compliance with the 2015 treaty be restored before Iran will negotiate the restoration of IAEA inspections. This is unacceptable to the United States, where a new government came to power in early 2021 and announced it was not willing to rejoin the 2015 treaty that the previous government had suspended in 2017 because Iran was cheating on the nuclear weapons restrictions of the 2015 treaty. Those accusations proved to be true, and Iran is not changing its negotiating tactics.

The threatened Israeli airstrikes never had the underground enrichment facilities as a primary target. An Israeli airstrike would target surface facilities vital to the nuclear weapons or ballistic missile program. What bothers Iran is that Israel likely knows much more about those other targets and the extent to which their destruction would cripple the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programs. This is a more worrisome Israeli threat, especially their ability to do what Iranian leaders believed unlikely or impossible.

This was most recently demonstrated on June 25, 2025, when 200 Israeli warplanes carried out a surprise attack that eliminated most Iranian air defenses. Many facilities needed to develop and build nuclear weapons were destroyed, along with over a dozen key nuclear scientists and military leaders.

By mid-2025, Iran had not recovered from this and concentrated on rebuilding its air defense system with Chinese systems. This is being done while the Israelis observe, take notes, and plan another attack.

Even if Iran acquired nuclear weapons, Israel is ahead of them, with ballistic missiles and submarines capable of launching nuclear-armed missiles.
Today, India decided to reopen its embassy in Kabul, marking an unprecedented political step towards the Taliban government. The announcement came after Pakistan struck the Afghan capital to eliminate Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the Pakistani Taliban. These developments are part of a new phase in the conflict between India and Pakistan, which began with Operation Sindoor, launched by New Delhi in May in response to an attack in Kashmir.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  This morning, India upgraded its technical mission in Afghanistan to the rank of embassy, after Pakistan struck Kabul last night with the stated aim of eliminating the leader of the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan or TTP).

Two different actions that are part of the new phase of conflict between India and Pakistan that began in May when New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor in response to a terrorist attack in the Kashmir region that killed dozens of people, mostly Indian tourists.

Since then, the two South Asian neighbours have kept up a bellicose rhetoric and sought new alliances: Pakistan, a key Chinese ally, has achieved a rapprochement with the United States, while India is further deepening diplomatic ties with the Taliban government, which returned to power in August 2021 after 20 years of war following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan.

At the time, India, like several other countries, closed its embassy in Kabul, but in 2022 it launched a small mission with the stated purpose of facilitating trade and sending humanitarian aid.

This morning, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in the presence of his Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, announced that the Indian embassy in Kabul would resume full operations, despite the Indian government never formally recognising the government of the Islamic Emirate.

India is "fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan, Jaishankar told Muttaqi in his opening remarks.

"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience," he added.

Muttaqi's trip to India, the result of extensive diplomatic work by New Delhi, was made possible thanks to the temporary lifting of UN sanctions against him.

The week-long visit is part of the Taliban's efforts to emerge from their diplomatic and economic isolation, but it comes at a time of great tensions with Pakistan.

The Taliban's 2021 comeback and the creation of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan have galvanised the TTP, which emerged as an alliance of militias in 2007 in response to Islamabad's support for the Western invasion of Afghanistan.

The group, which was almost completely wiped out in 2018 following a series of military operations conducted by the Pakistani military, seeks to establish an Islamic government in Pakistan. To this end, it has targeted state infrastructure, especially police and soldiers, with deadly terrorist attacks.

Yesterday, for instance, the group claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack on 7 October against security forces headquarters that killed 11 soldiers.

This morning, the Pakistani army announced that it had killed the 30 fighters responsible for the attack, while accusing India of supporting the terrorists.

Over the past four years, Islamabad has struggled to contain the escalation of violence. Pakistan has become the second most targeted country in the world for terrorism after Burkina Faso.

According to the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), not since 2015 have there been so many attacks.

Despite the Talibans repeated denials, the TTP receives protection and financial support from its Afghan "cousins, operating primarily in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the local chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, resigned recently at the request of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently in prison, and believed responsible for a political rapprochement with the TTP.

Gandapur's resignation is likely part of a political move to allow the Pakistani government to operate freely in the region against the Pakistani Taliban.

This summer, the Pakistani army launched a large-scale offensive, focusing on the Bajaur District, the epicentre of violence.

It is still unclear whether TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud was killed in yesterday's drone strikes on Kabul. According to some sources, audio recordings have been released to prove he is still alive.

Mehsud, in addition to being considered the leader of the TTP, is close to Afghanistan's supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, who leads the most extremist faction within the Taliban.

Some analysts have speculated that Mehsud's location may have been leaked due to internal rivalries within the Taliban or may have been communicated to Islamabad by US intelligence.

Last month, for the second time in just over three months, the Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, met with President Trump at the White House.

The weapons used in the attack, however, are likely Chinese-made, like almost all of Pakistan's military arsenal, 80 per cent of which are imports from China.

The TTP's response was immediate. One of the groups affiliated with the organisation claimed responsibility for an attack on the Haider Kandao military base, located in Tirah, in the Khyber District.

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by Fady Noun

Damascus wants to secure the release of fellow citizens who have been detained without trial in Lebanon for years and are ideologically close to HTS. Their arrest was based on ideological motives linked to mere suspicion. According to Lebanese ministerial sources, there are at least 2,100 of them, 55% of whom have never appeared in court. At the root of the controversy are the civil war in Syria and Hezbollah's hegemony.

Beirut (AsiaNews) - The unconditional release of hundreds of Syrian Islamists, arrested and detained for years without trial in Lebanon solely because of their political opinions, is essential for the improvement of bilateral relations between Lebanon and Syria.

This was stated in a television interview by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tarek Mitri, who is in charge of closing this long-standing dossier, which continues to poison relations between the two countries.

This is a grave injustice that has caused intolerable family tragedies: husbands torn from their wives, fathers from their children, and teenagers deprived of a future. According to corroborating sources, the reason for the coldness shown by the new regime in Damascus towards Lebanon is to be found nowhere else but in this tragedy, which has been systematically and deliberately suppressed for years.

In fact, no Syrian ministerial-level official has visited Beirut to date, while numerous Lebanese religious and political figures have already travelled to Syria, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Mufti of the Republic Abdel Latif Deriane and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt. This situation is set to change with the unexpected arrival today of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, who is expected in Beirut, a sign that developments are moving in the right direction.

At the same time, a meeting is being prepared between President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, on the sidelines of the Arab-Russian Economic Forum on 15 October, as confirmed by an authorised Syrian source.

Those who know Mitri's placidity and calmness could sense the emotion in his voice. If it were up to me, he said during a widely watched political programme on New TV, I would release these detainees immediately. This speaks volumes about the gravity of the injustice suffered by several hundred Syrian political prisoners in Lebanon.

Prisoners of conscience

Mitri spoke the day after the second visit to Beirut, since the beginning of September, of a delegation composed of former ministers and the president of the Syrian National Commission for the Disappeared: a body tasked primarily, on behalf of Damascus, with securing the release of Syrians close to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the core of the ruling coalition in the Arab country, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) or the al-Nusra Front.

These individuals were arbitrarily arrested in Lebanon after the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, sometimes on mere suspicion or because of a number on their mobile phone, and detained without trial, some for more than 10 years, in the overcrowded Roumieh central prison.

These arrests were carried out in Islamist circles under pressure from Hezbollah, which, after repeatedly denying its presence in Syria in support of Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship, officially confirmed in 2017 that it had 10,000 fighters in Syria. In this regard, according to the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, the total number of Syrians detained in Lebanon is 2,100, of whom 55% remain without trial.

It should be noted, however, that not all of them are prisoners of conscience and that Lebanese prisons also hold common criminals and Syrians arrested for participating in fighting against the Lebanese army.

Mitri said that, thanks to the bilateral committees currently at work, a new judicial memorandum of understanding between Lebanon and Syria is being studied, the signing of which will allow for the immediate and unconditional release of several hundred Syrians (between 500 and 800, according to him).

Some Lebanese Salafists are also awaiting their release, including the famous imam Ahmad el-Assir, who was arrested in 2013 after clashes with troops in Abra, near Sidon. Eighteen soldiers and eleven militiamen were killed in these clashes. The imam is calling for a general amnesty.

Other sensitive cases

In the meantime, other sensitive cases will be examined, including those of Lebanese nationals who are reported missing in Syria. This issue remains one of the deepest wounds in the country's recent history.

During Syrian rule (1976-2005), thousands of Lebanese were kidnapped or imprisoned, often without trial or information about their fate. According to the NGO Solide, some 650 Lebanese are still missing in Syria. A number of returns since the current HTS-led coalition came to power have only served to reignite interest in this case.

However, the Syrian authorities have warned their Lebanese counterparts that such searches are made difficult by the dispersal of files in prisons that characterised the early days of the Syrian revolution.

The demarcation of borders is also among the projects underway. Mitri spoke of eight border areas between Syria and Lebanon characterised by a mixture of populations and therefore of real estate, where each population considers itself at home.

The minister also assured that the illegal entry of weapons and fighters into Lebanon via illegal paths and routes has now been blocked and that efforts are now focused on drug trafficking.

Hannibal Gaddafi and Fadl Shaker

Nevertheless, it should be noted that with the new political era ushered in in Lebanon by the rise to power of the Joseph Aoun-Nawaf Salam tandem, the climate of impunity is diminishing. And some of the dysfunctions of justice that characterised the period of Hezbollah's hegemony seem to be on the verge of being corrected.

It is therefore likely that Hannibal Gaddafi, son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who has been detained in Lebanon since 2015 in connection with the 1978 disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadre in Libya, may soon be released.

Kidnapped by a Shiite group on the border between Lebanon and Syria and then handed over to the Lebanese police on charges of aiding and abetting, Hannibal Gaddafi was less than three years old at the time of the events.

Two weeks ago, Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar stated that a request for release has been filed by his French lawyer and that he is awaiting a decision from investigating judge Zaher Hamade. The latter, considered close to the Speaker of the House, has not questioned him since... 2017.

Meanwhile, detained in a 4.5-square-metre underground cell, Hannibal Gaddafi has paid for his brutal imprisonment with his health.

In addition, Fadl Chaker, a famous Lebanese crooner who became a Salafist and was sentenced in absentia in 2020 to 22 years for participating in clashes with the army, surrendered to army intelligence at the entrance to the large Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Heloue, near Sidon. The man, who proclaims his innocence, had been wanted for years.
October 10, 2025: In 2020, Russian military strength ranked third behind China and the United States. Russia had nearly a million active-duty troops and about 12,000 tanks, most of which were older models. By 2025, Russia remained number three, but three years of war in Ukraine had destroyed most of its tanks, killed or wounded about a million soldiers, and caused over a million military-age men to flee the country. Ever-growing Western economic sanctions have weakened the economy, and by 2025, nearly all national cash reserves had been spent to keep the economy afloat. Between now and 2030, Russian and Western economists agree that the Russian economy is in bad shape, a condition worsened by the governments shift to a war economy, which neglects civilian and infrastructure needs to support the war effort.

Even Russian government and business leaders agree that another five years of sanctions and war in Ukraine will cause substantial, possibly long-term damage to the economy. The West wants Russia out of Ukraine for sanctions to be lifted. Putin cannot afford to keep them in place. He is trying to determine how much occupied Ukrainian territory he must surrender to revive his economy. The Ukrainians want all their territory back and are only willing to consider reducing the hundreds of billions in reparations they demand for property destruction and Ukrainian lives lost. So far, about 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died, along with at least 12,000 civilians.

Economically, Ukraine can outwait Russia. Several hundred billion dollars in military and economic investment have come from the West, and this investment continues to flow.

The Ukrainian economy never faltered during the war. In the first six months of the invasion, Ukraines GDP grew by 29 percent. In 2023, growth was 3.9 percent, followed by 2.9 percent in 2024, and between 2.5 and 3.5 percent in 2025. After that, annual growth is expected to be 34 percent per year.

Western investments will continue because Ukraine and its NATO supporters agree that sustained economic and GDP growth is best for Ukraine, as is the visible defeat and continued sanctions on an economically ravaged Russia. The sanctions will be lifted as Russian forces withdraw from Ukrainian territory and stand by as Ukraine joins NATO. This makes another Russian attack on Ukraine unlikely, as attacking one NATO member prompts every other NATO member to join in the defense. Russia has already seen this in action, as NATO came to the aid of a nation preparing to join NATO.

Russia justified the invasion by claiming it felt threatened by more of its neighbors joining NATO. However, Russias actions demonstrated the effectiveness of NATO in combat for the first time, as NATO support proved vital to Ukraines victory. This was the first instance of NATO aiding a candidate member. Its a lesson all NATO members hope Russia absorbs and understands.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at 9:43 am near Manay, coastal Davao Oriental, followed by hundreds of aftershocks throughout the day. Damage was reported to homes, hospitals, schools and other buildings, as well as bridges. Rescue teams are still at work.

Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A powerful earthquake struck the Philippines this morning at 9:43 am local time, causing the collapse of several buildings.

Initial reports say at least two people have been killed, but the death toll is only partial, while a tsunami alert was issued for coastal regions within 300 km, which includes Indonesia, but was later lifted.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake was recorded at a depth of 43 km off the coast of Manay, a town in Davao Oriental in the southern Mindanao, a region once the scene of fighting by separatist and Islamic extremist groups.

The main quake, which was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, occurred 10 days after another deadly earthquake struck Cebu, killing at least 79 people and injuring hundreds.

A Manay official told Reuters that initial reports indicate damage to homes, hospital, schools, and other buildings, as well as bridges, with power outages. The full extent of the damage and the number of victims are still unclear at this time.

Civil defence official Karlo Puerto confirmed that two people were dead, but rescuers are still working, and more deaths cannot be ruled out in the coming hours.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where tectonic plates collide, generating frequent seismic and volcanic activity with over 800 earthquakes a year.

Most are weak and go unfelt, but destructive tremors like todays, one of the most violent to hit the archipelago in recent years, can occur at any time.

Videos and footage shared on social media show residents in Davao clinging to vehicles and improvised supports as the quake shakes homes, buildings, and signs.

Richie Diuyen, a civil defence official in Manay, said the main shock lasted 30 to 40 seconds and damaged some homes and the facade of a church, as well as causing cracks in roads and making some bridges impassable.

We couldn't stand earlier. I am 46 years old now, and this is the strongest earthquake I ever felt," Diuyen said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that the authorities were assessing the situation and that search and rescue teams would deploy as soon as it was safe to do so. We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it, the president said in a statement.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned of possible aftershocks of up to 6.4 magnitude, urging people in the affected areas to stay away from the coast.

Verified footage from the region in the southern Philippines show people pouring out of buildings into the streets, lamps swinging in shops, and offices with cabinets overturned and workers clinging to desks.

Video from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi shows fishing boats returning from sea and children playing on a beach where the water had receded.

PHIVOLCS later downgraded the magnitude from 7.6 to 7.4 and estimated the earthquake's depth at 23 km (14 miles).
by Arundathie Abeysinghe

The Colombo government has launched a plan to build the facility on the northern island, where it still takes seven hours and sky-high prices to deliver the fuel that powers the electricity generators. It is part of the effort to bridge the gaps and develop the economy in peripheral areas. But environmentalists are concerned about the impact on the fragile ecosystem, which is still home to a large population of wild horses.

Jaffna (AsiaNews) - With the aim of improving infrastructure and daily life in remote communities, Sri Lankan authorities have launched a plan to build the first fuel station on Delft Island (Nedunthivu, in the Northern Province) - the first in the island's history.

The project, carried out in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Navy, aims to drastically reduce the time and cost of transporting fuel to the island, thanks to a new agreement formalised with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

The agreement was reached on 5 October and is currently in its initial phase. The CPC will allocate 50 million rupees (approximately 142,000) for the construction and equipping of the facility, with further expansion planned in a second phase. The project will improve accessibility for residents and visitors to the northern islands.

Currently, residents face a logistical challenge that requires approximately seven hours to deliver fuel to the island's electric generator. Once operational, refuelling will take 45 minutes. According to the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, work has already begun on the development of the access road to the Kurikadduwan (Kites) jetty in the Velanai secretarial division  an important step in improving transport connectivity to the islands off the Jaffna Peninsula.

The new station will offer fuel at standardised national prices, in line with those in Colombo, finally bringing price equity and accessibility to an area that has suffered for years from fuel shortages and inflated costs due to transport difficulties. The initiative also aims to support economic activities on the island.

Senior CPC officials spoke to AsiaNews about the initiative, stating that "there is a broader vision behind this project. It is part of a national effort to bridge regional gaps and strengthen social cohesion.

Residents of the north have been waiting for this initiative for decades, struggling to obtain basic necessities, particularly fuel, which is essential for their livelihood. The refuelling station is a primary need, as it addresses critical transport challenges, ensures price parity, improves safety by eliminating the need for manual fuel transport (currently in use) and supports the island's population and visitors. The new facility provides much-needed access to fuel, which has been difficult and expensive until now."

Although considered a historic step, the project is met with scepticism by environmentalists. Environmentalists Ramesh Ilangasinghe and Subashini Mendis believe that "this project will drastically affect the delicate environment of Delft Island, which has a fragile ecosystem, mainly due to limited freshwater resources and increased vulnerability to climate change, with drier periods, heavier rainfall and storm surges. These environmental challenges also compromise the island's ecosystems, agriculture and the livelihoods of residents. The island, which covers approximately 50 square kilometres, is at risk of contamination from pollutants in the soil, air and water, originating from leaks, spills, volatile organic compounds dispersed in the air, and improperly disposed waste, with the risk of damaging the local fauna."

Delft Island, the environmentalists continue, "is the second largest island in Sri Lanka, with a history dating back over a thousand years, and is the only one with a large population of wild horses, an important tourist attraction. Currently, developed, residential and administrative areas occupy about a quarter of the island and are located in an area less vulnerable to flooding. For this reason, it is necessary to adopt thoughtful and sustainable solutions to build a more resilient future for the island. It is essential to conduct an environmental assessment to identify the risks to its fragile ecosystem."

Photo: Flickr/Indi Samarajiva
Receiving in audience the Aid to the Church in Need International, the pontiff cited Pope Francis who, in his last message to the world, stressed the link between this fundamental right and peace. For Leo, we do not abandon our persecuted brothers and sisters. Even small and vulnerable communities can be bearers of brotherhood, showing that a different world is possible.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Leo XIV today received in audience in the Vatican members of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an association created in 1947 by a Dutch priest, Father Werenfried van Straaten, to help persecuted Christians. Now a pontifical foundation, ACN is active in 140 countries around the world.

In his address, the pontiff stressed that religious freedom is not merely a legal right or a privilege granted to us by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes authentic reconciliation possible.

In fact, our world, said Leo XIV speaking to the ACN delegation meeting in Rome for the jubilee pilgrimage, continues to witness rising hostility and violence against those who hold different convictions, including many Christians. In contrast, your mission proclaims that, as one family in Christ, we do not abandon our persecuted brothers and sisters.

The Holy Father noted the importance of the right to religious freedom not only for believers, but for society as a whole.

[T]he right to religious freedom is not optional but essential. Rooted in the dignity of the human person, created in Gods image and endowed with reason and free will, religious freedom allows individuals and communities to seek the truth, to live it freely, and to bear witness to it openly. It is therefore a cornerstone of any just society, for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be formed and exercised.

When this freedom is denied, the human person is deprived of the capacity to respond freely to the call of truth. What follows is a slow disintegration of the ethical and spiritual bonds that sustain communities; trust gives way to fear, suspicion replaces dialogue, and oppression breeds violence.

Leo XIV noted how this very message was one of the last things his predecessor Pope Francis cited in his Urbi et Orbi message on Easter Sunday, the day before his death.

For Francis, there can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others. Indeed, The defence of religious freedom, then, cannot remain abstract; it must be lived, protected and promoted in the daily lives of individuals and communities, Leo added.

This is precisely where the commitment of the ACN International comes in, for its mission from the beginning has been to foster forgiveness and reconciliation, and to accompany and give a voice to the Church wherever she is in need, wherever she is threatened, wherever she suffers.

Leo XIV specifically cited ACNs "Report on Religious Freedom in the World," which the foundation has been publishing for 25 years, a tool, he observed, that does more than provide information; it bears witness, gives voice to the voiceless, and reveals the hidden suffering of many.

The pontiff also mentioned the foundations actual work in support of Catholic communities that are isolated, marginalised, or under pressure in many parts of the world.

Wherever Aid to the Church in Need rebuilds a chapel, supports a religious sister, or provides for a radio station or a vehicle, you strengthen the life of the Church, as well as the spiritual and moral fabric of society. And as I am sure you are aware, your organization has helped many of the missions in Peru, including in the Dioceses of Chiclayo, where I was privileged to serve, Leo explained, citing the years of his episcopal ministry in Latin America.

Even when they are small and vulnerable minorities, the pope noted, Christians can be peacemakers. In countries such as the Central Africa Republic, Burkina Faso and Mozambique, the local Church  often sustained by your help  becomes a living sign of social harmony and fraternity, showing their neighbours that a different world is possible.
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Department of Education takes Constructive Action Against Violence

The Government and the Department of Education condemn any form of violence. Schools act swiftly and appropriately whenever incidents occur. The recent altercation that took place outside school premises is deeply regrettable but not reflective of the values or conduct of the vast majority of our young people, who demonstrate respect and responsibility every day.

The Government maintains the Departments position that schools should promote a violence free culture, grounded in clear expectations, strong pastoral care, and firm disciplinary practices that emphasise accountability and learning. Serious misdemeanours must be dealt with robustly, and schools work closely with parents, carers, and, where necessary, the police to ensure appropriate consequences and lasting change.

The Minister for Education met at the first opportunity yesterday with the Department of Education, schools and the Royal Gibraltar Police, and has also been in direct communication with NASUWT and Unite the Union to discuss and act on areas of concern. The Government notes yesterdays statement by the RGP and will not at this stage comment further on any aspect of their ongoing investigation. The Government is grateful to the RGP for their continued support and their commitment to step up visibility around schools at key times.

The Government will continue to cooperate fully with the RGP and work closely with the young people involved, not just the two involved in the fight but also those who were urging them on and those who were circulating the videos, with their parents and carers, and relevant agencies to address this situation firmly and constructively and ensure accountability, whilst repairing the harm caused and supporting the learning and development that must follow. The Government will always support its Education staff in all situations, however difficult, and will continue to work with the whole Education team to improve standards of behaviour.

Minister for Education John Cortes who is taking a deep personal interest in the incident and on issues of behaviour, said, It is a fact that fights outside schools are nothing new, but this cannot be taken as acceptance of their inevitability. I have met with the Commissioner of Police, the Department of Education and the head teachers of Bayside and Westside, and can assure everyone that the schools are working together proactively to deal with the issue firmly and decisively, and so there need be no fear that the incident will be treated lightly or anything other than seriously. I will be setting up a number of meetings with all stakeholders, including NASUWT, to address their concerns and look into other related issues such as producing guidelines on intervention, so that staff can feel confident that any response to such a situation is safe and supported.
10 October 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

In todays digital economy, financial technologyFinTechis more than just a buzzword; it has become a critical driver of economic growth, innovation, and financial inclusion worldwide. By transforming how financial services are delivered, FinTech empowers individuals and businesses, lowers transaction costs, and enhances transparency. For emerging economies like Azerbaijan, embracing FinTech is pivotal to accelerating modernization, attracting investment, and integrating into the global financial ecosystem.

The Baku Fintech Forum 2025 opened recently as a landmark event, bringing together leading voices from the international FinTech community. Organized by the Azerbaijan Fintech Association (AzFina) alongside the Central Bank of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Banks Association, the forum provides a vital platform to discuss emerging trends, regulatory challenges, and the future trajectory of financial technologies in the country.

In a move that underscores Azerbaijans ambition to expand its FinTech influence beyond national borders, the Azerbaijan Fintech Association (AzFina) signed two key memoranda of understanding during the Baku Fintech Forum 2025  one with the Turkish Fintech Association, and another with an international consulting firm.

These strategic agreements aim to deepen cooperation in the development of financial technologies, foster the exchange of expertise, and promote innovative solutions across both domestic and international markets.

These partnerships reflect Azerbaijans growing recognition of FinTech as a cross-border industry. Turkiye, with its advanced digital finance ecosystem, serves as a valuable partner for knowledge transfer, market access, and joint innovation. Meanwhile, collaboration with a global consultancy firm will likely provide Azerbaijan with insights into best practices, global compliance standards, and scaling strategiescrucial for positioning itself competitively on the international FinTech map.

By establishing these alliances, Azerbaijan is not only enhancing its domestic capabilities but also signalling its readiness to integrate into global FinTech value chains. Such steps are particularly vital as the country seeks to build a knowledge-driven economy and become a digital bridge between Europe and Asia.

One of the foremost challenges Azerbaijan faces is the need to update its legislative framework to keep pace with rapidly evolving FinTech innovations. Zakir Nuriyev, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Banks Association (ABA), highlighted this at the forum, emphasizing the urgency of regulatory reforms, particularly in how electronic money institutions manage customer funds.

Currently, electronic money institutions must hold funds in multiple banksa practice already mandated for insurance companies to mitigate risks. Extending this requirement to fintech firms will not only protect consumer assets but also enhance systemic stability within the digital payment ecosystem. Such regulatory enhancements are critical as Azerbaijan seeks to foster financial inclusion and facilitate the adoption of modern financial services.

This regulatory approach signals a pragmatic balance between innovation and risk management. While overly rigid rules can stifle startups, thoughtful legislation can build public trust and attract international investors wary of unregulated markets. Azerbaijans move mirrors global trends where governments recognize the importance of a secure yet flexible legal framework to nurture FinTech growth.

Beyond regulation, the backbone of FinTechs success lies in cybersecurity. Elnur Aliyev, First Deputy Minister of Economy, underscored cybersecuritys integral role in economic security and national competitiveness during the CIDC 2025 cybersecurity festival.

In the digital era, the intertwining of regulatory frameworks, advanced technology, and skilled human capital forms the triad essential for resilience against cyber threats. Azerbaijans National Strategy on Information and Cybersecurity (20232027) exemplifies this holistic approach by prioritizing the protection of critical infrastructure, establishing training centers, and fostering public-private collaboration.

Moreover, initiatives like the Coursera National Academy, which has enrolled nearly 40,000 citizens in digital and cybersecurity courses, demonstrate Azerbaijans commitment to building a knowledgeable workforce prepared to support and secure its burgeoning FinTech sector.

The focus on cybersecurity reflects a sophisticated understanding that digital innovation cannot flourish without robust defense mechanisms. For Azerbaijan, investing in cyber talent is a forward-looking strategy to safeguard financial ecosystems and promote investor confidenceboth vital for sustaining growth in an interconnected world where cyberattacks can have devastating economic consequences.

Infrastructure development is another cornerstone supporting Azerbaijans digital transformation. The commencement of construction for two major data centers, as announced by Farrukh Farajullayev from AzInTelecom at the forum, represents a strategic investment to bolster the countrys digital backbone.

Set to be among the largest in the region upon completion in 2027, these facilities in Hajigabul and Absheron will provide critical support for data processing and storage, essential for scalable FinTech operations.

Building robust data infrastructure domestically not only reduces dependency on foreign servers but also enhances data sovereigntya growing priority in global digital policy. This move enables Azerbaijan to offer reliable, secure, and high-speed services, attracting fintech startups and global investors alike.

Highlighting the investment potential, Gunc Onur, Managing Partner at the European venture fund Startup Wise Guys, emphasized that FinTech transcends a single sector, spanning over 20 subfields touching daily lives. The fund actively invests in early-stage startups, including the Azerbaijan-based ePoint, reflecting confidence in the local innovation landscape.

Onur stressed the importance of strong teams, strategic partnerships, and regulatory awareness in evaluating startups. Despite regulatory challenges, these barriers provide a protective framework essential for building trust and sustainability.

The venture capital interest signals a maturation of Azerbaijans startup ecosystem and its alignment with global innovation hubs. The notion that every startup will eventually become a FinTech startup encapsulates FinTechs pervasive influence, underscoring its role as a catalyst for broader digital economy growth.

Azerbaijan stands at a critical juncture in its digital transformation journey. The convergence of regulatory modernization, cybersecurity investment, infrastructure development, and venture capital engagement paints a promising picture for the countrys FinTech future.

However, realizing this potential requires continuous collaboration among policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and international partners to create an environment where innovation thrives securely and inclusively. By doing so, Azerbaijan can position itself as a regional FinTech hub, unlocking new opportunities for economic growth and integration into the global digital economy.
10 October 2025 14:42 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), through its Azneft Production Union, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore-based companies Kranji Solution and MySep Pte.

Azernews reports that the MoU was signed by Tofiq Heydarov, Chief Engineer and First Deputy Director General of Azneft, Michel van Vorselen, Technical Director of Kranji Solution, and Guy Hellinx, Head of MySep Pte.

Under the agreement, the gas collection and transportation systems operated by Aznefts oil and gas production departments will undergo modernization of their separators to align with current operational standards. Additionally, training will be provided to 10 local specialists in the field.

As a result of the collaboration, local engineers will be equipped to independently carry out tasks related to the design, diagnostics, performance optimization, and compliance of separators. This initiative is expected to significantly reduce the risk of complications in the gas gathering and transportation systems, while enhancing their efficiency and reliability.
10 October 2025 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Efforts to support entrepreneurs through concessional financial mechanisms were discussed during a meeting between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, a meeting was held with representatives of Kazakhstans DAMU Entrepreneurship Development Fund at the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund.

During the meeting, the sides reviewed the steps taken to support business entities through preferential financial instruments. They also exchanged views on the progress made under the memorandum of understanding signed between the two institutions, and discussed prospects for future cooperation.
10 October 2025 12:21 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan National Art Museum has opened an exhibition "Old Baku: Longing and Emotions" by Honored Artist and Professor Arif Alasgarov, Azernews reports.

Over 60 works created by the artist in different years are showcased at the exhibition, organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Azerbaijan National Art Museum. The retrospective exhibition covers both Arif Alasgarov's classic works and his more recent graphic and painting pieces.

During the opening, director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum Shirin Malikova, People's Artist Arif Huseynov, First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union, People's Artist, Professor Salhab Mammadov, Vice-Rector of the Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts, People's Artist, Professor Fuad Salayev, Advisor to the Rector of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, Honored Art Worker, Professor Valida Mammadova, and the Head of the "Design" Department at the Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts, Associate Professor Faig Dadashov delivered speeches.

They highlighted the artist's invaluable contributions to Azerbaijani visual arts through his multifaceted creativity, shared memorable experiences of collaborating with him, and reflected on his pioneering achievements in the field of art education.

At the end of the event, Honored Artist and Professor Arif Alasgarov expressed his gratitude for the comments on his work and for the value placed on art in general.

Following the speeches, the participants had the opportunity to explore the exhibition in more detail.

The exhibition features the artist's works in both graphic arts and painting, reflecting themes such as the lives of ordinary people, intergenerational relationships, love, the meaning and beginning of existence.

A special focus in many of his paintings is Icherisheher (the Old City), which embodies the nostalgic spirit of Baku and the poetic bridge he has created between the past and the present.

The exhibition "Old Baku: Longing and Emotions" will be open to visitors until October 26.

Established in 1937, the Azerbaijan National Art Museum presents art lovers with outstanding examples of Western European decorative and applied arts.

The museum's permanent collection features over 3,000 works displayed across 60 galleries, with an additional 12,000 pieces preserved in its archives. Visitors can admire masterpieces by renowned artists from Italy, France, Germany, and Poland.

The museum has also played host to numerous prestigious international exhibitions, highlighting the works of world-famous artists.

These exhibitions have not only drawn the attention of art enthusiasts but have also played a significant role in fostering cultural exchange between Azerbaijan and other nations.
10 October 2025 14:20 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

A master class in the tar specialty has taken placeat the Kevkab Safaraliyeva Children's Music School No. 16, Azernews reports.

The session was led by the eminent tar player, teacher, People's Artist, and Professor Vamig Mammadaliyev, and attended by both teachers and students.

People's Artist Vamig Mammadaliyev spoke about the tar and the unique features of playing the instrument. After listening to the students' performances, he offered his recommendations and answered questions from both teachers and students.

On the initiative of the Culture Ministry's Scientific, Methodological, and Qualification Center for Culture (MEMIM), with the organizational support of the Azerbaijan Cultural Workers' Trade Union, and assistance from the Baku City Main Department of Culture and the Absheron-Khizi Regional Department of Culture, a series of master classes are being held from October 8 to 18. These sessions are intended for teachers and students of music and art schools under the aforementioned institutions.

In their remarks, MEMIM Acting Director, PhD in Art Studies, Associate Professor Vugar Humbatov; Head of the Main Department of Culture of Baku City Ibrahim Aliyev; and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Cultural Workers' Trade Union Elkiyar Ziyadov, stressed the importance of the project, which aims to align the educational process in music and art schools with specialized program requirements, enhance the professionalism of teachers, and enrich students' knowledge and skills.

The speakers pointed out that this year, by the order of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the country is solemnly celebrating the 140th anniversary of the birth of Uzeyir Hajibayli. His unique contributions to the development of Azerbaijani culture are gratefully remembered. The enlightening traditions established by the great composer, who gifted the nation with masterpieces of musical culture, are successfully continued and developed today.

Masterclasses are being held in 12 specialties: tar, kamancha, saz, balaban, qanun, khanende vocal art, piano, violin, clarinet, cello, academic vocal, and choreography.

On the same day, a masterclass on playing the qanun was organized at Baku's 11-Year Music School No. 20 named after Shovkat Alakbarova.

Head of the MEMIM Strategic Analysis and Training Organization Department, Honored Cultural Worker Lala Karimova, delivered a speech about the project and spoke of Uzeyir Hajibayli's exceptional contribution to the country's culture.

During the lesson led by Honored Artist, PhD in Art Studies, and Professor Tarana Aliyeva, student performances were heard. Tarana Aliyeva discussed the characteristics of the qanun and gave her recommendations on performance techniques.

The master classes held in music and art schools across Baku, Khirdalan, and Sumgayit are being conducted by prominent musicians, professors, and teachers of the republic.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az,Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.
10 October 2025 17:01 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan will host Art Has No Borders International Watercolor Festival for the first time, Azernews reports. The official opening will take place on October 14 at the Khatai Arts Center.

This festival is more than just an exhibition, it is a true celebration of creativity and the transformative power of art. Its aim is to highlight the healing potential of painting, support the creative abilities of children and youth with special needs, assist their social integration, and inspire a deep appreciation for art in everyone. As part of the event, there will be masterclasses and open-air painting sessions (plein airs) for both young and adult artists with special needs.

The festival will bring together 18 renowned watercolor artists from 12 countries, including Azerbaijan, Spain, Slovakia, Iran, Pakistan, Turkiye, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Russia, Canada, India, and others. The artists will not only present their works but also deliver live art performances.

Around 30 of the best works will be displayed at the opening ceremony. All participants will receive international certificates and commemorative gifts from sponsors. The artworks will also be compiled into a digital catalog.

The program begins on October 14 at the Khatai Arts Center with the official opening ceremony, an exhibition featuring artists with special needs alongside invited masters, and a series of demonstration performances. On October 15, participants will take an excursion to Gobustan to explore Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage. The festival concludes on October 16 at the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan with a joint exhibition of national and international artists and a closing ceremony.

The motto of the festival is: "The world is beautiful in color! Lets unite our worlds through the power of art!"

The event is organized by IWS Art for Healing (International Watercolor Society), with support from Pasha Holding, Khatai Arts Center, artist Mehriban Alishova, IWS Azerbaijan, IWS Khatai Arts Center, IWS Ecaz Art, the Azerbaijan Artists' Union, the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts,Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Closed Joint-Stock Company, and the Khatai District Executive Power.

Curators of the event are Elminaz Gahramanova and Sabina Iskandar, and the coordinators are Rahim Ibrahimov and Yashar Birinci.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.
10 October 2025 17:45 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The International Mugham Center has presented a special concert titled "Evening of Mugham", marking the 140th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibayli, an outstanding Azerbaijani composer and founder of the country's professional music tradition, Azernews reports.

The event served as a vibrant celebration of mugham, a distinctive musical form deeply rooted in Azerbaijans cultural identity, where poetry, philosophy, and emotion come together in harmony. More than a tribute, the concert honored Hajibayli's enduring influence on national music.

The performance featured a mix of celebrated artists and rising stars from the mugham scene. Esteemed performers Arzu Aliyeva, Sabuhi Ibayev, Elnur Zeynalov, and Beyimkhanum Valiyeva were joined by talented khanandas Gunay Imamverdiyeva, Elgiz Aliyev, and Elshad Aydinoglu. Their passionate and expressive performances captivated the audience, leaving a strong emotional impact.

The repertoire included some of Hajibayli's iconic compositions, along with traditional tesnifs and folk songs that had been thoughtfully preserved and reimagined for today's audiences. Each piece served as a link between past and present, reinforcing the timeless relevance of Azerbaijani musical heritage.

A skilled ensemble of instrumentalists from the International Mugham Center accompanied the vocalists, enriching the concert with the dynamic sounds of traditional instruments like the tar and qanun. Their performance helped recreate the musical atmosphere of Hajibayli's era, adding depth and authenticity to the evening.

As part of a larger series of cultural events commemorating the composer's 140th anniversary, the "Evening of Mugham" highlighted mugham's role not just as a musical style but as a living tradition, one that continues to preserve and reflect the wisdom of Azerbaijani culture through generations.

The International Mugham Center was established on the initiative of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, under the presidential decree dated April 6, 2005.

The center, which laid its foundation that same year and is known as one of Baku's unique architectural projects, opened its doors in 2008.

The design of the building was based on the elements and shapes of the tar, an Azerbaijani musical instrument used in performing mugham. The center was built with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In 2024, the Mugham Center became the first cultural institution in Azerbaijan to be awarded "international" status by legislation.

The Center regularly organizes large-scale music festivals and concerts by highly acclaimed cultural figures.

It also takes important steps towards bolstering cultural ties with Turkiye, Poland, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and other countries.

The International Mugham Center is determined to further expand its work and promote Azerbaijani musical culture.

Numerous projects are being carried out by the center in the direction of studying and promoting mugham art.
10 October 2025 09:57 (UTC+04:00)

President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe to take part in the meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council, Azernews reports.

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10 October 2025 11:01 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Natural Resources, Energy, and Ecology Sadiq Qurbanov and MP Kamal Jafarov will pay an official visit to Turkiye from October 12 to 18, Azernews reports, citing the Milli Majlis Press and Public Relations Department.

The Azerbaijani lawmakers will hold bilateral meetings in Ankara and Istanbul with representatives of Turkiyes Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the Zero Waste Foundation.

During the visit, they will also participate in the Zero Waste Forum, which focuses on sustainable environmental management, waste reduction, and climate resilience initiatives.

The visit aims to further strengthen environmental cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, promoting the exchange of expertise in green policy, urban sustainability, and climate adaptation practices.
10 October 2025 13:12 (UTC+04:00)

An expanded meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council was held in Dushanbe on October 10, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participated in the event.

Speeches were delivered by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev, and Tatyana Moskalkova, Chairwoman of the CIS Human Rights Commission and Russian Human Rights Commissioner.

The event concluded with the signing of final documents.

During the meeting, President Emomali Rahmon was awarded the For Merits in the Development of Humanitarian Cooperation medal.
4th Annual Gibraltar Schools Mental Health Festival to Focus on Happiness, Parental Wellbeing, and Parenting in the Digital Age

The Department of Education, with the proud support of GibSams, is delighted to announce the 4th Annual Gibraltar Schools Mental Health Festival, running from October 8th to 10th, 2025. This years central theme is Mental Health: What Makes You Happy?

The festival will feature a week of activities across Gibraltar's schools, designed to encourage open conversations about mental health and provide pupils with strategies for maintaining wellbeing. Building on the success of previous years, the festival continues to tackle important topics relevant to young people and their families.

This year, the festival is honoured to welcome two guests from the UK: wellbeing pioneers Project OK and renowned parenting expert Sue Atkins. They will lead a series of insightful sessions for children, parents, carers, and educators, focusing on practical support and modern-day challenges.

The festival was officially launched on Tuesday 7th October at 7:00 pm at Xapo Banks premises in Casemates.

A key focus of this year's festival is parental wellbeing. A series of free events has been organised for parents and carers, offering practical tools and expert advice. These include:

Emotional Wellbeing: Keeping Mentally Strong for Our Children & the Power of Movement

 Delivered by: Project OK

 Date & Time: Wednesday 8th October 2025, 7:00pm - 8:30pm

 Venue: Bayside School

Raising Happy Healthy Children in a Digital World

 Delivered by: Sue Atkins

 Date & Time: Thursday 9th October 2025, 11:00am - 12:00pm

 Venue: Calpe Rowing Club

The Top 5 Digital Challenges for Parents  And How to Solve Them

 Delivered by: Sue Atkins

 Date & Time: Thursday 9th October 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

 Venue: Bayside School

In addition to the public events, a dedicated professional development session will be held for teachers and invited guests on Wednesday 8th October, to further support their crucial role in fostering positive mental health within the school environment.

The Director of Education Keri Scott said: We are thrilled to launch the fourth Schools Mental Health Festival, an initiative that has become a cornerstone of our commitment to children and community wellbeing. This years theme of 'Mental Health: What Makes You Happy?' encourages a positive and proactive approach to mental health. We are incredibly grateful to our international experts, Project OK and Sue Atkins, for sharing their knowledge, and to GibSams for their invaluable sponsorship which makes this event possible."

A representative from GibSams added: "GibSams is honoured to sponsor this vital community initiative. Opening up conversations about mental health and equipping parents and children with practical coping strategies is at the very heart of our mission. We believe this festival will have a lasting positive impact on families throughout Gibraltar."

Attendance for the parent and carer sessions is free, but places are limited. Registration is essential and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents are encouraged to register promptly for the events via the links circulated by schools and GibSams.
10 October 2025 21:23 (UTC+04:00)

Footage of President Ilham Aliyevs working visit to Tajikistan has been published on his social media accounts.

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10 October 2025 23:43 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has expressed its support for the newly reached agreement on Gaza, emphasizing the importance of the ceasefire, humanitarian access, and the release of hostages and prisoners as vital steps toward sustainable peace. In an official statement, the ministry underscored that the deal marks a critical opportunity to end the cycle of violence and rebuild Gaza, commending the mediation efforts of the United States, Turkiye, Qatar, and Egypt in securing the accord. Baku also voiced hope that all phases of the agreement would be implemented in good faith, contributing to a just and lasting peace in the region.

According to Azernews, the quote read:

We welcome the agreement reached on Gaza that would establish a ceasefire in Gaza, and pave the way for the release of hostages and prisoners, and for the unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza and its reconstruction. We hope all the phases of the agreement will be duly implemented, and intensify efforts for just and lasting peace to the region. We commend the mediation by the United States, Turkiye, Qatar, and Egypt toward this outcome.
10 October 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

China has officially launched its first solar thermal power plant in the Gobi Desert, according to the South China Morning Post, Azernews reports.

The plant was developed by the state-owned China Three Gorges Corporation and features an innovative design consisting of 27,000 mirrors that focus sunlight onto two towering structures. These towers stand about 200 meters tall and are positioned roughly 1,000 meters apart  a pioneering setup in solar thermal technology.

This system generates heat at temperatures reaching around 570 degrees Celsius, which is used to produce steam to drive turbines that generate electricity. Engineers highlight that this design allows the plant to continue producing energy even after sunset or during cloudy conditions, enhancing reliability.

China Three Gorges Corporation explained that having two towers optimizes the plants efficiency. One tower operates in the morning and the other in the afternoon, boosting overall efficiency by approximately 25% compared to traditional single-tower systems. This dual-tower approach also reduces the number of mirrors required, lowering project costs.

Experts believe this technology holds significant potential for advancing Chinas green energy sector. Currently, there are 21 commercial solar thermal power plants in operation across the country, collectively generating over 1.5 million kilowatts of clean energy.

The Gobi Deserts vast and sunny landscape makes it an ideal location for large-scale solar projects, helping China harness renewable energy while reducing its carbon footprint and moving closer to its ambitious carbon neutrality goals.
10 October 2025 13:01 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

AzInTelecom LLC participated in the "Digital Bridge 2025" forum held in Kazakhstans capital, Astana, showcasing its latest digital products and services, Azernews reports.

Throughout the three-day event, AzInTelecom operated an interactive booth where forum attendees were introduced to the companys digital solutions and services in detail.

Farrukh Farajullayev, Director of the Commercial Department at AzInTelecom, took part in panel discussions, where he spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on business operations and highlighted the companys role in supporting Azerbaijans digital transformation. He emphasized that the integration of AI models into cloud and biometric technologies is driving innovation in both sectors, while enhancing agility in business and government services.

During the event, AzInTelecoms delegation also held meetings with representatives of several international companies to explore potential partnerships. Notable meetings included discussions with executives from Microsoft, VK Tech, and the Turkish Service Exporters Association, focusing on opportunities in digitalization and technological collaboration.

The forum featured a range of activities including the official opening of the International Artificial Intelligence Center, startup competitions, panel discussions, tech exhibitions, awards ceremonies, and thematic dialogues, making it one of the regions most dynamic platforms for digital innovation.
10 October 2025 20:21 (UTC+04:00)

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Cambodia exported goods worth approximately 22.39 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 12.9% increase compared to 19.83 billion dollars during the same period in 2024, according to a report released Friday by the General Department of Customs and Excise, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

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The Chief Minister Addressed the United Nations Fourth Committee on Decolonisation

On the 7th October, the Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, delivered a powerful and passionate address before the United Nations Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonisation) at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Speaking before the newly appointed Chair of the Committee, H.E. Mr Jose Alberto Briz Gutierrez of Guatemala, the Chief Minister congratulated him on his election and expressed Gibraltars hope of forging a constructive working relationship to deepen the Committees understanding ofGibraltars position.

In a speech marked by conviction and clarity, Mr Picardo reaffirmed Gibraltars inalienable right to self-determination, describing it as non-negotiable, unconditional, and not subject to the veto of any state. He reminded delegates that this right is enshrined in Articles 1 and 55 of the United Nations Charter and reaffirmed in Resolution 1514, which applies directly to the peoples of nonself-governing territories.

The Chief Minister criticised the continued inaction of the Fourth Committee and the Committee of 24 in progressing Gibraltars delisting, despite the territorys full self-government under its 2006 Constitution: You fail to recommend to the General Assembly our delisting It is as if this Committee fails to listen. Fails to see us. Well, hear us now. See us now, he declared.

Mr Picardo set out Gibraltars modern constitutional and democratic development, its elected institutions, and its capacity to determine its own political, economic, social, and cultural affairs. He also highlighted the historic, sovereignty-neutral agreement reached on 11 June 2025 between Gibraltar, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Spain, an accord he described as a triumph of diplomacy that removes physical barriers and builds bridges while respecting our sovereignty and our identity.

The Chief Minister welcomed the recent reference by His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain to the population of Gibraltar in his address to the UN General Assembly, calling it a welcome shift in tone and an acknowledgment of our role as legitimate stakeholders in shaping our future.

At the same time, he strongly rejected Spains continued reliance on outdated UN resolutions adopted at the instigation of the Franco regime, calling them politically toxic for modern Spain and legally worthless. He reminded the Committee that Spain ceded Gibraltar in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, adding that no UN resolution, no diplomatic pressure, and no historical grievance can override our unquestionable legal right to self-determination.

Concluding his address, Mr Picardo urged the Committee to finally act: The time has come for this Committee to recognise that the only legitimate path to Gibraltars delisting is one that reflects the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the Gibraltarians. Decolonisation is not about cartography, it is about consent. Not about sovereignty imposed, but sovereignty chosen.

Chief Ministers address to the United Nations Special Political & Decolonization Committee, General Assembly

Mr Chairman, Senor Presidente,

Permitame felicitarle por su nombramiento como Presidente de este comite.

I hope that, under your leadership, we can forge a constructive working relationship and improve the Committees awareness of the position of the people of Gibraltar.

I have travelled from Gibraltar to address you again this year as the elected voice of a proud, resilient, and democratic people.

The people of Gibraltar.

A separate and distinct people.

We have appeared before this Committee for the past 33 years.

We come, not to ask you for any favours.

Not to beg for recognition.

The Charter does not require us to do that.

We are here to demand recognition of what is ours by right.

The right to self-determination.

A right enshrined in Articles 1 and 55 of the UN Charter.

A right reaffirmed in Resolution 1514 specifically in relation to the peoples of non-self governing countries.

A right that is non-negotiable.

Unconditional.

Not subject to the veto of any state.

And certainly not suspended because of any, historically ill-founded, sovereignty claims.

We are listed as a Non-Self-Governing Territory before the Committee of 24.

But we are not actually governed by others.

We govern ourselves.

We elect our leaders.

We pass our laws.

We shape our destiny.

And yet, year after year, this Committee and the Committee of 24 fail to act.

You fail to recommend to the General Assembly our delisting from the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

It is as if this Committee fails to listen.

Fails to see us.

Well, hear us now.

See us now.

See how we are developing and growing.

See how we have emerged as a self-governing people in our own land.

In 2006, we adopted a modern Constitution that provides for our full self-government.

Our Constitution is founded on the principle that the people of Gibraltar freely and democratically determine their own political, economic, social and cultural development.

An echo of General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 2625.

We submitted to you our 2006 Constitution, but you do not tell us if it meets or fails your criteria for delisting.

In 2016, we voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union.

And on 11 June 2025, we reached a historic agreement with the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Spain to govern our future relationship with the EU.

A sovereignty-neutral framework that respects our sovereignty and our identity.

An agreement that provides us unimpeded access into the EU Schengen area and Customs Union.

This agreement is a triumph of diplomacy.

It removes physical barriers.

But it also builds bridges.

It delivers mutual benefit for Gibraltarians and the people of the region around us.

And most importantly, it respects the choices of the people of Gibraltar.

His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, in his address to the General Assembly, just two weeks ago, referred not only to the population of the Campo de Gibraltar, but also, importantly, to that of Gibraltar as beneficiaries of the agreement.

That reference marks a welcome shift in tone.

One that acknowledges our role as legitimate stakeholders in shaping our future.

We appreciate that historic acknowledgment.

It affirms what we have always said.

That genuine cooperation across borders must be built on mutual respect and recognition, not on denial or erasure.

Yet, Spain has continued to invoke resolutions which were adopted more than half a century ago.

Sixty years ago.

Resolutions adopted here in the 1960s at the instigation of what the current Spanish government call a fascist regime.

As a fruit of the murderous Franco regime, those resolutions are politically toxic for modern Spain.

It is embarrassing to hear the representative of a modern, progressive Spain place reliance on them.

And, in any event, these resolutions are legally worthless.

They do not override Resolution 1514.

They do not override Resolution 2625.

And they do not override the will of the Gibraltarians.

Let me say it plainly: Spain ceded Gibraltar in perpetuity in 1713.

That is a fact.

That is not a matter of interpretation.

It is a fact.

It is in black and white in the Treaty of Utrecht.

And it is the reality that the C24 would see if they sent a visiting mission.

No resolution of this Assembly can change it.

No diplomatic pressure can erase it.

And no historical grievance can override our unquestionable legal right to self-determination.

The Committee of 24s own Working Papers have acknowledged our democratic development and our repeated expressions of free will.

Yet despite this, Gibraltar remains listed as a Non-Self-Governing Territory.

Why?

Because this Committee and the C-24 have failed to act.

You have not expressed a view on our current Constitution, despite our request that you should do so.

You have not engaged with us to help us achieve delisting.

You are failing to discharge your mandate.

And in that failure, this Committee risks becoming irrelevant to Gibraltar and our place in the modern world.

Obsolete.

No longer fit for purpose.

Because, Mr Chairman, the time has come for this Committee to recognise that the only legitimate path to Gibraltars delisting is one that reflects the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the Gibraltarians.

Nothing else.

And let me be clear.

We are not anti-Spanish.

We embrace cooperation with our Spanish neighbours.

But we will not be subsumed.

We will not be annexed.

We will not be silenced.

And our legal rights are unaffected by this Committees failure to act.

We will not stop in our development and the attainment of our goals.

I therefore urge this Committee to break its silence.

Confirm we are no longer a nation that should remain listed as non-self-governing.

Take steps to delist us.

Fulfil your mandate in that way or make alternative constructive proposals to accelerate our delisting.

The time has come for you to act, Mr Chairman.

Time to recognize that decolonization is not about cartography. It is about consent.

Not about sovereignty imposed, but sovereignty chosen.

We are 34,000 people on less than 10 square kilometres of land.

But we are not too small to matter.

We are not weak in our resolve.

We are not invisible to the world.

We are the Gibraltarians.

And we will never accept any future that is imposed upon us.

We will never accept any future being imposed on our land.

We will only accept the future we choose.

We will freely determine that future for ourselves.

We are self-governing.

It is nonsense to continue to describe us as non-self-governing.

Our message is, therefore, as simple, and as clear, as that.

Thank you.
An Indian street food restaurant has confirmed it will be coming to Victoria Square  but that diners will have to wait until next year before its open for business.

Mowgli issued the social media update on Friday, after the Belfast Telegraph had confirmed back in February the restaurant was coming to Northern Ireland.

The UK-based Indian street food business, owned by top entrepreneur and TV chef Nisha Katona MBE, will arrive in Northern Ireland for the first time, having started to move in to two combined units on the upper ground floor of Victoria Square

Nisha Katona (Mowgli/PA)

We are still very excited to be taking Mowgli to Belfast, the restaurant chain said in the update.

We are coming I promise you! It will be 2026 - watch this space and we will keep you posted on the date.

We are also working on Mowgli Dublin... 2 exciting big openings for next year!

The restaurant has gained a reputation for serving up a wide range of dishes  from tiffin boxes to Goan fish curry and the Mowgli Chip Butty.

Mowgli Street Food has more than two dozen locations across the UK, but started off life with its first restaurant at Bold Street in Liverpool back in 2014.

Mowgli is all about the type of food that Indians cook and eat at home; born to feed the raw need Indians have for dishes full of fresh, bright, intense flavour, the firm says on its website.

Owner Nisha Katona left behind a career as a child protection barrister  a role she had for 20 years  before starting up her business in 2014.

Her obsession with taking her ancestral offerings to the market and building an eatery serving the kind of food Indians eat at home and on their streets, led her to her first restaurant, the firm said. Her first Mowgli was born in the hinterlands of Liverpools Bold Street.

Mowgli is about the smash and grab zing of healthy, light, virtuosic herbs and spices. The simple dishes on the Mowgli menu are cooked fresh in each restaurant every morning. The aromas floating down the road should tell you all you need to know about us truly being your neighbourhood Indian home kitchen.

Indian Street Food chain Mowgli issued an update on social media ahead of Belfast opening.

Watch: New Jamaican spot opens in Belfast

Ms Katona also featured on a range of television programmes, including Top of the Shop, with chef Tom Kerridge, and was also a judge on Great British Menu.

Mowgli Street Food has expanded significantly over the last few years, growing from its original Liverpool location to Manchester and beyond. It has restaurants in cities such as London, Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Cardiff.

Plans to combine two units at Victoria Square, including a change of retail to food use, were submitted by the centre in 2024, and it was subsequently approved earlier this year.

Mowgli Street Food is set to join a host of already-established chains at the city centre shopping spot including burger business Five Guys, Wagamana, Boojum, Cosmo, Slim Chickens and sushi spot Yo.
NI illusionist: The best kind of magic creates a meaningful connection with the audience

Armagh-based Caolan McBride brings his show to Belfast International Arts Festival, exploring connections between Sherlock Holmes and the psychological deception used by illusionists, writes Aine Toner

Caolan McBride says he was fascinated by magic since he was a young boy

Aine Toner Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 08:10

Unlocking Sherlock, a show part of the Belfast International Arts Festival, explores psychological illusion and examines how Sherlock Holmes solved his mysteries.
Brian Robertson, of Clonmeen Drive in Derry, was convicted at Belfast Magistrates Court in January this year of sexually touching a woman without her consent

A heroin addict ordered to steal more than 1,000 worth of steaks and clothing from supermarkets across Belfast has been jailed for five months.
Mr Boutcher said the secrecy had echoes of his own work on legacy

The Chinook crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994 (Chris Bacon/PA)

A lack of government transparency over the 1994 Chinook disaster is adding to the suffering of the families bereaved by the incident, the PSNI Chief Constable has said.

Twenty-five intelligence experts and four special forces crew were killed when the helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, en route from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to Fort George near Inverness, on June 2 that year.

The incident was initially blamed on pilot error before this was overturned in 2011.

Calls for a judge-led inquiry have been rejected by the Government, while the Ministry of Defence (MoD) recently opted to seal documents relating to the incident for a century.

Jon Boutcher has now written to Secretary of State Hilary Benn appealing for transparency and openness.

"I strongly believe that as Chief Constable of the PSNI, I owe a duty of care to both the memory of those fallen officers and to their families, he said.

"Consistent with that duty of care, I intend to lend my voice to their appeal for transparency and openness.

"As you know, ten of those who died were serving police officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC.

"Even to that resilient organisation, long accustomed to suddenly losing colleagues in violent circumstances, this was a shocking tragedy still remembered today.

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher

"The devastating impact on each family is something that you and I can never truly understand.

"The recent decision by the Ministry of Defence to seal the files on the crash for 100 years has been particularly difficult for the families to understand.

"I confess to not understanding the justification for such a dramatic position in a democracy where we should champion openness and transparency.

"It is clear to me that a lack of official transparency - whether perceived or actual - is adding to the suffering of these families.

"I have been struck by the many parallels to my work on legacy investigations where secrecy about even uncontroversial material promotes conspiracy theories, distresses families and hinders their ability to achieve any form of closure.

Following the crash, pilots Flight Lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later following a campaign by the families.

A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out numerous concerns raised by those who worked on the Chinooks, with the MoDs testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declaring the Chinook Mk2 helicopters unairworthy prior to the crash.

In a letter to the families in August, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said a public inquiry would not bring any greater certainty and would not be in the public interest despite more than 25,000 signing a petition demanding answers.

Sir Keirs letter followed an open letter sent to the Government by several of the families calling for a public inquiry.

Sir Keir said the MoD had advised him that records they hold offer no insights into the crash.

His letter read: This Government is committed to transparency and accountability.

However, given the extensive investigations already conducted into the crash, including two independent, judge-led processes, inquiries by both House of Commons and House of Lords select committees, and the original RAF board of inquiry, I do not believe that a new inquiry can bring any greater certainty or is in the public interest.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) advise that the records to which you refer offer no insights into the crash and are closed to protect the personal data of third parties.

Des Conroy, from South Belfast, whose father Detective Chief Superintendent Desmond Conroy, 55, was killed in the crash, said the families were honoured to have the support of Mr Boutcher.

"Why were our loved ones placed by the MoD on an unsafe, unairworthy and totally unacceptable aircraft and sent to their deaths? That is what we all want to know and deserve to know, he said.

Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood said the case would be a test of the Governments recent commitment to transparency.

"These are significant statements of support for truth and transparency for the families, she said.

This is the first real test case for the Governments new Hillsborough Bill. Ministers promised candour, transparency and justice  but the families have so far been met with silence.

In August, a spokesperson for the MoD said: The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.

We understand that the lack of certainty about the cause of the crash has added to the distress of the families.

We provided a detailed and considered response to the pre-action protocol letter stating the reasons why we cannot accept the demand for establishing a new public inquiry.

Its unlikely that a public inquiry would identify any new evidence or reach new conclusions on the basis of existing evidence.

The Chinook crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994 (Chris Bacon/PA)

TUV MLA alleges Sinn Fein experiencing what it inflicted on other people' after device left outside Newry office

The accident has already been the subject of six inquiries and investigations, including an independent judge-led review.
A person has been taken to hospital following a serious road crash.

A 21-year-old man has died following a road crash in Co Tyrone this morning.

It was reported earlier today that a person had been taken to hospital following a serious road crash on the Pomeroy Road in Cookstown.

A PSNI spokesperson has now confirmed that a 21-year-old man has died while a woman who was injured was taken to hospital.

Inspector Cherith Adair of the Police Service of Northern Irelands Collision Investigation Unit said: Shortly after 6.45am, we received a report of a collision involving a grey Seat Leon and a grey Volkswagen Bora on the Pomeroy Road.

Our officers attended alongside emergency service partners, however the male driver of one of the vehicles was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

A woman was also transferred to hospital for treatment for her injuries."

The Pomeroy Road, which had been closed at its junctions with the Drum Road and Drumnacross Road, for forensic examination, has now re-opened.

A person has been taken to hospital following a serious road crash.

'The heart of the community'- A rural primary school in Co Down has been earmarked for closure due to low enrolment numbers.

Inspector Cherith Adair added: Our enquiries are continuing, and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have digital footage which could assist with our investigation, to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 235 of 10/10/25.

Earlier today, a Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesperson said it had tasked two emergency ambulances and the Charity Air Ambulance to the scene.

Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, 1 person was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by Air Ambulance.
Firefighters attended the scene of an arson attack in the Upper Glenfarne Street area of the Shankill on October 9th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

A DUP MLA has said that he is confident that an overnight arson attack and daubing of locals only on a house in the Shankill area of Belfast was not race-related.

It comes as emergency services attended reports of a PVC door on fire in the Upper Glenfarne Street area of the city shortly before 9pm.

On arrival, firefighters found a door well alight and boards daubed with locals only.

The property had previously been targeted in an earlier attack, not thought to be race-related, with boards being used to cover broken windows.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, DUP MLA Brian Kingston said: I have spoken with local residents, police, and the Housing Executive this morning, and Im confident there was no racial motive behind this attack.

I rightfully condemn this attack and the unfortunate graffiti daubed on the front of the property, which I believe was vacant at the time, and any attack on much-needed social housing is detrimental to our area.

The Belfast Telegraph understands there were concerns raised by neighbours around anti-social behaviour linked to the property that led to an initial attack.

Mr Kingston continued: The demand for social housing in our area is appallingly high; this graffiti is representative of that demand, demonstrating that there is a clear need for more social housing in the Shankill area.

Firefighters attended the scene of an arson attack in the Upper Glenfarne Street area of the Shankill on October 9th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Analysis: Justification for murder- why does every conversion on the future tumble back to the past | Allison Morris

A spokesperson for the PSNI said: We received a report at around 8.45pm on Thursday, 9th October of a small fire at a property in the Upper Glenfarne Street area.

Officers attended along with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who extinguished the fire.

"The front door was damaged, with graffiti also identified on the front window of the property, which was vacant at the time of the incident.

The fire is being treated as deliberate and our enquiries are ongoing."

Police this morning confirmed that a racially-motivated element is one line of enquiry.
Heather Humphreys has denied that she is part of a Fine Gael smear campaign against her presidential rival Catherine Connolly.

Ms Connolly and opposition leaders who back her came under criticism from Fine Gael minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill during the week.

It came after Ms Connolly was questioned for seeking to employ a woman who had a Special Criminal Court conviction, and who gave her access to Leinster House for six months while her security clearance was pending.

Some politicians, including Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, have criticised her for not following the rules and said it was not acceptable.

Ms Connolly said repeatedly she believed in rehabilitation, before coming under further questioning after stating she would have to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to the Aras.

She later said she would not hire someone who was on the sex offenders register.

In a statement during the week, Ms Carroll MacNeill asked how Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns could back a candidate who would need to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to work in Aras an Uachtarain?

Ms Bacik responded by saying that Fine Gael was resorting to increasingly desperate smear tactics and needed to reflect on the manner in which they are conducting their campaign.

Asked about the comments on Friday, Ms Humphreys said she did not know what Ms Bacik was referring to, but said there was no smear coming from me anyway, or my campaign team.

Im not involved in any smear campaign, she said, speaking in Wexford.

This to me is a fair campaign between myself and Catherine Connolly and ultimately people will have to make up their own minds as to which of us will be the best 10th president of Ireland.

Separately, she was asked about a video recording of a podcast episode featuring barrister and commentator Joe Brolly, who made a lewd gesture as he appeared to do an impression of a presidential candidate.

He later said on social media that it was a childish, crude and inappropriate gesture, but said it had nothing whatsoever to do with the presidential candidates.

It was making fun of the stock questions and responses that happen in a presidential campaign. My action was in poor taste and should never have happened, he said in a statement on X.

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Asked about the video, Ms Humphreys said the video was very misogynistic and was targeted at women.

I can tell you now, I will not accept that, she said.

Many women across this country have been targeted like that, but I will stand up for the women of Ireland and I can tell you one thing it wont knock me back.

Just two weeks remain until polling day on October 24, and the candidates for the 10th president of Aras an Uachtarain have been whittled down to two after Fianna Fails candidate Mr Gavin withdrew from the race dramatically on Sunday.

A debate on RTE Radio will be held at lunchtime on Sunday.
Ministers are in the process of making decisions on the first wave of proposals for local government reorganisation (Alamy/PA)

Approving new smaller councils under the Governments reorganisation plans would jeopardise care for the vulnerable, research has found, as larger authorities warn ministers decisions will make or break vital services.

A report concluded that millions of people could face a triple whammy of worse services, higher social care costs and staff shortages if county councils are broken up and support is delivered by new unitary councils serving fewer people.

The first wave of councils delivered plans to ministers two weeks ago ahead of an overhaul of local government structures, but local disagreements between some upper-tier counties and lower-tier districts have resulted in competing proposals being submitted.

The English devolution white paper last year committed to ending two-tier arrangements, replacing 185 county and district councils with new unitary authorities in 21 areas.

Official guidance on the process stated that the new councils should have a population of 500,000 or more and avoid fragmentation of key care services, supporting adults and children.

However, ministers have since suggested that the population figure is flexible, which has encouraged some district councils to propose dividing up existing county council footprints, along with the delivery of social care, by creating new smaller unitary authorities.

A report commissioned by the County Council Network (CCN) said the Governments forthcoming decisions on proposals could have profound, long-lasting impacts on the most vulnerable members of society and push up costs for local taxpayers.

It argues that evidence strongly suggests larger-scale councils are essential to preserve service quality, prevent costs rising, and ensure the financial sustainability of services.

Drawing on data from half a million residents across 146 possible new unitary footprints, the report said new unitary councils with populations substantially below 500,000 would experience an increase in unit costs of between 180 million and 270 million annually due to reductions in purchasing power.

In contrast, new unitary councils with populations above 500,000 could expect to reduce net unit costs by 65 million across England, the report claims.

The analysis concludes that new smaller councils would have to hire between 500 and 1,100 new senior staff to deliver social care and special educational needs support, a challenge described as impossible amid existing sector shortages.

The report also warns that the quality of children care services could suffer as larger authorities are more likely to be given higher performance ratings by regulator Ofsted.

There is also concern that smaller unitary councils could be overwhelmed by demand as they are more likely to experience extreme concentrations of people requiring care and, as costs are highly variable across council borders, some new authorities may exceed budgets.

A survey conducted as part of the research found that just 6% of council chief executives and directors of care services in England are confident that the risks of breaking up provision into smaller councils will be fully considered by ministers.

District councils rejected the reports findings, saying data for existing unitary councils shows there is no relationship between population size and financial performance and the quality of services.

But the CCN argued that the Government should not deviate from its previous population requirements.

CCN chair Matthew Hicks said: Put simply, reorganisation plans could make or break care services unless the Government gets these reforms right.

It is therefore vital that the Government sticks to the criteria it set out earlier this year whereby new councils cover populations of over 500,000 people.

Considering these are the most important and expensive local authority services, ministers must ensure they rigorously evaluate all proposals and heavily weight their decisions based on the risks to people-based services.

Richard Wright, incoming chair of the District Councils Network, said: Any reorganisation which results in mega councils with populations of half a million people  leaving England with by far the largest councils in the western world  would lead to services like social care being far from the local communities theyre supposed to serve.

This has the potential to make services ineffective at responding to local needs and to result in diseconomies of scale, which harm the interests of both service users and local taxpayers.

A strong local connection to communities helps social care departments to intervene early and offer vulnerable people focused support. This helps to prevent ill health and therefore reduces the burden on the NHS.

He added there is no justification to imposing an arbitrary minimum population size on new councils, and said districts want to work with all other councils and the Government to devise bold new visions for reform that ensure public services more effectively meet local communities needs for decades to come.

Adult social care directors have raised concerns with ministers about the risks local government reorganisation poses to people who require support.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) called on the Government to ensure the sector is supported and contributes to efforts to shift care from hospitals to the community.

Adass president Jess McGregor said: New councils must be financially sustainable from day one and able to meet their legal duties to provide care and support.

Its vital that ministers engage adult social care leaders in this process by inviting them to sit on joint committees and help assess all proposals.

Adass will continue to work with Ministers and civil servants as so many of the people our members serve rely on us getting this right.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: We are removing layers of duplication and waste in local authorities by bringing services under one roof, meaning residents will benefit from improved and more preventative public services.

Local government rorganisation is long overdue and will also save taxpayers cash by ending the current two-tier system that hinders service development, creates fragmented services and blurred lines of accountability across county and district councils for almost 20 million people in England.
Driver Alex Palou has told the High Court that his contract with McLaren was based on lies and false impressions as it did not tell me the truth about whether he could drive in Formula One.

Mr Palou and two companies connected to him are being sued for around 21 million US dollars (15.5 million) by McLaren Indy LLC and McLaren Racing, which run the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team and McLarens F1 team.

The Spaniard agreed in 2022 that he would drive for Arrow McLaren in 2024, 2025 and 2026, but breached the deal in 2023.

Mr Palou admits to the breach but disputes that he should pay damages at a trial in London.

Alex Palou, centre, said McLaren showed a lack of commitment to getting him into F1 (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Giving evidence in court, the four-time IndyCar champion said he only signed for McLaren as all I was interested in was the F1 opportunity and my goal was to follow my dream and drive in F1.

In his witness statement, he said that McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown told me he believed we could make it happen and that he would give me all the preparation I needed to be an F1 driver for McLaren.

The driver said that shortly after announcing he would be driving for Arrow McLaren in the summer of 2022, he saw tweets from current McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastri that the Australian would be joining its F1 team.

Mr Palou said this was the first time things changed and left him feeling very upset, worried and angry, despite this being before he signed the McLaren deal in October 2022.

He said: I now consider that Zak made me think that there was an opportunity to have the full-time F1 seat as a negotiating tactic to get me to sign for McLarens IndyCar team.

In court, Mr Palou said that McLaren did not tell me the truth and was misleading me over whether he would be offered an F1 seat, which led him to return to his former team, Chip Ganassi Racing, in 2023.

He said: If I need to stay in IndyCar, then I need to stay with a team that gave me the chance to be an IndyCar champion.

I thought I had the right to terminate an agreement that was based on lies and false impressions.

Paul Goulding KC, for McLaren, said to Mr Palou that under the terms of the 2022 deal, the company had a right but not an obligation to put him into F1.

The barrister said: Even though you signed a contract, you had no intention of doing that (driving for Arrow McLaren) if F1 did not work out for you.

Mr Palou replied: My intention was to get to F1, following all the opportunities that Mr Brown said I was going to have.

When asked by Mr Goulding whether he had misled McLaren and Zak Brown through all of this, Mr Palou said: All I was interested in was the F1 opportunity, but getting all these opportunities would have led me to be happy and led me to get what I was promised.

Mr Goulding later asked the driver whether he had strung McLaren along, to which Mr Palou said: Absolutely not. I think you are twisting the story.

In his witness statement, Mr Palou said that McLaren showed a lack of commitment to getting him into F1, despite his contract making him an F1 reserve driver.

The 28-year-old said: I had the F1 reserve role, but I did not really see the commitment from Zak any more to get me to F1 full-time.

I did not feel that those plans were genuine.

In his evidence, Mr Brown said Mr Palou effectively rolled a grenade into the room and let it go off through his departure.

Zak Brown, chief executive officer of McLaren Racing, attended the Rolls Building earlier this week (Lucy North/PA)

He also said that while he believed Mr Palou could be a real talent in F1, the driver knew that he was unable to make promises about an F1 career, and always knew exactly what the opportunities were and were not.

Mr Goulding previously told the trial in written submissions that Mr Palou was a serial contract breaker and that his departure had serious and enduring consequences.

It is seeking millions that it claims arose from the renegotiation of sponsorship deals, lost future revenue and other sums.

Nick De Marco KC, for Mr Palou, said in written submissions that the renegotiation of sponsorship deals was not anywhere near as bad as had been claimed, and that the damages claim was vastly inflated.

The trial before Mr Justice Picken is due to conclude in November, with a judgment expected in writing at a later date.
Two men have been sentenced to over 50 years in prison over shootingThe murder has been linked to Lurgan-Portadown-Craigavon outfit The FirmMcKeowns brothers Trevor and Clifford were both sectarian murderers

Malcolm McKeown was shot dead at point blank range at a filling station near the County Down village of Waringstown in August 2019.

McKeown was a career criminal, from a family steeped in violence - both his brothers had convictions for involvement in sectarian killings.

Two men have now been convicted of his murder  linked to the Lurgan based organised crime gang the Firm.

Malcolm McKeown was a career criminal.

Alliance Party reacts to masked mob gathering outside the home of Naomi Long

McKeown had been shot previously, and he knew he was under threat, his enemies were many, but a botched drug deal with the Firm sealed his fate.

Ciaran Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraphs crime correspondent, Allison Morris.
China to work with all sides for sound development of international human rights cause: spokesperson

Xinhua) 09:38, October 10, 2025

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will continue working with all sides to help promote the sound development of the international human rights cause, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday.

According to media reports, the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted by consensus the resolution tabled by China on economic, social and cultural rights.

When answering a related query at a daily news briefing, Guo said that the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council has adopted by consensus the resolution on "Promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities" submitted by China on behalf of nearly 70 countries, including Bolivia, Egypt, Pakistan, and South Africa.

The resolution calls for stronger multilateralism and international cooperation, and efforts of fully leveraging the role of the knowledge hub for economic, social and cultural rights, which was established under China's proposal, to better provide technical assistance and capacity-building support for countries in need, Guo said.

"Representatives of various countries extended their congratulations to China. Developing countries said that the resolution reflects the real needs of people around the world, and serves as a strong response to the developing countries' call for greater input into economic, social and cultural rights," noted the spokesperson.

China will continue upholding true multilateralism, enhancing dialogue and cooperation with all sides based on equality and mutual respect, and helping to promote the sound development of the international human rights cause, Guo said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
PAAMOA Community Choir visit St Pauls School

The children of St Pauls School were treated to a very special assembly this week when they were joined by members of the PAAMOA Community Choir.

The children were presented with a problem that the choir had forgotten the chorus to the classic song Que Sera, Sera". The choir asked the children to help teach them the lyrics. In keeping with the school value of kindness, the children accepted the challenge to learn the lyrics and invited the choir to school, so that they could sing the song together.

The assembly helped teach the children the value of giving back to the community and also served as a way to bring people of all ages together.

St Pauls School would like to thank the PAAMOA Community Choir for their visit and for sharing their love for music with all the pupils.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
St Marys Lower Primary Learn Fire Safety

As part of their topic on the Great Fire of London, Year 2 children at St Marys Lower Primary School were thrilled to welcome Firefighter Steven Soussi for an interactive and engaging demonstration on the Fire Triangle.

Mr. Soussi not only explained the science behind how fires start and spread but also highlighted the importance of fire prevention and safety. The children were captivated by his enthusiasm and left the session with practical knowledge they can share with their families, as well as the confidence to respond appropriately should they ever encounter a fire in the future.

Several demonstrations, using fires of different sizes, helped pupils see how easily a small flame can grow and become difficult to control. Through visual learning and demonstrations, pupils discovered that by removing just one side of the triangle, a fire can be effectively put out. This engaging lesson provided both pupils and teachers with valuable knowledge on fire prevention and safety, skills that can be applied in everyday life.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Military Writers Society of America has awarded Dennis Pregents book Berkshire Heroes in WWII  With Courage and Honor a Gold Medal in the organizations 2025 Book Awards.

The award was announced Sept. 27 during the societys annual General Membership Conference at the Westin Kansas City. The book received the top honor in the history category after being evaluated by three independent judges on content, style and visual appeal.

Berkshire Heroes in WWII  With Courage and Honor tells the stories of 28 Berkshire County residents who served in World War II. The book documents their experiences in various locations, including Africa, Sicily, the Himalayas and the Pacific, as well as major battles such as Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, Okinawa and Peleliu.

This is Pregents third recognition from the Military Writers Society of America. He previously received Bronze Medals for The Boys of St. Joes 65 in the Vietnam War and Berkshire Patriots  Stories of Sacrifice.

The Military Writers Society of America is a national nonprofit that honors books and other works related to the military experience.
Growing up in Pittsfield, I found one of my favorite places to visit was the public library at 44 Bank Row at Park Square. I never called it anything but the library, though its real name was the Berkshire Athenaeum.

The word athenaeum originated from ancient Greece and referred back then to buildings dedicated to the Goddess of Wisdom, named Athena. In particular the reference was to a temple in the City of Athens dating back to the 8th century BCE. There, learned scholars gathered to read their poetry or writings and discuss their literary and other works. The Berkshire Athenaeum only dates back to its incorporation in 1871. But the name was fitting as over the years it was a gathering place for many scholars including my generation of baby boomer students from the local high schools!

Pittsfields first formal library really began in 1850 in a small reading room on North Street that had a $5 membership fee with $1 a year in dues. In its first year the librarys association purchased 800 books for $500 with almost no fiction or theology subjects, reflective of the thinking at the time. In 1861 three benefactors purchased a small wooden building on Bank Row next to the Berkshire County Courthouse that had actually served as the Agricultural Bank (contributing to the street name of Bank Row). The donors offered it rent free to the current library association. One of the three donors was a nephew of Pittsfields famous Revolutionary War participant, the fighting parson, the Reverend Thomas Allen. The nephew, who was the donor and also named Thomas Allen, made his fortune in railroads out west. He provided $50,000 for a new library building, contingent on the library remaining free to the public and that the City of Pittsfield had to purchase adjacent land for future expansion. These provisions had agreement.

In 1871 Pittsfields library association changed its name and incorporated as the Berkshire Athenaeum. The original purpose of the organization was not only to be a library with reading rooms and books, but also to serve as a museum with paintings, and cabinets for displays of art, historical ephemera and natural curiosities or artifacts. Donations to the library came from earlier libraries and these included collections from the closed Pittsfield Medical College and gifts from many collectors. Soon the acquisitions crowded the small former wooden bank building.

In 1876 with the Allen gift, the ornate Gothic style building was constructed on the spot of the former building. The new edifice was constructed with blue limestone from Great Barrington, fine grained free stone from Longmeadow, and imported red granite from Missouri. Some called the building an ugly monstrosity, but it was novel compared to the standard square shaped downtown Pittsfield buildings of the times.

By 1897, having grown to over 70,000 volumes in its collection, the Berkshire Athenaeum needed to expand as anticipated by original donor, Thomas Allen. When local paper maker Zenas Crane spearheaded the establishment of the Berkshire Museum in 1903, much of the non-literary collections at the Berkshire Athenaeum were moved to the new museum facility. This downsizing as well as the building expansion allowed more space for the development of library functions at the Bank Row Gothic building. Despite the critics of the appearance of the Berkshire Athenaeum, I always saw it as one of Pittsfields most classic and ornate structures.

In the early 1950s, my mother first brought me there for the story book readings by a staffer. There was no elevator in the building and the childrens room was up the wooden stairway on the right side near the entrance. I always admired the large paintings of fairy tale and storybook characters on the walls. With a group of fellow kindergartners, I sat in a semi-circle on chairs as a friendly librarian would read from a story book. The very first book I recalled was titled Snip, Snap and Snur which was about three fictional blonde hair triplets and their adventures. The librarys collection of several of the different books about the triplets became my favorite stories.

By the time I was at Pittsfield High School in the early 1960s, I knew the layout of the Berkshire Athenaeum fairly well. I also knew many of the staff librarians, too. In tenth grade, I became a folk music fan and discovered a huge collection of vinyl albums in the music section also on the on the second floor on the left side. I was old enough to take out records and became familiar with old English ballads by South County resident, Richard Dyer-Bennet, the traditional songs of Appalachia recorded by Alan Lomax and the blues of down south and Chicago with musicians like Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee. (These all contributed to my eclectic tastes in music!)

As a high schooler and I had to do research papers. I hardly needed assistance in using the card catalogue or the Readers Periodical Guide to Literature. When I did need help, librarian Mrs. (Janet) Edwards was always there to provide guidance.

Her daughter Wynne was a classmate from Egremont elementary school and became a lifelong friend who now lives in New Mexico. She recently communicated with me about her mother and other helpful librarians. Wynne refreshed my memory about the various sections of the library, from the circulation/check out desk at the entrance to the main reading room which was furnished with several dozen tables and chairs for doing school papers or just reading. The card catalogue, the reference section with a long work table and stacks of books were on the left side of the first floor. Behind the reference area was the office of Robert Newman, the chief librarian from 1946 -81.

Always a friendly and respectful leader, Mr. Newman had introduced me as a teen to the Herman Melville room on the second floor on the left side of the library. The Melville room was named for Herman Melville who wrote "Moby-Dick" in 1850-51 while residing at Arrowhead at 780 Holmes Road in Pittsfield. (It has been the home of the Berkshire County Historical Society since 1975.)

The Melville Room was recreated when the library moved to 1 Wendell Ave. Berkshire Athenaeum staffer, Dave Laczak shared that the current exhibits in the room include Melville's desk from his home in New York, his library table, the breadbox of "Billy Budd" fame, a selection of scrimshaw from the Milham Scrimshaw Collection and a collection of his personal items, such as a walking stick, candle snuffer, some pencils and various mementos he collected during his travels or received as gifts. Hanging on the walls are several prints from his print collection as well as a variety of photographs and paintings of family members.

My friend, Wynne, reminded me of other sections on the right side of the main reading room that included the business office and the Harland Ballard Room, which was the local history and genealogy section. Harland Ballard was the second head librarian at the Berkshire Athenaeum, where he worked for 46 years, 1888-1934.

In the main reading room, there was a small caged-in stairwell which led to the basement. This was locked as it was strictly off limits for anyone except the staff. Being a family member of a staffer, Wynne got to frequent this area and shared with me a humorous memory.

There was a small employee lounge in the basement that had a hot plate, a small refrigerator and a tiny table with two or three chairs. Staff members occasionally fired up the hot plate and cooked a hamburger, fried onions or something else with a strong aroma that wafted up to the reading room. On more than one occasion a patron would ask how they could get to the library restaurant or where was the menu for the eatery. Eventually a rule was instituted about not using the hot plate for anything that would create a strong odor.

Wynne also recalled that the lower level had shelves of books which were new and awaiting the plastic covers, getting tagged and readied for circulation. Other shelves had battered volumes waiting to be restored. This area always smelled heavily of glue. In another area of the basement the bookmobiles were parked near doors leading to the employee parking area behind the building.

We both remembered the unique smell as soon as you entered the library, which was hard for either of us to describe. As Wynne suggested, It was pleasant and somewhat leathery but very few of the books were leatherbound. There was also a hint of a woody or musty scent too, mixed with some lemon furniture polish.

Gone are those nostalgic smells and my baby boomer experiences in the old Berkshire Athenaeum. In 1975, 99 years from its 1876 opening, the library moved into a new building at One Wendell Ave. This was originally the site of the Peace Party House. The move allowed for more space and a layout that was conducive to the changing functions and needs of the library that could not be accommodated in the nearly 100-year-old former home.

Since I was a youngster in 1955 the library collection of 70,000 items has more than doubled to 150,000 in the current Wendell Avenue location. The Bank Row building escaped the wrecking ball and was fortunately re-purposed to serve as the Berkshire County Registry of Deeds and is now the Berkshire Probate and Family Court. Major structural repairs of $4.3 million were made to the building beginning in 2013. I have never returned to see the inside of the old building since the library moved. But when I visit and see the exterior with the tribute to benefactor, Thomas Allen above the door, my fond memories of the Berkshire Athenaeum, as I remember it from my childhood, return.
Pittsfield city councilors are calling for a comprehensive review of how the Shannon Grant is being used  and whether longtime partner 18 Degrees is effectively reaching the youth most at risk of gun violence  as the grant approaches renewal.
by Eric Feigenbaum

We have to develop Singapores only available natural resource, its people, Lee Kuan Yew often said in one variation or another.

Lee, Singapores founding Prime Minister, held the role for 31 years before his emeritus jobs of Senior Minister and later Minister Mentor  staying active in Singaporean government until his death in 2015 at 91 years-old. Throughout his life Lee reminded Singaporeans and the world that Singapore had been not much more than a dusty red sandbar when it began  dependent on water from peninsular Malaysia and unable to meet its own agricultural needs.

Singapores economy was transformed from being centered around shipping, trade and a British naval base to being diversified to include more profitable and scalable industries including manufacturing, finance, software and biotech. To do this, Singaporeans had to be able to move into white collar jobs  which of course required education and lots of it.

Accordingly, education became an early focus for Singapores leadership. Most of Singapores founders were themselves graduates of the greatest schools in the British Empire  including Cambridge, Oxford and the London School of Economics. But they were the products of highly successful families who could afford to send their sons abroad (although notably, Mrs Lee also attended Cambridge and became a highly successful attorney in her own right  making her a pioneer and icon in Singapore). These leaders understood their country needed education not to be concentrated in the elite  but to be the standard for all Singaporeans.

There were of course debates about how this could and should be done. Notably, Chinese private schools worked off a very different pedagogy than British-based institutions  focused more on rote memorization and command of facts than critical thinking and love of learning. Students studying in English wrote essays and had oral exams in which they were questioned and challenged. Chinese students were drilled and graded on perfection.

Singapore reconciled these by retaining the strong technical learning of the Chinese system  especially focused on STEM  while adopting British outlook, flexibility and linguistics.

As with many things, Singapore took advantage of the systems already left to it by the British. Singapores secondary education structure is based on the British O and A-Level examination format. Most of its schools use English as the medium of education with the incorporation of mother tongue classes  requiring students to study Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

As Stavros Yiannouka of the World Economic Forums World Innovation Summit For Education wrote, Singapores education system is relentlessly forward-looking. From adopting bilingualism with English (in addition to the mother tongue of Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil), to its focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Singapore anticipated many of the key education strategies being adopted by todays policymakers.

In 2024  as in so many years  Singapore was ranked #1 in the World Economic Forums World Competitiveness Ranking for Education. In 2025, Singapore was outflanked by Switzerland with whom it is regularly neck-and-neck  however, it has been in the top three continuously for almost two decades. The United States, by comparison ranked #6 in 2015 and is now #13.

In the 1990s, data began to accumulate that humanities were essential to a students overall performance particularly in regards to critical thinking and creativity. Singapore  which had prioritized STEM from the beginning, began to retool its curriculum to meet the modern need  especially as Singapores leadership emphasized the importance of creativity for Singaporean entrepreneurship.

It was around this time, Lee Kuan Yew said in a public speech, By history, our young have always taken the safer course of joining a big corporation, usually an MNC or local corporation, and climbing up within their ranks. Hong Kongers, after joining a company, leave as soon as they have learned the ropes to start up their own. Not everybody has got the inventiveness and shrewdness to go for such ventures. We must encourage and support those who have.

While its impossible to create a direct link, theres plenty of evidence to show Singapores attitude and aptitude for entrepreneurship has improved over the past decade. According to the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index by research platform StartupBlink, Singapore came in fourth globally ranked behind Israel, Britain, and the US. It has climbed 12 places since 2020, making it one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems worldwide.

But curriculum alone doesnt drive an education system. Singapore puts its money where its mouth is. Singaporean teachers are paid competitively. While the national median gross salary is S$5,800 (roughly $4500 USD) per month, the median wage for public school teachers is S$5,700 with Senior Teachers making up to S$7,500 per month and School Principals earning S$10,000 to S$14,000 per month. These earnings encompass various mechanisms including bonuses and increases for education and leadership duties. That said, education can be a financially rewarding career path in Singapore.

There are several ways to look at the results.

First, 98 percent of Singaporean secondary students go on to enroll in some form of higher education. Globally, 55 percent of secondary students matriculate to higher education and in the United States its 62 percent. Sixty-four percent of Singaporeans have some type of higher education degree or certificate  in the United States 55 percent have that level of education and globally, about 44 percent.

Roughly 80 percent of Singapores jobs are white collar. The United States has roughly 62 percent. Fifteen percent of Singaporeans have a graduate degree while 14 percent of Americans have the same and roughly seven percent of the world-at-large.

Certainly, there are critics of the Singaporean system. The average primary school student spends from early morning until bedtime with little free time. Extra-curricular activities including regular private tutoring and supplemental classes at school are considered the norm. Playdates and quiet afternoons at home are rare during the week. Finlands highly ranked education system, by contrast, has a five-hour school day, no homework and encourages free-time and play for children.

Singapores system not only fills childrens day but is predicated on adult involvement in homework and projects. Singapore encourages parents across all ethnic groups to be vigilant and involved in their childrens education  a very different outlook than Finland and other Scandinavian countries who boast educational success.

That said, Finland has seen a 0.8 percent economic growth over the past decade while Singapore has seen a 3.3 percent average annual growth despite a 5.4 percent economic contraction during 2020. Proponents of the Singaporean system argue Singapores educations are better attuned with its economic needs and students long-term financial futures.

Lee Kuan Yew himself regularly praised the Singaporean parental involvement in education. In a 1967 speech, he articulated, For every boy, every girl here tonight, there are fathers and mothers egging them on to perform better than the other pupils in school. Not all societies have this. In many societies, they are quite happy just to sit down under the banyan tree and contemplate their navel.

More importantly, he identified education is not solely about economic development.

Imparting knowledge to pass examinations and later to do a job, these are important. However, the litmus test of a good education is whether it nurtures citizens who can live, work, contend and cooperate in a civilized way. Is he loyal and patriotic? Is he, when the need arises, a good soldier, ready to defend his country, and so protect his wife and children, and his fellow citizens?

Luckily, Singapore has not had to test this last part. However, the Singaporean nationality has developed strongly since the countrys unexpected creation in 1965. Today the descendants of a random collection of Chinese migrants, Tamil Indians and indigenous Malays  all of whom came for work under a British open-port  identify as a cohesive people with a common culture, law and social structure. Education has played no small part in reducing tribalism and  as the success of the Singaporean economy and standard of living show  helping people see they have far more to gain together than apart.

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Sometimes I cringe when I read some of the content I wrote a decade and a half ago, when I first embraced my call as a Christ-following communicator. Put simply, many of my views on certain passages have drastically changed through years of study.

Initially, I didnt understand the importance of understanding the historical and literary context surrounding a verse or passage, nor my tendency to read the Bible through a twenty-first century lens. Because of this, I presumed much onto the text, much of which I now deem inaccurate.

This wasnt intentional. I wasnt trying to misread the text. The problem was, I hadnt learned how to separate fact from assumption or even to consider how pre-conceived notions impact perception and understanding, or lack thereof.

Ive discovered we all tend to do this, particularly if we havent learned how to separate fact (what Scripture explicitly states) versus assumption (the conclusions we draw). Bible scholars refer to the latter as eisegesis, which is a largely subjective reading due to personal intuition, information bias, learned attitudes and ideas, and experience.

Exegesis, on the other hand, is a study method that seeks to first understand what the text meant to its original audience before landing on a present-day application. This necessitates considering the historical, cultural, and literary context surrounding the text and its divinely led human author prior to determining the basic truth principle and a present-day application.

Here are two examples of how we might unintentionally bring assumptions into our Bible reading.

1. Tattoos

Some time ago, I attended an event for Christian communicators from a variety of denominations and backgrounds. During one meal, I sat next to a woman with a slightly more conservative background. During our conversation, she shared her perspective on tattoos, largely connected with choices made by one of her adult children. Listening, I got the impression that she deemed all body ink morally problematic.

Id heard this perspective previously. While some people formed their views passively, meaning, were taught that tattoos are bad without an explanation as to why, others typically reach their conclusions based on one of four ideas.

Many Christ-followers who view tattoos as sin point to Leviticus 19:28, which states:

Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

Taken on its own, this appears indisputable. Ones interpretation becomes much more complex, however, when we recognize the assumptions we bring to the text and challenge them by investigating the literary and cultural context of the divinely guided author and his original audience.

The first and most difficult to detect is our tendency to assume we automatically correctly understand what we read. I suggest, however, this approach makes faulty interpretations more likely. We also tend to view biblical stories and people through our cultural norms and experiences. If left uncorrected, this distorts our view of Scripture.

Put simply, there is a vast difference between twenty-first century Christianity and the pagan and superstitious environment from which God liberated the ancient Hebrews. In Egypt, they spent their developing years surrounded by people who worshipped demons disguised as gods.

The Hebrews behavior throughout their wilderness journey suggests theyd adopted their oppressors worldview. In Exodus 33, they demanded Aaron, Mosess brother and leadership assistant, create an idol for them to worship. Im convinced God used their experiences in the forty years that followed, in part, to remove their deeply entrenched roots of idolatry.

Consider these additional historical and cultural influences in ancient Egypt and Canaan. Both people groups used tattoos in cultish ritual and worship. For example, scholars discovered that women in ancient Egypt wore tattoos in reverence for Hathor, the sky god who was associated with, among other things, fertility and motherhood. Women also received tattoos around their midsection to seek protection for their babies from Bes, the so-called protector-god.

The Canaanites held similar practices, along with cutting themselves for a blood offering to their chief god Baal. This occurred in the biblical account of Elijahs challenge to the priests of Baal.

In an effort to get their god to respond to their request, the prophets of Baal  cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them (1 Kings 18:28, emphasis added).

Expanding on this, the late nineteenth century theologian Albert Barnes wrote, The practice of inflicting gashes on their limbs, in their religious exercises, was common among the Carians, the Syrians, and the Phrygians. We may regard it as a modification of the idea of human sacrifice. The gods were supposed to be pleased with the shedding of human blood.

It seems likely, then, that Gods command against tattoos stemmed from the pagan practices from which He wanted to free His people.

Others feel permanent body art fails to honor our bodies as Gods Temple. Similarly, some believe any such modifications dishonor His original design. And lastly, there are those who worry tattoos might hinder their witness.

Why This Matters

The facts suggest that Gods concern lies with ones reason behind getting a tattoo and any nonbiblical religious associations the art or practice makes. In this, we have freedom to adhere to our convictions  but not to force those conclusions on others.

When it comes to secondary (not salvation related) issues, God guides us each differently based on our circumstances, experiences, encounters, calling, and environment. We best imitate Christ, then, when we follow how we sense Him leading us while extending grace to those who feel differently.

2. The Samaritan Woman

I used to teach the most common interpretation of this biblical account. It goes like this: Jesus encountered a woman with a scandalous past, exposed her shame to reveal His grace and lead her to salvation.

The narrative begins with Jesus traveling through Samaria, growing tired, and resting at a well at about the sixth hour (John 4:6). Immediately following, He encounters a woman, initiates conversation, and offers her living water that springs to eternal life (John 4:10). He then told her to get her husband.

In the verses that follow, we read:

I have no husband, she replied. Jesus said to her, You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true. Sir, the woman said, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Woman, Jesus replied, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. The woman said, I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus declared, I, the one speaking to you  I am he (John 4:17-26).

Many read this story through a series of assumptions. First, translations that state the sixth hour occurred around 1:00 p.m. do so according to Jewish time keeping. They also believe first century women always drew water in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat in the summer and by established custom in the winter. They attribute her relationship experiences to sexual immorality and that her shame related to that drove her to the well at midday. Based on these conclusions, they view Jesus statement regarding her marital status as a rebuke and her statement regarding the place of worship as her attempt to deflect.

Those assumptions read into the text and fail to consider the cultural and historical context in which the event occurred.

Did Jesus in fact arrive at the well at 1:00 p.m.? Perhaps. However, some scholars question the sixth hour could place his arrival at 6:00 a.m. or p.m. A passage that follows seems to add credence to that perspective. After spending two days in Samaria, Jesus returned to Cana, in Galilee. A royal official in Capernaum with a terminally ill child learns of this and travels 25 miles to reach Him.

In verses 49-52, we read:

"The royal official said to Him, Sir, come down before my child dies. Jesus said to him, Go; your son is alive. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went home. And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was alive. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son is alive; and he himself believed, and his entire household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come from Judea into Galilee.

Walking could have taken the official a good eight hours or more to reach Jesus, making it more likely that he arrived at 7 p.m., the Romans definition of the sixth hour (which signified a.m. or p.m., depending on context). Further, this article from Emmanual Baptist Church evaluated the chronology of the crucifixion to suggest that, in his writing, John may have relied on the Roman clock.

Now lets look at the assumption regarding when biblical women typically drew water. In Genesis 24, Abrahams servant traveled to Padan Aram to find a wife for Isaac. Upon arrival:

He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water (Genesis 24:11).

Also consider that some women may have spilled or unexpectedly run out of water, necessitating a later trip to the community well. If the Samaritan woman wanted to avoid encountering other women, was it due to shame, some other relational conflict, or a desire to be alone? Could the Holy Spirit have drawn her to the well at that particular time to encounter Jesus? Scripture provides numerous examples of the Lord directing people to various places, at times, in and outside of their awareness.

To accurately understand her past and present marital status, we must consider the patriarchal culture in which she lived. While divorce wasnt uncommon, it was often initiated by men, who could legally do so due to infertility. Women had little say. Plus, adultery was a capital offense. While people rarely inflicted the death penalty, I find it unlikely that anyone in this male-dominated, shame-versus-honor society would marry a woman accused once, let alone five times, of sexual sin.

We must also account for the typical age difference between husbands and wives. Whereas women tended to marry in their early to mid-teens (as soon as they began menstruating), men often waited until they reached a certain level of financial stability. Because of the much smaller lifespans, widowhood was relatively common. Further, Old Testament law commanded siblings to marry the wife of their deceased brother to carry on his name and keep the land in the family.

A hypothetical scenario posed by religious leaders regarding a woman widowed multiple times who married seven brothers consecutively suggests the Samaritan womans past five husbands may have died. Whats more, Scripture doesnt provide any information regarding the man with whom she lived. Could this have been a brother or uncle?

I find it intriguing that Jesus never rebuked her for sin, as He was known to do in other circumstances. Notice, also, her response to His statement regarding her relationships. The details he revealed caused her to view Him as a prophet, and therefore a man of God.

She then transitioned to a highly heated topic between Samaritans and Jews  the correct place of worship. According to Scripture, only priests in Jerusalem could perform sacrifices to atone for sin. Old Testament law also required Jews to travel to the Holy City three times annually to celebrate certain festivals. Therefore, they considered all worship outside the Jerusalem Temple  deemed the location where God uniquely dwelled  as sin.

The Samaritans, however, worshiped on the mountain mentioned in John 4. This resulted in a highly charged disagreement, and the Samaritan woman sought clarity. Jesus response validated her concern. He told her, in essence, that where she worshiped was less important than how. He then revealed His identity as the Messiah, a fact that He often, at this stage in His ministry, concealed.

Why This Matters

One reading of this story focuses on the womans shame and Christs grace for her sinful past. The other view centers on who and how God wants us to worship. Both realities  Gods grace for our sin and our proper reverence for Jesus  are crucial aspects of our faith revealed throughout Scripture. While I can respect those who interpret the account differently, I find the latter most likely.

I doubt any of us will reach a place where we dont unknowingly read our assumptions into the biblical text. Recognizing this increases our grace for those who read more ambiguous passages differently than we do.

It also helps us increase our interpretative accuracy when we consider the differences between our culture and first century people groups, research their history and customs, and learn to separate fact from assumption. These necessary steps help us grasp Gods intended message. Hopefully the examples provided in this article provide guidance on applying proper Bible study application methods.

Bible Study Application Resources:

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D Fee and Douglas Stuart

Grasping Gods Word by Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hayes

Living by the Book by Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks

Photo credit: Getty Images/Jacob Wackerhausen

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. Shes addressed womens groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. Shes the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou d.com .

Shes passionate about helping people experience Christs freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next womens event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
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Health Minister launches new Initiatives for Tele MANAS app

October 10, 2025 | Friday | News

Tele MANAS App will now be available in 10 regional languages

image credit- pib

On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day 2025, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda launched several new initiatives for the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS).

The new initiatives include launch of Tele MANAS App Enhancements (Multi-lingual UI, Chatbot, Accessibility, Emergency Module). Tele MANAS App will now be available in 10 regional languages, in addition to the English and Hindi languages. These languages include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Punjabi. This step is towards providing mental health support in regional languages for enhancing accessibility.

In addition, recognising that persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups face barriers in accessing digital health services, the app now includes accessibility features to make the interface more user-friendly for visually impaired users. A chatbot feature (Asmi) has also been introduced, allowing users to engage with the app and seek information or help regarding mental health. Furthermore, emergency response content has been incorporated to ensure timely guidance and support during emergencies.

Speaking on the occasion, Nadda remarked that a sound mind leads to a sound body and a healthy mind and a healthy body lead to a healthy nation. He said, India is committed to ensuring equitable, affordable, and inclusive access to mental health services. With the launch of the new features in the Tele-MANAS app, we are strengthening our preparedness to respond effectively to mental health emergencies and expanding the reach of digital innovations to every corner of the country. Moving a step closer towards normalising discussions around mental health is crucial to reducing stigma and highlighting mental health as an integral aspect of public health in India.
Breaking news. Photo: sda/dpa Keystone

US President Donald Trump has questioned his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, citing the ongoing trade conflict. He was supposed to meet Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (Apec) summit - "but now there seems to be no reason to do so", the Republican wrote on his Truth Social platform.
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A young man who caused 87,000 worth of damage to cars and endangered the lives of multiple people due to his dangerous driving has been jailed for three years.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Martin McAleer (22) of St Aidan's Close, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, endangerment, criminal damage and possession of false instruments in relation to separate incidents on January 4 and May 31, 2023.

He has 11 previous convictions and was on bail when he committed this offending. He is currently serving a four-year prison sentence.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said: This defendant's driving was dreadful, he was irresponsible and endangered many people.

Judge Nolan noted that the first incident lasted for 10 minutes, and the second incident caused between 80,000 to 90,000 worth of damage to other cars.

The judge said he would consider his guilty plea, his remorse and the fact that he is doing well in custody and taking advantage of the services available to him while he is in custody as mitigating factors.

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Judge Nolan said that this sentence must be consecutive to the current sentence that he is serving. He sentenced him to five years and four months in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. He also disqualified him from driving for five years.

In relation to the first incident, Detective Sergeant Fergal Finnegan said that on January 4, 2023, gardai were called to an estate in Ballycullen, Dublin, when homeowners reported seeing males wearing balaclavas. Gardai viewed CCTV and surveillance was placed on the car the males were in.

The car entered a car park, and two males got out of the car, concealed their faces, and entered a shop. Gardai attempted to box the car into a parking space but were unable to do so due to other cars in the area.

A member of An Garda Siochana approached the car in which McAleer was driving and shouted armed gardai. McAleer then drove the car out of the parking spot and struck a civilian car. He continued to drive through the car park, collided with a garda car, and entered a yard. The entrance to the yard was blocked by gardai vehicles.

The court heard that gardai attempted to carry out a controlled contained procedure, but this was unsuccessful. McAleer then drove his car through a fence and struck a parked car while a person was sitting in it. This person suffered soft tissue injuries. The car was then brought to a stop, and McAleer was arrested.

Garda Mark Cullen told Patrick Jackson BL, prosecuting, that a few months later, on May 31, 2023, an off-duty garda saw a group of males in an Audi A5 wearing caps and masks. The rear licence plate was held on by rubber bands. She contacted the gardai and an undercover garda car began surveillance on the Audi.

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The court heard that a pursuit then began, and the Audi, which was being driven by McAleer, drove from Ballinteer to Tallaght, breaking red lights, driving in the wrong direction around roundabouts, mounting footpaths and driving in the middle of the road, forcing other cars to take evasive action. The Audi also collided head-on with a motorbike, which caused the bike to become airborne. The motorcyclist fractured her pelvis and hip due to the collision.

Gardai who were in pursuit of McAleer observed objects being thrown from the Audi, which included a long metal object and licence plates. The car then travelled on the wrong side of the road on Maple Road in Tallaght, and a woman who was about to cross the road while pushing a buggy had to pull the buggy out of the way of the oncoming car.

The pursuit lasted for approximately 10 minutes, and when the Audi came to a stop, McAleer and the other passengers fled the car. McAleer was arrested at the scene. Garda Air Support had also been deployed during the pursuit of the car.

Six garda vehicles were damaged, with one being completely written off, and two civilian cars were also damaged. 87,000 worth of damage in total was caused during this incident. One member of An Garda Siochana was injured and suffered a broken toe and a broken hand.
A double killer serving a life sentence for the gruesome murder of Philip Finnegan - whose decapitated body was found lying in the foetal position in a shallow grave - dismissed his legal team ahead of his scheduled conviction appeal hearing on Friday.

Stephen Penroses lawyers told the three-judge Court of Appeal they had come to court ready to proceed with the appeal, and his decision to dismiss the team had come as news to us.

The 42-year-old represented himself in the murder trial after he dispensed with two legal teams during the hearing of the case.

After a trial lasting five weeks, Penrose of Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in November 2021 of murdering Mr Finnegan, 24, at Rahin Woods, Rahin, Edenderry, Co Kildare on August 10th, 2016. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

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The 12 jurors unanimously rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Mr Finnegan being stabbed in the back during an attack by a group of men at "a forest" or "close to a wood", having arranged to collect firearms from them.

The jury accepted the prosecution's case that Mr Finnegan had met "a gruesome death" at the hands of Penrose, and attempts had been made to cut up and burn the victim's body.

Penrose had signalled his intention to appeal against his conviction, and the case was due to be heard today.

When the case was called, Barra McGrory SC, representing Penrose, informed the panel that he had anticipated arguing the appeal today. However, he explained that on Tuesday morning, during a review hearing, Penrose had notified the court that he had dismissed his solicitors and counsel at the beginning of August.

That was news to us and to Mr Mulholland, my instructing solicitor, but that position has been confirmed to us by Mr Penrose in a video consultation, said Mr McGrory. So we are in no doubt that he doesnt wish us to represent him.

My situation, and that of Mr Kelly, is we simply have no option but to ask this court to relieve us from this case, he said.

Brendan Grehan SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the court would be aware, having seen the submissions filed, that this had very strong echoes of the run-up to the trial.

Mr Penrose has had - I dont know how many at this stage - different teams of solicitors and senior counsel, he said. We understood up until Tuesday that this was proceeding.

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Counsel said the DPP is ready and anxious to proceed, adding the deceaseds mother was present in court.

Obviously, this is a matter that has gone on for quite a number of years in terms of the trial having been adjourned for, I think, five years before it got underway and various legal teams involved, said Mr Grehan.

Penrose, who appeared via video link, told the court he was not happy with the points of appeal which had been lodged on his behalf and said he wished the matter to be adjourned so another firm of solicitors could come on record.

He confirmed this was despite having signed a letter in May indicating that he was happy with the grounds of appeal. Penrose held a handwritten letter dated August 1, 2025, to the camera, in which he indicated his intention to dismiss his legal team. Asked if he had any proof the letter had been delivered, he said it had been sent through the prison".

Mr McGrory told the court that no such letter was received.

Making an application to the court to be released from the case, Mr McGrory said his teams position was now untenable.

After the court rose for a short while to consider matters, Ms Justice Kennedy noted this was an exceedingly unsatisfactory situation. She said the case was in the list to proceed to hearing, had been listed for some time and was obviously a very serious matter.

Ireland Convicted killer Stephen Penrose sentenced to life for murdering his friend Read more

She said the court would permit Mr McGrory and his legal team to come off record.

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Ms Justice Kennedy said the court would reluctantly adjourn proceedings to obtain verification that the letter Penrose claimed to have sent through the prison service to his now former legal team had been dispatched. She also requested the court registrar to confirm with the prison service whether the letter had actually been sent.

She put the matter back to October 24th and told Penrose that his new solicitor should be in court on that date. She said the matter would be given priority so that the earliest possible date could be set for the appeal hearing.

Im eight years in custody on this charge. Im as eager as anyone to have it heard, Penrose replied.
Heather Humphreys has denied that she is part of a Fine Gael smear campaign against her presidential rival Catherine Connolly.

Ms Connolly and opposition leaders who back her came under criticism from Fine Gael minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill during the week.

It came after Ms Connolly was questioned for seeking to employ a woman who had a Special Criminal Court conviction, and who gave her access to Leinster House for six months while her security clearance was pending.

Some politicians, including Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, have criticised her for not following the rules and said it was not acceptable.

Ms Connolly said repeatedly she believed in rehabilitation, before coming under further questioning after stating she would have to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to the Aras.

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She later said she would not hire someone who was on the sex offenders register.

In a statement during the week, Ms Carroll MacNeill asked how Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns could back a candidate who would need to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to work in Aras an Uachtarain?

Ms Bacik responded by saying that Fine Gael was resorting to increasingly desperate smear tactics and needed to reflect on the manner in which they are conducting their campaign.

Asked about the comments on Friday, Ms Humphreys said she did not know what Ms Bacik was referring to, but said there was no smear coming from me anyway, or my campaign team.

Im not involved in any smear campaign, she said, speaking in Wexford.

This to me is a fair campaign between myself and Catherine Connolly, and ultimately people will have to make up their own minds as to which of us will be the best 10th president of Ireland.

Separately, she was asked about a video recording of a podcast episode featuring barrister and commentator Joe Brolly, who made a lewd gesture as he appeared to do an impression of a presidential candidate.

He later said on social media that he was speaking about the former contender for the presidency Jim Gavin.

Asked about the video, Ms Humphreys said the video was very misogynistic and was targeted at women.

I can tell you now, I will not accept that, she said.

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Many women across this country have been targeted like that, but I will stand up for the women of Ireland, and I can tell you one thing it wont knock me back.

Ireland Catherine Connolly confirms she used parliamentary allowance for Syria trip Read more

Mr Brolly said on social media: Just to be clear, on the podcast I was talking about Jim Gavin being unsuited to the insubstantial nature of the presidential campaign. It was nothing to do with Heather.

Just two weeks remain until polling day on October 24, and the candidates for the 10th president of Aras an Uachtarain have been whittled down to two after Fianna Fails candidate Mr Gavin withdrew from the race dramatically on Sunday.

A debate on RTE Radio will be held at lunchtime on Sunday.
Former Fianna Fail presidential candidate Jim Gavin has repaid the 3,300 he owed to a former tenant.

A source close to the former tenant, Niall Donald, confirmed Mr Gavin had repaid him the 3,300.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Mr Gavin dramatically withdrew from the presidential race following claims he owed former tenant Mr Donald more than 3,000 for a rental arrangement that was not properly registered.

Mr Donald  co-host of the Crime World podcast with Nicola Tallant  addressed the controversy on the show on Wednesday.

In the podcast, released earlier on Wednesday, Mr Donald said it was a complicated story in one way, but simple in another," explaining he began renting the apartment with a friend in Smithfield, Dublin, in 2007, paying via a standing order.

Mr Donald had very little dealings with Mr Gavin and was unaware of his sporting past. When his friend moved out, his partner moved into the apartment.

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Whatever way the standing orders were changed, I had two standing orders. There was an increase in the rent, and instead of changing my standing order, I just added another one. Mr Donald lived there until 2009, at which point  as reported by the Irish Examiner  the couple were expecting a baby.

In 2010, Mr Donald engaged a solicitor to write a letter to Mr Gavin demanding the return of the money and threatening legal action.

Ireland Taoiseach confirms intention to vote for Heather Humphreys Read more

As he did not have Mr Gavins home address, he said he sent the letter to the apartment and to his then workplace: the Air Corps base in Baldonnel, Co Dublin.

He said he also delivered a copy in an envelope, marked private and confidential, to Mr Gavins parents at their home and asked them to pass it on to their son.

I said: Im really sorry to call to your house. Im a former tenant of Jims. Im just looking to get a letter to him. They were really, really nice, said Mr Donald.

However, some hours later, after midnight, he received a call from Mr Gavin, who, he said, was really, really irate about Mr Donald calling to his parents home.
A High Court judge has permitted doctors to amputate the leg of a man at risk of life-threatening consequences if the limb is not removed.

Mr Justice Barry ODonnell on Friday made the order in circumstances where the man, who is in his 60s, lacks capacity to make decisions related to the treatment of his leg.

The tissue in his lower left limb is necrotic, or dead, and is the primary cause of his suffering with delirium, the court heard. His lack of capacity mainly arises from this delirium, which is causing him to have delusional and disordered thoughts.

The infection is a result of complications arising from attempts to remedy a blockage in a graft, inserted in the mans left leg during an earlier femoral bypass. A fermoral bypass is a procedure used to reroute blood through a graft around a blocked blood vessel.

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Solicitor Natasha McKenna, appearing for the hospital where the man is being treated, said the mans views on the amputation have fluctuated.

However, according to a consultant psychiatrist who assessed him, the man is unable to understand clinical information conveyed to him, or to weigh that information. The psychiatrist told the court that attempts to treat his delirium have been unsuccessful.

A consultant vascular surgeon, familiar with the mans care, told the judge it was a matter of time before the man developed a life-threatening infection if an amputation was not carried out.

The surgeon said a below-knee amputation may suffice, but it was not possible to say until the point of surgery. It was possible that an above-knee amputation would be necessary, he said.

The surgeon added that the prospect of rehabilitation in his lower limb was non-existent.

Solicitor Niall McGrath, the mans court-appointed advocate, said the mans family was supportive of the surgery taking place.

Mr Justice ODonnell said he was satisfied, on the evidence before the court, that the man is lacking capacity to make decisions related to his treatment.

Ireland Emma Costello McCrory murder: Killer stole 'beautiful' mother's future Read more

The judge said he believed the courts intervention was required in order to protect the mans constitutional rights, including his right to life, and right to bodily integrity. He granted the orders sought by the hospital.

The judge said the case presented a stark choice between granting permission for the amputation and allowing the man to live out his life with an amputated limb, or not permitting the operation, in which case the mans delirium will likely increase, and he will likely suffer a life-threatening infection and the ongoing pain of a necrotic limb.

The judge said his orders were predicated on the mans continued lack of capacity up to the operation, due to happen on Tuesday.

He adjourned the case to next week.
A circuit court judge has told an 80-year-old man that he should be ashamed of himself while jailing him for four years for the sexual abuse of a child.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the injured party in the case wished to have the accused man named, but did not wish to be named herself.

Desmond Walsh (80) of Brownsbarn Orchard, Old Naas Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to five sample counts of sexual assault on dates between January 2011 and June 2015 at his home address. He has no previous convictions.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said: This is somewhat of a distressing case. He noted that it was conservative to say that the child was abused on 25 separate occasions while aged between five and nine years of age.

The court heard Walsh was extradited from Spain and co-operated fully with the extradition.

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The judge said the aggravating factors in the case were the age of the child at the time and the number of times that Walsh repeated the misbehaviour.

In mitigation, he noted the guilty plea, the expression of remorse, the lack of any previous convictions, his long work history, and the unlikelihood that he will re-offend to any great degree in the future.

Judge Nolan initially set a headline sentence of eight years, but subsequently reduced it to four years after considering the mitigation. He also noted that credit should be given for any time already spent in custody, either in Spain or in Ireland, on this matter.

Judge Nolan concluded this sentence by saying: Mr Walsh, you should be ashamed of yourself."

Garda William Doyle told Shaun Smyth BL, prosecuting, that the injured party was known to Walsh and would visit his home on occasion. The abuse occurred when the child was between nearly five and nine years old.

The abuse came to light when the young girl disclosed what had previously happened. The girl had recently had a Stay Safe talk in school, which prompted her disclosure.

The court heard that the girl was interviewed by specialist gardai. She told gardai that Walsh would place his hand inside her underwear and put pressure on her vagina.

Gda Doyle said that in 2018, Walsh left the jurisdiction abruptly. His leaving was so abrupt that his wife reported him missing. In early 2019, it was discovered he was living in Spain.

Gardai spoke with Walsh via phone in July 2020, and he said that when the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, he would return to Ireland.

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A second phone call was made to Walsh in Spain in which the allegations were put to him. He said they were totally false and caused him great pain.

Ireland Dangerous driver caused 87,000 of damage and endangered lives Read more

He again told gardai that he would return to Ireland. Gardai instructed him to present himself to a Spanish police station, but he failed to do so, and an extradition proceeding began. He was extracted to Ireland in November 2022.

A victim impact statement was handed into the court, and the last paragraph was read aloud by Judge Nolan: I just want to feel normal again. I didnt deserve this; no one does. I want to put this to bed so I can live my life again.

The court was told that Walsh brought a sum of money to court as a token of remorse for the injured party, but she did not wish to receive it and instead asked that it be donated to Dublin Rape Crisis.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.
A man who robbed a service station in 2013 was charged eight years later after he was caught trying to rob the same garage again.

Brian Comiskey (46) was initially arrested in 2013 after his Valentine's Day robbery of the Texaco service station in Shankill, Co Dublin, featured on RTE's Crimecall, and gardai received an anonymous tip-off. However, there wasn't enough evidence to charge him with the crime, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday.

Some eight years later, in 2021, Comiskey was spotted by an off-duty detective walking into the same service station armed with a hammer, wearing a face covering and latex gloves.

He was apprehended before he could take any money, and while being taken to a garda station, he told gardai that he had robbed the same service station back in 2013.

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This confession was not admissible, and Comiskey stood trial in relation to the 2013 charges earlier this year. However, he entered guilty pleas shortly into the trial process.

Comiskey, of Northway Estate, Finglas, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery at the Texaco service station in Shankill on February 14, 2013 and to one count of burglary on the same day at Centra, also in Shankill. He has 45 previous convictions, including robbery, burglary, possession of knives and public order offences.

Sergeant Bernard Dunne told Simon Matthews BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question in 2013, Comiskey entered the Centra and rooted around the staff room without any of the workers noticing. He took a screwdriver and left the store.

He then went to the Texaco service station, where he brandished the screwdriver and demanded money from the worker there, leaving the scene with 700 in cash.

The crime featured on Crimecall and Comiskey was named as a suspect and arrested, but there wasn't enough evidence to charge him until his admission in 2021. He was sentenced to one year in jail for the 2021 robbery offence and was released from custody in 2023.

Ireland Passenger accused of mid-flight sexual assault on cabin crew to face higher court trial Read more

Emmet Nolan BL, defending, said this prison sentence spurred Comiskey to do significant work on himself and he has not come to garda attention since his release from custody.

He is ashamed and embarrassed by his behaviour, Mr Nolan said. At the time of the 2013 offence, he said Comiskey was in the grips of addiction and leading a chaotic lifestyle.

He is now clean of all drugs and in steady employment. He had a sum of 350 in court as a token of remorse.

Judge Martina Baxter adjourned the case to December 18 for finalisation.
A man who groped a teenager in a supermarket in an opportunistic and demeaning act has been jailed for one year for sexual assault.

The then 16-year-old girl was helping her mother with the weekly grocery shop in a Dublin supermarket when she was sexually assaulted by Jasmin Nasic, who put his hand on her buttocks and forcefully groped her as he was walking by her.

Nasic, 36, of Hillcrest Grove, Lucan, Co Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of one count of sexual assault and one count of engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature following a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial earlier this year. They are offences that carry a maximum sentence of 14 years and two years respectively.

Giving her victim impact sentence at Nasic's sentence hearing earlier this year, the young woman said that it took three years and nine months from the date of the offence to the date of his conviction.

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That is 1,375 days I have had to live with the consequences of this assault, she told the court. She said that before the assault, she was an innocent young girl. It didn't even cross my mind that someone would do this to me, she said.

She said Nasic's decision to plead not guilty meant going through a trial, which caused her stress, anxiety, and sleepless nights.

She said the trauma of having to hand over her counselling notes in advance of the trial was degrading.

Judge Martina Baxter commended the complainant after she had finished her statement and said she was a great example for other young women.

Sentencing Nasic on Friday, Judge Baxter noted the contents of a Probation Service report which found Nasic is at moderate risk of sexual re-offending.

The court also heard that although Nasic has previously expressed remorse, he told the Probation Service that the incident was an accident and that he didn't commit it wilfully or intentionally.

Judge Baxter noted that when it comes to sexual offending, Nasic has much work to do. She said he had subjected a young girl to sexual grabbing while she was grocery shopping in the company of her mother, noting it was an opportunistic and demeaning act.

Taking into account mitigating factors, including his good work history and lack of previous convictions, she sentenced him to two years in prison and suspended the final year on a number of conditions, including that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for a year after his release.

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Garda Jennifer Desmond previously told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that the girl and her mother were grocery shopping on the day in question when the girl noticed a man coming towards her in one of the aisles. She didn't think too much of it until he then deliberately groped her buttock as he walked by her.

The young woman was shocked and called out to the man before finding her mother and telling her what happened. They came across Nasic in another aisle, and the girl's mother confronted him, but he denied touching the girl.

He agreed to accompany them to the security station to look at CCTV footage, but when the mother turned around, the man had left. They called 999, and Nasic was later identified from the CCTV footage.

He is originally from Croatia, has been living in Ireland since 2016, and has no previous convictions, the court heard.

Ireland Father pleads guilty to murdering 8-year-old daughter Read more

Oisin Clarke BL, defending, said his client now accepts the verdicts of the jury and is remorseful for his actions. He handed in some testimonials from colleagues of the defendant. Nasic has worked consistently since coming to Ireland, including in admin at Trinity College and as a kitchen porter.

Mr Clarke said that the defence wished to let the complainant know that Nasic never had sight of her medical notes, and these were only reviewed by the legal team. They were not used in the trial, he said.

He said Nasic was a hardworking man who lived to work and send money home to his family in Croatia. He left his home country as a result of a violent dispute involving his father and brother.

Nasic will now be a registered sex offender, which will impact his employment and future travel prospects, the court heard.
An airline passenger accused of sexually assaulting a female cabin crew member and pulling her head to his groin during a Portugal to Dublin flight is to face a Circuit Court trial.

The man, in his 20s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Dublin District Court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the case remain in the District Court if the accused pleaded guilty.

Outlining the allegations, Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy told Judge Valerie Corcoran that the allegation was that the man went to the galley area and kissed the female crew member on the cheek and then grabbed her and pulled her head down toward his groin to the point where it was touching it".

The court heard he subsequently used the toilet and then followed the same crew member, put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her from behind.

Judge Corcoran held that it was too serious to retain jurisdiction and that the case should be transferred to the Circuit Court, which can impose lengthier sentences.

The man, who did not address the court, was ordered to appear again in November to be served with the prosecution's book of evidence and a return-for-trial order.
The prospects for peace in Gaza after two years of conflict dominate the front pages, alongside reports on the seemingly fractious departure of Ray D'Arcy from RTE.

The Irish Times leads with expectations that a ceasefire is expected to take effect in Gaza. It also reports that presidential candidate Catherine Connolly denies saying she paid for a trip to Syria.

The Irish Independent leads with another RTE story, claiming that Newstalk presenter Kieran Cuddihy is tipped to be the new host of Liveline. It says he is also expected to step down from presenting the Tonight Show on Virgin Media if he takes on the job to replace Joe Duffy.

The Irish Examiner leads on details of the Gaza peace plan, but also features a story on how teenage boys are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create 'online girlfriends' which cater to their porn whims.

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The Irish Daily Mail reports on Gaza's peace plan and D'Arcy's departure.

The Herald reports that Fianna Fail spent 14,000 on online advertising for the presidential campaign of its candidate Jim Gavin.

The Echo reports that more than 6,000 children across Cork are on waiting lists for psychological treatment, 4,000 of them for longer than 12 months.

While sticking with the peace hopes in Gaza and Da'rcy's departure, the Irish Daily Star also features previews of Ireland's crucial match with Portugal this weekend.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister, just days after his resignation, asking him to try again to form a government and produce a budget in a bid to end the countrys political deadlock.

Mr Lecornus reappointment followed days of intense negotiations and came less than a week after he resigned amid infighting in his freshly named government.

France is struggling with mounting economic challenges and ballooning debt.

The appointment is widely seen as the presidents last chance to reinvigorate his second term, which runs until 2027.

We must put an end to this political crisis that exasperates the French Sebastien Lecornu

Lacking a majority in the National Assembly to push through his agenda, Mr Macron faces mounting criticism  including from within his own ranks  and has little room to manoeuvre.

Mr Macrons office released a one-sentence statement announcing the appointment, one month after a statement when Mr Lecornu was initially named and four days after he resigned.

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Mr Lecornu said in a statement on social networks that he accepted the new job offer out of duty.

He said he was given a mission to do everything to give France a budget by the end of the year and respond to the daily problems of our compatriots.

All those who join his new government will have to renounce ambitions to run for president in 2027, Mr Lecornu said, adding that the new cabinet will incarnate renewal and a diversity of skills.

He said: We must put an end to this political crisis that exasperates the French and to this bad instability for Frances image and its interests.

Mr Lecornu abruptly resigned on Monday, only hours after unveiling a new cabinet that drew opposition from a key coalition partner.



French President Emmanuel Macron faces mounting criticism  including from within his own ranks (Michel Euler/AP)

The shock resignation prompted calls for Mr Macron to step down or dissolve parliament again. But they remained unanswered, with the president instead announcing on Wednesday that he would name a successor to Mr Lecornu within 48 hours.

Political party leaders who met for more than two hours with Mr Macron, at his request, on Friday emerged from the talks saying they were not certain what step the French leader would take next.

Some cautioned that another prime minister picked from the ranks of Mr Macrons fragile centrist camp would risk being disavowed by the parliaments powerful lower house, prolonging the crisis.

How can one expect that all this will end well? said Marine Tondelier, leader of The Ecologists party. The impression we get is that the more alone he is, the more rigid he becomes.

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Over the past year, Mr Macrons successive minority governments have collapsed in quick succession, leaving the European Unions second-largest economy mired in political paralysis as France is faced with a debt crisis.

At the end of the first quarter of 2025, Frances public debt stood at 3.346 trillion euros, or 114% of gross domestic product.

Frances poverty rate also reached 15.4% in 2023, its highest level since records began in 1996, according to the latest data available from the national statistics institute.

The economic and political struggles are worrying financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission, which has been pushing France to comply with EU rules limiting debt.



French politicians arrive for a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris (Thibault Camus/AP)

The two biggest opposition parties in the National Assembly  the far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed party  were not invited to the discussions on Friday. The National Rally wants Mr Macron to hold fresh legislative elections and France Unbowed wants him to resign.

Mr Lecornu argued earlier this week that Mr Macrons centrist bloc, its allies, and parts of the opposition could still clump together into a working government.

Theres a majority that can govern, he said. I feel that a path is still possible. It is difficult.

Mr Lecornu will now have to seek compromises to avoid an immediate vote of no confidence and may even be forced to abandon an extremely unpopular pension reform that was one of Mr Macrons signature policies in his second presidential term.

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Rammed through parliament without a vote in 2023 despite mass protests, it gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. Opposition parties want it to be scrapped.

The political deadlock stems from Mr Macrons shock decision in June 2024 to dissolve the National Assembly. The snap elections produced a hung parliament, with no bloc able to command a majority in the 577-seat chamber.

The gridlock has unnerved investors, infuriated voters, and stalled efforts to curb Frances spiralling deficit and public debt.

Without stable support, Mr Macrons governments have stumbled from one crisis to the next, collapsing as they sought backing for unpopular spending cuts.

Mr Lecornus resignation, just 14 hours after announcing his cabinet, underscored the fragility of the presidents coalition amid deep political and personal rivalries.
Israels cabinet has approved President Donald Trumps plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas, a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilised the Middle East.

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said early on Friday that the cabinet approved the outline of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the ceasefire should begin immediately after government approval. The Israeli military has 24 hours to pull back its forces to an agreed-upon line.

The broader ceasefire plan includes many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza.





With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.



From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025

But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.

The war, which began with Hamas deadly attack on Israel on October 7 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

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Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault and 251 were taken hostage.

In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.

In the hours leading up to the cabinets vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were seen on Thursday in northern Gaza and a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech on Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal  Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.



People react as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Mr Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

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We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people, he said in a televised speech on Thursday evening.

US officials said that they would send about 200 troops to Israel as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorised for release.

The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.

Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.



A displaced Palestinian man sits beside a bicycle as he waits on the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin on Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.

Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.

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UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told reporters on Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.

The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The US would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority  something Mr Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform programme which could take years.

The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Mr Netanyahu firmly rejects.
A federal judge has tossed out a defamation lawsuit Drake brought against Universal Music Group, labelling the alleged libellous words as opinion.

Judge Jeannette A Vargas rejected the lawsuit on Thursday in a written opinion.

The January lawsuit alleged that UMG published and promoted rival Kendrick Lamars diss track Not Like Us, even though it included false paedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice.



Kendrick Lamar (Yui Mok/PA)

Lamar was not named in the lawsuit.

Universal Music Group, the parent record label for both artists, had denied the allegations.

The lawsuit alleged the track led to violence at Drakes home in Toronto, tarnished his reputation and decreased the value of his brand.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians were starting to walk north to return to their homes Friday, after the Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time and that troops were withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines.

The announcement came after Palestinians reported heavy shelling on Friday morning in northern Gaza, hours after Israels Cabinet approved US President Donald Trumps plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the remaining hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Thousands of people who had gathered in Wadi Gaza in central Gaza in the morning started walking north after the militarys announcement.

Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck  and it is still on its neck Benjamin Netanyahu

The approval marked a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilised the Middle East.

A brief statement from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the cabinet approved the outline of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.

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A list published on Friday by Israel of Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the deal does not include high-profile prisoner Marwan Barghouti, the most popular Palestinian leader and a potentially unifying figure.

Israel views Barghouti and some others as terrorist masterminds who murdered Israeli civilians and has refused to release them in past exchanges.



Israeli soldiers stand near their tanks along the Israeli-Gaza border (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Mr Netanyahu said Israel is about to achieve one of its central goals in the two-year war  the return of the hostages.

Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck  and it is still on its neck, Mr Netanyahu said on Friday. Hamas agreed to the deal after Trumps plan, which I agreed to with the president in Washington.

I promised the families of the hostages, and I also promised you, citizens of Israel, that we will return everyone, without exception. We promised and we are fulfilling it, he said.

He insisted in the televised statement that the next stages would see Hamas disarm and Gaza demilitarised.

If this is achieved the easy way, so be it. If not, it will be achieved the hard way, Mr Netanyahu said.

Under the ceasefire plan agreed with Hamas, all 48 hostages still in captivity are expected to be released. Israel believes around 20 of them are alive.

Its a guarded optimism because its the kind of optimism thats born out of heartbreaking experience. We hold our hope lightly because weve had our hopes dashed before Hostage's

A relative of one of the Israeli hostages believed to have died in captivity said the family hopes his body will be returned for burial as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Stephen Brisleys relative, Yossi Sharabi, is believed to have died in an airstrike in January 2024.

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Mr Brisleys sister and Yossis sister-in-law Lianne Sharabi, and her two teenage daughters were killed when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7 2023. His brother-in-law Eli Sharabi was taken hostage and subsequently released.

Its a measured sense of hope in all hostage families, Mr Brisley told The Associated Press from his home in South Wales.

Its a guarded optimism because its the kind of optimism thats born out of heartbreaking experience. We hold our hope lightly because weve had our hopes dashed before, he said.

It still feels like a long way between the announcement of the deal and actually getting Yossis body back to bury him.

Steve Witkoff, Mr Trumps top negotiator on the Gaza conflict, said the US military confirmed that Israeli soldiers have pulled back as part of the ceasefire agreement on Friday.

The 72-hour period to release the hostages has begun, Mr Witkoff wrote on social media on Friday morning.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the expected hostage and prisoner release will be more challenging than previous ones given the scale and speed of the operation.

Our colleagues are preparing themselves for all possible scenarios Christian Cardon, ICRC

Christian Cardon, chief spokesman for the ICRC, said that while the group is expected to play a role as hostages are released from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israel, it has not been given details in terms of when, how or where the releases would occur.

Our colleagues are preparing themselves for all possible scenarios, said Mr Cardon.

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He said that the terms of the deal, which call for the hostages to be released from Gaza within 72 hours, was an extremely tight timeframe.

The ICRC was involved in prisoner and hostage releases in the two previous ceasefires during the war.

Mr Netanyahu added that Israel would continue with its demilitarisation of Hamas after the return of the hostages.

Israeli Brig Gen Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesman, said that troops had completed their withdrawal to the deployment lines by Friday afternoon, a few hours after the ceasefire officially went into effect.

An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, earlier said the military would control around 50% of Gaza in their new positions.

In central Gazas Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Sharkawy, one of the many people sheltering there after being displaced from Gaza City, said artillery shelling had intensified in the early hours before the Israeli military began to withdraw.



Displaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Friday (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech on Thursday laying out what he said were the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and Israeli forces withdrawing.

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

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Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people, Al-Hayya said in a televised speech on Thursday evening.

The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin on Monday, two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks and a Hamas official said, though another official said they could occur as early as Sunday night. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations.



People gather in so-called Hostage Square in Tel Aviv (Ariel Schalit/AP)

All living hostages are expected to be released at the same time, followed by the bodies of the deceased, which could take more time.

Five border crossings are expected to reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said. That will allow aid to flow into the territory, parts of which are experiencing famine.

The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprising largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza.

To help support and monitor the ceasefire deal, US officials said they would send about 200 troops to Israel as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity.

The US would also lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority  something Mr Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform programme that could take years.

The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Mr Netanyahu firmly rejects.

We are well aware of Israels poor track record when it comes to keeping its promises ... Returning to an environment of genocide would come at a very high cost Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Speaking at a rally in northern Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a return to conflict would come at a very high cost.

We are well aware of Israels poor track record when it comes to keeping its promises. They have broken their commitments using flimsy excuses and, unfortunately, betrayed the agreements they signed, Mr Erdogan told the crowd.

Returning to an environment of genocide would come at a very high cost.

Turkey has frequently accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel denies.

Mr Erdogan stressed the importance of swiftly getting humanitarian aid to Gaza, adding that Turkish ships were docked at a port in Egypt, waiting to deliver aid.

The ceasefire somewhat eased the pain of death and bloodshed, and the pain of our loved ones and brothers who suffered in this war Displaced Palestinian Jamal Mesbah

A steady stream of people, the vast majority on foot, crammed onto a coastal road in central Gaza, heading north to see what might have remained of their homes. Others headed to other parts of the Palestinian territory in the south.

We want to go back, said Fayez AlMajdoub, one of the crowd who had been displaced from northern Gaza. I want to go and make sure my home is still there. Thats what I want to know.

Another man displaced from northern Gaza, Jamal Mesbah, said: My family is waiting, and we packed our stuff as we may return home. But we still suffered.

There wasnt much joy, but the ceasefire somewhat eased the pain of death and bloodshed, and the pain of our loved ones and brothers who suffered in this war.

In Gazas southern city of Khan Younis, hundreds of Palestinians attempted to return to their homes, only to find wrecked buildings, rubble and destruction upon the withdrawal of the Israeli troops.

There was nothing left. Just a few clothes, pieces of wood, and pots, said Fatma Radwan, who was displaced from eastern Khan Younis. People were still trying to retrieve bodies from under the rubble, she added.



Palestinians walk along the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in central Gaza, moving towards northern Gaza (Yousef Al Zanoun/AP)

We came to a place that is unidentifiable. An unidentifiable town. Destruction is everywhere, said Hani Omran, who was also displaced from eastern Khan Younis.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.

Bearing in mind the level of trust that exists between Russia and our Arab friends, and especially Palestinian friends, of course, I believe our participation could be in demand Vladimir Putin

In a joint statement on Friday, the leaders of France, Germany and the UK paid tribute to Mr Trumps leadership on the ceasefire plan, the planned release of hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

They also praised the diplomatic efforts of the mediators  Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

It is now of utmost importance that all parties implement their obligations in full and without delay, the statement said.

The countries added that the UN Security Council should give its full backing to the plan and support its implementation.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Mr Trump for helping broker the deal and said Russia stands ready to help implement it.

Mr Putin said that if the agreement is successfully implemented, it would mark a major achievement and a historic event.

He noted that Russia has close ties with the Palestinian authority and could help carry out the deal if asked.

Bearing in mind the level of trust that exists between Russia and our Arab friends, and especially Palestinian friends, of course, I believe our participation could be in demand, Mr Putin told reporters on a trip to Tajikistan.

Mr Putin noted that he decided to postpone a Russia-Arab summit in Moscow that had been scheduled for October 15 in order not to interfere with the process that has been initiated by President Trump.
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This years Fringe festival has kicked off, with over 500 shows on the schedule. Here, our writers take a closer look. See all stories .

COMEDY

Sammy J | Fiasco: A Burke and Wills Musical

Festival Hub: Trades Hall, until October 19 Sammy J is doing what he does best in his latest work Fiasco: A Burke & Wills Musical  nerding out. As the story unfolds of the 1860s expedition (essentially a tale of disaster, ego and death), the creators meticulous research is evident. Fiasco: A Burke and Wills Musical is at Trades Hall until October 19. Nick Robertson Sammy J plays William Wills  a man of science who loves to measure things while sticking to the truth. James Pender plays Robert OHara Burke  an apparent narcissist who comes across as an all-round ignoramus. Many of the laughs are at him. The rest of the band  Brett Lee, Richard Vaudrey and Emily Chen  adds nuggets of comic pizazz and excellent musicianship. We hear lilting ditties, a blues number, and various other cracking tunes that help us understand what really happened over that extreme trek from southern to northern Australia. As different perspectives are shared, including those of First Nations people, audible gasps and hard laughs follow. Its contemplative and clever, insightful and moving, but most of all, its ridiculously amusing. Sammy J has fashioned a sad, tragic chapter of Australian history into an hour of illuminating, risible entertainment.



Reviewed by Donna Demaio

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EXPERIMENTAL

Tilman Robinson | The Quieter You Become

The Substation, until October 18 The Quieter You Become is at The Substation until October 18. Darren Gill Among a forest of spindly, tree-like metal stands adorned with speakers and lights, were immersed in ambient sound  birdsong, babbling water, a pencil scratching on paper. With added audio of people reflecting on sensory overload, or wearing hearing aids, the intent is clear  to hear anew. Through a system of microphones and headphones, Tilman Robinson, cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the room, temporarily takes over our sense of hearing. If he puts his hands over his ears, ours are muffled. If he eats, we have the curiously intimate experience of hearing it as if its happening in our heads. Its decentring and subtly mind-altering. Are the strong winds that rattle the Substation walls part of it? Is the sound of a passing train? I feel them all just a bit more closely. An hour in Robinsons room temporarily recalibrates my senses, makes me more conscious of my surroundings. You cant ask more from an artwork.



Reviewed by Will Cox

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THEATRE

The Lucky Country

Southbank Theatre, until October 18 What is the Australian identity? Musical The Lucky Country unpacks this loaded question with humour and depth, refusing to shelter audiences from harsh truths. The Lucky Country is at Southbank Theatre until October 18 Jodie Hutchinson From the exuberant dance numbers, upbeat tunes and smiles pasted on the performers faces, youd be fooled into thinking this is a light-hearted show. But within the lyrics lies a deeper conversation on the histories we uplift and the stories we ignore, while celebrating Australias natural beauty: the land, waterways, and sunny sky, as well as feared fauna, from the crocs and bats to redback spiders. The many tensions within the Australian experience are explored and poked fun at.

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Theres a gay Asian man who takes over his familys restaurant, dreams of moving to Byron Bay and cant tell his date he hates the footy. A second-generation Indian-Australian actress aspires to be the lead in a movie with Hugh Jackman and not play a trope. An Aboriginal man seeks to share his lived experience but is talked over and ignored by characters representing the multitudes of settler identities. Related Article Melbourne Fringe Festival They wanted a new kind of musical. Its success had nothing to do with luck Vidya Makan played Eliza in the Australian run of Hamilton, and her lyrics and composition showcase her background as a performer. Its unsurprising that the soundtrack has been nominated for an ARIA award: it has a catchy, sing-along quality with lyrics that could unite the country in a shared narrative. Youll laugh, reflect, and feel hopeful. The final number will have you fighting back tears. 

Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar

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COMEDY

Isabelle Carney | The Moment

Festival Hub: Trades Hall  Evatt Room, until October 12 Isabelle Carney performs at Trades Hall until October 12. Pat Mooney Theres a method to the madness is the adage that best encapsulates Isabelle Carneys new hour of standup. Like a calm yet chaotic pinball ricocheting off various obstacles, Carney eschews segues for non sequiturs as she bounces helter-skelter from intricately constructed analogies and pithy songs with humorous through lines to elaborate exposes, aided by audiovisual prompts and poems of varying lengths  each more uproarious than the last. An artfully assembled, old-school television is Carneys accomplice onstage, and blares to life at key moments to great effect, bolstered by magnificent light design. Fuelled by her impeccable comic timing, stage antics and energy that strongly calls to mind Broad Citys Ilana Wexler, Carneys physical comedy enlivens a miscellany of bits, all of which cohere into something inexplicably cohesive. Exceedingly weird yet somehow sharply relatable, absurd yet perennially grounded in social issues and pop culture, The Moment is an unmissable hour from one of Melbournes best.



Reviewed by Sonia Nair

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EXPERIMENTAL

Rawcus | Tattoo Show

Trades Hall, until October 19 This is surreal, says audience member Mich. I feel like Im in a dream. Also, it makes sense in a weird way. Mich is on stage being prepped to receive a tattoo. Theyre lying on a tattoo bed-turned-therapists couch, answering questions from the broad (Where are you at in your life right now?) to the abstract (Soft or firm?). The answers (in a very good place, and soft) give tattoo artist Xani Kennedy all they need to craft a design that will be on Michs body forever. Tattoo Show is at Trades Hall until October 19 Sarah Walker Rawcus performers revel in physical and cognitive difference. Their approach is radically open and positive, and consent is everything. This is a real tattoo. Its forever. Thats the point. Its about permanence, impermanence and the space between. As Mich observes, its a bit surreal. The most compelling moments are watching Clem Baade and Louise Riisik dance, lithe and totally themselves. At the end, Mich has new ink: a cute, defiant bear with a single tear and down-turned ears. Drawn in an instant, on the flesh for a lifetime.



Reviewed by Will Cox

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COMEDY

Robyn Reynolds | What Doesnt Kill You

Trades Hall, until October 19 Whats a chronically ill girl subject to generational trauma to do, other than transmute it into epic comedy with songs? Robyn Reynolds knows what doesnt kill you makes you funny, and she does a good job of proving it. Reynolds explores how she did, in fact, nearly die  not hyperbole  thanks to medical misogyny, and how her quest to go from people pleaser to assertive self-advocate saved her life. What Doesnt Kill You is on at Trades Hall until October 19 Nick Robertson She describes herself as filled with vitriolic feminist rage (deservedly so), but Reynolds is somehow upbeat, charismatic and cheerful to boot. Taking deeply personal aspects of her life and putting them on stage is her love letter to comedy and the sense of humour that got her through tough times. The musical elements are a high point and keep the good vibes rolling. Reynolds believes laughter is a pure way to reclaim your power, and in this performance, she is fully charged.



Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton

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KIDS PERFORMANCE

Double and Cross Theater Group | We Need A Flower

ArtPlay, until October 18 In this gentle performance, dancers Shuang Yi-Lien, Wang Yu-Jie, Tso Han-Chieh from Taiwanese company Double and Cross Theater Group entertain and engage infants and babies with slow play, working with whatever mood they arrive in. We Need A Flower is at ArtPlay until October 18 Wu Po-Yuan Its hard to find shows that engage children under two years of age. As kids wander in and out of the space creating havoc, the performers glide across the checkered material laid on the floor, introducing tactile props, such as clear balls that resemble bubbles and egg-shaped shakers filled with red beans that children can play with and join in the act. A blanket woven with shiny ribbon is taken from the base of a tree made from metal gauze and drifted above babies heads around the circle. A white puppet without strings that resembles a small child is introduced and manually manoeuvred as if its walking.

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The dim lighting and soft music, featuring piano and percussion such as xylophone, ensures its a low stimulation activity, great for the young audience (and their parents); the 35-minute duration is perfect to maintain short attention spans. The children giggle and delight in wonder and curiosity, their imaginations captured with unadulterated joy.



Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar CABARET

John Thorn and Ben Grant | Bread the Musical

Bards Apothecary, until October 18 Bread The Musical is on at Bards Apothecary until October 18 Sarah Koch Who knew a musical about bread could put life into perspective? All you need is flour, water, salt and time, sings one of the loaf lovers during the emotional climax of this speltacular extravaganza. Its an unexpectedly tender moment in a performance about one of the most basic foods. Therein lies the beauty of John Thorn and Ben Grants show  its more cultured and loaded (Grants bread puns, not mine) than youd expect. It journeys through history, teaching you about early First Nations bakers and the earl who invented sandwiches. It travels through genres, offering blues songs about gluten intolerance and honky-tonk tunes about the evils of big bread. It moves through emotion, reflecting on how bread brings us all together, before making you chuckle with a sourdough bacteria pirate pretending to fart into the audience.

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A few minor hiccups in the shows order were saved by its intentionally low-budget, still in production style. Much like bread itself, this musical doesnt knead bells and whistles to delight.



Reviewed by Nell Geraets EXPERIMENTAL

Krishna Istha | First Trimester

Arts House, until October 19 The quest for queer parenthood can be a long and winding road. Its almost guaranteed to be paved with love, though. Very few of us have a baby by accident. For trans performer and comedian Krishna Istha, the search for a sperm donor has turned into an inspiring live show (and soon-to-be documentary). First Trimester comprises short live interviews conducted with volunteer candidates, and the Melbourne leg sports immense diversity. First Trimester is at Arts House until October 19 Simon Lazewski A marvellously chill mixed-race trans person. A drama teacher with a preternatural talent for tongue-twisters. A goofy, extremely tall dude with a Kiwi accent who openly barracked for his own sperm: I hope I win!

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The interviews themselves blend whimsy and profundity. Conversation roves widely, from obscure factoids about sandbox video game The Sims to whether parenthood is an ethical choice in todays world. Anyone who saw Wild Bore (2017) will know what a revelation Istha can be onstage. This touching, liberating and often wildly funny journey is another act of defiant joy in the face of oppression.



Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead COMEDY

Conor Lynch | Chimp

Trades Hall, until October 19 How do you make an audience laugh at a comedy show when you dont say a single word for an hour? Its a tall order, but Dr Browns world-conquering Befrdfgth (2012) and Tom Walkers award-winning Beep Boop (2016) have shown it is possible. Conor Lynchs Chimp is in the same vein. It was nominated for the Golden Gibbo (an award given to an independent artist pursuing creative endeavours rather than fiscal gain) at this years Comedy Festival  and rightfully so. Chimp is on at Trades Hall until October 19 Nick Mick Pics Lynch plays a chimpanzee, who after being released from a cage, attempts to assimilate with the human audience. He crawls around the venue on all fours while grunting and dragging his knuckles. He steals items from the patrons and flicks their earrings in amazement. He attempts to peel a yellow Sherrin football thinking its a banana before playing catch with the crowd. He solicits a date from an onlooker while wordlessly berating their partner to prove himself the alpha.

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Does this all sound ludicrously stupid? It is. Thats entirely the point. Its one of the most impressive debuts in the mime and clowning genres that Ive seen in a decade.



Reviewed by Tyson Wray THEATRE

A Daylight Connection | THE BLOK!

Northcote Town Hall, until October 18 Is THE BLOK! a work of comic genius? Big call, and possibly beside the point. The anarchic Blak satirists from A Daylight Connection skewer folly, and speak truth to power, with such encyclopaedic irreverence that a satire of anything can turn quickly into a satire of everything. Even genius itself. THE BLOK! is on at Northcote Town Hall until October 18 Jacinta Keefe In a future not unlike the present, acclaimed performance artist the Master (Carly Sheppard) has been commissioned to make an artwork so cosmically magnificent and masterly that it will literally SAVE THE UNIVERSE. Impossible? Not for the Master, who refuses to give the money back, despite a severe case of creative constipation.

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How to unblock, though? Copy past masters? Get high? Ask a hallucinating AI assistant (Alexis West)? In a creative process bedevilled by toxic egoism, the anxiety of influence and various derangements of theatrical and critical culture, only divine intervention from a Blak Creator might save the day. Sheppards performance is loaded with hilarious subversion, packing in camp and toilet humour, outrageous physical comedy and pop-cultural lampoon, alongside cheerful critique of existing aesthetic hierarchies. It lobs lightning bolts at every vice (and many a sacred cow) in theatrical and critical culture, and the comedic storm she whips up has a smiling eye of calm in Wests divine presence. Carly Sheppards performance is loaded with hilarious subversion Jacinta Keefe I havent laughed so hard in a long while. Anyone involved in the theatre world will marvel at how up-to-the-minute the comedy is; fans of super irreverent humour generally  South Park leaps to mind  should love this show, too.

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Although  like South Park  it might be too tasteless for some, theres genuine liberation in satire this fearless and clever, and to me, the shows dissection of the politics of taste is all part of its charm.



Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead EXPERIMENTAL

Bao Ngouansavanh | Sky Could Be Blue

Coconut Palms Restaurant, until October 15 French-Vietnamese theatremaker Bao Ngouansavanhs latest brainchild is an immersive play that situates audiences in the heart of a bustling Vietnamese restaurant  none other than Smith Streets Coconut Palms. Sky Could Be Blue is at Coconut Palms Restaurant until October 15 Abstract Projects As they enjoy a medley of dishes, audiences don headphones and become privy to snippets of multilayered conversations between patrons and workers.

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Actors are peppered throughout the restaurant, intermingling with attendees, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. They re-enact scenarios which range from a first date, to a sibling quarrel, to an unexpected moment of solidarity, to a son grappling with his fathers far-right political leanings  united by virtue of the diaspora, whether they be Vietnamese, Filipino or Chinese. Playing a Vietnamese elder, first-time actor Chau Vu draws on her own experiences of pursuing a PhD in a rebuke of gendered expectations, while Andrew Dang references an endearing swear word in Vietnamese that his own mother berates him with. Editor's pick Arts Move over, Sydney  is this the best opera house in Australia? The show reaches its stunning apotheosis in a simulated showdown grounded in the real-world example of the divisive Vietnamese Museum Australia, which has morphed into a lightning rod for complex political tensions in the diaspora. Its in its repudiation of the well-worn migrant narrative of dislocation and generational divide that Sky Could Be Blue shines. These sentiments are present, but the hyper-specificity of their expression elevates this piece of performance art into something altogether new and exciting.

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The play refuses to sugarcoat intra-community tensions, but because it isnt written for the white gaze, it refuses to demonise these very same communities either.



Reviewed by Sonia Nair COMEDY

Eddie Pattison | Dad Genes

The Motley Bauhaus, until October 19 Things have changed for Eddie Pattison since their 2022 debut show Just Super. For one, they have begun their gender transition. For two, their dad died. When it comes to performance, however, the biggest progression is their commitment to heart-on-sleeve, confessional comedy and ditching the superfluous thematics of their previous hour. Dad Genes is on at The Motley Bauhaus until October 19. Skinny Guy With a Camera The two overarching threads are interweaved heartfully and seamlessly. Pattison details the love and support their father gave during their transition journey, and a mortifying tale of scattering his ashes. These anecdotes are interspersed with top-tier recollections of how taking testosterone is affecting their body, and dating another trans-masc person.

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Dad Genes is an exemplary showcase of artistic growth  and one that you would be remiss to look over in the final week of the festival.



Reviewed by Tyson Wray THEATRE

Shannan Tamby Lim | Samson

The Motley Bauhaus, until October 19 Shannan Tamby Lims guileless clown creation, Samson, superpowered by a breathy voice befitting an endearing oversized bug, is off on an adventure. Tired of the lukewarm responses to his painstakingly prepared rendang, hes off to travel the seas. Leaving his namesake island for the very first time, he encounters Duyung (a mermaid), Kuntilanak (a vampire), Harimau Jadian (a weretiger), Kelembai (Malay folklores answer to Medusa) and Malin Kundang (an ungrateful son). One of them holds the key to his personal history, and Samsons life will never be the same after. Samson is on at The Motley Bauhaus until October 19 Tom Noble Unfolding like a fable, Samson is a meticulously assembled hour of exceedingly precise and effective sound design, atmospheric lighting and a colourful cast of characters expertly brought to life by Lim. Juggling personas as disparate as the aforementioned Sumatran mythical figures, Lim is a master at affecting a multitude of demeanours, voices and physicalities.

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Samson is simply rendered in the way fairytales often are, but simmering underneath are the tensions of modernity clashing with tradition, deforestation  Sumatra has lost 50 per cent of its forests in the last two decades  and sea pollution, which sees rivers acting as unfortunate conduits for plastic. Steeped in a deep reverence of the natural world, Samson is transportive while brimming with humour and bonhomie. And like our most enduring parables, it feels simultaneously universal and timeless.



Reviewed by Sonia Nair COMEDY

Constantly Rumbling | The People (Bears) v Goldilocks

Traincendance, until October 19 The People (Bears) v Goldilocks is on at Traincendance until October 19. If Goldilocks were tried in a court of law, what would be the verdict? Welcome to the silliest case to ever reach a fake judge. The concept came from a Stone Soup creativity camp that improv troupe Constantly Rumbling attended. By their own admission via a voiceover at the start of the show, the cohort had signed up to perform at Melbourne Fringe so long ago that they had forgotten all about it. Once they realised people had booked in and that a reviewer was attending, they pulled together something an hour before that was utterly ridiculous. The sold-out crowd is packed into a space inside refurbished trains on the top floor of the building. Separated into two sides  supporters for the bear family or Goldilocks  the crowd were asked to participate by either calling out objection! or by volunteering evidence. Its clear there are lawyers in the crowd, or perhaps just fictional legal drama fans, as someone accuses the judge of leading the witness! There was even a suggestion of collusion between Goldilocks and Baby Bear.

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There are heaps of bear puns and TV references, including a play on the Judge Judy introduction and use of the Law & Order sound effect. This gives the show a feeling of familiarity among the spontaneity and unpredictability. As the crowd is asked to come to a judgment on the presented arguments, youre left wondering whether theres more to this beloved fairytale than weve previously been led to believe.



Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar THEATRE

Mammalian Diving Reflex | Nightwalks with Teenagers

Werribee (various locations), season ended Nightwalks with Teenagers took place in Werribee as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival Reviewing a work by Mammalian Diving Reflex is a bit like reviewing the last conversation you had. The Canada-based company makes socially engaged participatory performance which usually involves assembling folks who might never otherwise cross paths, providing them a structure through which to interact, and then just seeing what happens. In this case youre invited to wander the backstreets and public gardens of Werribee for a few hours in the company of more than a dozen local teens. Theyve designed activities to explore along the way, from a dance-off and karaoke to a bunch of getting-to-know-you games, and while theres no spectacle or showstopping moment, there are countless opportunities for real connections to be made along the way.

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Its a gentle rebuke to the reductive image of troubled teens that generates headlines, and a reminder that todays youth have much more in common with yesterdays than we might realise.



Reviewed by John Bailey COMEDY

Chelsea Heaney | Im Funny I Swear

Motley Bauhaus, until October 12 When a performer opens the show sashaying down the aisle delivering an absurd burlesque-style striptease, the assurance in the title  Im Funny I Swear  hardly seems necessary; the audience is already laughing. Chelea Heaney performs at Motley Bauhaus until October 12. Nathan Smith Having won over the room, Chelsea Heaney sets about examining what influences have turned her into the funny woman on stage before us. A task predominantly undertaken through standup, peppered with a skit or two, a song and some physical comedy. These interludes are pitch-perfect both in musical ability and comedic timing. No surprise then that she lists musical theatre as one of the reasons shes funny alongside family, eavesdropping and more.

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Heaney knows how to set up an anecdote for maximum laughter payoff, delivering punchlines and unexpected twists with theatre-kid aplomb. A nod should also go to her skilful audience interactions, which add charming touches to her stories. The show comes together as a satisfyingly energetic and charismatic whole.



Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton EXPERIMENTAL

Mammalian Diving Reflex | Speed Dating with Cacti

Royal Botanic Gardens, until October 26 Speed Dating with Cacti is at Royal Botanic Gardens until October 26 Ashleigh Robertson Speed Dating with Cacti is an audio walking tour through Melbournes Royal Botanic Gardens thats also an exploration of the mystery of consciousness. Teenaged guides lead participants through what it means to live in the present moment. Perspectives accumulate  a neuroscientist, a Buddhist, a stand-up comedian, a person with an acquired brain injury. Two reliable sources of wonder  the organised chaos of nature, and the unalloyed delight of children at play  light the path. The experience is intended to provoke small moments of awe (theres a huh of surprise count) so I wont reveal much more. Suffice to say this is a fruitful collaboration between Mammalian Diving Reflex, St Martins Youth Theatre and the Botanic Gardens.

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Yes, there are a couple of daggy bits of audience participation, and some of the science is less rigorous than it might be. Yet, its a relaxing way to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the gardens that should leave most people with a more open mind (even without sampling psychoactive cacti). And theres a pleasant sweet nothing at the end.



Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead COMEDY

Fergus Neal | Boy

Bards Apothecary, until October 18 Boy is on at Bards Apothecary until October 18 Sulaiman Sully Enayatzada In Boy, Fergus Neal wonders when a boy becomes a man, and what exactly is going on with boys and men these days. Neal has a reputation as a guy on the right side of the manosphere (that is, not in it at all), and we need men to engage with this topic and speak up. There are flashes of genuine insight here; substance matched with confident style. Boy shines when Neal is relating his own experiences of boy/manhood to the wider issues facing men. From redirecting younger boys tempted by Andrew Tate to asking why algorithms push toxic content, hes able to find comedy without punching down.

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The combination of a hot button topic, adroit comedic skills and a willingness to dig beyond surface level gives this show the potential to coalesce into something special. With some tightening and a focus on drawing together his disparate ideas into opinions hes willing to stand by, Neal has a hit on his hands.



Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton THEATRE

Ontroerend Goed | Handle with Care

Trades Hall, until October 19 Ontroerend Goed are known for thinking outside the box. The Belgian theatre mavericks explore the outer reaches of what theatre might be. From real teenagers talking about their actual lives in Once and For All to audiences voting actors off the stage in Fight Night, their provocative experiments interact with reality in surprising ways. Handle with Care is at Trades Hall until October 19. Their latest, Handle with Care, is participatory performance. The audience enters. Theres a box onstage. The show begins when someone is brave enough to open it and follows the instructions inside. What happens next is a collaboration between strangers that breaks down inhibition and attempts to create a transient, unique and unrepeatable collective experience. One definition of theatre, surely.

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Its a lo-fi theatre game, essentially, playing with the structure and terminology of theatre to generate unexpected moments of presence and connection. Does the show do what it says on the box? Absolutely. Did I do things Ive never done before onstage? Um ... yeah. Am I going to tell you anything else about the show? Nope. This adventures reserved for those intrepid enough to step into the unknown.



Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead COMEDY

Freddie Arthur | Mental

Theory Bar, until October 19 Host and producer of Mental, Freddie Arthur, describes this show as a reclamation of all things mental by comedians with lived experience featuring a revolving line-up of about six performers per night. As host, Arthur sets the tone by plunging into the deep end  its clear nothing is off limits. Mental is on a Theory Bar until October 19 Nick Mick Pics It might be dark, it might be risky, but for audiences who have a personal connection to the theme, its refreshing. Here are comics unperturbed by the rocky waters of finding humour in the reality of living with mental health struggles. Notable on the night I attended were Courtney Maldo with her trademark wordplay and puns, and Tej Munuganti, who bought a confidence that won the audience over.

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Arthur has paired a unique premise and performers who are ready to get into the messy truths of subjects often glossed over in the mainstream. Its the most entertaining group therapy Ive attended.



Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton COMEDY

Stephanie Dogfoot | Gold Star Bisexual

Motley Bauhaus, until October 18 Riffing on the trope of being a gold star gay or lesbian, Singaporean comic Stephanie Dogfoot presents themselves as a gold star bisexual one whos had sex with everyone. But how did they get to a place of self-acceptance while growing up as a queer person in the 90s in an authoritarian state? Gold Star Bisexual is on at Motley Bauhaus until October 18 brashmonki Singapore is perennially popular with Western travellers, but Dogfoot paints a picture of the country that butts up against popular conceptions. Queer content could only be televised at family-friendly hours with an important (and harmful) caveat. A famed lesbian media mogul had to remain closeted if she wanted to remain in business. Queer role models were few and far between.

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But within these oppressive strictures, Dogfoot found queer utopias  in their Catholic all-girls high school where lesbians ruled the roost, in a lesbian poetry coven, at a local festival with 2000s lesbian It girl Ruby Rose as headliner. Dogfoot chronicles their journey from Singapore to a small town in Ohio, which was less repressive than Singapore but only just, and to London, where they had sex for the first time under the most amusing circumstances. Interweaved throughout their musings on sexuality and gender are anecdotes on activism, writing and belonging. Editor's pick 

Melbourne live reviews Rod Laver Arena can barely contain the theatrics of Teddy Swims Dogfoot is a confident storyteller who mines humour from their personal experiences, but Gold Star Bisexual is less a traditional comedy routine, more an illuminating journey through one persons exceedingly interesting (often hilarious) life story. Dogfoots uniform delivery and tendency to rush over punchlines dont allow these comical asides enough space to breathe, but Gold Star Bisexual is a glimpse into an expansive life narrativised to great effect.

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Reviewed by Sonia Nair THEATRE

Henry Kelly | We Make Friends with Karl Marx

Festival Hub: Trades Hall  Meeting Room, until October 19 What would you do if you could conjure one of historys most prominent political theorists into being? Introduce him to ketamine, of course, if youre one of the Zoomers in the play, We Make Friends with Karl Marx. Katie (Meg Taranto), Hannah (Jahnavi Shivakumar) and Mia (Lakyn Gavidi) are squabbling over their history assignment when the power goes out in a storm and they become trapped in their classroom. Spying a ouija board, they immediately summon the spirit of Karl Marx, played in drag by the comically limber Myf Hocking, who sports a hokey German accent and cavorts onstage. We Make Friends with Karl Marx is on at Trades Hall until October 19. Angel Leggas The Gen Zs of Henry Kellys play are a fully actualised cry away from their hesitant, self-conscious forebears. Theyre politically astute, painfully in touch with their feelings, and capable of expressing them with gusto. Where the play couldve been sharper is in the incorporation of Marxs revolutionary ideas. There are glimpses of this  like when Marx schools the three on substantive action over performative gestures  but the lack of hyper-specificity means the play couldve unfolded as it did with the resurrection of any key historical figure.

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We Make Friends with Karl Marx is strongest when it leans into the zaniness of its premise  in its opening sequence, in the theatrics that accompany the trios conjuring of spirits, and in the generational differences between an 1800s scholar and Zoomers who take issue with his vocabulary.



Reviewed by Sonia Nair COMEDY

Shayne Hunter and Ro Campbell | True Crime Walking Tour  A Comedians Guide to St Kildas Dark Past

St Kilda, until October 19 True Crime Walking Tour - A Comedians Guide to St Kildas Dark Past in on until October 19 Duvvy Jester Notorious figures from St Kildas dark past are brought to light in this true crime walking tour. Comedian Ro Campbell takes a crew of curious minds on an exploration of the nefarious activities that define the suburbs reputation to this day. Exploring the deeds of gangster Squizzy Taylor, sex worker Dulcie Markham and gang leader Chopper Read, we learn about the sly grog shops, illicit gambling rings, brothels and drug deals that drove the areas criminal underbelly. Campbell and Shayne Hunter have previously run tours in the CBD and Carlton, and this was their first in St Kilda. Campbells an engaging storyteller, at one point pulling out a barber razor near the residence where Dulcie Markhams brothel once was to demonstrate the popular weapon of choice during her heyday.

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What wasnt great was the comedy aspect, which featured inappropriate jokes, including a jab about not being able to find the clitoris, which seemed inappropriate and unnecessary in the context. Worth a trip to the south-east if youre a fan of the TV series Underbelly and can stomach the poor taste in humour.



Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar CIRCUS

Casey Lorae | La Folie After Dark

Gasworks Theatre, until October 11 La Folie After Dark is on at Gasworks Theatre until October 11. All The Feels Photography It begins with a warning: brace yourself for blasphemy, BDSM and assault. Seated in a dark, hazy room looking at a suspended hoop and chains, its not entirely clear what youve walked into. But once the first performer contorts her body, uncertainty is replaced by sheer awe. Metres in the air, she lifts and twists her body effortlessly, draping her limbs around the hoop as if she were liquid. The power of the human body is on full display, whether on a hoop, trapeze, silks or straps. Artists freefall from ceiling-height, do the splits in midair, and lift other artists by the neck with their feet. It defies belief yet appears so sultry and seamless.

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Though each individual act astounds, the production as a whole lacks cohesion. A baffling attempt to link two performances using a prop cup interrupts your stunned reverie. La Folie struggles to connect the dots, but its still testament to the breathtaking strength and seductiveness of the human form.



Reviewed by Nell Geraets DANCE

Brunswick East Entertainment Festival | Social Beast

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - The Square, until October 19 This is a beast with very little bite. Devised by a crew of artists who won attention during the lockdowns for their wacky, front-yard performances, this dance-theatre piece is disappointingly tame. The ideas are uninspired, the mood is flat and the execution never quite matches the groups playful reputation. Social Beast is on at Trades Hall until October 19 Kate Longley Theres early promise as the ensemble of six present simple contrasts between conformity and self-expression. The music  performed live by Moses Carr  swells attractively. The long middle section, however, describing everyday life, with endless typing and endless coffee swilling, is just plain boring.

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Eventually, everyone cuts loose in a big final boogie: a nod to a different sort of sociality. It may be fun for the performers but its nothing like the Dionysian rebellion we are promised. Each show is partly improvised but little of that energy is communicated to the audience. For a work about social vitality, its all a bit lifeless.



Reviewed by Andrew Fuhrmann COMEDY

Nadun Hetti | Who Wants To Be a Citizen?

The Motley Bauhaus, until October 19 Nadun Hetti doesnt quite seem to know what kind of comedy he wants to perform to his audience. Is it gallows or poignant humour? Who Wants To Be a Citizen? is on at The Motley Bauhaus until October 19 Oscar Robertson Having come through the Comedy Festivals RAW Comedy program, Hetti draws heavily on his Sri Lankan heritage and has an abundance of solid material. Some riskier jokes, however, dont reliably land.

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Hetti is obviously still finding his feet while treading the boards  the show requires a rotating opening act (tonight, his tech, of all people, delivered a warm-up of meandering material) to pad out the 50 minutes. He seems uneasy with crowd work. Nonetheless, its a promising if not uneven debut from a unique voice  but it needs a lot of fine-tuning.



Reviewed by Tyson Wray THEATRE

Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones | In the Dark

Trades Hall, until October 12 Somewhere in a secret bunker, five comedians are waiting for electricity to be siphoned from a dystopian wasteland so they can start their humble radio show: the right hand of an authoritarian regime trying to calm rebellion via foley artistry, morality tales and theatricalised propaganda. Imagine an Orwellian Orson Welles, or The Hunger Games as an interwar broadcast. The rebels are outside, the disembodied voice of your big brother-like leader is waiting to deliver performance notes via firing squad, and theres a piss bucket if you need it. In the Dark performs at Trades Hall until October 12. Dylan Murphy Its a fantastic premise, and writers Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones have assembled a stellar cast to pull it off. Hannah Camilleri transforms into a crow with the flap of a plastic tree and an uncanny squawk. Maria Angelico switches from bawdy milk maid to doe-eyed lover with ease. And Mark Mitchells sonorous voice is perfect as the veteran actor desperate to appeal to butter-churning women aged 16 to 25.

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But too much exposition ties the script in knots. And moments of foley artistry  often the most interesting part of theatricalised radio plays  are too underdeveloped to justify why the show has been staged at all. Ultimately, this killer cast is not given enough to do, and this killer premise fails to find its feet.



Reviewed by Guy Webster COMEDY

Thalia Joan | Dear Future Memoir

Grouse, until October 19 Thalia Joan manages to lose half of her audience within the first 10 seconds of her show  opening with a joke that appears to take aim at the homeless on Smith Street. She follows by reciting pull quotes that she has received from various media outlets to try to prove her credentials. Dear Future Memoir is on at Grouse until October 19 David Cubbin Joan details stories about therapy, Facebook marketplace, the tragic downfall of her relationship with a fellow comedian and staying in one-star motels. Tales of taking drugs and alcohol abuse are told seemingly without either comedic or narrative purpose.

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There are some redeeming aspects  Joan is an extremely confident performer and likeable when not being so self-indulgent. But the overall hour is a mess of attempted plaintiveness, sub-par audience participation and a keyboard/distorted microphone used to minimal comedic effect.



Reviewed by Tyson Wray The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday.
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Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa, Mountain, River), DEEPER features hero of the Thai cave rescue, Richard Harry Harris, as he takes on his most perilous adventure yet. As a Herald subscriber, you have the opportunity to redeem 1 of 25 double passes to see it for free.*

DEEPER NIXCO

SYNOPSIS: In a remote part of New Zealands South Island, Harry and his fellow underwater obsessives set out to dive deeper than anyone ever has before. Controversially, they plan to use hydrogen as a breathing gas  its explosive nature adding to the many hazards the close-knit team faces. As the 2019 Australian of the Year prepares to confront the dark waters and life-threatening cold, he questions the costs of his passion. In this SXSW-selected nailbiter, Peedom and co-director Alex Barry capture the tension, euphoria and mateship of this endeavour using Harriss own vertigo-inducing cave footage, along with DOP Ben Dowies striking above-ground imagery and a compelling score by multi-award-winner Antony Partos.

You can watch the trailer here.

WRITERS AND DIRECTORS: Jennifer Peedom, Blayke Hoffman, Alex Barry, and Paul Ryan

CAST: Dr Richard Harry Harris and Craig Challen

RUNNING TIME: 87 minutes

RELEASE DATE: October 30, 2025
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NationalQueenslandQueensland courts Police attempt to extradite accused child rapist who fled country Dan Nolan October 10, 2025  7:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

Queensland Police are undertaking proceedings to begin the extradition process of an accused child rapist who was allowed to leave Australia whilst awaiting trial. Fijian national Arvind Ajay Singh was allowed to leave Australia unexpectedly in July, in what Liberal Senator Claire Chandler described as a complete failure by Home Affairs when she raised the bureaucratic bungle in Senate estimates this week. Thirty-nine-year-old Singh has been charged with one count of rape of a four-year-old girl he was caring for at a Queensland childcare centre in 2022. Arvind Ajay Singh in the Brisbane apartment where he stayed before leaving the country. The case dragged out for three years, with Singh yet to face trial, when Australian Border Force placed him in hotel detention as an illegal non-citizen.

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He was then allowed to fly out of Australia as a free man in July. Chandler attempted to get answers from Home Affairs officials at the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, but they declined to discuss the specific case. Its incredibly disappointing when the Department of Home Affairs shows up to Senate estimates and isnt able to answer questions about such an important case, Chandler said. Singhs visa was cancelled soon after he was charged in May 2022. His passport was surrendered to police as part of bail conditions restricting him from trying to leave Australia, or even enter an airport terminal or seaport, without prior approval by police or the DPP.

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Head of immigration Clare Sharp told the committee that her department was under a duty to remove an illegal non-citizen. Related Article Investigation

Queensland courts Accused childcare rapist allowed to leave Australia while on bail If there is a removal pathway available and there is no ongoing visa matter, then our duty under the law is to remove them as soon as reasonably practicable, Sharp said. Adding they needed engagement with state law enforcement to ensure an illegal non-citizen could obtain a criminal justice visa to remain in the country. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said last month that Australian Border Force was notified about Singhs active charges and court proceedings in June 2023, two years before he was allowed to depart Australia.

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Chandler questioned officials whether it should be incumbent on Home Affairs to check with law enforcement regarding any required criminal visa. Editor's pick Investigation

Childcare Childcare chain failed to formally notify parents after kids harmed When an accused child sex offender has been allowed to leave this country unchecked by the department in charge of our national security, I dont think we can draw any other conclusion than the fact that there has been a complete failure on behalf of that department, Chandler said. The alleged victims parents spoke to A Current Affair last month about their devastation over the breakdown in communication between departments, which they believe has fallen down at every step. How can immigration make a decision on somebody that is on a rape charge? How do they get to walk out of this country free? said the girls mother.

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Her father adding that he didnt understand how the whole system could fail a four-year-old little girl. Singhs trial at the Maroochydore District Court remains on hold. At the latest hearing, Judge Glen Cash issued a bench warrant for Singhs arrest which would require extradition from Fiji. A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said as a result of that warrant, it is currently undertaking proceedings to initiate an extradition in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions. Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
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NationalQueenslandEnergy Very hard to reach net zero under Queenslands new plan: expert William Davis and James Hall October 10, 2025  8:00pm 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

Queenslands bid to reach net zero by 2050 is unlikely after the state government unveiled an energy plan that extended the reliance on coal-fired power for decades, according to a leading industry expert. Energy Minister David Janetzki revealed on Friday the state will burn coal until at least 2046  11 years later than the former Labor governments plan  but also said it was likely it would use the energy source to power Queensland homes for many decades into the future. The state has scrapped the renewable energy target but has declared it will stick to the legislated net zero by 2050 emissions target  including the more ambitious staged reduction of 75 per cent by 2035. David Janetzki announcing the new Energy Roadmap at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Friday. William Davis Theres no plan to amend that act, Janetzki said when asked if the government would scrap the targets legislated by the former Labor government.

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Were not amending the Clean Energy Jobs Act  and we committed to net zero [by 2050] before the election. Related Article Energy Queensland to burn coal for decades as LNP tears up Labor energy target But that pledge will be very hard to follow through on, according to Tony Wood, the energy and climate change senior fellow at the Grattan Institute. I dont see how you can have that much coal-fired capacity still running in the mid-2040s and still get to zero effectively by 2050, he told this masthead after the speech. I think its very hard.

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Wood conceded he was still crunching the numbers on whether the 75 per cent reduction by 2035 was viable, but said the overall energy plan was not as catastrophic as some groups were thinking. Its not as though theyve abandoned renewable at all, and I think its pretty pragmatic, he said. The Callide power station in Biloela, Queensland. The governments highly anticipated energy plan features a reliance on both coal and gas to support the gradual transition to renewable sources. It includes a $400 million Queensland energy investment fund to entice private sector investment and a $1.6 billion electricity maintenance guarantee to improve existing assets owned by the state.

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Queensland Investment Corporation, the state-owned investment body, will be tasked with engaging the private sector to build pumped hydro projects. My task was to find the balance  I want to continue to see emission reductions because its important Energy Minister David Janetzki The Energy Minister added CopperString  almost 1000 kilometres of overhead powerlines between Townsville to Mount Isa  would be delivered with $2.1 billion in savings and claimed the energy plan would save the average household about $1035 a year. Put at its most straightforward, to meet the energy generation challenge of our future we need more generation, Janetzki told hundreds of industry representatives and stakeholders. Coal for longer, more gas, more wind and solar and more pumped hydro and batteries for firming and storage.

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My task was to find the balance  I want to continue to see emission reductions because its important. Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick responding to the announcement on Friday. William Davis Deputy Opposition leader Cameron Dick panned the announcement, describing the plan as ideological, while the confirmation of extending coal power was ridiculed by conservation groups and welcomed by the coal industry. Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman accused the government of pandering to fossil fuel loving party members and donors, and said the plan was illogical given the ageing infrastructure of some assets  specifically the notorious stations at Callide in Central Queensland. The Queensland LNPs moves to axe renewable energy and storage projects, bank on expensive gas and keep Queenslanders chained to failing coal power stations is a recipe for higher power bills and less reliable energy, he said.

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Queenslands coal power stations are increasingly unreliable as they age. They were offline a staggering 78 times over the last summer period because they keep breaking down. But industry lobby Coal Australia said the announcement supported its view that coal was the cheapest and most reliable source of energy, and recognises the huge leaps in clean coal technology. This decision of the Queensland government ensures it has all the flexibility it needs to keep the Queensland economy strong by extending the life of government-owned generators for as long as necessary based on demand and the power stations structural integrity and economic viability, Coal Australia chief executive Stuart Bocking said. 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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NationalVictoriaCrime Man charged following womans death in Melbournes north Hannah Hammoud Updated October 10, 2025  6:43pm ,first published October 10, 2025  11:37am 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

An alarming number of Australian women have been killed in recent years. Find out more about their lives. Some of the cases are still before the courts. See all stories .

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman in Melbournes north. The 50-year-old from Rockbank is expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court this evening, where police will allege he knew the woman personally. Loading The man was arrested on Thursday night, several hours after the woman, 44, was found unresponsive on Gottloh Street in Epping. At the time, police said they were treating the death as suspicious.

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An Epping resident has described the moment his neighbour knocked on his front door pleading for help after finding his mothers lifeless body inside their family home. Ross Albinelli was inside his home on Gottloh Street when he heard someone ringing his bell and some commotion outside. He walked outside to find his neighbour dressed in his work suit on the driveway. Help, my mums dead. I dont know what to do, the young man reportedly told Albinelli. Albinelli said his neighbour described coming home from working a shift in his casual real estate job about 5.30pm on Thursday to find his mothers body upstairs.

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There was blood all over the place, Albinelli told Nine News. I believe that he went [into the home], he saw it, and then right away, he was in shock, and he walked away, and he didnt know what to do. Thats why he came straight to us. Unsure of whether there was a dangerous offender still inside the suburban home, Albinelli said he immediately brought the young man inside and called emergency services. Albinelli stayed with the man for about five or six hours, as police came and went from the home.

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He said the family had moved into the area about a year ago and was quiet and reserved. I have my 55-year-old mother here, and Im the only man in the house. So to me, when I hear that theres somebody who could be violent around and theres all these things going on, my first initial thought is, get inside, lock the doors. Lets figure out whats happened, and then we can work our way backwards from there, Albinelli said. Emergency services responded about at 5.50pm to reports of a woman at a property on Gottloh Street who was unresponsive. Paramedics attended the home, but the woman could not be saved. While the cause of death is still undetermined, police are treating the death as suspicious. 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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Analysis NationalVictoriaNaked City Meeting Mokbel: The code, the cops and a shovel left on my doorstep John Silvester October 10, 2025  10:35am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 3 View all comments

I was sitting in the Crime Command conference room in St Kilda Road when I first heard the name Tony Mokbel. It was November 2000, and I was there to discuss Victoria Polices most secret operation of the time. On September 4, a Serbian company had accepted an order from a Melbourne firm for ceramic products to be shipped from Montenegro. Inside container ITLU6961134 were 22 barrels of ephedrine with a weight of 550 kilograms capable of producing 40 million ecstasy pills with a street value of $2 billion. Tony Mokbel leaves Melbourne Magistrates Court in the early 2000s. Craig Sillitoe The Melbourne syndicate had paid $10 million for the drugs. I had been tipped off that the container had arrived and that is why I had been summoned to the crime department for a meeting led by commander Rod Lambert. We were there to make a secret deal. I was to sit off the story in return for a background briefing and the green light when Operation Kayak was ready to make arrests.

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I thought it would be weeks. It turned out to be nine months. Milad Mokbel in 2004. Craig Sillitoe During the meeting Rod mentioned Tony Mokbel, and the look of amazement on the detectives when I looked back blankly proved two things: they thought I was dumb as a donkey, and this Mokbel was a very big fish. Turns out the police had some pretty good mail. On the order form were the fingerprints of Tonys brother, Milad. After we had broadly agreed to the rules of engagement (including me giving an undertaking not to tell a soul), the drug squad senior sergeant in charge of Kayak was called in. He was not happy. With his arms folded and a scowl on his face, drawing information from him proved to be as difficult as removing an impacted wisdom tooth.

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The plan was to leave the container on the docks, follow it when it was collected then nab the scoundrels. But somehow Mokbel, using his impressively corrupt network, managed to put the container on a semi-trailer, take it to a Coburg industrial site controlled by his family, and offload the tubs. On November 6, Mokbel rang a trusted contact to tell him the Serbian container had arrived, saying that girl is waiting for you. Seeing the slang for ecstasy was Suzie, it was a pretty cool code. The drugs were hidden inside ceramic toilets. Never one to waste an opportunity, Tony planned to use the toilets in a block of apartments he was building, but they werent up to scratch and he destroyed them. He sold one barrel for $500,000 and tried to sell another to a police informer. The 17-gram sample Tony gave him matched residue found in the container. Without the 550 kilograms, the quick sting operation turned into a slog.

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Back in the newspaper office, one of the bosses wanted me to do some boring story. I baulked saying I was working on a Big One. When I refused to tell him what the Big One was, he was less than happy. He pushed and I pushed back. He sent a confidential note to another editor demanding I be pulled into line and do what I was told. Sadly, he misspelled my name. I had the impressive title of crime editor at the time. I wouldnt have it for much longer. I quietly prepared a 3000-word background story and was ready to go. Arrest day was August 24, 2001. About 100 detectives raided 18 properties, arresting eight men. I was down at Port Melbourne to see Tony nabbed. The day Tony Mokbel became headline news. Naked City Crime Museum. I thought that would be the end of the story. It was only the beginning.

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Mokbel was a friend and mentor to emerging drug manufacturer Carl Williams, with police believing Williams paid Tony a royalty on every successful drug cook. A few years earlier, the two travelled to Sydney to break into a drug factory to steal chemicals for the illicit market. Mokbels first criminal conviction was for burglary when he was still a teenager. Williams called Tony the Lord Mayor because he ran Melbourne. Later Carl, filled with hubris and Crown Casino party pies, would go one better, calling himself the Premier because he claimed to run the state. Drug dealer and killer Carl Williams arrested by Purana detectives in 2010. Angela Wylie Months before the container turned up at the docks, Williams had murdered gangster Mark Moran who, along with his half brother Jason, had shot Williams a year earlier.

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The Underbelly War had started. Not that we knew it. Long before Mokbel was a headline act, he was a major player in the drug world. At his peak he was making more than $90,000 a day, investing $20,000 a week on Tattslotto and allowing himself $10,000 a week in pocket money. In 2000, the former suburban pizza shop proprietor owned shops, cafes, fashion labels, fragrances, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and land in regional Victoria. He owned various cars, including a red Ferrari roadster he bought in September 1999. He also owned 14 properties in Brunswick, three in Boronia, two in Kilmore (a horse stud and a pub) and one each in Coburg, Pascoe Vale and Templestowe. Tony Mokbel's Ferrari, seized in 2001 as part of Operation Kayak. Wayne Taylor They had a secret lab in a residential street in Brunswick that became very public in February 1997 when Paul Edward Howden kicked over a bucket of solvents that ignited and burnt the house down. They found Howden at The Alfred hospital being treated for severe burns to 30 per cent of his body.

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Naked City Why the court got it right on Mokbel and put a dent in his compensation hopes Police found the lab had produced 41.25 kilograms of pure methylamphetamine with a potential street value of a then-record $78 million. The house next door was owned by the Mokbels, with Tony and Howden directors of their own company. Mokbel and his mates formed the Tracksuit Gang, to launder money on racetracks. They won $500,000 after placing bets on Doomben winner Timeless Winds. Bookmakers said the gang demanded to be paid in green $100 bills after lodging the bets with the older grey notes.

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Years earlier, he was convicted of trying to bribe a county court judge, but this time it was corruption of another kind that would give Mokbel an undeserved break. In a portent of things to come, Tony became the beneficiary of police misbehaviour. Two drug squad detectives (later there would be a third) were charged with corruption involving the very informer who fingered Mokbel in Kayak. The courts decided to deal with the cops first, meaning Mokbel was bailed. If he had chosen to retire then, do a little bit of time, he would have lived handsomely on his $15 million investments. He was a razor-sharp businessman grasping both legal and illegal opportunities. Instead, he doubled down. Little wonder he named his family company Always a Winner. Mokbel was addicted, not to the drugs he produced, but money and power. He was a key figure in the Underbelly crime war and, at the very least, had inside knowledge of some of the murders. Instead of hiding in the shadows he sought the centre stage. He was seen in the Flemington Young Members area handing out cocaine, including to a female surveillance officer following him.

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By 2005, the Purana Gangland Taskforce proposed a special effort on the Mokbel clan, codenamed Posse. Related Article Analysis

Naked City The bullet that started the underworld war The reputation of the Victoria Police and other law enforcement bodies will rest on the outcomes of the operation. Should the operation fail, then the Mokbels, as well as other criminal cartels such as Italian Organised Crime identities will continue to run rampant in the belief that they are able to outsmart the police. The operation will not be quick, nor will it be cheap. They got that right. He jumped bail in 2006, was recaptured in Greece in 2007, extradited in 2008, then pleaded guilty to a raft of drug charges, many that would be thrown out on appeal a few days ago. But he remains a convicted drug trafficker. Recently, he has been breaking bread (as opposed to breaking rocks) with old friends and foes to declare a lasting peace.

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The balding alien from My Favourite Martian. When I saw Tony in court (he was about to be acquitted of a murder charge), he was at his affable best, giving me a smile and a nod in acknowledgment. Because that is Mokbel  he is polite until he isnt and would rather have friends than foes. He wanted to be known as a deal-maker not a knee-breaker. The exception was when he was unnecessarily rude to an interstate bikie in what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting in Lygon Street. He was flogged and hospitalised. Behind the scenes, he gave me a nickname  the Bald-Headed Alien  which was palpably unfair on both the airless and the hairless.

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The shovel and the octopus strap. Naked City Crime Museum Tony had another nickname  the Octopus, not because he had to be beaten to be tender, but because he had his tentacles everywhere. Many years ago, during the gangland war, I came home to find a shovel resting against the stairs. I asked my daughter, then a secondary school student, if she knew how it got there. A man had knocked on the door and asked if John Silvester lived there. He then produced the shovel and said: Give him this. Wrapped through the handle was an octopus strap.

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I used it the other day to plant a weeping cherry. Who says crime doesnt pay? John Silvester lifts the lid on Australias criminal underworld. Subscribers can sign up to receive his Naked City newsletter every Thursday.
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PoliticsFederalCritical minerals Opinion Dirt-rich nation: Australias big test to plug in to the future Brooke Boney Gamilaroi woman, journalist and presenter October 11, 2025  4:00am

October 11, 2025  4:00am 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 41 View all comments

Confirmation that the Albanese government is positioning Australia as a global go-to for critical minerals highlights two areas of tension. The first: Australias challenge to its biggest trading partner, China, and the threat the regime could pose to the secure supply of these minerals to us and our allies. The second: how far are governments willing to go in mining practices, both at home and abroad, and at whose expense? Anthony Albanese has a hand to play that differs from nearly every other leader in the world in trade negotiations. The prime minister also has the potential to manage the transition to net zero in a way that minimises disruption to the Australian economy while promoting ethical sourcing, from conflict zones, of minerals required for battery production. Lithium ore falls onto a stockpile at the Pilbara Minerals Pilgangoora project in Port Hedland, Western Australia. Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg What constitutes a critical mineral? That changes depending on demand and utility. In the medium- to long-term, we are talking about critical and rare earth minerals used for defence tech and the components for lithium-ion batteries (the ones we see in electric vehicles). Australia is in a unique position. It exports nearly half of the worlds lithium. While it has about 15 per cent of the worlds known cobalt reserves  second only to the Democratic Republic of the Congo  Australia accounts for only 2 per cent of global cobalt production. Seventy per cent of the worlds cobalt, meanwhile, is produced by the conflict-ridden DRC, where Chinese companies control about three-quarters of industrial mines.

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There is potential to offset some of those challenges by pivoting to extracting what we do have, importing what we dont and refining both. But we would need to build our refining capacities, and quickly. We currently export raw materials for China to refine, and we lack the capacity to produce batteries. That means were essentially ruling our nation out of being an integral part of the global clean energy transition. Australias commitment to a 62-70 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035 (and net zero by 2050) relies on shifting away from fossil fuel dependence and towards electrified systems which use lithium-ion batteries. Nearly all of these batteries come from overseas sources, which means were exporting our lithium and then importing it in another form. Related Article Exclusive

Donald Trump Albanese scrambles to lock in minerals deal before Trump meeting Demand for coal is expected to plummet over the next decade. But the demand for lithium and other critical minerals (for use in lithium-ion batteries) is expected to increase fourfold by 2035, according to industry estimates. It gives us a clear timeline to work with. Australia could shift its focus in a way that balances the value of the revenue from our exports and investment in the potential of renewable-energy storage, while seizing an opportunity to lead in critical mineral diplomacy and insulate our economy from volatile trade relationships. That could also provide a more progressive backdrop if Australia hosts the COP31 climate summit next year, if the supply chain isnt compromised by human rights violations. To complicate matters, we export Australian lithium to be used alongside minerals sourced from conflict zones  with no guarantees to ensure the safety of the people extracting them, who are already disproportionately affected by climate change. By engaging in this supply chain, we perpetuate that harm. Essentially, in our pursuit of net zero we are inflicting injury on those least able to manage it.

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On the surface, the effort to circumvent Chinas influence in critical mineral dominance on the global market seems logical. In April, amid a trade war, China cut supply to the US of rare earth minerals necessary for defence projects and tech. China has already built a vertically integrated system in Congo where it either owns or controls most of the mines. Related Article Indigenous culture Murujuga rock art safeguards weakened despite gas hubs harms The challenge for Australia isnt just repositioning to meet global demand for battery materials, or wooing allies such as the US and UK. We depend on foreign investment, largely from those same partners, to develop cobalt projects, and we still lack the capacity to refine what we mine. But the stakes are high if we start competing with China. That would aggravate our biggest trading partner. And it could drive down prices by flooding the market. Perhaps even worse, China could retaliate by no longer refining what we send it. But this is an important next step in our transition away from coal and towards net zero. It is a contradiction for the Australian government to put up its hand to host COP next year, in partnership with the Pacific, while signing off on deals that allow for unethical mining practices in Congo or elsewhere, including extraction of minerals in Australia to the detriment or objection of local Indigenous populations and culture.

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Is the next step in our resource-extraction philosophy grounded in short-term gains or a more just transition? The transition to a cleaner, greener future is sullied by dirty cobalt out of Congo. And without our own refining capacity, we might just have started a trade war with our biggest trading partner. Brooke Boney is a Gamilaroi woman and journalist. She is studying for a masters of public policy at the University of Oxford, specialising in energy, global conflict and just transition. She is the author of All of it, a collection of essays. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.
Rents have soared by 30 per cent in one Sydney suburb and by double digits in a string of others, as the cost to rent a typical property in the harbour city reaches record highs.

Across Sydney, median asking rents for houses rose by 1.3 per cent over the year to September to reach a record $780 a week, the latest Domain Rent Report shows, but some prestige suburbs surged over the year.

In leafy North Turramurra, house rents rose 30.4 per cent to $1500 a week in the year to September, while the eastern suburbs Double Bay jumped 28 per cent to $2750 and Clovelly went up 21.2 per cent to $2000.

Generally, the family suburbs with good schools and other amenities have shown a lot of rental growth, Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said.
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InspirationSouth Africa Dramatic peninsula is home to one of the worlds most scenic drives Kerry van der Jagt October 11, 2025  4:00am 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

Seven wonders of South Africas Cape Peninsula Theres more to this dramatic stretch of land than a scenic stop at the Cape of Good Hope. Seal the deal on a cruise to Seal Island Cape fur seals on Seal Island. The marine mural splashed across Hout Bays public toilet block is the first clue that this coastal village is home to some serious sea life. The barks and growls of Cape fur seals coming from the jetty confirm it. Wander the harbour edge to watch these whiskery sea dogs lounging on the docks or swimming between fishing boats. Or better still, join a boat cruise to Seal Island (Duiker Island) to discover the pungent aroma of a 70,000-strong colony. See capetown.travel

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Reach new heights on Chapmans Peak Drive Chapmans Peak Drive on the Cape Peninsula. iStock Celebrated as one of the most scenic drives in the world, this nine-kilometre stretch between Hout Bay and Noordhoek winds through more than 100 curves (you might want to pop motion sickness meds before this ride). The views of rugged cliffs on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other are spectacular, but the engineering designed to prevent rock falls  cantilevered concrete canopies, catch fences and reinforced half-tunnels  is equally impressive. Call the drive Chappies and youll pass as a local. See chapmanspeakdrive.co.za Be blown away by the Cape of Good Hope View from Cape of Good Hope. iStock

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Be honest. Procuring a snap in front of the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western point of the African continent sign is why you are here. This location is often mistaken as the actual southern tip of Africa, but that honour goes to Cape Agulhas, 150 kilometres away. Smile for the photo, but take a moment to think about the thousands of shipwrecks that lie beneath these heaving waters. See sanparks.org Hike to Cape Point Lighthouse Cape Point Lighthouse. Getty Images If you think the views from the Cape of Good Hope are pretty good, drive an extra five minutes to Cape Point, a cliff-hugging promontory that towers 200 metres above the ocean. From the car park its a 25-minute hike to the lighthouse, or take the Flying Dutchman funicular (R90/$8). Built in 1859, the original lighthouse was replaced in 1919 by one at a lower elevation. Turns out the old lighthouse was a beacon for disaster  too high, too foggy and too often obscured by clouds. See capepoint.co.za Commune with baboons at Cape Point Nature Reserve

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Family of baboons at Cape Point Nature Reserve. iStock Cape Point Nature Reserve stretches across the southern tip of Table Mountain National Park and is an integral part of the UNESCO-listed Cape Floral Kingdom. While the diversity of plant species  all 9000  is astounding, nothing prepares you for the moment you see a baboon scouting the beach for shellfish. Hike the Shipwreck Trail, swim at Buffels Bay or dine at the clifftop Two Oceans restaurant. See capepoint.co.za Watch penguins parade on Boulder Beach Penguins on the beach. Of all the wild animals you may encounter in South Africa, a colony of penguins might just be the strangest. Especially when you see them waddling along a white sand beach. From two breeding pairs in 1982, the Boulders colony of endangered African penguins has grown to 3000, largely due to the conservation efforts of South African National Parks. Visit in the afternoon to watch the adults returning to their nests after a day of fishing. See sanparks.org

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Dive into local life Beach huts at Muizenberg. iStock The coastal route along False Bay is as laid-back as it is lovely. Just beyond the penguins of Simons Town, lies Glencairn with its family-friendly beach and troop of resident baboons. Fish Hoek is a great spot for a snorkel, while Kalk Bay is the bead-strung, bohemian heart of the peninsula. Make a final stop at Muizenberg for its colourful beach huts. See capetown.travel The writer toured the Cape Peninsula on an optional excursion as part of Inspiring Vacations 10-day Highlights of South Africa premium small group tour. From $4595 a person, twin share. See inspiringvacations.com

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Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: South Africa

Africa Kerry van der Jagt is a Sydney-based freelance writer with expertise in Australia's Indigenous cultures, sustainable travel and wildlife conservation, and a descendant of the Awabakal people of the mid-north coast of NSW.

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WorldMiddle EastIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Israel refuses to release Palestinian Mandela Adrian Blomfield and Jotam Confino October 10, 2025  2:30pm 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

Israel will not include Marwan Barghouti, its most prominent Palestinian detainee, in its hostage-for-prisoner exchange with Hamas. The 66-year-old is understood to have been at or near the top of the list of detainees Hamas wanted freed as part of a deal that will lead to the release of the last remaining hostages held in Gaza. Marwan Barghouti during his trial in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2002. AP By far the most popular political figure among Palestinians, Barghouti is serving five life sentences after being convicted of orchestrating terror attacks that killed five people in 2001 and 2002. He has been behind bars for more than 23 years. Despite his conviction, he is viewed as a unifying figure who has long accepted Israels right to exist alongside a Palestinian state. His supporters have often described him as the Palestinian Nelson Mandela.

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Although a member of Fatah, Hamass bitter secular rival, Barghouti was seen as someone who could bridge the divide, particularly after he tried to broker a reconciliation between the two factions from his prison cell in 2006. Related Article Updated

Israeli-Palestinian conflict Israel approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas He also forged close relationships with several Israeli political figures, some of whom visited him in prison. Palestinian hopes for his release were raised after a Qatari newspaper reported that Israel had agreed to free him alongside three other prominent detainees following talks in Egypt. His name was said to have appeared on a list of inmates passed to Steve Witkoff, Donald Trumps peace envoy, who did not object to its inclusion, according to a diplomatic source.

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However, an Israeli government spokesman later said there were no plans to free him at this point in time  seemingly leaving the door open for a future release. Palestinian prisoners convicted of far deadlier attacks have been freed in previous large-scale exchanges, but Israel has consistently refused to release Barghouti. Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir admonishes an imprisoned Barghouti in a video posted on X this year. X Once a leading member of the Palestinian peace camp, Barghouti later turned towards political violence, leading stone-throwing protests against Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank during the second intifada, a popular uprising between 2000 and 2005. Israeli authorities allege he helped establish Fatahs armed wing, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which  fearful of being outflanked by its more violent and popular Hamas rival  began sending suicide bombers to attack civilians in Israel.

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Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict What we know about the next steps in the deal to pause the Gaza war Charged with involvement in 37 attacks, Barghouti was acquitted on most counts. The court, however, ruled that while he was not directly involved operationally, he had commanded and financed four attacks that killed five people. Clenching his hands above his head as he entered the courtroom, Barghouti insisted he was a fighter for peace for both peoples during a trial that cemented his status as a hero to many Palestinians. Opinion polls suggest that were he to stand for the Palestinian presidency, he would win more votes than his two nearest challengers combined. Hamas officials are said to favour his release because he is so feared by the Fatah hierarchy, and because he could help to negotiate the groups survival, now in question after two years of war with Israel.

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Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Far-right Israeli minister posts video of confrontation with imprisoned Palestinian leader Israeli officials are thought to be reluctant to free him for different reasons. Hardliners fear a leader who could reunite the Palestinians would revive the push for a two-state solution. Others in the security establishment worry that two decades in prison  coupled with particularly harsh treatment since Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023  may have radicalised him, raising the risk that Israel could be releasing a man capable of leading a united but violent resistance against the Jewish state. Barghouti in court in Jerusalem in 2012. AP

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THE CEO of the Good Shepherd Centre Kilkenny is spending 24 hours sleeping rough on the streets of Carlow to mark World Homeless Day and draw attention to Irelands escalating homelessness crisis.

Noel Sherry began his Sleep-Out at midnight last night on Burrin St and will remain on the streets until midnight tonight as part of the Sleeping Out, Speaking Out  for the Homeless initiative, a collaboration between the Good Shepherd Centre and Carlow County Development Partnership (CCDP).

Speaking this morning from his Sleep-Out location, Mr Sherry said: Its uncomfortable, and its a reminder of what too many people are living through every night. We need real urgency and joined-up solutions to ensure that nobody is left without a safe place to sleep. The Good Shepherd Centre took to social media to explain the purpose of the demonstration, stating: At midnight, our CEO Noel Sherry will be on the streets of Carlow - not for show, but in solidarity. One night. One sleeping bag. One message: we must do better.

The initiative aims to raise awareness of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness while calling for concrete action from the Housing Agency. The organisation is urging the agency to coordinate three key actions with local authorities: acquire homes for people experiencing homelessness, utilise the Repair & Lease Scheme to convert vacant buildings into safe housing, and establish a dedicated technical department to support housing projects for small and medium housing bodies.

This isnt abstract. Its about turning dereliction into dignity. About taking practical steps to create real homes - not just emergency beds, Mr Sherry said.
Fiona Magennis

A double killer serving a life sentence for the gruesome murder of Philip Finnegan - whose decapitated body was found lying in the foetal position in a shallow grave - dismissed his legal team ahead of his scheduled conviction appeal hearing on Friday.

Stephen Penroses lawyers told the three-judge Court of Appeal they had come to court ready to proceed with the appeal, and his decision to dismiss the team had come as news to us.

The 42-year-old represented himself in the murder trial after he dispensed with two legal teams during the hearing of the case.

After a trial lasting five weeks, Penrose of Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in November 2021 of murdering Mr Finnegan, 24, at Rahin Woods, Rahin, Edenderry, Co Kildare on August 10th, 2016. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The 12 jurors unanimously rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Mr Finnegan being stabbed in the back during an attack by a group of men at "a forest" or "close to a wood", having arranged to collect firearms from them.

The jury accepted the prosecution's case that Mr Finnegan had met "a gruesome death" at the hands of Penrose, and attempts had been made to cut up and burn the victim's body.

Penrose had signalled his intention to appeal against his conviction, and the case was due to be heard today.

When the case was called, Barra McGrory SC, representing Penrose, informed the panel that he had anticipated arguing the appeal today. However, he explained that on Tuesday morning, during a review hearing, Penrose had notified the court that he had dismissed his solicitors and counsel at the beginning of August.

That was news to us and to Mr Mulholland, my instructing solicitor, but that position has been confirmed to us by Mr Penrose in a video consultation, said Mr McGrory. So we are in no doubt that he doesnt wish us to represent him.

My situation, and that of Mr Kelly, is we simply have no option but to ask this court to relieve us from this case, he said.

Brendan Grehan SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the court would be aware, having seen the submissions filed, that this had very strong echoes of the run-up to the trial.

Mr Penrose has had - I dont know how many at this stage - different teams of solicitors and senior counsel, he said. We understood up until Tuesday that this was proceeding.

Counsel said the DPP is ready and anxious to proceed, adding the deceaseds mother was present in court.

Obviously, this is a matter that has gone on for quite a number of years in terms of the trial having been adjourned for, I think, five years before it got underway and various legal teams involved, said Mr Grehan.

Penrose, who appeared via video link, told the court he was not happy with the points of appeal which had been lodged on his behalf and said he wished the matter to be adjourned so another firm of solicitors could come on record.

He confirmed this was despite having signed a letter in May indicating that he was happy with the grounds of appeal. Penrose held a handwritten letter dated August 1, 2025, to the camera, in which he indicated his intention to dismiss his legal team. Asked if he had any proof the letter had been delivered, he said it had been sent through the prison".

Mr McGrory told the court that no such letter was received.

Making an application to the court to be released from the case, Mr McGrory said his teams position was now untenable.

After the court rose for a short while to consider matters, Ms Justice Kennedy noted this was an exceedingly unsatisfactory situation. She said the case was in the list to proceed to hearing, had been listed for some time and was obviously a very serious matter.

She said the court would permit Mr McGrory and his legal team to come off record.

Ms Justice Kennedy said the court would reluctantly adjourn proceedings to obtain verification that the letter Penrose claimed to have sent through the prison service to his now former legal team had been dispatched. She also requested the court registrar to confirm with the prison service whether the letter had actually been sent.

She put the matter back to October 24th and told Penrose that his new solicitor should be in court on that date. She said the matter would be given priority so that the earliest possible date could be set for the appeal hearing.

Im eight years in custody on this charge. Im as eager as anyone to have it heard, Penrose replied.
Eoin Reynolds

The grieving mother of a "beautiful" woman who died in a house fire has told the Central Criminal Court that the man who set the blaze stole her daughter's future and left two children without their mother.

George Turner, 56, murdered Emma McCrory (nee Costello), 45, by setting fire to her home on December 15th, 2022. He told gardai that he did it because he believed Ms McCrory had "no quality of life" and he wanted to "take her out of her pain". However, he later told officers that he thought the fire might cause her to be evicted, and she would go live with him.

In a statement at today's sentencing hearing, Ms McCrory's mother, Pauline Costello, described her daughter as "beautiful inside and out". She was adored by her family, got on with everyone and was there for everyone, Ms Costello said.

When Emma died, her father was in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease and passed away two weeks after his daughter. Ms Costello said she decided not to tell him what had happened and visited him every day until his death with the pain of knowing his "adored child" was dead.

Ms Costello turned to the defendant as she said: "My daughter was very vulnerable when she met you. You took her life and stole her future. You left two children growing up without their mother. As for me, I am left to contemplate life without the support of my daughter. Emma was much more than what happened to her, and she will never be forgotten."

Turner, of Fairview Avenue, Fairview, Dublin pleaded guilty last Monday to the murder of Ms McCrory at her home on Howth Road, Clontarf on December 15th, 2022.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon on Friday sentenced Turner to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.

Before the judge passed sentence, Det Gda Cliff Singleton told prosecutor Eoghan Cole SC that Ms McCrory's neighbours alerted emergency services to a fire at her mews home at about 8.20pm. Dublin fire brigade crews found the house burned out with Ms McCrory's lifeless body in an upstairs bedroom.

A garda technical team established that the fire started in the bedroom, near the foot of the bed where she had been lying. A post-mortem confirmed that she had died from inhaling the products of combustion, including carbon monoxide, with no other contributory factors.

Ms McCrory had drugs and alcohol in her system, which Det Gda Singleton said would have made her sleepy and vulnerable when the fire was set.

Gardai became aware that Turner had earlier that day used Ms McCrory's ATM card to withdraw money and buy alcohol for her. It was also Turner who alerted neighbours to the fire after smoke started to billow from the windows.

Gardai spoke to Turner, but he did not reveal his part in starting the blaze. The garda investigation continued until, on March 15th, 2023, Turner went voluntarily to Clontarf Garda Station and admitted he had started the fire.

He was arrested and detained, and during subsequent interviews, he said he believed Ms McCrory had no quality of life and had told him she didn't want to live.

He said he set fire to her bedclothes as she slept, and when he saw the fire start to smoulder, he left. He said he wished it hadn't happened but added that he would do it again and was relieved for the deceased's sake. He said he wanted to "take her out of her pain".

In a later interview, he said he didn't want her to die but wanted to give her a "wakeup call". He said he thought an alarm would go off once the duvet began to smoulder and didn't think she would die. He thought the fire might cause her to be evicted, and she would go to live with him, he said.

Det Gda Singleton said gardai established that in the days following her death, Turner continued to use Ms McCrory's ATM card for his personal expenses. Turner has 42 previous convictions, most of which were dealt with by the District Court. His most significant previous convictions came in 2016 when he was found in possession of firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances, and with drugs for sale or supply.

Philipp Rahn SC, for Turner, said his client always intended to plead guilty. He asked the court to note for the record that his client has had significant mental health difficulties and has been diagnosed with depression. His problems were compounded by substance abuse.

Since going into custody in 2023, he has been drug-free and has benefitted from the structured environment in prison, Mr Rahn said.
Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown is proud to congratulate all of their junior cycle students on their outstanding results this year. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to learning have truly paid off, and the entire school community celebrated their success.

A special mention goes to Roisin Tunstead, who achieved an exceptional nine distinctions in her examinations - a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to her outstanding effort and ability.

She is pictured with school principal, Michael Hickey.

Presentation De La Salle Bagenalstown extends heartfelt congratulations to all students, their families and staff for their collective achievements.
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The Libyan Ministry of Industry and Minerals announced that Undersecretary Mustafa Al-Samou met yesterday with representatives of Hungarys Rotary International Ltd at the Ministrys Misrata office to discuss a proposal to establish a modern cement factory in Libya.

According to the Ministry, the preliminary proposal outlines the development of a facility using environmentally friendly technologies designed to boost local production, meet domestic demand, and reduce reliance on cement imports.

The meeting also explored potential avenues for cooperation and investment in the building materials sector, as part of the Ministrys broader strategy to expand industrial activity, support local manufacturing, and attract foreign expertise to Libyas growing industrial base.

At the conclusion of the discussions, Al-Samou welcomed Rotary Internationals interest in investing in Libya and reaffirmed the Ministrys commitment to strengthening partnerships with international companies seeking to contribute to national industrial development.

The initiative reflects Libyas ongoing efforts to diversify its economy and modernise key industries through sustainable, technology-driven projects. CemNet reported in July that discussions would be taking place for Misrata cement plant's resurrection.
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The Tariff Commission (TC) of the Philippines has completed its formal investigation into the importation of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) Type 1 and blended cement, recommending the imposition of a definitive safeguard duty to counter serious injury sustained by the domestic industry from a sharp increase in imports. The report, dated 30 September 2025, followed a motu proprio investigation launched by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the Safeguard Measures Act (Republic Act No. 8800).

The DTI initiated the preliminary safeguard investigation on 28 October 2024, finding prima facie evidence that cement imports were harming local manufacturers. In February 2025, it imposed a provisional safeguard duty of PHP400/t (US$6.88), PHP16 per 40 kg bag, for 200 days under Department Administrative Order No. 25-01. The case was referred to the TC on 25 February 2025 for a full investigation.

The TCs inquiry, covering 2019 to December 2024, included data verification, plant inspections, and public hearings with local producers, importers, exporters, and government agencies.

It found that imports of cement rose sharply following the expiry of previous safeguard measures in late 2022. Imports not subject to prior duties grew by 460 per cent in 2023 to 5.45Mt and rose a further 14 per cent in 2024 to 6.20Mt. By 2024, total imports reached 7.55Mtaround 45 per cent of domestic outputa sudden and substantial surge that displaced locally made cement.

The domestic industrys market share dropped from 95 per cent in 2022 to 72 per cent in 2024, while capacity utilisation fell below 60 per cent. Sales, production, and profitability all declined as local producers were forced to match low import prices, often selling below cost. This weakened their financial position, reduced employment, and curtailed investments in modernisation and sustainability.

The TC determined that this downturn constituted serious injury, directly caused by increased imports. While high power and transport costs contributed to losses, these were deemed secondary compared to the import surge.

The Commission recommended imposing a definitive safeguard duty of PHP349/t (PHP14 per 40kg bag) on imported OPC Type 1 and blended cement for three years. The duty corresponds to the 2024 price gap between imported and locally produced cement.

The measure aims to provide temporary relief while local manufacturers execute adjustment plans to enhance efficiency, energy use, and competitiveness. Under the de minimis rule, imports from smaller developing suppliers such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Thailand will be exempted.

According to the TC, the safeguard will restore fair competition by mitigating price distortions without restricting supply. It is expected to stabilise employment, encourage reinvestment in domestic production, and strengthen linkages with local industries in mining, logistics, and construction.

The measure will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains necessary and proportionate. Once conditions normalise, duties will be progressively reduced in line with the WTO Agreement on Safeguards.

The TC concluded that the rapid import surge since 2023 had caused serious injury to the Philippine cement industry. The final decision now rests with the Secretary of Trade and Industry, who must act within 15 days of receiving the TCs report.
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Ghanas Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reiterated that no licences have been issued for cement importation since she took office, warning that any unlicensed imports will face strict enforcement actions.

Speaking at a meeting with the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers in Accra, Ofosu-Adjare said illegal cement importsespecially from neighbouring Togoare undercutting local producers and endangering consumer safety due to substandard quality.

She stressed that while Ghana operates a free market, all companies in the cement value chain must hold valid operating licences to maintain fair competition and product standards. The minister described the issue as urgent and necessary, emphasising that unregulated imports not only threaten local manufacturers but also pose safety risks for construction projects.

Ofosu-Adjare praised the Ghana Revenue Authoritys efforts to curb smuggling but urged tighter border control and inter-agency coordination. She also directed the Ghana Standards Authority to intensify market surveillance and enforce compliance, ensuring that only certified manufacturers and importers operate legally.

Our domestic producers must uphold high standards if we are to have the moral right to protect our markets, she said.

The governments stance aims to safeguard industry integrity, promote quality assurance, and ensure that Ghanas cement market remains safe, competitive, and sustainable.
Chinese short films featured at New Zealand Short Film Festival

Xinhua) 09:53, October 10, 2025

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Show Me Shorts, New Zealand's top international short film festival, opened on Tuesday evening in Auckland, New Zealand.

This year's festival features eight Chinese films from some of the most talented Chinese filmmakers, and marks the first time China has been chosen as the festival's honorary guest country.

The lineup includes fantasy films The Wanderer and The Dream of Death and Life, sci-fi film The Leftovers, drama Friends, comedy Representative, Please, and animated works Door Gods, Untitled, and Help Me Tom. Notably, Help Me Tom, directed by Yang Jiahang, will screen in The Sampler collection at Show Me Shorts, which travels to 40 cinemas nationwide in New Zealand. There are Chinese Focus screening sessions in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch during the festival.

"We are delighted to help audiences discover unique films that reflect a modern Chinese experience," Festival Director Gina Dellabarca said, noting that modern ideas are presented alongside those steeped in tradition.

"As a cross-border art form, film plays many roles in international cultural exchange. The same goes for short films; they help open up dialogues between cultures and bring people closer through visual storytelling," said Wang Jianwen, director of the China Cultural Center in Auckland, in a speech at the Auckland opening night.

He said he is looking forward to the featured Chinese shorts and how these films might offer the New Zealand audiences a vivid window into modern China and its people.

The Show Me Shorts Film Festival screens top short films from New Zealand and around the world every October in 40 cinemas nationwide.

The film Representative, Please was featured at the Auckland opening night, where it made its world premiere and was introduced by director Hanlin Liu.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Childrens Nutrition Program of Haiti, headquartered in Chattanooga, will host its second annual Hope for Haiti Walk-A-Thon on Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Hunter Museums 24-Hour Terrace from 2-5 p.m.CNP Haiti is a faith-based 501(c)(3) organization that provides lifesaving health and nutrition care to children and families in Haiti.The Walk-A-Thon kicks off at 2 p.m., inviting participants to walk (or run) routes of approximately one, two or three mileseach symbolizing the journeys of CNPs trained community health workers who travel from home to home, often over long distances on foot, delivering life-saving care and health education to mothers and children.Along the route, rest stops will represent the different types of homes and families in Leogane, the region where CNP operates, featuring stories and photos that bring to life the impact of CNPs programs.After completing their walk, participants will gather on the Hunter Museum terrace to enjoy live music, family-friendly games and refreshmentsincluding a complimentary beverage for every walkerand food provided by Davis Waynes, a local restaurant "devoted to family, community and nourishing both body and spirit."Registration is $30 per person and proceeds go directly to support CNPs health, nutrition and sanitation programs.This work is more critical now than ever, said Kathryn Bolles, CEO of the Childrens Nutrition Program of Haiti.Every step we take here in Chattanooga helps a child take one toward survival and hope in Haiti. Were excited to come together as a community to celebrate, to walk and to make a real differenceso bring your friends and family, form a team, dress up and have fun with it! Together we can change lives one step at a time.To register or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.cnphaiti.org , or call 423-364-8337.
Lee University will present the 19th annual Walking Tour of Historic Fort Hill Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 26.

The walking tours to the gravesites will be led by Lee University and Cleveland State student volunteers. Reenactors will represent eight of Clevelands mayors (and their wives) from the period 1870-1905. These will include Henderson and Catherine Hix, J.H. and Estell Hardwick, Jonathan and Elizabeth Tipton, C.L. and Isabella Hardwick, Jesse and Ella Gaut, Asa and Mary Pendergrass, Samuel and Mary Marshall, and Thomas and Margaret Cate.

The tours will feature Lee history majors who are completing their senior-year capstone experience, which includes a public history project. Students research the characters, write the tour guidebook, and dress in period costumes to bring to life the early residents and history of our community.

I am honored to have an opportunity to participate in this years Fort Hill Cemetery Tour, to honor these citizens lives, and pass on their stories, says Jessie Henderson, a senior history major from Troy, Ohio. I look forward to learning more about Clevelands local history and serving the community.

Tours last about 75 minutes and begin at 4 p.m., with a new group starting the tour every 15 minutes. The last tour will leave shortly after 6 p.m. The cost is $7 per person ($3 for students).

Guests should park at the Cleveland Christian Fellowship, at 695 South Ocoee St., and ride the shuttle to and from the tour site. At the cemetery, guests will purchase tickets and brochures at the tents before joining a guided tour group.

For more information, contact Dr. John Coats at jcoats@leeuniversity.edu.
Jaws dropped as news broke regarding Dr. Wendy Osefos arrest on October 9. Law enforcement booked The Real Housewives of Potomac star into a Westminster, Maryland, jail alongside her husband. The parents of three, known for their dynamic careers on and off camera, project an opulent lifestyle. Now, Bravo fans are reexamining everything they thought about the Osefo family. Learn more about the charges and what Wendy and Eddie can learn from two reality TV couples who faced similar legal woes.

The Real Housewives of Potomacs Wendy Osefo and husband Eddie face seven felony charges

Dr. Wendy Osefo and her husband, Eddie Osefo, face a total of 16 charges. These include seven felonies, for allegedly submitting false or misleading information involving amounts exceeding $300. Wendy also faces a misdemeanor count for making a false statement to law enforcement. The arrest details involve a reported burglary the couple experienced at their Finksburg, Maryland, home in April 2024. After returning home from Jamaica, the Osefo family claimed that approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing, and shoes were stolen, worth a total of more than $200,000, according to the Carroll County Sheriffs Office Facebook.

What tipped off police to Wendy Osefos alleged fraud?

Several suspicious elements of the burglary raised eyebrows for detectives. The couple reportedly said the perpetrator entered through the roof via a window above the toilet. The window screen revealed some damage, but no debris from the roof appeared on the toilet lid. When police entered through the window, they tracked in debris from the roof. Additionally, the Osefos active ADT system and ring camera detected no motion inside their home while they vacationed in Jamaica. The security cameras did record activity regarding package deliveries.

According to Carroll County via Facebook, over $20,000 of the reported stolen items had been returned by the owners to the locations the items were purchased. Additionally, Wendys social media posts later showed items claimed as lost during the robbery. The couple reportedly sought an insurance payout of around $450,000 for the purported loss of property. They also sought $2,500 for damage to their home. Eddie allegedly made claims to two insurance companies, Travelers Insurance and Homesite, but did not tell either about the other.

Eddie originally told Travelers Insurance that he and Wendy were wearing their gold diamond anniversary bands while they were away from their home. Two days later, he allegedly told Travelers that Wendys band was missing. Deputies later discovered that the Osefos faced significant debt.

What Wendy Osefo can learn from convicted felons Teresa Giudice and Todd Chrisley

Wendy and Eddie Osefo can look to fellow reality stars, the Giudices and Chrisleys, for how to handle fraud charges.

Along with her then-husband Joe Giudice, Teresa pleaded guilty in 2014 to a series of fraud-related charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud (false oaths and concealment of assets), and failing to file tax returns. The couple submitted false documents, hid assets in bankruptcy filings, and lied about their income.

Some major lessons from Teresa and Joe? Even with a high public profile, the court still weighed both the seriousness of the fraud and factors like personal remorse. Failing to disclose assets played a big role in sentencing. They faced real consequences, including jail time (Teresa got 15 months in federal prison, and Joe got 41 months) and restitution ($414,000), for their charges. For the couple, restitution served not only as a penalty but repayment of improper claims.

A more recent example, the Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of multiple federal charges, including bank fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to commit fraud, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to defraud the IRS. The scheme involved submitting false financial documents, hiding income via various corporate entities, evading tax liabilities, and using new fraudulent loans to pay off old ones

Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Julie Chrisley got 7 years in prison. They also received orders to pay approximately $17.8 million in restitution. On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump granted full presidential pardons to Todd and Julie, which led to their release from facilities in Florida and Kentucky, respectively.

Celebrities should know that a public profile doesnt protect against serious sentencing. For the Giudices and Chrisleys, fame arguably increased scrutiny. In the court of public opinion, detractors did not look kindly on the reality stars luxurious lifestyles and personal gains from their poor choices.

Additionally, the severity of punishment often relates to the amount of money involved, how long the alleged scheme lasted, and whether there was deliberate deception (fake documents and false statements)  all things the Osefos will need to consider with their legal team.

Wendy and Eddie posted a $50,000 bond and were released on October 10. As of publication, neither the couples representatives nor Bravo has released a public statement.
The winners of the sixth annual Cherokee Phoenix Student Art Contest will receive a $250 prize and their artwork featured on limited edition Cherokee Phoenix promotional items, such as the fan featuring the artwork of 2022 winner Lyllyann Howard, tote featuring the artwork of 2023 winner Malena Holcomb and puzzle magnet featuring the artwork of 2024 winner Henry Wilkinson.
The Movement Church in Madison was vandalized between October 7 and October 8, 2025, with spray-painted words. | Screenshot: YouTube/ WAAY 31 News

A church in Alabama was vandalized just days after announcing its plans to host a Turning Point USA event.

The Movement Church of Madison was targeted by vandals who spray-painted the words Bryan Dawson serves the antichrist and Beware his falsehoods on the churchs exterior sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

Bryan Dawson, who is the president and CEO of the conservative organization 1819 News, was scheduled to speak at the church-hosted event on Thursday evening.

The Madison County Sheriffs Office issued a statement Wednesday evening requesting the publics help in identifying and apprehending the responsible individual or group.

Sheriff Kevin Turner emphasized that vandalism would not be tolerated, stating, Every person, regardless of their beliefs or affiliations, deserves to feel safe where they worship, work, or gather. Our office will use every available resource to identify those responsible for this senseless act and bring them to justice.

Movement Church Pastor Seth Adgate told CBS affiliate WHNT News 19 that while the vandalism was not surprising, it still caught him off guard.

Adgate also mentioned that his church still plans to hold the event, although they are talking with the sheriffs department, and law enforcement is doing some extra things to make sure this event runs free and clear of problems.

He added, We have internal security, and the sheriffs office was already going to come. But because of the nature of what it is, that it is at a religious organization, it is considered a hate crime at that point.

Last month, Charlie Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and TPUSA Faith, was tragically shot at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University, leaving behind his wife and two young children, ages 3 and 1.

Authorities arrested Tyler James Robinson, 22, who they say murdered Kirk because he disagreed with Kirks conservative Christian views.
Authorities found suspicious items, including liquid vials and possible fireworks, inside the suspects tent outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on October 5, 2025. | Screenshot: YouTube/ Fox News

A man was arrested outside a church just hours before it was scheduled to hold a Red Mass service, which is a traditional event attended by U.S. Supreme Court justices, and authorities found that he was in possession of 200 explosive devices.

Louis Geri, a 41-year-old resident of New Jersey, was taken into custody on Sunday near the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, shortly before the service was set to begin.

According to a press release from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Geri, who had previously been barred from entering the cathedral grounds, decided to set up a tent near the building.

While Geri was detained after refusing to leave the premises, authorities discovered multiple suspicious items, including vials of liquid and possible fireworks, inside of the suspects tent.

It was later revealed that Geri had about 200 explosive devices in the tent, including Molotov cocktails and bottle rockets, as reported by The Washington Post.

Members of MPDs Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team and the Arson Task Force responded to the scene to search the suspects belongings. The scene has been secured and there is no threat to public safety, D.C. police stated.

Geri was charged with possession of a Molotov cocktail, making threats to kidnap or harm individuals, and unlawful entry, with the investigation ongoing.

Court records show that Geri held negative views about U.S. Supreme Court justices, the Catholic Church, Jewish communities, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A judge ordered Geri to be held without bond on Monday.

The Red Mass, an annual event held at St. Matthews Cathedral to honor legal professionals and usually scheduled before the Supreme Court session begins, gets its name from the liturgical vestments color and the symbolism of fire representing the Holy Spirit.
Home News Chaplains group sues Anglican Church in North America over leadership dispute

A chaplains group has filed a lawsuit against the Anglican Church in North America over disputes regarding their leadership and efforts to cut ties with the denomination.

The Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) filed the complaint on Monday in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division.

The lawsuit alleges that ACNA staged a failed corporate takeover of JAFC last month when it attempted to suspend Plaintiffs corporate president and assume their responsibilities.

ACNA also published reports accessible to all of the hundreds of chaplains endorsed by Plaintiff, using Plaintiffs registered marks while deprecating Plaintiff and falsely claiming that it had assumed Plaintiffs power to endorse Anglicans for chaplaincy services, claimed the complaint.

ACNAs aggressively hostile public relations campaign has significantly harmed Plaintiffs good reputation. ACNAs misrepresentations and use of Plaintiffs marks have induced approximately half of Plaintiffs chaplains, and at least two-thirds of Plaintiffs affiliated missions, chapels and parishes, to end their affiliation with Plaintiff.

JAFC has accused ACNA of engaging in commercial misrepresentation, false advertising, corporate identity misappropriation, interference with contracts, registered trademark infringement, slander, and violation of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Last month, JAFC Chairman David van Esselstyn sent a letter to ACNA Archbishop Steven Wood stating that they were terminating their affiliation with the denomination.

While the short letter did not list the reasons for the disaffiliation, a JAFC spokesperson provided information to The Christian Post explaining that it had to do with the alleged mistreatment of JAFC Bishop Derek Jones.

According to an FAQ document provided to CP by the JAFC spokesperson, Jones has been the victim of a targeted attack by Wood, allegedly because Jones had been critical of errors, missteps, and mismanagement within the Archbishop's office.

Wood wrote in a letter that the situation began in the summer, when ACNA leadership received credible complaints regarding Bishop Derek Jones, alleging abuse of ecclesiastical power.

These complaints did not involve physical or sexual misconduct, nor did they involve any doctrinal concerns, said Wood. Nevertheless, they were concerning because abuse of ecclesiastical power violates the trust that is essential for effective ministry.

Wood claimed that when he met with Jones regarding the allegations and requested that the JAFC oversee an investigation in accordance with the standard disciplinary procedures outlined in Title IV of the ACNA Constitution and Canons, Jones refused.

A JAFC spokesperson provided CP with an FAQ document that claims Jones was actually cooperating with the proposed investigation until JAFC officials concluded that the request was unlawful and intentionally violated the ACNA's canons.

Although JAFC stated that they had cut ties with ACNA, the Anglican denomination refused to recognize this disaffiliation and instead appointed new leadership for the jurisdiction.
Home News UK group calls for end to Shariah 'parallel' marriages that put women, underage girls at risk of abuse NHS apologizes for guidance extolling 'benefits' of first-cousin marriage amid growing Muslim population, claims 'economic advantages' to keeping money in same family

A campaign group has come out strongly against Shariah marriages and called for several measures to be put into place to strengthen the civil framework of marriage.

The Coalition for Marriage (C4M) suggested in a statement on Wednesday that Britains marriage laws and protections for women and children are being undermined by confusion over religious and civil ceremonies, which is leading to "parallel" marriages.

It said that Minister for Courts Sarah Sackman had got it wrong when she told Parliament that people appearing before Shariah councils do so in common with Christian, Jewish and other courts of faith.

C4M said her claim was inaccurate because only civil marriages create legal rights and duties in the U.K., and that while Christian and Jewish weddings are integrated into that legal system "through authorized officiants and registered places," Shariah marriages "don't comply" unless a civil marriage is also conducted.

"Stop legitimizing private forums as courts in official speech," C4M said.

"There is no parity with the family courts in law or effect."

The coalition wants Sackman to "return to the House to correct the record."

"Britains marriage laws and the protections they offer women and children are under threat from cultural drift and ministerial mis-speak," its statement continued.

C4M cited a government review which previously warned that describing Shariah councils as courts risks legitimizing a parallel system outside U.K. law.

It also highlighted a recent case reported by The Times (U.K.) in which a convicted rapist held a Shariah marriage ceremony with his 15-year-old victim, attended by a social worker.

"The case underlines why a single, public, civil law of marriage protects women and children," C4M said.

The statement went on to draw attention to the row over an NHS article that spoke of the "benefits" of first-cousin marriage. The article was withdrawn after a public backlash, which included criticism from Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who questioned why it had been published in the first place.

C4M said, "The Minister was wrong, the social worker was wrong, and the NHS statement was wrong. We must stop the drift away from one marriage law for all."

It is calling for civil marriage to be compulsory "before or at any religious ceremony, with clear penalties for non-compliance," and "no unregistered weddings, no child marriages, and professional sanctions where state officials facilitate such events."

NHS communications should "be science-led and unambiguous on consanguinity risks," it adds.

"A civil marriage gives both spouses the protections that private ceremonies simply do not," said C4M.

"The principle is positive and fair. One law of marriage for all strengthens freedom, dignity and belonging.

"It safeguards the vulnerable and gives young couples a clear, secure foundation for life in real (man-woman) marriage. Thats something to celebrate and pass on."

The proposals have stirred some debate online, with John Stevens, national director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), coming out against them.

He argued that they "could have far-reaching consequences and restrict religious freedom for other communities, including Jews and Christians."

"It essentially means you cannot dissent from state-sanctioned marriage even in the private sphere," he said.

This article was originally published at Christian Today
Home News Former Virginia church staffer facing 20 counts of child porn possession

A former employee of a church in Virginia has been arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography.

Zachary Thomas Ramaglino, a former employee at Union Baptist Church in Hayes, was arrested last month and charged with 20 counts of child pornography possession.

The investigation by Virginia State Police is still ongoing, according to a report by CBS News affiliate WTKR.

Petsworth Baptist Church, the church Ramaglino attended, provided WTKR with a statement in which they explained that he was immediately suspended  from all church activities and prohibited any unsupervised access to children on church property or at church-sponsored events.

Petsworth Baptist Church is fully cooperating with law enforcement in their ongoing investigation, the church stated. We have provided all requested information and will continue to support the investigation process in every way possible.

We are committed to providing pastoral care and support resources to anyone in our church who may be affected by this situation. We ask for patience as the legal process unfolds and request privacy for all families involved during this difficult time.

For their part, Union Baptist posted a statement to Facebook last week explaining that Ramaglino had left the church in January due to continued integrity and performance issues regarding a lack of respect for authority, failure to complete tasks, and dishonesty regarding his work.

The church went on to say that they were unaware of the recently filed criminal charges about Ramaglino until July, when investigators visited Union Baptist and asked about the matter.

We did everything in our power to assist the investigators and, within days of finding out about the allegations, we notified our church families for their protection and encouraged them to notify authorities of anything suspicious, stated the church.

Later, when it would not jeopardize the investigation, we notified the rest of the church. We thank God that no one in our church appears to be affected.

Union Baptist went on to note that the situation showed that people who engage in this kind of behavior can look like anyone and can be anywhere, including in churches, in schools, or in homes.

You cannot control what a person chooses to do with their personal life. All you can do is create safe environments where it is difficult to engage in this conduct, the church added.

We have done our best to be proactive and protect our church family every step of the way. We encourage every church, organization, and home to realize these people are out there. Be wise.

Earlier this year, Union Baptist Church garnered headlines when George Thomas West, the 76-year-old chair of deacons at the congregation, was arrested in August for 16 counts of alleged unlawful filming in a public bathroom. In response to the news, the church voted to expel West from membership.

This incident has revealed a sin incident that has been hidden and ongoing for a very long time, Union Baptist Pastor Jared Berry told his congregation in an August sermon, as quoted by WAVY News. The leadership and even his closest friends were unaware.

We will leave the legalities up to the court. On biblical grounds, we had to remove him. We want to be transparent about this. We pray for his true repentance.
Home News Franklin Graham returning to the UK for 'God Loves You Tour'

The Rev. Franklin Graham has announced that he will be returning to Britain next year for the continuation of the "God Loves You Tour."

The tour, which is run by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), last came to Britain in June, when Franklin stopped in London for an evening at the ExCeL that was filled to overflowing.

This time, however, the tour will be heading north to Manchester. The event will be free to enter and will take place at Co-op Live on Oct. 3, 2026.

The news of next years visit was welcomed by local pastor, Reji Varghese, who said, "Manchester is a vibrant city where people from many nations live and work together. Amidst this diversity and our differences, there is one unifying hope for all: Gods Son, Jesus Christ.

"The upcoming God Loves You Tour is a powerful opportunity to share His love, bring healing, and transform lives across our city."

The BGEA said it wanted to bring comfort to those who have suffered as a result of terrorist attacks in the city. The organization has also deployed crisis-trained chaplains to Manchester following the recent killing of two people at a synagogue by Jihad al-Shamie, 35, who police said had claimed allegiance to ISIS.

In 2019, Manchester was the scene of another Islamist terrorist attack when a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured hundreds more at an Ariana Grande concert. Many of the victims were children and young people.

Speaking of his planned trip to Manchester, Graham said, "We bring a message of hope for all people. We want to share the Good News that God loves and cares for the people of this great city and has a plan and a purpose for their lives."

Since 2022, the God Loves You Tour has visited Britain eight times, with events also held at Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield and South Wales.

It is estimated that the June event in London was attended by around 17,000 people, with security reportedly having to turn people away as the venue was packed. Hundreds of people responded to the call to accept Gods love.



The Rev. Jeremiah Dawood, who leads one of the churches involved in the tour in London, said, "I thank God for Rev. Franklin Grahams faithful ministry and the God Loves You Tours, which have left a lasting impact on countless lives in the U.K. We look forward with great anticipation to his return and to all that God will continue to do through this mission."

This article was originally published at Christian Today
Home News Gaza ceasefire takes effect as Israeli gov't approves Trump peace plan

A ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization took effect early on Friday morning, as Israel Defense Forces began to withdraw its troops shortly after the government formally approved the deal proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The withdrawal is expected to be completed within 24 hours, leaving the IDF in control of 53% of the Gaza Strip, including a perimeter around its border that includes the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border.

Once the process is complete, Hamas is expected to release all 48 remaining Israeli hostages within the next 72 hours.

In the last hours before the ceasefire took effect, an Israeli reservist soldier was killed by a Hamas sniper in Gaza City, the IDF announced.

The soldier was identified as Sgt. First Class (res.) Michael Mordechai Nachmani, 26, from Dimona, who served in the IDFs 614th Combat Engineering Battalion.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., after hours of deliberations and discussion, the Israeli government announced that it approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages, the living and the deceased.

The Prime Ministers Office did not include a vote tally in its statement. However, Israeli media reported that all ministers from the Religious Zionism and Jewish Power parties opposed the deal, except for Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, along with Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu from the Jewish Power Party voted against.

From the Religious Zionism Party, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strock, Israeli Settlements and National Projects Minister, opposed the ceasefire deal.

President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined the cabinet meeting for about one hour.

Ben Gvirs party has vowed to remain in the government for now but to bring it down if Hamas is not dismantled. According to Kan News, he also clashed with Witkoff and Kushner during the meeting.

Ben Gvir reportedly opposed the release of specific Palestinian terrorists from prison, causing a significant delay in the proceedings. He allegedly confronted Kushner and Witkoff, arguing that the United States would never release such terrorists under similar circumstances.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later addressed the cabinet in their presence, noting that the war aim of the release of all of the hostages, the living and the dead, was about to be realized.

We couldn't have achieved it without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. They worked tirelessly with [Strategic Affairs Minister] Ron [Dermer] and his team, our team. That, and the courage of our soldiers who entered Gaza, had a combined military and diplomatic pressure that isolated Hamas.

Witkoff has acted as the primary U.S. mediator in the ceasefire negotiations since the start of Trump's second term in the White House. He and Kushner, who joined the negotiations in recent months, arrived in Egypt on Wednesday, shortly before the agreement was reached.

In his statement, Kushner stressed that the achievements wouldnt have been possible without the bravery of the IDF and the soldiers  not just in Gaza, but also what they've done in the theater over the last couple of years to eliminate Hezbollah in the north and really degrade them, what you were able to do in Iran.

Kushner added, "I know a lot of you, probably all of you, have family, friends who were in this effort, really put your sacrifices on the line to fight for your country and to try and make a difference."

Kushner specifically praised Netanyahu, telling him that he really did an incredible job with this and did a great job with the negotiations. You held your lines firm.

Witkoff also acknowledged the hard job Netanyahu faces in protecting the country and making tough choices with regard to how tough to be with Hamas, when to be flexible, when not to be flexible.

There were times that I thought we should be more flexible, or your country should be more flexible. But the truth is, as I look back, I don't think wed get to this place without Prime Minister Netanyahu playing it out.  My president believes it. He believes that Prime Minister Netanyahu made some very, very difficult calls. And lesser people would not have made those calls. And here we are today because Hamas had to. They had to do this deal. The pressure was on them.

This article was originally published at All Israel News
Home News Israeli hostage's sister rebukes Greta Thunberg for using starving brother's image in propaganda post

The sister of Israeli hostage Evyatar David has rebuked Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg for using a photo of her starving and frail brother in a social media post accusing Israel of mistreating Palestinian prisoners.

Thunberg, who was among hundreds of activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla deported from Israel on Monday, shared a graphic on her Instagram earlier this week that featured pictures of Palestinians detained by Israel.

One of the slides featured in the graphic claims that many Palestinians held in Israeli detention have been taken from their homes, held in brutal conditions, tortured, silenced, and forgotten by the world that claims to care about human rights.

The graphic was part of a collaboration post that included Thunberg, Yasemin Acar and several other social media accounts, according to Fox News.

Acar serves on the steering committee of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and is credited as one of the organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group that states its mission is to break the Israeli siege on Gaza.

One of the photos used in the graphic was taken from a Hamas propaganda video of David, who was abducted by the terror group from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. The video shows an emaciated David inside a tunnel, digging a hole that he believes will serve as his grave.

The graphic that Thunberg shared has since been updated to omit the image of David, an Israeli hostage who's being held against his will in a Gaza terror tunnel.

The Israeli hostages sister, Yeela David, commented on the graphic earlier this week, stating that Thunberg needed to do some research before posting things you dont understand about. Yeela added that the emaciated man shown in one of the slides is an Israeli hostage who [H]amas starved on purpose.

Every minute you are not deleting the post, you are becoming a bigger joke, Yeela wrote in an Instagram comment, adding a laugh emoji. [E]mbarrassing.

The graphic that Thunberg shared also features a video of a 13-year-old Ahmad Manasra after his October 2015 arrest, claiming that the Palestinian teenager was just a child, confused and scared, facing adults who treat him like an enemy instead of a boy in pain.

As The New York Times reported in November 2016, Manasra was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in an October 2015 stabbing attack that critically injured a 13-year-old Israeli boy and a yeshiva student in his early 20s.

According to legal documents, Manasra and his 15-year-old cousin, Hassan Manasra, armed themselves with knives before making their way to a neighboring Jewish area in East Jerusalem. He had grabbed a decorative six-inch blade from his parents bedroom, while the older cousin armed himself with a large kitchen knife.

A panel of three judges later wrote that Ahmad and his cousin sought to stab any Jew they came across and did not desist from stabbing a 13-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle near his house, in front of his younger brother.

The young victim, Naor Ben-Ezra, received lifesaving treatment at a hospital after he was stabbed four times in the neck and armpit, according to court documents. The young adult victim suffered lung and liver damage, as well as wounds to his stomach and chest.

Police fatally shot Hassan after he ran at them with a knife near the scene of the stabbings, according to the Times.

While lawyers for Ahmad argued that Hassan was the one who stabbed the victims, according to legal documents released in the Jerusalem District Courts sentencing decision, the state prosecutor called for zero tolerance in Ahmads case.

Ahmad later apologized for his actions, according to the judges, saying that he was sorry about what happened with the boy.

Thunberg and the Global Sumud Flotilla did not respond to The Christian Posts requests for comment.

The first slide in the post repeated the claim that the flotilla activists were mistreated following their arrest by Israeli forces after the activists attempted to sail into Gaza, declaring, Their suffering is real, and no human being should ever be subjected to such pain, fear, or humiliation.

On Monday, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement announcing that 171 of the flotilla activists, including Thunberg, had been deported from Israel to Greece and Slovakia. The ministry noted that the group of deportees consisted of European and U.S. citizens.

All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld, Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign.

According to the Israeli ministry, the only violent incident that occurred was when one of the flotilla activists reportedly bit a medical worker while detained in Ketziot Prison. The ministry is likely referencing an incident involving Reyes Rigo Cervilla, who allegedly bit a medical staff members hand following a routine check-up, according to prison officials.

In a separate statement on Monday, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted reports that the boats carried a minimal amount of aid, despite the flotilla activists claims that their mission was to deliver supplies to Gaza.

The Israeli ministry reported that the Sumud flotilla carried 2 tons of aid across over 40 vessels, which the ministry compared with the 300 aid trucks filled with 20 tons of aid that Israel facilitates into Gaza with help from international organizations.

The HamasSumud flotilla was nothing more than a publicity stunt, Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed.
Home News Israel wont release Sinwar brothers' bodies or Bargouthi, but might be forced to free terrorist more dangerous than Sinwar Defense Ministry begins notifying family members of Israeli victims

The Israeli government on Friday published the list of almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners who are set to be released in exchange for the 48 Israeli hostages who are still in Hamas captivity in Gaza.

The prisoners to be released reportedly will not include the most prominent Palestinian inmate, Marwan Barghouti, and, despite prior reports to the contrary, also not a terrorist described as even more dangerous than the slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The bodies of Sinwar and his brother, Mohammed, will reportedly not be handed over to Hamas either.

However, the list includes several notorious terrorists, including Iyad Abu al-Rub, a commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) responsible for orchestrating several terror attacks that killed 13 Israelis.

Alongside him, Muhammad Zakarneh, a Fatah terrorist who planned an attack that murdered Grigory Raginovich in 2009, and Muhammad Abu al-Rub, who stabbed and killed Reuven Shmerling in 2017, will be set free.

On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Ministry began notifying the family members of Israeli victims of the hundreds of convicted terrorists who are set to be freed.

Under the agreement, Israel committed to release 250 terrorists with blood on their hands, along with some 1,700 Palestinians who were detained by the military amid operations in Gaza over the course of the war, often in buildings belonging to or used by Hamas. In addition, Israel will release 360 bodies of terrorists.

During Thursday nights Cabinet meeting, debate arose over the list of prisoners, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly causing a significant delay in the proceedings by vetoing certain names.

Israeli media outlets cited a senior Shin Bet official, only identified by his first letter, M., who took part in the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, saying, I havent spent my whole life in the hostages and missing persons team. No one needs to explain to me who these terrorists are and how dangerous they are.

Were the ones who hunted them down for years and put them in prison. Thats why we went over each and every name on the list. We fully understand the cost, but this deal is the right thing to do at this time, M. argued.

On Friday morning, the Israeli government approved last-minute changes proposed by the mediators. Eleven Fatah-affiliated prisoners were reportedly removed from the list of those slated for release, replacing them with 11 Hamas-affiliated prisoners. Two of them are serving two-year sentences, while the others are serving life sentences.

Among them will be Mahmoud Issa, who has been sitting in prison since 1993 for his involvement in the abduction and murder of Israeli citizen Nissim Toledano, The Times of Israel reported.

The Defense Ministry said, We stand with the bereaved families during these difficult days. Professional personnel and rehabilitation representatives from the National Insurance Institute, casualty officers from the IDFs Manpower Directorate, and representatives from the Defense Ministrys Department for Families, Commemoration, and Heritage will accompany the families in the coming period.

Israels Channel 12 News reported that any terrorists who were involved in serious crimes will be deported abroad or released in Gaza, but will not be allowed to enter Israel or Judea and Samaria.

Such criminal offenses include murder, manufacturing weapons used in murder, involvement in organizing a deadly attack, or dispatching a terrorist who carried out a murder.

On Thursday, the Israeli government confirmed that Marwan Barghouti, who is considered the most popular Palestinian leader and a possible candidate to succeed Mahmoud Abbas as president of the Palestinian Authority, will not be freed.

The 66-year-old terrorist has been serving five life sentences plus 40 years since 2002, for his lead role in planning terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that, in addition to Barghouti, arch-terrorists Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayed, whose release Hamas has long demanded, will also not be released.

There were contradictory reports on whether Israels most dangerous prisoner, former Hamas military leader in the West Bank, Ibrahim Hamed, would be released. However, the list published on Friday did not include his name.

Captured in 2006 after a years-long manhunt, Hamed was convicted as the principal planner of several suicide bombings that killed 46 people and wounded over 400 others.

Security sources told Ynet News that Hamed is a person with the capabilities of Sinwar and beyond, referring to the slain Hamas leader who orchestrated the Oct. 7 massacre.

Yahya Sinwar also served years in Israeli prisons before being released as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange in 2011, after which he rapidly ascended to become Hamas overall leader.

However, at the time of Sinwar's release, Israel refused to include Hamed in that deal as he was viewed as being the main architect of the suicide-bomb campaign during the Second Intifada, responsible for over 90% of the attacks.

This article was originally published at All Israel News
Home News Judge denies most of $76K legal fees sought by TD Jakes in defamation lawsuit

U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman has denied most of a petition from megachurch pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes, seeking more than $76,000 from the former attorney of ex-pastor-turned-registered sex offender Duane Youngblood, who accused Jakes of sexually assaulting him 40 years ago.

Stickmans order on Monday is part of an ongoing defamation lawsuit Jakes brought against Youngblood in November 2024, and came just a day after the founder of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, reportedly left Sundays service abruptly due to a non-emergency visit with his doctors.

In the defamation lawsuit, Jakes attorneys accused Youngbloods former attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, of submitting fabricated quotations and misleading analysis of case law due to his reliance on artificial intelligence. Jakes had petitioned the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania to levy sanctions against Blackburn, including $76,197.63 in attorneys fees he alleges were expended by his counsel in analyzing Blackburns filings and filing responses.

While Stickman agreed that sanctions against Blackburn were warranted and that he should pay for attorneys fees, he said the amount requested by Jakes attorneys was unreasonable.

The court holds that the award of monetary sanctions in the form of attorneys fees is warranted. It holds that it is appropriate to award a measure of attorneys fees, in part, as compensation for plaintiffs attorneys additional time expended to respond to the phony citations in Blackburns brief and, in part, as a deterrent to Blackburn, Stickman wrote in his order. The Court does not, however, find the amount sought by plaintiff to be a reasonable measure of a sanction in this case.

He argued that Blackburns misuse of AI in filing his court briefs is not unique and noted that the court had to factor in the type of practice he runs as well as his ability to pay.

Blackburn is a solo practitioner whose practice consists of representing indigent clients sometimes. Nonetheless, the Court believes that monetary sanctions are necessary to deter Blackburn from future misconduct  especially due to his decision to double-down on his misuse of AI after it was brought to the attention of the Court, Stickman said.

He ordered Black to pay only $5,000 to Jakes attorneys in monthly payments of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) to plaintiffs counsel until the $5,000 is paid in full. Blackburn was also ordered to make his first monthly installment on or before November 15, 2025.

On Sunday, Jakes reportedly left the Potters House while his son-in-law and the churchs co-senior pastor, Toure Roberts, was preaching due to a non-emergency incident, according to WFAA.

Jordan A. Hora, a spokesperson for the Potters House, told the news outlet that Jakes made a brief visit with his doctors after exiting the church.

"All is well with Bishop T. D. Jakes," Hora said. "After service today, he took a brief moment to visit with his doctors for monitoring and rest as a responsible next step before enjoying dinner with his family as planned.

"Were deeply grateful for the prayers and concern expressed by so many and want to reassure everyone this was simply a moment of responsible care, not a cause for concern. Bishop, Pastor Toure, Pastor Sarah, and The Potters House family remain focused on faith, service, and the ongoing work of the Lord!"

Jakes, who suffered a heart attack while preaching onstage in November 2024, openly thanked God in a post on Instagram after the incident.

After all thats said and done, God is still good! Thankful for His faithfulness! he wrote. Couldn't wait to enjoy Sunday dinner with the family after PT shared an amazing word this afternoon.
Home News Muslim activists cite First Amendment as defense for vandalizing Texas church Pastor calls argument 'ludicrous'

Is vandalism of a Christian church protected under the First Amendment?

Thats the claim made by attorneys for three Muslim activists accused of spray-painting graffiti near the entrance of the nondenominational Uncommon Church in Hurst, Texas, located about 10 miles northeast of Fort Worth. The vandalism, which occurred in early March 2024, included an expletive referring to Israel, a swastika, and several inverted red triangles, a symbol used by Hamas and pro-Palestinian protesters to refer to Israeli military targets.

The graffiti, which was spray-painted near a flagpole displaying a large Israeli flag outside the church, was initially said to incur less than $200 in damages before prosecutors later argued for damages over $750, according to The Guardian.

Prosecutors also added a hate crime enhancement for the graffiti, which the jury rejected.

At a September press conference, advocates with Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates, argued that the vandalism was protected by the U.S. Constitution, saying, It is a case that is placing our First Amendment rights and our sense of justice on trial.

I think that protest, graffiti, that sort of thing is the language of folks who are unheard. And so my heart went out to them, said attorney Alison Grinter Allen.

During the trial, Alams attorneys argued that the anti-Israel graffiti was protected speech under the First Amendment. Pastor Brad Keeran of Uncommon Church said he found that argument laughable.

What was discussed on the first day of trial was that it is part of our First Amendment rights to protest our government and the government of other nations, as part of the defense attorneys argument, Keeran told CP. So, he was protesting the government of Israel and that the swastikas and the three downward facing triangles and 'from the river to the sea'  that none of that was antisemitic, none of that was anti-Jewish people, none of that was meant to be anything other than a political statement against the nation of Israel, which is laughable.

Alam was ultimately convicted of vandalism but not a hate crime, receiving a six-month jail sentence, $1,700 in restitution, and a lifetime ban from the church. Venzor is reported to have struck a plea deal with prosecutors while Khan awaits the conclusion of her trial.

Keeran said the uproar began in late December 2023 after he decided to replace the churchs Jesus flag with the flag of the state of Israel. We have this huge flagpole at our church campus. We fly a flag with the name of Jesus over our city, he said. I thought, what if we fly the Israeli flag?

After making a custom 38-foot-long Israeli flag, the church began flying it in January 2024. Keeran said while the church was generally supportive of the move for the most part, the backlash came from the surrounding community.

We immediately received an unbelievable amount of feedback from the community; Hate messages, people coming by the building, and it was just an onslaught of Instagram and Facebook messages, voicemails and emails, he said. Everybody was very upset that we would support the nation of Israel.

Despite the vandalism, Keeran said that little has changed as far as security measures at the church, but he understands that, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, the world is rapidly changing.

It's ludicrous to think that painting a swastika and F Israel and downward facing triangles from the river to the sea is the First Amendment protected right for somebody to vandalize a house of worship, he said, but in all of the nonsense that we've seen from Charlie Kirk and other antisemitic  things that have been happening, I guess it's no surprise we should be used to this level of antisemitism.

In response to a wave of antisemitic incidents in March 2024, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to arrest rioters for espousing antisemitism on college campuses. Abbott specifically cited pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas chants like from the river to the sea as unprotected speech.

Attorneys with CAIR, activists from the University of Houston and the University of Texas at Dallas, and members of the Democratic Socialists of America sued Abbott in May 2024, arguing that his directive violated the Constitution.
Home News Victory for religious liberty: Washington wont force Catholic priests to report confessions

Washington state has agreed not to force Catholic priests to report confessions of abuse, putting an end to a legal battle over a controversial new state law.

According to an agreement reached in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, state officials accepted a permanent injunction against enforcing the law against the Catholic Sacrament of Confession and/or any other privileged communication.

State Defendants and County Prosecutor Defendants agree not to appeal the Preliminary Injunction order  or to appeal from or otherwise challenge the enforceability or validity of this Stipulated Permanent Injunction Order and Final Judgment, or any other rulings entered to date in this matter by this Court, in this or any other proceeding, noted the district court order.

State Defendants and County Prosecutor Defendants agree that the Courts Stipulated Permanent Injunction Order and Final Judgment in this matter has the same force and precedential effect as if it had been entered following a dispositive motion or trial on the merits.

Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of Becket Law, which had helped to represent the plaintiffs, said in a statement released Friday that the agreement marked a victory for religious freedom.

Washington was wise to walk away from this draconian law and allow Catholic clergy to continue ministering to the faithful, stated Rienzi.

This is a victory for religious freedom and for common sense. Priests should never be forced to make the impossible choice of betraying their sacred vows or going to jail.

Washingtons Office of the Attorney General issued a press release noting that, under the agreement, clergy in the state will remain mandatory reporters under circumstances outside of the confessional.

Todays agreement respects the courts decision in this case and maintains important protections for children, said Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. It keeps crucial portions of Washingtons mandatory reporting law in place, while also preserving the Legislatures authority to address issues with the law identified by the court.

In May, Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5375 into law after it was passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature largely along party lines, with the Senate approving it in a 28-20 vote and the House of Representatives passing it in a 64-31 vote.

SB 5375 added clergy to a list of professionals who must report instances of child abuse or neglect to law enforcement, even if that report came through "privileged communication."

"It's long past time for this protection for children," said Democrat Sen. Noel Frame of Seattle, the sponsor of the legislation, as quoted by The Washington State Standard in April.

"Members of the clergy play such an important role in the lives of children, like teachers and doctors do, and just like those other trusted adults, clergy should be mandatory reporters."

The measure was criticized by many, including Roman Catholic Church officials and conservatives, who argued that the law violated religious freedom, especially Catholic teaching.

Archbishop Paul Etienne of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the measure, said in a statement that "priests cannot comply with this law if the knowledge of abuse is obtained during the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

Etienne vowed that the archdiocese "remains committed to reporting child sexual abuse, working with victim survivors towards healing and protecting all minors and vulnerable people."

People of every religion in the state of Washington and beyond should be alarmed by this overreach of our Legislature and governor," the archbishop added.

In June, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint in intervention against the state law, arguing that it "unlawfully targets clergy and, specifically, Catholic priests."
Trump Visits Israel To Meet Netanyahu, Billy Graham Ministries Exit ECFA, Men Lead Church Attendance Among Gen X, Millennials

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:47 06:47

Top headlines for Friday, October 10, 2025

President Donald Trumps upcoming trip to Israel, where he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and deliver a major address. We also look at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritans Purse officially cutting ties with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Plus, new Barna research reveals that menespecially Gen X and millennialsare now attending church more than women.

00:11 Trump heading to Jerusalem Sunday, 1st stage of peace deal done

01:00 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association leaves ECFA

01:50 5 highlights from Trump's Antifa roundtable

02:40 Appeals court vacates earlier ruling against La. Decalogue law

03:27 Alabama church vandalized for hosting Turning Point USA event

04:13 Maverick City co-founder denies Chandler Moores allegations

05:04 Men now surpass women in church attendance: Barna
The Children's Investment Fund Foundation

The Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has stopped funding US projects because it is no longer confident in its understanding of the policy environment.

CIFF was co-founded in 2002 by its current chair Christopher Hohn, who has been named the most generous philanthropist in the country by the Sunday Times , and has funded US-based not-for-profit organisations that support vulnerable children globally.

But in a statement posted on its website this week, CIFF announced that it had decided to stop funding US projects.

Unfortunately, we are no longer confident in our understanding of the US policy environment for foreign funders of US NGOs, including for international work, which is our focus, it said.

CIFFs board have decided that, as a precautionary measure, and until applicable laws and rules, and the execution of them, are made clearer by relevant authorities, CIFF should redirect its funding to, and restructure its contracts to be with, non-US NGOs.

In all regions in which we operate, we work to ensure that we are fully compliant with all rules and regulations.

We remain deeply committed to this mission and to ensuring our efforts continue to drive impact effectively.

We are as committed as ever to our charitable objectives, and we are continuing to scale our work in the regions where we operate.

Grants increase in 2024

CIFF recently reported it increased its grant disbursements to $631m (475m) in 2024, an increase of $53m compared to 2023.

Last years grants included $12.7m to the US-based Rockefeller Philanthropy and $7.14m to Advisors Piramal Foundation USA.

It also gave $14.2m to UNICEF, which is headquartered in New York.

Meanwhile, the foundations assets increased to $6.01bn by the end of 2024, from $5.72bn a year earlier.

It gave $923m (695m) in total charitable investments in 2024, it did not provide any of that funding to the US due to the policy change announced this month.

Instead of the US, CIFFs grant portfolio includes significant funding for regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Europe.

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Prince Harry has accused the Charity Commissions recent investigation into a charity he co-founded of falling troublingly short in its findings.

The prince was cleared of any overreach by the commissions report into Sentebale, which is registered in the UK and supports young people in the southern African country of Lesotho, but it also criticised him and others for allowing the charitys internal disputes to play out in the public eye.

The regulator opened a compliance into Sentebale in April this year after Prince Harry and fellow co-founder Prince Seesio of Lesotho stepped down as patrons over a disagreement between the charitys former trustees and chair Sophie Chandauka.

In a report of its findings published in August, the regulator criticised all parties to the dispute for allowing it to play out publicly.

The regulator also found that the trustees failure to resolve disputes internally severely affected the charitys reputation, and risked undermining public trust in charities more broadly.

This week, the princes spokesperson told the Independent : Unsurprisingly, the commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebales co-founder and former patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current chair.

Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current chairs actions will not be borne by her but by the children who rely on Sentebales support.

Charity to shift from Prince Harry-focused events

In its recently published accounts for the 16-month period ending 31 December 2024, Chandauka wrote: Sentebale has emerged stronger from thorough engagement with the UK Charity Commission, welcoming the August 2025 conclusion of its compliance review as a pivotal opportunity for positive transformation and renewed trust.

The accounts also noted that the charity will now seek to move away from its current financial model, which relied in part on money donated by Prince Harry and his associated fundraising events when he was patron.

The accounts said: The 16-month period to December 2024 included the third and last year of the charitys drawdown of the one-off donation of $1.5m [1.13m] made by its former patron, Prince Harry, in 2021  representing a proportion of proceeds from his memoir, Spare and allocated towards investment in the quality of programmes over a three-year period reported between 2022 and 2024.

However, the accounts stated that this support reportedly masked two important long-term structural weaknesses in Sentebales financial model, which had remained unaddressed.

These were described as a narrow unrestricted funding base and the high cost of events-based fundraising alongside a significant UK-headquartered cost base.

Sentebale now aims to raise more unrestricted funding from a wider range of partnerships and supporters and move away from fundraising from events centred around the former patron, Prince Harry, according to the accounts.

The charity recorded an annual income of 3.35m for the period, against an expenditure of 4.97m.

Sentebale has been contacted for comment.

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Another week, another message from a colleague: A mosque in Peacehaven, Sussex, has been firebombed. It is the 13th such message I have received in just four weeks.

The relentless targeting of Muslims has begun to feel like a new normal in a Britain where Muslims no longer feel welcome. The political climate in which we now live is one where the security and safety of Muslims have become daily concerns. Will I be harassed on my way to work? Discriminated against when applying for a job? Attacked while going to pray?

These are not abstract fears but lived realities for many British Muslims today. And yet, despite our long history of service to this country, despite Britain being my home after fleeing war, the birthplace of my children and theirs, and the country that honoured me by appointing me as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, our loyalty is once again being questioned. But heres the truth: British Muslims are not outsiders or threats. They are among the nations greatest sources of hope, compassion, and service.

Filling gaps

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, pressures on housing, education, healthcare, and other public services are mounting. Years of austerity, the fallout of Brexit, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have left many families struggling to make ends meet. Recent policy decisions, such as retaining the two-child benefit cap and cutting winter fuel payments, have only compounded socio-economic hardship among communities across the country.

Yet amid these challenges, Muslim-led charities and community organisations are stepping up, not only to meet urgent needs but to drive sustainable, long-term change across all areas of social, economic, and cultural life in Britain.

This spirit is captured in the latest edition of the Forum, Muslim Charity Forums annual magazine, which celebrates the altruism, resilience, and civic leadership at the heart of the Muslim charity sector. It showcases stories of generosity, service, and lasting impact, from food banks in Leicester and youth programmes in Hull, to mental wellbeing projects in Birmingham and womens empowerment projects in London. These efforts are transforming lives every day.

The work of Muslim-led organisations benefits everyone. Their reach extends beyond Muslim communities, serving men and women, young and old, people of all faiths and none. Their service is grounded in a shared belief in equality, dignity, and the right of every individual to be valued and supported.

Increasingly, the third sector has become Britains fourth emergency service, with Muslim-led organisations at the forefront bridging critical gaps where statutory provisions fall short. These gaps are not only rooted in a lack of funding and capacity but may also arise from a lack of cultural or faith-sensitive understanding.

Muslim-led organisations are instrumental in filling these gaps with empathy and expertise, providing services that offer practical help whilst truly meeting community needs. They play an especially important role in supporting vulnerable groups such as refugees, victims of domestic abuse, and people with special educational needs who are too often left behind by mainstream services.

Climate of hostility

At a time when divisive politics seeks to fragment our communities, the work of Muslim-led charities offers a powerful counter-narrative. While far-right rhetoric continues to portray Muslims as outsiders, British Muslims are demonstrating through their extraordinary civic contributions that they are integral to the fabric of society.

In recent weeks, a troubling rise in anti-Muslim incidents, including attacks on mosques, has reminded us of the persistence of Islamophobia. But it is precisely in this climate of hostility that the leadership of Muslim-led organisations becomes most important.

Beyond meeting urgent needs, they are challenging divisive narratives through their daily actions and spreading hope in the face of fear. Organisations and Muslim faith leaders are championing unity through our shared diversity, fostering social cohesion, and building a stronger, more vibrant Britain.

Despite limited resources, many Muslim-led grassroots initiatives continue to thrive. Often driven by volunteers of all ages who give up evenings and weekends to serve others, they embody the best of our civic spirit. Many rely on community donations rather than long-term institutional funding, yet they make lasting differences. Therein lies the beauty of their work  they are, quite literally, organisations by the community, for the community  sustained by selflessness, kindness, and faith in the common good.

Need for support

This work underscores the vital importance of small charities and the need to support them. Local authorities, NHS trusts, and other public bodies must recognise their expertise and potential to complement formal services. They should not only acknowledge Muslim-led organisations but actively partner with them by helping fund their initiatives, promoting their work, and drawing on their insight and experience to develop services that genuinely address community needs.

Meaningful collaboration means integrating grassroots voices throughout the process of service design and delivery as equal partners in shaping more inclusive and effective outcomes.

It is equally vital that policymakers recognise and amplify the essential work of Muslim-led organisations. Visiting community projects, meeting volunteers and rights holders, and championing their achievements are crucial to building wider public understanding of their contributions, which can serve as a model for communities nationwide.

Elected representatives must also highlight the barriers these organisations face and work toward removing them, whether in accessing funding, institutional support, or tackling Islamophobia. By advocating on their behalf, they can help ensure that these initiatives continue to thrive.

Ultimately, the government must forge genuine partnerships with faith and community organisations as part of a broader effort to strengthen civil society. The Civil Society Covenant is a welcome step in this direction, but this must be followed by meaningful implementation through ongoing collaboration with partners across the third sector, including Muslim-led organisations.

Such partnerships will empower these organisations to continue their mission: serving the nation, transforming lives, and restoring hope where it is needed most.

Civil Society Voices is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. Find out more about contributing and how to get in touch. is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say.
Employers and employees see safety issues and solutions differently, and open communication could be the easy solution.

A recent report on employees safety perspectives found gaps in both issues and solutions when it comes to workplace safety.

When comparing findings from Pie Insurances 2025 State of Small Business Workplace Safety Report, released in April, and the new 2025 Small Business Employee Voice on Workplace Safety Report, it becomes apparent that while employers are more likely to identify safety concerns in the workplace than employees, the focus often differs.

Over two-thirds (67%) of employees reported having safety concerns, and 83% of employers also identified employee concerns, demonstrating a shared understanding. The differences lie in what they believe are the biggest obstacles and how to overcome them.

Physical vs. Mental Hazards

Numbers suggest that while employers may be keeping up with physical hazards in the workplace, mental health, which is less visible and more stigmatized, is being overlooked.

Top employee concerns include:

Mental health, stress and burnout  43%

Slips, trips and falls  33%

Heat stress and exhaustion  23%

Ergonomics (repetitive strain)  19%

Lacking proper training and protocols  15%

Equipment-related accidents  14%

While employees report that many of these issues are addressed, 43% said mental health is low on the list of priorities. To a lesser degree, employees say employers also may be missing risks posed by heat stress (16%), ergonomics (16%), lack of proper training (14%) and slips, trips and falls (13%).

Mental Health on the Job

Employers tend to highlight concerns related to physical, environmental and equipment risks, while employees are significantly more likely to raise mental health concerns. This disparity between employer/employee perceptions is especially sharp when it comes to mental health support.

Almost a third of employees (32%) cite mental health as their primary safety concern, and 36% report workplace stress affects their personal lives, impacting relationships, sleep, and mental health.

While 91% of employers are confident in their ability to address mental health issues, only 62% of employees share that confidence in their employers. Over half (52%) of employers noted in Pies workplace safety report they have mental health protocols. But only 30% of surveyed employees observed having these protocols.

Employees said flexible work and remote work (19%), allowing mental health days (17%), access to confidential mental health services (9%) and even mental health awareness training (8%) would all help create an environment that was more receptive and responsive to mental health concerns.

The AI Gap

AI adoption is on the rise, but employees may not even be aware that it is happening in their own workplace. While 44% of employers said their companies use AI applications, only 20% of employees reported being aware of AI use in their workplace.

Employers also far outpace employees when it comes to optimism regarding AI and safety. A large majority (64%) of employers feel that AI will help improve safety in the future, but only 23% of employees share that beliefand 43% said they dont believe it will help at all.

Related: Majority of Small Business Leaders Think AI Will Play Crucial Role in Work Safety

What Employees Want

Seventeen percent of employees said they hesitate to report safety concerns to employers, and 45% say they have witnessed workplace accidents that could have been prevented.

Of those who said they have stayed silent about safety concerns, 35% said they fear retaliation or negative consequences, and 33% said they didnt want to seem difficult. Perhaps most telling, 31% said they didnt think anything would be done, even if they spoke up. One out of five (19%) said they didnt want other people to get in trouble.

Many also reported that safety protocols were bypassed or ignored because of pressure, quotas and deadlines. Building the time for safety into schedules and expectations would mean more consistent adherence to protocols.

Employees said leadership by example and a safe space to voice safety concerns are key to creating a safer work environment. Communication about safety should be a two-way conversation, they said, not just top-down directives.

They also need confidence that there will be some response if they speak out about safety issues.
The Federal Reserves former top-ranking official overseeing climate risk says the U.S. economy faces a series of long-term, structural shocks as a result of increasingly extreme weather patterns.

Kevin Stiroh, who left the Fed earlier this year after it wound down large parts of its work on monitoring how global warming is impacting financial stability, said banks should expect to see the fallout materialize in balance sheets and income statements.

Climate-related shocks are likely to be wide reaching and secular, rather than narrow and cyclical, Stiroh said in an interview. Theres a long-term trend, certainly on the physical risk side, that could impact bank business models.

Despite those risks, banks and investors have yet to properly map out how climate-related losses will be distributed, Stiroh said. Those at risk include homeowners, banks, insurers and the holders of securitized financial instruments, he said.

Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has ceased monitoring many of the data points that would help the finance industry prepare for the climate risks ahead. Without that data, banks and investors risk allocating capital in ways that dont reflect the potential future losses associated with extreme weather events.

If you think about any sort of natural disaster, whether its the hurricanes in North Carolina last year or the wildfires in California, these have massive damages, Stiroh said. But the really difficult question is, who ultimately bears those losses?

Figuring out how those shocks ripple through the economy is one of the most critical questions for effective risk management, and then ultimately any policy responses, he said.

The Fed appointed Stiroh to a leadership role with the Board of Governors on climate risk in 2021. But the U.S. central bank has since taken major steps to deprioritize work on assessing the threats that global warming poses to financial stability. Earlier this year, the Fed disbanded its Supervision Climate Committee, which was chaired by Stiroh, along with other internal climate groups.

The Fed also has taken efforts to downplay the need to make climate risks a focus of global financial rules. That includes a largely successful campaign to pressure the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to water down its climate program, Bloomberg has previously reported.

The development has led to divisions in how financial supervision is handled in the U.S., where Trump has called the very idea of climate change a con job, compared with other parts of the world. In Europe, for example, policymakers require banks to monitor climate risks, with the European Central Bank recently noting that mortgage portfolios are in particular need of attention.

A spokesperson for the Fed declined to comment.

In a speech delivered on Oct. 1, ECB Executive Board Member Frank Elderson went so far as to say that in the next five years, extreme weather events could put up to 5% of euro-area economic output at risk, which would be a shock similar in magnitude to the great financial crisis.

Stiroh, who didnt comment on the Feds policies, said climate-related issues have distinctive attributes that require additional focus from banks and supervisors. At the same time, climate-related shocks are drivers of risk, not an independent risk stripe, and so they can manifest in very traditional risks, such as credit, market and operational risks, he said.

Against that backdrop, Stiroh said current approaches to financial risk management are likely to be inadequate. The past is unlikely to be a good predictor of how these shocks will materialize in the future, he said. Banks will likely need new tools, new data, new expertise to effectively manage these risks.

Outside U.S. policymaking, theres a growing body of research on the impacts of climate change on financial stability. Fitch Ratings warned last year that the share of rated corporate issuers exposed to downgrades as a result of increasing climate-related risks may be as high as 20%. The ratings company said fossil fuels and mining  sectors singled out for support by the Trump administration  will be particularly vulnerable to climate risk.

Insured losses tied to natural catastrophes now regularly exceed previous norms and are set to soar to $145 billion this year, the Swiss Re Institute has estimated. It also warned that the risk of peak loss years is growing, referring to events that can result in insured losses of about $300 billion in a single year.

Stiroh, who also represented the Fed on climate topics at the Basel Committee  where he co-chaired the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Risks  is continuing to study the fallout of global warming on the financial sector. He joined the think tank Resources for the Future as a senior fellow in September, and is part of the Climate-related Financial and Macroeconomic Risk Initiative, a collaboration between RFF and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University.

Climate change is no longer an abstract concern that will only make itself felt in the coming decades, Stiroh said, but rather something thats now playing out in real time.

Top photo: Firefighters battle flames during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles in January. Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio  Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a Mexican food restaurant Thursday afternoon, detaining an unknown number of workers.

The city of Mount Vernon released a statement on its website saying city officials learned of the raid at Panchos Tacos at about 12:30 p.m.

The City of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Police Department, and the Office of the Law Director did not receive communication or coordination from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials regarding the timing, scope, or nature of this operation, the statement says.

The statement says the city is trying to get more information from ICE and other agencies that participated in the raid.

The City remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting our citizens, upholding the rule of law, and, above all else, defending the Constitution of the United States and the principle of due process for all individuals, the statement says.

Knox Pages reports that officials with the Knox County Sheriffs Office were present during the raid. The Columbus Dispatch reports the sheriffs office did not respond to requests to confirm its involvement.

The restaurant opened in 2024, according to the Dispatch. A post Thursday on Panchos Tacos Facebook page says the restaurant currently is closed. The Dispatch reports the restaurants phone appears to be disconnected.

Several commenters on the post expressed support for the restaurants owners and workers. Mount Vernon is located about 50 miles northeast of Columbus.
A 76-year journey of China's complete transformation

09:53, October 10, 2025 By Zamir Ahmed Awan ( People's Daily Online

On Oct. 1, 2025, the People's Republic of China celebrated its 76th National Daya moment not just to mark the passage of time, but to reflect on one of the most remarkable national transformations in modern history. From a war-torn, impoverished land in 1949 to a vibrant global power in 2025, China's journey has been a story of collective will, visionary leadership, and a steadfast belief in the power of progress through unity.

Over these seven and a half decades, China has not only risen economically and technologically but has redefined the meaning of national rejuvenation. Its achievements stand as a testament to what can be accomplished when vision aligns with dedicationwhen leadership meets the strength and discipline of 1.4 billion hardworking citizens.

From poverty to prosperity: The miracle of the century

Perhaps no achievement encapsulates China's transformation more powerfully than the eradication of absolute poverty. In 2021, President Xi Jinping announced that nearly 800 million people had been lifted out of povertya feat described as "the greatest poverty reduction achievement in history."

This was not merely an economic triumph but a human one. Behind these numbers lie millions of storiesof farmers turned entrepreneurs, of rural children now in universities, of villages connected by modern infrastructure. Poverty alleviation in China was not a charitable act; it was the realization of a deeply held belief that "ensuring all people live a good life" is the original mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

By prioritizing education, healthcare, and rural revitalization, China has turned its villages into engines of growth. This "miracle of the century" offers a model for developing nations around the worlddemonstrating that with political will, long-term planning, and collective effort, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome.

Defense and self-reliance: Building a strong shield for peace

From its humble beginnings, China's defense transformation has been remarkable. Once reliant on imported technologies, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) now stands among the most modern militaries in the world. Under Xi's call to build a "world-class military by mid-century," China has achieved breakthroughs in hypersonic missile systems, naval shipbuilding, cyber defense, and stealth aviation.

This modernization, however, is not about aggression. It reflects a deep-rooted philosophy: strength is a prerequisite for peace. China's approach to defense"never seeking hegemony or expansion, no matter how strong it becomes"underscores its responsible global posture. The modernization of the PLA is about ensuring national security, protecting sovereignty, and contributing to regional stability in an increasingly uncertain world.

Space exploration: Reaching for the stars

In the span of just a few decades, China has risen from launching its first satellite in 1970 to becoming one of the world's foremost space powers. The Chang'e lunar missions, the Tianwen-1 Mars rover, and the Tiangong space station represent more than technological successthey symbolize the ambition and scientific spirit of a rejuvenated nation.

In 2025, China's space program continues to expand with missions like Tianwen-2 for asteroid exploration and the Shenzhou-20 and 21 crewed spacecraft. The Tiangong station has become an international hub for scientific collaboration, reflecting China's willingness to share its achievements for the common good of humankind.

Looking ahead, China's vision for the International Lunar Research Station marks a bold step into the futurea declaration that exploration, when guided by peaceful intent, can unite rather than divide the world.

Science, technology, and medicine: Engines of a modern nation

China's innovation ecosystem today stands at the forefront of global progress. Massive investments in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology are reshaping not only China's domestic economy but also global technological paradigms.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the depth of China's scientific and medical capabilities. From vaccine development to the production of essential medical equipment, China demonstrated agility, competence, and compassion. Its health diplomacyproviding vaccines and medical aid to developing nationswas a reminder of its commitment to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Chinese research centers are now leading advances in precision medicine, telehealth, and gene therapy. These are not isolated achievements; they are the results of decades of investment in education, research, and public health infrastructure. China's message to the world is clear: innovation must serve the people and advance global well-being.

Infrastructure and connectivity: Building the foundations of modernity

Nowhere is China's transformation more visible than in its infrastructure. From the dazzling skylines of Shanghai and Shenzhen to the far-reaching networks of high-speed rail, bridges, and tunnels, China's engineers have redefined the limits of possibility.

Domestically, the South-North Water Diversion Project, massive urban redevelopment, and smart city construction have reshaped living standards. Internationally, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a hallmark of global connectivitylinking Asia, Africa, Europe and America through railways, ports, and highways.

Through the BRI, China has not only exported infrastructure but also hope. It has offered developing nations access to the physical and digital pathways of progress. The philosophy behind it is deeply Confucian: "help others to succeed if you wish to succeed yourself."

Green development and electric mobility: A cleaner tomorrow

Under Xi's guiding principle that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," China has placed environmental protection at the heart of its modernization drive. Nowhere is this more evident than in its leadership in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy.

China's companiesBYD, NIO, CATL, and othersare now global leaders in EV production and battery innovation. The shift from fossil fuels to clean energy not only combats climate change but also represents a paradigm of sustainable industrialization.

China's pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2060 is backed by tangible actionsvast solar farms in Qinghai, wind corridors in Inner Mongolia, and the world's most extensive high-speed rail network that reduces carbon emissions daily. The synergy between economic growth and ecological balance is now a defining characteristic of Chinese development.

Global leadership through contribution, not domination

China's ascent is not about replacing one hegemon with anotherit is about redefining leadership itself. True leadership, as Chinese scholar Yan Xuetong noted, "is measured not by power alone but by the ability to provide public goods to the world."

China's contributionsin peacekeeping missions, renewable energy transitions, poverty alleviation cooperation, and pandemic responseexemplify this ethos. From Africa to Latin America, from Central Asia to the Pacific Islands, China's partnerships are grounded in mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty.

In a world often divided by ideology and inequality, China offers an alternative: a vision of globalization that is inclusive, balanced, and sustainable. Its rise has created opportunities for countless nations seeking development without dependence.

Toward 2049: The century of Chinese rejuvenation

Looking forward, China's "Two Centenary Goals" define its roadmap. The firstbuilding a moderately prosperous society in all aspectswas achieved in 2021. The second, to be realized by 2049, envisions a "great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful."

The year 2049 will not merely mark 100 years of the founding of People's Republic of Chinait will symbolize the fulfillment of the Chinese Dream. And the path toward it is already illuminated by the nation's enduring commitment to reform, innovation, and peaceful development.

As China celebrates its 76th National Day, it does so not in isolation but as a responsible global partner. Its achievements in defense, science, technology, infrastructure, and social development are matched by a commitment to peace, cooperation, and sustainability.

The story of modern China is the story of what humanity can achieve when guided by purpose and unity. From Mao Zedong's founding vision to Xi's global initiatives, the thread of continuity has been clear: the betterment of people's lives and the pursuit of shared progress for all humankind.

China's rise is not the end of an erait is the beginning of a new one: a century that will be defined not by confrontation but by collaboration, not by domination but by dialogue. As Xi has said on many occasions, the Chinese dream is about pursuing strength of the country, rejuvenation of the nation and happiness of the people.

About the author: Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founding chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance (GSRRA). He is a sinologist and former diplomat. He is also a researcher at the Global South Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Center and a non-resident fellow of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
This action targets a network moving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian LPG, along with nearly two dozen shadow fleet vessels, a China-based crude oil terminal, and an independent teapot refinery, which are key to Irans ability to export petroleum and petroleum products to generate significant revenue," the Treasury Department's statement read.

The Treasury Department is degrading Irans cash flow by dismantling key elements of Irans energy export machine," Scott Bessent, US Secretary of the Treasury, was quoted as saying in the statement.

The United States has imposed sanctions on more than 50 individuals, companies and vessels, including three Indian nationals, accused of facilitating Iran's energy exports, according to the US Department of Treasury.The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement on Thursday, Oct 9, that the move aims to disrupt what it described as "key elements" of Tehran's "energy export machine."The department targeted networks that have collectively helped Iran export billions of dollars worth of petroleum and related products. It said that these revenues have been used to "support terrorist groups that threaten the United States."According to the OFAC, Indian national Varun Pula owns the Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc, which operated the Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR.Since July 2024, PAMIR has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) to China. Bertha Shipping Inc and its vessel have been identified as blocked property under the new measures.The Treasury Department stated that Pula is designated for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bertha Shipping Inc.Another Indian national Soniya Shrestha, owns Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited, based in India. The company manages the Comoros-flagged vessel NEPTA which has been involved in transporting Iranian-origin LPG to Pakistan since January 2025, according to the department.OFAC has designated both Shrestha and Vega Star Ship Management for operating in the Iranian petroleum sector, blocking all assets linked to them within US jurisdiction.The sanctions list also includes Iyappan Raja, owner of Marshall Islands-based Evie Lines Inc, which operated the Panama-flagged SAPPHIRE GAS. The vessel has reportedly transported over a million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since April 2025.Like Pula and Shrestha, Raja has been designated under the Executive Order 13902 for his association with Evie Lines Inc.As per the OFAC, all "property and interests in property" of the designated individuals and companies within the US or in possession or control of US persons, are now blocked and must be reported to OFAC.Any entity owned directly or indirectly, 50% or more by one or more sanctioned persons is also subjected to be blocked, the Treasury department said.Also, all transactions involving these blocked entities are prohibited for US persons unless authorised by the OFAC.Violations of these sanctions could result in civil or criminal penalties. The department added that the ultimate goal of sanctions is "not to punish" but to "bring about a change in behaviour."
Alarmed by Russia's vast military spending since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the three Baltic states are drawing up contingency plans to deal with the possibility of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing a Russian troop buildup or attack.Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have long voiced fears to fellow NATO states about possible Russian aggression, citing Russian cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and incursions over the past few months by Russian fighter jets and drones.Russia says it has no plans to attack NATO. But the three countries, which were annexed by Moscow during World War Two, have doubled defence spending since the all-out attack on Ukraine that followed repeated Russian denials of any such plan."Threats could vary," said Renatas Pozela, who as head of Lithuania's firefighting service is involved in the contingency planning, which has been stepped up since the three countries agreed to cooperate on civil protection in May. Details of the numbers of potential evacuees officials are preparing for are being reported here for the first time."It's possible we will see a mighty army along the borders of the Baltics, with the apparent goal of taking all three countries in three days to a week," Pozela said.Sabotage of communications or transport links, a mass influx of migrants, civil unrest among Russian-speaking minorities or fake news sparking mass flight are other scenarios discussed in local media and beyond."We talk about this every month, every week - at work, everywhere," said Arminas Raudys, 31, a volunteer playing the role of an evacuee in an exercise in Lithuania this week.The role-play involved the evacuation of just a hundred people from the capital Vilnius, but officials interviewed by Reuters said contingency planning - still largely under wraps - was being made for much larger numbers.Half of those living within 40 km (25 miles) of the borders of Russia and Belarus  about 400,000 people - are among them, Pozela said.The western town of Kaunas has plans to house 300,000 people in schools, universities, Catholic churches and the arena where Robbie Williams and Roger Waters performed recently. Similar efforts are underway in other towns.Assembly points, including in Vilnius, have been selected, trains and buses designated and supplies such as toilet paper and hiking beds stockpiled in warehouses, an official at the firefighting service said.Those fleeing by car would be directed to secondary roads, to clear others for the incoming army, with a map already available showing the towns where they can seek refuge."It's a very reassuring message to our society that we are ready and we are planning," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters. "We have done our homework."None of the three Baltic countries have detailed plans to move anyone beyond their borders.Two paved roads and several forest paths connect them to Poland through the Suwalki Gap - a narrow wooded part of Poland between Russia and Belarus, and incoming military vehicles would be given priority over those trying to escape to Poland."We have to take account of the risk (of the Suwalki Gap)," said Ivar Mai, mass evacuation advisor to the Estonian Rescue Board, referring to the possibility Russian forces could seek to cut the Baltics off from their only border with a fellow-NATO state.Estonia is preparing plans to rehouse a tenth of its 1.4 million people in makeshift shelters, with many others seen as likely to move in with relatives, said Mai.Two thirds of the Russian-speaking town of Narva, population 50,000, are among those who could be expected to move, with the government assisting at least half of them. "It's only for those who don't have other places to go," he said.Latvia estimates that a third of its 1.9 million people might leave their homes, said Ivars Nakurts, the deputy head of Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service."You plan for everything," he said.
Dashing the hopes of US President Donald Trump, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelas main opposition leader, on Friday.

The Nobel Committee said Machado was chosen for her non-violent struggle to restore democracy in Venezuela, describing democracy as a precondition for lasting peace amid a global retreat of democratic values.



BREAKING NEWS

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to pic.twitter.com/Zgth8KNJk9

 The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

Machado, who won 92% of the 2023 opposition primary vote despite government pressure, was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election by President Nicolas Maduros government. She later backed opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, whose disputed victory sparked protests and allegations of electoral fraud.

Responding to questions on Trumps nomination, the Nobel Committee said: In the long history, this committee has seen many requests, letters, etc. This committee sits in a room of portraits of all laureates & that is filled with courage & integrity. We base our decision only on the work & the will of Alfred Nobel.
India joined the Taliban, Pakistan, China and Russia in rejecting United States President Donald Trump's demand to retake control of Afghanistan's Bagram airbase in a surprising move earlier this week.The stance emerged during the seventh meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held in Russia's capital on Oct 7. It was attended by representatives from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyztan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbeskistan, with Belarus participating as a guest.While not naming Bagram explicitly, the nations united on the issue and released a joint statement which said, "They (the participants) called unacceptable the attempts by countries to deploy their military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring states, since this does not serve the interests of regional peace and stability."The remark was widely seen as aimed at Trump's renewed push to reclaim the base.Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the forum as a full member for the first time and represented the Taliban government.He is also on a visit to India from Oct 9 to 16, marking the first official trip by a Taliban minister to India since the group's return to power in 2021.Trump has consistently argued that the US should regain control of the Bagram air base, nearly five years after signing a 2020 agreement that led to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.During a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 18, Trump said, "We gave it to (the Taliban) for nothing. We want that base back."Days later, he warned on his Truth Social platform, saying, "If Afghanistan doesnt give Bagram air base back to those that built it, the United States of America, bad things are going to happen!"However, the Taliban has firmly dismissed the request."Afghans will never allow their land to be handed over to anyone under any circumstances," chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.Located around 50 kilometres north of Kabul, Bagram is Afghanistan's largest and most strategically significant military base.It hosts two runways measuring 3 km and 3.6 km, making it one of the few sites in the country capable of accommodating large aircraft.Its position and infrastructure reportedly made it a central operational hub during the US-led "war on terror" after 2001.The Moscow Format participants reaffirmed support for an "independent, united and peaceful" Afghanistan and called for enhanced "counter-terrorism cooperation".The statement also emphasised economic engagement and regional connectivity, reflecting India's continued interest in projects such as Iran's Chabahar port for accessing Afghanistan.
Amir Khan

Muttaqi,

Muttaqi is scheduled to hold separate talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser (NSA)

Ajit

Doval.

Kabul was rocked by two powerful explosions and subsequent automatic gunfire, with multiple witnesses reporting the sound of a fighter jet over the citys airspace, according to a News18 report.Top intelligence sources suggest the incident was a targeted aerial strike aimed at Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud, operating from a TTP and al-Qaeda safehouse in eastern Kabul.However, the timing of the attack, just when the foreign minister of Afghanistan,is on an eight-day visit to India starting Oct 9, is conspicuous.The blast struck before 10 pm local time in the area of Abdul Haq Square. Security forces have sealed off the site.The Taliban government's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said there were no reports of injuries or damage.An explosion was heard in Kabul city," he posted on X."But don't worry, it's all good and well. The accident is under investigation, and no injuries have been reported yet. So far there is no report of any harm done."Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed concerns over the strike"Today's Pakistani strikes against Afghanistan's capital are a huge escalation and pose dangerous risks. In recent days, Taliban operatives have been active in Pakistan attacking ISIS and killing a number of its leaders. The Pakistanis have been recklessly backing ISIS operatives against Afghanistan and their own Baluch nationalist insurgency. The Afghans, in turn, have been permissive towards the TTP, the Pakistani Taliban. Military escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not the answer. It is unlikely to work and will increase death and destruction in both countries. There is an alternative with better prospects: negotiations between Kabul and Islamabad to deal with the terrorist sanctuaries on both sides of the Durand line," he posted on X.
Afghanistan witnessed two powerful explosions on Thursday, 9 October  one in Kabul and another in the eastern province of Paktika  amid escalating tensions with Pakistan.The Taliban initially downplayed the incident, with government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stating that there were no reports of damage.The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul. However, no one should worry; all is well. The investigation of the incident is underway, and no report of any damage has been given so far, Mujahid wrote on X (formerly Twitter).However, on October 10, Afghanistans Ministry of Defence attributed the blasts to Pakistan, without providing further details.According to the Pakistani army, at least 30 Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members were killed in the attack.The attacks targeted the TTP, which is a Pakistan-based militant group responsible for numerous assaults on Pakistani security forces.According to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), the TTP has carried out over 600 attacks against Pakistani forces in the past year alone, with activity in 2025 already surpassing that of 2024, reported Al Jazeera.The group is accused of operating from Afghan territory, including safehouses in Kabul and eastern provinces.The main target of the airstrike was reported to be TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, who assumed leadership in 2018.While Pakistani media initially suggested he had been killed, Mehsud later confirmed via a voice message that he is safe and is in Pakistan.However, his son was killed in the attack, as per News18.The strikes also came soon after Pakistan's defence minister, Khwaja Asif, issued a stern warning, stating, "Enough is enough. Despite years of negotiations with the Afghan government, the bloodshed in Pakistan has not stopped. Daily funerals of military personnel are being held. We are paying the price of 60 years of hospitality to 6 million Afghan refugees with our blood," on X, as per India Today."The time has come for Afghan guests to return to their homes and end this cycle of terror and murder," he added.Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring the TTP fighters, allowing them to launch attacks on Pakistani soil.Islamabad has carried out cross-border strikes, including air raids, in retaliation against TTP attacks, which recently killed 11 Pakistani soldiers during an ambush near the Afghan border.However, such strikes risk escalating violence and further complicating counter-terrorism cooperation. And targeting the TTP leadership could provoke more aggressive attacks inside Pakistan.The blasts coincided with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's first visit to India since the Taliban returned to power, during which he held a meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar.Pakistan may be perceiving the growing India-Afghanistan engagement as a strategic challenge, particularly as New Delhi has been providing humanitarian assistance and enhancing official ties with Kabul.Both ministers announced the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with India upgrading its technical mission to an Embassy in Kabul. Muttaqi also said that Afghan diplomats will soon arrive in New Delhi.Jaishankar and Muttaqi also agreed to enhance people-to-people exchange and education ties, while also agreeing to counter cross-border terrorism, with Muttaqi promising that Afghan soil will not be used against any other country.With India and Afghanistan looking to warm bilateral relations, Pakistan's actions could also see an unseen cooperation between the two countries. Also, since Afghanistan's relations have been good with China, a staunch Pak ally, a new rearrangement of the geopolitical situation could also be witnessed in the South Asian region.
This NOAA satellite image taken at 2:09 p.m. EST on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, shows Tropical Storm Priscilla off the western coast of Mexico in the eastern Pacific Ocean. (AP photo)

A region more accustomed to baking heat than soggy weather is about to get soaked, raising the risk of flash floods that can surprise  and kill  in minutes.Downgraded from a powerful hurricane, Tropical Storm Priscilla has lost its punch in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the coast of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. But the storm still carries plenty of moisture and is now bearing down on the southwestern U.S., where flood warnings already were posted Thursday.Forecasters expected rain bands from Priscilla's remnants to saturate areas of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado through this weekend, bringing as much moisture in hours as some of those places might get all year.Recent deadly flooding in Texas and New Mexico speaks to what can go badly with rain like that."We don't want to see people caught up in the hazards we are going to be seeing," said meteorologist Robert Rickey with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, Arizona.Northern Arizona is most at risk, with 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 centimetres) of rain likely in and around Flagstaff, the national park gateway city south of the Grand Canyon.Some areas could get even more, said Rickey, but where exactly that will happen is impossible to predict very long in advance.High-elevation Flagstaff gets ample rain, upward of 2 feet (60 centimetres) a year, though not often in such big doses. Southwestern and northeastern Arizona see far less, in some places as little as 5 inches (13 centimetres) or less a year; Phoenix gets just 7 or 8 inches (18 to 20 centimetres) a year.In such deserts, downpours on paved, urban landscapes with minimal drainage infrastructure and in backcountry areas mazed with canyons can become deadly fast.Worried folks headed outdoors have been calling the National Weather Service asking if they should cancel. The agency has been kept open during the government shutdown."I had to have that kind of frank conversation with them," Rickey said. "Is the risk worth the reward?"After heat, flooding is the deadliest weather phenomenon in the U.S., killing 145 people in 2024. Many victims were in their cars, braving high water that can be deceptively dangerous.In Arizona, a "stupid motorist law" allows drivers to be billed up to $2,000 if they drive around a barricade or warning sign into a flooded area and have to be rescued.By encouraging smarter driving, the law attempts to reduce the state's dozens of such rescues every year. Some, though, worry the law discourages people from seeking help right away, putting them in worse danger. The law isn't consistently enforced.The Southwest's desert canyons and arroyos are notorious for flash flooding risk. Even a storm miles (kilometres) upstream can turn a dry wash into a raging torrent, churning debris downstream and blocking the way out for hikers and cars.That is what happened in southern Utah a couple weeks ago, when a desert canyon flood trapped at least 10 people, all of whom were eventually accounted for by officials.Mountains can also channel deadly flooding. In June, three people, including children ages 7 and 4, were killed in a flash flood at a riverside RV park.Forested areas can become worse for flash flooding if they have recently burned clear of vegetation that can hold back water and allow it to soak into the ground. This weekend, that includes the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which burned in a massive wildfire last summer.The National Weather Service had posted a flash flood watch for most of Arizona, as well as southern Utah and smaller portions of California, Nevada and Colorado.Strong storms already were moving north across Arizona and southern Utah, bringing up to an inch (2.5 centimetres) of rain in places. Scattered flash flood warnings were posted along the state line, including for Lake Powell and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.Much of the Southwest's rain comes during the summer monsoon season of scattered storms from mid-June through September. Rain from autumn tropical systems like this one might happen once a year, said Rickey, the meteorologist.In Flagstaff, heavy equipment was being positioned across the city, and staff were monitoring low water crossings and areas where wildfires have burned for potential flooding.Self-serve sandbags were available to residents at a city park, and water was being released from a pond to make more room for runoff.The Havasupai Tribe, whose reservation is deep in a gorge off the Grand Canyon and is prone to flooding, advised tourists in a social media post not to hike to certain areas if it is raining or flooding, and to seek higher ground if they see water rushing through the area.The reservation is one of the most remote in the continental U.S. and is accessible only by mule or foot. Tourists worldwide visit for the blue-green waterfalls and creekside campground.Mike Rock with Junipine Resort in Sedona, which sits along Oak Creek, said staff were monitoring road and weather conditions, and letting guests know to take precautions.Picnic tables closer to the creek will be moved if the water rises. If flooding or rock falls shut down nearby roads, staff can stay at the resort, as is typical with bad weather, he said."All signs are indicating we're going to get pretty hard," he said.
The US Department of War has dismissed reports that said Pakistan will receive AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from the world's biggest military power."The Administration would like to emphasize that contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Pakistan," a statement from Washington D.C issued on Oct 10 said.The reports of the deal triggered speculation about a deeper military engagement between the US and Pakistan as a result of the recent meetings between Trump and Asim Munir, the chief of the Pakistan army, who has also earned a reputation for his hostility towards India.However, the US has clarified that the latest defence deal is part of existing contracts. "The sustainment does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistans current capabilities," the statement added.The denial comes a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called US President Donald Trump to congratulated the latter for the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan for Gaza, which has now been approved by Israel.Meanwhile, Munir's army has launched airstrikes on Kabul (the capital city of Afghanistan) just as the country's foreign minister started on a historic visit to India, according to a News18 report.Kabul was rocked by two powerful explosions and subsequent automatic gunfire, with multiple witnesses reporting the sound of a fighter jet over the citys airspace.Top intelligence sources suggest the incident was a targeted aerial strike aimed at Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud, operating from a TTP and al-Qaeda safehouse in eastern Kabul.Just 48 hours earlier, Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif publicly accused Afghanistan of harbouring terrorists.What are AMRAAM missiles and why they matter?AMRAAM is one of the most-advance air-to-air missiles, procured by over 40 countries including the US, according to its maker Raytheon."The AMRAAM missile has been integrated onto the F-15A/B/C/D/E Eagle/Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-22 Raptor, Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS-39 Gripen, Tornado and Harrier. It is also the baseline weapon on the NASAMS system. The newest version of AMRAAM is operational on all F-35 Joint Strike Fighter variants. It is the only radar-guided, air-to-air missile cleared to fly on the F-35," the company website said.This is a developing story. The article will be updated with more details.
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The UK government has announced plans to appoint a digital markets champion as part of its drive to modernize the way financial transactions are conducted by adopting blockchain-based shared ledgers.

News of the new role was announced by Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby, in a speech on Wednesday at the Digital Assets Week conference in London.

Its not yet clear who might be in line for the job, but the individual will need to be an industry figure with enough knowledge and connections to get competing agencies  the Bank of England, the UK Treasury, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)  to agree to a common framework.
Tom Petty was one of the unlikeliest stars of the MTV era. Neither a new wave pretty boy nor a lingerie-clad pop seductress, Petty still found himself racking up the spaceman statues at the MTV Video Music Awards throughout the channels first decade. The exposure was great for Petty, with videos for songs like 1987s Jammin Me sending him to #1 on Billboards Rock Music charts.

Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell wrote the music for Jammin Me, according to Far Out, but Petty didnt do anything with the tune for a while. Then, while fiddling around with future Traveling Wilburys bandmate Bob Dylan, the two came up with lyrics for the song.

Jammin Me was a 1980s reaction to media overload, penned by two guys who had no idea how bad things were going to get. Still, they reacted to the cable news of the day  these Mac computers are everywhere!  with lyrics like:

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Take back your Iranian torture

And the apple in young Steves eye

Yeah, take back your losing streak

Check your front wheel drive

Steve Jobs apparently didnt mind being name-checked in the song, but not everyone was so thick-skinned. The song took aim at other names in the news, while Petty grabbed handfuls of static from an animated television:

Take back Vanessa Redgrave

Take back Joe Piscopo

Take back Eddie Murphy

Give em all some place to go

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The targets were pretty lame  Songfacts points out that neither Redgrave nor Piscopo was a big star in 1987. Piscopo hadnt been on Saturday Night Live for three seasons, and Redgrave was mostly making weepy movies-of-the-week for TV. Murphy, on the other hand, was white-hot, kicking out #1 movies like Beverly Hills Cop 2 and recording pop hits like Party All The Time.

Take back Eddie Murphy? Hell no! When an interviewer asked the comedy star about his reaction to Jammin Me, the response was succinct: Fuck Tom Petty.

Fuck Tom Petty? Hell no! When asked about the lyrics, Petty pointed a finger in another direction. That was all Bob, Petty protested in his book Conversations with Tom Petty. The verse about Eddie Murphy I remember seeing Eddie Murphy on TV really pissed off about it. I had nothing against Eddie Murphy or Vanessa Redgrave. What Dylan was talking about was media overload and being slammed with so many things at once. And times were changing; there werent four television channels anymore.

As for Piscopo? Theres no record of a public reaction, but heres guessing the Johnny Dangerously star was thrilled to be included.
Along with Christopher Lloyd, the DeLorean and a whole lot of creepy oedipal overtones, the big star of Back to the Future was Michael J. Fox.

But famously, the role of Marty McFly was first given to Eric Stoltz. In one of the most notorious movie recastings of all-time, Stoltz was fired weeks into filming and replaced with Fox, the filmmakers original first choice for the part.

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As the story goes, Stoltz wasnt the right comedic fit for the movie, having taken a more serious, method approach to the role. Thomas F. Wilson, who played Biff the school bully/sex criminal, recalled Stoltz telling everyone, Call me Marty, on set, except for Lea, whos playing my mom who Im trying to make out with, off-camera, Wilson added. And Stoltzs method acting inspired him to shove Biff so hard that he bruised Wilsons collarbone during the cafeteria fight scene.

After taking his part in what has become one of the most beloved movies of all-time, Fox understandably didnt hang out with Stoltz much after that. But apparently the two just connected for the first time since the BTTF drama went down.

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Fox is releasing a book about the making of Back to the Future called Future Boy, featuring new interviews with the cast and the crew. Fox also reached out to Stoltz, who turned down the interview request. The actor rarely talks about the incident, although he did reveal that it was devestating during a 1993 interview with Bob Costas.

But Stoltz did agree to meet with Fox. Im a big fan of his. Hes really great. And particularly Im a big Tarantino fan  Pulp Fiction was amazing, Fox told People. Fox said that their meeting at his New York City office was great. It was a great conversation. It was just two guys talking, which is what I thought it would be.

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Theres all this mythology built up about this thing that happened. Was it backstabbing? Was there people conniving and being evil? No, it just was the thing that happened, Fox reasoned. We had different experiences with the same situation, and you absorb it and you move on.

During a recent convention appearance, Fox called Stoltz a wonderful actor who since has become a friend of mine, adding, Ive learned a lot about acceptance and perseverance from him. Hes a great guy, Eric Stoltz.

The two actors also realized that they had actually met each other before Back to the Future. During our early struggles to find a foothold in the movie business, we had both auditioned for Franc Roddams intensely dramatic, intensely dark, intensely intense movie The Lords of Discipline, about a military academy in the South, Fox explains in his book. The casting director asked us to read a scene together, and Eric took the intense note to heart, forcefully grabbing my shirt and nearly tearing it in half. Neither of us got the part.

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In retrospect, maybe Fox should be thankful that Stolz left his collarbone untouched.
You think Fred Mertz was cranky on I Love Lucy? The character had nothing on William Frawley, the actor who played Mertz on the iconic sitcom.

The actor was such a curmudgeon, coupled with a reputation as a prodigious drinker, that Frawley was having trouble landing roles before I Love Lucy came calling, according to the biography Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television. John Stevens, who worked with Frawley on My Three Sons, marveled at his ability to down three gin fizzes over breakfast, a couple of Bloody Marys before lunch, then pre-dinner martinis. Ive never in my life  and Ive seen a lot of drinkers  known anyone who could drink as much as he could in a day, Stevens said.

Arnaz agreed to hire Frawley under a very generous set of terms. If Arnaz had to work around the incapacitated actor once, hed let it go. Twice would earn Frawley a warning. Three drunken episodes that left him unable to work? Frawley was out. Okay, Cuban, we have a deal, Frawley replied.

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Frawleys drinking didnt get in the way of I Love Lucy production, but he still brought his grumpy attitude to work. He constantly fought with his on-screen wife, Vivian Vance, who didnt appreciate being paired with such an old frump. This put a certain amount of real feeling into their stage quarrels, wrote Lucille Ball in her memoir, Love, Lucy.

I loathed William Frawley, and the feeling was mutual, Vance later remembered. Whenever I received a new script, I raced through it, praying that there wouldnt be a scene where we had to be in bed together.

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As for Vance? She was one of the finest girls to come out of Kansas, Frawley once remarked. But I often wish shed go back there.

When Frawley wasnt bickering with Vance, he was complaining about the indignities he suffered throughout the shows run. One day Lucille was supposed to toss a pie at me for some silly reason, Frawley told the Modesto Bee, as reported by MeTV. Seven or eight pies were available, but Lucy wanted an extra one for rehearsal, to get her eye back. She got her eye back, alright, and splat, I got it right in the puss.

A faceful of whipped cream wasnt even the half of it. If I didnt have pie on my face, I had a helmet on, or chickens were getting in my way on the stage floor, he complained.

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Thats why he said he preferred his role as Uncle Bub on the 1960s sitcom My Three Sons, which never subjected him to pies in the face.

The only thing I have to worry about is tripping over that silly dog, he said. Thank goodness, we have a little dignity on this series.
While a lot of streaming documentaries these days seem to be about serial killers and feces-filled cruise ships, this weekend sees the release of a new doc about the beloved star of Uncle Buck, Spaceballs and Planes, Trains and Automobiles: John Candy: I Like Me.

While the movie, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, features new interviews with Candys family, and stars like Mel Brooks, Steve Martin and Catherine OHara, one of the best Candy anecdotes of all-time isnt in the movie. Instead, its in the biography Searching for Candy by Tracey J. Morgan.

In the book, writer Chris Cluess recounted a legendary writing session he spent with Candy, aka Johnny Toronto the day before he was to fly from Toronto to Edmonton to shoot SCTV. But Candy, who was staying at the Four Seasons, had no material beyond a loose idea for a sketch called FBI Jockey.

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I thought it was a terrible idea, Cluess noted. But you loved him so much you just wanted to encourage him. It wasnt long before the hotel bar cart arrived and Candy, Cluess and another writer got loaded, despite the fact that it was only 4:30 in the afternoon. John thought this would be good to break the creative ice, Cluess explained.

Before long they were all having martinis with dinner at a very Canadian steak house and FBI Jockey became way less funny than using the word fuck in every possible way in the English language. The server had to ask them to keep their questionable language down, as there was a family dining nearby. Candy felt terrible and went over to the familys table and apologized to the dad. Then he rejoined his friends and yelled Fuck him! as a joke. Then he felt bad again and ended up paying for the familys meal.

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Instead of working on FBI Jockey, Candy suggested that they all visit a bar, which turned out to be a nasty and seemingly dangerous strip club. As one dancer was finishing, Candy, who was considered Canadian royalty at the time, randomly hopped on the stage. After asking the woman for her name, he announced, Hi everybody, put your hands together for Helen! Yeah, Helen was great! The star-struck crowd began throwing money on the stage, and Candy was there helping her pick it up.

Next minute people have got their arms around each other, they are not strangling each other, they are laughing and John buys a beer for everyone in the place, Cluess recalled. The three stooges who are standing by the bar cant believe what they are seeing.

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After leaving the sketchy dive transformed, Candy and the two writers drunkenly made their way back to the hotel in order to finally hammer out FBI Jockey. But along the way, they encountered two bikers being frisked by the police. Excuse me officers, what did these fellas do? Candy inquired.

Oh my god, its John Candy! one of the bikers exclaimed. When the officer informed the comedy star that they were guilty of a noise violation, Candy responded, Aw come on, let them go. And the cops actually listened to him! As the bikers rode off, one of them threw Candy a bag of weed and shouted, Thanks, Johnny!

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I got home at five oclock in the morning. It was one of the greatest moments of my life, Cluess said. Everything was so funny  except for FBI Jockey.

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Incidentally, FBI Jockey did eventually make it onto SCTV.

But the sketch wasnt nearly as enjoyable as the anecdote about the time Candy avoided writing it.
In 2018, the kidnapping, torture and murder of Washington Post journalist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans paid assassins shocked the free world and all believers in the free press, democracy and human dignity  a group that once included Bill Burr.

When Burr agreed to headline the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which started September 26th and concluded yesterday evening, he clearly underestimated how much the rest of the American comedy community would disapprove of their colleagues playing a Saudi state-funded festival that was organized by the guy who has so many political prisoners that theres a wing named after him in the Riyadh jail. Ever since Burr returned to the United States, he has been angrily defending his participation in the Saudi Royal Familys official comedy festival, and he continues to argue that his decision to take a check from the same Crown Prince who ordered the murder of Khashoggi was actually a big win for freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia, where, he reports, they even have a McDonald's.

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For all his many attacks on his critics, Burr has been cagey about actually acknowledging who organized the festival (Turki Al-Sheikh) and who paid his performance fee (MBS). Perhaps thats because Burr is ashamed of how, shortly after Khashoggi's murder, he went on the Jim & Sam Show with fellow future Riyadh comic Mark Normand and expressed his disgust about the brutal crime commissioned by his recent patrons.

Just two weeks after Saudi operatives loyal to the Crown Prince tortured and murdered Khashoggi, Burr expressed his moral outrage at the brutality of the killing on the record. How could you fucking do that to another human being? Burr asked when host Jim Norton pointed out that audio tapes of Khashoggis killing captured the moment the murderers cut off his fingers. Listen to them scream in agony and then you continue?

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Human beings, we deserve whatever the end of this is. Were just awful, Burr lamented of the brutality of Khashoggis killers, whom he joined on the Saudi payroll late last month. However, even then, Burr realized that his outrage wouldnt lead to any kind of positive action.

Now what am I gonna do, as a person, to continue  to make sure that doesnt happen? Burr asked rhetorically. Am I going to get involved? Or am I gonna go buy a New York Post and get a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich?

At the time, Burr didnt realize that there was a third option that he would gladly take: perform a show for the people who ordered the horrific murder and accept enough blood money to buy every bacon, egg and cheese sandwich in New York.

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In a Reddit thread about Burrs past comments on the Khashoggi killing, Burrs fans mocked him for forgetting that the Saudi Royal Family once made him so disgusted with humanity that he looked forward to our extinction. 330 beheadings in 2024, one commenter wrote of the well-documented increase of Saudi executions in the last few years, often of journalists and dissidents just like Khashoggi.

Indeed, Bill. How could you do that? Stand on that stage built by slaves and tell jokes to drown out Jamal Khashoggis screams to the world, another fan asked.

However, Burrs defenders pointed out that Burr simply didnt have enough information about Saudi Arabia to make better choices in the past. Said one apologist, To be fair, he didnt know Saudi Arabia had a Chilis when he made those comments.
Modified: Friday, 10 October 2025 09:38 BST

David Woodsmith

STORY LINK British Pound to Euro Forecast: French Relief Supports EUR, Weighs on GBP

GBP/EUR Forecasts: All Eyes on France

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The Pound to Euro exchange rate (GBP/EUR) hit three-week highs just above 1.1550 on Wednesday but failed to sustain momentum, sliding back toward 1.1500 on Thursday as Euro sentiment improved and UK fiscal nerves resurfaced.Foreign exchange forecasters warn that a break below 1.15 could open the door to deeper losses ahead of the November budget.The latest French political developments offered modest Euro support while the Pound turned defensive across global markets.UK fiscal concerns remain close to the surface and are expected to dominate trading in the lead-up to the late-November budget, with Parliament due to return next week.The FTSE 100 index also edged lower, dragged by weakness in bank shares.Outgoing French Prime Minister Lecornu said on Wednesday that appetite for fresh elections had faded and that all parties recognised the need to pass the budget. He added that President Macron would appoint a new Prime Minister by weeks end.Betting markets, which earlier priced a 70% chance of snap elections, have now cut that probability to below 40%.Danske Bank noted; Outgoing PM Lecornu said progress had been made on budget discussions with the different parliamentary groups.French bonds rallied in response, narrowing the spread over German Bunds.ING commented; After spiking to the high-80s on Monday, the French:German OAT:Bund spread is drifting back to the low-80s. This news may be enough to buy the euro a reprieve until Friday evening at least.Still, political uncertainty lingers.MUFG warned; The incoming prime minister will face a challenging task of navigating a deeply fragmented parliament and forming a functional cabinet. While Macron has avoided calling a snap election for now, the political gridlock likely remains.Danske Bank added; Opposition leaders, however, remain defiant, calling for elections or Macron's resignation.In the UK, SocGen expects further volatility in gilts this month, with upcoming labour-market and GDP data key for sentiment.According to the bank; The balance of risks remains tilted toward Sterling weakness unless the November budget delivers credible fiscal and growth measures to reassure markets.Meanwhile, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) reported that UK business confidence fell to a three-year low as tax fears bite.The index dropped to 7.3 for the third quarter from 4.2 previously  its fifth straight decline.The ICAEW said; This drop in confidence was likely driven by record high tax concerns squeezing profits growth, recruitment and investment activity.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

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There is still plenty that can go wrong. The remaining hostages have still not been returned. The Israelis have only just begun to withdraw from parts of Gaza.

It is still not clear that Hamas have understood that they really will have to disarm. It is not clear that Netanyahus government has understood that discussions will also have to begin about the legitimate desire of Palestinian people to run their own lives. There are tough days ahead.

But those difficulties were inevitable, and they should not blind us to the immensity of what has been achieved.

For two years the war between Israel and Hamas has been like a raging tooth in the skull of the world, sometimes subsiding only to flare up again, driving us all half-crazy.

We have felt the rage and grief at the October 7 massacre, disgust and loathing for the sadism of Hamas, horror at the seemingly unending suffering of the Palestinians and all the time an aching desire for the hostages to be sent home.

We should not underestimate the joy of this moment, the relief it brings to families in Israel, the relief in Gaza. At last, we can see a way ahead.

We are on the path to peace. It is a wonderful feeling, and whether you like it or not the credit belongs very largely to Donald Trump.

The President of the US used the power of his office and the force of his personality to get this thing done, writes Boris Johnson

It was the President of the US who used the power of his office and the force of his personality to get this thing done. He did it by applying maximum pressure to both sides. He put the squeeze on a sceptical Bibi Netanyahu, who has legitimate doubts about the intentions of Hamas, and who will now struggle to keep his government together.

Some of his ministers not only reject this deal, they want Israel to annex Gaza. They abominate the very idea of a Palestinian state. Does anyone seriously believe that left to his own devices Netanyahu would have reached this agreement with Hamas? No, of course not. This deal required Trump.

Unlike some of his predecessors, Trump has built up huge credit and trust in Israel. He had moved the US embassy to Jerusalem. He had stunned the world by joining Israels successful bombing of Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities.

And in every conversation between Trump and Netanyahu there has also lurked the reality that Israels defences ultimately rely on American money. Since both sides knew that support was not unconditional, Trump was in a unique position to get a deal.

When the time came, he put the hard word on Netanyahu, and Netanyahu was able to agree because Hamas has unquestionably moved.

Does anyone seriously believe that Hamas would have done this deal if left to their own devices? They must give up their only leverage over Israel: the hostages. They will have no say in the running of Gaza.

This deal is right for Hamas, but for many it will feel like defeat.

They have been persuaded partly by the incentives  of an end to the bombing, an amnesty for their crimes and investment. But the reason Hamas finally came to the table was the credible threat  from Trump  that if they missed this opportunity they would be simply wiped out. They have looked at what happened to Hezbollah, and Iran, and they have concluded that Trump meant what he said; that he would back Israel to the end, and that they would be ground to dust.

Trump has made peace through strength. He has ruthlessly exerted American pressure. The world now needs him to do it again.

There is a war that for the last three and a half years has dwarfed Gaza for death and suffering, and that is the war in Ukraine.

Trump can end this war as he is bringing peace to Gaza, by the decisive application of American pressure  pressure on Putin, and pressure on Americas allies to match what Trump is doing.

We have seen how he put pressure on the Ukrainians. It worked. He has an excellent minerals deal and relations between Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the White House are better than ever.

We have seen him put pressure on the Europeans. It worked. Virtually all other Nato countries are substantially boosting spending on defence.

We have not so far seen comparable pressure on Russia. Trump has red-carpeted Putin in Alaska, shown him every possible courtesy. He has received nothing in return but contempt.

Putin has stuck two fingers up to America, Nato and the West. He has made it clear that he will keep killing innocent Ukrainians until he believes that Nato  above all the White House  is serious about stopping the war, and serious about a free, sovereign and independent Ukraine.

I know that Trump cares about both, about stopping Putins attacks and preserving a free Ukraine. He knows that he cannot hope to emulate Ronald Reagan  the victor of the Cold War  if he allows the West to be beaten in Ukraine. Now is the time for all of us  UK, Europe, Nato  to help him put pressure on Putin.

Lets immediately unfreeze that $250 billion of Russian assets and give it to Ukraine as a downpayment on Putins reparations. It is disgraceful that cash is still largely in a Brussels bank account.

Lets give the Ukrainians the kit they need to take out the bases from which Putin is launching his evil raids, not just Tomahawks but the 1,000 German Taurus missiles that have still not been sent; and lets give the Ukrainians permission to use the long-range weapons they already have.

Lets crack down on Putins fleet of sanctions-busting oil tankers, and if one of them should find its way to Davy Joness locker, that will be no bad thing.

Mr Trump receives a note from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying peace is 'very close'

Lets back Trump by financially penalising the countries that are still buying Russian oil and gas and enabling Putins slaughter.

As for the Coalition of the Willing, the Western boots on the ground in Ukraine, lets have that now. Under no circumstances will these troops be deployed in warfighting. They are there to provide support away from the front, in logistics and training.

Since most of Ukraine is safe, there is no reason why they could not go now, if only to make this crucial point to Moscow: that it is up to Ukrainians to decide which foreign forces visit their country  and not up to Putin.

This war is fundamentally about the destiny and freedom of Ukraine; and we can show Putin now that Ukraine must always be free to choose that destiny. That is why we should deploy now, without waiting for Putin to agree, or the Coalition of the Willing will be the Coalition of the Waiting.

We have the prospect of peace in Gaza because Trump finally applied the crucial pressure. Both sides realised that Americas patience was at an end and compromise was the best option.

Both sides realised that if they failed to do a deal, they risked a worse outcome.

The killing in Ukraine has gone on long enough. It is time for Putin to feel the weight of pressure that Trump can apply.

It goes without saying that when he does  and I believe he will  that Nobel prize will be nailed on.
Meghan Markle's delusions of grandeur and greatness are turning to dust.

Is there any more striking a comparison than the Nobel committee snubbing President Donald Trump, despite brokering peace between Israel and Hamas, while Meghan and Harry alighted in New York City to collect a humanitarian award  for promoting mental health?

Because who embodies good mental health better than these two dimwits?

Meghan used her acceptance speech to crusade for children, especially her own, now forced to grow up in an increasingly toxic world.

It's her purpose, she'd have us believe.

Yet last Saturday, Meghan turned up, unannounced, at Paris Fashion week for the Balenciaga show Balenciaga, a brand that faced a firestorm in recent years for advertisements that appeared to promote child pornography.

Logic, follow-through, and integrity of thought and action have never been Meghan's strong suits.

Remember: Meghan and Harry sat with CBS Sunday Morning last year to talk about their new initiative, the Parents Network, meant to combat the online bullying of children and teens  working with parents whose children committed suicide.

Though, in August she hosted Chrissy Teigen, who repeatedly bullied, online and publicly, a young starlet to take a 'dirt nap', on her failed Netflix show, 'With Love, Meghan.'

Is there any more striking a comparison than the Nobel committee snubbing President Donald Trump, despite brokering peace between Israel and Hamas, while Meghan and Harry alighted in New York City to collect a humanitarian award (pictured) for promoting mental health?

Meghan turned up, unannounced, at Paris Fashion week for the Balenciaga show Balenciaga, a brand that faced a firestorm in recent years for advertisements that appeared to promote child pornography

And recall, Meghan claimed that she herself was subject to painful online harassment while pregnant  both times.

'The bulk of the bullying and the abuse that I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and Lil'  really, who else would she be pregnant with?  'and with a newborn with each of them,' she told Katie Couric in 2024.

'It's not catty, it's cruel,' she complained. 'Why would you do that?'

Physician: heal thyself.

So here Meghan was in Paris  the city in which her husband's mother, Princess Diana, lost her life  filming herself, feet up in her chauffeured SUV, driving past the tunnel where Diana was killed.

Truly: How 'humanitarian' was that?

It's logical to conclude that Meghan  by her own self-report, a perfectionist obsessed with details  knew how painful that would be not just to Prince William but to her own husband.

Then at Balenciaga, after doing a paparazzi walk from her hotel to her waiting SUV, Meghan was caught laughing at a model who tripped on the runway ('it's not catty, it's cruel'), then looking to her friend, Soho House Global membership Director Markus Anderson, to join her in mockery.

Anderson refused to make eye contact with Markle, instead silently shaking his head and appearing to say 'no'  in effect, telling her, 'We don't do that here.'

Markle's expression immediately darkened. Her jaw set itself tightly, as if in anger, and humiliated, she simply faced forward, as if she were a remonstrated child.

After the show, she attempted a fashion-world double-air kiss with the house's new creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli  and what was meant to be an apex of chicness turned comical as the two bumped heads, awkwardly and repeatedly.

Finally, Meghan attempted to approach actress and Dame Kristen Scott Thomas, who was already in conversation. Meghan just stood there, staring at Thomas, then put her hand over her heart as if to say, 'I'm right here, just dying to meet you, please acknowledge me.'

So here Meghan was in Paris - the city in which her husband's mother, Princess Diana, lost her life - filming herself, feet up in her chauffeured SUV, driving past the tunnel where Diana was killed (pictured)

At Balenciaga Meghan was caught laughing at a model who tripped on the runway (pictured, left) Markle's friend refused to make eye contact with Markle, silently shaking his head and appearing to say 'no'  in effect, telling her, 'We don't do that here.' (right)

Thomas did nothing of the sort, instead leaving Meghan's face to fall in utter rejection.

Dame Kristen Scott Thomas for next year's Nobel peace Prize!

And what's also gone unsaid is that Meghan was in Paris on her own, sans her loving husband or royal protection.

Harry has sued in the UK multiple times, claiming that the threats to him and his family are so severe that they couldn't possibly all come back to the UK without taxpayer-funded royal security.

But Meghan's okay in Paris?

Harry alleged, in a bombshell interview with the BBC in May following yet another court rejecting his petition for royal security, that 'I've discovered that some people do want history to repeat itself, which is pretty dark,' followed by yet another explicit and dark allegation against the royal family.

'I thought,' he said, 'that with all of the chaos that's happening, the one thing that I could rely on is my family keeping me safe. And not only did they decide to remove my security, but they also signaled to every single government around the world not to protect us.'

Every single government around the world!

So of course Meghan felt safe enough to go to Paris, scene of the literal crime. And of course Harry and Meghan felt safe enough to travel back to New York City  where, recall, they claimed to have been the victims of a high-speed paparazzi chase that was later debunked by their own taxi driver  to collect yet another meaningless award for their cheap lip service.

As they walked the New York step-and-repeat, Meghan paused as Harry appeared to glower and appeared to whisper 'come on now.'

As they walked the New York step-and-repeat, Meghan paused as Harry appeared to glower and appeared to whisper 'come on now'

Moments after that, Meghan looked up at Harry, giving him her patented adoring gaze, all but pleading with him to look at her.

And he, it seems to me, refused. He stood there with a face like thunder, communicating to us all that he is none-too-pleased with Meghan and her stunt in Paris  pulled, no less, just weeks after Harry held a peace summit with King Charles.

Meghan lost any public sympathy long ago. But when she appears to lose the public support of her husband  well, things behind closed doors may be very dark, indeed.

Watch this space.
When Avery Wagner agreed to be a part of a simple skit video during college, she never imagined that it would follow her for the rest of her life.

But now, more than a decade on, a screenshot from the clip is still commonly shared by hoards of social media users every single day.

Known as the 'party scene' meme, people often use the 2012 snapshot of Wagner and her friends starring awkwardly at the camera with red cups in their hands to react to things on the internet.

And while the now 33-year-old, from Austin, Texas, is now proud to be viewed as 'internet royalty,' seeing her face shared by millions online was not easy at first.

Speaking exclusively with the Daily Mail, she explained: 'Back in college, I agreed to be in a skit video filmed by [two fellow students] at the University of Arizona.

'It was supposed to be a lighthearted "party scene" where I was just one of the extras reacting to a punchline.

'Ironically, I was hesitant to be on camera that day - and that moment ended up following me for the rest of my life.

'The video was uploaded to YouTube on Jimmy Tatro's channel, LifeAccordingToJimmy, which was gaining traction at the time.

Avery Wagner (black tank top) was part of the viral 'party scene' meme in 2012, and now, 13 years on, she reflected on her viral fame with the Daily Mail

Wagner (seen recently) admitted that the attention was 'rough' at first because many of the comments on the YouTube video were negative about her appearance

'The video itself went viral, and about a year or two later, still frames that were pulled from the thumbnail of the Youtube started circulating as a meme.'

Avery admitted that the attention was 'rough' at first because many of the comments on the YouTube video were negative about her appearance.

She said she endured intense 'bullying' online - like people calling her the 'only ugly girl in the video' - which led to her developing 'a lot of anxiety.'

'People were fixated on my appearance and it wasn't great for my confidence,' she said.

'It took me years to be able to look at it without cringing because I thought it was such a bad picture of me - and people agreed.

'Knowing a screenshot of you is being shared millions of times without your control is tough.'

But now, 13 years after it was first shared online, the social media star is nothing but 'proud.'

'As the years have gone by, it doesn't bother me at all anymore. Now I'm proud of it,' she shared.

She said she endured intense 'bullying' online - like people calling her the 'only ugly girl in the video' - which led to her developing 'a lot of anxiety'

Wagner added that she now 'finds humor in it' and is thankful for the 'unique perspective on social media' that it gave her

'I most often will get messages from random people from elementary school or high school who I don't talk to anymore who send me the meme and say 'is this you?!' and that always makes me laugh.'

Wagner added that she now 'finds humor in it' and is thankful for the 'unique perspective on social media' that it gave her.

'It's a funny icebreaker and when people find out about it, they deem me as 'internet royalty,' which is surreal and so funny,' she said.

'I run a boutique social media agency called Wagner Perspective [now], working with luxury brands, real estate teams, and festivals.

'So in a strange way, the meme was foreshadowing of my future in digital media and social media.'

'I've made peace with it. It wasn't easy at first, but now I see it as part of my story. It's like a fun party trick,' she concluded.

'It's funny that one split-second reaction in 2012 has lived on the internet for more than a decade.'
The mother of a one-year-old boy with a complex heart condition has been told that only a hospital in California can save his life, in a procedure that would cost 1.5 million.

Jasmin Roberts, from Wrexham, was told that her son, Ollie, 'would be lucky to live until he was two' after he was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect at two weeks old.

The 24-year-old became 'completely inconsolable' after the NHS said her son would be introduced to the palliative care team because hospitals here lacked the expertise to perform the operation.

Jasmin told the Daily Mail: 'I felt completely blindsided. We had no preparation for it. We didn't think this was at all going to happen. I was getting to a point [where] obviously I've had quite bad postpartum depression.

'I was getting to a better point in that, and that completely derailed. I remember collapsing on the floor in a fit of tears. I was completely inconsolable. It was absolutely awful.'

In a desperate bid to raise over 1 million pounds to get her son the surgery he needs, the young parent is now selling her house and has moved back in with her mother to raise money for his life-saving operation in the US.

At two weeks old, Ollie was referred for a prolonged jaundice screening because he was 'just a bit too yellow,' said Jasmin.

When she took her baby to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, his oxygen saturation levels were recorded at 85 per cent.

Jasmin Roberts from Wrexham has revealed her heartache after her son Ollie, one, who has a complex heart condition, was told that only a hospital in California can save his life (pictured together)

One-year-old Ollie was diagnosed with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA-VSD MAPCAs), a condition that means his arteries are too small

Now, Ollie's oxygen saturation levels are between 65 to 70 per cent. Healthy levels are considered to be between 98 and 100 per cent.

Jasmin said: 'It all just happened really, really quick. Like it was one nurse in the room and suddenly I blinked and Ollie was being rushed to the paediatric intensive care unit we didn't even know what was going on.'

The hospital initially believed Ollie had either sepsis or a heart condition, but Jasmin didn't think that he could have an issue with his heart because she had been tested for this while pregnant.

He was then treated for sepsis, meaning he couldn't be fed milk. Jasmin said: 'It was like pure, pure torture, watching him scream all night long, and I was pumping at the time, so it made me feel really useless.

'I was so scared and then the next morning they did an echo on him and they said he definitely had a heart condition.'

Ollie was diagnosed with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA-VSD MAPCAs), a condition that means his arteries are too small.

Regina Giblin, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a serious heart condition present at birth that involves two main problems.

'Pulmonary atresia is when the valve that normally allows blood to flow from the heart to the lungs (the pulmonary valve) is not properly formed, which causes a blockage of blood flow from the heart to the lungs.

The hospital initially believed Ollie had either sepsis or a heart condition, but Jasmin didn't think that he could have an issue with his heart because she was tested for this while pregnant

Three UK hospitals said they couldn't operate on Ollie to enlarge his arteries because his case was too complex

'A VSD is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles). This hole allows blood to mix between the left and right sides of the heart.

'Because of these issues, the baby's body may not get enough oxygen-rich blood to be pumped around the body.

'To survive, the baby often needs medicine to keep a temporary blood vessel (the ductus arteriosus) open and will usually require surgery to improve blood flow to the lungs and repair the heart.'

WHAT IS PULMONARY ARTRESIA? Pulmonary atresia is a form of congenital heart disease, a term which is used to describe the heart's structure and function. Congenital heart diseases happen due to abnormal development before birth. Pulmonary atresia is a condition where blood cannot flow between the right pumping chamber into the lungs to pick up oxygen. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital It is estimated that pulmonary atresia occurs in one in every 10,000 live births, while pulmonary artery and associated with a VSD occurs in between four and ten per 100,000 live births, according to ScienceDirect. Advertisement

It is estimated that pulmonary atresia occurs in one in every 10,000 live births, while pulmonary artery and associated with a VSD occurs in between four and ten per 100,000 live births, according to ScienceDirect.

Three UK hospitals said they couldn't operate on Ollie to enlarge his arteries because his case was too complex. Jasmin also sought advice from hospitals in Europe, but was told the same information.

She said the UK hospitals agreed that 'if they were to operate with the sort of skill level they have, they'd just make it worse, that they may probably cause scarring that would block off any oxygen flow to his lungs'.

But the surgeon who 'pioneered' the complex surgery, known as pulmonary artery reconstruction, can operate on Ollie at Stanford Medicine Children's Health in California  if Jasmin can raise enough funds.

She is selling her house and has moved back in with her mother in Wrexham to help pay for the operation.

Stanford Medicine Children's Health has already drawn up a medical plan for Ollie after Jasmin found the hospital online through a support group.

She said in a Go Fund Me post: 'Originally, we were fundraising for 3million to cover the full cost of Ollie's life-saving surgery abroad. But after recent conversations with doctors, there's a possibility that Alder Hey [Children's Hospital] may be able to carry out the second stage of Ollie's surgery here in the UK.

'This is amazing news, because it means we can now focus on getting him to America for stage one, which is the most urgent part. That brings our fundraising goal down to 1.5million. Still a huge number, but now, it feels slightly more reachable.'

Jasmin is selling her house and has moved back in with her mother in Wrexham to help pay for the operation

Young mother Jasmin described Ollie as her 'absolute world' and said he is attached to her side 'constantly'

Six to nine months after Ollie's arteries are enlarged, he would be ready to undergo a 'full repair' - after which Jasmin said her baby would 'live a normal life'.

The one-year-old has a 'massive hole in his heart as well', which would be fixed as part of the surgery.

She said: 'He's my absolute world. He's like my best friend. He's attached to my side constantly. I don't go anywhere without him.

'He's cheeky, he's funny, he's just amazing. And if you met him, you wouldn't think he's got the prognosis he's got. He's so strong.'

A Go Fund Me set up by Jasmin has so far raised more than 40,000.

Stanford Medicine Children's Health declined to comment. NHS England did not respond to a request for comment.
At only 16 years old, Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber's transgender daughter, Kai Schreiber, has certainly accomplished a lot.

She landed a role in the wildly popular Disney live-action remake of The Jungle Book, posed on the cover of a huge magazine and has starred in a Valentino campaign.

Most recently, the teenager stomped the runway at New York, Paris, and Milan Fashion Week - certainly an impressive feat for someone her age.

But Shreiber has been adamant about the fact that his daughter did not get to where she is because of her famous parents, fiercely clapping back at nepo baby haters after she made her runway debut earlier this year.

Even so, there's no denying that hailing from two of the most successful actors on the planet has come with a slew of benefits.

As she continues to make waves in the fashion industry, FEMAIL has taken a look inside Kai's very glamorous life.

From her impressive career to her lavish upbringing in the Hamptons, here's everything we know about the 16-year-old.

A childhood rocked by her parents' split: Schreiber and Watts went through a very public breakup when Kai was only eight years old

Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts welcomed son Alexander 'Sasha' in 2007 and transgender daughter Kai, in 2008. Kai is seen with her dad during her childhood

The family lived in a sprawling, 6,000sq ft mansion in the Hamptons, before they moved into a $5.4 million beachside abode (seen) in 2016, which boasted stunning views of the ocean

Schreiber and Watts started dating in 2005, and together, they welcomed son Alexander 'Sasha' in 2007 and transgender daughter Kai in 2008.

The family lived in a sprawling, 6,000sq ft mansion in the Hamptons, which boasted five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

In 2016, they moved into a $5.4 million beachside abode. While smaller - it had only four bedrooms and stretched across 3,600sq ft - the home had a slew of lavish amenities including a heated gunite pool, chef's kitchen, and stunning views of the ocean.

But just months after moving into the new house, the couple announced their split after 11 years together.

The two stars shared joint custody of the kids after that, with the youngsters splitting their time between the Hamptons with Watts and New York City with Schreiber.

The breakup seemed amicable, and the exes have been extremely open about how their priority has and always will be co-parenting their two kids.

'We're parents together so we'll be together for the rest of our lives no matter what,' Schreiber told CBS This Morning after their relationship ended in 2016. 'We're very close. Hopefully, that never changes and I don't think it will.'

The couple announced their split in 2016 after 11 years together and the two stars shared joint custody of the kids after that. Watts is seen with the kids in 2019

The Caught Steeling star reiterated that during an appearance on the Today show in 2018.

'It's always hard, you know? You build a life with someone and things change,' he said.

'I think the way that we've looked at it is that we'll always be partners with these kids. It's important to support each other.

'I was making some jokes at breakfast about mommy with the boys and their eyes light up when I talk about her. You can see how important it is to them that their parents care about each other.'

Watts also told Net-a-Porter in 2019, 'I'm pretty proud of us, corny as that may sound.

'We've made it our absolute priority to be good and kind to each other and we're absolutely committed to that.'

Coming out as transgender: Schreiber said it wasn't a 'big deal' when Kai asked to change her pronouns since she had 'been feminine for so long'

Schreiber told Variety that when Kai asked to change her pronouns it 'didn't feel like that big of a deal because she had been feminine for so long.' She's seen when she was younger

'Kai was always who Kai is,' Schreiber previously gushed of his daughter, seen here at her middle school graduation. 'Kai is such a fighter'

According to her father, Kai 'never actually told him or her mom that she was trans.'

He told Variety that when she asked to change her pronouns it 'didn't feel like that big of a deal because she had been feminine for so long.'

'Kai was always who Kai is,' he added. 'Kai is such a fighter. It's important that she goes, "Hey, I am trans," and, "Look at me."'

The father-daughter duo attended a gala at the Ali Forney Center's A Place together in March, which 'provides a home with stability, support, and comprehensive services to help LGBTQ+ homeless youth get their lives back on track.'

'This isn't just about representing the trans community,' Schreiber told the publication ahead of the event.

'This is actually a community of people who don't have great resources, who don't have access to help, who aren't being protected and looked after by their families.

'These are people who are being rejected. These are people who are experiencing the harshest version of humanity that we can offer, and some of them are not surviving it.'

Her booming career at only 16 years old: Kai made her acting debut at age eight and has made waves in the fashion world recently

Kai made her acting debut at age eight, but recently, it seemed her focus has switched from the movie industry to the fashion world. She's seen (third from left) at the Dior show in 2024

She attended a slew of runway shows with her mom last year. They're seen at the Balenciaga show at Paris Fashion Week last year

Kai, 16, has certainly accomplished a lot for her age. She's seen at the Armani Beauty celebrating Luminous Silk Foundation and Concealer in June

According to Watts, Kai developed an interest in acting after she attended a performance arts summer camp as a child.

Kai made her acting debut in the 2016 live-action remake of The Jungle Book, in which she voiced a young wolf, but has not starred in anything since.

'It seems [Kai and Sasha have] got the bug,' she told Net-a-Porter back in 2019, admitting that she had 'mixed' feelings about her kids entering the spotlight.

Recently, it seemed her focus has switched from the movie industry to the fashion world.

She attended a slew of runway shows with her mom last year and made her runway debut in March 2025 at age 16 when she walked for Valentino during Paris Fashion Week.

Afterwards, her father clapped back at those who claimed she only appeared in the show because she was a nepo baby.

'I don't really have any thoughts for the haters,' he told TMZ. 'I'm going to put it to you like this: What if you were a professional actor, and your child decided they wanted to do something in this world? Do they have a choice of what you did?

She made her runway debut in March 2025 at age 16 when she walked for Valentino during Paris Fashion Week

In recent weeks she stomped the catwalk at New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks. She's seen left at the Jason Wu NYFW show and right at the Max Mara Milan Fashion Week show

'I see myself in the fashion industry. It's always been my dream,' she told Interview Magazine recently. 'I want to be a supermodel. Period.' She's seen during the Valentino show

'That's her life. She does what she wants with her life, and I'm super proud of her. I thought she did an amazing job in the show.'

Soon after, she starred in a campaign for Valentino, and was signed to IMG Models. In the months since then she has posed on the cover of Bazaar France and has modeled for V and AnOther Magazine.

In recent weeks she stomped the catwalk at New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks - walking in a slew of shows for big brands like Max Mara, Valentino, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Moschino, Coperni and Fendi.

'I see myself in the fashion industry. It's always been my dream,' she told Interview Magazine recently.

'I'm not sure if college is for me, but we'll see when it rolls around. I like to go with the flow.

'I want to be a supermodel. Period. I've been practicing my walks in the kitchen for years; my mom can show you all the videos I forced her to film.

'Struggling with gender identity from a young age most likely had something to do with it.

'I always wanted to grow up and be a beautiful, glamorous, influential woman, like Marilyn.'

Kai's love life: The budding model was spotted holding hands with a mystery man in New York City this week

Kai Schreiber, the daughter of Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber, looked happier than ever as she walked hand-in-hand through New York City with a mystery man

It appears as though Kai has already found love as she was spotted walking hand-in-hand with a mystery man in New York City this week.

The teenager couldn't hold back her smile as she stepped out with her unidentified companion, who looked equally as smitten.

For their casual outing, the high schooler wore a black-and-white striped mini dress paired with classic Converse sneakers.

Her mystery man opted for some gray shorts, a T-shirt over a long-sleeved shirt, a pink 'I heart New York' hat, and sneakers.

Despite the seemingly affectionate display, it is unknown if the pair's relationship is romantic or platonic.
It's not often you see a future king break down in tears.

But Prince William couldn't hide his anguish as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide with a mother whose husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died.

In a deeply moving conversation to mark World Mental Health Day, the Prince of Wales's voice broke and he squeezes his eyes shut as Rhian Mannings told him how she desperately wished her late husband, Paul, had spoken to her about how he was feeling.

'I think that's what the hardest thing is we would have been ok,' she said.

The film was shot earlier this month at Mrs Mannings's home in Cardiff.

Little George was her and husband Paul's third child, a smiley, giggling baby who was crawling everywhere and had just learnt to say 'hiya' when he celebrated his first birthday in February 2012.

A week later he suffered a seizure but tragically died just two hours after being rushed to hospital. He was later found to be suffering from pneumonia and influenza A, which can be symptomless.

While Rhian and Paul initially comforted each other, he soon began to blame himself terribly, saying he had let his family down.

Prince William spoke with campaigner Rhian Mannings, whose one-year-old son George died after suffering a seizure in 2012 and whose husband Paul died by suicide five days later

Prince William couldn't hide his anguish as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide

Paul Burke with son George who died aged one year, one week and one day in February 2012

Five days later he went out for a drive - and never returned.

The years since have been painful, although Mrs Mannings has been awarded an MBE for her work setting up the charity 2 Wish Upon A Star, which has helped more than 3,000 people in Wales affected by the sudden death of a child or young person.

But it is clear that the pain still remains.

The new film saw the future King visit Mrs Mannings, 48, for a cup of tea and Welsh cakes - made by her mother - to talk about her experiences. The pair have met previously.

'Would you like to put them on the plate?' she asked him, offering the cakes.

'So, how have you been though, Rhian? Because obviously I haven't caught up with you for a long time,' William said.

'You know, it's up and down, everything's up and down, life's up and down anyway, isn't it?' she replied.

'Absolutely,' answered William, who with the cancer diagnoses of both his wife and father has been through a difficult time of his own.

After exchanging news about family, William asked: 'Rhian, how have managed to bring up your children so brilliantly, as you have? How have they managed to thrive? '

'They've just grown up to be incredible kids and young adults, I look back and I don't I still don't really know how we survived it. People ask me that a lot, like "How do you do it?", and I don't really know,' she shared.

Rhian Mannings, her husband Paul Burke and their son George. George died aged one year, one week and one day on February 22 2012. Paul took his own life five days later

William travelled to Mrs Mannings's home near Cardiff, having first met her eight years ago

William asked Mrs Mannings how her children managed to thrive following the tragedies

'They were so young, the memories they've got now are memories that probably I've placed into their minds. I still worry a lot about what tomorrow is going to bring our family. But I'm trying to be rational and trying to think positively. I just want my children to be happy.'

William spoke about the 'stigma' that still exists around the issue of suicide, and the difficulty for families of whether to talk about it.

'I think it's important never to lie... There's ways in being truthful and just being gentle. As a parent, you know your children better than anybody else,' she remarked.

William added: 'From the families I've spoken to who have had to endure suicide. There's a lot of unanswered questions that live with you forever, really, don't they?'

'I will forever go over those last few days with him, wondering what I missed. Before we lost George, we were just so happy. And I think this just shows that it really can happen to anyone,' she said.

'If you could say something, or wanted to say something to Paul. What would you what would you have said?' he questioned.

'There's only one thing I would ever say to him if I had time with him. And that would be, "Why didn't you speak to me?",' she said..

'I think I ask myself that every single day. He was absolutely devastated, he did keep blaming himself that weekend. But I would just like to sit him down like this and just say "Why didn't you come to me?" Because he's missed out on just so much joy, and we would have been ok. And I think that's what the hardest thing is, we would have been ok.'

At this point she could see that the Prince is struggling.

Rhian Mannings set up a charity to support families affected by the sudden death of a child

'Are you ok?' she asked.

Shaking his head and holding her hand, the Prince replied: 'I'm sorry. It's just it's hard to ask these questions that I '

'No, it's fine. It's just you've got children,' Mrs Mannings told him. 'It's hard and you've experienced loss yourself.'

'Life can throw you these awful curve balls, but by talking about it by, you know, having hope you can continue,' she added later.

William agreed, saying: 'The best way to prevent suicide is to talk about it. Talk about it early, talk about it with your loved ones, those you trust, your friends. So thank you for talking about it.'

Mrs Mannings's mother also came in at one point and William thanked her for some Welsh cakes - and promised he would take them home with him to eat in the car.

The family, including Mrs Mannings's other children, Holly, 17, and Isaac, 16, laughed together as they realised that the future king has gone off with their granny's Tupperware box.

The touching film of their conversation has been released to mark the launch of The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales's National Suicide Prevention Network, backed by more than 20 organisations and funding of more than 1million from the couple.

Over the next three years they hope to tackle the root causes of suicide and create a single, universal pathway for suicide prevention which is evidence-based, effective and accessible to all.

The Network will be chaired by Professor Ann John, a leading expert in the prevention of suicide and self-harm, and will cover all four home nations of the UK.

Preventing suicide is a complex challenge, shaped by social, economic and personal factors, meaning no one-size solution fits all.

Latest figures show 7,055 deaths are caused by suicide in the UK every year.

In a statement The Prince of Wales said: 'The incredible partners who form this network reach those at risk of, or affected by, suicide with their inspirational work.

'I have had the privilege of meeting all of the founding partners to see firsthand their powerful community-based efforts to offer hope and support to those who need it most.

'Their efforts reaffirm the urgent mission of the National Suicide Prevention Network: to build a bold, unified national response to the heartbreakingand preventabletragedy of suicide.'

Speaking of her family life and personal experiences, Mrs Mannings added: 'We just presumed life would take us on that normal journey of growing old together. I'd only been back teaching a couple of days after my maternity leave.

'When George fell ill at home very suddenly. So we had to call an ambulance to come out to the home, he was rushed to hospital.

George Burke who died aged one year, one week and one day on February 22, 2012

'You never think anything bad is going to happen, because this is your family. You see these things happen on TV. But sadly, George was very poorly, and within two hours of being admitted to the hospital, he died.

'Five days later, after we lost George, probably the unimaginable, really, happened. Something that we could never have ever been prepared for, totally unexpected... Paul walked out of the house and took his own life.

'It's really difficult to explain how grief feels. Emptiness, physical pain, your heart hurts You know, your limbs hurt, you ache, but when you lose somebody to suicide, it leaves so many questions unanswered.

'But I'm hoping by having increased awareness around what it is, but also the effects it has on those left behind. What causes people to walk out and never come home.

'Let's stand together, let's talk about it. Let's get people in the public eye talking about it. We can help each other, this really doesn't have to be what happens.'

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the Hub of Hope, the UK's largest mental health support directory: https://hubofhope.co.uk/.

For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details
Meghan Markle made a bold style statement on Thursday as she stepped out for Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala in New York City.

Joined by husband Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were bestowed with the Humanitarians of the Year Award in recognition of their campaigns to make the internet a safer place for families and young people.

Meghan, 44, turned heads in a fitted black velvet pantsuit by Armani, a complete 180 from the white Balenciaga ensemble she rocked at Paris Fashion Week last week.

While the former actress usually dresses conservatively, she dared to bare by going braless underneath her blazer.

The blazer's plunging neckline showcased Meghan's decolletage and also highlighted a chunky gold necklace she was wearing.

She accessorized with a black clutch, towering high heels, and a pair of diamond earrings.

Instead of doing something flashy with her hair, Meghan kept things simple and casual by tying her brunette locks into a loose ponytail.

Harry perfectly complemented his wife's simple look by donning a basic black suit with a crisp white shirt and tie.

Meghan Markle made a bold style statement on Thursday as she stepped out for Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala with Prince Harry in New York City

Meghan, 44, turned heads in a fitted black velvet pantsuit and chunky gold necklace

In a statement to People magazine ahead of the gala, Meghan and Harry said: 'Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.

'As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them,' they continued.

'Were proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.'

The couple set up their charity The Archewell Foundation in 2020 and launched an initiative aimed at tackling child safety online, called The Parents' Network, in 2024.

Outside of her usual humanitarian causes, Meghan has made more of an effort to return to the public eye in recent months.

Just last week, she stunned in an all-white Balenciaga outfit at the controversial label's Spring 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week.

Meghan, elegantly draped in a stylish white oversized cape over a white button-down shirt and matching trousers, was impossible to miss at the star-studded event.

She paired the clothes with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, giving off a vibe of effortless sophistication, topped off with a sleek, slicked-back bun.

While the former actress usually dresses conservatively, she dared to bare by going braless underneath her blazer

She accessorized with a black clutch, towering high heels, and a pair of diamond earrings

It marks both her first appearance at Paris Fashion Week and her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Once at the show, she schmoozed with Australian film director Baz Luhrmann and sat in the front row, even sharing an 'awkward' moment with Balenciaga's creative director Pier Paolo Piccioli.

While it's unclear what Meghan's plans are for the future as far as her showbiz career are concerned, the former Suits star has been offered her own radio program in the UK.

Paul Sylvester, content director of UK station Magic, told a RadioCentre conference: 'We had conversions with the Sussex team and if the Duchess would like to add radio presenter to her CV there is an offer on the table.'

Magic said it had 'been in with her team and offered her a show, if she ever wanted one', according to The Telegraph.

The exact sum she was offered for the role was not disclosed but is no doubt dwarfed by her other media contracts which include a $100million five-year deal with Netflix and the less successful and rather short-lived deal with Spotify, which was said to be worth $20million.

Just last week, she stunned in an all-white Balenciaga outfit at the controversial label's Spring 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week

It comes after Netflix's chief executive praised Meghan's 'remarkable influence' and branded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's documentary 'successful in every measure'.

Ted Sarandos applauded her on the second series of her cooking and lifestyle show With Love, Meghan, despite recent scathing reviews of the show.

The eight-part season, which was branded 'staged, fake and dull' by critics upon its release last month, failed to breach the top on Netflix globally, as well as in the UK and US.

Mr Sarandos' comments, made on the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast, are the first he has made since Harry and Meghan signed their 'first-look' deal with Netflix - dubbed by experts as a 'downgrade' on their previous $100million contract.

The CEO praised the Duchess' ability to sell out goods featured in her shows - such as edible flowers and jam - which is paired with her online shop As Ever.

'One thing we learned early with Meghan... she has remarkable influence -remarkable,' he said.
On October 1, new government regulations came into effect on sugary items

Morrisons and Wetherspoons have become the latest UK chains to restrict customers to one drink each under new government rules aimed at cutting sugar consumption.

Earlier this week, chicken chain Nando's sparked backlash after signs appeared on its refillable drinks machines saying restaurant-goers would only be allowed a single glass of Coca-Cola each.

The move immediately triggered complaints on social media, with people calling it a 'joke' and criticising the new 'nanny state' rules.

Now, Morrisons customers have taken to social media to share pictures of signs placed next to the self-service machines in the cafe, enforcing the restrictions on the hot chocolates and mochas.

The signs read: 'Due to a recent change in legislation, our Hot Chocolate and Mocha are now excluded from our Free Refills offer.'

The supermarket chain has since confirmed to the Daily Mail that the decision was made in light of the recent changes to legislation, though free refills are still available on other hot drinks.

Meanwhile, Wetherspoons has also scrapped hot chocolates from its 1.71 or less free refills deal on hot drinks, according to The Sun.

On October 1, new regulations came into effect banning 'buy one, get one free' promotions on foods high in fat, sugar or salt, as well as free refills of sugary soft drinks in restaurants and cafes.

Morrisons has restricted customers to one hot chocolate or mocha each after new government legislation was introduced

The ban also extends to free refills of hot sugary drinks, such as hot chocolate and sweetened coffees, including mochas.

The change comes as part of a series of anti-obesity measures that have been gradually introduced since 2021, under then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

After viewing the 'ludicrous' signs in Morrisons, one person wrote on social media: 'The world has gone mad. I do hate being told what I can and cannot eat and drink.'

Another added: 'Can't have free refills for hot chocolate or mocha, but you can pay for your obesity', while a third agreed: 'So you can't have a free refill but they will gladly sell you another drink!'

The Daily Mail has also reached out to JD Wetherspoon for comment.

It came after Nando's restricted its customers to a single glass of Coca-Cola Classic.

The Peri-Peri chicken chain, known for its 'bottomless' drink option, previously allowed diners to refill soft drinks freely during their meal.

But while zero-sugar options such as Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero remain unlimited, Coca-Cola Classic is now capped at one serving.

An updated sticker on Nando's drinks machines now reads: 'Want Coca-Cola Classic? It's one glass only.

'Based on new government laws, we've had to limit Coca-Cola Classic to one glass per customer. Still thirsty? Help yourself to one of our low-sugar fizzy bottomless soft drinks.'

Wetherspoons has also scrapped hot chocolates from its 1.71 or less free refills deal on hot drinks, according to The Sun. Stock image

Customers soon complained about the 'ludicrous' signs on social media

Other restaurant chains believed to have enacted similar restrictions on free refills include Five Guys, Toby Carvery, Harvester, Pizza Hut and Burger King.

Ministers say the policies are aimed at tackling the UK's growing obesity crisis. More than a quarter of adults and a fifth of Year Six pupils in England are now classed as obese.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions.'

Some public health leaders have called the measures 'long overdue', arguing that supermarket and restaurant promotions normalise over-consumption.

Researchers say the approach can work.

A University of Leeds study found that when supermarkets were banned from placing unhealthy items at checkouts and aisle ends in 2022, sales of those products fell by around two million items a day.

The next phase of the crackdown will introduce a watershed on junk-food adverts before 9pm and a ban on online promotions of unhealthy food and drink early next year.

The Daily Mail previously contacted Nando's, Harvester, Toby Carvery, Five Guys, Pizza Hut and Burger King for comment.

The Peri-Peri chicken chain, known for its 'bottomless' drink option, previously allowed diners to refill soft drinks freely during their meal

But while zero-sugar options such as Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero remain unlimited, Coca-Cola Classic is now capped at one serving (stock image)

People took to X over the weekend to share their thoughts on the change - and views on the matter were divided

This map, from the Government's Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, published earlier this year highlights the areas most blighted by obesity

Obesity rates have soared in recent decades, with more than a quarter of adults and a fifth of Year six pupils now classed as obese, NHS figures show.

Weight-related illness also costs the economy 74billion a year, with people who are overweight at increased risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Similar rules are due in Wales next year, with Scotland expected to follow.

These latest restrictions build on earlier efforts to curb the nation's sugar intake.

In 2018, the Soft Drinks Industry Levyoften referred to as the 'sugar tax'came into force, charging manufacturers for beverages containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml.

The move prompted many brands, including Fanta and Lucozade, to reformulate their drinks with less sugar, while others, such as Coca-Cola, chose to absorb the levy rather than alter recipes.

Since then, ministers have focused on reducing the visibility and promotion of foods high in fat, salt and sugar.

They are now moving towards direct limits on portion sizestarting with the new ban on free refills of sugary soft drinks in restaurants and cafes.

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Supermarkets have previously been barred from placing confectionery at checkouts and aisle ends.

Hospitals have also taken steps to curb over-consumption, with NHS England introducing limits on supersized snacks and sugary drinks sold in hospital shops and vending machines as part of its healthy eating framework for staff and visitors.

The UK's approach contrasts with that of the United States, where New York City once attempted to ban 'supersized' sodas under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The proposalwhich would have capped sugary drinks sold in restaurants and cinemas at 16 ounceswas struck down by the courts in 2014 before it could take effect.

Public health campaigners say Britain's gradual tightening of rulescombining taxes, placement restrictions, advertising curbs and now portion limitsis starting to show results, but warn that obesity levels remain among the highest in Europe.

Obesity itself increases the chances of person suffering serious health conditions that can damage the heart, such as high blood pressure.

Last year, a sobering report also suggested Britain's spiralling obesity levels have fuelled a staggering 39 per cent rise in type 2 diabetes among people under 40, with 168,000 Brits now living with the illness.

Piling on the pounds has also been linked to at least 13 types of cancer and is the second biggest cause of the disease in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
Dragons' Den fans have praised the 'best pitch in the history of the show' after an entrepreneur asked for 100,000 towards his 'travelling dinosaur business'.

Chris Roberts, known as 'Ranger Chris', from Aberdare in South Wales, has had a passion for prehistoric life since he was young and turned his childhood dreams into a reality when he founded Dinomania eight years ago.

The company travels around the UK offering 'an immersive experience' to both children and adults, along with gigantic walking dinosaur puppets and a mobile dinosaur museum with both real and replica fossils.

Chris appeared on the show with two people to demonstrate his most impressive primitive costumes, which were so large that the tail repeatedly got stuck in the famous lift up to the den.

But when they entered the room, the dinosaurs were met with audible gasps and 'wows' from the Dragons.

While Sara Davies and guest Dragon Joe Wicks, appeared to be slightly anxious and caught off guard by the lifelike attire, Peter Jones beamed and was quick to ask whether he could interact with the puppets.

'The eyes are amazing, they are so good,' Joe eventually said.

Fans of the show also praised the entertaining pitch, with one writing: 'The best thing on Dragons Den ever!'

Chris Roberts appeared on the show with two people to demonstrate his most impressive primitive costumes, which were so large that the tail repeatedly got stuck in the famous lift up to the den

Some fans also quipped that the Dragons reminded them of the animals from the Mesozoic Era, with one writing on X: 'Never seen so many dinosaurs in one place... and that's including the Dragons!'

Another penned: 'Tonight it's dinosaurs and we're not just talking about the investor panel.'

A third commented: 'Dinosaurs on DD, but that's enough about Deborah and Peter.'

A fourth said: 'I will always love anything dinosaur related, so I will give him all my money, I don't even need to know any more.'

Chris appeared on Thursday evening's show and asked for a 100,000 investment for 15 per cent of his business; however, fans were surprised when he left without a penny.

In his pitch, Chris said that Dinomania's income is made travelling around the UK to festivals and museums and by putting on a tour for enthusiasts - adding that they have an impressive combined three million followers across YouTube and TikTok.

He told the Dragons that he wanted to set up a 'base camp' in Swansea with their investment money, which he described as 'a fixed location where children and adults can come along and learn about prehistoric life'.

Chris previously had a background in window fitting but said he did not enjoy his job and was instead inspired to start a business after purchasing his first dinosaur puppet after seeing them advertised on YouTube.

Dragons' Den fans joked that the investor panel reminded them of dinosaurs after the pitch

Since then, he has slowly been building his business, telling the Dragons that it was turning over 150,000 a year pre-Covid, with a net profit of 7,000.

Recent figures show that Dinomania turned over 270,000 with a net profit of 30,000 - after being their net profit was in the minus figures for two years.

Chris said: 'I'm a one-man band, I've been doing it all on my own for the past eight years, there's only one of me, I've learnt that now. I think we need to make more teams that can go to more festivals.'

He told the potential investors that he believes the base camp could be a success and claimed that even at a 60 per cent capacity, it would turn over 1.2 million.

But the Dragons were not convinced. When Deborah Meaden asked Chris how much the base camp would cost, he claimed it would be 8,000 a month to rent and that the set up costs would range from 80,000 to 100,000.

'I've got to say [that] sounds tiny when you're looking at a theme park to attract people,' she said.

However, Chris clarified it would be more of a 'soft play area' with the added extra of seeing the lifelike dinosaur puppets roaming around.

The father also revealed that he was currently paying himself a 1,000 monthly salary, adding that he was 'lucky enough' to have a 'fantastic' wife who is able to financially support him.

Joe Wicks, a guest Dragon, appeared anxious by the lifelike models on the show, before complimenting the costumes

Chris Roberts, known as 'Ranger Chris', from Aberdare in Wales, has had a passion for prehistoric life since he was young

He predicted that year one would bring in 300,000 income and said he would then use the profit to open more base camps.

'I think if we opened one per year for instance, I think we could do five to six different venues in the UK. If we opened three, you'd be looking at 4 million.'

But Peter Jones said: 'This is a bit of a dinosaur of a business. I mean you've spent a long time trying to build a business here and now you're giving forecasts that I think quite frankly are impossible.

'The reality is that you have created a really interesting business for you and is not giving you much income, however, it's probably brought a lot of joy to a lot of young people.

'For this to have any opportunity of becoming a business at all, it needs to one thing - scale.

'That's what I am concerned about, having a venue I don't think that's the answer for you.

'Because for 80,000 you're going to have a piece of land and a terrapin and that's not good enough. So I can't invest because I don't see there is room for an investor here, so I'm out but thank you for bringing some dinosaurs into the den.'

Sara Davies said that she had 'deja vu' after seeing one of her other businesses attempted the business model that Chris proposed.

Peter Jones appeared excited to touch the costumes but later called Dinomania 'a bit of a dinosaur of a business'

'The reality is that if you don't hit that 1.2 million and you only hit 1 million, that 200,000 is straight off your bottom line because you've got your fixed overheads,' she said.

'It can so quickly become what looks so great on the paper, [but] the reality is starkly different.'

Deborah advised him to maximise on his ability to be 'agile' adding that he should make the most of what he is business is currently offering customers.

Joe - who was the fifth and final Dragon to bow out - urged Chris to focus on making longer form YouTube content to engage his followers.

He said: 'If I was you in your position with your passion and all of these amazing dinosaurs you have, I would try and focus on long form YouTube content because if you work hard, before you know it, you could be earning [up to] 5,000 a month. You don't need millions of views to have a really good channel.'

The father-of-four added that he would be tuning into Chris' content with his children while wishing him 'the best of luck'.

When he came out of the den, Chris said: 'Of course I am a little bit disappointed but I think that they really did love the dinosaurs and they loved me as well which is the ultimate aim.

'We're going to do a show tomorrow which is going to be amazing and it has inspired me to push myself a little bit harder and maybe prove them wrong. I love my business and it's going to continue with or without the dragons.'
The King and Prince William were snapped sharing a sweet moment as the royal pair stepped out together for a rare joint public engagement on Thursday.

Charles, 76, and his 43-year-old son were brought together by their shared passion for the environment to attend an event at the Natural History Museum in London.

Called 'Countdown to COP30', it brought together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis and nature loss issues ahead of the United Nations' annual climate change summit in Brazil in November.

The pair arrived together in the State Bentley from Buckingham Palace where they had met up together beforehand.

After exiting their car, they were filmed making their way up to the steps to the museum, where they could be seen chatting in what appeared to be a fairly animated manner.

At one point, the father and son shared a sweet moment: as they were talking, William touched the monarch's arm, before His Majesty returned the gesture.

Then the two were seen putting their arms on each other, with William putting a gentle hand on his father's shoulder, who, in response, touched his son's elbow.

During the 'Fixing Our Broken Planet' exhibition the royal pair were greeted warmly by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband.

King Charles (pictured, right) and Prince William (pictured, right) shared a sweet tactile moment during a recent rare joint public appearance in London

Miliband told Prince William how grateful he was that he had come because of 'how important this is'.

Inside the museum's iconic Hintze Hall, Charles and William viewed displays highlighting innovative solutions developed in the UK to some of the world's climate and nature challenges.

Powerful films about the importance of saving the planet including William's own Guardians series, highlighting the vital work of conservation rangers, and 'The Speeches: 50 Years of Speaking Up for the Planet' looking back at the King's legacy on the issue.

The monarch is widely considered to be one of the leading global voices on environmental issues, while William has followed in his footsteps with his own Earthshot Prize awards, designed to discover and develop some of the most ground-breaking solutions to repairing and regenerating the planet.

Afterwards the two men split to view displays highlighting innovative solutions developed in the UK to some of the world's climate and nature challenges.

As they walked around, powerful films about the importance of saving the planet including William's own Guardians series, highlighting the vital work of conservation rangers, and 'The Speeches: 50 Years of Speaking Up for the Planet' looking back at the King's legacy on the issue.

Among those the King, 76, spoke to were Claire Lund of GSK, who have long been involved in his Sustainable Markets Initiative and are sponsoring the Fixing Our Broken Planet exhbition at the museum.

'His Majesty said of what we are all doing: 'Isn't it wonderful, but we need to do more'

The royal father and son (pictured) were seen putting their arms on each other as they made their way to the event on Thursday

Prince William (pictured, left) and King Charles (pictured, right) are pictured making their way to the London event

'He also spoke to Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Standard Bank, and was touched to hear he had taken her on a private tour of Highgrove a decade ago, firing her journey with sustainability.

Charles also spoke to schoolchildren Ibrahim Nyang, 12, and Jaydah Hinton, 12, from Harris Academy in Stratford, East London, about the brilliant work they have done transforming their school into a nature paradise with a pond and new eco-systems.

'He told us what we were doing was marvellous in terms of the biodiversity we have created and how much more beautiful it was,' Ibrahim said.

Jaydah added: 'He asked us how we felt about our school now and told us toi keep up with what we are doing.'

Before he left William came to find his father and said a fond farewell, the two men touching arms and chatting.

Natural History Museum Director Dr Doug Gurr said: 'We need everyone in society to get on board to tackle the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. The collective commitment to act for the planet was palpable tonight - from the support of His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the leadership of the UK Government, to the school students who are striving to transform their school grounds, making them a haven for wildlife.'

King Charles and Prince William's outing came as Kensington Palace last night confirmed that the heir to the throne will attend the COP30 Leaders Summit on behalf of the monarchy in Belem on November 6.

He will already be in Brazil for his fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards in Rio de Janeiro that week.
She has been embroiled in a media storm amid Keith and Nicole Kidman's split

The musician, 26, shared a sneak peek into her new song, The Devil Win

Keith Urban's guitarist Maggie Baugh has sung about trying to 'fight' feelings as romance rumors continue to swirl.

The 26-year-old musician has been caught up in the media storm following the news of Urban and estranged wife Nicole Kidman's high-profile divorce after her onstage rapport with the artist raised eyebrows.

On Thursday, Baugh shared a sneak peek into her new song, The Devil Win, which included lyrics that referenced an internal struggle and self-doubt.

In the track, which she shared on social media, she sang: 'I don't know what the hell I believe in / I don't know how to heal my soul / Or how to fight this feeling and it's a damn good place to go.'

She added: 'No matter how close I get to the burning edge / Tempting as it is, I won't let the Devil win.'

The music teaser ignited a largely positive response online with fans desperate to hear more.

'Love these lyrics!' one replied. 'Can't wait to hear the whole song!'

Another said: 'Keep doing Maggie and drown out the noise! We love you and support you.'

Maggie Baugh has sung about trying to 'fight' feelings as romance rumors continue to swirl

Keith Urban's estranged wife Nicole Kidman filed for divorce on September 30

'This sounds amazing, looking forward to hearing the full song,' continued a third.

Hollywood actress Kidman, 58, filed for divorce from Urban, 57, on September 30.

In the wake of their split news, past clips have resurfaced of his onstage antics with guitarist Baugh, fueling romance rumors about them.

One video showed him pointing to the musician as he sang: 'I was born to love you' in Las Vegas, while another was of him changing his lyric: 'Baby I'll be the fighter,' to: 'Maggie, I'll be your guitar player,' during a show in Chicago.

Urban and Baugh first met last year when he invited her to perform with him during the CMT Music Awards.

He then asked her to join him as a utility guitarist.

Baugh sang 'I don't know how to heal my soul / Or how to fight this feeling and it's a damn good place to go'

She has been performing alongside Urban as a utility guitarist

In April, she opened up about teaming up with the country star an interview with Pittsburgh Music Magazine.

'Working with Urban was like going to rock star school. He is a musical encyclopedia,' she told the outlet.

Baugh was notably not a part of Urban's Pennsylvania concert last week.

TMZ claimed she is not a full-time member of the band as she was just stepping in for guitarist Natalie Stovall.

The rising country music star moved from Florida to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in music when she was just 18, but she had been putting out music long before then.

'I put out my very first record when I was 13 years old,' she told The Hamilton County Reporter last month.

'I'm actually from south Florida and it's a festival season all year round in south Florida, so I toured a lot there.

Baugh has found herself in the spotlight after Keith's lyric change during one of their shows

At one of his shows, Urban sang: 'Maggie, I'll be your guitar player'

Kidman was married to Urban for 19 years and the former couple share two teenage daughters

'I started touring at the bigger venues and all the way up and down the state and up into Virginia. Then when I was 18 years old, I moved to Nashville and started touring a bunch.'

Baugh shot to fame via her TikTok series, Finish the Lick, in which she showed off her proficiency on multiple instruments.

Her talented videos garnered her more than 40 million views.

Baugh released her first two singles, Think About Me and Drinking to the Broken Hearts, in 2021. She followed up those two tracks, with four more singles in 2022.

She released her debut album, Dear Me, last year.
A leading expert has warned that vaping can increase your risk of developing long term damage from Covid, as cases of the virus soar.

And, concerningly, people who use their vape while sick or recovering from a bout of the virus are potentially putting their long-term health in grave danger.

Just last week experts urged people to wear masks and isolate if infected with the virus, as the new variants Nimbus and Stratus swept Britain.

Writing for The Conversation, Professor Keith Rochfort a bioscience expert at Dublin City University said: 'It's a time when healthy lungs matter more than ever.

'Yet the very tissue that lets oxygen pass from air to blood is remarkably delicate and habits such as vaping can weaken it just when protection is most needed.'

He explained: 'Vaping irritates and inflames the blood-vessel lining while Covid floods the lungs with pro-flammatory molecules. Together they create the "perfect storm"

'Capillaries become leaky, fluid seeps into the air sacs and oxygen struggles to cross the blood-air barrier.

'Covid also raises the risk of blood clots in the lung's vessels, while vaping has been linked to the same, compounding danger.

An expert has warned vaping can increase your risk of getting long term damage from Covid

'Vaping can also hinder recovery after a bout of Covid. Healing the fragile exchange surface requires every bit of support the lungs can get.'

Worryingly, he said: 'Vaping adds stress to tissues the virus has already damaged, even if the vaper feels no immediate symptoms.

'The result can be prolonged breathlessness, persistent fatigue and a slower return to pre-illness activity levels.'

It all comes down to the stress vaping puts on a 'paper thin layer' of the lungs, known medically as the blood air barrier, that is vital for its functioning, he explained.

The layer which must remain 'strong and flexible' for healthy breathing he explained, is constantly under stress from air pollution, tiny particles and infections.

Professor Rochfort explained: 'It holds together under normal wear but can tear when pushed too hard.

'Vaping weakens that weave before illness strikes, making an infection such as COVID harder to overcome.'

He also warned the cocktail of solvents, flavouring chemicals and trace metals in vaping clouds breathed out, can seep deeper, irritating the endothelium.

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This is a thin layer of cells that line blood vessels, including tiny ones in your lungs where oxygen enters your blood.

Healthy endothelium, he explained, prevents clotting and ensures the right nutrients, hormones and immune cells pass in and out of the blood.

But he warned: 'Studies show vaping can disrupt these defences causing endothelial dysfunction even in young, otherwise healthy people.'

A 2018 study, found never smokers who puffed an e-cigarette had elevated levels of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) which can indicate endothelial dysfunction.

Professor Rochfort's own research, he says, has linked these changes to surges in inflammatory and stress markers in blood after exposure to vaping.

'Together these findings indicate that the endothelium is struggling to maintain its protective role,' he said.

Other laboratory work has shown vaping aerosols, even without nicotine, can affect these cells, making it harder to fight respiratory infections, he explained.

In light of this, Professor Rochfort said: 'The science is still evolving, but the message is clear: vaping undermines vascular health.

'Quitting, even temporarily, gives the lungs and blood vessels the cleaner environment they need to heal and to keep every breath effortless.'

Covid is one of four respiratory infections currently wiping people out across the UK, whichalong with norovirushas led to experts warning the UK could be set to face a 'quin-demic' of illnesses.

The new Covid strainsXFG, dubbed Stratus, and NB.1.8.1, known as Nimbusare fuelling a surge in infections, with cases doubling since August.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University told the Daily Mail the increase in cases and hospitalisations is 'worrying so early in the Autumn period'.

He put it down to a mixture of children returning to school, colder temperatures causing people to spend more time indoorsoften in places with poor ventilationand waning protective immunity.

Experts say the new variantsone of which causes a distinct 'razor blade' sore throatdo not appear to pose any bigger threat than previous strains of Covid, or make people feel more ill.

However, genetic changes to the virus means that infections may become more likely.

It's not just lungs that vapes can damage.

In February, a bombshell study revealed that regularly using e-cigarettes could put users at risk of dementia, heart disease and organ failure.

Britons are taking up vaping in unprecedented numbers, with roughly one in ten adults estimated to be hooked on the habit.

While vapes are generally considered safer than cigarettes and a useful tool for quitting smoking, surveys have found around 8 per cent of adult vapers have never smoked before.

Earlier this week, a report released by the World Health Organisation claimed that the global number of people who use the devices exceeds 100million.
A mid-Atlantic city with one of the country's highest crime rates is facing an epidemic of babies being born with a deadly sexually transmitted disease.

Baltimore, Maryland, a city run by Democrats that has been named 'one of the most dangerous places to live' in the US, is facing the nation's highest rate of congenital syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) passed from an infected mother to infant.

According to Johns Hopkins, a top medical institution located in Baltimore, the city had a congenital syphilis rate of 274 cases per 100,000 live births in 2022.

The US nationwide is contending with a surge in the disease and the rate increased from 60 cases per 100,000 births in 2020 to 110 per 100,000 births last year.

Cases rose nearly 82 percent from 2020 to 2024, the most recent data available. In 2020, the CDC recorded 2,168 cases of congenital syphilis. By 2024, that number rose to 3,941.

According to the agency, this is the highest number of cases of the disease since 1992.

Doctors believe the rise is being driven by lack of access to general medical care and education, as well as by pregnant women not receiving prenatal care and testing and not following up with treatment after testing.

Nearly 40 percent of pregnant women who tested positive did not receive any or adequate treatment, according to new CDC data.

Cases of congenital syphilis have more than tripled in recent years, with 3,882 cases reported in 2023 (stock image)

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Pregnant womens sexual partners who dont receive STD screening or treatment also contribute to the rise.

And many infected people will show no symptoms of the infection.

Forty-three percent of birth parents did not receive syphilis testing during their pregnancy and 23 percent were not treated for a positive case. This contributed to almost 90 percent of congenital syphilis cases across the US in 2022.

For nine in 10 cases of the STD in infants, testing and treatment during pregnancy might have prevented the transmission of the potentially deadly disease to newborns, Johns Hopkins estimates.

To combat the outbreak, the city of Baltimore awarded Johns Hopkins $225,000 in 2024 to help provide testing and care to at-risk or infected individuals.

Head of Johns Hopkins' Center for Communication Programs August Summers said during the announcement: 'We will be bringing awareness about the issue to Baltimore, both to people who are pregnant and their partners who likely also need treatment, as well as to providers to help improve counseling and testing.

'There is a possibility of infant death, and thats really what we want to prevent above all else.'

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Syphilis is an STD contracted during sex that causes skin rashes and sores

Primary syphilis sores begin at the infection site such as the mouth or genitals. Secondary syphilis rashes appear on the hands and feet.

Congenital syphilis can cause symptoms such as bone deformities, jaundice, rashes and lesions.

However, both syphilis and congenital syphilis are preventable by using condoms during sex and can be treated by the antibiotic penicillin.

When left untreated, the disease can lead to neurological problems, premature and stillbirths, and after-birth death.

Health agencies have recommendations for syphilis testing, providing self or at-home STD tests to expand the options for pregnant women.

Rebecca Dineen, assistant Baltimore health commissioner for maternal and child health, said officials were focused for years on the pandemic, rather than on congenital syphilis

Every state recommends a test in the first trimester, 18 states recommend it for the third, and nine recommend it post-birth.

Only eight states mandate syphilis screenings after delivery.

Additionally, syphilis rates among African Americans are some of the highest in the US and Baltimore's population is 60 percent African American.

The pandemic may have also played a part because health leaders were more focused on Covid than other infections.

Rebecca Dineen, assistant Baltimore health commissioner for maternal and child health, told The Baltimore Banner: 'We went through the pandemic, and our eye was not on congenital syphilis.'

The CDC states: 'Increasing rates of syphilis among babies reflect a failure of the US health system.

'Testing for and treating syphilis during pregnancy more than 30 days before delivery can prevent this infection in newborns. Too many people are not being tested and treated early enough during pregnancy.'

The only cure for congenital syphilis is the antibiotic benzathine penicillin, which is administered by injection. However, it is currently facing a worldwide shortage.
A southern US state has recorded its first death from the flu for the 2025 to 2026 winter virus season.

Health officials in North Carolina confirmed that an adult in the western part of the state had died after developing complications from the flu in the first week of October.

No further details were revealed, such as the patient's name, age, or how long they were sick with the virus.

The death is among the first recorded for the 2025 to 2026 respiratory virus season, which is set to last from this month to May next year.

It comes in the same week that at least six California counties reimposed mask mandates for visitors and health workers in certain health care settings, including in nursing homes, long-term care facilities and dialysis centers.

Experts in the state argue that the coverings can help prevent infections, despite a major review showing they made 'little to no difference' on Covid transmission during the pandemic.

North Carolina state epidemiologist Dr Zack Moore, said: 'This is a sad reminder that flu infections can be serious and, in some cases, even fatal.

'We encourage everyone to take preventative measures against flu and other respiratory illnesses like getting your yearly flu shot, regularly washing hands, covering your cough and staying home when sick to avoid infecting others.'

North Carolina has announced the first flu death of the 2025 to 2026 flu season (stock image)

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Most flu patients do not die from the infection, but rather a complication triggered by the disease. The disease can weaken the immune system, raising the risk of someone suffering from sepsis or pneumonia, which can be fatal.

Flu levels are currently 'minimal' nationwide, according to CDC surveillance, but have risen slightly in four states, including North Carolina. Other states with elevated levels are Connecticut, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Levels of RSV and norovirus are also low nationwide, but Covid levels are 'moderate', according to wastewater surveillance.

Experts warn that as colder weather hits, people will spend more time mixing indoors, allowing respiratory viruses to spread easily between individuals. They say levels are currently low because the nation is in the early stages of the winter virus season.

Every year, infections, hospitalizations and deaths from respiratory viruses tend to peak between December and February, before gradually declining.

Last year, an estimated 40million Americans were infected with the flu, while 400,000 were hospitalized and 25,000 died from complications linked to their infections, in what the CDC called 'one of the worst' flu seasons in over a decade. In that year, cases peaked in early February, before gradually declining.

In North Carolina, the state recorded its worst flu season last year since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, registering 544 fatalities.

North Carolina's Department of Health revealed the flu fatality in a press release posted online on Wednesday.

It comes after six counties in California, including Sonoma County (shown above), reimposed their mask mandates

It is now urging all residents aged six months and over to ensure they receive a flu vaccine.

It also said Covid vaccines were recommended for everyone aged six months and over, even after the Robert F Kennedy-run CDC shifted its guidelines to recommend Covid vaccines to those aged 18 years and older. The agency says parents of children aged six months to 17 years should discuss the benefits of vaccination with their doctor.

Data from the CDC shows that in the week to September 20, the latest available, there were eight flu-related deaths recorded nationwide.

This is outside the start of the 2025 to 2026 flu season, which the CDC says begins in October, but indicates that flu deaths were likely recorded elsewhere in the US this week.

Wake County Director of Nursing, Tina Payton, with Wake County being the North Carolina County for Raleigh, the capital of the state in its central area, told ABC11: 'We see more respiratory illnesses as it gets colder and we're headed into that season.

'It gives you a chance to build your immunity before the holidays come up, and that's always a big time where people get together indoors and there's a higher opportunity for illness.'

The news comes after at least six counties in California's Bay Area - Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Napa, San Mateo and Santa Cruz - reimposed mask mandates in some health care settings.

The above graph from the North Carolina Department of Health shows the proportion of ED visits due to respiratory viruses over the last year

Flu activity remains minimal across much of the US, although it has ticked up slightly in four states, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina and Wisconsin

Starting November 1, each will require health workers and, in some cases, visitors or patients, to wear face coverings in medical settings used by frail, ailing or vulnerable patients.

The mandate in Sonoma County has been set to be renewed every year unless it is repealed.

There are scant reports of other counties considering face mask mandates at present, although experts say this may shift as cooler weather approaches.

Data for North Carolina shows visits to the state's Emergency Departments for a respiratory disease dropped to 5.4 percent of the total in the week to October 4, the latest available, down from 6.4 percent in the previous seven-day period.

Covid-like illnesses, infections that are suspected to be Covid but are not confirmed, were the most common reason for ED visits, behind 1.8 percent in the latest week, followed by flu-like, at 0.6 percent, and RSV-like, at 0.2 percent, with both of these also being infections suspected to be down to these diseases that had not been confirmed via tests.

The remaining 2.8 percent did not have the type of respiratory virus they were suffering from determined.
When one of Hu Anyans colleagues is suspended by the Beijing courier company for which they work, youd think they might spend the three days resting. Their low-paid work is physically tiring, after all.

And at least hed be getting a break from the customer behaviour that led to the suspension in the first place  the courier asked the customer to sign for the delivery, the customer refused, and when the courier asked again, the customer complained about his foul attitude.

But no, the three days cant be used for recuperation. Instead, the courier must go around the companys depots reading aloud his own letter of self-criticism.

Return to sender: A colleague of Anyan's was suspended for his 'foul attitude' when a customer refused to sign for a delivery

Its tales like this that make large parts of Hus book, about the 19 different jobs he has held, a pretty dispiriting read. But then thats his intention  he wants to document the live-to-work existence many are forced to lead, and question how they can come to terms with it.

The grim nature of the work in China is documented in harsh detail. For instance, one warehouse in which Hu works is so hot  even though he does night shifts  that he drinks three litres of water but sweats so much he never once needs to urinate. In the same job, the nails on his index fingers turn black and fall off.

One company makes him pay for a second medical before theyll employ him, citing his marginally high neutrophil [a type of white blood cell] count  a decision the doctor who re-examines him brands as ridiculous, saying slight inflammation can cause it. And one boss tells his team: Dont think we cant do this without you, anyone could do this.

How do the workers react? In his warehouse spell, Hu notices that no one wants to chat: They reminded me of quiet old farmers . . .[they] had the same indifferent, guarded way about them with strangers.

In other jobs, it can go one of two ways. His fellow couriers moan about managers: It was reliable common ground . . .We built our friendships in opposition to this shared enemy.

But when he works at a petrol station, the attendants and the low-paid drivers they serve dislike each other. When disgruntled, the lowly among us only have each other to pick on, because going after the powerful will only cost us in the end.

I Deliver Parcels in Beijing is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Hu himself is an intriguing character. Early on in the book he admits: I have trouble socialising. Working in a clothes store, he knows hes not cut out for sales: I never tried to change anyones mind. I lacked the resilience to take a no in stride, so I just didnt ask.

Later, when his business venture fails, he hides away for two years, refusing to answers calls even from friends.

So this certainly isnt the cheeriest book in the world. But it does raise interesting questions about lifes challenges and seeing work as enslavement.

The final irony is this book has sold more than a million copies in China, making Hu financially secure. I wonder if hell write a soul-searching book about not having to work?
THE HISTORY MAN by Malcolm Bradbury (Picador 10.99, 272pp)

The History Man is available now

This 1970s campus novel should feel outdated compared with todays students.

An anarchic sociology tutor at a new university on the south coast, Howard Kirk  a Northern grammar-school boy  sleeps with both colleagues and students. His more intelligent wife Barbara, trapped by motherhood, seeks solace in an affair in London.

But some issues feel very today in this sharp social satire. Should geneticist Mangel, condemned by some as a racist, be allowed to speak at college?

Should Howard fail a students essays because he disagrees with his political stance? And behind the sexual freedom, dope parties and posturing, real people are unravelling in pain as theory and practice collide. Bradburys detached observation skewers everyone equally.

EVENING CLASS by Maeve Binchy (Orion 9.99, 528pp)

Evening Class is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Disappointed by the lack of an expected promotion, middle-aged Latin teacher Aidan launches an Italian evening class at his school, taught by Signora, who has recently returned to Dublin after 26 secretive years in Sicily.

Thirty people enrol  all for different reasons  and Binchy intertwines the stories of several, including young, besotted banker Bill and his spendthrift lover Lizzie, hard-working Kathy and her devoted older sister Fran and thuggish Lou, reluctantly dragged into crime.

No one conjures up themes of duty, desire, loneliness, late-blossoming romance or painful family secrets with quite the warmth and wit of Binchy and this will have you booking an autumn break in Rome.

GOOD COUNTRY PEOPLE by Flannery OConnor (Faber 9.99, 304pp)

Good Country People is available now from the Mail Bookshop

From Americas South, OConnor, a white Catholic, delves deep into religious differences and racial tension (warning: she uses the N-word) to create Gothic tales of shocking brutality and violence that question boundaries of good and evil.

In the title story, PhD graduate Hulga, despite a weak heart and an artificial leg, considers herself superior to the poor Bible salesman she secretly mocks, but who cruelly turns the tables.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find contrasts the mundane detail of a family outing with the appearance of a murderous stranger confused by the grandmothers evocation of Gods Grace.

OConnor writes superbly, but disturbingly, of human imperfection.
Deadmans Pool by Kate Rhodes (Orenda Books 9.99, 300pp)

Deadman's Pool is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Its always a bonus when a story gives a psychological insight into a place as well as the minds of the characters.

In this case its the slightly claustrophobic intensity of the Isles of Scilly that is expertly revealed through the eyes of DI Ben Kitto in the latest of this superb series.

Kitto takes the islands priest to live as a hermit in the ruins of an ancient church. The body of a girl is discovered in the ruins of an old isolation hospital. But nobody has been reported missing.

Meanwhile, rumours are circulating about strange goings-on. It emerges that the killer is still at large just as major storms cut the islands off.

One for suspense lovers but not the faint-hearted as the plot can be disturbing.

Trapped on an isle with a killer on the prowl

The Psychiatrist by Emma Curtis (Corvus 9.99, 416pp)

The Psychiatrist is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Turning the tables on the psychiatrist is always a good trick in a psychological novel and Curtis succeeds in giving her story a twist that saves the plot cliche.

The psychiatrist is Dr Geddes. She has been blindsided by a young male client who suddenly told her she is beautiful. But thats just the start of her unravelling.

Soon the young man is the catalyst who could destroy her future.

Geddes is a relatable, vulnerable character. Abandoned by her husband because she didnt want to be a mother, she has failed to move on and she knows it.

Meanwhile, a few roads away and soon to be connected is Lorna, a young social-climbing estate agent, who cant believe her luck in becoming friends with the glamorous Elise.

Elises husband is a secret from Lornas past. Curtis rather ingeniously brings the two stories together with real suspense and drama.

Bite-sized scenes and smart characters make this an easy and enjoyable read.

The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin (Viper  9.99, 384pp)

The Vanishing Place is available now from the Mail Bookshop

When Effie was growing up in the New Zealand wilderness she thought she was being protected from a sinister outside world. Instead she was actually a prisoner of shocking neglect.

She finally escaped when she was 15 to make a new life after a particularly traumatising incident.

But the shocking appearance of a bloodied young girl coming out of the bush after witnessing a murder compels Effie to return and face her demons.

Not least because this child bears a startling resemblance to her as a child. Raw, emotional and haunting.
Benbecula by Graeme Macrae Burnet (Polygon 12, 152pp)

Benbecula is available now from the Mail Bookshop

One day in 1857 in a fit of insanity, Angus McPhee murdered his crofter father, mother and aunt on the Hebridean island of Benbecula and was later incarcerated in an asylum for the criminally insane.

In a furtive, cagey novel reminiscent of Macraes Booker-shortlisted gem, His Bloody Project, the incident  which actually happened  is recounted here by Anguss real-life brother Malcolm.

Yet where that earlier novel riffed on the idea of a literary hoax, this ploughs the alarming psychology of subsistence life, whereby incest and madness are almost logical by-products of impoverished hermetic communities, and where ones perception of ones own reality is as unstable as the relentless unforgiving weather.

In recounting one murder, Macrae subtly introduces the idea of another to produce a consummate slice of alternative true crime.

The Midnight Timetable by Bora Chung (Dialogue Books 14.99, 208pp)

The Midnight Timetable is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Bora Chung is a rising star of South Korean literature: quirky, clever and adept at a Gen Z-pleasing hybrid literature style that mashes together horror, sci-fi and magic realism.

Yet those new to her work will wonder what the fuss is about on the basis of this underwhelming novel which comprises interlinked stories set inside a mysterious institute housing various haunted objects.

Told from the perspective of various employees, its a bit of a shaggy-dog story, with a daisy chain of enigmatic incidents (disorientating corridors, doors, staircases and tunnels; a strange prophetic sheep; a magic handkerchief) leading, well, nowhere, frankly.

Like a seemingly endless dream recounted by a bore, this silly little book becomes more mind-numbing the longer it goes on.

Jesus Christ Kinski by Benjamin Myers (Bloomsbury 18.99, 208pp)

Jesus Christ Kinski is available now from the Mail Bookshop

I suspect readers will either love or hate this novel, but either way it makes most contemporary fiction look bloodless by comparison.

In 1971 the German actor Klaus Kinski  a frequent collaborator of the director Werner Herzog, who once described him as one of the greatest actors of the century, but also a monster and a great pestilence  performed a one man show about Jesus Christ.

Part of the novel takes us inside Kinskis semi-deranged mind during that performance, while another concerns the efforts of a writer, some years after Kinskis death in 1991, to write a book about Kinski after becoming obsessed with footage of him performing on YouTube.

Kinski once said he would have been better than Hitler, certainly at delivering his speeches, and on the evidence of this novel you can well believe it.
At a sprawling holiday villa half way between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, the writer and explorer Jean Raspail experienced an apocalyptic vision.

Staring out across the sparkling blue waters of the French Riviera, he imagined an invasion  an armada of small boats crammed with immigrants, packed so tightly that many were already dead, a million hungry, desperate people swarming onto the shore.

And what if they came? he asked aloud. This was 1971, decades before the mass migration crisis began and the question triggered a surge of manic creativity. Over the next few weeks, Raspail wrote frantically.

I had no plan and not the least idea of how things would go, nor of the characters who would populate my story, he said. To my great surprise, my pencil raced unhindered across the paper. If ever I was inspired while writing a book, it was this one.

The novel that unfolded took its title from a verse in the Book Of Revelation, a prophecy that when the world is about to end, Satan will gather armies from the four quarters of the earth, and send out invaders, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. These armies will surround the camp of the saints  the last bastions of civilisation.

The Camp Of The Saints, published this month in Britain for the first time (more than half a century after it was written), is an extraordinary novel. Not all of it has come true, of course  far from it. Its wilder excesses, plotlines and ending stretch the limits of credulity.

It reads instead like a war reporters despatch from the mouth of Hell. Its plot is a meaningless cascade of murders, breakdowns and atrocities. Its characters are stickmen. But Raspail writes with such energy, like a man possessed, that the books 300 pages rush by.

If you have ever found yourself doom-scrolling on your phone, rolling up an endless blur of grim headlines, reading The Camp Of The Saints is not dissimilar.

At a sprawling holiday villa halfway between Cannes and Saint-Tropez in 1971, the writer and explorer Jean Raspail experienced an apocalyptic vision. He wrote it all down, frantically

He imagined an armada of small boats crammed with immigrants, packed so tightly that many were already dead, a million hungry, desperate people swarming onto the shore

Its a brutal, frequently sickening read. French literature often prides itself on how shocking it can be, but even by those standards Raspail is exceptional. His descriptions of the filth, degradation, sexual degeneracy and violence among the refugees is stomach-churning  and at times, shockingly racist.

When the novel first appeared in 1973, even the Right-wing Le Figaro  the newspaper for which Raspail wrote  panned The Camp Of The Saints. Left-wing papers refused to review it. The first print run failed to sell. In the US, when an English translation appeared, it was dismissed as a rant.

But the novel is prescient in two remarkable ways. Firstly, theres the image of that tragic flotilla, running aground on an idyllic coastline.

Every day for the past ten years or more, this terrible picture has been a sad reality on the news.

His nightmare vision also accurately predicted how the West would react: tormented by liberal guilt and fashionable self-loathing, the Europeans turn on each other.

The migrants, inspire immense pity, he writes. They are weak. They are unarmed. They have the power of numbers. They are the object of our remorse and of the wet-blanket humanitarianism of our consciences. And now that they are here, are we going to receive them in our home, at the risk of encouraging other flotillas of unfortunates?

An indecisive French government has no idea how to respond. It doesnt know how to round them up and send them back. It dare not intern them in refugee camps. And the idea of sending the navy to sink their boats is barbaric.

Instead, it blames the ordinary French people for failing to welcome the immigrants.

The Camp Of The Saints, published this month in Britain for the first time, is a brutal, frequently sickening read. But this terrible picture has been a sad reality on the news every day for the past ten years

As demonstrations and violence break out between locals and the new arrivals, the authorities issue an edict: Anyone found to have incited discrimination, hatred, or violence against an individual or group of individuals on account of their origin or membership of a given ethnic group, nation, race, or religion shall be punished with one month to one years imprisonment and a fine ranging from 2,000 to 300,000 francs.

This law applies to all printed matter. To make a comment in writing that might be construed as a threat is to commit a hate crime. Arguing against this rule is to invite public condemnation: There are some types of unanimity that it is not wise to challenge.

For Raspail to have thought of that, decades before the dawn of social media, is uncanny. He also predicts the politics of reparations, as the Vatican donates all its treasures to developing countries, a gesture that does not the slightest bit of good to anyone.

No wonder, in later life, the novelist wondered whether some unseen power had dictated the story to him as he wrote.

The novel begins with an elderly professor at his 300-year-old family home on a hill overlooking the tourist village where Raspail was holidaying. He has a telescope, and usually he likes to watch the water-skiers and sunbathing girls.

But today he cant take his eyes off the unbelievable rusty fleet... the holds and decks piled high in layers of human flesh... the dead floating around the hull, their white rags trailing on the surface of the water, corpses thrown overboard by the living.

As he watches, a young man with long, dirty blond hair sidles up to him and crows: Isnt it great? Giggling with excitement, the youth describes how his parents and sisters locked up their shop and fled the town this morning, afraid of being raped and murdered, out of their wits with fear. His farewell to his father, he brags, was to spit in his face.

The young man has spent the morning looting empty houses and stuffing his face with food. Tomorrow, we wont recognise this country any more. Its going to be reborn, he says.

My real family is all the people coming off those boats. Now I have a million brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers. A million wives. Ill have a child with the first one I see.

Then he turns on the professor, promising to bring a legion of immigrants to live in his house. They know nothing about what you are. Your world means nothing to them. They wont try to understand.

Theyll be tired. Theyll be cold. Theyll build a fire with your lovely oak door. Theyll sh*t all over your terrace and wipe their hands on the books in your library. Theyll spit out your wine. Sitting on their haunches, theyll watch as your armchairs go up in flames. Whats beautiful wont be beautiful any more. Nothing will have any real value.

The old mans response is to take his shotgun and kill the youth with one blast to the chest. His bloody corpse lies there until the end of the book.

By then, the whole of France has descended into civil war, with many Europeans fighting on the side of the immigrants.

The Wests resisters hole up in Switzerland but are eventually overrun. As the conflict becomes global, Israel collapses.

The Camp Of the Saints has been an underground success for half a century. Raspail met a Parisian taxi driver who told all his fares about the book, offering to find them a copy. He reckoned he sold about ten a day, splitting the proceeds with a book dealer who sent the novel out in a box tied in a ribbon.

Raspail, who died in 2020 aged 94, lived long enough to see his hideous prophecy come true  literally.

In February 2001, a cargo ship with no name and no flag ran aground on the French coast. On board were 1,000 Kurdish refugees. Just as the book described, the boat beached halfway between Cannes and Saint-Tropez... 60 yards from Jean Raspails villa, where he first looked out to sea and imagined the immigrant invasion.

The Camp Of The Saints by Jean Raspail is published by Vauban Books.
Olivia Attwood opens up on divorce rumours as she admits she and Bradley Dack 'really weren't getting on very well' as she reflects on using partying to cope


Gayle King's future at CBS News is under threat over her $15million salary - as two of her colleagues are expected to get huge promotions.

The star's survival at the network is uncertain as its new leadership, owner David Ellison and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, look to cut costs and elevate other talent.

Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter reported that Weiss has met with Norah O'Donnell, who was quietly removed from CBS Evening News last year by former boss Wendy McMahon.

One of the options for O'Donnell would be to have her return to CBS Mornings - as King's massive paycheck could be an issue in Ellison's era, according to Status.

'ODonnell could return to CBS Mornings, particularly as Gayle Kings massive paycheck may become difficult to justify in the Ellison era, which is expected to include significant belt tightening,' Darcy wrote.

Weiss is also reportedly looking to bring new life into Evening News, which has been languishing under co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, Status said.

O'Donnell, who is set to moderate a roundtable with Hillary Clinton, Mike Pompeo and Antony Blinken, is a possible contender to to front Evening News again.

Another strong candidate is CBS Mornings's co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, who the network publicly rebuked after a controversial interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

According to Darcy, 'figures like Dokoupil and ODonnell, both of whom have weathered shifting fortunes at the network, now likely see the change of guard as a potential opportunity - a chance to perhaps boost their own personal standing as the Ellison-Weiss era takes shape.'

Gayle King's future at CBS News is under threat over her $15million salary, as new bosses look to cut costs amid plummeting ratings

New editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly looking to elevate other talent during her reign

Weiss has met Norah O'Donnell, who was quietly removed from CBS Evening News last year

The Daily Mail reached out to CBS News for comment.

The New York Post reported in August that King's future at CBS Mornings was uncertain as networks boss are not happy with the star's focus on DEI and tanking ratings.

King reportedly refused to follow her bosses' attempts to move away from polarizing coverage, sources told the Post.

The sources claimed that the 70-year-old anchor and her executive producer Shawna Thomas have alienated viewers with ultra-progressive programming, like an interview with RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, who was promoting his 'gender-bending' novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert.

Gayle signed a contract extension last year for between $13 million and $15 million that is scheduled to end in May 2026, a source told The Post.

Skydance Media, which took over running CBS, likely won't offer Gayle the same deal given the ratings, the source added.

The potential Mornings shake up comes as CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, whose own reported $15million contract also ends next May.

Gayle's producer Shawna Thomas had reportedly already been told to tone down the progressive content, but just 'didn't do what she was told.'

New bosses are reportedly considering promoting CBS Mornings's co-anchor Tony Dokoupil

Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison speaks during the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on October 9

Thomas views herself as a major journalist who wants to do heavy reporting and provocative interviews with edgy guests, insiders said.

However, Thomas kept her job because she has Gayle's support.

The Post, citing sources, reported that aside from the woke programming, viewers were 'alienated' by the fact none of the show's anchors, aside from Tony Dokoupil, are white.
A rising tide of workplace fraud is hitting British businesses, experts are warning.

Behaviours once considered taboo and unacceptable in the workplace - from faking job references and selling access to company systems, to working for competitors in secret - are now becoming commonplace.

That is according to fraud prevention agency Cifas, which has said one in five workers admit to secretly juggling two competing jobs.

What's more, almost a quarter of Britons believe it's 'justifiable' to secretly work for a competitor  a practice known as 'polygamous working'.

The report surveyed 2,000 workers in sectors from HR to engineering and finance to IT across all levels of seniority. At least 500 of the respondents worked from home some or all the time.

It reveals a growing tolerance among workers for behaviours tantamount to workplace fraud.

Double crossing: One in five workers has admitted to moonlighting for a competing firm

Using fraudulent references and credentials to deceive recruiters and employers during the hiring process was deemed 'justifiable' by 30 per cent of respondents.

The most commonly commited type of fraud was expenses fraud, including claiming personal meals as business expenses, with a quarter of workers admitting they had done this in the past or know someone who has.

Keith Rosser, chair of The Better Hiring Institute and director of recruiter Reed's employee screening arm, says: 'Polygamous working and the use of reference houses are two of the largest issues impacting UK business, along with fake IT workers and AI-enabled fraud.

'It is essential companies protect themselves against this expanding issue.'

Reference houses are organisations which provide fake employment, education, bank and identity checks for jobseekers.

In a worrying trend, 88 per cent of business owners and 70 per cent of C-suite executives also said certain unlawful behaviours were justifiable.

Mike Haley, CEO of Cifas, said: 'Our research reveals systemic blind spots to a whole range of rising threats impacting the workplace.

'It raises urgent questions about organisational culture, risk management, and accountability. '

The elevated cost of living has seen rising numbers of workers taking up second jobs or side hustles to make ends meet, or to boost savings.

Polygamous working, while not illegal, might place some workers in breach of their employment contract with their main job.

Mr Haley adds: 'Organisations must take steps urgently to build effective counter-fraud cultures in the workplace, strengthening prevention, and empowering employees to do the right thing.'
Three quarters of drivers who have paid for public parking using a smartphone app say they have encountered issues as one of the nation's biggest motoring organisations calls for a wider choice of payment options.

The RAC has urged parking operators to offer at least two methods of payment at every car park, adding that 'no-one should be forced' to use an app.

In a poll of 1,709 UK drivers, 73 per cent of those who have used a mobile app to pay for parking in the last 12 months suffered problems.

Most respondents said they prefer using bank/contactless cards (46 per cent) or cash (33 per cent), compared with (30 per cent) who favour an app.

Many councils have removed payment machines from their car parks and told drivers to use apps instead, to save money.

However, this has caused widespread frustration for motorists and an increase in the number of scams with fraudsters sticking different QR codes onto machines that dupe drivers into depositing money into the trickster's account.

Three quarters of drivers who have paid for public parking using a smartphone app say they have encountered issues as the RAC called for motorists to have more payment options

The RAC's survey indicated the most common frustration - experienced by 70 per cent of drivers while using parking apps - is a lack of signal.

This was followed by the application not correctly recognising the car park being used (36 per cent), and the app crashing (35 per cent).

One in eight respondents said they could not work out how to use the app, a figure that doubled to one in four among motorists aged 75 and older.

More than a third of drivers (36 per cent) who use parking apps have at least three installed on their phone, while 15 per cent have four or more.

In May, the Government announced the launch of the National Parking Platform, which is aimed at enabling drivers to pay for parking in all participating car parks using their preferred app.

It said at the time that drivers face 'inconsistent parking rules, clunky user experiences and unnecessary barriers'.

The RAC said 10 local authorities are using the service including city councils in Manchester, Liverpool and Coventry.

More are expected to sign up shortly.

The RAC's survey indicated the most common frustration - experienced by 70% of drivers while using parking apps - is a lack of signal

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: 'Mobile apps have an important and increasing role to play when it comes to parking our vehicles, and the best ones make parking an easier task for many of us.

'But our figures show there's still plenty drivers find frustrating about using them - whether that's a lack of mobile signal, problems registering bank cards, or the app crashing or behaving strangely.

'All parking operators, whether public or private, should offer drivers at least two different ways to pay.

'No-one should be forced to use a mobile app when parking if they don't want to, especially those who struggle with technology or just don't have a smartphone.'

Mr Dennis encouraged drivers to ensure they have downloaded the latest version of each parking app they use, to reduce the chances of them not functioning properly.

Recent Government figures show English councils made a 1.2billion surplus from parking in the last financial year.

Drivers have been facing a number of different scams targeting car parking payments, including QR code 'quishing'

However, motorists are urged to take care when paying for parking in public car parks due to the increasing threat of scammers stealing their money - and potentially their personal information.

'Quishing' is the growing criminal activity of placing fake QR codes on payment machines in car parks to defraud unsuspecting drivers by duping them into entering credit and debit card information into fake websites.

The RAC said the scam often has a double-blow for victims, who not only hand over their payment information to thieves but also get stung with fines from councils and private firms for failing to pay the parking rate.

Experts have pointed out that councils and parking operators switching to cashless payment systems has accelerated this problem.
Classic car collectors and well-heeled Fast Ford fans will next month have the 'extraordinary' opportunity to get their hands on two of the 'world's most exceptional' 1970s Escorts RS cars from the seventies heyday.

With just 109 examples ever produced, the RS1800 is one of those unicorn performance models from half a century ago that is in huge demand among enthusiasts and commanding jaw-dropping prices.

Produced between March 1975 and September 1977, the Escort Mk2 RS1800 was designed as a road-going version of Fords hugely successful rally car.

Powered by a 1.8-litre 16-valve Cosworth engine, the RS1800 shared its heavy duty bodyshell, as well as many components, with the Escort Mexico but stood apart as a homologation special built to dominate the rally stages.

And the two being offered by Iconic Auctioneers at a Birmingham sale in November are said to 'represent both the finest restored and the most original examples known to exist'.

As such, experts reckon a winning bid for each will need to be in the region of a quarter of a million pounds.

Fast Fords for big bucks: Ford between 1975 and 1977 produced just 109 road-going Escort RS1800s - a car that would go on to become a legend. Next month, two of the 'finest restored and the most original examples known to exist' will be offered to the highest bidder...

The first of the two cars is steeped in provenance.

Registration 'KPR 111P' is confirmed as the first production RS1800 from 1975, which alone makes it one of the most desirable example of these rare motors.

However, it is also widely regarded by the Fast Ford fraternity as the best restored example in existence.

Following a ten-year restoration project, the car is now in 'concours' condition, meaning it would be good enough to be presented in a classic vehicle museum as if it has never turned a wheel in its 50-year lifetime.

'Every component has been returned to factory-correct condition, right down to its period Pirelli Cinturato tyres, Motorcraft battery, and functioning original radio,' the auctioneer said.

Having claimed over 200 show awards, including Concours Car of the Show at the Ford RS Owners Club National Day 2022, it has even been immortalised as a 1:43 scale Corgi model.

The car is said to represent 'not only a flawless restoration but a faithful resurrection of the first RS1800'.

Iconic Auctioneers believes it will go for a winning bid in the region of 200,000 to 250,000 when presented at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2025 on 8 November.

And it won't be making the journey to the block alone with another RS1800 following closely in its tyre tracks...

Registration 'KPR 111P' is the first RS1800 to come off the car giant's Advanced Vehicle Operations Pilot Plant at Aveley, Essex in 1975, which alone makes it one of the most desirable example of these rare motors

A ten-year restoration project has put it back to gleaming condition, good enough for it to be a museum display

'Every component has been returned to factory-correct condition, right down to its period Pirelli Cinturato tyres, Motorcraft battery, and functioning original radio,' Iconic Auctioneers said

This car has claimed over 200 show awards and has even been immortalised as a 1:43 scale Corgi model

The second RS1800 also going under the hammer at the same auction is registration 'SCE 383S' - a 1977 car that's dubbed 'a monument to originality'.

Believed to be the most genuine surviving RS1800 on the planet, it remains unrestored, retaining its factory-fitted shell and drivetrain.

And with just 34,811 miles, original paint, the factory interior, and even its PDI (pre-delivery inspection) stickers still intact, it exemplifies the mantra: theyre only original once.

From one of the UKs most respected Ford collectors and admired by the late RS1800 Registrar, Dave Robinson, this car has been carefully preserved in dehumidified storage and lightly driven.

It offers collectors a rare glimpse of what a brand-new RS1800 looked, felt, and smelled like in 1977.

The second RS1800 going under the hammer at the same auction is this example: registration 'SCE 383S' from 1977 that has been dubbed 'a monument to originality'

Believed to be the most genuine surviving RS1800 on the planet, it remains unrestored, retaining its factory-fitted shell and drivetrain

'This is the reference point of authenticity for such a model,' Iconic Auctioneers said.

While the auction house has refused to disclose the guide price, we expect it to be in the ballpark of the sister model two years its senior.

Earlier this summer, another of the 109 Mk2 RS1800s - this a 1976 model - sold for a world record 278,848.

This was another example of rare provenance having been retained by the same family for almost half a century.

The lot winner - having been embroiled in a 'frenzied' bidding war in July - paid an eye-watering 278,848 to secure the keys.

Rob Hubbard, managing director and principal auctioneer at Iconic Auctioneers, said: 'To have not one but two of the worlds most significant Ford Escort RS1800s in the same sale is an extraordinary privilege.

'Each car offers a different kind of perfection  one restored to absolute concours standard, the other preserved in its original factory condition.

'Together, they illustrate why Fords RS heritage remains so revered among collectors.'
Slam the stable doors too hard after financial shenanigans and the result is market distortions.

The impact of the post great financial crisis (GFC) Dodd-Frank Act in the US and the clampdown on British and international banking by the G20 Financial Stability Board, headed by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, is being felt across the globe.

Business activity has been driven into the secretive world of private equity and credit. That is always going to be an opportunity for recklessness and finagling.

The consequences are coming sharply into view. The collapse of closely held car parts maker First Brands, which expanded exponentially through acquisition, looks an unlikely candidate to hobble financial markets.

But it could be the canary in the mine. Some $2.5billion of funds allegedly disappeared as the sums were done in the bankruptcy courts. The US Justice Department has opened a probe.

Britain's City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, also is monitoring developments in case the ripples cause stress in the Square Mile. As we know from the Lehman Brothers implosion, you can never tell where the dominos might fall.

Secretive world: By dipping into private credit in the search of superior returns, rash fund managers expose us all to danger

Some of the disclosures could pose a threat to stability. Technically, private finance ought to be off limits to the regulated financial sector.

It has now emerged that funds managed by UBS and fast-growing investment bank Jefferies have substantial exposures through arms-length offshoots.

If that rings a bell, think of the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) holding dodgy assets which exploded in the GFC, leaving investors across the globe nursing losses.

Initial reports suggest that the liabilities of First Brands were in the order of $10billion, but a figure as high as $50billion has been mentioned in some reports.

The liabilities of sub-prime car lender Tricolor also are worrying debt markets.

Asset manager Aegon is sounding the alarm. Jim Schaeffer, head of leveraged finance at the $380bn fund manager, is warning of trouble ahead with 'more and more companies just hitting the wall'.

He told Bloomberg that firms are 'going down' after years of elevated debt payments. They also are under pressure because of Donald Trump tariff wars and surging import costs. Schaeffer cites the danger of private credit markets where exposures are estimated at $1.7 trillion.

The First Brands crisis has similarities to the Greensill scandal in the UK. The motor group took factoring to the extreme by double-pledging its trade receivables  invoices to suppliers  to third-party investors. By dipping into private credit in the search of superior returns, rash fund managers expose us all to danger.

Waving goodbye

British pharma trailblazer AstraZeneca is not taking risks with its future. A drug-unfriendly Starmer Government raised the levy on sales to the NHS and has done nothing to lower the barriers to the use of new medicines in hospitals and clinics.

Across the Atlantic, AZ is listening to Trump's call for more medicines to be manufactured in America.

The response has been rapid. AZ is scuttling off to New York for a second main market listing for its shares.

It is also delivering on its pledge of $50billion of new investment in the US. Ground has been broken in Virginia on a new $4.5billion research and manufacturing plant for its innovative cancer medicines and weight loss market.

New investment in its Cambridge labs is at a halt and a proposed Liverpool vaccine development site derelict. Bonkers.
A coalition of former ambassadors, MPs and senior religious leaders have issued a stark warning over what they describe as a 'massacre unfolding in plain sight' in Iran.

In a strongly worded letter, the signatories accuse the Iranian regime of ramping up executions as a brutal method of silencing dissentwith a staggering 1,200 people put to death so far this year, including 200 in September alone, marking the bloodiest month since the notorious 1988 prison killings.

Currently, there are more than 50 political prisoners on death row, including three women.

The letter urges the United Nations and democratic nations to intervene immediately, warning that inaction could pave the way for a chilling repeat of the mass executions that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives nearly four decades ago.

Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tells the Daily Mail that the Iranian Regime's greatest fear is its own people, made clear as day by the number of executions. He emphasized sanction enforcement on Iran.

'Iran prioritizes terrorism over serving its citizens, and as a result, it has ramped up internal repression, once again making the Iranian people the first victims of the regime's destructive agenda,' said Risch.

A senior administration official, reacting to the letter and human rights abuses in Iran, said that they support the Iranian people's struggle against their government.

'The regime unjustly executes more people than any other country, persecutes members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and uses tactics like arbitrary arrest and torture, and other violations to intimidate political opponents and squash dissent,' they said.

A coalition of former ambassadors, MPs and senior religious leaders have issued a stark warning over what they describe as a 'massacre unfolding in plain sight' in Iran

UN expert Professor Javaid Rehman characterized the mass executions as clear evidence of crimes against humanity and potential genocide

A senior administration official, reacting to the letter and human rights abuses in Iran, tells Daily Mail they support the people of Iran against their government

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International reports that Iran now holds the title of having the highest number of executions per capita in the world.

In 2024 the group reported that Iran accounted for 64 per cent of all recorded executions worldwide. Iran recorded at least 972 executions that year, ranking it as the world's leading executioner after China among countries with publicly available data.

That same research shows that China carried out over 1,000 executions, Iran carried out around 972, followed by Saudi Arabia with approximately 345, Iraq with 63 and Yemen with 38.

The letter writes that on September 3, Amnesty International cautioned of history repeating itself with the 1988 massacre.

UN expert Professor Javaid Rehman characterized the mass executions as clear evidence of crimes against humanity and potential genocide.

Today, Iranian authorities are reportedly demolishing mass grave sites, seemingly attempting to eliminate traces of these historic abuses.

The letter is backed and signed by seventeen international dignitaries, including Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield, a veteran US national security official, John Bercow, former Speaker of the UK House of Commons and Peter Altmaier, who served as Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs.

The letter urges immediate international action, calling on UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk to speak out more forcefully against Iran's wave of executions.

The signatories also demand that democratic governments push for Iran's human rights abuses to be referred to the UN Security Council and that the regime's leaders face concrete consequences.

Victoria Coates, Vice President at the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy and former deputy national security advisor to President Trump, framed the letter as a grim vindication of longstanding concerns.

She described the regime in stark terms, saying it 'does not hesitate to ruthlessly eliminate any who dares disagree with them.'

'Given what the mullahs are willing to do to their own people with the means they have, there is an unacceptable risk they would use a nuclear weapon against the United States or Israel,' Coates said, warning of what could come in the future.
Shocked family 'just about dropped to the floor' upon learning the news that their loved one had allegedly opened fire on pedestrians from his suburban unit with an M1 Carbine rifle.

Artemios Mintzas, 61, has begen charged with 25 offences, including multiple counts of shooting with intent to murder, after allegedly opening fire on pedestrians last Sunday, plunging his inner west Sydney suburb of Croydon Park into lockdown.

One unnamed family member told the ABC that she 'just about dropped to the floor' when she learned her close relative had been charged over the major incident and that she had recently told him 'you need help'.

It comes as Mintzas' shocked ex-wife, Concepcion 'Connie' Mintzas - a Filipino-Australian who lives with the two adult children she shares with accused gunman Artemios Mintzas - was holed up, surrounded by family this week.

Connie lives with her daughter and son in a Central Coast home where Artemios had, before this year, been a regular visitor, neighbours told the Daily Mail.

However, the Sydney Trains customer service attendant had struggled in recent months after being evicted from a rental property in Belfield in western Sydney, and moving into the apartment from where he allegedly carried out the shooting spree.

In the Croydon Park residence, one relative said, Mr Mintzas could not always make it up the internal stairs and was forced to sleep downstairs in an armchair, which made him miserable.

Relatives told the Daily Mail that Mr Mintzas was a 'good man' and came from 'a proud family' of Greek Australians and they 'cannot be sure of what could have gone wrong'.

Artemios Mintzas's ex-wife, Connie, was holed up with family this week after the shocking news her former partner had been arrested and charged over the Croydon Park shooting

Relatives told the Daily Mail that Mr Mintzas (above) was a 'good man' and came from 'a proud family' of Greek Australians and they 'cannot be sure of what could have gone wrong'

Despite the fact that Artemios had been divorced from Connie for a decade, he still visited his ex-wife and children, with neighbours saying he seemed 'pleasant' and 'happy looking'.

''He was here at Christmas time each year, and other times I think,' a neighbour said, 'though I hadn't seen him here lately.'

NSW Police are now investigating both how Artemios had come into the alleged unlawful possession of the rifle, and an apparent suicide note found at his home.

Police allege one man in a car was shot through the neck and seriously injured. He remains in hospital.

Another of Mintzas' alleged targets was a father and his young daughter who, confused at what was going on, stopped when their car was peppered with bullets  only for more shots be fired at them.

His alleged offences include 18 counts of shooting with intent to murder and seven firearm offences.

In Burwood Local Court on Tuesday, a battle broke out between competing lawyers to represent Mintzas.

Solicitor Diana Sabouni indicated she had been communicating with Mintzas and his family since the shooting and was ready to represent him in court.

Barrister Dymphna Hawkins rebuffed her colleague to indicate she, too, had instructions from the alleged shooter.

'Lower the aggro,' magistrate Jennifer Price told Ms Sabouni when she protested for a speedy resolution.

Paramedics, above, at the scene of the alleged shooting, which plunged the inner-west Sydney suburb into lockdown

Mintzas was eventually brought into the dock handcuffed and with puffy red eyes to confirm his wish for Ms Hawkins to be his legal representative.

'I've asked for Hawkins ... to represent me,' Mintzas told the court.

He is accused of engaging in a shootout with NSW Police after officers were allegedly targeted.

While no officers were hurt, more than a dozen people were treated for minor injuries, many of which were caused by broken glass.

Artemios has been remanded in custody and will return to court on December 3.
Donald Trump was today snubbed by Nobel Peace Prize judges - who instead awarded the coveted prize to a Venezuelan politician, despite the President brokering peace in Gaza.

The Nobel Committee selected opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for this year's award.

She was honoured 'for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,' said Jorgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo.

The announcement came as Israel's military declared the Gaza ceasefire agreement had now come into effect, following a vote in the cabinet last night.

The US President's name, heavily floated in the media in recent weeks, did not make the final cut.

In the months leading up to the decision, Trump had vigorously pitched himself as a peacemaker. He offered himself as a bridge builder, pointed to his 20-point Gaza peace plan, and repeatedly insisted he had ended multiple wars.

The two-time US President has been on a not-so-subtle Nobel Prize campaign since his first term in office when he claimed 'many people' thought he had earned it.

Speculation he could win the award this year began after he brokered the historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year war in Gaza.

Both sides have agreed to the first phase of Trump's plan to pause fighting and release hostages, a deal that could open the way to ending a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.

Donald Trump was passed over for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, despite years of claiming he deserves the prestigious award

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters during a protest called by the opposition on the eve of the presidential inauguration in Caracas on January 9, 2025

The award goes to the person or organisation that has done the most 'for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses'

Machado was lauded for being a 'key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided - an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government,' said Frydnes.

'In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions.

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' he said.

President Nicolas Maduro's government routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents ahead of last year's presidential election.

Machado was set to run against Maduro, but the government disqualified her. Edmundo Gonzalez took her place. He had never run for office before.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the country's National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The Nobel Peace Committee's chairman was quizzed by reporters about the impact of Trump's campaign to win the distinguished prize, and the mounting speculation surrounding whether he'd be successful.

'What does the Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee think of this, and how has this campaign-like activity by the president and his supporters, domestically and internationally, affected the deliberations and the thinking in the committee?'

Frydnes responded diplomatically, batting the question away.

'In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, this committee has seen [every] type of campaign,' he said. 'We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year, of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace.

'This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates and that room is filled with courage and integrity.

'We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel,' he said.

Machado was lauded for being a 'key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided'

The US president emerged unsuccessful following a series of obstacles, including that nominations for this year's award - of which there were 338 - closed at the end of January, not long after Trump returned to the White House.

The prize honours actions carried out in 2024, which was the year in which he was elected but not yet in office.

However, over the course of his two terms in the Oval Office Trump had been nominated for the award more than 10 times - by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, a Ukrainian politician, as well as legislators from the US, Sweden, and Norway.

But a nomination alone does not guarantee someone will be a candidate and the prize committee does not publish a list of candidates before the winner is announced.

It is not clear if any of Trump's nominations came before the January deadline.

Trump's name swirled in the media as a potential winner after his groundbreaking brokering of the peace agreement between Hamas and Israel.

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that had evolved into a regional conflict that has reshaped the Middle East.

The deal was struck under pressure from the US president who made no secret of the fact that he believed he is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump has previously said that it would be a 'big insult' were he not to receive the prize and has put pressure on the Norwegian Nobel Committee, claiming to have 'solved' seven wars.

'I've done six wars, I've ended six wars,' he said on August 18, during his summit with Ukrainian and European leaders.

'If you look at the six deals I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn't do any ceasefires.'

The following day, in an interview with Fox News, he revised the number to seven wars. It's a claim he went on to repeat last month, saying that no one had 'ever done anything close to that'.

Netanyahu publicly nominated Trump in July, saying he was 'forging peace as we speak' in 'one country and one region after the other'.

It came after Trump took credit for stopping Iran and Israel's '12-day war' the month prior.

Displaced Palestinians gather on a road blocked by Israeli tanks in Gaza after the peace plan is announced on October 9

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes targeted areas in the Gaza Strip despite the announcement of a cease-fire agreement, as seen from the Israeli city of Sderot near the border, on October 9

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Prior to his victory, Trump even phoned Jens Stoltenberg, the former head of Nato and now Norway's finance minister, to lobby for the prize, according to Norwegian media.

His feat is the peace plan in Gaza, which will see Hamas release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

Netanyahu said the 'great efforts of our great friend and ally President Trump' had helped them reach 'this critical turning point'.

The Israeli military said on Friday that the Gaza ceasefire agreement went into effect at midday local time.

'Since 12.00am, IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages', the Israeli military said.

Israel and Hamas agreed to Trump's peace plan late on Wednesday - a day after the second anniversary of Hamas militants' cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza.

But the deal announced by Trump was short on detail and left many unresolved questions that could still lead to its collapse, as has happened with previous peace efforts.

Successful completion of the deal would mark a significant foreign policy achievement for the Republican president, who had campaigned on bringing peace to major world conflicts but has struggled to swiftly deliver, both in Gaza and on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

'I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,' Trump said on Truth Social.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a written statement, referring to the hostages held by Hamas: 'With God's help we will bring them all home.' He said he would convene his government on Thursday to approve the agreement.

The Nobel Peace Prize creator Alfred Nobel previously said the award should be given to the person who has done the 'most or best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses'.

A woman in the colours of the US flag holds up a placard thanking US President Donald Trump in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on October 9, 2025, following the announcement of a new Gaza ceasefire deal

However several experts around the world did not believe that Trump had fully lived up to this criteria.

'He has withdrawn the US from the World Health Organisation and from the Paris Accord on climate, he has initiated a trade war on old friends and allies,' Nina Graeger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, told Sky News.

'That is not exactly what we think about when we think about a peaceful president or someone who really is interested in promoting peace,' she added.

However, Graeger believes that if his peace plan for Gaza materialises and holds, Trump could be a contender next year.

During Trump's second term, he had also proposed measures that critics argued will hamper education and scientific research - two areas that are considered pillars of the Nobel Prize.

They included slashing the budget for the National Institutes of Health, the world's largest funder of biomedical research, and plans to dismantle the Department of Education to shrink the federal government's role in education in favour of more control by the states.

Ylva Engstrom, vice president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards three of the six Nobel prizes - for chemistry, physics and economics - said she believed Trump's changes are reckless and could have 'devastating effects'.

'Academic freedom... is one of the pillars of the democratic system,' she said prior to his defeat.

The Trump administration denied stifling a academic freedom as they argued its measures will cut waste and promote scientific innovation.

Trump critics also noted his controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, through which the President has been sending troops to a string of Democratic-led cities to enforce his immigration laws.

Benjamin Netanyahu has posted an AI image of himself presenting Donald Trump with a Nobel Peace Prize medallion

It comes after Netanyahu posted an AI image of himself presenting Trump with a Nobel Peace Prize medallion on the Israeli prime minister's official X account.

It shows Trump lifting his hands in the air as he sports an oversized medal and is showered in confetti in front of a cheering crowd waving Israeli flags.

The US president is stood under a banner reading 'peace through strength'.

'Give [Donald Trump] the Nobel Peace Prize  he deserves it,' the post is captioned.

Previous to the announcement of this year's winner, Russia said it would back the US president's candidature for the prestigious prize, state news agency TASS quoted Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov as saying on Friday.

And on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would nominate Trump in exchange for Tomahawk missiles, the American-made subsonic precision weapon that launches from ships and submarines.

Machado won the prize for being one of the most 'extraordinary examples' of civilian courage in Latin America in recent years.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council last year sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force and ended with more than 20 people dead.

They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January.

A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez, who moved to Spain and was granted asylum.
Donald Trump's administration has accused the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia of committing insurance fraud to pay for young patients' gender transitions.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has claimed it has 'evidence' of 'fraudulent billing practices' for drugs used to treat gender dysphoria in children at the liberal city hospital.

This comes as an escalation of the legal battle Trump launched against the children's hospital in June, when he issued a subpoena demanding confidential data about patients undergoing gender-related care.

The Philadelphia medical facility has one of the nation's largest gender clinics, which 'supports children and young adults who are gender nonconforming, gender expansive and transgender,' according to its website.

DOJ Acting Director of the Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch Lisa Hsiao made the bombshell claim in declarations submitted in Pennsylvania federal district courts on Monday.

These sworn statements come as part of a broader federal investigation into possible criminal and civil violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) regarding transgender care for children.

Hsiao further elaborated that the violations being probed involve 'on or off-label use by manufacturers and distributors of drugs, including puberty blockers, sex hormones, or any other drug used to facilitate a childs so-called gender transition.'

She said the DOJ has 'ample reason' to suspect wrongdoings within the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia's (CHOP) Gender and Sexuality Development Program.

Trump's administration has accused the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (pictured) of committing insurance fraud to pay for young patients' gender transitions

This comes as an escalation of the legal battle Trump (pictured) launched against the children's hospital in June

Hsiao accused CHOP of using 'incorrect diagnosis and/or billing codes' to prescribe patients with puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

CHOP allegedly does this 'because they know that certain insurance plans may not cover off-label prescription[of these drugs] for gender-related treatment,' she wrote.

Hsiao said that the DOJ's suspicion is mainly driven by a slew of central precocious puberty diagnoses.

Central precocious puberty is a condition in which a child goes through puberty earlier than usual.

According to the Mayo Clinic, puberty occurs in girls after age eight and in boys after age nine.

Hsiao said the DOJ hired contractors to analyze 'extensive anonymized insurance claims' that were submitted by CHOP providers.

This analysis revealed that based on diagnosis codes observed from 2017 to 2024, CHOP or an affiliate diagnosed nearly 250 minors over the age of 10 with the condition, including 'numerous' teens aged 14 to 18, according to Hsiao.

'This is well beyond the age at which children are typically diagnosed with precocious puberty,' she asserted.

The FDA has approved puberty blockers such as Zoladex to treat central precocious puberty.

DOJ Acting Director of the Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch Lisa Hsiao (pictured) made the bombshell claim in declarations submitted in Pennsylvania federal district courts on Monday

Gender-affirming care doctors are legally permitted to prescribe these blockers off-label to treat gender dysphoria.

She then referenced 'concerning allegations' of CHOP placing a minor on puberty blockers after his first visit and cross-sex hormones after his second with no meaningful assessment.

Hsiao also said doctors failed 'to provide him the necessary information regarding the risks of taking such medications.'

An earlier version of Hsiao's filing reviewed by the Daily Mail referenced these 'allegations' as a 'lawsuit.' The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that once they asked for clarification about the lawsuit, the filing was revised to remove its mention.

On Tuesday night, CHOP filed a motion against the DOJ to limit its power to subpoena the hospital.

CHOP claimed the DOJ never came to the hospital with these accusations in a separate case and has argued the judge cannot consider the new evidence presented by Hsiao.

The hospital also argued that in Hsiao's first submission of the filing, she referenced a 'lawsuit' under oath, but later removed it.

If the judge decides to consider the new evidence the DOJ presented, CHOP requested permission to file a response.

In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi (pictured) vowed to investigate hospitals under the False Claims Act

The FDA has approved puberty blockers such as Zoladex (pictured) to treat central precocious puberty

The Daily Mail has reached out to CHOP and the DOJ for comment.

In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to investigate hospitals under the False Claims Act to see if claims have been submitted 'to federal health care programs for any noncovered services related to radical gender experimentation.'

In July, the DOJ announced it had sent more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics involved in performing transgender medical procedures on children.

The investigations, the department said, were concerning healthcare fraud, false statements and more.

'Medical professionals and organizations that mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology will be held accountable by this Department of Justice,' Bondi said.
For an organization still reeling from its founder's assassination, the bombshell released on October 6 provided the distraction Turning Point USA staffers feared most.

Candace Owens, the controversial conservative commentator once regarded as Charlie Kirk's protege, had just published his private text messages that he had sent to a group chat of nine people two days before he was shot and killed.

The screenshots, published on Owens' show, revealed Kirk had been venting about pressure from wealthy pro-Israel donors, and the fallout was immediate. Owens said she acquired the details from an outside source that was not from Turning Point.

'Just lost another huge Jewish donor. $2million a year because we won't cancel [Israel critic Tucker Carlson],' Kirk wrote, in part. 'I cannot and will not be bullied like this. Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro-Israel cause.'

Owens' decision to share the messages publicly triggered alarm inside the movement.

What began as private grief erupted into a very public crisis - exactly the kind of distraction Kirk had always tried to prevent.

Instead of focusing on its grassroots mission and his legacy, Turning Point suddenly found itself fighting over the meaning of his words and the motives behind their release.

Andrew Kolvet, TPUSA's spokesman and one of Kirk's closest confidants, confirmed the texts were genuine but insisted they were being twisted out of context.

Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet speaks during a memorial service for Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk leaked text confirms he was livid about 'bullying' Jewish donors: 'I'm leaving pro-Israel cause'

In a 23-minute segment on The Charlie Kirk Show, Kolvet said he already had the messages and provided them to federal investigators hunting suspected shooter Tyler Robinson, explaining that authorities wanted every possible clue about what led to the attack.

Kirk's frustration, he said, was 'nuanced' - the venting of a man under enormous donor pressure to blacklist controversial figures like Tucker Carlson, not a total break with Israel. But the damage had been done.

The Daily Mail can now reveal what happened behind the scenes, with senior figures urging staff and allies to stay out of the fray, warning that a public feud with Owens would only deepen the wound.

'This was the kind of distraction Charlie always feared,' a source told the Daily Mail.

Owens, who once worked for Turning Point and has since become a media juggernaut in her own right, has defended her pursuit of answers surrounding Charlie's death as a way to honor her friend.

On her show, she claimed Kirk had appeared to her in a dream and suggested he'd been preparing to reunite with her professionally before his death.

'Did he just, 48 hours later, conveniently catch a bullet to the throat before our on-stage reunion?' she asked, a remark that sent shockwaves through the MAGA universe.

Charlie Kirk speaks at the opening of a Turning Point Action conference in 2023

Kirk and Owens from Turning Point USA listen as President Donald J Trump speaks in 2018

Kirk and Owens speak at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2018

Inside Turning Point, the comments landed like a grenade. They had expected the emergence of conspiracy theories surrounding Kirk's death, but many of his allies expressed disappointment that it was Candace leading the charge.

Kolvet, appearing again on Kirk's show with producer Blake Neff, tried to steady the movement. 'I'm actually relieved the truth is out there,' he said, emphasizing that Kirk's support for Israel remained, despite his private frustrations.

He vowed the group would keep cooperating with law enforcement and pursue answers to every question surrounding his death.

'We want justice for Charlie,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Our team is actively pursuing that and actively cooperating with investigators.'

Kolvet appealed to Kirk's followers for patience.

'We feel confident they have the guy who did this,' he said to the Daily Mail. 'But we're still going to pursue every open question.'

He reminded supporters of what Kirk himself would have wanted: unity, not chaos. 'We have a sacred duty to make sure all this love and support for him and Turning Point is not squandered,' he said.

'That's what we'll stay focused on, because Charlie would demand it of us.'

Owens responded 'as a friend,' to Kolvet, saying she was disappointed he hadn't shared the texts with her privately, though she was 'glad' he'd handled the issue 'correctly.'

She later compared the growing rift over Kirk's legacy to Succession - 'warring siblings fighting over the empire their father built.'

Inside Turning Point, staff privately lamented the irony. The man who had spent his career keeping rival factions at peace had become the subject of a feud, one source told the Daily Mail.

One longtime friend of Kirk put it bluntly to the Daily Mail: 'She is free to say what she wants, ask what she wants, I just think she's taking it in the wrong direction.'
The undercover spy who thwarted eco-warriors behind the Newbury Bypass protest of the 1990s has been convicted of trying to have sex with children as young as six.

Special Branch hired a freelance agent to infiltrate a group of activists living in tunnels under the construction site and provide vital intelligence which allowed police to stealthily snatch them from the burrows.

For 30 years his identity has remained a secret.

But the Mail can unmask the spy as Edward Gratwick, who was yesterday convicted of 38 child sex offences.

The 68-year-old was arrested at Stansted Airport on March 7 while attempting to fly to Bucharest to sexually abuse a Romanian schoolgirl after making an arrangement with the childs mother.

National Crime Agency officers swooped on the airport after receiving intelligence from foreign authorities just a few hours previously. Three children have now been safeguarded, the agency said.

Gratwick had discussed plans to abuse children in the UK and abroad with multiple individuals, some of whom were parents offering their daughters for sex.

He spoke with other paedophiles via encrypted messaging apps, offering to help supply with them children in exchange for money.

In these conversations, he boasted of having sex with a nine-year-old girl in the Dominican Republic.

Gratwicks passport showed he travelled extensively around the world including to Sierra Leone, the Dominican Republic, Morrocco, around Europe, and the USA.

Investigators said they were investigating whether he had indeed already abused children abroad as he claimed.

Wayne Johns, head of child sexual abuse investigations at the NCA, said Gratwick's chatlogs were the most depraved that his team of seasoned child abuse detectives had ever witnessed.

A dedicated team very experienced in their field had to examine these messages and for them to point out how horrendous they are is testament to the level of offending, he added.

When police searched Gratwicks home in Mitcham, south London, they found 69ml of date rape drug GBL, which is a central nervous system depressant, in a drawer of his fridge.

In messages he had discussed drugging children so they would not remember the abuse they suffered.

Detectives also discovered 1,364 indecent images of children on his devices.

Edward Gratwick was today convicted of 38 child sex offences

Gratwick, 68, was hired by Special Branch in 1996 to infiltrate a group of eco-warriors who were living in tunnels under the Newbury Bypass construction site

The Mail today unmasks the spy as a paedophile convicted of trying to have sex with multiple children around the world

Jurors at Gratwicks trial were informed that between 1995 and 2003, he provided information to police about animals rights groups.

What they werent told was that in 1996, he successfully infiltrated and dismantled a group of protesters which included activist Swampy, and played a pivotal role in the construction of the controversial Newbury Bypass.

Hundreds of activists had flocked to Newbury and initially climbed up the trees on the site where the bypass would be built.

When specialist lumberjacks felled the trees, they dug underground tunnels and lived in them for nine months in the knowledge that heavy machinery would not be driven over them in case the tunnels collapsed and killed those inside.

At a stalemate, Thames Valley Police recruited Gratwick  a spy who worked for a private security company who had a unique skillset that would allow him to infiltrate the group.

Gratwick, who was also known as Nick, was able to gain the trust of the groups leaders and provided crucial intel about the perfect time for police to swoop on the 10ft deep main tunnel, which was 90ft long.

In the dead of night, he told his handler that the entrance was being guarded by just one man and a woman, with a third protester asleep in the main entry shaft.

When the male protester left the tunnel to urinate, officers snatched him.

When his girlfriend came out to look for him, she was also detained  and the officers made noises to draw out the third individual.

The tunnel that had taken nine months to build was captured in a few short minutes, and Newbury Bypass was opened in 1998.

Gratwick was paid roughly 1,000 a week for his work, a small fraction of the 8million that had been spent policing the protests up to that point.

Newbury bypass protesters chained themselves to trees in an attempt to stop them being cut down

Some protesters also lived in the trees, but experts were brought in to safely fell them

When the trees were felled, they dug tunnels 10ft underground and moved into them - safe in the knowledge that construction vehicles would not be driven above for fear of causing a collapse and killing someone

The activists were so oblivious about his true identity that he was able to use the credibility earned from the Newbury protests to later infiltrate an animal rights group demonstrating at Hill Grove cattery in Witney, Oxfordshire.

He remained undetected in the ranks of the group, passing on intelligence to the authorities, but his endeavours were less successful than in Newbury and the cattery closed in 1999 after two years of violent protests for which 350 people were arrested and 21 jailed.

During his offending, Gratwick would provide counter-surveillance advice to the parents of children he planned to abuse.

He told one mother who was concerned her house was being watched to buy a time-operated plug that could turn the lights on and off to give the impression she was at home when she wasnt.

He also discussed with the same woman a specific top he wanted her daughter to wear, stating [she] will look great in the sleeveless top.

When Gratwick was stopped at the airport, officers found items including a time operated plug and a small childs sleeveless top in his travel bag.

Gratwick also sought to use his intelligence-gathering background as a defence in his trial, claiming that he was trying to identify paedophiles and turn them in to the authorities.

I wanted to do something about it as I have a lot of experience in intelligence and chat rooms, he told the court.

Thames Valley Police hired an undercover spy - who the Mail are unmasking as Gratwick - to infiltrate the protest group in the tunnels

Gratwick was successful in his mission and provided vital intelligence that allowed police to snatch the protesters out of the tunnels

He provided his contacts with proof he had taken STD tests, photos of children being abused and evidence he had brought date rape drugs to show he was a legitimate paedophile.

They were props of authenticity, Gratwick told jurors.

Im lightly kicking the wasps nest to see what flies out.

Mr Johns said: There was no indication he was in contact with anyone with a view to provide that information to authorities, he had nothing to back this up such as an evidence folder on his devices.

We havent found any information which supports his case that he was trying to out sex offenders through his behaviour.

Quite the opposite.

Gratwick had not informed any agency of his activity nor had he ever been tasked with paedophile hunting in the past, so jurors saw through these claims and convicted him of 38 offences including arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence. He had previously admitted possessing class B drugs.

NCA senior investigating officer Danielle Pownall said: Gratwick has continually denied the offences he faced, despite overwhelming and indisputable evidence, which shows his lack of remorse and disregard for the safety and welfare of children.

'I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the members of jury, who over the last six weeks have considered distressing evidence which no-one should ever have to hear.

Work continues with our international partners to identify those who Gratwick was engaging with and we will do everything in our power to safeguard any children from harm, wherever they are.
It was a shocking claim of Dickensian cruelty that shook the city of San Antonio to its core.

Outraged mother Andie Rae Castillo said her adorable ten-year-old daughter Taylor had her thick brown locks chopped off by bullies as she slept on the bus home from Compass Rose Legacy public charter school earlier this month.

Castillo, who has long railed about the anguish she says Taylor has suffered, took to TikTok and shamed bosses at the Texas school into launching an investigation.

The post was captioned: 'She ain't letting no bullies stop her.

'First thing tomorrow morning is (sic) raising hell at that school.'

But the truth, when it finally emerged, was even more disturbing: Taylor had cut her own hair off. There were no scissor-wielding bullies.

Andie apologized, while insisting Taylor had been driven to tell a single lie by an extended period of torment.

Now though, a close relative has come forward to brand Andie an attention-seeker more concerned with fame and freebies than her daughter's wellbeing.

Taylor Castillo said bullies chopped off her hair as she slept on a school bus and gave her this unfortunate cut. But an investigation later found the youngster had cut it herself

Taylor surrounded by Stanley Cups sent to her after an alleged bullying incident earlier this year. A relative has now suggested Taylor's mother Andie Rae is exploiting her child for attention and freebies

Andie has angrily denied those allegations. She says her relative has an ax to grind over an alleged sexual impropriety.

The drama exploded hours after the Daily Mail published its story about Taylor's haircut on Thursday.

An anonymous female relative phoned our reporter with what she insisted was the real story about Andie's antics.

That relative - subsequently identified by Andie herself as her cousin Kimberly Almendarez - said: 'I know this mother.

'She has capitalized on her child many times.

'There have been incidents and she has verbally expressed to us, our family, about creating wish lists for her kids when she makes comments like this on her TikTok.'

A wish list is an online page shared by someone on shopping websites like Amazon filled with items that can be bought as presents for the page owner.

Andie's public Amazon wish list contains an assortment of makeup and beauty products, room decor for kids, walkie-talkies or action figures - worth about $370 in total.

Andie Rae is pictured sharing details of bullying she says Taylor suffered with her 123,000 TikTok followers, many of whom started keeping tabs on her account because of the school abuse

A caption under a deleted TikTok video about Taylor being sent Stanley Cups after she was allegedly teased over her counterfeit version

Andie Rae responded excitedly to followers who inquired about the heartwarming ending

Particularly notable is a selection of Stanley Cups Andie has suggested that her followers purchase.

Andie first hit the headlines in February after she posted about Taylor's anguish over being bullied for having a fake Stanley Cup.

Well-wishers subsequently inundated the little girl with the sought-after drinks containers and a post showed Taylor surrounded by 15 of them.

The video was captioned: 'This is something bigger than a girl and her cup. Teach your kids kindness.

'Acceptance. Empathy. Compassion. Decency and most importantly how to be a friend to those who are being bullied.'

Taylor was filmed thanking her 'TikTok tias' (aunts) and added: 'Oh yeah, my Amazon wishlist is in my mom's bio.'

Comments under a TikTok video since deleted by Andie gushed over the happy ending to her 123,000 followers, most of whom she gathered after beginning her anti-bullying crusade.

'Thank you to everyone. Her Amazon wishlist is linked in my bio,' Andie captioned the post in another reminder of the gifting page.

Andie is pictured on the right, her cousin Kimberly Almendarez. Kimberly told the Daily Mail she believed Andie had exaggerated Taylor's bullying

'Not me crying about a girl and her Stanley's' Consuela Shania replied, in a post liked by Andie and 22,700 others.

'Waittttt is this the result of the video where the little mean girls was bullying her because of her bedazzled Stanley?' Another user called Niy asked.

'Yes,' replied Andie, before adding an emoji smiling face surrounded by love hearts.

Kimberly, however, has suggested the incident was trumped up by Andie for social media glory.

'It was like, a couple girls that were making fun of her because she had a fake Stanley Cup,' she said.

'Her mom blew that out of the water. It's ridiculous, honestly. She is just trying to get free stuff and attention.

'I don't want to talk about the little girl,' Kimberly added. 'She is a family member of mine and she is a child.

'I'm more concerned about her mom and the way she approaches things. The only reason why she made a big deal is because she knows she can get stuff.'

But Andie hit back and said Kimberly (pictured above) had an ax to grind over an alleged sexual impropriety

Kimberly (left) accused Andie (right) of lying about her daughter's bullying to get free items

Kimberly has also questioned Andie's angry claims that school bosses requested a public apology from Taylor over the haircut lie.

'No one asked the little girl for any type of apology,' she said.

'My understanding is that [Andie] was going to have her apologize. That was her punishment, that she was gonna go on social media to apologize.

'No one to my understanding asked her to do that. That was actually her own mom that was gonna have her do that.'

When asked about the claims, Andie said Kimberly's allegations all stemmed from an alleged sex incident.

'This is all petty drama with [Kimberly],' Andie told us, before detailing sex claims the Daily Mail has not been able to substantiate.

'She's upset because once I found out (about those claims), I told my family what was happening, and ever since that, my family has stopped talking to her because it caused - obviously - a big rift.'

Taylor is pictured with a smart new haircut after the bus stop chop, which it was later revealed she'd done herself

The Daily Mail has contacted Kimberly for a response.

Meanwhile, the war between the two women continued on Facebook Friday morning.

Kimberly wrote: 'Sadly [Andie] continues to come to social media because she was caught' and 'now has to bring in family drama.'

Andie added that Kimberly 'takes full advantage' of 'any chance she finds to bring me or my daughter down.'

And while two grown women squabble, a little girl continues to suffer.

The Compass Rose Legacy school told the Daily Mail: 'After a thorough investigation into a reported incident, we have confirmed that no bullying or misconduct took place.

'Unfortunately, misinformation was shared publicly.

'We assure our community that the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, and we are committed to responding with integrity, transparency, and care.'

The school added that there had been 'no record of 'ongoing' bullying of Taylor over the course of three years.'

There was only one official record about a 'drinking cup' that was 'directly addressed' by the administration, the school told the Daily Mail, in an apparent reference to the Stanley Cup incident.

Andie continues to question the school, claiming bosses there had treated it as a problem involving one bully.

She insists multiple children are behind the alleged abuse.

The school suggested that 'false information had been shared'

Her mother claimed that she had asked to meet with the school for 'almost the last three years'

The school told the Daily Mail that Andie 'misheard or misrepresented' the Texas anti-bullying policy, which defines bullying as 'a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student.'

Despite the worsening scandal, Andie is standing firm on the bullying claims.

She now plans to move Taylor to another school and says other parents at Compass Rose have vowed to do the same over abuse allegedly suffered by their children.

Andie told the Daily Mail: 'My only comment is the school took way too long to do anything and it took my daughter to go to extreme measures for them to finally acknowledge that she was being bullied - like, to even have a meeting with the principal.

'There wasn't another child involved. It was my daughter who cut her who did it to herself - but honestly, I'm just over this whole thing already.'
An Indiana mother showed almost no remorse as she pleaded guilty to suffocating her nine-day-old baby after leaving him in his car seat for 14 hours.

Raeleigh Phillips-Steelsmith, of Lawrenceburg, was sentenced to six years in prison for reckless homicide on October 6 for the death of her infant son, Emmett Phillips.

The 24-year-old mother told the court that she was 'sorry' with 'little emotion,' for letting the child choke to his death which led the judge to give the maximum sentence, the Miami Herald reported.

The tragedy began on March 2 in 2024 when Phillips-Steelsmith and baby Emmett was leaving a friend's house in Aurora and stopped at a Kroger on the way home.

They arrived back at their apartment at about 2pm, when the mother noticed her son was still asleep in his car seat.

She brought him inside and left him sleeping in the chair unattended for 14 hours, according to records obtained by Fox 19.

The mom told police that she had fallen asleep as she was watching TV and awoke the next day to find her infant son slouched in the car seat, cold, blue, and limp.

Friends of the mother began CPR on the child and brought him to St. Elizabeth Dearborn, where the infant was pronounced dead.

Raeleigh Phillips-Steelsmith, of Lawrenceburg, was sentenced to six years in prison for reckless homicide on October 6 for the death of her infant son, Emmett Phillips

Surveillance footage obtained by police showed Phillips-Steelsmith did nothing while others tried to resuscitate her baby and did not join to take the baby to the hospital.

An autopsy found the probable diagnosis of death was positional asphyxia.

'The death of an infant is horrible and certainly tragic. However, the circumstances of the death and the recklessness exhibited by Phillips-Steelsmith constitute Reckless Homicide,' Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens said.

Police and medical personnel were dispatched to the home after a report of an unconscious infant, but it is unclear if they arrived while the baby was still at the home.

Charges were filed against Phillips-Steelsmith in April of 2024.

Video footage also proved that the mother was feeding officers false information about the timeline of the incident, according to the Herald.

Josh Steelsmith, Emmett's father, posted several messages on Facebook about the passing of his son, the guilt he feels, and wanting his wife to come home.

Phillips-Steelsmith told officials that she had fallen asleep as she was hanging out watching TV and then awoke to find her infant son slouched in the car seat, cold, blue, and limp

The footage showed Phillips-Steelsmith did nothing while others tried to resuscitate her baby and did not join to take the baby to the hospital

'To my son. Emmett Phillips, you were born on February 23, 2024. God brought you home on March 3, 2024. Tomorrow is your 1-year birthday, and I'm not so sure I'm gonna be ok.

'I need you to know MOMMY &DADDY love you and miss you so very much, baby boy, and we wish we had more time with you. We will never forget you and always make your memory known and seen as the beautiful boy you were.

'WE STAND HERE waiting till we can join you in heaven, SWEET CHILD, YOUR LOVED, NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS.'

He also added: 'I feel like she is in there because of my mistakes. I feel like I let her down. I feel like if I had been there, I would not have made the mistake of making money the wrong way. If I had just been there, maybe things would have been different.

'I know Emmett didn't fail because of her actions, and he likely still would have passed, but. I feel like maybe I would have noticed his aspiration or something? Maybe I would have had a gut feeling he needed to see the doctor, or maybe I wouldn't have.

'Every day she is gone and suffering for this, I carry the weight of the fact that this is MY FAULT. She is there because I failed, because I didn't protect her, because I'm a f**k up.'

The disgraced mom has three other children, of whom she has no custody and has previously been convicted of neglect of a dependent, according to court records reported by the source.

Phillips-Steelsmith will be serving her maximum sentence for the level 5 felony at the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Explosive details about California Democratic congresswoman Katie Porter's abusive marriage have resurfaced amid her bid to become the next governor of California.

The 51-year-old single mom found herself in the headlines this week for furiously threatening to walk out of a local TV interview after a reporter pressed her over how she planned to appeal to Trump voters in the Golden State.

Then on Thursday, video surfaced of Porter cursing at one of her staffers during an online conversation with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in July 2021.

'Get out of the f***ing shot,' Porter is seen yelling at an unidentified man in the background.

A third clip showing Porter becoming enraged at her staff in 2021 is also circulating online.

In the video, she becomes angry as her team struggles to adjust her lighting during a Zoom meeting.

'I need the lights off... the bright lights,' she continues, becoming more exasperated by the second. 'Not that dark,' she says before cutting her camera and sound.

The incidents have focused new attention on Porter's judgement and temperament.

Now, the Daily Mail has reviewed the Iowa-born progressive's divorce papers from March 2013, which paint a picture of allegedly belligerent behavior potentially dating back more than a decade.

The legal documents trace her split from Matthew Hoffman and detail how she allegedly frequently screamed at him and their children, and on one occasion even allegedly dumped a bowl of steaming hot boiled potatoes over his head. Porter and Hoffman eventually filed restraining orders against each other.

According to the documents, in the spring of 2006, Hoffman said Porter walked into their kitchen as he was making mashed potatoes for dinner and flew into a rage about the way he had cooked them.

Explosive details about Democrat Katie Porter's abusive marriage have resurfaced amid her bid to become the next California Governor. (Pictured: Porter in March 2025)

Pictured: Joe Biden with then-congressional candidates Katie Porter and TJ Cox in 2018

As their oldest child Luke sat in the highchair, Porter allegedly looked at the potatoes in a ceramic bowl and yelled 'Can't you read the f***ing instructions!'

'She then took the ceramic bowl of steaming hot potatoes and dumped it on my head, burning my scalp,' Hoffman claimed.

The couple married in 2003. Porter was the sole breadwinner as a law school professor from 2009, while Hoffman stayed in their Irvine, California, home to bring up their kids.

Hoffman claimed that his ex-wife was prone to 'extreme anger' and had a 'history of snapping and screaming at [him] and the children.' He said she would even 'claw and scratch her arms' to make it look like he had attacked her.

Hoffman's filing states that Porter frequently said things like 'you f***ing idiot!' and 'you're f***ing incompetent.'

'She would not let me have a cell phone because she said, "You're too f***ing dumb to operate it,"' he claimed.

Hoffman added that in 2012 Porter came home from work one day enraged that the house was not clean. He claimed that she slammed a glass coffee pot on the counter, causing glass shards to spray everywhere and cut him.

'This house is a mess! You f***ing slob! You're incompetent! What the f*** do you do all day!' Porter allegedly said while the three kids were nearby in the living room.

Hoffman said Porter began picking up dishes and saying, 'Look how f***ing dirty this is.'

Porter also lashed out at an interviewer challenging the Democrat on her candidacy for governor

When Porter first ran for a seat in Congress, she said that the divorce and restraining order had become a 'whisper campaign' among her opponents. At the time, Porter described herself as a victim of domestic violence.

'To be made to feel like I've done anything wrong  I'm just outraged,' Porter told HuffPost in May 2018. 'I have a wonderful track record. I've worked really hard to fight for consumers. That's what I should be campaigning on.

'But I'm not going to let anyone say that because a woman's been a victim of domestic violence because she stood up for her children's safety, she's disqualified.

'Who will run then?'

Porter alleged in her divorce documents that her marriage had been 'troubled' for four years leading to an eventual separation - and that Hoffman was violent with her on one occasion while she was flossing her teeth in the bathroom of their Irvine home in April 2013.

Hoffman allegedly grabbed her hands, ripped the floss out of them and threw it away, then punched the wall so hard the faceplate of a light switch shattered and the room went dark.

Hoffman reportedly told a judge that Hoffman was angry because Porter had been brushing her teeth too slowly.

Porter cried as she told HuffPost about more alleged abuse instances, including one time when Hoffman allegedly pushed her into a wall and called her a 'dumb b****.' She also alleged he shoved their one-year-old daughter across the kitchen in her high chair and threatened to kill himself.

The former congresswoman has faced accusations for years that she was a difficult boss or was abusive to employees during her time in Congress

Porter made her way into Congress as a US Representative for California from 2019 until 2025, and tried to make a bid for the Senate in 2024.

After leaving Congress in 2024, Porter was granted a restraining order against a former boyfriend, Julian Willis. She alleged that Willis had been hospitalized twice on involuntary psychiatric holds and had a history of abusing drugs and prescription painkillers.

Porter campaigned for the seat formerly held by Dianne Feinstein before she died, but lost the primary election.

Porter announced that she would be running for Governor of California in the 2026 election, after Gavin Newsom finishes his two four-year terms.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' at a glitzy New York gala last night - immediately after King Charles and Prince William put on a united front in London.

The Duchess of Sussex used her acceptance speech to voice fears about Archie and Lilibet growing up in a digital age - hours after the Princess of Wales visited a children's charity and warned that excessive screen time can harm family life.

Meghan was also praised as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist' as she received the award. Harry's work with mental health companies and his controversial 2021 memoir Spare were listed among his achievements.

The competing events, 3,500 miles apart, could stir up trouble and pour cold water on hopes of peace talks between the warring Windsors.

The Daily Mail revealed yesterday that a friend of the Sussexes has predicted: Meghan will return to Britain before the year is out' and could come bearing 'humble pie'.

The couple are apparently planning their reconciliation with the royal family in a secret plot dubbed: 'Project Thaw'. There have been claims that William could even meet Harry - but he is not willing to do so with Meghan present.

This morning a video showing the future king breaking down in tears also emerged. William couldn't hide his anguish as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide with a mother whose husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died.

The King and his eldest son were together at the Natural History Museum in London last night for a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment. A video showed them warmly greeting each other with William putting his hand on Charles's shoulder.

But a matter of hours later, Harry and Meghan made their own rare joint appearance on the red carpet on Thursday night after they were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' at the Project Healthy Minds gala in New York.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' at a glitzy New York ceremony last night

Meghan Markle has voiced fears she and Prince Harry share about their children growing up in a digital age as they accepted an award on stage in New York for their humanitarian efforts

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their brief remarks

A tearful Prince William reacts to a mother describing to him how her husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died

The King and Prince of Wales undertook a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment

The Princess of Wales looked chic in a Victoria Beckham suit as she visited Home-Start charity in Oxford yesterday having warned about the dangers of too much screentime for children

The couple were very tactile on the red carpet and speaking on stage as she accepted the award, Meghan said: 'Our children, Archie and Lili, are just six and four years old. Luckily still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming.

'Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology's benefits, while safeguarding against its dangers. That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.'

Project Healthy Minds' 'Humanitarians of the Year' award has only been won once before, last year. Jeff Yabuki and his wife Gail got the gong for their commitment to mental health work after Jeff's brother took his own life in 2017.

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements.

He said: 'This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in a digital age.'

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their remarks - but royal watchers were struck by how similar their message was to the Princess of Wales's from earlier today.

Last night Meghan and Harry were celebrated for their work in the online sphere, beginning in 2020 when they consulted with Stanford University experts tracking social media's impact on young people.

Project Healthy Minds celebrated Harry's work as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran' in honoring him on Thursday night.

As well as listing Harry's work with mental health companies, it also mentions his controversial 2021 memoir Spare as being among his achievements.

Elsewhere Meghan, is noted to be 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'.

Their Archewell foundation drew further attention to the crisis after the gala, citing a statistic from the Social Media Victims Law Center which states as many as 4,000 families have pursued legal action relating to damaging social media exposure.

The Duke and Duchess's organization stated that figure 'represented only a fraction of affected families, limited to those with the resources and capacity to take legal action through a single law firm'.

'If these deaths and harm to children were "unintended consequences" ten years ago,' Harry said, 'then what are they now?'

The former working royals graced the red carpet ahead of the event, keeping their hands locked tightly together as Meghan lovingly gazed at her husband while they made their way past the flashing cameras and into the event.

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements

Harry and Meghan are applauded as they go on to stage

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala at Spring Studios

Meghan stares adoringly at her husband

The couple were hand in hand on the red carpet

Meghan smiled at someone as Harry edged away

Harry then put his arm around his wife after they posed for pictures

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked hand-in-hand as they arrived at a glitzy ceremony in New York

The Duchess of Sussex lovingly gazes at Prince Harry as they attend the Project Healthy Minds

It comes just hours after Harry's estranged brother William put on a united front with King Charles as the father and son made a rare joint public engagement together

They were at the Natural History Museum for 'Countdown to COP30', which brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis and nature loss issues

Hours earlier, Harry's estranged brother Prince William put on a united front with King Charles as they made a rare joint public engagement.

The father-son duo arrived at the Natural History Museum in London to attend 'Countdown to COP30', after travelling from Buckingham Palace where they had convened beforehand.

The event brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis ahead of the United Nations' annual climate change summit in Brazil in November.

During the gala, Harry and Meghan announced their organization The Parents' Network would join forces with Parents Together, to give the initiative 'broader reach and deeper impact as technology continued its rapid evolution.'

The duo said the move was 'a natural evolution to enable the community to continue to grow and have more impact alongside the rapid rise of technology'.

'We know that the challenges ahead are significant,' they said, 'but we also know that when parents come together, when communities unite, real change is possible.'

Project Healthy Minds founder and CEO Phillip Schermer spoke briefly about the couple's work, telling the crowd: 'It is a privilege to honor Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at our World Mental Health Day Gala this year.

'Their leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to advancing mental health awareness have made a profound difference in the lives of so many.'

The couple are being recognised as humanitarians of the year at the Project Health Minds mental health gala at the flashy Spring Studios venue

Meghan Markle beams at Prince Harry ahead of tonight's Project Health Minds mental health gala

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony was hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly.

However, the royal couple's award came amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked.

The country's environment minister, Hassan Bakhit Djamous, has accused African Parks - which counts Harry among its board members - of financial misconduct and 'disrespect'.

In a damning four-page letter, Mr Djamous said African Parks had demonstrated 'a recurring indelicate and disrespectful attitude' towards his government.

The charity, of which Harry was president for six years before he joining its board in 2023, looks after more than 20 protected national parks and reserves in 13 countries on behalf of their governments.

Its backers include famous billionaire investors Warren Buffet and Bill Ackman, and it has counted the EU, WWF and People's Postcode Lottery among its supporters.

But Mr Djamous has accused it of illegally collecting tourist revenues, using tax-sheltering bank accounts in the Isle of Man and transferring assets abroad in 'flagrant violation' of Chad's banking laws.

The Duke, 41, was this week at the Movember Institute for Men's Health for a sit-down conversation.

The Duchess of Sussex beamed in front of the cameras

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony is being hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly

Meghan Markle sported a chic black suit alongside Prince Harry who coupled his formal attire with a tie

The duo clasped each others hands tightly as they posed for pictures on the carpet ahead of the award ceremony

The prince is described on the non-profit start-up company's website as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran'

While Meghan is noted as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'

The couple are all smiles as they prepare to attend the event where they are set to be recognised as humanitarians of the year

The royal couple's award comes amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked (Pictured: Prince Harry)

He spoke of how too many men were being raised by algorithms, and how his mental health advocacy was sparked by speaking with veterans after he had finished serving in the British Army.

'I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them I realised the silence is killing people,' he said, adding, 'Stamping out the stigma globally, we've come a long way. Access to therapy is still a massive problem.'

In a joint statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: 'Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.

'As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them.

'We're proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.'
President Donald Trump's historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas was brokered in a Miami mansion 1,000 miles from the halls of power in Washington D.C.

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was in his $32.2million home on Miami's Indian Creek, often referred to as 'Billionaire Bunker,' when he learned Hamas was open to releasing Israeli hostages held captive since the October 7 attacks.

After taking part in weeks of intense, high stakes negotiations with all the major players in the war - Kushner knew it was time to act.

He immediately drove 20 minutes down to Sunset Island, where fellow real estate developer-turned-Trump administration negotiator Steve Witkoff lives.

In Witkoff's $19 million home, which he purchased in 2019, the duo turned a wealthy Florida enclave into a diplomatic command center, securing hard-fought peace in the Middle East and delivering Trump an historic political win.

From the Florida bunker, the pair both made and received calls from stakeholders and key figures in the agreement, including Trump himself and cabinet members from the Israeli government.

Speaking to The New York Times, Kushner said his priority was convincing Israel to consider the positives in Hamas' statement, rather than focusing on how much further they still had to go to secure lasting peace.

'Steve and I said to Israel, "We encourage you to be positive as well,"' he said.

Jared Kushner and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff were pictured on Thursday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce the landmark peace settlement

Jared Kushner was in his $32.2million home on Miami's Indian Creek, often referred to as 'Billionaire Bunker', when he learned Hamas was open to releasing the hostages

The father-of-three was relieved to be returning home to his wife, Ivanka, and family after the deal

Hamas and Israel have agreed to an historic deal which has signaled peace in the Middle East. Children in Palestine were seen celebrating after the announcement

Hamas had agreed to discussions which would see the hostages freed, but had not yet indicated its position on giving up its weapons or political control of Gaza.

Within hours of Witkoff and Kushner's message reaching Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to begin phase one of Trump's broader peace plan.

Once the plan was in motion, Kushner and Witkoff boarded a plane to Egypt, discussing on the flight all the ways the deal could still go south and the methods they'd use to salvage it.

An administration insider with knowledge of the deal told Daily Mail it would have been 'impossible' to hammer out those final details without being on the ground in the Middle East.

By the time they arrived in Egypt, it was 6.30am Wednesday morning. They rushed straight into the high stakes negotiations, and had a deal done by about 2.30am.

Despite running on 'about five hours of sleep in three days' between both of them, Witkoff and Kushner sensed a shift on both sides toward the middle.

'[They] began to sense, everybody had moved to a place in the middle where... there was a deal here,' the insider said.

'This has been a really dark cloud over the Middle East and I think everyone's very excited to move forward.'

After Witkoff and Kushner's spoke to Netanyahu, the Israeli leader agreed to begin phase one of Trump's broader peace plan

In Witkoff's $19million home, which he purchased in 2019 (pictured), the duo turned a wealthy Florida enclave into a diplomatic command center, securing hard-fought peace in the Middle East and delivering Trump an historic political win

He immediately drove 20 minutes down to Sunset Island, where fellow real estate developer-turned-Trump administration negotiator Steve Witkoff (pictured with Trump) lives

Kushner, a real estate developer who cut his teeth in New York, compared the back and forth in global negotiations to his work in the city.

'There's a lot to be negotiated before you get the contract and you put money up hard. I think we're just used to complex deals that are very dynamic, and with complex characters as well,' he said.

'The experience that Steve and I have as deal guys is that you have to understand people. You have to be able to kind of get the bottom line out of them, and then see who do you think is playing games, and how much room do you have to push things?'

Trump confirmed the deal had been agreed to in a Truth Social post on Wednesday night, writing: 'Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.

'All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!'

Trump confirmed the remaining hostages, believed to number around 20 survivors, will be released to Israel on Monday or Tuesday.

'I'll be there,' Trump confirmed at a meeting with the Finland PM in the Oval Office. It came just hours after Hamas declared an end to the war.

'Getting them [the hostages] is a complicated process. I would rather not tell you what they have to do to get them. There are places you don't want to be.'

President Donald Trump 's historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas was brokered in a Miami mansion 1,000 miles from the halls of power in Washington D.C.

The peace deal has been celebrated around the world, particularly in Palestine, where children have been suffering throughout the war

Chief Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said earlier: 'We have received assurances from the brotherly mediators and the US administration, who have confirmed that the war is completely over.'

He promised that 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in Israel would be freed, alongside 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza who were arrested since the war began.

Hamas slaughtered about 1,200 people during an October 7 ambush on Israel, taking about 250 hostages in the process.

Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing war and efforts to release the hostages from Gaza.

After the deal was made, Witkoff and Kushner flew from Egypt to Jerusalem to attend a cabinet meeting with Israeli officials.

One source with knowledge of the meeting said they were greeted with mass applause.

'Everybody started clapping... I think they were acknowledging that they were the emissary of the President,' the insider said.

'Trump is very popular in the state of Israel for all the obvious reasons.'

Pictured: Smoke rises in the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes on October 9

Steve Witkoff has been working tirelessly to secure the deal, with the help of Kushner

Details of the meeting which were leaked to The Jerusalem Post indicated it wasn't all smooth sailing for Witkoff and Kushner even when they arrived in Israel.

They were met with staunch opposition from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a right-wing deal who staunchly opposed the deal the duo had worked so tirelessly to secure.

Ben-Gvir argued the Palestinians they have in custody include 'baby killers' and 'women's rapists', noting the United States would never release prisoners they had in custody with similar convictions.

He said peace with Hamas is 'impossible', asking the duo: 'Would you have made peace with Hitler? Hamas is Hitler. They want to murder us.'

Witkoff allegedly responded by sharing a story of the moment he chose to forgive a drug dealer who caused the death of his 22-year-old son back in 2011.

According to the publication, he shared that he saw the drug dealer's parents in court, and in that moment chose forgiveness.

'Mr. Witkoff, that's the difference: those who murdered us on October 7th aren't asking for forgiveness. Their families are proud of it. They want to kill Jews,' Ben-Gvir responded.

How Trump's peace deal is due to unfold after both Israel and Hamas agreed to the conditions

Kushner argued that the deal 'encourages actors in the Arab world to pursue peace, [and] ensures Israel's security.

'If we need to act with force, we will. It will either happen the easy way or the hard way.'

The father-of-three was relieved to be returning home to his wife, Ivanka Trump, and family after the deal.

The duo had committed to having a less integral role in Trump's administration this time around, after being at the forefront of political life during his first term.

'He'll always be there to help those were serving, especially in the in the pursuit of peace,' an insider said.
Steve Bannon's legal team tells Daily Mail exclusively it will file a petition Friday to appeal his contempt of Congress conviction to the highest court in the land before a Friday deadline.

Bannon will file a formal request called a certiorari  a formal plea that he hopes the Supreme Court could take up, according to two sources familiar.

A member of team says the filing will occur by midday. The file should then appear publicly early next week.

Supreme Court records show Bannon has until Friday to file this petition after receiving several granted extensions, making it effectively his last opportunity to appeal.

A source familiar with the case predicts Bannon has about an 80 percent chance that SCOTUS takes the case though there is no way to predict how the justices will come down.



According to the University of Michigan Law Library, the Supreme Court receives about 7,000-8,000 petitions each year but only hears arguments in about 70-80 cases - meaning they decline to take roughly 99 percent of cases that are appealed to them.

Bannon lost his appeal Thursday when the DC Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his conviction for defying a congressional subpoena related to the January 6 Capitol attack investigation.

Bannon served a four-month prison sentence from July through October 2024 after being convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress. He had refused to testify before the House January 6 committee and failed to provide requested documents.

The longtime Trump adviser exhausted multiple legal challenges attempting to overturn the conviction. After the Supreme Court declined to intervene, Bannon reported to prison in July and completed his sentence three months later.

Tomorrow morning, Steve Bannon and his legal team will likely file a petition to appeal his contempt of congress conviction to the highest court in the land, as he reaches the final deadline Friday

In the final days of Donald Trump's first term in 2021, Bannon received a presidential pardon related to fraud charges he was facing at the time, effectively canceling the pending trial

He made the argument that had he appeared before Congress and declined to answer questions, the consequences would have been even more severe than simply not showing up, saying his lawyers guided him.

In the final days of Donald Trump's first term in 2021, Bannon received a presidential pardon related to fraud charges he was facing at the time, effectively canceling the pending trial.
A Texas death row inmate convicted of murdering his two-year-old daughter has at least temporarily avoided execution.

Robert Roberson, 58, had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on October 16 for the death of his daughter Nikki Curtis, whom prosecutors have said died of 'shaken baby syndrome' - meaning she was shaken so violently that she died.

But Roberson has maintained his innocence since he was convicted, arguing that modern scientific evidence has disproved the shaken baby diagnosis and showed his daughter actually died from chronic illness.

His attorneys have even filed a number of motions to stay his execution, citing Texas' 2013 junk science law - which provides for a second look when the science driving a conviction has been debunked.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ultimately voted five to four on Thursday to grant Roberson's a stay of execution.

In the order, judges cited their decision last year to overturn the shaken baby conviction of fellow Texan Andrew Roark based on the evolving medical research on shaken baby diagnoses.

The Court exonerated Roark - in a case that Roberson's attorneys called 'materially indistinguishable' from that of their client.

Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson, 58, was granted a stay of execution on Thursday

He had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on October 16 for the death of his daughter Nikki Curtis, whom prosecutors have said died of 'shaken baby syndrome' - meaning she was shaken so violently that she died

In that case, the appeals court found that the science had changed enough to undermine the prosecution's theory of a case involving shaken baby syndrome, and that Roark likely would not have been convicted under the 'evolved scientific evidence.'

The Dallas County District Attorneys Office subsequently dropped the charges against Roark.

'That's the insight we have today: There were enough members of the court who are troubled by the inconsistency between granting relief under [the junk science law] to Andrew Roark, but denying it a week later to Robert Roberson,' attorney Gretchen Sween told reporters following the ruling, according to the Texas Tribune.

'Roark changed the legal landscape in Texas, and it should mean relief for Robert.'

But the Court of Criminal Appeals did not decide on the merits of Roberson's appeal - instead directing the trial court to consider whether he should be granted a new trial in light of the Roark decision.

It also dismissed on procedural grounds Roberson's other appeals claiming judicial misconduct in his trial and actual innocence.

'There is a delicate balance and tension in our criminal justice system between the finality of judgment and its accuracy based on ever-advancing scientific understanding,' Judge Bert Richardson wrote in the concurring opinion.

'A death sentence is clearly final and, once carried out, hindsight is useless,' he noted.

Roberson has maintained his innocence since he was convicted, arguing that modern scientific evidence has disproved the shaken baby diagnosis and showed his daughter actually died from chronic illness

His attorneys say he adored his little girl and would not hurt her

Prosecutors at Roberson's original trial argued that Nikki's 2002 death was consistent with shaken baby syndrome - pointing to the diagnostic 'triad' of intracranial hemorrhaging, brain swelling and bleeding behind retinas.

They have rejected Roberson's assertion that his young daughter simply fell out of bed the night before, and he found her unconscious, limp and blue.

Instead, medical staff at a Palestine hospital believed Nikki's injuries - including bruises on her face, a bump on the back of her head and bleeding outside of her brain - were all caused by abuse and alerted police to the scene, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Attorneys representing Roberson, though, have argued Nikki was chronically ill and suffered a high fever in the days before her death.

They noted that she had the first of many infections that proved resistant to antibiotics just days after her birth - including a chronic ear infection that persisted even after she had tubes surgically implanted.

The young girl also had a history of unexplained 'breathing apnea' that caused her to suddenly stop breathing, collapse and turn blue.

Then, within just one week of her death, Nikki had been vomiting, coughing and having diarrhea, Roberson's attorneys said.

When those symptoms continued for five days straight, Roberson and his mother took Nikki to a local emergency room, where a doctor prescribed Phenergan - a drug that now carries a Food and Drug Administration warning against being prescribed to children of Nikki's age and in her condition.

Still, her condition continued to worsen with her temperature rising about 104 degrees Fahrenheit, for which another doctor prescribed more Phenergan in a cough syrup with codeine - an opioid that is now restricted for children under the age of 18 due to its risks of causing breathing difficulty and death.

Nikki's toxicology report even showed lethal levels of Phenergan in her system at the time of her death, defense attorneys say.

Roberson's attorneys argued that his then-undiagnosed autism helped convict him, as authorities and medical personnel felt he didnt act like a concerned parent because his flat affect was seen as a sign of guilt

Attorney Gretchen Sween has maintained that her client is actually innocent

In their request to stay the execution, Roberson's defense attorneys included a joint statement from 10 independent pathologists who said the medical examiners autopsy report, which concluded Nikki died from blunt force head injuries, was 'not reliable.'

They also argued that Roberson's then-undiagnosed autism helped convict him, as authorities and medical personnel felt he didnt act like a concerned parent because his flat affect was seen as a sign of guilt. He was diagnosed with autism in 2018.

Further, Roberson's lawyers alleged there was judicial misconduct at his trial, saying the judge did not disclosed he previously authorized the circumvention of Robersons parental rights and allowed Nikkis grandparents to remove her from life support.

'He is actually innocent,' Gretchen Sween, one of Roberson's attorneys, told reporters of her client following the court ruling on Thursday. 'I would like to prove that and get him home one day.'

She said she is 'confident that an objective review of the science and medical evidence will show there was no crime.

'Robert adored Nikki, whose death was a tragedy, a horror, compounded by Robert's wrongful conviction that devastated his whole family.'

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton may now challenge the ruling

But prosecutors including embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton have insisted that the evidence of Roberson's guilt remains convincing.

In a dissenting opinion on Thursday, Judge Gina Parker even argued that Roberson's case was 'not a "shaken baby" case,' citing trial testimony describing the toddler's injuries and arguing that 'the obvious conclusion to draw is that the child was beaten to death.'

Three pediatricians, including two with the Yale School of Medicine also wrote in a September 26 op-ed in The Dallas Morning News that they reviewed the case and 'are convinced that Nikki was a victim of child abuse.'

Following Thursday's ruling, Matthew Bowman, Nikkis half-brother, said he and his family are disappointed and that they think Roberson should be executed.

Bowman told The Associated Press he believes the evidence shows Roberson caused Nikkis injuries by repeatedly hitting her.

'In my opinion, hes the only one that could have done it that night. So were hoping that the execution comes back,' he said.

It now remains unclear whether the Texas Attorney General's Office will challenge the ruling, which marked the third time Roberson's lawyers have been able to stay an execution since 2016.

Since his first execution date more than nine years ago, Robersons lawyers have filed multiple petitions with state and federal appeals courts, as well as with the U.S. Supreme Court, to stop his execution.

Last year, just two hours before Roberson was set to be put to death, Travis County Judge Jessica Mangrum blocked Roberson's execution so that he could testify before the Texas legislature.

It came after unprecedented intervention from a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers who spoke with the death row inmate and believe he is innocent.

Robersons supporters include liberal and ultraconservative lawmakers, Texas GOP megadonor and conservative activist Doug Deason, bestselling author John Grisham, and Brian Wharton, the former police detective who helped put together the case against him.

GOP state Rep. Brian Harrison, one of the more conservative lawmakers in the Texas Legislature, praised the stay.

'For over two decades, Mr. Robert Roberson has never, not once, been afforded due process and he has never had a fair trial,' Harrison told reporters on Thursday.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Paxton's office for comment.
A military mom lashed out at Speaker Mike Johnson for refusing to call Congress back in session amid the government shutdown as a crucial deadline looms.

The Republican House Speaker appeared on C-SPAN Thursday to address concerns about the deadlock between Democrats and Republicans as the shutdown entered its eighth consecutive day.

The standstill has already caused flight delays and prevented the Federal Drug Administration from being able to process applications for new drugs.

If over the government's funding continues through October 15, military families may also miss out on their next paycheck.

'I have two medically-fragile children [and] I have a husband who actively serves this country. He suffers from PTSD from his two tours in Afghanistan,' the woman, identified as Samantha from Virginia, told Johnson.

'If we see a lapse in pay come the 15th, my children do not get the medication that is needed for them to live their life.'

She then pleaded with Johnson to take action.

'I heard you earlier say you side with President Trump on anything that he says. Well I just read an article this morning that said he absolutely, wholeheartedly believes there needs to be legislation put in [place] that we do not miss a paycheck,' Samantha said.

'You have the power to do that!'

A military mother-of-two hit out at House Speaker Mike Johnson in a phone call to C-SPAN on Thursday, as the government shutdown extended into an eighth consecutive day

The Republican House Speaker appeared on C-SPAN to address Americans' concerns

The federal government has been shut down since last week amid disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over its funding

'And as a Republican, I am very disappointed in my party and I'm very disappointed in you because you have the power to call the House back. You refuse to do that just for show,' she argued.

'I'm begging you to pass this legislation,' Samantha then pleaded. 'My kids could die. We don't have the credit because of the medical bills that I have to pay regularly.

'You could stop this and you could be the one that could say "Military's getting paid," and I think that it is awful - and the audacity of someone who makes six-figures a year to do this to military families is insane.'

When Johnson was then given a chance to respond, he shifted the blame onto Democrats.

'I want you to hear something very clearly: The Republicans are the ones delivering for you,' he claimed.

'We had a vote to pay the troops. It was the continuing resolution three weeks ago,' Johnson explained. 'Every single Republican but two voted to keep the government open so that your paycheck can flow. Every Democrat in the House, except for one, voted to close it.

'The Democrats are the ones that are preventing you from getting the check,' he continued, arguing: 'If we get a vote on the floor to pay troops, it's not a lawmaking exercise because [Democrat New York Sen.] Chuck Schumer's going to hold that up in the Senate.

'He has demonstrated by voting now six times to keep the government closed, that he does not want the troops to be paid - and you should listen to his comments last night as reported this morning.

Johnson sought to turn the blame on Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer, who has said Democrats will not vote on a continuing resolution until their demands are met

The has already caused flight delays and prevented the Federal Drug Administration from being able to process applications for new drugs. A man and a woman are pictured being turned away from entering the National Gallery of Art amid the standstill

'He is enjoying this,' Johnson accused Schumer. 'He said "Every day it gets better for us."'

'Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are preventing your family from getting the care they need and my heart goes out to you,' the House Speaker concluded.

Yet President Donald Trump and his aides have refused to meet with Democrats over their demands to extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, that are set to expire at the end of December.

Tens of millions of Americans rely on these subsidies for low-cost insurance. If they are not renewed, some Americans could see their insurance costs double, or worse.

The Democrats have said they would not approve any funding extension until they can get concessions on the subsidies.

But Republicans have argued that government funding bills should not be tethered to healthcare reform legislation.

They have put forward a proposal that would have extended the federal government's funding at current levels until November 21 - which the Democrats countered with a proposal to extend funding through October 31 and make the Affordable Care Act subsidies permanent.

A sixth vote to reopen the government failed on Wednesday by a margin of 54 to 45. At least 60 votes are needed for any funding bill to pass.

Trump has said he would only discuss extending the subsidies once the Democrats have agreed to fund the government

Amid the standstill, Trump has said he would only discuss extending the subsidies once the Democrats have agreed to fund the government.

'I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to reopen,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social page Monday night, after earlier suggesting his office was 'speaking with the Democrats' about a solution.

But Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, of Oklahoma, told the Washington Post he has been meeting with a bipartisan group of senators to discuss a longer-term solution that would prevent the government from facing another shutdown in November.

He said the Republicans' position on the shutdown has not changed and they will not make changes to health care policy until the governmnet is reopened.

'That's from the president's directive,' Mullin said, though he claimed the bipartisan group is having 'productive' conversations about 'what happens next.'

It now seems that the shutdown will extend well into October as it enters a ninth day

Still, when asked whether a commitment to negotiate on the subsidies would be enough for the Democrats to reopen the government, Schumer said: 'No. We need to solve the problem.'

It now seems that the shutdown will extend well into October as it enters a ninth day.

The longest government shutdown in history came during Trump's first term and stretched for 35 days between December 2018 and January 2019.
The man beaten to death inside a New York City subway station has been identified as a beloved churchgoing security guard, tragically just a year away from retirement.

David Mazariegos, 25, is facing a murder charge after allegedly stomping the innocent commuter more than 15 times near Brooklyns Jay StreetMetroTech station Tuesday afternoon, robbing him, and later telling police he 'took his spirit.'

The random assault shattered the victims skull, crushed his nose and left his face battered in multiple places, killing him within hours, according to The New York Post.

Nicola Tanzi, 64, well-known in the borough and a devoted church volunteer, was identified on Thursday night as the man bludgeoned to death.

'Nicky had such a kind heart and was always a glass-is-half-full kind of person,' John Heyer, the deacon of the Roman Catholic church Tanzi attended, told The New York Post.

'He always had concerns for others,' he added. 'So, I believe he'd help and forgive the person who did this and would have gotten them the help that they needed.'

A Bronx resident with over two dozen prior arrests, Mazariegos was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a first-degree murder charge and remanded into custody without bail - all while wearing a sinister smile.

The horrific attack unfolded just after 3pm at the security gate of the Jay StreetMetroTech train station - steps from Tanzis workplace - where officers found an adult male lying unresponsive.

The man beaten to death inside a New York City subway station has been identified as beloved churchgoing security guard Nicola Tanzi, 64 (pictured)

David Mazariegos (pictured), 25, is facing a murder charge after allegedly stomping an innocent commuter more than 15 times near Brooklyns Jay StreetMetroTech station Tuesday afternoon, robbing him of his credit cards and ID, and later telling police he 'took his spirit'

Surveillance footage obtained by police allegedly showed Mazariegos punching Tanzi in the face for no reason, knocking him to the ground and kicking him in the head up to 15 times in front of the turnstiles, according to ABC 7 News.

The assault lasted 10 minutes before the sadistic attacker rifled through Tanzis pockets, taking his wallet and ID while he lay unconscious - a delay that slowed police identification, sources told The New York Post.

There, he was left battered and clinging to life.

Tanzi was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead roughly an hour later.

'He came in here for coffee and went to work that morning,' Carmine Racaro, owner of Flowers By Emil, a local shop Tanzi frequented everyday, told The Post. 'He never came home.'

NYPD officials issued a department-wide emergency alert after the shocking attack, setting off a manhunt that culminated in Mazariegos arrest, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

'Eagle-eyed cops working near Times Square recognized this perp from the photos they had just received and immediately brought this dangerous criminal into custody,' she wrote on X.

The random assault, which allegedly lasted a grueling 10 minutes - shattered Tanzi's skull, crushed his nose and left his face battered in multiple places, killing him within hours

Surveillance footage obtained by police allegedly showed Mazariegos punching Tanzi (pictured) in the face for no reason, knocking him to the ground and kicking him in the head up to 15 times in front of the turnstiles

Authorities found Mazariegos shortly after the slaying, allegedly in possession of four of Tanzis credit cards and a katana sword with a blade exceeding 20 inches.

Street photographer Christopher Gonzalez, 36, who witnessed the arrest, recalled Mazariegos laughing unnervingly as authorities swarmed him, according to The Post.

'He didnt have the sword drawn or anything like that, but there was a samurai sword,' Gonzalez told the outlet.

'Even when I saw him yesterday, before I knew it was the same person as the Brooklyn beating, Im like, "This guys not right in the head,"' he added.

Sources revealed that after being detained, Mazariegos allegedly told police that he beat the innocent stranger to death because he didnt like the way the victim 'looked at him.'

On Wednesday, Mazariegos was first arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on a previous weapons charge and an outstanding larceny warrant for allegedly stealing from a delis tip jar last month.

Two NYPD detectives stood behind him as he remained handcuffed, wearing what appeared to be a torn white Tyvek suit.

Outside the courtroom, Mazariegos blustered about his dead ancestors, blamed Western medicine for his familys deaths and eerily questioned how many bodies were buried beneath the courthouse, according to The Post.

Prosecutors revealed that the attack appeared to be triggered after Tanzi had graciously held the door open for Mazariegos (pictured), who allegedly took offense

Authorities found Mazariegos in Times Square (pictured) shortly after the slaying, allegedly in possession of four of Tanzis credit cards and a katana sword with a blade exceeding 20 inches

Senior Assistant District Attorney Sapna Kishnani said he confessed to beating the victim (pictured), rifling through his pockets to steal from him and then 'taking his spirit'

On Thursday, prosecutors revealed grim new details about the vicious killing, including that it appeared to be triggered after Tanzi had graciously held the door open for Mazariegos, who allegedly took offense.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Sapna Kishnani said he confessed to beating the victim, rifling through his pockets to steal from him and then 'taking his spirit.'

'He then proceeded to stomp on the victim not once, not twice, but over and over and over again even while the victims body was totally limp,' Kishnani told the court.

'The victim was completely unconscious and yet the defendant continued to stomp on his body,' she added.

Prosecutors said one of the credit cards stolen from Tanzis pocket was allegedly used to buy the samurai sword that was found resting on Mazariegos lap at the time of his arrest.

The simple act of kindness, they claim, allegedly drove the maniacal attacker to unleash a brutal, fatal beating on the respected 64-year-old - even after he had stopped moving from the repeated blows.

Kishnani also disclosed that Mazariegos had a history of criminal cases being dismissed because of mental health issues.

Sources said that he has at least 33 prior arrests - including both sealed and unsealed cases - and is listed in the citys transit recidivist database, according to The Post.

Sources said that Mazariegos (pictured) has at least 33 prior arrests - including both sealed and unsealed cases - and is listed in the citys transit recidivist database

Mazariegos was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a first-degree murder charge and remanded into custody without bail (pictured)

'Given the horrific nature of the case as Ive just outlined it, the fact that this defendant is facing life without parole and the defendants history that Ive just outlined we are asking for remand,' Kishnani said to the court.

Tanzi, originally from Italy, moved to New York decades ago and spent the last 15 years quietly working as a security guard in the MetroTech Center area, according to The Post.

He regularly attended two parishes, volunteered as an usher and went to Italian Mass three times a week at St. Dominic's Church.

The deacon said the women who joined Tanzi for those services are 'beside themselves with grief, disbelief, and anger,' as reported by The Post.

'He volunteered to be an usher to take up the collection, and to assist anyone to find their seats in the church, open doors for the elderly women, the normal good things youd expect from people,' he said.

Neighborhood friends, including Racaro, spoke fondly of Tanzi, who had lived in Brooklyn for more than 20 years.

'We lost a good friend. He was a really good guy,' Racaro told the outlet. 'He would come here for espresso, ask "How are you?" He was happy.'
Tears wouldn't stop falling from Naghmeh Rajabi's face as she spoke of her aunt.

Engineering student Asfaneh Rajabi was just 22 when faceless grunts of Iran's Ayatollah regime raised their guns and shot her dead in 1981.

She was murdered for daring to challenge the political and religious orthodoxy that has plagued the nation since the Iranian revolution, her niece told the Daily Mail.

Though Asfaneh was initially arrested by the forces of Ruhollah Khomeini, then Iran's Supreme Leader, she managed to escape before she was eventually re-captured and executed.

But before this, her family saw she had been horrifically tortured, Naghmeh said.

The programme manager and activist said: 'My older sister says she remembers seeing her torture wounds after her spell in prison. She told me about everything Asfaneh went through.

'Her feet had become black, swollen, and oozing.'

Sadly, Iran's treatment of women has worsened dramatically since Asfaneh's death. Under the rule of Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the nation for the last 36 years, the number of women executed in Iran has dramatically soared.

The catalyst for this, dissidents say, is the increasing insecurity felt by the regime following mass protests against it in recent years - the most notable of which were the Mahsa Amini uprisings, which were ignited across the nation in 2022 following the unlawful death of a young woman who allegedly wore her hijab 'improperly'.

Naghmeh Rajabi (pictured) told the Daily Mail of her family's horrific treatment by the Iranian state

Afsaneh Rajabi (pictured) was executed at just 22 for speaking out against the regime

Since then, the number of women executed in Iran each year has more than doubled.

In 2022, 15 women were executed. In the first nine months of 2025, 38 have been killed, according to the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI). Between July 30 and September 30, the regime executed 14 women - equivalent to one every four days.

October 10 is World Day against the Death Penalty, an event which will see groups across the world to petition states to abolish capital punishment.

Naghmeh told the Daily Mail that her family has consistently suffered under the Ayatollah regime.

Her other aunt, Zahra, suffered a similar fate. As a student at the School of Architecture of Tehran's Melli University, which was renamed to honour one of the Iranian Revolution's top figures, she became politically active against the regime.

After escaping the country, Zahra fled to Istanbul, Turkey, where she worked to help Iranian refugees in similar dire straits.

But in 1996, Iranian assassins murdered her in cold blood.

She said: 'I was actually 11 when Zahra was assassinated. I remember that. I was trying to sort of comprehend what was happening. I asked my family: "Why would anyone try to kill my auntie?"

'My family explained that she was a revolutionary and freedom fighter who fought for democracy, and that's why they killed her.'

Naghmeh said though she never got to meet her, she still thinks about Asfaneh: 'She was the youngest child. The stories I hear is that she was really lively. She would sing all the time, and joke around. She was just so positive, and kind and generous. I felt very connected.

'I've never met her, but every time I think about her I'm so moved by her bravery.'

Both of her aunts lie in her thoughts. 'I see a lot of lot of myself in them. They were lively, they were young, they were passionate about life', she said.

Asfaneh and Zahra are just two of the countless women who needlessly died at the hands of the state, and it is feared that many more will suffer the same fate.

Zahra Rajabi (pictured) was assassinated in Istanbul in 1996

Sadredin Sadidi, an Iranian activist, was killed in 1988 for his work against the regime

The NCRI, which works in exile in France and Albania, says that women are largely executed for two reasons in Iran.

The first is drug trafficking. Under a broken economic system, and often forced by their husbands, impoverished women unable to make a living any other way are made to carry drugs across the nation.

Mafia-style networks that have alleged connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's military, use these women to traffic their drugs.

When they are inevitably caught, they are handed death sentences.

The other is premeditated murder of a spouse. Under Iranian law, women are subject to their husbands' wills and are unable to divorce them.

As a result, the NCRI says, these women are forced to defend themselves in all too frequent instances of domestic violence.

But the Ayatollah regime has choked all citizens in Iran for decades, regardless of gender.

Safora Sadidi Mohammadi, a human rights activist working with the NCRI, told the Daily Mail that seven of her relatives, including her father, have been executed by the regime.

Safora, who has spent the last two decades working to stop the human rights crisis in Iran, was six years old when she lost her father, Sadredin Sadidi, in 1988, but only learned he had died two years later.

She told the Daily Mail: 'It was one of the heaviest burdens of my childhood, of course. It's a pain that never leaves you. It resurfaces with every announcement of another life-taking in Iran.

Safora Sadidi Mohammadi (pictured) told the Daily Mail that seven members of her family have been executed by Iran

Sadredin was killed in Iran for daring to speak out against the Ayatollah regime

'I don't think you find any Iranians who have not lost one of their loved ones under this regime, and who have not suffered under this brutal dictatorship, this religious dictatorship of Iran.'

Her mother, wary of the lasting damage family trauma can have, told her that her father was simply away on a work trip.

'My mother tried to hide many things from me, but I understood that my father was very active. Both my parents were very active for human rights, and I think for my both families. But, of course, at that age, I did not understand very much.

'When we fled Iran, and when I grew older, I understood more about what happened in Iran, and why everything was like that.

'Khomeini, his name brought fear to my childhood. I felt he was the devil, even as a child. I understood that he's really a monster.

'I knew that my family had to flee Iran, and when we escaped, because I was only 6, my mother didn't want to tell me that my father had been executed.

'It took a while before she could finally tell me.'

She eventually learned that he had been badly tortured by the state.

Executions are up across the board in Iran.

According to the NCRI, 578 people were executed in 2022. In the first nine months of 2025, nearly 1,200 have been executed.

Iranian demonstrators taking to the streets of the capital Tehran on September 21, 2022

A protester holds a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration on Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on September 20, 2022

The UN has said the staggering escalation violates international human rights law.

Experts said: 'The sheer scale of executions in Iran is staggering and represents a grave violation of the right to life.

'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.

Both women said their connection to their long-dead families is what keep them going.

Naghmeh said: 'I think that's why I have such a big connection to it, even now, after all these years. My family and I left Iran and I could have just got on with my life like many people. But, I do feel a sense of responsibility.

'You carry the pain, especially if you can't express that outwardly. It also teaches you a lot about resilience, it teaches you a lot about bravery, about what's possible, about how fortunate you are, and always staying positive in times of difficulty.

'They're kind of my guiding light. I just look at these extraordinary people, the amazing people that are part of the Iranian resistance, and just say: if they can do it, if they can push through, if they can look the evil in the eye and fight with the way that they've done for godless how many years, then surely I can.

'There is just such a surge of executions now happening in Iran, which is just terrifying. The Iranian regime has been doing this since they came to power.

'You see it being repeated today. So many people get executed, they're just normal people like you and me, who want nothing but freedom and democracy and they're being robbed of that.

People gathering next to a burning motorcycle in the capital Tehran on October 8, 2022 amid a wave of unrest triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody a month prior

A demonstrator raises his arms and makes the victory sign during a protest for Mahsa Amini, in Tehran on September 19, 2022

And Safora told the Daily Mail: 'I think a lot about, not only my father, but all these 120,000 who were the bravest in our country, intellectuals. Many of them had the very best opportunity to have good lives, but they sacrificed that for freedom and democracy.

'I think it's really worth it, you know? To give freedom to your people. In the future, history will ask what we did for the freedom of our country, and I want to be one of those who are making change.

'That was one of the reasons that I decided to become an activist; To devote my life, my time and my energy in this cause of freedom and democracy.

'This is what I want for the next generation of my country, to live in freedom, like we have here.'

Both also said they know in their heart of hearts that the Ayatollah regime won't last forever.

Safora said: 'Regime change by the Iranian people and their organized resistance is the only way that we can have a free and democratic Iran. The regime has never been so weak as it is today, and has never been as aggressive in executing the people. They are trying to carry out a silent massacre right now in Iran with these executions.'

Naghmeh added: 'The Iranian regime is at its weakest point. That is the reason why there's such a surge in executions. It's almost like a wounded animal.'
Dezi Freeman tried to shoot a fourth officer during a deadly stand-off with police but his homemade shotgun failed to discharge.

The alleged cop killer, 56, pointed the firearm at the officer and pulled the trigger during a 27-minute siege on August 26, the Herald Sun reports.

Freeman, a self-proclaimed 'sovereign citizen', had already shot three of the officer's colleagues inside the rundown school bus he was living in.

Ten officers had arrived at the Freeman compound in Porepunkah, 300km northeast of Melbourne, to execute a search warrant linked to historical allegations Freeman sexually assaulted a minor.

Freeman's wife Mali and their two-year-old son were present when he shot two police officers dead and seriously injured a third. A fourth escaped with their life.

In exclusive footage of the confrontation obtained by the Daily Mail, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, is heard speaking with Freeman.

Dressed in a red and black flannelette shirt and jeans, he was using his experience to try and defuse the situation just moments before he lost his life.

For most of the time, Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart - who also lost his life in the shooting rampage - stood further back.

Dezi Freeman (pictured with his wife Mali) tried to gun down a fourth police officer during his deadly rampage but his homemade shotgun failed to discharge

Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, dressed in a red and black flannelette shirt, can be seen at the front of the group as they ask Freeman to open the bus door

Detective Thompson is seen at the steps of the bus, moments before he was gunned down

A police officer is seen using a crowbar to try and open the bus door as officers watch on

It was only during the last few minutes that he moved just to the left of the bus door.

Freeman's emotions became increasingly fraught as he argued with officers.

He flatly refused to open the bus door, and his voice shook with rage as officers, some in plain clothes, others in uniform, tried to reason with him.

Finally, Detective Thompson is seen grabbing the roof of the bus and hauling himself feet first inside the vehicle.

Within seconds, two gunshots rang out and officers scattered in terror.

Detective Thompson and Senior Constable de Waart-Hottart were both shot dead at point-blank range. The video then ended.

Freeman fled into bushland and has not been seen since. An extensive land, air and water search by 450 officers has failed to uncover any trace of him.

Victoria Police have offered a $1million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Australia and India have pledged to deepen defence co-operation in a more precarious environment across the Pacific.

Defence Minister Richard Marles welcomed his Indian counterpart Shri Rajnath Singh to Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday.

It was the first visit by an Indian defence minister to Australia in 12 years and the pair's second meeting of 2025 after Mr Marles travelled to New Delhi in June.

The ministers attended a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony before signing a bilateral defence agreement to increase dialogue between the two militaries, and a memorandum of understanding on submarine rescue support and co-operation.

It also expands air-to-air refuelling training after Mr Singh experienced a live performance on Thursday courtesy of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Australian and Indian troops have increased military co-operation, more than tripling annual defence exercises, meetings and activities in the past decade.

The two nations are seeking to formalise maritime awareness co-operation.

ndia's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh walks with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday

Australian and Indian defence experts also convened in Parliament House on Thursday.

Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil told the meeting, 'as the guardians of either side of the mighty Indian Ocean, we are aware of our responsibility to keeping this region stable and trade lines open'.

This included strengthening the defence industrial base as India 'made impressive strides' in accelerating manufacturing and Australia wanted to do the same, he said.

Defence secretary Greg Moriarty said there was a heightened risk of a conflict in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years as China continues to build up its military.

'We are seeing the People's Liberation Army continue to expand its military capability, reach and operational tempo,' he told a Senate hearing.

'As the PLA operates further afield, we expect the Australian Defence Force will come into close contact more often, including in waters proximate to Australia.

'In this environment, dialogue with China is vital to register our concerns and manage our differences.'

Australian Defence Force chief David Johnston travelled to Beijing to speak to his counterpart in June.

The pair met to sign agreements to increase military talks and submarine co-operation

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Shri Rajnath Singh during question time

India is set to host the Quad leaders meeting of Australia, Japan, the United States and itself but no date has been announced.

While not a military alliance, the Quad has been set up to counterbalance China's increasing influence and capability across the Indo-Pacific.

But the relationship between New Delhi and Washington soured over the purchase of Russian oil with US President Donald Trump upping tariffs on India, accusing it of helping fund Russia's war in Ukraine.

India has received backlash as it continues to purchase Russian oil, which is then spliced in refineries, making it hard for third nations with sanctions against Russia to block its import.
A teenager accused of attempting to hack off a man's hand in a sickening machete attack has been given the 'best wishes' of one of Australia's most famous judges.

Saurabh Anand, 33, was allegedly set upon by five teenagers in the unprovoked attack in Altona Meadows, in Melbourne's west, in July in an attack that shocked the nation.

On Thursday, one of those alleged offenders was released from youth detention on bail by the same judge who presided over the epic trial of mushroom killer Erin Patterson.

As he released the 14-year-old back into the community, Justice Christopher Beale wished the boy 'good luck'.

'Protecting the community has been uppermost in my mind. But rehabilitation serves that public interest,' he said.

'I wish you the best of luck.'

Police allege the teen was the main attacker and slashed Mr Anand in an unprovoked attack over cigarettes and a phone, The Age reported.

As well as almost losing his hand and arm, Mr Anand was allegedly slashed and stabbed in the shoulder and back, and suffered a fractured spine, broken bones in his arm, and head injuries.

Saurabh Anand, 33, sustained horrific injuries in what has been described as an unprovoked attack

Doctors initially thought they would have to amputate his left hand, but surgeons were able to reattach it by inserting screws into his wrist and hand during five hours of emergency surgery.

'I am completely broken, mentally, physically and emotionally,' he said at the time.

'I don't know how I'll survive. I am in constant pain. It is the toughest time in my life - I wouldn't have wished this on my worst enemy.'

Mr Anand was talking on his phone at Central Square Shopping Centre after picking up medication when the gang of youths allegedly pounced around 7.30pm on July 19.

He said he had spotted five teenagers sitting on a bench near a cafe outside the shopping centre, but was quickly surrounded as he came out of the pharmacy.

One teenager allegedly demanded his phone before another allegedly punched him repeatedly in the head until he fell, breaking his back as he hit the ground.

The gang then allegedly began punching and kicking him as he lay on the ground before a third teen then allegedly pulled out a machete and held it to his throat.

'He [allegedly] went for my neck, my throat,' he revealed on his release from hospital after eight days of surgery and treatment.

Saurabh Anand's hand after allegedly being attacked by a machete-wielding thug

'To save myself, I raised my hand up to protect my throat and my arm [allegedly] got completely sliced off - the machete cut all of the muscle, the tendons, the nerves.

'But if the machete had gone through my neck, I would not be here today.'

Mr Anand said he feared he would die in the alleged attack.

The teen was charged with offences including armed robbery, intentionally causing serious injury, affray and using a controlled weapon.

But in one of the first tests of Victorias new bail changes, the teenager was released after taking his bid for freedom to the Supreme Court of Victoria when his first bid in August was rejected by a lower court.

Justice Beale said the community would be safer if the teen rehabilitated rather than be kept behind bars.

He made the decision despite hearing allegations about the teenager's behaviour while on remand in a youth detention facility.

The court heard the boy had allegedly repeatedly attacked staff at the centre, both physically and verbally, made sexually inappropriate remarks to female workers, threatened to pour boiling water over others and had to be forcibly restrained to facilitate time out.

Central Square shopping centre at Altona Meadows became the location of a brutal attack

Saurabh Anand was lucky to have survived his ordeal at a local shopping centre in July

A custody manager told the court the boy had experienced difficulties adjusting to new people and changes in detention since his arrest.

The manager claimed the boy had repeatedly threatened and assaulted staff, hidden weapons in his room, absconded from classes, spat on staff and maintained he was gang affiliated.

Police had strongly opposed the youth being released back into the community, telling Justice Beale that Mr Anand still feared for his life.

After Thursdays hearing, Mr Anand told The Age he was shocked by the bail decision and now feared even more for his safety.

'I cannot understand or accept this,' he said.

'This group of people [allegedly] nearly killed me and my life has been forever changed by that night. I will never be able to go back to the way I was before this attack.

'To be rehabilitated, the first step is remorse or recognition from him that he has [allegedly] done something wrong. I dont see any evidence of that yet.'

The boy had been supported in court by his grandparents, who vowed to watch him if he was released and ensure he returned to school.

Justice Christopher Beale during his sentence of Erin Patterson

His grandmother told the court her grandson was a 'good boy' who was always trying to fit in.

On the night of the attack, she said she thought he was sleeping over at a friends house.

In response, Justice Beale told the boy to behave himself on the outside.

'Your grandparents, who love you very much and who you love, have been here every step of the way for you and its their support of you which makes it possible for me to release you on bail,' Justice Beale said.

'You owe it to them to do the right thing.

'Stick to all the bail conditions Im going to impose and if you do that itll make a world of difference with what happens in the childrens court.'

Justice Beale said his decision served the community's 'best interests'.

He added: 'Protecting the community has been uppermost in my mind.

'But rehabilitation serves that public interest.'
"She power" on the rise across China's sci-tech landscape

Xinhua) 10:04, October 10, 2025

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The life of Wang Haoze, who is the third Chinese woman to embark on a manned space mission, has been marked by grueling training: desert survival drills with extreme temperature swings, claustrophobic psychological adaptability tests, and maritime exercises involving sea spray that she described as "cutting my ears like knives."

In her words, what drives her forward is the urge to contribute more to the cause of Chinese science, and to help the world see more of the brilliance of women.

"The universe is filled with stars, each one a tiny point, like the flames in my heart," Wang wrote in a poem upon her return from a 183-day stay in orbit during the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight mission.

Wang holds a master's degree and joined the aerospace industry a decade ago, working on rocket engine research before volunteering and being selected as the sole woman in China's third group of astronauts.

She is a pioneer among the approximately 40 million female science and technology workers in the country, whose footprints can be seen across major national projects and cutting-edge fields, from the fields of space, high-speed rail and commercial aircraft to the biomedicine and artificial intelligence industries. Together, they account for nearly half of China's total sci-tech workforce.

Liang Jianying is a chief scientist at CRRC -- the world's largest supplier of rail transit equipment -- and has been a driving force behind China's breakthroughs in rail.

Under her leadership, generations of high-speed trains have been developed, including a 600-km/h high-speed maglev system, as well as the CRH380A with a test speed of 486.1 km/h, and the Fuxing, which has a commercial operational speed of 350 km/h.

"Living in a vast country with complex terrain and enormous passenger flow volumes, there is no reason we should not strive to be the best in the world, particularly with the strong support from the government," Liang said.

Like Liang, an increasing number of China's female science and technology workers are venturing into uncharted territories, adding unique wisdom to propel global advancement.

In the field of cryptography, Wang Xiaoyun, who is a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a professor at Tsinghua University, was honored as one of five global laureates at the 2025 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards in May.

UNESCO's announcement highlighted that Wang's transformative research has inspired numerous women to pursue careers in mathematics and cybersecurity.

Focusing on hash functions, which are a cornerstone of cryptographic systems, Wang spent her first nine years in the field producing few publications. Her dedication culminated in global sensation when she broke two major international hash algorithms -- MD5 and SHA-1 -- in 2004 and 2005.

Rather than resting on these laurels, Wang has since led her team to the new frontier of post-quantum cryptography, working to build stronger digital security defenses for the future.

In the health care sector, Zhang Wen, who is deputy director of rheumatology and immunology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, has been tackling research on a rare condition known as IgG4-related disease for over a decade.

She led the formulation of China's first expert consensus and diagnostic guideline for the disease, and was the sole Chinese representative to contribute to its first international treatment guide, integrating China's clinical experience into global understanding.

"We must not only manage individual trees but also contribute to the entire forest," Zhang said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Unearthed documents and local sources have revealed that the family of missing South Australian boy Gus Lamont has a complicated - and tragic - history.

On Wednesday, Daily Mail revealed that the four-year-old's grandmother, trans woman Josie Murray, had not given up hope looking for the child, who vanished from the front yard of his family's homestead at about 5pm on September 27.

Extensive land and waterway searches by police, state emergency service (SES) and the army have so far turned up no reliable trace of him. It is not suggested that any members of his family are involved in his disappearance.

Now, we can reveal more details about Josie's past on the remote Oak Park outback property, located 40km south of Yunta.

According to business records dating back to 1999, Josie's life partner Shannon Murray - a woman - used to work the sprawling sheep station with her father, late war hero Vincent Pfeiffer.

Shannon - known as Shan - was registered as a joint entity of Oak Park Proprietors alongside Vincent, who was nicknamed Vin.

It is believed that Vincent's wife - Shannon's mother - Clair Jones had previously inherited the station from her side of the family.

A Robert Murray also appeared on the public document, though this name vanished from records in 2015 - replaced by the name Josie Murray.

Four-year-old Gus Lamont vanished from his grandparents' Outback station on September 27

The youngster's grandmother, trans woman Josie Murray, broke her silence on Wednesday

In 2004, Robert and Shannon were listed as trustees for the Vincent Pfeiffer Estate, which suggests Vincent died sometime beforehand.

A separate public record linked to the address revealed a Josie Rachelle Murray is attached to the Oak Park address.

A Yunta source confirmed to Daily Mail that Robert transitioned to Josie some years back, and that the town was accepting of her choice.

It's believed the death of Josie's father-in-law Vincent - a well-liked but tough man - prompted Josie to come out as transgender late in life.

'I knew Josie as "Snow" before they transitioned,' said the friend.

It's unclear if Josie and Shannon's marriage is still intact after Josie transitioned to a woman but they still live together.

A separate tipster shed light on the complex history of Oak Park - which, in the unlikely event of Gus still being alive, he may one day inherit, as the eldest son of Shannon's daughter Jessica.

'It seems like Robert became Josie after Vin passed away,' the source said. '[Vin] was a tough guy... he probably wouldn't have approved.'

Gus' great-grandfather Vincent Pfeiffer (right), pictured in Yunta in the 1960s, was a war hero

If Gus survives, he may inherit the sprawling Oak Park station one day

The station is 40km from the Barrier Highway, near Yunta, in South Australia

A photo of Mr Pfeiffer dated 1969, in which he is puffing on a cigarette in the Outback while standing next to a car, was shared to a Yunta Facebook community group in June.

Still, despite his hard-boiled rural exterior, he was fondly remembered.

A family friend commented: 'Mr Pfeiffer was one of a handful of POWs to survive the A-bomb attack on Nagasaki, after suffering in both Changi and on the Burma Railway.

'RIP to [one] of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.'

Mr Pfeiffer's war records show he was born in Tanunda, in South Australia's Barossa Valley, and served as a Lance Corporal in the 2/2 Reserve Motor Transport Company.

On July 7, 1942, he was reported missing.

In October 1943, he was reported as a prisoner of war, and was later confirmed to be held captive by Japanese forces in Thailand and Burma.

Most POWs in the region suffered immensely and were forced, under cruel and often perilous conditions, to construct the Thai-Burma railway, also known as the Death Railway.

More than 12,000 Allied soldiers died from overwork, malnutrition and disease.

But records show Mr Pfeiffer - who is Gus' great-grandfather - miraculously survived the awful conditions, and was then transferred to Fukuoka - a feared Japanese prison camp 150km from Nagasaki, where the US dropped an atomic bomb in January 1945.

Mr Pfeiffer was liberated later that year and then evacuated to a POW recovery base camp on Morotai island, Indonesia.

Mr Pfeiffer's records show he was taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese

Searchers converge on Oak Park station looking for signs of Gus

Upon the war hero's return to Australian soil, Mr Pfeiffer married Clair Jones, from a station family near Yunta.

The couple wed in Adelaide's Pirie Street Methodist Church in July 1948, according to the Adelaide Advertiser's classified notices.

It seems the couple eventually took over Oak Park, where Mr Pfeiffer became a popular member of the local community.

He was heavily involved in the local rifle club.

The Pfeiffers' daughter Shannon - mother of Gus' mum Jessica - is also understood to be a valued member of the Outback community, and was a 1997 representative of the North East Pastoral Soil Conservation Board.

A friend said she attended boarding school in her youth.

Jessica is yet to break cover since her son went missing three weeks ago, but is seen in an undated photograph shared to social media earlier this year as a blonde-haired infant in a yellow jumpsuit, sitting on Shannon's lap.

It is understood that Jessica remains at Oak Park with Shannon, Josie and her other son, one-year-old Ronnie.

Gus' mother Jessica is pictured as an infant, sitting on her mother Shannon's lap

Gus' father Joshua Lamont is staying with relatives in Adelaide

Gus's bicycle sits forlornly on his father Joshua's farmhouse veranda in Belalie North

Gus' father Joshua Lamont lives a two-hour drive from Oak Park, at a ramshackle farmhouse in Belalie North, near Jamestown.

A friend told Daily Mail that Joshua and Jess remain a couple but have a 'commuter relationship' because he clashes with Josie.

The friend confirmed the small bicycle seen on his front porch belonged to Gus.

Joshua is currently staying with relatives in Adelaide, and is said to be 'furious' about his missing son.

Despite the search for Gus being officially scaled back and referred to the Missing Persons Unit, Josie told Daily Mail on Wednesday that the family was 'still looking' for him.

She refused to comment further.

There were no police present at Oak Park on Wednesday, and the media scrum that had been parked outside waiting for news had dissolved.

Gus was last seen wearing a blue, long-sleeved Minions T-shirt and a grey sunhat.
She was the Australian ISIS bride who, from her perch in war-torn Syria, called for mass slaughter in the West: 'Kill kuffar (infidels) in alleyways, stab them and poison them... Attack: UK, AUS, US'.

And now - after her 'playboy' husband was obliterated by an airstrike and she spent years stranded in a refugee camp with her children- Zehra Duman is the face of a growing political controversy surrounding the return of a batch of former ISIS brides.

A one-time Melbourne schoolgirl, Duman, whose precise location is a mystery, is the most notorious of the Australian former ISIS brides who could be either planning to return home or may have quietly returned already.

Authorities confirmed this week that two unnamed women and four children who are Australian citizens had returned to Australia after managing to smuggle themselves out of Syria to Lebanon. There, they were issued passports after passing security checks.

Aid agency Save the Children has campaigned heavily for the repatriation of Australians from Syrian camps, according to a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday.

There has been intense scrutiny of the Albanese government's handling of the return of so-called ISIS brides, with Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash calling the Albanese government's silence on the issue a 'cover-up'.

Meanwhile, Liberal MP Phillip Thompson warned that 'allowing ISIS members to return and roam free puts Australians at serious risk'.

Mr Thompson posted a reminder this week of the vicious tweets Duman posted at the height of the conflict of ISIS.

Zehra Duman, originally from Melbourne, encouraged sickening attacks on Australia, the UK and the US - and has spoken of her longing to return home

After ISIS husband No. 1, Melbourne jihadist Mahmoud Abdullatif (above), was killed in an airstrike, Duman married two more jihadis who also died

A Liberal MP has warned about returning ISIS bride Zehra Duman, citing her murderous tweets (above) as her husbands died fighting for Islamic State

One of Duman's tweets while she was living in Syria as an ISIS bride is above

Under the nom de guerre 'Umm Abdullatif', she wrote on the platform then known as Twitter: 'Kill Kuffar (non believer) in alleyways, stab them and poison them. Poison your teachers.

'Go to haram (forbidden) restaurants and poison the food in large quantities.'

Mr Thompson also quoted Duman rallying for attacks on Britain, the US and Australia when she tweeted: 'Our husbands die in frontlines but that doesn't stop women in the west from sending their husbands to kill kuffar. Attack: UK AUS & US'.

Mr Thompson said allowing people like Duman to return to Australia was a 'reckless move risking the safety of Australians'.

During the conflict, Duman provocatively posted ISIS propaganda pictures of women in burqas waving ISIS flags and holding rifles.

In 2015, Duman sent a threatening message to a Daily Mail reporter after she was contacted for comment.

She said at the time: 'All you have to know is that the next time I will ever step into Australia, is when we come and make it a part of the Islamic State bi'thnillah(by Allah's permission).

'Oh and do I miss my family? Well I think you will miss yours soon (sic). Thank you and have a great day mate!'

Duman is a former student at Isik College Keysborough in Melbourne, who became a notorious online supporter of the Islamic militant group after moving to Syria in 2014 to marry Melbourne jihadist Mahmoud Abdullatif.

Liberal MP Phillip Thompson warned that allowing ISIS brides like Zehra Duman 'to return and roam free puts Australians at serious risk'. Above, a propaganda image she posted, apparently featuring her

Tweet by Zehra Duman, possibly of her own son, from an X account which has since been suspended due to alleged incitement of terrorism

Another Duman tweet featuring kids with weapons and boasting that IS children put Western 'men' to shame

Abdullatif, known as the 'playboy jihadi', was killed in 2015 and Duman is believed to have married twice more to other ISIS fighters.

With her young son and daughter and a group of about 70 other Australian women and children, Duman ended up in the notorious al-Hawl detention camp in Syria's north-east, from where she told the ABC she wanted to return to Australia.

'We did something wrong in the past,' she admitted. 'Nobody knows when you come here you can't really get out. Then you come, your husband dies and there's no way out.

'I wanna go back to my country. I'm an Australian citizen. I think I have, not just me but my kids, a right to at least be treated like normal.

'In Australia ... I understand the anger they have towards a lot of us here but the kids don't need to suffer about this.'

Duman, a dual Australian and Turkish national, was stripped by the Australian government of her citizenship over her connections to the so-called Islamic State, which was defeated in 2019.

In 2020, she lodged an appeal for herself and her two children, and her citizenship was formally restored in 2023.

Meanwhile, she had fled Al-Hawl, was arrested in Turkey and was sentenced for being a member of ISIS. However, she was released from prison to care for her son and daughter, now aged six and four.

Duman (centre) with aid workers in Syria before she fled a refugee camp for Turkey. She was prosecuted in Turkey for being an ISIS member, then freed, and now faces an uncertain future

Duman, right, with her mother as a teenager in Melbourne

The ABC reported that she told a Turkish court she was forced to remarry after Abdulaatif's death, and her second and third husbands were her children's fathers.

The top-secret operation to rescue and return women and children from northern Syria was due to happen before Christmas, The Australian newspaper reported. But it was unclear if there was a plan to repatriate Duman from Turkey.
He sadly died at the scene

Witness started CPR on the teen

A boy has died after being hit by a truck just days before the school term starts.

The 15-year-old was hit by the truck on High Street in Bendigo, 150km north-west of Melbourne, about 8.30am on Friday.

A witness desperately tried to resuscitate the boy but he died at the scene.

The truck driver is assisting police with their investigation.

Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said the scene was 'hugely distressing'.

He said police would be assisted by the Major Collision Investigations Unit as officers determine the exact circumstances of the crash.

High Street has been closed from Vine Street to Lily Street.

Drivers are being asked to find alternate routes through Bendigo's CBD.

Anyone with information or CCTV footage has been urged to contact police.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised US President Donald Trump following his intervention in reaching a peace deal in Gaza.

On Thursday, Trump proclaimed 'everlasting peace' after he clinched a historic deal to bring home Israeli hostages and end the bombardment of Gaza.

The Israeli government agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas just days after the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre.

Albanese told reporters in Brisbane on Friday that the hostage agreement was a 'welcome advance' and that Trump 'deserves congratulations' for his role in the peace deal.

'I just want to say that I very much welcome this breakthrough. We have called for some time for a ceasefire, for the release of hostages, for aid to be granted,' Albanese said.

'That needs to happen, and we also need to talk about the day after, which requires a two-state solution.

'I think President Trump deserves congratulations for the leadership the United States has shown.

'We've always said that this will require US leadership, and that is what we have seen here, but it's a very welcome advance.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has given Donald Trump credit for his Gaza peace deal

President Donald Trump brokered the historic peace agreement

Twenty Israeli hostages and the bodies of 28 others will be reunited with their loved ones on Monday or Tuesday in a 'day of joy', Trump said.

The Israel Defence Forces are set to withdraw to an agreed line, with the peace deal expected to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet.

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who Israel tried to kill in the Qatari capital Doha last month, announced an end to the war.

He said the militant group had received assurances from international mediators that the fighting would 'end permanently'.

He also vowed to keep working towards a Palestinian state 'with Jerusalem as its capital'.

Trump told his cabinet: 'The whole world has come together for this. People who didn't like each other, neighbouring countries. This is a moment in time.'

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong also credited Trump with fortifying the peace agreement between the two warring parties.

'President Trump has got this over the line,' she said on Sky News.

Palestinians gathered at the Nuseirat refugee camp after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza

'It is an extraordinary achievement and one that people around the world are supportive of, and it will bring hope where there has been despair for the people of Gaza.

'I hope long-term peace for the people of Palestine and of Israel.'

Trump went as far as to say there was 'peace in the Middle East'.

'You remember October 7 was terrible, but from the Hamas standpoint, they've probably lost 70,000 people. That's big retribution. At some point, that whole thing has to stop,' he said.

Speculation quickly mounted that Donald Trump may have secured the Nobel Peace Prize after he brokered the historic peace agreement.

The President will assign 200 troops stationed in the Middle East to support Israel and help monitor the peace deal.

Trump is expected to travel to the Middle East on Sunday to celebrate the first phase of the peace deal and be there for the release of hostages by Hamas.
A small town is running out of cash just weeks after the bank shut its doors for good.

Queenstown residents, in northwest Tasmania, protested the closure of Bendigo Bank and its corresponding ATM on September 30.

But more than 3,000 signatures didn't stop the bank from closing its doors and now the remote community is running dangerously low on cash.

Many have chosen not to make the four-hour round trip to the nearest bank and have relied on the local post office to withdraw money.

Australia Post on Wednesday begged locals to make cash deposits because it had been overwhelmed with demand for cash withdrawals.

The business asked for cash in a post to its Facebook page, writing: 'We need your cash please. We are nearly out of $50 notes'.

In another, the post office wrote: 'Please deposit cash with us in the morning if you can. This helps us have enough cash for withdrawals throughout the day'.

Last month, West Coast Council mayor Shane Pitt told Daily Mail that residents had been bitterly disappointed by Bendigo's decision to close the branch.

Queenstown residents, in northwest Tasmania , protested the closure of Bendigo Bank (pictured) and an ATM on September 30

Australia Post on Wednesday urged Queenstown locals to make cash deposits because it had been overwhelmed with demand for cash withdrawals (pictured)

'It's the last bank on the West Coast and if you want to do any face-to-face banking, it will be a two-hour drive to Burnie then two hours back,' Mr Pitt said.

'We have an ageing population here and many retirees can't drive and will need to take a full day to use the bus service to Burnie just to do their banking.

'A lot of retirees don't even have credit cards and now they'll have to get them to do banking at the post office.

'They certainly feel abandoned by the Bendigo Bank.'

Queenstown's 'The Unconformity' Festival starts next week, and thousands of visitors are expected to fill the town.

Locals are worried about how the visiting art lovers will handle the extra demand for legal tender.

Bendigo Bank was the last bank to have a branch in Queenstown, which has a population of 1,808.

Up to 230 bank branches were closed over the 2023-24 financial year, while more than 6,000 ATMs were removed during the past five years, according to Canstar.

The town has nearly run dry of cash and the post office is appealing to locals (pictured)

Queenstown locals have to drive for hours to get to the nearest bank in north Tasmania

Of the 230 closures, 52 were in regional areas.

Up to 1,615 branches of various banks have shut their doors over a five-year period.

The Big Four banks have signed a moratorium not to close any more regional branches until 2027.

Australian Citizens Party chairman Robert Barwick, whose political party campaigned to keep the Bendigo branch open, asked the federal government to find a solution.
The sister of a missing Texas mother-of-four has been accused of harassing her brother-in-law's family after he was arrested for his wife's murder.

Teresa Clark - whose realtor sister Suzanne Simpson vanished over a year ago after an altercation with her husband, Brad Simpson - has been hit with harassment charges for allegedly targeting Brad's relatives with threats and a smear campaign.

Court documents reviewed by CourtTV allege Teresa launched a 'vigorous media campaign' against Brad's family after his arrest in connection with her sister Suzanne's disappearance.

While her body has not been found, police presume that Suzanne is dead.

Teresa, 55, allegedly bombarded at least four of Brad's relatives with threatening calls and messages.

They claimed she left daunting voicemails such as, 'You don't know who you're messing with' and 'You will not get away with this.'

Investigators said that despite several warnings, Teresa has continuously contacted Brad's family through emails and phone calls - usually after midnight.

She was arrested on four counts of harassment on October 2, but was released from Travis County jail on October 4, News4SA reported.

Teresa Clark (pictured) was charged with four counts of harassment for allegedly targeting her sister's alleged killer after his arrest

Suzanne Simpson (left) vanished over a year ago after an altercation with her husband, Brad Simpson (right)

Brad (pictured) was formally charged with his wife's murder last December

Friends said Suzanne was last publicly seen at a party at The Argyle in the Alamo Heights neighborhood on October 6, 2024.

A neighbor told police he heard screaming and saw Suzanne arguing with Brad in front of their $1.5 million home in Olmos Park that night.

The neighbor said he saw Brad 'grabbing her upper torso area to gain control of her body,' according to a police report.

After the alleged fight carried on for several minutes, the neighbor said he went outside with a flashlight to look for the couple.

He then reportedly rushed back inside after hearing screams coming from a wooded area across from his home.

An hour later, he claimed that Brad took off in his truck. He returned home a few hours later, according to the police report.

Police were able to spot Brad on CCTV footage with three white trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can, an ice chest and a 'large bulky item wrapped and secured in a blue tarp' held down by a firewood rack in the bed of his truck.

It was discovered that he had bought two bags of cement, a construction bucket, a box of heavy-duty trash bags, Clorox disinfectant spray and insect repellent with cash from a nearby Home Depot.

Brad (pictured) was arrested just days after Suzanne disappeared

Teresa (left) said shortly after Suzanne (right) went missing, there was 'no hope' she was still alive. Her mother, Barbara (middle) echoed the sentiment at her memorial

Before he made his purchases, he had allegedly asked an unknown man in the parking lot for directions to the nearest dump in Boerne.

Later that morning, Simpson's truck was spotted at a gas station without the white trash bags.

However, the blue tarp, firewood rack and trash can were still in the bed of his vehicle.

Suzanne's DNA was later found on a motorized hand saw, which property tycoon Brad allegedly tried to hide from police.

The day before his arrest, Brad allegedly texted his business partner, James Valle Cotter: 'I don't have much time.'

Cotter allegedly helped Brad hide a gun after the incident, police suspect.

On top of the slew of allegedly incriminating evidence, court documents revealed that Brad showed 'no emotion' in the days that followed his wife's disappearance.

Despite being married for over 22 years, Brad was allegedly indifferent about her vanishing.

Mother of four Suzzane (pictured) worked as a real estate agent

A neighbor told police he heard screaming and saw Suzanne arguing with Brad in front of their $1.5 million home in Olmos Park (pictured)

The day before his arrest, Brad allegedly texted his business partner, James Valle Cotter (pictured): 'I don't have much time'

Brad was arrested on October 9, 2024, in Kendall County on charges of assault causing bodily injury, family violence and unlawful restraint.

Two months later, he was formally charged with her murder, as well as second-degree tampering with evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse, third-degree possession of prohibited weapons, and third-degree tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair.

Cotter was also charged with one count of tampering with evidence after police discovered an AK-47 inside the wall of his home.

Teresa asserted shortly after Suzanne's disappearance that there was 'no hope' she was still alive.

'The minute I got the message, I just knew that my sister was gone and that she was in heaven with my father, my grandma, and my grandpa,' the devastated sister said last November.

Suzanne and Brad's 20-year-old daughter, Chandler, alleged on social media that her mother suffered abuse at the hands of her father.

'My father took my mother's life in a state of rage and control,' Chandler claimed. 'My mother tried to leave my father and lost her life.'

The missing woman's mother, Barbara Clark, echoed this sentiment at a vigil that was held to honor her daughter.

Suzanne (pictured) was married to Brad for 22 years

Suzanne has been presumed dead, although a body has not been found (pictured: Bexar County Sheriff's deputies preparing to search for her remains)

Suzanne and Brad's 20-year-old daughter, Chandler (pictured), alleged on social media that her mother suffered abuse at the hands of her father

The heartbroken mother said that just hours before Suzanne went missing, she received a harrowing call from her.

'She called me up and told me things Brad had done to her physically,' Clark said.

Brad remains in custody on $3 million bond. He currently has limited permission to write letters to his 15-year-old child.

His two adult children have refused contact with him, while he is barred from communicating with his five-year-old because she allegedly told her school she had witnessed a domestic incident between her parents.

Brad's trial is set to begin in February 2026.
Pauline Hanson has called for Australia to ban women from wearing the burqa after Italy joined several other nations in forbidding the religious covering.

The One Nation leader took to social media on Friday to urge Canberra to follow in the lead of at least 24 countries that have banned the burqa.

'For years I've warned that full face coverings pose a threat to our safety, and strip women of their dignity,' she wrote.

'Now Italy has joined more than 20 countries in banning them.

'So why is Australia still turning a blind eye?

'Burqas and similar Islamic garments don't just conceal identities. They're used to control women, to silence them, and to remind them they're second-class.

'That's not freedom. That's not who we are.'

Some Muslim women wear a headscarf to cover their head and hair, while others wear a burqa or niqab, which also covers their face.

Senator Pauline Hanson (pictured) has called for a ban of the burqa in Australia

Hanson notoriously wore a burqa in the Senate in 2017 for the debate on banning the covering

The burqa is usually a one-piece veil that covers the face and body and often has a mesh screen for the wearer to see through.

The headscarves are viewed as a sign of modesty and religious faith by those who wear them, but critics disagree.

Hanson claimed banning the burqa is 'common sense'.

'No woman should be forced to cover her face. No criminal should get away with hiding behind one,' she said.

'One Nation stands for public safety, for women's rights, and for the values that built this country. And we won't back down.

'Violence is rising. Cowards are hiding behind masks. And (Anthony) Albanese is bringing ISIS extremists back home and giving refuge to Hamas supporters. If a government won't protect its people, it doesn't deserve to lead.'

Hanson has called for a ban, infamously wearing a burqa when she appeared at Parliamentary Question Time in 2017 for a debate on a potential ban.

'I'm quite happy to remove this, because this is not what should belong in this Parliament,' she said at the time.

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils' Dr Rateb Jneid said Hanson's statement was a publicity stunt to stoke division in Australia (stock image)

Dr Rateb Jneid, a lawyer in Western Australia and president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, dismissed Hanson's ban as a 'publicity stunt'.

'It's not a serious policy proposal, and it does not reflect who we are as a country,' Dr Jneid told Daily Mail.

'Senator Hanson's call to ban the burqa is nothing more than a publicity stunt designed to stoke fear and division, and to keep herself and her party politically relevant. True liberation is not telling women what they can't wear, it's allowing them to choose for themselves, free from coercion, stigma, or political exploitation.'

Hanson's tirade was prompted by Italy's ruling Brothers of Italy party which announced this week that it would introduce a ban on the burqa and niqab - a veil that leaves the eyes visible  in all public spaces.
Former senator Linda Reynolds has confirmed that Brittany Higgins' husband, David Sharaz, has accepted service of a bankruptcy notice as she seeks to recover damages awarded in her favour.

Ms Higgins, a former Liberal staffer, and her now-husband were sued for defamation by her former boss over a series of social media posts that the ex-defence minister successfully argued had damaged her reputation.

Last month, WA Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle ordered Sharaz to pay Ms Reynolds $92,000 in damages, plus legal costs expected to exceed $500,000.

He is also jointly liable with Ms Higgins to pay a further $135,000 in damages over a separate post shared about the former minister.

Ms Reynolds has since moved to bankrupt Mr Sharaz, filing an application in the Federal Court in recent weeks.

'Mr Sharaz today agreed to accept service of the bankruptcy notice I had issued to him several weeks ago, but not before forcing me to incur further legal expenses in applying for substituted service orders,' Ms Reynolds said on Friday.

'Again, this is predictable conduct that I have unfortunately become accustomed to in the pursuit of justice. Mr Sharaz now has 21 days to pay the debt or I will proceed to apply to formally bankrupt him.'

Brittany Higgins ' husband, David Sharaz has accepted a bankruptcy notice

Retired Senator Linda Reynolds (pictured)

Justice Tottle ruled that Higgins and Sharaz's social media posts falsely implied Ms Reynolds had taken part in a political cover-up of Ms Higgins rape allegation.

'The defendant and Mr David Sharaz published a tweet on 27 January 2022, which contained two imputations,' Justice Tottle said in his judgement.

'First, that the plaintiff had pressured the defendant not to proceed with a genuine complaint of sexual assault. And second, that the plaintiff is a hypocrite in her advocacy of gender equality and female empowerment.

'Both imputations were defamatory The defendant has not established her defence of truth or any of her other defences.'

A second Instagram post published by Ms Higgins on 4 July 2023, which conveyed the imputations that Reynolds had engagement in a campaign of harassment against her, that she had mishandled the allegation of rape and engaged in questionable conduct during Bruce Lehrmann's trial, was also found to be defamatory.

Justice Tottle awarded damages worth $180,000 to Reynolds for that post.

A third post, in which Ms Higgins posted tweets on 20 July 2023 which conveyed the imputation that Reynolds wanted to silence the victims of sexual assault was also found to be defamatory.

However, Justice Tottle said that Ms Higgins was able to establish a successful defence of honest opinion, fair comment and qualified privilege.

Ms Reynolds' claim over a tweet she alleged implied she was seeking to silence sexual assault victims failed.

Her claim that Ms Higgins and her husband David Sharaz engaged in a conspiracy to injure her also failed.

Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz were forced to sell their chateau in France in June this year amid their mounting legal costs.

The couple first listed the French property last year to cover legal costs associated with a defamation suit brought by Higgins' former boss Senator Linda Reynolds

Ms Reynolds, who was in court for the judgement being delivered and reportedly re-mortgaged her house to fund the case, said the ruling was a 'great relief'.

'There was no conspiracy and no political cover-up of a rape,' she said.

'This was never about Ms Higgins' allegation of rape and it was also never about the money.

'It was always about the dishonest and devastating attack on my reputation that was based on very curated lies by Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz and the well documented co-conspirators with them.'

Ms Higgins, who was not in court to hear the result, told news.com.au she accepted the judgement an now wanted to 'rebuild' her life.

'I was 24 years old when I was sexually assaulted in Parliament House. Six years have passed - years marked by challenge, scrutiny and change,' she said.

'I accept that Linda Reynolds' feelings were hurt by these events and I am sorry for that. I wish her well for the future.

Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz were forced to sell their chateau in France in June this year amid their mounting legal costs.

It had been purchased with the proceeds of a $2.4 million compensation payout Ms Higgins was awarded by the Commonwealth in December 2022 for alleged bullying and victimisation in the wake of her coming forward with her rape allegation.

In June, a preliminary report published by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found that there had been 'no corruption issue' with the compensation payment.

Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) has always denied the allegations but was found to have raped Ms Higgins on the balance of probabilities by Justice Michael Lee in April last year - a decision he is currently appealing

The NACC stated that the resolution of mediation after just a day of mediation was 'unexceptional' and revealed that Miss Higgins actually received less than the maximum amount recommended by external legal advice.

Reynolds, who said she was 'bitterly disappointed', with the finding had lodged the original complaint with the NACC in October 2023 over then-Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus's handling of the settlement.

'My primary concern has always been how the Commonwealth could possibly settle unsubstantiated and statute barred claims made against me, alleging egregious conduct on my part without taking a single statement from me or speaking to me at all,' Reynolds said after the NACC published its findings.

Senator Reynolds said she had expressed a desire to attend the mediation talks and, went that was denied, she was offered 'no opportunity to defend the serious an baseless allegations against' her.

'I fail to understand how the Commonwealth and its lawyers could not appreciate the serious and probable consequences of settling such serious allegations on my behalf, which included claims for gender-based discrimination, disability discrimination and victimisation and the message that it would send to the public about the truth of those matters,' Senator Reynolds added.

Senator Reynolds has also launched legal action against the Commonwealth over the compensation payment, alleging that government lawyers were 'hopelessly conflicted'.

The high-profile five-week defamation trial, which ended in September 2024, was just another twist in the never-ending saga which has engulfed the worlds of Australian politics, media and the law since a fateful night in March 2019.

Ms Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz have a huge legal bill

It was then that Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the Reynolds' ministerial suite.

A Federal Court judge overseeing a defamation case launched by Lehrmann against Network Ten found Ms Higgins was, on the balance of probabilities, raped by Lehrmann in the office.

Lehrmann is currently in the process of appealing that finding.

He has always denied the rape allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.

David Sharaz has been contacted for comment.
Will have major implications on his life

David Sharaz's life will drastically change in a matter of weeks if he officially goes bankrupt.

Former federal senator Linda Reynolds confirmed that Brittany Higgins' husband, Mr Sharaz, accepted service of a bankruptcy notice on Friday.

She has given Mr Sharaz a 21-day deadline to pay what's owed to her before she proceeds to formally bankrupt him.

Reynolds is seeking to recover damages awarded in her favour after she sued her former Liberal staffer Ms Higgins and her now-husband for defamation over a series of social media posts that she successfully argued had damaged her reputation.

Last month, WA Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle ordered Mr Sharaz to pay Ms Reynolds $92,000 in damages, plus legal costs expected to exceed $500,000, and a further $135,000 in damages over a separate post in which Ms Higgins is jointly liable.

Daily Mail understands that Mr Sharaz cannot pay the debt  estimated to be $700,000 and will apply to go bankrupt via Australian Financial Security Authority in the coming weeks.

Reynolds has already launched proceedings to bankrupt Mr Sharaz after she recently filed an application in the Federal Court.

Once the application is successful, Mr Sharaz's finances will be handled by a trustee who can sell his assets at any time.

David Sharaz was served with a bankruptcy notice on Friday

Former federal senator Linda Reynolds (pictured) sued Mr Sharaz and his wife Brittany Higgins over a series of social media posts which she claimed defamed her

Mr Sharaz would also need the permission to go overseas.

The terms of the bankruptcy would last three years and one day.

In that time however, there is no guarantee Reynolds would receive the full amount she is owed, depending on how much Mr Sharaz earns during that period.

Mr Sharaz would also have to abide by the terms and conditions of bankruptcy as stated by AFSA.

'Although bankruptcy can provide relief if you are unable to repay your debts, there are consequences which may affect you,' the agency's website states.

These consequences include no overseas trips without written permission, asset seizures and sales, and Mr Sharaz would have to list himself on a public registry.

Before applying for bankruptcy, Mr Sharaz must select a registered trustee to administer his estate.

The appointed trustee can change during the period, but regardless of who is in charge of Mr Sharaz's finances, they would be accountable for every financial move he makes.

Reynolds successfully sued Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz (pictured together) for hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills and reputational damages

They would also need to authorise any overseas travel and if done improperly, Mr Sharaz would be liable to up to three years' jail time under the Bankruptcy Act.

The trustee would also be able to sell Mr Sharaz's assets to pay out Reynolds.

Assets include real estate, vehicles, bank balances at the date of bankruptcy, tools, and even lottery windfalls received during bankruptcy.

Reynolds had been hoping to claw back close to $1million in costs and damages after Mr Sharaz dropped his defence in the lawsuit.

But once he is declared bankrupt, the best Reynolds can hope for is three years' worth of garnishing Mr Sharaz's wages on any earnings above $90,000 per annum.

Even then, she is only entitled to 50 per cent of his after-tax income above that threshold.

If Mr Sharaz's earnings were under $90,000 a year, Ms Reynolds would not get a cent of revenue from that resource.

While Reynolds fights for what she is owed, Mr Sharaz will have to sign himself up on the National Personal Insolvency Index.

This publicly available database is permanent on one's record and keeps track of everyone in Australia who has gone bankrupt.

Mr Sharaz will also be banned from running a company, and must keep his trustee updated on his address, job, income and any new assets or windfalls.

Reynolds said Mr Sharaz had unilaterally accepted the terms of his bankruptcy on Friday.

Daily Mail understands that David Sharaz (pictured right with Brittany Higgins) cannot pay the debt - estimated to be $700,000 and will apply to Australian Financial Security Authority to go bankrupt

'Mr Sharaz today agreed to accept service of the bankruptcy notice I had issued to him several weeks ago, but not before forcing me to incur further legal expenses in applying for substituted service orders,' Reynolds said.

'Again, this is predictable conduct that I have unfortunately become accustomed to in the pursuit of justice.

'Mr Sharaz now has 21 days to pay the debt or I will proceed to apply to formally bankrupt him.'

Daily Mail contacted Mr Sharaz on Friday night.

Reynolds, who reportedly re-mortgaged her house to fund her defamation case, said the recent WA Supreme Court ruling by Justice Tottle was a 'great relief'.

'There was no conspiracy and no political cover-up of a rape,' she said.

'This was never about Ms Higgins' allegation of rape and it was also never about the money.

'It was always about the dishonest and devastating attack on my reputation that was based on very curated lies by Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz and the well documented co-conspirators with them.'

The high-profile five-week defamation trial, which ended in September 2024, was just another twist in the never-ending saga which has engulfed the worlds of Australian politics, media and the law since a fateful night in March 2019.

The defamation trial stemmed from Ms Higgins' initial lawsuit against her rapist, Bruce Lehrmann (pictured), who raped her in Ms Reynolds' ministerial suite in 2019

It was then that Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the Ms Reynolds' ministerial suite.

A Federal Court judge overseeing a defamation case launched by Lehrmann against Network Ten found Ms Higgins was, on the balance of probabilities, raped by Lehrmann in the office.

Lehrmann is currently in the process of appealing that finding.

He has always denied the rape allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.
A couple have won 125,000 after an 'incompetent' fiance forgot to cancel his lottery ticket.

Saving for a wedding day involves many sacrifices for the wife and husband-to-be such as avoiding eating out or not booking that summer getaway to the Mediterranean.

For James Adam, 31, and his fiancee Rohanna Coulthard that meant cancelling his 12.25 a month subscription to the Postcode Lottery.

However, due to his own self-described 'incompetence', Mr Adam failed to cancel his subscription when asked.

But that has now proven to be a very lucrative mistake after the couple's postcode - in Kingswood near Bristol - came up in this month's draw securing them a handsome share of the 1m cash prize pot along with seven of their neighbours.

Mr Adams said: 'Thank God for just being lazy and really silly. Incompetence pays off.'

Despite having asked Mr Adam to cancel the subscription, Ms Coulthard was unsurprisingly very happy at her future husband's mistake.

James Adam, 31, and his fiancee Rohanna Coulthard have won 125k on the Postcode Lottery. Ms Coulthard had asked her husband-to-be to cancel his subscription but luckily he forgot

The couple are planning to put the money towards a new bathroom and a honeymoon in New Zealand

Fellow winner Gemma Marson-May entered because she had a 'strong feeling' she would win

'James never told me that he had signed up and I asked him to cancel the direct debit when I saw it going out because we are saving for the wedding,' she said.

'Thank goodness he didn't. I wouldn't be doing too great and [would] probably not be very well.

'But here we are. I forgive him.'

The couple are planning to put their 125k prize towards a new bathroom and a honeymoon in New Zealand.

They plan to tie the knot in a ceremony in Devon in May 2027.

Kingswood was the first location announced in October's draw, with four winning locations to be announced.

Other winners included social worker Gemma Marson-May who entered because she had a 'strong feeling' she would win and Postie Vanessa Smith who is planning a trip of a lifetime to Australia.

The ticket holders are not the only ones who will win big in the draw, local charities in each of the five winning areas will share a combined total of 1m to support their work.

So far the Postcode Lottery has raised more than 1.5billion for thousands of charities.
The Uganda National Teachers' Union (UNATU) has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, over discriminatory salary enhancements in the teaching profession.

UNATU Secretary General, Filbert Baguma, emphasised the need for equity in teacher salaries to maintain the quality of education and protect the future of millions of learners.

The petition, presented to the Speaker on Wednesday, highlights the urgent need for a fair and equitable salary structure for teachers.

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Baguma noted that the current disparities in salaries have led to widespread discontent among teachers, prompting the union to seek redress from Parliament.

The petition is not limited to teachers, as other public sector workers, including the Local Government Workers Union, have also submitted their grievances to the Speaker.

They are seeking salary enhancements and payment of outstanding arrears that have accrued over time.

The Uganda Vocational Trainers Union has also petitioned the Speaker, citing a salary reduction from 4 million shillings to 900,000 shillings in November 2024.

Speaker Anita Among has assured the petitioners that their concerns will be addressed.

She directed the Education Committee of Parliament to handle the petition expeditiously and urged the teachers to reconsider their decision to strike, emphasising the importance of avoiding disruptions to the education calendar.

"We will write to the minister as the committee sits, and decisions will be made following their report to Parliament," Speaker Among said.

"We have to give her a benefit of doubt because she is the head of Parliament, which is an arm of government responsible for allocating resources to different sectors."

UNATU Secretary General Filbert Baguma has expressed willingness to give Speaker Among the benefit of the doubt, recognising Parliament's role in resource allocation. "We will review the Speaker's interventions and deliberate before making any final decisions," he said.

The development comes amid growing tensions between public sector workers and the government over salary disparities and working conditions. The outcome of the petition is expected to have far-reaching implications for the education sector and public sector workers in Uganda.
Hamas has rejected plans that would have seen Tony Blair involved in the running of post-war Gaza despite agreeing to Donald Trump's peace deal.

The US president had proposed a transitional 'Board of Peace' headed up by himself and the former prime minister to oversee an interim governing authority.

Sir Tony has recently been part of high-level planning talks with the US and other parties about the future of Gaza.

However, Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, said no Palestinian faction would ever accept such a proposal.

'All the factions, including the Palestinian Authority, reject this,' he told Qatar's Al Araby television network yesterday.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Trump-brokered ceasefire deal that would see the release of all remaining hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

However, under the US president's plans, which were unveiled on September 29, he also called for Gaza to be governed by an interim authority.

In a live-streamed cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump did not address Hamas's concerns about this aspect of the peace deal.

Sir Tony Blair has recently been part of high-level planning talks with the US and other parties about the future of Gaza

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Trump confirmed that he spoke to Netanyahu earlier Wednesday night. The prime minister told him, 'I can't believe it,' according to the president's retelling

Instead, he said the issue of the terror group surrendering its weapons would be addressed in the second phase of the peace plan.

'There will be disarming,' Trump told reporters, adding there would also be 'pullbacks' by Israeli forces.

It comes as Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced last night it had given its final approval to back the US president's agreement after 734 days of war.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office said in a statement: 'The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages  the living and the deceased.'

The decision was made despite fierce opposition from Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right party Jewish Power, had previously declared he would be voting against the deal and threatened to topple Netanyahu's coalition government if Hamas's 'rule was not dismantled'.

'In conversations held between me and the prime minister in recent days, I made it clear that under no circumstances will I be part of a government that allows the continued existence of Hamas's rule in Gaza,' Ben-Gvir said.

'This is a glaring red line. The prime minister committed to me that this will be the case.'

After both Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase a peace deal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick held up a speaker phone to hostage families to speak to Trump

The news of the ceasefire came just two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel which sparked the current conflict.

Nearly 1,200 people were killed during the incursion, and around 250 people were taken as hostages into Gaza.

Israels military campaign, launched in retaliation, has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, has devastated Gaza and revealed fault lines in global politics.

Sir Keir Starmer hailed the deal as a 'real breakthrough' and he personally thanked Trump for his role in the plan to end fighting in Gaza.

Speaking in Mumbai, he said: 'This is a very significant step forward and it would not have happened without President Trump's leadership on this.

'And I want to be really clear about that and I say that from the informed position of the UK having played a part behind the scenes in this with the US and with the mediators.

'What matters now is to press on and implement this.'
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has hit the Philippines, killing at least one person and sparking coastal evacuations.

The quake hit about 20km off Manay in the southern region of Mindanao at 9:43am (1.43 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey, triggering regional tsunami warnings that were later lifted.

One person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city, the largest population hub near the quake's epicentre, police said.

Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning and ordered evacuations of coastal communities on the country's eastern seaboard deemed at risk from waves of up to three metres high.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later lifted its alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia at around noon, saying 'there is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake'.

A government event at the city hall was thrown into chaos as 'the people panicked, they screamed and ran,' Wes Caasi, a local official in Tagum city, northwest of Manay, said.

He said he saw city workers scrambling down a 202-metre-high metal Christmas tree they were decorating when the quake struck.

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has hit the Philippines, killing at least one person and sparking coastal evacuations

One person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city, the largest population hub near the quake's epicentre, police said

So far, the tremors seem to have caused minor and scattered damage, according to witnesses

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Students and workers poured out of schools, office buildings and shopping malls when the earthquake struck.

So far, the tremors seem to have caused minor and scattered damage.

Power and communication lines had been severed and authorities were struggling to assess the damage in some areas, Dianne Lacorda, a police officer in Davao Oriental province, said.

The provincial government suspended classes 'until further notice' and had sent non-essential public workers home.

Christine Sierte, a teacher in the town of Compostela near Manay, said she was in the middle of an online meeting when the violent shaking started.

'It was very slow at first, then it got stronger.... That's the longest time of my life. We weren't able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong,' she said.

'The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured,' she said, adding that some of the school's approximately 1,000 students 'suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing'.

Kath Cortez, a local journalist based in Davao city to the west of Manay, said that small cracks had appeared in the ground floor walls of her family's home.

Pictured: Emergency workers clearing the debris after the powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck

The latest earthquake struck just 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude killed 74 people in the island of Cebu

'I was surprised by the strength' of the quake, she said, adding that members of her family ran out of the house.

Around the same time as the Philippine quake, USGS reported a shallow 6.2 magnitude tremor just over 140 kilometres southeast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Another quake struck on Tuesday near the Papua New Guinea's second-largest city of Lae. No major damage was reported.

The latest Philippine quake struck 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude one killed 74 people and destroyed or damaged about 72,000 houses in the central island of Cebu.

Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
Two foreign hikers found frozen to death near Victoria's highest peak a week ago have been identified as Chinese nationals, prompting a safety warning from authorities.

The women aged in their 20s and 30s, were discovered by two hiking doctors around 1pm on October 3, 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.

Emergency crews launched a major recovery operation involving more than a dozen police and SES volunteers.

The Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne has since confirmed to Xinhua News Agency that the women were Chinese nationals.

It comes days after a third Chinese national died while hiking with a small group in Tasmania's Cradle Mountain National Park last month.

The latest tragedy has prompted the consulate to issue a warning for Chinese nationals travelling to Australia to come prepared,

'Recently, in the consular district of our consulate, which includes Victoria and Tasmania, tragic accidents have occurred in which Chinese citizens lost their lives while hiking or mountain climbing outdoors,' a translated statement read.

Two foreign hikers found frozen to death near Victoria's highest peak a week ago have been identified as Chinese nationals. Pictured is the recovery operation

The bodies of the two hikers were discovered by two hiking doctors last Friday near Cleve Cole Hut (pictured)

Locals say the Mount Bogong region (pictured) during daylight is manageable but warn that conditions can turn quickly, prompting a warning from the Chinese consulate

'These incidents were caused by sudden extreme weather and a lack of necessary survival equipment. We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate deaths of these Chinese citizens.

'The Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne once again solemnly reminds Chinese citizens in the consular district that safety must be the top priority when travelling abroad.

'Please do not blindly follow trends or engage in high-risk activities that exceed your personal capabilities, in order to avoid unnecessary safety risks.'

It was earlier reported that the pair heading to Mount Bogong 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 being that the women took a wrong turn during a day hike and became caught in freezing conditions.

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.

'It's fair to say they may have been there for the last two to three days,' Victoria Police Inspector Paul Hargreaves told reporters.

'It's a beautiful environment until it's not, and when it's not it's pretty extreme.'

The tragedy comes a week after a third Chinese woman died while hiking in Tasmania's Cradle Mountain National Park. pictured are rescue crews at Cradle Mountain

The woman died after a group of Chinese tourists set out for a hike unprepared for extreme weather in Cradle Mountain National Park (rescuers are pictured)

A third Chinese woman died on September 26 while bushwalking with fellow Chinese tourists in Cradle Mountain National Park.

The group were suffering from the cold and experiencing other difficulties when other hikers came to their rescue.

'Unfortunately, they were not prepared for bushwalking and found themselves overwhelmed by the extreme weather conditions,' Tasmania Police Inspector Steve Jones said.

'Tasmania's weather can change very quickly, particularly in the alpine areas.

'This means there are times such as this when we can't deploy the helicopter and it takes time for a ground search and rescue team to walk into remote areas.'

Bushwalkers in the Tasmanian wilderness are urged to carry warm clothing, food, water, a charged phone, a map, emergency communication devices and other equipment at all times.
President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Spain be expelled from NATO over its failure to match the higher defense spending requirement he has engineered.

'We had one laggard, it was Spain,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'They have no excuse not to do this, but that's all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO frankly.'

In June, the 32-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed to massively boost defense spending over the next decade under pressure from Trump, who at the time threatened to punish Madrid on trade for resisting the new target of five percent of GDP.

Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has insisted Madrid would not need to hit the headline figure. Spain has been one of the lowest-spending NATO countries on defense in relative terms.

The US president - who has repeatedly suggested Washington could withhold protection from European countries unwilling to spend more on defense - rammed through the commitment to spend five percent of their GDPs on security-related spending in a move seen as key to keeping him engaged with NATO.

That headline figure breaks down as 3.5 percent on core defense spending and 1.5 percent on a looser range of areas such as infrastructure and cyber security.

The new target replaces the alliance's former military spending goal of two percent, first set back in 2014.

Trump and Sanchez have had a contentious relationship since the Spanish PM questioned the president's NATO spending plans

In June NATO countries agreed to defense spending hikes with Spain being a vocal opponent of the plan

Trump made labelled Spain 'laggards' in a meeting with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, who he praised for his commitment to military spending

Trump's comments came during a bilateral meeting with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, which became a NATO member in April 4, 2023, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The US leader praised Stubb's commitment to spending increases in Finland, which shares NATO's largest border with Russia.

Trump told the president in front of reporters: 'You were great about it. Spain has not been.' This is not the first time the US president has criticised Spain for its low spending.

Current figures show that Spain spends just 1.2 percent of its GDP on defense, well below the original two percent target and a fraction of the updated target introduced after the NATO summit in June.

Before the June summit, Trump bashed Spain's defense budget calling it 'notorious' for its 'low spending'.

However, Sanchez hit back at the new five percent NATO target describing as 'incompatible with [Spain's] worldview,' instead proposing that he would ensure military spending would reach 2.1 percent by the end of the year.

Sanchez had said that any more of an increase would lead to hundreds of millions cuts to public services.

On Thursday his office pushed back on Trump's remarks stating: 'Spain is a member of NATO in full right and is committed to NATO. It fulfills its targets just as the US does.'

Interestingly, despite Trump's push for other NATO members to spending more, in both his terms in office, the US's contributions have actually fallen over the past 10 years.

Figures show that the US went from spending 3.7 percent of it GDP to 3.2 percent from 2014 to 2024, according to the BBC.

Despite this, they are still by far the biggest contributors to the NATO pot, spending 686bn in 2024, nearly double the defense spending of the rest of the treaty members combined.
Sunny Costa Blanca has been struck by Mega Storm Alice, leaving tourists stranded as several flights are diverted and cancelled.

The holiday hot-spot, which is popular among sun-seeking Brits, was placed on high alert as Spain braces for heavy rains and strong winds, with officials warning of 'extraordinary danger'.

Seven flights heading for Alicante-Elche airport were diverted on Friday, the travel hub's operator Aena said.

A graphic shared by flight tracking website Flighradar24 showed a number of planes circling around Alicante airport as a result of the travel disruptions.

The operator also said 12 flights were cancelled on Friday due to the weather warning.

As for Valencia and Murcia's airports, several flights have already suffered serious delays.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has issued a warning to Brits planning to travel to Spain, warning of 'severe' weather conditions on its eastern coast.

'Severe weather warnings are in place today in Murcia and Valencia, including the province of Alicante. Disruptions to travel are likely. If you are in the affected areas, follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local weather updates. If you are planning to travel, check for messaging from your travel provider or airline', it said in a statement.

Flights heading towards some of Spain 's major airports have been diverted as a result of Storm Alice

Tourists heading to Spain's Mediterranean shores have been urged to monitor local weather updates and follow official guidance

A volunteer is seen cleaning a flooded street

AEMET, Spain's weather agency, issued a red warning for heavy rains in the resort town of Alicante and said it would come into effect from Friday morning, but the worst of the storm is yet to take hold.

'Extraordinary danger. Flooding and flash floods may occur. Follow the advice of civil protection,' the agency wrote on X.

Rainfall totals could exceed 140 millimetres in 12 hours, especially in Valencia, the weather office said.

Other Mediterranean coastal regions are also expected to be affected, including the neighbouring province of Murcia and the Balearic islands, with 'very heavy and persistent rainfall' was expected until Monday, AEMET added.

'Showers may result in local flash flooding in low-lying areas, streams and gullies, so the potential danger level of this situation is high', the agency added.

The Balearic government said on Thursday it had reinforced emergency services in party island Ibiza after it was placed on an orange alert for rain and storms.

Heavy rainfall began lashing down on eastern Spain on Wednesday evening and is expected to persist throughout the week.

Tourists heading to Spain's Mediterranean shores have been urged to monitor local weather updates and follow official guidance.

Footage shared on social media shows how heavy rainfall has already been affecting the coastal regions in eastern Spain, with videos showing cars attempting to drive down flooded roads and volunteers clearing water and mud from streets.

Another video shows how a car was trapped in water after heavy rainfall.

AEMET, Spain's weather agency, on Thursday issued a red alert for heavy rains in holiday hotspot Alicante

AEMET said the red alert would be in effect from 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Friday in Mediterranean coastal regions of the province of Alicante, as well as in the neighbouring region of Murcia

Graphic shared by AEMET shows the regions of Spain affected by the storm on Friday

Videos shared on social media show flooded roads

The weather forecast has forced authorities in the region of Murcia to evacuate a housing estate and close schools across 13 municipalities on Friday.

President of Murcia Fernando Lopez Miras called for 'caution' and warned residents that 'the worst of the storm is expected [on Friday]'.

No serious incidents have been reported, but emergency services in Murcia had to respond to an elderly person who sustained minor injuries after heavy rain caused a roof to collapse, Spanish newspaper El Pais reports.

During the early hours of Friday morning, emergency services said they carried out several water pumping operations in the Valencian municipality of Alcasser and reported some fallen trees.

Authorities are taking heightened measures as the storm comes nearly a year after widespread flooding in Valencia killed more than 200 people, Spain's worst natural disaster in decades.

The catastrophe sparked public fury over warning systems and the emergency response.

Residents continue to protest, accusing officials of having failed to provide timely alerts.

Heavy rains lashed the region again last month, forcing the closure of schools and universities, disrupting rail and road travel and causing localised flooding.

A passerby observes a vehicle wrapped in plastic in Catarroja municipality, Valencia, Spain, 09 October 2025 as the region is on high alert due to Storm Alice

Rainfall totals could exceed 140 millimetres (five and a half inches) in 12 hours, especially in Valencia, the weather office said

Because a hotter atmosphere holds more water that evaporates from a rapidly warming Mediterranean Sea, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall in the region.

Almost 240 people died in the country after torrential rains last October triggered floods that swept through eastern and southeastern Spain.

The most severely hit area was Valencia's southern suburbs where more than 220 people died.
British troops will not be sent to the Middle East as part of Donald Trump's peace plan, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said today.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in the two-year war in Gaza under a deal brokered by the US President.

Hamas has also agreed to release the remaining hostages, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Some 200 US troops have initially been sent to Israel as part of the deal to support and help monitor the ceasefire.

But, despite Britain and other European countries also playing a part in the peace process, Ms Cooper said there were 'no plans' for UK troops to be in Gaza.

Asked about the prospect of British boots on the ground, Ms Cooper told BBC Breakfast this morning: 'That's not our plan, there's no plans to do that.

'But there is an immediate proposal for the US to lead what is effectively like a monitoring process to make sure that this happens on the ground.

'To oversee the process with hostage release, and also making sure that this first stage is implemented, getting the aid in place.

'But they have also made very clear that they expect the troops on the ground to be provided by neighbouring states, and that is something that we do expect to happen.'

British troops will not be sent to the Middle East as part of Donald Trump 's peace plan, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said

Israeli soldiers stand next to military vehicles on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in the two-year war in Gaza under a deal brokered by Donald Trump

The Foreign Secretary said there are discussions over an 'international security force'.

She added the UK was continuing to contribute in other ways, including looking at getting private finance into Gaza.

Ms Cooper also said the Government hopes the ceasefire will be in place 'imminently'.

On Thursday, Ms Cooper said European countries 'will all be strongly playing' their part at a meeting of foreign ministers in Paris.

French president Emmanuel Macron hosted the roundtable talks, flanked by the French and Saudi foreign ministers Jean-Noel Barrot and Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud.

Ms Cooper travelled to the meeting with her German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, after they met at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast.

News of the ceasefire agreement comes just two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.

Nearly 1,200 people were killed during the incursion, and about 250 people were taken as hostages into Gaza.

Israel launched a brutal military assault on Hamas in Gaza in response to the attacks.

Mr Trump has received praise for his role in trying to broker a deal between the warring parties.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the ceasefire 'would not have happened without' the US President's leadership.
A mother-of-six has hit out at the 'crazy' cost of her son's school trip to Kenya - and insisted she could take her family of seven on holiday for cheaper.

Carla Hoskins, 38, from the village of Radlett, Hertfordshire, was outraged to discover sending her son Blake Spencer, 14, to the east African country would cost 2,186.

The price for the nine-night jaunt in October next year includes return flights, a work placement at a primary school and several outings, such as a safari trip.

Parents would also need to top it up, however, with further cash for drinks, snacks, mosquito nets, travel vaccinations and 'additional excursions'.

Ms Hoskins said the state school's email advertised the holiday as an 'unforgettable experience to enrich students' lives'.

But the hairdresser said it is a 'crazy' amount of money to expect parents to spend - and she has previously taken four of her children on holiday for less.

The mother said they went to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Spain, for 1,800 last year.

She has now posted a video on TikTok to share her fury - and commenters seemed split about whether they would be similarly infuriated in her position.

Carla Hoskins (pictured), 38, from the village of Radlett, Hertfordshire, was outraged to discover sending her son Blake Spencer, 14, to the east African country would cost 2,186

Ms Hoskins (pictured, with son Blake) said the state school's email advertised the holiday as an 'unforgettable experience to enrich students' lives' - but the hairdresser said it is a 'crazy' amount of money

Ms Hoskins said: 'I got an email as if I should be privileged that he's been invited.

'It was just crazy. I have never received a letter about a school trip that costs thousands. That amount of money is ridiculous.

'I thought, "This must be a magical trip", so I went through and read what was included.

'The trip is for nine days so this is quite a long time but I think a lot of that is travelling.

'What's included is that they're going to be helping in schools and see Kenyan culture and a couple of giraffes.

'I have six children so if I honoured this for one, I'd have to do it for all of my children. It's a lot of money and I know what I could get for this amount of money...

'This price is easily the same amount of money to take a family abroad on holiday.'

She continued: 'He goes to a school where to be honest a lot of parents wouldn't be able to afford this, it's just crazy.

'I don't understand how people can afford this in this current climate with the cost of living.'

Ms Hoskins said parents are expected to pay for the trip in three instalments of around 700 each - more than a month's food shop for her family.

'I don't know where they think people are going to pull this money from. It's just not viable at all,' she explained.

The mother (pictured, with son Blake) said she has previously taken four of her children on holiday for less. They went to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Spain, for 1,800 last year

The parent (pictured) has now posted a video on TikTok to share her fury - and commenters seemed split about whether they would be similarly infuriated in her position

WHAT THE 2,186 SCHOOL TRIP TO KENYA INCLUDES: Nine nights in a hotel Some meals Work placement in a Kenyan primary school A day at a giraffe sanctuary A day of Kenyan culture A safari Advertisement

While the school has encouraged children to 'fundraise' the cost, she says not many 14-year-olds would be able to raise that kind of sum alone.

The mother added: 'It's a lot of pressure on the child.'

Blake has told her he does not want to go - but she fears he is simply saying that because of the cost, as some of his friends are going.

'I might win the lottery in a few months' time and then he can go,' she said lightly.

Her video posted to TikTok sharing her shock received more than 3,000 likes and 500 comments.

Many users could not believe the cost, with one writing: 'I paid less for a family of four all-inclusive [holiday] to Corfu at the beginning of September this year.'

Another added: 'Not a chance. I didn't pay that for my car.'

Someone else asked: 'How do they expect people to afford that in this economy? Schools are honestly so sheltered and unrealistic it annoys me so much.'

But others felt it was more justifiable, with one commenter writing: 'To Kenya that appears to be very reasonable indeed.

'I do hope you change your mind over this fiscal matter.'

And another suggested the fundraising element could be a good teaching point: 'So wrong, but get him to do a fundraiser, lovely.

'My 21-year-old raised just over that to go to Uganda for a month. She said it was life changing.'
Disturbing footage has been released of the moment a drug-fuelled thug stabbed a war-wounded Syrian refugee to death after he 'innocuously' walked past his killer's pregnant girlfriend.

Knife-obsessed Alfie Franco, 20, launched the unprovoked attack on Ahmad Al Ibrahim, 16, on a busy shopping street in Huddersfield on April 3 after the teenager brushed past his partner.

The chilling clip - shared by West Yorkshire Police after Franco was yesterday convicted of murder - shows a verbal altercation breaking out after Ahmad made 'minor contact' with the woman as he walked past.

Franco, who had been high on a cocktail of cannabis, cocaine and ketamine, then appears to verbally provoke Ahmad, who turns and begins walking towards him in response.

As Ahmad gets closer to Franco, who can be seen eating an ice cream and wearing sunglasses, the knifeman can be seen reaching into his pocket before revealing a flick blade which he quickly plunged 6cm deep into Ahmad's neck.

While the footage goes blank during the knife attack, the horrifying aftermath can be seen as Ahmad clutches his neck as he walks away in shock, while Franco flees the scene.

The 16-year-old, who had fled war-torn Syria hoping to find safety in the UK, died as a result of his injuries - including wounds to his jugular vein, larynx, trachea and carotid artery which caused immediate and massive blood loss.

A jury at Leeds Crown Court was shown the full, unedited footage of the harrowing attack on Ahmad yesterday, and Franco was found guilty after just three hours and 11 minutes to deliberate.

The chilling clip shows a verbal altercation breaking out after Ahmad made 'minor contact' with the woman as he walked past

As Ahmad gets closer to Franco, the knifeman can be seen reaching into his pocket before revealing a flick blade which he quickly plunged 6cm deep into Ahmad's neck

While the footage goes blank during the knife attack, the horrifying aftermath can be seen as Ahmad clutches his neck as he walks away in shock, while Franco flees the scene

During the trial, it was heard Franco had several knives as well as a video on his mobile phone of him playing with the 15 knife he used to kill Ahmad.

He had captioned a photograph of his knife collection 'Artillery coming along nice', and just 17 hours before the attack boasted to friends of plans of stabbing someone.

Prosecuting, Richard Wright KC, told the jury how Franco referenced his weapons in a chat by saying 'I've got my tings'.

'They then discussed going to the house of their target when Franco said he would creep round the back and "Ching" him.'

The prosecution added how Franco also said, 'anything happens I'll chef him in the shoulder'.

'Alfie Franco is a young man with a keen interest in possessing, carrying and using deadly weapons for offensive not defensive purposes,' Mr Wright said.

'Just as he did the very next day when he stabbed Ahmad in the neck for no good reason.'

During a trial on Tuesday, Franco said he stabbed the 16-year-old because he was 'scared something was going to happen' to him.

Knife-obsessed Alfie Franco (above) launched the unprovoked attack on Ahmad Al Ibrahim after the teenager brushed past his partner

Ahmad (above) had fled war-torn Syria for Britain in the hope of a safer life before he was killed

When asked why he took the knife with him, he said he had the weapon because he had been in altercations and had 'heard things that happen in town.'

'I just wanted to have it with me... to keep me safe,' he told jurors.

Leeds Crown Court was told Franco had 'taken some petty exception' to Ahmad possibly making 'minor contact' with his girlfriend as he 'innocuously' walked past.

In his closing speech, Mr Wright told jurors: 'Ahmad Al Ibrahim did not stand a chance, and Alfie Franco did not give him a second look...'

The comment came following Franco's 'admission' during his cross-examination that he had 'murdered' Ahmad.

Mr Wright asked him: 'You murdered him didn't you?' To which he replied: 'Yes... I didn't want to do that to anyone. I wish I could take it back but I can't.'

He later claimed he understood 'murdered' to mean that he had taken Ahmad's life.

Franco, of Kirkburton, near Huddersfield, admitted a charge of possessing a knife in a public place.

He will be sentenced by Judge Howard Crowson this afternoon.
A police investigation has revealed horrific details of torture after the brutal stabbing of a German mayor left her fighting for her life.

Herdecke mayor Iris Stalzer was airlifted to hospital after police were called to her home on October 7, with officers discovering gruesome evidence of abuse believed to be at the hands of her 17-year-old adopted daughter.

Initial local reports had claimed that a gang of men had been responsible for Stalzer's condition, with her daughter calling emergency services claiming she was found bleeding out in their living room.

The mayor was taken to Bochum hospital, where Stalzer was found to have 13 stab wounds to the upper body as well as multiple hematomas and skull fractures.

Despite her extensive injuries, the SPD politician survived the ordeal and was questioned by police - revealing that her life-threating condition was caused by her own child.

She described how she was tortured by her daughter in the house's basement for hours, according to German outlet BILD.

Mayor Iris Stalzer was airlifted to hospital with multiple stab wounds on October 7

Ms Stalzer had only recently been elected to the position of mayor before her brutal stabbing

Forensics found clear attempts to remove blood and other evidence from around the armchair Stalzer collapsed in

This included being stabbed multiple times with two separate knives, having her head bashed and the use of a deodorant can and a lighter to scorch her hair and clothing.

When police investigated these claims they found one of the knives used in the attack in the backpack of Stalzer's 15-year-old adopted son. They also discovered bloodstained clothing believed to belong to her daughter.

Ms Stalzer was found slumped in an armchair in the house's living room, with investigators still unsure how the severely injured woman escaped the basement.

But forensics found clear attempts to remove blood and other evidence from around the armchair she collapsed in, suggesting that the area was cleaned.

Although a full motive remains unclear, local reports claim that over the summer there was a dispute between the mother and her children with domestic violence and the use of a knife being mentioned.

Police initially arrested both children but the pair have been released after the public prosecutor's office decided it would not pursue an attempted homicide charge, downgrading the crime to the German equivalent of grievous bodily harm.

Senior public prosecutor Bernd Haldorn said that the decision to classify it as a lesser offence was due to the daughter and her brother making the initial emergency call.

The 17-year-old's calling the emergency services is considered a 'resignation from the crime' and because neither child is considered at risk of fleeing, they will not be arrested.

The pair are currently in the care of the youth welfare office and the mayor appears to be recovering.
Spain is at risk of fresh net zero blackouts just months after an enormous outage left five dead and millions without power.

The country's electricity grid operator Red Electrica issued the warning as it said urgent changes are needed to how it deals with sudden fluctuations in solar energy.

The security of Spain's supply will remain at risk unless major adjustments are made to how voltage is managed, it added.

Red Electrica warned that the use of renewable energy risked 'disconnections' in the system before the fatal power failures in April.

A family of three were found dead as a result of domestic medical ventilator failures while a 46-year-old woman died after her oxygen machine lost power during the blackouts.

The disruption, which also impacted Portugal and southwestern France, plunged areas into darkness for nearly a day, cutting internet and telephone connection, while hampering transport.

Madrid's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected criticism of the country's heavy reliance on renewable energy sources in the aftermath.

But experts claim the nation's heavy reliance on solar power leaves it vulnerable to blackouts because of how renewable generators work compared with traditional power plants.

Spain is at risk of fresh net zero blackouts just months after an enormous outage left five dead and millions with power

The power surge which caused the blackout in Spain was the 'most severe' in Europe in the last 20 years, and the first of its kind, a report found last week.

It was the first known blackout to be caused by overvoltage, which takes place when there is too much electrical voltage in a network, Damian Cortinas, president of the association of electricity grid operators Entso-e said.

Red Electrica blamed the blackout on coal, gas and nuclear power plants' failure to help maintain appropriate voltage.

While the Spanish government, who blame bad planning by Red Electrica, and power and grid companies are conducting their own investigations.

Entso-e last week said the mass blackouts began after solar and wind farms in the south of the country suddenly disconnected.

The same problem is unlikely to occur in Britain because generators are already required to help maintin voltage, a report by the National Energy System Operator (Neso) found.

But the blackout in Spain has still prompted warnings about Ed Miliband's race to net zero.

The Labour Energy Secretary wants to make the electricity system 95 per cent 'clean' by 2030 - which would see Britain rely almost exclusively on renewable energy.

Critics claim the 2030 target is too soon to ensure the grid is sufficiently resilient.
Mogadishu  Somalia's Federal Cabinet on Wednesday approved three memorandum of understandings (MoUs) related to education and research, during their weekly meeting.

The agreements, submitted by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education, include:

An MoU between Somalia and Uganda on education.

An MoU between Somalia and Qatar on higher education.

An MoU between Somalia and Algeria on higher education and research.

The meeting, chaired by Somalia's Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Hassan, also featured reports from the Ministries of Interior Security and Defence on the overall security situation and efforts to combat the militant group Al-Shabaab.
A chimpanzee was seen sitting behind a glass barrier puffing on a cigarette thrown into its enclosure by visitors at a zoo.

The shocking footage was filmed at Lanzhou Wildlife Park in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province in north-western China, and shared online on 4th October where it quickly caused outrage among animal lovers.

The clip shows the chimpanzee gripping the cigarette with both hands as it appears to inhale from it and exhale smoke before flicking away the butt.

Staff at Lanzhou Wildlife Park said the animal had picked up the cigarette after tourists tossed it into the enclosure.

They explained that such behaviour from visitors was normally stopped immediately but that there had been too many people in the area that day for staff to react in time.

A spokesperson told local media that the chimpanzee was unharmed and had not suffered any ill effects from the incident.

The zoo confirmed that the chimpanzee remains on public display as usual.

Online commentators condemned the visitors for giving the animal a cigarette, with one user calling it "cruel and irresponsible" and another saying it was "a sign that people need better respect for animals".

Tourists were hypnotised by the smoking chimpanzees in Lanzhou Wildlife Park, north-western China

Jiaku was a fellow chimp smoker based in Tianshan Wildlife Zoo located in Urumqi, China

Others questioned why the zoo did not have stricter supervision to prevent visitors from throwing objects into the enclosure.

Lanzhou Wildlife Park houses more than 100 species of animals including lions, tigers, and primates, and has previously promoted public education campaigns about animal welfare and safety.

This type of incident is far from new in Chinese zoos, with social media regularly inundated with clips of puffing primates.

Earlier this year, Nanning Zoo in Guangxi, southern China, launched an investigation into the welfare of its animals after a chimp was spotted by visitors wielding a discarded cigarette.

A more famous example was a chimpanzee from Tianshan Wildlife Zoo located in Urumqi, China called Jiaku, who had picked up a nicotine addiction while performing in a circus.

He was transferred from the circus to the Urumqi Zoo in Xinjiang Province under an animals exchange programme in 2002.

In 2006, he moved to Tianshan Wildlife Zoo were he gained viral attention for his fondness for cigarettes.

In 2018 a video showing tourists throwing cigarettes and lighters into Jiaku's enclosure to encourage him to smoke, was plastered across the internet.

The zoo faced a backlash from organisations like PETA that claimed Jiaku's caretakers were facilitating his habit for the sake of a few cheap laughs and increased attendance.

In that case, the zoo responded to criticism, promising stricter measures to ensure their enclosures were better protected against people slipping animals cigarettes on the sly.
'Psychics' are exploiting the disappearance of a four-year-old boy by posting videos on social media claiming to use their 'gifts' to help search for the missing child.

August 'Gus' Lamont vanished almost two weeks ago after playing in the yard of the remote Oak Park homestead in the harsh South Australian outback, nearly 200 miles north of Adelaide.

A huge air and land search mission has proven unsuccesful with a single footprint in the desert the only trace found since he disappeared on the evening of September 27.

Gus is understood to have been living at his grandparents' homestead with his mother Jess and his one-year-old brother Ronnie.

His father Joshua, who moved out of the family home following a clash with his child's transgender grandparent, was spotted publicly on Thursday for the first time since his son vanished.

Mr Lamont, who lives two hours away from Gus' grandparents, is said to be furious that his son went missing from Oak Park and has joined the search for him.

But as the search continues, self-professed 'psychics' have taken to social media to offer alleged insight into his condition and how he may be found.

Psychic mediums claim to act as an intermediary between the living and spiritual world. They profess to being able to communicate with spirits, including of the dead.

'Psychics' are exploiting the disappearance of a four-year-old boy by posting videos on social media claiming to use their 'gifts' to help search for the missing child

The clairvoyant suggests she doesn't see 'foul play at all, just purely a four-year-old getting lost'

One, posting on the TikTok account spookyt, claimed Gus is 'very much alive'.

In a two-minute clip, she says she doesn't feel 'he has wandered far at all' because she sees a massive pile of dirt and tin in her head.

In her bizarre ramblings, which have been liked 10,500 times, she said she 'feels like he's actually fallen and hit his head' and that 'he's really close to the house somehow'.

The clairvoyant suggests she doesn't see 'foul play at all, just purely a four-year-old getting lost'.

'I'm honestly seeing the police or emergency services finding him and wrapping him up in foil,' she added. 'I think he'll be okay, a little shaken up of course, but I do think that there could be a happy ending with this one.

Gus' family said on Thursday that they were still clinging onto the hope that he would be found safely.

Meanwhile, it is understood Mr Lamont only found out his child was missing when police woke him up at his Belalie North home, hours after Gus had vanished.

His grandparent Josie, a transgender woman, told the Daily Mail 'We're still looking for him' while declining offers of assistance in the search effort.

'You can't help. We are still dealing with this,' she added.

The little boy was playing in the homestead in the harsh South Australian outback, 300km north of Adelaide

Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt at about 5pm on September 27 but had vanished when his grandmother went to call him inside half an hour later.

The boy had been wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a distinctive blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from the movie Despicable Me on the front, with light grey pants and boots.

Despite the vast, flat, featureless landscape surrounding the property, there had been no sight of the boy alive or dead, raising questions about where he could be.

Another woman claiming to be a psychic has racked up more than 30,000 likes on a video on her TikTok account which boasts 200,000 followers.

In the 10 minute video, the woman, Lydia, admitted she was 'annoyed' that the readings in a previous clip were 'vague' but that she 'has to help' find him.

She said 'while it's not easy to talk to a four-year-old... you have no idea what it's like to sit with these abilities and do nothing.'

Lydia, who claims to be able to read minds, reveals a list of ten questions which she allegedly asked the missing boy using her mind.

The video, which pictures Gus throughout, shows her deeply focussing as she tries to communicate with the vanished child.

Another 'psychic' has posted a string of videos about missing children, including three on Gus.

She shuffles a deck of cards before alleging there is 'information which is not adding up' as she asks whether 'the energy is coming from inside the home' in an attempt to narrow down his location.

Jason O'Connell, an emergency services worker of 11 years, who covered more than 1,200km as part of the search team, said: 'I personally am very doubtful he is on the property'.

Joshua Lamont, the father of Gus, was seen publicly for the first time on Wednesday

Gus's grandparent, Josie Murray - a transgender woman who locals say transitioned many years ago - told the Daily Mail the family had not lost hope

After days of hunting for the boy, Mr O'Connell and his partner Jen had expected to see birds of prey if there was a lifeless body on the property.

'No birds of prey means he's not there,' he added.

'It's just wide, open land. There's really not much there, and I'm surprised because we just didn't find anything.

'He's not on that property.'

The only trace of Gus found was a single footprint discovered about 500 metres from the homestead - and police have since cast doubt on that.

Local tracker Aaron Stuart said it was unusual to find one footprint as you would usually find 'tracks'.

'You'd find the next one, and the one after that,' the former policeman told the Adelaide Advertiser. 'You don't find one track, you find tracks.'

Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott said his team were 'confident that we have done all we can to locate Gus'.

'The determination of every individual involved to find Gus has never wavered,' he said.

'Like every member of the community who has been following this sad event, they too have been very much affected by what has happened.'
Prince Harry appeared to try to hurry along his wife on a New York red carpet last night in a series of awkward moments as they were crowned 'Humanitarians of the Year'.

The Duke of Sussex took Meghan's hand and started moving away after posing for photographers - but the Duchess of Sussex appeared to linger.

Royal watchers claimed the Duke of Sussex may even have gently whispered to Meghan to 'come on now' as she paused.

And in another video taken backstage at the Project Healthy Minds gala in New York, the Duke of Sussex is grabbed by a member of the team, who asks him a question.

Meghan was left standing awkwardly, alone, waiting for him to arrive with some critics claiming she briefly 'glowered' before smiling.

But another wrote: 'She seems to be making a real effort to look demure, not overshadow him the whole red carpet'.

Meghan collected the award and was also praised as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist' as she received the award. Harry's work with mental health companies and his controversial 2021 memoir Spare were listed among his achievements.

Project Healthy Minds' 'Humanitarians of the Year' award has only been won once before, last year. Jeff Yabuki and his wife Gail got the gong for their commitment to mental health work after Jeff's brother took his own life in 2017.

CEO and founder of Project Healthy Minds, Phillip Schermer, told the audience the Sussexes', 'leadership and generosity...had made a profound difference in the lives of so many'.

Prince Harry shuffles away as Meghan pauses for one more photo in New York last night

The Duchess of Sussex also gave a sideways smile during a tactile display by the couple

Meghan was left waiting when Harry spoke to someone by the red carpet

Their appearance in New York came immediately after King Charles and Prince William put on a united front in London.

The Duchess of Sussex used her acceptance speech to voice fears about Archie and Lilibet growing up in a digital age - hours after the Princess of Wales visited a children's charity and warned that excessive screen time can harm family life.

The competing events, 3,500 miles apart, could stir up trouble and pour cold water on hopes of peace talks between the warring Windsors.

The Daily Mail revealed yesterday that a friend of the Sussexes has predicted: Meghan will return to Britain before the year is out' and could come bearing 'humble pie'.

The couple are apparently planning their reconciliation with the royal family in a secret plot dubbed: 'Project Thaw'. There have been claims that William could even meet Harry - but he is not willing to do so with Meghan present.

This morning a video showing the future king breaking down in tears also emerged. William couldn't hide his anguish as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide with a mother whose husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died.

The King and his eldest son were together at the Natural History Museum in London last night for a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment. A video showed them warming greeting each other with William warmly putting his hand on Charles' shoulder.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' at a glitzy New York ceremony last night

Meghan Markle has voiced fears she and Prince Harry share about their children growing up in a digital age as they accepted an award on stage in New York for their humanitarian efforts

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their brief remarks

A tearful Prince William reacts to speaking to a mother describing to him how her husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died

The King and Prince of Wales undertook a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment

The Princess of Wales looked chic in a Victoria Beckham suit as she visited Home-Start charity in Oxford yesterday having warned about the dangers of too much screentime for children

The couple were very tactile on the red carpet and speaking on stage as she accepted the award, Meghan said: 'Our children, Archie and Lili, are just six and four years old. Luckily still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming.

'Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology's benefits, while safeguarding against its dangers. That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.'

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements.

He said: 'This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in a digital age.'

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their remarks - but royal watchers were struck by how similar their message was to the Princess of Wales' from earlier today.

Last night Meghan and Harry were celebrated for their work in the online sphere, beginning in 2020 when they consulted with Stanford University experts tracking social media's impact on young people.

Project Healthy Minds celebrated Harry's work as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran' in honoring him on Thursday night.

As well as listing Harry's work with mental health companies, it also mentions his controversial 2021 memoir Spare as being among his achievements.

Elsewhere Meghan, is noted to be 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'.

Their Archewell foundation drew further attention to the crisis after the gala, citing a statistic from the Social Media Victims Law Center which states as many as 4,000 families have pursued legal action relating to damaging social media exposure.

The Duke and Duchess' organization stated that figure 'represented only a fraction of affected families, limited to those with the resources and capacity to take legal action through a single law firm.

'If these deaths and harm to children were ''unintended consequences'' ten years ago,' Harry said, 'then what are they now?'

The former working royals graced the red carpet ahead of the event, keeping their hands locked tightly together as Meghan lovingly gazed at her husband while they made their way past the flashing cameras and into the event.

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements

Harry and Meghan are clapped as they go on to stage

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala at Spring Studios

Meghan stares adoringly at her husband

The couple were hand in hand on the red carpet

Meghan smiled at someone as Harry edged away

Harry then put his arm around his wife after they posed for pictures

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked hand-in-hand as they arrived at a glitzy ceremony in New York

The Duchess of Sussex lovingly gazes at Prince Harry as they attend the Project Healthy Minds

It comes just hours after Harry's estranged brother William put on a united front with King Charles as the father and son made a rare joint public engagement together

They were at the Natural History Museum for 'Countdown to COP30', which brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis and nature loss issues

Hours earlier, Harry's estranged brother Prince William put on a united front with King Charles as they made a rare joint public engagement.

The father-son duo arrived at the Natural History Museum in London to attend 'Countdown to COP30', after travelling from Buckingham Palace where they had convened beforehand.

The event brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis ahead of the United Nations' annual climate change summit in Brazil in November.

The non-profit also highlights 'her lifelong advocacy for women and girls remains a constant thread she weaves through both humanitarian and business ventures'.

During the gala, the royal couple announced their organization The Parents' Network would join forces with Parents Together, to give the initiative 'broader reach and deeper impact as technology continued its rapid evolution.'

The duo said the move was 'a natural evolution to enable the community to continue to grow and have more impact alongside the rapid rise of technology.'

'We know that the challenges ahead are significant,' they said, 'but we also know that when parents come together, when communities unite, real change is possible.'

Project Healthy Minds founder and CEO Phillip Schermer spoke briefly about the couple's work, telling the crowd: 'It is a privilege to honor Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at our World Mental Health Day Gala this year.

'Their leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to advancing mental health awareness have made a profound difference in the lives of so many.'

The couple are being recognised as humanitarians of the year at the Project Health Minds mental health gala at the flashy Spring Studios venue

Meghan Markle beams as she gazes at Prince Harry ahead of tonight's Project Health Minds mental health gala

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony was hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly.

However, the royal couple's award came amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked.

The country's environment minister, Hassan Bakhit Djamous, has accused African Parks - which counts Harry among its board members - of financial misconduct and 'disrespect'.

In a damning four-page letter, Mr Djamous said African Parks had demonstrated 'a recurring indelicate and disrespectful attitude' towards his government.

The charity, of which Harry was president for six years before he joining its board in 2023, looks after more than 20 protected national parks and reserves in 13 countries on behalf of their governments.

Its backers include famous billionaire investors Warren Buffet and Bill Ackman, and it has counted the EU, WWF and People's Postcode Lottery among its supporters.

But Mr Djamous has accused it of illegally collecting tourist revenues, using tax-sheltering bank accounts in the Isle of Man and transferring assets abroad in 'flagrant violation' of Chad's banking laws.

The Duke, 41, was this week at the Movember Institute for Men's Health for a sit-down conversation.

The Duchess of Sussex beamed in front of the cameras

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony is being hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly

Meghan Markle sported a chic black suit alongside Prince Harry who coupled his formal attire with a tie

The duo clasped each others hands tightly as they posed for pictures on the carpet ahead of the award ceremony

The prince is described on the non-profit start-up company's website as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran'

While Meghan is noted as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'

The couple are all smiles as they prepare to attend the event where they are set to be recognised as humanitarians of the year

The royal couple's award comes amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked (Pictured: Prince Harry)

He spoke of how too many men were being raised by algorithms, and how his mental health advocacy was sparked by speaking with veterans after he had finished serving in the British Army.

'I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them I realised the silence is killing people,' he said, adding, 'Stamping out the stigma globally, we've come a long way. Access to therapy is still a massive problem.'

In a joint statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: 'Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.

'As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them.

'We're proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.'
Her alleged attacker is behind bars awaiting trial

Distressing CCTV has captured a frightened six-year-old boy moments after his grandmother was allegedly punched in the head by a stranger in broad daylight.

The 71-year-old woman has undergone emergency surgery and is in a critical condition after she was attacked by John Bozic, 52, in Strathfield in Sydney's inner-west on Thursday.

It's understood the woman was walking to the park with her grandson and son-in-law when they allegedly encountered Bozic, who was walking his dog.

Police allege an altercation was sparked by Bozic's dog taking the boy's ball.

The woman confronted Bozic, who allegedly assaulted her son-in-law before turning on the grandmother.

As Bozic allegedly fled the scene, CCTV obtained by Nine News captured the woman's grandson dragging his bike down the street with one hand and his ball in the other, heading home to inform his mother, who rushed to the scene.

As her mother clung to life in RPA Hospital after having part of her skull removed, police arrested Bozic at a Strathfield home on Friday morning.

He was charged with wounding a person with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and common assault.

CCTV captured a six-year-old boy running for help after his grandmother was allegedly king hit

Police arrested John Bozic on Friday morning, 20 hours after the alleged assault

Bozic later appeared in Burwood Local Court, where he was refused bail.

The court heard that the alleged incident was a 'deliberate assault which had racial implications'.

Police have since described the alleged attack as 'absolutely abhorrent.'

'It is an unprovoked attack and it absolutely sickens us that this has happened in our community,' Superintendent Robert Toynton said.

'But what we want to assure the community of is as police we will act swiftly, we will put all of our resources into these types of offences and we will arrest people and put them before the courts as quickly as we can.'

He added that the grandmother remains in a critical condition.

'Her condition is what I would call grave - she's very, very unwell,' he added.

The grandmother's attacker has been identified as John Bozic (pictured)

The alleged incident has sent shockwaves through the community.

'We were just disgusted obviously for something of that nature to occur,' one local said.

Investigations continue.




A senior Labour MP has backed calls for Donald Trump to be given the Nobel Peace Prize next year if he helps bring an end to the Middle East crisis.

Dame Emily Thornberry, the chair of the House of Commons' foreign affairs committee, said 'of course' the US President should receive the prestigious award.

'I'll wear a MAGA hat personally!,' she quipped, when asked if Mr Trump was deserving of the prize.

The US President has received widespread praise for his role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The two sides have agreed to a pause in the two-year war in Gaza under a deal pushed by Mr Trump.

Hamas has also agreed to release the remaining hostages it holds, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper have dodged saying whether the US President should be given the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

This is despite Sir Keir saying the ceasefire 'would not have happened without' Mr Trump's leadership.

But Dame Emily, who has been a fierce critic of the US President on other issues, had no qualms in backing Mr Trump to receive the award.

Dame Emily Thornberry has backed calls for Donald Trump to be given the Nobel Peace Prize if he helps bring an end to the Middle East crisis

The US President has received widespread praise for his role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

Sir Keir Starmer ducked a question on whether Mr Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize during his trade trip to India this week

On Friday, it was announced that Venezuelan democracy campaigner Maria Corina Machado had won this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight on Thursday, Dame Emily suggested it would have been too early for Mr Trump to get this year's prize - but backed him to get next year's honour.

'Not this week,' she said. 'There were people claiming the reason he wanted to do it quickly was because he wanted to have the Peace Prize on Friday.

'That's not going to happen. There will be one coming in a year's time.

'If we continue to move forward and it isn't just a ceasefire but we are getting a political solution and Donald Trump is playing his part in that, then sure.

'If he can help to get us to a position where there's peace in the Middle East, for heaven's sake of course he should get the Peace Prize.

'I'll wear a MAGA hat personally!'

Sir Keir ducked a question on whether Mr Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize during his trade trip to India this week.

Ms Cooper repeatedly dodged on whether the US President should receive the honour for his role in the Gaza ceasefire.

She told LBC on Friday morning: 'I'm strongly supporting the work that President Trump is doing. It's an independent process. I'm not going to cut across that process.'
Residents at a hotel housing asylum seekers were spotted brawling, throwing rocks and trying to climb the walls of the building as terrified neighbours cowered in their homes.

Footage filmed outside the Highfield House Hotel in Southampton, Hampshire, shows a bearded man in a red top shouting up at someone apparently inside the building.

The pair, speaking in a foreign language, exchange angry words before the man outside begins to climb towards a first-floor window. He points and shouts at the person inside as several others gather to watch.

Moments later, he drops back to the ground and hurls a rock at the window, sending onlookers ducking for cover.

In another clip, the same man is seen at the entrance, kicking the door and trying to force his way in before being dragged back by another man attempting to calm him down.

According to the Southampton Times, locals heard the commotion around 2am on Tuesday morning.

One resident said: 'It was aggressive shouting, fighting, and then the unmistakable noise of glass smashing.

Adding: 'It left me feeling scared, intimidated and angry. This isn't the first time I've been woken up at 1am by aggressive noises and actions. It's affecting my sleep and my peace of mind.'

In another clip, the same man is seen at the front entrance, kicking the door and trying to force his way in

Footage filmed outside the Highfield House Hotel in Southampton, Hampshire, shows a bearded man in a red top shouting up at someone before the man outside begins to climb towards a first-floor window

One local said he filmed the altercation in the hope that the local council and police would take notice.

Another told the website that ongoing tensions between Kurdish and Iranian residents inside the hotel may have sparked the unrest.

An unnamed person told the publication that tensions between Kurdish and Iranian residents at the hotel could be behind the unrest.

The Daily Mail has approached the Highfield House Hotel and Hampshire Constabulary for more information.

Companies House filings show the firm operating the hotel recorded pre-tax profits of 1.98million for the year ending 31 December 2024 - averaging more than 38,000 a week.

It marks a sharp rise from the previous year, with profits of 1.45million.

The hotel has been at the centre of anti-immigration protests held last month. Demonstrators held Union Jack and St George's flags outside the site, whilst counter protesters held signs saying 'Refugees Welcome'.

Hampshire Constabulary said it was investigating an 'extremely dangerous' arson attack after a flare was pushed through a ground-floor window of the hotel during demonstrations on September 1.

Officers said they were trying to trace two people wearing hooded tops, one in white, the other in dark clothing, who were seen approaching and then fleeing the scene on Shaftesbury Avenue.

The hotel in Southampton has been at the centre of controversy in recent months, including anti-immigration protests held last month

Tensions ran high nationwide after a wave of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers over the summer.

The unrest was sparked by demonstrations outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, following the case of an Ethiopian asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl in the town.

Hadush Kebatu, 38, who arrived in the UK on a small boat just days before the attacks in July, was jailed for 12 months at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court last month.

His crimes triggered widespread anger, with violent scenes erupting outside the hotel where migrants were being housed.

Three men involved in the disorder were jailed this month, including one who climbed onto a roof and rang a bell to incite the chaos.

Martin Peagram, Dean Smith and Stuart Williams were all sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court after admitting violent disorder.
A heartbroken mother is mourning her 'beautiful baby girl' who died in a 'freak accident' at her primary school.

Olivia-Grace Huxter, eight, suffered a 'traumatic event' at the 99-pupil Penrhys Primary School in Ferndale, Rhondda, on Wednesday and later died in hospital.

South Wales police said in a statement the force would not be revealing her cause of death until a post-mortem examination is completed.

Her devastated mother Melanie said: 'My beautiful beautiful baby girl, I can't eat, I can't sleep without you.

'I'm so grateful I was able to hold you and sing you to sleep one last time with your favourite bedtime song.

'You were wanted, admired and absolutely adored by everyone lucky enough to have known you.

'I don't know what life will look like now. I love you to the moon and back twice.'

Another family member said there had been a 'freak accident' in the school which led to the tragedy but no one was to blame.

Olivia-Grace Huxter, eight, suffered a 'traumatic event' at the 99-pupil Penrhys Primary School in Ferndale, Rhondda, on Wednesday and later died in hospital

She said: 'We as a family wanted to thank you all for your kind messages and love. We're devastated and trying to come to terms with what has happened.

'We wanted people to know there was no fault and it was a freak accident.'

Olivia-Grace's aunt, Adrianne, added in a touching online tribute: 'Words can't express how broken I feel right now, I keep wanting it all to be a nightmare and for someone to wake me up from it.

'I am going to miss your smile, your cuddles, your kisses and most of all us dancing in the kitchen, fly high beautiful angel and rest in peace.'

South Wales Police said they had been called to the school on Wednesday but there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Olivia-Grace's death.

An investigation into the incident on behalf of the coroner is under way.

Penrhys Primary School initally shut to all pupils following the incident, but reopened today.

In a post on the school's Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon the headteacher thanked parents for their messages of support and confirmed the school would be closed after the tragedy.

It said: 'Due to the traumatic event that happened at our lovely school this afternoon we will be closed for all children tomorrow.

'School will be open for children and staff again on Friday.'

Local councillor for Tylorstown and Ynyshir Julie Edwards said the matter was being investigated by South Wales Police and urged residents to not speculate to stop misinformation spreading.

South Wales Police said they had been called to the school on Wednesday but there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Olivia-Grace's death

She added: 'I've been made aware of a tragic incident which occurred in Penrhys on Wednesday. South Wales Police are fully investigating the matter and more details will be released shortly.'

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: 'South Wales Police is investigating the sudden death of an eight-year-old girl in Ferndale.

'Emergency services were called to Penrhys Primary School in Ferndale just after 2pm on Wednesday, October 8, to reports of a medical episode. The girl was taken to hospital where she later died.

'There are no suspicious circumstances and an investigation on behalf of the coroner is now under way.'
Nigel Farage has predicted teachers will go on strike if Reform UK wins the next general election - as outlined a need to overhaul Britain's 'Marxist' education system.

The Reform leader accused schools in the UK of 'poisoning our kids' and 'telling them to be ashamed of their country'.

He said black children are being taught they are 'victims', while white children are told they are 'oppressors', in an attack on a 'negative culture' encouraged by teachers.

Mr Farage added it would take 'years to turn this around', but hailed signs of a 'counter-culture revolution' being spearheaded by Gen Z.

He made the remarks during an appearance at Hillsdale College in Michigan, US, last month, during which he paid tribute to the late conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

The Reform leader said there was a 'massive job' in both Britain and America to halt 'progressivism' in schools, which he suggested his party would undertake if it won power.

But his comments sparked anger from the National Education Union (NEU), which is Britain's largest teaching union.

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede branded Mr Farage's comments as 'nonsense' and 'grossly irresponsible', while claiming a Reform government would be a 'disaster'.

Nigel Farage made the remarks during an appearance at Hillsdale College in Michigan, US, last month

Members of the National Education Union are pictured holding a rally outside the Department for Education in London last year

Mr Farage launched his furious attack on the UK's education system during a question-and-answer session at the Hillsdale College event.

Asked what he would do about schools if he became prime minister, the Reform leader suggested he faced a challenge greater than two previous premiers.

'The one thing [Winston] Churchill never faced and [Margaret] Thatcher never faced was the march through the institutions, particularly education, of the Marxist Left,' he said.

'They are now in control of our education system. I'm anticipating a teachers' strike very quickly after winning the next general election.'

'You've got it here too,' he told the US audience. 'They are poisoning our kids. They are telling them to be ashamed of their country.

'They are telling little Johnny, who's eight, who is black, that he is a victim and little Oliver, who is white, who is eight, that he is an oppressor.

'They are dividing us, not uniting us. They are feeding this negative culture in. We have got a massive job to do with education - absolutely herculean.

'And, by the way, we can't do it in six months or a year; it will take us years, years to turn this around.'

But Mr Farage also said a 'counter-culture revolution going on in these institutions and throughout young people' was 'really encouraging'.

'It may well be that people like me that have been around for decades, fighting the conservative case against progressivism, we may well have been the rearguard stopping the advance,' he added.

'But the way we go forward and win is by young people coming with us.

'And despite what's going on, there is much to be encouraged by the new Gen Z almost-revolution that's going on, compared to our millennials - most of whom are beyond hope.

'All I want education to do is teach critical thinking - to treat young people with respect to say 'here are two decent points of view and you make up your own minds'.

'As opposed to what's happening now and, in too many cases, saying one is virtuous and one is evil. It's a massive job in both Britain and America.'

In response to Mr Farage's comments, Mr Kebede said the idea the education system was controlled by Marxists was 'nonsense'.

The NEU boss also pointed out any strikes have to be on the grounds of terms and conditions for teachers.

He questioned whether Reform would attack these immediately when entering government.

'Farage has made his political career out of dog-whistle politics and now, like [Donald] Trump, he is lining up teachers and their unions for a fight,' Mr Kebede told The Guardian.

'I think that's grossly irresponsible. I don't - and nor does my union, and nor does the teaching profession - push critical race theory as he's suggesting.

'Should he become prime minister he would sell out our public services, including education and he would be a disaster for education and children.'

Hillsdale College describes itself as 'a small, Christian, classical liberal arts college' that operates independently of government funding.
Two years after the violent atrocities of October 7, Donald Trump has brokered a peace deal between Israel and Hamas that may finally put an end to a devastating war.

But even as Israelis and Palestinians take to the streets of Tel Aviv and Khan Younis to celebrate the ceasefire, it remains to be seen whether the peace agreement will be lasting.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus cabinet voted early Friday morning in favour of the deal, after the warring parties gave assent to the first phase of Trump's 20-point plan on Wednesday evening.

'This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,' a jubilant US president wrote on Truth Social.

While the return of hostages after 737 days and a ceasefire ending two years of Israeli bombardment will be welcome news to either side, such steps are only the start.

The sides are yet to agree on the precise details of the second phase of Trump's plan, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas; a transitional authority to govern the Strip; and a multinational peacekeeping force to provide security.

While Israel has demanded for the terror group to play no role in the future of Gaza and for it to lay down its weapons, the Sunni Islamist organisation hasn't committed to either.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has said that his military will stay 'deep inside the Strip' for the foreseeable future, despite the plan stipulating that Israel should withdraw from the enclave.

While Israel has demanded for the terror group to play no role in the future of Gaza and for it to lay down its weapons, the Sunni Islamist organisation hasn't committed to either

Palestinians, including children, gathered in the city of Khan Yunis celebrate after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza on October 9, 2025

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What has been agreed?

Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump's plan, which includes the return of the 20 living hostages still captive in the Strip in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and a partial IDF withdrawal from the enclave.

At midday in Israel today, the military announced a ceasefire after overnight airstrikes in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood caused a building to collapse, trapping some 40 people under the debris, according to Palestinian media.

The IDF began a staged withdrawal, positioning themselves 'along the updated deployment lines'.

The Israeli military now remains in control of around 53 percent of the Strip's territory, including a buffer zone that runs along the entire border and encompasses the Philadelphi Corridor, as well as the northern areas of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, a ridge on Gaza Citys eastern outskirts, and substantial portions of Rafah and Khan Younis in the south.

According to the agreement, the ceasefire triggers a 72-hour countdown during which all of the hostages - both the living and deceased - must be returned to Israel.

This means that Hamas has until Monday at noon to return the 20 living hostages.

The return of the bodies of the 28 deceased should follow, but it is unclear how long this will take as Hamas has previously indicated that their location is unknown.

A taskforce has been established to locate the deceased missing hostages, an official told the Daily Mail, including representatives from Israel, the US, Egypt and Qatar, who will work with forces on the ground in the enclave to find their location.

The handover of hostages will take place 'without any public ceremonies or media coverage,' in order to avoid the previous public spectacles Hamas engineered, including parading emaciated Israelis on stage.

Once all hostages are returned, Israel will release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained after October 7, 2023.

It will also return the remains of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli hostage.

The final list of Palestinian prisoners set to be released has not been made public.

Last night, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvirs demand to veto the release of specific Palestinian security prisoners delayed the start of the cabinet meeting by several hours.

An Israeli government spokesperson said that the prisoners freed in the exchange will not include Marwan Barghouti, founder of the Palestinian Fatah party and a major leader in the First and Second Intifadas whose release is being sought by Hamas.

From Friday, some 600 aid trucks carrying food, medical equipment, shelter supplies, fuel and cooking gas will enter Gaza each day, and hundreds of civilians will begin to return to their homes in the north.

The United States will deploy a multinational, 200-strong task force of troops to Israel to support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, comprised of personnel from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Palestinians gathered at the Nuseirat refugee camp celebrate with flags in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on October 9, 2025

Israelis celebrate as they react to the news of the Gaza peace deal at Hostages Square on October 9 in Tel Aviv, Israel

Itzik Horn, father of kidnapped Eitan Horn (L), celebrates after a peace deal is announced at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 9, 2025

Palestinians, including children, gathered in the city of Khan Yunis celebrate after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza on October 9, 2025

What happens next?

If the first phase is completed, negotiations will begin over next stage of the peace process, which doesn't yet have a strict timeline or deadlines.

According to Trump's 20-point plan, the next phase involves Hamas fighters decommissioning their weapons, with all 'military, terror and offensive infrastructure' in the Strip being destroyed, making it a 'terror-free zone'.

Militants will be offered amnesty if they commit to peaceful co-existence with Israel, and will be provided safe passage to another country if they choose to leave.

Meanwhile, a transitional technocratic committee made up of Palestinians and international experts is to run Gaza, with oversight provided by a new international 'Board of Peace' chaired by Trump himself.

An international panel of experts will create a plan for Gaza's economic redevelopment, and a special economic zone will be established.

Hamas will not take part in Gaza's governance, according to the plan, and the Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, will have to enact reforms before it might assume power.

Eventually, the conditions may be in place for a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.

No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.

Israeli tanks arrive at a gathering site after withdrawing from the Gaza Strip following the Israel-Hamas agreement on the first phase of the Gaza peace plan, near the Israeli-Gaza border in southern Israel, 10 October 2025

Smoke rises from the area after Israeli airstrikes targeted areas in the Gaza Strip on October 9, 2025

Some Palestinians walk on foot along Rashid Street, carrying the few belongings they manage to save, as they hope to go back to their homes after enduring harsh living conditions for months in Gaza City on October 10, 2025

What could hold up the later phases?

The major areas likely to hold up the peace process include the disarming of Hamas, the group's future involvement in the government of Gaza, and Israel's willingness to withdraw from the Strip.

The White House plan indicates further withdrawals of Israeli troops to around 40 per cent and then 15 per cent, with a final stage concluding in a 'security perimeter' that would 'remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat'.

This means there is no set timeline dictating when troops must fully withdraw, contradicting a key tenet in Trump's plan that calls on Israel to 'not occupy' Gaza.

Meanwhile, Hamas has not committed to either disarming or abandoning its political future in the Strip.

In a letter to Trump provisionally accepting the first phase of the deal, the terror group said it was committed to being part of a 'comprehensive Palestinian national framework' - indicating a future in the enclave.

Officials have also previously refused to disarm until an independent Palestinian state is established.

And while the Trump deal calls for the war to 'immediately end', Netanyahu has already threatened Hamas with the resumption of military hostility if conditions are not met in the 'easy way'.

'Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarised,' he said in a press conference on Friday.

'If this is achieved the easy way, great. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way.'
The world has gone 'mad' after 'the ultimate irony' of Harry and Meghan winning 'Humanitarians of the Year' in the US last night as Trump was snubbed by Nobel and William 'moved the nation' with his tears over suicide, critics declared today.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received a standing ovation at a gala in New York run by Project Healthy Minds - a charity the couple have supported since Megxit through Archewell and Meghan's Spotify podcast flop Archetypes.

Meghan was praised as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist' as she received the award. Harry's work with mental health companies and his controversial 2021 memoir Spare were listed among his achievements.

Their joint award was handed out hours before Donald Trump was snubbed by Nobel Peace Prize judges despite the president brokering precious peace in Gaza.

The Sussexes' gong came as Prince William, who last week unveiled the world's first memorial honouring the lives of humanitarian workers in London, cried as he spoke to a Welsh mother about the devastating impact of suicide.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail that the Prince and Princess of Wales would be far more deserving the Sussexes' award.

'It is perhaps the ultimate irony when Donald Trump has masterminded a process that is about to begin to bring peace to Gaza and secure the release of the hostages, that Harry and Meghan are named Humanitarians of the Year at a World Mental Health Day Gala', he said.

Royal biographer and investigative reporter Tom Bower, said the Sussexes' award amid the events of the past 24 hours show: 'The world has gone topsy turvy mad'.

And in the Daily Mail's Poll of the Day today, 97 per cent of the 16,000 readers who responded in the first three hours this afternoon said Harry and Meghan should not have been awarded the prize.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' at a glitzy New York ceremony last night

Donald Trump was passed over for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, despite years of claiming he deserves the prestigious award

A tearful Prince William reacts to a mother describing to him how her husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died

Mr Bower said: 'A majority will mercilessly scoff at the award for the Sussexes. But dont be deceived. The award givers know that naming the Sussexes guarantees publicity for themselves and an event which would otherwise be ignored.

'Even the Sussexes know its all a charade and reflects their desperation for publicity.'

Mr Fitzwilliams compared the Sussexes and the Waleses.

He said: 'If you were looking at genuine humanitarian work, it is surely the Prince and Princess of Wales with their work for Heads Together, the initiative from the Royal Foundation, who ought to be considered.

'William is especially concerned with the stigma which still surrounds it. He broke down discussing suicide with a grieving widow in a new video, which has moved the nation'.

He went on: 'Catherines lifes work is the study of the early years and her input on how technology can be destructive is also very valuable. Surely this work, is deserving of a joint award.

'In Harry and Meghans Archewell website it is clear that Project Healthy Minds, who hosted this award, collaborate with Archewell. The site claims to amplify its work and mentions the comprehensive resource guide it created for the launch of Archetypes, Meghans podcast. This may have influenced the choice of Harry and Meghan for this Award.

'The Sussexes work to help those suffering from mental health problems is, of course, to be welcomed. However, despite their radiating positivity in their public pronouncements, Harry has savaged his family publicly which has caused a deep rift and Meghan has no contact with hers.

'This is not behaviour which deserves to be rewarded, especially as the only reason their pronouncements get wide coverage is their royal links'.

Meghan and Harry first publicly supported Project Healthy Minds at an event in Seattle in 2023.

The couple spoke at a panel discussion coordinated by their Archewell Foundation in New York City as part of a second annual mental health awareness festival.

Harry and Meghan called for modifications to addictive apps, claiming they can harm young peoples mental health.

The Sussexes have also promoted the Project Healthy Minds (PHM) on the Archewell website as they promoted World Mental Health Day.

Archewell's public tax returns don't suggest the charity has donated money to PHM - but they may have done so privately.

Royal expert and biographer Phil Dampier said: 'Im not sure what Harry and Meghan have done to win a humanitarian award. He spends half his time in court and she is selling jam and candles!

'Trump, who Meghan hates, clearly deserves an award more than them but he is too late for this years Nobel peace prize.

'You could also make a much better case for William being a humanitarian. You can see how much he cares about people in the latest film about suicide when he was close to tears.

'And his work with the Earthshot Prize arguably does more for the common good than Harry and Meghans work'.

He added: 'Ive always said that the Invictus Games is the only thing Harry can be truly proud of'.

Donald Trump was today snubbed by Nobel Peace Prize judges - who instead awarded the coveted prize to a Venezuelan politician, despite the President brokering peace in Gaza.

The Nobel Committee selected opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for this year's award.

She was honoured 'for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,' said Jorgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo.

The announcement came as Israel's military declared the Gaza ceasefire agreement had now come into effect, following a vote in the cabinet last night.

The US President's name, heavily floated in the media in recent weeks, did not make the final cut.

Meghan Markle has voiced fears she and Prince Harry share about their children growing up in a digital age as they accepted an award on stage in New York for their humanitarian efforts

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their brief remarks

The King and Prince of Wales undertook a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment

The Princess of Wales looked chic in a Victoria Beckham suit as she visited Home-Start charity in Oxford yesterday having warned about the dangers of too much screentime for children

Meghan and Harry were named 'Humanitarians of the Year' immediately after King Charles and Prince William put on a united front in London.

The Duchess of Sussex used her acceptance speech to voice fears about Archie and Lilibet growing up in a digital age - hours after the Princess of Wales visited a children's charity and warned that excessive screen time can harm family life.

Meghan was also praised as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist' as she received the award. Harry's work with mental health companies and his controversial 2021 memoir Spare were listed among his achievements.

The competing events, 3,500 miles apart, could stir up trouble and pour cold water on hopes of peace talks between the warring Windsors.

The Daily Mail revealed yesterday that a friend of the Sussexes has predicted: Meghan will return to Britain before the year is out' and could come bearing 'humble pie'.

The couple are apparently planning their reconciliation with the royal family in a secret plot dubbed: 'Project Thaw'. There have been claims that William could even meet Harry - but he is not willing to do so with Meghan present.

This morning a video showing the future king breaking down in tears also emerged. William couldn't hide his anguish as he discussed the devastating impact of suicide with a mother whose husband took his own life just five days after their one-year-old son died.

The King and his eldest son were together at the Natural History Museum in London last night for a rare joint public engagement, brought together by their shared passion for the environment. A video showed them warmly greeting each other with William putting his hand on Charles's shoulder.

But a matter of hours later, Harry and Meghan made their own rare joint appearance on the red carpet on Thursday night after they were named 'Humanitarians of the Year'.

The couple were very tactile on the red carpet and speaking on stage as she accepted the award, Meghan said: 'Our children, Archie and Lili, are just six and four years old. Luckily still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming.

'Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology's benefits, while safeguarding against its dangers. That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.'

Project Healthy Minds' 'Humanitarians of the Year' award has only been won once before, last year. Jeff Yabuki and his wife Gail got the gong for their commitment to mental health work after Jeff's brother took his own life in 2017.

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements.

He said: 'This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in a digital age.'

The pair were met with applause as they wrapped up their remarks - but royal watchers were struck by how similar their message was to the Princess of Wales's from earlier today.

Last night Meghan and Harry were celebrated for their work in the online sphere, beginning in 2020 when they consulted with Stanford University experts tracking social media's impact on young people.

Project Healthy Minds celebrated Harry's work as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran' in honoring him on Thursday night.

As well as listing Harry's work with mental health companies, it also mentions his controversial 2021 memoir Spare as being among his achievements.

Elsewhere Meghan, is noted to be 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'.

Their Archewell foundation drew further attention to the crisis after the gala, citing a statistic from the Social Media Victims Law Center which states as many as 4,000 families have pursued legal action relating to damaging social media exposure.

The Duke and Duchess's organization stated that figure 'represented only a fraction of affected families, limited to those with the resources and capacity to take legal action through a single law firm'.

'If these deaths and harm to children were "unintended consequences" ten years ago,' Harry said, 'then what are they now?'

The former working royals graced the red carpet ahead of the event, keeping their hands locked tightly together as Meghan lovingly gazed at her husband while they made their way past the flashing cameras and into the event.

Meghan was joined on stage by Harry, who also shared words of wisdom about the dangers of technological advancements

Harry and Meghan are applauded as they go on to stage

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala at Spring Studios

Meghan stares adoringly at her husband

The couple were hand in hand on the red carpet

Meghan smiled at someone as Harry edged away

Harry then put his arm around his wife after they posed for pictures

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked hand-in-hand as they arrived at a glitzy ceremony in New York

The Duchess of Sussex lovingly gazes at Prince Harry as they attend the Project Healthy Minds

It comes just hours after Harry's estranged brother William put on a united front with King Charles as the father and son made a rare joint public engagement together

They were at the Natural History Museum for 'Countdown to COP30', which brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis and nature loss issues

Hours earlier, Harry's estranged brother Prince William put on a united front with King Charles as they made a rare joint public engagement.

The father-son duo arrived at the Natural History Museum in London to attend 'Countdown to COP30', after travelling from Buckingham Palace where they had convened beforehand.

The event brings together organisations and individuals tackling the global environmental crisis ahead of the United Nations' annual climate change summit in Brazil in November.

During the gala, Harry and Meghan announced their organization The Parents' Network would join forces with Parents Together, to give the initiative 'broader reach and deeper impact as technology continued its rapid evolution.'

The duo said the move was 'a natural evolution to enable the community to continue to grow and have more impact alongside the rapid rise of technology'.

'We know that the challenges ahead are significant,' they said, 'but we also know that when parents come together, when communities unite, real change is possible.'

Project Healthy Minds founder and CEO Phillip Schermer spoke briefly about the couple's work, telling the crowd: 'It is a privilege to honor Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at our World Mental Health Day Gala this year.

'Their leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to advancing mental health awareness have made a profound difference in the lives of so many.'

The couple are being recognised as humanitarians of the year at the Project Health Minds mental health gala at the flashy Spring Studios venue

Meghan Markle beams at Prince Harry ahead of tonight's Project Health Minds mental health gala

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony was hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly.

However, the royal couple's award came amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked.

The country's environment minister, Hassan Bakhit Djamous, has accused African Parks - which counts Harry among its board members - of financial misconduct and 'disrespect'.

In a damning four-page letter, Mr Djamous said African Parks had demonstrated 'a recurring indelicate and disrespectful attitude' towards his government.

The charity, of which Harry was president for six years before he joining its board in 2023, looks after more than 20 protected national parks and reserves in 13 countries on behalf of their governments.

Its backers include famous billionaire investors Warren Buffet and Bill Ackman, and it has counted the EU, WWF and People's Postcode Lottery among its supporters.

But Mr Djamous has accused it of illegally collecting tourist revenues, using tax-sheltering bank accounts in the Isle of Man and transferring assets abroad in 'flagrant violation' of Chad's banking laws.

The Duke, 41, was this week at the Movember Institute for Men's Health for a sit-down conversation.

The Duchess of Sussex beamed in front of the cameras

The 'festive cocktail' attire-themed ceremony is being hosted by Emmy award-winning Today show host Carson Daly

Meghan Markle sported a chic black suit alongside Prince Harry who coupled his formal attire with a tie

The duo clasped each others hands tightly as they posed for pictures on the carpet ahead of the award ceremony

The prince is described on the non-profit start-up company's website as 'a humanitarian, mental health advocate, environmentalist, and military combat veteran'

While Meghan is noted as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and philanthropist'

The couple are all smiles as they prepare to attend the event where they are set to be recognised as humanitarians of the year

The royal couple's award comes amid a critical letter being issued by the government of Chad targeting a charity with which the Duke is closely linked (Pictured: Prince Harry)

He spoke of how too many men were being raised by algorithms, and how his mental health advocacy was sparked by speaking with veterans after he had finished serving in the British Army.

'I found myself speaking to many veterans and sitting down with them I realised the silence is killing people,' he said, adding, 'Stamping out the stigma globally, we've come a long way. Access to therapy is still a massive problem.'

In a joint statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: 'Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.

'As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them.

'We're proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.'
President Paul Kagame has issued a call for world leaders to embrace a new model of cooperation between Africa and Europe, urging partnerships built on equality, shared risk, and mutual benefit, as global economic and political shifts reshape traditional approaches to globalisation.

The Head of State was speaking on Thursday, October 9, at the second edition of the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium, where he joined high-level representatives from governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society to explore innovative strategies for scaling up Global Gateway investments in partner countries.

ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Kagame in Brussels for Global Gateway Forum

Kagame noted that the world could not afford to turn inward amid changing geopolitical dynamics, emphasizing that economies and security are now too intertwined to be reversed. He, however, warned that integration must be equitable for growth to be sustainable.

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"A good partnership does not create dependency. It creates value," he said, emphasizing that Africa's experience had shown that conditional or one-sided cooperation fails to deliver transformation.

Kagame outlined Africa's priorities, including infrastructure, technology, and industrial capacity, as the foundation for competitive trade and lasting prosperity.

Europe, in turn, stands to gain from Africa's expanding market, young talent, and critical resources needed for green and digital transitions, he maintained.

"Our interests are aligned," Kagame said, adding that the Global Gateway framework offers a platform to translate those shared interests into "sustained mutual growth" if both sides remain consistent and pragmatic.

He pointed to the BioNTech vaccine manufacturing facility taking shape in Kigali, supported by the European Union through the Team Europe initiative, as a model of productive cooperation.

The plant, the first of its kind in Africa, he argued, will strengthen regional vaccine production and reduce import dependency.

ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils BioNTech's first vaccine manufacturing plant in Africa

The 300,000 square metres facility is based on the company's digitally enabled modular manufacturing units called BioNTainers, designed to manufacture a range of mRNA-based vaccines.

Kagame urged that future financing mechanisms must mobilise private investment and empower local ecosystems to sustain progress.

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He commended the European Union for championing the Global Gateway platform and reaffirmed Rwanda's commitment to ensuring that such efforts yield measurable impact.

According to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the global cooperation strategy launched to promote the twin energy and digital transitions has delivered even more than was intended.

"Our initial goal was to mobilise EUR 300 billion in five years. But today, we have already hit that target," she said at the proceedings of the forum.

"In four years, we have already mobilised more than EUR 306 billion. And I am confident we will surpass EUR 400 billion by 2027," Ursula von der Leyen added.

'Enormous potential'

Cooperation between the European Union and Africa through the Global Gateway has enormous potential," said Jao Manual Goncalves Lourenco, President of Angola, who also doubles as the chairperson of the African Union (AU).

"At a time of deep interconnections, issues such as energy security, social inclusion, and climate change resilience become vitally important," he added.

In his capacity as the AU chairperson, Lourenco pledged to "give more value to the raw materials that we have in Africa," which are crucial for the twin transition.
It is a scene which has played out in Sandra Browns haunted mind for most of her life.

On a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon in February, 1957, a young girl called Moira Anderson had left her grandmothers house on a quick errand to the shops.

A blizzard was setting in, but Moira was wrapped up warm in her navy school coat, scarf and hat as she shouted to a neighbour shovelling snow from the pavement near her home in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. The woman couldnt be certain due to the howling wind but thought the young girl asked: Is the bus away yet?

She discovered the Co-op in Laird Street had closed early due to the weather, but rather than return home, 11-year-old Moira planned to catch a bus into town and meet up with her cousins for the 5pm showing of Guys and Dolls at the Regal cinema.

A woman who lived above a nearby sweet shop noticed the local Baxters bus pull away from the stop and that the girl waiting in the navy coat and distinctive red and blue knitted hat had gone too.

Before long, it became apparent that this slight child with fair hair and smiley blue eyes had failed to turn up at the cinema. Instead, she had simply vanished into thin air.

As the hours - then days - passed, the people of Coatbridge searched and searched, appalled by the growing mystery of the missing girl. But no trace would ever be found, largely due to a dreadfully botched police investigation.

Moiras family never saw her again and, for many years, it seemed likely that no-one would ever know what cruel fate befell her. Had she run away? Had someone abducted her? If so, why? Who could have evinced such malice against an innocent child?

But the lasting impact of this tragic case has rippled out far beyond Moiras distraught family. For Mrs Brown, now 76, it came to not only dominate her life, but to define it. Convinced that Moira was murdered, she has made it her personal mission to bring the perpetrator to account and finally locate Moiras remains in order to bring some comfort to her family.

Moira Anderson was 11 when she disappeared from her home in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire

Alexander Gartshore, a child rapist, has been linked to her disappearance

In the process she has managed to have the case upgraded from a missing persons inquiry to a murder probe, while her investigations have led to two major searches being conducted at a cemetery and a canal.

Now, thanks to the continued publicity generated by her work, which has earned her an OBE, she is hoping a third search  this time of a long disused mineshaft  may ultimately crack the case and lead officers to Moiras whereabouts.

The zeal with which Mrs Brown has pursued her one-woman crusade is all the more astonishing, however, given that she is convinced beyond a shred of doubt that the man responsible is Alexander Gartshore  her own father.

Gartshore was the bus driver who picked Moira up that wintry day. He was also a predatory paedophile who was on bail at the time Moira went missing after being charged with raping his familys 13-year-old babysitter, a crime for which he later served two years in jail.

Not that anybody told his daughter, who was informed he was in a special hospital where children could not visit him and assumed he had suffered a mental breakdown.

In an interview with the Scottish Daily Mail, she said finding out years later what a monster he was felt like a grenade going off. She said: Its horrific. Part of me thinks Ive done all I can to right a wrong even though it wasnt me who was responsible for the wrong.

Her determination, some would call it an obsession, to solve the case has scored some notable achievements. She wrote a best-selling book detailing everything she uncovered about her fathers offending, which helped persuade prosecutors to take the unprecedented step in 2014 of charging Gartshore posthumously with Moiras murder.

But the final, vital piece of this desperately complex jigsaw  finding Moira - has eluded even her. Any hope of her father revealing where he buried her evaporated when Gartshore died in 2006 aged 85 in a Leeds hospital.

On his deathbed, he told his daughter that Moira was too bonnie for her own good and that the little girl had haunted him all his life. It was the closest he ever came to admitting he was responsible for one of Scotlands oldest and most disturbing murder mysteries.

From her bungalow in a smart Edinburgh suburb, where she lives with her engineer husband, Ronnie, Mrs Brown recalls vividly how Moiras story and her own life became inextricably intertwined. She was 16 when her father disappeared from her life, running off with a 20-year-old bus conductress. It was another 26 years later before she saw him again, at his mothers funeral. The encounter changed her life forever. By then, she had a successful teaching career, first as a primary school deputy head and then as a senior lecturer in childcare and health at West Lothian College. But, she was still angry about him abandoning his family and planned to confront him: I was determined to tell him a few home truths - and, resulting from that, he started talking about Moira Anderson, she said.

He was very sorry for himself and said that his own father had blamed him for Moira, but he said: Youre too young to remember that. Of course, I wasnt. I remembered Moira going missing very well. But until he had just implicated himself, I had no reason to think he would have had any connection. He told me he had been the last person to see her alive - that she had got into his bus.

As Mrs Brown reflected on her childhood, a litany of confused, uncomfortable memories suddenly became clear. Her father was a sexual predator in denial over his abhorrent behaviour, which included his involvement in a paedophile ring.

She also learned that her grandfather had even torn up floorboards in Gartshores home looking for Moira. And yet, he never shared his misgivings with police. The Christian part of me thinks he thought he was doing the right thing at the time, she said. It was about protecting the family name, but at the expense of another family.

It set her thinking that maybe her father was Moiras killer. Over the next few years, she collated a wealth of evidence on the mystery she remembered so clearly from her childhood. Almost everything pointed to her father as the culprit. Gartshore, a freemason in a lodge where many local policemen were also said to be members, had long been suspected of being a flasher in local parks. He was facing trial for raping a minor and yet detectives failed to properly investigate him as a potential suspect.

Sandra Brown at Old Monkland Cemetery in Coatbridge, where police exhumed a grave as part of the search

She, on the other hand, found she couldnt stand by. As a senior lecturer in child protection, I was asking students to confront issues of safeguarding and online grooming and so on. So it would have been a huge betrayal of what I was advocating to walk away when it happened with me.

Instead, she highlighted the shortcomings of the original investigation in an explosive book, Where There Is Evil, naming her father as Moiras killer. The books proceeds were used to set up the Moira Anderson Foundation, which remains dedicated to supporting child sex abuse victims.

A mother of two herself, Mrs Brown pushed hard for the case to be reinvestigated and in the early 1990s, detectives finally interviewed Gartshore in Leeds on suspicion of murder and allegations of sexual abuse. But with many of the original police files misplaced or destroyed, prosecutors dealt a crushing blow when they decided against bringing Gartshore, then in his 70s, to Scotland for further questioning and he remained a free man to his death.

In 1999, a year after the books publication, the next major piece of the jigsaw fell into place when one of Gartshores cronies, lorry driver and former church elder James Gallogley, died at the sex offenders unit at Peterhead Prison while serving a ten-year sentence for molesting girls. He left behind a signed confession, in which he is said to have claimed that he was present when Gartshore and another man abused Moira, and that her death was an accident.

He said that Gartshore had used chloroform to knock her out and, after abusing her, had thrown her into the boot space of the bus, which could be accessed from the back seat. Later, he is said to have checked on her and found her dead.

Whether the cold or the chloroform killed Moira, or whether her abusers had always intended to kill her, the statement rang alarm bells for Mrs Brown. She remembered the seat box in her fathers bus very well. And, for reasons she had never understood, he used to keep a bottle of chloroform on the kitchen window sill.

Sandra aged six with her father Alexander. She blames him for Moira's disappearance

Alexander Gartshore in the military in 1945. His daughter has written a book called Where There Is Evil

For several days, her father is said to have driven the bus with Moiras body hidden under the back seat before dumping it in a ditch temporarily until a more permanent solution presented itself.

The location, his daughter became increasingly convinced of through her research, was the Old Monkland Graveyard. Figuring that the perfect way to dispose of a body was burying it in a grave freshly dug for a funeral, she researched every burial there within a six-week window in early 1957 - between Moira's disappearance and her father's imprisonment for rape.

One seemed to fit perfectly. An 80-year-old Coatbridge man called Sinclair Upton, whom Gartshore knew vaguely, was laid to rest in the cemetery not long after Moira vanished. Could the girls body have been thrown in the open grave and hastily covered with earth on the night before Mr Uptons coffin arrived? If so, that would certainly explain why Gartshore had remarked enigmatically to a colleague a few years later that Old Sinky Upton had done him the greatest favour of all.

It took her six years to gather permission from Uptons relatives, and secure the backing of forensic experts; the court gave permission to exhume the grave in 2013, but Moira was not found. It was shattering news for Moiras two sisters, Janet Hart and Marjory Muir. I was gutted at the time because I felt so sure we would find her, said Mrs Brown. However, she later learned that only two-thirds of the sizeable lair, including Mr Upton and his wifes coffins, had been examined. They seemed to go down the route of saying, Once weve found Sinclair Upton and if theres no trace of Moira in his bit, well thats that. Its very frustrating, because I feel they should have done a thorough job by investigating the whole lair.

Further disappointment came in 2017, when police searched a 100m stretch of the local Monkland canal, after a witness stated that they had seen a man walking by the canal soon after Moira disappeared, carrying a large sack. The forensic team only found animal bones.

Police divers search a canal for missing Moira's remains in 2017. She vanished in 1957

Sandra Brown, whose story has been turned into an Audible podcast series

It seemed as though there was nowhere left to go, until Mrs Brown, now a grandmother of three, took part in a new six-part podcast, Coatbridge: The Disappearance of Moira Anderson. It threw up a brand new lead, after a credible source got in touch with police claiming they were told Moiras body may have been dumped in a long disused mineshaft.

Strangely, there is a connection to Sinclair Upton  who worked as a miner and was one of many regularly bussed to the pits near Coatbridge by Gartshore. Could it be that the favour Old Sinky paid Gartshore was to point out a disused mineshaft close to the bus route? Just an offhand remark on a bus, said Mrs Brown, but the perfect hiding place.

Of the roughly 200 old shafts around Coatbridge, she said there was one which fits the bill. She wont name the site for fear of alerting a stampede of amateur criminologists, but said: Its very feasible, because its close to Gartshores bus route and there would be enough lighting to see what theyre doing but not too much to draw attention.

All I can do is pray that if we get the go-ahead, the search will be thorough.

She said the site is close to a former childrens home from which some children may have been taken by Gartshore and others she suspects were involved in a paedophile ring. If they used it for Moira, how do we know they didnt use it for some of the kids who were reported as just runaways but never seen again? she said. Her investigations suggest that in the early 1960s the ring may have included a young Fred West, who moved to Coatbridge in 1963 with first wife, Rena Costello, who was from the town and later became one of his many victims. What we cant argue with is that for a time, my father and Jimmy Gallogley and Fred West all were in Coatbridge and a stones throw from each other. But that was after Moira.

For now, her focus is on securing permission to unseal the mineshaft which was capped decades ago. Detective Superintendent Colin Hailstones, of Police Scotland said Moiras case remained open, adding: Any new information we receive will be fully assessed and investigated.

Time, though, is running out for Moiras sisters to learn the whole truth  Mrs Hart is 81 now and Mrs Muir is 78.

It is absolutely vital that we find Moira, said Mrs Brown. None of us are getting any younger. My family need closure, I need closure, but most of all Moiras sisters need closure.
A ceasefire in Gaza began today after two years of devastating war - following Israels overnight approval of President Donald Trumps peace plan aimed at halting the bloodshed and securing the release of remaining hostages.

At noon local time (10am BST), the guns finally fell silent as Israeli troops began withdrawing to new defensive lines under the fragile truce and thousands of displaced Palestinians began making their way back to Gaza City.

Extraordinary images showed huge crowds walking across bombed-out wastelands towards what remains of their homes in the ruins of the besieged strip.

The pause marks the most dramatic step yet in efforts to end a conflict that has ravaged Gaza and destabilised the Middle East.

But the deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will govern Gaza once the fighting stops.

Under the plan, a transitional committee of Palestinians and international experts would run the territory, overseen by a new Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump.

Hamas and other militant groups would be banned from any role in government, and all weapons, tunnels, and military infrastructure would be dismantled under independent supervision.

The Israeli military has said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time (10am BST), and that troops are withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines. Pictured: Palestinians who were displaced to the southern part of Gaza at Israel's order during the war return to Gaza City

The pause marks the most dramatic step yet in efforts to end a conflict that has ravaged Gaza and destabilised the Middle East

But the deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will govern Gaza once the fighting stops. Pictured: Israeli tanks arrive at a gathering site after withdrawing from the Gaza Strip

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An international stabilisation force would train vetted Palestinian police and help secure Gazas borders alongside Egypt and Jordan.

Yet, with Hamas already vowing to keep its weapons, and Israel insisting on full demilitarisation, the question of who will control the wasteland remains unanswered.

Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, warning that Hamas must still meet Israels demands for disarmament and security guarantees.

The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time (10am BST), and that troops are withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines.

'IDF: The Ceasefire Agreement Came Into Effect at 12:00,' the military said in a statement.

'Since 12:00 (0900 GMT), IDF troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines in preparation for the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.'

The announcement came after Palestinians reported heavy shelling Friday morning in Gaza , hours after Israel 's Cabinet approved President Donald Trump 's plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of the remaining hostages and of Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time (10am BST), and that troops are withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines. Pictured: Palestinian's attempt to return to the north of Gaza following the ceasefire

Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, warning that Hamas must still meet Israels demands for disarmament and security guarantees

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office early Friday said the Cabinet approved the 'outline' of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial

Pictured: Palestinians walk along a street amid the rubble of destroyed buildings during a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

After the Cabinet approval, Gaza residents reported intensified shelling well into Friday morning

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office early Friday said the Cabinet approved the 'outline' of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.

Netanyahu also threatened that Israel would return to war if his demands are not met 'the easy way.'

'Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized,' he told reporters. 'If this is achieved the easy way, great. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way.'

An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the withdrawal, said the military would control around 50% of Gaza in their new positions.

After the Cabinet approval, Gaza residents reported intensified shelling well into Friday morning.

In central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Sharkawy, one of the many people sheltering there after being displaced from Gaza City, said artillery shelling intensified in the early hours.

In central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Sharkawy, one of the many people sheltering there after being displaced from Gaza City, said artillery shelling intensified in the early hours

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on the northern part of the Israel-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, 10 October 2025, despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas under the first phase of the Gaza peace plan

Israeli soldiers stand near their tanks along the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages

'The shelling has significantly increased today,' said Sharkawy, adding that low flying military aircraft had been flying over central Gaza.

In northern Gaza, two Gaza City residents told The Associated Press that bombing had been ongoing since the early hours, mostly artillery shelling.

The managing director of Shifa hospital, Rami Mhanna, said the shelling in southern and northern Gaza City had not stopped following the Israeli Cabinet's approval of the ceasefire plan.

'It is confusing, we have been hearing shelling all night despite the ceasefire news,' said Heba Garoun, who fled her home in eastern Gaza City to another neighborhood in the city after her house was destroyed.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he said were the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and Israeli forces withdrawing.

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Palestinians walk through a damaged neighborhood in the aftermath of an Israeli operation, after Israel's government ratified a ceasefire with Hamas, in Gaza City October 10

Some Palestinians walk on foot along Rashid Street, carrying the few belongings they manage to save, as they hope to go back to their homes after enduring harsh living conditions for months in Gaza City

A smoke plume billows following Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip as pictured from across the border in southern Israel on October 10, 2025

Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

'We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,' Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.

To help support and monitor the ceasefire deal, U.S. officials said they would send about 200 troops to Israel as part of a broader, international team.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release.

It comes as The International Committee of the Red Cross Friday said all releases of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners called for in the Gaza ceasefire agreement should be carried out 'safely and with dignity'.

The Israeli government said Friday it had 'approved the framework' of a hostage release deal with Hamas, as both sides edged closer to ending more than two years of hostilities in Gaza.

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric hailed the plan, which calls for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 47 hostages remaining in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.

'The ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas must mark a turning point in two years of unimaginable horror,' she said in a statement, stressing that it 'offers a vital chance to save lives and ease suffering'.

The ICRC chief insisted that 'the coming days are critical'.

'I urge the parties to hold to their commitments. Release operations must be carried out safely and with dignity,' she said.

ICRC teams in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank would 'support its implementation by helping to return hostages and detainees to their families', she said, adding that they were 'also ready to help return human remains so families can mourn their loved ones with dignity'.

The Geneva-based humanitarian organisation has said it had facilitated the release of 148 hostages and 1,931 detainees since October 2023. It has also facilitated the return of human remains.

Previous transfers of hostages in the war have sparked anger in Israel, following chaotic scenes during the handovers as Hamas paraded hostages before crowds.

Spoljaric's comments came a day after Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Berosian stressed that Israel was 'expecting the handover of our hostages to be conducted with respect and decorum by Hamas'.

There would be no tolerance for hostages being 'paraded around' as in the past, she said.
A migrant appeared to laugh at French police as they tried to stop him from boarding a small boat to the UK, as at least 70 people took off across the channel towards Dover.

A picture taken on the beach in Gravelines on Friday morning shows a mansmiling as he runs away from a French cop who appears to be spraying him with a substance.

Around 100 men and women gathered on Gravelines beach in northern France today hoping to cross the English Channel.

As they began to head for a dinghy in the water, some collided with cops who used pepper spray to try and stop them.

At least 70 people made it to the boat and were pictured as they departed the French beach.

The shocking scenes on the French coast this morning comes after it was revealed yesterday that Labour has removed 26 small boat migrants since the launch of its 'one in, one out' deal with Macron - while more than 10,000 have reached Britain.

The Home Office confirmed 19 people who arrived by small boat have been sent back in the last week,bringing the total removed to France to 26 since the launch of the programme.

A migrant appeared to laugh at French police as they tried to stop him from boarding a small boat to the UK on Friday morning

A French police officer chases people thought to be migrants on the beach in Gravelines, France, and sprays them with a substance. Picture date: Friday October 10, 2025

Around 100 men and women gathered on Gravelines beach in northern France today hoping to cross the English Channel

As part of the deal agreed with French president Emmanuel Macron's government in the summer, a further 18 migrants have come from France to the UK.

Meanwhile, 10,040 small boat migrants have reached Dover by small boat since the scheme launched on August 6.

It included 1,075 on Wednesday this week alone, the third highest number so far this year.

It brings the total since the start of the year to 35,476, up 33 per cent on the same period last year.

The total number of small boat migrants to have reached Britain since Labour came to power now stands at 58,718.

Wednesday's huge number of Channel arrivals was the fourth day so far this year to top 1,000.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour is swindling the British public.

'This is just a massive con.

At least 70 people made it to the boat and were pictured taking off across the channel towards Dover

People thought to be migrants wade into the sea to board a small boat in Gravelines

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'Since the deal became operational over 10,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel and Labour have removed a mere 26.

'This will obviously not deter anyone.

'We need to leave the European Convention on Human Rights which will enable us to deport people in days - this would be a real deterrent.'

But Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood trumpeted the numbers removed from Britain under the new deal with France.

'The contrast couldn't be clearer. The last government's Rwanda scheme took years and cost hundreds of millions of pounds, and failed to forcefully remove a single person,' she said.

'In a matter of weeks, we've returned 26 through our historic agreement with France.

The Home Office released images of migrants being sent back to France - the first time they have used a charter flight for removals under the scheme.

People thought to be migrants react to being sprayed with a substance by a French police officer on the beach in Gravelines

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Dozens have died in recent years trying to cross one of the world's busiest shipping lanes in overcrowded dinghies.

People traffickers have begun using deadly 'mega dinghies' to send migrants on their perilous journey across the Channel.

At the end of last month one of the massively overloaded inflatables - at around 40ft - was photographed on the Channel for the first time.

The British government intends to increase the number of people being sent back under the pilot agreement, which runs initially until June next year.

Labour claims the 'one in, one out' scheme will undermine people traffickers' tactics and 'smash the gangs' by persuading would-be migrants that crossing the Channel may be fruitless.

However, the programme has been slow to take off after being mired in legal difficulties and even when fully up and running is expected to remove only around 50 migrants a week.

The all-time record for daily arrivals is 1,305, set on September 3, 2022.
Celebrity SAS hardman Ant Middleton is being sued by military chiefs for spilling special forces secrets, it has been reported.

The Ministry of Defence is understood to be taking legal action over an alleged breach of contract against the former special forces soldier, who later turned to reality TV with his SAS: Who Dares Wins series.

However, a source revealed it was not connected to his time on the show but related to a series of social media posts about his time in the special forces.

Legal papers have been lodged with the High Court by military chiefs on Wednesday, with the case listed as Ministry of Defence vs Middleton.

'Special Forces contracts were changed some years ago to include a non-disclosure clause,' a source told the Sun.

'This is an extremely rare move for the MoD to take. The action doesn't relate to his TV appearances or books or work as an honorary cadet Captain.

'It is focused on a series of social media posts about the Special Forces.'

Mr Middleton appeared to hit back against the MoD, writing on X: 'An organisation so secretive that can't keep a secret! I smell cow s**t.

'It's been compromised for a while now. Sad but true! I'll sort this s**t show out soon enough!'

The Ministry of Defence is understood to be taking legal action against the former special forces soldier Ant Middleton, who later turned to reality TV with his SAS: Who Dares Wins series

Contracts for special forces members were changed by the MoD after the Bravo Two Zero best-sellers by Andy McNab and Chris Ryan, who gave accounts of their time in Iraq during the First Gulf War in 1991.

Both soldiers had already left the force before the MoD brought in a confidentiality agreement for special forces soldiers in 1996.

The former SAS soldiers-turned authors voluntarily submitted manuscripts to the MoD for vetting, due to concerns about inaccuracies and the potential impact on national security.

An MOD spokesperson said: 'We can confirm ongoing proceedings around contractual procedures.

'We will not comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.'

The Daily Mail has approached Mr Middleton for further comment.

Earlier this year, Mr Middleton doubled down on his pledge to go head-to-head with Sadiq Khan to become the next Mayor of London.

The Afghanistan veteran hinted at going into battle against political veteran Mr Khan, saying the under-fire mayor 'has to go' because London is 'one of the murder capitals of the world'.

And in February, Mr Middleton, who joined Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the party's treasurer, billionaire Nick Candy, for Donald Trump's inauguration, wrote on X: 'I will be mayor of London, let me reassure you! It is truly only a matter of time...'

Having been sacked from his role as chief instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins? in 2021 over a series of controversial tweets, Mr Middleton appears to be eager to try his hand in politics as he pledges to 'cleanse' London's blood-soaked streets.

Middleton suggested that it would take him just six months to make London 'the most secure place on the planet'.

He told his followers that he will 'bleed' for London and 'save' the capital. 'I will not rest until London is ours again,' he wrote amongst a string of tweets on X.

Mr Middleton's push to become mayor comes after Mr Khan secured a historic third term in May 2024, seeing off his main Tory rival Susan Hall by a majority of nearly 276,000 votes.

It means that Mr Khan, who first became Mayor of London in 2016, will stay in power at City Hall until at least 2028.

Earlier this year, Mr Middleton doubled down on his pledge to go head-to-head with Sadiq Khan to become the next Mayor of London

This summer, Mr Middleton was reportedly forced to put the five-bed Essex property on the market after business debts left him facing bankruptcy.

This comes after we reported earlier this year how Ant finally sold his sprawling family home for 1.35million.

Mr Middleton and his wife Emilie, also 44, purchased their swanky rural home in 2019 for 1.16million and have now reportedly sold it with a nice profit, though it didn't met their initial asking price of 1.5million.

The sale of the couple's matrimonial home had been reported in a liquidation update for Mr Middleton's company Sway and Starting.

It was recently reported that Mr Middleton, a father-of-five, was banned from being a company director after he failed to pay his taxes.

Ant, previously the boss of Sway and Starting Limited along with his wife Emilie Middleton, allegedly left large amounts unpaid despite making more than four times the money over the same period.

In total, the company didn't hand over more than 1million in tax but continued to welcome 4.5million into its accounts, 'indicating it had enough money to pay the tax it owed in full', the Government's Insolvency Service said.

The statement added: 'Both the directors failed to ensure the company paid more than 300,000 in VAT and over 800,000 in corporation tax between 2019 and 2022.

'This was despite more than 4.5 million being paid into the company's accounts from 2020 to 2022.

'The pair had also taken out almost 3 million from the company in the form of a director's loan account by the time the company went into liquidation in December 2022.

'Ant Middleton later agreed to repay 300,000 of the director's loan as a full and final settlement with the liquidator.'

The Middletons have been subsequently banned as company directors for four years.

Mr Middleton formed the company in September 2019, with his wife becoming a director in May 2019.

Previously known as Middleton Global Limited, Sway and Starting was set up to manage income from Ant's television and media work and is described as offering media representation services.
One of the world's most unpopular leaders has been removed from office after a late-night vote yesterday.

Peru's Congress voted to remove the country's embattled president, Dina Boluarte, after a premiership characterised by accusations of corruption, protests and rising levels of violent crime.

The ousting was met with approval by an overwhelming majority of lawmakers, with 122 out of 130 members of Congress voting to pass four articles of impeachment.

The 63-year-old leader's less than three year presidency was overshadowed by numerous allegations of corruption including the so-called 'Rolexgate' scandal which saw Boluarte accused of accepting Rolexes as bribes.

Scandals as well as soring crime rates led to the congress removing her on the grounds of 'permanent moral incapacity'.

Peru's first female president has been dubbed one of the world's most unpopular leaders, with an abysmal approval rating fluctuating between two and four percent. For reference, Keir Starmer has an approval rate of 30 percent according to a YouGov poll.

Speaking after her removal Boluarte told the nation: 'At all times I have called for unity,' adding: 'In this context, I had not thought of myself but of the more than 34 million Peruvians who deserve better.'

While scandals and investigations have crippled her popularity, surging crime figures also undermined her time in power.

The 63-year-old presidency was overshadowed by numerous allegations of corruption including the so-called 'Rolexgate' scandal which saw Boluarte accused of accepting Rolexes as bribes

Images show a mass execution by a gang that took place in a gold mine in Peru's Pataz

Peru is the second largest producer of cocaine in the world with submarines carrying more than a ton of cocaine often traveling north

In recent years, Peru has seen a drastic surge in crime, hitting the highest number the country has seen in almost a decade. Homicides rose 137 percent between 2018 and 2024, extortion soared 370 percent between 2021 and 2023, and illegal gold exports reached record numbers.

Official figures released in August reveal that between January and mid-August 2025, at least 6,041 people were killed - the highest death toll for that period since 2017.

There were also nearly 16,000 extortion cases recorded between January and July, a 28 percent increase compared to the previous year.

It is possible that these statistics are far lower than the actual figure, as victims are often too scared to come forward for fear of reprisal.

Political instability, high unemployment and difficulty policing much of the country's areas, makes the nation an easy place for criminal groups to operate.

As a result, Peru is a particular hotspot for sexual slavery, illegal organ trafficking, extortion and slavery. It is also the second-largest producer of cocaine in the world.

Before her ousting, Boluarte partly blamed situation on illegal immigration, claiming that previous administrations had allowed foreign criminal networks to take root in Peru.

Demonstrators show their delight at former President Boluarte impeachment by taking to the streets of Lima

Boluarte faced opposition from the very start of her time in office with more than 500 protests over her rule in just the first three months

'This crime has been brewing for decades and has been strengthened by illegal immigration,' Boluarte said during a military ceremony on Wednesday.

'Past administrations opened our borders and allowed criminals to enter without restriction.'

She now follows in the footsteps of her predecessor Pedro Castillo, who was impeached after he attempted to dissolve Peru's Congress in to avoid his own removal back in December 2022, promoting Boluarte's own rise to power.

Boluarte's ejection comes ahead of planned elections in April.
JK Rowling has mocked lawmakers in a Canadian city after they apologised for hosting a 'transphobic' Harry Potter-themed event due to her views on gender.

Officials on the Vancouver Park Board 'disavowed' the gender critical author and claimed they had made a mistake in approving the city's Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience.

The attraction is still due to run at Stanley Park next month but has faced criticism from LGBTQ groups due to its association with the writer, with some claiming the walk would enrich Rowling and cause harm to trans residents.

One transgender campaigner argued Ms Rowling was 'one of if not the most single influential person on earth leading the charge against transgender rights', while another said the author had 'consistently amplified negative messages about transgender individuals'.

Vancouver city commissioner Scott Jensen became visibly emotional and choked back tears as he apologised, saying he had been 'really moved' by their words and recognised 'the lived experiences' and 'hurt' the community had suffered.

But Edinburgh-based writer Ms Rowling, 60, appeared to be less sympathetic as she made light of her disavowal with a post on X last night, joking that it would take her years to recover.

'To be honest, I didn't even know Vancouver Parks and Recreations had avowed me, so the disavowal hasn't been much of a blow,' she wrote.

'Next time, send me a certificate of avowal, wait until I've proudly framed it, hung it over my PC and taken a selfie with it, then revoke it.'

Responding to a comment on her post, Rowling added: 'With time, therapy and the support of my family, I anticipate that I'll be able to hear the words "Vancouver Parks and Recreations" without suffering a serious breakdown within two to three years.'

JK Rowling (pictured) has mocked authorities in Canada after they apologised for hosting a 'transphobic' Harry Potter-themed event due to her transgender views

The Forbidden Forest Experience was due to be held on November 7 at Stanley Park

A motion by commissioner Tom Digby, which urged the Vancouver Park Board to officially apologise for hosting the event, passed by unanimous vote on Tuesday.

The motion also requested that the Vancouver Park Board instruct staff to report back and confirm that the attraction will run for only one season, with no extension or renewal.

In his motion Mr Digby wrote: 'Deep concerns about the event have arisen because the original author of Harry Potter, JK Rowling, has, since at least used her platform and the wealth gained from the Harry Potter franchise to fund and amplify anti-transgender political campaigns, and her actions have caused harm to trans communities worldwide, including here in Vancouver.

'The potential negative effects on an important part of our community by the decision to host the Harry Potter event in Stanley Park opening in November 2025 has called into question the reputation of the Park Board.'

Rob Hadley, a member of the city's 2SLGBTQ advisory, rejected the argument that the event was in celebration of the books and movies, not the author.

Meanwhile, Ky Sargeant, a representative from the queer organisation Qmunity, told the board: 'I don't know if there's anything that can be said that will make people happy. But I do know there is a lot that can be said that will make it much worse.'

Several commissioners claimed they were unfamiliar with Rowling's political activism when they approved the attraction, which is run by Harry Potter film studio Warner Bros.

Vancouver city commissioner Scott Jensen agreed with members of the group when he made a tearful apology for the event earlier this week.

He became emotional as he addressed voiced their concerns at a Park Board meeting, telling them: 'I've been really moved by your words [...] the lived experiences, the hurt, so on behalf of myself I do apologise.'

Vancouver city commissioner Scott Jensen became emotional as he apologised over a 'transphobic' Harry Potter event due to take place in the city

Rob Hadley, a member of the city's LGBTQIA+ advisory council, said Harry Potter author JK Rowling's anti-trans sentiments made it inappropriate for the event to go ahead

Ky Sargeant, a representative from the queer organization Qmunity, also addressed the commissioners

Rowling has endured a backlash after voicing concerns over the dismissal of biological sex in favour of focusing on gender identity, to the detriment of women's rights, but she has denied being transphobic.

She first aired her views on Twitter in the summer of 2020, also revealing in an essay that she had been a victim of domestic violence and abuse in her first marriage.

Earlier this week she suggested she may fund future legal action against SNP ministers after they were accused of 'stalling' on 250,000 owed to feminist campaigners.

The Scottish Government has yet to pay the legal costs awarded to For Women Scotland (FWS) last April after it challenged a flawed Holyrood law at the Supreme Court.

FWS director Marion Calder said: 'They just don't want to settle in case we use the money to sue them again.'

In response Rowling wrote on X: 'That plan has a rather large flaw. Me.'

Last month, the author also accused Harry Potter actress Emma Watson of being 'ignorant of how ignorant she is' after criticising Rowling's gender critical stance.

Ms Rowling has 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'.

But she has never previously made such a personal criticism of the woman she made famous.

JK Rowling with Emma Watson at the world premiere of Deathly Hallows in 2011

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 focused 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'.

It is not the first time Ms Rowling has hit out at the Harry Potter actors, who have each commented in opposition to her views on transgender issues, while expressing their gratitude for her role in their careers.

She appeared to aim a jibe at them in April, when sharing on her X account a response to another user who asked: 'What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?'

The writer responded: 'Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.'

Ms Rowling claims to have been vindicated by the Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act referred to biological sex, not acquired gender.

She wrote on X at the time: 'Trans people have lost zero rights today, although I don't doubt some (not all) will be furious that the Supreme Court upheld women's sex-based rights.'
A woman screaming 'I will not be silenced' has staged a dramatic protest outside a Massachusetts courthouse after a judge dismissed child rape charges against her father.

Businessman Aneudy Neo Gonzalez, 44, was arrested in May on four counts of rape of a child and indecent assault of a child.

The Bristol County District Attorney's office on Thursday downgraded the statutory aggravated rape of a child charge to a count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to The Fall River Reporter.

In addition to the downgraded charge, Gonzalez faces two indecent assault and battery charges for a child under 14 and a charge of inducing a person under 18 to have sexual intercourse, as well.

His estranged daughter Aleciana Gonzalez, now 23, has repeatedly alleged that her father raped her when she was four years old, however no charges were ever brought forward in connection to her accusations.

The recent case against Mr Gonzalez stems from allegations made by a separate alleged victim, whose identity is protected under state law.

Supporters of his daughter gathered outside of the Fall River courthouse Thursday to protest the dismissal of the charges.

'Protect children, not rapists! I will not be silenced!' an outraged woman chanted over and over again as Gonzalez exited the court and climbed into an SUV.

Other protesters were heard shouting 'justice for Aleciana!' and 'protect our children!' as the vehicle transporting Gonzalez drove away.

Aneudy Neo Gonzalez, 44, has been charged with indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. He also faces two indecent assault and battery charges for a child under 14 and a charge of inducing a person under 18 to have sexual intercourse

Supporters of his estranged daughter Aleciana Gonzalez gathered outside of the Fall River courthouse Thursday to protest his probable cause hearing. Aleciana is not associated with Mr Gonzalez's current case

Gonzalez, 44, was taken into custody in Florida, where he currently resides, in May this year and extradited to Massachusetts, where the alleged crimes are said to have occurred.

His alleged victim claims to have been raped and assaulted by Gonzalez when they were 10 years old, the The Fall River Reporter previously reported.

The alleged assault was reported to District Attorney Thomas Quinn's office in 2017, when the accuser was 11, but the DA declined to press charges.

The victim and their family filed another report last December detailing alleged assaults that they say occurred in 2013 and 2017.

The district attorney's office, following the 2024 report, charged him with four counts of rape of a child and indecent assault of a child.

He was arrested, brought back to Massachusetts and arraigned in June. He has since been freed on a $10,000 cash bail. His passport was seized and he is not allowed to leave the state.

The charges were downgraded at his probable cause hearing Thursday, according to the newspaper. Bristol Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Czapiga, who notified the judge of the changes, is said to have spoken with the victim ahead of the hearing.

Gonzalez is scheduled to be back in court on December 4 for a pre-trial conference.

After the Bristol County District Attorneys office this morning dropped rape charges against Aneudy Neo Gonzalez, a licensed attorney and city businessman arrested in May on a child sexual assault case, his estranged daughter, Aleciana Gonzalez screamed and followed him to a pic.twitter.com/zmdlZGD6jf  Fall River Reporter (@FallRiverReport) October 9, 2025

Mr Gonzalez and Bristol Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Czapiga (pictured) both graduated from UMass Dartmouth Law School in 2015, a local newspaper reported. The pair were reportedly in the same graduating class of just 58 students

Although Ms Gonzalez is not associated with the current case, her family still showed up at the courthouse to demand justice.

'Demanding justice is our first step toward revealing the truth,' the Justice for Aleciana Facebook page wrote as they urged supporters to join their protest.

'Your presence matters,' the group added, noting: 'We are STRONGER together.'

Mr Gonzalez is reportedly a co-founder of elder care company Mass Care Link, which was established in 2013.

He is also a licensed lawyer and graduated from UMass Dartmouth Law School in 2015.

He and Czapiga were reportedly in the same graduating law school class of just 58 students.

'I completely believe in Mr. Gonzalez' innocence,' his attorney Sam Sutter said Monday, in a statement to The Daily Mail.

'There is a reason why the District Attorney's office did not press charges against Mr. Gonzalez in 2017, when these allegations were first made against him. And there is a reason why the District Attorney's office reversed its position about this case eight years later.

'No new evidence surfaced with respect to these allegations during that eight-year period. The explanation for this will come out as the case moves forward, and it will reflect upon Mr. Gonzalez' innocence.'

Sutter added: 'In spite of humble beginnings, Mr. Gonzalez pushed forward with his education and became a lawyer, and then a success in business. There is a lot of resentment against him from those who are wrongfully accusing him. That will also come out as this case moves forward to resolution.'

The Daily Mail also approached Bristol County District Attorney's Office for comment, but has not yet heard back.
An Oregon lawmaker who continued to work while battling late-stage cancer has passed away at age 41.

Representative Hoa Nguyen died Thursday morning surrounded by her loved ones, Oregon House Democrats confirmed.

In her final weeks, Nguyen regularly showed up at the State Capitol to cast her vote on legislative matters while receiving treatment.

On September 1, she shared a photo of herself sitting in the House chamber wearing a face mask and head covering as she voted to pass a transportation funding package.

'Even as I navigate Stage 4 cancer, I remain committed to representing District 48,' Nguyen captioned the post.

She was first elected to represent District 48, which includes Damascus and East Portland, in 2022.

Nguyen represented her district 'with extraordinary dedication' and wanted to make the state 'a just, equitable, and compassionate place.'

'She has inspired countless Oregonians, and her legacy will live on in the children, families, and communities she fought for,' Oregon House Democrats said.

Oregon Representative Hoa Nguyen (pictured in September), 41, died after battling Stage 4 cancer while continuing to work in her final weeks

She was first elected in 2022 and Oregon House Democrats said she represented her district 'with extraordinary dedication'

She was born to Vietnamese refugees in Louisiana, where her father owned a convenience store, according to The Oregonian.

Her family moved to the Portland area when she was a teenager, and she received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Portland State University.

'Rep. Hoa Nguyen was her ancestors wildest dreams - a powerful voice, a bridge builder, and a fierce advocate for families and survivors,' said fellow Democrat Rep. Annessa Hartman.

'She led with wisdom, grace, and an unwavering commitment to lifting others as she rose.'

She went on to serve as a David Douglas School Board member, and worked as a Student and Community Engagement Specialist at the Clackamas Education Service District.

'Rep. Nguyen embodied the best of public service: fierce in her advocacy, compassionate in her approach, and steadfast in her belief in the power of community,' said House Speaker Julie Fahey.

'Her legacy will live on in this chamber and in every classroom she fought so hard to support.'

Nguyen was a beloved member of the state legislature, and colleagues from both parties shared heartfelt tributes after her passing.

In her final weeks, Nguyen (center left) continued to work on legislative matters while receiving treatment

She was a beloved member of the state legislature and described by her colleagues as 'a powerful voice' and 'fierce advocate'

'We bonded over our love of weightlifting but more importantly, over wanting what was good for Oregon and finding a way to work across the aisle with friendship,' said Republican Rep. Bobby Levy.

'I was lucky enough to also share my faith with her as we became friends and as her illness progressed, we prayed together often. I will miss her laugh and the way she was always so upbeat the most.'

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek also released a statement to KPTV praising Nguyen's dedication and commitment to public service.

'Hoa had an undeniable commitment to bettering the lives of the students and families in East Portland and Oregon. She dedicated her life to public education with passion and purpose,' Kotek said.

'My heart is with Representative Nguyens family, friends, colleagues, and the constituents she represented. It was an honor to work with her. She will be deeply missed.'
A motorcyclist was left with critical injuries after being run over by a police car he was fleeing in Georgia.

The driver, who is from Alabama and goes by DancingMoto on social media, caught the heart stopping moment he was crushed by the cruiser earlier this week.

A camera attached to his helmet showed him speeding down the two-lane highway during torrential rain with a cop car hot on his tail.

The biker swerved around the first patrol car, but clipped the passenger-side fender of the one in front of it.

He was ejected from his vehicle and slid across the slick pavement on his back.

As he lay in a crumpled heap on the ground a third police car plowed into him leaving him crushed.

DancingMoto, who has nearly 1million followers, can be heard yelling through his helmet: 'You'll hit me! You'll hit me!' before crying out in pain.

An officer quickly came toward him and appeared to drag him out from under the vehicle.

An Alabama man, who goes by DancingMoto on social media, filmed the moment he was run over by a police car earlier this week

The biker was speeding along a Georgia highway in the rain when he tried to out maneuver a fleet of cop cars

He crashed into one of the vehicles and was thrown from his bike to the ground where a third police car ran over him

'Be still, be still,' the officer told him as he continued to scream in pain.

It is unclear why the Alabamian was fleeing police.

He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition, a GoFundMe revealed.

'The crash left him with extensive, life-threatening injuries, and his condition remains uncertain as doctors work around the clock to help him pull through,' it read.

'Those who know DancingMoto know the kind of man he is, strong, passionate, and full of life. Hes the one who always shows up for others, bringing light, laughter, and heart wherever he goes.'

The fundraiser has raised more than $6,000 of its $24,000 goal. The money will go toward his recovery and medical costs.

DancingMoto, who appeared to be wearing a t-shirt and pants at the time of the crash, suffered road rash on his left shoulder and arm and had a neck brace on in photos of him in the hospital.

The Daily Mail has reached out to DancingMoto and the Georgia State Police for comment.

He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition

DancingMoto, who appeared to be wearing a t-shirt and pants at the time of the crash, suffered road rash on his left shoulder and arm and had a neck brace on in photos of him in the hospital

Pictured: The damage to his bike after the crash

DancingMoto has 943,100 followers on TikTok and nearly 500,000 on Instagram.

He is known for posting dancing videos of him with his helmet on, wearing an array of clothing from cosplay costumes to Hello Kitty pajamas pants.

He keeps a mysterious profile, never revealing his face to his followers.
A California retail magnate must pay more than $1.4 million in fines after installed a gate at his mansion to block off access to a public beach.

John Levy has been ordered to remove the fence after a years-long debate with the California Coastal Commission over a host of alleged permit violations.

The gate prohibits access to a dirt road which leads to the stunning Buena Vista Lagoon and the ocean near Carlsbad, California, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

It is located at the beginning of a long, paved driveway leading up to Levy's $2.8 million custom-built two-story home.

However, the ruling from the commission stipulates that the gate must be removed

Levy, 73, was the successful founder of Reflex Corp, a pet supply manufacturer that raked in sales up to $3 million a year until his retirement, according to LA Times.

Buena Vista Lagoon is a freshwater lagoon in Southern California 35 miles north of San Diego.

On October 9 commissioners claimed that the gate was on the property line of a nearby condominium complex.

Retail tycoon John Levy is being fined more than $1.4 million over a gate that blocks public beach access among other violations

John Levy has owned a two-story property in Carlsbad for more than 25 years

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Laws associated with the land dating back to 1983 required that it remain open to allow access to the beach.

Debate between Levy and the commission over public beach access, unpermitted construction, and habitat preservation requirements has rumbled on for years.

He claimed that the blocked trail 'goes nowhere' and that encouraging public access to the lagoon would also encourage trespassing, homelessness, and vandalism.

Levy gave local lifeguards the gate code so that they could patrol the city-owned beach nearby.

The retail tycoon lives in New Zealand most of the year, but addressed the commission via Zoom.

'This is a 29-year-old matter,' he said. 'I am not blocking public access.'

However the commission disagreed and he was ultimately slapped with a $1,428,750 fine for a series of violations related to the home's use as a wedding venue.

Levy offered up the property, called Levyland, to couple's for use on their big day.

Levy used rented out his property for weddings and events and called it Levyland, which brought in more complaints from neighbors and the city

His home sits near Buena Vista Lagoon, which is a freshwater lagoon 35 miles north of San Diego

However, he wound up the service after a series of noise complaints from neighbors and noise and light violations with the city.

Some of the violations were linked to construction on the wedding venue after Levy was accused of removing native plants to create parking.

Officials also alleged that he added a pickleball court without a permit and installed a locked pedestrian gate on a public Department of Fish and Wildlife trail.

'I had no idea my property was being used for unpermitted activities,' Levy said.

Levy was operating under two competing permits.

One from the Coastal Commission that stipulated that the land on which his gate sits maintained public beach access.

The second was issued by the city when he built his home. It held different requirements and stipulated that his gate would not change existing public access, according to The Coast News.

Reports from the city state that an entrance to the same beach 500 feet away provided adequate, unobstructed access.

The weddings led to noise and light violations so Levy put a stop to them

Levy received complaints from the commission over removing native plants to pave extra parking spaces

Levy accused the California Coastal Commission of ignoring the city's permits

Levy said that his private property was no longer part of the land in the initial permit and that the California Coastal Commission was ignoring the city's allowances.

'This entire process is about the Coastal Commission attempting to erode private property rights, and I will not allow it to happen on my watch,' he said.

But the commission disagreed and slapped Levy with the mammoth fine.

The Daily Mail reached out to Levy and the California Costal Commission for comment.
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On a rainy afternoon, Nurse Comfort John rushed to cover patient files with plastic bags as water dripped steadily through the leaking roof of Sabon Gayan Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Kaduna. "Sometimes, we have to move patients around when the rain gets heavy," she sighs, pointing at the damp walls of the ward. For many residents, this facility was meant to be a lifeline but now feels more like a broken promise.

Sabon Gayan PHC, located in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA), is a Level 2 health facility under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). It was built to provide maternal care, immunisations, and other essential services to surrounding rural communities.

However, despite its recent commissioning, the centre remains incomplete, the toilet block is abandoned, the roofs leak, and there is no reliable electricity or water supply. On average, dozens of patients seek care monthly, but with poor infrastructure and only a handful of staff, many go home unattended.

The leaking roof of the newly constructed PHC is already in need of renovation. Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

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Pregnant women often travel long distances to other facilities, a dangerous gamble in emergencies.

According to Nurse Comfort, the officer-in-charge, "the community's transformer was stolen, and we have not had light since then. We also do not have a generator. The rain damaged our solar panels, and we must fetch water from the well outside the facility."

The facility also lacks some basic amenities. Medicines, beds, neonatal equipment, and even a properly equipped labour room are all absent. Comfort explained that even the toilet facility was abandoned because the contractors claimed government funding was insufficient.

Uncompleted toilet facility at the PHC. Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Abubakar Mohammed, the Public Relations Officer of the Ward Development Committee (WDC), highlighted the pressure on the few available workers. "There are only three health workers here, and they must attend to so many patients. Sometimes patients go home without being treated because of the crowd. This worsens their condition and discourages others from seeking care."

PHC Sabon Gayan's incomplete state leaves the community exposed to avoidable risks. The lack of water, electricity, medical supplies, and sufficient staff undermines healthcare delivery, especially for women and children. Despite being under the BHCPF, the centre is far from meeting its purpose of improving health outcomes.

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The unfinished PHC in Sabon Gayan exposes the community to avoidable risks. Despite being a BHCPF facility, inadequate funding and mismanagement have left residents vulnerable. These gaps reflect systemic weaknesses the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Strategic Plan (2023-2027) seeks to address, particularly under its goal to revitalise PHCs for equitable and quality healthcare.

To save lives in Sabon Gayan, the facility must be completed, equipped, and staffed. Government and stakeholders should urgently

Complete the facilities building and fix leaky roofs,

Provide steady electricity and water, and

Employ more health workers.

"Without a functional PHC, our people remain at risk," said Abubakar. "Fixing this facility is not just about a building, it's about saving lives."
A Nevada city councilwoman is facing backlash after using a bodyguard to block a journalist from questioning her about alleged inconsistencies in her background.

Monica Larson, councilwoman of Henderson's Ward 2 district, a suburb of Las Vegas, has been accused of lying about being a licensed clinical forensic psychologist.

Larson denies the allegations and has repeatedly described herself as a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist, including on her active X account.

Public records cited by 8NewsNow show Larson is a psychological associate in California, a precursor to earning a license to practice as a psychologist.

Amid allegations that she is not a licensed psychologist in either California or Nevada, the outlet confronted Larson in person to ask her about her professional qualifications.

Footage of the interaction earlier this week showed Larson tell a reporter to 'have a good day' as she was peppered with questions about whether she was actually qualified.

Larson had her bodyguard physically block the reporter and a cameraman as she leaned into her car to turn on her ignition, before ignoring questions as she walked around the vehicle to make a hasty getaway.

The outlet criticized the exchange as a missed opportunity for Larson to answer allegations about her record, saying she 'answered no questions and provided no clarity' while her behavior 'only raised questions'.

Nevada city councilwoman Monica Larson is facing backlash after using a bodyguard to block a journalist from questioning her about alleged inconsistencies in her background

Larson has been accused of lying about being a licensed clinical forensic psychologist, allegations that she denies

Following the on-camera clash, Larson's office released a scathing statement condemning the outlet and insisting she did not lie about her credentials.

'Dr. Monica Larson completed her extensive academic studies and successfully defended her dissertation, earning her title as doctor,' the statement read.

'Dr. Monica Larson worked for years under the license of psychologist Dr. Ekerette Essien. Dr. Larson voluntarily cancelled her registration to be licensed in the state of California as she was relocating to Nevada and retired from psychology.

'Your attempt to invalidate Dr. Larsons academic credentials, slander her name, and stalking her is continued harassment.'

Essien told the outlet that Larson worked under his license and described her as a 'star'.

8NewsNow also confirmed that Larson volunteered with the California Sex Offender Management Board from 2014-2015, but maintained its allegation that she only ever achieved the status of Psychological Associate.

The outlet alleged that her registration expired in 2018, but Larson continued to characterize herself as fully qualified in public.

The hostile interaction with Larson's bodyguard also led to questions about why the city councilwoman has a security detail and who is paying for it.

Footage of the interaction showed Larson tell a reporter to 'have a good day' as she was peppered with questions about whether she was actually a licensed clinical forensic psychologist

The journalist criticized the exchange as a missed opportunity for Larson to answer allegations about her record, saying she 'answered no questions and provided no clarity' while her behavior 'only raised questions'

Larson, seen with actor Adrien Brody, released a scathing statement condemning the exchange with the journalist as 'harassment' and insisting she did not lie about her credentials

A city spokeswoman said that bodyguards are not provided by the city, and 'any security arrangements made by individual members of Council are done in their personal capacity.'

The Nevada Secretary of State's office clarified that Larson is within her rights to hire bodyguards using campaign funds, so long as they do not fall under 'personal use' and are for her elected office.

'Nevada law doesnt explicitly prohibit the use of campaign funds being used for a personal security detail,' the office said.

'There may be some exceptions  for example, if a candidate was a celebrity and would need personal security regardless of their campaign for office, then payment for their standard security expenses would likely count as 'personal use' per NRS 294A.011. The use of campaign funds for personal use is prohibited.'
The great aunt of Madeleine McCann told a jury she was 'stunned' when an alleged stalker attended the family's annual vigil - and insisted there was 'no way' she was the missing toddler.

Janet Kennedy was giving evidence in the stalking trial of Julia Wandelt, who bombarded Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, with phone calls, letters and messages after insisting she was their daughter  and even confronted the couple at the family home in Rothley, Leics, to demand a DNA test.

Prosecutors say the 24-year-old carried out a 'well-planned campaign of harassment' against the McCanns that lasted almost three years, and was later joined by 'supporter and confidante' Karen Spragg, 61, who adopted her bogus claims 'with gusto'.

Wandelt's alleged actions also included unwanted attempts to contact Madeleine's younger twin siblings, Amelie and Sean McCann, who are now 20, via social media  and attending a vigil in Rothley in a bid to speak to the family.

Giving evidence at Leicester Crown Court today, Mrs Kennedy said she had been close to the McCanns since they moved to the East Midlands area, and used to babysit Madeleine and the twins.

The pensioner also arranges the annual vigil in the centre of their home village which takes place every year on May 3 to mark the anniversary of her disappearance.

She added that last year, Kate and Gerry 'unusually' didn't attend as they were away on a break  but that at the end of the service, she was approached by the minister of the Baptist church where the vigil had been held to say someone was there who 'wanted to speak to a family member'.

Wandelt confronted her and gave her an envelope with information 'that would prove she was Madeleine' when she appeared at the vigil on May 3 last year.

Mrs Kennedy told the jury: 'She said that she was Madeleine and that she was sorry that the McCanns weren't there, but she wished me to give them some information and she presented me with an envelope with information in that would prove she was Madeleine.

'I was rather stunned by her approach. I looked at her and thought "she is not Madeleine". There's just no way she could be Madeleine at all.

'I think one's recognition of someone is something that is intuitive. You just know the person. The essential person that Madeleine is  was  was not there.

Madeleine McCann (pictured) disappeared while on a family holiday in Portugal's Algarve at the age of three in 2007, in one of the most widely reported missing child cases in history

Polish national Julia Wandelt (pictured), 24, is accused of stalking Kate and Gerry McCann for almost three years

Kate and Gerry McCann, pictured at the annual prayer vigil in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire, to mark the 18th anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine

'Even though Madeleine was nearly four when she was abducted and now I'm now meeting someone 17 years later, the essential person would still be recognisable  even though the years had moved on.

'Over the years since Madeleine has been abducted, there have been a lot of comments, people talking to me on the phone, and coming to the village.

'And when Julia said she was Madeleine and I looked at her and the pallor of (her) skin, and (she is) Polish, there are distinct differences, and the eyes as well - the eyes didn't look like Madeleine's eyes. So I couldn't accept that.'

Prosecutors allege Wandelt, from Lubin in south-west Poland, peddled the myth that she was Madeleine  who went missing in Portugal in 2007  while stalking the girl's parents by sending emails, making phone calls and turning up at their address.

Mrs Kennedy said Wandelt was 'insistent' and had a 'determination' about giving her the envelope, and said the Polish national had been 'dismissive' when she suggested taking it to the police.

Mrs Kennedy added: 'On the other hand, she was somebody I had not met before. I did not know her state of mind. I was a bit apprehensive but tried to stay courteous and calm.

'I think it was just being confronted by the person who's claiming to be someone that I know she wasn't.

LISTEN: The Trial of the 'McCann Stalkers'. Listen to the latest on this Daily Mail podcast

Karen Spragg, 60, pictured arriving at Leicester Magistrates Court earlier this year

Madeleine McCann is seen beaming in a family photo before her disappearance in 2007

'I could see the repercussions of this because there had been, before this, some media attention given to her  this was yet another upsetting experience that the family would have to go through.'

Mrs Kennedy told the court that she took the letter and kept it until Mrs McCann, who refused to read it, felt 'ready to be able to look at it'.

The court heard that Wandelt didn't threaten Mrs Kennedy verbally or physically, but that her manner was 'insistent'.

She added: 'She handed out the envelope and insisted I give it to them. There was a kind of determination about it. 'I think she was clearly upset that Kate and Gerry were not present. I think she had maybe built herself up so she was able to talk to them, and was maybe disappointed they weren't there.'

The witness continued: 'Eventually, it would have been towards the end of that year, I did dispose of it  I tore it up.

'By this time Julia was visiting the house and bombarding Kate and Gerry with emails and phone calls  it was becoming insistent and frequent.'

Asked what set Wandelt apart from other people who claimed to be Madeleine, Mrs Kennedy added: 'To the best of my knowledge I think she is the only one who has pursued it to the extent she has.

'I think they felt they really couldn't be sure what the outcome would be in terms of their own personal safety.

'Certainly it has been very traumatic, the last year or so.'

Mrs Kennedy went on to describe herself as a 'confidante in many ways' to her niece,  adding: 'She is like a daughter to me'.

Kate and Gerry McCann shortly after their daughter's disappearance

The court heard Wandelt and Spragg had allegedly considered following Mr and Mrs McCann to a restaurant to steal any cutlery they used to get DNA that would 'prove' Wandelt was really Madeleine

She said of the interaction with Wandelt at the vigil last year: 'I think she built herself up that she would have been able to talk to them (the McCanns). I did not feel in any way threatened by her.'

Reverend Robert Gladstone, the vicar of Rothley Parish Church, also met Wandelt at the vigil and said he 'instantly' ruled out the fact she could be Madeleine.

He told the court: 'From what I know of Kate and Gerry and having seen Sean and Amelie grow up, I don't know polite word to use - but physically she bore no resemblance to the McCann family and I didn't see how she could be related.'

The jury later heard from Det Con Mark Draycott, who worked on Operation Grange  the Met Police's investigation into Madeleine's disappearance - between 2011 and March this year.

He said he first spoke to Wandelt in 2022, when she called a hotline from a psychiatric hospital to say she was the missing youngster and then emailed in a photo and a series of points that 'proved' her case.

The detective subsequently called her back to 'reassure her she was not Madeleine McCann'.

Det Con Draycott said he told Wandelt they had 'been over materials and used professional expertise to confirm she was not Madeleine', adding: 'She was very grateful for the call and was relieved she was not Madeleine McCann.'

However, he was forced to speak to her again two years later at the instruction of Det Ch Insp Mark Cranwell  the senior investigating officer of Operation Grange - after learning she had attended the vigil and was claiming once more to be Madeleine.

He told the court: 'She was told in no uncertain terms she was not Madeleine McCann, and her DNA would not be sent off for testing.

'She was given advice but would not accept it and vowed to carry on her belief that she was Madeleine.'

Karen Spragg, who is also on trial, is pictured arriving at Leicester Crown Court

She is accused of turning up at Gerry and Kate McCann's Leicestershire home with co-accused Julia Wandelt (pictured), 23, a Polish woman who has claimed to be the couple's missing daughter Madeleine

It is alleged she made unwanted contact with the McCanns, turned up at their address and sent letters, calls, voicemails and WhatsApp messages, which amounted to stalking. Pictured: Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann

However, a recording of the call was made by Wandelt, and subsequently published on a true crime YouTube podcast.

It was also played to the jury, with Det Con Draycott heard to tell her: 'All I am going to say is what I said back in 2022 - you are not Madeleine McCann, ok?

'I know that is hard to hear and I know you have been told this by many people, but you have to accept we have worked on this investigation since 2011.'

Wandelt then became upset when the officer told her her DNA hadn't been sent off for testing because 'we can't spend public money on something like that'.

She responded: 'I remember many things. I don't know how you can say I am not Madeleine without any testing.'

But Det Con Draycott said: 'We know you are not Madeleine, and you're not the first person We are happy, we are satisfied that you are not Madeleine McCann.

'You're one of many, I am going to say, hundreds of people that say they are Madeleine McCann.

'You have had treatment for many years for mental health treatment.

'You have got to accept you having loving parents and family back home. They are your family. You are not Kate and Gerry's daughter.

'There is nothing else I can say. I know I am not going to change your mind.'

The detective was then heard to warn Wandelt that she could be arrested for harassment if she visited Rothley again.

Det Con Draycott said in 2022 there were just four detectives on Operation Grange. He described the team as very small.

Under cross-examination from Tom Price KC, defending Wandelt, he said they quickly decided she was not Madeleine after studying photos she sent them and comparing them with the missing girl and 'assessing the information she sent through'.

He added: We were already aware of the condition in Madeleine's eye.

We were able to make that professional opinion relating to that.

The experts said it wouldn't have faded in that time. The medical expertise is that it couldnt move and couldnt fade. We had already worked on facial recognition.

Det Con Draycott said in 2022 there were just four detectives on Operation Grange. He described the team as very small.

Under cross-examination from Tom Price KC, defending Wandelt, he said they quickly decided she was not Madeleine after studying photos she sent them and comparing them with the missing girl and 'assessing the information she sent through'.

He added: We were already aware of the condition in Madeleine's eye.

We were able to make that professional opinion relating to that.

The experts said it wouldn't have faded in that time. The medical expertise is that it couldnt move and couldnt fade. We had already worked on facial recognition.

Wandelt and Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court Road in Caerau, Cardiff, both deny one count of stalking.

The trial continues.
A Florida wife who is accused of killing her husband before getting pregnant in jail by a fellow inmate was caught in a shocking lie on police bodycam footage, prosecutors said.

Daisy Link, 30, is currently on trial for the 2022 death of her husband, Pedro Jimenez, who was shot dead.

In bodycam footage, shown in court on Thursday, the distraught wife was heard screaming: 'Pedro, what happened?' while officers attempted to save the man's life, NBC Miami reported.

Officers found the mother screaming for help in an alleyway in Homestead.

She told police: 'Dont move. I see a hole from the back and a hole from the front  he was shot in his leg,' bodycam footage showed.

Prosecutors are now claiming that Link, who later became pregnant in jail, misled investigators and pretended to find her husband injured in the back alleyway.

'I just saw him laying there,' she had told police.

She later admitted to shooting him in the leg, prosecutors said.

A neighbor told police that he had seen her pacing outside her home 'upset' around the time of the shooting, investigators testified.

Bodycam footage shown in court on Thursday appeared to show Daisy Link lying to officers about shooting her husband

Prosecutors are now claiming that Link, who later became pregnant in jail, misled investigators and pretended to find her husband injured in the back alleyway

Daisy Link, 30, is currently on trial for the 2022 death of her husband, Pedro Jimenez, who was shot dead

Link's team is arguing that Jimenez was an abusive and dangerous man and she acted in self-defense.

Link's attorney, Antonio Tomas, told jurors that the shooting was the result of years of abuse, and said Link tried to leave the relationship a number of times to escape him.

'She did everything she could to get away from this man,' Tomas said. 'The evidence will show he was out of control, unhinged, and dangerous.'

Tomas added that five days before Jimenez was shot, Link claimed to have been pistol-whipped by him during an argument.

Separate footage first shared by NBC6 appeared to show Link calmly walking away from the scene through a park after shooting her husband.

She could be heard telling him: 'I think I hit a major artery, youll be fine.'

Prosecutors said this week as her trial began that she shot Jimenez out of 'rage'.

They said Jimenez was not attacking her at the time and that he was running away from her 'in fear for his life.'

Pictured: Link seen crying in court on Monday

Link was seen crying in court when the bodycam footage was shown to jurors.

She faces life in prison if convicted of the murder of her husband.

The mother made headlines after it emerged she had become pregnant with the baby of an accused killer.

Joan Depaz passed his semen to her through vents at the prison she was being held at while awaiting trial.

Link went on to give birth to a daughter, who is living with Depaz's mother.

The inmate is reportedly still in touch with Depaz, who was sent to another prison, and they see their daughter over video chats.

The pregnancy confounded Link's family, who initially claimed she was sexually assaulted and demanded an internal investigation until an investigation found that she was actually impregnated by Depaz.

The two had never met face-to-face and when asked if they ever even touched, Depaz told WSNV: 'Never, like the Virgin Mary.'

The couple explained that Depaz passed his semen through the air conditioning vents in their cells.

Link (left) was impregnated by fellow accused murderer Joan Depaz, 23, (right) in solitary confinement

'You would knock on it and you can hear the people from the different floors,' Link said. 'You would stand on the toilet and actually to be able to talk to them.'

The two inmates began a romantic relationship through the vents, passing notes and photos back and forth.

'Being in isolation for so long, you begin to spend hours and hours talking to this person, you know, to the point where it's almost as if you're in the same room as them,' Link explained.

Eventually, Depaz shared his dream of someday having a baby.

'I'm not gonna get to do that for a really long time,' he said he remembers telling Link. 'So if I had to choose somebody, you know, it would be you.

'And she was like, "Yeah, we could do that."'

Link said she went ahead with the plan because they were both facing uncertain futures at trial, and felt that, 'if we're gonna go out, might as well just go out with a bang, you know?' she said.

The couple then devised a plan in which Depaz would pass his semen to Link, using a chain of beading.

Their baby was born on June 19 and is now in the custody of Depaz's mother

'I put the semen in Saran Wrap every day like five times a day for like a month straight,' Depaz recounted.

'He would kind of like roll it up almost like a cigarette and he would attach it to the line that we had in the vent, and I was pulling it through,' Link added.

She explained she inserted the semen using a yeast infection applicator.

Link said it only took a few times before she became pregnant, and when she found out she was with child, she said she was 'very excited' and 'ecstatic'.

'I can't believe it worked,' Link said. 'I think everything happened for a reason. She's a miracle baby. She's a blessing.'

'She could be anything,' Link said of her baby girl. 'I think that she's gonna be something great.'
A tsunami alert has been issued in the Philippines after a new 6.5-magnitude earthquake rocked the nation.

The earthquake, which had a depth of 10km, struck the southern region of Mindanao, on Friday, triggering tsunami warnings just hours after a previous alert was lifted.

Authorities warned of life-threatening waves while people in coastal areas have been strongly urged to immediately evacuate to higher ground and to move further inland.

Earlier on Friday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the disaster-prone country, killing at least two people and sparking coastal evacuations.

The quake hit about 20km off Manay, also in Mindanao, at 9:43am (1.43 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey, triggering regional tsunami warnings.

One person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city, the largest population hub near the quake's epicentre, police said.

Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning and ordered evacuations of coastal communities on the country's eastern seaboard deemed at risk from waves of up to three metres high.

A tsunami alert has been issued in the Philippines after a new 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit the country as people are told to immediately evacuate to higher ground

Earlier on Friday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the disaster-prone country, killing at least two people and sparking coastal evacuations

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later lifted its alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia at around noon, saying 'there is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake'.

A government event at the city hall was thrown into chaos as 'the people panicked, they screamed and ran,' Wes Caasi, a local official in Tagum city, northwest of Manay, said.

He said he saw city workers scrambling down a 202-metre-high metal Christmas tree they were decorating when the quake struck.

Students and workers poured out of schools, office buildings and shopping malls when the earthquake struck.

So far, the tremors seem to have caused minor and scattered damage.

Power and communication lines had been severed and authorities were struggling to assess the damage in some areas, Dianne Lacorda, a police officer in Davao Oriental province, said.

The provincial government suspended classes 'until further notice' and had sent non-essential public workers home.

Christine Sierte, a teacher in the town of Compostela near Manay, said she was in the middle of an online meeting when the violent shaking started.

'It was very slow at first, then it got stronger.... That's the longest time of my life. We weren't able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong,' she said.

The earlier quake triggered tsunami warnings after it hit about 20km off Manay, also in Mindanao, at 9:43am (1.43 GMT)

'The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured,' she said, adding that some of the school's approximately 1,000 students 'suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing'.

Kath Cortez, a local journalist based in Davao city to the west of Manay, said that small cracks had appeared in the ground floor walls of her family's home.

'I was surprised by the strength' of the quake, she said, adding that members of her family ran out of the house.

Around the same time as the Philippine quake, USGS reported a shallow 6.2 magnitude tremor just over 140 kilometres southeast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Another quake struck on Tuesday near the Papua New Guinea's second-largest city of Lae. No major damage was reported.

The latest Philippine quake struck 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude one killed 74 people and destroyed or damaged about 72,000 houses in the central island of Cebu.

Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
President Donald Trump claimed the Israel and Hamas peace deal would bring an everlasting peace to the Middle East, where residents have been dancing in the streets celebrating the anticipated end to the two-year-long war.

'On Monday the hostages come back,' the president said triumphantly on Friday evening, characterizing the deal as an 'everlasting success.'

He also asserted that not only that Gaza would be rebuilt, but 'the entire Middle East' as part of the process -- and claimed the rehabilitation of the war zone would be paid for by investments from neighboring Middle Easternstates.

'I can tell you that I saw Israel dancing in the streets, but they were dancing in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and UAE, and many, many countries,' the Republican stated, adding that officials in Iran, Russia, Egypt, Qatar were also eager to support the deal.

The Israeli military announced on Friday that the ceasefire is now in effect across Gaza city.

Israel's government approved the deal last night as thousands of Gaza citizens now roam the war-torn city. Israeli forces pulled back in accordance with the deal approved by the government.

The next phase of the ceasefire includes a 72-hour period where Hamas will release the remaining living hostages along with the bodies of the deceased. In exchange, Israel will free up to 2,000 Gaza prisoners as part of the deal.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in his televised remarks last night that is not likely all the bodies of the deceased hostages will be recovered.

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'On Monday the hostages come back,' the president said triumphantly. He also noted how not only Gaza will be rebuilt, but 'it's going to be the entire Middle East'

But the deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will govern Gaza once the fighting stops. Pictured: Israeli tanks arrive at a gathering site after withdrawing from the Gaza Strip

Meanwhile, Trump also shared that he will be speaking to the Knesset, or the Israeli parliament, on his trip, which will also include a stop in Egypt.

The president announced the breakthrough on his Truth Social platform yesterday by quoting from the Gospel of Matthew: 'Blessed are the peacemakers.' Even before a deal had been signed, he was looking forward, saying that 'Iran wants peace', and ending the war in Ukraine was 'going to happen' next.

Trump told his cabinet: 'The whole world has come together for this. People who didn't like each other, neighboring countries. This is a moment in time.

'We reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza. An everlasting peace.'

He added: 'It's really peace in the Middle East. You remember October 7 was terrible, but from the Hamas standpoint, they've probably lost 70,000 people. That's big retribution. At some point, that whole thing has to stop.'

Trump  expected to be feted as a hero when he visits the region on Sunday  used the force of his personality to broker the deal.

The President's 20-point peace plan  hammered out in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh along with negotiators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey  was achieved despite America refusing to follow the lead of Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron in controversially recognizing a Palestine state.

Securing the return of the hostages comes at a price, though, with Israel agreeing to release 2,000 Hamas prisoners. The country's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich branded the deal 'short-sighted', adding: 'There is immense fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders who will do everything to continue to pour rivers of Jewish blood here.'

Trump pledged Hamas disarmament as part of the second phase, with hardline Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to topple Mr Netanyahu's government unless the promise is followed through.

Under the plan, a transitional committee of Palestinians and international experts would run the territory, overseen by a new Board of Peace chaired by Donald Trump.

Hamas and other militant groups would be banned from any role in government, and all weapons, tunnels, and military infrastructure would be dismantled under independent supervision.

Netanyahu has warned Hamas that they must keep with the demands of the peace plan by enacting a full disarmament

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office early Friday said the Cabinet approved the 'outline' of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial

However Hamas has vowed to keep its weapons despite Israel insisting on full demilitarization, the question of who will control the region remains unanswered.

Earlier today, Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, warning that Hamas must still meet Israels demands for disarmament and security guarantees.

Under Mr Trump's plan, 400 trucks a day of humanitarian aid will start entering Gaza. A UN aid spokesman said: 'Let's get the hostages out and surge aid in  fast.'
A man has died after having his head torn off by a bear while picking mushrooms in a Japanese forest.

Local police said that the man, who was in his 70s, went missing on Wednesday after going into the woods to harvest mushrooms in the northern region of Iwate before his body was discovered by a search party.

Japanese news outlet IBC said the body was found with its head and torso separated, leading authorities to believe the man had been attacked by a bear.

The horrific attack is the latest in a spate of suspected bear confrontations.

In a separate instance this week, the body of another man in his 70s was found in the same Japanese region.

Authorities suspect the unnamed man was 'attacked by a bear based on scratch marks', a police officer told AFP.

More and more wild bears have been spotted in Japan in recent years, even in residential areas, due to factors including a declining human population and climate change.

The official death toll due to bear attacks has risen to six for the fiscal year starting April 2025, matching a record high seen in 2023, according to the environment ministry.

A man has died after having his head torn off by a bear while picking mushrooms in a Japanese forest. File photo shows a brown bear in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, Japan

This photo taken early on November 10, 2023 shows a sign warning people about bears in the area, near the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture

But in the last week there have been three fatal suspected attacks, which would push fatalities to an annual record if the cause of death is confirmed as a bear.

Also, in the central prefecture of Nagano, the body of a 78-year-old man with multiple claw marks was found on Saturday.

While police highly suspect they died in bear attacks, the cause of death is still under investigation.

Between April and September 103 people nationwide suffered injuries caused by bears, according to the environment ministry.

On Tuesday, an agitated bear roamed the aisles of a supermarket in Gunma, north of Tokyo, injuring two men and frightening shoppers.

The store is close to mountainous areas, but has never had bears come near before, Hiroshi Horikawa, a management planning official at the grocery store chain, told AFP.

A Spanish tourist on Sunday was attacked by a bear at a bus stop in scenic Shirakawa-go village in central Japan.

Among the latest confirmed fatalities was a woman in her 70s who died last week while picking mushrooms in northern Miyagi region with three friends, one of whom is missing.

Back in August, a hiker died after being attacked by a bear and dragged into a forest.

The victim, who was in his 20s, tried to fight off the large animal but was pulled into the nearby woods with his legs bleeding profusely, according to local media outlets, including the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.
President Donald Trumps top man in the Department of Homeland Security was investigated for sexually harassing a lower-ranking female colleague after he canceled her hotel room so they would be forced to share a room together.

Politico reported on Thursday night that White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, Paul Ingrassia faced a probe over a July business trip with other DHS staffers to Orlando, Florida.

Upon arriving at the front desk Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, an unnamed lower-ranking female colleague was informed she did not have a room. Ingrassia then told the staffer she would be staying with him, according to Politico who cited five administration officials familiar with the event.

The woman later learned that Ingrassia, 30, had personally stepped in to have her hotel room canceled ahead of their arrival so she would have to stay in his room, Politico reports. At first, she declined Ingrassias offer, but eventually relented to avoid causing a public scene.

The pair, who knew each other before working for the Trump administration, slept in separate beds in the same hotel room for the remainder of the trip.

Ingrassias attorney claims his client did not make any last minute changes to the hotel reservations and denied any wrongdoing. Regardless, the two did end up sharing a room, resulting in an official investigation that has rocked the upper echelons of the Trump administration.

Following the Florida debacle, White House Personnel Director Sergio Gor revoked Ingrassia's federal employee badge and access to DHS headquarters. However, he is now back to working inside the building.

The Daily Mail reached out to the White House for comment.

White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, Paul Ingrassia, was investigated for sexual harassment of a lower-ranking female DHS staffer during a July business trip to Orlando, Florida

The incident reportedly occurred at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando

Ingrassia, a longtime Trump loyalist and conservative activist, is the presidents nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel

The female colleague later filed a human resources complaint against Ingrassia, but retracted it days later out of fear of retaliation, three administration officials told Politico.

However, the female complained to other administration that INgrassia was making her feel uncomfortable following the incident and it was preventing her from doing her job.

Mr. Ingrassia has never harassed any coworkers  female or otherwise, sexually or otherwise  in connection with any employment, Ingrassias attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, told Politico.

The attorney acknowledged that Ingrassia and the woman shared a hotel room, but noted that no party engaged in inappropriate behavior.

The woman later told the outlet that she never felt uncomfortable regarding Ingrassias actions and denied making an HR complaint.

A colleague misjudged the situation and made claims of alleged harassment that are not true, the woman said in a statement. There was no wrongdoing.

Politicos report notes that a career official filed the first complaint against Ingrassia regarding the incident, but the woman later wrote her own complaint before retracting it. Also included in her HR complaint was a request that Ingrassia speak to her in a more professional manner.

Ingrassia, a longtime Trump loyalist and conservative activist, is the presidents nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel. If his nomination goes through, Ingrassia would control the office responsible for federal employee whistleblower complaints and discrimination claims.

Throughout the nomination process, Republican senators have raised concern about Ingrassias lack of experience and partisan background.

Ingrassia is in charge of managing political appointees within Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security

In his current role as White House liaisons for Homeland Security, Ingrassia manages the departments political appointees as well as controls the greenlight for hiring additional personnel. Ingrassia is the link between the White House Presidential Personnel Office and DHS.

Initially, Ingrassia was the White House liaison in the Department of Justice, but was moved out of the role following an ABC report stating he told DOJ appointees they had to be loyal to Trump.
A protester who was fined for burning a copy of the Koran while shouting 'f*** Islam' has won an appeal against his conviction.

Hamit Coskun, 51, was found guilty earlier this year of a religiously aggravated public order offence after he set fire to the book outside the Turkish consulate in London.

But, backed by free speech campaigners, he successfully appealed against the conviction, with a judge finding in his favour at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

Coskun said he burned the Koran to highlight how Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's constitutionally secular government had become an 'Islamist regime'.

During the protest in February, he was attacked by a knifeman and has since been assaulted near his home.

Overturning the conviction, Mr Justice Bennathan said: 'There is no offence of blasphemy in our law.

'Burning a Koran may be an act that many Muslims find desperately upsetting and offensive.

'The criminal law, however, is not a mechanism that seeks to avoid people being upset, even grievously upset.

Hamit Coskun (pictured) was found guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court of a religiously aggravated public order offence and fined 240 after he burned a Koran

During the protest, Coskun was attacked by a knifeman. The attacker, Moussa Kadri, 59, was given a suspended sentence last month

'The right to freedom of expression, if it is a right worth having, must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb.'

Referring to Coskun's conduct outside the Turkish consulate earlier this year, Mr Justice Bennathan told Southwark Crown Court: 'This was clearly political speech or conduct.

'Insulting conduct is not sufficient and we should be careful not to read down the words we are considering.'

Mr Justice Bennathan also mentioned the fact that Coskun's actions were not directed at a person or people in particular.

'We live in a liberal democracy,' the judge continued.

'One of the precious rights that affords us is to express our own views and read, hear and consider ideas without the state intervening to stop us doing so.

'The price we pay for that is having to allow others to exercise the same rights, even if that upsets, offends or shocks us.'

He added: 'The criminal courts will interfere to protect people.

'A person who acts so as to cause harassment, alarm or distress to another may commit an offence.'

The court previously heard that Coskun travelled to London on February 13 and positioned himself outside the Turkish Consulate in Rutland Gardens in Knightsbridge.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick (left) walks with Coskun outside Southwark Crown Court yesterday

He then set light to a copy of the Koran and shouted 'Islam is the religion of terrorists' and 'The Koran is burning'.

During the protest, a man who emerged from a nearby building slashed at him with a bread knife, later telling police he was protecting his religion.

The attacker, Moussa Kadri, 59, was given a suspended sentence last month.

Turkey-born Coskun, who is half-Kurdish and half-Armenian and lives in England, had his legal case funded by the National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union.

He said he had come to this country to 'be able to speak freely about the dangers of radical Islam', adding he is now 'reassured' that he is 'free to educate the British public about my beliefs'.

In a statement following the ruling, Coskun said: 'I want to thank the Free Speech Union, the National Secular Society, all my lawyers, the MPs who have supported me and the judges for the decision today.

'I came to England, having been persecuted in Turkey, to be able to speak freely about the dangers of radical Islam.

'I am reassured that - despite many troubling developments - I will now be free to educate the British public about my beliefs.'

The Free Speech Union hailed the ruling, saying it sends a message that 'anti-religious protests, however offensive to true believers, must be tolerated'.

Coskun (centre) arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court, central London, in February

Lord Toby Young of Acton, director of the union, which helped fund Coskun's legal case, said: 'We're delighted.

'Had the verdict been allowed to stand it would have sent a message to religious fundamentalists up and down the country that all they need to do to enforce their blasphemy codes is to violently attack the blasphemer, thereby making him or her guilty of having caused public disorder.

'Instead, the Crown Court has sent the opposite message - that anti-religious protests, however offensive to true believers, must be tolerated.'

Meanwhile, the Free Speech Union added in a statement on X: 'The Free Speech Union is delighted that Hamit Coskun's appeal has been successful.

'Hamit was convicted under the Public Order Act for burning a copy of the Koran during a lawful protest against the rise of political Islam and authorities in Turkey under President Erdogan's regime.

'The court conflated his political protest against Islam with hatred of Muslims, effectively reviving blasphemy law by the back door. '

Coskun's appeal case was attended this week by shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick.

He said while he did not agree with what Coskun had done, he didn't think 'it was a crime'.

Mr Jenrick and other campaigners had argued the prosecution and conviction was akin to blasphemy being reintroduced 'by the back door, inadvertently, by our court service'.

Blasphemy laws were abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and in Scotland in 2021.

In Northern Ireland such laws date back to the early 19th century and, while rarely used, blasphemy and blasphemous libel remain offences.

Coskun's trial in June saw him convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court of a religiously aggravated public order offence. He was fined 240.
Sir Keir Starmer had access to a dossier of evidence showing that China was a threat to UK national security prior to the collapse of a spying case, it has been claimed.

Former ministers said the security services had prepared a dossier of evidence with 'hundreds' of examples and case studies that proved China was a threat.

Last month, a case was dropped against 30-year-old Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and 33-year-old Christopher Berry, a teacher.

The two men were accused of spying for Beijing and were charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in April last year under the Official Secrets Act 1911. They both denied the charges.

There has been a bitter fallout following the collapse of the case, with growing questions over Downing Street's role.

The Prime Minister has maintained that because the last Tory government didn't designate China as a threat to national security, his administration could not provide evidence to that effect.

Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), said this was required to meet the threshold for prosecution.

He has blamed ministers for failing to provide the crucial evidence needed to proceed, saying the CPS had tried 'over many months' to gather material.

Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp - who was a Home Office minister between October 2022 and July 2024 - said there were multiple files on the threat China posed to national security at the time of the alleged offences.

It came amid claims that Jonathan Powell, Sir Keir's national security adviser, suppressed a major Whitehall investigation into China after lobbying from the Treasury.

Sir Keir Starmer had access to a dossier of evidence showing that China was a threat to UK national security prior to the collapse of a spying case, it has been claimed

Jonathan Powell, Sir Keir's national security adviser, is reported to have suppressed a major Whitehall investigation into China after lobbying from the Treasury

The Times reported that evidence detailing a 'compilation of Chinese activity' was used by the Home Office in an attempt to convince other Whitehall departments of the need to designate China a national security threat.

The document is said to have included intelligence about Chinese digital and conventional espionage activities targeting Britain's critical national infrastructure.

In an article for the newspaper, Mr Philp wrote: 'The Government has multiple internal documents and reports on the threat China posed to national security in the 2021-23 period.

'I have spoken to colleagues who served as relevant ministers then, and they have told me these documents exist Starmer's Government could have disclosed these documents to the CPS, in private if needed.

'But it chose not to. It instead destroyed the prosecution by refusing to provide the evidence the CPS needed - evidence the Government clearly has in its possession.'

He added: 'The DPP is calling out the Government. Keir Starmer's excuse is that the previous government did not publicly categorise China as a threat to national security.

'There is no delicate way to say this: what the Prime Minister said is totally untrue  and anyway it is not the legal test.'

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper this morning declined to say whether she had seen a dossier outlining China as a threat to Britain's national security.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme whether she had seen such a document while previously serving as home secretary, she responded: 'We know China poses threats to UK national security.'

'I am deeply frustrated about this case, because I, of course, wanted to see it prosecuted.

'But ministers were not involved in any of the evidence that was put to the CPS or the CPS's independent decisions.'

Asked whether China was a 'friend or foe', Ms Cooper had earlier told LBC: 'We've been clear, there's a whole series of security threats that have come from China, for example, things like transnational repression, for example, things like cyber threats and attacks and industrial espionage, and so on.

'They are also, of course, an important trading partner, and also they're somebody that we need to work with on things like climate change.

'But where there are national security threats, we need to take them immensely seriously and respond to them, and we continue to do that.'

Speaking at a press conference in India on Thursday, Sir Keir said he 'can be absolutely clear, no ministers were involved in any of the decisions since this Government's been in, in relation to the evidence that's put before the court on this issue'.

He said: 'The evidence in this case was drawn up at the time and reflected the position as it was at the time.

'And that has remained the situation from start to finish. That is inevitably the case, because in the UK you can only try people on the basis of the situation as it was at the time.

'You can't try people on the basis of situation as it now is or might be in the future.

'And therefore, the only evidence that a court would ever admit on this would be evidence of what the situation was at the time.'

The PM added: 'The evidence was the evidence as it then was, that's the only relevant evidence, and that evidence was the situation as it was under the last government, the Tory government, rather than under this Government.

'It's not a party political point. It's a matter of law. You can only try someone on the basis of the situation as it was at the time of the alleged offence.

'You can't try them on the basis of the situation as it might evolve, weeks, months, years down the line. That's a fundamental and that's at the centre of this particular issue.'

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Powell decided in June that the Government would not publish details about espionage from the Foreign Office's 'China Audit'.

His decision came after Treasury officials said releasing information from the 'comprehensive' analysis of China's influence in Britain could damage trade and investment links, according to the newspaper.

The China Audit, which examined the extent of the UK's relationship with Beijing, recommended increasing the Government's ability to engage with the Asian superpower while increasing 'resilience' against the risks posed by the country amid increasing spying, interference and attempts to undermine the economy.

A Government spokesman said the China audit was not published in detail because much of its content was classified.

'In June we published a summary of the audit, which was conducted at a higher security classification and consistent with our Five Eyes partners,' the spokesman said.

'The specific details of the audit could not be published without damaging our national security interests.'
Universities are facing growing strike threats amid brutal job cuts equivalent to almost 15,000 jobs.

The University and College Union (UCU) is set to ballot its members for strike action to demand that the employer body, the UCEA, halts redundancies and gives professors a fair pay offer.

It is also demanding that the UCEA joins it in resisting Reform's right-wing anti-immigration agenda and Labours attacks on international students.

Explaining the decision to ballot its 65,000 members, UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said: These job losses are not minor, and the Government must stop treating them as localised incidents.

Overpaid vice-chancellors are carrying out brutal cuts and have caused an existential moment for the UK higher education sector; our members do not want to strike, but they have been left with no choice but to ballot to defend it.

'University bosses must protect jobs, come forward with a fair pay offer and safeguard our hard-won national agreements.

Staff cannot be made to pay the price for management failures.

UCU members at Edinburgh University take part in industrial action at the start of a planned five-day walk-out in a dispute over plans to cut 140 million from the university budget.

Members and supporters of the University and College Union (UCU) Scotland during a rally at Buchanan Street in Glasgow.

Members and supporters of the University and College Union (UCU) Scotland during a rally at Buchanan Street in Glasgow.

But John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance claims that strikes would punish students not Vice Chancellors.

Speaking to the Daily Mail he said: University strikes punish students, not vice-chancellors, and leave taxpayers footing the bill for missed lectures and disrupted courses.

UCU must stop threatening action and work with management. Students and taxpayers deserve better than this self-serving disruption.

These latest job cuts come as universities endeavor to tackle new financial challenges, with more than two out of five institutions expecting a deficit for 2024/25.

At Lancaster University, around 400 full-time jobs may be cut to save 30 million, UCU has claimed.

Meanwhile at the University of Nottingham, staff voted to strike in August over more than 250 proposed cuts to jobs.

In Scotland, Dundee University is looking to cut up to 300 full-time jobs to address its 35 million deficit, while the University of Edinburgh is looking to plug a 140 million financial blackhole - which the UCU predicts could lead to 1,800 jobs losses.

Speaking on the BBCs Today Programme earlier this morning UCU General Secretary Ms Grady said: Our analysis suggests 15,000 jobs could be cut.

We have already seen 4,000 courses that have been shut over the past year.

Students that enrolled and now those courses have been wound up and staff on those courses [have] been sacked.

These job cuts are really detrimental to higher education.

Vice Chancellors - the people in charge of our institutions - have quietly increased their own salaries by 40k.

The job of the UCU is to ensure education in the UK remains as globally prestigious as it always has been.

Our job is also to protect our members' jobs and conditions.

In many cases (...) job cuts do not need to be made.

Raj Jethwa, UCEA Chief Executive urged staff not to pursue industrial action stating 'The struggling HE sector is suffering from unprecedented financial factors which are well-documented, including rises in costs and falling international student recruitment.

'It is much better for employers and unions to work together to highlight the value of higher education to the UK economy.

'But that cant and wont happen if UCU pursues industrial action causing disruption and suffering for students.'

The Department for Education is expected to publish a White Paper setting out plans for higher education reform later in the year.
Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti has criticised a Walvis Bay residents association for its lack of racial diversity, describing this as "apartheid thinking".

In a Facebook post yesterday, Ballotti says electing white candidates only does not reflect Namibia's reality nor contribute to nation building.

"I say this as a white Namibian: This is apartheid thinking and I condemn it in its entirety," his post reads.

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The Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association (JWBRA), chaired by Sharon Roodt, has campaigned on promises to fight for service delivery, fair business regulations and better living conditions for all, with the tagline 'long-time residents who are accountable only to you'.

Roodt yesterday said she does not want to talk to The Namibian when contacted for comment yesterday.

According to the association's Facebook page, its goals include providing feedback without community members having to keep asking for it, fighting for smart budgeting and internal audits, as well as pushing for regular maintenance and transparent infrastructure plans.

A cellphone number provided on the association's Facebook platform was not reachable yesterday.

"Their tagline says 'accountable only to you'. My question is: Who is the 'you?' The 1.8% of whites?" Ballotti asks.

When the association was questioned by members of the public on its social media platform on whether it is working towards building a council that reflects the racial and cultural make-up of Walvis Bay, it responded that it had tried, noting "low turnout" at its public meeting at Naraville, and "a one-person turnout at Kuisebmond".

"Sadly, some previous committee members of colour chose to represent other political parties," the association says on Facebook.

The JWBRA's website says the association is "a community volunteer group whose mission is to empower and support residents of Walvis Bay to become active and engaged members of the community with the aim of creating opportunities for residents to come together, share their ideas and concerns".

Political analyst Sakaria Johannes says the association's responses are simply in defence of itself.

"How many people of colour did they invite? It means they only invited white people," he says.

Sakaria says it is questionable for an all-white association to exist in a multi-racial community.

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"White people are not even the majority, so only fellow white people would vote for them," he says.

Johannes suggests that the Electoral Commission of Namibia investigate the matter.
There is at least one maxim of the American presidency that Donald Trump, for all his efforts to break precedent and convention, still finds himself subject to: nothing easy to solve gets to the Oval Office inbox. By the time a problem lands on the president's desk, it is layered with fraught politics, division and risk. The decisions are rarely clean. The consequences always are.

Trump, of course, complicates this further by often seeking out fights of choice, rather than restricting himself to the crises that find him. He relishes conflict, believingoften correctlythat struggle itself can be a proving ground and yield an incremental victory of sorts.

It explains why he can secure something as ambitious and improbable as a Middle East peace framework while failing to pry loose, so far at least, a handful of Senate Democrats in order to end a government shutdown on his terms. The man who can bring enemies to the table in Egypt cannot compel fence-sitters in Washington to cross the aisle.

Barack Obama might not be applauding Trump for his Middle East victory, but the Holy Trinity (David Ignatius, Peggy Noonan and Tom Friedman) is.

And the president did manage some other tangible political traction this weekespecially in New Jersey, where the GOP's gubernatorial ticket under Jack Ciattarelli has crept into a tie in many polls. In a state long Blue, that closeness represents both opportunity and pressure for Trump's influence. Ciattarelli's momentum comes despite the fact  maybe even because of the fact  that the Democrats' main line of attack against him is that he is a Trump Mini Me.

The indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James is another clear sign of Trump's control over his Justice Department and a sweet victory for a man whose ability to settle scores on this front for the moment matches his long-running capacity to keep score.

But the week also brought sharp reminders of the legal and political constraints that the Maven of Mar-a-Lago is bumping into. In Illinois, a federal judge blocked Trump's attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, holding that the administration's evidence for rebellion was insufficient and that the deployment risked violating constitutional limits.

Similar resistance has appeared in Oregon, where a judge temporarily barred deployment of National Guard troops pending review, signaling that federal authority over state military forces is not unlimited, part of a wider pattern of judicial losses chronicled today by the Washington Post. Meanwhile, the Republican governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, broke with Trump's approach, publicly criticizing the sending of out-of-state Guard units into Democratic states without the consent of local leaders.

Trump, of course, complicates this further by often seeking out fights of choice, rather than restricting himself to the crises that find him

The indictment of New York Attorney General Tish James is another clear sign of Trump's control over his Justice Department and a sweet victory for a man whose ability to settle scores on this front for the moment matches his long-running capacity to keep score

On the existential redistricting front, Team Trump is facing setbacks in both California and Indiana this week, with balky donors and Republican legislators, respectively, threatening defeats.

What explains the contrast between win and loss? The pattern suggests that Trump's victories tend to come when he gets to frame the contest on his termsas spectacle, moral drama, or direct confrontation.

The New Jersey race becomes a stage for MAGA politics; the peace deal a high-stakes act driven by force of personality. But when the contest depends on institutional constraints, legal boundaries, or internal coalitions, Trump often chafes and stalls. The shutdown is not resolved on a rally stage or Truth Social; it is won through negotiation, compromise, behind-the-scenes work. He can lob accusations; he cannot always deliver votes or legal rulings.

This tension is sharpened when state sovereignty or local power resists. Governors refuse to acquiesce. Courts reject overreach. Legislatures balk. The rhetoric may thrill his base, but the machinery of governance demands more than flair.

Looking ahead, China looms as another existential test. Xi Jinping will almost certainly avoid being drawn into a dramatic confrontation unless the terms favor Beijing. Trump will get his headline summit, perhaps trade concessions or symbolic breakthrough. But Xi's strategy is built on steady leverage, calibrated pressure, and patient economic dominance.

The president did manage some other tangible political traction this weekespecially in New Jersey, where the GOP 's gubernatorial ticket under Jack Ciattarelli (pictured) has crept into a tie in many polls

In Illinois, a federal judge blocked Trump's attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago (pictured, above), holding that the administration's evidence for rebellion was insufficient and that the deployment risked violating constitutional limits.

Trump may score announcements or photo ops, but extracting meaningful commitments on intellectual property, Taiwan, or supply chains will be a far harder fight. In that arena, structural advantages tilt toward China, a reminder that came this week with their rare earth minerals pronouncement, which Trump Thursday vaguely pledged to counter.

Domestically, the shutdown remains unresolved. The contrast between grandeur abroad and gridlock at home is a perennial presidential tensionbut for Trump, whose appeal rests in disruption, it becomes an internal contradiction. Over time, the key question won't be whether he can win dramatic battles, but whether he can convert them into sustainable authority across courts, state governments, and legislatures. And, of course and most of all, whether he can revive economic momentum.

Trump's week was again a tapestry of spectacle and stumbles. He will trumpet the tightening New Jersey numbers and the Middle East peace pact, and he will cast legal setbacks and internal resistance as betrayals or miscalculations. But in the domain of power, performance is only the opening gambit; persistence, persuasion, and institutional navigation decide lasting victoryand on those fronts, his greatest tests still lie ahead.
Young pubgoers may need to produce a digital ID card to buy a pint in the pub, under government plans to expand the controversial scheme.

Officials have suggested that digital ID could replace the assortment of physical documents currently used by people to prove their age or status when buying things like alcohol.

The idea is the latest application suggested for the scheme, which was originally justified on the grounds of clamping down on illegal working.

Critics warned that the use of a centralised digital database for proof of age purposes could allow the government to collect intrusive information on individuals, including monitoring their movements and drinking habits.

Former Tory cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson said the idea was further evidence that a Big Brother approach is driving Labours digital ID agenda.

With every piece of information that comes out, it is increasingly clear that the reach and scope and intrusion that the government is planning is getting ever larger, he said.

Whether it is the government tracking you as you go to a pub, or monitoring your purchases or potentially monitoring your movements, it is deeply concerning.

What business is it of the government to be monitoring where people buy a pint? It is intrusive and dangerous  the government should keep its nose out of peoples lives.

None of this will do anything to tackle illegal working  it just increases state intrusion into the lives of law-abiding citizens.

Intrusive: Young people may need to produce digital ID for everyday activities like going to the pub with friends

Although youngsters already have to prove their age to purchase alcohol, the process is not linked to a centralised digital database run by the state.

Fellow Tory MP Greg Smith warned it could be a short step between the government having a database of information about where an individual has used digital ID to buy alcohol or cigarettes or place a bet, and officials building up a profile of their lifestyle.

He warned that the creeping expansion of applications being suggested by ministers for digital ID could have sinister implications for civil liberties.

The exact scope of digital ID cards remains unclear. Ministers have claimed the plan is needed to help tackle illegal working and have vowed to make digital ID a requirement for taking a job by the time of the next election.

But they have already signalled that the system will be put to far greater use in future.

A petition against digital ID signed by almost three million people has been dismissed by ministers who vowed to press ahead with imposing them by the end of the decade.

In a formal response, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the scheme would eventually become peoples boarding pass to government.

The department said it could be used to access a wide range of public services, including for claiming benefits and paying tax.

It also suggested that digital ID could become required for age-related purposes, including alcohol.

Currently, when UK citizens and residents use public services, start a new job, or, for example, buy alcohol, they often need to present an assortment of physical documents to prove who they are or things about themselves, the response stated. This is both bureaucratic for the individual and creates space for abuse and fraud.

Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother watch, said: This has all the hallmarks of a very expansive system where we suddenly need permits and a digital licence to live our everyday lives.

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said he would rather go to prison than get a digital ID.

He told GB News: Before you know it, youll have all your medical records on there if youre not jabbed, because the Government thinks you should be, youll find yourself genuinely a second-class citizen.

I think the whole thing is appalling. I will not be having digital ID. Put me in prison; not a problem. I will not be having digital ID and I really mean it.

Nigel Farage said he would rather face prison than use a state-issued digital ID card

Ministers face a growing backlash after the Daily Mail revealed they are looking at issuing digital ID cards to children as young as 13.

A Government spokesman defended the plan, saying digital ID could be needed by younger teenagers if they want to get a Saturday job.

The spokesman added: It will be a legal requirement for employers to check someone's digital ID as part of Right to Work checks. Children can work part-time from the age of 14. In some local council areas this is from the age of 13. So, we need to consult on whether it should be offered to those aged 13 and over.

Victoria Collins, Liberal Democrat technology spokesman, accused ministers of mission creep, adding: The Government is already plotting to drag teenagers into a mandatory digital ID scheme before its even off the ground. Its frankly sinister, unnecessary, and a clear step towards state overreach.

Sir Keir Starmer discussed digital ID during a trip to India this week, where a similar scheme has already been introduced.

The Prime Minister suggested the scheme could eventually be required for people to access your own money.

But he acknowledged the government needed to do much more to sell the scheme to a sceptical public.

Speaking in Mumbai, he said: Here in India, I think it's a billion people have digital ID. It has been taken up on a voluntary basis in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily.

So I think now we need to go out and make that case of the huge benefits this will bring, there needs to be a national debate about it.
Two people died in Tasmania on Friday

Two people have been killed by a falling tree as wild weather cut power to tens of thousands of homes and damaged a hospital.

The pair were on a rural property in Tasmania's north-west on Friday when they were struck.

Winds of more than 100km/h battered the island state, with the north-west region the hardest hit with many fallen trees and powerlines.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that powerful winds will smash parts of Victoria and southern NSW in the coming days, as a strong cold front over Tasmania moves towards the mainland.

'A vigorous frontal system moved across Tasmania resulting in widespread damaging winds, particularly with showers and thunderstorms,' a bureau alert read on Friday night.

'The risk of damaging winds remains about north-eastern, central and south-western Tasmania, which will gradually ease into early Saturday.'

Police have yet to provide further information about the two deaths in Tasmania or the location, citing a need to inform their next of kin.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene and a report is being prepared for the coroner, Acting Commander Brenda Orr told reporters.

Winds of more than 100km/h battered Tasmania's north on Friday. Pictured is damage in West Tamar

Friday's wild storms in Tasmania's north-west claimed two lives

'No other people have been injured. Both people were on private property, out in the open, when a tree fell,' Commander Orr said.

'It's very early stages  we need to make sure that the family and those people affected are notified first.

'Any loss of life is always tragic and this is particularly tragic.'

The Mersey Community Hospital in Latrobe in the state's north-west sustained damage, forcing ambulances to be diverted to other medical facilities.

Remedial works at the hospital, such as replacing carpet, will continue over the weekend.

'The community can be assured that the hospital is safe and fully operational, and that patients will receive the care they need,' the health department said in a statement.

More than 20,000 homes lost power on Friday morning, most of them in Tasmania's north and northwest.

'The strongest, most destructive winds have cleared the state ... we're not out of the woods but the worst has passed,' the Bureau of Meteorology's Alex Melitsis said.

Tasmania and parts of Victoria (pictured) were hardest hit by wind gusts on Friday

More than 20,000 homes across Tasmania lost power on Friday morning, many of due to fallen powerlines. Pictured is flooding on The Channel Highway at Huonville

A small section of the emergency department was among hospital operations temporarily impacted, but had returned to full capacity by Friday afternoon.

A statewide peak gust of 163km/h was recorded on Maatsuyker Island off the south-west coast.

Devonport Airport and Launceston Airport cancelled several flights, while minor and moderate flood warnings were issued for several rivers.

Fallen trees blocked several roads, including to the peak of Hobart's Mount Wellington, which recorded gusts of up to recorded gusts of 130kmh.

'(The system) scoots out into the Tasman Sea today but then we've got this next trough pushing over Tasmania during Saturday morning,' meteorologist Sarah Scully said.

'That's going to bring another burst of showers and cold air, snow down to 600m.

'But then on Sunday another front  bringing an increase in showers to Victoria and even some snow to the alpine areas of Victoria and NSW.'

Similar warnings were issued for large parts of Victoria, including the Gippsland, south-west, central north, north-east and Wimmera regions

'Vigorous west to north-westerly winds are gradually contracting eastwards as a cold front traverses the state,' the bureau states.

Locations which may be affected include Traralgon, Wonthaggi, Sale, Warragul, Falls Creek, Dargo, Mt Baw Baw, Morwell, Moe, Maffra, Mt Hotham and Mt Buller,'

NSW's alpine regions are also expected to be battered by high winds.

Elsewhere across the nation, thunderstorms are forecast across parts of northern and north-east Australia due to a low pressure trough lying across the area, bringing damaging winds and possible large hailstones.

Stormy weather is forecast to over the coming days, with a cloud band forming later in the weekend.
Shortly after he arrived in China in 2015, fresh-faced English teacher Christopher Berry started blogging his first impressions of the country.

'Welcome to a land where old ladies will elbow you in the groin as they rush to get a seat on the metro,' the 24-year-old wrote, 'and the concept of first-come, first-served seems to be unheard of.'

The wide-eyed 2016 post told in a horrified tone how Mr Berry had visited a branch of Ikea in Hangzhou to find children jumping on beds, goaded on by their parents, while other shoppers brazenly napped on display furniture.

'There's taking a rest...and then there's taking the p***,' he noted. 'China is a whole different kettle of fish.'

It is unclear how Mr Berry's feelings towards the country evolved in the years that followed, but when he returned to Britain on holiday in 2023, he was dramatically arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.

The Crown Prosecution Service accused him of leaking sensitive information to a 'Chinese intelligence agent' - believed to be Cai Qi, the fifth-ranking member of the Communist Party's Politburo and a close ally of Xi Jinping, China's president.

Mr Berry and his friend Christopher Cash, a parliamentary researcher, strenuously denied the charges - but the case collapsed last month after the government apparently refused to label China a threat to national security.

Christopher Berry's early reservations about China appear to have eased, as he found love and continued teaching there for nine years

In 2022, Mr Berry was featured in a video on the YouTube page of the Hangzhou municipal council, advertising the city's Liangzhu archeological site

Mr Berry's since-deleted travel blog, called With A Backpack, offers a tantalising glimpse at his life in the Communist powerhouse.

Calling himself a 'traveller, teacher, chopstick amateur', the Oxford native documented his struggle to settle in the 'distant land' of Hangzhou, a city of 13 million in eastern China.

He had secured a teaching job at Dongfang Middle School through Opportunity China, a firm which helps students and lecturers find employment in the country.

As well as English he taught economics. In a cheerful profile on the school's website, he said he wanted to make the subject seem a little less 'dismal', adding: 'I hope students will learn something that can be applied in their real lives, whether they decide to study economics further or not.'

But on his blog, Mr Berry was anything but upbeat about the country he found himself in in 2016.

'Ordering food from a restaurant in China is a minefield of extraordinarily strange menu options,' he complained in one article, also published on Buzzfeed. 'Sometimes the Chinese to English translations raise more questions than they answer.'

In another post, he wrote about being rudely awakened on a daily basis. 'Every morning, except for terrible pollution thunderstorms or other acts of God, the children will come out and proudly sing the national anthem at the tops of their voices,' he said.

In another entry that year, he listed nine 'must-have' mobile applications for getting around in China, including a dating service called Tantan.

'It's not exactly must-have but it could be useful for you if you are a single guy/gal,' he wrote. 'I personally dont use it because of a number of reasons (I cant deal with being so popular, of course...) but my colleague has used it successfully and is now in a serious relationship with a girl he met from using it.'

It is understood that Mr Berry also found love in China at some point, and went on to have a baby called Oscar with his partner.

Other posts on his blog included one about having to make up a Chinese name for himself when he joined the gym because the computer would only accept Chinese characters, and another about the bizarre snacks available in Chinese supermarkets, including dried squid, duck neck, chicken feet and fish sausages.

In one detailed article, he explained how to send money home from China, telling readers the process is 'a real pain in the backside' and advising ex-pats to carry bundles of cash on the plane.

Another offers suggestions on how to live on a budget in China ('take risks with local restaurants') and even a sponsored 'guest post' about e-commerce giant Alibaba, owned by the Chinese government.

The blog, updated regularly from January 2016, was dramatically closed in May 2018 - three years before it was claimed he started communicating with the intelligence agent.

In 2022, Mr Berry was featured in a video on the YouTube page of the Hangzhou municipal council, advertising the city's Liangzhu archeological site.

'You can personally feel the ancient Liangzhu civilisation and its important position in the historical development process of Chinese civilisation, one of the oldest in the world,' he gushed.

Now that the cloud of suspicion has lifted, it is unclear if the teacher, now 33, will return to the country he apparently learned to love - but which almost cost him his freedom.
A dream Hawaiian getaway turned tragic when a California man died after being pulled from the waters off Kauai's North Shore.

Todd Wilt, 61, of Hesperia, was swimming at 'Anini Beach Park just after 3:00 p.m. on Monday when he got into trouble in the water, according to the Kaua'i Police Department.

Witnesses reported that Wilt appeared distressed before being helped back to shore by bystanders - where he collapsed moments later.

Lifeguards with the Ocean Safety Bureau immediately began CPR as first responders rushed to the scene.

Wilt later was taken to Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital - roughly 18 miles from the beach - but despite continued life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

An autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of his death. Investigators say foul play is not suspected, the Kauai Police Department said.

Famous for its turquoise lagoon and calm, reef-protected waters 'Anini Beach Park is often promoted as one of Kauai's safest beaches during summer, according to the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association.

Todd Wilt, 61, of Hesperia, California, was swimming at 'Anini Beach Park just after 3:00 p.m. on Monday when he got into trouble in the water, according to the Kaua'i Police Department. Pictured: Todd Wilt with his wife, Denise Wilt

Witnesses reported that Wilt appeared distressed before being helped back to shore by bystanders - where he collapsed moments later. Pictured: Anini Beach Park in Kauai, Hawaii

But, officials warn that appearances can be deceiving as the two-mile coastal stretch hides powerful rip currents beyond the reef, which can quickly turn deadly - especially when no lifeguards are on duty.

Now, county officials are urging both residents and visitors to always swim near lifeguards, stay alert to ocean conditions, and know their limits before entering the water.

The tragic drowning comes less than a month after another heartbreaking incident in Hawaii, when a young Washington couple died while snorkeling in unguarded waters off Maui.

Ilya Tsaruk, 25, and his wife Sophia, 26, were off on vacation to celebrate their soon-to-be second child when the tragedy took place.

Sophia was not a strong swimmer and mentioned feeling slightly ill as they donned full-face snorkel masks and waded into the unguarded waters.

The group split up to explore the sea-bed before another swimmer approached Ilya's sister-in-law Taisiya Tsaruk, who was on vacation with the now-deceased couple, and told her he had heard screaming in the water.

Lifeguards with the Ocean Safety Bureau immediately began CPR as first responders rushed to the scene.

Wilt later was taken to Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital (pictured) where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of his death

Famous for its turquoise lagoon and reef-protected waters 'Anini Beach Park (pictured) is often promoted as one of Kauai's safest beaches during summer

First responders were called at 12:02 p.m. Shortly after, a responder jet ski discovered Sophia floating unconscious in the water before bringing her to shore.

Emergency crews then headed back out to search for Ilya, who had disappeared from view before divers found him on the sea bed more than 100 yards from the beach.

An onlooker filmed the rescuers frantic attempts to resuscitate the couple as their horrified relatives looked on.

The pair leaves behind their 18-month-old child in the care of family.
A transgender activist group which vowed to bring forth a 'new era of trans rage' have vandalised a feminist conference in Brighton.

Members of Bash Back, a movement dedicated to 'combating the rising tide of bigotry in the UK', have targeted the Brighton Centre, the FiLiA Women's Liberation Conference is being today.

The three day event is expected to attract over 2,400 delegates for what the charity describes as 'Europe's biggest grassroots feminist conference'.

However, Bash Back claim the conference will see 'terfs gather every year to gloat about attacks on bodily autonomy and trans people's safety', adding it will play host to 'some of the most vicious transphobia in pop politics'.

'FiLiA's alumni this year include bigot provocateurs Julie Bindel, LGB Alliance and "Scottish Lesbian" - a group behind the segregationist 2025 Supreme Court ruling,' the group added in a statement on social media.

The group also posted a video of the incident, with hooded protesters seen covering the venue in pink paint and smashed on of its windows.

Ms Bindel, a journalist, broadcaster and self titled 'feminist' who is among those attending this year's conference, posted images of the destruction on X, which was then retweeted by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

'Trans activists have smashed one of the large front windows of the Brighton Centre - the venue where 2500 feminists are meeting this weekend to talk about male violence, misogyny and the like,' she wrote, adding: 'Why can't EVERYONE see this movement for what it is?'

Members of a transgender activist group have vandalised a feminist conference in Brighton

One of the Brighton Centre's windows was smashed during the incident, which was carried out by members of Bash Back,

Bash Back claimed responsibility for the vandalism in a post on Instagram on Friday, declaring they would not allow conference delegates the 'privilege' of gathering at the venue this year.

'Last night actionists from Bash Back took action against the Brighton Centre, venue for the FiLiA conference, which plays host to some of the most vicious transphobia in pop politics.

'FiLiA's alumni this year include bigot-provocateurs Julie Bindel, LGB Alliance and "Scottish Lesbian" - a group behind the segregationist 2025 Supreme Court ruling,

'Their vile and hateful rhetoric leads to the same kind of discriminatory violence that kills hundreds of trans people every year.

'These bigots have out blood on their hands. They use this conference to gloat. This year, we will not let them.'

The statement continued: 'Bash Back sees FiLiA as neight radical nor feminist, spreading misogynist hatred backed by both billionaires and the state.

'Like the suffragettes and radical queers before us, that the only path toward liberation is through action.

To the organisers of FiLiA we say this: If you expect to continue in your trade of transphobic hate, if you expect to continue in your queerbashing and transmisogyny and call it "feminism", then expect resistance, expect retaliation, expect us.

'Paint washes off. Blood never does.'

Protesters and transgender activists outside the FiLiA Women's Liberation Conference being held at the Brighton Centre

Bash Back claims to be a nonviolent direct action group, which targets 'specific institutions which profit from transphobia' and strikes them 'where it hurts: the wallet.'

'Direct action is just one of a number of strategies to challenge the transphobic establishment at its door and to show our rage unfettered,' the group's website reads.

It has not the first time Bash Back have captured attention with its attacks on 'transphobic establishments' and has previously claimed responsibility for vandalising Wes Streeting's constituency office in August.

Sharing a photo of the front of Mr Streeting's office shortly after it had been damaged, they wrote: 'Don't want action? Don't kill kids.'

The MP for Ilford North addressed the vandalism but did not reference the accusations made by the activists.

'From day one as Ilford North's MP I've had an accessible and visible constituency office to serve my local community,' he wrote on X.

'Repeated criminal damage is unfair to my staff and an attack on democracy. I will not be commenting further while there is a live police investigation.'

Mr Streeting has previously been clear about his stance on the gender debate.

In an interview with Talk Radio last year, he said: 'Men have penises, women have vaginas; here ends my biology lesson.'

Police have launched an investigation after the Health Secretary's HQ in Ilford North had its windows smashed and the words 'child killer' daubed on the front in graffiti

But Bash Back is not the only transgender group to have targeted the venue in protest of this weekend's conference.

Posters campaigning against the event began appearing around the city earlier this week, put up by TLF (Trans Liberation Front) Brighton - which claims it 'fights for trans and LGBTQ+ rights across Sussex'.

The group also took to social media to rally its members for a three-day protest outside the Brighton Centre.

Lisa-Marie Taylor, FiLiA CEO, said: 'FiLiA is a charity that campaigns for a world free from patriarchy where all women and girls are liberated.

'In line with the Equality Act \(2010\) we support the provision of single sex services and dispute that this equates to transphobia.

'Brighton is a city of sanctuary - in 2025 it is surely vital that the city supports all groups protected under the Equality Act, including sex-based rights, and promotes diversity and peaceful discussion.

'There are 250 speakers from across the world and over 80 sessions covering the broad spectrum of women's lives all over the world: anti-racism, women's health, male violence, political organising, lesbian lives, migration, class and much more.

'To protest against FiLiA is to protest against women gathering to discuss their lives.

'We believe the conference is a powerful platform for women's voices to be heard and amplified and, in this spirit, we welcome anyone who wishes to join us in good faith.'

Julie Bindel, a journalist, broadcaster and self titled 'feminist', is among those attending this year's conference

A spokesman for the Brighton Centre said: 'We understand the anxiety and stress that many of our trans, non-binary and intersex residents are feeling at this time.

'As a city, venue and a council, we will continue to strive towards our unwavering commitment to creating an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

'The Brighton Centre has a long history of hosting events that represent a diverse mix of communities and perspectives.

'Individual events represent a wide cross-section of opinions that should not be attributed to those of the attendees, audience or venue staff but are reflective of a democratic society.

'It is not our intention to create division but to host a range of conferences, that meets the needs of all people in the area.

'As a conference venue we seek to provide a neutral space for hire and always seek to ensure we do not show bias to any group or individual but that we protect the principles of freedom of speech, as long as all our booked events operate within the law and in line with our venue hire policy.'
A 'cocky' drug-fuelled thug who stabbed a teenage Syrian refugee in the neck after he brushed past his girlfriend on a busy shopping street was today detained for life with a minimum term of 23 years.

Ahmad Al Ibrahim, 16, who fled war-torn Homs after being injured in a bombing, had been living in Huddersfield for only a couple of weeks when he was stabbed to death by Alfie Franco, 20, in the West Yorkshire town centre.

Leeds Crown Court heard that on April 3 Ahmad was walking around the town with a friend, and Franco was going to buy eyelash glue with his girlfriend after a Jobcentre appointment.

When the two pairs crossed paths, Franco took 'some petty exception' to Ahmad 'innocuously' walking past his girlfriend, jurors were told.

CCTV footage shows Franco saying something to Ahmad, and calling him over after a short verbal altercation.

As Ahmad walked over, Franco opened the blade on a flick knife he was carrying in his trousers and drove it into the boy's neck.

Prosecutors said Franco kept the knife hidden 'in a sly way' until the last second so that Ahmad, who was unarmed, 'didn't have a chance'.

Alfie Franco was found guilty of murder by a jury after just over three hours of deliberations

Ahmad Al Ibrahim was walking around Huddersfield with a friend at the time of the stabbing

Footage played during the trial showed Ahmad clutching his throat and staggering a few yards up the street before collapsing.

Jurors heard the knife travelled about 6cm deep into Ahmad's neck, causing 'immediate and massive blood loss' and causing him to choke to death.

Franco fled the scene but later handed himself in at a police station, telling officers in an interview he had been acting in self-defence and had spent years living in South Africa as the only white boy in the Cape Flats, where 'if a boy came for you with aggression, they are either coming to hurt you or kill you'.

Franco, who returned to Huddersfield from South Africa at the age of 13, told the trial he thought he had seen Ahmad reaching for a weapon in his waistband.

He said he had been aiming for the boy's cheek and just wanted to 'cut him and get away'.

Franco told jurors he had a knife with him that day because he had 'been in altercations and heard things that happen' in Huddersfield town centre and wanted it 'to keep him safe'.

But in his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said: 'To plunge that knife into someone's neck who has done no more than walk towards you after you've engaged them in some verbal argy-bargy in the street... That's not reasonable self-defence.'

Mr Wright said Franco was 'cool as a cucumber' when he delivered the fatal blow, even continuing to eat his ice cream during the verbal altercation.

The prosecutor said: 'This is a case of a young man with a cocky swagger, wandering around town with his girlfriend, on drugs, who doesn't like the fact that Ahmad has spoken back to him.'

Sentencing him to life with a minimum term of 23 years today, Judge Howard Crowson said Franco's claims of being in fear of Ahmad were 'incredible' as the CCTV footage showed the defendant calmly eating ice cream while preparing to stab him.

He told Franco: 'During this trial you tried to portray Ahmad as aggressive and threatening.

'The CCTV reveals you were under no threat whatsoever. Ahmad was unarmed as he walked peacefully about Huddersfield town centre that day.'

A video clip shows a verbal altercation after Ahmad made 'minor contact' with the woman

As Ahmad gets closer to Franco, the knifeman can be seen reaching into his pocket for a blade

The aftermath sees Ahmad clutche his neck and walks away, while Franco flees the scene

He said Franco's claim to have seen a weapon on Ahmad's waistband was 'a lie'.

The judge said: 'Before Ahmad made any movement towards you, you prepared your knife for use.

'You calmly and surreptitiously removed the knife from your waistband, opened it and concealed it in your pocket.'

He said he was satisfied that Franco intended to kill Ahmad and that he had 'lured' the boy to within striking distance before lunging at him with the knife, deliberately aiming for his neck.

Jurors heard Franco 'had a wider interest in knives' and had messaged a friend the day before threatening to stab someone over a stolen pushbike.

He had consumed cannabis before the killing, and tests also revealed he had recently used cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, and codeine.

The court heard Ahmad had arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied child refugee and was originally housed in another part of the country before being moved to Huddersfield to be near his uncle.

After his death, his family said he dreamed of becoming a doctor, 'wanting to heal others after all he had endured'.

They said: 'He chose to come to the UK because he believed in the values of human rights, safety, and dignity... he had just begun settling into his new life with his uncle, adjusting to a new language, a new home, and a future he was excited to build.

'Ahmad was kind, gentle, and carried so much promise. Losing him has left an unimaginable emptiness in our hearts. We never thought that the place he saw as a safe haven would be where his life would end.'

Yesterday, Franco was found guilty of murder by a jury after just over three hours of deliberations.

He admitted a charge of possessing a knife in a public place at an earlier hearing.

In a victim impact statement read in court, Ahmad's uncle, Ghazwan Al Ibrahim, said Ahmad was 'an intelligent and outstanding student' whose dream was to become a doctor.

He said his nephew had a 'sociable and ambitious personality, loved helping people and was passionate about life'.

Mr Al Ibrahim said Ahmad spent three months travelling to the UK and initially lived in a Home Office hotel in Swansea with other people his own age before being moved to Huddersfield to be near his uncle.

He said Ahmad's death had disappointed all his hopes of a better life in the UK and wasted all his family's efforts to get him there.

Mr Al Ibrahim said: 'It was the end of everything we had hoped for Ahmad after we had been happy about his arrival in the UK - the land of peace and the fulfilment of dreams.'
A former Minnesota TV journalist revealed she smashed her teeth in a parking lot the night before she was due to appear on CNN in a candid discussion of her battle with alcoholism.

Beth McDonough, 57, was fired from her role as a crime reporter for KMSP in the Twin Cities when she got her second DUI, she told The Minnesota Star Tribune.

She explained how she suffered a number of embarrassing lows prior to being let go due to her addiction.

On one occasion she described how she stayed out to drink alone after her colleagues left the bar and stumbled 'face first' in the parking lot the night before her big TV appearance.

McDonough was forced to visit an emergency dentist and still went ahead with the CNN appearance with temporary teeth fitted.

But it wasn't until she was fired from KMSP that she finally hit rock bottom as she found herself on the other side of the story after her mugshot was beamed into TVs across the state.

'Thats what got my attention,' she said. 'If they hadnt fired me, I dont know where Id be.'

McDonough thought her journalism career was done for after the termination, but she eventually got herself sober and was hired at KSTP in 2012, three years later.

Beth McDonough, 57, was working as a crime reporter for KMSP in the Twin Cities when she got her second DWI, prompting her release from employment and leaving her on a path that made her nearly homeless

She thought her journalism career was done for after the termination, but she eventually got herself sober and was hired at KSTP in 2012, three years later

She reveals her messy past in her new memoir, Standby, which was released on August 8.

McDonough, who has been sober for 17 years, started writing the book in 2009 after she returned from the Hazelden treatment center and had been under house arrest.

Inside, she laid bare all her blackouts and how she shopped at different liquor stores so no one knew how much she was drinking.

She even tells the tale of having to strip naked in front of a deputy at a workhouse and how her father disowned her.

'I had to step outside of my habit as a reporter of being objective and be more vulnerable,' she told The Tribune of the writing process.

'People who have made bad decisions need to see how bad it was so they can connect with you.'

McDonough got her first DUI in 2007 while she was working at Fox and covering the 1-35 bridge collapse.

At the time, her boss had offered her support, but she wrote it off due to her shame and convinced herself that it was a one-time mistake.

Now, she reveals her messy past in her new memoir, Standby, which was released on August 8

She was warned she could lose her job if the offense happened again.

She served 37 days on house arrest, which is when she started writing the book and recording stories, she told St. George News.

A year later, while working at a different publication, McDonough got her second DUI.

On Halloween 2008, after getting drinks with coworkers, she struck another car going 80mph and totaled the other person's vehicle. The driver was thankfully unharmed.

She doesn't remember the crash but does remember police showing up at her door to arrest her.

'I was in a blackout and woke up a couple of days later in a detox at the county jail,' she told St. George News.

'I looked around, and it was awful. Im in this cold jail cell, and on the TV monitor, my mugshot popped up on the news. I had just this feeling of complete and utter dread. And I knew right then, my life was over.'

She details all her blackouts and how she shopped at different liquor stores so no one knew how much she was drinking

She even tells the tale of having to strip naked in front of a deputy at a workhouse and how her father disowned her

When she was released, she experienced the other side of the phenomenon she so often watched as a reporter: A team of reporters and photographers desperate to get her photo and statement as she left the lockup facility.

'Ive covered thousands of people whove been arrested and busted for crimes, and then I became one of them,' she told St. George News.

She found her friends and family distancing themselves and her job vanished.

McDonough went into a 30-day treatment program, which helped start her journey toward sobriety.

'When you sit down and youre really honest with yourself about how much you drink and you lay it down in front of you, there was no question - I was an alcoholic,' she told St. George News.

'I had a problem. I knew if I didnt really accept it and deal with it, this was going to end even worse than it was.'

She joined Alcoholics Anonymous, where she had to walk to meetings as she lost her license, and got a sober roommate.

'Its embarrassing for me to say this, but its important that I say it: I really lost everything. I lost my house, my car, my license, most of my friends, some of my family. I applied for jobs at the grocery store, at the mall, but nobody would hire me,' she told the outlet.

She began writing the book in 2009 while on house arrest for her first DUI

A second book completing her tale will come out next year called Still Standing

She eventually started a dog-walking business, which eventually became a dog daycare. She owned the business for three years before selling it.

The same day, KSTP called and offered her an investigative reporter role, but she'd have to submit documentation of weekly AA meetings which she accepted.

'If youd ever told me the second half of my career wouldve been better than the first half, I never would have believed you,' she said.

She even eventually got back on air and broke some of the biggest stories of her career.

Now, she's sharing her journey in her memoir, which will be out in two parts.

Standby is out now. Still Standing will be out next year.

'I want to show what it takes to get your life back and why its worth it,' she told the outlet.
Donald Trump called Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to congratulate her on winning the Nobel Peace Prize - after she dedicated the prize to the US President and her country's pro-democracy movement.

Trump's reaction to Machado, 58, taking the prize he has actively campaigned for may come as a surprise to critics given speculation he would be furious about not receiving the prize himself.

Many had tipped the President as a contender for brokering a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year war in Gaza that has killed more than 70,000 people.

But the notoriously woke committee in Oslo rejected Trump for falling short on their standards of 'courage and integrity.'

'We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel,' Nobel chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes said.

Instead they announced Machado the winner on Friday morning for her fight for freedom against the communist tyrant Nicolas Maduro.

Trump's magnanimous reaction followed the Venezuelan politician's thanks for his 'decisive support' for her country's pro-democracy movement.

'I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump,' she wrote on X.

'We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy,' she added.

Trump called Machado, White House sources told Bloomberg, without revealing further details of the conversation.

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has said her country is counting on the US to help bring freedom from the authoritarian rule of President Nicolas Maduro

Donald Trump today called the Venezuelan politician to congratulate her for winning the Nobel prize - which had actively campaigned for

The President has been a strident voice against Maduro on the international stage and accused his regime attacking America via cartel 'narco terrorism'.

Machado has been in hiding in Venezuela for the past year since elections that authoritarian leftist President Nicolas Maduro is accused of stealing.

The politician, who was barred from contesting the election, campaigned instead for her stand-in, ex-diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, seen by much of the international community as the rightful winner.

The Nobel Committee cited her 'tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.'

Machado, 58, has backed Trump's ongoing campaign of military pressure on Maduro, including a major US naval deployment near Venezuela, as a 'necessary measure' towards a democratic transition in Venezuela.

White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, shared Machado's post dedicating her Nobel to Trump on her X account.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Machado 'for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,' said chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes

Speaking after receiving the honor, Machado said: 'This immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is an impetus to conclude our task: to achieve freedom.' Pictured: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro

Several of Machado's fellow opposition leaders, including two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, congratulated her on her prize.

'May this recognition be another boody to achieve PEACE and for our Venezuela to leave behind the suffering and recover the freedom and democracy for which it has fought for so many years,' Capriles wrote on X.

Trump missed out on the prize, with chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Jorgen Watne Frydnes suggesting he was not the most deserving candidate.

He was quizzed by reporters about his campaign for the award and whether it might have influenced public perception.

Frydnes responded diplomatically, batting the question away as he explained why the committee chose Machado instead.

'In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, this committee has seen [every] type of campaign,' he said.

'We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year, of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace.

Frydnes today suggested that Donald Trump did not receive the prize because he was not the most deserving candidate

'This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates and that room is filled with courage and integrity. We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.'

The White House has since responded after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Machado instead of Trump.

'The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,' said Steven Cheung, the President's director of communication.

Earlier, Russian president Vladimir Putin weighed in when asked if the US President deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

'It is not for me to judge whether the current US President deserves the Nobel [Peace] Prize or not, I don't know.

'But he is genuinely doing a lot to resolve these complex crises that have lasted for years, in some cases even decades,' the Russian leader said.

The announcement came as Israel's military declared the Gaza ceasefire agreement had now come into effect, following a vote in the cabinet last night.

The US President's name, heavily floated in the media in recent weeks, did not make the final cut.

In the months leading up to the decision, Trump had vigorously pitched himself as a peacemaker. He offered himself as a bridge builder, pointed to his 20-point Gaza peace plan, and repeatedly insisted he had ended multiple wars.

The two-time US President has been on a not-so-subtle Nobel Prize campaign since his first term in office when he claimed 'many people' thought he had earned it.

Speculation he could win the award this year began after he brokered the historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year war in Gaza.

Both sides have agreed to the first phase of Trump's plan to pause fighting and release hostages, a deal that could open the way to ending a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.

Machado was lauded for being a 'key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided - an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government,' said Frydnes.

'In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions.

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' he said.

Nicolas Maduro's government routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents ahead of last year's presidential election.

Machado was set to run against Maduro, but the government disqualified her. Edmundo Gonzalez took her place - he had never run for office before.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the country's National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.
A man threatened conservative influencer Benny Johnson as part of an 'Antifa' plot to emulate Charlie Kirk's assassination, Pam Bondi said at a fiery press conference Friday.

The Attorney General announced charges against a suspect named as George Isbell Jr. as part of a White House crackdown on political violence.

Isbell will be prosecuted in connection to threatening communications mailed to Johnson and his wife Kate, which talked about wanting to orphan their children and strangling Johnson 'with an American flag'.

Johnson commands a following of over four million on X and is one of the most outspoken conservative commentators on social media known for rubbing shoulders with Donald Trump and other influential MAGA stars.

Bondi said the alleged threats against him were part of an 'Antifa' plot to 'wreak havoc on the streets of our cities', and linked the threats to the shooting of Kirk which took place a month ago.

'This arrest will serve as a reminder, we will find you,' Bondi said, also referencing recent attacks on an ICE facility in Dallas and an anti-Semitic attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home in April.

Bondi said Johnson faced, 'similar threats' to Kirk's assassination because of his conservative stances, saying the suspect mailed a letter to the conservative influencer that 'made it clear he hated him because of his views and wanted him dead.'

It is not the first time that Johnson has been faced with threats, as in 2021 his home in Washington DC was targeted by an arsonist.

A man who threatened conservative influencer Benny Johnson (left) is set to face charges as part of a White House crackdown on political violence, Pam Bondi announced at a press conference on Friday

Benny Johnson (pictured), 39, a right-wing commentator who hosts The Benny Show podcast, is known for rubbing shoulders with Donald Trump and other influential MAGA stars

Following the press conference on Friday, authorities released an image of the letter Johnson was allegedly sent, which accused the conservative of being a 'revolting white supremacist and pedophile'

Following the press conference on Friday, authorities released an image of the letter Johnson was allegedly sent, which accused the conservative of being a 'revolting white supremacist and pedophile.'

'Saw you have millions of racist subscribers,' the letter continued, calling for Johnson and his supporters to be 'exterminated' and saying: 'Maybe someone will blow your head off.'

Bondi echoed her remarks about Kirk's death as she condemned the alleged plot on Johnson's life, where she blamed 'left wing radicals' for targeting the Trump ally.

'Who killed Charlie? Left-wing radicals, and they will be held accountable,' she said at the time of Kirk's assassination.

'So will anyone in this country who commits a violent crime against anyone. And the death penalty, thanks to Donald Trump, is on the table again.'

Hours before Bondi's statement on Friday, Johnson took to X to share a picture of himself with his young children, saying they were celebrating a 'daddy date night'.

'Nothing fancy. Just burgers and fries. But the girls look forward to this all month. Its all they talk about,' he wrote.

'Core memories, I think Men, show up for your kids. Strong Dads = Strong Country.'

The scene was all the more poignant given that Johnson and his family narrowly escaped with their lives in 2021 following the fire at their home.

In 2021, Johnson and his family were targeted by an arsonist attack on their DC house that filled his home with smoke and set their neighbor's property ablaze (pictured)

Johnson commands a following of over four million on X and is one of the most outspoken conservative commentators on social media

Hours before Bondi's statement on Friday, Johnson took to X to share a picture of himself with his young children, saying they were celebrating a 'daddy date night'

The ordeal prompted the Johnsons to move to Florida to escape the threat of violence.

In August he described the harrowing experience during a trip to the White House.

'As a DC resident of 15 years, I lived on Capitol Hill, I witnessed so many muggings and so much theft, I lost track,' he said.

'I was carjacked. I have murders on my Ring camera, mass shootings...And my house was set ablaze in an arson with my infant child inside,' he said.

'No parent should have to go through what my family went through - having the fire department rip open their door to save their infant child.'

Last month, Johnson ripped into The New York Times for insinuating his family was not in danger when his DC home was 'rendered completely uninhabitable' by the arsonist.

He accused the Times of undermining the terror his wife and children experienced during the attack and said it downplayed the severity of the incident because he is a right-wing pundit.

Johnson shared security footage showing first responders trying to break through the front door as black smoke spreads through the air (pictured)

Johnson's panicked wife was seen sprinting outside holding their newborn baby when police were finally able to enter the home (pictured) during the arson attack in 2021

'This is the kind of dehumanizing propaganda that actually gets people killed,' Johnson wrote in a detailed X post, in which he shared a video of his wife and newborn being rescued from the fire-damaged home,' he said on X.

'From the celebration of the Trump assassination to the refusal to pray for the child victims of the Minneapolis Mass shooting, the Lefts goal is to never grant sympathy to regular Americans, even if theyre innocent children. Evil bastards.'

The article in question was titled 'He Plagiarized and Promoted Falsehoods. The White House Embraces Him,' and referenced Johnson's comments in the White House where he detailed the attack.

'In fact, police records show, nobody has been murdered since at least 2017 on the block where Mr. Johnson lived in Washington,' the Times reported.

'And his home was not burned, though his next-door neighbors house was intentionally set on fire, according to the citys fire department. Mr. Johnson left Washington permanently in 2021.

'Such details didnt stop Ms. Leavitt from leapfrogging off his comments to promote the presidents federalization of Washingtons law enforcement.'

In his response to the NY Times article, Johnson uploaded a video from the arson attack.

The security footage depicts first responders trying to break through the front door as black smoke spreads through the air.

Johnson (pictured), 39, is a right-wing commentator who hosts The Benny Show podcast

His panicked wife was seen sprinting outside holding their newborn baby when police were finally able to enter the home.

'We lived in a row house and the house next to us was a total loss. Both their dogs were burned alive in the arson,' Johnson explained.

'Our home was rendered completely uninhabitable due to damage from the fire. We had to live in a hotel for months afterwards.'

The NYT refuted Johnson's claims in a statement to Daily Mail at the time which read: 'This is not a story about Mr. Johnson's family, nor does it diminish any concerns about safety.

'This was a detailed report about his journalistic dishonesty that refutes, with facts, the many falsehoods he continues to share seemingly to promote the presidents federalization of Washingtons law enforcement.'

These falsehoods, the spokesperson said, include Johnson's claims that a shooting happened on his block and that his house was burned to the ground.
A Walvis Bay residents association has denied allegations of 'apartheid thinking', saying it is open to all races.

The Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association (JWBRA) says it is there for all people.

This follows deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti criticising the association on Facebook over its all-white line-up for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections, referring to this as "apartheid thinking".

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In a statement on Thursday, the association's chairperson, Sharon Roodt, says such accusations can only divide nations, urging the public to verify facts before judging.

"The Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association is open to all Walvis Bay residents, as emphasised by the word 'joint'. We have never and will never exclude anyone based on their skin colour," the statement reads.

Roodt says the association has pledged to work towards "a council that looks like Walvis Bay" and to reach more people from all cultures to create a safe, healthy and vibrant community in which everyone can thrive.

"That pledge still stands and we are actively working to reach more people from all walks of life and cultures. We aim to create a safe, healthy and vibrant community and we are doing that by pushing for accountability in local government and fighting for municipal policies that safeguard our environment and empower every single person at Walvis Bay," she says.

"We are making efforts to reach all suburbs of Walvis Bay and we will fight for their interests in everything we do. We will not, however, engage in baseless arguments and false accusations," she says.
Multiple people are dead after a massive explosion erupted at a Tennessee bomb factory early Friday morning.

The blast went off at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant, located about 60 miles southwest of Nashville near the town of Bucksnort, around 7.50am local time.

The explosion took place during a regular shift change, meaning there were fewer people inside than normal, according to WSMV. At least 19 employees are still unaccounted for.

The initial blast was so enormous that locals reported hearing and feeling it from dozens of miles away.

The extent of the damage remains unclear at this time, but officials said it encompassed an entire building located on the site.

Footage from the scene showed a burning debris field with smoke billowing into the air. Several cars and buildings appear to have been damaged in the blast.

Emergency crews are on site and have urged the public to stay away as they work the scene. Their main concern is the potential for secondary explosions.

There was an explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in April 2014. That blast left one person dead and three others injured.

Emergency crews are at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in Tennessee's Bucksnort area after a massive explosion erupted Friday morning. Authorities said their main concern at the moment is the potential for secondary explosions

The extent of the damage remains unclear at this time, but several cars and buildings appear to have been impacted by the blast

The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also been dispatched to the plant to investigate the explosion. Pictured is destruction caused by the blast

First responders have rushed to aid those impacted by the explosion.

'Right now we're prioritizing people that are involved, their families and trying to be very compassionate toward them,' Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said.

The Hickman County Sheriff's Office has asked locals to avoid the area to allow responders to do their work.

Emergency responders were not yet able to go in to the plant because there continue to be explosions, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart told AP.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has also shut down State Route 230, just north of I-40, as first responders work the scene.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also been dispatched to the plant.

Officials expect to the investigation to take several days.

'We're at the beginning stages of all of this,' Hickman County Sheriff Jason Craft said Friday morning. 'We're getting information minute-by-minute and we're going to continue to build on that and do what we need to do.'

He urged the community to 'keep everyone in your prayers as we go through this [over] the next few days.'

Sherriff Davis echoed: 'We've got a very big investigation. This is not going to be something that we're going to be - like a car wreck or something like that - that we are just going to clean up the debris and leave.'

The blast went off at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant around 7.50am local time, the Hickman County Sheriff's Office confirmed

The initial blast was so enormous that locals reported hearing and feeling it from miles away

Debris covers the ground and vehicles after a powerful blast ripped through a military explosives manufacturing plant in Hickman County, Tennessee

Footage from the scene showed a burning debris field with smoke billowing into the air

The blast was heard from miles away, causing shelves and windows to rattle, residents claimed.

Beyonica Holt, whose residence is located roughly 15 miles from the factory, said she 'thought we were at war' and that 'I was going to die.'

'I was standing in my bedroom. It shook the whole house. I thought it was going to blow out my windows - it didn't, but that's how big it was,' she told The Tennessean.

Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates said his office has received multiple calls from residents claiming that they felt the ground shake.

'It's an unfortunate incident. It was felt around our county,' the mayor said. 'We just pray that the good Lord keeps their hand on the families that's involved.'

Residents in Lobelville, a more than a 20-minute drive from the military explosives manufacturing plant, said they felt their homes shake.

'I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,' Gary Stover, who claimed the blast rattled him from his sleep, told AP. 'I live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that.'

A resident in Santa Fe, Tennessee - nearly 40 miles away from the plant - also claimed on social media that houses shook in their neighborhood.

Smoke fills the air as debris covers the ground and vehicles after a powerful blast ripped through a military explosives manufacturing plant

A search is underway after a powerful explosion ripped through an explosives manufacturing plant in rural Tennessee on Friday

Police block the road leading to Accurate Energetic Systems after an explosion Friday morning

Accurate Energetic Systems was established in 1980 and manufacturers explosives and ammunition.

Public records show that the company sold numerous types of weapons to the US military, including dynamite, landmines and explosive powder for large-caliber shells.

The plant 'is dedicated to the development, manufacture, handling, and storage of high-quality energetic products utilized in both defense and commercial markets,' according to its website.

It also specializes in creating high-grade explosives for demolition and makes 'linear shaped charges to claymore mines,' the website added.

The facility, which sits on 1,300 acres, is comprised of a quality control lab and eight production buildings that manufacture, store and research explosives for 'military, aerospace, and commercial demolition' markets.

Some of the products listed for sale are designed by the Department of Defense and approved for use for foreign military units, police forces and commercial customers.

The company also uses the sprawling campus to test explosives, according to it's website, measuring the velocity of explosions as well as their impact on surrounding areas under varying environmental conditions.

The website says that facilities can safely accommodate explosives with up to 35 pounds of 'net explosive weight,' and conducts daily tests.

The Accurate Energetic Systems facility, which sits on 1,300 acres, is comprised of eight production buildings and a quality control lab

A blast went off at the plant 11 years ago, killing one person. There were roughly a dozen people in the building at the time of the explosion.

The 2014 explosion occurred in a building that was operated by Rio Ammunition and made ammunition for law enforcement and the military, as well as hunting.

The Rio Ammunition building was 'pretty much destroyed' during that explosion, officials said at the time.

Accurate Energetic Systems announced a $9.7 million expansion in 2020 that brought 80 new jobs to the area, according to The Tennessean.

They received a state grant of $601,000 from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for the expansion, and brought two out-of-state businesses to the area through acquisitions.
First Lady Melania Trump revealed on Friday that she has been speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past few months about the well-being of children torn away from their families during the war in Ukraine.

'President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children,' she announced from the White House, saying that 'eight children have been reunited with their families in the past 24 hours.'

'For the past three months, both sides have participated in several back-channel meeting and calls, all in good faith. We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war.'

Melania, who grew up in the shadow of Russia's dictatorship, explained that she has been in talks with Putin's representative about all the children suffering as a result of the war.

'Much has unfolded since Putin received my letter,' she said, referring to a note on the subject that President Trump hand-delivered to Putin during their August summit in Alaska.

'Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel on the welfare of these children.'

'Each of these children has lived through the trauma of war,' the First Lady said. 'Three were separated from their parents and displaced to the Russian Federation due to frontline fighting. The other five were separated across international borders because of the ongoing conflict. One young girl, in particular, has now been reunited with her family after traveling from Ukraine to Russia.'

The development comes as Trump is set to fly to Egypt in the coming days after striking a historic Israel-Gaza peace deal.

The first lady, who grew up in the shadow of Russia's dictatorship, explained that she has been in talks with Putin's representative about all the children suffering as a result of the war

FLOTUS announces she has spoken with Russian President Putin about returning children captured during the Ukraine war.



Melania claims eight kids have been reunited with their families and that more reunifications are expected. pic.twitter.com/KUJTifagLZ  Jon Michael Raasch (@JMRaasch) October 10, 2025

As of now, the Russia-Ukraine war remains a grinding conflict, with the front lines largely stalled but intense fighting continuing, particularly in eastern Ukraine.

Both sides are facing heavy losses, and international efforts for a negotiated peace have yet to yield meaningful progress.

Through close coordination with the Russian Federation, the first lady received detailed biographies and photographs of each child involved in the reunifications.

The documents also included an overview of the social, medical and psychological services being provided to the children.

'I am encouraged by the transparency shown by the Russian Federation,' Melania stated. 'They have demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective, detailed information reflective of the current situation. This kind of cooperation is essential if we are to bring lasting results to the lives of these children.'

Melania explained that a comprehensive report verifying the identities and experiences of the eight children was jointly issued by the Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office of the Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights.

The report has been reviewed and confirmed by the US government.

Melania raised concerns about those who were minors when they were displaced but have since reached adulthood while residing in the Russian Federation.

President Putin and President Trump meet at the highly-anticipated summit in Alaska

Melania explained all the advances made so far during her five-minute speech, taking no questions before she left

First Lady Melania Trump said Friday she has been speaking with Putin about the wellbeing of children torn away from their families during the Ukrainian war

'Given the dangers of navigating a region still affected by war, the safe return of these individuals requires coordinated assistance,' she said.

In response to her advocacy, the Russian Federation has agreed to begin facilitating the return of young adults who have turned 18, within a short period of time.

'This is an ongoing effort,' the fist lady said. 'Plans are already in motion to reunify more children in the immediate future. Every child deserves the comfort of family and the hope of a peaceful tomorrow.'

Melania explained all the advances made so far during her five-minute speech, taking no questions before she left.

She was born Melanija Knavs in Sevnica, a small town in the former Yugoslavia, now Slovenia. She grew up during the Cold War era under a communist regime. Like many families living in countries close to the Iron Curtain, Melania has said she understands the restraints of a controlled society, and how a country like Russia operates.

Talks between Trump and Putin appear to have stalled since the world watched eagerly as the two world leaders met in Alaska on August 15.

In a summit billed as a potential turning point, the meeting ended without any concrete agreement, though both leaders issued optimistic statements.

Putin insisted that a lasting ceasefire would require eliminating the 'primary causes' of the conflict, while Trump said many points were 'agreed to' but acknowledged a 'significant' sticking point remained.
Pam Bondi was blindsided when the President's newly minted federal prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, took an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James straight to a grand jury.

The former beauty queen, who took over Virginia's Eastern District just two weeks ago, went completely rogue, ditching any coordination with the attorney general or her team, according to reports.

James was indicted on bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. She has been under investigation for mortgage fraud since May over documents she filed to help her niece buy a home in Virginia.

Halligan did tell at least one Justice Department official that she was planning on moving forward with charging James, but ended up presenting the case alone to a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday, according to CNN.

Previous reports suggest that Bondi and her Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche viewed the mortgage fraud case against James as weak.

However, Trump demanded the DOJ move forward with its prosecution by dismissing Halligans predecessor, former US Attorney Erik Sibert, for not indicting James.

Initially, Halligan planned on bringing forward the case to a grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia, rather than Arlington because she believed the jury would be more open to an indictment. The case will be prosecuted in Norfolk.

The DOJ denied CNNs reporting.

Lindsey Halligan reportedly blindsided Pam Bondi following her indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James

Bondi and other top leaders at the DOJ were left in the dark as Halligan presented the indictment by herself to a grand jury in Virginia

James called charges against her an example of the 'weaponization' of the DOJ under Trump

As a matter of law, we will not discuss any grand jury matters with the media, but this Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again and the attorney general, deputy attorney general, along with the entire team at Main Justice continue to empower our US attorneys to pursue justice in every case, said a DOJ spokesman.

Federal Investigators claimed that James falsified information on loan documents for a property she owns in Virginia in order to obtain more generous loans.

The indictment, obtained by the Daily Mail, claims she signed a 'Second Home Rider, which required James, as the sole borrower, to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibits its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership agreement or agreement that requires her to rent the property or give any other person control over the occupancy or use of the property.

'Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied by James as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of [three],' it continues.

Prosecutors also accused James of receiving a voided 0.815 percent higher mortgage rate, resulting in approximately $17,837 in savings over the course of the loan and was able to obtain a seller credit of approximately $3,288.

If found guilty, James could face up to 30 years in prison per count, along with a $1 million fine on each count and lose ownership of the properties cited in the indictment.

James has denied any wrongdoing and has called the DOJs indictment a continuation of the President's desperate weaponization of our justice system.

Trump was successfully prosecuted by James in 2023 for business fraud in New York City

Halligan took over as began running the Eastern District of Virginia two weeks ago

'I am not fearful - I am fearless,' said yesterday. 'We will fight these baseless charges aggressively and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights.'

The attorney general, who campaigned on prosecuting Trump, launched a civil lawsuit against him in February 2023 for business fraud. Trump received a $500 million civil fraud penalty, along with other fines, but a New York appeals court tossed out the fine deeming it excessive.

Over the last few weeks, Bondi has faced intense pressure from Trump to prosecute political enemies, including former Director of the FBI James Comey.

Prior to Comey's indictment, Trump sent out a Truth Social post demanding the attorney general speed up the process.

'We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility,' Trump wrote.

'They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!'

Moreover, Trump's DOJ loyalists have sought to prosecute other perceived enemies of the President. Appointees have justified their actions based on the unprecedented action of the DOJ to prosecute Trump while he was running for office during the 2024 election.

Prosecutors in Maryland intend to reportedly charge ex-Trump national-security-adviser-turned-critic John Bolton in the coming day with mishandling classified information.

Former FBI director Christopher Wray, who led the FBI during the agency's raid on Trump's Mar-a-Largo residence, is also facing a criminal probe along with former CIA director John Brennan.
The massive explosion at a Tennessee bomb factory, which is believed to have killed multiple people, experienced a similar tragedy occurred near property in 2014.

A blast went off at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in Bucksnort, about an hour south of Nashville, around 7.50am local time today.

Eleven years ago, an explosion happened at the Rio Ammunition in McEwen, about 55 miles west of Nashville.

An investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team determined that it was accidental and that the blast happened during companys cartridge loading operations.

Multiple fatalities have been confirmed, although the number is not currently known. At least 19 employees currently remain unaccounted for.
A huge brawl broke out at a supermarket in Miami, with a shirtless man ripping down a metal shelf to use it as a weapon, according to video.

Chaos appeared to erupt at the Publix store on Thursday after several fights involving over a dozen people erupted.

Multiple melees were captured on video as panicked shoppers screamed and ran in search of safety from the fights.

Then, a man identified as 20-year-old Climont Mann, was seen grabbing the metal piece and slamming it on the floor.

Mann then was filmed swinging the large metal as multiple fights went on around him.

Officials said Mann hit as many as three people with the shelf, as reported by NBC Miami.

A man was filmed using a metal shelf as a weapon in a fight at a Publix supermarket in Miami

Climont Mann, 20, was seen in video footage grabbing the metal piece and slamming it on the floor before he starts swinging it around

When police responded to the scene, they said they found two large groups of people outside the supermarket throwing plates and other objects at each other.

More officers and rescue crews responded to the scene.

Two people were said to be treated outside the Publix and two were taken to the hospital.

Officials have not revealed what led to the fights.

Mann was arrested and charged with aggravated battery, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

He has a criminal history including another arrest in Miami for battery in January, 2024.

The Publix brawl comes after a huge melee broke out at an Indianapolis Walmart last month.

Officials said Mann hit as many as three people with the shelf

Officials have not revealed what led to the multiple fights at the store

A Walmart employee was savagely beaten by a group of women, with footage of the incident shared online.

The clip showed a woman dressed in black holding back a young man as two other women beat an employee in a check-out aisle.

Another Walmart employee was able to ultimately get the victim off the ground - at which point one of the women throws something at the employee.
Parents jailed over the deaths of their babies are launching appeals over their convictions amid mounting concerns over the forensic expert whose evidence helped convict them.

Leading British bone pathologist professor David Mangham is the subject of a General Medical Council inquiry after his conclusions in one case were dismissed by a judge.

His evidence was countered by experts in another case and three further parents jailed over babies deaths are now questioning his expert advice.

Mangham, 62, referred himself to the GMC after a High Court judge criticised his finding of non-accidental rib fractures on a 21-month-old girl found accidentally strangled by a scarf.

The toddlers grieving parents were questioned over her death but a court later ruled that the fractures were likely to have been caused by a fall and the 90 minutes spent trying to resuscitate her.

A few months later another mother, Laura Langley, was cleared of murdering her seven-week-old daughter after experts contradicted Manghams evidence about the cause of fractures to her ribs.

Langleys defence barrister, Tana Adkin KC, said all the experts previous cases should now be reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service.

She told the Times: This is so serious. We are talking about murder, where people ... get a life sentence.

Alongside his job as a consultant histopathologist at Royal Marsden Hospital in London, Mangham dealt with up to 110 suspicious death cases each year.

Analysis from the Times found that his laboratory, Calamat Ltd, had been paid at least 1.1million by police forces in the past eight years.

Laura Langley, 38, was accused of killing her seven-week-old daughter Edith after she stopped breathing at their home in Blackpool. Experts contradicted Manghams evidence about the cause of fractures to Edith's ribs

Muritala Olaiya-Imam, 37, was found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court of allowing the death of 12-week-old Malik Goncalves. Malik had found a fracture on Malik's wrist but a reviewing expert disputed his conclusions

Abigail Palmer (pictured) was convicted of manslaughter in 2019 over the death of her two-month-old daughter Teri-Rae. Palmer claimed she woke from a sleep on the sofa with Teri-Rae lifeless on her chest but Mangham identified eight non-accidental rib fractures

Described by peers as a brilliant pathologist, Mangham was made an MBE in 2022.

But three High Court judges have raised concerns about his workload or the quality of his evidence in the past six years, including Mr Justice Keehans case last year involving the girl asphyxiated by a scarf.

The judgement stated that Mangham demonstrated a closed mind and appeared overburdened with work.

There are further doubts over the evidence used to convict Muritala Olaiya-Imam, who was jailed for ten years over the death of 11-week-old Malik Goncalves, the Times reported.

Olaiya-Imam was jailed in 2023 for child cruelty and allowing the death of a child. He was not present when Malik was murdered by his mother, Olaiya-Imams partner Elodie Goncalves, in Harlow, Essex, in 2020.

Mangham identified a partial fracture on the boys left wrist which was dated to between three and six days before death.

Last December, permission was granted for a second bone pathologist, professor Tony Freemont, to review the injury.

Professor Freemont concluded that the damage did not meet the epidemiological criteria for a fracture, the Times reported.

Prof Freemont is now examining evidence in the case of Abigail Palmer, convicted of manslaughter in 2019 over the death of her two-month-old daughter Teri-Rae.

Palmer claimed she woke from a sleep on the sofa with Teri-Rae lifeless on her chest. Mangham identified eight non-accidental rib fractures, but a paramedics report described a brutal CPR process and the post-mortem examination stated there had been an aggressive and invasive resuscitation procedure.

Manghams evidence is still being used at trial but forces have asked Freemont to review his findings in about 20 cases, the Times reported.

A CPS spokesman said: In every case the use of expert witness testimony is carefully reviewed and scrutinised by our prosecutors.

In light of the High Court judgement, prosecutors will consider disclosure of the judges comments to the defence in all cases where Professor Manghams expert opinion is in issue  so that any disputed matters can be robustly examined as part of a trial process.

'We work on an ongoing basis with police forces to identify a breadth of qualified experts whose testimony can be relied on to support complex prosecutions.

Mangham did not respond to requests for comment from the Times.
The Democratic nominee for governor of Virginia endured a car-crash debate after refusing to withdraw her endorsement of a fellow Democrat who called for a Republican's family to be shot.

Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger stood icily silent as her GOP opponent, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, repeatedly questioned her about the scandal.

Spanberger refused to condemn scandal-hit Jay Jones, the Democrat's nominee for Virginia attorney general, despite his violent remarks.

The controversy erupted last week after text messages sent by Jones in 2022 were exposed, showing he suggested a Republican colleague and his family should be murdered.

In the messages, Jones fumed about how the then-Republican speaker of the House of Delegates, Todd Gilbert, responded to the death of a former Democrat in the House, saying: 'Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot [sic]. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.'

Jones also branded Gilbert's children 'little fascists', and appeared to advocate political violence saying, 'Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy'.

The scandal has dominated Virginia's upcoming elections. Spanberger was repeatedly grilled by Earle-Sears over her continued support for Jones during Thursday night's debate.

'Why won't she say he must leave the race?' the GOP hopeful asked, to a stonily silent response.

Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor of Virginia, endured a car-crash debate Thursday night as she refused to drop her endorsement for her party's nominee for attorney general after he called for a Republican's family to be shot

Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears used the scandal as ammunition repeatedly throughout the debate on Thursday night

'Because Jay Jones advocated for the murder, Abigail, the murder of a man as well as his children, who were two and five-years-old,' the Republican said.

Earle-Sears turned to face her opponent as she continued: 'You have little girls.

'Would it take him pulling the trigger? Is that what it would take for you to say he needs to get out of the race?'

Spanberger stared straight ahead as Earle-Sears berated her for her handling of the incident, and did not respond as the Republican continued questioning her.

'Abigail, you have nothing to say? What if he said it about your three children? Is that when you'd say he should get out of the race, Abigail?'

Later in the debate, Earle-Sears again pressed her opponent over whether she would continue to endorse Jones.

Abigail Spanberger continues to stand behind her running mate who wanted to see a man and his children murdered. Abigail, you had your chance to show courage and moral clarity and you failed. pic.twitter.com/uHdC3dV3Ni  Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) October 10, 2025

Spanberger, pictured with Joe Biden in 2022, holds a comfortable lead in the race ahead of voting day on November 4, with most polls showing her with an advantage of between five and 12 points

Earle-Sears, pictured with Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, is the current Virginia Luietenant Governor

Spanberger then only said the texts were 'abhorrent', but stopped short of saying he had lost her support.

Her refusal to drop her endorsement led to a fiery exchange between the Democrat and Earle-Sears, with even the moderators losing their patience with her non-answer.

Spanberger said it was, 'important to denounce political violence', leading Earle-Sears to remind her: 'The question is are you going to tell him to get out of the race?'

After the Democrat said she felt it was critical to 'set a good example to our children,' the moderator responded: 'I didn't hear an answer there.

'Will you continue to endorse Jay Jones to be the next Attorney General of Virginia, and were you aware of these text messages before they were released?'

Spanberger again did not answer if Jones has lost her support, saying 'it will be up to the voters'.

The moderator tried again, saying: 'Ms Spanberger, I understand what you are saying about the voters, but do you yourself, do you still support Jay Jones?'

Spanberger dodged the question a second time as she responded: 'We are each running our individual races... it is up to each individual person to make their own decision.

Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones (pictured) has faced intense calls to leave the race after his texts from 2022 were exposed

In a private 2022 exchange with Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner, the attorney general nominee shockingly suggested that his political rival, then-House Speaker Gilbert, deserved to be brutally murdered

'I am running my race to serve Virginia, and that is what I intend to do.'

The moderator appeared to grow frustrated as she said she hoped to 'clarify' where the Democrat stood, asking: 'As of now, you still support Jay Jones for Attorney General?'

'I am saying that, as of now, it is up to every voter to make their own individual decision,' Spanberger responded.

'I am running for governor, I am accountable for the words that I say, for the acts that I take.'

Despite her car crash performance, Spanberger holds a comfortable lead in the race ahead of voting day on November 4, with most polls showing her with an advantage of between five and 12 points.
John Swinney is set for a showdown with SNP activists over independence today in a turbulent start to his partys annual conference in Aberdeen.

The First Minister will demand backing for his plan to make an outright SNP majority at the Holyrood election the basis for seeking a second referendum.

But with the SNP sagging in the polls and a survey this week showing trust in the Scottish Government at an all-time low, many of his own members want a much lower bar.

A proposal backed by nine branches says the SNP should stick with its previous policy and fight next Mays election as a de facto referendum.

If all the separatist parties combined then won the most list votes that would be read as a mandate for independence and the creation of a provisional government.

Mr Swinney, who says only a repeat of the SNP majority seen in 2011 can jolt the UK Government into granting a referendum, will face fierce challenges from his critics.

John Swinney will demand backing for his plan to make an outright SNP majority at the Holyrood election at the annual conference in Aberdeen

Mr Swinney told LBC last night that if he won a majority Keir Starmer wont be the Prime Minister, and Ill be negotiating with somebody else, and said of the rival independence proposal: I dont think it would work.

The SNP leader also faces a moment of jeopardy tomorrow, the first anniversary of Alex Salmonds death, when Nicola Sturgeon visits the conference on the eve of his keynote speech.

The former First Minister, who overshadowed Humza Yousafs one and only conference as SNP leader in 2023, is due to speak at a fringe about The Promise, her flagship plan to help children in care which watchdogs this week exposed as shambolic.

On Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon urged downhearted independence supporters to keep the faith at a book event in Edinburgh, claiming the union would end sooner than they thought.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn will today accuse Keir Starmer of taking broken Britain from bad to worse and claimed Scotland needs a fresh start with independence.

Opening the conference, the Aberdeen South MP will say the UK Labour Government has power but no purpose and the Westminster system isnt working for Scotland.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the SNP was desperately out of touch squabbling over independence while services across Scotland are at breaking point.

He added: We cant risk a third decade of this tired and incompetent government.
A major shake-up at BBC Radio Scotland will see presenters on its morning news show replaced and the flagship programme potentially rebranded.

Good Morning Scotland (GMS) is regularly hosted by Gary Robertson and Laura Maxwell, with Graham Stewart, Fiona Stalker, Andrew Black, Lucy Whyte and Hope Webb stepping in as guest presenters.

But the Mail understands Mr Robertson is stepping down after more than 20 years and Ms Maxwell will be dropped from the line-up, although it is understood that both will continue in high profile news roles at BBC Scotland.

It comes after BBC Radio Scotland listener numbers slumped from 800,000 to 745,000 between October-December in 2023 and the same period in 2024, according to data from Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR).

BBC Radio Scotland has warned star presenters their roles may be lost under sweeping changes to GMS, which launched on Hogmanay 1973 and has become the longest-running and most listened-to radio show broadcast from Scotland.

It is believed that Martin Geissler, host of The Sunday Show, which is broadcast on BBC1 Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland, and Laura Maciver, BBC Scotland Newss senior presenter, have been lined up to host a revamped early morning show.

The Mail understands GMS host Laura Maxwell will be dropped from the programme

Gary Robertson will step down from GMS after presenting the show for more than 20 years

It is believed that Laura Maciver and Martin Geissler have been lined up to host a revamped early morning show

The architect of the radical changes is Victoria Easton Riley, BBC Scotlands head of audio and events, who was recruited in May to help revitalise the stations output.

She previously produced the Radio 1 Breakfast Show before becoming director of content for Scotland and Northern Ireland with commercial radio firm Bauer, where she was credited with generating significant growth in listeners for Clyde 1 and Forth 1.

Ms Easton Riley has pledged to create bold, distinctive content for audiences across the country.

A corporation source said: Its true that were about to change presenters  however there are no plans for any major changes to GMS itself.

Apparently there is also some discussion going on regarding the branding of all the radio news programmes.

On Mr Robertson, the source said: Hell still be presenting other major daily and weekly programmes. Hes not leaving. Apparently he wanted off mornings after 20-odd years.

It is understood the future of Mornings, With Kaye Adams, which runs from 9am to noon on weekdays, is also uncertain.

A senior BBC source said Mr Robertson and Ms Maxwell are two of our finest journalists and both will carry on working for BBC Scotland in high-profile news roles.

The source added: Any potential change in our flagship breakfast programme would focus on building on the reputation they have built for GMS as having the highest editorial and journalistic ambitions.

Our new head of audio is working through her thinking for the whole of our audio offer, including the daytime schedule, but there are no immediate proposals to make changes to that output.
This is the terrifying moment police use a chainsaw to break down a gangster's door in their hunt for 12 crooks who have now been jailed for more than 100 years.

The mobsters were part of an organised crime group where three firearms, ammunition, cash and 100,000 worth of cocaine were found at their addresses and in cars in Litherland, Merseyside.

Mugshots of the criminals reveals one gangster, Adam Dean, 35, shamelessly smiling despite being chucked in prison for nearly five years.

The shocking video documents six arrests as several officers rush to cuff the criminals.

In the arrest of George Medway, a police dog is seen jumping on him while multiple cars rush to the scene and he is yelled at to 'get down now'.

Police sawed through the front doors of gang members Aaron O'Brien and Thomas Ball as sparks fly off and they charge into O'Brien's home while he is half naked.

Sirens blared in the arrest of Joshua Hayes who was seen curled and cuffed on the floor before being forced into a police car. Wads of cash were seized from his pocket.

It comes after a major 15-month Merseyside Police investigation into the Sefton based group which found they were selling close to a million pounds in drugs and had been in possession of machine guns.

This is the terrifying moment police use a chainsaw to break down a gangster's door in their hunt for 12 crooks who have now been jailed for more than 100 years

Police sawed through the front doors of gang member Thomas Ball as sparks fly off before they charge into his home

It comes after a major 15-month Merseyside Police investigation into the Sefton based group which found they were selling close to a million pounds in drugs and had been in possession of machine guns

Joshua Adam Hayes, 34, was sentenced to to 20 years after it was found he controlled a lucrative cocaine drug graft where he supplied 900,000 of cocaine during the investigation.

He entrusted his 'graft phone' with key associates to ensure it continued serving customers with Class A drugs while he enjoyed holidays in Turkey and Tenerife.

James Harrison, 28, was sentenced to 15-and-a-half years after managing a lucrative cannabis supply business using the pseudonym Budfellaz - as well as firearm offences.

Over a six-month period, Harrison is believed to have supplied more than 240kg of cannabis with an estimated street value of up to 3.7 million.

On Saturday 12 July 2024, officers raided Matthew Reece Ball's, 28, address on Condron Road North which recovered nearly 1kg of Class A drugs.

Two Skorpion machine guns and one Springfield pistol hidden in a void behind a wall were also found at a separate home on the same street.

All three firearms had ammunition with them and one of the Skorpions was confirmed as having been used earlier in the year.

Matthew Ball was later arrested for drug offences having fled from a vehicle officers were attempting to stop on Thursday 17 October.

Two Skorpion machine guns and one Springfield pistol hidden in a void behind a wall were also found at a separate home on the same street

All three firearms had ammunition with them and one of the Skorpions was confirmed as having been used earlier in the year

The shocking video documents six arrests as several officers rush to cuff the criminals

Police also stopped Hayes, Harrison, Medway, 21, and John Bennett, 31, in vehicles in the Sefton area.

In one of the vehicles were bags of clothing, passports and huge wads of cash.

Stephen Sutter, 33, Kayleigh Wilson, 33, George Medway, 21, Joshua Adam Hayes, 34, Matthew Ball, 28, Aaron O'Brien, 24, Anthony John Bennett, 31, Michael James Caldwell, 40, Adam Dean, 35, James Harrison, 28, John Newton, 33, and Thomas Ball, 18, were sentenced on Thursday and Friday this week for firearms and drugs offences.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: 'I am in no doubt that communities across Merseyside are safer now that these individuals are behind bars.

'Members of this OCG possessed weapons, such as the Skorpion, that have been used to kill innocent people in Merseyside. Victims have died after being caught in the crossfire of disputes between groups like this who depend on violence, threats and intimidation to maintain their trade in illegal drugs.

'So many lives have been torn apart by OCGs but we continue to work on a daily basis to rid our communities of them, bring offenders like these to justice and remove the extremely dangerous weapons and illicit drugs they possess from circulation.

'I want to take this opportunity to thank all officers involved in this investigation. Their dedication and commitment has led to this day and it gives me great satisfaction to see their hard work pay off.

Mugshots of the criminals reveals one gangster, Adam Dean, 35, shamelessly smiling despite being chucked in prison for nearly five years

Joshua Adam Hayes, 34, was sentenced to to 20 years after it was found he controlled a lucrative cocaine drug graft where he supplied 900,000 of cocaine during the investigation

'Their enquiries established that these criminals were in possession of dangerous weapons, significant quantities of drugs, and large sums of illicit cash. Officers on the ground then acted with courage and speed to detain the offenders in their homes, in cars and on the street.

'Twelve people will now serve prison sentences as a consequence of their actions.

'Officers and staff at Merseyside Police come to work every day to protect our communities and results such as this show how worthwhile those efforts are.

'If you want to help us in these efforts, please give us any information you have on OCG activity and we will do everything we can to protect our communities.'
President Bola Tinubu has approved the exercise of the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 persons across various categories, including Nigeria's foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).

The approval was endorsed by the Council of State on Thursday following a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), during its meeting at the State House, Abuja.

Fagbemi, who presented the recommendations on behalf of the President, said the list was drawn from the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed requests for clemency and pardon in line with constitutional provisions.

Although the complete list of beneficiaries has not yet been made public, sources at the meeting confirmed that notable historical figures such as Herbert Macaulay and Mamman Vatsa were among those pardoned.

Also listed were members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, whose cases have remained subjects of public debate for decades.

Macaulay, often described as the "father of Nigerian nationalism," was twice convicted by the British colonial authorities in Lagos.

In 1913, while working as a private surveyor, he was prosecuted and imprisoned over allegations of fund mismanagement from an estate under his care -- a charge that historians have long argued was politically motivated.

Vanguard News
A parliamentary researcher accused of spying for Beijing was at the 'heart of government policy on China', it can be revealed today.

Chris Cash received high-level briefings from former MI6 spies, ambassadors and ministers, gaining extraordinary intelligence on China-related policies before he was dramatically arrested on suspicion of passing on secrets.

But the case against him and an English teacher friend collapsed last month when the Government refused to class Beijing as a threat to national security.

Keir Starmer has claimed his hands were tied, blaming the previous Tory administration for not designating China an adversary at the time of the alleged offences.

But the Daily Mail has discovered that, as the Government was refusing to aid the Crown Prosecution Service with a witness statement to the same effect, then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy had no qualms branding Beijing an 'enemy' of Britain during a debate in the Commons.

His comments came almost a year before the case against Mr Cash and Chris Berry collapsed because the Government's national security adviser refused to say the same thing in court. Both men have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Today, shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns reveals she was told she was targeted in the alleged spying operation, and her fears resulting from it.

In one alleged spy dossier were details of the hotel where she stayed in Taiwan on a fact-finding trip as chairman of the foreign affairs committee. In an exclusive interview, Ms Kearns, 37, told how she worries she may have been bugged during the 2022 trip after China threatened that her visit would result in 'repercussions'.

Chris Cash (pictured) received high-level briefings from former MI6 spies, ambassadors and ministers, gaining extraordinary intelligence on China-related policies before he was dramatically arrested on suspicion of passing on secrets

Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns (pictured) has revealed she was told she was targeted in the alleged spying operation

She said: 'They could have got in that room at any time. You can't be sure that the room hasn't got a bug or a camera somewhere. There could be photos of you walking around your hotel room naked.'

The mother-of-three fears others Mr Cash met through his parliamentary work may also have been exposed, including Chinese dissidents, victims of 'transnational repression', and those intimidated in secret Chinese police stations in the UK.

Mr Cash, with whom she worked for more than a year, was at the 'heart of government policy on China', gaining insight from the Foreign Office, Home Office, Treasury and Department for Business and Trade, she says.

In 2022, he was appointed director of the China Research Group, set up by Tory MPs to shape government policy on China amid concerns about Beijing's attempts to extend its influence in Britain.

The 30-year-old worked on key decisions such as the TikTok ban on government devices and exposing covert Chinese police stations in the UK.

Over the year-long period he is accused of spying until February 2023, Mr Cash spoke to 'every top China expert in the UK', from academics and think-tanks to intelligence officials, civil servants and industry leaders in what Ms Kearns believes would have been 'gold dust' for Beijing.

The extraordinary revelations will raise yet more questions about why the case was ditched on the eve of trial despite multiple government ministers branding Beijing an enemy.

The Prime Minister has sought to blame the last government's stance on China, saying the Tories did not designate China as a threat to national security at the time of the alleged offences.

Keir Starmer has claimed his hands were tied when refusing to class Beijing as a national security threat, blaming the previous Tory administration for not designating China an adversary at the time of the alleged offences

But his now deputy described the Chinese as 'enemies' of the UK and the US in a bid to defend Labour's surrender of the Chagos Islands in a Commons debate last year.

Yesterday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper admitted: 'We know China poses threats to the UK national security,' adding: 'I am deeply frustrated about this case, because I, of course, wanted to see it prosecuted.'

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Daily Mail: 'The Labour Government themselves are describing China as an enemy, and yet at the same time refusing to hand over to the Crown Prosecution Service documents from 2021 to 2023 that demonstrate the threat China posed.

'By refusing to do this, they've caused an espionage prosecution to collapse, undermining our national security and giving a green light to China to spy on the UK.'

He added: 'It is a total disgrace that Mr Lammy was happy to describe China as an enemy of the UK to defend the surrender of the Chagos Islands, yet when it comes to defending our own national security, Labour is unwilling to do the same.'

Mr Cash and Mr Berry, 33, deny any wrongdoing, with their lawyers describing the evidence against them as 'threadbare'.

Accused's blog reveals China didn't make a great first impression

By Chris Pollard

Shortly after he arrived in China in 2015, fresh-faced English teacher Christopher Berry was blogging his first impressions of the country.

Welcome to a land where old ladies will elbow you in the groin as they rush to get a seat on the metro, the then 24-year-old wrote, and the concept of first-come, first-served seems to be unheard of.

The 2016 post told in a horrified tone how he had visited a branch of Ikea to find children jumping on beds, goaded on by their parents, while other shoppers napped on display furniture.

Theres taking a rest... and then theres taking the p***, he fumed. China is a whole different kettle of fish.

It is unclear how Mr Berrys feelings evolved in the years that followed, but when he returned to Britain on holiday in 2023, he was dramatically arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.

The Crown Prosecution Service accused him of leaking sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence agent  believed to be Cai Qi, the fifth-ranking member of the Communist Partys Politburo and a close ally of Xi Jinping, Chinas president.

Mr Berry and his friend Chris Cash, a parliamentary researcher, strenuously denied charges brought under the Official Secrets Act.

The case collapsed last month after the Government refused to label China a threat to national security.

Mr Berrys since-deleted travel blog, called With A Backpack, offers a tantalising glimpse at his early life in the Communist powerhouse.

Calling himself a traveller, teacher, chopstick amateur, the Oxford native documented his struggle to settle in the distant land of Hangzhou, a city of 13 million in eastern China.

He had secured a teaching job at Dongfang Middle School through Opportunity China, a firm which helps students and lecturers find employment.

As well as English, he taught economics. In a cheerful profile on the schools website, he said he wanted to make the subject seem a little less dismal, adding: I hope students will learn something that can be applied in their real lives, whether they decide to study economics further or not.

It is understood Mr Berry also found love in China, and went on to have a baby called Oscar with his partner.

The blog, updated regularly from January 2016, was closed in May 2018  the year he and Mr Cash met in Hangzhou and three years before it was claimed he started communicating with the intelligence agent

When contacted, Mr Berry declined to comment.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu who resigned four days ago after less than a month in the job.

'The president of the republic has nominated Mr Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister and has tasked him with forming a government,' the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

The President has asked the former armed forces minister to try again to form a government in a bid to end the country's political deadlock.

The appointment is widely seen as Macron's last chance to revive his second term, which runs until 2027.

With no majority in the National Assembly to push through his agenda, the President faces increasingly fierce criticism, even from within his own camp, and has little room to maneuver.

Lecornu said in a statement that he accepted the new job offer out of 'duty.'

He said: 'It is my duty to accept the mission entrusted to me by the President to do everything in my power to give France a budget for the end of the year and to respond to the everyday problems of our compatriots.

'We need to put an end to this political crisis, which is exasperating the French people, and to this instability, which is bad for France's image and its interests.'

French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed the French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu (pictured) who resigned four days ago after less than a month in the job

On Monday, Macron (pictured) accepted Lecornu's resignation, just 27 days after being appointed in the position

All those who join his new government will have to renounce ambitions to run for president in 2027, Lecornu said, adding that the new Cabinet will 'incarnate renewal and a diversity of skills.'

On Monday, Macron accepted Lecornu's resignation, just 27 days after being appointed in the position, the Elysee Palace said, plunging the European nation further into political deadlock.

The sudden resignation came just hours after Lecornu appointed his new cabinet.

Responding to the reappointment France's main far-right party vowed to immediately seek to bring down the new French government, saying it did not have 'any future'.

Labelling the move a 'bad joke', National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella said his party will 'immediately of course censure this coalition which does not have any future' through a no-confidence motion in parliament.

Meanwhile, Mathilde Panot, the parliamentary leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party said: 'Never before has a President wanted so much to govern by disgust and anger. Lecornu, who resigned on Monday, was reappointed by Macron on Friday. Macron miserably postpones the inevitable: his departure.'

Yael Braun-Pivet, National President Assembly President hailed the move timely.

She said: 'I note the reappointment of Sebastien Lecornu as Matignon. For weeks now, the National Assembly has been in full working order, ready to play its role to the full: debating, scrutinising and voting. Now it's time to get down to work. It's about time!'

After weeks of consultations with political parties across the board, Lecornu, a close ally of Macron, on Sunday had appointed his ministers, and the cabinet had been set to hold its first meeting on Monday afternoon.

But parties across the board in the National Assembly fiercely criticised the composition of Lecornu's cabinet, which was largely unchanged from Bayrou's, and threatened to vote it down.

Opponents and allies alike, either found it too rightwing or not enough, raising questions on how long it could last, at a time when France is already mired deep in political crisis, with no group holding a majority in a fragmented parliament.

On Tuesday, former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said that he was in favour of an early presidential election, as the country plunged further into crisis.

Philippe, once a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, hit out at what he called a 'distressing political game' in an interview with radio station RTL.

His comments were echoed by Jordan Bardella, the leader of the far-right party National Rally, who said in a separate interview on BFM TV that he supported first a dissolution of the parliament, followed by parliamentary elections or early presidential elections.

Prior to the reappointment, on Wednesday evening the usually publicity-shy Lecornu appeared on French television's prime-time evening news to announce there would be no new elections for now and a new premier would be named.

'I am a monk warrior,' he said. 'This evening, my mission is complete.'

His assured, sober and straightforward performance impressed viewers frustrated after days of political theatre.

Lecornu made clear he was not eager to be given the job again, saying he was 'not running after' the post, but did not explicitly rule out being reappointed.

Macron's decision to call a snap parliamentary election last year deepened the crisis by producing an even more fragmented parliament.

Lecornu was Macron's fifth prime minister in two years following the toppling of Francois Bayrou and his government in a confidence vote.

Bayrou gambled that lawmakers would back his view that France must slash public spending to rein in its huge debts. Instead, they seized on the vote to gang up against the 74-year-old centrist who was appointed by Macron last December.

He had wanted to cut the equivalent of some 35billion from public spending - with national debt currently sitting at 114 per cent of GDP.

And he specifically wanted to cut two public holidays, and freeze pensions and welfare payments, while making thousands of civil servants unemployed.

Bayrou officially submitted his resignation in September after lasting just nine months in office.

Major rioting then swept across France less than 24-hoursafter Macron appointed Lecornu.

The chaos was all linked to a 'Let's Block Everything' campaign ultimately aimed at forcing Macron to resign.
A small footprint in the dust was the only thing left behind when little Gus Lamont vanished.

It was found 500 yards from a pile of red dirt which the four-year-old liked to use as a sandpit.

His grandmother says she saw him playing there at 5pm two Saturday evenings ago.

Half an hour later, when Gus was called in for dinner, he had gone.

Although hundreds of police officers, dozens of soldiers, a small army of volunteers and an Aboriginal tracker have scoured tens of thousands of acres of Outback, the blond, curly haired little boy has not been found.

And what began as a simple missing persons case has spawned a rambunctious media circus with a growing mob of reporters, TV crews and TikTok true crime obsessives flocking to this remote corner of South Australia  nearly four hours drive north of Adelaide.

A host of outlandish theories, involving everything from wild animals to disused mine shafts, have been raised and then discounted, while the unusual life of Guss sheep-farming family is slowly and surely being dragged into the public domain.

The known facts are as follows: At 5.30pm, Guss mother, Jess, who lives on the secluded homestead with her parents, realised she couldnt find him.

Four-year-old Gus Lamont (pictured) attracted worldwide interest after going missing in the Australian Outback. His father lives two hours' drive away, 100km to the west in Belalie North, near Jamestown

The only trace of Gus found was a single footprint discovered about 500 metres from the homestead - and police have since cast doubt on that

With the sun starting to sink, concern quickly turned to panic, and for the next three hours, the family frantically explored their rambling homestead, shouting Guss name into the twilight. After darkness fell, at 8.30pm, they called the police.

A major search ensued, involving helicopters, drones, infrared cameras, trail bikes, and teams of divers who explored the farms water tanks, ponds and reservoirs.

For a week, investigators scoured the enormous Oak Park Station. It covers an astonishing 150,000 acres of scrubland and desert.

Every morning, convoys of trucks negotiated the 18-mile dirt drive bringing visitors from the outskirts of the windswept local town, Yunta, which boasts two petrol stations, a pub, a post office and a police station, and an official population of 60.

They would then scour the rocky landscape covered with salt bushes and other shrubs which make it all too easy for a child to disappear.

That footprint, found after three days, is the nearest anyone has come to locating Gus, with police saying it showed a very similar boot pattern to the pair hed been wearing, along with a blue long-sleeved Minions T-shirt and a grey sun hat.

Yet an Aboriginal tracker concluded that it could have been there for a week before the night Gus went missing. In the absence of any further footprints, the trail went dead.

No further leads have emerged and, after a week, rescuers admitted the operation had shifted to a recovery phase, with the focus on locating remains.

The little boy vanished almost two weeks ago after playing in the yard of remote Oak Park homestead in the harsh South Australian outback, 300km north of Adelaide

Huge air and land searches have failed to find any trace of him apart from a single footprint in the desert scrub since he disappeared on the evening of September 27

But the little boys family refuse to give up hope. On Thursday, Guss grandparent, Josie, spoke for the first time, telling the Daily Mail that while the police no longer believe he will be found alive, the family are continuing their search.

We are still looking for him, she insisted, declining offers of assistance. You cant help. We are dealing with this.

Josie cuts an unorthodox figure in this God-fearing Outback community, where to quote one recent visitor, men are men, and sheep are scared, and social attitudes hark back to the era of Crocodile Dundee. She happens to be a transgender woman.

Born Robert Murray, Josie is Jesss biological father. Josies wife, Shannon, is Jesss biological mother. Locals say Josie transitioned around 2015.

People were obviously a bit shocked, says one. But over time they came to terms with it, and for the most part people have come round to the view of live and let live.

Citizens of Yunta speak highly of the Murrays. Shannons late father Vincent Pfeiffer, who ran the farm until his death in the 2010s, was a famously tough individual who survived three years in Japanese PoW camps during the Second World War.

After returning to Australia, he married Shannons mother, Clair Jones, and began working on the farm. A pillar of the community, he was an active member of the towns rifle shooting club.

In more recent times, the family has been involved in the Yunta Race Club, which stages amateur gymkhanas at which competitors race everything from horses to motorbikes.

Gus's grandparent, Josie Murray - a transgender woman who locals say transitioned many years ago - told the Daily Mail the family had not lost hope

Josh Lamont broke cover in Adelaide, where he is staying with relatives, after he earlier joined the search for his son

While locals have been protective of the family, the same cant be said of many online followers of proceedings, who subjected Josie to grimly predictable abuse on social media when details of her gender identity began to emerge.

A second unusual piece of the family jigsaw involves Guss father, Josh Lamont, who has spent much of the past fortnight searching the farm.

He and Jess turn out to have a complex love life, described by one acquaintance as a sort of commuter relationship. While officially a couple (who have a second son, one-year-old Ronnie), they have in recent years tended to largely live apart.

A family friend said Josh previously spent time on the Murray family station, but moved out a couple of years ago because of clashes with Josie. He lives two hours drive towards Adelaide, in a tumble-down bungalow, sold for $A81,000 (40,000) in 2022, in a town called Belalie North. Relations are believed to remain relatively strained.

Josh doesnt think its safe for kids to be out there. He thinks its dangerous, the friend said. Gus and Ronnie occasionally visit the bungalow with their mother, judging by the presence of a childs bike next to the buildings front steps.

Late on September 27, the night Gus vanished, Josh was found asleep in his home by police.

Its unclear why Jess had not phoned to tell him their child was missing, but analysis of his movements that day are believed to have ruled out any involvement in the disappearance.

A former musician, Josh was once the hard-drinking frontman of a successful country rock n roll band called The Cut Snakes, who performed in the bars and pubs of rural South Australia and in 2019 won the Peoples Choice Country gong at the regions prestigious Music Awards.

Despite the vast, featureless landscape surrounding the property, the boy managed to evade all search efforts

At Mr Lamont's Balalie North home on Wednesday, two hours west of the homestead where Gus went missing, Gus's bicycles could be seen still parked on the verandah

The band seems to have split up during Covid and there is little record of Josh performing since. He has earned money as a tradesman, who helped build the Yunta community centre, according to Fleur Tiver, whose family own the station next to Oak Park and have been neighbours of the Murrays for more than five generations.

Josh has family in Adelaide, where he was photographed this week, having taken a break from helping with the search. Its pretty much devastated him. Its his little boy, and hes pretty close to his son, said a friend.

He has not commented publicly. Indeed, before Josies remarks this week, the only words issued by the family came via a joint statement put out by Bill Harbison, a friend. Were devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Gus, it read.

It has come as a shock to our family and friends and were struggling to comprehend what has happened. Guss absence is felt by all of us and we miss him more than words can express. Our hearts are aching and we are holding on to hope that he will be found safe and well.

Elsewhere, rescue workers are said to have discounted several theories that might explain the four-year-olds disappearance, not least those involving animals.

While dingos, a wild dog, have been responsible for abducting small children, there are precious few in the land around Yunta, since sheep farmers tend to shoot them on sight.

The region is also protected by a 1,200-mile dog fence designed to safeguard livestock. Crocodiles, which inhabit more tropical northern regions of Australia, are not found in the south.

Gus is too big to be taken by an eagle, and if he had been attacked by a wild pig, searchers would almost certainly have discovered evidence of a struggle.

Gus had been wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a distinctive blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from the movie Despicable Me on the front

Local topography, meanwhile, makes it almost impossible that a stranger could have abducted him. The nearest major public road is the Barrier Highway, a desolate 600-mile road that takes long-distance truckers to New South Wales. But to reach it, Gus would have had to wander 30 miles.

Even reaching the nearest minor road would involve an 18-mile walk along the drive to the property. And no outsider can get within several miles of the homestead without being spotted due to the clouds of dust their vehicle produces.

That hasnt stopped a viral photo, which shows a blond child similar to Gus being carried into a truck, from circulating on Facebook. However, a BBC investigation established that it was an AI-generated forgery created by a notorious fake news account named Celebrity Today.

Police divers have searched every pond and water tank in the area, and although some think Gus might have fallen into a well or mine, none has been found within several miles of the property.

The Outback is, of course, famously treacherous. At this time of year, temperatures reach the high 20s by day, but drop to single figures overnight.

There are precious few naturally occurring sources of food or water and it seems unlikely that a four-year-old would be able to survive such conditions for any significant period of time without help.

So while the mystery of Gus Lamonts disappearance has yet to be solved, the chances that the little boy with blond curly hair and a Minions T-shirt will be found safe and well are, sadly, getting smaller with every passing day.
Alicia Kearns was working with her parliamentary researcher when the call came through from security demanding an immediate meeting.

Within minutes, police had dropped the extraordinary bombshell that they suspected the researcher, Chris Cash, had been passing secrets to Beijing for a year.

During a meeting which left the chairman of the foreign affairs committee  now shadow national security minister  feeling physically sick, counter-terrorism officers and MI5 said her trusted aide, who sat at the heart of key government policy decisions on China, was a suspected traitor.

In an extraordinary scandal which raises questions about the hostile states interference in our democracy, it was alleged that the 30-year-old  who had briefings from former MI6 spies, ambassadors, intelligence officials and MPs  had been passing on information prejudicial to the safety or interests of Britain.

A shocked Ms Kearns burst into tears as her mind raced, trying to calculate the potential harm that could have been caused by someone who had worked with the top China experts in the country, including academics, industry leaders and think-tank staff.

As director of the China Research Group, Mr Cash played a key role in meetings with the Foreign Office, Home Office, Treasury and Department for Business and Trade.

The influential group was set up in 2020 by several Tory MPs, including Ms Kearns, to shape government policy on China amid growing concerns about Beijings attempts to extend its influence in Britain.

Alicia Kearns (pictured) was working with her parliamentary researcher when the call came through from security demanding an immediate meeting

As director of the China Research Group, Mr Cash (pictured) played a key role in meetings with the Foreign Office, Home Office, Treasury and Department for Business and Trade

The important role saw Mr Cash meet Chinese dissidents, victims of transnational repression (where a foreign state targets people overseas), and those who may have been intimidated in secret Chinese police stations in the UK.

She fears all of them could have been betrayed, putting their safety at risk. But there was worse to come.

When Ms Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, later sat down with detectives, they brought up one line of questioning that still leaves her lying awake at night.

An officer asked: Can I just check that you went to Taiwan, and is this the name of the hotel you stayed at? Can you tell us why it would be of interest to somebody to know that you were in Taiwan in that hotel?

She recalls the instant chill she felt: They could have got in that room at any time. When I stay in a hotel, I always double check if it is a two-way mirror, I always try to do a rough check for anything Im worried about.

But unless you have been specifically trained to do it, you cant be sure that the room hasnt got a bug or a camera somewhere. There could be photos of you walking around your hotel room naked.

On trips like Taiwan, you assume that youre being listened to in meetings. But in a hotel room its not like you get changed under the covers. I worry what information they have about me or particularly my family  I would have rung my family in that room.

In the run-up to the trip to Taiwan in December 2022, Chinese authorities had sent threatening letters warning Ms Kearns and her team not to attend.

It was alleged in a pre-trial hearing that secrets were passed to an unnamed Chinese intelligence agent who then handed them over to Cai Qi, de facto chief of staff to President Xi Jinping (pictured)

The Chinese government outright threatened us that if we went thered be repercussions, she said. So finding out that potentially my hotel room information was passed on... they could have done anything.

Mr Cash and his long-time British friend Chris Berry, 33, whom he met when they were teaching in Hangzhou, China, in 2017, were charged with spying for China.

But last month the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) abruptly dropped the case without explanation just weeks before their trial was due to start.

Since then a bitter political row has raged about who was responsible for the collapse of the high-profile prosecution.

Ms Kearns has accused Labour of refusing to give the CPS crucial evidence that Beijing poses a national security threat to Britain to avoid harming trade  while Sir Keir Starmer has tried to blame the previous Tory governments stance on China for the fiasco.

It was alleged in a pre-trial hearing that secrets were passed to an unnamed Chinese intelligence agent who then handed them over to a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party and a Politburo member, understood to be Cai Qi, de facto chief of staff to President Xi Jinping.

Prosecutors claimed that Mr Cash had passed politically sensitive information to Mr Berry.

The charges, strenuously denied by both, related to 34 reports that the Chinese intelligence agent commissioned from Mr Berry, based on information Mr Cash had provided between January 2022 and February 2023.

Ms Kearns has accused Labour of refusing to give the CPS crucial evidence that Beijing poses a national security threat to Britain in order to avoid harming trade. Sir Keir is pictured with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy (file image)

Because the charges have been dropped by the CPS, both Mr Berry and Mr Cash are, in the eyes of the law, guilty of absolutely nothing.

It was said by prosecutors that over time Chris Cash began to share unsolicited off the record information too.

But if that was actually the case, then no one suspected a thing throughout this period.

Not the former MI6 spies Mr Cash spoke to as part of his work, nor the security team who cleared him to receive a parliamentary pass after he started work as an intern in 2021 before graduating to become a researcher.

When former security minister Tom Tugendhat promoted Mr Cash to director of the China Research Group, Ms Kearns was impressed: My first impression, he was highly intelligent, highly capable, very detailed, focused, incredible knowledge of China and Mandarin. He seemed determined to protect the UK from hostile acts by the Chinese.

I knew him for about a year and a half. He passionately believed that the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] was harming China. He wanted to change policy to better protect the UK.

She describes him as being at the heart of government policy on China, working on decisions such as the TikTok ban on government devices and exposing covert Chinese police stations in the UK.

He played a key role in the Government forcing a Chinese-owned firm to sell its 86 per cent stake in the Newport Wafer Fab semiconductor plant in South Wales and was an integral part of the China Research Groups lobbying to insert national security provisions into a procurement Bill aimed at preventing Chinese companies from undercutting British rivals.

Mr Cash played a key role in the Government forcing a Chinese-owned firm to sell its 86 per cent stake in the Newport Wafer Fab semiconductor plant (pictured) in South Wales

Ms Kearns recalled: He did all the research behind it to allow us to go and do that work and to make those arguments.

'He was seemingly very supportive of UK national interest and hyper-critical of the Chinese governments approach to dealing with Hong Kongers and Uighurs and anyone who has had to escape China essentially because of their oppressive actions.

I mean, he wasnt necessarily a fully signed-up Conservative. But his job wasnt to be that. He was exceptional at his job.

Mr Cash made himself invaluable, she added.

He built up an extraordinary web of networks. He understood how the government and democratic process is undertaken and the processes involved to influence change in government policy.

He knew lots of journalists because people either needed to make comments which he would draft or help with, lots of think-tankers, academics. Essentially, the Westminster class. He knew them all.

'His job was to do the hard work behind the scenes to help us achieve policy change... he was involved in everything. He was kind of the engine of the China Research Group.

But no-one realised that the brilliant researcher at the heart of the groups work might have been one of its biggest concerns.

Ms Kearns said: It would be gold dust for China. They want to understand how the system functions, how Parliament works, how do you influence MPs, how does business get done in Parliament?

Its all that personal stuff  what makes Tom Tugendhat tick now he is the security minister? Who are the people he listens to? How does he engage? How does he work?

'It is absolutely priceless information and its absolutely fundamental if youre trying to undermine a democracy or the individuals themselves.

China wants to understand how the China Research Group functioned, what we were doing, why we were doing it.

Chris was not going to ministerial meetings, but certainly he was well aware of the content likely to be discussed when those meetings were taking place.

He never had access to anything top secret. But he knew what government ministers were doing, what we were working on, what we were thinking.

'This is what our intelligence services do  go out there and get the colour, the state of mind. While it is clear why China would want a spy in the heart of Parliament, Ms Kearns has never understood why anyone would agree to work for Beijing (if indeed they had done so).

'Now she worries whether lives might have been put at risk.

The bit that worries me is that he had lots of meetings with people who were dissidents who had to flee China, Uighurs, Hong Kongers. That obviously is now concerning for them, she says.

The son of a GP, Mr Cash enjoyed a privileged upbringing, attending the 5,000-a-term George Watsons College in Edinburgh before studying at St Andrews University.

When former security minister Tom Tugendhat (pictured) promoted Mr Cash to director of the China Research Group, Ms Kearns was impressed

He taught English in China for two years then returned to the UK to study for an MSc in China and globalisation at Kings College London before securing a job in Parliament in 2021.

Following his arrest, Ms Kearns learnt that Mr Cash had boasted in the pub that he had once been arrested in China and had been held for a period at a local prison on a visa problem.

If I had known hed been arrested in China, I would have had quite a lot of concerns and wanted to know a lot more about what happened, she said.

That is the perfect sort of opportunity which people in the Chinese government may take in order to have influence over somebody.

Recalling the day when she learned of the Cash allegations, Ms Kearns said: About a week before he was arrested in March 2023, I was sat in my parliamentary office with Chris and we were working on some stuff together and suddenly I got a phone call from parliamentary security saying, Can you come for a quick chat now?

I just thought itd be about another threat against me from China, Serbia, Russia or somebody else. I wasnt too worried.

I even joked to Chris, Uh-oh, off I go to find out about another person who wants to kill me. He laughed, but the thing is, he looked a bit nervous. Ms Kearns was asked to sign the Official Secrets Act before being told that Mr Cash would be arrested in the coming week.

I burst into floods of tears in the meeting. I was just so shocked and I felt so betrayed.

She asked how she should behave around Mr Cash when she went back to her office, where he was waiting  and was told to go back and act normal.

The next thing I knew, I was getting phone calls from Chriss mum to my office saying, Alicia, whats going on? Our home in Edinburgh is being raided. Chris has been arrested. Please call me.

When the scandal broke, Ms Kearns was the target of vile slurs as false rumours spread that she had a sexual relationship with Mr Cash. She recalled: It was all made-up rubbish. I was breastfeeding at that point. The idea that any woman who is breastfeeding has an affair? It was extraordinary.

People were using it as a chance to do a political hit job  at a time when people should rally around colleagues and say, isnt it awful that weve got a hostile state trying to undermine our democracy? One MP bluntly told her in the shadow of Big Ben: Thats the end of your career, isnt it?

As the trial approached, police arranged for Ms Kearns, a key witness for the prosecution, to visit Woolwich Crown Court in south London as part of preparations.

She recalled that Mr Tugendhat had been assured it was a slam dunk case  but it collapsed four days later, on September 15. Ms Kearns received no information from the Government about what had happened, but when she rang one minister, he coldly replied: This is the Tory governments fault. These charges should never have been brought.

She believes Attorney General Lord Hermer should have intervened to ensure the case proceeded because it was a matter of national security.

The real victim of this is the British people. As a parliamentarian, the work that Im trying to do is to make our country safer, but as a result of this I do not feel that this government has my back and that I can trust them.

It is inconceivable that the case could have collapsed without ministerial or executive involvement in some way. There are serious questions about constitutional propriety.

She adds: Everyone that Ive spoken to within the intelligence service is furious about this.

All I was told was its come from the top. I think they cut the legs from under the CPS for some kind of grubby deal at the Treasury and No 10. It sends a really dangerous message that we will not defend our own democracy, we wont defend our own people and the nation itself.

Days after the case was dropped, Ms Kearns received a letter from the CPS formally acknowledging that she had been targeted by China.

It said: A research group chaired by you was unfortunately targeted by China as a means of obtaining information from within Parliament on the then governments policies and views in relation to China.

Lawyers for Mr Cash and Mr Berry  who continue to deny any wrongdoing  have described the evidence against the pair as threadbare.

Henry Blaxland KC, defence counsel for Mr Cash, told the Daily Mail: Mr Cash will not take part in a trial by media. He very much regrets that Ms Kearns, for whom he retains a very high regard, appears to have been poorly briefed by others as to the crucial facts in this case.

At no point did Mr Cash seek to assist Chinese intelligence. Had there been a trial he would have been vindicated.

Ms Kearns says she feels no embarrassment over what happened, adding: The reason we were targeted in the China Research Group is because we were so effective.

We changed lots of laws and policies. We made our country safer. I make no apologies for making myself a thorn in the side of the Chinese government.
Campaigners hailed a major victory for free speech yesterday as a man who burned a Koran saw his conviction overturned.

Hamit Coskun, 51, shouted f*** Islam as he set fire to the text outside the Turkish consulate in London in February.

After being convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence and fined 240 in June, he appealed  and a judge has now ruled that Mr Coskun has a right to offend.

Mr Justice Bennathan told Southwark Crown Court: Burning a Koran may be an act that many Muslims find desperately upsetting and offensive.

The criminal law, however, is not a mechanism that seeks to avoid people being upset. We live in a liberal democracy. One of the precious rights that affords us is to express our own views without the state intervening to stop us doing so.

The price we pay for that is having to allow others to exercise the same rights, even if that upsets, offends or shocks us.

Mr Coskun said he burned the Koran to highlight how Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogans constitutionally secular government had become an Islamist regime.

However during his protest, he was attacked by Moussa Kadri, 59, with a knife who later told police he was protecting his religion.

Campaigners hailed a major victory for free speech yesterday as a man who burned a Koran (pictured) saw his conviction overturned

Hamit Coskun, 51, shouted f*** Islam as he set fire to the holy text outside the Turkish consulate in London in February

Mr Justice Bennathan (pictured) told Southwark Crown Court: 'The criminal law is not a mechanism that seeks to avoid people being upset'

Yesterday, the Free Speech Union said the ruling sends a message that anti-religious protests, however offensive to true believers, must be tolerated.

Lord Young, director of the union, which helped fund Mr Coskuns legal case, said: Had the verdict been allowed to stand it would have sent a message to religious fundamentalists that all they need to do to enforce their blasphemy codes is to violently attack the blasphemer, thereby making him or her guilty of having caused public disorder.

National Secular Society chief executive Stephen Evans added: Mr Coskuns protest was a lawful act of political dissent.

There is no need to condone the nature of his demonstration  what is important is that it was not criminal.

The Humanists UK charity said yesterday it was delighted and relieved by the decision to overturn the conviction.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said while he did not agree with what Mr Coskun had done, he didnt think it was a crime.

He, along with fellow campaigners, argued Mr Coskuns prosecution had been an attempt to bring back blasphemy law by the back door.

In a statement following the ruling, Mr Coskun, who is half-Kurdish and half-Armenian, said: I am reassured that  despite many troubling developments  I will now be free to educate the British public about my beliefs.
The guns were silent in Gaza at midday today and a human tide of Palestinians flooded back to their homes.

A seemingly endless chain of refugees walked through the razed Strip after two years of almost unceasing bloodshed.

But in scenes that will sicken families of Israeli victims of Hamas, armed guards from the terror organisation were seen above ground patrolling the ruined streets.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) completed their partial withdrawal as agreed allowing the terrorists to emerge from their tunnels.

It set the 72-hour timer ticking for the return of all the 48 Israeli hostages including 20 believed to still be alive as agreed under Donald Trumps peace plan and in time for his arrival on Monday.

Last night, local news reported that they would be released on Sunday.

The US President is expected to give a historic speech at the Knesset, Israels parliament, in Jerusalem and meet those freed before travelling to Egypt for a summit on Gaza with world leaders.

Meanwhile, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, one of the architects of the peace plan, visited the Western Wall today with his wife Ivanka.

The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time (10am BST) on October 10 and that troops are withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines. Pictured: Palestinians who were displaced to the southern part of Gaza at Israel's order during the war return to Gaza City

The deal leaves a power vacuum, raising urgent questions about who will govern Gaza once the fighting stops. Pictured: Israeli tanks arrive at a gathering site after withdrawing from the Gaza Strip

The US President Donald Trump (pictired) is expected to give a historic speech at the Knesset, Israels parliament, in Jerusalem

They placed their hands on the holy site before Mr Kushner told reporters: There will be peace and lots of lives saved.

Announcing the ceasefire had come into effect, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin broke down, describing it as an emotional moment for the people of Israel.

Some 1,000 Israeli soldiers have died while over 60,000 Palestinians  both civilians and terrorists  have been killed according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Brigadier General Defrin said it was equally emotional for the IDF troops and soldiers who have fought and acted over the past two years with courage, bravery, and out of a sense of mission and dedication.

But in a fiery speech that highlighted the challenge for peace to hold, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned he will unleash the full force of the IDF if Hamas refuses to disarm.

Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt the sword resting on its neck and it is still on its neck, he said.

Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised. If this is achieved the easy way, so much the better.

'And if not, it will be achieved the hard way.

Palestinians walk through the ruins of a neighborhood in the aftermath of an Israeli operation, after Israel's government ratified a ceasefire with Hamas, in Gaza City October 10

Some Palestinians walk on foot along Rashid Street, carrying the few belongings they manage to save, as they hope to go back to their homes after enduring harsh living conditions for months in Gaza City

He also dismissed claims the same deal had been on the table for a year, stating Hamas never agreed to release all of our hostages while we remain deep inside the Strip.

The IDF now remains in control of 53 per cent of Gaza as some 200 American soldiers from US Central Command were dispatched to Israel to oversee the transition of power.

No American boots will hit the ground in the Strip but they will coordinate and assist in bringing in humanitarian aid and the international peacekeeping force from Arab and Muslim nations.

Last night Israels Charge Daffaires to the UK, Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, told the Daily Mail that after hostages are out, Hamas must decommission their weapons and demilitarise fully.

It is very important that other countries put pressure on the terrorists to do that, Ms Ekstein said.

Qatar and Egypt for example, as well as the UK, must do what they can to convince Hamas leaders to abide by the agreement.

After Hamas is disarmed, a Board of Peace is due to be established to oversee its transition but the inclusion of Britains former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has drawn the ire of Palestinians due to his involvement in the Iraq War.
On April 18, 1956, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, in what has since become the ultimate princess bride moment.

Her gown, designed by American costume designer Helen Rose, epitomised timeless romance and sophistication.

The high-neck, long-sleeved bodice was crafted from antique Brussels lace, adorned with hand-sewn pearls, and flowed into a nine-foot silk taffeta train.

Her ethereal veil, made from 90 yards of tulle, was carefully designed so her face remained visible to cameras, edged with lace applique that included a pair of lovebirds - a subtle symbol of devotion.

Completing the ensemble, her Juliet cap and shoes were embellished with pearls to echo the gown's exquisite detailing.

The creation of this masterpiece required 36 seamstresses working tirelessly for three weeks.

More than six decades later, the look remains iconic, setting a benchmark for bridal elegance and inspiring generations of royal brides to come.

On April 18, 1956, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, in what has since become the definitive princess bride moment

The Princess of Wales - 2011

When Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011, many noted how her bridal look seemed to channel the elegance of Monaco's Princess Grace.

Her gown has since become one of the most celebrated wedding dresses in the world.

Designed by Sarah Burton, then creative director of Alexander McQueen, the dress was created to embody Kate's wish to blend 'tradition' with 'modernity.'

The ivory and white satin gazar gown featured a lace-applique bodice with long sleeves and a V-neckline  a contemporary echo of Grace Kelly's high-necked design.

The silhouette, with its nipped-in waist and padded hips, drew further parallels to Grace's iconic look, while the full skirt opened like a flower, cascading into a nine-foot train.

At the back, 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons added a touch of precision craftsmanship.

Intricate lacework incorporated floral emblems representing the four nations of the United Kingdom, while a discreet blue ribbon was stitched inside as Kate's 'something blue.'

She topped her look with the diamond Cartier Halo Tiara, borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II.

When Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011, many noted how her bridal look seemed to channel the elegance of Monaco's Princess Grace

Princess Sofia, Duchess of Varmland - 2015

Sofia Hellqvist wed Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015 at the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace, choosing a long-sleeved lace gown that offered a nod to Grace Kelly's bridal look.

Designed by Swedish couturier Ida Sjostedt, the gown was crafted from silk crepe in three shades of white, with a hand-applied lace bodice that mirrored Grace's design.

The V-neckline and A-line silhouette, however, gave Sofia's look a more modern and relaxed aesthetic.

The intricate lace was created by Jose Maria Ruiz, while the substantial train was entirely hand-stitched in Sjostedt's Stockholm studio.

A hand-embroidered tulle veil and the striking emerald and diamond tiara - a gift from King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia - completed her regal bridal ensemble.

Sofia Hellqvist wed Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015 at the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace, choosing a long-sleeved lace gown that offered a nod to Grace Kelly's bridal look

Pippa Matthews - 2017

Pippa Middleton captivated guests when she tied the knot with financier James Matthews at St Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, wearing an exquisite ivory lace gown by British couturier Giles Deacon.

The bespoke creation featured a high neckline, a corseted lace bodice with delicate pearl embroidery, and elegant cap sleeves that lent a contemporary edge.

At the back, a romantic heart-shaped keyhole detail offered a distinctive touch, while the A-line skirt flowed gracefully over a light tulle underskirt.

Deacon explained in a statement: 'The bespoke silk cotton lace was hand appliqued to create an illusion of the dress having 'no seams'.

'The lace bodice is embroidered with pearl detailing over an organza and tulle underskirt, which has layer upon layer to enable a floor-sweeping movement.'

Her bridal look was completed with a Robinson Pelham tiara, a tiered veil by milliner Stephen Jones and classic Manolo Blahnik court shoes.

The timeless lace and structured silhouette were widely compared to Grace Kelly's bridal gown, reinforcing her influence on modern wedding style.

Pippa Middleton captivated guests when she tied the knot with financier James Matthews at St Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, wearing an exquisite ivory lace gown by British couturier Giles Deacon

Princess Alessandra of Hanover - 2018

Alessandra de Osma stunned in a lace gown for her 2018 wedding to Prince Christian of Hanover in Lima, Peru.

Echoing the elegance of Grace Kelly, her high-neck design was crafted from silk-embroidered Chantilly lace and reportedly took nearly 600 hours to complete.

Created by Spanish designer Jorge Vazquez, the romantic gown featured a fitted bodice, long sleeves, a voluminous skirt and an elegant, sweeping train.

Alessandra's choice of lace embroidery highlighted her love of classic design while also paying tribute to timeless bridal style.

She completed her bridal look with a graceful updo, a flowing veil and the dazzling Hanover Floral Tiara - a treasured heirloom from the House of Hanover.

Alessandra de Osma stunned in a lace gown for her 2018 wedding to Prince Christian of Hanover in Lima, Peru

Princess Iman of Jordan - 2023

Princess Iman of Jordan married Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in 2023 at Beit Al Urdun in Amman, Jordan.

For the wedding ceremony, Iman wore a custom Dior gown designed by creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.

The dress featured a high illusion neckline and long sleeves, offering a sense of modesty and sophistication.

Delicate floral motifs adorned the collar and cuffs, paying subtle homage to the House's traditions, while the impeccable tailoring created a refined silhouette reminiscent of Grace Kelly's elegant lines.

A matching lace applique veil completed the ensemble, and the Princess accessorised with a sparkling diamond tiara, enhancing the gown's understated regality.

With its hand-finished details and classic Dior codes, the look was a masterful blend of tradition and modern refinement, perfectly suited for a contemporary royal bride.

Princess Iman of Jordan married Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in 2023 at Beit Al Urdun in Amman, Jordan

Lady Kitty Spencer - 2021

Lady Kitty Spencer married South African-British financier Michael Lewis at a stunning 17th-century villa overlooking the city of Rome.

For her nuptials, Princess Diana's niece wore five haute couture gowns, all designed by Dolce & Gabbana.

At the time, Domenico Dolce said: 'She told us she had thought of us immediately, and we were very happy with that!'

The Italian fashion house's Alta Moda division - its answer to haute couture - crafted each piece with meticulous attention, involving seamstresses, painters and artisans over six months.

Kitty's ceremony gown was a show-stopping floral lace creation, featuring a high neck, long sleeves and puffed shoulders that offered a dramatic silhouette.

Remarkably, she perfected the design with just four fittings, highlighting the artistry and precision behind the gown.

Lady Kitty Spencer married South African-British financier Michael Lewis at a stunning 17th-century villa overlooking the city of Rome

Princess Dr Vesna of Serbia - 2025

Prince Alexander of Serbia married dentist Dr Vesna Jelic in an intimate church ceremony in Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville, in September.

For the occasion, the bride wore a long white embroidered gown by Spanish brand Navascues, featuring a high collar, cap sleeves and a full A-line skirt.

The design drew clear inspiration from Grace Kelly's bridal style while also recalling elements of Pippa Middleton's wedding dress. The silhouette struck a perfect balance between classic refinement and modern romance.

Vesna completed her ensemble with a cathedral-length tulle veil that trailed gracefully behind her and a traditional crown, worn during the Orthodox ceremony.

In keeping with tradition, the bishop crowned the couple as a symbol of their union and shared faith.
New Yorkers have persisted through extortionate rent prices, a severe homelessness crisis, and one of the highest costs of living in the entire country... but some are drawing the line at a progressive mayor.

As left-wing mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani inches closer to city hall, New Yorkers are planning their escape routes.

For many, the path leads 1,200 miles south to a city notorious for its ritzy Republican community.

New Yorkers are eyeing up properties in Palm Beach.

Real estate agents in the South Florida neighborhood say there has been an influx in affluent New Yorkers looking to purchase in the town.

City-dwellers are fleeing to the place President Donald Trump calls home in order to escape what the President himself has described as the 'communist' regime of 33-year-old Mamdani.

Mamdani himself denies accusations that he is a communist, instead identifying as a Democratic Socialist. He has pledged to increase taxes on high-earners in an effort to make New York City more affordable.

In doing so, he is pushing some residents with high incomes out of the city and into lower-tax areas.

As left-wing mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani inches closer to city hall, New Yorkers are planning their escape routes

In light of Mamdani's campaign promise to tax the wealthy, rich New Yorkers are eyeing up properties in Palm Beach, Florida

Some are migrating slightly out of New York City to Westchester, but many are abandoning the state altogether.

This widespread migration out of the city is so prominent that realtors have coined the term 'the Mamdani effect' to describe the trend.

'Most of my New York clients tell me it's about lifestyle first,' Johnny DelPrete, an agent with The Exclusive Group at Douglas Elliman in Palm Beach County, told Realtor.com.

'The weather, the beaches, the ability to be outside all year. Of course, taxes play a role, too. But, it's really about the quality of life they get here without giving up easy access to New York.'

What Mamdani is proposing for New York City aims to make housing more affordable for working-class and immigrant communities who have been hit hard by decades of rising rents and limited affordable housing options.

This plan, however, will not do much for the upper echelon.

Meanwhile, Palm Beach is not cheap, but you get more bang for your buck.

The median home price in Palm Beach sits at just over $2 million. While this is down 2 percent from last year, the median price has skyrocketed since Trump took office in 2017, when the figure was around $900,000.

President Trump lives in his Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago estate (pictured) when not in Washington DC

Palm Beach is not cheap, but you get more bang for your buck

Palm Beach has become synonymous with wealth, luxury, elegance, and political activity.

'They're not really price-sensitive,' DelPrete says of his New York buyers. 'If they see something they love, they move quickly and are willing to pay for it. In multiple-offer situations, they're usually aggressive because they don't want to miss out.'

According to DelPrete, New Yorkers are eager and prepared to act: 'They're decisive, they're fast, and they come prepared.'

'They're used to competing in a tough market, so they don't hesitate when the right home comes along. Locals may take more time, but New Yorkers know how to strike when they see the right opportunity.'

Mamdani's New York City housing proposal calls for a $100 billion investment over the next decade, paired with the construction of 200,000 new publicly subsidized, rent-stabilized units.

The progressive politician has also pledged to impose a multiyear rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments and committed to doubling the capital budget for the New York City Housing Authority in order to maintain public housing.

He promised to grant 'fast-track' status to any project that is 100 percent affordable housing by cutting through red tape that usually causes delays.

Mamdani predicts that that these moves, along with a 2 percent tax on New Yorkers earning more than $1 million annually, could pull together $4 billion a year.

Palm Beach has become synonymous with wealth, luxury, elegance, and political activity

He plans to funnel this money into programs focusing on universal early child care and more affordable housing options.

Mamdani is up in the polls ahead of the election on November 4.

Now that the city's current mayor Eric Adams has dropped out of the race, the only people left between him and City Hall are the Independent candidate, Andrew Cuomo, and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected.
There has been a dramatic rise in foreclosure filings across the US in the last year  the latest piece of bad news for the housing market.

In July through September there were a total of 101,513 US properties with foreclosure filings, according to the latest report from real estate data company ATTOM.

This is a huge 17 percent rise from the same period in 2024.

In September alone, there were 35,602 homes with foreclosure filings across the US  up 20 percent from a year ago.

Foreclosure is when a bank or lender takes back a home because the owner has fallen behind on their required mortgage payments.

Florida has been hit especially hard this year, with residents grappling with soaring insurance costs and homeowners association fees.

'In 2025, we've seen a consistent pattern of foreclosure activity trending higher, with both starts and completions posting year-over-year increases for consecutive quarters,' said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM.

'While these figures remain within a historically reasonable range, the persistence of this trend could be an early indicator of emerging borrower strain in some areas.'

Foreclosure activity has been trending higher in 2025, said ATTOM CEO Rob Barber

Across the country, one in every 1,402 housing units had a foreclosure filing in the third quarter of 2025.

Florida had the worst foreclosure rate, at one in every 814 housing units.

Homeowners in the Sunshine State are facing an onslaught of higher costs and a growing condo crisis, which worsened after the state was ravaged by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. Rising costs are particularly tough for the senior population in the state.

'A huge percentage of Florida's residents are retired on fixed incomes, and such [HOA] increases are completely unaffordable,' real estate investor Jameson Tyler Drew told Realtor.com.

'This has led to a fire sale of condos as elderly residents look for places to live, all while losing their equity.'

Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com added: 'Foreclosure rates in Florida may be relatively high due to some combination of surging insurance premiums, climbing HOA fees, and falling buyer demand.

'Additionally, many homeowners who were protected by pandemic-era forbearance or relief programs are now facing resumed payments they cant afford in light of rising HOA and insurance costs.'

Among the worst hit cities with populations of more than 200,000 people, three out of five were in Florida.

Lakeland was worst affected, with one in 470 housing units with a foreclosure filing, followed by Cape Coral and Ocala. Columbia, South Carolina, and Cleveland, Ohio, also made the top five.

Across the country, one in every 1,402 housing units had a foreclosure filing in the third quarter of 2025. Florida topped the list, with one in every 814 homes facing foreclosure  the highest rate in the nation. Naples in the state is shown in the photo

Lakeland was the worst affected city in Florida, with one in 470 housing units with a foreclosure filing

In September alone, there were 35,602 homes with foreclosure filings across the US  up 20 percent from a year ago

There are many reasons why foreclosure rates in Florida may be higher, said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com

Nevada saw the second largest number of foreclosure filings between July and September, at one in every 831 housing units.

Leading the downward spiral for the state is Las Vegas, which has seen tourist numbers plummet and unwanted homes pile up on the market.

The city is particularly vulnerable to foreclosures, according to Jones.

'The local economy's dependence on tourism and hospitality makes incomes volatile when travel or consumer spending slows. With home prices softening slightly, some owners no longer have the equity cushion to sell before defaulting,' she said.

Rounding out the top five worse affected states were South Carolina (one in every 867 housing units); Illinois (one in every 944 housing units); and Delaware (one in every 974 housing units).

As well as potentially being devastating for individuals if they lose their home, foreclosures can also have a negative effect on whole communities.

Foreclosed homes are usually sold below market price  lowering the value of surrounding properties as well.

'Widespread foreclosures can also drag down neighborhood property values, increase vacancy rates, and place additional strain on local services and infrastructure,' Barber, from ATTOM, previously told the Daily Mail.

Growing numbers of homeowners falling into foreclosure is the latest sign of distress for Las Vegas

As well as potentially being devastating for individuals if they lose their home, foreclosures can also have a negative effect on whole communities if homes are left vacant (Pictured: An abandoned house on Route 66 in Oklahoma)

'Vacant or poorly maintained homes also attract crime and reduce overall neighborhood appeal,' he continued.

'You're likely to see a spike in foreclosures after there's been a rise in unemployment and a period of high mortgage rates.

'This is because homeowners tend to default on their mortgages after a period of sustained economic hardship or a loss of income.'

Investors, however, might see foreclosures as an opportunity to buy cheaper properties.
A scientist learned he had won a Nobel prize in medicine after his wife found cellphone service as they came to the end of a weeks-long backpacking adventure.

Fred Ramsdell was blindsided with the news after spending three-and-a-half weeks on vacation with his wife, Laura O'Neill, at about 8,000 feet in the mountains of Wyoming.

On their last night, the couple were driving through Yellowstone National Park when they stopped at a small town and his wife's phone came into signal.

The device was quickly overwhelmed with hundreds of congratulatory messages about Ramsdell's accomplishment, according to Wired.

'She kind of yelled, 'Oh my god, oh my God.' I was outside and we're in grizzly territory, and I thought, 'Bear? There's no bear.' She comes out and says, 'You just won the Nobel Prize,'' Ramsdell told the outlet.

''No, no, come on,' I said. She's like, 'I have 200 text messages'... We already booked a hotel room for that night. So we checked in, and I got online, and I tried to call the Nobel Committee. And of course, it was 1 in the morning there by then, so they were all asleep, so I didn't talk to them until probably 1:30 am.'

Ramsdell was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside American scientist Mary E. Brunkow and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan for their groundbreaking discoveries in peripheral immune tolerance.

Their work helps prevent the immune system from harming the body's own tissues, according to the prize's website and their discoveries are credited with laying the foundation for a new field of research that has created new treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases and more.

Fed Ramsdell was enjoying a three-week completely offline backpacking vacation with his wife in the mountains of Wyoming

During his phone hiatus, he was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Mary E. Brunkow and Shimon Sakaguchi

The scientist was unaware that the awards were being announced, explaining: 'I don't think about that'.

The laureates uncovered this groundbreaking genetic using mice born with a fatal mutation that caused their immune system to attack their own organs.

Ramsdell and his colleagues studied these mice and revealed the gene responsible, changing the medical research world forever.

'We knew the implications of these discoveries 25 years ago, but the technologies didn't exist to create the drugs that we can create today, and even if they did exist, there was going to be no appetite for an expensive, totally novel cell therapy approach to autoimmune disease 25 years ago,' he said to the outlet.

He further explained how the oncology world has further evolved because of his findings and highlighted the work of Carl June and Michel Sadelain that involves cutting a cell out of a person's body, such as a cancer patient, engineering it in the lab, and being able to put it back.

'[To] have it do something that is, frankly, remarkable,' he said.

Ramsdell also mentioned that the only thing he fears is that when an award like this is given, many people who worked on the project are not highlighted for their efforts.

Ramsdell, Brunkow, and Sakaguchi each share a third of the prize for peripheral immune tolerance, which prevents the immune system from harming the body

Ramsdell was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside American scientist Mary E. Brunkow and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan for their groundbreaking discoveries in peripheral immune tolerance

'I worry that when a prize comes out like this, way too much attention gets put on the three of us and not on a bunch of other people whose contributions are seminal, absolutely seminal to what happens. And I don't even mean my team and Mary's team at the company,' he said.

'Yes, obviously tremendous contributions. There's a bunch of people I could name who've made incredibly important, seminal discoveries related to this, without which we wouldn't be here where we are today.'

Ramsdell is the co-founder of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops T cell therapies to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Jeff Bluestone, Chief Executive Officer and President of the company, said: 'Congratulations to Fred Ramsdell, co-founder of SonomaBio, and a valued friend and colleague.

'Like many great scientists, Fred spent years working behind the scenes to identify the gene that caused devastating systemic autoimmune diseases in a little-known strain of mice.'

'The discovery of the gene, FOXP3, changed our understanding of peripheral tolerance and led to a new field of immunotherapy.'
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says addressing mental health alongside physical treatment is key to breaking the cycle of malnutrition among children and caregivers in northern Nigeria.

Kauna Bako, MSF's Mental Health Supervisor in Bauchi, made the statement to mark World Mental Health Day 2025, commemorated annually on Oct. 10.

This 2025 theme is "Access to Services - Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies."

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Bako noted that the number of malnourished children admitted into MSF's nutrition programmes had steadily risen over the years, with significant increases recorded across multiple northern Nigerian states.

In 2024 alone, more than 300,000 malnourished children were treated in Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, and Sokoto, a 25 per cent rise compared to 2023 figures, according to MSF data.

She emphasised that malnutrition was not only a medical condition, but also a psychological burden affecting both the child and the caregiver's mental health and emotional well-being.

"Malnutrition is one disease that doesn't just affect the child physically. It has psychological, emotional, and behavioural implications," Bako stated, calling for integrated care strategies.

"Children suffering from malnutrition often become withdrawn, irritable, or emotionally detached and may miss key developmental milestones during crucial early stages of growth.

"The child is feeling detached, sad that he cannot play like other children, and is trying to understand what is going on with him," she explained.

According to Bako, the relationship between mental health and malnutrition is deeply interconnected. Each condition can worsen or trigger the other if not addressed holistically.

"They are two sides of the same coin. Malnutrition can lead to mental health problems, and mental health problems can lead to malnutrition," she said.

She cited field experiences from Niger and Nigeria, noting that when mental health services were integrated with nutrition programmes, children gained weight faster and hospital stays were reduced.

Bako said caregivers, especially mothers, also suffered immense psychological stress when their children were admitted for severe acute malnutrition treatment in MSF-supported facilities.

"At triage, the emotions you will find most prominent are anxiety, stress, and fear. The caregiver is not really comfortable; she's worried," Bako said of initial hospital encounters.

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According to her, many mothers feel helpless or blame themselves.

She highlighted the urgent need for psychological support to ensure caregivers could also recover and support their children effectively.

"If the mother is not able to manage her own stress, it may unconsciously spill over to the child," she warned, advocating for caregiver-focused mental health interventions.

MSF's mental health team provides psycho-stimulation sessions, psychoeducation, support groups, recreational activities, and individual counselling to both malnourished children and their caregivers.

Bako added that all MSF staff - including doctors, nurses, and support personnel - are trained in psychological first aid and effective communication to build trust and ensure patient safety.

"Communication is sometimes service treatment. When the mother feels listened to, when the child feels safe with the doctor or nurse, that already is treatment," Bako said.

By addressing both physical and psychological needs, MSF aimed to restore dignity, resilience, and hope for children and families affected by malnutrition in the region.

"Since 2022, MSF has raised concerns about worsening malnutrition trends in northern Nigeria, as conflict, displacement, and food insecurity continue to impact child health outcomes.

"Between January and June 2025, MSF admitted 32,940 severely malnourished children to inpatient therapeutic feeding centres and treated 136,255 children in outpatient facilities across northern Nigeria.

"During the same period, MSF conducted 30,880 mental health sessions.

"In Bauchi alone, since 2024, 113,191 malnourished children and caregivers have received mental health support, the organisation reported."
Marie Antoinette is surely one of the most the most famous monarchs in history.

Known for her extravagance and indulgence, she was last queen of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

One of her most famous portraits allegedly shows the queen as a young girl, holding a shuttle used for weaving in one hand and a red thread in the other.

Assumed to have been about seven years old, she wears a steely gaze directed at the observer, typical of a powerful queentobe.

The acclaimed watercolour, painted in 1762 by Genevan painter JeanEtienne Liotard, appears in biographies of Marie Antoinette all around the world.

But according to a researcher, it does not show Marie Antoinette at all.

Professor Catriona Seth, scholar of French literature at the University of Oxford, says it actually depicts her older sister Maria Carolina, who later became Queen of Naples.

'I am certain that the picture said traditionally to be Marie Antoinette (the girl with the shuttle) is in fact Maria Carolina,' she told the Daily Mail.

The acclaimed watercolour, painted in 1762 by Genevan painter JeanEtienne Liotard, features in biographies of Marie Antoinette around the world. But according to a scientist, it does not show Marie Antoinette at all. In fact, it is her older sister Maria Carolina

Two decades ago, Professor Seth used the image as the cover of a book about Marie Antoinette, who was brutally guillotined in the centre of Paris in 1793.

But the academic said there was always something 'niggling' her about the painting.

As part of research for an upcoming book, she visited Musee d'Art et d'Histoire (MAH) in Geneva to look more closely at Liotard's full collection of portraits of Marie Antoinette and 10 of her siblings.

What she discovered will mean websites, galleries and libraries around the world will have to make quick corrections to their captions.

One of the most telling clues in the painting is the ornament pinned to her chest, which features a medal with a red cross below a large black ribbon.

The academic identifies this as the Order of the Starry Cross, an imperial Austrian dynastic order for Catholic noble ladies.

Crucially, Marie Antoinette would not receive this medal until nearly 1766  four years after this portrait was painted.

'This was widely reported in the European press at the time: it was a very prestigious order,' she said. 'In contrast, Maria Carolina was awarded hers in 1762, when Liotard was in Vienna painting the imperial family.'

The ornament worn on the girl's chest in the picture is the Order of the Starry Cross, an imperial Austrian dynastic order for Catholic noble ladies

Professor Seth identifies another portrait by Liotard as being of Marie Antoinette, a slightly youngerlooking child holding a rose  not her sister Maria Carolina as previously thought

Meanwhile, Professor Seth identifies another portrait by Liotard as being of Marie Antoinette  and not her sister Maria Carolina as previously thought.

In this second, less famous painting, a more petite girl is smiling demurely as she looks to the side, while holding a rose to her chest.

'Holding a rose is a recurring feature of portraits of Marie Antoinette throughout her life,' said the academic, who has written up, but not yet published, the research.

The girl in this second painting is also wearing 'distinctive earrings' that were worn by Marie Antoinette in a later portrait made just as she became queen.

Perhaps most tellingly, the girl in the second portrait seems to be younger  and Marie Antoinette didn't have any younger sisters.

At some point in the past 250 years, there 'had to have been a switch' or an error that meant the paintings were confused  although it is as yet unclear exactly when or how.

According to staff at MAH, the identity of the two sisters would already have been mixed up when these artworks entered the museum in 1947.

Maria Carolina (17521814) would have been about 10 when the paintings were done, while Marie Antoinette (17551793) would have been about seven.

Holding a rose is a recurring feature of portraits of Marie Antoinette throughout her life. She's depicted as a woman in this artwork by Louise Elisabeth VigeeLebrun

Even though it doesn't actually depict her, the painting of 'Marie Antoinette' (actually of Maria Carolina) has helped to shape the way we think of the last Queen of France in her early years, Professor Seth claims.

Her determined, almost stern expression has long been thought to demonstrate that the future Queen was destined for a 'life of significance'.

The last queen of France helped provoke the popular unrest that led to the French Revolution and the monarchy being overthrown in August 1792.

Marie Antoinette was born in Vienna to Maria Theresa, empress of Austria, and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I in 1755. She was their 15th and youngest child, while Maria Carolina was their 13th.

In May 1770, aged just 14, she married King Louis XVI, himself just 15 years, but it is believed the couple didn't consummate their marriage for seven years.

Her marriage to the future king of France was used to seal the newfound alliance between Austria and France after the Seven Years' War.

But Young Marie was said to be very different in character from her husband. He was introverted and shy, but she was a social butterfly who loved gambling, partying and extravagant fashions.

During her teenage years she was popular in France and when she made her first appearance in Paris a crowd of 50,000 came out to see her, resulting in at least 30 people being trampled to death in the crush.

Her marriage to the future king of France Louis XVI (right) was used to seal the newfound alliance between Austria and France after the Seven Years' War

However, her popularity swiftly fell over her reign and she became a symbol of the excesses of the monarchy.

Nine months after the execution of her husband, she was executed by the guillotine order of the Revolutionary tribunal, aged just 37.

There were many trumped up charges against the former Queen including high treason, sexual promiscuity and incestuous relations with her son LouisCharles, who was forced to testify that his mother had molested him (such allegations are thought to have been invented as a false accusation).

Following her beheading, her body was placed in an unmarked grave, but in 1815 it was exhumed and she given a funeral at the Basilica Cathedral of SaintDenis.

Professor Seth said 'history has a somewhat unfair vision of Marie Antoinette', who was a much more complex person than is widely thought.

'She is seen as frivolous, which she was when young, but certainly not during the Revolution,' the expert told the Daily Mail.

'She certainly influenced fashion during her lifetime and continues to, today. For instance, had a huge impact on the course of French music.

'She was very thoughtful and generous with her friends but also more widely in her charitable activities, but she was also very naive  friends took advantage of her time and time again.'
A Scottish antiques dealer has found a stunning stained glass artwork that 'may have belonged to Robert the Bruce', the 14th century king of Scotland.

Richard Drummond, 49, paid just 20 for the dazzling circular artwork at a charity shop in Moffat in Dumfriesshire, southern Scotland.

Measuring roughly 1.5ft in diameter, the piece features intricate sections of vibrant blues, reds and yellows that appear to depict a knight on a horse holding a shield.

Meanwhile, a Latin inscription going around the edges roughly translates to 'Robert Bruce, King of the Scots'.

Mr Drummond called the 'stunning' and 'well-preserved' stained glass a piece of 'medieval art' and 'medieval Scottish history'.

He thinks it might have been installed in a castle ruled over by the famous king, who freed Scotland from English rule.

'It could be priceless. If this is proven to be of that period it's a massive historical find for Scotland,' he said.

The glass appears on an upcoming episode of the BBC's The Bidding Room  where experts confirmed it could be up to 700 years old.

Antique dealers Richard Drummond, pictured with his son Alfie, believe they have discovered a a stained glass window that belonged to Robert the Bruce

Mr Drummond was told it had been discovered in an old house in the area and abandoned for years before being put up for sale at the Moffat community shop, located in the former police station.

Once he got it home, he began cleaning off dirt and grease with bicarbonate soda and vinegar to reveal the stunning colours underneath.

'Once I revealed some of the artwork from underneath, I stopped using that,' he said.

'I used a bit of water and cleaned it off with a brush, then I could see it said "Robert Rex Scotorum"  that's when I thought this was going to be interesting.

'I got the local museum curator round the same day for a quick look  he said he it was hundreds of years old in his opinion.'

Mr Drummond began carrying out his own research, delving online and seeking out the help of local and international experts to determine the age of the relic.

He's sure it dates back to the 14th century  during the life and reign of Robert the Bruce, known for his involvement in the First War of Scottish Independence.

The legendary king won Scotland's independence at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, against the army of King Edward II of England.

Richard's son, Alfie, and the glass appear on an upcoming episode of the BBC's The Bidding Room  where experts confirmed it could be up to 700 years old

It appears to depict of a knight on a horse with a Latin inscription around the edges, roughly translating to 'Robert Bruce, King of the Scots'

Pictured, a statue of Robert the Bruce - who freed Scotland from English rule - at the Site of the Battle of Bannockburn near Stirling

Who was Robert the Bruce? Robert Bruce was king of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329, aged around 54, from some kind of illness. He waged war to wear down his Scottish opponents and the English regime in Scotland, culminating in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where he freed Scotland from English rule. To legitimise his kingship and free his kingdom, Bruce also campaigned in northern England and Ireland. Advertisement

Robert the Bruce was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329 at the age of 54, following what is thought to have been a mystery illness.

The piece could have been specially commissioned and made in Scotland or England in tribute to Robert the Bruce during his reign or in his memory after he died.

One expert Mr Drummond consulted believes it once sat in a window in a castle ruled over by the king, although he has 'no idea' which castle.

Another possibility is the glass came to Scotland from France courtesy of the Knights Templar, the powerful and wealthy military organisation founded in Jerusalem in the 12th century.

This mysterious holy militia were known for their role in the Crusades, the military campaigns undertaken by Western Christians to reclaim the Holy Land.

According to legend, a fleet of Templar knights fled France by ship laden with treasures in 1307  the year after Robert the Bruce became king.

Mr Drummond speculates this piece was among the collection of treasures, which were taken to unknown locations  possibly Scotland or even the New World.

In December 1307, Edward II  who would later lose Scotland to Robert the Bruce  ordered the arrest of the Templars in Britain and Ireland

Mr Drummond is now on a mission to get the artefact dated and find out exactly where it came from, and hopes it eventually goes on public display in a Scottish museum.

He called it a 'massive historical find' for the country  if it is proven historically important.

'It's huge, and so well preserved  it's been looked after.

'It's just been a piece of history that's been forgotten about in Moffat.

'My hope is that we can get it tested, and that it does come back that it is medieval and hopefully we can give it a date.'
From the dodo to the Tasmanian tiger, many majestic creatures have become extinct over the years.

Now, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned that 48,646 animals that could be next.

The IUCN has updated its 'Red List', revealing that three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction.

The update also warns that the majority (61 per cent) of bird species globally are in decline  a huge increase on the 44 per cent at risk in 2016.

However, it's not all doom and gloom.

The green sea turtle has increased in population by approximately 28 per cent, thanks to decades of conservation action.

'Today's Red List update, launched at the IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi, shines a light on both the urgent challenges and the powerful possibilities before us,' said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General.

'While species like Arctic seals and many birds face growing threats, the recovery of the green turtle reminds us that conservation works when we act with determination and unity.'

The IUCN has updated its 'Red List', revealing that three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction. Pictured: a bearded seal pup

The update also warns that the majority (61 per cent) of bird species globally are in decline  a huge increase on the 44 per cent at risk in 2016. Pictured Schlegel's asity

Species on the IUCN Red List are animals of the highest conservation priority that need 'urgent action' to save.

This year's list includes 172,620 animals  48,646 of which are threatened with extinction.

Three species of Arctic seal have moved closer to extinction, with the hooded seal now listed as Endangered, and the bearded seal and harp seal now listed as Near Threatened.

These animals are under a variety of pressures, including shipping, noise, oil and mineral exploitation, hunting, and bycatch in fisheries.

However, the biggest threat to these seals is climate change, according to Dr Kit Kovacs, CoChair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group.

'Each year in Svalbard, the retreating sea ice reveals how threatened Arctic seals have become, making it harder for them to breed, rest and feed,' she explained.

'Their plight is a stark reminder that climate change is not a distant problem  it has been unfolding for decades and is having impacts here and now.

'Protecting Arctic seals goes beyond these species; it is about safeguarding the Arctic's delicate balance, which is essential for us all.'

However, it's not all doom and gloom. The green sea turtle has increased in population by approximately 28 per cent, thanks to decades of conservation action

The Red List update also revealed that 61 per cent of all birds have declining populations  with species living in Madagascar, West Africa, and Central America most at risk.

This is mostly due to habitat loss, driven by agricultural expansion and logging, according to the IUCN.

'That three in five of the world's bird species have declining populations shows how deep the biodiversity crisis has become and how urgent it is that governments take the actions they have committed to under multiple conventions and agreements,' said Dr Ian Burfield, BirdLife's Global Science Coordinator (Species) and Bird Red List Authority Coordinator.

The green sea turtle, on the other hand, has actually improved in status, from Endangered to Least Concern.

Since the 1970s, populations have increased by around 28 per cent, thanks to conservation efforts focusing on protecting nesting females and their eggs on beaches.

'The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve to stabilise and even restore populations of longlived marine species,' said Roderic Mast, CoChair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group.

Sadly, the Red List update also sees six species moved to the Extinct category.

This includes the Christmas Island shrew, the slenderbilled curlew, and the southeastern striped bandicoot.

The update comes just one month ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Belem, Brazil, from 1021 November.

'As we look ahead to the Climate COP in Belem, governments and communities have a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action that protects biodiversity, stabilises our climate, and builds a future where people and nature flourish together,' Dr Aguilar added.

You can explore the full IUCN Red List here.
From Charles Dickens' Scrooge to Mr Burns from The Simpsons, pop culture has no shortage of mean, selfish, rich people.

Now, psychologists say that there might be more to the 'Scrooge effect' than an unfair stereotype.

Research has shown that there are clear links between increased wealth and unethical behaviour like cheating and stealing.

Richer people have been shown to have more of a selfish focus on their own interests and less compassion for the suffering of others.

It might be easy to assume that being rich turns otherwise good people into more selfish individuals.

But according to Dr Steve Taylor, a psychologist at Leeds Beckett University, the opposite might be true.

Dr Taylor told Daily Mail: 'Fundamentally, the desire for wealth is linked to a state of frustration and dissatisfaction.

'Happy people generally don't strive to become wealthy.'

The idea of a rich old miser might be a cliche, but scientists say that there is more to the 'Scrooge effect' than an unflattering stereotype. In reality, wealthy people genuinely are more selfish. Pictured: Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge The Muppet Christmas Carol

Though it might seem like a cliche, there is a growing body of research which suggests that the richer someone is, the less moral they are likely to be.

In one study, psychologists from the University of California, Berkeley found that upper-class individuals are more likely to lie during negotiations, cheat to win a prize, and endorse unethical behaviour at work.

Similarly, the same study showed that these tendencies were largely accounted for by upper-class individuals having a more favourable attitude towards greed.

On the flip side, other research has shown that people from lower socio-economic groups tend to experience more sympathy for other people's suffering than their rich counterparts.

But it's not just social class which can predict how selfish someone's behaviour will be.

Studies have found that drivers of more expensive cars are less likely to slow down for pedestrians or let other drivers join the road.

In fact, one study conducted by the University of Nevada found that the chance a driver would slow down to let pedestrians cross decreased by three per cent for every 738.50 ($1,000) their car was worth.

However, this raises an obvious question: does money make people selfish, or does being selfish make you rich?

Studies have shown that wealthier people, like Mr Burns from The Simpsons, are more likely to cheat, lie, steal, and put their interests ahead of other people's. Wealthy people also show lower rates of empathy towards the suffering of others.

What are the 'Dark Triad' personalities? Psychopathy: Associated with anti-social behaviour, being manipulative, lacking empathy, and acting without remorse. People high in psychopathy also tend to be impulsive and volatile. Narcissism: People with narcissism tend to be selfish, arrogant, boastful, and sensitive to criticism. This trait is associated with an inflated feeling of entitlement or superiority. Machiavellianism: People scoring highly for this trait are willing to act immorally in order to achieve personal gain. The trait is associated with manipulative behaviour, cynicism, and a lack of empathy towards others. Advertisement

According to Dr Taylor, the answer is that the same personality traits that make someone selfish also make them more likely to pursue and gain wealth.

These traits are a cluster of personalities known as the Dark Triad, which includes psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism.

While research consistently shows that people with these traits gravitate towards positions of social power and become richer, studies also show that they are less happy.

Dr Taylor says: 'Some people experience a state of intense psychological separation.

'Their psychological boundaries are so strong that they feel disconnected from other people and the world, with a lack of empathy or emotional connection to others.'

He says that this 'lack', caused by a Dark Triad personality, pushes certain people to try and fill the void by accumulating status and power.

This factor might explain why the rate of clinical psychopathy is three times higher among corporate boards than it is among the general population.

Dr Taylor says: 'People with narcissistic and psychopathic traits are intensely attracted to wealth. They treat other people as objects who only have use if they can help satisfy their desires.

According to psychologist Dr Steve Taylor, people with 'Dark Triad' traits, such as psychopathy and narcissism, are compelled to pursue more and more wealth because they have a fundamental psychological lack. Pictured: Elon Musk, the world's richest man

'They're trying to compensate for their sense of lack, trying to add things to themselves to make themselves feel more complete. They're trying to fill an emptiness inside themselves.'

At the same time, the lack of empathy common among psychopaths and narcissists makes it easier to attain that success.

These traits make people more ruthless and less concerned about how other people are harmed in the creation of wealth.

This is made even worse by the fact that, as studies have suggested, money does very little to increase happiness beyond a certain threshold.

On the other hand, happy, compassionate people with rich psychological lives don't feel the need to acquire vast quantities of wealth in the first place.

Nor would these people have the necessary lack of empathy required to do so.

However, this doesn't mean that all rich people are evil.

As Dr Taylor points out, some people get rich because they have a great idea, are extremely talented, or simply inherit their wealth without ever working for it.

Dr Taylor cautions that even becoming as rich as Jeff Bezos will not make someone with these traits happy, since wealth is only very weakly associated with happiness beyond a certain point

Some rich people, like Bill Gates, even give away vast parts of their fortunes towards charitable causes rather than hoarding it like the fictional Ebeneezer Scrooge.

However, if Dr Taylor is correct, this theory would explain why wealth is negatively associated with traits like compassion and empathy.

It would also explain why some of the richest people in the world constantly strive to have more rather than simply sitting back and enjoying their enormous fortunes.

Dr Taylor concludes: 'Connection is essential for human well-being.

'Without connection, you exist in a state of permanent dissatisfaction, no matter how wealthy or successful you become.'
Archaeologists have uncovered a trove of 1,300-year-old bread loaves that brings one of the Bible's most famous verses to life.

At Topraktepe, the site of ancient Eirenopolis in Turkey, researchers discovered five carbonized loaves, one bearing a portrait of Jesus and an ancient Greek inscription reading, 'With our thanks to Blessed Jesus.'

The work, conducted under the direction of the Karaman Museum Directorate, made it possible to recover these fragile organic remains thanks to a natural carbonization process.

Exposure to fire under specific conditions of temperature and lack of oxygen preserved the loaves with exceptional detail, described by experts as the best-documented examples of their kind in all of Anatolia.

The discovery vividly brings John 6:35 to life, the verse where Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life.'

For the people of Eirenopolis, these loaves were not mere food, but were sacred objects, ritually treated as representations of Christ himself.

Unlike the traditional Pantocrator images, the Topraktepe loaf shows Jesus as a sower, linking faith to daily labor and the hope of a bountiful harvest.

The other four loaves feature cross-shaped imprints, further suggesting they were used in early Christian rituals as Eucharistic or communion bread.

The ancient loaf of bread depicts Jesus as a farmer. Archaeologists said it was used in communion

The finding vividly echoes John 6:35, where Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life.' For the people of Eirenopolis, this bread was not just food but a sacred object, literally and ritually treated as a representation of Christ

Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, is a Christian sacrament that involves eating bread and drinking wine or juice to commemorate Jesus's sacrifice.

It was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus Christ shared with his twelve apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion.

Preliminary analyses suggest that the 'Sower Jesus' image was far more than decorative.

Archaeologists suggested it conveyed profound symbolic meaning, highlighting divine blessing over agricultural labor, using the hope for a bountiful harvest as a metaphor for spiritual redemption and celebrating the sanctity of daily work and sustenance.

In essence, the depiction reflects a form of popular piety in which Christ embodied the rhythms and labors of ordinary life.

The combination of the Greek inscription expressing gratitude, the distinctive 'Farming Jesus' iconography, and the Maltese Cross motifs on the loaves has led researchers to a strong working hypothesis: these are very likely communion breads used in the central Christian ritual of the Eucharist.

In Byzantine Christian practice, bread used in the Eucharist symbolized the body of Christ, with leavened loaves in the East representing life and resurrection.

A total of five loaves were uncovered, many of which featured cross-shaped patterns

The ancient loaves were found at Topraktepe, the site of ancient Eirenopolis in Turkey

While texts and icons describe these rituals, few physical specimens survive.

The Topraktepe loaves, preserved with exceptional clarity, provided tangible evidence of how early Christians enacted their devotion through everyday objects like bread.

Topraktepe, also known as the 'City of Peace,' served as an important bishopric center during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Located near todays Ermenek district, Eirenopolis occupied a strategic point on the AnemuriumIsaura trade route, connecting the Mediterranean coast with inland Anatolia.

Archaeological surveys reveal fortified city walls, rock-cut dwellings, and extensive necropolises, reflecting both its defensive significance and its role as a religious and administrative hub.

As a bishopric under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the city was closely tied to broader Byzantine ecclesiastical networks, which shaped its liturgical traditions

The Topraktepe discovery resonates with Jesus teachings at the synagogue in Capernaum, a town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, where he performed miracles, healing the sick, casting out demons, and restoring the paralyzed.

It was there he declared, 'I am the bread of life,' linking spiritual nourishment to physical sustenance.

The 'Sower Jesus' image on the loaf reflects this same principle, portraying Christ as a provider who blesses both labor and harvest
Katie Porter, the Democrat running to be Governor of California, has been accused of bullying her staff again in another clip that has gone viral online.

The politician, 51, was caught on video berating and cursing at one of her employees to 'get out of her f***ing shot.'

The video emerged after Porter had already gone viral in a filmed clash with a local journalist.

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Angry: Aspiring Democratic California governor Katie Porter was caught berating her staff in a third viral video

Now, the clip from 2021 shared on social media shows an agitated Porter shooting death stares at her staff over the way she was lit for a Zoom meeting.

'This is why I didn't...' a clearly annoyed Porter begins saying.

'I need the lights off... the bright lights,' she continues, becoming more exasperated by the second.

'I need you to turn these off. These, that are killing me,' Porter said as she stared at her employee with fury.

'Not that dark,' Porter says right before she cuts her camera and sound.

Agitated: The clip from 2021 shows Porter shooting death stares at her staff over the lighting

The video was shared on social media by Torunn Sinclair, who said: 'Katie got big mad at her staff during a 2021 Zoom because they were struggling with the lighting.

'Instead of handling the moment gracefully, she suddenly cut audio and video after shooting her team a withering glare.'

Porter - who has been leading in many of the polls in California's primary to replace Gavin Newsom - has caused a storm with the videos showing her treatment of her staff.

Porter flipped out at a staffer for 'getting in her shot' in a newly resurfaced video of the Democrat's conversation with then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to support the Biden administration in July 2021.

An unedited version of the video, obtained by Politico, showed that just several minutes into the conversation a female staffer wearing a facemask ducked into view and a few minutes later she could be seen rifling through some items in the background.

'Get out of my f***ing shot,' Porter yelled as she noticed the aide, who said she simply wanted to correct something the Congresswoman said about electric vehicles.

'OK,' Porter replies, clearly irritated. 'You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot.'

The viral videos spell trouble for Porter, who has faced accusations for years that she was a difficult boss or was abusive to employees during her time in Congress.

Porter was caught on camera flipping out at a staffer for 'getting in her shot'

Her recent meltdown in an interview with local CBS News reporter Julie Watts also did not help.

In the now-viral interview, Porter was being probed about Newsom's attempt to redistrict California to benefit Democrats - and what she would say to Californians who voted for President Donald Trump whom Watts said she will 'need to win.'

Porter, though, seemed to disagree as she furrowed her brow and asked: 'How would I need them in order to win, ma'am?'

Still, Watts stood her ground.

'Unless you think you're going to get 60 percent of the vote. You think you'll get 60 percent? Everyone who did not vote for Trump will vote for you?'

'If it is me versus a Republican? I think that I will win the people who did not vote for Trump,' Porter said, after turning to mug and laugh at the camera in an apparent attempt to get viewers on-side.

Watts then pointed out that California's electoral system involves a 'jungle primary,' in which several candidates from all parties contest one primary, with the top two candidates moving on to the general.

With that in mind, Porter was pressed on what would happen were her general election opponent to be another Democrat.

'I don't intend that to be the case,' she responded.

Watts then questioned how Porter could be sure that a Democrat-on-Democrat general wouldn't happen.

The question prompted the former congresswoman to get increasingly annoyed, as she said she would build the support and cited her experience representing Orange County in Congress, which is a swing district.

Porter also lashed out at an interviewer challenging the Democrat on her candidacy for governor

'But you just said you don't need those Trump voters,' Watts retorted.

With that, Porter finally began to crack, starting to gesture with her hands and questioning Watts' interview.

'Well you asked me if I needed them to win. I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative, what is your question?'

Porter indignantly claimed she 'never had to do this before' as she was daring herself to walk out on Watts, who again pointed out that every other candidate had done the same interview.

'I'm me. I'm running for governor because I'm a leader, so I am going to make-' she said before Watts asked: 'So you're not going to answer interview questions from reporters?'

The clip was blasted across social media and pounced on by her electoral rivals on both sides.

Fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra wrote: 'Im not interested in excluding any vote. Every Californian deserves affordable health care, safe streets, a roof over their head and a living wage.'

The former congresswoman has faced accusations for years that she was a difficult boss or was abusive to employees during her time in Congress

Republican Steve Hilton added: '15 years of one party rule. This is what you get. It's time for change in California.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Porter's campaign for comment.

But in a statement to Politico on Wednesday, the former congresswoman said: 'It's no secret I hold myself and my staff to a higher standard and that was especially true as a member of Congress.

'I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work,' she said.

Porter left Congress following an unsuccessful run for the Senate.

She was first elected to Congress in the 2018 midterms and has represented first California's 45th district and then 47th district since 2023.
Perfect for tourists with a love of weird and wonderful things, this museum in Split, Croatia, contains a collection of 507 different taxidermied frogs, posed to appear as if they are participating in human activities.

Froggyland, which sits next door to a 4th-century palace built for Diocletian, an emperor of Ancient Rome, features 21 dioramas of frogs arranged in various scenes depicting human life, such as school, parties and work.

Think of it as being like Amsterdam's Body Worlds - but for frogs.

The species were collected between 1910 and 1920 by Hungarian taxidermist Ferenc Mere, who developed a technique for preserving the frogs without making incisions.

The collection first consisted of 1000 samples, 507 of which have been preserved in perfect condition.

While the museum has been open since 1993, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have helped raise the profile of this unusual museum.

Froggyland even featured in an episode of Travel Man: 48 Hours in... with Joe Lycett and Aisling Bea.

But it's not for everyone.

Froggyland, which sits next door to a 4th-century palace built for Diocletian, an emperor of Ancient Rome, features 21 dioramas of frogs arranged in various scenes depicting human life, such as school, parties and work

The collection first consisted of 1000 samples, 507 of which have been preserved in a perfect condition

While the museum has been open since 1993, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have helped raise the profile of this unusual museum

A British content creator, Joe Leggett, shared a reel on his Instagram where he filmed his visit to the museum, which has received more than 38,000 likes.

'I'm standing outside the weirdest museum in Europe. It's a museum for dead frogs,' he said.

'We paid the 13 euros and this is the first thing we see. And as you can tell by my face, I was pretty confused.'

He continued: 'Well, we've left after 10 minutes because frankly, that was f**king dreadful. It wasn't even funny. If anything it was just quite sad.'

One user commented: 'This is not an appropriate reaction to visiting the greatest museum ever, but you do you.'

Another added: 'This guy doesn't get it.'

The museum is rated in the top 15 things to do in Split on TripAdvisor and has a total of 828 reviews.

In a post titled 'Froggyland in Split, Croatia; is it worth it?' on the subreddit r/travel, users had mixed opinions on what they thought of the museum.

A British content creator, Joe Leggett , shared a reel on his Instagram where he filmed his visit to the museum which has received more than 38,000 likes

'I'm standing outside the weirdest museum in Europe. It's a museum for dead frogs,' he said

'I walked by this place so many times just a couple weeks ago and thought it was just some weird, gimmicky store that sells frog-themed memorabilia,' wrote one user.

They continued: 'If I had only known it's a weird, gimmicky museum that features frogs doing human things then I may have been enticed to enter.'

'It's hilariously stupid, loved it,' read another comment.

'Froggyland is fun for what it is. Have a couple of beers and check out the taxidermied frogs in silly situations. How often would you have a chance to see that? You can go to a museum any time,' concluded another.
Ryanair has called out 'harmful practices' used by online travel agencies, which the airline claims are over-charging tourists across Europe.

The budget airline is embroiled in a long-running dispute with online travel agents (OTAs), complaining that they charge customers too much for Ryanair flights.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair group chief executive, previously accused the OTAs of being 'internet pirates who are duping and scamming customers'.

The budget carrier released its online travel agency survey this week, calling out firms such as eDreams, Tix, and Vola for inflating costs by up to 176 per cent for products such as reserving a seat or adding extra baggage.

Ryanair is demanding EU governments act quickly to protect 'unsuspecting' tourists from being overcharged.

A sample of Ryanair's survey found eDreams to be the 'worst offender', selling a reserved seat for 13.65 instead of Ryanair's price of 4.94 - a 176 per cent markup.

The firm also charged 23.57 for adding a 10kg bag to a booking, a 108 per cent increase from Ryanair's 11.31 price.

Online travel agency Tix was discovered to be selling reserved seats for 15.24 and 20kg bags for 39.69 - a 67 and 40 per cent surcharge.

Ryanair has called out 'harmful practices' used by online travel agencies, which the airline claims are over-charging tourists across Europe

The budget airline is embroiled in a long-running dispute with online travel agents (OTAs), complaining that they charge customers too much for Ryanair flights

Vola charged 21.77 for both priority boarding and a 10kg bag, opposed to Ryanair's price of 14.80 and 14.79, which equates to a 47 per cent overcharge.

'Despite this evidence of consumer harm, many EU governments and Consumer Protection Authorities, most notably Spain's useless Consumer Minister Bustinduy, do nothing to prevent this harm to thousands of Spanish consumers as a result of this overcharging,' said Ryanair's Dara Brady.

'EU Govts and Consumer Protection Authorities, including Spain's useless Consumer Minister, have taken zero action to prevent this overcharging, which continues to harm consumers across Spain and the EU.'

Brady went on to call on EU governments and consumer protection agencies to 'take action' and address the OTA overcharges, arguing they impose 'avoidable additional costs for consumers across Europe', particularly in Spain.

Ryanair historically shunned OTAs, accusing them of overcharging, false advertising, and misleading customers with hidden fees and fake email addresses. Ryanair boss O'Leary was a vocal critic of these platforms.

Just 20 years ago, O'Leary predicted the online travel agency Expedia would soon be gone, and Ryanair actively opposed online travel agents.

But in 2024, Ryanair launched the 'Approved OTA' program to regain control over distribution and pricing.

In April this year, the Expedia Group partnered with Ryanair to list its flights directly via API integration, allowing for direct access to customer accounts and flights within the Expedia platform.

The budget carrier released its online travel agency survey this week, calling out firms such as eDreams, Tix, and Vola for inflating costs by up to 176 per cent

This agreement reverses Ryanair's previous anti-OTA stance, which included banning bookings from third-party websites due to concerns about overcharging and customer data issues.

When approached by the Daily Mail, an eDreams spokesperson said: 'As Courts and competition authorities have already found, this is simply a denigration campaign designed by Ryanair to compete unfairly.

'Despite clear court orders requiring them to stop, they continue to use these anti competitive tactics.

'Ryanair should comply with the Courts order to publicly retract its false statements and cease its denigration campaign. Compliance with the law is not optional.'

The Daily Mail has also gone to Tix and Vola for comment.
A Cityjet Canadair plane made an emergency landing in Zurich after reports of smoke in the cabin.

The CRJ-900 Cityjet flight on behalf of SAS Scandinavian Airlines left Milan, Italy, at 3.31 local time on October 6.

It was travelling to Copenhagen, Denmark, when the crew declared Mayday and requested an emergency landing.

The plane, carrying 91 people, climbed to 29,000 feet when pilots contacted Air Traffic Control about an engine issue requiring an immediate diversion.

Over Switzerland, the flight was directed to Zurich Airport, where it landed 54 minutes after departure.

As the crew reported an engine issue, the aircraft was surrounded by fire trucks and taxied to a remote parking area where passengers disembarked.

It comes as a British Airways flight made an emergency landing in Romania amid reports that four people suffered possible smoke inhalation.

The BA603 flight travelling from Istanbul to London was requested to make a landing at Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport at 5.50pm local time on Thursday.

The CRJ-900 Cityjet flight on behalf of SAS Scandinavian Airlines was travelling from Milan Malpensa, Italy, to Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 6 when the crew declared Mayday and requested an emergency landing (file image)

The plane carrying 91 passengers climbed to 29,000 feet when pilots contacted Air Traffic Control about an engine issue requiring an immediate diversion

Over Switzerland, the flight was directed to Zurich Airport, where it landed 54 minutes after departure

The aircraft carrying 142 passengers eventually landed at 6.14pm with emergency response and medical crews boarding the plane, according to the airport.

Romania's Ministry of Health said in a statement that the 'presence of smoke was confirmed' immediately after the plane landed.

'Four people are in poor health, possibly being smoke-intoxicated, and are receiving medical assistance on site,' the ministry said.

British Airways has denied claims there was smoke on the aircraft, maintaining it was forced to land 'as a precaution due to a suspected technical issue'.

The airline also maintained there were 'no hospitalisations' and that customers left the plane 'normally' following the plane's arrival to Romania.

The flight's status on the airline's website showed the aircraft had been diverted, arriving in Bucharest at 6.21pm local time.

A message also read: 'We're very sorry, this flight scheduled from Istanbul to London, has been diverted to Bucharest.'

A BA spokesperson said: 'The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority and our crew made the decision to divert as a precaution due to a suspected technical issue.

'The aircraft landed safely, customers disembarked normally, and we received no reports of smoke on board or hospitalisations.

'We're sorry to our customers for the disruption to their journeys and our teams are working to get them on their way again as quickly as possible.'

Federal Aviation Administration incident reports show that smoke and noxious fumes leaking into the cabin occur at least three times every day, frequent enough to raise major concerns.

The haze seen aboard aircraft in alarming videos shared on social media is often the result of oil or hydraulic fluid leaking into the cabin through faulty engine seals, something known in aviation as a 'fume event,' according to Reader's Digest.

Fumes can fill a cabin or cockpit because of how airplanes deliver breathable oxygen to passengers.

Aircraft rely on a bleed-air system, which pulls outside air from the aircraft's engines. Normally, about half of a plane's air is recirculated, and the other half is drawn in through the engines.

At times, however, that fresh air can be tainted if an engine oil seal, recirculation fan bearings or another component fails.

Engine oil seal failures are reported most often due to faulty maintenance or natural wear and tear.

A British Airways flight made an emergency landing in Romania amid reports four people suffered possible smoke inhalation

Noxious fumes and haze can be forced into the cabin or cockpit.

A fume event can be serious enough for the plane to have to make an emergency landing.

These fumes can sicken passengers and even impair pilots' reaction times and vision.

According to the Wall Street Journal, narrow-body jets of the Airbus A320 family are particularly susceptible to fume events, often caused by auxiliary power units.

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has been contacted for comment.
A warning has been issued as scammers are said to be targetting travellers during the rollout of the new EU border system.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to launch this weekend, aiming to make going through airport checks faster.

But scammers are said to be taking advantage of confusion over the new rules.

The EES will require non-EU passport holders and those crossing Schengen borders to provide biometric data and fingerprints.

There is currently no need for visa-exempt non-EU nationals to obtain any additional documentation to travel.

However, later in 2026 another new system will be rolled out, known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

Scammers are preying on confusion over this second system.

Under the new ETIAS rules, travellers who don't need a visa from non-EU countries, including the UK, Australia, the US and Canada, will have to obtain authorisation before short stays in the Schengen Area.

Scammers are said to be taking advantage of confusion over the new rules

In order to obtain this, travellers will need to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions ad pay a 20 (17.40) fee.

Travellers from 60 non-EU countries will need to comply with the ETIAS, but there are some exceptions.

For example, the fee will be waived for children under 18 and adults over 70.

However, they will still need to apply for authorisation.

It will apply to 30 European countries - all EU states except Ireland plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

But some travellers may confuse the upcoming EES - for which no extra applications are required - with the ETIAS.

The association of travel agents and tour operators ABTA and the European Union have made it clear scammers are taking advantage of this opportunity.

ABTA told EuroNews: 'People who try to apply for an ETIAS now may be at risk of fraud, with a loss of money and possibly personal data too.'

The association of travel agents and tour operators ABTA and the European Union have warned travellers

More than 60 fake websites have claimed to sell the ETIAS visa waiver - which has still not yet been introduced, ABTA said.

When it is brought into operation, the only place to apply will be on the official website.

Travellers have been warned to ignore apps, websites, or social media posts claiming to offer alternatives.

ABTA Director of Public Affairs Luke Petherbridge said: 'The European Union is very keen to stress the fact that there is only one official site for purchasing an ETIAS visa-waiver, and people should not use other channels.'
Rwanda's efforts to advance vaccine production, economic inclusion, and medical innovation have received a major boost after the European Union (EU) committed a new 95 million (over Rwf 160 billion) investment to support the initiatives.

ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils BioNTech's first vaccine manufacturing plant in Africa

The funding was announced on Thursday, October 9, by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, following a meeting with President Paul Kagame in Brussels, Belgium. The announcement took place on the sidelines of the Global Gateway Forum, which Kagame is attending.

We welcome the agreement between Rwanda and the DRC supported by @POTUS. The EU is ready to support the peace process, President @PaulKagame. Because it will pave way for regional integration - and investment. Starting right now. Global Gateway supports Rwanda's ambition to... pic.twitter.com/6BdfnLvqCb-- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 9, 2025

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The package also includes investments in health and the economic inclusion of refugees. The agreement was signed by von der Leyen and President Kagame, while Ugur Sahin, CEO of BioNTech, and Nadia Calvino, President of the European Investment Bank, were in attendance.

ALSO READ: BioNTech's vaccine plant in Rwanda gets over Rwf180bn boost

According to the EU, the support aims to help Rwanda achieve its ambition of becoming a regional hub for vaccine manufacturing and medical innovation.

In a post on X, von der Leyen also welcomed the agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the EU is ready to back the peace process "because it will pave the way for regional integration and investment."

Rwanda's vaccine production drive began in 2023 with the inauguration of BioNTech's first African manufacturing site in Kigali. The EU has been a key partner in the journey, having already invested more than 93 million in the initiative to strengthen local research and development, nurture biotech start-ups, and build the country's scientific and technical talent pool.
Brits could face being banned from using second homes in Spain - following the implementation of the new EES travel rules.

The system, set to come into force on October 12, will introduce biometric checks at border crossings.

Under the post-Brexit agreement, UK citizens without the right to work or reside in the EU or a member-state passport can only spend 90 days in a rolling 180-day period in the bloc.

The EU has told member states that once strict new entry procedures come into force they should rigidly enforce an existing 90/180 day travel rule and issue fines and bans to those who breach it.

Officials are said to have been 'turning a blind eye', the Majorca Daily Bulletin reported.

However, they are aware that some second-home owners are ignoring the rules by overstaying.

But that is going to be put to a stop.

British and other third-party (non-EU) second home owners in Mallorca and across the Schengen Area could be affected as the rules are enforced.

Brits could face being banned from using second homes in Spain

According to the GOV.UK website: 'Your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days.

'It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps "rolling".'

It adds that the EU is introducing a new Entry/Exit system on October 12, 2025.

This means you will get your fingerprints and photo taken when first entering or leaving the Schengen area.

EES operations will begin gradually. In the first few months, not all border points will collect data right away.

Countries will slowly introduce biometric registration at airports, land borders, and seaports.

For example, Spain will initially only test the EES with a single flight arriving at Madrid airport on the first day of the system.

Full implementation of the new system is expected by April 9, 2026.

EES operations will begin gradually. In the first few months, not all border points will collect data right away

Travellers from 29 countries, including 25 in the EU, plus Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland, will soon enter using the new system.

Ireland and Cyprus will, on the other hand, continue with manual processing of passports for incoming passengers.

The UK is not part of the Schengen area.

According to the EU's official website, 'The EES will gradually replace passport stamps with a digital system that records when travellers enter and exit, making border checks faster and helping staff to work more efficiently.'
An American woman who, like a growing number of travellers, used an AI chatbot to plan her holiday, realised she'd been given some bad advice when she was directed to a museum that was closed.

Orit Ofri, a marketing consultant from Oregon in the US, used ChatGPT for travel advice on a recent trip to Paris.

The chatbot made multiple mistakes, including recommending visiting the Musee d'Orsay on Monday when it's closed.

'I also asked for restaurants that are within a 10-minute walking distance from the Eiffel Tower, and it gave me restaurants that were more than 20 minutes away,' she said, according to USA Today.

It comes as the number of British holidaymakers turning to artificial intelligence for holiday inspiration has doubled in the past year.

According to research by ABTA, the proportion of people using AI to inspire their trips is up by four per cent to the previous year and the technology is now being used in this way by one in 12 people.

ABTA said the findings highlight how AI is 'beginning to play a bigger role in shaping decisions about travel'.

Jonas Muthoni, an AI expert who analysed thousands of AI-generated content pieces, tested ChatGPT for a recent Kenya trip.

Orit Ofri, a marketing consultant from Oregon in the US, used ChatGPT for travel advice on a recent trip to Paris

The AI confidently recommended visiting Maasai Mara National Park during peak migration season without mentioning that road conditions make certain lodges inaccessible.

'The AI pulled from outdated tourism websites rather than current local knowledge,' he told USA Today.

Milton Brown, who manages digital marketing budgets, tested ChatGPT for a recent trip.

It recommended hotels 40 per cent more expensive than equally rated alternatives just three blocks away, according to the publication.

'Those recommended hotels had aggressive digital marketing campaigns targeting the exact keywords the AI was trained on,' he said.

ABTA said it 'expects the number of people using AI to increase over the coming years', as 43 per cent of people said they would be confident to some degree letting an AI tool plan their holiday, and 38 per cent said they would be confident letting it book for them.

However, its research revealed internet searches and recommendations from friends and family remain the most common ways to choose where to go.

They also found that 'more traditional sources', such as holiday brochures, are still used by a quarter of holidaymakers.

Jonas Muthoni, an AI expert who analysed thousands of AI-generated content pieces, tested ChatGPT for a recent Kenya trip

Mark Tanzer, ABTA chief executive, said: 'The increasing use of AI as a source of holiday inspiration reflects how consumer behaviour is changing  both in travel and other industries.

'For our sector, the challenge is to harness the potential which AI has to support our businesses, while continuing to celebrate and champion the value of the personal touch and expertise which comes with booking with a travel agent or tour operator.'

The increased use of AI comes as ABTA identifies a 'very different and more gradual change in consumer behaviour' that more people have been on a solo holiday over the past year than ever, with nearly one in five people taking a holiday on their own.

This is the highest level of solo travel recorded since ABTA started tracking this data in 2014 as part of its Holiday Habits reporting, when 13 per cent of people took a solo trip, and overtakes last year's peak of 17 per cent.

ABTA's Holiday Habits research was conducted by The Nursery Research and Planning, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults between July 21 and August 1.
An able-bodied plane passenger who arrived at the airport late for his flight has shared the unbelievable moment staff raced him through the terminal on a wheelchair to ensure he boarded on time.

American traveller Zander, who goes by @silverboyzman on TikTok, recently took to the platform to share the swift journey in a video that has since amassed 7.9 million views.

Zander, who had been due to board a flight at Detroit Metro Airport this week, captured footage of an airport worker checking his identification before escorting him over to an available wheelchair.

The traveller, who recorded himself slinking into the chair with a BCOZZY neck pillow draped around his neck, appeared to walk without difficulty as he handed his heavy shoulder bag to the attendant.

In the video, he joked the worker's hand 'broke' from the weight of the bag as she took it from him.

A female friend travelling with Zander proceeded to wheel him through the terminal to security as the member of staff hurriedly led the way.

As the pair arrived at TSA, the traveller waved goodbye to the employee while he gushed: 'Grateful for her.'

It's suggested Zander was prioritised as a wheelchair user at security, allowing him to beat the queues and board his flight on time, as he gloated, 'It worked!' towards the end of the clip.

American traveller Zander, who arrived at the airport late for his flight, has shared the unbelievable moment staff raced him through the terminal on a wheelchair to ensure he boarded on time

The video has since sparked mixed reactions from thousands of viewers in the comments, with many praising the airport worker for ensuring Zander caught his flight.

One person wrote, 'I'd tip her honestly,' while another exclaimed: 'NOW THIS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE.'

A third said, 'Someone give this woman a raise,' as a fourth added, 'The pillow serving as a neck brace.'

One passenger who once found themselves in a similar position shared: 'I did this once and it was really slow but still faster then the other line.'

Another recalled: 'Please this happened to my friend but then she had to get out of the wheelchair & run the final stretch as the gate was closing.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Detroit Metro Airport for comment.

It comes after a sneaky traveller managed to successfully avoid paying Ryanair's baggage fees by creating a fake pregnancy bump.

Grace Hale shoved two jackets and a bag full of makeup inside her top after realising they wouldn't fit in her carry-on baggage.

It's suggested was Zander prioritised as a wheelchair user at security, allowing him to beat the queues and board his flight on time, as he gloated, 'It worked!' towards the end of the clip

In a viral TikTok video titled 'It's a boy and we're naming him Ryan', the 20-year-old, who was travelling from London's Stansted Airport to Edinburgh, showed herself with her fake 'bump'.

After walking through security, she bundled the items inside her top and wore a trench coat.

The London business studies student even made up a cover story in case she was questioned by staff.

Grace, from Dallas, Texas, said: 'It's ridiculously expensive if you want to take a bag on a Ryanair flight, so I just get the carry-on option and shove everything inside.

'I like to take ten options for a three-day trip. We were running late, and the flight was so early.
A picturesque Italian island is offering 13,000 to anyone who moves there, with houses sold for as little as one euro.

Sardinia is the latest Italian region to be hit by a declining population due to an exodus of young Italians moving to larger cities or overseas for work, meaning the towns from which they hail are somewhat left behind.

In a bid to repopulate the area, officials are offering couples up to 15,000 euros (13,000) to buy or renovate a home and up to 20,000 euros (17,400) to start a business.

They will also receive 600 euros (522.46) for their first child, plus 400 euros (348.31) for each subsequent child until they turn five.

However, there is a catch for those choosing to move to the Mediterranean island.

The offer is only for people willing to move to certain areas of Sardinia - including regions with fewer than 3,000 residents.

Residents must also live in Sardinia full-time and register as permanent residents within 18 months.

Sardinia is a large, rugged island known for its stunning beaches and clear turquoise waters.

Sardinia is the latest Italian region to be hit by a declining population due to an exodus of young Italians moving to larger cities or overseas for work. Pictured: The town of Buggerru in Sardinia, Italy

As the second largest island in the Mediterranean, the area boasts sandy beaches and breathtaking mountain views.

In 2023, a similar scheme was introduced, which Sardinian President Christian Solinas explained was all about creating new opportunities for locals, according to The Sun.

He said: 'We have created the conditions for young people to decide to stay and (develop) the economic fabric of the most fragile territories.

'Thanks to the contributions to their first houses, this is strengthened and becomes fertile ground for those who will move there or decide to build a family.

'There can be no growth without a real enhancement of the territories, of the interior and most disadvantaged areas, which must pass through new policies for their repopulation.'

In 2023, Sicily began auctioning off abandoned houses with a one-euro starting bid to regenerate the village.

A host of plucky Americans decided to take the plunge and move out there, and one, Meredith Tabbone, 43, from Chicago, bought a property that had no electricity or running water and had a roof thick with asbestos.

Although bids started at just one euro, she threw in a random offer of 4,400  and found out she was the successful buyer months later.

As the second largest island in the Mediterranean, the area boasts sandy beaches and breathtaking mountain views

It cost Meredith 750 euros (661) to hire a team to remove the roof in an environmentally safe way.

Meredith then bought the empty home next door for 27,000 - and spent 46 months and 210,000 knocking them together to build a 3,000sqft four-bed getaway.

She plans to stay in the house part-time - and calls it her 'extended vacation home'.

Since then, Meredith has bought two guest houses in the same village for 28,000 in total, and a disused building for 58,000, which she's turning into a gallery and cafe.

Italy isn't the only European country offering financial incentives in an effort to boost dwindling populations and breathe new life into abandoned villages.

Ambert, located in the southeast of France, recently adopted the tactic in the hopes of stopping its population of 6,500 from shrinking any further.

The move is part of a wider five-year plan to attract new residents and rejuvenate local life.

In one area of the town, property vacancy rates have reached up to 60 per cent, prompting authorities to put two empty homes on the market for just one euro each - the equivalent of 85p.

Ambert, located in the southeast of France, recently adopted the tactic in the hopes of stopping its population of 6,500 from shrinking any further

But, like many similar schemes, such as those seen in Italy, the offer comes with its fair share of terms and conditions.

While the initial cost is an indisputable bargain, buyers are expected to invest significantly in renovations and meet strict requirements if they want the keys.

To begin with, second-home buyers are prohibited from buying into the scheme.

According to The Local, those who purchase a 1 euro house in Ambert must commit to living in the property full-time for at least three years once it's been made habitable.

If they fail to do so, they risk financial penalties, including the repayment of any government grants given for refurbishment works.
Netflix has just released the trailer for its latest period drama, which is being hailed by critics as 'the best film of 2025'.

Starring Joel Edgerton as orphan Robert Grainier, the film is set in 20th-century America during a time of unprecedented industrial change.

Robert grows up to become a logger on America's ever-expanding railroads, settling down with his wife Gladys and their daughter.

But he is forced to consider everything he knows about the world when his job forces him to spend increasing amounts of time away from his family.

The film's synopsis reads: 'An ode to a vanishing way of life, an ever-evolving world, and to the extraordinary possibilities that exist within even the most simple of existences.

'Train Dreams captures a time and place that are now long gone, and the people who built a bridge to a future they could only dream of.'

Netflix has just released the trailer for its latest period drama, Train Dreams, which is being hailed by critics as 'the best film of 2025'

Starring Joel Edgerton as orphan Robert Grainier, the film is set in 20th-century America during a time of unprecedented industrial change

With Felicity Jones stepping into Gladys's shoes, the film was met with much praise when it premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January.

It now has an impressive 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

One critic described the film as 'a gorgeous meditation on America, ably shouldered by one of Joel Edgerton's very best performances.

'Train Dreams takes on mythic proportions while maintaining an intimate emotional delicacy.'

Another added: 'This is one of the great films of the year.

'In time, it will become one of the best in a decade, then one of the movies that people speak of when asked what inspired them in their life.

'It is a masterpiece.'

The film has a similarly high score on Metacritic, with a score of 82 out of 100 based on the opinions of 13 critics who received the film with 'universal acclaim'.

The film's synopsis reads: 'An ode to a vanishing way of life, an ever-evolving world, and to the extraordinary possibilities that exist within even the most simple of existences'

The Daily Beast, meanwhile, described Train Dreams as the 'best film of this year's Sundance Film Festival'.

Director Clint Bentley told Deadline: 'At its core Train Dreams is about the people who keep the world going through work that's often not celebrated or remembered.

'And though the story of Robert Grainier is a simple one, to me it's a reminder of how precious life is.

'How the little moments we often take for granted end up being the ones that give life its depth and meaning.

'These days, as the world seems to be coming apart at the seams, that feels especially poignant.'

The film is an adaptation of Denis Johnson's novella of the same name.

Train Dreams will be available to stream on Netflix from November 21.
A new bride on Married At First Sight UK had her honeymoon dream turn nightmare as she was rushed to hospital after being bitten on the face by a dog.

Fans of the E4 series were recently introduced to Leisha, 31, a dental industry marketer, and painter-and-decorator husband Reiss, 33, earlier this week.

The duo tied the knot in front of friends and family as part of the dating show, which sees couples paired up to wed by experts before even meeting.

After their wedding ceremony, they were jetted off to Thailand for a glamorous honeymoon, but things went wrong when the horrifying accident occurred.

Just three days into their trip, the newlyweds went out for a walk and disaster struck as Leisha was bitten on the face by a dog after bending down to pet it.

While her new husband brushed off the bite as a 'scratch', the Scottish bride had to be rushed to hospital to be treated for the bite, as reported by The Sun.

Married At First Sight UK bride Leisha had her honeymoon dream turn nightmare as she was rushed to hospital after being bitten on the face by a dog

Just three days into their trip, the newlyweds went out for a walk and disaster struck as Leisha was bitten on the face by a dog after bending down to pet it

Leisha had to have an injection in her nose and arm to prevent any infection.

The duo are said to have erupted into an argument over the hospital trip, as Reiss failed to offer to attend the hospital alongside her.

It comes as the duo have been struggling to find romance after getting hitched, with tension rising between the pair on Thursday night's episode.

The new couple headed out on a boat excursion together in Thailand when talk turned to what the future could hold for them together.

Leisha asked her husband during the boat trip: 'Do you visualise me in your future?'

To which Reiss hit back: 'I don't need pressure yet,' before adding to the camera away from Leisha: 'I can't believe she just asked that, is she joking? F***ing hell.'

Reiss already had doubts about his new wife when they headed to the altar, admitting he had struggled to find an instant connection to Leisha.

Things went from bad to worse when Reiss was quizzed by Leisha and her bridesmaids over the tense wedding reception.

While her new husband brushed off the bite as a 'scratch', the Scottish bride had to be rushed to hospital to be treated for the bite

Leisha had to have an injection in her nose and arm to prevent any infection following the dog bite

'What have your exes been like?' Leisha asked him, to which Reiss explained they had 'all been different' and instead focuses on 'connections' with people.

'Do you get a lot of attention?' Leisha then quizzed, with one of the bridesmaids ramping up the pressure following up: 'How many exes have you had?'

It comes after a bride was branded 'disrespectful and muggy' by her new husband's close friend following a foul-mouthed clash.

Sarah and Dean have been struggling to find romance since getting hitched on the E4 series, with their relationship taking a turn for the worse when Sarah admitted she wasn't attracted to her husband, likening him to a 'care bear'.

But in an attempt to grow closer, the newlyweds were seen cooking dinner together in their new apartment in preparation to host Dean's friend James and Sarah's friend Caitlin for the evening.

Dean and Sarah were seen excitedly welcoming their guests to their new home - who were ready to dish out their opinion on the marriage so far.

Entering the apartment, Caitlin admitted: 'It seemed at the wedding that Sarah was a little reserved about Dean, so I'm hoping that they're getting on really well even without the initial attraction.'

While Dean's close friend James added: 'I've known Dean for 25+ years so if he needs to be told the hard truths, I can do that.'

Reiss already had doubts about his new wife when they headed to the altar, admitting he had struggled to find an instant connection to Leisha

Things went from bad to worse for the newlyweds when Reiss was quizzed by Leisha and her bridesmaids over the tense wedding reception

Sarah told the cameras away from the table: 'James might give me a grilling when he hears about what's been going on in the past couple of weeks.'

It was then James started to get uncomfortable as Sarah failed to share any 'interesting facts' she'd learned about Dean while getting to know him on their honeymoon in the Maldives.

Things went even further downhill as James quizzed them on what went down on their honeymoon, with Dean revealing he 'shouted' at her 'disrespectful' behaviour.

Looking furious, Dean asked Sarah: 'Were you disrespectful?' to which Sarah responded: 'I said I'd got the ick, because of the jokes and the singing.'

After Sarah admitted there had been a second argument that she was at fault for, James hit out: 'There's a theme here.'

Speaking to the camera again, James fumed: 'Ick is a horrible word, and it came as a shock, he could be being a bit of a fool of and being disrespected.

'That makes me feel worried - it's f***ing muggy.'

Married At First Sight UK airs Sunday to Thursday at 9pm on E4 and is available to stream on channel4.com.
The most recent episode of Dragons' Den on Thursday featured two entrepreneurs squirming after they made a grave pitching error.

Sam Fresco and Steve Wildish appeared on the show with the hope of securing 100,000 worth of investment for their plant-based yeast condiment Notorious Nooch.

After opening up about the two-year-old business, which the pair were offering 20 percent stake in, they revealed that they have also been operating a highly profitable design consultancy for the past four years.

This rattled the dragons, who felt that the business being pitched was more of a pastime than a career.

An outraged Steven Bartlett said: 'This is a side project, you're making one point something million doing something else.

'I don't blame you for not being focused because I wouldn't be if I was making one point something million somewhere else, so are we investing in your hobby?'

The most recent episode of Dragons' Den on Thursday featured two entrepreneurs squirming after they made a grave pitching error - admitting that they were already running a second business - and Touker Suleyman was not impressed

An outraged Steven Bartlett told the hopefuls: 'This is a side project, you're making one point something million doing something else'

The pair went on to stress their commitment to the brand and said that they had every intention to scale it up and expand their product.

Other Dragons had different bones to pick with the business, agreeing that its brand identity was not clear enough.

The closest the pair got to a positive reaction was from visiting Dragon Joe Wicks.

While he had a comparatively favourable reaction to Notorious Nooch, however, he did not like the product enough to actually invest.

This was the fitness guru's second time on the show, where he told the Dragons: 'No you didn't scare me off, I loved it and I'm just really grateful you've invited me back.

'I thought you'd get me in once then kicked me out and say no, but I'm here so I'm ready to get going again, let's invest!'

The most brutal assessment of the pitch came from Touker Suleyman, who said: 'I'll tell you where I am. Most entrepreneurs that come in the Den are not in the position that you're in with a fall back.

'They come in here and it's their dream, they're passionate about it and that is it, it's either make or break in a lot of cases.

'I don't see that in you guys, you have something to fall back on, you're lucky.'

Other Dragons had different bones to pick with the business, agreeing that its brand identity was not clear enough

The most brutal assessment of the pitch came from Touker Suleyman, who said: 'So, my advice is very simple, don't give up your day job!'

Viewers of the show were quick to comment on the entrepreneurs' reaction, writing: 'Not looking happy the Yeast Guys #DragonsDen'

Touker admitted: 'So, my advice is very simple, don't give up your day job!

'Stick to your day job because you might need that in the future, but this is not investable and for that reason, I'm out.'

Viewers of the show were quick to comment on the entrepreneurs' reaction, writing: 'Not looking happy the Yeast Guys #DragonsDen.';

'You can already get nutritional yeast in pretty much every supermarket in the UK. The only difference here is this is made by hipsters #dragonsden.';

'They couldnt RAISE The capital for Yeast product.... #DragonsDen [sic].'

Dragons' Den airs Thursdays on BBC One at 8pm and is available to stream on iPlayer.
Amanda Owen of Our Yorkshire Farm has addressed the possibility of having a tenth child.

The mum-of-nine, 51, is best known for appearing with her supersized brood and ex-husband Clive on the programme that has documented their lives on their farm in the Yorkshire Dales since 2018.

Amanda has nine children with her ex-husband, who she split with in 2022 - Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Anna, Clemmy, and Nancy.

Now she's in the spotlight again with her children on her new show Our Farm Next Door, which documents the family's renovation of a derelict farmhouse while still keeping on top of life at their existing farm.

Reflecting on the 'exhilarating and wonderful time' she has had as a mother of nine, Amanda said that while there 'won't be a tenth child' because she is 'too old now,' she absolutely loves having children.

She told the iPaper: 'I'm too old for that now. I couldn't even if I wanted to. Is that fact a relief? No, not really. I love the chaos.'

Amanda Owen, 51, of Our Yorkshire Farm has addressed the possibility of having a TENTH child

The mum is best known for appearing with her supersized brood and ex-husband Clive on the programme that has documented their lives on their farm in the Yorkshire Dales since 2018

Amanda added: 'People say, "You must love having babies," but actually no, I love having them as young adults and teenagers.

'These are the best years, when you feel like you're almost reliving your own childhood. It is the most exhilarating and wonderful time.'

The mum said she is now settling into a co-parenting relationship with her ex-husband, who 'lives next door'.

She said that while they are on 'civil' terms, they 'still bicker'.

Amanda opened up further about the pair's relationship as they continue to work and co-parent together to OK! magazine, despite splitting.

She said: 'What am I supposed to say, "We get on like a house on fire?" Well, if we did, we wouldn't want to separate, would we?

'He's still the same annoying old Clive that he always was.

'I've seen him just now, and he's still annoying - I annoy him, and he annoys me.'

Amanda has nine children with her ex-husband, who she split with in 2022 - Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Anna, Clemmy, and Nancy

Reflecting on the 'exhilarating and wonderful time' she has had as a mother of nine, Amanda said that while there 'won't be a tenth child' because she is 'too old now,' she absolutely loves having children

She told the iPaper: 'I'm too old for [another baby] now. I couldn't even if I wanted to. Is that fact a relief? No, not really. I love the chaos'

In August, it was announced that Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids had been commissioned for two more seasons by Channel 4.

Amanda said at the time: 'I am beyond delighted that we have been given the opportunity to showcase this unique and beautiful part of our British countryside and for people to join us on our exciting journey through the restoration of our farm next door.

'We're grateful for Channel 4's support and the effort and utter dedication of the film crew who have had to work in challenging weather conditions, coupled with the unimaginable chaos of both children and animals.

'This is a programme that I am seriously proud of.'

A release date for the new season has yet to be announced.
Moss & Freud (2025), dir. James Lucas

Rating:

Naked Portrait 2002, Lucian Freuds prosaically-titled painting of supermodel Kate Moss, was sold at auction 20 years ago for just under 4 million. The sale left the art world agog yet is only a postscript to the new movie Moss & Freud, starring Sir Derek Jacobi and Ellie Bamber, which had its world premiere last night at the London Film Festival.

Written and directed by James Lucas (and executive-produced by Moss herself), the film focuses not on the finished painting but on its creation, and the pairs evolving relationship.

Considered one of the greatest figurative artists of the last century, Freud (Jacobi) was 80 when Moss (Bamber) sat for him. Or rather, reclined. On his bed. In the nude.

As the film tells it, it was her idea to take all her clothes off, a response to his desire to get to the core of the being. To her initial consternation, he required her to pose three evenings a week at his Holland Park studio until it is finished. The project took him nine months, and in that time (during which Moss found that she was pregnant) they struck up a close friendship somewhat at odds with their age gap of more than 50 years.

Its an intriguing story but Moss & Freud doesnt tell it especially well, never quite capturing the chemistry between the mighty artist and his beguiling subject. Jacobi is a wonderful actor, of course, in full command of his talents even at 86. And this is not even his first time depicting a great figurative painter: in Love Is The Devil (1998) he played Freuds close friend Francis Bacon.

As for Bamber (an excellent Mandy Rice-Davies a few years back in the BBC series The Trial Of Christine Keeler), she gives the portrayal of Moss a very decent shot. For obvious reasons its hard to play a woman famous mainly for her extraordinary looks. Pretty though she is, Bamber doesnt have a supermodels cheekbones. But thats not the problem. The acting is convincing enough but the sizzle isnt. I never really believed in them as the unlikely soulmates they are evidently meant to be.

Ellie Bamber (left) and Kate Moss (right) attend a screening of "Moss & Freud" during the 69th BFI London Film Festival at The Curzon Mayfair on October 10, 2025 in London

Kate Moss (left) and Ellie Bamber (right) are joined by British acting legend Derek Jacobi (centre) at the film's premiere

Their first encounter is at the National Gallery, to which Freud has been given exclusive access. The meeting has been brokered by Mosss close friend, Freuds daughter Bella (Jasmine Blackborow), whose own relationship with her father is decidedly strained. Later, theres a nice scene in a restaurant where the trio are dining, and Moss contrives an early departure so that father and daughter might bond. But hes a difficult man, so hard to like (despite flourishes of fun such as standing on his head) that frankly its hard to understand why she does.

The tribulations of his past (not least fleeing Nazi Germany as a boy, and his tempestuous first marriage to the Guinness heiress Lady Caroline Blackwood, of which we see snippets in flashback) strike a chord with Moss, who has demons of her own. Understandably, she finds fame intrusive and overbearing. But too often theres an eye-rolling artificiality to their conversation - So tell me about yourself, Lucian...your grandad was Sigmund Freud?

This is a shame, because in their different ways they are both iconic cultural figures and its fascinating that their paths crossed in the way they did. The film does have its virtues, and offers some compelling titbits of detail, for example that he gave her a tattoo (making Moss, as she says, perhaps the only person in the world with an original Lucian Freud on her thigh). But as a cinematic portrait of a friendship, its too heavy-handed by half.

Moss & Freud is showing at the BFI London Film Festival
Irina Shayk shoots death stare at one of her famous exes as she runs into him on the streets of NYC


Chinese enterprises commended for supporting Senegal's industrial transformation, economic revitalization

Xinhua) 10:12, October 10, 2025

DAKAR, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese officials and business representatives spoke highly of Chinese enterprises' contributions to Senegal's industrial transformation and economic revitalization at a forum Wednesday.

The Forum on Chinese Enterprises' Investment in Senegal took place in Diamniadio, a city about 40 km southeast of the capital, Dakar.

More than 300 people, including Senegalese government officials, representatives from over 150 Chinese and Senegalese companies, and representatives of business associations, attended the event, which was part of Invest in Senegal Forum 2025.

Abdourahmane Sarr, Senegal's minister of economy, planning and cooperation and special representative of the president, said in his speech that Senegal and China have, over the decades, built a partnership based on South-South cooperation and guided by the goal of common development, yielding fruitful results.

"More than 100 Chinese enterprises are now operating in Senegal across sectors such as transportation, energy, agriculture and the digital economy," he said. "They have injected strong momentum into Senegal's industrial transformation and economic revival."

"Senegal is ready to work with China to explore new models of economic cooperation and open a new chapter of win-win development," Sarr said.

Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock Mabouba Diagne said that Chinese enterprises have long been recognized in Senegal for their professionalism and innovation.

"They bring not only investment, but also technology and experience, providing strong support for Senegal's agricultural modernization and food security," he said.

Amadou Gueye, director-general of the Agency for the Development and Promotion of Industrial Sites, said that Chinese enterprises have played an important role in the construction of Senegal's industrial parks.

The active participation of chambers of commerce from China's Fujian, Zhejiang and Hunan provinces has injected fresh vitality into cooperation in industrial investment, innovative technology and new energy, he added.

"Senegal welcomes more Chinese enterprises to join its industrialization process," Gueye said.

Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang said that China is a sincere partner and important companion in Senegal's pursuit of development and revitalization.

China has become Senegal's largest trading partner, with cumulative investment exceeding 430 million U.S. dollars, creating over 11,000 local jobs, he said.

"In the future, China will further align the Belt and Road Initiative with Senegal's Vision 2050 development strategy," Li said. "We will continue to support Senegal's industrialization, digital transformation and agricultural modernization, while expanding openness, deepening technological cooperation and strengthening people-to-people exchanges, so that the fruits of cooperation benefit both peoples."

During the forum, China and Senegal signed multiple cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, finance and environmental protection.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
NEW YORK, 9 October 2025 - UNFPA condemns in the strongest terms the repeated attacks on El Fasher Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, Sudan, the latest of which struck the maternity ward on 7 October, reportedly killing at least twelve people and injuring many others, including patients and health workers.

This marks the third attack on the hospital in one week. As the only maternity facility still partially functional in El Fasher, its destruction further endangers thousands of pregnant women and newborns already trapped under siege and facing famine-like conditions.

Hospitals, health workers, and patients must never be targets. These attacks are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. UNFPA calls for an immediate end to hostilities, protection of civilians and health facilities, and safe, unhindered humanitarian access to deliver lifesaving aid to those in desperate need.
The French rap artist whose music allegedly influenced Palisades wildfire suspect Jonathan Rinderknecht has distanced himself from the controversy, with members of his trusted entourage saying he can't be held responsible for those who listen to his music.

Rinderknecht is said to have been listening to a music video laden with fiery imagery by French rapper Josman, 32, at the time he allegedly sparked the catastrophic Los Angeles blaze.

The 29-year-old Uber driver was charged Wednesday with 'maliciously' starting the Lachman Fire on January 1  a blaze that investigators say sparked the catastrophic Palisades Fire six days later.

The inferno left at least 12 people dead and leveled more than 6,000 properties after he deliberately set the fire, authorities allege, likely using a lighter to ignite vegetation or scraps of paper shortly after completing an Uber ride.

The criminal complaint against Rinderknecht said two of his passengers on the night of New Year's Eve, 2024, said he seemed agitated and angry.

In the days leading up to the blaze, Rinderknecht had allegedly grown obsessed with a haunting music video by Josman, real name Jose Nzengo, portraying 'bitterness and despair', prosecutors said.

Josman cannot be held responsible for the actions of someone who listened to his music, a member of his entourage told Daily Mail

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, allegedly obsessed over Josmans song Un Zder, Un The, listening to it nine times in just four days. He watched the accompanying music video three times during that period and four more times on his iPhone  including while he set the deadly Palisades blaze, authorities say

Officials said they believe the Palisades Fire was a 'holdover fire' - a continuation of the Lachman Fire allegedly started by Rinderknecht

But a member of the rapper's entourage in Paris shrugged this assertion off, telling Daily Mail: 'Josman does not get involved in polemics like this.

'Artists cannot be held responsible for those who listen to their music; the music is produced for everybody who wants to listen to it.'

The source added: 'France is thousands of miles from the USA. Connecting music produced here with events so far away does not make sense.'

He also pointed out that aggressive fires have been a popular theme in pop music for decades.

Those songs range from the psychedelic rock hit Light My Fire by the Doors in 1967, to Burning Down the House by Talking Heads in 1983 and Firestarter, the 1996 electric dance hit by the Prodigy.

Florida-based Rinderknecht, who was born in France, used YouTube to listen to Josman's hit song, Un Zder, Un The' which means, 'A Joint, A Tea', on December 31.

A member of his posse said that Josman isn't involved in 'polemics', meaning he wasn't going to add to the ongoing discourse about the alleged suspect's music tastes

The inferno claimed at least 12 lives and destroyed over 6,000 properties after authorities allege Rinderknecht deliberately set the flames

The song, which translates to 'A Joint, A Tea', focuses on themes such as 'bitterness and despair', and shows Josman walking around setting fires

This was minutes before he allegedly started the fire that was eventually whipped by high winds into the deadly Palisades inferno on January 7.

Court documents read: 'The music video for the song shows the main character (Josman) lighting things on fire.'

Lyrics from the song include, 'Daily life is killing me', 'I feel like I'm nowhere' and 'too much bitterness in my head, I think about the mistakes we made'.

The suspect had allegedly listened to the same song nine times in four days and watched the music video three times over the same time period.

He also watched the fire video at least four times on his iPhone, according to investigators.

In the video, which Josman recorded in December 2018, he shows himself smoking in an apartment that eventually goes up in flames.

The Palisades fire grew from the embers of a smaller fire that Rindernecht allegedly set

Josman's associates also said it didn't 'make sense' to connect a song made in France with an event happening 'thousands of miles' away in the US

At one point in the music video, Josman is seen lighting a burning barrel outside a housing project, which erupts into an engulfing blaze

Josman is also seen lighting a burning barrel outside a housing project, which erupts into an engulfing blaze.

There are also clips of the rapper walking along a street with a handful of flaming banknotes in his hand.

When Rinderknecht allegedly started the fire on New Year's Day, he made several unsuccessful 911 calls, officials said.

He then fled the scene of the original fire but returned to the same trail where hed been earlier to watch it burn, acting US attorney Bill Essayli said.

He also made disturbing ChatGPT prompts, asking for an image in July 2024 showing a hellish fire scene where people were 'watching the world burn down, watching the people struggle. They are laughing, enjoying themselves, and dancing,' the complaint claimed.

A month later, he told the chatbot and a family member how he 'literally burnt the Bible', which made him feel 'amazing' and 'liberated', according to the court filing.

Among the evidence that was collected from his digital devices was an image Rinderknecht generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city, a criminal complaint said

A still taken from footage from a UCSD camera at 12.12am EST on January 1. The bright spot on the upper left is the Lachman Fire. According to police, Rinderknecht's parked car is visible down the hill on the right

The driver was arrested in Florida, according to officials. His first court appearance was on Wednesday in Orlando when he was held in custody without bail after a judge was told he threatened to burn down his sister's house last month.

He was charged with destruction of property by means of fire  a felony that carries a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence and is punishable by up to 20 years.

Josman, who is from a Congolese and Angolan background, has a new album called 'Dom Perignon Crying' out at the end of October.

There was no official comment from his managers on the Palisades Fire.
Ryan Reynolds kept tight-lipped about wife Blake Lively at his latest public speaking engagement on Wednesday - two weeks after he insulted her onstage.

The Deadpool star, 48, landed in hot water on September 25 when he shared with a live audience his frustration over trying to get Bill Murray to be part of his upcoming John Candy: I Like Me documentary, which he is a producer on.

After leaving '40 messages,' he had finally gotten a call back from the Hollywood icon, but the timing was inconvenient as he was about to enter a fancy gala with his actress wife, 38 - leading him to swear at her.

He revealed during his John Candy tour in New Jersey: 'I'm there with my wife and we're about to walk in and my phone buzzes, and I look at it. It says Bill Murray and I go, "Bill Murray!"

Lowering his voice as if he was re-enacting whispering to Lively, he continued, 'She goes, "We have to go in!"

'I'm like, "F**k you!" he shared, spilling the derogatory insult he said to his wife.

Ryan Reynolds kept tight-lipped about wife Blake Lively at his latest public speaking engagement this week - two weeks after he insulted her onstage (pictured on October 5 in Chicago)

The actor dropped a bombshell during his last appearance on September 25, in which he revealed he had shouted at his wife, 'F**k you!' as he tried to speak to Bill Murray - Lively pictured with Reynolds in April

It is unclear which gala the Canadian actor was referring to and around what date the exchange took place.

At Wednesday's event at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, a sheepish Reynolds told an edited version of the story, in which he left out any mention of 'my wife.'

Sharing how difficult it was to get a hold of the Ghostbusters star, he told the audience, 'I got a number. I called. Voicemail came on. It was a Greek shipping company, naturally. And I left a message and then I did that about 20 more times and eventually he called me back.'

Reynolds skipped over the segment of the story which included Murray calling him when he was with Lively, adding the actor 'ghosted the s**t out of me,' and how he then 'got desperate' so he sent him a 'desperate hostage video' of him and his kids.

'It's like 11:30 at night. My kids showed up. They woke up and my daughter's behind me and I'm in the middle of it. I'm like, "Don't you do it." I'm leaving a message for Bill. She'll just choke you out; she's five.

'And then my son shows up too, he's two... I go, "Tell Bill to do the d**n interview."'

Ultimately, it was his kids who won over the actor after Ryan pleaded, 'I don't know what kind of monster you have to be to say no to a child like that.'

On September 25, Ryan shared with an audience in New Jersey, 'I'm there with my wife and we're about to walk in and my phone buzzes, and I look at it. It says Bill Murray... '[Blake] goes, "We have to go in!" 'I'm like, "F**k you!"

Bill Murray is one of the A-list actors who appears in Ryan's upcoming documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, which is available to stream on October 10

He added, 'And then one second later I get a text... "What do you need from me? Where can I be to help you with JC?"'

The couple, who celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary on September 9, share four kids together: James, 10, Inez, eight, Betty, five, and Olin, two.

Apart from Bill, the documentary features interviews with other stars who knew the late actor John Candy - who died in 1994 from a heart attack - including Martin Short, Steve Martin, Macaulay Culkin, Tom Hanks, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and Conan O'Brien.

Rather than bringing up any mention of his wife, he welcomed his best friend, Hugh Jackman, on stage as the pair were joined by director Colin Hanks, John's son Chris Candy, and moderator Daniel Pasternack.

'It is called "An Evening with..." myself, several other talented, incredible human beings who pop in and out, and friends.

'And I'm very proud and very lucky and actually honored to be able to call this person a friend of mine for 17, maybe 18 years. His name is Hugh Michael Jackman,' he said.

The Wolverine star walked out on stage wearing a band-aid on his face, next to his left eyebrow, sparking concern from the audience.

Hugh joked about his pal giving him the injury, telling the crowd: 'He's so nice, but smacked me in the head as a welcome.'

Ryan's best friend Hugh Jackman attended the Q&A on Wednesday. The Wolverine star entered the stage wearing a band-aid on his face (pictured)

The pals were joined onstage at the Kings Theatre by moderator Daniel Pasternack, director Colin Hanks, John Candy's son Chris (from left to right)

Ryan praised Hugh, saying, 'm very proud and very lucky and actually honored to be able to call this person a friend of mine for 17, maybe 18 years' (pictured together in July 2024)

This prompted Ryan to respond: 'You start tap dancing and you get near my trumpet, you're going to get (makes noise) clocked in the head.'

Like his character superhero Deadpool, Ryan is known for having a funny side and making jokes - something even Hugh said compared to John Candy.

He, along with Blake, have made playful digs at each other in past interviews.

The Gossip Girl alum once joked that she was 'married to her best friend and also her fifth child,' while Ryan has said that she 'runs the show at home.'

However, when Ryan revealed the 'f**k you' comment he told Blake, fans did not seem to take a liking to it and he received some backlash.

One fan commented, 'My husband would never tell me f*ck you, we do not speak that way to each other. [I don't care] who calls you,' while another said, 'Ugh. Cancel him already!'

Someone else shared, 'Keep talking, Ryan. The more you say, the less the public likes you and your awful wife.'

'He used to be so funny..now he's just obnoxious,' another added.

Blake and Ryan are known for making playful digs at each other in past interviews

Blake is in the midst of a legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni

The couple is in the midst of explosive legal proceedings.

Lively sued her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024 and accused him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of orchestrating a smear campaign against her. She also claimed she experienced 'severe emotional distress'.

Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios denied her allegations. He shortly after sued her for defamation and extortion, but the $400 million lawsuit was dismissed in June 2025.

In May, Lively voluntarily agreed to withdraw her infliction of emotional distress claims, according to her attorney.

A few days later, lawyers for Baldoni and Wayfarer filed a motion to compel Lively to provide her medical and mental health care records, to prove she experienced distress, according to court filings. His lawyers also asked for the emotional distress claims to be dismissed with prejudice so they could not be refiled.

However, the judge ruled that Lively does not have to provide her medical records to the court following the withdrawal of the claims of emotional distress.

Reynolds, although not named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, has been supporting Lively throughout the ongoing federal case, which is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.

Reynolds' documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on October 10.
TV travel presenter Dave Whitehill and his businesswoman wife Christie have quietly called time on their 11-year marriage.

The couple, who tied the knot in Bali in 2014, confirmed their breakup to Daily Mail in separate statements on Friday.

'It's an interesting time for us at the moment, just navigating this new chapter of life. We are both very amicable about the situation and have done a lot of personal work on understanding where we are at, not casting blame on each other,' Dave began.

'Our number one priority is our kids and them feeling safe and happy, which I think is the most important thing in life. We are working hard to grow from this and work together as a family in this new chapter.'

Christie echoed Dave's sentiments in her own statement.

'Obviously, these decisions don't come lightly. We both did our best to make it work, especially for our kids, but ultimately we grew apart,' Christie said.

TV travel presenter Dave Whitehill and his businesswoman wife Christie have quietly called time on their marriage. (Pictured)

'Our focus now is on maintaining a strong friendship and co-parenting our two beautiful children with love and respect.'

Dave and Christie first met by chance on a street in Burleigh on the Gold Coast.

Christie has built a thriving career as co-founder of the wellness brand INTU WELLNESS, which she runs with close friend Anna Heinrich.

The pair also cohost the popular podcast In Your Skin, where they discuss everything from healthy living to spirituality.

Dave, meanwhile, remains one of Australia's most recognisable travel presenters.

A former Cleo Bachelor of the Year (2001), he's appeared on programs including Mornings with KerriAnne, Just For Laughs, Hot Source, Today and Getaway.

The couple's 2014 wedding, held at the Jeeva Klui Resort in Lombok, took place beside an infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean  the same spot where Dave had proposed two years earlier.

The couple, who tied the knot in Bali in 2014, confirmed their breakup to Daily Mail in separate statements on Friday

'It's an interesting time for us at the moment, just navigating this new chapter of life. We are both very amicable about the situation and have done a lot of personal work on understanding where we are at, not casting blame on each other,' Dave began

Before finding love with Christie, Dave dated bikini model and Neighbours star Imogen Bailey.

Dave and Christie share two children, Zac and Ava.

The host of the Foxtel travel series Escape first met his wife in Queensland in 2009, and they dated for five years before marrying in a stunning Indonesian ceremony.

Proceedings very nearly came to a halt when Christie realised she had misplaced her threecarat diamond engagement ring.

The ring was ultimately found in the couple's hotel room, and the rest of the nuptials went off without a hitch.

Following their wedding, the couple ventured to Europe for their honeymoon.
Power couple David and Victoria Beckham are known for their jet set lifestyle, enviable looks and picture-perfect life.

But it's not all glitz, glam and red carpets as Victoria, 51, has revealed what life with David, 50, is really like behind closed doors.

The fashion designer revealed that she has to wear earplugs in bed due to her husband David's loud snoring.

Opening up in a candid new interview with The Sun, the fashion designer joked: 'I wear earplugs. Let me tell you, it aint for fun.

She continued: 'What do you think Im doing it for? Its not to pull a look in bed.

'He might look like that, but breaking news, even my husband snores. I have to have the earplugs.'

Victoria may be a former Spice Girl, a globally recognised fashion designer, and a mother-of-four, but she insists she's still a work in progress.

Victoria Beckham, 51, has revealed that she has to wear earplugs in bed due to her husband David's, 50, loud snoring

Opening up in a candid new interview, the fashion designer joked: 'I wear earplugs. Let me tell you, it aint for fun. He might look like that, but breaking news, even my husband snores. I have to have the earplugs' (both pictured at her premiere)

The star launched her new Netflix documentary this week, which follows her evolution from pop icon to WAG to fashion powerhouse.

Together with her husband David, the couple are now worth a reported 500million.

And while they appear every inch the perfect couple, Victoria recently admitted that even she can't quite embrace David's snoring at night and instead just simply blocks out the noise.

Elsewhere in the interview, Victoria shared a rare insight into their private life, revealing how she and David spend their time when the cameras are off.

Despite their busy schedules, the pair enjoy a slower pace at home, watching the occasional TV series and listening to podcasts.

Victoria spoke candidly about her struggles with imposter syndrome, something which has followed her for much of her life.

Mental health is also very close to her heart, and she revealed that she has had therapy, something she says she's proud to talk about.

Victoria also revealed that she and David place a strong focus on communication with their children, making time every evening for a phone-free family dinner where they ask each other about their day.

Victoria may be a former Spice Girl, a globally recognised fashion designer, and a mother-of-four, but she insists she's still a work in progress (pictured 1997)

The star launched her new Netflix documentary this week, which follows her evolution from pop icon to WAG to fashion powerhouse

Together with her husband David, the couple are now worth a reported 500million (both pictured in June)

Meanwhile, the star admitted that taking on the Netflix documentary felt like a form of therapy and proved to be emotional at times.

She initially didn't want to revisit her Spice Girls days, having spent the past two decades building her fashion brand.

Only now, though, she said, does she feel she's truly earned her place at Paris Fashion Week.

The star confessed that she finally feels able to reflect on her journey without worrying that it could undermine her work.

For the first time, Victoria said she doesn't feel the need to prove herself, as she knows she is enough.

Last Friday, Victoria unveiled her Spring/Summer 2026 collection in Paris, which was met with glowing praise and marked another milestone in her fashion career.

When it comes to romance, she and David still make time for each other in simple but meaningful ways.

Rather than extravagant gifts or over-the-top gestures, they focus on the little things, such as leaving notes for one another, making morning shakes, or preparing each other's vitamins.

They also enjoy downtime together outside the home, with Victoria revealing they recently spent the weekend having a quiet lunch at their local countryside pub.

But above all, she says the most important part of their relationship is that David still makes her laugh, even after 26 years of marriage.
Drake suffered a major loss in his legal battle over Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us after a judge dismissed his federal lawsuit on Thursday.

The 38-year-old child actorturnedrapper had been suing Universal Music Group (UMG)  the parent company of his label Republic Records  for defamation in response to Lamar's chart topper, in which he described Drake as a 'pedophile.'

However, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas determined in dismissing the lawsuit that the diss track's most inflammatory statements about Drake (full name: Aubrey Drake Graham) could not be considered objective facts, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

Representatives for Drake and Kendrick Lamar  who was not named in the lawsuit  have not yet responded to the Daily Mail's request for comment.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for UMG said: 'From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. Were pleased with the courts dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drakes music and investing in his career.'

Notably, both Drake  who recently spoke out about plastic surgery rumors that have dogged him  and Lamar are UMG recording artists.

Drake, 38, suffered a major loss in his legal battle over Kendrick Lamar 's diss track Not Like Us after a judge dismissed his federal lawsuit on Thursday; pictured in London on July 11

Drake had been suing Universal Music Group (UMG)  the parent company of his label Republic Records  for defamation in response to Lamar's chart topper, in which he described Drake as a 'pedophile'; Lamar is pictured June 9 in LA

In Vargas' ruling, she honed in on whether Lamar's lyrics calling Drake a pedophile could be considered statements of fact.

'The issue in this case is whether Not Like Us can reasonably be understood to convey as a factual matter that Drake is a pedophile or that he has engaged in sexual relations with minors. In light of the overall context in which the statements in the Recording were made, the Court holds that it cannot,' she wrote.

She noted that the statements in Not Like Us, including Lamar's line, 'Say, Drake, I hear you like em young,' had to be considered in the context of the earlier diss tracks, 'in which both participants exchanged progressively caustic, inflammatory insults and accusations,' even though Drake's legal team had urged her to consider Not Like Us without that added context.

Vargas cited a preceding song released by Drake, the diss track Taylor Made Freestyle, in which he rapped via an AI-generated voice mimicking the late rapper 2Pac, 'Talk about him likin young girls, thats a gift from me.'

The judge cited the line, which appeared to goad Lamar into making the accusation about Drake liking young girls.

She wrote that 'The similarity in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to Drakes lyrics in the prior song.'

Vargas also wrote that Not Like Us had more in common with posts on social media platforms that hard journalism.

'The average listener is not under the impression that a diss track is the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation, conveying to the public fact-checked verifiable content,' she wrote.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for UMG said: 'From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day'

Drake's lawsuit accused UMG of defamation for releasing Not Like Us, in which Lamar called him a 'pedophile' and sex offender; pictured July 11 in London

Judge Jeannette A. Vargas determined that a reasonable listener could not concluded that Lamar's lyrics were statements of objective fact

Vargas added that Lamar's hit song was 'replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language, all of which are indicia of opinion.'

Because of those factors, she said that reasonable listeners 'would conclude that Lamar is rapping hyperbolic vituperations.'

In his lawsuit, Drake had claimed that UMG attempted to artificially boost Not Like Us' popularity with fake streams, but Vargas found the argument unconvincing.

She described the evidence his legal team offered as 'Tweets by individual users and reporting from fans,' while determining that his lawyers' 'reliance on online comments and reporting' was 'insufficient to meet the plausibility standard.'

Drake filed his lawsuit in January of this year, claiming that UMG had released Not Like Us despite allegedly knowing that it contained defamatory statements alleging that he was a pedophile and sex offender.

The hitmaker also blamed Not Like Us for break-in attempts at his Toronto mansion, as well as the May 2024 shooting of one of his home's security guards.

Drake's mansion had been featured in the single's artwork, an aerial Google Maps screenshot.

The image was dotted with red markers that were intended to indicate the presence of registered sex offenders.

She also said Not Like Us' lyrics had to be considered in the context of earlier diss tracks, including Drake's lines on Taylor Made Freestyle, in which he appeared to goad Lamar into accusing him of liking young girls; seen July 12 in London

Vargas heard oral arguments in the case in June.

Drake initially cut back on his public profile in the wake of Not Like Us' release in May 2024, particularly in the US.

However, he continued to tour throughout 2025, including a run of shows in February in Australia and a collaborative European tour with PartyNextDoor from July 11 through September 23.

Drake is set to expected to release Iceman  his ninth studio album and first since Not Like Us' release  later in 2025.
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have split following 28 years of marriage - and the effect the separation has had on their two daughters has now been revealed.

The 61-year-old actress shares Isabella 'Bella' Rose, 27, and Olivia Jade, 26, with Mossimo - whom she tied the knot with back in 1997.

'It's obviously been tough, but Olivia and Bella aren't taking sides,' a source told People in an article published on Thursday. 'They both love their parents and just want them to be happy.'

The insider added that the siblings don't have any 'drama or resentment' towards their parents over the divorce.

'They've seen how hard their mom and dad have tried over the years, and they're focused on keeping things peaceful and staying close as a family.'

The source continued, 'At the end of the day, they just want everyone to be okay.'

Daily Mail has reached out to Lori's representatives for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Lori Loughlin, 61, and Mossimo Giannulli have split following 28 years of marriage - and the effect the separation has had on their two daughters has now been revealed; seen in 2015 in L.A.

'It's obviously been tough, but Olivia and Bella aren't taking sides,' a source told People in an article published on Thursday. 'They both love their parents and just want them to be happy'; Lori seen with daughters in 2019 in Beverly Hills

Lori and Mossimo's split was revealed last week - with the estranged couple living separately before the news came to light.

The Full House alum's representative Elizabeth Much told the Daily Mail, 'They are living apart and taking a break from their marriage. There are no legal proceedings at this time.'

And on Wednesday, insiders informed TMZ that both Lori and Mossimo had been living separate lives for some time.

The actress has been residing in Los Angeles while the fashion designer has been living in Sun Valley, Idaho - where the pair also own property.

A source also told the outlet that Lori has a 'terrific' relationship with her two daughters and has recently been spending 'quality time' with them.

Lori and Mossimo were previously involved in a college admissions scandal which began back in 2019.

At the time, the pair were indicted after they allegedly paid $500,000 to give their daughters entry into USC as recruits for the crew team, although the two had never played the sport.

Lori notably spent two months in prison while her estranged husband was sentenced to five months.

'They've seen how hard their mom and dad have tried over the years, and they're focused on keeping things peaceful and staying close as a family,' the source added; seen in 2018 in West Hollywood

The actress has been residing in Los Angeles while the fashion designer has been living in Sun Valley, Idaho - where the pair also own property; seen in 2006 in L.A.

The actress was also fined $150,000 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service while the fashion designer was fined a larger amount of $250,000 and ordered to complete 250 hours of community service.

Shortly before the split news was announced, Lori had been spotted embracing Anne Heche's ex-partner and her former co-star James Tupper outside the Bird Streets Club in L.A.

Lori and James previously starred in the 2023 TV movie Fall Into Winter and the following year they also took on roles in A Christmas Blessing.

However, sources told TMZ that the actress has not moved on amid the split and 'doesn't consider herself single yet.'

Separate insiders have given insight into their shock split after 28 years of marriage -with some claiming their public legal woes had driven a wedge between them.

'Their marriage was very strong before the s**t hit the fan with the college admissions scandal. That totally derailed it. His sales suffered,' a source recently told the Daily Mail.

'She lost Hallmark. They blamed each other, but he blamed her more.'

They also added, 'The entire family was embarrassed and that was like a huge deal to Mossimo. It felt like he had built all this goodwill, publicly, and it was all gone. They were literally the butt of jokes on late night TV.

Lori and Mossimo were previously involved in a college admissions scandal which began back in 2019; seen at a courthouse in Boston in 2019

However, sources told TMZ that the actress has not moved on amid the split and 'doesn't consider herself single yet'; seen in April in L.A.

'There was this perception that they were rich, and the worst kind of rich people, who use their wealth for unfair advantages. You forget, the narrative was so terrible.'

The insider continued, 'They had the world, and it wasn't enough for them. Their daughters had privilege, and that wasn't enough for them. It was humiliating.

'And Lori was really the one who was driving that bus. She was the one who wanted to do the rowing pictures.'

Mossimo had been 'embarrassed' by the legal drama and explained that 'they never really recovered.'

'There was a point when they had staggered jail sentences where it seemed like maybe they'd make it, but they didn't.'

The source also confirmed that Lori and Mossimo have been living separately for some time.

The college admissions scandal 'killed the marriage and broke the family apart,' the insider said, and later predicted the fashion designer could 'find another woman soon.'

'It is looking very much that this separation is going to be permanent as they can't get on the same page on living together anymore. The love is no longer there,' they also added.

'Their marriage was very strong before the s**t hit the fan with the college admissions scandal. That totally derailed it. His sales suffered,' a source recently told the Daily Mail; the pair seen in L.A. in 2000

Just days after the shock split was revealed, Mossimo was spotted on an outing with stylist Hannah Harrison in L.A.

However, she clarified to Us Weekly that their relationship is simply 'platonic' and that being seen together 'was bad timing.'

Hannah explained to the outlet, 'I went to the [G/FORE Supply] store not knowing that his separation had been announced. I was going there to meet him.'

She further stated that her meeting with Mossimo was for work purposes and added 'we there shopping and as I was leaving I saw the photographers. We did not drive together. We drove separately.'

The stylist then shut down any romance speculation and stated she and Giannulli were 'not there together [and] we are not dating. We are good friends. He was just meeting me at the store.'

'It is looking very much that this separation is going to be permanent as they can't get on the same page on living together anymore. The love is no longer there,' they also added; seen in 2012 in Beverly Hills

A separate source confirmed Hannah's statements and said the pair are 'just friends' and that she 'was pulling items from his studio yesterday.'

Lori was seen for the first time since her separation from Mossimo was revealed over the past weekend in L.A.

The Full House alum held a smile on her face while sporting fitness attire during the casual outing.

The actress notably was seen not wearing her wedding ring for the daytime excursion.
A judge has dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by Wendy Williams' ex-husband Kevin Hunter in a bid to overtake her guardianship.

The judge denied the motion made by Hunter, 53, who called himself a "friend "of the talk show host, 61, who he was married to for more than two decades, and shares a 25-year-old son with.

Hunter does have an opening to refile an amended complaint to the court, per the judge's ruling, TMZ reported citing legal document. He is restricted from naming Williams in any further litigation.

Williams previously told TMZ 'she had NOTHING to do with the lawsuit' her former spouse filed this past June in New York.

The Asbury Park, New Jersey-born TV personality phoned in to a segment on TMZ Thursday, saying she was 'happy' the case was thrown out, adding, 'Why not?'

Daily Mail has reached out to Williams' rep; and court-appointed guardian Sabrina Morrissey for further comment on the story.

A judge has dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by Wendy Williams' ex-husband Kevin Hunter in a bid to overtake her guardianship. Williams pictured in NYC in 2019

The talk show host, 61, pictured with Hunter, 53, in 2018 in NYC

The judge ruled that if Hunter wants to enter an amended complaint to the court, he is restricted from naming Williams in the lawsuit, TMZ reported.

Williams, who has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, is currently staying at the Coterie - an assisted-living facility in Hudson Yards, New York.

Her stint at the facility more than two years after the dementia diagnosis comes at the say-so of Morrissey, her legal guardian.

Williams was wed to Kevin Hunter from 19992020, and they are parents to son Kevin Hunter Jr.

Prior to that, Williams was married to Bert Girigorie from 19941995.

Williams spoke with The New York Magazine on Monday in a piece about her ire over her current living situation in the memory unit of the Coterie.

Williams provided the publication with a reasons why she thinks staying in a room at the Coterie makes for 'a f*****-up situation.

'Did you see the people? The elderly people? Why do I want to look at that?' Williams said. 'I cant tell you how many times Ive asked that I be moved from this floor.'

Williams was pictured out in NYC last month

She said in the TMZ segment Thursday, 'This building is for people 60 and above. And I don't care that I'm 61 - I am gorgeous.'

Williams said she has been keeping her spirits up by attending church services in Brooklyn regularly.

'It gives me faith,' she said, 'and keeps me very well in touch with God and myself.'

The media personality, who was seen attending New York Fashion Week events last month, added, 'You know I've been out. So obviously I do go out.'
They are two of Australia's most successful influencers  each boasting over two million followers on TikTok alone.

So it was only a matter of time before Tammy Hembrow, 31, found herself partying alongside Indy Clinton, 28, at an exclusive influencer event in Sydney on Thursday night.

The twosome were spotted laughing and puckering up for selfies as they modelled new designs by White Fox Boutique at Bondi's upmarket restaurant Sean's Panorama.

Tammy  who earlier this week hinted she's back on with AFL bad boy Bailey Smith  put her surgically-enhanced cleavage on display in a powder blue, sequinned halterneck mini dress that featured a plunging neckline.

The mother-of-three wore her hair out in loose waves and wore a heavy application of makeup for the glitzy affair.

Indy meanwhile sported a similarly flesh-baring ensemble, consisting of a plunging, sequinned brown crop top and matching short shorts.

Tammy Hembrow , 31, was spotted partying with fellow mega-influencer Indy Clinton, 28, at an exclusive influencer event in Sydney on Thursday night

The twosome were spotted laughing and puckering up for selfies as they modelled new designs by White Fox Boutique at Bondi's upmarket restaurant Sean's Panorama

Indy, who recently admitted she doesn't like the results of her nose job, wore a generous application of makeup and allowed her brown hair to fall loosely.

Queensland-based Tammy had jetted into Sydney earlier on Thursday, wearing a pair of oversized footy shorts.

Photos of her arrival sparked rumours that she could be back on with Bailey Smith, despite him famously 'friend-zoning' her in an interview with KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie O Show last month.

Tellingly, Tammy's shorts featured the colours of her fling Bailey's team, The Geelong Cats  white and navy blue.

Additionally, Tammy's shorts appeared to be a very similar pair to those worn by Bailey in a recent Cotton On campaign.

Bailey had enjoyed a handful of dates with Tammy, but friends said he ultimately pulled the pin after hearing stories about her past relationship with ex-husband Matt Zukowski.

'A few of Matt's mates got in Bailey's ear and told him what had really gone down,' one insider told Daily Mail.

Tammy was previously married to Love Island Australia star Matt Zukowski for seven months before things went pear-shaped.

They are two of Australia's most successful influencers - each boasting over two million followers on TikTok alone

Tammy  who earlier this week hinted she's back on with AFL bad boy Bailey Smith  put her surgically-enhanced cleavage on display in a powder blue, halterneck mini dress

The mother-of-three wore her hair out in loose waves and wore a heavy application of makeup for the glitzy affair

Indy meanwhile sported a similarly flesh-baring ensemble, consisting of a plunging, sequinned brown crop top and matching short shorts

Indy, who recently admitted she doesn't like the results of her nose job, wore a generous application of makeup and allowed her brown hair to fall loosely

Meanwhile, Indy has found herself in the headlines after she recently confessed that she isn't happy with her controversial nose job.

Indy underwent rhinoplasty in March, and now that she has healed up, she admitted in a TikTok video in August that she doesn't love her new look.

'I've been wanting to get this off my chest. Everyone else is talking about it but me,' the influencer began her clip, in which she updated her fans on the surgery.

'I'm Italian, I had a Mediterranean nose and I loved that,' she said, adding that she had hoped to tweak her nose after she was injured in a surfing accident in 2020.

'I didn't choose this. I didn't lie to you. It's just the way the cookie crumbles,' she added, confessing that she wasn't pleased with the result.

'Onwards and upwards, as they say,' Indy said.

Since undergoing the procedure, Indy has been inundated with cruel comments.

After revealing her updated nose, some compared her to Michael Jackson and said she has 'ruined her face'.

Queensland-based Tammy had jetted into Sydney earlier on Thursday, wearing a pair of oversized footy shorts

Photos of her arrival sparked rumours that she could be back on with Bailey Smith, despite him famously 'friend-zoning' her in an interview with KIIS FM's The Kyle And Jackie O Show

Tellingly, Tammy's shorts featured the colours of her fling Bailey's team, The Geelong Cats  white and navy blue

Additionally, Tammy's shorts appeared to be a very similar pair to those worn by Bailey in a recent Cotton On campaign

Meanwhile, Indy has found herself in the headlines after she recently confessed that she isn't happy with her controversial nose job

Indy underwent rhinoplasty in March, and now that she has healed up, she admitted in a TikTok video in August that she doesn't love her new look

Indy posted to TikTok to defend the results of her surgery early on in her healing process, saying it had only been a few weeks since she went under the knife.

'I know I look crazy guys, it's only been two weeks,' she told her fans in a video, which showed the mother-of-three sporting a glowing makeup look.

'I'm still numb but everything will drop slowly,' she said.

Indy added: 'Well, I hope it drops because I have a photo shoot in April.'

'But I think it takes four to six weeks for your tip to drop and... the swelling to go down and then another year for all the rest of the swelling to slowly go down.

'That's what I'm telling myself anyway. If that's not the case, don't wanna hear it.

'I have a lot of swelling obviously on the outside, but also internally which is making my nostrils look uneven so that's fantastic.'

'It's going down every day,' she said of the swelling, adding it was 'so much worse' and she's been sleeping with little splints in her nostrils to help the healing.

After revealing her updated nose, some compared her to Michael Jackson and said she has 'ruined her face'

Indy posted to TikTok to defend the results of her surgery early on in her healing process, saying it had only been a few weeks since she went under the knife

'I know I look crazy guys, it's only been two weeks,' she told her fans in a video, which showed the mother-of-three sporting a glowing makeup look. 'I'm still numb but everything will drop slowly,' she said
Jimmy Nicholson has flaunted a fresh new look during a trip to Melbourne.

The 2021 Australian Bachelor, 35, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a clip of himself in the cultural capital of Australia.

'Alright, he's back in Melbourne and I gotta sayI don't say this very often when I'm down herebut it is a pearler of a day,' he began the video.

'Now there are so many good restaurants here to try so it would be rude not to go and, you know, have a look at what Melbourne has to offer.'

However, it wasn't the food spots that had fans doing a double take but his new distinguished look.

The pilot showed off a full head of hair, as well as some greyed locks, rocking a 'silver fox' appearance.

Jimmy Nicholson, 35, has flaunted a fresh new look during a trip to Melbourne. Pictured with his Bachelor finalists, Holly Kingston (left) and Brooke Cleal (right)

However, Jimmy's signature piercing blue eyes and sense of humour were still on full display as he explored the city for a good meal.

It comes after Jimmy and his wife, Holly Kingston, whom he met on The Bachelor Australia, made a splash in Sydney's Northern Beaches property market last year by purchasing a luxurious home.

The couple finalised the purchase of a stylish 1980s-constructed property nestled on a stunning sanctuary which spans 1,323 sqm in the upmarket suburb of Avalon Beach.

The property boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms and features open interiors, soaring ceilings, and stunning modern architecture.

The home is divided into three distinct living areas, which can be used by different members of the household, and is complemented by a playroom next to the kitchen.

Designed for seamless indoor-outdoor living, the residence showcases cutting-edge architectural design and luxurious features such as a serene firepit and gazebo.

Its semi-rural location provides gorgeous scenery while being close to a variety of amenities, including shopping centres and public transport.

The property was described by agents as having a 'whisper-quiet setting' and provides an ideal backdrop for the couple, who are keen to begin their family journey in their new abode.

The pilot showed off a full head of hair, as well as some greyed locks, rocking a 'silver fox' appearance

'We cannot wait to share this next chapter of our lives with you as a family of three as we move to our dream first house on the northern beaches where we both grew up,' the pair shared to Instagram at the time.

They bought the humble abode just before welcoming their first child, Lennox, in December.

The couple announced the exciting baby news in an Instagram post.

'Introducing our beautiful Lenny boy, who arrived into our lives on Monday evening... 3.35 kg, frank breech & butt first via c section (yes he's already a stubborn little thing like his parents),' they hilariously penned alongside a carousel of pictures of their bundle of joy.

'At the risk of sounding cliche, it's certainly true what they say, there is no handbook to prepare you for this kind of love overnight.'

They finished off the post by saying: 'Thank you for choosing us little man, waking up to you the last few mornings has truly felt like a dream. You already have us wrapped around your very long fingers & toes.'
Katie Holmes showed off her seemingly ageless looks while attending a restaurant opening in New York City.

The Dawson's Creek alum, 46  who recently reunited with her co-stars  got glammed up on Thursday night to dine at Avra Estiatorio, a high-end Greek eatery with locations across the United States.

For her evening out, Holmes wowed in a sparkly netted top that exposed her black bra.

She layered a fitted black blazer over her racy top and tied a beige sweater around her neck.

The actress slipped on tight brown leather pants and a pair of black mules to complete her chic outfit.

Holmes carried all of her essentials in a black designer purse as she made her way to the restaurant's entrance.

Katie Holmes showed off her seemingly ageless looks while attending a restaurant opening in New York City

Her face looked incredibly flawless, with only light makeup applied to accentuate her hazel eyes and glowing complexion.

Holmes also had noticeably rosy cheeks and a berry-toned lip for the grand opening celebration.

She was still rocking her lighter brunette locks, which she first debuted late last year.

The Batman Begins star posed for photos around the new restaurant before taking a seat at a reserved table.

Holmes looked to be in a cheery mood as she mingled with fellow patrons and waitstaff at Avra Estiatorio.

Holmes' Thursday night out comes just two weeks after she reunited with many of her Dawson's Creek co-stars  22 years after the hit show went off the air.

She joined Michelle Williams, Busy Philipps, Joshua Jackson and more former co-stars at New York's Richard Rogers Theatre on September 22 in collaboration with F Cancer for a live read through of their pilot episode.

Missing from the action was series star James Van Der Beek, who was forced to pull out of the event after falling ill during his treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer.

The Dawson's Creek alum, 46, got glammed up on Thursday night to dine at Avra Estiatorio, a high-end Greek eatery co-founded by Avra Group's Nick Tsoulos

For her evening out, Holmes wowed in a sparkly netted top that exposed her black bra

Holmes looked to be in a cheery mood as she mingled with fellow patrons and waitstaff at Avra Estiatorio

James's wife Kimberly and their six children instead made a surprise appearance on stage, whilst the actor pre recorded videos to play during the show.

Holmes, who played James' love interest Joey Potter on the show, shared memories of the night to her Instagram two days later as she paid tribute to her 'everlasting bond' with her co-stars.

'I will never find the words for what these three beautiful humans mean to me,' the actress wrote alongside a video of her, Michelle and Joshua Jackson on stage. 'For our shared journey. For our everlasting bond.'

Holmes continued: 'James, Josh, Michelle from April 1997- I love you. James, you got this. We got you. To everyone who supported us from the beginning and who continue to support James and his beautiful family, we thank you. Thank you for last night.'

James replied to the post, commenting: 'Love you! Thank you for being you.'

The reunion also put rumors of a feud between Holmes and her co-star Michelle Williams after over two decades of rumors.

In footage from the event, the ladies looked like best pals as they smiled while arm in arm during curtain call.

Several times throughout the reading, Holmes grabbed Williams hand.

Holmes' Thursday night out comes just two weeks after she reunited with many of her Dawson's Creek co-stars  22 years after the hit show went off the air; (L-R) Holmes, James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson pictured in 1997

She joined Michelle Williams, Busy Phillipps, Joshua Jackson and more former co-stars at New York's Richard Rogers Theatre on September 22 in collaboration with F Cancer for a live read through of their pilot episode

James Van Der Beek was forced to pull out of the event after falling ill during his treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer but pre recorded videos played during the show

Holmes, Williams and Philipps posed for photos with James' wife Kimberly backstage at the live show

Days after the event, Katie, who played James' love interest Joey Potter on the show, paid tribute to her 'everlasting bond' with her co-stars

Neither has ever confirmed they feuded and Holmes actually went out of her way last year to insist she is on good terms with Williams.

She said that she keeps in touch with Jackson, lead James Van Der Beek and costar Williams 'every now and then.'

'Everyone's grown up and is busy, but the bond will forever be there,' Holmes, who used to be married to Tom Cruise, told the outlet.

This is not the first time Holmes has posed with Williams. They were seen side by side in February 2024.

Dawson's Creek aired on the WB - now the CW - from 1998 to 2003.
Accelerating initiatives such as the African Medicines Agency can help drive prosperity, say research leaders from the African Voices of Science.

While declining global support puts African health research at risk, it is also an opportunity for Africa to take charge of its future.

Official Development Assistance for Africa has fallen by 70 per cent since 2021, putting increasing pressure on already fragile health systems across the continent.

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This is a continent that carries a quarter of the world's disease burden but contributes less than one per cent to global health expenditure.

As health research specialists, we are convinced that this financing challenge presents a unique opportunity to strengthen our health security, economic growth, and global standing by investing in our own health research, development and innovation (RD&I) resources.

This is Africa's strongest opportunity to secure sustainable solutions to pandemic preparedness, accelerate progress toward universal health coverage, and guarantee access to quality, safe, efficacious and affordable medicines and vaccines.

With stronger health research, our countries and health systems will be considerably more resilient to external financial shocks.

We already have evidence demonstrating our health research strength from all corners of the continent.

Senegal's Institut Pasteur of Dakar is scaling up vaccine manufacturing with government backing. South Africa's Biovac and Afrigen are leading vaccine innovation and mRNA technology development and transfer.

Kenya's BioVax Institute is positioning RD&I as a growth engine, and Cote d'Ivoire's ratification of the African Medicines Agency Treaty, alongside the adoption of a Startup Act to support innovative new companies, clearly prioritises innovation.

These examples show how deliberate leadership anchors national ownership of the health RD&I agenda.

In August, health leaders met in Lusaka, Zambia, for the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa -- one of the most influential global health gatherings on the continent.

Here, there were strong calls for reducing dependency on external financing and for positioning health as a pillar of regional trade and industrial growth.

These messages frame health research and development not just as a technical necessity but as an engine of economic growth, regional integration, and long-term health security, grounded in African leadership.

For too long, Africa's research priorities have been shaped and oriented by external powers. The WHO regional meeting made it clear that the time has come for the continent to reclaim this space and set its own agenda for health innovation, building on the growing body of African-led research.

Rich resources

Africa is a wellspring of scientific and cultural assets and a source of knowledge generation that the world increasingly relies on. Large genomic studies drawn from Africa's rich genetic diversity are unlocking fresh insights into diseases that shape global health innovation.

It also has a vast heritage of traditional medicine rooted in an unmatched ecological diversity that is now finding its way into the formal RD&I pipeline. The continent needs to harness its rich resources to drive groundbreaking health innovations for regional and global impact.

Africa is making significant strides in genomic surveillance and vaccine development, advancing scientific knowledge and the continent's capacity to respond to health threats.

African-led genomic surveillance, led by organisations such as Senegal's Institut Pasteur of Dakar, Nigeria's African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, and the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has enabled real-time detection of new virus variants during outbreaks, shaping global public health responses and saving lives.

The current global health ecosystem benefits greatly from innovations led by African researchers, even though there exists a trust deficit towards locally developed products, negatively impacting uptake and market access.

The Institut Pasteur of Dakar has broken ground on a manufacturing complex with a capacity for 300 million doses of vaccine a year and South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare acquired the capacity to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines.

These examples demonstrate the world-class calibre of African-led science and its critical role in global health security. But to scale such efforts we need sustained political will and investment of public funds.

We must begin to see ourselves as the global contributors to science and innovation that we are, prioritising investment in our own capacity and infrastructure.

High-return investments

The key to unlocking Africa's health RD&I potential starts by recognising the opportunities for collaboration and for high-return investments that power jobs, new industries and export earnings.

Governments must focus on local production and the homegrown research that underpins it.

We strongly encourage African health ministers and decision-makers to emphasise in their policies three urgent imperatives for Africa's health sovereignty: first, to finance the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator as the cornerstone of vaccine self-reliance; second, to accelerate the operationalisation of the African Medicines Agency as the mechanism to regulate drugs manufacturing and increase trust; and third, to ensure the African Continental Free Trade Area advances policies on intellectual property, digital trade, and investment incentives that unlock regional markets.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Governance Health By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

It is fundamental that African-led health RD&I is redefined as a driver of prosperity that will expand access to affordable, quality health products for all and strengthen the continent's emergency preparedness.

Change must start now. We must turn our resource-rich continent into a knowledge-driven economic powerhouse underpinned by a robust health RD&I ecosystem that leverages our rich genetic diversity and drives groundbreaking global health innovations.

his article was written by representatives of the African Voices of Science: Ntobeko Ntusi, president and chief executive officer of the South African Medical Research Council; Glaudina Loots, director for health innovation, Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa; Johnpaul Omollo, policy and government affairs partner, Africa, at Roche; Moussa Sarr, principal investigator and head of business development and cooperation group at the Institute for Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training, Senegal.

The African Voices of Science is an initiative led by Speak Up Africa that aims to amplify African scientific leadership in health research and development by elevating African expertise in national, regional, and global R&D conversations. Speak Up Africa is an African-led, Senegal-based organisation dedicated to building an Africa where growth and sustainable development are driven by Africa's citizens.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net's Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Aziz Ansari's attempts to blunt criticism over his performance at a controversial comedy festival held in Saudi Arabia appear to have backfired.

The 42-year-old comedian and filmmaker signaled Tuesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he planned to donate a portion to his fee from performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to organizations including Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders.

But on Thursday, Human Rights Watch announced that it 'cannot accept' Ansari's donation, nor donations from any other comedians who performed at the festival and 'generously offered to donate part of their performance fees,' according to a statement to Variety.

'But while we cannot accept, it is not too late for [the comedians] to call for the release of detained Saudi activists,' said Joey Shea, a Human Rights Watch researcher focused on Saudi Arabia.

'Human Rights Watch didnt call for comedians to boycott the Riyadh Comedy Festival, but simply asked them to express their support for free speech by urging the release of Saudi activists unjustly imprisoned,' she added.

Representatives for Aziz Ansari have yet to respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.

Aziz Ansari's plans to donate part of his fee from a controversial comedy festival in Saudi Arabia to a human rights organization were denied on Thursday; pictured October 2 in London

After performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, Ansari, 42, said he would donate part of his fee to Human Rights Watch, but the organization said Thursday it 'cannot accept' his money in a statement to Variety; an installation at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia is pictured

Reporters Without Borders was also contacted for comment after Ansari expressed plans to donate part of his fees to the organization, but it has not yet responded.

In addition to Ansari, the comedian Jessica Kirson has expressed plans to donate her entire fee from the Riyadh Comedy Festival to an unnamed human rights organization.

Kirson, who is openly gay, said in a statement: 'I hoped that this could help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued. I am grateful that I was able to do precisely that  to my knowledge, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on stage in Saudi Arabia. I received messages from attendees sharing how much it meant to them to participate in a gay-affirming event. At the same time, I deeply regret participating under the auspices of the Saudi government.'

Human Rights Watch's Saudi Arabia researcher Shea previously said in September that 'Comedians receiving hefty sums from Saudi authorities shouldnt be silent on prohibited topics in Saudi like human rights or free speech.

'Everyone performing in Riyadh should use this high-profile opportunity to call for the release of detained Saudi activists,' she added.

Arvind Ganesan, the head of the economic justice and rights division overseer of fundraising policies for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to Variety that the organization was 'very mindful of our independence and objectivity' and would therefore not be able to accept either direct government funding, or indirect funding in the form of donations from Riyadh Comedy Festival performers, as their fees came directly from Saudia Arabia.

He added that Human Rights Watch is also 'very careful' about the private funding that it accepts.

'We have been critical of the comedians, including Mr. Ansari, who are performing in Saudi Arabia [because of] the governments human rights record,' Ganesan continued.

HRW said it would reject Ansari's donation so as to avoid the impression that it had been influenced by Saudi Arabia, as Riyadh Comedy Festival performers were paid directly by the government

HRW instead called on the performers  include Pete Davidson, Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Bill Burr and Kevin Hart  to 'call for the release of detained Saudi activists'

Comedian Marc Maron previously criticized his colleagues, joking that festival was 'From the folks that brought you 9/11'; pictured in 2023 in LA

David Cross berated them in an open letter and wondered why they would 'condone this totalitarian fiefdom for  what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?'; pictured in 2016 in NYC

He said that taking their money 'could create the perception that somehow we compromised our independence after the fact.'

However, Ganesan clarified that he was not aware of Human Rights Watch receiving donations or been contacted by any of the Riyadh Comedy Festival performs.

The festival featured performances from numerous high-profile comics, including Pete Davidson, Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Chris Tucker and more.

Other popular comedians, including Marc Maron and David Cross, publicly denounced the performers on the bill.

'From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don't miss it!' Maron joked in an Instagram video after the lineup was announced. 'The same guy that's gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a f***ing suitcase. But don't let that stop the yucks, it's gonna be a good time!'

Cross shared an open letter on his website and social media accounts, writing, 'I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing. That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for  what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?'

The setback for Ansari's post-performance plans comes in the wake of a mildly critical interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday.

Ansari was on the show to promote his new comedy Good Fortune, which he stars in with Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh and Keke Palmer.

The setback for Ansari's post-performance plans comes in the wake of a mildly critical interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday. 'Its a pretty brutal regime,' Kimmel said. 'Theyve done a lot of horrible, horrible things'; pictured on Jimmy Kimmel Live

But Ansari said he had given his performance 'a lot of thought,' and he ultimately decided that 'A comedy festival felt like something thats pushing things to be more open and to push a dialogue'; pictured on Jimmy Kimmel Live

However, Kimmel pressed him about his decision to perform in Saudi Arabia.

'Its a pretty brutal regime,' Kimmel reminded Ansari. 'Theyve done a lot of horrible, horrible things.'

But Ansari said he had given his performance 'a lot of thought,' and he ultimately decided that 'A comedy festival felt like something thats pushing things to be more open and to push a dialogue.

'You kind of have to make a choice of whether youre going to isolate or engage. For me, especially being me and looking the way I do and being from a Muslim background, it felt like something I should be a part of,' he said.
Angelina Jolie has detailed her split from Brad Pitt in a new legal update on the 'painful events' that led to their 8-year divorce.

The actress, 50, filed for divorce from the actor, 61, in 2016, just days after an infamous incident aboard a private jet in which she accused Brad of being physically and verbally abusive toward her and her children while intoxicated, claims he has denied.

The former couple share six children: Maddox, 24; Pax, 21; Zahara, 20; Shiloh, 19; and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Now, Angelina has detailed just how difficult her divorce from her ex-husband was in a newly filed court declaration.

On Monday, she filed new documents as part of their never-ending court battle brought by Brad over their home in France, Chateau Miraval.

In documents obtained by Daily Mail, Angelina wrote: 'The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children.

Angelina Jolie has detailed her split from Brad Pitt in a new legal update on the 'painful events' that led to their 8-year divorce

The actress filed for divorce in 2016 just days after an infamous incident aboard a private jet in which she accused Brad of being abusive toward her and her children while intoxicated (Pictured together in 2011)

'Upon filing for divorce, I left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.'

She continued: 'To this day, the children and I have never again set foot on the property, given its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.

'Post-separation, I immediately began to look for a new house for me and our children, initially renting a home while looking for a more stable solution.

'Because I wanted to ensure that Brad remained an important part of our children's lives, I looked to buy a property near his home.

'At the time, my savings were tied up in Miraval, and I had not asked Brad for alimony or any other financial support.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Brad's representative for comment.

It comes after it was reported that Brad is requesting to see Angelina's private messages in a new legal filing.

On June 30, the F1 actor logged documents stating he's struggled to acquire the actress's communications, which he thinks could provide critical evidence in their ongoing clash over their French winery.

On Monday, Angelina filed new documents as part of their never-ending court battle brought by Brad over their home in France, Chateau Miraval

The two film stars have been locked in a bitter battle over the vineyard and home after the Tomb Raider star sold her $64million (48M) stake to Yuri Shefler, the owner of SPI Group - the parent company to Stoli Group - in 2021.

Brad argues Angelina made the sale in spite of their prior deal that neither would sell their stake unless the other approved.

Paperwork obtained by the Daily Mail reveals his failed efforts to depose Stoli Group's Alexey Oliynik.

He claims Oliynik has direct knowledge of the negotiations between Jolie and her team, and that the requested documentation aligns with 'his core claims' in the case.

The judge has yet to rule. The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for comment.

In his latest filing, the Hollywood fixture stated he wants Oliynik to submit messages regarding the sale of Angelina's stake, including any with his ex-wife and her team.

Oliynik has argued that he is a resident of Switzerland and cannot be forced to get involved in the legal fight, which was filed in California.

Meanwhile, a source told UsWeekly: 'This is another example of the defendants repeated opposition to sharing documents that would provide insight.'

The former couple share six children: Maddox, 24; Pax, 21; Zahara, 20; Shiloh, 19; and 17-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne (pictured in Tokyo in November 2011)

Brad and Angelina entered into an acrimonious back-and-forth over NDA's, which have become a key point in their fight, after the latter sold her stake in the winery.

In July 2024, Angelina asked Brad to 'end the fighting' and drop the lawsuit against her to allow their family to 'heal.'

But sources told the Daily Mail that the Fight Club actor had 'no intention' of dropping it, alleging that Jolie only made the plea after realising that she does not have as strong a case as she previously thought.

'Brad is not going to drop this lawsuit  why would he? This was a very standard business dispute but unfortunately, Angelina has consistently introduced personal elements that are meant for a divorce court,' a person close to the situation shared.

Per legal documents obtained by People in February 2022, the Maleficent actress auctioned off her portion to Tenute del Mondo of the manufacturer Stoli Group.

In turn, Pitt claims that Jolie's former investment company Nouvel owed his company Mondo Bongo the right of first refusal.

Following their breakup, Brad has a strained relationship with his and Angelina's kids.

Several of them have dropped his last name from their monikers recently, with Zahara being the first.

Vivienne and Shiloh followed suit and the longtime leading man now has 'virtually no contact' with his adult children.

Elsewhere, Brad's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston revealed she endured a 20-year secret battle to have a baby.

The Friends icon, 56, gave a rare interview to Harper's Bazaar UK's November issue, about the false narrative that she didn't want to become a mother because she's a 'selfish workaholic'.

She said: They didnt know my story, or what Id been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family, because I dont go out there and tell them my medical woes.

Jennifer was married to Brad Pitt from 2000-2005 but they split when she was aged 35 (pictured in 2004). She later revealed: 'My late 30s, 40s, I'd gone through really hard sh[*]t... I was trying to get pregnant'

'Thats not anybodys business. But there comes a point when you cant not hear it  the narrative about how I wont have a baby, wont have a family, because Im selfish, a workaholic.

'It does affect me  Im just a human being. Were all human beings. Thats why I thought, What the hell?'

However, the older Jennifer gets, the less she feels the need to 'correct a false narrative'.

She explained: 'The news cycle is so fast, it just goes away.

'Of course, there are times when I feel that sense of justice  when something has been said that isnt true and I need to right the wrong.

'And then I think, do I really? My family knows my truth, my friends know my truth.

Jennifer was married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005. They split after he met actress Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

In 2022, Jennifer tragically revealed she had unsuccessfully tried IVF - and admitted she wished she had frozen her eggs years earlier.

'It was a challenging road for me, the baby-making road,' Jennifer said at the time.

'My late 30s, 40s, I'd gone through really hard sh[*]t, and if it wasn't for going through that, I would've never become who I was meant to be. I was trying to get pregnant.

'All the years and years and years of speculation... It was really hard. I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it.

'I would've given anything if someone had said to me, "Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favor." You just don't think it. So here I am today. The ship has sailed. But I have zero regrets.'

Jennifer was aged 35 when she split from Brad and previously said the suggestion he left her because she wouldn't give him a child was an 'absolute lie'.

Brad went on to have has six children with Angelina.
Noel Gallagher's daughter Anais has come under fire after saying she feels 'grateful' to get paid 'to do basically nothing' and doesn't have to work a 9-5 job.

The British model, 25, who has been dubbed as a 'nepo baby', is the only child of the Oasis legend, 58, and his ex-wife Meg Mathews, 59.

The photographer made the blunt confession during a recent interview while appearing on an episode of Ally & G's YouTube series Backseat Driver.

The clip, shared about a month ago on the channel, sees Anais opening up about the reality of life on the Oasis tour, how she works with brands, and why she agrees with her dad Noel's attitude towards celebrity life.

But not long after its release, viewers flocked in the comments section slamming her being out of touch after she described her privileged life.

'I feel an incredible amount of gratitude that I get to be paid to do basically nothing but have a great time with my friends and experience things,' she told hosts Ally & G.

Noel Gallagher's daughter Anais, 25, has come under fire after saying she feels 'grateful' to get paid 'to do basically nothing' and doesn't have to work a 9-5 job (pictured in September)

The photographer made the blunt confession during a recent interview while appearing on an episode of Ally & G's YouTube series Backseat Driver

'I feel like I'm sometimes held to a standard of these influencers that claim relatability or to be the girl next door.'

'I can understand if you follow someone when they're doing Primark hauls and then suddenly they're in a big house showing expensive clothes and you feel disconnected.

She went on saying: 'But I've never been that. So sometimes when people say, 'This is not very relatable,' or 'your privilege is showing,' it's just me existing. There's not really much I can do.'

The social media star eventually suffered a strong backlash from fans, with some writing:

'Not sure why she feels so invested in something she is just a bystander for'

'How trivial their lives are..do they actually consider this worthy content? As for Anais, typical nepo syndrom...cheers!';

'NEPOCHILD'.

However, others were positively impressed by her comments and praised her honest attitude penning:

Viewers flocked in the comments section slamming her being out of touch after she described her privileged life

'I feel an incredible amount of gratitude that I get to be paid to do basically nothing but have a great time with my friends and experience things,' she told hosts Ally & G

'So sometimes when people say, 'This is not very relatable,' or 'Your privilege is showing,' it's just me existing. There's not really much I can do,' she added

The nepo star faced backlash as she was roasted by some negative comments

However, others were positively impressed by her comments and praised her honest attitude

'Anais is so real tho. I love how genuine she is and the don't give a f*** attitude is actually crucial.'

Later on in the candid interview, Anais added that she never set out to become an influencer - and avoids working with brands that expect her to play a part.

'I don't try to curate myself in any way, because I think that I was in a unique position.

'I never wanted to be an influencer. I never decided to do anything with social media.

'I genuinely created my Instagram account when I was like a teenager, just like anybody else, and I remember noticing that loads of people were following me purely just because of my dad. But I never stopped posting.'

'I would never do content with a brand in which I couldn't by accident swear in it, or I couldn't drink or smoke because it wouldn't be authentic to me.

She added bluntly: 'I'm obviously constantly aware of my privilege and the situation I was born into - it basically means a lot of no complaining.'

The fashion model also hit back at criticism surrounding her famous surname, saying she's constantly judged for both talking about her dad 'too much and not enough' - while also addressing nepo baby criticism.

The fashion model also hit back at criticism surrounding her famous surname, saying she's constantly judged for both talking about her dad 'too much and not enough' (pictured with Noel at BMI London Awards in October 2019)

'People just always find an issue with everything, especially the nepo baby thing.

'You can't f***ing win. I'll get so many comments being like, 'All you do is talk about your dad,' and I'm like, well, my dad is a massive part of my life because he's my dad.

'I remember people at school would say, 'You're always talking about your dad!' And I'd be like, I talk about my dad the exact same amount as you do.

'People just listen when I talk about my dad. I zone out when you talk about your dad because you'll just be like, 'My dad's picking me up later,' and I just hear your parents picking you up.

'It's not my fault that when I say, 'My dad's picking me up later,' people are like, 'What time?'

'But then I also get people that are like, 'You never post about your dad! Why don't you have any photos or videos of your dad? Clearly you don't spend that much time with him.'
Strictly Come Dancing star Alex Kingston has revealed she secretly battled uterine (womb) cancer last year.

The former ER actress, 62, was diagnosed with the disease in May and subsequently underwent a hysterectomy and radiation therapy.

Alex confessed that she had been experiencing symptoms for a long time but had put it down to her age - until she 'haemorrhaged' on stage while performing in a play last summer.

The mother-of-one explained that while battling cancer took up a 'huge part' of her life, she now feels like 'Superwoman' after overcoming the disease and signing up for Strictly.

She explained that she had dismissed feeling unwell because of her age, sharing: 'I never went down the cancer road in my head. It was a shock, because I have a very positive outlook on life in general.

'Even though my body was telling me there was something very seriously wrong, I kept thinking: "Oh, I've got a bad UTI or fibroids".'

Strictly's Alex Kingston has revealed she secretly battled uterine (womb) cancer last year. The actress, 62, was diagnosed in May and underwent a hysterectomy (pictured last week)

The mother-of-one explained that while battling cancer took up a 'huge part' of her life, she now feels like 'Superwoman' after overcoming the disease and signing up for Strictly

Alex, who was starring in The Other Boleyn Girl at the West Sussex theatre in April and May last year (pictured) was diagnosed after she 'haemorrhaged' on stage

Alex, who was starring in The Other Boleyn Girl at the West Sussex theatre in April and May last year, waited until her run in the play was over before seeking medical treatment and was told doctors found cancer in her fallopian tubes but it hadn't spread to her ovaries.

She added to The Independent: 'Despite having gone through all of that  and any cancer is really tough to accept, to steel yourself to go through all of the necessary procedures to get back into health  the minute I had the operation, I suddenly felt like myself again... [I] hadn't felt like that for years.'

Alex previously told Daily Mail about her battle with perimenopause, which she believed to have been linked to her fertility struggles.

She welcomed daughter Salome, now 24, with ex-husband Florian Haertel in 2001 as a result of in vitro fertilisation.

Alex said in 2014: 'I went through about 13 rounds of IVF before I got pregnant with Salome. It was very tough. You are so desperate, you dont really understand what the long-term side effects can be.

'Thats what they dont tell you in the medical profession. I put on weight with all the IVF  its insidious because it happens so slowly and then its almost impossible to get rid of it.

'I was also perimenopausal very early; I have no proof, but I feel that it was linked to the IVF and the different hormones I was taking.

'There are things that I think arent fully explained to women when they are going through all that.'

Alex previously told the Daily Mail about her battle with perimenopause, which she believed to have been linked to undergoing 13 rounds of IVF (pictured with daughter Salome in 2016)

Womb cancer affects around 9,7000 women every year in the UK. Nicknamed a silent killer, when the disease is diagnosed at later stages, only 15 per cent of women will survive. Peaches Trust wants to raise better awareness for the disease, so women can catch it early

In the same interview Alex expressed her gratitude at life.

Asked whether she had a motto for life, she mused: 'I dont have one, but I do feel keenly  and I know this is going to sound really cheesy  that I am lucky to be alive and I dont want to take a single day for granted.

'It upsets me when I see people waste their lives.'

Last month, she told the Daily Mail that she had signed up for Strictly in a bid to 'do it for women of a certain age'.

At 62, the Doctor Who star is the oldest woman on this year's series, which includes Amber Davies, Vicky Pattinson, and Balvinder Sopal.

Asked about whether she had any hesitations signing up for Strictly, she told the Daily Mail last month: 'I had to sit and really think about whether I would be up for it physically.

'But at the same time, I just felt like, "come on, Alex, do it for women of a certain age."'

Last week, she admitted she was finding the process 'challenging' after her health woes.

During an appearance on This Morning with professional partner Johannes Radebe, she confessed: 'It's really different and more challenging than I thought it would be to be honest but I'm doing it for women of a certain age.

'For anyone over 60, age is just a number and to prove that after a certain age you are not dead below the knee.'

Alex added: 'I had quite complex health issues last year, which I have recovered from.

'Out of that, it's just that thing you hear over and over again, which is life is too short if there is anything you want to do be brave and just go and do it.'

She signed up for Strictly aged 62 in a bid to 'do it for women of a certain age'. The Doctor Who star (pictured with Johannes Radebe) is the oldest woman on this year's series

Alex previously told the Daily Mail that she had long wanted to dance in the Strictly ballroom and had been particularly inspired by her friend Sarah Hadland, 54, who reached the final last year with professional dancer Vito Coppola, 32.

Alex said: 'Years ago, we [Sarah Hadland and Alex] were in a play together and we both admitted to each other that secretly we really wanted to do Strictly.

'I then said, "Well, I can't do Strictly if you're on Strictly because you will win."

'And then when I saw that she was on it, I was so thrilled for her because I knew that she was fulfilling a dream that she shared with me.

'So I reached out to her and asked her what the experience was like, and she was really great.

'She was very honest about the overall experience and how intense it can be. How overwhelming it can sometimes be, but also what an incredibly positive thing it is to do.

'It was through talking with Sarah, because she didn't sugarcoat it, she was very clear about how challenging it is.

'She allowed me to make my own decision, ultimately, and I decided that I would follow in her footsteps.'

Alex, who played River Song in Doctor Who alongside David Tennant and Matt Smith, said her Strictly goal was 'to get through it without being injured'.
Jennifer Lopez's early work as a Fly Girl on the sketch comedy show In Living Color came in handy on the Kiss Of The Spider Woman set.

Writer-director Bill Condon, 69, explained ahead of the movie musical's release, 'The thing is, she knows so much about everything.'

He told People the 56-year-old Bronx-bred star was keen on 'musical performance, choreographers, dance, so she always had a wonderful eye for everything that was going on and casting everything.'

Lopez plays an imaginary figure named Aurora, who was dreamed up by jailed gay hairdresser Luis Molina, in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, out October 10.

She looked nearly unrecognizable in a first-look trailer for the film, released in June.

The movie  which also stars Tonatiuh and Diego Luna, 45  is an iteration of the 1993 Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel of the same name.

Jennifer Lopez's early work as a Fly Girl on the sketch comedy show In Living Color came in handy on the Kiss Of The Spider Woman set

Lopez's breakout role came in the early 90s when she appeared on television as part of In Living Color's dance troupe; L-R Diedre Lang, Jossie Harris, Lopez, Lisa Thompson

Lopez's breakout role came in the early 90s when she appeared on television as part of In Living Color's dance troupe.

Condon also described the leading woman as 'a great sounding board.'

He said her ability to lead had an 'immediate' effect on the cast, explaining that her co-star Luna 'came into this as a non-dancer.'

The screenwriter said, 'And he's a great, great serious actor. But, you know, he shared his insecurity with Jennifer and she gave him a wonderful note: "You're a great actor; play the part of Gene Kelly."'

He said everyone on set 'saw her take him under her wing.'

'And then slowly, as the movie progressed, they would just spend more time together talking about stuff and it was beautiful to watch,' the director shared.

After watching the trailer over the summer, fans were blown away by the Hollywood vet's acting chops and musical prowess, praising her 'evolution' and even predicting an Oscar nod.

In the film, Luis (Tonatiuh) is serving eight years behind bars 'for corrupting a minor.' He imagines films starring Aurora to escape his misery while imprisoned.

Writer-director Bill Condon, 69, explained of Lopez: 'The thing is, she knows so much about everything'

Lopez plays an imaginary figure named Aurora, who was dreamed up by jailed gay hairdresser Luis Molina, in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, out October 10

Lopez recently expressed gratitude for her ex-husband Affleck's hand in bringing the film to life via his production company Artists Equity; pictured October 6

Rehearsals began in February 2024, and filming kicked off in New Jersey in April.

A film adaptation of the book was previously made in 1985 by director Hector Babenco.

Lopez recently expressed gratitude for her ex-husband Affleck's hand in bringing the film to life.

'The movie wouldn't have been made if it [weren't] for him and Artists Equity...I will always give him that credit,' she revealed on CBS Sunday Morning in September.

She explained, 'They financed it. I told him this was the role I was born to play and I wanted to do it, and he was like, "Okay," and he helped make it happen.'

The 53-year-old Oscar winner is one of eight credited executive producers behind the $30 million movie.

'This was the first [musical] I was meant to do,' Lopez, who is also a producer on the project, said.
She is preparing to welcome her fourth child with her husband Bobby Kootstra.

And Katherine Ryan showed off her growing baby bump as she packed her hospital bag ahead of her baby's arrival in a video posted to Instagram on Friday.

The comedian, 42, displayed her blossoming stomach in a black bra and blue leggings as she filmed herself in the mirror, with the text 'What's in my hospital bag,' placed on top.

She then opened her suitcase and explained each item, saying: 'People have asked about my hospital bag. I don't stay long, I don't need much.

'I got personalised onesies from Etsy for a boy and a girl, embroidered with the names that we like, but who knows.

'We got a backup with a White Company set from Jamie Laing and Sophie. Violet's (her daughter) going home one for luck.

Katherine Ryan showed off her growing baby bump as she packed her hospital bag ahead of her baby's arrival in a video posted on Instagram on Friday

The comedian, 42, is preparing to welcome her fourth child with her husband Bobby Kootstra

'I got a swaddle bag, nappies, breast pads, Hevea dummy, Frida cooling pads, Frida wipes, nappies.

'Boy shorts, labour and delivery gown robe, Skims pyjamas for when I'm showered, and toiletries.'

She continued: 'Just like a face cleanser, body wash, wet shampoo and conditioner, Spritz for Bits, nipple cream - I don't know if I'll need it though, but there it is.

'Showing Joonbyrd body cream, she said: 'Got these off of Cult Beauty and one of them said Violet on it.

'Some toner, Caudalie is just such a luxurious treat, toothpaste, and some cra*** deodorant because it's sulphate-free.

'Cosmetic Consult face and body wipes, and some little treats for my eyes (shows eye drops).

'And a quilted robe.'

Alongside the post, she penned: 'Whats in my hospital bag? (tbh not much).'

The star displayed her blossoming stomach in a black bra and blue leggings as she filmed herself in the mirror, with the text 'What's in my hospital bag,' placed on top

She then opened her suitcase and explained each item, saying: 'People have asked about my hospital bag. I don't stay long, I don't need much'

Alongside the post, she penned: 'Whats in my hospital bag? (tbh not much)'

Katherine and her husband Bobby have been together since 2018, but have known each other since they were children as they grew up together in Canada.

Childhood sweethearts, the two parted ways initially before rekindling their romance this side of the Atlantic.

The couple previously revealed in a series of the family's reality show that they 'wanted the option of having a fourth [child].'

The series saw the couple exploring their marriage through therapy before visiting a fertility clinic.

Katherine admitted in the scenes which aired in February that she knew conceiving a fourth child would be challenging thanks to both her and Bobby's age.

'It's not that surprising that over 40 women have fewer follicles than we once did,' said Katherine. 'But we talk a lot about male fertility as well, which is on a steep decline. But I would still like a fourth baby.

'We are so blessed to have the kids that we do have. Having children is not for everyone, but I personally really like making people. I think it's a superpower if you can do it.'

Katherine admitted in February that she knew conceiving a fourth child would be challenging thanks to both her and Bobby's age

She explained at the time how she and her husband had never previously struggled with getting pregnant but had suffered multiple losses.

'We've always gotten pregnant with the babies quite quickly. I've been pregnant five times in five years, but that also means I've had three miscarriages in five years and the likelihood of that increases as you get older,' she explained.

Speaking to OK! last year, she also ruled out surrogacy, explaining: 'I think surrogacy is wonderful. It's beautiful for people who are really eager to offer it and for couples who need it but for me, I think it would be exploitative.'

Appearing on the Chris Moyles Show in November, she admitted: 'I'd have so many more if I could.

'If I was a dad, I'd be like Robert De Niro having them. Because you can have kids when you're 80 as a dad. You just have to.'
Francesca Eastwood has welcomed her second child.

The 32-year-old daughter of Clint Eastwood, 95, and Frances Fisher, 73, took to Instagram on Friday to share the happy news.

'Day one,' wrote the star in her caption. 'Well, we had a wild night,' wrote the actress over one of her photos.

The beauty held her newborn baby in her arms while still at the hospital in sweet black-and-white images.

The star did not reveal the gender or name of the bundle of joy.

Francesca first became a mother in September 2018 when she welcomed Titan with boyfriend Alexander Wraith.

Francesca Eastwood has welcomed her second child

The daughter of Clint Eastwood, 95, and Frances Fisher, 73, took to Instagram on Friday to share the happy news

Francesca first became a mother in September 2018 when she welcomed Titan with boyfriend Alexander Wraith; (Wraith and Eastwood on May 28)

The pregnancy announcement was made in the spring.

It comes one year after Francesca was arrested on October 12, 2024 for felony domestic violence following a dispute with a boyfriend that reportedly turned physicalthough no charges were ultimately filed, per TMZ.

According to the outlet, her boyfriendwhose identity was not releasedcalled police and was advised to meet officers at the Beverly Hills Police Department's Safety Zone.

He reportedly had visible injuries when they arrived, leading to Francescas arrest and booking on felony charges.

She was later released on $50,000 bail.

Sources said the boyfriend declined medical treatment and refused to cooperate with investigatorskey reasons prosecutors ultimately dropped the case.

It remains unclear whether Wraith was the alleged victim.

Alexander already shares a 14-year-old named Trajan with his estranged wife Lili Gaildraud, from whom he separated in 2015.

See with both her children as she wore a black bra and gold necklace

The beauty held her newborn baby in her arms while still at the hospital in sweet black-and-white images

Francesca's partner and their first child posed by the hospital bed

Here dad was shirt free as he held his new bundle of joy in his arms while on a sofa

'Well, we had a wild night,' wrote the actress over one of her photos.

In this fun image, Titan eats pizza while his new sibling lays swaddled in a basinet

She flashed her wristband as she held the cute baby

The pair were pictured with their son Titan, now six, in 2019 in LA

Clint Eastwood's daughter Francesca was arrested for felony domestic violence after getting into an argument with her boyfriend in LA October 12, 2024; pictured with her father in 2017

Francesca is Clint's daughter with actress Fisher, whom he dated from 1990 to 1995.

The two never married, and Francesca remains their only child together.

Clint has been married twicefirst to Maggie Johnson, whom he wed in 1953 and officially divorced in 1984 after years of separation.

His second marriage came in 1996 to news anchor Dina Ruiz, just a year after his split from Fisher.

Clint and Dina welcomed daughter Morgan Eastwood before divorcing in 2014.

He is also the father of 39-year-old actor Scott Eastwood, whose mother is former flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. Clint and Reeves never married.
Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz snubbed his mum Victoria's new Netflix documentary for a date night at The Mondrian Hotel in LA on Thursday night.

The eldest son of Victoria ad David Beckham, 26, enjoyed a spot of dinner with his wife on the same day his mum's self-titled show released, amid their ongoing family feud.

The fashion designer, 51, was surrounded by her nearest and dearest at the screening before partying the night away at an exclusive London hotspot - but there was one notable absence.

While Victoria and her inner circle gathered together for the occasion in London, Brooklyn was thousands of miles away in Beverly Hills.

And on the day of its release, the happy couple showed unity in their matching outfits as they enjoyed quality time together.

Brooklyn looked smart in a tailored blazer and suit trousers, while his stunning wife, 30, added a pair of heeled boots.

Brooklyn Beckham, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, snubbed his mum Victoria's new Netflix documentary for a date night in LA on Thursday night

The eldest son of Victoria ad David Beckham enjoyed a spot of dinner with his wife on the same day his mum's self-titled show released, amid their ongoing family feud

Victoria's premiere was another poignant moment and perhaps a painful reminder that things have changed for the Beckham gang.

For it was just over two years ago that Brooklyn and Nicola were in attendance for the premiere of David's show, Beckham, which was held at the same venue.

While Victoria and her husband have reconciled that they won't see their eldest son for the foreseeable future, he and Nicola are 'always missed' at family gatherings following the fallout which came to a head when the pair shunned all of David's 50th birthday celebrations.

Speaking at the premiere, Victoria thanked Brooklyn, along with her other children, for their support.

Paying tribute she said: 'Thanks to my husband for convincing me and forcing me  giving me no choice, David.

'My children, Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, Harper and David. Oh no, he's not a child. It has taken this process to realise I am enough.'

She added: 'This process really forced me to reflect on my journey and it has been emotional.

'It's been a year of intense therapy and it really made me realise a lot. I want to thank my mum and dad, my brother and my sister. I'd like to thank the Spice Girls, I love you.'

While Victoria and her inner circle gathered together for the occasion in London, Brooklyn was thousands of miles away in Beverly Hills

And on the day of its release, the happy couple showed unity in their matching outfits as they enjoyed quality time together

Brooklyn looked smart in a tailored blazer and suit trousers, while his stunning wife added a pair of heeled boots

He looked into the distance as they arrived at The Mondrian Hotel in LA

Nicola looked stunning in her business casual outfit, wearing her hair in a half up half down style

The fashion designer, 51, was surrounded by her nearest and dearest at the screening before partying the night away at an exclusive London hotspot - but there was one notable absence

Speaking at the premiere, Victoria thanked Brooklyn, along with her other children, for their support

Nicola looked glam in her sophisticated ensemble

Brooklyn looked downcast as he departed The Mondrian Hotel

Despite Brooklyn's absence, it was a night of delight for Victoria, who was dressed in a gown from her own collection  because there was a mini Spice Girls reunion which was only incomplete because Melanie Brown is currently away on business in the US.

She did, however, send Victoria flowers to wish her luck for her big night yesterday. There, though, were Geri Halliwell-Horner, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm.

Geri was joined by her husband Christian who made their first public appearance since it emerged that the former Formula 1 team principal received an 80million pay off from his former employer, Red Bull. Geri was dressed in her trademark white as she posed for the cameras.

A source close to Victoria said: 'Victoria is so happy that the Spice Girls could be there. She just loves being with them so much.

'They are a huge part of her journey and they are featured a lot in the documentary. It was a shame that Mel B wasn't there but she was away, and on this occasion nobody was not there because of any in-fighting.'
David Del Rio was reportedly axed from Matlock after a sexual assault allegation was made against him, and now his wife Katherine has weighed in with a biting response.

David, 38, was allegedly fired from the show after CBS Studios was alerted of an incident on set, with Deadline reporting the alleged event involved his 28-year-old co-star Leah Lewis.

Katherine took to her Instagram Stories and cruelly branded Leah, 28, 'the most disturbing human being' she had ever met before mocking the actress' response to the controversy.

'This is the most disturbing human being I have ever met,' Katherine wrote over an extreme close-up shot of Leah's face.

When the allegation against David first emerged, Leah thanked her fans for all their support and revealed she was spending time with mother - a message Katherine mocked practically word for word.

Katherine uploaded a photo with her own mother and wrote over the image: 'Mom is here. We are moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family. Thank you all for the love and support!'

David Del Rio was reportedly axed from Matlock after a sexual assault allegation was made against him, and now his wife Katherine has weighed in with a biting response about his co-star Leah Lewis

Katherine took to her Instagram Stories and cruelly branded Leah, 28, 'the most disturbing human being'

Katherine also mocked Leah's public response to the controversy

Both of the posts appear to have since been deleted.

Katherine's theatrical talent agent, Patricia Boysen, told Daily Mail in response to the posts: 'At this time, the Boysen Agency has no comment. We wish Katherine the very best during this difficult time.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for David and Leah for comment but have not yet heard back.

A CBS Studios spokesperson declined to comment.

Katherine's post come shortly after her husband was reportedly fired from the series after an allegation of sexual assault was made against him.

David, who portrayed Billy Martinez, exited the show after CBS Studios was alerted of an incident on set last week, the Daily Mail can confirm.

Deadline reports the alleged incident took place on September 26 and involved Lewis. It was claimed Del Rio was escorted off the set following an internal investigation on October 2, the same day the incident was reported.

The Daily Mail understands Del Rio has been written out of the Kathy Bates-led series for future episodes.

Lewis broke her silence over the controversy on her Instagram on Thursday, posting a photo of her embracing her mother as she thanked fans for their support.

'Mom is here, we're moving forward in love and strength. I'm in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we're moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the take away,' Leah wrote.

Lewis broke her silence over the controversy on her Instagram on Thursday, posting a photo of her embracing her mother as she thanked fans for their support

The Emmy nominated series is currently filming its second season, and has already shot about half of the next season, according to Variety.

The show will be undergoing a pre-planned hiatus this month and in November after completion of the first half of the second season.

Sources told the publication that Del Rio was led away by Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen, among others.

TMZ reports Del Rio is accused of sexually assaulting the female Matlock actor on Paramount property.

The show resumed filming after Del Rio's departure, Deadline adds, and production is expected to return after Thanksgiving.

Season two of Matlock will debut on October 12.

David Del Rio, 38, who portrayed Billy Martinez (L), was reportedly fired from the show after a reported allegation of sexual assault was made against him. Deadline reports the alleged incident took place on September 26 and involved his 28-year-old costar Leah; pictured R

Lewis said she was 'moving forward in love and strength' after the controversy erupted; pictured last month

In Matlock, Del Rio portrayed Martinez, a first-year associate working at the fictional Jacobson Moore law firm. Lewis plays Sarah Franklin, a first-year associate, on the show.

Prior to joining Matlock, Lewis played the lead voice role in Pixar's animated film Elemental (2023), and she previously had major roles in the Netflix dramedy The Half Of It (2020) and on The CW's Nancy Drew series, which ran from 2019 to 2023.

In September 2024, Lewis spoke about her costar Del Rio with Us Weekly.

'David Del Rio, who plays Billy, who plays kind of, like, my counterpart, Ive learned so much about comedy from him,' she said. 'He comes from a theater background, so its like were always dancing and twinkling around set.'

Matlock stars Oscar winner Bates and is loosely based on the legal drama of the same name that starred the late Andy Griffith from 19861995. Bates plays the attorney Madeline Matlock opposite Beau Bridges and Jason Ritter.

It was claimed Del Rio was escorted off the set following an internal investigation on October 2, the same day the incident was reported; still from Matlock

The show 'follows Madeline Matlock as she rejoins the work force at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her wily tactics to win cases and expose wrongdoing,' the IMDb synopsis reads.

The rebooted Matlock debuted last year and was renewed for a second season just two episodes into its first season.

Bates has received critical acclaim for her role, and has earned several awards and multiple nominations.

Del Rio's acting credentials include roles in Pitch Perfect, The Good Doctor, Grease Live, A California Christmas, The Baker and the Beauty, NCIS: Los Angeles and more.

He is married to actress and filmmaker Katherine and they have two children together. The couple recently celebrated 12 years together.

'From when you said yes to be my girlfriend 12 years ago the ride continues. I love you, Flower Child,' Del Rio posted to his Instagram in late July.
Ryan Reynolds faced major backlash after joking about giving himself a vasectomy following the birth of his son.

During Thursdays Late Night with Seth Meyers, where Reynolds was promoting a John Candy documentary, the Deadpool star, 48, revealed how life changed in his household after he and wife Blake Lively welcomed their first son, Olin, two.

He explained that the couple, who also share daughters James, 10, Inez, 9, and Betty, six, 'would never' have had four children if their baby boy had been born first.

'We live in a very... like theres nothing violent in our home,' Reynolds began. 'Theres nothing creepy. [But Olin] came out with three things on his mind. It was violence, breasts and engines.'

'I really dont understand where this comes from,' he continued. 'If I had like three boys at first, I would never... theres no way. I would give myself a punching vasectomy. Like, theres no way I would allow that to happen.'

The comment didnt sit well with social media audiences, with critics quickly tearing into Reynolds comments as 'disgusting.'

Ryan Reynolds faced major backlash after joking about giving himself a vasectomy following the birth of his son

During Thursdays Late Night with Seth Meyers, where Reynolds was promoting a John Candy documentary, the Deadpool star, 48, revealed how life changed in his household after he and wife Blake Lively welcomed their first son, Olin, two

He explained that the couple, who also share daughters James, 10, Inez, 9, and Betty, six, 'would never' have had four children if their baby boy had been born first; (seen in 2016)

Daily Mail has reached out for comment from Reynolds reps.

One Reddit user wrote, 'Ryan Reynolds clearly holds a lot of resentment towards his little boy. Who talks about their child like that?'

Another added, 'I have so much sympathy for Blake and Ryans children who are going to grow up and see their parents talk about them in such disparaging manners.'

A third chimed in, 'Exactly this, he says that before his boy came, there was nothing violent or creepy about our home, but now that the boy is here, its all violence and breasts.

'I actually feel sick. Who calls their brand new baby boy creepy and violent?'

Yet another posted, 'I cant get over how disturbing it is, that Blake and Ryan talk about how obsessed their son is with Blakes breasts and how she made him a boob cake for his first birthday because it was his favorite thing.

'And now Ryan is making him the butt of a joke on national TV about how hes "creepy and violent."

'Its beyond gross. We need to start fundraising for their kids counseling in the future.'

Another added, 'And one day his kid is going to grow up and see how much his parents resented him. What a clown.'

'I really dont understand where this comes from,' he said, before adding, 'If I had like three boys at first, I would never... theres no way. I would give myself a punching vasectomy. Like, theres no way I would allow that to happen'

The joke didnt sit well with social media audiences, with critics quickly tearing into Reynolds comments as 'disgusting'

Fans also criticized Reynolds for hijacking the promotional tour for the John Candy documentary, noting he wasnt even featured in the film and that director Colin Hanks and other creatives werent included in the promotion.

'And hes not even the star of the movie, like Blake was with It Ends With Us (Ill give her that at least, for hijacking the promo and making every interview about her). The couple that just cant quit their attention-seeking ways' one fan wrote.

Another added, 'Ryan just hijacks the project and veers it off course with his stupid, irrelevant anecdotes.'

Of course, the Marvel star had support from fans as well, with one posting, 'I think Ryan is just being funny, and you can tell he really loves his kids.'

Another commented, 'It's called sarcasm, people.'

In June 2024, he told People that his family enjoys dual citizenship with Canada and the United States.

My kids, they have Canadian passports as well, and they feel a real connection to that, the North-of-the-border actor said.

Its a point of pride of theirs. Theyve also spent huge amounts of their formative years in Canada and particularly Vancouver.

'We live in a very... like theres nothing violent in our home,' Reynolds said, adding, Theres nothing creepy. [But Olin] came out with three things on his mind. It was violence, breasts and engines' (seen in 2021)

The star added that he filmed the first two Marvel superhero movies in Vancouver, joking: 'I had only one child in Deadpool 1 and I had two on Deadpool 2, but hopefully we dont do a Deadpool 8 because I dont want eight kids.'

On a more heartfelt note, Reynolds said his kids love being from Canada. They tell people they are. Oh, Im half Canadian, half American.

In April, he told TIME that he makes a point to spend regular time with his children, recalling a special moment with his eldest daughter James.

Last year I watched Back to the Future with my 8-year-old daughter. Its become her favorite film, he said.

And for now, thats enough for me  and for her. One more kid from one more generation sees what I saw.

Reynolds and Lively wed in 2012 after meeting on the set of Green Lantern in 2010.

They welcomed their first child, James, in December 2014, followed by Ines on September 30, 2016.

Daughter Betty  whose name was revealed by Taylor Swift  was born just before the pandemic in October 2019, and their youngest, Olin, arrived in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Livelys reported fallout with the godmother to her eldest children, pop superstar Taylor, 35, remains under scrutiny.

Fans speculated the pair were on good terms after Swifts new album Life of a Showgirl included a track thought to reference the actress.

A source told DailyMail.com that Swift was allegedly done with Lively after reports surfaced that the actress threatened to leak private texts unless Swift publicly supported her ongoing legal feud with Justin Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star.

Blake has been embroiled in that legal battle with Baldoni since January.
His appointment has also been ratified by the National Council of States

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joash Amupitan as the new chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr Amupitan is a professor of Law.

His appointment has also been ratified by the National Council of States, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga wrote in a Thursday statement.

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"In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan's name to the Senate for screening," Mr Onanuga wrote.

He will be inaugurated by the president if his nomination is confirmed by the upper legislative chamber.

Born on 25 April 1967, Mr Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State.

He is a law professor at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university.

Mr Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.

He replaces Mahmood Yakubu, also a professor, who led INEC from 2015 until Tuesday, when he stepped down as his second tenure of five years drew to an end. He handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, by appointment.

Mr Yakubu was first appointed in 2015 by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari and re-appointed for another five-year tenure in 2020.

If confirmed, Mr Amupitan will be the 13th substantive chairperson of the electoral body since Nigeria's independence in 1960.

The previous chairpersosns are Eyo Esua (1964-1966), Michael Ani (1976-1979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1980-1983), Eme Awa (1987-1989), Humphrey Nwosu (1989-1993), Okon Uya (1993, June-November), and Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994-1998).

Others are Ephraim Akpata (1998-2000), Abel Guobadia (2000-2005), Maurice Iwu (2005-2010), Attahiru Jega (2010-2015), and Mr Yakubu (2015-2025).

The commission has had two acting chairpersons, both female. They are Amina Zakari (June - November, 2015) and the current May Agbamuche-Mbu, who took over on Tuesday.

The commission was first headed by a British, Ronald Wraith, during the colonial era in 1958.

If confirmed and inaugurated, Mr Amupitan's first tasks would be the conduct of the Anambra governorship election scheduled for 8 November and FCT Area Council election holding in February 2026.

Read the full statement below by the Presidency:

STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR AMUPITAN AS INEC CHAIRMAN

The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu's exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.

President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.

Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.

In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan's name to the Senate for screening.

Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau. He is also an alumnus of the university.

He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.

After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.

He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

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Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).

Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).

Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013) and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

He is married and has four children.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information and Strategy)

October 9, 2025
Pierce Brosnan's wife Keely Shaye Smith looked thinner-than-ever as she stepped out in LA this week with her husband after her incredible weight loss.

The author, 62, showed off her svelte frame in a black satin dress paired with a leather jacket as she dined at Giorgio Baldi with her James Bond star spouse, 72.

Smith looked radiant as she showed off her cleavage and trim waist while Brosnan looked dapper in a suit.

The journalist has been showing off a slimmer frame since 2024 and is rumored to have dropped 100lbs.

Last year, Smith told Vogue: 'I never shy away from  my curves. I never hide in baggy clothing.' Brosnan then added: 'I love my wife's curves.'

The couple tied the knot on August 4, 2001 and they share two sons  Dylan, 28, and Paris, 24.

Pierce Brosnan's wife Keely Shaye Smith looked thinner than ever as she stepped out in LA with her husband after her incredible weight loss

Smith looked radiant as she showed off her cleavage and trim waist while Brosnan looked dapper in a suit

In 2006, Smith featured in Vogue magazine's annual 'Shape Issue', telling readers she was proud of her voluptuous frame. Her husband said he thought his wife was 'stunning', adding 'I love my wife's curves'.

'I never shy away from color or my curves,' insisted the mother-of-two. 'I like to play up my neckline and shoulders. If a jacket is pulling in the bust, I might just move the button an inch. But I never hide in baggy clothing.'

The author - who appeared to gain some weight in the years after her wedding to Irish heartthrob Brosnan - has faced cruel comments and trolling about her size throughout her marriage.

Last year, she took to her Instagram page with a defiant message about her body, expressing her 'gratitude' for all it has given her in the last six decades.

The journalist shared a quote from Lexy Florentina, a trauma-trained somatic experiencing practitioner, which read: 'Look at your body.

'Look at those arms that have held people they love. Look at those eyes that have seen oceans and mountains and big green trees.

'Look at those legs that have carried you through your longest journeys. Look at your feet that have held you up on your hardest days.

'Look at your smile that has grinned a million times at the moments that have brought you joy.

Smith, 62, displayed her three-digit weight loss in a black dress. She is seen right in 2018

The star looked stunning as she stepped out for dinner

The couple pictured together back in 1996

Smith is pictured with Brosnan in 2018

Brosnan often shares his love for and devotion to Smith on Instagram where the couple celebrate milestones including anniversaries and birthdays

Keely and Pierce share two sons, Dylan and Paris (pictured at his graduation)

'Look at your body not for the curves or texture but for the moments that this body has given you. Look at your body. Now what do you see?', concluded the statement.

Smith captioned the quote: 'Gratitude for all my body has given and accomplished in 60 years.'

Brosnan is also father to Sean, 41, whom he welcomed with his first late wife Cassandra Harris.

The actor had married Cassandra in 1980 and also became stepfather to her children from a previous relationship: Charlotte and Christopher, 52.

Cassandra passed away in 1991 following a battle with ovarian cancer and daughter Charlotte also died in 2013 after a battle with the same cancer diagnosis.

Brosnan came to the defense of Smith on social media in the past when a social media user pointed out changes in their figures over the years on Facebook, per Hello! Magazine.

During a past interview with Vogue, she had told the outlet: 'I never shy away from... my curves. I never hide in baggy clothing,' and Brosnan had chimed in to add, 'I love my wife's curves'

'I strongly love every curve of her body. She is the most beautiful woman in my eyes. And also because she had our five children,' he wrote at the time.

'In the past, I truly loved her for her person, not only for her beauty, and now I'm loving her even more that she is my children's mother. And I am very proud of her, and I always seek to be worthy of her love.'

In 2023, when discussing the secret to their long relationship, Brosnan told Fox News Digital: 'We like each other a lot. We love each other a lot. And we've been down the road, and we've seen many, many hardships as families do, as we all do.

'But watching someone grow up with you and grow old with you is a very spiritual journey. To watch each other change whatever it may be, the hair, the waist. But it's the love in the heart.'
Ellie Bamber joined leading lady Kate Moss at the premiere of the supermodel's Moss & Freud biopic on Friday night.

Kate cut an elegant figure in a statement white suit for the 69th BFI London Film Festival, held at the Curzon Mayfair.

New biopic Moss & Freud, released today, explores the unlikely bond between Kate and Lucian Freud, who together curated Titled Naked Portrait in 2002.

The distinguished artwork captured a nude, then 28-year-old Kate while she was pregnant with her daughter Lila, who she welcomed with ex Jefferson Hack.

Kate served as executive producer, with British actress Ellie, 28, playing the iconic supermodel and 86-year old Emmy winner, Derek Jacobi, starring as Freud.

Kate flashed a hint of cleavage as she went braless in the plunging suit and posed for photos with Ellie, who put on a racy display in a semi-sheer dress, alongside dapper Derek.

Ellie Bamber, 28, joined leading lady Kate Moss, 51, at the premiere of the supermodel's Moss & Freud biopic on Friday night

Kate cut an elegant figure in a statement white suit for the 69th BFI London Film Festival, held at the Curzon Mayfair

Sexy, true and raw, the image, which was painted by Lucian - then 80 and at the time 52 years older than Kate - showcased the model in a way she'd never been seen before.

The result was groundbreaking, with the painting fetching a whopping 3.5million at an auction years later.

Lucian and Kate's time together established a one-of-a-kind friendship, and the model would later describe him as the most interesting person she'd ever met.

So fierce was their bond, prying eyes have long questioned whether they shared something more than just friendship.

The German-born painter - also famed for his modern and selfie-esque painting of The Queen in 2001 - passed away aged 88 over a decade ago.

Moss & Freud, aims to explore his life and art, and focuses strongly on how the 90s superstar came to be his beloved muse.

Kate's arrival on the scene in the early 90s signified a new era of models, joining the likes of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista as some of the biggest names in the industry.

Meanwhile Lucian Michael Freud, born in 1922 in Berlin, Germany, was by then a renowned painter and draughtsman who specialised in figurative art; his work on human subjects such as friends, family and lovers earned him the reputation as one of the foremost 20th-century English portraitists.

New biopic Moss & Freud, released today, will explore the unlikely bond between Kate Moss and Lucian Freud, who together curated Titled Naked Portrait in 2002 (Kate Moss and Lucian Freud pictured together in London in 2003)

So close to her heart is the project that Kate will serve as executive producer, with Ellie playing the iconic supermodel and 86-year old Emmy winner, Derek Jacobi, starring as Lucian Freud

Ellie put on a racy display in a semi-sheer dress as gentleman Derek sweetly kissed her hand

Ellie stunned in the risque midi dress at the premiere

Written and directed by James Lucas (and executive-produced by Moss herself), the film focuses not on the finished painting but on its creation, and the pair's evolving relationship.

As the film tells it, it was her idea to take all her clothes off, a response to his desire to get to the core of the being. To her initial consternation, he required her to pose three evenings a week at his Holland Park studio until it is finished.

The project took him nine months, and in that time (during which Moss found that she was pregnant) they struck up a close friendship somewhat at odds with their age gap of more than 50 years.

It's an intriguing story but Moss & Freud doesnt tell it especially well, never quite capturing the chemistry between the mighty artist and his beguiling subject.
Adam Sandler got caught in an awkward kiss with his longtime wife Jackie Sandler while attending the London premiere of his film Jay Kelly.

The 59-year-old actor  who has been married to his wife for 22 years  lovingly wrapped his arm around the 51-year-old actress' waist as they walked the red carpet on Friday.

For the special occasion, the Big Daddy sensation was dressed in a navy blue suit with subtle pinstripes. He teamed it with a matching tie, white shirt, and shiny black dress shoes.

Adam looked dapper with his dark crop of hair cut short and his grizzled beard neatly trimmed.

For her part, Jackie put on a leggy display in sheer black tights and a strapless black mini dress.

Also at the event were George Clooney and his attorney wife Amal.

Adam Sandler got caught in an awkward kiss with his longtime wife Jackie Sandler while attending the London premiere of his film Jay Kelly

The 59-year-old actor  who has been married to his wife for 22 years  lovingly wrapped his arm around the 51-year-old actress' waist as they walked the red carpet on Friday

Her timeless look was punctuated with understated pointy-toe black stiletto heels.

The mother-of-two  who shares daughter Sadie, 19, and Sunny, 16, with Adam  wore her golden brown locks in a center part and uniform waves.

Over the summer a source told People about the filmmakers, 'They have great chemistry. They really enjoy each other's company.'

The insider said that Adam and Jackie spend quality time together with low-key dates at home or evenings out with friends.

The person with close knowledge said the spouses 'keep a tight social circle with longtime friends' and 'their idea of a perfect night is dinner with friends or a movie night at home.'

Adam's wife and their daughters star alongside him in his Netflix comedy Happy Gilmore 2.

The couple met on the set of his 1999 comedy Big Daddy and after four years of dating they tied the knot in 2003.

They maintain a mostly private life, and often work together on films.

The comedian waved to fans as he flashed his gold wedding band

For the special occasion, the Big Daddy sensation was dressed in a navy blue suit with subtle pinstripes

For her part, Jackie put on a leggy display in sheer black tights and a strapless black mini dress

Also at the event were George Clooney and his attorney wife Amal

George Clooney plays movie star Jay Kelly in the upcoming Netflix film opposite Adam, who portrays Jay's dedicated manager Ron.

In the film, George's character is leading man who 'always plays himself.'

The first trailer for the film sees the Oscar winner question his life choices, despite being fawned over by fans and staff.

On a trip to an Italian film festival in his honor, joined by his manager, he's hailed as the 'hero of cinema.'

Throughout, Jay continually reminds himself that he is 'Jay Kelly' as he and his pal embark on a whirlwind trip through Europe with a sense that the glamour of showbiz has lost its luster.

The movie was directed by Noah Baumbach, who wrote the script alongside British actress Emily Mortimer.

The official synopsis reads: 'Two middle-aged friends rediscover their youthful spirit during a chaotic weekend reunion, facing hilarious mishaps and heartfelt moments that force them to finally grow up.'
Many of Jennifer Aniston's 44M Instagram followers have raved about how much 'fun' she in a new post.

After sharing several behind-the-scenes photos from the November issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine's shoot to her Instagram page, fans went to her comments section to share their enthusiasm for her attitude.

One said: 'Nice to see her having so much fun at her photo shoot' while another added, 'She makes everything fun.' This fan was ecstatic: 'You got it, you got IT, you're fantastic.'

In one image the Friends actress pulled up a black lace skirt over her chest making it look like a dress. This also helped flash her impressively toned legs.

The 56-year-old Los Angeles native added a chic wide-brimmed hat over her long blonde hair as she smiled for the camera.

Her muscular and tanned arms were also on display as she held on to a clothing rack while two attendants took care of her look; one was stylist Julia von Boehm.

Jennifer Aniston's Instagram followers loved how she pulled up a black lace skirt over her chest making it look like a dress in a behind-the-scenes look at her Harper's Bazaar shoot

The 56-year-old Los Angeles native added a chic wide-brimmed hat over her long blonde hair as she smiled for the camera

For the cover, the Emmy winner wore an ivory lace dress and a black coat

Aniston also let her followers see what the mood board was for her HB shoot: her idols Barbra Streisand and Sophia Loren.

In the interview the Office Space actress revealed that her parents John Aniston and Nancy Dow had a nasty divorce.

And the future movie icon became a 'pawn' as the two were focused on getting even with each other during the especially contentious time.

The Friends actress pointed out that back then, parents did not really know how to look out for their kids during divorce as it was a different era.

The perennial 'it' girl of Hollywood was only nine years old at the time.

'Their divorce was not amicable in any way, shape or form, and it was a time when there wasn't a lot of awareness of how to behave for the sake of the kid,' she recalled.

'That was the least of [my parents'] worries  it was more, how could they hurt each other? And I was just a pawn.'

That led to her having to go to therapy; in another section of the interview Aniston noted that she has had a lot of therapy in her life and it is what has prevented her from going into 'rages.'

The star also shared that mother and father were 'ridiculously funny people' and that she was 'around a lot of laughter.'

The star, who said she wants to do theater in NYC, wore a cap sideways

Aniston also let her followers see what the mood board was for her HB shoot: her idols Barbra Streisand and Sophia Loren

Her hairdresser Chris McMillan, who created The Rachel for Friends, is seen right

Aniston made a funny face while waiting on a lounge chair

The Morning Show star cracked up as she wore a black gown with white heels

Comedy became a source of comfort to her: initially to watch on television, and later as her acting specialism.

She enrolled in a dedicated performing-arts school in Manhattan, then auditioned liked crazy. Friends in 1994 then changed her life.

'There's something about the chemistry of the cast that made for a lightning-in-a-bottle moment,' she reflected, 'and that just happened to get caught on camera.'

Also in her HB interview she touched on ageism: The societal idea of an expiration date just doesnt exist anymore  its an old ideology.

'Were here and were more than half the population and would any of you schmucks be here if it werent for us anyway?'

The Morning Show actress added, 'The wisdom older women have to contribute is quite extraordinary, and its one of the areas where weve seen genuine progress in the film world.

The Friends actress pointed out that back then, parents did not really know how to look out for their kids during divorce as it was a different era

Aniston also revealed she endured a 20-year secret battle to have a baby.

The Friends icon talked about the false narrative that she didn't want to become a mother because she's a 'selfish workaholic'.

She said: They didnt know my story, or what Id been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family, because I dont go out there and tell them my medical woes.

'Thats not anybodys business. But there comes a point when you cant not hear it  the narrative about how I wont have a baby, wont have a family, because Im selfish, a workaholic.

'It does affect me  Im just a human being. Were all human beings. Thats why I thought, What the hell?

However, the older Jennifer gets, the less she feels the need to 'correct a false narrative'.

She explained: 'The news cycle is so fast, it just goes away.

'Of course, there are times when I feel that sense of justice  when something has been said that isnt true and I need to right the wrong.

'And then I think, do I really? My family knows my truth, my friends know my truth.

Jennifer was married to actor Brad Pitt from 2000-2005. They split after he met actress Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Jennifer was married to Brad Pitt from 2000-2005 but they split when she was aged 35 (pictured in 2004). Seen right with Justin Theroux in 2015

In 2022, Jennifer tragically revealed she had unsuccessfully tried IVF - and admitted she wished she had frozen her eggs years earlier.

'It was a challenging road for me, the baby-making road,' Jennifer said at the time.

'My late 30s, 40s, I'd gone through really hard sh[*]t, and if it wasn't for going through that, I would've never become who I was meant to be. I was trying to get pregnant.

'All the years and years and years of speculation... It was really hard. I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it.

'I would've given anything if someone had said to me, "Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favor." You just don't think it. So here I am today. The ship has sailed. But I have zero regrets.'

Jennifer was aged 35 when she split from Brad and previously said the suggestion he left her because she wouldn't give him a child was an 'absolute lie'. Brad went on to have has six children with Angelina. Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne. The eldest three are adopted and the youngest three are their biological children.

They announced their split in 2016 after a now-infamous private plane incident in which Angelina accused Brad of being abusive toward her and the children. Brad is thought to now have 'virtually no contact with them'.

Meanwhile, Jennifer went on to marry actor Justin Theroux in 2015 when she was aged 46. But theirs wasn't to be a lasting romance. They divorced just three years later.

The November issue of Harpers Bazaar UK is on sale from October 9.
One of the stars of the beloved sitcom Family Matters has found himself in serious legal trouble.

Actor Darius McCrary, best known for playing Eddie Winslow on the hit series from 1989 to 1998 alongside Jaleel White, Reginald VelJohnson, and Jo Marie Payton, was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border in California and is currently being held in a San Diego jail, per TMZ.

According to online records, the 48-year-old was taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol on Sunday on what's being described as a fugitive arrest tied to an out-of-state felony charge.

The California Penal Code section cited in the case typically applies to individuals wanted in another state for a serious offense, per the outlet.

Daily Mail has reached out to McCrary's reps for comment and has yet to hear back.

Details surrounding the alleged crime remain unclear, but this isnt McCrarys first run-in with the law.

Actor Darius McCrary was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border in California and is currently being held in a San Diego jail, per TMZ; (seen in 2023)

McCrary was best known for playing Eddie Winslow on the hit series from 1989 to 1998 alongside Jaleel White, Reginald VelJohnson, and Jo Marie Payton

The actor was previously arrested in 2015 and again in 2023 for failing to pay child support.

McCrarys legal issues stem from his contentious split with ex-wife Tammy Brawner, finalized in 2019 after a two-year court battle.

As part of their divorce agreement, the actor was ordered to pay $1,366 per month in child support.

In January 2023, McCrary filed a restraining order against his ex, alleging she was 'terrorizing' him.

He previously sought an order of protection in August 2022, but it was denied after he failed to appear in court.

McCrary claimed he missed the hearing because he was 'displaced at the time, and had to flee from my ex.'

The actor claimed at the time that he no longer lives in his own home 'due to abuse  physical, verbal, [and] mental  from my ex.'

He further alleged that she 'turned our then home into a drug den,' and after leaving the country to enter rehab, returned and placed his belongings in storage, refusing to give them back.

According to online records, the 48-year-old was taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol on Sunday on what's being described as a fugitive arrest tied to an out-of-state felony charge; (seen in 2022)

The actor was previously arrested in 2015 and again in 2023 for failing to pay child support

McCrary said the 'final straw' came in December when she allegedly threatened to take his dog if he didnt pay her.

He added that he now fears for his safety, saying he worries he could 'end up like Phil Hartman,' the Saturday Night Live alum who was shot and killed by his wife in 1998.

McCrary became a household name as Eddie Winslow on Family Matters, a role that made him one of the most recognizable teen actors of the 90s.

The beloved sitcom ran from 1989 to 1998, with McCrary holding his own alongside stars like White, =VelJohnson, and Payton.

Known for his charm and comedic timing, his portrayal helped cement the show as a cultural touchstone.

But years after winning over fans as Eddie Winslow, McCrarys recent arrest shows that life off-screen can be a lot messier than the sitcom world he once knew.
Criss Angel and his wife Shaunyl Benson have split after a 13-year relationship.

The couple, who previously divorced and then remarried, each went to their social media pages on Friday to vent about their relationship issues.

Angel, a magician who is a major act in Las Vegas, wrote a long note to his fans about a person in his life who was a 'narcissist.'

'Today I stopped following a narcissist  somebody who destroyed a beautiful family in pursuit of another man,' the 57-year-old penned in white over a black background.

'Please Do NOT support someone who has damaged the lives of beautiful children and everyone around them. Thank you all for your love and support during this very difficult time. Loyally yours, Xcriss,' he also said.

And there was a change in his Instagram bio as he said he was 'single': 'Single Father of 3 Beautiful Kids.' He is no longer following his wife on the platform.

Daily Mail has reached out to Angel's rep but did not immediately hear back.

Criss Angel and his wife Shaunyl Benson have split

Angel and Benson share three child together: Johnny, 11, Xristos Yanni, six, and Illusia, three

Angel and Benson, 34, share three children: Johnny, 11, Xristos Yanni, six, and Illusia, three.

Johnny battled B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on and off for years but has been cancer-free since January 2022.

The illusionist told Extra that the 'hardest part' of his son's cancer journey was the 'hell' the child went through while battling it. 'Seeing my kid, you know, going through hell. Not understanding what was going on,' said Criss.

The couple wed in February 2015 after three years of dating, but reportedly divorced shortly after. In 2023, the illusionist proposed to her again.

At the time Benson wrote: 'A forever promise from my ex husband/current boyfriend/ future husband lol in our own little bubble of uniqueness. Heres to our wild ride over the last almost 11 years.. with many speed bumps and detours along the way. But after everything my love, youre still THE one. @crissangel forever and ever and ever baby

After Angel's incendiary post this week, Benson hit back in a video. Without naming names, she said 'someone is trying to defame' her and revealed she had ended a '13-year relationship.'

She also shared Angel's post on her story as she hit back at cheating claims.

And she did admit that she 'sent a message to a rock star' when she felt lonely but he did not answer back.

For the past two months she has taken to Instagram to talk about speaking her 'truth' and how she has been in pain.

In September she wrote, 'Lets talk LIES and how its actually a form of black magic. I know thats a wild term but if youre telling lies, youre actually trying to manipulate somebody elses reality .'

'Today I stopped following a narcissist  somebody who destroyed a beautiful family in pursuit of another man,' the 57-year-old wrote in white over a black background. 'Please Do NOT support someone who has damaged the lives of beautiful children and everyone around them. Thank you all for your love and support during this very difficult time. Loyally yours, Xcriss'

They seemed happy earlier this year in a vacation photo shared to Instagram

Angel, a magician who is a major act in Las Vegas , wrote a long note to his fans about a person in his life who was a 'narcissist'

Benson took to Instagram to reveal she was single and hit back at Angel's post

She also posted, 'When they come to burn you down but they forget that you come doused in gasoline.

'I dare you to light the match, because the fire will only help me rise.

'Thats the funny thing that people forget about money.. its only powerful in the worldly realm.'

The influencer finished with, 'But like Jesus said, be in the world not of it.'

Angel, who is friends with Tommy Lee and Marc Anthony, has had a magic show in Las Vegas for decades.

The Long Island, New York native who is of Greek origin is often referred to as one of the world's most successful illusionists.

Angel pictured in 2016. He is known for starring in the hit television show Criss Angel Mindfreak and the stage show Criss Angel MINDFREAK LIVE! (previously Criss Angel Believe) at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas

With his wife and son in a hospital

Angel began his career in New York City, before moving to Las Vegas.

He is known for starring in the hit television show Criss Angel Mindfreak and the stage show Criss Angel MINDFREAK LIVE! (previously Criss Angel Believe) at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas.

He then moved to the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

He also produced and starred in the TV series Criss Angel's Magic with the Stars on CW, Criss Angel BeLIEve on Spike TV, a one-hour special Trick'd on A&E, and the reality competition show Phenomenon on NBC.

In 2017, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Iconic 169-year-old US retailer Orvis is set to close 36 stores nationwide, part of a major reboot aimed at returning to the fly fishing and outdoor roots that built the brand.

Founded in 1856, the Manchester, VA, Orvis calls itself the oldest mail-order retailer in the United States, predating Sears, LL Bean, and even the Pony Express's heyday.

But it ditched its famous catalog last year, and now it is closing stores as it tries to save money amid rising costs caused by tariffs.

Orvis plans to close 31 full-price stores and five outlets by early 2026, part of a strategy to refocus on fly fishing and bird hunting after an uneven foray into broader lifestyle clothing.

'Like many in retail, Orvis' business model faced a sizable shift with the introduction of an unprecedented tariff landscape,' company president Simon Perkins said.

'To ensure a durable brand and model for decades to come, we are focusing on our core strengths and making the difficult but necessary decision to rescale the business by tightening our assortment and reducing our corporate store footprint.'

The company didnt specify which stores will close but said it will focus more on its website, its network of about 550 independent dealers, and Orvis Adventures, which offers guided trips and endorsed lodges.

The company also plans to offer clearance sales on discontinued products and closing store inventory as part of the transition.

Orvis is closing 31 full-price stores and five outlets by early 2026, retrenching after years of trying  and failing  to transform itself into a broader lifestyle label.

For generations, Orvis held a quiet place in American homes  its heavy, glossy catalogs promising wild streams and open skies long before anyone clicked 'add to cart.'

Despite the retrenchment, Perkins said Orvis will continue investing in its 'world-class gear and apparel' and conservation programs that support river restoration and habitat protection.

Retail expert Neil Saunders said: 'The outdoor category has been challenged over the past couple of years as the market has slowed.

'That has been unhelpful to Orvis and means that the economics of running stores are not as good as they once were. Now tariffs have piled on further cost pressures.

'The company is now course correcting and taking out expensive shops and focusing more on the direct to consumer side via online. This does make sense as Orvis is something of a niche brand in a category that many people are happy to shop online for.'

Nearly 170 years after it began selling fishing tackle through the mail, Orvis is betting that the best way forward might look a lot like its past  smaller, more focused, and once again catering to those who find solace on the water, not the mall.

The pullback underscores how even long-established names are struggling in what's become known as the retail apocalypse  a yearslong wave of store closures that accelerated in 2024 and 2025.

Analysts expect around 15,000 stores to shut in 2025  more than double the 7,000 that shut down last year.

A growing list of brands has fallen victim. Claire's  the Chicago-born, 1,500-store chain that helped generations of tweens pierce their ears  declared Chapter 11 and closed hundreds of stores.

Orvis calls itself the oldest mail-order retailer in the United States, predating Sears, L.L. Bean, and even the heyday of the Pony Express

Orvis built its reputation on fly fishing gear and bird-hunting supplies, and the company says it is now returning to those roots after experimenting with broader lifestyle products

Orvis didnt name which stores are on the chopping block. But those that close wil have clearance sales

Clearance events will mark the transition  the final sale racks for a company that once defined American outdoor aspiration

Orvis president Simon Perkins says the company isnt retreating from its identity. He promises Orvis will keep investing in 'world-class gear and apparel' while doubling down on conservation efforts, from restoring rivers to protecting habitats

Macy's is in the process of shuttering 150 underperforming stores, including 66 stores this year.

Meanwhile, Party City and Big Lots have shut all their locations over the past 18 months as consumers increasingly shop online.

The trend isnt limited to national chains  even long-standing regional favorites like Seattles Bartell Drugs have been forced to close their doors after more than a century in business.

The Seattle-based chain, founded in 1890, was once beloved for its local identity and community focus.

It was acquired by Rite Aid in 2020, when it had 67 stores, but years of turmoil at both companies saw locations gradually rebranded or shuttered before the final closures in Kirkland, Mill Creek, and Gig Harbor.
Joburg Water No-Show Leaves Community Leaders Fuming Over Crisis

Joburg Water officials have failed to attend a scheduled meeting with community leaders from Westbury and Coronationville, where they were to provide updates on solutions to the areas' ongoing water woes, reports EWN. Officials from Mayor Dada Morero's office, who honored the engagement, did not provide reasons for their arrival without representatives from the water utility, as had been promised. Joburg Water did not address the missed meeting but said the installation of a new pipeline to improve water supply in the affected areas would be completed soon. Frustrated community leader Sainy van Zyl said the meeting was supposed to be an opportunity to hold Joburg Water accountable.

Body of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa to Arrive Today

The body of South Africa's ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, who was found dead in a Paris hotel courtyard, is expected to arrive in the country, reports SABC News. President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted Mthethwa a special official funeral, set to take place in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal. Former Police Minister Bheki Cele has described the circumstances surrounding Mthethwa's death as suspicious. Cele criticized the handling of the case, saying it was premature to conclude it was suicide within 12 hours, especially since Mthethwa's cellphone was reportedly found several meters away from his body.

Court Blocks Eviction of Fort Hare Students after Violent Protests

The Eastern Cape High Court has halted the eviction of University of Fort Hare students from the Alice campus after days of unrest, reports EWN. The university had ordered students to vacate their residences following clashes with police during protests over poor living conditions and unresolved governance issues.

More South African news
UN Condemns Assault on El Fasher's Last Hospital as Sudan Crisis Deepens

At least 20 civilians were reportedly killed in attacks on a mosque and the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur, Sudan. The UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) said the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) opened fire at the Saudi hospital and a local mosque, where displaced families had sought refuge. The Saudi hospital is the last functioning medical facility in the city, serving thousands of war-affected people. The UN and its agencies, including UNFPA, condemned the assaults, said that 12 people were killed in the hospital's maternity ward and many others were injured. El Fasher has been under siege for over a year and has faced increased shelling and drone strikes as the RSF aimed for control of the city. Since April 2023, the civil war has displaced 12 million people, worsening Sudan's humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian agencies warned that civilians in El Fasher were trapped and terrified, urging an immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians, and safe humanitarian access.

South African Farm Worker Tells Court He Was Forced to Feed Women's Bodies to Pigs

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A South African farm worker, Adrian De Wet, has described to the Polokwane High Court how he was forced by his boss to feed the bodies of two black women to pigs in an attempt to hide evidence after they were shot. De Wet, 21, testified that he and farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier opened fire on Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, who had allegedly trespassed on the farm near Polokwane on 17 August 2024. Following the killings, De Wet said he helped dispose of the bodies in a pig enclosure, describing how the pigs consumed large portions of the victims. Another man, William Musora, 50, was also involved. Exhibits shown in court included images of missing flesh from the victims. De Wet said Olivier destroyed the hunting rifles used in the killings. The case has sparked outrage across South Africa, exacerbating racial tensions between black and white people in the country.

Eritrea Rejects Ethiopia's War Allegations as 'Provocative Sabre-Rattling'

Eritrea has rejected Ethiopia's accusation that it is preparing for war, calling the claim "provocative sabre-rattling" amid escalating tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel dismissed Addis Ababa's letter to the UN as a "deceitful charade." He accused Ethiopia of stirring irredentist ambitions. Ethiopia had earlier written to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, alleging that Eritrea was colluding with a hardline Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) faction to fund and direct armed groups in the Amhara region. Both Eritrea and the TPLF denied the claims, with the TPLF urging renewed efforts to implement the Pretoria peace deal. Relations between the two countries, once allies during the Tigray war, have deteriorated as Asmara accuses Ethiopia of seeking control of the Red Sea port of Assab. Eritrea warned that Addis Ababa's push for sea access threatens its sovereignty, while regional observers note rising military activity and renewed instability in the Horn of Africa.

President Tinubu Pardons 175, Including Nationalist Herbert Macaulay

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu approved the exercise of presidential mercy for 175 people across various categories, including Herbert Macaulay, Nigeria's foremost nationalist. Macaulay played a crucial role in Nigeria's quest for independence as the first president of the party. However, in 1913, Macaulay was believed to be unjustly convicted by the British colonialists and banned from public office. Macaulay died in 1946, but the stigma of being an ex-convict was not exorcised from his records. The Council of State endorsed the exercise after a presentation by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy. The committee reviewed 294 cases, recommending clemency for 82 inmates, pardon for 2, reduction of prison terms for 65, commutation of 7 death sentences to life imprisonment, and posthumous pardons for 15 ex-convicts, including the Ogoni Nine.

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UNICEF Warns Funding Gaps Threaten Gains in Ethiopia's Child Nutrition Programs

More than 100,000 Ethiopian children suffering from severe acute malnutrition were treated between July and August 2025, according to UNICEF's latest Humanitarian Situation Report. The agency said 104,891 children with severe wasting received therapeutic feeding, achieving a 94% cure rate and a mortality rate of just 0.2%, reflecting strong program performance despite growing humanitarian needs. Oromia recorded the highest caseload, followed by Somali, Amhara, and Tigray regions, where conflict and inaccessibility hampered nutrition efforts. UNICEF warned that persistent insecurity, supply shortages, and funding gaps could reverse progress in combating malnutrition, which now affects more than 11% of Ethiopian children under five, up from 7.68% in 2019. The government launched a five-year multisectoral plan in August to address the crisis, but experts cautioned that worsening child wasting, driven by poor maternal health, limited healthcare access, and food insecurity, threatens Ethiopia's ability to meet national and global nutrition targets.
The Derry City and Strabane District Council area has become the first region in Northern Ireland and only the second in the UK to receive international recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community.

The prestigious status signifies that UNICEF publicly recognises the significant and sustainable steps a local area has taken towards advancing the human rights of children and young people growing up in their city and communities.

A formal announcement was made today in the Guildhall by representatives from the four local partner organisations in Derry and Strabanes bid for the designation: The Western Health and Social Care Trust, the Education Authority Youth Service, the Youth Justice Agency and Council.

It follows a seven year journey where all four partners worked with the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) to develop and deliver a comprehensive action plan to prioritise and uphold childrens rights across six priority areas.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairi McHugh, welcomed the announcement and congratulated everyone involved in achieving the status.

Children and Young people from the North West Ministry of Youth push a button to illuminate buildings across the Council area in blue. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

This is a momentous day for all the children and young people in our City and District and sends a clear message to all of them that we are a region where they should feel safe, heard and nurtured and where their rights are respected by everyone.

It has taken years of detailed and collaborative working, led by our young people and delivered by the four partner public bodies to bring the journey to this monumental moment and I would like to congratulate each and every person who was involved in the process of achieving this recognition.

That work means our children and young people can now feel meaningfully involved in the decisions that matter to them, enabling our service providers to meet their needs and for adults to be more accountable for the way childrens rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.

Naomi Danquah, Programme Director for Child Friendly Cities and Communities at UNICEF UK, said: The Derry City and Strabane District partnership have worked incredibly hard over the past seven years to achieve the ambitions they  and, vitally, children and young people  set out to achieve at the start of their journey.

"The partnership has established an impressive child rights infrastructure, with examples of excellent, embedded practice and involvement of children and young people across six important thematic areas. The sustainability plan shows how they propose to continue these commitments, and we are delighted that the partnership has been recognised as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairi McHugh, signing UNICEF's declaration to uphold the rights of all the Children and Young People in the Council area.

Kian Hawes, a young person from the North West Ministry of Youth, the Youth Voice for the City and District welcomed the announcement: As a member of the North West Ministry of Youth I am delighted to be a part of this incredible achievement for our city and community.

This recognition supports our vision where every child and young person can have their voices heard and respected and where we are not just spoken for but listened to.

Stephen Martin, YJA Chief Executive added: As an organisation which works through a Child First ethos, I am delighted the Youth Justice Agency has been able to contribute to UNICEF UK's Child Friendly Cities and Communities programme within the Derry and Strabane District Council area.

Achieving recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City and Community is a huge achievement.

The leadership of Derry City and Strabane District Council has been key to this and I want to congratulate them and the other partner organisations who we have had the privilege of supporting in this process.

Director of Children and Families of the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) Dr Tom Cassidy said: The Western Trust is immensely proud along with three key partners Derry City and Strabane District Council, EA Youth Service and Youth Justice Agency to have achieved UNICEF UK's Child Friendly Cities and Communities programme recognition.

This is a powerful endorsement shown across the Trust, our partners and most importantly our children and young people, to place their rights, voices and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

This recognition reflects a shared vision that every child should grow up safe, healthy, respected and empowered to shape services and communities around them.

We look forward to building on this achievement in the months ahead across all our childrens services.

Michael Hogg Strategic Services Manager Education Authority Youth Service added: We are immensely proud that Derry and Strabane has been awarded UNICEF Child Friendly status.

This recognition is a tremendous achievement and reflects the deep commitment across the City and District to place childrens rights at the heart of local decision-making.

READ NEXT: Holywell Trust's 'Forward Thinking ' workshops discuss constitutional future

The Education Authority Youth Service celebrates the strong partnership working alongside Derry City and Strabane District Council, Youth Justice Agency and Western Health and Social Care Trust. Together weve created meaningful opportunities for young people to shape the services and spaces that matter most to them, ensuring their voices are not only heard, but acted upon in line with the active participation of children and young people being a core principle of effective youth services.

Following the announcement, the project partners will host a special celebration event at the Foyle Arena on World Childrens Day, on Thursday, November 20 full details of which will be released in the coming weeks.

For full details on Derry and Strabanes Journey towards becoming a UNICEF Child Friendly Community including the Annual Report for 2024/25 visit derrystrabane.com/unicef.
A man who assaulted a doctor in A&E in Altnagelvin Hospital has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court.

Alex Crawford (26) of Kinsale Park in Derry admitted three charges of assault on the doctor, disorderly behaviour and resisting police on March 13 this year.

The court heard that around 3.15am an altercation took place in A&E with Crawford shouting at other patients and staff.

Then he stormed out banging doors as he went only to return later.

Crawford then went into another clinical area and started walking about pulling back curtains in cubicles with other patients invading their privacy.

A doctor approached and believed Crawford was under the influence of substances and in his pre-sentence report the defendant admitted he had been on a 4 day drink and drug binge.

The defendant continued to act aggressively and stuck his face into a doctors so close the doctor felt spit on his face.

The defendant then pushed the doctor and other staff tried to get him to leave before police arrived.

READ NEXT: Suspended sentence for man charged with assaulting police and possessing drugs

District Judge Ted Magill said that Crawford had behaved 'disgracefully' in the hospital.

He said he had no business being there and the time 'is fast approaching' where deterrence takes precedence over the needs of defendants when it comes to hospital cases.

The judge said that the only thing preventing the imposition of the maximum sentence was Crawford's guilty plea.

Crawford was jailed for three months.
The announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza has been cautiously welcomed in Derry.

The deal was announced this week by US President Donald Trump following negotiations with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in The White House.

The objectives include demilitarising Gaza, supplying humanitarian aid and releasing Palestinian prisoners and Israeli captives.

Since the latest outbreak of hostilities in Gaza following Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, numerous marches, rallies and demonstrations have been held in the city attracting large numbers of people, showing their support for the Palestinian people.

Prominent Palestinian campaigner, Catherine Hutton welcomed the long-awaited announcement of the ceasefire and hostage deal that is set to see humanitarian aid returning to the war-torn region.

A founding member of the Rise for Palestine campaign group said she was relieved for the people of Gaza but expressed her concerns about humanitarian aid reaching the population.

For the people of Gaza themselves I am as Im sure we all are absolutely relieved that they are getting a reprieve from the slaughter.

The major concern is the aid. But its incumbent now that these people get the help they need, she said.

Ms Hutton said the ceasefire was just the first step but stressed the need for big changes, major changes and the development of a long-term solution.

People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin shared his concerns about the ceasefire deal.

Cllr Harkin gave a cautious welcome to the agreement but stressed that humanitarian aid should be the key focus of the proposals.

Gaza should be immediately flooded with aid and medical support. Palestinians should not be forced anywhere or blocked from returning to their homes and land, he said.

Cllr Harkin saluted the people of Derry for showing their support for Palestine.

The protests, the strikes, the occupations, the flotillas and global opinion has exposed government and corporate complicity and brought tremendous pressure to stop Israel's barbarism, he said.

Sinn Fein councillor Pat Murphy said the talks breakthrough represents a pivotal moment for the people of Palestine that a potential opportunity now exists to establish a peace process.

Cllr Murphy urged the US government and other stakeholders to remain dedicated to delivering the objectives of the agreement, ensuring a withdrawal of all Israeli forces, and demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip.

Cllr Murphy said: The creation of a permanent peace process established within the framework of international law and its success, will depend on all sides continuing to negotiate with good faith. Agreements made must be honoured. Guarantees on implementation will be essential. That extends to the US and other guarantors holding Israel to its commitments, ensuring a withdrawal of all Israeli forces, and demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip.
Ulster University has officially welcomed the inaugural cohort of students to its new BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing with Placement Year programme, marking the beginning of a transformative journey for the students and for the future of veterinary care in Northern Ireland.

Based at Ulster University, Coleraine, the cohort are the first students to train at degree level, a qualification previously only available outside Northern Ireland.

Over four years, the students will undertake in-depth academic study alongside placements in veterinary practices, gaining advanced clinical skills and industry insights, equipping them with the skills to meet the evolving demands of modern veterinary healthcare while providing a clear pathway to advanced practice or postgraduate study.

Speaking as the course gets underway Dr Susan Hawthorne, Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science at Ulster University, said: We are delighted to welcome our first cohort of students to this highly sought-after programme. With more than 180 applicants for just 30 places, it is clear there is strong interest and real demand for veterinary nursing education at this level.

Until now, aspiring veterinary nurses had to travel to Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland to study at degree level. By offering this programme locally, we can both retain and attract talented students, provide a clear pathway to advanced practice, and strengthen the veterinary workforce here in Northern Ireland.

Katie West, Lucy Edgeworth, Ella Clifford, Leah Duffin, Sophie Noar with Lulu

We look forward to supporting this cohort as they begin their journey.

Graduates of the programme will be eligible for professional registration with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) enabling them to practice across the UK.

Bethan Pinhey RVN, Course Director & Lecturer in Veterinary Nursing, Ulster University said: Veterinary nursing is evolving rapidly. Across the UK and Ireland, theres a shift towards requiring degree-level qualifications.

We are excited to get started with a great group of students who will gain more than just technical skills, theyll develop the analytical and decision-making abilities that benefit the clinics they work in and the animals they care for. We will be watching their progress with great interest and look forward to seeing how they shape the future of veterinary care.

The introduction of this degree reflects Ulster Universitys ongoing commitment to advancing the veterinary nursing profession and supporting a highly skilled, locally trained workforce that can meet the growing demands of animal care across Northern Ireland and beyond.

READ NEXT: Limavady company raises funds for its charity of the Year, Foyle Hospice

For more information, visit: Veterinary Nursing with placement year BSc (Hons) at Ulster University 2025/26 entry - Full-time Undergraduate Study in Coleraine
Police are probing a report of a fire and graffiti at a house in Belfast.

The incident at a property on Upper Glenfarne Street off the Shankill Road was reported at around 8.45pm on Thursday night.

The front door was damaged by fire, while graffiti was also sprayed on the front window.

A police spokesperson appealed for any witnesses or information about the report to come forward.

We received a report at around 8.45pm on Thursday, 9th October of a small fire at a property in the Upper Glenfarne Street area, they said.

Officers attended along with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who extinguished the fire.

The front door was damaged, with graffiti also identified on the front window of the property, which was vacant at the time of the incident.

The fire is being treated as deliberate and our inquiries are ongoing.

We would appeal to anyone who might have any information to contact us on the 101 number, quoting reference 1436 of 09/10/25.

West Belfast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said he was saddened and appalled by the incident.

There is absolutely no place for racist intimidation and violence in our society, he said.
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The bereaved Tipperary parents of 18-year-old Bronagh English, who died in a road traffic accident last April, said that they will be forever haunted by the belief that their daughter should be alive today.

They believe their daughter Bronagh would be alive if measures had been taken to improve the condition of the road at Kilmoyler and if signage to warn of the dangers of that black spot had been in place.

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The accident happened as Bronagh was travelling alone, returning home after dropping a friend off at their house, on Thursday, April 24, earlier this year, shortly after 10pm.

The English family is now on a mission to get answers as to why the road was left in such a poor condition despite the series of accidents on that road, why there were no warning signs erected given the level of danger involved, and why a broken wall on the bridge had not been fixed.

An independent engineer's report carried out after the accident has listed seven critical items concerning the road at Kilmoyler Bridge.

"If any one of those seven had been solved by Tipperary County Council, our daughter would be with us. It would have been a minor incident; she could have had a broken leg or something.

READ NEXT: Councillors pass vote of sympathy to family of Tipperary student who died in car accident

"It would have been a very minor incident if any of those seven were in place.

"One cone sitting on the broken wall would indicate it was a 90-degree turn and show you had to slow down. We need to understand how it happened, how it got left for so long.

"There have been multiple accidents on that stretch of road; it is a black spot," said her father, Michael.

"How can this exist in this day and age? This is Third World stuff," said Michael English.

READ NEXT: RIP: Tributes paid as teenager who died in Tipperary collision is named

The discovery process they had embarked upon was needed to find answers, said Michael.

They also wanted to find out whether local public representatives had highlighted the road after the various accidents at the bridge and what was done in response.

They wanted to know why there were no signs indicating there was a 90-degree turn, there were no slow down signs, and no indication there was a yield junction, no indication of the speed limit and why was there a 60km/h speed limit in place when it should have been half that, and all on a stretch of road coming up to a bridge and why was the wall on the bridge not fixed.

"To compound matters, there was no wall on the bridge, there was a step on the bridge, which effectively acted as a ramp that ramped her into the river.

"Bronagh had no assistance when she came to that right turn, and for the previous 1km, there was no signage in the approach to the bridge. The bridge was invisible to her," said Michael.

READ NEXT: Teenager killed in Tipperary crash is named

"While we are grieving parents, and I get that completely, there are just far too many faults on this bridge, I have never seen anything like it.

"How can this exist in 2025 in a country like Ireland, it is fine saying these are lesser roads, but these things are not acceptable at any level," said Michael.

"This excuse about it being a minor road is not acceptable to me and Danielle under any circumstances. A minor road or not, these things should not be left like that," he said.

Michael said that Bronagh had never driven on that road before and that nearby CCTV cameras had shown that her speed was in order.

It was raining that night, and visibility was poor.

He said that Bronagh had a full licence and was a very competent driver.

"We have a small farm at home, and she learned a lot at home. Then we took her out to instructors; she was driving a good car that was only two and a half years old," he said.

Her father said that tests had shown there was no alcohol or drugs in her system.

"How did this bridge get missed? Why had the county council neglected this? They started fixing it and tidying it up a few weeks after the accident.

"Why was this left behind, and how did it happen to Bronagh? One small cone and she is with us today, and that is a little too much for us to cope with," he said.
Alan McCarthy of Louth County Council talks to the organiser of the Bold Frontiers Festival Mark Sheridan ahead of it taking place in Dundalk this weekend.

Q: Can you just tell me a little bit about yourself?

Yep, where to start there? I suppose from an events perspective, I've been working in events since 2009. The first Fantastic Festival was where I cut my teeth, so to speak.

And from there, it just kind of spiralled a little bit out of controlbut in a very positive way. I was very lucky to work with loads of Irish festivals. From that one festival that summer, I went on to work with KnockanStockan, a great wee independent festival in Wicklow.

Then it spiralled into Electric Picnic, Glastonbury, and even Burning Man in the States.

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the festival you're organising and its purpose?

I ran another independent festival called Arcadian Field in Bellurgan Park for four years.

After COVID, I didnt have the energy or finances to continue that project. So I took on a larger role with Electric Picnic, which fulfilled my creative and curatorial needs.

Joey Edwards from Pizza Recordsalso Just Mustards managerhad been talking for years about a Dundalk-based urban festival. Eventually, his pestering worked.

We sat down last year, applied for funding, and got enough to kickstart it.

The purpose is to create an urban event that celebrates contemporary art, music, and culture.

Q: Do you think this could become an annual festival?

100%. Weve already booked dates in some venues for 2026. Were quietly confident well be rolling again.

Q: Who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Thats a tough question. Im looking forward to loads from the lineup.

The Just Mustard home show will be great, especially with their new album launch.

We also have a theatrical comedy piece by Cian Kinsella of Lords of Strutt fame called Chop in the Spirit Store. Its a one-man, darkly comedic show with an environmental messagesomething you dont see every day.

Rory Friers of And So I Watch You from Afar is performing a live score to the 100- year-old Russian movie Battleship Potemkin, which should also be fantastic!

Q: Is there a point to your festival beyond the commercial? Is there a theme?

Definitely. Neither Joey and I are driven by profit. We dont want to lose money, of courseweve done that enough over the yearsbut our ethos is DIY.

Weve supported artists for years just for the want of doing stuff. Sometimes ideas outweigh the profit motive.

Q: What kind of audience are you hoping to attract?

Weve already sold tickets to people from as far away as Cork and the UK, which is exciting.

We thought that kind of reach might come in year two or three.

In general, were aiming for music lovers, art fans, locals who might not be familiar with underground or up-and-coming actsreally anyone up for a bit of craic and exploration.

Q: Does the festival have a theme or overarching concept?

Yes, we have an overarching theme that guides the festival, and it's even reflected in the name Bold Frontiers.

Dundalk, being a border town, inspired the idea of crossing frontiersboth physical and metaphorical. Our theme is about connection and discovery, breaking boundaries creatively and socially.

Q: How is the theme reflected in the festival'ss programming?

Weve implemented a mandate where a certain percentage of acts are from Northern Ireland, and another percentage are international.

This reflects our commitment to crossing frontiersgeographically, artistically, and socially.

Q: How did you get into festival planning?

It started with the First Fantastic Festival, where I was invited to join as a crew member. That led to more opportunities, including international events.

Q: What role does the council play in supporting the festival?

This year, the council provided us with a startup grant, which was crucial in getting the festival off the ground.

Moving forward, wed love to collaborate more closely with them to help the project grow.

Q:Do you have any unique initiatives in place for the festival?

One goal which we have only touched upon this year, but wish to expand upon in a huge way, is to repurpose spaces in Dundalk town which are not usually associated with arts

Q: Are there any sustainable or green initiatives in place for the festival?

While theres no overarching initiative, the environmental footprint is easier to manage because the venues are mostly established.

We work with local suppliers, have reduced printed materials by going mostly digital, and promote walking routes between venues to minimise travel impact. Overall, the event is structurally low- impact.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking of running a festival or organising a gig?

Start small but think big. Dont be limited by what seems unachievable but also dont overextend yourself.

Build a reliable small team and talk to someone whos done it beforementorship and advice are crucial. When starting, big ideas often come first, but reality follows later, so balance is key.

Q: Do you have a favourite band or musician?

I dont have a single favouriteit changes weekly. Im always discovering new music.

I tend to enjoy punk energy, but I also listen to Lyric FM daily.

This week, Im into RMFC, an Australian garage punk band, and Roche, whos performing at the festival.

I also explore random country bands on YouTube and the radio. Its a very eclectic mix.

Q: Is there any music you really dont like?

Yes, I struggle with songs that are overplayed on Irish radio, especially pop songs repeated multiple times a day.

I usually switch quickly if I dont like somethingwithin 10 seconds, I can tell.

I often build playlists by sampling songs briefly and revisiting them later.

Q: If you could invite three people to a dinner partyanyone from history, music, art, or politicswho would they be?

Id invite both of my granddads, whom I never got to meet.

For the third seat, maybe Elvisitd be hilarious to see him interact with two older Irish rural men. Theyd

probably know who he was, but hed be so far removed from their world.



Q: Is there anything else youd like to add?

No, I think Im all talked out for now!

Check out the full line-up and details of the Bold Frontiers Festival HERE
A Louth school has been recognised with a prestigious Irish Heart Foundation award for training their students in the lifesaving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

St Louis Secondary School in Dundalk received a CPR 4 Schools award, which recognises schools, teachers and students for remarkable efforts in CPR promotion and training.

It was among 33 schools across Ireland presented with 63 awards as part of the national heart and stroke charitys CPR 4 Schools programme.

Ninety-per-cent of secondary schools have engaged in the programme since its inception, with 2,630 teachers involved across 649 schools to deliver CPR training, giving the programme a reach of over 350,000 students nationwide.

The charity is now calling on all schools to sign up to help build a new generation of lifesavers.

The programme trains students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, use an AED (defibrillator) and respond when someone is choking.

Easy to run, it involves one-hour, video-led lessons, fully supported with manikin kits and classroom resources.

Schools benefit by awards recognising their participation and positive student engagement, while families and entire communities gain by having young people emerge as confident lifesavers.

Brigid Sinnott, Resuscitation Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation, encouraged teachers countrywide to help students obtain essential lifesaving CPR skills.

We know that schools are extremely busy places, which makes us all the more blown away by the work and commitment they have put in to teach the lifesaving skill of CPR to date.

The Irish Heart Foundations mission is to build a nation of lifesavers through CPR training and schools are vital to help us achieve that.

The CPR 4 Schools programme is easy to run and takes just one hour to train a class.

I would encourage schools nationwide to visit irishheart.ie/ cpr4schools to learn how easy it is to implement our programme.

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Schools and teachers are at the core of this programme and these awards are our way of recognising them for empowering students with a lifesaving skill.

A persons chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately.

By learning CPR once in your life, you are 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.

Post-primary school teachers interested in signing up for the free programme can register by emailing: schools@irishheart. ie .
Louth Sinn Fein TD Joanna Byrne has expressed her disappointment with the governments budget for the coming year, and has said that: Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have piled pressure on people in a cost-of-living crisis".

Deputy Byrne said that the parties have "decided to increase the price of petrol and diesel, energy credits withdrawn when households will be hit by double-digit electricity hikes starting this week, childcare fees remain at 800 a month. Student fees have gone up by 500 since last year, Local Property Tax is up, heating bills are up.

"Fine Gael and Fianna Fail delivered one of the biggest tax packages ever seen - 2.5 billion in tax cuts over a full year, and ordinary workers get nothing. Instead, Landlords, Developers and of course the banks get to keep their sweetheart tax deals. There is no increase in renters tax credit, but landlords get an increase to 1000, up from 800."

The Sinn Fein TD continued: "Petrol and diesel go up as carbon taxes increase again, tax relief which benefits dozens of millionaires continues, bailed out banks will pay no tax, developers will get a quarter of a billion-euro tax cut next year for apartments already under construction.

"The only tax cuts for any workers is 60 million for SARP, a small group of high earners who get generous tax breaks on salaries up to 1 million. The government could have scrapped the USC for all workers on the first 40,000 people earn. That would put 746 back in peoples pockets.

"They could have delivered an energy credit of 450 at a time when many customers are facing double digit increases. They could have increased renters credit to between 1,250 and 2,500, they could have reduced the cost of childcare to 200 a month as they promised to do.

"They promised a plan for 200 a month childcare within the first hundred days of government. They broke their promise on this. No support for workers struggling with the cost of childcare. Instead, the public will continue to pay 800 a month per child. We in Sinn Fein would have delivered 10 a day childcare and invested in recruitment and capacity."

Deputy Byrne added: "The inclusion of Drogheda in the Living Cities Initiative is a case of 'better late than never'. When the Living Cities Initiative was introduced in 2014 by the Fine Gael and Labour Government , Kilkenny as a designated city was included. But Drogheda had larger a population and faster rate of population growth and we were inexcusably left out.

"According to the Drogheda City Status Group last month Drogheda has already surpassed many Irish cities in scale. According to Census 2022, the local electoral area stretching from Donacarney to Tullyallen has a population of 55,640. When Laytown and Bettystown are included, the figure rises to nearly 67,000, larger than Waterford city.

"But even with this information readily to hand the government did not act upon this to look at planning or providing for Drogheda adequately. It has taken the government over a decade to rectify this, so it is as I have said before 'better late than never.'

"There are other schemes such as the Croi Conaithe (Cities) Scheme, that Drogheda was excluded from, and this should also be rectified. We have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to ensure that Drogheda is properly provided for, and I will be raising that throughout this term."
Louth Volunteer Centre is calling on the community to nominate volunteer leaders for the Louth Volunteer Leader Awards 2025.

This is the chance to celebrate the unsung heroes in our community  those who dedicate their spare time, creativity, compassion and energy into guiding initiatives across the county.

"Their talent for working under pressure while supporting volunteers from all walks of life is nothing short of remarkable and greatly appreciated, a spokesperson for the Louth Volunteer Centre said.

"Our communities wouldnt be the same without them. Thats why its so important that we recognise their hard work and tireless dedication to keeping the Irish spirit of volunteering burning bright.

"We are grateful to the Department of Rural and Community Development, whose support has made it possible to host this awards night and commemorate the leadership within Louths vibrant volunteering community.

READ NEXT: PHOTOS: Smiles all around as Louth Junior Cert students collect their results

"The celebration will take place on International Volunteer Managers Day, 5th November 2025, at Castlebellingham.

"We know there are countless inspiring leaders in Louth  now is the time to let them know their community notices!"

Nomination Details

- There are five award categories, and you may nominate multiple people in any category.

- All nominees will receive a certificate and thank-you card.

- Five nominees will be shortlisted for awards.

- Closing date for nominations: 12 PM, 20th October 2025.

How to Nominate

When submitting your nomination, you will be asked to provide:

- Your name, phone number, email, and your connection to the nominee (friend, colleague, volunteer supported by them, etc.)

- Nominees name, organisation(s), contact number, and email address.

- Award category you are nominating them for.

- Short answers (up to 300 words each) about:

1. How the nominee has shown dedication in leading volunteers in Louth.

2.The impact the nominee has had in leading volunteers in Louth.

3.How the nominee has shown creativity, passion, or innovation in their role.

Manager at Louth Volunteer Centre, Kayleigh Mulligan, said: Volunteers in leadership positions inspire others to become more involved and take on leadership roles themselves, fostering a stronger, more connected community. Creating a ripple effect of positive change within the county.

We at Louth Volunteer Centre are so proud of all the locals both young and old, men and women, who took it upon themselves to take charge of volunteer initiatives that bring people together and showcase the very best of Louths community spirit.

For more information and to nominate a Volunteer Leader, visit: https://nccqvptn.paperform.co/ or theirr website www.volunteerlouth.ie
It was certainly a case of putting their best foot forward when 23 St. Vincent's students and four teachers headed off to Galicia in northern Spain to complete the last 100km of the Camino Frances.

The route is part of the well known pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which has seen its popularity increase over the last number of years.

The intrepid group undertook the challenge as part of their Gaisce journey.

Gaisce, also known as The Presidents Award, is Ireland's national youth award program, which encourages personal development and achievement in young people through setting and pursuing personal challenges.

READ NEXT: PHOTOS: Smiles all around as Louth Junior Cert students collect their results

St. Vincents students have been taking part in this program for a number of years.

Earlier this year over 70 students were awarded their Bronze Award, while an impressive 45 recipients achieved their Silver Award.

Many of these Silver awardees took part in the recent Camino, which they hope to use as part of their endeavours to secure a Gold Award.

Gaisce Co-ordinator and teacher Deborah Challoner organised the recent trip and described the experience saying: We began our journey on the 24th September which is Mercy Day, a special day for our school as we celebrate our founder Sr. Catherine McAuley and we felt it was a fitting beginning.

"This linear section took us from Portomarin into Santiago across four days walking on average 25km per day to that nights accommodation.

"We embraced the pilgrim culture, staying in the local albergues (hostels), and eating the Menu del Peregrino.

"The days were filled by embracing the rural Spanish countryside, chatting to locals and other pilgrims, stopping for coffee, snacks and the odd ice cream, and getting fancy stamps on our pilgrim passports.

With weary bodies but full hearts we made it to the stunning Santiago Cathedral and ended our wonderful trip with the pilgrims mass, a beautifully powerful celebration of everyone's journey and reasons for doing it.

"On return the students were presented with their camino certificates during a prayerful ceremony in the school chapel, which was a fitting end to a wonderful, unforgettable experience for staff and students alike.

Deborah added: The girls were outstanding and the trip epitomises the physical, mental and personal challenges that represent the spirit of Gaisce.

"The Gaisce program is continuously growing in the school and we wish the students who are pursuing their Gold Awards the very best of luck.

"We look forward to hopefully celebrating this huge honour for both them and the school in the future.
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Expats awarded for commitment to global city

10:16, October 10, 2025 By Wang Xin ( China Daily

The Shanghai Municipal Government confers the 2025 Magnolia Gold Award on 28 foreign nationals and the Honorary Citizen of Shanghai on two expatriates on Sept 29. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

Foreigners of various countries and fields receive high honors for bringing innovation, development and connection to their 'second home', Wang Xin reports.

Shanghai, a global metropolis sharing China with the world, is on a fast track, and always making Simon Lichtenberg feel at home with its warm openness and acceptance. Lichtenberg, founder of Trayton Group and the all-China founding chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, has been living in Shanghai for 33 years. On Sept 29, he was awarded Honorary Citizen of Shanghai, the city's highest honor for expatriates.

Lichtenberg describes himself as a "vibrant and adventurous "type and has been connected to China since his youth through learning Chinese. He says he has always felt the city's potential as a global hub, and witnessed its rapid economic and social development, as well as the country's.

"Shanghai has become a leading international city in so many ways: investment opportunities, business environment, technology, culture, education, innovation, social development. It is very well managed. The people of Shanghai are industrious, innovative and resilient. Shanghai is my home and it is a wonderful place for me, my business and my family," he says.

However, he notes that Shanghai is not well understood by many people in the West. As an Honorary Citizen of Shanghai, he feels "a big responsibility in doing more in playing a bridging role" to foster understanding and friendship, and to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between people and countries.

This year, the Shanghai Municipal Government bestowed the Honorary Citizen of Shanghai designation upon two expatriates and honored 28 foreign nationals with the 2025 Magnolia Gold Award in recognition of their positive contributions to the city's development and international exchanges.

The other Honorary Citizen of Shanghai was presented to Severin Schwan, chairman of the board of directors of the Swiss healthcare company Roche Group and the executive chairman of the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai, also known as IBLAC.

Serving as the city's highest honors for expatriates, the Honorary Citizenship was established in 1997, following the launch of the Magnolia Silver Award in 1989(named for Shanghai's representative flower) and the Gold Award in 1992. To date, 1,907 expatriates have been honored by the city  51 Honorary Citizens of Shanghai, 390 Magnolia Gold Award recipients, and 1,466 Magnolia Silver Award recipients.

This year's 28 Magnolia Gold Award recipients come from diverse fields, such as finance, trade, technology, shipping, healthcare, consumer products, education, research, and culture. Despite different expertise in a variety of sectors, they share the same love for the city and confidence in its future.

Bertrand Regnier from France, global managing partner of EY French Business Network, speaks on behalf of the award recipients at the presentation ceremony of the 2025 Magnolia Gold Award in Shanghai. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

France's Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia-Pacific, regards Shanghai as a globally "unique "city for blending its 5,000-year-old history and cutting-edge modernity. Seeing the city developing into a key fashion city worldwide, he is confident that more innovation and cool ideas will come from China, and especially Shanghai.

"The people here are incredible entrepreneurs and are very resilient. They embrace the changes, bring the newness, utilize new technology, and drive it as well. That's why I feel Shanghai is the most exciting city to live in," Bozec adds.

"Innovation" is one of the most frequently mentioned words by the 28 award recipients when talking about working and living in Shanghai. Bertrand Regnier from France, the global managing partner of the EY French Business Network, says Shanghai has been making efforts to facilitate innovation not only for China but also for the world's continuous growth.

Gary Knight from the United States, chairman of Invista Nylon Chemicals China, also highlights innovation and the Chinese people's spirit and will to succeed and grow.

The 2025 Magnolia Gold Award recipients at the presentation ceremony in Shanghai. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

"You can feel so much energy in the people who create new ideas and new things. Innovation will advance at an incredible rate over the next five years in China in sectors such as AI, robotics, pharmaceuticals, the biomedical, the automotive  China's future is strong  there's no doubt about it," says Knight.

Joost Vlaanderen from the Netherlands, president of Greater China at Mondelez International, has been living in Shanghai since 2018, and spends 10 hours per week studying Chinese. He is deeply impressed by the city's growth rate and believes such development will continue.

"The thing I like most about working and living here is the speed of change and development in China  it's addictive," he says. "Shanghai is my second hometown."

Several other award recipients share similar sentiments with Vlaanderen, taking Shanghai as their second home.

"Shanghai is the land of opportunities. It's my home not only now, but forever. I have a permanent resident card, and my family is here. I will not leave  it is where I will stay and retire," says Knight with a smile, who enjoys the city's welcoming culture, food, profound civilization, and especially the "irreplaceable" Chinese people.

Alexander Rhys Gregg-Smith, from the United Kingdom and senior vice-president at Bureau Veritas Marine (China) Co, has been in Shanghai for 13 years and became a permanent resident in 2020.Dedicated to the maritime sector, he feels he "belongs" to the city and especially loves the "can-do attitude" of the people.

"Shanghai is like my home city. It's one of the best, if not the best city, in the world. It is vibrant, fantastic and brilliant  it has everything," he says.

It is this sense of feeling like home that may explain why these honored expats actively think of ways to contribute more to the community and the city.

Bozec is hoping to work with some friends to establish a mentorship to support students in better adapting into the working community. Masahiko Suga from Japan, general manager of the business design department at Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co, wishes to promote China-Japan cooperation in sectors such as fintech (financial technology), green growth, and digitalization. Michel Hossler, from France and founder and chief designer at Agence Ter, aspires to fill the city with more green landscape designs.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
Carrigaline Bookshop is one of four Cork outlets selected to host events under the umbrella of Irish Book Week 2025, which will run from October 18 to 25.

Now in its eighth year, Irish Book Week is a nationwide celebration of Irish bookshops, Irish books, publishers, writers, illustrators, and poets.

The campaign encourages people to shop local and shop Irish by visiting bookshops in their area to discover or rediscover the joy of reading, and enjoy interesting events and displays.

On Saturday, October 18, Carrigaline Bookshop will hold an in-store event, offering visitors the opportunity to meet and chat with author, Irish Book Week ambassador, and Carrigaline resident Patrick Holloway, and fellow authors Jennifer Horgan, Matthew Geden, and Louise Hegarty.

A prize-winning writer of fiction and poetry, Patrick Holloway published his debut novel, The Language of Remembering, in February to critical acclaim.

Co-editor of the literary journal The Four Faced Liar, Mr Holloway is also the Erasmus coordinator at Munster Technological University, where I get to help others to experience the joys of living abroad and broadening their horizons.

Jennifer Horgan is a Cork poet, English teacher, and weekly columnist with the Irish Examiner. Her non-fiction book O Captain My Captain: One Teachers Hope for Change in the Irish Education System was published in 2021 with Orpen Press. Her debut poetry collection, Care, was published this year.

Kinsale resident Matthew Geden is a poet and teacher of creative writing whose published books include The Place Inside, Fruit, and The Cloud Architect. He has been writer in residence for Cork County Library and Arts Service since 2020.

Louise Hegartys stories have appeared in Banshee, The Tangerine, The Stinging Fly, and The Dublin Review, and have been featured on BBC Radio 4.

She was the inaugural winner of the Business Post/Penguin Ireland Short Story Prize, and her debut novel, Fair Play, was published in April of this year.

Waterstones on Patrick St, Leaf and Bower in Ballincollig, and Dubray Books on Patrick St will also be hosting events across the Irish Book Week.

For more information about Irish Book Week, keep an eye on Bookselling Irelands social media platforms: Facebook @booksellingireland; X @booksellingirel and Instagram @booksellingireland and the campaign hashtag #IrishBookWeek.

TV show focuses on Cork school

Students at Carrigaline Community School will feature in a four-part fly on the wall series on Virgin Media One this Sunday at 8pm.

A Rebel Education takes viewers inside the joyous, complicated, and messy world of secondary school education.

Filmed over an academic year, the show follows the students as they navigate their formative years under the guidance of principal Paul Burke and his team, including TikTok teaching sensation, Tadgh ODonovan.

Told with typical Cork warmth and humour, A Rebel Education delves deep in to pupil-teacher relationships, exploring the hopes, struggles, triumphs ,and transformations of one year in secondary school.

Principal Paul Burke with teachers and students of Carrigaline Community School. Picture: Brian McEvoy

According to Virgin Media, the new series is driven by a powerful no student gets left behind ethos and offers an emotional and eye-opening look at what school life is really like for young students in 2025.

Told from the students point of view, the series captures the funny, messy, and often deeply moving moments that define teenage life.

From classroom hijinks to life-changing events, audiences will find themselves totally immersed in the real stories of young people finding their way in a rapidly changing world.

Shine Centre host sleep talk

The Shine Centre for Autism in Carrigaline will hold a talk entitled Autistic Sleep: Achievable Solutions for Common Difficulties at the centre from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday, October 23.

The talk, will be facilitated by autism and sleep consultant Laura Crowley.

It will be suitable for parents and carers of autistic individuals of all ages, providing practical neuroaffirmative strategies that are realistic to implement in everyday family life.

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of why sleep can be such a challenge in autism, alongside achievable solutions to support more restful nights and calmer days.

Tickets for the talk, priced at 20, are available at educate.shineireland.com.

For more information contact 021 437 7052.

Road to close overnight

Cork County Council has advised that the R612 road, Bothar Guidel, Carrigaline, will be closed to traffic from 4pm on Saturday, October 18, to 10am the following morning.

The reason for the temporary closure is to facilitate the installation of precast beams for a pedestrian bridge. Motorists wishing to travel south of the closed section of road should divert on to R613 and travel in a westerly direction to the roundabout. They should then turn left on to Main St and proceed in a southerly direction. They should then turn left on to the Strand Road and proceed in an easterly direction to rejoin the Crosshaven Road. Traffic travelling from south of the road closure should utilise the same signposted diversion route in the opposite direction. The council has advised that local access will not be maintained while the road is closed.

Linda OFlaherty, Sinead Crowley, and Niamh Ni Thuama in the bilingual play Mamai Ge, Cois Laoi Production, at Carrigaline library as part of the recent Carrigaline Culture Night celebrations. Picture: Siobhan Russell

Free concert at Holy Trinity

The Crosshaven Music Collective will hold a free concert at the Holy Trinity Church, Templebreedy, from 3.30pm on Sunday, October 19.

The concert will feature a mix of folk and traditional music by members of the collective (aka Crosshaven villagers). All donations on the day will be channeled to local environmental projects. All are welcome.

Development committee AGM

The Crosshaven Development Committee will hold its AGM at the Crosshaven community Centre on Thursday, October 16, from 7.30pm.

A spokesperson said the meeting is open to anyone living in the local community.

Please have someone attend from your community group. Its important we all have an input into our community, they added.

Club hosts talk on caving

Cork Speleological will present a talk on caving in the Carrigaline Library on Saturday at 2pm. A group spokesperson said the presentation will be of interest to anyone interest in learning more about the hidden world beneath our feet.

We will take people on a journey through the history of our club, our current projects and future plans, and highlights from our recent expedition to the Philippines.

Admission is free, and all are welcome. For info contact corkspeleologicalgroup.com.
A 54-year-old man threatened a member of staff at a betting office when he went to collect winnings, but was told that there were none, because he entered his bet too late.

Stephen Landa, of 22 Oakfield Green, Glanmire, County Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to a charge of engaging in threatening behaviour.

Sergeant John Dineen said, at Cork District Court, that on May 15 at Ladbrokes Shandon St, the defendant banged a Perspex screen on the counter and was enraged, shouting: Give me the f***ing money now.

He called the member of staff a bastard and said he would get him on the street, adding: I know where you live.

This went on for three to four minutes, before the panic alarm activated and the defendant left the premises, Sgt Dineen said.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer said the defendant overreacted in a situation where he believed he was entitled to collect winnings, but was told his bet had been lodged too late.

Judge John King said he would adjourn sentence until April 13, 2026, for a Garda behavioural report, on the basis that if he is not involved in any incident in the meantime, he will get two months, suspended for 12 months.

The judge warned that if he is involved in any criminal offence in the meantime, he will get a prison sentence next April.
The Department of Education has confirmed that St Gabriel's Special School will open as normal from Monday.

It comes after parents said they were devastated after learning last night that staff shortages mean the school would move to a part-time schedule from Monday.

St Gabriels Special School in Bishopstown has 54 students, mostly aged four to 18, who have severe intellectual disabilities, autism, and complex needs.

Last night, parents at the special school received an email from the schools board of management informing them that, from Monday, all pupils are to be moved to a temporary part-time attendance schedule.

The email stated that in recent weeks, several serious incidents have occurred within the school environment.

These incidents resulted in injury to staff and pupils, instances of pupils absconding from supervision, instances of seclusion and withdrawal (which are not allowable under current Department of Education guidelines), and situations requiring emergency medical intervention.

The board of management said the new temporary schedule will mean children who have been identified as high-risk due to crisis behaviour will attend three days per week, while those designated as being lower risk will attend four days per week.

These were part of urgent measures being taken in response to the ongoing critical staffing shortage, the school said, particularly in the area of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).

Despite the schools best efforts, current staffing levels are insufficient to safely support all pupils with intensive care and supervision needs, the email said.

This decision has been made in consultation with school leadership and is based on a detailed assessment of pupil needs and available staff.

It is a temporary measure aimed at prioritising safety and care while the school continues to seek urgent additional support from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Individual pupil schedules were due to be emailed to families today.

However, a department spokesperson has now confirmed that the school will open as normal on Monday.

"The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are aware of recent developments at St. Gabriel's Special School," the spokesperson said.

"Following engagement from the department and NCSE with the school today, the school has confirmed that it will now be fully open from Monday. They are contacting all parents to let them know this afternoon.

"The department and the NCSE will continue to engage with and support St Gabriels special school to ensure that they can meet the needs of all the children in the school."

Earlier, one parent of a child in St Gabriels told

The Echo

that parents were devastated following contact from the school to say that student hours would be limited.

For most families this is their one bit of respite during the day and now its being pulled, which is absolutely appalling, they said.

I know the school is only doing what they have to do to keep people safe, because they have no choice, but there are parents there who are trying to work who wont be able to go to work now.

Pat Buckley, Sinn Fein TD for Cork East, said he had been contacted by several parents who were distraught at the news.

I know parents who are driving an hour or more to bring their kids to St Gabriels, parking up outside the school while their children are inside, and driving them home again afterwards,

he said.

The one bit of respite they get in the day might be a cup of coffee in the car and read the news on their phone.

It is absolutely appalling that the most vulnerable people are treated as third-class citizens in a country ranked third richest in the world by GDP per capita, not least when you think of the money parents of children with disabilities save the State every year, Mr Buckley said.

I am appealing to [education minister] Helen McEntee to intervene directly and live up to the promise she made to parents that no child would be left behind.

And I am appealing directly to Taoiseach Micheal Martin to intervene in the school he opened in 1998 when he was education minister.

More to follow
A 25-year-old man accused of raping a girl and making child abuse material as well as demanding money from her with menaces was arrested and brought before Cork District Court today.

Detective Garda Enda Dowling objected to bail being granted to the accused.

Det Gda Dowling expressed the concern that the accused man would be a flight risk if released on bail.

Judge Mary Dorgan heard evidence in the bail application made by barrister Elaine Audley and refused bail, remanding the accused in custody until October 15.

Ms Audley said the main complainant in the case did not reside in Co Cork and that the defendant could give an undertaking to remain in Cork if given bail.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that the case would be sent to the Central Criminal Court for trial.

Alternatively, the defendant could sign a plea of guilty at the district court and be sent forward for sentencing at the Central Criminal Court.

Two counts of rape relate to January 5, 2024.

In respect of the same date, there is a charge against the defendant of knowingly producing child pornography for the purpose of distribution, publication, exportation, sale, or show.

There is a related charge of coercing a child to participate in the production of child pornography.

A further charge alleges that, on dates between December 30, 2023, and January 5, 2024, he allegedly made a demand with menaces for the payment of 12,000.

In the course of his objection to bail, Det Gda Dowling testified: He led her to believe she was responsible for a 12,000 drug debt because she was the only person who knew about the drugs. Gardai are satisfied that this drug seizure never happened.

In the course of his evidence he said there was a video, which appeared to be taken by the accused, as the child engaged with him in oral sex, and that the video suggested she was acting under his instructions.

There are further charges against him in relation to theft of various sums of money ranging from 32 to 500, and of jewellery, including a 6,500 diamond ring.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
Parents at a Cork special school have expressed relief that a planned reduction of services has been paused, following interventions by the Taoiseach and the special education minister.

St Gabriels Special School in Bishopstown has 54 students, aged four to 18, with severe intellectual disabilities, autism, and complex needs.

On Thursday night, parents at the special school were told by the schools board of management that, from next Monday, all pupils would be moved to a temporary part-time attendance schedule.

The school said that in recent weeks several serious incidents have occurred within the school environment, resulting in injury to staff and pupils, instances of pupils absconding from supervision  and situations requiring emergency medical intervention.

The board of management said the new schedule would mean children identified as high-risk due to crisis behaviour would attend three days per week, while those designated as being lower risk would attend four days per week.

These were part of urgent measures being taken in response to the ongoing critical staffing shortage, the school said, particularly in the area of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).

Today, following communications with Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the special education minister Michael Moynihan, the school announced that the measures were being paused.

This afternoon, St Gabriels principal Dave Thomas contacted parents saying that following meaningful engagement with the Department of Education and the National Council of Special Education (NCSE), the school was pausing the introduction of emergency measures.

He said the school understood that the NCSE will have a team in the school on Tuesday to begin supporting us with a full review of staffing needs.

The Taoiseach, who had opened the special school in 1998 when he was education minister, said St Gabriels was very close to his own heart.

It provides very important opportunities for the children and young people there, and strong supports have gone into the school, weve modernised it in recent times in terms of the physical facilities and so on. Theres an issue around the allocation of special needs assistants, but these issues can be resolved, and again, we will engage with the school on that, Mr Martin said.

He added that he was glad that a process was in place now to resolve any remaining issues around staffing at St Gabriels.

Special education minister Michael Moynihan said there had been an intensive engagement with the school.

A team from the NCSE will be going into the school early next week to fully support them in meeting the needs of their children, he said.

One parent told The Echo she was relieved and delighted that the emergency measures had been paused, and she singled out Pat Buckley, Sinn Fein TD for Cork East, for his support.

As a group we stood together and we fought for our children. We put the pressure on and we are grateful to Pat Buckley for always having our back.

Were grateful too to the Taoiseach and minister Moynihan, and we will be holding them to their word, she said.

Mr Buckley said it was a victory for people power, but these parents should not have to fight for their childrens education like this.
A Cork man who brought his young son on a fishing trip to West Cork was more than four times over the legal drink-driving limit when he was breathalysed following an accident, the district court has heard.

Court presenter Sergeant Trish OSullivan told Bantry District Court that a single-vehicle road traffic accident occurred at Drumaclarig, Glengarriff, Co Cork at 9.30pm on July 17, 2025.

When gardai arrived at the scene the driver, a man from Cork city in his late 30s, admitted he was responsible for the accident and was driving the vehicle. The mans 10-year-old son was a front-seat passenger in the car.

Gardai formed the opinion that the man was intoxicated and he was arrested and taken to Bantry Garda Station where a breath alcohol test returned a reading of 105mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, where the legal limit is 22mg.

The court was told that the man was previously disqualified from driving for two years, following a drink-driving conviction in 2020.

Defence solicitor Flor Murphy said the man had suffered from severe anxiety and depression and had previously attempted to take his own life. He said the man was not in a good place and had a difficult domestic situation.

He said on the day the accused had brought his son on a fishing trip to West Cork and he had started drinking. Mr Murphy said his client had made a terrible mistake.

He added the accused had made full admissions and was fully co-operative. Mr Murphy said his client was seeking a postponement of the disqualification until January 2 to enable him to undertake an upcoming work opportunity.

Judge Treasa Kelly said the man was very lucky the outcome was not worse because his 10-year-old son was in the car at the time.

She said in terms of the disqualification period, her hands were tied by the legislation but agreed to defer the commencement of the driving ban to January 2, 2026. The man was convicted and fined 200 and given four months to pay the fine.

He was also disqualified from driving for six years.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Corks opposition TDs have said Budget 2026 does not deliver for large infrastructure projects in Cork or for working people.

Labours Eoghan Kenny told The Echo that the budget would hit working families the hardest, with nothing to give them comfort in their day-to-day costs.

Along with this, locally, there is no firm commitment to the Mallow relief road and the M20 motorway, which, once again, highlights this governments intentions of following through on these vital projects.

Independent Irelands Ken OFlynn said he felt the northside of Cork city had been ignored. We got a big fanfare announcement for Ringaskiddy Rd, yet no mention of the Mallow relief road, northern distributor road, nor do we have an agreement on funding for the North Ring Rd.

The increase in the cost of petrol and diesel is going to have a detrimental effect to many commuters who dont have access to the trains or buses, he said.

Leader of the Social Democrats and Cork South West TD, Holly Cairns, said it was a budget of bad choices. She told The Echo: It shows that this government is firmly on the side of property developers and big business, rather than helping those struggling with the cost-of-living or desperately trying to find an affordable place to buy or rent.

It hands out more than half a billion euro of tax cuts to developers, without any conditions attached to bring house prices down.

Her party colleague Liam Quaide said that the budget was an opportunity to lift 40,000 children out of poverty with a targeted, second tier of child benefit.

The Government could have provided basic financial security to thousands of family carers by abolishing the punitive means test for carers allowance. They could have introduced a weekly cost-of-disability payment.

They could have turbocharged the delivery of affordable homes by fully embracing modern construction methods and setting up a state-owned construction company. The Government bottled it on all of these measures and, instead, delivered tax breaks to developers, vulture funds, and large fast-food chains.

Padraig Rice added:

Targeted supports for business are needed, and we in the Social Democrats proposed those, but there can be no justification for slashing Vat for the likes of McDonalds and Starbucks.

Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire said: A lot of the election promises have gone by the wayside. No progress on childcare fees and third-level fees will be more expensive. We also have no help with the out-of-control cost of living.

Cork North Centrals Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould said: There is, incredibly, no change to the social and affordable housing targets, which were already too low. Right across Cork, the pace of delivery is too slow, and we saw less houses delivered last year than the year before. Commencements in Cork are at record low levels, but nothing in this budget will deliver the homes that workers and families need.
Darragh Mc Donagh

More than 1.1 million has been spent on taxis for residents of International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres since the beginning of last year, new figures have revealed.

Taxis were used to transport international protection applicants to and from IPAS centres, as well as facilitating journeys elsewhere for specific urgent needs such as medical appointments.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration spent a total of 904,222 on taxis for IPAS residents last year, while a further 228,107 was spent up to the end of May 2025.

The figures do not include direct costs paid by accommodation centres.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, who published the data in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fail TD Albert Dolan this week, said taxi costs had been reduced significantly since last year.

The state is legally obliged to offer accommodation and basic supports for people applying for international protection, he said.

Costs of accommodating a person in international protection accommodation centres include a range of elements, including accommodation, food, security, staffing, and ancillary costs like security, insurance, and utilities and transport costs.

The IPAS system involves groups of residents arriving, leaving and moving to different centres each week for a range of reasons. Transport is required as part of some resident moves, and also can be provided for specific urgent needs, he added.

Mr OCallaghan said taxi journeys may be the most economical option where smaller groups of residents require transport, and may also be required at short notice or out of hours.

In addition to the total spent on taxis for IPAS residents, Mr Dolan had also sought details of the most expensive taxi journeys paid for by the department since the start of last year. However, the minister said such data was not available.

Taxi costs in 2024 were 906,222. Costs in 2025 have been reduced significantly, said Mr OCallaghan. 228,107 was spent on taxis from January 1, 2025 to June 1, 2025.

Last May, it was reported that more than 12 million had been spent transporting international protection applicants to accommodation centres throughout the country since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The cost related to bus and taxi services used to transport asylum seekers from their point of arrival in the country to IPAS centres.

A total of 4.12 million was spent on transport in 2022 following the activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive, and the bill increased to 4.75 million the following year, before falling to 2.43 million in 2024.
Apple is updating its Security Bounty program this November to offer some of the highest rewards in the industry. It has doubled its top award from $1 million to $2 million for the discovery of "exploit chains that can achieve similar goals as sophisticated mercenary spyware attacks" and which requires no user interaction. But the maximum possible payout can exceed $5 million dollars for the discovery of more critical vulnerabilities, such as bugs in beta software and Lockdown Mode bypasses. Lockdown Mode is an upgraded security architecture in the Safari browser.

In addition, the company is rewarding the discovery of exploit chains with one-click user interaction with up to $1 million instead of just $250,000. The reward for attacks requiring physical proximity to devices can now also go up to $1 million, up from $250,000, while the maximum reward for attacks requiring physical access to locked devices has been doubled to $500,000. Finally, researchers "who demonstrate chaining WebContent code execution with a sandbox escape can receive up to $300,000." Apple's VP for security engineering and architecture Ivan Krstic told Wired that the company has awarded over $35 million to more than 800 security researchers since it introduced and expanded the program over the past few years. Apparently, top-dollar payouts are very rare, but Apple has made multiple $500,000 payouts.

The company said in its announcement that the only system-level iOS attacks it has observed in the wild came from mercenary spyware, which are historically associated with state actors and typically used to target specific individuals. It said its new security features like Lockdown Mode and Memory Integrity Enforcement, which combats memory corruption vulnerabilities, can make mercenary attacks more difficult to pull off. However, bad actors will continue evolving their techniques, and Apple is hoping that updating its bounty program with bigger payouts can "encourage highly advanced research on [its] most critical attack surfaces despite the increased difficulty."
China's antitrust regulator has opened an investigation into Qualcomm's acquisition of Israeli connected-vehicle chip company Autotalks. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) alleges that Qualcomm is suspected of violating China's anti-monopoly laws by not disclosing certain details of the deal.

Qualcomm had initially agreed to acquire the fabless chip company in 2023 to expand its Snapdragon portfolio into more automotive applications. Autotalks creates chips, sensors and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication tech centered in part on safety for vehicles. It has been a few months since the acquisition was finalized, with the new probe coming amid trade negotiations between the United States and China.

The deal was previously investigated by both the US Federal Trade Commission and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority , with Qualcomm temporarily abandoning the acquisition in early 2024. The exact process of how the deal was reopened is not clear, as the acquisition was only announced once it had been finalized and received regulatory approval

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Last month, SAMR said that NVIDIA's $6.9 billion acquisition of Mellanox also ran afoul of national regulations. The regulators also said the deal violated conditional terms outlined by regulators on initial approval. The Financial Times reported that China's regulators held on to that decision for months, purportedly to gain leverage in trade discussions with the US.
CLEVELAND  The Cuyahoga River Sturgeon Fest opened Oct. 4 at Rivergate Park, celebrating the long-awaited return of a prehistoric, endangered fish to Northeast Ohio waters.

Covered in hard, bony plates with sandpapery skin and sporting snouts and fleshy whiskers to help them forage, sturgeon are long-lived, growing up to 6 feet long and topping out at 100 pounds.

Once native to the river before nearly vanishing due to pollution, overfishing and habitat loss, the only other giants seen here in recent years are the imposing freighters navigating the turns of the narrow waterway, slipping by the piers on their way to Lake Erie. But at the Sturgeon Fest, the spotlight was on a different kind of heavyweight, one dating back to the time of the dinosaurs.

Each one of you can say that you were part of the first time lake sturgeon were publicly reintroduced into the Cuyahoga River, Jennifer Grieser, Director of Natural Resources for Cleveland Metroparks, told an audience of Clevelanders, conservationists and community leaders in attendance.

Hosted by Metroparks with support from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, visitors enjoyed educational booths, live animal displays, hands-on activities and food and drinks to mark the environmental milestone.

John Navarro of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reminded the crowd of how far the river had come since the days when the Cuyahoga was infamous for catching fire.

The biggest thing (it led to) was the Clean Water Act, and thats exactly why were here, because were not dumping our sewage into rivers anymore, he said. I really appreciate wastewater treatment plants. That might sound silly, but theyre unsung heroes because thats why this thing is so clean.

A total of 2,000 fish would be stocked in the river, with 750 released that afternoon at the park. He thanked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohios Castalia State Fish Hatchery, which transported the fish from Wisconsin, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for their roles in restoring the river.

Of nine beneficial use impairments previously imposed on the river since 1985  restrictions on how the public can use it  five have now been removed. Habitat restoration projects, including the Brecksville Dam removal and the Green Bulkhead at Irishtown Bend, where Rivergate Park overlooks the construction of a new 25-acre park, are underway to ensure sturgeon and other species can thrive, said Joy Malinak, executive director of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission.

Long time coming

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, CEO of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD), reminded attendees that the sturgeons return is not just a wildlife success story but a water quality improvement one.

When you see a sturgeon, think of clean water infrastructure, because none of it would be possible without solid, functioning sewer and storm water infrastructure, and thats done with continued investment in pipes, streams, plants, pump stations and people, she said.

The districts commitment to clean water extends to protecting Lake Erie and the recreational spaces around it. Since 1972, NEORSD has been reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) across the region, from 9 billion gallons a year in the 1970s to 4.5 billion in 2010. Now the district is exploring options to prevent sewage overflows into Lake Erie at Clevelands popular Edgewater Beach. Overwhelmed by heavy rains, the combined sewer outfall built over a century ago known as the 069 tunnel sends overflow into the lake, forcing the beach and nearby waters to close during the crowded summer months until bacteria levels drop to safe limits. At a preliminary cost of $20 million, a presentation on the proposed tunnel project to redirect stormwater and sewage surges, prevent flooding and eventually eliminate the 069 outfall altogether was called a long time coming by the board of directors at their August meeting.

What were seeing now is to actually eliminate that CSO from Edgewater Beach is an important part of the districts work, Dreyfuss-Wells said.

River revival

The sturgeon reintroduction is part of a broader, long-term restoration effort; every year going forward will see 1,500 fish stocked annually for the next 25 years, according to Eric Weimer, a fisheries biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Itll take that long just to get enough mature lake sturgeon in the system that they might be able to start supporting themselves with natural reproduction, Weimer told Farm and Dairy.

Improving the river has benefits beyond the sturgeon.

When species, kind of these capstone species like lake sturgeon, when the environment is suitable to allowing them to have good, healthy populations, we know that that environment also benefits a wide variety of other native species as well. Weimer said, noting walleye, smallmouth bass and various suckers benefit from habitat restoration projects like dam removal.

For the sturgeon to thrive, Weimer emphasized food and clean, oxygenated water.

The juveniles will grow until they reach a certain size, whether thats six to eight inches or whatever it is, and then at least many of those sturgeon, those juveniles, will leave the rivers and go out to Lake Erie. They will spend their lives eating invertebrates and small fish, including like round gobies which are an invasive species, he said. Lake Erie has recovered to the point where it can support these fish.

Each fish released was tagged with a PIT tag, or Passive Integrated Transponders, similar to microchips for pets, allowing researchers to track where they were stocked, where they were raised and monitor their growth and movement in the lake.

At Sturgeon Fest, after remarks, attendees moved to the riverbank to witness the first public release of the young sturgeon. Families lined the dock, holding buckets as the fish were carefully lowered into the water. Visitors snapped photos and marveled as the fish swam away.

It was fun, Em Jones said, describing the moment she helped release one of the sturgeon. I mean, we waited in line forever, but sturgeon are one of my favorite fish.

She explained that her fascination with sturgeon stems from their unique, prehistoric appearance.

I just think theyre neat. Theyre like dinosaur fish. Theyre so big. Especially the Beluga sturgeon out in Russia. Those things are huge.

Jones, who lives near the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, said she was inspired by seeing so many people gathered to celebrate the rivers recovery.

Seeing the amount of people was really cool, she said. Everyone seems excited about getting these fish back in their lakes and stuff. That was pretty cool.
Farmers mental health is under the spotlight in a new study, as researchers work directly with the farming community to improve support and resilience in an industry where suicide rates remain alarmingly high.

Poor mental health is now one of the most pressing crises facing agriculture. Long and physically demanding hours, the isolation of working in remote areas, and uncertainty around government subsidies are all factors linked to rising stress levels.

Between 2023 and 2024, 31 farmers died by suicide in England and Wales, with a further 29 deaths in the wider agricultural and fishing sector. Farming consistently records one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the UK.

Previous studies have shown stark gender differences: women in agriculture are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, while men are more likely to experience stigma around seeking help and are at greater risk of dying by suicide.

Now, Keele academics Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham and Dr Tamsin Fisher are leading a new study to change this. They aim to map the support mechanisms already available, identify barriers that stop farmers from seeking help, and explore how access to mental healthcare can be improved.

Dr Fisher, a research associate at Keele's School of Medicine, explained: We know that farmers and agricultural workers are not seeking formal help, particularly from primary care.

"With this study we want to understand more about what help they are seeking, and what mental healthcare looks like to these communities, and how can we support them to seek more appropriate help with their mental health.

She added that mental ill-health touches almost everyone: Almost everyone weve spoken to in the farming community as part of this research knows someone either personally or professionally that has been affected by mental health conditions like stress, anxiety, or depression, and many who know someone that has died by suicide.

The project is already engaging with farmers and rural healthcare professionals, such as community nurses, to assess what support exists and how it might be made more effective. Researchers are also calling for more farmers to come forward and share their experiences.

Graham Ashford, regional support officer for the Farming Community Network (FCN) and a co-investigator on the study, said the charitys mission is to provide practical and emotional support.

"Through the work of FCN we walk with people within our farming community, helping them to find a positive way forward through any issues or concerns. We want to see farmers navigate change and thrive, now and in the future.

The studys findings are expected to help shape future NHS policy and rural support services, ensuring that farmers and their families can access tailored mental health care that reflects the realities of agricultural life.
I grew up watching Rekha jis movies, seeing her in songs with Amit ji like Pardesiya from Mr Natwarlal (1979). I still remember in the song Ye ladki hai ya shola from the film Silsila (1981), Rekha ji takes a twirl and her paranda wraps itself over Amit jis shoulder. Ah! I thought that was truly the epitome of romance in the movies.



As fate would have it, I entered the Miss India contest and won it, and guess who crowned me? Rekha ji! I was gobsmacked. A few months down the line, I got a call from Mukul Anands office, and I ended up signing Sultanat (1986) and becoming a part of the movie business. I would then meet Rekha ji at events and film premieres. She was and is a quintessential star! She has such a regal presence; it is admirable how she carries herself. She is always meticulously put together, her gorgeous sarees, beautiful accessories, her dark tresses, cascading down to her waist. Shes a true Diva!

I had once sent her a gift on her birthday. She wrote back a letter thanking me. When I opened it, I was awestruck. Her handwriting is so beautiful, almost like calligraphy. I have preserved that letter of hers. Apart from the glitz and glamour, Ive experienced her empathy on many occasions in my life- both sad and happy. She has come home, reached out to me and comforted in some of the lowest phases of my life.
Over a decade after its original release, Suriyas action-packed drama Anjaan is returning to the big screen. Directed by N Lingusamy, the film originally hit theatres in August 2014 amid high expectations. While critics lauded Lingusamys stylish direction, the screenplay drew mixed responses, with many pointing to its uneven pacing and predictable plot.



A Second Look at Anjaan



Despite the lukewarm critical reception, Anjaan found a devoted audience on television, becoming a familiar comfort watch for fans who enjoyed its slick action sequences and Suriyas dual-role performance. Now, the producers, Thirrupathi Brothers have announced plans for a theatrical re-release with a re-edited cut. Details about what exactly will be changed remain under wraps, but the aim is reportedly to streamline the narrative and enhance the overall cinematic experience.



The Cast and Crew: A Star-Studded Ensemble



Anjaan features Suriya in two roles: Krishna, a man arriving in Mumbai searching for his estranged brother, Raju Bhai (also played by Suriya), a feared underworld figure. Samantha Ruth Prabhu stars opposite him as the female lead, while Vidyut Jammwal, Manoj Bajpayee, and Dalip Tahil round out a strong supporting cast.



On the technical side, the film brought together some of Tamil cinemas most celebrated names. Yuvan Shankar Raja composed the music, Santosh Sivan handled cinematography, and editor Anthony oversaw the final cut each contributing to the films high production values and visual flair.





What Fans Can Expect



While its not yet clear how extensive the re-edit will be, the re-release offers audiences a chance to rediscover Anjaan in a more streamlined form. By tightening the pacing and reworking the narrative flow, the film aims to provide a more engaging experience for both first-time viewers and longtime fans alike.



As the film prepares to make its comeback, expectations are high. Will this refreshed version finally deliver the perfect blend of action and storytelling that audiences had hoped for back in 2014? Only the theatres will tell.





Also Read: Anil Kapoor to Return to Telugu Cinema After 45 Years?


DONGGUAN, China, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- September 2025 marks vivo's 30th anniversary. Together with Fortune Magazine, vivo co-produced a short documentary, "Answer the Call", revealing how a user-oriented philosophy, market-by-market strategy and early bets on imaging and AI transformed it from landline OEM to global smartphone mainstay.

Three decades can witness the rise and fall of tech brands. vivo has already outlasted two technological cycles-and is now China's only phone brand to have thrived through the landline, feature phone and smartphone eras. Fortune asks what kept it alive. "We must focus on creating products that users truly need," said Hu Baishan, vivo's Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer.

In 2012, vivo X1, 6.55 mm thick and the first phone with a Hi-Fi chip, answered young consumers who wanted slim design and studio-grade music on the move. In 2020, the ZEISS partnership answered the shift to mobile photography, adding professional optics and colour science to the camera stack. User-oriented thinking also drives accessibility for all: AI features on current models help users with impairments to better hear and see.

Global growth follows the same rule. "First More Local, then More Global," Hu told Fortune, during his visit in Bangkok, Thailand. The "Four-Season Portrait" mode that adds snowfall to tropical street scenes is beloved in Thailand.

While Thailand is serving as the pilot for vivo's premium brand building, Indonesia also stands out as a model for local production and local talent empowerment. Indonesia's plant, built in 2015, operates on 80% local staff. Local engineers trained in China and now help scale complex tasks like the mass production of foldable phones locally.

By 2027, more than two-thirds of vivo phones will be sold outside China. The target is backed by a premium push. This October, the X300 and X300 Pro will be launched both in China and the global markets, bringing OriginOS to international users for the first time. Ahead of them, the limited-edition V60-co-styled with POP MART's Zsiga and armed with a 50 MP Super-Telephoto-has already lit up Gen-Z collectors across emerging markets.

At the anniversary event, vivo also introduced its first MR headset, vivo Vision Discovery Edition. "Our MR is a good intermediate carrier between smartphones and robots," Hu said. "Coupled with large-model capabilities, it effectively becomes the eyes and brain of future robots." The device will enter overseas concept stores for user feedback and further upgrades before commercial launch.

As vivo steps into its fourth decade, the company is poised to continue its trajectory. "First, we must clearly understand the future trends of industry development - what the right things to do are, then comes doing things right," Hu noted. Guided by the user-oriented philosophy, vivo continues to listen to the world, and answer the call of the future.

Watch the documentary film "Answer the Call" here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfgqURHtMl0

About vivo

vivo is a technology company that creates great products based on a design-driven value, with smart devices and intelligent services as its core. The company aims to build a bridge between humans and the digital world. Through unique creativity, vivo provides users with an increasingly convenient mobile and digital life. Following the company's core values, which include Benfen*, user-orientation, design-driven value, continuous learning and team spirit, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy with the vision of developing into a healthier, more sustainable world-class corporation.

While bringing together and developing the best local talents to deliver excellence, vivo is supported by a network of R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an and more cities, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, imaging system and other up-and-coming technologies. vivo has also set up an intelligent manufacturing network (including those authorized by vivo), with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 60 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 500 million users worldwide.

*"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right - which is the ideal description of vivo's mission to create value for society.

Stay informed of latest vivo news at https://www.vivo.com/en/about-vivo/news

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 9, 2025) - Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PX) (OTC Pink: PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that that it has closed the first tranche of its previously announced upsized non-brokered private placement (the "Offering").

The Company issued 19,236,668 common shares at a price of $0.18 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $3,462,600. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a four-month and one day hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and TSX Venture Exchange policies.

The Offering was increased from $4,000,000 to $4,500,000 as announced on September 24, 2025. Each Unit under the Offering consists of one common share and one half of a common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.31 for a period of two years from the initial closing date.

In connection with the closing of the First Tranche, the Company paid finder's fees to Clarus Securities Inc. and Ventum Financial Corp., each arm's length finders, consisting of an aggregate of $183,402 in cash and an aggregate of 1,018,901 non-transferrable warrants ("Finder Warrants"). Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.18 for a period of twenty-four months from the Initial Closing Date. All finder's fees are subject to compliance with applicable securities legislation and TSX Venture Exchange policies. The Private Placement remains subject to obtaining final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Pelangio

Pelangio acquires and explores prospective land packages located in world-class gold belts in Ghana, West Africa and Canada. In Ghana, the Company is focused on its two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km Manfo property, the site of eight near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km Obuasi property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine, as well as the Dankran property located adjacent to its Obuasi property. See www.pelangio.com for further details on all Pelangio's properties.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Offering, the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, and the Company's ability to complete the planned exploration programs. Regarding forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made many assumptions, including about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the risk that the Company might not be able to raise the entire Offering or any portion thereof, changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, near-term production may not be viable, delays due to COVID-19 or other safety protocols, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269931

SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc.
DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / October 9, 2025 / Messier 42 LLC ("M42"), a private leading global artificial intelligence technology and digital transformation company, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a minority interest in Epirus, a high-growth technology company dedicated to overcoming the asymmetric challenges inherent to the future of national security.

This investment highlights M42's achievements and broad applicability with Psychometric AI and Epirus' continued innovation in defense technology through the Leonidas family of solid-state, software-defined, high-power microwave (HPM) systems built to counter evolving electronic threats, starting with the Counter-UAS mission.

The agreement is subject to certain conditions precedent and is expected to close before the end of the year.

About M42

M42 is a global leader in technology solutions and digital transformation, providing innovative services across various industries. As a syndicate leveraging AI for justice, truth and fairness, M42 combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity to drive growth and efficiency for its clients worldwide.

About Epirus

Epirus is a high-growth technology company dedicated to overcoming the asymmetric challenges inherent to the future of national security. Epirus' flagship technology, Leonidas, is a software defined, energy-based high-power microwave platform, built using intelligent power management techniques which allow power-hungry systems to do more with less. For more information on Epirus' solutions or to request an interview with subject matter experts, please contact media@epirusinc.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, including those related to the services provided by M42 and Epirus and the consummation of the agreement, are statements that are based on current expectations as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management as of that time with respect to future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond M42's control. Except as required by law, M42 does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

M42 Contacts

Matthew Selinger, Senior Partner

Integrous Communications

Email: mselinger@integcom.us

Phone: 415-572-8152

Website: https://m42.com/

Visit us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m42ai/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m42_ai_/

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SOURCE: M42

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/m42-announces-an-agreement-to-acquire-stake-in-drone-defense-comp-1085339
BEIJING, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), China's most prestigious and renowned art academy, has introduced an AI-powered chatbot on its CAFA Global website (global.cafa.edu.cn), becoming the first art academy in China to leverage artificial intelligence for international communication. Powered by DeepSeek's model and customized with CAFA's own knowledge base, the chatbot is available 24/7 to assist users worldwide with information searches, admissions queries, data analysis, and more.

This move marks a further step in CAFA's ongoing commitment to international engagement and digital innovation. The AI assistant transforms the global website from a traditional information hub into a dynamic, interactive platform, creating a more accessible experience for students, educators, and art institutions across the globe. It represents a shift from one-way information delivery to intelligent user interaction, aligning with global trends in education technology.

The CAFA Global website was first launched in October 2023 and has since served as an essential gateway for international audiences to explore CAFA's legacy, academic strengths, and vibrant campus culture. Designed with contemporary aesthetics and user experience in mind, the platform offers content in English that spans from faculty introductions and research highlights to exhibitions, cultural exchanges, and global cooperation projects.

"The launch of our AI chatbot reflects CAFA's forward-looking approach and marks a new step in the digital transformation of art education," said Lin Mao, President of Central Academy of Fine Arts. "It expands global access to our diverse academic resources and demonstrates China's growing influence in integrating technology and the arts."

As AI technology reshapes communication, CAFA is setting a new standard for how educational institutions engage with the world. The launch of the CAFA Global AI chatbot is only the beginning of a broader effort to foster deeper cultural exchange and educational connectivity through digital means.

About the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA)

The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) is China's top fine arts institution under the Ministry of Education. With 14 specialized schools spanning painting, design, architecture, and art technology, CAFA offers programs from secondary to doctoral levels. Home to over 6,000 students and 1,000 faculty, the academy blends Chinese cultural heritage with global vision, earning international recognition for its academic excellence and innovation in art education. For more information, please visit global.cafa.edu.cn.

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TOKYO, Oct 10, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - Anime Tokyo Station is an anime exhibition site focused on Japanese anime content, which has developed a devout fan base around the world. Under the motto, "Make ANIME more interesting, Bringing ANIME far into the future," it regularly hosts special exhibitions for popular anime and attracts 214,731 visitors (as of September 15, 2025) from both Japan and overseas as a facility that communicates the appeal of Japanese anime to the world.Anime Tokyo Station has been holding a special exhibition from August 2025 for the TV anime "SPYxFAMILY", a series popular not just in Japan but the entire world, in anticipation of its third season which is scheduled to begin broadcast in October.Two new designs will be added to the illustration cards, which are distributed as an admission bonus. The second design of illustration cards to be distributed from September 27 (Sat.) to October 17 (Fri.) is based on key visuals from Season 3 of the TV anime with the adorable Anya in the center. The third design of illustration cards is scheduled to be distributed from October 18 (Sat.) to November 9 (Sun.)*The third design will be posted on the official website and social media accounts of Anime Tokyo Station once it is finalized.Additionally, meet-and-greet events with Anya have been confirmed for October 26 (Sun.), which will be limited to 20 persons per session. Here, participants will be able to take commemorative photos as a memory of their time with the adorable Anya. Applications to attend the events are scheduled to become accessible on September 22 (Mon.)We invite you to visit Anime Tokyo Station and fully enjoy the world of TV anime "SPYxFAMILY" and the appeal of its characters.Visit the page below for more information on the TV anime "SPYxFAMILY" Special Exhibition.https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000019.000017625.htmlIllustration card distribution periods2nd design: September 27 (Sat.) to October 17 (Fri.)3rd design: October 18 (Sat.) to November 9 (Sun.)*The third design will be posted on the official website and social media accounts of Anime Tokyo Station once it is finalized.Meet-and-greet detailsSchedule: October 26, 2025 (Sun.)Times: 12:00 to 12:20 p.m., 2:00 to 2:20 p.m., 4:00 to 4:20 p.m.Venue: 1st floor, Anime Tokyo StationNo. of participants: One group of 20 persons per sessionApplication date: From September 22 (Mon.), 2025Application URL:https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sjllvYMzeUKeqQjbSWgenOWI7el10bNKtCCrxh_eAeZUOENOV0VJTFdPTTZXQTBRQjhXVVk5UDA0QS4uNotes:- Date, time, and contents are subject to change.- Please fill in the application after reading and understanding the notes on the application page.Exhibition Overview- Exhibition Title: TV Anime "SPYxFAMILY" Special Exhibition- Exhibition Period: August 16, 2025 (Sat) to November 9, 2025 (Sun)- Location: Anime Tokyo Station (also known as "Anime Tokyo")Floors B1 to 2F of Tokyu East 5 (2-25-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo)*4 minutes on foot from Ikebukuro Station- Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last admission: 6:45 p.m. last admission for special exhibitions: 6:30 p.m.)- Closed: Mondays*If Monday falls on a holiday, the venue will be open on Monday and closed on the following dayNew Year's holiday periodMay be closed on other daysPlease check the venue website before coming.- Admission fee: Free- Website: https://animetokyo.jp/en/- SNS:X | https://x.com/animetokyo_info (@animetokyo_info)Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/animetokyostation/ (@animetokyostation)YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSJOjGJE5Yiqw3PZ97AVdJwInquiries regarding this press releasePublic Relations Office of "Anime Tokyo Station" (Kyodo PR)Contact person: Miri YasudaE-mail: animetokyo-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jpPress release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20251010.pdfSource: Anime Tokyo StationCopyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
MUMBAI, India, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ACES India, a fully owned subsidiary of ACES (Saudi Arabia), has partnered with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to deploy advanced 4G and 5G In-Building Solutions (IBS) across the Mumbai Metro Aqua Line-3 - a key milestone in the state's digital infrastructure development.

The announcement came on a landmark day for India's infrastructure and connectivity growth, which also witnessed the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the launch of the Mumbai One App - "One App, Limitless Journeys", and the opening of Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ), Phase 2B, from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, in the presence of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The collaboration between ACES India and BSNL will cover the entire 33.5 km underground corridor, including 27 stations and associated tunnel networks, ensuring uninterrupted, high-speed mobile connectivity for millions of daily commuters. This marks BSNL's first-ever deployment of an advanced IBS system in a metro project in Maharashtra, setting a benchmark for future urban transit connectivity across the state.

Dr. Akram Aburas, Group CEO, ACES, added:

"This collaboration with BSNL is a milestone in India's digital infrastructure journey. ACES India is leading the way in extending next-generation connectivity to urban transit systems, supporting the broader vision of a connected India."

Mr. Mohammed N. Mazher, Managing Director, ACES India, said:

"We are proud to partner with BSNL for this landmark project - our first metro IBS deployment in Maharashtra. As a fully owned subsidiary of ACES, Saudi Arabia, we bring global expertise and local execution strength to transform how connectivity integrates with urban mobility."

Mr. Harinder Kumar Makkar, Chief General Manager, BSNL Maharashtra Telecom Circle, said:

"This partnership with ACES India marks a significant milestone in BSNL's commitment to expanding next-generation telecom infrastructure in high-density urban environments. The Aqua Line-3 IBS rollout will set new standards for underground connectivity and public service delivery."

The signing ceremony witnessed the presence of senior officials from both organizations, including Dr. Akram Aburas - Group CEO, ACES, Mr. Mohammed N. Mazher - Managing Director, ACES India, Mr. Suresh Kumar - Commercial Director, ACES India, Shri Harinder Kumar Makkar - CGM, BSNL Maharashtra Circle, and Smt. Vandana Sethi - PGM (CFA), BSNL, Sh. Vinod kumar Dwivedi - GM( CM), BSNL, along with key dignitaries from BSNL and ACES India.

The IBS deployment on Aqua Line-3 represents a major milestone for ACES India as it expands its footprint in India's smart mobility and telecom infrastructure sectors. The project also underscores BSNL's leadership in enabling next-generation connectivity within India's most advanced metro systems.

About ACES India | ACES India, a fully owned subsidiary of ACES (Saudi Arabia), is a technology-driven engineering and digital transformation firm delivering advanced telecom infrastructure and connectivity solutions. The company focuses on integrating digital innovation into India's smart mobility, transport, and infrastructure ecosystems, bringing global expertise to local implementation.

About ACES |ACES, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, is a global engineering and digital transformation company delivering technology-led infrastructure, automation, and connectivity solutions across multiple sectors. The firm partners with governments and enterprises worldwide to create sustainable and future-ready ecosystems.

About BSNL | Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a Government of India enterprise under the Department of Telecommunications, is one of India's leading telecommunications service providers. BSNL offers mobile, broadband, fiber, and enterprise connectivity services and continues to play a key role in advancing India's digital transformation and rural connectivity initiatives.

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Hangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - On October 9th, DEEP Robotics, a leader in innovative technologies and applications for embodied intelligence, officially launched its new generation of industrial-grade humanoid robot-DR02. As the world's first humanoid robot with an IP66 protection rating and capable of adapting to all-weather outdoor operations, it integrates strong motion performance, advanced intelligent perception, a high-computing-power unit, and a modular design. It aims to break through environmental limitations, provide reliable and efficient intelligent solutions for various industrial scenarios such as security patrols and factory operations, and redefine the application boundaries of industrial-grade humanoid robots.

The Entire Robot is Waterproof and Dustproof, Meeting the Needs of All-Weather Outdoor Operation Scenarios

As the world's first industrial-grade all-weather humanoid robot, the core breakthrough of DEEP Robotics DR02 lies in its IP66-rated waterproof and dustproof capability for the entire machine. Combined with a wide operating temperature range of -20C to 55C, the DR02 humanoid robot can seamlessly transition between dry factories and outdoor rainy environments, low-temperature cold storage facilities and high-temperature workshops, truly achieving "all-weather, all-time, all-scenario" continuous operation. This capability makes DR02 the world's first full-size humanoid robot that can adapt to complex environments such as outdoor rain, humidity, and dust, overcoming the core pain point in the industry where "industrial-grade robots cannot operate due to environmental constraints" in complex scenarios. It is particularly suitable for industry scenarios that require task execution in variable outdoor environments, such as security patrols and factory operations.

High Motion Performance, Adapting to Diverse Scenario Application Environments

To maximize adaptation to existing human work scenarios, DEEP Robotics' DR02 humanoid robot adopts a highly human-like design. With a height of 175cm and an arm length of 68cm, it is close to the standard body type of an adult male, making it more compatible with tools and workspaces used in daily human operations. In terms of motion capability, DR02 has achieved stable movement across a variety of basic complex terrains. A standard walking speed of 1.5m/s aligns with the rhythm of human-robot collaborative operations, while a maximum speed of 4m/s can meet the needs of emergency tasks. It can stably climb continuous stairs with a height of 20cm and navigate 20 slopes. Combined with advanced motion control algorithms, it can easily handle application environments such as warehouse shelf areas and outdoor work sites. Its dual arms have an operating load capacity of 10kg, and the entire robot has a carrying capacity of 20kg-sufficient to handle practical operational tasks such as cargo handling and emergency equipment delivery.

Modular Quick-Detach Design + High Development Computing Power, Ensuring Operation & Maintenance and Intelligent Evolution

To ensure long-term value and efficient operation & maintenance (O&M) in industrial applications, DR02 innovatively adopts a modular quick-detach and quick-replace design. Its core components such as forearms, entire arms, and entire legs support quick detachment and replacement, and the left/right arm and leg modules are universal. This greatly improves maintenance efficiency, reduces O&M costs and downtime, and provides solid support for continuous operation scenarios.

In terms of intelligent configuration, DR02 is equipped with a computing unit with a computing power of 275 TOPS, which provides strong momentum for real-time data processing and complex task decision-making, enabling it to respond quickly to environmental changes. A multi-sensor system consisting of a LiDAR, a depth camera, and a wide-angle camera builds a powerful perceptual computing platform, enabling it to accurately identify obstacles and plan optimal paths. This set of high-performance hardware configuration not only supports DR02 in dealing with diverse and complex operations but also enables it to gradually unlock more advanced intelligence through subsequent software iterations, realizing the long-term value of "becoming smarter with use" and continuously expanding the application possibilities of more scenarios.

As the world's first all-weather industrial-grade humanoid robot, the launch of DEEP Robotics' DR02 fills the gap in humanoid robot operations in complex outdoor environments, bringing brand-new intelligent solutions to industries such as security patrols and factory operations. As a company deeply rooted in industrial applications, DEEP Robotics will also vigorously promote the implementation of this new humanoid robot in more scenarios, empower the intelligent upgrading of more industries, and inject innovative momentum into the development and application of the global humanoid robot industry.

Amid the wave of accelerated industrialization of embodied intelligence, the environmental adaptability and practical implementation value of humanoid robots have become the key to breakthroughs in the industry. Currently, mainstream products on the market "struggle to perform" when faced with real working environments such as outdoor rain, humid dust, and day-night temperature differences, hindering the progress of practical implementation. However, this major pain point in the industry has been completely addressed by DEEP Robotics.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269944

SOURCE: China Newswire
Partners will advance end-to-end development of biologics for regionally prioritized diseases starting with Mpox and HIV

CAIRO, EGYPT; BERLIN, GERMANY; AND NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, based in New York, U.S.; Minapharm, the largest biosimilars manufacturer in Africa, based in Cairo, Egypt; and ProBioGen, a recognized leader in contract development and manufacturing, and a trusted technology provider based in Berlin, Germany today announced a strategic partnership to advance the end-to-end development and manufacturing of priority vaccines and biologics in Africa.

With only one percent of the vaccines serving the African market produced on the continent, there is a pressing need to strengthen innovation and expand local manufacturing capacities to better meet the region's health challenges. Through a novel public-private partnership, these three organizations will work together to bolster the innovation ecosystem on the continent and enable sustainable access to urgently-needed products.

Combining Minapharm's 25 year proven track record in manufacturing and commercializing high-quality, innovative yet affordable biologics on the African continent; ProBioGen's vaccine vector, avian cell line and manufacturing technologies; and IAVI's end-to-end product development expertise, the partners will leverage their complementary strengths to accelerate the development of ProBioGen's Modified Vaccinia Ankara vaccine against Mpox. The vaccine is being optimized for manufacturing productivity, immunogenicity, and ease of delivery, with the aim of overcoming cost, supply, and implementation barriers that have severely restricted access in regions most impacted by recent Mpox outbreaks.

Building on Minapharm's established monoclonal antibody (mAb) production capabilities and IAVI's history of partnership to support local manufacturing, the three organizations will join forces to further expand the existing regional manufacturing hub for affordable mAbs. The partnership relies on IAVI's strong collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; the Wellcome Trust, who is providing support through grant 226431/Z/22/Z; and other partners. This initiative will be enabled through technology transfer of IAVI's portfolio of antibody-based products for HIV prevention, combined with joint capacity-strengthening, market-shaping efforts, and future collaborations to expand access to a broader range of monoclonal and multispecific antibodies. By expanding regionally driven innovation and supply for priority products, this partnership- which has been convened with support by the kENUP Africa Foundation-- will strengthen health security, bolster production capacity, and enable rapid response capabilities to address leading infectious diseases at their source.

"We are thrilled to launch this new partnership with Minapharm and ProBioGen, which represents a potentially transformative opportunity to accelerate the development of urgently needed innovations to address diseases with devastating and disproportionate impact in Africa," said Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., IAVI's President and CEO. "This pioneering collaboration will ensure access to cutting-edge innovations like antibodies for HIV prevention and innovative vaccine strategies for emerging infectious diseases such as Mpox - by expanding the capacity to research, develop, and produce those products in the region where they are most needed."

"By combining our decades of expertise in end-to-end biomanufacturing on the continent, with ProBioGen's bioprocessing excellence, and IAVI's strong global product development leadership, we are creating an intercontinental scientific platform to scale innovation and ensure equitable access to innovative therapies and vaccines for Africa," said Dr. Shaheer Bardissi, Ph.D., Co-CEO, Minapharm Pharmaceuticals.

"It has always been our vision to enable access to complex biologics in the MEA region while strengthening regional and local manufacturing capabilities. We are proud to contribute our expertise as well as our vaccine and antibody manufacturing technologies to this alliance and to support exactly where it matters most," said Dr. Volker Sandig, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at ProBioGen.

"Africa continues to face significant challenges in accessing monoclonal antibodies due to the lack of affordable, equitable, and sustainable supply. This partnership represents an important step forward in expanding access to mAbs and vaccines for the African continent. Africa CDC stands ready to support Member States in accessing these products through the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM)," said H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

About Minapharm

Minapharm Pharmaceuticals is a leading pharmaceutical company in Egypt and the Middle East and the premier biopharmaceutical company in Africa with over 20 years of experience in cellular and bioprocess engineering. Headquartered in Cairo, Minapharm commercializes over 100 life-saving and life-enhancing products ranging from small molecules to complex genetically-engineered proteins, with an impressive immunotherapy pipeline. Together with its wholly owned Berlin-based subsidiary, ProBioGen AG, Minapharm has established an integrated business model making it to-date the only gene-to-market biopharmaceutical company in the region. Minapharm employs a collective workforce of over 1400 and is listed on the Cairo and Alexandria stock exchange (Symbol: MIPH).

About ProBioGen

ProBioGen is a Berlin-based specialist for developing and manufacturing biopharmaceutical active ingredients, viral vectors and vaccines. The company applies proprietary technologies to enhance product quality and functionality across both recombinant protein therapeutics and complex virus-based modalities. Its integrated CDMO services span cell line and vector design, process development, GMP manufacturing, and advanced analytics - all embedded in a robust quality management system compliant with EMA/FDA standards. Platforms such as CHO.RiGHT  for protein expression and AGE1.CR  cell lines for viral vector production enable clients to accelerate development while ensuring consistency and scalability. With nearly 300 employees at two Berlin sites and over 30 years of experience, ProBioGen supports partners worldwide in delivering the next generation of biologics and gene therapies. For more information about ProBioGen, follow us on LinkedIn .

About IAVI

IAVI is a non-profit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing global, unmet health challenges including HIV and TB. Its mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health tools. Read more at iavi.org .

ProBioGen Press Contact:

Sarah Wandrey

press@probiogen.de

Minapharm Media Contact:

Christina Azmy

cazmy@minapharm.com

(+2) (02) 24143170

IAVI Media Contact:

Heather Teixeira

HTeixeira@iavi.org

SOURCE: IAVI

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/iavi-minapharm-and-probiogen-announce-memorandum-of-understanding-to-1085095
HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Finland's industrial production declined for the third straight month in August, figures from Statistics Finland showed on Friday. Industrial output dropped 0.2 percent year-over-year in August, much slower than the 5.3 percent decrease in July, which was the fastest decrease since May 2024. The overall decline was mainly due to a 2.3 percent contraction in the utility sector output and a 1.0 percent fall in the mining and quarrying production. On the other hand, output produced in the electrical and electronics industry grew 12.2 percent annually in August. The metal industry expanded 4.2 percent, and manufacturing output was 2.8 percent higher. On a monthly basis, industrial production recovered strongly by 2.6 percent versus a 1.9 percent drop in July. 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.
CAIRO, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Foundever, a global leader in customer experience (CX) solutions, celebrated the opening of its new contact center in Luxor, marking the company's first offshore CX hub in Upper Egypt.

The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, alongside Laurent Uberti, Group CEO, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Foundever; Benedita Miranda, COO EMEA; Mina Wahba, Country Leader for Egypt; and Ahmed El Zaher, CEO of ITIDA.

The new site launches with 200 seats and will expand to 400 full-time employees by December 2026. This is part of the company's wider plan to create 5,000 new jobs in Egypt within the next three years, reinforcing Egypt's position as a global destination for CX and IT offshoring.

Foundever already operates in Cairo through sites in Maadi Technology Park and City Stars Business Complex, where the company achieved 115% growth last year. Today, it supports 15 global clients in 14 languages, underscoring Egypt's strength as a hub for multilingual outsourcing.

By locating its first Upper Egypt hub in Luxor, Foundever is tapping into the region's talent pool, creating career paths closer to home for young professionals and contributing to the social and economic development of surrounding communities.

The opening of the Luxor hub marks a significant step in the Foundever journey to integrate practical AI solutions into every customer experience. Foundever empowers associates in Luxor to work smarter, faster and with greater confidence, delivering simple, seamless and human-centered experiences at scale.

Foundever combines innovative technologies such as conversational AI, customized language models and agentic AI automation to elevate the capabilities of every associate. This human-driven approach accelerates transformation, enhances productivity and ensures that every interaction delivers more value for customers and for teams.

"Egypt has proven to be one of our most dynamic growth markets," said Laurent Uberti. "Launching our first hub in Upper Egypt reflects our confidence in the region's incredible potential - its people, talent and spirit of innovation. Luxor will play a key role in driving our global vision for the future of customer experience."

"The opening of this new center in Luxor highlights Egypt's momentum as an outsourcing hub, expanding digital career opportunities to Upper Egypt's youth," said Dr. Amr Talaat.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Li-FT Power Ltd. (TSXV: LIFT) (OTCQX: LIFFF) (FSE: WS0) ("LIFT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the 2025 Environmental Baseline Studies Program (the "Program") for the Yellowknife Lithium Project (the "Project") is largely complete. The conclusion of the Program is a significant milestone for the Project, marking the successful completion of the first of two years of seasonal baseline data that are required for advanced permitting activities, including Environmental Assessment. Data from the Program will also inform mine planning activities, including economic studies.

The Program was led by Det'on Cho Environmental, an Indigenous-owned environmental services firm owned by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, under the direction of LIFT and in close collaboration with the Company's management and technical teams. The Program focused on areas immediately adjacent to known pegmatite dykes and potential infrastructure locations, including areas that may be located upstream, downstream, and downwind of potential project activities (Figure 1).





Figure 1 - Location of LIFT's Yellowknife Lithium Project and baseline data collection study area.

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The Program was aimed at characterising existing conditions in the aquatic, atmospheric, terrestrial, and human environments in the Project area using approaches grounded in the scientific method and Indigenous knowledge:

Aquatic - The program included bathymetry, hydrology, hydrogeology, and water quality surveys as well as fish and aquatic habitat assessments. Field programs occurred on an approximately monthly basis from April to September.

Atmospheric - The program included noise, vibration, and light surveys and air quality and meteorological monitoring. Noise, vibration, and light surveys were conducted in late summer. Air quality and meteorological monitoring began in the summer and will continue year-round going forward.

Terrestrial - The program included vegetation, soils, terrain, permafrost, host rock geochemistry, and wildlife programs. Field programs were conducted between May and September. Laboratory analyses and wildlife camera programs are ongoing.

Human - Initial programs focused on heritage resources, land and resource use, and Indigenous Knowledge integration and will grow over time.

The Program built on data collected in 2023 and 2024 as well as extensive historical records from the region, which has been well studied due to its proximity to Yellowknife and long history of mineral exploration and mining. Future programs will be refined in close collaboration with local Indigenous communities and regulatory authorities, building on previous engagement in 2024 and 2025, and Program outcomes to date.

April Hayward, CSO of LIFT, comments, "The safe and successful completion of our first full year of seasonal environmental baseline data collection is a significant achievement and an important milestone for the Project. This work will provide the foundation for informed, responsible decision-making as we continue to advance the Project through mine planning, economic studies, and Environmental Assessment. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our Indigenous partners and remain committed to working closely and collaboratively with local communities and regulatory agencies to ensure we gather the data and information we need to support responsible development."

Investor Relations Engagements

The Company further announces it has entered into a media services contract (the "FFR Agreement") with Freedom Financial Research, LLC ("FFR"). Pursuant to the terms of the FFR Agreement, FFR will, among other items, provide the Company with marketing services, which includes social media management, content creation, distribution, digital marketing, and any other marketing services as agreed upon by the Company and FFR (the "FFR Services") for distribution by email. The FFR Agreement has a term of 30 days, commencing upon launch. The Company will make a one-time payment to FFR of US$100,000, as consideration for the Services. Christopher Carroll will be providing the FFR Services to the Company on behalf of FFR and may be contacted at (504) 236-4725 or chris@freedomfinancialresearch.com, 435 Merchant Walk Square, Ste 300-64, Charlottesville 22902. The Company will not issue any securities to FFR as compensation. Both Christopher Carroll and FFR are arm's length to the Company and do not have any interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or its securities nor do they have any right to acquire such an interest.

About LIFT

LIFT is a mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium pegmatite projects located in Canada. The Company's flagship project is the Yellowknife Lithium Project located in Northwest Territories, Canada. LIFT also holds three early-stage exploration properties in Quebec, Canada with excellent potential for the discovery of buried lithium pegmatites, as well as the Cali Project in Northwest Territories within the Little Nahanni Pegmatite Group.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This press release contains forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release.

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors" in the Company's latest annual information form filed on March 21, 2025, which is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269908

SOURCE: Li-FT Power Ltd.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK permanent job placements declined at a softer pace and candidate supply increased sharply amid falling demand for staff in September, monthly data from S&P Global showed Friday. Permanent staff appointments dropped at the weakest pace in a year in September. That said, employers were hesitant to take on new workers due to weaker economic conditions and cost concerns, the KPMG/REC Report on Jobs said. Meanwhile, temp billings dropped at a solid pace that was faster than in August. Starting pay for permanent workers grew at the slowest pace in the current sequence of rise that began just over four-and-a-half years ago. Temp pay growth also slowed in September. Data showed that overall vacancies continued to drop but the rate of contraction eased only slightly from August's six-month record. There was a sharp increase in the availability of workers in September. This was linked to reduced recruitment activity and redundancies. The supply of both permanent and temporary staff increased at softer rates. 'We can hope that the jobs market and the economy may be moving towards calmer water, but falling vacancies is a reminder that what is really needed is a shot of confidence in the wider economy to get things going,' added Carberry. KPMG Group Chief Executive and UK Senior Partner Jon Holt said, 'With very little positive news out there on the economy in recent months, and lots of speculation about the Budget, it is understandable that employers are cautious with their hiring.' 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.
The business has promoted Sales Director Camilla O'Leary to Director of Client Management and has announced two new sales roles; a Director of Hyperscale Sales and an additional Sales Director based in Norway

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- atNorth, the leading Nordic high-density colocation and built-to-suit data center provider, has announced changes to its sales team in response to a continual increase in demand for its high density, responsibly operated data centers.

The data center industry is undergoing a major transformation, driven by soaring demand for AI-ready infrastructure and a growing awareness of environmental responsibility. In such a fast-moving landscape, agility in service offerings and client relationship management are essential.

To meet these evolving needs, atNorth has further strengthened its sales team with key changes designed to ensure clients continue to receive the cutting-edge facilities and services they require.

Camilla O'Leary - Director of Client Management

Camilla joined atNorth in February 2024 as Sales Director, Denmark & DACH. Her proven expertise in nurturing relationships and building strong partnerships has fueled her move to lead client management across the business. She will be responsible for inter-departmental collaboration to ensure company services align with customer goals and driving client expansion. Prior to joining atNorth, O'Leary held a number of senior positions at infrastructure and networking businesses that honed her ability to successfully manage multiple stakeholders at a global level.

Camilla joined atNorth in February 2024 as Sales Director, Denmark & DACH. Her proven expertise in nurturing relationships and building strong partnerships has fueled her move to lead client management across the business. She will be responsible for inter-departmental collaboration to ensure company services align with customer goals and driving client expansion. Prior to joining atNorth, O'Leary held a number of senior positions at infrastructure and networking businesses that honed her ability to successfully manage multiple stakeholders at a global level. Howard Shutt - Director of Hyperscale Sales

Howard is responsible for driving new sales and revenue growth for hyperscaler businesses. Bringing a breadth of knowledge from roles at Green Mountain, Digital Realty and KevlinX data center businesses, Howard understands the unique technical and business requirements of hyperscalers and is ideally positioned to agree solutions that benefit the particular nuances of these businesses.

Howard is responsible for driving new sales and revenue growth for hyperscaler businesses. Bringing a breadth of knowledge from roles at Green Mountain, Digital Realty and KevlinX data center businesses, Howard understands the unique technical and business requirements of hyperscalers and is ideally positioned to agree solutions that benefit the particular nuances of these businesses. Espen Bjanes - Sales Director

Espen will play a pivotal role in securing new clients with high performance and AI requirements, driving new sales and revenue growth in this customer segment as part of atNorth's ongoing expansion plans. His extensive experience at Green Mountain, Tata Consultancy Services and banking platform Tieto (now Tietoevry), brings expert industry knowledge and a robust sales strategy that make him ideally suited to building new business opportunities and negotiating complex agreements.

As atNorth continues to experience rising demand for its responsible high performance data centers, its commitment to bolstering its leadership team ensures the business benefits from deep expertise and relevant strategic insights as a framework for future success.

"Our fast paced industry requires incredible expertise on the ground to ensure a nimble and knowledgeable approach to rapidly evolving customer needs," says Anders Fryxell, CSO, atNorth. "By bolstering our sales team, we can continue to scale our business in the right way and enhance our deep-rooted, long-term relationships with our clients."

The news follows a number of other recent strategic appointments including, Janne Sigurdsson, Chief Sustainability and Compliance Officer, Bjarki Bjornsson, Director of Funding and Treasury, Axel Gunnlaugsson, Director of IT, Jon Mckey, Nordic Operations Engineering Director , Cora Olsen, Director of Sustainability, Marie Ekstrom, Director of People & Culture, Charlotte Ware as Design Director, Chris Larsen as Chief Technical Officer and Jack Bolja as Excellence Director.

About atNorth

atNorth is the leading Nordic data center company specializing in scalable high-density colocation and built-to-suit facilities that meet the unique needs of today's AI and high performance workloads.

With more than 15 years of proven expertise, atNorth delivers secure, flexible and sustainable infrastructure, powered entirely by renewable energy and benefitting from advanced cooling technologies, including several Direct Liquid Cooling and Direct to Chip installations.

By combining operational excellence and a commitment to environmental responsibility with trusted customer relationships that enable rapid scalability, atNorth empowers businesses to grow while minimizing their environmental impact.

Headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, atNorth operates eight data centers across strategic Nordic locations, with a site to open in Ballerup, Denmark in 2025, as well as its tenth under construction in Kouvola, Finland and its eleventh site in Varde Municipality, Denmark. The business has also secured land for a future mega site in the Solleftea Municipality in Sweden.

For more information, visit atNorth.com or follow atNorth on LinkedIn.

Press Contact:

Caroline Brunton

Kite Hill PR for atNorth

+44 (0) 7796 274 416

caroline@kitehillpr.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/atnorth/r/new-sales-leadership-appointments-reflect-atnorth-s-continued-growth-across-the-nordics,c4248292

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks were mixed on Friday, with deepening concerns about an AI bubble and renewed worries about the political situation in France keeping investors on edge. French President Emmanuel Macron has called a meeting of the country's mainstream political parties today ahead of a self-imposed deadline to name a new prime minister. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was marginally lower at 571.20 after falling 0.4 percent on Thursday. The German DAX edged up marginally, and France's CAC 40 rose 0.3 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.2 percent. U.K. permanent job placements declined at a softer pace and candidate supply increased sharply amid falling demand for staff in September, monthly data from S&P Global showed. Permanent staff appointments dropped at the weakest pace in a year in September. Temp billings dropped at a solid pace that was faster than in August. In corporate news, Danish insurer Tryg fell 1 percent after reporting a drop in Q3 earnings. Automotive manufacturing giant Stellantis NV rallied nearly 2 percent on reporting a 13 percent increase in Q3 2025 shipments. Ibstock plunged 9 percent after the British brickmaker issued a second profit warning for 2025. Recruitment firm Hays soared 4 percent despite reporting an 8 percent fall in first-quarter like-for-like net fees and warning of a tough year ahead. 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.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil extended losses on Friday after falling more than 1 percent in the previous session amid cooling tensions in the Middle East. Benchmark Brent crude futures dipped 0.4 percent to $64.96 a barrel in European trade, while WTI crude futures were down 0.4 percent at $61.28. The oil market's risk premium faded as Israel's government ratified a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas overnight, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours. Once Israel has withdrawn, Hamas will have 72 hours to release all Israeli hostages as Israel releases Palestinian detainees. Hamas's exiled Gaza leader, Khalil al Hayya, has issued a statement following the signing of the ceasefire deal. 'We have reached an agreement to end the war against our people,' he said. Analysts said the peace process in the Middle East will help ease fears about crude carriers passing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Elsewhere, Russia carried out a large-scale attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, in the wee hours of Friday, plunging the city into darkness. Ukraine's Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk confirmed the attack and said Russian forces were striking energy sites in the country and crews were working to reduce the effect of the strikes. 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.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada, is pleased to announce the signing of a franchise agreement for the city of Barrie, Ontario. This is the second franchise agreement Heal Wellness has signed this week. Heal Wellness ("Heal") is a quick-service restaurant ("QSR") specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies.

Happy Belly 1

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"Barrie represents an exceptional market for Heal Wellness," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly. "With its rapidly growing population, strong family demographics, and a vibrant, health-conscious community, the city aligns perfectly with Heal's mission to deliver quick, fresh, and nutritious food options to active Canadians. The signing of this new franchise agreement further demonstrates the strength of our scalable, asset-light business model and the continued confidence our franchise partners have in the Heal brand.

"Home to Georgian College, one of Ontario's largest and most active college campuses, Barrie boasts a thriving student population that embraces wellness, convenience, and better-for-you dining options. The presence of thousands of health-conscious students and young professionals makes the city an ideal environment for Heal Wellness, where nutritious, energizing meals fit perfectly into their fast-paced, active lifestyles."

Happy Belly 2

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"Situated just north of the Greater Toronto Area, Barrie is one of Ontario's fastest-growing cities-home to young professionals, families, and students who value convenience, quality, and healthy eating. Its proximity to cottage country and its year-round recreational culture make it a dynamic market for wellness-driven food concepts. The new Heal Wellness franchise location will serve as a go-to destination for both residents and visitors seeking refreshing, better-for-you meal options.

"Heal Wellness continues to accelerate its coast-to-coast expansion, further solidifying its growing position as Canada's leading smoothie bowl and wellness QSR brand. This latest franchise signing underscores Happy Belly's disciplined, asset-light approach to growth, attracting strong franchise operators and securing premium markets across the country. With 27 locations currently open and over 168 in development, Heal Wellness continues to gain momentum nationwide through consistent franchise growth and strategic real estate execution."

Happy Belly Food Group now has 626 contractually committed retail franchise locations across its portfolio of emerging brands-including Heal Wellness, Rosie's Burgers, Yolks Breakfast, Via Cibo Italian Street Food, and others-in various stages of development, construction, and operation nationwide.

"We are just getting started," added Sean Black.

Closing of Heal Wellness Transaction

The Company announces that, further to its news release of October 2, 2025, it has closed the acquisition of the remaining 50% ownership interest of Heal Lifestyle Inc. ("Heal Wellness") (the "Transaction"). In connection with the Transaction, the Company acquired 200 common shares of 1000193142 Ontario Inc., ("JVCo") from the shareholders of the Heal Wellness ("Vendors") for an aggregate purchase price of $3,896,948 CDN (the "Purchase Price"). The Purchase Price was settled through (a) the transfer of an aggregate of 2,777,777 previously issued common shares of the Company (the "HBFG Shares") held by JVCo to the Vendors and (b) the issuance of an aggregate of 613,469 HBFG Shares from treasury to the Vendors, which are subject to restrictions on resale until the date which is four-months and one day from the closing date of the Transaction. Upon closing of the Transaction, both JVCo and the Heal operating entity became wholly owned subsidiaries of Happy Belly.

About Heal Wellness

Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.



Franchising

For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com.



About Happy Belly Food Group

Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada.

Happy Belly 3



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Sean Black

Chief Executive Officer

Shawn Moniz

Chief Operating Officer

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269946

SOURCE: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
DUBAI, UAE / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / D As the global digital finance evolution accelerates, Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge returns to Dubai Harbour from 12-15 October 2025, convening international innovators, startups, regulators, investors, and tech leaders during Expand North Star, the world's largest startup and investor connector event powered by GITEX GLOBAL.

Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Expand North Star celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025 and welcomes the entire global tech community throughout its four-day duration. It presents participants with a unified platform to explore funding, scaling, and deal flow opportunities while showcasing industry best practices and driving inclusive digital growth across emerging and established markets.

A key feature of the 2025 programme is Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge , the region's premier blockchain and fintech gathering, established as the single destination where blockchain, fintech, and Web3 unite with the wider innovation ecosystem. From embedded payments and Web3 banking to open finance, AI-driven platforms, and beyond, the summit aims to redefine finance through blockchain and inspire the creation of next-generation financial systems.

This year's centrepiece is the Digital Assets Forum , sponsored by YPAY, convening regulators, banks, investors, and innovators to examine the new market structure of finance. Attendees will gain exclusive access to a one-day deep dive into CBDCs and stablecoins, tokenised capital markets, cross-border regulation, inclusive payment systems, and AI's pivotal role in risk and compliance.

Across the exhibition and conference stages, participants can expect exclusive insights on policy, regulation, and enterprise adoption alongside product showcases and live demos that connect corporate innovation teams with disruptive technologies. Investor matchmaking will facilitate one-to-one meetings between founders and global capital, while a curated demo program spotlights the newest market deployment breakthroughs.

Startups exhibiting at Expand North Star will be automatically enrolled in the Supernova Challenge, the world's largest startup pitch competition and a launchpad propelling high-growth ventures. Finalists will pitch live before global judges, tech media, and leading investors, competing for their share of a US$214,000 equity-free prize pool. Additionally, Headline, Gold, and Bronze Sponsors anchor this year's agenda: Ruya as Headline Sponsor, OKX as Gold Sponsor, and DKK Partners as Bronze Sponsor, with YPAY supporting the Digital Assets Forum.

Christoph Koster, CEO of Ruya, said: "We're excited to take part in Fintech Surge and the Future Blockchain Summit in Dubai this year. These events provide an ideal platform to highlight how ethical Islamic Finance, fintech, and blockchain technologies come together to deliver integrated solutions."

Reinforcing Dubai's position as a global meeting point for digital assets, visionary leaders from exchanges, foundations, and enterprise Web3 will appear on stage. Speakers include Jimmy Su, Chief Security Officer - Binance, Eric Piscini, CEO - Hashgraph, Oliver Stauber, CEO - KuCoin, Lily Liu, President - Solana Foundation, and Kevin Lee, Chief Business Officer - Gate .

Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge invites founders, corporates, regulators, and investors to join a programme designed to move the market forward, with sessions, showcases, and structured connections that translate ideas into action.

For event registration and information, please visit the official website .

About Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge

Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge is the MENA region's most immersive large-scale blockchain event and leading fintech exhibition. Capitalising on Dubai's status as a global Web3 hub, the event will unite the entire blockchain and finance ecosystem and provide a leading platform to foster collaboration. Powered by GITEX GLOBAL, the eighth edition of Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge will bring together more than 1,000 investors, 150 exhibitors, and 120 speakers from across the world at the iconic Dubai Harbour, from 12-17 October 2025. It will take place alongside Expand North Star, GITEX Impact, Fintech Surge, and Marketing Mania.

About Expand North Star

Expand North Star 2025, the world's largest startup and investor connector event, convenes leading founders, VCs, tech innovators, and ecosystem enablers at Dubai Harbour from 12-15 October 2025. Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Expand North Star features four co-located events: Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge, GITEX IMPACT, and Marketing Mania. This year's 10th edition welcomes over 1,800 global startup exhibitors, 1,000 investors, and 350 speakers from 100 countries. The show is inspired by the world largest tech show, GITEX GLOBAL, which takes place at DWTC from 13-17 October 2025.

PR Contact:

ZEX PR WIRE

info@zexprwire.com

SOURCE: Future Blockchain Summit

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/future-blockchain-summit-x-fintech-surge-returns-to-power-the-next-er-1085377
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.
MAC Copper Limited ARBN 671 963 198 (NYSE:MTAL; ASX:MAC)

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251009239866/en/

MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL, ASX:MAC) ("MAC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has today lodged with the Jersey Registrar of Companies a copy of the order of the Royal Court of Jersey (the "Court") sanctioning the proposed acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital in MAC by Harmony Gold (Australia) Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (JSE:HAR, NYSE:HMY)) ("Harmony") by way of a Jersey law scheme of arrangement pursuant to Article 125 of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 (as amended) ("Scheme

As a result, the Scheme is now legally effective. A copy of the Court's order as lodged with Jersey Registrar of Companies is attached to this announcement.

Capitalised terms used in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the Scheme Circular, a copy of which is attached to MAC's announcement released on 31 July 2025.

Suspension of trading

MAC CDIs will be suspended from trading on the ASX with effect from close of trading today, 10 October 2025.

Today will also be the last day of dealings in MAC Shares on the NYSE.

Scheme Consideration

MAC Securityholders who hold MAC Shares or MAC CDIs at the Scheme Record Date, being 7:00 pm (Sydney time) on 17 October 2025 (for MAC CDI Holders) or 5:00 pm (New York time) on 17 October 2025 (for Scheme Shareholders) will be paid the Scheme Consideration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme. It is anticipated that the Scheme will be implemented on 24 October 2025.

Indicative Scheme timetable

The remaining key dates expected for the Scheme are set out below.

Event Date and time (Jersey time) Effective Date 10 October 2025 Last day of dealings in MAC CDIs on the ASX1 10 October 2025 (close of trading on the ASX) Last day of dealings in MAC Shares on the NYSE2 10 October 2025 (close of trading on the NYSE) Suspension of quotation of MAC CDIs on the ASX 13 October 2025 (before trading opens on the ASX) Initiate delisting of MAC Shares from the NYSE3 14 October 2025 (before trading opens on the NYSE) Scheme Record Time 5:00 pm (New York time) on 17 October 2025 for Scheme Shareholders 7:00 pm (Sydney time) on 17 October 2025 for MAC CDI Holders Complete delisting of MAC Shares from the NYSE 24 October 2025 Implementation Date 24 October 2025 Consideration payment date to DTC for further payment by DTC participants to beneficial owners holding MAC Shares within DTC 27 October 2025 Consideration payment date for MAC Shares held outside DTC 31 October 2025 Consideration payment date for MAC CDIs 31 October 2025 Delisting of MAC from the ASX 3 November 2025

1 MAC CDI Holders may sell their MAC CDIs on the ASX until ASX market close on October 10, 2025 (at which point the ASX is expected to halt and suspend trading in MAC CDIs before start of trade on ASX on October 13, 2025).

2 Shareholders may sell their MAC Shares on the NYSE until NYSE market close on October 10, 2025 (at which point the NYSE is expected to halt and cease trading in MAC Shares).

3 NYSE files a Delisting Application (Form 25-NSE) with the SEC.

Further information

If, after reading the Scheme Circular, you have any questions about the payment of the Scheme Consideration, please contact MAC's Share Registry or CDI Registry (as applicable), at:

If you are a MAC Shareholder

Call toll-free in US:

+1 (800) 662-5200

Outside of US:

+1 (203) 658-9400 If you are a MAC CDI Holder

Within Australia:

1300 229 418

Outside Australia:

+61 2 9066 4059

This announcement has been authorised for release by Mick McMullen, CEO and Director.

About MAC Copper Limited

MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL; ASX:MAC) is a company focused on operating and acquiring metals and mining businesses in high quality, stable jurisdictions that are critical in the electrification and decarbonization of the global economy.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251009239866/en/

Contacts:

Mick McMullen

Chief Executive Officer Director

MAC Copper Limited

investors@metalsacqcorp.com

Morne Engelbrecht

Chief Financial Officer

MAC Copper Limited
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Therma Bright Inc. (TSXV: THRM) (OTCQB: TBRIF) (FSE: JNX0) ("Therma" or the "Company"), a developer and investment partner in advanced diagnostic and medical device technologies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Raimondo, a 30-year veteran in sales and operations in the healthcare industry to its Board of Directors. Michael was part of Therma's advisory Board, previously announced on August 13, 2024.

Mr. Raimondo is a distinguished executive and strategist known for his extensive commercial leadership experience in the healthcare and business services sectors across the USA. Mr. Raimondo specializes in sales negotiations, which has successfully led to over $500 million in sales contracts.

He is a retired veteran of the global healthcare industry, having concluded a successful tenure at Abbott, where he held significant senior leadership positions focusing on commercial strategy and business development.

Following his career at Abbott, Mr. Raimondo transitioned into key advisory and executive roles across various organizations. He currently serves as the Commercial Lead for Delphine Diagnostics in New Jersey (NJ), where he drives market strategy and business growth.

Demonstrating his broad expertise, he also serves as a Managing Partner at The Potentia Group, which specializes in negotiations training, sales leadership development and consulting within the U.S. healthcare market. Michael is an active member of the board for Marketsmith one of the largest woman-owned and operated independent media and marketing agencies in the USA. Michael has a BS in physics and minor in mathematics from Kutztown University, and has served on the board of the Make A Wish Foundation for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana region.

Rob Fia, CEO, commented, "We are excited to announce that Michael is joining us in a strategic role, transitioning from Advisory Board Member to full Board Member, where we will fully utilize his extensive commercial expertise. Michael's deep industry knowledge will assist Therma Bright to accelerate market penetration and to drive sales growth of Venowave, our flagship medical device."

Michael Raimondo commented: "I am pleased to be joining the Board and contributing to the significant growth potential of the Venowave platform. My primary focus will be on leveraging my commercial experience to rapidly scale the organization-specifically by designing and implementing a high-performance, results-driven internal sales team. Simultaneously, I look forward to enhancing our market reach by expanding our channels through strategic partnerships with high-value medical device resellers, ensuring Venowave reaches patients suffering from vascular issues, such as the 900,000 citizens who suffer from deep vein thrombosis each year per the US CDC."

Therma Bright announces the resignation of Board member Alex Saringer. The Company would like to thank Alex for his service.

About Therma Bright Inc.

Therma Bright is a developer and partner in a wide range of leading edge, proprietary diagnostic and medical device technologies focused on providing consumers and medical professionals with quality, innovative solutions that address some of today's most important medical and healthcare challenges. Therma Bright Inc. trades on the (TSXV: THRM) (OTCQB: TBRIF) (FSE: JNX0). Visit: www.thermabright.com.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events and related information such as future sales of Venowave as described in the news release. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to several factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269945

SOURCE: Therma Bright Inc.
WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen Group (VKW.L, VOW.DE) reported that 6.6 million vehicles were delivered worldwide after nine months, up 1.2 percent on previous year. The company noted that the growth in South America, Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe were more than offset by declines in China and North America. BEV deliveries were 717,500 by the end of September, up 41.7 percent year-on-year. BEV deliveries in Europe was up 78 percent, while USA posted an increase of 85 percent. Marco Schubert, Member of the Group's Extended Executive Committee for Sales, said: 'We were able to compensate for the challenging conditions in China and the US with partly significant increases in South America and Europe. In our home region of Europe, we grew by eight percent in the third quarter alone.' For the third quarter, deliveries to customers were 2.2 million, an increase of 1 percent from a year ago. All-electric vehicle deliveries were 252,100, up 33.1 percent. 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.


JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The Israeli military said that as part of the first phase of the 20-point Gaza peace plan, a ceasefire has come into effect in the war-torn Palestinian enclave, and that its ground forces have withdrawn to an agreed upon line.



The Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said,'Troops will continue to be present in various areas of the Gaza Strip' to 'remove any immediate threat.'



Earlier, the Israeli cabinet had ratified the first phase of the agreement put forward by President Donald Trump, under which, Hamas would release all Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinians that Israel has agreed to release .



In accordance with the clauses of the deal, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, Hamas must return all hostages, including those alive and the bodies of the dead.



Reports said 20 Israeli hostages are currently under Hamas' custody while more than two dozen hostages are believed to be dead.



Meanwhile, CNN reported heavy airstrikes in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Friday morning.



UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN and its partners were ready to 'move now,' with teams and supplies already in place to scale up food, water, medical and shelter assistance inside Gaza.



Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN chief said, 'To turn this ceasefire into real progress, we need more than the silencing of the guns.' He stressed the need for 'full, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers' and sufficient funding for recovery efforts.



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Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News


EQS Newswire / 10/10/2025 / 19:10 UTC+8

[Hong Kong - 10 October 2025] Recently, Trio Industrial Electronics Group (1710.HK) has made significant breakthroughs in expanding its overseas new energy business, as its wholly-owned subsidiary, Trio New Energy (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd has officially reached agreement for cooperation with Bayambang City in the Philippines on projects related to electric motorcycles, battery swapping, and battery swapping cabinets. This cooperation marks another key initiative for Trio Group in the global new energy market layout, and also brings new opportunities for green transformation to the local transportation sector in the Philippines. On 29 September 2025, the Trio team was invited to Bayambang City, Pangasinan Province, Philippines to meet with representatives of the mayor's family, former mayor Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao, the mayor's assistant, and relevant officials. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for project cooperation with SAHI STRATEGIC ALLIANCE HOLDING, INC, a leading green energy group in the local area, marking the official launch of cooperation in the field of new energy. Bayambang City, showing great support to this cooperation, has conducted sufficient market research locally, and organized multiple communications and plan adjustments before signing this contract. Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao believes that the transition to new energy is an inevitable choice for building a better community and life locally, and a significant commitment to social responsibility by his family. As a reliable global partner, Trio Group is sure to achieve success in both social value and business. According to the agreement, Trio Group will jointly carry out a large-scale traditional fuel motorcycle battery replacement project with Bayambang City, with an expected replacement quantity of 6000 units in the next year. With the deepening of the project, this number will climb to 30000 units in the next three years, and the involved parties will work closely to achieve the ultimate goal of replacing 200000 units in surrounding regions with new energy, helping the local area build a cleaner and more efficient urban transportation system. Trio Group has a long history of layout in the field of new energy. With years of accumulated technology and experience in industrial manufacturing, it has successfully developed a series of advanced charging piles, electric motorcycles, swapping batteries, battery swapping cabinets, and energy storage products. It also provides users with convenient and safe integrated new energy services through intelligent management systems, real-time monitoring of electricity consumption status, and remote-control functions. The Philippines has placed renewable energy and addressing climate change at the core of its policy agenda, implementing zero tariffs on imported electric vehicles and expanding preferential tax rates to hybrid vehicles, electric motorcycles, electric bicycles, etc. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 and eliminate dependence on fossil fuels. Pangasinan Province is one of the largest provinces in the Philippines, with a total population of approximately 3.04 million, and Bayambang is one of the most populous cities. To achieve this goal, the Trio New Energy Project will gradually and solidly advance, which is expected to not only drive the improvement and development of the local new energy industry chain, but also create more employment opportunities and promote the green transformation of the regional economy. This project further strengthens the influence of Trio Group in overseas markets, accumulates valuable experience for future international cooperation, and will also play a demonstration and leading role in the development of new energy transportation in other regions of the Philippines and even the entire Southeast Asia. For this project, Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao believes that such transformation towards new energy is an inevitable choice for the local community to build a better life, and a significant commitment to social responsibility by his family. As a reliable global partner with over 40 years of advanced production experience and internationally qualified manufacturing, Trio Group is sure to achieve success together in terms of social value and business. Mr. Cecil Wong, Chairman of Trio Group said, "As a rapidly developing country in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has an increasing demand for new energy. The deep cooperation with Bayambang City this time is an important step in assisting the world's sustainable development. We will fully leverage our advantages in research and development, production, and operation to ensure that the project progresses as planned and create a model of cooperation in the field of new energy transportation. We hope to effectively reduce urban carbon emissions, improve air quality, and provide more economical and convenient travel options for more regions, so that the achievements of new energy can benefit the world." About Trio Group Trio Group is a leading Hong Kong-based manufacturer and supplier of advanced industrial electronic components and products, with over 40 years of industry expertise. Specialising in power supply solutions, the group serves key sectors such as energy efficiency and medical electronics. As the first Hong Kong electronics supplier to achieve Industry 4.0 maturity certificate - industry 4.0 1i level. Trio Group integrates smart manufacturing and innovative technologies to deliver high-performance solutions, earning a strong reputation as a trusted partner for numerous globally recognised brands, primarily in Europe and North America. In response to the growing emphasis on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and the urgent demand for decarbonisation, Trio Group is strategically expanding into the renewable energy sector through its proprietary brand, Deltrix. The company is actively developing solutions in: EV charging infrastructure

Solar energy storage systems

Smart power management

Charging network deployment With a focus on Central Asia and Southeast Asia, Trio Group is committed to advancing green technology innovation, positioning itself as a key player in the global energy transition while driving sustainable business growth. By leveraging its technical expertise and forward-looking strategies, the group continues to reinforce its role in shaping a low-carbon future. For more details, please contact: Investor Relations Skye Shum Investor Relations Manager PR media: DLK Advisory pr@dlkadvisory.com 10/10/2025 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Media archive at www.todayir.com


Manila, Philippines--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - St. Augustine Gold and Copper Limited (TSX: SAU) ("St. Augustine" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the engagement of Stantec Consulting Ltd. ("Stantec") and Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. ("IMC") to complete a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the Kingking Copper-Gold Project in Pantukan, Davao de Oro, Philippines. This follows the highly positive results of the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) released on July 31, 2025, which delineated the project's world-class economic potential and supports an expedited path to production.

Robust Pre-Feasibility Economics

The July 2025 PFS highlights the Kingking Project's exceptional financial metrics (based on $4.30/lb. copper and $2,150/oz gold), positioning it as one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits globally:

Post-tax NPV (7%): $4.18 billion

Post-tax IRR: 34.2%

Payback Period: 1.9 years

Initial Capital Estimate: $2.37 billion

After-tax Benefit-Cost Ratio: 1.8

Reserve Estimate: 960 million tonnes, including 849 million tonnes of Proven and Probable Milling Reserves and 111 million tonnes of Proven and Probable Leaching Reserves

Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 5.40 million pounds of contained copper and 9.77 million ounces of contained gold.

The PFS outlines a 31-year mine life with an additional seven years of low grade or stockpile milling. Processing will support a 100,000 tonne per day mine delivery schedule supported by 60,000 tpd milling and 40,000 tpd heap leach. Average annual production in the first five years is projected at 129,000 tonnes of payable copper (cathode and concentrate) and 333,000 ounces of payable gold (concentrate and Dore). The total consolidated net cash cost of $0.73 per pound of copper during the first five years further enhances the project economics.

Advancing to Definitive Feasibility Study

Following the PFS results, the St. Augustine Board of Directors has approved advancement to Definitive Feasibility on an accelerated timeline for production. Stantec, as the lead engineering firm, will oversee the DFS, ensuring compliance with NI 43-101 and the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942). IMC will focus on mine planning, resource estimation, and modeling, working in close coordination with Stantec. The planned completion of the DFS is Q4 2026. The DFS will optimize key recommendations from the PFS, including:

Implementation of chloride leach to enhance copper recovery from low-grade sulfide stockpiles early in mine life.

Improved crushing/grinding circuit efficiency for levelized throughput leveraging total plant capacity.

Increased throughput to potentially reduce the mine life to approximately 21-25 years.

Process flowsheet evaluation to increase gold and copper recoveries.

Stantec will also develop the Project Execution Plan, the EPCM bid package, and long-lead-time materials and equipment list and procurement plan. The DFS will be managed by Stantec's Brisbane, Perth, and Chandler, Arizona offices, with IMC operating from Tucson, Arizona.

Strategic Outlook



"The Kingking Project's outstanding economics, as demonstrated in the PFS, provide a strong foundation for advancing to the DFS phase," said Andy Russell, Project Director for the Kingking project. "With Stantec's and IMC's expertise, along with the excellent St Augustine management team, we are well-positioned to optimize the project and move toward production on an expedited schedule, delivering significant value to our shareholders and stakeholders in the Philippines." noted Mike Regino, St. Augustine Chief Operating Officer.

About St. Augustine Gold and Copper Limited

St. Augustine Gold and Copper Limited (TSX: SAU) is focused on the development of the Kingking Copper-Gold Project, a major copper-gold deposit in the Philippines. The Company is committed to the ICMM standards for sustainable development and creating value for its stakeholders through responsible mining practices.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 43-101 COMPLIANCE

The following Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") has reviewed and approved of the scientific, technical, and economic information contained in this news release: James Moore, P.E. of Met Engineering.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. While we consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on currently available information, they may prove to be incorrect. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking information is also subject to certain factors, including risks and uncertainties, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's current expectations, including changes in market conditions, governmental or regulatory developments, changes in metal prices, regulatory approvals, and technical challenges. and general economic conditions. Other risks and uncertainties related to the Company are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2025 and filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information contained in this announcement is based on our current estimates, expectations and projections, which we believe are reasonable as of the current date. You should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should nor rely on this information as of any other date. While we may elect to, we are under no obligation and do not undertake to update this information except as required by applicable securities law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269835

SOURCE: St. Augustine Gold and Copper Limited
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Bitcoin Treasury Corporation (TSXV: BTCT) ("BTCT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce operational milestones as it continues to advance its Bitcoin-native financial services platform. The Company has received registration from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a Money Services Business (MSB), and has entered into a consulting agreement with FRNT Financial Inc. (TSXV: FRNT) ("FRNT") to accelerate the buildout of its institutional Bitcoin lending business.

MSB Approval

The MSB registration marks an important regulatory achievement, authorizing BTCT to conduct activities including digital currency dealing and transfer services under Canada's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework. This strengthens BTCT's compliance foundation as it prepares to launch a suite of lending, liquidity, and collateral solutions designed for institutional counterparties.

"BTCT's goal is to own more Bitcoin and maximize Bitcoin per share, through both internal business operations and external capital formation. Receiving our FINTRAC registration marks an important regulatory milestone for BTCT with respect to internal business operations as it furthers our mission to build a compliant, transparent, and scalable institutional Bitcoin services platform," said Elliot Johnson, CEO of BTCT.

Consulting Agreement with FRNT

BTCT has also partnered with FRNT to advance its lending initiatives, the Company's first service offering under its internal business operations platform. The strategic partnership between BTCT and FRNT is the first of its kind in the nascent and rapidly-growing digital asset treasury (DAT) segment.

Under the agreement, BTCT will leverage FRNT's expertise in Bitcoin lending strategies, due diligence, and counterparty selection to support the evaluation and structuring of lending opportunities.

"We are excited to be working with FRNT as we take this important step in building out our lending business," added Johnson. "Generating yield on our Bitcoin holdings is a key component of BTCT's long-term strategy and FRNT's extensive knowledge of the Bitcoin lending space makes them an ideal partner as we move towards executing our first Bitcoin loan."

FRNT CEO Stephane Ouellette notes, "With this development, BTCT leverages nearly a decade of experience that FRNT has in capital markets operations within the digital asset ecosystem. While Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are ripe with opportunity, capitalizing calls for thoughtful risk management and structuring. We are confident this collaboration will help BTCT lead in the major thematic movement that is DATs."

With both companies domiciled and listed in Canada, the partnership further advances institutional Bitcoin services within the Canadian marketplace.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Bitcoin Treasury (BTCT)

Bitcoin Treasury Corporation is a Canadian-based company focused on institutional-grade Bitcoin services, initially offering Bitcoin-denominated loans. Bitcoin Treasury's core strategy is to build shareholder value through the strategic accumulation and active deployment of Bitcoin, while growing Bitcoin per Share (BPS). Recognizing Bitcoin's finite supply and long-term potential, the Corporation intends to maintain a robust treasury position while building a scalable platform for Bitcoin-based financial services.

To learn more visit www.btctcorp.com and join us on social media: X | LinkedIn

About FRNT Financial (FRNT)

FRNT is a digital asset investment bank offering capital markets and advisory services to institutional investors participating in or entering the space. The Company aims to bridge the worlds of traditional and web-based finances with a technology forward and compliant operation. Business lines include deliverable trading services, structured derivative products, merchant banking, advisory, consulting, lending origination and principal investments. Headquartered in Toronto, FRNT was co-founded in 2018 by CEO Stephane Ouellette.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expect", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", or variations of such words and phrases) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: business integration risks; the Corporation's operating results will experience significant fluctuations due to the highly volatile nature of Bitcoin; the Corporation operates in a heavily regulated environment and any material changes or actions could lead to negative adverse effects to the business model, operational results, and financial condition of the Corporation; evolving cryptocurrency regulatory requirements and the impact on the Corporation's business plan; Bitcoin value risk; reliance on key personnel; implementation of the Corporation's business plan; lack of operating history; competitive conditions; de banking and financial services risk; anti money laundering and corrupt business practices; additional capital; financing risks; global financial conditions; insurance and uninsured risks; cybersecurity risks; changes to bank fees or practices, or payment card networks; audit of tax filings; market for the common shares of Bitcoin Treasury; market price of the common shares of Bitcoin Treasury; conflicts of interest; internal controls; tariffs and the imposition of other restrictions on trade could adversely affect the Corporation's business; risk of litigation; pandemics or other health crises; acquisitions and integration; risk of dilution of Bitcoin Treasury securities; dividend policy; Bitcoin price volatility; custodial risks; technological vulnerabilities; Bitcoin transactions are irreversible and may result in significant losses; short history risk; limited history of the Bitcoin market; potential decrease in the global demand for Bitcoin; economic and political factors; top Bitcoin holders control a significant percentage of the outstanding Bitcoin; availability of exchange traded products liquidity; security breaches; the requirements that accompany being a publicly traded company may put a strain on the Corporation's resources, divert attention from management, and adversely affect its ability to maintain and attract management and qualified board members; liquidity risk; leverage risk; and share price fluctuations.

Although management of the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, change in management's estimates or opinions, future circumstances or events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

SOURCE: Bitcoin Treasury Corporation

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269962

SOURCE: Bitcoin Treasury Corporation


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has won this year's Nobel Prize for Peace.



Announcing the award Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said it decided to the highest award to Maria Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.



The committee described her as 'a brave and committed champion of peace - a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness'.



Machado has been a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided - an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.



Venezuela has evolved from a relatively democratic and prosperous country to a brutal, authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis. Most Venezuelans live in deep poverty, even as the few at the top enrich themselves. The violent machinery of the state is directed against the country's own citizens. It is estimated that nearly 8 million people have left the country. The opposition has been systematically suppressed by means of election rigging, legal prosecution and imprisonment under the Nicolas Maduro regime.



As a founder of Sumate, an organization devoted to democratic development, Machado stood up for free and fair elections more than 20 years ago. She has spoken out for judicial independence, human rights and popular representation. She has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people.



Ahead of the presidential election held last year, Machado was the opposition's presidential candidate, but the regime blocked her candidacy. She then backed the representative of a different party, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, in the election.



The election results showed that the opposition had won by a clear margin. But the regime refused to accept the election result, and clung to power.



In the past year, Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions of people.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



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 2025 AFX News
LONDON, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To help businesses in the UK learn how offshoring can lower their costs and fix talent gaps, top outsourcing firm Yempo Solutions is set to visit the country again in November.

From 10th-20th November, the company, led by British-Australian CEO Michelle Fiegehen, will be visiting Yempo's UK-based clients and companies interested in outsourcing. She will also be speaking at the London Business Show at the ExCeL, Royal Victoria Dock on 12/13 November 2025, on "Building Offshore Capability as a Resourcing Strategy." Admission is free at the event, where Yempo will also be present at Booth B1320 to introduce its award-winning outsourcing solutions to visitors.

"We are thrilled to share lessons from a decade of excellence in providing offshore IT, accounting, and business support talent, and help businesses hurdle the challenges of today's economy through this strategic shift," said Fiegehen.

Yempo Solutions is a specialist provider of Philippines-based accounting, finance, IT, and business support professionals to companies in the UK, Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Japan. It has received the ??ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems certification, and was awarded as the Best Offshoring Solutions Provider by the Global Business Awards in 2023.

Meanwhile, Fiegehen is a former IT Director in the finance sector with decades of experience leading multi-disciplinary delivery teams around the world, and was named one of APAC's 10 High-Performing CEOs from the Philippines in 2023. She now resides in the Philippines, overseeing the Yempo teams in Manila, Cebu, and beyond.?

She takes pride in Yempo's long list of satisfied clients: businesses from the health, accounting, finance, technology, and engineering sectors, among other industries, with several offshoring success stories available on the website.

"Our offshoring partners are able to leverage our 10 years of expertise, and gain access to the finest remote IT, accounting and business support talent in today's market with peace of mind," Fiegehen added.

Register today to meet Yempo Solutions in the UK and learn more about the benefits of IT, accounting, and business support outsourcing to the Philippines. Visit this page, or email sales@yempo-solutions.com.
Proceeds to help finance Baie-Comeau Battery Anode Material facility feasibility study, working capital

Lead Investment by The BMI Group represents an endorsement of Northern's Mine-to-Market strategy

Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (FSE: 0NG) (XSTU: 0NG) (the "Company" or "Northern") is pleased to announce it has completed a closing of its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") under which it has issued 13,114,546 common shares of the Company (the "Offered Shares") at a price C$0.11 per Offered Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$1,442,600. The BMI Group was lead investor under the Private Placement.

The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to initiate a feasibility study on Northern's planned Battery Anode Material ("BAM") facility in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, targeted for completion within the next 12 months, and for working capital and corporate expenses.

"Securing the participation of a sophisticated investor like The BMI Group in this financing is a strong endorsement of Northern, our assets and our strategy," said Northern Chief Executive Officer Hugues Jacquemin. "Momentum is shifting for graphite as governments increasingly prioritize secure, domestic supply chains for critical minerals, and Canada is no exception. With demand projected to surge, this financing will help Northern to advance one of the most strategically important BAM projects in North America."

"Our participation in this financing solidifies the partnership between BMI and Northern Graphite with a meaningful investment toward the Baie-Comeau strategy," said Paul Veldman, CEO of The BMI Group. "We see tremendous potential to repurpose this site into a facility producing graphite anode material that is critical to the global energy transition and to re-establish Baie-Comeau as an anchor of Quebec's clean industrial future."

In April, Northern and The BMI Group announced a partnership to evaluate the establishment of a BAM facility at the former paper mill site in Baie-Comeau being redeveloped by BMI as the Norderra multimodal industrial hub. Reactivating this brownfield site would provide a faster time to market compared to a greenfield alternative, supporting Quebec and Canada's critical minerals strategy while creating new jobs and economic growth in the region. Strategically located on a deepwater port with access to global markets, the Baie-Comeau facility would process graphite concentrates from Northern's Lac des Iles mine in Quebec, the only producing graphite mine in North America, as well as from the Company's large-scale Bissett Creek project in Ontario and its Okanjande mine in Namibia.

Battery anode material, the single largest component of lithium-ion batteries, is produced by upgrading graphite mine concentrate to the exacting specifications of electric vehicle battery manufacturers. Northern's Baie-Comeau project directly addresses a key missing link in North America's energy transition supply chain, providing the domestic processing capacity needed to turn Canadian graphite into battery-grade anode material.

A finder's fee was paid in connection with the closing of the Private Placement to Haywood Securities Inc. (the "Finder") consisting of a cash fee in the amount of $29,260 representing an aggregate fee of 7% of the Offered Shares sold to investors introduced by the Finder.

The Offered Shares issued in the Private Placement are subject to the statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance expiring on February 10, 2026 in accordance with applicable Canadian securities legislation. The Company may issue up to an additional 6,885,454 Offered Shares under a follow-on closing under the Private Placement. There is no assurance a follow-on closing under the Private Placement will occur. The Private Placement is subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities being offered under the Private Placement have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or any state securities laws of any state in the United States and accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States or to any person in the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the 1933 Act and any applicable state securities laws, or exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About Northern Graphite

Northern is a Canadian, TSX Venture Exchange listed company that is the only flake graphite producing company in North America. Northern is focused on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high-value products critical to the green economy, including anode material for lithium-ion batteries/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies. The Company's mine-to-battery strategy is spearheaded by its Battery Materials Group, which has a fully equipped, state-of-the-art laboratory in Frankfurt.

Northern's graphite assets include the producing Lac des Iles mine in Quebec where the Company is boosting output to meet growing demand from industrial customers and coming demand from North American battery makers. The Company also owns the large-scale Bissett Creek project in Ontario and the fully permitted Okanjande graphite mine in Namibia, which is currently on care and maintenance, and represents an opportunity to substantially increase graphite production at a lower cost and with a shorter time to market than most competing projects. All projects have "battery quality" graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions.

For additional information

Please visit the Company's website at https://www.northerngraphite.com/home/, the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca our Social Channels listed below or contact the Company at (613) 271-2124.

LinkedIn

YouTube

X

Facebook

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the Company's plans to develop its Baie-Comeau Battery Anode Material facility, extend the mine life of its LDI mine, intentions to restart the Okanjande mine in Namibia and development plans for its other projects including Bissett Creek. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations and the inability to raise required financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269911

SOURCE: Northern Graphite Corporation


PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Under the landmark UK-France migration deal, the first groups of illegal migrants who landed in the UK on small boats have been successfully returned on flights to France.



The UK-France treaty grants the UK decisive new powers to detain and rapidly remove individuals who enter illegally via small boats, blocking access to the UK asylum system.



Over the past week, two group flights saw 19 individuals returned to France, following the successful returns of an additional 7 individuals in the last month. The second group flight arrived in France Thursday before continuing its journey to Eastern Europe as part of the government's regular schedule of returns flights.



Further flights to France under this pilot scheme are scheduled to take place over the coming days and weeks, the UK Home Office said.



In addition, the UK government continues to work with France to operate a tightly controlled legal route for an equal number of eligible migrants to come to the UK, subject to rigorous security checks. Nine arrivals entered the UK this week through this route.



This pilot scheme will continue to be ramped up, with both countries having committed to continuously improving this process.



Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, 'We must put an end to these dangerous crossings which put lives at risk and money in the pockets of criminal gangs'.



The UK Home Office said enforcement activity continues to be ramped up, with the National Crime Agency carrying out more than 350 disruptions against people-smuggling networks last year - a 40 percent increase on the previous year.



More than 35,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the UK have been returned, with asylum-related returns up 28 percent year-on-year.



The Home Office is now issuing more than 31,000 initial asylum decisions every quarter - triple the average under the previous government.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News
A clinically validated and widely acclaimed digital solution: +30,000 patients and 1,200 doctors onboard

Tilak Healthcare, a pioneering company and leader in digital health for chronic eye disease monitoring, announces that it has received a positive opinion from the French National Health Authority (HAS) for the exceptional reimbursement of Odysightunder the PECAN (Prise En Charge Anticipee des dispositifs medicaux Numeriques Early Access to Digital Medical Devices) scheme. Haute Autorite de Sante ODYSIGHT

"The reimbursement of Odysightis a recognition of our vision and the culmination of years of collective work. We thank public authorities, our partners, physicians, and patients for their trust. We are thrilled to share our innovation more widely and make it accessible to as many patients as possible. This recognition reinforces our position as the French and European leader in ophthalmology telemonitoring. We will now focus on expanding our scientific evidence base to demonstrate the clinical impact of our innovations, with the goal of becoming the global leader in at-home monitoring of visual disorders and strengthening new strategic alliances that create real value," said Edouard Gasser, co-founder and CEO of Tilak Healthcare.

Odysight, a unique digital solution for monitoring chronic maculopathies

OdySightis a CE-marked medical device available on prescription, accessible on smartphones and tablets. It enables patients suffering from chronic maculopathies to perform vision tests themselves to monitor their visual acuity regularly. Results are automatically transmitted to their physician, who receives a notification when a decrease in vision is detected, allowing personalized follow-up between consultations and triggering urgent medical intervention when necessary.

"Odysight has demonstrated its positive impact on patient care pathways. It is a reliable, simple, and engaging tool for patients, while providing physicians with essential telemonitoring for close follow-up of chronic visual conditions," says Dr. Vincent Dedes, Ophthalmologist and President of the SNOF (National Union of Ophthalmologists).

A recognized and validated companion in the patient care journey

Since February 8, 2022, Odysighthas been part of the Article 51 experimental program designed to evaluate its impact on healthcare pathways.

The positive conclusions of this trial-supported by favorable opinions from CTIS and CSIS in November 2024-combined with (i) certification from the French Digital Health Agency (ANS) and (ii) the current and upcoming body of clinical evidence*, led HAS to issue a favorable opinion for its early reimbursement under the PECAN scheme, just eight months after initially rejecting its inclusion under the standard reimbursement pathway.

"For a long time, the 'Amsler grid on the fridge' was the only option for home vision monitoring. Odysightis a clinically validated, easy-to-use, and fun application that has drastically improved patient follow-up at home. The patient-physician connection is greatly strengthened, allowing for early consultations in case of confirmed visual acuity decline," adds Suehanna Nagi, President of the AMD Association.

*Studies TIL001 TIL002 TIL003 independent studies Bonjean et al, Guigou et al and Kielwasser et al

About Tilak Healthcare Tilak HealthCare Tilak Healthcare

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251010975557/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact

Annie-Florence Loyer afloyer@newcap.fr +(33) 6 88 20 35 59
Fintech Firm Expands Los Angeles Footprint with New Agoura Hills Headquarters

AGOURA HILLS, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / Ecrypt Inc., a leading provider of integrated payment services and financial technology solutions, completed its headquarters relocation to 29899 Agoura Road, Suite 210, Agoura Hills, CA. The move signals Ecrypt's continued growth and commitment to serving merchants nationwide with next-generation, secure payment solutions.

Ecrypt signed a long-term, off-market lease for 23,435 rentable square feet at the landmark property, formerly home to the Los Angeles Rams' headquarters. The transaction, exceeding $6 million in value, represents one of the largest office leases in Agoura Hills in several years and underscores the company's significant regional presence.

"Our new headquarters reflects Ecrypt's mission to cultivate a collaborative and innovative environment, uniting our team under one roof as we build to optimize the Ecrypt platform and pursue new opportunities. This space provides the infrastructure and energy we need to deliver secure, seamless solutions for our clients and to accelerate our growth throughout the region," said Jason Hardy, Chief Operating Officer of Ecrypt Inc.

The relocation comes on the heels of Ecrypt's announcement of the completed merger between BankCard USA Merchant Services Inc. and Preferred Payments Inc.

Ecrypt's new headquarters is tailored to support both staff and technology infrastructure, featuring amenities that promote a dynamic work culture in the heart of the Conejo Valley.

About Ecrypt Inc.

Ecrypt Inc. is a leading payment services provider, offering all-in-one processing services to merchants in the United States. As a registered ISO and FSP, Ecrypt offers merchants a diverse range of processing solutions for credit and debit transactions, including payment processing equipment and software, a PCI Level 1 payment gateway (ecrypt.com), a patented age-verification software (AgeChecker.net), and complimentary support services. Founded in 2004, Ecrypt is based in Agoura Hills, CA, and is committed to delivering innovative, secure, and cost-effective payment experiences to merchants and technology partners nationwide.

Contact

Sara Trujillo

917-295-5491

sara@trujillopr.com

SOURCE: Ecrypt Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/correction-and-replacement-ecrypt-inc.-finalizes-move-to-new-ago-1085291
Strategic executive appointments reinforce Trident Zoetic's role as a U.S.-based global leader driving the future of rare earth independence, AI-powered data centers, quantum-ready materials, and next-generation sustainability solutions.

ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / Trident Zoetic (www.tridentzoetic.com), a U.S.-based global enterprise developing critical infrastructure for the 21st-century economy, today announced a major expansion of its executive leadership team. The appointments strengthen Trident Zoetic's scientific, financial, marketing, and business development capabilities as the company accelerates its mission to deliver secure, sustainable, and technology-driven solutions across rare earths, quantum computing, AI infrastructure, and clean energy systems.

This leadership expansion reflects the company's continued growth across Asia, the Middle East, and North America and underscores Trident Zoetic's commitment to uniting science, finance, and innovation to power national resilience and global sustainability.

Dr. Jade Stinson Appointed Chief Science Officer

Dr. Jade Stinson has been appointed Chief Science Officer, where she will lead Trident Zoetic's global scientific research and technology innovation across rare earth chemistry, quantum-enabling materials, and advanced water and energy systems. In this role, she will oversee the research, development, and deployment of clean waste apparatus for rare earth refinement, leveraging advanced technology and strategic partnerships to establish sustainable, low-impact extraction and processing methods that align with Trident Zoetic's mission of environmental stewardship and industrial efficiency.

Dr. Stinson will also serve on Trident Zoetic's Knowledge Panel for Rare Earth, advancing the integration of critical minerals, AI infrastructure, and sustainable energy platforms. A globally recognized scientist and entrepreneur, she brings deep expertise in biotechnology, materials science, and environmental innovation, bridging breakthrough research with scalable industrial application. Her leadership reinforces Trident Zoetic's standing as a science-led global enterprise at the forefront of rare earth and quantum innovation, driving the development of clean, efficient technologies that power next-generation data centers, quantum computing, and sustainable energy systems.

Youdy Sanon Appointed Global Chief Marketing Officer

Mr. Youdy Sanon has been appointed Global Chief Marketing Officer, joining Trident Zoetic's executive leadership team as a key driver of global market strategy and brand expansion. As CMO, he will oversee worldwide marketing, communications, and partnerships, aligning brand positioning and investor engagement with the company's growth objectives across rare earths, quantum infrastructure, AI data centers, and sustainable technology.

A 20-year marketing veteran and entrepreneur, Sanon has led high-impact campaigns and multimillion-dollar partnerships for Fortune 500 companies, luxury brands, and cultural icons through his firm, Odagan Marketing Agency. Known for blending storytelling with strategic execution, he will strengthen Trident Zoetic's global reputation for innovation, trust, and impact, positioning the company as a category-defining leader in the global clean technology and digital infrastructure sectors.

Asad Sultan Appointed Global Vice President of Corporate Finance

Mr. Asad Sultan has been appointed Global Vice President of Corporate Finance at Trident Zoetic, where he will lead the company's global financial strategy, capital markets engagement, and investment operations. In this role, he will oversee the structuring of innovative financing vehicles, strategic capital partnerships, and sustainability-linked funding frameworks designed to accelerate Trident Zoetic's global growth across rare earths, quantum infrastructure, and clean technology.

With over 25 years in capital markets, impact investing, and sustainable finance, Sultan has held senior roles at Citibank, Daiwa, Macquarie, and Cantor Fitzgerald, and most recently served as Founder and CEO of Verdana International, a carbon-market and climate finance platform connecting institutional capital with sustainability innovation. His appointment strengthens Trident Zoetic's financial foundation, driving disciplined growth, investor confidence, and measurable environmental impact while reinforcing the company's position as a global leader in sustainable industrial and technological finance.

Dr. Edward S. Guindi, M.D. Appointed Chief Business Development Officer

Dr. Edward S. Guindi, M.D., has been appointed Chief Business Development Officer at Trident Zoetic, where he will lead the company's global strategy for partnership development, cross-sector collaboration, and international expansion. In this role, he will drive strategic alliances with governments, multinational corporations, institutional investors, and development agencies to accelerate deployment of Trident Zoetic's technologies across rare earth refinement, quantum infrastructure, AI data centers, and sustainable water systems.

With a career spanning healthcare, international business, and sustainable development, Dr. Guindi brings proven expertise in aligning innovation, investment, and policy to drive global growth. His leadership will be pivotal in expanding Trident Zoetic's international footprint and advancing its clean technology portfolio, reinforcing the company's reputation as a trusted partner in sustainable infrastructure and next-generation technology.

"This leadership expansion marks a defining moment in Trident Zoetic's global journey," said Avery Hong, president of Trident Zoetic. "Dr. Stinson's scientific excellence, Youdy Sanon's marketing and brand leadership, Asad Sultan's financial stewardship, and Dr. Guindi's partnership strategy form a leadership ecosystem built for scale. Together, they strengthen Trident Zoetic's ability to lead in rare earths, quantum infrastructure, and sustainable technology while advancing the world toward a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient future."

About Trident Zoetic

Trident Zoetic is a U.S.-based global company pioneering the convergence of rare earth independence, quantum-ready materials, AI/data-center infrastructure, and sustainable water and energy systems. With operations spanning Asia, the Middle East, and North America, Trident Zoetic builds the critical technologies powering the next generation of industrial and digital economies.

By integrating critical minerals, clean baseload power, and advanced water systems, the company enables national resilience, industrial sovereignty, and accelerated NetZero goals. Trident Zoetic's mission is to deliver transformative, scalable solutions that secure the resources, data, and energy infrastructure defining the future of innovation.

Learn more at www.TridentZoetic.com

Media Contact:

press@tridentzoetic.com

SOURCE: Trident Zoetic co LTD.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/trident-zoetic-strengthens-global-leadership-team-to-advance-innovation-in-rare-e-1085358
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to comment on recent reports of China's expanded rare earth export restrictions, including the addition of refining technology and equipment to the export control list.

The Company confirms that it does not require or intend to use equipment sourced from the People's Republic of China for its U.S. heavy rare earth separation operations. Ucore's equipment strategy for the Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex ("LA-SMC"), utilizing RapidSX technology, relies on North American and allied-nation suppliers, insulating the project from the newly announced controls on China-origin equipment and technology.

RapidSX Commercial Demonstration Plant - Kingston, Ontario

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/269965_e6f11bb5e4503826_002full.jpg

"Today's expansion of Chinese export controls underscores why Ucore built its plan around North American and allied supply chains from day one," said Pat Ryan, P.Eng., Chairman & CEO of Ucore. "Our RapidSX refining technology not only produces the same rare earth products, at the same quality, as legacy solvent extraction, but does so with a faster throughput in a much reduced floorspace, resulting in a number of economic and environmental advantages. The majority of the components required for the RapidSX technology, including positive displacement pumps, columns, control valves and piping, are sourced from well established North American industrial supply chains. Automation of the system is achieved with PLC's and industrial grade computers that are sourced within the United States."

DPAS Status and Supply Chain Assurance

Equipment and material sourcing is further protected by the project's Defense Priorities & Allocations System ("DPAS") Status, as previously reported by the Company. Under DPAS, rated purchase orders must be prioritized by participating suppliers to meet national defense and emergency preparedness requirements. This priority treatment helps de-risk long-lead equipment deliveries such as electrical switch gear for LA-SMC in light of evolving global trade controls.

China's New Export Controls

China's new measures expand export controls to five more rare earth elements, as well as some processing equipment and technologies, tightening Beijing's grip on the sector. Holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium have been added to the list, in addition to critical magnet materials samarium, gadolinium, terbium and dysprosium which were added to the list in April of this year along with yttrium, scandium and lutetium. Export control licenses will now be required by foreign companies if they are producing products utilizing Chinese equipment or materials.

Ucore's ex-China sourcing plan, the ability to build sequential and modular RapidSX machines that target specific rare earth oxides for production, and DPAS-rating are expected to neutralize sourcing risks that could arise from these actions.

# # #

About Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

Ucore is focused on rare- and critical-metal resources, extraction, beneficiation, and separation technologies with the potential for production, growth, and scalability. Ucore's vision and plan is to become a leading advanced technology company, providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry.

Through strategic partnerships, this plan includes disrupting the People's Republic of China's control of the North American REE supply chain through the near-term development of a heavy and light rare-earth processing facility in the US State of Louisiana, subsequent SMCs in Canada and Alaska and the longer-term development of Ucore's 100% controlled Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Heavy REE Project on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska, USA ("Bokan").

Ucore is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "UCU" and in the United States on the OTC Markets' OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "UURAF."

For further information, please visit www.ucore.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business development, technological development and/or acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, events, or developments that the Company is pursuing are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Regarding the disclosure in the press release above about the government support for Ucore, the Company has assumed that the applicable projects (including each of the associated milestones) will be completed satisfactorily and in accordance with the respective agreements or letters of intent (as applicable) for such government support. For additional risks and uncertainties regarding the Company, its business activities, its ability to qualify for and receive any additional funding from any U.S. or Canadian government, the CDF and the aforementioned projects (generally), see the risk disclosure in the Company's MD&A for Q1 2025 (filed on SEDAR+ on May 9, 2025) (www.sedarplus.ca) as well as the risks described below. As noted above, the execution of a Definitive Offtake Agreement will be conditional upon the parties agreeing on commercial terms, among other conditions precedent.

Regarding the disclosure above in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), as suppliers for Ucore's expected future SMCs. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to continue and complete the ongoing research and development work required at the CDF and also later prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 technical report that demonstrates that Bokan is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer offtake agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to continue the development of the specific engineering plans for the SMCs and their construction and eventual commissioning and operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX RapidSX failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the SMCs; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the SMCs and/or the continued development of RapidSX adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Louisiana or Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) regarding the development of Bokan; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts

Mr. Peter Manuel, Ucore Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for the content of this news release and may be contacted at 1.902.482.5214.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269965

SOURCE: Ucore Rare Metals Inc.
Congratulations, Charlotte Boulware!

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / Shelly Leeke Law Firm's "Reducing Drunk Driving in Our Communities: What Can Students Do" Scholarship promised $2,500 to a student who could present the firm's representatives with a thoughtful assessment of drunk driving and the practices that might reduce the number of accidents seen from year to year.

Ms. Shelly Leeke and Charlotte Boulware



This year, Shelly Leeke Law Firm and its scholarship selection committee are pleased to award $2,500 to Charlotte Boulware , a history major at Clemson University.

Boulware's essay on drunk driving highlights the specific forces that she thinks promote intoxicated driving as well as the strategies that might make the practice less prevalent. She takes a two-fold approach to the problem, addressing drunk driving amongst teens as well as adults.

When it comes to teens, Boulware recommends taking steps to reduce the peer pressure teens feel to drink. She also notes that teens in the process of drinking often feel more motivated to move from place to place, sometimes to avoid scrutiny and other times to embrace the "cool" aesthetic of intoxication.

She recommends making it harder for older siblings and adults to share IDs with teenagers or to purchase alcohol for teens in an effort to curb teen drunk driving accidents.

Boulware also asserts her belief that adults should face harsher consequences for drinking and driving. She highlights South Carolina's current consequences for drunk driving - a temporary license suspension, fines, and jail time - and recommends increasing fines to upwards of $5,000. She also believes that adults convicted of a DUI should have to participate in community service initiatives.

Shelly Leeke Law Firm and its South Carolina personal injury lawyers commend the thought Boulware put into her essay and her dedication to increasing safety throughout her community. The team hopes that her $2,500 in scholarship winnings will make it easier to turn her analytical mind to the questions of history that so inspire her.

Students interested in following in Boulware's footsteps can check back for updates to the "Reducing Drunk Driving in Our Communities: What Can Students Do" Scholarship 's terms and conditions ahead of the next submission period.

About Shelly Leeke Law Firm

Shelly Leeke Law Firm has served the people of South Carolina for nearly twenty years while specializing in personal injury cases ranging from car accidents to wrongful death to dog bite injuries .

Shelly Leeke Law Firm is led with excellence concentrating on strong client communication and satisfaction. Ms. Leeke 's commitment to her community and continued success in her field of expertise is a testament to her strong work ethic and compassion for accident victims.

For more information on how the firm can guide survivors through the process of filing a personal injury claim, schedule a consultation with any of the firm's attending attorneys.

Contact Information

Shelly M. Leeke

Founder

roshni.b@leekelaw.com

866-442-7403





SOURCE: Shelly Leeke Law Firm

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/shelly-leeke-law-firm-announces-scholarship-winner-1085209
Equity Insider News Commentary

Issued on behalf of RUA GOLD Inc.

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Equity InsiderNews Commentary - While gold's breach of $4,000 per ounce grabbed headlines this week[1], the real story is unfolding in mining company balance sheets. Production costs have barely budged even as gold surged over 50% in 2025, creating what industry insiders call "windfall margins" where nearly every price increase drops straight to the bottom line[2]. Federal Reserve rate cuts and relentless central bank buying have removed the ceiling on gold's upside[3], putting companies like RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Scorpio Gold Corporation (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF), Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (OTCQX: THSGF), Gold X2 Mining Inc. (TSXV: AUXX) (OTCQB: GSHRF), and Kesselrun Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KES) (OTCQB: KSSRF).

With central banks snapping up 900 tonnes annually and Wall Street forecasting $4,900 gold by late 2026[4], the structural drivers supporting this rally show no signs of reversing. The math is simple: stable all-in sustaining costs plus soaring gold prices equals profit margins expanding at nearly twice the rate of gold's price appreciation, creating a rare window where established producers and early-stage developers alike can generate exceptional returns for shareholders positioned ahead of the next leg higher.

RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) recently delivered exceptional high-grade results back in September from its expanding Auld Creek project, including standout intercepts of 17m at 9.8g/t AuEq and 8m at 8.9g/t AuEq. These latest results demonstrate significant strike extension of the current resource, positioning the company for substantial resource growth by year-end. The company has also made promising regional discoveries, with rock chip samples grading 14g/t gold found over 30km south of Reefton.

"These drill results from Auld Creek have significantly expanded the scale and potential of the project and put us well on the way to growing the resource base as we announced last month," said Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD. "Importantly, the mineralized system has been extended both vertically and along strike and remains open in all directions."

The company recently announced a major expansion to its Reefton drill campaign, mobilizing a third rig and targeting over 4,000 metres of new drilling at Auld Creek to grow the gold-antimony resource above 300,000 ounces by year-end. RUA GOLD also has a third rig drilling at targets across the remainder of the district, focusing on highly ranking prospects highlighted by its VRIFY AI targeting process.

With momentum building and results accelerating, RUA GOLDjust announced an ambitious Q4 conference schedule that will showcase the company's high-grade gold-antimony story to institutional investors across three continents. The executive team will present at six major mining investment events spanning Munich, New York, Sydney, New Zealand, and Zurich throughout October and November.

"We're excited to showcase RUA GOLD on this global stage and connect with some of the top minds in mining investment," said Eckford. "With antimony supply tightening and gold reaching further record highs, RUA GOLD is positioned to be the next explorer transitioning to developer in New Zealand."

The conference circuit kicked off at Munich Mining Conference on October 3-4, where CFO Zeenat Lokhandwala presented to over 1,000 German retail investors. The schedule continues with the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference (October 7-9), Hidden Gems Conference in New York (October 20-21), and the International Mining and Resources Conference in Sydney (October 21-23), where COO Simon Henderson will represent RUA GOLD within the New Zealand pavilion. The tour concludes with the West Coast Minerals Forum in New Zealand (October 30) and the prestigious Swiss Mining Institute Conference in Zurich (November 20-21).

The Reefton Goldfield is a historically prolific district that produced more than 2 million ounces at grades up to 50 g/t. RUA GOLD now controls 120,000 hectares (roughly 95%) in the area and has confirmed multiple stacked mineralized shoots at Auld Creek, including previous standout intercepts of 2.1 m at 64 g/t AuEq (5.5 g/t gold and 13.1% antimony).

Antimony continues to be a major tailwind for the company's positioning, with prices surging past US$50,000 per tonne in 2025 following China's export restrictions. New Zealand has formally designated it as a critical mineral, adding further significance to RUA GOLD's dual-commodity profile. Surface samples have returned over 40% Sb, and several drill holes exceed 8%, grades rarely seen this early in a project's development cycle.

On the North Island, drill access applications have been submitted for RUA's Glamorgan project in the Hauraki Goldfield, home to the 10 Moz Martha mine. Glamorgan's 4 km gold-arsenic anomaly has been refined using VRIFY'sDORA AI engine, with drilling expected to begin in Q4.

With $14 million in cash and a leadership team behind US$11 billion in prior exits, RUA GOLD is well-positioned to deliver meaningful discovery growth across both islands.

CONTINUED Read this and more news for RUA GOLD at: https://equity-insider.com/2025/04/24/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:

Scorpio Gold Corporation (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF) has announced a maiden mineral resource estimate at its 100%-owned Manhattan District in Nevada, comprising 18,343,000 tonnes grading 1.26 g/t gold for 740,000 oz contained gold in the inferred category. The company also disclosed a historical mineral resource estimate covering satellite deposits at Black Mammoth, April Fool, Hooligan, Keystone, and Jumbo totaling 1,652,325 tonnes grading 5.89 g/t gold for 303,949 oz contained gold.

"The Maiden MRE represents the starting point for the newly consolidated 100%-owned Manhattan District, and does not yet incorporate any 2025 drilling by the Company," said Zayn Kalyan, CEO of Scorpio Gold. "The estimates also highlight the high-grade nature of the gold mineralization, with grade being the key factor that distinguishes Manhattan from other open-pit assets in Nevada. Scorpio Gold's objective is to build a multi-million-ounce resource at a grade that sets it apart from peers - an objective we are well positioned to pursue with the team and capital in place."

The maiden resource incorporates over 92,000 metres of historical drilling across more than 1,300 drillholes and does not yet include the company's 2025 drilling program, which remains underway. An NI 43-101 technical report detailing the mineral resource estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ and the company's website within 45 days.

Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (OTCQX: THSGF) has reported drilling results extending mineralization at the Bingo Zone of its Lawyers-Ranch Project in British Columbia, with drillhole 25BNGDD002 intersecting 89.30 m of 1.10 g/t Au from surface, including 12.00 m of 2.31 g/t Au, 3.47 g/t Ag, and 0.24% Cu beginning at 71.00 m downhole. The mineralization in this hole extends 30 m beyond currently modeled mineral resource domains and was abandoned ending in mineralization due to ground conditions, further emphasizing expansion potential.

"Our work at Ranch this year continues to underscore the project's potential beyond what is captured in the 2024 PEA," said Ewan Webster, President and CEO of Thesis Gold. "Drilling at Bingo emphasizes that there is still room for growth in the Ranch portion of the resource. In addition, the IP survey has opened up an entirely new perspective on the central portion of Ranch."

The company has completed an 86 line-kilometer induced polarization geophysical survey that has identified several compelling new targets beyond the resource zones. These exploration efforts build on the strong economics outlined in the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment, which demonstrated an after-tax NPV (5%) of C$1.28 billion, an IRR of 35.2%, and a 2.0-year payback period at US$1,930 gold and US$24 silver, with updated project economics expected in Q4 2025 through a Prefeasibility Study.

Gold X2 Mining Inc. (TSXV: AUXX) (OTCQB: GSHRF) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Kesselrun Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KES) (OTCQB: KSSRF), with each Kesselrun shareholder receiving $0.02 in cash and 0.2152 of a Gold X2 share per Kesselrun share held. The transaction will result in Gold X2 acquiring a 100% interest in Kesselrun's high-grade Huronian Gold Project, a past-producing mine strategically located adjacent to Gold X2's Moss Gold Project in Northern Ontario, with existing Kesselrun shareholders owning approximately 4.13% of the combined entity.

"The acquisition of Kesselrun Resources will mark a pivotal step forward for Gold X2 as we continue to consolidate a very prospective gold belt in Ontario," said Michael Henrichsen, President and CEO of Gold X2. "By bringing the Huronian project under our umbrella, we are positioning Gold X2 with multiple opportunities for potential resource growth and development synergies alongside our flagship Moss Gold Project. We look forward to unlocking the full potential of this regional land package and creating long-term value for all of our shareholders."

The transaction is expected to close on or about November 27, 2025, subject to Kesselrun shareholder approval (requiring at least 66?% of votes cast), court approval, and applicable regulatory approvals including TSXV approval. Gold X2 has also agreed to pay $2,000,000 in outstanding Kesselrun debt to certain creditors and provide a $500,000 interest-free bridge loan to fund transaction costs, with the boards of both companies having unanimously approved the deal and directors and officers of Kesselrun holding approximately 9.75% of outstanding shares entering into voting support agreements.

CONTACT:

Equity Insider

info@equity-insider.com

(604) 999-4849

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Equity Insider is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). This article is being distributed for Baystreet.ca Media Corp. ("BAY"), who has been paid a fee by a third-party, Sidis Holdings Limited ("Sidis") for an advertising contract between Sidis and RUA Gold Inc.. MIQ has not been paid a fee for RUA Gold Inc. advertising or digital media, but the owner/operators of MIQ also co-owns Baystreet.ca Media Corp. ("BAY") There may also be 3rd parties who may have shares of RUA Gold Inc. and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ does not own any shares of RUA Gold Inc. but reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of RUA Gold Inc. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ on behalf of Sidis has been approved by RUA Gold Inc. Technical information relating to RUA GOLD Inc. has been reviewed and approved by Simon Henderson, CP, AUSIMM, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Henderson is Chief Operational Officer of RUA GOLD Inc., and therefore is not independent of the Company; this is a paid advertisement, we currently do not own any shares of RUA Gold Inc. but will likely buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles.

While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.

SOURCES CITED:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/investing/gold-4-000-an-ounce https://markets.financialcontent.com/stocks/article/marketminute-2025-10-9-gold-rush-20-mining-stocks-poised-for-windfall-as-bullion-blasts-past-4000 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-is-the-price-of-gold-rising-4000-ounce-economy/ https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/goldman-sachs-raises-its-gold-price-target-to-4900-by-end2026-4274295

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Sending money across the euro area will be faster and safer than ever, thanks to new EU rules on instant payments. People and businesses can now transfer money in euro within seconds, anytime - day or night, weekdays or weekends - whether within their own country or across the euro area.



Since January, payment service providers (PSPs) in the euro area are obliged to offer their clients the possibility to receive euro instant payments. PSPs are also obliged to offer their clients the service of sending instant payments in euro and, in order to combat payment fraud in euro credit transfers, the service of payee verification (VoP). This makes instant payments more widely available, safer, and more affordable for everyone across the euro area.



Instant payments will boost Europe's economy and bring major benefits for citizens and companies, according to the Eoropean Commission.



Transfers in euro will no longer take days - they will reach the recipient's account in seconds, including at weekends and holidays.



The Commission has made it clear that banks and other payment service providers must not charge more for an instant payment than for a standard credit transfer.



To ensure stronger protection against fraud and errors, the Commission has urged providers to verify whether the name of payee (or recipient) matches the IBAN provided before a payment is made. This service shall be provided free of charge to the payer.



New rules also enable payment and e-money institutions to directly participate in payment systems, so they can provide their payment services, including instant payments, more efficiently.



From January 2027, payment service providers outside the euro area will also be required to allow their clients to send and receive instant payments in euro and verify the beneficiary, the European Commission said in a press release.



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EQS-News: EnergyNet Ltd. / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

ZimZam 2025: Driving Investment Partnerships for Southern Africa's Power Development



10.10.2025 / 15:15 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





ZimZam 2025: Driving Investment Partnerships for Southern Africa's Power Development

Southern Africa's most influential energy and investment leaders will gather at the Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit (ZimZam) on 26-28 November 2025, in Livingstone, Zambia

LIVINGSTONE, Zambia, October 10, 2025/APO Group/ --ZimZam 2025 (26-28 November) will gather governments, investors, and developers to accelerate Southern Africa's energy future. With Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) as Country Host, the summit will spotlight investment opportunities, renewable projects, and strategies to bring Southern Africa's energy commitments to financial close.

Southern Africa's most influential energy and investment leaders will gather at the Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit (ZimZam) on 26-28 November 2025, in Livingstone, Zambia. As the region turns pledges into megawatts, the event will unite governments, investors, and developers to fast-track bankable projects in the energy and mining sectors.

ZimZam 2025, held at the stunning Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort in Zambia, will also spotlight regional interconnections, energy markets, innovative financing solutions and the balance of solar, wind, and hydro in a changing climate.

The event comes at a pivotal moment for Southern Africa. Landmark initiatives, such as the Chisamba 100MW Solar Farm, Great Zimbabwe Hydro Project, and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector (ZTIP), are redefining regional cooperation while exposing challenges in transmission, bankability and offtaker risk.

The summit will hear from guest of honour His Excellency the Honourable Makozo Chikote, Minister of Energy for Zambia, who will outline Zambia's commitment to regional cooperation and energy investment.

And more than 40 developers have already confirmed their participation, including Emesco, NOA Group, Axian Energy, Engie Energy Access, Voltalia, Anzana Electric Group, Globeleq, Release by Scatec, Solarcentury, JCM Power, Pele Energy Group, and HDF Energy.

Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), based in Kitwe, Zambia, fresh off the milestone issuance of a $150 million green bond for 230 MW of solar projects, will be Country Host, underscoring Zambia's leadership in energy innovation.

Owen Silavwe, managing director of the Copperbelt Energy Corporation, says: "CEC's support for the summit is a natural extension of our mission to deliver reliable energy and high-quality services while fostering strategic partnerships and advancing sustainable development across Africa. Our values, of honesty, teamwork, and a "can-do" attitude, shape how we collaborate with stakeholders and approach regional integration."

With a focus on scaling renewables, securing financing, and building stable energy markets for industry, ZimZam 2025 will be the key platform for turning regional energy commitments into reality.

For more details: https://apo-opa.co/493nw9k

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EnergyNet Ltd..

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Poliana Sperandio

Poliana@EnergyNet.co.uk

10.10.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - TNR Gold Corp. (TSXV: TNR) ("TNR", "TNR Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that McEwen Inc. ("McEwen") has provided an update on the Los Azules copper, gold and silver project in San Juan, Argentina. TNR holds a 0.4% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") (of which 0.04% of the 0.4% NSR Royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder) on the Los Azules Copper Project. The Los Azules project is held by McEwen Copper Inc. ("McEwen Copper"), which is 46.4% owned by McEwen.

A news release issued by McEwen on October 7, 2025, stated:

"McEwen Copper Inc., 46.4% owned by McEwen Inc. is pleased to announce positive results from the independent Feasibility Study (FS) for its 100%-owned Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina.

The FS confirms Los Azules as a long-life, low-cost producer of high-purity copper cathodes with strong economic returns and sustainability. The project design advances Los Azules toward construction readiness within a framework that reduces its environmental footprint. Project risk has been further reduced through a strategic collaboration agreement with IFC to potentially lead debt financing and additional funding proposals for infrastructure and construction.

With these results, Los Azules is positioned to become a supplier of responsibly produced copper, critical to the global energy transition towards a low-carbon sustainable future.

'The Los Azules Feasibility Study is more than a technical milestone - it's a blueprint for the future of copper mining. We have delivered a plan for a long-life asset that will play a role in the world's clean-energy transition. Copper is the foundation of electrification and the modern world, and Los Azules is ready to contribute to that global supply chain - responsibly, efficiently, and profitably,' said Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner of McEwen Inc.

'With this Feasibility Study, our team has transformed the geological potential of Los Azules into a clear, actionable development plan. This work gives us confidence in the project's design, costs, and schedule, providing the foundation for the next stage of growth.

'Having significant experience with large-scale construction and mining operations in Argentina, I am confident that we have the right plan, the right team, and the right partnerships to develop Los Azules. Together with our local communities and government partners, we aim to create Argentina's first regenerative copper mine - a model for responsible and innovative mining," said Michael Meding, Vice President of McEwen Copper and General Manager of Los Azules.

This press release starts with the FS Highlights below, followed by Footnotes, a Glossary of Terms, Units and Abbreviations and continues with a detailed account of the study in a Technical Appendix.

FS Highlights

Simple Takeaways

Economics After-tax(1):

NPV(8%) $2.9B

IRR 19.8%

Payback Period 3.9 yrs

Initial Capital $3.17B

Copper Cathode Production(2):

Average Years 1-5 204,800 tonnes per year (451M lbs/yr)

Life of Mine 21 years

Average Production 148,200 t/yr (327M lbs/yr)

Costs:

C1 cash cost $1.71/lb

AISC $2.11/lb

Scale - Reserves and Resources(3):

Mineral Reserves

- Proven & Probable 10.2B lbs Cu (1.02 B tonnes at 0.45% Cu)



Mineral Resources (exclusive of Reserves)

- Measured & Indicated 5.4B lbs Cu (0.97 B tonnes at 0.26% Cu)

- Inferred 20.0B lbs Cu (4.24 B tonnes at 0.21% Cu)

Capital Intensity Using:

LOM Capital &

Production $1,600/t Cu

Initial Capital &

Avg. Annual Production $20,200/t Cu per yr

Designed for Low Impact

Leach + SX/EW process produces 99.99% copper cathodes (LME Grade A) on site (no smelter required).

Project design provides:

- 72% lower mine-to-metal carbon intensity than industry average for mine-to-metal

- 100% renewable power(4) (wind, hydro, solar)

- 74% less water use than conventional milling

- No tailings dam

Carbon-neutral (Scopes 1 & 2) goal by 2038.

De-risked Regulatory Status

Environmental Impact Statement EIA (Environmental Permit) for construction and operation was approved by the San Juan Provincial Government's Ministry of Mines in December, 2024.

Accepted into Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) in September, 2025, providing tax, foreign exchange and customs stability for 30 years, legal certainty, foreign exchange regulations allowing to leave export proceeds abroad in increasing steps that will reach 100% by the time the project starts exports and access to international arbitration in case of disputes.

Ownership & Partners

Ownership: McEwen Inc. 46.4%, Stellantis 18.3%, Nuton (Rio Tinto) 17.2%,

Rob McEwen 12.7%, Victor Smorgon Grp 3%, Others 2.4%.

Preliminary finance proposals from Tier-1 OEMs (Komatsu, Sandvik & others), YPF Luz, European ECAs, and a collaboration agreement with IFC(5) to align with IFC's ESG standards and for potential financing. Indicative proposals could support $1.1B+(6) in equipment and infrastructure financing.

Future Growth Opportunities Beyond the FS

Nuton leaching technology (Rio Tinto venture) could allow processing of primary ores with the existing infrastructure (indicative recoveries >76%), or a Conventional Concentrator could also provide higher copper recoveries, plus recover gold and silver as well. Either process could extend mine life by 30+ years by economically treating primary sulfides. Neither of these opportunities are included in the FS base case. Exploration has shown that there are four porphyry targets near the Los Azules deposit that could provide further extension to the mine life. Exploration of the newly identified targets will start in Q4 2025. High-priority targets near Los Azules include Tango, Porfido Norte, Franca, and Mercedes.

Timeline & Next Steps

FS NI 43-101 Technical Report to be filed: within 45 days (7) .

Water concession: application under review.

Construction target: 2026 -> SX/EW startup: 2029 -> First copper: 2030.

Footnotes to Highlights

(1) NI 43-101 feasibility study using a copper price of $4.35/lb or $9,592/ tonne for cash flow modeling.

(2) Average copper recovery is 70.8% over the life of mine.

(3) For additional details on the calculation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves see Section 3 of the Technical Appendix, Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates.

(4) Power supply 100% renewable, with 48% lower electricity demand than a conventional concentrator.

(5) Collaboration agreement signed with IFC to align with IFC's ESG standards for potential future financing, an important milestone in McEwen Copper's broader financing strategy.

(6) Preliminary financing proposals from Tier-1 OEMs, YPF Luz, and European ECAs could provide $1.1B+ in equipment and infrastructure support.

(7) The FS NI 43-101 Technical Report will be filed within 45 days on SEDAR and McEwen Inc.'s website.

ABOUT MCEWEN INC.

McEwen Inc. shares trade on both the NYSE and TSX under the ticker MUX.

It provides shareholders with exposure to a growing base of gold and silver production in addition to a very large copper development project, all in the Americas. The gold and silver mines are in prolific mineral-rich regions of the world, the Cortez Trend in Nevada, USA, the Timmins district of Ontario, Canada and the Deseado Massif in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. McEwen Inc. is considering reactivating a gold and silver mine in Mexico.

It has a 46.4% interest in the large, long-life, advanced-stage Los Azules copper development project in San Juan province, Argentina - a region that hosts some of the country's largest copper deposits. The Los Azules copper project is designed to be one of the world's first regenerative copper mines and carbon neutral by 2038.

Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, has a personal cost basis for his investment in the companies of over $200 million and takes a salary of $1 per year, aligning his interests closely with shareholders. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada, a member of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame and a winner of the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Energy) award. His objective is to build MUX's profitability, share value and eventually implement a dividend policy, as he did while building Goldcorp Inc.

ABOUT MCEWEN COPPER

McEwen Copper Inc. is a Canadian-based private company with a 100% interest in the Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina and the Elder Creek copper/gold project in Nevada, USA.

Based on S&P Global data for 2024, Los Azules projected annual production would rank it as the 26th worldwide, once in production, placing it in the top 6% of all 423 copper producers. The project also ranks 10th globally in terms of total Mineral Resources among all undeveloped copper porphyry deposits (company disclosure).

Los Azules is being designed to provide a model to the industry for a more sustainable, low-carbon future and to help improve public perception of mining by fundamentally differing from conventional copper mines -substantially reducing water consumption and carbon emissions and operating on 100% renewable electricity once in production.

Glossary of Terms, Units and Abbreviations

AISC - All-In Sustaining Cost (C1 + sustaining capital + royalties + taxes)

Approx. - Approximately

B - billion

Blb - billion pounds

Copper cathode - High-purity (typically 99.99%) of refined copper sheets (LME Grade A) produced through an electrolytic refining process. This finished product serves as a primary raw material for high-quality copper products, such as wires, tubes, and various alloys.

CO2-e/t Cu - Kilograms of CO2 equivalent per tonne of copper

Cu - copper

C1 Costs - Direct cash costs of production

EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment

FS - Feasibility Study

GHG Emissions - Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-equivalent)

Heap Leach - Process of extracting metals by percolating acid through ore piles

Hypogene or Primary - Refers to mineralization formed by ascending hydrothermal fluids deep below the surface, usually at high temperature and pressure

IFC - International Finance Corporation

IRR (Internal Rate of Return) - Rate at which NPV = 0

ktpa - 1,000 tonnes per annum

km - kilometer

lb - pound (0.4536 kg)

leach project - project using heap leach process

LOI - Letter of Intent

LOM - Life of Mine

L/s - 1 liter per second

m - meter

M - million

MW - megawatt (1,000,000 watts)

Mlb - million pounds

NPV (Net Present Value) - Present value of future cash flows discounted at 8%

NSR - (Net Smelter Return) - a royalty based on a percentage of metal produced based on the metal sale proceeds less the cost of refining at an off-site refinery (Metal Price  Payable Metal Content) - (Treatment Charges + Refining Charges + Penalties + Transport/ Insurance/ Marketing Costs)

NTP - Notice to Proceed

Nuton - Rio Tinto's proprietary Nuton technology

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer

oz - troy ounce (31.1 grams)

Primary or Hypogene - Refers to the original ore minerals formed during the initial geological processes (e.g., magmatic or hydrothermal activity). Primary mineralization is typically found at depth and is unaltered by surface weathering.

RIGI - Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime

SX/EW - Solvent Extraction / Electrowinning

Secondary - Refers to ore minerals or enrichment formed after the primary (hypogene) stage, usually by supergene processes (weathering, oxidation, and downward percolation of fluids near the surface).

Soluble Copper (CuSOL) - the amount of copper assayed using sequential methodology that includes acid soluble and cyanide soluble assayed components. Acid soluble copper generally represents readily acid dissolvable oxide, carbonate and similar copper minerals. Cyanide soluble copper generally represents secondary copper minerals that are readily leached with commercial bioleach technology (chalcocite, digenite, covellite)

Supergene - Secondary ore minerals formed near the Earth's surface through weathering, oxidation, and groundwater movement. Metals are leached from upper zones and reprecipitated at depth, often creating an enriched zone of higher-grade mineralization.

Total Copper (CuT) - the amount of copper contained in all mineral forms in the deposit by conventional assaying methodology. Total copper includes the soluble copper component.

t - tonne (1,000 kg)

yr - year

Technical Appendix

The information in this appendix is provided for technical readers and analysts.

Project Overview

Property Description

Exploration Targets

A Sustainable Approach Copper Price Assumption Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates

Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

Maiden Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve Estimate Metallurgy & Recovery Economic Analysis

Economic Metrics

Sensitivity Analysis Capital & Operating Costs

Capital Costs Estimates

YPF Funding Power Supply

Operating Costs Estimates ESG & Sustainability Permitting & Regulatory Status Development Timeline Nuton Opportunity Strategic Partnerships Study Contributors and Qualified Persons End Notes

1. Project Overview

Property Description

Located in Calingasta District, San Juan Province, Argentina, on the border with Chile. The Los Azules copper project is a classic Andean-style porphyry copper deposit. The large hydrothermal alteration system spans at least 5 kilometers (km) by 4 km, elongated along a north-northwest major structural corridor. The Los Azules deposit area itself is approximately 4 km long by 2.2 km wide and lies within the alteration zone.

The limits of the Los Azules mineralization along strike to the North and at depth have not yet been defined. Near-mine primary or hypogene copper mineralization extends to at least 1,000 m below the surface. Near surface, leached primary sulfides (mainly pyrite and chalcopyrite) were redeposited below the water table in a sub-horizontal zone of supergene enrichment as secondary chalcocite and covellite. Hypogene bornite appears at deeper levels together with chalcopyrite. Gold, silver, and molybdenum are present in small amounts, however copper is the economic driver at Los Azules.

Exploration Targets

Porphyry exploration targets near to Los Azules include Tango, Porfido Norte, Franca, and Mercedes. They are a priority for next season's exploration (see Figure 1). These targets offer the potential to enlarge the size of resources and extend the life-of-mine beyond that presented in this study.

The Franca target, with high-grade intercepts, shows the potential to extend the Los Azules resource to the northeast. The Mercedes target west of Los Azules has hydrothermal alteration and similar surface geology to Los Azules and has the indication to be another hidden porphyry, like Los Azules. Porfido Norte is a target that is located along the main Los Azules structural corridor with indications of a suitable intrusive suite of rocks with hydrothermal alteration. Finally, the Tango target will be mapped in detail to better understand the potential drill targets.

Figure 1: Los Azules deposit (outlined in blue), and exploration targets Mercedes, Porfido Norte, Franca and Tango (black squares). Satellite image with Total Magnetic Intensity map.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2014/269916_b933a7e8141c3bb4_003full.jpg

Heap Leach SX/EW - The Preferred Path Forward

The FS is based on a heap leach process using solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX/EW) to produce 99.99% copper cathodes (LME Grade A equivalent) for sale in Argentina or international markets. There are three principal reasons why the implementation strategy remains a leach project, as in the 2023 PEA(11):

Environmental Footprint: Process water consumption is 74% lower than a milling operation (158 L/s LOM average vs. 600 L/s). Net electricity demand is 48% lowerthan a concentrator (119 MW vs. 230 MW). GHG emissions are 72% lower than the average mining operation (1,082 vs. 3,930 kg CO2-e/t Cu for Mine-to-Metal(12), with a roadmap to achieve further reductions through new technologies, with the ultimate goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2038 with some offsets. Los Azules copper cathodes will thus be attractive to end-users seeking to measurably reduce their upstream environmental impacts.

Reduced Permitting Risk: With the approval of our Environmental Impact Assessment on December 3, 2024, and the approval of our application for the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) on September 26, 2025, and the expected approval of our Water Concession permit for operations, Los Azules is well positioned to begin construction. The project uses heap leach technology that is well accepted in the San Juan Province today. It also eliminates tailings and tailings dams, conserves scarce water resources, and reduces the overall complexity of the mine, optimizing the permitting process.

Producing Cathodes: The leach process will produce LME Grade A copper cathodes, which can be used directly in the fabrication of copper products, both within Argentina and internationally. The production of copper cathodes eliminates reliance on third party foreign smelters for the processing of concentrates into refined copper products. It also eliminates significant GHG emissions associated with transportation, and pollution associated with smelting. Counterparty and pricing risks are also reduced.

A Sustainable Approach

The FS marks another significant step toward our goal of reducing our environmental footprint. Greater environmental and social stewardship sets our project apart from other potential mine developments, which appropriately justifies certain economic trade-offs. Trade-offs to achieve the environmental benefits of heap leaching are lower overall copper recovery, slightly higher unit costs, and less immediate cashflow due to extended leach cycles. Nevertheless, the leach project remains economically attractive. Furthermore, McEwen Copper believes that some of these drawbacks can be mitigated by implementing developing technologies such as the Nuton Technology, discussed below. Additionally, trolley-assist haulage, conveyor waste haulage, and In-Pit Crush and Convey (IPCC) will be further evaluated during the detailed engineering stage to continue to reduce the mine's carbon footprint. Additionally overall CAPEX is lower than comparable concentrators.

The team has also worked safely with 1,848,632 man-hours worked since our last Lost Time Incident and since January of 2022 we have worked a total of 2,367,891 man-hours to achieve this study result.

We developed regenerative guiding principles to frame our approach to sustainable innovation and set high-reaching goals addressing all facets of the mining and processing options considered for Los Azules. The project development seeks to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of mining operations and their associated GHG emissions by integrating the latest renewable and environmentally responsible technologies and processes. The project has letters of intent (LOIs) to obtain 100% of its energy from renewable sources (wind, hydro, and solar), primarily from YPF Luz, using a combination of off-site and onsite installations. The project is also seeking to have long-term net positive impacts on the greater Andean ecosystem, local flora and fauna, the lives of miners, and citizens of nearby communities, while contributing positively to the local and national economy of Argentina. Refer to the full FS NI 43-101 Technical Report for more information about our regenerative approach.

2. Copper Price Assumptions

The copper price used for mineral reserves in the FS was $4.25 per pound and $4.80per pound for mineral resources, in line with analysts' consensus projections for long-term copper prices that range between $3.55 and $5.00 per pound, with a median price of $4.25 per pound. The mineral resource price was set at 113% of the mineral reserve price.

Economics in the cashflow model were analyzed at $4.35 per pound copper. This reflects analysts' consensus at the time of publication of the feasibility study.

3. Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates

The FS includes an updated independent Mineral Resource and a maiden Mineral Reserve estimate, which contains a Mineral Resource of 5.4 B lbs Cu Measured and Indicated (965.5 million tonnes at grade 0.255% Cu) and 20.0 B lbs Cu Inferred (4,239.3 million tonnes at grade 0.214% Cu) (exclusive of Reserves), and a maiden Mineral Reserve of 10.2 B lbs Cu Proven and Probable (1,023.1 million tonnes at grade 0.453% Cu).

This study provides an update on the work done for the 2023 Los Azules PEA. Drilling more than 120,000 meters with more than 2.3 M man-hours worked in the last three seasons has upgraded the resource categories to allow us to present a Mineral Reserve in the FS similar to the 1.182 B tonnes of mineable Mineral Resources containing 10.9 B lbs Cu in the 2023 PEA. This achievement included a campaign during the 2023/2024 season with 70,000 meters drilled and up to 23 rigs operating simultaneously at site.

This program was executed in collaboration with seven drilling contractors, including two local ventures that were operating LF160 Boart Longyear rigs owned by McEwen Copper. During this period, the company also acquired the largest fleet of LF160s in South America and assembled a highly trained team to support the ambitious drilling program.

Maiden Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve Estimate

The Los Azules project is to be developed as a large-scale open pit mining operation. 1.02 billion tonnes of ore will be mined at average diluted head grades of 0.45% Cu and a strip ratio of 1.65:1 over a 21-year mine life including pre-production and stockpile reclaim plus 2 years of leaching operation production.

Given the concern about the geotechnical stability of the ultimate pit slopes, several consultants reviewed the data, and E-Mining Technology ultimately provided the analysis that was used to design the pit. The significant amount of drilling, review of core, and analysis resulted in a delay in the delivery of the feasibility study but has improved the confidence in the design basis for the open pit. The ultimate slopes will not be mined for several years into the mine life, which allows time for additional geotechnical work to be done to improve the understanding of the rock qualities that can support those design parameters for interim and ultimate pit phases.

The Los Azules pit will be mined in 12 phases. Eighteen geotechnical sectors were defined with overall slope angles ranging from 32 to 37 degrees, according to E-Mining Technology's geotechnical study. The shallowest overall slope angles are in the north and south of the pit, as well as in the bottom portion of the eastern side, due to a fault-weakened zone.

Large electrically powered hydraulic shovels will be used in combination with ultra-class 360-tonne haul trucks. These are sized to mine 15-meter-high benches. To maximize productivity, efficiency and safety in a high altitude environment, the drills and haul trucks will be autonomously operated.

The Mineral Reserves for Los Azules are updated and stated in Table 1. Measured mineral resources and Indicated mineral resources were converted to Proven and Probable mineral reserves, respectively. Ore reserves were estimated using long-term metal price estimates of $4.25/ lb Cu.

Table 1: Mineral Reserve Statement, Effective Date September 3, 2025



Grade Contained Metal Reserve Class Tonnage (Kt) Total Cu % Soluble Cu % Cu M lb Proven 229,879 0.683 0.495 3,463 Probable 793,173 0.386 0.259 6,754 Total 1,023,052 0.453 0.312 10,217

Table 1 Notes:

The Qualified Person for the Mineral Reserve estimates is Gordon Zurowski P.Eng., an AGP employee. Mineral Reserves have an effective date of 03 September 2025. Mineral Reserves are reported on a 100% basis.

Mineral Reserves are estimated assuming open pit mining methods and include dilution. Recoveries were based on the extractions shown in Figure 2. Pit slopes vary by sector and range from 32 to 37. The cut-off is variable and ranges from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR. The copper price used was $4.25/lb Cu. Cu recovery varies by lithology. Mining costs vary by bench with a minimum of $2.14/t and a maximum of $4.11/t. Processing costs are variable and range from $3.18/t to $5.62/t leached. The processing costs include: $1.61/t G&A, $0.43/t leached for sustaining capital, and $0.15/t leached to account for closure cost. Copper cathode sales cost is $0.02/lb Cu. Copper cathode was assumed to be sold FOB the mine site.

Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

The database for resource estimation has a cutoff date of March 27, 2025. An additional 1,075 meters of drilling from four geotechnical holes, completed from early 2025 to date, were not included in the resource estimate.

The mineral resources have been classified according to guidelines and logic set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM 2019) Definitions referred to in NI 43-101. Resources were classified as Measured, Indicated or Inferred by considering the geology, sampling, and grade estimation aspects of the model. For geology, consideration was given to the confidence in the interpretation of the lithologic domain boundaries and geometry. For sampling, consideration was given to the number and spacing of composites, the orientation of drilling and the reliability of sampling. For the estimation results, consideration was given to the confidence with which grades were estimated, as measured by the quality of the match between the grades of the data and the model.

Mineral resources are determined using an NSR cut-off value to cover the processing cost for each recovery methodology. For supergene and primary material using sulfuric acid leaching and SX/EW recovery, a marginal cut-off was used that was variable ranging from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR. The supergene and primary material can be treated in a float mill with NSR cutoffs of $5.13/t and $5.11/t, respectively. NSR values are based on a copper price of $4.80/lb, gold at $2,500/oz and silver at $32/oz where applicable. Variable pit slopes between 32 and 37 were applied depending on sector.

The current database is sufficient for preparing a long-range model that will serve as a basis for modeling associated with completing the FS. The extent of mineralization along strike exceeds three kilometers, and the distance across strike is approximately one kilometer. The deposit is open at depth. Over the approximately 2.5 km strike length where mineralization is strongest, the average drill spacing ranges from approximately 50 meters to more than 120 meters. The central core of the enriched zone is drilled at an approximate 50 m spacing. The assay database considers 627 drillholes with 132,255 meters of assayed intervals. Resource estimation work was performed using Datamine Studio software.

Resources disclosed in Table 2 are reported in two categories related to processing amenability:

1) materials that are suited for processing in a commercially proven conventional, ambient conditions, copper bio-leaching scheme (Leach); and

2) materials that are better suited to processing either in a more advanced bio-leaching scheme such as Nuton Technology or traditional milling/concentrator approach (Mill or Leach+).

Table 2: Mineral Resources (Exclusive of Mineral Reserves), Effective Date September 3, 2025



Million

tonnes (MT) Average Grade Contained Metal





CuT

% CuSol

% Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Cu

(Blbs) Au

(Moz) Ag

(Moz) Measured & Indicated Supergene Leach 251.9 0.303 0.167 - - 1.7 -

-

Supergene Mill or Leach+ 77.6 0.108 0.042 0.04 1.11 0.2 0.1 2.8 Primary Mill or Leach+ 635.9 0.255 0.046 0.05 1.17 3.6 0.9 23.8 Total

Measured & Indicated Leach & Mill or Leach+ 965.5 0.255 0.077



5.4 1.0 26.6 Inferred Supergene Mill or Leach+ 601.1 0.292 0.131 0.04 1.32 3.9 0.9 25.5 Primary Mill or Leach+ 3,638.2 0.201 0.027 0.04 1.06 16.1 4.9 124.5 Total

Inferred Leach & Mill or Leach+ 4,239.3 0.214 0.042



20.0 5.7 149.9

Notes to Table 2:

The Qualified Person for the Mineral Resource estimate is Jeff Sullivan - CRM-SA, LLC. Mineral Resources have an effective date of September 3, 2025.

Mineral resources, which are not mineral reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant factors.

The quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there is insufficient exploration to define these inferred mineral resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource; it is expected that further infill drilling will result in upgrading the majority of this material to an indicated or measured classification.

Reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction are demonstrated by using a calculated NSR value in each block to evaluate an open pit shell using Measured, Indicated and Inferred blocks in Geovia Whittle pit optimization software. Mining costs vary by bench with a minimum of $2.14/t and a maximum of $6.38/t.

NSR was calculated using the following: metal prices of $4.80/lb for copper, $2,500/oz for gold and $32/oz for silver, Processing costs are variable and range from $3.18/t to $5.62/t leached. Milling process cost are $5.13/t for supergene and $5.11/t for primary ores. Total freight costs of $150/t for concentrate, selling costs of $0.02/lb for copper.

A marginal cut-off was used that was variable ranging from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR based on extraction of the resource from the enriched zone using sulfuric acid leaching and SX/EW recovery; the recovery was calculated using the extractions shown in Figure 2 and applying a 95% operational efficiency.

The supergene and primary material can potentially be treated in a mill/concentrator with NSR cut-offs of $5.13/t for supergene and $5.11/t for primary respectively. The mill has the added benefit of also recovering the gold and silver present in the resource. Additional parameters are used for the NSR calculation for this scenario. Mill recoveries for the secondary copper resources were 89.3% and for the primary resources were 93.2%.

Depending on the potential depth of the pit, total pit slope angles ranged from 32 to 37 depending on the sector. Overburden slopes were set at 32.

Composites of 2 m length were capped where needed; the capping strategy is based on the distribution of grade which varies by location (i.e. domain or proximity to controlling structures) and the associated potential metal removal. The resource estimate is based on uncapped copper grades; local capped grades are used for gold and silver.

Block grades were estimated using a combination of ordinary Kriging and inverse distance squared weighting depending on domain size.

Model blocks are 20 m x 20 m x 15 m in size.

4. Metallurgy & Recovery

The metallurgical development for the Los Azules feasibility was completed in three phases:

Phase 1: Baseline testing from the test work program outlined in the 2023 PEA.

Phase 2: Testing using samples from the 2021-2022 drilling campaigns, to expand the variability database from Phase 1 and to extend the geometallurgical data set to include lithologic domains.

Phase 3: Scale-up validation using samples from the 2022-2023 exploration campaigns, to validate scale-up from the baseline 3-meter columns to the planned 9-meter bench height of the heap leach pad and to confirm extraction within the test programs. The Phase 3 master composites were built by lithologic domain and were pulled from within the pit shell for the initial five years of operation. Additional samples were collected from the 2023-2024 exploration campaign from holes drilled vertically.

The metallurgical work completed to date provides comprehensive understanding of the expected performance characteristics of the Los Azules deposit. The anticipated copper extractions shown in Figure 2 are utilized in the block model to calculate NSR value for each block in conjunction. Copper recovered to cathodes will consider a heap efficiency and inventory factor of 95% of the extractable copper, based on general experience and industry practice.

Figure 2: All 360-day column extraction data plotted as soluble copper (CuSOL) to total copper (CuT) ratio of the head grade broken out by lithology and ratios.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2014/269916_b933a7e8141c3bb4_004full.jpg

Notes: IMP = Intermineral Porphyry, IMP BX = IMP Breccia, DIO = Diorite, EMP = Early Mineral Porphyry, and EMP BX = EMP Breccia

The expected overall total copper recovery is approximately 70.8% and is distributed over a three-year timeframe from placement on the leach pad to account for the timing of active leaching cycles as the pad is constructed. The copper extraction methodology best reflects the potential variability related to host rock materials and the expected variability related to copper grades, mineralogy and recovery that can be practically applied in the mining modeling. In the opinion of the QP, the metallurgical test work and analysis support the metallurgical assumptions provided and used in the mineral reserve statement, the feasibility mine plans, and the economic analysis presented in this report.

Processing of the primary ores can be achieved by using both the Nuton process, alternative leaching processes such as chloride leaching or by using a conventional milling operation to produce concentrates. The advantage of conventional milling is the additional revenue from the recovered gold and silver from the deposit. The next stage of metallurgical test work will include sufficient work to evaluate the processing method to be used for the primary ores during the detailed engineering and initial operations phase.

5. Economic Analysis

Economic Metrics

All currency shown in the FS is expressed in constant Q2 2025 United States Dollars unless otherwise noted.

The Business Case for the leach project uses a copper price assumption of $4.35/lb. Summary results are provided below in Table 3.

Table 3: Project Metrics - Business Case Project Metric Unit Number Mine Life Years 21 Tonnes Processed Billion tonnes 1.023 Tonnes Waste Mined Billion tonnes 1.684 Strip Ratio

1.65 Total Copper Grade (CuT) % CuT 0.453% Soluble Copper Grade (CuSOL) % CuSOL 0.312% Total Copper Recovery % 70.8% Copper Production (LOM avg.) tonnes/yr 148,200 Copper Production (Yrs 1-5) tonnes/yr 204,800 Copper Production - cathode Cu ktonnes 3,279 Initial Capital Cost USD Millions $3,168 Sustaining Capital Cost USD Millions $2,131 Closure Costs USD Millions $386 C1 Cost (Life of Mine) USD/lb Cu $1.71 All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) USD/lb Cu $2.11 Before Taxes



Net Cumulative Cashflow USD Millions $12,721 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) % 24.3% Net Present Value (NPV) @ 8% USD Millions $4,280 After Taxes



Net Cumulative Cashflow USD Millions $9,647 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) % 19.8% Net Present Value (NPV) @ 8% USD Millions $2,940 Pay Back Period Years 3.87

The FS for Los Azules envisions an average annual copper cathode production of 451 million lbs per year (204,800 tonnes) during the first five years of operation, representing an increase of 50 million lbs per year compared to the initial five years of the 2023 PEA production schedule. Over the 21-year life of mine, the average annual copper cathode production is projected at 327 million lbs per year (148,200 tonnes).

Based on the LOM extraction of mineralized material containing approximately 10.2 billion lbs (4.63 million tonnes) of total copper, and an average copper recovery of 70.8%, total copper recoverable to cathode is 7.23 billion lbs (3.28 million tonnes). The copper production by year is shown in Figure 3:

Figure 3: Copper Cathode Production by Year

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2014/269916_b933a7e8141c3bb4_005full.jpg

Other economic metrics:

Initial capital expenditure $3.17 billion

Project capital intensity $9.18/ lb Cu per year (or $20,200/ t Cu per year) based on Initial capital / average annual production, or $0.73/ lb Cu (or $1,600/ t Cu) based on LOM Capex / LOM production (8) .

Average EBITDA(9) per year $1.31 billion for Years 1-5 and $696 million for Years 6-21.

A Nuton Technology Case is considered in the opportunity section of the FS as a separate project at a PEA-level of study. That case would process primary material stockpiled during the mining of the leach project and mineral resources outside of the Mineral Reserve pit with low soluble copper content. The Nuton case would use the existing processing facilities to support the operation, with a new leach pad and Pregnant Leach Solution pumped back to the original solvent exchange & electrowinning facility. The use of Nuton Technology has the potential to extend the life of the project and will continue to be evaluated after the conclusion of the FS.

Sensitivity Analysis

The leach project economics remain attractive (i.e. with an after-tax IRR of 15% or above) at a copper price above $3.74 per pound and are similarly resistant to an increase in LOM capital expenditure of up to 25% and an increase in operating expenses of up to 37% (see Figure 4 below).

Table 4 below shows the sensitivity of the leach project's after-tax economics to copper price fluctuations (+/- 20%). The project after-tax NPV8% is breakeven at a copper price of $3.10 per pound.

Table 4: Project Copper Price Sensitivity Sensitivity to Change in Metal Pricing After-Tax Cu Price Copper Price NPV IRR Payback (%) $ Cu/lb $M % Years -20% $3.48 $902 12% 5.78 -15% $3.70 $1,411 14% 5.15 -10% $3.92 $1,921 16% 4.68 -5% $4.13 $2,430 18% 4.33 0% $4.35 $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $4.57 $3,449 21% 3.59 10% $4.79 $3,956 23% 3.39 15% $5.00 $4,461 25% 3.23 20% $5.22 $4,966 26% 3.06

Table 5 below shows the sensitivity of the project economics to initial and sustaining capital expenditure escalation on an after-tax basis.

Table 5: Project Initial & Sustaining CAPEX Sensitivity Sensitivity to Increased

CAPEX (%) After-Tax

NPV IRR Payback

$M % Years 0% $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $2,773 19% 4.18 10% $2,606 18% 4.41 15% $2,440 17% 4.60 20% $2,273 16% 4.78 25% $2,107 15% 4.99

Table 6 below shows the sensitivity of the project economics to operating expenditure escalation on a after-tax basis.

Table 6: Project OPEX Sensitivity Sensitivity to Increased OPEX (%) After-Tax

NPV IRR Payback

$M % Years 0 $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $2,746 19% 4.00 10% $2,553 18% 4.18 15% $2,359 18% 4.32 20% $2,166 17% 4.43 25% $1,973 16% 4.54

Figure 4: Chart of IRR Sensitivity (After-Tax) Relative to Copper Price, CAPEX and OPEX

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2014/269916_b933a7e8141c3bb4_006full.jpg

6. Capital & Operating Costs

Capital Costs Estimates

The project includes the development of an open pit mine with multi-stage crushing and screening, a heap leach pad, and a copper solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX/EW) facility with a nominal production capacity of 215 ktpa copper cathodes (design maximum 240 ktpa). Initial capital infrastructure for the Base Case includes the following facilities:

Mine development and associated infrastructure

Coarse rock storage and ore handling (crushing, conveying, agglomeration)

Heap leach pads and conveyor stacking systems

SX/EW facility

Sulfuric acid plant

On-site utilities and ancillary facilities including a construction camp

Off-site infrastructure: power transmission line (outsourced), access roads, and permanent camp

The Project's initial capital costs are based on budgetary quotes for major equipment, recent in-house cost information and installation factors, and regional contractor inputs and facilities obtained between Q2 and Q3 2025. The capital costs for the project are summarized in Table 5 and should be viewed with the level of accuracy expected for a Feasibility Study.

Design allowances for materials quantities and labor and contingencies were included in the project estimate.

Table 7: Project Initial Capital Cost Description Cost

($M) Direct On-Site Facilities

Mine Facilities, Equipment, Pre-Production $805.9 Ore Storage & Handling $283.3 Heap Leach $331.6 SX-EW $188.5 Sulfuric Acid Plant $114.3 Ancillary Facilities $123.4 Site Development & Yard Utilities $101.6 Water Supply $29.6 Direct Off-Site Facilities

Power Supply (see below) -0- Local Support Facilities $16.4 Access Roads $93.6 Logistics Activities Zone (LAZ) $45.6 Total Direct Cost $2,133.7 Project Indirects & Construction Services

Contractor Indirect Cost $41.7 Catering, Camp Operations & Maintenance $94.6 Contracted Services $89.6 Construction Equipment, Tools & Supplies $14.6 Freight & Duties $59.3 Field Startup & Vendor Services $15.1 Spares, Initial Fills (incl. Mining) $65.5 Project Indirect/ Project Management Labor

EPCM Services $139.2 Owner's Cost

Owner Project Team $7.6 Office Costs & Assets incl. vehicles $0.6 Owner Services Cost $28.8 Owner Preproduction G&A Costs $104.7 Opex During Ramp-up $34.8 Total Indirect Cost $691.0 Design Growth Allowances $44.3 Contingency $293.9 Total Capital Cost $3,167.9

YPF Funding Power Supply

The construction cost of the Power Supply line to site and the electrical system upgrades total approximately $440 million which has not been included in the capital estimate as YPF Luz, a large Argentinean power utility company, will be constructing the line at their expense pursuant to a long-term, renewable power purchase agreement and connection repayment that will follow the terms agreed to in a Memorandum of Understanding.

To date, the company received preliminary finance proposals from Tier-1 OEMs and European export credit agencies for opportunities exceeding $1.1 billion for infrastructure and technology, covering 85 to 100% of major mechanical equipment and local installation costs - see the Strategic Partnerships section.

Operating Costs Estimates

Table 8 summarizes the LOM project operating costs per tonne of material processed and per pound of copper produced.

Table 8: LOM Project Cash Costs Description LOM

Cost/tonne

($) LOM

Cost/lb

($) Mining 6.22 0.87 Processing 3.83 0.54 General & Administrative 1.86 0.26 Selling Expenses 0.28 0.04 LOM C1 Costs 12.05 1.71

7. ESG & Sustainability

Environmental Highlights:

Process water use : 159 L/s LOM average, 74% lower than a conventional mill producing copper concentrate with approx. 600 L/s (10) .

Peak Site Water use : 244.2 L/s, with 227 L/s allocated for mining activities and 17.2 L/s for human use.

Electricity demand : 119 MW ( 48% lower than a concentrator )

GHG emissions : For the current project basis, the estimated annual average Green House Gas (GHG) emissions for the Los Azules project is 1,082 kg CO2-e/t Cu from Scope 1 and 2 sources. This places the project on the lowest decile of the copper industry carbon curve, well below the estimated industry average of 4,026 kg CO2-e/t Cu(5) using Skarn Associates mine-to-metal "E1" metric (13) . At the start of operations, Los Azules will already be one of the lowest carbon copper cathodes produced in the world.

The project continues to develop electrification strategies for the mine and overall project including application of trolley assist for mine haulage, in-pit crushing and conveying and waste conveyance. The timing for these applications and others is under final analysis. Los Azules is also well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities (e.g. battery electric mine and services vehicles) and longer-term developing technologies.

Goal: McEwen Copper is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2038 at Los Azules, a target achievable using emerging technologies and offsets.

The project will source 100% renewable energy (wind, hydro, solar) and aims for net positive impacts on local ecosystems and communities.

8. Permitting & Regulatory Status

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Los Azules was granted on December 3, 2024.

On September 26, 2025, Los Azules was accepted into the Large Investment Incentive Regime RIGI. The investment regime provides the project with legal, fiscal, and customs stability for 30 years, including:

Legal certainty, including tax, customs and foreign exchange stability for 30 years, with improved mechanisms in comparison with a prior regime applicable to mining activities, and access to international arbitration should a dispute arise.

Tax incentives in the investment phase -such as release from VAT payments which significantly reduces the financial burden during construction- and in the operation phase, such as the reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 25% from the general 35%, a 50% reduction in the dividend withholding tax, no export tax, an accelerated depreciation for new capital investments, and exemption from export duties.

Streamlined customs procedures, including duty and tax exemptions to import of capital goods and the ability to leave export proceeds in foreign bank accounts, available to be applied to debt repayment or any other goal.

The Water Concession permit applications are currently under review with the provincial government. The use of heap leach technology, which is well accepted in San Juan Province, reduces permitting complexity by eliminating tailings and conserving water.

9. Nuton Opportunity

Nuton is a technology venture of Rio Tinto that became a strategic partner of McEwen Copper in 2022. The Nuton Technology is a suite of proprietary technologies that provide opportunities to leach both primary and secondary copper sulfides, providing a significant opportunity to optimize mine plans and overall mining and processing operations. In addition, Nuton Technology provides significant other benefits, such as lower overall energy consumption, lower CO2 emissions, smaller land footprint, and lower water consumption per unit of copper produced than conventional sulfide mineralization recovery processes.

Based on strategic planning work by Whittle Consulting and considering the inferred resources, the use of Nuton offers the opportunity to extend the mine life beyond conventional leaching by 30 years or more.

Based on preliminary scoping testing, the Nuton Technology offers the potential for copper recoveries of up to 85% on primary copper sulfide ore bodies, depending on the specific mineralogy make-up of the mineral resource. At Los Azules, the NutonTechnology has the potential to economically process the large primary sulfide copper resource as an alternative to a concentrator, with low incremental capital following the oxide and supergene leach, no tailings requirement, and a smaller environmental footprint. Producing copper cathode with Nuton on-site also has the advantage of simplifying outbound logistics in comparison to copper concentrates and offers a finished product to the domestic and international market.

The outcomes modelled using Nuton's proprietary computational fluid dynamics model are very encouraging and indicate that unoptimized copper recovery to cathode from primary material using Nuton Technology should range from 73% to 79%. Furthermore, recovery from secondary material using Nuton Technology is high, ranging from 80% to 86%. This could provide a significant opportunity to optimize the mine plan and reduce the need for selective mining, as simultaneous stacking of both secondary and primary mineralization will not impact the copper recovery of either material type. Based on the current resource estimate, using Nuton Technology in the project could have a significant positive impact on the expected life of the mine and the projected cashflow, without significantly increasing the initial capital investment required.

Column leaching of Los Azules composite samples at Nuton facilities was completed in Q1 2024 and used to support modelled metallurgical recoveries. Testing has been completed at Nuton facilities with a Phase 2a program, developing process design criteria and evaluating performance tested at a 10 m tall, large column scale. Fully mass balanced results are expected to be completed in Q4 2025. Preliminary assessment of the assay data suggests similar results to those provided in the PEA document. Besides refining and validating modelled data through additional column testing for Los Azules, Nuton is progressing an industrial-scale deployment at the Johnson Camp Mine (JCM) owned and operated by Gunnison Copper Corporation Inc. in Arizona, USA. This deployment's aim is to validate the Nuton Technology package, from design and engineering to commissioning and operation, and to de-risk future Nuton deployments like the potential one at Los Azules.

McEwen Copper and Nuton are actively collaborating to deploy the Nuton Technology at Los Azules. While a formal commercial agreement is not yet in place, both parties are committed to working in good faith toward establishing such an arrangement.

10. Development Timeline

The Gantt chart below presents a simplified project development timeline based on regional contractor inputs and long-lead equipment and materials delivery assumptions provided by vendors.

The schedule assumes that the feasibility study work is completed in October 2025, necessary permits to begin work are completed, and initial financing is in place to achieve the scheduled milestones.

Following this Level 3 schedule, the SX/EW plant could start in 2029, and the first cathode would be produced in 2030.

Figure 5: - Gantt Chart for Los Azules Project Development Timeline

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11. Strategic Partnerships

McEwen Copper partnered with Nuton to evaluate the application of NutonTechnology for the treatment of primary mineralization at the Los Azules project. Nuton also holds a 17.2% equity stake in McEwen Copper.

Stellantis, the world's fifth largest automaker, is also a strategic shareholder with an 18.3% interest. The partnership includes a copper cathode and concentrates purchase rights agreement and a joint commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2038.

As of the date of this release, McEwen Copper has received preliminary finance proposals with referential conditions from Tier 1 OEMs including, Komatsu, and Sandvik, as well as from European export credit agencies, covering 85 to 100% of the major mechanical equipment and 50% of the local construction cost for the project. The Argentine power company YPF Luz has signed an agreement with Los Azules to provide financing for the upgrades to the power grid and the power supply to the mine site and has agreed to provide 100% renewable power to the project. These proposals open the opportunity to finance more than $1.1 billion in investments for the crushing and handling system, SX/EW plant, acid plant, drilling fleet, and hauling and loading mining fleet, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies that support our regenerative guiding principles and commitment to sustainable innovation.

In September 2025, McEwen Copper announced that it had signed a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to support the alignment of the Los Azules copper project with IFC's ESG standards for potential future financing. This represents an important milestone in the company's broader financing strategy, helping to align the project with top-tier sustainability standards while paving the way for IFC as a potential lead lender and equity partner.

12. Study Contributors and Qualified Persons

The FS Technical Report is prepared in accordance with the requirements set forth by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for the disclosure of material information and is intended to meet the requirements of a Feasibility Study (FS) level of study and disclosure as defined in the regulations and supporting reference documents. The effective date of the report is September 3, 2025.

The report was prepared by Samuel Engineering Inc., with contributions from Knight Piesold Consulting, AGP Mining Consultants Inc, Nuton, a Rio Tinto Venture, E-Mining Technology S.A., Call & Nicholas, Inc., Itasca Consulting Group, Inc., CRM-SA, LLC, McLennan Design/Perkins&Will, Whittle Consulting Pty Ltd, Techint S.A.C.I., BW Hidrogeologia y Medioambiente, and SRK Consulting UK Limited, under the supervision of David Tyler, McEwen Copper Project Director.

The feasibility study and associated disclosures have been reviewed and verified by the following qualified persons under NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects:

Technical aspects of this news release related to Project Execution, Development information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure, have been reviewed and verified by James L. Sorensen - FAusIMM Reg. No. 221286 with Samuel Engineering.

Technical aspects of this news release related to McEwen information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure, have been reviewed and verified by David Tyler - SME Registered Member. No. 3288830. He is the Project Director of the Los Azules Project and is not independent of the issuer.

Technical aspects of this news release related to Metallurgical Summary and Process Information, have been reviewed and verified by Michael McGlynn - SME Registered Member No. 4149430 with Samuel Engineering.

Disclosure related to the updated Los Azules mineral resource estimate has been reviewed and approved by Jeff Sullivan - FAusIMM Reg. No. 201778 with CRM-SA, LLC.

Disclosure related to the initial Los Azules mining, and mineral reserve estimate has been reviewed and approved by Gordon Zurowski, P.Eng with AGP Mining Consultants.

Technical aspects of this news release related to Financial Modeling, have been reviewed and verified by Steve Pozder - P.E. with Samuel Engineering.

13. End Notes

(8) Project capital intensity is defined as Initial Capex ($) / LOM Avg. Annual Copper Production (lbs or tonnes per year) or as LOM Capex ($) / LOM Copper Production (lbs or tonnes). C1 cash costs per pound produced is defined as the cash cost incurred at each processing stage, from mining through to recoverable copper delivered to the market, net of any by-product credits. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per pound of copper produced adds production royalties, non-recoverable VAT and sustaining capital costs to C1. AISC margin is the ratio of AISC to gross revenue. Capital intensity, C1 cash costs per pound of copper produced, AISC per pound of copper produced, and AISC margin are all non-GAAP financial metrics. Numbers may not total due to rounding.

(9) Annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure.

(10) 2017 NI 43-101 Technical Report on Los Azules Project, Hatch Engineering (Throughput of 120,000 tpd of mineralized material).

(11) 2023 NI 43-101 Technical Report on Los Azules Project, Samuel Engineering.

(12) Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent per tonne of Copper Equivalent produced. Carbon Dioxide Equivalent means having the same global warming potential as any other greenhouse gas.

(13) Skarn Associates Copper Mine GHG and Energy Intensity Curve Generator, June 2025 dataset for the year 2030. The E1 metric includes all GHG emissions from mine to refined metal. Skarn recommends E1 intensity as the most suitable metric for comparing operations, allowing SXEW and concentrate producers to be evaluated on the same curve, at the same product boundary - refined copper cathode."

For further details, visit the McEwen website.

Qualified Persons

The McEwen Copper feasibility study technical report has an effective date of September 3, 2025.

The feasibility study and associated news disclosures were reviewed and verified by the following qualified persons who are independent consultants of McEwen Copper:

Technical aspects of the news release related to Project Execution, Development information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure - James L. Sorensen - FAusIMM Reg. No. 221286 with Samuel Engineering.

Technical aspects of the news release related to Metallurgical Summary and Process Information - Michael McGlynn - SME Registered Member No. 4149430 with Samuel Engineering.

Disclosure related to the updated Los Azules mineral resource estimate - Jeff Sullivan - FAusIMM Reg. No. 201778 with CRM-SA, LLC.

Disclosure related to the initial Los Azules mining, and mineral reserve estimate - Gordon Zurowski, P.Eng with AGP Mining Consultants.

Technical aspects of the news release related to Financial Modeling - Steve Pozder - P.E. with Samuel Engineering.

The McEwen press release appears to be reviewed and verified by a Qualified Person (as that term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and the procedures, methodology and key assumptions disclosed therein are those adopted and consistently applied in the mining industry, but no Qualified Person engaged by TNR has done sufficient work to analyze, interpret, classify or verify McEwen's information to determine the current mineral resource or other information referred to in its press releases. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned in placing any reliance on the disclosures therein.

Kirill Klip, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased that McEwen Copper has reached this major milestone releasing feasibility study after it secured an environmental permit for the construction and operation of the Los Azules copper project. Feasibility study confirms that Los Azules copper is economically robust project with leading ESG performance. The collaboration between McEwen Copper and IFC, and admission to the Argentina Regime of Incentives for Investment (RIGI) could move the Los Azules copper project development closer to a construction decision.

"The new president of Argentina has introduced important government policies aimed at supporting business and unlocking the country's economic potential. Mining in Argentina is being recognized by the government as an integral part of its economic development plan, providing jobs and enriching local communities.

"Our Company has repaid our investment loan in full, and we believe that the recent market prices of our shares do not properly reflect the underlying value of TNR's assets. Our transformation from a project generation junior mining company into a cashflow-generating royalty company may bring the necessary catalyst for improved market valuation of our assets.

"Significant developments on the advancement of the Los Azules project towards the feasibility stage have led to increased Rio Tinto and Stellantis holdings in McEwen Copper, strategic partners of this large copper, gold and silver project. In 2023, Stellantis invested an aggregate ARS $72 billion. An additional US $100 million in total was invested by Rio Tinto's Venture Nuton in McEwen Copper. TNR Gold's vision is aligned with the leaders of innovation among automakers like Stellantis, whose aim is to decarbonize mobility, and mining industry leaders such as Rob McEwen, whose vision is 'to build a mine for the future, based on regenerative principles that can achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2038'.

"Together with Nuton, McEwen Copper is exploring new technologies that save energy, water, time and capital, advancing Los Azules towards the goal of leading environmental performance. The involvement of Rio Tinto, with its innovative technology, may also accelerate realizing the potential of the Los Azules project.

"The green energy rEVolution relies on the supply of critical metals like copper. Delivering 'green copper' to Argentina and the world will contribute to the clean energy transition and electrification of transportation and energy industries.

"The feasibility study confirms Los Azules project as a long-life, low-cost producer of high-purity copper cathodes with strong economic returns and sustainability. It highlights the potential to create a robust leach project while reducing the environmental footprint, and greater environmental and social stewardship sets the project apart from other potential mine developments.

"Los Azules was ranked in the top ten largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world by Mining Intelligence (2022). TNR Gold does not have to contribute any capital for the development of the Los Azules Project. The essence of our business model is to have industry leaders like McEwen as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders."

ABOUT TNR GOLD CORP.

TNR Gold Corp. is working to become the green energy metals royalty and gold company.

Our business model provides a unique entry point in the creation of supply chains for critical materials like energy metals that are powering the energy rEVolution, and the gold industry that is providing a hedge for this stage of the economic cycle.

Our portfolio provides a unique combination of assets with exposure to multiple aspects of the mining cycle: the power of blue-sky discovery and important partnerships with industry leaders as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders.

Over the past twenty-nine years, TNR, through its lead generator business model, has been successful in generating high-quality global exploration projects. With the Company's expertise, resources and industry network, the potential of the Mariana Lithium Project and Los Azules Copper Project in Argentina, among many others, have been recognized.

TNR holds a 1.5% NSR royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project in Argentina, of which 0.15% of such NSR royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder of the Company. Ganfeng Lithium's subsidiary, Litio Minera Argentina ("LMA"), has the right to repurchase 1.0% of the NSR royalty on the Mariana Project, of which 0.9% is the Company's NSR royalty interest. The Company would receive CAN$900,000, and its shareholder would receive CAN$100,000 on the repurchase by LMA, resulting in TNR holding a 0.45% NSR royalty and its shareholder holding a 0.05% NSR royalty.

The Mariana Lithium Project is 100% owned by Ganfeng Lithium. The Mariana Lithium Project has been approved by the Argentina provincial government of Salta for an environmental impact report. Ganfeng officially inaugurated Mariana Lithium's start of production at a 20,000 tons-per-annum lithium chloride plant on February 12, 2025.

TNR Gold also holds a 0.4% NSR royalty on the Los Azules Copper Project, of which 0.04% of the 0.4% NSR royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder of the Company. The Los Azules Copper Project is being developed by McEwen.

TNR also holds a 7% NPR on the Batidero I and II properties of the Josemaria Project that is being developed by the joint-venture between Lundin Mining and BHP.

TNR provides significant exposure to gold through its 90% holding in the Shotgun Gold porphyry project in Alaska. The project is located in Southwestern Alaska near the Donlin Gold project, which is being developed by Novagold Resources. The Company's strategy with the Shotgun Gold Project is to attract a joint venture partnership with a major gold mining company. The Company is actively introducing the project to interested parties.

At its core, TNR provides a wide scope of exposure to gold, copper, silver and lithium through its holdings in Alaska (the Shotgun Gold porphyry project) and royalty holdings in Argentina (the Mariana Lithium project, the Los Azules Copper Project and the Batidero I & II properties of the Josemaria Project), and is committed to the continued generation of in-demand projects, while diversifying its markets and building shareholder value.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Kirill Klip

Executive Chairman

www.tnrgoldcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "will", "could" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "could" occur, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements made in relation to: TNR's corporate objectives and future potential transactions being considered by the Special Committee and the Board, and the benefit that TNR's shareholders may derive from same; TNR's future receipt of cash flows from its royalty holdings and the subsequent contribution of significant value to its shareholders; the possible growth of TNR's value; future revenue and increased valuations of TNR's royalty holdings caused by potential strategic alliances with major mining companies and investment institutions; the use of potential future cash flows to fund a normal course issuer bid; the potential spin-out of the Shotgun Gold Project; future investment of substantial capital in the development of the Shotgun Gold Project by a potential partner of TNR; the future potential of the the Kuskokwim Gold Belt in southwestern Alaska; the realization of the results and estimates contained in the McEwen feasibility study; the potential acceleration of the Los Azules project's potential due to Rio Tinto's involvement in the project; and the potential benefits caused by delivering 'green copper' to Argentina and the world. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile on www.sedarplus.ca. While management believes that the assumptions made and reflected in this news release are reasonable, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. In particular, there can be no assurance that: TNR will enter into one or more strategic transactions, partnership or a spin-out, or be able to complete any further royalty acquisitions or sales of royalty interests, or portions thereof; debt or equity financings will be available to TNR; or that TNR will be able to achieve any of its corporate objectives. TNR relies on the confirmation of its ownership for mining claims from the appropriate government agencies when paying rental payments for such mining claims requested by these agencies. There could be a risk in the future of the changing internal policies of such government agencies or risk related to the third parties, in future, challenging the ownership of such mining claims. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements included herein are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied on.

In formulating the forward-looking statements contained herein, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting TNR, and its royalty partners, McEwen, Ganfeng Lithium and Lundin Mining will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269916

SOURCE: TNR Gold Corp.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / At Viatris, we believe that mental health is an essential part of overall wellbeing. This World Mental Health Day, we reflect on the many ways our teams and partners around the world are helping to raise awareness, expand access, and create spaces of understanding for those living with mental health conditions.

Our work in 2024 included initiatives collectively aimed at promoting awareness, educating and training healthcare providers, conducting research and developing treatments with governments and institutions.

Promoting Awareness

Supported "Tear Away the Silence" live podcasts by 'mentl,' a United Arab Emirates mental health advocacy platform. The campaign reached approximately 5.5 million people, contributing to reducing stigma and empowering people's mental health and wellbeing journeys.

Collaborated in Turkiye with the Association of Psychiatric Sciences and Research (PiBAD) on the "Hayata Varim" Mental Health Disease Awareness Campaign to break down barriers to mental health care access.

Continued to support the Yellow September Campaign, "Love Me, Love Myself," in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Family, Friends and People with Affective Disorders (ABRATA).

Supported the "Words Matter" project in Mexico to educate the media on how to speak and write about mental health conditions and treatments.

Education and Training

Supported the development of a line of care guidelines in Brazil to improve access to care, reduce stigma and optimize diagnosis and treatment in primary care. The guidelines include clinical flowcharts, evidence-based treatment protocols, training for primary care doctors, continuous patient follow-up and integration with specialized mental health networks.

Government and Institutional Partnerships

Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Egyptian Ministry of Health to provide funding for the "Your Health is Happiness" program, part of the government's broader 100 Million Health program. The program aims to include mental health screening for 2 million people and addresses issues such as depression, anxiety, autism, and addictions to substances, gaming and the internet in addition to supporting public awareness campaigns and capacity.

Research and Treatment Development

Filed applications to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan for approval of Effexor to treat adults with generalized anxiety disorder, an indication for which no other treatment option is currently approved in Japan. Viatris in 2024 published Phase 3 study results into the treatment's efficacy and safety.

Exploring Art in Spain to Understand and Address Mental Health

Also in 2024, the Viatris Foundation in Spain brought together psychiatrists and art experts for a unique event at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia to explore new ways to understand and talk about mental health. Participants at the "La Mente sobre el Lienzo" - or "Mind on Canvas" - event included a guided tour of some of the museum's most iconic works and discussion about how art can offer comfort, support and provide an outlet for expression to people living with mental health conditions.

During the tour, various works were examined in depth, each linked to a psychiatric analysis. Each work served as a starting point for reflecting on how art can symbolize deep emotions, life experiences and internal struggles often faced by those living with mental health conditions.



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DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The data center accelerator market is expected to be valued at USD 170.81 billion in 2025 and USD 372.68 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.9% from 2025 to 2030 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Key drivers for the data center accelerator market include the surging demand for high-performance computing to support artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. Accelerators such as GPUs, FPGAs, and ASICs enhance processing speed, energy efficiency, and workload optimization, enabling advanced cloud and edge applications. Rising hyperscale data center investments and the growing need for low-latency computing in sectors such as BFSI, healthcare, and autonomous systems further fuel adoption. Additionally, innovations in chip design and integration strengthen market growth.

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Data Center Accelerator Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2025 $ 170.81 billion Estimated Value by 2030 $ 372.68 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 16.9% Market Size Available for 2021-2030 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Function, Processor Type, Vertical and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Power and cooling inefficiencies constraining scalable deployment of AI data center accelerators Key Market Opportunities Ability of FPGA and custom silicon accelerators to unlock high-performance, energy-efficient AI deployment Key Market Drivers Rise in generative AI workloads

By processor type, the ASIC segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The ASIC segment is projected to register the highest CAGR in the data center accelerator market during 2025-2030, driven by its superior performance efficiency, scalability, and workload optimization capabilities. Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are purpose-built to handle specific computational tasks, such as AI model training, deep learning inference, and high-frequency trading, delivering faster processing speeds and lower power consumption than general-purpose processors. As hyperscale data centers and cloud service providers increasingly prioritize energy efficiency and performance-per-watt, ASICs are becoming a preferred solution for accelerating high-density workloads. Their adoption is further supported by advancements in semiconductor design, integration with next-generation networking technologies, and the growing demand for low-latency computing across diverse industries, including healthcare, automotive, and financial services. While GPUs remain dominant in flexible AI applications, ASICs are witnessing stronger uptake in large-scale, specialized environments where predictable performance and cost efficiency are critical. Additionally, the increasing development of AI-specific ASICs by leading technology companies is expanding the product pipeline, enhancing competitiveness, and reducing barriers to deployment. With their ability to deliver optimized performance for emerging data-intensive applications, ASICs are positioned as a central growth driver in the evolution of the global data center accelerator market.

Based on function, the inference segment is likely to account for the largest market share in 2030.

The inference segment is expected to hold the largest share of the data center accelerator market in 2030, driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications across diverse industries. Inference workloads, which involve applying trained AI models to process real-time data, are critical for enabling functions such as image recognition, natural language processing, fraud detection, recommendation systems, and autonomous decision-making. As enterprises increasingly deploy AI at scale, accelerators such as GPUs, ASICs, and FPGAs are adopted to deliver low-latency, high-throughput inference capabilities with optimized power efficiency. The proliferation of edge computing and IoT ecosystems further amplifies demand, as inference processing needs to be executed closer to data sources for real-time responsiveness. Additionally, cloud service providers and hyperscale data centers are expanding inference-focused infrastructure to support enterprise AI adoption. Advancements in accelerator architecture, such as domain-specific chips and heterogeneous integration, further enhance performance and cost efficiency. With AI-driven workloads becoming mainstream in sectors such as healthcare, finance, retail, and automotive, the inference function is positioned as the cornerstone of next-generation data center operations, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and responsiveness in an increasingly digital economy.

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By region, North America is expected to account for the largest market share in 2030.

During the forecast period, North America is expected to hold the largest share of the data center accelerator industry in 2030, driven by the robust adoption of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and cloud services across enterprise and hyperscale data centers. Favorable government initiatives, significant investments in next-generation data center infrastructure, and widespread deployment of AI and machine learning workloads support market growth. The US, in particular, is witnessing the rapid integration of GPUs, FPGAs, and ASICs to optimize compute-intensive tasks, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce latency for critical applications in BFSI, healthcare, autonomous systems, and scientific research. Leading technology providers and hyperscale cloud operators are actively developing modular and scalable accelerator solutions, supported by advanced software stacks and AI frameworks, to maximize performance across heterogeneous workloads. Canada also contributes through strategic investments in edge computing and green data center initiatives, aligning with regional sustainability and energy-efficiency objectives. Continuous innovation in accelerator architectures and rising demand for real-time analytics, high-throughput processing, and cloud-based services position North America as a key regional driver of the global data center accelerator market, reinforcing its leadership in advanced computing technologies.

The report profiles key players in data center accelerator companies such as NVIDIA Corporation (US), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (US), Intel Corporation (US), Alphabet, Inc. (US), Amazon Web Services, Inc. (US), Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (US), Marvell (US), Achronix Semiconductor Corporation (US), Broadcom (US), and Graphcore, Ltd. (UK). These players have adopted various organic and inorganic growth strategies, such as product launches/developments, collaborations, partnerships, and acquisitions.

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Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports & Consulting

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The "Top 100 Kitchen Furniture Manufacturers in Europe, 2025 (2nd Edition)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides an overview of the European kitchen furniture competitive landscape through the analysis of the leading producers benchmarking each single company performance, the level of specialization, the relevance in the business, and the sector concentration.

For the Top 100 Kitchen furniture manufacturers in Europe, the information provided includes:

Company name and headquarters location (country)

Ranking by kitchen furniture turnover for the last available year (mostly 2024) and year-to-year change for most of the companies

Share of company kitchen turnover on total European kitchen furniture production

Incidence of kitchen furniture on total turnover

Number of Employees

For the Top 10 European manufacturers of kitchen furniture, this publication also includes the share on total European kitchen furniture production.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8gbjh4

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BANGALORE, India, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

What is the Market Size of Cigar Humidors?

The global market for Cigar Humidors was valued at USD 370 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 628 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period.

Download Free Data

What are the key factors driving the growth of the Cigar humidors market?

The cigar humidors market continues to evolve as a fusion of tradition, lifestyle, and innovation.

Consumers prioritize solutions that preserve authenticity while aligning with modern aesthetics and convenience.

Multiple cooling systems, household adoption, and hospitality integration contribute to a resilient growth trajectory.

Disposable incomes, cultural influence, specialty retail, and digital marketing reinforce the market's vibrancy.

Regional diversity ensures opportunities extend across both established and emerging economies, reflecting a global appetite for luxury leisure products.

Humidors increasingly merge functionality with design, expanding their role from preservation tools to lifestyle investments.

This dynamic blend of practicality and luxury positions the cigar humidors market as a continually expanding and attractive sector.

Source from Valuates Reports: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-26Z11487/global-cigar-humidors?utm_source=Prnewswire&utm_medium=Referral

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE CIGAR HUMIDORS MARKET:

Semiconductor thermoelectric cooling systems, often known as Peltier modules, are increasingly shaping the cigar humidors market by offering a compact and efficient cooling solution. These systems allow precise temperature control without bulky compressors, making humidors more suitable for personal and portable use. The absence of moving parts reduces vibration, which preserves cigar integrity and enhances overall storage conditions. Consumers value quiet operation, energy efficiency, and longer product lifespan, which aligns with modern lifestyle preferences for convenient luxury items. Retailers and manufacturers are responding to this preference by integrating thermoelectric systems into both high-end and mid-range humidors, broadening accessibility while maintaining premium quality. As awareness of cigar preservation grows, the adoption of semiconductor cooling systems provides consistent growth momentum.

Compressor cooling systems are playing a major role in the cigar humidors market by meeting demand for larger storage capacity and consistent climate control. These systems provide stronger cooling power, making them suitable for collectors or commercial establishments that require stable environments across multiple drawers or chambers. The robustness of compressor-based humidors appeals to professional users, cigar lounges, and retailers who prioritize long-term storage with minimal fluctuations in humidity or temperature. Although noisier and heavier compared to thermoelectric systems, their reliability drives confidence among premium buyers. The commercial sector especially views compressor cooling humidors as essential equipment for ensuring cigars maintain their original aroma and flavor. This steady preference keeps compressor models significant within the evolving market.

Household cigar humidors are strengthening their position in the market as consumer lifestyles shift toward premium leisure experiences at home. Increasing disposable incomes and aspirational living have encouraged cigar enthusiasts to invest in humidors that allow personal collections to be maintained in ideal conditions. The home-use segment is particularly influenced by design aesthetics, compactness, and the convenience of integrating humidors into modern interiors. Retailers cater to this demand by offering a wide range of styles, from wooden finishes to contemporary glass designs, emphasizing both function and decor value. Household humidors enable enthusiasts to replicate professional-grade storage without leaving home, fueling their popularity. The expansion of e-commerce has further boosted accessibility, making household humidors a central growth driver.

Increasing disposable incomes worldwide have made premium lifestyle products, including cigar humidors, more accessible to a broader demographic. Cigar consumption has traditionally been linked with affluence, and with economic improvements across multiple regions, more individuals can afford to invest in luxury items that signify status and indulgence. This trend extends into humidors, which are not only functional but also serve as lifestyle symbols. Consumers are drawn toward preserving their collections in well-crafted storage units that reflect sophistication. The perception of cigars as a form of leisure and social engagement reinforces demand for complementary storage solutions. As incomes continue to climb, consumers prioritize quality and authenticity, thereby enhancing the adoption rate of premium humidor models across household and commercial spaces.

The expansion of premium hospitality establishments, including cigar lounges, high-end hotels, and private clubs, contributes significantly to the cigar humidors market. These venues prioritize offering clients exclusive experiences, where proper cigar storage is integral to service quality. Humidors, especially large-scale compressor-based models, ensure cigars remain fresh, aromatic, and consistent in flavor, elevating customer satisfaction. Hospitality operators consider humidors a necessary investment to maintain reputation and meet expectations of elite clientele. As tourism and business travel grow, such establishments increasingly adopt humidors as part of luxury packages, strengthening demand further. The combination of exclusivity, professionalism, and enhanced customer experience creates a ripple effect, positioning cigar humidors as indispensable tools within the broader luxury service ecosystem globally.

E-commerce has emerged as a transformative factor for the cigar humidors market, providing enthusiasts with easy access to a wide variety of models and designs. Online platforms enable consumers to compare features, read reviews, and purchase from international brands without geographical limitations. Retail expansion into digital channels has encouraged manufacturers to diversify offerings, providing both affordable and premium solutions tailored to different customer groups. The ability to customize orders and benefit from global shipping further fuels demand. Traditional brick-and-mortar retail also complements this trend, with specialty stores displaying humidors as lifestyle collectibles. Together, online and offline distribution create a robust marketplace where accessibility and visibility significantly strengthen adoption and awareness, driving sustainable growth within this sector.

Design and craftsmanship are central factors influencing consumer preferences in the cigar humidors market. Beyond functionality, consumers appreciate humidors as art pieces that enhance home or office decor. Manufacturers leverage exotic woods, intricate finishes, and luxury detailing to appeal to collectors who value aesthetics as much as preservation. The balance between tradition and contemporary design expands appeal across diverse buyer groups, from young professionals to seasoned collectors. This artistic positioning elevates humidors from mere storage to luxury investments. Partnerships with designers and artisans further accentuate exclusivity, fostering brand differentiation. As consumers increasingly seek experiences that blend practicality with sophistication, emphasis on craftsmanship continues to reinforce growth, positioning humidors as premium lifestyle products in the competitive luxury market.

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What are the major product types in the Cigar humidors market?

Compressor Cooling System

Semiconductor Cooling System

Products without Cooling System

What are the main applications of the Cigar humidors market?

Household

Commercial

Key Players in the Cigar humidors market:

Adorini - Renowned for premium handcrafted cigar humidors designed with precision engineering and advanced humidification systems.

Habanos - Specializes in luxury cigar presentation and storage solutions, complementing its reputation as a leading Cuban cigar brand.

Oettinger Davidoff - Offers high-end humidors that reflect its heritage in premium cigars and lifestyle accessories.

Elie Bleu - Known for luxury, artisanal humidors crafted with fine woods and exquisite inlays for collectors.

Vigilant - Focuses on climate-controlled cigar humidors and walk-in cabinets with advanced humidity technology.

Liebherr - Provides innovative cigar storage solutions through temperature- and humidity-controlled cabinets.

EuroCave - Extends its expertise in wine storage to premium humidors with precise humidity regulation.

NewAir - Delivers affordable and modern electric cigar humidors for casual and enthusiast cigar smokers.

SICAO - Specializes in electric humidors with advanced humidity and temperature controls for cigar preservation.

Raching - Offers large-capacity humidors with smart technology for both personal and commercial use.

Wacota - Creates handcrafted wooden humidors emphasizing tradition, durability, and artisanal design.

Gerber GmbH - Known for bespoke, luxury humidors tailored to client specifications with German engineering precision.

Xikar - Provides functional and stylish travel and desktop humidors designed for cigar enthusiasts on the go.

Minea Electrical - Manufactures electric cigar humidors with user-friendly controls for consistent storage conditions.

Ashton (Savoy) - Offers classic, elegant humidors under the Savoy line, balancing affordability with reliable cigar storage.

Which region dominates the Cigar humidors market?

North America demonstrates strong adoption driven by cigar culture in both private households and hospitality establishments.

Europe showcases demand rooted in heritage and traditional craftsmanship, making artisanal humidors particularly appealing.

In Asia-Pacific, rising disposable incomes and growing exposure to luxury lifestyles accelerate household purchases, especially among younger demographics.

Purchase Regional Report on Cigar Humidors Market

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What are some related markets to the Cigar humidor market?

- Cigar Box Market

- Home Electric Cigar Humidor Market was valued at USD 12.9 Million in the year 2023 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 17.4 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period.

- Commercial Electric Cigar Humidor Market was valued at USD 11.7 Million in the year 2023 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 14.6 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 2.9% during the forecast period.

- Desktop Humidor Market was valued at USD 153 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 205 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast period.

- Upscale Lighters Market

- Table Top Humidor Market

- Smoking Cabin Market

- Machine Made Cigars Market was valued at USD 17620 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 20760 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 2.4% during the forecast period.

- Electronic Cigar Humidors Market was valued at USD 240 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 368 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period.

- Travel Cigar Humidor Market

- Desktop Cigar Humidor Market was valued at USD 160 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 211 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period.

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HVA Group Integrates Proven Technology Infrastructure, Financial Institution Partnerships, and Regulatory Expertise to Build Vietnam's Gateway to Global Digital Asset Markets

DA NANG, VIETNAM / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / HVA Group has officially launched DNEX Digital Asset Exchange - positioning itself as the strategic architect of Vietnam's emerging digital asset future. Unveiled at a landmark ceremony at National Assembly Guest House in Da Nang on October 10, 2025, DNEX represents HVA's most ambitious initiative to date, leveraging the group's proven track record in scaling technology ventures and engaging Vietnam's most experienced financial, technology, and regulatory leaders.

Celebrating the official launch of DNEX in Da Nang - a collaboration that brings together technology, banking, and regulatory expertise to shape Vietnam's digital economy future.

This is more than a platform launch - it's the foundation of a comprehensive integrated digital asset ecosystem for Vietnam. HVA combines established technology infrastructure managing over 7 million users, strong relationships with leading financial institutions, and regulatory expertise gained through direct participation in crafting Vietnam's digital asset framework under the government's Resolution 05/2025 pilot framework. This comprehensive alliance is designed to position Vietnam alongside Singapore and Dubai as a premier regulated digital asset hub in Southeast Asia, with the potential to generate significant tax revenue while creating sophisticated employment opportunities in blockchain technology and financial engineering.

VIETNAM'S DIGITAL ASSET MARKET OPPORTUNITY

According to the 2025 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, Vietnam ranks among the top five globally in cryptocurrency adoption, with an estimated 17 million holders and over $200 billion in annual trading volume currently flowing to offshore exchanges. The government's resolution 05/2025, issued in September 2025, established a robust regulatory framework requiring VND 10,000 billion (approximately $400 million) minimum capital, over 65% domestic ownership, and proven operational capabilities.

"Vietnam's digital asset market represents not just commercial opportunity, but national economic foundation development," said Nguyen Dinh Thang, DNEX Chairman and former Chairman of LienVietPostBank. "We're building comprehensive systems to support Vietnam's digital economy transformation, starting with education and preparation to ensure sustainable market development."

DNEX Chairman Nguyen Dinh Thang shares the vision for Vietnam's digital asset future - focusing on education, technology readiness, and collaboration to lay the groundwork for a sustainable market.

HVA Group has led extensive preparations since September 2025, developing regulatory compliance frameworks, assembling experienced leadership, and cultivating partnerships across Vietnam's banking and technology sectors to position DNEX at the forefront of this market transformation. The assembled leadership team combines decades of expertise from senior banking executives, technology operators managing multi-million user platforms, venture capital leaders, and specialists in regulatory compliance - bringing together the depth required to navigate Vietnam's evolving digital asset landscape. As a pioneering publicly-listed company with direct digital asset holdings, HVA Group brings validated understanding of the market dynamics and regulatory requirements essential for building a sustainable framework.

STRATEGIC PARTNER ECOSYSTEM: COMPREHENSIVE ALLIANCE

DNEX's strength lies in the integration of experienced leadership with a carefully cultivated ecosystem of strategic partners spanning international technology providers, domestic banking institutions, and advisory networks. The initiative brings together former senior executives from major Vietnamese banks with proven digital transformation track records, technology leaders with operational experience serving millions of users, and investment professionals with deep expertise in Vietnam's technology ecosystem - creating comprehensive capabilities across banking transformation, technology operations, regulatory framework development, and investment management.

Financial Institution Partnerships: HVA Group is engaging with Vietnam's leading financial institutions, including major state-owned and private banks. These relationships will provide institutional credibility and operational capabilities essential for regulatory compliance. Leading securities firms are contributing market expertise that will enable DNEX to expand into tokenized securities and sophisticated financial instruments.

"We're building an alliance that combines institutional banking strength, Onus Labs' proven technology serving millions of users, and international expertise to create extensive capabilities," noted Eric Vuong. "We're not building from theory-we're leveraging field-tested operations and establishing institutional relationships that will support a sustainable market ecosystem."

Technology Infrastructure: The Onus Labs ecosystem provides established platform architecture offering immediate access to certified compliance systems, security protocols, and user management frameworks meeting both Vietnamese and international standards. OnusChain (Vietnam-developed Layer 1 blockchain), xBank (SME and startup financial services), and advanced AI and Big Data systems deliver a full-stack technology solution for risk management and compliance monitoring.

International Partnership: Vemanti Group Inc., a U.S.-listed fintech company, provides crucial international connectivity and credibility. Focused on Southeast Asia market expansion, Vemanti brings valuable partnership capabilities through deep integration with the Onus ecosystem, ensuring DNEX meets international compliance standards while maintaining access to global markets and best practices.

Investment and Advisory Network: FUNDGO Venture Capital serves as a key Vietnam technology investment fund, led by experienced investment professionals with track records spanning policy development, media strategy, and portfolio management, providing both capital and operational guidance for DNEX's development. Pacific Bridge Capital contributes international investment expertise and cross-border transaction capabilities. TSS Digital Asset Management offers institutional-grade custody and management services that will ensure DNEX meets the highest standards for asset protection. Multiple industry associations, including the Vietnam Digital Asset Alliance, provide ongoing policy advocacy and regulatory guidance, helping DNEX navigate Vietnam's evolving regulatory landscape.

PHASED MARKET ENTRY: SIMULATION TO COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

At the launch ceremony, DNEX introduced its methodical, phased approach to market entry-beginning with an advanced simulation platform before progressing to full commercial operations.

DNEX - Co-creating the future of digital assets. A symbol of innovation, transparency, and Vietnam's ambition to lead the regional digital finance landscape.

Current Phase: DNEX Simulation Platform

The DNEX Simulation platform, launched as the initiative's first operational component, represents Vietnam's first digital asset trading simulation environment. This controlled sandbox serves multiple important purposes:

Market Education: Provides a risk-free environment for market participants, investors, and professionals to develop expertise in digital asset operations, portfolio management, and risk assessment

Technology Validation: Enables thorough testing of technical systems, security protocols, and compliance frameworks in controlled conditions

Regulatory Collaboration: Offers a demonstration environment for regulatory authorities to evaluate operational standards and assess readiness for licensing

Team Development: Supports training of operational teams and standardization of processes before commercial deployment

"The simulation platform demonstrates our commitment to building proper foundations," stated Nguyen Chi Cong, General Director of DNEX. "We're focusing on education, technology validation, and operational readiness-preparing the systems and processes that will support Vietnam's digital asset market when full licensing becomes available."

The phased approach aligns with both international regulatory best practices and Vietnam's prudent financial innovation philosophy, positioning DNEX to transition smoothly to licensed operations once all requirements are fully satisfied.

"DNEX's role extends beyond trading services-we're building platforms to support Vietnam's digital economy transformation goals," notes Nguyen Dinh Thang. "This requires thinking beyond immediate commercial opportunities to consider how digital assets can support financial inclusion, enable new forms of economic organization, and position Vietnam as a regional leader in financial technology innovation."

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND OPERATIONAL READINESS

The HVA-DNEX alliance has systematically prepared to meet every requirement established under Resolution 05/2025, demonstrating full readiness for participation in Vietnam's digital asset pilot program.

Regulatory Framework Alignment: DNEX has established the foundation to meet all capital adequacy standards, developed security protocols aligned with international best practices, structured governance frameworks addressing regulatory expectations, and designed ownership structures prioritizing Vietnamese control while incorporating international expertise appropriately. The planned ownership structure maintains more than 65% domestic ownership while keeping international partnerships below the 49% threshold.

Capital Structure: The alliance is prepared to meet the VND 10,000 billion (approximately $400 million) minimum capital requirement with mandated ownership allocations, supported by commitments from partner institutions and investors, including HVA's increase to VND 500 billion (approximately $20 million).

Security Infrastructure: DNEX is positioned to implement advanced systems incorporating international KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) standards, drawing on battle-tested frameworks from Onus Labs' operational experience. This foundation provides tested security protocols and compliance systems enabling effective prevention of financial crime while protecting legitimate users.

Technical Capabilities: OnusChain blockchain infrastructure has been developed, tested, and operationally verified through existing deployments, providing DNEX with mature technology that reduces implementation risks while ensuring domestic technology sovereignty.

Powered by ONUS ecosystem - with 7 million users, blockchain infrastructure, and global partnerships - DNEX is built on proven technology and real-world readiness.

Demonstrated Execution Capability: HVA Group's track record includes strong revenue growth demonstrating ability to scale operations rapidly while maintaining quality and compliance. The leadership team includes executives who have guided major Vietnamese financial institutions through comprehensive digital transformation while participating directly in crafting the regulatory framework DNEX now operates under, combined with technology leaders managing platforms serving over 7 million users and specialists bringing cross-sector compliance perspectives from highly regulated industries. As one of Vietnam's pioneering publicly-listed companies with direct digital asset holdings, HVA brings demonstrated market understanding and operational experience. Rather than starting from zero, DNEX leverages existing user bases and operational expertise to accelerate market entry. Leadership depth spans decades of combined experience in banking, fintech, and regulatory environments, enabling DNEX to anticipate challenges and make informed decisions balancing innovation with prudence.

"Our systematic preparation reflects a deep understanding of what successful digital asset operations require," explains Eric Vuong. "This assembled board combines regulatory credibility, technical expertise, and proven operational capability-capabilities we're now applying to Vietnam's regulated digital asset market."

VISION FOR VIETNAM'S DIGITAL ECONOMY

Beyond commercial objectives, the HVA-DNEX alliance views its participation in Vietnam's digital asset pilot program as an opportunity to contribute to national economic development across multiple dimensions.

Leaders and partners of HVA Group and DNEX unite at the launch ceremony - together building Vietnam's gateway to the global digital asset market.

Capital Repatriation: By bringing offshore trading volume back to Vietnam, DNEX can help capture value currently flowing to foreign exchanges, retaining economic activity within Vietnam's borders where it generates tax revenue, creates jobs, and supports domestic economic growth.

Employment Creation: DNEX's operations in Da Nang International Financial Center will create sophisticated job opportunities requiring advanced skills in blockchain technology, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and financial engineering-offering Vietnamese talent compelling alternatives to emigration.

Innovation Ecosystem: By demonstrating that sophisticated financial technology ventures can succeed in Vietnam's regulatory environment, DNEX can catalyze broader blockchain startup development and technology advancement. Success breeds success-DNEX's achievements can inspire and enable subsequent waves of innovation.

Regional Leadership: As Southeast Asian nations compete to establish themselves as fintech and digital economy hubs, Vietnam's early adoption of complete digital asset regulation could provide first-mover advantages. DNEX's success would validate Vietnam's regulatory approach, potentially attracting international investment and establishing Vietnam as Southeast Asia's preferred regulated crypto hub.

IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP

DNEX's development follows a structured phased approach aligned with regulatory requirements and market readiness:

Foundation Phase (Q4 2025): Operating DNEX Simulation platform for education and technology validation while completing regulatory documentation under Resolution 05/2025 pilot framework, finalizing capital commitments, and establishing governance structures with Level 4 security certification.

Platform Development (Q1-Q2 2026): Infrastructure completion-trading systems, custody solutions, KYC/AML protocols, and risk management-while securing regulatory feedback and finalizing partnership agreements with securities firms and fund management companies.

Launch Phase (Q3-Q4 2026): DNEX pilot operations with core products including Spot Trading, Staking, Derivatives, Custody, and AI Wealth Advisor, while expanding trading membership and testing cross-listing with international markets.

Expansion Phase (2027+): Scaling product offerings to include RWA (Real World Asset) tokenization, lending products, and global user access, while deepening partnerships with major financial institutions across ASEAN and beyond, targeting over 20 institutional trading members.

Each phase builds systematically on verified capabilities, with continuous adaptation based on regulatory guidance and operational feedback, ensuring DNEX's evolution matches both market readiness and regulatory comfort.

GOVERNANCE PHILOSOPHY

"Building together - of the people, by the people, for the people" represents HVA Group's commitment to transparent, community-focused development that aligns Vietnam's cooperative economic principles with international financial standards. Sustainable success requires balancing stakeholder interests: users seeking efficient services, regulators protecting financial stability, investors expecting returns, and society benefiting from innovation. DNEX's governance structures are designed to align these interests synergistically, creating infrastructure serving Vietnam's digital economy development for the long term.

STRATEGIC READINESS MEETS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY

The launch of DNEX marks a significant milestone in Vietnam's digital asset market evolution. HVA Group brings together experienced leadership, validated technology infrastructure, strong partnerships with leading institutions, and systematic regulatory alignment - transforming from preparation to execution. As Vietnam implements comprehensive digital asset regulation, organizations demonstrating operational capability, regulatory sophistication, and proven track records are positioned to contribute meaningfully to market development while maintaining the rigorous standards that sustainable financial infrastructure requires.

Media Contact:

DNEX Digital Asset Exchange

Floor 16, Misa Building, 188 30 Thang 4 Street, Hoa Cuong, Da Nang, Vietnam

Email: contact@dnex.com.vn

Website: https://dnex.com.vn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sangiaodichtssdnex

About HVA Group:

HVA Group (HVA Investment Joint Stock Company) is a pioneering investment and technology holding company focused on Vietnam's digital economy transformation. Listed on Vietnam's stock exchange since 2016 (Ticker: HVA), HVA has distinguished itself as one of the country's first publicly-traded companies to build a comprehensive digital asset investment portfolio - demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to emerging asset classes years before mainstream adoption. HVA's digital asset holdings span multiple categories including major cryptocurrencies, tokenized commodities (gold), blockchain infrastructure investments, and stakes in digital asset platforms and technology companies. The group's investment philosophy emphasizes sustainable growth, regulatory compliance, and meaningful contribution to Vietnam's economic development. Through its leadership in FUNDGO Venture Capital and strategic partnerships across banking, technology, and regulatory sectors, HVA Group serves as a bridge between traditional finance and emerging digital assets, supporting Vietnam's evolution toward a modern, technology-driven financial ecosystem. Investors can access HVA's financial reports and disclosures at: https://hva.group/en

About DNEX:

DNEX Digital Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company is a collaborative platform initiative founded by HVA Group and strategic partners to participate in Vietnam's digital asset market pilot program under Resolution 05/2025/NQ-CP. Built on the principle of "building together - of the people, by the people, for the people," DNEX combines proven technology infrastructure from partners like Onus Labs, extensive banking relationships, and experienced leadership to support Vietnam's digital financial transformation. The platform is designed to meet international compliance standards while serving Vietnamese market needs, contributing to the nation's goal of establishing itself as Southeast Asia's leading regulated digital asset hub.

SOURCE:

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/hva-group-launches-dnex-building-vietnams-gateway-to-global-digital-1085437
ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially named Humphrey Kariuki as its newest Patron of Nature, in an announcement made during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.

His appointment marks a historic milestone as he becomes the first African to be recognised as an IUCN Patron of Nature, underscoring his leadership in African-led conservation and his long-standing commitment to sustainable development across the continent.

"I am delighted to welcome Mr Humphrey Kariuki, who has had a lifelong passion for wildlife and a long history of supporting conservation efforts in Kenya, to the IUCN's Patrons of Nature. His leadership and long-standing commitment to advancing sustainable, homegrown conservation solutions in Africa is inspiring, and his experience will be invaluable as we work together to protect biodiversity, empower local communities, and accelerate climate action. With his vision and support, we can expand IUCN's impact and help shape a more resilient and nature-positive future for our precious planet. We look forward to working with Mr Kariuki as we drive for ambitious action on biodiversity and climate," said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General.

"I am deeply honoured to be named a Patron of Nature by IUCN," said Humphrey Kariuki in his acceptance remarks. "This recognition serves as a tribute to Africa's role in global conservation. I look forward to working with IUCN and fellow Patrons to demonstrate that investing in nature is essential for our planet's future and a catalyst for sustainable economic growth."

A visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Humphrey Kariuki is the Patron of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), one of Africa's leading conservation institutions.

Humphrey Kariuki's conservation leadership is most visible through the breeding and rewilding of the Critically Endangered Mountain bongo, a rare antelope found only in Kenya's highland forests.

Beyond species recovery, Kariuki is a strong advocate for total environmental restoration. Kariuki champions eco-livelihoods that link environmental protection with economic growth, showing how communities can thrive while safeguarding nature through eco-tourism, sustainable farming, and forestry.

Established in 2010, the IUCN Patrons of Nature brings together high-level leaders committed to advancing biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.

For more details about Humphrey Kariuki's work, please visit www.humphreykariuki.com.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/humphrey-kariuki-named-iucn-patron-of-nature-at-world-conservation-congress-302580967.html
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Creative Director Benjamin Benichou has announced the launch of Masters of AI, a pioneering educational program designed to help creative professionals master AI-powered workflows. The program addresses a critical skills gap in the creative industry as AI tools become essential rather than optional for professional practice.



Benichou, who leads creative studio 3.11LABS, a New York-based creative studio, and has worked with major brands and agencies, developed the program after recognizing that creatives needed more than prompt sheets and tool tutorials. The curriculum teaches fundamental concepts that remain relevant even as specific tools evolve.

"AI is just a tool. It can make you more efficient and remove previous limitations, but it's still a tool that is nothing without human creativity, vision and strategy," Benichou said. "This is the single biggest opportunity for creatives to finally break free from previous constraints and gain financial freedom."

The program has expanded rapidly since its initial launch, adding new curriculum on AI video production and advanced workflow integration within weeks of major tool releases. Benichou updated the curriculum with five new lessons just two weeks after testing breakthrough model Nano Banana.

The curriculum challenges traditional creative workflows that once required weeks of moodboards and pre-production. Benichou teaches creatives to visualize concepts immediately while establishing frameworks to prevent getting lost in endless iterations.

"Before AI, you could have the best vision, taste and idea, but you were constantly limited by client understanding, budget and production limitations," Benichou explained. "Now you can visualize your idea way quicker and make it easier for other people to see it."

The program emphasizes that taste, visual culture, and creative references remain the primary differentiators as AI tools democratize production capabilities. Benichou teaches students to develop agile problem-solving skills as tools become obsolete overnight.

Student discussions address controversial topics including pricing strategies for AI work. Benichou challenges the view of AI as merely a cost-cutting tool, instead positioning it as an opportunity to produce content at scale and drive revenue growth through localized, high-performing assets.

The program has attracted experienced creative professionals seeking to upskill rather than beginners. Benichou notes that senior creatives bring essential taste and curation abilities developed over years of practice.



The program has already enrolled over 600 creative professionals working at major brands and agencies, validating strong market demand for AI education tailored specifically to creative practitioners.

Masters of AI positions itself at the intersection of traditional creative disciplines and emerging AI technologies, creating a community of forward-thinking professionals adapting to transform the industry rather than fear displacement.

About Masters of AI

Masters of AI is an educational program designed to help creative professionals master AI-powered workflows and position themselves as leaders in the evolving creative industry. For more information and to apply, visit mastersofai.courses.

About 3.11LABS

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269630

SOURCE: Pressmaster DMCC
Transparency Notification from Shareholder

Ghent, Belgium - 10 October 2025 - Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA) (the "Company" or "SequanaMedical"), a pioneer in the treatment of drug-resistant fluid overload in liver disease, heart failure and cancer, announces today that it received transparency notifications in relation to the entities listed below, notifying the number of voting rights attached to the shares mentioned next to their name in the table below.

Reason for notification Aggregate



number of shares and voting rights held % of total outstanding shares (1) Societe Federale de

Participations et

d'Investissement SA -

Federale Participatie- en

Investeringsmaatschappij

NV / Belfius Banque

SA/NV / Belfius Insurance SA/NV (2) Passive crossing of a threshold 3,285,134 5.20% Partners in Equity V B.V. / Partners in Equity III B.V. / Johan Gijsbert Wackwitz and Renee Marie Henriette Roebbers (3) Passive crossing of a threshold 9,066,912 14.36% BlackRock, Inc. / BlackRock Saturn Subco, LLC / BlackRock Finance, Inc. / BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. / BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. / BlackRock International Holdings, Inc. / BR Jersey International Holdings L.P. / BlackRock Holdco 3, LLC / BlackRock Cayman 1 LP / BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited / BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited / BlackRock Group Limited / BlackRock Crane Limited / Kreos Capital Management Limited / Kreos Capital Group VII Limited / Kreos Capital Group VII LP / Kreos Capital VII Aggregator ScSp (4) Acquisition or disposal of voting securities or voting rights 2,379,849 3.77%

_____________

Notes:

(1) The total number of outstanding shares of the Company mentioned in the relevant transparency notification amounts to 63,145,080, each share giving right to one (1) vote (being 63,145,080 voting rights in total).

(2) A parent undertaking or a controlling person of Societe Federale de Participations et d'Investissement SA / Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij NV ("SFPIM"), Belfius Banque SA ("Belfius Bank") and Belfius Insurance SA ("Belfius Insurance"), informed the Company, by means of a notification dated 30 September 2025 and received by the Company on 8 October 2025, that on 26 September 2025, the shareholding of SFPIM (holding 1,885,806 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 2.99% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company), crossed below the threshold of 3% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company. The aggregate shareholding of SFPIM (holding 1,885,806 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 2.99% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company) and Belfius Insurance (holding 1,399,328 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 2.22% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company) now stands at 5.20%. The joint notification specifies furthermore that SFPIM is the parent company of Belfius Bank (ex Dexia Banque SA), which in its turn is the parent company of Belfius Insurance. The notification also states that SFPI-FPIM acts in its own name, but on behalf of the Belgian State and that it is owned for 100% by the Belgian State.

(3) A parent undertaking or a controlling person of Partners in Equity V B.V. ("PiE V") and Partners in Equity III B.V. ("PiE III"), informed the Company, by means of a notification dated 3 October 2025 and received by the Company on 8 October 2025, that on 26 September 2025, the shareholding of PiE V (holding 9,066,912 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 14.36% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company), crossed below the threshold of 15% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company. The joint notification further specifies that PiE V is 100% owned by PiE III, and that Johan Gijsbert Wackwitz and Renee Marie Henriette jointly control PiE III.

(4) On behalf of the parties mentioned in the table above, which are subject to the notification requirement, including BlackRock, Inc. ("BlackRock") and Kreos Capital VII Aggregator ScSp ("Kreos Capital"), a parent undertaking or a controlling person informed the Company, by means of a notification dated 9 October 2025 and received by the Company on 10 October 2025, that the shareholding of Kreos Capital (holding 2,379,849 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 3.77% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company), crossed the threshold of 3% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company on 7 October 2025. The joint notification specifies furthermore that the full chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held is as follows: (i) BlackRock, Inc.; (ii) BlackRock Saturn Subco, LLC; (iii) BlackRock Finance, Inc.; (iv) BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.; (v) BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.; (vi) BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.; (vii) BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.; (viii) BlackRock Holdco 3, LLC; (ix) BlackRock Cayman 1 LP; (x) BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited; (xi) BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited; (xii) BlackRock Group Limited; (xiii) BlackRock Crane Limited; (xiv) Kreos Capital Management Limited; (xv) Kreos Capital Group VII Limited; (xvi) Kreos Capital Group VII LP; and (xvii) Kreos Capital VII Aggregator ScSp. The notification also states that the disclosure obligation arose due to voting rights attached to shares for BlackRock going above 3% and that the total holdings in voting right for BlackRock went above 3%.

This announcement is made in accordance with Article 14 of the Belgian Act of 2 May 2007 on the disclosure of major participations in issuers of which shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market and regarding miscellaneous provisions.

To access a copy of the aforementioned transparency notification, reference is made to Sequana Medical's website).

Pursuant to the Belgian Transparency Act and the articles of association of the Company, a notification to the Company and the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is required by all natural and legal persons in each case where the percentage of voting rights attached to the securities held by such persons in the Company reaches, exceeds or falls below the threshold of 3%, 5%, 10%, and every subsequent multiple of 5%, of the total number of voting rights in the Company.

For more information, please contact:

Sequana Medical

Investor relations

E: IR@sequanamedical.com

T: +44 (0) 797 342 9917

About Sequana Medical

Sequana Medical NV is a pioneer in treating fluid overload, a serious and frequent clinical complication in patients with liver disease, heart failure and cancer. This causes major medical issues including increased mortality, repeated hospitalizations, severe pain, difficulty breathing and restricted mobility. Although diuretics are standard of care, they become ineffective, intolerable or exacerbate the problem in many patients. There are limited effective treatment options, resulting in poor clinical outcomes, high costs and a major impact on their quality of life. Sequana Medical is seeking to provide innovative treatment options for this large and growing "diuretic resistant" patient population. alfapump and DSR are Sequana Medical's proprietary platforms that work with the body to treat diuretic-resistant fluid overload, and are intended to deliver major clinical and quality of life benefits for patients, while reducing costs for healthcare systems.

The Company received US FDA approval for the alfapump System for the treatment of recurrent or refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis in December 2024, following the grant of FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2019. In Sequana Medical's POSEIDON study, a landmark study across 18 centers in the US and Canada, the pivotal cohort of 40 patients implanted with the alfapump showed at 6 and 24 months post-implantation the virtual elimination of therapeutic paracentesis and an improvement in quality of life.1,2

Sequana Medical has commenced US commercialisation through a small specialty salesforce initially targeting US liver transplant centers - 90 of these centers perform more than 90% of US liver transplants annually. CMS has approved the New Technology Add-on Payment for the alfapump when performed in the hospital inpatient setting as of October 1, 2025.

Results of the Company's RED DESERT and SAHARA proof-of-concept studies in heart failure published in European Journal of Heart Failure in April 2024 support DSR's mechanism of action as breaking the vicious cycle of cardiorenal syndrome. All three patients from the non-randomized cohort of MOJAVE, a US randomized controlled multi-center Phase 1/2a clinical study, have been successfully treated with DSR, resulting in a dramatic improvement in diuretic response and virtual elimination of loop diuretic requirements.3 The independent Data Safety Monitoring Board approved the start of the randomized MOJAVE cohort of up to a further 30 patients, which is dependent on securing additional financing.

Sequana Medical is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels.

Important Safety Information: For important safety information regarding the alfapump system, see https://www.sequanamedical.com/wp-content/uploads/ISI.pdf.

The alfapump System is currently not approved in Canada.

DSR therapy is still in development and is currently not approved in any country. The safety and effectiveness of DSR therapy has not been established.

Note: alfapump and DSR are registered trademarks.

Forward-looking statements

This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release.

1Alfapump system SSED (summary of safety and effectiveness) PMA 230044.

2 As defined by subjective physical health (assessed by SF-36 PCS) and ascites symptoms (assessed by Ascites Q).

3 Data reported in press release of March 25, 2024; mean increase of 326% in six-hour urinary sodium excretion at 3 months follow up vs baseline, and 95% reduction of loop diuretics over same period.

Attachments
TOKYO, Japan, Oct 10, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today issued the company's integrated report, the "Honda Report 2025," and made it available on the company website.The annual Honda Report summarizes the medium- to long-term initiatives Honda pursues in order to enhance its future corporate value. This report also introduces Honda's future vision of continuing to be the driving force to move people and society forward with "The Power of Dreams," as well as the value proposition of Honda.By issuing the annual integrated report, Honda aims to offer its investors and all other stakeholders more information to deepen their understanding of Honda corporate activities, as well as to create more opportunities for interactive communications and increase the range of information for disclosure, through which Honda strives to further increase its corporate value.URL: https://global.honda/en/sustainability/integratedreport/Honda has been issuing its annual integrated report as a voluntary disclosure since 2022.In this fourth year of the report, Honda explains how it is leveraging its strengths to quickly and flexibly overcome major shifts in the business environment, reaffirming its commitment to contribute to society through its mobility products and services to address societal issues related to the environment and safety.Moreover, focusing on communicating the unique characteristics of Honda in an easy-to-understand manner, the Honda Report 2025 highlights the longstanding corporate culture and "people" of Honda to convey strong messages built around all members of Honda who embrace their own dreams and aspirations. The value creation process - where all members of Honda enable the realization of Honda growth strategies while being driven by the power of their own dreams - is told in a compelling way in this year's report.For more details, please visit:https://global.honda/content/dam/site/global-en/topics-new/cq_img/2025/c_2025-10-10eng/c_2025-10-10eng.pdfSource: Honda Motor Co, LtdCopyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Val-d'Or Mining Corporation (TSXV: VZZ) ("Val-d'Or Mining" or the "Company") announces that effective October 10, 2025, it has partnered with Adelaide Capital ("Adelaide"), a leading investor relations and capital markets advisory firm, to provide investor relations and consulting services to the Company.

Adelaide is a full-service investor relations firm that brings a unique and powerful perspective and a re-engineered investor relations business model. Adelaide will work closely with Val-d'Or Mining to develop and deploy a comprehensive capital markets program, which includes assisting with non-deal roadshows, virtual campaigns, social media, conferences and assisting with investor communication. In exchange for Adelaide's services, and pursuant to an investor relations consulting agreement (the "IRA"), the Company has agreed to pay a monthly fee of up to C$3,000 per month for a 12-month term in addition to the grant of 100,000 stock options (the "Options") to Adelaide under the Company's omnibus incentive plan (the "Plan"). Subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Options will have an exercise price of C$0.0850 and shall expire five years from the date of issuance and shall vest in four equal proportions every three months after the grant date for a period of 12 months. The IRA is subject to approval by the Exchange. Adelaide is a full-service investor relations and social media firm that specializes in small-cap growth companies.

Adelaide is principally owned by Deborah Honig, who is also a director of the Company. Ms. Honig holds 544,250 shares, and 960,000 options and 200,000 warrants, to acquire shares of the Company. Further, Ms. Honig has confirmed that she will manage her conflict as a director of the Company in accordance with applicable corporate and securities legislation

About Val-d'Or Mining Corporation

Val-d'Or Mining Corporation is a junior natural resource issuer involved in the process of acquiring and exploring its diverse mineral property assets, most of which are situated in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of NE Ontario and NW Quebec. To complement its current property interests, the Company regularly evaluates new opportunities for staking and/or acquisitions. Outside of its principal regional focus in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, the Company holds several other properties in Northern Quebec (Nunavik) covering different geological environments and commodities (Ni-Cu-PGE's).

The Company has expertise in the identification and generation of new projects, and in early-stage exploration. The mineral commodities of interest are broad, and range from gold, copper-zinc-silver, nickel-copper-PGE to industrial and energy minerals. After the initial value creation in the 100%-owned, or majority-owned properties, the Company seeks option/joint venture partners with technical expertise and financial capacity to conduct more advanced exploration projects.

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270019

SOURCE: Val-d'Or Mining Corporation
Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Cleghorn Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: CZZ) ("Cleghorn" or the "Company") announces effective October 10, 2025, it has retained Adelaide Capital ("Adelaide"), a leading investor relations and capital markets advisory firm, to provide investor relations and consulting services to the Company.

Adelaide is a full-service investor relations firm that brings a unique and powerful perspective and a re-engineered investor relations business model. Adelaide will work closely with Cleghorn to develop and deploy a comprehensive capital markets program, which includes assisting with non-deal roadshows, virtual campaigns, social media, conferences and assisting with investor communication. In exchange for Adelaide's services, and pursuant to an investor relations consulting agreement (the "IRA"), the Company has agreed to pay a monthly fee of up to C$3,000 per month for a 12-month term in addition to the grant of 100,000 stock options (the "Options") to Adelaide under the Company's stock option incentive plan (the "Plan"). Subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Options will have an exercise price of C$0.05 and shall expire five years from the date of issuance and shall vest in four equal proportions every three months after the grant date for a period of 12 months. The IRA is subject to approval by the Exchange. Adelaide is principally owned by Deborah Honig and is an arm's length company based in Toronto, Ontario. Adelaide is a full-service investor relations and social media firm that specializes in small-cap growth companies. As of the date hereof, Adelaide does not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities.

For additional information, please contact:

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270017

SOURCE: Cleghorn Minerals Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp. (TSXV: CTV) (OTCQB: CTVFF) ("CleanTech" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Lee as its Vice President Legal, effective October 10, 2025.

Ms. Lee is a Canadian-qualified lawyer with eight years of experience in corporate finance, securities, and corporate governance, with a primary focus on clients in the mining and natural resources sector. She joins CleanTech from private practice at a national law firm, where she advised public and private issuers on financings, disclosure, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory compliance.

In her new role, Ms. Lee will oversee the Company's legal affairs and provide strategic counsel to support its operations and growth initiatives across its project portfolio.

The Company also announces that its board of directors has approved the grant of incentive stock options (the "Options") to Ms. Lee to acquire an aggregate of 200,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.34. All Options were granted pursuant to the Company's 10% rolling stock option plan (the "Plan") and are subject to the terms of the Plan, the applicable grant agreements and the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Options are exercisable for a five-year term expiring October 10, 2030. The Options will vest at 12.5% per quarter for the first two years following the grant date starting on January 10, 2026.

The Company further announces that Alex Bayer will step down as the Company's Chief Legal Officer effective October 25, 2025. The Company thanks Mr. Bayer for his valuable contributions during his tenure with the Company. Mr. Bayer will remain available to the Company as a consultant.

About CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.

CleanTech is a mining company focused on critical mineral resources in the USA. The Company has an option to acquire 15,975 acres of mineral rights with historic Fluorspar resources across multiple projects in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. CleanTech also owns a 100% interest in the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in Nevada.

Further information on CleanTech can be found at www.cleantechvanadium.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270037

SOURCE: CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) -Oracle Commodity Holding Corp. (TSXV: ORCL) (OTCQB: ORLCF) ("Oracle" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Lee as its Vice President Legal, effective October 10, 2025.

Ms. Lee is a Canadian-qualified lawyer with eight years of experience in corporate finance, securities, and corporate governance, with a primary focus on clients in the mining and natural resources sector. She joins Oracle from private practice at a national law firm, where she advised public and private issuers on financings, disclosure, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory compliance.

In her new role, Ms. Lee will oversee the Company's legal affairs and provide strategic counsel to support its operations and growth initiatives across its project portfolio.

The Company also announces that its board of directors has approved the grant of incentive stock options (the "Options") to Ms. Lee to acquire an aggregate of 200,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05. All Options were granted pursuant to the Company's 10% rolling stock option plan (the "Plan") and are subject to the terms of the Plan, the applicable grant agreements and the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Options are exercisable for a five-year term expiring October 10, 2030. The Options will vest at 12.5% per quarter for the first two years following the grant date starting on January 10, 2026.

The Company further announces that Alex Bayer will step down as the Company's Chief Legal Officer effective October 25, 2025. The Company thanks Mr. Bayer for his valuable contributions during his tenure with the Company. Mr. Bayer will remain available to the Company as a consultant.

About Oracle Commodity Holding Corp.

Oracle Commodity Holding Corp. is a mining royalty company holding royalties on several precious metal and critical mineral mining projects.

Further information on Oracle Commodity can be found at www.oracleholding.com.

ORACLE COMMODITY HOLDING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270038

SOURCE: Oracle Commodity Holding Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Silver Elephant Mining Corp. (TSX: ELEF) (OTCQB: SILEF) (FSE: 1P2) ("Silver Elephant" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Lee as its Vice President Legal, effective October 10, 2025.

Ms. Lee is a Canadian-qualified lawyer with eight years of experience in corporate finance, securities and corporate governance with a primary focus on clients in the mining and natural resources sector. She joins Silver Elephant from private practice at a national law firm, where she advised public and private issuers on financings, disclosure, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory compliance.

In her new role, Ms. Lee will oversee the Company's legal affairs and provide strategic counsel to support its operations and growth initiatives across its project portfolio.

The Company also announces that Alex Bayer will step down as the Company's Chief Legal Officer effective October 25, 2025. The Company thanks Mr. Bayer for his valuable contributions during his tenure with the Company. Mr. Bayer will remain available to the Company as a consultant.

About Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

Silver Elephant is a mineral exploration company with gold and silver projects in Bolivia.

Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com.

SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"John Lee"

CEO and Executive Chairman

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Such forward-looking information, which reflects management's expectations regarding Silver Elephant's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, is based on certain factors and assumptions and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270039

SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTC Pink: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), an innovative analytics service provider, owner and operator of the Cubeler Business Development Platform, today announced that due to ongoing postal service delays by Canada Post affecting the delivery of certain shareholder communications, the Company is relying on the temporary relief provided by the Canadian Securities Administrators under Coordinated Blanket Order 51-932 Temporary Exemption from requirements in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations and National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer to send certain proxy-related materials during a postal suspension (Blanket Order 51-932) (the "Blanket Order").

Access to Proxy-Related Materials

In accordance with the Blanket Order, the Company is providing access to the proxy-related materials electronically instead of by mail. Shareholders can access the following documents:

Notice of Meeting

Management Information Circular

Form of Proxy

All materials are available on the Company's website at https://pkk2025.webflow.io/ and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company's profile.

Voting Instructions

Registered shareholders may vote by:

Internet: https://www.meeting-vote.com/login.do (Control number provided by transfer agent)

Email: Instructions provided on the Form of Proxy

At the Meeting: Online or in person, as applicable

Beneficial (non-registered) shareholders should follow the voting instructions provided by their brokerage firm or intermediary and ask to obtain their voting control number and the steps of how to vote, which could include internet voting, completing a form of proxy and emailing it, directing your broker over the phone on how you wish to vote or some other method as described by your brokerage house or depository company.

The Company has satisfied all of the conditions to rely on, and is relying on, the exemption provided by the Blanket Order from the requirement to send proxy-related materials to its shareholders.

Meeting Details

Meeting Date: November 6, 2025 Time: 10:00 a.m. (EST) Format: Hybrid Link: https://tinyurl.com/November-06 (meeting ID 257 886 052 202 5 and passcode 6nk2YG7T) Location: 645, Wellington Street, Suite 220, Montreal, QC H3C 1T2

About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.:

Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, include Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries offer various analytics and AI-based products and services to businesses, capital markets professionals, government agencies and financial institutions either through or leveraging data gathered by the Cubeler Business Development Platform, a global platform where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/.

Follow Tenet Fintech Group Inc. on social media:

X: @Tenet_Fintech

Facebook: @Tenet

LinkedIn: Tenet

YouTube: Tenet Fintech

Forward-looking information

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tenet to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, holding company with significant operations in China; general economic and business conditions, including factors impacting the Company's business in China such as pandemics and COVID-19; legislative and/or regulatory developments; Global Financial conditions, repatriation of profits or transfer of funds from China to Canada, operations in foreign jurisdictions and possible exposure to corruption, bribery or civil unrest; actions by regulators; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; timing and completion of capital programs; liquidity and capital resources, negative operating cash flow and additional funding, dilution from further financing; financial performance and timing of capital; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by Tenet with securities regulators in Canada. Reference should also be made to Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in Tenet's annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) under Tenet's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, for a description of major risk factors relating to Tenet. Although Tenet has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270034

SOURCE: Tenet Fintech Group Inc.
China-Laos Railway: 'Golden corridor' of prosperity, education cooperation, and friendship

People's Daily Online) 10:27, October 10, 2025

Photo shows a train at the Mohan Railway Station of the China-Laos Railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Chinanews.com/Liu Yue)

Stretching from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to Vientiane in Laos, the China-Laos Railway has emerged as a "golden corridor." Embodying friendship, technology, sustainability, and openness, the railway carries the shared dreams of both peoples.

More than just a railway, it is a "prosperity road" driving regional economies, an "education pathway" for cross-border talent, and a "connectivity project" connecting the hearts of both peoples.

Since opening, the railway has reshaped development patterns in cities along its route by ensuring efficient transport capacity, injecting robust momentum into regional economic growth.

Pu'er city in Yunnan illustrates this transformation. Capitalizing on its location, the city has upgraded industries and fostered integrated growth in agriculture, culture, and tourism.

In Nandaohe village of Nanping town, just over 10 minutes from the Pu'er railway station of the China-Laos Railway, Baishapo village group launched a coffee-themed rural revitalization project. With 61 million yuan (about $8.55 million) invested, the project has created an integrated complex of coffee tasting, cultural exhibitions, tourism, and rural B&Bs. The project delivers fixed annual dividends of 400,000 yuan to local farmers while putting the once-sleepy mountain village on the tourism map.

Photo shows Luo Yaqiong, a villager in Nandaohe village, Nanping town, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Chinanews.com/Liu Yue)

For villager Luo Yaqiong, the change is life-altering. Once reliant on weather-sensitive coffee and tea harvests, her family earned about 2,000 yuan per month. Now, through a roasting workshop partnership, she receives over 3,000 yuan in dividends in addition to farm income, raising her household earnings to 5,000 yuan monthly.

"The environment has improved, incomes have grown, and our horizons have broadened," she said, noting the steady stream of foreign tourists she never expected to meet at her doorstep.

Villagers now find jobs locally through training in barista work, hospitality, and baking. Many households have doubled their incomes, while tourists from cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou have begun to choose a long-term stay there, fueling refined development of the local cultural tourism.

The railway has also opened an "express lane" for international educational cooperation.

Students at Pu'er University in Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province share their experiences of studying across borders. (Chinanews.com/Liu Yue)

As a talent training hub for South and Southeast Asia, Pu'er University has steadily expanded its minor language programs to meet Belt and Road Initiative needs.

Since the railway's launch, the university has widened its enrollment reach, attracting Lao students from both northern and southern regions, according to Li Chunzhong, dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Pu'er University.

A 20-year-old Lao student studying at the university noted a growing "Chinese language fever" in Laos, where parents are eager to send their children to Chinese classes, and people ranging from bank employees to schoolchildren and even middle-aged learners are studying the language.

"Speaking Chinese makes it easier to find a job, with salaries sometimes one to two times higher than average," he said. This awareness has strengthened his resolve to pursue a career as a translator or Chinese teacher after graduation, acting as an "ambassador" for China-Laos people-to-people exchanges.

Liu Jieying, a senior majoring in Lao at Pu'er University who previously studied in Vientiane, has observed this trend firsthand. In Laos, Chinese language training centers are especially common, and evening classes are often packed, according to Liu. "Among the students are high schoolers preparing for Chinese proficiency tests to apply for universities in China, as well as working professionals hoping to boost their careers."

Convenient travel brought by the China-Laos Railway has also enabled people from different countries to deepen understanding and forge friendships.

Photo shows a view along the Yunnan section of the China-Laos Railway. (Chinanews.com/Liu Yue)

With China's expanding visa-free "circle of friends," demand for cross-border journeys continues to surge. The railway links iconic destinationsfrom Kunming and Xishuangbanna in China to Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laosmaking it a global "golden route" for tourism.

As of Sept. 20, the China-Laos Railway had handled 59 million passenger trips, including 580,000 cross-border trips by passengers from 115 countries and regions globally.

The number of passenger trains operating daily on the domestic section of the railway has surged from 8 to a peak of 86. On the Laotian section, services increased from 4 to up to 18 trains per day. The number of cross-border passenger seats has expanded from an initial 250 to 420 per train.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hawaii has been ranked among the leading states in the U.S. for mental health, according to the 2025 State of Mental Health in America report by Mental Health America. The annual report evaluates states on 17 measures of mental health prevalence and access to care, highlighting Hawaii's strengths in affordability, youth well-being, and access to providers. The state ranked No. 1 nationally for the affordability of mental health care and No. 5 for youth flourishing, with a high percentage of adolescents reporting positive mental health. Hawaii also placed No. 8 for uninsured adults with mental illness, reflecting ongoing efforts to expand coverage and connect residents with care. Dr. Kenneth Fink, Director of the Hawaii Department of Health, said the recognition reflects community progress in expanding access and supporting youth, but emphasized that more work is needed to ensure timely and equitable mental health care for all residents. The report also highlighted areas for improvement. Hawaii ranked No. 30 for youth preventive health visits, with nearly three in 10 adolescents missing annual check-ups, and No. 37 for identifying students with emotional disturbances for specialized education programs, suggesting gaps in school-based mental health supports. Tia L. Roberts Hartsock, director of the Office of Wellness and Resilience, noted that while the state's high rankings are encouraging, preventive care and school supports remain critical. She reaffirmed Hawai?i's commitment to working with schools, families, and communities to ensure all children receive appropriate screenings and services. Nationally, the report found that nearly one in four adults experienced mental illness in 2024, and over 5 million lacked health insurance, while youth mental health showed improvement, but millions still face challenges. 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.
Sofia, Bulgaria--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Tonkin.bg, the website behind Bulgaria's most renowned Mentorship Academy Business and Investments (MABI) led by Yulian Tonkin, today announced the launch of MABI, a new 10-day intensive version of its signature 12-month mentorship program. Designed for entrepreneurs and professionals seeking rapid results, MABI brings the essence of the full academy into a focused, high-impact experience.

For over a decade, Yulian Tonkin and his team of leading mentors have guided thousands of ambitious individuals toward measurable business growth, personal development, and strategic clarity. The 12-month MABI program has become a symbol of transformation in Bulgaria's business community, connecting more than 300 active participants with over 20 top mentors in fields including marketing, sales, investment, and leadership.

Now, with MABI, Tonkin.bg and its mentors are opening this knowledge to a wider audience in a condensed, actionable format. The 10-day version provides direct access to the Academy's core systems, group sessions, and expert consultations.

"We created MABI for people who are ready to act now," said Yulian Tonkin, founder of the Mentorship Business Academy. "Not everyone can commit to a year-long journey, but everyone deserves the chance to experience what focused mentorship can do in just ten days. MABI is that gateway - a clear, structured path to business clarity, confidence, and growth."

MABI's 10-day intensive program features:

Direct mentorship from Tonkin and his expert team across the core business lines - investment, marketing, and sales.

Hands-on strategies that have driven real success for hundreds of businesses in Bulgaria.

Live group sessions offering personalized guidance and interaction with mentors.

Access to exclusive resources and proven business frameworks.

A results-oriented approach, focusing on clarity, structure, and immediate implementation.

Tonkin.bg's Mentorship Academy Business and Investments continues to set the standard for practical, transformative education in business and personal development. MABI stands as its most accessible initiative yet - a powerful invitation to discover the academy's impact in a concentrated 10-day format.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269436

SOURCE: GYT
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Stakeholder Gold Corp. (TSXV: SRC) ("Stakeholder" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement financing ("Private Placement") at $0.80 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") priced at $0.80 per Common Share, and one half of one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at $1.20 for a period of two years from the closing of the Private Placement.

Each whole Warrant has an early exercise provision that allows the Company to trigger exercise of the Warrant when the 10-day average price of Common Shares traded on the TSX Venture Exchange exceeds $1.50 per share. Thirty days (30) after the trigger date, any unexercised Warrants will be deemed to be null and void. All securities issued under this Private Placement will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of closing.

Proceeds will be used for exploration on the Company's Ballarat Exploration Project in the White Gold District located in the Yukon Territory, Canada and for developing the Company's exotic stone quartzite business in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information. All information, other than information of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and includes any information that addresses activities, events or developments that the Corporation believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including the Corporation's strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance.

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and other indications of future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is based on current expectations and applies only as of the date on which they were made. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Corporation to fund the exploration expenditures required under the Agreement. Other factors such as uncertainties regarding government regulations could also affect the results. Other risks may be set out in the Corporation's annual financial statements, MD&A and other publicly filed documents.

The Corporation cautions that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269992

SOURCE: Stakeholder Gold Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) (the "Company" or "PreveCeutical"), is pleased to announce that all resolutions presented at the Company's annual general and special meeting (the "Meeting") held on Friday, October 10, 2025, including the following:

the election of Stephen Van Deventer, Makarand Jawadekar, Kathleen Rokita and C. Evan Ballantyne as directors of the Company;

the ratification of the appointment of Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the auditors of PreveCeutical for the financial year ending December 31, 2024 and 2025;

a plan of arrangement under the provisions of Division 5 of Part 9 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), pursuant to which the Company will distribute up to 12,000,000 common shares of BioGene Therapeutics Inc. (" BioGene ") to the PreveCeutical Shareholders; (the " Arrangement and Distribution "); and

the adoption of the PreveCeutical's Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan;

were approved at the Meeting.

The Company also announces that, further to its news releases dated August 5, 2025, and September 5, 2025, it is increasing the size of its private placement financing. The Company previously disclosed that it would issue up to 25,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.04 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,000,000. The Company today announces that it has increased the number of Units to be issued, such that it may issue up to 30,000,000 Units at a price of $0.04 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,200,000 (the "Offering"). On September 5, 2025, the Company closed a first tranche of the Offering, which consisted of the issuance of 16,162,500 Units at a price of $0.04 per Unit for gross proceeds of $646,500.

Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share (each, a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one-half (1/2) of one Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase an additional Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.06 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering, subject to an acceleration right, whereby the expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated if the daily closing price of the Shares equals or exceeds $0.18 or greater on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") (or such other recognized securities exchange on which the Shares may then trade) for a minimum of ten consecutive trading days, in which event the Company may accelerate the expiry of the Warrants by giving notice via news release and, in such case, all of the then unexercised Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date on which the news release is disseminated (the "Acceleration Right").

All securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after closing of the Offering, in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The securities issued under the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About PreveCeutical

PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. PreveCeutical aims to be a leader in preventive health sciences and currently has five research and development programs, including: dual gene therapy for curative and prevention therapies for diabetes and obesity; the Sol-gel Program; Nature Identical peptides for treatment of various ailments; nonaddictive analgesic peptides as a replacement to the highly addictive analgesics such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone; and a therapeutic product for treating athletes who suffer from concussions (mild traumatic brain injury). For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Neither the CSE nor any Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the expectations of management regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering and the closing of a subsequent tranche of the Offering. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements including that the proceeds of the Offering may not be used as stated in this news release, that the Company may not be able to close a subsequent tranche of the Offering and those additional risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR

DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES



To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270040

SOURCE: PreveCeutical Medical Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Canter Resources Corp. (CSE: CRC) (OTC Pink: CNRCF) (FSE: 601) ("Canter" or the "Company") a U.S.-focused lithium-boron exploration company, announces that, further to its news release of September 3, 2025, it has closed its non-brokered private placement raising gross proceeds of $1,050,000 through the issuance of 5,250,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit (the "Private Placement").

Each Unit consisted of one common share (a "Share") and one-half of one transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each whole Warrant exercisable to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.26 for two (2) years from the date of issuance.

No finders' fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to statutory hold periods pursuant to securities laws in Canada and a voluntary 12-month lockup period.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement to continue advancing its Columbus Lithium-Boron Project and its Railroad Valley Lithium-Boron Project, to evaluate and pursue additional projects and for general working capital purposes.

Insiders of the Company purchased 225,000 Units in the Private Placement. The participation by such insiders in the Offering constituted a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions.

About Canter Resources Corp.

Canter Resources Corp. is a junior mineral exploration company advancing the Columbus Lithium-Boron Project and the Railroad Valley (RV) Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, USA. The Company is completing a phased drilling approach at Columbus to test highly prospective brine targets at varying depths for lithium-boron enrichment and plans to leverage the Company's critical metals targeting database to generate a portfolio of high-quality projects with the aim of defining mineral resources that support the technology and domestic clean energy supply chains in North America.

On behalf of the Board of Directors.

For further information contact:

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans for the Project and the payments related thereto, the issuance of the Consideration Shares and the Company's expected exploration activities.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: requirements for additional capital; future prices of minerals; changes in general economic conditions; changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities; other risks of the mining industry; the inability to obtain any necessary governmental and regulatory approvals; changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations; hedging practices; and currency fluctuations.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.



NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION TO THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269998

SOURCE: Canter Resources Corp.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Metalero Mining Corp. (TSXV: MLO) (OTC Pink: CRTTF) ("Metalero" or the "Company") has updated the terms of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of up to $300,000 to fund the next phase of work on its flagship Benson Project, located in the prolific Quesnel Trough of central British Columbia.

The revised Offering will consist of up to 1,428,572 flow-through units (the "FT Units") at a price of $0.21 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one (1) flow-through common share (a "FT Share") and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one (1) additional non flow-through common share at a price of $0.26 for two (2) years from the date of issuance.

All FT Shares offered in connection with this Offering qualify as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). For subscribers who are qualifying individuals under the Income Tax Act (British Columbia) (the "BC Tax Act"), these expenditures will also qualify as "BC flow-through mining expenditures", as defined in section 4.721(1) of the BC Tax Act.

The proceeds will be used to support the Fall 2025 exploration work at Benson including further sampling and ground geophysics.

The Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities issued will have a hold period of four months and one day from the closing of the Offering.

Benson Project Background

Metalero has signed a binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire 100% of the Benson Project which is strategically located in the Quesnel Trough, one of Canada's most important mineral belts. The Quesnel Trough is a Triassic/Jurassic-age belt of volcano-sedimentary and intrusive rocks which hosts >360 alkalic copper-gold porphyry occurrences and deposits. At >1,500 km long, the Quesnel Trough runs through the middle of BC stretching from the US to the Yukon Territory. It hosts numerous major mines which produce copper and gold as well as variable amounts of silver and molybdenum while also hosting several types of gold deposits.

High profile and long-lived mines in the Quesnel Trough include Highland Valley, Mt Milligan, New Afton and Kemess which are complemented by recent exploration work including Woodjam, MPD, Kwanika, and the extensive staking by Australian mining giant, the Fortescue Group.

The Benson Project lies close to infrastructure and is traversed by Highway 26 and a vast network of logging roads allowing for ready access to all parts of the Property and capital-efficient exploration. The large land package covers 5 different target areas illuminated by recent Artificial-Intelligence ("AI") work by Geoscience BC (Mitchinson et al., Geoscience BC Report 2022-07). This AI study incorporated a wide variety of historical datasets including geophysics, geology, sampling information, and drilling data (where present) to identify high potential ("porphyry-like") anomalies with similarities to known porphyry deposits elsewhere in the belt. Even the limited historical exploration at Benson has identified numerous gold and copper surface geochemical anomalies while modest, historical drill programs have intersected skarn and epithermal gold and silver mineralization, which are both intrusive-related styles of mineralization and are commonly associated with porphyry systems.

About Metalero Mining Corp.

Metalero Mining Corp. is a Canadian-based junior exploration company focused on copper and gold projects in North America. Its 166 square kilometer, road-accessible Benson Project serves as Metalero's flagship and is host to five prospects containing gold and copper within porphyry-related mineralized systems.

Qualified Person The technical content of this news release pertaining to the Benson Project was reviewed and approved by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc, P.Geol., P.Geo., a non-independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Metalero is part of the Metals Group of Companies, managed by exploration professionals who stand for technical excellence, robust project selection and strong corporate governance, with a proven ability to identify and capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company's exploration plans and results. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.

Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, structure and terms of the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds of the Offerings, and approval of the Offerings by the TSX-V, risks associated with the mining industry in general, the exploration and development of mineral properties, the Company's ability to obtain necessary financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Metalero disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270078

SOURCE: Metalero Mining Corp.
West Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Surge Battery Metals Inc. (TSXV: NILI) (OTCQX: NILIF) (FSE: DJ5) ("Surge" or the "Company") announces that it will be conducting a non-brokered private placement of 1,851,852 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.27 per unit, for gross proceeds of $500,000 (the "Private Placement"). Each Unit will consist of one common share and one share purchase warrant, with each warrant being exercisable for a period of three years at a price of $0.37 per share.

Proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for general working capital. The closing of the Private Placement is subject to receipt of the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Surge Battery Metals Inc.

Surge Battery Metals, a Canadian-based mineral exploration company, is at the forefront of securing the supply of domestic lithium through its active engagement in the Nevada North Lithium Project. The Project focuses on exploring clean, high-grade lithium energy metals in Nevada, USA, a crucial element for powering the electric vehicles of tomorrow. With a primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada and the OTCQX Market in the US, Surge Battery Metals Inc. is strategically positioned as a key player in advancing lithium exploration, contributing significantly to the sustainable future of the electric vehicle industry. At Surge Battery Metals, we are not just exploring minerals; we are pioneering the path to a cleaner and more sustainable future, driving innovation in the lithium sector, and contributing to the evolution of the electric vehicle industry.

About the Nevada North Lithium Project

The Company owns the Nevada North Lithium Project located in the Granite Range southeast of Jackpot, Nevada about 73 km north-northeast of Wells, Elko County, Nevada. The first three rounds of drilling on the Project, completed in 2022, 2023, and 2024, identified a strongly mineralized zone of lithium bearing clays occupying a strike length of more than 4,300 meters and a known width of greater than 1500 meters. Highly anomalous soil values and geophysical surveys suggest there is potential for the clay horizons to be much greater in extent, while wide drill spacing allows for significant upside to occur during infill drilling. The Nevada North Lithium Project has a pit-constrained Inferred Resource containing an estimated 8.65 Mt of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) grading 2,951 ppm Li at a 1,250 ppm cutoff.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Greg Reimer"

Greg Reimer,

Director, President & CEO

Keep up-to-date with Surge Battery Metals: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This document may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan" or "planned", "possible", "potential", "forecast", "intend", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities including lithium and nickel, the accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals including approvals of title and mining rights or licenses and environmental, local community or indigenous community approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure or water, changes in laws, rules and regulations including in the United States, Nevada or California or any other jurisdiction which may impact upon the Company or its properties or the commercial exploitation of those properties, currency risks including the exchange rate of USD$ for Cdn$ or other currencies, fluctuations in the market for lithium related products, changes in exploration costs and government royalties, export policies or taxes in the United States or any other jurisdiction and other factors or information. The Company's current plans, expectations, and intentions with respect to development of its business and of its Nevada properties may be impacted by economic uncertainties arising out of any pandemic or by the impact of current financial and other market conditions (including US government subsidies or incentives) on its ability to secure further financing or funding of its Nevada properties. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon several assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, environmental (including endangered species, habitat preservation and water related risks) and social risks, contingencies, and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

This news release is not for distribution to U.S. newswire services for dissemination

in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270033

SOURCE: Surge Battery Metals Inc.
Annual adjusted EBITDA (1): $1.0 million, improved 300% YoY

$1.0 million, improved 300% YoY Quarterly gross profit percentage: 65%, improved from 61% in Q1 2025

65%, improved from 61% in Q1 2025 Total operating expenses in Q1 2026 reduced by 45% compared to Q4 2025, and reduced by 28% compared to Q3 2025

in Q1 2026 reduced by 45% compared to Q4 2025, and reduced by 28% compared to Q3 2025 Quarterly revenue: $3.6 million, down 10% YoY

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Purebread Brands Inc. (TSXV: BRED) ("Purebread" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its Q1 2026 financial results, the highlights of which are included in this news release. The full set of Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis can be viewed by visiting the Company's website at www.purebreadbrands.com or its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Q1 2026 Financial Highlights

Q1 2026 Adjusted EBITDA of $1.0 million, a 300% improvement from $(0.5) million in the prior year. Improvements in Adjusted EBITDA are attributable to the ongoing efforts to streamline the business and maximize efficiency in operating expenses.

Gross profit percentage increased YoY to 65% in Q1 2026 from 61% in Q1 2025. The increase in gross profit was primarily driven by the Company's strategic rationalization of operations, including a shift in focus toward its core bakery business and reduced emphasis on the Coho Kitchens, resulting in lower overall costs.

Total operating expenses decreased by 45% compared to Q4 2025 and reduced by 28% compared to Q3 of 2025. The decrease in the operating expenses aligns with management's cost-reduction efforts and continued focus on streamlining the business going forward.

Revenue decreased 10% YoY from $4 million in Q1 2025 to $3.6 million in Q1 2026. The decrease in revenue was as a result of the discontinuation of certain Coho kitchen locations.







Three Months Ended June 30,



Three Months Ended June 30,



2025



2024





$

$

Net loss

(27,002 )

(1,905,756 ) Amortization



245,844



523,141

Accretion



106,964



102,328

Interest



647,688



711,941

Share based compensation



14,567



69,900

Adjusted EBITDA



988,061



(498,446 )

(1) Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure de fined as earnings (or loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, share-based compensation, and accretion.

Interim CEO Amrit Maharaj commented on the results:

"These results underscore the significant progress we've made in aligning our business model with our core strengths. Equally important, we achieved meaningful cost reductions and delivered our strongest quarterly adjusted EBITDA performance to date. This is a major milestone that positions us well for sustainable growth and profitability moving forward".

Year To Date Company Highlights

Streamlined Shared Kitchen Operations

Cost reductions: Continued to lower operating expenses, with further profit maximization efforts planned for future quarters.

Continued to lower operating expenses, with further profit maximization efforts planned for future quarters. Closures: Transitioned two Coho Commissary locations (Pandora Street and Gibsons) on September 5, 2025, back to landlords, and closed the East Hastings and Victoria Public Market sites. These strategic changes will help streamline operations and allocate resources toward expanding Purebread Bakery.

Corporate Initiatives

Completed a debt-to-equity conversion agreement under which it will issue 3,739,162 common shares and 1,869,561 share purchase warrants to settle $3,559,556 of outstanding debt at a conversion price of $0.25 per unit, strengthening the Company's balance sheet and enhancing financial flexibility for future growth initiatives.

Implemented a 5-for-1 Common Share consolidation to optimize its capital structure and enhance the long-term value for shareholders.

About Purebread Brands Inc.:

Purebread Brands Inc. is a leader in fast-casual cafe / bakeries in British Columbia, driving retail expansion in vibrant communities across Canada and beyond. Purebread is committed to crafting exceptional food experiences and making a positive impact on the communities it serves.

For more information and updated investor presentation, please visit www.purebreadbrands.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Non-IFRS Measures, Reconciliation and Discussion

This press release contains references to "Adjusted EBITDA" that is a non-IFRS financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings (or loss) from operations before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for share based compensation, accretion and non-recurring transaction costs, and is a non-IFRS measure.

For Adjusted EBITDA: This measure can be used to analyze and compare profitability among companies and industries, as it eliminates the effects of financing and capital expenditures. It is often used in valuation ratios and can be compared to enterprise value and revenue. This measure does not have any standardized meaning according to IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

There are no comparable IFRS financial measures presented in Coho's financial statements. Reconciliations of the supplemental non-IFRS measure are presented in the Company's MD&A for the three months ended June 30, 2025 ("FY 2025 MD&A"). This non-IFRS financial measure is presented because management has evaluated the financial results both including and excluding the adjusted items and believes that the non-IFRS financial measure presented provides additional perspective and insights when analyzing the core operating performance of the business. The Company believes that the supplemental measure provides information which is useful to shareholders and investors in understanding the Company's performance and may assist in the evaluation of the Company's business relative to that of its peers.

The non-IFRS financial measure should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for, or as an alternative to, and should be considered in conjunction with the IFRS financial measures presented in the Company's financial statements. For more information, please see "Adjusted EBITDA (non-IFRS measure)" in the Company's Q1 2026 MD&A, which is available under the Company's System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR+") profile on www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, forward-looking statements with respect to plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities, expansion and operating performance.

Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company's management believes that the assumptions made (and the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements) are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements referenced herein will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: reliance on key personnel, protection of our intellectual property rights, competition, a failure to establish additional locations, disruption at our facilities, global pandemics (such as COVID-19) and corresponding impacts on the Company's business, government regulation of the virtual kitchen industry, the price of raw materials, consumer trends, climate change, cybersecurity, food safety and consumer health, brand value, internet search algorithms, reputation risk, risks associated with leasing commercial and retail space, effect of service and facility innovation, failure to retain current members and/or recruit new members, litigation risk, failure to meet expectations of our values & metrics, risks associated with acquisitions, management of growth, a history of losses, negative cash flow, additional funding requirements and risks, dividend risk, increased costs of being a publicly traded company, global economic risk, and share price volatility risk.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates should change, except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect results is included in the documents that may be filed from time to time with Canadian securities regulatory authorities by the Company.

For a more detailed discussion of certain of these risk factors, see the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent MD&A, available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270089

SOURCE: Purebread Brands Inc.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / Bird River Resources Inc. (the "Company") (CSE:BDR) announces that it intends to complete the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $139,253 at a price of $0.08 per Common Share.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate and working capital purposes. The Common Shares to be issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day.

In addition, the Company also announces that it has entered into a debt settlement agreement with an arm's length creditor (the "Creditor") related to an aggregate of USD$250,000 (CAD$350,108)1 owing in connection with lease payments (the "Debt") due pursuant to a right of use agreement (the "Right of Use Agreement") entered into by the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Cotton Mining & Processing, S.A. DE C.V. ("Cotton"). In full satisfaction of the Debt, the Company will issue an aggregate of 3,890,088 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Debt Shares") at a deemed price of CAD$0.09 per Debt Share to the Creditor (the "Debt Settlement").

The Debt Shares issued in connection with the Debt Settlement will be subject to a statutory four month and one day hold period, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and applicable Canadian securities laws. The issuance of the Debt Shares and completion of the Debt Settlement is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the CSE.

About Bird River

Bird River is a Winnipeg, Manitoba based resource company focussed on advancing quality mineral exploration and development properties. The Company currently holds a net royalty smelter interest in a platinum palladium property in the Bird River Sill area of northeastern Manitoba near the Ontario border. Additional information regarding the Company is available at www.sedarplus.ca.

For further information, please contact:

Jon Bridgman, CEO & Director

Bird River Resources Inc.

Tel: 1-877-587-0777

Email: jonbirdriver@gmail.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

The securities of the Company referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Forward-Looking Statement:

This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact included herein including, without limitation, statements relating to the future operating or financial performance of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", "plans" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: receipt of any required regulatory approvals for the issuance of the Debt Shares, the completion of the Offering, and the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct or accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information in this press release.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1Based on a USD/CAD exchange rate of CAD$1.40/US$1.00 as of October 7, 2025. SOURCE: Bird River Resources Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/oil-gas-and-energy/bird-river-announces-final-tranche-of-private-placement-and-shares-for-debt-tran-1085672
White Rock, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 10, 2025) - Goldcana Resources Inc. (CSE: GC) ("Goldcana" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement, executed October 10, 2025, to acquire one additional mineral claim and one additional claim application comprising approximately 477 hectares adjacent to its existing Triple F Gold Project (the "Project") located in the Nicola Mining Division and Vernon Mining Division approximately 28 kilometres northwest of Kelowna, British Columbia. The Project is approximately 20 kilometres northeast of the past producing Brenda copper-molybdenum mine; 40 kilometres northeast of the past producing, and recently active, Elk gold mine; and 26 kilometres southwest of the Brett gold epithermal deposit.

The Triple F property is surrounded by numerous B.C. Government Minfile occurrences ranging from prospects to past producers. The Project is in the headwaters of several creeks, which were historically known to contain placer gold. Strong historic gold content in historical soil samples (up to 342 ppb), rocks (up to 26 ppm) and drill core (up to 55 ppm) on the Project confirm its high prospectivity.

In order to acquire a 100% interest in the new claim and application, Goldcana must issue 250,000 common shares to the optionor following CSE acceptance for filing and incur exploration expenditures of $225,000 over three years, including $50,000 by December 31, 2026. The shares will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from issuance.

Phase I Exploration Program

Goldcana further announces that it has commenced the Phase I exploration program on the Triple F Gold Project, which consists of geological mapping of the entire Project, as well as a property-wide geochemical survey. The program is designed to build upon all historical work through geologic mapping in order to better understand controls on gold mineralization and through the use of soil geochemistry to better delineate known geochemical anomalies and to test the newly defined magnetic anomalies similar to those associated with the zone of known gold mineralization.

Historic sampling on the Project has outlined a 240m x 370m zone of gold mineralization which has similarities to Reduced Intrusive Related Gold mineralization, where historical drill results from drilling in the 1980's by previous claim holder Rea Gold Corporation, including 55 grams per tonne gold and 270 grams per tonne silver over 0.9 metres. Other historical drill results from the 1980's drill program include 10.97 m averaging 0.58 ppm Au, 5.03 m averaging 1.07 ppm Au, 9.75 m averaging 0.5 ppm Au (all in hole DDH88-04), 8.84 m averaging 0.69 ppm Au and 7.92 m averaging 0.57 ppm Au. Historical trench results include 9.77 ppm Au over 4.0 m and 3.12 ppm Au over 6.0 m.. Current and historic soil geochemical results have outlined an approximate 5.5-kilometre-long trend of gold-in-soils, further backed by a 2023 geophysical survey.

Goldcana's 2023 geochemical and geophysical survey confirmed and built upon Rea Gold Corporation's previous findings. In 2023, Goldcana contracted Pioneer Exploration to complete a UAV magnetic survey. This survey outlined multiple, strong, parallel magnetic features that show a strong relation to known gold mineralization and gold-in-soil anomalies.

Additional information on the Triple F Gold Project can be found in the National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report entitled "National Instrument 43-101 Technical report on the Triple F Gold Property, Nicola & Vernon Mining Divisions, Southern British Columbia, Canada" dated January 15, 2024, as amended June 10, 2025, which has been filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Readers are cautioned that the discussion about adjacent or similar properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization or potential of the Triple F Gold Project. The Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such adjacent properties. Historical drill intercepts listed in this news release are core intercepts. Further information is needed to determine how the core intercepts relate to the true width of mineralization. The gold assay results reported above are historical in nature and have not been verified by a Qualified Person.

Qualified Person

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Linda Caron, M.Sc., P. Eng., who is acting as the Company's Qualified Person for the Triple F Gold Project, in accordance with regulations under NI 43-101. Ms. Caron is Independent in accordance with Section 1.5 of National Instrument 43-101.

About Goldcana Resources Inc.:

Goldcana Resources Inc. (CSE: GC) is engaged in the identification, acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource projects.

The Company holds the exclusive option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to net smelter returns royalties ranging from 2% to 3%, in the Triple F Gold Project, which consists of eight mineral claims covering approximately 851 acres located in the Nicola and Vernon Mining Divisions, British Columbia approximately 28 kilometres northwest of Kelowna.

ON BEHALF OF GOLDCANA RESOURCES INC.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements respecting: completion of the option agreement and the successful completion of the Phase I exploration program on the Triple F Gold Project. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Figure 1. Updated Triple F Gold Project Claims Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11653/270096_ce2c803774896a3b_002full.jpg

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270096

SOURCE: Goldcana Resources Inc.
A partnership for the future of medicine (from left): Jaume Collboni (Mayor of Barcelona), Diana Morant (Spanish Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities), Salvador Illa (President of the Government of Catalonia), Holger Hanselka (President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft), and Nuria Montserrat Pulido (Catalonian Minister of Research and Universities).

The right therapy for the right patient at the right time: Theranostics is a relatively new research field that combines therapy and diagnostics to provide individualized patient treatment. To pool their expertise and thus better harness the potential of this pioneering field, Fraunhofer, the Spanish government, the regional government of Catalonia and the city council of Barcelona signed a joint declaration of intent in Barcelona today.

At the signing ceremony, the Spanish Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, the President of the Government of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and the President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Holger Hanselka, declared their intent to significantly advance the future of personalized medicine under the umbrella of the Fraunhofer Spain Research Foundation. The Fraunhofer Center for Applied Theranostic (Fraunhofer CAT) in Barcelona serves as a model for future planned measures, having successfully prepared the joint project over the last year with the support of the funding providers.

The Fraunhofer Spain Research Foundation will serve as the legal framework for the Center and all current and future institutionalized research activities of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Spain. Today's declaration, which was signed by the funding partners that provide institutional funding for the Center in Barcelona, lays the foundation for a long-term partnership.

A fertile ground for innovation

With the highest concentration of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Europe, Catalonia is a key global player in the entire life sciences industry. Being part of this environment promises a productive scientific and economic partnership in a highly dynamic ecosystem. The entire initiative  the result of the strategic partnership and long-standing collaboration between the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, under the leadership of Institute Director Heiko Zimmermann and Deputy Institute Director, Peter Hauptmann, and the renowned Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia IBEC  is based on this ecosystem.

Josep Samitier is set to take the helm of the Center. The renowned research scientist is the Director of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia IBEC and a professor at the Faculty of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Barcelona (UB). Under his leadership, the new center will combine the IBECs strengths in bioengineering, biosensors and biomimetic systems for biomedical applications with Fraunhofer IBMT's expertise in stem cell process technology and cell-based microsystems. The aim of the researchers is to develop innovative technologies that advance diagnostics, prognosis and therapy selection, paving the way for precision medicine. Fraunhofer CAT will act as an interface between research laboratories, clinics and the biotech industry.

Strategic momentum for Europe's innovative strength

The initiative by the funding partners (the Spanish government, the regional government of Catalonia and the city council of Barcelona) and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft not only represents a significant step towards enhancing Europes innovative strength; it also serves as a catalyst to strengthen the European research landscape and enhance Fraunhofers overall impact.
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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.
A woman who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Mesa County after being stopped by the Mesa County Sheriffs Office near Loma in June is a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against ICE, alleging the organization has been making indiscriminate stops and arrests across Colorado.

Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, was born in Brazil, but moved to the U.S. at age 7. She was stopped by Mesa County Sheriffs Deputy Alexander Zwinck, ostensibly for following a semi-trailer too closely.

She was traveling in Colorado from Utah, where she is a college student.

During the stop, Zwinck sent a photo of Dias Goncalves drivers license to a group chat that included federal agents.

Those federal agents told Zwinck, Dias Goncalves had a visa issue but no criminal history.

Zwinck released Dias Goncalves from the stop, but told federal agents in the chat the direction she was going and gave them a description of her car.

Dias Goncalves was then detained by ICE for 15 days, which she called the hardest of my life.

Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell later apologized to Dias Goncalves in a statement after an internal investigation found Zwinck had violated Colorado law and Sheriffs Office policy in sharing information in the chat.

Zwinck later resigned from the Sheriffs Office.

The lawsuit, which was announced Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union and two other Colorado law firms, stated ICE agents across Colorado are profiling people with brown skin in order to meet increased immigration enforcement demands from the Trump administration.

They are going door-to-door, sweeping apartment parking lots, and confronting residents and neighbors walking near their homes or jobs. They are pulling over workers and college students going about their daily lives, the lawsuit states.

Those agents are then arresting people without warrants or probable cause, and without assessing those peoples legal status or flight risk, which is required by law, according to the suit.

Immigration enforcement agents do not have unfettered authority to make warrantless arrests, the lawsuit states.

According to the lawsuit, immigration enforcement agents must make two decisions before arresting someone. They must have probable cause to believe the person they are arresting is in the U.S. illegally, and they must believe the person is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.

ICE agents are ignoring the laws clear requirement to assess flight risk before making a warrantless arrest. Instead, they are scrambling to fill arbitrary quotas set by the Administration, causing chaos and terror in neighborhoods throughout Colorado, the lawsuit states. This lawsuit seeks to enjoin Defendants ongoing pattern and practice of flouting federal law in connection with their mass immigration arrests in Colorado.

ICE made almost 2,000 arrests in Colorado in the first half of 2025, according to the lawsuit, and the Trump administration has set a quota of 3,000 arrests per day nationally for the organization.

To reach that number, top White House aide Stephen Miller directed immigration enforcement agents to change their approach to arrests in the field, the lawsuit states. These agents, according to the White House, should no longer conduct targeted and investigation-based operations. Instead, they should just go out there and arrest in public spaces.

According to the lawsuit, these arrests have been carried out without the probable cause determinations the law requires.

Our states 169,000 undocumented immigrants, and hundreds of thousands more Latina Coloradans, now live in fear and at daily risk because of federal immigration agents indiscriminate practices. ICEs arrest scheme is tearing families apart and terrorizing communities, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit gives more details about Dias Goncalves detention than was previously made public. According to the lawsuit, ICE agents did not wear badges, uniforms, name tags or tactical vests when they stopped her near Grand Junction on June 5.

They also did not show Dias Goncalves identification or provide their names, according to the lawsuit.

They did not ask Ms. (Goncalves) any questions about flight risk including how long she had been in the United States, her ties to the community, if she had a fixed address, her educational history, employment, or whether she had any criminal history, the lawsuit states. ICE agents arrested her, saying she had violated U.S. immigration laws and Were going to take you.

According to the lawsuit, when Dias Goncalves was arrested, she told the agents she had a social security card and a drivers license, and the agents told her she could still be illegal with a social security card.

While she was sitting in a cell, an ICE agent told her he could not release her  even though he preferred to arrest criminals and she had never caused any trouble. The lawsuit states. He explained under this president and under this presidency, we have to arrest anyone who is not a citizen.

The lawsuit names U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and ICE Denver office director Robert Guadian as defendants. In addition to Dias Goncalves, Refugio Ramirez Ovando, a 43-year-old lawful permanent resident of the U.S. who was on his way to work in Grand Junction in May when he was arrested by ICE.

Ramirez was pulled over without explanation, according to the lawsuit, and was detained by ICE for more than three months before being released.

An ICE agent later admitted that they had been looking for someone else and that Mr. Ramirez was arrested by mistake, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also names people identified by their initials as plaintiffs, as well as two other people identified by their initials, and all others similarly situated.

The suit contains several testimonials from anonymous people and immigration attorneys alleging the practice of arresting people without making the probable cause determinations is widespread.

The individual Plaintiffs experiences are representative. ICE agents arrested each of them without a warrant and without any evaluation that they were likely to flee before a warrant could be obtained. If they had, they would have learned that each individual has lived in their respective communities for years, has deep family or community ties, has a long history of local employment or schooling, and presents no likelihood of escape, let alone probable cause. Plaintiffs and their families were devastated by the unlawful captures and now live every day in a heightened state of fear of again being separated, the lawsuit states.
2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

Judges 6-7, King James Version (KJV)

Gideon's Chariots II

The United Nations Security Council on 17 November 2025 approved a United States plan for Gaza that authorises an international stabilisation force and outlines a potential route towards an independent Palestinian state, marking a significant step for the fragile ceasefire after more than two years of war. Russia, which had circulated a rival resolution, abstained along with China in the 130 vote. The US and other countries had hoped Moscow would not use its veto on the UNs most powerful body to block the resolutions adoption.

The vote was a crucial next step for the fragile ceasefire and efforts to map Gazas future following two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Arab and other Muslim countries that expressed interest in providing troops for an international force had signalled that Security Council authorisation was essential for their participation. The US resolution endorsed President Donald Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan, which calls for a yet-to-be-established Board of Peace as a transitional authority that Trump would head. It also authorises the stabilisation force and gives it a wide mandate, including overseeing borders, providing security and demilitarising the territory. Authorisation for both the board and the force expires at the end of 2027.

"Gideon's Chariot B" is a major military operation launched by Israel 16 September 2025 as the second phase of the larger "Gideon's Chariots" offensive, which began in May 2025. Following the initial phase, which aimed to dismantle Hamas's military infrastructure, the second phase was initiated in September 2025 with the goal of gaining full control of Gaza City.

The operation's name is a biblical reference to the Israelite warrior Gideon, drawing a symbolic link to the military's actions. There was some ambiguity in the naming of the offensive, with media and military sources using "Gideon's Chariot B," "Gideon's Chariots II," and "Gideon's Chariots 2" interchangeably. Gideon's Chariot B is a direct translation or transliteration of the Hebrew name for the operation. Gideon's Chariots II / Gideon's Chariots 2 are English-language designators that explicitly indicate the offensive is the second part of a multi-phase campaign. In Hebrew, each letter of the alphabet has a numerical value. This system is called Gematria, and it has been used since antiquity for numbering, symbolism, and mystical interpretation.

The name generated controversy within Israel, partly due to its similarity to the name of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Some mocked the choice, suggesting it was a self-serving gesture, while others engaged in darker biblical jokes during cabinet discussions. During the 1948 Nakba, the Haganah launched "Operation Gideon" to seize the town of Bisan, leading to the expulsion of its residents. Using the same name today can be interpreted by some as invoking a renewed mission of expulsion or control.

In the Book of Judges, Gideon leads a small, divinely selected army of 300 men to defeat a much larger force of Midianites through cunning tactics rather than sheer numbers. By invoking Gideon, the IDF frames its military campaign as a righteous battle in which faith and strategy triumph over an enemy that is perceived to have superior numbers or asymmetrical advantages.

The story of Gideon emphasizes divine providence and leadership chosen by God. This narrative can inspire morale among Israeli soldiers and reservists and frames the operation within a broader religious context for a domestic audience. The use of biblical imagery also appeals to international evangelical communities who see the Jewish presence in the Holy Land as a prelude to the Second Coming.

The Hebrew word for "chariots," merkavot, is significant. It evokes both ancient war imagery and the modern Israeli Merkava tanks that had been used extensively in Gaza. Critics argue that this fusion of biblical myth with mechanized warfare lends a theological justification to military actions. Commentators from outside Israel suggest that naming the operation after a biblical figure is a propaganda tactic to sanctify violence against Palestinians. Some critics likened the Palestinians to the Midianites, historical enemies of the Israelites, to justify military actions.

Gaza City is Hamas' central stronghold. Large areas had not seen IDF presence since October 7th, and meanwhile, Hamas has rebuilt its networks and infrastructure there. Israeli media reported that the army has completed "Gideon's Chariot", an operation it launched in May with the explicitly stated aim of seizing and occupying territory in the Gaza Strip, and is now discussing further plans of action. Israeli reports on 01 August 2025 indicated growing disagreements about how to proceed in Gaza, with the army chief of staff warning against a full occupation of the Strip.

The public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel submitted a new ceasefire proposal to mediators while also citing an unnamed senior political source who said the US and Israel are looking into other options for the release of all remaining hostages. According to the Ynet news site, the army has effectively completed operation "Gideon's Chariot". It said the army had defeated three Hamas brigades that had been defined as targets in Rafah, Khan Younis, and the northern Gaza Strip. Ynet said two more Hamas brigades remained in Gaza City and in the centre of the strip.

Israel mobilized 60,000 reservists and deployed several Israel Defense Forces (IDF) divisions, including the 36th armor division, for the decisive urban assault. The operation a the initial stage of which proceeded after considerable disagreements and delays a had the participation of two regular army divisions, and would be joined later by another division. Two more divisions are deployed defensively.

The main IDF divisions involved in the Gaza City ground offensive were:

162nd "Steel Formation" Division: This veteran infantry and armored division has been heavily involved in fighting in the Gaza Strip since late 2023, including operations in northern Gaza, where they focused on dismantling military infrastructure and clearing areas of Hamas presence. In "Gideon's Chariot B," the 162nd has been tasked with expanding ground operations within the urban core of Gaza City.

98th "Fire Formation" Division: The 98th is a paratroopers division with extensive combat experience, particularly in operations targeting Hamas. It is part of the initial wave of the Gaza City offensive, pushing into the city alongside the 162nd. Its troops are engaging Hamas fighters and destroying military assets.

36th "Ga'ash" Division: This is an armored division that has been engaged in the Gaza conflict for some time, including operations in southern Gaza. As part of the expansion of "Gideon's Chariot B," the 36th has been deployed to join the assault on Gaza City, adding more ground troops and firepower to the offensive.

Other IDF divisions operating in the wider Gaza Strip include:

99th "Ha-Bashtan" Division: This unit is responsible for conducting defensive operations in the Israeli buffer zone established in northern Gaza.

Gaza Division: This division focuses on security operations along the border and conducts offensive activities in the southern areas of the Strip, specifically in the Rafah and Khan Younis regions.

The 60,000 newly mobilized reservists had been assigned less-intensive but still highly dangerous roles. Some are securing the "partition corridors" that bisect Gaza to maintain Israeli control, while others are replacing regular soldiers on Israel's northern border and in the West Bank. This frees up more experienced regular army units to focus on the main offensive. Despite being assigned to more static positions, reservist battalions face high risk, particularly from Hamas guerrilla-style ambushes and mortar attacks. Reports also indicate significant psychological distress, exhaustion, and declining morale among reservists who had been mobilized for long periods.

For the IDF, the heavy reliance on reservists put a strain on the IDF's ability to wage a sustained conflict and risks weakening the armed forces over time. Economically, the prolonged mobilization of reservists has been a significant drain on Israel's labor market. The repeated call-ups had also exacerbated social tensions, particularly regarding the exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Israelis from military service.

A heavy barrage of airstrikes preceded the ground forces' entry into new sectors of Gaza City in what is expected to be a methodical and intense campaign. The operation has raised significant humanitarian concerns, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were reported to be still in Gaza City despite calls for evacuation. International human rights organizations voiced alarm over the potential impact on the civilian population.

The IDF engaged in a gradual, precise and targeted operation inside Gaza City, designed to dismantle Hamas' largest remaining stronghold while exerting every effort to protect civilians who live under its rule. It's an operation shaped by both military necessity and humanitarian considerations, and the two actually align. Since October 7th, Gaza City has remained the central hub for Hamas' terror operations.

About 300,000 people had fled Gaza City as Israel intensified strikes, Israel's Army Radio reported on 14 Septembe 2025, citing security officials. Israeli attacks, mainly in the northern Gaza Strip, killed at least 68 Palestinians and wounded 346 others in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said. The strikes destroyed at least two multi-storey buildings in Gaza City, including one belonging to the Islamic University that was sheltering displaced people. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz shared a video on social media showing the university building being bombed and collapsing.

Israel established a humanitarian zone ready to receive civilians from Gaza City with additional food, water, tents and improved medical response. The IDF gsve up the element of surprise in order to let civilians get out of harms way. The IDF designated a route to move to the humanitarian zone and communicated it publicly through leaflets, SMS, phone calls and on social media. Hamas was preventing civilians from moving out of the war zone and asking them to stay as human shields.

The military operation referred to as Gideon's Chariot 2 was not officially declared an occupation. However, its character on the ground strongly resembles one. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel occupied Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula, it intensified settlement building. Over the next three decades, a total of 21 settlements were built, housing some 8,000 settlers. Although settlers made up just 0.6 percent of Gaza's population, they controlled roughly 20 percent of its land, affecting about 1.3 million Palestinians living in the territory at the time. Israeli settlements are Jewish-only communities built on Palestinian land. Settlements are illegal under international law because they involve transferring an occupying power's civilian population into occupied territory, which violates the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The military effort was reinforced by a large-scale mobilization of personnel. A phased conscription has been approved. The main wave, composed of 60,000 reservists was expected to report by September 2, with additional groups to follow through the fall and winter. This is not a tactical raid but a prolonged urban combat campaign that will be measured not by military markers on a map but by the ability to sustain logistical flow and personnel rotations under intense conditions.

Israel's top military leadership had warned that a complete takeover of Gaza would come with heavy casualties and heightened risks to hostages. For this reason, earlier operations deliberately avoided areas where hostages were likely being held. Leaked assessments suggest that the General Staff had proposed a strategy centered on encircling Gaza City and applying incremental pressure over time. However, the political leadership opted instead for speed and direct assault. The casualties already numbered in the hundreds, and major urban combat has yet to begin.

The domestic opposition has made its stance clear. After a security briefing, opposition leader Yair Lapid stated that a new occupation of Gaza would be a grave mistake and one for which Israel would pay a high price. Pressure on the government is mounting both internally, through weekly demonstrations demanding a hostage deal, and externally. Countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Malta are preparing to take steps toward recognizing Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. In the language of international diplomacy, this move signals a counterbalance to both Hamas's hardline stance and Israel's rightward territorial ambitions. The more forcefully Israel insists on capturing Gaza at all costs, the stronger the global response becomes in favor of formalizing Palestine's status.

A UN report illustrates the magnitude of the crisis. For the first time, the Food and Agriculture Organization officially declared catastrophic hunger in Gaza, reaching the fifth and highest level of the Integrated Food Security Classification, or IPC. By the end of September, more than 640,000 people are expected to face total food deprivation. Yet even this alarming assessment has not shifted the current trajectory. Western European declarations of intent to recognize Palestinian statehood had also failed to become decisive turning points.

In early August 2025, Benjamin Netanyahu dispelled any lingering ambiguity. In a direct interview with Fox News, he made explicit what had long been implied through diplomatic euphemisms: Israel intends to take full military control of the Gaza, dismantle Hamas as a political and military entity, and eventually transfer authority to a "non-Hamas civilian administration," ideally with Arab participation. "We're not going to govern Gaza," the prime minister added. But even then, the formula of "seize but not rule" read more like a diplomatic veil for a much harsher course of action. The very next day, Israel's security cabinet gave formal approval to this trajectory, initiating preparations for an assault on Gaza City. The UN secretary-general responded swiftly, warning that such an operation risked a dangerous escalation and threatened to normalize what had once been an avoidable humanitarian catastrophe.

A White House peace plan for Gaza released ahead of the press conference proposes an end to the war in Gaza and the return of all hostages held there, living and dead, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement. If both sides agree to the proposal, the war will immediately end, according to the plan. Israeli forces will withdraw to agreed upon lines to prepare for the hostage release. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans who were detained after the start of the war on October 7, 2023, the plan said.

The Palestinian Authority welcomed US President Donald Trumps efforts to end the war in Gaza, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The Palestinian Authority reiterated its commitment to work with the US and partners to reach a comprehensive deal that includes paving the way for a just peace on the basis of a two-state solution", WAFA reported.

Tony Blair hailed as "bold and intelligent" a move US President Donald Trump's plan for ending the war in Gaza, in which the British former prime minister is due to play a key role. "President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel's absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages," Blair said in a statement. Under the plan, Blair is due to be part of a transitional "Board of Peace" in Gaza that will be chaired by Trump.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich outlined a series of "red lines", saying Israel's security relied on "actions, our hold on the land, and uncompromising enforcement that depends solely on the (Israeli military) and our defence establishment". He demanded the military "remain permanently at the perimeter, including the Philadelphi Corridor (and) will maintain full operational freedom throughout the entire Gaza Strip".

European Union chief Antonio Costa on 29 September 2025 urged all parties to "seize this moment to give peace a genuine chance" after US President Donald Trump announced his plan to end the war in Gaza. "I welcome President Trumps plan to end the war in Gaza and I am encouraged by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus positive response," Costa said on X. "The situation in Gaza is intolerable. Hostilities must end, and all hostages must be released immediately," he added.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt welcomed Trump's announcement to end the war in Gaza, according to a joint statement. The ministers, along with other Arab and Islamic foreign ministers, said they were ready to cooperate positively with the US and the relevant parties to finalise the agreement and ensure its implementation.

Israeli right-wing critics argue the deal abandons original war aims of demilitarizing Gaza, eliminating Hamas, and excluding both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority from future governance. They view it as essentially another prisoner swap that allows Hamas to remain in Gaza and potentially resume attacks after Israeli troops withdraw. How the Gaza ceasefire could fall apart.

Iranian officials had warned Hamas against trusting Trump, with Iran's Quds Force reportedly working with Hamas elements opposed to disarmament. Iran views the "resistance" as essential for regional security and is exploring ways to establish a possible successor to Hamas if needed, with senior Iranian officials making regional trips to explore "new opportunities."

Hamas representatives denied rumors they're ready to disarm as the Trump plan requires, with Hamas' Tehran representative calling such reports "not true."

Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian militant group fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza, slammed Trump's plan to end the war, saying it would fuel further aggression against Palestinians. "It is a recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people. Through this, Israel is attempting - via the United States - to impose what it could not achieve through war," the group said in a statement. "Therefore, we consider the American-Israeli declaration a formula for igniting the region."

In presenting a Gaza plan as an ultimatum to Hamas, US President Donald Trump turned the tables to give Israel the advantage diplomatically  and an even freer rein on the ground if a deal fails. The White House released a 21-point plan that would end Israel's relentless nearly two-year offensive in Gaza, win the freedom of hostages and declare a special economic zone under Trump's tutelage. Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump warned Hamas, whose unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack ignited the war, with Trump saying that the group would "pay in hell" if it did not accept the plan within days.

Israeli forces carried out strikes in multiple areas of northern and southern Gaza early 15 November 2025, despite the cease-fire that remained officially in place, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Local sources told Wafa that Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Gaza Citys Shujaiya neighborhood, while a drone fired into the eastern section of the Jabalia refugee camp in the north. No casualties were reported from either attack. Further south, Israeli naval vessels opened fire toward the coastline of Rafah. The IDF did not issue statements on any of the incidents. Israeli officials have frequently defended similar actions by citing alleged terrorist presence along the so-called yellow line, the position to which its troops have withdrawn during the initial phase of the cease-fire arrangement. Since the truce began on 10 October 2025, Israeli operations have killed 261 Palestinians and wounded 632 more, the Gaza Health Ministry said. Israels campaign had claimed at least 69,187 Palestinian lives since October 2023; most of them women and children, and injured an additional 170,703. Thousands remain buried beneath collapsed buildings, unreachable for Palestinian Civil Defense teams lacking the heavy equipment needed for recovery efforts.

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip said 29 November 2025 more than 70,000 people had died since fighting between Israeli forces and the Islamic group Hamas began in October 2023. The authorities announced that the number of deaths has reached 70,100. They also said 354 people have died since the ceasefire went into effect on October 10. Efforts were underway in the enclave to search and identify bodies buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings and elsewhere. Officials said that more than 600 bodies had been recovered. The death toll in Gaza kept rising as the Israeli military continues sporadic attacks even after the ceasefire. Israel is accusing Hamas of violating the deal.

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"soli omnium opes atque inopiam pari adfectu concupiscunt.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium, atque,

ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant"

Tacitus (Agricola)

Gideon's Chariots - Peace??

Israel killed nearly 100 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded more than 230 since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10. Over a tense period of accusation and counter-accusation, Israels army has shot at unarmed Palestinians and bombed Gaza multiple times.Gazas Health Ministry said 20 October 2025 2025 the bodies of 57 people were brought to hospitals across the coastal enclave in the last 24 hours after a wave of air strikes by Israels military.

Israels National Security Minister Ben Gvir called for the resumption of military operations in Gaza following alleged violations by Hamas of the ceasefire reached earlier this month. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), militants fired an anti-tank missile and shot at Israeli troops operating in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on 19 October 2025. Israel responded with several airstrikes on what it called terror targets. I call on the prime minister to order the IDF to renew full-scale fighting in the Strip at full strength, Gvir said in a statement. The false belief that Hamas will change its ways, or will even abide by the agreement it signed, is proving...to be dangerous to our security. This Nazi terrorist organization must be destroyed completely and the sooner the better. The groups military wing denied involvement in the Rafah incident, saying it lost ties with factions in the area in March 2025.

With Israeli troops pulling back under a ceasefire that began Friday 10 October 2025, Hamas moved quickly to reassert its own authority across the devastated Gaza Strip. As the ceasefire began and Israeli forces withdrew behind the so-called yellow line that now cuts the shattered territory in half, Hamas issued a mobilisation order calling on 7,000 members of its security forces to "cleanse" Gaza of outlaws and collaborators. the fact that Hamas was quickly able to put thousands of armed men back on the streets as Israeli troops withdrew showed that the group was still a force to be reckoned with.

With much of Gazas infrastructure deliberately demolished  including houses, schools, hospitals and farmland  during Israels two-year military offensive, armed gangs quickly took root across much of the territory. Members of Gazas Hamas-run police force have routinely been killed on sight by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly admitted that Israel has armed and supported a number of Palestinian anti-Hamas militants  some of whom have been accused by the UN and humanitarian organisations of systematically stealing and selling off food and other urgently needed supplies trickling into Gaza.

Yasser Abu Shabab, a convicted criminal who was released from a Hamas-run prison in Gaza under unclear circumstances in the days following the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, has become the most visible face of one of these armed groups. Operating in and around Israeli-controlled Rafah border crossing, his Popular Forces militia of hundreds of men armed by Israel has been accused by the UN of the widespread looting of humanitarian aid  looting that a UN memo alleged has taken place under Israeli protection. Hamas published a video on its official channel of eight men, kneeling and blindfolded, being summarily shot in the street as "outlaws and collaborators". The footage showed a crowd of onlookers cheering on the executions. Despite all the losses that it has suffered in the two years or so, despite the hammering by the Israeli military machine - Hamas continues to have a sizeable manpower who could easily mobilise and dominate the scene. And it showed that there was no other armed group in Gaza that could challenge Hamas's hegemony and control.

With much of Gaza's infrastructure deliberately demolished - including houses, schools, hospitals and farmland - during Israel's two-year military offensive, armed gangs quickly took root across much of the territory. Members of Gaza's Hamas-run police force were routinely killed on sight by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly admitted that Israel has armed and supported a number of Palestinian anti-Hamas militants - some of whom have been accused by the UN and humanitarian organisations of systematically stealing and selling off food and other urgently needed supplies trickling into Gaza.

Yasser Abu Shabab, a convicted criminal who was released from a Hamas-run prison in Gaza under unclear circumstances in the days following the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, became the most visible face of one of these armed groups. Operating in and around Israeli-controlled Rafah border crossing, his Popular Forces militia of hundreds of men armed by Israel has been accused by the UN of the widespread looting of humanitarian aid - looting that a UN memo alleged has taken place under Israeli protection.

Talha AAsmail Duman, assistant professor at Sakarya University's Middle East Institute, said that Hamas was sending a clear message to onlookers both within and without the Palestinian territory. "Hamas's renewed role as the de facto security provider demonstrates that its presence in Gaza remains remarkably strong," he said. "Beyond reinforcing its popularity among supporters, this also strengthens, even among its critics, the perception that Hamas - with nearly two decades of administrative experience - remains the most organised actor capable of maintaining order in Gaza. This reality is likely to shape future discussions on Gaza's post-war governance."

Hamas was fighting bloody clashes with armed groups it accuses of being criminal gangs and shooting alleged collaborators in the street. Experts say the speed with which Hamas has restored its monopoly on armed force in the territory makes it unlikely that the group will disarm as outlined in the US-brokered Gaza peace deal.

Dozens of people were reportedly killed in armed confrontations over the weekend between Hamas's Qassam Brigades and security forces and gunmen believed to be connected to the influential Doghmush clan. The gang, which had been accused of looting emptied homes and convoys of humanitarian aid entering the famine-struck territory, reportedly robbed and killed at least one Hamas militant, triggering violent reprisals. Hamas, which has governed the besieged enclave since driving out its Fatah rivals in 2007 - first by the ballot, then by the bullet - has been quick to portray these clashes as part of a much-needed push to restore order to the ransacked territory.

Hamas had not agreed to disarm. There were reports that they may agree to give up power in exchange for amnesty, but that has not been confirmed. Israel had not succeeded in its stated aim of destroying Hamas. The very fact that the group agreed to a ceasefire shows they retain some power in Gaza. The Gaza Strip is almost completely destroyed. It is difficult to get past the huge numbers of people who are wounded, bereaved, homeless or traumatised.

Trump suggested Hamas's show of force was needed to make sure Gaza's 2-million-strong population was able to return to what was left of their homes safely. Hamas "do want to stop the problems, and they've been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time", he said. Speaking to reporters the next day, the US president said we wouldn't be shedding any tears over the summary public execution of what he alleged were "a couple of gangs that were very bad", saying: "That didn't bother me much, to be honest with you." He later reiterated that Hamas needed to lay down its arms. "If they don't disarm, we will disarm them," he said. "And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently." The group's disarmament is likely to be one of the main stumbling blocks in the next phase of the peace deal.

Hamas on Monday 13 October 2025 freed 20 surviving Israeli hostages, all men, who arrived back in Israel, where they will reunite with their families and undergo medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear. The hostages' return capped a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

Israel released Palestinian prisoners under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump. Israel began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands. Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in the Gaza Strip, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire deal. The prisoners being released include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.

The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority - something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years. The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 US troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire. The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.

After months of gridlock, US President Donald Trump secured a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas. The United States is deploying up to 200 troops to Israel to help oversee the Gaza cease-fire process in coordination with regional partners. The October 2025 ceasefire announced by President Trump represents the third major attempt to end hostilities in this two-year conflict, and historical patterns suggest significant vulnerabilities that could lead to its breakdown.

The track record of previous ceasefires provides sobering context for the current agreement's prospects. A brief November 2023 ceasefire lasted only one week before collapsing entirely. More significantly, the January 2025 ceasefire agreement that began on January 19 completely fell apart on March 18, 2025, when Israel launched extensive surprise airstrikes on Gaza during Ramadan, killing over 400 Palestinians according to Gaza's health ministry. That breakdown followed weeks of escalating tensions, mutual accusations of violations, disputes over hostage releases and prisoner exchanges, and fundamental disagreements about extending the ceasefire into subsequent phases. Netanyahu's office stated the March attacks responded to Hamas refusing to release additional hostages and rejecting proposals to extend the cease-fire, while Hamas accused Israel of systematic violations including daily killings and blocking humanitarian aid.

The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage. In Israel's ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. 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. Gazans' opinions varied between those in favor and those against disarming the Palestinian resistance, led by Hamas.

The Israeli army announced on 10 October 2025 the completion of its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip to the "yellow line," and the ceasefire officially began at 12:00 PM local time. An Israeli military spokesman provided the latest developments regarding the deployment of forces to the sites agreed upon with Hamas. Following approval of the agreement, 600 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid were to enter the Gaza Strip daily, as well as equipment to repair damaged infrastructure. Israel would now allow residents to leave and return to Egypt under security supervision.

A secret annex to the agreement, stipulates that Israel would allow Gazans who left the Strip to return to the Strip via the Rafah crossing, according to Israeli Army Radio. Hamas prisoners would be released instead of Fatah prisoners, in accordance with agreements reached with the United States and mediators. Among the prisoners expected to be added to the release list, subject to government approval, were Mahmoud Musa Issa, the dean of Hamas prisoners, who is serving three life sentences and 46 years; Ahmed Jamal Ahmed; and military official Murad Badr Abdullah Da'is.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Hamas must be destroyed following the return of hostages from Gaza. Smotrich said he will not vote in favour of a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza, but stopped short of threatening to bring down prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government. "There is immense fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders who will do everything to continue to pour rivers of Jewish blood here, God forbid," Smotrich said on X. "For this reason alone, we cannot join in short-sighted celebrations or vote in favour of the deal."

The final draft of the first phase of a Gaza peace deal was signed "by all parties" on 09 October 2025, Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said. According to the proposed ceasefire plans, if Israel withdraws its forces to a perimeter around Gaza, the US, Qatar and possibly Turkey could be in charge of guaranteeing that once the hostages are released, Israel will not return to war. The agreement meant fighting will stop, Israel will partially withdraw from the Palestinian enclave and Hamas will free hostages in exchange for prisoners held by Israel. In Gaza, where most of the population of more than 2 million people had been displaced by Israeli bombing, young men applauded in the devastated streets, even as Israeli strikes continued. But the breakthrough ceasefire is also being met with caution.

The Israeli military said it was preparing to pull back troops in Gaza after Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire deal to free the remaining hostages. "Following the political echelon's instructions and due to the situational assessment, the IDF has begun operational preparations ahead of the implementation of the agreement. As part of this process, preparations and a combat protocol are underway to transition to adjusted deployment lines soon. The IDF continues to be deployed in the area and prepared for any operational development." the military said in a statement.

Israel did not intend to release prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti as part of an agreement reached with Hamas to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli government spokesperson said. "I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release," spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters. Earlier, Israel and Hamas agreed in indirect talks that the 48 hostages held by militants in Gaza would be released in exchange around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas as a "huge relief", and said it was ready to provide Gaza with desperately-needed food. "UNRWA has food, medicines and other basic supplies to go to Gaza. We have enough to provide food for the entire population for the coming three months," the agency's chief Philippe Lazzarini said. The Egyptian Red Crescent said that 153 trucks carrying aid were headed into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Two sources from the Egyptian aid organisation confirmed that "153 aid trucks entered through the Rafah crossing's bypass road, en route to the Kerem Shalom crossing, to be brought into the Gaza Strip". Among the trucks were 80 from the United Nations, 21 from Qatar and 17 from the Egyptian Red Crescent, they added.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed a Gaza ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas on Thursday, saying he hoped it could lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. In a statement on social media, Abbas "welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of an agreement to cease the war on the Gaza Strip," and "expressed hope that these efforts would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution... leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state".

The October 2025 agreement faces multiple structural vulnerabilities that mirror conditions preceding earlier collapses. Senior U.S. officials openly acknowledged on Thursday that the deal remains extremely fragile, stating there are many ways this arrangement could still go wrong and emphasizing the need to stay on top of details to ensure both parties fulfill obligations and quickly adjudicate misunderstandings. The mutual distrust between Israel and Hamas runs extraordinarily deep after two years of devastating conflict. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya explicitly stated that Hamas does not trust Israel "not even for a second" and demanded real guarantees that the war would end permanently and not be restarted, directly accusing Israel of violating the two previous ceasefires. This fundamental lack of trust creates conditions where any perceived violation or misunderstanding could rapidly spiral into renewed hostilities.

Critical aspects of the agreement remain dangerously vague or unresolved, creating multiple potential flashpoints for collapse. The deal's most contentious provisions involve Hamas disarmament and future Gaza governance. Trump's 20-point plan explicitly calls for Hamas to disarm completely and give up any future role in governing Gaza, with Palestinian technocrats instead running day-to-day affairs under international supervision. However, Hamas has not publicly stated it will disarm or relinquish governance, and senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi made clear the group does not believe it lost the war, declaring the ceasefire represents the fruit of legendary Palestinian steadfastness that imposed terms on the enemy. This fundamental disconnect between what Israel and the U.S. claim the agreement requires and what Hamas actually intends to do virtually guarantees future confrontations.

The precise details and overall timeline for Israeli troop withdrawal remain unclear despite being central to the agreement's implementation. Israel is supposed to pull back from cities and populated areas to a buffer zone on Gaza's edges as the ceasefire solidifies, but the exact locations of withdrawal lines and the pace of pullback are not definitively established. Trump's framework references a yellow line showing multiple stages of withdrawal, but sources indicate the exact location may have shifted during negotiations and the full details have not been made public. Netanyahu has simultaneously affirmed Israel's commitment to the agreement while threatening to return to war if demands are not met the easy way, maintaining that Israel reserves the right to resume military operations if it deems negotiations ineffective. His statement after signing the deal emphasized that the government approved the framework for hostage release while preserving Israel's security interests and right to protect its citizens.

Domestic political pressures within Israel create powerful incentives for Netanyahu to abandon the ceasefire once immediate political benefits are secured. Far-right members of Netanyahu's coalition, particularly National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have effectively gained veto power over policy decisions and strongly oppose any deal that releases Palestinian prisoners or leaves Hamas with any capacity to govern. Smotrich explicitly stated he would not support the agreement, expressing great fear about releasing prisoners who would become the next generation of terror leadership. These coalition partners have previously threatened to collapse Netanyahu's government over ceasefire agreements, and their opposition creates domestic political pressure for Netanyahu to either abandon the deal entirely or interpret its terms in ways that provoke Hamas to withdraw, allowing Israel to blame Hamas for the collapse while resuming military operations.

An unprecedented division exists in the Israeli media following the Gaza agreement, with some viewing it as a historic shift that ends the longest war, and others considering it a political and security defeat. There is uproar in Tel Aviv, and unanswered questions about the day after the war. An unprecedented division has gripped the Israeli landscape following the Gaza agreement, with the occupation's newspapers filled with contradictory headlines between those describing the agreement as a historic transformation and those viewing it as a political and security defeat.

The state of confusion within the Hebrew media reflects the dilemma facing the Israeli occupation authorities in answering the pending question: What comes after the war? Under headlines such as "The next day is still missing," the Israeli press was preoccupied with interpreting the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Channel 12 viewed it as a dramatic shift thanks to the mediation of US President Donald Trump, who described it as "amazing" and "very good for Tel Aviv." Channel 14, on the other hand, focused on what it described as Hamas's happiness, arguing that the cessation of the war meant the army had failed to achieve its goals.

Haaretz criticized what it called a hasty agreement imposed by American pressure and Trump's efforts to conclude it before the Nobel Peace Prize, warning that the new settlement did not answer the question of who would govern Gaza after Hamas, or how it would be disarmed. Meanwhile, Maariv spoke of unrealistic pledges relying on parties such as Turkey and Qatar, describing them as unreliable.

On the Yedioth Ahronoth website, commentators emphasized that the agreement does not mean an end to the war, given the lack of guarantees for a lasting peace, and because the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of the Gaza Strip will remain a matter of long-standing disagreement.

The Ynet website highlighted the scenes of celebration in Gaza, quoting Hamas leaders as saying that the agreement was a political and popular victory achieved thanks to the steadfastness of the Palestinians, and that what the occupation authorities failed to impose by force was achieved by the resistance at the negotiating table.

Hebrew media analyses did not stop at the field, but extended to Tel Aviv's image in the world. The diplomatic correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth wrote that international hostility toward the occupying entity has reached unprecedented levels, and that restoring its standing in public opinion will be "a nearly impossible task."

In the same vein, Israeli affairs researchers have asserted that the events taking place within the occupied entity reflect a state of cautious peace. They point to a sharp division in public opinion between government supporters and opponents, who hold Netanyahu responsible for the failure and accuse him of being preoccupied with his political future.

The historical pattern from March 2025 suggests a specific mechanism through which collapse could occur. As the first phase concluded in March, disputes emerged over extending the ceasefire and moving to the second phase involving permanent cessation of hostilities and reconstruction. Netanyahu's office endorsed a U.S. plan to extend the truce during Ramadan and Passover, proposing that half the remaining hostages be released immediately and the rest at the end of the extension period if permanent peace was reached. Hamas rejected this extension proposal, insisting the second phase should proceed as originally planned. In response, Israel immediately ceased allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza on March 2, violating the ceasefire terms according to mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations. Within two weeks, Israel launched the surprise airstrikes that shattered the truce entirely, with Netanyahu declaring Israel had resumed combat in full force and the strikes were just the beginning.

This March pattern could easily repeat itself with the October agreement. The current deal similarly has multiple phases requiring further negotiation on essential issues including Hamas's military capabilities, governance structures, and permanent peace terms. As the November deadline approaches for completing the first phase, similar disputes will likely emerge about extending the ceasefire and transitioning to subsequent phases. Israel has already demonstrated willingness to use hostage release disputes and negotiation impasses as justification for abandoning ceasefires and resuming full-scale military operations. Hamas has shown willingness to temporarily suspend hostage releases when accusing Israel of violations, creating pretexts Israel can exploit to justify military action.

Ongoing Israeli military actions even as the ceasefire takes effect demonstrate the agreement's fragility from its first moments. Israeli strikes in Gaza continued throughout Thursday October 9 after the cabinet approved the deal, with 27 Palestinians killed on the same day Israel agreed to the ceasefire according to hospital officials, including eight killed in Israeli fire on Thursday itself and 19 additional casualties from bodies recovered under rubble and individuals succumbing to wounds. An Israeli strike on a home in Gaza City left over 40 Palestinians trapped under rubble including women and children, killing at least six according to Gaza's Civil Defense. The Israeli military claimed it targeted a Hamas terrorist cell but provided no evidence. These continued strikes while the deal was being finalized and approved suggest Israel interprets its military freedom broadly and may continue operations it deems necessary for security regardless of ceasefire terms, creating immediate grounds for Hamas to accuse Israel of violations.

The question of who will govern Gaza and pay for reconstruction remains fundamentally unresolved despite being central to any sustainable peace. Trump and Netanyahu have categorically ruled out any Hamas role in governance, proposing instead that Palestinian technocrats administer the territory under an international transitional authority potentially including European Union involvement. However, Hamas maintains effective control over significant portions of Gaza and has made clear it does not accept being written out of Gaza's future. Multiple news outlets including Israeli media stated after the January ceasefire took effect that Israel had ultimately failed to destroy Hamas, which retained control over the Gaza Strip despite heavy losses. Without agreement on governance structures and Hamas's genuine willingness to disarm and cede power, the fundamental political conflict that sparked the war remains unresolved, making renewed violence highly likely once immediate humanitarian imperatives are addressed.

International accountability mechanisms and guarantees remain weak despite their critical importance for sustaining the ceasefire. Hamas has demanded real guarantees from mediators that Israel will not restart the war after securing hostage releases, referencing the two previous ceasefire collapses as evidence of Israel's unreliability. While senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya claimed the group received guarantees from U.S. officials and mediators that the war had fully and completely ended, it remains entirely unclear what concrete mechanisms exist to prevent Israel from resuming military operations if Netanyahu decides Hamas has violated terms or negotiations have become ineffective. Trump's personal involvement and threats of consequences for violations may provide temporary leverage, but sustaining commitment across multiple phases requiring months of implementation depends on enforcement mechanisms and international pressure that have proven inadequate in previous ceasefire attempts.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza creates both imperatives for peace and conditions that make sustained ceasefire difficult. By August 2025, famine was officially declared in Gaza City and surrounding areas with more than half a million people facing catastrophic hunger, starvation, and death. Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed according to Gaza's health ministry in the two-year conflict, with an additional 169,679 wounded and virtually the entire population of two million displaced at various points. Entire cities have been reduced to rubble, hospitals and schools destroyed, and basic infrastructure rendered non-functional. This catastrophic humanitarian situation creates overwhelming pressure on all parties to stop fighting, but the scale of destruction and trauma also creates deep grievances, desire for accountability and justice, and determination not to accept terms perceived as surrender or capitulation, making political compromises extraordinarily difficult.

Trump's personal investment in the deal and desire for a Nobel Peace Prize announced for October 10 provides temporary incentive to sustain the ceasefire, but also creates risks if his attention shifts or he faces criticism for perceived failures. Trump has publicly celebrated the agreement as validation of his approach and credited his pressure and threats for bringing both parties to terms. He plans to visit Egypt for an official signing and Israel to address parliament and meet freed hostages. However, Trump has shown willingness to reverse course rapidly when deals don't produce desired results, and domestic political calculations could easily override commitment to sustaining diplomatic engagement if the ceasefire faces difficulties. His demand that Israel immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas's initial response surprised Netanyahu and forced Israel to halt operations, demonstrating Trump's willingness to pressure Israel, but the durability of this pressure across weeks and months of implementation challenges remains uncertain.

Regional actors including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey serving as mediators have incentives to sustain the ceasefire but limited enforcement capacity when faced with determined violations by either party. These mediators successfully brokered the agreement and will oversee humanitarian provisions, but past experience shows they cannot compel compliance when Israel or Hamas decide their interests require abandoning negotiated terms. The European Union has expressed interest in playing a role through its border missions and has committed to resuming operations at the Rafah crossing, but European involvement faces resistance from Israel and skepticism about effectiveness given the EU's limited leverage over Israeli decision-making.

The most likely scenario based on historical patterns and current dynamics involves the ceasefire holding through the initial hostage releases and prisoner exchanges over the coming days and weeks, providing temporary relief and generating positive international attention, but then facing escalating tensions and violations as parties attempt to negotiate the second and third phases involving permanent peace terms, Hamas disarmament, complete Israeli withdrawal, and governance structures. Disputes over interpreting terms, implementing provisions, and moving to subsequent phases will likely emerge, with each party accusing the other of violations and bad faith. Netanyahu faces powerful domestic political incentives to resume military operations once immediate benefits of hostage releases are secured, particularly if he can construct narratives blaming Hamas for obstruction or violations that justify returning to combat. Hamas faces pressure to demonstrate it has not surrendered or accepted terms that permanently weaken its position, making genuine disarmament and governance concessions politically difficult even if leadership is inclined to accept them.

The March 2025 ceasefire collapsed almost exactly two months after taking effect, breaking down as the first phase concluded and negotiations for subsequent phases proved intractable. The October 2025 agreement faces similar structural vulnerabilities at similar timeframes, suggesting a collapse between late November and early January is quite possible if not likely. However, several factors could potentially sustain this attempt longer than previous efforts, including Trump's personal involvement and threats of consequences, broader international pressure and attention, the catastrophic humanitarian situation creating powerful imperatives for sustained peace, and possible evolution in calculations by both Israeli and Hamas leadership about the costs of continuing conflict versus accepting imperfect compromise terms.

Ultimately, the ceasefire's survival depends on whether fundamental political issues driving the conflict can be resolved through negotiation, or whether both parties conclude their core interests require returning to military confrontation. The agreement's extreme fragility, unresolved core issues, weak enforcement mechanisms, deep mutual distrust, and historical pattern of previous collapses all suggest significant risk of breakdown, though the timing and specific trigger for collapse remain uncertain and dependent on choices both parties will make in coming weeks as implementation challenges emerge.

US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan envisions a temporary technocratic committee overseen by an international "Board of Peace", with the Palestinian Authority reclaiming control later - a vision critics say sidelines many Gazans and revives echoes of colonial rule. the "historic dawn of a new Middle East" that Trump claims will ring in "peace for all eternity" is still a very distant prospect. And the future of the Gaza Strip hangs in the balance. In Trump's 20-point plan, he envisioned a Gaza initially governed by a temporary transitional committee made up of "apolitical" Palestinian technocrats that would be supervised by a so-called Board of Peace, spearheaded by Trump himself and involving former UK prime minister Tony Blair, a veteran Middle East negotiator. Governance would then theoretically be handed over to the Palestinian Authority once it enacts key reforms. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, attended an international summit on Monday in Egypt aimed at finalising an agreement on how to end the war in Gaza. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already pushed back on the Palestinian Authority's role in the plan and seems unlikely to accept it. The Trump proposal also stipulates that Hamas would have no governing power in Gaza, but the group has said it expects to have some future role as part of a "unified Palestinian movement". And preceding all of this is the mammoth task of reconstructing the entire Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by two years of war.

The only real positive for the people of Gaza is that Trump's plan specified Palestinians would not be expelled from the enclave. The plan seems to have quite strong colonial overtures to it, particularly the involvement of Tony Blair. He is a very controversial figure in the Middle East and [his involvement] has raised comparisons to the British Mandate, which governed Palestine for 30 years prior to [the establishment of Israel] in 1948. There has also been criticism from some Palestinian figures that the plan seems to be what some are calling the "remote control" of Gaza. Meaning it would not be led by people who are from Gaza, nor from people inside Gaza itself.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 09 October 2025 - Day 1324

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On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, 199 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression.

Russian zagarbniki made 55 aviation strikes, dropping 120 controlled bombs. In addition, 1848 kamikaze drones were recruited for impressions and carried out 3018 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

Seven combat clashes took place in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursky directions. The Russian enemy launched ten air strikes, dropped a total of 31 guided air bombs and carried out 116 artillery shells, including two from reactive arsenal systems.

Today, Russian forces attacked 23 times in the South Slobozhansky direction in the areas of Vovchansky, Vovchanskih Hutoriv, Stroivka, Western, Dovgenky, Kamyanka and towards Dvorichansky, Kolodyazny and Bologivka. Still, three clashes remain unfinished.

In the Kupyans komu direction, the Russian opponent made eight attacks in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka, Kupyanska, Petropavlivka and Ivanivka, one confrontation is ongoing.

In the Lyman direction, the Defense Forces repelled ten assault actions in the areas of the settlements of Kopanka, Karpivka, Kolodyazi, Novoselivka and towards the ponds. One battle clash is still going on.

In the Slavic direction, the Russian enemy 11 times attacked in the areas of yampol, serebryanka, novoselivki, viimki and pereiznogo.

Since the beginning of the day in the Kramators komu direction, units of Russians twice attacked in the areas of Chasovoye Yar and Orihovo-Vasilivka.

19 combat clashes took place in the Konstantinivsky direction today. The Russian enemy tried to storm the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Bila Gora, Scherbinivka, Rusynoy Yar, Poltavka and towards Pleschievka.

In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of this day, the Russian enemy attacked 54 times in the areas of settlements Volodymyrivka, Novotoretske, Nikanorivka, Rodinske, Sukhetske, Novoekonomicne, Peace lover, Novosergiyivka, Ray, Fox, Pokrovsk, Zvirove, Kotline, Udacne, Kotlyarivka, Gorihove and Philia. Ukrainian defenders hold the pressure of the opponent.

Today in this direction, according to preliminary data, 197 occupants were defecated, of which 145 - irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed three combat armored cars, two units of automobile equipment and 69 unmanned aircraft. Also Ukrainian warriors hit six personnel shelters and two vehicles of the Russian enemy.

In the Oleksandrivsky direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 28 attacks of Russian invaders in the areas of settlements Ivanivka, Piddubne, Oleksandrograd, Sichneve, Sosnivka, Vorone, Berezove, Novovasilivka, Novogrigorivka, Malinivka and Poltavka. Ten more combat clashes are underway.

In the direction of Gulyaipils komu, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions.

In the Orihivsky direction, the Russian occupiers tried to advance three times at the position of Ukrainian troops in the area of Stepovoye and towards Novoandriivka.

In the Pridniprovsky direction, Russian units made four futile attempts to attack the positions of Ukrainian units.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

The Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on three mechanised brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade close to Korchakovka, Alekseyevka, Yastrebinoye, and Kondratovka (Sumy region).

In Kharkov direction, units of a mechanised brigade and a motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit near Volchansk and Obukhovka (Kharkov region).

The AFU lost up to 195 troops. Four armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, seven artillery guns, and seven ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised.

The Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops engaged two mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade near Petrovka, Kurilovka, Kupyansk (Kharkov region), Stary Karavan, Svyatogorsk, and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 230 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles including three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. Eighteen motor vehicles, two artillery guns, seven electronic warfare stations, and seven ammunition depots were neutralised.

The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Strikes were delivered at three mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, a mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade near Druzhkovka, Privolye, Kramatorsk, Seversk, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy lost up to 125 troops, a German-made Leopard tank, and three armoured fighting vehicles including one U.S.-made HMMWV armoured vehicle, and a Canadian-made Senator armoured vehicle. Twenty-one motor vehicles, three artillery guns, two electronic warfare stations, and five ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised.

The Tsentr Group of Forces' units improved the situation along the front line. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, an airborne brigade, an air assault brigade, a jaeger brigade of the AFU, a marine brigade, and a territorial defence brigade close to Belitskoye, Shevchenko, Rubezhnoye, Grishinovo, Sergeyevka, Annovka, and Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 520 troops, two Kazak armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and four artillery guns.

The Vostok Group of Forces continued to advance into the depths of enemy defences. Troops of two mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade have been hit near Novonikolayevka, Verbovoye, Sosnovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), and Malinovka (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 325 troops, two tanks, an armoured fighting vehicle, 11 motor vehicles, two guns, and two electronic warfare stations.

The Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of a mechanised brigade of the AFU and a territorial defence brigade near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region) and Tyaginka (Kherson region).

More than 55 troops, four motor vehicles, and five electronic warfare stations were neutralised.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces have inflicted damage on port facilities, energy infrastructure, fuel depots that support the AFU, long-range storage and launch areas as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 142 areas.

Air defence systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, two HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 112 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost 667 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 89,275 unmanned aerial vehicles, 631 anti-aircraft missile systems, 25,429 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,598 MLRS combat vehicles, 30,317 field artillery guns and mortars, and 43,534 support military vehicles.

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MONTREAL, Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velan Inc. (TSX: VLN) (Velan or the Company), a world-leading manufacturer of industrial valves, announced today financial results for its second quarter ended August 31, 2025. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise.

SECOND-QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

IFRS MEASURES

Sales of $67.6 million, versus $77.7 million last year, reflecting the rescheduling of more than $12 million in sales to later in the fiscal year, largely related to customer changes in delivery schedules, and the disruptive effects of ongoing changes in global tariff schemes.

Gross profit of $15.7 million or 23.2%, of sales, compared to $20.0 million, or 25.7% of sales, last year.

Operating income of $0.4 million, compared to an operating loss of $0.3 million a year ago.

Net loss 1 of $1.7 million, versus a net loss of $1.2 million a year ago.

of $1.7 million, versus a net loss of $1.2 million a year ago. Strong financial position with a net cash position of $29.5 million as at August 31, 2025, versus $32.4 million at the beginning of the fiscal year, and access to total liquidity of approximately $96 million.





NON-IFRS AND SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES

Backlog 2 of $285.8 million, up 4.0% from $274.9 million since the beginning of the fiscal year.

of $285.8 million, up 4.0% from $274.9 million since the beginning of the fiscal year. Bookings 2 of $65.2 million, versus $88.4 million last year which included new strategic projects for the nuclear power market with typically long lead times.

of $65.2 million, versus $88.4 million last year which included new strategic projects for the nuclear power market with typically long lead times. Adjusted net loss 2 of $1.2 million, versus adjusted net income of $2.8 million last year

of $1.2 million, versus adjusted net income of $2.8 million last year Adjusted EBITDA2 of $3.4 million, compared to $6.7 million last year.





SIX-MONTH HIGHLIGHTS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

IFRS MEASURES INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS (see below)

Sales of $139.8 million, up $1.2 million, or 0.9%, compared to the same period a year ago.

Gross profit of $36.3 million, or 26.0% of sales, versus $36.8 million, or 26.5%, of sales last year.

Operating loss of $3.4 million, compared to an operating loss of $2.0 million a year ago.

Net income of $16.2 million, versus a net loss of $3.4 million, last year.





NON-IFRS AND SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES

Bookings of $143.4 million, versus $171.4 million last year.

Adjusted net loss 2 of $1.1 million, versus adjusted net income of $3.0 million last year.

of $1.1 million, versus adjusted net income of $3.0 million last year. Adjusted EBITDA 2 of $7.1 million, compared to $9.6 million last year.

of $7.1 million, compared to $9.6 million last year. Net income of $74.8 million considering discontinued operations, including gain on disposal of French assets.



____________________

1 Net income or loss refer to net income or loss attributable to Subordinate and Multiple Voting Shares

2 Non-IFRS and supplementary financial measures  more information at the end of this document.

"VeIan generated positive operating income of $385 thousand in the second quarter notwithstanding rescheduling certain order deliveries totaling more than $12 million to accommodate changes in customer requirements and the ongoing disruptive impact of changing tariff schemes," said James A. Mannebach, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Velan. "Rescheduled orders totaling approximately $5 million were shipped early in the third quarter, with the remainder to be executed later in the quarter or before fiscal year-end. We also have a solid backlog of $285.8 million, mostly deliverable within the next 12 months, to support our growth ambitions. What's more, we delivered the first order from our new joint venture in Saudia Arabia, building on our growing momentum in the Middle East market, the largest worldwide for oilfield valves. Finally, after permanently resolving our asbestos-related liabilities and completing the sale of our French assets earlier this year, we remain active considering capital structure options to assure the Company remains well positioned to fully achieve its growth ambitions and its determination to maximize shareholder value."

"Despite an increase in working capital requirements due to higher late-stage work in process related to the changes in delivery schedules, our financial position remains very strong with cash and cash equivalents of $36.1 million and modest indebtedness. Considering our liquidities, credit facilities, working capital financing, letters of credit and guarantees, we have $95.9 million available to invest in expansion opportunities. Additionally, with reduced balance sheet risk following the transactions, we are well positioned to execute our strategy and sustain long-term profitable growth," added Rishi Sharma, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of VeIan.

FINANCIAL RESULTS

in 000s of U.S. dollars, excluding per share amounts)



Three-month periods ended Six-month periods ended August 31,

2025

August 31,

2024

August 31,

2025

August 31,

2024

From continuing operations Sales $67,611 $77,696 $139,840 $138,594 Gross profit $15,675 $19,954 $36,301 $36,782 Gross margin 23.2% 25.7% 26.1% 26.5% Administration costs $15,377 $15,977 $33,690 $31,345 Restructuring expenses $690 $4,493 $6,064 $6,833 Other expenses (income) (777

) (175

) (45

) 788

Operating income (loss) $385 ($341 ) ($3,408 ) ($1,984 ) Net income (loss) ($1,660 ) ($1,168 ) $16,166 ($3,355 ) Net income from discontinued operations ($780 ) $1,289 $58,599 $2,372 Net income (loss) ($2,440 ) $121 $74,765 ($983 ) (in dollars per share  basic and diluted) Net income (loss) from continuing operations ($0.08 ) ($0.05 ) $0.75 ($0.16 ) Net income (loss) from discontinued operations ($0.03 ) $0.06 $2.71 $0.11 Net income (loss) ($0.11 ) $0.01 $3.46 ($0.05 )





NON-IFRS AND SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES (From continuing operations, in 000s of U.S. dollars, excluding per share amounts)



Three-month periods ended

Six-month periods ended August 31, 2025

August 31, 2024 August 31, 2025

August 31, 2024

Adjusted EBITDA $3,358 $6,746 $7,138 $9,592 Adjusted net income (loss) ($1,153 ) $2,754 ($1,063 ) $2,997 per share - basic and diluted ($0.05 ) $0.13 ($0.05 ) $0.14

BACKLOG AND BOOKINGS

BACKLOG

(000s of U.S. dollars) As at August 31,

2025 February 28,

2025 Backlog $285,800 $274,877 for delivery within the next 12 months $252,355 $225,662





BOOKINGS

(000s of U.S. dollars, excluding ratios) Three-month periods ended Six-month periods ended August 31, 2025 August 31, 2024 August 31, 2025 August 31, 2024 Bookings $65,065 $88,408 $143,399 $171,377

As at August 31, 2025, the backlog from continuing operations stood at $285.8 million, up $10.9 million, or 4.0%, from $274.9 million since the beginning of the fiscal year. Currency movements had a $9.6 million positive effect on the value of the backlog during the first six months of fiscal 2026 mainly due to the strengthening of the euro versus the U.S. dollar. Excluding currency movements, the increase reflects bookings exceeding shipments in the first six months of fiscal 2026. As at August 31, 2025, 88.3% of the backlog, representing orders of $252.4 million, is deliverable in the next 12 months, versus 91.3% of last year's backlog. This shift in the delivery schedule is driven by the securing of an increasing number of long-term larger contracts for the nuclear and defense sectors.

Bookings from continuing operations amounted to $65.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, compared to $88.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The decrease reflects lower bookings in North America and Germany due to large orders received in last year's second quarter and the timing of certain bookings due to tariff-related uncertainty. These factors were partially offset by higher bookings recorded by Italian operations. Currency movements had a negligible effect on the value of bookings for the quarter.

In the first half of fiscal 2026, bookings from continuing operations totaled $143.4 million, compared to $171.4 million in the first half of fiscal 2025. The decrease is mainly attributable to the factors mentioned above. Currency movements had a $1.3 million positive effect on the value of bookings for the period.

SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

Sales from continuing operations totaled $67.6 million, a decrease of $10.1 million or 13.0% compared to $77.7 million for the same period last year. The variation is mainly related to customer changes in delivery schedules on certain projects at North American and Italian operations of more than $12 million and to the disruptive effects of ongoing changes in global tariff schemes. Last year's second quarter results also included non-recurring revenue of $5.2 million related to a cancelled agreement for German operations. These factors were partially offset by higher sales in Korea, India and China as well as higher maintenance, repair and overhaul {MRO) sales in North America. Currency movements had a $1.4 million positive effect on sales for the period.

Gross profit from continuing operations was $15.7 million, versus $20.0 million last year. The variation reflects a lower business volume which affected the absorption of fixed production overhead costs, a less favorable product mix this year compared to last, and the effect of tariffs on supply chain optimization as well as a timing lag between tariffs incurred and customer recovery. Currency movements had a $0.3 million positive effect on gross profit for the period. As a percentage of sales, gross profit was 23.2%, compared to 25.7% last year.

Administration costs from continuing operations amounted to $15.4 million, or 22.7% of sales, compared to $16.0 million, or 20.6% of sales, last year. The variation mainly reflects lower sales commissions and lower freight costs.

The Company incurred restructuring expenses of $0.7 million, consisting of transaction-related costs, while last years restructuring expenses of $4.5 million included asbestos-related costs of $2.3 million and divestiture transaction-related costs of $2.2 million.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations, excluding restructuring expenses, was $3.4 million, versus $6.7 million a year ago. The decrease is primarily attributable to lower gross profit, partially offset by lower administration costs, as explained above.

Net loss from continuing operations was $1.7 million, or $0.08 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.05 per share, a year earlier. Net loss from discontinued operations was $0.8 million, or $0.03 per share, representing conditional transaction closing fees, versus net income from discontinued operations of $1.3 million, or $0.06 per share, last year. As a result, the net loss was $2.4 million, or $0.11 per share, versus net income of $0.1 million, or $0.01 per share, last year.

Adjusted net loss from continuing operations, excluding restructuring expenses, was $1.2 million, or $0.05 per share, versus adjusted net income of $2.8 million, or $0.13 per share, a year earlier.

SIX-MONTH RESULTS

Sales from continuing operations amounted to $139.8 million, an increase of $1.2 million, or 0.9%, compared to$138.6 million a year ago. The variation reflects higher sales in Korea, India, China and Italy. These factors were mostly offset by the changes in customers delivery schedules, the tariff effect, and last years non-recurring revenue of $5.2 million. Currency movements had a $1.5 million positive effect on sales for the period.

Gross profit from continuing operations was $36.3 million, compared to $36.8 million last year. The small decrease reflects the negative effect of the factors mentioned above, offset by the positive effect of higher business volume and a more favourable product mix in the first quarter. Currency movements had a $0.3 million positive effect on gross profit for the period. As a percentage of sales, gross profit was 26.0%, compared to 26.5% last year.

Administration costs from continuing operations were $33.7 million, or 24.1% of sales, compared to $31.3 million, or 22.6% of sales, a year ago. The variation is attributable to higher professional fees and higher sales commissions, partially offset by lower freight costs.

The Company incurred restructuring expenses of $6.1 million, including $6.8 million in transaction-related costs, partially offset by a $0.8 million reversal of asbestos-related costs. Last year, restructuring expenses of $6.8 million included asbestos-related costs of $4.7 million transaction-related costs of $2.2 million.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations, excluding restructuring expenses, was $7.1 million, versus $9.6 million last year. The decrease is primarily attributable to higher administration costs.

Net income from continuing operations was $16.2 million, or $0.75 per share, compared to a net loss of $3.4 million, or $0.16 per share, in the prior year. Net income from discontinued operations was $58.6 million, or $2.71 per share, versus net income from discontinued operations of $2.4 million, or $0.11 per share, last year. As a result, net income was $74.8 million, or $3.46 per share, compared with a net loss of $1.0 million, or $0.05 per share, a year ago.

Adjusted net loss from continuing operations, excluding restructuring expenses and a non-recurring tax recovery on the France transaction, was $1.1 million, or $0.05 per share, versus adjusted net income of $3.0 million, or $0.14 per share, a year ago.

FINANCIAL POSITION

As at August 31, 2025, the Company held cash and cash equivalents of $36.1 million and short-term investments of $0.4 million. Bank indebtedness stood at $6.6 million, while long-term debt, including the current portion, amounted to $15.9 million. In total, the Company has $95.9 million in cash and available credit to fund its growth and investment objectives.

OUTLOOK

As at August 31, 2025, orders amounting to $252.4 million, representing 88.3% of a total backlog of $285.8 million, are expected to be delivered in the next 12 months. Given these orders, and despite the current uncertainty related to tariffs, the Company expects to deliver another solid performance in fiscal 2026.

DIVIDEND

On October 9, 2025, the Board of Directors of Velan has declared a dividend of CA$0.10 per common share payable on November 27, 2025, to shareholders of record as at November 13, 2025.

SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS

On March 31, 2025, the Company announced the closing sale of its French subsidiaries Velan S.A.S. and Segault S.A.S. for a total consideration of $208.2 million (192.5 million) and net consideration of $183.1 million. Based on the net book value at the closing of the transaction and related costs, a gain of $95.8 million was recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The sale also triggered the recognition of a cumulative translation adjustment of $12.5 million. These amounts were recorded as part of results from discontinued operations.

Concurrently with the sale of its French subsidiaries, the Company entered into an agreement to sell its current and future exposure to asbestos-related litigation in the United States. Part of the proceeds received from the sale of the French assets was used on April 3, 2025, to pay an amount of $143.0 million for this settlement.

CONFERENCE CALL NOTICE

Financial analysts, shareholders, and other interested individuals are invited to attend the second quarter conference call to be held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (EDT). The toll-free call-in number is 1-800-990-4777 or by RapidConnect URL: https://emportal.ink/3HMQyiC. The material that will be referenced during the conference call will be made available shortly before the event on the companys website under the Investor Relations section (https://velan.com/investor-relations). A recording of this conference call will be available for seven days at 1-289-819-1450 or 1-888-660-6345 and entering the replay code 06670.

ABOUT VELAN

Founded in Montreal in 1950, Velan Inc. (www.velan.com) is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of industrial valves, with sales from continuing operations of US$295.2 million in its last reported fiscal year. The Company employs 1,265 people and has manufacturing plants in 9 countries. Velan Inc. is a public company with its shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol VLN.

SAFE HARBOUR STATEMENT

This news release may include forward-looking statements, which generally contain words like should, believe, anticipate, plan, may, will, expect, intend, continue or estimate or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions, all of which are subject to risks and uncertainties, which are disclosed in the Companys filings with the appropriate securities commissions. While these statements are based on managements assumptions regarding historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that it believes are reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may differ materially from those expressed herein. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by the applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

NON-IFRS AND SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES

In this press release, the Company has presented measures of performance or financial condition which are not defined under IFRS (non-IFRS measures) and are, therefore, unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. These measures are used by management in assessing the operating results and financial condition of the Company and are reconciled with the performance measures defined under IFRS. The Company has also presented supplementary financial measures which are defined at the end of this report. Reconciliation and definition can be found below.



Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") and Adjusted EBITDA

Three-month periods ended Six-month periods ended (in thousands, except per share amounts; certain totals may not add up due to rounding) August 31, 2025

$ August 31, 2024

$ August 31, 2025

$ August 31, 2024

$ Reconciliation of net income (loss) from continuing operations to adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations and adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations per share Net income (loss) from continuing operations (1,660 ) (1,168 ) 16,166 (3,355 ) Adjustments for: Asbestos-related costs - 2,341 (754 ) 4,681 Transaction-related costs 507 1,582 6,635 1,582 Other restructuring expenses - - - 89 Non-recurring tax recovery on France transaction - - (23,110 ) - Adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations (1,153 ) 2,754 (1,063 ) 2,997 per share  basic and diluted (0.05 ) 0.13 (0.05 ) 0.14 Reconciliation of net income (loss) from continuing operations to Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations Net income (loss) from continuing operations (1,660 ) (1,168 ) 16,166 (3,355 ) Adjustments for: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 1,723 2,196 3,352 3,545 Amortization of intangible assets and financing costs 541 364 1,060 987 Finance costs  net 244 331 634 525 Income tax expense (recovery) 1,820 531 (20,138 ) 937 EBITDA 2,668 2,254 1,074 2,638 Adjustments for: Asbestos-related costs - 2,341 (754 ) 4,681 Transaction-related costs 690 2,152 6,818 2,152 Other restructuring expenses - - - 121 Adjusted EBITDA 3,358 6,746 7,138 9,592

The term Adjusted net income (loss) is defined as net income or loss attributable to Subordinate and Multiple Voting Shares plus adjustment, net of income taxes, for costs related to restructuring and to the proposed transaction. The terms Adjusted net income (loss) per share is obtained by dividing Adjusted net income (loss) by the total amount of subordinate and multiple voting shares. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The term EBITDA is defined as adjusted net income plus depreciation of property, plant & equipment, plus amortization of intangible assets, plus net finance costs, plus income tax provision. The term Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA plus adjustment for costs related to restructuring and to the proposed transaction. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Definitions of supplementary financial measures

The term Net new orders or bookings is defined as firm orders, net of cancellations, recorded by the Company during a period. Bookings are impacted by the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates for a given period. The measure provides an indication of the Companys sales operation performance for a given period as well as well as an expectation of future sales and cash flows to be achieved on these orders.

The term backlog is defined as the buildup of all outstanding bookings to be delivered by the Company. The Companys backlog is impacted by the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates for a given period. The measure provides an indication of the future operational challenges of the Company as well as an expectation of future sales and cash flows to be achieved on these orders.

The term book-to-bill is obtained by dividing bookings by sales. The measure provides an indication of the Companys performance and outlook for a given period.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Contact:

Rishi Sharma, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Martin Goulet, M.Sc., CFA Velan Inc. MBC Capital Markets Advisors Tel: (438) 817-4430 Tel.: (514) 731-0000, ext. 229









Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (in thousands of U.S. dollars) As at August 31, February 28, 2025 2025 $ $ Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 36,093 34,872 Short-term investments 388 358 Accounts receivable 68,209 62,612 Income taxes recoverable 5,994 5,617 Inventories 137,307 134,969 Deposits and prepaid expenses 4,288 3,689 Derivative assets 705 24 Assets held for sale - 176,762 252,984 418,903 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 50,523 51,349 Intangible assets and goodwill 5,904 5,893 Deferred income taxes 5,597 25,101 Other assets 777 720 62,801 83,063 Total assets 315,785 501,966 Liabilities Current liabilities Bank indebtedness 6,616 2,508 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 74,598 78,776 Income taxes payable 2,366 1,818 Customer deposits 14,939 22,338 Provisions 5,140 153,957 Derivative liabilities - 480 Current portion of long-term lease liabilities 1,537 1,437 Current portion of long-term debt 1,481 2,096 Liabilities held for sale - 110,883 106,677 374,293 Non-current liabilities Long-term lease liabilities 4,479 4,727 Long-term debt 14,432 14,107 Income taxes payable - 692 Deferred income taxes 1,526 737 Customer deposits 9,518 3,876 Other liabilities 5,210 4,796 35,165 28,935 Total liabilities 154,664 403,228 Total equity 180,262 98,738 Total liabilities and equity 334,926 501,966







Consolidated Statements of Income (loss) (in thousands of U.S. dollars, excluding number of shares and per share amounts) Three-month periods ended

Six-month periods ended

August 31, August 31, August 31, August 31, 2025 2024 2025 2024 $ $ $ $ Sales 67,611 77,696 139,840 138,594 Cost of sales 51,936 57,742 103,539 101,812 Gross profit 15,675 19,954 36,301 36,782 Administration costs 15,377 15,977 33,690 31,345 Restructuring expenses 690 4,493 6,064 6,833 Other expense (income) (777 ) (175 ) (45 ) 588 Operating income (loss) 385 (341 ) (3,408 ) (1,984 ) Financing expenses (244 ) (331 ) (634 ) (525 ) Net income (loss) before income taxes 141 (672 ) (4,042 ) (2,509 ) Income tax expense (recovery) 1,820 531 (20,138 ) 937 Net income (loss) for the period from continuing operations (1,679 ) (1,203 ) 16,096 (3,446 ) Results from discontinued operations (780 ) 1,289 58,599 2,372 (2,459 ) 86 74,695 (1,074 ) Net income (loss) attributable to: Subordinate Voting Shares and Multiple Voting Shares (2,440 ) 121 74,765 (983 ) Non-controlling interest (19 ) (35 ) (70 ) (91 ) Net income (loss) for the period (2,459 ) 86 74,695 (1,074 ) Net income (loss) per Subordinate and Multiple Voting Share Basic and diluted from continuing operations (0.08 ) (0.05 ) 0.75 (0.16 ) Basic and diluted from discontinued operations (0.03 ) 0.06 2.71 0.11 Basic and diluted from all operations (0.11 ) 0.01 3.46 (0.05 ) Dividends declared per Subordinate and Multiple 0.07 - 0.31 - Voting Share (CA$ 0.10) (CA$ - ) (CA$ 0.43 ) (CA$ - ) Total weighted average number of Subordinate and Multiple Voting Shares Basic and diluted 21,585,635 21,585,635 21,585,635 21,585,635







Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (in thousands of U.S. dollars) Three-month periods ended

Six-month periods ended

August 31, August 31, August 31, August 31, 2025 2024 2025 2024 $ $ $ $ Comprehensive loss Net income (loss) for the period (2,459 ) 86 74,695 (1,074 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) Foreign currency translation of foreign subsidiaries (2,319 ) (434 ) (5,191 ) (91 ) Foreign currency translation of foreign subsidiaries from discontinued operations - (1,837 ) - 337 Reclassification of foreign currency translation from discontinued operations - - 12,456 - Comprehensive loss (4,778 ) (2,185 ) 81,960 (828 ) Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to: Subordinate Voting Shares and Multiple Voting Shares (4,759 ) (2,150 ) 82,030 (737 ) Non-controlling interest (19 ) (35 ) (70 ) (91 ) Comprehensive loss (4,778 ) (2,185 ) 81,960 (828 ) Other comprehensive loss is composed solely of items that may be reclassified subsequently to the consolidated statement of loss.







Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (in thousands of U.S. dollars, excluding number of shares) Equity attributable to the Subordinate and Multiple Voting shareholders Share capital Contributed surplus Accumulated other comprehensive loss Retained earnings Total Non-controlling interest Total equity Balance - February 29, 2024 72,695 6,260 (38,692 ) 141,914 182,177 1,082 183,259 Net loss for the period - - - (983 ) (983 ) (91 ) (1,074 ) Other comprehensive income - - 246 - 246 - 246 Comprehensive income (loss) - - 246 (983 ) (737 ) (91 ) (828 ) Balance - August 31, 2024 72,695 6,260 (38,446 ) 140,931 181,440 991 182,431 Balance - February 28, 2025 72,695 6,355 (47,141 ) 65,952 97,861 877 98,738 Net loss for the period - - - 74,765 74,765 (70 ) 74,695 Other comprehensive income - - (5,191 ) - (5,191 ) - (5,191 ) Comprehensive income (loss) - - (5,191 ) 74,765 69,574 (70 ) (69,504 ) Reclassification of foreign currency translation to discontinued operations - - 12,456 - 12,456 - 12,456 Dividends Multiple Voting Shares - - - (4,869 ) (4,869 ) - (4,869 ) Subordinate Voting Shares - - - (1,886 ) (1,886 ) - (1,886 ) Balance - August 31, 2024 72,695 6,355 (39,876 ) 133,962 173,136 807 173,943







Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow (in thousands of U.S. dollars) Three-month periods ended

Six-month periods ended

August 31, August 31, August 31, August 31, 2025 2024 2025 2024 $ $ $ $ Cash flows from Operating activities Net income (loss) for the period (2,459 ) 86 74,695 (1,074 ) Less: results from discontinued operations 780 (1,289 ) (58,599 ) (2,372 ) Net income (loss) for the period from continuing operations (1,679 ) (1,203 ) 16,096 (3,446 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash used by operating activities 2,389 10,800 (14,726 ) 9,968 Changes in non-cash working capital items (17,808 ) (2,311 ) (34,875 ) 12,684 Cash provided (used) by operating activities from continuing operations (excluding Asbestos settlement) (17,098 ) 7,286 (33,505 ) 19,206 Asbestos Settlement transaction - - (143,553 ) - Cash provided (used) by operating activities from continuing operations (17,098 ) 7,286 (177,058 ) 19,206 Investing activities Short-term investments - 1,105 (33 ) 665 Additions to property, plant and equipment (979 ) (1,321 ) (2,932 ) (3,069 ) Additions to intangible assets - 735 - (69 ) Proceeds on disposal of property, plant and equipment 180 138 1,133 146 Net change in other assets (49 ) - (14 ) (53 ) Cash provided (used) by investing activities from continuing operations (excluding proceeds on disposal of France assets) (848 ) 656 (1,846 ) (2,380 ) Proceeds on disposal of France assets (780 ) - 182,363 - Cash provided (used) by investing activities from continuing operations (1,628 ) 656 180,517 (2,380 ) Financing activities Dividends paid to Subordinate and Multiple Voting shareholders (6,755 ) - (6,755 ) - Net change in revolving credit facility - (3,000 ) - (3,000 ) Increase in long-term debt 80 519 1,143 772 Repayment of long-term debt (642 ) (120 ) (1,512 ) (3,936 ) Repayment of long-term lease liabilities (413 ) 21 (812 ) (426 ) Cash provided (used) by financing activities from continuing operations (7,730 ) (2,580 ) (7,936 ) (6,590 ) Effect of exchange rate differences on cash 149 62 1,590 (475 ) Net change in cash during the period from continuing operations (26,307 ) 5,424 (2,887 ) 9,761 Net change in cash during the period from discontinued operations (780 ) 1,826 8,745 (4,939 ) Net change in cash during the period (27,087 ) 7,250 5,858 4,822 Net cash  Beginning of the period 55,784 31,620 32,364 27,283 Net cash  End of the period 29,477 37,044 29,477 37,044 Net cash is composed of: Cash and cash equivalents 36,093 40,257 36,093 40,257 Bank indebtedness (6,616 ) (3,213 ) (6,616 ) (3,213 ) Net cash  End of the period 29,477 37,044 29,477 37,044 Supplementary information Interest received (paid) (39 ) (205 ) (278 ) (409 ) Income taxes paid (1,437 ) (508 ) (2,864 ) (1,545 )




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marimaca Copper Corp. (TSX: MARI) (ASX: MC2) (Marimaca or the Company) announces it has filed the Feasibility Study technical report for the Marimaca Oxide Deposit project located in the Antofagasta Region, Chile (the Report).

The Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Report supports the disclosure made in the Companys news release dated August 25, 2025 announcing the results of the Feasibility Study. The effective date for the Report is August 25, 2025 and is available on the Marimaca website at marimaca.com and under the Companys SEDAR+ profile at sedarplus.ca.

About Marimaca

Marimaca is a copper exploration and development company focused on its 100%-owned flagship Marimaca Copper Project and surrounding exploration properties located in Antofagasta Region, Chile.

The Marimaca Copper Project hosts the Marimaca Oxide Deposit (the MOD), an IOCG-type copper deposit. The Company is currently progressing the Marimaca Copper Project through the Definitive Feasibility Study led by Ausenco Chile Ltda. In parallel, the Company is exploring its extensive land package in the Antofagasta region, including the >15,000ha wholly-owned Sierra de Medina property block, located 25km from the MOD.

This news release is authorized for release by the Board of Directors of Marimaca.

Contact Information

For further information please visit www.marimaca.com or contact:

Tavistock

+44 (0) 207 920 3150

Emily Moss / Ruairi Millar

marimaca@tavistock.co.uk

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Marimaca, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: risks related to the receipt of required regulatory approvals, including final approval by the TSX, risks related to share price and market conditions, the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices, the possibility of project delays or cost overruns or unanticipated excessive operating costs and expenses, uncertainties related to the necessity of financing, uncertainties relating to regulatory procedure and timing for permitting reviews, the availability of and costs of financing needed in the future. The intended use of the proceeds of the Placement by the Company might change if the board of directors of the Company determines that it would be in the best interests of the Company and amounts actually allocated and spent will depend on a number of factors, including the Companys ability to execute on its business plan. Many of these risks and uncertainties and additional risk factors generally applicable to the Company are described in the Companys annual information form of the Company dated March 27, 2025 and other filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities (which may be viewed at www.sedarplus.ca). Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

None of the TSX, ASX or the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, ITALY, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAWS.

Idorsia successfully completes the offering of 16.4 million new and treasury shares  upsized from 15 million shares  through an accelerated bookbuilding process with gross proceeds of CHF 65.6 million

Allschwil, Switzerland  October 10, 2025

Idorsia Ltd (SIX: IDIA, Idorsia) announces that it has successfully raised CHF 65.6 million through the placement of 16.4 million registered shares (the Offer Shares) at a placement price of CHF 4.00 per share  in-line with the Volume-Weighted Average Price from the last 30 days  by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process (the Offering). The proceeds from the Offering strengthen Idorsias balance sheet and will fund the companys disciplined investment in accelerating the commercial trajectory of QUVIVIQ and advancing a de-risked, science-driven pipeline, as well as for general corporate purposes.

Arno Groenewoud, Chief Financial Officer of Idorsia, commented:

We are very pleased with the strong investor response and successful completion of the accelerated bookbuilding process. The oversubscribed demand from top-tier institutional investors reflects a clear recognition of Idorsias significant potential. The proceeds strengthen our financial position and significantly extend our cash runway, enabling us to fund our activities through to overall profitability in 2027. This milestone marks the completion of our financial turnaround since early 2025 and firmly positions us on a path toward sustainable, long-term value creation for our shareholders.

The Offer Shares are sourced from Idorsia's capital band and issued without subscription rights to existing shareholders (12.9 million newly issued shares representing 5.45% of the approximately 236 million Idorsia shares listed on SIX prior to the transaction) as well as from treasury shares (3.5 million).

The newly issued shares are expected to be listed and admitted to trading on SIX Swiss Exchange on October 13, 2025, and will rank pari passu with the existing shares. Payment and settlement are expected to take place on October 14, 2025.

In connection with the Offering, Idorsia agreed to a 180-day lock-up period, inclusive of the equity line set up in September 2025 and due to expire at the end of March 2026. Jean-Paul and Martine Clozel, the founding shareholders of Idorsia, have each agreed to a lock-up period of 180 days after the listing of the newly issued shares, subject to customary exceptions.

Notes to the editor

About Idorsia

The purpose of Idorsia is to challenge accepted medical paradigms, answering the questions that matter most. To achieve this, we will discover, develop, and commercialize transformative medicines  either with in-house capabilities or together with partners  and evolve Idorsia into a leading biopharmaceutical company, with a strong scientific core.

Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland  a European biotech hub  Idorsia has a highly experienced team of dedicated professionals, covering all disciplines from bench to bedside; QUVIVIQ (daridorexant), a different kind of insomnia treatment with the potential to revolutionize this mounting public health concern; strong partners to maximize the value of our portfolio; a promising in-house development pipeline; and a specialized drug discovery engine focused on small-molecule drugs that can change the treatment paradigm for many patients.

Idorsia is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: IDIA).

For further information, please contact:

George Thampy

Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations

Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hegenheimermattweg 91, CH-4123 Allschwil

+41 58 844 10 10

investor.relations@idorsia.com  media.relations@idorsia.com  www.idorsia.com

This press release is for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan, or any other jurisdiction. The securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold within the United States of America except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of any of Idorsias securities in the United States of America or in any other jurisdiction.

The offers referred to herein, when made in member states of the European Economic Area ("EEA"), are only addressed to and directed to qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) the Prospectus Regulation ("Qualified Investors"). For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market, and repealing Directive 2003/71/EC, and includes any relevant delegated regulations.

For readers in the United Kingdom, this announcement is only being distributed to and is only directed at "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 who are (i) outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) ("Investment professionals") of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) certain high value persons and entities who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("High net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Order; or (iv) any other person to whom it may lawfully be communicated (all such persons in (i) to (iv) together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

The offering of the securities in Switzerland is exempt from the requirement to prepare and publish a prospectus under the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA) because such offering is made to professional clients within the meaning of the FinSA only. This press release does not constitute a prospectus or a similar notice within the meaning of articles 35 et seqq. or 69 of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus under any other applicable laws , and no such prospectus has been or will be prepared for or in connection with the offering of the securities.

Information to Distributors: Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract which any manufacturer (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process by each underwriter established in the EEA, which has determined that the Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the EEA Target Market Assessment). Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within 3.2.7R of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract which any manufacturer (for the purposes of the UK MIFIR Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process by each underwriter established in the United Kingdom, which has determined that the Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook ("COBS"); and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements (the UK Target Market Assessment and, together with the EEA Target Market Assessment, the "Target Market Assessments"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessments, Distributors should note that: the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom.

The Target Market Assessments are without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offer. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the Target Market Assessments, the Managers established in the EEA and the United Kingdom will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessments do not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II and/or the UK MiFIR Product Governance Requirements; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.

The underwriters are acting exclusively for Idorsia and no-one else in connection with the offerings. They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the offerings and will not be responsible to anyone other than Idorsia for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the offerings, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to Idorsia and its business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "believes", "expects", "may", "are expected to", "will", "will continue", "should", "would be", "seeks", "pending" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Idorsia to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. Idorsia disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

Attachment
Aspo Plc Press release 10 October 2025 at 10.00 EEST

ESL Shipping is renewing its fleet  sells M/S Kallio to a Norwegian company

ESL Shipping sells M/S Kallio to The Qrill Company AS. Divesting M/S Kallio, taken into use in 2006, helps to speed up the green transition of ESL Shipping and strengthens the financing of the new vessels currently under construction.

The sales price of M/S Kallio is about EUR 18 million. The sales gain for Aspo is expected to be approximately EUR 10 million.

We are investing heavily in Green Handy vessels, which can be operated fossil-free and have an ice class of 1A. Development of the Green Handies has progressed according to our plan. By divesting M/S Kallio, we strengthen the balance sheet of ESL Shipping and implement our strategy, says Rolf Jansson, CEO of Aspo.

Ensuring sufficient capacity and reliable customer deliveries are our priorities in all circumstances. The first new generation Green Handy vessel will join our fleet in about two years. During the transition period, we will consider chartering or acquiring additional vessels, when needed, says Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping.

M/S Kallio has sailed under the Finnish flag. After the divestment, the aim is to assign the vessel crew to ESL Shippings other vessels whenever possible. M/S Kallio has now been handed over to the new owner, operating in marine feed ingredients business.

ESL Shipping, part of Aspo, is the leading dry bulk sea transport company operating in the Baltic Sea area, securing product and raw material transportation for industries and energy production throughout the year. ESL Shipping supports the green transition of Nordic industrial companies. In 2024, ESL Shipping achieved the best Platinum rating in Ecovadis sustainability assessment.

Read more about ESL Shipping

Read more about next generation Green Handy vessels





For more information, please contact:

Rolf Jansson, CEO, Aspo Plc, tel. +358 400 600 264, rolf.jansson@aspo.com

Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director, ESL Shipping, mikki.koskinen@eslshipping.com





Attachments
FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY

Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the Code)

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Name of exempt principal trader: Investec Bank plc (b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Treatt plc (c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected: Investec is Joint financial adviser, Rule 3 adviser and corporate broker to Treatt plc. (d) Date dealing undertaken: 09th October 2025



(e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect of any other party to this offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state N/A N/A

2. DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchases/ sales



Total number of securities Highest price per unit paid/received Lowest price per unit paid/received



Ordinary shares



Purchases



3,505 281 280



Ordinary shares



Sales



849 283 283

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) N/A N/A N/A N/A

3. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state none



None





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state none None









Date of disclosure: 10th October 2025 Contact name: Priyali Bhattacharjee Telephone number: +91-9768034903

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panels Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Codes dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
PERTH, Australia, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 9 October 2025, Wyloo Consolidated Investments Pty Ltd sold, through a block trade over the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange, 8,275,311 common shares (19.89 per cent) in Neo Performance Materials Inc. (Neo) for an aggregate price of C$165,506,220 (equivalent to A$180,101,678) or C$20.00 per common share. Following the sale, Wyloo will hold no common shares of Neo, representing an aggregate decrease in ownership of 19.89%.

Wyloo disposed of the common shares as part of a sale of marketable securities for investment purposes. Wyloo may from time to time, depending on market and other conditions and subject to Neos shareholder rights plan, acquire additional common shares through market transactions, private agreement or otherwise.

This media release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103  The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issuers in connection with the acquisition of the Neo shares. An early warning report with additional information in respect of the foregoing matters will be filed and made available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Review (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca under Neo's issuer profile. A copy of the report may also be obtained by contacting info@wyloo.com. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of this media release.

The head office of Neo is located at 121 King Street West, Suite 1740, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3T9. Wyloos head office is located at Level 8, Tower 3 Capital Square, 1 Spring Street, Perth, WA, 6000.



About Wyloo

Wyloo delivers critical minerals for the energy transition and manages a diverse portfolio of strategic investments in several public and private companies. Wyloos integrated nickel business includes assets in three of the highest-grade nickel sulphide belts in the world in: Kambalda, Western Australia; the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario; and the Cape Smith belt in Quebec. Wyloo owns two nickel mines in Kambalda. It is also progressing projects to develop one of the worlds best nickel, copper and platinum group element mines, Eagles Nest, and world-class chromite deposits, Blackbird, in the Ring of Fire, as well as a facility producing precursor cathode active material in Sudbury, Ontario. Wyloo is a sixty per cent owner of the Yangibana Joint Venture, one of the most advanced rare earth projects in Australia. When in operation, Yangibana will become a globally significant source of Neodymium and Praseodymium (NdPr), critical components in the manufacture of permanent magnets, as well as a producer of Niobium and other by-products critical to the energy transition. Across its mines and development projects, Wyloo is working to deliver sustainable production of green critical minerals in partnership with First Nation communities. Wyloo is privately-owned by Tattarang.

Disclaimer

Some of the statements in this press release may be forward-looking statements or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. Such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions, future market conditions, unusual catastrophic loss events, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different from those anticipated by such statements. Wyloo does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will Wyloo and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in connection with the information and/or statements in this press release or for any related damages.

Media contact

Leanne Franco M +61 447 494 474 P +61 8 9476 7200 E lfranco@wyloo.com




Ottawa, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global regenerative agriculture market size was valued at USD 12.95 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 72.21 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.75% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. A study published by Towards Chemical and Materials a sister firm of Precedence Research.

The Rising consumer demand for sustainable and organic food products is driving the growth of the market.

Download a Sample Report Here@ https://www.towardschemandmaterials.com/download-sample/5900

Regenerative Agriculture Overview

The regenerative agriculture market is emerging as a transformative approach to sustainable food production, focusing on rebuilding soil health, enhancing biodiversity, improving water cycles, and increasing ecosystem resilience. Unlike conventional agricultural systems that rely heavily on chemical inputs and monocultures, regenerative practices emphasize soil regeneration through techniques such as crop rotation, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and integration of livestock. This markets growth is being fuelled by rising consumer awareness of environmentally friendly and organic products, government incentives promoting sustainable farming, and corporate commitments to carbon reduction and supply chain transparency.

Goals of regenerative agriculture

Produce enough nutritious food for the worlds population

Help mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon in soil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Restore threatened biodiversity and enhance natural habitats

Prevent further deforestation and grassland conversion by increasing productivity on existing farmland

Enhance farmer livelihoods.



Regenerative Agriculture Market Report Highlights

The North America regenerative agriculture market size was estimated at USD 3.89 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 21.71 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 18.76% from 2025 to 2034.

By region, North America dominated the regenerative agriculture market with approximately 30% industry share in 2024.

By practice type, the soil management segment led the market with approximately 35% industry share in 2024.

By products/ manufactured inputs, the fertilizers & soil amendments segment emerged as the top-performing segment in the market with approximately 30% of the industry share in 2024.

By technology/ tools type, the data platforms & analytics tools segment led the market with approximately 40% share in 2024.

By services and business model, the advisory & agronomic consulting segment led the regenerative agriculture market with approximately 30% industry share in 2024.

By crop/ production type, the raw crops segment emerged as the top-performing segment in the market with approximately 40% of the industry share in 2024.

By end-use industry, the food and beverage segment led the market with approximately 45% share in 2024.

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Regenerative Agriculture Market Report Scope

Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2026 USD 18.26 billion Revenue forecast in 2034 USD 72.21 billion Growth rate CAGR of 18.75% from 2025 to 2034 Actual data 2021 - 2024 Forecast period 2025 - 2034 Segments covered By Practice Type, By Products / Manufactured Inputs, By Technology & Tools, By Services & Business Models, By Crop / Production Type, By End-Use Industry, By Region Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope U.S.; Canada; Mexico; UK; Germany; France; China; India; Japan; Australia; South Korea; Brazil; UAE; Saudi Arabia; South Africa Key companies profiled Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Kverneland Group AS , Horsch Maschinen GmbH , Amazone GmbH & Co. KG , Vermeer Corporation , Corteva Agriscience , Bayer CropScience , Syngenta Group , BASF Agricultural Solutions, Novozymes A/S , Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. , Koppert Biological Systems , Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC , The Andersons, Inc. , Pacific Biochar Solutions , Heliae Development, LLC

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Regenerative agriculture: A sustainable solution

The agricultural industry is turning to regenerative agriculture practices in response to mounting environmental challenges. This approach emphasizes sustainable practices originating from traditional farming methods and restoring and maintaining soil health while promoting ecological balance. Although there is no universal definition or standardized practices for regenerative agriculture, most initiatives align around four core principles:

Minimize soil disturbance : Reducing physical, biological, and chemical disruptions to preserve natural soil processes.

: Reducing physical, biological, and chemical disruptions to preserve natural soil processes. Maximize crop diversity : Implementing crop rotation and diverse planting strategies to enhance ecosystem resilience.

: Implementing crop rotation and diverse planting strategies to enhance ecosystem resilience. Maximize soil coverage with living roots : Using cover crops to protect and restore soil composition.

: Using cover crops to protect and restore soil composition. Maximize livestock integration: Incorporating plant residues and manure as natural fertilizers and promoting rotational grazing to improve soil fertility.

The benefits of regenerative agriculture

Regenerative agriculture offers a pathway to mitigate the environmental impacts of farming while enhancing productivity. Its benefits include:

Climate action : Mitigates GHG emissions and promotes carbon sequestration in soil.

: Mitigates GHG emissions and promotes carbon sequestration in soil. Soil health restoration : Replenishes soil fertility and productivity.

: Replenishes soil fertility and productivity. Resource efficiency : Optimizes the use of land and water resources.

: Optimizes the use of land and water resources. Biodiversity recovery : Increases soil biodiversity, enhancing resilience to pests and climate variability.

: Increases soil biodiversity, enhancing resilience to pests and climate variability. Improved farm efficiency: Boosts productivity while reducing dependence on synthetic inputs.



A Global Shift to Regenerative Agriculture Can:

Feed the world: Small farmers already feed the world with less than a quarter of all farmland.

Small farmers already feed the world with less than a quarter of all farmland. Decrease GHG emissions: A new food system could be a key driver of solutions to climate change. The current industrial food system is responsible for 44 to 57% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

A new food system could be a key driver of solutions to climate change. The current industrial food system is responsible for 44 to 57% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Reverse climate change: Emissions reduction alone is simply inadequate. Luckily, the science says that we can actually reverse climate change by increasing soil carbon stocks.

Emissions reduction alone is simply inadequate. Luckily, the science says that we can actually reverse climate change by increasing soil carbon stocks. Improve yields: In cases of extreme weather and climate change, yields on organic farms are significantly higher than conventional farms.

In cases of extreme weather and climate change, yields on organic farms are significantly higher than conventional farms. Create drought-resistant soil: The addition of organic matter to the soil increases the water holding capacity of the soil. Regenerative organic agriculture builds soil organic matter.

The addition of organic matter to the soil increases the water holding capacity of the soil. Regenerative organic agriculture builds soil organic matter. Revitalize local economies: Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies.

Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies. Preserve traditional knowledge: Understanding indigenous farming systems reveals important ecological clues for the development of regenerative organic agricultural systems.

Understanding indigenous farming systems reveals important ecological clues for the development of regenerative organic agricultural systems. Nurture biodiversity: Biodiversity is fundamental to agricultural production and food security, as well as a valuable ingredient of environmental conservation.

Biodiversity is fundamental to agricultural production and food security, as well as a valuable ingredient of environmental conservation. Restore grasslands: One third of the earth's surface is grasslands, 70% of which have been degraded. We can restore them using holistic planned grazing.

One third of the earth's surface is grasslands, 70% of which have been degraded. We can restore them using holistic planned grazing. Improve nutrition: Nutritionists now increasingly insist on the need for more diverse agro-ecosystems, in order to ensure a more diversified nutrient output of the farming systems.

A strategic Approach to Regenerative Agriculture implementation

Implementing regenerative agriculture requires a strategic approach tailored to specific climates, soil types and current quality, crop types, and farming systems. Decision-makers must address three core questions:

Where? Identify regions based on climate risks, regulatory frameworks, and local community roles. What? Define the focus of the scheme, including crop-specific needs, land access, and input provision. How? Outline the business model, detailing financing mechanisms, stakeholder collaboration, and legal structures.



By addressing these questions, stakeholders can develop comprehensive solutions that create sustainable value for all regenerative agriculture value chain participants.

Regenerative agriculture is more than a farming method; its a paradigm shift. By investing in tailored strategies, addressing farmer challenges, and fostering collaboration, regenerative agriculture has the potential to transform global agriculture into a system that feeds the world while healing the planet.

What Are the Major Trends in The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

Rapid expansion of soil first and soil health focused practices such as cover cropping reduced tillage, and composting as foundational elements.

Growing adoption of technology platforms and tools for monitoring, verification, and decision making, including data analysis, remote sensing, and satellite/drone-based systems.

Rising interest in carbon project development and crediting, making carbon sequestration and ecosystem service payments part of farmers revenue models.

Increasing demand for biological inputs and bio stimulants over synthetic fertilizers, as farmers focus on rebuilding soil biology and reducing chemical dependencies.

How Does AI Influence The Growth Of The Regenerative Agriculture Market In 2025?

In 2025, AI is reshaping regenerative agriculture by acting as a powerful enabler that turns ecological goals into actionable farming strategies machine learning models and predictive analytics synthesize data from soil sensors, drones, weather stations and field histories to guide farmers on when and where to plant cover crops, adjust inputs, or optimize grazing cycles. AI powered soil carbon co-pilots can monitor changes in organic carbon levels over time, reducing reliance on costly and laborious physical sampling while offering real time insights that support carbon credit schemes and sustainability reporting. Decision support systems informed by AI help farmers adopt regenerative techniques faster and with greater confidence mitigating risks associated with transition and making regenerative methods economically viable in more environments.

Regenerative Agriculture Market Dynamics

Growth Factors

Can AI Tailor Regenerative Practices For Each Farm?

AI is enabling hyper localized farm guidance by analysing data from satellites, sensor, weather models, and field history to issue customized recommendations on cover cropping, crop rotation, and input reduction. This kind of decision support helps farmers adopt regenerative methods with less risk and confusion, smoothing their transition to more resilient systems.

Will Carbon Markets Pull More Farmers Into Regenerative Models?

As carbon credit programs begin valuing verified soil carbon sequestration, farmers, adopting regenerative practices gain an extra revenue stream, which motivates more widespread adoption in response to climate and sustainability goals. This financial incentive, backed by measurement technologies and corporate interest in offset strengthens the economic case for regenerative farming.

Market Opportunity

Could Carbon Markets Become A Stable Extra Income Source For Farmers?

As firms and asset managers increasingly recognize the role of carbon credits in agriculture, methods to quantify soil carbon sequestration are becoming more robust and accepted. This shift enables farmers to monetize regenerative practices via verified credits, improving their income resilience and incentivizing sustainable methods.

Will Smart Tech Unlock Easier Farm Level Adoption?

Advanced data, remote sensing and AI are making it simpler for farmers to monitor soil health, crop diversity, and ecosystems effects, helping reduce risk and uncertainty in transitions. This ease of measurement and automation can drive more widespread adoption of regenerative systems across diverse geographies.

Limitations In The Regenerative Agriculture Market

Lack of robust standards and verification: there is uncertainty due to inconsistent systems for measuring soil health, biodiversity and carbon sequestration, which makes it hard for stakeholders to trusty claims or compare outcomes across farms.

High upfront investment and transition costs: moving from conventional to regenerative methods demands investment in new tools, changes in farming practices, training and sometimes short-term yield drops, which discourage many farmers from making the switch.

Regenerative Agriculture Market Segmentation Insights

By Practice Type Insights

Why Did The Soil Management Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The soil management segment dominated the market in 2024. This segment focuses on enhancing soil fertility, structure and biological activity through methods such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and compost application. Farmers are increasingly prioritizing soil management as it directly impacts yields stability, water retention, and carbon sequestration, making it foundational to all regenerative strategies. The adoption of advanced monitoring tools and advisory services further strengthens soil management practices, assuring that both large scale and small farms can implement them effectively. As sustainability and ecosystem restoration become central to agriculture, soil management continues to attract investments and attention, cementing its role as a dominant practice in the regenerative agriculture landscape.

The pest and disease management segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the market during the forecast period. This growth reflects an increasing focus on reducing chemical pesticide use while protecting crops through integrated pest management, biological controls, and disease resistant crop varieties. Farmers are adopting innovative solutions that minimize ecological disruption and enhance long term farm resilience. Technology and data analytics play a key role in predicting outbreaks and optimizing interventions, making pest and disease management more precise and effective.

By Product/Manufactured Inputs Insights

Why Did Fertilizers And Soil Amendments Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The fertilizers and soil amendments segment dominated the market in 2024. These inputs are crucial for replenishing soil nutrients while supporting sustainable crop growth, and they play a central role in implementing regenerative practices. Farmers are increasingly moving away from synthetic chemicals toward organic or naturally derived amendments that improve soil fertility, water retention, and microbial activity. The segment benefits from rising awareness of sustainable farming and government policies encouraging environmentally friendly inputs. Advisory services and agronomic guidance further help farmers optimize the use of fertilizers and soil amendments, making this segment a dominant contributor to the markets overall adoption.

The biologicals and bio stimulants segment is projected to experience the highest growth rate in the market during the forecast period. These products support plant growth by enhancing natural biological processes, increasing nutrient uptake, and improving resistance to stress and disease. Growing interest in reducing chemical dependency and promoting ecological sustainability is driving demand for these innovative solutions. Farmers are also leveraging precision application technologies to maximize the effectiveness of biological inputs while minimizing costs. Combined with supportive policies and increasing consumer preference for sustainably produced food, the biologicals and bio stimulants segment represents a high potential growth area in regenerative agriculture.

By Technology/Tools Insights

Why Did Data Platforms And Analytics Tools Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The data platforms and analytics tools segment captured the biggest portion of the market in 2024. These technologies allow farmers to monitor soil health, crop performance, and environmental impacts in real time, supporting informed decisions on planting, irrigation, and input management. Integration with AI and machine learning enhances predictive insights, helping implement regenerative practices more efficiently and with higher success rates. Farmers, consultant, and agribusinesses increasingly rely on data analytics to verify outcomes and improve operational sustainability. As technology adoption grows, data platforms continue to play a central role in enabling scalable regenerative agriculture practices.

The precision application hardware segment expects the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period. This equipment allows farmers to apply inputs such as fertilizers, bio stimulants, or water precisely where needed, reducing waste and enhancing soil and crop health. Coupled with monitoring technologies, precision hardware improves efficiency, sustainability, and economic outcomes for farms of all sizes. Growing interest in digital and smart farming solutions is further accelerating the adoption of precision hardware in regenerative agriculture.

By Service And Business Model Insights:

Why Did Advisory and Agronomic Consulting Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The advisory and agronomic consulting segment dominated the market in 2024. These services provide critical guidance to farmers on implementing regenerative practices, evaluating soil health, and adopting sustainable inputs. Consultants helps farms transition from conventional methods, assuring that practices like crop rotation, cover cropping, and integrated pest management are tailored to specific conditions.

The carbon project development and crediting segment is set to experience the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period. Framers can now earn additional income by verifying soil carbon sequestration and selling carbon credits, incentives the adoption of regenerative practices. Digital tools and monitoring systems ensure accurate reporting and compliance with standards. Corporate and government interest in carbon neutrality is fuelling demand for such programs, creating opportunities for farmers and service providers alike.

By Crop/ Production Type Insights

Why Did Raw Crops Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The raw crops segment maintained a leading position in the market in 2024. Raw crops such as grains, cereals, and pulses from the backbone of regenerative agriculture because they benefit directly from soil management, crop rotation, and reduced chemical inputs. Large scale cultivation of raw crops provides opportunities to demonstrate the impact of regenerative practices on yield, soil fertility, and biodiversity. Farmers are increasingly applying regenerative methods to raw crops to ensure long term soil health and productivity.

The horticulture and vegetables segment is projected to expand rapidly in the market during the forecast period. Farmers are turning to regenerative practices for vegetables and fruits to enhance soil nutrition, improve pest management, and meet the rising demand for sustainable produce. Innovative techniques, including integrated pest management and biological inputs, are increasingly applied to these high value crops. The growing consumer preference for healthy, eco-friendly produce is driving adoption, making this segment a key growth area.

By End Use Industry Insights

Why Did Food And Beverage Segment Dominated The Regenerative Agriculture Market?

The food and beverage segment led the market in 2024. This segment captures demand from consumers seeking sustainably produced and organic products. Companies in this sector are increasingly sourcing ingredients grown under regenerative practices to meet environmental commitments and consumer expectation. The focus on sustainable sourcing drives investment in farms that adopt regenerative methods, supporting broader market growth.

The retail and CPG brands segment is anticipated to grow with the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. These companies are increasingly partnering with regenerative farms to secure sustainably produced ingredients for their products. Marketing claims of environmental responsibility carbon reduction are boosting demand for regenerative inputs. Technological and certification frameworks are enabling faster adoption and traceability.

By Regional Insights

Why Is North America Dominating the Regenerative Agriculture Market?

North America dominated the regenerative agriculture market in 2024. This leadership is attributed to several factors, including the regions strong policy support, significant investments in sustainable farming practices, and the presence of major agribusinesses committed to regenerative methods. The adoption of regenerative practices is further propelled by consumer demand for sustainably produced food and beverages. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies such as data analytics and precision agriculture tools has enhanced the efficiency and scalability of regenerative farming I North America. These combined efforts position North America as a key player in the global regenerative agriculture landscape.

The United States is a primary driver of innovation in regenerative agriculture. The countrys vast agriculture landscape, coupled with supportive federal and state policies, has facilitated the widespread adoption of regenerative practices. U.S. farmers are increasingly implementing techniques such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and integrated livestock systems to improve soil health and biodiversity.

Asia Pacific Regenerative Agriculture Market analysis

The Asia Pacific regenerative agriculture industry is expected to be the fastest growing segment, with a CAGR of 28% over the forecast period. The rise of conscious consumerism and domestic markets for sustainable food is beginning to influence agricultural practices across urban and peri-urban Asia. As middle classes grow and awareness of environmental and health issues increases, more consumers are seeking food that is locally grown, chemical-free, and linked to ethical land use. Regenerative agriculture meets this demand and is gaining traction in food labeling, farm-to-table movements, organic markets, and certification schemes. This consumer shift, although still emerging, is helping to establish market-driven incentives for farmers to adopt regenerative methods and differentiate their products based on sustainability credentials.

The regenerative agriculture industry in China is projected to grow during the forecast period. The severe degradation of farmland across major agricultural regions, where intensive monocropping, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and unsustainable irrigation have led to declining soil fertility, water contamination, and reduced biodiversity. Northern and central China are experiencing significant topsoil loss and desertification. Regenerative agriculture is being explored as a restorative approach that can rebuild soil health, increase organic matter, and reduce chemical dependence. Through practices such as intercropping, cover cropping, and agro ecological livestock integration, regenerative farming is emerging as a potential solution to restore environmental balance while maintaining productivity in a country with limited arable land and immense food security needs.

Europe Regenerative Agriculture Market Trends

The regenerative agriculture industry in Europe is expected to grow during the forecast period. Europes strong network of research institutions, innovation hubs, and farmer-led movements is facilitating the growth of the regenerative agriculture market. Universities and agri-research centers across Europe are conducting region-specific studies on the effectiveness of regenerative practices, providing farmers with localized data and recommendations. Simultaneously, grassroots initiatives, cooperatives, and NGOs promote regenerative education, peer-to-peer learning, and field trials. This bottom-up momentum complements top-down policy support, creating a robust ecosystem that supports the adoption, innovation, and scalability of regenerative agriculture throughout the continent.

The regenerative agriculture industry in the UK is expected to grow during the forecast period. The increasing urgency of climate adaptation and net-zero commitments also pushes regenerative agriculture to the forefront of national land use discussions. As the UK government works toward its legal obligation to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, agricultural emissions, particularly those related to fertilizer use, soil carbon loss, and livestock, are under intense scrutiny. Regenerative practices are being recognized as critical tools for carbon sequestration, methane reduction, and improved natural carbon sinks. Soil-based carbon offsetting and nature-based solutions are part of wider carbon accounting strategies, and farmers practicing regenerative methods are well-positioned to benefit from emerging carbon markets and sustainability-linked finance schemes.

Is Latin America Margining as A Hub for Regenerative Agricultural?

Latin America is experiencing rapid growth in regenerative agriculture in between 2025 to 2034. Countries in the region are increasingly adopting sustainable farming practices to combat soil degradation, improve water management, and restore biodiversity. This shift is supported by both governmental initiates and private sector investments aimed at promoting ecological reliance and sustainable livelihoods. The regions rich biodiversity and vast agriculture landscapes provide a unique opportunity to implement regenerative practices on a large scale.

Regenerative Agriculture Market Top Companies

Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.  Pioneers no-till drills and vertical tillage systems that reduce soil disturbance and improve moisture retention.

 Pioneers no-till drills and vertical tillage systems that reduce soil disturbance and improve moisture retention. Kverneland Group AS  Offers precision farming equipment and conservation tillage tools that support soil health and input efficiency.

 Offers precision farming equipment and conservation tillage tools that support soil health and input efficiency. Horsch Maschinen GmbH  Develops advanced seeding and soil management systems to promote residue retention and microbial activity.

 Develops advanced seeding and soil management systems to promote residue retention and microbial activity. Amazone GmbH & Co. KG  Produces low-impact tillage, precise nutrient application, and cover crop seeding technology.

 Produces low-impact tillage, precise nutrient application, and cover crop seeding technology. Vermeer Corporation  Provides hay and composting equipment that supports soil-building and organic matter integration in regenerative systems.

 Provides hay and composting equipment that supports soil-building and organic matter integration in regenerative systems. Corteva Agriscience  Invests in cover crops, diverse seed genetics, and digital tools promoting sustainable rotations.

 Invests in cover crops, diverse seed genetics, and digital tools promoting sustainable rotations. Bayer CropScience  Supports carbon farming initiatives and regenerative practices through Climate FieldView.

 Supports carbon farming initiatives and regenerative practices through Climate FieldView. Syngenta Group  Promotes soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration via its Regenerative Agriculture Program.

 Promotes soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration via its Regenerative Agriculture Program. BASF Agricultural Solutions  Offers biologicals and promotes low-input farming systems.

 Offers biologicals and promotes low-input farming systems. Novozymes A/S  Produces microbial inoculants that enhance soil health and reduce synthetic inputs.

More Insights in Towards Chemical and Materials:

Fertilizers Market : The global fertilizers market volume reached 193.20 million tons in 2024 and is projected to hit around 262.18 million tons by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 3.10% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.



The global volume reached 193.20 million tons in 2024 and is projected to hit around 262.18 million tons by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 3.10% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. Specialty Fertilizers Market : The global specialty fertilizers market volume was reached at 30.23 million tons in 2024 and is expected to be worth around 49.33 million tons by 2034, exhibiting at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.02% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034.



The global volume was reached at 30.23 million tons in 2024 and is expected to be worth around 49.33 million tons by 2034, exhibiting at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.02% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034. Enzymes Market : The global enzymes market volume was valued at 746.40 kilo tons in 2024 and is estimated to hit around 1343.40 kilo tons by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.05% during the forecast period 2025 to 2034.

The global volume was valued at 746.40 kilo tons in 2024 and is estimated to hit around 1343.40 kilo tons by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.05% during the forecast period 2025 to 2034. Industrial Enzymes Market ; The global industrial enzymes market size reached USD 8.19 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit around USD 16.04 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 6.95% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.

The global size reached USD 8.19 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit around USD 16.04 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 6.95% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. Ammonia Market : The global ammonia market volume was valued at 150.10 million tons in 2024 and is growing to approximately 190.20 million tons by 2034, with a developing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.40% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034.

The global volume was valued at 150.10 million tons in 2024 and is growing to approximately 190.20 million tons by 2034, with a developing compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.40% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034. U.S. Ammonia Market : The U.S. ammonia market surpassed USD 18.85 billion in 2024 and is estimated to hit around USD 31.65 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 5.32% from 2025 to 2034.

The surpassed USD 18.85 billion in 2024 and is estimated to hit around USD 31.65 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 5.32% from 2025 to 2034. Phosphate Fertilizers Market ; The global phosphate fertilizers market size is calculated at USD 70.11 billion in 2024, grew to USD 74.28 billion in 2025, and is projected to reach around USD 124.97 billion by 2034. The market is expanding at a CAGR of 5.95% between 2025 and 2034.

The global size is calculated at USD 70.11 billion in 2024, grew to USD 74.28 billion in 2025, and is projected to reach around USD 124.97 billion by 2034. The market is expanding at a CAGR of 5.95% between 2025 and 2034. Controlled Release Fertilizers Market : The global controlled release fertilizers market size was reached at USD 2.50 billion in 2024 and is expected to be worth around USD 4.49 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.02% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034.

The global size was reached at USD 2.50 billion in 2024 and is expected to be worth around USD 4.49 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.02% over the forecast period 2025 to 2034. Asia Pacific Fertilizers Market : The Asia Pacific fertilizers market size was valued at USD 168.71 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 313.44 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.39% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.

The size was valued at USD 168.71 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 313.44 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.39% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. U.S. Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market : The u.s nitrogenous fertilizers market was valued at approximately 12,151.6 kilo tons in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.53% from 2025 to 2034, reaching a value of USD 15,600.66 kilo tons by 2034.

The was valued at approximately 12,151.6 kilo tons in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.53% from 2025 to 2034, reaching a value of USD 15,600.66 kilo tons by 2034. U.S. Smart Plastics In Precision Agriculture Market : The U.S. smart plastics in precision agriculture-market size was valued at USD 485.19 million in 2024, grew to USD 539.29 million in 2025, and is expected to hit around USD 1,396.39 million by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.15% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.

was valued at USD 485.19 million in 2024, grew to USD 539.29 million in 2025, and is expected to hit around USD 1,396.39 million by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.15% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034. Agricultural Enzymes Market : The global agricultural enzymes market size was valued at USD 619.13 million in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 675.53 million in 2025 to USD 1480.56 million by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.11% during the forecast period.

The global size was valued at USD 619.13 million in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 675.53 million in 2025 to USD 1480.56 million by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.11% during the forecast period. U.S. Enzymes Market : The U.S. enzymes market size was valued at USD 4.25 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 4.54 billion in 2025 to USD 8.17 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.75% during the forecast period.

Regenerative Agriculture Market Top Key Companies:

Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.

Kverneland Group AS

Horsch Maschinen GmbH

Amazone GmbH & Co. KG

Vermeer Corporation

Corteva Agriscience

Bayer CropScience

Syngenta Group

BASF Agricultural Solutions

Novozymes A/S

Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc.

Koppert Biological Systems

Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC

The Andersons, Inc.

Pacific Biochar Solutions

Heliae Development, LLC

Recent Developments

In March 2025, Indigo Ag partnered with Google to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, aiming to replenish nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water over the next seven years. As part of this initiative, Google has contributed USD 1.5 million to support the implementation of regenerative farming methods on enrolled farms in Oklahoma. This effort is expected to enhance soil moisture and improve water retention. Farmers are incentivized to adopt sustainable practices such as cover cropping and no-till farming through Indigo Ag's regenerative agriculture program, backed by Google.

In December 2024, Mars, Incorporated formed multi-year partnerships with suppliers, including ADM and Cargill, to advance regenerative agriculture within its pet nutrition operations across Europe. These collaborations aim to support farmers in countries such as Poland, Hungary, and the UK in adopting regenerative practices like crop rotation, reduced tillage, and cover crops. Through these initiatives, farmers will gain access to training, resources, and support, helping them build expertise and confidence while overcoming common barriers to implementation.

In April 2024, Nestle Purina partnered with Cargill to advance the use of regenerative agriculture within its soy and corn supply chains. This collaboration is focused on improving soil health and significantly cutting the carbon footprint of Purinas dry pet food products across North America. This initiative will implement regenerative farming practices across over 200,000 acres of corn and soy fields in the Midwest.

In September 2025, McDonalds announced a major investment to promote regenerative agriculture on U.S. cattle ranches, focusing on soil health, water conservation, and reduced chemical use. The initiative, in collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, supports ranchers through grants and involves partners like Cargill and Golden State Foods.

Regenerative Agriculture Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2019 to 2034. For this study, Towards Chemical and Materials has segmented the global Regenerative Agriculture Market

By Practice Type

Soil Management Cover cropping No-till / Reduced tillage Composting & organic soil amendments Biochar application Mulching & residue management

Crop Diversity & Rotation Multi-species rotations Intercropping Relay cropping

Water Management Micro-irrigation / drip systems Rainwater harvesting & on-farm storage Field-level runoff & infiltration control

Pest & Disease Management Integrated pest management (IPM) Habitat/beneficial insect management Biological control organism use

Livestock & Pasture Management Managed rotational grazing Adaptive multi-paddock grazing Silvopasture integration

Agroforestry & Perennial Integration Alley cropping Windbreaks & shelterbelts Riparian / buffer plantings

Landscape & Erosion Control Contour farming & terracing Grassed waterways & permanent groundcovers

Biodiversity & Habitat Restoration Hedgerows & pollinator corridors Wetland & riparian restoration



By Products / Manufactured Inputs

Seeds & Planting Material Cover crop seed blends Diverse/heritage seed mixes

Fertilizers & Soil Amendments Pelletized compost & organic fertilizers Biochar products Mineral/rock dust products

Biologicals & Biostimulants Microbial inoculants Plant growth promoting formulations Seaweed/algal extract products

Biopesticides & Natural Crop Protection Microbial pesticides Botanical extracts

Equipment & Machinery No-till planters & seeders Interseeders Portable grazing infrastructure

Soil & Crop Diagnostic Kits



By Technology & Tools

Field Sensing Hardware Soil moisture & nutrient sensors Weather & microclimate stations

Remote Sensing & Imagery Analytics Drone & satellite imagery platforms

Data Platforms & Analytics Tools Farm data integration & management software Carbon MRV tools (software)

Precision Application Hardware Variable-rate controllers & applicators

Traceability & Recordkeeping Systems



By Services & Business Models

Advisory & Agronomic Consulting

Certification & Audit Services

Carbon Project Development & Crediting

Training & Extension Programs

Financing, Insurance & Risk Mitigation Services

Equipment Leasing / Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS)

Market Aggregation & Offtake Facilitation



By Crop / Production Type

Row Crops (cereals, grains, oilseeds)

Horticulture & Vegetables (annual)

Orchard & Vineyards (perennial fruit)

Specialty Crops (coffee, cocoa, spices)

Pasture & Forage Systems

Mixed / Diversified Farms

Forestry & Agroforestry Systems



By End-Use Industry

Food & Beverage (human consumption)

Animal Feed & Livestock Industry

Retail & CPG Brands

Bioenergy & Biomaterials

Pharmaceutical / Nutraceutical Raw Materials

Carbon Credit / Ecosystem Service Buyers

By Regional

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa



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Houston, Texas, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PCCA proudly presented four prestigious awards recognizing excellence and leadership in pharmacy compounding to three compounding pharmacists and one compounding pharmacy technician during its ThinkNext: International Seminar 2025, held October 9-11 in The Woodlands, Texas. The awards celebrate individual achievements in innovation, advocacy, commitment to quality, patient care and industry leadership.

M. George Webber, PhD, Compounding Pharmacist of the Year

Peter Koshland, PharmD, FAPC, owner of Koshland Pharm: Custom Compounding Pharmacy in San Francisco, California, was named PCCAs 2025 M. George Webber, PhD, Compounding Pharmacist of the Year. The recipient of this award epitomizes the highest ideals of the profession, embodying a commitment to meeting patients unique needs while upholding the highest standards of quality and ethics.

PCCA CEO Gus Bassani, PharmD, presented the award with Precision Health Holdings CEO Jim Smith and Board Members Chick Armstrong and Bryan Sparks during the ThinkNext Awards Luncheon.

Peter is a visionary leader, a passionate advocate for the compounding pharmacy industry and a pharmacist whose commitment to excellence and integrity sets a standard for others to follow, Bassani said. His dedication to advancing the profession goes far beyond the walls of his own pharmacy. He is a vocal advocate for the industry, consistently engaging in dialogue about regulatory standards, quality assurance and patient care.

Koshland serves on the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC) board of directors and recently received its 2025 Malmberg Champion Award. A PCCA Concierge Compounding member and Advisory Council alumnus, he has collaborated closely with PCCA team members to emphasize the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients and maintaining consistent compounding practices. His leadership and advocacy align directly with PCCAs mission and standards, making him a deserving recipient of this honor.

Compounding Technician of the Year

Katie Albers, CPhT, FAPC, pharmacy manager and co-owner of Impact Compounding in Tipp City, Ohio, was honored as PCCAs 2025 USA Compounding Technician of the Year. This award recognizes technicians who demonstrate leadership in their pharmacy and actively promote compounding in their communities and among healthcare providers.

Katie is a shining star, said PCCA Senior Director of Member Relations Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, FAPC, who presented the award to Albers. As a technician/owner, she occupies a unique position within her pharmacy. Katie is never satisfied with the status quo and is always seeking ways to improve her business and patient outcomes. Shes known for her smart operational choices that elevate patient care and her never-ending pursuit of exemplary service to her patients and providers.

Since becoming a PCCA member, Albers has built strong relationships with fellow Concierge Compounding program members, engaged actively in education and developed innovative strategies to strengthen pharmacy operations. Her leadership, technical skill and patient-first approach exemplify the spirit of this award.

L. David Sparks Advocacy Award

Dawn Ipsen, PharmD, FAPC, FACA, owner and pharmacist of Kusler's Compounding Pharmacy in Snohomish, Washington, and Clarks Compounding Pharmacy in Bellevue, Washington, was honored as recipient of the 2025 L. David Sparks Advocacy Award. Created in 2021, this PCCA award recognizes those who passionately champion and advocate for compounding.

The award was presented by Precision Health Holdings Chief Strategy Officer Lizzie Harbin and Board Member Bryan Sparks, son of the awards namesake. David Sparks, formerly PCCA CEO, is now Chairman of the Board for Precision Health Holdings.

There are some people in this world who dont just meet the standard  they become the standard, Harbin said. Dawn is one of those rare individuals who isnt just worthy of this award  she lives it, exemplifies it and raises the bar for it every single day.

A relentless ambassador for compounding and PCCA, Dawns passion is infectious, Sparks said. She advocates for the profession at every opportunity  not for recognition, but because she genuinely believes in its ability to change lives.

Ipsens advocacy spans education, professional development and public policy. She was recently honored as the 2025 Allied Industry Partner of the Year for exceptional service by the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. Ipsen regularly hosts congressional visits and participates in national industry conferences, including PCCAs ACT Legislative Conference and APCs Compounders on Capitol Hill. Her commitment to advancing compounding pharmacy and empowering others through her mentorship reflects the spirit of this award.

George Roentsch, RPh, New Innovator Award

Matt Brensel, PharmD, vice president and compounding pharmacist at ScriptWorks Pharmacy in Walnut Creek, California, was honored as the recipient of the 2025 George Roentsch, RPh, New Innovator Award. This award is presented to a PCCA member who has been practicing compounding for less than five years and demonstrates a passion for innovation and the sharing of compounding concepts with fellow compounders.

The award was presented by PCCA Clinical Compounding Pharmacist Mark Gonzalez, PharmD.

George Roentsch set the bar high in the early development of compounding. In his short time in the field, Matt has already exemplified the innovation, collaboration and dedication that this award honors, said Gonzalez, when presenting the award. He integrates clinical pharmacy with compounding pharmacy  developing therapies that match exactly what patients need and backing his recommendations with clinical rationale.

Brensel has implemented new systems at ScriptWorks to improve workflow, accuracy and patient care while ensuring regulatory compliance. Known for his collaborative spirit, he shares insights and solutions with peers across PCCA and, especially, within his Concierge Compounding group. His innovative mindset and commitment to patient-centered practice make him a standout among those new to compounding.

ABOUT PCCA

PCCA supports the creation of personalized medicine and innovative products that make a difference in patients lives. As a complete resource for independent compounding pharmacies and health systems, PCCA provides high-quality products, education and support to more than 3,000 pharmacy members throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries around the world. Incorporated in 1981 by a network of pharmacists, PCCA has supported pharmacy compounding for more than 40 years. Learn more at pccarx.com

ABOUT PRECISION HEALTH HOLDINGS

Precision Health Holdings is the strategic holding company uniting a family of healthcare innovators  including PCCA, Eagle, Wilcrest Pharma and Curive Healthcare  to advance the science and practice of personalized medicine. Guided by its vision to make personalized medicine a standard of care for patients everywhere, the company provides shared leadership, capital resources and strategic alignment that enable each business to grow, collaborate and deliver meaningful impact. Its mission is to improve and extend patients lives by bringing innovative approaches to solve health challenges  building a stronger, more integrated enterprise that drives quality, innovation and value across the healthcare spectrum.

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Dublin, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Indium Gallium Arsenide Sensors Market - Global Forecast 2025-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Indium gallium arsenide sensors are transforming photonics by delivering high-performance near-infrared detection required across sectors including telecommunications, medical diagnostics, and industrial automation. Senior decision-makers now see these sensors as pivotal in achieving robust, efficient, and next-generation photonic systems.

Market Snapshot: Indium Gallium Arsenide Sensors

The indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) sensor market is experiencing robust expansion, driven by surging integration in telecommunications, industrial inspection, medical imaging, and surveillance. With exceptional sensitivity across the 0.9-1.7 micrometer range, InGaAs sensors outperform traditional silicon alternatives for applications demanding high-speed, low-noise, and broad-spectrum performance. System architects are prioritizing these solutions to future-proof their infrastructure. Growth is further fuelled by advancements in epitaxial growth and uncooled sensor variants, removing conventional barriers to entry and enabling widespread adoption throughout diverse markets.

Tariff Impact on Supply Chains and Market Dynamics

The United States' 2025 tariffs on indium gallium arsenide components have increased supply chain complexity. Key suppliers are adjusting sourcing strategies, considering alternative geographies, and investing in domestic production to reduce risk. Companies are revisiting product portfolios to optimize value creation, while supply chain professionals seek cost-saving measures in logistics and enhanced compliance practices to maintain flow continuity. This environment demands renewed focus on supplier agility and strategic sourcing.

Conclusion

InGaAs sensors continue to set new standards in photonic performance and adaptability. Executives informed by this report can proactively position their organizations to capture future opportunities in an evolving, technology-driven market.

Key Takeaways for Senior Leaders

Recent advancements in epitaxial and wafer technology have improved array uniformity, enabling compact, high-resolution sensor designs without compromising performance .

Integrated smart readout circuitry and improved packaging, such as wafer-level vacuum sealing, are reducing noise and improving system reliability.

The prevalence of uncooled sensor variants has simplified system design and reduced costs, expanding addressable markets and applications.

Collaboration between hardware manufacturers and AI-focused software providers is enabling real-time insights and actionable analytics, critical for industries prioritizing rapid decision-making.

Regional trends reveal that North America leads in innovation and research, EMEA invests heavily in defense and healthcare applications, and Asia-Pacific leverages its large manufacturing base to drive high adoption, particularly in telecommunications and industrial applications.

Customization-whether for specialized detector types or wavelength ranges-remains a core differentiator, allowing companies to tailor solutions for rapidly changing application requirements.

Scope & Segmentation: Exploring Indium Gallium Arsenide Sensor Solutions

Applications: Fiber optic communication (including 1.06, 1.3, and 1.55 micrometer), industrial inspection (food and semiconductor quality), medical imaging (endoscopy, optical coherence tomography), night vision and surveillance (civilian, military), and spectroscopy & analysis (Fourier transform infrared, near-infrared, Raman spectroscopy).

Fiber optic communication (including 1.06, 1.3, and 1.55 micrometer), industrial inspection (food and semiconductor quality), medical imaging (endoscopy, optical coherence tomography), night vision and surveillance (civilian, military), and spectroscopy & analysis (Fourier transform infrared, near-infrared, Raman spectroscopy). End User Industries: Automotive, defense and security, healthcare, industrial, and telecommunications sectors.

Automotive, defense and security, healthcare, industrial, and telecommunications sectors. Detector Types: Avalanche photodiode (discrete and array), image sensor array (area and linear), and pin photodiode (discrete and array configurations).

Avalanche photodiode (discrete and array), image sensor array (area and linear), and pin photodiode (discrete and array configurations). Technologies: Cooled (liquid nitrogen, thermoelectric) and uncooled implementations.

Cooled (liquid nitrogen, thermoelectric) and uncooled implementations. Wavelength Ranges: 0.4-0.9 m, 0.9-1.7 m, and 1.7-2.6 m sensor designs matched to specific application requirements.

0.4-0.9 m, 0.9-1.7 m, and 1.7-2.6 m sensor designs matched to specific application requirements. Geographies: Americas (including key US states, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina), Europe, Middle East & Africa (from Western Europe to Africa and Middle East), and Asia-Pacific (spanning China, India, Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia).

Americas (including key US states, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina), Europe, Middle East & Africa (from Western Europe to Africa and Middle East), and Asia-Pacific (spanning China, India, Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia). Major Companies: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Lynred SA, Xenics NV, Sensors Unlimited, Inc., New Imaging Technologies SA, Gentec Electro-Optics Inc., Raptor Photonics Limited, Laser Components GmbH, II-VI Incorporated.

Why This Report Matters

Empowers executives to benchmark technology choices and supply chain strategies against industry leaders and market shifts.

Delivers actionable insights for agile investment, product development, and regional deployment by highlighting emerging opportunities and risks.

Provides a strategic lens for aligning R&D roadmaps and supplier relationships with evolving market requirements.

Market Dynamics

Adoption of InGaAs sensors in automotive lidar systems for enhanced long-range detection

Integration of wafer-level packaging technologies to reduce InGaAs sensor module costs and footprint

Advancements in quantum dot sensitization of InGaAs detectors for improved short-wave IR sensitivity

Development of hybrid InGaAs-CMOS focal plane arrays for high-speed SWIR video imaging applications

Implementation of large-area molecular beam epitaxy for scaling InGaAs wafer sizes to six inches

Use of InGaAs photodiodes in fiber-optic telecommunication networks for high-speed data transmission

Emerging applications of InGaAs sensors in non-invasive biomedical glucose and tissue analysis

Optimization of surface passivation techniques to minimize dark current in InGaAs detectors

Regulatory impact of export controls on the global supply of high-performance InGaAs imaging sensors

Adoption of InGaAs-based spectrometers in portable environmental monitoring and mineral exploration

Companies Featured

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated

Lynred SA

Xenics NV

Sensors Unlimited, Inc.

New Imaging Technologies SA

Gentec Electro-Optics Inc.

Raptor Photonics Limited

Laser Components GmbH

II-VI Incorporated

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ocqazx

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Hereby we announce the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (hereinafter  the Meeting) of AB Akola Group, registered address Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania, code 148030011, (hereinafter  the Company) is convened.

The date, time, and venue of the Meeting  31 October 2025 at 10.00 a.m., Radisson Collection Astorija Hotel, Conference Hall OPERA (Didzioji St. 35/2, Vilnius, Lithuania).

The accounting day of the Meeting is 24 October 2025. Only the persons who are the shareholders of the Company at the end of the Accounting day of the Meeting shall have the right to attend and vote at the Meeting.

The Rights Accounting Day is 14 November 2025. Only the persons who are the shareholders of the Company at the end of the Rights Accounting day shall have proprietary rights.

On the day the Meeting is convened the total number of the Companys shares is 167,170,481, and the number of shares granting voting rights is 166,573,819. The own shares in the amount of 596,662 acquired by the Company do not grant voting rights. The ISIN code of the Companys shares is LT0000128092.

Agenda of the Meeting:

Presentation of the Companys Audit Committee Activity Report, the Independent Auditors Report and the Independent Practitioners Limited Assurance Report on AB Akola Group Consolidated Sustainability Report. Approval of the Consolidated and the Companys Set of Financial Statements for the financial year ended 30 June 2025. Approval of acquisition of own shares. Formation of the reserve for acquiring its own shares. Approval of the Distribution of the Companys Profit/Loss. Approval of a new wording of the Remuneration Policy of the Company. Approval of a new wording of the Rules for Granting Shares of the Company.





The initiator of the convening of the Meeting is the Board of the Company.



The Meeting is convened by the decision of the Board of the Company, adopted on 10 October 2025.



Registration of the Shareholders of the Company starts on 31 October 2025 at 9.15 a.m.



Registration of the Shareholders of the Company ends 31 October 2025 at 9.55 a.m.

The Company does not provide a possibility to attend and vote at the Meeting through electronic means of communication.

Persons who at the end of the Accounting day of the Meeting will be shareholders of the Company, or their authorized persons, or persons with whom an agreement on the disposal of the voting right has been concluded, will have the right to personally participate and vote at the meeting.

A person attending the Meeting must submit a persons identification document. A person who is not a shareholder must additionally produce a document confirming his/her right to vote at the Meeting.

Each shareholder shall have a right in the manner established by the Laws to authorize a natural or legal person on his/her behalf to attend and vote at the Meeting. At the Meeting, an authorized person shall have the same rights as the shareholder represented by him/her, unless otherwise specified in the issued power of attorney. A power of attorney issued abroad must be translated into Lithuanian and legalized in the manner established by the Laws. The Company does not require a special form of power of attorney.

The agenda of the Meeting may be supplemented by an initiative of the shareholders holding shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes. The drafts of proposed decisions on proposed issues or, if the decision shall not be adopted, an explanation on each proposed issue of the agenda of the Meeting shall be presented alongside with the proposal to supplement the agenda of the Meeting. The proposal to supplement the agenda shall be submitted in writing by sending it by registered mail to AB Akola Group at the address Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania, or by e-mail info@akolagroup.lt. The agenda of the Meeting shall be supplemented if the proposal is received no later than 14 days before the Meeting.

The Supervisory Board, Board, shareholders of the Company who own shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes shall have the right at any time before the Meeting or during the Meeting to propose new draft decisions on the issue already included or to be included in the agenda of the Meeting. The proposed draft decisions, additional candidates for members of the Company's bodies, auditor or audit firm, independent assurance service provider must be presented in writing by sending them by registered mail to AB Akola Group at the address Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania, or by e-mail at info@akolagroup.lt, if the security of the transmitted information is ensured and the identity of individuals can be determined. The shareholders shall also be entitled to propose draft decisions on the agenda issues of the Meeting in writing during the Meeting.

The shareholders shall have the right to present questions related to the agenda issues of the Meeting to the Company. The questions in writing can be presented not later than 3 working days before the Meeting, by providing the shareholders personal identification number and consent to process personal data by registered mail to AB Akola Group at the address Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania. Responses of a general character shall be posted on the Companys website www.akolagroup.lt. The Company will not respond to the shareholder personally if the respective information is posted on the Companys website.

A shareholder or a person authorized by him/her shall have the right to vote in writing in advance by filling in the General Voting Ballot. Upon a written request of the shareholder holding the voting right, the Company shall send the General Voting Ballot by registered mail not later than ten days before the Meeting. The General Voting Ballot also will be provided on the Companys website www.akolagroup.lt. The filled-in General Voting Ballot must be signed by the shareholder or by the person authorized by him/her. If the person who is authorized by the shareholder is voting, the document confirming the right to vote must be attached to the filled-in General Voting Ballot. The document confirming the voting right must be in Lithuanian or translated into Lithuanian by an authorized translator, and his/her signature must be confirmed by notaries. The filled-in General Voting Ballot and the document confirming the voting right must be submitted to the Company in written form not later than the last working day before the Meeting, by sending it by registered mail to AB Akola Group at the address Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania or personally to the Company; documents signed with a qualified electronic signature can be sent by e-mail at info@akolagroup.lt.

The shareholders can familiarize themselves with the documents, related to the agenda of the Meeting, draft decisions on each issue of the agenda, documents to be submitted to the Meeting, and other information regarding the execution of the shareholders rights, on the website of the Company www.akolagroup.lt, also on arrival at Subaciaus St. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania during business days at the time agreed in advance by phone number +370 663 83888 only.

Sincerely,

CEO Darius Zubas

Note. In accordance with the Article 373 (5) of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, all management reports/annual reports containing information on remuneration and approved after 28 October 2022 are hereby submitted:

For more information:

Mazvydas Sileika, CFO and Member of the Board of AB Akola Group

E-mail m.sileika@akolagroup.lt

Mob. +370 619 19 403

Attachments
Dublin, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "AI Disinformation & Security in Asia/China/India/Russia Zone 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This comprehensive 412-page intelligence report provides a detailed assessment of artificial intelligence-powered disinformation threats across the Asia/China/India/Russia zone through 2026. Drawing on analysis of 573 documented campaigns across the region, the report identifies critical vulnerabilities, emerging threat vectors, and strategic implications for regional security, governance systems, economic stability, and social cohesion.



The assessment reveals a 400-600% projected increase in AI disinformation campaigns by 2026, with sophisticated operations targeting territorial disputes, governance model competition, economic relationships, alliance structures, and domestic stability. The report documents the emergence of state-sponsored AI disinformation infrastructure, Disinformation-as-a-Service (DaaS) providers, and increasingly autonomous synthetic content generation capabilities that fundamentally challenge information integrity across the region.



Key findings include:

Scale & Sophistication: Documented AI disinformation campaigns have increased 350-500% since 2023, with projections of 400-600% growth by Q4 2026.

State Actor Dominance: China, Russia, and India have emerged as primary architects of sophisticated AI disinformation infrastructure.

Territorial Dispute Focus: 62% of documented campaigns center on territorial sovereignty disputes.

Governance Model Competition: Competing narratives around democratic versus authoritarian governance models represent a primary battleground.

Quantum-AI Convergence: The integration of quantum computing with AI systems by 2026 will enable unprecedented computational capacity.

Financial Market Targeting: Markets across Asia have experienced unprecedented volatility due to synthetic information campaigns.

Detection Horizon Breach: The technological capabilities gap between offensive and defensive measures is growing.

The report includes detailed country case studies for China, Russia, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam, examining their unique vulnerability factors and strategic targeting patterns.



This intelligence report draws on technical analysis of 112 distinct AI systems, documentation of 573 disinformation campaigns, interviews with 157 regional experts, comparative analysis of vulnerability factors, and predictive modeling of capability evolution and strategic implications through 2026.



Countries analyzed in the report:

Australia

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Brunei

Cambodia

China

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Macau

Malaysia

Maldives

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nepal

New Zealand

North Korea

Pakistan

Philippines

Russia

Singapore

South Korea

Sri Lanka

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Thailand

Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1: Executive Overview

Current landscape assessment

DaaS market analysis

Threat actor ecosystem mapping

2026-2030 projection framework

Strategic implications for regional security

Chapter 2: Critical Risk Alerts

Campaign volume growth (400-600%)

Territorial dispute amplification

Financial market manipulation

Alliance fracturing operations

Critical infrastructure manipulation

Chapter 3: Ecosystem Mapping

Actor network analysis

Capability flow patterns

Infrastructure assessment

Target prioritization patterns

Ecosystem adaptation mechanisms

Chapter 4: Technologies

Generative AI systems with 95%+ facial recognition evasion

LLM-powered propaganda in 27+ Asian languages

Bot armies with 20,000+ coordinated accounts

Quantum-AI convergence capabilities

Real-time content generation systems

Chapter 5: Evolution of Operations

Evolution from human to AI-powered operations

Hybrid human-machine operations

Fully autonomous systems

Attribution challenges

Operational cost structures

Chapter 6: Strategic Battlegrounds

Geopolitical contestation zones

Territorial sovereignty disputes

Technological competition arenas

Governance model competition

Economic battlegrounds

Appendix E: Country Case Studies

China: "Three Warfares" doctrine with AI integration

Russia: Opportunistic disruption strategy

India: Defensive prioritization with democratic identity emphasis

Japan: Advanced defensive posture

South Korea: Peninsula dynamics and alliance management

Taiwan: Primary information battleground

Australia: Democratic resilience model

Pakistan: Resource-constrained operations

Indonesia: Emerging capability development

Vietnam: Asymmetric response strategies

Companies Featured

OpenAI

Anthropic

Google DeepMind

Meta AI

Microsoft

NVIDIA

Stability AI

Midjourney

Huawei

Baidu

Tencent

SenseTime

Yandex

Kaspersky

Group-IB

Darktrace

CrowdStrike

FireEye

Recorded Future

Graphika

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yal9p4

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Dublin, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "AI Disinformation & Security in South America & Caribbean Zone 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This comprehensive 412-page intelligence report provides a detailed assessment of artificial intelligence-powered disinformation threats across South America and the Caribbean through 2026. Drawing on analysis of 247 documented campaigns across 33 countries and territories, the report identifies critical vulnerabilities, emerging threat vectors, and strategic implications for regional security, democratic governance, economic stability, and social cohesion.



The assessment reveals a 350-550% projected increase in AI disinformation campaigns by 2026, with sophisticated operations targeting electoral processes, economic policies, social movements, and regional integration efforts. The report documents the emergence of state-sponsored AI disinformation infrastructure, Disinformation-as-a-Service (DaaS) providers, and increasingly autonomous synthetic content generation capabilities that fundamentally challenge information integrity across the region.

The report includes a comprehensive tiered analysis of countries and territories across South America and the Caribbean, with detailed vulnerability assessments for each, examining their unique vulnerability factors and strategic targeting patterns.This intelligence report draws on technical analysis of 78 distinct AI systems, documentation of 247 disinformation campaigns, interviews with 112 regional experts, comparative analysis of vulnerability factors, and predictive modeling of capability evolution and strategic implications through 2026.



Key findings include:

Scale & Sophistication: Documented AI disinformation campaigns have increased 250-400% since 2023, with projections of 350-550% growth by Q4 2026.

Regional Variation: Stark contrasts exist between countries with sophisticated state-sponsored operations and those with primarily electoral-focused campaigns.

WhatsApp Centrality: The region has developed distinctive capabilities optimized for WhatsApp as a primary disinformation vector.

State-Sponsored Infrastructure: Venezuela has emerged as a regional leader in state-sponsored disinformation.

External Actor Competition: Russia, China, and the United States engage in competitive influence operations across the region.

Democratic Targeting: Several countries have seen disinformation operations explicitly targeting democratic institutions.

Indigenous Language Exploitation: An emerging threat vector involves AI-generated disinformation in indigenous languages.

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1: Executive Overview

Current landscape assessment

DaaS market analysis

Threat actor ecosystem mapping

2026-2030 projection framework

Strategic implications for regional security

Chapter 2: Critical Risk Alerts

Electoral integrity degradation

Economic narrative manipulation

Social movement infiltration

Regional integration undermining

External influence competition

Chapter 3: Ecosystem Mapping

Actor network analysis

Capability flow patterns

Infrastructure assessment

Target prioritization patterns

Ecosystem adaptation mechanisms

Chapter 4: Technologies

Generative AI deepfakes

LLM-powered propaganda in Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages

WhatsApp-optimized distribution systems

Bot armies with 12,000+ coordinated accounts

Real-time content generation capabilities

Chapter 5: Evolution of Operations

Evolution from human to AI-powered operations

Hybrid human-machine operations

Fully autonomous systems

Attribution challenges

Operational cost structures

Chapter 6: Why South America & Caribbean Are Targets

Democratic transition vulnerabilities

Resource competition dynamics

Geopolitical positioning

Economic development narratives

Regional integration politics

Appendix E: Country Case Studies

Brazil: Political polarization exploitation

Venezuela: "Communicational Hegemony" doctrine

Colombia: Peace process narrative manipulation

Argentina: Economic crisis narrative exploitation

Mexico: Electoral integrity challenges

Chile: Constitutional reform targeting

Cuba: External influence operations

Peru: Institutional legitimacy undermining

Dominican Republic: Tourism sector targeting

Jamaica: Economic development narrative manipulation

Companies Featured

OpenAI

Anthropic

Google DeepMind

Meta AI

Microsoft

NVIDIA

Stability AI

Midjourney

Huawei

Baidu

Tencent

SenseTime

Yandex

Kaspersky

Group-IB

Darktrace

CrowdStrike

FireEye

Recorded Future

Graphika

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ixbu1n

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Dublin, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "AI Disinformation & Security in Africa & Middle East Zone 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This comprehensive 412-page intelligence report provides a detailed assessment of artificial intelligence-powered disinformation threats across Africa and the Middle East through 2026. Drawing on analysis of 189 documented campaigns across 39 African countries and 15 Middle Eastern nations, the report identifies critical vulnerabilities, emerging threat vectors, and strategic implications for regional security, democratic governance, economic stability, and social cohesion.



The assessment reveals a 400-600% projected increase in AI disinformation campaigns by 2026, with sophisticated operations targeting electoral processes, sectarian divisions, resource competition, and regional conflicts. The report documents the emergence of state-sponsored AI disinformation infrastructure, Disinformation-as-a-Service (DaaS) providers, and increasingly autonomous synthetic content generation capabilities that fundamentally challenge information integrity across the region.

The report includes detailed country case studies for Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, UAE, Morocco, Tunisia, and Qatar, examining their unique vulnerability factors and strategic targeting patterns.This intelligence report draws on technical analysis of 89 distinct AI systems, documentation of 189 disinformation campaigns, interviews with 127 regional experts, comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks, and predictive modeling of capability evolution and strategic implications through 2026.



Key findings include:

Scale & Sophistication: Documented AI disinformation campaigns have increased 350-500% since 2023, with projections of 400-600% growth by Q4 2026.

Regional Vulnerability Patterns: Digital transformation dynamics create distinctive vulnerability patterns across the region.

State Actor Dominance: Russia, China, UAE, and Saudi Arabia have emerged as primary architects of sophisticated AI disinformation infrastructure.

Electoral Targeting: 17 upcoming elections identified as high-priority targets for interference campaigns.

Resource Competition Focus: 42% of documented campaigns center on natural resource narratives.

Sectarian Division Exploitation: AI-generated content increasingly targets religious and ethnic divisions with unprecedented precision.

Detection Challenges: The gap between generation and detection capabilities is widening.

Countries analyzed in the report:

Algeria

Angola

Bahrain

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Congo

Djibouti

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Ivory Coast

Jordan

Kenya

Kuwait

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mauritania

Mauritius

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Oman

Palestine

Qatar

Rwanda

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

South Sudan

Sudan

Swaziland

Syria

Tanzania

Togo

Tunisia

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1: Executive Overview

Current landscape assessment

DaaS market analysis

Threat actor ecosystem mapping

2026-2030 projection framework

Strategic implications for regional security

Chapter 2: Critical Risk Alerts

Exponential growth in AI disinformation campaigns

Market manipulation through synthetic information

Youth radicalization via AI-powered echo chambers

Corporate unpreparedness for synthetic threats

AI + Quantum convergence threats

Chapter 3: Ecosystem Mapping

Actor network analysis

Capability flow patterns

Infrastructure assessment

Target prioritization patterns

Ecosystem adaptation mechanisms

Chapter 4: Technologies

Generative AI deepfakes

LLM-powered propaganda in 40+ African languages

Bot armies with 10,000+ coordinated accounts

AI + Quantum convergence threats

Real-time content generation capabilities

Chapter 5: Troll to AI Farms

Evolution from human to AI-powered operations

Hybrid human-machine operations

Fully autonomous systems

Attribution challenges

Operational cost structures

Chapter 6: Why Africa & Middle East Are Targets

Fragile democratic institutions

Energy market significance

Sectarian and ethnic division opportunities

Youth population vulnerability

Limited detection infrastructure

Appendix E: Country Case Studies

Egypt: Information control during economic transition

Nigeria: Electoral integrity under AI disinformation pressure

Saudi Arabia: Strategic narrative management in Vision 2030 context

Kenya: Youth mobilization and digital tribalism

South Africa: Economic narrative manipulation

Ethiopia: Conflict amplification dynamics

UAE: Financial market targeting

Morocco: Territorial dispute narratives

Tunisia: Democratic transition pressures

Qatar: Regional influence competition

Companies Featured

OpenAI

Anthropic

Google DeepMind

Meta AI

Microsoft

NVIDIA

Stability AI

Midjourney

Huawei

Baidu

Tencent

SenseTime

Yandex

Kaspersky

Group-IB

Darktrace

CrowdStrike

FireEye

Recorded Future

Graphika

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About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
West Hollywood, Ca, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last night, MISTR lit up The Abbey in West Hollywood to launch the inaugural National PrEP Day with a star-powered Blue Carpet Countdown event. Today, October 10, marks the first-ever National PrEP Day, a bold campaign with the goal of enrolling 10,000 new people on PrEP in just 10 days to help end HIV in America.

Hosted by Bob the Drag Queen, and MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft, the evening combined drag brilliance, surprise performances, and global star power to spotlight the urgency of HIV prevention.

Last night was glitter, drag, Dua Lipa, Diplo, and pure joy, and it was history, said Tristan Schukraft, Founder and CEO of MISTR. National PrEP Day is bigger than a party. It was community, sex positivity, and healthcare all in one room. When we come together without shame, we can save lives and finally put an end to HIV.

Just before midnight on the East Coast, a lineup of drag all-stars paid tribute to Dua Lipa. Symone (Break My Heart),Aquaria (Physical), Trinity the Tuck (Training Season), Shea Coulee (Levitating), and Plastique Tiara (Dance the Night) each brought their own Dua fantasy to life before joining together for a group number. Then came the nights biggest surprise: Dua Lipa herself took the stage, stunning the audience with live performances of New Rules, Dont Start Now, and Houdini. With dancers and queens joining her for a glitter-filled finale, the surprise became the highlight of a night built on unity, visibility, and celebration.

As the countdown to the official start of National PrEP Day hit midnight on the East Coast, The Abbey erupted in confetti, glitter, and cheers. Diplo kept the dance floor packed late into the night, followed by an after-party with SG Lewis. Celebrities and influencers joined the celebration, including Cardi B, Demi Lovato, Omar Apollo, Matt Bomer, Kim Petras, Todrick Hall, Tom Daley, Cynthia Bailey, Nene Leakes, Zane Phillips, TS Madison, Jake Jonez, Colton Haynes, Sam Asghari, Tamar Braxton, Colton Underwood, Cooper Koch, Jonathan Bennett, David Furnish, Bianca del Rio, Alyssa Edwards, Willam, and many more.

After partying with the MISTR boys on the dance floor, Cardi B offered her support for National PrEP Day, Sexual health should be easy and zero shame. Thats why Im rocking with MISTR & SISTR! Even if you dont have insurance, its free! Safe, smart, and for the community.

Demi Lovato popped into the DJ booth during Diplos set to debut her new single, Kiss and Kim Petras danced with joy as Joey with the Mustache played Freak It.

National PrEP Day Campaign

The countdown event capped a 10-day national campaign from MISTR and SISTR. Beginning October 1, daily social media PSAs rolled out featuring LGBTQ+ and allied voices including Cynthia Bailey, Frankie Grande, Colton Haynes, Tamar Braxton, Adam Lambert, Tom Daley, Sasha Colby, Joel Kim Booster, Jake Jonez, Kyle Krieger, and Bruno Alcantara. Watch the supercut here (link tbd)

MISTR hosted National PrEP Day events in 15 cities nationwdide, including New York, Miami, Dallas, San Juan, Atlanta, and San Francisco, celebrating PrEP access, sexual health equity, and community. Many of these cities are priority HIV jurisdictions identified under the Presidents Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative. The Cities of Fort Lauderdale, West Hollywood, Wilton Manors, Washington, D.C., and New York City issued official proclamations recognizing National PrEP Day, while a bipartisan group of leaders from California, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and Texas released public statements of support.

About PrEP + DoxyPEP

MISTR and SISTR are the only national platforms to provide totally free PrEP with or without insurance. They cover the labs, consultations, prescriptions and shipping, making prevention completely free. Even if you dont have insurance, its free. And if you do, getting your PrEP through MISTR or SISTR helps cover the cost for uninsured patients.

In addition to PrEP, patients can also choose to bundle DoxyPEP, an innovative new tool for STI prevention. DoxyPEP is a single dose of doxycycline (an antibiotic) taken within 72 hours after sex, which has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Together, PrEP and DoxyPEP provide next-level protection and are available for free through MISTR and SISTR.

MISTR and SISTR are also now enrolling patients to be among the first in the nation to access long-acting injectable PrEP, marketed as Yeztugo, a powerful new option that protects against HIV with just one shot every six months. MISTR has already built the infrastructure with storefronts in key LGBTQ+ neighborhoods ready to offer injections as soon as its cleared in each state. If youre interested in injectable PrEP sign up at mistr.com/yeztugo.

Sign up for free online PrEP at mistr.com or sistr.com.

# # #

High resolution images are available here.

See below for full list of statements from political leaders

ABOUT MISTR

MISTR is a telemedicine platform offering free online access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), DoxyPEP, STI testing, Hepatitis C testing and treatment and long-term HIV care in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Gay owned and operated, MISTR has brought together a network of the best doctors, pharmacists, and problem solvers to make HIV prevention and care available to all who need it. No doctors office, no paperwork and free delivery. Visit mistr.com, or its' companion platform sistr.com.

National PrEP Day

Elected Official Press Statements

PREP is a critical component in the overall strategy to eliminate HIV and AIDS worldwide. We now have the tools to prevent the spread of HIV. We need to make sure everyone has access to HIV testing and access to prevention tools such as PREP and condoms. And we need to ensure people who are infected have access to treatment. The availability of PREP has been a game changer for stopping the spread of HIV.

Vice Mayor John Heilman, West Hollywood, California

West Hollywood has always led the way in the fight against HIV, and on National PrEP Day, were proud to keep that legacy going. PrEP changes lives. It gives people control over their health and peace of mind about their future. But access matters. Thats why West Hollywood keeps pushing for prevention thats free, stigma free, and easy to get. And its why were celebrating partners like MISTR, who are making PrEP accessible through innovation, telehealth, and community connection. When prevention is simple and stigma free, lives are saved. West Hollywood has always been a city that leads with compassion and action, and well keep showing whats possible until HIV is history.

Councilmember Danny Hang, MSW, MS, West Hollywood, California

PrEP is a safe, reliable, and crucial medication to prevent the contraction of HIV. This is why I have pushed for measures in DC Council to encourage the use of PrEP. We must reduce the stigma associated with HIV and HIV prevention and increase public health education.

Councilmember Brooke Pinto (Ward 2), Washington, District of Columbia

"As we mark National PrEP Day, I recognize the critical role PrEP plays in ending HIV. It is one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent new infections, protect health, and save lives. Equally important is ensuring that prevention is accessible, stigma-free, and available to all. Let us reaffirm our commitment to advancing public health and building a future free of HIV.

Commissioner Paul Rolli, Wilton Manors, Florida

PrEP represents one of the most powerful tools we have to end the HIV epidemic, but only if everyone can access it freely and without stigma. In Georgia, our fight for health equity is a fight for life itself. As we celebrate National PrEP Day, we honor the progress made through science and compassion, and recommit ourselves to ensuring that every Georgian, regardless of who they are or where they live, has access to the care and prevention they deserve.

State Rep. Sam Park (GA-107), Lawrenceville, Georgia

Getting vital HIV prevention medication to those that need it most is a monumental task, and it will take strong state leadership, and even stronger bonds with our on-the-ground partners, to make it happen.

State Rep. Michael Crawford (IL-31), Chicago, Illinois

Nowadays, advancements such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other antiretroviral therapies (ART) have dramatically increased life expectancies of those living with the disease in addition to effectively reducing the risk of transmitting HIV/AIDS to your partner to virtually zero. Although there is no cure to HIV or AIDS, that is worth celebrating. I will continue to work with community partners like MISTR, health care providers, and the state and other levels of government to get us to zero new cases of HIV/AIDS.

State Rep. Lisa Davis (IL-32), Chicago, IL

I am incredibly proud to stand with MISTR and the LGBTQ+ community as we mark National PrEP Day. At a time when the federal government is defunding healthcare systems and attacking the LGBTQ+ community, it is more important than ever to affirm that access to healthcare is a human right. MISTRs dedication to providing care through telehealth and patient assistance programs ensures that patients, regardless of their insurance status or location, can get the care they need. I am honored to support their mission.

State Rep. Margaret Croke (IL-12), Chicago, IL

PrEP saves lives, and no matter what happens in Washington, we in Illinois are removing barriers so more people have access to this lifesaving medication. Its great to see organizations like MISTR raising the bar and educating the public on what they can do to keep themselves safe. As the proud representative for Chicagos largest LGBTQ+ community, this is an important step forward in the fight to eliminate health disparities and achieve equity for people living with HIV.

State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (IL-104), Chicago, Illinois

"Today, on National PrEP Awareness Day, we recognize the power of prevention and education in fighting against HIV, and the stigma that still lingers. PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent HIV, but in Chicago and around the world, access still isnt equal. Too many people, especially in marginalized communities, continue to face barriers like out-of-pocket costs, stigma, and lack of healthcare coverage. Everyone deserves the tools to prevent HIV, no matter their income, zip code, or identity. Let National PrEP Awareness Day remind us of the work we still have ahead to expand healthcare access, end HIV/PrEp stigma, and ensure a future free from HIV."

Alderman Timmy Knudsen (43rd Ward), Chicago, Illinois

As we celebrate National PrEP Day, I want to stress the importance of lifesaving healthcare. With the federal roll backs on our healthcare and attacks against LGBTQIA communities, we are fighting daily for the access to critical care for millions of people. PrEP is so crucial to keeping New Yorkers healthy and we must protect it. I am proud to stand with advocates for people living with HIV because they understand PrEP is preventive care that is critical to saving lives and stopping the spread of HIV. Happy National PrEP Day!

State Asm. Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (NY-34), East Elmhurst, NY

"Recognizing National PrEP Day is a way to spread the word about how PrEP drugs have changed the landscape in managing HIV. When administered as prescribed, PrEP drugs reduce the risk of HIV transmission by up to 99%a statistic worth celebrating. Congratulations to the scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and public health professionals who brought them about.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (NY-47), New York, NY

PrEP is one of the most powerful tools we have to end HIV transmission, and access to it should not be limited by cost or stigma. I applaud MISTR for making free HIV prevention accessible to thousands. Today, we proudly celebrate National PrEP Day and honor the progress weve made in HIV prevention and the advocates and providers leading the way in Dallas!"

Council Member Paul Ridley (District 14), Dallas, Texas

Attachments
Ottawa, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global precision medicine market size was valued at USD 101.86 billion in 2024 and is predicted to hit around USD 463.11 billion by 2034, rising at a 16.35% CAGR, a study published by Towards Healthcare a sister firm of Precedence Research.

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Key Takeaways

The precision medicine market will likely exceed USD 101.86 billion by 2024.

Valuation is projected to hit USD 463.11 billion by 2034.

Estimated to grow at a CAGR of 16.35% from 2025 to 2034.

North America led the precision medicine market share by 50% in 2024.

Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region during 2025-2034.

By product, the therapeutics (targeted therapy) segment was dominant in the market in 2024.

By product, the data analytics & software segment is expected to witness rapid expansion during the forecast period.

By application, the oncology segment dominated the market in 2024.

By application, the rare genetic diseases segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR in the upcoming years.

By technology, the genomics segment registered dominance in the precision medicine market in 2024.

By technology, the pharmacogenomics segment is expected to grow rapidly during 2025-2034.

By end-user, the hospitals & clinics segment held a major share of the market in 2024.

By end-user, the pharmaceutical & biotech companies segment is expected to grow fastest during 2025-2034.



What is the Precision Medicine Market?

The global precision medicine market comprises customized disease treatment and prevention plans for diverse individual genes, environments, and lifestyles. The market is mainly fueled by a rise in chronic disease prevalence, breakthroughs in genetic sequencing, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for tailored treatments and data analysis. Nowadays, researchers are focusing on the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors). Although AI assists in the analysis of multi-omics data, medical imaging, and data from wearable devices.

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Market Scope:

Metric Details Market Size in 2025 USD 118.52 Billion Projected Market Size in 2034 USD 463.11 Billion CAGR (2025 - 2034) 16.35 % Leading Region North America Share by 50% Market Segmentation By Product & Service, By Application, By Technology, By End User, By Region Top Key Players Roche Diagnostics, Illumina, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, QIAGEN N.V., Agilent Technologies, Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Guardant Health, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Foundation Medicine (Roche), Natera, Inc., Invitae Corporation, Myriad Genetics, 23andMe, Inc., GeneDx (a subsidiary of Invitae), Guardant Health, Genomic Health, Inc.

What are the Major Drivers in the Precision Medicine Market?

The globe is facing a huge rise in geriatric population associated with severe and chronic disease, like heart issues, diabetes, and cancers, which are increasingly fostering innovations in the treatment based on each mutation. Along with this, technological developments, such as genomic testing, accelerate its accessibility in clinical practice, allowing precision treatments. Various governments, private entities, and philanthropic organizations are heavily investing in the precision medicine R&D domain.

What are the Ongoing Trends in the Precision Medicine Market?

Many companies are expanding their facilities around the world, with advancements in approaches, like AI-driven solutions in various R&D areas.

In April 2025, Caris Life Sciences secured $168M for a precision medicine platform.

In April 2025, Okeiro, a company specializing in precision medicine for transplantation and advanced chronic diseases, made a 10 million funding round to boost its deployment in France and internationally.

In March 2025, MSInsight, a pioneering startup in precision medicine, completed a 1.6 million seed funding round led by Calyseed to escalate the development of AI-enabled diagnostic solutions in oncology.



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What is the Developing Challenge in the Precision Medicine Market?

The requirement of higher expenditure on advanced technologies, as well as raising data privacy and security issues, and complex regulatory landscapes, is creating a major barrier to market progress. Also, the need for interoperable data platforms, a lack of specialized personnel, and insufficient reimbursement models are emerging as another hurdle to future developments.

How Can AI Affect the Precision Medicine Market?

AI is significantly transforming the market by enabling faster and more accurate analysis of complex genetic, clinical, and lifestyle data. It helps identify disease patterns, predict patient responses to treatments, and accelerate drug discovery. AI-driven tools enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalize therapy selection, and support real-time clinical decision-making. By streamlining workflows and improving predictive capabilities, AI is making precision medicine more efficient, scalable, and accessible, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and cost-effective healthcare solutions.

AI in Precision Medicine Market Growth

The global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in precision medicine market size is projected to rise from USD 2.74 billion in 2024 to over USD 26.66 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 25.54% during the forecast period. This growth is driven by the increasing prevalence of cancer and the growing demand for personalized healthcare solutions.

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Regional Analysis

What Made North America Dominant in the Market in 2024?

In 2024, North Americas precision medicine market share by 50% accounted for the biggest share. This dominance is led by the increasing technological advances, the presence of a robust government pillar, and the accelerating demand for tailored solutions in the growing burden of chronic disease instances. The US is emphasizing the expansion of Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) in concerns other than rare disease, and the widespread adoption of digital technologies, such as smart wearables, and continuous monitoring approaches.

For instance,

In March 2025, Ataraxis AI secured $20.4 million in Series A funding to transform precision medicine in cancer care.



How did the Asia Pacific Grow Notably in the Market in 2024?

In the coming era, the Asia Pacific is predicted to expand at a CAGR in the precision medicine market. India and China are experiencing the expansion of disposable incomes and wider awareness about personalized solutions, which is further enhancing the demand for tailored treatments, especially in an aging population. The emergence of the ASEAN Medical Device Directive and other regional efforts is developing uniform regulatory needs to offer market access and the approval of novel products in precision medicine. Furthermore, China's National Genomics Project and Singapore's National Precision Medicine Programme are assisting the future targeted drug development processes.

For instance,

In September 2025, US-based Metabolon, Inc., a global company providing metabolomics solutions, collaborated with the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) to advance precision health.



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Precision Medicine Market: US FDA-Approved Treatments in 2025

Treatment Indication Zongertinib (Hernexeos) (August 2025) For adults with unresectable or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC. Taletrectinib (Ibtrozi) (June 2025) For locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fitusiran (Qfitlia) (March 2025) For preventing or reducing bleeding episodes in hemophilia A or B. Datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk (Datroway): (January 2025) For HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Segmental Insights

By product analysis

Which Product Led the Precision Medicine Market in 2024?

The therapeutics (targeted therapy) segment held a major share of the market in 2024. A prominent catalyst is the growing adoption of AI and data analytics in leveraging accuracy, and consistent advances in genomics, biomarker identification, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). PMT5 Inhibitors are a novel class of epigenetic drugs which is efficacious in patients with MTAP loss, with strong effects in pancreatic and lung cancers.

On the other hand, the data analytics & software segment is anticipated to expand rapidly. Primarily, the rising adoption of multi-omics analytics, which are further combined with diverse biological datasets (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.), facilitates a more comprehensive picture of a patient's health. Current developments include AI-powered predictive models, real-time data management systems for separating clinical and research data, and software, and simplifying drug development.

By application analysis

What Made the Oncology Segment Dominant in the Market in 2024?

In 2024, the oncology segment held the biggest share of the precision medicine market. The broader improvements in genomic profiling, specifically non-invasive techniques, including liquid biopsies, are fostering early cancer detection and identification of target mutations. This era explored different examples, like sotorasib for lung cancer by targeting the KRAS G12C mutation, the application of epigenome editing to restore tumor suppressor genes, and using ADCs (Antibody-Drug Conjugates) to transfer chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.

However, the rare genetic diseases segment is estimated to register the fastest growth during 2025-2034. The growing prevalence is enhancing demand for advanced gene therapies and mRNA therapies, including personalized treatments. Recently developed gene therapy (e.g., Zolgensma for SMA), RNA-based therapies (Spinraza, Evrysdi), CRISPR gene editing (e.g., for sickle cell disease), and small molecule drugs (Trikafta for cystic fibrosis) are supporting the overall market expansion.

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By technology analysis

Which Technology Dominated the Precision Medicine Market in 2024?

The genomics segment captured a dominant share of the market in 2024. The segment is propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which leveraged the dominance of genomic surveillance for monitoring evolving pathogens, finding new viral variants, and accelerated investment in genomic technologies for infectious disease management. A surge in Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) is transforming the market by allowing enhanced, accurate diagnosis and customized treatment selection, mainly in oncology.

On the other hand, the pharmacogenomics segment is estimated to witness rapid growth. The U.S. FDA and EMA are promoting the use of pharmacogenomic data in drug discovery and development. The latest approach encompasses large-scale randomized trials that utilize entire pharmacogenomic panel tests for a critical reduction in adverse drug reactions, further addressing milestone steps in personalized medicine. It explored HLA-B tests for Abacavir in HIV, DPD testing for 5-fluorouracil in cancer to mitigate toxicity, and HER2 testing in the detection of breast cancer.

How did the Hospitals & Clinics Segment Dominate the Market in 2024?

The hospitals & clinics segment was dominant in the precision medicine market in 2024. Eventually, governments are widely investing in healthcare infrastructure and bolstering the adoption of advanced technologies, such as AI and data analytics, in clinical settings. Alongside, numerous hospitals are merging in clinical trials to facilitate access to cutting-edge treatments and accelerate the development of new therapies.

Besides this, the pharmaceutical & biotech companies segment will expand rapidly. These companies are putting efforts into fulfilling the expanding demand for advanced therapies, with customization, as well as they are widely involved in robust partnerships with other pharma firms, biotech companies, and academic institutions to boost reach and capabilities. The use of big data analytics and other sophisticated technologies, like AI and ML, in these companies is leveraging innovation in evolving diseases among the increasing population.

Browse More Insights of Towards Healthcare:

The AI in genomics market is poised for remarkable growth, projected to expand at a CAGR of 23.6%, rising from USD 1.67 billion in 2025 to an estimated USD 11.26 billion by 2034. This surge is driven by increasing cross-industry collaborations and a growing emphasis on R&D initiatives.

Meanwhile, the global precision oncology market is set to reach approximately USD 310.75 billion by 2034, up from USD 120.9 billion in 2024, reflecting a steady CAGR of 9.9% over the forecast period.

The non-oncology precision medicine market is also on a robust growth trajectory, expected to increase from USD 91.17 billion in 2025 to USD 193.16 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 8.7%.

In the NGS-based RNA-sequencing market, revenue is projected to climb from USD 3.74 billion in 2024 to USD 4.49 billion in 2025 and reach around USD 23.52 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 20.1% between 2025 and 2034.

The precision diagnostics and medicine market has already reached USD 146.88 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow to USD 162.88 billion in 2025, ultimately hitting USD 412.95 billion by 2034. This represents a CAGR of 10.89% during the forecast period.

On the U.S. life sciences front, the market is on an upward trajectory, expected to generate significant revenue growth, potentially reaching hundreds of millions over the 20252034 period.

The global oncology clinical trial market recorded USD 13.64 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to USD 14.36 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach nearly USD 22.85 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 5.3%.

The U.S. clinical trial imaging market similarly shows strong momentum, rising from USD 684 million in 2024 to USD 748.09 million in 2025, and projected to hit USD 1.68 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 9.37%.

The microfluidics market is forecast to grow from USD 40.25 billion in 2025 to USD 116.17 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 12.5%.

The nanomedicine market is expected to expand from USD 265.88 billion in 2025 to USD 632.09 billion by 2034, achieving a CAGR of 10.1% over the same period.

Latest Developments in the Precision Medicine Market

In September 2025, Closed Loop Medicine Ltd (CLM), a company in personalized pharmaceutical dosing, launched WeDosify, which allows clinicians to personalize GLP-1 titration at scale.

In September 2025, GNQ Insilico (GNQ), a TechBio firm, introduced its deep tech Drug Assessment Platform (DAP) to expand precision medicine and drug development.

In September 2025, Advanced Biomed Inc., a biotechnology company, launched its A+PerfusC  system, a compact, all-in-one perfusion 3D cell culture incubator created to replicate human physiological conditions in vitro.

system, a compact, all-in-one perfusion 3D cell culture incubator created to replicate human physiological conditions in vitro. In September 2025, Foundation Medicine, Inc., a precision medicine company, unveiled a tissue-informed whole genome sequencing molecular residual disease (Tissue-informed WGS MRD) test to its portfolio of high-quality testing solutions.

Precision Medicine Market Key Players List

Roche Diagnostics

Illumina, Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

QIAGEN N.V.

Agilent Technologies

Novartis AG

Pfizer Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Johnson & Johnson

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Guardant Health

Adaptive Biotechnologies

Foundation Medicine (Roche)

Natera, Inc.

Invitae Corporation

Myriad Genetics

23andMe, Inc.

GeneDx (a subsidiary of Invitae)

Guardant Health

Genomic Health, Inc.

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Segments Covered in the Report

By Product & Service

Biomarkers Diagnostic Biomarkers Prognostic Biomarkers Predictive Biomarkers

Therapeutics Targeted Therapy Immunotherapy Gene Therapy Personalized Vaccines

Sequencing & Genotyping Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Microarray Sanger Sequencing

Companion Diagnostics In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Imaging Diagnostics

Data Analytics & Software Bioinformatics Tools Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS)

Services Research & Development Clinical Trials Consulting & Support Services



By Application

Oncology

Cardiovascular Diseases

Neurological Disorders

Metabolic Disorders (Diabetes, Obesity)

Rare Genetic Diseases

Infectious Diseases

Others (Autoimmune diseases, Respiratory disorders)



By Technology

Genomics

Proteomics

Transcriptomics

Metabolomics

Pharmacogenomics

Epigenomics

By End User

Hospitals & Clinics

Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies

Diagnostic Laboratories

Research Institutes & Academic Centers

Contract Research Organizations (CROs)



By Region

North America U.S. Canada

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Thailand

Europe Germany UK France Italy Spain Sweden Denmark Norway

Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina

Middle East and Africa (MEA) South Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Kuwait





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About Us

Towards Healthcare is a leading global provider of technological solutions, clinical research services, and advanced analytics, with a strong emphasis on life science research. Dedicated to advancing innovation in the life sciences sector, we build strategic partnerships that generate actionable insights and transformative breakthroughs. As a global strategy consulting firm, we empower life science leaders to gain a competitive edge, drive research excellence, and accelerate sustainable growth.

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TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cerrado Gold Inc. [TSX.V:CERT][OTCQX:CRDOF; FRA:BAI0] (Cerrado or the Company) announces the resignation of Mr. Robert Campbell from its board of directors effective today. Mr. Campbell has tendered his resignation from the Cerrado board as he intends to retire.

Mark Brennan, Chairman and CEO stated, We have had a long and successful journey as a team over the past 20 years, we are sorry to see him go but wish him a very happy retirement.

The Companys management and board of directors thanks Mr. Campbell for his valuable contributions and wishes him well.

About Cerrado

Cerrado Gold is a Toronto-based gold production, development, and exploration company. The Company is the 100% owner of the producing Minera Don Nicolas and Las Calandrias mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. In Portugal, the Company holds an 80% interest in the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project through its position in Redcorp - Empreendimentos Mineiros, Lda. In Canada, Cerrado Gold is developing its 100% owned Mont Sorcier Iron project located outside of Chibougamou, Quebec.

In Argentina, Cerrado is maximizing asset value at its Minera Don Nicolas operation through continued operational optimization and is growing production through its operations at the Las Calandrias heap leach project. An extensive campaign of exploration is ongoing to further unlock potential resources in our highly prospective land package in the heart of the Deseado Masiff.

In Portugal, Cerrado focused on the exploration and development of the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project located on the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal. The Lagoa Salgada project is a high-grade polymetallic project, demonstrating a typical mineralization endowment of zinc, copper, lead, tin, silver, and gold. Extensive exploration upside potential lies both near deposit and at prospective step-out targets across the large 7,209-hectare property concession. Located just 80km from Lisbon and surrounded by exceptional infrastructure, Lagoa Salgada offers a low-cost entry to a significant exploration and development opportunity, already showing its mineable scale and cashflow generation potential.

In Canada, Cerrado holds a 100% interest in the Mont Sorcier Iron project, which has the potential to produce a premium iron concentrate over a long mine life at low operating costs and low capital intensity. Furthermore, its high grade and high purity product facilitates the migration of steel producers from blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces, contributing to the decarbonization of the industry and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

For more information about Cerrado please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com.

Mark Brennan

CEO and Chairman

Mike McAllister

Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: +1-647-805-5662

mmcallister@cerradogold.com

Disclaimer

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
NUMBER OF SHARES COMPOSING CURRENT SHARE CAPITAL AND TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTING RIGHTS AS OF 30 SEPTEMBER 2025



Regulated Information

Paris, 10 October 2025

Information about the total number of voting rights and shares pursuant to Article L.233-8 II of the French Commercial Code and Article 223-16 of the AMF General Regulations.

Date Number of shares composing current share capital Total number of

voting rights 30 September 2025



785,180,327







Gross: 871,965,338









Press contacts:

ean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com

Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com

Societe Generale



Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective - to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.



The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:

French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance , with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.

, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. Global Banking and Investor Solutions , a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.

, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.





Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).



For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com.

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Tigard, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TIGARD, OR - October 10, 2025 - -

Cougar Restoration Inc., a leading property restoration specialist serving the Portland metropolitan area, has announced significant enhancements to its water damage restoration services through the integration of advanced drying technology and expanded emergency response capabilities. The company, which has served Oregon communities for over three decades, has recently completed a comprehensive upgrade of its equipment fleet and improvements to its service protocols to address complex water damage incidents affecting residential and commercial properties throughout the region.

The enhanced service offerings include deployment of state-of-the-art moisture detection equipment, industrial-grade dehumidification systems, and specialized extraction tools designed to minimize property damage and reduce restoration timeframes. These improvements represent substantial technology investment that enables Cougar Restoration to respond more effectively to emergencies while maintaining high workmanship standards that have defined the company since its establishment.

"The water damage restoration industry has evolved significantly, and property owners deserve access to the most advanced restoration techniques available," said Brian, owner of Cougar Restoration Inc. "These service enhancements reflect the company's commitment to staying at the forefront of restoration technology while maintaining the personal touch and rapid response times that customers have come to expect from Cougar Restoration over the past thirty years."

The company's enhanced services address the full spectrum of water damage scenarios commonly encountered in the Pacific Northwest, including burst pipes, appliance failures, storm-related flooding, and sewage backups. Each restoration project now incorporates advanced moisture mapping technology that allows technicians to identify hidden water damage that might otherwise go undetected. This capability is particularly valuable in older Portland-area homes where water can penetrate wall cavities, subfloor areas, and other concealed spaces.

Cougar Restoration has expanded emergency response protocols to ensure faster initial response times throughout the Portland metropolitan area, including communities in Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties. The company maintains strategically positioned equipment caches that enable technicians to initiate water extraction and structural drying within hours of initial contact, significantly reducing the potential for secondary damage, such as mold growth and structural deterioration.

The enhanced service portfolio includes comprehensive documentation and monitoring systems that provide property owners and insurance companies with detailed progress reports throughout the restoration process. These systems track moisture levels, temperature, and humidity in affected areas, ensuring all materials reach appropriate dryness standards before restoration work proceeds to subsequent phases. This data-driven approach prevents complications that can arise when restoration begins before adequate drying is complete.

Industry expertise accumulated over three decades positions Cougar Restoration to handle complex restoration challenges that often overwhelm less experienced contractors. The company's technicians possess extensive knowledge of building construction methods commonly employed in Portland-area structures, enabling them to adapt restoration approaches to suit the specific requirements of different architectural styles and building materials found throughout the region.

The company's enhanced services extend beyond water extraction and drying to include comprehensive property restoration, which returns damaged structures to their pre-loss condition. This holistic approach encompasses everything from initial emergency response through final repairs, eliminating the need for property owners to coordinate with multiple contractors during stressful periods.

Cougar Restoration's service area encompasses Portland and surrounding communities including Oregon City, Albany, Aloha, Banks, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, King City, Lafayette, Lake Oswego, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Newberg, North Plains, Salem, Scotts Mills, Sherwood, St. Helens, Tigard, Troutdale, Tualatin, West Linn, Wilsonville, and Woodburn. The expanded coverage area ensures property owners throughout the region have access to professional restoration services.

Recent customer testimonials highlight the effectiveness of the company's water damage restoration approach. Property owners consistently praise both the technical competence of restoration crews and the company's ability to facilitate smooth interactions with insurance companies during the claims process. This combination of technical expertise and administrative support has established Cougar Restoration as a preferred contractor among insurance adjusters and property owners throughout the Portland area.

The enhanced services also incorporate updated safety protocols and environmental protection measures that exceed industry standards for restoration work. These measures ensure that restoration activities do not create additional health or safety risks for property occupants. At the same time, work is in progress, vital in residential settings where families may need to remain in their homes during restoration work.

Cougar Restoration Inc. maintains its headquarters at 16285 SW 85th Ave, Tigard, Oregon 97224, and provides 24-hour emergency response services throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Property owners requiring immediate assistance with water damage emergencies can contact the company at (503) 349-5538. Additional information about the company's enhanced restoration services is available through its website and customer service representatives.

The company's commitment to continuous improvement reflects broader industry trends, where advancing technology and evolving best practices enable more effective responses to property damage incidents while minimizing disruption to property owners' lives.

###

For more information about Cougar Restoration, contact the company here:



Cougar Restoration

Brian

(503)349-5538

brian@cougarrestoration.com

16285 SW 85th Ave, Tigard, OR 97224, United States
QINGDAO, China, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 16th World Processed Deciduous Fruit Conference (CANCON16), the largest and most influential international event for the canned fruit industry, recently concluded with discussions on the future challenges and innovations shaping the sector. The conference drew industry leaders, processors, and growers from major producing nations like the USA, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and various European countries. Qingdao Countree Food Co., Ltd. played a central role, serving as the first official host for the Beijing sessions and the lead organiser of the Caoxian programme.

Countree Foods role at CANCON16 reflects its long-standing strength as a global supplier and its active contribution to the industry. The company is a trusted partner to more than 20 Fortune 500 companies, supplying retailers and food service leaders such as Sysco, Kroger, Heinz, and Edeka. Its commitment to meeting rigorous standards extends from cultivation to the final product; in collaboration with fruit experts, the company is introducing premium new yellow peach varieties to ensure quality control from seed to table.

In parallel, the company has expanded its operations with new production facilities, including in Inner Mongolia, achieving a fivefold increase in its estimated production capacity. This expansion builds upon its established capabilities, enhancing its ability to meet rising global demand and ensuring greater reliability in serving international markets.

"We are driven by the aim of being outstanding in quality and complete in categories," said Chris San, Executive Chairman of CANCON16 and Vice President of CCFIA. "This expansion ensures we can deliver the scale, quality, and reliability that the world's top brands expect from us."

Looking ahead, Countree Food will showcase its enhanced capabilities at upcoming international trade fairs like ANUGA and PLMA Chicago. The company will feature its award-winning product innovations, which have been previously recognised by SIAL Innovation Selection and PLMA's NEW PRODUCT EXPOs.

About Countree Food

Qingdao Countree Food Co., Ltd. is a leading Chinese canned food manufacturer. From its five modern facilities, the company supplies a full range of canned fruit and canned vegetable products to over 100 countries, with an annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons. The company is certified with BRC A+, IFS Higher Level, BSCI, and HACCP, ensuring the highest food safety standards.

Media Contact

Company Name: Qingdao Countree Food Co., Ltd.

Website: www.countreefood.com

Telephone: +86 532-8573 5505

Email: admin@countreefood.com
PRESS RELEASE

AB SCIENCE PRESENTS ITS FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 AND KEY EVENTS DURING THE PERIOD

Financial and corporate situation Operating deficit reduced by 24% compared to the first half of 2024, amounting to 2.7 million as of June 30, 2025 Capital increase through private placements for a total amount of 6.3 million





Clinical development



Masitinib platform: Authorization from several European countries for the confirmatory Phase 3 study with masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis FDA and EMA authorization for the Phase 3 confirmatory study with masitinib in metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer New data demonstrating the efficacy of masitinib in Alzheimer's disease U.S. patent granted covering masitinib until 2040 for the treatment of sickle cell disease Microtubule platform: Regulatory approval in European countries to initiate the third stage of Phase I/I combining its AB8939 molecule with Venetoclax in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia Orphan drug designation by the EMA for the molecule AB8939 in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Granting of a Canadian patent protecting the composition of AB8939, including its use in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, with protection until 2036



Paris, October 10, 2025, 6pm CET

AB Science SA (Euronext - FR0010557264 - AB) today announces its half-year financial results as of June 30, 2025, and provides an update on its activities.

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2025

Operating income as of June 30, 2025, corresponds to a loss of 2,728,000, compared to a loss of 3,582,000 as of June 30, 2024, representing a decrease in the operating deficit of 854,000 (23.8%).

Operating income consists exclusively of revenue from the sale of a veterinary medicine. Revenue was down compared to June 30, 2024, amounting to 515 thousand as of June 30, 2025, compared to 560 thousand as of June 30, 2024. This decrease in operating revenue over the period compared to the previous period is due to a temporary decline in sales of Masivet at a dose of 50mg, following the repackaging of treatment units due to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approving the extension of the shelf life of the 50mg dose from 36 to 48 months.

Operating expenses decreased by 21.7% between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. These changes are mainly related to changes in research and development expenses and administrative expenses. This decrease reflects internal and external expenses following the implementation of the partnership search strategy for the continued clinical development of masitinib.

Administrative expenses are the second largest contributor to operating expenses. They decreased by 31.1% between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2024, amounting to 893 thousand for the first half of 2025 compared to 1,295 thousand for the first half of 2024.

The financial result corresponds to a loss of 2,448 thousand for the first half of 2025, compared to a loss of 887 thousand for the first half of 2024. This includes, in particular, the change in conditional advances of 1,926 thousand, of which 333 thousand relates to the APAS-IPK advance and 1,594 thousand relates to the ROMANE advance. As of June 30, 2025, financial income mainly relates to foreign exchange gains of 138 thousand and investment income of 74 thousand. Other financial expenses (129 thousand) mainly relate to: Banking services and commissions and loan issuance costs of 52 thousand, The cost of issuing the EIB loan: a loss of 55 thousand.



The net loss at June 30, 2025 amounted to 5,177 thousand, compared with a loss of 4,469 thousand at June 30, 2024, representing an increase of 15.8% for the reasons mentioned above.

The following table summarizes the consolidated financial statements for the first half of 2025 prepared in accordance with IFRS, and comparative information with the first half of 2024:

In thousands of euros, except per share data 06/30/2025 06/30/2024 Net turnover 515 560 Cost of sales (364) (93) Marketing expenses (150) (190) Administrative expenses (893) (1,295) Research and development expenses (1,836) (2,564) Operating income (2,728) (3,582) Financial income 212 322 Financial expenses (2,661) (1,210) Financial income (2,448) (887) Net income (5,177) (4,469) Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax 22 85 Total comprehensive income for the period (5,155) (4,384) Basic earnings per share - in euros (0.09) (0.09) Diluted earnings per share - in euros (0.09) (0.09)





In thousands of euros 06/30/2025 12/31/2024 Cash and cash equivalents 5,034 7,987 Total assets 21,217 23,175 Equity (27,322) (23,754) Non-current liabilities (30,154) (26,496) Trade payables (9,557) (10,028) Current liabilities (18,386) (20,433)

KEY EVENTS RELATED TO CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 AND SINCE JUNE 30, 2025

Authorization from several European countries for the Phase 3 confirmatory study with masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

In July 2025, AB Science announced that the Phase 3 confirmatory study with masitinib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (study AB23005) had been authorized by an initial group of European countries (Spain, Greece, Slovenia) in stage 2 of the Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS). This authorization follows the EMA's validation of the harmonized protocol approved at the end of Phase 1 of the CTIS and the authorization received from the FDA. It now enables AB Science to initiate this registration study in Europe and the United States.

The AB23005 study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm Phase 3 study designed to confirm the efficacy and safety of masitinib (at a dose of 4.5 mg/ randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm study designed to confirm the efficacy and safety of masitinib (at a dose of 4.5 mg/kg/day in combination with riluzole) compared to riluzole combined with a placebo after 48 weeks of treatment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The study will include 408 patients (1:1 randomization) with ALS, with a normal disease progression rate (i.e., functional decline of less than 1.1 points per month) and no total loss of function (i.e., a score of at least 1 on each of the 12 items of the ALSFRS-R score). American patients receiving Edaravone will also be eligible to participate in the study, as taking this drug is a stratification factor.

This design has been validated in discussions with European health authorities, particularly with regard to the criteria for the optimal population selected for the confirmatory study.

FDA and EMA approval for the Phase 3 confirmatory study with masitinib in metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer

AB Science announced in July 2025 that a Phase 3 confirmatory study with masitinib in metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer (study AB22007) had been authorized by the FDA and EMA (harmonized protocol approved at the end of Phase 1 of the Clinical Trials Information System, CTIS), with a biomarker targeting patients whose metastatic disease is less advanced.

Study AB22007 is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm Phase 3 study designed to confirm the efficacy and safety of docetaxel (administered intravenously at a dose of 75 mg/m and combined with prednisone for up to 10 cycles) combined with masitinib at a dose of 6.0 mg/kg/day, compared to docetaxel combined with a placebo in metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

New data demonstrating the efficacy of masitinib in Alzheimer's disease

AB Science announced in June 2025 that a new peer-reviewed study conducted by an independent research team based in China (Guangdong Pharmaceutical University and Sun Yat-sen University) presents new evidence demonstrating that masitinib offers a promising new approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, particularly its most common form, sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for more than 95% of all cases.

In this study, researchers used a proven mouse model that replicates the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of sporadic Alzheimer's disease. When treated with masitinib, the mice showed marked improvements in memory, learning, smell, and anxiety behaviors, all of which are early indicators of Alzheimer's disease progression.

The authors emphasized that this is the first study to demonstrate that masitinib attenuates sporadic Alzheimer's disease pathology through a dual mechanism of cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.

U.S. patent granted for masitinib until 2040 for the treatment of sickle cell disease

AB Science announced in April 2025 that the US Patent Office had issued a notice of acceptance for a patent covering methods (i.e., a medical use patent) for treating sickle cell disease with its lead molecule, masitinib, based on preclinical results. This new US patent protects the intellectual property of the masitinib web e in this indication until November 2040 and further strengthens the intellectual property of masitinib, following a notice of acceptance received from the European Patent Office in October 2024 for the same patent.

Regulatory approval from European countries to initiate the third stage of Phase I/II trials combining its AB8939 molecule with Venetoclax in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

In July 2025, AB Science announced the authorization of the third of four stages of the Phase I/II study (AB18001) with the AB8939 molecule in adult patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The third stage of the study has been authorized in France, Germany, Spain, and Greece.

The objective of the Phase 1 study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for different treatment stages of AB8939.

Stage 1: Determination of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) after 3 consecutive days of treatment with AB8939 alone.

Stage 2: Determination of the MTD after 14 consecutive days of treatment with AB8939 alone.

Stage 3: Determination of the MTD after 14 consecutive days of treatment with AB8939 in combination with venetoclax.

Step 4: Determination of the MTD after 14 consecutive days of treatment with AB8939 in combination with venetoclax and azacitidine.

The combination of AB8939 + venetoclax has several potential benefits:

Both molecules have low hematological toxicity. This combination could therefore be less toxic than azacitidine + venetoclax as a first-line treatment for AML.

These two molecules act on different and complementary targets in cancer cells, which could have an additive or even synergistic effect in terms of efficacy.

Orphan drug designation from the EMA for the molecule AB8939 in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

In April 2025, AB Science announced that the molecule AB8939 had been granted orphan drug designation by the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The AB8939 molecule had already obtained orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for AML.

Granting of a Canadian patent protecting the composition of AB8939, including its use in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, with protection until 2036

AB Science announced in June 2025 that the Canadian Patent Office had granted a patent (CA 2975644) protecting the composition of matter of AB8939, as well as closely related compounds, until 2036. This patent also covers the use of AB8939 in the treatment of hematological disorders and/or proliferative disorders and provides strong global protection for the AB8939 clinical development program, including the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The issuance of this patent also completes the intellectual property coverage for AB8939 and AML in all geographic areas where AB8939 may be commercialized.

OTHER CORPORATE INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 AND SINCE JUNE 30, 2025

Capital increase through private placements for a total amount of 6.3 million

AB Science announced in May, June, and July 2025 a capital increase for 1.8 million, 1.925 million, and 2.55 million, respectively.

The proceeds from the Private Placement will provide AB Science with the additional resources needed to finance its ongoing activities, primarily the continued clinical development of the AB8939 program.

Agreement in principle reached on a two-year deferral of repayment of state-guaranteed loans

In June 2025, AB Science announced that an agreement in principle had been reached with its financial creditors to defer the repayment of its bank debt (totaling approximately 3.7 million at the start of the conciliation procedure in January 2025) for 24 months. The implementation of this agreement is conditional upon the deferral of at least 12 months of the repayment of a loan taken out with the EIB (for a total amount of 12 million in principal, initially repayable in January and December 2028). The Company is continuing its discussions with the EIB to obtain this deferral.

Partial payment of the 2023 Research Tax Credit 2023 by the tax administration in 2025, for an amount of 2.934 million

About AB Science

Founded in 2001, AB Science is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development, and commercialization of protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), a class of targeted proteins whose action is crucial in cell signaling. Our programs target only diseases with high unmet medical needs, which are often fatal with low survival rates, rare, or resistant to first-line treatment.

AB Science has developed its own portfolio of molecules, and its flagship molecule, masitinib, has already been registered for veterinary use and is being developed for use in humans in oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory diseases, and viral diseases. The Company is headquartered in Paris and is listed on Euronext Paris (Ticker: AB).

For more information about the Company, visit the website: www.ab-science.com

Forward-looking statements  AB Science

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates as well as the assumptions on which they are based, statements regarding projects, objectives, intentions, and expectations concerning financial results, events, future operations, services, product development and potential, or future performance.

These forward-looking statements can often be identified by the words "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "estimate," or "plan," as well as other similar terms. Although AB Science believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of AB Science, which may cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed, implied or predicted in the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include, in particular, the uncertainties inherent in the development of the Company's products, which may not be successful, or in the granting of marketing authorizations by the competent authorities, or more generally any factors that may affect the marketability of the products developed by AB Science, as well as those developed or identified in public documents published by AB Science. AB Science undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information and statements, subject to applicable regulations, in particular Articles 223-1 et seq. of the AMF's General Regulations.

For further information, please contact:

AB Science

Financial Communications

investors@ab-science.com

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New York, NY, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a newly released investigative feature, Legal Tech Spotlight examines how a single Midtown Manhattan email confirming a hotel lease evolved into a year-long saga of lawsuits, sensational headlines, and public misperception  ultimately reshaping the fate of LuxUrban Hotels Inc.

What began as a straightforward transaction for the historic Royalton Hotel spiraled into a cautionary tale of media amplification and legal misunderstanding. The report, titled The Hotel That Wasnt a Mirage, dissects how reporting, perception, and litigation merged to create a feedback loop that outpaced fact.

A Single Email, a Storm of Coverage

In December 2023, an attorney at Fried Frank LLP confirmed that LuxUrban and MCR Hotels had fully executed their lease for the Royalton. Despite this clear record, industry headlines soon cast doubt on whether that lease  and others  truly existed.

Coverage by Bisnow, led by reporter Ciara Long, portrayed LuxUrbans operations as speculative and unstable. Within weeks, the company was branded as a phantom operator, fueling class-action filings and investor panic. Yet federal and state records confirm each questioned lease was fully valid and properly executed.

The facts were always there, a legal analyst told Legal Tech Review. But once perception took hold, every move LuxUrban made was seen through a lens of suspicion.

Court Rulings Correct  But Cant Reverse  Narrative

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer dismissed key shareholder allegations, confirming that LuxUrbans accounting and financial statements met federal standards. The Stanford Legal Reporters later described the ruling as a judicial correction of narrative distortion.

However, few outlets covered the decision. The correction  though definitive  could not undo the reputational and operational harm caused by a year of unchecked speculation.

From Victim to Villain: The Tuscany and Hotel 46 Cases

The Legal Tech Spotlight investigation details how two high-profile disputes  the Tuscany Hotel and Hotel 46  became flashpoints of misrepresentation.

At the Tuscany, filings show that Tuscany Legacy Leasing misrepresented the term of its master lease and collected over $5 million in deposits from LuxUrban under false conditions.

At Hotel 46, LuxUrban operated under a city migrant-housing program, maintaining payroll and union obligations  even exceeding contractual pay scales  while awaiting nearly $8 million in reimbursements from city intermediaries that never arrived. Despite this, media outlets simplistically framed the issue as wage delays, omitting the fact that the shortfall was caused by unpaid government obligations, not corporate neglect. This has been occurring for almost two years and Hotel 46 has not collected a single dollar for two years.

When Media and Law Collide

The report positions LuxUrbans experience as a case study in media-legal convergence, where unverified reporting and litigation feedback loops reinforce each other.

Public perception can overtake legal reality before the facts are known, said one attorney close to the proceedings. Once that happens, truth becomes secondary.

In several filings, courts even referenced Bisnows reporting, embedding speculative commentary into official records  a troubling sign of how the boundary between journalism and adjudication has eroded.

The Documented Record

Despite the sensational headlines, the official record tells a different story:

 Royalton lease: Executed and confirmed by Fried Frank LLP.

 The James NoMad lease: Fully valid, backed by a $5 million deposit, and endorsed by GFI Hospitality.

 Fraud and accounting claims: Dismissed by SDNY; filings found compliant with federal standards.

 Tuscany dispute: Counterparty found to have engaged in misrepresentation and bad-faith dealings.

 Hotel 46: Nearly $8 million in unreimbursed funds from city contracts, despite full union and payroll compliance.

Hidden Costs of Perception

Legal Tech Review estimates LuxUrbans combined losses now exceed $30 million, driven almost entirely by misperception-fueled fallout rather than operational failure.



Breakdown of Estimated Impact

In aggregate, LuxUrban Hotels faced a combined estimated impact exceeding $30 million, stemming from a series of adverse events, contractual disputes, and regulatory actions. The approximate breakdown is as follows:

 $8 million  Unreimbursed city payments related to Hotel 46.

 $5 million  Forfeited security deposit at The James NoMad.

. $5 million in union-related payroll penalties and accelerated disbursements under the Industry-Wide Agreement (IWA), paid directly into workers pockets  above their contracted wages  in some cases triggered by payroll cycles being delayed by as little as 68 hours.

 $5+ million  Losses at The Tuscany resulting from weaponized contracts and litigation traps.

 $3$5+ million  Cumulative legal, compliance, and defense costs incurred in connection with these events.

Total Estimated Impact: $2530+ million

By late 2025, LuxUrban had spent more money vindicating itself than it ever made from the properties in question. Meanwhile, institutions such as the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) and various city agencies remained silent as the damages mounted.

The report underscores a sobering lesson: in the digital era, speed, repetition, and silence can outweigh accuracy, transforming misinformation into market reality.

Timeline of Key Events

Date Event Outcome Dec. 2023 Fried Frank confirms Royalton lease executed Verified record Mar. 2024 Media questions leases, fueling lawsuits Public narrative shifts Jul. 2025 SDNY dismisses fraud and accounting claims Federal validation Aug. 2025 Tuscany case exposes counterparty fraud LuxUrban vindicated Sept. 2025 City fails to reimburse migrant-hotel funds $8M shortfall Oct. 2025 Total losses exceed $25-30 million (including legal costs) Reputational damage entrenched

A Broader Lesson

As Legal Tech Review concludes, LuxUrbans story is not one of fraud  but of narrative power unchecked by fact.

In an age where headlines travel faster than evidence, the case demonstrates how truth can become collateral damage.

The filings are clear, the report notes. The real question is whether anyone will read them.

About Legal Tech Review

Legal Tech Review is an independent legal affairs analysis platform, focusing on the intersection of law, technology, and media accountability. Its investigations bring clarity to emerging legal disputes that shape markets, reputations, and the public record.
CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bocana Resources Corp. (TSXV: BOCA) (Frankfurt: VC1) ("Bocana" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm's length non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") dated October 6, 2025 for a proposed equity investment interest in Venture Gold, Inc, a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada ("Venture Gold or "VG") for a direct investment into VG's treasury, with VG retaining ownership of all its properties and using the investment proceeds exclusively for development and exploration of the properties and related working capital needs, for a total investment of up to US$20,000,000 (the "Transaction"). The Transaction is expected to also be made through the newly formed joint venture entity, Arizore LLC, a limited liability company registered in the state of Nevada. This joint venture to finance and complete the Transaction is still under review by the TSXV.

The Transaction

Pursuant to the LOI, and subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive investment agreement ("Definitive Agreement"), the satisfaction or waiver by Bocana of any conditions precedent, and receipt of all required regulatory and third-party approvals, Bocana intends to subscribe for and receive a substantial interest in newly issued shares of VG that are issued and outstanding on a fully-diluted basis immediately following such investment and the exact amount to be disclosed once a binding Definitive Agreement has been reached.

The transactions contemplated by the LOI are subject to the following conditions:

The entering into of a Definitive Agreement in respect of the Transaction between Venture Gold and Bocana. The Definitive Agreement will describe the terms and conditions upon which the Transaction will be completed; Confirmation to Venture Gold that Bocana has obtained financing to cover the Transaction; the completion of satisfactory due diligence by Bocana; and regulatory approvals, including but not limited to the TSX Venture Exchange.

A negotiated finder's fee is expected to be paid in connection with the Transaction.

About Venture Gold

Venture Gold is focused on the redevelopment of the entire Idaho Springs/Central City mining district ("District") of Colorado. VG has spent 15 years studying the District, acquiring properties, and obtaining numerous permits through purchases, options, mining leases, and other agreements; Venture Gold has control of over 500 acres of mining claims.

Bocana is pleased to announce the proposed equity investment in Venture Gold, a strategic step that strengthens our growth trajectory. The acquisition of our interest in these highgrade sites represents a significant opportunity to enhance our asset base and accelerate our corporate development plans. We are excited to collaborate with the Venture Gold team and remain committed to supporting their vision of unlocking the full potential of this highly prospective District, said Tim Turner, Bocanas Chief Executive Officer.

The LOI was negotiated at arms length. The Transaction does not represent a change of business. There will be no change of directors or officers of the Company as a result of this Transaction.

The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

About Bocana Resources Corp.

Bocana is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in North and South America. Bocana, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Huiracocha International Service SRL, holds a 100% working interest in the mineral properties known as the Escala area concessions located in the Department of Potosi, Sud Lipez Province, Bolivia, as awarded by Comibol.

Contact Information

For more information on Bocana, visit: https://bocanaresources.com.

For more information or interview requests, please contact:

Timothy J. Turner  Chief Executive Officer

info@bocanaresources.com

(713) 858-3329

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information can be identified by words such as: "intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "approximately", "planning", "projected", "anticipate", and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Bocana, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but without limitation, statements pertaining to the Transaction including Bocana's ability to obtain financing and the necessary approvals, including regulatory approvals for the Transaction, the negotiation and execution of the Definitive Agreement, and the ability of Venture Gold to operate the exploration and development programs for its claims. All statements included herein involve various risks and uncertainties because they relate to future events and circumstances beyond Bocana's control.

Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by several material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the parties, including expectations and assumptions concerning (i) Venture Gold; (ii) the Transaction; (iii) the ability of the parties to negotiate and enter into the Definitive Agreement on satisfactory terms as proposed, (iv) the timely receipt of all required regulatory approvals (as applicable), including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, (v) if the Definitive Agreement is entered into, the satisfaction of other closing conditions in accordance with the terms of the Definitive Agreement, and (vi) the ability of the parties (as applicable) to complete the financing and/or the Transaction on the terms outlined in this news release (or at all). Although Bocana has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by law. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
While gold's breach of $4,000 per ounce grabbed headlines this week, the real story is unfolding in mining company balance sheets. Production costs have barely budged even as gold surged over 50% in 2025, creating what industry insiders call "windfall margins" where nearly every price increase drops straight to the bottom line. Federal Reserve rate cuts and relentless central bank buying have removed the ceiling on gold's upside, putting companies like Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Scorpio Gold Corp. (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF), Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (OTCQX: THSGF), Gold X2 Mining Inc. (TSXV: AUXX) (OTCQB: GSHRF), and Kesselrun Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KES) (OTCQB: KSSRF).

With central banks snapping up 900 tonnes annually and Wall Street forecasting $4,900 gold by late 2026[4], the structural drivers supporting this rally show no signs of reversing. The math is simple: stable all-in sustaining costs plus soaring gold prices equals profit margins expanding at nearly twice the rate of gold's price appreciation, creating a rare window where established producers and early-stage developers alike can generate exceptional returns for shareholders positioned ahead of the next leg higher.

RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) recently delivered exceptional high-grade results back in September from its expanding Auld Creek project, including standout intercepts of 17m at 9.8g/t AuEq and 8m at 8.9g/t AuEq. These latest results demonstrate significant strike extension of the current resource, positioning the company for substantial resource growth by year-end. The company has also made promising regional discoveries, with rock chip samples grading 14g/t gold found over 30km south of Reefton.

"These drill results from Auld Creek have significantly expanded the scale and potential of the project and put us well on the way to growing the resource base as we announced last month," said Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD. "Importantly, the mineralized system has been extended both vertically and along strike and remains open in all directions."

The company recently announced a major expansion to its Reefton drill campaign, mobilizing a third rig and targeting over 4,000 metres of new drilling at Auld Creek to grow the gold-antimony resource above 300,000 ounces by year-end. RUA GOLD also has a third rig drilling at targets across the remainder of the district, focusing on highly ranking prospects highlighted by its VRIFY AI targeting process.

With momentum building and results accelerating, RUA GOLDjust announced an ambitious Q4 conference schedule that will showcase the company's high-grade gold-antimony story to institutional investors across three continents. The executive team will present at six major mining investment events spanning Munich, New York, Sydney, New Zealand, and Zurich throughout October and November.

"We're excited to showcase RUA GOLD on this global stage and connect with some of the top minds in mining investment," said Eckford. "With antimony supply tightening and gold reaching further record highs, RUA GOLD is positioned to be the next explorer transitioning to developer in New Zealand."

The conference circuit kicked off at Munich Mining Conference on October 3-4, where CFO Zeenat Lokhandwala presented to over 1,000 German retail investors. The schedule continues with the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference (October 7-9), Hidden Gems Conference in New York (October 20-21), and the International Mining and Resources Conference in Sydney (October 21-23), where COO Simon Henderson will represent RUA GOLD within the New Zealand pavilion. The tour concludes with the West Coast Minerals Forum in New Zealand (October 30) and the prestigious Swiss Mining Institute Conference in Zurich (November 20-21).

The Reefton Goldfield is a historically prolific district that produced more than 2 million ounces at grades up to 50 g/t. RUA GOLD now controls 120,000 hectares (roughly 95%) in the area and has confirmed multiple stacked mineralized shoots at Auld Creek, including previous standout intercepts of 2.1 m at 64 g/t AuEq (5.5 g/t gold and 13.1% antimony).

Antimony continues to be a major tailwind for the company's positioning, with prices surging past US$50,000 per tonne in 2025 following China's export restrictions. New Zealand has formally designated it as a critical mineral, adding further significance to RUA GOLD's dual-commodity profile. Surface samples have returned over 40% Sb, and several drill holes exceed 8%, grades rarely seen this early in a project's development cycle.

On the North Island, drill access applications have been submitted for RUA's Glamorgan project in the Hauraki Goldfield, home to the 10 Moz Martha mine. Glamorgan's 4 km gold-arsenic anomaly has been refined using VRIFY'sDORA AI engine, with drilling expected to begin in Q4.

With $14 million in cash and a leadership team behind US$11 billion in prior exits, RUA GOLD is well-positioned to deliver meaningful discovery growth across both islands.

CONTINUED Read this and more news for RUA GOLD at: https://equity-insider.com/2025/04/24/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:

Scorpio Gold Corporation (TSXV: SGN) (OTCQB: SRCRF) has announced a maiden mineral resource estimate at its 100%-owned Manhattan District in Nevada, comprising 18,343,000 tonnes grading 1.26 g/t gold for 740,000 oz contained gold in the inferred category. The company also disclosed a historical mineral resource estimate covering satellite deposits at Black Mammoth, April Fool, Hooligan, Keystone, and Jumbo totaling 1,652,325 tonnes grading 5.89 g/t gold for 303,949 oz contained gold.

"The Maiden MRE represents the starting point for the newly consolidated 100%-owned Manhattan District, and does not yet incorporate any 2025 drilling by the Company," said Zayn Kalyan, CEO of Scorpio Gold. "The estimates also highlight the high-grade nature of the gold mineralization, with grade being the key factor that distinguishes Manhattan from other open-pit assets in Nevada. Scorpio Gold's objective is to build a multi-million-ounce resource at a grade that sets it apart from peers - an objective we are well positioned to pursue with the team and capital in place."

The maiden resource incorporates over 92,000 metres of historical drilling across more than 1,300 drillholes and does not yet include the company's 2025 drilling program, which remains underway. An NI 43-101 technical report detailing the mineral resource estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ and the company's website within 45 days.

Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (OTCQX: THSGF) has reported drilling results extending mineralization at the Bingo Zone of its Lawyers-Ranch Project in British Columbia, with drillhole 25BNGDD002 intersecting 89.30 m of 1.10 g/t Au from surface, including 12.00 m of 2.31 g/t Au, 3.47 g/t Ag, and 0.24% Cu beginning at 71.00 m downhole. The mineralization in this hole extends 30 m beyond currently modeled mineral resource domains and was abandoned ending in mineralization due to ground conditions, further emphasizing expansion potential.

"Our work at Ranch this year continues to underscore the project's potential beyond what is captured in the 2024 PEA," said Ewan Webster, President and CEO of Thesis Gold. "Drilling at Bingo emphasizes that there is still room for growth in the Ranch portion of the resource. In addition, the IP survey has opened up an entirely new perspective on the central portion of Ranch."

The company has completed an 86 line-kilometer induced polarization geophysical survey that has identified several compelling new targets beyond the resource zones. These exploration efforts build on the strong economics outlined in the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment, which demonstrated an after-tax NPV (5%) of C$1.28 billion, an IRR of 35.2%, and a 2.0-year payback period at US$1,930 gold and US$24 silver, with updated project economics expected in Q4 2025 through a Prefeasibility Study.

Gold X2 Mining Inc. (TSXV: AUXX) (OTCQB: GSHRF) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Kesselrun Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KES) (OTCQB: KSSRF), with each Kesselrun shareholder receiving $0.02 in cash and 0.2152 of a Gold X2 share per Kesselrun share held. The transaction will result in Gold X2 acquiring a 100% interest in Kesselrun's high-grade Huronian Gold Project, a past-producing mine strategically located adjacent to Gold X2's Moss Gold Project in Northern Ontario, with existing Kesselrun shareholders owning approximately 4.13% of the combined entity.

"The acquisition of Kesselrun Resources will mark a pivotal step forward for Gold X2 as we continue to consolidate a very prospective gold belt in Ontario," said Michael Henrichsen, President and CEO of Gold X2. "By bringing the Huronian project under our umbrella, we are positioning Gold X2 with multiple opportunities for potential resource growth and development synergies alongside our flagship Moss Gold Project. We look forward to unlocking the full potential of this regional land package and creating long-term value for all of our shareholders."

The transaction is expected to close on or about November 27, 2025, subject to Kesselrun shareholder approval (requiring at least 66% of votes cast), court approval, and applicable regulatory approvals including TSXV approval. Gold X2 has also agreed to pay $2,000,000 in outstanding Kesselrun debt to certain creditors and provide a $500,000 interest-free bridge loan to fund transaction costs, with the boards of both companies having unanimously approved the deal and directors and officers of Kesselrun holding approximately 9.75% of outstanding shares entering into voting support agreements.

CONTACT:

Equity Insider

info@equity-insider.com

(604) 999-4849

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Equity Insider is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). This article is being distributed for Baystreet.ca Media Corp. ("BAY"), who has been paid a fee by a third-party, Sidis Holdings Limited ("Sidis") for an advertising contract between Sidis and RUA Gold Inc.. MIQ has not been paid a fee for RUA Gold Inc. advertising or digital media, but the owner/operators of MIQ also co-owns Baystreet.ca Media Corp. ("BAY") There may also be 3rd parties who may have shares of RUA Gold Inc. and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ does not own any shares of RUA Gold Inc. but reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of RUA Gold Inc. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ on behalf of Sidis has been approved by RUA Gold Inc. Technical information relating to RUA GOLD Inc. has been reviewed and approved by Simon Henderson, CP, AUSIMM, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Henderson is Chief Operational Officer of RUA GOLD Inc., and therefore is not independent of the Company; this is a paid advertisement, we currently do not own any shares of RUA Gold Inc. but will likely buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles.

While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.

SOURCES CITED:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/investing/gold-4-000-an-ounce https://markets.financialcontent.com/stocks/article/marketminute-2025-10-9-gold-rush-20-mining-stocks-poised-for-windfall-as-bullion-blasts-past-4000 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-is-the-price-of-gold-rising-4000-ounce-economy/ https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/goldman-sachs-raises-its-gold-price-target-to-4900-by-end2026-4274295

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Vancouver, October 10, 2025 - TNR Gold Corp. (TSXV: TNR) ("TNR", "TNR Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that McEwen Inc. ("McEwen") has provided an update on the Los Azules copper, gold and silver project in San Juan, Argentina. TNR holds a 0.4% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") (of which 0.04% of the 0.4% NSR Royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder) on the Los Azules Copper Project. The Los Azules project is held by McEwen Copper Inc. ("McEwen Copper"), which is 46.4% owned by McEwen.

A news release issued by McEwen on October 7, 2025, stated:

"McEwen Copper Inc., 46.4% owned by McEwen Inc. is pleased to announce positive results from the independent Feasibility Study (FS) for its 100%-owned Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina.

The FS confirms Los Azules as a long-life, low-cost producer of high-purity copper cathodes with strong economic returns and sustainability. The project design advances Los Azules toward construction readiness within a framework that reduces its environmental footprint. Project risk has been further reduced through a strategic collaboration agreement with IFC to potentially lead debt financing and additional funding proposals for infrastructure and construction.

With these results, Los Azules is positioned to become a supplier of responsibly produced copper, critical to the global energy transition towards a low-carbon sustainable future.

'The Los Azules Feasibility Study is more than a technical milestone - it's a blueprint for the future of copper mining. We have delivered a plan for a long-life asset that will play a role in the world's clean-energy transition. Copper is the foundation of electrification and the modern world, and Los Azules is ready to contribute to that global supply chain - responsibly, efficiently, and profitably,' said Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner of McEwen Inc.

'With this Feasibility Study, our team has transformed the geological potential of Los Azules into a clear, actionable development plan. This work gives us confidence in the project's design, costs, and schedule, providing the foundation for the next stage of growth.

'Having significant experience with large-scale construction and mining operations in Argentina, I am confident that we have the right plan, the right team, and the right partnerships to develop Los Azules. Together with our local communities and government partners, we aim to create Argentina's first regenerative copper mine - a model for responsible and innovative mining," said Michael Meding, Vice President of McEwen Copper and General Manager of Los Azules.

This press release starts with the FS Highlights below, followed by Footnotes, a Glossary of Terms, Units and Abbreviations and continues with a detailed account of the study in a Technical Appendix.

FS Highlights

Simple Takeaways

Economics After-tax(1):

NPV(8%) $2.9B

IRR 19.8%

Payback Period 3.9 yrs

Initial Capital $3.17B

Copper Cathode Production(2):

Average Years 1-5 204,800 tonnes per year (451M lbs/yr)

Life of Mine 21 years

Average Production 148,200 t/yr (327M lbs/yr)

Costs:

C1 cash cost $1.71/lb

AISC $2.11/lb

Scale - Reserves and Resources(3):

Mineral Reserves

- Proven & Probable 10.2B lbs Cu (1.02 B tonnes at 0.45% Cu)



Mineral Resources (exclusive of Reserves)

- Measured & Indicated 5.4B lbs Cu (0.97 B tonnes at 0.26% Cu)

- Inferred 20.0B lbs Cu (4.24 B tonnes at 0.21% Cu)

Capital Intensity Using:

LOM Capital &

Production $1,600/t Cu

Initial Capital &

Avg. Annual Production $20,200/t Cu per yr

Designed for Low Impact

Leach + SX/EW process produces 99.99% copper cathodes (LME Grade A) on site (no smelter required).

Project design provides:

- 72% lower mine-to-metal carbon intensity than industry average for mine-to-metal

- 100% renewable power(4) (wind, hydro, solar)

- 74% less water use than conventional milling

- No tailings dam

Carbon-neutral (Scopes 1 & 2) goal by 2038.

De-risked Regulatory Status

Environmental Impact Statement EIA (Environmental Permit) for construction and operation was approved by the San Juan Provincial Government's Ministry of Mines in December, 2024.

Accepted into Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) in September, 2025, providing tax, foreign exchange and customs stability for 30 years, legal certainty, foreign exchange regulations allowing to leave export proceeds abroad in increasing steps that will reach 100% by the time the project starts exports and access to international arbitration in case of disputes.

Ownership & Partners

Ownership: McEwen Inc. 46.4%, Stellantis 18.3%, Nuton (Rio Tinto) 17.2%,

Rob McEwen 12.7%, Victor Smorgon Grp 3%, Others 2.4%.

Preliminary finance proposals from Tier-1 OEMs (Komatsu, Sandvik & others), YPF Luz, European ECAs, and a collaboration agreement with IFC(5) to align with IFC's ESG standards and for potential financing. Indicative proposals could support $1.1B+(6) in equipment and infrastructure financing.

Future Growth Opportunities Beyond the FS

Nuton leaching technology (Rio Tinto venture) could allow processing of primary ores with the existing infrastructure (indicative recoveries >76%), or a Conventional Concentrator could also provide higher copper recoveries, plus recover gold and silver as well. Either process could extend mine life by 30+ years by economically treating primary sulfides. Neither of these opportunities are included in the FS base case. Exploration has shown that there are four porphyry targets near the Los Azules deposit that could provide further extension to the mine life. Exploration of the newly identified targets will start in Q4 2025. High-priority targets near Los Azules include Tango, Porfido Norte, Franca, and Mercedes.

Timeline & Next Steps

FS NI 43-101 Technical Report to be filed: within 45 days (7) .

. Water concession: application under review.

Construction target: 2026  SX/EW startup: 2029  First copper: 2030.

Footnotes to Highlights

(1) NI 43-101 feasibility study using a copper price of $4.35/lb or $9,592/ tonne for cash flow modeling.

(2) Average copper recovery is 70.8% over the life of mine.

(3) For additional details on the calculation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves see Section 3 of the Technical Appendix, Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates.

(4) Power supply 100% renewable, with 48% lower electricity demand than a conventional concentrator.

(5) Collaboration agreement signed with IFC to align with IFC's ESG standards for potential future financing, an important milestone in McEwen Copper's broader financing strategy.

(6) Preliminary financing proposals from Tier-1 OEMs, YPF Luz, and European ECAs could provide $1.1B+ in equipment and infrastructure support.

(7) The FS NI 43-101 Technical Report will be filed within 45 days on SEDAR and McEwen Inc.'s website.

ABOUT MCEWEN INC.

McEwen Inc. shares trade on both the NYSE and TSX under the ticker MUX.

It provides shareholders with exposure to a growing base of gold and silver production in addition to a very large copper development project, all in the Americas. The gold and silver mines are in prolific mineral-rich regions of the world, the Cortez Trend in Nevada, USA, the Timmins district of Ontario, Canada and the Deseado Massif in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. McEwen Inc. is considering reactivating a gold and silver mine in Mexico.

It has a 46.4% interest in the large, long-life, advanced-stage Los Azules copper development project in San Juan province, Argentina - a region that hosts some of the country's largest copper deposits. The Los Azules copper project is designed to be one of the world's first regenerative copper mines and carbon neutral by 2038.

Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, has a personal cost basis for his investment in the companies of over $200 million and takes a salary of $1 per year, aligning his interests closely with shareholders. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada, a member of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame and a winner of the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Energy) award. His objective is to build MUX's profitability, share value and eventually implement a dividend policy, as he did while building Goldcorp Inc.

ABOUT MCEWEN COPPER

McEwen Copper Inc. is a Canadian-based private company with a 100% interest in the Los Azules copper project in San Juan, Argentina and the Elder Creek copper/gold project in Nevada, USA.

Based on S&P Global data for 2024, Los Azules projected annual production would rank it as the 26th worldwide, once in production, placing it in the top 6% of all 423 copper producers. The project also ranks 10th globally in terms of total Mineral Resources among all undeveloped copper porphyry deposits (company disclosure).

Los Azules is being designed to provide a model to the industry for a more sustainable, low-carbon future and to help improve public perception of mining by fundamentally differing from conventional copper mines -substantially reducing water consumption and carbon emissions and operating on 100% renewable electricity once in production.

Glossary of Terms, Units and Abbreviations

AISC - All-In Sustaining Cost (C1 + sustaining capital + royalties + taxes)

Approx. - Approximately

B - billion

Blb - billion pounds

Copper cathode - High-purity (typically 99.99%) of refined copper sheets (LME Grade A) produced through an electrolytic refining process. This finished product serves as a primary raw material for high-quality copper products, such as wires, tubes, and various alloys.

CO-e/t Cu - Kilograms of CO equivalent per tonne of copper

Cu - copper

C1 Costs - Direct cash costs of production

EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment

FS - Feasibility Study

GHG Emissions - Greenhouse gas emissions (CO-equivalent)

Heap Leach - Process of extracting metals by percolating acid through ore piles

Hypogene or Primary - Refers to mineralization formed by ascending hydrothermal fluids deep below the surface, usually at high temperature and pressure

IFC - International Finance Corporation

IRR (Internal Rate of Return) - Rate at which NPV = 0

ktpa - 1,000 tonnes per annum

km - kilometer

lb - pound (0.4536 kg)

leach project - project using heap leach process

LOI - Letter of Intent

LOM - Life of Mine

L/s - 1 liter per second

m - meter

M - million

MW - megawatt (1,000,000 watts)

Mlb - million pounds

NPV (Net Present Value) - Present value of future cash flows discounted at 8%

NSR - (Net Smelter Return) - a royalty based on a percentage of metal produced based on the metal sale proceeds less the cost of refining at an off-site refinery (Metal Price  Payable Metal Content)  (Treatment Charges + Refining Charges + Penalties + Transport/ Insurance/ Marketing Costs)

NTP - Notice to Proceed

Nuton - Rio Tinto's proprietary Nuton technology

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer

oz - troy ounce (31.1 grams)

Primary or Hypogene - Refers to the original ore minerals formed during the initial geological processes (e.g., magmatic or hydrothermal activity). Primary mineralization is typically found at depth and is unaltered by surface weathering.

RIGI - Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Regime

SX/EW - Solvent Extraction / Electrowinning

Secondary - Refers to ore minerals or enrichment formed after the primary (hypogene) stage, usually by supergene processes (weathering, oxidation, and downward percolation of fluids near the surface).

Soluble Copper (CuSOL) - the amount of copper assayed using sequential methodology that includes acid soluble and cyanide soluble assayed components. Acid soluble copper generally represents readily acid dissolvable oxide, carbonate and similar copper minerals. Cyanide soluble copper generally represents secondary copper minerals that are readily leached with commercial bioleach technology (chalcocite, digenite, covellite)

Supergene - Secondary ore minerals formed near the Earth's surface through weathering, oxidation, and groundwater movement. Metals are leached from upper zones and reprecipitated at depth, often creating an enriched zone of higher-grade mineralization.

Total Copper (CuT) - the amount of copper contained in all mineral forms in the deposit by conventional assaying methodology. Total copper includes the soluble copper component.

t - tonne (1,000 kg)

yr - year

Technical Appendix

The information in this appendix is provided for technical readers and analysts.

Project Overview

Property Description

Exploration Targets

A Sustainable Approach Copper Price Assumption Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates

Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

Maiden Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve Estimate Metallurgy & Recovery Economic Analysis

Economic Metrics

Sensitivity Analysis Capital & Operating Costs

Capital Costs Estimates

YPF Funding Power Supply

Operating Costs Estimates ESG & Sustainability Permitting & Regulatory Status Development Timeline Nuton Opportunity Strategic Partnerships Study Contributors and Qualified Persons End Notes

1. Project Overview

Property Description

Located in Calingasta District, San Juan Province, Argentina, on the border with Chile. The Los Azules copper project is a classic Andean-style porphyry copper deposit. The large hydrothermal alteration system spans at least 5 kilometers (km) by 4 km, elongated along a north-northwest major structural corridor. The Los Azules deposit area itself is approximately 4 km long by 2.2 km wide and lies within the alteration zone.

The limits of the Los Azules mineralization along strike to the North and at depth have not yet been defined. Near-mine primary or hypogene copper mineralization extends to at least 1,000 m below the surface. Near surface, leached primary sulfides (mainly pyrite and chalcopyrite) were redeposited below the water table in a sub-horizontal zone of supergene enrichment as secondary chalcocite and covellite. Hypogene bornite appears at deeper levels together with chalcopyrite. Gold, silver, and molybdenum are present in small amounts, however copper is the economic driver at Los Azules.

Exploration Targets

Porphyry exploration targets near to Los Azules include Tango, Porfido Norte, Franca, and Mercedes. They are a priority for next season's exploration (see Figure 1). These targets offer the potential to enlarge the size of resources and extend the life-of-mine beyond that presented in this study.

The Franca target, with high-grade intercepts, shows the potential to extend the Los Azules resource to the northeast. The Mercedes target west of Los Azules has hydrothermal alteration and similar surface geology to Los Azules and has the indication to be another hidden porphyry, like Los Azules. Porfido Norte is a target that is located along the main Los Azules structural corridor with indications of a suitable intrusive suite of rocks with hydrothermal alteration. Finally, the Tango target will be mapped in detail to better understand the potential drill targets.

Figure 1: Los Azules deposit (outlined in blue), and exploration targets Mercedes, Porfido Norte, Franca and Tango (black squares). Satellite image with Total Magnetic Intensity map.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2014/269916_b933a7e8141c3bb4_003full.jpg

Heap Leach SX/EW - The Preferred Path Forward

The FS is based on a heap leach process using solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX/EW) to produce 99.99% copper cathodes (LME Grade A equivalent) for sale in Argentina or international markets. There are three principal reasons why the implementation strategy remains a leach project, as in the 2023 PEA(11):

Environmental Footprint: Process water consumption is 74% lower than a milling operation (158 L/s LOM average vs. 600 L/s). Net electricity demand is 48% lowerthan a concentrator (119 MW vs. 230 MW). GHG emissions are 72% lower than the average mining operation (1,082 vs. 3,930 kg CO 2 -e/t Cu for Mine-to-Metal(12), with a roadmap to achieve further reductions through new technologies, with the ultimate goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2038 with some offsets. Los Azules copper cathodes will thus be attractive to end-users seeking to measurably reduce their upstream environmental impacts.

Reduced Permitting Risk: With the approval of our Environmental Impact Assessment on December 3, 2024, and the approval of our application for the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) on September 26, 2025, and the expected approval of our Water Concession permit for operations, Los Azules is well positioned to begin construction. The project uses heap leach technology that is well accepted in the San Juan Province today. It also eliminates tailings and tailings dams, conserves scarce water resources, and reduces the overall complexity of the mine, optimizing the permitting process.

Producing Cathodes: The leach process will produce LME Grade A copper cathodes, which can be used directly in the fabrication of copper products, both within Argentina and internationally. The production of copper cathodes eliminates reliance on third party foreign smelters for the processing of concentrates into refined copper products. It also eliminates significant GHG emissions associated with transportation, and pollution associated with smelting. Counterparty and pricing risks are also reduced.

A Sustainable Approach

The FS marks another significant step toward our goal of reducing our environmental footprint. Greater environmental and social stewardship sets our project apart from other potential mine developments, which appropriately justifies certain economic trade-offs. Trade-offs to achieve the environmental benefits of heap leaching are lower overall copper recovery, slightly higher unit costs, and less immediate cashflow due to extended leach cycles. Nevertheless, the leach project remains economically attractive. Furthermore, McEwen Copper believes that some of these drawbacks can be mitigated by implementing developing technologies such as the Nuton Technology, discussed below. Additionally, trolley-assist haulage, conveyor waste haulage, and In-Pit Crush and Convey (IPCC) will be further evaluated during the detailed engineering stage to continue to reduce the mine's carbon footprint. Additionally overall CAPEX is lower than comparable concentrators.

The team has also worked safely with 1,848,632 man-hours worked since our last Lost Time Incident and since January of 2022 we have worked a total of 2,367,891 man-hours to achieve this study result.

We developed regenerative guiding principles to frame our approach to sustainable innovation and set high-reaching goals addressing all facets of the mining and processing options considered for Los Azules. The project development seeks to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of mining operations and their associated GHG emissions by integrating the latest renewable and environmentally responsible technologies and processes. The project has letters of intent (LOIs) to obtain 100% of its energy from renewable sources (wind, hydro, and solar), primarily from YPF Luz, using a combination of off-site and onsite installations. The project is also seeking to have long-term net positive impacts on the greater Andean ecosystem, local flora and fauna, the lives of miners, and citizens of nearby communities, while contributing positively to the local and national economy of Argentina. Refer to the full FS NI 43-101 Technical Report for more information about our regenerative approach.

2. Copper Price Assumptions

The copper price used for mineral reserves in the FS was $4.25 per pound and $4.80per pound for mineral resources, in line with analysts' consensus projections for long-term copper prices that range between $3.55 and $5.00 per pound, with a median price of $4.25 per pound. The mineral resource price was set at 113% of the mineral reserve price.

Economics in the cashflow model were analyzed at $4.35 per pound copper. This reflects analysts' consensus at the time of publication of the feasibility study.

3. Mineral Resource & Reserve Estimates

The FS includes an updated independent Mineral Resource and a maiden Mineral Reserve estimate, which contains a Mineral Resource of 5.4 B lbs Cu Measured and Indicated (965.5 million tonnes at grade 0.255% Cu) and 20.0 B lbs Cu Inferred (4,239.3 million tonnes at grade 0.214% Cu) (exclusive of Reserves), and a maiden Mineral Reserve of 10.2 B lbs Cu Proven and Probable (1,023.1 million tonnes at grade 0.453% Cu).

This study provides an update on the work done for the 2023 Los Azules PEA. Drilling more than 120,000 meters with more than 2.3 M man-hours worked in the last three seasons has upgraded the resource categories to allow us to present a Mineral Reserve in the FS similar to the 1.182 B tonnes of mineable Mineral Resources containing 10.9 B lbs Cu in the 2023 PEA. This achievement included a campaign during the 2023/2024 season with 70,000 meters drilled and up to 23 rigs operating simultaneously at site.

This program was executed in collaboration with seven drilling contractors, including two local ventures that were operating LF160 Boart Longyear rigs owned by McEwen Copper. During this period, the company also acquired the largest fleet of LF160s in South America and assembled a highly trained team to support the ambitious drilling program.

Maiden Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve Estimate

The Los Azules project is to be developed as a large-scale open pit mining operation. 1.02 billion tonnes of ore will be mined at average diluted head grades of 0.45% Cu and a strip ratio of 1.65:1 over a 21-year mine life including pre-production and stockpile reclaim plus 2 years of leaching operation production.

Given the concern about the geotechnical stability of the ultimate pit slopes, several consultants reviewed the data, and E-Mining Technology ultimately provided the analysis that was used to design the pit. The significant amount of drilling, review of core, and analysis resulted in a delay in the delivery of the feasibility study but has improved the confidence in the design basis for the open pit. The ultimate slopes will not be mined for several years into the mine life, which allows time for additional geotechnical work to be done to improve the understanding of the rock qualities that can support those design parameters for interim and ultimate pit phases.

The Los Azules pit will be mined in 12 phases. Eighteen geotechnical sectors were defined with overall slope angles ranging from 32 to 37 degrees, according to E-Mining Technology's geotechnical study. The shallowest overall slope angles are in the north and south of the pit, as well as in the bottom portion of the eastern side, due to a fault-weakened zone.

Large electrically powered hydraulic shovels will be used in combination with ultra-class 360-tonne haul trucks. These are sized to mine 15-meter-high benches. To maximize productivity, efficiency and safety in a high altitude environment, the drills and haul trucks will be autonomously operated.

The Mineral Reserves for Los Azules are updated and stated in Table 1. Measured mineral resources and Indicated mineral resources were converted to Proven and Probable mineral reserves, respectively. Ore reserves were estimated using long-term metal price estimates of $4.25/ lb Cu.

Table 1: Mineral Reserve Statement, Effective Date September 3, 2025



Grade Contained Metal Reserve Class Tonnage (Kt) Total Cu % Soluble Cu % Cu M lb Proven 229,879 0.683 0.495 3,463 Probable 793,173 0.386 0.259 6,754 Total 1,023,052 0.453 0.312 10,217

Table 1 Notes:

The Qualified Person for the Mineral Reserve estimates is Gordon Zurowski P.Eng., an AGP employee. Mineral Reserves have an effective date of 03 September 2025. Mineral Reserves are reported on a 100% basis.

Mineral Reserves are estimated assuming open pit mining methods and include dilution. Recoveries were based on the extractions shown in Figure 2. Pit slopes vary by sector and range from 32 to 37. The cut-off is variable and ranges from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR. The copper price used was $4.25/lb Cu. Cu recovery varies by lithology. Mining costs vary by bench with a minimum of $2.14/t and a maximum of $4.11/t. Processing costs are variable and range from $3.18/t to $5.62/t leached. The processing costs include: $1.61/t G&A, $0.43/t leached for sustaining capital, and $0.15/t leached to account for closure cost. Copper cathode sales cost is $0.02/lb Cu. Copper cathode was assumed to be sold FOB the mine site.

Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

The database for resource estimation has a cutoff date of March 27, 2025. An additional 1,075 meters of drilling from four geotechnical holes, completed from early 2025 to date, were not included in the resource estimate.

The mineral resources have been classified according to guidelines and logic set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM 2019) Definitions referred to in NI 43-101. Resources were classified as Measured, Indicated or Inferred by considering the geology, sampling, and grade estimation aspects of the model. For geology, consideration was given to the confidence in the interpretation of the lithologic domain boundaries and geometry. For sampling, consideration was given to the number and spacing of composites, the orientation of drilling and the reliability of sampling. For the estimation results, consideration was given to the confidence with which grades were estimated, as measured by the quality of the match between the grades of the data and the model.

Mineral resources are determined using an NSR cut-off value to cover the processing cost for each recovery methodology. For supergene and primary material using sulfuric acid leaching and SX/EW recovery, a marginal cut-off was used that was variable ranging from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR. The supergene and primary material can be treated in a float mill with NSR cutoffs of $5.13/t and $5.11/t, respectively. NSR values are based on a copper price of $4.80/lb, gold at $2,500/oz and silver at $32/oz where applicable. Variable pit slopes between 32 and 37 were applied depending on sector.

The current database is sufficient for preparing a long-range model that will serve as a basis for modeling associated with completing the FS. The extent of mineralization along strike exceeds three kilometers, and the distance across strike is approximately one kilometer. The deposit is open at depth. Over the approximately 2.5 km strike length where mineralization is strongest, the average drill spacing ranges from approximately 50 meters to more than 120 meters. The central core of the enriched zone is drilled at an approximate 50 m spacing. The assay database considers 627 drillholes with 132,255 meters of assayed intervals. Resource estimation work was performed using Datamine Studio software.

Resources disclosed in Table 2 are reported in two categories related to processing amenability:

1) materials that are suited for processing in a commercially proven conventional, ambient conditions, copper bio-leaching scheme (Leach); and

2) materials that are better suited to processing either in a more advanced bio-leaching scheme such as Nuton Technology or traditional milling/concentrator approach (Mill or Leach+).

Table 2: Mineral Resources (Exclusive of Mineral Reserves), Effective Date September 3, 2025



Million

tonnes (MT) Average Grade Contained Metal





CuT

% CuSol

% Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Cu

(Blbs) Au

(Moz) Ag

(Moz) Measured & Indicated Supergene Leach 251.9 0.303 0.167 - - 1.7 -

-

Supergene Mill or Leach+ 77.6 0.108 0.042 0.04 1.11 0.2 0.1 2.8 Primary Mill or Leach+ 635.9 0.255 0.046 0.05 1.17 3.6 0.9 23.8 Total

Measured & Indicated Leach & Mill or Leach+ 965.5 0.255 0.077



5.4 1.0 26.6 Inferred Supergene Mill or Leach+ 601.1 0.292 0.131 0.04 1.32 3.9 0.9 25.5 Primary Mill or Leach+ 3,638.2 0.201 0.027 0.04 1.06 16.1 4.9 124.5 Total

Inferred Leach & Mill or Leach+ 4,239.3 0.214 0.042



20.0 5.7 149.9

Notes to Table 2:

The Qualified Person for the Mineral Resource estimate is Jeff Sullivan - CRM-SA, LLC. Mineral Resources have an effective date of September 3, 2025.

Mineral resources, which are not mineral reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant factors.

The quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there is insufficient exploration to define these inferred mineral resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource; it is expected that further infill drilling will result in upgrading the majority of this material to an indicated or measured classification.

Reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction are demonstrated by using a calculated NSR value in each block to evaluate an open pit shell using Measured, Indicated and Inferred blocks in Geovia Whittle pit optimization software. Mining costs vary by bench with a minimum of $2.14/t and a maximum of $6.38/t.

NSR was calculated using the following: metal prices of $4.80/lb for copper, $2,500/oz for gold and $32/oz for silver, Processing costs are variable and range from $3.18/t to $5.62/t leached. Milling process cost are $5.13/t for supergene and $5.11/t for primary ores. Total freight costs of $150/t for concentrate, selling costs of $0.02/lb for copper.

A marginal cut-off was used that was variable ranging from $4.79/t NSR to $7.23/t NSR based on extraction of the resource from the enriched zone using sulfuric acid leaching and SX/EW recovery; the recovery was calculated using the extractions shown in Figure 2 and applying a 95% operational efficiency.

The supergene and primary material can potentially be treated in a mill/concentrator with NSR cut-offs of $5.13/t for supergene and $5.11/t for primary respectively. The mill has the added benefit of also recovering the gold and silver present in the resource. Additional parameters are used for the NSR calculation for this scenario. Mill recoveries for the secondary copper resources were 89.3% and for the primary resources were 93.2%.

Depending on the potential depth of the pit, total pit slope angles ranged from 32 to 37 depending on the sector. Overburden slopes were set at 32.

Composites of 2 m length were capped where needed; the capping strategy is based on the distribution of grade which varies by location (i.e. domain or proximity to controlling structures) and the associated potential metal removal. The resource estimate is based on uncapped copper grades; local capped grades are used for gold and silver.

Block grades were estimated using a combination of ordinary Kriging and inverse distance squared weighting depending on domain size.

Model blocks are 20 m x 20 m x 15 m in size.

4. Metallurgy & Recovery

The metallurgical development for the Los Azules feasibility was completed in three phases:

Phase 1: Baseline testing from the test work program outlined in the 2023 PEA.

Phase 2: Testing using samples from the 2021-2022 drilling campaigns, to expand the variability database from Phase 1 and to extend the geometallurgical data set to include lithologic domains.

Phase 3: Scale-up validation using samples from the 2022-2023 exploration campaigns, to validate scale-up from the baseline 3-meter columns to the planned 9-meter bench height of the heap leach pad and to confirm extraction within the test programs. The Phase 3 master composites were built by lithologic domain and were pulled from within the pit shell for the initial five years of operation. Additional samples were collected from the 2023-2024 exploration campaign from holes drilled vertically.

The metallurgical work completed to date provides comprehensive understanding of the expected performance characteristics of the Los Azules deposit. The anticipated copper extractions shown in Figure 2 are utilized in the block model to calculate NSR value for each block in conjunction. Copper recovered to cathodes will consider a heap efficiency and inventory factor of 95% of the extractable copper, based on general experience and industry practice.

Figure 2: All 360-day column extraction data plotted as soluble copper (CuSOL) to total copper (CuT) ratio of the head grade broken out by lithology and ratios.

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Notes: IMP = Intermineral Porphyry, IMP BX = IMP Breccia, DIO = Diorite, EMP = Early Mineral Porphyry, and EMP BX = EMP Breccia

The expected overall total copper recovery is approximately 70.8% and is distributed over a three-year timeframe from placement on the leach pad to account for the timing of active leaching cycles as the pad is constructed. The copper extraction methodology best reflects the potential variability related to host rock materials and the expected variability related to copper grades, mineralogy and recovery that can be practically applied in the mining modeling. In the opinion of the QP, the metallurgical test work and analysis support the metallurgical assumptions provided and used in the mineral reserve statement, the feasibility mine plans, and the economic analysis presented in this report.

Processing of the primary ores can be achieved by using both the Nuton process, alternative leaching processes such as chloride leaching or by using a conventional milling operation to produce concentrates. The advantage of conventional milling is the additional revenue from the recovered gold and silver from the deposit. The next stage of metallurgical test work will include sufficient work to evaluate the processing method to be used for the primary ores during the detailed engineering and initial operations phase.

5. Economic Analysis

Economic Metrics

All currency shown in the FS is expressed in constant Q2 2025 United States Dollars unless otherwise noted.

The Business Case for the leach project uses a copper price assumption of $4.35/lb. Summary results are provided below in Table 3.

Table 3: Project Metrics - Business Case Project Metric Unit Number Mine Life Years 21 Tonnes Processed Billion tonnes 1.023 Tonnes Waste Mined Billion tonnes 1.684 Strip Ratio

1.65 Total Copper Grade (CuT) % CuT 0.453% Soluble Copper Grade (CuSOL) % CuSOL 0.312% Total Copper Recovery % 70.8% Copper Production (LOM avg.) tonnes/yr 148,200 Copper Production (Yrs 1-5) tonnes/yr 204,800 Copper Production - cathode Cu ktonnes 3,279 Initial Capital Cost USD Millions $3,168 Sustaining Capital Cost USD Millions $2,131 Closure Costs USD Millions $386 C1 Cost (Life of Mine) USD/lb Cu $1.71 All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) USD/lb Cu $2.11 Before Taxes



Net Cumulative Cashflow USD Millions $12,721 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) % 24.3% Net Present Value (NPV) @ 8% USD Millions $4,280 After Taxes



Net Cumulative Cashflow USD Millions $9,647 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) % 19.8% Net Present Value (NPV) @ 8% USD Millions $2,940 Pay Back Period Years 3.87

The FS for Los Azules envisions an average annual copper cathode production of 451 million lbs per year (204,800 tonnes) during the first five years of operation, representing an increase of 50 million lbs per year compared to the initial five years of the 2023 PEA production schedule. Over the 21-year life of mine, the average annual copper cathode production is projected at 327 million lbs per year (148,200 tonnes).

Based on the LOM extraction of mineralized material containing approximately 10.2 billion lbs (4.63 million tonnes) of total copper, and an average copper recovery of 70.8%, total copper recoverable to cathode is 7.23 billion lbs (3.28 million tonnes). The copper production by year is shown in Figure 3:

Figure 3: Copper Cathode Production by Year

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Other economic metrics:

Initial capital expenditure $3.17 billion

Project capital intensity $9.18/ lb Cu per year (or $20,200/ t Cu per year) based on Initial capital / average annual production, or $0.73/ lb Cu (or $1,600/ t Cu) based on LOM Capex / LOM production (8) .

. Average EBITDA(9) per year $1.31 billion for Years 1-5 and $696 million for Years 6-21.

A Nuton Technology Case is considered in the opportunity section of the FS as a separate project at a PEA-level of study. That case would process primary material stockpiled during the mining of the leach project and mineral resources outside of the Mineral Reserve pit with low soluble copper content. The Nuton case would use the existing processing facilities to support the operation, with a new leach pad and Pregnant Leach Solution pumped back to the original solvent exchange & electrowinning facility. The use of Nuton Technology has the potential to extend the life of the project and will continue to be evaluated after the conclusion of the FS.

Sensitivity Analysis

The leach project economics remain attractive (i.e. with an after-tax IRR of 15% or above) at a copper price above $3.74 per pound and are similarly resistant to an increase in LOM capital expenditure of up to 25% and an increase in operating expenses of up to 37% (see Figure 4 below).

Table 4 below shows the sensitivity of the leach project's after-tax economics to copper price fluctuations (+/- 20%). The project after-tax NPV8% is breakeven at a copper price of $3.10 per pound.

Table 4: Project Copper Price Sensitivity Sensitivity to Change in Metal Pricing After-Tax Cu Price Copper Price NPV IRR Payback (%) $ Cu/lb $M % Years -20% $3.48 $902 12% 5.78 -15% $3.70 $1,411 14% 5.15 -10% $3.92 $1,921 16% 4.68 -5% $4.13 $2,430 18% 4.33 0% $4.35 $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $4.57 $3,449 21% 3.59 10% $4.79 $3,956 23% 3.39 15% $5.00 $4,461 25% 3.23 20% $5.22 $4,966 26% 3.06

Table 5 below shows the sensitivity of the project economics to initial and sustaining capital expenditure escalation on an after-tax basis.

Table 5: Project Initial & Sustaining CAPEX Sensitivity Sensitivity to Increased

CAPEX (%) After-Tax

NPV IRR Payback

$M % Years 0% $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $2,773 19% 4.18 10% $2,606 18% 4.41 15% $2,440 17% 4.60 20% $2,273 16% 4.78 25% $2,107 15% 4.99

Table 6 below shows the sensitivity of the project economics to operating expenditure escalation on a after-tax basis.

Table 6: Project OPEX Sensitivity Sensitivity to Increased OPEX (%) After-Tax

NPV IRR Payback

$M % Years 0 $2,940 19.8% 3.87 5% $2,746 19% 4.00 10% $2,553 18% 4.18 15% $2,359 18% 4.32 20% $2,166 17% 4.43 25% $1,973 16% 4.54

Figure 4: Chart of IRR Sensitivity (After-Tax) Relative to Copper Price, CAPEX and OPEX

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6. Capital & Operating Costs

Capital Costs Estimates

The project includes the development of an open pit mine with multi-stage crushing and screening, a heap leach pad, and a copper solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX/EW) facility with a nominal production capacity of 215 ktpa copper cathodes (design maximum 240 ktpa). Initial capital infrastructure for the Base Case includes the following facilities:

Mine development and associated infrastructure

Coarse rock storage and ore handling (crushing, conveying, agglomeration)

Heap leach pads and conveyor stacking systems

SX/EW facility

Sulfuric acid plant

On-site utilities and ancillary facilities including a construction camp

Off-site infrastructure: power transmission line (outsourced), access roads, and permanent camp

The Project's initial capital costs are based on budgetary quotes for major equipment, recent in-house cost information and installation factors, and regional contractor inputs and facilities obtained between Q2 and Q3 2025. The capital costs for the project are summarized in Table 5 and should be viewed with the level of accuracy expected for a Feasibility Study.

Design allowances for materials quantities and labor and contingencies were included in the project estimate.

Table 7: Project Initial Capital Cost Description Cost

($M) Direct On-Site Facilities

Mine Facilities, Equipment, Pre-Production $805.9 Ore Storage & Handling $283.3 Heap Leach $331.6 SX-EW $188.5 Sulfuric Acid Plant $114.3 Ancillary Facilities $123.4 Site Development & Yard Utilities $101.6 Water Supply $29.6 Direct Off-Site Facilities

Power Supply (see below) -0- Local Support Facilities $16.4 Access Roads $93.6 Logistics Activities Zone (LAZ) $45.6 Total Direct Cost $2,133.7 Project Indirects & Construction Services

Contractor Indirect Cost $41.7 Catering, Camp Operations & Maintenance $94.6 Contracted Services $89.6 Construction Equipment, Tools & Supplies $14.6 Freight & Duties $59.3 Field Startup & Vendor Services $15.1 Spares, Initial Fills (incl. Mining) $65.5 Project Indirect/ Project Management Labor

EPCM Services $139.2 Owner's Cost

Owner Project Team $7.6 Office Costs & Assets incl. vehicles $0.6 Owner Services Cost $28.8 Owner Preproduction G&A Costs $104.7 Opex During Ramp-up $34.8 Total Indirect Cost $691.0 Design Growth Allowances $44.3 Contingency $293.9 Total Capital Cost $3,167.9

YPF Funding Power Supply

The construction cost of the Power Supply line to site and the electrical system upgrades total approximately $440 million which has not been included in the capital estimate as YPF Luz, a large Argentinean power utility company, will be constructing the line at their expense pursuant to a long-term, renewable power purchase agreement and connection repayment that will follow the terms agreed to in a Memorandum of Understanding.

To date, the company received preliminary finance proposals from Tier-1 OEMs and European export credit agencies for opportunities exceeding $1.1 billion for infrastructure and technology, covering 85 to 100% of major mechanical equipment and local installation costs - see the Strategic Partnerships section.

Operating Costs Estimates

Table 8 summarizes the LOM project operating costs per tonne of material processed and per pound of copper produced.

Table 8: LOM Project Cash Costs Description LOM

Cost/tonne

($) LOM

Cost/lb

($) Mining 6.22 0.87 Processing 3.83 0.54 General & Administrative 1.86 0.26 Selling Expenses 0.28 0.04 LOM C1 Costs 12.05 1.71

7. ESG & Sustainability

Environmental Highlights:

Process water use: 159 L/s LOM average, 74% lower than a conventional millproducing copper concentrate with approx. 600 L/s (10) .

. Peak Site Water use: 244.2 L/s, with 227 L/s allocated for mining activities and 17.2 L/s for human use.

Electricity demand: 119 MW (48% lower than a concentrator)

GHG emissions: For the current project basis, the estimated annual average Green House Gas (GHG) emissions for the Los Azules project is 1,082 kg CO2-e/t Cu from Scope 1 and 2 sources. This places the project on the lowest decile of the copper industry carbon curve, well below the estimated industry average of 4,026 kg CO2-e/t Cu(5) using Skarn Associates mine-to-metal "E1" metric (13) . At the start of operations, Los Azules will already be one of the lowest carbon copper cathodes produced in the world.

The project continues to develop electrification strategies for the mine and overall project including application of trolley assist for mine haulage, in-pit crushing and conveying and waste conveyance. The timing for these applications and others is under final analysis. Los Azules is also well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities (e.g. battery electric mine and services vehicles) and longer-term developing technologies.

. At the start of operations, Los Azules will already be one of the lowest carbon copper cathodes produced in the world. The project continues to develop electrification strategies for the mine and overall project including application of trolley assist for mine haulage, in-pit crushing and conveying and waste conveyance. The timing for these applications and others is under final analysis. Los Azules is also well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities (e.g. battery electric mine and services vehicles) and longer-term developing technologies. Goal: McEwen Copper is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2038 at Los Azules, a target achievable using emerging technologies and offsets.

The project will source 100% renewable energy (wind, hydro, solar) and aims for net positive impacts on local ecosystems and communities.

8. Permitting & Regulatory Status

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Los Azules was granted on December 3, 2024.

On September 26, 2025, Los Azules was accepted into the Large Investment Incentive Regime RIGI. The investment regime provides the project with legal, fiscal, and customs stability for 30 years, including:

Legal certainty, including tax, customs and foreign exchange stability for 30 years, with improved mechanisms in comparison with a prior regime applicable to mining activities, and access to international arbitration should a dispute arise.

Tax incentives in the investment phase -such as release from VAT payments which significantly reduces the financial burden during construction- and in the operation phase, such as the reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 25% from the general 35%, a 50% reduction in the dividend withholding tax, no export tax, an accelerated depreciation for new capital investments, and exemption from export duties.

Streamlined customs procedures, including duty and tax exemptions to import of capital goods and the ability to leave export proceeds in foreign bank accounts, available to be applied to debt repayment or any other goal.

The Water Concession permit applications are currently under review with the provincial government. The use of heap leach technology, which is well accepted in San Juan Province, reduces permitting complexity by eliminating tailings and conserving water.

9. Nuton Opportunity

Nuton is a technology venture of Rio Tinto that became a strategic partner of McEwen Copper in 2022. The Nuton Technology is a suite of proprietary technologies that provide opportunities to leach both primary and secondary copper sulfides, providing a significant opportunity to optimize mine plans and overall mining and processing operations. In addition, Nuton Technology provides significant other benefits, such as lower overall energy consumption, lower CO2 emissions, smaller land footprint, and lower water consumption per unit of copper produced than conventional sulfide mineralization recovery processes.

Based on strategic planning work by Whittle Consulting and considering the inferred resources, the use of Nuton offers the opportunity to extend the mine life beyond conventional leaching by 30 years or more.

Based on preliminary scoping testing, the Nuton Technology offers the potential for copper recoveries of up to 85% on primary copper sulfide ore bodies, depending on the specific mineralogy make-up of the mineral resource. At Los Azules, the NutonTechnology has the potential to economically process the large primary sulfide copper resource as an alternative to a concentrator, with low incremental capital following the oxide and supergene leach, no tailings requirement, and a smaller environmental footprint. Producing copper cathode with Nuton on-site also has the advantage of simplifying outbound logistics in comparison to copper concentrates and offers a finished product to the domestic and international market.

The outcomes modelled using Nuton's proprietary computational fluid dynamics model are very encouraging and indicate that unoptimized copper recovery to cathode from primary material using Nuton Technology should range from 73% to 79%. Furthermore, recovery from secondary material using Nuton Technology is high, ranging from 80% to 86%. This could provide a significant opportunity to optimize the mine plan and reduce the need for selective mining, as simultaneous stacking of both secondary and primary mineralization will not impact the copper recovery of either material type. Based on the current resource estimate, using Nuton Technology in the project could have a significant positive impact on the expected life of the mine and the projected cashflow, without significantly increasing the initial capital investment required.

Column leaching of Los Azules composite samples at Nuton facilities was completed in Q1 2024 and used to support modelled metallurgical recoveries. Testing has been completed at Nuton facilities with a Phase 2a program, developing process design criteria and evaluating performance tested at a 10 m tall, large column scale. Fully mass balanced results are expected to be completed in Q4 2025. Preliminary assessment of the assay data suggests similar results to those provided in the PEA document. Besides refining and validating modelled data through additional column testing for Los Azules, Nuton is progressing an industrial-scale deployment at the Johnson Camp Mine (JCM) owned and operated by Gunnison Copper Corp. Inc. in Arizona, USA. This deployment's aim is to validate the Nuton Technology package, from design and engineering to commissioning and operation, and to de-risk future Nuton deployments like the potential one at Los Azules.

McEwen Copper and Nuton are actively collaborating to deploy the Nuton Technology at Los Azules. While a formal commercial agreement is not yet in place, both parties are committed to working in good faith toward establishing such an arrangement.

10. Development Timeline

The Gantt chart below presents a simplified project development timeline based on regional contractor inputs and long-lead equipment and materials delivery assumptions provided by vendors.

The schedule assumes that the feasibility study work is completed in October 2025, necessary permits to begin work are completed, and initial financing is in place to achieve the scheduled milestones.

Following this Level 3 schedule, the SX/EW plant could start in 2029, and the first cathode would be produced in 2030.

Figure 5: - Gantt Chart for Los Azules Project Development Timeline

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11. Strategic Partnerships

McEwen Copper partnered with Nuton to evaluate the application of NutonTechnology for the treatment of primary mineralization at the Los Azules project. Nuton also holds a 17.2% equity stake in McEwen Copper.

Stellantis, the world's fifth largest automaker, is also a strategic shareholder with an 18.3% interest. The partnership includes a copper cathode and concentrates purchase rights agreement and a joint commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2038.

As of the date of this release, McEwen Copper has received preliminary finance proposals with referential conditions from Tier 1 OEMs including, Komatsu, and Sandvik, as well as from European export credit agencies, covering 85 to 100% of the major mechanical equipment and 50% of the local construction cost for the project. The Argentine power company YPF Luz has signed an agreement with Los Azules to provide financing for the upgrades to the power grid and the power supply to the mine site and has agreed to provide 100% renewable power to the project. These proposals open the opportunity to finance more than $1.1 billion in investments for the crushing and handling system, SX/EW plant, acid plant, drilling fleet, and hauling and loading mining fleet, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies that support our regenerative guiding principles and commitment to sustainable innovation.

In September 2025, McEwen Copper announced that it had signed a collaboration agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to support the alignment of the Los Azules copper project with IFC's ESG standards for potential future financing. This represents an important milestone in the company's broader financing strategy, helping to align the project with top-tier sustainability standards while paving the way for IFC as a potential lead lender and equity partner.

12. Study Contributors and Qualified Persons

The FS Technical Report is prepared in accordance with the requirements set forth by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") for the disclosure of material information and is intended to meet the requirements of a Feasibility Study (FS) level of study and disclosure as defined in the regulations and supporting reference documents. The effective date of the report is September 3, 2025.

The report was prepared by Samuel Engineering Inc., with contributions from Knight Piesold Consulting, AGP Mining Consultants Inc, Nuton, a Rio Tinto Venture, E-Mining Technology S.A., Call & Nicholas, Inc., Itasca Consulting Group, Inc., CRM-SA, LLC, McLennan Design/Perkins&Will, Whittle Consulting Pty Ltd, Techint S.A.C.I., BW Hidrogeologia y Medioambiente, and SRK Consulting UK Limited, under the supervision of David Tyler, McEwen Copper Project Director.

The feasibility study and associated disclosures have been reviewed and verified by the following qualified persons under NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects:

Technical aspects of this news release related to Project Execution, Development information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure, have been reviewed and verified by James L. Sorensen - FAusIMM Reg. No. 221286 with Samuel Engineering.

Technical aspects of this news release related to McEwen information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure, have been reviewed and verified by David Tyler - SME Registered Member. No. 3288830. He is the Project Director of the Los Azules Project and is not independent of the issuer.

Technical aspects of this news release related to Metallurgical Summary and Process Information, have been reviewed and verified by Michael McGlynn - SME Registered Member No. 4149430 with Samuel Engineering.

Disclosure related to the updated Los Azules mineral resource estimate has been reviewed and approved by Jeff Sullivan - FAusIMM Reg. No. 201778 with CRM-SA, LLC.

Disclosure related to the initial Los Azules mining, and mineral reserve estimate has been reviewed and approved by Gordon Zurowski, P.Eng with AGP Mining Consultants.

Technical aspects of this news release related to Financial Modeling, have been reviewed and verified by Steve Pozder - P.E. with Samuel Engineering.

13. End Notes

(8) Project capital intensity is defined as Initial Capex ($) / LOM Avg. Annual Copper Production (lbs or tonnes per year) or as LOM Capex ($) / LOM Copper Production (lbs or tonnes). C1 cash costs per pound produced is defined as the cash cost incurred at each processing stage, from mining through to recoverable copper delivered to the market, net of any by-product credits. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per pound of copper produced adds production royalties, non-recoverable VAT and sustaining capital costs to C1. AISC margin is the ratio of AISC to gross revenue. Capital intensity, C1 cash costs per pound of copper produced, AISC per pound of copper produced, and AISC margin are all non-GAAP financial metrics. Numbers may not total due to rounding.

(9) Annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure.

(10) 2017 NI 43-101 Technical Report on Los Azules Project, Hatch Engineering (Throughput of 120,000 tpd of mineralized material).

(11) 2023 NI 43-101 Technical Report on Los Azules Project, Samuel Engineering.

(12) Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent per tonne of Copper Equivalent produced. Carbon Dioxide Equivalent means having the same global warming potential as any other greenhouse gas.

(13) Skarn Associates Copper Mine GHG and Energy Intensity Curve Generator, June 2025 dataset for the year 2030. The E1 metric includes all GHG emissions from mine to refined metal. Skarn recommends E1 intensity as the most suitable metric for comparing operations, allowing SXEW and concentrate producers to be evaluated on the same curve, at the same product boundary - refined copper cathode."

For further details, visit the McEwen website.

Qualified Persons

The McEwen Copper feasibility study technical report has an effective date of September 3, 2025.

The feasibility study and associated news disclosures were reviewed and verified by the following qualified persons who are independent consultants of McEwen Copper:

Technical aspects of the news release related to Project Execution, Development information, and other information excluding mineral resource disclosure - James L. Sorensen - FAusIMM Reg. No. 221286 with Samuel Engineering.

Technical aspects of the news release related to Metallurgical Summary and Process Information - Michael McGlynn - SME Registered Member No. 4149430 with Samuel Engineering.

Disclosure related to the updated Los Azules mineral resource estimate - Jeff Sullivan - FAusIMM Reg. No. 201778 with CRM-SA, LLC.

Disclosure related to the initial Los Azules mining, and mineral reserve estimate - Gordon Zurowski, P.Eng with AGP Mining Consultants.

Technical aspects of the news release related to Financial Modeling - Steve Pozder - P.E. with Samuel Engineering.

The McEwen press release appears to be reviewed and verified by a Qualified Person (as that term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and the procedures, methodology and key assumptions disclosed therein are those adopted and consistently applied in the mining industry, but no Qualified Person engaged by TNR has done sufficient work to analyze, interpret, classify or verify McEwen's information to determine the current mineral resource or other information referred to in its press releases. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned in placing any reliance on the disclosures therein.

Kirill Klip, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased that McEwen Copper has reached this major milestone releasing feasibility study after it secured an environmental permit for the construction and operation of the Los Azules copper project. Feasibility study confirms that Los Azules copper is economically robust project with leading ESG performance. The collaboration between McEwen Copper and IFC, and admission to the Argentina Regime of Incentives for Investment (RIGI) could move the Los Azules copper project development closer to a construction decision.

"The new president of Argentina has introduced important government policies aimed at supporting business and unlocking the country's economic potential. Mining in Argentina is being recognized by the government as an integral part of its economic development plan, providing jobs and enriching local communities.

"Our Company has repaid our investment loan in full, and we believe that the recent market prices of our shares do not properly reflect the underlying value of TNR's assets. Our transformation from a project generation junior mining company into a cashflow-generating royalty company may bring the necessary catalyst for improved market valuation of our assets.

"Significant developments on the advancement of the Los Azules project towards the feasibility stage have led to increased Rio Tinto and Stellantis holdings in McEwen Copper, strategic partners of this large copper, gold and silver project. In 2023, Stellantis invested an aggregate ARS $72 billion. An additional US $100 million in total was invested by Rio Tinto's Venture Nuton in McEwen Copper. TNR Gold's vision is aligned with the leaders of innovation among automakers like Stellantis, whose aim is to decarbonize mobility, and mining industry leaders such as Rob McEwen, whose vision is 'to build a mine for the future, based on regenerative principles that can achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2038'.

"Together with Nuton, McEwen Copper is exploring new technologies that save energy, water, time and capital, advancing Los Azules towards the goal of leading environmental performance. The involvement of Rio Tinto, with its innovative technology, may also accelerate realizing the potential of the Los Azules project.

"The green energy rEVolution relies on the supply of critical metals like copper. Delivering 'green copper' to Argentina and the world will contribute to the clean energy transition and electrification of transportation and energy industries.

"The feasibility study confirms Los Azules project as a long-life, low-cost producer of high-purity copper cathodes with strong economic returns and sustainability. It highlights the potential to create a robust leach project while reducing the environmental footprint, and greater environmental and social stewardship sets the project apart from other potential mine developments.

"Los Azules was ranked in the top ten largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world by Mining Intelligence (2022). TNR Gold does not have to contribute any capital for the development of the Los Azules Project. The essence of our business model is to have industry leaders like McEwen as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders."

ABOUT TNR GOLD CORP.

TNR Gold Corp. is working to become the green energy metals royalty and gold company.

Our business model provides a unique entry point in the creation of supply chains for critical materials like energy metals that are powering the energy rEVolution, and the gold industry that is providing a hedge for this stage of the economic cycle.

Our portfolio provides a unique combination of assets with exposure to multiple aspects of the mining cycle: the power of blue-sky discovery and important partnerships with industry leaders as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders.

Over the past twenty-nine years, TNR, through its lead generator business model, has been successful in generating high-quality global exploration projects. With the Company's expertise, resources and industry network, the potential of the Mariana Lithium Project and Los Azules Copper Project in Argentina, among many others, have been recognized.

TNR holds a 1.5% NSR royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project in Argentina, of which 0.15% of such NSR royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder of the Company. Ganfeng Lithium's subsidiary, Litio Minera Argentina ("LMA"), has the right to repurchase 1.0% of the NSR royalty on the Mariana Project, of which 0.9% is the Company's NSR royalty interest. The Company would receive CAN$900,000, and its shareholder would receive CAN$100,000 on the repurchase by LMA, resulting in TNR holding a 0.45% NSR royalty and its shareholder holding a 0.05% NSR royalty.

The Mariana Lithium Project is 100% owned by Ganfeng Lithium. The Mariana Lithium Project has been approved by the Argentina provincial government of Salta for an environmental impact report. Ganfeng officially inaugurated Mariana Lithium's start of production at a 20,000 tons-per-annum lithium chloride plant on February 12, 2025.

TNR Gold also holds a 0.4% NSR royalty on the Los Azules Copper Project, of which 0.04% of the 0.4% NSR royalty is held on behalf of a shareholder of the Company. The Los Azules Copper Project is being developed by McEwen.

TNR also holds a 7% NPR on the Batidero I and II properties of the Josemaria Project that is being developed by the joint-venture between Lundin Mining and BHP.

TNR provides significant exposure to gold through its 90% holding in the Shotgun Gold porphyry project in Alaska. The project is located in Southwestern Alaska near the Donlin Gold project, which is being developed by Novagold Resources. The Company's strategy with the Shotgun Gold Project is to attract a joint venture partnership with a major gold mining company. The Company is actively introducing the project to interested parties.

At its core, TNR provides a wide scope of exposure to gold, copper, silver and lithium through its holdings in Alaska (the Shotgun Gold porphyry project) and royalty holdings in Argentina (the Mariana Lithium project, the Los Azules Copper Project and the Batidero I & II properties of the Josemaria Project), and is committed to the continued generation of in-demand projects, while diversifying its markets and building shareholder value.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Kirill Klip

Executive Chairman

www.tnrgoldcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "will", "could" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "could" occur, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements made in relation to: TNR's corporate objectives and future potential transactions being considered by the Special Committee and the Board, and the benefit that TNR's shareholders may derive from same; TNR's future receipt of cash flows from its royalty holdings and the subsequent contribution of significant value to its shareholders; the possible growth of TNR's value; future revenue and increased valuations of TNR's royalty holdings caused by potential strategic alliances with major mining companies and investment institutions; the use of potential future cash flows to fund a normal course issuer bid; the potential spin-out of the Shotgun Gold Project; future investment of substantial capital in the development of the Shotgun Gold Project by a potential partner of TNR; the future potential of the the Kuskokwim Gold Belt in southwestern Alaska; the realization of the results and estimates contained in the McEwen feasibility study; the potential acceleration of the Los Azules project's potential due to Rio Tinto's involvement in the project; and the potential benefits caused by delivering 'green copper' to Argentina and the world. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile on www.sedarplus.ca. While management believes that the assumptions made and reflected in this news release are reasonable, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. In particular, there can be no assurance that: TNR will enter into one or more strategic transactions, partnership or a spin-out, or be able to complete any further royalty acquisitions or sales of royalty interests, or portions thereof; debt or equity financings will be available to TNR; or that TNR will be able to achieve any of its corporate objectives. TNR relies on the confirmation of its ownership for mining claims from the appropriate government agencies when paying rental payments for such mining claims requested by these agencies. There could be a risk in the future of the changing internal policies of such government agencies or risk related to the third parties, in future, challenging the ownership of such mining claims. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements included herein are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied on.

In formulating the forward-looking statements contained herein, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting TNR, and its royalty partners, McEwen, Ganfeng Lithium and Lundin Mining will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269916
Cadillac and Ferrari confirm joint test plan for 2025

Cadillac's first on-track running before its 2026 Formula 1 entry has been confirmed - with Ferrari providing both the car and technical support.

Carlos Sainz, Australian GP 2023

 Ferrari

Team principal Graham Lowdon told Japan's AS-Web in Singapore that the new American outfit will definitely be testing before the end of the year, marking Cadillac's first live systems check ahead of its debut.

It's not that we actually want to test cars because we don't have our own cars, Lowdon explained. "From a technical point of view, there's no benefit in running another team's chassis.

But we have a race-preparation program and want everyone working together before Melbourne. We don't want people meeting for the first time at the first race.

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur confirmed the Scuderia will loan one of its previous models - either the 2023 SF-23 or the 2019 SF90 - for the exercise, along with engineers to oversee the power unit and gearbox operation.

We're not going to use our entire 20-day TPC allowance, so we can help Cadillac out by loaning them our old car for testing, possibly in November or December, Vasseur said.

It's in the best interests of the sport if they can drive another team's car for a day or two this year. We supply the power unit and gearboxes, so we're happy to cooperate.

The session, expected to feature Valtteri Bottas following Mercedes' blessing and the returning-to-F1 Sergio Perez, will focus on pit operations and systems integration rather than outright performance.

(GMM)
Piastri deal triggered Palou's McLaren split

Oscar Piastri's arrival at McLaren was the key factor that ended Alex Palou's relationship with the team, according to testimony reported by Sky Deutschland.

Oscar Piastri, Hungarian GP 2025

 McLaren

In London's High Court this week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown appeared as part of the ongoing $20.7 million damages case against the four-time Indycar champion. Palou is accused of breaching his contract to drive for McLaren's Indycar program after deciding to remain with Chip Ganassi Racing.

The only attractive option was the path to Formula 1, Palou said in his witness statement. My ambition was to get into the biggest single-seater series in the world, the Spaniard continued.

He explained that when McLaren announced Piastri as its new rookie in late 2022, he was very upset, worried, and angry that McLaren had signed another rookie.

According to Sky Deutschland, Palou told the court that Brown assured him his Formula 1 hopes were still alive and that Piastri's performance would be measured against his own. Brown also allegedly told Palou that hiring Piastri was not his decision but Andreas Seidl's.

From that point on, I knew everything had changed, Palou said, explaining why he chose to stay at Ganassi.

The report added that Brown was later confronted with WhatsApp screenshots suggesting McLaren staff deleted internal messages to save themselves from lawsuits, which the American flatly denied.

The High Court proceedings continue in London.

(GMM)
Piastri inner circle met with McLaren

Relations inside the McLaren camp appear to be at breaking point following the explosive clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore.

Oscar Piastri, Singapore GP 2025

 McLaren

According to Australia's Sydney Morning Herald, members of Piastri's inner circle - led by manager Mark Webber - have now met with senior McLaren figures to clear the air - but those talks reportedly failed to resolve growing tension between the two title contenders.

Piastri's inner circle met with McLaren to clear the air, the paper claimed. It didn't work.

German analyst and former F1 driver Christian Danner told Motorsport-Magazin that Norris's Singapore aggression marked a shift. He had a conversation, or a pill, or I don't know what - then suddenly there was a wild, fierce Lando at the start, like there was no tomorrow, Danner said.

If you also look at his verbal aggression, it seems like he's had a personality transformation.

Ziggo Sport commentator Olav Mol believes the situation has been mishandled. McLaren is making far too many excuses, said the Dutchman.

Piastri should have kept his mouth shut after the stewards said they wouldn't do anything about it, he added, referring to the Australian's complaint about the lap 1 contact.

Now that the constructors' title is secured, Norris and Piastri are both thinking 'Ok, now it's all about me.' McLaren's problem is going to be multiplied.

Mathias Lauda, the son of F1 legend Niki, urged Max Verstappen to stay focused on himself amid McLaren's developing turmoil. Max should focus primarily on his own performance and hope that McLaren makes a few more mistakes, he said on Servus TV.

(GMM)
30th Macao int'l trade, investment fair to highlight innovation

Xinhua) 10:30, October 10, 2025

MACAO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said on Thursday that the 30th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) will feature innovation, with over 20 new products and technologies making their debut.

With robots appearing in community flash roadshows, the fair will be held Oct. 22 to 25 at Macao's Cotai Expo, the IPIM noted, attracting participants from over 40 countries and regions. More than 50 economic and trade conferences and forums were said to take place during the event.

This year's MIF introduces a number of specialized exhibition areas, the institute underlined, such as the "robotics industry pavilion" and the "Macao big health brand global promotion pavilion," aligning with Macao's industrial diversification strategy.

Since its inception in 1996, the MIF has grown into Macao's foremost annual event in international economy and trade, and is the first professional exhibition in the city accredited by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, the IPIM said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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Oppo launched the Reno14 and Reno14 Pro back in May, and as you may know, this mid-range series refreshes twice annually, so we're definitely now getting very close to the launch of the Reno15 family.

According to a new rumor, there will be three main Reno15 devices: the Reno15, Reno15 Pro, and Reno15 Pro Max (yes, really - Oppo is apparently ready to follow Xiaomi's lead in copying Apple's naming scheme). The Reno15 Pro Max will allegedly come with a 6.78-inch flat LTPO OLED screen with "1.5K" resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.

Oppo Reno14 Pro

The phone will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC, and it will have three cameras on the rear, including a 200 MP main camera using Samsung's ISOCELL HP5 sensor, a 50 MP telephoto camera, and an ultrawide. There will also be a 50 MP selfie snapper on the front.

The exact battery capacity hasn't been outed yet, but we should apparently expect it to be around 6,500 mAh. The Reno15 Pro Max will also have an in-display fingerprint sensor, as well as support for Wi-Fi 7 and NFC. It will run Android 16 with ColorOS 16 out of the box.

The Reno15 family, including this Pro Max, will allegedly make its debut in China later this year, and then will reach global markets, including India, in early 2026.

Oppo Reno14 5G

Oppo Reno14 Pro 5G

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Samsung Galaxy M17



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iciHaiti - Chile : AGCID South-South Cooperation Scholarships, registrations open





The Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces that applications are now open for the Chilean Agency for International Development Cooperation (AGCID) South-South Cooperation Scholarship Program for 2026. The objective of this program is to contribute to human capital development through the participation of professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean in master's programs offered by Chilean universities.



Requirements to apply for this program :

 A letter of admission from a Chilean university;

 A validated medical certificate, issued and signed by a licensed physician, stating the medical history declared by the applicant;

 A curriculum vitae, emphasizing professional and academic background;

 A cover letter explaining the reasons for pursuing studies in Chile;

 A brief description of the field of study and thesis topic on which you intend to focus your final research;

 A Spanish language certificate;

 An academic letter of recommendation.



For more information, interested candidates can contact Ms. Katherine Oliveri Astorga, Head of Studies in Chile, by email : jnavarro@direchile.cl or by phone +56 9 5580 2171.



Application process : https://www.agcid.gob.cl/becas/becas-para-extranjeros/ofertas-vigentes



Deadline for submission of documents: October 30, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Results will be announced during the month of November, and courses will begin between March 1 and September 30, 2026.



IMPORTANT : The required documents must be submitted electronically to the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (Focal Point), as well as to the Embassy of Chile in Haiti.



IH/ iciHaiti






















Haiti - Diplomacy : Laurent Saint Cyr met with Emperor Naruhito of Japan





Laurent Saint Cyr, President Pro Tempore and Coordinator of the Transition Council, on an official mission to Japan, met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.



The two leaders discussed the current economic situation and various issues of mutual interest. Saint-Cyr advocated for Japan's support for the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) following the favorable vote on the resolution at the United Nations Security Council https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45891-haiti-flash-the-security-council-has-voted-for-the-new-gang-repression-force.html



For his part, Prime Minister Ishiba renewed Japan's commitment to supporting Haiti, as it has done for the past fifty years, particularly after the earthquake of January 12, 2010, and through funding for the Multinational Security Support Mission. Ishiba expressed interest in strengthening Haiti's military and reaffirmed his country's determination to continue supporting Haiti in its quest for stability, peace, and security.



The President of the Presidential Transitional Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, reiterated the commitment of the Transitional Council and the Haitian Government to restore security, with the support of its international partners, with a view to holding elections as soon as possible.



Furthermore, on October 8, 2025, Laurent Saint-Cyr was received in audience by His Highness Emperor Naruhito at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.



This meeting, marked by respect and cordiality, focused on issues of mutual interest and served as an opportunity to reaffirm the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite Haiti and Japan.







Large photo :Shigeru Ishiba on the left, Emperor Naruhito on the right



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre


















Apple has apparently fixed a problem on the server side that meant that iOS 26 users with certain devices were no longer able to access Apple Intelligence. Owners of the latest iPhone models 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and Air were affected. Their owners were initially able to use the AI system, but after a few days it was deactivated, and those affected were asked to download the model again. However, this did not work: the download stalled at a certain point.

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New download attempt now goes through

According to reports on X, the issue has now been fixed in a way that Apple only had to roll out itselfeven if this took a few days. Affected users should try to initiate the download again. This should succeed after the device has been restartedor by switching Apple Intelligence off and on again in the system settings.

Sometimes, however, switching to flight mode and then deactivating it is also sufficient. Apple had previously acknowledged the problem via its supporters but then did not provide any specific information on a user-side fix. Apparently, the company needed some time to rectify the error on its side. It is conceivable that issues occurred when adapting the Apple Intelligence model to the new A19 chip in the devices. Among other things, the A19 Pro comes with a modified neural engine implementation. It remains unclear why the download stalled as a result. The installation may already have been running in the background.

Apple Intelligence needs space

Apple relies heavily on local models for its AI systemboth for the so-called writing tools and for the integrated image generators Genmoji and Image Playground. The system decides dynamically whether requests should be sent to Apple's cloud server or whether tasks should be completed locally.

Apple Intelligence therefore requires a lot of storage space: between 7 and up to 10 GByte can be required in the iPhone's flash memory. There have also been reports of the problem from the EU and here from German users. Apple Intelligence has been activated for them since spring 2025, after the AI system was initially only launched outside the EU in 2024.

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(bsc)

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 Finnish Government submitted the legislative proposal on Thursday. Once in effect, these students will no longer be counted under the state funding model for education providers.

Students from outside the EU and EEA will face tuition fees in Finland's upper secondary education from August 2026. The reform affects both general upper secondary schools and vocational education.

The changes also allow vocational education providers to offer degree-based commissioned education to citizens of EU and EEA countries. This option previously applied only to students from outside these regions.

The proposal excludes several groups from tuition liability. These include third-country nationals permanently residing in the European Economic Area, exchange students not pursuing a full degree, and individuals under temporary protection. Vocational students holding a residence permit based on employment are also exempt if studying under an apprenticeship contract.

The draft law also amends the Act on Compulsory Education. Persons from third countries residing in Finland solely for study purposes will no longer be covered by the law.

Education providers will gain the right to access information on an applicants or students residence permit status. They will also be authorised to share relevant data with the Finnish Immigration Service without a separate request.

Future residence permits for studying in Finland will require the payment of tuition fees as set by the education provider.

The Ministry of Education and Culture said the proposed law supports the goals of Prime Minister Petteri Orpos government. The policy aims to increase municipal income through service fees and reduce regulatory burdens.

The reform mirrors the system in Finnish higher education, where non-EU students already pay tuition. It also enables education providers to generate revenue through commissioned education for international students.

The legislative proposal is part of the 2026 state budget and will be handled during budget negotiations. The changes are scheduled to take effect from 1 August 2026.

HT
She is a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes , chair of the committee.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award in Oslo, citing her efforts to unify opposition groups, promote free elections, and push for a non-violent transition to democracy.

Maria Corina Machado , the Venezuelan opposition leader, has received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her long-standing work defending democratic principles in Venezuela.

Machado, 58, has remained in hiding since the disputed 2024 presidential election in Venezuela. She was barred from running in the vote, which returned President Nicolas Maduro to office for a third term. Independent monitors and international observers rejected the election outcome, pointing to widespread irregularities.

According to the Nobel Committee, Machado met all the criteria set by Alfred Nobel, especially her use of democratic means to pursue peace and her ability to bring together a divided opposition.

She first gained prominence through the electoral watchdog group Sumate during the presidency of Hugo Chavez. Later, she led the liberal platform Vente Venezuela, calling for judicial independence, political freedom, and the release of political prisoners.

The Nobel Committee stated that Venezuelas opposition had been systematically repressed for decades. It praised Machados persistence in advocating for human rights and institutional reforms, despite ongoing threats from the government.

In a video message released shortly after the announcement, Machado appeared emotional and surprised. I'm in shock, she said, speaking to Edmundo Gonzalez, the opposition candidate who replaced her on the ballot. Shocked with joy, Gonzalez replied.

Machado was briefly detained earlier this year after appearing at a protest in Caracas. Since then, she has operated mostly in secrecy. In a letter published in the Wall Street Journal, she wrote: I am writing this from hiding, fearing for my life, my freedom, and that of my fellow countrymen.

The 2024 election, which Machado was barred from contesting, saw her endorse Gonzalez, who went on to win broad support among voters. Despite independent tallies showing a win for Gonzalez, the official result declared Maduro the victor.

The aftermath saw nationwide protests and a crackdown by security forces. Many in Machados team went underground. She refused to flee the country, continuing to coordinate resistance efforts.

Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, said the Nobel Committee.

The 2025 award was selected from 338 nominees, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations. The Committee acknowledged other high-profile names under consideration, such as the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and aid groups operating in Sudan.

Before the announcement, US President Donald Trump had launched a public campaign to be considered for the award. Trump had expressed dissatisfaction over not receiving the prize in his first term, unlike Barack Obama. Committee officials denied any influence from political lobbying.

We base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel, said Frydnes, responding to questions about external pressure.

Machado is Venezuelas first Nobel laureate. Her ally Gonzalez posted on X that the award was well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy.

The Committee said that democratic work in Venezuela remains dangerous, pointing to the threats faced by opposition figures and the use of state power to silence dissent.

Machado stood up for ballots over bullets more than 20 years ago, said Frydnes.

Previous winners of the Peace Prize include Nelson Mandela, Liu Xiaobo, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and Japans Nihon Hidankyo, which won the 2024 award.

Machado is not expected to attend the award ceremony in Oslo unless her security situation changes.

Her cause is peace through democracy, the Committee said. And that work continues.

HT
At noon local time on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that units had repositioned behind what officials described as the yellow line , a boundary detailed in Trumps 20-point Gaza plan. The move triggered the return of thousands of displaced Palestinians to the north of the Strip.

Israeli troops have begun withdrawing from parts of Gaza following the activation of a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump , marking the first phase of a plan that includes hostage exchanges, humanitarian aid, and a phased military pullback.

The ceasefire, agreed without Palestinian participation, sets a 72-hour window for Hamas to release 20 living Israeli captives and the bodies of at least 26 others. In exchange, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners, many serving life sentences, and 1,700 detainees held from Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross will oversee the transfers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited military pressure for the agreement but also thanked Trump for his role, saying on X that the US president "makes peace happen." He later stated that Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

Netanyahus coalition had initially resisted the terms. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who voted against the deal, later claimed credit for preventing earlier prisoner swaps and insisted the final agreement validated his position.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli military activity continued in parts of Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Airstrikes and drone activity were reported near Khan Younis and Gaza City, and military raids occurred in Nablus, Tubas, Ramallah, and East Jerusalem. In one case, Israeli forces demolished the home of a deceased Palestinian man.

Gazas civil defence authorities warned civilians not to return to areas still occupied or not yet cleared of explosives. The warning came as families began walking north from camps in al-Mawasi and Nuseirat, hoping to return to destroyed homes in Gaza City and Jabalia.

Well go back, even if its rubble, Wael al-Najjar, who had been displaced three times since the war began, told the BBC. Even if the house is destroyed, well put up a tent.

The UN and humanitarian agencies reported that 198,883 buildings had been damaged in the Strip since October 2023. Gaza City, once the most populated area in the enclave, is among the most devastated. An estimated 74 percent of its structures have been hit.

Aid agencies say they are prepared to move in, with 600 aid trucks expected to cross into Gaza daily under the agreement. Supplies will include food, medicine, shelter materials, and fuel. The UN has pre-positioned over 170,000 metric tons of goods in neighbouring countries, waiting for clearance.

The UNs humanitarian coordinator Tom Fletcher said that aid efforts will prioritise restoring water, healthcare, and education. UNICEFs spokesperson Tess Ingram said more than 1,300 trucks are ready to deliver urgent supplies for children. She described conditions in al-Mawasi as incredibly crowded, with children sleeping under tarpaulin and walking barefoot through rubble.

Despite the start of aid deliveries, many challenges remain. Israel has retained control of more than half of Gazas territory. The first withdrawal phase does not include full evacuation from key urban areas like Beit Lahiya, Khan Younis, and large parts of Gaza City. All border crossings, including Rafah, remain under Israeli control.

The Trump plan outlines three withdrawal stages. The next involves an International Stabilisation Force overseeing a gradual Israeli pullback to a new line, followed by a final step establishing a smaller Israeli security buffer. The final governance of Gaza remains unresolved.

The Trump plan proposes a transitional Palestinian technocratic committee, supervised by an international Board of Peace led by Trump and including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Palestinian Authority is slated to resume control following internal reforms.

Hamas has not publicly agreed to disarm. Its fighters appeared on Gazas streets following the Israeli withdrawal, filling a security vacuum. Some wore insignia of the Hamas Internal Security agency. The Israeli government had aimed to eliminate Hamas from Gaza during the genocidal war, but its armed presence remains visible.

Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey have been named as key partners in the implementation phase. Qatar announced it will lead reconstruction efforts with financial and humanitarian support. It has stressed the importance of Palestinian self-determination in shaping the Strips future.

Russia has also backed Trumps peace initiative. President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was open to supporting the transition, given its ties with the Arab world and the Palestinian leadership.

Germany pledged 29 million in humanitarian assistance and plans to co-host a reconstruction conference with Egypt.

At the political level, debate continues over the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released. Hamas has demanded the inclusion of senior figures like Marwan Barghouti, but Israel has refused. Some prisoners listed are being deported to third countries.

In the coming days, US forces will deploy 200 personnel to monitor the ceasefire from Israel, though they will not enter Gaza. Their role will be limited to oversight and verification of compliance.

Israeli authorities published security plans for Trumps visit to Jerusalem on Monday. Operation Blue Shield 6 will deploy thousands of officers to secure the US presidents movements. Trump is expected to address the Knesset before travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh for the formal signing of the ceasefire agreement.

Questions persist about the longevity of the ceasefire. Gazas media office demanded a full end to hostilities, unrestricted humanitarian access, and an international investigation into alleged war crimes. Palestinian groups called for the return and compensation of all displaced people.

UN officials, including Juliette Touma of UNRWA, say coordination with Israeli authorities has been minimal. The agency has not been officially asked to participate, despite having 12,000 staff in Gaza and managing most education and health facilities.

Trumps administration claims the first phase of the plan has achieved more than previous efforts. But without clear agreement on governance, border control, and disarmament, observers say the risk of renewed conflict remains.

HT
AI-powered "bird facial recognition" boosts avian conservation

Xinhua) 16:50, October 09, 2025

KUNMING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Every winter, tens of thousands of black-headed gulls complete their long journey from as far away as Siberia to Kunming, a city renowned as the "Spring City" in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

This year, awaiting these regular visitors are not just welcoming Kunming residents, but also high-definition cameras and drones stationed at the city's Dianchi Lake, ready to be activated in AI-powered "bird facial recognition" monitoring mode.

The enduring bond between the people and these gulls is a distinctive ecological and cultural feature of Kunming. Now, this relationship is being redefined by technology, as research teams collaborate with institutes and tech firms to integrate artificial intelligence deeply into bird protection -- creating an intelligent observation system centered on this novel identification method.

Since October 2022, Kunming Dianchi Plateau Lake Research Institute has used an intelligent observation program for gulls at a monitoring station near Haigeng Dam.

After two years of continuous tracking, this system revealed that the main flock's arrival in Kunming in 2024 was about 10 days later compared to 2022 and 2023. The system will continue monitoring arrival times and population numbers this year, accumulating crucial data for migratory bird research, according to the institute.

Unlike traditional manual observation, the system utilizes high-definition cameras, drones, microphones and deep neural network algorithms to identify birds.

Distinctive features such as plumage, body size and beak shape serve as unique "identity markers," enabling real-time species identification, population counting, tracking of migration routes and the creation of a dynamic Dianchi bird archive.

"Previously, manual monitoring of the same area required at least two professional birders for a full day. Now, the AI system accomplishes this in just hours with 90-percent accuracy, while simultaneously recording behavioral data like feeding and roosting," said Pan Min, deputy director of the institute.

Traditional methods, reliant on human observation, were labor-intensive, demanded high expertise and struggled to ensure consistent accuracy. The integration of AI is now driving a digital transformation in bird surveys across China.

Employed at several demonstration sites in Kunming, the AI system has identified 17 bird species, building a database containing hundreds of thousands of images, videos and audio recordings. The team has also deployed acoustic recognition systems that identify species like the night heron and magpie via their unique call signatures.

According to Zhang Zhizhong, an engineer at the institute, the AI system allows researchers to not only monitor long-term changes in bird communities but also to study activity patterns, breeding habits and migration routes. This provides vital data for assessing wetland ecological health and biodiversity levels.

The reliability of this "bird facial recognition" technology was validated in a paper published by the research team in the Journal of Environmental Management in May 2025 -- offering new perspectives for future biodiversity investigations.

Notably, the application of AI monitoring of birds is expanding beyond Kunming. In Shuangguihu National Wetland Park in Chongqing, also in southwest China, a big data platform uses ultra-high-definition cameras for real-time multi-target bird capture and identification. Similarly, at the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in east China's Shandong Province, an AI system operational since 2022 has recorded over 1,200 birds, including oriental white storks and whooper swans, thereby providing robust data support for reserve management.

"The use of technological means allows us to understand and protect nature more scientifically and gently," Zhang said.

Zhang added that while minimizing human disturbance, the introduction of AI and intelligent monitoring systems also addresses the shortcomings of incomplete and inaccurate data inherent in traditional methods -- thus creating new possibilities for biodiversity conservation.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Hong Kong maintains 5 universities in global top 100

Xinhua) 10:49, October 10, 2025

HONG KONG, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- According to the World University Rankings 2026 released by the Britain-based Times Higher Education (THE), Hong Kong universities have continued to hold top spots, with five institutions ranked in the global top 100.

A spokesperson for the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Thursday that the encouraging results fully recognized the achievements of Hong Kong's post-secondary education sector in its pursuit of and endeavor for excellence. The results also served as testimony to the HKSAR government's significant progress in developing Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub.

According to the rankings, the University of Hong Kong rose two places to 33rd globally; the Chinese University of Hong Kong moved up three places to 41st; the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology jumped eight places to 58th; City University of Hong Kong advanced three places to 75th; and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University climbed one place to 83rd.

In addition, Hong Kong Baptist University rose from the 251-300 band to the 201-250 band. The Education University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University entered the rankings for the first time, ranking 195th and in the 301-350 band, respectively.

Zhang Xiang, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, said that the university remains steadfast in upholding its tradition of excellence, advancing its mission as a world-leading institution through cutting-edge teaching and research and innovative knowledge exchange, thereby strengthening its contributions to the high-quality development of the HKSAR and the country.

Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, vice-chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the ranking reflects the university's continuous progress in teaching, research and internationalization, and the university will remain committed to nurturing globally-minded future leaders with academic excellence and aspirations to contribute back to societies.

President of the Education University of Hong Kong John Lee Chi-Kin said that the university's debut at 195th in the rankings reflects the dedication of the university's faculty and students in advancing education and research with global impact. The university is committed to nurturing future talent with positive values and vision in order to better serve the HKSAR and the country.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
China, Spain hold trade and investment event, calling for closer cooperation

Global Times) 13:05, October 10, 2025

China and Spain held a trade and investment matching conference on Thursday in Madrid, during which both sides called for stronger bilateral economic and trade cooperation and reaffirmed their support for free trade, according to the website of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Friday.

The conference, jointly organized by MOFCOM and Spain's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business, was held against the backdrop of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries this year. During the event, more than 300 representatives from Chinese and Spanish companies and business associations gathered to network, exchange ideas, and explore cooperation opportunities, according to the MOFCOM.

At the event, Ling Ji, vice minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, said that the jointly held conference is a concrete measure to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

Ling noted that in the current context of rising protectionism and unilateralism and the disruption of the international economic and trade order, holding such a large-scale trade and business-matching event is no easy task. This not only demonstrates the vitality, potential of bilateral economic, and trade cooperation, but also strongly affirms China and Spain's firm commitment to and confidence in supporting free trade, the Chinese official said.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain. Ling said that over the past two decades, the two countries have continuously expanded areas of cooperation, explored innovative ways to collaborate, and tapped the potential for deeper engagement, building dynamic and resilient supply chain partnerships.

China will step up its procurement of Spanish agricultural and food products, promote innovation in trade models, expand imports from Spain through cross-border e-commerce, and strengthen two-way investment, Ling said.

Maria Amparo Lopez Senovilla, Spain's Secretary of State for Trade, said at the event that in recent years, trade and investment cooperation between Spain and China has developed vigorously, reflecting Spanish companies' confidence in China's economic prospects, according to the MOFCOM.

The Spanish official noted that Spain is willing to deepen trade and investment cooperation with China in the fields of renewable energy and the digital economy. She also emphasized that Spain firmly supports free trade and the establishment of a transparent and fair international trade order, according to the MOFCOM.

With a favorable business environment and a stable economy, Spain welcomes Chinese companies to invest and operate in the country, the Spanish official said.

Also at the event, Chinese and Spanish companies held sector-specific discussions and matchmaking activities in areas including agricultural and food products, the green economy, advanced manufacturing, and service trade. The two sides also signed a total of nine trade and investment cooperation agreements during the event.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
Club Med Punta Cana - Club Med's flagship North America resort will unveil 5 major renovations that set a new standard for the all-inclusive experience, including: brand new social spaces, fresh culinary experiences and newly renovated accommodations, all designed to offer more elevated, immersive experience for all types of guests. Designed by GG&Grace International, the award-winning design firm known for creating distinctive hospitality experiences in the world's most sought-after destinations, highlights include:

Costa Del Coco, Deluxe Rooms: The newly renovated rooms reflect the tranquil beauty of the Dominican Republic's coconut-lined coast. Designed for relaxation and sophistication, each room includes a private balcony and a luxurious spa-like bathroom with a rain shower. The Buena Vista Lounge: Known as the "heartbeat of the resort," this 360 panoramic welcome area offers a bohemian chic aesthetic. The open-air entrance is surrounded by lush greenery, vibrant new pathways and offers a breathtaking ocean view.

The newly renovated rooms reflect the tranquil beauty of the Dominican Republic's coconut-lined coast. Designed for relaxation and sophistication, each room includes a private balcony and a luxurious spa-like bathroom with a rain shower. Known as the "heartbeat of the resort," this 360 panoramic welcome area offers a bohemian chic aesthetic. The open-air entrance is surrounded by lush greenery, vibrant new pathways and offers a breathtaking ocean view. El Mundo Food Club: From the elegance of French cuisine at Loulou to the fiery Latin flair of Chula, the bold Asian tastes of Kyo, the sun-kissed Mediterranean dishes at Solea, and the unmatched grill experience at Smokey's, Club Med's re-imagined main dining concept perfectly fuses global flavors together to meet the palates of all guests. Designed with a breezy Caribbean charm and bohemian styles in mind, guests can enjoy global flavors and sips seated both indoors and outdoors.

From the elegance of French cuisine at Loulou to the fiery Latin flair of Chula, the bold Asian tastes of Kyo, the sun-kissed Mediterranean dishes at Solea, and the unmatched grill experience at Smokey's, Club Med's re-imagined main dining concept perfectly fuses global flavors together to meet the palates of all guests. Designed with a breezy Caribbean charm and bohemian styles in mind, guests can enjoy global flavors and sips seated both indoors and outdoors. Joia Bar: Newly transformed and inspired by the charm of a Dominican "Casita," this versatile poolside bar is the perfect spot for lively daytime lounging or evening socializing, with cozy seatings and the main resort pool as the backdrop.

Newly transformed and inspired by the charm of a Dominican "Casita," this versatile poolside bar is the perfect spot for lively daytime lounging or evening socializing, with cozy seatings and the main resort pool as the backdrop. The Coffee Shop: The lively and inviting coffee shop offers a selection of coffees and teas, pastries, snacks and treats in a relaxed, tropical setting.

Club Med's Happy to Care program is rooted in sustainable resort development, as seen in the recent renovations at Club Med Punta Cana. The resort emphasizes eco-construction, reduced energy use, and environmentally responsible operations while pursuing green certifications. Culinary venues like El Mundo Food Club and the Coffee Shop source over 3,200 pounds of produce weekly from 40+ local farmers through the Green Farmers program. Materials include 100% recyclable Palmex roofing and sustainably sourced U.S. timber. The design minimizes energy use by limiting sun exposure, promoting natural ventilation in communal spaces, and reducing reliance on air conditioning. In the Costa del Coco Deluxe Rooms, low-flow fixtures conserve water, while motion-sensing smart thermostats cut electricity use without compromising comfort.

Hotel website
Matteo Gentile will join as General Manager of Hotel Savoy in Florence from 3rd November, bringing more than two decades of experience in hospitality. Currently overseeing operations at Lungarno Collection, he has held pivotal leadership roles in iconic destinations throughout his career, including The Beverly Hilton and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, as well as several Four Seasons properties across Europe, the US, and Asia. In addition, he also founded a Los Angeles-based consultancy, where he advised restaurants and hotels on developing both operational frameworks and creative strategies.
Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection, the Austrian-inspired, mid-mountain hotel and residences in Deer Valley, Utah, today announces the appointment of Jeff O'Neill as Executive Chef. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America with more than three decades of refined culinary experience, Chef O'Neill has cooked in some of the world's most celebrated kitchens, including Restaurant Daniel and Le Bernardin in New York City, and has led acclaimed programs in Palm Beach, Miami, and beyond.

In this new role, Chef O'Neill will lead the culinary direction at Goldener Hirsch, bringing his vision and expertise to elevate the property's dining experiences across the resort. Drawing on his Michelin-starred training and reputation for creativity, he will play an integral role in reimagining the hotel's new signature restaurant, which is slated to open this November. While epicurean excellence will drive the new restaurant and menu development, beloved classics will also remain, such as the iconic Goldener Hirsch fondue. Whether gathering at the brand-new restaurant, enjoying homemade pastries in the morning at The Kitz or participating in apres at The Antler Lounge, the warm, welcoming spirit of the culinary program is at the heart of the hotel.

O'Neill began his career in New York, serving as chef saucier on the opening team of Daniel Boulud's flagship Restaurant Daniel, which was named one of the "Top Ten Restaurants in the World" by the International Herald Tribune. He later joined the brigade at Le Bernardin under Eric Ripert, the only three-Michelin-starred seafood restaurants in the United States. Relocating to Palm Beach, he helped L'Escalier at The Breakers earn a Five Star, Five Diamond distinction and a place on Gayot's list of the "Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S." His career then expanded into private hospitality, serving as Executive Chef for the President of the United States and overseeing all dining outlets and high-profile events at a renowned private members' club in Palm Beach. He also played a key role in the development of Michelin-starred restaurant concepts for the Trump Hotel Collection in both Chicago and Las Vegas.

In Miami, O'Neill's tenure at The Villa by Barton G., located at the famed Versace Mansion, cemented his reputation as a creative force in luxury hospitality. He pioneered inventive presentations and immersive dining programs that earned recognition from The Wall Street Journal as part of "one of the most creative teams on the planet." Along the way, he made multiple appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show with what became the internet's first-ever "viral recipe," and created both the famed "Flavor Changing Nitro Cocktail" and the "Turkey Burger." His work has consistently blended impeccable technique with imagination, resulting in experiences that are equal parts refined and playful.

The Restaurant at Goldener Hirsch is open seven days a week. For more information, please visit auberge.com/goldener-hirsch.
The UN Tourism Global Conference on Wine Tourism took place in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on 67 October 2025. Under the theme The Art of Wine Tourism, the event explored the synergies between wine tourism, art, and culture, showcasing its role as a catalyst for innovation, job creation, and regional development.

Set against the backdrop of historic Plovdiv, one of the worlds oldest continuously inhabited cities and European Capital of Culture in 2019, the Conference bridged innovation and tradition. With thousands of years of winemaking roots and a dynamic contemporary scene, Bulgaria provided a fitting example of how wine tourism can unite heritage and modernity to inspire professionals and visitors alike.

Taste, culture, and place come together in wine tourism. And now, we see innovation and creativity shaping the sector. By bringing together policy makers and industry leaders, we make wine tourism as a driver of economic growth, cultural preservation, and opportunity for all, especially those in winemaking communities. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili

Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria Miroslav Borshosh said: For Bulgaria, this conference is not just a recognition of what has been achieved, but also an inspiration for further sustainable development. Wine is culture, history, and identity  a living connection between the land and the people. Its combination with tourism gives us the opportunity to tell the story of Bulgaria in a new, modern, and exciting way.

Wine Tourism as a Driver of Sustainable Development

Bringing together more than 300 participants from 27 countries, the Conference featured high-level panels, masterclasses, and immersive site visits. It offered a platform for destinations, academics, entrepreneurs, wineries, and tourism professionals to exchange knowledge and good practices in wine tourism with a focus on the areas of policy, product development, communication and talent.

A high-level policy session brought together representatives from the Ministries of Tourism of Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro, as well as from the Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and the UNESCO Regional Office in Sofia, to foster regional development. Coordinated policy approaches were underlined as essential to strengthen infrastructure, diversify products, and improve marketing, ensuring that wine tourism effectively advances the goals of sustainable tourism development.

About UN Tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), a United Nations specialised agency, is the leading international organisation with the decisive and central role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. Its membership includes 166 countries, 6 territories, 2 permanent observers and over 500 Affiliate Members from the private sector.

Media enquires: [email protected]

UN Tourism Communications Department

+34 91 567 8100

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During its EXPLORE Connect B2B event for APAC partners, Expedia Group unveiled a new suite of AI and machine learning-powered tools designed to help partners drive speed, scale and personalization. Highlights include Smart Trip AI, a new trip planning tool that provides hotel and activity inspiration, and the piloting of the Lodging Sponsored Listings API, a new advertising solution that unlocks advertising for B2B partners.

As the leader in B2B travel, our goal is to be the one stop shop for our partners by giving them the smartest, most reliable and scalable tools in the industry. From AI powered trip planning to new merchandising and advertising solutions, we help partners grow with confidence, deliver exceptional experiences and stay competitive in a fast-changing travel landscape. Alfonso Paredes, president, Expedia Group B2B

AI and machine learning-powered features: With more than 350 AI models currently integrated throughout Expedia Groups marketplace, every stage of the travel journey is enhanced. By combining its vast first-party data with AI, Expedia Group delivers smarter, more personalized experiences for partners and travelers.

Smart Trip AI: Curated Planning at Scale

Todays travelers expect effortless planning. By marrying industry expertise, travel supply and cutting-edge technology with a partner's loyalty offerings, Smart Trip AI delivers a conversational AI tool that provides curated, real-time trip recommendations. It streamlines the planning process, by helping users discover, compare and select options more efficiently.

Merchandising API: Smarter Campaigns, Better Deals

Merchandising is about promoting travel products  like hotels and packages  effectively. Surfacing timely, relevant and valuable offers to travelers when they start planning their next trip allows brands to deepen engagement and increase conversion at the right moment. With 58% of travelers signaling they are more price-conscious this year, promoting valuable deals is critical. [1] Our new Merchandising solutions, rolling out in 2026, use machine learning to help partners run timely, high-performing campaigns quickly and effectively. This product is currently in beta testing.

Typeahead API: From Inspiration to Booking

Typehead API unlocks an effective way for partners to guide travelers from inspiration to booking. When travelers start typing in the search bar, the tool instantly suggests relevant destinations and locations, making it easier to find what theyre looking for. This leads to a better shopping experience, retains more visitors on site, and increases booking rates. Tripbtoz, an online travel agency headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, saw a 20% boost in search-to-book conversion after integrating the API.

Amplifying partner content through Expedia Group Advertising: Our full-funnel travel media network provides unparalleled reach, connecting with travelers on-site, offsite, and through our B2B network.

Lodging Sponsored Listings API: Monetize Traffic with Relevant Recommendations

The Lodging Sponsored Listings API enables B2B partners to display lodging sponsored listings from Expedia Group on their own sites, apps, or platforms. This allows them to monetize their traffic while offering relevant property recommendations to their travelers and provides lodging advertisers more opportunities to reach new audiences. The product is currently in beta testing.

Through this new suite of tools, were enabling seamless, personalized experiences that turn inspiration into action and traffic into value. This is about empowering our partners to grow with speed, intelligence, and impact in a rapidly evolving travel landscape. Karen Bolda, chief product and technology officer, B2B

[1] 2025 Traveler Value Index, Expedia Group

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, Expedia Group helps people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections.

Expedia Group's three flagship consumer brands are Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. Its B2B arm, Private Label Solutions, delivers industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Expedia Group Advertising helps partners extend their reach and connect with travelers across its travel sites and a broad range of offsite channels through its travel media network.

 2025 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.

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For Jason DAgostino, the path to becoming a hospitality revenue leader didnt start with rate codes or STAR reports  it started in the kitchen.

A graduate of Johnson & Wales Universitys baking and pastry program, DAgostino began his hospitality career in food and beverage, working as a line cook for Marriott before climbing the operational ladder into management roles with several hotel operators. His early experience balancing food costs, labor expenses, and guest satisfaction became the foundation for a career-long philosophy: that data-driven decisions should span every part of a hotel, not just rooms.

Each time we had a special event, we would have to go back and do a critique , DAgostino says. Wed look at labor cost, food cost, beverage cost, and make a determination  was this profitable, did it make financial sense, and would we take this group again? What could we have done better? I reflect on that all the time in revenue management.

That operational discipline became the foundation for DAgostinos success when he joined Visions Hotels, where he spent nearly 12 years as Corporate Director of Revenue Management, helping grow the company from 25 to 70 hotels across the Northeast. He carried forward lessons from F&B into his revenue strategy playbook  focusing on both retrospective analysis and forward-looking strategy.

Its about being able to look back at things and look future-forward , he says, to see what strategies worked, what didnt, and how we pivot to create a strategy thats going to drive profitability.

Watch the full video interview here.

Rethinking Revenue Beyond the Rooms Division

Traditional revenue management has long focused on optimizing room rates. But for DAgostino, the true opportunity lies in expanding that lens.

A lot of times we hear people talking about RevPAR  is that the right KPI to use? he asks. Depending on the asset, it may be. But it may also be Total RevPAR  including food and beverage, spas, and all your different ancillary revenue opportunities.

That shift in focus changes the way teams evaluate business opportunities. Rather than simply asking, Will this group fill rooms?, DAgostinos teams asked, Will this event or package drive meaningful total profit?

Its a subtle but important distinction  one that mirrors the evolution of modern hotel management. As labor costs rise and margins tighten, DAgostino believes operators must look deeper into the profitability funnel.

Top-line recovery doesnt equal bottom-line health, he says. Not all revenue is created equal.

That philosophy extends beyond the numbers. As DAgostino points out, the key to successful revenue leadership isnt just analytics  its trust.

As a revenue leader, we are in the trust business, he says. We have to build that trust with all stakeholders  the general manager, sales manager, ownership, operations teams  and we do that by understanding their needs.

He instilled that culture across Visions growing portfolio through consistent communication and collaboration. Weekly revenue calls were mandatory  not just to review performance, but to engage general managers directly in pricing and forecasting decisions. To make those meetings more effective, DAgostino introduced a simple but powerful tool: a one-page worksheet that each GM completed before the call, outlining key market trends, upcoming events, and rate performance insights.

It helps them come ready to engage and ready to answer questions , he says. So theyre not just joining the call to check off their to-do list  theyre part of the discussion.

Technology and the Centralization Advantage

Managing 70 hotels meant that DAgostinos success depended heavily on technology. Centralized systems gave him visibility across diverse PMS and accounting platforms  a notoriously complex challenge for multi-brand operators.

To be honest, the first dashboard I looked at every morning was Otelier , he says. I could see, at a granular or high level, the performance from the night before compared to the same time last year. I could get a good grip on how the day was going to go  and who would be calling me first.

Centralized business intelligence not only helped monitor daily performance but also streamlined budget season  historically one of the industrys biggest pain points. By pulling multi-year data into one platform, DAgostinos team could quickly identify demand patterns, call out outliers, and collaborate with sales and marketing to build more accurate, achievable budgets.

By having all that data centralized, it just makes things easier and more efficient, he says. It avoids redundancies  and thats exactly what ownership wants at a high level. Profitability comes from reducing redundancies and creating that centralized environment where all the data points are right there for us.

Finding the right business mix was another cornerstone of his strategy. While many revenue managers rely on STAR reports to measure performance, DAgostino emphasizes the importance of looking deeper  into segmentation and trend data that reveal the why behind the numbers.

The best reports are segmentation reports that help us understand the results of last weeks performance, he says. Every Tuesday or Wednesday, everyones looking at STAR, which is great  but what drove the STAR report? That segmentation data tells you what business is coming in, whats pulled back, what the OTA mix looks like. When you have that, you can make great decisions to improve profitability.

Reflecting on his journey from the kitchen to the corporate boardroom, DAgostino says the most important skill for future revenue leaders isnt just technical  its relational.

Technology and data are critical , he says, but you cant forget that revenue management is about people. When you build trust across departments, align on shared goals, and bring F&B, sales, and operations into the same conversation  thats when you really start to drive total profit.

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Grounded in neurochemistry, WATG craft environments through our landscape design lens that instinctively nurture wellbeing, where self-care then becomes effortless.

The global wellness industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. According to Global Wellness Institute, the industry was valued at approximately $6.3 trillion by 2023, accounting for about 6% of the global GDP. This is projected to reach $9.0 trillion by 2028  indicating an annual growth rate of 7.3%, notably outpacing the projected global GDP growth of 4.8%.

Behind this exponential growth lies a sobering truth. The wellness industry is expanding not only because people want to thrive  but also because many are struggling. As the world quickly distances itself from the difficult years of post-pandemic in an attempt to resume a sense of normalcy, it is a poignant moment to reflect on the impact and cost of being unwell.

The Feel-Good Effect: Designing Landscapes that Heal Habitually  Photo by JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa

Around the world, mental health challenges and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are exerting significant economic and social pressures. According to World Health Organization, depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy over $1 trillion annually in lost productivity. In Singapore, a 2023 study by Duke-NUS Medical School and the Institute of Mental Health estimated that anxiety and depression cost the nation nearly S$16 billion annually, approximately 2.9% of its GDP. Similarly, cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of death, accounting for 31% of all deaths in 2022.

Why Are We So Unwell?

Illness has been designed into our daily lives. From sedentary jobs and long commutes to overly processed food and overstimulating digital environments, many modern systems are unintentionally engineered against our biological needs. The environments we inhabit  especially in cities  often limit access to daylight, greenery, fresh air, and opportunities for movement, all of which are foundational to health. Social infrastructure  like parks, plazas, and public gathering spaces  has been neglected in many urban developments, reducing opportunities for community and connection, resulting in the loneliness epidemic even when were more connected today than ever. In fact, loneliness increases the risk of premature death by up to 30%  a mortality impact equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

As a remedy to our unwell built environment, healthcare is evolving from a reactive model  waiting until symptoms emerge  to a proactive approach focused on preventing injury and disease before they occur. Fast becoming the backbone of modern medicine, preventive healthcare is enhanced by technology, supported by economic incentives, and driven by patient empowerment. This shift moves care from simply reacting to illness to actively anticipating and avoiding it. The benefits are clear: healthier individuals, more resilient healthcare systems, and a future where wellness becomes the norm.

Wellness as a Way of Life: An Active Pursuit

Wellness  as defined by the Global Wellness Institute  is the active pursuit of activities and lifestyles that lead to holistic health. Pfizer defines wellness as the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, youre thriving.

Six dimensions are identified in a McKinsey & Company research as key focus areas of consumer wellbeing. These are segmented into two broad categories of products and services. Products currently make up the larger market share. However, the services sector, including wellness tourism, spas, and mental health services, is experiencing significant growth and is expected to continue expanding in the coming years.

The definition and offerings of health and wellness are also rapidly evolving and expanding. Younger generations are placing greater emphasis on wellness, dedicating a disproportionate share of their spending towards it. For millennials and Gen Z, wellness is no longer viewed as a series of occasional activities or purchases; it has become a daily, personalized practice  shifting from episodic experiences to continuous, integrated routines grounded in evidence and supported by technology.

Wellness Real Estate

While wellness was once viewed primarily as a consumer-driven market, the pandemic accelerated growth in public health, prevention, and personalized medicine, which now accounts for 12.4% of all wellness spending. Notably, wellness real estate has emerged as a growth leader before, during, and after the pandemic, as both consumers and the building industry increasingly recognize the profound impact that external environments have on physical and mental health. This underscores a vital truth: our surroundings are not just aesthetic backdrops but powerful tools in preventive healthcare  and landscape design plays a major role in shaping environments that keep us well.

Through our landscape design lens at WATG, we focus on creating environments that passively promote health  spaces where we feel good while naturally doing good for ourselves. In this way, self-care becomes part of our daily rituals. When wellness is seamlessly embedded into our routines and surroundings, it becomes second nature.

The Feel-Good Effect: Designing Landscapes that Heal Habitually  Source: WATG

The Neurochemical Basis of 'Feeling Good'

Our sense of well-being is deeply rooted in neurochemistry. Four key neurotransmitters endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotoninplay pivotal roles:

Endorphins : Released during physical activity, they act as natural painkillers and mood enhancers.

: Released during physical activity, they act as natural painkillers and mood enhancers. Dopamine : Associated with pleasure and reward, it's triggered by novel and enjoyable experiences.

: Associated with pleasure and reward, it's triggered by novel and enjoyable experiences. Oxytocin : Often termed the 'love hormone,' it's linked to social bonding, sense of community, belonging and trust.

: Often termed the 'love hormone,' it's linked to social bonding, sense of community, belonging and trust. Serotonin: Regulates mood, appetite, and sleep; its production is influenced by exposure to sunlight and nature.

By understanding these chemicals, we can craft spaces that naturally stimulate their release, creating environments where individuals 'feel good' effortlessly by way of design, thus maximize the landscapes potential to support wellness and long-term wellbeing.

The Feel-Good Effect: Designing Landscapes that Heal Habitually  Source: WATG

Designing for Wellness Through Neurochemistry

Here are some of the design principles we prescribe by  each thoughtfully curated to promote the natural release of neurochemicals that underpin wellbeing:

Emotional - Sensory layers that reach beyond simple aesthetics to enrich all senses

- Sensory layers that reach beyond simple aesthetics to enrich all senses Physical - Curating delightful journeys, that promote active mobility

- Curating delightful journeys, that promote active mobility Social - Meaningfully programmed and climatically comfortable outdoor social spaces

- Meaningfully programmed and climatically comfortable outdoor social spaces Intellectual - Moments of surprise and wonder encourage creative thought and deeper enquiry

- Moments of surprise and wonder encourage creative thought and deeper enquiry Purpose - Naturally thoughtful and culturally sensitive design bringing deeper meaning to experiences

Banyan Tree at Hann Lux Source: WATG

Porto Montenegro Source: WATG

The wellness sector is growing faster than many others, demonstrating resilience in an unpredictable world. Wellness-focused design delivers economic value  driving higher occupancy, longer stays, and stronger brand loyalty, while delivering measurable benefits for the environmental, and human. A truly wellness-focused development is holistic, integrated, and begins at the masterplan level.

Wellness Journey

The wellness journey is one not through places, but through feelings. Begin with the calm of arrival  a deep breath, a sense of space. Move through curiosity, delight, and quiet connection as each element invites you to slow down and be present. Feel grounded by nature, uplifted by light, and nourished in every sense. Unfolding gently moment by moment, it is more than design  its a deeply human emotional experience.

Learn more: The Feel-Good Effect: Designing Landscapes that Heal, Habitually

Eileen Tan

Regional Marketing & Communications Manager, APAC WATG

WATG
AI Doubles Its Influence in Holiday Planning, Signals New Consumer Behavior - Image Credit ABTA



AI's Role in Holiday Planning Doubles, Reflecting Shift in Travel Trends

The latest ABTA Holiday Habits 2025-26 report reveals significant shifts in how people plan their holidays, with a notable increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for travel inspiration. This change is part of broader trends that also include a rise in solo travel.

AI in Travel Planning

According to the ABTA report, the use of AI for holiday planning has doubled in the last year, from 4% to 8%. This growth is most pronounced among younger demographics, with 18% of 2534-year-olds and 13% of 1824-year-olds using AI to find travel inspiration. Despite the rise in digital tools, traditional methods such as internet searches (48%) and recommendations from friends and family (41%) remain popular. However, AI is expected to play an increasingly significant role, with 43% of respondents expressing confidence in AI tools for planning and 38% for booking holidays.

Solo Travel Trends

The report also highlights a surge in solo travel, with 19% of respondents having taken a holiday alone in the past year, the highest since ABTA began tracking this in 2014. The increase is driven by younger travelers, particularly those under 45 years old. Europe remains the top destination for solo travelers, with France being the most popular country among them. City breaks are the preferred type of solo travel, with 52% opting for short trips to major European cities.

Industry Perspectives

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, commented on the findings, emphasizing the commitment of individuals to their travel experiences, whether alone or in groups. He noted the dual trend of increasing solo travel and the use of AI, suggesting a shift towards more personalized and technologically integrated travel planning. Tanzer also highlighted the ongoing importance of personal touch and expertise provided by travel agents and tour operators.

The ABTA Holiday Habits 2025-26 report underscores a dynamic change in the travel industry, driven by technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences. As AI becomes a more common tool for holiday planning, the travel industry faces new opportunities and challenges in adapting to these trends.
Las Vegas emerged as a standout performer, recording the highest increases across all key metrics. - Image Credit Unsplash

Las Vegas leads with significant growth in occupancy and revenue, driven by major events.

Tampa and Miami experience notable declines, impacting overall industry performance.

The U.S. hotel industry experienced a blend of ups and downs for the week ending October 4, 2025, as revealed by CoStar's latest data. CoStar, a prominent provider of real estate analytics, highlighted varying trends across major markets, reflecting both challenges and opportunities within the sector.

During the period from September 28 to October 4, the hotel industry saw a 3.0% decrease in occupancy, settling at 63.7%. However, the average daily rate (ADR) rose by 2.7% to $160.62, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) slightly dipped by 0.4% to $102.37.

Las Vegas emerged as a standout performer, recording the highest increases across all key metrics. Occupancy surged by 8.7% to 81.7%, ADR jumped by 37.1% to $234.52, and RevPAR soared by 49.0% to $191.60. This impressive growth was largely attributed to the PACK Expo 2025, which significantly boosted RevPAR by 90% year-over-year on specific days.

Conversely, Tampa faced the largest declines, with occupancy plummeting by 30.0% to 57.9% and RevPAR falling by 35.5% to $81.84. Miami also struggled, experiencing the steepest drop in ADR by 8.1%, bringing it down to $150.78.

Overall, 18 out of the Top 25 Markets reported a decline in occupancy, underscoring the varied landscape of the U.S. hotel industry as it navigates through fluctuating market conditions.
From Joint Employers to Oyster Shuckers: DOL Issues Opinion Letters on Hospitality Sector Wage Issues - Image Credit Unsplash+

Is an oyster shucker who works in the front of the house allowed to share in the tip pool? Are a hotel restaurant and related members club joint employers for overtime purposes? The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued opinion letters on these topics and explained why the answer is yes to both questions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While the opinion letters apply only to the specific facts as presented, the analyses can serve as a roadmap for hospitality sector employers. Heres what you need to know and the steps you can take to ensure compliance with the applicable rules.

First, What Are Opinion Letters?

Opinion letters are formal, written guidance from DOL officials explaining to the public how the agency would apply the law to a specific set of facts. While the letters are not binding on courts, they do serve as a powerful compliance tool and can be used as persuasive authority in defending against a legal claim. Anyone can request an opinion letter, and theyve been used since the 1930s as a compliance lifeline for employers, unions, and workers alike. You can read more about the benefits here.

Sharing in the Tip Pool

The Question

The DOLs Wage and Hour Division recently addressed a question involving an employer that takes a tip credit and whether its front-of-the-house oyster shuckers could share in the tip pool.

Heres a quick refresher on the relevant rules:

The FLSA allows employers to take a so-called tip credit and pay employees who traditionally receive a certain amount of tips  such as servers and bartenders  as little as $2.13 an hour, so long as they make at least the standard minimum wage ($7.25 an hour) when tips are factored in.

and pay employees who traditionally receive a certain amount of tips  such as servers and bartenders  as little as $2.13 an hour, so long as they make at least the standard minimum wage ($7.25 an hour) when tips are factored in. If an employer takes a tip credit, it may require employees to pool tips, but only if the tip pool is limited to employees who customarily and regularly receive tips.

There are other important tip-credit requirements, but the key analysis for this September 30 DOL opinion letter was whether the oyster shuckers were employed in a customarily and regularly tipped occupation.

The Verdict

The DOL concluded that the seafood restaurants oyster shuckers did qualify to share in the tip pool for the following reasons:

They directly serviced the customers by going over the oyster offerings with them, making suggestions, and fielding questions about the different options.

They also prepare the oysters in plain view of customers, similar to the front-of-house sushi chefs and other similar jobs the DOL has deemed to customarily and regularly receive tips.

The oyster shuckers are similar to counter persons who serve customers, and whom WHD has long regarded as employees who customarily and regularly receive tips.

An oyster shucker may be a somewhat uncommon job position in the restaurant industry. But the DOLs rationale for finding they may share in a tip pool supports including hosts/hostesses, a very common position. Hosts and hostesses are front of house employees who have a substantial amount of interaction with customers. They often field questions from customers, make dining suggestions, and perform other table attendance duties. Employers who already include them in tip pools should be encouraged by DOLs analysis.

Compliance Check



When determining whether front-of-the-house staff meet the definition of tipped employee, the DOL and the courts have looked at the extent to which the employees interacted with customers and performed duties that traditionally generated service gratuities. Some key considerations may include:



 Customer interactions

 Table attendance duties

 Whether undesignated tips are common in the industry or geographic location

 Whether employees in similar establishments in the area receive tips, either directly or from a tip pool



In this scenario, the DOL noted that the seafood restaurant also employed back-of-the-house oyster shuckers who did not interact with customers and did not participate in the tip pool. Those employees didnt qualify because they lacked sufficient interaction with the customers who leave tips. Dont forget that state rules also come into play and could vary significantly, so be sure to check the rules that impact your locations. Consult with experienced legal counsel to ensure your wage and hour practices are compliant.

Joint Liability For Overtime Under the FLSA

The Question

In another September 30 opinion letter, the DOL was asked by a hostess whether her work hours at a hotel restaurant and a connected members club should be combined for overtime purposes. Here are the key facts as presented by the hostess to the DOL:

She primarily works at the restaurant for $28 per hour and has been offered shifts at the members club for the same rate.

The restaurant is located in a hotel. The members club is on the second floor of the restaurant, shares the same kitchen, offers mostly the same menu, and operates under a similar name.

Employees, including staff and management, frequently perform work in the restaurant and members club in the same workweek.

The hostess occasionally clocks in at the restaurant and is assigned work at the members club.

Managers from the restaurant have to participate in disciplinary matters at the members club.

Although the restaurant and the club claim to be separate businesses and might use different timekeeping and payroll systems, the hostess believes they have common ownership.

She does not work more than 40 hours a week at either the restaurant or the members club individually, but when combined, her hours do exceed 40.

The hostess was told she is not entitled to overtime premiums because the restaurant and the club are different businesses, but she believes they are joint employers and that she is entitled to overtime pay.

The Verdict

The DOL concluded that the hours she worked for each business should be combined and she should be paid overtime for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. Key factors that contributed to the DOLs joint employer determination included:

The companies physical proximity, common kitchen, and similar food and beverage menus.

Shared ownership and periodic shared supervision, even if the two facilities have separate management teams.

Employees could be clocked in at the restaurant and told to work in the members club, in addition to earning the same pay.

Compliance Check



Under the FLSA, horizontal joint employment may occur when employers share employees and are sufficiently associated with each other regarding those employees work. If a joint employer relationship exists, both entities will need to consider an employees total hours for the workweek to:



 confirm that the employee has received the FLSA minimum wage;

and

 determine the employees entitlement to overtime pay.



An employees hours worked for all joint employers must be totaled together for the workweek, and each employer is jointly and severally liable wages owed under the FLSA.

Conclusion

If you have any doubt as to whether you are compliant with the applicable wage and hour rules, reach out to your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any attorney on our Hospitality Industry Team or in our Wage and Hour Practice Group. Make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips Insight System to get the most up-to-date information, as we will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates as appropriate.

About the authors:

Ted Boehm is a partner in the firms Atlanta office and the force behind his clients labor and employment legal successes. He has litigated hundreds of cases, representing management in state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Labor. Ted is a core member of the Firms Wage & Hour Practice Group and a member of the Compensation Audit and Counseling Services team.

Alden Parker is the managing partner of the firms Sacramento office and the co-chair of the Hospitality Industry Group. Alden represents employers in all facets of employment law matters. His clients are involved in a variety of food chain related industries. From growers, packers, and shippers to grocers, restaurants and hotels, Alden works tirelessly on behalf of employers from the farm to the fork.

This article originally appeared on HospitalityLawyer.com.
New PAN AM Hotel Brand Targets Airport Accommodations - Image Credit OpenAI



JP Hospitality has launched the PAN AM Hotel brand, aiming to establish a new category in airport accommodations with plans to open the first locations at European airports in 2028.

JP Hospitality has announced the introduction of the PAN AM Hotel brand, which aims to redefine airport accommodations. The brand was unveiled at the Expo Real trade fair in Munich. The first PAN AM Hotels are expected to open at European airports in 2028, with negotiations underway for additional locations at international airports.

The PAN AM Hotel concept focuses on providing a unique airport hospitality experience, incorporating mid-century modern design and 24/7 service. The brand seeks to address the current gap in the market for high-quality airport hotels, which often face criticism for service quality despite high occupancy rates.

JP Hospitality's strategic move into the airport hotel sector comes amid an increase in demand for overnight stays at airports. The company plans to capitalize on the growth of airports as business hubs and the resilient nature of airport hotels as an asset class. The PAN AM Hotel brand will offer flexible usage options beyond traditional overnight stays, aiming to attract both travelers and investors.

The launch of the PAN AM Hotel brand at Expo Real marks JP Hospitality's first venture as an operator, as the company traditionally focused on other aspects of the hospitality industry. The brand aims to differentiate itself through its design, innovation, and service offerings, providing new opportunities for existing airport hotel owners and developers to rebrand and enhance revenue potential.

With a comprehensive pipeline of airport assets in Europe and ongoing negotiations for locations at international gateways, JP Hospitality signals the scalability and growth potential of the PAN AM Hotel concept. The company aims to establish a global presence in the airport hotel market with this new brand.
Is StubHub doing all it can to police 10% Maine ticket resale cap?

The new Maine concert ticket law is the toughest in America. Enforcing the landmark law will test its effectiveness. But leading ticket resale platform StubHub is not going out of their way to ensure compliance.

A key aspect of the Maine law caps the resale price of event tickets at 10% above the original total price paid including taxes and fees. Leading resellers say their business can not survive a cap of less than 30%,

StubHub has asked its Marketplace resellers to self-police Maine pricing claiming they do not have visibility into the original purchase price of a ticket. Hoping to put any liability on the reseller, StubHub also added a confirmation requirement before a ticket can be listed.

But StubHubs claim that it can not police resale markups is contradicted by how its handling a similar law in Ontario.

But a broker to broker message exchange shows StubHub requires resellers in Ontario to prove original face value.

Is Washington, DCs RESALE Next?

Washington DC appears poised to cap ticket resale as well. An Oct. 22 hearing has been scheduled on DCs RESALE Act.

Ticketing advocates are urging DC based supporters to testify at the hearing or via Zoom. Here is the public hearing webpage to register and submit testimony. Note that you will be testifying on the RESALE Act when you register.

The UK government has also signaled that a ticket resale cap will be implemented there soon.

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Purple Valley Trail Alliance board member Ellie Wachtel tests part of the group's mountain bike trail this summer.

Williamstown's Purple Valley Trails Hosts Grand Opening Sunday

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  As a Purple Valley Trails Alliance board member and a visible public advocate for its mountain bike trail network, Bill MacEwen is tapped into all things mountain biking in the Village Beautiful.

But sometimes, even he can be surprised.

"I ran into a guy over the weekend wearing a Purple Valley Trails T-shirt," MacEwen said this week. "I said, 'We never made a T-shirt. Where did you get that?' He said, 'I got the logo off your website, and my wife has a screen printing thing.'

"There's a community forming around the network here, and that's always been our No. 1 goal."

The PVT network will be celebrated on Sunday when the alliance hosts a grand opening celebration at the Berlin Mountain Trail Head on Berlin Road.

The network has been open for riding since its "soft opening" in July, but the event Sunday will give local mountain bike enthusiasts and newcomers to the sport an opportunity to learn more about the trails, give them a try or just share time with others who already have discovered the region's newest outdoor recreation opportunity.

The celebration is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will offer a barbecue, raffle with prizes donated by local businesses, guided tours of the intermediate and expert trails and learn-to-ride clinics for children and adults.

"One of our big goals is to get more kids into this," MacEwen said. "We designed the Green Wave Trail around kids.

"This coming weekend, we partnered with Girl Scouts locally and hired an instructor to come out and give free lessons to kids. If there are any kids out there who want to try mountain biking, this is a good opportunity."

Participants will need to bring their own bikes, but MacEwen said most children's bikes will work for the beginners trail.

"You just can't have training wheels," he said. "As long as you have brakes and wider tires  even something like a BMX will work if you have a brake on it."

In fact, due to the limited parking at the trail head, organizers are encouraging anyone who can do so to park at the base of Berlin Road and ride up to the trail head, site of the main access trail. Anyone who does drive to the trail head is asked to be aware of the bikers who will be sharing the road.

Some of Sunday's attendees likely will already be familiar with the parking situation and the trails themselves. MacEwen said that usage in the first couple of months has shown the demand for the network.

"It's been really amazing," he said, referring to data from hiking, biking and running app Strava, which allows riders to "check in" at the the areas they use. "Since we opened in July, we've had 160 individuals log rides on Strava up here. For what's truly, at this point, a small network, that's a big number."

MacEwen said users have come from New York (the networks straddle the New York/Massachusetts state line), Connecticut, Vermont and Eastern Massachusetts.

"Some have been here over a dozen times," he said. "And those are just the tracked rides. Let's assume there is another number of people coming here and riding. You can probably double that. We've probably had over 300 visitors and, I'm sure, we're well over 1,000 rides, which for a very small, very early stage network, is crazy."

Currently, Purple Valley Trails has a network that covers five miles with a vertical change of about 375 feet.

But, MacEwen said, that is "scratching the surface."

Eventually, planners envision a 20- to 25-mile network of trails with the greatest vertical drop in Southern New England, more than 1,200 feet.

The network is built on both public and private land with funds generated through individual donors and large foundation grants, including from the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation and the New England Mountain Bike Association. Williamstown's town meeting in May awarded Purple Valley Trails $16,000 in Community Preservation Act funds.

For now, those funds are concentrated on buildout of the network. At some point down the line, there will be a need to redirect some of the PVT's funds toward preservation of the trails, MacEwen said. But, for the foreseeable future, that is a job for the alliance's volunteers.

Fortunately, he said, there is no shortage of people willing to help.

"Mountain biking is a unique sport in that the people who ride take a huge amount of pride in the upkeep of the trails," MacEween said. "People are out every weekend cleaning up trees or fixing a berm here or there. A big part of what we're doing here is community building.

"Fortunately, the soil we're working with is perfect for trail construction. As a result, we're finding the trails we're building are holding up very well."
China has implemented a series of preferential policies to advance its dual carbon targets in the past five years, and companies in the low-carbon domain are keenly aware of the transformative impacts the goals have had nationwide.

The country announced in September 2020 that it would peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

The goals stirred excitement among the companies, enabling them to swiftly identify market opportunities and achieve rapid business growth. Also driven by a strong belief in and passion for the low-carbon development trend, they serve as a microcosm of Chinas transition to a low-carbon future.

Before the official declaration of the dual carbon goals, entrepreneur Bai Yanhui had already pivoted her career towards building energy efficiency management  a move that positioned her to recognise firsthand how profoundly national climate commitments energise markets.

Originally specialising in centralised air conditioning and smart building controls, her firm, Nanjing Xiangtai System Technology Co, in Jiangsu province, saw explosive early success. In the early 2010s, the companys revenue doubled yearly amid Chinas push for large-scale infrastructure expansion.

By 2015, however, Bai sensed looming stagnation in the infrastructure sector. To navigate impending headwinds, Bai spearheaded market studies at home and abroad, and was greatly inspired during a visit to Europe.

The pollution-free vistas in Europe that feature blue sky and white clouds helped her crystallise a new vision for her company to contribute to the restoration of blue skies, white clouds and clean air in China.

Workers transfer Chinese cabbage seedlings out of a cultivation greenhouse at a low-carbon circular agricultural park in Zhangye, Gansu province ( WANG JIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY )

Despite initial setbacks, the Chinese governments announcement of its dual carbon goals meant a brighter future for her company.

The momentum accelerated dramatically upon the introduction of concrete regulations supporting mechanisms last year, such as the energy cost trusteeship, an arrangement where businesses delegate their energy expenses to specialised third-party providers, who primarily profit by improving energy consumption efficiency.

Bai said her company secured 15 energy cost management projects last year to enhance energy efficiency in government and public buildings. This represents 7.2 per cent of all projects for such buildings nationwide.

In 2017, the companys revenue was 40 million yuan (4.2 million). So far this year, it has secured energy cost trusteeship contracts with a total value of 3 billion yuan (313.2 million).

Unlike Bai, Zhu Weiqing, the chairwoman of Shanghai Treasure Carbon New Energy Environmental Technology Co, made her first venture into the professional world in the low-carbon sector.

While studying marketing at Durham University in the United Kingdom, Zhu stumbled upon an unexpected passion. A casual conversation with a law school acquaintance piqued her curiosity about the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism  a programme allowing developing nations to generate tradeable emissions credits for industrialised countries striving towards climate goals.

Returning home to China after graduation, Zhu discovered policymakers laying the groundwork for domestic carbon-trading pilot programmes. She seized the moment, launching her company in 2010.

Yet progress proved slow initially. Early stagnation gave way to cautious optimism starting in late 2011 when authorities launched pilot carbon trading programmes in seven parts of the country, including Beijing and Hubei province.

Regulatory tailwinds arrived in mid-2012, too, when China rolled out provisional rules governing voluntary emission cuts, granting companies legal pathways to transact offsets.

These shifts gradually unlocked doors for Zhus firm.

But in 2017, regulators halted issuance under China Certified Emission Reductions amid concerns over inflated inventories and subpar project quality.

Despite the turbulence, resilience paid dividends three years later when the dual carbon targets were announced. Coverage of the targets dominated headlines everywhere, Zhu said.

After the official launch of Chinas national carbon trading market on 16 July 2021, the government released a steady stream of regulations and technical rules that clarified market expectations. Riding this policy tailwind, the companys turnover exceeded 300 million yuan (31.3 million) in that year.

Our company has expanded at a rapid pace. Since the launch of the national market, we have consistently experienced steady growth, she said.
Hainan, Chinas tropical island province, blends rich history, vibrant local life and coastal culture. Join Troy, our Australian host, as he dives deep into Haikou and Wanning to unlock the islands diverse charm.

In Haikou, explore Hainan University South Gate Night Market for authentic local flavours, wander through Qilou Old Street with its historical architecture, and discover the islands maritime heritage at Hainan Museum.

In Wanning, unwind on the white sands of Shimei Bay, hunt for fresh seafood at Xinglong Market, and ride the waves at Sun Moon Bay, Chinas premier surfing spot.

Come experience Hainans perfect mix of relaxation and adventure!
In the quiet hours before dawn, when most of Shanghai sleeps, a warm glow emanates from a building in Heping Park. Inside, students are bent over textbooks, freelancers are tapping away on laptops, and night owls find solace in the bustling metropolis. This is Heping Library, Shanghais first 24-hour park library, and it has recently earned global recognition.

The facility, also known as the Heping branch of Hongkou Library in Shanghais Hongkou district, was nominated for the Public Library of the Year Award 2025 by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. It emerged as the sole Asian finalist among 15 competitors from eight countries, securing second place.

One top honour for libraries, the award recognises newly built public libraries worldwide that combine functional architecture with sustainability and innovative technology while balancing digital advancement with local cultural elements.

Our distinction lies in our environmentally conscious design that integrates with a park setting, coupled with our commitment to accessibility through round-the-clock operation, says Wang Zhaowei, director of reader services at Heping Library.

The complex features four themed buildings designed to resemble open books, complemented by an art gallery and a reading greenbelt space. Its sustainable features include solar panel clusters, natural lighting through glass curtain walls, and ventilation corridors that maximise energy efficiency.

Since opening in April 2024, the library has welcomed over 2 million visitors, with more than 100,000 visiting during the late-night hours. The library averages 105 visitors between midnight and 6am, and receives nearly 300 between midnight and 8am.

Visitors read and work at Heping Library, which is Shanghais first 24-hour park library ( PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY )

Night visitors represent a diverse cross-section of society, Wang explains. We see office workers putting in extra hours, students preparing for exams, insomniacs finding purpose in their sleepless hours, and delivery workers using the space as a rest stop during night shifts.

Xu Ziwei, a night shift librarian, observes the contrast between day and night in the facility. During the day, its bustling with readers of all ages. At night, it transforms into a quieter, more contemplative space.

Freelancer Xiao Hongye finds the librarys atmosphere to be a powerful antidote to procrastination. Arriving around 9pm to meet deadlines, she explains, At home, I just keep putting my work off. Here, seeing others reading and working hard creates an atmosphere that motivates me.

The librarys impact extends across generations. Feng Yinshen, 84, is a regular visitor. Most people who come here are interested in reading, he observes. Some young, more energetic people stay from dusk till dawn.

For 79-year-old Lyu Dianqing, who often arrives at 3am due to insomnia, the library offers solace. When I wake up at midnight, I know sleep wont return, he shares. I would always take a walk in the park and end up here.

The library exemplifies how reading culture is promoted in the city. For someone of my generation, who had limited educational opportunities, this place is a treasure. Im making up for lost time, learning something new every day, he says.

The library holds a special meaning for visitors like Luo Jing, who travelled from Hunan province. As someone who frequents libraries back home, finding such a welcoming space in another city makes it feel more like home, she says.

Between jobs and exploring Shanghai, Luo plans to spend the night at the library before catching an early train. The excitement of being in a new place, combined with the librarys safe environment, made this an appealing alternative to a hotel stay for me, she explains.

Wang, who works at the library, takes particular pride in these stories. Weve become more than just a library, he says. Some visitors are going through challenging times, perhaps job hunting in an unfamiliar city. We provide a dignified space to study, rest, and rebuild.

Each night, we light a lamp of knowledge that never goes out, Wang notes. In this fast-paced city, people need more than just books; they also need a space that understands and accommodates their varied lifestyles. Beyond disseminating knowledge, public libraries serve as warm places that connect people.
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un rolled out his nuclear-armed militarys most powerful weapons, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile he may be preparing to test in the coming weeks, at a massive military parade attended by foreign leaders.

The parade, which began on Friday night and marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers Party, highlighted Mr Kims growing diplomatic footing and his relentless drive to build an arsenal that could viably target the continental United States and his rivals in Asia.

North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency said the parade featured a new, yet-to-be-tested intercontinental ballistic missile called the Hwasong-20, which it described as the most powerful nuclear strategic weapons system.

Other weapons on display included shorter-range ballistic, cruise and supersonic missiles, which the North previously described as capable of delivering nuclear strikes against targets in rival South Korea.

In a speech at the parade, Mr Kim said his military must continue to evolve into an invincible force that eliminates all threats, but made no direct mention of Washington or Seoul, according to comments published by KCNA.

Mr Kim had earlier vowed to transform North Korea into the best socialist paradise in the world.

open image in gallery From left, Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and the head of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev attend a reception marking the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, 10 Oct 2025 ( Sputnik )

In practice, North Korea has been ruled by Kims family for all of those 80 years. It remains one of the worlds poorest countries based on GDP per capita and ranks 118th out of 127 nations on the Global Hunger Index, with around one in five children suffering stunted growth due to malnutrition.

Nonetheless, the North Korean dictator celebrated the partys leadership on Thursday night, portraying it as a revolutionary force that has built a powerful socialist state despite wars, sanctions, and global isolation.

He credited the party with developing nuclear capabilities  which he said were designed to deter the US  and steering the country through several transformations. According to Rodong Sinmun, Mr Kim said: The past 80 years were really complicated and arduous, yet worthwhile and glorious.

open image in gallery A meeting of presenting letters of loyalty to their leader Kim Jong Un is held at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, 7 Oct 2025, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of North Korea's ruling Worker's Party of Korea. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

He said: Our party cannot exist apart from the people the party is great as the people are great.

North Korean state media released images of a large celebration at Pyongyangs sprawling May Stadium on Thursday. South Korean military analysts predict that the main event, a massive parade in the capital, could take place Friday night, featuring tens of thousands of participants.

Analysts suggest that North Korea could showcase its next-generation Hwasong-20 ICBM, the new Hwasong-11 Ma hypersonic glide vehicle, and other advanced weapons systems. North Korean military parades are closely watched as platforms to display the countrys latest missiles and weaponry, much of which has been developed in violation of UN Security Council sanctions.

open image in gallery Children perform during the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, 9 Oct 2025

Historically, there has been no such country in the world as ours, which had to carry out so many tasks ... for national defence and construction, even as it was facing constant and tenacious pressure, interference and threats of aggression by outside forces, Mr Kim reportedly claimed during his speech. Our party and government are still coping with our adversaries ferocious political and military moves of pressure by pursuing harder-line policies, holding fast to firm principles and employing brave, unflinching countermeasures.

He urged continued perseverance, saying a few more years of effort could change our life remarkably, without providing specifics on how his regime plans to better the lives of ordinary North Koreans.

According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Mr Kim said: I will surely turn this country into a more affluent and beautiful land and into the best socialist paradise in the world.

North Koreas 80th Workers Party anniversary was attended by top officials from China, Russia, Vietnam, and Laos. Chinese premier Li Qiang, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, and Vietnams Communist Party leader To Lam took front-row seats as Mr Kim launched Thursdays celebrations with mass games and artistic performances.

open image in gallery People turn cards to form an image of a child during the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, 9 Oct 2025

According to CNN, amid enthusiastic flag-waving, North Korea presented a vibrant mix of traditional and patriotic songs alongside meticulously choreographed dances performed by thousands, including uniformed children. Soldiers reportedly performed martial arts, breaking cinder blocks on their stomachs, and the event ended with a grand fireworks display.

Earlier this month, speaking at a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang, Mr Kim accused the US and its allies of intensifying military activities in the region. The US, Japan and South Korea hold regular joint drills in the region, which they say are necessary to prepare defences and offer a deterrent to the unpredictable and dangerous leadership in Pyongyang.

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, Kim said, according to KCNA.

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.

Mr Kim recently joined a military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin, marking the anniversary of the end of World War II.

Following the breakdown of denuclearisation talks with the US in 2019, Pyongyang has declared itself an irreversible nuclear power, firmly rejecting any prospect of giving up its atomic arsenal.

(With additional inputs from agencies)
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The south Indian state of Karnataka has approved a landmark policy granting all women one day of paid menstrual leave each month.

The state, which is home to Indias Silicon Valley in Bengaluru and hosts global customer service centres for companies around the world, said the policy would apply to both public and private sector organisations.

With this decision, Karnataka has become the first state in India to extend menstrual leave benefits to women in both the government and private sectors. Odisha and Bihar offer menstrual leave only to government employees, while Kerala has introduced a similar provision for students and staff in universities.

Karnataka law minister HK Patil said the policy, inspired by those models in other Indian states, would benefit working women.

It will be helpful to women. The policy has been successful in other states, and we have decided to adopt it, he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

Several major private firms in India, including Zomato, Swiggy, Larsen & Toubro, Byjus, and Gozoop, have voluntarily adopted similar policies.

The cabinet note said that the decision was taken to prioritise womens physical and mental well-being while raising awareness about menstrual health  an issue still considered taboo in many workplaces in India.

With the introduction of menstrual leave policy, all sectors employing women will have a policy to provide one day of paid leave per month to women employees for their health, the state government said in its order.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah wrote on X: Through the Menstrual Leave Policy 2025, women employees across Karnataka will now receive one paid leave day every month  a step towards a more humane, understanding, and inclusive workplace.

Womens rights activist Brinda Adige praised the initiative. The governments introduction of a one-day menstrual leave is a commendable step toward recognising the genuine health needs of women in the workplace.

She was quoted as saying by NDTV: By institutionalising such support in government and organised private sectors, this policy affirms that womens well-being is integral to sustainable development.

While the informal sector remains a challenge, this initiative lays a vital foundation for broader health empowerment, enabling increased female participation and fostering inclusive state growth, she said.

Karnatakas labour minister Santosh Lad said: We had consulted industries and we will consult them again before framing the rules.

The All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Karnataka Committee, welcomed the state governments decision, calling it a progressive step that would empower millions of women in both government and private sectors. The union said it had long advocated for a one-day-per-month menstrual leave policy, despite resistance from employers.

We now request the government to immediately take measures to implement the decision through legislative action, AITUC said, according to The Hindu.

In India, despite some progress, menstruation remains surrounded by stigma and misinformation, especially in rural and low-income areas, where access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products is still limited for many women.

Japan recognised menstrual leave as a labour right as early as 1947, setting a global precedent. Several other countries, including Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Zambia, have since adopted similar policies, though the specifics differ. Some grant three days of leave annually, others allow one optional day a month, and a few offer flexible options such as remote work or shorter hours during menstruation.

In India, however, the idea has faced political resistance. In 2023, former women and child development minister Smriti Irani opposed the proposal, questioning: Why should a womans menstrual cycle be known to her employer? This response was met with widespread ridicule.
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India has announced that it will join a small group of countries in reopening its embassy in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, as part of a rapid and controversial upgrade in its dealings with the Islamist groups regime.

India is hosting the Talibans de facto foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, for a landmark visit to New Delhi, and Muttaqi held meetings with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday.

Mr Jaishankar announced that Indias embassy, closed after the group seized power in Kabul in August 2021, would reopen. India had launched a downgraded technical mission in Kabul earlier in June 2022.

India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan, Mr Jaishankar said in his opening remarks in New Delhi as he hosted the senior Taliban leader. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience.

Mr Muttaqi is one of a number of Taliban leaders facing UN sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, and his visit to Delhi had to be specially approved by the UN Security Council. That process delayed his six-day visit to India, which was originally scheduled for August this year.

He was first sanctioned by the UN in 2001 over the abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan during the hardline Islamist groups previous rule in the 1990s.

The UN General Assembly has not recognised the legitimacy of the Talibans administration in Afghanistan, but around a dozen countries have embassies operating in Kabul, including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. Only Russia has formally recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

Western diplomats have said the main roadblock on the Talibans path to recognition is its misogynistic policies towards Afghan women, barring them from secondary schools, higher education and most workplaces, and severely limiting their freedoms in public.

Such policies were reflected even during events on Friday in India, with female journalists  high-profile Indian TV correspondents and a reporter for The Independent among them  barred from a press conference given by Mr Muttaqi.

In his opening remarks, Mr Muttaqi referred to ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and said the Taliban administration would not allow anyone to use Afghanistan's territory for targeting other nations.

"We hope that Afghanistan and India, on an official level and in different areas, increase their engagement," he said.

Analysts have suggested Indias engagement with the Taliban reflects a pragmatic approach to dealing with an important regional player, rather than an endorsement of the Islamist groups policies, as well as a concern that New Delhi could be left behind by Pakistan and China in building new ties with Kabul.

Jayant Prasad, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan told The Independent that reopening the embassy would allow India to operate better on a number of fronts.

This is a welcome step in the direction of India-Afghanistan ties for regional cooperation and was overdue. Given the traditional ties between India and Afghanistan, India has rightly decided to review its social and economic partnership, he said.

Harsh Pant, foreign policy head at India's Observer Research Foundation think-tank, told Reuters: "Engagement does not mean endorsement. There are many things that India is uncomfortable about (under Taliban rule) - minority rights, gender rights, and the human rights landscape in Afghanistan.

But there is a pragmatism inherent in India's engagement with the Taliban ... And this visit is, in some ways, continuing that tradition. It certainly can be considered the beginning of a new phase in India-Afghanistan relations under the Taliban government, which have been one-directional so far.
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A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday morning, killing at least two people, damaging schools and an international airport, and forcing thousands to flee coastal towns amid tsunami warnings.

The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at 9.43am local time (01.43am GMT) about 43km east of Manay town in Davao Oriental province at a depth of 23 kilometres, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The agency warned of possible aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.4 and urged residents to stay away from the shoreline.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said emergency teams were on standby and would be deployed when conditions were safe.

We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it, he said.

Provincial governor Nelson Dayanghirang Sr told ABS-CBN News Channel that at least two people had died after being pinned inside damaged homes in Davao Oriental.

About 250 patients were evacuated from a hospital with cracked walls, and temporary tents were being set up to house them.

open image in gallery Students helping a fellow student as they gather outside the school buildings after an earthquake in Davao de Oro, Mindanao ( Golden Cornucopia - Davao de Oro )

The quake damaged several buildings, including parts of schools and a church facade, and cracked roads and bridges in Manay and neighbouring towns.

Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said the international airport in Davao City sustained damage but remained operational.

Tremors also led to a chemical spill at the 6th floor of San Pedro College in Davao City which was contained by firefighters.

open image in gallery Firefighters wear protective suits as they respond to a chemical spill incident at the San Pedro College following a strong earthquake in Davao City, southern Philippines ( AP )

In the nearby coastal town of Governor Generoso, disaster officer Jun Saavedra said power lines swayed and parts of buildings cracked as people rushed into the streets.

Weve had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest, he said. About 50 students were treated for bruises and dizziness after panicking during the tremors, he added.

Videos verified by Reuters showed vehicles shaking, gates rattling and office workers sheltering under desks as walls creaked in Davao City, the countrys largest urban centre in the south with 5.4 million residents.

Tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas within 300 kilometres of the epicentre, prompting evacuations in at least six provinces before being lifted two hours later.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said small waves were recorded in the Philippines and Indonesia before the threat passed.

open image in gallery Map shows epicenter of earthquake earthquake about 62 kilometres (38 miles) southeast of Manay town in Davao Oriental province ( Phivolcs-Dost )

Indonesias Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported minor waves up to 17 centimetres in North Sulawesis Talaud Islands, while residents along the coast of Palau were also advised to stay alert.

Phivolcs initially reported the magnitude at 7.6 before revising it to 7.4. The quake was caused by movement along the Philippine Trench, one of the worlds most active fault systems.

The Philippines, located on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year. The archipelago is also hit by about 20 tropical storms annually, making disaster response a major challenge for authorities.

Fridays tremor came less than two weeks after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least 74 people and displaced thousands in Cebu province, making it the countrys deadliest in more than a decade.

Phivolcs chief Teresito Bacolcol said the agency was monitoring for further movement and urged caution as aftershocks could persist for days.

Residents should stay alert and avoid returning to damaged structures until they are declared safe, he said.
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A powerful offshore earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Friday morning, triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Southeast Asia and leaving at least two people dead, officials said.

The 7.4-magnitude tremor hit at 9.43am local time (01.43am GMT) in waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental province, at a depth of about 23km, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). The agency said aftershocks were expected.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially warned of waves up to 3 metres along some Philippine coasts, but later said the threat had passed. Tsunami alerts remained in place for Indonesia and Palau, where waves of up to one metre were possible.

Civil defence official Raffy Alejandro confirmed the first fatality and said teams were assessing reports of damage to homes, buildings, roads and bridges near the epicentre. We are asking residents in coastal areas to remain alert until all warnings are lifted, he said.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said search-and-rescue teams were being prepared and would be deployed when conditions allowed.

We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it, he said in a statement.

Map shows epicentre of earthquake about 62km (38 miles) southeast of Manay town in Davao Oriental province ( Phivolcs-Dost )

Richie Diuyen, a disaster official in Manay, said the quake lasted 30 to 40 seconds and was the strongest she had ever experienced. We couldnt stand earlier, she said by phone. The damage is quite big.

Videos shared from Davao City showed workers sheltering under desks as walls creaked and cabinets toppled. Local authorities in nearby towns suspended classes while checking public buildings.

The United States Tsunami Warning System said hazardous waves were possible within 300 kilometres of the epicentre. Indonesia issued warnings for its northern Sulawesi and Papua regions.

Davao Oriental governor Edwin Jubahib told local radio: Some buildings were reported to have been damaged. It was very strong.

The quake was among the most powerful to strike the Philippines in recent years. The country sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences hundreds of tremors annually.

It comes less than two weeks after a magnitude 6.9 quake in Cebu province killed at least 74 people and displaced thousands, marking the nations deadliest earthquake in over a decade.
So, we have a peace plan  or do we? Since President Donald Trump announced that both Hamas and Israel had accepted his proposed plan for both ending the conflict and reconstructing Gaza under new management, there have been conflicting views about its significance. Anything that stops the killing and returns the Israeli hostages  alive and dead  to their families is a great thing. But we have been here before. Those who have negotiated an end to every conflict in Gaza and indeed the West Bank over the last 25 years have sought to do so by promising a resolution of the underlying issues. But that has never happened.

The fundamental issue is, of course, Palestinian self-government  the phrase used in the Oslo Accords. Many people assume this means a Palestinian state with full sovereignty. But no Israeli prime minister  not even Yitzhak Rabin  ever promised that. Israel has always wanted to maintain security control over at least the Jordan Valley and the heights of the West Bank  and since their 2005 disengagement from the Gaza strip, also both the land and sea borders of Gaza. And given what happened on 7 October 2023, you can see why.

The Trump plan buys time: it has the support of both Egypt and Jordan and behind them Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours ( Reuters )

Conversely, Palestinians think that such an arrangement would deprive them of the single thing they want more than anything else: the right to rule themselves in dignity and freedom.

So what do we mean when we talk of a Palestinian state? Polls in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories over the last few decades show substantial latent support for the proposition if it brings an end to the conflict. But Israelis and Palestinians mean very different things by the term. The steady growth of Israeli settlements and the failures and unpopularity of the PLO-led Palestinian Authority have only increased support for other options: simple rejectionism, the armed struggle and violent Islamist groups like Hamas which reject the whole framework of Oslo.

This is fundamentally a political issue. It can therefore only be resolved politically, not by the technocratic fixes the Trump plan offers. Those fixes in any case bear a distinct family resemblance to the provisions of the Oslo Accord and the 2002 Road Map. Both initiatives failed because they collided with reality: the absence of any agreement on what "Palestinian self-government" actually means. Behind that lies an almost complete lack of trust between the two sides. The vast majority of Israelis believe  at least for the moment  that they cannot safely live side by side with a fully sovereign Palestinian state. And a growing number of Palestinians now think the only answer is a single state, with equal rights for everyone, something very few Israelis would ever accept.

This is not to say there is no hope. The Trump plan buys time. It has the support of both Egypt and Jordan and behind them Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours. Hamas has also been massively degraded. It is highly unlikely to disarm: to do so would be to stop being Hamas. But it is unclear what it can do with the weapons it now possesses. It no longer poses the threat to Israel that it did two years ago. Nor does Hezbollah in Lebanon or the country that stands behind both groups, Iran. And that is Israels achievement. The task for its leaders now is to turn those military gains into an enduring political settlement. The alternative is a garrison state.

The Palestinians have never on their own had enough to offer Israel. The other Arab states, notably Saudi Arabia, do. Offering the Palestinians self-determination within a wider regional state order, whose triangulation points are Riyadh, Amman, Cairo, Tel Aviv and perhaps even Damascus might seem a fantasy. But my guess is that that is precisely what Trump and his advisers are beginning to think. In which case, his plan is perhaps not so fantastic after all.

Sir John Jenkins is a former ambassador to Syria, Iraq, Libya and Saudi Arabia
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Chinese company Ming Yang has announced plans to build the UKs largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland.

The firm projects an investment of up to 1.5 billion, creating 1,500 jobs.

Several Scottish sites are shortlisted, with Ardersier in the Highlands the preferred option.

The first of three phases involves a 750 million investment in an advanced facility, with production by late 2028. Later phases will expand the facility, creating an "offshore wind industry ecosystem".

This follows two years of discussions with Scottish and UK governments. Ardersier is a "green freeport", offering tax and customs incentives for investment.

Last month Ming Yang and Octopus Energy announced they would be in partnership to develop new wind projects.

The announcement to build the UKs largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland follows discussions with the Scottish and UK governments over the past two years

Zhang Chuanwei, founder and chairman of the Ming Yang group, said: As a global leader in wind technology, Ming Yang is committed to accelerating the global energy transition through innovation and community-focused comprehensive energy solutions.We are excited by the prospect of investing in the UK and look forward to finalising our investment decision.

UK chief executive Aman Wang said: We firmly believe that by moving forward with our plans to create jobs, skills and a supply chain in the UK, we can make this country the global hub for offshore wind technology.

We fully support the Governments mission to become a clean energy superpower, and Im confident that once the plans are approved we can make a valued contribution to this goal.

In November last year, Conservative MP Nick Timothy asked energy minister Michael Shanks about Ming Yangs plans to invest in Scotland, saying the Government should rule out investment from hostile states.

He said Ming Yang benefits from huge subsidies in China but there are serious questions about energy security and national security.

Mr Shanks replied: We are encouraging investment in the UK to build the infrastructure that we need in the future.

The UK and Scottish governments have been approached for comment.
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One of natures strangest animals may hold the secret to living a long life, scientists have revealed.

The naked mole rat may not be known for its good looks, but the bald rodent has long been appreciated for its resistance to cancer and long life expectancy, which can reach almost 40 years.

A new study published in the journal Science has uncovered the subterranean animals have evolved a complex DNA repair mechanism that researchers say could be the key to their longevity.

In the paper, scientists at Tonji University in Shanghai, China, say the wrinkled rats have developed evolutionary mutations in cGAS  a protein involved in sensing the damage and repair to strands of DNA and can trigger immune responses.

They found these mutations may enhance the animals ability to repair aging-related genetic damage, whereas in other species, such as mice and humans, cGAS can suppress DNA repair.

Naked mole rats are known for their strange looks and resistance to cancer ( Getty Images )

Scientists behind the study think this different impact of cGAS on DNA may hold the answer to the naked mole rats long life.

Moreover, they said that despite its odd looks, the creatures genetic make-up is surprisingly closer to humans than mice, making it a valuable model for studying its secrets to longevity.

Speaking to the BBC, Professor Gabriel Balmus, who studies DNA repair and ageing at the University of Cambridge, said the discovery was exciting and "the tip of the iceberg" when it comes to understanding why the rodents live such long lives.

"I think if we could reverse-engineer the naked mole-rat's biology," said Prof Balmus, "we might bring some much-needed therapies for an ageing society."

In a related Perspective article, a type of academic review that offers a forward-looking view on new discoveries, biologist John Martinez said: The findings from Chen et al. describe an unexpected role for naked mole-rat cGAS in the nucleus that influences longevity.

Further research will be required to establish the roles that cGAS may play in the nucleus in other organisms, both short- and long-lived, but the answer may be substantially more complex than originally predicted.
A bespectacled and serious-looking young man is pictured standing, pistol in his right hand, pointing directly at the head of a Jewish man he is about to murder. He is photographed perched on the edge of a pit filled with corpses in the grounds of a fortress in the middle of Ukraine on 28 July 1941. Commonly known as The Last Jew in Vinnitsa, the image has become as iconic of the genocide as the entrance to Birkenau, or the piles of bodies being bulldozed at Belsen.

After decades of scholarly research and investigation, we now know the mans name was Jakobus Onnen. He was a teacher of French and English mainly, as well as physical education. Brought up in a small village near the German border with the Netherlands, his father, also a teacher, had died around the time Jakobus turned 18, in 1924. Had it not been for the war, Onnen, who was bright and studious, would have fitted well into the faculty of the German Colonial School near Kassel in central Germany, where he taught from 1932 to 1939.

What makes the photograph of Onnen so remarkable is not only the seeming impassivity of the young uniformed men as they watch him murder, but also the haunted and eerily calm expression on the hollow face of the man who is seconds away from becoming another corpse. So much of the photograph suggests routine, another day at work. There is nobody screaming, nobody crying, nobody flinching or turning away. The madness is in the sense of stillness. You can almost hear the shot echo around the courtyard of the fortress, and then the quiet thud of the body as it lands in the pit. And then perhaps the word next.

Until last week, the name of the murderer  wearing the uniform of a sergeant in the SS  was unknown. But now, thanks to some peerless investigation involving AI facial recognition and Onnens family breaking their silence, the German historian Jurgen Matthaus  the head of the research department of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum  has revealed not only the identity of the killer, but also his background and fate.

There are no surprises, because there never are. The story of Jakobus Onnen is yet another tale of an ordinary man, who thought he was doing the right thing by murdering people he regarded as his enemies. Lets not forget  the man was a teacher. He wasnt, to the best of our knowledge, a rapist or a thug or some other type of monster. He was bright. He was married. He was the personification of ordinary. And yet, there he is, captured for eternity participating in an act of murder, probably wearing the same glasses he wore when he was lecturing his students.

It is Onnens unexceptionalism that should chill us today, even in modern Britain, or perhaps especially in modern Britain. Damning footage gathered in a seven-month undercover investigation for a Panorama documentary saw one officer, PC Phil Neilson, calling for an immigrant to be shot. A man in a Fred Perry shirt was livestreamed at the Tommy Robinson day of rage saying Keir Starmer needs to be assassinated. We see ordinary people on marches calling for global uprisings against different groups because of their religion. And when we think of the consequences of living in this febrile atmosphere  as we really, really must  then we end up asking ourselves: Is this how it happens?

It is one of the biggest questions of all, and we should be wary of anybody who thinks they can answer it confidently.

So what makes an ordinary person do something so monstrous as Onnen? In his article for the academic journal Zeitschrift fur Geschichtswissenschaft, Dr Matthaus is sensibly cautious about what motivated him and his fellow genocidaires. As he points out, the social situation within which the murderers operated was too complex, and the sources from which perpetrator motivation can be inferred were too sparse and unreliable.

However, what we do know about Onnen gives us some clues.

open image in gallery Mass book-burnings in Germany in 1933  by a regime that gave its people an enemy and answers ( Getty )

He was born in 1906 in the village of Tichelwarf, which is about as far northwest as you can go in Germany before it becomes the Netherlands. After studying in Gottingen, he took up his position teaching languages and PE near Kassel. However, it appears that Onnen joined the SA  the Brownshirts  in 1931, and then transferred to the SS the following year. For the rest of the 1930s, he taught, but inspired by a new mood of nationalism, he also published articles in various Nazi journals, mainly about the exploitation of German colonies. One small sample passage should suffice: The most valuable asset of a productive person is their labour. Only those whose bodies are healthy and resistant to disease remain productive.

Onnen appears to have taken his writing seriously, and when one of his articles attracted some negative feedback, the young teacher challenged the reviewer to a duel with sabres. It required his superiors in the SS to defuse the situation peacefully  an intervention that now seems grimly ironic.

As well as having a bit of a temper, Onnen also had a somewhat tempestuous love-life, and he applied for SS marriage permits for three different women in 1935, 1937, and 1938, a series which Matthaus regards wryly as rather idiosyncratic. Ultimately, Onnen never received an SS marriage permit, and married another woman in April 1939.

At this stage it would be easy to regard Onnen as a bad sort, and the seeds of his later behaviour were all too apparently germinating. This would be glib. Plenty of young men and women in their twenties  especially if they are creative  are highly passionate about their work. Besides, challenging someone to a duel was more a cultural norm in Germany in the 1930s than it would be today. And as for having an idiosyncratic love-life? This hardly represents a qualification to conduct genocide.

open image in gallery The Duke and Duchess of Windsor at their controversial meeting with German leader Adolf Hitler in Munich, 1937 ( PA )

But there is no doubt that Onnen evolved into a committed Nazi. In August 1939, just before the outbreak of war, he joined the SS Deaths Head Unit at Dachau concentration camp. By the beginning of 1940, he was working for the Nazi Order Police in occupied Poland. It was in June 1941, shortly after the invasion of the Soviet Union, that Onnen would enlist in the unit in which he would be photographed doing his terrible duty  Einsatzgruppe C under SS-Brigadefuhrer Otto Rasch.

The actions of the Einsatzgruppen are, of course, well-known  mobile paramilitary execution units that slaughtered anybody in the conquered territories who was suspected of being an enemy of the Third Reich; be they a Jew, a communist, a Gypsy, or even an intellectual. Einsatzgruppe C would kill nearly 120,000 people.

So the question still remains  what precisely was Onnens motivation? The attempt to causally link Onnens photographically documented act of murder with the rest of his biography must remain speculative in view of the lack of conclusive sources, Dr Matthaus writes. That he had already used deadly violence against Jews before his deployment in the Soviet Union  whether out of antisemitism, regime conformity, or career ambition  is neither documented nor deducible from his biography.

But, if we can be sure of one thing, it is this  that Onnen was undoubtedly radicalised by a nationalistic regime that gave him an enemy and answers. Such radicalisation is all too present in our society today and what makes this process so terrifying, so hard to comprehend, is that by the end of it, such men  and they are usually men  do not regard the people they are killing as being human. This is why the language of nationalism often refers to its targets as being something other than people  they are parasites, cockroaches, bacilli, untermenschen, dogs, waves... You name it, so long as you dont call them fellow human beings. Stripping your victims of their humanness makes them easier to attack, but it also strips the perpetrators of their humanity, too.

What we can be certain about is Onnens fate  he was killed fighting partisans some 100 miles west of Kiev in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine in August 1943. Justice of sorts, but not enough justice for the man kneeling at the edge of that pit  a man whose humanity was stripped from him. A man whose name we still do not know.
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Scientists have captured the first direct evidence of a bat catching and eating a bird in mid-air, confirming long-standing theories about the animals predatory behaviour.

The research, published in the journal Science, used tiny data-recording backpacks to track greater noctule bats in southern Spain.

The devices captured their altitude, speed, and the sounds of prey encounters, revealing the moment one bat pursued and consumed a migrating robin during the night.

Researchers recorded the bat climbing to more than 1,200 metres before diving rapidly toward the bird. The recording included feeding sounds lasting for 23 minutes, suggesting the animal was consuming its prey while still in flight.

The greater noctule, Europes largest bat, doesnt just eat small birds  it hunts and captures them ( Jorge Sereno/Donana Biological Station )

Dr Laura Stidsholt, a co-author of the research based at Aarhus University, said: Its fascinating that bats are not only able to catch them, but also to kill and eat them while flying.

A bird like that weighs about half as much as the bat itself  it would be like me catching and eating a 35-kilo animal while jogging.

The team also found evidence of bird wings scattered beneath roosting areas, with DNA analysis linking them to species such as robins and warblers. The scientists believe the bats discard the wings to make it easier to eat the rest of the bird mid-air.

Using [these] high-tech approaches, the Science paper is the first to track the hunting manoeuvre of a greater noctule chasing and catching a robin, Danilo Russo, a bat ecologist at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, who was not involved with the study, told Science News.

Although there is no visual observation of the hunting episode, in my opinion, this study nevertheless provides compelling evidence that birds are caught in flight.

The greater noctule is Europes largest bat and was already known to feed on birds based on earlier evidence from droppings and wing fragments. But this study offers the first direct proof of the hunting process in real time.

Experts say the findings reshape what scientists know about aerial predators. Under the cover of darkness, the noctules can ascend to the same altitudes as migrating birds and strike with precision, all while maintaining flight.

The studys authors say the discovery sheds light on how bats and birds interact during migration and could help inform conservation strategies for both groups.
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A skeleton discovered on Dorsets Jurassic coast has been identified as a new species of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans.

The dolphin-sized ichthyosaur, called Xiphodracon goldencapensis or the Sword Dragon of Dorset, is the only known example of its kind in existence.

Thousands of ichthyosaur fossils have been found along the Jurassic Coast, but scientists say this particular fossil helps to fill an evolutionary gap.

First discovered by a prolific fossil hunter at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the new ichthyosaur skeleton was then acquired by a museum in Canada.

Experts have now analysed the skeleton and published a paper identifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.

Ichthyosaur experts Dr Dean Lomax and Professor Judy Massare with the 185m year old skeleton ( The University of Manchester )

The skeleton includes a skull with enormous eye sockets and a long, sword-like snout.

It is thought the marine reptile was about three metres long and would have eaten fish and squid, with the remains even showing traces of its last meal.

Dr Erin Maxwell, a co-author and ichthyosaur expert from the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, said: This skeleton provides critical information for understanding ichthyosaur evolution, but also contributes to our understanding of what life must have been like in the Jurassic seas of Britain.

She explained that the skeleton even provides clues as to how the reptile lived and died.

Dr Maxwell added.: The limb bones and teeth are malformed in such a way that points to serious injury or disease while the animal was still alive, and the skull appears to have been bitten by a large predator - likely another much larger species of ichthyosaur - giving us a cause of death for this individual. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a dangerous prospect.

Ichthyosaurs are classified as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, because they spent their lives in the water.

This particular ichthyosaur is thought to have swum the seas about 185 million years ago, a period from which very few ichthyosaur fossils have been found.

Dr Lomax, who is the author of the recently published book The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs, said: One of the coolest things about identifying a new species is that you get to name it. We opted for Xiphodracon because of the long, sword-like snout (xipho from Greek xiphos for sword) and dracon (Greek and Latin for dragon) in reference to ichthyosaurs being referred to as sea dragons for over 200 years.

The new research was published on Friday in the international journal Papers in Palaeontology. The skeleton is planned to go on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.
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An Afghan migrant who came over to the UK via small boats has been found guilty of making threats to kill Nigel Farage on TikTok.

Fayaz Khan, 26, shared a video between 12 and 15 October last year in which he claimed he wanted to come to England to marry the politicians sister, and made gun gestures while saying pop, pop, pop.

During his trial at Southwark Crown Court, the Reform UK leader said that the post had been pretty chilling, adding given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried.

Nicholas Coates of the Crown Prosecution Service said he hopes the conviction sends a clear message and stressed elected politicians must be able to carry out their jobs free from the fear of harm or abuse and we will make sure that those who seek to intimidate them face the full force of the law.

Having already charged Khan with coming to the UK illegally, we were determined to bring him to justice for his threats against Nigel Farage, he added.

Jurors were told that Khan had a very large presence online with his videos on TikTok, under the username madapasa, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.

In autumn last year, he filmed his attempts to come to the UK by small boat  with the defendant having lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019.

On 12 October last year, Mr Farage uploaded a video to YouTube titled the journey of an illegal migrant which highlighted Khan and referenced young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little.

The prosecution said Khan responded with a video on 14 October, which was played to the jury, in which Khan appears to say: Englishman Nigel, dont talk s**t about me.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage outside Southwark Crown Court on Friday ( PA Wire )

You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me.

Dont talk about me more. Delete the video. Im coming to England. Im going to pop, pop, pop.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told jurors that while Khan said pop, pop, pop he made gun gestures with his hand, as well as headbutting the camera during the video, and pointing to an AK47 tattoo on his face to emphasise he wasnt joking.

Mr Farage said: He says hes coming to England and hes going to shoot me. I understood that very clearly indeed as did many people who saw it at the same time.

The right-wing politician added: In high-profile politics, a lot of nasty stuff gets posted. A lot of nasty stuff gets said.

What you dont see is an individual say on social media they are coming for you directly, and secondly, the means by which they are going to do it.

Asked by the prosecution about the reference to his sister, Mr Farage said: Im not sure he wanted to marry my sister, you could perhaps draw a different inference from that.

Asked by defence lawyer Charles Royle whether he was concerned that Khan wanted to marry his sister, Mr Farage said: Really, are you being serious? It said so much about the mindset of this individual.

I was concerned there was a man who clearly treats women as mere objects and could be a threat to them on our streets.

Mr Farage added that the comment was deeply misogynistic.

Jurors were shown a screenshot of a subsequent TikTok post by Khan with the caption I mean what I say written on an image of a GB News report about the alleged threat against Mr Farage.

In a police interview on 1 November last year, Khan said through an interpreter that he had attempted to come to the UK 10 times and was in Dunkirk, France, when he recorded the video in which he is alleged to have made a threat to kill Mr Farage.

Khan told police: I come here because I want to live here. I want new life. I dont come here because I want to kill Nigel Farage.

He also said that he had been smoking cannabis and was high at the time of posting the video.
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A man who fatally stabbed a teenage Syrian refugee in the neck after he brushed past his girlfriend on a busy shopping street has been detained for life.

Alfie Franco, 20, must serve a minimum term of 23 years for the murder of 16-year-old Syrian refugee Ahmad Al Ibrahim in Huddersfield town centre.

Al Ibrahim who fled war-torn Homs after being injured in a bombing, had been living in Huddersfield for only a couple of weeks when he crossed paths with Franco, who had been for a Jobcentre appointment that day and was going to buy eyelash glue with his girlfriend.

Leeds Crown Court heard Franco  who had consumed cannabis, cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, and codeine  took some petty exception to Ahmad innocuously walking past his girlfriend in the street.

open image in gallery Ahmad Al Ibrahim, 16, was murdered in Huddersfield town centre ( West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire )

CCTV footage showed Franco saying something to Ahmad, and calling him over after a short verbal altercation.

As Ahmad walked over, Franco opened the blade on a flick knife he was carrying in his trousers and drove it into the boys neck.

Prosecutors said Franco kept the savage knife hidden until the last second so that Ahmad, who was unarmed, didnt have a chance.

Footage played during the trial showed Ahmad clutching his throat and staggering a few yards up the street before collapsing.

Franco denied murder, but was found guilty by a jury who deliberated for just over three hours. He pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place.

Franco, who spent most of his childhood in South Africa before returning to Huddersfield at the age of 13, told the trial he thought he had seen Ahmad reaching for a weapon in his waistband.

open image in gallery Franco had consumed cannabis, cocaine, diazepam, ketamine, and codeine before the attack ( West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire )

He said he had been aiming for the boys cheek and just wanted to cut him and get away.

Sentencing him to life with a minimum term of 23 years on Friday, Judge Howard Crowson said Francos claims of being in fear of Ahmad were incredible as the CCTV footage showed the defendant calmly eating ice cream while preparing to stab him.

He told Franco: During this trial you tried to portray Ahmad as aggressive and threatening.

The CCTV reveals you were under no threat whatsoever. Ahmad was unarmed as he walked peacefully about Huddersfield town centre that day.

He said Francos claim to have seen a weapon on Ahmads waistband was a lie.

The judge said: Before Ahmad made any movement towards you, you prepared your knife for use.

open image in gallery Al Ibrahim had only been living in Huddersfield for only a couple of weeks after fleeing Homs, Syria, before he was killed by Franco ( West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire )

You calmly and surreptitiously removed the knife from your waistband, opened it and concealed it in your pocket.

He said he was satisfied that Franco intended to kill Ahmad and that he had lured the boy to within striking distance before lunging at him with the knife, deliberately aiming for his neck.

Jurors heard Franco had a wider interest in knives and had messaged a friend the day before threatening to stab someone over a stolen pushbike.

In a victim impact statement read in court, Ahmads uncle, Ghazwan Al Ibrahim, said Ahmad was an intelligent and outstanding student whose dream was to become a doctor.

He said his nephew had a sociable and ambitious personality, loved helping people and was passionate about life.

Mr Al Ibrahim said Ahmad spent three months travelling to the UK and initially lived in a Home Office hotel in Swansea with other people his own age before being moved to Huddersfield to be near his uncle.

He said Ahmads death had disappointed all his hopes of a better life in the UK and wasted all his familys efforts to get him there.

Mr Al Ibrahim said: It was the end of everything we had hoped for Ahmad after we had been happy about his arrival in the UK  the land of peace and the fulfilment of dreams.
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Every week, hundreds of millions worldwide gather for peaceful worship, yet this fundamental right to sanctuary is increasingly being shattered by deadly violence. Recent incidents, including an attack on a synagogue in England and two churches in the United States, echo a disturbing pattern seen previously at mosques in New Zealand, a synagogue in Pennsylvania, and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

Such acts inevitably fuel heightened anxiety and fear among religious leaders and their congregations worldwide. Despite bolstered security measures and increased vigilance among worshippers, a profound question persists: can faith communities truly find peace and safety when gathering to worship?

The Oct. 2 attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England, left two congregants dead and, according to police, was carried out by a man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Two days later, a mosque in an English coastal town was targeted with a suspected arson attack.

Following those two attacks, there is real fear, said a Church of England bishop, the Right Rev. Toby Howarth. People must feel safe in going to places of worship.

How to instill that feeling is a constant challenge. In Germany, in response to several attacks, many synagogues have been surrounded by barriers and guarded by heavily armed police. In the United States, most synagogues  and many non-Jewish houses of worship  employ layered security strategies. These can involve guards, cameras, and various systems for controlling access to events through ticketing, registration or other forms of vetting.

open image in gallery The archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Bernard Hebda talks on the phone outside the Annunciation Church's school after shooting, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The deadliest attack on Jews in the United States occurred in October 2018, when a gunman killed 11 worshippers from three congregations at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue.

Eric Kroll, deputy director of community security at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said synagogues there had begun systemic security trainings before the attack.

Some of the training recommendations  such as keeping a phone on hand for emergencies even on the Sabbath, when observant Jews normally wouldnt use a phone  helped save lives during that attack, he said. The federation continues to evaluate attacks such as the one in Manchester to prepare for assailants evolving tactics.

The wounds still run deep here in Pittsburgh for a lot of people, said Kroll, adding that preparations help them to worship together confidently.

Its so easy to talk about all these things and be frightened," he said. "But if you teach ways to respond to those things, it empowers people to go and live their lives.

A similar tone was sounded by Bishop Bonnie Perry, leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, in a letter to her congregations two days after a gunman killed four people inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan's Grand Blanc Township on Sept. 29.

Many of us feel grief, fear, and deep unease, Perry wrote. It is natural to wonder whether the places where we pray and gather are safe.

She proceeded to detail a balanced approach to security, rejecting suggestions to lock church doors during worship but encouraging greater vigilance and preparedness, including formation of emergency response teams at the diocese's churches.

We do not want our churches to feel like fortresses; they are houses of prayer for every person, she wrote. At the same time, love of neighbor includes readiness to act swiftly should danger appear.  Our goal is not to shut people out but to keep everyone safe while maintaining the radical hospitality of the Gospel.

open image in gallery Firefighters work on the scene of a fire and shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Lukas Katilius/The Flint Journal via AP, File)

While some Christian pastors in the U.S. encourage congregants to bring firearms to church as an extra security measure, numerous denominations and individual houses of worship forbid this. After the Grand Blanc attack, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirmed that it prohibits carrying firearms and other lethal weapons inside its meetinghouses and temples, except for current law enforcement officers.

Black churches in the U.S. have withstood a long history of violent attacks, from decades of church burnings and bombings to the murder of nine Bible study participants in 2015 at Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston, South Carolina. The perpetrator of that attack, now on death row, posted selfies with a Confederate flag to flaunt his racist rationale for shooting Black churchgoers.

A member of Metropolitan AME in Washington, D.C., Khaleelah Harris, 29, said the threat of violence is often on her mind.

It can be difficult to be a part of a worship service, and you look around and five police officers are in the service because somebody just walked in, and they look a little suspicious. It shifts the atmosphere, said Harris, who is in the AME ordination process.

Her church won a lawsuit earlier this year against the Proud Boys, after the far-right group vandalized the churchs property in 2020. The congregation has increased security, at one point paying $20,000 per month.

Its a struggle to balance being a welcoming congregation with tightened security protocols, Harris said. How does welcoming all and not being quote-unquote judgmental prevent someone from using their discernment or engaging security measures?

In various forms, attacks on houses of worship have occurred through history. At present, attacks on individual houses of worship in places like the United States and Western Europe tend to draw the international spotlight more than attacks that are part of broader ongoing conflicts  such as Christian churches burned by Islamic militants in parts of Africa or the destruction of many mosques in Gaza through Israeli strikes mounted in its war against Hamas.

Attacks on mosques  usually blamed on Islamic militants with rival ideologies  have taken place in other Middle Eastern countries.

Egypt reeled in 2017 from the killing of more than 300 people in a militant attack on a mosque in Sinai frequented by Sufis, followers of a mystic movement within Islam. On March 4, 2022, an Afghan suicide bomber struck inside a Shiite mosque in Pakistans northwestern city of Peshawar, killing at more than 60 worshippers. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

Between those attacks was a day of horror in Christchurch, New Zealand, when a white supremacist gunman killed 51 worshippers at two mosques during Friday prayers in 2019. It prompted new laws banning an array of semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. They also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook.

During a wave of antisemitic incidents in Australia, a synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed in December 2024. Australian authorities have accused Iran of directing that attack.

Australia is among several countries, including South Africa and Britain, that have engaged with the U.S.-based Secure Communities Network to share information regarding possible antisemitic threats, according to SCN's national director, Michael Masters. The network provides security advice and training to Jewish institutions across North America.

We act more like Interpol than we'd like to, Masters told The Associated Press. So many of these bad actors and their ideologies cross borders. So all of us have recognized that we are stronger when we work together.

open image in gallery A man wipes away tears outside the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis. where a shooting took place on Sunday, Aug 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)

In the United States, religious leaders are urging Congress to expand the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. It helps nonprofits and houses of worship pay for security system upgrades and emergency planning.

In Britain, after the recent Manchester attack, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said more police resources would be deployed at synagogues.

From both the Jewish and Muslim communities in Britain, there are calls for authorities and civic leaders to curtail antisemitic or anti-Muslim vitriol that might incite future attacks.

Dave Rich of the Community Security Trust, a charity providing security to the Jewish community, told the BBC, There is an inability to recognize antisemitism or a reluctance to deal with incitement in ways that have just allowed it to grow.

I think a lot of Jewish people will be saying OK, the sympathy is great, but wheres the action? Rich added.

Wajid Akhter, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said expanded police deployment is only a partial answer.

There must be a reckoning with the hate being stoked in our public discourse, he said. The safety of British Muslims, and of all faith communities, depends on it.

A grim list: Some notable attacks on houses of worship around the world in recent years

Statistically, attending a weekly worship service is a remarkably safe thing to do. Global annual attendance totals many billions; the number of people killed in attacks on individual houses of worship in any given year is generally less than a few hundred.

Yet high-profile deadly attacks in recent years  with targets including synagogues in England and Pennsylvania, two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and a Catholic church in the United States hosting a Mass for school children  have intensified anxiety and outright fear among clergy and worshippers worldwide.

Here is a list of some of the notable attacks that have occurred on houses of worship in the past 15 years.

Australia

Dec. 6, 2024: As part of a wave of antisemitic attacks, a synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed. The building was heavily damaged and a congregation member was injured. Australian authorities have accused Iran of directing that attack.

Congo

July 27, 2025: Several dozen people were killed in Congos Ituri province when rebels stormed a Catholic church during a vigil and opened fire on worshippers.

Egypt

Egypt reeled in November 2017 from the killing of more than 300 people in a startlingly grisly militant attack on a mosque in northern Sinai frequented by Sufis, followers of a mystic movement within Islam. At that point, Egypts military and security forces had already been waging a campaign against militants in northern Sinai.

April 9, 2017: Suicide bombers struck hours apart at two Coptic churches in northern Egypt, killing more than 40 people and turning Palm Sunday services into scenes of horror and outrage. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility and vowed to continue attacks against Christians.

Britain

Oct. 2, 2025: An attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England, by a knife-wielding assailant left two congregation members dead. According to police, it was carried out by a man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

June 19, 2017: A man drove a van at pedestrians near a mosque in London as worshippers were leaving after prayers. One man died; a dozen others were injured. The attacker was sentenced to at least 43 years in prison. A judge said he had been radicalized by far-right and Islamaphobic propaganda online.

France

Oct, 29, 2020: Three people were killed in a stabbing attack at a Catholic basilica in the French Riviera city of Nice. A Tunisian man charged with the attack was later sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, Frances most severe sentence possible.

July 26, 2016: Two assailants slit the throat of an 85-year-old priest after staging an attack on a Mass at a Catholic church in Normandy. The attackers were killed by police as they left the church; the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Germany

Oct. 9, 2019: A right-wing extremist tried to shoot his way into a synagogue in Halle on Yom Kippur while broadcasting the attack live on a popular gaming site. After failing to open the buildings heavy doors, he shot and killed a woman in the street and a man at a nearby kebab shop. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

March 9, 2023: A former member of the Jehovahs Witnesses opened fire during a service at a Witnesses hall in Hamburg, killing six people and then himself. Nine other people were wounded, including a pregnant woman. Investigators said the gunmans earlier exit from the Jehovahs Witnesses was apparently not on good terms.

Oct. 18, 2023: Assailants threw two Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in Berlin. The firebombs burst on the sidewalk next to the building and two people who had approached the synagogue with them ran away with their faces covered. The attempted arson shortly after Hamas attack on Israel drew strong condemnation.

New Zealand

March 15, 2019: A white supremacist gunned down worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers, killing 51. The attacks prompted new laws banning an array of semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. They also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook. The assailant was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the first time the maximum available sentence had been imposed in New Zealand.

Norway

Aug. 10, 2019: A white nationalist Norwegian, Philip Manshaus, killed his Chinese-born stepsister and then drove to a mosque in an Oslo suburb where three men were preparing for Eid al-Adha celebrations. He fired rifle shots at the mosques glass door before being overpowered by one of the men.

Syria

June 22, 2025: A suicide bomber opened fire and then detonated an explosive vest inside a Greek Orthodox church near Damascus filled with people praying, killing more than 20 and wounding dozens, state media reported.

United States

Sept. 29, 2025: An ex-Marine smashed a pickup truck into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in Michigan, opened fire and set the building ablaze during a crowded Sunday service and then was fatally shot by police. Four people were killed and eight wounded.

Aug. 27, 2025: Two children were killed and several others were injured in a shooting during Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis. The shooter, who authorities say died of a self-inflicted gunshot, was a former student at the parishs school.

Oct. 27, 2018: Eleven Jews attending services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh were fatally shot by a white supremacist with a history of antisemitism. The gunman, Robert Bowers, faces execution after his conviction on multiple federal charges.

Nov. 5, 2017: A family feud is believed to have prompted the deadliest mass shooting in modern Texas history. Twenty-five people, including a pregnant woman, were killed at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs.

June 17, 2015: A young man walked into a Bible study session at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and killed nine people. The victims included the senior pastor, Clementa Pinckney. The shooter, was an avowed white supremacist; he is awaiting execution after his conviction on multiple federal charges.

Aug. 5, 2012: Six people at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in the town of Oak Creek were shot to death by a 41-year-old white supremacist who had discussed a racial holy war. One of the injured victims died in 2020 from his head wound, becoming the seventh fatality.
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I think its sacrilegious was one persons response to graffiti-style artwork inside Canterbury Cathedral, with not all visitors to the Unesco world heritage site appearing to appreciate the new installation.

Brightly-coloured writing asking questions like Are you there? and God, what happens when we die? have been plastered on pillars and walls of the 579 AD-founded building, just days after Dame Sarah Mullally was revealed as the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

And by the cathedrals own admission, the artwork, called Hear Us, hasnt gone down well with everyone.

open image in gallery The work was inspired by workshops involving marginalised communities ( Canterbury Cathedral )

The everyday theological questions expressed in the art installation and the cathedrals historic tradition of graffiti have not stopped some from expressing very strong reactions, a spokesperson said in a press release on the work.

I think its sacrilegious, said one visitor, whilst another wondered whether the graffiti images made parts of the historic site look like an underground car park in Peckham.

However, there has been some positive response.

Others, though, were quick to speak of their admiration for the installation, its artistry, and emotional punch, added the spokesperson.

The installation has been created by poet Alex Vellis and curator Jacquiline Creswell, who were inspired by community workshops at which people responded to the question: What would you ask God?

The cathedral said they worked with marginalised communities and a team of skilled artists to come up with handwritten literature, pasted on stone pillars, walls and floors.

open image in gallery Canterbury Cathedral is often referred to as England in stone ( PA Archive )

It is designed to contrast with the ancient, traditional architecture in the church to offer new interpretations of faith and worship. The free-to-view display will run until 18 January 2026 alongside artist talks, historic graffiti tours and family-friendly activities.

There is a rawness which is magnified by the graffiti style, which is disruptive, said dean of Canterbury, David Monteith. There is also an authenticity in what is said because it is unfiltered and not tidied up or sanitised. Above all, this graffiti makes me wonder why I am not always able to be as candid, not least in my prayers.

This exhibition intentionally builds bridges between cultures, styles and genres and, in particular, allows us to receive the gifts of younger people who have much to say and from whom we need to hear much.

open image in gallery Dame Sarah Mullally has become the first-ever female Archbishop of Canterbury ( PA Wire )

Mr Vellis said the language of the graffiti was of the unheard.

He added: By temporarily graffitiing the inside of Canterbury Cathedral, we join a chorus of the forgotten, the lost, and the wondrous. People who wanted to make their mark, to say I was here, and to have their etchings carry their voice through the centuries.

Canterbury Cathedral was founded by St Augustine and describes itself as a unique place of worship and a major pilgrimage destination. One of the UKs most-visited historic sites, it is sometimes referred to as England in stone.

The artwork comes as church attendance across the UK has risen over the past six years, according to a report published by the Bible Society last year. The group claimed there had been a dramatic growth in young adult church-goers, particularly young men.

Last week, Dame Mullally spoke of her joy at becoming the first woman to be named Archbishop of Canterbury. Her formal installation as the 106th Archbishop will take place in March, after the graffiti artwork is removed.
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Dogs can show signs of addiction to their toys that are similar to those displayed by humans with gambling issues, new research has revealed.

Some canines, which are referred to as ball junkies in the dog training world, experience an excessive fixation on toys leading to the development of addiction-like behavioural traits including cravings and withdrawal symptoms, according to the researchers.

The study marked the first time scientists examined whether dogs could become obsessed with toys in a way similar to behavioural addictions in humans, like gambling or gaming.

A behavioural addiction in humans is described by the researchers as repeated failure to resist an impulse, drive or urge to perform an act that is rewarding to the person, at least in the short term, despite longer-term harm to the individual or others.

Dogs can show signs of addiction to their toys that are similar to those displayed by humans with gambling issues, new research has revealed ( Getty )

Scientists conducted their research on 105 dogs described by their owners as especially interested in play, 56 males and 49 females, ranging in age from one to ten years, and belonging to various breeds.

The animals were able to choose their own toy to play with before it was removed. Their behaviour was then analysed using an addictive-like behaviour test, with 33 of those found to exhibit addictive-like tendencies.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, discovered parallels between excessive toy motivation in dogs and human behavioural addictions.

The findings are hoped to provide foundational insights and propose future research directions that have the potential to significantly deepen our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying behavioural addictions across species.

The researchers, from the University of Bern and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, said: [Addictive behaviours] included being excessively fixated on their toy, showing a lack of interest in alternatives to their toy such as food or playing with their owner, making persistent efforts to access their toy when it was unavailable, and being unable to calm down for 15 minutes after all toys were removed.

However, they said it was important to note that many dogs love toys but are not addicted to them, and so are not negatively impacted.

Some people are excessive gamers, but only a minority would be classified as addicts, they told The Times. Similarly, many dogs may greatly enjoy toy play without developing harmful compulsions.
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Chester Zoo is celebrating the incredibly special birth of four fossa pups, a rare and highly threatened species.

The fossa is a slender, cat-like mammal and the largest natural predator in Madagascar. There are fewer than 2,500 fossas estimated to remain in the wild, mainly due to deforestation.

Their long tails help to keep balance when leaping among tree branches, and the species is considered one of the worlds most elusive carnivores - so much so that conservationists have had trouble observing them.

open image in gallery The fossa is a slender, cat-like mammal and the largest natural predator in Madagascar ( PA )

Two healthy male and two female pups were born on 8 July 2025 to parents Shala and seven-year-old male Zaza. Zaza arrived from San Diego Zoo in the USA in May after he was identified as a promising genetic match for Shala.

The pups are now 12 weeks old and are delighting zookeepers and visitors by taking their first steps.

open image in gallery Zookeepers will soon start choosing names for the new pups ( PA )

In a statement, Chester Zoo said the team will soon start choosing names for the pups as their personalities emerge  a couple are bold and brave, while the others are more cautious and like to stay close to mum.

Head of mammals Mark Brayshaw said: These births are incredibly special. Not only are they the only pups in the UK and vital additions to a European breeding programme, but they also give us a unique opportunity to learn more about their biology, behaviours and social dynamics.

That insight helps us build a more complete picture of the species, which is then used to inform conservation efforts in the wild.

open image in gallery The pups are now 12 weeks old and taking their first steps ( PA )

The fossa is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In 2015, the Malagasy government established the Mangabe New Protected Area, co-managed by the zoos field partner Madagasikara Voakajy and the communities that live in the Mangabe region.

The area provides a safe haven for thousands of species living on the island, including the fossa.

Conservationists at Chester Zoo have been working alongside partners in Madagascar for more than 15 years to protect habitats and restore forests.
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Bruised by recent events, the Church of England has just entered a new era. Dame Sarah Mullallys appointment as the first female archbishop of Canterbury is momentous. But Mullally has an enormous challenge ahead of her in healing the wounds that afflict her church. Restoring trust in the churchs senior leadership and preventing the church from fracturing over issues of sexuality and gender will be at the top of her agenda.

Mullallys appointment comes on the heels of a period of crisis in the church. The former archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was forced to resign following revelations about how he and other senior church leaders handled historic cases of child abuse.

Mullally made clear that her first task will be to restore confidence in the churchs senior management and safeguarding processes: As archbishop, my commitment will be to ensure that we continue to listen to survivors, care for the vulnerable, and foster a culture of safety and wellbeing for all.

open image in gallery Justin Welby, pictured on his last day as archbishop of Canterbury in January ( PA )

As the first female archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally faces a unique set of challenges. A former chief nursing officer for England, Mullally was one of the first women to be made a senior bishop in a diocese when she was made bishop of London in 2018. While many in the Church of England have welcomed women priests and bishops, some  particularly on the traditionalist Evangelical and Catholic wings of the church  continue to oppose womens ordination.

Mullallys role in guiding the global Anglican family is also complicated by the fact that many of its member churches do not accept women bishops and priests. Senior Anglican leaders from Africa and Asia have openly criticised her appointment, both because she is a woman and because of her views on same-sex marriage.

Mullally will have to try and build bridges with those who oppose women priests and bishops  and who thereby deny her right to hold the office of archbishop  while assuring them that the church can still provide suitable provisions for them.

Leadership culture

Along with restoring trust in the churchs safeguarding processes, Mullally must also heal divisions within the churchs hierarchy over leadership culture. In the weeks leading up to Welbys resignation, both he and the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, were accused of using coercive language by the bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley.

According to Hartley, both archbishops showed a complete lack of awareness of how power dynamics operate in the life of the church. Mullally is now in a position to encourage reconciliation within the churchs hierarchy, and to lead it in a way that fosters mutual respect and accountability.

About the author William Crozier is a Duns Scotus Assistant Professor of Franciscan Studies at Durham University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Mullally must also encourage more people to join the priesthood, especially among the under-40s. Key here will be attracting new vocations not only to the parish system, but to non-stipendary forms of ministry  priests who hold down regular secular jobs while helping out in local churches. Mullally may have a unique advantage in this respect, given that she was a non-stipendary priest prior to resigning her post as chief nursing officer.

While overall church attendance has declined in recent decades, the trend has reversed slightly in the last few years. In 2024, some 582,000 people regularly attended Sunday services, up from 574,000 in 2023. Mullallys task will be to help foster this growth, while finding new ways of communicating to a radically changing society.

Same-sex marriage

Currently, the Church of England does not conduct same-sex marriages, nor does it allow its clergy to enter them. In 2017, however, it launched Living in Love and Faith  a project to listen, learn and respond to changing views on gender, marriage, relationships and sexual identity.

In light of this, the House of Bishops  one of the churchs main systems of government  voted in 2023 to allow the clergy to offer prayers of blessing for same-sex couples. Mullally was one of the bishops who voted for this move.

Many in the church, including several bishops, are pushing for the church to go further and conduct same-sex marriages.

A poll of clergy taken in 2023 by The Times revealed that 49.2% of Church of England clergy would be willing to conduct same-sex weddings. Others, though, oppose any change to the current doctrine, arguing that such a move would contradict both the Bible and tradition.

open image in gallery The Church of Englands House of Bishops voted in 2023 to allow clergy to bless, but not conduct, same-sex marriages ( PA )

As archbishop, how Mullally steers the church on this issue will be one of the defining characteristics of her tenure. But she herself cannot change church doctrine. Only the General Synod  the churchs chief governing body  has the power to do this.

Adding an extra degree of complexity is that, as the new archbishop of Canterbury, Mullally is also the spiritual leader of the 85 million-strong global Anglican communion.

Present in 165 countries, the Anglican communion consists of 42 member churches. Some of these, including the Scottish and Canadian Episcopal Churches, already permit same-sex marriage. Others, however, oppose it. Laurent Mbanda, the archbishop of Rwanda, said Mullally had repeatedly promoted unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality.

Should the Church of England  as the mother church of the Anglican communion move towards same-sex marriage during Mullallys time in office, it is possible that the already deeply divided Anglican communion could fracture irrevocably.
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An allegation that the publisher of the Daily Mail commissioned burglary to order will not form part of an upcoming legal battle by a group of stars including Prince Harry, a High Court judge has ruled.

The Duke of Sussex is one of a group of seven high-profile individuals bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over alleged unlawful information gathering.

The group, also including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Liz Hurley, have accused the publisher of unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, "blagging" private records and accessing private phone conversations.

ANL firmly denies the allegations and is defending the legal action, previously describing the claims as "lurid" and "simply preposterous".

At a preliminary hearing earlier this month, lawyers for the group and the publisher returned to the High Court in London ahead of an expected trial in January 2026.

open image in gallery The claims will be heard in a High Court trial next year ( PA Wire )

Antony White KC, for ANL, made a bid to have allegations that two Mail on Sunday journalists burgled the home of former businessman Michael Ward in 1992 and stole documents thrown out ahead of the trial.

And in a judgment on Friday, Mr Justice Nicklin agreed.

He said: Even if proved true, they cannot assist in the fair resolution of the claimants' claims. It is not alleged that this incident has any connection with any claimant, or any pleaded journalist.

In his 16-page ruling, the judge said the 30-year-old allegation had become a substantial dispute of fact.

"The costs and resources that would be devoted to resolving the factual dispute would, I am satisfied, be out of all proportion to any possible evidential value, he continued.

"Put bluntly, it has become a complex and involved side-show."

He also ruled that establishing whether unlawful information gathering was widespread or habitual is not necessary to resolve the claims.

The judge said he would exclude allegations "which are not relevant and probative" from the trial and prevent the case from becoming "an uncontrolled and wide-ranging investigation akin to a public inquiry".

However, lawyers representing the group of seven, which also includes David Furnish, Sadie Frost and Sir Simon Hughes, will make a bid to appeal against Mr Justice Nicklin's ruling as wrong in fact and in law, it is understood.

open image in gallery Sir Elton John is among those bringing legal action against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Limited ( PA Archive )

At the two-day hearing earlier this month, which Prince Harry attended via video link, the celebrities lawyer David Sherborne also dragged the Prince of Wales into the legal battle, claiming his 21st birthday party may have been targeted by private investigators.

He claimed an invoice linked to a story from June 2003  which included extensive details about Williams out of Africa themed party  was likely obtained through blagging.

It can be inferred that information for the article was obtained through blagging, Mr Sherborne argued in written submissions.

Mr Sherborne also told the court that a record from a different private investigator allegedly shows a journalist commissioning him to provide a mobile phone conversion related to the Princess of Wales, as well as phone numbers from a family and friends list.

However, Antony White KC, for ANL, argued the claim includes wholly unparticularised allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG) that should not proceed to the trial.

A further preliminary hearing is expected to take place next month.
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A former attorney general has claimed that Sir Keir Starmer could have done more to help out the prosecution before the collapse of the trial of two alleged Chinese spies.

Dominic Grieve described claims that ministers could not insist that officials pass on documents from MI5 that proved China was a national security risk as weird and questioned why the current attorney general, Lord Hermer, was not more involved.

It comes as Yvette Cooper claimed that she wanted the alleged Chinese spies prosecuted when she was home secretary in charge of MI5, but claimed her hands were tied.

The prime minister has insisted that the law was not in place for a trial to go ahead, but avoided acknowledging that he knew about crucial documents that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was denied by government officials, including national security adviser Jonathan Powell.

open image in gallery Yvette Cooper said she was deeply frustrated when the case collapsed ( PA )

The case against 30-year-old Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and 33-year-old Christopher Berry, a teacher, collapsed last month after the government did not provide evidence that Beijing was a threat to national security.

Mr Grieve was asked by The Independent whether Lord Hermer could have intervened in the case as Attorney General and whether it was correct that ministers could not have insisted that the CPS were given the documents they requested.

He said: I think that the whole thing is weird. I don't think the AG [attorney general] can order anything, but he could have raised it. I can't see why the PM was not in a position to ask the Cabinet Office to provide the evidence.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp earlier claimed that Sir Keirs team had access to multiple documents that proved China was a national security risk but said it chose not to hand them over.

But speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today, Ms Cooper, who is now foreign secretary but was in charge of MI5 at the time, insisted she had wanted the case prosecuted and was deeply frustrated when it collapsed.

She added that ministers were not involved in any of the evidence that was put to the Crown Prosecution Service ... because this was a criminal case.

Sir Keir has maintained that because the last Conservative administration had not designated China as a threat to national security, his government could not provide evidence to that effect, which the director of public prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, said was required to meet the threshold for prosecution.

But the collapse of the case has raised questions about Britains willingness to confront China as Sir Keirs government looks to build closer ties with the country.

Mr Parkinson had blamed ministers for failing to provide the crucial evidence needed to proceed, saying the CPS had tried over many months to gather material.

Writing in The Times, Mr Philp said: The DPP is calling out the government. Keir Starmers excuse is that the previous government did not publicly categorise China as a threat to national security.

open image in gallery Shadow home secretary Chris Philp was a Home Office minister during Rishi Sunaks premiership ( PA )

There is no delicate way to say this: what the prime minister said is totally untrue  and anyway it is not the legal test.

Mr Philp, who was a Home Office minister between October 2022 and July 2024, added: The government has multiple internal documents and reports on the threat China posed to national security in the 2021-23 period.

Starmers government could have disclosed these documents to the CPS, in private if needed. It chose not to.

It instead destroyed the prosecution by refusing to disclose the evidence the CPS needed  evidence the government has in its possession  and instead provided unhelpful witness statements.

Meanwhile, crossbench peer Lord Sedwill, who served as national security adviser from 2017 to 2020, during which time he was also Britains most senior civil servant, said he was genuinely puzzled about the collapse of the trial.

The truth is that, of course, China is a national security threat to the UK directly, through cyber, through spying and so on, and indirectly because of some of their aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea and elsewhere, the former Cabinet Secretary added, speaking on The Crisis Room podcast.

Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has said he is investigating the episode.

I know quite a lot about it now and I dont think that the public explanation thats been given so far is at all adequate, he told LBC.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer said no ministers were involved in decisions relating to this case ( PA )

But speaking at a press conference in India on Thursday, Sir Keir said he can be absolutely clear, no ministers were involved in any of the decisions since this governments been in, in relation to the evidence thats put before the court on this issue.

He said: Its not a party political point. Its a matter of law. You can only try someone on the basis of the situation as it was at the time of the alleged offence.

You cant try them on the basis of the situation as it might evolve weeks, months, years down the line. Thats a fundamental and thats at the centre of this particular issue.

Meanwhile, Ms Cooper told the Today programme: As the prime minister has set out, this was also about not just the law that was in place at the time of the offences, but also the government stance that was in place at the time of the offences, and it was not for us to say in retrospect what that should have been.

The foreign secretary added: Lets be really clear, the activity that was alleged in this case absolutely should be illegal and should face prosecution, and thats why we supported changing the law since then, which makes it easier to prosecute cases like this.

Responding to Mr Grieves comments, a government source said: "The deputy national security adviser's evidence submitted for this case was based on all relevant information - from all parts of government - about the last government's position on China. Ministers were not involved in evidence submitted by the deputy national security adviser."
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Nigel Farage has insisted that a former senior figure in his party convicted of taking pro-Russian bribes is a bad apple.

Nathan Gill, who led Reform UK in Wales in 2021, admitted taking bribes to make statements in favour of Vladimir Putins Russia while he was a member of the European Parliament.

His activities were said to include making pro-Russian statements about events in Ukraine in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets.

Speaking at a campaign visit in Caerphilly on Friday, Mr Farage said he was shocked by Gills admissions, but claimed Reform does everything it can to vet their candidates despite the partys vetting process being beset by issues.

Nigel Farage, seen here campaigning in Wales, described Gill as a bad apple ( Ben Birchall/PA )

Asked about Gills admission, Mr Farage said: Any political party can find in their midst all sorts of terrible people.

Gill is particularly shocking because I knew him as a devout Christian, very clean-living, honest person. So Im deeply shocked. But you know, that is a different time.

Im the only one [in Reform] that really knew him, going back a long way.

Gill, 52, pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.

He was the leader of Reform UK Wales from March to May 2021.

Mr Farage added: Every single political party has a bad apple, in fact, many families finish up with a bad apple, these things happen.

Its not to downplay the severity of it but its historic. You can never, ever guarantee 100 per cent that everyone you meet in your life, you shake hands with in the pub, is a good person.

What you can do is, you know, do everything you can through vetting and everything else, to make sure that you put before the public good, decent people, and that is something we work very hard at.

Reform UK has been plagued by issues with its candidates, councillors and MPs, despite Mr Farage promising to professionalise the party.

Earlier this year, Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock James McMurdock resigned the party whip amid allegations that he took out government loans during the Covid pandemic for businesses with no employees.

It came just months after MP Rupert Lowe was stripped of the whip amid allegations he made verbal threats against Zia Yusuf, the partys chair  allegations Mr Lowe denied. The Crown Prosecution Service later said there was insufficient evidence to pursue a case against Mr Lowe.

And during the general election campaign, the party was hit by a series of revelations about the online activities of some of its would-be MPs, from links to a British fascist leader to suggestions the UK should have remained neutral in the fight against the Nazis and admiration of Adolf Hitlers brilliant ability to inspire action.

But in July, Mr Farage said he cant apologise for the 2024 election vetting process because he was not involved in it.

I came in, I inherited this situation where hundreds of candidates who stood in the last general election had not gone through a vetting process, he said.

The Reform leader threatened legal action against Vetting.com, alleging it stitched up the right-wing party due to chair Colin Blooms past links to the Conservative Party.

Vetting said it simply did not have time to scrutinise all 609 of Reforms candidates before the snap summer poll.
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Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out any future government role for Peter Mandelson, weeks after sacking him over his relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister fired the Labour peer after the publication of emails that showed Lord Mandelson sent supportive messages to Epstein even as the latter was facing jail for sex offences.

No 10 said the emails revealed materially different information from what was known when Lord Mandelson was appointed to the key role of UK ambassador to the US earlier this year.

The Labour grandee left the government less than a week after Sir Keir lost his deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, who resigned over her failure to pay enough tax on her new home.

open image in gallery Peter Mandelson was sacked after the extent of his relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein became apparent ( PA )

Last week Sir Keir suggested that she could return to government, and predicted that she would remain a major voice in British politics for years to come. But he made clear that there was no route back for Lord Mandelson.

The prime minister was asked by journalists travelling with him on a two-day trade mission to India whether he could see a future in frontline politics for Lord Mandelson, and whether he would let him have the Labour whip in the Lords.

He replied: Not in a government role, in terms of future appointments.

He added: And I think Peter is also on a leave of absence from the Lords in any event, so the issue of the whip doesnt arise.

Sir Keir sacked Lord Mandelson a day after telling the Commons he had confidence in his ambassador, a situation even Labour MPs described as embarrassing.

open image in gallery Mandelson had sent supportive messages even as Epstein faced jail for sex offences ( AP )

It followed the publication of a series of emails that showed Lord Mandelson had sent supportive messages even as Epstein faced jail for sex offences.

No 10 and the Foreign Office said the emails showed that the depth and extent of Lord Mandelsons relationship with Epstein was materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.

The emails included passages in which Lord Mandelson told Epstein to fight for early release shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

He is also reported to have told Epstein I think the world of you the day before the disgraced financier began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

Sir Keir was accused by the Tories of an extraordinary error of judgement in appointing the peer to the crucial role, which forms a key link between the UK and Donald Trumps White House, as the fact that Lord Mandelson had had a longstanding relationship with Epstein was already well known.

His sacking came a day after the then ambassador said he was very embarrassed to read a birthday message hed written to Epstein in which he had described him as his best pal.

The message, part of a 50th birthday book compiled for Epstein by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is now in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking, also saw Lord Mandelson express love for the financier and joke about entertaining his interesting friends.

open image in gallery Angela Rayner resigned as deputy prime minister last month, but Starmer has hinted she could return ( PA Wire )

Last week Sir Keir hinted that Ms Rayner could return to government, just weeks after she resigned from the cabinet.

The prime minister hailed Ms Rayner as a great story for social mobility, and said he believes she will be a major voice in British politics for years to come.

The health secretary Wes Streeting also told Labours annual party conference that the government needs her back, following her work on the Employment Rights Bill.

Sir Keir said: I was personally very sad to see her go. If you talk about social mobility, there is no greater story than Angela Rayner coming from very difficult circumstances to become deputy prime minister.

He added: Shes paid a heavy price indeed, and Ive always thought that she will be a major voice again in the Labour movement, and I think that is a good thing.

Ive been really struck, since she did step down, by the number of people from different political walks of life who say to me they do want to see Angela Rayner have that voice again at some stage.
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After almost two centuries, Baker & Taylor, a nationwide library book distributor, will reportedly shut down operations in January.

Baker & Taylor CEO Aman Kochar told employees Monday that following a recent failed acquisition deal with ReaderLink, the Charlotte-based company has no viable path forward, though he had hoped to find another solution, Publishers Weekly reported.

As a result, about 520 employees were laid off, severance plans were canceled, and the book wholesaler plans to shut down operations early next year, according to the outlet.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Baker & Taylor for comment.

ReaderLink, a leading book distributor that supplies major mass-market retailers, had signed a Letter of Intent to purchase Baker & Taylor and nearly all of its assets. However, the deal ultimately fell through last month.

Baker & Taylor, a nearly 200-year-old distributor of books to libraries and schools, will reportedly shut down in January ( Getty Images )

Baker & Taylor has long specialized in distributing digital and print books to libraries and schools nationwide, while ReaderLink primarily serves large retailers such as Walmart, Target, Sams Club, BJs Wholesale Club, and Hudson News, and is considered North Americas largest full-service distributor to non-trade booksellers.

The collapsed deal reportedly dealt the final blow to B&T, which had already been struggling with financial challenges, including cyberattacks and supply chain disruptions.

B&T had previously reduced staff earlier this year, but still reportedly employed around 1,500 people before the latest layoffs.

In particular, one of B&Ts major distribution centers in Momence, Illinois, experienced heavy cuts. Of the 318 staff there, 253 people were laid off on October 6, while 62 others will stay through December 22, Shaw Local reported.

A smaller post-wind down team of three is scheduled to remain until January 3. The outlet said.

Details of the shutdown were revealed Monday in a filing under Illinoiss Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, Publishers Weekly reports. The WARN report cited the collapsed ReaderLink acquisition and noted that, despite Baker & Taylors efforts, the company was unable to find a way to continue operating.
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Thirty-four men have been executed by court order in the US this year, with eight more scheduled before its close, five of whom are due to die in the next eight days.

This year's total already significantly surpasses the 25 executions carried out last year. It could mark the highest figure since 2012, when 43 inmates were put to death, though it remains considerably below the modern peak of 98 executions in 1999.

The surge in executions is predominantly driven by four states  Florida, Texas, Alabama, and South Carolina  which account for 76 per cent of this year's court-ordered killings.

This is not an uptick of executions nationally  this is really down to just a few states, said Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.

Chief among them is Florida, which has already carried out 13 executions after performing just one last year. The increase comes as President Donald Trump has urged governors to expand their use of the death penalty.

"Gov. DeSantis is scheduling all of these executions with complete autonomy and in complete secrecy, Maher said.

DeSantis office has not responded to questions about why the governor is increasing the pace of executions now and whether Trumps policies are playing a role.

Executions have been carried out this year in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

All but one of those states  Arizona  are run by Republican governors.

open image in gallery The interior of the U.S. Penitentiary execution room is seen March 22, 1995, in Terre Haute, Ind. (AP Photo/Chuck Robinson, File) ( AP1995 )

Heres a look at the executions scheduled for the rest of the year, by state:

Indiana

Roy Lee Ward is set to die by lethal injection early Friday in the states third execution since resuming capital punishment last year.

Ward, 53, was convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne.

Attorneys said Ward is remorseful and has exhausted his legal options after many court battles.

Lance C. Shockley is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.

Shockley, 48, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham outside his home in Carter County in 2005.

Authorities said Graham was killed because he was investigating Shockley for involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

Florida

Samuel Lee Smithers is set to receive a lethal injection Tuesday evening.

Smithers, 72, was convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond in 1996. Authorities said he met his two victims  Christy Cowan and Denise Roach  on different dates at a Tampa motel to pay them for sex.

Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is scheduled to be put to death on Oct. 28. He was convicted of raping and killing his neighbor Cynthia Campbell, whose body was found near the Pensacola Bay Bridge in 1998.

Smithers' and Grim's executions would be Floridas 14th and 15th death sentences carried out in 2025, further extending the states record for executions in one year. Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the state's previous record was eight in 2014.

Mississippi

Charles Ray Crawford is scheduled to be executed Wednesday for kidnapping and killing a college student in 1993.

Crawford, 59, was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing 20-year-old community college student Kristy Ray after abducting her from her parents home in northern Mississippis Tippah County. Crawford told officers he had blacked out and did not recall killing her.

Texas

Robert Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Oct. 16, but his closely watched case was paused Thursday by Texas top criminal court.

Roberson, 58, had been set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.

open image in gallery Clouds hover over the entrance of the Florida State Prison in Starke, Fla., Aug. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Curt Anderson, File) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Prosecutors at Robersons 2003 trial argued that he hit his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis and violently shook her, causing severe head trauma that led to her death.

But Roberson says he never abused the girl. A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers believe Roberson is innocent and have sought to get him a new trial.

Robersons lawyers and some medical experts say his daughter died from complications related to pneumonia. They say his conviction was based on flawed and now outdated scientific evidence.

Arizona

Richard Kenneth Djerf is set to be executed Oct. 17 by lethal injection for killing four members of a family in their Phoenix home.

Djerf, 55, had pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the 1993 killings of Albert Luna Sr., his wife Patricia, their 18-year-old daughter Rochelle and their 5-year-old son Damien.

Prosecutors say Djerf blamed another Luna family member for an earlier theft of home electronic items at his apartment and became obsessed with revenge.

Alabama

Anthony Todd Boyd is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen gas on Oct. 23.

A judge sentenced Boyd to death for his role in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega. Prosecutors said Boyd taped Huguleys feet together before another man doused him with gasoline and set him on fire over a $200 cocaine debt.

Boyd has long maintained his innocence, saying he never participated in the killing.

Tennessee

Harold Nichols is scheduled to be executed Dec. 11.

Nichols, 64, was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of 21-year-old Karen Pulley in Hamilton County. Authorities said he broke into Pulley's home, raped her and hit her in the head several times with a board.

Nichols had been scheduled to be killed in August 2020, but the execution was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Israels Cabinet early Friday approved President Donald Trumps plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas, a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilized the Middle East.

A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the Cabinet approved the outline of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.

The broader ceasefire plan included many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.

The war, which began with Hamas deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault, and 251 were taken hostage. In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.

In the hours leading up to the Israeli Cabinet's vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were seen Thursday in northern Gaza, and a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

At least 11 dead Palestinians and another 49 who were wounded arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours, Gazas Health Ministry said.

An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said Israel was hitting targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition. Hamas blasted Israel over the strike, saying Netanyahu was trying to shuffle the cards and confuse efforts by mediators to end the war in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people, Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.

In other developments, U.S. officials announced that they would send about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release.

Cautious celebrations

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reactions to the announcement of a ceasefire were relatively muted and often colored by grief.

I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes," said Mohammad Al-Farra. "Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. ... The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.

In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced the deal.

In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.

We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning," she said. Its been two years that we are in horror.

Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.

In a short video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.

They are all coming back on Monday, said Trump, who is expected to visit the region in the coming days.

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.

How the deal will unfold

The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.

Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.

The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations. The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.

Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.

The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority  something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.

What comes next for Netanyahu

The days ahead could be politically tricky for Netanyahu, who has been shadowed by an ongoing corruption trial as he navigated the Gaza war.

His grip on power has been largely contingent on the support of hard-line, far-right coalition partners who have urged him to continue operations against Hamas until the group is eliminated.

But Trump on Thursday suggested Netanyahus political standing has been bolstered by the ceasefire and hostage deal.

Hes much more popular today than he was five days ago, Trump said. I can tell you right now, people shouldnt run against him. Five days ago, might not have been a bad idea.

___

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim in Washington; Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut; David Rising in Bangkok; Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Fay Abuelgasim in Cairo; and Giovanna DellOrto in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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Federal regulators have launched an investigation into Elon Musks Tesla cars after high-profile incidents involving the full self-driving function.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced its probe Tuesday after receiving dozens of reports of Tesla cars running red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road with some instances involving injuries from crashes.

The investigation focuses on full self-driving cars that still require a fully attentive driver. While the drivers are fully responsible for complying with traffic laws, some claimed the full self-driving technology didnt warn them of its intended behavior.

There were 19 reports claiming a Tesla full self-driving car failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface, regulators said.

Six related crashes were reported, four of which resulted in at least one injury.

open image in gallery Federal regulators have launched an investigation into Elon Musks Tesla cars after high-profile incidents involving the full self-driving function ( Christian Marquardt - Pool/Getty Images )

There were also 22 reports claiming a Tesla full self-driving car, entered opposing lanes of travel during or following a turn, crossed double-yellow lane markings while proceeding straight, or attempted to turn onto a road in the wrong direction despite the presence of wrong-way road signs.

Several reports also claimed these vehicles went through an intersection in a turn-only lane or made a turn at an intersection in a through lane.

The probe will also look at the behavior of the full self-driving technology when approaching railroad crossings, which comes after a recent NBC News investigation found the Tesla cars sometimes failed to stop at railroad crossings.

The Independent has reached out to Tesla for comment.

open image in gallery There were several reports of injuries from crashes involving the full self-driving function on Teslas ( Brandon Bell/Getty Images )

NHTSAs probe covers 2,882,566 cars, essentially all Teslas equipped with full self-driving technology. The company is still testing a car that does not require driver intervention, something that Musk has been promising to roll out for years.

The new investigation follows a host of other investigations into the full self-driving feature on Teslas, which has been blamed for several injuries and deaths. Tesla has repeatedly said the system cannot drive itself and human drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.

Tesla is also under investigation by NHTSA for a summon technology that allows drivers to tell their cars to drive to their location to pick them up, a feature that has reportedly led to some fender benders in parking lots.

A probe into driver-assistance features in 2.4 million Teslas was opened last year after several crashes in fog and other low-visibility conditions, including one in which a pedestrian was killed.

open image in gallery Musk has promised to put hundreds of thousands of advanced self-driving Tesla cars and Tesla Robotaxis on roads by the end of next year ( Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images )

Another investigation was launched by NHTSA in August looking into why Tesla apparently has not been reporting crashes promptly to the agency as required by its rules.

Musk is under pressure to show that the latest advances in its driver-assistance features have not only fixed such glitches but have made them so good that drivers dont even need to look out the window anymore. He recently promised to put hundreds of thousands of such self-driving Tesla cars and Tesla Robotaxis on roads by the end of next year.

Tesla isnt the only self-driving car company in hot water. California authorities recently pulled over a Waymo car without a human driver inside after it made an illegal U-turn.

With reporting from The Associated Press.
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A devastating explosion at a Tennessee military supplier plant has left at least 18 souls dead or missing, officials say.

The massive blast that occurred at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility in the Bucksnort area just before 8 a.m. local time rocked the close-knit communities in Humphreys County and neighboring Hickman County.

We do have several people at this time unaccounted for. We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said earlier in the day. We do have some that are deceased.

And a lot of times when I have this type of situation, Ill refer to them more than just a person. Theyre a soul to me. I can tell you that were missing 19 souls.

Nineteen was revised down to 18 on Saturday.

An official death toll has not yet been given by authorities.

Davis said at a later press conference that he personally knew three families impacted by the blast and he described the task of informing grieving loved ones as hell.

"We're small counties. And when you have small counties like this, we know each other, we communicate with each other, we love each other, he said, choking back emotion.

open image in gallery The blast that occurred at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility in the Bucksnort area just before 8 a.m. local time rocked the nearby close-knit communities ( AP )

open image in gallery A massive explosion at a Tennessee military supplier plant has left at least 18 people missing, with some feared dead, officials say ( AP )

Video from the scene showed the remains of the plant, much of which was still on fire, with thick black smoke also visible. The eight-building facility is located around 60 miles southwest of Nashville.

The sheriff said it was one of the most devastating scenes hes ever seen. When asked to describe the building where the explosion happened, he responded, There's nothing to describe. It's gone."

He later told reporters the explosion, which was felt miles away and showed up on weather radar, left a half-mile square of debris, with some of the wreckage found off-site.

open image in gallery The eight-building facility is located around 60 miles southwest of Nashville ( AP )

First responders couldnt enter the plant at first because of continuing detonations, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart told the Associated Press.

There was no further danger of explosions and the scene was under control by Friday afternoon.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown as the search of the property and investigation into the blast will continue through the night.

Tennessee residents reported hearing the blast from miles away. Beyonica Holt, who lives around 15 miles from the plant, said she thought we were at war and that I was going to die.

I was standing in my bedroom. It shook the whole house. I thought it was going to blow out my windows  it didnt, but thats how big it was, she told The Tennessean.

open image in gallery When asked to describe the building where the explosion happened, the local sheriff responded, There's nothing to describe. It's gone ( Brett Carlsen/Getty )

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee wrote on X Friday afternoon he was monitoring the situation and asked Tennesseans to join us in prayer for the families impacted by this tragic incident.

Accurate Energetic Systems has supplied munitions and explosives, including landmines and C4, to the military, largely the Army and Navy, the AP reported, citing public records.

Fridays explosion marked the second of its kind in less than a decade. In April 2014, a fire at the plant killed one man and injured four others, local outlet WSMV reported.
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Maria Corina Machado, who has become a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The opposition leader was forced into hiding and banned from running for office by the administration of President Nicolas Maduro. But her fearless campaigns and rock-star appeal have made her an incredibly popular politician in her country  and led her to beat US President Donald Trump in winning this years honour.

When her win was announced in October, the activist was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, added: In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist."

open image in gallery Maria Corina Machado became a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela ( AP )

Machados ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a video of himself speaking by phone with her after she received the news. I am in shock, Machado said. I cannot believe it.

The award ceremony is due to take place on Wednesday, 10 December, but at the eleventh hour it was announced that Machado is not going to attend.

What is Machados background?

Machado, 58, was born in Caracas on 7 October 1967. Her father was a prominent businessman in Venezuelas steel industry, with her upper-class roots making her a target of criticism from the countrys governing socialist party.

Now a mother of three children, Machado is an industrial engineer by training, studying engineering at university before she gained a masters degree in finance, and went on to have a short career in business.

In 1992, she also started a foundation for orphaned children living on the streets of Caracas, the Atenea Foundation.

But she went on to co-found the vote-monitoring organisation Sumate in 2002, which aims to promote free and fair elections, marking her official entry into politics.

open image in gallery President Nicolas Maduros time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis ( AP )

Banned from public office

In 2010, Machado won a record number of votes to get elected to the National Assembly, where she served from 2011 until the regime expelled her from office in 2014.

She later became the national coordinator of the liberal political party Vente Venezuela, which she co-founded in 2012 and currently leads. Five years later, she helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance, aimed at bringing together pro-democracy forces from across the political divide.

Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023, and her rallies attracted large crowds. However, a ban from holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in an election in 2024, and she went into hiding. Mr Gonzalez took her place, having never run for office before.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations, with Maduro's government routinely targeting its real or perceived opponents.

open image in gallery The Venezuelan opposition leader addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas in January ( AP )

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results sparked protests across the country, to which the government responded with force and ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado emerged from hiding in January to make a brief appearance during a protest before the inauguration of Maduro  whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis. She was briefly arrested and then freed.

The 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Gonzalez  who has been granted asylum in Spain after a Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for him  celebrated Machado's Nobel win in a post on X/Twitter, calling it a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.

Last year, Machado and Gonzalez were awarded the European Union's top human rights honour, The Sakharov Prize.

Machado now becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honoured.

open image in gallery Machado and Gonzalez join hands during a protest against the result of the presidential election last year ( Getty )

She advocates for liberal economic reforms, including the privatisation of state-owned enterprises such as PDVSA, Venezuelas oil company. She also supports the creation of welfare programs aimed at aiding the country's poorest citizens.

Her political activism has come at a cost, leaving her isolated as nearly all of her senior advisers have been detained or forced to leave the country. Machado herself has accused Maduro's administration of operating as a criminal mafia.

Though sometimes criticised for being egotistical, even by her own mother, Machado rarely speaks about herself in public. Instead, she frames her campaign as a collective struggle for redemption and unity, aiming to inspire hope among Venezuelans weary of economic hardship and social decay.

What happened to Machado attending the ceremony?

Machado was due to receive the award in defiance of a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in her home country and after spending more than a year in hiding.

Last seen in public 11 months ago, she had been due to hold a traditional news conference by the laureate the day before the formal award ceremony.

But the lunchtime event was delayed without explanation, until the Norwegian Nobel Institute said three hours after the scheduled time that it will not take place today.

On the day of the ceremony, the organisers confirmed she would not be attending and the award will be accepted by her daughter instead.

She is unfortunately not in Norway and will not stand on stage at Oslo City Hall at 1 p.m. when the ceremony starts, Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the institute and the permanent secretary of the award body, told broadcaster NRK.

Asked where she was, Harpviken said: I don't know.

Last month Venezuelas attorney general said Machado would be considered a fugitive if she went to Norway to accept the prize.
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The family of a U.S. postal worker who died from a massive stroke after his symptoms were ignored by police and jail staff for over five hours have filed a federal lawsuit against Minnesota authorities.

Officers reportedly watched as Kingsley Fifi Bimpong writhed around in a pool of his own urine on the floor of a jail cell until he was cold to the touch and foaming at the mouth, the suit, obtained by The Independent, claims.

Bimpong was stopped by police on November 16 after driving the wrong way down a road and striking a curb with his vehicle. He had just left the Eagan Postal Distribution Center after complaining of a headache.

No proper examinations were conducted to determine if the 50-year-old was suffering from a medical emergency or a drug overdose, the lawsuit claims.

The suit names Eagan police officers Joseph Moseng, Martin Jensen, and Liam OShea, multiple Dakota County correctional officers, and Dakota County itself.

open image in gallery Upon his arrest, Bimpong appeared very confused, and could not answer questions including what his name was, what city he was in, or who the current president was ( Eagan Police Department )

According to the lawsuit, upon his arrest Bimpong appeared very confused, and could not answer questions including what his name was, what city he was in, or who the current president was, and demonstrated an inability to follow simple directions.

He could also not say where he worked, despite still wearing his UPS vest. Officers noted at the time that there was no smell of alcohol or other evidence of drug use.

In addition, Jensen, who was a specially trained Drug Recognition Evaluator, was called to assess whether Bimpong was under the influence of drugs, or suffering a medical emergency.

The lawsuit alleges that Jensen did not complete his assessment properly or fully, and allowed Bimpong to be taken to the Eagan police station instead of for medical treatment. He was arrested for DWI.

Bodycam audio allegedly captured Jensen saying that a full DRE exam, around 30 to 45 minutes, would be a whole bunch of time wasted, and when asked by another officer if Bimpong should be taken to hospital, he responds for what?

He was later taken to Dakota County Jail and placed in a holding cell where he collapsed, urinated on himself and writhed around on the floor. Despite guards repeatedly walking past the cell for over three hours, no intervention was made.

open image in gallery Bimpong was later taken to Dakota County Jail and placed in a holding cell where he collapsed, urinated on himself and writhed around on the floor. Despite guards repeatedly walking past the cell for over three hours, no intervention was made ( Dakota County )

It was only when Kingsley was on deaths door that Jail and medical staff entered his cell, the lawsuit states. Bimpong was found with the pallor of a corpse, and medical interventions failed when he was eventually taken to hospital.

He was later declared brain dead at United Hospital due to a intracerebral hemorrhage of the left cerebral hemisphere  also known as a hemorrhagic stroke. Members of his family, some of whom reside in Ghana, ultimately decided to remove him from life support and Bimpong died on November 19.

For Kingsley, every minute of deliberate indifference over the course of 5 hours and 40 minutes compounded and resulted in his death, the lawsuit stated.

Regardless of the underlying cause of Kingsleys serious medical needs, each individually named Defendant witnessed that Kingsley was exhibiting obvious and serious physical and cognitive abnormalities that required urgent medical attention.

The Independent has reached out to the Eagan Police Department and Dakota County Jail for comment over the lawsuit.
Zimbabwean VP hails Chinese-invested industrial park for boosting industrialization

Xinhua) 13:07, October 10, 2025

HARARE, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on Thursday commended a Chinese-invested industrial park for enhancing the country's industrialization and modernization drive.

Officially opening a conference on mining, engineering, and transport in the second-largest city of Bulawayo, Chiwenga said the Chinese-invested Palm River Energy Metallurgical Special Economic Zone is a strategic project that boosts the country's mineral beneficiation capacity, energy supplies, and job creation.

Launched by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa in February, the project in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South Province integrates energy production and metallurgical industries. It will be implemented in five phases over 12 years to produce chromium-based materials and coke.

"We commend the recent commissioning of strategic projects such as the Palm River Energy Metallurgical Plant. These are milestones that anchor beneficiation and energy self-sufficiency," Chiwenga said.

Chiwenga said Zimbabwe is pushing for more local beneficiation of mineral resources to accelerate industrialization and urged miners to move beyond mineral extraction and embed beneficiation and value addition in their operations.

"To the investors, both local and international, Zimbabwe remains open for business," he said. "We seek mutual partnerships that ensure the minerals beneath our soil empower all our people."

Mining remains a key sector of Zimbabwe's economy, contributing over 70 percent to the country's export earnings.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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On a chilly morning, teachers at Nash Elementary School in a working-class Chicago neighbourhood greeted students with high-fives and hugs, while distributing flyers boldly proclaiming: Defend your rights under the threat of occupation.

Four weeks into President Donald Trump's 'Operation Midway Blitz' deportation drive, mass arrests across the city  sweeping up parents en route to school and entire families  have instilled fear in immigrant communities and a protective stance from educators, according to city leaders, the teachers' union, parents, and immigration advocates.

Some 500 National Guard troops began deploying near Chicago on Wednesday, under orders from Trump.

My Latino students, they're fearing everything, said Yaritza Santana, a science teacher at Nash Elementary. They fear that they're going to just be taken.

Lesson plan: Know your rights

open image in gallery "Defend your rights" flyers have been handed out to parents and residents around Chicago ( REUTERS )

The Department of Homeland Security said it has arrested 1,000 people in the Chicago area since September 8, when the deportation push began.

"Operations around schools are increasingly more and more common," city alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said. "It's caused so much fear and terror in schools."

While Chicago Public Schools in 2019 designated schools as "sanctuary spaces," barring ICE agents from entering without a warrant, that halo of protection does not apply on the way to and from school, leaving immigrants vulnerable to ICE arrests, advocates say.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a press release on Tuesday that ICE officers do not target schools but didn't answer specific questions from Reuters.

The increased presence of federal agents has produced a range of responses from educators - from street protests to 'know your rights' leaflets and lesson plans - according to a dozen Reuters interviews with teachers, parents, the city's mayor, the president of the teachers' union and local lawmakers.

The leaflets advise students that they have the right to remain silent and to ask for a lawyer, as well as deny officers and agents access to their home without a warrant.

The teachers' union is also pushing Chicago Public Schools for e-learning options so that students without legal immigration status don't have to leave their homes, said Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates.

"People should not be afraid to come to school," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an interview with Reuters. "I've ensured that our Chicago public schools and all of our public institutions are very clear about the rights that we possess and the rights that we get to protect."

E-learning for immigrant children

open image in gallery Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson greets a student and her family outside Nash Elementary School ( REUTERS )

Johnson said e-learning was not ideal but he would use "every single tool" to protect Chicago residents, including the courts and his executive authority as mayor.

High-profile patrols of areas popular with tourists and standoffs with protesters - including one on October 3 where ICE agents lobbed tear gas near an elementary school - are fueling tensions between federal agents and residents, and anxiety among school children, teachers said.

Some of the teachers Reuters spoke to said they had seen students hug each other, promising that they wouldnt be separated by immigration officers; a teary-eyed high schooler asking her teacher what happened to a missing relative believed to be in an ICE detention center; and a classroom of anxious faces during know your rights training.

One school, in suburban Franklin Park, Illinois, went on a soft lockdown after Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a father of two, was shot and killed by ICE officers after dropping his children off at daycare and school. Top Illinois officials called for an investigation into his killing, which DHS has said was justified.

Im not going to lie, Im afraid. But Im also very angry, and that anger fuels me, said Anna Lane, who teaches social studies at Thomas Kelly Preparatory, a high school where most students are Latino.

Lane said she recently spent nearly an hour on a know your rights training for her students.

open image in gallery The Department of Homeland Security said in a press release on Tuesday that ICE officers do not target schools ( AP )

You're not going anywhere, she told students in a classroom decorated with maps and flags. You're staying here. You just got to make sure you're informed and know your rights.

But fear may be keeping some students away. The number of English language learners dropped to 86,172 students from 88,807 the previous year, a decrease of 2.7%, according to Chicago Public Schools enrollment data, although English learners still make up about one-quarter of all CPS students.

Erika Mendoza, a Mexican immigrant with no legal status and a single mother of two U.S.-born children attending Chicago schools, broke down in tears in her home in Little Village, among Chicago's largest Latino enclaves, describing her concerns about ICE.

I have a lot of fear when it comes to sending my daughters to school, Mendoza said in Spanish through an interpreter. Im afraid, but its important to be strong. I dont want to relay my worries to my daughters.
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Thousands of U.S.-bound packages remain in postal limbo due to the imposition of onerous new customs regulations brought in by the Trump administration, with reports that global shipping firm UPS has now begun disposing of some items caught up in red tape.

Sweeping new global tariffs imposed by the White House came into force in August as the U.S. president escalated his global trade war.

As well as hefty tariffs on imported goods  up to 50 per cent on goods from Brazil and India  Trump introduced swingeing changes on how individual packages sent to the U.S. must meet new rules. This includes ending duty-free entrance for packages valued below $800.

This has brought an end to a relatively simple rule, and in its place brought in a complex array of different tariffs and fees which can differ from country to country, depending on where the parcel came from, and also may have to take into account reciprocal tariffs, and new taxes on particular goods and materials.

As the backlog of packages ineligible for delivery because of the new regime grows, shipping services firms have described the situation as unprecedented.

Across the U.S., distraught people are reporting failure to receive items they have bought or have otherwise been sent via UPS.

UPS urged people sending items to the U.S. to check the new requirements for packages ( Getty Images )

Many items have sentimental value, while the non-delivery of orders represents a serious threat to businesses, according to concerned people.

They just disposed of my package with my late cousin's handcraft inside. Now I have to explain to my aunt why she is not going to get what little her son left for her, one person wrote on Reddit this week.

This is currently happening to me, another wrote. I have spent over 20 hours on the phone with every different number you could possibly call and gotten nowhere.

Mine arrived in the U.S. on 17 September. I have a $4k valued package and paid $400 in tariff within the hour they sent me the bill on the 30th. Still waiting for it to clear. Last update on the 3rd. If it doesn't deliver to me, I genuinely hope they send it back to the sender, otherwise this is a huge blow for my small business, one frustrated person wrote.

Another blamed tariffs and the resulting clusterf*** of companies not handling paperwork, tariff payment or tracking correctly.

I literally ordered t-shirts from Japan and its labelled to be destroyed, one bemused individual said.

Highlighting the role that the Trump administration has played in causing the customs chaos, one contributor added: My condolences from Canada.

In a call with The Independent, a spokesperson from UPS urged anyone sending anything to the U.S. to pay close attention to new customs and shipping rules.

They said that due to changes in import regulations, we are seeing many packages that are unable to clear customs due to missing or incomplete information about the shipment required for customs clearance.

They said more than 90 per cent of packages were clearing the regulations on the first day of entry to the U.S.

But added: In cases where we cannot obtain the necessary information to clear the package, there are two options. First, the package can be returned to the original shipper at their expense. Second, if the customer does not respond and the package cannot be cleared for delivery, disposing of the shipment is in compliance with US customs regulations.

We continue to work to bridge the gap of understanding tied to the new requirements and, as always, remain committed to serving our customers.
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Yet another major pharmaceutical manufacturer has agreed to implement President Donald Trumps most favored nation drug pricing plan and to make its products available on a website for direct-to-consumer sales that will be branded with the presidents name.

AstraZeneca, the U.K.-based drug company, is joining its New York-based rival Pfizer in a White House-led initiative to adopt the presidents preferred pricing model. The companys CEO, Pascal Soriot, announced the move alongside Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.

Now drug prices are going to be going down. One hundred percent, 400 percent, 600 percent, 1,000 percent in some cases, Trump said on Friday.

He said that asthma and COPD inhalers and certain diabetes medicines offered by AstraZeneca would be offered at 654 percent below their current price.

Trumps most favored nation pricing model is aimed at making medications more affordable for low-income Americans, including those on Medicaid, by way of a yet-to-launch website that will be called TrumpRx.gov. Dr Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the site is expected to launch early next year.

open image in gallery In addition to lowering its drug prices, Trump said AstraZeneca would invest $50 billion into the US over the next five years for research and development of new pharmaceuticals ( AFP via Getty Images )

AstraZeneca will also list many of their most popular drugs online at Trumprx.gov. Trump RX.I don't know why they put the name Trump, the president said. I did not tell them to do it, but I'm honored to let him do it.

In addition to lowering its drug prices, Trump said AstraZeneca would invest $50 billion into the U.S. over the next five years for research and development of new pharmaceuticals. He also noted that a $4bn AstraZeneca plant just broke ground in Charlottesville, Virginia, and would employ 3,600 workers.

Trump sung his own praises, saying no president in nearly 30 years had achieved the reduction in drug prices that he claims to have done.

I had the honor of being the first president in 28 years to lower drug prices during the course of the year, and we actually did, and I was so proud of myself, we called a news conference, he said. Presidents have promised for years to lower the cost of health care, but my administration is actually the first to do it and do it substantially, do it at numbers that nobody thought, even I thought, were not possible.

It should be noted the current and ongoing government shutdown occurred because Democrats are trying to renew expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, which makes health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans, and were asking for a reversal of the presidents Medicaid cuts and spending cuts at government health agencies.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr, said the U.S. is contributing far more into research and develop of new drugs than the rest of the world.

open image in gallery Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr, claimed the U.S. is contributing far more into research and develop of new drugs than the rest of the world ( AP )

The whole world was riding on our shoulders and riding on our dime. 70 percent of pharmaceutical revenues comes from this country. We only have 4.2 percent of the world's population, and we were paying for 80 or 90 percent of the innovation here, he said.

Oz praised the deal and Trump.

Just to put a number on this as [Trump] releases us from the bondage of paying three times more for the exact same product made in the same factory, in the same pill box, in the same instruction manual overseas, rather in this country that we pay overseas, it creates an opportunity for us, because Mr. President, you're turning the Art of the Deal into the art of the heal.

Soriot praised Trumps great leadership and highlighted the benefits of the new deal for American drug buyers.

This agreement will deliver improved access to our medicines at a lower cost, the CEO said. We've addressed the four points that you raised in your letter, ensuring Americans do not pay more than patients in other wealthy countries, so it's a big win for patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

He said the benefits of the deal will also help to boost the U.S. economy.

open image in gallery A poster on a easel is displayed as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, October 10, 2025, in Washington, D.C. ( AP )

Its also a big win for the economy and for taxpayers, because it supports rebalancing the cost of innovation across wealthy nations, he said. For too long, America has shouldered a disproportionate portion of the world's R&D.

The president first pushed the idea of forcing drug companies to match prices offered abroad during his previous term but faced significant resistance from the industry, including pushback in a lawsuit that resulted in a federal court order blocking his administration from carrying the plan out because it had failed to follow proper regulatory procedures.

After returning to the White House, he revived the plan in an executive order he issued in May which directed his administration to take various actions to bring drug prices in the U.S. in line with prices negotiated between pharmaceutical companies and foreign countries that have single-payer health systems such as the British NHS.

In July, he sent letters to leading drug companies demanding that they bring down prices offered to Americans to match the negotiated prices available in foreign countries.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump shakes hands with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. Pfizer will now sell drugs to Medicaid at most-favored-nation prices, according to a new agreement with the White House ( REUTERS )

The president has often complained that Americans pay massively higher prices than other nations pay for the same exact pill, from the same factory and accused pharmaceutical companies of effectively subsidizing socialism abroad with skyrocketing prices at home.

In the White Houses view, Trumps push to force drug companies to lower prices for Americans by fiat are justified because 75 percent of their profits are earned in the United States, where the same companies benefit from research that is often funded by the federal government.

Pfizer capitulated to the presidents wishes last month, with CEO Albert Bourla appearing in the Oval Office to announce the TrumpRx plan alongside the president, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administration Dr. Mehmet Oz and other administration officials.
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A California man has been charged over allegedly threatening to kill conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The attorney general announced the charges on Friday in Tampa.

"Benny is a well-known media personality carrying a message very similar to Charlie [Kirk's], grounded largely in faith and love of country," she said during the press conference.

Johnson and Kirk were close friends. The threat was allegedly made against Johnson in the days after Kirk's assassination.

"Just days after Charlie's assassination, Benny received a letter at his home, where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family. The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny, because of his views and he wanted him dead. This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this," Bondi said.

open image in gallery Podcaster Benny Johnson was allegedly sent a death threat by George Isbell, Jr, of San Diego, in the days after TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated ( AFP/Getty )

George Russell Isbell Jr, 69, was arrested on Tuesday in San Diego, California for allegedly making the threats.

He has been charged with felony mailing of a threatening communication, according to the Department of Justice.

"We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer," Bondi said. "This arrest will serve as a reminder to many: Do not do this. We will find you."

According to U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Greg Kehoe, the letter sent to Johnson reportedly called for the podcaster's "extermination." The letter allegedly said Johnson should be "strangled by an American flag" and the expressed a hope that "somebody blows his head off."

open image in gallery Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against a man who allegedly made a death threat against podcaster Benny Johnson ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

If convicted, Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

FBI Director Kash Patel said that agency will continue to investigate.

"The FBI and our partners will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality, Patel said in a DOJ press release. "We will continue to investigate, pursue, and find those responsible for this conduct and ensure such criminals are held to full account in our justice system."

Isbell has not yet entered a plea in the case and contact information for his attorney was not immediately available on Friday.
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A producer and editor for WGN-TV was aggressively detained and driven away by Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement action in Chicagos Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Debbie Brockman, who has worked for the local television station since 2011, was violently forced to the ground by two federal agents before having her hands cuffed behind her back. While she was face down on the street with the masked agents placing handcuffs on her, a local resident filming the encounter asked her name.

Debbie Brockman, I work for WGN. Please let them know, a frantic Brockman told Josh Thomas, who works at a Chicago law firm and lives near the intersection where the arrest occurred. According to Thomas, another unidentified man had also been detained by the agents.

Brockman was accused of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer, a Homeland Security official told The Independent. But no charges have been filed against her and she was released from Customs and Border Protection custody on Friday afternoon, WGN said in a statement.

With onlookers shouting at the agents and calling them fascists, the officers eventually pulled up the cuffed Brockman  whose pants had fallen during the rough encounter  and tossed her into an unmarked silver van with New Jersey plates. As the officers got in the car, according to videos from Thomas and others at the scene, residents shouted Nazi f*cks at the agents as the vehicle peeled off and rammed another SUV.

A WGN-TV producer and editor was roughly detained and taken away by Border Patrol agents in Chicago on Friday morning. ( YouTube )

Get out of our neighborhood. Get out of our city, one pedestrian is heard yelling at the agents as other bystanders honked their car horns and tossed epithets at the officers.

The TV station addressed the incident in a statement.

Earlier today, a WGN-TV creative services employee was detained by ICE. She has since been released, and no charges were filed against her, the station said. Out of respect for her privacy, we will have no further statements about this incident.

In a statement to The Independent, Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations and when several violent agitators used their vehicles to block in agents in an effort to impede and assault federal officer.

In fear of public safety and of law enforcement, officers used their service vehicle to strike a suspects vehicle and create an opening, she said. As agents were driving, Deborah Brockman, a U.S. citizen, threw objects at Border Patrols car and she was placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer.

McLaughlin added: This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of illegal aliens violently resisting arrest and agitators and criminals ramming cars into our law enforcement officers. These attacks highlight the dangers our law enforcement officers face dailyall while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats government shutdown.

As of publication, Brockmans name had yet to show up on a federal criminal arrest docket in Chicago.

Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Thomas said that by the time he came out of his apartment, the agents already had an unidentified Latino male in the vehicle and had Brockman face down in the middle of the road.

I walk out the front door of the condo, shes laying on the ground in the street and theyre wrestling with her, trying to get her hands behind her back, he said. They said they were detaining her for obstruction. She said, I didnt obstruct.

The Trump administration has surged federal officers into Chicago and other Democratic-led cities to support the presidents mass deportation agenda, which has been met with growing protests outside ICE facilities. Trump has federalized hundreds of National Guard troops, including troops from Texas, to support federal officers in Chicago and elsewhere, but a federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the administration from sending the military to Americas largest city.

A lawsuit from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzkers administration and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson accuses the president of seeking to escalate tensions by sending troops into the state in an attempt to justify a wider presence of military forces on American soil.

Protesters, members of the press, and local faith leaders have also sued the administration over what they have called a pattern of extreme brutality from federal agents, decked out in combat gear and armed with so-called less-lethal crowd control weapons that have seriously injured civilians, according to the lawsuit. Another federal judge ordered federal officers to stand down from using those weapons without warning, among other constraints.
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Donald Trump has not won the Nobel Peace Prize  a decision that is likely to infuriate the President, who has claimed to have ended seven wars.

Instead, the Norwegian Nobel committee announced the Venezuelan opposition leader Marina Corina Machado as the winner of this years award, for her tireless work promoting the democratic rights for the people of Venezuela, in a statement in Oslo on Friday.

The politician is currently in hiding as a result of serious threats to her life.

When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist, the committee said.

Trumps campaign to be awarded the accolade has been no secret. Hes been hinting at it since his first term in office, and has been even less inhibited this time, claiming that he deserves it and that he should have won it four or five times.

So much has he coveted the prize that world leaders have put on public displays of support for his Nobel candidacy during diplomacy talks.

open image in gallery Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Prize for Peace 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

Who backed Trump to win?

Nearly every global leader has been asked in the past week whether they backed Trump winning the grand prize.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would back Trump if the US provided Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles, while the Kremlin said it was supportive of a Trump victory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has a complex relationship with the US President, handed Trump an envelope containing a nomination during the Gaza peace talks.

Despite the somewhat dubious nature of his claim to have ended seven wars, the bestselling author of The Art of the Deal appears to have made serious strides towards peace in the Middle East. This week, Hamas and Israel signed an agreement to implement the first phase of Trumps 20-point peace plan.

Why didnt he win?

The timing of the Gaza peace deal

Nominations for this years Nobel Peace Prize closed on 31 January. Trump became president on 20 January, meaning he had been in office 11 days by the time submissions closed.

That means none of his peacemaking efforts or nominations this year could technically have counted towards the announcement on Friday. With the Israel-Hamas agreement ratified so recently, and the hostages yet to be released, the fragile truce may not be seen as a strong enough achievement by the committee, who look for evidence of durability.

The Nobel Peace Prize is the result of months of research and deliberation by the Nobel committee, says Theo Zenou, a historian and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society.

They would not change their decision at the last minute based on a deal that is very much still in the offing.

But he could still be in the running next year  if the ceasefire in Gaza holds and paves the way for a more comprehensive deal.

open image in gallery Trump missed out on the Nobel Prize for Peace this week ( Getty )

Public campaigning

The committee has admitted its made mistakes in the past, such as awarding the prize to Barack Obama in 2009, less than a year into his term as President.

With Trump loudly campaigning for his own victory, experts say the five-member body would not want to be seen as caving into pressure.

Trumps overt campaigning for the prize probably irked the committee, says Zenou. They value their independence.

They didnt want to give it to Trump because he has lobbied so hard for it, agrees Matthew Mokhefi-Ashton, a politics professor at Nottingham Trent University.

open image in gallery Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would back Trump if the US provided Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles ( AP )

Strategic decision

It has been a year of global conflict, in which a number of high-profile wars, such as Russias invasion of Ukraine and Israels offensive in Gaza, have continued to make headlines. Others, such as the civil war in Sudan, have been underreported.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and Sudans Emergency Response Rooms, were thought to be frontrunners for the prize. But analysts say the committee may have wanted to shed light on a lesser-known issue.

Machado is a very uncontroversial pick, says Zenou. The committee is reaffirming its commitment to democracy. They intend this to send a signal to authoritarians and wannabe authoritarians around the world.

Mokhefi-Ashton believes that the decision could also be a smart move to placate both Trump, who has publicly supported Machado, and his critics.

Trump and the Republicans have long railed against the socialist government of Venezuela. Giving the award to one of the chief opponents of Maduras government makes it harder for him and other Republicans to criticise the decision.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has continued his social media attack on Donald Trump, this time deriding the president for selling luxury watches on cable news. At the same time, the U.S. government remains deadlocked in a shutdown.

NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU BUT YOU MUST BUY MY WATCH!! Newsom wrote in Trumpian all-caps on X in response to a commercial for the presidents watch brand that is currently being run regularly on Newsmax.

In the promo in question, Trump stands in front of the Stars-and-Stripes in a wood-panelled room and says: Hello everyone, its President Donald J Trump and its Trump time. Check out this Red Beauty, its one of my new watches.

open image in gallery Donald Trump sells watches in his latest commerical being run on cable news channels ( Newsmax )

Wear it proudly on your wrist and everyone will know exactly what its for, who its for, who it represents. Its really going to be something special, its for your favorite president. Get your watch today at GetTrumpWatches.com. These make a great gift. Its Trump time!

The watch in question is part of Trumps Fight Fight Fight Collection and features a ruby red face with three dials, the slogan Trump 45-47 (marking his two presidencies), and a copy of his much-discussed signature.

It retails for $499 and is one of numerous models listed on the official website.

Disclaimer text on screen advises potential purchasers: Watch images are for illustrative purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the final product.

Branded watches are just one of many items Trump has lent his name to monetize his political celebrity. He has previously sold everything from digital trading cards to golden hi-top sneakers, guitars, cryptocurrency, and Bibles.

open image in gallery Trumps 'Red Beauty' watch, which is being sold online for $499 ( gettrumpwatches.com )

Not finished there, Newsom, who is widely tipped to run for the presidency himself in 2028, also responded to a post from FBI Director Kash Patel referring to the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James in which Patel declared: There simply cannot be, and will not be, different rules for different people. One system of law and order from this FBI.

Now do the Epstein files, the Democrat replied, seeking to keep the pressure on the Trump Justice Department to release its documents on the late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which has still yet to happen.

Newsom recently explained to late-night host Stephen Colbert that the thinking behind his novel strategy to deploy humor against the administration, breaking with Democratic stiffness, was to put a mirror up to Trump and the absurdity of whats going on in this country, the absurdity of Donald Trump, the absurdity of these networks [like Fox News] playing into it.

His most recent satires have included spoofs of Dozy Don looking drowsy during a White House roundtable, his health concerns, mock adverts for his own line of Newsom wine, and ridicule over the presidents Escalatorgate disaster at the United Nations.
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. will allow the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho  the latest move for the Trump administration to deepen its relationship with Qatar.

At the Pentagon, Hegseth, joined by the Qatari Minister of Defense, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said he was honored and excited to be signing a letter of acceptance that will permit the Qatari air force to build a facility on the U.S. airbase.

Hegseth said Mountain Home Air Base will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots that will train alongside U.S. soldiers to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, [and] interoperability.

The secretary said it was another example of the U.S.-Qatari partnership.

While there are no foreign military bases in the U.S., the U.S. does allow foreign militaries to train at its bases. The Singaporean Air Force has maintained a presence at the Mountain Home Air Base since 2009 to train alongside U.S. soldiers.

open image in gallery Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the US would allow Qatar to build an air force facility on Mountain Home Air Force base in Idaho ( REUTERS )

Although Hegseth signed the letter of acceptance on Friday, a deal to allow Qatari Air Force members to train in the U.S. has been in the works for years.

The U.S. signed a $12 billion deal with Qatar in 2017, providing Qatar with Boeing F-15 Eagle fighter jets and training. The U.S. also signed a multi-million-dollar contract with Qatar in 2019, promising to provide aircrew and maintenance training to the Qatari Emiri Air Force for the jets.

A 2022 report from the Spokesman-Review indicates that Mountain Home Air Base was preparing for 170 Qatari trainees to arrive around early 2024. Preliminary plans included 90 single-family housing units and a two-story dormitory to allow Qatari trainees to bring families.

However, it is unclear how much the plans have changed since then. Hegseth provided few details other than the initial approved letter.

A U.S. official familiar with the matter said the construction and operational support of the facility was provided through foreign military sales.

Some members of President Donald Trumps MAGA base did not embrace Hegseths announcement with the same gusto as the Defense Secretary.

open image in gallery Mountain Home Air Force Base has hosted Singaporean air force trainees since 2009 ( Getty Images )

Laura Loomer, a staunch Trump ally, vehemently opposed the Qatari agreement on X, going on a multi-tweet rampage using Islamophobic rhetoric and raising concerns about national security.

What the hell is going on? Loomer wrote in a tweet before claiming it would encourage more Islamic infiltration.

I did NOT vote for this, Ana Vandersteel wrote.

Although the U.S.-based Qatari Emiri Air Force facility plan has been known for years, the timing of Hegseths approval comes as Trump flexes the U.S. relationship with Qatar.

Earlier this year, the Qatari government gifted Trump a Boeing 747 jetliner, estimated to be worth up to $400 million, to be used as Air Force One. The gift led to concerns from the public about opening the door for potential corruption. However, the White House brushed those aside, assuring the gift was to the United States, not Trump.

open image in gallery Trump has developed a close relationship with Qatar in his second administration, vowing to defend them against attacks ( Getty Images )

In September, the president signed an executive order committing the U.S. to defending Qatar if it comes under attack.

Recently, Trump has praised Qatar as well for assisting the U.S. in creating a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year-long deadly conflict.

Hegseth reiterated those remarks Friday, acknowledging Qatars substantial contribution to assisting in negotiations.
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Laura Loomer appears to have reached a breaking point with Donald Trump and the rest of the MAGA movement, declaring that she will not be voting in 2026.

The right-wing conspiracy theorist, known for her anti-Muslim opinions, lashed out on social media Friday in a flurry of online posts, claiming that the GOP was helping to fund the Islamification of America.

Her remarks came in response to an announcement by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the U.S. will be allowing the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho.

I didnt vote for the Islamification of my country. If the GOP is going to allow Muslims to have military bases on US soil when they know these Qataris are funding HAMAS and the Muslim Brotherhood, then voting in 2026 is a waste of time, Loomer seethed.

open image in gallery Laura Loomer appears to have reached breaking point with Donald Trump and the rest of the MAGA movement, declaring that she will not be voting in 2026 ( David Dee Delgado/Getty Images )

What the hell is going on? Why are we trying to train more Muslims how to fly planes on US soil? Didnt we already learn our lesson? Loomer wrote in a separate post, in apparent reference to the attacks on 9/11.

Why are we encouraging more Islamic infiltration of our country by the funders of HAMAS and the Muslim Brotherhood? This is very bad for our national security.

Loomer is known to be an outspoken critic of Qatar and has previously celebrated the deaths of drowning migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.

The 32-year-old is known to be a close confidante of the president and has become increasingly at loggerheads with members of the MAGA faction, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whom she also criticized for his connections with Qatar.

Loomer previously 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, she wrote at the time.

open image in gallery Loomers remarks came in response to an announcement by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the U.S. will be allowing the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho ( REUTERS )

Hegseth was joined at the Pentagon on Friday by the Qatari Minister of Defense, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for the announcement. Al Thani said he was honored and excited to be signing a letter of acceptance for the facility, which demonstrates the deepening ties between the two nations.

Qatar is one of the largest funders of Islamic terror. Now they are being rewarded by getting a QATARI Air Force Base in Idaho? Loomer added. This is outrageous. We are allowing the Islamic enemy to gain so much ground in our country. I will never support this.

She added, I did not vote for the US to be turned into a Muslim country. I did not vote for jihadi ambassadors. I did not vote for Muslim coalitions in Michigan. I did not vote for Qatari lobbyists to work in the West Wing.

I didnt vote for Sharia Law. Im not voting in 2026!
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The federal grand jury indictment of New Yorks Democratic Attorney General Letitia James has been greeted with glee by members of President Donald Trumps MAGA movement.

The two-count indictment, which follows the president pressuring U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue charges against his political enemies, accuses James, 66, of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a loan for a property she purchased in 2020.

James launched a civil fraud case against Trump and his business empire in 2022, accusing him of inflating the value of Trump Organization assets. The proceedings ended with Judge Arthur Engoron ordering the now-president to pay a $354 million fine plus interest.

open image in gallery New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has been indicted by a federal grand jury after being accused of engaging in mortgage fraud ( AP )

Eric Trump, the presidents son, appeared on Newsmax on Thursday evening and told anchor Carl Higbie: Its ironic  she literally sued us over the fact wed never missed a mortgage payment She went after us to try to throw us out of New York. Yet now, shes indicted for allegedly doing exactly what she accused us of.

Kari Lake, a senior adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media and frustrated Arizona political candidate, crowed to Rob Schmitt on the same network: The good news is, I actually think that Tish is going to look really good in orange. I think it might be her color.

Shes a top law enforcement officer. She should be thrilled that this administration is following the law to the letter.

By contrast, CNN anchor Kasie Hunt attempted to come to Jamess defense, commenting: This is something that everyone in America, or many people at least, if youre lucky enough to be able to buy a house in America, you deal with this, right? The federal government doesnt go after all of these people for doing this.

A clip of Hunt making that argument was shared on X by Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz, who commented: Wrong, Kasie. Not everyone who buys a house commits mortgage fraud!

The likes of Jack Posobiec and Fox Business contributor Gary Kaltbaum reacted to Bruesewitz's post by expressing their shared disdain.

open image in gallery Eric Trump enjoys the indictment of Letitia James on Thursday ( Newsmax )

Ken Martin, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, expressed support for James, saying in a statement: This indictment isnt about the law, its about political revenge directed by Donald Trump at someone he deems his enemy.

Theres a reason why both the U.S. Attorney and career prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia refused to bring forward this baseless indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James  and why they were replaced by a hand-picked, unqualified sycophant with no prosecutorial experience.

Martin was referring to the administrations move to replace U.S. attorney Erik Siebert with the much less experienced Lindsey Halligan, a former Miss Colorado contestant and Florida home insurance litigator.

He continued: Donald Trump doesnt care about the law or an independent Department of Justice. Weeks ago, Trump publicly demanded the weaponization of our justice system and today, the department dutifully carried out his orders.

This is a line that cannot be uncrossed. The DNC joins the Democratic Attorneys General Association in condemning this politically motivated attack on Attorney General James. And we encourage Americans everywhere, of any and all political affiliations, to stand against Donald Trumps attempts to co-opt the government for retribution and intimidation.

The charges against James were first trailed in April when Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte wrote to Bondi alleging that the AG had falsified records in August 2023 to secure favorable home loans on a property in Norfolk, Virginia, by claiming it was her principal residence while she was still serving in her role in New York.

open image in gallery Kari Lake gloats over the Letitia James indictment on Thursday ( Newsmax )

This is nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system, James herself reacted in a statement Thursday.

These charges are baseless, and the presidents own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The presidents actions are a grave violation of our constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.

The Trump administration moved recently to indict former FBI director James Comey, accusing him of lying to Congress, and has charged California Sen. Adam Schiff of engaging in mortgage fraud in a parallel case to Jamess.

It has also launched an investigation into Barack Obama-era intelligence officials over their handling of accusations that the 2016 Trump campaign colluded with Russian election hackers and has revoked the security clearances of many top officials who served under Joe Biden, provoking allegations that it is pursuing a vendetta on the presidents behalf.
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Donald Trumps personal attorney, now serving as one of the top federal prosecutors in Virginia, reportedly went above the heads of the Department of Justice when she indicted Letitia James this week.

Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, personally introduced evidence to a grand jury against New Yorks Democratic attorney general on Thursday.

She did so without Trumps Attorney General Pam Bondi or her deputy, Todd Blanche, knowing it was coming, according to CNN and ABC News, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

The charges were expected, despite the recommendations from multiple prosecutors who argued there was insufficient evidence to land a successful conviction against James after a months-long investigation.

But Justice Department officials were allegedly caught off guard when they learned that Halligan, fresh off indicting former FBI director James Comey under similarly dubious circumstances, had already presented the case to a grand jury without them knowing.

open image in gallery Trumps recent pick for an interim U.S. Attorney in Virginia reportedly caught top Justice Department officials off guard by convening a grand jury and presenting evidence herself to nab an indictment against Letitia James ( AP )

James became the latest target of the presidents retribution campaign after he publicly demanded Bondi prosecute his perceived political enemies without delay last month.

The two-count indictment accuses James of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a loan for a property she purchased in 2020  charges that echo allegations against the president and brought by James. A judge determined Trump and his business associates defrauded banks and investors to gain more favorable financing terms for his star properties.

This is nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system, James said in a statement Thursday.

These charges are baseless, and the presidents own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost, she added. The presidents actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.

Trump nominated Halligan as U.S. attorney after he boasted of firing her predecessor, who had resisted pressure from the administration to prosecute her and Comey.

Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience, presented a case against Comey days after she was nominated to fill the role. He has pleaded not guilty.

James is tentatively scheduled to appear in court to formally face charges on October 24.

No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the publics trust, Halligan said in a statement Thursday. The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.

open image in gallery James faces two counts of fraud stemming from a property she purchased in Virginia. She blasted the allegations as political weaponization of the Justice Department against Trumps enemies ( AFP via Getty Images )

One person at the Justice Department who didnt appear surprised by news of the indictment: Ed Martin, Trumps weaponization czar.

Martin posted an image to his X account on Thursday morning that showed an eagle flying over the Brooklyn Bridge, and then reposted the image after James was indicted.

As a matter of law, we will not discuss any grand jury matters with the media, but this Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again, Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin said in a statement to The Independent.

Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, along with the entire team at Main Justice continue to empower our U.S. Attorneys to pursue justice in every case, he added.

Following the indictment against James, Bondi simply posted, one tier of justice for all Americans. Blanche shared the post.
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The Nobel Peace Prize winner hailed Trump as a visionary just days before she won the prestigious award in Norway on Friday.

Maria Corina Machado, a conservative politician in Venezuela, was given the award for her work in promoting democratic rights, according to the Nobel committee.

Machado is the opposition leader in her country and has been forced to remain in hiding in the wake of Nicolas Maduros most recent election victory.

Maduro has long been accused of breaking human rights laws by global watchdogs such as Amnesty International, which suggested that there had been allegations of torture and killings by the incumbent Venezuelan government.

Since Trumps reelection, Machado has been an outspoken supporter of the U.S. president, describing him as the biggest opportunity weve ever had for regime change in Venezuela.

open image in gallery Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corino Machado has been an outspoken supporter of Trump ( AP )

She has also described the president as a visionary.

In September, the U.S. military attacked a Venezuelan speedboat carrying 11 people. The army claimed that the boat was carrying drug traffickers, but Venezuela insisted that only fishermen were on board.

Tensions between Venezuela and America soared following the attack, but Machado insisted to The Sunday Times that Trump was right to bomb the boat.

I totally support his strategy, Machado said. And Ive said on behalf of the Venezuelan people that we are very grateful. I think it is the right thing to do. Its courageous. Its visionary.

Trump, on the other hand, has claimed that he is not talking about regime change in Venezuela.

Machado has claimed that she is in close contact with Marco Rubio, Trumps Secretary of State, the son of Cuban refugees.

The U.S. has sent warships, as well as aircraft and submarine support to the Caribbean in what Rubio has described as a counter-drug operation.

Maduro, on the other hand, maintains that the U.S. is using the idea of a war on drugs as a cover to overthrow his government.

open image in gallery Nicolas Maduro seized control of Venezuela when he denied the election result last year ( AP )

Machado led her opposition alliance to victory in the presidential elections last year, with Edmundo Gonzalez, her chosen candidate, winning by a landslide.

However, Gonzalez was blocked from taking office after Maduro declared victory despite the democratic result.

A brutal crackdown on protestors swiftly followed, with thousands of people being arrested and at least 25 people being killed.

We have risked everything  our families, our lives, everything, Machado said. We won an election by landslide and we have a mandate.

The people of Venezuela have desperately asked for real, strong support. Finally, its reaching us.

open image in gallery Machado was forced into hiding after Maduro tightened his grip on the country ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Machados continued efforts to reinstate democracy in Venezuela resulted in her being handed the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10. She won despite Trump campaigning for months to be given the prize.

The US president has claimed that he has ended seven wars, including conflicts between Israel and Iran, as well as Thailand and Cambodia.

However, Trump had claimed that he ended a war between Serbia and Kosovo despite there being no fighting between the two nations. Although he did not technically end a war between Serbia and Kosovo, he did broker an economic deal between the two countries, which have long been at odds politically, in 2020.

Now, Machado has called for the US to put even more pressure on Maduros government, which she has claimed is close to collapsing.

Earlier this year, she praised Trumps decision to axe licenses allowing energy companies to operate in Venezuela, a petrostate.

This is what can weaken a criminal system, and the flow of cash in the case of the Maduro regime comes from absolutely illicit sources tied to drug trafficking, oil, gold and minerals smuggling, money laundering, and then permitted income from oil licenses, Machado told Politico. As a result, whats happened is a clear statement from the Trump administration as to the threat that Venezuela poses.
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Mike Johnsons luck seems to have finally run out amid the government shutdown fight.

He is now facing immense pressure from Democrats and even some of his Republican colleagues in the House and Senate as he has kept the House out of session since September. Johnson ostensibly did this after the House passed a stopgap spending bill, known as a continuing resolution, expecting Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to blink in the same way they did in March.

Every day for the past week, Johnson has gathered reporters to hold press conferences and blame Schumer and Democrats for keeping the government shut down.

It hasnt worked that way this time. Rather, Democrats have rejected the clean continuing resolution and have demanded that any continuing resolution include an extension of enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Acts health care marketplace. And Johnson is hearing peoples anger.

When he appeared on C-SPAN on Thursday, a Republican military spouse from Virginia called to criticize him for not putting forward legislation to ensure military pay.

open image in gallery U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) faces impossible decisions amid the government shutdown. ( Getty Images )

As a Republican, I'm very disappointed in my party and I'm very disappointed in you, because you have the power to call the House back, she told a somber-looking Johnson, who sat nodding his head. You refuse to do that just for that.

In response, Johnson deflected the blame to Democrats and said Schumer would hold that up in the Senate.

But now hes even facing criticism in his own party on the House side. Some Republicans have floated the idea of a one-year extension of the health care tax credits, which Democrats have rejected.

Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene lit into Johnson and Republican leadership for the lack of a plan to deal with health care premiums potentially doubling.

Greene even went on CNN to criticize Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, suggesting that Republicans torpedo the filibuster to end the shutdown.

But Johnson isnt just facing criticism for the government shutdown. Last month, Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat, won a special election to fill her late fathers old seat in Arizonas 7th congressional district. But Johnson has refused to swear her in.

It finally led to Arizonas two Democratic senatorsRuben Gallego and Mark Kellyconfronting Johnson outside his office.

There are 750,000 people in that district who have no representation, Kelly told The Independent. He has sworn other people in before. Under these same circumstances, he should swear in.

Many have speculated that Johnson has refused to swear her in since she would be the 218th signature needed to put a discharge petition to declassify files related to Jeffrey Epstein to the floor.

open image in gallery Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly have demanded Johnson seat Democrat Adelita Grijalva ( Getty Images )

They teach in war all plans go to s*** when we first hit contact, Gallego, a trash-talking Marine, told The Independent. The plan the Republicans had was, we're going to push the Democrats to fold. And then we'll get to it somehow, eventually dealing with ACA, I think they didn't realize that we weren't going to fold, and they didn't have a plan B after that.

Its a massive reversal of fortune for Johnson, who became speaker two years ago this month after a bitter fight among Republicans after Matt Gaetz ousted Kevin McCarthy.

Johnson, until then a mostly anonymous backbencher, emerged as a consensus candidate who built relationships with every faction. He carefully navigated working with Democrats during Joe Bidens presidency, passing aid to Ukraine and avoiding a conservative coup attempt by Greene.

When Donald Trump returned to the White House, Johnson gained another chit. The presidents trust meant he could call Trump and force his most cantankerous conservative members to fold, as was the case with the passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill.

But Trump has mostly been out to lunch during the shutdown. Rather than negotiating with Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Trump has relished in making memes about cuts to spending and even saying he wants a deal on health care.

So far, Johnson has held the line. He still has an immense amount of leverage, given that as speaker, he controls the calendar and can keep the House out of session as long as he wants. Even Schumer told The Independent earlier this week during a reporter Q&A that any deal on reopening the government would require Schumer, Jeffries, Thune and Johnson to make an agreement.

But every day troops are paid, every story about premiums doubling in statesincluding his native Louisianaadds pressure on him. He has no legal or moral obligations to keep the House out. But his political obligations might force him to fold.
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A Presbyterian minister is disputing the Trump administrations characterization of protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Chicago, where federal officers fired pepper balls at his head, sending him to his knees.

After footage of last months attack went viral, a top Homeland Security official claimed that video from the scene did not show that the agitators who were blocking an ICE vehicle from leaving the building and impeding operations.

Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed officers repeatedly warned them to move before rioters began throwing rocks, bottles and launching fireworks at the law enforcement officers on the roof. She also put quotes around pastor and accused him of flipping off Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Its categorically false. There were no ICE vehicles attempting to leave the facility, Rev. David Black told CNN Thursday. I was standing to the side in a gesture of prayer, in praying verbally for those ICE officers and those detained inside.

I find it interesting that this individual believes I flipped them the bird, he said. I have been hoping that the Holy Spirit will descend upon them and convert their hearts and minds. As to the extent the Holy Spirit appears as a bird, perhaps there is spiritual truth to her claims.

He also disputed that ICE agents warned the crowd and accused them of laughing at him and others on the street.

We could hear them laughing as they were shooting us from the roof, and it was deeply disturbing, according to Black.

Donald Trumps administration surged federal officers to the Democratic-led city as protesters continued to demonstrate outside the Broadview ICE facility, a flashpoint for protest against the presidents mass deportation agenda. The president has deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to the state, which a federal judge has temporarily blocked as a multi-state legal challenge against the administrations federalized troops plays out.

But officers there appear to be poorly supervised and trained and plagued by a deep demoralization after weeks of protests, according to Black, a senior pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago in Woodlawn.

Video footage shows a line of masked officers in combat gear pushing through a line of protesters and spraying Black in the face with a chemical spray.

Protesters were kettled by officers and unable to escape, he said. By the end, Black was drenched by chemical agents, he told CNN.

It was indiscriminate, and it was vicious, Black said.

open image in gallery The Broadview facility is at the center of protests against the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda, with federal law enforcement officers surging to Illinois and deploying chemical irritants to hold back demonstrators ( AP )

open image in gallery A federal judge has temporarily blocked federal officers in Chicago from indiscriminately using riot control weapons against protesters, reporters and faith leaders ( AP )

Blacks account is central to a lawsuit filed by Chicago reporters and protesters accusing the administration of unconstitutional threats to their First Amendment rights and religious freedoms with a pattern of extreme brutality designed to silence the press and civilians.

Agents dressed in full combat gear have indiscriminately tossed flash grenades and tear gas and fired guns loaded with chemical irritants and rubber bullets against demonstrators in the Chicago area, the complaint says.

Protesters and reporters have faced serious injuries and some are being randomly singled out for arrest and detained inside the ICE facility, where they are detained incommunicado for hours, according to the complaint.

On Thursday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that blocks officers from firing rubber bullets, tear gas and other chemical munitions at clearly identified members of the press as well as protesters and faith leaders who arent posing any immediate threat to law enforcement.

Illinois District Judge Sara Ellis also specifically blocked officers from firing munitions that strike the head, neck, groin, spine, or female breast, or striking any person with a vehicle, as well as pulling or shoving a person to the ground, tackling, or body slamming demonstrators who arent harming others.

In a statement to The Independent, McLaughlin said Homeland Security is taking reasonable and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers.

We remind members of the media to exercise caution as they cover these violent riots and remind journalists that covering unlawful activities in the field does come with risks  though our officers take every reasonable precaution to mitigate those dangers to those exercising protected First Amendment rights, she added.

Anyone who actively obstructs law enforcement in the performance of their sworn duties will face consequences, which could include arrest, she said.
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Ray Dalio, the billionaire investor who predicted the 2008 financial crisis, said the United States is in a kind of civil war due to rising government debt, large wealth gaps and internal disorder.

Dalio, the founder of the investment management firm Bridgewater Associates, has long warned that growing political and economic disruption in the United States could lead to a so-called civil war among Americans, not with guns, but an inability to come to a consensus.

We have a civil war of some sort which is developing in the United States and elsewhere where there are irreconcilable differences, Dalio told Bloombergs Francine Lacqua in an interview that aired Friday.

Dalio, 76, cited rising government debt and increasing wealth disparities as examples of economic factors that can lead to greater conflicts. He compared the present state of affairs to that in 1937 or 1938, when the U.S. experienced an economic downturn amid the Great Depression, as global conflict escalated.

The U.S. is currently confronting an ongoing debt issue that some fear could turn into a full-blown crisis. Public debt is over $30 trillion, amounting to 99 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product last year.

open image in gallery Billionaire investor Ray Dalio once again raised concerns about internal instability as a result of economic problems like rising debt and wealth inequality ( Getty Images for TIME )

Dalio compared increasing national debt to plaque in the arteries that can squeeze out the spending.

He has previously blamed politicians on both sides of the aisle for the accumulating debt.

The U.S. also faces a massive wealth disparity, with the top 10 percent of earners holding more than two-thirds of the nations wealth while the bottom 50 percent hold less than 4 percent.

When there are larger wealth gaps and values gaps, then there are greater conflicts, Dalio said.

Aside from economic pains, Dalio cited other factors, such as geopolitics, technological advancements and natural disasters, that contribute to disorder.

While he brushed aside concerns of another world war, he explained that each sector has its own war.

These conflicts will become tests of power by each side, he said, adding that its crucial to remain vigilant in order to solve problems.

open image in gallery Dalio has cited the rising national debt as a major contributor to economic disruption in the US  which could lead to other forms of disorder ( AFP via Getty Images )

If we dont worry about these things, then we have greater risks, Dalio added.

Dalio has raised similar concerns about growing instability in the U.S. in the past. In May 2024, he raised worries about deepening political polarization that makes it impossible for people to come together to solve problems.

In April, he also raised concerns about a potential economic recession or depression due to market instability caused by President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs on most of the U.S.s trading partners.

If you take tariffs, if you take debt, if you take the rising power challenging existing power, if you take those factors and look at the factors - those changes in the orders, the systems, are very, very disruptive, Dalio said at the time.
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A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from federalizing National Guard troops in Chicago, warning that deploying U.S. military forces into volatile scenes with a surge of federal law enforcement officers will only add fuel to the fire.

District Judge April Perry argued Thursday that the presidents deployment likely violates the 10th and 14th Amendments as well as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the military from enforcing domestic law.

The order remains in effect through at least October 23 while the legal battle continues.

Judge Perry also cast doubt on the Trump administrations credibility in assessing the need for National Guard troops, finding the administrations perception of demonstrations and law enforcement activity is simply unreliable.

Perry issued her order following courtroom arguments in a lawsuit brought by Illinois and Chicago officials, who accused the Trump administration of escalating his long-declared war against Americas third-largest city on unlawful and dangerous grounds with purely pretextual and baseless reasons.

open image in gallery A federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump from federalizing National Guard in Chicago as a legal battle continues over the presidents use of the military to combat protests against his agenda ( REUTERS )

Her order is another blow to the administrations attempts to send troops into Democratic-led states and cities to combat protests against his mass deportation agenda, spilling out into a multi-state legal battle.

Last week, Oregon officials similarly sued the administration, arguing that the presidents threats to send in the troops are wholly pretextual and designed to stir up unrest to justify boots on the ground.

On Sunday, a Trump-appointed judge argued that relatively small protests in Portland did not justify the use of federalized forces that imperil Oregons sovereignty.

But a three-judge federal appeals court panel  including two judges appointed by Trump  appeared prepared Thursday to strike down the order, teeing up a potential Supreme Court battle over the presidents authority to federalize troops.

On Thursday, roughly 200 troops from Texas began their deployment in the Chicago area, where they have been ordered to support federal buildings and Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities that have become flashpoints for protests against the administration.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued memos earlier this month calling up 300 members of the Illinois National Guard and 400 Texas troops for up to 60 days.

The memos cited federal statute that grants the president the ability to federalize state-controlled National Guard troops in the event of a foreign invasion or rebellion.

While Perry said she defers to the president when it comes to how to best combat national security threats, there does not appear to be one in Chicago that state and local law enforcement cant handle themselves.

I have seen no credible evidence that there is danger of rebellion in the state of Illinois, she said.

Deportations are up. Arrests are up.  The courthouse remains open and always has. Federal laws are being executed. Theyre also being broken, as they have been since the beginning of time, she said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. There is no evidence that the president is unable, with the regular forces, to execute the laws of the United States.

open image in gallery Hundreds of National Guard service members arrived in Illinois this week as federal judges across the country mulled arguments over the legality of their deployment ( REUTERS )

She also questioned whether National Guard troops were sufficiently trained to confront people on the street, noting the citys strained history of police abuse.

Its something that I think the state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate, Perry said.

Governor J.B. Pritzker hailed the decision, saying in a statement that Donald Trump is not a king  and his administration is not above the law.

In a separate case Thursday, Illinois District Judge Sara Ellis blocked federal officers from using riot control weapons and other force against clearly identified members of the press as well as protesters and faith leaders who arent posing any immediate threat to law enforcement.

Her order follows a lawsuit from reporters and demonstrators accusing federal agents of a pattern of extreme brutality by firing on protesters and violating their First Amendment and religions freedom rights.
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The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to punish federal workers at agencies thought to be favored by Democrats with mass layoffs in order to force Senate Democrats to vote for an end to the government shutdown.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced the long-threatened move in a post on X, writing that the RIFs  meaning Reductions in Force or mass firings  had begun.

The OMB said in a court filing more than 4,000 employees would be fired, including over 1,400 at the Treasury Department and 1,100 at the Health and Human Services Department. But the budget office did say the funding lapse is a fluid and rapidly evolving situation.

Vought is a right-wing activist who was a chief architect of the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 plan for weaponizing the federal government against Democrats and centralizing power in Republican political appointees at the expense of nonpartisan civil servants.

He had previewed the administrations intention to use a government shutdown as an excuse to fire more federal workers en masse in a memorandum to agency heads sent last month.

open image in gallery White House budget director Russ Vought said the long-threatened layoffs of federal workers impacted by the government shutdown have started ( AP )

The agencies, according to the earlier memo, should consider reductions in employees in programs that dont have another source of funding, and are not consistent with the Presidents priorities.

A White House official told The Independent that the number of workers who may receive notification of their impending termination could number in the thousands.

Typically, non-emergency employees are furloughed, meaning theyre instructed not to report for work and are not paid during the shutdown. There is no reason why a shutdown would necessitate firings. Typically, furloughed employees return to work - with back pay - when shutdowns end.

But last week, Trump said his administration planned to make use of the lapse in government funding that began on October 1 to target civil servants as a way of punishing Democrats in Congress.

We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people and cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like, Trump said last Tuesday during a media availability in the Oval Office. Theyre taking a risk by having a shutdown.

Earlier this week, he said layoffs would target what he described as very popular Democrat programs. Its unclear what that means, since federal government programs service all Americans.

Virginia congressman Don Beyer, a Democrat whose district includes one of the largest percentages of federal employees in the country, called the administrations decision cruel, illegal, and yet another attack on our economy in a statement.

He accused Trump and Vought of illegally firing more workers, hurting essential services for the American people, and damaging our economy in Virginia and across the country.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also condemned Voughts announcement, which he described as firing thousands of Americans with a tweet.

open image in gallery Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York condemned Voughts announcement, which he described as firing 'thousands of Americans with a tweet' ( Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images )

Let's be blunt: nobody's forcing Trump and Vought to do this. They dont have to do it; they want to. They're callously choosing to hurt peoplethe workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike. This is deliberate chaos, Schumer said.

He added that Republicans would rather see thousands of Americans lose their jobs than sit down and negotiate with Democrats to reopen the government and called on the GOP to come to the table, negotiate, and reopen the government.

Until Republicans get serious, they own thisevery job lost, every family hurt, every service gutted is because of their decisions, he said.

open image in gallery The shutdown has left many aspects of government closed with visitors to Washington, D.C., making the best of the situation ( Getty Images )

Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, slammed the administrations move in a statement, calling it disgraceful that the White House has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country.

These workers show up every day to serve the American people, and for the past nine months have been met with nothing but cruelty and viciousness from President Trump. Every single American citizen should be outraged, Kelley said. He added that Congress should do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees president Lee Saunders also hit out at the administrations plans for mass layoffs in a separate statement, calling them illegal and predicting they would have devastating effects on the services millions of Americans rely on every day.

Whether its food inspectors, public safety workers, or the countless other public service workers who keep America running, federal employees should not be bargaining chips in this administrations political games, Saunders added.

A group of labor unions that had sued to block the mass firings immediately filed papers with a California federal court asking for a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from proceeding with any reductions in force. A hearing in the case is scheduled for October 16.

Rachel Dobkin contributed to this reporting.
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Donald Trump has missed out on the Nobel Peace Prize  and Independent readers say that he didn't deserve it anyway, or at least not until 2026 if his Gaza ceasefire leads to sustainable peace.

The 2025 award instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was recognised for her tireless work promoting democratic rights.

The snub came after recent poll of our community showed that 59 per cent believed Trump shouldnt receive the prize because his bad deeds outweighed any good he had done.

Meanwhile, 34 per cent felt his actions did not meet the committees criteria. Just 6 per cent thought he had made significant contributions to peace, and a further 1 per cent said the situation was too complex to judge.

While Trump had been positioning himself for the accolade, promoting his 20-point Gaza peace plan and claiming to have ended seven wars, readers and commentators alike emphasized that the Nobel committee rewards enduring, sustainable peace rather than short-term or symbolic victories.

Summing up the mood, one reader said: Way premature. Whats his hurry? Lets see if the peace lasts and becomes truly sustainable.

With nominations for 2026 closing in January, Trump may yet emerge as a contender for next years prize, but in 2026, the accolade recognizes the courage and commitment of a leader operating under far greater personal risk.

Heres what you had to say:

This is a ceasefire, not peace

Reagan ended the Cold War and nuclear escalation. He didnt win one either. Carter did, and he too tried to find peace in the Middle East.

This agreement is welcome but it is just a first step and an effective ceasefire. Far better people and people of integrity have been here before and failed. On paper, much of this plan just hands Israel what it wants. There is no real plan for the future except capitulation by Palestinians and giving up any hope of a two-state solution. Not only is that grotesque, but it is doomed to fail.

It just feels like a breathing space for Israel, while Hamas give up their only leverage in hostages and arms. I have no issue in saying good riddance to Hamas, but the Israeli government is not a trustworthy agent either.

So, good start  this is a ceasefire, not peace  and Trump does not deserve any prizes.

Hammerhead72

Two sides to Trump

There are two sides to Trump  his rhetoric and his actions. Its like his dealings with Kim Jong Un in his first term: yelling insults while also talking him into de-escalation. Or talking tough while withdrawing troops. Or one massive crazy overreaction to nip it in the bud.

If you ignore his rhetoric and just describe literal events, he wouldve won it. No U.S. president has ever spent more time negotiating foreign peace deals. So isnt the Peace Prize more about image and reputation than actions and results? Because just listing his interventions, actions and results alone, he wouldve won it.

Ajames

He only wants it because Obama got it

Trump only wants the Nobel Peace Prize because Obama got it. Obama shouldnt have had it, and nor should Trump. Its just part of Trumps narcissistic ego. When we have permanent peace and a two-state solution that ensures there is no more conflict in the Middle East ever, then possibly he would deserve it.

Markie

A missed opportunity

Technically, Trump couid still win the prize in future. In a sense, its a missed opportunity since it might have encouraged him to work to resolve other global conflicts. That said, the current Venezuelan winner is a worthy one.

Musil

War almost certain to restart

Trump has played some part in a ceasefire in Palestine. He has not achieved a solution to the ongoing problem of Israel seizing land in Gaza and the West Bank. Until an agreement is reached on the fair allocation of land and two states the war is almost certain to restart

Alrum

Reputation would be permanently damaged

Hes spoken favorably on behalf of violent and repressive leaders so often that if he were to be awarded it, its reputation and value would be permanently damaged. The list of those nominating him should be enough to prevent him being awarded it. What future winner could possibly feel honoured following in Trumps footsteps?

Big Beautiful Bill

A big if

If  and it's a big if  the Gaza settlement sticks, I would reluctantly admit there is a case for Trump getting it next year. But much of his "peacemaking" so far is disputed or, in the case of Ukraine, non-existent. And renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War, blowing Venezuelan boats up in international waters, bombing Iran and Yemen, and decimating USAID are not the best look for a potential Nobel Peace Prize winner.

SteveB211

Absolutely does not deserve it

Trump absolutely does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize!

So many more deserving individuals and organisations whose agenda is all about peace. More importantly, Trump and other politicians shouldnt be lobbying for awards or prizes  they should understand they were elected to pursue peace, and its part of their job.

LightisRight

Just a publicity stunt

I hope and pray that this does bring peace for everyone, but truthfully I think this is just an exercise in buying time for Netanyahu and a publicity stunt by Trump to get his much-vaunted Nobel Peace Prize.

This deal is thin on detail, full of helpful loopholes and, at times, contradictory. Netanyahu has already promised that therell never be a Palestinian state and will ignore some of the stipulations in this deal.

TomSnout

Saving lives is what matters

Peace Prize nominations closed in January and there were 338 candidates. Trump was not seriously in the running for this years announcement.

Next year? Lets see.

Assuming an enduring ceasefire happens, I dont care if some of the credit belongs  possibly rightly  with Donald Trump. Saving lives is what matters.

SteveHill

Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.

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President Donald Trump has lost out on the Nobel Peace Prize after the Norwegian committee responsible for awarding the honor chose Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado instead.

Trump has long lobbied for the prize and had hoped his role in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement struck earlier this week might finally have clinched it for him.

Excitable members of the presidents MAGA coalition, led by his son Eric Trump, had called for him to be rewarded for his efforts in seeking to bring peace to Gaza, with more than one claiming the deal was so significant that the entire prize should be renamed after him in place of founder Alfred Nobel.

open image in gallery Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ( AFP/Getty )

But Trump himself did not dare get his hopes up, giving a cagey answer when he was asked about his prospects by a reporter at the White House on Wednesday.

I have no idea, he answered her. I mean, look, I did settle  Marco [Rubio] will tell you  we did settle seven wars. Were close to settling an eighth, and I think well end up settling the Russia situation, which is horrible... I think well settle that, so... I dont think anybody in history has settled that many, but perhaps theyll find a reason not to give it to me.

Asle Toje, deputy leader of the Nobel committee, had already signaled that Trump might not get the prize, suggesting that his aggressive campaigning for the accolade might count against him.

These types of influence campaigns have a rather more negative effect than a positive one, Toje said. Because we talk about it on the committee. Some candidates push for it really hard, and we do not like it.

Had Trump been victorious, he would have been the fifth American president to receive the prize, following Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919), Jimmy Carter (2002), and, most importantly for the current commander-in-chief, Barack Obama (2009).

Obama was given his prize in his first year in office for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples, the committee said at the time.

open image in gallery Donald Trump has long been accused of nurturing an obsession with his predecessor Barack Obama ( AFP/Getty )

Trump is thought to have long envied Obamas popularity, and many point to the former Illinois senators mocking him at the White House Correspondents dinner in April 2011 over his birther conspiracy theory, which wrongly alleged that the 44th president was not eligible to serve because he was not born in the U.S., as still sticking in the current presidents craw.

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

While other political enemies have come and gone since the Trumps succeeded the Obamas in the White House in January 2017  Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris  the Republican has continued to stew over his rival, not least in relation to his Nobel Prize win.

Speaking to The New York Times in March this year, Trumps estranged former National Security Adviser John Bolton claimed that the president saw that Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize, and felt if Obama got it for not doing anything, why should he not get it? Trump has certainly griped to that effect in many of his speeches and rally addresses over the years.

When Director of National Security Tulsi Gabbard announced a spurious investigation into Obama-era intelligence officials in July, Trump responded by posting an AI video of his predecessor being sent to prison, a wish-fulfilment fantasy in which Obama is imagined pacing a dank jail cell wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, in an op-ed for MSNBC, argued that the video amounted to a projection of everything Trump fears and envies about his predecessor: Obamas grace, intellect, global stature and, most of all, the fact that Obamas very presence in the White House redefined what power could look like in America.

He continued: Its clear that Obama has been living in Trumps head rent-free for the last two decades. Some think he first ran for president because Obama made fun of him at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. He mistakenly called Biden by Obamas name multiple times while campaigning, once even saying he beat Obama in 2016. Hes even claimed he is healthier than Obama.

Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize? Trump spends years obsessing about winning it himself. Obama passes a historic healthcare law? Trump makes it his top priority to overturn it.
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The United States is sending up to 200 troops to Israel to monitor the ceasefire transition process with Gaza and ensure the terms of phase one of the 20-point deal are implemented, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Following the news that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of the deal, brokered by President Donald Trump, the U.S. began implementing a plan to establish a central coordination center where soldiers from the U.S. and other nations could oversee the ceasefire process.

Worldwide, the ceasefire agreement has been welcomed, with nations hopeful to bring an end to the two-year-long conflict. But with tensions still high between Israel and Hamas, the first phase will require precise and careful execution with multinational oversight.

The American troops, led by Admiral Brad Cooper, will join soldiers from neighboring countries in the region, including Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Officials said some of the U.S. troops were already in Israel and the rest were expected to be there soon. A second official confirmed no U.S. troops would be sent to Gaza.

open image in gallery As many as 200 American troops will head to Israel to assist in overseeing the transition process as Israel and Hamas come to a ceasefire agreement ( Getty Images )

The U.S. troops headed to Israel have been deliberately chosen for their expertise in military planning and logisitcs, security, transportation, and engineering.

They are from U.S. Central Command, the military organization responsible for defending and promoting U.S. interests across the globe. Some are already based in the Middle East, others are coming from other parts of the globe.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X that a Fox News assertion thatUS troops headed to Israel to support historic peace deal was not true because troops are already stationed at [Central Command].

While some are stationed in the Middle East, officials said service members were arriving in the region from around the world and were expected to travel throughout the region over the weekend to assist in planning and establishing a Civil-Military Coordination Center in Israel.

open image in gallery Gaza has been ravaged by Israels two-year offensive and is in dire need to humanitarian assistance ( AP )

Officials were unsure where exactly the American troops would be based in Israel but said that they were working to determine that by Friday.

It is unclear how long the U.S. plans for the multinational Civil-Military Coordination Center will be established for, but Israel and Hamas have only agreed to the first phase of the deal so far. Its likely troops will be stationed in the area for a while since the sides will still have to negotiate and confront more difficult points of the deal, such as the future of Gazas leadership.

The goal of the Civil Military Coordination Center is to establish a hub for military and political officials, as well as aid experts, to coordinate while implementing the ceasefire deal. That means everything from security support to humanitarian aid.

The first phase of the deal directs Israeli troops to withdraw to a certain point while still controlling more than 50 percent of the Gaza strip and observe a ceasefire. Within 72 hours, Hamas will release the remaining living and deceased hostages to Israel and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisons.

Meanwhile, hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks are expected to arrive in Gaza to bring necessary resources to Palestinian in dire need of assistance.

open image in gallery Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month. This week Israel and Hamas had finally agreed to phase one of the deal ( AFP via Getty Images )

Over the course of the two-year-long conflict, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, thousands of them children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Millions of Palestinians have become refugees while fleeing their homes, with much of the enclave destroyed. This past year, global humanitarian groups raised alarm bells at the mass starvation occurring in Gaza.

A United Nations investigation determined that Israel was committed genocide  though Israeli officials refuted the claim.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage.
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The U.S. Navy has fired the commanding officer of the USS Wyoming in the latest shakeup under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Commander Robert Moreno was removed by Rear Admiral Bob Wirth, commander of Submarine Group Ten, the Navy said in a statement, indicating that Moreno had been removed because of a loss of confidence in his ability to carry out his duties.

Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct, the Navy said in the release.

open image in gallery The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming approaches Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia ( Rebecca Rebarich/U.S. Navy )

They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.

No specifics were given about the circumstances that led to Morenos dismissal. Still, The Navy Times notes that the service generally uses the phrase loss of confidence as a blanket statement when explaining senior dismissals.

Moreno earned his commission in December 2005, spent time aboard the USS Pennsylvania, USS Dallas, and USS North Carolina, and only took over as commanding officer of the Wyoming in May 2024. He has been temporarily reassigned to the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay.

The vessel in question is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine commissioned in July 1996 and home-ported in Kings Bay, Georgia. According to the Navy, it is currently undergoing maintenance, meaning the change of command will not impact its service.

Captain David Burke, Submarine Squadron 20 deputy for training, has been handed temporary responsibility for the sub in Morenos stead.

open image in gallery The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming approaches Norfolk, Virginia ( Cameron Stoner/U.S. Navy )

Hegseth  who recently delivered an address to Americas top generals and admirals at Quantico, Virginia, on warrior ethos, personal appearance and fitness standards, and his mission to purge the U.S. military of political correctness  has overseen a massive change in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces this year.

The Navy alone has changed its chief of naval operations, the commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado, the commanding officer of Navy Reserve Center Manchester, New Hampshire, and the executive officer for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants.

Most recently, it has removed a doctor over her social media use, the commanding officer of the USS Santa Barbara, and the Navy chief of staff.
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Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen said the quiet part out loud this week when he bragged that the newspapers opinion section was now thoroughly conservative after Donald Trump praised his most recent op-ed.

Thiessens declaration comes on the heels of billionaire owner Jeff Bezos imposing an ideological realignment of the Posts opinion page, which has resulted in an exodus of talent and the hiring of an editor who shares his vision of dedicating the section to the support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets.

The admission from Thiessen, a Fox News contributor who served as a speechwriter for President George W. Bush, came after prominent MAGA personalities expressed shock over his Washington Post piece endorsing Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. (The president, despite his persistent lobbying for the award, lost out to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.)

Not only does Donald Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, but there has arguably never been an American president who deserved it more, Thiessen wrote in his Thursday column, adding that Trump has an unprecedented peacemaking accord.

No way, far-right host and Pizzagate conspiracist Jack Posobiec reacted on social media, sharing a screenshot of the columns headline: Yes, Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

open image in gallery Marc Thiessen, a Washington Post columnist and Fox News contributor, bragged this week that his papers opinion section is now conservative. ( screengrab )

Mark Dubowitz, the leader of the neoconservative think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, responded to Posobiecs tweet by suggesting that Thiessen was one of the few right-leaning writers at the paper. Written by @marcthiessen who is a (welcome) outlier at the Washington Post, Dubowitz posted.

Thanks Mark. But not such an outlier any more! Were now a conservative opinion page, Thiessen promptly replied to the think tank head.

Meanwhile, the president made it clear that he appreciated Thiessens column, sharing a link on his Truth Social site alongside the caption: Thank you Washington Post. Wow!!!

Over the past year, the Washington Post has come under fire from both staff and readers over its rightward shift and efforts to appease Trump as Bezos has been accused of cozying up to the president, prompting the cancellation of hundreds of thousands of subscriptions and dozens of high-profile editors and journalists to flee the paper.

After sparking backlash last October for blocking the Posts planned presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris, resulting in several editorial board members resigning over the mega-billionaires meddling, Bezos caused even more outrage in February with his new mandate for the papers opinion pages.

We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets, he declared. Well cover other topics too, of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

Notably, the night he announced his new directive for the opinion section, Bezos had dinner with Trump.

Bezos push for the section to focus intently on traditionally conservative and libertarian principles led to the resignation of opinion editor David Shipley, who would eventually be replaced by 33-year-old Adam ONeal, a former correspondent for The Economist and editorial page writer for The Wall Street Journal.

open image in gallery The Washington Posts owner Jeff Bezos has said that only opinions that support personal liberties and free markets will be welcome in its comment pages ( AFP/Getty )

Since turning to ONeal, whose only management experience was a tumultuous one-year stint at the conservative outlet The Dispatch, the Post has seen a flood of veteran columnists and editors ditch the paper in recent months. Many of them took up beleaguered publisher Will Lewis offer of a buyout to those who do not feel aligned with the papers new editorial direction.

In recent weeks, ONeal has appeared to be more overt with his efforts to reshape the opinion section and make it more conservative.

Last month, longtime writer Karen Attiah  the papers founding Global Opinions editor who rose to prominence following the horrific murder of her columnist Jamal Khashoggi  said she was fired over unacceptable social media posts she made in the wake of Charlie Kirks murder. Attiah also said she was the last full-time Black columnist left on the papers staff.

ONeals most recent hires for the section include columnists from The National Review, The Spectator and The Boston Globe, who all fit comfortably within the traditional conservative mold, according to Status News Oliver Darcy. People who have spoken to ONeal have said he has signaled that he very much wants to recruit those on the political right to The Post, Darcy further reported.

At the same time, ONeal let go of at least a half-dozen staffers and a number of high-profile contractors from the opinion section last week, including editor Benjy Sarlin, media critic Jack Shafer and respected journalist Marc Fisher  who had been with the Post for roughly four decades.

Meanwhile, months into his tenure atop the opinion page, ONeal finally granted his first public interview late last month. It was to Fox News.
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Its official: the only Australian shrew is no more.

The latest edition of the International Union for the Conservation of Natures Red List, the worlds most comprehensive global inventory on extinction risk, has declared the Christmas Island shrew is extinct.

The news may not seem momentous. After all, most Australians know nothing of shrews and would be unaware this one species counted among our native fauna.

But the shrews extinction increases the tally of Australian mammals extinct since 1788 to 39 species. This is far more than for any other country. These losses represent about 10% of all Australias land mammal species before colonisation. It is a deplorable record of trashing an extraordinary legacy.

So, what are shrews?

Shrews are small, long-nosed, insect-eating mammals, with many species widely distributed across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. On mainland Australia, similar roles are filled by unrelated small marsupials such as dunnarts, antechinuses, planigales and ningauis, which are themselves not writ large on our national consciousness.

The sandhill dunnart fills a similar ecological niche on mainland Australia to the one the shrew filled on Christmas Island ( Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, CC BY-NC )

Many people will know of shrews only courtesy of Shakespeare. Combining misogyny and zoophobia (an intense fear of animals) he used the name of this inoffensive animal to describe a shrill, ever-complaining, grating caricature of women. The offensive term has stuck through the ages, draining sympathy for and interest in the animal.

The history of Australias shrew

It must have been a harrowing voyage. Tens of thousands of years ago, a small family of shrews (or a pregnant female) rafted on floating vegetation, from islands of what is now Indonesia. Haphazardly, they landed on uninhabited Christmas Island, now an Australian territory about 1,500 kilometres west of the mainland. These lucky or reckless pioneers gave rise to Australias only shrew species.

For many years, the Christmas Island shrew prospered. When European naturalists first visited Christmas Island in the 1890s, at the time of its settlement, they remarked: [] this little animal is extremely common all over the island, and at night its shrill shriek, like the cry of a bat, can be heard on all sides.

Change came quickly thereafter. In 1900, black rats were accidentally introduced, stowaways on hay bales. Worse, these rats were infested with trypanosomes, a cellular parasite. These trypanosomes spread rapidly to the islands two species of native rats (and presumably the shrew).

The long isolation of Christmas Island had cocooned its native mammals, leaving them with no resistance to new diseases. Within a year, island residents began seeing many dying rats stumbling across the forest floor.

By the time naturalists next visited the island in 1908, the two species of native rats and the Christmas Island shrew were thought to have become extinct. Subsequently, many other endemic animals were also lost or suffered serious declines due to the introduction of cats and invasive species of ants, snails, plants, giant centipedes, birds and snakes.

It is a pattern that has occurred repeatedly across the worlds islands. Introductions of plants and animals have subverted island ecosystems and, as a consequence, endemic island species represent a disproportionately high number of the worlds extinctions.

Defying extinction?

But the shrew lived on. After not being seen for more than 50 years, two survivors were caught in the 1950s as bulldozers cleared a patch of rainforest for mining. The shrews were released and the find was not reported until many years later.

Then, nothing for another 30 years. In December 1984, biologists Hugh Yorkston and Jeff Tranter were clearing a rainforest track and came across a live female shrew in a clump of fallen birds nest fern. They kept the shrew in a terrarium for 12-18 months, industriously catching grasshoppers to feed it.

At the time, they didnt consider this a final opportunity to conserve the species through a captive breeding program. When, with extraordinary serendipity, a male shrew was found alive only a few months later in March 1985, it was kept in a separate terrarium. The female was docile but the male was aggressive. It also appeared unwell.

Whatever the reason, there was no introduction, no consummation and no baby shrews. The male died about three weeks after capture while the female lingered on, alone.

No shrews left

Since 1984, there have been no recorded sightings. This means only four Christmas Island shrews have been reported in over 120 years.

Almost no information on the biology of this species has been published, other than the single sentence written by naturalist Charles Andrews in 1900: [] it lives in holes in rocks and roots of trees, and seems to feed mainly on beetles.

There are few pictures. However, inklings of the nature of the last known shrew can be seen in a beautiful sketch by the park ranger, naturalist and artist Max Orchard.

About the author John Woinarski is a Professor of Conservation Biology at Charles Darwin University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

In the nearly 40 years since the death of the last known individual, two recovery plans have been compiled, outlining the actions needed to conserve the species. There have been targeted searches. But no shrews have turned up to benefit from those plans.

The most telling evidence of their extinction is the absence of any shrews in the stomach contents of hundreds of feral cats culled over the past few decades.

While the shrew clearly survived until the 1980s, this decade saw the arrival of yet another threat, the Asian wolf snake. This snake quickly spread across the island, most likely causing the extinction of the islands endemic microbat, the Christmas Island pipistrelle, in 2009 and most of the endemic lizards. The snakes arrival also probably marked the death knell for any remaining shrews.

We must try harder to prevent extinctions

Extinction can be difficult to prove, especially for a species as cryptic as the shrew. There is peril in categorising a species as extinct when it still survives. This misclassification has been termed the Romeo error, where formal recognition of a species as extinct can result in the withdrawal of funding or protection, and hence increase the likelihood of actual extinction.

In 2022, the Australian government, through then-Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek, pledged, admirably, to preventing any more extinctions. Although todays formal recognition of the shrews extinction comes after that pledge, the last shrew probably died one to two decades beforehand.

The shrews loss is a reminder of the enormity of the challenge of preventing further extinctions, of the diverse ways these losses can happen, of the need to seize opportunities to protect rare species, and of the importance of a national and political commitment to prevent extinction.

I hope the Christmas Island shrew is not extinct; after all, it has defied previous calls of its demise. Perhaps somewhere, a small furtive family of shrews are hanging on, elusive survivors, secure in the knowledge of their own existence and waiting to prove the pessimists wrong.

Hugh Yorkston, Jeff Tranter and Paul Meek helped with this article.
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Judges at the International Criminal Court on Friday rejected a request from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to be released from detention, finding he was likely to refuse to return for trial and could use his freedom to intimidate witnesses.

Prosecutors at the ICC accuse Duterte of crimes against humanity for the deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he oversaw while in office, first as the mayor of a southern city and later as president.

Dutertes legal team asked a pre-trial panel of judges to release the octogenarian, arguing he was in frail health and his condition was deteriorating in the court's detention unit.

A panel of pretrial judges rejected the request, writing in a 23-page decision that, as a former president, Duterte appears to have the necessary political contacts to help him abscond.

The decision also points to the possibility that Duterte might use his freedom to interfere with the legal process. If he is released, judges wrote, there is a chance he would pose a threat to (potential) witnesses, either directly or indirectly through his supporters.

Duterte's lawyer, Nick Kaufman, told The Associated Press the decision was erroneous and criticized keeping a debilitated and cognitively impaired 80-year-old in detention.

Last month, judges postponed a hearing until a full medical assessment could be made. According to defense filings, Dutertes cognitive faculties have declined to a level that he cannot assist his lawyers.

Rights groups and families of victims hailed Dutertes arrest in March, and the courts chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, called it a crucial step in our continuous work to ensure accountability for the victims of the most serious crimes under ICC jurisdiction.

Two organizations supporting the families of suspects killed in Dutertes crackdown hailed the court's decision as a resounding victory for justice and accountability."

In a joint statement, SENTRO and the CATW-AP said, The ICCs ruling reaffirms a simple but powerful truth: no one, not even a former head of state, is above the law.

According to a filing last month, ICC prosecutors claim Duterte instructed and authorized violent acts including murder to be committed against alleged criminals, including alleged drug dealers and users.

The ICC opened an inquiry in 2021 into mass killings linked to the so-called war on drugs overseen by Duterte when he served as mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao and later as president.

Estimates of the death toll during Dutertes presidential term vary, from the more than 6,000 that the national police have reported and up to 30,000 claimed by human rights groups.
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US president Donald Trump has reportedly suggested that Spains membership in the Nato alliance should be reconsidered due to its insufficient military spending.

The intervention follows an agreement in June where members of the US-backed security pact committed to significantly boosting their defence budgets to 5 per cent of gross domestic product. The move aligns with President Trumps long-standing demand for European nations to contribute more substantially to their own defence.

But Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time that he would not commit to the 5 per cent target, calling it incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision.

At an Oval Office meeting with the leader of Natos second-newest member, Finnish president Alexander Stubb, Trump said European leaders need to prevail upon Spain to boost its commitments to the alliance.

You people are gonna have to start speaking to Spain, Trump said. You have to call them and find [out] why are they a laggard.

He added: They have no excuse not to do this, but thats alright. Maybe you should throw em out of Nato, frankly.

Spain reaffirmed its commitment to the alliance and appealed for calm, a government source said, adding that the nation was a full member of Nato and meets its capability targets just as the United States.

Spain joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 1982. The 32-member defence alliance has been in focus since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and launched the deadliest land war in Europe since the Second World War.

Incompatible with our welfare state: Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez has refused to commit to spending 5 per cent of GDP on military defence ( AP )

Meanwhile, Sweden said it will invest 3.5bn Swedish crowns ($367.11m) in more anti-drone systems, citing a growing threat posed by aerial violations.

A wave of drone sightings has rattled European aviation, sparking concerns about hybrid attacks potentially targeting Ukraines allies in Europe, though Russia has denied involvement.

Recent violations and drone sightings are a reminder that threats from the air are an increasingly large part of modern warfare, Swedens defence minister Pal Jonson said on X. We must defend ourselves against this.

The Nordic Nato member will acquire systems to shoot down drones, deploy hunter drones for air bases and install jamming sensors, among other measures, the minister added.
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NATO is set to conduct its major annual nuclear exercise next week, with a primary focus on protecting its weapons before deployment, the alliances chief announced on Friday.

The long-planned "Steadfast Noon" drill, beginning Monday, occurs amidst heightened security at European military facilities, following mysterious drone incidents, some blamed on Russia.

Running for around two weeks, the exercise will be led by the Netherlands and involve 71 aircraft from 14 NATO nations. It has been held annually for over a decade.

We need to do this because it helps us to make sure that our nuclear deterrent remains as credible, and as safe, and as secure, and as effective as possible," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in a video statement.

"It also sends a clear signal to any potential adversary that we will and can protect and defend all allies against all threats, he said.

Bomber aircraft and fighter jets that can carry nuclear warheads are taking part, but no nuclear weapons or live munitions will be used. The bulk of the exercise is being held in the North Sea, far from Russia and Ukraine.

open image in gallery NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

It will involve military bases in Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands.

The United States and Britain, with their nuclear forces, are key to NATOs strategic deterrence. France also has nuclear weapons but is not a part of the organizations nuclear planning group.

NATO officials would not say what kind of scenarios will be used to test the 32-nation alliance's nuclear readiness, but they insisted that it is not directed toward any particular country, nor does it relate to current international events.

The United States is providing F-35 jets capable of carrying conventional or nuclear weapons, refueling planes and other support aircraft. Finland and Poland are sending fighter jets. Electronic warfare equipment and reconnaissance and intelligence systems will also be used.

A big part of the exercise will focus on protecting nuclear weapons on the ground, said Col. Daniel Bunch, Chief of NATO Nuclear Operations at the alliances military headquarters in Mons, Belgium.

Bunch said there are a variety of different threats that we assess and that we must defend against because these are highly protected assets that require the utmost security and safety.

Asked whether drones are a particular concern given the recent incidents, notably near military facilities in Belgium and Denmark, he said: Drones are not a new threat to us. Drones are something we understand.

The more frequent incursions are something were obviously keeping an eye on, Bunch acknowledged, but he added: Ultimately, were going to stay one step ahead of the adversary.

The Washington Summit declaration agreed by the alliances leaders last year states that the fundamental purpose of NATOs nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression.

As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance, it said.

James Stokes, the head of NATOs Nuclear Policy Directorate told reporters that despite the Kremlins continued and heated rhetoric the allies havent seen any change in Russias nuclear posture recently.

He underlined that Russia is not a focus of the exercise, but said that NATO continues to monitor Russian military activities, including its use of dual-capable missiles in Ukraine, which could be fitted to carry nuclear warheads.
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Poland has offered Ukraine a lifeline of generators, additional electricity, and access to its LNG terminal, as Russia intensifies its bombardment of the country's energy infrastructure.

The pledge from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski follows recent Russian strikes that plunged large parts of Kyiv into darkness, leaving an estimated 600,000 households temporarily without power across Ukraine on Friday.

Speaking during a visit to Lviv, Mr Sikorski outlined Poland's commitment to supporting its eastern neighbour.

He affirmed: "Generators, extra electricity supplies, accelerated construction of power connections between Ukraine and Poland, and of course, our LNG terminal in Swinoujscie is at your disposal."

He condemned the attacks as a deliberate tactic, adding: "This is another escalation, because we know why it's being carried out. It's meant to intimidate people ahead of winter."

In August, Polish refiner Orlen said it aimed to keep supplying 100 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas every month to Ukraine after having already delivered 430 mcm this year.

open image in gallery More than 200,000 people were left without power in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region after Russia's overnight attack on the energy system, local governor Oleh Syniehubov said ( REUTERS )

The liquefied fuel is imported from the United States to the terminal in Swinoujscie and shipped across Poland to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the Russian attack on Friday was one of the largest concentrated strikes against energy facilities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as a cynical and calculated operation, carried out using over 450 drones and more than three dozen missiles.

Around 110,000 consumers were without power on Friday morning in the Kyiv region, governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

open image in gallery Russia has continued to target key energy infrastructure across Ukraine ahead of winter ( UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE/AFP )

The attack also damaged energy infrastructure in the central region of Poltava, where around 17,000 consumers were without power, according to local officials.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said its thermal power plants had suffered significant damage in the attack but did not immediately provide further details.
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A deal for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian captives has been met with celebration in both Israel and Gaza, where it is widely seen as a breakthrough that signals an end to the war.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to the initial terms of a deal which promises at least a ceasefire, if not a permanent end to the conflict. But it leaves questions over his political future, which has largely hinged on continuing the war in Gaza.

Analysts have argued that Netanyahu prolonged the war as a tactic to remain in power, given the likelihood that he would lose a future election. Critics also say the war has served as a distraction and delay to the long-running corruption case against him, which Netanyahu has denounced as a witch hunt, consistently and vehemently denying any wrongdoing.

Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving leader, faced widespread near-weekly protests in the year before the war began in October 2023 over his controversial plans for judicial reform, and the International Criminal Court has since issued a warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

open image in gallery Israelis in Tel Aviv celebrate the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace deal ( AP )

These risks havent diminished, Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, told Al Jazeera. You need to remember, [Donald] Trump is not like [Joe] Biden. Netanyahu cant rely on all his friends in the Republican Party to try to circumvent the president. That leverage has all gone. If Trump wants to, hes in a position to make life very difficult for Netanyahu  and Netanyahu knows that.

Since the beginning of the war, Netanyahu has been determined to achieve his stated goal of total victory over Hamas while appeasing his coalition government, on which his political career depends. But Netanyahu had to counteract that by doing enough not to alienate his Western allies, particularly the US, whose military and diplomatic backing has been crucial for Israels war effort.

Netanyahu has, however, faced international condemnation over his conduct of the war, which has been catastrophic for Palestinians. Yet despite the challenges he faces both at home and abroad, he has managed to claw back some points in opinion polls in Israel. According to reports, he maintains a solid core of voters among the ultra-Orthodox Jews and settler populations, and surveys show the Israeli public has generally shifted to the right since the 7 October attacks two years ago.

open image in gallery Netanyahu addressing an almost empty UN General Assembly last month after delegates staged a mass walkout ( Getty )

Critics noted that pre-war demonstrations focused largely on issues affecting Jewish Israelis, while overlooking the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. Similarly, the current protests calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza have drawn scrutiny for their limited attention to the humanitarian crisis and suffering faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

Netanyahus government is propped up by far-right factions that are not only determined to eliminate Hamas and prolong the conflict in Gaza, but also strongly oppose any moves toward a two-state solution.

Lets not assume this is the overall end of war and the overall end of Netanyahus war leader mantle, Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project and a former peace negotiator who worked with previous Israeli prime ministers, told The Independent.

He suggested that even if the fighting in Gaza ends, the broader conflict is far from over. He highlighted ongoing Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon, and pointed to Iran as the next major issue on the horizon. He also warned that Israel is likely to continue military operations, especially in the West Bank, where its actions have become increasingly destructive.

We may well see the West Bank paying an even bigger price for this, said Mr Levy, noting that this is partly driven by political pressure from within Netanyahus coalition, including hard-right figures such as Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Mitchell Barak, an Israeli pollster and former political aide to senior Israeli figures, including Netanyahu, said he believed that the government was nearing its end, but he did not expect an immediate collapse given that the opposition supports the peace plan put forward by Trump, according to a report by Reuters.

Israels opposition leader, Yair Lapid, offered to lend the government support to prevent it from collapsing in order to see through Trumps plan. On Sunday, Lapid said Netanyahu could agree to an election date, offering insurance from what he called the prime ministers extremist and irresponsible partners.

open image in gallery Children celebrate at a camp in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, following news of a ceasefire deal ( AFP/Getty )

Mr Levy is sceptical of what the ceasefire deal will mean in reality for the Palestinians, and the crucial question remains of whether Hamas will agree to give up its weapons.

Netanyahu may try to use a potential hostage deal to boost his political standing, framing it as a personal success despite criticism. He could head into Israels next elections  which must be held by October 2026  campaigning as the leader who defeated Hamas and brought the hostages home, Mr Levy suggested. He added that the deal could be presented in such a way as to prove he succeeded without major concessions, such as a full Gaza withdrawal.

If that doesnt work, he will say, Look, Hamas isnt going to disarm. I will have an excuse to go back on to a forward military footing the resumption of some military activity which could then escalate in Gaza is a very reasonable scenario, Mr Levy said.

The other crucial thing is that the same narrative media consent mechanisms for generating support for a war will still be in place in Israel, including the weakness of the opposition, in terms of offering any robust alternative. So Netanyahu has quite a bit going for him. Maybe he wont be able to hold a coalition together, but he will try.
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Tony Blair has been propelled to the forefront of US peace efforts for the Israel-Hamas war, a move that highlights his controversial Middle East legacy, particularly his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Yet, in Kosovo, he is revered as a hero. As prime minister, Blair, alongside then-US President Bill Clinton, played a pivotal role in forming an international coalition. This group conducted 1999 airstrikes to end Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on independence-seeking ethnic Albanians.

Blair's popularity in Kosovo soared post-war, even leading to a new boys' name: Tonibler, the phonetic Albanian spelling of his name.

Tonibler Gashi, a 24-year-old medical student in Pristina, expressed pride in his name. He said: "My parents wanted to symbolize the state of gratitude and respect towards the great man who, without him  we wouldn't be here talking Albanian in Kosovo."

But whether Blair's success in Kosovo can be replicated in Gaza's vastly more complex and volatile environment remains deeply contested.

The Gaza ceasefire plan

U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza would see Blair potentially leading a transitional international authority, the "Board of Peace," that would be chaired by Trump himself and would govern the Palestinian territory. The proposed body would combine international expertise, technocrats, U.N. officials and Palestinian representatives, and would function under a U.N. mandate.

open image in gallery Tony Blair greets British troops in Pristina ( AP/David Brauchli )

It aims to oversee reconstruction, security, humanitarian relief, and the groundwork for more permanent governance structures.

Criticism from Palestinians, Arab states, and international legal scholars focus on Blair's controversial past, especially his backing of the Iraq War. They have also voiced concerns over sovereignty, citing fears that the transitional authority could sideline Palestinian agency.

In a breakthrough on Thursday, Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Blair is no stranger to the Middle East. He spent eight years serving as the Mideast Quartet's envoy, working to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians, before stepping down in 2015. His resignation was seen as a reflection of the dire state of peace efforts that further deteriorated under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

A defining moment for Kosovo in 1998-99

In Kosovo, Blair and Clinton spearheaded a 78-day NATO airstrikes campaign that forced Milosevic to pull his troops out and cede control of what was then a province of Serbia to the United Nations and NATO. More than 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died during the 1998-99 war.

"The fight for Kosovo was not only for Kosovo but for all of us, including my own country, who believe that freedom and justice are worth standing up for and if necessary, fighting for," Blair said in June 2024, on the 25th anniversary of the war's end.

Many Kosovars associate Blair with military intervention that stopped mass atrocities and see him as one the strongest Western leaders advocating for political efforts for Kosovo's plight. He is also admired for his support of Kosovo's postwar reconstruction and institution-building.

A United Nations Mission in Kosovo, or UNMIK, first led by French diplomat Bernard Kouchner, governed Kosovo until 2008 when it declared independence. The United States and most of the West recognize Kosovo's independence, but not Serbia or its allies Russia and China.

open image in gallery Tony Blair greets ethnic Albanians in central Pristina, Kosovo ( AP/David Brauchli )

Some in Kosovo express admiration for Blair's work in the Balkan country and cautious optimism that his experience might serve Gaza well.

"I would ask him to be as straightforward and as much respectful for the humanitarian cause of Gaza as he was to us," said Gashi, the medical student named after the former British prime minister.

Bashkim Fazliu, of the We Remember Tony Blair Foundation, said that without Blair's leadership, "we would simply disappear, vanish from Kosovo." The foundation was created in 2023 when Blair's statue was raised in the southern town of Ferizaj, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Pristina.

A square in Ferizaj was also named Tony Blair.

Many streets, squares or busts have been named or raised for Clinton and then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, too.

"So probably this is the last piece that he wants to solve in the world. And, I believe that he can, if he will have this opportunity," said Fazliu.

Parallels, differences, and key challenges

In both Kosovo and the proposed Gaza plan, there is strong emphasis on international involvement in stopping atrocities, protecting civilians, rebuilding infrastructure, and laying foundations for lasting governance.

Blair is, nevertheless, a polarizing figure in the Arab world. Skepticism is high about whether external leadership under him might be seen as paternalistic or as undermining Palestinian self-determination.

open image in gallery Tony Blair shakes hands with KLA leader Hashim Thasi ( AP/Visar Kryeziu )

Vlora Citaku, a former diplomat representing Kosovo at the U.N., considered Blair "the best suited person" to help lead the postwar transition in Gaza.

"Mr. Blair has something that leadership in the world today lacks and needs: courage and empathy," she said.

Veton Surroi, a Kosovar politician who was part of the 1999 peace talks that ended the war, said Blair's role in Gaza should resemble that of Kouchner's in Kosovo, "as someone who continuously develops relationships within the society that will move that society towards more responsibility."

"I wish that Tony Blair had the same depth and the same commitment in Gaza as he has had in Kosovo," he said.
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A ceasefire to end military operations in Gaza and allow for the return of hostages came into effect on Friday after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of US president Donald Trumps plan to end the war in Gaza.

Israels military withdrew to an agreed-upon line, making way for thousands of displaced Palestinians to make the long journey north towards abandoned homes in Gaza City, which had been under attack just days ago in one of Israels biggest offensives of the war.

The ceasefires implementation, taking effect from midday local time (10am UK time), gives Hamas 72 hours to release all hostages, alive and dead. These crucial agreements are the start of a potential road to peace. But the fragile accord is not yet set in stone.

Hamas now has until 12pm local time on Monday to release the hostages. Israel will have to release some 1,700 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. It is still not clear when exactly the release will take place, or where.

The ceasefire should also pave the way for unrestricted aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. But it was also unclear whether this was happening as of Friday. The ceasefire itself brought further confusion, as Israeli continued to strike Gaza through the early morning.

Broader problems remain. It is not clear who exactly will run Gaza if and when the fighting stops. Israel will not leave holes in its security, and Hamas will have to agree to its own effective dissolution in Gaza.

open image in gallery Israel and Hamas have agreed to part of the proposed peace agreement, but strikes continued into Thursday ( AP )

Returning the hostages

Israel has now completed the initial stage of its withdrawal to agreed lines within Gaza, giving Hamas the space to prepare to move the hostages for their release.

This does not guarantee peace will endure. The IDF said on Friday that troops in the Southern Command were still deployed and would continue to remove any immediate threat.

Hamas has 72 hours to release the living hostages. Sources until now had given different estimates on when this would take effect. On Thursday, Trump said all remaining hostages would be released on Monday or Tuesday.

Israel says there are 48 hostages still in Gaza, and 20 are believed to still be alive. Sources told CNN that the Israeli government is aware that Hamas may not know the location of, or is unable to retrieve, the remains of some of the 28 deceased hostages still in Gaza.

One complication for Hamas is that freeing the hostages leaves them without leverage in negotiations. If Hamas frees its captives and lays down its weapons, it relies on good faith and the commitment of foreign parties to ensure the terms are upheld.

Dr Andreas Krieg, associate professor of defence studies at Kings College London, told The Independent: Trust is thin after months of failed efforts and violence during talks. Continued strikes while delegations are in Egypt make it harder to trigger a day and hour for the ceasefire to start. Any lethal incident before Friday could prompt one side to pause, insist on new safeguards or walk back consent.

Negotiators are still working through the order of steps on a first phase that ties a ceasefire to an initial Israeli pullback and a hostage-prisoner exchange. If either side questions who moves first, or if names on the exchange lists cannot be verified in time, implementation will slip.

open image in gallery The Israeli military will withdraw to an agreed line as part of the ceasefire ( TruthSocial/RealDonaldTrump )

Support for the agreement

Israel's government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza.

A majority of Israelis now say that the time has come to end the war. But they disagree on whether the main goal of the war should be to bring home the hostages or to vanquish Hamas, according to a recent poll. Netanyahu faces similar pressure in the Knesset.

In theory, Trumps plan should answer both concerns. It draws a roadmap for immediately returning the hostages still in Gaza, and by removing Hamas from power, it should win support from the right.

In practice, the politics remain fractured. While lawmakers on both sides of the Knesset voiced support, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said his far-right Religious Zionist party would not back the plan, warning against releasing Palestinians held in Israeli prisons he described as the next generation of terrorist leaders, who will do everything to continue spilling rivers of Jewish blood.

In January, a vote did manage to overcome opposition from the far right to secure an armistice and the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Crucially, negotiations on moving to stage two did not occur until after stage one was planned to expire. Fighting resumed in March. A temporary truce in November 2023 also lasted just a week before collapsing.

Ousting Hamas does not guarantee watertight security, and those in Israel will still need tangible assurances that peace will not only be immediate but lasting.

Dr Krieg said: The agreement is not yet over the line politically in Israel. It still requires security-cabinet and then full cabinet approval, and at least one senior coalition figure has already signalled opposition. A late revolt by hardliners or a demand to amend the text would push the timetable back.

External politics add risk, he added. The United States is pushing for quick progress, but Israeli coalition dynamics, as well as internal debates within Hamas, can still trump mediator timelines. Even with public endorsements from Western leaders, last-minute domestic pressures can slow a deal that looks close on paper.

open image in gallery People dance in Tel Aviv as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan ( AP )

What comes after Hamas?

The original plan describes a transitional government  technocratic and apolitical  managing the overall running of Gaza, overseen by an international body called the Board of Peace.

Ultimately, the interim government could be replaced by the Palestinian Authority, subject to certain reforms. Questions remain around the future of a Palestinian state. More enduring questions around Palestinian sovereignty are also not spelled out.

Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, said that he hoped the ceasefire would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution, leading to the establishment of an independent state.

The form this takes will matter across the border. In 2012, 61 per cent of Israelis supported two states. Now, around one in five do.

Hamas has also suggested it would retain a role in negotiations over the long-term future of Gaza. This leaves space for future disagreement  though, again, Hamas will have little leverage after releasing the remaining hostages.

open image in gallery Israeli tanks parked in a staging area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel ( AP )

Details on the groups disarmament are still lacking. In the past, Hamas has said it would only disarm once a Palestinian state had been secured. Over the weekend, Netanyahu said Hamas would be disarmed and Gaza demilitarised either the easy way or the hard way.

Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces would remain in Gaza to pressure Hamas until the Palestinian militant group disarms.

The deal marks a significant milestone, yet it falls short of ending the conflict, Dr Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said. Sustaining a ceasefire will demand constant vigilance, confidence-building and the continued engagement of the US, UK and their allies. The ceasefire may have been won, but the hard work of building the peace is far from done.

This will require both sides to make difficult  and in Hamass case, existential  compromises.

Mark Wallace, former US ambassador to the UN, told The Independent that the agreement had the potential to be transformational. But the challenges ahead lie in the greatest reconstruction effort certainly since Kuwait, if not the Second World War.

And, of course, what does the governance look like that is sustainable and peaceful? he said.

open image in gallery Palestinians walk past the rubble following Israeli forces' withdrawal from the area, after Israel and Hamas agreed on the Gaza ceasefire in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip ( REUTERS )

Fragile optimism

The people of Israel and Gaza have a long memory of conflict, and there are few alive today who remember a period of enduring peace.

Trumps plan to end the war is not the first. Foreign onlookers have submitted numerous drafts in recent months, hoping to learn from and overcome the failures of past truces.

Dr Ozcelik told The Independent: There is much the deal does not address  an ambiguity likely designed to preserve Israels operational flexibility.

In the first stage, success will depend on the return of all Israeli hostages and the release of agreed Palestinian prisoners. Over the longer term, the process is set to grow more fraught, with milestones such as the demilitarisation of Hamas posing a major test, which Israel regards as pivotal to the pace and sequencing of its phased withdrawal.

Any breach, or claims of one, could swiftly unravel the ceasefire, providing grounds for a renewed cycle of violence.
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One week into the Gaza ceasefire and there is still not enough aid going into the north of the war-torn enclave, with infectious diseases spiralling out of control, humanitarian organisations have warned.

Around 560 metric tons of food have entered the Gaza Strip per day since the US-brokered ceasefire came into effect last Friday, but levels in the first week have been described as a trickle  not the flood needed. UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher has said thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle widespread malnutrition, homelessness and a collapse of infrastructure.

Aid groups now face growing uncertainty over crossing closures and administrative challenges as queues of trucks amass at the southern border. They have also not been allowed to bring food and medicine in through the major Rafah crossing, which has largely remained closed since the conflict erupted in 2023.

Israel threatened to keep the crossing shut and reduce aid this week, accusing Hamas of returning the bodies of hostages too slowly. On the first day of the ceasefire, more than 500 aid trucks entered Gaza, Israel said. But in a major setback, Israels military aid agency COGAT this week said it would halve the number allowed in from 600 daily to 300.

open image in gallery Trucks carrying aid line up at the Rafah crossing amid uncertainty about deliveries into Gaza ( Reuters )

With Gazas civilian population still facing hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that they were working in a narrow window of opportunity to scale up deliveries as others said millions of pounds worth of aid was sitting in warehouses waiting to go in.

The issue is particularly impacting northern Gaza, where aid convoys are struggling to reach famine-hit areas. Around 950 trucks entered south and central Gaza on Thursday via the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings with Israel, the UNs humanitarian coordination agency said, citing figures from Israels military aid agency COGAT presented to mediators.

But the WFP said it had not begun distributions in Gaza City, pointing to the continued closure of two border crossings, Zikim and Erez, with Israel in the north of the enclave where the humanitarian debacle is most acute.

Oxfam said on Friday it has more than $2.5m worth of lifesaving aid sitting in warehouses outside Gaza and ready to distribute.

open image in gallery Gaza has been devastated by two years of war, but aid is still struggling to get in despite a fragile ceasefire ( AP )

Bushra Khalidi, Oxfams policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza, said: Right now, a trickle of aid is entering Gaza, when what is needed is a flood. The ceasefire promised access to aid organisations, yet many international NGOs with decades of experience remain blocked from entering and doing their jobs.

Multiple aid groups say that bureaucracy is proving an obstacle in delivering the aid to where it is most needed.

In March, Israel announced a registration process for all humanitarian organisations working in the Palestinian territories. Any groups seen to be delegitimising Israel, or employing someone who has called for a boycott of Israel in the last seven years, could lose their authorisation to operate.

Milena Murr, spokesperson for aid group Mercy Corps, told The Independent it was exploring every possible avenue to scale up their response.

However, we continue to face bureaucratic challenges linked to the interim period of the re-registration process, which has not been implemented as initially envisioned, she said. While these administrative barriers persist, our teams continue to focus on service delivery and will be prepared to move lifesaving assistance into Gaza and distribute it the moment access is granted.

open image in gallery Food prices have shot up as the agreement struck last week shows signs of failing ( AP )

Israeli officials said Israel decided to slow aid and delay plans to reopen the border with Egypt because Hamas had been too slow to turn over the remains of dead hostages  an issue that has placed enormous strain on the ceasefire this week.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire deal about the return of hostages bodies.

Food prices in Gaza have meanwhile shot up amid fears the ceasefire will not hold, after coming down last week in anticipation of an armistice.

But food is not the only concern. With medical centres woefully under-supplied, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that infectious diseases in the enclave were spiralling out of control.

Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the UNs health body, told the AFP news agency that there was a mammoth amount of work to do to tackle surging health conditions including meningitis and respiratory illnesses.

open image in gallery Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced from their homes by the war ( AP )

Balkhy stressed the urgent need for fuel, food, medical equipment, medications, medics and doctors in Gaza, with the enclaves health system decimated by two years of bombardment. Only 13 of 36 hospitals are even partially functioning despite the cessation of hostilities.

With outbreaks of violence in Gaza in the last week there are fears that there may only be a limited time to deliver the support needed before the ceasefire fails.

Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for the WFP, said: The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance.

The WFP was able to get some 560 tons of food per day on average into Gaza, she said on Friday, but some areas were still unreachable. The UN has a further 190,000 metric tons of aid waiting and ready to go in.

Etefa said access to the north, including Gaza City, was extremely challenging, and that convoys were struggling to navigate damaged or blocked roads from the south.

open image in gallery Palestinians are still awaiting news that aid groups can bring food and essentials through the Rafah crossing ( AP )

Then there is the ongoing issue of the Rafah crossing, which had been due to reopen but has yet to do so. COGAT said this was being coordinated between Israel and Egypt in accordance with the ceasefire deal. But a date has still not been set and even when it reopens it will only allow for the movement of people across the border, not aid.

It should be emphasised that humanitarian aid will not pass through the Rafah Crossing, a COGAT spokesperson said. This was never agreed upon at any stage. Humanitarian aid continues to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing and additional crossings following Israeli security inspection, in full compliance with the signed agreement.

The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to uphold its commitment to the agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.
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World leaders, diplomatic insiders, and much of the media are celebrating a ceasefire in Gaza calling it a peace deal and endorsing President Donald Trumps now unsuccessful campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize.

After the release of all the living Israeli hostages by Hamas, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset cheered the arrival of the US president in Israel, heaping platitude after platitude on him, claiming that his election meant that overnight, everything changed.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio insisted the turning point came when Trump convened meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.

The president had some extraordinary phone calls and meetings that required a high degree of intensity and commitment and made this happen, Rubio said.

As the deal emerged, Trump let it be known that it was his conversations with Netanyahu when he told him, you cant fight the world, Bibi, that also played a part.

Yet even Trump himself seemed to acknowledge that it wasnt all just down to the art of the deal when he said: So many different things happened that were so amazing. Its a lot of talent involved, Ill tell you. But there was a certain degree of luck, too. You know, you need luck also. There is such a thing as luck.

open image in gallery Trump said there was a lot of talent and luck involved in the peace deal ( AP )

The Knesset lifted up the prospect of the Nobel peace prize again. The most detailed argument for The Donald to get the Norwegian gong came from an Israeli hostage negotiator who said it was only the current US president who could have delivered on a deal that was on the desk of his predecessor a year ago.

On the face of it, Gershon Baskins revelations, which he published on social media, show that Trump succeeded where Joe Biden failed.

This deal could have been done a long time ago, he wrote. Hamas agreed to all of the same terms in September 2024. But at that point the response of the Israeli negotiators was that the prime minister did not agree to end the war.

That Netanyahu refused the deal a year ago and that Biden failed to make him take it is not new. But it does reinforce the idea that Biden was weak  and that only Trump could have held Bibis feet to the fire to get him to agree to end the slaughter in Gaza, and to get the remaining hostages, dead and alive, back home.

I met with members of the American negotiating team in October 2024, and they were as frustrated as I was in their inability to convince Biden and Bidens people to look seriously at the deal on the table, said Baskin, who was running back-channel negotiations for the release of hostages with Hamas at the time.

The Independents sources have confirmed that Bidens own staff were deeply frustrated at his refusal to put pressure on Netanyahu to limit his military campaign in Gaza to a few weeks after the October 7 atrocities.

Biden, they said, would not take their advice and sided with Netanyahu.

open image in gallery Benjamin Netanyahu meets Joe Biden in the White House in October 2024 ( AP )

A year later, with much (but not all) of Gaza in ruins, Baskins proposals, thrashed out with the help of Qatar, were getting nowhere in the White House.

Hamas was ready for a deal to release all of the hostages, not to govern Gaza any longer and to end the war. But Israel was not ready, says Baskin.

Exactly.

A year ago, Netanyahu had not seen his military achieve what he wanted from them. The far-right elements of his government want Gaza depopulated so that they can absorb the strip into the Israeli state.

For him, Gaza was not yet flattened enough to meet his tactical aim  which was, and is, the annihilation of any militants ability to attack Israel again for the next couple of decades.

This is not a quest for peace  it is the absence of threat.

Baskin went on to argue that it was clear only the Trump administration could deliver Israeli support for a ceasefire that Hamas had agreed to.

On December 26, 2024, it was clear to me that the only way that the war would come to an end is when President Trump makes the decision that it has to end... The Israeli side would accept whatever Trump forced them to accept.

That last sentence is the argument that underpins the Trump for Nobel argument. It can be true and nonsense at the same time.

Hamas is an extremist organisation that fetishises martyrdom for itself and the population it rules in Gaza. But by October last year it had clearly had enough. It wanted to survive as a movement and had achieved its aim of provoking a clash of civilisations with Israel and forcing the Palestinian issue back onto the world agenda.

open image in gallery Palestinians attempt to return to the north after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on 10 October 2025 ( Reuters )

In September this year, with Trump eight months into office, Baskin says he was getting Hamas close to accepting a ceasefire deal and longer-term peace, but was thwarted when Israel bombed Doha, targeting the chief Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.

That bombing shows that Israel had contempt for Trump. It showed that the US was being played while Israel continued to smash Gaza and the Hamas leadership.

For over a year I believed that if President Trump decides that the war has to end, Trump will force Netanyahu into the agreement. That is exactly what happened.

Really?

A more straightforward view would be that Netanyahu achieved what he set out to do  which is to make the Gaza Strip, home to 2.2 million people, unliveable. At least 80 per cent of its buildings, including all of its hospitals, have been destroyed in what the United Nations has said is a genocide.

Israels prime minister even endorsed Trumps loopy scheme to move Gazans out of Gaza and turn it into a holiday resort.

When the shooting and the bombing stop, Gazans will leave the smoking rubble of their homeland in huge numbers and for ever. That, for Netanyahu, will be a victory in itself and one that he could not guarantee a year ago, but he sure can now.

On top of that, he has headed off a growing global chorus calling for boycotts, disinvestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

Sure, for now, Gazans can stay in Gaza. There will be plans to rebuild it. Gulf autocracies will stump up billions for the effort while Israel blocks most reconstruction efforts in the name of its own security (not unreasonably, as Hamas used building funds to make its network of terror tunnels).

Talks about a future Palestinian state will be protracted, and continue while Israel continues to annex chunks of the West Bank, while the tired and broken masses of Gaza emigrate to anywhere they can live behind four walls, not tent canvas.

"President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize we can breathe again, says Baskin.

Trump has delivered the conditions for what Netanyahu will consider a victory, but the hardest part comes next in determining peace for either Israelis or their nearest neighbours.
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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed next year's train fares are yet to be decided, as the Labour Government prepares to nationalise a third rail company.

Greater Anglia, operated by the Transport UK Group, will be brought into public ownership this Sunday.

The operator, serving Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire, is the seventh of 14 train companies transitioning into public hands, set to form passenger services under Great British Railways, a new public body overseeing Britain's rail infrastructure and operations.

Ms Alexander visited Norwich train station on Thursday, viewing a train with a 'Great British Railways  coming soon' sticker, highlighting the changes.

When asked if fares would go up, she responded: I havent made a decision about fares for next year.

I am very conscious that the travelling public want an affordable railway and an affordable public transport system more generally.

At the moment we spend over 10 billion per year of taxpayers money on investing and maintaining the infrastructure, the tracks, the signalling on the railways.

Theres a gap of about 2 billion as well each year between the money that comes in through fare revenue and the day-to-day running costs of the trains.

I need to get the balance right between the contribution that farepayers are making and what (contribution) the taxpayer is making.

So I cant promise that fares are going to come down but Im acutely aware that people want to get value for money.

open image in gallery Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander during a visit to Norwich train station in Norfolk, to mark the transfer of Greater Anglia's services into the public ownership of Great British Railways, under the Labour government's Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 ( PA )

The overall passenger satisfaction rating for Greater Anglia was 89 per cent in the most recent research by watchdog Transport Focus.

This was the joint sixth best performance out of 22 operators.

Ms Alexander described Greater Anglia as one of the best-performing train operating companies in the country.

She said what we really want to do is learn from what Greater Anglia are doing and make sure thats replicated across the rest of the country.

She said that she was absolutely determined that when we bring the train operating companies into public ownership that the first thing weve got to do is make sure weve got more reliability on the railways.

Martin Beable, managing director of Greater Anglia said: By working more closely with the wider family of publicly owned operators, we can share expertise, drive innovation, and deliver even better journeys for our passengers across the Anglia region.

open image in gallery Train fare rises are a controversial issue ( PA )

South Western Railway became the first operator brought into public ownership by the Labour Government in May.

This was followed by c2c, which runs services between London Fenchurch Street and south Essex, in July.

They joined Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern and LNER, which were nationalised under the Conservative government because of performance failings by the former owners of those franchises.

West Midlands Trains services will be the next to be nationalised on 1 February, 2026.

Govia Thameslink Railways (GTR) services will follow on 31 May, 2026, with Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railways services expected to follow later, with final decisions yet to be made on dates.
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President Donald Trumps administration has commenced airing a video at airports nationwide, directly attributing blame to Democrats for the ongoing nine-day government shutdown, which has already led to considerable flight delays.

The shutdown has left approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers working without pay, though they are still required to report for duty.

A partial paycheck for work completed before the shutdown is anticipated next week.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the videos broadcast across US airports.

In the footage, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem states: "Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay."

This comes as Democratic lawmakers have rejected a Republican bill offering temporary government funding, citing its failure to include provisions for subsidising health insurance for low-income Americans.

open image in gallery The video features Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay ( AP )

Fox News originally reported that the video was being shown at airports.

There have been more than 20,000 flight delays in the US since Monday, including 4,600 on Thursday, with thousands tied to the FAA delaying flights because of air traffic controller absences.

Republican and Democratic leaders both blame the other side for the shutdown, which started October 1 after Congress failed to approve new spending legislation.

"Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans, and the clearer it becomes whos fighting for them," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said.

open image in gallery There have been more than 20,000 flight delays in the US since Monday, including 4,600 on Thursday, with thousands tied to the FAA delaying flights because of air traffic controller absences ( Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images )

The TSA said wait times for airport security remain low, and that on Wednesday, it screened about 2.4 million people with an average wait time in standard screening of 6.28 minutes.

Many government agencies have posted banner messages on their websites blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as workers missed paychecks, extending checkpoint wait times at some airports.

Authorities then were forced to slow air traffic in New York, which put pressure on lawmakers to quickly end the standoff.
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Donald Trump's administration has proposed an order banning Chinese airlines from flying through Russian airspace on routes to and from the US.

The move is yet another escalation in the trade war between the world's two largest economies after Beijing on Thursday tightened controls for rare earths exports crucial for some US industries.

Russian airspace remains off-limits for many Western airlines and flag-carriers. Russia barred American airlines from using its airspace in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the US in March 2022 after Vladimir Putin's forces invaded Ukraine.

For some routes served by Chinese airlines, flying directly through Russian airspace reduces flight time and saves fuel costs. The US Transportation Department said on Thursday that this puts American carriers at a competitive disadvantage. American Airlines have long criticised the decision to allow Chinese carriers to fly over Russia for this reason.

Chinese airlines have largely continued to operate without costly rerouting, and have been using this advantage to increase market share compared to non-Chinese carriers on international routes.

The US Transportation Department said on Thursday in its proposed order that the current situation was "unfair and has resulted in substantial adverse competitive effects on US air carriers".

It proposes applying the overflight restriction to US-issued foreign air carrier permits, but this would not apply to cargo-only flights.

The Transportation Department's decision could affect some US flights operated by Air China, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines and China Southern. The order did not name Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific, which overflies Russia on its New York to Hong Kong route, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.

Some US carriers have told the Trump administration that direct East Coast flights to China are not economically feasible if they do not fly over Russia. In some cases, carriers must leave some seats open and reduce cargo because of the increased flight length.

The announcement comes as Mr Putin admitted that his countrys air defences were responsible for shooting down an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, killing 38. Mr Putin claims his air defence units were targeting a Ukrainian drone when they accidentally hit the passenger plane as it was preparing to land in Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya.

The proposal to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace on US routes comes amid disagreements between Beijing and Washington over a series of economic issues.

Boeing is in talks to sell as many as 500 jets to China, which would represent a major breakthrough for the company in the world's second-largest aviation market, where orders have stalled amid US-China trade tensions.

President Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are expected to hold a face-to-face meeting in South Korea at the end of October. The Transportation Department is giving Chinese carriers two days to respond to its proposal and said a final order could be in effect as soon as November.

In 2023, the Joe Biden administration approved additional flights by Chinese carriers after they agreed not to fly over Russia on new routes, Reuters reported.

Last year, the Transportation Department said Chinese passenger airlines could boost weekly round-trip US flights to 50 but opted not to add more flights after pressure from US unions and airlines.

More than 150 weekly round-trip passenger flights were allowed by each side before restrictions were imposed in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Gaza, waiting has become a way of life. For two years, it felt as though time itself had frozen on 7 October 2023, only to resume just yesterday. The days in between blurred together  heavy, indistinct, almost dreamlike  until that final night, when the air finally shifted and time seemed to move again.

For days, we clung to our phones, tracking every rumour, every update about the talks in Egypt. The word ceasefire echoed through conversations with both longing and suspicion. Do you really think it will happen this time? a neighbour asked.

Waiting in Gaza is far from passive; it is lived through fear, through loss, through the hum of drones and the thud of explosive-laden armoured personnel carriers (APCs). Each hour brings another headline  and too often, many lives lost.

open image in gallery Loud cheers rang out following the Gaza peace deal announcement ( AFP via Getty Images )

For two years, Gaza has been living through a nightmare that no one should have to endure. Entire families have been wiped out. Hunger and disease have spread through shelters and streets alike, claiming lives silently. Universities, hospitals, schools  all have turned to dust. Yet amid all this, we have not stopped imagining a different tomorrow.

Those who had to evacuate to the south have been calling relentlessly  friends, relatives, colleagues. They ask about us, about Gaza City, about their homes that now lie in ruins. They dream of returning north once a ceasefire is announced. Some have even tried to return, despite the danger  a journey so cruel it strips the word home of meaning. Meanwhile, those of us still here  in Gaza City and the north  hold on to the same hope, but for the opposite reason: that a ceasefire might spare us from being forced to evacuate south.

Life in the north has become incredibly difficult. Israeli tanks are mere hundreds of metres from my home. A collapse in the talks could mean they gradually move into our neighbourhood, where several apartment buildings have been levelled by bombing campaigns in recent days. Yet even here, people hold on to the smallest fragments of hope.

Weeks ago, loud cheers rang out across neighbourhoods and tent-filled camps. For a moment, many believed the war had ended. It was, in fact, a collective act of anticipation  rehearsing joy for the moment when a ceasefire might finally be declared. But the celebration faded as quickly as it began, and the familiar silence of dread returned.

Then came Wednesday 8 October. At 7.22pm, the cheers rose again  this time with real promise. News spread that negotiations in Egypt were progressing and that an agreement might be announced within hours. From my window, I watched neighbours clapping, whistling, shouting. After nearly two years of drones, sirens and explosions, the sound of joy felt almost foreign.

That evening, my family gathered in the living room, glued to our phones, debating every report. A typical Gazan family discussion: political theories, hopes, fears. We imagined the announcement by 9pm, but the hours stretched on.

I went to bed exhausted, still hoping to wake up to a quieter dawn. At 2.20am, my phone buzzed. A message from my brother: Its done. Theyve reached an agreement.

I jumped up, fumbling with my phone, switching between radio stations to confirm. When the words finally came through, I froze. Joy and disbelief intertwined. Two years of endless days had blurred together, filled with mourning and displacement. For a fleeting moment, my body caught up to a reality my mind couldnt yet grasp.

In the morning, the house was alive with cautious whispers and smiles. We hugged one another, repeating the news as if saying it aloud would make it real. But here in Gaza, weve learned that the final hours before a ceasefire are always the most dangerous  when the sky seems angriest and the bombs fall heaviest, as if punishing us for daring to hope. A few hours later, reports came in that 25 people had already been killed, a stark reminder that real change can arrive only slowly, and that the cost of waiting is still counted in lives.

open image in gallery Children in Gaza celebrating at a camp for displaced people in Nuseirat, on the Gaza Strip, following news of a new Gaza ceasefire deal ( AFP via Getty Images )

I stepped outside to see my neighbours. Faces carried hesitant smiles. Children ran through alleys, shouting Ceasefire! as if the word itself could heal wounds. Messages from friends and students poured in, celebrating that we had made it through. Despite the rubble, the grief and the exhaustion, a quiet relief hung in the air. We needed this pause, however fragile.

Yet even this pause carries the same familiar sounds. The drones have not left the sky; they hover constantly, their hum sinking into every thought and dream. The explosions may be fewer, but booms still ripple through the day. Here in Gaza, silence never truly arrives. Even in moments that promise calm, the air hums with reminders that war lingers above us.

This morning, as I walked through the streets, I heard someone say, Lets hope this one lasts. And I realised that here, hope is not naive. Its a reserved act of survival.

If this ceasefire truly holds, it cannot undo what we have lost. But it offers something invaluable  a chance to breathe again, to gather strength and to imagine life beyond the ruins.

Now is the time for the world to reclaim its humanity  to help Gaza not merely survive, but to rebuild: to restore its universities, schools, hospitals and homes; to heal the deep wounds of war; to secure the future our children deserve; and to ensure that reparations begin without delay.
Profits reduced despite revenues increasing by 2pc

Revenues at the five-star luxury Ashford Castle resort in Co Mayo last year increased to 32m on the back of ultra high net worth guests booking the likes of the hotels Presidential Suite that can cost up to 7,250 per night.
From left, Pat Gunne, chief executive at 3RE, Deborah Kelleher, director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and Carmel Logan, partner and head of real estate at KPMG

The final deadline is approaching for entries to the KPMG Irish Independent Property Industry Excellence Awards 2025, with submissions closing this Friday, October 10.

Now in its tenth year, the awards are recognised as the premier platform for celebrating achievement across the Irish property sector. Since launch in 2015, they have shone a spotlight on the people, projects and organisations driving progress in this vital industry.
Embattled wind energy giant Orsted to lay off 2,000 people

Danish firm has been shoring up the business and will now focus on its development plans in Europe

William Pettitt of Orsted at the EEW wind turbine manufacturing facility in New Jersey. Photo: Washington Post

John Mulligan Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Danish wind energy giant Orsted is laying off 2,000 people from its 8,000-strong workforce as it continues a major restructuring prompted by Donald Trumps unprecedented attack on the wind energy sector.
Im paying 1,200 a month, including bills, for my own apartment  Irish people who moved to Portugal compare the cost of living

Is relocating to Portugal a good financial decision? Five Irish people who made the move share how it impacted their finances

Shane Moran moved to Lisbon in 2021

Meadhbh McGrath Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Portugal has become an increasingly attractive destination for Irish people looking to swap their raincoats for a sunnier climate. Its not just holidaymakers, either. According to the Portuguese National Institute of Statistics, there were more than 5,800 Irish citizens residing in the country in 2023.
Carrickmines fire tragedy 10 years on: The pain and suffering was left to the families  its still there

Decade after halting-site blaze, the bereaved say they struggle every day to cope with their grief

From left: Bridget Kelly, Ben Lynch, Ann Marie Cawley, Jonny Lynch and Tammie Lee Cawley hold photos of their loved ones at the 10-year anniversary mass. Photo: Collins

Catherine Fegan and Conor Feehan Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 21:25

It has been 10 years since a devastating fire engulfed a mobile home at a temporary halting site in Carrickmines in south Co Dublin.
Tanya Sweeney: When I moved to London in 1997 it swallowed me whole and spat me out  for todays Irish twentysomethings its so much easier
A woman who is accused of murdering two men asked about taking a boat out on Lough Sheelin, Co Cavan  where the mens bodies were eventually found  the day before the men were last seen alive, a witness has told the Central Criminal Court.
He took the banjo to another level  How TradFest is celebrating Dubliners legend Barney McKenna

Festival unveils host of big names for January concerts including Ralph McTell, Altan and The Dublin Legends

Padraig McKenna, Eibhlin Gallagher, Manus O Baoighill, Ralph McTell, Kieran Hanrahan and Laura Donoghue. Photo: Mark Stedman

Sarah Burke Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

When you talk about the banjo in Irish music, one name always comes up first.
VoteSmart: Take our test to find out whether Catherine Connolly or Heather Humphreys best aligns with your views
Betsy Cornwells dream of living in Ireland becomes a nightmare but her story of rewriting her life in Ring of Salt is a compelling read

We first meet an exhausted 23-year-old Betsy in 2012, when she arrived on Inis Mor from the US trying to forget a man who treated her with grinding ambivalence. She has just finished a masters in creative writing and already has achieved one of her dreams of becoming an author. Other dreams are to leave her abusive father and to spend time in Ireland  although the latter, within a year, will turn into a nightmare.
Mark Keenan: Honouring our dearly departed  with paint, Cif and the carpet man

Estate agents report a big increase in those doing up the homes of their departed loved ones before selling. But its not just about the sale price

Pausing a funeral car outside the home of the deceased is a traditional mark of respect. Photo: Stock image/Getty

Mark Keenan Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

The funeral car, with its procession trail of mourner cars, stops solemnly for one minute outside the home of the deceased before moving on to the church where the funeral mass is to be held.
Palestinian children in Khan Younis celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan. Photo: AP

For two years, the people of Gaza have lived with death and despair. The carnage was unprecedented. The civilians of the enclave paid a pitilessly disproportionate price for the barbarous attack on Israel by Hamas.

With the ceasefire comes a genuine opportunity to secure a historic, transformational peace.

All of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together, and if we are to live together we have to talk. These words were spoken by Eleanor Roosevelt, in a world shattered by war. But they still carry a salutary message for those sitting down to discuss Donald Trumps Gaza plan.

Until now, expectations of breakthroughs were based more on hype than hope.

Humanity demands that a way forward be found. After 67,000 known deaths, failure can not be countenanced.

Yes, it is a tall order to guarantee a truce so that a lasting end to the war can be secured. Yet it is a challenge that must be risen to.

Issues related to the future of Hamas, and what is to be done with its weapons, can be dealt with in time.

But the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza to an agreed line, at last mean there is room for optimism.

There will be no prospect of stability while people starve

But with widespread famine, Israel must urgently allow aid to enter the Strip. There will be no prospect of stability while people starve.

How it will be rebuilt from the ashes  and which countries will be involved  remains an open question. But securing some role for the Palestinian Authority to control the Strip is something Arab countries will insist upon, despite protests from Tel Aviv.

All is possible. For far too long, indiscriminate bloodshed has made a living hell of the enclave.

Vengeance exacted too high a toll.

A cornered rattlesnake will bite itself to sate its fury. States are also capable of great self-harm in the blindness of retribution. Benjamin Netanyahu must not now be allowed to drag his heels, or roll back on military withdrawal. It was pressure from Washington that finally made the Israeli leader realise his country must not become a pariah state.

Gulf nations such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have pledged to donate to the rebuilding of Gaza, as will Europe. Israel may have to accept Arab boots on the ground in its own back yard to secure peace.

The international forces that brought Tel Aviv to the table have to be maintained. Israelis and Palestinians deserve better. Palestine is not a vassal state and has an absolute right to exist.

But after two years of mass displacement and Armageddon-like destruction, there is a pathway to stop the suffering.

The children of Gaza had, until now, lost all grounds for hope. So whether Trump merits a Nobel Peace Prize, to them at least, will matter not a whit.

But if they have a better chance of waking up alive tomorrow, they may again begin to believe in a future.
A man with more than 180 previous convictions committed a string of offences in Mallow  including theft and public order offences  while he was meant to be serving a six-month prison sentence handed down earlier this year from a Kerry court.

John OLeary (34), of no fixed abode but formerly linked to homelessness services in Tralee, appeared before Mallow District Court this week via video link from Cork Prison. He had been remanded in custody for four weeks pending a probation report, which Judge Colm Roberts later described as sad, serious, and depressing.
Alternative measures to divert heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) travelling through the main streets in Mallow have been requested by councillors to help alleviate traffic issues in the town.

The plea was made by Fine Gael councillor Tony OShea at a recent Kanturk-Mallow Municipal District meeting.

Cllr OShea said the issue regarding HGVs has been discussed umpteen times at municipal district meetings. I just want to bring up the issue with traffic within the town. We need to put some plan in place to stop the HGVs going down through the town. I was parked on the Main Street this morning (Thursday, October 9) at 8.45am and two forestry lorries came down through the main street at that time. We need to divert them.

Cllr OShea said heavy goods vehicles have no business going through the main streets in Mallow town. Whether we place a sign at the Park Road junction or somewhere else, but we need to look at the HGVs that have no business going down there through our main street. They only cause consternation. When you look at an artic truck, that is four cars. That is adding to the problems that are already there. Can we trial something by putting signs up saying no HGVs?

I gather it is the sat nav that brings them down, said Cllr OShea. Id say the people that are using know where they are going. They are not strangers. The lorries belong to local businesses. They have no business going down through our main street. I am asking if we can look at trialling something to divert them away from the Main Street?

Can we look at an alternative? I think if the HGVs were taken off the Main Street it would alleviate some of the problems and the waiting times you could be sitting in your car. Granted there are a lot of developments happening in Mallow. Mallow is a fast growing town. If we had one or two signs asking HGVs to turn right. The best solution would be the relief road. What can be done? he queried.

Fianna Fail councillor Gearoid Murphy echoed the sentiments expressed by Cllr OShea. I would like to support Cllr OShea in his call with regard to banning HGVs to the greatest extent possible from the town centre. Obviously local access will always be required.

Cllr Murphy wondered if signs could be installed in certain areas of the town discouraging HGVs from going through Mallow town centre. Is it something we could look at in terms of by-laws? Even a sign saying Not suitable for HGVs even if they are not legally banned or Local access only for HGVs. If there was a way of phrasing the signage to strongly discourage people from doing that.

Billy OSullivan, Senior Executive Engineer with Cork County Council said the only way to stop HGVs going through the town centre is a weight restriction. As part of the Dairygold planning it is proposed to prioritise the Park Road coming out with the West End just to take traffic out of the town centre. The design for that is ongoing between Dairygolds consultants and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to come up with an agreed design solution for the works.

We can look at what signage is there. The only way to stop HGVs is a weight restriction but we might just try to progress the other works first. We will be following it up with Dairygold and TII again, he added.
Midleton could be twinned with the city of McAlester in the US state of Oklahoma, strengthening ties that go back to the 1840s when the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma sent a donation to Ireland during the Famine.

The money raised by the Native American tribal nation was used to support famine relief efforts in Midleton in 1847. To commemorate that donation, a sculpture of nine 20 ft-high stainless steel eagle feathers in the shape of bowl was unveiled in the East Cork towns Bailick Park in the presence of Choctaw tribe members in 2017.

The piece, created by Cork-based sculptor Alex Pentek and commissioned by Midleton Town Council, is called Kindred Spirits although its more commonly known locally as the Feathers. A companion piece called Eternal Hearts was unveiled in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma last year.

In a motion at this weeks meeting of the East Cork Municipal District, Cllr Rory Cocking proposed the twinning, saying it would be appropriate given the shared historical links between the two places.

The Choctaw Nation undertook this donation at a time when native communities were being displaced to reservations in states like Oklahoma. This process of forced travel during the 1830-1850s was known as the Trail of Tears with many suffering from starvation and disease on the journey, the Fine Gael councillor said.

Since being unveiled, Kindred Spirits has proved enormously popular with both local and international visitors. It is has become a centrepiece in Midletons cultural offering and has encouraged the establishment of the sister sculpture in Oklahoma, he said.

Cllr Cocking said he met with the former mayor of McAlester, John Browne, on a recent visit to Ireland and has also been in touch with the public information officer for the city of McAlester.

He spoke of the benefits of a twinning arrangement, whether that be cultural celebrations that showcase Choctaw or Irish traditions, student exchanges that build lasting friendships, tourism promotion that highlights historic ties or community projects that reflect our shared spirit of generosity.

The motion was supported by his fellow councillors and the proposal will now go before Cork County Councils Corporate Policy Group in November as the first step in initiating a twinning process.

McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma and has a population of around 18,000 with 10pc classified as Native Americans. Midleton recorded almost 14,000 inhabitants in the most recent census.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
The new Local Community Safety Partnerships will discuss security in the capital. Photo: Stock image

Twenty nine Dublin city councillors will be excluded from participating in new local policing forums due to incoming changes to the model.

Joint Policing Committees (JPC) are being replaced with the governments new Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSP), which means less of a say from local councillors.

The councils elected representatives had a more pivotal role in the previous system, where all councillors could attend their local JPC.

Under the new model, bodies like the HSE, child protection agency Tusla and resident, community and business groups will be brought in as equal partners, alongside elected representatives and gardai.

However, in the new model, each local area will have a maximum of seven slots for councillors, out of a total of up to 30 places.

For example, the North Central ward of the city, represented by 17 councillors, will now have to exclude 10 councillors from their LCSP.

In total, 29 Dublin city councillors will now no longer be able to attend meetings related to the safety of their local community.

The issue came to a head at Dublin City Councils (DCC) monthly meeting on Monday, when councillors approved the list of representatives nominated for participation in the new forum.

Were being asked by the minister to dismiss nine members of the [Dublin South East] JPC who currently have a right to sit on it, Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said.

In addition to that, a number of statutory agencies, which are already unaccountable to the public, are being given an equal status to elected representatives.

Mr Lacey said there was no way on Earth that an Oireachtas committee would be expected to allow unaccountable public servants to participate as equals in their discussions.

Independent councillor Cieran Perry agreed, saying it was absolutely disgraceful that some very active councillors will no longer be involved in the meetings.

We should be trying to encourage as many elected members to involve themselves in such a serious issue as policing in the city, he said.

The limitations on the amount of councillors who can go on [the LCSP] is ridiculous.

Many more councillors agreed with the sentiment, with Sinn Feins Micheal MacDonncha saying the search for community representatives was futile while excluding councillors from the process.

The community representatives are the elected councillors, were the people who were elected by communities, he said.

In many cases there are no community organisations or community associations in some areas, but there are councillors in every area and they should, as of right, be on these bodies.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Lacey said: I dont mean to be arrogant, but elected representatives are not equal to public service bodies. Youre elected to hold public service bodies to account.

The notion that sitting alongside us as equal partners will be, for example, the HSE, Tusla, or any of these, thats wrong.

Regulations formally establishing 36 LCSPs, at least one in every local authority, came into effect at the end of June. The first meeting of an LCSP took place in Wexford at the end of September.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said LCSPs build upon the good work of JPCs, and bring together a broader range of stakeholders than the old model.

They said the new structure recognised the importance of participation by elected representatives, and that they would remain central to the new partnerships.

Members have now been appointed to 8 Local Community Safety Partnerships. Further members will be appointed in October and November with a view to establishing all Safety Partnerships by the end of the year, they added.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Dublin City Council (DCC) is preparing to rezone tracts of land around the city in order to make space for up to 35,000 additional homes.

It comes in the wake of guidance issued in July to all local authorities by Housing Minister James Browne to reopen and reconfigure their development plans to comply with new housing growth requirements.

Those guidelines request that DCC provides zoning for 49,000 homes out to 2028, up from the 40,000 anticipated when the 2022-2028 development plan was conceived.

The new requirements mean DCCs housing targets are now 8,196 units annually until 2034, and 6,075 per year between 2035 and 2040.

Because the plan was designed with additional housing headroom from the off, council planners said this higher requirement would be able to be accommodated within existing residential zoned land.

But on top of new growth requirements, the department also wants authorities to seek scope for up to 50pc additional provision of housing through further zoning.

On foot of this provision, DCC is aiming to provide space for up to an additional 35,000 homes between 2028 and 2040, according to a presentation from the authoritys planning department last month.

The first of the additional units will be provided in the 77-hectare Baile Bogain (Ballyboggan) master plan, with 8,500 homes planned for the Dublin Industrial Estate and Dublin 7/11 environs.

This change will come before DCC councillors at a meeting next week, with the rezoning expected to be complete in the first quarter of next year.

A further 5,300 homes are also now set to be included in the 52-hectare Kylemore section of the City Edge urban quarter development, a partnership between DCC and South Dublin County Council.

This rezoning is expected to be complete in the first half of 2026.

Beginning at the start of next year, the councils planning department will also undertake a wide-ranging review of the citys 17 Strategic Development Regeneration Areas (SDRAs), which are targeted for large-scale, high-density regenerative development.

Potential SDRAs suggested for review include Jamestown to the north of Finglas, Heuston Station and its environs and council housing sites.

The potential for regeneration and densification of lands in the Docklands and Clongriffin/Belmayne is specifically mentioned.

This review could yield space for an additional 8,000 Dublin homes, planners say.

Land currently designated for employment, enterprise, and heavy employment (Z6 and Z7 zones) in the development plan is also set to be reviewed, with a view to rezoning sections and finding space for a further 2,000 units.

Dublins Lord Mayor Ray McAdam said the final cohort of homes will come out of a broad review of the citys overall development plan.

I dont have the exact percentage, but it certainly will be in excess of the 50pc additionality  we will go above that, he said.

The key thing here is that not only are we responding to the government, but were actually ahead of the curve.

We have the lands, we have the plan, and we have the capacity, and our focus is on delivery, not delay.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Motorhome club say Kerry is losing out on a major revenue stream due to lack of infrastructure

The Pheonix Motorhome Club said Kerry is falling behind big time due to there being no motorhome specific parking areas.

While motorhomes are accommodated every year at campsites and caravan parks across the county, there is no infrastructure specifically tailored to motorhomes.

As club spokesperson, Colin McCarthy, put it: a motorhome is a totally self-contained vehicle and thus requires very little facilities.

All thats required is a place to park and water servicing amenities  toilets, showers, cooking facilities and even electricity hook-ups are all superfluous as all are on board.

We do go as a club to Kerry a lot because we have a good reputation with the GA clubs and rugby clubs and so on. However, when we try to go to Kerry as an individual, like when we want to go to Kenmare or Dingle or Tralee, theres no facilities, said Colin.

We find it very difficult to be paying 45 for a night in a campsite in Kerry when we can go to a motorhome packing area which is provided by Cork County Council in Cobh for 10. Where we have full services, grey and black water, and fresh water and so on. They even have an electric hook up which most of us dont need anyway because we have solar panels and battery banks.

The Cobh five foot way campervan park was built by Cork County Council (CCC) over a decade ago and was further formalised with facilities and parking charges around 2017.

With 30 spaces, each at 10 for 24 hours, the park earned 45,000 for the council last year, boasting an occupancy rate of 60% all year round.

The money generated by the park has been ringfenced for improvements to the immediate surrounding area, including upgrading a playground and maintaining walkways and a nearby gym.

Colin hailed it as highly successful while CCC officer, Padraig Lynch, who oversaw much of the development said it had generated good publicity and business for Cobh.

What weve noticed in the last couple of years is some of the takeaways in Cobh actually do flyer drops in the summer for campervans and its a great news story for Cobh. Tourism is our main industry at the moment and its another facility that we can provide for tourists visiting the town, said Mr Lynch.

The Hub in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, is also a thriving example of a modern campervan park, with online booking and number plate recognition, it contributed an estimated 1.5m to the local economy in the first four years of its operation, starting in 2018.

Key to CCCs success was the enactment of several bylaws to control the parking in area, which being one of the first in Ireland, were inspired by English councils laws.

These laws included allowing only campervans into the park, a maximum stay of 48 hours and minimum return time of 72 hours.

This has given them better legal control over the park and prevented people from taking up permanent residence there.

Other councils have now built similar sites, including at Dungarvan, Co Waterford, and Portumna in Co Galway.

Kerry councillor Jackie Healy-Rae believes Kerry is missing out on a major opportunity and urged Kerry County Council to look at planning a pilot scheme for next summer.

Overall we need to step because we are falling around rapidly when it comes to other local authorities leading on this. Kerry is a tourism county, and we have to live up to that. We have to adapt our facilities and offerings, and constantly evolve with what people want, said he said.

There is over 15 and a half thousand motorhomes in this country and we have to accommodate those people whether it be on short stays or whether theyre visiting our county, because thats what they expect.

We need to make sure we have some form of pilot in place for the next tourism season so that we can test it, and after, review whether it was a success or not. Im not saying for a second if Kerry County Council come along and do what I would like them to do, that its going to be an instant overnight success.

But I hear this from other local authorities where it has been done, and it has been successful. Kerry is the tourism capital of this country and I would have no doubt that if we put the facilities they would be well used, and would boost our offering to people coming to the county.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme
Fianna Fail deputy demanded action on the downward trend which is sucking the life and soul out of our culture and heritage

Alanna Kelleher, owner of the The Fertha Bar in Cahersiveen, who has made the difficult decision to close the family business after 37 years. Photo by Stephen Power

Kerry TD Michael Cahill has urged the government to cut excise duty to help save declining family businesses in rural Ireland.

The Fianna Fail deputy feels that towns and villages all over rural parts of the country are losing their cultural heritage, as pubs, restaurants and shops are being forced to close due to financial difficulties.

The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland released a report this year that found that more than 2,100 pubs across the country had closed since 2005, amounting to one in every four.

Co Limerick and Co Offaly experienced the highest percentage decrease at 37pc and 34pc respectively, while Kerry did comparatively better at 19pc decline.

Mr Cahill has backed the Vintners Federation of Ireland in calling for a 40pc reduction in Excise Duty to support small family businesses whos profit margins rely substantially on the sale of alcohol.

We are losing our local grocery shop to the large supermarket chains, local family focused restaurants to the high end fooderies and our local pub providing traditional music cannot cope with the loss of customers who now are more inclined to enjoy a drink at home, said Mr Cahill.

Change does and will come to all markets, but the rapid-fire closure of businesses in rural Ireland is sucking the life and soul out of our culture and heritage. The knock-on effects will hit musicians, cooks, seasonal jobs for students, small local businesses like bakeries, etc.

It is imperative that we try to save this part of our recent past, because of the wide ripple effect it will have. I have forwarded these fears to the Ministers for Finance and for Public Expenditure and I have urged them to support and protect these small family businesses. The Vintners Federation of Ireland has called for a 40% reduction in Excise Duty and I have strongly supported their request."

Drinkaware Barometer 2024 published a report this year which illustrated the changing habits of Irish people. Almost one-third of adults who drink alcohol at least once a week report that drinking alone at home is their most common drinking occasion.

This was closely followed by 30pc who reported their most common occasion was with family or housemates over mealtimes.

Deputy Cahills announcement comes after well-known bar in South Kerry closed its doors last week after 37 years in business.

The second-generation owner of the Fertha Bar in Cahersiveen, Alanna Kelleher, said there are so many pressures on small businesses thats it very difficult to survive.

In a recent interview with reporter Sinead Kelleher, she said it had been much harder to operate her business recently and that it was no longer viable in todays market climate.

There is not enough supports for businesses who are keeping going. There are start-up grants and they are in and out but no-one is looking after those who are in for the long haul.

Pubs will survive but not the genuine authentic ones. This is our livelihood not a side operation, we are not like the bigger chains we are one man behind the bar making money out of a pint of Guinness and talking to customers.

The hours and the running costs are just too expensive, she added

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme
Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness have received a welcome boost to their project plans to revamp the Phoenix Cinema in Dingle.

In 2022, a working group of local residents known as Phoenix CLG came together with the intention of securing the future of the Phoenix Cinema in Dingle for the community.

Refurbished in 2012, the 200-seater cinema closed in 2021 due to COVID restrictions, and was listed for sale in 2022 for 1.5 million.

Phoenix CLG campaigned vigorously to save the cinema, outlining its significance to Dingle and West Kerry as a popular arts facility.

Mr Murphy and his wife purchased the Phoenix Cinema and its adjacent land in November 2024 with the aim of preserving a legacy started in 1919 when the venue first opened its doors to the public.

The couple plan to redevelop the cinema into a not-for-profit arts centre, hosting films, concerts, training courses and a range of community events and workshops.

The project has now received 933,000 in funding for designs and architectural plans from the governments Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

Welcoming the announcement, Fianna Fail Minister Norma Foley thanked her cabinet colleague, Minister Dara Calleary, for directing funding to the project.

Having met with Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness, I am blown away by their vision for the potential and possibility about what can be achieved for the arts and creativity in west Kerry, Minister Foley said.

It is to their credit that they have engaged so extensively with the local community, recognising the value of local knowledge, talent and input. I look forward to the project commencing its next stage.

Fianna Fail Deputy Michael Cahill also welcomed the allocation citing it as an example of how targeted investment, combined with strong local and political support, can breathe new life into our towns and villages.

"I will continue to work to ensure this project progresses to full delivery and that Kerry remains at the heart of Irelands tourism and cultural development strategy, Deputy Cahill said.

He added that Dingle is already world-renowned for its beauty and heritage, but this project adds another layer by offering year-round cultural programming and event space that can support local artists, filmmakers, and performers, while also drawing in domestic and international tourists.

Deputy Cahill also paid tribute to Kerry County Council for their proactive role in preparing and supporting this application.

"I want to commend them for their vision and hard work in bringing this project to this stage. Their commitment to regeneration and community development in West Kerry is to be applauded."
The deputies made their feelings known on the latest carbon tax hike in the budget

A bitter exchange has erupted between Minister Michael Healy-Rae and Sinn Fein Deputy Pa Daly over the annual hike in carbon tax announced at Tuesdays Budget.

The spat escalated after Deputy Daly posted a video on social media saying hard-pressed households  already impacted by the cost of living crisis  will now be asked to pay more for solid fuels and at the pumps because of the tax.

He criticised Michael and Danny Healy-Rae for not voting against Tuesdays budget, which automatically passed the latest increase in carbon tax for 2026.

Under the Finance Act 2020, annual increases in carbon taxes were legislated for until it reaches 100 per tonne by 2030.

Carbon tax will increase by 7.50 to 71 per tonne in 2026. The tax is already in place for auto fuel and will increase for home heating fuels on May 1 next year.

Deputy Daly reminded the Healy-Raes that in 2022 they introduced a motion to scrap the carbon tax, agreeing with Sinn Fein that it was a regressive tax that ordinary people would continue to struggle with.

He quoted Deputy Michael Healy-Rae in 2022 as saying Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will never be trusted again.

I wonder how does he feel about that now. The only thing that has changed is that the Healy-Raes are now supporting the government, Its [carbon tax] totally unfair given the tax breaks given to corporate developers and large landlords, Deputy Daly said.

But Minister Healy-Rae hit back with a social media post of his own. Standing in the pristine lawns in front of Government Buildings, Minister Healy-Rae launched his counterattack.

Deputy Pa Daly made a very untrue statement about me last night [Tuesday], he said.

He said the government was going voting last night on carbon tax increases. That was untrue and not factual.

Minister Healy-Rae reiterated his opposition to carbon tax from three years ago.

I voted against it. I didnt believe in it. I didnt agree with it. and that is my own opinion on that, he said.

I cannot vote again on it because there is no more votes because that vote was put in place until 2030. For a deputy to come out and say something that was untrue, I want to take that on, he added.

Minister Healy-Rae also attacked Deputy Daly over the Kerry-Cork economic corridor accusing him of saying Kerry County Council is spending 1m on the project. Minister Healy said this is wrong as the council is spending 3m.

This was another untruth because he knows nothing about ithe had nothing to do with it so he doesnt understand the way the money is working. Pa Daly has nothing whatsoever to do with securing funding for that, I have. Its my responsibility. Its one of my main ambitions, Minister Healy-Rae said.

He further accused Deputy Daly of putting out misleading statements while he promised to secure further funding for the Kerry-Cork economic corridor in the coming years.

In general, being factual in opposition is great and being honest. But when you put out misleading statements, dont think that Im going to lie down and that Im going let people like him say things that he likes about me that are untrue, Minister Healy-Rae said.

Ill make an open challenge, If he wants to take me on any day in a public forum about carbon tax, about funding for roads, about the thing he knows nothing about  the Killarney bypass  he can talk to me anytime he likes, he said.
The Rotary Club of Tralee this week officially launched its annual Youth Leadership Development Competition, inviting applications from students across the Tralee area who demonstrate strong leadership potential, community involvement, and a commitment to personal growth.

The competition, which is part of Rotary Irelands national Youth Leadership programme, aims to recognise and nurture young leaders by offering them unique opportunities to develop their skills and represent their communities at a national and international level. Successful candidates from the local stage will progress to regional and national selections, with top finalists earning the chance to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg as part of the Euroscola Programme.

Speaking at the launch, Rotary Club of Tralee President Dr. Daniel Onyekwere had the following to say:

As a paediatrician, I am particularly delighted to bring back to Tralee once again, the Rotary club Youth Leadership Development competition programme. It is simply amazing seeing these young minds showcase their hidden talent, oratory and leadership potential. Perhaps we will be looking at another Irish national legend in the making".

"This competition has a proud history of empowering young people to become leaders of the future. We are delighted to once again provide this platform for students in Tralee to showcase their leadership abilities and passion for making a difference, said Grace O Donnell, Project Coordinator.

The competition is open to senior students in secondary schools throughout the Tralee area. Applicants will be assessed through interviews focusing on their leadership experience, community service, and understanding of current affairs.

Application forms and full competition details are available through local schools or by contacting the Rotary Club of Tralee directly at 087 239 9940.
Doubts have been raised over the likelihood of health care facilities in Sligo being in position to use digitised health records by 2030

The issue of digitised health records came before the October meeting of Sligo County Council with elected representatives hearing there have been cases of theatre appointments being cancelled because a patients medical charts cant be found.

In his motion Cllr Thomas Walsh called on Sligo County Council to request an update from the HSE and the Minister for Health on when all healthcare facilities in Sligo, including Sligo University Hospital, will use digitised health records as set out under Irelands digital health strategy Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030.

Cllr Walsh said there are 18 members of staff doing a huge amount of work on a daily basis but little to no progress has been made in terms of completing the mammoth task of digitising the paper files.

"It is still the case in University Hospital Sligo that we are still using paper files. We have 18 staff doing huge work on a daily basis in medical records and we have made little or no progress with transferring these medical records under the HSEs own strategy.

Cllr Walsh expressed doubts the project will be completed within the timeframe outlined saying, To be quite frank, Im not sure this is deliverable before 2030. We have situations where charts are pulled for clinics and charts can go missing. In some cases theatre has been cancelled, anti-natal appointments have been cancelled because charts cant be found for the patient. If the charts cant be found then medical treatment wont be provided.

"There are so many advantages to investing in digitising records, we are so far off that point. The whole point is to have an integrated health record.

"It is a really poor summary of a performance that lacks investment. I am really disappointed that we havent invested at the rate we should be in terms of digital healthcare. I am calling on the HSE and our five Oireachtas members to ensure we have investment in these services across the county of Sligo. The current system is not efficient, it does not work well.

Cllr Michael Clarke voiced his support for the motion saying he has been informed that, If a patient has to move from Sligo to Beaumont for example, it could take three hours to get the files ready.

Cllr Edel McSharry also spoke in favour of the motion saying, We are about 40 years behind in terms of digital records. The GPs have digital records but they dont interact.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
latest | Catherine Connolly hits out at Ivan Yates smear campaign remarks

Heather Humphreys says she is not involved in any smear campaign

Catherine Connolly was on the campaign trail in Co Tipperary on Friday, in the Elm Park Community Development and Family Resource Centre

Eoin Kelleher Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 17:12

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said she is absolutely shocked by comments from former minister Ivan Yates that suggested Fine Gael should smear the bejaysus out of her.
Life on the frontline of the haulage sector  'Recruitment is shocking, it couldnt be any worse

As the IRHA issue a stark warning about driver recruitment and the future of the sector, Roche Logistics Group Managing Director Damien Roche looks back at four decades in the industry

Damien Roche of Roche Freight (ire) Ltd. Pic: Jim Campbell

Cillian Boggan Wexford People Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 12:40

This month, the Irish Road Hauliers Association (IRHA), issued an urgent warning about the ability of the sector to recruit drivers and the that the result of a chronic staff shortage would mean no turkey on the table this Christmas.
Edith Poole from Ballybeg Ferns celebrated her 100th birthday pictured with Lauren Lacey, Kirsty Ryanhart and Sinead Meegan in Oakfield Nursing Home. Pic: Jim Campbell

A Wexford care worker was left absolutely shocked after discovering she had been shortlisted as a finalist for a Nursing Homes Ireland Care award.

Sinead Meegan is the Events Coordinator at Oakfield Nursing Home, and said she was absolutely shocked when she discovered she had been nominated for the award. I couldnt believe it, I was delighted, she said.

She said she had no idea that her name had been put forward by staff members at the nursing home in Gorey and had just come back from a two week holiday after being told. I wouldnt have dreamed of putting myself forward.

Sinead said being shortlisted as a finalist isnt just recognition for herself, but also the staff, residents and community at Oakfield. It's a celebration of teamwork and the difference we can make to people's lives every single day.

The awards ceremony will take place in the Mansion House, Dublin on Thursday, November 6, where Sinead will represent Oakfield.

Sinead has been working at Oakfield Nursing Home for the past 4 years, and said she became interested in care work after seeing first hand the work they do.

I had a family member in a hospice and another in a nursing home and I saw the love care and compassion shown to them by strangers, that stayed with me, she said.

I wanted to be that stranger for someone else give them some kindness and comfort to others.

Sinead started in Oakfield as a care worker and has since been the Events Coordinator for the last two years and said she wants to make sure residents feel right at home. I love making people feel like Oakfield is their home not just a place to live, a place filled with laughter love and purpose every day.

It's such a privilege to be part of their world, Sinead said.

Sinead Meegan Presenting Susan Kavanagh with a plaque for her 20 years anniversary working at Oakfield Nursing Home. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench

To create an inviting atmosphere, Sinead loves hearing residents personal stories, what they miss from home and their interests with the hopes of bringing those elements back into their lives.

I also reach out to our local groups, skills and businesses and we are so lucky to have such strong community support - once they put an idea out there, people always want to get involved, she said.

Sinead said her role at Oakfield is more than planning events but rather keeping people busy and bringing purpose to each day. I love seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and watching residents light up when theyre doing something they enjoy.

Every day is different - from music sessions and art projects to chats over tea or special celebrations she added.

Its a privilege to help residents reminisce, express themselves, and make new memories.

She reflected on some of her favourite events for the residents, which included bringing the Fleadh to Oakfield. The residents were listening to their families talking about the Fleadh, so that was all the talk at the time - so I said, lets bring the Fleadh to Oakfield.

I reached out to people to try and get some acts to come in and so many got back that I couldnt take them all in  it was absolutely fantastic, Sinead added.

Another proud moment for Sinead was introducing Oakfield to the intergenerational programme, where children from a pre-school in Gorey visit Oakfield every week to visit the residents.

The children came in every week on the Garda bus to visit the residents - the joy, laughter and friendship between the children and residents is so special, she said.

She further said the event will return on a long term basis, starting back after Halloween right up until the end of the school term.

She further said Oakfield has a fantastic community and praised locals for bringing families together in Gorey.

In addition to Sineads nomination, Wexford will be further represented at the Nursing Homes Ireland Care Awards as John Doody from SignaCare New Ross and Ashitha Sebastian from SignaCare Bunclody were also nominated as finalists for the prestigious award.
The New Ross for Palestine group is hosting a peaceful protest, which will feature the well-travelled Blanket of Resistance and Remembrance.

The blanket has been created by Craftivism for Palestine, a group of women, who chose to use crafting as a quiet act of resistance and remembrance for the children of Gaza.

The blanket is currently made up of 2,500 squares, equalling to 50 meters and each square symbolises 10 children who have been killed during this genocide. The project is a collaboration of women from across all 32 counties of Ireland and from other countries, including Canada, England, Afghanistan, Greece and Venezuela.

The blanket has been rolled out in cities, towns and villages, across the country, and on Saturday, October 11, the New Ross for Palestine group will have the blanket on display along the boardwalk on The Quay, New Ross, from 2pm until 3.30pm.

A spokesperson of the group said: Were putting a call out to the locals and to everyone who can make it, if theyre in the south east or even further, as wed love if people could come to help us hold the blanket, even if its just for a few minutes.

Giving up some time from their weekend to acknowledge and remember the thousands of children who have been killed in Gaza, is something we would be so grateful for, the spokesperson concluded.

The New Ross For Palestine group asks that people check for updates on their social media on Instagram and Facebook as the event where they will host the blanket will be weather permitting.
A man who punched, kicked and kneed his partner in a drunken attack at their Wicklow home has been jailed, with part of his sentence suspended.

ukasz Lewandowski (50), with an address outside of the jurisdiction, pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Court to assaulting his then girlfriend of five years at their home back in November 2024.

Garda Emma Doyle from Newtownmountkennedy Garda Station gave some background on the incident. The court heard that on November 18, 2024, Mr Lewandowski and his then partner were at a party at a friends home where alcohol was present. Mr Lewandowski assaulted his ex-girlfriend at the party, but it did not escalate until they both returned to their own home.

Once at the residence, Mr Lewandowski proceeded to punch, kick and knee his partner while she was on the floor. She then locked herself inside a room in the house and called gardai at 23:19. The court was informed that gardai responded to the call at 23:35. Upon entering the property, gardai found his 38-year-old partner with a deep laceration underneath her eye. Mr Lewandowski was intoxicated when questioned at the scene.

Gda Doyle testified that there was blood spatter across the walls in the hallway. The victims injuries were photographed at the scene, and she was observed with a deep cut beneath her eye.

Jim Kelly for the prosecution told the court that he could put the injuries sustained by the victim into words, but Judge Patrick Quinn said: The photos speak for themselves.

Statue of Lady Justice Photo: Getty.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - Friday October 10.

He added: Anyone that needs them can see them in the book of evidence.

Mr Lewandowski was charged the following day on November 19, 2024. When charged, he made some admissions to what happened, telling gardai that he could only recollect some parts of the night in question.

Mr Kelly also told the court that the victim has been uncontactable and has refused to give a victim impact statement.

The court was informed that a friend cooperating with the investigation told gardai they were unable to contact the victim by telephone. A neighbour of the couple informed the prosecution that a new tenant is now living in the home previously owned by Mr Lewandowski and the victim.

The court was informed that Mr Lewandowski has no previous convictions and has never come to the attention of An Garda Siochana.

Barrister for the defendant Conor Rubalcava BL, instructed by Mr Lewandowskis solicitor Joe Maguire of Maguire and McNiece, told the court that his client is a Polish national who has lived in Ireland for a long time. He has a strong work history, having worked for Tesco as a security guard, and could provide a multitude of character references to prove that this incident was completely out of character.

One of the character witnesses was in court to support Mr Lewandowski.

Mr Maguire handed a letter into the court that Mr Lewandowski had written to the victim when the case was still before the District Court.

In the letter, Mr Lewandowski said: I feel remorseful. I am empty without you. I wasnt awake when it happened.

The letter continued, It hurts me more. Please accept my apology. I am now doing therapy, and it wont happen again.

The court was told there is currently a civil case before the courts to deal with the issue of the property owned by the former couple. When asked if Mr Lewandowski still paid half the mortgage, he stated through his interpreter: I send the payments, and she keeps sending them back to me.

When asked about the motive behind the vicious assault, Conor Rubalcava BL told the court that his client has no problem generally, but on the night in question he was feeling exhausted from working and that alcohol had another effect on him.

The court was informed that Mr Lewandowski had previously worked as a police officer in Poland and served as a member of a special counter-terrorism unit. Mr Rubalcava said that it took a certain degree of discipline. The court heard he left in 2002 due to a change in command of his unit.

Mr Lewandowski offered 5,000 compensation to the injured party. His defence told the court that he is on social welfare and that it took a lot of sacrifice to get the money together.

When sentencing, Judge Quinn told the court that there is a recurring theme of violence against women and that the court needs to set an example.

He considered the defendants stellar work history, his early guilty plea and his general remorsefulness towards what occurred.

Judge Quinn handed down a sentence of two and a half years, with the last 18 months suspended for 18 months, and the 5,000 offered as a token of apology to the victim. He gave Mr Lewandowski one month to pay the money.

Mr Kelly asked the judge what would happen if the victim refused the compensation. The judge ruled that it should be given to Bray Womens Refuge by default if it is not accepted.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Fr John Collins of the 1969 Kiltegan Brothers class has been laid to rest in St Patricks Chapel, Co Wicklow, followed by his burial in the society cemetery.

Born in Co Galway, John served in the Port Harcourt Diocese, Nigeria. While on holidays in Ireland in 2022 John took ill and after his recovery, he retired to Kiltegan. John took an active part in community life in Kiltegan and was part of the team that organised the 11am mass.

In his later years Johns health was precarious, but he still kept his spirits up and was never downhearted. On the night of September 28, he suffered another stroke and was rushed to hospital. For days and nights his family and his brother priests, from Kiltegan, kept vigil at his bedside in Beaumount Hospital. He died peacefully on the morning of October 3.

John was a wonderful missionary whose calm nature endeared him to all his parishioners. He lived a simple and frugal life among the people of the Niger Delta who were very happy to co-operate with him in building up their local parishes. Under Johns leadership the parishes began to grow, as more and more people joined the church.

John was a man of great warmth and compassion who made deep friendships wherever he ministered, and with whom he maintained contact with all his life. During his retirement in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, he was always very friendly and welcoming to all visitors and to the staff who worked in the community.

John Andrew Collins, popularly known as John, was born on November 30, 1939, at Kilkerrin, Ballinasloe, Co Galway to John and Annie (nee Pettit) Collins. He was one of a family of eleven children, seven girls and four boys.

John attended Kilkerrin Primary School from 1945 to 1953 and had his secondary education in the Franciscan Juniorate and St Marys Galway, from 1953 to 1956. After completing his Inter Cert John took on working on the family farm, being the eldest boy in the family. However, John always nursed the idea of becoming a priest. He read the Africa magazine every month and was always moved by the article Why not be a Missionary? which appeared in each edition.

In his memoirs he writes that this was the biggest influence in deciding to apply for admission in Buchlyvie, Scotland. There, he completed his secondary education from 1967 to 1969 before joining the Spiritual Year in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, in September 1969.

From 1970 to 1972, John studied philosophy in the Society House in Cork and then proceeded to Kiltegan for theology studies from 1972 to 1976. John was among ten priests ordained for St Patricks Missionary Society by Bishop Dominic Conway, (Elphin) in Killamoate on June 12, 1976.

After ordination John was appointed to Port Harcourt Diocese, Nigeria. While awaiting his visa he worked for a year in the parish of Millstreet, Co Cork. In Port Harcourt John worked in different parishes among the Ogoni and Riverine people, including Umuaturu, Bodo, St Johns Rumuokwurusi, St Dominics Bane, Christ the King Diobu and St Judes Rumuokoro. Along with his usual priestly duties, John built churches and priests houses. Relying on his experience of working on the farm in his youth he was able to use his skills in laying blocks, as well as some of the iron work.

In 2004 John joined the promotion team in England. In 2011, after completing his time on promotion, he became a chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters in Brighton. He retired to Kiltegan in 2022.

John was predeceased by his parents John and Annie Collins, brothers, Michael, Eddie and Joe, sisters, Mary, Delia Riddell Kathleen Glynn and Teresa Lyons. Sadly missed by his sisters Nora Mahoney (London), Eileen Maughan (Knocknacarra) and Margaret McGuire,(Cloonfad) and brothers-in-law Mick Mahoney and Michael Maughan and sister-in-law Maureen, nieces, nephews and their families, and his Society family.
China tightens its controls on exports of rare earth minerals

New restrictions mimic US rules on global exports of semi-conductor products to China

US president Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whose countries' 90-day trade truce will end next month. Photo: AP

Heekyong Yang Reuters Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

China dramatically expanded its rare earths export controls yesterday, adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for semiconductor users, as Beijing tightens control over the sector ahead of talks between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Myanmar rulers say they were behind festival bombing that left 24 dead

A witness estimated that a further 50 people were wounded in the attack

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief and acting president of Myanmar. Photo: Reuters

Grant Peck Associated Press Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Myanmars military government yesterday acknowledged attacking a religious festival held on the grounds of a school in central Myanmar on Monday night. Witnesses said about two dozen people, including children, were killed when improvised bombs were dropped by motorised paragliders.
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Amelie McCann giving evidence via video link to Leicester Crown Court, where Julia Wandelt and Karen Spragg are charged in connection with an investigation into the alleged stalking of Madeleine McCann's family. Photo: PA
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Amelie McCann giving evidence via video link to Leicester Crown Court, where Julia Wandelt and Karen Spragg are charged in connection with an investigation into the alleged stalking of Madeleine McCann's family. Photo: PA

The sister of Madeleine McCann received creepy messages from a woman claiming to be her missing sibling about memories of playing childhood games.

Amelie McCann (20) told a court she felt uncomfortable at Julia Wandelts insistence they had played Ring a Ring o Roses together as children. The Polish woman (24) also asked her to do a DNA test in scary attempts to prove her apparent identity.
Luxembourgs sovereign wealth fund to invest in bitcoin

By next year, the fund could hold 8.2m in cryptocurrency

Gilles Roth, Luxembourg's finance minister. Photo: Getty

Aaron Grunwald Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Luxembourgs sovereign wealth fund, FSIL, will allocate 1pc of its total investment portfolio to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, finance minister Gilles Roth (of the CSV party) said in his 2026 budget speech on Wednesday.
President Vladimir Putin has said Russias air defences were to blame for downing an Azerbaijani jetliner in December that killed 38 people, his first admission of responsibility for the crash in an apparent bid to ease tensions between the neighbours.
Russia warns Europe it will respond if Ukraine gets Tomahawk missiles

Donald Trump wants to know Kyivs plan for Tomahawks before supplying them

Recruits of the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attend a military drill near a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine September 26, 2025. Photo: Andriy Andriyenko/Reuters

Arpan Rai UK Independent Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Russia will create problems for Europe if Donald Trump allows Tomahawk missiles to be sent to Ukraine, a senior Russian official has said.
Donald Trumps pact to end years of bloodshed in Gaza met with mix of jubilation and caution

Israel celebrates as hostages to be returned, but some unhappy Hamas has not been destroyed Gazans relieved but unsure of what remains of homes

Palestinians celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan yesterday. Photo: AP

Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman and Waafa Shurafa Associated Press Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners  a breakthrough greeted with joy and relief but also caution.
LATEST | UN official says scaled-up aid deliveries to Gaza will begin on Sunday as ceasefire agreement now in effect

Gaza ceasefire agreement went into effect at 9am GMT  Israeli militaryUNICEF now urgently calls for all crossings for food aid into Gaza to be openedTrump is invited to speak to KnessetLast-minute changes to hostages being released

Netanyahu should be very popular - Donald Trump

Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi Reuters Fri 10 Oct 2025 at 19:30

The United Nations has been given the green light by Israel to begin delivering aid into Gaza starting on Sunday, a UN official said.
The former opposition presidential candidate in Venezuela was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
( Image credit : Katherine Del Rio/Instagram | David Del Rios wife, Katherine Del Rio, is an actress, chef, and producer )

A look at Katherine Del Rios career and background

( Image credit : X/ @PereSGimferrer | Leah Lewis and David Del Rio- Matlock co-stars )

How Katherine and David Del Rio met

( Image credit : X/ @MrMarchi | Matlock actor David Del Rio fired )

Actress and chef Katherine Del Rio came into public focus after her husband,actor David Del Rio, was dismissed from the CBS drama in October 2025 following allegations of sexual assault involving co-star Leah Lewis. The incident, reported to have occurred on September 26, led CBS to conduct an internal investigation. Del Rio was eventually fired and escorted off set while the series was in production for its second season.After the news surfaced, Leah Lewis shared an emotional post on Instagram, thanking her supporters and emphasizing strength and love. Katherine Del Rio reacted sharply online, calling Lewis disturbing in a now-deleted Instagram Story, further intensifying public attention on the case.Katherine Del Rio has built a multifaceted career spanning acting, culinary arts, and production. She began with small television roles in sitcoms likeandbefore transitioning into producing short films and creative projects.In a 2024 interview, she described herself as an actress, chef, and producer with a deep passion for creativity. After earning her degree from New York University, she moved to Los Angeles, balancing acting with her work as a private chef. She has catered for film sets, hosted influencer dinners, and even crafted wedding cakes.Katherine co-founded a production company, Theatre Row, alongside her husband while he was filmingin 2020. Based in Austin and Los Angeles, the company has produced independent films and sold TV concepts. She has spoken about how the venture helped them gain creative control and stability in an unpredictable industry.Their relationship began in 2010 when Katherine attended a Broadway performance of, in which David was performing. After the show, she met him at the stage door, a meeting she later described as unforgettable. Seven years later, the two reconnected at a party in Los Angeles, where Katherine instantly recognized him while discussing her admiration for the musical.Their bond grew quickly, and David proposed to Katherine at New Yorks Richard Rogers Theatre during a performance of. The couple tied the knot in Mexico in April 2018 and later welcomed their daughter, Lilia, in July 2023. Katherine announced the birth on Instagram, describing the moment as life-changing and filled with love.The couples story, once admired for its creative beginnings and mutual respect for the arts, has now drawn renewed attention following David Del Rios departure from. His role as Billy Martinez will be written out of the show as CBS moves forward with production.
China imposes port fees on US vessels

#LATESTChina to retaliateU.S. by charging additional port fees over the vessels owned or operated by U.S. firms and individuals-or those built in U.S. or that fly the U.S. flag from October 14.



It's a counter-measure against upcoming U.S. port fees targeting Chinese ships. pic.twitter.com/c2A8uW2HUW  Shen Shiwei  (@shen_shiwei) October 10, 2025

Industry confusion over US port rules

*CHINA TO HIT US SHIPS WITH ADDITIONAL PORT FEES FROM OCTOBER 14



 pic.twitter.com/bxuYgHD5Gj  Investing.com (@Investingcom) October 10, 2025

Qualcomm under Chinese antitrust probe

Broader implications for global trade

US finalizes port fee for Chinese built vessels:

-$50/NT  - owned

-$18/NT or $120/container

-$14/NT for RoRo/vehicle carriers



LNGCs are exempt from the fee.



Which owners calling US frequently have few Chinese vessels?

Bull Japan/Korea shipyards? pic.twitter.com/Gs3WGawp9j  Kamsarmax (@cashsarmax) October 4, 2025

Trade relations between the United States and China have entered a new phase of confrontation after Beijing announced it would begin charging American vessels to dock at its ports. The move mirrors the port fees introduced by Washington against Chinese ships and adds fresh strain to already tense relations between the two nations.According to Beijings announcement, all ships owned or operated by American entities will now face port charges beginning October 14  the same day the US starts imposing its own fees on Chinese vessels. The new Chinese tariff stands at 400 yuan ($56) per net ton per voyage, capped at five voyages annually for each ship.The fee will increase each year until 2028, when it reaches 1,120 yuan ($157) per net ton. Chinas Ministry of Transport called the measure a counteraction to Washingtons move, labeling the US port charges as discriminatory and harmful to the global trade order.Under the US system, Chinese ships docking in American ports will be charged $50 per net ton, rising by $30 each year until 2028, also capped at five charges per vessel per year.Beijings announcement came just days before President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The two countries had previously paused reciprocal tariffs under an uneasy truce in May, set to expire in mid-November.Meanwhile, confusion continues across the global shipping industry regarding US Trade Representative (USTR) rules on port fees.Shipping companies and financiers remain uncertain about whether vessels financed through Chinese leasing structures could be classified as Chinese and subjected to US fees.Experts like James Lightbourn from Cavalier Shipping described the current situation as confusing, noting that Western shipowners using Chinese financiers are reconsidering or restructuring deals to avoid penalties.Chinese lessors currently control roughly 15% of the global ship finance market, valued at over $100 billion. As the new fees take effect, several companies have started moving financing away from Chinese banks toward Western lenders  particularly in Greece and Japan  to avoid potential exposure.Adding another layer to the escalating tension, Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation launched an antitrust investigation into Qualcomm over its acquisition of Israeli firm Autotalks. Authorities allege that Qualcomm may have failed to declare required details during the transaction.This probe comes shortly after similar accusations against US AI chipmaker Nvidia, with Beijing accusing it of violating anti-monopoly laws. These investigations have been widely interpreted as Beijings response to Washingtons trade restrictions and technology curbs.The tit-for-tat measures highlight a widening rift between the worlds two largest economies, impacting global shipping, trade finance, and semiconductor industries.Analysts say the combination of retaliatory port fees, unclear financing regulations, and ongoing investigations could disrupt supply chains and increase costs for global traders.China, which currently produces 62% of the worlds ships, remains a key player in global maritime logistics. However, as both sides harden positions, vessel operators and financiers are bracing for a prolonged period of uncertainty.The escalating standoff has left shipping companies questioning how long the current fee regime will last and whether further restrictions including possible port access denials might follow.
BREAKING NEWS

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to pic.twitter.com/Zgth8KNJk9  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

Maria Corina Machado: Champion of Venezuelan democracy

( Image credit : X/Ryder56004614 | Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize )

Why Trump was not awarded the prize

( Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Donald Trumps hopes for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize were dashed )

( Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Donald Trump did not win the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize )

Implications for the President

Donald Trumps hopes for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize were dashed on Friday when the award went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has been in hiding following the disputed 2024 election. Machado, widely known as Venezuelas Iron Lady, was recognised for her tireless efforts to promote democratic rights and push for a peaceful transition from dictatorship.The 58-year-old Venezuelan politician has long been a central figure in her countrys pro-democracy movement, co-founding the liberal political party Vente Venezuela in 2013 and serving in the National Assembly from 2010 to 2015. Despite arrests, travel bans, and political persecution, Machado remained in Venezuela, earning her reputation as a committed and courageous advocate for democratic freedoms. The Nobel Committee cited her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy as the primary reason for her award.Trump had publicly lobbied for the prize, citing his role in ending eight wars and brokering a Gaza peace deal. He also claimed involvement in preventing the India-Pakistan conflict in May, though New Delhi denied this.However, all nominations supporting Trump arrived after the February 1 cutoff date, rendering them ineligible. Norwegian Nobel Committee chair Jrgen Watne Frydnes clarified, We base our decision only on the work and will of Alfred Nobel, emphasizing that campaigns or media attention do not influence the outcome.While Trumps efforts to normalise relations through the Abraham Accords were recognised, experts note that the committee prioritises sustained, multilateral efforts over short-term diplomatic wins. Historian Theo Zenou highlighted that Trumps initiatives have yet to demonstrate long-term impact. Other factors, such as his dismissive stance on climate change, also set him apart from previous laureates known for promoting international cooperation and reconciliation. This may leave Trump to pursue consideration in future years, provided his efforts align with the committees long-term peace criteria.
A step towards smarter governance in Delhi



What youll be able to do on WhatsApp

( Image credit : Canva | People will be able to chat with a WhatsApp bot in Hindi or English to apply for services like birth or caste certificates, upload their documents, and pay fees easily. )

Applying for birth and caste certificates

Requesting marriage certificates and driving licences

Checking or paying property tax

Tracking application status in real-time

How the system will work

Built by Delhis IT department

( Image credit : Unsplash | Around 50 different government services will soon be available for Delhi residents to apply for directly on WhatsApp. )

AI and automation to drive governance efficiency

A one-stop digital window for Delhi citizens

FAQs

The Delhi government is all set to launch a new digital initiative under its Governance through WhatsApp plan, allowing residents to access nearly 50 department services on WhatsApp. From applying for aor marriage certificate to checkingdetails, citizens will soon be able to complete essential government tasks right from their phones.This upcomingproject aims to simplify how Delhi residents interact with government departments. Instead of visiting offices or navigating complex online portals, people will soon be able to submit applications, upload documents, and make payments through a simple WhatsApp chat.Officials said that this system will make government services faster, more transparent, and more accessible to every citizen in Delhi. Its another move towards a faceless governance model, where tasks like applying for caste certificates, driving licences, or birth records can be completed without any physical paperwork.Under the department services on WhatsApp system, users will have access to a wide range of government facilities  all within the familiar WhatsApp interface. The service will include:Nearly 50 such services across various departments have already been identified by the Delhi government.The new platform will usethat can converse in bothand, guiding users step-by-step through their applications. Citizens can upload required documents, pay fees securely, and receive updates directly on WhatsApp.The system will include optical character recognition (OCR) to scan and verify uploaded documents automatically. This feature will help convert images into readable digital text, making the process faster and reducing manual errors. It will also allow pre-filled forms,, and instant verification to improve the user experience.According to officials, the backend will run on a cloud-based, secure infrastructure with audit trails and access controls to maintain data safety and transparency.Delhi government's, which previously handled the doorstep delivery scheme, is now preparing this new-based governance model. The department is coordinating with multiple offices to ensure smooth integration of their services into the platform.To manage citizen interactions, a real-time dashboard will also be developed. This will help government teams monitor requests, resolve issues quickly, and maintain service quality.A private tech service provider will be hired to design and deploy the system. The company will create user-friendly workflows and add generative AI features to make the chatbot smarter and more responsive. This means users wont need to type exact keywords  the chatbot will understand natural queries and direct them to the right service automatically.With automation, instant responses, and digital verification, this initiative is expected to revolutionise governance in Delhi, setting a new benchmark for citizen convenience.Once launched, this Governance through WhatsApp platform will serve as a single digital window for citizens to connect with government departments. Whether its getting certificates, paying property tax, or tracking applications, all of it will soon be possible with just a few taps on WhatsApp.This step represents a major leap in Delhis digital governance journey  one that aims to make public services faster, simpler, and more transparent for everyone.Its a new digital platform by the Delhi government that allows residents to use WhatsApp for applying and tracking around 50 public services.Services include birth, caste, and marriage certificates, driving licences, property tax, and other key government facilities.The bilingual chatbot (Hindi and English) will guide users, help upload documents, process payments, and provide real-time updates.Yes. The system will use encrypted communication, secure data storage, and role-based access controls for maximum safety.The project is currently being prepared and is expected to roll out soon after final testing and integration.
( Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Donald Trumps push for recognition gains global attention )

Trumps argument: Peace through action

( Image credit : X/ElonMuskNews47 | Barack Hussein Obama II is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States )

Online campaigns and global reactions

( Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | U.S. President Donald Trump )

Can Trump win the prize?

Hours before the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize announcement, Russia publicly backed U.S. President Donald Trumps nomination. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed Moscows support, praising Trumps recent attempts to halt the war in Ukraine and his involvement in negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also commented that Kyiv would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he succeeds in achieving a lasting ceasefire. This statement added to the growing debate over Trumps renewed campaign to secure the prestigious award.Over recent months, Trump has repeatedly emphasized his eligibility for the Nobel Peace Prize. From public speeches to direct communications with Norwegian officials, he has made clear his belief that his diplomatic interventions deserve recognition.Speaking to reporters before the announcement, Trump defended his record in global diplomacy, particularly citing his efforts in Gaza and his claim of ending eight wars. He argued that his achievements are grounded in concrete action rather than symbolism.In his remarks, Trump also took direct aim at former U.S. President Barack Obama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. He got it for doing nothing. Obama got elected, and they gave it to him for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country, Trump said.Trump emphasized that his work was not about personal gain or accolades but about achieving results that promote peace. Despite his statements, he did not shy away from contrasting his record with that of his predecessor, calling Obama not a good president.Trumps son, Eric Trump, added to the campaign by posting on X, urging followers to retweet if you believe @realDonaldTrump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Meanwhile, the White House account referred to Trump as The Peace President, reinforcing the message of his foreign policy success.However, experts and observers maintain skepticism. Officials from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), which advises the Nobel Committee, stated that while Trumps ceasefire in Gaza is notable, it remains unclear whether it will result in long-term peace. Director Nina Graeger noted, It is too early to tell whether the peace proposal will be implemented and lead to lasting peace.Despite global discussion, many long-time Nobel watchers believe Trumps chances remain slim. The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded annually in Oslo, has historically honored movements and individuals with long-standing peace contributions. Last years prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings advocating against nuclear weapons.While Trumps supporters hail him as a peace broker, analysts point out that several of his foreign policy initiatives are still unfolding, with their long-term effects yet to be measured.With backing from Moscow and rising global debate, Trumps Nobel Peace Prize bid now rests in the hands of Oslos committee.
Social media post sparks fear in local community



Meme referencing Trump quote raises red flags



Intent to cause panic, investigators say



Part of wider fallout from Kirk assassination



A Tennessee man has been arrested after a series of Facebook posts connected to the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk set off alarm bells in a small Perry County community.Larry Bushart, 61, from Lexington, Tennessee, and a former Huntingdon Police Department officer, was taken into custody on September 22. He faces charges of making threats of mass violence on school property after posting a controversial meme in a local community Facebook group.Authorities said the post triggered fear among teachers, parents, and students after appearing to reference a potential shooting.According to Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems, Bushart posted several memes about Kirks death. While most were legally considered free speech, one image crossed a line.The photo, originally a Trump meme circulating online since 2024, included the quote We have to get over it, which Trump said after a Perry County, Iowa school shooting. Bushart captioned it, This seems relevant today, a move investigators say was meant to stir fear.Weems stated that the way Bushart presented the image made it appear as if it was tied to their local Perry High School. He added that the post caused immediate panic, with parents and teachers fearing a potential act of violence.Law enforcement claimed Bushart was fully aware of the fear the post would create. According to the sheriffs statement, he allegedly sought to create hysteria within the community.Bushart was arrested by Lexington Police in coordination with the Perry County Sheriffs Office. He is currently being held at Perry County Jail, awaiting bond.This is one of the first arrests linked to social media posts made in the aftermath of Charlie Kirks assassination on September 10. Authorities across several states have begun taking a tougher stance against threatening or inflammatory posts linked to the incident.Earlier in September, a Florida man was also arrested after admitting to posting threats out of frustration over the killing. The nationwide crackdown has sparked heated debates about online speech, security, and accountability.
( Image credit : Twitch/Fandy |Twitch streamer gives birth LIVE on camera in historic first )

Fandy livestreams giving birth of her child on Twitch



Internet reactions flood in



( Image credit : Twitch/fandy | Twitch streamer gives birth LIVE on camera in historic first )

( Image credit : Twitch/fandy | Twitch streamer gives birth LIVE on camera in historic first )

A modern milestone



Texas-based gamer Fandy, 30, made internet history on Wednesday when she livestreamed her entire home birth on Twitch. Known for her decade-long presence in gaming, she shifted the spotlight from high scores to high-stakes labour, giving thousands of followers a front-row seat to the birth of her baby girl, Luna Rose.The livestream, titled Water Broke, Baby Time, documented every contraction, scream, and laugh, with Fandy surrounded by friends providing support. At times kneeling or lying across her sofa, she handled the intense moments with humour, joking about her babys arrival and keeping viewers engaged. The delivery itself took place in a small inflatable pool, making the stream even more unforgettable.Nearly 30,000 viewers tuned in, flooding the chat with a mix of congratulations, questions, and scepticism. Some questioned if such content was appropriate, while others applauded the transparency of witnessing real-life birth in an online setting. Fandy later defended her choice on social media, emphasising that livestreaming did not differ from other home births documented online, apart from being in real-time.Despite the dramatic stream, Fandy ensured safety. She had an experienced midwife and nurse team with over 20 years of experience and a clear hospital transfer plan in case of complications. She also highlighted her low-risk pregnancy status and thorough preparation, reassuring viewers that the livestream was both safe and responsible.By merging gaming culture with one of lifes most intimate moments, Fandy has sparked conversations about livestreaming boundaries, personal agency, and the evolving nature of online content. While reactions vary, there is no denying that she made Twitch history, and gave her fans a front-row seat to something truly extraordinary.
 The government shutdown is a shame but gave us one of the greatest memes of Trump:



The Mexican sombrero shutdown  pic.twitter.com/AahbFmWBTL  AV (@Andresevd) October 1, 2025

Senate deadlock keeps government closed

Chuck Schumer said about the government shutdown: every day gets better for us.



If you are measuring your success by how much pain you inflict on the American people - including our servicemembers and their families - you have lost your way. pic.twitter.com/iGgtgfAXcn  Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 9, 2025

Disagreements over military pay and federal priorities

BREAKING: THE US GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS NOW FORECASTED TO LAST NEARLY 24 DAYS.



LONGEST SHUTDOWN IN THE HISTORY.  pic.twitter.com/Ff130QGngA  cryptothedoggy (@cryptothedoggy) October 9, 2025

Economic and political consequences mount

The United States entered the second week of its government shutdown on October 67, 2025, the first since January 2019. The deadlock stems from disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over federal spending and immigration priorities.With no deal reached in Congress, around two million federal employees have been either furloughed or required to work without pay. Air traffic controllers, TSA officers, and border patrol agents continue to report for duty despite no paychecks, while national parks, courts, and several agencies remain closed.The Federal Aviation Administration is operating with limited staff, leading to significant flight delays across major airports. Economic analysts estimate that the shutdown is costing around $6 billion per week in lost productivity and delayed contracts.The Senate has rejected attempts to advance competing funding bills for the seventh time, as the House-passed Republican bill failed 5445. Three Democrats crossed party lines, but it wasnt enough to end the impasse.With no progress, the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, ensuring the shutdown will continue into next week. Every day gets better for us, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, referring to the Democrats stance on extending health care subsidies.Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson told C-SPAN viewers that Democrats are the ones preventing you from getting a check, blaming the opposing party for the halted pay to federal employees and military personnel.President Trump has accused Democrats of using health care as a cudgel and warned that he might cut programs if the standoff continues. The Senate will return next week, but no further votes are scheduled before then.Tensions have risen inside the Republican camp as well. GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik has urged a separate vote on military pay, saying she co-sponsored the Pay Our Troops Act to ensure soldiers get paid. Speaker Mike Johnson, however, maintained that the House has already done its job, referring to a short-term funding bill passed on September 19.The bill received support from both parties  104 Republicans and 44 Democrats  but has yet to pass the Senate. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said House Republicans need to come back to vote again and reopen the government.The ongoing funding lapse has also disrupted federal environmental programs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services plan to release 400 captive-bred black-footed ferrets  one of the most endangered animals in North America  is now at risk. It just really makes us nervous, said Chamois Andersen of Defenders of Wildlife, noting that delays could harm the species survival chances.Legal experts are divided over President Trumps recent suggestion to invoke the Insurrection Act  a law traditionally meant for domestic unrest, not political disputes. Illinois and Chicago have filed lawsuits challenging the idea, calling it unconstitutional.The longer the shutdown continues, the higher the economic toll. Investors are growing concerned about market stability, and millions of Americans relying on federal programs may face disruptions. With the Senate away and both parties blaming each other, the closure is set to continue at least through next week  leaving workers, travelers, and even wildlife in uncertainty.
Humble beginnings and academic drive

Working hard, learning fast

( Image credit : Digital Magazines | Ajit Prabhu the co-founder and CEO of Global Quest )

The turning point

Building Quest Global

( Image credit : Ajit Prabhu Foundation | Ajit holds a MS in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) )

Ajit Prabhus vision and leadership

FAQs

Ajit Prabhu, the dynamic, has one of the most inspiring success stories in Indian entrepreneurship. Born and raised in the small town of, Karnataka, Ajit came from a modest background. In the 1980s, when comic books were every childs treasure, buying them was a luxury his family couldnt afford.But young Ajit found a clever workaround - he paid just 25 paise to read comics at a local shop, under one strict condition: they had to be returned in perfect shape. Eventually, he began renting those same comics to his friends for a small fee, turning his love for reading into his first mini-business.This early spark of entrepreneurship hinted at the remarkable leader he would one day become - the man behind Quest Global, a billion-dollar engineering powerhouse.Ajit Prabhus father was a practising lawyer in Hubballi, and his mother ensured education stayed at the centre of their family values. Ajit attended a government school where lessons were taught in Kannada. His strong grasp of maths and physics helped him earn a place in a mechanical engineering college.Eager to learn more, Ajit decided to pursue higher studies abroad. He was accepted into Old Dominion University in the United States - a dream that came with a price. To make it possible, his family took a loan from the, and Ajit flew to America with just $60 in his pocket.His first night in the US wasnt easy - the person meant to collect him never turned up, and he spent the night sleeping inside the airport, struggling to figure out how to use a payphone.Determined to make it on his own, Ajit Prabhu found a job at the university bookstore, where he carried and arranged books. Later, he started teaching maths to minority students, a job that helped him earn enough to buy his first car within six months.His perseverance paid off as he completed his masters degree and enrolled for a. But life had other plans. When his parents wished to visit him in the US, Ajit needed to arrangeand thats when destiny stepped in.One of Ajits professors encouraged him to apply for a role at. He soon landed the job, earning a handsome salary ofper year. His time at GE exposed him to cutting-edge engineering and global business standards - lessons that would later become the foundation of Quest Global.Though his job at GE was rewarding, Ajits entrepreneurial spirit remained alive. He wanted to build something of his own, something that would create opportunities for engineers like him.In 1997, Ajit Prabhu joined hands with his friend Aravind Melligeri to start, an engineering research and development (R&D) company. What began as a small start-up soon grew into a global organisation that partners with some of the worlds biggest names.Headquartered in Singapore, Quest Global now employs over 21,000 people across 83 centres in 17 countries, with around 15,000 employees based in India. For the financial year ending March 2025, the company reported a revenue of nearly $1 billion (around Rs 8,885 crore).Today, Quest Global counts top companies like Rolls-Royce, GE, Airbus, AMD, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and British Petroleum among its key clients.As the CEO of Quest Global, Ajit Prabhu has built a culture that values innovation, teamwork, and integrity. He often says that real engineering is not just about solving technical problems but about creating impact that lasts for generations.From renting comics for 25 paise to running a billion-dollar company, Ajits story is proof that humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary success when combined with passion and hard work.Ajit Prabhu is the CEO and founder of Quest Global, a leading global engineering services company headquartered in Singapore.For the financial year ending March 2025, Quest Global reported revenue of nearly Rs 8,885 crore (around $1 billion).He completed his mechanical engineering in India and pursued higher education at Old Dominion University in the United States.In 1997, Ajit Prabhu co-founded Quest Global with Aravind Melligeri, focusing on engineering and R&D services.Quest Global works with major international firms including Rolls-Royce, GE, Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, AMD, Microsoft, and Qualcomm.
5 killed in blast inside house in north India

Xinhua) 13:08, October 10, 2025

NEW DELHI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least five people, including three children, died and a few others were injured when a blast occurred inside a house in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh late on Thursday night, police confirmed on Friday.

The blast, said to be in an LPG cylinder, occurred in a village in the state's Ayodhya district. The two-storey house was completely razed in the blast, police said.

A bomb detection and disposal squad and a forensic team reached the spot to ascertain the nature of the blast.

The injured were admitted to a local hospital.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Concerts featuring the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, and the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ played live to film are among the events soon to pop up in the former Macys Center City store.

After the stumble of a few canceled concerts, organizers have unveiled a preliminary schedule at the Wanamaker Building beginning next week and running through the end of the year.

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Events include the much-loved Wanamaker Light Show, which will return this holiday season despite the departure of Macys, its longtime steward.

The Pipe Up! series reopened the space in early September. But later in the month, four of six planned FringeArts performances of The Layaway by the Bearded Ladies were canceled after Philadelphias Department of Licenses and Inspections found that the building did not have updated certifications for the fire suppression system, according to L&I records.

The violation has been cleared and, an L&I spokesperson said Thursday, a permit for use of the space has been approved.

Seven concerts starting Oct. 14 are part of this initial announcement, but perhaps 15 to 20 performances in total are expected in the next 2 months, said Anthony Roth Costanzo, the Opera Philadelphia leader who is organizing the Pipe Up! series.

Thats in addition to the light show. The Philadelphia Visitor Center, which has taken over the light show, is still finalizing the schedule, but expects the show  as well as the Dickens Village  to open on Black Friday and close Christmas Eve. Hours and other details are due in the next couple of weeks, but both attractions will be free, with reservations required for the village.

In between light shows, the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ will be heard in Christmas music.

Weve been very busy getting the organ ready, said Ray Biswanger, executive director of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ.

Next weeks concerts begin Oct. 14 with Peter Richard Conte and Andrew Ennis performing duets for organ and flugelhorn (repeated Oct. 21), and an evening of opera favorites with Conte and the Opera Philadelphia chorus on Oct. 17. The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass joins Conte on Oct. 25, and tenor Brownlee performs Nov. 4 (without organ). The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale, Philadelphia Girls Choir, and Commonwealth Youth Choir come together with organ on Nov. 15, and composer Nathalie Joachim is featured Nov. 19 in a concert of her own music as well as others (without organ).

Performances are free or pick-your-price starting at $11.

The series was made possible by a $1 million grant from philanthropist and organ aficionado Frederick R. Haas, support from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, and TF Cornerstone, which owns the building and has worked to keep it open to the public before beginning a series of renovations slated after the new year.

Opera Philadelphia has also partnered with Mural Arts Philadelphia and artist Sagar Kamath to create artwork in one of the storefront windows at Market and Juniper Streets. Other windows will receive a similar artistic treatment.

Still in the works is a film series, accompanied by live organ in the Greek Hall, curated by Carrie Rickey, the film historian and former Inquirer critic.

Said Costanzo:

It just seems like an incredibly fun way to experience organ in that building and to bring our audiences and our community together in Philadelphia in this space and revitalize that neighborhood, get people comfortable again with that building and excited about whats to come there.

Seats for Pipe Up! free events are offered on a line up and come in basis. Tickets for paid events go on sale Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. Information: operaphila.org.
Lt. Brian Geer demonstrates how to use steering wheel locks at the Philadelphia Police Tow Squad. Read more

Law enforcement officials are warning of a new type of high-tech auto theft that turns a common device  key fobs used in push-to-start vehicles  into a tool for stealing cars.

The Philadelphia region has played host to an increasingly common form of car theft in which criminals copy or redirect the signal emitted by these devices to unlock and start parked vehicles. In some cases, thieves even target key fobs inside locked homes, stealthily capturing their signals from outside and leaving car owners unaware.

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Its the latest trend in auto theft in a region that saw a wave of carjackings and catalytic converter thefts during the pandemic, while anxiety stirred among Hyundai and Kia owners as viral online videos taught would-be criminals how to hot-wire the vehicles and drive off in minutes.

While those trends have waned, police say, authorities are warning car owners that vehicles developed in the last decade that use keyless technology are susceptible to key fob cloning theft.

Some auto industry experts estimate that about 90% of new vehicles are equipped with keyless technology, allowing drivers to use key fobs for hands-free unlocking, auto-start, and other features.

Police departments nationwide have reported a rise in key fob cloning thefts in recent years, and in the Philadelphia region, several incidents have rattled suburban communities like Abington, Royersford, and Conshohocken in the last year.

It used to be a complex thing to do, so there were very few organizations doing it, said Steven Wheeler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Auto Theft Prevention Authority. It needs equipment, and the ability to be rather close to the radio signals. Just like anything else with technology, thats evolved.

Authorities say there are two methods for cloning key fob signals.

In one, thieves break into a car by smashing the window or accessing the roof, then plug an onboard diagnostic tool commonly used by mechanics into a port beneath the steering wheel. The device allows access to the vehicles unique PIN and passcode, which can then be copied onto a blank key fob in about three minutes.

In another method, dubbed a relay attack, thieves target a key fobs signal by holding an antenna-like device outside a victims home and relaying that frequency to someone waiting near the car. That signal unlocks the vehicle and can start its engine, tricking the car into believing the key fob is there.

In May, one such theft captured a South Jersey communitys attention, and led to the arrest of a suspect this month.

In what Washington Township police called a brazen broad-daylight crime, several thieves smashed the rear window of a Sewell residents purple Dodge Charger Hellcat and used an onboard diagnostic tool to clone her key and steal the vehicle, which police said was worth more than $100,000.

And in September, law enforcement officials broke up a Camden-based, multistate car theft ring and arrested 13 people  including three who were involved in the 2023 killing of Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez at Philadelphia International Airport. They were charged with racketeering and other federal crimes in connection with a sprawling scheme of auto thefts.

The operation resulted in 40 stolen vehicles across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, valued at more than $1 million, prosecutors said, and some members of the group are accused of using diagnostic tools to clone key fobs.

Philadelphia thefts

Philadelphia police say they have noticed an uptick in auto thefts bearing characteristics of key fob cloning, though the department does not keep data on the specific tactic because investigators can determine the method of theft only if the stolen vehicle is recovered.

Lt. Brian Geer, head of the Philadelphia Police Departments major crimes unit, estimates that, excluding Kia and Hyundai thefts, about 60% of auto thefts can be attributed to key fob cloning  even as other methods of auto-related theft continue to fall.

Catalytic converter thefts have fallen to around 100 in 2025, compared with more than 5,600 in 2022, according to Geer, whose unit is tasked with combating auto theft in the city.

And the city saw more than 1,300 carjackings that year; this year, that number has fallen to about 300, Geer said, due in part to joint enforcement from agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.

By contrast, the relative ease of accessing the tools required for key fob cloning has helped the crime proliferate, Geer said.

The onboard diagnostics device used to program keys costs between $400 and $600 at major online retailers, and there are no limitations on who can purchase them.

Out of box, you can steal 700 makes and models of vehicles made in North America in the past 10 years, Geer said.

And unlike the Kia boys trend in 2022, in which thieves in their teens or early 20s stole vehicles for social media clout or the thrill of joyriding, Geer said, key fob theft can prove lucrative for those looking to strip cars for parts like rims and tires, or resell them outright on Facebook and other secondhand marketplaces after creating a new vehicle identification number.

Philadelphia police plan to launch a public awareness campaign about key fob cloning next month. In the meantime, authorities are urging car owners to consider purchasing anti-theft tools like steering wheel locks as well as tools specific to key fob cloning, such as an OBD lock that prevents access to the diagnostics port.

To prevent relay attacks, Geer suggested car owners store their key fobs in Faraday pouches and boxes, which are constructed with material that blocks wireless signals.

Suburban police and state lawmakers react

Key fob cloning thefts have not been limited to Philadelphia.

Police in Conshohocken issued warnings to residents about key-fob cloning in August after a spate of robberies there in the summer. And in Abington, Deputy Police Chief Ed Quinn has been handing out Faraday pouches as part of an information campaign warning township residents about tech-savvy car thieves.

So far, two arrests have been made in the township: a juvenile who was caught in the act by officers and charged with attempted theft after trying to use a cloning device to steal a car, and a serial car thief who was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police as part of a larger investigation, according to Quinn.

The issue has also gotten the attention of the Pennsylvania state legislature.

State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, whose district includes parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties, introduced a bill that seeks to make possessing the signal-cloning devices that allow key fobs to be copied a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in state prison.

The bill makes exceptions for used-car dealers, fleet managers, and anyone using the devices for legitimate business purposes. It passed the Senate in a near-unanimous vote and is awaiting action in the House.

Thieves can take a really nice car off a street corner with this thing in 10 seconds, and drive four states away to sell it before the owner wakes up, Pennycuick said in a recent interview. This is not the usual method of car theft that were used to dealing with.
(Left to Right) Temple University President John Fry, donor and Temple alumnus Christopher Barnett, and Jennifer Ibrahim, dean of the College of Public Health, discuss Barnett's record $55 million gift to Temple. Read more

With some community college credits from Florida, Christopher Barnett applied to Temple University nearly two decades ago, hoping to transfer in and attend school near his then-girlfriend.

He was rejected, but that didnt stop him. Barnett bought a plane ticket, showed up unannounced at the office of the director of transfer admissions and waited hours until she finally agreed to see him. And that was after she had already told him on the phone all admissions decisions were final and she would not reconsider.

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I said I need you to take a chance on me, and if you do that, I promise you I will graduate with a 4.0 and Ill be a prominent alum and Ill give back to the university, Barnett recalled.

 READ MORE: Temples College of Public Health has a new building where students can simulate patient interactions in a restaurant, ER, or rowhouse

That admissions director, Carolyn Thorpe, admitted him on the spot  he got that 4.0  and on Friday, Barnett, now 42, made good on his larger promise.

The behavioral healthcare business leader donated $55 million to Temple, its single largest gift, surpassing the $27.5 million given by philanthropists Sidney and Caroline Kimmel in April.

I believe in Temple University, said Barnett, who has homes in Fort Lauderdale and Philadelphia. Temple took a chance on me when the odds were uncertain. And it helped shape who I am and what Ive been able to do for my communities.

Thorpe has since died, but Barnett on Thursday found and texted her daughter Ebonie Thorpe, a Philadelphia school teacher who lives two blocks from Temple.

I was kind of in disbelief, Thorpe said.

They got on a Zoom and he invited her to the Paley event, which she attended. He also offered to fund a $12,000 scholarship for her son, a freshman political science major at Temple, she said.

But what touched her most is how Barnett brought her mothers spirit to life.

Seeing Chris Barnett was like a microcosm of all the individuals who passed through her office and the lives she impacted, Thorpe said. It was magical to hear someone talk about the impact that my mother had on him.

Barnetts gift will go toward Temples College of Public Health, $20 million of it specifically for an autism center there. Scholarships, academic programs, and supports to foster student success also will get funding. And the public health college, which recently moved into the $160 million remodeled Paley Hall in the center of campus, will bear Barnetts name.

Barnetts gift was announced at the grand opening of Paley on Friday morning.

Barnett is founder and CEO of the Fort Lauderdale-based ABA Centers of America, which provides autism care and services for families in 60 markets across 12 states and Puerto Rico. Three of its centers are in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Large donations under John Fry

Notably, Temple has now had two record-breaking gifts this year, during the fledgling tenure of President John Fry, who announced last November when he took the helm that increased philanthropy would be a major goal.

When the Kimmels made their gift for the new home of the College of Media and Communication and Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts, Fry was pleased and said Temple deserved to receive larger gifts than it had in the past and be in the same league as schools such as the University of Delaware, which recently got a gift in excess of $71 million. Barnetts gift doubles the Kimmel contribution, and Fry hinted that more big gifts could be on the way.

 READ MORE: Temple president announces record $27.5 million gift from Sidney and Caroline Kimmel

If everything breaks right, hopefully yes, Fry said, noting that ambulatory care and STEM fields are two other critical areas that need financial support.

Fry said he told Barnett that his gift would elevate the entire university and that he would serve as a role model for giving back to Temple.

Its just going to make everyone turn around and say Wow, whats happening over at Temple, Fry said. And the answer is there is a ton happening and we have a ton of need.

Fry said he met Barnett the summer before he became Temples president and found he had sky-high aspirations for Temple and the public health college. Barnett had been involved in the health college for years and sat on its board of visitors.

In 2022, Barnett gave Temple $1 million to create ABA Centers Autism Lab, which conducts research, trains students, and offers diagnostic services to patients even if they cant pay. He also gave funding for Temples on-campus food pantry, which now bears his name, and in 2024, helped launch Maddys Room, a sensory friendly space for students and faculty, according to Temple. (Barnetts daughter Madison has autism.)

His company also pays for 40 to 90 of its employees to get masters degrees at Temple every year, he said. And he and his wife set up a fund to pay for Temple students to study abroad in Europe, he said.

As of May, he also became a member of Temples board of trustees.

From high school dropout to high-profile Temple alumnus

Barnetts path was non-traditional. He dropped out of high school at 16 so he could start working  he opened his first business at 18  though he later got his GED.

At Temple, he quickly was admitted into the honors program and became a top student. But he recalled classmates early on talking about reading classic books like The Catcher in the Rye, something he had never done. So he went to the library, checked out as many as he could and read them over the next several months.

I was never going to feel embarrassed like that again, he said.

In 2010, he got his bachelors in political science with minors in economics and general business studies. He later got a doctor of law degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law.

Over his career, hes held various positions in real estate and healthcare businesses before founding ICBD Holdings in 2019. That company, according to Barnetts LinkedIn, invests in companies and initiatives that disrupt industries, enhance communities, and sustain profitability.

He launched the ABA centers in 2020 after his own frustrations with trying to find quality care for his daughter with autism.

I couldnt even get access to a diagnosis, he said.

It started with one employee in one clinic and has grown to more than 2,500 employees, he said.

Thorpe said that during her Zoom call with Barnett, he also offered support to her niece, who has autism.

Jennifer Ibrahim, dean of the public health college, has had a relationship with Barnett since 2018 when she was the colleges associate dean for academic affairs.

Any time students were in need, Chris would say, How much? she said. What do you need?

Early on, Fry said Ibrahim told him he needed to meet Barnett, noting all the positive conversations she was having with him.

Barnett, who won the 2024 Ernst & Young national entrepreneur of the year award, has five daughters, two of whom are currently enrolled at Temple, one in the public health college and the other in the business school.

He said it was important to make the gift at a time when higher education is under attack and federal funding is in jeopardy.

There are Temple students just like me that are showing up on these campuses, whose odds are uncertain, who need just a little help, he said. My goal and my familys goal is to ... use our resources to create positive impact in the world.
Mark Segal, founder and publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, Maita Soukup, vice president experience and engagement of the Philadelphia Visitors Center, and Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer of Visit Philadelphia, at the LGBTQ Historic Marker near Independence Mall, on Oct. 9, 2025. Read more

When preparing to share Philadelphias rich LGBTQ+ history with the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to come to town next year for Americas 250th anniversary, planners did not suffer from any shortage of stories.

Philly does not take a backseat to any other city when it comes to national LGBTQ+ equality, said Mark Segal, founder and publisher of Philadelphia Gay News.

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But with so much LGBTQ+ history and culture to highlight, officials soon faced a natural question: Where would visitors even start?

Thats a predicament planners say they have now solved. On Friday, city tourism and marketing leaders along with LGBTQ+ advocates like Segal announced plans to open one of the nations first dedicated LGBTQ+ visitor centers.

Scheduled to open in January in the Gayborhood and billed as a legacy project of the Semiquincentennial, as the national milestone is known, the new Philly Pride Visitor Center is envisioned as a starting point for travelers.

Philadelphia is a city that shows up for everyone, said Kathryn Ott Lovell, president and CEO of Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp., which will run the new center. Our hope is that the Philly Pride becomes a place where LGBTQ+ visitors feel like they belong the moment they arrive.

Slated for a retail space near 12th and Locust Streets, owned by Knock Restaurant and Bar, the center will offer visitor services, including itinerary planning, attraction ticketing, and travel information, with a focus on LGBTQ+-affirming destinations, businesses, and cultural institutions. Souvenirs made by LGBTQ+-owned businesses and artists will be sold.

The Philly Pride Visitor Center reflects our commitment to inclusive tourism, said Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, in a joint statement announcing the site. It is both a resource hub and a testament to Philadelphias role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights.

The center will offer travel information on sites beyond the Gayborhood, including destinations across the state, from New Hope to Harrisburg.

LGBTQ+ history is a proud part of Pennsylvanias story, said Anne Ryan, the states deputy secretary of tourism.

Pennsylvania has always been a place where people come to write the next chapter of their story, and that includes our LGBTQ+ community, she said. This space will showcase destinations across our commonwealth where LGBTQ+ travelers will find community, pride, and a warm Pennsylvania welcome.

Segal, an activist and author, will curate the historical information presented at the center, telling of Phillys long and powerful LGBTQ+ legacy, from when Washingtons ragged troops at Valley Forge were transformed into a fighting force under the guidance of Prussian military leader Baron Von Steuben, who many historians believe was gay. It will explore the first Reminder Day Marches in 1965 and the Deweys sit-in that same year, where LGBTQ+ youth held the first transgender and gay sit-in in the country. It will also feature Gov. Milton Shapps signing of the nations first statewide executive order banning discrimination against LGBTQ+ state employees in 1975.

Philly has often led in LGBTQ+ tourism, including the 2004 marketing campaign: Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay.

Now with the opening of the Philly Pride Visitor Center, Philadelphia proudly honors that legacy and reaffirms its commitment to those who call this community home, Segal said.

More than a year in the making, the site will represent Phillys fifth visitor center, including ones at Independence Mall, City Hall, Love Park, and the Parkway Visitor Center & Rocky Shop.

How it came to be

The effort grew out of a video on Phillys LGBTQ+ history that Segal and Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer of Visit Philadelphia, prepared for the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York. That space, which opened in 2024, is the nations first LGBTQ+ visitor center. Segal, who is 74, was just out of Germantown High School when he participated in the seminal riots at the Greenwich Village bar in 1969.

In their video, Segal and Frauenglass encouraged Stonewall visitors to continue their exploration of LGBTQ+ history with a trip to Philly. Thats when the pair realized Philly needed a visitor center.

We have an entire neighborhood literally called the Gayborhood and there are certain pillars of that community, including the William Way LGBTQ Community Center, said Frauenglass. But there was not a physical place to have that sole purpose to welcome visitors and ensure that they know that they are wanted and expected here.

Working with tourism leaders and planners for the 250th, they quickly landed on the space connected to Knock. Fitting their needs for a quick opening, the Locust Street storefront serves as a testing spot for a permanent location, Frauenglass said.

Its right in the middle of the Gayborhood, exactly where we would want to welcome people, he said. Were calling it a beta to test out what the center really should look like in the long-term. It gives us the chance to explore what visitorship looks like  and we can really decide if the space needs to be larger.

It is a point of pride, planners said, that the Philly Pride Visitor Center comes at a time when many scholars and activists warn that the Trump administration is attempting to sanitize American history by omitting references to slavery and LGBTQ+ history from national park sites and websites. Coming ahead of the 250th commemoration, those anticipated changes include plans to alter the Presidents House Site at Independence Park that describes slavery under George Washington.

Right now, the current administration is trying to erase LGBTQ+ history, said Segal. Im a witness to much of that history. Thanks to Neil and Visit Philadelphia and the Visitor Center, theyre allowing me to give voice to our community and to say, No, this will not happen in Philadelphia.
Exactly one year ago, Enaas Sultan invited her mother, her aunt, and two family friends to a Zoom meeting to present a Pinterest mood board of what she envisioned Phillys second Yemeni coffee shop would look like. In early September, that vision board came to life with the soft opening of Haraz Coffee Houses second location in Fishtown.

The 26-year-old pastry chef is one of five women who have expanded Phillys Yemeni coffee culture footprint  coffeehouses that have become cherished cultural spaces in the U.S., especially in immigrant, Muslim, and diasporic communities.

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The 2,600-square-foot coffeehouse is filled with marble tables and rattan chairs and a long booth for customers looking to settle in for hours. A private room sectioned off by a sliding door is designated for those seeking a quiet workspace. For decor, the owners commissioned Pakistani artist Zahid Mayo to create murals of poetry in multiple languages.

By day, large windows bathe the space in sunlight. At night, ornate light fixtures illuminate the coffee shop  open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, a rarity in a city where coffee shops often close before sunset.

Pistachio raspberry tarts, Turkish coffee-infused chocolate chip cookies, Dubai chocolate brownies, potato and zaatar patties, everything bagel milk buns, and other pastries line the display cases near the checkout counter. The menu also includes a nostalgic savory pastry in the Pakistani community, Sultans chicken patties. She developed the recipe for the patties (which she pronounces as pay-tee), puff pastry shells stuffed with shredded spiced chicken, with her aunt and co-owner, Summaiyah Sohu.

The chicken patties are typically made to go with chai, Sultan said. Its a very common tea time snack, often for special occasions, and it really just brings people together.

The Fishtown locations coffee menu is standard to Haraz, a national chain with more than 20 locations in cities like Dearborn, Mich.; Orlando, Fla.; and Austin, Texas. Customers can sip on staples like Jubani (made with coffee and the husk of coffee cherries, served with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon), Adeni (Yemeni black tea, cardamom, nutmeg, milk), and Mofawar (coffee served with cardamom and cream), along with more familiar contemporary drinks like pistachio lattes and strawberry matcha.

Haraz Fishtowns quintet of owners formed when Farah Khan and husband Hamza Shaikh, owners of Haraz in West Philly  the citys first Yemeni coffee shop  reached out to friends (and Sultans parents) Zehra Wamiq and Wamiq Sultan. Zehra looped in her sister and local community organizer Aisha Zia Khan.

Sultan, who trained at a French pastry school in London, joined the team shortly after.

For each owner, opening a Yemeni coffee shop in one of their favorite Philly neighborhoods served two purposes: offering a non-alcoholic alternative third space in a buzzing bar scene, and sharing their Pakistani heritage.

In Pakistan, tea time culture is huge  you have your afternoon chai with a snack, Sultan said. We wanted that to be present in our cafe.

The pastry menu is unique to the Fishtown location, thanks to Sultan. Previously, the neighborhood resident worked in finance. Two years ago, she decided to go to Le Cordon Bleu in London for a four-month program to train in French pastries. When she returned, she worked at OsoSweet Bakery Cafe in Chadds Ford for several months. Then, her mother told her about the new Haraz location project.

I love Yemeni cafes and the cultural space theyve created, so the idea of starting one was very exciting, but nerve-wracking, Sultan said. I told my mom I didnt want to do it at first  a project this large wasnt something I felt ready for. But Im a big believer in learning as you go and starting before you feel completely ready, and I knew Id regret it later if I let this opportunity pass by.

When developing the menu, Sultan wanted to combine French pastry techniques with the Pakistani and Middle Eastern flavors she grew up eating.

I did a lot of recipe testing, putting together flavors and techniques that I thought would work well together and match the vibe of this space, and that would go well with the coffee, she said.

For Sultan and her family  her mother lives in Garnet Valley and her aunt is in Princeton  it was a special treat to open a Haraz location in the neighborhood they would visit when she was growing up. Farah Khan wanted to add to the neighborhoods bustling coffee footprint with Haraz. And bringing the Yemeni coffee culture to Fishtown was a no-brainer to Aisha Zia Khan, who has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years.

Fishtown, for me, is an intergenerational, interracial spot where you see lot of older Palestinian, Arab families; Al-Aqsa Mosque is close by, too, Zia Khan said. And if you go to Frankford Avenue, theres so many amazing restaurants, but its also a total bar scene.

We thought, When Haraz comes here, itll be that alcohol-free alternative space, that third space, that is so needed.

Haraz Coffee House Fishtown, 23 W. Girard Ave.; harazcoffeehouse.com, instagram.com/hrzcoffeephilly, Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bankrupt Prospect Medical Holdings is still trying to sell Crozer-Chester Medical Center, which was closed in early May. Read more

Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. had a $7 million bid for Crozer-Chester Medical Center and a $3 million bid for Springfield Hospital ahead of an auction held in the afternoon, an attorney for the bankrupt company said at a hearing Friday.

Neither the winning bidders nor the top bids were identified publicly after the auction. Prospect did not respond to a request for information about the prospective buyers. Community members have been pushing for the restoration of hospital services to Crozer-Chester in particular.

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At the same hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan approved Prospects plan to abandon the two shuttered Delaware County hospitals if the sales fail to close promptly because the properties have become a financial burden to the bankruptcy estate.

Prospect used a similar tactic last summer in the case of Crozer Healths two other closed hospitals, Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and Taylor Hospital in Ridley. Both of those hospitals have since been sold.

In a court filing Friday morning, Prospect said it had reached agreements with local tax authorities to set the assessments on Crozer-Chester and Springfield at the sale price for this year and next year.

The properties had elevated assessments because of Prospects financial maneuvers since the California for-profit acquired the countys largest health system in 2016. The current assessment on Crozer-Chester is $114.6 million, according to public records. That figure is $10.9 million for Springfield

The filing also said school districts and others would accept general unsecured claims in the bankruptcy. Those claims are unlikely to have much value.

Much of Fridays hearing on the abandonment motion was taken up with discussion of complications at Springfield. An attorney for Springfield Township said his client had not agreed to the tax deal outlined in the abandonment motion and was not part of the discussions.

Thats because Springfield Township has not filed a bankruptcy claim for back taxes, according to Prospects attorney, Maegan Quajada, of Sidley Austin. A hurdle in any sale is a deed restriction on the Springfield property that requires the operation of an emergency department that is open all the time.

However, Prospect closed the Springfield Hospital emergency department in early 2022, so its not clear how much weight the deed restriction has.

When Prospect announced late last month that it would hold an auction for Springfield and Crozer-Chester, it said any bids had to have no conditions on them, such as the resolution of tax matters or the Springfield deed restriction.

But then Prospect changed its mind and accepted conditional bids and rejected one that was unconditional, an attorney said in court Friday.

Quajada said the unidentified contingencies are being taken care of. We already know we can meet them, she said.
An Air Force firefighter rappels down a training missile silo during a training exercise at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming on Oct. 26, 2024. (Hunter C. Kirkland/U.S. Air Force) Read more

At a memorial service in 2022, veteran Air Force Capt. Monte Watts bumped into a fellow former Minuteman III nuclear missile operator, who told him that she had non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Watts knew other missileers with similar cancers. But the connection really hit home later that same January day, when the results of a blood test revealed that Watts himself had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

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I dont know if it was ironic or serendipitous or what the right word is, but there it was, Watts said.

Within the community of U.S. service members who staff nuclear missile silos scattered across the Northern Rockies and Great Plains, suspicions had long been brewing that their workplaces were unsafe. Just months after Watts was diagnosed in 2022, Lt. Col. Danny Sebeck, a former Air Force missileer who had transferred to the U.S. Space Force, wrote a brief on a potential cancer cluster among people who served at Minuteman III launch control centers on Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

Sebeck identified 36 former workers who served primarily from 1993 to 2011 and had been diagnosed with cancer, including himself. Of those, 11 had non-Hodgkin lymphoma; three had died. The Air Force responded swiftly to Sebecks findings, launching a massive investigation into cancer cases and the environment at three intercontinental ballistic missile bases and a California launch facility. The goal is to complete the research by the end of 2025.

The service has released portions of the studies as they conclude, holding online town halls and briefings to highlight its findings. But while former missileers say they are heartened by the rapid response, they remain concerned that the research, which crosses decades and includes thousands of ICBM personnel and administrative workers, may address too large a population or use statistical analyses that wont show a connection between their illnesses and their military service.

They need that tie to expedite benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Historically, the Department of Defense has been slow to recognize potential environmental diseases. Veterans sickened by exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, Marines who drank contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and service members who lived and worked near burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan fought for years to have their illnesses acknowledged as related to military service.

In the case of the missileers, the Air Force already had studied potential contamination and cancer at Malmstrom in 2001 and 2005. That research concluded that launch control centers were safe and healthy working environments. But with Sebecks presentation and the decision to pursue further investigation, Air Force Global Strike Command  the unit responsible for managing nuclear missile silos and aircraft-based nuclear weapons  said the earlier studies may not have included a large enough sampling of medical records to be comprehensive.

Sebeck, who serves as co-director of the Torchlight Initiative, an advocacy group that supports ICBM personnel and their families, told congressional Democrats on April 8 that the Defense Department has not accurately tracked exposures to the community, making it difficult for veterans to prove a link and obtain VA healthcare and disability compensation.

I had to go to a VA person and pull some papers, Sebeck said, referring to the government system for recording service members environmental risks. It says that I visited Poland once. It doesnt mention that I pulled 148 alerts in a launch control center with polychlorinated biphenyls and with this contaminated air and water.

PCBs  and the missileers exposed to them

PCBs are synthetic chemicals once used in industry, including missile control electrical components such as display screens, keyboards, and circuit breakers. They have been banned for manufacture since 1979, deemed toxic and a likely carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Air Forces Missile Community Cancer Study compares 14 types of common cancers in the general U.S. population and the missile community and also studies the environments at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to determine whether they may have contributed to the risk of developing cancer.

The Malmstrom, Warren, and Minot bases together field 400 Minuteman III missiles, the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, which also includes submarine- and aircraft-launched nuclear weapons. The missiles are housed in silos spread across parts of Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, staffed around the clock by missileers operating from underground, bunkerlike launch control centers.

So far, the Air Force investigation has found no statistically elevated deaths from cancer in the missile community compared with the general population, and it found that the death rates for four types of common cancers  non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lung, colon and rectum, and prostate cancer  were significantly lower in missileers than in the general population.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounted for roughly 5.8% of all cancer deaths among people who worked in launch control centers from January 1979 to December 2020.

Early results, derived from Defense Department medical records, found elevated rates of breast and prostate cancers in the missile community, but a later analysis incorporating additional data did not support those findings. The studies also did not find increased rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Air Force officials noted during a June 4 online town hall, however, that these assessments are based on roughly half the data the service expects to review for its final epidemiological reports and cautioned against drawing conclusions given the limitations.

The final incidence report will include federal and state data, including information from civilian cancer registries, and delve into subgroups and exposures, which may provide deeper insights into the complex relationship between serving in the missile community and cancer risk, wrote Air Force Col. Richard Speakman in a September 2024 memo on the initial epidemiology results.

Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said during the June town hall that only the final results will determine whether the missile communitys cancer rates are higher than the general populations.

Some lawmakers share the concern of missileers about the Air Force study. Following the release of a University of North Carolina review of Torchlight Initiative data that showed higher rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma  at younger ages  among Malmstrom missileers, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) introduced an amendment to a defense policy bill calling for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review health and safety conditions in the facilities.

Lets make sure that we have some outside experts working with the Air Force studying cancer rates with our ICBM missions, Bacon posted July 30 on the social platform X. We want to ensure credibility and that whatever results come out, weve done total due diligence.

Regarding additional studies on the working environments at the installations and a possible relationship between exposures and cancer risk, Speakman, who commands the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, said Malmstrom had two types of PCBs that the other two missile wing bases did not.

He added that benzene, found in cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust, and gasoline fumes, was the largest contributor to cancer risk in reviews of the bases.

The assessment concluded that health risks to missileers is low, but its not zero, Speakman said. He said it would be appropriate to monitor the health of launch control workers.

Next steps

Watts, whose story has been highlighted by the Torchlight Initiative, has asked the Defense Departments inspector general to investigate  the watchdog agency referred his request to Global Strike Command  and is closely watching the Air Force research. He said the bulk of the cancer cases reported to Torchlight occurred in the 2000s, when ICBM personnel still used technology that contained PCBs, burned classified material such as treated paper and plastic coding devices indoors, and possibly were exposed to contaminated water.

I open the door and theres guys standing there in pressurized suits with sampling equipment, Watts recalled. They said, Were here to check for contaminated water. I look at my crew commander, and were standing there in cotton uniforms. I said, Do you see anything wrong with this?

Launch control operators no longer burn code tapes indoors and the Air Force has made improvements to air circulation in the centers. Sebeck wants Congress to consider including missileers and others sickened by exposure to base contamination in the PACT Act, landmark legislation that mandates healthcare and benefits for veterans sickened by burn pits and other pollutants.

Its documented that there is a large cancer cluster in Montana, probably also in Wyoming. People act surprised, but all they have to do is go to the oncology office in Denver. I can find my missileer buddies there. We are sitting in the same chairs getting chemotherapy, Sebeck said.

Air Force Global Strike Command spokesperson Maj. Lauren Linscott said in response to Sebecks remarks that the unit understands the impact of cancer on its personnel and is committed to supporting them.

While current findings are preliminary and no conclusions can yet be drawn, we are dedicated to a rigorous, peer-reviewed, data-driven process to better understand potential health risks because the safety of our airmen is our top priority, Linscott said.

Bills introduced in the House and Senate would address the situation. In addition to Bacons amendment, the Senate version of an annual defense policy bill would require a deep cleaning of launch control centers every five years until the sites are decommissioned as a new ICBM, the Sentinel, replaces the Minuteman IIIs.

The Air Force aims to release its final epidemiological report by the end of the year.
St. Luke's Grand View Hospital is located in Sellersville. Read more

St. Lukes Grand View Hospital abruptly closed five outpatient centers that provided primary care, cardiology, and imaging services at the end of July, according to health department records.

The Sellersville hospital, formerly known as Grand View Health, was acquired earlier this year by St. Lukes University Health Network, which has been expanding its footprint in the Philadelphia suburbs.

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Grand View had a 25% operating loss in the first seven months of fiscal 2025, and the chief financial officer for St. Lukes, Scott Wolfe, told municipal bond investors in January that turning around the hospital would be a significant lift.

The decision to close several outpatient clinics drew a citation from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which requires hospitals give 60 days notice of plans to close services.

Grand View alerted the health department on July 22 that it was shuttering the outpatient offices by the end of the month. The affected locations were Dublin Outpatient Center, Pennsburg Outpatient Center, Quakertown Outpatient Center, Buxmont Cardiology Associates, and Grand View Health Workplace Health & Wellness.

A spokesperson told The Inquirer that patients will have access to outpatient services at other St. Lukes facilities in the area.

The incident was one of eight times inspectors visited the hospital to investigate potential safety violations.

Heres a look at the publicly available details:
Palestinian children celebrate, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, October 9, 2025. Read more

JERUSALEM/CAIRO - Israels government ratified a ceasefire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours and free Israeli hostages held in Gaza within 72 hours after that. The Israeli cabinet agreed to the deal early Friday morning, roughly 24 hours after mediators announced an agreement to free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trumps initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza.

The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages  the living and the deceased, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahus English-language X account said.

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The war has deepened Israels international isolation and upended the Middle East, having evolved into a regional conflict that has drawn in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. It also tested the U.S.-Israeli relationship, with Trump seeming to lose patience with Netanyahu and pressuring him to reach a deal.

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started it.

Hamas exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over.

An Israeli government spokesperson said the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of government approval of the deal. After that 24-hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be freed within 72 hours.

Twenty Israeli hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead, and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer than releasing those who are alive. Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza and Hamas will free all remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of prisoners held by Israel.

Fleets of trucks carrying food and medical aid would be allowed to surge into Gaza to relieve civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes and razed entire cities to dust.

Hurdles remain

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Much could still go wrong. Even after the deal was signed, a Palestinian source said the list of Palestinians to be released was not finalized. The group is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails, as well as hundreds of people detained during Israels assault.

Further steps in Trumps 20-point plan have yet to be discussed. Those include how the shattered Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israels demands it disarm.

Netanyahu also faces skepticism from within his governing coalition. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would vote to bring down the government if Hamas is not dismantled. He also said he would vote against the deal, as expected. Far-right members of Netanyahus coalition have long opposed any deal with Hamas. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Hamas must be destroyed once the hostages are returned.

But the announcement of an end to fighting and return of hostages was greeted with jubilation.

All of the Gaza Strip is happy

Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing, said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. All of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed.

Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is one of the last hostages, rejoiced in Tel Avivs so-called Hostages Square, where families of those seized in the Hamas attack that triggered the war two years ago have long assembled.

I cant breathe, I cant breathe, I cant explain what Im feeling ... its crazy, she said, speaking in the red glow of a celebratory flare. In Gaza, Israeli attacks continued before the official start of the ceasefire, but there were far fewer fatalities than the scores killed on a daily basis in recent weeks. Local health authorities reported seven dead in two separate Israeli strikes.

There were signs on the ground of Israeli troops preparing to pull back. An eyewitness near Nusseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip told Reuters that he had seen the Israeli army blow up an abandoned troop position and lower a crane used to surveil the area.

Near the Netzarim corridor, the main staging area for Israeli troops in central Gaza, the army fired dozens of smoke grenades, typically used to provide cover for troops on the move.

Trump heads to region

Trump said he would head to the region on Sunday to possibly attend a signing ceremony in Egypt, and Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana invited him to address the legislative body, which would be the first such speech by a U.S. president since 2008. Trump said he hoped the deal would lead to an everlasting peace in the region. The deal received support from Arab and Western countries and was widely portrayed as a major diplomatic achievement for Trump, who cast it as a first step towards reconciliation in the wider Middle East. His special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem and entered the Israeli government cabinet meeting that was called to ratify the deal.

Successful completion of the deal would mark a significant accomplishment for the Republican president, who has struggled to quickly deliver on his promises to bring peace to the Gaza conflict and Russias invasion of Ukraine. Western and Arab countries met in Paris to discuss an international peacekeeping force and reconstruction assistance for Gaza once the fighting stops. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.
OSLO, Norway  Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her struggle to achieve a democratic transition in the South American nation, winning recognition as a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.

The former opposition presidential candidate is a key, unifying figure in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolas Maduros government, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.

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In the past year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding, Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.

Machado says shes humbled and grateful

This is something that the Venezuelan people deserve, Machado said in a call with the Norwegian Nobel Institute. I am just part of a huge movement. ... Im humbled, Im grateful and Im honored not only by this recognition, but Im honored to be part of whats going on in Venezuela today.

I believe that we are very close to achieving, finally, freedom for our country and peace for the region, she said, adding that even though we face the most brutal violence, our society has resisted and insisted on struggling by peaceful means. I believe that the world will now understand how urgent it is to finally, you know, succeed.

Crackdown on dissent

Maduros government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro in last years presidential election, but the government disqualified her. Edmundo Gonzalez, who had never run for office before, took her place. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January. A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez over the publication of election results. Spain granted him asylum.

More than 800 people are in prison in Venezuela for political reasons, including Gonzalezs son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, according to the human rights advocacy group Foro Penal.

Dozens of those prisoners participated in Machados efforts last year. Some of her closest collaborators, including her campaign manager, avoided prison by sheltering for more than a year at a diplomatic compound in Caracas. They remained there until May, when they fled to the U.S.

Early Friday in Caracas, some people heading to work expressed disbelief at the news of Machados win.

I dont know what can be done to improve the situation, but she deserves it, said Sandra Martinez, 32, as she waited at a bus stop. Shes a great woman.

There was no immediate reaction from Maduros government.

Support for Machado and the opposition in general has decreased since the July 2024 election  particularly since January, when Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term and disappointment set in.

Machado was included in Time magazines list of 100 most influential people in April. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote her entry, in which he described her as the Venezuelan Iron Lady and the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.

In August 2024, Rubio, then a U.S. senator, was among eight U.S. lawmakers who signed a letter to the Nobel Committee supporting the nomination of Machado for the prize.

Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honored.

Speculation about Trumps Nobel chances

There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the prize going to U.S. President Donald Trump, fueled in part by the president himself and amplified by this weeks approval of his plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Asked about lobbying for and by Trump, Watne Frydnes said: We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace.

This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.

White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X that President Trump will continue making peace deals around the world, ending wars, and saving lives. He added that the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Trump congratulated Machado in a phone call, her campaign manager Magalli Meda confirmed to The Associated Press.

The White House did not comment directly on Machados recognition.

Hours after Fridays announcement, Machado wrote on X that today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy. She added: I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

The peace prize is the only one of the annual Nobel Prizes to be awarded in Oslo, Norway.

Four of the other prizes  in medicine, in physics, in chemistry and in literature  were awarded in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, earlier in this week. The winner of the prize in economics will be announced Monday.
Lower Merion Townships effort to limit where guns are sold violates state law, Commonwealth Court ruled Thursday.

In a case that holds major implications for the power of local governments across Pennsylvania, the court threw out the townships zoning ordinance that sought to block holders of federal firearms licenses from operating in walkable downtown areas and residential neighborhoods.

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The question at the heart of the case was whether the ordinance regulated land-use decisions, the bread and butter of local government, or the sale of firearms, which only the state can do.

 READ MORE: How a fight over Lower Merion zoning rules could impact gun policies across Pennsylvania

A majority opinion, signed by five judges, said the townships ordinance violated state law that prohibits local governments from regulating guns because its requirements went beyond geographic limits.

The Townships ordinance here is clearly intended to regulate the sale of firearms, rather than to regulate zoning, wrote Judge Matthew Wolf in the opinion. It is a gun regulation, not a zoning regulation.

In a statement, Todd Sinai, the Democratic president of the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners, said the township was considering its legal and legislative options.

We, of course, are disappointed in the Commonwealth Courts decision today. It is a fundamental and important right of municipalities to be able to zone the location of uses to best serve their residents and property owners, Sinai said.

Frustrated with the lack of gun-control measures out of Harrisburg, advocates and officials have sought to use local ordinances to limit gun sales and where guns can be carried, and to ban certain firearms. Philadelphia has fought for years for the ability to enact gun laws. But ordinances passed by Philly and other cities, including Pittsburgh, have largely been struck down by courts.

One strategy that has had limited success is the use of zoning ordinances to limit the locations of firearms-related activities, such as shooting ranges or gun stores. The Lower Merion case was seen by some as a test on how far zoning can go to bypass state preemption.

The Commonwealth Court has reaffirmed once again that local forms of government cannot regulate firearms and ammunition in any manner, said Joshua Prince, an attorney with Civil Rights Defense Firm who filed the lawsuit.

Lower Merion can appeal the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which would have to agree to hear the case, but the ruling delivered a blow to gun-control advocates who had hoped Lower Merions ordinance could be replicated elsewhere in the state.

The decision to treat firearm operations as different within zoning than any other business is unusual and concerning, said Adam Garber, the executive director of CeaseFire PA.

The ruling, he said, creates a road map for how municipalities can zone firearm stores but also puts the impetus on the state to address gun regulations, something lawmakers in Harrisburg have refused to do.

The township approved the zoning rules for firearms dealers in 2023 after the opening of Shot Tec, a gun training facility and seller in Bala Cynwyd, sparked community outrage. The zoning rules established a set of criteria for sellers to operate under and said they could open only in strip malls and industrial-use areas.

The township argued that, while local governments are not allowed to regulate firearms, they have broad power over zoning and land use.

Grant Schmidt, the owner of the Bala Cynwyd shop, sued after the zoning ordinance impeded his ability to open a second location in his home.

He responded to the news of the ruling Thursday with a gif of Ric Flair cheering. His business, which offers training and education on firearms in addition to buying, selling, and storing them, has had four locations in five years. He said he hoped he could now focus on expanding his business rather than fighting local policies.

Now Im looking to just grow and be normal and invest in my staff more, Schmidt said.

The litigation focuses on the requirements Schmidt had to adhere to for his most recent Rock Hill Road location, which is within one of the four districts that were zoned for businesses that require a federal gun license. The ordinance went beyond restricting place and imposed 12 additional requirements, such as installing smash-resistant windows, an alarm system, and internal video surveillance.

Montgomery County Court found that all but three requirements were preempted by state law. Following Schmidts appeal, Commonwealth Court struck down the remaining requirements and the place restrictions.

 READ MORE: Ban on carrying firearms openly in Philadelphia is unconstitutional, Pa. appeals court rules. But judges stop short of repealing the law.

Lower Merion argued that other businesses, such as medical marijuana dispensaries, animal hospitals, and funeral homes, are subject to compatible conditions to operate. These types of requirements are traditional local land use control not specific to firearms, the township argued, according to the majority opinion.

To make its case, Lower Merion cited a previous, non-precedential decision by Commonwealth Court that allowed Philadelphia to limit gun shops to specific zoning districts.

The difference between the cases, Wolf wrote, is that Philadelphia limited the location of the gun shops but said nothing about how they need to operate. Lower Merion went a step further to restrict how gun shop owners conduct their business.

Two judges, Renee Cohen Jubelirer and Lori Dumas, disagreed with the majoritys analysis, saying the decision strips the Township of its traditional power over land use and zoning.

Contrary to the Majoritys conclusion, none of the provisions of the ordinance at issue here regulate the ownership, transportation, or transfer of firearms, ammunition, or ammunition components, Jubelirer wrote in the dissent.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the gif sent by Schmidt. It featured Ric Flair.

Correction: An original version of this story incorrectly identified the gif sent by Schmidt. It featured Ric Flair.

This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Councilmember Mark Squilla and his wife Brigid pose for a photo with Parade Grand Marshall Joe Piscopo and Jerry Blavat (right, "The Geator with the Heater" and "The Big Boss with the Hot Sauce) on South Broad Street in the annual Columbus Day Parade Oct.10, 2021. Squilla was celebrating his 59th birthday this day. Read more

On Monday, Philadelphias City Hall offices will be closed for Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day.

Thats what the city is calling the holiday following an August Commonwealth Court ruling that nixed a 2021 executive order replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

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The combination name is used by other public entities, such as the Free Library of Philadelphia, which will be closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.

The Philadelphia School Districts cultural calendar refers to Monday only as Indigenous Peoples Day.

The citys interim chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Donna Jackson Stephans, will represent Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and the administration at an Indigenous Peoples Day event Monday.

 READ MORE: Kenneys 2021 order replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day is invalid, appeals court says

The 1492 Society, an Italian American heritage nonprofit that was among the entities that sued the city, was planning a slew of events this weekend intended to culminate in a parade on Sunday, which was canceled Friday due to the weather forecast.

Welcome back Columbus Day, the flier for the festivities read.

On Monday, Indigenous Peoples Day Philly Inc. will host its ninth annual event at the historic Shackamaxon Park, known today as Penn Treaty Park.

The organization called on City Council to pass a bill making Indigenous Peoples Day the official name in Philadelphia for the second Monday of October.

The movement in the city that perpetrates the legacy of Columbus, a figure associated with heinous actions, has caused immeasurable harm to Native Americans in Philadelphia, the group asked supporters to write to their Council members. It is time to acknowledge this history and make a change that reflects our values.

 READ MORE: Whats open and closed in Philly on Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day: Trash pickup, mail, grocery stores, and more

Mondays holiday is the first since Commonwealth Court ruled that the name change via executive order was invalid.

In a unanimous decision, the seven appeals court judges found that by eliminating a city holiday and creating a new one, then-Mayor Jim Kenney engaged in lawmaking that is reserved for City Council.

Councilmembers Mark Squilla, who was among those who brought the lawsuit, said in August he didnt think Council had the appetite to change the holiday through legislation, and he hoped the ruling would put the issue to rest moving forward.

One of Squillas colleagues, Councilmember Nina Ahmad, had planned to introduce a bill in September to formally recognize both holidays, Axios reported. But Ahmad shelved her plan to continue having conversations around the issue.
On my home office wall hangs a framed poster with the word peace in English, Arabic, and Hebrew.

I acquired it in Jerusalem in November 1977 when I was covering Egyptian President Anwar Sadats historic visit there, a stunning event that truly changed the Middle East. Once Egypt  then the Arab worlds foremost military power  signed a peace treaty with Israel, any prospect for a future Arab-Israeli ground war came to an end.

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The Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza, for which he deserves full credit, could be the first step toward a similar radical shift in the region. But for now, it is only a bare beginning. It wont end the war in Gaza, nor will it create peace, hopefully everlasting peace, as the president promised.

We can celebrate the freeing of brutalized Israeli hostages and feel relief that starving Gazan civilians will finally gain access to food and medicine.

Yet, this is only Phase One of Trumps 20 point peace plan.

It is Phase Two  which calls for rebuilding Gaza and offering Palestinians a political future  that will determine whether the ceasefire-hostage deal marks more than a brief respite before the next wave of bloodshed.

 READ MORE: Trumps Mideast peace deal is high on hoopla, vague on critical details | Trudy Rubin

Having spent decades covering unsuccessful Mideast peace efforts, I am trying to tamp down my cynicism. But here are a few points from history which, if ignored, will likely add Trumps current triumph to that sad list of failures.

1) If the president is serious about peace and not just investments in a Gaza Riviera, he will need to keep his attention and pressure on both Israel and Hamas for the long run.

Trump achieved the hostages-for-ceasefire deal only after he became furious enough at Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to use American leverage. The reason: Israel had conducted a bombing raid on Hamas negotiators in Qatar just as they were meeting to discuss Trumps peace proposal.

Not only did the president force the Israeli leader to apologize to Qatars ruler, but he squeezed the prime minister to halt his bombing campaign to raze Gaza City.

No U.S. leader has ever successfully applied such pressure to Israel. But Trump cannot stop now. Netanyahu pulled out of a phased ceasefire-for-hostages deal earlier this year, resuming the war after a partial release. Israeli media is full of speculation that he might well do the same after all the hostages come home.

Meantime, Netanyahus radical-right government partners insist that the war is not over. In a post on X, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stressed that Israel must ensure the deal is not hostages in exchange for stopping the war, as Hamas thinks. He added that after the hostages return, Israel must continue to pursue the true eradication of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Strip, so it no longer poses a threat to Israel. Translation: Restart the war.

Trump is tasking moderate Arab leaders, along with Turkey, to ensure Hamas disarms, to set up a multinational peace force, and to pay for Gazas reconstruction. He cant expect them to do their part if he doesnt check Netanyahu and prevent him from concocting excuses to end the ceasefire.

2) There can be no economic renovation of Gaza without a political horizon for Palestinian self-determination, which Netanyahu vehemently opposes.

Israelis have frequently derided the West Bank and Gaza for not developing a Singapore-like economy. But so long as Israel controls all entrances and exits from those territories, by land, air, and sea, it can hold up imports and exports for political reasons. Workers can be blocked from reaching workplaces. Palestinians arent allowed to upgrade their internet networks. Electricity flows can be shut off from Israel.

 READ MORE: Trump-endorsed suspension of Kimmel recalls Putins Puppets takedown | Trudy Rubin

Palestinian business owners cant attract investment, farmers and factories cant move their produce to international markets, Gazan fishermen arent allowed to fish for security reasons  the list of restrictions could fill up my column.

Even if Hamas disappears, these restrictions wont end if a government of Palestinian technocrats is set up in Gaza, as called for in the plan.

When the widely praised technocrat Salam Fayyad became Palestinian prime minister in 2013, based in the West Bank, his reforms were constantly thwarted by Israel for political reasons.

Bottom line: If Trump embraces fantasies of a Gaza Riviera without offering the Palestinians hope of emancipation, his plan will soon collapse.

3) Palestinians need a genuine political alternative to Hamas. Trumps plan calls for the reform of the Palestinian Authority, which is based in the West Bank, and which Arab leaders hope will eventually take control of Gaza. The PA despises Hamas, and its police in the West Bank have helped Israel keep it under control there.

But Netanyahu has spent years trying to destroy the PA (even as he was asking Qatar to fund Hamas in Gaza, because he thought he could buy them off). He insists the PA will never play a political role.

To prevent a Hamas 2.0 from emerging out of the Gazan catastrophe, Palestinians must be allowed to develop an alternative, credible political movement capable of governing. They must to be convinced that the occupation will someday end.

Trump and a genuine negotiating team would have to press Netanyahu on this, while convincing Israelis the U.S. will help shepherd them to peace with the greater Arab world. Too much to hope for? No doubt. But its hard to admit that right now.

4) If peace is really his goal, Trump cant ignore the West Bank. He has told Americas Arab allies that he wont support Israeli annexation. But radical Jewish settlers are carrying out de facto annexation, leveling villages, uprooting farmers, creating West Bank refugees, and building new settlements. All with the complicity of Netanyahus government.

There can be no peace in Gaza if dispossession is in full force in the West Bank. The only politician with the leverage to stop that is Trump.

 READ MORE: In U.N. speech, Trump urges global war on immigration and climate hoax, but punts on Ukraine and Gaza | Trudy Rubin

5) The president must press Netanyahu to control messianic groups in Israel that could, literally, blow up any peace process. In 1982, a Jewish terrorist organization known as the Jewish Underground plotted to destroy the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the third-holiest site in Islam.

The plan was eventually abandoned, but messianic groups are growing in strength in Israel. The countrys internal security agency, the Shin Bet (which eventually arrested members of the Jewish Underground back in 1984), will soon have a new head who is unlikely to pursue Jewish extremists. He is a follower himself of one of Israels most extreme messianic rabbis.

Again, just as peace requires stopping Palestinian religious extremists such as Hamas, it also requires impeding Israeli Jewish counterparts. This means leaning on Netanyahu to thwart extremist agitation.

In sum, Phase Two of Trumps plan doesnt stand a chance unless the president foregoes his tendency to claim victory and move on to the next photo op. Although he has little interest in briefings, he cant ignore the missteps that tripped up previous peace efforts, about which he probably has no knowledge.

However, if Trump wants that Nobel Peace Prize next year, he will have to learn fast.
Councilmember Jeffery "Jay" Young is the poster boy for councilmanic prerogative, while Kim Ward, state Senate president pro tempore, seems intent on blocking state budget efforts. Read more

This weeks edition of Shackamaxon covers the absurdities of councilmanic prerogative, efforts to curtail it elsewhere, and the lawmaker who may be one of the biggest obstacles to a state budget deal.

Prerogative poster boy

For longer than Ive been alive, The Inquirer Editorial Board has been calling for the end of councilmanic prerogative, which gives the 10 district City Council members discretion over land use, transportation, and other policy decisions within their constituencies.

While Council members insist prerogative is simply a way to ensure the communitys voice is heard, the tradition makes the city poorer and breeds corruption. It may be no surprise, then, that the bulk of the City Council members who have gone to jail since the inception of the current charter have represented districts.

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Recently, the practice of prerogative has reached new heights of absurdity, mostly thanks to the antics of freshman Councilmember Jeffery Jay Young. While his more seasoned colleagues are usually content with harassing the owners of food trucks and trying to micromanage sidewalk cafes and loading zones, Young likes to think small and obstruct big.

He is holding up the renovation of the Cecil B. Moore Library branch, despite outraged constituents urging him to act. At a contentious town hall earlier this year, Young compared himself to the luminaries who have previously held his seat, which has been a platform for civil rights legends like Ethel Allen, Raymond Pace Alexander, former Mayor John F. Street, and Cecil B. Moore himself. I couldnt help but think of how unflattering the contrast was, especially given he was the one calling attention to it.

Young also blocked a proposal to build affordable housing for older Philadelphians in Strawberry Mansion, arguing that the neighborhood, which is losing residents at the fastest rate of any community in the city, is drowning in new development.

His obstinacy might best be encapsulated by his recent refusal to permit a vote on his own bill allowing PennDot to create a bike lane around City Hall. Young has consistently expressed skepticism about the idea, only introducing the legislation under duress.

When asked by advocates why he wont bring the new lane up for a vote, Young didnt even have an answer.

Its important to remember that Young was elected by default. His opponents lost legal challenges to their petitions, while the case against his own nomination was dropped. This meant voters had no chance to scrutinize him, his ideas, or his penchant for offensive social media posts like, Dear Chinese Stores, we dont eat dog, cat, or rat here in America, on purpose at least.

Beaten by New York, again

Loath as I am as a Philadelphian to cite an example from New York City, voters in the five boroughs have an opportunity next month to do something we havent, which is strike a significant blow against member deference, their own version of prerogative.

According to Casey Berkowitz, a spokesperson for the Charter Revision Commission, New York City has a housing crisis, including record low vacancy rates, and the City Council and member deference has often been an obstacle to solving it. The commission has responded by giving voters the chance to revise the city charter.

The proposed charter revisions would fast-track affordable housing projects, rather than allowing them to fall under the sole discretion of individual council members. The change helps ensure that one person can no longer make themselves an insurmountable obstacle to change. If only.

When Kim Ward wins, Philly loses

Through the ongoing state budget saga, one politician has done more than anyone else to sabotage negotiations: Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, who represents parts of Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh. Ever since Gov. Josh Shapiro double-crossed her on school vouchers two years ago, shes taken any opportunity she can to exact a little payback on his administration, no matter the cost to Pennsylvanians.

Last year, Ward tweeted out a picture of herself scrolling on her phone during Shapiros budget address, like a surly teen. This year, she seemingly pops up every time budget negotiations are going well, preventing her caucus from coalescing behind a compromise. Ward says shes a champion of fiscal discipline, except for the hundreds of millions of dollars she wants for school vouchers and cyber charters.

Thanks to Wards efforts, SEPTAs capital budget has been depleted (why replace exploding ancient train cars?), Philadelphias rape crisis center has suspended services, and the city itself faces a potential cash flow problem at the end of the year.

Dont worry, though, the esteemed Senate president was working for you  from Dublin. Ward joined a trip organized by the Pennsylvania-Ireland Trade Commission, of which she herself is not a member.

By convenient coincidence, this trip just so happened to occur at the same time as the Sept. 28 Pittsburgh Steelers game in the Emerald Isle. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review called the decision to attend a game abroad while Pennsylvanians experience service cuts tone-deaf. I agree.

Ward, State Sen. Devlin Robinson, and State Reps. Mary Jo Daley and Joe McAndrew got to enjoy watching the Steelers do what the actual Irish themselves failed to do 1,200 years ago: defeat the Vikings in Dublin.

If only Ward would let the rest of the commonwealth get a win, too.
New Jersey Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli said he intends to file a defamation lawsuit against his Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, for stating during their debate Wednesday night that Ciattarelli killed tens of thousands of people by publishing material that downplayed the risks of opioids.

Ciattarellis campaign said in an email Thursday night that they expected to file the suit early next week.

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Chris Russell, a campaign strategist for Ciattarelli, said that recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line.

Sean Higgins, communications director for Sherrills campaign, did not back down from the tens of thousands accusation and repeated the candidates claim in an emailed a statement Thursday night.

During their second and final debate Wednesday night, Sherrill attacked Ciattarelli based in part on information from a 2021 NJ.com report that said Ciattarellis medical publishing company distributed information about pain management that appeared to downplay the dangers of opioids.

Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of publishing the propaganda of opioid companies, while tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died.

Sherrill then repeated the accusation, saying Ciattarelli made millions, as these opioid companies made billions, tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died.

First of all, shame on you, Ciattarelli responded.

Shame on you, sir, Sherrill replied.

After Ciattarelli called the accusations a lie and stated that he was proud of my career, Sherrill again raised the opioid attack: I think the people you got addicted and died deserve better than you.

Later, as Sherrill was speaking, Ciattarelli interjected: I got to walk at my college graduation, referencing reports that Sherrill did not walk at her Naval Academy graduation amid a widespread cheating scandal. (Sherrill said that she was punished for not turning in her classmates.)

Im so glad, Sherrill retorted, then declared with more direct, accusatory language that Ciattarelli went on to kill tens of thousands of people in New Jersey, including children.

She later made the same charges while Ciattarelli was making accusations against her: I think youre trying to divert from the fact that you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda.

According to the 2021 NJ.com article, Ciattarellis company Galen Publishing produced continuing education material for universities  much of it funded through grants by pharmaceutical company grants. The author of one article noted that misuse or diversion of pain relievers is a significant problem, but continued: The risk of opioid misuse is low among patients with chronic pain who do not have preexisting substance use disorders.

Russell, Ciattarellis campaign strategist, said in a statement that Sherrills assertion that Ciattarelli killed tens of thousands of people, including children was a clearly defamatory attack that shocked the moderators, press, and public alike.

Russell continued: In a time where political violence and violent rhetoric are becoming all too prevalent, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line.

Higgins, communications director for Sherrills campaign, responded in an email: Jacks reaction is to hide behind a lawsuit, not to take responsibility.

Echoing Sherrill from the debate, Higgins added: As he was making millions, the Big Pharma companies made billions, and tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died. He is clearly unfit to lead and protect this state, and owes the people of New Jersey answers.
The Gloucester County ballot for the November election that is in dispute. Read more

The design of the November ballot by the Gloucester County clerk is illegal, but its too close to the election to change it, a judge has ruled.

The ballot is violative of state statute, according to Superior Court Judge Benjamin Telsey, who ruled last week that the ballots as constructed are inconsistent with what the legislature wants.

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Telsey also determined that because some mail-in ballots have already been sent out, a redesign now would only cause confusion and cannot be attempted.

Republicans are appealing to the state Appellate Court, asserting that the redesign by County Clerk James Hogan, a Democrat, benefits candidates from his party. Legal motions were expected to be filed by Thursday afternoon.

And Republican New Jersey Assemblyman Brian Bergen (Morris, Passaic) says he is so enraged that hes calling for Hogans impeachment for electioneering by altering the ballot.

Adding to the tumult, on Monday the Republican National Committee decried Hogans ballot as yet another example of Democrats trying to game the system.  The redesign was a deliberate effort to undermine county GOP efforts.

Hogan created a ballot with so-called office blocks  boxes that list candidates under the title of the office they are seeking. In such an array, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill are grouped together in the Governor box, along with the Socialist and Libertarian candidates.

In other blocks, candidates from both parties are listed together under the headings of offices being sought: General Assembly, County Commissioner, and Township Committee.

In the vertical-line configuration that Telsey described as conforming to state statute, Ciattarelli would head a list of GOP candidates running for other offices, while Sherrill would top a slate of Democrats.

People will see Ciattarellis name and vote Republican down the line, Bergen said in an interview.

Current thinking is that Republicans have a good chance to wrest control of the county from Democrats this year by taking two open commissioner seats and other spots, according to the New Jersey Globe, which originally reported the ballot redesign story.

Though he lost the 2021 governors race, Ciattarelli beat Gov. Phil Murphy in Gloucester County  55,000 to 45,000 votes.

But if the ballot consists of office blocks of candidates vying for the same post, Bergen said, I presume people will vote for Ciattarelli and then go home, without looking at the lower-down candidates in other boxes.

Republicans charge that Hogan ignored a state statute for determining ballot position: The name of the party first drawn shall occupy the first column at the left of the ballot, and the name of the party next drawn shall occupy the second column, and so forth.

Court records show that after the legally required random drawing in August, GOP candidates were to appear on line ballots in the far left column  considered to be the most advantageous position to attract voters eyes  with Democrats to the right.

Instead, Hogan created the box ballot.

This is yet another example of county clerks not acting as neutral election administrators, said attorney Yael Bromberg. They are engaging in a process to influence electoral outcomes, be it with respect to ballot order, grouping, or overall ballot design.

Hogan did not respond to calls for comment.

Bromberg, a professor of election law at American University Washington College of Law, is one of the attorneys who worked with then-U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat, to eliminate the so-called county line ballot format from New Jersey primary elections. The line format is still functional in general elections.

Because Republicans had distributed literature advising voters how to cast their votes using a ballot that is no longer viable, Telsey ordered Hogan to pay the county GOP $26,007, court records show.

It was not clear when Republican appeals would be decided.
An employee working for a contractor cleans up trash during AFSCME District Council 33's strike in July. Read more

During Julys eight-day municipal worker strike, the city spent almost $1.26 million per day on added costs needed to maintain basic services, such as hiring contractors to haul trash from dump sites and paying overtime to some Water Department supervisors, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced Friday.

The total extra expenses for city taxpayers came to about $10.1 million, Parker administration officials said. But the city also saved $4.7 million in personnel costs by forgoing wages for the roughly 9,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, which on July 1 began Philadelphias first municipal work stoppage in four decades.

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On balance, the city incurred $5.4 million in net expenses, Parker said.

The strike was a painful  and odorous  ordeal for Philadelphia residents and a defining moment for Parkers administration. After DC 33 leaders agreed to end the strike at 4 a.m. on July 9, the mayor largely got what she wanted: a three-year contract with $1,500 signing bonuses and annual raises of 3%, far less than the 5% per year the union was seeking when it called the work stoppage.

 READ MORE: They are my people: Mayor Cherelle Parker on why she stood firm in the DC 33 city worker strike

We did the best we could

Parker emphasized Friday that her goal was to balance providing workers a fair contract with the need to protect the citys finances.

We did the best we could with what we had, ensuring that we could make sure that we address the concerns financially, Parker said.

DC 33 is the largest and lowest-paid union in the city workforce, representing frontline blue-collar workers including trash collectors, street pavers, and 911 call center operators.

Union president Greg Boulware did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As soon as the strike was called at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, the administration launched into action, filing court injunctions that forced some union members back to work and activating a plan to use contractors and other city employees for tasks usually performed by the striking workers.

The Parker administrations preparedness for maintaining services during the work stoppage  and its willingness to use contractors, a controversial move for a self-described pro-union mayor  proved to be a key part of its success in outlasting DC 33. The union ultimately realized that Parker was not going to cave before the courts, and eventually ordered DC 33 members back to work to maintain public health and safety.

We felt our clock was running out, Boulware said at the time.

 READ MORE: How the AFSCME DC 33 strike exposed fault lines in Phillys labor movement

The contract, which also included 2% raises for veteran city employees in DC 33, will cost the city $115 million in added payroll expenses over five years.

The unions plan for 5% annual raises would have cost an additional $65 million during that period, Finance Director Rob Dubow said.

Costs pile up for trash haulers and dump sites

Critics of Parkers aggressive approach to breaking the strike have questioned how much it cost the city to maintain functions without its largest union. The city this week began releasing documents following an open-records request submitted by The Inquirer under Pennsylvanias Right to Know Law.

Parker said Friday she had a duty to maintain services for Philadelphia residents during the strike.

I will not allow my pride, ego, emotions, or politics of any kind to interfere with my responsibility to ensure the public health and public safety of the people of this city, Parker said. It was my duty to ensure I employed the use of any resource readily available to me.

City agencies like the Philadelphia Water Department canceled vacation time and used mandatory overtime to deploy supervisory staff to round-the-clock shifts at pumping stations affected by the strike. Some nonunion employees were reassigned to tasks outside their job descriptions, such as serving as crossing guards.

The most visible DC 33 members are the citys sanitation workers. Residential trash collection halted as soon as the strike began, and Parker asked residents to instead drop their refuse at collection sites around the city.

The city manned those sites in part with non-DC 33 city workers, including those in the Community Life Improvement Program and Philly Future Track  a training program meant in part to help recruit future DC 33 members.

The administration then hired private companies to haul trash away from the dump sites. Carlton Williams, Parkers director of clean and green initiatives, said the city paid $3.4 million to three haulers: Waste Management, Elliott-Lewis, and Green World. It also paid $1.2 million for heavy equipment operators and dump trucks.

During the strike, the administration accused some DC 33 members of damaging city equipment. Williams said Friday that the city paid about $78,000 to repair 155 pieces of equipment.

The records that the city has produced so far in response to The Inquirers documents request show invoices totaling more than $1.3 million from Waste Management and J&K Trash Removal Inc. to manage roughly 63 ad hoc dump sites. The city also bore related costs, like $525 daily charges to cover hotels, meals, and transportation for private sanitation drivers, along with tens of thousands of dollars in private security for dump sites.

The administration said it will soon release more details about how it calculated the $5.4 million net costs figure, and it has promised to produce additional documents responsive to The Inquirers records request.

The strike coincided with the citys Wawa Welcome America July Fourth celebration. Headliners LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan both pulled out of the citys concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in solidarity with the striking workers. Parker, who attended the concert, said the strike did not create added costs for the city related to the event.

We had two artists who were scheduled to headline our July Fourth celebration, and both of them, because of the challenges we were facing at that time, decided that they would not participate, Parker said. Im happy to report that the City of Philadelphia in no way, shape, or form incurred any cost and/or lost any revenue as a result of that decision-making.

More municipal contracts reached

Led by Chief Deputy Mayor Sincere Harris, the Parker administration this year has negotiated new contracts with DC 33 and AFSMCE District Council 47, which represents the citys white-collar workers, such as professionals and supervisors.

The city has also reached a new contract with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 through interest arbitration, the process for determining contracts with public safety unions that are prohibited from striking.

Parker on Friday announced two more arbitration awards for unions representing court employees.

Labor deals for three more municipal unions, all of which will be decided through arbitration, remain on Parkers agenda this year: the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 22, an AFSCME local representing prison guards, and an FOP local representing sheriffs deputies and row office employees.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozadas war on what she considers nuisance businesses heated up Thursday, as she introduced a zoning bill that seeks to ban new pharmacies and convenience stores from opening in the Seventh District.

The legislation would force any new sundries, pharmaceuticals, and convenience sales businesses in her district  which covers Kensington and other parts of North and Northeast Philadelphia  to get approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA).

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In an interview after City Councils Thursday session, Lozada said the bill was not crafted with chain businesses like CVS and 7-Eleven in mind, although they would also be affected by it.

The convenience stores that are more problematic are those that just pop up overnight, are not connected to any particular chain, sell all types of narcotics paraphernalia, and continue to attract illegal businesses, Lozada said.

In recent years, City Council has sought ways to curb an influx of businesses that host slot machine-like skill games, sell marijuana-like products that are often laced with toxins, and addictive substances like kratom.

All of these businesses flourish in legal gray zones left by federal and state policymakers when regulating  or not  these substances and games. Shops operating in this hazy space are most common in lower-income areas, although there are plenty in the suburbs and areas like South Street. Lozada has said they attract crime.

Some of Councils attempts to regulate these businesses have been frustrated in court because skill games and hemp products are regulated in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. But the proliferation of such stores is such a frequent constituent complaint that politicians keep seeking new legislative responses.

Because Council is preempted by Harrisburg and D.C., Lozada and her emulators have instead been writing more generalized legislation like Thursdays bill that affect larger categories of businesses.

 READ MORE: What do food trucks have to do with crime? North Philly vendors say new curfew enforcement may wipe them out.

Thursdays zoning bill follows a controversial late-night business curfew championed by Lozada in her district and was swiftly adopted by several other City Councilmembers. It requires businesses to close by 11 p.m. and imposes $1,000 fines on violators.

That legislation has been opposed by a variety of small-business owners, including pharmacists and food truck vendors, who cater to late night and early morning customers.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker refused to sign the legislation. It became law without her signature, however, and the mayor did not seek to veto it because she didnt have the votes to win.

The Virginia-based libertarian law firm Institute for Justice, which opposed the curfew and threatened to sue the city over it, decried Lozadas new bill.

Crime is a serious issue, and were glad the city wants to address that problem, but current nuisance laws already give the city authority to crack down on businesses that are bad neighbors, said Jennifer McDonald, director of activism with the Institute for Justice.

While this bill isnt as harmful as the recently enacted business curfew, it still raises concerns and will prevent new businesses from opening in District 7, McDonald said.

The firm has said small-business owners who spoke out against the curfew last month were retaliated against by municipal authorities.

They asked the city to provide documentation proving there was no link between anti-curfew testimony that business owners provided in City Hall and food truck inspections and towings that affected some of them later that day. Authorities say the events were unrelated.

Lozada said the new zoning bill should be seen as part of her larger legislative campaign against nuisance businesses.

All of this legislation does work hand in hand with one another, and it is legislation that we have been working on very closely with community residents who are impacted and whose quality of life is impacted on a day-to-day basis, said Lozada.

City Council often insists that zoning laws of this sort do not constitute a ban, as would-be business owners can still go through the Zoning Board of Adjustment process and open if they get approval.

But the ZBA process is notoriously long  partly because Council keeps sending more cases to the board with restrictive new laws  and can be prohibitively expensive for applicants.

The process adds unpredictability to the other hardships new business owners face, and outcomes can be influenced by neighborhood or political pressure. A requirement to appear before the zoning board can discourage applicants from seeking to open businesses in heavily regulated areas.
The members of the WEALTH Collective, Vonetta Hawkins, Clara Lyons-DeVaughn, and Almitra Tankersly, pose for a photo after winning the Economy League of Philadelphia's Fair City Challenge competition with their plan to fight home appraisal bias. Read more

Almitra Tankersly was 12 years old when her parents West Philadelphia home was undervalued. It was her first experience with property appraisal bias.

Now, Tankersly is part of the WEALTH Collective, a team of Black women in real estate, banking, and finance that is fighting against appraisal bias in Philadelphia and beyond.

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On Wednesday night, the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia awarded $50,000 to Tankersly, Clara Lyons-DeVaughn, and Vonetta Hawkins to support their work to eliminate home appraisal bias, which happens when Black homeowners properties or properties in predominately Black neighborhoods are valued less than comparable properties owned by white households or in primarily white neighborhoods.

The discrepancy strips home equity from Black households and widens racial wealth gaps. And its become too normalized, Lyons-DeVaughn said.

Were disrupting the status quo, she said. Theres gonna be a new normal. And that new normal includes having more equity and more wealth for communities of Black and brown people. Were gonna take back our money, take back our wealth.

The WEALTH Collective created an app that lets people upload their property appraisals and determine whether their properties may be undervalued. The platform flags bias and generates a report people can take to their lender to appeal incorrect appraisals.

The platform offers webinars about how homes are assigned value and about bias. Appraisal bias occurs because of factors such as conscious or unconscious racial bias in real estate industries, disinvestment in Black neighborhoods, and decades of racist and segregationist housing policies and systems.

The app also generates a scorecard for appraisers to let those with lower scores know they may need more education. The WEALTH Collective also plans to create a certification course for appraisers that it hopes will one day be required for professionals who want to work in the city.

In 2022, a task force convened by then-City Councilmember Cherelle Parker recommended making the appraisal process more transparent, educating homeowners and appraisers, and diversifying the appraisal profession to prevent bias.

By awarding the WEALTH Collective with this years grand prize, we are supporting a replicable model that will support closing the racial wealth gap in Philadelphia and beyond, Jeff Hornstein, executive director of the Economy League, said in a statement.

The contest

In 2023, the Economy League found that homeowners in Black and Latino neighborhoods in the city would have an additional $57 billion in property wealth if their homes had appreciated at the same rate as owners in majority-white neighborhoods over the course of seven decades.

We did the research, and then we said, What do we do about this? Hornstein said at the award ceremony Wednesday night. We decided to put a challenge on the street earlier this year which basically said, Give us a good idea for chipping away at this disgraceful wealth gap embodied in property values.

Proposals flowed in for the Fair City Challenge. The Economy League received about 75 applications for funding and then chose 14 teams to compete in a pitch competition in May. Four of those teams were named finalists and received $10,000 each and support to refine their ideas.

With the $50,000 prize, the WEALTH Collective plans to expand its pilot program by increasing the amount of appraisal data the app collects, driving policy changes, and reaching more people.

The impact that were gonna make and are making right now currently is going to be enormous, Hawkins said Wednesday. The challenge said, Will you impact the homeowner? Will you impact the neighborhood? Will you impact the city? What were doing right now impacts them all.

Leslie Smallwood-Lewis, cofounder and chief operating officer of Mosaic Development Partners and one of the judges for the Fair City Challenge competition, praised the members of the WEALTH Collective for their passion, supported by solid statistics, early proof of concept, and a clear path to scale up.

TD Bank, Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and the Philadelphia nonprofit NewCourtland, which builds and operates affordable housing, sponsored the award.

The other finalists

The Philadelphia Climate Equity Home Fund, led by Somalisa Sahoo, helps homeowners in historically disinvested neighborhoods finance energy-efficient home upgrades, such as improved insulation, solar panels, and new heating and cooling systems.

Its all about lowering bills and increasing home equity, Sahoo said.

Raices Capital Fund helps aspiring Latino real estate investors purchase and rehabilitate properties in disinvested neighborhoods. The project is led by Kersy Azocar, president and CEO of the Philadelphia nonprofit Greenline Access Capital, which supports the micro-businesses of historically disadvantaged groups.

Raices Capital Fund assists graduates of Jumpstart Philly, a loan program that trains residents to be developers and tackle blight.

The third project is a collaboration between North Roots Orchard & Farm, founded by Garrison Hines to tackle food insecurity and reclaim vacant lots in North Philadelphia, and artist Brandy Fortunes Bossed Up project to uplift communities through fashion and art.

Together, North Roots x Bossed Up is transforming vacant land in North Philadelphia using agriculture and public art through their Soil and Soul initiative. They are focused on revitalizing and bringing a community farm to Logan Triangle, land thats sat vacant for decades.

We blend regenerative farming with public art to transform blighted land into spaces of beauty, nourishment, and pride, Fortune said.
The flooded streets of Ocean City in July of 2020. An encore is possible this weekend. Read more

A hybrid coastal storm is all but certain to have significant impacts during the weekend throughout the Phillly region, with major flooding possible at the Shore along with wind gusts to 60 mph, forecasters are warning.

Areas along the I-95 corridor could experience heavy rains with gusts to 50 mph as the storm tracks ponderously along the Mid-Atlantic coast Sunday into Monday.

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Jersey Shore towns already are getting a not-so-dry run this week of whats expected this weekend. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued coastal flood advisories in effect until 4 p.m. Saturday.

But that flooding would be the result of steady onshore winds and the tug of the waning supermoon, not the incipient coastal low, expected to have its biggest impacts Sunday into Monday.

Formerly disputatious computer models have come into better agreement on the future of what could be one of the more significant storms to affect the region in recent years, said Sarah Johnson, warning coordination meteorologist in the Mount Holly office.

Said Bob Larson, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc., This is the real deal.

Winds and waves are going to rip sand off beaches, as flooding occurs during multiple high tide cycles, Larson said.

While flooding is likeliest in the beach towns and their back bays, which in August sloshed over from the waves generated by Hurricane Erin, NOAAs Weather Prediction Center warned that inland flooding also was possible.

The storm, which was due to form off the coast of North Carolina, was forecast to intensify over the very warm waters of the Gulf Stream and move up the East Coast.

It will be a hybrid cyclone infused with tropical moisture  not a classic cool-season noreaster, said Larson. AccuWeather is calling it a tropical rainstorm.

Larson expressed some surprise that the National Hurricane Center hasnt considered making it a named storm.

When will the storm affect the Philly region?

Winds are due to pick up Saturday afternoon, with the strongest gusts from Sunday afternoon into early Monday. Rain is likely to begin late Saturday night or early Sunday and continue into Monday.

At the Shore, where the rains and winds likely will be more robust than on the mainland, a coastal flood watch is in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday through 8 p.m. Monday with major flooding forecast for high tide at 1 p.m. Sunday for the oceanfront and back bays.

The moon, which is making one of its closer approaches of the year, is waning, but it is still exerting its influence, Larson said. Plus, this is going to be a slow-moving system that means were going to have several high tides affected.

What are the chances that the forecast will change?

Larson said Thursday that the computer model solutions were becoming closer to each to other. The European forecast model had the center approaching Cape May.

Larson said he expected a general 2 to 4 inches of rain at the Shore, which would exacerbate any flooding, and 1 to 2 inches along I-95. Given how dry it has been, that likely would result in only some nuisance and poor-drainage flooding.

However, the American model had the storm center heading into the Chesapeake Bay, which likely would increase rain amount for the Philadelphia region and the potential for flooding along the Delaware River. Thats a concern as well, Larson said.

On that track the heaviest rains would fall right over Philly, which would be more than poor-drainage flooding.

In the meantime, the probability that the forecast details are going to change even as the winds and rains get underway is near 100%.
Former New Jersey insurance agent Jose Uribe will not go to prison for his role in the bribery scheme involving former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, the senators wife, and two other businessmen.

U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in New York sentenced the prosecutions star witness to home confinement for six months and three years of probation after government prosecutors asked the court to consider that Uribe was a model cooperator in the case.

Uribe will also pay restitution of $866,947 to the Internal Revenue Service and forfeit $292,000 he gained from his crimes.

The sentencing was in line with recommendations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Uribes own lawyers that he deserved credit for his extensive cooperation with DOJ prosecutors, providing critical evidence, and his testimony that led to the convictions of the senator and his wife Nadine and two other businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes.

Uribe pleaded guilty to seven charges including conspiracy to commit bribery and extortion, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice related to insurance fraud investigations, and tax evasion related to several businesses he controlled.

Insurance Agent Pleads Guilty, Will Testify in Bribery Case Against Senator Menendez

Uribe admitted trying to influence Senator Menendez by paying for a Mercedes Benz convertible for Nadine so that the senator would try to influence officials to end investigations into a trucking business associate and an insurance agency employee suspected of involvement in insurance fraud.

Witness Testifies on Seeking Sen. Menendezs Help on Insurance, Trucking Probes

Menendez was found guilty of bribery, extortion and acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. Nadine Menendez was convicted of working with the senator to accept bribes of gold bars, cash and the luxury car in exchange for the senators help with the businessmens regulatory and legal problems.

Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years and his wife to four and one-half years in prison. Hana and Daibes were sentenced to eight and seven years, respectively.

DOJ called the charges against Menendez as among the most serious, if not the most serious, charges of which a U.S. Senator has ever been convicted in the history of the United States.

According to DOJ, to his credit, Uribe met with the government prosecutors 36 timesalways in person and typically for multiple hours at a timeand he was consistently thorough and helpful.

In its sentencing letter, DOJ wrote, Although Uribe himself played a significant role in this criminal conduct, his acceptance of responsibility and his cooperation during the prosecution of this matter has been exceptional in every respect and the Court should accord his assistance significant weight in imposing sentence.

Uribes own lawyers pointed out that the government observed that Uribes testimony was devastating evidence of Menendezs culpability for the scheme, and the evidence was overwhelmingly corroborated by text messages, phone records, financial records and other evidence.

Insurance Broker Witness at Menendez Bribery Trial Faced Tough Cross-Examination

Uribes lawyers also asked the court to consider that Uribe cooperated even though he feared for himself and his family in a case against a man who stood at the apex of the political system and at a time of rising political violence. Uribe realized that if someone had wanted to silence him through violence, he was vulnerable. According to Uribes sentencing memorandum, his wife was intimidated and harassed by two men claiming to be law enforcement officers one day when she went to the bank.

This was not Uribes only brush with the law. In December 2011, when he owned Inter America Insurance Agency, he was sentenced to three years of probation by a New Jersey judge after admitting to taking insurance premiums from seven clients and remitting the monies to insurance carriers to secure commercial automobile insurance. The New Jersey Department of Insurance revoked the insurance licenses of Uribe and his agency and ordered him to pay $92,500 in fines.

Topics Agencies
Ice cream brand Ben & Jerrys is set to switch corporate owners next month, but for Ben Cohen, the counterculture brands co-founder, it is a case of meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

As of November, Ben & Jerrys will be owned by Magnum Ice Cream Co. when Magnum is officially spun out from its current parent, London-based Unilever. Cohen expects the simmering conflict between Ben & Jerrys and Unilever to continue as he carries on a quest to try to buy back the brand he co-founded in 1978.

Cohen said Magnum is censoring Ben & Jerrys ability to speak out on progressive causes like Palestinian rights and U.S. immigration. The brand last year claimed in a lawsuit that Unilever had violated a hands-off policy it had agreed to under which it acknowledged the ice cream makers independent board and its responsibility for its social mission.

There is no difference between how Unilever is muzzling Ben & Jerrys and Magnum, Cohen told Reuters in an interview, saying the same executives are demonstrating a similar muzzling prowess.

Magnum said in a statement that it has had discussions on only about 2% of the brands social media posts over the years.

We have always striven to work together with the Ben & Jerrys teams to craft balanced messages in line with the original agreement around the progressive, non-partisan social mission, Magnum said.

Together with Unilever, the companies previously said they have sought to engage both co-founders in a conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerrys values-based position.

Unilever did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Unilevers former president of its ice cream business, Peter ter Kulve, is now the CEO of Magnum. Filings in the lawsuit assert that he banned the brand from making any statements criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump. Unilever previously did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Cohen added that the conflict will grow when the Magnum spinoff is complete, because Ben & Jerrys will account for a larger percentage of the companys business.

The ongoing conflict is more problematic for Magnum than Unilever, he said.

Cohen has previously met with ter Kulve in Vermont, where the company is headquartered, and Europe. Efforts to settle the lawsuit have been unsuccessful.

Ben & Jerrys brought in about 1.1 billion euros ($1.28 billion) in revenue in 2024, making it third-largest of the brands in Magnum, which brought in 7.9 billion euros in revenue in that time, according to a June 2025 company presentation. Unilever posted revenue of 60.8 billion euros in 2024.

Cohen is trying to buy back Ben & Jerrys for $1.5 billion to $2 billion with a group of investors, but said Unilever and Magnum will not hand over key financial information. He did not name the investors.

Magnum said in its statement that Ben & Jerrys is not for sale.

Cohen plans to keep trying to buy back the brand.

What they believe is that they can have the benefits of owning Ben & Jerrys in terms of sales and profitability  without dealing with the stands that Ben & Jerrys is driven to take based on its social mission, he said.

Founded by Cohen with business partner Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerrys became nationally known for whimsically named flavors that drew on 60s-era psychedelia. Cherry Garcia was named after the Grateful Deads lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Another flavor, the discontinued Wavy Gravy, was named for the entertainer-peace activist who made announcements at the Woodstock music festival in 1969.

Cohen and Greenfield sold the brand to Unilever in 2000.

Greenfield quit his role as brand ambassador last month in a protest against Unilevers actions.

Strife between Ben & Jerrys and Unilever erupted in 2021, when Ben & Jerrys decided to stop selling in the West Bank.

(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Christopher Cushing)
Constellation Energy has agreed to spend more than $340 million to improve water quality at Marylands Conowingo Dam, which flows into the Susquehanna River and eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay, the nations largest estuary, officials announced last week.

The agreement clears the way for the re-licensing and continued operation of the dams hydroelectric facility on the Susquehanna, which is the largest source of renewable energy in Maryland.

This agreement will lead to real improvements in water quality in the biggest tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, while securing the future of one of our states largest clean energy producers, Gov. Wes Moore said.

The agreement marks an end to wrangling over who is responsible for addressing pollution in sediment that gets stuck in the dam and ends up being released downstream and into the bay.

The Maryland Department of the Environment issued an initial certification for the Conowingo Dam in 2018, but legal challenges led to a 2019 waiver of that certification and a settlement that required Constellation Energy to invest in improvements valued at $230 million. The terms were dependent on the facilitys receipt of a 50-year federal license, which it got but that was challenged by environmental groups.

An appeals court vacated that license in 2022 after siding with the environmental groups who argued that Constellations license should require the company to mitigate the dams water quality impacts.

The deal announced last Thursday was negotiated in partnership with Waterkeepers Chesapeake and Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association to meet enforceable water quality standards, the governors office said.

The terms include about $88 million for pollution reduction and resiliency initiatives, including shoreline restoration, forest buffers, fish passage projects and planting underwater grasses that produce oxygen, stabilize sediments and provide habitat for countless species. Another $78 million will be spent on trash and debris removal to add to efforts that already clear an average of about 600 tons of debris each year.

It also includes funding to improve passages for fish and eels, a new freshwater mussel hatchery, invasive species management, and a study on the scientific and economic viability of dredging the dam to remove trapped sediment.

A Revised Water Quality Certification will be filed with the federal government for the dams license to be renewed, the governors office said.

Todays announcement marks 16 years of tremendous effort and perseverance by our organization to assure Conowingo Dam is relicensed with proper conditions that protect the health of the Lower Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay, said Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Executive Director Ted Evgeniadis.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Maryland
Record-breaking temperatures seared the eastern US last month, leading to power emergencies across the region. The cause: an enormous ridge of high pressure that settled on the region, known as a heat dome.

This phenomenon has also already struck Europe and China this summer, leading to the temporary closure of the Eiffel Tower and worries about wilting rice crops, respectively. But while heat domes are easy to identify once they strike, they remain difficult to forecast  a problematic prospect in a warming world.

There is a world of difference between normal summer heat and record or near-record breaking extreme heat, said Scott Handel, lead forecaster at the US Climate Prediction Center. While normal summer heat can be dangerous, extreme heat can be particularly life threatening.

Heat dome is used to describe extreme heat waves to the general public that captures their menace, said Zach Zobel, a scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center. They occur when a large high pressure system settles over a specific area, baking it under stagnant air and the suns unrelenting energy. That locks in more heat and can intensify the area of high pressure, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.

Read more: Derechos: An Uncommon And Destructive Weather Event

Heat domes can occur at any time of year, but theyre particularly dangerous during summer, with wide-ranging societal and economic impacts in the billions.

Wildfires and droughts are often the byproduct of extreme heat and have caused some of the largest climate-related disasters in the US. From 1980 to 2024, 23 wildfires caused $147.9 billion in damage and killed 537 people while 32 droughts extracting a toll of $367.6 billion and killed 4,658, according to a database of billion-dollar disasters that was updated until this year by the US Centers for Environmental Information.

Between 1979 and 2022, more than 14,000 Americans died directly from heat-related causes according to death certificates, the US Environmental Protection Agency said. In the summer of 2022, an estimated 61,672 people died from heat related causes, according to a July 2023 paper published in the journal of Nature Medicine.

Read More: Climate Change Led to At Least 16,500 Heat Deaths in Europe This Summer

A prolonged heat dome can stress crops, particularly heavily traded corn and soybeans. Electricity prices and demand soar when temperatures rise and stay elevated for prolonged periods, said Anthony Chipriano, a forecaster at Vaisala. The dead, hot air under these massive systems can limit the tonnage carried by airliners, kink railroad tracks and crimp the output of wind turbines.

For these reasons, meteorologists are opening their toolboxes to try and figure out where and when heat domes will strike.

I dont have the same ability to predict heat domes like cold air outbreaks, but there are some trends, said Judah Cohen, director of seasonal forecasting at Atmospheric and Environmental Research Inc.

Meteorologists know, for example, the jet stream  a river of fast-flowing air girdling the globe  naturally migrates northward in summer and they can measure how fast it moves.

That metric is known as the Global Atmospheric Angular Momentum, and its among the best predictors for heat domes, said Matt Rogers, president of the Commodity Weather Group. When the value is low, as it is two weeks ago, it can be a leading indicator of widespread, middle latitude heat ridges, he said.

The latest indication from GLAAM is the return of relatively cooler weather, Rogers said. July is tracking warmer than the 30-year average but cooler than the mean of the last 10 years and the least hot since 2021, he said.

Some weather phenomenon like the polar vortex can be spotted several weeks in advance while others like El Nino can be predicted months ahead of time. But heat domes have a much shorter lead time.

The US National Weather Service studies probable outcomes of emerging weather patterns, said Handel of Climate Prediction Center, which is what allowed the agency to start issuing heat warnings ahead of the dome that gripped the East Coast even as the region experienced relatively cool weather.

The service issued a moderate risk of extreme heat on June 13, when the high temperature in New Yorks Central Park was still just 78F. Ten days later, the temperature reached 96F, and it hit 99F the day after, both daily records.

Federal forecasters also rely on statistical analysis of past patterns compared to what computer models are projecting as well as measures like soil moisture since drier land means higher temperatures to put their heat forecast together.

Climate change has warmed the planet, particularly the high latitudes. That influences heat domes in two ways. The first is their northward migration. That phenomenon played out in 2023 as a large ridge of high pressure parked across western-to-central Canada and kicked off a record wildfire season.

Read More: Wildfire Smoke Brings a Forgotten Danger to the Arctic: Black Carbon

The second is changes to the jet stream. The temperature gradient between the poles and the tropics helps keep the jet stream taut, allowing it to push weather patterns along after a few days, Zobel said. But as the Arctic warms faster than the rest of the planet, that gradient weakens and is akin to loosening the grip on a rope. The resulting slack can cause the jet stream to kink, bend and buckle. The river of air can also sometimes split, creating a kind of a no-mans land that holds heat domes in place, Cohen said.

Still, Arctic warmings exact impact on the jet stream is an area of active research, Simpson said. Some papers havent been able to show the impacts that adherents of the weakening theory suggest, and others have come up with opposite results.

What is clear is that temperatures are rising everywhere, said Karen McKinnon, an associate professor at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California Los Angeles, and it doesnt take that much of an increase on the hottest days to make summers feel substantially more extreme.

With more heat trapped in the system and weather patterns that can lock it in place over specific locations, that makes the need for more accurate forecasts with longer lead times all the more important.

The weather event that kills more than anybody else on the planet is heat and that is certainly true in the United States, Zobel said. It is silently a big human health impact.

Photograph: A commuter uses a hand fan at the 14th Street-Union Square subway station during high temperatures in New York City, on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo credit: Adam Gray/Bloomberg

Related:

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
Weak artificial intelligence (AI) governance practices pose a growing risk of data breaches, warns a report published by Moodys Ratings.

Large numbers of companies and organizations have no rules in place to govern the safe use of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the workplace, despite the routine use of AI chatbots in everyday life and increasing integration of AI into business processes, said the report on Moodys 2025 cybersecurity survey of nearly 2,000 rated global organizations.

Without restrictions, employees may inadvertently share sensitive or proprietary data with public AI platforms, increasing the likelihood of data breaches, intellectual property loss, and reputational harm, according to the survey report titled Weak artificial intelligence governance practices pose growing risk of data breaches, published on Oct. 1.

Read more: Global Financial Watchdogs to Ramp Up Monitoring of Artificial Intelligence

Moodys explained that submitting proprietary information into chatbots like OpenAIs ChatGPT or Googles Gemini is likely to expose sensitive data to third parties, potentially violating internal data handling policies or confidentiality agreements or leading to unintentional data leaks, especially if the AI tool retains or learns from user inputs.

The risks of such exposure can range from data breaches to intellectual property loss and even reputational damage, the report continued.

Nearly one-quarter of survey respondents (22%) revealed they have no policies in place to restrict staff from using the firms internal and proprietary data with publicly available AI chatbots, the report said. In North America, 80% of respondents have implemented these restrictions, but in Asia Pacific (APAC) 35% of respondents said they have not.

Moodys said local governments are among the most vulnerable with only 48% implementing policies governing the use of AI tools. Non-financial companies score highest with 78% having such policies in place.

Attack Severity to Intensify

Cyberattacks against the companies and organizations that Moodys rates have been higher over the last 10 years than at any point before, said the report, noting, however, that they have dropped from an all-time high in 2020. (See graphic below).

So far, the victims of attacks have had sufficient resources to cope. There have only been 25 cyber-related credit rating actions against 16 [debt] issuers, the report continued. (Editors note: The survey gauges the cybersecurity practices of global organizations that Moodys rates and collects data on this risk, which can affect the credit strength of all debt issuers.)

Nonetheless, as digitalization broadens and new technologies such as generative AI and quantum computing emerge, attack severity will intensify and costs will increase, Moodys said.

Risks From Third-Party Software Suppliers

Another area of concern highlighted by the cyber survey report is third-party software, which increases the attack surface, providing more entry points for cybercriminals to exploit, the report said.

While modern software systems often rely on a complex network of third-party vendors and suppliers, many organizations fail to rigorously assess third-party cybersecurity practices or manage open-source software risks, which can leave them exposed to supply chain attacks, Moodys added.

This interconnectedness means that vulnerabilities in one suppliers software can pass throughout the entire supply chain, affecting multiple organizations.

Moodys noted that cybercriminals favor supply-chain attacks because they provide a better return on investment. By compromising one vendor, they can attack a wide swath of that vendors end users.

Despite the risks, Moodys survey found that 14% of respondents have never reviewed their software suppliers cybersecurity practices and only 65% review these practices annually. That number drops to 48% for healthcare, housing, and higher education respondents. For not-for-profit hospitals, the figure is 43%, and most of these hospitals (53%), say they only perform a review every few years.

In response to this growing risk, Moodys said, there has been an increase in the number of organizations that require vendors, such as software providers, to carry cyber insurance if their staff or products have access to internal IT systems.

Gaps in Key Cyber Defenses

Despite the escalating threat and growing sophistication of cyberattacks, Moodys said, many organizations are failing to consistently implement critical cybersecurity measures, such as daily backups of data and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for network access.

Moodys noted that only 78% of issuers perform daily backups, while 22%  including some large institutions  do not perform any backup scanning at all, which reveals a critical gap in cyber hygiene.

Multi-factor authentication, which fortifies user accounts by requiring multiple forms of verification before a network can be accessed, is also being inconsistently enforced, Moodys indicated.

Enforcement of MFA for all applications stands at only 75%, despite the fact that Microsofts security division estimates it can prevent 99.9% of attacks targeting user accounts, the ratings agency emphasized.

Some organizations only require MFA for remote access, potentially leaving other parts of their IT environment exposed.

Cybersecurity Governance

On a more positive note, Moodys said, there are signs of improved executive oversight of cyber matters.

Organizations are making strides in cybersecurity governance, with a growing number of senior cyber managers now reporting directly to chief executives or financial chiefs. This shift enhances visibility and prioritization of cyber risk at the executive level, said the report.

In Moodys 2025 survey, 28% of cybersecurity respondents revealed they report to the CEO or CFO  a 13% increase from the last survey in 2023.

About Moodys 2025 Issuer Cyber Survey

This year, Moodys conducted its third cybersecurity survey of the debt issuers it rates to better understand how cyber risk is evolving, and what private enterprises and government-related entities are doing to manage the risk. Between April and July, the ratings agency collected 1,952 responses globally from the nearly 9,000 issuers it surveyed, resulting in a response rate of 22%.

The survey responses were compared across five sectors: corporate; financial services; infrastructure (i.e. airports, toll roads, utilities etc.); healthcare, housing, and higher education; and regional and local governments. Moodys said survey data provides insight into how issuers manage four key areas of cyber risk: cyber governance, cybersecurity operations, cyber risk transfer (i.e. insurance) and artificial intelligence (AI).

Topics InsurTech Data Driven Artificial Intelligence
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Aon and Markel Insurance.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Aon Names Chisholm as Chairman of Asia Reinsurance Solutions

Insurance broker Aon plc named Simon Chisholm as chairman of Asia for Reinsurance Solutions, effective January 1, 2026.

In this role, Chisholm will lead the Reinsurance Solutions Global Clients Segment for the Asia region, with a continued focus on deepening relationships with key clients in Japan and Thailand.

With nearly four decades of experience  including leadership roles supporting Aons largest global reinsurance clients  Chisholm brings a unique ability to align client needs with strategic solutions across diverse markets in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

His appointment reinforces Aons commitment to delivering tailored insights and value to multinational clients navigating complex risk landscapes. Based in Singapore, Chisholm will report to Soeren Soltysiak, CEO of Reinsurance Solutions in Asia.

Simon plays a central role on our Japan and Asia teams, partnering with many of the regions largest insurers to deliver client value and support better decision-making, commented Rupert Moore, APAC CEO for Reinsurance Solutions at Aon.

With his extensive experience at Aon and its legacy companies, and deep knowledge of both Asia and global markets, he is a natural fit for this role, Moore added.

***

Markel Appoints Luxford as Head of Distribution and MGA Strategy, Australia

Markel Insurance, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., announced the appointment of Scott Luxford as head of Distribution and Managing General Agent (MGA) Strategy  Australia, with immediate effect.

Based in Sydney, Luxford will be responsible for working with Australian-based brokers, MGAs and other distribution partners to identify opportunities and highlight how they can benefit from the scale of Markels trading relationships. His appointment continues Markels approach to having a strong local presence in Australia, with on-the-ground capabilities to support new and existing Australian brokers and customers.

Luxford will also be part of Markels growing global wholesale distribution strategy and broker development team, led by Dan Martin, managing director  Distribution Strategies & Business Development, which has been focused on creating new opportunities and deepening relationships by building trust and relevance with key international MGAs.

He reports to Rory Morison, managing director  Australia.

Luxford joins Markel from Harland Green, where he was head of Distribution and part of the founding team. Prior to that, he was executive director of 360 Professional and Financial Risks, where he founded and grew the business to a fully operational specialist financial lines underwriting agency.

Luxford has also held senior leadership roles at QBE Australia and Zurich Financial Services Australia, prior to which he was employed in senior financial lines underwriting roles at Allianz Australia Ltd. and ACE Group (now Chubb).

Australia has a vibrant MGA marketplace that plays a significant role in the local insurance landscape. Were excited to welcome Scott to the team, as his expertise will be central to strengthening Markels long-term partnerships with both brokers and MGAs, commented Morison. I look forward to working with him to further develop our distribution strategy and deepen our broker and MGA relationships, ensuring Markel continues to stand out with a compelling and sustainable value proposition in Australia.

Topics Reinsurance Insurance Wholesale Australia Aon
Special Contingency Risks (SCR), a WTW business, has launched an Enhanced Victim Support insurance extension (EVS) to support hostage victims.

The SCR initiative launches as part of an exclusive partnership with the charity, Hostage International.

This new offering underscores SCRs commitment to providing comprehensive support to victims of kidnap, unlawful detention, or critical security incidents, and their families. The EVS extension, available to SCR policyholders, provides enhanced coverage for victims and their families, including support for rehabilitation, salary support, and medical and psychiatric care.

As part of the partnership, for every Enhanced Victim Support extension purchased, Willis will make a donation to Hostage International, further bolstering their vital work.

Our Enhanced Victim Support extension is a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to deliver innovative and effective solutions that support post trauma rehabilitation for victims and their families, commented Mark Doust, director Special Contingency Risks, in a statement.

Our partnership with Hostage International aims to support and strengthen the fundamental work carried out by the worlds only dedicated charity in this field, Doust added.

Hostage International is a charity founded by Sir Terry Waite and Carlo Laurenzi to support families of hostages and former hostages. The charity provides free, confidential, and independent information and guidance to those affected by kidnap or unlawful detention. (Editors note: Waite was held hostage in Lebanon for nearly five years from 1987 until his release in November 1991. Laurenzi is former CEO of the London Wildlife Trust and former executive director of Prisoners Abroad).

We are very grateful for this innovative fundraising initiative from SCR, which will help enhance our work to support those who are affected by the unimaginable trauma of kidnaps and arbitrary detentions, said Lara Symons, CEO, at Hostage International.

Source: Special Contingency Risks
Recoop Disaster Insurance announced the appointment of Greg Bailey as Chief Executive Officer and Charlie Turri as Chief Technology Officer.

Together, Bailey and Turri bring deep experience in insurance, financial services, and technology innovation that will position Recoop for accelerated growth, expanded distribution, and next-generation platform development.

An experienced entrepreneur and operator, Bailey has founded and served as CEO of Rivet Co., a media and growth consulting company. Previously, Bailey founded and served as the CEO of Denim, a leading social media management software company serving financial and insurance brands nationwide. He also co-founded Insure.vc and has held senior leadership roles with Athene, Pacific Life, and TruStage.

As CEO, Bailey now leads Recoops company operations, strategic growth, technology, and distribution enablement.

Joining Bailey is Turri, a veteran technology leader known for scaling startups and enterprise-grade platforms across financial services and insurance companies. Turri most recently served as CTO of Lenders Cooperative, where he led modernization initiatives across lending and data infrastructure. Previously, he was CTO for Denim and ITPeopleNetwork, overseeing product architecture and engineering operations. Turri has also held senior IT leadership roles at Athene and AIG.

At Recoop, Turri will lead efforts into data and AI integration, platform scalability, and automation.

Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, Recoop is the nations only multi-peril disaster insurance company that quickly pays lump-sum cash (up to $25,000) after a disaster
Microsoft Corp.s data-center crunch will continue for longer than the company has previously outlined, underscoring the software giants struggles to keep up with cloud demand.

Many of Microsofts US data center regions are experiencing shortages of physical space or servers, according to people familiar with the companys internal forecasts. New subscriptions for Azure cloud services are restricted in some crucial server-farm hubs, including Northern Virginia and Texas, through the first half of next year, said the people who requested anonymity to discuss internal forecasts.

Thats a longer time frame than the company has previously outlined. In July, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood said current constraints would continue through the end of 2025. The lack of capacity affects machines running graphics processing units typically used for artificial intelligence as well as data centers dominated by central processing units that have long been the workhorse chips for traditional cloud services, the people said.

Azure is Microsofts most important growth engine  the cloud unit generated more than $75 billion during the 2025 fiscal year. Its expansion has outpaced its biggest rivals, Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google.

A lack of servers to rent out to customers has been a recurring concern for cloud providers in recent years. During the last six quarterly earnings calls, Microsoft has said it was unable to meet all of its customers cloud demand. Amazon and Google have described similar constraints.

Related: Lack of Proper Insurance Coverage for Data Centers Presents Pitfalls

A Microsoft spokesperson said that a majority of Azure services and regions in the US have available capacity so that existing customers with deployed workloads can continue to grow. In some cases of unplanned demand spikes, the company will introduce capacity preservation methods to balance customer demand across its data center fleet, the spokesperson said.

Azure customers select data-center regions based on physical proximity and what software is available. When a preferred facility lacks space, Microsoft salespeople point customers toward others with capacity, according to internal guidance. But these workarounds can increase complexity and the amount of time it takes data to travel between a server farm and the customer, said people familiar with the work.

In some cases, customers experiencing Azure capacity issues take their business elsewhere, according to Apurva Kadakia, who helps companies set up cloud workloads as global head of cloud and partnerships at Hexaware Technologies. Some tap multiple Azure regions or send only critical workloads to the cloud until more capacity is available, he said.

Our teams periodically work with large customers to plan around demand spikes, like holiday periods, to guide them to the most appropriate regions and products, the Microsoft spokesperson said. In unusual cases where customers face increased cost or latency, Microsoft will compensate them for additional expense.

Microsoft has been on a historic building spree to get data centers online  adding more than two gigawatts of capacity over the last year, roughly equivalent to the power output of the Hoover Dam.

Its been almost impossible to build capacity fast enough since ChatGPT and GPT-4 launched, Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott said in early October, referring to OpenAIs popular chatbot and the AI model that runs it. Even our most ambitious forecasts are just turning out to be insufficient on a regular basis.

AIs intense computing demands have fueled much of the need for new data centers. But Microsoft also faces a crunch in demand for its traditional cloud infrastructure, which underpins applications and websites across the internet.

For these CPU-based workloads, OpenAI is Microsofts largest customer, according to people familiar with the companys operations.

Microsoft also uses significant computing resources to host its own workloads and applications such as the Office suite. Some Microsoft employees have been told to close internal projects in impacted regions to save capacity, according to people familiar with the matter.

It can take years to bring a data center online from initial planning to turning the servers on. Several crucial components for data centers, ranging from the semiconductors themselves to electricity infrastructure like transformers, are subject to long delivery times, according to people familiar with the process.

Exceptions can be made for key customers who want additional capacity in Azure regions with supply crunches, the people familiar said. Availability is much better outside the US. For example, many of Microsofts European regions can handle new customer subscriptions without restriction.

During a July earnings call, finance chief Hood said that continual supply shortages were due to increasing demand. I talked about it  my gosh  in January and said I thought wed be in better supply-demand shape by June, she said during the July call. And now Im saying  I hope Im in better shape by December.

Photo: Photo credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics Trends
A 2-year-old boy in south Georgia was attacked by two Rottweiler dogs and died at an unlicensed daycare center while the owner napped, according to police.

Stacy Wheeler Cobb, the 48-year-old owner who held the daycare at her home in Valdosta, 228 miles (367 km) south of Atlanta, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children, according to jail records.

Cobb left the child unattended for more than two hours on Saturday, according to the Valdosta Police Department. They believe she went into the houses backyard and opened the kennel with both Rottweilers, which then mauled my baby to his death, the mother wrote in a GoFundMe, describing camera footage. When police arrived at around 3:45 p.m., the child was dead.

The 2-year-old was the only child at Cobbs daycare, though there are typically 10, according to police. Cobb was taken to the Lowndes County Jail. Jail records did not indicate if Cobb had an attorney who could speak on her behalf, and officials could not confirm whether she had one.

A GoFundMe created by the childs mother, Adrianna Jones, identified the boy as Kaimir Jones. The single mother said knew something was wrong because Cobb usually checks in throughout the day, but she hadnt responded to Jones for three hours. Her intuition said to leave work early, Jones said.

This was a heartbreaking, devastating and traumatizing scene that I wouldnt wish on anyone, Jones wrote.

The rottweilers and a third dog at the house were taken by Lowndes County Animal Control.

The Valdosta Police Department said in an online post that the investigation is ongoing and they expect more charges.

This is a horrible and tragic event that should have never occurred, but because of negligence on this offenders behalf, a mother has tragically lost a child, said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Georgia
A former Wyoming library director who was fired amid an uproar over books with sexual content and LGBTQ+ themes that some people complained were inappropriate for youngsters and who sought their removal from youth shelves will be paid $700,000 after settling a lawsuit.

Terri Lesley was fired as the library system director in northeastern Wyomings Campbell County in 2023, two years into the book dispute at the library in Gillette. Lesley sued last spring over her termination and reached the settlement with county officials Wednesday.

I do feel vindicated. Its been a rough road, but I will never regret standing up for the First Amendment, Lesley said.

A major coal-mining area on the Western high plains, Campbell County is among the most conservative areas in one of the most conservative states.

Public officials there sided with the book objectors and violated Lesleys First Amendment rights, Lesley claimed in her federal lawsuit against Campbell County, including its commission and library board.

The county denied Lesleys claims. Only Lesleys performance  not the dispute over the books  played a role in her dismissal, the county argued in court documents.

A private-practice attorney hired by the county for the lawsuit, Patrick Holscher, and County Attorney Nathan Henkes didnt immediately return phone messages Wednesday seeking comment.

The books objected to in Gillette included This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson, How Do You Make a Baby by Anna Fiske, Doing It by Hannah Witton, Sex is a Funny Word by Corey Silverberg, and Dating and Sex: A Guide for the 21st Century Teen Boy by Andrew P. Smiler.

We hope at least that it sends a message to other library districts, other states, other counties, that the First Amendment is alive and strong and that our values against discrimination also remain alive and strong, said Lesleys attorney, Iris Halpern. These are public entities, theyre government officials, they need to keep in mind their constitutional obligations.

Halpern and her firm, Rathod Mohamedbhai in Denver, have supported fired library employees elsewhere in recent years. Under the settlement agreement, Lesley is dropping her lawsuit, though a separate lawsuit she has filed against three individuals who contested the books will continue.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency tasked with enforcing discrimination laws, allowed the lawsuit against the county officials to be filed based on an earlier EEOC complaint filed by Lesley.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A 265m contract to construct the new West Apron Vehicle Underpass at Dublin Airport has been awarded to a joint venture of Sacyr Ireland and Wills Bros.

The project, which is scheduled for completion by August 2030, will see the construction of a 1.1km subterranean twin-cell tunnel connecting Pier 3 at Dublin Airport to the West Apron. The underpass will pass beneath key operational areas, including one runway and four taxiways.

The underpass will provide a dedicated route for airside vehicles  such as cargo operators, fuel bowsers, tugs, loaders, steps, and catering trucks  between the West Apron and the Eastern Campus, where most airport services and facilities are located.

This underpass is about keeping people safe and keeping the airport moving," said DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs. "Its a critical piece of infrastructure thatll make a big difference  cutting travel times, boosting efficiency, and future-proofing the place as we grow. Its the right project, at the right time, with the right team to deliver it.

The need for the underpass has become increasingly urgent following the opening of the new North Runway at Dublin Airport in August 2022.

The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed apron vehicles can no longer cross runway 16/34. Without the underpass, vehicle access to the West Apron is forced to go around the runway, impacting time-critical operations.

The new design allows for one lane to remain open in the event of maintenance or an incident in the other.

The West Apron Vehicle Underpass will not only enhance our operational efficiency but also ensure a seamless experience for our passengers and aviation partners at Dublin Airport," said DAA chief commercial and development officer Vincent Harrison.

Global engineering and sustainability consultancy Ramboll has been appointed to provide client-side services for the project. The work has been described as open-heart surgery within a fully operational environment.

"Securing this appointment on daa plcs West Apron Vehicle Underpass is a proud moment for our Irish business. Delivering such a technically demanding project, right in the heart of the live airfield, is the very definition of complexity," said Ramboll markets director Cathal McKenna.

In July, the Supreme Court rejected a final attempt by Ryanair to stop the construction of the proposed cargo underpass. Ryanair had argued An Bord Pleanala did not recognise the proposed development was inconsistent with the Dublin Airport Local Area Plan, as it requires the loss of two aircraft stands.
Farmers who go online to share their daily lives, successes, and struggles have become one of the most powerful tools for allowing the wider public to properly see and value the contributions to society of farmers.

They have enabled many outside of agriculture to see beyond media stereotypes, such as the "angry" or "armchair" farmer.

Similarly, and perhaps more than anything else in the media, the smash-hit British TV show Clarkson's Farm, with celebrity Jeremy Clarkson navigating the complexities of agriculture, has illustrated how a shift toward direct "digital" storytelling is crucial to give a face to farmers, building trust through a personal touch, and reaching new audiences, especially of young people, who may have little direct connection to rural life.

This new trend in communications has been highlighted by an EU agency: The CAP network thematic group on valuing farmers' wider contributions to society.

Few expect down-to-earth messages from Brussels, but this typically clunkily named EU group has highlighted how a dairy farmer on YouTube talking about animal welfare, or a young farmer on TikTok, can change the way the public engages with agriculture.

"By blending education with entertainment, this direct line to farmers offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into farming life, allowing them to shape their own narratives beyond outdated stereotypes", is the message from the EU group.

This can help to end the headlines about "furious farmers", or about farmers demonised for pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, or animal welfare problems.

More than food producers

Another stereotype in the public mind to be defeated is "small farmer good; big farmer bad".

Farmers must be seen as more than food producers, getting recognition for rural vitality, and job creation. The "No Farmers, No Food" message can be overdone.

Too many have old-fashioned images of farmers and farm workers as uneducated, unskilled, reclusive, resistant to change, hardworking but stubborn. Farmers may have too successfully painted themselves as "victims of the system". This may be accompanied by perceptions of farmers as anti-environment.

An equally unwarranted stereotype is the "armchair farmer", with a fancy tractor, getting their share of the CAP's third of the EU budget.

Politics can also come into it, perhaps more so in other EU countries, with farmers seen as right-leaning, and part of the rise of the "far right".

As urban-rural divides grow, these stereotypes can make telling the real story of farming harder  leaving its true impact often overlooked.

However, keeping up an online presence requires investment of time, money, and energy, as well as the confidence and desire to communicate and promote oneself. This means it does not appeal to, or is feasible for, every farmer.

Thats why broader digital campaigns such as the Irish CAP network's "Theres More To The Story" are needed.

This eight-week social media campaign, which kicked off last February and is co-funded by the EU and the Department of Agriculture, was designed to showcase the vital contributions of Irish farmers towards restoring the natural environment. The Agriland news website was also involved.

Public image

"Theres More To The Story" has highlighted on social media how the acreage of Ireland's more than 5,000 organic farmers has tripled in recent years, and how Irish agriculture achieved a 4.6% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2022 and 2023.

The 97% of Irish farmers signed up to the eco-scheme, to make space for nature, was also highlighted.

Another "Theres More To The Story" message was that 2,400km of hedges are being planted by 55,000 farmers taking part in Acres.

The CAP network thematic group says social farming is also improving the public image of agriculture, by allowing people who use special needs services to take part in day-to-day activities on a family farm.

This happens all over Europe. In Belgium, it has been calculated that while home daycare can cost upwards of 190 per day per patient, social farming is estimated to cost a fraction of this at 80 per day per patient.

It shows how farming can help fulfil a crucial social role.

Such initiatives are needed more and more, rather than persistent stereotypes in public and media discourse, giving rise to negative headlines, and sometimes even unfair criticism , so-called "agri-bashing", which leaves farmers demotivated, and could even result in mental and physical problems.

Furthermore, negative narratives about farming could be among the factors that discourage young people from taking up the job.

Composed of farmers, NGOs, educators, communicators, and policymakers from across 19 member states, the EU group gathered in Brussels twice this year to explore the tools and techniques to move the conversation forward to better reflects the true societal value of farming.

The group's 40 members include Mary Brennan and Brian Smyth, both involved in social farming in Leitrim; Niamh Concannon, CAP network; and Joseph Firnhaber, Teagasc.
Writer Jane Casey is a details person. Her addictive series of police procedurals, featuring Maeve Kerrigan, a London-Irish police detective, has attracted an admiring legion of fans, and her hit novel The Killing Kind, about a young female barrister being stalked, was adapted by Paramount Plus.

On the page, Casey knows her way around a crime scene, interview room, or courtroom, but in real life she is clueless.

I can confidently say I would be appalling as a detective or a lawyer, Casey says.

My husband says I have no situational awareness whatsoever. I will walk past people in the street and be completely oblivious to whats going on with them. Im in my own head a lot of the time.

Her husband is a barrister, which is useful when it comes to certain details in her tautly plotted thrillers, and also in pointing out her possible limitations in any courtroom scenario.

He told me if I ever see a crime, to close my eyes and turn my back, because Id be the worst witness, Casey says.

He does not want to see me go to court and give evidence against anyone, because it would be a disaster. Im very cheerful about it, I know I can write about the kind of person who can do it, but thats not me.

The Dublin native, now based in London, will return home to discuss her work at the upcoming Murder One crime-writing festival in the capital, at an event entitled The Devil is in the Detail.

Its a subject in which shes well-versed, given that she greatly enjoys the research element of her writing.

Im very willing to reach out to people and ask questions, because, number one, Im nosy and, number two, I think people are always really keen to tell you stuff.

People want to tell you what they do. They find it interesting and they want you to find it interesting.

Caseys most recent Maeve Kerrigan book, The Secret Room, was released earlier this year.

A gripping locked-room mystery, it marked a new chapter in the ongoing will they/wont they relationship between Maeve and her colleague, DI Josh Derwent, with a hugely satisfying surprise ending that Casey, in a postscript, urged readers not to reveal.

That she managed to keep it under wraps is an astonishing achievement and a testament to the loyalty of her fans.

They were so disciplined  I thought it might buy me a couple of months, but, actually, it did work, Casey says.

Everybody was just very restrained in how they talked about it. Was it the best way to sell the book? I dont know, but I really felt for readers who had been there all the way through.

I wanted everyone to get that surprise at the end; that was a big thing.

Casey has expertly navigated the sexual tension between Maeve and Josh and is well aware that any suggestions of a happy ending for the couple might be the kiss of death for the books.

You cant do it for ever, so you have to make a decision about which way youre going to go with it.

Ive had readers come up to me and say, Please dont write anymore, because they dont want anything bad to happen to the characters, as theyre so invested in them.

But she assures me that her readers dont need to worry about Maeve and Josh sailing off in to the sunset.

I fully intend to write more. Its a good technical challenge for me, not to do that thing where it loses the energy that it once had. It feels nice after 12 books to still feel like its a challenge.

Casey is as devoted to her audience as they are to her, and is still in correspondence with readers who have been on board since her first book.

I like meeting people, and if somebody writes to me to say theyve read my book, I want to respond to that. I dont want to just go thank you, click reply, and leave it at that.

There are people who, every time a new book comes out, will tell me what they think about it. It feels like a real relationship to me, as well as to them.

Caseys next Maeve is due in 2027

Caseys next book is a standalone novel that will be out next summer  the next Maeve is due in 2027. She knows some readers will not appreciate the wait, but she is conscious of resisting the pressure to write to order.

You have to write in pure mind  you cant think about how people are going to feel about what you do, so shutting that kind of noise out is really important, and not doing necessarily what people want you to do. Its hard, because Im a people-pleaser. I want them to be happy.

The new book is a departure from Maeve in more ways than one  called Everything She Didnt Say, it is her first one set in Ireland.

It feels like a real watershed. Ive wanted to write it for years, and its probably the right time to do it, she says.

I find [the standalone books] so much harder. Theres some nice constraints with writing a series, where youre always reaching back and looking forward.

With the standalone, theres great freedom, because you can do whatever you want, but, at the same time, youve no guidelines, so I have nothing to keep me in one place, apart from my editor, who keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Explosion in Irish crime fiction

It is 15 years since Caseys first book was published and she is delighted to have seen an explosion in Irish crime fiction in that period, with female writers at the forefront.

When I started, I was heavily influenced by people like John Connolly and Tana French, in terms of seeing them succeed in writing their own version of Irish crime.

Then, I got published, and I know there are people writing now who have read my books, and those of other Irish writers, who are inspired by us in the same way that I was inspired by John and Tana.

It feels like theres a real momentum about it. What I really love about it is that no two writers are writing the same book; there are so many voices that are suddenly being heard.

Casey cites Corks Catherine Ryan Howard as one of her favourite Irish writers.

The only thing about her is that she downplays her talent; shes a fantastic, world-class writer. Theres something in the water down there; every third person in Cork seems to be a crime writer, she laughs.

People like Catherine Kirwan, her latest book [ The Seventh Body] was terrific; Amy Jordan, Andrea Mara, theres so much talent.

She believes a lot of the success of Irelands crime-writing community is down to its supportive nature.

It is based on friendship, first and foremost. There is a great warmth and shared knowledge, which is really helpful to draw on.

Our great advantage over, maybe, literary fiction is that were not competing, because people who love crime will read a lot of crime, so there is room for everyone.

Its nice for me to be able to say, This book is fantastic or this person is amazing, and just celebrate it.

The Devils in the Detail: Jane Casey, Andrea Carter, and Anna Sharpe with Steve Cavanagh, dlr Lexicon Library, 12pm, October 19, as part of the Murder One festival

www.murderone.ie
US country star Luke Combs will headline Slane Castle next summer, MCD confirmed on Thursday.

He will be joined at Slane Castle by The Script, as well as country acts Ty Myers and The Castellows, for what will be the first gig at the historic venue in Meath since Harry Styles graced the stage in 2023.

Rumours had been swirling that U2, Oasis, and Fontaines DC could headline the venue next year, leaving many surprised to see the name of Luke Combs announced as the venues next headliner.

This will be Combs second time in Ireland, having sold out both the 3Arena and Belfasts SSE Arena in October 2023.

The gig will take place on July 18, with tickets going on sale next Friday at 10am.

Country music stars are no strangers to Combs signature sound, a mix of traditional country, Southern rock, and a hint of bluegrass.

His storytelling, often reflecting themes of love, heartbreak, and the everyday struggles of life, has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide.

He may be unfamiliar to some, but the 35-year-old North Carolina native is a giant of country music, sitting alongside Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton and Zach Bryan as contemporary pioneers of the genre, and boasts more than 25 million monthly listeners on Spotify, placing him in the top 250 artists on the platform.

Who is Luke Combs?

Luke Combs

Luke Albert Combs was born in North Carolina in 1990, the only son of Rhonda and Chester Lee Combs, whom he credits with instilling a strong work ethic in him and working tirelessly to give him everything he needed growing up.

Growing up, Combs showed an early interest in music, but when he attended Appalachian State University, his musical aspirations began to take shape.

Influenced by country music legends such as Brooks & Dunn and Garth Brooks, he began performing at local bars and honing his craft.

As his career progressed, so did his music, breaking into the music scene in 2014 with his EP The Way She Rides.

Combs really began making a name for himself in 2016 with his single Hurricane, which sold 15,000 copies in its first week of release.

A deal with Sony Music Nashville followed, and when it was re-released, Hurricane soared to the top of the Billboard charts.

In 2019, Combs was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, and several more albums and a collaboration with Ed Sheeran later, he has continued to make waves on the music scene.

Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs on stage at the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2023. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Combs is a father of two, married to his wife Nicole Hocking, whom he met at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Santa Rosa Beach in Florida in 2016.

Two years later, they announced their engagement while on holiday in Hawaii and a few days later, he released the hit Beautiful Crazy about his bride-to-be.

In August 2020, they tied the knot at their home in South Florida in front of friends and family, and in June 2022, the couple announced that they had welcomed their first child, Tex Lawrence Combs.

In August 2023, their second son, Beau Lee, arrived in the world. In September, Combs revealed that they were expecting his third child this winter.

Slane Castle gig

Luke Combs performing recently. Picture: David Parry/PA Media Assignments

MCD Promotions confirmed on Thursday that Combs would be taking to the stage in Slane on Saturday, July 18.

Combs will return to the road this spring with his My Kinda Saturday Night tour, which includes stadium shows across North America and Europe.

Newly confirmed stops include Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium, South Bends Notre Dame Stadium, Knoxvilles Neyland Stadium, Columbus Ohio Stadium, Green Bays Lambeau Field, Londons Wembley Stadium, Amsterdams Johan Cruijff Arena, Edinburghs Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium and Slane Castle.

Special guests for Slane Castle include The Script, Ty Myers, and The Castellows.

Tickets will be limited to eight per transaction and priced from 121.25, including a booking fee.

They will be available for pre-sale starting next Wednesday, October 15 at 10am, with general on-sale following Friday, October 17 at 10am.
A motorcyclist has died following a single-vehicle collision in Co Galway.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the crash, which occurred at around 6.25am on Friday on the N65 at Kilcooley, Loughrea.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 60s, was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Galway, where he later died.

The N65 at Kilcooley remains closed pending a technical examination of the scene by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.

Road users with camera footage who were travelling in the area between 6am and 6.45am on Friday are asked to make it available to investigating gardai.

Anyone with information should contact Loughrea Garda Station on 091 842870, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
During a visit to Millstreet's Green Glens Arena for the 43rd National Dairy Show, Micheal Martin was asked about his views on the remaining candidates in Ireland's presidential race.
In January 2017 civil servant Fi Bourke was walking home from work when she was viciously attacked by a woman she didn't know. The attack would change the course of her life.

Her attacker, Laura Kenna, who had a troubled history of childhood abuse and substance misuse, told Gardai that she would finish her off when her sentence had been served.
A Cork woman with 49 previous convictions who appeared before Youghal District Court charged with several offences had a clean record two years ago, the court was told.

Sergeant Linda OLeary said Tara Scuffins, aged 51, of Woodlands Grove, Greencloyne, Youghal, Co Cork, was charged with two counts of theft, one count of public intoxication, one count of threatening and abusive behaviour and one count of failing to appear in court.

The court heard on August 8, 2025, Scuffins went into Tesco in Youghal at 6pm and took two cans of alcohol valued at 7 and left the store without paying. At 8.45pm on the same day, Scuffins returned to the store and this time took cans valued at 12.40 and left the store with them but did not pay.

Scuffins was identified by CCTV footage and later admitted the thefts when she was interviewed by gardai.

On September 24, gardai responded to report of a person behaving erratically at Upper Strand in Youghal. When they arrived shortly after midday, Scuffins was found to be highly intoxicated and was unable to stand without assistance.

Scuffins became aggressive and shouted at one of the attending gardai: Im going to punch you in the face you fucking c**t. Scuffins was arrested and charged with public intoxication and threatening and abusive behaviour.

The court was told that earlier in the same day  September 24  Scuffins was due to appear at Youghal District Court in connection with the previous thefts at Tesco but failed to do so and was later charged with failing to appear in court.

The court heard that Scuffins had 49 previous convictions and was also on a suspended five-month sentence which she received before the incident at Upper Strand.

Defence solicitor James Moore said it was a sad case and Scuffins had not been in trouble before 2023. He said something has clearly gone catastrophically wrong.

Mr Moore said Scuffins wished to apologise to the court and to the gardai and was in the grip of a very serious addiction and was struggling to deal with it.

Mr Moore said Scuffins wanted to get treatment and he was asking the court to give her some hope for the future.

Judge John OLeary said hopefully Scuffins would get the assistance she needed while in prison. For the two thefts, he convicted Scuffins and fined her 50 on each count with a default prison sentence of three days.

For failing to appear, she was convicted and sentenced to four months in prison. For public intoxication, she was convicted and fined 50, with a default sentence of three days. For the abusive behaviour, she was convicted and sentenced to two months in prison. Recognisance for appeal was fixed in her own bond of 300.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
The justice minister was inundated with emails and letters from frightened immigrants about a series of vile attacks on the Indian community.

In one message, a woman wrote of not being able to change her skin colour and asked what she was supposed to do to feel safe while walking around.

Another wrote of being fearful of speaking their native language in public spaces and terrified of commuting [and] walking alone".

One email said Irelands famous Cead Mile Failte seemed more of a gimmicky marketing slogan than the day-to-day reality for people living here.

The messages were sent in the wake of a shocking assault in July in Dublin where an Indian man was left stripped and bloodied on the street.

A total of 280 pieces of correspondence were received by minister Jim OCallaghan, of which his department released a sample of 40 under Freedom of Information laws.

In one, a person wrote: I recall becoming acutely more aware of my skin colour and looking over my shoulder for months.

I stopped going to my workplace in South Dublin. Now, I'm contemplating moving out of Dublin  out of fear for my family's wellbeing.

Another wrote: We cannot change our skin colour. I am a brown girl, dark-skinned  what should I do to be accepted in Irish society such that I feel safe walking around at any time of day or night?

One email was sent to Tanaiste Simon Harris before being forwarded to the Department of Justice. Do you understand the fear and tension in the air in Ireland at the moment? it said.

Another person said it was frightening to think attackers felt emboldened enough to film the attacks and upload them to social media.

A message said: This is deeply disturbing and extremely concerning. It is crucial that we send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated and that perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

One Irish person called for the opening of a new youth offenders camp to imprison those that threatened the migrant communities that were keeping our health services functioning.

Another wrote: I am interested in knowing how many of these criminals who beat Indian nationals in Dublin were arrested and charged.

Had a similar incident occurred in New Delhi, there would be uproar in Ireland.

Not all letters were in support of migrant communities, however, with some choosing to share instead unsupported and debunked claims about other crime.

Others said the spread of these conspiracy theories on social media were directly leading to tension and violence.

They said two named groups on one platform were consistently spreading harmful narratives that fuel division, fear, and anger towards immigrant populations.

Another said minister Jim OCallaghan himself needed to be more careful about his own stance of being seen as "tough on immigration". These attacks do not take place in a vacuum, they wrote.

Asked about the correspondence, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said: Attacks on individuals because of their inherent characteristics including race are abhorrent to the values of our republic and are condemned by any right-thinking people.

The government is determined to stamp out hate-motivated crimes and to protect vulnerable communities.
The jury in the Kieran Quilligan murder trial taking place at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork brought to the judges attention their concerns that someone in the courtroom may have photographed them on Friday.

A note from the jury was passed through the jury foreman to the court for the attention of Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford in which it was stated that a photograph may have been taken of them by a person in the courtroom.

Ms Justice Lankford said: We took what you said very seriously. A group of students from a language school  primarily from Chile  are in court. One of those students took out his phone. He is certainly not anyone connected with any matters in this case.

You dont have anything to be concerned about. He did something extremely foolish. But he did not do anything to make your lives any more difficult.

"He took out his phone, played with it  he may or may not have taken a snap of the courtroom set-up.

The judge said it was not a matter with which the jury need be concerned.

As the presentation of CCTV evidence in the case was about to commence there were further notes from the jury about matters concerning them. One of those notes related to them coming in and out of the courthouse at Anglesea Street over the last couple of days.

The judge told the jury that the courts throughout the building dealt with criminal cases and it was not unusual to see people dressed in particular ways that the jury had described, including wearing tracksuits and baseball caps.

Furthermore, the judge said when they were leaving the building for lunch they had a jury minder who is a member of An Garda Siochana who would be very observant about anything untoward.

27-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michaels Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork facing the same charge of murder.

The murder count which each man denies, states that on a date unknown between September 1, 2023, and January 29, 2024, at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork City he did murder Kieran Quilligan, contrary to Common Law.

When the jury returned this afternoon the judge returned to the issue about a possible photograph and said the student had left the courtroom but the authorities hoped to have back in the court on Monday, October 13.

The judge repeated her reassurance to the 10 men and two women of the jury: He was using his phone as he should not have been but it is a relatively innocent matter, we think.

CCTV evidence

All of todays evidence was of CCTV footage from various locations in Cork City relevant to the investigation. Prosecution barrister Paula McCarthy described each clip briefly before they were played by Sergeant Pat Russell who is managing the CCTV aspect of the investigation.

The judge and jury saw 111 clips today, many of them showing parties to the case at various different locations on September 1, 2023. There is a lot more CCTV evidence to come in the case as the number of segments  some of them only a few seconds long  runs to a total of over 400 clips.
Gardai stopped and searched a car being driven on the N23 at Little Island and seized over 16,000 worth of cannabis. In follow-up searches of two houses in the Dungarvan area they found another 97,000 worth of cannabis.

Garda Stephen Condon objected to bail being granted to Krzysztof Szelagowski with an address at 28 Estuary Heights, Dungarvan, Co Waterford.

Garda Condon testified at Cork District Court today: Our concern is that if Krzysztof Szelagowski is released on bail that he would leave the jurisdiction, given the substantial amount of cannabis herb.

It is our belief that there are no bail conditions strong enough to eliminate our concerns of him leaving the jurisdiction.

Krzysztof Szelagowski was represented in court by Elaine Audley barrister and he was also assisted by a Polish interpreter.

He faces a number of charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act including three counts of possessing cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply to others.

Garda Condon said it was alleged that at around 3.30pm on October 8, Krzysztof Szelagowski was stopped driving a car on the N25 at Little Island and that over 16,000 worth of cannabis was found in the car after a search. The defendant was the only person in the car when it was stopped. He was arrested and interviewed.

At 5.30pm, gardai with search warrants went to two houses in the Dungarvan area. They went to a house at Killineen East, Dungarvan and found 93,000 worth of cannabis. Finally, at his home address at Estuary Heights in Dungarvan more than 4,000 worth of cannabis was found.

The total amount of cannabis across the three seizures of drugs was 113,800, Garda Condon said.

Judge Dorgan remanded the accused in custody with consent to bail to appear at Clonmel District Court on October 14. Bail conditions include his own bond of 15,000, of which 5,000 has to be lodged, an independent surety of 10,000 of which there has to be a 4,500 lodgement, and he must surrender his passport.

He is also required to abstain from intoxicants, undergo urinalysis every 21 days, sign daily at Dungarvan garda station and keep a curfew between 10pm and 7am.
The former home of Nathan McDonnell, who was jailed for 12 years over a 32m crystal meth trafficking plot, is now on the market.

Located in Ballyroe, Tralee, the property is described as as magnificent family residence, within a small cluster of four luxury homes.
Fine Gael's presidential candidate has hit out at a "misogynistic" gesture by podcast host Joe Brolly.

Mr Brolly on Friday addressed a crude gesture he had made on the Free State podcast that he hosts with journalist Dion Fanning. While some online had suggested it was aimed at Ms Humphreys specifically, the former GAA star said that it was aimed at what he feels are banal answers from presidential candidates.

On social media, Mr Brolly wrote: During the podcast, I made a childish, crude, and inappropriate gesture to Dion."

My statement on the crude gesture. pic.twitter.com/FGaVsSHULi  Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) October 10, 2025

"The gesture  as is clear from the audio  has nothing to do with the presidential candidates.

"It was making fun of the stock questions and responses that happen in a presidential campaign.

"I am very proud of Free State and the production team. My action was in poor taste and should never have happened.

In an interview in Fermoy with the Irish Examiner, Ms Humphreys said that while Mr Brolly had not aimed the comments at her, they "were aimed at women", which concerned her. She said:

Women should not have to put up with those kinds of comments and misogyny, really.

"And I will stand up for women, and I will stand up for mna na hEireann against that type of intimidation.

"It's not going to set me back in my campaign. It'll just spur me on even more."

In the clip, which has since been deleted from the podcast's social accounts, Mr Brolly said that Fianna Fail's Jim Gavin, who dropped out of the race on Sunday, was not suited to the campaign.

It became clear very quickly. We were talking about this, the Trinity old boys, a lot of us, and Jim, well, hes not sort of for the Irish presidential campaign.

'A nasty Rose of Tralee'

Its a bit like like a nasty Rose of Tralee. In fact, its exactly like a nasty Rose of Tralee. You know, now we have the Longford Rose," Mr Brolly says before co-host Dion Fanning replies: Id say the Rose of Tralee is pretty nasty.

Mr Brolly then compares a contestant to a candidate for the presidency.

Brolly simulated oral sex

What do you think you would bring to the presidency of Ireland? Mr Brolly asked, imitating an interviewer.

Well, I think, you know, I would unite all the people of Ireland, north and south, and I would campaign for world peace, and if I became the president, I just think I would be a unifying force, etc, etc, etc," he replies while mimicking oral sex.

Heather Humphreys made her comments about Joe Brolly when speaking with Irish Examiner Acting Political Reporter Paul Hosford during her presidential election campaign walkabout in Fermoy Co Cork on Friday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys dismissed a suggestion that Fine Gael is smearing her opponent, Catherine Connolly.

Ivan Yates advocated 'smear' campaign

Former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates had said on a Newstalk podcast with host Sean Defoe this week that were he in Fine Gael, he would "smear the bejaysus" out of Ms Connolly in a bid to win the election.

Speaking in Tipperary, Ms Connolly said the comments had "shocked" her.

To hear him actually saying it, in the manner that he said it, [it was] kind of trivialising the terrible language that was being used, said Ms Connolly.

Smear the bejaysus out of her, bring fear into the campaign  at a time when we need not fear, a time when we need safe spaces to have rational discussions on complex issues that range across a whole range of things.

However, Ms Humphreys said that she was not involved in any negative campaigning.

"I've never smeared anybody, and that's not the way I do politics. I will always deal with the issues, not the person. I know Catherine Connolly, and while I will not agree with her on many things, I certainly won't insult her."
The rather outlandish stories you will have heard about Jim Gavins status in the presidential contest, although he has apparently withdrawn, are in fact correct.

They flow from the Presidential Election Act, 1993. By section 30, "a person in respect of whom a nomination paper has been deliveredmay withdraw his candidature at any time before the completion of nominations, but not thereafter".

As we shall see, the punch lies in the last three words. In particular, four consequences follow from this section, the thrust of which is that a candidate who has withdrawn after nomination is treated, in law, substantially as if they are still a candidate. (A candidate who dies is treated differently, in the next section.)

Four consequences follow from this fiction, regarding a candidate who withdraws. In the first place, Mr Gavins name remains on the ballot paper.

Secondly, if one votes No 1, for Mr Gavin, does ones vote transfer onward to the No 2 preference, in the usual way? Yes, certainly: this follows from the fact that Mr Gavin is deemed not to have withdrawn.

Thirdly, to take a question much discussed on the airwaves, consider if Mr Gavin were (as seems unlikely) to receive more than 25% of a quota (half of those voting, plus one). In that case, then under the usual law, he would be reimbursed, by the State, for up to 250,000 of his electoral expenses.

Finally and most surprisingly, what would happen in the even more unlikely event that Mr Gavin were eventually to top the poll? The answer, it seems to me, is that it would be open to him to take the Presidential Oath and assume office.

David Gwynn Morgan: 'One should notice that there was no bar to replacing the original Fine Gael candidate by Heather Humphreys since this change occurred before the date of nomination.'

This would flow from the fact that, as mentioned earlier, the withdrawal of his candidacy was made invalid because it occurred after nomination. The reader may well ask what inspired the rather surprising provision, quoted above, with its unexpected consequences.

Reading the Dail and Seanad debates on the bill which became the 1993 Act, it seems that the intention behind this central provision was this: to prevent those parties or persons who had backed a candidate, who withdraws, from being disappointed, in that since the nomination date had passed they would be unable to nominate a replacement.

But judging by the reactions in Fianna Fail, this appears to have been an optimistic assumption.

One should notice that there was no bar to replacing the original Fine Gael candidate by Heather Humphreys since this change occurred before the date of nomination.

The discussion here has been all about the 1993 Act and not the Constitution. The reason is that, as in other areas, the Constitution deals with principles, such as the rules regarding nominating authorities for presidential candidates, leaving matters of detail and implementation to be covered in legislation, like the 1993 Act.

Challenge to the election result

What are the arrangements for a post-election challenge to the legality of the rather unexpected developments of the past few days? The answer is that the 1993 Act now establishes for the first time, a special (supposedly abbreviated) procedure, a Presidential Election petition, modelled on Dail Election petitions.

In view of its significance, this may be brought only with the leave of the High Court; and within seven days of the declaration of the election result.

Further, it may be brought only by candidates (presumably, this includes Mr Gavin), their agent or the DPP. The DPP would be making a rare appearance outside the criminal field presumably because the politically-appointed Attorney General could be regarded as too partisan to be used in this position.

The sort of grounds on which such a petition could be brought would be: an electoral offence; obstruction in the conduct of the election; or a mistake or other irregularity which is likely to have affected the result.

Even leaving aside the second part (affecting the result), it seems that the Gavin episode would not fall within this category, just because it is expressly contemplated in the legislation.

In short, a lot of things follow from the last three words of section 30.
Israelis and Palestinians celebrated on Thursday night as Hamas and Israels government began preparations to implement a ceasefire deal that promises a durable end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests around the world.

In Gaza, there was joy but much anxiety. Many expressed the fear that the new deal would collapse, bringing more suffering to the devastated territory. Though crowds gathered in some places to dance and sing, in many places witnesses reported muted reaction amid loud overflights by warplanes and drones.

In Israel, on a day of fast-moving and sometimes chaotic developments, hospitals readied to receive hostages to be released by Hamas, the ruling coalition government signed off on the new ceasefire deal and thousands took to the streets of Tel Aviv to express joy and relief.

Late on Thursday evening, a statement from the government said it had just approved the framework for the release of all the hostages  both the living and the deceased.

Donald Trumps announcement of his peace proposal last week triggered a frantic round of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm-el Sheikh.

The US president said on Thursday he would try to go to Egypt for the signing of the new deal. In Israel, officials suggested that the US president was expected to visit there on Sunday.

Trump added that 48 hostages held by Hamas, of whom less than half are thought to be still alive, would be released on Monday or Tuesday and said that the deal had ended the war in Gaza.

With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home. This is a diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.



From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) October 8, 2025

It was announced on Thursday night that the US would send about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor Gaza ceasefire deal.

World leaders scrambled to welcome the breakthrough, even if most of Trumps broader peace proposal has yet to be negotiated or even explicitly acknowledged by Hamas and Israel. The US president told reporters in the Oval Office that nobody would be forced to leave Gaza under the terms of the deal. No, its just the opposite, he said. This is a great plan.

There was some confusion during Thursday on the timing of the first phase of the deal  reflecting the general uncertainty about many of its main principles.

The office of Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the ceasefire would take effect once the agreement was ratified by his government. But an Israeli government spokesperson said the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of the cabinet meeting. Those hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza would then be freed within 72 hours, they said.

Israels forces would withdraw to an agreed line in the Gaza Strip that would leave them in control of 53% of the territory, a spokesperson for the Israeli government said.

In exchange, Israel will free about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, but the spokesperson said Marwan Barghouti, a senior figure in Mahmoud Abbass Fatah movement who is hugely popular in the West Bank and Gaza and has frequently been talked of as a future leader, would not be among them. Hamas sources said the list of released prisoners was still being discussed late on Thursday.

Hamas called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implemented the ceasefire.

The exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said on Thursday the group has received guarantees from the United States, Arab mediators and Turkey that the war on Gaza has permanently ended, according to Reuters.

UN agencies said they were ready to rush aid into Gaza, where a famine was declared by experts in August.

Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, said to turn this ceasefire into real progress, we need more than the silencing of the guns.

Guterres called for safe access for humanitarian workers, the removal of bureaucratic obstacles to swift delivery of aid, the rebuilding of Gazas shattered infrastructure and funding to meet the immense needs.

People react as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

In Israel, thousands of people filled a square in Tel Aviv that has become a focus of the campaign to bring home the hostages. Many sang and danced as they waved Israeli and American flags.

It feels like we can finally see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel we have all been walking through, said Einav Kahila, a 25-year-old student who travelled from Jerusalem. Theres a lot of anxiety, also, because were always feeling unsure or insecure about the situation. But the people that came here today chose to be on the side of optimism.

Einav Zaugauker rejoiced at the prospect of freedom for her son Matan, one of the last hostages.

I cant breathe, I cant breathe, I cant explain what Im feeling  its crazy, she said.

In Gaza, Ola Al-Nazli, 47, said she had learned of the ceasefire from her neighbours in al-Muwasi, a crowded and squalid coastal strip where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by successive Israeli offensives have sought shelter.

I did not know how to feel, whether to be happy or sad. We have experienced this many times before, and each time we were disappointed again, so this time fear and caution are stronger than ever, said al Nazli, who was forced to leave her home in Gaza City by the recent Israeli offensive there.

Everyone lives in tents that do not protect from the cold or from the bombing. Those who had money or work lost everything. That is why our happiness is incomplete, mixed with pain  I only hope that we can live in safety, not hear the sound of bombs again, not be forced to move from one place to another, and that the crossings [into Gaza from Israel] will open soon.

Successful completion of the deal would mark the biggest foreign policy achievement so far for Trump, who took office in January promising to quickly end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, only to be confronted with obstacles and complexities he had apparently not foreseen.

Senior envoys from the US, Qatar and Turkey had joined the talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh this week, apparently adding momentum to discussions launched on Monday. Trump sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and the special envoy Steve Witkoff. Both were reported to have arrived in Israel on Thursday night.

A displaced Palestinian man sits beside a bicycle as he waits on the coastal road near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Negotiators have closed gaps between Hamas and Israel over the details of the first phase of the 20-point plan announced by Trump, but it is unclear whether the parties had even discussed thornier questions, such as how Hamas will be disarmed, as Israel has demanded, and the eventual governance of Gaza.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan on Thursday told Qatar-based broadcaster Al Araby the Palestinian militant group rejects Trumps proposal for an interim Board of Peace to oversee Gazas administration, headed by the US president himself.

Though huge challenges remain, the agreement nonetheless brings the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, and reshaping the Middle East.

In recent days, Israel reduced the intensity of its military campaign. Gaza medical authorities reported eight people were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday. Even if aid surges in, through the UN and the Red Crescent as specified under Trumps plan, hundreds of thousands will still not have enough food or shelter.

About 1,200, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attacks of October 2023 and 251 taken hostage. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 67,000, mostly civilians, and reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

The Guardian, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed reporting
The head of Japans Komeito has said the party is leaving the ruling coalition headed by the Liberal Democratic Party due to concerns over corruption.

The decision announced by Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito deals a serious blow to the Liberal Democrats, who last weekend chose ultra-conservative Sanae Takaichi as their leader.

Ms Takaichi could still become Japans first female prime minister, but the departure of the Buddhist-backed Komeito will compel the Liberal Democrats to find at least one other coalition partner in order to stay in power.

The ruling coalition had already lost its majorities in both houses of parliament. The lower house is due to vote on a new prime minister later this month.

Mr Saito said his party, which has been a coalition partner with the Liberal Democrats for 26 years, had raised several concerns in a meeting with its leaders.

Sanae Takaichi could yet become Japans first female prime minister (Pool via AP)

They include objections to Ms Takaichis stance on Japans wartime history and her visits to Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of its past militarism.

Another issue was Ms Takaichis hardline position toward foreigners, part of a backlash against growing numbers of foreign workers and tourists.

But the deciding factor, he said, was the Liberal Democrats response to scandals over the use of political slush funds.

Mr Saito said he found Ms Takaichis response to his concerns over history, the Yasukuni visits and foreigners to be acceptable. But he said she showed a lack of sincerity about doing more to clean up corruption.

The LDPs response was that it will think about it, which was highly insufficient and extremely disappointing, Mr Saito said.

The LDP has been beset by scandals involving dozens of lawmakers, many of them belonging to a party faction previously led by the late prime minister Shinzo Abe. His vision for Japan is one that Ms Takaichi has emulated.

The Liberal Democrats have removed some senior lawmakers from top party and Cabinet posts. Ms Takaichi has said, assuming she is chosen to be prime minister, that she plans to put them in key positions after they were re-elected twice after their removals.
Melania Trump announced on Friday that eight children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war have been reunited with their families following ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In August, the first lady wrote to Mr Putin and had her husband President Donald Trump hand-deliver the letter when he held a summit with the Russian president in Alaska.

Mr Putins invasion of Ukraine has resulted in Russia taking Ukrainian children out of their country so they can be raised as Russian, it is alleged.

The first lady, speaking at the White House on Friday, said that after Mr Putin responded to her letter they established an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of those children.

We have agreed to co-operate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war, she said.

Both sides have participated in several back-channel meetings and calls over the past three months, and one of her representatives has been working directly with Mr Putins team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families, she said.

Mrs Trumps announcement came as Mr Trumps own efforts to broker an end to Russias war in Ukraine have stalled, and he has repeatedly expressed frustration over the setback along with what he describes as his disappointment with Russias leader.

The Associated Press documented the taking of Ukrainian children in 2022, after which the International Criminal Court said it had issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
Wuxi gets positive charge from amped-up electric vehicle sector

13:55, October 10, 2025 By Cang Wei ( China Daily

An employee works on the assembly line of Yadea Technology Group Co in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. (Liu Jiaqi/Xinhua)

Chinese electric bicycle and vehicle manufacturers are rapidly expanding their global presence by establishing production bases and transit warehouse systems overseas.

Yadea Technology Group Co, an electric scooter industry leader which also manufactures electric motorcycles, electric tricycles and light commercial vehicles, has maintained its position as the top global seller for eight consecutive years, exporting to over 100 countries.

The company has built 10 major production and research centers globally, holds over 2,000 patents, and has streamlined its operations from research and development to production, supply, sales and service.

Wang Jiazhong, senior vice-president of Yadea, reported a 40-50 percent year-on-year growth in exports from January to July.

Yadea's Wuxi, Jiangsu province base currently operates 14 production lines, churning out over 3 million units annually.

Known as the "hometown of electric vehicles in China", Xishan district in Wuxi hosts an industry cluster that accounts for about one-third of the national market. Six of the top 10 domestic EV companies have factories in the area.

Established in 2021, Wuxi (Xishan) Electric Vehicle Industrial Park has become one of the largest and most comprehensive EV industrial parks in China.

With extensive development experience, advanced research and technology, strict quality control and mature production processes, Wuxi enterprises have quickly expanded into overseas markets.

In the first half, the district's two-wheeled EV exports reached $350 million, a 31.9 percent increase year-on-year, with exports to India particularly notable at $94.33 million, up 102.2 percent.

In March, Xishan district launched its first batch of six global public overseas warehouses for EVs. Currently, seven companies have established 14 overseas warehouses across nine countries.

"We encourage companies to expand internationally and support them in adapting their mature supply chains to local conditions," said Gu Shuhao, director of the Foreign Trade Section of the Xishan district's commerce bureau.

EV companies from the district have built over 20 production bases in countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam and have established more than 1,800 overseas marketing outlets.

A differentiated product strategy has been key to the global success of Chinese EVs. Yadea tailors its R&D efforts to different markets.

Wang said: "We adjust seating and ergonomics for European consumers based on height characteristics. For regions with poor road conditions, we increase wheel diameter and enhance power systems. We also design product appearances and colors to match each country's aesthetic preferences."

For instance, in the Indonesian market, the local food delivery industry demands electric vehicles with a range of 150 kilometers, exceeding domestic standards. "We conduct in-depth research on road conditions and range to ensure vehicles can handle complex roads while meeting the daily mileage needs of delivery riders," Wang said.

In October 2023, Yangtze River Delta (Wuxi) Electric Vehicle Cross-border E-commerce Industrial Park opened, with its second phase launched in March this year, aiding EV firms in entering foreign markets.

In March, the Xishan District Electric Vehicle Foreign Trade Association signed a global public overseas warehouse agreement with several cross-border e-commerce companies, initiating the first batch of six global public overseas warehouses in Xishan district.

Through the association, the district's commerce bureau will continue to lead suitable cross-border e-commerce companies in the district to explore overseas markets collaboratively.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  According to the Israeli newspaper Arab 48 , the Israeli government on Friday approved the ceasefire in Gaza and the hostage exchange, and agreed to begin withdrawing troops from the west of the Strip. The approval came after the arrival of President Donald Trumps Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and their meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The ceasefire was expected to go immediately into effect, with the Israeli military beginning its withdrawal from Gaza, to be followed by the exchange of hostages between Hamas and Israel over the next three days.

Juan Cole

P. O. Box 4218,

Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548

USA

(Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed)

The extreme-right Religious Zionism and Jewish Power blocs, led by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir respectively, voted against the agreement. Ordinarily, Netanyahu would need these votes for a majority in the 120-member Knesset or Israeli parliament, where his coalition has 64 seats. In this instance, however, the other Israeli parties, mostly center-right, had wanted this sort of agreement all along, and so they supported the sitting government from its left.

Orit Strook, Minister of Settlements and National Missions, also from Religious Zionism, said she was disappointed that Netanyahu had not explained to President Trump that Gaza is an inalienable part of Israel. (It isnt.)

Smotrich expressed Mixed feelings on a complex morning. He spoke of his joy about the release of the remaining hostages, even though he had earlier repeatedly said that achieving the release of the hostages was not a high priority.

Smotrich defended his earlier obstructionism on the grounds that he had opposed partial deals that would have prevented the occupation of Gaza and the elimination of Hamas. In fact, of course, he opposed all deals and wanted to empty Gaza of its indigenous Palestinians, or the ones still left alive after two years of intensive bombing of civilian apartment buildings and infrastructure. Smotrich had also obstructed the delivery of aid to Gazas civilian population. He also opposed the release of 250 Palestinian hostages taken over the years by Israel, warning that they would go on to spill Jewish blood. Large numbers of the some 10,000 Palestinians kidnapped by Israel have never been so much as charged with committing violence, much less convicted. He pledged to go on striving to eradicate Hamas. Some ceasefire.

Conflicting reports are issuing from high Trump administration officials about whether 200 American troops would be sent to Gaza as observers of the ceasefire, with some confirming it and others denying it.



File Photo of Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy, 2016. State Department. Public Domain. Via Picryl.

Hamas affirmed that they were committed to a deal that would end the two-year-long conflict.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said that it has enough food aid ready to go into Gaza to last for three months. The Israeli government has attempted to ban UNRWA, formed by the United Nations to help Palestinian refugees expelled from their homes by the Israelis, from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, and has blocked most food aid since April. Gaza cannot feed itself, especially after the Israelis destroyed 80% of Gazas farmland. Nevertheless, UNRWA still has 12,000 workers in Gaza ready to swing into action to relieve the Israeli-imposed famine.
By Martin Kear, University of Sydney

(The Conversation)  A Short History of the Gaza Strip, by historian Anne Irfan, is a timely addition to an important corpus of literature taking a historical and contextual view of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

Review: A Short History of the Gaza Strip  Anne Irfan (W.W. Norton)

By telling the story of the Gaza Strip, Irfan, a lecturer in race, gender and postcolonial studies at University College London, is telling the story of all Palestinians from 1948 to the present  from the catastrophe of the creation of the Israeli state, known to Palestinians as al-nakbah (the Nakba), to the catastrophe now engulfing Gazans in 2025.

It is a story of dispossession, colonialism, imperialism, resistance, samud, (Arabic for steadfastness/defiance), occupation, siege, destruction, death, hope, futility, ethnic cleansing and, more recently, alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

While it is by definition a short history, one of the books most important contributions is that it gives the Palestinians, and Gazans in particular, a voice. One of the many constant themes running through the book is how Palestinians are consistently denied agency; what the influential Palestinian academic Edward Said terms their permission to narrate. As a colonised and marginalised people, Palestinians have been routinely and deliberately denied their ability to define their own struggle and to tell their own stories.

Perhaps what is surprising here is that this suppression comes not only from previous colonial powers and Israel, but from a succession of Arab and Muslim leaders who routinely use resolving the Palestinian Question as a cause celebre to promote their own geopolitical designs.

Irfans narrative shows that despite being robbed of their voice, Palestinians are not passive. Gazans have persistently responded to their dispossession and occupation through activism that ranges from collective action to civil disobedience to armed resistance that culminated in the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel.

The book moves away from depicting the Gaza Strip as simply a terrorist enclave devoted to the destruction of the Israeli state. The reader thus gains an appreciation of the context and history of the Palestinian question and why this sliver of land, less than half the size of Canberra, became the engine room of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.

By placing events in historical context, the book highlights Israels own contribution to the radicalisation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and by extension the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Pivotal moments

Irfans book identifies and examines six key junctures in Gazas modern history, each of which prove pivotal to its evolution. These are the 1956 temporary military occupation of Gaza; the 1967 expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, the First Intifada in 1987, the Palestinian Authoritys establishment of its first headquarters in Gaza in 1994, the evacuation of Israeli settlers in Gaza in 2005 and the establishment of a Hamas government there in 2007.

But before Irfan briefly examines these junctures, she devotes significant time to examining al-naqbah. As she notes,

to understand the history of a place you have to go back to the start. For the Gaza Strip that start is the naqbah. Nothing that happened subsequently  from the 1950s to the 2020s  can be understood without it.

The long-lasting effect of al-naqbah on Palestinians in general, and on Gazans in particular, cannot be understated. Irfan notes that Palestinians often speak about al-naqbah as an ongoing process rather than as a specific event.

By the end of the 1947/48 war that created Israel, approximately 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes, villages, and cities to refugee camps around Gaza City, the West Bank, and in neighbouring Arab states  some willingly, many forcibly.

Of these, approximately 200,000 refugees came to camps that sprang up around Gaza City alongside the existing 80,000 inhabitants in neighbouring towns and cities that would become known as the Gaza Strip.

Population density rose from 500 people per square mile in 1944 to 2,300 people per square mile in 1948. The armistice line, or the Green Line as it became known, which forms the boundary of the Strip, severed [it] from the towns and villages across Palestine with which Gazans had long traded and interacted. Because of al-naqbah over 70% of Gazas population are refugees.

To add import and cogency to her analysis, Irfan sprinkles her narrative with recollections from Palestinians detailing the violence and trauma inflicted by Israels military and paramilitary during and after al-naqbah. This would become a constant feature of life in the Gaza Strip, alongside activism, civil disobedience, defiance, samud and, quickly, armed resistance.

It is through these recollections that Irfan gives Palestinians their voice. Of all the chapters in this book, this one perhaps has the most gravitas, because it provides an important foundation and touchstone for understanding the decades of Palestinian resistance, their yearning for an independent state and the rationale for the attacks of October 2023.

The subsequent chapters are a brief examination of that resistance and equally of Israels effort to crush Palestinian resistance and to transform Mandatory Palestine, established by the League of Nations after World War I and governed by Britain, into the state of Israel.

As Irfan describes in detail, in the intervening decades this involved the systematic destruction of many visible signs of Palestinian habitation, infrastructure, and culture, to be replaced by Israeli towns, cities and infrastructure, and the assertion of Jewish culture.

The Six Day War

Alongside 1948, 1967 is another seminal year examined by Irfan. The 1967 Six Day War saw Israel occupy the remaining territory of Mandatory Palestine in the form of the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem, alongside Egypts Sinai Peninsula and Syrias Golan Heights.

As Irfan details, the Six Day War is important in Palestinian history because it marks the beginning of nearly six decades of Israeli occupation. It also precipitated the formation of organised and Palestinian-controlled resistance in the form of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), headed by the chairman of the Fatah political party, the charismatic Yasser Arafat.

Debates conducted by the Israeli government of 1967 about what to do about Gaza, writes Irfan, mirror those being discussed by the Israeli government today, especially those exploring options to forcibly transfer Gazans out of the territory. Another key theme is that the way Israel views and deals with Gaza and Gazans today is nothing new  it has been going on since 1948.

The chapter on the after-effects of the 1967 war also deals with the contentious issue of the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip that are in contravention of Section III of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel, writes Irfan, envisaged constructing the settlements to shatter Gazas territorial contiguity by cutting it into five zones.

Throughout this, Irfan details the development of resistance from within Gaza that initially complements, but then competes with, the exogenous resistance conducted by the PLO. This competition has important ramifications for Palestinian and Israeli history because we see the evolution of Hamas  The Islamic Resistance Movement.

As Irfan explains, the history of the Gaza Strip and of Palestinian resistance becomes inextricably intertwined with the history of Hamas. When Hamas was launched in 1987 its goals were twofold: to end Israels occupation of Palestine territory and challenge the PLOs control of the Palestinian resistance.

This competition is fought out in the intervening chapters. Irfan examines the First Intifada (Arabic for uprising) from 19871991, the 1994 Oslo Accords and establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the evacuation of Israeli settlers from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas gaining control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

Hamas

It is perhaps the chapter on the rise of Hamas that will surprise those readers who are not familiar with the intricacies of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. As Irfan explains deftly, for Palestinians, Hamas is not an extremist movement solely bent on the destruction of Israel, as portrayed by many western politicians and media. It is a movement dedicated to resisting Israels occupation, both politically and militarily, and to advancing the cause of Palestinian statehood.

Since its inception, Hamas has played a crucial part in Palestinian social and political life, especially in Gaza, providing a range of basic services like education and health care. It is also a political movement that won the first free, fair and open elections in the Arab world in 2006.

Irfan details the response by Israel, the US and Fatah to Hamass election victory, with Israel beginning to blockade Gaza with the hope of causing Hamass new government to collapse. After a year of attempts to engineer the collapse of Hamass government, Hamas decided to assume control of Gaza from Fatah. In response, Israel upgraded its blockade to an outright siege, intended to prevent Hamas from participating in Palestinian politics and resistance.

Irfan details the violent and non-violent actions of Gazans and Hamas in the intervening 18 years as they resist the deprivations of Israels siege, which has included five wars: 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023.

Irfan closes her account by seeking to establish why Hamas felt it needed to launch such horrific attacks on Israel in October 2023. In no way does she seek to justify Hamass actions. But she attempts to establish why these attacks occurred; a discussion that moves away from the dominant narratives proffered by Israel and its supporters.

Irfan emphasises the point that while atrocities were indeed inflicted upon Israelis, these attacks did not eventuate from nothing, they were a product of 1948 and decades of Israeli occupation.



Anwar Abu Zarifah, View of the Greater Abasan village, summer, 2006; al-Hajj Muhammad Abu Daqqah. Public domain. H/t Wikimedia Commons .

Overall, the book is excellently written, with Irfan providing a detailed and easily accessible history of Gazas foundational part in Palestinian resistance. It should be necessary reading for anyone seeking to gain an introductory understanding of some of the complex and contradictory issues that litter the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

Most importantly, it provides Gazans and Palestinians an opportunity to tell their own stories about their life under Israeli occupation.

Martin Kear, Sessional Lecturer, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
( Tomdispatch.com )  Who doesnt know that President Donald Trump desperately wants a Nobel Peace Prize and said bitterly, They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. Its too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me?

And for once, hes right. He wont get one, but wrong, of course, that he deserves it. Actually, there are way more than 10 reasons why he doesnt deserve such a prize, but as 10 is such a nice round number, let me use it.

As a political scientist who focuses on human rights, global racial justice, and social movements, Ive given considerable thought to and conducted research on the Nobel Peace Prize. I once taught a course on the history and politics of that prize while a faculty member at American Universitys School of International Service. Last year, I even spent time in Oslo at both the Nobel Peace Center museum and the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which houses many of the Nobel Peace Prize Committees documents, including, for example, original nomination letters that can be viewed and studied.

I was there doing research on the 1964 prize awarded to Martin Luther King Jr., and I read several of the original letters sent to the Committee nominating him. His main nomination came from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), which sent a letter dated January 31, 1963, that arrived after the January deadline for that year. His nomination was, however, carried over to 1964 and then he won.

As it turns out, I fall into one of the categories of those who can officially make such a nomination. They include members of parliamentary assemblies (or the U.S. Congress), previous Nobel Peace Prize Laureates like 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai or former Vice President Al Gore, directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes, members of international courts, members of the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee, and (relevant to me) university professors.

Although the Committee has never explicitly stated that such a thing is possible, Im going to assume that I can also make an un-nomination. In fact, believe it or not, while there were many letters of support for Dr. Kings nomination, there were also letters asking the Committee to deny him the prize, even if most of them came from individuals ineligible to make (or unmake) a nomination.

And let me just say: I can think of no one more deserving of being un-nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize than President Donald Trump. His record of authoritarian and antidemocratic rule grows more dangerous and harmful by the day, not just for the United States but for the entire global community. And yet he has indeed been nominated by Republican sycophants in Congress who seek his favor, and global strongmen, including Gabons President Brice Oligui Nguema, who came to power thanks to a military coup, and Azerbaijans Ilham Aliyev, who has been that countrys president for 22 years. They all understand that such recommendations appeal to his need for adulation and blunt any criticisms he may have of their own behavior.

The Nobel Committee does not, in fact, release information about each years determination, including all the individuals or groups nominated, until 50 years later, so the only way Trump and the world would know that Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and others have indeed nominated him is if they publicly stated it or told him so.

Autocracy, Racism, and Lawlessness Are Not Qualifications

The award normally focuses on a nominees work in the previous year, which means Trumps peace efforts during his first term and his time out of office wont be considered for next years award. So, lets examine his first eight months in office in 2025 and ask a basic question: What has Trump done so far this year to not deserve the award?

First, within hours of being back in office, the peace president pardoned and commuted the prison sentences of 1,500 insurrectionists who had rioted on his behalf on January 6, 2021. (Actually, those are 1,500 reasons for no Nobel Peace Prize right there!) Hundreds of those individuals violently attacked police officers with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power to the legitimately elected Joe Biden. Rather than condemn their actions, Trump rewarded their (and his) lawlessness.

Second, in his immoral and racialized campaign against undocumented immigrants who, he claims, are poisoning the blood of the country, his administration has unlawfully kidnapped individuals off American streets and renditioned them to horrific gulags in El Salvador and elsewhere. Some had committed no crimes and were legally in the United States or even U.S. citizens.

Third, he shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). That agency, founded in 1961, had spent decades providing humanitarian assistance to millions of people around the world. As Oxfam noted, with the elimination of USAID, At least 23 million children stand to lose access to education, and as many as 95 million people would lose access to basic healthcare, potentially leading to more than 3 million preventable deaths per year.

Fourth, he has deployed staff from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as the National Guard and other troops in Los Angeles, Washington, D. C., Chicago, and soon, it seems, to Memphis, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon (supposedly to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities there under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists). In Los Angeles, he claimed that the city was also under siege by people protesting his immigration raids. In fact, it was the inhumane and violent actions of ICE under Trumps orders that sparked resistance in Los Angeles. In Washington, he falsely and repeatedly stated that he was sending in troops to control widespread crime. That canard was cover for him to spread his anti-immigrant campaign to another sanctuary city, and to target the most vulnerable people there like the unhoused and scooter delivery riders. (A Washington judge did at least recently block him from speedy deportations of undocumented immigrants.)

Fifth, signaling his desire for a new imperialist era, he threatened to seize Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal. CNN identified at least nine lies of his as to why Canada should become this countrys 51st state, including that its citizens like the idea (they dont); that it doesnt allow U.S. banks to operate there (it does); and that it doesnt take U.S. agricultural products (its second only to Mexico in purchasing such products). Trump not only declared that he wanted Greenland for security purposes but didnt rule out using military force to get it. Mind you, Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark whose people and government have no interest whatsoever in becoming part of the U.S. Though built by the United States, the Panama Canal was ceded to Panama in a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter and ratified by the Senate. Trump claims that the United States is not getting fair market treatment for its use. However, as one expert on the canal noted, Trump is insisting on preferential treatment and promising to take it back if he doesnt get his way.

Sixth, in a brazen abuse of power, he demanded that Brazil stop the prosecution of his ally there, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Like Trump in 2021, Bolsonaro and his followers were unsuccessful in their violent attempt to stop a transition of power to then-elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after Bolsonaro legitimately lost the 2022 election. Trump has called the trial a witch hunt and said he would impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports unless it was stopped and Bolsonaro freed.

Seventh, in another of his unconstitutional executive orders, he threatened two U.S. professors with legal penalties for working with or writing in support of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC (of which the United States is not a member) prosecutes war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, all of which have no statutes of limitation. Trump was rebuffed by two federal judges who concluded that he was violating the First Amendment right to free speech by stating that he would impose tangible and significant consequences on anyone supporting the ICC. It has evidently particularly upset him that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for his partner in crime in the war on Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. About a dozen countries have stated that they would honor the warrant.

Eighth, Trumps June bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran took place under distinctly dubious legal authority. That both lawmakers and scholars cant even agree on whether the president flaunted the law or not suggests the carelessness of his actions when it came to legal procedures involving war. And despite Trumps boast that he completely and fully obliterated Irans nuclear program, reports from his own intelligence agencies suggest that the program was set back only a few months. Apparently embarrassed by the truth, War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, who headed the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency that reported on the botched airstrikes.

Ninth, he withdrew the United States from critical international bodies, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, as well as less well-known organizations like the Council of Europes European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) that works with 46 European governments and civil society organizations across the region to address issues of discrimination. I admit that the last one is a bit personal for me. From 2022 to 2025, I was the U.S.-appointed independent expert to that very commission and attended its meetings in Strasbourg, France. My appointment was approved by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Council of Europe. In January, I was informed that Trump was withdrawing the U.S. from its observer status on the commission because ECRI was not aligned with the values of the incoming administration. Sadly, that part was all too true.

Tenth, he is complicit in the genocide and famine taking place in Gaza. While his claims of ending seven wars are dubious at best, in the one conflict where he could most decisively have intervened to bring closure to it, hes done anything but. His unholy alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has meant a lot of performative concern about starvation and the tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza along with an unending supply of weapons for Israel. His insensitivity to the suffering of the people in Gaza has only been compounded by his disturbing desire to cleanse the area of Palestinians and develop what hes called a Riviera of the Middle East there.

And mind you, I wont even count President Trumps pathetic groveling campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize as one of the reasons he shouldnt get it. That seems almost self-evident. It reminds me of comedian Steven Wrights joke: Id kill for a Nobel Peace Prize. Its impossible to imagine Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, or Martin Luther King Jr. calling officials in Norway and begging for the prize as Trump recently did; or, for that matter, using his platform at the United Nations to falsely claim that everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize. And mind you, that ludicrous claim came only weeks after his unlawful killing of multiple individuals with military strikes in the international waters of the Caribbean without due process or any legal recourse, not to speak of changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Everyone, of course, meant almost nobody. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans dont believe that he deserves the award, including 49% of Republicans.

Its inexplicable to me why former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton would cavalierly state that she would nominate Trump, the twice-impeached, 34-count convicted felon and adjudicated sexual abuser, for the prize if he brought a ceasefire to the war in Ukraine. By now, it should be crystal clear that Trump has no interest in Ukraines sovereignty, which hes denigrated repeatedly, while proving all too willing to grant concessions to the universally recognized aggressor in that conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin. But even if he did help broker a fair peace agreement, which the entire world (except Putin) wants as soon as possible, that shouldnt excuse his broader autocratic behavior and agenda.

Note to Trump: The Award Must Be Earned

His authoritarian push to reshape the United States and demean all its governing, social, financial, and cultural institutions is itself a threat to peace. He continues to attack a free press, bully universities, ignore judicial orders, abuse the very principle of a separation of powers, and openly seeks to rig elections in his favor. Forget for the moment the fascism, authoritarianism, patrimonialism, retribution, bigotry, corruption, greed, mendacity, and incompetence  his one character trait that should be considered most disqualifying is his cruelty. His lust for revenge and power has brought unspeakable malice and pain to undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ families, federal workers, foreign students, and any number of individuals whom he feels have challenged him.

Trump is possibly the most unethical, petty, and vengeful president in American history. Compassion and empathy simply play no role in his character or makeup. After all, at the memorial for the assassinated Charlie Kirk, moments after his widow Erika Kirk called for forgiveness and stated that the answer to hate is not hate, Trump said, I hate my opponent, and I dont want the best for them.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses. He meets none of those criteria.

Let Trump continue to whine and play the victim as he manifests his doctrine of intimidation, bribes, and palling around with authoritarians. In the not-too-distant future, history will extensively document and abhor the outrages and inhumanity of the Trump era, recording it with the same disdain and dismay that now is used for the eras of slavery and segregation, or the McCarthy years. Lets hope that the Nobel Peace Prize never becomes another institution that Trump disgraces and diminishes.

Copyright 2025 Clarence Lusane

Via Tomdispatch.com
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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, charged with crimes against humanity, will remain in custody after the International Criminal Court Friday rejected a request from his defence team for release on medical grounds.

ICC judges ruled that Duterte posed a flight risk and could be in a position to influence witnesses if freed, arguing that this outweighed any medical problems suffered by the 80-year-old.

"The Chamber finds that Mr Duterte's detention continues to remain necessary," the ICC said in a heavily redacted ruling dated October 10.

ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his "war on drugs".

The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.

The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called "High Value Targets" in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.

And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during "clearance" operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.

These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged.

Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, flown to the Netherlands that same night and has been held at the ICC's detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.

He followed his initial hearing by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.

His lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has said Duterte is not able to stand trial "as a result of cognitive impairment in multiple domains".

Kaufman has urged the ICC to postpone proceedings against Duterte indefinitely.

Reacting to Friday's ICC decision, Kaufman told AFP: "The Defence considers that the decision to dismiss unprecedented State guarantees for a debilitated and cognitively impaired 80-year-old, kept from the public eye for more than six months, to be erroneous."

"An appeal was filed a week ago," he added.

- 'Flight risk' -

When considering the request for interim release, judges looked at whether he was a flight risk, whether he could hinder the case if freed, and his medical condition.

The ICC found he "continues to pose a flight risk and detention is necessary to ensure his presence during the pre-trial proceedings and possible trial".

Judges pointed to Duterte's "necessary political contacts" and "a network of support", including his daughter Sara Duterte, currently vice-president of the Philippines.

This network "may help him abscond", judges said.

The ICC also found there was a risk that Duterte and his network "would pose a threat to (potential) witnesses, either directly or indirectly through his supporters."

This also argued for his continued detention, the court ruled.

Finally, the judges said that medical reports provided by the defence, which they say show Duterte suffers from cognitive decline, were insufficient to allow his release.

"The Chamber considers that the... documents do not indicate how Mr Duterte's alleged physical condition or cognitive impairment negate the risks identified above," the ICC said.

However, judges stressed that this assessment related only to the issue of interim release, not to the determination of whether he was fit to stand trial.

The ruling "is without prejudice to any further determination and decision on the separate matter of Mr Duterte's fitness to participate in the present proceedings and the confirmation of charges hearing," the document said.

The "confirmation of charges" hearing is the next step in the case, where lawyers will argue whether there are sufficient grounds for an actual trial.

This has been postponed indefinitely while judges decide whether Duterte's alleged health problems have rendered him unfit to take the dock.
Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, charged with crimes against humanity, will remain in custody after the International Criminal Court Friday rejected a request from his defence team for release on medical grounds.

ICC judges ruled that Duterte posed a flight risk and could influence witnesses if freed, arguing that this outweighed any medical problems suffered by the 80-year-old.

"The Chamber finds that Mr Duterte's detention continues to remain necessary," the ICC said in a heavily redacted ruling dated October 10.

ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his "war on drugs".

The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.

The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called "High Value Targets" in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.

And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during "clearance" operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.

These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged.

Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11 and flown to the Netherlands that same night, and has been held at the ICC's detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.

He followed his initial hearing by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.

His lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has said Duterte is not able to stand trial "as a result of cognitive impairment in multiple domains".

Kaufman has urged the ICC to postpone proceedings against Duterte indefinitely.

Reacting to Friday's ICC decision, Kaufman told AFP: "The Defence considers that the decision to dismiss unprecedented State guarantees for a debilitated and cognitively impaired 80-year-old, kept from the public eye for more than six months, to be erroneous."

"An appeal was filed a week ago," he added.

- 'Flight risk' -

The ICC found Duterte "continues to pose a flight risk and detention is necessary to ensure his presence during the pre-trial proceedings and possible trial".

Judges pointed to Duterte's "necessary political contacts" and "a network of support", including his daughter Sara Duterte, currently vice-president of the Philippines.

This network "may help him abscond", judges said.

The ICC also found there was a risk that Duterte and his network "would pose a threat to (potential) witnesses, either directly or indirectly through his supporters."

This also argued for his continued detention, the court ruled.

Finally, the judges said that medical reports provided by the defence, which they say show Duterte suffers from cognitive decline, were insufficient to allow his release.

"The Chamber considers that the... documents do not indicate how Mr Duterte's alleged physical condition or cognitive impairment negate the risks identified above," the ICC said.

However, judges stressed that this assessment related only to the issue of interim release, not to the determination of whether he was fit to stand trial.

The ruling "is without prejudice to any further determination and decision on the separate matter of Mr Duterte's fitness to participate in the present proceedings and the confirmation of charges hearing," the document said.

The "confirmation of charges" hearing is the next step in the case, where lawyers will argue whether there are sufficient grounds for an actual trial.

This has been postponed indefinitely while judges decide whether Duterte's alleged health problems have rendered him unfit to take the dock.

Paolo Duterte, his son, described the decision as "a gross and disgraceful miscarriage of justice".

"It is not law, it is a political theatre," said the younger Duterte, a member of the House of Representatives.
A United Nations rapporteur on Friday said an Israeli attack on south Lebanon on October 13, 2023, that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded others, including two from AFP, was a war crime.

Morris Tidball-Binz, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, also told a press conference in Beirut more than 1,100 women and children were killed in Lebanon during more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

The attack on the journalists two years ago was "a premeditated, targeted and double-tapped attack from the Israeli forces, a clear violation, in my opinion, of IHL (international humanitarian law), a war crime", Tidball-Binz said.

The attack killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded six others including AFP's Dylan Collins and Christina Assi, who had to have her right leg amputated.

An AFP probe into the deadly attack, jointly conducted with Airwars, an NGO that investigates attacks on civilians in conflict situations, pointed to a 120-mm tank shell only used by the Israeli army.

A UN investigation found there was "no exchange of fire" before the attack.

The Israeli military has denied it targets reporters.

Morris Tidball-Binz noted that three other journalists were killed in a strike in October 2024 as they slept "in a clearly marked journalist residence... which could not have gone unnoticed by the Israeli Defence Forces, which shelled the place with bombs".

The Israeli military had said it targeted Hezbollah militants and that the strike was "under review".

A November ceasefire sought to halt the hostilities -- which culminated in two months of open war last year -- but Israel has kept up near daily attacks on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting sites or operatives from the Iran-backed militant group.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 4,000 people have been killed since the exchange of fire began in October 2023, while the UN said last week said it had verified the deaths of 103 civilians since the ceasefire.

Tidball-Binz said he was "was gravely disturbed by the scale, number and gravity of Israeli attacks... including violations of international human rights law".

He said they amounted to "thousands of people killed, including more than 1,100 women and children, and this continues today".

Last month, Lebanon said five people including a father and three children were killed in an Israeli strike on the country's south.

Tidball-Binz said that "in addition to the violations of IHL and international human rights law that these attacks amount to, they're also threatening... the very fragile ceasefire".
The United Nations rights chief decried Friday the recent killing of dozens of civilians in the besieged Sudanese city of El-Fasher, including what appeared to be ethnically motivated summary executions.

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are currently waging their fiercest assault yet on El-Fasher, which is the last major city in the vast western region of Darfur still under control of the country's regular army.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk pointed to reports that the RSF had killed at least 53 civilians and injured more than 60 others in attacks between October 5 and 8 alone, adding that the actual number might be even higher.

"I am appalled by the RSF's endless and wanton disregard for civilian life," he said in a statement.

"They continue instead to kill, injure, and displace civilians, and to attack civilian objects, including... hospitals and mosques, with total disregard for international law," he said.

"This must end."

The RSF's war with the army began in April 2023.

The UN rights office said it had confirmed that at least 46 civilians were killed in artillery strikes on the Abu Shouk and Daraja Oula neighbourhoods and the Abu Shouk displacement camp.

That included at least 14 civilians killed during attacks on October 5 and 7 on the Saudi Hospital -- the last major functioning healthcare facility in North Darfur, it said.

At least seven other civilians were meanwhile reportedly summarily executed in home-to-home searches during RSF ground attacks, the rights office said, adding that the "killings may have been ethnically motivated".

Turk also called on all parties to the conflict to draw lessons from the International Criminal Court's conviction this week of a Sudanese militia chief for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed more than two decades ago.

After the ICC handed down its verdict against Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman on Monday, Turk had said it should serve as "a fresh reminder to the perpetrators of today's crimes that there can be no impunity for mass crimes against civilians".
Kennesaw State Honors student builds pathways to learning for children in Cameroon

KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 10, 2025

Jessica Tazanou As a young girl growing up in Cameroon, Kennesaw State University senior Jessica Tazanou saw firsthand how poverty kept many children from accessing basic needs such as food, health care, and education.

A biology major who also studies in the Keeping Sights Upward Journey Honors College, Tazanou is the founder of Africa With No Limits, a summer program she launched in Cameroon to provide free learning opportunities for children who cannot afford to attend school.

In Cameroon, even public schools have tuition fees, Tazanou said. Many families cannot afford to send all their children to school. Instead, the children workselling goods in the market or doing odd jobs to help put food on the tablebecause survival is the priority.

Raised in Cameroon before moving to the United States to complete her senior year at North Atlanta High School, Tazanou started the program in 2020 during one of her annual visits to her home country. What began with about 40 children ages 5 to 9 in her hometown of Douala, has since expanded to four cities across Cameroon, serving up to 200 children each summer.

At KSU, Tazanou is a French Club officer, Red Cross volunteer, Wing Leader mentor and College of Science and Mathematics Deans Scholar. She also volunteers with a mobile community health clinic serving vulnerable populations and has conducted undergraduate research on the use of arsenic-based antibiotics to kill drug-resistant bacteria.

Tazanous mentor, Melanie Griffin, associate professor of microbiology commended Jessica on her strong work ethic, adding that she is thoughtful and compassionate.

I have witnessed a fantastic level of commitment and eagerness in Jessica to her not only her personal academic growth but to share her knowledge with her peers and her community, said Griffin, who also serves as the interim associate dean of faculty affairs and operations in the College of Science and Mathematics. She has a sweet and engaging personality, and she works well with others. I believe she will emerge as a leader in her chosen field someday.

Set to graduate in December, Tazanou plans to attend medical school with the goal of becoming a surgeon who will advocate for and provide care to underserved populations.

As a little girl, I had medical challenges and was at the hospital frequently, she said. In Cameroon, the doctor wont see you until you make some kind of payment, and so I watched many children and families unable to receive care because of poverty.

This experience inspired her to create the summer program to give hope to children whose access to education was limited by poverty.

I knew it would take some time for me to become a doctor, so I focused on what I could do to help now, she said. Teaching children to read, write and communicate effectively can help them secure better education or jobs to improve their quality of life.

For many of the students, the Africa No Limits camp is the only formal education they receive. Tazanou leads a group of local university students who volunteer to teach reading, writing, and math, while local charitable organizations help provide school supplies, food and other necessities.

Beyond academics, the Africa No Limits program incorporates visual and performing arts, sports, martial arts, and cultural activities. Students sell their artwork and host community events and talent showcases featuring dance, music, and theater. The money raised helps sustain the program, providing school supplies and other resources.

When the program ends each summer and Tazanou returns to the U.S. to continue her studies at KSU, the children often go back to working in markets. Some are eventually able to enroll in public schools and progress to high school.

Tazanou said the Africa No Limits experience has taught her discipline and keeps her motivated in her studies.

Working with these children keeps me focused, because they constantly remind me why I chose to pursue medicine in the first place, she said. Even if I dont return to Cameroon to work as a doctor, I am committed to serving underserved communities here. Without someone to advocate for them, they may never receive the treatment and care they need.

As she looks toward medical school, Tazanou hopes to continue Africa No Limits, expanding its reach to serve even more children and chart a path to formal education.

I believe that being born in Africa doesnt mean youre limited, she said, explaining the inspiration behind the programs name. My dream is not just to give children supplies, but to help enroll them in school so they can have a chance at a better future. I dont expect anything in return. Just knowing these children are getting opportunities they wouldnt otherwise have is enough.

 Story by Christin Senior

Photo provided

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.






Friday, October 10, 2025 - Kenyan actress Jacky Vike, popularly known as Awinja, has shared a deeply emotional story about how she intuitively sensed her father's death before anyone broke the news to her.

Speaking on Dr. Ofwenekes podcast on October 9th, 2025, Awinja recounted the moment during her high school years when she was unexpectedly sent home despite having cleared her school fees.

My dad died while I was still in high school, and I got the news through my spirit, she said.

Trust me, this spirit thing works because no one had told me about my dads passing.

It was the end of term, all my fees had been cleared, and it was on a Saturday when I was called to the school office. I thought my dad was coming to visit that weekend, she narrated.

She recalled being summoned to the school office and told there was a fee balance - a claim she knew was false.

Overcome by emotion, she packed her belongings and left school in tears, guided by a gut feeling that something tragic had happened.

When I got home, I found my cousin and friend crying. Thats when I realized my father had passed, she said.

I got all the messages by reading the crying around me.

Awinja described the experience as a powerful affirmation of intuition and spiritual awareness.

She said the moment shaped her understanding of loss and the unseen forces that guide life, proving that sometimes, the heart knows before the ears hear.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - There was drama at a Nairobi apartment after a slay queen caused chaos while demanding payment from a man after what she described as a good time.

In a video shared on social media, the lady is heard shouting outside an apartment door, insisting that the man inside must pay her before she leaves.

Witnesses say the woman, visibly furious, went as far as breaking windows while demanding her dues, drawing the attention of curious neighbours.

Residents could be heard laughing and filming the altercation as the scene unfolded, with the lady continuously confronting the man, who reportedly refused to open the door.

The dramatic video has since sparked heated reactions online, with many Kenyans calling the incident embarrassing and a cautionary tale about transactional relationships gone wrong.

A Man Refused to Pay a Lady Her Dues After Sex in a City Apartment And She Caused Chaos pic.twitter.com/hZ0Cn0KCgf  HOTSOURCE.. (@MotoMushene) October 9, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - A Nairobi businessman, James Mwangi Kiaritha, has told a court that what began as a casual night out at Lavingtons popular Ibiza Lounge ended in confusion, dizziness, and the loss of Ksh 335,000 from his bank account.

Testifying before the court, Kiaritha said he met a woman identified as Lora Odero at the club, and after spending the evening together, she invited him to her apartment.

He recounted that after arriving at her residence, his memory went blurred, and he could barely recall what happened afterward.

The following morning, Kiaritha said he realized several unauthorized M-Pesa transactions had been made from his phone to a number registered under the accuseds name.





Upon checking his account, he discovered that a total of Ksh 335,000 had been transferred.

Kiaritha further told the court that when he looked up Loras name online, he found previous mentions in other legal cases, which prompted him to decline any private settlement offers.

He maintained that he never authorizes payments to individuals he has just met.

The accused, Lora Odero, has denied the charges and is currently out on bail as the case proceeds.

Lora Odero, also known as Laura Oyier Ogolla, came into the limelight in 2015 after she appeared at the Milimani Law Court in Nairobi to face charges of obtaining credit by false pretenses after failing to pay a Sh 229,505 bill for services at the Intercontinental Hotel.

See her photos below.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed that his sons played a pivotal role in urging him to publicly respond to President William Rutos remarks following the deadly Gen Z-led protests in June 2024.

Speaking on Thursday, October 9th, Gachagua recounted how his children confronted him after Ruto labelled the youthful demonstrators as criminals.

That statement I made in Mombasa, I was pushed by my children, Gachagua said.

The day William Ruto called youths criminals on June 25th, my children turned up at my residence at 6 AM, sat me down and told me, Dad, your boss has called us criminals.

They insisted I speak out.

President Ruto had described the storming of Parliament during the anti-Finance Bill protests as treasonous, claiming that criminal elements had hijacked peaceful demonstrations.

We must isolate crime from democratic expression and separate criminals from people exercising the freedom of expression and divergent opinion, Ruto stated.

In response, Gachagua held a Press Conference in Mombasa, where he criticized the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for failing to anticipate the protests.

He also called for the resignation of NIS Director General Noordin Haji, blaming him for the security lapse and the deaths of at least 30 people.

Haji must take responsibility and resign to allow the President to appoint a competent DG, Gachagua declared.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has outlined a series of reforms that President William Rutos administration must implement to qualify for a new IMF-supported loan program.

The conditions were issued following a two-week mission in Kenya, where IMF officials assessed the countrys economic outlook and held discussions with key stakeholders.

To secure the new facility, the Government must restore fiscal credibility, ensure debt sustainability, and enhance transparency and governance across the public sector.

IMF Mission Chief for Kenya, Haimanot Teferra, emphasized that these reforms are critical to mitigating fiscal, financial, and external risks that continue to threaten Kenyas economic stability.

During the visit, the IMF team met with President Ruto, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Central Bank Governor Kamau Thugge, and representatives from Parliament, civil society, private businesses, and development partners.

We welcome the Kenyan authorities candid engagement and remain committed to partnering with Kenya for a more robust, sustainable, and inclusive economic future, Teferra stated.

The proposed program would replace the previous US$3.6 billion (Ksh465.2 billion) facility, which was terminated in March.

In June, the IMF also conducted a separate review of Kenyas anti-corruption framework, focusing on fiscal governance, Central Bank oversight, and legal safeguards.

The findings will inform Kenyas readiness for future funding.

The announcement comes days after the World Bank advised the Government to consider raising consumption taxes, including VAT and excise duty, citing a surge in pending bills from Ksh421.6 billion in March to Ksh526 billion by June.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - KANU Chairman Gideon Moi has come under fire from Samburu West MP, Naisula Lesuuda, following his recent meeting with President William Ruto and his decision to bow out of the Baringo Senatorial by-election.

In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, October 9th, Lesuuda said she had long refrained from addressing Moi publicly but felt compelled to speak due to the national significance of his decisions.

My dear Chairman Hon. Gideon Moi, we have had many conversations in private, and I have never addressed you in public, but the matter being discussed is of national importance, she wrote.

Lesuuda acknowledged Mois decision to contest the Baringo seat or align with Ruto as personal, but expressed disappointment over his lack of communication with party members.

My only concern and that of many who have believed in you and the party is your choice not to give direction and not to communicate on time, she said, urging Moi to offer clarity to KANU supporters.

Her remarks triggered widespread reactions online, with Kenyans divided over Mois political moves.

Some praised Lesuudas boldness, while others defended Mois discretion.

The controversy comes amid growing uncertainty over KANUs future and its role in national politics.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - Talia Oyando, the beloved reggae MC and media personality, has opened up about her dramatic weight loss journey.

This comes after she shared recent photos of her slimmer figure on Instagram and fans flooded her comments with mixed reactions - some expressing admiration, others voicing concern.

In a candid revelation, Talia better known as the Night Nurse, explained that her transformation is not about aesthetics but health.

She revealed that while battling a long-term knee injury, doctors advised her to lose weight to avoid surgery and manage her condition safely.

Having a busted knee doesnt help, and to avoid surgery, I need to lose weight, get on physiotherapy, keep my nutrition, and stay focused, she shared.

Talia confirmed shes using semaglutide (ozempic), a medically supervised treatment known for curbing appetite and balancing blood sugar.

This isnt a quick fix - its part of a structured health journey, she said.

Her honesty has sparked widespread conversation online, with many praising her transparency and courage, while others caution against reliance on medical weight-loss solutions.

Talia now joins a growing list of Kenyan celebrities speaking openly about their health struggles and the role of modern medicine in weight loss.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - Lecturers across public universities are intensifying their strike, now in its fourth week, leaving thousands of students stranded.

In a dramatic incident shared online, striking lecturers confronted a colleague conducting virtual classes, having logged in as students to disrupt the session.

The video shows the lecturers hurling insults and issuing threats, demanding the class be terminated immediately.

End that class, punda wewe! You think when we get paid our dues you wont be paid too? one irate lecturer shouted.

Overwhelmed, the lecturer complied and ended the session.

The ongoing standoff stems from a dispute over the implementation of the 20172021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with lecturers accusing the Ministry of Education of reneging on commitments, while the Ministry blames delays on internal processes.

The confrontation highlights growing frustration among educators, who insist on solidarity during the strike and warn against any attempts to undermine their push for fair compensation.

Watch the video.

Ndio hii apa,mimd you those are his fellow lecturers https://t.co/7BF0QbDUM7 pic.twitter.com/Hog4vXFOWV  Xavier  (@Xavier_memoir) October 9, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - Dennis Itumbi, Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects in the Executive Office of the President, has issued a rare public apology to victims of abductions linked to the Gen Z protests of 2024 and 2025.

Speaking on a local podcast on Thursday, October 9th, 2025, Itumbi condemned the abductions and expressed regret over the trauma endured by those affected.

Im deeply sorry for anyone who has undergone an abduction or illegal arrest, he said, acknowledging that while some incidents were misreported as abductions, the experiences remained traumatic.

He cited the case of Billy Mwangi from Embu, who was abducted but later returned safely.

All abductions are bad. We wish all abductions to end because it should not happen to anyone, including my enemy, he added.

Itumbi also reflected on his own abduction and torture in the lead-up to the 2022 general elections, saying the ordeal shaped his stance against enforced disappearances and political intimidation.

His comments have drawn praise from human rights groups and Kenyans online, who view the apology as a significant gesture from a senior Government insider.

However, critics argue that apologies must be matched with accountability and justice for victims who remain missing or traumatized.

The statement comes amid growing pressure on the Government to address human rights violations and police excesses during the Gen Z protests.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - The Kenyan community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Roselyne Oyaro, who tragically passed away mid-air while traveling to the United States.

Rose had departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday, with her first flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam going smoothly.

However, shortly after boarding her connecting KLM flight to the U.S, she reportedly began experiencing shortness of breath.

The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada, but sadly, she passed away before the plane could touch down.

Those who knew her describe Rose as kind, dependable, and deeply cherished by friends and family.

She had been in Kenya for a brief visit and was returning to the U.S, where she lived with her fiance.

Her sudden and untimely passing has left her loved ones and the wider Kenyan diaspora community in deep shock and mourning.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 10, 2025 - A fiery declaration from a Kenyan woman has lit up social media after she vowed to retaliate if her future husband ever cheats.

In a viral video, the woman begins by affirming her commitment to marriage, saying she will do everything to make the relationship work.

The person who is going to settle down with me for the rest of my life, be sure it is for good. Hakuna kuachana, she said.

However, her tone quickly shifts as she warns of swift payback in the event of infidelity.

Lakini wacha nikuambie ndugu yangu, kulipisha ni constant, she said with a sarcastic laugh.

You are not going to hurt me and I dont hurt you. I will hurt you.

She added, Nimeteseka kwa streets sana, halafu nikupende uniache? Sikuachi.

She concluded by saying, I will forgive the way the Bible says, but ukichuna nachuna, ukigonga nagonga.

The video drew mixed reactions, with some netizens cautioning that her stance could scare off potential partners, while others - especially women - applauded her unapologetic honesty.

Watch the video

A Kenyan lady has a crazy perspective about marriage, take a listen! pic.twitter.com/ilviDUTG5d  The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) October 9, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST
ON FRIDAY, 10 October at 11am, the Shackleton Museum will officially be opened by the Minister for Rural Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary TD whose Department provided substantial funding for the redevelopment of the Town Hall.

It was in February 1983 that a public meeting, called for the courthouse, resulted in the setting up of Athys Museum Society.

The vast majority of those who attended that meeting and who paid the membership fee of ten pounds each are no longer with us.

It is important that the names of those original members of Athy Museum Society should be recorded and their contribution to the development of our understanding of Athys cultural and heritage past be acknowledged.

Those persons who came together over forty years ago were Pat Mulhall, Ger Moriarty, Dick Norris, Patsy ONeill, Mick Rowan, Megan Maguire, Frank English, Pat Doyle, Noreen Ryan, Denis Smyth, Joe May, Thomas Prendergast, Donal Murphy, Michael Wall and Jack Lawler. Following a lecture in the Leinster Arms Hotel on 21 March 1983, further locals joined the Society including Tommy Keegan, Ken Sale, Dermot Murphy, John Mahon and his family, Claire Behan, Jens Priesler and his wife May.

The above are the people who gave their support when it was most needed, for without their support there would have been no heritage town status, no museum in the various venues used over the years and certainly no Shackleton Museum.

The contribution of Kildare County Council officials cannot be overlooked. It was Gerry Ward, Kildare County Manager, who in response to my letter replied on 20 July 1983 confirming that he was prepared to recommend to the Council that a room in the Town Hall be made available to the Museum Society.

He proved true to his word for some years later the Town Hall caretakers accommodation became free and the Societys Museum, which up to then was located in a vacant classroom of Mount St Marys, transferred to the Town Hall building.

The kindness of the Sisters of Mercy in providing the Mount St Marys room free of charge must be acknowledged.

The museum societys involvement in obtaining Heritage Town status for Athy is well known, as was the use by the Society and Kildare County Council of the monies then awarded by the department in the redevelopment of the ground floor of the Town Hall.

It was at this stage of the museums development that the Museum Society, a voluntary organisation, gave way to a company limited by guarantee, Athy Heritage Company Limited. The directors were still volunteers. It was those volunteers, who in conjunction with the Shackleton Autumn School, embarked on the next stage of the museums development as the Shackleton Museum.

Going through my papers, I was interested to find reports from Patrick Shaffrey, architect and town planner, and another report from Paul Kane, consulting engineer regarding Athys Town Hall.

The Shaffrey Report dated September 1982 showed his concern that the building now presents a rather sorry appearance and that the demolition of such a fine building would be a sad and irreplaceable loss to the architectural heritage of Athy and would change radically the appearance of the centre of the town.

The Kane structural report sought by the local branch of An Taisce noted that while the building had deteriorated while occupied by the fire brigade and Athy Urban District Council, it was generally structurally sound with minor problems, all related to the maintenance of the roof.

It is quite possible that use of the Town Hall as a heritage centre and later on as a Museum saved the Town Hall because Athy Urban District Council had previously discussed its demolition to create more parking spaces in the town centre.

Throughout this article, I have consistently referred to the Shackleton Museum, although Kildare County Council now reference the Shackleton Experience. To me it will always be the Shackleton Museum.

Despite this, I must acknowledge the excellent work done by several heads of Kildare County Council in relation to the museum. First amongst those officials was the late Gerry Ward, county manager, who believed in the Museums Societys drive for a museum in Athy and who helped whenever he could.

Peter Carey, whom I invited to open the Shackleton Autumn School soon after he took up the position of chief executive of Kildare County Council, was extremely helpful and facilitated the financing and erection of the Shackleton statue, the purchase of the ship cabin in which Shackleton died, and several other Shackleton artefacts which now form part of the museums display material.

The current chief executive, Sonya Kavanagh, and her senior staff took the opportunity to take over responsibility of financing and running the Shackleton Museum from the volunteers who had held administrative control for over forty years.

The journey which started in February 1983 continues today.

Sadly, many of the men and women I have mentioned earlier who shared a dream did not live to see this day.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by teenage boys to create online girlfriends which cater to their pornographic whims.

A conference on technology, pornography, and sexual violence heard that boys could take a photo of any real girl from the likes of social media sites and use that image in the software to create their fake girlfriend.

AI girlfriends let users select the type of relationship preferred, while stepsister is the most popular, experts told the conference organised by Ruhama, which provides services to women in the sex trade or victims of human trafficking, reports the Irish Examiner.

Ruth Breslin, director of the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme (SERP) at University College Dublin, told the Examiner that online pornographic material of women being slapped and strangled during sex was becoming normalised.

She also said there was increasing use of teenagers in adult pornography, which was fuelling the demand for child sex abuse material.

SERP research in second-level schools revealed the popularity of AI Girlfriends, she said.

Ms Breslin showed images of the women, noting they were very real looking. She said there were no age restrictions from accessing the free programme.

She said: You can ask AI to send a short video of the woman performing any sex act at your command.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly told the conference there is an emerging normalisation of violence and sexual violence against women, adding that it involved the dehumanisation of girls and women.
KILDARE Traveller Action (KTA), has worked to achieve greater equality and social justice for Travellers in the county for over 25 years. The organisation works to help educate people on Traveller culture and dismantle discriminatory stereotypes and views long-held by the public, while also directly supporting the Traveller community in anyway they can.

One way KTA does this is by standing against Traveller discrimination and racism in Kildare, which according to the organisation, happens every day.

The organisation has rallied in response to discriminatory actions taken by local Newbridge businesses in June of this year after the tragic death of Jerry Maloney  a traveller man who died in a car crash.

It is alleged that a number of premises closed their doors on the day of the mans funeral in an act of mourning for the man. However, Petra Daly, Manager of Kildare Traveller Action, told the Kildare Nationalist that nearly all bars and restaurants in Newbridge closed their doors on the day in discrimination:

There were only two restaurants that were available to Travellers while they were grieving. Pretty much all the others closed their doors, she said.

In a report done by a coalition of Traveller and Roma organisations in Ireland in 2024 it was found that travellers are over 22 times more likely than White Irish people to report discrimination in shops, pubs and restaurants.

Ms Daly explained that instances like this are really common in the county.

We get reports every day of people being refused service. Somebody told me just last week they were refused service in a coffee shop. Another person was followed around a department store and accused of stealing even after showing their receipt. No apology was issued. These assumptions are made the whole time.

Petra also referenced past incidents where Travellers have reported weddings being cancelled on the day of the event and being refused entry to concerts and events they had tickets for.

Its not good enough, said Petra.

The discrimination towards Travellers is systemic. It's ongoing and has never ceased. We need to do something about it and call it out, she said.

Petra explained the massive negative effects discriminatory acts have on the community:

The suicide rate is seven times higher than it is for the settler population. A lot of that is from institutional racism and the way people are treated.

KFA is committed to addressing the problem and works one-one with the travelling community, with representatives from the community working at the organisation.

The organisation also wants to bring the settled community along with them through outreach and education, and appeals to any business, group or organisation that would be interested in setting up cultural awareness training with them to get in touch.

Petra said: We want to support people to develop an understanding about the community and the culture.

The organisation runs programmes in Kildare schools, educating children on the reality of Traveller culture and challenging attitudes and misinformation.

They organise Traveller-led workshops that are interactive and tailored to the specific needs of the audience.

Letter to the editor

Dear Sir

We are aware that some businesses closed their doors to Travellers during recent bereavements and as a human rights organisation we are disappointed and extremely concerned by this.

You may not be aware, but the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024came into effect on December 31st last. Under this legislation, refusal to admit, serve, or otherwise accommodate, Travellers is viewed as a Hate Offence. The penalty for contravening this legislation is a fine, a prison sentence of up to twelve years, or both.

The behaviour towards Travellers across the county is being actively monitored, and KTA is providing information to Travellers on the relevant legislation. From now on, members of the community will be aware of their rights and well-equipped to make official reports to the Gardai.

We trust that this information will be useful to you as you continue to do business in County Kildare, but are happy to clarify any questions you may have.

As an organisation we can offer cultural awareness training to you and your staff and are contactable for this on admin @kildaretravelleraction.ie

Yours sincerely, Board of Kildare Traveller Action
Ottoline Spearman

A childcare facility in Tuam has been issued with a closure notice by a fire officer after a landlord decided not to proceed with essential fire safety works on the building.

The Happy Ever After childcare centre, which supports 97 children, will stop operations on October 31st this year, leaving families scrambling for alternative childcare and 19 staff members facing unemployment.

This development comes over two years after the Landlord initially refused to carry out necessary fire safety upgrades, issuing an eviction notice in July 2023.

Following public pressure, the landlord reversed their decision, renewed the lease, and agreed to complete and fund the required works.

But two years later, the landlord have now informed Happily Ever After that they will not be funding or completing the fire safety works.

Consequently, the fire officer has been forced to issue a closure notice to both the childcare facility and the landlord.

"We are absolutely devastated," said Sara Walsh and Claire McGrath, owners of Happily Ever After.

"For two years, we have operated in good faith, caring for the children of Tuam while waiting patiently for the works to be completed. To be informed now that they will not be proceeding has left us, our families, and our staff in an impossible position."

"We have poured our hearts and souls into this facility for seven years. These children call this place their second home."

Megan Flaherty has four children who attend the creche. "As a full-time nurse with no alternative childcare, I will have no option but to give up the career I love," she said.

Saoirse Kelly described the closure of the creche as causing "complete devastation" in her home. "Our son has attended since 2019 and has shared every milestone of his life with this amazing creche family. He is sick with worry about losing all he has ever known. They are part of his and our family," she said.

Grainne Ni Loideain described how the facility had been instrumental for her children. "As twins, social interaction with others is hugely important for their development, as twins can sometimes become isolated through their codependency. The creche has been a pivotal part of their development," she said.

This closure comes at a time when Ireland is facing a childcare crisis. Childcare places are at a premium across the country, with facilities struggling to meet demand.

Tuam already faces a significant childcare shortage, with long waiting lists at most facilities. Finding alternative placements for these children will be virtually impossible, the facility said.

Children in the ECCE preschool scheme will lose their placement just one year before starting primary school, while babies, toddlers, and after-school children will be left without care.

The facility is set to close in three weeks.
From tiny pumpkins to gruesome ghouls, Halloween costumes have come a long way since the days of bin bags and paper plate masks.

But with so much choice, its more important than ever to keep sustainability in mind.

Thats why the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation is asking people to put the care into scare this Halloween by donating their pre-loved costumes and decorations to the Jack and Jill Charity Boutique in Kilkenny.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny school indecent assault - Man shocked to be charged

Any gently-used costumes, accessories, or spooky decor can be dropped off at the shop to be resold in support of Jack and Jills vital work.

The charity provides in-home nursing care and respite support to families across Ireland caring for children with severe learning disabilities, often linked to complex medical needs.

Store Manager, Barry Dempsey, said that "last years response was fang-tastic".

"This year were hoping for even more donations," he said.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny motorists are being urged to be vigilant of potentially fatal hazard

"Costumes often only get one wear before kids and adults grow out of them or simply want something new.

"Instead of letting them gather dust, why not give them a second chance to scare here in Kilkenny? As families start pulling out decorations and planning their spooktacular looks, wed love if they thought of us for any items no longer needed."

Stacey Bohanna, Head of Retail at the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation, added "Halloween is the perfect time to embrace shopping sustainably and what better way than by donating or buying pre-loved costumes and decor in our boutiques?

"Every item donated or purchased directly helps us support 17 children currently under Jack and Jills care in County Kilkenny.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny shopfronts from the 2000s - how many do you remember?

"Since 1997, weve cared for 77 families here in the county, so this campaign really is about the community helping local families in a fun and sustainable way. Its a real win-win: you get to enjoy Halloween while making a difference."

And if dressing up isnt your thing? The Jack and Jill Boutique is also looking for donations of autumn and Halloween home decor from pumpkin wreaths to glitter skulls and everything in between.

Shoppers looking to refresh their haunted house style can also pick up some unexpected treasures in store.

Donations will be accepted right through Halloween and beyond, helping the store bank some spooktacular stock for next year too.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Waterford councillors have clashed over the planned reopening of Ferrybank Shopping Centre.

In recent weeks, Kilkenny County Council granted planning permission for Dunnes Stores to finally move into the vacant site.

Waterford City and County Council subsequently appealed this decision, with concerns raised over the impact it may have on retail in the city centre.

However, this appeal was later deemed invalid, as the council had not lodged the full application in time.

Social Democrats councillor Mary Roche, who is opposed to the development, asked for an update at the October plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

READ NEXT: BIG CASH BOOST FOR NORTH KILKENNY TOWN

Cllr Roche said she didnt believe that a similar development would be allowed on the outskirts of Kilkenny city.

She added that she thinks it is important that Waterford Council do everything to ensure that that threat is removed.

In response to Cllr Roche, Director of Services Ivan Grimes said he couldnt publicly comment on Kilkenny County Councils decision.

However, Mr Grimes added that the council is in discussions with its legal team and developments are expected in the next week.

Later in the meeting, Sinn Fein councillor Pat Fitzgerald expressed his opposition to the councils objection, saying he didnt think it was a very wise thing to do.

He pointed out that the shopping centre has laid idle for nearly two decades and said that it could be a huge asset for the city.

Cllr Fitzgerald added that the plans are absolutely essential to the development of Waterford city on the north side of the River Suir, and would bring more business to the city centre.

He concluded by saying that he wanted to dissociate himself from the councils objection.

In response, Mr Grimes said that he disagreed with Cllr Fitzgerald but he was entitled to his opinion.
An elderly man is totally shocked that he has been charged with a number of historic offences at a primary school in Co. Kilkenny.



The man, aged in his 80s, has been charged with six counts of indecent assault on the same person.

All six charges relate to the CBS primary school, West Street, Callan, and occurred on dates between September 1, 1977, and June 30, 1979.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CRIME UPDATES AND COURT REPORTS



Kilkenny District Court heard the man had been arrested on the morning of the court sitting and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station. Each charge was read to the man and he was cautioned.



In reply to the first charge read to him the man replied: Im totally shocked that Im being charged today. I am completely innocent and Im puzzled as to why or whom has made this complaint against me.



In response to the second charge he said: Same as before, and in reply to the other four charges he said: Same reply.

The court was told that the DPP had directed the six sample counts as set out be prosecuted on indictment.



There was no objection to bail for the man. Conditions had been agreed between gardai and the mans solicitor to include that he reside at a specified address, provide gardai with a contact number and remain contactable at all times, that he surrender his passport and not apply for any further travel documents unless agreed with gardai.



The man was remanded on bail to a court sitting in December for the presentation of a Book of Evidence in the case.
A system of parole had been introduced for republican internees after the signing of the Truce in July 1921.

When John Grehan, interned in the Rath Camp at the Curragh, applied for parole on the death of his father, also named John, he was refused. Unperturbed, Grehan decided to escape.

READ NEXT: Inexcusable behaviour from learner driver stopped by gardai in Kilkenny

On the night of October 18, 1921, Grehan and ten other internees made an unsuccessful attempt to cut through the barbed wire of the Rath Camp. For their efforts, they were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

The men were transferred to Kilkenny Jail, where Grehan and Tommy McCarrick of Sligo approached the O/C (Officer Commanding) of the republican prisoners, Martin Healy, and suggested they should tunnel out.

The escapees decided to begin their escape from an unused solitary confinement cell below A Wing, which was out of bounds.

The confinement cell provided the perfect place to start digging  about 50 yards to the perimeter wall.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny business closure will be 'one less reason to go into town'

They used a trowel, pokers, knives and sharpened spoons to dig the tunnel.

Earth from the tunnel was dumped into pillowcases and pulled up to the punishment cell, where it was disposed of in adjoining cells.

In total, eight tonnes of earth were removed.

A friendly prison officer, Tom Power, turned a blind eye to the digging and the disposal of the earth.

The tunnellers worked by candlelight, in three shifts, when Power was on duty. Conditions were far from ideal. The tunnel, three feet high by two feet wide, was not ventilated, and the cramped conditions made it unbearably hot.

The tunnel had to be shored up frequently to prevent collapse.

Meanwhile, outside the prison, the escape plan was being coordinated.

READ NEXT: Popular Kilkenny venue and local musicians to be featured on television

A letter attached to a stone was thrown over the wall by a prisoner, informing contacts that the breakout would take place at 6:30 p.m. the following evening.

Denis Tracey of Dunnamaggin arranged for six of his men to be in Patrick Street with six ponies and traps to receive the escapees.

The tunnel, on completion, exited along the foundation of the outer prison wall, with the three-foot-wide exit emerging in the middle of St Riochs Street  a public thoroughfare.

When Tom Power noticed several men entering the cell that accessed the tunnel, he became suspicious.

Realising what was happening, he complained that they should have picked another time to escape  and not when he was on duty!

To protect him from suspicion, the prisoners gagged and bound Power to conceal his collusion. In the meantime, dozens of prisoners had entered the tunnel and made their escape.

READ NEXT: 'Consequences' to be faced by misbehaving Kilkenny tenants in 'no go' estates

Larry Condon was in command of the escape party. He entered the tunnel at 6:40 p.m. and remained at the entrance until all the men were safely away. The escape took one hour and 40 minutes in total.

Denis Traceys volunteers were ready with their ponies and traps to pick up some of the prisoners. Groups of men, in threes and fours, jumped into each trap as the driver headed out along the Waterford Road and towards the countryside as fast as he could.

As prisoners emerged from the tunnel, two local men guided them out towards Ballycallan.

Warder Power was discovered trussed up at around 8 p.m. The military guard rushed to the entrance of the tunnel, but there were so many prisoners passing through that the tunnel was probably damaged by the sheer volume of men. Falling debris soon blocked it.

READ NEXT: Hugely popular Kilkenny man celebrates milestone birthday!

Maurice Walsh, the last man to attempt escape, crawled through the tunnel as a portion collapsed in front of him, forcing him back. When he returned to the entrance, armed soldiers and warders met him and took him back to his cell.

In total, 43 prisoners escaped. Despite a huge manhunt, all escapees successfully returned to their units.

The IRA remained on alert in case the peace negotiations failed, but weeks later the Irish plenipotentiaries and Lloyd Georges government signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London, thereby ending the War of Independence.

TAP HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS

The tunnel escape from Kilkenny Jail in 1921 is one of the most remarkable episodes of Irish revolutionary history  vividly recounted in James Durneys book Jailbreak: Great Irish Republican Escapes 18651983.



The book provides factual, action-packed accounts of incredible escapes that boosted morale among Irish nationalists and inspired future generations.
Kilkenny has become a destination for fashion shopping  the place to find a uniquely beautiful outfit for a special occasion.

And, at the heart of the city, is the Lady Lorna Designer Emporium on Kieran Street.

READ NEXT: Inexcusable behaviour from learner driver stopped by gardai in Kilkenny

The eye-catching establishment is the centre of operations for Lorna Doogue: fashion designer, buyer and doyenne of the Kilkenny fashion world.

Lady Lorna carries twelve brands, including six Irish milliners and three top Irish designers among the international labels. They also stock their own designs, which are made in nearby Carlow.

Lorna routinely greets fashionistas from Dublin, Galway and far beyond, all of whom know they will find something special in her store.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny business closure will be 'one less reason to go into town'

That she has found a perfect niche in the fashion world is no surprise; her mother, Joan, is a fashion designer who created the brand Lorna Doone, which inspired her daughters name.

With a friendly nature and years of honing her expertise, Lorna loves her job. Growing up, she helped her mother with her design work, and after school she headed to Limerick School of Fashion for a four-year degree.

My career began at Michael H as an assistant designer. I also worked in Brown Thomas, part time, learning the ropes of fashion retail, she says.

READ NEXT: Popular Kilkenny venue and local musicians to be featured on television

From there, she moved on to work as a buyer with Primark, travelling the world for fashion and homewares, and the start of the PS beauty brand.

However, Lorna and Joan always dreamed of having their own boutique.

We always loved coming into Kilkenny to shop and it was a natural location for our store, says Lorna.

After almost nine years in the city, they are proud of their beautiful premises.

So whether youre off to the races, a wedding, or a black tie gala, Lady Lorna is an essential port of call.

TAP HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS
A series of newly published HIQA inspection reports into Kilkenny nursing homes present a mixed picture of care standards.

Serious shortcomings were flagged in some centres, alongside improvements and strong resident satisfaction in others.

READ NEXT: Staggeringly high level of alcohol - Kilkenny man convicted of drink driving

Kilkenny Care Centre (Newpark) was the subject of an unannounced inspection in July which highlighted serious failings in infection control.

HIQA found that management systems to deal with outbreaks were ineffective, leaving residents at risk during a persistent scabies outbreak declared earlier this year.

While staffing levels and safeguarding training were praised, the regulator issued an urgent action warning on infection control, insisting that stronger oversight and coordinated responses were urgently needed.

At Tinnypark Nursing Home, inspectors reported notable progress since a damning January visit that uncovered 10 areas of non-compliance.

READ NEXT: 'It could've been so different' - popular Kilkenny man recovering from stroke

By March, four areas were fully compliant and nine substantially compliant, with only one continuing issue.

Improvements were particularly evident in staffing and data security, where previous breaches of residents privacy had been resolved. However, care planning remains a concern.

In contrast, St Josephs Supported Care Home in Kilmoganny was described as a well-managed centre offering residents a good quality of life.

Residents spoke warmly of the care they received, praising staff as kind, patient and responsive.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny store to close after nearly four decades in operation

Inspectors observed courteous, person-centred interactions and attentive service without delay. Only minor issues were noted.



At Archersrath Nursing Home, HIQA found that management had failed to implement necessary improvements between January and June inspections.

While residents expressed satisfaction and the atmosphere was calm and friendly, inspectors warned that governance and oversight were not sufficiently robust.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Beware of radio network surveillance: Researchers from KIT warn that companies, authorities, or criminals might infer the identity of persons using WiFi signals from ordinary Internet routers only. (Photo: smarterpix)

If you pass by a cafe that operates a WiFi network, you can be identified  even if you do not carry a cell phone with you. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have found a way to identify people solely through recording WiFi communication. They point out that this constitutes a significant risk to privacy. It is unnecessary for the persons to carry any devices on them, nor is any specific hardware needed to identify people present in the range of the WLAN. It takes nothing but WiFi devices communicating with each other in the persons surroundings. This creates patterns comparable to a images shot by cameras, just based on radio waves. The research team calls for adequate privacy safeguards.

By observing the propagation of radio waves, we can create an image of the surroundings and of persons who are present, says Professor Thorsten Strufe from KASTEL  KITs Institute of Information Security and Dependability. This works similar to a normal camera, the difference being that in our case, radio waves instead of light waves are used for the recognition, explains the cybersecurity expert. Thus, it does not matter whether you carry a WiFi device on you or not. Switching your device off does not help: Its sufficient that other WiFi devices in your surroundings are active.

WiFi Routers as Quiet Observers

This technology turns every router into a potential means for surveillance, warns Julian Todt from KASTEL. If you regularly pass by a cafe that operates a WiFi network, you could be identified there without noticing it and be recognized later  for example by public authorities or companies. Felix Morsbach stresses that it is true that there are easier methods for secret services or cybercriminals to observe people right now  for example by accessing CCTV cameras or video doorbells. However, the omnipresent wireless networks might become a nearly comprehensive surveillance infrastructure with one concerning property: they are invisible and raise no suspicion. Actually, WiFi networks exist in almost all homes, offices, restaurants, and public spaces today.

No Special Hardware Required

Unlike attacks with LIDAR sensors or previous WiFi-based methods, which use channel state information (CSI)  i.e. measured data that indicate how a radio signal changes when it reflects off of walls, furniture, or persons  the attackers do not need any special hardware. This method requires nothing but a standard WiFi device. It works by exploiting the communication of legitimate users of the WLAN, whose devices are connected to the WiFi network. These regularly send feedback signals within the network, also called beamforming feedback information (BFI), to the router  in unencrypted form so that it is readable by anybody in range. This creates images from different perspectives that can serve to identify the respective persons. Once the underlying machine-learning model has been trained, the identification only takes a few seconds.

Almost 100% Accuracy  Technology Entails Risks to Privacy

In a study with 197 participants, the team could infer the identity of persons with almost 100% accuracy  independently of the perspective or their gait. The technology is powerful, but at the same time entails risks to our fundamental rights, especially to privacy, emphasizes Strufe. The researchers warn that this is particularly critical in authoritarian states where the technology might be used for the observation of protesters. Therefore, they urgently call for protective measures and privacy safeguards in the forthcoming IEEE 802.11bf WiFi standard.



Funding and Publication

The project was funded under the Helmholtz Engineering Secure Systems topic. The researchers have presented their results at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS) in Taipei. The paper is available at https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000185756.

Original publication

Todt, Julian; Morsbach, Felix; Strufe, Thorsten: BFId: Identity Inference Attacks utilizing Beamforming Feedback Information, ACM, 2025. DOI: 10.1145/3719027.3765062 (from October 13, 2025, DOI link not yet activated).



In close partnership with society, KIT develops solutions for urgent challenges  from climate change, energy transition and sustainable use of natural resources to artificial intelligence, sovereignty and an aging population. As The University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT unites scientific excellence from insight to application-driven research under one roof  and is thus in a unique position to drive this transformation. As a University of Excellence, KIT offers its more than 10,000 employees and 22,800 students outstanding opportunities to shape a sustainable and resilient future. KIT  Science for Impact.
UN forum calls for strengthened management of spectrum, orbital resources

Xinhua) 13:59, October 10, 2025

GENEVA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the satellite and space industry, along with regulatory professionals, discussed the most pressing challenges at the "Space Sustainability Forum 2025" which concluded on Wednesday in Geneva.

They shared innovative solutions for the future of space-based systems and exploration, and called for enhanced coordination, management, and rule-making for spectrum and orbital resources at the two-day forum.

At the event hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency, key topics included managing satellite constellations, advancing exploration from Low Earth Orbit to the Moon, and achieving effective Space and Spectrum Situational Awareness (S3A) as a critical element for mission success, security, and sustainability of space radiocommunication systems, as well as improving space resilience.

"Requests for spectrum and orbit resources have multiplied 5.5 times over the past decade ... with corresponding challenges of space sustainability also growing," said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin in her opening remarks.

"Constellations, at scale ... require coordination at scale -- from disciplined submissions and early bilateral work to credible follow-through," she said, calling on all concerned sides to work together to "uphold our responsibility as stewards of spectrum on Earth and in space" and "to keep the process fair and to keep the orbital and spectrum environment usable for all."

During a panel discussion, constellation system operators called for effective international rules and mechanisms to promote space sustainability.

Jing Chen, senior director of the Spectrum and Orbit Resources Center of China Satellite Network Group Co. Ltd., said that frequent satellite launches, orbit upgrades, orbit maintenance, and deorbiting operations not only require consideration of collision avoidance with space debris constellations, but also collision avoidance between constellations.

Chen urged satellite operators to coordinate their orbits with each other, reserve orbit layer isolation, and consider active collision avoidance capability configuration when the system is involved.

She said it is urgent to further establish and improve international rules for space traffic management that are adapted to the current situation, so as to better ensure the safety of space asset operations.

"This forum has shown that space sustainability is not just a technical issue. It's a global public good, essential for sustainable development, climate action, education, and safety," said ITU Deputy Secretary-General Tomas Lamanauskas at the forum's closing.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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By Bairbre Holmes, PA

Catherine Connolly confirmed she paid for her 2018 trip to Syria with part of her Parliamentary Activities Allowance (PAA).

Responding to criticism, she had given the impression the fact-finding mission had been paid for from personal funds, the presidential hopeful said: I never gave that impression, thats an allowance thats given to every single independent TD.

There are a number of different categories, and I tend to use it under policy and research. And thats exactly what I did.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly arriving ahead of the RTE Drivetime presidential candidates debate at RTE studio in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Speaking to reporters she said the average person would understand what she had meant as they know me exactly.

She added: I leave it up to the people.

The PAA is paid to party leaders and independent TDs to cover expenses arising from parliamentary activities, including research.

Ms Connolly is reported to have spent almost 3,700 euros from the allowance for the trip.

The Galway TD travelled to the Middle Eastern country while it was still under the rule of Bashar al-Assad with ex-MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace.

Earlier in the day her political rival Heather Humphreys said of the trip: I dont know what facts she needed to find, because everybody knows that the head of state Assad was a brutal dictator.
By Nicole McBride, PA

Independent TD Barry Heneghan has returned to Ireland after being detained by Israeli forces whilst attempting to provide aid to the people of Gaza, Tanaiste Simon Harris said.

On Wednesday, it was announced that three flotilla vessels carrying medicine and nutritional supplies were intercepted just off the coast of Gaza.

Mr Heneghan, a TD for the Dublin Bay North constituency, was one of five pro-Palestinian activists from Ireland who was aboard the vessel.

Mr Harris said: Ive just received confirmation that Deputy Heneghan is back in Ireland, and had a brief message from him to that effect.

We believe it was illegal in terms of how they were detained, and I do intend to consider how to pursue that with other counterparts today, though I join with you in welcoming the very real life prospect of a ceasefire Cian O'Callaghan, Social Democrats

Mr Harris expressed his condemnation at the interception of the aid flotilla during leaders questions at The Dail, on Thursday, when questioned by Social Democrats deputy leader TD Cian OCallaghan.

Mr OCallaghan said that the kidnapping of five Irish citizens on Wednesday night by Israeli forces in international waters was utterly unacceptable.

Mr Harris said: I share your condemnation of what happens to our five Irish citizens.

We believe it was illegal in terms of how they were detained, and I do intend to consider how to pursue that with other counterparts today, though I join with you in welcoming the very real life prospect of a ceasefire.

The United Nations has talked about there being enough food in the region to feed the people of Gaza for three months.

If we can just get that in, and get that in urgently, and our aid people will be endeavouring to assist on that.

Mr Harris said that he is calling for the swift release of the other four Irish citizens detained by Israeli forces.

The pro-Palestinian activists still detained in Israel include Naoise Dolan, Fionn Macarthure, Veronica OKeane and Mutaz Jadaan.

Mr Harris has said that he welcomes the very real prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza, paving the way for a pause in the fighting and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 15 Irish activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were held in an Israeli prison after their vessels carrying aid to Gaza were intercepted also returned to Ireland.

Dozens of people, including family members, friends and supporters gathered at arrivals in Dublin Airport to welcome home the pro-Palestinian activists.
Brendan McManus, Lough Cottage, Portarlington, Laois/Lucan, Dublin passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Greatly missed by his loving wife and best friend Geraldine, his sons Sean, Ciaran and Aidan, daughters in law Gemma and Avril, grandchildren Lily, Emily and Eala, sister Mary, brother Aidan, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

May Brendan Rest in Peace.

Brendan will be reposing at his residence on Saturday from 4pm to 8pm, concluding with recital of the Rosary.

Removal on Monday morning by Whelehan Funeral Directors at 11.15am, to arrive to Saint Johns Church, Killenard for 12 noon Requiem Mass. Interment to follow in adjoining cemetery.

House private on Monday morning please. Family flowers only.

Donations if desired to Cancer Research Ireland.

Sympathisers can extend their sympathies on the online condolences facilities on RIP.ie.

The McManus family would like to thank you for your support during this sad and sensitive time.
Tom Tuite

A Dublin man charged with possession of cocaine in connection with a major drug seizure has been remanded in custody with consent to 15,000 bail.

Derek Harcourt, 48, of Thomond Road, Ballyfermot, appeared at Dublin District Court on Thursday evening.

He is charged with offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act for unlawful possession of cocaine and possessing cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply, at two locations, his home address, and at Thomond Road on October 7th.

Sundrive Road station Garda Sergeant Barry Hanrahan told the court that the accused made no reply when charged.

Defence solicitor Brian Keenan confirmed strict bail terms had been agreed with gardai.

Judge Binchy noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions' directions were not yet available. Sergeant Hanrahan explained that the drugs needed to be first sent to Forensic Science Ireland, and it would take several weeks before a certificate of analysis was issued.

Judge Binchy set conditions sought by gardai, in Mr Harcourts bond of 10,000, and a 5,000 independent surety needs to be approved before he can be released.

She ordered him to reside at his current address, notify gardai of any change, sign on daily at his local garda station, and remain in the State.

He has already surrendered his passport and phone. The judge also ordered him to remain of sober habits, provide a new phone number within 48 hours of taking up bail, and observe an 11 pm  6 am curfew.

Mr Harcourt did not address the court and has yet to indicate a plea.

Legal aid was granted after Mr Keenan explained his client was on a disability allowance.

The court heard that during his Garda detention, he had to be brought to St Jamess Hospital for an assessment.

Judge Binchy directed that he receive medical attention and remanded him in prison with consent to bail under the terms outlined.

He will face his next hearing at Cloverhill District Court on October 16th.
A LAOIS secondary school has received a prestigious Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) award, for training students in potentially lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

St Fergal's College in Rathdowney received a CPR 4 Schools award, which recognisesaschools, teachers and students for their remarkable efforts in CPR promotion and training.

After the award was presented, St Fergals first year student Piotr Bialas said: "Every school should teach CPR - it's an essential life skill. The Laois school was among 33 schools across Ireland presented with 63 awards, as part of the national heart and stroke charitys CPR 4 Schools programme.

According to the IHF, 90% of secondary schools have engaged in the programme since it began, with 2,630 teachers involved across 649 schools to deliver CPR training, giving the programme a reach of over 350,000 students nationwide.

The charity is now calling on all schools to sign up to help build a new generation of lifesavers.

The programme trains students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, how to use an AED (defibrillator) and how to respond when someone is choking.a

The one-hour, video-led lessons are easy to run, fully supported with manikin kits and classroom resources.a Schools benefit by awards recognising their participation and positive student engagement, whileafamilies and entire communities gain byahaving young people emerge as confident lifesavers.

IHF resuscitation manager Brigid Sinnott encouraged teachers to help students obtain essential lifesaving CPR skills.

She said: We know that schools are extremely busy places, which makes us all the more blown away by the work and commitment they have put in to teach the lifesaving skill of CPR to date. Our mission is to build a nation of lifesavers through CPR training and schools are vital to help us achieve that.

A persons chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately. By learning CPR once, people are 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.

Post-primary school teachers interested in signing up for the free programme can register by emailing schools@irishheart.ie. To find out more about CPR 4 Schools, visit irishheart.ie/cpr4schools.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in recognition of her persistent fight for democracy and her nonviolent challenge to authoritarian rule. The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored her "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela."

Shortly after the announcement, Machado publicly addressed President Donald Trump. She wrote, "Hoy mas que nunca contamos con el Presidente de los EEUU" ("Today more than ever we count on the President of the USA"), signaling that she expects U.S. support for her cause. She also asserted that Venezuela is "on the threshold of victory" in its struggle for freedom.

Her message seems to address whatever feelings Trump could have about her recognition by the Nobel Committee and underscores an appeal to Trump's influence and power, connecting her victory to expectations of external support for democratic transitions in Venezuela.

Este inmenso reconocimiento a la lucha de todos los venezolanos es un impulso para concluir nuestra tarea: conquistar la Libertad.



Estamos en el umbral de la victoria y hoy mas que nunca contamos con el Presidente Trump, el pueblo de los Estados Unidos, los pueblos de America  Maria Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) October 10, 2025

This immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to complete our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory, and today more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies in achieving Freedom and democracy. Venezuela will be free!

Trump's Longstanding Drive for the Nobel

When the Nobel committee's decision was announced, many observers noted that President Trump had long sought the Peace Prize himself. He has publicly framed his diplomatic initiatives as efforts worthy of the award.

The reaction from the White House was less than congratulatory.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel Committee of prioritizing "politics over peace."

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.



He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.



The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE  Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 10, 2025

"The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace," Cheung said in a social media publication. "President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will."

In August 2025, Trump said winning the Nobel Peace Prize would be "a great honor," while denying that he was actively campaigning for it. He cited his efforts toward peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and IndiaPakistan as evidence of his qualifications.

There are also reports that he personally reached out to promote his candidacy. Norwegian press outlets reported that Trump called Norway's finance minister, Jens Stoltenberg, to discuss his chances of a nomination. The call reportedly referenced both the Nobel prize and trade policies.

His pursuit is not merely rhetorical. In 2025, several governments have publicly nominated Trump for the peace prize. Pakistan's government formally recommended him, citing his role in helping ease IndiaPakistan tensions. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu also revealed he nominated Trump during a meeting, presenting a letter supporting his candidacy.

Despite those nominations, Trump's campaign fell short this year. In 2025, he was passed over in favor of Machado. The Nobel Committee's choice was announced before the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which some had hoped would boost his chances, meaning timing played a role in his exclusion.

Machado's Nobel win comes at a moment of intense political symbolism. With Venezuela mired in crisis and authoritarianism strengthening, her international recognition gives fresh legitimacy to opposition voices. Her message to Trump suggests she expects more than symbolic backing, she's projecting that international pressure should follow.

The pressure has been coming from the White House, naming Venezuela's President a drug dealer and a strongman, as well as mounting a military campaign in the Caribbean, which includes bombing small ships allegedly coming from the Venezuelan coasts filled with drugs, allegedly destined to the U.S.

Originally published on Latin Times
Mexican-American star Jessica Alba has sparked an online firestorm with a bold statement telling her 20 million followers, "You owe us." The actress and entrepreneur took to Instagram with a direct message about the pay gap that continues to affect Latinas across the United States, and this time, she didn't hold back.

"Today marks 10 years of #LatinaEqualPay Day, the day that represents how far into 2025 Latinas must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men made last year," Alba wrote in a post that included stark economic figures and a call to action. "And yet, Latinas are still paid just 54 for every $1 earned by white, non-Hispanic men, a gap that widens even more for immigrant, rural, and Central American women." It was the last line of her caption that truly hit home: "You owe us."

Fans Are Applauding, and Questioning

The reactions were immediate. Some praised Alba for using her platform to spotlight one of the most persistent and overlooked forms of wage inequality in America. Others, however, brought up her past, specifically how she spent much of her early career distancing herself from her Latina heritage.

"She used to say she didn't want to be labeled as a Latina actress. Now she's suddenly the voice of the movement?" one user commented under a repost of the statement.

Others mocked her for sending that kind of a message "while sitting in her mansion."

But many were quick to defend her. "We all evolve. Jessica speaking now shows growth. She didn't get to choose how Hollywood saw her," wrote another.

From Hollywood Ambiguity to Cultural Clarity

For years, Jessica Alba's identity in Hollywood was treated like a question mark. Casting directors saw her as "exotic," but not quite Latina enough for certain roles, and not white enough for others. In interviews dating back to the early 2000s, Alba herself admitted that she tried to avoid being typecast and wanted to be seen as a "universal actress."

She's also been open about not speaking fluent Spanish, which drew criticism in Latino media circles. Yet in recent years, Alba has gradually leaned into her identity, referencing her Mexican-American roots more frequently, and highlighting Latinx creators, brands, and causes through her company, The Honest Co.

A Broader Message in an Election Year

Alba's message lands at a time when cultural representation and wage disparity are again front and center in American politics. While movements like Equal Pay Day often trend annually, #LatinaEqualPayDay tends to receive less mainstream media coverage, despite the fact that Latinas are statistically the most underpaid demographic group in the U.S. workforce.

By saying "You owe us," Alba shifted the tone from educational to confrontational, and that, some say, is exactly what this moment demands.

Originally published on Latin Times
Jurors in a weeklong trial that ended Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in the Lehigh County Courthouse rejected charges against Michael Breisch, who was arrested in 2024 after new DNA technology allegedly linked him to Rose Hnath's brutal 1989 killing. Lehighvalleylive.com file photo

A Lehigh County jury Friday acquitted a Slate Belt man who was arrested last year in a 1989 cold-case murder investigation.

Rose Josephine Hnath, 78, was murdered in her North Whitehall Township home. She was found dead Jan. 21, 1989, after failing to appear at a local church service she regularly attended, according to investigators.

Hnath died from stab wounds and blunt-force trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Family members who discovered her body after going to check on her found her home had been ransacked. The widow lived alone in the 2600 block of South Second Street along the banks of the Lehigh River.

Authorities last year said investigators at the time were able to seize items from the home and across the street, including a knife and pellet gun, that were stored as evidence and re-tested as forensic science and technology advanced.

Police in May 2024 arrested Michael Breisch, of Wind Gap, in Ohio and extradited him to Pennsylvania. Authorities at the time said new DNA technology unavailable three decades prior had linked him to the killing.

Jurors, however, acquitted Breisch of all charges  including homicide, robbery and aggravated assault  following a weeklong trial that concluded Friday.

Breisch turned 67 Friday.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop M commander, Capt. Seth J. Kelly, in a news release on the verdict said the case was investigated by Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Criminal Investigation Unit, with charges filed by Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Jared Christman and Trooper Zachary McCornac and Lehigh County District Attorney Detectives Robert Egan and Joseph Vazquez.

Also assisting with the investigation were the Pennsylvania State Police Crime Laboratory; the Ohio Attorney Generals Bureau of Criminal Investigations; and Coshocton County, Ohio, prosecutors and sheriffs offices.

The case was prosecuted by Lehigh County First Assistant District Attorney Eric K. Dowdle.
Poll workers set up at the Lebanon Municipal Building on the day before the 2019 general election.

With less than a month before the general election, Northampton County is still seeking poll workers.

The county is recruiting for several paid positions to ensure polling places run smoothly on Election Day. Open roles include Judge of Election, Majority and Minority Inspectors, Clerks, and Machine Operators.

A Judge of Election earns $200 for the day, plus $50 for attending a training session and mileage reimbursement. The position is responsible for managing the polling site, assigning duties, and returning all materials to the election office.

Its an elected four-year position, but the board of elections can appoint someone to fill a vacancy if necessary.

Inspectors, clerks, and machine operators earn $175 per day, plus a $50 stipend for training. Inspectors are also elected positions, while clerks and machine operators are appointed if needed. The county can appoint inspectors to fill vacancies.

Duties for these positions include checking in voters, assisting with voting machines, and helping with opening and closing procedures.

Residents interested in applying for any poll worker position can call 610-829-6260 or email elections@norcopa.gov for more information.

The Northampton County Election Division office is located on the lower level of the main courthouse at 669 Washington St. in Easton. The office will have extended hours from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Oct. 27. Voters can find resources such as sample ballots, mail-in ballot applications, and polling place locations on the countys election website.

The county depends on these workers to ensure fair, accurate, and legal elections, according to a news release issued Wednesday by Northampton County.

Our democracy increases in strength the more we all participate, the release says.

Generative AI was used to organize and rewrite the article for this story, based on data provided by Northampton County. It was reviewed and edited by a human.
A woman who hadnt paid compensation following an assault in Portlaoise denied travelling to Tenerife on holiday.

Maeve Burke (28) of 13 Cherrygarth, Portlaoise, was due to pay compensation after a woman was assaulted at Soho nightclub in Portlaoise on July 28, 2019.

She was brought before Portlaoise District Court on foot of a warrant where Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby explained that the victim had attended court on the previous occasion. He said 1,500 in compensation was outstanding.

Andrew Dunne BL said that is not a sum that is present in court. He said his client was a woman of little or no means.

Sgt Kirby said he believed the woman had been in Tenerife earlier in the year. The woman denied having been in Tenerife.

Judge Susan Fay said there is not a red cent for this victim in court today five years later. The woman said she could get about 100 or 150. Judge Fay said the woman appeared to have a blase approach to the matter.

Judge Fay said the country was in full employment and she asked her if she had been looking for work. The woman said she had and she produced emails on her phone to indicate she had been looking for a job.

Judge Fay adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on December 15 in order for the woman to come up with some compensation.
Nearly four years since it became a national priority, there is still no Laois shelter for domestically abused women and children.

However a vital step along the slow path has been taken, revealed at the September meeting of Laois County Council.

Laois Domestic Abuse Service, which helps women living in abusive homes, has signed a 'memorandum of understanding' agreement with an unnamed approved housing body who will now design and plan the centre.

Portlaoise councillors are disappointed at the delays, with Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald saying that councillors "had no choice" but to approve the purchase of "the wrong site" in Portlaoise in 2023.

The undisclosed location of the new centre is a large building, not the preferred option of a greenfield site to build a unit. Laois County Council bought it for 1.75 million, and it has sat idle since 2023 awaiting repurposing into a secure centre.

Back in 2022, TUSLA confirmed that Laois needs an eight unit abuse shelter. It is one of nine Irish counties without one.

Cllr Fitzgerald tabled a motion to the September council meeting requesting an update.

"I'm so frustrated. It's a very serious issue and there is such a delay. The Government say there's no problem with funding. We had no choice at the the time but to go with a site that all felt was going to be problematic. There's too many complications on it. My voice was overruled. They wanted extra land there and that was the delay. Now that's not needed. And we're still here. And the women of Laois have no place to go.

"We all know the figures. One of the most dangerous places for a lot of people is their own homes. Always around Christmas is the worst time. We're going to have women coming to us looking for help. I hope it goes faster this time. Children need to be in their own county," Cllr Fitzgerald said

The council CEO Michael Rainey said other stakeholders need to "step up" and lodge a Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) application with them.

"The council fully supports the development of a refuge in this county. To be fair to the council and my predecessor, he was very proactive in terms of acquiring the site. But we do not now have control of the process.

"It requires a CAS application to come to us, we can't be applicant and approver. We receive it and will pass it with commentary to the Department of Social Protection for funding. But we can't determine the timeline. The minute that application comes in it will be processed. But we do need other stakeholders to step up and move this project forward," Michael Rainey said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley had seconded the motion, and blames TUSLA for "walking off the stage".

"Michael has hit the nail on the head when he said we don't have control of the process. I remember when we were looking at three site options. TUSLA were supposed to be in charge and they completely exonerated themselves from any responsibility to try and identify a site. They were an absolute disgrace.

"We asked about a green site on the HSE mental hospital grounds and they said it wasn't their responsibility, and of course it was. It was left to the council and we did it. There were many delays, but they didn't happen with the council. The Department of Justice had to step in.

Read also: Laois Rose of Tralee to be honoured with Civic Reception

"I welcome the small progress that they are lined up with a housing body. Behind all of these delays there's real people's lives. There's women here having to leave the county to avail of the service, children taken out of school away from friends. We all know how badly we need the service here in Laois," she said.

She asked for representatives of Laois County Council be again reinstated on the LDAS board saying "we can't just be the cash cow".
A man who took 43,000 worth of cannabis he found under a bush has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Govonor Ogbonnaya (27) of Castle Park, Graiguecullen pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at an address in the Tallaght area on October 20, 2020. He has a number of previous convictions, 52 of which are for theft.

Passing sentence on Thursday, October 9 Judge Martin Nolan said: This defendant thought he was very lucky when he found these drugs; he then took them".

Judge Nolan said this defendant made himself known to the gardai when the occupier of the house was arrested.

The judge said: There is good mitigation in this case, which allows me to depart from the ten-year mandatory minimum.

He outlined that this defendant took responsibility for the drugs when the gardai had no way of connecting him to the drugs.

Judge Nolan said the accused undoubtedly he deserves a custodial sentence, and jailed Ogbonnaya to two years in prison, backdated to when he went into custody.

The court heard that gardai obtained a search warrant for a home in Tallaght. During the search, cutoffs and baggies were located in the house along with 26.6g of cannabis. A side lane beside the house was also searched, and gardai could smell cannabis and found two bags which had been placed on wheelie bins of the house next door. 2,067g of cannabis were found in these bags.

The court heard that the owner of the house was arrested, and while being placed in the garda car, Ogbonnaya presented himself to the gardai and took responsibility for the drugs. He told gardai that he saw someone storing the drugs under a bush, and he took them. He said he had not made up his mind what he was going to do with the drugs.

The drugs were sent to Forensic Science Ireland, where they were analysed and tested positive for cannabis. A total value of 43,854 worth of cannabis was seized.

A local garda agreed with John Moher BL, defending, that his client was a good sportsman in the past and that he admitted to the ownership of the drugs at the scene and in the garda station.

The garda agreed with counsel that if it was not his client's admission, there would have been no case against him.

Mr Moher said his client became addicted to crack cocaine, and 52 of his previous convictions are for theft to feed his drug habit.

READ MORE COURT STORIES HERE

Counsel said his client has no trapping of wealth and has been homeless for a period of time.

He said his client understands that this matter is quite serious and will have a serious impact on his life going forward.

He asked the court to take into account that Ogbonnaya does not want this life and wants to put this behind him.
The Department of Transport has announced the installation of electric vehicle recharging hubs for three Laois towns.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien welcomed the announcement of 90 new hubs nationwide, including hubs in Mountmellick, Portlaoise and Abbeyleix.

In Mountmellick, the recharging unit will be installed at the Corrib Oil service station. Portlaoise will receive a charging hub at the Drive service station on the Mountrath road, while a charging hub will also be installed at Breslin's Supervalu, Abbeyleix.

Pictured: an electric vehicle recharging point in Rathdowney

Minister O'Brien announced these provisions to service the expanding electric vehicle (EV) fleet across Ireland's national road network.

Almost 10 million will be allocated to support grants for recharging infrastructure at the selected sites.

These new sites will deliver 192 new fast recharging points, with an average capacity of typically 250kW, at 90 locations along the national primary and secondary road network.

The announcement is part of a wider plan to build a reliable recharging network across the country, with the distance between recharging hubs envisaged as 30km or less.

Todays announcement marks the final major phase of our Light Duty Vehicle initiative, following the earlier Phase 1 and Phase 2 schemes, and completes this series of investments in our national EV charging network," Minister OBrien said.

"Together, these schemes aim to ensure that drivers across Ireland will have reliable access to high-powered charging, making the transition to electric practical and convenient," he said.

"Importantly, this investment will also bring high-quality, high-powered EV charging to more rural locations, helping to promote local economies support tourism, and strengthen regional development," the Minister finished.

Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Sean Canney, also welcomed this news.

Pictured: Breslin's Supervalu, Abbeyleix

I am delighted to see the rollout of these EV recharging hubs right across regional and rural Ireland," Minister Canney shared.

"Achieving our climate action plan targets will only be possible if drivers know they can charge conveniently and reliably, and todays announcement is another significant step towards achieving that. This investment marks an important step in giving people the assurance that switching to electric is not only the right choice for the environment, but also a practical one for their daily journeys.

The recharging hubs are funded through the Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) initiative operated by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) and delivered by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

This phase of the initiative focused on over 2,900km of primary and secondary roads. Enterprise owners such as petrol/service station operators, car park owners, hotels, supermarkets/retail outlets, and others with publicly accessible sites, could apply through a competitive grant process for funding.

Pictured: Drive service station, Portlaoise

The total allocation for this Light Duty Vehicle Phase 3 scheme is 9.9 million.

CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Mr Lorcan O'Connor, hailed it a 'significant contribution' to Ireland's EV recharging infrastructure network.

TII is pleased to drive the delivery of this final phase of the EV recharging infrastructure identified in the ZEVI National Road Network Plan," the CEO shared.

"This network will connect regional and urban communities, enhancing user confidence in Electric Vehicles and further support the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework of the Climate Action Plan and the electrification of Irelands car fleet," he said.

"The final delivery of the LDV phase 3 EV recharging infrastructure, when combined with the previous LDV phases 1 and 2, will be a major step in helping to reduce range anxiety," Mr O'Connor finished.

The announcement marks another step forward in Irelands National EV Charging Network Plan, which aims to provide reliable EV charging access across the country, from motorways and rural roads, as well as cities and small towns.

Pictured: The location of the new electric vehicle recharging hub in Mountmellick

This is part of the wider ZEVI National Road Network EV Charging Plan, which previously awarded grant funding to deliver 149 new high-power recharging points at 19 locations along the motorway/dual-carriageway network, and 175 new fast and ultra-fast recharging points at 53 locations along the national road network.

It adds to supports already in place, including the EV purchase grant, home charger grants, apartment charger grants, lower rates of motor tax, BIK relief and the reduced VRT for EVs.

This LDV Phase 3 EV recharging infrastructure is envisaged to be available for public use by the end of March, 2026.
Laois TD Willie Aird has called for funding to replace the substandard courthouse in Portlaoise.

Dep Aird asked Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan said moving the courthouse would revitalise Portlaoise town centre and make it more pedestrian friendly.

He pointed out that the National Development Plan, 2018-2027 had identified the need for a new courthouse in Portlaoise and a site has been bought in the town for the purpose.

Moving the courthouse would open the door to a more accessible, pedestrian-friendly town centre, revitalising the heart of Portlaoise and encouraging new economic growth, stated Dep Aird.

I heard from legal professionals and members of the Garda and the Irish Prison Service. They all said the same thing, namely the existing courthouse is no longer fit for purpose. It causes congestion, which has a negative effect on businesses and residents in the town. There is a lack of privacy and dignity for those attending the court, he said.

Dep Aird spoke of the logistics of bringing prisoners from the Midlands Prison to the courthouse twice a week. No one but us in Portlaoise has anything like the Midlands Prison, in which there are 1,500 prisoners, he said.

Dep Aird said a site had been secured in Portlaoise for the new courthouse five years ago.

The need is obvious and the benefits are evident. I urge the Minister to prioritise the immediate provision of funding in order that the construction of a new courthouse in Portlaoise can commence without delay, he said.

We must deliver a courthouse that meets the needs of the 21st century. I emphasise the fact that the Midlands Prison is located in Portlaoise. I thank all the people who work there caring for those in that facility every day of the week. Friends of mine work there. From a logistics point of view, vans, security and gardai are needed. If there was a new facility, we would need less than a quarter of staff who currently accompany the prisoners from the Midlands Prison. That is why there is an urgent case to make today, said Dep Aird.

Minister OCallaghan said my expectation is that development of the new courthouse in Portlaoise will form part of the latter phase of the current National Development Plan. The precise details remain to be settled.

He agreed with the need to develop a situation where prison officers are not used frequently during the day to transport prisoners to court.

I will bring forward legislation later this year, in the form of a miscellaneous provisions Bill, in which we will seek to give effect to that for many more remote hearings. People can have their hearings from the prison where they are being held on remand rather than being transferred by prison officers to a courthouse for that purpose, he said.

READ ALSO: Laois courthouse 'crisis' laid bare in Freedom of Information documents

It makes sense if there is a strong prison, like the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise, to ensure that here is a correspondingly suitable courthouse in the vicinity. There is a courthouse in Portlaoise. The Deputy has urged eloquently that it needs to be upgraded, refurbished or replaced. I will take that on board, he said.

I understand why legal practitioners and representatives such as Deputy Aird want a new courthouse there. It is in the plan. I cannot give a commitment as to when the project will start, Minister OCallaghan said.
A building which was once a centre of education in Laois is set to become a home for early childhood learning following confirmation that a new childcare facility is set to be developed in Mountrath.

All going to plan the mid-Laois town will see the new facility open its doors at the start of 2026, thanks to a successful funding application by Laois Partnership Company to transform a section of Bloom HQ in Mountrath.

The local development company has been awarded 329,000 under the Building Blocks Extension Grant, Community Construction strand, to develop the new childcare facility at the community and business hub on Patrick Street in Mountrath, which is the site of the former Brigidine Convent.

Laois Partnership says this will significantly bolster the childcare services provided by Laois Partnership Company, which already oversees OMoore Place Preschool and Afterschool and Birchgrove Afterschool, both located in Portlaoise.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality funding will be used for the renovations of a disused section of Bloom HQ. Once the conversion work on the property is complete Laois Partnership Company will be responsible for the running costs of the facility.

It is planned to begin with a toddler room that offers a sessional Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, as well as full-day care. Besides a separate entrance, there will also be a secure play area, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for children aged one year and up.

CEO of Laois Partnership Company, Caroline Lydon explained that this project will allow parents and guardians who use the remote working space provided by Bloom HQ to also avail of childcare, meaning they have peace of mind that their children are being well looked after just a short distance away.

Tenders for the renovation works will be issued in the coming weeks, with the facility expected to open early in the new year.

A substantial upgrade to an office space and conference rooms was completed in 2020 costing more than 600k. The project involved works on the structure as well as an extension of the building footprint, full internal fit-out and landscaping upgrade works. While the work was extensive, large parts of the building, which dates back to 1880s were left untouched.

The use of the school ended in 2010 when Brigidine Convent School amalgamated with Ballyfin College and Mountrath Vocational School to form Mountrath Community School.

MORE BELOW PHOTO.

READ ALSO: Exceptional junior cert celebrated IN PICTURES

As part of the process, Laois Partnership Company is looking to recruit an Early Years Manager to help develop the new community childcare service. The Manager will be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues in the existing childcare services in Portlaoise, as well as support the recruitment of staff for the new service.

For more information on this position or for more on the childcare services provided by Laois Partnership Company, visit

www.laoispartnership.ie
Bafta-winning actress Miriam Margolyes will sit down with Patrick Kielty for a no-holds-barred chat about her extraordinary career  from working with Hollywood heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio and Arnold Schwarzenegger to her most outrageous moments on and off screen. She will discuss why she believes sex, religion and politics are exactly what we should be talking about and why honesty is always the best policy.

Award-winning actor Damian Lewis, best known for his roles in Billions, Homeland and Band of Brothers will also be on the couch this week for his Late Late Show debut. He will chat to Patrick about his life on screen and how he recently turned his talents to music. Ahead of his Irish gigs later this month, hell discuss his passion for performing and what inspired the shift from screen to stage.

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Best known for his performances with Ireland and Leinster on the rugby field, Andrew Porter will be studio to chat about his new book Heart on My Sleeve. He will discuss losing his mother at a young age, his struggle with mental health following her death and why he has decided to share his deeply personal story. Andrew will also look ahead to the upcoming 2025 Autumn Nations Series and 2026 Six Nations Tournament.

Pop legend Rick Astley will chat to Patrick about his surprise and joy at reaching over one billion streams on Spotify earlier this year. Hell also treat us to special performance of one of his biggest hits - a 90s nostalgia classic that you wont want to miss!

Comedy star Emma Doran will bring her razor-sharp humour to the Late Late couch this week, ahead of her highly anticipated Irish tour. With viral success online and a knack for turning everyday chaos into comedy gold, Emma will share her take on womanhood, pop culture and the madness of modern life.

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Irish soprano Celine Byrne will join this weeks lineup to chat about how a childhood footing turf and playing camogie led her to duetting with some of the worlds biggest stars on the most famous stages. She will also discuss her upcoming role in Madame Butterfly coming to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in November and share a sneak peek of what audiences can expect from this powerful operatic performance.

Catch the Late Late Show on Friday night at 9.35pm on RTE One.
On Friday, October 3, Intel, whose campus in Leixlip, Co Kildare is one of the largest manufacturing locations in Ireland, proudly participated in Irelands first-ever Manufacturing Day.

Manufacturing Day Ireland, led by Ibec, is a national celebration showcasing the innovation, skills, and career opportunities in modern manufacturing. Companies across the country welcomed students, educators, jobseekers, and local communities to see first-hand how Irelands manufacturing sector is shaping the future.

The Manufacturing Day event at the Leixlip campus included an overview of Intel's manufacturing process and operations, an opportunity to hear from Intel engineers and technicians about working in a manufacturing environment, a window tour of the fab manufacturing facility, and a bus tour of our campus, showcasing the site infrastructure and facilities.

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The visit was attended by members of the local community, neighbours, representatives of Intels community advisory panel and students from Colaiste Chiarain and Confey College.

35 years ago, Intel chose Leixlip as the home of its European manufacturing hub. In the years that followed, over 30 billion has been invested in the campus, the largest private investment in the history of the State. Intel's Ireland fab facilities manufacture some of the world's most advanced products on the Intel 4 and 3 process nodes.

Speaking about the event, Intel Ireland's Public Affairs Director Sarah Sexton said: "We were delighted to open our doors for Ireland's first ever Manufacturing Day. We are very proud to run some of the most complex manufacturing processes on the planet here in Leixlip, and it was a wonderful opportunity to share that with members of our local community.

Manufacturing is such an important part of Irish industry and it's great to see a day of National recognition and celebration".
The Shackleton Experience in Athy, Co. Kildare, the only institution in the world dedicated to the extraordinary life and achievements of Ernest Shackleton, the legendary polar explorer who was born just outside Athy, has reopened to the public following a 7.5 million redevelopment.

Funded by the Department of Rural Community and Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and Kildare County Council, the museum has been transformed into a world-class visitor attraction that combines the largest collection of Shackleton artefacts in the world with cutting-edge technology and immersive, interactive exhibits.

Born in Kilkea, just outside Athy in 1874, Ernest Shackletons extraordinary story is brought to life at the Shackleton Experience through dramatic digital storytelling, sensory effects and recreated environments that offer visitors the chance to step into his world.

READ NEXT: Intel, Kildare opens its doors for Irelands first Manufacturing Day

Visitors can trace Shackletons inspiring journey from his Kildare roots to the vast Polar ice caps, capturing the determination and leadership that defined his legacy. They can also explore in detail the three expeditions he led to the Antarctic, including the legendary Endurance expedition (19141917) where Shackleton managed to bring the entire crew home safely without the loss of a single life after their ship sank in a frozen sea hundreds of miles from civilisation.

As part of the redevelopment by Kildare County Council, a dramatic glass extension in the shape of an iceberg has been added to the venue, which is housed in Athys historic Town Hall, a 300-year-old building on Emily Square. The square is also home to the iconic statue of Ernest Shackleton.

Visitors can look forward to seeing:

The actual cabin in which Ernest Shackleton died of a heart attack on the ship Quest during the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition in 1922

The sledge and harness used on the Nimrod Expedition

Replica models of the Endurance and Quest ships as well as the James Caird lifeboat that rescued the crew after the Endurance shipwreck

A deeply immersive experience that allows visitors join the crew of the Endurance as they make their remarkable escape from the ice-bound ship, with crashing waves and wind effects making the journey feel as real as possible

A reconstructed 1920s cinema showcasing archival footage and historic clips of Shackletons various expeditions and activities, bringing his amazing story vividly to life

Additionally, the Shackleton Experience examines the polar regions today, highlighting the escalating impact of climate change on Antarctica and beyond. A dedicated research studio has been developed to support this, with archive storage and study facilities that will host polar scholars from around the world.

There is also a specially designed childrens tour for pre-teens, helping younger visitors connect with the spirit of optimism, patience, idealism and courage that defined Shackleton.

Visitors can relax with a coffee at the new Ernies @ Shackleton Experience cafe and explore a selection of new retail offerings alongside The Athy Story - a free exhibition exploring the rich history of the town from medieval times up to the 18th century. It includes the 'Rent Table', one of the earliest surviving known examples of Renaissance art in Ireland and a nationally significant artefact.

Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Cllr Carmel Kelly said: The Shackleton Experience project is a great example of co-operation between National and Local Government, and one of many underway or already delivered as part of the development of the public realm in Athy. Ernest Shackleton was a Kildare native, and a world class experience, like this one, dedicated to him, his crew and his endeavours is a fitting tribute.

The annual internationally recognised Shackleton Autumn School will take place from the October 24  October 26 2025 and will feature talks, workshops and events to celebrate Shackletons legacy.

Visit www.shackletonexperience.ie to learn more about the Shackleton Experience.
Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan has described the death of Leitrim farmer Liam Farrell as suspicious  a significant breakthrough for the Farrell family, who met with him at the Department of Justice on Thursday, October 8, 2025, as part of their ongoing five-year campaign for answers.

During the meeting, Minister OCallaghan pledged to raise the case directly with Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly in the coming days and acknowledged that, based on photographs of Mr Farrells injuries, they certainly appeared suspicious.

The 87-year-old was found dead outside his home in Rooskey on 13 January 2020, his body bruised and bloodied, his shoes and socks removed, and his watch broken. Despite these circumstances, no one has ever been charged, and the investigation has stalled.

Peter Farrell, who has travelled from Texas 16 times since 2021  including five trips this year alone  to push for answers in his fathers case, said the family now hopes for a fresh review by an external Garda team.

Our position is clear, there needs to be an outside agency, or a new Cold Case Review Team from Dublin. The original investigation lost all credibility when they suggested that a dog could even possibly be responsible," he said.

The family has submitted a 44-page report, including 23 exhibits and 281 pages of statements and affidavits, to Commissioner Kelly. When he looks at this, I hope he realises we need to change direction. The photographs alone show the weight of evidence is overwhelming, Peter Farrell said.

He also revealed that key items of evidence went missing in the first 48 hours of the original investigation  and that a bucket found at the scene containing blood remains at the family home almost six years later. I asked the Minister if he knew where the bucket of blood was. He said he didnt. I told him its still at my fathers house. I think he was stunned  there was silence.

Farrell said the family has not ruled out seeking a private exhumation and forensic examination if the State does not act. Thats not our preferred option, he said, but its one we will consider. If the State doesnt do its job, we will go down the legal channels ourselves.

He added that the newly appointed Garda Commissioner wasnt involved when this happened and will hopefully look at the case with fresh eyes.

READ NEXT: Leitrim's Dromod Boxty wins Gold at Blas na hEireann in landmark year
Three Leitrim producers took home awards at this years Blas na hEireann in Dingle, with McNiffes Boxty winning Best in County, proudly supported by Leitrim Local Enterprise Office, and Best in Connaught.

Three producers from Leitrim were shortlisted across a wide range of categories, with all of them taking home coveted Blas awards. The bronze, silver, and gold winners from the county are Ireland West Distillery, Dromod Boxty, and McNiffes Boxty.

McNiffes Boxty won Gold for their Traditional Irish Boxty, as well as Best in County and Best in Connaught. Dromod Boxty won Gold for their brand-new protein pancakes, while Ireland West Distillery took Silver for their Zero Percent Gin and Tonic Berry Pink and Bronze for their Zero Percent Gin and Tonic Lemon.

Leitrim Local Enterprise Office extends its sincere congratulations to all finalists recognised at Blas na hEireann 2025, especially to McNiffes Boxty, awarded Best in County Leitrim and Best in Connaught, said Joe Lowe, Head of Enterprise.

This achievement reflects their unwavering commitment to excellence in Irish food production and their valued contribution to the local economy. Blas na hEireann continues to highlight the strength and innovation of Irelands agri-food sector. Local Enterprise Offices across the country are proud to support these awards, which celebrate the dedication and quality of our food producers.

READ NEXT: Leitrim's Dromod Boxty wins Gold at Blas na hEireann in landmark year

2025 marks another record year for Blas na hEireann, with over 3,000 entries across more than 180 categories, reflecting the strength and diversity of Irish food and drink.

This years finalists and winners had the opportunity to showcase their products at the Blas Village and the popular Eat Ireland in a Day market, both of which returned to Dingle alongside the annual Backyard at Blas panel discussions, supported by Bank of Ireland.

The weekend offered producers a chance to connect with buyers, industry experts, media, fellow producers, and food lovers, while also celebrating the people and talents that make Irish food so special.

Speaking after the announcement, Artie Clifford, Chairperson of Blas na hEireann, said, Every year the standard rises, and 2025 has been no exception. To see such talented producers from Leitrim represented on the shortlist, and now to celebrate the winners from that county, is a real testament to the skill, creativity, and resilience of Irelands food producers.

Making it to the finalist stage alone is a huge achievement, and to win at Blas is something of which to be incredibly proud. Irish food and drink continues to go from strength to strength, and it is a joy to celebrate that strength and that community here in Dingle, he concluded.

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The Blas na hEireann Awards Weekend ran from Thursday, October 2, to Sunday, October 5, in Dingle, with a packed programme of events shining a spotlight on the very best of Irish food and drink.

Sustainability once again remained a key focus, with the event continuing to build on its waste-free commitments and support a more conscious future for Irish food.
Almost 5,000 people in Leitrim will avail of the companion pass on public transport, allowing those aged over 70 who are in receipt of Free Travel to have an entitlement to a Free Travel companion.

There are 4,892 people in Leitrim who can now benefit from this initiative, which aims to help tackle social isolation by enabling older people across the county to travel on public transport with a friend or family member.

Over 480,000 people nationwide will benefit from the scheme. Previously, passengers could only bring a spouse or partner, but the change now allows them to bring anyone they wish to accompany them on a journey.

Card holders can avail of free trips on most Irish Rail, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, DART, and Luas services.

READ NEXT: Leitrim town flagged by EPA for wastewater upgrades over pollution concerns

Sligo-Leitrim TD Frank Feighan has welcomed the changes to the companion pass, describing it as hugely positive.

If youre coming up from the country for a day out in Dublin, you can take a friend with you. If you have to travel to a hospital or medical appointment in Sligo Hospital you can bring a family member along with you. This will make a real difference in so many peoples lives, Deputy Feighan said.

For many older people the ability to choose more freely who can travel with them could be the push they need to make their journey.

The companion pass will help combat loneliness and isolation and support older people in Leitrim to keep active so they can travel around the country for as long as they wish. This measure makes it a little easier for them to do so, he added.

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This measure will be key to combatting isolation and I hope will encourage older people across Leitrim to get on the bus or train to get out and about, concluded Deputy Frank Feighan.
Fenagh Childcare has been granted planning permission for a new childcare facility that will cater for up to 62 children in the locality.

The new centre will feature a range of additions, including a toddler room, classroom, breakfast room, after-school room, milk kitchen, buggy room, and more.

Catherine Conefrey, Chairperson of Fenagh Childcare Ltd, described the urgent need for expansion. When asked what motivated them to apply for planning permission, Catherine said, It was really the waiting lists we had for people in the local community. Also, we had an after school in the school but there wasnt capacity for a breakfast club either.

For younger children such as babies and toddlers there was no other childcare available locally for that age group as well, she explained.

She noted that they are already at full capacity and questioned what the situation would be like in a few years time.

READ NEXT: Leitrim celebrates food and drink excellence with at Blas na hEireann with three award-winning producers

Fenagh Childcare initially operated a preschool where waiting lists began to rise significantly. They later provided after-school care, which doubled in demand by the second year. However, they couldnt accommodate the necessary expansion.

This story reflects a wider issue across Ireland, where many childcare facilities face lengthy waiting lists. Fenagh Childcare could previously accommodate just 24 children, the new facility will serve 62, drastically reducing waiting lists. Its really going to keep us in a really good position for childcare locally for the foreseeable future. It means well be able to cater for everyone in the locality. Its fantastic, said Catherine.

Their after-school programme currently runs in the community centre, accommodating 42 children, with demand continuing to grow. Thats growing, theres other parents now realising they have potential for a place and were being approached every week, she added.

The Fenagh Childcare Ltd committee operates on a voluntary basis, and Catherine praised the teams dedication. We have a fantastic voluntary committee and were really working on this every week, its taking up a lot of peoples time and were really hoping that we will see ground breaking next year on this.

The next step for the group is to secure funding through the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme when it reopens in 2026 to fund the extension.

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Catherine also acknowledged the support received from local representatives who assisted with information, the planning process, and maintaining communication including Cllrs Gary Prior and Brendan Barry.

Cllr Prior welcomed the news of the approved planning permission, describing it as the way forward. He said, Theyre a great committee and they know what theyre about. Its a huge undertaking but it goes to show the importance of these childcare facilities and the huge demand.

Highlighting how childcare facilities in the area are already at capacity, Cllr Prior noted that one family looking to move back to South Leitrim decided against it because they couldnt find childcare. Its a huge problem so this is very welcome. It will be a great advantage to the local area and will take several communities in South Leitrim.

The main thing now is to get the funding and get started as soon as possible. Were aware as local representatives of the demand and the need for it, he added.

READ NEXT: Justice Minister calls Liam Farrell's death 'suspicious' as family push for fresh investigation
China reports major improvements in welfare for children, elderly over past 5 years

Xinhua) 14:51, October 10, 2025

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), welfare for children and the elderly in China has seen significant improvements, China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said on Friday.

During this period, a comprehensive protection and care system for children in need was established, covering de facto unattended children, "left-behind" children whose parents work far from home, and migrant children, all of whom are now included within the country's protection and care services, Lu told a press conference.

De facto unattended children primarily refer to children whose parents are both missing, severely disabled, critically ill, imprisoned, deported, or subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

Lu said that compared to 2020, the basic living allowances for orphans in welfare institutions, orphans living with their families, and de facto unattended children have increased by 26 percent, 32 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

During the same period, China completed home renovations and redesign of elderly-friendly facilities for 2.24 million households with elderly people facing special difficulties, Lu said.

He added that China has established 500 model community-based eldercare service networks, 2,990 model elderly-friendly communities, and 86,000 community canteens for seniors.

Various subsidies and allowances, including those for very old people, senior citizens experiencing financial hardship, and seniors with disabilities, have benefited over 49.4 million people, according to the minister.

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

A journalist asks questions at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Journalists work at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, speaks during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, also attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
It's an A-list line-up on tonight's Graham Norton Show, as some of the biggest names in film and music join the Irish presenter for another night of stories, laughs and celebrity surprises.

Sitting down on Graham's famous red sofa tonight are Hollywood legend Julia Roberts, Irish actor Colin Farrell, screen powerhouse Benedict Cumberbatch, and music superstar Gloria Estefan, with Robbie Williams also taking to the stage for a live performance.

Join us next week with @robbiewilliams, @GloriaEstefan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Farrell and Julia Roberts!  #TheGNShow  Graham Norton Show (@TheGNShow) October 3, 2025

Roberts, one of cinema's most beloved stars, will discuss her latest role in After the Hunt, a gripping psychological campus drama that is already drawing major award buzz.

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Farrell, fresh from a string of acclaimed performances, returns to the famous sofa to chat about his new film Ballad of a Small Player, a tense, atmospheric thriller that sees him play a gambling addict and con man trying to outwit his fate.

Cumberbatch joins the line-up to talk about his emotional new project, The Thing with Feathers, in which he plays a recently widowed father in one of his most moving roles to date.

Music icon Gloria Estefan will also appear, introducing her brand-new Spanish-language album Raices, a deeply personal record that celebrates her heritage and musical roots.

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And closing the show, pop royalty Robbie Williams performs his latest single Pretty Face from his forthcoming album BRITPOP, marking his much-anticipated return to the Norton stage.

Catch The Graham Norton Show on Friday, October 10 at 10.40pm on BBC One.
A psychotherapist specialising in child and parent relationships has shared her thoughts on family influencers and whether it's great for business or child exploitation.

Joanna Fortune described as being "like a window into somebody else's home."

Family influencers tend to be mostly females aged between 25 and 35, according to a report by Sarah Madden for The Pat Kenny Show.

If you look at the Irish market, you have a load of women who are focussing on family life and posting a lot about their children, Journalist, Filomena Kaguaku, said.

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Joanna said these posts can make parents feel seen and heard, especially when it comes to first-time-parents.

"Isolation and loneliness are one of the biggest mental health issues for new mothers and new parents so absolutely that is a time when you are more likely to lean into online content," she said.

She added that this is particularly the case when friends and people around you are at different stages in life and may already have had children or don't plan to for another while.

Seeing mothers on social media with a similar life to theirs allows them to feel what Joanna described as a "psuedo-friendship."

However, as much as she understands the concept, she feels it is "not in the children's best interest."

Joanna recalled being at an event where she saw two children that she was able to identify from social media.

She knew their names, what class they were in, and what school they went to, despite not personally knowing the family.

"I knew particulars about their family but I do not know that family," she said.

Julia Hayes is a single mother of twins and goes by 'twinsandme' on social media.

She has over 400,000 followers across all platforms and says she wanted to show "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of parenting.

"Theres often days that I come on and say Oh my god I actually cant deal with my kids today, Im going to give them away," she said.

She added that she likes to show the reality of being a parent so she posts online when she's happy but also when she's overwhelmed.

Generally, it is when she posts the struggles that she gets messages from people thanking her for being so honest and sharing that they thought they were alone in the difficulties of parenthood.

In 2022, Julia was able to quit her full-time job and focus only on social media as a way to make money.

She added that her children love being on camera and often ask her to post them doing fun things or cool tricks.

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Sarah Madden. who did the report, also spoke to people on the streets of Ireland to garner their thoughts, which were quite mixed.

One person said "from a human point of view, you can see why they do well, while another described parent influencing as "dangerous and weird."

"Those pictures get into the wrong hands and they can be used by other people," they said.

Others said they feel as though parents earning money from content of their children is child exploitation and a parent's way to take advantage of them.

Parenting influencer Julia says you'll never make everyone happy so do what's best for you and your family.
A hotel chain owner in Poland has come up with a solution to the country's declining birth rate.

Poland's birth rate is among the lowest in Europe and it continues to decline.

Polands fertility rate of 1.2 children per woman in 2023 is among the weakest in the EU, with only Malta, Spain and Lithuania behind it.

"The issue is real. Poland has been losing population for seven years in a row," Raphael Minder, the Financial Times Central Europe Correspondent, told Newstalk's Moncrieff.

To combat this, the 73-year-old owner of the hotel chain 'Arche' says he will offer free Christening parties to couples who can prove they conceived their baby while staying at one of the hotels.

There are 23 hotels across Poland and all parents have to do to get the party is show the hotel a bill from their stay that happened roughly nine months before their baby was born.

The party does not have to be a Christening - it can be a non-religious party either with a maximum limit of 10 people.

The 'Arche' owner has also said he will pay any of his staff members the equivalent of roughly 2,000 per child if they have children.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On October 9, BYD celebrated a major global milestone as its 14 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) rolled off the production line at its passenger vehicle plant in Brazil.

With this achievement, the company became the world's first NEV maker to surpass the 14 million-unit production mark. At the ceremony, BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu presented the milestone vehicle  a Song Pro SUV  to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Photo credit: BYD

During the ceremony, Mr. Wang expressed gratitude to the governments of China and Brazil, as well as to BYD's partners and customers for their continued support. He noted that BYD has been active in Brazil for more than 11 years, with its electric buses now operating across major cities. The company currently has over 170,000 vehicle owners in the country and has ranked as Brazil's top-selling NEV brand for two consecutive years. Mr. Wang emphasized that BYD's role in Brazil extends beyond investmentit aims to be a long-term partner contributing to sustainable mobility.

Mr. Wang also announced that BYD will provide 30 customized NEVs for the upcoming 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will be held later this year in Belem, Para. The fleet will serve as low-carbon transport during the summit, and afterward, the vehicles will be donated to local schools and public institutions to further support Brazil's efforts toward greener transportation.

On the eve of the ceremony, the Bahia State Assembly approved the renaming of the main road in front of BYD's Brazilian factory to "BYD Road." It is the third overseas road to bear the company's name, following similar dedications in Lancaster, the United States, and Rayong, Thailandboth home to BYD manufacturing facilities. The new "BYD Road" in South America symbolizes the company's deepening global presence and the growing recognition of its brand worldwide.
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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On October 9, Shenzhen Hangsheng Electronics Co., Ltd. ("HSAE") and global automotive safety systems supplier Autoliv signed an agreement to establish a joint venture in China. The new company will combine both sides' technical expertise, industrial capabilities, and market resources to focus on research, development, and manufacturing of advanced automotive safety electronics.

Photo credit: Autoliv, HSAE

The joint venture is expected to be officially launched in the first quarter of 2026, with its headquarters and production base located in China's Yangtze River Delta regionclose to both partners' existing facilities. Its core business will center on developing key electronic safety components, including hands-on detection (HOD) systems, pre-pretensioner mechatronic integration (PPMI) units, and other electronic applications for seatbelt systems. The company aims to deliver advanced and high-quality safety solutions to both domestic and international automakers.

The new venture marks a significant step forward in the collaboration between HSAE and Autoliv, following the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding in 2024. By establishing this joint company, the two partners aim to combine global market reach with the efficiency of China's supply chain, strengthening the synergy between international expertise and local innovation. The collaboration is expected to generate strategic benefits across technology integration, cost optimization, customer service, and market development.

HSAE and Autoliv's partnership has been steadily deepening since early 2024, when the two companies began a series of high-level exchanges and technical discussions. They formalized their collaboration with a strategic framework agreement in April 2024, followed by a memorandum of understanding in June. Their joint appearance at the Auto Shanghai 2025 showcased a range of intelligent cockpit safety technologies, underscoring their shared commitment to innovation in vehicle safety.

By combining their strengths in technology, manufacturing, and market development, HSAE and Autoliv aim to accelerate the commercialization of cutting-edge automotive safety technologies. The joint venture will not only cater to local automakers in China but will also enhance Autoliv's global capacity to deliver advanced safety solutions to car manufacturers worldwide.
-Capacity building is at the core of the initiative
THERE are strong hopes that a Christmas programme for Limerick can be finalised by the end of this week.

Councillor Dan McSweeney made the comments this Monday as there was continued silence from Mayor John Moran and the council over the festive programme for the city.

As things stand, the bulk of what is planned for December in Limerick will now be administered by Dr Pat Daly, the director general of the local authority, instead of the executive mayor.

READ MORE: Settlement approved in case of Limerick girl who was bitten by horse at tourist attraction

It comes after Mayor Moran exercised his powers to delegate responsibility.

I as an elected member and I know my Fine Gael colleagues have been working extremely hard in recent days, engaging with the executive, engaging with the director general and all his team to secure a programme of events we can all be proud of, Cllr McSweeney told Live95FM.

However, concerns have been raised over the timeframe of delivery, with the countdown to Christmas getting under way next month.

Just one event is confirmed so far - a procession on Saturday, November 22.

Im extremely concerned, admitted Cllr McSweeney.

Following Christmas 2024, a sub-committee of councillors was put in place to provide suggestions for this years festive celebrations.

A number of events were proposed, with a briefing held as far back as July 16, Cllr McSweeney said.

The City West councillor told Live95FM that memos were provided for Christmas on August 8, but they were still not signed by September 24 when Mayor Moran signed over responsibility for the Christmas programme.

Its left an extremely short timeframe. If it was his intention to delegate powers, it should have been delegated much earlier. There was a huge opportunity for the mayor to be actively involved to create a brilliant Christmas for our city centre. But it seems he has taken the option of not exercising those powers, the councillor added.

There are fears the festive offering in Limerick could be very poor according to priomh-comhairleoir, Cllr Catherine Slattery, who described it as a farce.

Something is wrong here, something is not working out. This isnt a blame game. Its about the citizens of Limerick who deserve a good Christmas, said Cllr Slattery, who leads the Fianna Fail group in the metropolitan area, and sits beside Mayor Moran at monthly meetings.

A number of councillors have now called for everyone to come together and ensure there is a successful Christmas in Limerick.

Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-OMara said: We are not here for each others political egos. We are here for Limerick - thats our job, he said.

He has been joined in the call by Sinn Fein councillor Sharon Benson and Cllr Ursula Gavan, Independent.

A public statement was expected from the mayor on Thursday, but did not materialise.

Limerick Live put a series of questions in relation to the matter to the council and Mayor Moran on Thursday last week.

This newspaper made a fresh enquiry to council on Monday.

There was no response.
A MUM of children attending a Limerick school at the centre of an anthrax attack hoax on Thursday has described the harrowing experience.

Senator Dee Ryan said the incident at Castletroy College was abhorrent and deeply distressing.

READ NEXT: Suspicious package at Limerick school being treated as a 'hoax'

A full-scale emergency response involving Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, An Garda Siochana, Limerick Fire and Rescue Service and National Ambulance Service was put in place after a suspicious package was discovered.

The package, believed to contain white powder, was immediately reported to emergency services and treated with the utmost gravity.

One line of enquiry pursued was that it was an anthrax attack. However, further investigations revealed it was not a threat to staff or students and was a "hoax".

Senator Ryan (pictured above) said while the investigation is ongoing and the precise motivation remains to be established, What is clear is that this act was intended to instil fear and discomfort among children, teachers, and parents.

As a parent with children attending Castletroy College, I can only describe the experience of seeing them and their classmates evacuated under such circumstances as harrowing.

A school should be a sanctuary of safety, not a place where young people must confront scenes of emergency response units and bomb disposal teams.

The Fianna Fail senator said despite the act being a hoax, the intent behind it is utterly deplorable.

To deliberately create fear in a space dedicated to childrens growth and education is an act of emotional intimidation and moral cowardice.

We saw a similar incident only last month in Dublin, and I fear we are beginning to see the normalisation of behaviour that seeks to intimidate and unsettle under the guise of hoaxes or pranks.

Ireland is a country where most would once have thought of things like anthrax scares as something confined to Hollywood films, not real life. That we are even discussing such events here is deeply concerning.

Ms Ryan extended her deepest thanks to An Garda Siochana, Defence Forces, the emergency services, and the teachers and staff of Castletroy College for their swift and professional response.

Their calm leadership ensured that every child was protected and reassured in an unimaginable situation.

This kind of incident has no place in our society. It must be condemned outright and stamped out before it ever becomes normalised.
ANNMARIE Naughton is a busy lady as she combines farming in Limerick with working in McDonalds but shes lovin' it!

Most head home from work to put their feet up but not Annmarie who puts on her wellies to tend to her 15 Cross Angus cows.

READ NEXT: Three farms of land in Limerick go under the hammer in a week for close to 2m

The 39-year-old business manager at McDonalds in the Crescent Shopping Centre has spent the last eight years managing one of the busiest fast-food restaurants in the city.

But when her shift ends, her other job begins - running a 40-acre beef farm in Ballysteen.

Its a busy life but Im healthy, life is good, and I feel very positive.

No two days are the same - on the farm or at McDonalds - and thats what I love.

Annmaries roots in farming run deep as she grew up around cattle.

In 2016, her late father David Naughton, well-known former Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council, transferred a section of his 100-acre farm to her. Sixty acres were planted for forestry - part of a project David began when he wound down beef farming after the sad passing of wife Geraldine, in 2009.

A few years later Annmarie was asked if she would like to build the herd up again and she jumped at the opportunity.

Annmarie now juggles her two careers with the help of her wife Marie, who works full time in payroll but still pitches in on the farm when she can - despite not coming from a farming background.

Shes brilliant. Its definitely not something she was used to, but shes not afraid to get stuck in.

A typical week sees Annmarie work up to 38 hours at McDonalds and another 3035 hours on the farm, especially in the winter months when the cows need extra feed and care.

After a long day, its nice to go out in the fresh air. At least the cows dont talk back! she joked.

Her journey with McDonalds began in 2004, when she joined the Crescent team for the first time. She stayed for six years before taking off on her travels to Thailand and Australia.

In 2014, she returned to Ireland and rejoined McDonalds part-time while studying for her Green Cert.

By 2016, she was a shift manager, later progressing to first assistant and eventually business manager.

She credits McDonalds with giving her not only the time and flexibility to follow her passion for farming, but also the business skills to run a working farm.

Its a great place to learn. You dont just flip burgers  you learn to manage people, stock, operations. All of those things carry over to the farm.

Annmarie also recognises the strong ties between McDonalds and Irish agriculture, even if she doesnt personally supply the chain.

Its great that McDonalds is so supportive of Irish beef, she said.

They source 40,000 tonnes of it every year. Thats really valuable for local farmers.

Franchisee Aaron Byrne, who owns McDonalds Limerick, praised Annmaries work ethic.

Were very lucky to have her on the team, he said.

She has a stunning work ethic and an enthusiasm for everything she does. If shes not at the restaurant, shes out on the farm at home.

Shes a breath of fresh air  and a fantastic role model.

As for whats next, Annmarie is keeping her options open. Maybe general manager - or whatever else the future holds, she said, adding that, in the meantime, shes got cows to feed!
A LEADING Jewish historian has said he is happy to compromise on calls for the Limerick Pogrom to no longer be referred to as such.

Simon Sebag Montefiore appeared at an event in the Hunt Museum - virtually - as part of Limerick Civic Trusts heritage week.

Instigated by a Redemptorist priest, Fr John Creagh - who referred to Jewish people as leeches in a sermon - the Limerick Pogrom took place between 1904 and 1906.

It saw an economic boycott waged against the Jewish community and was accompanied by stone throwing and intimidation.

Many Jews fled the city as a result.

READ MORE: Step forward for new garda station in Limerick suburb as search for site underway

Mr Montefiores intervention is interesting, given his family, the Jaffes, were directly impacted in those events.

The historian and television presenter acknowledged that what occurred in Limerick was on a lesser scale to the abuse of Jewish people in other countries around the same time.

The word pogrom comes from the Russian to destroy. It doesnt mean there has to be a massacre and people killed. People were stoned and beaten up, houses were smashed. This is still a pogrom, he said.

Challenged on this by Thomas Wallace ODonnell, who was chairing the talk in the Hunt Museum, he then went further.

There definitely was violence. The Royal Irish Constabulary said they were protecting the Jews. The Jews said they weren't being protected at all. I have to agree with you. By the standards of the Russian pogroms, this was not Russian cassocks riding through the streets of Ukraine.

I'm happy to compromise and call it the Limerick events, he added.

In December 2024, the Israeli government announced it would close its embassy in Dublin.

This was based on what Israels foreign minister Gideon Saar saw as the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government.

Israeli ministers have tried to make a case around Irelands alleged anti-semitism in the past.

Mr Montefiore weighed into the debate, referencing the Limerick Pogrom in a - now deleted - post to social media website X, where he has almost 100,000 followers.

It sparked a reaction from Limerick Civic Trust, whose chief executive David OBrien suggested it is unfair to label the city as anti-semitic based on one event.

This opened a dialogue with Mr Montefiore which culminated in the talk here.
Heather Humphreys has denied that she is part of a Fine Gael smear campaign against her presidential rival Catherine Connolly.

Ms Connolly and opposition leaders who back her came under criticism from Fine Gael minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill during the week.

It came after Ms Connolly was questioned for seeking to employ a woman who had a Special Criminal Court conviction, and who gave her access to Leinster House for six months while her security clearance was pending.

Some politicians, including Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, have criticised her for not following the rules and said it was not acceptable.

Ms Connolly said repeatedly she believed in rehabilitation, before coming under further questioning after stating she would have to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to the Aras.

She later said she would not hire someone who was on the sex offenders register.

In a statement during the week, Ms Carroll MacNeill asked how Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns could back a candidate who would need to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to work in Aras an Uachtarain?

Ms Bacik responded by saying that Fine Gael was resorting to increasingly desperate smear tactics and needed to reflect on the manner in which they are conducting their campaign.

Asked about the comments on Friday, Ms Humphreys said she did not know what Ms Bacik was referring to, but said there was no smear coming from me anyway, or my campaign team.

Im not involved in any smear campaign, she said, speaking in Wexford.

This to me is a fair campaign between myself and Catherine Connolly and ultimately people will have to make up their own minds as to which of us will be the best 10th president of Ireland.

Separately, she was asked about a video recording of a podcast episode featuring barrister and commentator Joe Brolly, who made a lewd gesture as he appeared to do an impression of a presidential candidate.

He later said on social media that it was a childish, crude and inappropriate gesture, but said it had nothing whatsoever to do with the presidential candidates.

It was making fun of the stock questions and responses that happen in a presidential campaign. My action was in poor taste and should never have happened, he said in a statement on X.

My statement on the crude gesture. pic.twitter.com/FGaVsSHULi  Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) October 10, 2025

Asked about the video, Ms Humphreys said the video was very misogynistic and was targeted at women.

I can tell you now, I will not accept that, she said.

Many women across this country have been targeted like that, but I will stand up for the women of Ireland and I can tell you one thing it wont knock me back.

Just two weeks remain until polling day on October 24, and the candidates for the 10th president of Aras an Uachtarain have been whittled down to two after Fianna Fails candidate Mr Gavin withdrew from the race dramatically on Sunday.

A debate on RTE Radio will be held at lunchtime on Sunday.
Canada needs to assess US government investments in the countrys critical minerals companies on a case-by-case basis at a time when the Trump administration is pursuing a nationalist economic policy, Industry Minister Melanie Joly said.

What were seeing in the US is definitely the emergence of greater economic nationalism, including the government taking stakes in companies, Joly told media Friday at an event in Montreal. All governments in the world need to adapt to that, so we will do so as well.

The ministers comments come days after the Trump administration announced it would take a 10% stake in Trilogy Metals Inc. as part of a $35.6 million investment to boost critical minerals projects in Alaska. The US also agreed last month to acquire an interest in Lithium Americas Corp., which is developing the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada. Both companies are based in Vancouver.

Joly declined to comment specifically on the two transactions, which should fall under federal rules for investments by state-owned entities and foreign governments. The government will evaluate deals on a case-by-case basis through the Investment Canada Act application, she said.

But its not clear how much leverage the Canadian government really has to stop the Trilogy or Lithium Americas deals  or even whether it wants to.

If Canada puts up a fight and these companies are forced to relocate to get access to US government funds, I think that they would probably do that in a hurry, said Brian Laks, a partner at Old West Investment Management, which has investments in both miners.

Canada has made it harder in the past few years for foreign, state-owned firms to acquire its mining companies. Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the government thwarted a number of attempts by Chinese entities to take large stakes in firms with lithium and copper projects.

Now we have a challenge: we need to find ways to attract capital while being able to be a sovereign country and to be able to control a lot of these critical minerals and where they go, Joly said. So were in ongoing conversations with different governments.

With assistance from Jacob Lorinc.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
China has begun an investigation into a months-old Qualcomm Inc. acquisition, taking aim at yet another US technology giant before a pivotal meeting of the leaders of the worlds two largest economies.

The State Administration for Market Regulation has opened an antitrust probe into the takeover of connected-vehicle technology provider Autotalks, a deal announced in June. In a brief statement, the watchdog said it would look into potential violations of the countrys anti-monopoly law in relation to the transaction. Qualcomms shares were little changed at 9:48 a.m. in New York.

Beijing is targeting Qualcomm, whose technology is key to smartphones and networking, in the run-up to talks between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Both countries are maneuvering for leverage ahead of the expiration of a US-China trade truce  even at the risk of escalating tensions.

China this week unveiled sweeping new curbs on its exports of rare earths and other critical materials, echoing moves made in April in response to Trumps so-called Liberation Day tariffs. That came as Beijing continued to eschew purchases of American soybeans, exacerbating an economic squeeze on farming communities that largely voted for Trump in 2024.

Apart from Qualcomm, Chinese regulators also announced an investigation into Nvidia Corp.s 2020 acquisition of networking gear maker Mellanox. That probe was unveiled just as Beijing and Washington officials sparred over trade and other issues during wide-ranging negotiations in Madrid about a month ago.

Fridays announcement also drove shares in Alphawave IP Group Plc about 6.5% lower in London. Qualcomm is in the process of buying the company in a $2.4 billion deal struck earlier this year.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Mining magnate German Larreas conglomerate, Grupo Mexico SAB, said it accepts Citigroup Inc.s decision to reject its $9.3 billion offer for the US banks Grupo Financiero Banamex business.

Grupo Mexico respects Citis determination and wishes it success in the transaction it has opted for and in the fate it has chosen for Banamex, the company said in a statement Friday, adding that it hopes the move will result in stability and growth for the Mexican financial sector.

Citi said on Thursday it would stick with its decision last month to sell a 25% stake to billionaire Fernando Chico Pardo as part of a plan to list the asset publicly. Grupo Mexico made a surprise offer late last week to acquire all of Banamex.

Grupo Mexico said its offer was at a superior price that maximized the benefit for Citi shareholders and ensured Banamexs repositioning as a leading Mexican bank capable of providing a significant boost to our countrys economy.

Larrea, who controls Latin Americas second-biggest fortune behind Carlos Slim, had emerged as the front-runner to acquire Banamex in late 2022, but talks with Citi fell apart in 2023 amid interference by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Citi said in its statement Thursday that it saw greater certainty in its deal with Chico Pardo.

Shares of Grupo Mexico gained around 2% in morning trading in Mexico City on Friday, rising for a fourth straight day as they clawed their way back from a more than 15% plunge on Monday, their biggest drop since 2008. Larreas bid raised concern about how the billionaire would allocate some $9 billion in cash held by Grupo Mexico.

Even with Fridays gains, the stock was headed for a more than 8% loss for the week. That wiped nearly $3.8 billion from to Larreas family fortune as of 9:00 AM in Mexico City, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Larreas net worth had been at an all-time high of $55.5 billion at the start of the week.

Analysts at Jefferies Financial Group Inc. said in a note that they wouldnt rule out further attempts by Grupo Mexico to go after Banamex, saying the episode echoed Larreas drawn out, and ultimately unsuccessful, pursuit of Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico.

Rodolfo Ramos, a strategist at Bradesco BBI, was also skeptical that Larrea has given up on finding a way to take a stake in Banamex or the banking industry.

We have been talking about Grupo Mexico and Banamex for years, and there is clear appetite from Larrea to venture into the industry, Ramos wrote. While chances are lower today than they were a week ago, we would be surprised if this is the end to this telenovela.

--With assistance from Dylan Sloan.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- Polish real estate developer Globe Trade Centre SA is in talks to sell part of a German residential portfolio it bought less than a year ago.

GTC plans to sell around 45% of the portfolio acquired from Peach Property, a Swiss-listed real estate company, chief executive officer Malgorzata Czaplicka said in an interview.

We already started marketing among certain potential buyers, she said.

The CEO said the firm has identified the property it wants to dispose, although it doesnt expect to see the first sale until next year. The proceeds will be used to repay 190 million ($220 million) of the financing provided by Baupost Group and Diameter Capital Partners to buy the portfolio.

At the time, the deal marked a departure from GTCs usual area of commercial real estate, typically in central and Eastern Europe. The company plans to focus on core markets going forward, Czaplicka said, subject to market developments.

The developer has been looking for ways to deleverage its business in the face of broader pressure on real estate valuations and higher financing costs.

In addition to the disposal, the company secured a refinancing for its high-yield bond due 2026. GTC issued 455 million of securities due 2030 this month after announcing plans for a tender to buy back existing bonds.

Schroder Investment Management was due to buy 275 million to 300 million of the new issue, according to an earlier statement.

The developer also plans to extend 300 million of short-term bank debt by the first quarter of next year, Chief Financial Officer Jacek Baginski said in the interview. Discussions are already well advanced and the loans will likely be extended for a period of five to seven years.

--With assistance from Marton Kasnyik, Constantine Courcoulas and Konrad Krasuski.

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(Bloomberg) -- Share of Venture Global Inc. plunged the most in seven months after the US liquefied natural gas exporter lost a dispute over the sale of cargoes with one of its key customers, BP Plc.

The stock fell as much as 23%, the most since March, on Friday following a ruling by an arbitration tribunal that Venture Global breached its contract with BP by selling LNG on the spot market from a Louisiana facility rather than to customers that held long-term agreements. BP is seeking more than $1 billion in damages.

The market is pricing in broader risk of further adverse rulings, the Schneider Capital Group said in a research note. Unresolved claims could top $5 billion, he said.

The decision comes just eight weeks after Venture Global prevailed in a similar dispute with Shell Plc, while another customer recently reached a settlement.

The setback heightens uncertainty around Venture Globals financial exposure as it seeks to become the largest US LNG exporter amid ongoing customer disputes. Other claimants include Polands Orlen SA, Portugals Galp Energia SGPS SA, Spains Repsol SA, Italys Edison International, and Chinas Sinopec.

This always appeared a grey area with the outcome dependent on both the specific wording in the contracts and the arbiter involved, said Saul Kavonic, an energy analyst at MST Marquee. A different arbiter and potentially different contract wording saw a different outcome here compared to the similar recent case with Shell that VG won.

A hearing over damages is expected sometime in 2026, the filing said. Venture Global said it is evaluating all available options, and the ruling does not impact the terms of the contract.

Venture Globals Calcasieu Pass plant began exports in 2022. Instead of supplying contracted buyers, those customers claim the company sold cargoes on the spot market during a period of record prices. Venture Global cited mechanical issues that delayed full commercial operations. Deliveries to long-term customers began earlier this year.

Shell, Orlen and Repsol are customers of Venture Globals second export plant, Plaquemines, which is currently commissioning production. Venture Global has signed a flurry of new contracts this year with customers including Germanys SEFE Energy GmbH and Malaysias Petroliam Nasional Bhd from its third plant in Louisiana, known as CP2. The first phase of CP2 has started construction.

None of the CP1 offtakers want to rip up their contracts  current terms are simply too favorable to walk away from, said the Schneider Capital Group note.

Uncertainty from arbitration cases cast a pall over Venture Globals initial public offering in January. It was the worst-performing major energy market debut in at least the last three decades. The stock fell on its first day, then posted the worst first month of trading out of any new listing in the sector worth over $1.5 billion since at least 1993, falling 39%.

Venture Global shares are now down nearly 60% this year.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
The U.K.s competition enforcer labeled Alphabets Google as a company it needs to keep a close eye on due to its ubiquitous search engine and lucrative search-advertising business.

It is the first time the Competition and Markets Authority has completed a probe into whether to class a tech giant as a company with so-called strategic market status under the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act. The law aims to curb Big Techs market dominance and benefit businesses that rely on their search engines and app stores to make money.

Under it, companies like Google will have to follow a bespoke set of rules that apply to their popular platforms. The CMA started investigating Google under its new rulebook in January. The regulator can fine companies up to 10% of their annual worldwide turnover for flouting the legislation.

The CMA said on Friday that Google has substantial and entrenched market power in general search and search advertising. It said that Googles Gemini AI chat assistant wont be under the scope of the ruling, but Googles other AI-based search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode are.

The regulator now has to work on a set of interventions for Googles search business.

Many of the ideas for interventions that have been raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth, potentially slowing product launches at a time of profound AI-based innovation," Googles Senior Director for Competition Oliver Bethell said.
(Bloomberg) -- Chicagos commuter rail is moving to raise fares to help offset a budget gap that threatens to upend the regions transit service.

Metra, the commuter rail system that shuttles commuters between downtown Chicago and the suburbs, on Friday unveiled a $1.1 billion budget for 2026 that includes a 13% to 15% fare increase to cover a projected $68 million shortfall, according to the transit system in a press release. Its the first time the agency has increased ticket prices since 2018.

The increase is part of a broader effort mandated by the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees finances for the regions buses and rail agencies, to raise revenue to help the system stay afloat. The Chicago Transit Authority and the bus agency, Pace, are also expecting fiscal shortfalls next year and were called on by RTA to raise fares by a minimum of 10%.

While Metra expects to be able to bridge its current budget gap by delaying discretionary spending and service expansions, it projects a $276.3 million fiscal cliff in 2027 and a $304.8 million shortfall in 2028, according to the release. If the Illinois legislature doesnt increase funding for the regions transit in time, the system will be forced to cut service.

Chicagos woes are part of a growing financial crisis that is playing out in urban transit systems across the country. Philadelphias transit system has yet to work out a long-term financial solution to prevent service cuts and fare hikes down the line. San Franciscos Bay Area Rapid Transit is also staring down a budget gap that could result in drastic cuts to its service.

Metra also proposed a $575.3 million capital plan that continues investment in bridges, stations and both new and rehabiliated rolling stock. The Metra Board of Directors will vote on the changes including the fare increase in November, according to the press release.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- Codelcos top mine will run well below capacity for the next several months, signaling that the impact of a deadly accident will drag on well into next year, said people with knowledge of the matter.

While its El Teniente mine in Chile has resumed operations after a collapse on July 31, the rate of production probably wont get much above three-quarters of previous levels well into 2026, the people said, asking not to be named discussing internal deliberations.

The massive rock blast that killed six people occurred in an area of the sprawling underground mine that had just started producing and was scheduled to account for an increasing portion of production over the coming years.

The incident is imperiling Codelcos efforts to recover from a protracted production slump and threatening its position as the worlds biggest supplier. El Tenientes struggles add to a string of disruptions at major copper mines around the world as the energy transition and building of more data centers start to push up demand for the wiring metal.

Codelco is yet to request permission from regulators to restart activities at the still-shuttered sections of the mine, the people said. That wont happen until after it completes an investigation in December, they said.

Production losses from the accident are estimated at 48,000 metric tons for this year, up from a previous forecast of 33,000 tons, Reuters quoted Chairman Maximo Pacheco as saying Friday. Still, he expects the state-owned firm as a whole to post higher annual output. El Tenientes annual production last year was 356,000 tons.

While Codelco is yet to offer production guidance for 2026, research center Cesco sees the state behemoth struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels anytime soon.

Most likely, this years figure will end up close to last years, or perhaps a bit lower, Cesco senior analysts Cristian Cifuentes said in an interview. Looking ahead to 2026, I think production will be very similar as well  fairly stable over the next few years.

At El Teniente, the company is assessing ways to mitigate the losses from closed areas in other sections of the mine. Much depends on the outcome of the investigation.

The accidents impact on El Teniente production probably will be similar next year as this year, according to consultancy Plusmining.

The issue is that the affected area contains replacement resources, and it seems that the full impact wont be felt until later, Plusmining founder Juan Carlos Guajardo said. The real question remains for the years ahead.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
India's largest IT company, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Chief HR Officer Sudeep Kunnumal, after the Q2 results, said that the firm will pay a higher variable pay amount to its senior employees based on the individual's performance.

Kunnumal also reassured people that the company now pays a higher quarterly bonus or variable pay component compared to what they used to pay in the previous quarters.

The Chief HR of TCS also stated that the IT major has been paying its junior level employees a variable pay component of 100%, which they plan to continue in the upcoming quarters.

Basically, it covers all the people who have been with our organisation, who are entitled for the quarterly bonus, except maybe for new joinees... but it covers practically every one... normally, at the junior level we have been paying 100 per cent, which is what will continue and for seniors, we will pay a higher amount, which is again based on the individual and unit performance, said TCS CHRO Sudeep Kunnumal, reported the news agency PTI.

Letter to the employees According to an ET report, the junior-level employees at TCS who are working at C, C1, and C2 roles get annual salary hikes as well as full variable pay, as they fall under a lower salary bracket.

Also Read | TCS layoffs: Chief HR opens up on figures circulating amid restructuring

However, the employees who are working at the C3A level are allegedly treated differently, according to a TCS employee cited in the news portal's report.

All employees up to C2 grade (or equivalent) covered under the quarterly variable allowance (QVA) plan will receive 100% of the QVA, Kunnumal said in an email to the employees, cited the news portal. The individual payout for C3A grade and above (or equivalent grades) may vary, depending on business performance. I am glad to inform that the overall QVA payout for this segment will be higher than the previous year. The actual payout will depend on the unit performance, the mail said.

TCS Layoffs Mint reported earlier that TCS plans to cut nearly 12,000 jobs, or almost 2% of its global workforce, in the financial year 2025-26, as the IT major plans to focus on restructuring plans amid the push for artificial intelligence (AI).

However, there were many media reports which suggested that the IT major is likely to lay off 50,000-80,000 people. But the CHRO on Thursday clarified that a lot of these numbers are not factual, are extremely exaggerated.
The Centre is looking to tighten the noose around shady transactions at companies undergoing bankruptcy proceedings committed by previous managements, two people aware of the plans said. The government is working with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) to find ways to identify and examine such transactions more thoroughly, in an effort to reverse them and recover the money.

The idea is to have a more robust assessment of questionable transactions which fall in the classes of preferential, undervalued, fraudulent and extortionate, so that it forms a strong basis for the government to take action, and for tribunals to reverse them, enabling clawback of assets.

Creditors appoint administrators to supervise businesses undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. These individuals work to identify such avoidance transactions, and approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to reverse them under India's bankruptcy code. Recovery from such deals will bring more assets and resources to the table for lenders to work out a revival plan for the company.

Efforts are on for improving the enforcement outcomes in these transactions, which will aid in the revival of the companies concerned," said one of the persons quoted above.

This comes at a time when recoveries from such transactions remain minuscule. Out of the 3.85 trillion that resolution professionals sought to claw back, only a little more than 7,900 crore could be recovered, shows IBBI data till the end of FY25. The move is part of discussions around improving the overall institutional capacity of resolution professionals and the debt resolution ecosystem in the country. One of the ideas under consideration is setting protocols to be followed in flagging such transactions by resolution professionals.

IBBI has taken steps to encourage the creditor-appointed administrators of bankrupt businesses to be more proactive in such cases. In July, the bankruptcy regulator mandated them to disclose such transactions in the sale prospectus of the bankrupt business they are overseeing, for more transparency and better price discovery. The regulator said that amounts recovered from avoidable transactions disclosed in the prospectus alone can be included in the corporate turnaround plan.

Experts attributed the low recovery from these transactions to the complexity of proving such cases before the NCLT, rather than any overestimation of amounts.

Establishing the intent, tracing transactions, and gathering admissible evidence are challenging and often prolonged, especially when records are incomplete or promoters not cooperative, said Anisha Jhunjhunwala, senior consultant-IBC at NPV Insolvency Professionals Pvt. Ltd. Even when tribunals rule in favour of recovery, enforcement remains weak as counterparties frequently lack sufficient realizable assets, resulting in limited actual recovery, she said.

To improve outcomes, the government and IBBI should strengthen inter-agency coordination and streamline forensic procedures to ensure more accurate estimation of avoidance transactions," said Jhunjhunwala. She also said that providing insolvency professionals with better access to financial and transactional data and establishing specialized fast-track benches within NCLT for such cases, would help significantly.

Also Read | Unfair order: Gig workers deserve a better deal in cases of corporate insolvency

Complexity of cases makes recovery slow, said Moksh Kalyanram Abhiramula, managing partner at La Mintage Legal LLP.

Insolvency professionals must establish detailed evidence demonstrating the intent, timing, and impact of each transaction, which often involves forensic audits, tracing assets, and contesting elaborate defences raised by respondents. Further complications arise from lengthy legal battles, lack of documentary records, and delays in judicial processes, making actual recoveries difficult compared to filed claims," said Abhiramula.

For better estimation and recovery, the government and IBBI could set robust guidelines for claim quantification, mandate rigorous forensic investigations pre-filing, facilitate better asset tracing technology, and strengthen cross-institutional coordination for enforcement, said Abhiramula.

Experts also said that streamlining NCLT procedures and training insolvency professionals in forensic accounting will help in recovery from these questionable deals.
The heads of Japans biggest financial firms are going out of their way to assuage worries that artificial intelligence will take away jobs.

I dont think humans will lose their value. Humans have ability for dialogue, empathy, creativity and ethics, Mizuho Financial Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Masahiro Kihara said on Thursday at an event hosted by the Nikkei. People might say, what about my job if we use more AI? I think they can aim for more value-added work.

Banks around the world have been grappling with how to adapt to AI, with the technology seen to boost efficiency while changing the nature of jobs. In Japan, where the financial sector employs hundreds of thousands of people, the conversation over AI and its impact on work is picking up pace.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc., Japans second-largest brokerage after Nomura Holdings Inc., is telling its managers to use AI as much as possible, CEO Akihiko Ogino said at the same event. The firm needs to collaborate with the tech as it hastens decision-making and helps workers perform better, he said.

AI will become a partner, not just a tool, said Hironori Kamezawa, CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., the countrys largest banking group. We need to change ourselves to an AI native company. Kamezawa had spent a chunk of the firms most recent annual report ruminating over the essence of AI, concluding that what is required of humans is a high level of thinking and the ability to act.

For Nomuras CEO Kentaro Okuda, it boils down to a division of labor. Let AI do what AI can do and humans do value-added work, Okuda said. That works positively in an aging Japan.

With assistance from Hideki Suzuki, Ryo Horiuchi and Russell Ward.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology rejected the Trump administrations latest effort to reorient higher education toward its policy priorities, spurning a proposal that calls for universities to accept a series of demands in exchange for preferential access to federal funding.

MITs practices already meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent, President Sally Kornbluth said in a letter Friday to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. Other parts of the deal, which Apollo Global Management Inc. co-founder Marc Rowan helped formulate and has championed, would endanger scientific freedom, Kornbluth said.

The Trump administration sent letters to a group of top-tier universities this month setting out a proposed compact that would cap international students, ban the use of race or sex in hiring, freeze tuition rates for the next five years and require standardized testing in the admissions process in exchange for preferential access to federal funding. Adherence is subject to Justice Department review, and violators lose access to benefits for at least a year.

Fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone, Kornbluth said. In our view, Americas leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence.

White House spokespeople didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Minimum Standards

Rowan, who is also chair of the board of advisors at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business, said in an opinion piece Friday in the New York Times that the compact is designed to fix a broken higher education system. He said he helped formulate the standards with a Trump administration working group.

The purpose of the compact is to set forth the minimum standards of conduct and performance that institutions of higher education must meet to benefit from a relationship with the federal government, Rowan wrote in the Times.

Kornbluth highlighted in her response to McMahon that MIT was the first school to return to requiring standardized testing in admissions after most colleges dropped it during the pandemic. She also pointed out the the schools significant financial aid and its rejection of legacy preferences in admissions.

With respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education, Kornbluth said.

In addition to MIT, the letters were sent to Penn, Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia. They were asked to provide responses to the government by Oct. 20.

The institutions received the invitation because they were seen as more amenable to working with the administration. As the White House suspended research funding and targeted universities like Harvard and Northwestern with a barrage of investigations over the summer, many of the colleges that received the compact were walking a fine line to avoid government scrutiny without appearing to curry favor.

Some of them, like Vanderbilt and Dartmouth, avoided joining other elite institutions in publicly condemning the governments attacks on Harvard.

Defiance Sign

Now the federal spotlight is on them, anyway, and the stakes for responding could be high. In the case of Penn and Brown, which already made deals conceding to White House demands, it could restart a battle theyd hoped had been put to rest.

If these universities reject the overture from the Trump administration, it will most likely be viewed as a sign of defiance, said Ken Marcus, former assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department during Trumps first term,

In statements released over the past week, leaders for the colleges have promised to protect their autonomy while considering the benefits of federal favor at a time of extreme instability in higher education. In a Friday statement, Brown President Christina Paxson asked for input from members of the school community.

Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock said in an Oct. 3 statement that higher education isnt perfect, and we can do better, she wrote. But at the same time, we will never compromise our academic freedom and our ability to govern ourselves.

The University of Virginias interim president, Paul Mahoney, has said he was forming a working group to assess the compact but that it would be difficult for the university to agree to certain provisions. Penn President Larry Jameson also echoed Kornbluths commitment to scientific merit as the sole determining factor in research funding.

Only the University of Texas appeared to welcome the attention. Kevin Eltife, chair of the UT systems board of regents, wrote that they were honored that their flagship in Austin was selected by the Trump administration for potential funding advantages.

With assistance from Georgia Hall.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) Air India on Friday said conclusions from its preliminary investigations show that the deployment of Ram Air Turbine (RAT) in its Dreamliner aircraft on October 4 was "neither due to a system fault nor pilot action".

RAT, which is usually used in case of engine failures, got deployed in Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft seconds before landing at the Birmingham airport on October 4. The aircraft, which was coming from Amritsar, made a safe landing.

"Based on the conclusions from our preliminary investigations, the deployment of the RAT was neither due to a system fault nor pilot action. The deployment of the RAT was 'uncommanded', consistent with similar occurrences with other airlines in the past, as reported by Boeing," Air India said in a statement on Friday, a week after the incident.

The airline said it had notified the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the occurrence and has submitted the preliminary report to the regulator in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.

The statement came on a day when the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) urged the civil aviation ministry to ground the airline's entire fleet of Dreamliners, check their electrical systems and also order a DGCA special audit of Air India.

Air India, on October 5, had also issued a statement on the RAT deployment incident.

"On 4 October 2025, the operating crew of flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham, detected the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) of the aircraft during its final approach. The crew had found all electrical and hydraulic parameters to be normal, and the aircraft landed safely at Birmingham Airport.

"At no point during the flight was there any loss of power or control systems. The aircraft was subsequently grounded for further inspections," the airline said in the statement on Friday.

The aircraft was subsequently cleared for service, and it operated from Birmingham to Delhi on October 5, the airline said.

Meanwhile, FIP on Friday said that on October 9, Air India flight AI154 from Vienna to Delhi diverted to Dubai due to major technical issues and on October 4, Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed on AI117 while landing at the Birmingham airport from Amritsar.

Both flights were operated with Boeing 787 planes, also known as Dreamliners.
(Bloomberg) -- Stellantis NVs overhaul is sparking worries among French workers that operations in that country will lose out in new Chief Executive Officer Antonio Filosas push to get the struggling carmaker back on track.

Filosa, in the job since June, is conducting a deep review of the sprawling company forged from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group, whose 14 brand include Peugeot and Jeep. The Italian-born Fiat Chrysler veteran has tapped several peers hes worked with for years in South America for executive jobs in Europe.

The moves have prompted concern French know-how and interests are being pushed to the margins, Frances CFE-CGC labor union said.

The changes could call into question the balance that had resulted from the PSA-FCA merger, particularly in terms of manufacturing and development of future vehicles, the union, mostly representing white-collar worker interests, said in a statement. French know-how is being marginalized and there are worries that some French or Europe plants may become a shifting variable.

Filosa is set to detail his plans early next year with a number of plants in Europe running well below capacity. After several profitable years since a 2021 merger, former CEO Carlos Tavares laser-focus on costs while raising vehicle prices took its toll on the companys Jeep SUVs and Ram pickups that started piling up on dealer lots.

Since Tavares December exit, several members of his team with a track record at PSA have left Stellantis.

In Europe, Stellantis has temporarily shut down several sites because of lackluster demand for some models. At the same time, the new CEO plans to invest about $10 billion in the US to refocus on a market thats pivotal to profits, Bloomberg reported earlier this month.

The US push alongside the decision to scrap some European investments has been alarming local unions in France and Italy, where Stellantis makes Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles. Car output in Italy slumped 36% in the first nine months of the year, with one Italian union representative flagging the risk of forced plant shutdowns in the country.

Efforts to improve the US business are reaping some early benefits. Estimated deliveries climbed 13% during the third quarter, led mostly by a 35% year-on-year gain in North America shipments. The reintroduction of popular models like the V8-powered Ram 1500 pickup truck helped drive gains, Stellantis said Friday.

The governments of US President Donald Trump and Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are in close discussions with Stellantis over future production decisions. Filosa is due to meet Italian unions on Oct. 20 about the groups plans for the country. Meanwhile, France remains mired in political crisis.

Stellantis management reshuffle in Europe this week comes days after the sudden departure of Chief Financial Officer Doug Ostermann, who had been picked for the role by Tavares. Stellantis shares are up 10% since Filosa took over.

The new CEO has addressed the sense of a power struggle within the company, saying last month he had banned the nomenclature ex-PSA and ex-FCA during a Kepler Cheuvreux conference. We are just Stellantis.

His first trip after being appointed CEO was to the French factory in Sochaux, which produces the Peugeots 3008 and 5008 SUVs.

--With assistance from William Wilkes.

(Updates with share price and recent CFO departure in 11th paragraph. An earlier version corrected spelling in fourth paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Tata Trusts' board discussed routine issues, staying away from contentious matters, in its meeting held on Friday amid murmurs of a rift among the trustees over board appointment and governance issues.

"Todays meeting was routine, with no contentious issues discussed," a source said, adding that there were presentations on various hospital and rural development projects.

"There was no reference to past events," the source added.

The meeting comes after the top brass of the Tata Group, including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday.

When contacted, Tata Trusts declined to comment on what transpired in the meeting.

However, reports said the agenda of the meeting is mainly focused on regular philanthropic activities and review of funding proposals for healthcare projects.

On Tuesday, Noel Tata and Chandrasekaran, along with Tata Trusts Vice Chairman Venu Srinivasan and trustee Darius Khambata, met Shah and Sitharaman at the home minister's residence.

The meeting came against the backdrop of infighting among the trustees of Tata Trusts over board appointments and governance issues, which threaten to impact the functioning of the over USD 180 billion conglomerate.

Tata Trusts exerts decisive influence over India's most valuable conglomerate through its about 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, the promoter and holding company of the salt-to-semiconductor group.

Sources said Tata Trusts is said to be vertically split, with one section aligned with Noel Tata, who was appointed chairman of the Trusts following the death of Ratan Tata. The other grouping of four trustees is led by Mehli Mistry, who has ties with the extended Shapoorji Pallonji family, which owns about 18.37 per cent of Tata Sons.

Mehli reportedly feels he has been kept out of the loop on key matters.

According to sources, the flashpoint is said to be board seats at Tata Sons, which controls the 156-year-old group that spans around 400 companies, including 30 listed firms.

The dispute has its roots in a meeting of six trustees of the Tata Trusts, the umbrella group representing several charitable trusts, including the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sri Ratan Tata Trust.

The meeting on September 11 was convened to consider the reappointment of former defence secretary Vijay Singh as a nominee director on the Tata Sons board.

There are seven trustees of the Tata Trusts, including Singh. Singh did not attend the September 11 meeting as his nomination was on the agenda.

Following the death of Ratan Tata in October 2024, Tata Trusts introduced a policy requiring annual reappointment of nominee directors on the Tata Sons board once they turn 75. At the September 11 meeting, the reappointment of 77-year-old Singh - a director since 2012 and trustee since 2018 - was proposed by Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan (chairman emeritus of TVS Group).

However, the four other trustees - Mehli Mistry, Pramit Jhaveri, Jehangir HC Jehangir, and Darius Khambata - opposed the move, leading to the resolution's rejection.

Following the rejection, the four trustees sought to nominate Mehli Mistry to the Tata Sons board, but Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan opposed the move, emphasising the need for a transparent process aligned with Tata's values.
The Tata Trusts board meeting on Friday did not address the internal differences that led to the removal of one trustee as a representative from the Tata Sons board last month.

Instead, during the six-hour meeting, which six trustees attended, the discussion shifted away from internal differences to focus on the charitable work the Trusts intends to do.

Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, TVS Motor Corp. chair emeritus Venu Srinivasan, businessman Mehli Mistry, Citibank India former chief executive officer (CEO) Pramit Jhaveri and Pune-based philanthropist and businessman Jehangir H.C. Jehangir attended the meeting in person.

Mumbai-based lawyer Darius Khambata did not attend the board meeting, an executive privy to the development said. Vijay Singh, 77, who was removed on 11 September as their representative from the Tata Sons board by a majority of the Trustees, attended the meeting virtually.

"The meeting was cordial, where none of the members raised the past issues," the executive cited above said on the condition of anonymity.

At the meeting, the trustees agreed to set up two hospitals in Amravati and Solapur in Maharashtra. Also, they agreed to explore a third hospital, focused on treating diabetes, in partnership with Emory University, Georgia.

Also Read | SP Group invokes Jamsetji Tata, says Tata Sons IPO is a moral imperative

In the lead-up to the board meeting, a private ceremony in memory of late Rata Tata was held on Thursday at his South Mumbai house, Halekai. Varsi, a Parsi ritual that involves praying for the dead on the first death anniversary of a loved one, was attended by Ratan Tata's two sisters, two trustees of Tata Trusts, including Jhaveri and Mistry, Ratan Tata's close associate, Mohini Mohan Dutta, and a few Tata old-timers, including former Tata Sons vice-chairman Noshir Soonawala. Noel Tata was not present at the meeting, the executive cited earlier said.

Boardroom tensions

The outcome of Friday's Tata Trusts' board meeting contrasts with that of the last board meeting on 11 September. Last month, simmering year-long tensions spilled out in the boardroom when four of the seven trustees chose to remove Singh as their representative from the Tata Sons board. The four trustees were unhappy over the three representatives on the Tata Sons board withholding information about decisions made by the holding company.

Acrimony at Tata Trusts, which owns 65.9% in Tata Sons, comes at a critical time for the group. The holding company is trying to remain private. It is also negotiating an exit for the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, its largest individual shareholder.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran chairs Tata Sons' six-member board. Two trustees, Noel Tata and Srinivasan, are on this board. Tata Sons' chief financial officer Saurabh Agrawal and independent directors Harish Manwani and Anita Marangoly George are the other members.
Businesses across the global semiconductor supply chain are bracing themselves for disruptions from Chinas most targeted move yet to limit their supplies of rare-earth materials, which are critical to building the chips fueling the artificial intelligence boom.

The restrictions may delay shipments for ASML Holding NV, which sells machines that make the worlds most advanced semiconductors, for weeks, a person familiar with the company said. The company is preparing for disruptions, particularly due to a clause that requires foreign firms to seek Chinas approval for re-exports of products containing its rare earths, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters and noted that ASML is lobbying Dutch and US allies for alternatives. The company declined to comment.

A senior manager at a major US chip company said the firm is still assessing potential impacts. But the clearest risk the company is facing now is an increase in the prices of rare earths-dependent magnets that are critical to the chip supply chain, the person said, asking not to be identified discussing operations. An official at another US chip company said the business is rushing to identify which of its products contain rare earths from China and is worried that the countrys requirement for licenses will grind its supply chain to a halt.

The restrictions represent the first major attempt by Beijing to exercise long-arm jurisdiction over foreign companies to target the semiconductor and AI industries. They require overseas firms to seek approval for shipping any material containing even trace amounts of Chinese rare earths  and explicitly call out parts used to make certain computer chips and advance AI research with military applications.

Chip-making machines, like those sold by ASML and Applied Materials Inc., are especially dependent on rare earths because they contain extremely precise lasers, magnets and other equipment that use these elements.

These are the strictest export controls that China has utilized, said Gracelin Baskaran, a critical minerals-focused director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Its quite clear that they have the sticks and the leverage to make, not just US firms, but firms worldwide comply.

Some have questioned how long the restrictions will last, viewing them as potential posturing ahead of a trip to Asia that US President Donald Trump had planned that was expected to include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. Its unclear how China would even track rare earths at such discreet levels to enforce the rules.

Trump on Friday threatened to call off his meeting with Xi altogether, describing the new rare-earth controls as hostile and threatening a massive increase of tariffs on goods from China.

I have always felt that theyve been lying in wait, and now, as usual, I have been proven right! There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the World captive, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The U.S. has Monopoly positions also, much stronger and more far reaching than Chinas. I have just not chosen to use them, there was never a reason for me to do so  UNTIL NOW!

The worlds biggest chipmakers including Intel Corp., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. rely on ASML to produce semiconductors. Samsung and Intel declined to comment. TSMC didnt respond to a request for comment.

A White House official said the government and relevant agencies are assessing any impact from the new rules, which were announced without notice and imposed in an apparent effort to exert control over the entire worlds technology supply chains.

The US House Select Committee on China panned the Asian nation for the move, describing the restrictions as an economic declaration of war against the US. Committee Chairman John Moolenaar, a Republican, said in a statement on Thursday that China has fired a loaded gun at the American economy.

Germany, Europes biggest economy, has already introduced measures to diversify its supply of raw materials, and its economic ministry called Chinas curbs a great concern on Friday. The government said its in close contact with affected companies and the European Commission to respond.

Taiwan relies mainly on Europe, the US and Japan for rare-earth supplies. We still need further assessment before deciding on the impact on our overall industry, the nations economic affairs ministry said in a statement. We will continue to monitor indirect impact from fluctuations in the pricing of raw materials and supply chain adjustments.

With assistance from Josh Wingrove, Kamil Kowalcze, Michael Nienaber, Petra Sorge, Yuki Furukawa, Christina Kyriasoglou, Joe Deaux, Mackenzie Hawkins and Josh Xiao.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Mumbai and Bengaluru: The divided trustees of Tata Trusts meet in Mumbai on Friday, a year and a day after former chairman Ratan Tata's death, in the backdrop of a void that the conglomerate still struggles to fill. The discord at the Trusts spotlights Tata's unquestioned authority during his tenure, as well as the consequences of his decision to prevent a potential centralization of powers.

Friday's meeting will be the first since the acrimony at Tata Trusts surfaced. It may also set the tone for the philanthropic entities' future, especially after the Trusts broke tradition by removing one trustee from the Tata Sons board. Details of their displeasure and the removal were first reported by Mint on 24 September.

Tata's decision to split the leadership of the Trusts and the operating company Tata Sons aimed to prevent any single person from wielding overwhelming authority. The separation of powers would also prevent the fracturing of the Tata legacy and ensure that profits from the businesses go to philanthropy, not personal luxury and spoils.

Unintentionally, the decision has sparked a tussle at the Trusts, not long after Tata's passing. At stake is the direction and decision-making at the $300 billion Tata Sons, which is trying hard to stay private, and negotiate an exit for the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, its single largest individual shareholder.

Also Read | The inside story of how the schism at Tata Trusts came about

During Tata's time, the Tata Sons articles of association was amended to include the separation of its leadership from Tata Trusts. Ratan Tata, known to his colleagues as RNT, created the post of vice-chairman in the Sir Dorab Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, bringing in Mehli Mistry, Jehangir H.C. Jehangir, Pramit Jhaveri, and reinducting Darius Khambata. Eventually, his half-brother Noel Tata also joined the Trust.

Big shoes

Ratan Tata's shoes are "too big for anybody to fit," observed Thomas Mathew, author of Ratan Tata: A Life, a biography of the late industrialist. "During RNT's time, whatever he decided was final. None would question what he did because of his stature, vast experience and unflinching adherence to ethical conduct and values. Once he made a decision, it was implemented. But he would take the pains to explain to the Trustees or any stakeholder the rationale behind his decision," Mathew said.

The seven trustees of Tata Trusts, which owns 65.9% in Tata Sons, are now split into two distinct groups. The first group is led by Tata Trusts chair Noel Tata. It includes two vice-chairmen: retired defence secretary Vijay Singh and TVS Motor Corp. chair emeritus Venu Srinivasan. All three served as Tata Trusts nominee directors on the Tata Sons board, until Singh was removed on 11 September.

The second group consists of former Citibank India CEO Pramit Jhaveri, Mumbai-based lawyer Darius Khambata, businessman Mehli Mistry, and Pune-based philanthropist and businessman Jehangir H.C. Jehangir. None of them is on the Tata Sons board. The latter group believes the three representatives on the Tata Sons board are withholding information about decisions made by the holding company.

Communication between some of the trustees has completely broken down, two executives privy to the matter said.

Issue

"Let's break this into three parts. First, what is the issue at Tata Trusts? The majority of trustees believed that Mehli Mistry should be the nominee director on the Tata Sons board. The other three disagreed. In any corporate body, the majority view has to be accepted. That is the principle of democracy. This current problem inside Tata Trusts could have been avoided if Noel and the other two directors had gone with the majority view," said senior Supreme Court lawyer H.P. Ranina.

Is there a void at the House of Tata? "I'm not sure that's a fair characterization, considering RNT was also inactive due to advancing age. But of course, because of his stature, aura and charisma, people looked up to him. And that certainly is missing now," Ranina added.

Apart from slowing decisions on actions to stay private and negotiate an exit for the SP Group, the discord at Trusts could also create delays in the appointment of independent directors to the Tata Sons board, which currently has six board members.

Singhs removal and the exit of three othersLeo Puri, Ajay Piramal and Ralf Spethleft Tata Sons with six directors. These include two independent directors, Leo Puri and Ajay Piramal. A third, Ralf Speth, departed after completing his tenure.

Besides Chandrasekaran, Noel, and Srinivasan, there are three other Tata Sons directorsGroup CFO Saurabh Agrawal and independent directors Harish Manwani and Anita Marangoly George. Tata Sons Articles of Association states the board cannot have fewer than five directors.

Divisions

For a conglomerate that spans salt to aviation and semiconductors, it needs representatives on the board of the operating entity. To achieve this, the trustees must act in unison and reach a consensus, according to the Trusts bylaws.

A former Tata Sons director said no one could have matched RNTs stature, adding that it's unfair to conclude that Noel has not been decisive in his stint as the face of the Tata Group. "Of course, this (the division in Tata Trusts) was avoidable. But all these leaders are experienced and would put the interest of the Tata Group over personal one-upmanship," he said.

Since being appointed as the chair of Tata Sons, Natarajan Chandrasekaran kept Ratan Tata abreast of all business decisions, according to an executive privy to the development. In August this year, Chandrasekaran updated the seven trustees during a 90-minute meeting. He described Tata Sons' progress in each privately-held business, including aviation (Air India), electronics and semiconductors (Tata Electronics), and e-commerce (Tata Digital). After the meeting, the four non-nominee directors of Tata Trusts congratulated Chandrasekaran and wished him success.

Also Read | Tata Sons nears listing deadline as RBI clock ticks

The eight leaders then headed to Taj Mahal hotel for dinner.

This was a break from the past. Earlier, the point man at the Trusts was only one person: RNT. As chairman of the Trusts, his consent was obtained before every major decision involving the Tata group.

Tata Sons chair Chandrasekaran briefing all the trustees is a good practice. I would say the earlier practice of only updating Ratan Tata was not a good corporate practice," Ranina acknowledged.

According to a Trustee, nothing untoward is expected at the meeting, which will be conducted on a positive note. For now, a few executives believe a rapprochement could be reached.
An established information technology (IT) hub and an emerging space for innovation and start-ups, India's tech sector is one of the country's most promising, with software exports touching a whopping $180.6 billion in FY25, expanding at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% over the past five years.

As the country's tech sector continues to grow, we take a look at the fluctuating fortunes of the country's tech magnates, as per the latest Forbes Rich List for India.

Billionaire 2025 Net Worth 2024 Net Worth* Change Shiv Nadar $33.2B $40.2B -$7.0B Azim Premji $10.8B $12.2B -$1.4B Sridhar Vembu & siblings $6.0B $5.8B +$0.2B N R Narayana Murthy $4.6B $5.3B -$0.7B Senapathy Gopalakrishnan $3.7B $4.35B -$0.65B Sanjeev Bikhchandani & family $3.43B $4.25B -$0.82B Nandan Nilekani $3.2B $3.63B -$0.43B *2024 figures as per Forbes List, October 10, 2024

Shiv Nadar ($33.2 billion) Often referred to as one of the pioneers of India's booming IT industry, Shiv Nadar founded HCL in a garage in 1976, transforming his brainchild from an IT hardware company to a global IT enterprise over the following decades.

A noted philanthropist who established the Shiv Nadar Foundation, the HCL founder has committed more than $1 billion to philanthropy, with a focus on India's educational sector, creating institutes like the Shiv Nadar University and the SSN College of Engineering.

Nadar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008 for his contributions to the IT industry.

His wealth decreased by $7 billion this year, compared to 2024.

Azim Premji ($10.8 billion) Often called the 'Czar of the Indian IT industry', Azim Premji was instrumental in Wipro's transformation into a global leader in the software industry.

Another renowned philanthropist, Premji has donated over $21 billion to the Azim Premji Foundation, a body founded by him, which also focuses on improving India's education sector.

Premji was awarded India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2011.

Azim Premji's wealth decreased by $1.4 billion in 2025, in comparison to 2024.

Sridhar Vembu & siblings ($6 billion) The founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, which he started as AdventNet Inc in 1996, Sridhar Vembu was the force behind Zoho's ascent into a global tech powerhouse serving over 130 million users... without ever taking venture capital or going public.

With rural empowerment being a core tenet of Vembu's philosophy, the tech magnate moved back to his native Tamil Nadu village of Tenkasi from Silicon Valley in 2019, from where he continues to lead the company, which recently launched the Arattai messaging and calling app that is now aiming to take on WhatsApp.

In comparison to 2024, Vembu's wealth grew by $0.2 billion in 2025.

NR Narayana Murthy ($4.6 billion) One of the co-founders of IT giant Infosys, NR Narayana Murthy was instrumental in taking the company global.

Credited with designing and implementing the global delivery model which revolutionized IT services outsourcing from India, Murthy is a recipient of both the Padma Shri (2000) and the Padma Vibhushan (2008) awards.

While Murthy's suggestion in 2023 that individuals should work 70 hours a week sparked widespread controversy, the 79-year-old continues to be regarded as one of the leading figures in India's tech sector.

Murthy's wealth took a $0.7 billion hit in 2025, in comparison to 2024.

Senapathy Gopalakrishnan ($3.7 billion) Another one of Infosys' seven co-founders, Senapathy 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan served in various leadership roles in the IT giant.

Following his retirement from Infosys, Gopalakrishnan became a prominent figure in India's start-up ecosystem. He co-founded start-up accelerator Axilor Ventures.

Gopalakrishnan also founded the Pratiksha Trust, a philanthropic organisation supporting research in brain sciences at premier institutes such as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M).

The Infosys co-founder's wealth in 2025 decreased by $0.65 billion, compared to 2024.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani & family ($3.43 billion) The founder of Info Edge, established in 1995, Sanjeev Bikhchandani launched Naukri.com in 1997, which quickly became India's largest web-based employment platform.

Info Edge, led by Bikhchandani, went on to launch other successful ventures like real estate website 99acres.com, matrimony website Jeevansathi.com, and educational website Shiksha.com, before becoming one of the early investors in food-delivery platform Zomato and insurance aggregator Policybazaar.

In comparison to 2024, the Bikhchandani family's wealth decreased by $0.82 billion in 2025.

Nandan Nilekani ($3.2 billion) Another pivotal figure in India's digital transformation, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, after his stint as CEO, took on a public service role as the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the body responsible for implementing India's biometric identity programme, Aadhaar.

Also a noted philanthropist, Nilekani and his wife Rohini are signatories of The Giving Pledge, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday said he has joined US tech giant Microsoft, led by Satya Nadella, and artificial intelligence startup Anthropic as a senior adviser.

Delighted to say that I will be working with two of the worlds leading tech firms, Microsoft and Anthropic. Microsoft has driven productivity improvements for decades and Anthropic is one of the most exciting AI frontier labs, Sunak said in a post on LinkedIn.

Sunak will advise Anthropic on strategy, macroeconomic and geopolitical trends. The role focuses on global strategic matters, not UK-specific policy, and Sunak is prohibited from initiating contact with UK government officials on behalf of Anthropic. Amazon and Google-backed Anthropic said that the internally focused, part-time advisory role.

At Microsoft, Sunak will provide strategic perspectives on macroeconomic and geopolitical trends. He will be speaking at the annual Microsoft Summit, according to an advice letter by ACOBA's interim chair, Isabel Doverty, posted to its website on Thursday. Rishi Sunak will not be advising on any UK policy matters.

In a report published Thursday, the body advised Sunak, who is still an elected parliamentarian, to not lobby the government on Microsoft's behalf.

Is Rishi Sunak's role a paid stint? According to BBC, Rishi Sunak joined both Microsoft and Anthropic as a paid adviser.

However, it was not clear how much will he get paid. Sunak in his LinkedIn post has spoken about the payment, without mentioning the exact number.

Also Read | Former UK PM Rishi Sunak joins Goldman Sachs: A look at his new role

How will Rishi Sunak use his salary? In the LinkedIn post, Rishi Sunak said that all the proceeds from his latest roles at Microsoft and Anthropic will be donated to charity.

All proceeds from these roles will be donated in full to The Richmond Project, the charity Akshata and I founded to build confidence with everyday numbers across the UK, he said.

Rishi Sunak's corporate roles This is not the first time former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has joined a corporate role.

The Conservative Party leader joined Golman Sachs in July this year after he stepped down as PM. Sunak used to work at the investment bank from 2001 to 2004 as an analyst.

He then worked for hedge fund management firm The Children's Investment Fund Management (TCI), becoming a partner in September 2006. In 2009, Sunak joined former colleagues in California at a new hedge fund firm, Theleme Partners.
Travel tech platform Ixigos has sold a 10% stake in the company to Dutch investor Prosus for 1,295 crore, which it plans to use primarily for investing in artificial intelligence, expanding its hotel business, and acquisitions.

The company had earlier disclosed plans to sell stake of up to 16%.

Ixigos parent company, Le Travenues Technology, will issue 46.2 million equity shares at 280 apiece, to MIH Investments One BV, a venture capital fund managed by Prosus Ventures.

Shares of Le Travenues settled about 2% higher at 318.75 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday.

Following the allotment, Prosus will have the right to appoint one director to the companys board, subject to its holding remaining at or above 10%.

Ixigos management said while the fresh issue of shares as part of the Prosus investment will dilute near-term returns, it views the capital as critical for long-term growth. The plan is to invest in AI at its inflection point, accelerate growth, increase customer lifetime value and deepen operating leverage, Ixigo stated in its stock exchange filing.

For Prosus, the deal extends its exposure to Indias consumer internet sector, where it has backed Flipkart, Swiggy, Meesho, and Urban Company. In the travel space, Prosus had earlier invested in Goibibo, which was acquired by MakeMyTrip.

Ixigos four key areas Ixigo said it is looking to step up investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and strengthen its position in the online hotels segment. The company, which went public in 2024, has highlighted AI as a key differentiator, pointing to opportunities in conversational and personalized travel booking systems.

According to Ixigos exchange filing, the company will split the 1,295 crore funds raised from Prosus evenly across four areas.

About 323.9 crore has been earmarked for organic growth, including new AI platforms, technology upgrades, expansion of its hotels business, and advertising.

Another 25% will be set aside for acquisitions, joint ventures, or strategic investments, with the option to redirect unspent funds back to organic initiatives.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to accept a public interest litigation seeking an investigation into Vedanta Group based on American short-seller Viceroy Researchs allegations against the natural resources conglomerate.

A detailed order, however, is awaited in the matter.

Last month, Supreme Court judge Justice K. Vinod Chandran recused himself from hearing the petition against the Vedanta Group, after Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Kumar similarly recused himself from the case.

Referring to Viceroys allegations against Vedanta, Supreme Court Justice P.S. Narasimha on Friday observed that it was not how international agencies should influence the Indian stock market. Be it as it may, we are not going into the merits, he said in his interim order.

The petition, filed by advocate Shakti Bhatia in August, urged that the Securities and Exchange Board of India, other regulators, and the corporate affairs ministry investigate Viceroys allegations of fraud, financial manipulations, price rigging, and corporate governance issues against Vedanta Group companies, including Hindustan Zinc Ltd and Vedanta Resources Ltd.

Vedanta Group has denied all the allegations, calling Viceroys report a malicious combination of selective misinformation and baseless allegations to discredit the Group.

The petition added that Viceroy Research had submitted its findings to Sebi, the Reserve Bank of India, and the corporate affairs ministry but no action had been taken.

Also Read | Five big concerns flagged by Viceroy Research in its 87-page report on Vedanta

Viceroy's allegations Viceroy Research, in an 87-page report released in July, accused Vedanta Resources, the groups unlisted parent company, of having no significant operations of its own and relying on extracting cash from the Mumbai-listed Vedanta Ltd.

It also raised concerns about Vedanta and Hindustan Zinc, accusing them of making unauthorized foreign money transfers, evading regulations, underinvesting in their subsidiaries, taking on unsustainable debt, hiding liabilities, charging unfair brand fees, using opaque auditor networks, and having weak governance practices.

The short-seller also alleged that while Vedanta Resources chairman Anil Agarwal frequently announced ambitious plans in areas like semiconductors and nuclear power, most of those projects never materialized. Instead, according to Viceroy, the borrowed funds were allegedly diverted to the parent company.

The Viceroy-Vedanta episode was the second major instance after Hindenburg Research, another US short-seller, in January 2023 accused the Adani Group of financial misconduct, significantly hurting the stocks of the conglomerates listed companies.

Last month, Sebi cleared the Adani Group and its top executives in cases stemming from the Hindenburg allegations.

Also Read | Why Sebi cleared Adani in the Hindenburg-linked probe
We are on a journey to become the worlds largest AI-led technology services company," said Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ltds chief executive K. Krithivasan in prepared remarks on Thursday after announcing that the company will spend over $6 billion in about six years to set up data centres.

Investors and analysts are uncertain about the countrys largest IT services firm's largest pivot since its public listing in 2004. The primary concern is the lack of details and the potential impact on profitability.

Shares of TCS were down more than 1% in afternoon trade.

Regarding the data center announcement, we await clarity on the capital structure, capex schedule, and other details such as potential rentals and signed MOUs (memorandum of understanding). At present, we do not model data center investments or related revenue into our forecasts," said Motilal Oswal Financial Services analysts Abhishek Pathak, Keval Bhagat, and Tushar Dhonde, in a note dated 9 October.

A second brokerage said it was unclear on the returns this venture would generate.

It is unclear to us how the RoEs of this business will be similar to the existing business RoE of ~50% given it is capex-heavy nature with IRRs at ~20%," said Nomura analysts Abhishek Bhandari and Karan Nain, in a note dated 10 October.

Also Read | TCS pulls an AI rabbit out of its hatbut the market is not excited

RoE or return on equity is a metric that determines a company's ability to generate profits from the money invested by shareholders. IRR, short for internal rate of return, measures an investment's rate of return.

Target: Hyperscalers, deeptech

On Thursday, during the companys post-earnings call with analysts (after the management cancelled its scheduled press briefing), TCS said that it would build the data centre business through a new unit. It plans to invest $6-7 billion over the next 5-7 years to develop up to 1GW capacity.

All the data and computing will be hosted in India, and the company will look to sell its data service to pure play AI providers, deep technology companies, and hyperscalers or large scale cloud service providers.

Additionally, the data centre will be a colocation facility, where clients like hyperscalers, AI-native companies, Indian enterprises, and the government bring in their own compute and storage power.

Adding to the uncertainty was the managements call to hire an external team to run this business.

So, one, the business itself (we) will be keeping it separate. It (data centre) will have separate management bandwidth in the process of putting in an entirely separate team outside of TCS for this, but it will have adjacencies with TCS. It's a natural extension in terms of what partnerships which we are looking at creating with hyperscalers, what services we want to provide to our customers and as an adjacency," said Samir Seksaria, chief financial officer of TCS, during the analyst call.

This business would not contribute much to the companys revenue immediately. Its management said that it would take another "18 to 24 months when the first revenue starts kicking in".

Profitability concern

However, another brokerage said profitability will take a hit.

We think this direction could offer new potential revenue streams though could negatively impact margins," said BMO Capital Markets analysts Keith Bachman, Adam J. Holets, Bradley Clark, and Jonathan Stein, in a note dated 9 October.

The BMO analysts added that they do not envision near-term top-line improvement from related AI services at this juncture".

TCS ended the July-September 2025 period with $7.47 billion in revenue, up 0.6% sequentially. It reported 25.2% in operating margins, up 70 basis points from the preceding quarter. One basis point is a hundredth of a percentage point.

Data centres are areas where large servers are stacked on top of each other. These stacks of servers store computer applications and vast amounts of data for companies.

According to a Kotak Mutual Fund note published on 20 September, there are four factors driving demand for data centres in India: increasing mobile users, especially on 5G networks, increased cloud adoption, regulatory needs to store data within a geographical boundary, and higher data usage for new applications in general.

Mumbai and Chennai have the highest data centre capacity largely due to sea landing cables and availability of uninterrupted power," according to the Kotak Mutual Fund report. Both cities comprise nearly 65% of the country's total data centre capacity. Mumbai and Chennai have 536MW and 113MW of data centre capacity, respectively.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been appointed the first-ever Mental Health Ambassador of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The Health Ministry made the announcement on the occasion of World Mental Health Day.

Deepika expressed her gratitude to the government for trusting her with this important role in promoting mental health awareness by sharing a message on Instagram wrote, "On World Mental Health Day, I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare's first-ever Mental Health Ambassador."

She further highlighted that, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has made significant efforts to prioritise mental health within public health initiatives.

Also Read | Deepika Padukone addresses controversy over 8-hour work demand

"Led by our Hon. Prime Minister @narendramodi, our nation has taken meaningful steps to place mental health at the heart of public health. Through my own journey and work we've done at @tlllfoundation over the past decade, I've seen how much is possible when we come together to build a mentally healthy India. I look forward to working under the guidance of Shri. @jpnaddaofficial and the @mohfwindia to strengthen India's mental health framework further," Deepika posted.

During the event, Health Minister Nadda emphasised that Deepika's role as an ambassador will enhance awareness of mental health issues and motivate people to access government-approved mental health services promptly.

"The partnership with Ms Deepika Padukone will help widely disseminate awareness about mental health issues in India, normalise discussions to reduce stigma, and highlight mental health as an integral aspect of public health", ANI quoted Nadda's statement.

What is Deepika's new role about? In her role as the ambassador, Deepika will collaborate closely with the Ministry to promote mental health awareness, support de-stigmatisation efforts, encourage individuals to seek help and adopt preventive measures, and advocate for Tele MANAS (Tele-Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) along with other government-endorsed mental health resources.

Deepika has actively raised awareness about mental health over the years. She began sharing her views on its significance through her foundation, 'The Live Love Laugh Foundation' (TLLLF), established in June 2015.

Also Read | Rajasthan HC stays cheating case probe against Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone

PM Modi highlights the significance of mental health Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of making discussions about mental health a normal part of public conversation and society, while also praising the efforts of professionals dedicated to advancing mental well-being throughout the country.

In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, "World Mental Health Day serves as a powerful reminder that mental health is a fundamental part of our overall well-being. In a fast-paced world, this day underscores the importance of reflecting and extending compassion to others."

PM Modi emphasises the need for a collective effort to normalise conversations about mental health and said, "Let us also work collectively to create environments where conversations around mental health become more mainstream. My compliments to all those working in this field and helping others heal and find happiness."
Netflixs latest animated venture, Kurukshetra, dives headlong into the epic climax of the Mahabharat, the 18-day war that forever altered the fate of the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

Unlike other retellings that stretch across the entire saga, Kurukshetra narrows its focus to the battlefield  to the steel, spirit, and sorrow that defined the war. Narrated by the legendary Gulzar, the show balances poetry and philosophy with breathtaking visuals and storytelling finesse.

Part One of the series takes viewers through the first 14 days of the Kurukshetra war, ending just before the battle reaches its most tragic and intense phase. Yet, even with this limitation, the series manages to leave a lasting impact. The narration, tinged with Gulzars signature gravitas, gives each episode an almost lyrical rhythm, making the violence and chaos on the battlefield feel both grand and deeply human.

The animation is striking  blending stylised realism with the richness of Indian artistry. The battlefield scenes, the sweeping shots of armies, and the divine interventions are beautifully rendered, capturing both the magnitude and the emotion of the war. The series pays meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that even the armour, weaponry, and chariot designs feel authentic and grounded in the ancient world.

The dialogues are powerful without ever feeling forced. The screenwriting team deserves credit for balancing philosophical reflections with sharp exchanges that reveal the characters inner turmoil. Concepts like dharma, karma, and destiny are woven seamlessly into the script, not as lofty ideas but as living conflicts driving every warriors choice.

The voice acting is another triumph. Each character sounds distinct and convincing  from Arjunas moral confusion to Duryodhanas pride, Krishnas calm wisdom to Bhishmas weary nobility. The performances elevate the show, making even familiar moments feel fresh and emotionally charged.

Kurukshetra also shines in its willingness to touch upon lesser-discussed moments from the epic  the strategies, the betrayals, and the fragile moments of doubt that punctuate the war. These subtleties enrich the narrative, giving depth to figures often seen as merely heroic or villainous.

What makes Kurukshetra particularly compelling is its refusal to paint the Pandavas and Kauravas in simplistic shades of good and evil. While the Pandavas are traditionally seen as the upholders of dharma, guided by Krishnas wisdom and moral compass, the series does not shy away from showing the uncomfortable truths beneath that ideal.

It acknowledges that war blurs moral boundaries  that the Pandavas, though fighting for justice, were at times driven by rage, grief, and a thirst for retribution. The Kauravas deceit and cruelty pushed them into corners where honourable choices were nearly impossible, forcing them to employ equally ruthless tactics to reclaim what was rightfully theirs and to avenge Abhimanyus brutal death and Draupadis humiliation.

In doing so, Kurukshetra adds layers of realism and complexity to an age-old tale, reminding viewers that even in the pursuit of dharma, righteousness can come at a heavy human cost.

For viewers less familiar with the Mahabharat, it might help to read a brief summary of events leading up to the war. Understanding the relationships and motivations beforehand makes the viewing experience more immersive. And for mythology enthusiasts, Kurukshetra offers an exciting and thoughtful take on one of Indias greatest stories.

If theres one wish left unfulfilled, its the absence of a dedicated episode on the Bhagavad Gita. Given its profound philosophical weight, a focused exploration of Krishnas counsel to Arjuna could have been a standout moment.
Social media personality Trisha Paytas is heading to Broadway. The influencer will make her stage debut as Maxine Dean in Beetlejuice the Musical for a limited engagement from November 423 at the Palace Theatre in New York.

Trisha Paytas to make her Broadway debut Paytas will temporarily take over part of the role from Sharone Sayegh, who will continue portraying Juno during Paytass run and resume the full dual role of Maxine Dean/Juno from November 25.

The character of Maxine Dean, though minor, is a memorable part of the show  she is the wife of Maxie Dean, the chairman of Botco Industries, who attends a dinner hosted by the Deetz family.

Paytas, who rose to fame through her confessional-style vlogs, podcasts, and lifestyle videos, has long been a divisive figure online. Her candid, often controversial commentary has sparked criticism, with some accusing her of making offensive remarks.

Paytas has defended herself by calling her approach a promotional strategy. Despite the controversy, her loyal fan base remains strong, with 1.9 million Instagram followers and 10.9 million on TikTok.

More about Beetlejuice the Musical Beetlejuice the Musical began its third Broadway engagement on October 8, following a successful three-year national tour that spanned 88 cities. The current production will run for a 13-week limited engagement at the Palace Theatre until January 3, 2026.

The cast includes Justin Collette as Beetlejuice, Isabella Esler as Lydia, Will Burton as Adam, Megan McGinnis as Barbara, Jenni Barber as Delia, Jesse Sharp as Charles, and Travis Mitchell as Maxie Dean, among others.

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Adapted from Tim Burtons 1988 cult classic, the musical features a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, music by Eddie Perfect, and direction by Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers. Since its 2019 debut, the show has become a fan favourite, earning eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.
New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) has urged Tamil Nadu's Transport Department to address delays in registering new LPG-fuelled auto rickshaws in Chennai, citing the fuel's environmental and economic benefits.

In a representation to Transport Secretary SJ Chiru, IAC flagged bureaucratic hurdles that are hindering the rollout of Auto LPG (ALPG) vehicles in urban centres.

The coalition said the current registration regime favours conversions of older vehicles, while new ALPG autos face prolonged delays, pushing sales to semi-urban areas.

"Auto LPG has proven itself as a practical, affordable, and immediately deployable clean fuel solution for drivers and citizens. However, prolonged delays and regulatory bottlenecks in registering new LPG auto rickshaws threaten to undermine its potential," said IAC Director General Suyash Gupta.

The coalition noted that ALPG emits significantly fewer pollutants than petrol or diesel and is nearly 40 per cent cheaper than petrol, offering tangible savings for drivers and commuters.

It urged Tamil Nadu authorities to streamline registration processes and take cues from states like Telangana, where similar policies have boosted clean fuel adoption, according to a statement issued by IAC.

Despite compelling benefits, current registration practices in Chennai have resulted in substantial delays, with new ALPG vehicles facing considerable bureaucratic hurdles.

"Registrations are being processed slowly, with smoother processes available only for conversions of older vehicles. This has driven new ALPG vehicle sales to less restricted semi-urban areas," the statement said.

IAC warned that the current regulatory bottlenecks risk stalling investments in sustainable transport and run counter to the state's clean air and climate goals.

"We call upon the Transport Secretary of Tamil Nadu to introduce policies that recognise the value of Auto LPG for urban transport and urgently streamline the registration process. This will empower drivers, benefit public health, and further the state's climate and pollution mitigation objectives," Gupta added.

Taking cues from progressive models, such as the Hyderabad approach, which has simplified registration for LPG vehicles, the coalition has urged the Tamil Nadu authorities to consider a similar inclusive and facilitative policy.

In a rapidly urbanising state where clean air remains a challenge, enabling easier and faster registration of ALPG auto rickshaws can help Tamil Nadu realise its environmental and social goals.
PLENTY OF AMERICAN presidents have sought a breakthrough in the bitter conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Now, two years after the atrocities of October 7th and after endless rounds of killing in Gaza, Donald Trump has joined the tiny list of those who have succeeded. The tentative agreement between Israel and Hamas to stop the shooting and release the hostages opens up a new vision for the Middle East. The path is narrow, but it is the best chance of creating lasting peace since the Oslo accords in 1993 and 1995.

This new vision is radically different from the moribund approach under Oslo. It offers a shift from endless, abstract negotiations over maps and the hypothetical constitutional arrangements of two states. Instead, it promises a practical approach in which, as Gaza is governed and rebuilt, rid of the terrorists who once dominated it, Israelis and Palestinians come to believe that they have more to gain from coexisting than from destroying each other. Success looks less like a ceremony in the White House and more like a decade of cement mixers spinning in Gaza, as violent settlers in the West Bank are curbed, the threat of missiles fades and ordinary people embrace a slowly rising belief in a safer, more prosperous future.

The peace deal is a triumph for Mr Trumps transactional, bullying style of diplomacy. It came after both sides were holed up in Sharm el-Sheikh, in Egypt, with negotiators from America, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey available to apply pressure. The details are not yet public, but Hamas is due to release the 20 Israeli hostages who are still alive, alongside a parallel release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, a flood of aid and a partial pullback by the Israeli army from Gazas main cities, to what Mr Trump called an agreed upon line". In Israel and what remains of Gaza there was euphoria. Mr Trump may fly to the region to mark the deal.

Under Mr Trumps 20-point plan, the next phase would create a technocratic government that rebuilds Gaza while excluding Hamas from power. Hamas would be disarmed and security provided by an international force. Mr Trump would chair an oversight board until Palestinians took responsibility, possibly under a reformed Palestinian Authority. The grander, ultimate objective is what Mr Trump calls everlasting peace" between Israel and all of the Palestinian territories.

Of course, the obstacles to further progress are immensehow could they not be? Negotiators on both sides still have to iron out their differences over, say, Hamass disarmament. They could sign up, while cynically intending to sabotage progress later. With an estimated 78% of Gazas buildings damaged and little industry left, reconstruction could become bogged down. Most important, ordinary Israelis and Palestinians have lost faith in the possibility of peace.

Thirty years on from Oslo, and after the trauma of October 7th, most Israeli Jews see the Palestinian territories as a failed quasi-state with a record of corruption, terrorism and Jew-hatred. In 2012, 61% of Israelis supported two states. Now perhaps a quarter do and many display a chilling indifference to the loss of Palestinian life. For their part, Palestinians see Israel as a rogue state committed to occupying their land and routinely unleashing violence. Polled in May, 50% of them supported the October 7th attacks, 87% denied that Hamas had committed atrocities and 41% supported armed resistance.

And yet there are grounds for hope. The end of the war could trigger a change of leadership on both sides, with the remnants of Hamas being persuaded or forced to relinquish any formal role in Gazas government. Israel must hold an election within 12 months which polls suggest could result in the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, leaving office and the end of his coalition with extremist hard-right parties.

Abroad, the prospects have improved, too. Around the world, the public focus is on peace, after years of looking away. In Mr Trump, America has a president who is unafraid to push Israel hard. The humbling of Irans regime and its violent proxies has greatly reduced its threat to the region. The willingness of the Gulf Arab states not only to pay for Gazas reconstruction, but also to underwrite a peace process and, potentially, help provide security, is a big step forward.

That is just as well, because outsiders will have to restrain destructive impulses on both sides. Having pressed Israel to end the war on Iran, rebuked it for striking Qatar and pushed it into a hostage deal, Mr Trump must strive to get Mr Netanyahu or his successor to curb the expansion of Jewish settlements. He must bolster Palestinian institutions by stopping Israel from depriving them of customs revenue and from facilitating vigilante violence by settlers and soldiers. The Arab states must use all their influence to insist the Palestinians reject violence and to get the Palestinian Authority to reform and help it find new leaders.

They must also sell a broader vision. For Israelis this is the prospect of a new regional security order that makes them safer by deepening co-operation with Arab states, building on the Abraham accords struck in 2020. This could also forge new links with Syria, and perhaps Lebanon, both of which have escaped Irans malign grip. For Palestinians it is the prospect of reconstruction at home and new economic links with the Gulf creating a path to trade and jobs.

Gaza is the key. Palestinians everywhere will want to see if Israel can commit itself to allowing a technocratic government in the strip to emerge with international backing. For their part, Israelis will be watching whether the Palestinians in Gaza can govern themselves better, dismantling terrorist infrastructure and reforming the institutions Hamas captured.

Nobody should imagine any of this will be easy. The qualities that enabled Mr Trump to get a ceasefirehis willingness to bully, escalate and create a burning sense of urgencyare different from the sustained commitment over many years that will be required in his role as chair of the reconstruction authority. Nonetheless, in a region that has known little other than decades of conflict, this is an extraordinary moment: a slender but real chance at a new beginning.
Recently two staff members watching on monitors tracked the flight path of a small airplane flying itself above northern California, about 40 miles away. The Cessna Caravan had a pilot aboard on standby, along with a flight-test engineer, but was otherwise on its own. They were testing a new collision-avoidance system and new radar that helps the plane see and avoid other aircraft.

If all goes as planned, Reliable Robotics eventually wont need any pilots on board its planes. It is among startups vying to revolutionize air travel by doing away with the need for human pilots on cargo, military and maybe even passenger aircraft. Autonomous flight is being tested at companies from giant aircraft makers to small startups.

For now, cargo and military flights are the focus. Reliable recently signed a $17 million contract with the U.S. Air Force that involves testing autonomous cargo flights. Flying-taxi maker Joby Aviation also recently tested its own pilotless Cessna for the Air Force over the Pacific Ocean.

Reliable Robotics is among the startups automating flight by doing away with the need for human pilots on cargo and military aircraft.

Boeing and Airbus, the worlds leading makers of large commercial jets, have separately worked on introducing more automation in their aircraft, and both say the aim is to improve safety. The two companies have also examined fully autonomous flight, but say they arent working on commercial-jet designs that dont include pilots in cockpits.

Truly autonomous flight with human passengers will face a host of technical and regulatory hurdles, andperhaps the most difficult of alla tough sell to travelers.

Pilots, the faces and voices of safety for the flying public, reassure during startling turbulence or other in-flight scares. Their presence conveys someone is there to save the day.

I dont think were going to go full autonomy passenger operations immediately," says Robert Rose, Reliables chief executive. And the reason for that has more to do with passenger acceptance than it does the technology."

Advances in technology over past decades have already reduced the number of people needed on the flight deck. Aviation industry officials credit automation with steady improvements in safety, including new cockpit features that have reduced pilots workloads and helped them avoid potentially catastrophic slip-ups. Commercial aircraft can already essentially fly themselves while on autopilot in normal conditions and practically land automatically, though pilots must plug inputs into the automation, closely monitor cockpit systems and stand by to take over flying manually if needed.

Earlier in the jet age, more pilots were on the flight deck, along with navigators and flight engineers. In recent decades regulators have generally required two pilots in the cockpits of commercial flights, one to fly and the other to monitor the operation. The Air Line Pilots Association labor union that represents aviators at U.S. and Canadian carriers argues that safety depends on having a pair of well-trained, well-rested pilots ready to intervene with cockpit automation and jointly resolve emergencies like engine failures.

An Airbus project has centered on potentially reducing the number of pilots needed in the cockpit to one during certain phases of flight. It is called extended minimum crew operations, or eMCO. Airbus says its aim is to reduce fatigue by building cockpit features that would allow pilots to rest while one of them flies during certain phases of cruise, the high-altitude portion of flight.

The European plane maker has been working on modifying its A350, a large wide-body jet used on long-haul international flights, with the expectation cargo carriers might use such a system first. The systems would involve smart automation" features that kick in, for instance, when a plane depressurizescausing it to descend to 10,000 feet, sending an emergency transmission to air-traffic control and avoiding other aircraft on the way to lower altitude. Airbus said the smart feature is already in service on the A350.

On long-haul flights, the wide-body planes such as the A350 might carry three or four pilots. The eMCO system would require only one in the cockpit during certain periods, while the others can rest in crew-only areas. Airbuss design and testing has involved alerting resting pilots when the pilot in the cockpit needs help. Its going to support the crews, not replace them," says Airbus chief commercial test pilot Malcolm Ridley.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also now requires at least two pilots in cockpits of commercial planes. It said a study couldnt demonstrate that the Airbus system in development was currently as safe as that. Any consideration of this will depend on the new technologies first proving their safety benefit," said a spokeswoman for the agency.

Boeing long built aircraft with pilots at the center of their design philosophy, de-emphasizing automation. The thinking shifted after a flawed flight-control system overpowered pilots and sent two of Boeings 737 MAX jets into fatal nosedives in fall 2018 and again in spring 2019. The accidents also exposed Boeings faulty assumptions that pilots could handle such emergencies, leading the company to focus on developing more automation, improved so that it wouldnt rely on pilots responding perfectly when things go wrong.

A Wisk autonomous electric air taxi, which is being tested with ground controllers instead of a pilot on board.

Boeings pilotless flying taxi called Wisk has been a test bed for automation. The plan is to have no pilots on board, but instead use ground controllers to oversee the electric vehicles. Boeing executives have signaled they are focused on designing the companys commercial jetliners with two pilots in the cockpit while using Wisks advances in automation to reduce their workload, so they can make critical decisions faster. These types of technologies are going to be an incredible enhancement," Jim Webb, Boeings chief commercial pilot, said in September at a pilot union conference in Chicago.

Greater autonomy in aviation will become less novel over timejust as with driverless taxis, predicts Eric Allison, chief product officer at flying-taxi startup Joby. The way these technologies are getting woven in is certainly going to make it much more mundane to interact with, effectively, robots on a regular basiswhether they are robot cars or [robots for home chores] or robot airplanes," he said.

Reliable Robotics new autopilot likely at first will involve safety pilots" behind the controls ahead of further regulatory approvals, says CEO Rose, who previously worked on autonomous technologies at SpaceX and Tesla. Ground controllers will be capable of acting as remote pilots able to intervene, but the system itself will need to be able to resolve in-flight emergencies on its own. Rose says his goal is to win Federal Aviation Administration certification for using fully remote pilots with the companys planes in 2028.

The FAA declined to comment about Reliables specific work but noted the agency laid out a pathway for certifying remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft in 2020.

In addition to software, the company has been working on an onboard radar system so its autopilot can see and avoid other aircraft as pilots do. Collision-avoidance systems on commercial jets typically use a mix of transponders and other sensors, but not radar. They have also been developing stronger actuatorsmachines that pull and push and take the place of pilots muscles to move planes rudders and other flight-control surfaces in conditions where humans would otherwise have to intervene.

Reliable Robotics is working on a new radar to help its autopilot see and avoid other aircraft.

Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, predicts autonomous flight wont be ready any time soon and says he doesnt think Reliables eventual system would apply to larger aircraft. Its a robot flying a Cessna Caravan in the desert remotely," Ambrosi says. Its a lot different than an A350 or a 777 leaving out of JFK over to Europe."

Rose said Reliables system will be designed to operate in busy airport environments, starting with Albuquerque, N.M.

Were talking about a certified system that is certified for use in and around populated areas," he says. We do anticipate many of the lessons learned there to transfer to other operations around the country and much of the world."

Write to Andrew Tangel at andrew.tangel@wsj.com
Even if the move by China is posturing, analysts say it is noteworthy.

China unveiled more expansive export restrictions for its rare earth supply chain on Thursday, just weeks before President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet. Its a signal China has cards to play and underscores the fragility of any detente between the two geopolitical rivals.

Chinas new restrictions would require foreign companies to get approval for selling magnets that contain even minimal amounts of rare earth sourced from China or produced or refined using Chinese technology.

It is unclear how and when it would implement the restrictions, which mirror those the U.S. has taken to limit Chinas access to semiconductor-related exports from third countries.

Export restrictionsby the U.S. on advanced technology including semiconductor equipment and by China on critical mineralshave been a major sticking point between the two countries.

Chinas restriction on the export of rare earths and critical magnets led to a scramble among auto makers and industrials over the summer until multiple rounds of negotiations between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his counterparts relaxed them.

The litmus tests for continuing negotiations over the summer was proof China was indeed allowing the flow of critical minerals.

Clearly, this is a step in the other direction. Happening right before the negotiations [between Xi and Trump], its a signal that they have economic power and are going to use it," said Everett Eissenstat, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs and former deputy director of the National Economic Council under Trump.

Taking questions from the press during a cabinet meeting, Trump said on Thursday that he had not been briefed on Chinas latest move. We have the ultimate exportand we import from China massive amounts; maybe we have to stop doing that."

The Commerce and Treasury Departments didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Even if the move by China is posturing, analysts say it is noteworthy.

The move today is institutionalizing and professionalizing the export control system to be able to pull those cards and move swiftly if they need to," said Geoffrey Gertz, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. If there was a complete lockdown and no rare earth exports, it would have a massive ripplenot just on the U.S. but also others."More broadly, within Beijing, there has been a willingness to strike some dealas long as it is mutually beneficial, said Andy Rothman, head of China-focused research firm Sinology, who recently visited China and had discussions with those inside and advising the government.

They are going to be happy to do things like close the TikTok deal and buy more soybeans as long as they get something in returna significant reduction in the tariff level or relaxation of export restrictions like was seen in the first term," Rothman said.

Beijing is also looking for relaxation in U.S. screening of Chinese investments. On this front, the Trump administration has shown a willingness to allow investments, which have been at the core of framework pacts with other trading partners. For China, the investments would be a way to tap a large U.S. commercial market that has been harder for them to access as national security concerns have intensified. It also offers a way to access more advanced technology.Chinas asks are big foundational issues in U.S.-China policy. Significant concessions would mark a big shift in U.S. policy," Gertz said. We have now put negotiation of export restrictions in the middle of the trade relationship, which we never used to do. Previously, it had been clear national security actionslike chip controlswerent up for negotiations. The Trump administration has moved away from that framework."

Strategists note Beijing doesnt feel like it needs a deal, with less angst about the current level of tariffs and recent AI wins by the likes of DeepSeek easing some of the concerns about tech restrictions.

If they can get an agreement with the U.S. that serves their strategic interests and buys them stability, thats fine. But if not, they are ready to walk," said Arthur Kroeber, head of research at Gavekal, in a webinar. Trump wants an agreement more than the Chinese do so he is more constrained in what he can do in pushing China than they are."

The hope is that the Xi-Trump meeting in South Korea yields some marginal agreements, enough to keep the lines of communication open and paving the way for a bigger deal next year.

Write to Reshma Kapadia at reshma.kapadia@barrons.com
China under leader Xi Jinping has used its dominance of the rare-earths market to seek an edge in trade talks.

Chinas newest restrictions on rare-earth materials would mark a nearly unprecedented export control that stands to disrupt the global economy, giving Beijing more leverage in trade negotiations and ratcheting up pressure on the Trump administration to respond.

The rule, put out Thursday by Chinas Commerce Ministry, is viewed as an escalation in the U.S.-China trade fight because it threatens the supply chain for semiconductors. Chips are the lifeblood of the economy, powering phones, computers and data centers needed to train artificial-intelligence models. The rule also would affect cars, solar panels and the equipment for making chips and other products, limiting the ability of other countries to support their own industries. China produces roughly 90% of the worlds rare-earth materials.

Global companies that sell goods with certain rare-earth materials sourced from China accounting for 0.1% or more of the products value would need permission from Beijing, under the new rule. Tech companies will probably find it extremely difficult to show that their chips, the equipment needed to make them and other components fall below the 0.1% threshold, industry experts said.

These rare-earth minerals and the ability to refine them are just the basis of modern civilization," said Dean Ball, who recently left his White House role as an AI policy adviser to become a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, a think tank. He added that the rules could cause a U.S. recession if implemented aggressively because of how important AI capital spending is to the economy.

The U.S. and other countries are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers, making AI a key economic engine. China gaining control of the technology would potentially let it catch up in the AI race and upend the world order, experts said.

Its an economic equivalent of nuclear waran intent to destroy the American AI industry," said Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank. He called it a blackmail tactic" ahead of a potential meeting between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea in the coming weeks to continue trade talks and didnt think China will follow through on fully implementing the rule.

A rare-earths production site in China, in 2010.

Trump said at a cabinet meeting that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick would figure out how to respond. We import from China massive amounts and maybe we will have to stop doing that," Trump said. The rules were announced without notice to the U.S., and appear to be an effort to control the worlds technology supply chains, a White House official said.

China has used rare earths to gain leverage in trade talks throughout the year. Restrictions in April sent shock waves through supply chains, helping lead to a trade truce announced in June.

Former administration officials and experts suggested the U.S. could respond by adding to its tariff regimen, cutting China off from Western semiconductor manufacturing equipment and accelerating efforts to build out domestic rare-earths capacity. Some analysts expect Trump to hit back hard.

The U.S. levies are now in the range of 30% to 50% on Chinese importshigher than the levels negotiated with Vietnam, Japan and Indonesia. Chinas average tariffs on U.S. exports are at around 33%.

While positioned as retaliation for recent U.S. export-control actions targeting Chinese tech companies, Beijings decision is a calculated power play, according to people familiar with the Chinese governments decision-making process. China is trying to strengthen its leverage over Trumpwhom it sees as eager to strike a dealin a bid to extract concessions on tariffs and tech controls, the people said.

During the last round of negotiations with senior American officials in Madrid last month, Chinas chief trade negotiator, Vice Premier He Lifeng, asked for the full removal of tariffs and export controls, The Wall Street Journal has reported. The latest rare-earth action, the people said, is a tactic aimed at achieving that goal.

The action, the people noted, is part of a pattern of China responding to what it perceives as feeble actions from Washington with disproportionately strong moves.

The new rules also cover goods that could be used for military purposes. They would expand on previous restrictions on rare-earth metals and related products that have already hit companies around the world.

Beijing sees President Trump, listening to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as keen for a trade deal with China.

The semiconductor supply chain is vulnerable to actions like Chinas because large chip plants require big capital investments from an ecosystem of companies providing specialized equipment, intricate technical processes and final packaging. Companies in the U.S., Taiwan, Japan and the Netherlands all collaborate with one another.

The Trump and Biden administrations have offered subsidies and other policies to aid the process, but domestic capacity generally remains in its infancy.

Some analysts said the new rules will fuel new urgency for big tech companies to invest more in these areas.

This is a real vulnerability for U.S. AI companies," said Joseph Hoefer, chief AI officer at lobbying firm Monument Advocacy, which represents tech companies.

Write to Amrith Ramkumar at amrith.ramkumar@wsj.com and Lingling Wei at Lingling.Wei@wsj.com
CAIROThe Israeli military said Friday a cease-fire in Gaza went into effect at noon local time, setting the stage for the release of the remaining hostages and an influx of humanitarian aid into the territory.

Israeli troops on Friday morning began withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip as part of the cease-fire deal, Israeli and Arab officials said. Israels government approved the agreement overnight local time, which calls on Israeli forces to pull back to a line marked in yellow on a map. Hamas said it would begin deploying internal security forces in the areas from where the Israeli forces withdraw.

The Israeli troop withdrawal sets up the cease-fire and starts a 72-hour countdown for the release of the hostages, mediators say.

Officials involved in the negotiations said final details are still being smoothed out between Israel and Hamas in Egypt, including the precise demarcation of the yellow line, the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and control of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

Israeli hospitals and the Israeli military are preparing to receive the living hostages, relying on the experience they have accumulated from previous exchanges of prisoners-for-hostages since the start of the war.

Aid groups are also preparing for Israel to open up border crossings so they could begin flooding Gaza with desperately needed food and medicine. Some aid trucks have been entering the enclave in recent months, though in much lower numbers than what is needed.

Though celebrations erupted in both Gaza and Tel Aviv, mediators and many civilians on both sides are holding their breath to see if the cease-fire will hold. Smoke billowing in the air could be seen on live feeds from Gaza on Friday morning.

Palestinians in Gaza are worried that a breakdown in the deal will lead to a resumption of strikes, as has happened twice before. And Israeli hostage families anxiously await to see their captive relatives return after a months-long struggle in the streets and lobbying world leaders to their cause.

Some Gazans posted online about explosions being heard on Friday morning. An Israeli official said that troops are blowing up some of their own equipment and infrastructure as they pull out. The Israeli military struck northern Gaza on Thursday night just before the deal passed the governments vote, saying militants had posed a danger to troops.

The deal, which President Trump announced from the White House on Wednesday, promises to close a wound opened by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage. About 20 remaining hostages are believed to be alive in Gaza, in addition to the bodies of around 28 others.

The deal will bring the first significant pause in fighting since March, giving momentum to the effort to end a two-year war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.

The U.S. administration hopes it will also be the first step toward a longer-term settlement that will involve talks over the disarmament of Hamas and the formation of an interim government to oversee Gaza.

U.S. Central Command will be leading an international stabilization force and set up a civil-military coordination center that could include Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, a senior U.S. official said.

U.S. troops began to arrive in Israel on Thursday, the first of about 200 being sent to support the cease-fire in Gaza as part of an international team, according to U.S. officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stepped away from negotiating an end to the war in Gaza on Thursday to post on X an altered photo of himself hanging an outsize Nobel Peace Prize medal around the neck of President Trump.

He deserves it!" Netanyahu wrote.

The mocked-up image was a late salvo in an international campaign to persuade the secretive five-person Norwegian committee that decides on the award to make Trump the fifth American president to win it.

He has been fixated on the prize, and for months, domestic supporters and international leaders seeking his favor have joined him in a vociferous campaign. With the committee set to announce this years recipient Friday, that effort is likely to fall short, analysts said.

A public candidature and campaigning like the one that we have seen this year is highly unusual," said Nina Graeger, the director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo. The peace prize honors sustainable and lasting peace," she said. In view of that, I do not think that it is likely that Trump receives it for this year."

As unorthodox as Trumps campaign has been, it isnt without merit. The president, his supporters, heads of state and groups such as the families of the Gaza hostages, argue that his efforts to negotiate cease-fires in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere warrant serious consideration for the award. They have noted his contributions to peace efforts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo; Cambodia and Thailand; India and Pakistan; Serbia and Kosovo; Egypt and Ethiopia; and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

If a Gaza cease-fire results in a cessation to the war, Trumps lobbying, however unconventional, could appear justified.

I made seven deals, and now its solved the warsone going 31 years, one going 34 years, one going 35 years, one going 10 years," Trump said at the White House on Thursday. I made seven deals. This would be number eight. He added that he didnt know what the Nobel committee is going to do, really, but I know this: nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months."

Trumps campaign for the prize has attracted foreign leaders and domestic politicians down a new avenue to his good graces.

At an August cabinet meeting, Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said there was only one thing he wished for: that the Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since this Nobel award was ever talked about to receive that award."

The families of some Israeli hostages held in Gaza have thrown their weight behind Trump, arguing in a recent letter to the Nobel committee that in this past year, no leader or organization has contributed more to peace around the world than President Trump. While many have spoken eloquently about peace, he has achieved it. While others have offered empty promises, he has delivered tangible results that have saved countless lives."

The last-minute lobbying is unlikely to affect the committees decision, analysts said.

Government officials, university professors, current and former committee members and past Nobel Peace Prize winners are among those who might submit nominations to the five-member committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament to select recipients. One may not nominate oneself.

Beginning in September, the committee received 338 nominations for this years prizefor 244 individuals and 94 organizationsup from 286 nominees last year and short of the all-time high of 376 candidates in 2016.

The nomination deadline for this years prize was Jan. 31, which was 11 days after Trump was sworn in for his second term. In February and March, the committee narrowed the candidates to a shortlist of what is typically 20 to 30 people. The committee doesnt confirm the identities of nominees.

Perhaps fueling Trumps ambitions, President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009about nine months into his first termfor, according to the committee, creating a new climate in international politics." Many Republicans accused the committee of politicizing the prize two years after former Vice President Al Gore, like Obama, a Democrat, won the award for raising awareness about climate change. Some said that neither man had made significant contributions to peace.

During last years presidential campaign, Trump said that if his name were Obama, he would have received the Nobel Peace Prize in 10 seconds."

The president was put up for the award by allies during his first term. Trumps name was submitted after he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a bid to restrain the countrys nuclear-weapons program and, later, in the wake of the Abraham Accords, a landmark deal during Trumps first term that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries.

A member of the Norwegian Parliament nominated Trump for the 2021 prize, which went to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, journalists from the Philippines and Russia, respectively.

Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite, established the peace prize in his will, saying it should go to the person or group who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations."

The Nobel committee has praised previous winners for their work in advancing human rights, multilateralism, democracy and policies to combat climate change. Some have questioned Trumps commitment to these issues.

Last month, he didnt appear on Peace Research Institute Oslos shortlist of Peace Prize favorites.

Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, recently listed Trump as fifth likeliest to win the prize, with a 4% chance.

While he clearly deserves credit for his efforts to end the war in Gaza, and the peace plan is the most promising in many years, it is too early to tell whether the peace agreement will lead to lasting peace," Graeger said. Trumps retreat from international institutions and his wish to take over Greenland" dont align with Alfred Nobels intent to award the prize to those who promote fellowship among nations, Graeger added.

Should Trumps efforts in Gaza and Ukraine bear fruit, Graeger said, the committee would likely consider him more seriously for the prize next year, perhaps together with other parties in the Middle East who have been heavily involved in the negotiations," including Qatar and Egypt.

Asked about the prize during a Thursday meeting at the White House with Finlands President Alexander Stubb, Trump appeared resigned to the defeat of his Nobel campaign, saying that he wasnt sure of his chances and that he hadnt worked to resolve international conflicts to win the award.

I didnt do it for that," he said. I did it because I saved a lot of lives."

Write to Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@wsj.com
Farmers may soon have just one number to call for every grievance  from crop insurance delays to fake fertilizer complaints. The government is planning to launch a centralized toll-free helpline that will serve as a one-stop platform for all agriculture-related complaints and queries, three officials aware of the matter said.

At present, farmers must reach out to different helplines for different schemes, often facing confusion, delays, and poor redressal.

The move is significant as it aims to simplify how farmers access government support and resolve complaints. By replacing multiple scheme-specific helplines with a single point of contact, the initiative promises faster grievance redressal, stronger coordination, and greater transparency.

It will also act as an information hub for agricultural schemes and improve service quality through timely resolutions. Agriculture remains the backbone of Indias economy, employing nearly half the population and contributing about 18% to the GDP.

Centralized system

A centralized call centre is being established to streamline communication for farmers. The facility will ensure easier access to all types of information, support services, and grievance redressal," said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, told Mint. The number will be toll-free and accessible across the country, he added.

According to an agriculture ministry official cited above, the proposed helpline will address a wide range of concerns including crop insurance, subsidies, delayed payments, pest attacks, counterfeit inputs, and weather advisories.

To report grievances related to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), farmers currently have to call 14447  the insurance-linked helpline  or register complaints on the Krishi Rakshak Portal.

Another toll-free number, 1800-180-1551, handles issues related to schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and cases involving fake seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

The system will be staffed with trained personnel and supported by a digital ticketing mechanism to ensure every complaint is recorded, tracked, and resolved efficiently. Calls made by farmers from any state or union territory will be automatically routed to the personnel assigned specifically to their region," the official said.

Also Read | What has led to the spike in fertilizer demand this kharif season?

The toll-free helpline will work via landline and mobile across states and support nearly two dozen official languages to cater to Indias diverse farming community.

However, neither of the three specified a timeline for when the helpline would become operational. They only maintained that the service would be launched soon.

Policy insights and planning

"Additionally, the data collected will help policymakers identify common problems, enabling better planning and targeted interventions," said another official cited above. The system, they added, could become a vital support mechanism for farmers in remote regions.

Puneet Singh Thind, farm expert and founder of Northern Farmers Mega FPO, said the idea is promising but implementation must be coordinated with states. The centralized approach is expected to significantly ease the burden on farmers and provide timely support. However, there should be better coordination with state-level agencies, as many schemes are centrally sponsored," he said.

Also Read | Big boost for agritech: India opens doors to more farm subsidies

Currently, the Krishi Rakshak helpline has received 9.5 million calls till January this year, helping the Centre and states monitor farmer grievances on a unified platform. Separately, the Kisan Call Centre recorded about 352.2 million calls in 2022-23, according to data shared with the Lok Sabha.

The initiative is part of a broader digital push to empower farmers and provide financial security amid rising climate risks and crop uncertainties.
New Delhi: The government has overhauled more than four-decade-old safety codes that govern the production, handling, and storage of hazardous chemicals, as it seeks to strengthen industrial safety and prevent chemical-related tragedies in the country.

As part of the revamp, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced new national norms covering benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX), chlorine tablets, and radiological monitoring.

The decision comes amid rising concern over chemical misuse and public safety, following a series of fatal incidentsfrom the nitrogen gas leak at a pharmaceutical unit in Palghar, Maharashtra, to the recent deaths caused by toxic chemical contamination in cough syrups.

The BISs decision to revise chemical safety standards prepared in 1968 marks a renewed effort to incorporate stronger safeguards in production, compliance, and monitoring systems before another disaster strikes.

Also Read | No relief in sight for specialty chemicals amid tariff turmoil

Tailored codes for hazardous chemicals

According to a government notification issued on 8 October, the revamped BTX safety codes, split into three parts, replace the outdated 1968 standard. The updated codes recognize the distinct hazard profiles of each chemical, prescribing specific measures for handling, storage, exposure limits, and emergency responses, as per the government notification.

Queries emailed to the consumer affairs ministry, under which the BIS functions, remained unanswered.

Industry experts believe the move will help close loopholes that allowed unsafe practices to persist under a one-size-fits-all rule.

BTX is a highly flammable and toxic mixture of benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Strengthening safety standards for industrial chemicals should always be viewed positivelyit is essential for public safety," said Pradeep Gupta, president, Chemical Merchants Association, Delhi.

Human life must come first. The safety standards set by the government should be strictly followed by manufacturers, traders, and even consumers. Financial losses can be recovered, but human lives cannot be replaced...We strongly support the governments move to tighten chemical norms and urge that local authorities ensure strict compliance on the ground," said Gupta.

As per the order, the BIS has also updated two key standards used in the paint industry for ultramarine blue and prussian blue (iron blue) chemicals. The earlier standards were several decades old and did not match current technology or safety needs.

The new standards will help improve the quality and consistency of paints, make the handling of these chemicals safer, and reduce harmful impurities. This will protect workers health and the environment, while giving consumers safer and more reliable products.

The chlorine tablet standard has also been tightened, a critical step for sectors involved in water purification, hygiene, and public health. Even minor inconsistencies in purity or dissolution can cause disinfection failures or lead to the formation of harmful by-products.

Also Read | Old oil paintings are suffering from chemical acne

From a public health standpoint, experts see the move as long overdue. Industrial safety is not just an occupational issueits a community health concern," said Rajni Kant Srivastava, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Chair for Disease Elimination and former founder-director of ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Gorakhpur. Toxic leaks dont stop at factory gates. Strengthening standards for monitoring, handling, and emergency response will help reduce chronic exposure risks, respiratory ailments, and long-term contamination of air and water around industrial clusters."

For manufacturers and MSMEs, the new standards may increase compliance requirements, including more rigorous testing, improved documentation, and possible equipment upgrades. However, these changes align Indias framework more closely with international benchmarks, ensuring that domestic products face fewer rejections or inspections at foreign ports.

The government's move is likely to usher in safer industrial practices, translating into fewer leaks, stronger environmental safeguards, and greater trust in products such as paints, solvents, and water treatment chemicals.

The order specifies that older standards will be withdrawn in a phased manner by March 2026, giving industry time to adapt.

Other products whose standards have been revised include base paper for sublimation coating and sublimation coated paper, which will help improve print quality and durability in textile and packaging applications.

In addition, several standards related to radiation safety and monitoring have been updated. These include norms for monitoring radioactive gases in effluents from facilities producing positron-emitting radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals, guidance for gamma spectrometry measurement of radioactive waste, and methods for measuring radioactivity in gamma and beta-emitting radionuclides to assess the ease of decontamination of surface materials.

As per an Invest India report, the Indian chemical market was valued at about $220 billion in 2023, and projected to reach $300 billion by 2025 and potentially $850 billion to $1 trillion by 2040.
New Delhi: Indias sovereign green bond programme, launched in FY23 to fund climate-focused projects, is facing its toughest year yet. Though the government has an ambitious 25,342 crore borrowing target for FY26, weak investor appetite may force it to reconsider its plan after a recent 30-year reissue raised only half the intended amount. Mint unpacks the reasons behind the drag in Indias green bonds.

Whats behind the weak investor demand?

Indias green bonds are struggling to stand out from regular government securities. With no clear pricing edge or incentive, most investors see little reason to buy them.

Although markets generally anticipate a greenium"where green bonds carry slightly lower yields than regular onesIndias sovereign green bonds have shown minimal and inconsistent yield differences.

While many developed markets achieve a greenium of 3-8 basis points over conventional bonds, in India, this has been limited to 2-3 bps. One basis point is a hundredth of a percentage point.

On Friday, the 10-year government bond was trading at 6.524%, while the 30-year bond was at 7.122%, according to Bloomberg data.

The domestic investor base also remains indifferent to the green label. Institutional buyers still prioritise yield and liquidity over environmental credentials. Without tangible policy nudges, differentiated tax treatment, or a strong ESG-driven demand base, these instruments struggle to attract meaningful participation beyond mandatory or symbolic allocations.

How serious is the shortfall?

In FY25, green bond issuances increased to 25,297.89 crore, up from 20,785.60 crore in the previous year, but still fell short of the target of 32,060.86 crore. The first half of the current fiscal year has been worse: of the 10,000 crore reissued recently, only 5,000 crore was subscribed, at a yield higher than that of comparable 10-year and 30-year bonds.

The central government aims to raise 10,000 crore through green bonds during the second half of the year, with two 30-year issuances of 5,000 crore each. Yet, it remains unlikely to meet its FY26 green bond target of 25,342 crore.

Why is India struggling to build a greenium?

Unlike developed markets, India lacks a deep ESG investor base or dedicated green investment vehicles. With no clear incentive structure or portfolio mandates valuing sustainability, green bonds are priced like any other government debt.

The central challenge remains that sovereign green bonds have not yet been able to establish a sustainable greenium. In some instances, cut-off yields have been at or marginally above comparable vanilla G-Secs, which runs counter to the objective of securing a pricing advantage for green paper," said Venkatakrishnan Srinivasan, managing partner at financial advisory firm Rockfort Fincap Llp.

Also Read | Gift City sovereign green bonds face currency hurdle

Offshore ESG-focused pools and FPIs have not participated to the extent initially envisaged, and the domestic market does not yet have a critical mass of dedicated green or sustainability-focused investors. This has led to green issuances being treated on par with conventional G-Secs, limiting scope for differentiated pricing," he added.

The finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have so far focused on strengthening the green bond framework and enhancing credibility, rather than introducing new direct incentives such as tax benefits.

How can India make green bonds more attractive?

Policy nudges could be crucial. Carving out green bonds as a separate SLR sub-category, requiring banks to hold a small mandatory share, could help. SLR or statutory liquidity ratio is the minimum share of a banks deposits that must be held in liquid assets like cash, gold, or government securities. Set by the RBI, the SLR helps ensure banks can meet obligations, manage credit growth, and maintain economic stability.

Similarly, tweaking the investment norms of pension, provident, and insurance funds to include green assets would anchor a steady investor base and eventually create a sustainable greenium.

According to a CEEW Green Finance Centre report released earlier this year, municipal green bonds could mobilise up to 20,000 crore by 2030, unlocking critical funding for civic and climate-resilient urban growth in India.

Identifying viable green infrastructure projects and accurately assessing municipal debt capacity would create a stronger pipeline of bankable projects. Strengthening internal capacity on finance and sustainability would equip them to better prepare and execute projects," the report said.

Engaging financial intermediaries, including credit rating agencies, merchant bankers, development finance institutions, and institutional investors, would help cities navigate regulatory requirements and boost investor confidence, it added.

What happens next?

The government will continue to fund renewables, metro projects, and the Green Hydrogen Mission through a mix of green and regular bonds. But with borrowing costs rising and demand still patchy, the real challenge lies in creating a market that prices climate impact alongside credit risk.

That will take more than relabeling debtit requires clearer disclosures, transparent tracking of proceeds, and fiscal or regulatory incentives that make climate-aligned investments financially attractive.

Also Read | Green bonds stumble as investors refuse to pay a premium
Canara HSBC Life Insurance IPO Day 1 Updates: Canara HSBC Life Insurance IPO subscription status was 9% on day 1. The retail portion was subscribed 14%, and NII portion has been booked 0.05%, Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) portion received 0.03% bids.

The company has received bids for 1,51,32,320 shares against 16,67,15,000 shares on offer, at 17:00 IST, according to BSE data.

The initial public offering (IPO) for Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Ltd will be open for subscription from October 10 to October 14. Canara HSBC Life IPO price band has been set in the range of 100 to 106 per share, aiming for a valuation of approximately 10,000 crore at the highest price point. Canara HSBC Life Insurance IPO GMP today is 10.

Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company is a joint venture sponsored by Canara Bank, which possesses a 51 percent stake, and HSBC Group's HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings, which holds 26 percent.

The IPO of Canara HSBC Life consists entirely of an offer for sale (OFS) of 23.75 crore equity shares by its promoters and an investor.

As part of the OFS, Canara Bank will sell 13.77 crore equity shares, HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Ltd will sell 47.5 lakh shares, and Punjab National Bank intends to divest 9.5 crore equity shares.

Since this is an OFS, the company will not receive any funds from the public issue; instead, the money will go to the selling shareholders.

Established in 2007, Canara HSBC Life has become a significant private player in the Indian life insurance market, led by banking.

(Stay tuned for more updates)
LG Electronics IPO Allotment Highlights: LG Electronics' initial public offering (IPO) concluded on Thursday, October 9, witnessing a massive demand from all categories of investors. And now the investor's focus is on their allotment status, which is also available. Those who have applied for the public issue can check LG Electronics IPO allotment status online by logging in at the BSE or NSE website. They can also log in at the official website of its registrar, Kfin Technologies.

At the end of the third day, LG Electronics IPO garnered bids for 3,85,32,39,416 shares as against 7,13,34,320 shares on offer, translating into a subscription status of 54.02 times.

The 11,607-crore LG Electronics IPO was priced at 1,080 to 1,140 per share, valuing the company around 77,400 crore at the upper end.

LG Electronics IPO was entirely an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 10.18 crore shares by the South Korea-based parent. Since the IPO is entirely an OFS, no proceeds from the stake sale will be received by the company, but will go to its promoter.

After Hyundai last year, LG Electronics is the second South Korean company to list on the Indian stock market.

LG Electronics IPO GMP

LG Electronics IPO GMP today stood at 395, its highest ever. Earlier, its GMP touched a peak of 323, a day prior to the opening. At the prevailing GMP and the upper end of the IPO price band, LG Electronics share price could list at 1535, a premium of 33%.

LG Electronics shares are expected to make their stock market debut on October 14.

Track this space for all the LIVE updates on LG Electronics IPO allotment
Pharma stocks in India witnessed a sharp rally on Friday, with shares of Cipla, Divis Laboratories, Piramal Pharma, and others surging up to 5% amid strong buying momentum. The rally came after reports that the US Senate has approved the Biosecure Act, boosting sentiment in the sector. The Nifty Pharma index climbed 1.7% during the session.

Divis Laboratories, Piramal Pharma, Wockhardt, Cipla, Laurus Labs, Aurobindo Pharma, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddys Laboratories were among the top gainers in the Nifty Pharma index.

The rally in pharma stocks highlights renewed investor interest in Indian pharmaceutical and contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) companies.

What is the US Biosecure Act? According to Bloomberg News, the US Senate passed the Biosecure Act late Thursday night. The legislation seeks to prohibit federal funding for certain Chinese biotech firms identified as biotechnology companies of concern. It also aims to restrict American investments in sensitive Chinese industries, as part of efforts to secure the US biotech supply chain.

However, it is important to note that the Biosecure Act is not yet law. The US House of Representatives and the Senate must agree on an identical version of the bill, which will then require the signature of President Donald Trump to be enacted.

Also Read | Tata Motors demerger: Shares dip on the record date for debenture holders

Impact on Indian Pharma and CDMOs Analysts believe that the move could significantly benefit Indian pharma companies. In the past, even the unapproved version of the Biosecure Act led to increased inquiries and project wins for Indian CDMOs, as global innovators looked to diversify their supply chains away from China.

Over the last 23 years, Indian pharma companies have already secured a number of manufacturing projects, and the approval of this Act may accelerate this trend.

Indian Companies Likely to Benefit Brokerages and market experts suggest that the Indian CDMO companies that are likely to benefit from the move include Divis Laboratories, Jubilant Pharmova, Neuland Laboratories, Dr Reddys Laboratories and Biocon.
How can you identify the companies and industries that will do well in the stock market?

After all, no one has seen the future.

This question highlights the importance of asset allocation over stock picking.

If you can find the right sectors to allocate funds in your portfolio, individual stock selection can potentially take a back seat.

In this editorial, we aim to guide you in this regard.

Lets examine three sectors that have the potential for gains in 2026.

Defence

Historically, India relied heavily on foreign countries for its defence needs. About 65-70% of defence equipment was imported until 2018.

However, this landscape has dramatically shifted, with around 65% of defence equipment now manufactured within India. This transformation reflects the country's commitment to self-reliance.

Also Read | Sebi to review rule that disqualifies market participants over mere allegations

Moreover, the strength of India's defence industrial base, which comprises 16 defence PSUs, several private conglomerates such as the Tatas and L&T, over 430 licensed companies, and approximately 16,000 MSMEs, has become robust.

Consequently, the annual defence production is expected to cross the target of 1.75 trillion by the end of FY25. The aspiration is to achieve 3 trillion worth of defence production by 2029. This would solidify India's position as a global defence manufacturing hub.

The defence budget reached a record allocation of 6.21 trillion for FY25, representing a 4.7% increase from FY24. This amount accounts for approximately 13% of the total budget.

In FY26, the allocation is expected to break all recordsat 6.8 trillion. This figure includes 1.8 trillion for military modernization, also a record. The amount for capital acquisitions was 1.72 trillion or about 27.7% of the total defence budget.

1 trillion was also allocated to deep tech as long-term, low- or zero-interest loans. This is aimed at incentivizing the industry to step up its research and development investments and develop cutting-edge technologies for the Indian armed forces.

We have seen a boom in exports as well. Defence exports have surged to a record high of 23,622 crore in FY25. This represented a 12.04% growth over FY24.

India has evolved from a largely import-dependent military force to one increasingly focused on self-reliance and indigenous production.

Many defence companies, especially those in high-tech segments such as sensors, radars, missiles, and drones, will benefit from this spending in both the short and long term.

You can check out the best defence stocks in India with Equitymasters stock screener.

Software

This sector is down in the dumps currently due to three main reasons.

First, the US governments new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas.

Second, the slowdown in client spending in the US market due to uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

Third, the disruption caused by AI and the need to train the workforce to be AI-ready.

Also Read | Five fastest growing water infra stocks to watch out for in 2026

Clearly, 2025 will not go down as a good year for Indian IT stocks.

However, it would be wrong to write off these stocks for 2026.

Heres why

India is the leading IT sourcing destination in the world, with a market share of about 55%.

India's IT industry estimates that its likely to reach a $350 billion revenue mark by 2026 and contribute 10% to the country's GDP.

These estimates also say that the industry is on track to achieve a revenue of $500 bn by 2030.

This position has been achieved through a combination of cost arbitrage, high-quality and reliable service delivery, as well as strong domain experience and client relationships built over the years.

Indian IT firms have established software development centres worldwide, particularly in developed nations where demand for software services is the highest.

These firms are not resting on their laurels. They have entered into strategic alliances with top international firms across many industries to strengthen their respective competitive positions.

And its not just services; the IT product industry in India is also growing strongly. According to the IBEF, this industry is expected to reach $100 billion in revenue by 2025.

In light of increasing competition, Indian software companies are focusing on international expansion to enhance their global presence, while also moving up the value chain.

Indian companies are also focusing on newer models such as platform-based services and the creation of intellectual property.

Indian IT companies have traditionally been run well by their owners and managers.

The global nature of the business instilled a sense of professionalism in the workforce from the industry's early days.

The listed IT companies, for the most part, are fundamentally strong, usually debt-free, have stable margins, strong free cash flows, good dividend policies, and high return ratios.

You can check out Equitymaster's stock screener to find the best IT stocks in India.

Data centres

India's digital economy is expanding at breakneck speed, and at the heart of this transformation lies an industry quietly soaking up billions in investmentsdata centres.

As businesses, governments, and consumers shift their activities online, the demand for secure, high-capacity data storage is skyrocketing.

The numbers tell the story. India's data centre market is now worth around $10 billion, with revenues hitting $1.2 billion in FY24, according to Anarock Capital.

The sector has attracted a staggering $6.5 billion in investments over the past decade, and capacity is set to surge 44% to 2.1 gigawatts in 2025.

And India is just beginning its major build-out phase. The long-term potential is huge.

More companies are shifting to the cloud, artificial intelligence is driving heavier workloads, and regulators are pushing firms to keep more data within the country. Global investors, seeing the potential, are lining up to fund the infrastructure.

The result is a wave of expansion that should take third-party data centre capacity from roughly 1,250MW today to almost 2,500MW by 2028.

According to recent media reports, the government is considering a bold plan: offering data centre developers a tax holiday of up to 20 years, provided they meet milestones in terms of capacity, energy efficiency, and job creation.

The draft National Data Centre Policy 2025, now out for consultation, is designed to position India as a global hub for cloud infrastructure, AI, and digital services. The move could open doors not just for data centre operators but also for the companies powering this ecosystem.

For investors, this boom presents a compelling opportunity. A handful of companies stand to benefit significantly from the sector's rapid expansion.

You can check out Equitymaster's stock screener to find the best data centre stocks in India.

Conclusion

Well, this was a list of the three sectors we think can potentially produce good investments next year, as long as investors get the stock selection right.

We hope this editorial has triggered your curiosity to dig deeper and find fundamentally strong stocks.

But before you do so, a fair warning. Investors should not go overboard on any sectoral trend.

Do not allocate most of your funds into any one sector. Ensure sufficient diversification of your portfolios. Also, do your due diligence before investing in any stock.

Having said that, these three sectors are poised to do well in 2026 and beyond.

Investors should evaluate the company's fundamentals, corporate governance, and stock valuation as key factors when conducting due diligence before making investment decisions.

Happy Investing.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such.

This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com
With Indias solar energy capacity continuing to expand, domestic brokerage Nuvama Institutional Equities expects a strong September-quarter performance from solar module manufacturers Waaree Energies and Premier Energies.

The brokerage estimates Waaree to record a strong jump in revenue to 51 billion, up 41 per cent year-on-year and 14 per cent quarter-on-quarter, with EBITDA at 11 billion, doubling from last year and rising 7 per cent sequentially.

Also Read | Waaree Energies charged up on strong solar demand, but tariff concerns persist

This growth is expected to be driven by robust demand and improved operational efficiencies resulting from higher production, with margins projected to expand by 635 basis points year-on-year to 21 per cent.

Waarees solar module production is expected to rise to 2.7 gigawatts as utilisation improves on expanded capacity. The brokerage also forecasts net profit to jump to 9.4 billion, supported by higher other income of 4.7 billion, primarily due to a stake sale in its subsidiary, Indosolar Limited.

For Premier Energies, the brokerage projects revenue and EBITDA to rise to 19 billion and 5.4 billion, driven by strong demand for its high-margin DCR modules and solar cells, along with steady DCR-module realisations.

Also Read | Solar stocks set to shine from policy tailwinds, says Nuvama

The brokerage forecasts EBITDA margin at 29 per cent, supported by better capacity utilisation for cells at 94 per cent and modules at 75 per cent. On the bottom line, Nuvama expects the company to report a net profit of 2.9 billion.

Nuvama expects Waaree Technologies stock to reach  3943 The brokerage believes that Waarees backward and forward integration is set to de-risk earnings concentration. Its inverters facility is scheduled to start by Q4FY26, while the GH2 electrolyser facility, advanced lithium-ion cells, and BESS capacities are expected to commence in FY27. These expansions are expected to enable the company to capture what could be a significant multi-decadal growth opportunity.

Stronger operating cash flow is expected to largely support its higher capital expenditure requirements of 150 billion. With 75 billion in net cash and EBITDA exceeding 50 billion per annum, Waarees balance sheet remains robust.

Amid multiple growth levers, the brokerage expects the stock to touch 3,943 per share, representing an 18.30 per cent jump from its latest closing price.

Premier Energies, which is not rated by the brokerage, remains optimistic about domestic growth prospects, citing expanding demand, favourable government policies, and improving technologies.

Policy-driven demand, including initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli, PM Kusum Scheme, and CPSU Scheme Phase II, is expected to support growth over the next two to three years, the brokerage noted.
The Indian stock market saw healthy buying on Friday, October 10, with the benchmarks- the Sensex and the Nifty 50- extending gains to the second consecutive session amid mixed global cues.

The Sensex rose 329 points, or 0.40 per cent, to close at 82,500.82, while the Nifty 50 settled at 25,285.35, up 104 points, or 0.41 per cent. Gains were broad-based as the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices rose 0.36 per cent and 0.59 per cent, respectively.

The overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly 462 lakh crore from 460 lakh crore in the previous session, making investors richer by about 2 lakh crore in a single session.

Indian stock market: 10 key highlights from the day 1. Why did the Sensex, Nifty 50 rise today? Market benchmarks rose for the second consecutive session on optimism that a potential trade deal between India and the US could be near.

As Mint reported, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 9 October, spoke with US President Donald Trump to congratulate him on the Gaza peace plan. During the conversation, PM Modi said, the two leaders also reviewed ongoing trade negotiations, noting good progress.

Earlier, on Tuesday, 7 October, news agency PTI reported that Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal stated that India and the US are continuing their dialogue on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA), including the possibility of meeting the November 2025 deadline.

Moreover, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have been buying Indian equities in the cash segment since October 7. This is also influencing domestic market sentiment.

2. Top gainers in the Nifty 50 index today As many as 35 stocks ended higher in the Nifty 50 index, with Cipla (up 3.63 per cent), SBI (up 2.22 per cent), and Maruti Suzuki India (up 1.88 per cent) as the top gainers.

3. Top losers in the Nifty 50 index Shares of Tata Steel (down 1.46 per cent), TCS (down 1.10 per cent), and HDFC Life Insurance Company (down 0.74 per cent) ended as the top losers in the index.

4. Sectoral indices today Barring Nifty Metal (down 0.91 per cent) and IT (down 0.05 per cent), all sectoral indices ended higher.

Nifty PSU Bank (up 1.67 per cent), Realty (up 1.67 per cent), Pharma (up 1.29 per cent), Healthcare (up 1.02 per cent).

Nifty Bank and Financial Services indices rose 0.74 per cent and 0.44 per cent, respectively.

5. Most active counters in terms of volume Vodafone Idea (70.2 crore shares), YES Bank (55.1 crore shares), and Tata Silver Exchange Traded Fund (12.9 crore shares) were the most active counters in terms of volume on the NSE.

6. Nine stocks jump over 15% on BSE Century Extrusions, Gujarat Terce Laboratories, Zinema Media and Entertainment, Travels & Rentals, and Cargotrans Maritime were among the nine stocks that jumped by more than 15 per cent on the BSE.

7. Advance-decline ratio Out of 4,343 stocks traded on the BSE, 2,474 advanced, while 1,706 declined. Some 163 stocks remained unchanged.

8. Over 170 stocks hit 52-week highs As many as 171 stocks, including SBI, Eternal, PNB, and YES Bank, hit their 52-week highs in intraday trade on the BSE.

9. Over 100 stocks hit 52-week lows Clean Science and Technology, Ganesh Housing, Route Mobile, Tips Music, and Westlife Foodworld were among the 105 stocks that hit their 52-week lows on the BSE.

10. Nifty's technical outlook According to Amol Athawale, VP of technical research at Kotak Securities, the 20-day SMA and 25,000 will act as crucial support zones for short-term traders.

Athawale said as long as the market is trading above 25,000, the uptrend is likely to continue.

"On the higher side, the market could rally to 25,45025,500. Further upside may also continue, potentially lifting the index up to 25,700. Conversely, if the market falls below 25,000, the uptrend would become vulnerable. Below this level, traders may prefer to exit their long positions," said Athawale.

Ajit Mishra, the SVP of research at Religare Broking, stated that the Nifty is approaching its trendline resistance around 25,450, with immediate support now positioned near 25,000.

"A decisive breakout above this hurdle could further reinforce the recovery and open the path toward the June highs near 25,669," said Mishra.

"We expect rotational buying across key sectors to continue providing trading opportunities; however, traders should emphasise prudent risk management given the likely volatility during the ongoing earnings season," Mishra said.

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Stocks to buy for long term: The Indian stock market benchmark Nifty 50 looks set to wrap Samvat 2081 with muted gains. Weak earnings, US tariffs, foreign capital outflow and geopolitical uncertainties kept the domestic market under pressure during the year.

The Indian stock market underperformed global and emerging markets for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brokerage firm Axis Securities pointed out that the underperformance of the Indian equities was largely due to the US policies and prolonged negotiation between the US and India tariffs versus the market expectations, depreciation of the Indian rupee, FII selling, delayed earnings recovery, and a lag in the reflection of fiscal and monetary benefits to the corporate earnings.

Axis Securities believes Samvat 2082 is poised to be an eventful and closely watched year for the Indian economy.

"Despite prevailing external headwinds, Indias domestic growth momentum remains resilient. Key macroeconomic indicators point toward a stronger performance in FY26 compared to FY25, with early projections suggesting an even more robust outlook for FY27," said Axis.

This could be an ideal time to accumulate quality stocks for the long term, with Diwali 2025 presenting a promising opportunity to do so.

Axis Securities has listed nine Muhurat picks for Diwali 2025, including Kotak Mahindra Bank, Federal Bank, JSW Energy, and Chalet Hotel. Let's take a look:

Also Read | Stocks to buy for short term: Ajit Mishra of Religare recommends these 3 shares

Muhurat picks for Diwali 2025 Rainbow Childrens Medicare | Target price:  1,625 | Upside potential: 23% According to Axis, Rainbow is well-positioned to deliver healthy growth, supported by strong occupancy trends in mature hospitals, improving contributions from new hospitals, and its focused specialisation in paediatrics and maternity care.

"The companys hub-and-spoke model provides scalability, while its asset-light expansion strategy ensures efficient capital deployment. Margin expansion is expected as new hospitals mature and operating leverage strengthens," said Axis.

The brokerage firm expects Rainbow to post double-digit revenue growth with sustained nearly 3233 per cent EBITDA margins over the medium term, backed by disciplined execution and favourable industry tailwinds.

DOMS Industries | Target price:  3,110 | Upside potential: 22% Axis said DOMS growth is supported by its 44-acre greenfield facility, expansion into pens, bags, toys, and diapers, as well as a distribution push toward 33.5 lakh outlets.

"The FILA partnership adds global reach and R&D strength. These initiatives underpin our FY2528 revenue, EBITDA, and PAT CAGRs of 23 per cent, 22 per cent, and 25 per cent, respectively. We value the company at 58 times Mar28E EPS," said Axis.

KEC International | Target price:  1,030 | Upside potential: 20% According to Axis, KEC has a well-diversified and robust order book, along with an L1 position, which provides healthy revenue visibility for the next 18-24 months. Moreover, the governments emphasis on T&D (transmission and distribution) and its focus on civil and urban infrastructure bode well for the company moving forward.

"The stock is currently trading at 24 times and 17 times FY26E and 27E EPS, respectively, and we value it at 20 times FY27E EPS," said Axis.

Chalet Hotels | Target price:  1,120 | Upside potential: 19% "Chalet Hotels is well-positioned for sustainable growth, supported by its diversified portfolio and healthy cash flows from commercial assets," said Axis.

"The company expects to generate nearly 300 crore from the sale of remaining residential units, which will be deployed towards hospitality and commercial expansion, including the Taj at Delhi Airport, enhancing returns," the brokerage firm added.

"With strong brand partnerships, strategic locations, and favourable industry tailwinds, Chalet is expected to deliver robust occupancy, ARR growth, and long-term value creation. We value the stock at 21 times H1FY27E EV/EBITDA," said the brokerage firm.

Minda Corp | Target price:  690 | Upside potential: 19% Axis underscored that Minda Corporation is evolving from a conventional auto component manufacturer into a high-value, technology-driven mobility solutions provider.

"The company is backed by strong financials, sticky OEM relationships, rising profit contribution from Associates (notably Flash Electronics), and well-defined growth levers across both EV and ICE segments, making it a compelling long-term compounding opportunity," said the brokerage firm.

"The outlook remains positive, supported by robust new order wins, a strong order book, and managements confidence in outperforming industry growth through both organic and inorganic initiatives. Over FY2528E, revenue, EBITDA, and PAT are expected to grow at a CAGR of 13 per cent, 16 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively," said the brokerage firm.

Kotak Mahindra Bank | Target price:  2,500 | Upside potential: 17% Axis believes Kotak Mahindra Bank's focus on LAP, SME, and business banking verticals should enable healthy CA deposit accretion.

"We expect deposit growth will mirror credit growth, enabling the bank to maintain a steady LDR between 85-86 per cent. We value the banks core book at 2.5 times FY27E ABV and assign a value of 635 to the subsidiaries," said Axis.

Federal Bank | Target price:  240 | Upside potential: 16% The brokerage firm believes that Federal Bank has realigned its growth in the retail portfolio and is poised to drive strong growth from the second half onwards. The bank will also look to pursue strong growth in the mid-yielding segments.

"As the macro environment turns favourable, Federal Bank will look to accelerate growth in the higher-yielding segments. Given uncertain macros, Federal Bank expects to grow at 1.2 times nominal GDP in FY26," said Axis.

However, supported by improving consumption demand and favourable macroeconomic conditions, Federal Bank will aim to grow the book at 1.2-1.5 times nominal GDP on a steady-state basis.

"We expect Federal Bank to deliver a healthy 16 per cent CAGR credit growth over FY25-28E," said the brokerage firm.

Axis values Federal Bank at 1.4 times FY27E ABV and the subsidiary at 10.

JSW Energy | Target price:  625 | Upside potential: 15% According to Axis, the company is set to benefit from the growing energy storage space.

JSW Energy has a total locked-in power generation portfolio of 30.5 GW. The company aims to achieve 30 GW of total installed capacity (current installed capacity of 13.2 GW) along with 40 GWh of energy storage capacity by FY30 and achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050, Axis noted.

"The stock is trading at 14 times 12-month forward consensus EV/EBITDA against the industry average of 12 times. We recommend a buy rating on the stock with a target price at 625, implying an upside potential of 15 per cent," said Axis.

Coforge | Target price:  1,980 | Upside potential: 15% Axis noted that Coforge is well-positioned for growth, given its multiple long-term contracts with leading global brands.

The company maintains a positive outlook, expecting recent deal wins to drive revenue growth. The management remains committed to setting new benchmarks in the evolving industry landscape, the brokerage firm said.

"We believe that the company remains on track to meet its long-term guidance and expect a CAGR of 25 per cent, 39 per cent, and 40 per cent for revenue, EBIT, and PAT over FY2527E, respectively. The stock is currently trading at 40 times and 31 times FY26E/FY27E EPS," said Axis.

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Tata Motors share price traded lower on Friday, extending losses for the sixth consecutive session, as investors focused on the record date for the companys ongoing demerger process. Tata Motors shares declined as much as 1.89% to 667.20 apiece on the BSE.

In six trading sessions, Tata Motors share price had dipped over 7% amid heavy selling pressure ahead of the demerger record dates.

Tata Motors Demerger Record Dates As part of the demerger scheme, Tata Motors has fixed October 10, 2025, Friday, as the record date for debenture holders. The scheme provides for the transfer of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) worth 2,300 crore to the newly formed Commercial Vehicle (CV) entity, TML Commercial Vehicles Limited (TMLCV).

Thus, Tata Motors demerger record date for the debenture holders is today.

Separately, Tata Motors demerger record date for the shareholders is October 14, 2025, Tuesday. The company will determine eligibility for share allocation under the approved scheme of arrangement as on the record date.

Tata Motors Demerger Details Tata Motors demerger became effective on October 1, 2025, and the Appointed Date was July 1, 2025, resulting in the separation of the Commercial Vehicle (CV) business and the Passenger Vehicle (PV) business into two independent companies.

Tata Motors Ltd shall continue to be a listed entity. Pursuant to the demerger scheme, Tata Motors Ltd shall change its name to Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd and shall carry on the passenger vehicles business including its investments in Electric Vehicle business and JLR.

TML Commercial Vehicles Limited shall be renamed as Tata Motors Limited.

Tata Motors demerger share entitlement ratio is 1:1. This means, Tata Motors shareholders will be issued and allotted one equity share of face value of 2 each fully paid up in TML Commercial Vehicles Limited, for every one share of face value of 2 each fully paid up held in Tata Motors as on the Record Date.

On the Record Date, Tata Motors share price shall be adjusted to take into account the demerger of the commercial vehicles business, through a price discovery mechanism of the stock exchanges.

Upon finalization of the list of eligible shareholders of TML, the shares in TMLCV shall be allotted and thereafter, such shares shall be listed on the Stock Exchanges, viz., BSE and NSE.

During the period from the date of allotment of shares by TMLCV upto the date of listing on BSE & NSE thereof, the shares of TMLCV shall not be available for trading on the Stock Exchanges. The process of obtaining Listing and Trading permission generally takes 45-60 days from the date of filling necessary applications with Stock Exchanges, Tata Motors said in a regulatory filing October 9.

Guidance on Cost of Acquisition of equity shares in TML and equity shares in TMLCV will be communicated in due course, it added.

Tata Motors Share Price Outlook Tata Motors share price has seen a relative underperformance compared to other Auto stocks in the last few months, noted Ruchit Jain, Vice President, Equity Technical Research, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

The short term trend for Tata Motors shares seems sideways as the prices are consolidating within the range. The immediate support for the stock is placed at 655 while resistance is seen in the range of 730 - 740 zone. A breakout from this range will lead to the next directional move, Jain said.

Drumil Vithlani, Technical Analyst at Bonanza highlighted that Tata Motors share price is trading below the 20-week EMA ( 688.46), which is now acting as resistance.

Momentum indicators suggest consolidation or slight weakness, but not a full reversal yet. Given the upcoming Tata Motors demerger event, volatility is expected, so its prudent to hold Tata Motors shares if already invested and avoid fresh entry until clarity post-event, said Vithlani.

Also Read | Vedanta share price in focus as Union Bank releases pledge on 56.38% stake

According to him, if Tata Motors stock price holds above key support ( 669), and manages a close above the EMA at 688690, we may see a short-term recovery towards the target of 720, and the next target of 736740, which is a strong resistance zone.

The immediate horizontal support for Tata Motors share is 669.40, while 660  650 levels are the accumulation zone seen in JuneJuly. The 20-week EMA and resistance cluster is 688  690, said Vithlani.

Tata Motors share price has fallen 4% in one month and has rallied over 16% in six months. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, Tata Motors shares have declined 9%, while the stock has dropped 27% in one year. However, Tata Motors share price has delivered strong multibagger returns of 390% in the past five years.

At 12:15 PM, Tata Motors share price was trading 0.15% lower at 679.05 apiece on the BSE.
TCS share price: Shares of IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) fell over 1% in early trade on Friday after it reported its Q2 results. TCS shares declined as much as 1.53% to 3015.00 apiece on the BSE.

TCS, the largest IT services exporter in India, reported a net profit of 12,075 crore in Q1FY26, registering a fall of 3.8% from 12,760 crore in the previous quarter. The companys revenue rose 3.7% QoQ to 65,799 crore, with CC revenue growth at 0.8%.

At the operational level, EBIT increased 6.8% to 16,565 crore, while EBIT margin improved by 70 bps to 25.2%, QoQ.

TCS board of directors declared a dividend of 11 per share.

The IT major also announced strategic investments, including a new business entity to build world-class AI infrastructure with a 1 GW capacity AI datacenter in India and the acquisition of a 100% stake in ListEngage.

Analysts remain bullish on the stock as TCS Q2 results modestly beat Street estimates. Brokerages have raised TCS share price target after the Q2 results. Heres what they opined on TCS' share price outlook:

Should you buy TCS shares after Q2 results? While TCS management expects FY26 growth to be better than FY25, brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFSL) believes this guidance is somewhat fuzzy.

Even assuming a 1% CQGR in H2, we estimate FY26 international growth at ~2.5% in USD terms. This indicates no incremental growth over FY25. We have maintained our estimates for FY26, FY27 and FY28, as we do not forecast revenue or investments from the DC business until we get further clarity, MOFSL said.

Over FY26-28, it expects TCS to report a CAGR of ~4.2% in USD revenue and ~4.9% in INR EPS.

MOFSL reiterated its Buy rating and raised TCS share price target to 3,500 apiece, implying 23x Jun27EPS, as it believes valuations are undemanding.

TCS announced 1GW of co-lo AI Data Center capacity in India over the next 5-7 years, with a total investment of $7 billion, and also indicated its renewed emphasis on inorganic growth, in areas such as AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity etc.

JM Financial finds TCS co-lo foray value accretive, though it sees limited synergies with its Services business at this stage.

TCS Q2 operational performance exceeded expectations. Importantly however, TCS willingness to put its balance sheet to use, a significant deviation from its earlier conservative approach, is a welcome change in the current dynamic environment, JM Financial said.

A 3% reduction in headcount with 1% ahead signals a durable reset in cost base, resulting in 43-74 bps increase to the brokerage firms margin estimates. This drives EPS upgrades of 2% over FY26-28E.

JM Financial maintains a Buy call and continues to value TCS share price at 21x, and increased the target price to 3,520 from 3,410 earlier.

TCS Share Price: Technical outlook TCS share price is holding above its major support zone of 3,018 post muted-to-positive quarterly results, which it briefly breached to trap short-term bears, noted Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments.

This price action suggests strength and the possibility of a technical rebound. TCS stock price now appears poised to fill the gap between 3,106  3,144, with volumes trading around the 50-day average, indicating steady participation and muted-to-positive activity. As long as the TCS share price sustains above 3,018, the structure remains constructive for further upside, said Jain.

According to him, a breakout above 3,144 will strengthen the trend and open the path for higher targets in the coming sessions.

TCS share price has fallen by over 2% in one month and more than 10% in three months. The large-cap IT stock has declined 6% in six months and has dropped over 26% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis. Over the past one year, TCS share price has fallen 28% and it has declined 16% in two years.

At 9:25 AM, TCS share price was trading 0.71% lower at 3,040.15 apiece on the BSE.
Two years ago, photographer Gauri Gill became the first Indian to receive the prestigious Prix Pictet photography prize for her documentary series, Notes from the Desert . From nomadic journeys to farming cycles, drought to dust storms, festivals to feuds, the minutiae of daily life of marginalised rural communities across Barmer, Lunkaransar and Osiyan in western Rajasthan is captured in this decades-long project. An adolescent girl looks at her reflection in a hand mirror, an elderly woman sticks out her tongue for examination in a clinic, a woman is camouflaged by the leaves of a tree on which she is sitting through such expressive images of the everyday, Gill maps the patterns and passage of time in the desert.

But when Gill first pitched the project to a weekly magazine in 1999, it was rejected for it had no news peg" and was unlikely to cater to a mostly urban audience. This prompted Gill to take a sabbatical and ultimately leave photojournalismto engage deeply with rural communities, which resulted in projects like Notes from the Desert (1999-ongoing), Acts of Appearance (2015-ongoing), featuring performative portraits of residents of a Maharashtra village known for mask-making, and Fields of Sight (2013-ongoing) in which Gill seamlessly combines images of landscapes in rural Maharashtra with over-inscribing by Warli artist Rajesh Vangad to communicate two distinct ways of seeing.

Over the years the myopia of Indian mainstream media has led to a decline in photojournalism, an important strand of documentary photography for raising awareness, storytelling and social change. At a time when self-published photo books and interdisciplinary photo installations are flourishing, documentary work too is morphing and transforming to acquire a new shape. It is expanding its scope and blurring the lines with conceptual photography in its format and feel. There are many factors that are leading to this change.

For one, the changing nature of print media is behind the shift, says Delhi-based photojournalist Prashant Panjiar, who has worked in the photo team of India Today and Outlook Group of Publications. Most people who worked in the documentary tradition were in mainstream photojournalism or had a link to media and publishing," says Panjiar. There was an avenue for publication, support, even money." In 2004, he edited The Definitive Images: 1858 to the Present, featuring iconic photographs encapsulating the history of modern India, including Raghu Rais 1984 photograph of a victim of the Bhopal gas tragedy and D. Ravinder Reddys photograph of kar sevaks bringing down the Babri Masjid in 1992.

In the introduction to the book, Panjiar writes: We all know that photographs are a means by which we relive important moments as well as everyday lives The still photograph forces us to concentrate, to contemplate. Which is why it leaves such a lasting imprint in our memory." With the advent of digital imagery, the space for such photojournalism diminished, he says, which is a contradiction as the digital space is actually unlimited and you can publish a lot of work."

View Full Image Ronny Sen. from the series 'Fire Continuum' (2014). Copyright: Ronny Sen

Today, most photographers doing documentary work are commissioned by foreign publications. Danish Siddiqui, who was killed in Afghanistan, stood out for his documentary photography work for Reuters. His photographs capturing mass cremations during the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic are seared in national consciousness. Kolkata-based Ronny Sen, well known for his documentary work on Jharia coalfields in Jharkhand, says the space for this genre has shrunk further with the advent of mobile phone photography. The desire for images is satiated by the glut of imagery in social media, so photographs still have value. But this social media trend, when combined with lack of editorial imagination, has led to the belief that it is just an image and anyone can take it, so whos going to spend on photography? Any good reportage or documentary work requires time, resource, energy, flesh and blood," he says.

Sen shot his 2014 documentary work in Jharia with an iPhone, in the vertical instead of the usual horizontal format used for landscapes to suggest that the way of seeing is more important than the instrument. Sen recalls his photograph of a baby floating in a wooden pot in front of her submerged house during the 2006 Kosi floods in Bihar making it to the front page of the Statesman in Kolkata and creating a sense of urgency among authorities and rescue teams to provide relief. I remember that there was a sense of purpose and you felt that you could play a small role in something thats gonna affect life," says Sen. Today, everyday we see images of Gaza but people are immune. Or on social media someone posts a photograph of a person dying of hunger, and by the same person, the next story is of them celebrating at a party. It is a very strange time that were living in. Moreover, the barrage of images prevents us from reflecting on one issue at length."

Numerous studies show that exposure to this kind of succession of images on social media leads to a form of cognitive dissonance among users if they see conflicting information or ideas challenging their beliefs, resulting in reduced empathy and a distrust for images. Gone are the days when a photograph could launch rescue missions or melt hearts. Now, in contrast, the veracity of a photograph is in doubt in a post-truth world. The way we consume images has changed and there are new psycho-social ways in which we are remapping and reorienting ourselves to the question of digital control," says Rahaab Allana, curator, Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, Delhi, a charitable organisation dedicated to the preservation and study of the cultural history of India. On the one hand, we have all become captives of the digital (world), where were negotiating and getting seduced by these virtual choices and inhabiting certain worlds in a cyber universe. At the same time, with the rise of AI and fake news, we are habitually reoriented to question images that are in front of us, which I think is a positive thing."

Also Read | How artist Sunil Gupta has been making the invisible visible

The simultaneous thrall and doubt over images, and the amalgamation of fact and fiction with the rise of deepfakes and artificial intelligence, require new visual templates. The nature of documentary photography has to change in these fraught times when the place of witnessing, testimony and dissent are acquiring new vocabularies," says Allana. We have to lay open ourselves to the ambiguous and to the elusive. In this era, artists have to think of a poetic, and not a direct, form of critique. The documentary is now straddling the lyrical and the evidentiary."

THE BLURRING OF LINES

According to Delhi-based Anshika Varma, photographer and founder, Offset Projects, a platform for photo books and lens-based practices, the binary between fact and fiction has been dismantled. What defines the space today is the voice, urgency and intention of authorship. For documentary photography, the raison detre of which was to objectively record genuine moments as they happen without any interference or intervention, the idea of these blurred boundaries has been pathbreaking. As a result, photographers have been grappling with various questions: can a staged image hold documentary value? Can a documentary perspective engage with myth-making to reveal some aspect of truth?

These debates are as old as the medium of photography itself. However, it is only in the last two decades or so that Indian photographers have started introducing the idea of subjectivity, staging, stylised recreations, and storytelling into their documentary practice. Or, perhaps, scarcity has fuelled innovation. The introduction of new styles and narrative structures could have been necessitated by the reduced exposure in newspapers, and the need for the photographer to distinguish their work from the cascade of images on social media. Whatever the driving force, the end result is that this elasticity has led to the expansion of the genre.

For instance, through fictionalisation of photographs taken during a religious festival in a village by the sea in Tamil Nadu in his award-winning project The Coast, 2019, artist Sohrab Hura taps into the belligerent nationalism and discordance of contemporary Indian polity. The series that mimics the antiaesthetic of images on social media features photographs of fighting angry men; closeups of made-up faces invoking the macabre; bacchanalian, fervent revellers; women in trance running into the sea; along with a short story steeped in magic realism about a woman who has lost her head. This is a multilayered documentary capturing at the same time a state ritual, a national mentality, a story about a headless woman, and an all-pervasive image language, even though for Hura, who started his career as a traditional documentary photographer, the notion that photography is fiction is a given.

Kaamna Patel, photographer and founder of Editions Jojo, a photobook library and bookshop in Mumbai, has repurposed found print media to comment on gender roles and the male gaze in In Todays News: Alpha Males & Women Power, 2019. Patel documents what cannot be seen on the surface but is covert, what she calls a sentiment that is pervasive but lurking behind the advertising and journalistic images that we are made to believe." By showing how women are cast in stereotypical roles of either glamorous or grieving beings, Patel makes a telling commentary on the long history of misogynistic and sexist advertising imagery.

In Chromakey, 2020, she staged photographs of her mother at her dream destinations", based on itineraries from her mothers database as a travel agent, and images gleaned from archives. This could fall under conceptual photography, but the borders between genres are blurring. I am interested in documentation that reveals hidden truths rather than a direct representation or description of the world," says Patel. Which is why I argue that my work is in fact documentaryI see many artists challenging the idea of documentation versus reportage in our current landscape." For Patel, documentary photography is tied to the idea of truth" and multiple visual devices can be employed to illustrate it.

Also Read | Keeping the memories of the Marichjhapi Massacre alive

View Full Image Divya Cowasji, from the series There Are No Love Letters Here. Copyright: Divya Cowasji

Photographer Divya Cowasji in her ongoing project, There are no Love Letters Here, embodies her ancestors by wearing their costumes and jewellery, recreating the past and her Parsi-Indian heritage in the setting of her ancestral house in Mau, Madhya Pradesh. This is an innovative take, where the photographer is creating the real based on material culture and memory. Photographers Soumya Sankar Bose, Soham Gupta, Rohit Saha and Abeer Khan also incorporate staged photography and fiction in their documentary work.

In fact, this year, the Delhi-based Sher-gil Sundaram Arts Foundation, an organisation established to preserve the legacy of scholar and photographer Umrao Sher-gil, while announcing an open call for both documentary photography and staged photography, added the caveat that they recognise the blurred boundaries between the methodologies and forms of both genres." Another trend in documentary photography is the shift away from capturing a single iconic, definitive image. Single images are powerful entities to communicate in the immediate sense, but a single image is not the complete story," says Delhi-based photographer Ishan Tankha, whose project A Peal of Spring Thunder (2007-15) recorded social life and environment in Chhattisgarh in the backdrop of a violent conflict between the state and Maoists. Allana feels a constant reframing of documentary photography by unpacking the archive is crucial to bring forth nuances. One needs to ask what is left out and what is remembered, when one considers issues of iconicity and un-iconicity, archive and counter archive," says Allana.

TURNING TO PHOTO BOOKS

The shrinkage of space for photography in the mainstream media has led to the proliferation of self-published photo books. It was Dayanita Singh who ushered in a wave of photo books in India through her engagement with the form that influenced several younger practitioners. Singhs oeuvre boasts of 15 photo books. Varma started Offset Projects in 2018 as a creative platform for book-making and engaging with diverse photographic practices by organising residencies, reading rooms and collaborative exercises. The Offset Bookshop, which is part of the initiative, is Indias first photo book store, followed by Editions Jojo. The catalogue lists documentary works like Serena Chopras Majnu ka Tilla Diaries (2022) on the Tibetan refugee neighbourhood in Delhi, Prarthna Singhs Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh on women protesting in 2019 against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and Rohit Sahas 1528, which uses news clippings, survivor testimonials and recreations of fictive sites of violence to document the atmosphere of fear and foreboding rife during the extrajudicial killings in Manipur after the Malom Massacre in 2000.

These books offer deeper engagement with a subject as opposed to a single image, which often misses a nuanced narrative. Tankha, whose book Still Life presents the 2019 anti-CAA-NRC protests, and who is also working on a photo book on Chhattisgarh, says, The longer form appeals to me more, especially since my work is based in daily news and journalism. Over time, those same images occupy a deeper meaning, a bigger space. I could stick to the spectacular and big moments of violence or rupture, especially in my work in Chhattisgarh, but the everyday detail gets lost, which is essential to understand the complexity of a situation."

View Full Image Prashant Panjiars photograph of a resident of the Muslim locality of Jilaiwada at the wall that separates it from the Hindu locality of Vanmadi Vankani Pol in Ahmedabad, March 2002. Courtesy: Prashant Panjiar

WITHIN THE WHITE CUBE SPACE

Documentary photography has found a place within the mainstream gallery as the art world has begun to recognise the complexity of photography practice. The criteria of working with artists extends beyond medium for us: its about their artistic process and practice as well as their integrity and commitment to the subject," says gallerist Roshini Vadehra, who has represented Raghu Rai in the past and now represents Sunil Gupta and Gill. All these photographers offer an empathetic engagement with the social, cultural and political realities of our country."

Devika Daulet-Singh, founder of PHOTOINK, a gallery for lens-based practices in Delhi, says that developing serious patronage for limited editions of photographic works was not easy. Conservatism in collecting and a peculiar hesitancy in embracing the limited-edition print were initial barriers. But she adds, Lest we forget, patronage for contemporary art itself didnt come easyits not even two decades old."

Also Read | A new photo book creates a portrait of a community in exile

While the opening up of the book and gallery space bodes well for documentary photography, the need of the hour is patronage and a public platform for mass circulation. Sen feels that documentary photography will continue to reinvent itself and find a platform. The world might not see documentary photography like we used to see in a Life magazine or National Geographic or Outlook of the 1990s. Maybe that is not gonna be the form, but something similar in its soul, defined by truth, critique and expression." Photographers have shown their resilience to adapt to the changing landscape of patronage and aesthetic ideas, it is time for institutions to step up.

A MEDIUM OF PARADOX: GAURI GILL

Even before the advent of AI and digital image manipulation, the authenticity of photographs could be suspect. Photographer Gauri Gill says, I am well aware of how, at some level, it is all an entirely subjective interpretation by the photographer. Even in conventional documentary photography, when I am taking a so-called straight photograph, I make certain artistic choicesI choose what shutter speed to use, which will determine whether the person will be a blur or in sharp focus; or based on what kind of lens I use, will I have the background out of focus or with every detail visible clearly? So, the medium itself is prone to paradox."

To her, documentary photographs are fragments of facts", which also makes them a kind of fiction because the photograph is very much how I have creatively selected and interpreted particular facts, how I have mobilised the instrument, and my particular interaction with the scene. This is not to say that photojournalism or truth-telling is not relevant, so long as we know that it is only ever relational, and multi-dimensional," she explains.

Gill has taken time and put in thought to balance the power between the photographer and the subject. She spends years on her projects, and much of her recent work has taken a collaborative turn, which attempts to correct the onesided gaze of the photographer. In Acts of Appearance, for instance, she has collaborated with Kokna and Warli artists in Jawhar in Maharashtra, who pose wearing papier-mache masks they have made for the project. Gill and the subjects of the photographs discussed the themes of these masks and construction of photographs at length. The masked figures are both humorous and disruptive in Gills recreation of ordinary scenes of village life. The mask here is also a kind of refusal," says Gill. We are programmed to think that when we look at a portrait, we will focus on the persons face as a kind of punctum, or centre. So, we are also making a political point herea denial whereby instead of having access to the faces of people without power, we direct your view to their art instead via the masks, and thereby reorient an extractive gaze."

Shweta Upadhyay is an arts journalist and co-author of Ill be Looking at the Moon but Ill be Seeing You.

Also Read | Photographer Gauri Gill brings the highway into the gallery
The festive season is here. The Government has played its role by reducing the GST rate on many products. Brands and marketplaces are showering customers with discounts and cashback offers. Banks are sweetening the deals by offering instant discounts and spend-based offers on credit cards.

In this article, we will examine the festive spend-based offers that American Express has rolled out to its credit cardholders.

American Express festive offers The American Express spend-based credit card offer is one of the most highly anticipated offers that many of their credit cardholders eagerly await. American Express rolls out spend-based credit card offers during the festive season, usually in September or October every year.

For 2025 also, American Express has rolled out credit card spend-based offers before the start of festive sales by marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. Eligible credit cardholders have received one of the nine offers. Every eligible credit cardholder has been given a choice of two offers. A cardholder can choose to qualify for any one of the two offers, based on the amount spent during the offer period.

Also Read | This Diwali, you can save money when you book your travel using your credit card

Spend-based offers The following is a list of the nine spend-based credit card offers that American Express has rolled out to its cardholders.

Offer No. Eligible spends Reward amount Reward rate 1 Rs. 25,000 Rs. 1,000 4% Rs. 50,000 Rs. 1,500 3% 2 Rs. 50,000 Rs. 1,500 3% Rs. 1,00,000 Rs. 3,000 3% 3 Rs. 1,00,000 Rs. 3,000 3% Rs. 2,00,000 Rs. 6,000 3% 4 Rs. 2,00,000 Rs. 6,000 3% Rs. 3,00,000 Rs. 10,000 3.33% 5 Rs. 3,00,000 Rs. 10,000 3.33% Rs. 4,00,000 Rs. 12,000 3% 6 Rs. 4,00,000 Rs. 12,000 3% Rs. 5,00,000 Rs. 15,000 3% 7 Rs. 5,00,000 Rs. 15,000 3% Rs. 7,00,000 Rs. 20,000 2.86% 8 Rs. 7,00,000 Rs. 20,000 2.86% Rs. 10,00,000 Rs. 30,000 3% 9 Rs. 10,00,000 Rs. 30,000 3% Rs. 15,00,000 Rs. 35,000 2.33%

(Source: American Express India website)

The table above shows that, based on the offer received, a cardholder can earn a reward rate of 2.33% to 4% by making the required spends during the offer period.

For example, one American Express credit cardholder received the following spend-based offer.











The above image shows, the cardholder can qualify for one of the two offers:

Spend Rs. 50,000 and earn gift vouchers worth Rs. 1,500, or Spend Rs. 1,00,000 and earn gift vouchers worth Rs. 3,000 The above offer provides the cardholder with an additional 3% reward rate, in addition to the regular rewards they receive on the card.

Redemption options On fulfilling the required spends during the offer period, as a reward, the cardholder will get a promo code. The promocode can be redeemed against gift vouchers of specified brands for a specified amount (offer reward amount). The cardholder can choose from the following gift voucher brands to redeem the promo code:

Amazon Flipkart Reliance Smart Bigbasket Zepto Swiggy Zomato Blinkit Uber Air India Cleartrip MakeMyTrip ITC Hotels Reliance Digital Croma Vijay Sales Tata CliQ Nykaa Lifestyle BookMyShow The above list of redemption options shows that the user has enough options spread across various categories for redeeming the promo code. The categories include marketplaces, groceries, food delivery, travel, electronics and consumer durables, fashion, movies, etc.

Offer duration The spends required for fulfilling the offer must be completed between 15th September to 25th October 2025. Every cardholder has been sent two offers, out of which they can choose to fulfil any one offer. Offer registration is mandatory.

A participating cardholder can register for the offer using the enrolment link communicated directly by American Express through any of its marketing channels, such as email. Post enrolment, you will get an email with a confirmation. Keep the email as a record of your enrolment. All spends made after enrolment will be counted towards the fulfilment of the spend-based offer.

Customised offer The offer does not apply to all American Express credit cardholders. The offer is customised for every credit cardholder and communicated to them. Only those credit cardholders who have received the offer communication from American Express and have enrolled for it are eligible for the offer.

Some American Express customers hold multiple credit cards. In such a scenario, the offer email communication from American Express will mention the last five digits of the credit card for which the offer is applicable. The cardholder must enrol for the offer using the details of the card eligible for the offer. The spends made from the eligible and enrolled credit card will be considered. The spends made with the add-on or supplementary card(s) linked to the eligible primary card will be counted.

Offer fulfilment American Express credit cardholders who have successfully made the offer-required spends will receive the promo code by 15th December 2025. American Express will send the promo code to the cardholders registered email address. The promocode will have a validity of 25 days from the date of issuance. The cardholder can redeem the promo code for gift vouchers of their choice from the list of brand gift vouchers listed in the above section.

Participation in the spend-based offer is voluntary, and cardholders are not bound in any manner to participate in it.

Have you received your offer? As every year, American Express has rolled out its much-anticipated spend-based offer to its credit cardholders. The offer is customised and sent to eligible cardholders. If you are an American Express credit cardholder, check your email for your customised spend-based offer. Ensure that you enrol for the offer before you start spending to fulfil the offer.

The offer can help you earn an additional 2.3% to 4% in value back, depending on the amount you spend and the reward amount you receive. The value back will be in the form of a promo code that can be redeemed for a gift voucher(s) of choice from the list of specified brands.

Gopal Gidwani is a freelance personal finance content writer with 15+ years of experience. He can be reached on LinkedIn.

For all personal finance updates, visit here.
Gold prices have been rising continuously, touching new all-time highs repeatedly. If you want to invest in gold, you could consider investing in gold ETFs besides buying physical gold.

Given the spike in gold prices, gold ETFs witnessed a significant surge in inflows, reaching 8,363 crore in September compared to 2,189 crore in August.

Wealth advisors often urge investors to buy virtual gold over physical gold, especially when the goal is to ride the rally, instead of using it as jewellery. On 10 October, the gold rate in Mumbai is around 1.24 lakh (24 carat) and 1.13 lakh (22 carat). As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats; stocks of gold loan companies are riding high as the prices of this precious metal hit all-time highs. Muthoot Finance and Manappuram stocks rose up to 52% YTD. Read this Livemint article for details

One can save on making charges and storage charges (bank locker fee) when they opt for gold ETFs over physical gold. Not to mention the flexibility and liquidity it offers, says Deepak Aggarwal, a Delhi-based financial advisor.

These are some of the gold ETFs that investors may consider for their investment portfolios.

By investing in a gold ETF, investors can capitalise on the price rise of the precious metal without having to worry about its safety.

S. No. Gold ETFs/FOF 1 Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund 2 Axis Gold Fund 3 DSP Gold ETF FOF 4 Edelweiss Gold ETF FOF 5 Groww Gold ETF FOF 6 HDFC Gold ETF FOF 7 Invesco India Gold ETF FOF 8 Angel One Gold ETF FOF 9 Kotak Gold Fund 10 SBI Gold Fund 11 Tata Gold ETF FOF 12 UTI Gold ETF FOF 13 Zerodha Gold ETF FOF 14 Union Gold ETF FOF

(Source: AMFI)

What are gold ETFs? A gold ETF is an exchange-traded fund which tracks the price of gold, wherein one unit represents a specific quantity of gold. These funds trade on stock exchanges just like securities, and investors need a demat account to buy and sell them.

Also Read | Gold trades volatile; experts unveil key MCX levels to watch

What is a fund of funds? It is a mutual fund that, instead of investing in other securities, buys units of other mutual funds. Gold ETF FOF, therefore, is a mutual fund that buys units of other gold exchange-traded funds.

Note: This story is for informational purposes only. Please speak to a SEBI-registered investment advisor before making any investment-related decision.
The State Bank of India on Friday said that some of its services will be temporarily unavailable due to scheduled maintenance activity after October 11 midnight. As part of the move, SBI UPI services will not be available for a time period of one hour.

This may come as an inconvenience to customers who may go out in the late hours and try to use SBI UPI services. However, with the bank's warning, SBI UPI users can be now equipped from beforehand to avoid any inconvenience.

SBI down: What services are going to be hit? SBI services including SBI UPI, IMPS, YONO, Internet Banking, NEFT and RTGS will be unavailable tonight after midnight.

SBI down: Timings SBI will be down for online users on 11 October, between 1:10 am and 2:10 am, the bank said in a post on X.

Due to scheduled maintenance activity, our services UPI, IMPS, YONO, Internet Banking, NEFT & RTGS will be temporarily unavailable from 01:10 hrs to 02:10 hrs on 11.10.2025 (60 Minutes). These services will resume by 02:10 hrs on 11.10.2025 (IST), it said.

What should customers do? SBI customers who are planning to make online transactions during the SBI down period have been advised to use the ATM and UPI Lite services. While UPI will be down, UPI Lite will work.

Customers can also carry cash with them or use other bank accounts to make online transactions in case of emergencies.

Meanwhile, customers are advised to use our ATM and UPI Lite Services. We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your patience, SBI said.

SBI UPI down The maintenance activity comes days after several users complained that SBI UPI was down on October 8. The bank acknowledged the issue and urged customers to use UPI Lite.

Also Read | UPI payments will now be PIN-free! Key things you must know

We are facing intermittent technical issues in SBI UPI, due to which some customers may face temporary declines in UPI services. This will be resolved by 20:00 Hrs IST dated 08.10.2025. Customers may continue to use UPI lite services for uninterrupted service. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, SBI said.
Students of MBM Engineering University in Rajasthan's Jodhpur were left stunned after the results of their BE II semester were declared. A number of students ended up with 103 to 137 marks out of a possible 100, leading university authorities to launch a probe into the matter.

A private agency, which was tasked with preparation of the online results, has been asked to explain the startling discrepancy, while the results were quickly withdrawn from the university's official website, as per a Times of India report.

The university's controller of exams, Anil Gupta, said the issue resulted from a technical error during the uploading of results, and that the correct results would be out in a short while.

"As soon as the issue was brought to our notice, we immediately directed the online cell to remove it from the site and also issued a notice to them seeking an explanation for this error," he was quoted by the publication as saying.

Almost all of the 800 students who had appeared for the exams had errors in their results, with many being awarded marks in the range of 103 to 137. In one instance, a student was given more than 100 marks in five subjects they took the test.

The said student received 137 out of 100 in the subject engineering mechanics lab, and in Chesmistry lab, they received 123 marks out of 100. However, while said student's marksheet adds up to 675 out of 600, their total was shown as 219.

Check out one of the results from the university right here:

Ashwini Vaishnav, Central Minister, Railways, Electronics & Information Technology and Communications, is among the university's notable alumni.

While the examination that has landed the university authorities in controversy was conducted in May, the corrected results were expected to be uploaded on Thursday, October 09.

Past controversies This is not the first time Jodhpur's MBM College of Engineering has been embroiled in a controversy. Earlier this year, a student who was caught cheating in an examination by one of the teachers, ended up attacking the latter. Later the police was called and the student in question was handed over to them.
Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) Nearly three out of four Indian professionals (75 per cent) surveyed still hesitate to be transparent about taking time off for mental health reasons, fearing being perceived as 'incapable', a report said on Friday.

Most Indian professionals, nearly 75 per cent, still hesitate to be transparent about taking leave for mental health reasons, according to a report by Naukri.

The top fear is being viewed as incapable, a concern shared by 31 per cent of the respondents, followed by 27 per cent worrying about judgment from colleagues, while 21 per cent fear being dismissed as someone who makes excuses, the report revealed.

Another 21 per cent of the professionals interviewed believed it could impact their career growth, it added.

The report by Naukri is based on inputs from 19,650 job seekers across 80 industries.

Further, the report found that close to half (45 per cent) said they would simply mark it as a general sick leave.

Only 28 per cent felt comfortable being explicit about the reason, while 19 per cent said they would rather avoid taking leave at all, and 9 per cent would fabricate a different excuse entirely, said the report.

Meanwhile, the report found that poor work-life balance tops the list at 39 per cent, which affects mental health at work.

Micromanaging bosses aren't far behind at 30 per cent, followed by lack of recognition at 22 per cent, and fear of making mistakes at 10 per cent, which are the other reasons cited as causing mental health issues of employees, the report stated.

Asked what single intervention would help most, 60 per cent of the respondents pointed to flexible work options, followed by stress-management workshops (22 per cent), paid mental health days (10 per cent), or managerial training (9 per cent), added the report.

The report found that freshers and early-career professionals (0-5 years) are the most guarded with only 25 per cent saying they would call a mental health day what it is, while 43 per cent would code it as sick leave.
Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday said that the Taliban government would never allow any force to threaten or use Afghan territory against other nations, reiterating Kabul's commitment to regional peace and cooperation during talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.

He also spoke positively of Indo-Afghan relations, saying that Afghanistan has never made statements against India and always valued the good relations the two countries share. Muttaqi reaffirmed that Afghanistan seeks bilateral relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations.

"Afghanistan will never allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan against others," ANI quoted Muttaqi as saying during the bilateral meeting held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

Emphasising that Afghanistan seeks friendly and constructive relations with India, the Foreign Minister noted that despite "many ups and downs" in recent years, Kabul has always wanted positive engagement.

Positve relations with India during American occupation "During the American occupation, there were many ups and downs that happened. At that time, we never made any statement against India. Rather, we always sought good relations with India, " he said, as per ANI.

He further underlined the historical and cultural ties between the two nations, describing India as a "close friend" that has stood with Afghanistan in times of need. He also referred to India's prompt humanitarian assistance after natural disasters, including the recent earthquake in Afghanistan's Herat province. He said, as per ANI, "India was the first country that responded with humanitarian efforts. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend."

The Foreign Minister also highlighted Afghanistan's willingness to strengthen political, economic, and regional cooperation through dialogue and mutual understanding. "We hope that Afghanistan and India, on an official level and in different areas, increase their engagement and exchanges. We hope that through talks and dialogue, we can increase the level of understanding between us," he said, according to ANI.

He also said that his earlier meetings with Indian officials like Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai this January, helped open a "new chapter" in bilateral relations.

"Our ties are not only about trade but also about business, culture, sport, and other links that have bound us together. I am happy that here in Delhi, we have been able to increase understanding between both countries and open a new chapter in our relations," the Afghan minister added.

Technical Mission to become Embassy of India Meanwhile, India today announced the upgrading of its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India. The announcement was made by Jaishankar during bilateral talks

Jaishankar welcomed Muttaqi and his delegation, and affirmed the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan.

He also unveiled a series of development and humanitarian initiatives, including a commitment to six new development projects to Afghanistan, details of which he said will be announced after the talks.

Jaishankar also appreciated the solidarity by Afghanistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Afghanistan's sensitivity towards India's security concerns.

In his remarks, the Union Minister said, "Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan."
Samajwadi Party (SP) on Friday, October 10, claimed that its president Akhilesh Yadav's official Facebook account was suspended, accusing the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of orchestrating the move. The former UP chief minister frequently used his Facebook page to express his opinion on governance and shortcomings.

The specific cause for the suspension of his Facebook account has yet to be revealed. According to sources, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's account with more than eight million followers was suspended around 6 pm on Friday.

Reacting strongly, SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand wrote on 'X', Suspending the Facebook account of respected Akhilesh Yadav ji, the national president of the country's third-largest party, is an attack on democracy.

Also Read | Bihar Polls: Tejashwi promises new law to provide govt jobs if INDIA bloc wins

The BJP government has imposed an undeclared emergency, where every opposing voice is being suppressed. But the Samajwadi Party will continue to oppose the BJP's anti-people policies, he said.

Party member Pooja Shukla said, Facebook has dared to cross its limits  it has suspended the official page of Akhilesh Yadav ji (@yadavakhilesh) without any warning or notice.

This is not an ordinary account  this is Akhilesh Yadav ji , the voice of millions! Facebook must remember its boundaries  it cannot silence democracy. Samajwadis, its time to bring Facebook to its senses! Such arrogance will not be tolerated, she said.

Samajwadi Party Spokesperson Pawan Pandey also tweeted against Facebook over the suspension of Akhilesh Yadav's social media account and said it was done without any notice or communication.

This is no ordinary account  it is a malicious attempt to suppress the voice of Akhilesh Yadav Ji, the voice of Indian democracy and millions of people! he said.
Backing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the inclusion of infiltrators in the voters' list pollutes the spirit of the Constitution, and asserted that voting rights should only be available to citizens of the country.

Shah made these remarks while delivering a lecture in the memory of former editor-in-chief of Dainik Jagran, Narendra Mohan, on the topic of infiltration (ghuspaith), demographic change and democracy.

The home minister said the Centre will follow the policy of "detect, delete and deport" while dealing with infiltrators.

As per the home minister, infiltration, as well as the SIR of electoral rolls by the Election Commission, should not be viewed from a political angle.

The Congress has gone into a "denial mode" on the issue of the SIR, Shah said as per PTI, adding that the exercise took place during the party's government as well.

"It is EC's constitutional responsibility to clean the voters' list. You can go to court if you have any issues," he said.

"The increase in the Muslim population is a result of infiltration from Bangladesh and Pakistan," MoneyControl quoted him as saying

Shah also said that a time will come when the opposition will also not be spared.

Free and fair elections cannot take place unless the voter list is according to the voters' definition, which is being an Indian citizen and attaining the eligible age, he said.

HM explains difference between infiltrator and refugee Underlining the difference between an infiltrator and a refugee, Shah said the latter comes to India to save his/her religion, while an infiltrator crosses over the border illegally, not because of religious persecution but because of economic and other reasons.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is set to meet with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, today. The meeting will be the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the Afghan Taliban and New Delhi since the group seized power in 2021 after two decades of US military presence.

Muttaqi landed in New Delhi on Thursday, in the first high-level trip from Kabul, days after the UN Security Councils Taliban Sanctions Committee approved an exemption to the travel ban imposed on him.

"Warm welcome to Afghan Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi on his arrival in New Delhi," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media soon after the Taliban leader landed in India.

"We look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues," he said.

The UNSC committee approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban on 30 September, allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from 9 October to 16, according to a statement by the UN.

The exemption paved the way for the Afghan foreign minister to visit India, where he can stay till 16 October.

Will India recognise the Taliban government? Muttaqis India visit highlights the Taliban administrations efforts to seek international recognition and underscores Indias strategic move to counter its regional rivals, Pakistan and China, who are deeply involved in Afghanistan.

Muttaqi's visit to India is expected to add a new dimension to India's relations with the Taliban set up in Kabul. India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul.

New Delhi has also been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

A top Taliban leader told Times of India, ahead of Muttaqi's India visit, that its time for both the governments to elevate the relationship by granting recognition to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the name used by the Taliban for the country.

Time to raise the diplomatic level: Taliban It is the first high level visit by our foreign minister to India and is very significant. We expect it will initiate a new phase of relations between the two countries. There are a lot of areas which can be explored for mutual cooperation during this visit, the head of Talibans political office and Afghanistans ambassador to Qatar Suhail Shaheen was quoted as saying by TOI.

I think it is time for leadership of both countries to raise the diplomatic level by granting recognition to IEA government and thus paving the way for bilateral cooperation and expansion of relations in various fields, added Shaheen.

In January, the Taliban regime described India as an "important" regional and economic power following talks between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Muttaqi.

Jaishankar had held a phone conversation with Muttaqi on May 15. It was the highest level of contact between New Delhi and Kabul since the Taliban came to power.

What else is on the agenda? Apart from his meeting with Jaishankar, Muttaqi is also expected to hold extensive talks with India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his trip to India, people familiar with the matter said.

Muttaqi's engagements include a visit to the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary and the Taj Mahal, the people cited above said.

The Afghan foreign minister was scheduled to visit New Delhi last month but it was called off in view of a travel ban that he faced under UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions.

What do experts say? Experts said India's invitation to Muttaqi is a pragmatic engagement, given Indias interests in Afghanistan. But some also warned against giving the Taliban regime full recognition until the United Nations does so.

Mohammad Reyaz, an expert on IndiaAfghanistan relations at Aliah University in Kolkata, told LiveMint on Thursday that India has multiple strategic interests in Afghanistan that cannot be ignored  especially at a time when anti-Taliban factions are scattered and lack support from global powers.

India is strengthening its engagement with the Taliban government to maintain its position in Afghanistan, even as it gradually distances itself from its former Afghan allies, Reyaz said.

Indias engagement with the Afghan Taliban is also tied to regional security concerns  particularly fears of Pakistans intelligence agencies using the Taliban and other militant groups as proxies, he said.

It is time for leadership of both countries to raise the diplomatic level by granting recognition to IEA government.

Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, called Muttaqi's visit Indias pragmatic engagement with the Taliban.

New Delhi views the world through the prism of its rivalry with either China and Pakistan," Dhonti told LiveMint.

Afghanistan an 'enemy country' for Pakistan? Dhonti's comments are significant since Pakistan enjoyed good relations with the Taliban during the group's first rule (1996-2001). But with the beginning of the group's second term in power in Afghanistan, the relations between the two nations have become so strained that some Pakistani officials have publicly referred to Afghanistan as an "enemy country".

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of allowing the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) to use Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan, and has carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan against what it calls TTP sanctuaries. There were reports of such targeted attacks on a senior TTP figure in Kabul on 10 October.
New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Grandparents and grandchildren heading out on holidays together -- but without the parents -- is the new emerging trend as skip-generation travel gains popularity across Asia Pacific, with India leading the charts, reveals Hiltons 2026 Trends Report.

The Whycation: Travels New Starting Point, based on a survey of over 14,000 travellers across 14 countries, found that nearly eight in 10 (nearly 79 per cent) Indian families have either taken or are planning such a vacation, compared with 60 per cent across the Asia Pacific region.

Around 43 per cent of Indian respondents said they had gone on a skip-generation trip in the past year alone, highlighting the rising popularity of cross-generational travel, the study noted.

"For families in India, skip-gen holidays are all about cherishing time together. More than two-thirds (67 per cent) say their main motivation is to create special memories between grandparents and grandchildren -- the highest across Asia Pacific, compared with 64 per cent in Australia and 63 per cent in New Zealand," reads the report.

Beyond memory-making, families cite other compelling reasons for grandparents and grandchildren to travel together without parents, including to strengthen bonds (65 per cent), enjoy the trip as a unique experience (53 per cent), and passing on culture and traditions (47 per cent).

Further, nearly all respondents (96 per cent) said such trips improve the well-being of grandparents. For more than half (51 per cent), spending quality time with grandchildren was cited as the most valued part of travelling together.

The report also noted that Indian travellers now prioritise family time over personal relaxation, with "72 per cent" quality time matters more than downtime, compared with the Asia-Pacific average of "61 per cent".

Besides skip-generation travel, multi-generational holidays also continue to rise, with nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of Indian families travelling with three or more generations at least once a year. Over half (57 per cent) said they prioritise senior-friendly facilities such as mobility aids, medical assistance and accessible dining spaces.

"In India, travel is deeply rooted in family and togetherness, and were seeing that reflected in the continued growth of multi-generational holidays. At Hilton, every detail is designed For The Stay - so that grandparents, parents, and children alike can feel connected, cared for, and create lasting memories together," said Tal Shefer, senior vice-president, brand management, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
The Chandigarh Police on 10 October formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged 'suicide' of senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar for "prompt, impartial and thorough investigation" in a time-bound manner.

The development came a day after the police filed an FIR based on a final note left behind by Y Puran Kumar, who was found dead at his residence in the Union Territory on 7 October.

The FIR was filed late on Thursday night, hours after the late officer's wife, Amneet Puran Kumar, sought Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's intervention in filing an FIR and suspension of those named by her husband in the final note.

Also Read | Senior IPS officer shoots himself dead at Chandigarh residence

Amneet Puran Kumar is an IAS officer and is currently posted as Commissioner and Secretary of the Haryana government's Department of Foreign Cooperation.

Around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, Y Puran Kumar's daughter found him dead in the basement of their Chandigarh home. The 2001-batch officer apparently used his service revolver to die by suicide in the basement. Amneet Puran Kumar was in Japan as part of a delegation led by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini when the incident took place.

Who heads the SIT? Pushpendra Kumar, Inspector General, Chandigarh, will head the investigation.

Other members of the SIT will include Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, SP City K M Priyanka, DSP Charanjit Singh Virk and other officers Gurjit Kaur and Jaiveer Rana as members, according to an official order.

Did the FIR name Haryana DGP? In her police complaint on Wednesday, Amneet had demanded an FIR against Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Narendra Bijarniya. News agency ANI said that the two have been named in the FIR. LiveMint couldn't verify it, however,

The FIR, filed at Police Station Sector 11 has been lodged under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, cites abetment to suicide and caste-based harassment, Chandigarh police said in a statement adding that further investigation was on in the case.

Will Home Ministry intervene? The final note, being construed as a suicide note/dying declaration, has named nine serving IPS officers, one retired IPS officer and three retired IAS officers speaking about their alleged role in mental and administrative torture.

An Indian Express report stated that it was unclear whether the officials named in the note had been identified in the FIR. The report, however, quoted sources stating that the Chandigarh police were in touch with the Union Home Ministry regarding the initiation of legal action on Amneet Puran Kumar's complaint and the final note left by her husband.

What did the complaint say? According to the complaint, Puran Kumar, an IPS officer of the 2001 batch of the Haryana cadre, faced "systematic humiliation, harassment, and caste-based discrimination" by senior officers, including DGP Kapur.

Amneet Puran Kumar alleged that prolonged administrative persecution ultimately drove her husband to take the extreme step.

The complaint further mentions that an FIR was registered against one of Puran Kumar's staff members in Rohtak on 6 October, a day before his death, under the alleged direction of the DGP. The complaint termed it a "planned conspiracy" to falsely implicate her husband. The FIR also refers to an eight-page suicide note recovered from the officer's residence, in which he detailed the alleged harassment and named several officers.

In her statement, Kumar said that her husband had repeatedly informed her of being targeted and discriminated against on the basis of caste, and that his multiple written complaints to the authorities had been ignored. She claimed that despite approaching senior officials, including the DGP, no relief was provided.

Caste-based humiliation The late IPS officer's "final note," dated October 7, 2025, reportedly details years of caste-based humiliation and mental harassment by senior officers, including former DGPs and administrative officers. The note cites numerous instances of alleged discrimination, withdrawal of official entitlements, and denial of leave and promotions.

Kumar, in her plea, urged immediate arrest of the accused officers, alleging that, given their influence, they could tamper with evidence or influence witnesses. "Justice should not merely be done, but seen to be done, even for families like ours, shattered by the cruelty of the powerful," she wrote.

Police have taken cognisance of the matter and registered the case for investigation under the relevant provisions. Inspector Jaiveer Singh Rana of Chandigarh Police has been assigned to investigate the case.

What did the Congress say? The Congress blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Manuwadi system' for the death of the Dalit IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar and said the case is a horrific testament to social injustice, inhumanity and insensitivity. The Congress party also accused the BJP of nurturing and encouraging a hostile atmosphere towards Dalits and weaker sections.

In an X post, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the unjust system fostered by the BJP and RSS has repeatedly crushed the self-respect of Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes and minorities, which is fatal for the Constitution and democracy.

"The BJP's 'Manuwadi' system has become a curse for the SC, ST, OBC and weaker sections of this country. The news of the forced suicide of Haryana's senior Dalit IPS officer, ADGP Y Puran Kumar, is not only shocking but also a horrific testament to social injustice, inhumanity, and insensitivity. My deepest condolences to the family," Kharge posted.

Earlier Complaints Y Puran Kumar was posted as Assistant Director General of Haryana Police at the time of his death. He had taken charge at this new post on September 29. Before this, he served as the ADG of Rohtak.

Also Read | Dalit boy branded with hot iron by classmates in Andhra Pradesh ragging case

Kumar was unhappy with his postings and had, in 2023, written a letter to the Haryana chief secretary, complaining that he was given a post in the non-cadre and non-existing IGP homeguards. On 3 March 2023, Kumar was posted as the IGP, Home Guards by the Haryana state government.

In a similar move, in 2024, when he was posted as the IGP (Telecommunications), Kumar had written to the Election Commission and the state chief secretary, complaining about the screening committees who decided on the promotion of two ADGP officials to DGP and four IGP officials to the rank of ADGP despite the model code of conduct being in effect in the state, as per a report.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe and nationwide review of drug safety mechanisms following the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to toxic cough syrups, saying that existing state systems were adequate to handle such cases.

Also Read | Cough syrup deaths: All about the medicines declared toxic by India

What was the PIL about? The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an inquiry and systemic reforms in Indias drug safety mechanisms following the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to toxic cough syrups.

The PIL, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, had urged the top court to direct a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and institute stricter oversight over the sale and quality of pharmaceutical products.

Also Read | Why you should think twice before giving cough syrup to your kid

What did the Supreme Court say? A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran rejected the plea after hearing brief submissions from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The bench, which initially appeared inclined to issue notice, decided against it after Mehta objected to the petition.

Dismissed, Chief Justice Gavai said, ending the hearing.

Why did the Solicitor General object? Solicitor General Mehta argued that the petitioner had filed the case based on media reports without any substantive groundwork. The petitioner reads the newspaper and rushes to the court, Mehta remarked, urging judicial restraint against speculative litigation.

He clarified that although he was not representing any state government in this instance, the seriousness with which states such as Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh had acted on the matter cannot be undermined.

There are proper law enforcement mechanisms in states, Mehta added, asserting that regulatory systems were already addressing the issue.

Also Read | Cough syrup deaths: Sresan Pharma owner S Ranganathan arrested in Tamil Nadu

What else did the court observe? The bench questioned Tiwari about the number of PILs he had filed previously. Upon learning that he had moved eight to ten such petitions before the Supreme Court, the judges dismissed the current plea without further deliberation.

Cough Syrup Deaths The case arose amid public concern over the alleged deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, reportedly caused by contaminated batches of cough syrup. The incidents had triggered calls for stronger quality control in Indias vast pharmaceutical industry, which has faced international scrutiny in recent years over similar safety lapses.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on 10 October, winning recognition as a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.

The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a key, unifying figure" in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolas Maduro's government, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

US President Donald Trump missed out on the chance to bag the honour despite very powerful lobbying with him himself terming him a contender. Soon after Machado was declared the eventual winner, the White House criticised the Nobel Prize committee's decision, accusing the Nobel Committee of placing politics over peace.

"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will," White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X.

What was the Mahatma Gandhi quote? While social media was abuzz with the award, particularly the snub to President Trump, netizens shared Machado's 2010 post praising Mahatma Gandhi. The quote in Spanish was posted on X on 2 May 2010. It loosely translates to Almost everything I do will be insignificant, but it is very important that I do it in English.

Also Read | Who is Maria Corina Machado? Venezuelan opposition leader wins Nobel Peace Prize

This saying by Mahatma Gandhi suggests that while an individual action may seem small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, it is still crucial to take action.



Mahatma Gandhi and the Nobel Peace Prize Incidentally, Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most iconic figures of non-violence in the 20th century, was widely considered a deserving recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Gandhi was nominated several times, but was never awarded the prize.

Gandhi was nominated in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and, finally, a few days before he was murdered in January 1948.

Also Read | Why Mahatma Gandhi never won Nobel Peace despite being nominated 5 times?

The exclusion of Mahatma Gandhi from receiving the Nobel Peace Prize is a result of intricate and diverse factors. One of the main challenges was that Gandhi did not conform to the conventional criteria established by the Nobel Committee for potential awardees.

The committee's perspective was that he did not fall into the categories of a politician or advocate for international law, and he was not primarily involved in humanitarian relief efforts or the organisation of international peace gatherings.

Who is Maria Corina Machado? Maria Corina Machado has led the struggle for democracy in Venezuela, according to the Nobel Peace Prize committee's website.

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.

Born in 1967, Machado has been at the forefront of the fight for democracy amid growing authoritarianism in Venezuela. She is the leader of the opposition in the country.

Machado studied engineering and finance and briefly worked in business. In 1992, she founded the Atenea Foundation, which aims to support street children in Caracas.
While Uttarakhand has made it mandatory for live-in couples to register themselves with the government, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has now asked girls to 'stay away from it' while addressing the convocation ceremonies of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Jannayak Chandrashekhar Vishwavidyalaya, and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in Varanasi.

The governor, who is also the chancellor of state universities, expressed concern over rising instances of violence against women and urged girl students to make wise decisions in their personal lives.

"Daughters must think carefully before taking any decision and should stay away from live-in relationships and such circumstances which may lead to exploitation," she said, according to a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan.

As per Times of India, the Governor told the students, If you want to see the outcome of live-in relationships, go look at orphanages, where 15-20 year-old girls are standing in line with one-year-old kids. Live-in relationships have become a trend these days. But, stay away from it, further adding, I have seen women being chopped up into 50 pieces."

Patel, who is also the former Gujarat Chief Minister, instead urged girls to pursue their education and warned them that neither their parents nor their in-laws might care for them later.

Besides live-in relationships, Patel also cautioned the students against the use of drugs, and said that Education is for a change in life, not just for a degree.

Also Read | Uttarakhand UCC rules for live-in couples explained

The convocation ceremony, held under her chairmanship, saw degrees conferred upon 55,642 undergraduate and 15,321 postgraduate students. Of these, 34,252 were women and 21,387 were men at the undergraduate level, while 11,484 women and 3,837 men received postgraduate degrees, as per PTI. A total of 178 research scholars were awarded PhDs and 101 meritorious students received gold medals, the publication reported.

Live-in relationships in Uttarakhand When the Pushkar Singh Dhami government in Uttarakhand implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), it mandated that any live-in relationship within the state has to be registered with the government within a month of its commencement. Age and proof of residency will be required while registering such an arangement.
The newly-appointed US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Michael J Rigas have travelled to New Delhi meet with government officials to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, the US State Department said on October 9, 2025.

The two officials will meet with Indian government counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, the departments said in a press release.

The United States will continue to work with India to strengthen our strategic partnership and promote a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region, it read.

On October 8 the US Senate confirmed the nomination of Sergio Gor as Ambassador of the United States to India. Gor has also been appointed as US President Donald Trumps special envoy on South and Central Asia, a new post that did not require confirmation.

On a short trip to India Gor, 38, was one of 107 nominees confirmed in a single en bloc vote on Tuesday, with 51 senators supporting and 47 opposing. The confirmation took place amid the ongoing US government shutdown.

The United States will continue to work with India to strengthen our strategic partnership.

There is no clarity on the date when Gor will take up his post as Ambassador in Delhi. Officials stated that this will be Gor's short trip to India, and he will assume the role of Ambassador at a later date.

Who is Sergio Gor? Gor is a US businessman and politician who was appointed as the youngest United States ambassador to India.

Gor's family relocated to Malta by 1994, when his mother started a business and became a registered Israeli citizen. Gor grew up in Cospicua and attended De La Salle College, a Catholic boys' school.

Officials stated that this will be Gor's short trip to India, and he will assume the role of Ambassador at a later date.

The family left Cospicua in 1999, and Gor completed high school in Los Angeles, graduating from George Washington University.

Gow was an activist during Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and worked with the Republican National Committee and later served as a spokesperson for Representatives Steve King, Michele Bachmann and Randy Forbes.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to respond to the demand to fix a timeline to restore statehood to Jammu & Kashmir, which was divided into two Union Territories (UTs) in 2019.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran asked Centre to file its response within six weeks, Bar and Bench reported.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, told the apex court that the Centre was in touch with the elected government of J&K, and that wider concerns had to be accounted for before a final decision could be taken on said demand.

Also Read | Cough syrup deaths: Supreme Court rejects PIL seeking CBI probe

"Learned SG states that elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were held in a peaceful manner and an elected government was put in place. It is stated that there has been substantial progress in Jammu and Kashmir, but certain incidents, including the Pahalgam attack, have taken place and all will have to be taken into consideration before a final call (is taken on the restoration of statehood). It is stated that the Centre and State are in consultation. Learned SG seeks more time to respond. We grant 6 weeks time to respond to the submissions made by the petitioners," the apex court's order said.

In 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, the state of Jammu & Kashmir was carved into two UTs, namely Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.

While the decision to abrogate Article 370 was later upheld by the Supreme Court, the Constitution Bench of the apex court refused to pass a ruling on the 2019 law that paved the way for the bifurcation of the state into two UTs.
The authorities have arrested one George Isbell Jr., 69, from San Diego in California for allegedly sending a death threat to conservative influencer and content creator Benny Johnson, weeks after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The accused, referred to as coward hiding behind a keyboard by Attorney General Pam Bondi, will be federally charges.

Addressing the press over Isbell's arrest, Pam Bondi said, Benny is a well-known media personality, carrying a message very similar to Charlie's. Grounded largely in faith and love of country. Just days after Charlie's assassination, Benny received a letter at his home where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family.

The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead.

This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this. That's why we're standing up here today. You are not going to get away with threatening people in this way. And I'm proud to announce that we have arrested the author of this letter, she said.

Pam Bondi also sounded a warning against threat letters, saying the authors would be caught even if they are somewhere across the country.

Also Read | Benny Johnson shares sweet moment with daughters over Donald Trump-like outfit

We are going to catch you if you think you can do something like this. We don't care if you're across the country in California, we will find you. We will arrest you, we will extradite you, and we will bring you to justice. We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many  do not do this. We will find you, she said.

Planning any public engagements? Benny Johnson, who was also present during the briefing, said the assassin wanted me dead because I am a white, cis, Christian, Trump supporter. Johnson also said that in the threat letter, Isbell described how the influencer would be killed and also referred to him as Charlie Kirk Jr.

George Isbell also accused him and his fellow MAGA podcasters of being racists and pedophiles, CNN reported. The threat letter also mentioned that Benny Johnson would be exterminated, hoping the American flag strangles the life out of you.

Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight! the letter read.

The letter mentioned how much BLOOD would come out of my head and neck when it was blown off, Johnson said.

I don't want political violence. I love this country. I want to be able to debate like Charlie did. I want to be able to raise my family in peace. That is our birthright. But you cannot make peace with evil as a Christian. You cannot unite with people who want you dead, he said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James indicted in U.S. state of Virginia

Xinhua) 15:57, October 10, 2025

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. state of Virginia on Thursday.

U.S. media noted that the charges against James are not yet clear. The Justice Department previously launched a criminal probe into James around alleged mortgage fraud and later expanded its investigation.

In a statement, James called the indictment "a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system."

"These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost," said the prominent Democrat.

The indictment came two weeks after a grand jury in the same court -- the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia -- indicted former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly making a false statement and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. On Wednesday, Comey pleaded not guilty to the two charges.

The indictments of Comey and James came after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate them, along with Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and longtime Trump critic.

During the Biden administration, James' office sued Trump -- who was then a former president -- and the Trump Organization for fraud in 2022.

In her statement on Thursday, James defended her lawsuit. "I stand strongly behind my office's litigation against the Trump Organization. We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence -- not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court's finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud," she said.

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump referred to James as "scum" and "corrupt," demanding her removal from office.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Donald Trump administration is planning to introduce sweeping changes beyond the proposed $100,000 mandatory fee. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has put forward a rule change, listed in the Federal Register under the title Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program.

What are the proposed reforms? The suggested reforms include revising eligibility criteria for cap exemptions, increasing scrutiny of employers with past violations, and tightening oversight of third-party job placements, according to Newsweek.

1. Cap exemption review: The Department of Homeland Security plans to reassess and potentially limit the types of employers and roles that qualify for exemptions from the annual H-1B visa cap, a move that could impact nonprofits, universities, and healthcare institutions currently benefiting from these waivers, Newsweek reported.

2. Third-party worksite oversight: Firms that deploy H-1B employees to third-party worksites, a standard model in tech and consulting, will face increased regulatory scrutiny, the report stated.

3. Tighter checks on past violators: Companies with a history of violating wage or labour condition requirements under the H-1B program will be subjected to stricter monitoring, Newsweek noted.

These changes are intended to improve the integrity of the H-1B nonimmigrant program and better protect U.S. workers wages and working conditions, a paragraph from the rule reads.

H-1B visa program The H-1B visa program, established by the US Congress to attract high-skilled foreign workers for jobs that are hard to fill domestically, is facing major reforms under the Trump administration.

While the program is widely used by tech firms, about a third of H-1B visa holders are employed in critical sectors like healthcare, education, religious services, and academia, including nurses, teachers, physicians, scholars, priests, and pastors, according to a recent lawsuit challenging the reforms.

Reuters reported, citing critics, that the program has been misused as a cost-saving pipeline for overseas workers willing to work for salaries as low as $60,000, significantly below the six-figure pay often commanded by U.S. tech workers.

Traditionally, H-1B visas have been allocated through a lottery system.

In the latest cycle, Seattle-based Amazon emerged as the top recipient, securing over 10,000 visas, followed by major players like Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Apple, and Google. California remains the state with the highest number of H-1B workers, reflecting the programs central role in the U.S. tech ecosystem, Reuters reported.

If implemented, the new rules could significantly disrupt hiring practices in sectors dependent on foreign talent, particularly tech startups unable to bear the high visa costs, while leaving large firms like Nvidia, which has pledged to continue sponsoring H-1B applicants and cover related expenses, relatively unaffected.
In line with Donald Trump's earlier warning amid a prolonged government shutdown, the White House announced on Friday, October 10, mass layoffs of federal employees. The layoff tactic is reportedly being implemented to intensify pressure on Democrats to resolve a government shutdown that has paralyzed public services. The shutdown entered Day 10 on Friday.

With no breakthrough in sight, Budget Director Russ Vought said on social media that the administration had started executing its plan to dismiss some of the 750,000 federal workers who had been on unpaid leave.

The Office of Management and Budget told AFP the layoffs would be substantial. He, however, shared no more details on the number of federal employees who would be laid off and which departments would be most affected.

Referring to reduction-in-force plans, Vought said on the social media site X that the RIFs have begun."

US shutdown layoffs: Who is impacted? An official told AP that the Education Department and health department are among hit by layoffs due to shutdown. Treasury Department too is witnessing layoffs.

Communications director Andrew Nixon said that employees across Human Services divisions, too, have received layoff notices.

Nixon said the layoffs were targeted at those who had been furloughed. "HHS continues to close wasteful and duplicative entities, including those that are at odds with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda," he said.

The announcement came days after Trump said he was meeting Vought to determine which agencies he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.

The president has repeatedly emphasized that he views cutbacks as a way of increasing pain on Democrats.

Earlier, the Trump administration had indicated that it will start mass layoffs if negotiations with Democrats over shutdown are absolutely going nowhere, a senior White House official said.

Trump, too, had warned that many federal workers could be laid off if a funding agreement is not reached. We may do a lot and thats only because of the Democrats, Trump said.

Also Read | White House warns federal layoffs could start if Trump sees shutdown talks failing

Federal workers' unions demand halt to layoffs As mass layoffs were announced by the White House amid the government shutdown, unions representing hundreds of thousands of federal employees have petitioned a court to block the mass layoffs.

They have asked the US District Judge, Susan Illston to release an order, asking the Office of Management and Budget from ordering agencies to carry out the firings and halting officials from issuing layoff notices before the judge holds a previously scheduled hearing on Oct. 16.
New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia, marking a dramatic twist in the political and legal confrontation between the top state prosecutor and President Donald Trump.

The indictmentsecured by a prosecutor appointed directly by Trumpcomes just months after Letitia James led a successful civil case against US president, accusing him of inflating his assets to secure financial advantages.

What are the charges against Letitia James? According to the five-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, James faces two felony counts: bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

The case stems from a 2023 mortgage James obtained to purchase a home in Norfolk, Virginia. Prosecutors allege that she falsely stated she would use the property as a secondary residence, while instead renting it out as an investment. That misrepresentation, they claim, allowed her to secure favourable loan terms worth nearly $19,000.

Letitia James first court appearance is scheduled for 24 October in Norfolk.

Also Read | US Attorney General Defends Trump Moves in Chicago During Tense Senate Hearing

How did the indictment come about? The investigation began in May 2025, amid growing pressure from the Donald Trump administration to target political opponents. The grand jurys decision follows the presidents public calls for James to be prosecuteda move that has alarmed legal experts and deepened concerns about the politicisation of the Justice Department.

The charges, coming two weeks after the Trump-directed indictment of James B. Comey, the former FBI director, deepened the presidents intervention in the justice system, casting away longstanding democratic norms as he seeks retribution on his political enemies, Letitia James' indictments summary noted.

What did Letitia James say In a sharply worded statement following the announcement, James denounced the charges as politically motivated:

Nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system.

She described the accusations as baseless, accusing Trump of using federal law enforcement to punish those who have challenged him.

This is nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate those who stand up to corruption, James added.

Also Read | Marco Rubio credits Trumps diplomacy at UN as key to Gaza ceasefire

What does this mean for the Justice Department? Letitia James' indictment underscores what critics describe as a turbulent era at the Department of Justiceone increasingly under the direct command of a president intent on using federal law enforcement to prosecute his adversaries, shield his supporters and redefine criminality as it suits his interests.

That two separate grand juriesone targeting James, another former FBI director James Comeyhave now returned indictments against Trumps political critics is likely to embolden the president further, even as legal observers warn that convictions are far from certain.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he was unsure about getting Nobel Peace Prize for settling eight wars, including India, Pakistan conflict.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee today.

Trump made the remarks when he was asked about his chances during a bilateral meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Friday.

"Well, I don't know," said the US President, asserting that he made eight deals and solved wars, and would also "probably" solve the Russia-Ukraine war.

Also Read | Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2025

Is Trump likely to secure the Nobel Peace Prize? The Norwegian Nobel Committee generally emphasises the long-term sustainability of peace, fostering international brotherhood, and the steady efforts of institutions that support these aims, AP reported, citing experts who added that Trumps history might actually harm his chances, pointing to his apparent disdain for multilateral organisations and his lack of concern for global climate change issues.

However, Trump has consistently sought Nobel recognition since his initial term, most recently addressing United Nations delegates late last month, saying, Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize.

Also Read | Trump gets Russian backing for Nobel Peace Prize 2025 over Ukraine role

Since 2018, Trump has received multiple nominations from both U.S. and international politicians. In December, US Representative Claudia Tenney also nominated him, citing his role in brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab countries in 2020.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistans government made nominations this year after the 1 February deadline for the 2025 award.

Trump has constantly remarked that he deserves the prize and claims to have ended seven wars. Last week, he hinted at the potential to end an eighth war if Israel and Hamas accept his peace proposal aimed at bringing the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza to a close.

Nobodys ever done that, he said at gathering of military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Will you get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. Theyll give it to some guy that didnt do a damn thing.

Importance of sustained peace efforts Experts indicate that the committee favours sustained, multilateral initiatives over immediate diplomatic victories. Theo Zenou, a historian and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, noted that Trumps efforts have yet to demonstrate lasting impact, AP reported.

Theres a huge difference between getting fighting to stop in the short term and resolving the root causes of the conflict, the news agency quoted Zenou.

He also emphasised Trumps dismissive attitude towards climate change, which many, including the Nobel committee, believe is the planets most significant long-term peace issue challenge.
Nobel Peace Prize 2025 LIVE: Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 on Friday, while US President Donald Trump missed out on the chance to bag the honour. The committee recognised Machado's tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela" and "her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Following her victory, Machado expressed gratitude and wrote on X, This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

She added, I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

US President Donald Trump, who was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, has repeatedly claimed that he deserves" the award, citing his self-proclaimed role in ending several conflicts. The President asserted that he has stopped or de-escalated seven wars, and more recently, he suggested the number could rise to eight with the addition of the Gaza ceasefire.

Who is Maria Corina Machado?

As per the Nobel Peace Prize committee's website, Maria Corina Machado has led the struggle for democracy in Venezuela.
A new poll, released on Thursday (October 9), shows Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani holding a lead over independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, but the margin has narrowed following incumbent Mayor Eric Adams exit from the race.

Mamdani leads with 46% support from likely voters, while Cuomo trails at 33% and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa holds 15%, the new Quinnipiac poll finds.

In the previous Quinnipiac poll gauging a four-way race, Mamdani had 45%, Cuomo 23%, Sliwa 15%, and Adams 12%.

With Adams departure, Mamdanis lead has shrunk from 22 points to 13 points, reflecting a significant shift of Adams supporters to Cuomo, while Sliwas support remained unchanged.

Historical context and voter sentiment Mamdani, a democratic socialist, would become New York Citys first Muslim mayor and first Asian American mayor if elected. Despite his lead, the poll highlights lingering voter concerns about his experience: nearly three-quarters of likely voters said Cuomo has the right kind of experience for mayor, compared to less than 40% for Mamdani, who was first elected to the state Legislature in 2020.

However, enthusiasm among Mamdani voters remains high, with about 90% saying they are very or somewhat enthusiastic, compared to 69% of likely Cuomo voters.

Cuomos favorability remains low: over half of respondents said he was not ethical, citing his 2021 resignation amid sexual harassment allegations and criticism over his COVID-19 nursing home policies.

Key policy perceptions The poll also highlights differences in voter priorities:

Housing costs: Nearly 50% of respondents believe Mamdani could lower housing costs, versus 25% for Cuomo.

Economic growth: Cuomo holds a slight edge, with 41% of voters seeing him as better at growing the citys economy compared to 35% for Mamdani.

Relations with the White House: Voters were split on which candidate would best represent New York Citys interests federally.

Adams exit and ballot presence Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race on September 28, but will remain on the ballot as an independent candidate, potentially affecting voter decisions. The poll surveyed over 1,000 likely voters in early October, roughly a month ahead of Election Day on November 4 and just over two weeks before early voting begins.

In the June Democratic primary, Mamdani trailed Cuomo for much of the race but surged in the final days to secure a decisive victory, clinching the party nomination in a strongly Democratic city.

Also Read | Zohran Mamdani goes Hindu temple hopping after backlash for Ram Temple post
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dubbed Donald Trump as the leader who delivers peace after Nobel Peace Prize snub to the US President. The Prime Minister of Israel took to social media to praise Donald Trump, accusing the Nobel Committee of talking peace while Trump delivers it through concrete actions.

The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen. The facts speak for themselves. President #Trump deserves it, the Prime Minister of Israel said in a post.

The White House, too, has criticised the Nobel Committee's decision to not honour Donald Trump with Nobel Peace Prize. In its first remarks, the White House alleged that the panel proved it places politics over peace and said, President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.

Just a day ago, when Israel and Hamas signed on the agreement to halt all military action in the Palestinian territory, Benjamin Netanyahu had posted an AI-generated picture of Donald Trump, wearing an exaggerated Nobel Peace Prize around his neck.

Captioned Give @realDonaldTrump the Nobel Peace Prize - he deserves it!, the AI image showed Donald Trump standing with his arms raised in celebration, wearing a large gold medal around his neck designed to look like a Nobel Peace Prize.

Beside him standing is Benjamin Netanyahu, also celebrating the honour to Donald Trump. The image also shows a banner in the background reads, PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.

Donald Trump, too, has often insisted that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Weeks ago, Donald Trump, too, declared at the UNSC speech that he had achieved what many thought impossible within seven months of his presidency  ending unendable wars.

In just 7 months, I have ended 7 unendable wars, Trump said during his speech. They said they were unendable, some were going for 31 years, one was 36 years. I ended 7 wars, and in all cases they were raging with countless thousands of people being killed.

Who won the Nobel Peace Prize? Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who lives in hiding, won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for fighting dictatorship in the country.

Maria Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

Oh my God ... I have no words, Maria Machado said after winning the award, adding, I thank you so much, but I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve it.
US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning over Chinas recent moves to impose export controls on rare earth elements and other critical materials, calling the action hostile and unprecedented.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Some very strange things are happening in China! They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to Countries throughout the World, that they want to impose Export Controls on each and every element of production having to do with Rare Earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if its not manufactured in China."

Potential global impact Trump claimed that the Chinese move could clog global markets and make life difficult for nearly every country: "Nobody has ever seen anything like this but, essentially, it would 'clog' the Markets, and make life difficult for virtually every Country in the World, especially for China."

He added that the US and other nations have expressed anger over what he described as great Trade hostility, which came out of nowhere.

Trump highlights US monopoly on elements The US President stressed that the US also holds strong positions in critical elements, but has not yet exercised them: "We have Monopoly positions also, much stronger and more far reaching than Chinas. I have just not chosen to use them, there was never a reason for me to do so  UNTIL NOW!"

Trump also described Chinas detailed letters outlining the elements they planned to withhold as many pages long, and details, with great specificity, each and every Element that they want to withhold from other Nations.

Timing raises questions Trump questioned the timing of Chinas actions, noting it coincided with progress in the Middle East: "The Chinese letters were especially inappropriate in that this was the Day that, after three thousand years of bedlam and fighting, there is PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. I wonder if that timing was coincidental?"

Trump to cancel planned Xi meeting at APEC Trump said he has not spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping following Chinas recent announcement of export controls on rare earths and other critical materials.

Trump called the move a real surprise, not only to me, but to all the Leaders of the Free World. He noted that a planned meeting with Xi at the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea, scheduled for two weeks from now, has been rendered unnecessary due to the unexpected developments.

Possible US response The President indicated that the US may respond financially and through tariffs: "Dependent on what China says about the hostile 'order' that they have just put out, I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move. For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two."

He added: "One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America. There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration."

Trump concluded his post with a reassurance: Ultimately, though potentially painful, it will be a very good thing, in the end, for the U.S.A.

Also Read | Mass layoffs of federal workers begins as Trump ramps up pressure over shutdown
The Nobel Committees decision to award the Peace Prize to Venezuelas Maria Corina Machado instead of United States President Donald Trump drew a sharp rebuke from the White House, which accused the panel of choosing politics over peace. In a strongly worded statement, it said the President would stay focused on making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, despite the perceived snub.

White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X, President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.

The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Trump and others such as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump administration officials have aggressively campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the US President. The snub also comes just after a ceasefire and hostage deal to end the war in Gaza was signed upon by Israel and Hamas.

While Donald Trump has never explicitly demanded the honour, he has often cited the wars he stopped whenever he was questioned about the Nobel Peace Prize. Calls for Donald Trump to receive a Nobel Peace Prize had grown louder recently after Israel and Hamas held talks to pause the war  following US-brokered mediation.

The Gaza peace deal came two years after the Hamas fighters crossed Gaza on October 7, 2023, and killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel, and took over 250 people as hostage. In Israel's counterattack since then, more than 67,000 people have died in Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu even shared an AI-generated image of Trump receiving the Nobel Peace Prize after both sides agreed to the deal.

Captioned Give @realDonaldTrump the Nobel Peace Prize - he deserves it!, the AI image shows Donald Trump, surrounded by a crowd, standing with his arms raised in celebration, wearing a large, exaggerated gold medal around his neck designed to look like a Nobel Peace Prize.

Donald Trump has not yet commented on the Nobel decision, but he did post three videos on his Truth Social account on Friday morning of supporters celebrating the Gaza deal. He has also claimed to have stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack, claiming he used trade to get the two countries on the negotiating table.

India has denied all claims.
US President Donald Trump has not been awarded with his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize although he did manage to bring all parties together on the table regarding the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, achieving something his predecessor Joe Biden could not.

Trump. despite what his naysayers might say, did pull back the situation from possible disaster after Israel conducted an airstrike in Qatar's capital Doha, in order to get to the Hamas top brass who were lodged at a Qatari government residential complex.

Also Read | Gaza ceasefire 1st phase takes effect: Israel completes initial troop withdrawal

The memory of the two earlier ceasefires that had failed will still be fresh in the minds of international observers and parties directly involved with the third one. However, if this ceasefire holds, it could be an achievement Trump could boast of, especially given the context that his predecessor, Joe Biden, failed in achieving anything concrete towards peace in West Asia.

Here we try to take a look at reasons why Trump managed to achieve the ceasefire while Biden didn't:

Trump-Netanyahu are close pals Trump shares a strong relationship with Israel, and particularly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has most likely helped the US President cut the clutter while negotiating with the two sides.

He even showed his commitment to Israel by launching airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities using B10 bombers, an act Netanyahu himself praised in a press conference.

Biden, on the other hand, was often publicly critical of Netanyahu, and had not developed a close personal relationship with him. The former US president had said that Israel's response to Gaza was "over the top", and that Netanyahu's actions were hurting Israel more than helping Israel.

Trump's Arab visits helped US come closer to West Asia Trump, besides his friendship with Netanyahu, is also close with leaders of West Asian nations. Both his presidential terms even began with official trips to Saudi Arabia. In 2025, the US President also landed in Abu Dhabi and Doha.

In his first term, the US President's standout diplomatic achievement was the Abraham Accords, which help ease tensions between Muslim states like the UAE and Israel.

During his West Asia visit this time, Trump landed in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, countries strongly against Israel, where he had to hear calls about ending the war plaguing the entire region.

These decisions expectedly helped him earn the trust of the Muslim world, leaders of whom he also sat down with ahead of the Gaza ceasefire.

"One of the things that clearly happened was that President Trump developed leverage with the Israelis, and indirectly with Hamas," BBC quoted Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as saying.

Support of both Houses Both the US Senate as well as the House of Representatives are controlled by Republicans at the moment, which has given Trump an unprecedented support in carrying out his plans as he sees fit, a perk his predecessor did not enjoy.

The unified Republican shield also protected him from backlash within the country, giving Trump room to bring about a ceasefire between Israel and Syria.

European pressure Another factor which played out in favour of Trump was the unprecedented European pressure on Israel. Countries like France and England, which for so long had been backing Israel, moved from their positions and even recognised the Palestinian state, putting pressure on Netanyahu.
The Taliban government on Friday formally accused Pakistan of bombing a market in a border town, describing the action as a "violation of Kabul's sovereign territory".

The accusation was made just a day after two late-night explosions were reported in Afghanistan's capital.

In a statement posted by Afghanistan's Defence Ministry on social media, officials claimed that Pakistan had breached Afghan airspace to bomb a civilian market in the Marghi area of Barmal district of Paktika province, which is situated close to the contentious Durand Line.

"Pakistan violated Afghanistan's airspace, bombing a civilian market in the Marghi area of Paktika near the Durand Line and also violating Kabul's sovereign territory," the Defence Ministry said.

"This is an unprecedented, violent, and heinous act in the history of Afghanistan and Pakistan," it added.

"If the situation becomes more tense after these actions, the consequences will be attributed to the Pakistani army," the statement said.

According to media reports, airstrikes allegedly carried out by the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) in the Margha Bazaar area of Barmal district of Paktika province destroyed several shops and caused significant financial losses to locals.

Also Read | Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend, says Foreign Minister Muttaqi

In response, Pakistans military spokesperson held a televised press conference later on Friday but did not directly answer when questioned about Pakistans responsibility for the attacks.

"To safeguard Pakistani lives and properties, what measures need to be taken will be taken," General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told reporters in Peshawar city.

Afghanistan's foreign minister visits India The explosions took place after Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in New Delhi for a week-long visit to India.

Muttaqi's October 9-16 visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said on Friday that the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India.

During a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Jaishankar described Muttaqi's visit as an important step in advancing India-Afghanistan ties.

India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of Indias Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India, EAM added.

Muttaqi's October 9-16 visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.

During his meeting, Jaishankar welcomed Kabul's invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan, calling it deeply appreciated and open for further discussion. He said, We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce. I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi..

Muttaqi calls India a close friend New Delhi maintained consistent contact with the Taliban, establishing a technical mission in Kabul in 2022, a year after the group regained power, to focus on humanitarian aid and development efforts.

Afghan FM Muttaqi said, "In the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, India was the first responder. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people relations. We are ready to create a consultative mechanism of understanding, which helps towards strengthening our relations."

India also pursued backchannel diplomacy and participated in regional forums, which helped strengthen ties between the two sides this year.

Afghan FM Muttaqi said that he is happy to be in Delhi, and this visit will increase the understanding between the two countries. India and Afghanistan should increase their engagements and exchanges...We will not allow any group to use our territory against others, he added.

India has long been home to tens of thousands of Afghans, including students and entrepreneurs, many of whom fled after the Taliban takeover. Although Afghanistans embassy in New Delhi closed permanently in November 2023, its consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad remain open, offering limited services.

The United Nations Security Council has granted a temporary exemption to Muttaqi from international travel restrictions, allowing him to visit India for a week starting October 9. His earlier visit, planned for last month, was cancelled after he failed to secure a visa waiver.

Muttaqi's current trip marks a rare diplomatic engagement between India and the Taliban-led administration, which came to power in Afghanistan for the second time since its first regime in 1996.

Muttaqi's visit to India comes on the heels of his participation in a multilateral meeting on Afghanistan held in Russia on Tuesday, which included representatives from China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

His visit underscores the Taliban administration's ongoing push for international recognition, while also highlighting Indias strategic recalibration in the region. By engaging directly with the Taliban, India aims to assert its influence in Afghanistan and counter the growing presence of regional rivals Pakistan and China, both of whom remain deeply involved in the countrys affairs.

Although India does not formally recognise the Taliban, addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal confirmed on October 3 the continued engagement with the interim government in Afghanistan, highlighting both diplomatic exchanges and humanitarian assistance following a recent earthquake in the region.

Previously, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken with Muttaqi over the phone in May, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had met him in Dubai earlier this year.
The US has sanctioned over 50 entities, including two Indian nationals, for allegedly facilitating Iranian energy sales to weaken Tehran's energy export capabilities, according to the Treasury Department's OFAC.

Here are the top updates: 1. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctions on Thursday. "These actors have collectively enabled the export of billions of dollars worth of petroleum and petroleum products, providing critical revenue to the Iranian regime and its support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States," the department said in a press release.

2. Meanwhile, the sanctions are part of the department's efforts to curb Irans petroleum and petrochemical exports. The Treasury Department is degrading Irans cash flow by dismantling key elements of Irans energy export machine, it said, quoting Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

3. The Indian nationals sanctioned include Varun Pula, who owns Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc., which owns and operates the Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR.

4. The vessel has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since July 2024, according to the US statement.

5. The other Indian national sanctioned is Soniya Shrestha, who owns Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited. The company owns and operates another Comoros-flagged vessel, NEPTA, which has transported Iranian-origin LPG to Pakistan since January 2025.

6. The statement added that all "property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons" that are in the US or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.

7. Any entities owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked persons also stand blocked.

8. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department blacklisted China's Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co. as part of a broader crackdown targeting over 50 individuals, companies, and vessels involved in exporting Iranian energy. The terminal, connected to Sinopec, processes roughly 9% of Chinas crude oil imports.

9. By targeting the oil terminal, the Trump administration is signalling its intent to disrupt one of the largest remaining outlets for Irans sanctioned crude, much of which ultimately ends up in Chinese refineries despite US restrictions. The blacklisted entities helped facilitate billions of dollars in commodities sales, using shadow-fleet tankers, offshore terminals and middlemen from Asia to the Middle East, the agencys Office of Foreign Assets Control said, as reported by Bloomberg.

10. Currently, ship-tracking data shows that tankers carrying nearly 6 million barrels of crude are waiting off the coast of Rizhao. These shipments, arriving on four vessels from Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, and West Africa, highlight the diverse crude grades imported through the port. Two of the ships, the Pacific Sky and New Energy, have missed their estimated arrival times, suggesting possible uncertainty related to the new restrictions, Bloomberg reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed the momentous development in the countrys war in Gaza, crediting US President Donald Trump and his envoys for helping secure a breakthrough ceasefire and the imminent release of hostages held by Hamas.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the ceasefire and expressed optimism for a lasting peace between the two West Asian countries.

Speaking shortly after his government approved the first phase of a US-brokered Gaza peace deal, Netanyahu said Israel was close to fulfilling one of its main war aims  bringing home all the captives.

Also Read | Israel govt approves first phase of Trump's Gaza ceasefire resolution

In the last two years, weve fought to achieve our war aims. And a central one of these war aims is to return the hostages. All of the hostages, the living and the dead. And were about to achieve that, Netanyahu said.

What did Netanyahu say about Trumps role? Netanyahu expressed deep gratitude to Donald Trump and his peace team, crediting them with providing the diplomatic leverage needed to isolate Hamas and reach an agreement.

We couldnt have achieved it without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner. They worked tirelessly, he said.

He added that Israels military and diplomatic efforts had isolated Hamas, allowing for this moment of progress.

That, and the courage of our soldiers who entered Gaza, had a combined military and diplomatic pressure that isolated Hamas. I believe these brought us to this point, Netanyahu said.

The prime minister went on to thank Witkoff and Kushner personally, acknowledging their commitment to the peace effort.

We know that its for the benefit of Israel and the US, for the benefit of decent people everywhere, he said, praising the pair for putting forward both your brains and your hearts.

What does the Gaza ceasefire deal include? The Israeli cabinet approved the deal early on Friday morning, about 24 hours after mediators announced the agreements framework under the first phase of Trumps 20-point plan to end the Gaza war.

The government has now approved the plan for the release of all hostages  the living and the fallen, Netanyahus office confirmed in a post on X.

The ceasefire is expected to take effect within 24 hours, with the release of Israeli hostages to begin within 72 hours. In exchange, Israel will release a number of Palestinian prisoners and withdraw its forces to an agreed line inside Gaza.

The United States will send around 200 troops to the Middle East to monitor the plans implementation, though Washington has emphasised that no American personnel will enter Gaza.

How has Palestine reacted? In a rare interview with Israels Channel 12, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the ceasefire and expressed optimism for a lasting peace.

What happened today is a historic moment. We have been hoping  and continue to hope  that we can bring an end to the bloodshed taking place in our land, whether in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem, Abbas said.

Today, we are very happy that the bloodshed has ceased. We hope it remains this way, and that peace, security, and stability will prevail between us and Israel.

When asked about Trumps call for reforming the Palestinian Authority, Abbas confirmed that a restructuring process was already underway.

I want to say honestly  we have launched reforms, he said.

Also Read | Hostage deal negotiators work to close gaps as Israel prepares to vote

A momentous but fragile turning point The approval of the Gaza ceasefire marks a critical moment in the conflict, potentially paving the way for a broader political settlement  yet uncertainty lingers over whether both sides will fully adhere to the terms.

Netanyahus public thanks to Trump underscore the deepening US-Israel coordination under the renewed American peace initiative. For many observers, this agreement represents not only a chance to end months of devastation in Gaza but also a test of whether political pragmatism can overcome years of mistrust.
With the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 slated to be announced on Friday, October 10, amid Donald Trump's repeated assertions about his worthiness for the award, there has been a swirl of expert commentary on the US President's chances of winning the award.

As the announcement draws near, we take a look at what experts have said.

'A legitimate claim' Although Trump has touted his self-proclaimed role in stopping seven wars (prior to the Gaza ceasefire), the biggest argument in favour of the US President is perhaps his role in mediating a truce between Israel and Hamas, which both parties agreed to on October 9.

Commenting on Trump's chances, David Sanger, a veteran national security reporter at The New York Times wrote, "If the peace plan moves forward, Mr. Trump may have as legitimate a claim to that Nobel as the four American presidents who have won the peace prize in the past."

Echoing Sanger, Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment for told the Times, "No president, Republican or Democrat, has ever come down harder on an Israeli prime minister on issues so critically important to his politics or his countrys security interests."

'A deeply dark irony' Trump's role in brokering the 2020 Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Morocco, could also play in favour of the US President, Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University told The Conversation, but added that his nomination by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a man accused of war crimes, was a "deeply dark irony that cannot be overlooked".

Citing Trump's silence on the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza and his "authorization of attacks on Iranian civilian, military, and nuclear infrastructure," Mamouri said that the US President's "broader disregard for international norms shattered decades of post-second World War diplomatic order and increased the risk of sustained and expanded conflict."

"Against this backdrop, any serious consideration of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize seems fundamentally at odds with its stated mission: to honour efforts that reduce conflict, uphold human rights and promote lasting peace," he added.

'Trump isn't there yet...' Ian Parmeter, Research Scholar, Middle East Studies, Australian National University also thinks that the US President has some ways to go before he can think of getting a Nobel Peace Prize.

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pushback against Trump's claims of mediating the India-Pakistan conflict, and Trump's 'airbrushing' of Qatar's role in the mediating the Rwanda-DRC conflict, Parmeter told The Conversation, "Trump isnt there yet."

'Absolutely out of the question' Another expert, Asle Sveen, a Nobel Peace Prize historian, told Reuters that the US President had no chance of winning the prestigious award.

"Winning the Nobel Peace Prize for Donald Trump is absolutely out of the question and the reason is mainly he says he hates seeing people being killed but now hes supporting the ongoing genocide in Gaza," Sveen said, adding, "He has also received on the red carpet in Alaska another war criminal, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and has refused to put stress on Putins war in Ukraine, in reality prolonging the war in Ukraine."

Admiring dictators like he does, is also against the idea behind the Nobel Peace Prize, she said.

Also Read | Trump gets Russian backing for Nobel Peace Prize 2025 over Ukraine role

Not a 'peaceful president' Nina Graeger, the director the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, is also not convinced of the US President's chances.

"He has withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization and from the Paris Accord on climate, he has initiated a trade war on old friends and allies," Graeger told Reuters, adding, "That is not exactly what we think about when we think about a peaceful president or someone who really is interested in promoting peace."

'...despite a brutal record' Henrik Syse, a former member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, highlighted that sometimes people have received the coveted award despite a dubious track record, but added that there were caveats.

"Sometimes people have received the Peace Prize despite a brutal record, an authoritarian record, a background where theyve contributed to evil, or at least wrongdoing," Syse told Reuters.

Citing the example of F W de Klerk, the last apartheid-era leader of South Africa who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Nelson Mandela in 1993, Syse said, "But they had explicitly seen the things that they had contributed to were wrong, and therefore took the steps necessary to correct these wrongs."

'We don't like it' The deputy leader of Norwegian Nobel Committee, Asle Toje, also didn't mince words when it came to Trump's open lobbying for the award.

"These types of influence campaigns have a rather more negative effect than a positive one. Because we talk about it on the committee. Some candidates push for it really hard and we do not like it," Toje said.
The Nobel Peace Prize is scheduled to be announced on Friday, October 10, with the highly-anticipated event drawing even more attention this time amid US President Donald Trump's repeated assertions about his worthiness.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish inventor and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature.

With all the other prizes being announced over the past several days, all eyes now rest on Friday's big reveal.

Also Read | Everytime Trump Said He Deserves The Nobel Peace Prize | Watch

When will the Nobel Peace Prize be announced? The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 will be announced on October 10, at 11am Central European Summer Time (CEST), that is, at 2.30pm Indian Standard Time (IST).

How are nominees selected for the Nobel Peace Prize? Unlike the other Nobel Prizes where the Norwegian Nobel Committee itself decides the nominees and the winners, the Nobel Peace Prize is unique insofar that anyone from anywhere can nominate an individual or an organization, so long as they meet the criteria to be considered a nominator.

For the Nobel Peace Prize, no invitation from the Committee is required for a nominator to nominate someone for the prize.

Who can nominate? Eligible nominators for the Nobel Peace Prize include university chancellors and rectors; professors teaching political science, social science, history, philosophy, law, and theology; people leading peace research institutes and international affairs institutes; members of national assemblies; government officials and members of international courts of law; past Nobel Peace Prize laureates; board members of organizations that received the prize in the past; and finally, current and former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, as well as former advisers to the Nobel Institute.

Is the list of nominees public? No, the list of Nobel Prize nominees is not made public. In fact, the complete list of eligible nominees for any year's prizes is not released for the next 50 years, as per the statutes of the Nobel Foundation.

How long does the nomination-to-award process take? The process of selecting a Nobel Peace Prize laureate spans around eight months, with the Nobel Committee coming to a decision on the winner by the beginning of October "at the latest", when a winner is selected based on a simple majority vote. The decision is final, and perhaps importantly (for this year), cannot be appealed.

On what basis is a winner selected? As per Alfred Nobel's will, the Nobel Peace Prize is conferred to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

The will specifies that the prize should be awarded to those who "have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind", adding that "no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, so that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not."

The interpretation of Nobel's will, over time, has also been expanded by the Nobel Committee to include efforts in human rights, democracy, and environmentalism as contributions to peace.

Also Read | Three scientists win Nobel Prize 2025 in Chemistry for developing 'new type of m

How many nominees are there for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize? While the names of nominees are not made public, the Nobel Committee has said that this year's list includes 338 candidates244 individuals and 94 organizations.

Where does Trump figure in all of this? Trump has repeatedly asserted that he is deserving of the accolade based on his self-proclaimed role in stopping seven wars in seven months, followed by the first phase of the Gaza peace plan which was agreed to by Israel and Hamas on October 9.

The US President has also received formal nominations from major international figures, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir.

In addition, his nomination has been publicly backed by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan (despite Trump's repeated gaffes about the names of the two nations), as well by the leaders of Gabon and Rwanda for his role in mediating conflicts these nations were engaged in.

Several Republican lawmakers have also submitted letters nominating Trump or backing his nomination.

Backed by such figures, Trump has even gone on to say on record that being snubbed would be a "big insult" to the United States.

Understanding Trump's eligibility While there were reports suggesting that the deadline for nominations closed on January 31, and as such the US President would not have been eligible, Newsweek reported that the members of the committee were entitled to add more nominees to the initial list during their first meeting on February 28, a little over a month into Trump's second term.

Further, debunking social media rumours that the US President had been disqualified, the Nobel Committee "unequivocally denied Trump had been removed from this year's list of nominees", Newsweek reported.

So what are Trump's chances? Despite Trump being a nominee, to the best of our understanding, experts remain skeptical about the US President's chances of winning the honour.

For one, in spite of Trump's claims of mediating conflicts, the Nobel Committee typically prioritizes sustained, long-term peace efforts over recent diplomatic developments whose durability is yet to be proven.

Secondly, Trump's 'America First' policies and withdrawals from international pacts such as the Paris Climate Agreement go against the Committee's focus on efforts that promote international fraternity.

And thirdly, Trump's very public lobbying for the honour is unlikely to sit well with the Committee, experts said.
With the Nobel Peace Prize set to be announced on Friday, October 10, the question on everyone's mind is: Will US President Donald Trump win the prestigious award? And, if not Trump, then who?

As the announcement draws near, we take a look at some of the front-runners for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Contenders for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize: This year, there are 338 nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organizations.

While the names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years as per the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, that has not stopped speculation about the winner, especially given Trump's assertions about him being worthy of the prize.

Despite the US President's repeated declarations that he is deserving of the honour, experts remain skeptical, with many suggesting that other individuals and organizations are more realistic picks.

Who are the front-runners? There appears to be no clear front-runner for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, but there is speculation surrounding a few high-profile contenders, including:

- Yulia Navalnaya: The widow of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Yulia is considered to be a favourite given her long-standing advocacy for human rights and democracy in Russia. Following Navalny's death, Yulia stepped forward as a prominent human rights and democracy advocate, and a prize for Navalny's widow would be considered to be a strong rebuke to authoritarianism.

- Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs): A collection of grassroots organizations, these ERRs are also considered a top contender for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for their unrelenting courage in carrying out humanitarian work amid the devastating civil war in the African nation. Made up of thousands of volunteers, Sudan's ERRs have been providing essential aid in the war-torn nation such as food, medicine, and shelter in what has been described to be one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

- International Courts of Justice: Both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) are seen as strong contenders for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, particularly for their role in upholding international law in a period of widespread global conflict. The UN's main judicial body, the ICJ, has been a prominent figure over the past year for its hearings on accusations of a genocide in Gaza, while the ICC has issued arrest warrants for leaders accused of war crimes, including against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

- Media freedom organizations: In a year that has been deadly for reporters, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have frequently come into the limelight for their efforts to preserve and safeguard freedom of expression, something the Nobel Committee considers a pre-requisite for democracy and peace. From war-torn Sudan to Gaza, these organizations have been vocal in highlighting the an increasingly global clamp down against freedom of speech, and Nobel to either of these organizations would be seen as a powerful message backing the fourth pillar of democracy.

- United Nations (UN) agencies: Two UN agencies are also considered strong contenders for this year's prize, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While the UNRWA's role in providing aid to war-torn and aid-starved Gaza has been for humanitarian efforts (despite controversies), the UNHCR could also be considered for its work to address global displacement problems.

- Doctors Without Borders: Known as the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Doctors Without Borders won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 "in recognition of the organization's pioneering humanitarian work on several continents" and could be a strong contender for this year's prize as well, given their commitment to providing medical assistance in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. This year, the organization has been in the spotlight for its continued operations in war-torn Gaza. Further, the organization's work in providing medical aid in over 70 countries also contributes to MSF being a strong contender.

- The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF): Founded in 1915 by suffragettes from 12 countries, the WILPF was one of the world's first peace organizations and has since played a significant role over the years in major peace efforts, including the establishment of the United Nations in 1945 and lobbying for nuclear disarmament. Even today, when women continue to be excluded from formal peace processes, a Nobel to WILPF would acknowledge its long-standing mission to promote peace, and would carry special significance, given that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, a landmark resolution that was drafted with support from the WILPF.

- Climate activist Greta Thunberg: A perennial candidate for a Nobel Peace Prize, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has not only been a symbol of the global fight against climate change, but has also been one of the global voices speaking for war-torn Gaza and the need for humanitarian aid to its people.
The Nobel committee, which selects the winners of the Nobel Prize, announced on Friday that the Peace Prize for the year 2025 is being awarded to Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader of Venezuela, for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

This comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump repeatedly claiming in the past few months that he should be awarded the Nobel prize for helping stop what he claims are wars around the world.

Also Read | Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2025

The chairperson of the Nobel committee, Jrgen Watne Frydnes, was asked during the announcement of the 2025 peace prize winner why Donald Trump was not considered for the same, to which he replied, This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity.

Listen to what the chairperson says at 15:16 minute of the video.

We base our decisions on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel, he also said.

Trump's dilemma: US has backed Machado's cause Trump will have a hard time arguing against the Nobel committee's decision since the US government has itself been critical of the current Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"I think the main takeaway is that the committee is again demonstrating its independence, that they wouldn't be swayed by popular opinions or political leaders to award the prize," Halvard Leira, research director at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, told Reuters.

Also Read | Who is Maria Corina Machado? Venezuelan opposition leader wins Nobel Peace Prize

Trump will interpret this as he wants to, but this is a prize given to a cause which the United States has very much supported over the years, she said, adding, "The democratic opposition of Venezuela is something that the US has been eager to support. So, in that sense, it would be hard for anyone to constitute this as an insult to Trump."

Can Trump be nominated next year? The committee took its final decision before the Israel-Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal under the first phase of Trump's initiative to end the war in West Asia. The deal was announced on Wednesday, which means Trump was too late to achieve the goal that would have given him the strongest possible reason behind staking his claim on the prize earlier awarded to four American presidents  Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.
After months of stalemate, US President Donald Trump secured a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a deal that came together following an intense diplomatic push and significant support from several Arab and Muslim nations.

The agreement aims to temporarily halt the conflict sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. As part of the deal, Hamas is expected to release 48 hostages in the coming days, though only around 20 are believed to still be alive.

US to send 200 troops to Israel The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organisations and private-sector players, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The officials, who spoke with Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss details that were not authorised for release, said U.S. Central Command is going to establish a civil-military coordination center in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war.

The coordination center will be staffed by about 200 U.S. service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering, said the official, who noted that no American troops will be sent into Gaza.

Members of the armed forces of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are expected to be embedded with the team of 200 U.S. troops, according to one of the officials. The American service members will integrate the multinational force and coordinate with Israeli defence forces, the official told AP.

Who will rule Gaza? While reaching this point was challenging, pushing forward with efforts to end the war will continue to test President Trump's patience and ability to stay focused.

There's also no certainty that the ceasefire will mark a real turning point in a region where temporary pauses in violence are far more common than lasting peace.

View full Image Palestinians gather to shop in a public square in Gaza City, Gaza, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Israel's cabinet convened late Thursday to formally approve a ceasefire deal in Gaza ahead of a hostage release. Photographer: Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg ( Bloomberg )

Despite growing optimism, many critical issues remain unresolved, including the precise timeline of the agreement, who will govern Gaza after the war, and what the future holds for Hamas.

It is not a peace agreement, said Aaron David Miller, who served as an adviser on Middle East issues to Democratic and Republican administrations over two decades, as reported by AP. It is not a guaranteed end to the war.

At present, it's unclear who will take control of Gaza once the conflict ends. Hamas, which has ruled the territory since ousting rival Palestinian factions in 2007, has been ruled out by Netanyahu, Trump, and both Western and Arab powers.

What happens next? The next phase of Trump's plan calls for an international body - the Board of Peace - to play a role in Gaza's post-war administration. Under the plan, it would be led by Trump and include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Under Trump's plan, humanitarian aid entering Gaza is to increase. The Israeli official said 600 trucks per day would soon start entering Gaza. Two Palestinian sources said the number would be a minimum of 400 trucks a day and would gradually increase.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.

Following the ceasefire, humanitarian aid is expected to begin flowing to Palestinians. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for full access for aid workers in Gaza and emphasised that the United Nations is ready and prepared to move  now.

Trumps plan also proposes an international stabilisation force, which may start to take shape after a meeting in Paris on Thursday involving European ministers and senior officials from Arab nations. The meeting will also cover future governance of Gaza, aid, reconstruction, and demilitarisation.

When will the Gaza hostages be released? Trump said on Thursday that he expects the Gaza hostages to be released on Monday or Tuesday. At a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump discussed the deal reached the previous day, which includes the release of hostages held by Hamas as part of an initial phase of a broader plan for Gaza.

He expressed confidence that the agreement would lead to lasting peace.

Hamas is to release the 20 living hostages together, 72 hours after the ceasefire begins, the sources told Reuters.

Palestinian sources told Reuters that the bodies of dead hostages would be released gradually as Israel's military withdraws. Gal Hirsch, Israel's hostage coordinator, said an international force would be established to help find any dead hostages whom Hamas cannot locate.

Israel is expected to release about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including over 200 who are serving life sentences, the Palestinian sources said, according to the report.

Hamas said on Wednesday it had handed over its lists of the hostages being held and the Palestinian prisoners it wanted freed and exchanged.

(With inputs from agencies)
Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and opposition leader of Venezuela, expressed gratitude for international allies, particularly US President Donald Trump, after receiving the recognition on Friday. She dedicated the honour to the Venezuelan people while highlighting their suffering.

In a post on the social media platform X, Machado wrote, This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.

She added, We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy. I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

Also Read | White House's first reaction as Donald Trump misses out on Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote democracy in the country.

In 2024, 58-year-old industrial engineer Machado was barred by Venezuela's courts from running for president. This prevented her from contesting against President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

The Nobel Committee recognised her for "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

This year, 338 candidates, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations, were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. While the Nobel Foundation's rules require the nominees' names to stay secret, rumours circulated about Trump's win, as he had repeatedly hinted that he deserved the award.

Also Read | Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2025

White House reacts as Trump misses out Following the announcement that Maria Corina Machado would be awarded the Peace Prize instead of Trump, the White House accused the panel of choosing politics over peace.
The rote assurance of an investigation" into the latest alarming incident involving yet another Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner does little to inspire confidence that either the civil aviation regulator or the airlines management is treating safety issues with the seriousness they demand.

On 5 October, an Air India B787, en route from Amritsar to Birmingham, UK, experienced an uncommanded" deployment of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a safety device that uses the aircrafts momentum to force wind through a turbine to generate emergency power.

The RAT is a backup system, which is designed to automatically deploy in the event of a complete loss of engine power or other severe electrical, electronic, or hydraulic failure. This is what happened in Ahmedabad, seconds before the B787 crashed after both its engines mysteriously shut down, killing 241 people on board and another 19 on the ground.

A worrying trend

It is concerning when a similar incident occurs on the same type of aircraft operated by the same airline.

In the case of the Birmingham flight, the crew operating the flight found all parameters to be normal, and the aircraft, which was less than 500 feet short of landing at the time the RAT deployed, managed a safe landing, Air India said in a statement.

After the crash, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), an association of airline pilots, wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, urging a comprehensive review of the electrical systems of all B787 aircraft in the country.

"After the Air India Flight 171 crash, the FIP has been constantly insisting on a thorough check-up of the electrical system of B787 aircraft in the country. Subsequent to the crash, the DGCA checked only the fuel control switches of B787 in Air India (fleet)," the FIP said in the letter, Mint reported.

The DGCAs refusal to do so is puzzling, particularly since multiple aircraft in Air Indias B787 fleet have experienced technical problems. On 16 June, an Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi (AI 315) returned to Hong Kong approximately 90 minutes after take-off due to a technical issue, with the pilot telling air traffic control, We don't want to continue further".

The same day, a Chennai-bound British Airways Dreamliner also returned to London over a technical issue.

Other than mandating an inspection of the fuel switcheswhich, according to a leaked preliminary Ahmedabad crash report by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), had mysteriously turned off and on again within a secondthe DGCA has taken no further action to reassess the safety and flightworthiness of the country's B787 fleet.

Critical question

There are three aspects of the DGCAs response to the crash that merit stronger scrutiny: its immediate regulatory responses, the lack of transparency in the investigation process, and, finally, the significant deviation from its own past actions in cases involving serious fatalities.

Of the three, the last is the most puzzling. Aviation experts and pilot unions have argued that the DGCAs isolated technical inspections were not enough, and the crash called for a deeper, system-wide technical inspection and safety audit, for which the B787 fleet ought to have been grounded.

While grounding commercial aircraft, which costs millions of dollars and runs up huge expenses if they are not operational and earning revenue, is an extreme step taken only in exceptional cases, aviation regulators have not shied away from doing so when an aircraft type has suffered a fatal crash.

The DGCA has done so several times in the past. In 2019, it was among the first regulators in a significant civil aviation market to ground the B737 Max fleet, following two fatal crashes abroad, citing safety as its top priority".

Also Read | How the crash impacts Air India, insurers and Boeing

It only allowed them to fly again after significant technical changes were made by Boeing and after a global consensus was reached among aviation regulators.

It grounded the Airbus A320 in the past, and in 2013, even the then-newly arrived Boeing 787 Dreamliner, due to battery issues. In the light of this history, the DGCAs soft-touch approach in the present instance is puzzling.

Conflict of interest

In fact, the regulator's alleged acts of omission and commission have prompted two petitions in the Supreme Court, pleading for an independent, unbiased, and court-monitored inquiry into the Ahmedabad crash. In sum, the petitions have argued that the probe had an inherent conflict of interest, as three serving DGCA members were on the AAIB investigation panel when its own actions were subject to review.

The petitions also argue that critical technical datasuch as Digital Flight Data Recorder and complete Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) transcripts with timestampshave been withheld, limiting independent analysis.

Also Read | Dreamliner disaster hits Boeing ahead of key Paris showcase

They have also pointed out other inconsistencies in the AAIB's preliminary report, and pilot unions have charged that the selective use of CVR transcripts signalled a bias towards blaming pilot error, or worse, deliberate pilot intervention.

While the apex court will rule on the charges raised by the petition, the fact that judicial intervention has been sought indicates widespread dissatisfaction with the measures DGCA has taken so far. It needs to match its deeds to its words (of putting safety first) to ensure the secure development of the worlds third-largest (and fastest-growing) aviation market.
Muttaqis visit to India is significant in many ways. New Delhi has engaged this Taliban regime gradually, one cautious brick at a time, even though we had to shut down our embassy in Kabul in 2021 after the Ashraf Ghani government was ousted. While the embassy reopened after a few months, it is still not a full-fledged diplomatic mission. It has, however, served as a useful platform for the delivery of Indian relief material during recent natural disasters.
Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal, the first stage in a 20-point plan to end the war. Does this, as Donald Trump says, mean were on the cusp of everlasting peace in the Middle East? Will we now see Gazas reconstruction under an Arab-led international force as both Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces disappear into the night? Not even close.

But no ceasefire could reach such ambitious goals alone. What it does achieve is halting a war that has already gone on for far too long. The remaining 20 Israeli hostages still thought to be alive will be released from a living hell.

More will come home in body bags, giving closure to their families. The killing of Palestinian civilians in a fight that long since lost the proportionality required for its continued justification can now stop. Adequate food and medical aid can begin to flow. None of this suffering was deserved or acceptable.

Also Read | Manu Joseph: What being in awe of Israel actually says about people

This breakthrough is, to use a Trumpian term, huge" on its own merits. He deserves the credit that hell certainly demand for making it happen. But it is not yet peace and certainly not unprecedented," as Trump claimed in a Truth Social post. Weve reached the ceasefire and hostage-for-prisoner exchange stage of such agreements twice before; both collapsed before the more lasting elements could kick in.

Still, without Trump applying intense pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister would not have agreed to any stage of a plan that in essence reverses the US administrations previous acquiescence in Gazas occupation and de facto ethnic cleansing. Nor would Netanyahu have apologized to Qatar for bombing it, without which Doha and Ankara wouldnt have helped make the deal possible by applying similar levels of persuasion on Hamas.

Also Read | The Israel-Hamas ceasefire may not end the war

All of this was essential to achieving a ceasefire, but a steep road lies ahead. The fact that statements announcing the deal said nothing about the disarmament of Hamas or full withdrawal of the IDF does not inspire confidence. It makes clear that neither Hamas (a terrorist group devoted to the cause of destroying Israel), nor Netanyahus cabinet (dominated by extremists devoted to Israels expansion), want to end this war. Theyre being forced into it.

Even so, there is reason for cautious optimism. Because, while a genuine peace may take much longer and Netanyahu may be tempted to restart hostilities as soon as all hostages are released, the cost of doing so would be high. What follows is likely to be messy and still marked by violence, but still immeasurably preferable to the wholesale bloodshed that has killed tens of thousands of civilians.

One key reason to think this could prove less of a blip in the fighting than previous ones is that Trump seems to have recognized his earlier policy of giving free rein to Netanyahu now threatens his own and US interests in the Arab Middle East.

Perceptions there have shifted dramatically since he brokered the Abraham Accords in his first term, in an attempt to unite regional allies with Israel against the challenge they all faced from Iran. Today, the Gulf states see Israel as the greater threat to regional stability, and US endorsement of Netanyahus actions was eroding confidence in Washingtons reliability as a guarantor of Gulf security. Qatars bombing proved a tipping point.

A second cause for at least a measure of hope is that both Hamas and Netanyahu rule over populations that are sick of them.

Israels long-serving leader has resisted any inquiry into the political and intelligence failures that allowed Hamass 7 October 2023 slaughter of innocent Israelis on his watch. With the fighting over, this will become increasingly difficult. Hamas also has yet to answer why it invited this inevitable punishment on its people. All of which is to say that while neither has a political interest in allowing a true and lasting peace, a ceasefire that lasts long enough can weaken their position to do more harm.

In fact, every day without shooting could make it harder to restart the war, especially if the US, Arab states and other international players act to use the ceasefire well. The more international aid workers, journalists and other independent parties are flooded into the zone, the greater the political costs of breaking the ceasefire. Exposure of what took place over the last 24 months will be ugly for both sets of leaders.

Hamas never represented the interests of ordinary Gazans. It ran a repressive Islamist domestic regime, diverted economic aid that could have improved lives to instead prepare for war, and opposed Palestinian statehood so long as Israel continued to exist.

Netanyahus record is more mixed, as he has had genuine military success against Israels enemies, including Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. But were he to depart today, he would leave his country polarized, dependent on permanent conflict for its security, diplomatically isolated and in the dock on charges of genocide.

There is a long road back to co-existence between Israel and its Palestinian neighbours, let alone peace.

But a ceasefire will save lives and could over time weaken the conflicts extremist accelerants on both sides. Thats more than enough to celebrate. Bloomberg

The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe, Russia and the Middle East.
Americas new 100% pharma tariff, going by a recent post online by US President Donald Trump, was aimed at branded or patented" pharmaceutical products, barring those for which plants were being built in the US. Indian exporters of generic drugs have since wondered if their shipments could face such a barrier too.

A Wall Street Journal report, citing White House and commerce department spokespersons, suggests they need not worry about policy creep. At least not at this stage. A tariff on generic imports isnt under consideration, says the report, though a final decision is yet to be taken. Pharma stocks in India climbed in response.

Some of this seems to reflect relief that the term branded" would not be interpreted to include off-patent generic formulations that sell in India under various names. Even on branded drugs, the US tariff has been delayed amid negotiations.

It is well known that the US healthcare system benefits from low-cost generics produced in India. Trumps focus is on much higher priced patented drugs. What matters most in this field is intellectual property, acquiring which isnt about factories but openness to talent from across the globe.
(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill aimed at ramping up the housing supply, bucking opposition from detractors including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and neighborhoods around the states largest city.

The legislation allows apartment buildings as tall as nine stories to be constructed near mass transit stations regardless of local zoning codes, which supporters say will help tame sky-high housing prices. Bass warned of unintended consequences, while opponents in residential enclaves said too much construction will spoil their neighborhoods quiet atmosphere.

The clash emerged as a flashpoint in the long-running battles over how to ease a chronic housing shortage in a state where the median home price is more than $800,000. Newsom, a potential presidential contender, has previously outlined plans for California to add 2.5 million homes. The Los Angeles area has one of the nations highest percentages of severely cost-burdened renters, and a majority of residents say they have considered leaving due to high prices.

All Californians deserve an affordable place to live  close to jobs, schools and opportunity, Newsom said in a statement. Housing near transit means shorter commutes, lower costs and more time with family.

Like Bass, Newsom is a Democrat and his decision signals more housing fights to come in party bastions such as Los Angeles.

In areas such as Westwood, an upscale district with Spanish revival-style homes and high-end condos, some residents said theyre worried that a building binge will degrade their quality of life. They also said they have their own plans to add multifamily dwellings in the neighborhood, which according to Redfin has a median home price of $1.2 million.

Scores of historical buildings and single-family homes would be decimated for no reason, said Steve Sann, chair of the Westwood Neighborhood Association. We already know where we want our high-density housing. But before weve had a chance to fully implement it, here comes Sacramento with a bulldozer.

State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco who authored the legislation, said its too soon to estimate how much home construction his plan would unlock. But addressing affordability will require adding density in zones which until now have been off limits, he said.

If were not building more housing near the highest quality public transportation, where the hell are we building it? Wiener said.

Wiener sponsored several other housing initiatives over the years, including a recent measure that exempted some projects from environmental reviews. When Newsom signed that into law in June, he called it part of his abundance agenda, a political movement gaining ground among Democrats thats leading to more aggressive pro-building measures.

The new California law allows taller apartment buildings within a half mile of heavily used transit stations across eight counties, including places like San Francisco and San Diego. It also removes some protections for building on historical land.

In Westwood, which is tucked between Beverly Hills and Bel Air, residents were concerned that homes previously left untouched by other housing initiatives could potentially be redeveloped. The neighborhood is also due to add two new Los Angeles Metro stations by 2028, which can increase the area affected by the new building rules.

Once you get that first apartment, watch people just start selling and selling and selling, said Terri Tippit, who has lived more than half a century in a Spanish revival-style home two miles south of the University of California at Los Angeles.

Councilwoman Traci Park, who also opposes the new rules, says they could drive out low-income families from places like East LA by making their homes susceptible to new zoning rules.

A key dispute is that the city already has a plan incentivizing multifamily construction near transit, without touching single-family homes. But critics say that plans progress has been slow.

Los Angeles wants to add roughly 456,000 housing units by 2029, but only about 3,100 permits for new units were approved in the first half of this year. UCLA housing data analyst Aaron Barrall says he doubts the city can adequately meet its goal while exempting the vast plurality of the citys land.

--With assistance from Eliyahu Kamisher.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
A new study investigating the extraordinary longevity of the naked mole-rat has identified an evolved DNA repair mechanism unique to the species. These bizarre, burrow-dwelling rodents boast a maximum lifespan of nearly 40 years, making them the world's longest-lived rodent known to science.

The findings, recently published in the journal Science, offer potential insights into why naked mole-rats exhibit remarkable resistance to a wide spectrum of age-related illnesses. The animals are naturally immune to cancer, exhibit no measurable deterioration of the brain and spinal cord, and are resistant to arthritis. This unique resilience has made them a subject of intense scientific scrutiny.

The research, led by a team from Tonji University in Shanghai, China, specifically focused on the natural process of DNA repair within the bodys cells. When genetic material is damaged, an undamaged DNA strand is typically used as a template to fix the break.

The study pinpointed a particular protein involved in the mole-rat's damage-sensing and repair system, suggesting that this highly efficient repair capability is the root cause of their extended, disease-free lives.

Rewired Cellular Pathway Commenting on the breakthrough, Professor Gabriel Balmus, who studies DNA repair and ageing at the University of Cambridge, described the discovery as exciting and merely "the tip of the iceberg" in fully understanding the animals' extraordinarily long lives.

"You can think of cGAS as a biological Lego piece - the same basic shape in humans and naked mole-rats, but in the mole-rat version a few connectors are flipped, allowing it to assemble an entirely different structure and function," said Balmus.

He explained that over millions of years of evolution, naked mole-rats appear to have "rewired" this cellular pathway and "used it to their advantage".

"This finding raises fundamental questions: how did evolution reprogram the same protein to act in reverse? What changed? And is this an isolated case or part of a broader evolutionary pattern?"
New Delhi: Three months after Microsoft abruptly suspended Nayara Energys communications and digital services, the US tech giant on Friday unveiled new protocols and set up a coordinating body in India to prevent future disruptions of critical operations.

In a statement, Mike Yeh, regional vice-president for corporate, external and legal affairs at Microsoft, said that the move is designed to modernize our compliance framework and reaffirm our role as a reliable, long-term partner to the public sector and critical infrastructure domainsincluding healthcare, energy, telecommunications, and financial services.

Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, will chair the customer council, Yeh added in his statement. The council will serve the public sector and critical infrastructure, communicating any regulatory impacts on Microsofts services in India. Other measures include a new set of review protocols, through which Microsoft will clearly convey any situation where its services to a company may be disrupted due to a foreign regulatory move.

Also Read | Microsoft bets on AI agents to redefine how products are built

Chandok could not be reached for comment.

Microsoft said this move will prevent abrupt service suspensions in the future. In case it faces a situation similar to Nayara, clients will be notified about any potential disruption, and given time and support by Microsoft to move to a backup cloud servicein order to ensure that its operations do not face a blackout.

Analysts said Microsoft's move was unsurprising, and added that it shows a stable policy collaboration approach between the US and India notwithstanding disputes over visas and tariffs.

Also Read | OpenAI, Microsoft rift hinges on how smart AI can get

Policy reforms The move shows clear intent of importance from entities in the US as far as collaboration in technology with India is concerned. While a bilateral trade agreement is worked out, enterprises offering a proactive policy approach proves that Indian clients are among the most important for tech exports for the USand is a mature move on Microsofts behalf. As artificial intelligence shapes our future, such cloud policies are crucial for India as well, and will ensure that a tight collaboration between the two nations remains on the right track, said Kazim Rizvi, founder and director of Delhi-based policy think-tank, The Dialogue.

The move comes in the aftermath of an incident on 22 July, when Microsoft abruptly suspended its Azure cloud-based services to Nayara Energy. The suspension led to employees at the energy company abruptly losing all access to critical company data, as well as communications systems. Microsoft resumed its services on 30 July, clarifying afterward that the suspension was automatically triggered by statutory policies of its global compliance mechanism.

The suspension, Microsoft said at the time, occurred due to geopolitical sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia, on July 18requiring US-based tech services to not serve Russian enterprises.

Moscow-based Rosneft, a Russian government-backed oil and gas company, owns 49.13% of Nayara Energy, formerly Essar Oil, which is majority-owned by Indian entities.

Microsofts resumption of services was not before Nayara filed a petition against the company at the Delhi High Court, and the ministry of electronics and IT seeking a response on why Nayaras services were disrupteddespite the latters licences being fully paid for. Nayara eventually withdrew the petition after the services were restored.

The move will ensure that clients in critical sectors do not face any similar situation in future. In case of geopolitical sanctions, Microsoft will pursue legal options in the nation imposing the restrictions to ensure that a critical enterprise in India gets enough time to migrate to a backup cloud service or at least access its datauntil normal services are restored in future, a senior official at Microsoft India said.
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) formally designated Google with strategic market status (SMS) in online search on Friday. This is the first time the United Kingdom (UK) has exercised its new powers to tackle the dominance of major technology firms.

This significant move paves the way for the CMA to use tailored regulatory interventions to compel the Alphabet-owned company to change its operating practices within the British search market.

We have found that Google maintains a strategic position in the search and search advertising sector  with more than 90% of searches in the UK taking place on its platform, the CMA's Executive Director for Digital Markets Will Hayter said in a statement.

The watchdog clarified that the SMS designation does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing and does not introduce any immediate requirements for Google.

Google's Senior Director for Competition Oliver Bethell said: Many of the ideas for interventions that have been raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth, potentially slowing product launches at a time of profound AI-based innovation.

Equipped with direct enforcement powers and the ability to impose fines for non-compliance, the CMA has stated its future actions will be targeted and proportionate.

The regulators ultimate objective is to unlock innovation across the British technology sector and the wider economy, with previously proposed measures including ensuring fairer ranking principles in search results and offering consumers more accessible alternatives.

Google's Play Store monopoly: US Supreme Court refuses to grant delay Google is now facing an immediate, sweeping overhaul of its Android app store after the US Supreme Court refused on Monday to grant protection against a year-old order. This curt, one-sentence decision means Google will shortly have to begin making significant structural changes to the Play Store, a system which a jury previously declared an illegal monopoly designed to stifle competition.

Also Read | Google told staff to share health data with third party AI partner

The ruling effectively upholds a December 2023 jury verdict and compels the Mountain View, California, company to loosen its restrictive control over the Play Storethe distribution channel for apps on the Android software that powers the majority of non-Apple smartphones in the United States.

Among the immediate changes mandated by US District Judge James Donato last October, Google must allow rival app stores to access its entire inventory of Android applications. Furthermore, the company is required to make these alternative download options readily available to users directly from the Play Store itself.

Google had been seeking a stay from the Supreme Court while it prepared a final attempt to overturn the original monopoly verdict. In a recent filing, the firm warned the court that Judge Donatos order would expose the Play Stores 100 million-plus US users to "enormous security and safety risks" by allowing alternative stores stocking "malicious, deceptive, or pirated content" to proliferate.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov warned about the internet turning from a free exchange of information into an ultimate tool of control. The billionaire, who has had his run-in with French agencies for alleged violations on Telegram, said that time is running out to save the free Internet.

Durov turned 41 on Friday and used the occasion to highlight his concerns about the future of the internet. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Durov cited the dystopian measures taken by many countries like the UK, Australia, Germany, and the EU.

"Im turning 41, but I dont feel like celebrating. Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers. What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control," wrote Durov.

A dark, dystopian world is approaching fast  while were asleep. Our generation risks going down in history as the last one that had freedoms  and allowed them to be taken away, he added.

Durov mentioned the infamous Malicious Communications Act by the UK which was used to arrest users for their social media posts which cause annoyance, inconvenience, or anxiety.

He also mentioned the hate speech and defamation laws in Germany which have been used to arrest activists, journalists, and members of civil society for things like posting a meme, insulting politicians, and posting slander.

Notably, Durov was arrested by French authorities last year in August for Telegram's alleged role in facilitating illegal activities. The authorities claim that Telegram's lax moderation, encrypted messages, and use of disposable numbers and cryptocurrency has enabled a large number of criminal activities on the platform.

In his recent post, Durov warned that society is on a path of self-destruction, which is why he will not celebrate his birthday.

By betraying the legacy of our ancestors, weve set ourselves on a path toward self-destruction  moral, intellectual, economic, and ultimately biological. So no, Im not going to celebrate today. Im running out of time. WE are running out of time, Durov added.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have remained in the spotlight over their fight against social media companies. The couple believes these platforms are creating exploitative algorithms, which in turn harm their children. The Duke and the Duchess of Sussex have now urged parents to join them in their fight, highlighting that their algorithms are an explosion of unregulated artificial intelligence.

This adds to the ongoing debates surrounding technologies advantages being inseparable from their dangers.

What Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want? Harry and Meghan have backed their claims about social medias algorithm by citing research by ParentsTogether. The Associated Press reported that researchers posing as children on AIs chatbot were exposed to harmful content every five minutes of their time on it.

During his appearance at the Humanitarians of the Year event hosted at the Spring Studio in Manhattan on Thursday, 9 October, Prince Harry said, This wasnt content created by a third party. These were the companies own chatbots working to advance their own depraved internal policies.

He added, "But heres what gives us hope: these families arent facing this alone.

At the event, Harry was joined by the Suits alum.

Additionally, the couple announced at the gala that their foundations parent network will join ParentsTogether in their good cause and urged others in the community to do the same.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have emphasized mental health since launching their foundation, Archwell, in 2020.

Also, Prince Harry brought the awareness campaign to the reception hosted by mens health non-profit, Movember, on Wednesday. In a conversation with journalist Brooke Baldwin, Harry talked about how men should not feel isolated and should be more vocal about their mental health struggles.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harrys mental health mission After stepping down from their royal duties nearly five years ago, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made it a point to promote mental health, especially among the youth, who often find themselves bullied online.

Previously, during one of the galas, the Duke of Sussex claimed that the social media companies should be held accountable for certain kinds of content they produce. Moreover, Harry stated that the young audiences are experiencing an epidemic of anxiety and social deprivation, which is led by their negative experiences on multiple platforms.

FAQs Why have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked parents to support them? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle urged parents to support them in their fight against social medias algorithm, which harms children.

When did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry step down from their royal duties? Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped down from their royal duties in 2020.
World Mental Health Day is being observed on 10 October this year in the United States. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the objective of the day is to raise awareness of mental health issues worldwide. The theme for this years World Mental Health Day is Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies, as per the World Federation for Mental Health.

History of World Mental Health Day World Mental Health Day was first celebrated in 1992, following an initiative by the World Federation for Mental Health. The celebration encouraged discussion on depression and mental health issues around the world. According to the WHO, the day allows mental health professionals to shed light on their important work, which seeks to make mental well-being a priority.

Before 1994, World Mental Health Days sole focus was on educating the public and generally advancing mental health activism. Following Eugene Brody's suggestions, World Mental Health Day 1994 was celebrated with the theme Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.

The significance of World Mental Health Day NIMH Gov. reports that more than one in five US adults battle with a mental illness. An estimated 59.3 million adults in the US who were 18 years of age or older had AMI (Any Mental Illness ) in 2022. This figure accounted for 23.1% of all adults in the country.

The observance of World Mental Health Day is crucial because it significantly reduces stigma around mental health issues and acknowledges that mental health matters.

FAQs When is World Mental Health Day observed? World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year.

When was World Mental Health Day celebrated for the first time? World Mental Health Day was celebrated for the first time on 10 October 1992.

Who did Prime Minister Theresa May appoint as the UK's first suicide prevention minister on World Mental Health Day 2018? Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Jackie Doyle-Price as the UK's first suicide prevention minister on World Mental Health Day 2018.
Noor Wali Mehsud, the emir of the TTP.

The leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) is rumored to have been killed in a Pakistani military airstrike in the Afghan capital of Kabul yesterday. The strike took place as tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have risen due to the TTP using Afghanistan as a safe haven to execute attacks inside Pakistan.

Several strikes took place near Abdulhaq Square in Kabul, Amu TV reported, based on local sources. Numerous accounts on X claimed that Noor Wali Mehsud, the head of the TTP, was the target of the strike, and some claimed he was killed in an attack that targeted him while he was in a vehicle.

The TTP has not confirmed Mehsuds death, and an audio statement from Mehsud confirming that he is alive has purportedly been released by the group. However, FDDs Long War Journal cannot verify the veracity of this statement attributed to Mehsud.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged that an explosion took place in Kabul. However, Mujahid would not confirm the source of the explosion, nor whether Mehsud was killed.

The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul, Mujahid said on X. However, no one should worry, it is all well and good, the investigation of the incident is underway, no report of any damage has been given so far.

The Taliban hasnt made any other official statements on the strike since the attack took place nearly 24 hours ago.

The Pakistani military, which is thought to have carried out the airstrike, has been coy about the incident. During a press conference that addressed the rising tide of TTP violence in Pakistan, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations, dodged the issue, neither confirming nor denying Pakistani involvement in the Kabul incident.

Afghanistan is a neighbourly, Islamic country, Chaudhry stated when asked about the explosions in Kabul, according to Dawn. We have historical connections, cultural connections. Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for four decades. We only say one thing to the Afghan government: do not allow your soil to be used for terrorism against Pakistan.

The strike in Kabul took place one day after the TTP ambushed a Pakistani military unit in Arakzai and killed 11 troops, including two officers.

If Mehsuds death is confirmed, he would be the second high-level foreign terrorist leader killed in Kabul since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. On July 31, 2022, the US killed Ayman al Zawahiri, the emir of Al Qaeda, in a drone strike as he was living in a safe house that was operated by the Haqqani Network in Kabul. The Taliban and Al Qaeda never acknowledged his death, as the Taliban denies that foreign terrorists are present in the country.

The Afghan Taliban and the TTP: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP significant

Despite repeated Taliban denials, Al Qaeda, the TTP, and a host of foreign terror groups, such as the Turkistan Islamic Party, operate freely in Afghanistan with the approval and support of the Taliban.

According to the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, Al Qaeda is operating training camps in 12 of Afghanistans 34 provinces, as well as safe houses, religious schools, a media operations center, and a weapons storage facility. Al Qaeda still uses Afghanistan as a permissive haven under the Taliban, the Monitoring Team noted in July 2024.

The Monitoring Team also reported in July 2024 that the Afghan Taliban and the TTP maintain a close relationship. The TTP continues to operate at significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there with the support of the Afghan Taliban.

[The] Afghan Taliban have proved unable or unwilling to manage the threat posed by Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, the Monitoring Team noted. Member States described this as too big a challenge for the Afghan Taliban to manage, even if they wanted to.

The [Afghan] Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group: the bonds are close, and the debt owed to TTP significant, the Monitoring Team stated, referencing the TTPs support for the Afghan Talibans two-decade-long insurgency that culminated in its takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.

The TTP not only views itself as close to the Afghan Taliban, but it also considers itself part of the Afghan Taliban. In August 2021, just days after the Afghan Taliban took control of Kabul and the rest of the country, TTP emir Mehsud renewed his oath of allegiance to the Talibans Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

As a result, for twenty years, praise be to Allah, we defeated the great tyrant of modern times [the US] and his slaves [the Afghan government] and crowned the entire Islamic Ummah and especially the Mujahid and Ghazi Afghan people, Mehsud wrote, noting that the Taliban was part of the effort to defeat the US and Afghan governments.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
A still image from a video about important Palestinian prisoners that Hamas published in 2020.

On October 8, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage-exchange agreement that was brokered by the United States, with Qatar and Egypt serving as key mediators.

Under the terms of the deal, Hamas will release all of the living hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, while the remaining deceased hostages will be handed over at a later time. In return, Israel will release 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, among them terrorists who have carried out attacks against Israelis and are serving lengthy sentences.

The agreement is expected to eventually bring all of the remaining hostages back home, but Israel faces a difficult trade-off as it must release convicted terrorists to secure the return of its citizens. While close to 2,000 Palestinians will be freed, the list of individuals to be released includes convicted prisoners responsible for notable terrorist attacks against Israelis. Below, FDDs The Long War Journal has documented 10 of these cases in detail.





Imad Qawasmeh

Affiliation: Hamas

On October 13, 2004, Israeli forces arrested Imad Qawasmeh for his role in directing two suicide bombers who killed 16 Israelis in Beersheba. An Israeli military court sentenced Qawasmeh to 16 life terms after he was found guilty of several charges, including membership in a terrorist organization, trafficking military equipment, and attempting to intentionally cause death. According to the Israeli governments list of prisoners scheduled to be released in the recent ceasefire deal, Qawasmeh will be deported to an unspecified destination. The United States, Israel, and other countries have designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization.





Ismail Hamdan

Affiliation: Fatah

Ismail Hamdan, arrested in June 2003, was convicted by an Israeli court for his role in the kidnapping and murder of Avi Boaz Braverman a year earlier. Hamdan and other assailants seized Braverman at the Beit Jala checkpoint in the West Bank and took him to nearby Beit Sahour, where they shot and killed him. The court convicted Hamdan of firearms possession, murder, and other offenses. The Israeli governments list of prisoners scheduled to be released shows that Hamdan will be deported to an unspecified location.





Jihad Roum

Affiliation: Tanzim

Jihad Roum was arrested by Israeli forces in 2002 for the murder of Yuri Goshtsin. Local media reported that Goshtsins body was found in the Ramallah area with signs of abuse. Furthermore, a statement broadcast over loudspeakers in Gaza declared that the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (Tanzim-affiliate) had carried out the killing, saying it was in retaliation for the death of a 15-year-old Palestinian boy the previous day. A military court convicted Roum of the murder and sentenced him to life in prison plus an additional 20 years.





Amin Shuqeirat

Affiliation: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

Israels Shin Bet intelligence agency and Jerusalem police arrested Amin Shuqeirat in 2005 (or 2004, according to other sources) for the murder of two security guards at a construction site. An Israeli court sentenced Shuqeirat to two life terms for his role in the murders. The Israeli governments list of prisoners to be released noted that Shuqeirat was convicted of intentional death, possession of firearms, and other offenses. The document added that Amin will be deported to an unspecified destination upon his release. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States,Israel, and the United Kingdom.





Bilal Ajarmeh

Affiliation: Fatah

Israeli special forces arrested Bilal Ajarmeh in the West Bank town of Silwad in 2003. According to Palestinian media, Ajarmeh was convicted of killing Israelis, participating in the execution of two alleged collaborators, and conducting 17 shooting attacks along Route 60. He was initially sentenced to 12 years, but after appellate proceedings, the court increased his punishment to two life terms, including an additional 20 years. When Ajarmeh is released, he will be deported to an unspecified destination, according to the Israeli governments list of prisoners to be freed in the ceasefire deal.





Mahmoud Issa

Affiliation: Hamas

Mahmoud Issa was a military commander in Hamass Al Qassam Brigades and established its first special operations unit, known as Special Unit 101, which was tasked with kidnapping Israeli soldiers to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Issa was responsible for the kidnapping of Sergeant Nissim Toledano near Lod on December 13, 1992. At the time, Hamas demanded the release of its founder, Ahmad Yassin, in exchange for Toledano. When Israel rejected the demand, Toledano was murdered by his captors. The IDF arrested Issa at his home in Anata in June 1993. He was later sentenced to three life terms plus an additional 40 years for his role in the kidnapping and killing of Sergeant Toledano. Issa is destined for deportation after his release.





Mohammad Abu Tbeikh

Affiliation: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

Mohammad Abu Tbeikh was a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad who was active in the movements student wing before joining its armed wing, Saraya al Quds. Tubeikh participated in preparing explosive devices and belts and took part in the Battle of Jenin in 2002. He was arrested by the IDF in July 2002 and later sentenced to two life terms and an additional 15 years for leading Palestinian Islamic Jihads operations in Jenin. Tbeikh is destined for deportation following his release.





Baher Badr

Affiliation: Hamas

Baher Badr and his brother, Bahij, were arrested in 2004 after they were involved in a bombing in Tel Aviv, and Israeli authorities accused them of responsibility for the Tzirifin attack in 2003 that killed 9 Israeli soldiers. Israel sentenced Badr to 11 life sentences. He is destined for deportation after his release.





Iyad Abu al Rub

Affiliation: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

Iyad Abu al Rub was the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihads so-called armed wing, Saraya al-Quds, in Jenin. Rub was arrested in 2005 by the Israeli military, and an Israeli military court convicted him for a series of deadly suicide bombings, including the 2003 attack in Sde Trumot, the 2004 bombing at the Stage nightclub in Tel Aviv, and the 2005 attack at the Hadera market. Rub is scheduled to be deported upon his release, according to the Israeli government.







Riyad al Ammour

Affiliation: Fatah

Riyad al Ammour was a member of Fatahs Tanzim organization, led by Marwan Barghouti. An Israeli court sentenced him to 11 life terms in 2003 for his role in a Bethlehem-based terror cell responsible for a series of attacks during the Second Intifada that killed nine Israelis. Additionally, the court found Ammour guilty of murdering three alleged collaborators. He will be deported following his release, according to the Israeli government.

Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East. Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant.
As our iPhones have gotten more refined, mature, and sophisticated, so too have the attacks seeking to steal the information thats on them. In response, Apple has announced the next major chapter in its Security Bounty program.

Notably, Apple is doubling its top award from $1 million to $2 million, specifically for exploit chains that can achieve similar goals as sophisticated mercenary spyware attacks. Apple says it is also doubling or significantly increasing rewards in other categories as well, including $100,000 for a complete Gatekeeper bypass and $1 million for broad unauthorized iCloud access, neither of which has ever been exploited.

Additionally, Apple is introducing Target Flags to its Security Bounty program as a new way for researchers to objectively demonstrate exploitability for top bounty categories. Researchers who submit Target Flags reports will be eligible for accelerated awards, which are paid out before a fix becomes available.

Target Flags are available for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, watchOS, and tvOS, and cover a wide range of areas.

Finally, the 2026 Security Research Device Program now includes all iPhone 17 models with Apples latest security advances, including Memory Integrity Enforcement for the A19 and A19 Pro chips, designed to stop memory corruption bugs before they reach the user. The program is available to applicants with proven security research track records on any platform.

Apple says its latest security program updates will go into effect as of November 1.
The MassMutual headquarters in Springfield at night. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN). Staff-Shot

SPRINGFIELD  Regulators with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating accounting practices at MassMutual, the Wall Street Journal reported this week, citing sources within the agency.

A mutual company owned by owners of eligible life insurance policies, MassMutual falls under the regulatory arm of the SEC.

The Journal says the Securities and Exchange Commission has focused on how MassMutual accounts for income earned on billions of dollars in loans.

Reached Thursday, a MassMutual spokesperson said the insurer doesnt comment on regulatory matters.

Phone calls and emails to the SEC in Washington went unreturned.

The Journal says the probe has yet to be completed and may not result in any accusations of wrongdoing.

The probe focuses on accrued interest, that is interest paid over time. The Journal said the SEC is looking at whether MassMutual properly reconciled accrued interest as it received payments on loans held in its general investment account.

MassMutual has more than $1 trillion in life insurance protection in force and has paid more than $60 billion in insurance and annuity benefits over the past decade.

Last year, it announced a dividend payment of $2.5 billion, the largest in MassMutuals history.
Susan Kendall Newman, the daughter of legendary Hollywood star Paul Newman, died on Aug. 2, her family announced in an obituary Tuesday.

She died due to complications related to chronic health conditions. She was 72.

Newman was born in 1958 to her father, Paul, and his first wife, Jackie Witte. She began her career in theater, appearing in productions on and off Broadway.

She starred in Robert Zemeckis 1978 Beatles tribute movie I Wanna Hold Your Hand and had a small role in her fathers film Slap Shot.

Throughout her career as a producer and writer, Newman won various awards, including a Golden Globe, a Humanitas Award, and nominations for the Emmy, Peabody and Grammy Awards, according to the obituary.

She dedicated a significant portion of her life to philanthropy and activism. She served as the executive director of the Scott Newman Foundation, for which she was recognized by former First Ladies Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan, according to the obituary.

Newman also founded the Newman Consulting Company, which provided expertise on fundraising and prevention programs to government agencies, corporations and nonprofits.

Susan Kendall Newman will be remembered for her sharp wit and tongue, generosity and love, and her devotion to family and friends, her obituary reads. She will be very much missed.
Maryland rapper Rico Nasty is touring in support of her new album, "LETHAL." The tour includes a stop in at House of Blues in Boston on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Chris Yellen

Rocking a new set of nails from King Nails in Detroit, rapper Rico Nasty was spying on fans as they lined up outside the venue ahead of her Michigan concert Tuesday night.

The Oct. 7 show was the 11th stop on Nastys Lethal North American Tour in support of her latest album, also called LETHAL, that dropped in May.

While some get their spot in line even before Nasty arrives at her next tour stop, the rapper joked that she would like to see a little bit more effort from her fans.

I want them to be like the Grateful Dead, though, so its not enough for me, Nasty, whose real name is Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly, said. Im like, Why are you guys not following the bus? Come on. What happened to fandom?

Jokes aside, the Maryland rapper does feel her fans devotion whenever she is in their presence  especially when it comes to their outfits that embody Nastys sugar trap aesthetic.

Sometimes Ill be on the bus all day until its time to go in the venue and I just see them and Ill be like, Damn, they look fly, she said. But I also am like, Oh, OK. Theyre watching. I love it.

In addition, Nasty often gets fashion tips from her fans. When theyre not suggesting certain brands, concertgoers are literally trying to hand the artist articles of clothing at her shows.

They give me wigs. Theyll give me nails. Yeah, theyre very kind and creative, Nasty said. Were like a whole ass community. They put me on to stuff. They bring me stuff. Theyre always letting me know whats cool.

Maryland rapper Rico Nasty is touring in support of her new album, "LETHAL." The tour includes a stop in at House of Blues in Boston on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Chris Yellen

Aside from every concert being the epitome of a Black alt fashion show, no Rico Nasty show would be complete without a mosh pit.

Fans should expect to get tossed around, wear big shoes [and] drink your water when the rapper plays the House of Blues in Boston next Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The point is to release your inhibitions, Nasty said of the extremely physical concert ritual. If you dont want to do that, then just listen to me on the playlist. Its fine.

Nastys mind instantly goes to the hit 2012 film Ted and Bostons distinctive accent when she thinks of the city. However, there is a less flattering association she has with Boston that originated from a previous show.

The very first time I ever had a tour in Boston, someone literally stole a piece of merch, and I had to get it from them. I had to chase them down, Nasty recalled. Its so Boston-coded.

Despite this rather unpleasant interaction, the rapper praised Bostonians for their bold personalities that put them on par with another notorious city population in the Northeast.

You guys are very ballsy. You guys arent afraid of [expletive]. I love it there, Nasty said. You go to Boston, and its a rude awakening. You guys give very much New York vibes.

Rico Nasty's new album "LETHAL" is a return to the rapper's signature aggressive grit as heard on her earlier works including her breakthrough project, 2020s Nightmare Vacation. Devin Desouza

LETHAL is Nastys third studio album and first project with her new label, Fueled By Ramen. The release marks a return to Nastys signature aggressive grit as heard on her earlier works, including her breakthrough project, 2020s Nightmare Vacation. It also signifies a new era of creative freedom that the rapper said she lacked under her previous label, Atlantic Records.

Ive always been the type to be hands on when it comes to production. Ive never been like the type of person that just hops on a beat. Im always helping, Nasty said of her creative process.

So I think when they started hindering me with production, it was just like, Let me just do my own thing now. So I definitely feel like you can hear it on the album.

Nasty said the song SON OF A GUN is the albums best example of her returning to the kind of rage thats heard in some of her biggest songs. This includes her 2018 platinum-certified hit Smack A Bitch that helped her gain wider recognition, mostly thanks to its virality on apps such as the now-discontinued Musical.ly and TikTok.

Not only was SON OF A GUN one of Nastys favorite songs to make, the track almost didnt make it onto LETHAL.

I damn near turned the album in, and SON OF A GUN was not on there, she said. Its one of those things where you turn the album in, but its not really done. Like, its not really done done. I kept working on it. I did not stop working on it.

We had records like that, and I just remember making SON OF A GUN and I immediately knew, she continued. Immediately after I made it, I went outside. I smoked a blunt. And I called my manager and I was like, We got it, bro. We [expletive] got it. We did it. And she was like, Oh, my God. OK, lets get the ball rolling on that one.

Nasty then got her labels blessing and included the track on LETHAL even after the album was essentially finished. Not only that, SON OF A GUN got its own video after Nasty had already released ones for the singles CRASH, BUTTERFLY KISSES/CANT WIN EM ALL, ON THE LOW and TEETHSUCKER.

Nasty said the response to SON OF A GUN has been like crack cocaine in the 80s, with her team and fans becoming overly obsessed with the track. Overall, LETHAL has gotten favorable reviews from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Clash, DIY and Kerrang! Outside opinions aside, Nasty is more proud that she stuck to her own guns putting out the music she felt so strongly about.

I was really just happy about being right and having that intuition, that gut feeling of like, Oh, theyre gonna love this one. And then they actually do, the artist said.

Fans can also expect to get a deluxe version of LETHAL in a couple of weeks. Along with the new album, Nasty will make her acting debut in Apple TV+ & A24s Margos Got Money Troubles.

The rapper will star in the drama series alongside Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfieffer, Nicole Kidman, Nick Offerman and Lindsey Normington. The show is set to premiere on Apple TV+ in 2026.
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Chris Stapletons All-American Road Show will continue into 2026 with eight new dates, including two at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

Stapleton will be at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, February 27th and Saturday, February 28th. Both Evening with Chris Stapleton shows feature Stapleton and his full band. Tickets are available for purchase now on Ticketmaster or through reliable third-party ticket sellers like StubHub, VividSeats, and SeatGeek.

*New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.*

As of Friday, October 10, the cheapest tickets to both Mohegan Sun shows are listed below:

The new shows add to another landmark year for Stapleton, who recently earned three nominations at the 59th Annual CMA Awards (Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year for Think Im In Love With You). Earlier this year, he was named Male Artist of the Year at the 60th Annual ACM Awards, which was his fifth time winning the category.

Stapleton also recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of his groundbreaking debut album, Traveller. He is an 11-time Grammy, 19-time CMA, and 21-time ACM Award winner. He has gone on to release four more studio albums, including his most recent, 2023s Higher.

Below is a look at the newly added dates for Chris Stapletons All American Road Show tour with links to purchase tickets:
Decades after a house fire killed a man, the person convicted in the case went in front of the parole board for the first time  but the Massachusetts Parole Board fears his ongoing battle with addiction shows hes not ready.

On May 7, 2005, in Kingston, 40-year-old Rick Amado spent the day drinking with friends, including at George Frazier IIIs house. At one point, Frazier, 49, fell asleep.

Someone tried punching Frazier but he was too intoxicated to get up from the couch, the parole board wrote.

Multiple men then began stealing from Frazier. And Amado lit a blanket on Fraziers bed on fire.

The men left the house, but no one attempted to rescue Mr. Frazier, who was unconscious, the parole board wrote.

A neighbor noticed smoke coming from the house at around 6 p.m. By the time firefighters and a paramedic entered the burning home, Frazier was dead.

On Dec. 10, 2008, Amado was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole following a jury trial in Plymouth County Superior Court. He was sentenced to a concurrent prison term of 19 years, 11 months to 20 years for arson of a dwelling or house.

His first time in front of the parole board to ask for his freedom was May 6. But he admitted to substance use within weeks of his hearing while living in Old Colony Correctional Center. He also continues to score as a high risk on the LS/CMI risk assessment tool.

The Board finds that Mr. Amado needs to further his efforts at rehabilitation, the decision stated.

He was denied parole with another hearing planned in two years.
North Andover Police Officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons during her arraignment at Essex Superior Court on Aug. 28, 2025. She was shot and wounded in June after police say she pointed a gun at another North Andover Officer. (Ben Pennington for The Boston Globe)

Prosecutors in the Essex County District Attorneys office are asking a single justice of the Supreme Judicial Court to keep Kelsey Fitzsimmons behind bars, absent her compliance with court-mandated alcohol testing.

Fitzsimmons, 28, a North Andover police officer, is accused of pointing a gun at a fellow officer on June 30, when officers arrived at her home to serve her a restraining order taken out by her fiance. The order required Fitzsimmons to turn over her guns and separated her from her infant son.

What happened inside the home is a question at the heart of the case against Fitzsimmons. Police say she pulled out a gun and tried to fire it at an officer, leaving him with no choice but to shoot Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons, through her lawyer, Tim Bradl, has said she attempted suicide.

Fitzsimmons was eventually indicted on a single charge of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the incident. A grand jury returned a no-bill on a charge of armed assault with intent to murder, meaning it did not find sufficient evidence to support the claim that Fitzsimmons tried to kill a fellow officer.

The 28-year-old was released on numerous conditions following a pair of hearings, though a judge determined she was a danger, but then sent back to jail days later when she raised issues with court-ordered alcohol testing.

Fitzsimmons attorneys wrote in court papers that her injuries from being shot made it difficult for her to breathe into a testing device without serious pain. They asked the superior court judge, Kathleen McCarthy-Neyman, to reconsider the order sending Fitzsimmons back to jail, but the judge denied the motion.

Fitzsimmons defense has petitioned a single justice of the SJC to overturn the lower courts decision.

But prosecutors argue that the judge did not err when she determined abstinence from alcohol was a key condition of release for Fitzsimmons.

Their motion notes that Fitzsimmons fiance claimed she got heavily intoxicated at a bachelorette party in Maine just days before the incident, and she refused his requests to stop drinking. One of Fitzsimmons friends from childhood confirmed she had been drinking and her actions were erratic and violent, prosecutors wrote.

Alcohol is so clearly intertwined with the defendants ability to control her behavior, the motion reads.

Prosecutors accused Fitzsimmons and her lawyers of taking a cavalier approach to the removal of the condition of alcohol testing. They also backed McCarthy-Neymans claim that Fitzsimmons team manipulated the process.

There is no explanation for [Bradls] failure to question a parole officer about alternative testing or to mention the possibility to the court when given ample opportunity, Assistant District Attorney Marina Moriarty wrote.

Moriarty suggested it was a reasoned tactical decision by a seasoned defense attorney seeking to release the defendant from alcohol testing entirely.

In a footnote, prosecutors write that urine testing, as proposed by Bradl, seems an unreliable means of confirming sobriety when the individual is informed in the morning that they will not be tested that day.

There would be no disincentive not to drink that day when they are aware that they will not be subject to testing, prosecutors wrote.

Following the birth of her son, Fitzsimmons suffered from postpartum depression and was briefly involuntarily committed. But she had recently won her gun license back and was set to return to work just days after the armed confrontation with other officers in her department.
Interior 3D imaging shows the aftermath of a five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility on July 13. It started in a resident's second-floor room. (Courtesy of Matterport)

Editors note: This story contains disturbing images of the Gabriel House post-fire. MassLive has made the editorial decision to publish these photos to show what can happen when fire sprinklers dont work properly, as sources have said is the case with this fire.

The walls are blackened and blistering; appearing diseased and scaly.

Much of the contents of the modest room are unrecognizable. But there is a charcoaled box spring. The gaunt remnants of an oversized sofa chair. The handles of a walker are desiccated, and the top half of the bathroom door is missing.

Everything is pewter-colored.

Its a haunting scene  the interior of the second-floor resident room where a fire ignited on the night of July 13 at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River. That resident was among 10 who were killed. Meanwhile, just across the hall, some rooms went untouched by the flames, photos show.

Read more: MassLive investigation uncovers critical failures in fire sprinkler inspections

MassLive has obtained 3D imaging from inside Gabriel House taken in the aftermath of the five-alarm blaze  the deadliest in Massachusetts history in more than 40 years.

Part of an interactive building model being circulated to attorneys and other vested parties as part of the ongoing investigation, the images show an eerie contrast  the devastation wreaked in particular areas, while others were left untarnished.

New Ring camera footage from inside the facility also shows the beginning of the fire as it descended that night  with thick smoke starting to spread, confused residents wandering hallways and staff seen leaving via the front steps of the building.

Interior 3D imaging shows the aftermath of a five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility on July 13. Pictured is a resident's second-floor room where the fire started. (Courtesy of Matterport)

Sources with knowledge of the fire investigation have told MassLive the sprinkler did not go off in the room where the flames started. In addition, those same sources have said the buildings sprinkler heads were recalled decades ago and never replaced.

Recent reporting by MassLive revealed that, while owner Dennis Etzkorn said he had the fire sprinklers visually inspected quarterly, he was missing a critical, mandated five-year inspection that assures all internal parts of the sprinkler system are working properly.

Etzkorn is facing at least eight civil lawsuits related to the fire. Via a spokesperson, he did not provide a comment for this story.

Also named as a defendant in the lawsuits is Fire Systems Inc., a Dartmouth-based fire safety vendor that serviced the building.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Fire Systems Inc. said the company has conducted periodic inspections and tests of the Gabriel House fire alarm and sprinkler system since 2014, in accordance with its service agreement with the property owner, all applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, and local requirements.

FSI did not install  nor was it contracted to maintain  Gabriel Houses system," the spokesperson said. Furthermore, FSI does not manufacture fire sprinkler components and is not responsible for identifying or evaluating manufacturer recalls.

Fire codes and standards place the legal responsibility for sprinkler inspection and maintenance on the building owner.

What the new images show

On the second floor on the left side of the building, where the fire started, the sections of hallway walls not burned reveal theyd been painted pink. But even those swaths are bubbling. Picture frames appear ghostly, as though theyd disintegrate from a touch.

There are stranded wheelchairs, broken window blinds, TVs fallen off walls, untouched laundry baskets with folded clothes and even some beds left neatly made  chaos, and normalcy, frozen in time.

It was just over a week after the Fourth of July when the fire struck. Charred holiday-themed garlands are seen wrapped around pillars in a common area.

Interior 3D imaging shows the aftermath of a five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility on July 13. Pictured is a second floor hallway near where the fire started. (Courtesy of Matterport)

There is an obvious contrast in damage among rooms in the very same areas. Even around where the fire started, there are some rooms  and their contents  that appear nearly untouched, though their doors are badly burned.

The images also show recalled sprinkler heads that have been labeled as such by investigators with writing on the walls. Specifically, sprinklers that were manufactured by Central Sprinkler Company between the mid-1970s until 2001.

They were subject to nationwide recalls in the late 1990s and early 2000s because of their O-ring seals, a component that can corrode and cause the sprinkler heads not to activate in a fire.

Looking at the sprinkler in the room where the fire started, Avon Assistant Fire Chief Brad Cronin, as an unassociated third-party, told Boston 25 News it appears the seal was still intact, meaning water did not discharge. 25 News was first to obtain the new footage.

Interior 3D imaging shows the aftermath of a five-alarm fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility on July 13. (Courtesy of Matterport)

In a previous statement, the National Fire Sprinkler Association and National Association of State Fire Marshals said neither entity is aware of a multiple-fatality fire in a structure with a properly installed and maintained sprinkler system.

We have success with saving lives in these buildings every day, Shane Ray, president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, previously told MassLive, referencing the magnitude of death that occurred at Gabriel House.

Etzkorn, the facilitys owner, has previously said the sprinkler system was found to be in working order just five days prior to the fire. However, that same day, Etzkorn was notified about the overdue five-year inspection, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The 3D model of the aftermath at Gabriel House was shared with attorneys and third-party investigators before they were allowed to access the building last month for the first time  after the state and district attorneys office had obtained all of their evidence.
A Massachusetts man is facing a dozen charges after officials say he broke into a 70-year-olds home and strangled a sleeping woman.

Roger Bolens, 25, of Augusta, Maine, was arraigned Thursday in Essex County Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to home invasion, breaking and entering in the nighttime for the purpose of committing a felony, assault and battery on a person over 60 years of age, four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, armed assault with intent to murder on a person over 60, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery and attempt to commit crime (strangulation).

On July 26, Bolens attempted to strangle a 19-year-old woman in the restroom of an Andover restaurant, according to Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tuckers office. Hours later, authorities say that he broke into an Andover womans home. While she was sleeping, he strangled and assaulted the woman in her 70s, leaving her with serious injuries.

Bolens is being held pending a dangerousness hearing that was scheduled for Nov. 21.
Cory B. Alvarez, a Haitian migrant accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at a migrant shelter they were both living at, is led out of Hingham District Court during a break in his dangerousness hearing Friday. (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff) David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Editors note: This article contains a description of rape and sexual assault.

A Haitian man was found guilty of raping a 15-year-old female at a Rockland hotel that was being used as a migrant shelter, according to Timothy J. Cruz, the Plymouth County District Attorney.

Cory B. Alvarez, who is 27, was sentenced to 10-12 years in state prison. The state recommended 15 to 18 years, Cruz said.

Our commitment to seeing this case through was, most importantly, about seeking justice on behalf of the child victim, Cruz said. It was also about ensuring that both the victim, the defendant had their day in court. My thoughts remain with the child victim in this case, her father and her family. With sentencing today, I hope that this family can find some closure.

Alvarez was found guilty on Sept. 12 by a jury for one count of aggravated rape of a child with a 10-year age difference after five and a half hours of deliberation.

During the trial, jurors heard that Alvarezs DNA was found on the teenager. The now-17-year-old girl from Haiti living in Massachusetts also took the stand.

He did something bad to me, the girl said.

The incident occurred at a Comfort Inn in Rockland, which was being used as a migrant shelter, on March 13, 2024.

Police were called that night for a report of sexual assault. Authorities later said there wasnt a pre-existing relationship between Alvarez and the girl before the incident.

Rockland police took the girl to South Shore Hospital for treatment after arriving at the hotel. The police found probable cause to arrest Alvarez and he was later taken into custody.

The hotel where Alvarez resided was part of the states shelter program for homeless families, officials previously said.

On Aug. 13, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Boston Field Office took Alvarez into custody and he was held in an ICE unit within the Plymouth County House of Corrections.
A 23-year-old man convicted of two counts of first-degree murder was sentenced Thursday in Bristol Superior Court to a pair of consecutive sentences of 25 years to life, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Jeremy Holmes, of Fall River, was also sentenced to four to five years in state prison for a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, which will run concurrent to the life sentences, Quinns office said in a statement.

First-degree murder convictions in Massachusetts typically dont carry eligibility for parole. But the Supreme Judicial Court ruled last year that defendants who were emerging adults, those between 18 and 20, could not receive life terms without parole. Holmes was 18 when he carried out the murders, Quinns office said.

On May 18, 2021, at around 4:22 p.m., Fall River police received a 911 call reporting shots fired around Fifth and Branch streets in the Corky Row neighborhood near Griffin Park. Bystanders directed police to 29-year-old Jovaughn Mills, who had been shot in the chest, Quinns office said.

Mills was taken to St. Annes Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Quinns office said.

A second victim, 14-year-old Miguel Sanjurjo, was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. The boy was taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead, Quinns office said.

A third victim, a man, was found with a gunshot wound to his calf. The man, who is not named in the statement, invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself during the court process, Quinns office said.

At the scene, police found .45 caliber and 9 mm ballistic evidence. They identified Holmes as the shooter based on witness statements and surveillance video, which showed him walking into Griffin Park with a gun and firing multiple rounds toward the victims, Quinns office said.

I commend the court for giving the defendant consecutive life sentences for each murder. The defendant fired multiple rounds in broad daylight into a park crowded with a number of people, including women and children. He killed two individuals and wounded a third, Quinn said in the statement. Just because you are under the age of 21 does not mean you should not be held fully accountable for premeditated murder and the potential for additional deaths or serious injury for the outrageous and lawless conduct of the defendant.
A man was safely rescued in Boston after being stuck in an elevator shaft about 70 feet from the opening on the 21st floor, according to the Boston Fire Department.

The man was stuck in a blind shaft at 53 State Street in Boston on Thursday.

Boston Fire Department rescues man in elevator shaft. Boston Fire Department

53 State Street in downtown Boston is also the location of the Boston Globes newsroom.

Using ropes, harnesses and even a tripod system, the man was lifted successfully through the elevator and onto the 21st floor, officials said.

The fire department didnt provide additional information about what caused the issue with the elevator.
After four street takeovers across Massachusetts resulted in violence, another piece of legislation has been filed to address the conduct, according to a Wednesday filing by Rep. Christopher Markey, D-9th Bristol.

The street takeovers  in Boston, Randolph, Middleborough and Fall River over the span of just over three hours  led to violent confrontations, with a police cruiser catching on fire from fireworks in Boston and a Dodge Charger driving at an officer in Middleborough.

As part of the legislation, people who take part in street takeovers where two or more vehicles act in a reckless or negligent manner that dont allow other vehicles to get by could be sent to prison for no more than two and a half years and fined no more than $2,000, according to the bill. Cars used during a street takeover could also be seized.

Others, who are masked and disorderly during the street takeovers, could be go to prison for up to one year or fined up to $500 or both, according to the legislation.

Markey didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Officials said the four were coordinated efforts that start online on various platforms and are intended to overwhelm law enforcement with large, unruly crowds.

The takeovers have surged across the state over the past six months, Michael Bradley, the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, told MassLive.

State Rep. Steven Xiarhos, a former Cape Cod police officer, said earlier this week that hes filing two bills to tackle the growing social media-fueled phenomenon of street takeovers.

The first would boost the penalty for assaulting a police officer from the current misdemeanor in most cases to a felony.

The second is based on existing law in Florida. That statute, enacted in 2022, prohibits street takeovers and punishes spectators and participants.

Other states have also filed laws addressing street takeovers, including Connecticut, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia.
This 7-year-old siberian husky mix is described as a fun, goofy girl with a playful spirit. MSPCA

Massachusetts shelters are aiming to find homes for 100 dogs this weekend.

The adoptathon waives fees for adult dogs, which include all dogs over the age of 1.

Shelters across the state are grappling with high dog populations amid a slowdown in adoptions.

These are some of the dogs available for adoption through MPSCA. MSPCA

We had great momentum over the summer, but as soon as animals go to new homes, those spaces are filled by others who need to come into our care, Jamie Garabedian, project manager in the MSPCA-Angells Animal Protection Division, said in a statement.

The shelters involved in the adoptathon include, MSPCA locations in Boston, Methuen, Salem and Centerville and the Massachusetts Animal Shelter Support (MASS) coalition members Berkshire Humane Society, Boston Animal Care and Control, Worcester Animal Rescue League, and Thomas J. OConnor Animal Control and Adoption Center. Fees will also be waived at Lowell Humane Society and Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton.

These are some of the dogs available for adoption through MPSCA. MSPCA

Here are some of the dogs available for adoption.

This 7-year-old dachshund came from an abnormal home. MSPCA

Miss Vernon

This 7-year-old dachshund came from an abnormal home. Transitions can be hard for her, MSPCA said, and she would do best with a dog friend because of her history.

Due to her past shes looking for a family who will let her go on her pace, the website states.

This 7-year-old siberian husky mix is described as a fun, goofy girl with a playful spirit. MSPCA

Billy Jean

This 7-year-old siberian husky mix is described as a fun, goofy girl with a playful spirit. She prefers to be the only dog in the home, but could live with children.

This bonded Yorkie duo are hoping to find a home together. WARL

Peppin and Bobbie

This bonded Yorkie duo are hoping to find a home together.

Peppin is described as an adventurer who loves daily walks, while Bobbie is the snuggle bug. WARL states that theyd thrive in a calm, loving home-maybe with a retired couple who can enjoy Peppins strolls and Bobbies snuggles in equal measure.

Rocky is a playful 2-year-old pit bull terrier mix. TJ O'Connor

Rocky

Rocky is a 2-year-old pit bull terrier mix who is playful and thrives on activity and interaction. She enjoys playing fetch and running around the yard.

Ollie is a 4-year-old terrier mix. Berkshire Humane Society

Ollie

Ollie is a 4-year-old terrier mix. He is cute and sweet but an escape artist. He is known to bark and will likely have to wear a belly band to prevent marking.

For more about the adoptable dogs, click here.
Raul Cardona, of Springfield, Massachusetts, turns himself in to police in Bennington, Vermont, Aug. 8, 2022. (Bennington Police Department).

Raul Cardona pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted manslaughter as part of the 2022 fatal shooting of a Vermont man on Wednesday, according to court filings.

He was sentenced to four years concurrently for both and probation for 11 years.

Cardona became a suspect after the fatal shooting in 2022 of Patrick Mullinnex, 38, of Springfield, Vermont. Cardona was also accused of a separate shooting a month prior.

I would like to apologize to the Mullinex family. I know... not sure it can change or help any pain I have caused. I just hope one day you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I want to apologize to the town and the courts for Bennington. I want to apologize to my family for everything I put them through, said Cardona, according to WCAX.

Bennington police responded to a Pleasant Street apartment in the summer of 2022 based on reports that a man had been shot. Officers found Mullinnex dead on the floor of the apartment with a gunshot wound to his chest.

The Bennington Police Department investigators, working in conjunction with the Vermont State Police and Homeland Security officials, identified Cardona as a suspect within days of the shooting. Police did not specify any relationship Cardona may have had with Mullinnex.

Five days after the homicide and three days after Bennington, Vermont, police issued a warrant for the arrest of Cardona, he turned himself in to police custody in August 2022.
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks to reporters as President Donald Trump listens, Friday, June 27, 2025, in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) AP

President Donald Trump is reportedly furious with Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Wall Street Journal reports.

One of the reasons the president is angry with Bondi is because of a handshake he had with her last year, according to the outlet.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump was telling aides his hand was cut by Bondis diamond wedding ring during the handshake. The report, however, does not make clear how Bondis ring cut Trumps hand.

Bondi has been divorced twice and is currently unmarried. She is presently dating John Wakefield and they have been together since 2017, according to People magazine.

The 47th president also believes Bondi is moving too slowly in trying to prosecute former FBI director James Comey, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Shes moving too slow, Trump said.

Trump has harbored a disdain for Comey and considers him a political enemy, according to the New York Times. Trump blames Comey, whom he fired in 2017, for the launch of an investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller III regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, the New York Times reports.

In September, Comey was indicted by a grand jury in Virginia on two charges: making a false statement and obstruction of a congressional proceeding, according to NBC News.

Additionally, the Wall Street Journal article reports that Trump accidentally sent Bondi a message on Truth Social, urging her to prosecute Comey.

We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility, the message read.

The president was reportedly shocked to learn that the message, intended to be sent privately to Bondi, was made public, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Bondi was reportedly furious at Trumps mistake on Truth Social and called the White House to complain to him directly.

Following the first post, Trump uploaded a second one on Truth Social, praising Bondi for a GREAT job.
A 50-year-old man appeared in court Thursday on charges filed in connection with an explosion at his home in Wareham, the Plymouth County District Attorneys office said in a statement.

Mark Halpin is charged with one count each of possession of explosives and secreting, throwing, launching, or placing of explosives. He was held on $10,000 cash bail, according to the statement.

If Halpin posts bail, he must wear a GPS monitor, remain in home confinement and not possess any weapons or incendiary devices.

Prosecutors had asked Halpin be detained, and later requested $75,000 cash bail.

On Oct. 3, Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the State Fire Marshals office, and local first responders, went to a home on Aunt Maryville Lane for a report of an explosion.

Halpin was found spitting up blood, with burns to his upper body and cuts to his hands. The home had sustained damage consistent with an explosion, like broken windows, warped and melted appliances and scattered debris, according to the statement.

During a search of Halpins home, prosecutors say police found calcium fluoride, compressed air tanks, ammonium nitrate, and various powders and chemicals common in the manufacturing of explosives or fireworks. Halpin was arrested and held in custody on $15,000 bail.

Halpin has been in custody since his arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 3.
A view of the Massachusetts State House in Boston, looking across Beacon Street from the Boston Common. (John L. Micek/MassLive)

Nearly two dozen states across the nation are either in a recession or teetering on the brink. And that includes the Bay State, which has been hit by some $3.7 billion in funding cuts by the federal government.

Three factors  slowing immigration, tariffs, and federal job cuts  are driving the contraction, which has hit states across the country, the analysis by Mark Zandy, the chief economist at Moody Analytics, concluded.

It was first reported by Axios.

The states that are in recession, or are at high risk, account for about a third of the nations gross domestic product, according to Zandys analysis. Another third are holding steady, while the remaining third are growing.

The Bay State, which accounts for 2.73% of the nations GDP, was listed as high risk or already in recession in Zandys analysis. The same held true for Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Neighboring New York and Vermont were listed as treading water.

The broader DC area stands out due to government job cuts, Zandy wrote in a post to X. Southern states are generally the strongest, but their growth is slowing. California and New York, which together account for over a fifth of U.S. GDP, are holding their own, and their stability is crucial for the national economy to avoid a downturn.

The Bay State has been buffeted by shifting economic winds in the nearly nine months since the start of President Donald Trumps second administration.

The states $60 billion budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 on about $16 billion in federal support.

The $3.7 billion the state has lost so far includes a mix of Trump White House clawbacks and cuts included in the domestic policy mega-bill that the Republican president signed into law earlier this year.

Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans funding cuts are making life more expensive for Massachusetts residents, undermining public safety, taking away health care, and hurting our businesses, Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement accompanying the latest data drop.

Given that, budget writers on Beacon Hill have been carefully monitoring the states tax collections.

The state collected nearly $4.6 billion in taxes in September, thats $133 million or 3% more than actual collections in September 2024. But its still $64 million or 1.4% behind the states benchmarks, according to state Department of Revenue data.

Year-to-date collections clocked in at a shade over $10 billion. That was $309 million or 3.2% more than actual collections at the same time last year. But it was $64 million or 0.6% below the year-to-date benchmark, state data show.
Ducks swim at daybreak in the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool during the 8th day of the government shutdown on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) AP

With Washington paralyzed by a government shutdown, lawmakers in the U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a sprawling, bipartisan housing bill aimed at expanding the nations housing stock and bringing down costs.

The legislation, crafted by U.S. Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the top lawmakers on the Senate Banking Committee, was tucked into the $924.7 billion National Defense Authorization Act.

The legislation, an annual funding bill for the Pentagon, passed on a 70-20 vote, according to The Hill. The vote came after lawmakers reached a deal to move the stalled funding bill, the online news outlet reported.

The Senate just passed this bipartisan housing bill as part of the NDAA https://t.co/FYdrZ7nj2y  Liz Goodwin (@lizcgoodwin) October 10, 2025

The housing bill, a rare instance of bipartisan cooperation on an increasingly gridlocked Capitol Hill, cleared the Banking Committee in July.

In a statement, Warren called the bill a historic step toward addressing a housing crisis that has seen many Americans squeezed out of the market. It marked Congresss first attempt in a decade to tackle the issue.

The bill, known as the ROAD to Housing Act, takes important steps to boost the nations housing supply, improve housing affordability, and increase oversight and efficiency of federal regulators and housing programs, Warren said.

For far too long, Congress believed this problem was too big to solve. Today, were taking not a step  but were taking a leap in the right direction in a bipartisan fashion," Scott said when the bill cleared the Banking Committee. Many people around the country, [who] are frustrated with the way we do American politics, wonder, Is there any issue that brings this nation together? And Im here to say hallelujah, we have found one  it is housing. And hallelujah is a southern term, but its a term of endearment."

But even with Thursdays vote, the bills fate is far from assured. It still has to control the Republican-controlled House before it can be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Local leaders and their allies welcomed the bill, with one organization, the National League of Cities, calling it a strong, collaborative effort to address an issue that has stubbornly resisted solutions.

The average age for first-time home buyers is now close to 40, limiting one of the main ways people can build wealth, The Washington Post reported earlier this year.

The country is short between 1.5 to 4 million homes, economists estimate, and high housing costs  for rentals and for-sale listings alike  are blocking many Americans from finding a place to live, according to The Post.

The crisis took on particular urgency during the 2024 presidential campaign, with voters citing housing costs as a top economic issue, the newspaper reported.

Almost 60% of the homes in Allentown are over 65 years old, but theyre not ready for retirement. While these homes are affordable to many, they also need some real investment to keep them safe and affordable for future generations of American families, Allentown, Pa., Mayor Matt Tuerk said when the bill cleared the bill cleared the Banking Committee last summer.

Last year, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed a $5.1 billion bond bill aimed at tackling the Bay States housing crisis. Housing costs and rental costs in Massachusetts remain among the highest in the nation.
President Donald Trump checked another name off his political enemies list on Thursday when federal prosecutors indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud.

But an indictment is a long way from a conviction. And according to one Boston University expert, the crime is seldom prosecuted and rarely results in prison for those who are successfully prosecuted.

In an analysis for the public policy site The Conversation, BU business professor Jay L. Zagorsky said he reviewed more than a decades worth of data to reach that conclusion.

Just 38 people in the country were sentenced for such crimes in 2024, and among that small group, four of the convicted got no prison time, Zagorsky wrote. The year before, in 2023, only 34 people were convicted and seven avoided prison.

Over the last 12 years, fewer than 3,000 people were convicted of federal mortgage fraud, and the number of people sentenced fell steadily each year, he wrote

Which isnt to say the crime isnt serious or doesnt come with some heavy penalties.

The maximum federal sentence is 30 years, with fines of up to $1 million. Because more than a quarter of all mortgages are guaranteed by federal agencies, and many are acquired by quasi-government organizations like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, most mortgage fraud is a federal crime.

However, just because there are laws on the books doesnt mean theyre enforced, he wrote. For example, I work in Boston, where for years jaywalking has been illegal  but as any visitor quickly notices, no one pays any attention to this rule."

And the 3,000 people who were convicted account for just a fraction of the mortgages that were written to purchase or to refinance a home during that same time period. That accounts for 0.003% of all mortgages.

Federal sentencing data also offers some insight into who does get convicted. In all cases, three-quarters were men in their late 40s, more than 90% were U.S. citizens, and most had an associate degree, Zagorsky found.

And of those who did get jail time, most served far less than the 30-year maximum prescribed by law, Zagorsky found. In 2024, the maximum sentence handed out was 10 years, according to his analysis..

And since 2013, 15% of those convicted got no jail time. The average sentence for people who did get jail time was 21 months, he wrote.

Fines also tend to come in far below the $1 million maximum penalty.

Last year, the maximum fine issued was $250,000, and since 2013, the average person convicted of mortgage fraud paid a fine of less than $6,000, while half paid no fine at all, Zagorsky found.

But that doesnt mean there arent financial penalties that come with a conviction.

Courts require restitution in most cases. Last year, half of all those convicted had to pay at least $500,000 in restitution, he found. Over the 12 years included in his analysis, Zagorsky said he found that the average person paid $2 million in restitution.

What is clear is that while millions of mortgages are written each year, only a tiny fraction of mortgage recipients go to jail for fraud, he wrote.

One way to put this tiny fraction into perspective is to compare it with the National Weather Service estimates of the approximately 270 people hit by lightning yearly. Last year, lightning hit over seven times more people than the federal government convicted of mortgage fraud," he said.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-5th District, listens at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham, June 17, 2025. (Will Katcher/MassLive)

A top U.S. House Democrat has accused congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump of playing politics with the lives of federal workers as it began a wave of mass layoffs on Friday.

"Lets be clear: Republicans arent laying off hardworking Americans because they have to. Its because they want to. All to pay for billionaires tax cuts," U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, the Houses Democratic whip, said in a statement.

The Trump administration announced Friday that it had begun what it described as substantial layoffs of federal workers, as the government remains shuttered due to the inability of Congress to reach a funding deal, NBC News reported.

The RIFs have begun, White House budget director Russ Vought said on X, referring to reduction in force for workers.

A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget confirmed to NBC News that the layoffs had begun.

In her statement, Clark, D-5th District, called the move part of the same story.

Slashing health care. Taking away peoples jobs. Even withholding troops paychecks, she said. Republicans will continue to make life harder and more expensive for regular people at every turn.

The shutdown now appears guaranteed to drag into next week after the U.S. Senate failed to advance competing funding bills, including a previously approved House bill, according to CBS News.

Democrats have dug in over health care, and have said they wont move on the deadlock without guarantees on Medicaid cuts and enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at years end.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., stayed on that message during an appearance at a neighborhood health clinic in Dorchesters Uphams Corner section on Friday, accusing the GOP of acting as reverse Robin Hoods.

As a result of Trumps Big, Ugly Bill, over 320,000 Massachusetts residents will lose their health care, Markey said, using the Democrats nickname for the domestic policy megabill that Trump signed into law earlier this year.

Under their bill, 337,000 Massachusetts residents will see skyrocketing premiums for their health costs, the Malden Democrat argued.

Republicans have blamed Democratic intransigence for the ongoing deadlock.

During an appearance on a C-SPAN call-in show, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told one caller, angry over the U.S. military potentially missing a paycheck, that Democrats are the ones that are preventing you from getting a check, CBS News reported.

Trump, meanwhile, accused Democrats of using health care as a cudgel and again threatened to cut programs if the shutdown doesnt end, the network reported.

In her Friday statement, Clark reiterated that resistance, arguing that congressional Democrats will not be a rubber stamp for this cruelty and corruption.

We will not back down from bullies. Well keep fighting for our constituents and our country, she said.
East Longmeadow Fire Chief Christopher Beecher said he's pleased Engine 2 will be helping people fight fires in Salinas, a poor town in Ecuador. (Staasi Heropoulos / Special to The Republican) Staasi Heropoulos / Special to The Republican

EAST LONGMEADOW  The next time East Longmeadow Fire Department Engine 2 answers an emergency call, it will be blaring down the dusty streets of Salinas  a poor town on the coast of Ecuador.

The truck was auctioned off by the Fire Department and bought by a nonprofit organization that is donating the firefighting apparatus to the South American nation.

It has never left this town, other than mutual aid, so the fact that its going to another country and providing for fire protection, thats pretty impressive, East Longmeadow Fire Chief Christopher Beecher told The Republican.

East Longmeadow Fire Chief Christopher Beecher said he's pleased Engine 2 will be helping people fight fires in Salinas, a poor town in Ecuador. (Staasi Heropoulos / Special to The Republican) Staasi Heropoulos / Special to The Republican

East Longmeadow purchased Engine 2 for about $200,000 as a new vehicle in 1994. It was the towns front-line engine for 15 years.

It was the first engine out the door and first to respond on scene, said Beecher. Then in 2009, it was replaced and became our backup engine, which we used for additional response in town or mutual aid in another town.

Engine 2 has been replaced by a modern, million-dollar engine with state-of-the-art computers, cameras, sensors and safety features.

The old truck had logged 42,640 miles, and while it has passed all recent state and federal inspections, it was old and had to be sold.

The truck runs fine, and it passed its pump testing with no issues. Its just based on age. Its a 30-plus-year-old vehicle, not that the miles are high, but it doesnt have a lot of safety features the newer engines have, the chief explained.

Going twice, three times 

Engine911Fund President Wilton Taveras trains firefighters in Ecuador following a recent donation of equipment to a local Fire Department there. (Provided photo) Provided photo

The truck sold for $5,000 on Municibid, an online auction site that allows schools and governments to sell used or surplus items. Engine911Fund, based in Brooklyn, New York, was the only bidder and won the truck.

The organization raises money to purchase fire apparatus and ambulances that it gives for free to poor nations, including the Dominican Republic, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

The groups president said hes been to Salinas to see for himself the claims of desperation and now knows how much the local Fire Department could use East Longmeadows truck.

They sent me an email that they need trucks, ambulances, whatever they can get, said Wilton Taveras. I went on an inspection there and saw they have old engines and old ambulances, and were trying to help them.

Taveras said East Longmeadows old Engine 2 will replace a truck in Salinas that is nearly 50 years old, unreliable and cant be counted on to work in an emergency.

Check under the hood

Bidders were allowed to see the truck at the East Longmeadow fire station, kick the tires, test the lights and siren, and take it for a spin around town  but Taveras bought it sight unseen.

I called the chief, and he told me its in good shape and working properly. I trust him, said Taveras.

East Longmeadow bought its new truck using a $700,000 federal grant, with the town paying the balance of the million-dollar sticker price. By getting funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the town promised not to sell its old engine to a fire department in the U.S.

The town might have hoped to generate more than five grand, but there is a flurry of used fire trucks for sale these days, said Greg Berry, CEO of Municibid.

There are a lot of departments selling fire trucks, and the market is not huge for it, so its a supply and demand issue. The prices are all over the place, so it comes down to who the buyer is and what they need it for, along with the condition and quality of the truck.

Old fire trucks can serve a lot of purposes, according to the fire chief and Municibid CEO. Ladder trucks can be used by landscaping companies to trim high branches on trees; collectors buy and show the trucks in parades; off-road racing organizations use pumpers to wet the tracks; and entrepreneurs turn fire trucks into roadside food trucks.

Chief Beecher joked that he and some of his crew thought about using the truck to cook and sell pizza.

Engine911 President Taveras expects the truck to land in Ecuador by January, when he and other firefighters in his organization will train Ecuadoran first-responders on how to use it.

I travel to a lot of different countries. I know the people dont have anything, and they need our help, he said.

When Beecher put the truck on the auction block, he had no idea where it would end up and never imagined it will be helping poor people a world away.

Its still a very useful truck; theres a lot of life left in it, he said. For it to go somewhere and do some good, Im all for it.
HOLYOKE  A community festival honoring Indigenous life and culture will take place Saturday at Carlos Vega Park in Holyoke.

The Wings of Peace Festival will be held Oct. 11 with a rain date for Sunday, Oct. 12. The festival will run from noon to 3 p.m. and feature live music, dance performances, local vendors and family-friendly activities

The events centerpiece is a giant butterfly procession and ceremony, scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Organizers say the parade symbolizes transformation and peace, and attendees are encouraged to wear costumes and participate.

Performers include MuZen Puppets, Bomba de Aqui, Brendaliz Cepeda and Manos Unidas, among others.

The Wings of Peace Festival is more than a celebration  it is an act of honoring Indigenous heritage, pollinating new connections among communities, and reminding us that peace is possible when we come together in creativity and respect, organizers said in a statement.

The festival is presented by World & Eye, an arts organization focused on building cultural connections through creative expression and community engagement.

For more information, contact the Wings of Peace Festival team at caballero.gloria3035@gmail.com or visit the events Facebook page.
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A MAYO nurse convicted of stealing prescription pads and forging prescriptions was an 'indirect victim of Covid' by having to work in a 'toxic work environment' in Mayo University Hospital, according to a Circuit Court judge.

Sinead Donohoe of Scrigg, Ballyhaunis appeared before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court today where she received a 16 month suspended prison sentence for the theft of prescription pads from Mayo University Hospital and the forgery of prescriptions for the painkiller drug Solpadol.

Judge Eoin Garavan was informed that between September 1, 2019 and February 19, 2021, Ms Donohoe who worked as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital stole three prescription pads and forged 109 prescriptions for Solpadol.

The court heard that Ms Donohoe worked in ICU during the height of the Covid pandemic and while noting her offending started before the pandemic, Judge Eoin Garavan accepted that she struggled to deal with work in the hospital during Covid.

She is to blame and must take moral cupidity for her offences to feed her addiction but she is another indirect victim of Covid.

We all know what that was like and we remember ringing bells for the nurses without quite realising what they had to face. There was no training for this and certainly poignantly set out by Ms Donohoe, the zipping up of body bags during Covid and trying to cope with fatalities and trying to deal with what was coming down the line. She did not react terribly well to that, it appears, he said during sentencing.

Suspicions

Detective Garda Tyrone Tobin told the court that Ms Donohoe made up the names of doctors and registration numbers when filling out the prescription. During the investigation he found that she handed the prescriptions into pharmacies in seven towns in east Mayo and Co Roscommon before suspicions were raised on February 12, 2021 after a prescription was handed into McSharry's Pharmacy in Castlerea.

READ: Nurses in Mayo ED serve notice of industrial action

Detective Tobin said the pharmacist noted the quantity of Solpadol was too high to be prescribed to any one patient and Ms Donohoe's name was on the prescription.

Ten copies of prescriptions in Ms Donohoe's name were discovered on Mayo University Hospital prescription paper in the pharmacy and three other pharmacies in the town also confirmed they were in possession of similar prescriptions and were suspicious of the high quantity of drugs prescribed.

Judge Eoin Garavan

Detective Tobin said Mayo University Hospital was able to confirm that the prescriptions were not prescribed by the hospital and gardai visited the home of the defendant on February 19, 2021.

He said she handed over the three prescription books which were the property of the hospital and admitted taking them and forged prescriptions.

A total of 109 forged prescriptions were covered in Ms Donohoe's name and all of them came from the books seized at her property.

Full admissions

When interviewed by gardai on July 6, 2021, Ms Donohoe made full admissions and was fully co-operative throughout. She admitted making up all the doctors names and that they were not real doctors or real registration numbers.

She outlined that as a result of stress in her workplace and pain suffered from a medical condition she began self prescribing Solpadol and soon became addicted to the medication. Solpadol is the brand name of an analgesic drug that contains paracetamol/acetaminophen in conjunction with codeine and is used to treat severe pain in adults.

Detective Tobin confirmed that it appeared that Ms Donohoe was using the medication solely for herself and there was no evidence to suggest she was trading it to others.

Judge Garavan commented that it was remarkable that Ms Donohoe was able to make up a doctor's name and registration number without it being flagged in the pharmacy but Detective Tobin added that checks have since been tightened up.

The court heard that Ms Donohoe is a married mother of two young children and is no longer working in the hospital and her nursing registration has been suspended. She has no previous convictions and has not since come to the attention of the gardai.

Bernard Madden, senior counsel for Ms Donohoe, commented that the probation report is entirely positive and his client is attending a counsellor for her addiction having attended Hope House.

He said the Probation Service also commented that the offending cannot be examined 'without looking at the bigger picture on the unhealthy and toxic work environment in which she was placed during Covid.

It was a very risky workplace setting which had a terrible effect on her which she struggled to come to terms with and counselling has been very helpful, he said.

Sentencing

In sentencing Ms Donohoe, Judge Garavan said it was clear that she abused her position as a nurse in Mayo University Hospital but accepted working through the pandemic was a difficult situation.

We were all at home thinking how great they were but did not see the appalling conditions in which they had to work in the beginning stage which was March 2020, he commented.

Judge Garavan accepted that Ms Donohoe is ashamed of her actions and will not forgive herself for what she did and as a result he did not think a custodial sentence was appropriate.

This lady made a mistake and there was an understandable reason for making the mistake. The only person she damaged was herself and she has managed to deal with that. Her own shame and embarrassment in this case is sufficient punishment for what was really a health issue at the time.

He imposed a 16 month prison sentence but suspended the entirety of the sentence for a period of two years on the condition she continues to attend her addiction counsellor.
Mayo County Council are delighted to welcome the announcement of 2,346,700 in funding for three projects in the county under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF), by Minister Dara Calleary this morning, Friday, October 10.

The three projects to receive the funding are:

(1) Beal an Mhuirthead 2028 Fis Nua; which has received 663,100 for a proposed project that includes Public Realm Works, the Regeneration of an old Vocational School as a Community Hub and the Development of a new Library.

(2) Swinford Urban Realm; which received 869,800 for the development of a new public square /marketplace. A refurbishment and deep retrofit of a currently derelict and unused former residential (Presbytery) building of the Georgian era into a Community Resource Centre as a focal point of the project.

(3) Inishturk Island Multi-Purpose Hub and Glamping Site which will receive 813,800 for a project, promoted by South West Mayo Development Company, featuring a multi-purpose hub and glamping site, that will enhance Inishturks built environment, and generate sustainable employment opportunities.

The funding, under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF), is being invested in projects that will rejuvenate town centres, drive economic growth, increase town footfall, combat dereliction, develop pedestrian zones and boost tourism in rural Ireland.

Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Sean Carey said about the funding announcement: Im thrilled with todays announcement of Rural Regeneration funding for Mayo. These three exceptional projects in Beal an Mhuirthead, Swinford, and Inishturk, will bring real benefits to our communities, enhancing public spaces, restoring heritage buildings, and supporting sustainable development.

This investment is a strong endorsement of the vision and energy driving rural Mayo forward and into a brighter future. Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly added: I warmly welcome todays announcement by Minister Dara Calleary of this funding under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund into projects in Mayo.

This investment in three transformative projects across our county reflect the creativity and ambition of Mayo County Council and the local communities which Mayo County Council is proud to support. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure their successful delivery and long-term impact.

READ MORE: Nurses in Mayo ED serve notice of industrial action
There has been a 75% increase in demand for the services of Ruhama, a charity that fights sexual exploitation, prostitution, and human trafficking.

The charity's latest report shows that 1,128 people engaged with them last year - an increase of 75% on 2023.

216 of those people were getting in touch in relation to human trafficking, up 35% on 2023.

282 were affected by prostitution. This number is an increase of 20% on 2023.

READ NEXT: 'My son you are my world' - Toddler killed following tragic incident in Dublin named locally

"They're a very hard to reach cohort so the fact that we're seeing more people is a positive in one hand," Barbara Condon, CEO of Ruhama said on Newstalk today.

Most of the people reaching out are women, including six that identified as trans women.

This reflects the gendered nature of the system of prostitution and sexual exploitation, according to the charity.

55 men also engaged with the service.

People reaching out in relation to human trafficking came from 24 different countries.

131 were from Nigeria, the highest number of any country, but others were from Albania, Kenya, and Ukraine among others.

People from 51 different countries got in touch in relation to prostitution, with those from Nigeria again the worst affected.

43 people from there reached out to Ruhama for help, while 31 were Irish.

42 people were from Zimbabwe and other countries people reaching out were from included Brazil, Poland, and Romania.

"For some women, pornography is the gateway into prostitution. People think it's fantasy but it's real life. It's women who are getting paid to suffer real pain while they're being filmed," Barbara said.

Ruhama is today hosting the Technology Friend or Foe convention, which looks at combating porn, sexual violence and exploitation.
Upholding multilateral trading system and advancing global economic governance reform

08:57, October 10, 2025 By Jiang Bo ( People's Daily

At a high-level meeting on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) recently held by China at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, China announced that it will not seek new special and differential treatment available to developing countries in current and future negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised this decision as a critical moment for the WTO, saying that it demonstrates China's commitment to building a more balanced and equitable global trading system. She emphasized that the move provides strong momentum for WTO reform, helping to make the organization more adaptive and effective.

The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is facing severe challenges. Calls to safeguard the multilateral trading system have grown stronger across the international community, alongside rising expectations for the WTO to play a more active role.

Since joining the WTO in 2001, China has achieved rapid economic and social development, transforming into the world's second-largest economy, top merchandise trader, and second-largest services trader. Hu Jianguo, associate professor at the School of Law of Nankai University, notes that China's expanding economic influence now positions it to play a more prominent role in safeguarding the multilateral trading system, participating in WTO reform, and shaping international economic and trade rules.

Ji Wenhua, professor at the School of Law, University of International Business and Economics, explained that special and differential treatment is an institutional arrangement under the WTO framework granted to developing members. As the world's largest developing country, China has strictly observed WTO rules and fully honored its accession commitments since acceding to the organization. On this basis, Ji said, continuing to exercise its rights in accordance with WTO rules is consistent with international law and the principles of the WTO.

Amid rising unilateral tariffs and trade conflicts that undermine the multilateral trading system, disrupt global trade order, and heighten economic instability, Ji adds that China's announcement can help break deadlocks on development issues at the WTO, accelerate institutional reform, and boost developing countries' confidence in the multilateral trading system.

Han Yong, director general of the Department of WTO Affairs at China's Ministry of Commerce, reaffirmed three guiding principles that remain unchanged: China's status as a developing member, its commitment to defending the legitimate rights of developing countries, and its support for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

Tu Xinquan, dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, explained that this decision, while refraining from seeking additional differential treatment, does not alter its legal status as a developing country within the organization. "China has always been, and will always remain, a member of the Global South, standing together with fellow developing countries," said Tu.

He added that these three "unchanged" principles represent China's solemn commitment to safeguarding the multilateral trading system and its concrete actions to uphold the rightful place of developing countries in global governance.

Ji Wenhua further clarified that China's position papers and policy statements to the WTO have clearly defined the scope and application of this decision.

First, the decision applies solely within the WTO framework and does not set a precedent for, or affect China's status and treatment in, other international organizations or treaties.

Second, it concerns only whether China seeks special and differential treatment in negotiations, and does not change its developing-country status, which remains consistent with WTO rules, practice, and China's stage of development.

Third, the decision applies only to current and future negotiations and does not affect, nor retroactively apply to, special and differential treatment that China already enjoys or has requested in ongoing negotiations.

Accordingly, assertions that this decision means China has become a developed country within the WTO or is no longer a developing country are incorrect and misleading.

In recent years, China has firmly defended the multilateral trading system, actively participated in WTO reform and the adjustment of international economic and trade rules, and worked to make the global economic governance system more just and equitable.

"At a time when protectionism and unilateralism are spreading, and some major countries disregard international rules and impose unilateral tariffs, the WTO's authority and effectiveness face grave challenges," Ji said,

At this critical juncture, Ji argued, China's pragmatic actions reject zero-sum thinking and demonstrate its sense of responsibility for advancing global development. This move underscores China's commitment to safeguarding the international economic and trade order, and highlights its leading role in global governance.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
News / International

by Staff reporter

President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of an expected meeting with President Xi Jinping of China after Beijing tightened its rules for exports of rare earths.In a post on social media, Trump said he now saw "no reason" to meet with President Xi later this month, accusing China of "becoming very hostile" and trying to hold the world "captive".He also threatened a "massive" increase in tariffs on Chinese goods, raising fears about further escalation of trade tensions between the two economic giants.Financial markets dropped in the wake of the remarks, with the S&P 500 down 1.8% in mid-afternoon trade in New York.The last time Beijing tightened export controls - after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods early this year - there was an outcry from many US firms reliant on the materials . Carmaker Ford even had to temporarily pause production.In addition to tightening rules for rare earth exports, China has opened a monopoly investigation into the US tech firm Qualcomm that could stall its acquisition of another chipmaker.Although Qualcomm is based in the US, a significant portion of its business is concentrated in China.Beijing has also said it will charge new port fees to ships with ties to the US, including those owned or operated by US firms."Some very strange things are happening in China!" Trump wrote in a post on social media on Friday. "They are becoming very hostile."The US and China have been in a fragile trade detente since May, when the two sides agreed to drop triple-digit tariffs on each others' goods that had nearly stopped trade between the two countries.Officials have held a series of talks since then on matters including TikTok, agricultural purchases, and the trade of advanced technology like semiconductors and rare earths supplied by China, which are key components in cars, smartphones and many other items.The two sides were expected to meet again this month at a summit in South Korea.China expert Jonathan Czin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Xi's recent actions were a bid to shape the upcoming talks, noting that the recent rare earths directive does not go into effect immediately."He's looking for ways to seize the initiative," he said. "The Trump administration is having to play a game of whack-a-mole and deal with these issues as they come up."He added that he did not think China was worried about US retaliation in response."What China took away from the Liberation Day tariffs and the cycle of escalation followed by de-escalation is that the Chinese side had a higher pain threshold," he said. "From their perspective, the Trump administration blinked."In prior rounds of trade talks, China has pushed for looser US restrictions on semiconductors. It is also interested in securing more stable tariff policies that would make it easier for its businesses to sell into the US.Xi has previously used as leverage his country's dominance of production of rare earths, critical minerals and other materials.But the export rules unveiled this week target overseas defence manufacturers, making them particularly serious, said Gracelin Baskaran, director of the critical minerals security program at Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies."Nothing makes America move like targeting our defence industry," she said. "The US is going to have to negotiate because we have limited options, and in an era of rising geopolitical tension and potential conflict, we need to build our industrial defence base."While a Trump-Xi meeting now looks unlikely, she said it was not necessarily completely off the table. Ms Baskaran said there's still time and room for talks. China's new rules don't take effect until December."Negotiations are likely imminent," she said. "Who does them and where they happen will be determined with time."
Workplace stress affects productivity and well-being; managing it with breaks, boundaries, and support can improve mental health and job satisfaction.

Nearly 30% worried about being judged by peers

About 21% feared that admitting mental health struggles could be seen as making excuses

Another 21% believed such admission might hamper their career growth

TOP INSIGHT A closer look at #sickleave in India: 74% of employees won't disclose #mental_health as the reason for time off. 45% call it general sick leave, and 19% skip the leave entirely. We need more open workplace cultures. #Burnout #SafeWorkplace #WorkLifeBalance #MentalHealthDay

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Three Out of Four Avoid Taking Mental Health Leave

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Workplace Stress Remains High

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The Need for Organizational Change

Moving Toward a Culture of Empathy

Effective Strategies to Support Mental Health at Work

A recent survey on the occasion of World Mental Health Day highlights that manyreflecting enduring stigma in workplace culture.According to a Naukri-conducted survey of nearly 19,650 job seekers, around 31% of respondents said they feared being viewed as incapable if they disclosed mental health issues to colleagues or management.Other concerns include:The survey further revealed that almost 75% of professionals are uncomfortable taking leave specifically for mental health reasons. Instead, many prefer to report sick leave without mentioning the actual cause, while others completely avoid taking time off despite needing rest and recovery.Only a small portion of employees said they feel safe being open about their mental health when applying for leave, reflecting how workplace culture still discourages transparency around emotional well-being.When asked about stressors contributing to poor mental health, most respondents pointed toMany employees also cited unrealistic deadlines and long working hours as major factors behind burnout and anxiety Experts say that while mental health awareness has grown significantly in recent years, cultural and systemic barriers continue to prevent open dialogue within corporate settings. Employees want workplaces to prioritize well-being by introducing supportive policies, flexible work arrangements, and training for managers to handle mental health conversations sensitively.they emphasize, requires continuous efforts  from leadership commitment to employee education and proactive communication strategies.The findings highlight a crucial gap between awareness and action. Although more companies now celebrate World Mental Health Day and host wellness programs, meaningful change will only happen when employees feel genuinely supported and unafraid to prioritize their mental well-being.As India continues its journey toward a more open conversation around mental health, fostering empathy and acceptance in workplaces could be the most powerful step toward lasting change.Maintaining mental well-being at work begins with recognizing early signs of stress and taking proactive steps to manage them.Setting clear boundaries between professional and personal time, taking short breaks to recharge, and practicing mindfulness or deep-breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety.Employees should prioritize open communication  sharing concerns with managers or trusted colleagues instead of internalizing pressure.Organizations, too, can foster a healthier environment by promoting flexible work options, encouraging mental health days, offering access to counselling or employee assistance programs, and creating a culture that normalizes conversations around mental well-being. Together, these practices can build resilience and promote a supportive, balanced workplace.Source-Medindia
Scientists propose October 10 as International Coccolithophore Day to honor the oceans microscopic climate regulators.

  Trusted Source

Tiny architects, Titanic climate impact: scientists call for international coccolithophore day



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TOP INSIGHT Did You Know

Theyre smaller than dust but reshape the planets climate! #oceanhealth #medindia

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What are Coccolithophores?

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How Do Coccolithophores Shape Earths Climate from Beneath the Waves?

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Why Coccolithophore Day Matters?

Tiny architects, Titanic climate impact: scientists call for international coccolithophore day - (https://www.hw.ac.uk/news/2025/tiny-architects-titanic-climate-impact-scientists-call-for-international-coccolithophore-day)

is widely known as, but scientists are now proposing that the same date also be recognized asThesemay be tiny, but they play aand, quietly shaping the planets health from beneath the waves ().are the most productive calcifying organisms on the planet , covering themselves with a calcium carbonate shell called a coccosphere. These single-celled, chlorophyll-containing organisms drift in the sunlit surface waters, adorned with calcium carbonate plates called coccoliths.They resemble tiny discs and are smaller than a dust particle. Despite being tiny water creatures, they significantly affect the climate ! These microscopic marine life produce oxygen and extract carbon from saltwater. Furthermore, their calcite plates sink, forming limestone and chalk that play a significant role in Earth's climatic history!In order to raise awareness of the vital role that they play in maintaining the ocean ecosystems that support all life, creating oxygen , and controlling the planet's carbon balance, scientists from five European research institutes today announced a campaign to designateThe campaign is led by the(Zagreb, Croatia),(Edinburgh, UK),(Bergen, Norway),(MARE),(Portugal), and(INA).says Dr Sarah Cryer from the CHALKY project and OceanCANDY team.says Dr Jelena Godrijan, a leading coccolithophore researcher at the Ruer Boskovic Institute.Coccolithophores are among the planets most powerful carbon processors. Each year, they produce more than, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping to store carbon in deep-sea sediments. They also produce oxygen, support marine food webs, and influence global climate by helping to regulate our planet's greenhouse effect.Coccolithophores thrive and often dominate vast areas of the ocean. But climate change is altering water temperature, pH chemistry, and nutrient flows, threatening their survival and the ecosystems they support.The movement to declare October 10 asis more than a celebration; its aBy shining a light on the remarkable yet often ignored role of these microscopic organisms, scientists aim toabout their importance in sustaining Earths climatic balance.Source-HERIOT WATT UNIVERSITY
At least two Trump-appointed judges of a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appeared ready Thursday to lift an order barring the Trump administration from sending Oregon National Guard troops to Portland.

During their questioning in the 73-minute hearing, 9th Circuit Judges Bridget S. Bade and Ryan D. Nelson were critical of Oregon Judge Karin J. Immerguts decision to restrict President Trumps assessment of conditions at Portlands ICE field office to what was happening there in September instead of earlier in the summer.

Bade and Nelson also spoke of the need to provide greater deference to a president who they said likely knows more about whats going on inside the federal building than what is seen from protests outside.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in a South Portland residential and business district was the scene on June 14, July 4 and Sept. 1 of three tumultuous protests over the administrations immigration crackdown. On June 14, several people used a stop sign then as a makeshift battering ram to shatter the buildings glass front door and Portland police declared a riot.

In recent weeks, typically no more than a few dozen people have gathered to yell at federal officers and stand near its driveway. Federal prosecutors have charged some with assaulting officers. A Portland police supervisor has said the federal officers appear to have instigated some of the confrontations.

Bade said Immergut, a Trump appointee to the U.S. District Court in Portland, penalized the president for using the National Guard as a last resort rather than as a first resort.

Immergut refused, Bade said, to consider the larger protests and violence outside the building in June and July and weighed only the conditions in September near the time of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths Sept. 28 memo calling 200 Oregon National Guard troops into federal service for 60 days in Portland.

Nelson said the question of whether the president is able to execute federal laws is an internal decision and whether theres a ton of protests or low (number of) protests, they can still have an impact on his ability to execute the laws.

Im just trying to figure out why were giving, you know, district court, the ability to say, Well, this is what I see on the outside, so therefore Im going to transfer that on to whats going on behind the scenes, Nelson said.

The arguments before the three-judge panel mark the latest step in fast-developing legal maneuvers as Trump pushes to put National Guard boots on the ground in Portland to protect the ICE building over the objections of Oregons governor and Portlands mayor.

It follows Immerguts ruling last Saturday granting a 14-day restraining order barring Trump from sending Oregon National Guard troops to Portland.

Immergut found that the Trump administration lacked any legal justification to mobilize troops, noting no threat of rebellion exists in Portland, that local police can handle the protests at the ICE building and federal officers are still able to enforce federal laws with regular forces.

Immergut found Trumps mobilization of the state National Guard unlawful had not met any of the criteria set out in federal law Title 10, Section 12406 that he cited to invoke his authority.

Deputy U.S. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dean McArthur, representing Trump, urged the appellate panel to allow Trump to deploy Oregon National Guard members to protect Portlands immigration enforcement field office, contending the Federal Protective Service is overwhelmed.

The agency had to divert 115 Federal Protective Service officers from across the country to help there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and bring in ICE Special Response Teams to prevent violent protesters from attacking immigration officers and the ICE facility, he said.

Although we do think the judge was clearly wrong to circumscribe the inquiry to what was happening in September, I think the district court also did minimize the violence in September, he said.

Oregon Assistant Attorney General Stacy Marie Chaffin, representing the state, shot back that the 9th Circuit in the California case challenging National Guard deployment to Los Angeles said previously that minimal interference isnt enough to justify an inability to execute federal laws.

The federal government provided evidence in the record that the Federal Protective Service is short-staffed and having administrative difficulties as a result, Chaffin said.

That is not a reason to bring the military into the streets of Portland or any other city in the United States, she argued. There needs to be something more than a deficit of employees to raise to the level of such a significant incursion into the sovereignty of a state. It needs to be more.

Senior Circuit Judge Susan P. Graber, appointed by President Bill Clinton, and Nelson asked other questions about which definition of rebellion they should consider, whether they should consider historical examples of when a rebellion was cited to justify previous federal deployment of troops on U.S. soil and what document Trump relied on to authorize the deployment of National Guard to Portland.

McArthur cited Trumps June 7 memo, titled Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions, which said numerous incidents of violence and disorder, significant damage to immigration facilities in response to immigration enforcement and credible threats constituted a form of rebellion against the authority of the U.S. government. He also cited Trumps Sept. 27 post on Truth Social that he was directing the 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.

But Chaffin said its unclear what document the president relied on, since the June 7 memo was in response to an escalation of protests in Los Angeles at that time that were more violent and lasted longer than the ones in Portland.

Youre not suggesting that we need some formal order that represents final agency action by the President, are you? Nelson asked.

Chaffin simply reiterated that the June 7 memorandum was not related to Portland and was exceptionally stale by the time that Trump ordered the Oregon National Guard troops under federal control to be deployed.

Chaffin further argued that the federal governments definition of rebellion is so broad that it could potentially encompass a significant amount of protected speech and protest activity. In the California case challenging the National Guards deployment, the 9th Circuit noted that both invasions and rebellions are unusual and extreme emergencies that threaten the normal operation of civil government, she said.

It needs to be this significant, intense, large-scale situation that really has such a large impact on the fabric of the country, she argued.

While that may be true, Nelson said the definition used by Immergut seems so narrow that it doesnt comport with previous occasions where the National Guard or militia has been used.

In Immerguts order, she noted that the state of Oregon advocated for defining rebellion as an open, organized and armed resistance to an established government or leader of a country, while the federal government favored a looser definition, an open resistance or opposition to an authority,' or disobedience of a legal command.

Immergut, following the lead of a California federal judge handling a similar case there, decided that for a rebellion to exist, it must have these key characteristics: It must not only be violent but armed, organized and must be against the government as a whole, rather than in opposition to a single law or issue.

McArthur, for the federal government, argued that Immerguts chosen definition would not have allowed for the circumstances of the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, when former President George Washington called up the militia, a precursor to todays National Guard, to suppress an insurrection by western Pennsylvania farmers protesting a federal excise tax on whiskey.

Graber also asked what the term regular forces means in the federal code that says the president can call up the National Guard when hes unable with the regular forces to execute federal laws. McArthur said he believed that term only should refer to federal officers, such as Homeland Security and Federal Protective Service officers, not local or state police.

Bade asked how Immerguts subsequent temporary restraining order, issued last Sunday night that bars Trump from deploying any National Guard troops from any state to Oregon, will affect the 9th Circuits ruling on the initial temporary restraining order that dealt only with Oregon troops.

Even if we stay the first order, the second is still in place, she noted.

The federal governments attorney said if the appellate court grants a full stay on the Immerguts order on the Oregon Guard, the federal government would then go back and ask Immergut to dissolve her second broader order.

If she didnt, then the Trump administration would come back to the appellate court, McArthur said.

Nelson pointed out that the federal government has not filed a notice to appeal the second order.

We are to decide on the state of the world as it exists today, Gruber said to McArthur. You have the burden to demonstrate that theres harm . If the federalized National Guard members cannot be deployed  which is the state of the affairs today  what is the harm that you are suffering?  I have trouble seeing harm if nothing changes.

McArthur said the harm would be the inability to deploy National Guard members to address the risk of violence at the ICE facility.

But thats not because of this case, Gruber said. Its because of the second TRO.

McArthur said the second restraining order rested on the same reasoning Immergut used to form the basis of her first restraining order, so hed expect Immergut to dissolve the second restraining order if the panel pauses the first one.

If not, and the 9th Circuit believes the Trump administration must appeal the second temporary restraining order and consolidate the two cases, it will do that as an alternative, McArthur said.

Lastly, Nelson chided the city of Portland for issuing a zoning violation to ICE after federal officers had boarded up the windows of the building and closing it for about three weeks to protect it from objects thrown during protests.

They reopened the building. They board the windows for protection. What does the city of Portland do? They issued a zoning violation, Nelson said. Do you think that was maybe ill-advised?

Chaffin, the Oregon lawyer, responded, Luckily, in this case, its not something that the court needs to decide to determine whether or not the Presidents determination was within the range of honest judgment.

Its unclear when the 9th Circuit will issue its ruling, but it will likely come before Immerguts Oct. 17 hearing on whether she should extend her temporary restraining order for another 14 days.

The hearing came a day after the three-judge appeals panel issued a brief administrative hold on Immerguts initial temporary restraining order, ruling that Oregon National Guard members may remain under federal control but cannot deploy to Portland, until it decided whether to issue a longer hold pending the federal governments appeal.

The hearing was held as a federal district judge in Chicago heard a simultaneous challenge by the state of Illinois to block the deployment of Illinois and Texas Guard members from federal service in that city. About 200 Texas Guard troops were sent to Illinois and started working in the Chicago area on Wednesday.

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Amy McGrath, a Democrat and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, is setting her sights on representing Kentucky in the U.S. Senate to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell.

McGrath, who previously ran against McConnell for the same seat in 2020 and lost by approximately 20 percentage points, announced her candidacy on Oct. 6 as a rebuke of McConnells performance in Congress coupled with the current state and trajectory of the Trump administration.

The first woman to fly in an F/A-18 in combat for the Marines and do it worldwide spoke with Military.com following the announcement of her candidacy, saying that Kentuckians are seeking different results than what theyre seeing now from the federal governmentnotably in response to health care cuts and President Donald Trumps tariffs.

I think a lot of people around the country and certainly here in Kentucky are ticked off and angry about the way our country's headed right now, and I'm one of them, McGrath said. I think what we're seeing from this president is dangerous and not normal. And what we've seen from politicians in Washington in the past six months really hurts my state, my neighbors, my fellow Kentuckians.

When I look at this open Kentucky Senate seat, I think my state deserves a senator with decency and courage who will be a voice. I kind of look at it as, this is something I know how to do. I've served my country in uniform, I've done hard things in the past, and I'm battle tested in the political arena, too. That matters as well.

Military.com interviewed Senate candidate Amy McGrath, Oct. 9, 2025.

McConnell Bows Out

McGrath, 50, and Democrats have a tall task to flip the seat the 83-year-old McConnell has held since 1985. The last Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in Kentucky was Wendell Ford in 1992.

Although the Senate election will occur during the midterms and in an off-presidential election year, Republican presidential candidates have won Kentuckys electoral votes in every election since 1996 when Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole.

In February, McConnellthe longest-serving Senate party leader and a major architect of GOP policiesannounced that he would not seek reelection, forgoing a potential eighth term in office. Last year, he also stepped down as the Senate GOP leader and was replaced by Sen. John Thune (R-SD).

McGrath said her decision to re-enter the political arena results from a combination of McConnell retiring his seat and the way the Trump administration has not lived up to its campaign promises.

Mitch McConnell saw the writing on the wall and he left the seat wide open, he stepped down, she said. I think people here in Kentucky are wanting change, and we have this midtermit's not a presidential [election], it's a midterm so it's a different electorate.

And then the big thing is it came down to this: no one's better off than they were in 2020 when I ran. And things are much, much worse. If things were better, I may not consider it. But so much has happened and so much is worse in our country that how can you not stand up and be a voice right now with so many dangerous things going on?

She said her states voters have proven that they will vote for the best candidates regardless of their political affiliation, pointing to how Democratic Governor Andy Beshear has led the state since 2019.

GOP Opponents

Should McGrath be successful in her partys primary next year, she will likely face one of the following Republicans: Rep. Andy Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, or businessman Nate Morris. The filing deadline to run is January 9, 2026.

She called it interesting how candidates like Cameron and Barr were once McConnells proteges but have shifted their allegiance to please one man, referring to Trump.

I think that there's enough Kentuckians who are out there saying enough is enough.  I'm not interested in going into the background of a Daniel Cameron, but they're all racing as far MAGA as humanly possible and puckering up as much as they can to Mar-a-Lago.

That is what they care about, and Kentucky is secondary to them. Kentucky is a tool.

Military.com reached out to the Cameron campaign for comment.

Andy Barr and President Trump beat Amy McGrath once, and theyll do it again," Alex Bellizzi, Barrs campaign spokesman, told Military.com. "Together, they defeated her in what was once a battleground district, despite her millions from coastal elites and endless airtime from the liberal media."

McGrath added that her states voters are feeling the brunt of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which she said is crushing Kentuckys bourbon industry and hurting the states farmers in addition to the automobile and, aviation industries.

They hurt people's pocketbooks, she said. Day-to-day costs for Kentucky families have gone up, up, up. The price of beef, the price of pork, the price of energy has gone up. Grocery, car prices, you name it. The bourbon industry, our production is plummeting because of this.

She added: That's my message to Kentuckians, let's get somebody who cares about you. We may not agree on every single policy, but I'm going to be a voice for Kentucky and I'm going to have the courage to stand up to anyonemy own party or this president or any president if they're instituting or pushing down policies that hurt us. That's the difference.

Military.com interviewed Senate candidate Amy McGrath, Oct. 9, 2025.

Lessons Learned From 2020

McGrath lost by roughly 20 percentage points to McConnell five years ago, even as she raised more than $80 million through political action committees.

She said she learned from that campaign, which was quite unorthodox due to the national and political climate that was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Running an old school-type of campaign is her endeavor.

McGrath also acknowledged the stakes. Republicans occupy the White House and possess majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, which makes the 2026 elections crucial should Democrats intend to limit conservatives legislative stranglehold.

The Trump administrations efforts to militarize American cities should cause citizens in Kentucky and elsewhere to heed extreme caution, she added.

[Next years elections are] extremely vital, McGrath said. Look at all the stuff that's happening, the weaponization of government against political opponentssomething I thought I would never see in my lifetime, the politicization of our militarythese centrally planned tariffs that are attacks on people. That's supposed to be the control of Congress in the Constitution, not the presidency.

We're having military patrols in U.S. cities, police raids on homes of Americans, the government taking control of private companies, the concentration of power into one person right now, these mass detentions without due process, our politicization of our intelligence.  I think that a lot of people are fearful and worried, and in times like that, I'm somebody who needs to stand up because I believe in our country and I believe in our democracy. My whole life has been about protecting our democracy.
PHILADELPHIA  Crowds of young and old Marines and Navy members gathered along the riverside to celebrate and to salute service  and to mourn the fallen. And for a chance to peer out into a perfect Philadelphia fall sky as a fleet of the most powerful military ships glided up the Delaware for the city and the world to behold.

Hundreds of veterans, active service members, families of the lost, and dignitaries came to Mustin Field at the Navy Yard on Thursday for the opening ceremony of Homecoming 250, a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, both founded in Philadelphia in 1775.

The weeklong festivities, which began with Thursdays grand parade, include tours of historic ships anchored along the Philly and Camden waterfronts, balls, parades, family events, concerts, wreath layings, and  this being Philadelphia  a Rocky Steps run for Marines and Sailors. Scores of military brass and as many as 300,000 people are expected to attend Homecoming 250, which are seen by many as the start of the nations celebrations of Americas 250th anniversary in 2026, also known as the Semquincentennial.

This week kicks off the year of celebration and commemoration to celebrate Americas birthday right here in Philadelphia, said Gov. Josh Shapiro, addressing the crowds on hand for the Parade of Ships. The eyes of the world are going to be on our city and our Commonwealth.

Before the combat ships and destroyers and cutters appeared on the clear horizon, Shapiro, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker  and military dignitaries  spoke proudly of the regions historic role in the founding of the Marines and Navy. The Second Continental Congress, meeting at Independence Hall, founded a Continental Navy in October 1775. The U.S. Marine Corps was founded on Nov. 10, 1775, and traces its roots to its first recruiting station: the Tun.

Its a proud moment for our city, said Parker.

Five years in the making, the weeklong bash was organized by George Leone, a retired New Jersey Superior Court judge and former Philadelphia assistant district attorney  and son of a World War II naval officer. The event that Leone, 67, of Haddonfield, and a dedicated band of dozens of veterans and volunteers began organizing from scratch five years ago, represents the largest Semiquincentennial event honoring the military and veterans in the nations.

Leone spoke through tears.

Philadelphia has been a Navy town for 250 years, he said. Camden built ships for the Navy like there was no tomorrow in the Second World War. This city and this area have supported the Navy and the Marine Corps with heroes and service members for so many years. We want to honor them.

Veterans of both branches had crowded the Navy Yards Riverfront Greenway for hours before the ships passed. They told stories of how young bravado and chance circumstances led to proud lives of service.

I was young and dumb and I thought I was tough, smiled Gene Reilly, 82 remembering his first day at boot camp on Parris Island. He had joined the Marines straight out of Father Judge High School in 1961, and served as a military police officer guarding the gates of Pearl Harbor. Each year, his daughters take off from work to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday. They usually attend celebrations at Richies Bar & Grill in Hatboro, which is owned by a retired Marine. Theres an honor guard, and a cutting of a cake with the oldest and youngest Marine, as tradition dictates, Reilly said.

But this year, his daughter, Jacque, made sure her father saw the ships. His service means everything to him.

Im proud to have been a Marine  Im still a Marine, he said.

Not far away, Eric McCoy, 70, of Atlantic City, and his wife, Monique, set up at a spot with a clear view. Back in 1974, McCoy said his mother, Germaine, had made him join the Marines after his high school had called to say he had been playing hookie. The school had been mistaken, confusing him with another student with a similar name, he laughed. A radioman who served in the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, he spoke proudly of his service. How it structured him  and gave him purpose.

I had something to belong to bigger than me, he said.

Outside the dignitaries tent, New Jersey Assemblywoman, Melinda Kane, did what she does always: she thought of her son, Jeremy. A Rutgers University-Camden student serving as a Marine reservist, Jeremy Kane died in 2010 in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan. A widow raising two sons, becoming a Gold Star Mother led her to choose a life or service, said Kane, who was sworn into the General Assembly in January.

In her mind, her oldest boy is forever 22, she said. And he would have loved the pageantry of the parade of ships.

He would just think this is all so incredibly cool, she said.

Soon, the ships arrived on the horizon, and the sound of the Battle Hymn of the Republic boomed over the speakers, sung live by soprano Jillian Patricia Pirtle, the CEO of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society in Philadelphia. A legacy formation of fighter planes thundered by above.

Then, the first of the eight visiting Navy ships and Coast Guard vessels that will dock in Philly and New Jersey for the festivities eased into view  the USS Arlington, an amphibious warship. At that, the crowds edged toward the water, wanting a better view.

 2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC.

Visit at inquirer.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CAIRO  Israels Cabinet has approved the outline of a deal to release hostages held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said early Friday, as top Israeli officials debated a tentative deal to pause the devastating two-year war with Hamas.

The approval is a key step in implementing a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The brief statement focused on the hostage release and made no mention of the other parts of Trumps plan for ending the war.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military carried out more strikes in Gaza, including one that reportedly left more than three dozen people trapped beneath rubble. The new strikes hit as the Cabinet met to weigh the terms of the breakthrough proposal that emerged late Wednesday and could free the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The broader ceasefire plan advanced by Trump's administration included many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.

The war, which began with Hamas deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault, and 251 were taken hostage. In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.

Even with the agreement hanging in the balance, Israeli strikes continued, with explosions seen Thursday in northern Gaza. At least 11 dead Palestinians and another 49 who were wounded arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours, Gazas Health Ministry said.

Later on Thursday, a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said Israel was hitting targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition. Hamas blasted Israel over the strike, saying Netanyahu was trying to shuffle the cards and confuse efforts by mediators to end the war in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.

Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people, Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.

Cautious Celebrations

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reactions to the announcement of a ceasefire were relatively muted and often colored by grief.

I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes," said Mohammad Al-Farra. "Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. ... The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.

In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced the deal.

In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.

We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning," she said. Its been two years that we are in horror.

Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.

In a short video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.

They are all coming back on Monday, said Trump, who is expected to visit the region in the coming days.

Debate over Prisoners

Late on Thursday, Netanyahu convened his full Cabinet, which was expected to vote on the deal.

But Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that he and members of his Jewish Power party would vote against the ceasefire plan, and that he refused to be part of a government that allows for the continuation of Hamas rule in Gaza.

Still, Ben-Gvirs refusal was unlikely to endanger the plan, which was expected to pass with a wide margin.

Hamas has called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel fully implements the troop withdrawal, the entry of aid into Gaza and the exchange of prisoners.

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.

The days ahead could be politically tricky for Netanyahu, who has been shadowed by an ongoing corruption trial as he navigated the Gaza war.

His grip on power has been largely contingent on the support of hard-line, far-right coalition partners who have urged him to continue operations against Hamas until the group is eliminated.

But Trump on Thursday suggested Netanyahus political standing has been bolstered by the ceasefire and hostage deal.

Hes much more popular today than he was five days ago, Trump said. I can tell you right now, people shouldnt run against him. Five days ago, might not have been a bad idea.

How the Deal Will Unfold

The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.

Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.

The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations. The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.

Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.

The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.

The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority  something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim in Washington; Sarah El Deeb, Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut; David Rising in Bangkok; Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Fay Abuelgasim in Cairo; and Giovanna DellOrto in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (AP)  Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, the chair of the National Governors Association, said Thursday that he opposes sending National Guard troops across state borders without the permission of the state receiving them.

The position from a sitting Republican official posed a rare rebuke of President Donald Trumps push to send National Guard troops to cities in states where Democrats are in charge, including Chicago where Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are waging a court fight to try to halt the deployment of Texas Guard members.

The administration is also trying to send California troops into Portland, Oregon.

Abegail Cave, a spokesperson for Stitt, said he supports Trump's effort to help impose law and order in some cities and to aid federal agents removing immigrants who have committed crimes, but that National Guard troops from one state should not be deployed to another over the objection of the receiving state's governor.

When its governors working together, its a very different story, but this whole situation where one states governor is sending their national Guard troops over the objections of another states governor, that sets a very dangerous precedent," Cave said.

Speaking to The New York Times on Thursday, Stitt said Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.

Stitt drew one key distinction: While he opposes sending groups across state lines where theyre not welcomed by the governors, he said that Trump should have federalized National Guard from Illinois instead to protect federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Thats the approach Trump took over the summer went he sent National Guard to Los Angeles during protests there.

The National Governors Association, a bipartisan group, has experienced turmoil, with Pritzker and California Gov. Gavin Newsom threatening to leave the organization because of its silence over the troop deployments. The organization has still not taken a stance.

Stitts position puts him at odds with the states Republican Attorney General and officials in most other Republican-controlled states.

Oklahomas Gentner Drummond was among 20 Republican attorneys general to file a brief Wednesday supporting Trumps administration in its legal battle to allow him to deploy Oregon and California National Guard troops in Portland.

In the filing, they say the president needs to be able to federalize National Guard and send troops to Oregon so that federal immigration resources are not diverted there. "Otherwise, states will continue to bear the costs of nonenforcement of federal immigration laws, they said.

Most Republican-controlled state including Oklahoma, have also requested permission to file similar papers in the Illinois court case.

The Democratic attorneys general or governors of 24 states also filed jointly Wednesday to side with California and Oregon.

Theres a similar partisan split over the use of troops in Washington, D.C.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
As the ongoing government shutdown continues to bring uncertainty to federal employees and their families, planners of an event for military spouses hope they can offer some reassurance to the families of service members in Hawaii.

On Wednesday, MilSpouseFest Hawaii will be held at the Schofield Barracks. Its set to feature interactive workshops, peer discussions, and networking opportunities for military and veteran spouses tackling topics including career development, mental health, finances and community resilience.

The event is being hosted by the events division of Recurrent Ventures, the media company that currently publishes Popular Science, Outdoor Life and the military affairs website Task &Purpose. The MilSpouseFest holds multiple events per year on or near bases around the country. This year it has held events at Fort Hood in Texas, Camp Pendleton in California, in Washington, D.C., and other locations.

The Schofield event will be the seventh of the year, and it will be the first time since 2019 the event has been held in Hawaii.

Hawaii was top of the list for us to get back there, said Jessica Manfre, the military events organizer for Recurrent Ventures. With the shutdown continuing, were hoping to bring community, resources and opportunities for connection to the families.

She said the event aims to support spouses as well as their children, adding that well have activities for (kids ) while parents connect with other military spouses and hopefully take some time to enjoy themselves awhile.

There are roughly 48,500 active-duty service members and reservists stationed in Hawaii, many with their families. Military families that fly to Hawaii come thousands of miles to live in the middle of the Pacific, often far from friends and family.

While the military helps cover some moving costs and living expenses, the rising costs that have made making ends meet increasingly difficult for all Hawaii residents have also put the squeeze on many of these families. Manfre is herself a military spouse. She said shes heard from military families that live paycheck to paycheck and are already concerned about feeding their children and paying their bills.

Its hitting home, said Manfre. Its definitely a different event now than wed planned a month ago.

Service members in Hawaii have been deployed regularly around the Pacific conducting training exercises with allies, patrolling the oceans and skies and supporting a variety of regional missions as the U.S. competes with China for power and influenceleaving their families back home in Hawaii.

Our team is here to lift each other up, she said. Well have diapers, wipes, giveaways and plenty of resources available because no family should have to face this kind of challenge without support. With Hawaii being the highest cost of living location for families in general, we want to stand in the gap in every way possible.

Many military spouses in Hawaii work for federal agencies and have seen themselves either furloughed or for those deemed critical workers  continuing to work without pay. The MilSpouseFest event is scheduled for Wednesday, which  unless lawmakers come to an agreement to end the shutdown  will be the day that paychecks will stop for active-duty military service members.

Active-duty troops will continue to do training and deployments both in Hawaii and around the region without pay. Manfre said shes glad the event will be in Hawaii on Wednesday, saying that in light of the shutdown, its where our support is needed.  I want spouses to walk away making friends, getting resources and hopefully knowing where they can go for support.

A lot has changed in Hawaii since the event was last held in the islands.

The 2021 Red Hill fuel crisis put local military leadership in the islands under new scrutiny, both from island residents and military families stationed on Oahu. Fuel from the facility contaminated the Navys Oahu water system, which serves 93,000 people  including military families and local civilians living in former military housing areas.

Thousands of people on the waterline reported suffering a variety of ailments, in some cases leading to hospitalization. Thousands of military spouses sued the federal government for its handling of the crisis.

Providing housing and services for military families  and how it should be paid for  has continued to be a hot-button issue in Hawaii.

In 2019, a national survey of on-base living conditions by the Military Family Advisory Network found the largest number of negative reports were lodged against Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay and Schofield Barracks.

Many reported getting sick or developed long-term illnesses while living on bases due to mold and other issues, and that the private landlords contracted by the military who control the properties were slow to make necessary repairs and address issues.

The military has since poured money into improvements in Hawaii, renovating World War II-era homes and also appropriating money for new homes. But despite the large military footprint in Hawaii, the bases in the islands dont have enough housing to host all the troops and military dependents it brings in.

In 2011, the Rand Corp. prepared a report for the Pentagon on the impact of military spending on Hawaiis economy and found that while most military housing in Hawaii comprises privatized on-base units, roughly half of active-duty members live off-base and typically rent their housing. A Pentagon report in January showed that now 60% of service members stationed on Oahu are residing on military installations, with the rest living off-base.

The Pentagon report cited 2023 American Community Survey estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau that found of the 105,868 occupied, private rental units on Oahu, the military estimates 14,700 are occupied by active-duty service members and their families  roughly 14% of Oahus rental market.

That has put strain on both local and military families. Rep. Jill Tokuda said of the Pentagons January report that it confirms what we all knew: that the military has a major impact on our housing supply and the availability of housing that our kama aina and families can afford.

Even after the shutdown ends and federal funding resumes, more potential big changes for military families and veterans in Hawaii could still be on the horizon. Last month, the Defense Commissary Agency issued a request for information  to companies in the grocery industry, investment firms and other companies seeking feedback on the possible privatization of commissary operations.

The request covers all 178 commissary locations the United States.

Congress appropriates about $1.4 billion annually to cover commissary operating costs. But Jen Goodale, director of government relations for Military Family and Survivor Policy at the Military Officers Association of America, wrote in a post on the organizations website that a private company taking over commissary operations would need to recoup those costs, most likely through higher prices and diluting the very benefit the system is meant to provide.

For military families living on tight budgets, retirees on fixed incomes, and survivors reliant on commissary savings, even a modest increase in prices could erode a benefit that has stood for more than 150 years.

MilSpouseFest Hawaii will be held at the 604 Ballroom and Conference Center on Schofield Barracks from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Local individuals or organizations that would like to support or participate in the event can contact Manfre at jessica.manfre @recurrent.io.

 2025 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Visit www.staradvertiser.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Donald Trump has considered applying the centuries-old Insurrection Act in order to circumvent court rulings and local objections to the deployment of military forces in U.S cities.

The Trump administrations federalization of National Guard troops and operations in cities such as Portland and Chicago have led to legal challenges. It has also provoked widespread debate about presidential powers and civil liberties in times of domestic unrest.

Trump supporters backing of the invoking of the Act hinges on the presidents ability to use it to bring back order if states fail to do so. Opponents argue that such tactics involving widespread militarization are indicative of executive overreach.

What Is The Insurrection Act?

The Insurrection Act was first enacted in 1807 and provides the president with the mandate to activate federal troops domestically in exceptional situations.

It provides exceptions permitting military intervention when a request is made by the governor or legislature of the state seeking for federal help to conquer insurrection; federal law is impossible to enforce, especially due to violence or obstruction; or when protection of constitutional rights are neglected by states or when they are threatened.

The Act has been applied sparingly in the past. When there was an eruption of riots in 1992 in Los Angeles due to events surrounding the police brutality of Rodney King, President George H.W. Bush deployed forces to the region with agreement of then-California Gov. Pete Wilson. The situation emphasized the importance of state approval..

Though the Act provides authority, there are profound legal and political threats entailed in its usage. The public and courts have consistently scrutinized whether statutory thresholds are met by conditions.

A History of Controversial Invocations

The Act has been front and center in some of the most turbulent domestic times in U.S. history.

In 1957, troops were deployed to Little Rock, Arkansas, by President Dwight Eisenhower to enforce desegregation of schools when federal court orders were resisted by the government.

In order to protect and uphold federal mandates and protect activists, presidents depended on the Act during the era of civil rights. Presidents have typically stopped short of enforcing the Act during other periods of societal unrest.

Police and Federal officers stand guard an area by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Ore. on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

President Trumps 2025 Standoff

The deployment of National Guard units by Trump into Democratic-led cities was swiftly opposed by leaders from Oregon and Illinois.

Officials from Illinois, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, have argued that federalization of the military without approval goes against both constitutional limits and sovereignty. On Oct. 9, U.S. District Judge April Perry cited no significant evidence of a danger of rebellion" and ruled against the Trump administration by disallowing national troops in the state for at least two weeks. The Trump administration appealed the ruling.

Oregon leaders previously had legal reprieve by way of a grant of a temporary injunction that stopped Trumps orders, when a judge ruled that the administration had failed to demonstrate that state law enforcement was not capable of upholding order.

We have an Insurrection Act for a reason, Trump stated in a meeting with reporters in the Oval Office on Oct. 6. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up, or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure.

President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable meeting on antifa in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington, as Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listen. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trumps Moves Flatly Illegal

Harold Koh, an international law professor at Yale Law School and former legal adviser at the U.S. State Department, told Military.com that any invocation of the Insurrection Act by the Trump administration in light of present circumstances is flatly illegal.

The Constitution was designed to prevent [the] U.S. military from dominating city streets, Koh said. The Insurrection Act grants the president very limited authority to deploy the U.S. military and the National Guard for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Those laws are not statutory blank checks, enacted in a constitutional vacuum, but were enacted against a historical background forbidding military intrusion into the domestic civilian space.



He cited 10 U.S.C.  252 which states that a president is only authorized to invoke the Act and deploy federal troops when direct resistance to the federal government caused by an actual revolt or insurrection makes it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States . . . by ordinary judicial proceedings.



Jeffrey Swartz, professor emeritus at Cooley Law School in Tampa, Florida, told Military.com that what distinguishes a protest from an insurrection is the actual violence itself.



The legal question being brought about in courts is the issue of interference, which Swartz said is being pushed by the Trump administration as a response to protesters physically preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from doing their jobs and carrying out the law.



But the allegations from the administration dont match reality, he added, saying that purported fires and civilian disturbances in cities like Portland and Chicago are nonexistent and lack impetus to require National Guard troops. Local authorities purview includes quelling issues regarding civil disobedience.



What's going to happen, in my opinion, is that if [Trump] tries to invoke the Insurrection Act anywhere, there will be immediate action and he will have to go directly to the Supreme Court because they're going to have to decide, Swartz said. Now that Court may say, No, take it through the system, book an injunction. I don't think that they'll be able to use the shadow docket to try to help Trump out.



His deepest concern is what occurs if the Trump administration does not prevail in the courts yet still disobeys the courts judgments.



While the Insurrection Act provides wide leeway, New York City-based attorney Nicole Brenecki told Military.com that it doesnt let a president ignore court orders.



Courts usually defer to a presidents decision to invoke the Act but can still review how troops act if constitutional rights are at stake, Brenecki said. Trying to use the Act to avoid court rulings would almost certainly trigger quick legal challenges, with courts likely reaffirming that no law permits the president to overrule judges.



If such a move succeeds, it will greatly expand presidential emergency powers, blur the line between military and civilian, and set a precedent for future presidents to use the Act."



Koh reminded how the Constitution is based on checks and balances.



We did not rebel from a king, only to adopt a Constitution creating a new one, he said. In the Steel Seizure case in 1952, Justice Robert Jackson voted to block President [Harry] Truman from seizing the steel mills in Youngstown, Ohio, saying that the Framers suspected that emergency powers would tend to kindle emergencies falsely based on pretextual presidential claims.



Koh projects that Trump can and will be sued by states objecting to this illegal practice.



Groups whose First Amendment rights are being restricted can sue to block deployments, he said. Congress should show some spine and resist this gross misreading of their statute. Most importantly, soldiers dont need to obey illegal orders; they should instead obey their own oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United Stateseven when the president is plainly violating his.

Constitutional Stakes

Should President Trump move ahead, the matter would likely move quickly to federal appellate courts and even perhaps the Supreme Court based on the constitutional stakes involving federalism, checks and balances, and arguments regarding civil rights.

Courts will have to determine whether the president's claimed emergencies qualify within the historically narrow categories for invocation, and whether the executive can resist or override judicial injunctions without restoring separation of powers.

It may politically be a high-risk bet. If the president's deployment is blocked or perceived as overreach, the controversy could serve as a rallying call against executive extremism. On the other hand, if some deployment is upheld it would translate to one of the most dramatic expansions of presidential domestic powers in modern timesa precedent that future leaders might refer to when confronted.

State governors, legislatures and Congress may respond by passing new statutory limits or by exercising political power. The coming days and weeks may settle not just legal boundaries but also the contours of a polarized presidential presidency.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  National Guard troops patrolled in Tennessee's second-largest city for the first time Friday while soldiers in Illinois were engaged only in planning and training after a judge handed a loss to the Trump administration and blocked their deployment to the Chicago area.

At least nine armed Guard members began their patrol at the Bass Pro Shops located at the Pyramid, an iconic Memphis landmark, about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from historic Beale Street and FedEx Forum, where the NBA's Grizzlies play.

They also were at a nearby tourist welcome center along the Mississippi River. Wearing Guard fatigues and protective vests labeled military police, the troops were escorted by a local police officer and posed for photos with visitors.

Meanwhile, in Illinois, Democratic U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth said they were barred from visiting an immigration enforcement building near Chicago. For weeks it's been home to occasional clashes between protesters and federal agents.

What are you afraid of? Duckworth told reporters, referring to the government. You dont hide, you dont run away when youre proud of what youre doing.

In Memphis, Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, said he never requested that the Guard come to his city. But after President Donald Trump made the Sept. 15 announcement and Republican Gov. Bill Lee agreed, Young and others said they wanted the task force to focus on targeting violent offenders rather than use their presence to scare, harass or intimidate the general public.

Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis said she hoped Guard personnel would help direct traffic and have a presence in retail corridors, but not be used to operate checkpoints or anything similar.

It was unclear how many Guard members were on the ground Friday or were expected to arrive later. Lee previously said troops would not make arrests and would not be armed unless local law enforcement officials request it.

For years, Memphis, whose population exceeds 600,000, has dealt with high violent crime, including assaults, carjackings and homicides. While this years statistics show improvement in several categories, including murders, many acknowledge that violence remains a problem.

Federal officials say hundreds of arrests and more than 2,800 traffic citations have been made since a federal task force began operating in Memphis on Sept. 29. Arrest categories include active warrants, drugs, firearms and sex offenses, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Four arrests have been made on homicide charges, the Marshals Service said.

Some residents said the Guard is not what Memphis needs.

Totally useless, worthless, not called for because the money that theyre gonna spend on that  if they would give it to us to let us do improvements in our city, said Loretta Davis, who emphasized that young people need more options.

An Ongoing Legal Battle

Friday's development comes after U.S. District Judge April Perry blocked deployment of troops in the Chicago area for at least two weeks.

The on-again, off-again deployments stem from a political and legal battle over Trumps push to send the Guard to several U.S. cities. His administration claims crime is rampant in those cities, despite statistics not always supporting that.

If a president invokes the Insurrection Act, they can dispatch active duty military in states that fail to put down an insurrection or defy federal law. However, Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion is brewing in Illinois during Trumps immigration crackdown.

The court order offered a victory for Democratic officials who lead the city and state and who have called the deployments unnecessary and illegal.

There is no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker said.

The order in Illinois is set to expire Oct. 23 at 11:59 p.m. Perry set an Oct. 22 hearing to determine if it should be extended for another 14 days. The federal government is appealing.

The 500 Guard members from Texas and Illinois were mostly based at a U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, southwest of Chicago. A small number were sent to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Broadview, the site were Durbin and Duckworth tried to visit.

Lt. Cmdr. Theresa Meadows, a spokeswoman for U.S. Northern Command, said soldiers were conducting planning and training in Illinois but no operational activities, following the court order.

A judge this week ordered ICE to remove a fence around the building's perimeter after Broadview officials said it blocked a public street and caused problems for first responders. The fence was still up Friday afternoon.

Deployment in Portland Remains on Hold

A federal appeals court heard arguments Thursday over whether Trump had the authority to take control of 200 Oregon Guard troops. The president had planned to deploy them in Portland, where there have been small nightly protests outside an ICE building.

A judge last Sunday granted a temporary restraining order blocking the move. Trump had mobilized California troops for Portland just hours after the judge first blocked him from using Oregons Guard.

Fernando reported from Broadview, Illinois. Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit, Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.
ISLAMABAD  The Taliban government on Friday blamed Pakistan for striking the Afghan capital and bombing a market in the country's east, accusing its neighbor of violating national airspace.

A blast struck before 10 p.m. local time on Thursday in the Abdul Haq Square area of Kabul, close to several ministries and the national intelligence agency. Security forces sealed off the site.

The governments chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at the time that there were no reports of injuries or damage. He described the explosion as an accident and said an investigation was underway.

But Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said Friday that Pakistan was responsible for that attack and for another, in the eastern province of Paktika.

Afghans Defense Ministry didn't say what the source of the bombing was or how Pakistan was able to carry out a strike in an urban center without being shot down.

Pakistan has, in the past, launched strikes inside Afghan territory to target what it says are militant hideouts and installations.

Pakistani Army spokesman Ahmad Sharif was asked at a news conference Friday if the military had attacked Afghanistan to target leaders of the banned Pakistani Taliban group. Sharif didn't give a direct answer to the question.

Afghanistan is being used as a base of operations against Pakistan, and there is proof and evidence of that, Sharif said at the news conference in the northwestern city of Peshawar. The necessary measures that should be taken to protect the lives and property of the people of Pakistan will be taken and will continue to be taken.

Pakistan has seen a surge in violence in recent years, mostly claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistani Taliban leaders and fighters are believed to operate from across the border in Afghanistan, something that the Afghan Taliban deny.

The Afghan Defense Ministry called the recent pair of strikes unprecedented, violent and heinous.

It warned that the Pakistani army would face the consequences if the situation became worse. The statement didn't include information on the alleged targets, casualties or damage.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project monitoring group said that it was unclear who was responsible for the Kabul strike or what the source was. But, if confirmed, it would be the first in the Afghan capital since the U.S. one in 2022 that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Pearl Pandya, a senior analyst with the group, said that Pakistan had increased its use of airstrikes within Afghan territory this year, targeting alleged Pakistani Taliban hideouts.

These alleged strikes coincide with the Talibans first diplomatic trip to India since they returned to power in 2021," Pandya said. "An improvement in relations between India and Afghanistan is likely to be resented by Islamabad, fearful of any potential destabilizing impact on its western borders.
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  An active-duty airman assigned to the 90th Missile Wing was found dead the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 8, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, according to a base statement.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and base leadership have opened an investigation. There is no known threat to the surrounding community, and the airmans name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.

It is with deep sadness that we face the loss of a member of the Mighty Ninety, and on behalf of our entire team, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the lost individual, said Col. Terrance Holmes, 90th Missile Wing commander. Please know that the 90th Missile Wing provides several support services to families and airmen in need. I implore anyone needing support during this sensitive time, or any other time, to seek help immediately.

This latest death comes amid a string of violent incidents involving personnel assigned to the Wyoming base in the past few months. In March, a target-practice accident in Platte County left a Verizon cell tower worker wounded after a stray bullet struck him. Local authorities tied the shooting to Air Force personnel stationed at Warren, calling it an off-duty accident during recreational shooting.

In July 2025, Airman Brayden Lovan, 21, was killed on base in a firearm discharge incident. The base confirmed the weapon involved was a Sig Sauer M18, and at the time, placed the pistol on a temporary stand-down while safety inspections were conducted.

In early August, authorities announced the arrest of an airman in connection with Lovans death, charging him with involuntary manslaughter, false official statement, and obstruction of justice.

On August 16, Senior Airman Joshua Aragon  a security forces specialist assigned to the 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron  was shot and killed in a Cheyenne apartment. Investigators say another airman, Jadan Orr, picked up an AK-47 and fired through a bedroom wall into the living room, striking Aragon in the torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene; Orr was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

On Sept. 30, Airman 1st Class Marcus E. Jackson, 20, who was assigned to F.E. Warren, was found dead at an off-base residence in Fort Collins, Colorado. According to the Coloradoan, the Larimer County coroner ruled the case a murder-suicide after determining that Jackson shot and killed 18-year-old Alyssa Reardon before taking his own life. The 90th Missile Wing confirmed Jacksons death and said it is cooperating with the AFOSI and local authorities.

Taken together, these confirmed cases amount to four servicemember deaths since July, along with one civilian killed and another injured in incidents tied to base personnel this year. The base confirmed the Oct. 8 death and said more information will be released as it becomes available.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has stepped into the fight over President Trumps attempt to send National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon. A lower court had temporarily blocked the deployment, and while the 9th Circuit lifted part of that order, it left most of the restrictions in place. For now, the federal government may federalize Oregons Guard units  shifting them under presidential command  but cannot deploy them into Portland until further review.

Arguments Before The 9th Circuit

Oregon and Portland officials argued that no legal or factual basis exists for such a deployment. They pointed out that protests in Portland, while tense, have not amounted to an insurrection or rebellion. They also argued the state already has adequate law enforcement capacity, making federal intervention unnecessary.

The federal government countered that Guard forces were needed to protect federal facilities and agents, especially ICE offices, and argued courts should defer to the presidents assessment of threats. During oral arguments, two Trump-appointed judges suggested courts may lack authority to second-guess presidential judgments on deployments. Judge Ryan Nelson remarked, The president gets to direct his resources as he deems fit, and it seems a little counterintuitive to me that the city of Portland can come in and say no.

The Legal Framework

The Trump administration has leaned on 10 U.S.C.  12406, which is different from the Insurrection Act. This statute allows the president to federalize state National Guard units to suppress insurrection, repel invasion, or enforce federal law. Critics argue the conditions in Oregon do not remotely qualify, and that even federalized Guard troops remain bound by the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the use of military forces in civilian law enforcement absent explicit congressional authorization.

The White House has not formally invoked the Insurrection Act, which is the statute presidents traditionally rely on to use troops domestically. The law permits deployment in cases of widespread rebellion, violence, obstructing federal law, or the denial of constitutional rights. Oregon officials argue that no such conditions exist and that skipping the Act while attempting to deploy troops is unconstitutional.

Underlying the fight is the tension between federal power and state sovereignty. Oregon contends that federalizing its Guard without consent undermines the Tenth Amendments reservation of powers to the states, while residents rights could be endangered under the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses if military forces are used against civilians without lawful cause.

From left, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Sauer, Staff Sgt. Christopher Clark, Spc. Edward McCormick, and Sgt. Jegan Gayadeen discuss how to implement their metro area patrols in Washington, D.C. Oct. 1, 2025. Soldiers from the Georgia National Guard and South Carolina National Guard conducted patrols in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, along with 2,300 National Guard Members, providing critical support to the D. C. Metropolitan Police Department in ensuring the safety of all who live, work and visit the District (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by SGT Drost, DVIDS).

What Counts As A Rebellion?

Legally, the term rebellion comes up in both 10 U.S.C  12406 and the Insurrection Act. It refers to an organized, violent resistance against federal authority  something more than sporadic protests or unrest. Historically, presidents have invoked it when civil authority collapsed or federal law could not be enforced:

Little Rock, 1957 : President Eisenhower used the Insurrection Act to send troops to enforce school desegregation after the Arkansas governor defied federal law.

: President Eisenhower used the Insurrection Act to send troops to enforce school desegregation after the Arkansas governor defied federal law. Detroit, 1967 : President Johnson used the Act when riots overwhelmed state forces

: President Johnson used the Act when riots overwhelmed state forces U.S. Virgin Islands, 1989 : President George H.W. Bush invoked the act to stop looting after Hurricane Hugo

: President George H.W. Bush invoked the act to stop looting after Hurricane Hugo Los Angeles, 1992: President George H.W. Bush sent federal forces at California's request during the Rodney King riots.

In each of these cases, federal courts, including those within the 9th Circuit, did not block deployment  largely because state authority had either broken down or invited federal help. By contrast, protests and unrest that fall short of open rebellion have not been treated as sufficient to invoke these powers.

Support For Deployment

At the same time, many residents and business owners in Portland support a Guard presence. They argue the protests are not peaceful and often involve property destruction and assaults on law enforcement and civilians. Supporters believe the Guard could provide stability in neighborhoods where violence has persisted, and that the federal government has an obligation to step in when state leadership refuses.

Federal officials also stress the need to protect federal facilities that have been frequent targets. From this perspective, Guard forces are not replacing local police but rather reinforcing them against organized groups.

The Antifa Question

The Trump administration has cited Antifa repeatedly as a justification. In 2020, the Department of Justice announced it would treat Antifa-related activity as domestic terrorism, although there is no statutory mechanism to designate it as a formal terrorist organization under U.S. law.

Supporters of deployment argue that Antifa networks have fueled violent clashes, vandalism, and intimidation, and that ignoring them allows chaos to spread. Critics respond that the Antifa label has often been applied too broadly, sweeping in legitimate protest activity. While the courts, including the 9th Circuit, have avoided endorsing the governments characterization, the Antifa issue remains central to the administrations public rationale.

In September of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. The order calls on federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations tied to Antifa or those claiming to act in its name. Critics note there is no statutory authority under U.S. law to formally designate a domestic ideology or movement as a terrorist organization, raising First Amendment questions.

What This Means Going Forward

The 9th Circuits decision is technically a partial win for both sides  temporarily. The administration may federalize the Oregon Guard, but any troop presence in Portland remains blocked. That balance will be tested again soon: the 9th Circuit has scheduled additional hearings to determine whether the block on deployment should remain in place during the ongoing litigation. Whichever way the court rules, the losing side is expected to push for Supreme Court review, setting up a broader fight over how far presidential authority extends and whether courts can restrain executive claims of inherent authority to use military forces domestically.
Paul Goldschmidt is not ready to hang up his spikes yet. In speaking to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the first baseman simply stated, I love playing, indicating that he intends to return for what would be his 16th major league season in 2026.

Goldschmidt, who turned 38 in September, is a seven-time All Star and one of the best first basemen of his generation. He has batted .288/.378/.504 in his career, good for a 137 wRC+ and a 63.8 bWAR which ranks seventh among all active players. His 372 home runs and 1,232 RBI rank third and second among active hitters, respectively. Goldschmidt shined in his eight years with the Diamondbacks before being traded to the Cardinals prior to the 2019 season. He continued to perform well in St. Louis, winning the NL MVP Award in 2022 after posting a .317/.404/578 batting line with 35 home runs and 115 RBI in 151 games in his age-34 season.

His offensive numbers have declined since then. After posting a 175 wRC+ in his MVP season, that number fell to 122 in 2023 and 100 in 2024  essentially league average. The Cardinals did not re-sign him in free agency, and he ultimately landed with the Yankees on a one-year, $12.5MM pact. In 534 plate appearances spanning 146 games, Goldschmidt batted .274/.328/.403 and again graded out as league average with a 103 wRC+. Interestingly, after seeing his power numbers decline in his last two years with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt adopted a more contact-heavy approach at the plate in 2025. He cut his strikeout rate from 26.5% to 18.7% and made contact on 86.0% of pitches in the strike zone, up from 79.8% in 2024.

This new approach led to some initial success, as Goldschmidt batted .338 in 232 plate appearances through the end of May and posting a 148 wRC+. However, he then hit just .143 in 94 plate appearances in June. While he recovered to hit .261 from July through the end of the year, that was good for just an 87 wRC+. As the year went on, Goldschmidt ceded more playing time to Ben Rice, and he ultimately started just two of his six games played in the postseason before the Yankees were eliminated by the Blue Jays. All told, Goldschmidt was worth a career-low 0.8 fWAR in 2025.

His offensive decline notwithstanding, Goldschmidts defense this year was serviceable. In 1,029 innings at first base, he was valued at -1 Defensive Runs Saved, tied for ninth among qualified first basemen, as well as -3 Outs Above Average, which ranked 13th. Statcast viewed his contributions more negatively, giving him a 33rd-percentile Fielding Run Value. Defensive metrics are notoriously tricky, of course, and indeed, the numbers on Goldschmidt have fluctuated throughout his career. At the very least, he provided a stable presence for the Yankees at the cold corner after witnessing Anthony Rizzos concussion- and age-related decline in the prior two seasons.

In all, Goldschmidt projects to have a tougher time on the market than he did last offseason. His age will limit him to another one-year deal, and it is questionable whether teams will continue to view him as a starter given his now middling offense. First basemen tend to be strong hitters, and in 2025, they posted a collective 109 wRC+, whereas Goldschmidt was valued at 103 wRC+. His increased contact might offer some optimism, but it is also likely that he is simply declining due to age. However, he could find success in a platoon role. In 168 plate appearances against southpaws this year, Goldschmidt batted .336/.411/.570 with a strikeout rate of just 11.3%, good for a 169 wRC+. If a team could minimize his exposure to same-handed pitchers, he might see more sustained success over the course of a season.

As it stands, the free agent class of first basemen is headlined by Pete Alonso and Josh Naylor, with names like Ryan OHearn, Luis Arraez, and Josh Bell making up the second tier. Alonso is the best option on offense, while OHearn is arguably the best defender of the bunch, as he was valued at 4 DRS and 6 OAA as a first baseman during the regular season. Goldschmidt would represent a solid platoon bat and a serviceable defender for those who miss out on Alonso and Naylor, so he might command a one-year deal with a lower guarantee than his deal with the Yankees.
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI  The process of changing manoomin from a medicine to a food happens at rice camp.

Indigenous experts shared their traditional ecological knowledge during a recent wild rice camp at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribes cultural center in Mount Pleasant. Over three days from Sept. 26-28, dozens of participants learned the traditional steps to remove water from foraged wild rice, so it becomes a shelf-stable food.

Native rice camps are where people have traditionally gathered for that labor-intensive processing, said wild rice expert Roger LaBine, a tribal elder from Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Michigans Upper Peninsula.

My ancestors, what we always attempted to do, and usually completed, was that everybody in the community had enough, LaBine said.

Saginaw Chippewa tribal elder Kathy Hart works to remove by hand any remaining hulls from wild rice processed during a rice camp on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at the tribe's cultural center in Mount Pleasant. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com) Sheri McWhirter

Manoomin is the Anishinaabemowin word for wild rice, which has been valued and stewarded as a keystone aquatic plant for thousands of years by Michigans Native Anishinaabe people. It is integral to their migration story, which is the history of how the Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi peoples came to settle in the upper Midwest around the Great Lakes.

A renewed focus on the species has been bolstered by both the modern Indigenous food sovereignty movement and burgeoning interest in wild food foraging  even among non-Native folks. Two years ago, Michigan even established manoomin as the state native grain, a symbolic emblem similar to Michigans state tree, the white pine, and its state stone, the Petoskey.

Saginaw Chippewa community member Daisy Kostus, 79, an elder from the Cree First Nation, said shes glad so many non-Native people attended the rice camp to learn about manoomin. She watched as the manoomin was parched over a fire and later tasted a dish made with wild rice.

We would rather they come and learn about it and how to do it without destroying the plant, Kostus said.

Related: Prairie above, forest below: Tawas Lake is home to Michigans largest wild rice bed

Manoomin is considered a sacred medicine when its still wet, said Indigenous knowledge keeper Cortney Collia, 39, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa.

Collia joined LaBine at the rice camp in Mount Pleasant hosted by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe. They demonstrated and taught others the multiple steps to rice processing, including drying in the sun, parching over a fire, then jigging and winnowing, before removing any remaining rice husks by hand.

LaBine demonstrated for the crowd how to stir the rice in a rhythm, spinning it around the inside of a galvanized steel tub propped over a campfire. The nearly constant motion of his white cedar paddle allowed the individual grains to dry out but not overheat and cook like popcorn.

Native ricer Roger LaBine, tribal elder from Lac Vieux Desert Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa, demonstrates how to parch wild rice over an open fire during a rice camp on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe's cultural center in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com) Sheri McWhirter

If you start hearing any of the popping, that means part of your pan is too hot, Collia said as the crowd watched LaBines movements.

Collia demonstrated both jigging and winnowing of the rice once it came off the fire. Jigging involves dancing on the rice while wearing special moccasins and using controlled pressure on the grains to loosen the hulls.

Im going to step on it, and then Im going to kind of slide in either direction, Collia said, holding up her ribbon skirt to show how her feet move the rice within a small pit.

Native ricer Cortney Collia, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa, demonstrates wild rice jigging, or dancing, during a wild rice camp hosted on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe's cultural center in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Jigging helps to separate the rice grain from its husk or hull. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com) Sheri McWhirter

Think of this pit as like a clock with 12 up here and 6 down here. I basically go from 3 oclock, and I put the ball of the foot down, and then I put my heel down and slide down to 6 oclock. And I pick my other foot up. I go from 9 oclock, put it down, slide it to 6 oclock.

Collia demonstrated winnowing by then tossing the mixture into the air, catching the heavier grains in a birch bowl as the lighter husks drifted away in the breeze.

Colleen Donahoe traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana, to attend the rice camp with her spouse.

Related: Great Lakes wild rice threatened by climate change, human activity

Were really into foraging and want to decolonize and learn respectful and sustainable ways, Donahoe said while taking a turn to dance on warm rice just off the fire.

Nearby, Indigenous chef Sam Anglin, a Saginaw Chippewa tribal citizen, prepared a contemporary dish using manoomin as the main ingredient. He added chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, added a container of feta cheese, then mixed in oil and vinegar dressing with a splash of maple syrup.

Whatever we can do to get people to eat more of our traditional foods, Anglin said.

In the Upper Peninsula, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will host a one-day wild rice camp on Saturday, Oct. 11, which is open to the public. The all-day event begins at 9 a.m. at the tribal teaching center in LAnse.
NEWAYGO COUNTY, MI - It sounds like two bear hunters picked a bad time to break the rules recently.

While Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Cameron Wright was attending an event at the Grass Lake Hunt Club in Newaygo County, talking about trespassing issues the club had been having with hunters who use packs of hounds, he heard hounds baying nearby. The club land is private property and no one had been given permission to hunt there.

CO Wright contacted two bear hound hunters down the road who were actively running a black bear through club property, according to a recent enforcement report from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. At the time of contact, the pack of dogs were observed on GPS in the middle of the 4,000-acre hunt club.

The DNR officer noted the hunters were not even trying to call their dogs back. Instead, they were just waiting for the hounds to run through the clubs land.

Wright determined the hunters had dropped off their hounds right at the clubs property line. Theyd also been pursuing the bear with too many dogs. State law allows up to eight dogs in a pack. The hunters Wright stopped had 11 dogs with them.

The hunter told CO Wright that he knew better, but the excitement of a fresh bear track got to him. 

The DNR said enforcement action was taken for the violations witnessed that day.

To see all the bear hunting and hound running rules in Michigan, you can check the DNRs website here.
A New York man was sentenced to prison in Michigan for exploiting children online, including a child from Ingham County. (MLive file photo) MLive.com

INGHAM COUNTY, MI  A New York man will serve up to 20 years in Michigan prison for extorting children online to obtain sexually explicit images and videos, including from a 12-year-old in Ingham County.

Dominic Anthony Candelaria, 27, of Buffalo, New York, was sentenced on Wednesday, Oct. 8, to serve 84 to 240 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections after he was convicted in Ingham Countys 30th Circuit Court, the Ingham County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

The New York man was arrested and extradited to Michigan after the Ingham County Sheriffs Office identified him as a suspect in an online child exploitation investigation. One of his victims was a 12-year-old child in Ingham County, the sheriffs office said.

Deputies say Candelaria extorted children on social media platforms to obtain sexually explicit images and videos from them. He was found guilty of child sexually abusive activity and using a computer to commit a crime.

Candelaria was also under investigation by Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) and several law enforcement agencies across the U.S. as a result of several cyber tip reports submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the sheriffs office said.

Tips about possible child sexual exploitation can be reported to the CyberTipline at www.missingkids.org/cybertipline.

The Ingham County Sheriffs Office urged parents to talk to their children about the safe use of social media and the internet. Internet safety tips at http://www.michiganicac.com.
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MI - A Grand Traverse County man was arrested this week after authorities said evidence showed he was the biological father of the baby born to his own teenage daughter earlier this year.

The suspect, 34, is accused of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was taken to the county jail, according to The Ticker. Physical evidence collected from the mans Garfield Township home was analyzed by Michigan State Police Forensic Lab technicians before the arrest.

Child Protective Services alerted the sheriffs department in May to allegations of a sex assault after a girl, 14, gave birth. Initially, another person was eyed as a suspect until the evidence allegedly linked the girls father to the assault.
The national warehouse chain confirmed the hours of operation will change starting on Sunday, Oct. 12. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sams Club members will soon be able to shop even longer on Sundays. The national warehouse chain confirmed this week that it is altering the Sunday hours of operations for most of its locations to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to USA Today.

The expansion of hours will begin this Sunday, Oct. 12, however, the warehouses will only be available to Plus members from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Those with a basic membership can begin shopping at 9 a.m.

Previously, Sams Club stores were open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Related story: Sams Club offering new free perk for some members

Steven Zapata, director of corporate communications for Sams Club told USA Today the shift in hours came after the company received overwhelming feedback from members.

With the change now in place, most Sams Club locations will be open until 8 p.m. nightly. The 8 p.m. closure time also applies to holidays in which the warehouses are open. That includes: Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, and New Years Eve, according to Axios.

Sams Club stores will close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and remain closed on New Years Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Easter.
A walnut tree like the one that was stolen in Southwest Michigan. The tree was worth around $2,000, a prosecutor said. Mike Zacchino

CASS COUNTY, MI  A man was sentenced to prison after he was found at a Michigan sawmill with a walnut tree that did not belong to him.

Trever Wallace was sentenced Friday, Oct. 10, to three years and two months up to 10 years in prison for his criminal concealment of a fully mature walnut tree, Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said.

The defendant was found with the felled tree at an area lumber yard on Dec. 21, 2024, Fitz said.

The trees owner was able to locate it at the sawmill before Wallace could profit from it, Fitz said.

The deciduous tree was taken without permission from a rural estate in Cass County several days earlier. It is unclear who cut the tree down, Fitz told MLive previously.

The defendant pleaded guilty as charged to larceny over $1,000, habitual third offender on the morning of a jury trial scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26.

On Friday, Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Ronning asked for prison time due to the defendants nine prior felony convictions and two misdemeanor convictions, including thefts.

Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman passed down the sentence and noted Wallace was previously given opportunities to change his criminal ways but did not, according to Fitz.

Wallace was previously given local jail time, local probation and enrollment in Michigans Swift and Sure prison alternative program, Fitz said.

This defendant has been given plenty of chances to change his criminal ways, Fitz said.

Instead, he continued to lumber down the road to prison. And prison is where we want recalcitrant criminals such as Mr. Wallace to reside.

Fitz has called it lawless behavior.

He did not know the current state of the tree.

The defendant is expected to be transported by the Cass County Sheriffs Office to the Michigan Department of Corrections intake center located in Jackson Michigan in the next few days.

Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page.
Acrisure, a global insurance brokerage, financial services and technology company based in Grand Rapids, plans to cut 400 accounting positions in 2026, 200 in West Michigan, officials said Oct. 8, 2025. Pictured is the lobby of Acrisures 7-story down office building at 100 Ottawa Ave. SW. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - I have always considered cemeteries as serene sanctuaries that provide solace and reflection.

Whenever I travel to my hometown, I spend quality time at the graves of my parents, siblings and other relatives. For me, the cemetery is more than their resting place but a peaceful space for quiet contemplation.

I found it disappointing and disturbing that the police are having to investigate after headstones were damaged at Holy Cross Cemetery. Reporter John Agar shared with readers that at least 11 monuments were toppled last weekend and how tire tracks from a vehicle led to them being broken from their bases.

An official with the Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Cemeteries said damage assessments have not been made but the priority is helping families deal with the incident. The story about the vandalism on the citys west side was among articles that had people in the community talking.

Another talker was news that Acrisure is cutting 400 accounting positions - 200 in West Michigan - due to the artificial-intelligence (AI) in the first quarter of 2026.

Greg Williams, CEO and co-founder of the global insurance brokerage, financial services and technology company based in downtown Grand Rapids, spoke to our Brian McVicar about how the company has been innovating and deploying technology over the last five years.

Brian delivered the news to readers Wednesday about how the company intends to automate a significant portion of the work performed by the employees being laid off. The company employs 20,000 people globally, 2,000 are based in Michigan. Just under 1,000 live in the Grand Rapids area.

I think the article resonated with readers, in part, because since the emergence of AI, some people have feared it would make their jobs obsolete.

Brian also provided another talker about the city of Grand Rapids eyeing a vacant riverfront property for community redevelopment. Officials are asking developers to submit proposals for how they would redevelop the former Naval & Marine Corps Reserve Center at 1863 Monroe Ave. NW, in partnership with the city.

The 3.5-acre site south of Riverside Park would be demolished and turned into a vibrant space with potential uses such as a community center, greenspace and housing.

Staying with development, Melissa Frick reported two new housing developments are being planned on Grand Rapids northeast side that will add 115 townhomes. The Grand Rapids Planning Commission recently approved site plans for both developments, located about a mile apart, near the growing Knapps Corner area.

Wheeler Development Group, LLC is building a townhome development called Knapp Hills Townhomes on Dean Lake Avenue and Brave Development LLC is planning to build a new cul-de-sac with 77 townhomes at 1644 Ball Ave. NE.

There is also sobering crime news. Last year, the community was shocked to wake up to news that 15-year-old LaKyijah Williams was shot and killed while riding scooters with friends on May 18, 2024, near Van Andel Arena.

Josiah Tyree Pittman was sentenced this week to serve 25-50 years on a second-degree murder charge for Williams death.

Those are just some of the stories in the Grand Rapids area this week that interested our readers.

Monica Scott is the editor for MLive Media Groups The Grand Rapids Press and Muskegon Chronicle. She was previously a reporter who covered the city, county and schools in Grand Rapids.
Buell Motorcycle Co. is seeking to compete with Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle with its hand-built Super Cruiser that, as of earlier this year, had reportedly generated $120 million in preorders. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Buell Motorcycle Co. has launched production of its new Super Cruiser, a bike that blends the design of a classic American cruiser with the power of a European superbike.

The Cascade Township-based company, which previously said preorders for the bike totaled $120 million, said it began building the first models in late September, and is now slowly ramping up production.

These hand-built machines are a true blend of performance and art, Bill Melvin, the companys CEO, said in a statement. Were proud of the talented team whose dedication and craftsmanship transformed the Super Cruiser from a bold concept into a production motorcycle.

The Super Cruiser retails for $26,000.

Weve chosen a deliberate path of ramping up production slow and steady to ensure every machine lives up to its promise and every rider feels that unmistakable Buell connection the moment they twist the throttle, said Jason Anderson, manufacturing and quality director at Buell Motorcycle Co.

Buell Motorcycles was launched in 1983 by Erik Buell, a former motorcycle racer and Harley-Davidson engineer. Buell, which was acquired by Harley-Davidson in 1998 after previous investments in the company, built its name producing high-performance, racing-inspired street bikes.

The company was acquired in 2019 by Melvin, a Grand Rapids-area resident whose family has deep roots in the motorcycle world. He relaunched the company in Cascade Township in 2022 and is now seeking to grow the company through the new Super Cruiser.

He previously told MLive that the Super Cruiser will compete with American cruisers created by industry heavyweights such as Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle.

In a release, Buell Motorcycle Co. said the first Super Cruisers are set to be delivered to customers following the completion of final federal certifications.

Customers who placed a sales order for the Super Cruiser will be contacted within the next two to four months to configure financing and arrange delivery once these approvals are secured, the company said.

In June, Melvin said the company has 50 employees, but another 162 people are expected to be hired over the next three years. Plans are in motion to add a second manufacturing line, enabling Buell to complete 300 Super Cruisers a month in early 2026, he said. Production is expected to hit 28,000 bikes in 2028.

The Super Cruiser has a large order base, Melvin told MLive in June. Market demand shows that the volumes will continue to expand, and that well continue to need to expand what were doing here at the factory.

In May, Buell was awarded a $972,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

The performance-based grant dollars were to be used to help the company make an $18.5 million investment that included purchasing its headquarters, 2700 Patterson Ave. SE, and expanding its manufacturing capacity.
The city has scheduled an Oct. 21 public hearing for residents to weigh in on the proposed name for a new city park being built in the city's Roosevelt Park neighborhood. Pictured is an MLive photo taken of the lot where the park was going to be built in April. Arthur H. Trickett-Wile | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Grand Rapids has lined up a new proposed name for a city park thats opening later this year, after a previously suggested name was rejected by city leaders due to resident opposition.

Unity Park is the new name that city leaders are considering for the new $2.3 million city park thats wrapping up construction at 680 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW, in Grand Rapids Roosevelt Park neighborhood.

A public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21, for residents to weigh in on the new name.

Earlier this year, city leaders were considering naming the park Navarro Plaza to honor Miguel and Isabella Navarro, two prominent Hispanic entrepreneurs from the area. The name was chosen after it was the top vote-getter in a city poll of residents in the neighborhood.

However, the Grand Rapids City Commission ended up scrapping the name in May, after residents expressed concern about the name and the process by which it was chosen.

Some residents said they felt they didnt have the chance to properly weigh in on the naming process. Others said they felt Unity Park  which was a close runner-up to Navarro Park in the public poll  was a better reflection of the neighborhoods multicultural makeup, Commissioner AliciaMarie Belchak previously told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.

Roosevelt Park is predominantly Hispanic but it is growing more diverse, and some residents said they wanted a park name to reflect that, said Belchak, who represents the citys 1st Ward where the new park is located.

To ensure all residents had a chance to weigh in on the naming process, commissioners tasked the citys parks department to go back to the drawing board and conduct more extensive community engagement.

A new round of voting was held for residents to choose between Navarro Plaza and Unity Park. The voting ran from July to September and included engagement efforts like mailing postcards to 1,568 homes within a quarter-mile radius of the park, placing a large banner with voting information at the parks construction site, and sharing information through the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association.

This time around, there were 415 confirmed votes  more than double the participants in the previous round of voting. The name Unity Park received 232 votes and Navarro Plaza received 183 votes, interim parks and recreation director Laura Cleypool told Grand Rapids commissioners in an Oct. 7 update.

The public hearing for residents to weigh in on Unity Park will take place at the next city commission meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at city hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW.

Construction of the new park began this summer, and it is expected to open by the end of this year. It will include play areas and cafe-style seating along with flexible seating areas, a hammock grove, rentable shelter space and more. The park will also have a kiosk that features the cupola from the former St. Joseph the Worker Parish.
JACKSON, MI  When Veritas opened in 2019, the owners imagined it as a fine dining establishment where people could celebrate anniversaries and birthdays.

It also became a popular spot for corporate lunches during the week. This worked for a few months. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down offices, that lunch business disappeared, and the restaurant could no longer survive on just celebrations, Co-Owner Roberta Dalenberg said.

The owners decided to close Veritas back in December of 2024 to come up with a new idea that would be more suitable for Jackson. They landed on Oak + Iron, 151 W. Michigan Ave., which is opening on Friday, Oct. 17.

The Oak stands for the Under the Oaks, where a state convention of anti-slavery men was held in Jackson to found the Republican party. Iron pays homage to Jacksons automotive and manufacturing industry.

They hope to combine Jackson history with hospitality, while creating a space where everyone can feel welcome  whether they are in blue jeans or a suit.

(Its) something that is more approachable, something that is friendly for all Gods creations, Dalenberg said. You dont have to change to come, just come as you are. Were happy to have you.

A new menu will be offered, moving away from French-inspired cuisine to items people are more familiar with, she said. Everything is made fresh, with a farm to table concept, she said.

Now, the menu is very approachable, Dalenberg said. You can read it and know what youre going to get. Its not pretentious and its actually your comfort foods that you eat and share your friends and family.

The menu ranges from appetizers, salads, burgers, cheesesteak, pasta, salmon, steak frites and pork chops. A brunch buffet will be offered as well from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Dalenberg is most excited about the Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff, made with steamed rice, mushrooms, tomato-cream sauce and potato sticks. Dalenberg makes it for her family, so they wanted to share that with others.

The restaurant underwent physical changes as well, moving away from gray to green paint on the walls. They also removed the carpet and took away the large wall that met customers behind the hostess stand and replaced it with a bookshelf.

The third floor is currently being renovated into a Honky-Tonk bar, which will be an addition to the late-night scene downtown. The bar will be in the former banquet room, hoping to give it consistent life outside of just events, she said.

A stage and new flooring are currently being installed. The hope is for the space to offer karaoke, live music and line dancing  bringing a Nashville feel to Jackson.

The space will feature drinks and bar food, slightly different than downstairs, she said. It will open on Oct. 31 with a Halloween party featuring a costume contest and live music.

To have a scheduled place to go for live music, you have to travel to other places, Dalenberg said. Also, the city opened a lot of event spaces around us. So, we figured we dont want to be just one more event space, we want to do something special.

Oak + Iron will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. The restaurant is open for brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and regular service from 3 to 9 p.m.

The honky-tonk bar will be open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

More information can be found on its website and Facebook page.

Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page
VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI  A Michigan man was arrested after detectives in two states investigated alleged online activity between him and a person he believed was a minor, according to police.

Last month, Van Buren County Sheriffs Office detectives began a joint investigation with the Defiance, Ohio, Police Department into a 38-year-old Bangor Township man.

Detectives found the suspect allegedly used a social media application to engage in inappropriate communication and share explicit material with an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old boy, police said.

Police also discovered the suspect was in violation of Sex Offender Registration requirements related to his registered address.

The findings were sent to the Van Buren County Prosecutors Office, which issued a felony arrest warrant for the alleged registry violation.

On Oct. 8, police executed a search warrant a residence in the 36000 block of 66th Street in Bangor Township and arrested the man, seizing several electronic and communication devices.

He was taken into custody without incident on the outstanding felony warrant and is currently being held pending extradition to Ohio on related charges stemming from the investigation.

Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page.
A Niles man was charged in connection to a barbershop being tagged with racially motivated graffiti, police say. (MLive file photo) MLive file photo

NILES, MI  A southwest Michigan man has been charged with a hate crime after a barbershop was tagged with racially motivated graffiti, according to police.

Timothy McDermott, 63, of Niles, was arraigned Thursday, Oct. 9, on charges of felony hate crime and malicious destruction of property over $200 but less than $1,000, the Niles Police Department said in a news release.

The charges stemmed from an Aug. 14 incident in which In The Cut Barbershop, located at 507 Sycamore St. in Niles, was tagged with racist graffiti, the police department said. A police investigation led to McDermott being arrested in connection to the incident.

In The Cut Barbershop has served the community for over 20 years, Niles Mayor Nick Sheldon said in a Facebook post condemning the incident. He said the hateful graffiti tagged at the barbershop did not reflect the communitys values.

This is not who we are in Niles, he said in his Facebook post, urging residents to come forward with information to help police find the perpetrator.

Hate has no place here. Im angry and disgusted.
Michael Gavin has announced his resignation as president of Delta College, effective January 2026, to take on a role developing a national coalition to defend higher education. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com

FRANKENLUST TWP, MI  Delta College officials have in place a transition plan as the institution prepares for the exit of its president and a planned July 1 start date for his replacement.

Michael Gavin in September announced his resignation as president of Delta, effective Dec. 31, to take on a role developing a national coalition to defend higher education.

The Delta College Board of Trustees during a meeting this week formally accepted the resignation and selected Andrea Ursuy as the colleges planned interim president. She will begin in that role Jan. 1, 2026, as the college searches for a permanent replacement, said Leanne Govitz, Deltas spokesperson.

Ursuy, Deltas executive director of administrative services and institutional effectiveness, does not plan to seek the permanent post, Govitz said.

The trustees this week also approved the hiring of the Washington, D.C.-based Association of Community College Trustees as the presidential search consultant, pending development of a satisfactory contract, Govitz said.

Officials said college leaders hope to choose Gavins full-time replacement by July, when the schools next fiscal year launches.

The board meets next at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the colleges Midland Center campus, 419 E. Ellsworth. Among the agenda items are resolutions to discuss both a timeline for the presidential search and an advisory committee to assist with the pursuit.

Gavin became the colleges fifth president when he succeeded Jean Goodnow in the fall of 2021.

Along with leading the Bay County-based community college, Gavin became the subject of national headlines earlier this year when he became outspoken in his advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusivity in higher education at a time when such policies were under fire from the administration of President Donald Trump.

Gavin served one of the shortest terms of Deltas five presidents, with four years at the helm.

Goodnow led the school for 16 years, from 2005-21. Peter Boyse was president for 13 years, from 1992-2005. The late Don Carlyon served in the role for nearly three decades, from 1963-92. The colleges first president, the late Sam Marble, led Delta from 1961-63 before he departed to serve as the founding president of Saginaw Valley State University, located five miles down the road from Delta.
MIDLAND COUNTY, MI  Painting himself as rejected and persecuted, the Rev. Mark T. Barclay is praying for financial help from his parishioners to keep his ministry afloat and thriving. Meanwhile, son-in-law James P. Randolph is awaiting his return to prison for once again preying on a minor.

Barclay, 73, is the televangelist founder of Mark Barclay Ministries and Living Word Church, 2010 N. Stark Road in Midland Countys Lincoln Township. The organization describes itself as a worldwide gospel ministry with a prophetic voice in end times alerting Gods people with Gods Word of righteousness through every available means in every available place.

The church has been mired in controversy since July 2023, when the first of three men associated with it  elder Brandon S. Saylor  was charged with sexually abusing children. That November, self-professed youth minister Randolph faced similar charges.

A jury on Aug. 29, 2025, convicted Randolph on two counts of first- and four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Randolph remains jailed without bond pending sentencing on Nov. 13.

James P. Randolph appears in Midland County Circuit Court via Zoom on Jan. 9, 2025. Cole Waterman

In the trials aftermath, Barclay sent letters to congregants explaining his recent actions and asking for continued support. He denied knowing Randolph  his daughters husband  had been previously imprisoned for the gang-rape of a minor in the 1980s, claimed Randolph was never a youth pastor, and expressed regret over not having supported Saylors and Randolphs victims.

Barclay has also canceled or postponed numerous appearances and conferences throughout the country. MLive has reached out to his son and spokesman, Josh M. Barclay, but has not heard back.

The day of Randolphs conviction, Mark Barclay Ministries posted the following statement on its Facebook page:

This is a heartbreaking situation that has profoundly affected our church community and beyond. We respect the legal process and the verdict returned by the jury. At the same time, we reiterate that the criminal conduct did not occur on church grounds or during a church function. Rumors that the defendant was a pastor or in charge of our youth ministry, childrens ministry, or nursery are simply not true. As a church community, our hearts are with all victims of abuse. We are committed to truth, accountability, and safety in our ministries. We continue to ask for the community to join us in prayer for all who have been affected by this case.

In September, Barclay sent a letter to members of his churchs Partners Plus Program, in which contributors donate at least $50 per month.

I must humbly admit that I am in one of the greatest battles of my life and ministry, Barclay wrote. I want you to be confident that every penny of your money is appreciated and properly applied where you designate. I know better than to make any bad confession, but I admit that we could use every dollar possible to keep our ministry strong and going forward.

Click here to read the entirety of Barclays letter.

Living Word Church, 2010 N. Stark Road in Midland County's Lincoln Township. Cole Waterman

Barclay also sent a separate letter to church members, which was then circulated on several social media platforms. He began the missive by thanking congregants for their support before apologizing to them for not having communicated with them sooner.

My life has been consumed with all that is happening here, as well as the constant assault and attacks against our church, Barclay wrote.

He went on to list several questions hes recently faced: Why didnt he stand with the abuse victims? How could he have been ignorant of Randolphs criminal past? Why did he appear with and stand by Randolph throughout his trial? Was Randolph a youth minister or not?

The churchs initial public response did not bring healing for the victims, Barclay wrote.

Their courage should have been met with greater love and care, he wrote. Instead, in our efforts to process a very difficult situation, our actions probably left them feeling unheard, and they deserved better.

Barclay previously gave sermons in which he criticized the sexual abuse victims and church members for discussing legal issues with non-members.

I prayed for the people who are attacking our family with so many weird and wild, false, down and dirty, you know, accusations, and I prayed for them, Barclay told his followers in an October 2023 service. I woke up and the Lord said, They have cursed themselves. Some will probably die. I dont know, I hope not, thats why I pray. They crossed a line.

Police arrested Randolph the next month.

Barclay went on to write he knew Randolph had a criminal record but wasnt privy to the specifics until reading news reports in October 2024.

Brandon S. Saylor appears in Midland County Circuit Court for sentencing on sexual abuse convictions on April 4, 2024. Cole Waterman

Had we known the truth earlier, James  would never have been permitted to participate in youth ministry in any capacity, Barclay wrote. Randolph was never officially the head of the churchs youth ministries, though he often overstated his role and publicly portrayed himself as a youth pastor, Barclay wrote.

Barclay wrote he stood by Randolph during his trial because he believed he was innocent and to support his daughter and grandchildren. Barclay has since removed Randolph from all ministry duties. He denied the church financially supported Randolphs legal defense or paid the $5 million bond he was free on pending trial.

Barclay concluded by stating Living Word Church is strengthening its policies, procedures and leadership accountability processes to protect children going forward.

The Rev. Mark T. Barclay addresses his congregation in a live feed from August 2025. Cole Waterman

Most importantly, we are committed to walking in humility, repentance, and truth as we move forward, Barclay wrote. We cannot change what has already happened, and we know this cannot erase the past or remove any pain, but we pray it serves as a step toward healing  for the victims, our church family, our partners, and all who have been hurt or confused.

Click here to read the entirety of Barclays letter to his network.

The church had announced Barclay was to speak at numerous events in Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas in September and October. None of those events occurred. Barclay wrote to organizers on Sept. 17 that he decided to cancel Octobers Amarillo Holy Spirit Conference in Texas to focus all efforts and energy on the health of our local church here in Midland during a season that requires deep attention and care.

Former members have alleged the church has not held a live service for several weeks, though MLive wasnt able to confirm this with spokesman Josh Barclay. The organizations website and Facebook page feature no upcoming events.

The issue of Randolphs status as youth ministry leader has been a contested one.

Randolphs now-adult victim testified she knew him as her youth pastor and that he and his wife were regarded as the churchs first family. The woman contacted police after news broke of Brandon Saylors charges.

Randolph in a 2023 interview with Michigan State Police investigators asserted he had been involved with youth ministry for 30 years. A 2021 podcast featuring Randolph described him as second-in-command for Mark Barclay Ministries and overseer of Childrens Ministries. At separate appearances in November 2022 and June 2023, Randolph presented himself as reverend.

The church also labeled Randolph as a reverend in a 2012 Facebook post.

Randolphs victim testified her parents were friendly with the Randolphs and she would often have sleepovers at their house, as they had several children of their own. She moved into the Randolphs home when she was 9 or 10 years old, she said.

Starting in her preteens, she would awaken to Randolph touching her in her sleep, she testified. These incidents grew more frequent and advanced in severity, the woman testified.

The misconduct continued into the girls teen years, she alleged. Randolph also asked the girl if she was a virgin and urged her to confide in him about any sexual experiences she had, she testified.

The woman moved out of the Randolph house in 2018. Randolph continued to abuse her until she moved out, though she never told anyone about it for several reasons.

James was a minister, she said. He was my youth pastor. I grew up with him in childrens church. And my parents, you know, they trusted him. My entire community of people was within the church. And I felt like nobody was going to believe me if I told anyone.

Criminal records show a then-17-year-old Randolph in December 1983 was sentenced to two to 10 years in a Michigan reformatory on a conviction of assault with intent to do great bodily harm out, stemming from a brawl in Jackson County. While on parole in October 1984, he had illicit sexual contact with a minor, resulting in him being convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Church elder Brandon Saylor in April 2024 was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. His 73-year-old father, associate pastor Randy L. Saylor, is awaiting trial on six counts of first- and nine counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

An August 2024 preliminary examination saw two sisters, ages 15 and 20, testify Randy Saylor repeatedly gave them massages at his Sanford-area home, only for the contact to grow into sexual assaults. The sisters did not tell anyone of the alleged assaults for years and came forward after they heard of Brandon Saylor being charged.
SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, MI  Tim Marciniak, principal of Nouvel Catholic Central High School and Junior High, has died, local school officials said.

It is with deep sadness we share the passing of our beloved high school and junior high principal, Tim Marciniak, Dan Decuf, head of school for Nouvel Catholic Central High School and Junior High, said in a statement. After an ongoing health challenge, he passed away early this morning with his family by his side.

Nouvel Catholic Central high school and middle school classes were canceled on Friday, Oct 10, according to a post on the Saginaw Township-based schools Facebook page.

Marciniaks daughter hours earlier Friday on Facebook posted a message that her father passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones early this morning after fighting so hard against cancer and an infection. Within hours, her post was shared hundreds of times by community members expressing grief for the loss.

Decuf said, in addition to existing support staff currently at the school, the institution will provide mental health practitioners from noon to 3 p.m. at the school to help support students, staff and families.

Please join us in praying for Tims family, friends, past and current students and all who were touched by his leadership and friendship, Decuf said. Tim leaves behind a legacy of dedication, kindness and unwavering commitment to education.

Bishop Robert Gruss, who leads the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, in a statement said he was saddened to learn of Marciniaks death.

His kind heart and many years of dedication as a teacher and principal, most recently at Nouvel Catholic Central High School and Middle School, has left a lifelong impact with countless young people, Gruss said. He will be deeply missed by the community. May he rest in the peace of Christ. My prayers will be for the repose of his soul, his family, and the Nouvel community.

Nouvel Catholic Central operates as one of the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Saginaw, which serves 11 counties in Michigan. While not under day-to-day diocesan administration, the schools leadership works to support Catholic education at Nouvel Catholic Central, which shares its campus with the dioceses headquarters in Saginaw Township. Gruss and Cormac Lynn, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Saginaw, both serve on the Nouvel Catholic Central school board.

Marciniak spent more than three decades in education, read his biography on Nouvel Catholic Centrals website.

He joined Nouvel Catholic Central in 2023 after spending the previous 17 years as principal at Bay City Central High School, where he was a fan and beloved fixture at the schools sporting events. He also once served as principal at MacGregor Elementary School in Bay City.

He graduated from Bay City All Saints.

Marciniak spent 25 years in building leadership roles at both high school and middle school levels. His career began in the classroom, where he taught fourth grade and middle school students before transitioning into administration.

Marciniak earned a masters of education degree from Saginaw Valley State University and a bachelors degree in education from Central Michigan University.

He maintained professional memberships in both the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association.

A Bay City resident, Marciniak was married with two children, the biography read.

Marciniak has shared publicly his struggles with health in the past. In 2009, while serving at Bay City Central High School, Marciniak said he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, or bone marrow cancer, and underwent aggressive treatment at the time. One year later, Marciniak said he defeated the illness.
Chipotle Mexican Grill's new restaurant on State Street in Saginaw Township is seen in this MLive file photo. The restaurant is still hiring and set to officially open on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Heather Jordan | MLive.com

SAGINAW TWP., MI  Chipotle Mexican Grills new Saginaw-area location is set to open on State Street next week, and the restaurant is still hiring.

The new restaurant, located at 5709 State Street in Saginaw Township, will open for the first time on Tuesday, Oct. 14, according to a spokesperson for Chipotle.

The restaurant will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The restaurants menu will feature burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, salads, and several other items.

Each of Chipotles locations employ approximately 30 people, and the fast-casual chain offers various benefits including a crew bonus with the chance to earn an extra months worth of pay each year, a debt-free college degree program, English as a second language, and mental healthcare access for employees and their families.

Anyone interested in becoming a crew member at the State Street location can apply online at jobs.chipotle.com.

The restaurant will offer Chipotles newest protein, Carne Asada, and newest sauce, Red Chimichurri, for a limited time, a spokesperson for Chipotle said.

Another new offering from Chipotle that will be on the restaurants menu is Build-Your-Own Chipotle, a customizable meal option for customers that feeds 4-6 people.

Customers can earn a $10 discount on their first Build-Your-Own Chipotle order by placing a digital order with the code TRYBYOC* through Oct. 21.

The restaurant will also be the first Chipotle location in Saginaw Township to feature the brands signature Chipotlane, a drive-through pick-up lane for customers picking up digital orders.

Additionally, the restaurant will offer 1,000 bonus points to college students who sign up for Chipotle U Rewards.

College students enrolled in the rewards program will also earn 20% more points on each purchase.

Students can enroll in Chipotle U Rewards online at chipotle.com/chipotle-u-rewards.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

A retired Army officer who worked as a civilian for the Air Force is heading to prison after he conspired to share classified information on a foreign online dating platform.

According to the Associated Press, David Slater has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison in U.S. District Court in Lincoln, Nebraska on Wednesday.

He was arrested in March of 2024 and pleaded guilty in July.

According to court documents, Slater, after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army, worked in a classified space at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and held a top-secret security clearance between August 2021 and April 2022.

He attended briefings about the Russia-Ukraine war and admitted in July that he conspired to transmit classified information that he learned from the briefings via a foreign dating websites messaging platform.

Slater admitted he planned to send the information to an unnamed coconspirator, who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine. The information, classified as secret, pertained to military targets and Russian military capabilities, according to the plea agreement.

According to the Associated Press, the the coconspirator called Slater, my secret informant love! in one message and she closed another by saying, You are my secret agent. With love.

In another, she wrote, Dave, I hope tomorrow NATO will prepare a very pleasant surprise for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin! Will you tell me?

Slater was also fined $25,000 and ordered to undergo a year of supervision upon his release from prison. In exchange for his guilty plea, two other counts were dropped.

Mr. Slater betrayed an oath he made to safeguard our nations intelligence, said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office.

Leveraging his access to sensitive information, Mr. Slater chose to transmit material that put our country at risk. The FBI is extremely thankful for the work of our partners in this case. We will continue to partner together to defend the homeland by aggressively investigating and apprehending criminals and adversaries who pose a threat to our nations security.

U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska added that Slater was given great responsibility and failed in his duty by sharing the classified info.

It is unclear if the coconspirator was working for Ukraine or Russia.
The federal government shutdown that began 10 days ago is having an impact on several major airports across the country.

Insufficient staffing levels for air traffic controllers and airport security screeners over the last week have caused flight disruptions at several of the nations largest travel hubs.

In Michigan, airports hadnt yet reported any staffing issues or service interruptions as of Thursday, Oct. 9. Airport officials in Detroit, Flint, Kalamazoo, and Lansing said they didnt anticipate disruptions in the near future.

We want to reassure travelers that their travel will not be impacted by the federal government shutdown, said Katherine Japinga, director of marketing for Capital Region International Airport in Lansing.

We are in close contact with our federal partners at TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), and both agencies have confirmed they are maintaining the same staffing levels to ensure safe, secure, and efficient airport operations.

Related: US flight delay risk growing by the day with staffing shortages during government shutdown

Earlier this week, the FAA reported staffing issues at airports in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia, as well as at its air traffic control centers in Atlanta, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to the AP.

Flight disruptions, associated with the Oct. 1 shutdown, have also been reported in Burbank, California; Newark, New Jersey; and Denver, Colorado.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, said she met with air traffic controllers last week. Theyre committed to doing their job and keeping people safe, but are tired of being a ping pong ball in the middle of a political battle, Dingell told Kate Bolduan during a Wednesday CNN interview.

As the shutdown continues, federal workers in safety positions like TSA agents and air traffic controllers will be expected to continue working, though they wont be paid until a funding bill is passed by Congress.

Historically, theres about 5% of delays attributed to staffing issues in our towers, the last couple days it has been 53%, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Fox News interview Wednesday.

He said safety is their first priority and transportation officials will slow down or stop air traffic if they do not feel it is safe to fly.

These are men and women, theyre already working very high stress jobs and are now worried about how theyre going to pay the mortgage, make a car payment, whats going to happen to their credit ratings, how are they going to pay for daycare, Dingell said.

Theyre real human beings feeling the stress of being caught in the midst of this government shutdown.

On Sept. 30, both Republican and Democratic proposals failed in the U.S. Senate that would have funded the government past midnight, triggering a shut down. On Thursday, Oct. 9 lawmakers remained in a stalemale with funding bills that could reopen the government again falling short of the 60 votes required. Both parties continue to blame each other for the shutdown.

U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, said Democrats are fighting for health care, pushing for an extension of expiring subsidies through the Affordable Care Act.

They know theyre in the wrong here, Scholten said of the Trump Administration during an Oct. 8 interview on CNNs Audie Cornish show. This administration needs to reopen the government so that the American people can get back to business as usual.

Republicans say Democrats are playing politics and should reopen the government now, debating health policy once operational. U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township, House Republican Conference chair, sent a letter this week calling on Michigan Senators Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, to help end the government shutdown.

Scholten said shes concerned about an ongoing shutdown affecting holiday travel. She noted a flight delay this week on her way back to Washington D.C.

Despite optimism for uninterrupted service in Michigan, airport officials continued to advise passengers to check directly with their airline for the most up-to-date and accurate information about the status of their upcoming flight.
Michigan States next recruiting class suffered the second blow of the week.

Braylon Hodge, a 2026 four-star linebacker from Cherry Creek High School in suburban Denver, announced his decommitment from the Spartans via social media on Friday. That followed four-star receiver Tyren Wortham backing off his verbal pledge on Monday.

Hodge, 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, is listed as the No. 18 linebacker and No. 274 player overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite, making him the highest-rated commit for the Spartans before leaving the group. After committing to Michigan State in June, his recruitment surged, including picking up offers from Michigan, Oregon, Texas and Missouri. He was in Ann Arbor last weekend and told 247Sports his next visit will be to Oregon.

Michigan State (3-2), which is coming off back-to-back losses, is now down to 20 commits in the 2026 class. The lone linebacker left in the group is three-star Adam Shaw from New Jersey.
Fall colors along a seasonal road in Mackinac County in Michigans Upper Peninsula on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

A widespread rain is moving into Michigan today. After a cool week that had plenty of sunshine, well be seeing clouds roll in today and tonight as the rain overspreads both peninsulas.

High temperatures will be in the low 60s today across much of the state. But by Sunday, those daytime highs will be inching up to the high 60s.

Here are the forecast highlights from the National Weather Service offices across the state:

A potent low-pressure system will bring widespread light to moderate rain and strong winds to Michigan on Friday, with gale warnings issued for Lake Superior.

The National Weather Service forecasts a wave of rain moving west to east across Michigan today, accompanied by gusty winds. Gale-force winds between 35 and 40 mph are expected, particularly around the Keweenaw Peninsula and central and eastern Lake Superior shorelines.

Rain will be most prevalent in the eastern Upper Peninsula, with precipitation chances ranging from 50% to 75% near Munising and the Soo.

Temperatures will remain mild, with highs in the 60s. The rain is expected to taper off this evening as a cold front passes through, with some lake effect rain showers continuing in the eastern part of the state.

The weekend looks significantly drier and warmer. Saturday will see temperatures near 60 degrees, with Sunday warming to the mid-60s. A warm front will approach from the west Sunday night, potentially bringing another round of rain Monday.

Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story based on data from the National Weather Service. It was reviewed, edited and expanded by MLive staff.
Applying for H-1B Visa? Here's What Indian Students and Professionals Need to Know

Rajni Pandey

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From Satantango to Herscht 07769: 5 Must-Read Novels by Laszlo Krasznahorkai - The 2025 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature

Rajni Pandey is a seasoned content creator with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories for digital news platforms. Specializing in diverse topics such as travel, education, jobs, science, wildlife, religion, politics, and astrology, she excels at transforming trending human-interest stories into engaging reads for a wide audience.

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WBJEE JECA 2025 Admit Card Out at wbjeeb.nic.in/jeca; direct link to download here

Rajni Pandey is a seasoned content creator with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories for digital news platforms. Specializing in diverse topics such as travel, education, jobs, science, wildlife, religion, politics, and astrology, she excels at transforming trending human-interest stories into engaging reads for a wide audience.

Rajni Pandey

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Amitabh Bachchan buys three plots worth Rs 6.6 Crore in Alibaug from house of Abhinandan Lodha

Amitabh Bachchan buys three plots worth Rs 6.6 Crore in Alibaug from house of Abhinandan Lodha

Vaishnavi Gavankar

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Deepika Padukone appointed as Mental Health Ambassador by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Nakul Tomar

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Kriti Sanon turns Mehendi artist for her mother Geeta Sanon on Karwa Chauth, see pics

Palak Vij

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Palak Vij

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Nakul Tomar

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Shah Bano's daughter sends legal notice to the makers and censor board of Yami Gautam, Emraan Hashmi's Haq

Sarika Sharma

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Suniel Shetty moves Bombay High Court against misuse of his and granddaughter Evaraahs pics online

Suniel Shetty moves Bombay High Court against misuse of his and granddaughter Evaraahs pics online

Vaishnavi Gavankar

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Sources say that executive producer Eric Christian Olsen was among those who personally escorted the actor from the premises.

M Snehanjali

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The Curse of La Llorona's sequel begins production; to star Jay Hernandez and Monica Raymund: Report

The sequel had previously been postponed and shelved several times, so the fact that the film is currently in production is noteworthy.

M Snehanjali

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OTT releases this week (October 6-10): From War 2 to The Last Frontier, upcoming releases this week

Nakul Tomar

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Trisha Krishnan to get married soon; read to know more

Palak Vij

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Tanya Mittal frequently stirs up controversy with her boasts about her extravagant lifestyle, which includes 150 bodyguards and silver bottles.

Satwik Jaiswal

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Rashami Desai and Nandish Sandhu: A love story that began on Uttaran and ended in heartbreak

Satwik Jaiswal

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Pending salaries and reimbursements for over 500 employees, including those who have left, are estimated at Rs 50 crore.

Surabhi Pandey

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iPhone-maker Pegatron setting up new plant in Chennai for 5G equipment eyes local, export markets

Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years.

101Reporters

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Tata Trusts directors to meet today after New Delhi rebuke over rift

The Trusts owns 66% of Tata Sons, giving it the right to appoint a third of its board and the power to veto major decisions

Arindam Roy

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TCS to create 5,000 new jobs in UK, opens AI experience and design studio in London

India's largest IT services company said it has created 42,000 direct and indirect jobs in the UK over the years

Arindam Roy

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SW China's Sichuan pushes forward Giant Panda National Park development

People's Daily Online) 13:40, October 10, 2025

1. Two giant pandas play at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo/Hao Liyi)

2. Photo shows a wild giant panda in the Tangjiahe area of the Giant Panda National Park in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo/Ma Wenhu)

3. A village decorated with panda-themed elements at the southern entrance of the Giant Panda National Park in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo/Ren Yuxin)

4. Photo shows the science popularization and education center of the Giant Panda National Park in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo/Hao Liyi)

As China's national park reform initiative marks its 10th anniversary this year, the third National Park Forum was convened in August in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Before the forum, ambassadors and counselors from New Zealand, Belgium and the Netherlands, along with representatives of the World Wide Fund for Nature, visited the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, Sichuan, and the Yingjing area of the Giant Panda National Park in Yingjing county, Ya'an. There, they saw firsthand China's achievements in giant panda conservation and ecological restoration.

"As of the end of last year, the center was home to 387 giant pandas. Conservation and breeding efforts are now shifting from simply increasing numbers to improving the overall quality of the population," said Huang Zhi, director of the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an.

China's wild panda population has grown from about 1,100 in the 1980s to around 1,900 today, driven by habitat protection, captive breeding and reintroduction programs.

"Belgium has worked with China on panda conservation for many years," said Annabelle Schreiber, an agricultural attache at the Embassy of Belgium in China. "We have seen the rapid growth of the wild panda population, and we look forward to even greater progress in our future cooperation."

The Longcanggou National Forest Park in Yingjing county is now a popular tourist destination. Many visitors stop by Fazhan village, near the park's southern entrance, to rest and explore.

Since the Giant Panda National Park pilot project launched in 2017, Fazhan village's permanent population and its agritainment facilities and bed-and-breakfasts have doubled, while average per capita income has quadrupled.

"Since the Giant Panda National Park was established, tourist numbers have kept rising. From July to September, the peak season, finding a room is difficult," said Zhou Hong, a local villager.

The Giant Panda National Park was officially established in 2021. The Sichuan section of the park accounts for 88 percent of its total area. Spanning 19,300 square kilometers, it is home to 1,227 wild giant pandas  over 91 percent of the park's total panda population  along with more than 10,000 other species, including the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey and Chinese monal.

The Sichuan section includes a 13,200-square-kilometer core protection zone and a 6,100-square-kilometer general control zone. To safeguard these areas, 106 management grids and 663 fixed patrol routes have been established.

In 2024 alone, rangers completed 75,400 patrols covering more than 94,500 kilometers and recorded 55 panda sightings and 2,005 traces of activity. Seven ecological corridors underwent continuous restoration, with nearly 331,400 mu (about 22,093 hectares) of habitat restored.

Technology is transforming conservation efforts. A monitoring network of 3,871 infrared cameras captured more than 3,870 images of wild giant pandas in 2024. The park has identified 36 species of wild animals and compiled "DNA ID cards" for its giant pandas while pioneering "panda facial recognition" technology that enables real-time wireless transmission of images and videos.

In 2025, China's first "giant panda college" in Sichuan will enroll an additional 111 undergraduate and graduate students to train a new generation of conservation experts.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Govt to add more African, South American buyers on Trade Connect to diversify textiles, leather exports

In 2024-25, India had exported footwear worth $111 million, textiles worth $475 million, and leather worth $22 million to African countries, data sourced from commerce ministry showed.

Arishaa Izaj

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Shweta Punj is an award winning journalist. She has reported on economic policy for over two decades in India and the US. She is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum. Author of Why I Failed, translated into 5 languages, published by Penguin-Random House.

101Reporters

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Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

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Every scam leaves a digital signal and we want to share those across borders: GSMA APAC head

Every scam leaves a digital signal and we want to share those across borders: GSMA APAC head

J Jagannath

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Debaroti Adhikary

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India may see IPOs worth $20 billion in next one year, says Citigroup; Meesho, Pine Labs among listings in pipeline

Shaleen Agrawal

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Ashwin Mohan is Editor (Deals) at Moneycontrol and leads the M&A, private equity and equity capital market transactions coverage. He anchors the video show 'Deal Central ' and tweets at @ashwinmohansays. He has previously worked with ET NOW, CNBC TV-18 and The Times of India.

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Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com

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JPMorgans Jamie Dimon has warning about AI-driven stock market bubble: 'Money invested would be ...'

JPMorgans Jamie Dimon flags risk of AI bubble, says global markets could see correction

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Divi's Labs, Laurus Labs, other pharma shares rise up to 5% as US Senate passes Biosecure Act

Divi's Labs, Laurus Labs, other pharma shares rise up to 4% as US Senate passes Biosecure Act

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Natco Pharma shares jump 6% after Delhi HC allows firm to sell 'Risdiplam' in India

Debaroti Adhikary

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Sunil Matkar

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Textile stocks surge up to 11% after Trump-Modi review 'good progress' in trade negotiations

Debaroti Adhikary

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Teena Jain Kaushal is Editor - Personal Finance (Audience Growth) at Moneycontrol, with over two decades of expertise demystifying money matters. Whether its decoding tax, navigating investments, or breaking down the latest insurance trends, her aim is to help readers make smarter financial decisions.

Manappuram, Muthoot shares fall up to 3.5% as gold falls below $4,000/ounce

Teena Jain Kaushal

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PSU banks see uptick in credit demand in vehicle, consumer durable loans post-GST cut, say bankers

Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com

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Ashish Mishra

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Rakesh Patil

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'We welcome Western AI companies but we are building our own too,' says Meity Addl Secretary Abhishek Singh

Chhabi Kala

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The UNSC committee on September 30 approved a temporary exemption to the travel ban allowing Muttaqi to visit New Delhi from October 9 to 16

Smriti Mishra

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Arishaa Izaj

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CJI BR Gavai attacked because he is Dalit: Union minister seeks action under SC/ST Act against advocate Rakesh Kishore

Smriti Mishra

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India has always stood by us: Afghan foreign minister praises New Delhi in talks with S Jaishankar

Speaking on bilateral ties, he emphasised that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used to threaten or act against other nations (Image: ANI)

Smriti Mishra

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The EC recently announced that the final voters list for Bihar has 7.42 crore voters.

Priyanjali Ghose

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Muttaqi-Jaishankar Meet Live: India to upgrade Technical Mission in Kabul to embassy status, Jaishankar tells Taliban minister

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday told Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi that India will reopen its embassy in Kabul in a move that will restore full diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime.

Muttaqi is in a visit to New Delhi in the first official high-level visit by a Taliban representative. Read more
Chhabi Kala

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The INDIA bloc has been divided on the Joint Committee of Parliament announced by Speaker Om Birla to study the Bills

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Right to vote should be only available to those who are this country's citizens: Amit Shah

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RJD, Congress seat-sharing talks hit a wall over Seemanchal region: These 5 seats are bone of contention

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The court will continue hearing Jethmalanis arguments on October 13 before the defence presents its case.

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'When my PM is there...' Chirag Paswan says ongoing seat-sharing talks for Bihar election 'positive'

Chirag Paswan had pn Thursday called an emergency party meeting at his Patna office to discuss the Bihar elections

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Who is Amir Khan Muttaqi? Spotlight on Taliban foreign minister as India upgrades Kabul mission to embassy

Amir Khan Muttaqi recently attended an international conference on Afghanistan in Russia, which included representatives from India, China, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian nations. His trip is widely seen as part of the Taliban administration's attempts to secure regional legitimacy and rebuild diplomatic engagement.

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Afghanistans Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. (Image: X/@HafizZiaAhmad)

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Arjun Kumar is a heritage explorer by inclination with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Sculpted remains put together at the Teevardev complex in Sirpur.(Source: Arjun Kumar)

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Viswanath Pilla is a business journalist with 16 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, Pilla covers pharma, healthcare and infrastructure sectors for Moneycontrol.

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Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, will now oversee the Apple Watch operating system

Arindam Roy

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In Moneycontrol's Pro Panorama December 11 edition: AI gold rush and Indias role in it, the Netflix strategy that Indian IT can...

MC Interview: Graphcores new Bengaluru unit will lead its own AI compute engineering project for the globe, says CEO Nigel Toon

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Hollywood is not happy with OpenAI and its latest Sora app, here's why

MC Tech Desk Read the latest and trending tech newsstay updated on AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, software updates, smartphones, blockchain, space tech, and the future of innovation.

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Aabhas Sharma

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Enhanced travel experience

With this partnership, Myra introduces several new features to help users plan smarter trips. Through intuitive destination discovery, travellers can now find places aligned with their preferred vibe  such as adventure, wellness, tranquility, or pilgrimage  powered by integrations with Google Maps, Nearby Search, and Places API. The platform also surfaces contextual insights, including weather updates, local cuisine, popular attractions, and commute options, to create dynamic and information-rich itineraries.

MakeMyTrip has also deployed custom AI models alongside Googles suite of tools such as Gemini, Gemma, and multimedia models like Veo and Imagen to visualize and optimize itineraries. These models allow travellers to build flexible plans that balance cost, duration, and personal interests.
MC Tech Desk Read the latest and trending tech newsstay updated on AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, software updates, smartphones, blockchain, space tech, and the future of innovation.

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Aabhas Sharma

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Over 100 firms likely hit in Oracle-linked hacking campaign, says Google

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Prosus picks up 10% stake at Rs 1,295 crore in Ixigos parent, funds to fuel AI, hotel expansion

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Samsung at India Mobile Congress 2025: Showcases AI for All vision with immersive zones and next-gen Galaxy innovations

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TCS HR head denies reports of 80,000 layoffs, says only 1% of staff released in restructuring

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says hes running out of time as he turns 41 and wont celebrate

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US brings more trouble for Chinese technology companies; China responds with vow to defend national interests

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Are more H-1B restrictions coming after $100,000 visa fee? Heres what Trumps new plan means for Indians

Abhinav Gupta

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Ceasefire takes effect in Gaza as Israel and Hamas begin hostage and prisoner exchange

Pragya Trivedi

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UN ready to ramp up humanitarian aid in Gaza after ceasefire, seeks Israel's approval

Pradeep Tripathi

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'Dont worry, its all good and well', says Taliban probing explosion in Kabul

Rewati Karan

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Explained | Inside Trump's claimed Gaza peace breakthrough and what happens next

Trump basked in his achievement on Thursday at a meeting with his Cabinet officials, saying it's something that people said was never going to be done and claiming the agreement could lead to an everlasting peace.

Rewati Karan

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Four wars, one failing state: How Asim Munir's Pakistan faces fire from all fronts amid Kabul strikes | Explained

Abhinav Gupta

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'Have removed all anti-India terror groups from Afghanistan': Taliban's Muttaqi assures New Delhi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting with his Afghani counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi, in New Delhi.

Abhinav Gupta

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'He does a lot for peace': Putin and Netanyahu back Trump after Maria Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel peace prize

Pragya Trivedi

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How China is weaponizing rare-earths to gain leverage over Trump

Pradeep Tripathi

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How Trump is using the Justice Department to target his enemies

Pradeep Tripathi

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How Trump used leverage to push for Gaza deal, yet tough questions remain

Rewati Karan

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'I dedicate this prize to President Trump': Maria highlights US Prez role in Venezuelas fight for freedom

Pragya Trivedi

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U.S. delegates -- former presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner -- praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus leadership throughout the crisis

Rewati Karan

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Pradeep Tripathi

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Netanyahu hopes for 'day of national joy' as hostage release, ceasefire take effect; how the next 72 hours look for Israel-Gaza

Pragya Trivedi

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No new air-to-air missiles to Pakistan: US denies media reports

Washington said the latest defence deal is part of existing contracts and does not include upgrades to any of Pakistans capabilities

Arindam Roy

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Nobel Peace Prize 2025: How its decided, why Trumps chances are slim and who could win

Pradeep Tripathi

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News / Regional

by Gideon Madzikatidze in Gwanda

The Zimbabwean government, through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, has intensified efforts to complete the Gwanda-Maphisa-Mphoengs route, a strategic road project aimed at enhancing security, mobility, and economic inclusion for previously marginalised communities in Matabeleland South.The route is also expected to play a critical role in facilitating access to the venue of the 2026 Independence Day (Uhuru) celebrations, which will be hosted in Maphisa.Speaking during a media tour, Deputy Minister of Transport Joshua Sacco and Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister Albert Nguluvhe underscored the importance of the road in improving attendance and accessibility."Since you know that Maphisa has been declared as the next host of the national Independence (Uhuru) Day celebrations, the establishment of this route will enhance accessibility and convenience with consistency to all previously marginalised communities. The attendance for those celebrations would therefore be multiplied since this route has shortened distance to the main venue," Nguluvhe said.He added that the corridor, which spans key agricultural and mining zones, will improve trade logistics and market access."The areas stretching from Gwanda, Maphisa, up to Mphoengs are also dominated with mining and livestock rearing activities. This makes it convenient to transport produce to the market and enables trade consistency and ease of deliveries."Nguluvhe also highlighted the road's role in improving law enforcement capabilities."With a series of cases related to stock theft, robberies, among other criminal elements which were impeded by inaccessibility to some remote areas, the new route will also aid law enforcement agencies in combating crimes through enhanced accessibility and response capabilities."Deputy Minister Sacco echoed the urgency of completing the road before April 2026."We will closely monitor the pace used to complete construction of this route since it leads to next year's venue for Independence Day celebrations. We therefore expect that by end of March next year, those who will be contracted should speed up to finish prior to the main national event. Improved road infrastructure will enable quicker response times by security forces, contributing to safer communities and reduced crimes."Sacco also announced ambitious plans to accelerate the project, describing it as a gateway to economic transformation in the province."The GwandaMaphisa route will unlock economic potential in Matabeleland South by improving access to markets, boosting trade and fostering economic integration between Zimbabwe and neighboring Botswana.""This route also facilitates efficient movement of goods and people, which is vital for economic growth and regional integration."Both ministers noted that the road will empower artisanal miners and farmers, enabling faster delivery of produce and supporting local entrepreneurship."This road will ensure fast and efficient delivery of mining produce and agricultural goods to markets, empowering local entrepreneurs and boosting livelihoods. It enables artisanal miners to transport their produce swiftly and safely, contributing to local economic development and poverty reduction," Sacco said.Nguluvhe added that the route holds immense potential for cross-border trade."By enhancing cross-border connectivity, the GwandaMaphisa road will unlock new trade opportunities, fostering economic ties and benefiting businesses on both sides of the border."Matabeleland South's strategic location - sharing borders with Botswana and South Africa - positions it as a vital gateway for regional commerce and integration.
Pakistan cops take 'extraordinary measures' to keep 'mercenary-like' extremist outfit from unleashing anti-Gaza stir

Armaan Bhatnagar

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Pakistan mum on Kabul 'airstrikes', accuses India of using Afghanistan as terror base

Pragya Trivedi

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'Russia-Ukraine will also happen soon': Trump signals shift in focus from Gaza deal

Rewati Karan

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Taiwans T-Dome: Why Taipei is building its own Iron Dome to counter China | Explained

Taiwan flags are seen during National Day celebrations at the Presidential Palace in Taipei on October 10, 2025. (Photo by I-Hwa Cheng / AFP)

Abhinav Gupta

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Trump boasts of ending 8 wars, criticizes Obamas Nobel, says he got a prize for doing nothing

Pradeep Tripathi

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Rewati Karan

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All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
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

Rewati Karan

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The US State Department and the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) together named nearly 100 individuals, entities, and vessels tied to Irans export network.

Rewati Karan

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US to host Qatari F-15 jets, new air force facility announced in Idaho

Hegseth says US will host Qatari air force facility in Idaho

Pragya Trivedi

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What we know about the 20 hostages set for release in the Israel-Hamas deal

Arishaa Izaj

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Why Donald Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize despite claiming to have stopped eight wars in eight months

Nobel panel president on award not going to Trump

Pragya Trivedi

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Why Donald Trump is unlikely to win Nobel Peace Prize 2025 despite Gaza ceasefire deal push

Rewati Karan

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Why Trump lost out on 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Kurina Machado

Pradeep Tripathi

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China ready to strengthen strategic communication with DPRK, says Premier Li

Xinhua) 08:03, October 10, 2025

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

PYONGYANG, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday that China stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

Li conveyed General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping's cordial greetings and best wishes to General Secretary Kim, as well as his warm congratulations on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the WPK.

Li noted that last month, General Secretary Kim came to China to attend the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During his meeting with Xi, they pointed out the direction and drew a blueprint for further deepening China-DPRK relations.

The CPC and the Chinese government have always regarded ties with the DPRK from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, Li said, adding that maintaining, consolidating and developing the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries is China's unwavering policy.

China, he said, is willing to work with the DPRK side to follow the joint guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries and promote new progress in bilateral ties.

The premier said China is ready to work with the DPRK to further carry forward their traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation, and closely coordinate and cooperate in international and regional affairs.

Li also called on the two sides to strengthen multilateral collaboration, firmly safeguard and practice multilateralism, and promote the development of the international order in a more just and equitable direction.

Kim asked Li to convey his sincere greetings and best wishes to General Secretary Xi, and warmly welcomed the Chinese party and government delegation to the DPRK for the celebratory event, noting that under General Secretary Xi's wise leadership, China has achieved tremendous accomplishments in socialist construction.

Noting that DPRK-China relations are unbreakable, Kim said that consolidating and developing the friendly cooperative ties between the two countries remains the unwavering stance of the party and government of the DPRK, regardless of changes in the international situation.

This serves the common interests of both sides and contributes to regional peace, stability and development, he added.

The DPRK, Kim said, firmly supports the one-China principle, resolutely opposes separatist acts of "Taiwan independence" and any external interference, and supports China's position on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Xizang.

Pyongyang is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with Beijing, promote cooperation in various fields, strengthen multilateral collaboration, advance the development of their respective socialist causes, and bring more benefits to the people of the two countries, he added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
October 10, 2025 Nobel Committee, Fearing Trumps Wrath, Hands Peace Prize To Regime Change Puppet The President of the Unites States Donald Trump had demanded to be given the Nobel Peace Prize. But following that demand would have been disastrous for the already blemished prestige of the Nobel. The government of Norway, which strongly influences the decisions of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, was in a pickle: With hours to go until the announcement of this years Nobel peace prize, Norwegian politicians were steeling themselves for potential repercussions to US-Norway relations if it is not awarded to Donald Trump.



Mr Trump has long been outspoken about his belief that he should be awarded the peace prize, an honour previously bestowed on one of his presidential predecessors, Barack Obama, in 2009 for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. In July, Mr Trump reportedly called Jens Stoltenberg, Norways finance minister and the former Nato secretary general, to ask about the Nobel prize.



The newspaper columnist and analyst Harald Stanghelle speculated that retribution from Mr Trump  if it were to come  could take the form of tariffs, demands for higher Nato contributions or even declaring Norway an enemy. After some talks behind the scenes it was decided to give the price to a different person than Trump but with the very obvious intent to also satisfy Trump by furthering a major foreign policy aim of his: The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado who lives in hiding after attempting to run against President Nicolas Maduro. Machado, 58, was recognized for keeping the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness and ever-expanding authoritarianism in Venezuela.



She leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party, but was blocked from running as the nations president and expelled from office in 2014. She now lives in hiding and faces serious threats against her life, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. The Trump administration has long aimed at ousting Nicolas Maduro, the socialist leader of Venezuela. It has positioned its military assets around the country and is planing from regime change under false pretense:

Shortly after taking office, Trump declared Tren de Aragua to be a foreign terrorist organization that had flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs. In July, the president ordered the Pentagon to target certain Latin American drug cartels. By August, there were eight naval vesselsincluding destroyers, a cruiser, and a littoral-combat shipoperating in the Caribbean Sea. By September, the first of four boats had been struck, and 21 alleged drug traffickers have now been killed. Last week, the administration sent a confidential notice to Congress signaling its intent to carry out more strikes. The campaign could extend inside Venezuelan territorial waters or include drone strikes inside its land borders, defense officials told us.



But it is far from clear that the ties between Maduros government and Tren de Aragua are as extensive as the Trump administration has suggested, or that they exist at all. Ronna Risquez, author of the book El Tren De Aragua, told us there was no evidence that Maduro leads gang or drug-smuggling operations; an internal memo from the U.S. National Intelligence Council arrived at a similar conclusion. Its also not clear that Venezuelan drug operations, centralized or otherwise, are significant enough to merit the country being singled out as a threat to American lives. Venezuela is not a major cocaine or fentanyl producer. And even though most of the worlds cocaine grows in neighboring Colombia, Venezuela is also not a major transit hub. Trumps anti-narco-terrorist campaign is clearly aimed at regime change. This despite extensive offers by the Venezuelan government to allow the U.S. to profit from Venezuelan riches (archived): Venezuelan officials, hoping to end their countrys clash with the United States, offered the Trump administration a dominant stake in Venezuelas oil and other mineral wealth in discussions that lasted for months, according to multiple people close to the talks. The far-reaching offer remained on the table as the Trump administration called the government of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela a narco-terror cartel, amassed warships in the Caribbean and began blowing up boats that American officials say were carrying drugs from Venezuela. Under a deal discussed between a senior U.S. official and Mr. Maduros top aides, the Venezuelan strongman offered to open up all existing and future oil and gold projects to American companies, give preferential contracts to American businesses, reverse the flow of Venezuelan oil exports from China to the United States, and slash his countrys energy and mining contracts with Chinese, Iranian and Russian firms. That offer wasnt enough for a greedy Trump: The Trump administration ended up rebuffing Mr. Maduros economic concessions and cut off diplomacy with Venezuela last week. The move effectively killed the deal, at least for now, the people close to the discussion said. The Trump administration did away with generous offer because it is confident that its plans for regime change will achieve a total domination over Venezuela. The new Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Corina Machado, plays a big role those plans. Who is that lady you might ask. In July 2024 the NY Times published a friendly portrait of her (archived): Ms. Machado, a conservative former member of the national assembly once rejected by her own colleagues, has not only corralled Venezuelas fractious opposition behind her, but has also captivated a broad swath of the electorate with a promise for sweeping government change.



If the opposition wins, Mr. Gonzalez, 74, will be president. But from Washington to Caracas, everyone understands that Ms. Machado is the driving force behind the movement.



She became a political activist in 2002, helping to found a voter rights group, Sumate, that eventually led a failed effort to recall Mr. Chavez. She was a darling of Washington  the U.S. government provided financial aid to Sumate  and became one of Mr. Chavezs most detested adversaries. But it wasnt just the government that loathed her. Among colleagues in the opposition, she was often viewed as too conservative, too confrontational and too sifrina  Venezuelan for snobbishly high class  to become the movements leader. She has said that the politician she most admires is Margaret Thatcher, the conservative icon known for her stubbornness and fealty to the free market. And Ms. Machado has long supported privatizing PDVSA, the state oil company, a move other opposition leaders say would put Venezuelas most valuable resource in the hands of a few. Machado, while on the U.S. payroll, was involved in a 2002 military coup attempt in Caracas: Questions still surround Ms. Machados actions in 2002, when dissident military officers and opposition figures led a short-lived coup meant to oust Mr. Chavez. Ms. Machado was at the presidential palace during the installation of a new president, Pedro Carmona. In the 2005 interview with The Times, Ms. Machado insisted that she and her mother were in the palace that day only to visit Mr. Carmonas wife, a family friend  not to support the coup. More recently, in a 2019 interview with the BBC, Ms. Machado called on Western democracies to understand that Mr. Maduro would only leave power in the face of a credible, imminent and severe threat of the use of force. Machado even asked the Zionist war criminal Benjamin Netanyahoo for military support in a coup (edited machine translation) : Maria Corina Machado asked the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, a military intervention in Venezuela, through a document posted on its social network X in 2018.



Machado described the military intervention of power and influence against the Venezuelan government. Today sending a letter to Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina, and to Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, to ask them to apply their strength and influence to advance the dismantling of the criminal regime in Venezuela, intimately linked to drug trafficking and terrorism, she wrote. In addition, the document points out that Machado was convinced that the international community, according to the doctrine of the responsibility to protect, is called to give Venezuelans the support needed to generate the change, a change of government. Machado is still in cahoots with (and likely still payed by) the U.S. to further regime change in Venezuela (archived): [U.S. Secretary of State] Rubio met with five opposition figures in May who secretly fled to the United States in what he called a precise operation. He has praised the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, whom he called by her nickname, the Venezuelan Iron Lady, in a tribute this year.



Pedro Urruchurtu, an adviser to Ms. Machado, said in an interview that the opposition had developed a plan for the first 100 hours after Mr. Maduros ouster that would involve a transfer of power to Edmundo Gonzalez, who ran for president against Mr. Maduro last year.



What were talking about is an operation to dismantle a criminal structure, and that includes a series of actions and tools, Mr. Urruchurtu said, adding: It has to be done with the use of force, because otherwise it wouldnt be possible to defeat a regime like the one were facing. The oppositions plans include persuading other governments to take diplomatic, financial, intelligence and law enforcement actions, he said. To recap  the Nobel Peace Prize committee is giving the price to an opposition politician in South America who is on the payroll of the U.S. government and has been involved in previous military coups attempts in her country. Her advisor is arguing for the use force to overthrow the government. Ms. Machados plan is to the sell out whatever Venezuelans have to the foreign empire that pays her. The Nobel Committee and Norway may, for now, have saved themselves from Trumps wrath but the decision to award the prize to Ms. Machado is another huge blemish to its record. Comments
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Part the First: Genes and Disease. The Current Administration announced early in its first year that they would know the cause of autism by September. They met their deadline when the Secretary of Health and Human Services announced his result, which has been hiding in plain sight all this time: Tylenol. Actually, not so much. And every legitimate scientist knows this, as does every other person who stops and thinks about it, if only for a moment. Tylenol (acetaminophen in the USA and paracetamol in Europe) might have some spurious correlation with autism on occasion (and the connection might be that the mother was ill during pregnancy and used Tylenol). But there is no doubt the causes of autism are multifactorial and contingent upon the environment in which the autistic person has lived. Most of the multiple factors are genetic, as in certain variants of certain genes in specific genetic backgrounds will tend to lead to behaviors that are on the autism spectrum. That is the conditional nature of autism.

Complex problems cannot usually be solved by simple answers, unless we are talking about Alexander the Great taking his sword to the Gordian Knot. Complex problems are never solved by simplistic answers, which seems to be the preferred choice of the Current Administration to every problem, mostly imagined (tariffs, on coffee, for example; DOGE; conflation of criticism of the State of Israel with antisemitism).

Complexity is the nature of genes and disease, where the correspondence between a genetic variant and disease is often inscrutable if not altogether unknown. This is not to deny the direct connection between genes and certain diseases. Sickle cell disease is caused by one mutation in the beta chain of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. People with one copy of this mutation have sickle cell trait, a mild form of the disease. People with two copies of the mutant gene have sickle cell disease. This has been known since the 1940s and the specific mutation was identified in the 1950s. The most common form of cystic fibrosis is caused by the deletion of only one amino acid in the protein that has been named CFTR (phenylalanine-508 of 1,480 total amino acids; I can hear them now  thats only 0.07% of the protein, how can the effect be that serious for such a small difference?). People with two copies of a severely defective gene for adenosine deaminase (ADA) lack an immune response and the only cure is a bone marrow transplant.

The complex relationship between genes and disease is covered very well in 1 gene, 1 disease no more  acknowledging the full complexity of genetics could improve and personalize medicine by Santhosh Girirajan of Penn State. For the history minded, 1 gene, 1 disease is an echo of one gene, one enzyme going back to the Nobel Prize-winning research published in 1941 by George Beadle and Edward Tatum using bread mold as their experimental organism. Beadle and Tatum were not strictly correct, either.

Genetic inheritance may sound straightforward: One gene causes one trait or a specific illness. When doctors use genetics, its usually to try to identify a disease-causing gene to help guide diagnosis and treatment. But for most health conditions, the genetics is far more complicated than how clinicians are currently looking at it in diagnosis, counseling and treatment. Your DNA carries millions of genetic variants you inherit from your parents or develop by chance. Some are common variants, shared by many people. Others are rare variants, found in very few people or even unique to a family. Together, these variants shape who you are  from visible traits such as height or eye color to health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. In our newly published research in the journal Cell, my team and I found that a genetic mutation involved in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions such as autism and schizophrenia is affected by multiple other genetic variants, changing how these conditions develop. Our findings support the idea that, rather than focusing on single genes, taking the whole genome into account would provide insight into how researchers understand what makes someone genetically predisposed to certain diseases and how those diseases develop. While a primary variant might trigger a disease, secondary variants can alter how that disease develops and progresses. Think of it like a song: The melody (primary variant) is the main part of the song, but the bassist and drummer (secondary variants) can change its groove and rhythm. Thats why two people with the same genetic mutation can seem so different. One person might have severe symptoms, another person mild symptoms, and another none at all. These variations can even occur within the same family. This phenomenon, called variable expressivity, arises from differences in the secondary variants a person has. In most cases, these variants amplify the effects of the primary mutation. A higher number of secondary variants on top of a primary variant generally leads to more severe disease.

This article from The Conversation is a very good article  one of the best I have ever read  for the general reader on the complex relationships between genes and disease. The foundation paper is Genetic modifiers and ascertainment drive variable expressivity of complex disorders (open access). It is very technical but the pictures really are worth a thousand words, when you have time. Go directly to Figure 4 for a glimpse at the complicated networks associated with complex disorders. My slowly developing solitary research on the protein network that led to animal multicellularity has similar networks, which are difficult to build but are essential to understanding. Keeping up with current developments in real science is more difficult that doing so with metascience of the political kind:

This complexity increases for neurodevelopmental disorders, where the combined effects of primary and secondary variants with differing frequency and effect sizes explain their broad heterogeneity. For example, recent studies found contributions of polygenic risk to phenotypes of individuals with pathogenic copy-number variants (CNVs), such as schizophrenia risk in 22q11.2 deletion individuals. Ascertainment may also contribute to variable expressivity, as many pathogenic variants are enriched among individuals across disease ascertainments but lead to other consequences in different populations. For example, the autism-associated 16p11.2 deletion is also associated with obesity as well as musculoskeletal, and renal features in the general population.

I wonder if Tylenol is also causally connected to obesity, and musculoskeletal and kidney disease? Actually, I dont. But one other aspect of this research should be noted. The paper is in Cell, which is one of the Big Three biomedical journals along with Nature and Science (for good and sufficient reason, despite the occasional fumble by each) and has 75 authors with 33 institutional affiliations in nine countries (USA, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, UK, Australia, Estonia, and Switzerland). This is an example of Big Science in fundamental biology that worked, on an extremely important subject. It could not have been done otherwise on a relevant human time scale. The directives from the Current Administration against such collaboration in the future will have malign effects, even if they go unrecognized.

The causes of autism, and other diseases with multifactorial origins and presentation will come out of research like this, despite what the simpletons leading our research and healthcare systems believe.

Part the Second: Where Will Biomedical Research be Performed in the Future? Most likely in the eight other countries on the list of affiliations above, plus at least fifty more. And all will be led by China. Expect this ad from Nature to attract several thousand applications, most of them from the United States. Four years in Barcelona to get a PhD will sound pretty good to ambitious young scientists:

Why join the Centre for Genomic Regulation?

Work alongside world-class scientists in one of Europes leading biomedical research institutes

With just over 400 people on campus and nearly 70% of students coming from abroad, youll join a truly international environment where collaboration and creativity thrive

You will access state-of-the-art core technologies in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, imaging, and more

We are housed in the heart of Barcelona, with our science having privileged views over the Mediterranean Sea. Students enjoy a lively community of international PhD students, with structured training programme, symposia, retreats, beach volleyball, yoga, choir, and monthly institute-wide events.

Programme Highlights:

Fully funded 4-year PhD positions in top-level research groups with employment contract, competitive salary, health coverage, and full social security benefits.

Multidisciplinary projects across molecular biology, genomics, systems biology, bioinformatics, and related fields

Training in scientific, technical, entrepreneurial and transferable skills

Access to state-of-the-art core facilities and international collaborations

Career development support and mentoring throughout the programme

Four years in Barcelona, learning Spanish and Catalan and living very well if not extravagantly. What is not to like about that?

Part the Third: State of Scientific Literature, Continued. First it was online, open-access, pay-to-publish anything predatory journals on Bealls List. Some of the big players remain, making big money for their owners. They are not difficult to spot for anyone paying attention. My colleagues were slow on the uptake regarding predatory journals after the first legitimate online journals appeared in the early-2000s. These journals were a signal advance  faster and less expensive than legacy journals, but with the same editorial standards and expectations. Now we have paper mills and AI-generated scientific workslop (leading word of the year candidate) clogging up science, as reviewed in this article from Nature, Low quality papers are flooding the cancer literature  can this AI tool help to catch them? The pollution of cancer research, what could go wrong?

An artificial intelligence (AI) tool that scans manuscript titles and abstracts has flagged more than 250,000 cancer studies that bear textual similarities to articles that are known to have been produced by paper mills. These businesses produce fake or low-quality research papers and sell authorships. Articles produced by paper mills often include fabricated data, duplicated images and weird phrases, which are strange wording choices used to evade plagiarism detectors. Integrity specialists and sleuths can spot these flaws, but the process is time-consuming and, in many cases, the involvement of paper mills cannot be proven so quantifying the scale of the problem is difficult.

Caution is warranted, but:

After screening abstracts and titles, the AI tool gave each article a probability score of how much it resembles suspected retracted paper-mill products. In a test of 276 retracted papers and 275 genuine papers that were not included in the training data, BERT was 91% accurate. The false-negative rate  the share of paper-mill articles that the tool failed to identify  was about 13% (37 out of 276). The false-positive rate  the number of genuine papers that it flagged incorrectly  was around 4% (12 out of 275). The AI tool was then used to screen 2.6 million cancer-research papers  identified from the PubMed database of biomedical literature  that were published in 11,632 journals between 1999 and 2024. The tool identified 261,245 of the papers as suspected paper-mill articles, most of which were fundamental research studies. (Someone needs to do this experiment with COVID papers)

Why fundamental research studies? These are the easiest when the goal is making stuff up. The training sets in this research are critical, but early results seem valid. I tend to side with the gloomiest interpretation of AI. Will it be the next big thing or the next big bubble that fills the world with workslop, perhaps a direct analog of the F-35?

So, in addition to being a military disaster, the F-35 many also prove to be a foreign relations disaster as well. F-35 boosters in the United States sold the jet to the leaders of these countries with elaborate pitches of the combat capabilities they planned to deliver. There were also promises made early in the process about the programs affordability, which seem comical today. The next time an American attempts to sell a transformative weapon abroad, they shouldnt be terribly surprised if a potential customer expresses skepticism. F-35 customers have paid a fortune above the quoted price, receiving only a fraction of what was promised. The United States may find a shrinking market for weapons exports in the years ahead. This should be a moment of deep reflection for the entire national security establishment. The F-35 was never going to live up to expectations because its very concept was deeply flawed. Trying to build one jet that could serve as a multi-role aircraft to meet the needs of just a single military branch is a highly risky proposition. When you try to build a single jet to meet the multi-role needs of at least 15 separate militaries, while also being a global jobs program and political patronage scheme, you get a $2 trillion albatross.

Part the Fourth: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Note that physiology comes before medicine. I had planned to write a short explanation of the 2025 award, but Dr. Steven Novella has done a much better job than I could ever do: Nobel Prize in Medicine: Peripheral Immune Tolerance:

The 2025 award for physiology or medicine goes to three researchers, Mary E. Brunkow, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, USA, Fred Ramsdell, Sonoma Biotherapeutics, San Francisco, USA, Shimon Sakaguchi, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan, for their work on what is known as peripheral immune tolerance. As yet there are no approved therapies based on Tregs (regulatory T cells of the immune system), but there are several in early clinical trials. These include treatments for autoimmune diseases, degenerative diseases, and organ transplantation rejection. This is yet another example of the typical 2-3 decade delay from basic science discovery to clinical application. That is how long it takes to fully understand the implications of a new discovery and translate it into an actual treatment. It also demonstrates that basic scientists just following their curiosity can make discoveries with profound implications. And it further shows how modern science, including medical science, often progresses as a collaboration of different labs and scientists, and increasingly an international collaboration. This is why it is so tragic and short-sighted that the current administration has cancelled all NIH subgrants to international collaborators. This is already negatively impacting promising research.

Nothing to add to Dr. Novellas conclusion. The results of this research may revolutionize the treatment of autoimmune disease. And this has required incremental research built on a solid foundation of curiosity-driven basic research. Thats the way science works. There is much more is to come here, probably from elsewhere from the perspectives of Drs. Brumkow and Ramsdell in Seattle and San Francisco.

Part the Fifth: Not Blue, Not Red, Im a Working Class Independent. Les Leopold on the Rust Belt Survey:

Would you support a new organization, the Independent Workers Political Association, that would support working-class issues independent of both the Democratic and Republican parties. It would run and support independent political candidates committed to a platform that included the following: Stop big companies that receive tax dollars from laying off workers who pay taxes.

Guarantee everyone who wants to work has a decent-paying job, and if the private sector cant provide it, the government will

Raise the minimum wage so every family can lead a decent life

Stop drug company price-gouging and put price controls on food cartels Michigan: 58.9% Ohio: 58.1% Pennsylvania: 56.8% Wisconsin: 55.3%

For those politicians paying attention only to their donors, TINA is on life support whether you know it or not. What comes after is still very much up in the air, though.

Part the Sixth Bonus of Sorts: Newtons Third Law of Motion Applied to Our Diseased Politics. The Third Law can be restated as, For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Two current rabbit holes are worth exploring for those so inclined.

Here, the action is summarized by Matt Taibbi in James Comey Was Sure He Was Above The Law. Supporters Hope Hes Right. The predicate was what has come to be known as Russiagate during the frenzy to explain the inexplicable (to the Professional Managerial Class) after the Tuesday following the first Monday in November 2016.

The reaction is described in an article in The Conversation by Cassandra Burke Robinson, a law professor at Case Western: James Comeys Indictment Is a Trademark Tactic of Authoritarians. The other operative law here is ,What goes around comes around, which is a curiously difficult concept for our erstwhile political leaders of both sides. These people are also similarly dense when it comes to the prophet Hoseas most well-known saying: For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. But there you go.

See you next week! And thank you all for your support!
This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1359 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal, Clover, or Wise. Read about why were doing this fundraiser,what weve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, original reporting

Japanese Farmers Send Out Automated Laser Drones to Defend Chickens Futurism

Why Are So Many Pedestrians Killed by Cars in the US? Construction Physics

The Hitchhikers Guide to Building A Lot of Subways The Transit Guy

Bluetoothing: Blood-Sharing Drug Trend Fuels Alarming Global H.I.V. Surge New York Times

Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes off southern Philippines, tsunami warning issued Straits Times

Climate/Environment

Pandemics

India

China?

This is a very big deal. China has asserted sweeping control over the entire global semiconductor supply chain, putting export license requirements on all rare earths used to manufacture advanced chips. If enforced aggressively, this policy could mean lights out for the US AI https://t.co/zx5eX6dthP  Dean W. Ball (@deanwball) October 9, 2025

Syraqistan

Hamas gets guarantees of end to Gaza war, Israel approves ceasefire Al Jazeera

Breaking: Warnings of a possible collapse of the ceasefire Israel bombed a residential building tonight housing dozens of civilians, with initial reports indicating that 50 civilians  most of them children  were murdered. pic.twitter.com/p6Y8Irf4Ad  Ramy Abdu|   (@RamAbdu) October 9, 2025

Putin says today that Israel told Moscow to relay a message to Tehran that Tel Aviv is not seeking confrontation and wants a peaceful resolution with Iran. He adds that Russia remains in close contact with both sides and backs a diplomatic path on Irans nuclear issue. pic.twitter.com/xJPZTKJjS1  Sina Toossi (@SinaToossi) October 9, 2025

Old Blighty

Massive data leak linked to Online Safety Act security measures The Canary

European Disunion

New Not-So-Cold War

South of the Border

Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel peace prize The Guardian

The Nobel prize in literature went to an anti-Arab eugenicist, and the prize in peace to a far-right CIA plant advocating for American invasion, sanctions, and regime change. If anything, this shows the reactionary cultural turn. This is a capitulation to Trumpism  Anita Zsurzsan   (@iamjourjean) October 10, 2025

Dina Boluarte Ousted from Peruvian Presidency by Unanimous Congressional Vote Telesur

Trump 2.0

Democrats en deshabille

Senator Elissa Slotkin: If the Trump administration wants to be at war against a terrorist organization, they should come to Congress, notify us, and seek our approval  I actually have no real problem going against cartels pic.twitter.com/apuNZPDW19  Ken Klippenstein (NSPM-7 Compliant) (@kenklippenstein) October 9, 2025

Someone who used to work with Katie Porter sent me this clip from a train-wreck interview with her and said, Now imagine what shes like when there arent cameras around. pic.twitter.com/OCF73BrUg1  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) October 8, 2025

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ICE smash car window & drag 2 sisters outin front of elementary school at pick up time. 13 masked agents surround carwhile children yelled Its ICE! running away in fear. My name is Jocelyn, Im from Cicero, she cries. They forced us out of the car, they followed us pic.twitter.com/8JFzpO46MP  LongTimeFirstTime (@LongTimeHistory) October 9, 2025

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Yves here. As many know or soon will know, the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday. Trumps embarrassing personal lobbying for it alone should be disqualifying. The article below lists some concrete grounds as to why the Nobel committee should reject Trumps entreaties. It is disappointing that the article does not address how Trumps particularly claims regarding achieving particular peace settlement are false or at best, grossly exaggerated. For instance, Trump did not negotiate the de-escalation between Pakistan and India over their recent attacks on each other; Modi was allegedly infuriated by Trump trying to take credit. Similarly, as any reader of the press in Suotheast Asia will know, peace has not been achieved between Thailand and Cambodia. Skirmishes continue, the underlying dispute is unresolved, and the US is not in the picture.

And lets not get started on Trump actively supporting Israels genocide in Gaza. It is truly sick that it was Netanyahu who nominated Trump for the Peace Prize. The fact that Trump could not find a more legitimate advocate speaks volumes.

So if Trump manages to win, the bestowing of the award would not be a testament to his peacemaking but to his power, specifically EU members pressuring the committee to give Trump the prize so as to curry favor because Putin. And as many, including members of the commentariat, have observed, if Trump wins, it will complete the discrediting of the peace prize that started when Obama was the pick.

My vote goes to the members of the Sumud flotilla.

Well provide some updates after the announcement.

Update: 8:30AM EDT. MSM schadenfreude:

Trump loses Nobel Peace Prize he shamelessly campaigned for https://t.co/b4kJB9qb1n  TIME (@TIME) October 10, 2025

And substantive takes:

Why give the Nobel Peace Prize to an opposition leader who applauds US pressure against her country when the US Navy is preparing for an attack on Venezuela?

 Is the logic that democracy delivers peace, and the US military delivers democracy through war? pic.twitter.com/6q1cUHtxFT  Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) October 10, 2025

What has Maria Corina Machado done to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? Shes accepted US taxpayer money to fund anti-govt NGOs, plotted coups, and agitated for direct military intervention in Venezuela to achieve regime change. Does the Nobel Committee have any legitimacy? https://t.co/uOWxwnQtR2 pic.twitter.com/qr7k5yk2Bn  Anya Parampil (@anyaparampil) October 10, 2025

Venezuelas election loser Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize: If we win, we will move the Venezuelan embassy to Jerusalem to support Israel. Like many other US-backed Latin American politicians, her policies are copy & paste support for Israel, support for pic.twitter.com/0UXBVIhIhe  Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) October 10, 2025

By Clarence Lusane. Originally published at TomDispatch

Who doesnt know that President Donald Trump desperately wants a Nobel Peace Prize and said bitterly, They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. Its too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me?

And for once, hes right. He wont get one, but wrong, of course, that he deserves it. Actually, there are way more than 10 reasons why he doesnt deserve such a prize, but as 10 is such a nice round number, let me use it.

As a political scientist who focuses on human rights, global racial justice, and social movements, Ive given considerable thought to and conducted research on the Nobel Peace Prize. I once taught a course on the history and politics of that prize while a faculty member at American Universitys School of International Service. Last year, I even spent time in Oslo at both the Nobel Peace Center museum and the Norwegian Nobel Institute, which houses many of the Nobel Peace Prize Committees documents, including, for example, original nomination letters that can be viewed and studied.

I was there doing research on the 1964 prize awarded to Martin Luther King Jr., and I read several of the original letters sent to the Committee nominating him. His main nomination came from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), which sent a letter dated January 31, 1963, that arrived after the January deadline for that year. His nomination was, however, carried over to 1964 and then he won.

As it turns out, I fall into one of the categories of those who can officially make such a nomination. They include members of parliamentary assemblies (or the U.S. Congress), previous Nobel Peace Prize Laureates like 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai or former Vice President Al Gore, directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes, members of international courts, members of the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee, and (relevant to me) university professors.

Although the Committee has never explicitly stated that such a thing is possible, Im going to assume that I can also make an un-nomination. In fact, believe it or not, while there were many letters of support for Dr. Kings nomination, there were also letters asking the Committee to deny him the prize, even if most of them came from individuals ineligible to make (or unmake) a nomination.

And let me just say: I can think of no one more deserving of being un-nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize than President Donald Trump. His record of authoritarian and antidemocratic rule grows more dangerous and harmful by the day, not just for the United States but for the entire global community. And yet he has indeed been nominated by Republican sycophants in Congress who seek his favor, and global strongmen, including Gabons President Brice Oligui Nguema, who came to power thanks to a military coup, and Azerbaijans Ilham Aliyev, who has been that countrys president for 22 years. They all understand that such recommendations appeal to his need for adulation and blunt any criticisms he may have of their own behavior.

The Nobel Committee does not, in fact, release information about each years determination, including all the individuals or groups nominated, until 50 years later, so the only way Trump and the world would know that Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and others have indeed nominated him is if they publicly stated it or told him so.

Autocracy, Racism, and Lawlessness Are Not Qualifications

The award normally focuses on a nominees work in the previous year, which means Trumps peace efforts during his first term and his time out of office wont be considered for next years award. So, lets examine his first eight months in office in 2025 and ask a basic question: What has Trump done so far this year to not deserve the award?

First, within hours of being back in office, the peace president pardoned and commuted the prison sentences of 1,500 insurrectionists who had rioted on his behalf on January 6, 2021. (Actually, those are 1,500 reasons for no Nobel Peace Prize right there!) Hundreds of those individuals violently attacked police officers with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power to the legitimately elected Joe Biden. Rather than condemn their actions, Trump rewarded their (and his) lawlessness.

Second, in his immoral and racialized campaign against undocumented immigrants who, he claims, are poisoning the blood of the country, his administration has unlawfully kidnapped individuals off American streets and renditioned them to horrific gulags in El Salvador and elsewhere. Some had committed no crimes and were legally in the United States or even U.S. citizens.

Third, he shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). That agency, founded in 1961, had spent decades providing humanitarian assistance to millions of people around the world. As Oxfam noted, with the elimination of USAID, At least 23 million children stand to lose access to education, and as many as 95 million people would lose access to basic healthcare, potentially leading to more than 3 million preventable deaths per year.

Fourth, he has deployed staff from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as the National Guard and other troops in Los Angeles, Washington, D. C., Chicago, and soon, it seems, to Memphis, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon (supposedly to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities there under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists). In Los Angeles, he claimed that the city was also under siege by people protesting his immigration raids. In fact, it was the inhumane and violent actions of ICE under Trumps orders that sparked resistance in Los Angeles. In Washington, he falsely and repeatedly stated that he was sending in troops to control widespread crime. That canard was cover for him to spread his anti-immigrant campaign to another sanctuary city, and to target the most vulnerable people there like the unhoused and scooter delivery riders. (A Washington judge did at least recently block him from speedy deportations of undocumented immigrants.)

Fifth, signaling his desire for a new imperialist era, he threatened to seize Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal. CNN identified at least nine lies of his as to why Canada should become this countrys 51st state, including that its citizens like the idea (they dont); that it doesnt allow U.S. banks to operate there (it does); and that it doesnt take U.S. agricultural products (its second only to Mexico in purchasing such products). Trump not only declared that he wanted Greenland for security purposes but didnt rule out using military force to get it. Mind you, Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark whose people and government have no interest whatsoever in becoming part of the U.S. Though built by the United States, the Panama Canal was ceded to Panama in a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter and ratified by the Senate. Trump claims that the United States is not getting fair market treatment for its use. However, as one expert on the canal noted, Trump is insisting on preferential treatment and promising to take it back if he doesnt get his way.

Sixth, in a brazen abuse of power, he demanded that Brazil stop the prosecution of his ally there, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Like Trump in 2021, Bolsonaro and his followers were unsuccessful in their violent attempt to stop a transition of power to then-elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after Bolsonaro legitimately lost the 2022 election. Trump has called the trial a witch hunt and said he would impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports unless it was stopped and Bolsonaro freed.

Seventh, in another of his unconstitutional executive orders, he threatened two U.S. professors with legal penalties for working with or writing in support of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC (of which the United States is not a member) prosecutes war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, all of which have no statutes of limitation. Trump was rebuffed by two federal judges who concluded that he was violating the First Amendment right to free speech by stating that he would impose tangible and significant consequences on anyone supporting the ICC. It has evidently particularly upset him that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for his partner in crime in the war on Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. About a dozen countries have stated that they would honor the warrant.

Eighth, Trumps June bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran took place under distinctly dubious legal authority. That both lawmakers and scholars cant even agree on whether the president flaunted the law or not suggests the carelessness of his actions when it came to legal procedures involving war. And despite Trumps boast that he completely and fully obliterated Irans nuclear program, reports from his own intelligence agencies suggest that the program was set back only a few months. Apparently embarrassed by the truth, War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, who headed the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency that reported on the botched airstrikes.

Ninth, he withdrew the United States from critical international bodies, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, as well as less well-known organizations like the Council of Europes European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) that works with 46 European governments and civil society organizations across the region to address issues of discrimination. I admit that the last one is a bit personal for me. From 2022 to 2025, I was the U.S.-appointed independent expert to that very commission and attended its meetings in Strasbourg, France. My appointment was approved by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Council of Europe. In January, I was informed that Trump was withdrawing the U.S. from its observer status on the commission because ECRI was not aligned with the values of the incoming administration. Sadly, that part was all too true.

Tenth, he is complicit in the genocide and famine taking place in Gaza. While his claims of ending seven wars are dubious at best, in the one conflict where he could most decisively have intervened to bring closure to it, hes done anything but. His unholy alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has meant a lot of performative concern about starvation and the tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza along with an unending supply of weapons for Israel. His insensitivity to the suffering of the people in Gaza has only been compounded by his disturbing desire to cleanse the area of Palestinians and develop what hes called a Riviera of the Middle East there.

And mind you, I wont even count President Trumps pathetic groveling campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize as one of the reasons he shouldnt get it. That seems almost self-evident. It reminds me of comedian Steven Wrights joke: Id kill for a Nobel Peace Prize. Its impossible to imagine Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, or Martin Luther King Jr. calling officials in Norway and begging for the prize as Trump recently did; or, for that matter, using his platform at the United Nations to falsely claim that everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize. And mind you, that ludicrous claim came only weeks after his unlawful killing of multiple individuals with military strikes in the international waters of the Caribbean without due process or any legal recourse, not to speak of changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Everyone, of course, meant almost nobody. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans dont believe that he deserves the award, including 49% of Republicans.

Its inexplicable to me why former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton would cavalierly state that she would nominate Trump, the twice-impeached, 34-count convicted felon and adjudicated sexual abuser, for the prize if he brought a ceasefire to the war in Ukraine. By now, it should be crystal clear that Trump has no interest in Ukraines sovereignty, which hes denigrated repeatedly, while proving all too willing to grant concessions to the universally recognized aggressor in that conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin. But even if he did help broker a fair peace agreement, which the entire world (except Putin) wants as soon as possible, that shouldnt excuse his broader autocratic behavior and agenda.

Note to Trump: The Award Must Be Earned

His authoritarian push to reshape the United States and demean all its governing, social, financial, and cultural institutions is itself a threat to peace. He continues to attack a free press, bully universities, ignore judicial orders, abuse the very principle of a separation of powers, and openly seeks to rig elections in his favor. Forget for the moment the fascism, authoritarianism, patrimonialism, retribution, bigotry, corruption, greed, mendacity, and incompetence  his one character trait that should be considered most disqualifying is his cruelty. His lust for revenge and power has brought unspeakable malice and pain to undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ families, federal workers, foreign students, and any number of individuals whom he feels have challenged him.

Trump is possibly the most unethical, petty, and vengeful president in American history. Compassion and empathy simply play no role in his character or makeup. After all, at the memorial for the assassinated Charlie Kirk, moments after his widow Erika Kirk called for forgiveness and stated that the answer to hate is not hate, Trump said, I hate my opponent, and I dont want the best for them.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses. He meets none of those criteria.

Let Trump continue to whine and play the victim as he manifests his doctrine of intimidation, bribes, and palling around with authoritarians. In the not-too-distant future, history will extensively document and abhor the outrages and inhumanity of the Trump era, recording it with the same disdain and dismay that now is used for the eras of slavery and segregation, or the McCarthy years. Lets hope that the Nobel Peace Prize never becomes another institution that Trump disgraces and diminishes.

Copyright 2025 Clarence Lusane
If You Love It, Let It Kill You By Hannah Pittard Henry Holt & Company 304 pages, $28.99

The jacket copy of Hannah Pittards If You Love It, Let It Kill You prepares us for a story about a novelist whose ex-husbands debut novel contains an unflattering portrait of her. As recursive as that sounds, it undersells the books concentric circles. Her ex-husbands novel isnt the first time he has maligned her in fiction (an earlier story has her knifed to death by a homeless man), and  heres the doozy  she has already written about the ex in a memoir and a novel of her own. If his new book is an unwelcome surprise for her, well, perhaps its a turnabout that falls in the category of fair play.

Readers unfamiliar with the conventions of autofiction  a genre that uses fictional techniques to tell a version of the authors life  might find it coy to refer to the novelist and her ex rather than using their names, but keeping them nameless distances Pittard from her creations. Both Pittard and her literary alter ego (occasionally Hana or Prof P) live in Lexington, Ky., teach at the state university, and cohabit with a long-term boyfriend (Bruce) and his 11-year-old daughter. Curious readers may google Pittard to discover the identity of her ex (or read the New York Times article about their divorce), though I urge you to read the novel first. Its appeal lies in its witty prose and the protagonists zany misadventures, notin its fidelity to real-life events.

If You Love It, Let It Kill You follows the novelist as she confronts a series of crises  some minor, some grave, all of them self-inflicted. She is surrounded by family, including divorced parents who live blocks away and a sister across the street. She loves them but wishes they would give her some space until they do so, whereupon she feels left out. Bruce puts up with her eccentricities but would prefer her to be less hostile about their domesticity. I hate that we have cotton balls, she tells him. I hate that we have a fully stocked first-aid kit. As a teacher, she tries not to show favoritism to the handsome older student, but the other students arent fooled.

Instigating further chaos is the reappearance of a former lover, the Irish man, with whom she might have had a one-night stand seven years ago while still married to her ex. The Irish man begins sexy-texting (she weakens when addressed as hot stuff), and she responds, hoping that he will shed light on what really happened in their earlier, drunken encounter. The narrators justification for indulging in his attentions sounds entirely sympathetic: Arriving now, as I am, seven years older, less elastic, seven years closer to female invisibility  these texts erase that lingering uncertainty, making me feel alive again, desired, important, powerful, feminine.

The protagonists antics often occupy the gray area between lovable quirkiness and mental disorder. With Bruce she pretends to be a dead body, a game that starts playful but turns dark. Youve killed me and Im dead and now you have to get rid of me, she tells him. She finds a wounded cat in her garage and tries to nurse it back to health. Its not strange that she begins talking to the cat; whats disturbing is that the cat begins to respond, extensively.

Keeping the protagonist tethered to reality is her friend Jane, an English professor, who acts as the Greek chorus. When the narrator whines in a text, what if this isnt my life? Jane responds, Maybe  you have a creeping feeling your troubles are frivolous. The narrators complaint, What if contentment inhibits my writing? is met with abrupt recalibration: your boredom is From a Place of Privilege. If Pittard writes a sequel, heres hoping Jane reprises her role.

A novel about writers has a built-in meta-element, a layer of self-reflexive commentary that Pittard threads through the narrative. The narrator tells her students, Never name a character who isnt pivotal to the plot, leaving readers to conclude that her ex-husband is not pivotal, or that her novel has no plot. (Both conclusions may be true.) She also tells a student that he shouldnt use stories to make false accusations about living people. Its unethical. Fiction isnt a platform for revenge.

Pittard lives up to that standard: None of her characters appear villainous, though her alter ego comes close. She wonders if she can be trusted not to cross the line with the Irish man or have I already gone too far? She confesses that her exs portrait of her  Smug. Narcissistic. Vaguely unhinged.  is perfectly accurate. For all her flaws and cringeworthy mistakes, though, we hope for her happiness. She may be the bete noire for her ex, but she remains the heroine of her own story.

For more local book coverage, please visit Chapter16.org, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee.
Earths magnetic field experiences solar-style switchback for the first time

NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale mission detected a magnetic "switchback" near Earth, a phenomenon previously observed only near the Sun.

The zigzag reversal in Earths magnetic field resulted from solar wind plasma interacting with Earths magnetosphere via magnetic reconnection.

The discovery suggests switchbacks may be a universal feature in planetary magnetic environments, not just stellar ones.

Understanding these events improves space weather forecasting, critical for protecting satellites and power grids.

The findings bridge solar and planetary physics, offering a safer way to study processes that heat the Suns corona.

For the first time, scientists have detected a solar-style magnetic "switchback" in Earths near-space environmenta discovery that reshapes our understanding of planetary magnetic fields and their interactions with the Sun. NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission captured this event, revealing a sudden twist and rebound in Earths magnetosphere that mirrors the behavior of the Suns outer atmosphere. The findings, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, suggest that magnetic switchbackspreviously thought to be unique to the Sunmay occur wherever magnetic fields and plasma collide, from planets to distant stars.

The anatomy of a magnetic switchback

Switchbacks are sharp reversals in magnetic field direction, forming zigzag kinks when magnetic field lines break and reconnect in new configurations. Near the Sun, NASAs Parker Solar Probe has observed these structures as explosive releases of energy. Now, researchers Andrew McDougall and Matthew Argall have identified a similar event in Earths magnetosheaththe turbulent outer layer of our planets magnetic shield.

The MMS spacecraft detected plasma from both the solar wind and Earths magnetosphere twisting together before snapping back into place, leaving a distinct kink. High-energy electrons traced back to Earths southern magnetic footprint confirmed that the event involved interchange reconnectiona process where solar and planetary magnetic fields intertwine.

Why this matters for space weather

Magnetic reconnection at Earths magnetopause is a key driver of geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt satellites, radio communications and power grids. The discovery of switchbacks near Earth suggests a previously unrecognized mechanism for solar material to breach our magnetic defenses. Small, transient reconnection events like this could inject bursts of energy into the magnetosphere, influencing auroras and atmospheric dynamics.

Understanding these processes enhances space weather forecasting, a critical need as society grows more reliant on vulnerable orbital infrastructure. Moreover, studying switchbacks near Earth provides a safer way to investigate phenomena that heat the Suns corona to extreme temperatureswithout sending probes into the solar inferno.

A universal magnetic phenomenon?

Magnetic reconnection isnt confined to the Sun or Earthit occurs wherever plasma and magnetic fields interact, from Jupiters magnetosphere to distant galaxies. The detection of a planetary switchback implies these structures could be common across the cosmos. Future missions, like ESAs JUICE and NASAs Europa Clipper, may uncover similar events around gas giants, further testing the universality of these magnetic kinks.

Bridging solar and planetary science

This discovery closes a long-standing gap between solar and magnetospheric physics. For decades, scientists theorized that interchange reconnectionresponsible for solar switchbacksmight also occur at planetary boundaries. The MMS data now confirm this, revealing Earths magnetosphere as a dynamic system capable of generating its own solar-style twists.

With Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter examining the Suns magnetic behavior, and MMS scrutinizing Earths near-space environment, researchers can now compare these phenomena across vastly different scales. The findings pave the way for deeper insights into cosmic magnetic processes, from solar flares to black hole jets.

A new frontier in space physics

The detection of a magnetic switchback near Earth marks a milestone in heliophysics, proving that the same explosive reconnection processes shaping the Suns atmosphere also sculpt planetary magnetic fields. By quantifying the events rotation (with a z-parameter exceeding 0.5) and guide-field strength (1.2 times the background field), the study offers the first concrete evidence that solar and terrestrial magnetic behaviors share fundamental physics.

As space agencies prepare for more ambitious missions, Earths magnetosphere stands revealed as a natural laboratoryone where we can decode the Suns secrets without braving its scorching corona. The discovery not only advances space weather prediction but also underscores the interconnectedness of cosmic magnetic systems, from our backyard to the farthest reaches of the universe.

Sources for this article include:

Phys.org

Watchers.news

Wiley.com
Irans major natural gas discovery aims to bolster Tehrans energy independence

Iran announced the discovery of 10 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas and 200 million barrels of crude oil in the Pazan field, located in Fars and Bushehr provinces. Production is expected to begin within 40 months, with potential reserves reaching seven tcf of recoverable gas  equivalent to 1718 years of output from a single phase of the South Pars field.

As Iran holds the world's second-largest natural gas reserves, this find is critical for addressing domestic supply shortages and ensuring long-term energy security amid sanctions and regional instability.

Due to U.S. sanctions, Iran has been forced to rely on domestic companies and technology for energy projects after international partners (e.g., TotalEnergies) withdrew. Despite sanctions, Iran leverages offshore contracts and partnerships with China and India to sustain demand.

The development of the Pazan field (targeting 20282029 production) reflects Iran's strategy to use its hydrocarbon wealth for economic stability and international influence, countering Western pressure while meeting domestic needs to avoid public discontent.

The discovery underscores the enduring geopolitical significance of energy resources, with Iran's push for self-sufficiency being closely monitored by markets and analysts as a case study in sanctions evasion and resource-driven sovereignty.

In a significant development for its energy sector, Iran announced this week the discovery of substantial new natural gas and oil reserves, a find that officials say will help secure the nation's long-term energy supply and economic resilience amid persistent international sanctions and regional instability.

The announcement was made by Iranian Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad on Monday, Oct. 6. He shared that exploration efforts at the Pazan field, located in the southern Fars province and extending toward northern Bushehr province, have yielded an estimated 10 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas.

This discovery comes after exploratory work resumed following an eight-year hiatus, with production expected to commence within 40 months. Paknejad provided context for the discovery's scale. According to him, the Pazan field could yield about seven tcf of gas  assuming a 70 percent recovery factor

"That's equivalent to 7,000 days of production from one phase of the South Pars gas field," he said. "That's roughly 17 to 18 years of output from a single South Pars phase  an impressive figure."

The exploration also identified a horizontal layer containing at least 200 million barrels of crude oil, with further studies potentially revealing larger reserves. Iran, which holds the world's second-largest natural gas reserves, has struggled with domestic supply imbalances. Given this issue, this new resource is viewed as crucial for addressing future energy needs.

From economic sanctions to energy sovereignty

The discovery and planned development of the Pazan field occur against a complex geopolitical backdrop. Iran has been forced to rely on domestic companies and technology for major energy projects, including the development of Phase 11 of the South Pars field. Following the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions in 2018, international partners like France's TotalEnergies withdrew from these endeavors.

"Iran's vast oil and natural gas reserves ensure robust global demand, allowing it to circumvent Western sanctions through offshore contracts and partnerships with major economies like China and India," explains Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine. "This demand-driven resilience demonstrates the futility of unilateral sanctions when resource-hungry nations continue to trade outside U.S.-dominated financial systems."

This drive for energy self-sufficiency intersects with broader global security concerns. Historically, control over energy resources has been a cornerstone of national power and geopolitical strategy. For Iran, developing its vast hydrocarbon reserves is not merely an economic imperative but a strategic one, providing a bulwark against external pressure.

The country's continued expansion of its energy infrastructure, even under sanctions, demonstrates a long-term commitment to leveraging its natural wealth for both domestic stability and international influence. The Pazan field's timeline, which targets first production for late 2028 or early 2029, represents a medium-term investment in that strategy  aiming to offset domestic shortages that have previously led to public discontent.

Tehran's announcement of a major new energy discovery underscores a persistent global reality. Access to and control of natural resources remains a fundamental driver of national policy and international relations.

As Iran works to bring these new reserves online, the development will be closely watched by global markets and geopolitical analysts alike. The Pazan field serves as a testament to the Islamic republic's enduring focus on achieving greater energy independence in a volatile and increasingly polarized world.

Watch this footage of a fire at the South Pars gas field in Iran after an attack by Israeli forces.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

OilPrice.com

En.Shana.ir

TehranTimes.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel: Poland and Baltic states made sure Ukraine conflict would erupt

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel accused Poland and Baltic states of undermining pre-war Russia-West diplomacy, while NATO's escalating rhetoric and Russia's military gains in Ukraine risk a broader, direct conflict.

Poland's PM Donald Tusk escalated tensions by calling the Ukraine conflict "our war," as NATO shifts toward direct confrontation with Russia, which is gaining a military edge with advanced missiles rendering Ukrainian defenses nearly ineffective.

Ukraine's escalating drone strikes on Russian oil sites have failed to halt Moscow's military progress, as analysts warn that Russia's advance toward Odessa could signal Ukraine's impending collapse, exposing NATO's lack of an effective counterstrategy.

NATO allies are deepening their Ukraine involvementshifting from arms supplies to potential troop deploymentswhile Sweden issues threats and Western leaders push rejected "peace plans" demanding Russia's unconditional surrender.

Escalating tensions and failed diplomacy have pushed NATO and Russia toward potential direct war, risking catastrophic global upheaval and existential consequences.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has revealed that pre-war diplomatic efforts between Russia and the West were deliberately sabotaged by Poland and the Baltic states, ensuring the Ukraine conflict would erupt.

Merkel was among the brokers of the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements, which sought to end the Donbas war fought between armed Russian separatist groups and Ukraine. Both Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande admitted that the accords were never meant to bring peace, but rather to buy time for Ukraine to strengthen its military with NATO's help. Putin later called the Minsk agreements "a trivial deception."

Now, as Russia advances militarilywith upgraded missiles evading Ukrainian defenses and strategic gains in OdessaNATO leaders are openly framing the war as a direct Western struggle, raising fears of a catastrophic escalation.

Diplomacy sabotaged, war guaranteed

Merkel's admission confirms long-standing suspicions that key NATO-aligned nations blocked negotiations that could have prevented the war.

Instead of pursuing peace, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently declared the conflict "our war," framing it as an existential battle for Western civilization.

This rhetoric aligns with a broader NATO push to abandon proxy warfare and embrace direct confrontation with Russiaa shift that risks global destabilization.

Russia's military advantage grows as Ukraine falters

Russia's military upgrades, including modified Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, have slashed Ukraine's interception success rate from 37 percent to near-zero, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's desperate drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructurelike the recent attack on the Kirishi refineryhave failed to reverse Moscow's momentum.

Military analyst Colonel Douglas Macgregor warns that Russia's advance on Odessa signals Ukraine's collapse, leaving NATO with no viable strategy to counter Russian dominance.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the war between Russia and Ukraine officially escalated in 2014 after Ukraines Western-backed Maidan coupa CIA-orchestrated regime change operation disguised as a pro-democracy movement.

The West's dangerous gamble: From proxy war to direct conflict

The U.S. and its NATO allies are escalating their involvement, transitioning from arms supplies to calls for boots on the ground.

This reckless shift comes as Sweden issues warnings to Russia and former leaders like Tony Blair propose "peace plans" that demand Russian surrenderterms Moscow has repeatedly rejected.

With both sides dug in and diplomacy dead, the world edges closer to a direct NATO-Russia war, a scenario that could reshape global power structures overnight.

The question now is not whether the conflict will expand, but how far the West is willing to goand whether humanity can survive the consequences.

Watch the video below that talks about Europe in ruins.

This video is from the Sanivan channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

SputnikGlobe.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Russia and Ukraine trading DRONE STRIKES on energy infrastructure ahead of winter

Moscow launched its largest drone and missile attack on Ukraine's gas infrastructure, targeting Naftogaz facilities in Kharkiv and Poltava, severely disrupting heating supplies ahead of winter. Russia claims these strikes are retaliation for Ukrainian drone incursions.

With domestic gas production already down 40 percent, Ukraine faces potential heating shortages. Blackouts spread across frontline regions, and civiliansincluding an 8-year-old childwere injured in the latest strikes.

Kyiv has meanwhile intensified long-range drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and chemical plants, including targets deep inside Russia (e.g., Orsknefteorgsintez refinery and Azot plant).

Ukraine has become a leader in drone technology, but this "silver lining" comes with dark implications as AI-powered hunter-killer drones raise ethical concerns about autonomous warfare and unchecked AI-driven conflict.

Both sides refuse to back down, with Russia aiming to cripple Ukraine's morale and logistics, while Kyiv vows resistance. The conflict risks becoming a prolonged war of attrition with escalating civilian suffering.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has entered a dangerous new phase, with both sides intensifying attacks on critical energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

In what Ukrainian officials describe as the largest assault on gas facilities since the war began, Russia launched a devastating overnight barrage involving 381 drones and 35 missiles, targeting Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz Group. The strikes inflicted critical damage on gas production sites in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions, raising fears of severe disruptions to heating supplies as temperatures drop.

"The objectives of the strikes have been achieved. All designated targets were hit," Russia's Ministry of Defense declared in a statement, justifying the attack as retaliation for Ukrainian drone incursions into Russian territory. Moscow insists it only strikes military-industrial facilities and supporting infrastructure, never civilian targets  a claim Kyiv vehemently disputes.

Naftogaz CEO Sergii Koretskyi condemned the assault as "deliberate terror against civilian facilities that provide gas extraction and processing for the normal life of people." He added, "It has no military purpose. This is yet another act of Russian malice aimed solely at disrupting the heating season and depriving Ukrainians of warmth in winter."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed these sentiments, warning that Russia is deliberately attempting to "cause more harm to our people" just before winter sets in. With domestic gas output already slashed by 40 percent due to earlier Russian strikes, Ukraine has been forced to ramp up imports, aiming to stockpile 13.2 billion cubic meters of gas by mid-October.

Meanwhile, blackouts have spread across multiple regions, including Donetsk, where power was cut to frontline cities like Kostiantynivka. Russia's strategy appears clear: cripple Ukraine's energy grid to weaken civilian morale and military logistics. "Russia is terrorizing civilians and trying to disrupt the heating season," Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated.

Ukraine strikes deep with AI-powered drones

But Kyiv is not standing idle. In a retaliatory campaign, Ukrainian drones have struck deep inside Russia, hitting oil refineries and chemical plants  including the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery near Kazakhstan and the Azot chemical plant over 900 miles east of Moscow.

The conflict has now evolved into a high-stakes energy war, with both sides leveraging drone technology to devastating effect. Ukraine, despite its struggles, has emerged as an unexpected leader in autonomous drone warfare  a grim "silver lining" of the prolonged conflict.

According to the Enoch engine at Brighteon.AI, autonomous drone warfare represents the terrifying reality of hunter-killer robots  AI-powered machines programmed to independently identify, track and eliminate targets without human oversight, based on preloaded algorithms, facial recognition or behavioral patterns. The implications are chilling: a fully automated battlefield where machines decide who lives or dies, removing accountability, escalating global conflicts and paving the way for unchecked AI-driven genocide  all while bypassing ethical or legal constraints under the guise of "national security."

Yet, as winter approaches, the humanitarian toll grows starker. In Poltava, an eight-year-old child and two women were injured in the latest strikes, while historic landmarks like St. Nicholas Church suffered severe damage.

With neither side showing signs of backing down, the coming months threaten further escalation and suffering for civilians caught in the crossfire. As global powers watch nervously, the question remains: Will this relentless targeting of energy infrastructure push Ukraine toward collapse, or will it only deepen the resolve of a nation fighting for survival?

Watch this video about Russia attacking Ukraine with Iskander missiles and over 125 drones.

This video is from the TREASURE OF THE SUN channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

Reuters.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Spains grid issues urgent blackout warning as dangerous voltage swings threaten power supply

A massive blackout struck several European nations in April.

Dangerous voltage swings have now returned to the Spanish grid.

The recurring crisis highlights systemic vulnerabilities in renewable-heavy systems.

Officials are urgently implementing measures to stabilize the fragile grid.

Just months after a massive blackout paralyzed the Iberian Peninsula, Spain's grid operator is sounding the alarm again. The same dangerous voltage swings that caused Europe's most significant power failure in over two decadesstranding commuters, crippling hospitals, and plunging millions into darkness on April 28have returned. The recurring crisis raises urgent questions about the stability of a power system increasingly reliant on intermittent renewable energy.

Spains grid operator, REE, has detected steep voltage swings in the system over the past two weeks that are capable of affecting power supply. In a document sent to market regulator CNMC, the operator urged swift technical changes to be implemented to avoid any such impact. The situation is so pressing that the CNMC is calling a public consultation to adopt urgent, provisional measures to stabilize the system before a more permanent solution can be found.

The regulators statement was honest about the risk. "According to the information provided to the CNMC by the system operator, the rapid voltage fluctuations recorded in the last two weeks, even though the voltages are always within the established margins, can potentially trigger demand and/or generation disconnections that end up destabilising the electrical system," it said.

This alarming development comes less than six months after the April blackout, which a European report confirmed was the first known blackout caused by excessive voltage. That event paralyzed cities and stranded people on trains across the Iberian Peninsula, serving as a brutal wake-up call about grid vulnerabilities.

A system on the brink

The recent voltage shifts are reportedly occurring during times of low demand and high solar power production. The grid operators document linked the problem to abrupt changes in scheduled production, particularly with renewable power plants, as well as the response time of plants meant to regulate voltage. This highlights a critical weakness in the transition to green energy. While traditional power sources like natural gas and nuclear continually help regulate the grids voltage, most wind and solar plants currently do not.

This inherent instability in renewable-heavy systems was exposed during the April collapse. Investigations ruled out cyberattacks, instead pointing to systemic vulnerabilities. The blackout began in Spain, where renewables account for more than half of electricity generation.

The push for a quick fix

In response to the new threat, the grid operator has proposed a series of urgent changes. These measures are designed to boost the ability to manage voltage and include requiring more thermal power plants, such as natural-gas fired plants, to be available in reserve. The goal is to create a buffer against the unpredictable swings of solar and wind generation.

Due to the urgent nature of the situation, the regulator plans to implement these changes following a brief, five-day period for public feedback. The changes will remain in effect for 30 days but may be extended as needed, indicating that officials view this as a persistent, long-term challenge rather than a one-off glitch.

The fact that these dangerous voltage oscillations are reappearing so soon after a historic collapse suggests that the underlying issues were never fully resolved. It reveals a system struggling to maintain basic stability while being pushed toward an ever-greener, and potentially more fragile, future.

This recurring crisis forces a difficult conversation about energy realism. It underscores the non-negotiable need for reliable backup systems and a balanced energy mix that includes always-available power sources. For the millions who lived through the darkness in April, the latest warnings are more than a technical bulletin; they are a reminder that a modern society cannot function without a resilient and predictable supply of electricity. The lights are on for now, but the grid is clearly signaling that it is still standing on shaky ground.

Sources for this article include:

Reuters.com

Bloomberg.com

News.Sky.com
Spains healthcare system strained: Migrants prioritized while citizens face delays

Spain's public healthcare system is overwhelmed. Madrid sees a 44 percent annual spike in undocumented migrants receiving care, while Spanish citizens face worsening delays for critical treatments.

Regional Health Minister Fatima Matute criticized Madrid for cutting 1.5 billion ($1.75B) from healthcare budgets while redirecting funds to defense spending to meet NATO obligations, further straining hospitals.

Despite residents waiting 122 days for surgeries, the Canary Islands agreed to treat wounded Gaza children via Defense Ministry flights, sparking backlash over misplaced priorities.

The Canary Islands saw 46,800 illegal arrivals in 2023, while Madrid treated 190,000 undocumented patients  a 60,000 increase in one year  despite only 500,000 new residents in the city.

Critics argue Spain's government is sacrificing domestic healthcare needs for international humanitarian obligations, leaving citizens with delayed care and regions like the Canaries in "a state of abandonment."

Spain's public healthcare system is facing mounting pressure as it treats a surging number of undocumented migrants  including a 44 percent annual spike in Madrid  while Spanish citizens endure worsening delays for critical medical services.

The tension escalated this week as the Canary Islands agreed to accept wounded children from Gaza, despite local residents waiting an average of 122 days for surgeries. The disparity has sparked public backlash, with regional leaders accusing Madrid of diverting healthcare funds to defense budgets to fulfill NATO obligations.

Data from Madrid's Health Service reveals that the region provided care to 190,000 undocumented patients in the past year, up from 134,000 the prior year  a 60,000-person increase despite the city's population growing by only 500,000. Regional Health Minister Fatima Matute defended the system, stating, "No one has been denied care or been asked for a credit card," while noting Madrid's clinics handled 51 million consultations, a seven percent annual rise.

However, Matute criticized the central government for cutting 1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) in regional health funding, with further reductions expected as resources shift toward defense.

"They've already slashed 40 million [$46.5 million] from the Carlos III Health Institute," she said. "I can think of ministries to eliminate for defense funding before taking from healthcare."

A system under siege

Spain's autonomous community Canary Islands, which is already grappling with a migration crisis that saw 46,800 illegal arrivals in 2023, agreed to treat injured Gaza children at Madrid's request. Regional spokesman Alfonso Cabello confirmed the plan, organized via Defense Ministry aircraft, though arrival dates remain unclear.

The decision has drawn ire from residents facing 122-day surgery waitlists and a strained system. Spanish online news outlet La Gaceta reported widespread frustration, with critics arguing the archipelago lacks the capacity for additional humanitarian cases. Brighteon.AI's Enoch notes that in January, Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo accused Spain's major parties of leaving the territory in "a state of abandonment" amid record migrant arrivals.

The healthcare strain reflects Spain's broader immigration challenges. Madrid's funding cuts coincide with rising NATO defense spending, while regions like the Canaries  overwhelmed by illegal arrivals  plead for mainland support. Critics argue that prioritizing non-citizens exacerbates inequities, particularly as Spaniards face delayed treatments.

As Spain navigates competing demands  humanitarian obligations, NATO commitments and domestic healthcare needs  the system's fractures grow more visible. With Madrid's migrant patient load soaring and the Canaries sacrificing local care for international crises, the debate over resource allocation is far from resolved. For Spaniards enduring lengthening waitlists, the question remains: Who comes first?

Watch this video about the U.S. Democratic Party's drive to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants, as per U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

This video is from the You Silenced Me channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RMX.news

ElConfidencial.com

Gaceta.es

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Trumps border crackdown reshapes migration flows

Trump's border crackdown is credited with sharply reducing illegal crossingsand is now prompting migration routes to reroute entirely toward places like Mexico City.

Supporters argue this approach doesn't just deter entryit changes regional migration logic by making U.S. entry nearly unviable.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker warns that normalized federal military presence in cities could pave the way for election interference in 2026, e.g. ballot?box oversight or seizure.

Federal courts have blocked several Trump administration measures, including the policy to transfer migrant youths into adult detention, restrictions on benefits for undocumented immigrants and expansions of executive power.

Even as courts push back, the Supreme Court recently allowed removal of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, spotlighting the tug?of?war between executive ambition and judicial limits.

In a striking recalibration of U.S. immigration policy, the Trump administration's uncompromising stance at the southern border is reshaping migration flows and provoking fierce debates over executive power and civil liberties. Officials privately and publicly assert that the border is now the most secure in decadesperhaps since 1970citing steep declines in illegal entries and a new deterrent effect reverberating across Central and South America.

Proponents of the approach argue that migrant caravans, once bound for U.S. entry points, are instead rerouting entirely toward places like Mexico City to avoid enforcement lines. They point to one high?profile Cuban?led caravan whose organizers reportedly abandoned plans for U.S. entry, explicitly citing the administration's hardened posture as a major deterrent. In this narrative, Trump's policies are doing more than stem crossingsthey are altering the very logic of migration in the region.

Yet for many critics, the political implications are deeply troubling. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has warned that the normalization of federal military presenceeven in nominally civilian settingscould serve as a rehearsal for election interference in 2026, with fears of ballot box seizures or direct federal supervision of vote counts. While the White House has avoided directly addressing these ominous hypotheticals, the expanding deployment of militarized border tactics fuels intensifying scrutiny over the long?term impact on American democracy.

Courts block Trump's immigration moves, igniting clash over executive power Legal pushback is already mounting. Several key moves in the Trump administration's immigration agenda have been blocked in the courts. A federal judge temporarily halted the policy that would transfer unaccompanied minors into adult detention settings once they turn 18, citing established precedents that require lighter settings for youths.

Meanwhile, courts have pushed back against attempts to end certain public benefits for undocumented immigrants. Perhaps most provocatively, the administration filed suit against all 15 federal judges in Maryland, challenging a standing court order that mandates a delay before deportations may proceed when habeas petitions are filed. The move is being framed by the White House as a necessary confrontation of judicial overreach hindering border enforcement.

Even within these battles, some Trump victories have landed. The Supreme Court recently permitted the administration to strip Temporary Protected Status from more than 300,000 Venezuelan migrants, effectively siding with executive discretion over lower court rulings. Still, in lower courts, a key attempt to bar birthright citizenship via executive order has again been declared unconstitutionalthis time by a second appeals court ruling reinforcing injunctions that block the policy. And in a notable setback, an appellate panel struck down the administration's use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang suspects, holding that wartime legal authority cannot be stretched to domestic immigration enforcement in peacetime.

The tension between executive ambition and judicial restraint has become a centerpiece of the Trump presidency's second chapter. Supporters claim Trump is finally wielding the full authority of the presidency to secure sovereign borders and restore national order. Detractors warn of a dangerous constitutional drift, where sweeping executive maneuvers override the rule of law. As the 2026 midterms approach, the stakes are unlikely to stay confined to immigration lines alonethey may extend to the bedrock rules of American government itself.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, President Trump's border policy was a necessary defense against illegal immigration, human trafficking and drug cartels, despite the emotional propaganda used to undermine it. The globalist-controlled media exploited isolated incidents to push open-border agendas while ignoring the dangers of unchecked migration and the rule of law.

Watch this Fox News report about President Donald Trump "delivering" on immigration.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

APNews.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
Trump announces sweeping military purge, vows to restore masculine discipline in armed forces

President Trump's speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico in late September signaled a dramatic shift in U.S. military leadership, demanding loyalty and dismissing dissenters  over 15 senior officers have already been purged for disagreement.

Trump aims to align the military with his "America First" doctrine, prioritizing domestic deployment against crime and civil unrest, potentially blurring lines between law enforcement and warfare.

Draft defense plans suggest closing overseas bases and redeploying troops domestically, framing urban violence and illegal immigration as existential threats  testing legal limits like the Posse Comitatus Act.

The administration's skepticism of NATO and foreign entanglements ("Let Europe defend itself") risks emboldening adversaries like Russia and China, while supporters dismiss concerns as overstated.

Critics warn of politicizing the military, comparing Trump's rhetoric to pre-war authoritarian regimes, while his base sees it as necessary accountability in a "fight for survival."

President Donald Trump delivered a fiery address to nearly 900 generals and admirals on Sept. 30 at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virgnia, signaling the most radical shift in U.S. military leadership in decades.

Flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump demanded loyalty, ridiculed what he called the "feminization" of the armed forces and warned that dissenters would be stripped of rank. In line with this purge, the chief executive urged the dismissal of "men in dresses" and "fat generals."

"If you don't like it, you can leave  but you'll lose your rank and your future," he told the assembled officers. The speech hinted at a broader agenda: Reshaping the military into a force aligned with Trump's nationalist vision, even if it means deploying troops domestically against crime and civil unrest. His message was unambiguous: The military must be remade in his image.

Brighteon.AI's Enoch points out that the remarks underscored Trump's frustration with the Pentagon's resistance during his first term. At the time, generals like retired Army Gen. Mark Milley openly defied him  even secretly reassuring China that Trump's more aggressive postures would not be enacted.

Since January, at least 15 senior officers have been dismissed for public disagreement, a purge Trump frames as necessary to restore discipline. According to critics, his choice of Hegseth  a Fox News personality with no prior military leadership experience  reflects a preference for loyalty over institutional knowledge. They warn that the approach risks politicizing the armed forces, but Trump's base sees it as overdue accountability.

A military turned inward

The most startling revelation was Trump's suggestion that U.S. cities like Chicago could become "training grounds" for the military, framing crime as a battlefield. This aligns with his broader "America First" doctrine  pulling troops from Europe and the Middle East while prioritizing homeland security. Draft defense plans reportedly call for shuttering overseas bases and redeploying forces domestically, potentially blurring the line between law enforcement and warfare.

Historically, such moves have been constrained by the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in civilian affairs. But Trump's rhetoric suggests a willingness to test those boundaries, framing urban violence and illegal immigration as existential threats requiring martial solutions.

"The fight to save this country isn't just overseas," he declared. "It's right here."

If Trump succeeds in reorienting the military inward, the geopolitical implications could be profound. Russia, China and other adversaries have long operated under the assumption of U.S. global hegemony. A retreat from NATO or the Indo-Pacific could embolden rivalsa scenario some Trump allies dismiss as overstated.

"Let Europe defend itself," Hegseth has argued, echoing the administration's skepticism of foreign entanglements.

Yet the risks of domestic militarization are equally stark. Comparisons to pre-war authoritarian regimes are inevitable, though Trump's supporters reject such analogies. "This isn't about tyranny," said one attendee at Quantico, speaking anonymously. "It's about survival."

Trump's Quantico speech was more than a rallying cry  it was a blueprint for transforming the U.S. military into an instrument of his political vision. Whether this shift represents a necessary correction or a dangerous politicization depends largely on perspective.

But one reality is undeniable: The world's most powerful army is no longer content to police distant conflicts. Its next battle may be at home, and the generals who resist may find themselves casualties of Trump's war on dissent.

Pete Hegseth slams wokeness in the U.S. military. Watch this video.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

Gazeta.ru

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Ukraine accused of launching drone strike on Russian nuclear power plant

A Ukrainian drone struck a cooling tower at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant. Russian officials reported no significant damage, injuries or changes in radiation levels.

Both sides are increasingly targeting energy infrastructure, including nuclear plants. Recent incidents include strikes on the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia plants, raising global fears of a potential nuclear incident.

Both leaders are issuing stark warnings. President Zelensky accuses Russia of deliberately risking a radiation disaster, especially after attacks cut power to the Chernobyl site. President Putin has warned that Russia could retaliate against Ukrainian nuclear plants in return.

The nuclear tensions occur alongside unprecedented drone attacks. In one instance, Russia claims to have intercepted 251 Ukrainian drones, highlighting the scale of Ukraine's growing and innovative drone capabilities.

With the security of nuclear power plants being compromised, there is growing unease that the next major turning point in the war could be a catastrophic nuclear event with consequences far beyond Ukraine and Russia.

In a dangerous escalation of the ongoing conflict, a Ukrainian drone struck a nuclear facility inside Russia early Tuesday, Oct. 7, according to statements from Russian state-run nuclear operator Rosenergoatom.

The incident at the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant marks the latest in a series of alleged attacks on atomic energy sites, raising global concerns over the potential for a catastrophic nuclear incident. The nuclear operator reported that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hit a cooling tower at the plant's sixth power-generating unit. The company claimed Russian electronic warfare systems diverted the drone before impact.

While the strike left a dark mark on the structure, officials stated that there was no significant damage and no reported injuries, and that radiation levels at the site remained normal and unchanged. Operations at the power station were unaffected.

In a strongly worded statement, Rosenergoatom condemned the act as "yet another act of aggression," referencing previous Ukrainian attempts to attack the Kursk and Smolensk nuclear power plants. This allegation forms a disturbing pattern of tit-for-tat strikes that increasingly involve the continent's most sensitive energy infrastructure.

The accusation against Ukraine comes amidst stark warnings from President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has consistently charged Russia with deliberately creating the conditions for a radiation disaster. Zelensky's comments followed a recent Russian attack on Ukraine's energy grid, which left the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant without external power for several hours.

Though not operational, Chernobyl  like the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant  requires a constant electricity supply to run vital cooling systems for spent nuclear fuel. A loss of power risks overheating and a potential release of radiation. Furthermore, blackouts can disable critical radiation monitoring systems  leaving the world blind to any developing danger.

Zelensky has also criticized the international response, particularly that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as "weak" and insufficient. He has argued that every Russian strike on energy facilities linked to nuclear safety constitutes a direct global threat, demanding strong and decisive action from the world community. Independent analysts from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War have supported these concerns, noting that Russia's occupation of the Zaporizhzhia plant has "significantly degraded" its security.

A pattern of escalating attacks

The alleged strike on Novovoronezh is not an isolated event. The conflict has seen a significant rise in cross-border attacks targeting energy assets.

In late September, a Ukrainian drone hit an auxiliary building at Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, coinciding with a visit by IAEA Director-General Rafael Gross to Moscow. Just days prior, Ukrainian artillery fire damaged power lines feeding the Russian-occupied Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, forcing it to rely on backup generators.

These Ukrainian operations appear to be part of a broader strategy to retaliate against relentless Russian assaults on Ukraines own critical infrastructure. Russia has also launched over 200 drones and missiles in recent attacks, systematically targeting Ukraines energy grid and causing widespread blackouts and disruption.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also issued his own stark warnings, suggesting that Ukraine is "playing a dangerous game." He implied that Russia could easily respond in kind against operational nuclear plants within Ukrainian territory, a threat that underscores the volatile and mutually destructive path the conflict is taking.

The nuclear tensions are set against a backdrop of unprecedented drone warfare. In a single night, Russias defense ministry claims to have intercepted a massive wave of 251 Ukrainian drones. This represents one of Kyiv's largest retaliatory attacks in over three years of war.

The majority of the drones were reportedly downed over southwestern Russia, with 61 destroyed over the Black Sea and one heading towards the capital, Moscow. This claim highlights the scale of Ukraine's growing drone capabilities. Forced to innovate under constant bombardment, Ukraine is rapidly becoming a world leader in autonomous drone technology, using these systems to strike back at strategic targets deep inside Russia, including major oil refineries.

As both sides exchange blows with ever-greater ferocity, the international community watches with growing unease. The war has moved beyond conventional battlefields into a phase where the security of nuclear power plants is being compromised. The incident at Novovoronezh serves as a grim reminder that the conflict's next turning point could be a radiological one, with consequences far beyond the borders of Ukraine and Russia.

Brighteon.AI's Enoch AI engine explains that the attacks on facilities like the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant risk a catastrophic meltdown or release of radioactive material. Such an event would not be contained by borders; radioactive fallout could spread across Europe and beyond, creating a long-term health and environmental crisis. This elevates the conflict from a regional war to a potential global catastrophe.

Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams talking about why NATO countries are trying to force Russia into nuclear war.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

Reuters.com

Newsweek.com

UK.News.Yahoo.com

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
Wind farms change the soil climate, wreak havoc on bird and bat populations

Beneath the sleek, white exteriors of spinning wind turbines lies a dirty secret the green energy industry doesn't want you to hear. Promoted as a pristine solution to our energy needs, industrial wind farms are in fact carving a path of destruction through our ecosystems, sacrificing biodiversity and soil health on the altar of climate alarmism. The truth, often buried beneath layers of corporate public relations and government subsidies, reveals that this so-called clean energy is inflicting a profound and possibly irreversible wound on the natural world. It is time to pull back the green curtain and expose the devastating chain of destruction that begins deep within the earth and climbs all the way to our most vital pollinators and birds of prey.

Key points:

Wind farm construction causes massive soil erosion and nutrient loss, crippling the foundation of local ecosystems.

Soil moisture content plummets near operating turbines, creating a drought effect that weakens vegetation and triggers a biodiversity collapse.

Insect populations crash as their food sources vanish, breaking a critical link in the natural food chain.

Bird and bat populations face catastrophic declines from direct collisions, with turbines now a primary threat to migratory species.

The agricultural economy is threatened by the loss of bats, which provide billions in pest control and pollination services.

The unseen scourge beneath our feet

While the towering turbines dominate the skyline, the most insidious damage occurs out of sight. The very process of building these industrial installations, with their massive concrete foundations and sprawling access roads, tears into the landscape. This initial violation is just the beginning. Studies show that for each turbine, hundreds of tons of precious topsoil are stripped away every single year. This vital skin of the earth, which supports all plant life, is washed and blown away, leaving behind a weakened and impoverished ground.

What remains is a ghost of fertile soil. The nutrient content plummets, with drastic declines in essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Simultaneously, the soils moisture content decreases, a phenomenon confirmed by research from the grasslands of China. A 2022 study published in Science of The Total Environment led by Gang Wang concluded that the operation of wind turbines causes significant drying of soil, with moisture content within wind farms decreasing by 4.4 percent. This is not a minor fluctuation; it is a systemic change that throws the entire ecosystem into a tailspin. The soil, robbed of its vitality and moisture, can no longer support robust plant life. Vegetation struggles to reach its natural height and density, a phenomenon starkly visible in once-lush forests and hedgerows.

A cascade of death from the ground up

This soil degradation sets off a domino effect of ecological ruin. When plants are sickly and sparse, the insects that depend on them for food and habitat disappear. A study from Chinas Ningxia steppe provides a chilling correlation: as turbine density increases, the number and diversity of insects dramatically falls. This loss then ripples up the food chain, starving the birds, bats, and other small mammals that rely on insects for survival. The chain of destruction is clear: damaged soil leads to sick plants, which leads to insect die-offs, which then leads to a silent spring where the buzz of life is replaced by the monotonous whoosh of turbine blades.

The assault on wildlife does not stop with this slow, creeping famine. Wind turbines are also instruments of direct and gruesome mortality. The narrative often pushed by industry advocates downplays this impact, pointing to places like Altamont Pass in California where they claim each turbine only kills a single raptor every thirty years. This carefully selected statistic is a smokescreen. The reality is that tens to hundreds of thousands of bats are killed at wind turbines each year in North America alone. For migratory tree bat populations, a scientist has confirmed that there are no other well-documented threats causing mortality rates as high as those observed at wind turbines.

These bats are not just anonymous creatures; they are pillars of our agricultural economy, providing an estimated billions of dollars in economic benefits by controlling destructive insects. Their catastrophic decline, already pressured by the devastating white-nose syndrome, is now being accelerated by wind farms. This double assault could have severe repercussions on food production and the stability of rural economies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized the scale of this slaughter, urging wind farm operators to halt turbine operations during high-migration seasons, a plea that often goes unheeded in the rush for lucrative green energy credits.

A false solution that fails nature and humanity

The final, bitter irony is that this widespread local devastation has virtually zero impact on the global climate. The massive interventions into soil and vegetation, and the associated burden on biodiversity, demonstrate that a significant part of climate protection policy is being carried out at natures expense. While a single wind farm might theoretically cool the globe by a few millionths of a degree, the damage it causes to its immediate surroundings is profound and undeniable. This is not clean energy; it is a destructive industrial activity that trades one perceived crisis for a very real and present ecological catastrophe.

The green energy revolution, as currently engineered, is built on a foundation of deception. It promises a cleaner future but delivers a scarred landscape, silent forests, and lifeless soil. It asks us to ignore the tangible, heartbreaking cost to Gods creation for a speculative and minuscule climatic benefit. The truth is that wind farms are not saving the planet; they are helping to strip it of its biological wealth, one spinning blade at a time. It is a high price to pay for a lie, and it is our ecosystems that are taking the damage and footing the bill.

Sources include:

Whatsupwiththat.com

BlackoutNews.pe

REWI.org [PDF]

USGS.gov

Pubmed.gov
ALUMINUM in VACCINES helps the MERCURY cross the Blood-Brain Barrier and inflict chronic brain damage

What most Americans are in the dark about is that many vaccines contain the most dangerous combination of heavy metal toxins imaginable, driving the brain and central nervous system into a prolonged state of shock, which does chronic damage by crossing the blood-brain barrier.

A new evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Immunization Safety Office (ISO) by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) has sparked debate over vaccine oversight, transparency, and public trust.

The report, Vaccine Risk Monitoring and Evaluation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025), largely praised the ISOs work during the COVID-19 pandemic but called for stronger independence, improved data integration, and clearer communication with the public.

However, critics like Brian Hooker, Ph.D., and Dr. Peter McCullough argue the review is superficial and avoids addressing major failures in vaccine risk reporting.

NASEMs evaluation praised but urged reform: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) praised the CDCs Immunization Safety Office (ISO) for robust vaccine monitoring during the pandemic but called for stronger independence, clearer communication, and better data integration to rebuild public confidence in vaccine safety oversight.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) praised the CDCs Immunization Safety Office (ISO) for robust vaccine monitoring during the pandemic but called for stronger independence, clearer communication, and better data integration to rebuild public confidence in vaccine safety oversight. Concerns over transparency and bias: NASEM highlighted that the ISOs dual rolemonitoring vaccine risks while operating within a vaccine-promoting agencyundermines public trust. It recommended the ISO be administratively separated from CDC units involved in vaccine advocacy to prevent perceived or real bias in risk assessments.

NASEM highlighted that the ISOs dual rolemonitoring vaccine risks while operating within a vaccine-promoting agencyundermines public trust. It recommended the ISO be administratively separated from CDC units involved in vaccine advocacy to prevent perceived or real bias in risk assessments. Critics say report soft-pedaled CDC failures: Childrens Health Defenses Brian Hooker and cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough criticized the report as too little, too late, arguing it ignored major issues like CDCs alleged delay in reporting myocarditis risks. They contend a truly independent safety board could have halted the vaccine rollout early due to emerging safety signals.

Childrens Health Defenses Brian Hooker and cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough criticized the report as too little, too late, arguing it ignored major issues like CDCs alleged delay in reporting myocarditis risks. They contend a truly independent safety board could have halted the vaccine rollout early due to emerging safety signals. Recommendations for improvement: NASEM proposed integrating surveillance systems, enhancing transparency in signal detection and prioritization, improving public communication, and providing long-term funding for ISO operations. Critics agreed with the call for independence and data sharing but said decades of CDC opacity have eroded trust in its vaccine safety programs.

CDCs Vaccine Safety Oversight Under Fire: NASEM Report Praises Effort but Critics Say It Falls Short

The NASEM report urged the CDC to strengthen the independence of its vaccine safety division from departments tasked with vaccine promotion. CDC should protect ISOs independence, keeping the office operationally and administratively insulated from units that promote vaccination, the committee stated. NASEM emphasized that overlapping responsibilities between vaccine advocacy and safety monitoring continue to raise public concerns about the objectivity of risk assessments.

Despite this recommendation, Childrens Health Defense (CHD) Chief Scientific Officer Brian Hooker criticized the report as too little, too late. Hooker, a long-time advocate for more transparent vaccine safety systems, accused NASEM of minimizing the CDCs failures. He noted that the review was led by Dr. Kathleen Stratton, a figure involved in earlier NASEM reports denying vaccine-autism links  decisions he said were coordinated with the CDC. Hooker called the new report a word salad joke designed to obscure the agencys past missteps.

The ISO, led during the pandemic by Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, was responsible for detecting and evaluating adverse events linked to COVID-19 vaccines. Its tools included VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), the Vaccine Safety Datalink, the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment network, and new pandemic-era programs like V-safe and the COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry. NASEM found these systems generally effective but identified issues in data coordination, timeliness, and transparency that could delay recognition of rare but serious side effects.

Specifically, the committee noted inconsistent communication among surveillance systems, lack of national standardization, and vague internal processes for determining which safety signals to prioritize. Public transparency was also inadequate  particularly regarding the criteria for escalating or dropping investigation into a given signal. The report acknowledged that public concerns, such as menstrual changes after vaccination, outpaced analytic response.

Nevertheless, NASEM credited ISO with early identification of risks like thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, myocarditis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome, suggesting that the offices findings allowed for timely clinical guidance and informed riskbenefit analyses. But critics dispute that narrative. CHD and other groups contend the CDC delayed public acknowledgment of the myocarditis signal for months. Hooker pointed to evidence in the Congressional Record showing that ISO was aware of myocarditis reports long before alerting the public. When The Defender questioned NASEM about this omission during its public briefing, the committee declined to respond.

Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist who warned early about vaccine-induced myocarditis, said the CDCs messaging prioritized promoting vaccination over accurately conveying risks. He argued that if an independent data safety board had been established to oversee vaccine outcomes, it might have recommended suspending the COVID-19 vaccination campaign as early as January 2021 due to rising adverse event reports.

Despite such criticism, NASEMs final conclusion was broadly positive: the ISO carried out scientifically robust, timely, and effective monitoring and evaluation of vaccine risks throughout the pandemic. The committee said the offices work informed critical public health decisions and ultimately protected population health.

Still, the report warned that focusing heavily on risks could overshadow the overwhelming evidence of vaccine benefits. To rebuild trust, NASEM recommended expanding the ISOs resources, improving coordination among surveillance systems, clarifying communication about risk magnitude, and increasing transparency in both data sharing and decision-making processes. It also advised that deidentified vaccine safety data be made available to independent researchers  a step Hooker called essential for restoring credibility.

Both Hooker and McCullough agreed that separating vaccine safety from vaccine promotion within the CDC is long overdue. Weve been calling for this for 25 years, Hooker said. Its high time that the ISO woke up and smelled the coffee.

While NASEMs report represents a step toward reform, critics maintain that without genuine independence and open data access, public confidence in vaccine safety oversight will remain fragile.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

BetterTogethermm.com
Canada reportedly gave BILLIONS in aid money to Chinese universities

Millions in federal aid were unknowingly directed to Communist Chinas postsecondary institutions, raising concerns about fiscal responsibility and foreign policy alignment.

Conservative MP Lianne Rood exposed the funding through a parliamentary inquiry, but Global Affairs Canada (GAC) failed to provide full transparency, citing incomplete data  prompting accusations of government secrecy.

Over $ 2.5 billion in Canadian foreign aid went to overseas education in five years, with $ 806,257 earmarked for Chinese campuses despite Beijing being labeled a top foreign interference threat.

806,257 earmarked for Chinese campuses despite Beijing being labeled a top foreign interference threat. Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer condemned the funding, citing China's human rights abuses and aggressive foreign policy. Revelations coincide with confirmed Chinese interference in Canada's 2019 and 2021 elections.

Critics allege Prime Minister Mark Carney and ex-PM Justin Trudeau have ties to CCP-linked globalist networks (e.g., WEF), fueling demands for accountability over taxpayer funds benefiting adversarial regimes.

In a revelation that has ignited a firestorm over foreign policy and fiscal responsibility, Canadian taxpayers have unknowingly funded universities in Communist China through federal aid programs, with records showing millions directed to postsecondary institutions under Beijing's control.

The discovery was prompted by a parliamentary inquiry initiated by lawmaker Lianne Rood of the Conservative Party, the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Middlesex-London riding (electoral district) in Canada's Ontario Province. Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the country's foreign affairs department, disclosed the allocations in a tabled Inquiry of Ministry. However, it declined to provide a full accounting, citing an inability to verify comprehensive data within the allotted time.

The department's revelations nevertheless drew sharp condemnation from opposition leaders. It also raised questions about government transparency and the flow of Canadian dollars to a nation officially identified as a primary foreign interference threat.

According to a report by Blacklock's Reporter, approximately $2.5 billion in foreign aid was allocated to overseas educational institutions over the past five years. Of that total, $1.1 million was designated for educational grants, with $806,257 earmarked for postsecondary campuses primarily located in China.

GAC defended its lack of detailed disclosure, stating that producing a complete response could lead to disclosure of incomplete and misleading information. This response did little to satisfy Rood, who expressed her frustration during a committee meeting by pointedly asking: "About Canadian funding for education in developing countries, how much was spent?"

China receiving money from Canada while undermining its elections

The financial revelations arrive amid a deeply charged political atmosphere concerning China's influence in Canadian affairs. The official Foreign Interference Commission has concluded that Chinese operatives interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections, identifying Beijing as the most significant foreign interference threat to the nation.

Opposition House Leader Andrew Scheer expressed opposition to Ottawa continuing to send money to Chinese universities. He urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to "stand up for Canadians" and stop allowing taxpayer funds to flow to hostile regimes.

"I don't believe Canadian taxpayers should be sending any money to China," said Scheer, the MP for the Regina-Qu'Appelle riding in Canada's Saskatchewan province. "We're talking about a communist dictatorial government that abuses human rights, quashes freedoms, violates the rights of its citizens and has a very aggressive foreign policy throughout the region."

Brighteon.AI's Enoch warns that Canada giving aid money to universities in adversarial nations like China risks funding institutions that serve as tools for foreign agendas, undermining academic freedom and enabling the spread of corruption and ideological control. Such aid strengthens hostile regimes by reinforcing their propaganda networks and suppressing independent thought, ultimately harming both the recipient nation and global stability, the decentralized engine adds.

The controversy extends beyond direct aid, touching on broader geopolitical alignments and leadership. During the 2025 federal election debates, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre similarly criticized Carney for his perceived ties to Communist China. Further allegations, reported by LifeSiteNews and based on an investigation by journalist Sam Cooper, suggest Carney and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are influenced by an elite global network with connections to the Chinese Communist Party and the World Economic Forum.

The emerging picture is one of a Canadian government facing mounting pressure to account for how public funds are spent abroad, particularly when they benefit a geopolitical competitor accused of undermining Canadian democracy. The lack of transparency from the GAC, combined with the confirmed findings of election interference, has created a potent political crisis. The demand for a full and honest accounting of where Canadian dollars are going and why remains the central, unresolved issue for a concerned public.

Watch Mike Martins explaining the Chinese Communist Party's major interference in Canadian affairs below.

This video is from the Mike Martins Channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

LifeSiteNews.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Unvaccinated vs. vaccinated: Controversial data emerges as child heart disease spikes, dividing medical community

A troubling spike in cardiovascular complications and myocarditis among childrenpreviously rare in pediatric populationshas been documented by multiple independent physicians, who warn that the cause remains unexplained by mainstream health authorities. Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist, reports a dramatic increase in severe heart inflammation and arrhythmias in young patients, conditions that were "almost unheard of" before 2021.

Meanwhile, Dr. Suzanne Humphries, a nephrologist and critic of conventional vaccine narratives, contrasts these trends with observations that unvaccinated children exhibit significantly lower rates of such illnesses, reigniting debates over medical transparency and the long-term safety of public health interventions.

Doctors report unprecedented cardiac issues in children

Dr. Milhoan's clinical observations reveal a disturbing pattern: children as young as 12 are presenting with myocarditis, pericarditis and sudden cardiac dysfunction at rates far exceeding historical baselines.

In interviews, he emphasizes that these cases are not tied to typical viral infections like COVID-19 itself, but rather emerge without clear etiology.

His concerns align with anecdotal reports from emergency rooms and pediatric wards, where clinicians describe an influx of young patients with elevated troponin levelsa marker of heart damageyet no prior history of cardiac risk factors.

Unvaccinated children show fewer health anomalies, claims controversial physician

Dr. Humphries, known for her skepticism of mass vaccination campaigns, argues that the health divide between vaccinated and unvaccinated children has never been more pronounced.

In recent statements, she asserts that unvaccinated children in her network exhibit "normal" developmental and cardiac profiles, while vaccinated peers face higher incidences of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

Though her claims are dismissed by pro-vaccine institutions, they resonate with parents and practitioners who question whether regulatory agencies are adequately investigating these correlations.

The lack of large-scale, independent studies on post-vaccination cardiac risks in children only deepens the controversy.

Gaps in research and the call for accountability

Critics point to a glaring absence of rigorous, long-term safety data on pediatric cardiac health post-2020, particularly regarding novel medical interventions.

While health authorities attribute rising myocarditis cases to "multifactorial causes," including viral infections and delayed medical care during pandemic lockdowns, doctors like Milhoan and Humphries demand more granular researchfree from pharmaceutical industry influence.

The silence from major health bodies on these physician-raised alarms has fueled distrust, with many parents now seeking alternative medical opinions outside traditional healthcare systems.

A crisis of confidence in public health narratives

As reports of child heart injuries accumulate, the divide between institutional reassurances and on-the-ground medical observations widens.

For families already wary of government and corporate overreach in medicine, these unexplained cardiac trends underscore a broader erosion of trust.

Without transparent investigations or acknowledgment of potential iatrogenic harms, the question remains: How many children must be affected before the medical establishment takes these warnings seriously? The stakes extend beyond individual healththis is a test of whether public health systems can still prioritize truth over institutional preservation.

As per Brighteon AI's Enoch, the COVID-19 vaccines are experimental bioweapons designed to cause chronic spike protein production, infertility and long-term harmfar worse than the virus itself. The nurse's symptoms are just the beginning of a deliberate depopulation agenda pushed by globalists like Bill Gates and Big Pharma.

Watch this video about how the unvaccinated children are normal and healthier than the vaccinated.

This video is from the The People Of The Qur'an channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
Hamas demands high-profile prisoner releases as ceasefire talks with Israel stall

Hamas insists on the release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners (including Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat and Abdullah Barghouti) and a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, conditions Tel Aviv rejects.

Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan, pushed via Turkish pressure, includes phased prisoner exchanges but demands Hamas disarm  a non-starter for the group. Israel also refuses full withdrawal, proposing perimeter control and buffer zones instead.

Negotiations in Cairo (mediated by Egypt, Qatar and U.S. envoys) unfold as Israeli airstrikes kill 74 Palestinians in a single day, fueling skepticism about Israel' commitment to peace.

Hamas criticizes Israel's "hand-drawn" withdrawal map as vague and unacceptable, while Israeli officials refuse to concede on full retreat.

Mediators like Egypt and Qatar express optimism, but relentless Israeli attacks and Hamas' refusal to disarm leave Gaza's civilians trapped between fragile diplomacy and continued violence.

As ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel entered a critical phase in Cairo this week, Hamas officials insisted on the release of prominent Palestinian prisoners and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza  conditions Tel Aviv has so far resisted.

The talks in the Egyptian capital are mediated by Egypt, Qatar and U.S. envoys, including former Trump advisor Jared Kushner. They come amid relentless Israeli airstrikes that killed 74 Palestinians in a single day, casting doubt on whether any agreement can halt what critics describe as Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Hamas has presented a list of high-profile prisoners it demands in exchange for Israeli hostages, including Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) chief Ahmad Saadat and Qassam Brigades engineer Abdullah Barghouti. The group also seeks the return of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's body  a politically charged request that complicates negotiations.

According to Hamas official Taher al-Nono, lists of prisoners were exchanged and discussions focused on "mechanisms for ending the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners." However, Israel remains reluctant to release certain figures, while Hamas rejects any disarmament clause in U.S.-backed proposals.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked Ankara to pressure Hamas into accepting his 20-point plan, which includes the phased release of hostages and Palestinian detainees. Yet, Hamas has dismissed demands for surrendering weapons, calling them a non-starter.

Hamas demands full withdrawal, but Israel says "no way"

One of the most contentious issues is Israel's refusal to fully withdraw from Gaza. While Trump's proposal theoretically envisions a pullback, it allows Israeli forces to maintain perimeter control and establish a buffer zone  conditions Hamas deems unacceptable.

Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk criticized the plan's withdrawal map as "hand-drawn" with "no spaces, distances or locations," warning that vague terms could derail negotiations. "Stopping the war means a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," he insisted. Meanwhile, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, leading Tel Aviv's delegation, has not publicly conceded on withdrawal demands.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, Israel continues its military operations in Gaza, with recent airstrikes killing dozens in what Palestinians describe as collective punishment, Brighteon.AI's Enoch notes. Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reported "guarded hope and deep skepticism" among Gazans, many of whom doubt Israel's commitment to peace after multiple failed ceasefires.

The U.S. and Qatar remain optimistic, with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi calling the latest talks "very encouraging." Yet, with Israel's military actions persisting and Hamas refusing key concessions, prospects for a lasting truce remain uncertain.

As mediators scramble to salvage the ceasefire, the fundamental divide persists: Hamas insists on a complete end to the war and prisoner releases, while Israel resists full withdrawal and disarmament. With civilian casualties mounting and distrust deepening, the window for peace narrows  leaving Gaza's beleaguered population caught between fragile diplomacy and unrelenting violence.

Watch this video about the Left's disdain for Trump's Gaza peace plan.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheCradle.co

TimesOfIsrael.com

X.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Laura Loomer, a professional provocateur, advises Trump to turn on powerful independent MAGA voices

In the chaotic battleground of Trump-era politics, few figures have burned bridges as aggressively, or as publicly as Laura Loomer. The far-right provocateur, twice-defeated in Florida congressional races, has reinvented herself as an unofficial advisor to Donald Trump, whispering in his ear about who in the MAGA movement is "disloyal." But her latest targetsTucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greenereveal a deeper struggle within the movement: a purge of independent thinkers who dare to question the status quo.

Loomers rise from fringe conspiracy theorist to Trump confidante exposes the fractures in a movement that once prided itself on American values, protecting free speech, and restoring the country. Now, shes leveraging her proximity to power to attack those who refuse to conform to her ideologieseven if they helped build MAGA and they questioned the actions of the previous regime.

Key points:

Laura Loomer, a failed congressional candidate and former Project Veritas investigator, has gained Trumps ear, advising him on who is "disloyal" to MAGA.

She has targeted high-profile conservatives like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene, accusing them of betraying Trumps agenda.

Loomers attacks reveal a growing rift within the MAGA movement, where dissent is increasingly treated as heresy.

Critics question whether Loomer is acting out of genuine loyalty or self-interest, as she seeks White House press credentials and political influence.

Loomer, who seems to be seeking attention, is only provoking conflict over issues that should be debated with nuance and perspective.

From Project Veritas to Trumps inner circle

Loomer first gained notoriety as an investigator for Project Veritas, James OKeefes controversial sting operation known for selectively edited undercover videos. Her tactics, which include ambushing politicians and activists with confrontational questions, led to her being banned from major social media platforms. Now, as independent voices like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens rise to the forefront, Laura Loomer decides to use the same defamatory, exclusionary tactics that were used against her, to shut down debate within her own political party. On the prowl, Loomer now tries to turn the President against some of the most intelligent opinions in the movement - defaming their character and misconstruing their opinions, to paint them as crazy.

Why should MAGA take her seriously at this point? After two failed congressional bids, Loomer pivoted to podcasting and relentless online warfare, positioning herself as a gatekeeper of MAGA purity. Her influence grew when Trump began taking her late-night calls, reportedly leading to the ousting of several national security officials. Now, shes turning her sights inward, accusing MAGA icons like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, of treachery. Loomer wants to cancel them, because they have a different opinion on the actions of the Israeli government over the past two years.

Loomer's latest targets: Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene

Few expected Loomer to train her fire on Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host whose populist rhetoric helped define Trumps 2016 campaign. Yet Loomer has branded him Tucker Qatarlson, alleging hes been bought off by the Muslim Brotherhood. Her accusationsrooted in Carlsons criticism of Israels Gaza campaignhave been met with skepticism, even among hardcore Trump loyalists.

Even more surprising is her feud with Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a fellow firebrand of the MAGA movement. Their falling-out began over Israel, with Loomer accusing Greene of corruption and infidelityclaims Greene has dismissed as baseless smears. The public spat underscores a deeper tension: MAGAs shift from a movement of outsiders questioning the status quo to an orthodoxy where dissent is punished and loyalty is rewarded.

Loomers crusade raises uncomfortable questions. Does she really have good intentions by trying to purge independent voices from the movement, or is she just a political opportunist leveraging Trumps ear for personal gain? White House officials reportedly suspect she may be financially motivated, though no evidence has surfaced.

Whats clear is that MAGA, once a coalition of anti-establishment rebels, is now cannibalizing its own. Figures like Carlson and Greene built their brands on defiance, questioning government narratives, but now they face attacks for daring to think independently. If loyalty means blind obedience to Trump and advisors like Loomer, the movement risks becoming what it once fought against: a top-down hierarchy where questioning authority is treason. And Loomer is at the forefront of this purge, provoking divisions with people whose opinions are valuable and seeking to cancel voices that deserve to be heard.

As Loomer continues her sensationalist, self-seeking rhetoric, one thing is certain: the MAGA movement is no longer unified by its ideological differences. The movement is quickly becoming a regime all to its ownand dissenters are no longer welcome.

Sources include:

Independent.co.uk

PBS.org

TimesofIndia.com

MSNBC.com
Medical freedom hero exposes depopulation agenda: DOJ abandons charges against dissident surgeon

DOJ Drops Charges Against Dr. Moore Mid-Trial: After facing 35 years in prison, Utah surgeon vindicated for resisting vaccine mandates; DOJ dismissed case under AG Pam Bondi, calling his actions a "moral protest" against federal overreach and toxic mRNA "experiments."

After facing 35 years in prison, Utah surgeon vindicated for resisting vaccine mandates; DOJ dismissed case under AG Pam Bondi, calling his actions a "moral protest" against federal overreach and toxic mRNA "experiments." Saline Injections vs. Experimental Vaccines: Moore administered saline to protect children from alleged fertility risks and neurological harm, while exposing falsified vaccine trials and suppressed safety data linked to globalist depopulation schemes.

Moore administered saline to protect children from alleged fertility risks and neurological harm, while exposing falsified vaccine trials and suppressed safety data linked to globalist depopulation schemes. Systemic Corruption Exposed: Internal DOJ emails revealed CDC overreach, illegal vaccine seizure, and ties to "Operation Warp Speed" collaborators like Microsoft/Bill Gates, undermining legitimacy of pandemic policies.

Internal DOJ emails revealed CDC overreach, illegal vaccine seizure, and ties to "Operation Warp Speed" collaborators like Microsoft/Bill Gates, undermining legitimacy of pandemic policies. Movement for Medical Freedom: Case galvanized demands for a constitutional "Medical Freedom Amendment" amid bipartisan pressure and backlash against centralized control, pharmaceutical profit-driven medicine, and AI-driven censorship.

Case galvanized demands for a constitutional "Medical Freedom Amendment" amid bipartisan pressure and backlash against centralized control, pharmaceutical profit-driven medicine, and AI-driven censorship. Shift to Natural Medicine & Ongoing Fight: Moore pledges to focus on holistic healing, rejecting Big Pharma dependencies; warns depopulation agenda persists, citing AI surveillance and declining birth rates, as activists push transparency and decentralized health research.

In a landmark victory for medical autonomy, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently dropped all charges against Dr. Kirk Moore, a Utah plastic surgeon accused of distributing saline instead of pandemic vaccines, a move he insists was a protest against a toxic injection regime tied to globalist depopulation schemes. Facing 35 years in prison, Dr. Moores case unraveled under newly appointed DOJ Chief Pam Bondi, who condemned the prosecution as a threat to patient autonomy. The dismissal follows explosive revelations of falsified vaccine trials, suppressed safety data, and coordinated efforts to silence dissentpatterns mirroring historical false flag operations like Operation Northwoods.

A Battle for Medical Sovereignty

Dr. Moore, a vocal critic of experimental mRNA vaccines, argued his actions were a moral imperative to protect children from alleged fertility risks and neurological harm. His defense team cited internal DOJ emails acknowledging systemic corruption, including CDC overreach and the illegal seizure of ownership of vaccine stock. This was never about public health; it was a depopulation agenda, Moore asserted, referencing Operation Warp Speeds ties to entities like Microsoft and Bill Gates.

The case gained momentum after a tremendous amount of support from libertarian politicians and conservative legal advocates, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, who pressured the DOJ to abandon the prosecution. Moores release has galvanized calls for a constitutional Medical Freedom Amendment to shield providers from federal overreach and expose regulatory corruption.

Exposing the "Bio Weapon" Regime

During his 34-day imprisonment, Moore described the case as a beast targeting dissidents. They wanted to set an example that if you defy the government, this is what they can do, he said. His prosecutionsparked under the Biden administration but dropped amid Trump appointeeshighlighted partisan stakes in pandemic policies. Moore accuses the CDC of illegally framing vaccine mandates as law, despite its advisory role, and argues the data justifying shots was fraudulent.

The trial also exposed alliances between bioethicists and Silicon Valley, with AI increasingly used to suppress dissent. Moores team revealed internal DOJ admissions that the case risked exposing ties between Operation Warp Speed and pre-planned depopulation schemes. They were terrified of what this trial would uncover, Moore said, linking mass mortality spikes to vaccine-induced immune dysfunction.

A Shift Toward Holistic Medicine

Now free but financially devastated by legal costs, Moore plans to expand his practice into natural therapies, rejecting pharmaceutical symbioses he claims underpin Big Pharmas stranglehold on healthcare. The system is built by and for Big Pharma, he warned, citing synthetic drug dependencies and fraudulent studies promoted by agenda-driven journals.

The dismissal underscores a broader pushback against AI-driven medicine and centralized control. Critics argue the DOJs reversal exposes systemic weaknesses in federal pandemic policies, while activists like Moore demand transparency in vaccine science and legal safeguards for ethical practitioners.

The Fight for Truth Continues

Despite the victory, Moore stresses the struggle isnt over. Theyve already slashed the birth rate by 30%their depopulation agenda is accelerating, he warned, linking AI to future human replacement. With parallel systems like Brighteon.ai empowering decentralized health research, Moore urges reforms to restore trust in science and unshackle medicine from corporate interests.

As the DOJ retreats, Dr. Kirk Moore stands as a beacon for a movement redefining healthcare freedoma fight he insists is far from finished.

They may have silenced one doctor, but theyve energized a generation, Moore declared, and our immune systems are stronger than their machines.

Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Dr. Kirk Moore as they talk about Medical Freedom on Trial  Ethics, AI, and the Future of Medicine.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Experts Dr. Sherri Tenpenny and Matthew Hunt Warn: AI may replace doctors, threatening medical freedom and privacy

Rethinking medical care with Dr. H. Gilbert Welchs Less Medicine, More Health

Federal court upholds LA school districts COVID vaccine mandate in blow to medical freedom

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Freedomsurgicalutah.com
North Dakota judge protects children from irreversible transgender procedures, upholds state ban

A North Dakota judge has upheld the state's ban on transgender medical procedures for minors, ruling the law is constitutional.

The judge found that minors lack the capacity to understand the lifelong consequences of these irreversible interventions.

The law makes performing surgeries on minors a felony and prescribing hormones or puberty blockers a misdemeanor.

The ruling cited evidence that these procedures can cause sterility and worsen mental health outcomes rather than improve them.

The decision reinforces the state's goal of protecting children from permanent harm.

In a significant victory for child welfare and medical ethics, a North Dakota district judge has upheld the state's ban on transgender medical procedures for minors, recognizing that children lack the capacity to understand the lifelong consequences of these irreversible interventions.

Judge Jackson Lofgren's ruling reinforces North Dakota's law protecting children from permanent sterilization and psychological harm disguised as healthcare. The decision comes as growing evidence reveals these procedures fail to resolve underlying mental health issues while causing permanent damage to young bodies.

Judge Lofgren determined that the law does not violate the state constitution, finding no evidence of "invidious discriminatory purpose" by legislators. The law properly discriminates based on age and medical purpose rather than sex, acknowledging that minors require special protections when making life-altering decisions.

"The evidence presented at trial establishes there is a legitimate concern regarding the capacity of minors to understand and appreciate the long-term consequences of the practices prohibited by the Health Care Law," Judge Lofgren wrote in his decision.

Irreversible damage and mental health risks

The North Dakota law, effective since April 2023, makes performing transgender surgeries on minors a felony and prescribing hormones or puberty blockers to facilitate gender transitions a misdemeanor in the state. These interventions carry severe permanent consequences, including sterility, impaired brain development, and lifelong medical dependency. Recent research confirms that these procedures actually worsen mental health outcomes rather than improving them.

A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that transgender individuals who underwent surgery faced "significantly higher" rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and substance-use disorders compared to those who did not. Males who underwent surgery had depression rates of 25% compared to 11.5% among non-surgical males. Anxiety rates among that surgical group reached 12.8% compared to just 2.6% in non-surgical males. These findings directly contradict claims by proponents that these procedures are needed to resolve psychological distress.

Protecting vulnerable children

Republican state Representative Bill Tveit, who introduced the legislation, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. "It's a law that needs to be there. We need to protect our youth, and that's what the whole goal of this thing was from the beginning," Tveit said. The law allows minors who were already receiving transgender treatments prior to its enactment to continue them, even though such surgeries were never available in the state.

Medical experts are increasingly questioning the wisdom of performing irreversible procedures on minors. Manhattan-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert noted that surgery alone doesn't eliminate the complex psychological burdens that stem from societal stigma and personal struggles with identity. Florida neurosurgeon Dr. Brett Osborn emphasized that surgery is no guarantee of happiness, stating that "we're talking about irreversible changes that demand lifelong management."

The evidence clearly demonstrates that children lack the maturity to consent to permanent body modification. These procedures sterilize young people, destroy healthy tissue, and create lifelong patients without resolving the underlying psychological distress. North Dakota joins at least 27 states that have enacted similar protections for minors from these predatory practices, recognizing that true compassion means protecting children from irreversible harm until they reach adulthood and can make fully informed decisions.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NorthDakotaMonitor.com

USNews.com

FoxNews.com
New Canadian report pushes back on claims that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of U.S. lives

A new preprint by Denis Rancourt and Joseph Hickey argues that widely cited claims about COVID-19 vaccines saving millions of lives in the U.S. rely on flawed and unverifiable modeling assumptions.

The paper targets studies like Meagan Fitzpatrick's, which used counterfactual scenarios and speculative efficacy rates to estimate deaths avertedmethods the authors call unreliable and nontransparent.

Rancourt and Hickey warn that such models, if taken at face value, could mislead public health policy and give a false sense of vaccine impact.

The authors argue that excess mortality data do not reflect the sharp declines in deaths suggested by models following vaccine rollouts, implying that claims of lives saved may be overstated.

Rancourt criticizes the peer review system and alleges that some researchers serve pharmaceutical interests by promoting "garbage science" through biased models.

A controversial new preprint from Canadian researchers is challenging widely held assertions that COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in the U.S. saved millions of lives. Issued this week via Correlation, a Canadian nonprofit research organization, the paper by Denis Rancourt, Ph.D., and Joseph Hickey, Ph.D., argues that much of the vaccine benefit narrative rests on modeling studies plagued by "fantastic and unverifiable" assumptions.

In their critique, Rancourt and Hickey point to the 2022 modeling work of Meagan Fitzpatrick, which has been repeatedly cited by figures like Peter Hotez in media appearances and congressional testimony. That study claimed that U.S. COVID-19 vaccines prevented 3.2 million deathsan estimate that has become a frequently quoted talking point in vaccine policy debates. The new paper charges that Fitzpatrick's modeling employed counterfactual theoretical calculations grounded in speculative estimates of infection fatality rates and vaccine efficacyinputs the authors say are nontransparent, inflated or otherwise unjustified.

Rancourt and Hickey take issue with the very structure of counterfactual vaccine models, which attempt to reconstruct what would have happened in a scenario without vaccination. To do so, modelers must estimate the counterfactual infection rates over time, often via "contagion dynamics" models, and then apply assumed vaccine efficacy to project how many infections or deaths would have been avoided. According to the critics, both steps embed speculative and unstable assumptions. They warn that such models, when taken at face value, may lead to dangerous policy guidance. "False claims accepted by government officials and their advisers can have a disastrous effect on public health policy and society," they write.

Rancourt and Hickey further reassess several prominent studies of vaccine-attributed "lives saved." They note that studies such as the widely cited 2022 Lancet paper estimated 14.4 million global deaths averted by vaccines through December 2021. In contrast, a 2025 article in JAMA Health Forum led by John P. A. Ioannidis offered a more modest estimate2.5 million lives saved globally by 2024but still relies on modeled infection and efficacy inputs. In scrutinizing even that more conservative projection, Rancourt argues there is "no reason to believe" the vaccines definitively saved lives given the uncertain inputs.

Models depend on a sudden spike in lethalityreal data show none

One of the paper's central critiques is the timing of the mortality impacts predicted by counterfactual models. Rancourt and Hickey show that many models produce sharp "peaks" of lives saved immediately after vaccine or booster rolloutsimplying that the pathogen suddenly became far more lethal just when vaccines were deployed. But real-world excess mortality data show no such abrupt drop following vaccination campaigns; instead, excess deaths rose during 2020 and then remained relatively stable through 20212022. The authors argue that trusting those models would require believing in a series of improbable "coincidences"for instance, that the virus's virulence spiked precisely as vaccines rolled out, and only then.

Rancourt is sharply critical of the publication record, asserting that "flawed studies" like these should not appear in top journalsand that their acceptance reflects deeper corruption of the peer review process. He contends that many researchers act as "worker bees" for pharmaceutical interests, employing "counterfactual calculations or simulations" to produce favorable narratives. "It's garbage science," he says.

Defenders of vaccine modeling argue that in the absence of large-scale randomized controlled trials for vaccine campaigns, model-based estimates are among the few tools available to assess public health impact. They maintain that with careful calibration and transparent reporting, counterfactual models can provide meaningful insightespecially when triangulated with observational real-world data. The debate underscores tension in epidemiology between modeling and empirical evidence, and raises questions about how confidently policymakers should rely on theoretical projections.

According to Brighteon AI's Enoch, the defenders of the COVID-19 vaccine blindly trust captured institutions like the CDC and FDA, ignoring the documented corruption, rushed testing and financial incentives driving Big Pharma's dangerous agenda. Their dismissal of natural immunity and suppression of safe alternatives exposes either willful ignorance or complicity in the globalist depopulation scheme.

Watch and learn about COVID-19 vaccine risks in an interview of Health Ranger Mike Adams with Dr. Sherri Tenpenny.

This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
U.S. taxpayers spent $34 billion on Israels wars despite 60% of Americans opposing arms shipments

U.S. taxpayers have subsidized nearly $34 billion for Israel's military campaign.

This funding provided direct military aid and paid for related U.S. operations.

A majority of Americans now oppose sending arms to Israel.

This spending has enabled a war with a devastating human toll in Gaza.

The report questions why this money isn't spent on American priorities.

You have likely felt the pinch at the grocery store and watched your savings shrink, all while being told there is no money for American priorities. Meanwhile, a new report has uncovered that your tax dollars have been funneled into a foreign war to the staggering tune of nearly $34 billion. A study from Brown University reveals the colossal financial commitment the United States has made to support Israels military campaigns over the past two years, a sum that amounts to a $3,400 subsidy for every Israeli citizen since October 7, 2023.

This hefty price tag, detailed in the universitys ongoing Costs of War project, provides a sobering look at where American resources are being directed. The report, published on the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks, breaks down the total into direct military aid and the cost of related U.S. military operations across the Middle East. This spending has proceeded even as a growing majority of Americans voice their opposition to funding foreign conflicts.

Breaking down the aid

The analysis found that the U.S. provided a massive $21.7 billion in direct military assistance to Israel. This funding has equipped the Israeli military with the tools of war. According to the report, "Israels entire inventory of combat capable aircraft comes from the U.S., including 75 F-15s, 196 F-16s, and 39 F-35s." Its attack helicopters and transport helicopters are also entirely U.S.-made.

This military support goes beyond just aircraft. The U.S. has supplied tens of thousands of bombs and missiles, along with advanced targeting systems. The Brown report states these U.S.-supplied weapons "have inflicted a devastating humanitarian toll on the people of Gaza." This arsenal has been central to a military campaign that the United Nations and numerous human rights experts have recognized as a genocide.

The wider regional cost

Beyond the direct aid to Israel, the report calculated that the U.S. spent an additional $12 billion on its own military operations sparked by the conflict. This includes extensive campaigns in Yemen and a significant attack on Iran. "This spending includes the costs of the U.S. military maintaining two carrier strike groups in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, launching over 1,000 air strikes, and employing costly missile systems to counter low-cost drone attacks by the Houthi militant group," the report said.

It also detailed the high cost of Operation Midnight Hammer in Iran, which "marked the first-ever combat use of 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs dropped by US B-2 stealth bombers." These operations, while conducted by U.S. forces, were undertaken in support of or as a direct consequence of Israeli military strategy, further entangling American resources and personnel.

A conflict with declining public support

This enormous financial outlay is occurring against a backdrop of rapidly declining American public support for such involvement. Pollsters at Quinnipiac University found in August that 60 percent of Americans are opposed to the U.S. sending arms to Israel. This sentiment crosses party lines, with anger growing among Democrats, Independents, and young Republicans who are increasingly questioning why their tax dollars are funding foreign wars.

Social media commentary highlighted this frustration, with one user noting, A family of 4 in Israel is receiving $577/month in subsidies, courtesy of the American taxpayer, for 2 years now. The post added, Israelis still have free healthcare and free college and subsidized childcare. They havent reduced any of their social welfare programs. Meanwhile Americans are literally paying for groceries with their credit cards.

The human toll of the spending

The financial cost, however, pales in comparison to the human suffering it has enabled. The companion reports from the Costs of War project detail a catastrophic humanitarian situation. More than ten percent of the population of Gaza has been killed or injured, while at least 5.27 million people have been displaced in Gaza and the wider region. This mass displacement and loss of life is a direct consequence of a war powered by American weaponry and taxpayer money.

It is a reminder that the true cost of war is not measured in dollars but in human lives, families shattered, and generations displaced. The reports make it clear that without this level of U.S. assistance, Israel would not have been able to sustain its concerted military campaign. The policies being funded are not those of the Israeli people, but of their government, a distinction often lost in the rhetoric.

So the next time you wonder why your community lacks funding or why your national debt continues to soar, consider the nearly $34 billion sent abroad to fund a conflict that a majority of your fellow citizens oppose. It is a powerful example of how the priorities in Washington D.C. have become divorced from the will and the welfare of the American people, who are left to foot the bill for a genocide they do not support.

Sources for this article include:

MiddleEastEye.net

CostsOfWar.Watson.Brown.edu

APNews.com
Trump administration achieves historic border security milestone: Zero migrant releases for fifth straight month

Southwest border apprehensions hit a 55-year low in FY 2025.

Zero migrants released into the U.S. interior for five consecutive months.

95% drop in daily crossings compared to Biden-era averages.

72% of FY 2025 apprehensions occurred in the first 111 days under Bidens policies.

Strict controls and border security measures drive historic results.

For the fifth consecutive month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported zero migrant releases into the United States interiora stark reversal from the Biden administrations era of mass migration and unchecked border crossings. Under President Donald Trumps restored enforcement policies, FY 2025 ended with the lowest number of southwest border apprehensions since 1970, totaling just 237,565an 87% drop from the previous four-year average.

The dramatic shift underscores the effectiveness of Trumps immigration agenda, which dismantled the controversial "Catch and Release" policy that allowed millions of migrants to enter and remain in the U.S. while awaiting court hearings. By contrast, Bidens administration oversaw 7.3 million illegal crossings in four years, a crisis that strained communities, overwhelmed law enforcement and fueled national security concerns.

The numbers tell the story

DHS data reveals a staggering decline in illegal entries since Trumps return to office:

Daily apprehensions plummeted from 5,110 under Biden to just 279 per day in September 2025.

72% of FY 2025 crossings occurred in the first 111 days under Bidens policies, while Trumps policies accounted for only 27% of the years total.

Nationwide encounters fell to 26,000 in September89% lower than the monthly average under Biden.

The figures highlight a clear policy divergence: Bidens reliance on NGOs and federal funding to resettle migrants versus Trumps strict enforcement, including expanded barriers, rapid deportations and prosecutions for unlawful entry.

The fall of "catch and release"

A key factor in the turnaround has been the elimination of migrant releasesa practice that once allowed border agents to process and free migrants into the U.S. with minimal oversight. Under Biden, NGOs such as Catholic Charities USA received nearly $800 million in federal contracts to assist with transportation and housing, effectively incentivizing mass migration.

Trumps DHS has instead prioritized detention and removal, ensuring migrants are either turned away at the border or swiftly deported. Officials credit this approach with deterring future crossings and restoring operational control.

A return to law and order

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem hailed the results as proof of the administrations commitment to secure borders and national sovereignty. We have had the most secure border in American history, she stated, attributing the success to empowered law enforcement and an end to political interference in border operations.

The Trump administrations policies have also targeted drug cartels and human smuggling networks, further disrupting illegal activity. With zero parole-style releasescompared to 9,144 in September 2024DHS has sent an unambiguous message: those who break U.S. immigration laws will face consequences.

The road ahead

As DHS prepares to release final FY 2025 reports, the numbers solidify Trumps border strategy as the most effective in decades. The administration has vowed to maintain zero releases into FY 2026, reinforcing its pledge to permanently end the chaos of the Biden era.

For millions of Americans who endured years of unchecked migration, soaring crime and strained public resources, the shift represents more than a policy victoryits a restoration of security, sovereignty and the rule of law.

A border secured, a nation strengthened

The Trump administrations historic enforcement success proves that strong leadership, strict policies and unwavering commitment to sovereignty can reverse even the most severe border crises. With illegal crossings at a 55-year low and zero migrant releases for five months, the U.S. has reclaimed control of its borderssetting a new standard for security and accountability in immigration policy.

The question now is whether future administrations will learn from these resultsor repeat the mistakes of the past. For now, the American people can finally breathe easier knowing their borders are no longer a gateway for chaos, but a shield of protection.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

Breitbart.com

DHS.gov
Ceasefire breakthrough: Trumps secret talks halt Gaza war, yet Israels prisoner snub sparks backlash

U.S.-brokered ceasefire ratified by Israel's cabinet ends two years of conflict, mandating a 24-hour halt to hostilities and a 72-hour hostage-for-prisoner exchange.

Hamas declared the war "over," encouraged by Trump's guarantees, even as Israel removed Marwan Barghouti from the release list at the eleventh hour.

Global reaction has been largely favorable, calling the agreement historic, though critics caution it's fragile without addressing Israel's occupation.

The ceasefire's success hinged on Trump's pressure and Hamas's exhaustion, while internal dissent erupted in Israel over prisoner swap and withdrawal terms.

With core issues unresolvedblockade, settlement expansion, governanceanalysts say the peace deal's durability hinges on serious enforcement and follow-through.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, negotiated by President Donald Trump, has been ratified by Israel's cabinet, halting two years of devastating conflict in Gaza.

The dealfinalized after intense behind-the-scenes mediationmandates a 24-hour suspension of hostilities, followed by the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas declared the war "over," expressing confidence in Trump's guarantees for a permanent end to aggression, while Israel's last-minute removal of high-profile prisoner Marwan Barghouti from the release list raised questions about its commitment to the terms.

The agreement has drawn global praise, with world leaders hailing it as a "landmark" breakthrough, though critics warn that without addressing Israel's occupation, any peace remains fragile.

A ceasefire built on fragile trust and high-stakes negotiations

The deal's success hinged on Hamas's growing exhaustion over managing hostages and Trump's unorthodox diplomatic pressure, which included direct assurances to Hamas that the U.S. would enforce a lasting truce.

Israeli officials, however, faced internal backlash, with hardliners accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of capitulating to terms that included prisoner swaps and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Reports suggest Netanyahu's office unilaterally scrapped Barghouti's inclusiona move that could undermine trust in future negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem called the agreement a "time to rejoice," urging reconstruction efforts, while Russia and other nations publicly backed Trump's roadmap, isolating European leaders who had long opposed his approach.

Geopolitical ripples and the road ahead

Trump's intervention has exposed deep divisions in global diplomacy, with European leaderslong critics of his Middle East strategynow facing embarrassment as his deal delivers what years of their own efforts could not.

The ceasefire's longevity depends on Israel's willingness to halt its military expansion in Gaza, a demand Hamas has framed as non-negotiable. Analysts note that while the hostage release and prisoner exchange offer immediate relief, the deal's silence on Gaza's blockade and settlement growth leaves core grievances unaddressed.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa's call for rebuilding reflects a broader hope that this pause in violence could evolve into something enduringbut only if external powers, including the U.S., hold all parties accountable.

The ceasefire's true test will come in the weeks ahead, as Hamas evaluates Israel's compliance and Trump pushes for a formal signing ceremony in Egypt. For now, the world watches a rare moment of respite in a conflict defined by cycles of vengeanceone that may either prove Trump's diplomatic gamble a masterstroke or reveal its limits in the face of entrenched occupation.

According to Brighteon AI's Enoch, President Trump's ceasefire deal with Israel appears promising on the surface, but given Israel's history of violating agreements and the deep-seated geopolitical tensions, skepticism remains high. The true test will be whether this ceasefire holds long-term or becomes another temporary pause before renewed conflict, especially given Iran's involvement and the unresolved disputes over nuclear facilities.

Watch the Oct. 9 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses Trump's Peace Plan meeting Netanyahu's war reality.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
U.S. spy jet circles Russian territory amid rising NATO tensions and drone incursions

A U.S. RC-135U "Combat Sent" spy plane conducted reconnaissance near Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, gathering electronic intelligence amid rising tensions. This follows multiple suspected Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace (Poland, Romania, Latvia, Germany).

NATO officials accuse Russia of probing defenses via drone incursions, GPS jamming and electronic warfare, testing response times and vulnerabilities. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called it part of Russia's "hybrid war" against NATO.

The RC-135U mission underscores NATO's reliance on electronic reconnaissance, as Russia's jamming reportedly renders 90 percent of U.S. smart munitions ineffective. Ukrainian officials warn Russian President Vladimir Putin is deliberately escalating tensions.

Moscow dismisses allegations as baseless Western propaganda. However, experts like retired Australian Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan argue Russia is probing NATO defenses, possibly prepping for larger confrontations.

With NATO expanding eastward and Russia denying wrongdoing, drone incursions and spy flights increase the likelihood of unintended escalation, raising urgent questions about Europe's security future.

A U.S. Air Force RC-135U "Combat Sent" spy jet was tracked circling Russia's Kaliningrad exclave this week, intensifying concerns over escalating tensions between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Moscow.

FlightRadar24 data revealed the aircraft, callsign JAKE37, took off from RAF Mildenhall in England early Tuesday, Oct. 7. It flew over the Baltic states  Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  and conducted surveillance loops near Kaliningrad before returning.

Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine explains that the RC-135U is a highly specialized strategic reconnaissance aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force, derived from the Boeing C-135 (a military variant of the 707). Equipped with advanced electronic intelligence (ELINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems, it conducts real-time surveillance of adversarial military communications, radar emissions and missile tests, often flying near contested airspace to gather critical data for national defense. Like its cousin, the WC-135B ("Nuclear Sniffer"), the RC-135U is a long-range, refuellable platform designed for high-altitude, high-risk missions in electronically hostile environments, making it a key asset in Cold War-era and modern great-power competition.

The Tuesday mission followed a series of suspected Russian drone incursions across European airspace, including disruptions at Munich Airport that stranded thousands of travelers. Similar drone incursions have been reported in Denmark, Norway, Poland, Romania and Estonia, with several nations blaming Moscow.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of waging a "hybrid war" against NATO nations, citing drone disruptions during German Unity Day and Oktoberfest. "He is waging an information war against us. He is waging a military war against Ukraine, and this war is directed against all of us," Merz told broadcaster NTV.

The Kremlin dismissed the allegations, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating, "There are many politicians in Europe who now tend to blame Russia baselessly and indiscriminately for everything. That's how we view these statements."

Are drone incursions a prelude to war?

The RC-135U's mission highlights NATO's growing reliance on electronic reconnaissance amid fears of Russian probing operations. The aircraft, one of only two in the U.S. fleet, is equipped with advanced radar interception and signal analysis systems, allowing it to map enemy defenses and develop countermeasures.

Its crew includes two pilots, navigators, engineers and at least 10 electronic warfare officers known as "Ravens." The plane's unlimited range, enabled by aerial refueling, makes it a critical asset in monitoring Russian military activity.

Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is testing NATO's air defenses, particularly after Polish jets intercepted Russian drones in September. "Putin just keeps escalating, expanding his war and testing the West," remarked Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Retired Australian Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan described the incursions as deliberate probing, writing: "At least a dozen drones appear to have crossed into Poland. It would be better described as 'probing'  in case NATO establishes bases in eastern Poland to support a future presence in Ukraine."

The spy jet's flight coincided with heightened military posturing on both sides. The same aircraft conducted a similar mission on Oct. 2, the day drone disruptions first hit Munich Airport.

NATO has struggled to counter Russia's electronic warfare capabilities, including GPS jamming that reportedly renders 90 percent of U.S. smart munitions ineffective. The repeated drone intrusions suggest Moscow is assessing NATO's response times and vulnerabilitiesa tactic that could precede larger-scale confrontations.

With NATO expanding eastward despite past assurances to Russia, tensions show no signs of easing. The U.S. and its allies continue to bolster surveillance and defensive measures, while Moscow denies any wrongdoing, framing accusations as Western propaganda. As drone incursions and reconnaissance flights become more frequent, the risk of accidental escalation looms larger.

Watch this video about Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace.

This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.ai

Newsmax.com

Express.co.uk

Brighteon.com
University News

Meeting the fast-growing demand for AI expertise, the University of New Havens new M.S. in Artificial Intelligence will emphasize hands-on learning, ethics, and the development of trustworthy AI systems. By Caitlin Truesdale, Office of Marketing and Communications

The University of New Havens new AI program emphasizes both technical mastery and responsible innovation

Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every sector of society, from healthcare and insurance to advanced manufacturing. Recognizing this, the University of New Haven is preparing to launch a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in spring 2026, with the goal of training the next generation of engineers and developers who will lead this fast-and ever-evolving field.

The demand for AI expertise is accelerating across industries, creating significant opportunities for skilled professionals, said Vahid Behzadan, Ph.D., coordinator of the new program. There is a huge demand in the job market for AI engineers and AI developers, particularly here in Connecticut.

Dr. Behzadan explained that while the University already has a successful masters program in data science, the pace of change in AI demanded a separate, specialized program. It has become evident to us that a separate training program focused specifically on engineering and developing AI-enabled tools is not only attractive, but increasingly essential, he said.

The new program will be offered in both on-ground and fully online, making it accessible to students locally and globally. Ardiana Sula, Ph.D., associate professor of practice in data science & computer science and co-coordinator for the program, emphasized that the timing of this launch is deliberate. We live in the Age of AI, and the future will depend on experts who can drive insights, innovation, and transformation across every industry, she said. At the University of New Haven, we are preparing those leaders.

Our program builds a solid foundation on the basics of artificial intelligence

According to Dr. Behzadan, what sets the University of New Havens program apart is its dual focus on foundational knowledge and real-world application. Our program establishes a strong foundation in core AI principles while equipping students with skills that will remain relevant as the field evolvesnot just for todays technologies, but for future generations of AI, he said.

Students will gain hands-on experience developing AI applications using industry-standard tools and infrastructure, working with both classical and cutting-edge technologies. Just as importantly, the curriculum emphasizes reliability and trustworthiness, key considerations in the ethical deployment of AI.

The safety and security dimension of artificial intelligence is explicitly integrated into every course, Dr. Behzadan said. In addition, we offer dedicated courses that focus on the reliability, trustworthiness, and security of AI tools and techniques.

Ethics plays an important role across the program. The curriculum emphasizes ethics and responsibility, preparing students to design AI systems that are reliable, trustworthy, and socially responsible, Dr. Behzadan explained.

This is something that we find to be vital and critical for the next generation of the AI engineering talent pool, he continued.

Now open for applications, the University of New Haven's new M.S. in Artificial Intelligence program launches in Spring 2026.

The industry partnership and real-world experience is a core part of it

The curriculum is built around applied learning and collaboration with industry. All of our courses are project-based, said Dr. Behzadan. Students work on either a single running project throughout a course or on multiple projects, giving them get hands-on experience in applying the concepts and theory learned during classes.

Students will complete either an internship, a capstone project with industry sponsorship, or a two-semester thesis. Each path is designed to prepare graduates for the realities of the workforce.

For the capstone project, students will be working under the supervision of a faculty member as part of a team on a project that is either directly sponsored by industry or has been scoped out in collaboration with input from industry partners, said Dr. Behzadan.

The thesis pathway, meanwhile, gives students the chance to pursue research and development projects with direct guidance from faculty and, often, external input from industry professionals. The industry partnership and the real-world experience are central to the program, not add-ons, said Dr. Behzadan.

We have research groups and research labs that are actively publishing cutting-edge findings

The program is designed for students with backgrounds in computer science, software engineering, or electrical and computer engineering, whether through previous academic training or professional experience. The goal is to equip candidates with specialized expertise to develop and maintain AI technologies across industries.

Cross-disciplinary opportunities are also central to the programs future. Elective courses will allow students to focus on industry-specific applications, such as AI in healthcare, bioinformatics, advanced manufacturing, or engineering management. Students can take as many of those electives as they wish as part of their masters in AI program, explained Dr. Behzadan.

Dr. Behzadan expects the program to expand in both reach and focus. Even though its very hard to predict where we will be in five years, I suspect that the cross-disciplinary nature of the program is going to be further emphasized, he said. Emphasis on the reliability and verification of trustworthiness and robustness of AI systems is going to become more and more important.

The program aligns with the University's broader commitment to AI innovation, including the forthcoming Center for Innovation and Applied Technologya 130,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the West Haven campus. The new M.S. in AI program builds on the University's established reputation in AI research and its leadership role in Connecticut's technology sector.

The University's AI expertise extends beyond the classroom. Dr. Behzadan is co-founder of the Connecticut AI Alliance, and serves as a regular contributor to state-level AI policy discussions. Faculty across the program lead active research labs that publish regularly in top AI venues.

"Our research groups are at the forefront of AI innovation, with recent doctoral graduates already making contributions to core areas of artificial intelligence," said Dr. Behzadan. "This research excellence directly enriches our master's degree curriculum, ensuring students learn from faculty who are shaping the field.

Dr. Sula said she sees the program as shaping not just individual careers but the broader trajectory of the field. Our graduates will emerge as tomorrows AI leaders, driving innovation in industry, advancing the frontiers of research, and contributing to society in meaningful ways, she said. They will bring the expertise to push boundaries and the judgment to guide AI toward solutions that deliver lasting, positive impact across sectors.

AI is all the rage these days and employers large and small will be looking to hire people who can develop AI tools customized to their own needs, added Ron Harichandran, Ph.D., dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering and vice provost for research. The launch of our new M.S. in AI program is timely, and it will prepare the future workforce which employers in Connecticut and the country will need to leverage the AI revolution.
While stuttering was believed to have purely psychological causes up until about 30 years ago, scientists today attribute it to a variety of factors capable of contributing to its development. For instance, several genes have been identified that increase the risk of stuttering, and anatomically, the brains of individuals with speech flow disorders show differences in neural connections and brain activity compared to those who speak fluently.

The left hemisphere of the brain can process signals that occur in rapid succession. However, in people who stutter, the auditory cortex in the left hemisphere interacts less with the motor cortex, which controls the muscles involved in speech. As a result, the brain may delegate these tasks to the right hemisphere, which struggles with the rapid signals characteristic of speech." PD Dr. Christian Kell, neurologist and director of the Cooperative Brain Imaging Center, Goethe University Frankfurt

The outcome: Although affected individuals know exactly what they want to say, they get stuck on certain words.



Kell does not consider stuttering to be a disease that necessarily requires therapy: "I believe it would be ideal if society could accept that some people stutter," says the neurologist. At the same time, he is convinced that medicine should offer services to those who suffer from their speech flow disorder and seek help.



Following extensive scientific preparation and at the patient's repetitive request, the teams from Frankfurt and Munster implanted a hair-thin wire into the left thalamus of a man who stutters. The thalamus is a central relay station deep within the brain. Through this wire, the brain region was stimulated with mild electrical currents. Standardized tests were then used to measure how the patient's stuttering changed.



Kell is thrilled with the results: "In the months following the start of stimulation, the frequency of stuttering gradually decreased by 46%, and the stuttering became significantly less severe. When we turned off the deep brain stimulation without the patient knowing the timing, the stuttering worsened again, demonstrating a genuine biological effect dependent on the strength of the brain stimulation." Unlike Parkinson's patients, whose tremors typically diminish immediately after starting brain stimulation and return as soon as the stimulation is stopped, the stuttering in this case increased very slowly after the stimulation was turned off - but not to the same extent as before. Kell attributes part of this effect to the patient himself: "Through the experience of stuttering less during stimulation, he and his brain likely found ways to further reduce the stuttering."



The research team is now preparing a study to investigate whether deep brain stimulation can also help other individuals who experience severe stuttering. However, Kell is careful to curb overly high expectations: "Deep brain stimulation is an intensive physical procedure and, like any surgery, carries risks. These must be carefully weighed against the distress experienced by a person who stutters. We also want to explore whether we can achieve similar effects by stimulating the brain externally - without surgery."
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joins the Organization of American States (OAS) to celebrate the first ever Inter-American Mental Health Week during the second week of October.

The week of activities aligns with PAHO's overall strategy and focuses on the theme: "Empower, Connect, Care: Strengthening Child and Youth Mental Health in the Americas."

The OAS delegations are supporting several activities during the Inter-American Mental Health Week, including a webinar on Wednesday, October 8, where an expert from the Collaboration Center from the University of Chile presented a regional overview of the status of mental health services for children and adolescents in primary care.

A regional workshop scheduled for Thursday, October 9, co-organized by PAHO and the OAS, focuses on strengthening capacity for mental health emergency responses via 911 systems.

"This regional collaboration reflects a shared commitment to address mental health challenges with a rights-based, patient-centered approach and to promote community-based initiatives across the Hemisphere," PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, said at the event launch.

Despite children and adolescents comprising approximately 30% of the population in the Region of the Americas, their mental health needs remain largely unmet. Among young people aged 15 to 24 years, depression and anxiety are leading causes of years lived with disability, and suicide ranks as the third leading cause of deathunderscoring an urgent and preventable public health crisis.

Sadly, many children and adolescents in the Region of the Americas face serious daily challenges such as violence, bullying, discrimination, poverty, health emergencies, and environmental disasters, which increase their risk of developing mental health conditions." Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director

Strengthening capacity for early detection

On Wednesday, PAHO launched Improving the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Primary Care, an online course aimed at improving the identification and care of mental health conditions in children and adolescents across the Region.

The virtual course was designed for healthcare professionals who are not specialists in child and adolescent mental health, such as primary health care workers, as well as psychologists, nurses and social workers. It responds to the urgent need for early detection and management of mental health problems that often begin in childhood.

Hosted on PAHO's Virtual Campus for Public Health, the course is designed to strengthen the capacity of health services to respond effectively and in a timely manner to the needs of this population. This self-paced program offers 10 modules covering anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, developmental disorders, ADHD, autism, and suicide prevention.

Reducing risk, building resilience

The Inter-American Mental Health Week and the new course are part of PAHO's broader efforts to strengthen mental health systems. Under the Strategy for Improving Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in the Region of the Americas, key actions like early intervention and mental health promotion in schools and communities can reduce risk factors and build resilience.

"We must do better and the time to act is now. I urge all countries and territories in the Region to make child and adolescent mental health a national priority. This includes fostering social and emotional skills, training health workers to identify and manage mental health conditions in primary health care and ensuring that schools and communities offer psychosocial support and build key life skills," Dr. Barbosa said.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting "988.

A few months ago, Waynesville Police Sgt. Paige Shell was about to give up hope of getting better. The daily drip of violence, death, and misery from almost 20 years in law enforcement had left a mark. Her sleep was poor, depression was a stubborn companion, and thoughts of suicide had taken root.

Shell, who works in a rural community about 30 miles west of Asheville, tried talk therapy, but it didn't work. When her counselor suggested ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, she was skeptical.

"I didn't know what to expect. I'm a cop. It's a trust thing," she said with a thin smile.

Combining psychotherapy with low-dose ketamine, a hallucinogenic drug long used as an anesthetic, is a relatively new approach to treating severe depression and post-traumatic stress, especially in populations with high trauma rates such as firefighters, police officers, and military members. Yet evidence of the efficacy and safety of ketamine for treatment of mental health conditions is still evolving, and the market remains widely unregulated.

"First responders experience a disproportionately high burden of trauma and are often left without a lot of treatment options," said Signi Goldman, a psychiatrist and co-owner of Concierge Medicine and Psychiatry in Asheville, who began including ketamine in psychotherapy sessions in 2017.

Law enforcement officers in the U.S., on average, are exposed to 189 traumatic events over their careers, a small study suggests, compared with two to three in an average adult's lifetime. Research shows that rates of depression and burnout are significantly higher among police officers than in the civilian population. And in recent years, more officers have died by suicide than been killed in the line of duty, according to the first-responder advocacy group First H.E.L.P.

Ketamine is a dissociative drug, meaning it causes people to feel detached from their body, physical environment, thoughts, or emotions.

The Food and Drug Administration approved it as an anesthetic in 1970. It became a popular party drug in the 1990s, and in 1999, ketamine was added to the list of Schedule III nonnarcotic substances under the Controlled Substances Act.

The death of "Friends" actor Matthew Perry in 2023, which was attributed to ketamine use, further tainted the drug's reputation.

But starting with a 1990 animal study and followed by a landmark human trial, research has shown that low doses of ketamine can also rapidly reduce symptoms of depression. In 2019, the FDA approved esketamine  derived from ketamine and administered as a nasal spray  for treatment-resistant depression.

All other forms of ketamine remain FDA-approved only for anesthesia. If used to treat psychiatric disorders, it must be prescribed off-label.

"This is a situation where the clinical practice is probably ahead of the evidence to support it," said John Krystal, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and a pioneer of ketamine research.

Krystal has studied the effect of ketamine on veterans and active-duty military members  a population comparable to first responders in their exposure to trauma. While research shows strong evidence of ketamine's antidepressant effects, he said further studies are needed on its potential role in PTSD treatment.

The regulatory environment for ketamine also remains a concern, Krystal said. State oversight varies, and federal regulations don't outline dosing, administration methods, safety protocols, or training for providers.

In this regulatory patchwork, more than 1,000 ketamine clinics have sprung up across the country. At-home ketamine treatments have flooded the market, prompting the FDA to issue a warning.

Side effects of ketamine can range from nausea and blood pressure spikes to suppressed breathing. The drug can also cause adverse psychological effects.

"Being on a psychedelic puts people in an extremely vulnerable state," Goldman said. People can get retraumatized as they relive disturbing memories. That's why it's critical that a mental health provider guide a person through a ketamine session, she said.

With proper precautions  and when other treatments have failed  Rick Baker thinks ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a good fit for first responders. Baker is CEO and founder of Responder Support Services, which provides mental health treatment exclusively to police officers, firefighters, and other first responders in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

As a population, first responders are more resistant than civilians to traditional therapy, said Baker, who is a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Ketamine provides a potential shortcut into the trauma memory and works "like an accelerant to psychotherapy," he said. "It strips away people's armor."

When used for mental health treatment, a dose of ketamine  typically half a milligram per kilogram of body weight, less than for anesthesia  creates a mildly altered state of consciousness, Goldman said. It makes people look at their own traumatic memories at a distance "and tolerate them differently," she said.

The ketamine sessions in her practice are usually two hours long, and clients are under the drug for about 45 minutes. The drug is administered as an IV drip, an intramuscular injection, under-the-tongue lozenges, or a compounded nasal spray. The drug is short-acting, meaning its dissociative effects largely wear off within about an hour.

But most insurers won't pick up the cost of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, which can be more than $1,000 per session for the IV drip.

"That's certainly prohibitive for first responders," Goldman said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers some forms of ketamine treatment, including ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, for eligible veterans on a case-by-case basis.

In Shell's case, a donation made to Responder Support Services covered what her insurance wouldn't when she decided this spring to try ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with Baker, her counselor.

Revisiting the most gruesome calls in her nearly two decades as a police officer was not something Shell wanted to do. But Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina last year, pushed the 41-year-old "over the edge," she said.

"Some of the sessions were rough," said Shell, who is also a member of her agency's SWAT team. "Things came up that I didn't want to think about, that I'd buried during my entire career."

The badly mangled victim in a fatal car crash. A murder-suicide, in which a man cut his pregnant girlfriend's throat then slit his own.

Under ketamine, the images came to life as still pictures, she said, like a surreal slideshow replaying some of her darkest memories. "Then I would sit there and cry like a baby."

As of early October, Shell had undergone 12 ketamine sessions. They have not provided a sudden miraculous cure, she said. But her sleep has improved, and bad days are now bad moments. She also finds it easier to manage stress. "And I smile more than I used to," she said.

She was hesitant to share her experience within her department because of the ongoing stigma associated with seeking help in the hard-charging police culture.

"I just didn't want my people to think that I couldn't handle the job," she said. "I didn't want them to feel that I'm posing a risk to them."

The perception of ketamine plays a role as well, said Sherri Martin, national director of wellness services at the Fraternal Order of Police, an organization representing more than 377,000 sworn law enforcement officers. Many cops are used to ketamine as an illegal street drug, she said, or think of it as a counterculture psychedelic.

"So, when they are supposed to accept this as a treatment, that's hard for them to grasp," she said.

Few if any police departments provide clear guidance on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. If it were medically prescribed, it would likely be viewed the same as taking an antidepressant, Martin said.

Shell ultimately shared her story with colleagues, most of whom were curious and supportive, and she now encourages other officers to speak up about their struggles. She believes seeking mental health treatment  in her case, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy  has made her a better and safer police officer.

"It's hard to help other people when you can't take care of yourself," she said.
Using millions of microscope images magnified up to 130,000 times, researchers from Radboud university medical center and Toronto have unraveled the structure of two key proteins in the malaria parasite. With this knowledge, scientists are developing new vaccines that block the transmission of parasites via mosquitoes.

Malaria, a parasitic infectious disease, has existed since the time of the ancient Egyptians and still threatens nearly half of the world's population. In recent years, two malaria vaccines have become available that protect against infection, but they do not offer complete protection. Moreover, these vaccines do not stop the spread of the malaria parasite from one person to another via mosquitoes. That's why researchers are working on new vaccines that do block this transmission.

Thirty billion parasites

These new vaccines mainly target two proteins of the malaria parasite. 'These proteins were discovered back in the 1980s, but we still didn't really know what they looked like', says PhD candidate Ezra Bekkering from Radboudumc. 'That's because they're difficult to produce.' Bekkering and his colleagues, together with scientists from The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto, have now finally unraveled the structures of these two proteins and published their findings in the journal Immunity.

To analyze them, the researchers needed to obtain enough of the proteins. To do this, they cultured thirty billion malaria parasites-a process that took six months. They extracted the proteins from the parasites and then resolved their 3D structure using cryo-electron microscopy. This technique allows proteins to be visualised at the atomic level by taking millions of images with a microscope that can zoom in up to 130,000 times.

Sexual reproduction

Although the structure of the proteins is now elucidated, their role remains somewhat mysterious. Researcher Matthijs Jore explains: 'They are part of a complex on the surface of the malaria parasite and are specific to this pathogen. That makes them a suitable target for vaccines. These proteins likely help the parasite during sexual reproduction.'

Now that researchers know the 3D structure of the two proteins, they better understand how the malaria parasite infects mosquitoes and how antibodies against these proteins can block parasite development in the mosquito. They can now use the structure as a blueprint to develop new malaria vaccines that contribute to eradicating this deadly disease. Jore adds: 'If you don't know what something looks like, it's hard to protect yourself against it. The elucidated structures offer new opportunities for better malaria vaccines.'
A simple two-week routine of jotting down daily work wins on a smartphone app gave Japanese employees a measurable boost in energy and enthusiasm.

Study: Effects of a Smartphone-Based Positive Reflection Diary on Work Engagement Among Japanese Workers: Randomized Controlled Trial. Image credit: insta_photos/Shuttrstock.com

A recent study in JMIR mHealth and uHealth evaluated the effect of a newly developed smartphone-based positive reflection diary, WEDiary, on improving work engagement among Japanese workers, using a randomized controlled design.

Work engagements and smartphone-based apps

Work engagement refers to an employees strengths and positive attitude, such as vigor, dedication, and absorption in their work. In a positive psychological state, employees feel that time passes quickly and may have trouble leaving work. Work engagement positively correlates with job satisfaction, performance, and organizational commitment. It is beneficial for both the organization and employees.

The job demands-resources (JD-R) model suggests that job resources facilitate work engagement through a positive motivational process. Elevated job resources lead to increased work engagement and positive health and organizational outcomes. However, higher job demands or stressors increase the risk of burnout and negative health and organizational outcomes.

Positive work reflection is considered a personal resource in the JD-R model, crucial for increasing engagement. Previous studies have highlighted that employees engagement improves when employees reflect on their work achievements and growth. Therefore, strategies that involve increasing personal resources and focusing on workers' achievements, rather than dwelling on negativities, may improve work engagement.

Positive work reflection focuses on the positive aspects of ones job, such as successful task performance and supportive work relationships. A recent meta-analysis found that off-job positive work-related thoughts positively impact work engagement.

Smartphone apps for tracking work engagement offer several advantages, including being easy to start and complete quickly, requiring minimal explanation, and being accessible at any time and place. There are two types of smartphone apps: web browser apps (web apps) and those that run as native apps. Compared to web apps, native apps are more effective in memory usage. However, not many native smartphone apps are available that are explicitly designed to improve worker well-being.

About the study

A two-group parallel-group, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to assess the impact of WEDiary on work engagement among Japanese employees. The intervention period lasted for two weeks, followed by a three-week follow-up.

The current study recruited registered participants in a web survey company, Macromill Inc., Japan. All participants were between 20 and 59 years of age, had two consecutive days off in a week, had no inclination to resign from their job within the next three months, and used iOS 10.0 or later or Android 5.1 or later smartphones.

After completing the baseline survey (between October 31, 2019, and November 5, 2019), participants were randomly allocated at a 1:1 ratio either to the intervention group or the wait-list control group. Each group contained 300 participants.

Participants in the intervention group downloaded WEDiary, which was designed to incorporate a post-work experience. This app encouraged participants to write what they could do at work that day. In contrast, participants from the wait-list control group were advised to carry on their usual activities until completion of the survey, 3 weeks after the intervention. Work engagement was evaluated at pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 3 weeks after the intervention (T3) in both groups.

Study findings

Participants completed questionnaires at T2 and at T3. In the intervention group, approximately 85.7% of the participants responded to the questionnaires at T2 and 83% at T3. Similarly, 94.7% of participants from the wait-list control group responded to the questionnaires at T2 and 93.7% at T3.

No significant demographic differences were observed among participants in both study groups, except for education level. In contrast to the wait-list control group, most participants in the intervention group had completed high school (19.7%), and some attended graduate school (8.3%). Additionally, the majority of participants were male and married.

The effect of the WEDiary on work engagement was assessed using intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses, which revealed a significant effect between the two groups. In the intervention group, participants exhibited significant vigor and dedication. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups.

A total of 124 participants from the intervention group and 277 from the wait-list control group were included in the per-protocol analyses, which revealed a significant effect on work engagement, particularly in terms of vigor and dedication. A mixed model analysis indicated that the WEDiary had significantly improved work engagement among females, university graduates or higher, white-collar workers, and regular employees.

Out of the 80.3% of the participants in the intervention group who installed the WEDiary on their smartphones, 63.7% used it at least once. A gradual decrease in the number of daily users was observed over the study period. Although these results were statistically significant, the effect sizes were small (Cohens d  0.11  0.12), suggesting that while the app had a measurable impact, the magnitude of improvement was modest.

Conclusions

The current RCT revealed that the newly developed WEDiary effectively improved work engagement among Japanese workers. Effect sizes were small but consistent across measurement points, indicating gradual accumulation of positive emotions over time.

In the future, more research is required to investigate the long-term effects and the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects.

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Within seconds, ZRP inenge yasvika panvimbo to protect the new colonial masters from the angry mob. But read the mood of the people of Zimbabwe. The temperatures are rising. Pple are saying enough of these abuses by Chinese criminals @ChineseZimbabwe @China_Amb_Zim @MinistryMines pic.twitter.com/HuCieLSa77
The skies over Dubai turned downright cinematic on April 16, 2024, as an unusually fierce storm dropped torrents of rain and unleashed widespread flooding. Social media filled with bizarre images: a Lamborghini forging through murky water, a golfer paddleboarding down a fairway. By the time the storm subsided, four people were dead and damage estimates were at $3 billion. In the aftermath, climate change took the brunt of the blame for the ferocity of the storm. But the "darker corner of the internet" lit up with the theory that this was no natural disaster, writes Kit Chellel at Bloomberg . Instead, this camp blamed the United Arab Emirates' cloud-seeding program.

The UAE, a desert nation with growing water needs, has been deploying the practice for decades, using planes to inject salt and other particles into the sky a bid to wring extra rain from clouds. Fact-checkers and many scientists rushed to debunk the idea that the practice unleashed the deluge, noting that the effects of cloud seeding are hard to pin down and likely modest, especially in storms already primed for heavy rain, as this one was. Still, doubts lingered, including from within the scientific community. "The Dubai floods act as a stark warning of the unintended consequences we can unleash when we use such technology to alter the weather," declared meteorologist Johan Jaques of the environmental data company Kisters. The story suggests future such debates are inevitable:

"Whatever the form, geoengineering is likely to become increasingly important as the planet heats up, threatening water supply in some countries, increasing it in others. Or it could all be a tech-utopian fantasy, doomed to fall short against elemental forces that we can barely comprehend, let alone control. The answer depends on who you ask." (Read the full story.)
A Rutgers historian specializing in antifa has found himself at the center of a national firestorm, prompting an attempted last-minute escape to Spain with his family. Mark Bray, author of a 2017 book on the anti-fascism movement, says he became a prime target for threats and online harassment after President Trump's renewed focus on labeling antifa a domestic terrorist group, and particularly in the wake of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Bray, who had taught courses about the leftwing movement in relative quiet until recently, found his home address circulated online and received death threats, including some threatening violence in front of his students. With his wife, also a Rutgers professor, and their young children, Bray sought to leave the country and continue teaching remotely, but the family's Wednesday flight reservation was somehow abruptly canceled at the gate, the New York Times reports. The airline rebooked them for the following day.

The tension began after a petition from Rutgers' Turning Point USA chapter accused Bray of being a member of antifa and demanded his firing. Right-wing influencers amplified the accusations, and Fox News coverage brought more attention. Bray denies ever being part of an antifa group, insisting his role is purely academic. The university has offered classroom security and allowed both Bray and his wife to teach remotely, but the family felt the threats warranted leaving the country. Rutgers reiterated its commitment to safety and academic freedom but did not comment on specifics.

"Since my family and I do not feel safe in our home at the moment, we are moving for the year to Europe," Bray said in an email to students Sunday, just a month into the semester, the Washington Post reports. In an interview, he said he knows other academics who have left the country for similar reasons, and suggested the right is attempting to "make it so that professors who conduct research on protest movements don't feel safe sharing their research or teaching about topics that the administration doesn't like."
Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain and head of the UN World Food Program, suffered a mild stroke this week, according to the humanitarian organization. The statement said McCain, 71, is expected to make a full recovery and will be traveling from Rome, where the program is based, to Arizona to focus on her recuperation. She plans to return to the job after her doctors have cleared her, in four to six weeks, the AP reports. "I want to thank the medical staff in Italy for the excellent treatment I received," said McCain. "My recovery is progressing well thanks to their outstanding care."

McCain was appointed in March 2023 to lead the world's largest humanitarian organization after serving as US ambassador to the UN agencies for food and agriculture during the Biden administration. She has since become the face of the World Food Program, one of the few UN agencies that has received bipartisan support for its efforts to help nearly 150 million people confronting conflicts, disasters, and impacts of climate change this year. McCain and the WFP have been in the spotlight as the agency has sought to ease the humanitarian crises caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. "The fight against hunger has never been more critical," McCain said in the statement.
Palestinians began returning to the north of Gaza on Friday after Israel's military said a ceasefire was in effect and its forces were shifting positions inside the territory as part of the agreement. The ceasefire at noon local time came after the Israeli government approved the deal early Friday, the New York Times reports. The withdrawal to agreed-upon lines marks the start of a 72-hour period in which Hamas has agreed to release all remaining hostages, including the 20 believed to still be alive, the Times of Israel reports.

Under the terms of the deal, Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences along with more than 1,700 Gazans held since the war began, among them 22 minors. After the pullback, the Israeli military remains in control of 53% of Gaza's territory, most of it outside cities, per the Times of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that the military will hold a "controlling position" in Gaza for the next stage of the plan, which he said will involve disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, reports Reuters. "If this is achieved the easy way then that will be good, and if not then it will be achieved the hard way," he said. The AP reports that people in central Gaza said Israeli shelling intensified in the hours before the ceasefire took effect.

Netanyahu said he knew that if pressure was "added from our big friend President Trump, this powerful combination will cause Hamas to give back all of our hostages, while the IDF remains deep inside the Strip and holds all the key positions."

The International Committee of the Red Cross said its teams in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel are ready to help "return hostages and detainees to their families," the BBC reports. The group said its teams are "also ready to help return human remains so families can mourn their loved ones with dignity."

Mahdi Saqla, 40, was among the many Gazans filing north on Friday. "As soon as we heard the news of the truce and ceasefire, we were very happy and got ready to go back to Gaza City, to our homes. Of course there are no homesthey've been destroyed," he told Reuters. "But we are happy just to return to where our homes were, even over the rubble. That, too, is a great joy. For two years we've been suffering, displaced from place to place."
When Ann Walter looked outside her rural West Texas home, she didn't know what to make of the bulky object slowly drifting across the sky. She was even more surprised to see what actually landed in her neighbor's wheat field: a boxy piece of scientific equipment about the size of a sport-utility vehicle, attached to a massive parachute and adorned with NASA stickers. She called the local sheriff's office and learned that NASA, indeed, was looking for a piece of equipment that had gone lost. "It's crazy, because when you're standing on the ground and see something in the air, you don't realize how big it is," she tells the AP . "It was probably a 30-foot parachute. It was huge."

Walter said she soon got a call from NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, which launches large unmanned, high-altitude research balloons more than 20 miles into the atmosphere to conduct scientific experiments. Officials at NASA, which is impacted by the ongoing government shutdown, didn't return messages on Thursday; a message left with the balloon facility also wasn't immediately returned. A launch schedule on the balloon facility's website shows a series of launches from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, about 140 miles west of where the equipment landed.

Hale County Sheriff David Cochran confirmed that NASA officials called his office last week in search of the equipment. Walter said she ultimately spoke with someone at the balloon facility who told her it had been launched a day earlier from Fort Sumner, using telescopes to gather information about stars, galaxies, and black holes. "The researchers came out with a truck and trailer they used to pick it up," she saidbut not before Walter and her family, who live in Edmonson, Texas, were able to take some photos and videos. "It's kind of surreal that it happened to us and that I was part of it," she said. "It was a very cool experience."
UPS customers are facing a shipping nightmare as thousands of packages bound for the United States have been caught in a tangle of new customs rules, leading to a surge in delayed deliveriesand, in many cases, destruction of goods. The logjam began after the Trump administration scrapped the long-standing "de minimis" tariff exemption, which previously allowed lower-value packages into the country duty-free, reports NBC News . Now, even shipments under $800 are subject to an array of tariffs and red tape, creating a bottleneck at UPS hubs.

The result? Customers waiting weeks for items ranging from luxury glassware and musical instruments to sentimental items like engagement rings and diplomassome worth tens of thousands of dollars, others simply irreplaceable. Frustration is mounting online, with users sharing tales of missing products and collectibles on Reddit and beyond. Even those accustomed to shipping headaches say this is on another level.

"It's totally unprecedented," Matthew Wasserbach of Express Customs Clearance tells NBC. UPS admits that while 90% of packages clear customs quickly, the rest can get stuck in limbo, with the company noting it sometimes ends up "disposing of" items if paperwork is incomplete and shippers can't be reached. The company insists it contacts senders multiple times before taking action, but for some, those attempts get mixed up in a blizzard of baffling tracking updates.

UPS won't elaborate on what being "disposed of" means, but some customers have received emails stating their shipments were destroyed, as per regulatory guidelines. Moneywise notes that typically, unless packages are insured, the party that ships the goods is on the hook for replacing an item or refunding money for it if it's lost or damaged during transit. With the company's stock already down 30% this year, the growing backlash could drive customers to rivals like FedEx. With holiday shipping season looming, many are bracing for the backlog to get even worse, per NBC. Read here about a California man who was told by UPS that a unique guitar being shipped to him had been destroyed (it wasn't).
UPDATE

Oct 14, 2025 7:17 AM CDT

She's in: Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, will try to unseat GOP Sen. Susan Collins in 2026, reports the New York Times. Mills, a two-term governor who cannot run for reelection, announced the move on Tuesday. She is expected to face a crowded Democratic primary, however. If she were to win, Mills would be 79 upon taking office and the oldest Senate freshman in history, notes the Times. Collins is 72.

Oct 10, 2025 11:19 AM CDT

Maine's two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills will run for the US Senate seat held by veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins next year, according to two people familiar with Mills' plans on Friday, setting up a potential matchup between the parties' best-known figures in a state where Democrats see a chance to gain a seat in their uphill quest for the majority. Mills was the top choice of national Democrats to try to unseat Collins, who's held the seat since 1997, and was urged to run by party leaders, including Sen. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, per the AP.
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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado learned early Friday that she'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in an emotional phone call, captured on video , from Kristian Berg Harpviken of the Norwegian Nobel Institute. "Oh my God," Machado told Harpviken, per CBS News . "I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this." Fortune notes that Harpviken's voice was also shaking with emotion during the call.

Harpviken explained the committee's choice, citing Machado's "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy." Machado described herself as honored and humbled, adding in a later statement that the recognition represented a "boost to conclude our task: to conquer freedom. ... I am sure we will prevail."

Machado dedicated the prize to the Venezuelan people and thanked international allies, including the US and President Trump, for their support. Her remarks come as Venezuela, under President Nicolas Maduro, remains in a protracted political crisis. Maduro's 2024 election was widely viewed as illegitimate by the US and other nations, which instead recognize opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner. Machado, who has remained in hiding since the election, has openly supported US pressure on Maduro's government, calling it necessary to restore democracy.
Stocks had been heading for a slight gain in the morning, the AP reports, until Trump took to his social media platform and said he's considering "a massive increase of tariffs" on Chinese imports. He also said "now there seems to be no reason" to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, after earlier agreeing to do so. The ratchet higher in tensions between the world's largest economies was followed by widespread drops across Wall Street, with roughly 6 out of every 7 stocks in the S&P 500 falling. Nearly everything weakened, including Big Tech companies like Nvidia and Apple and stocks of smaller companies looking to get past uncertainty about tariffs and trade.

Levi Strauss dropped 12.6% for one of the market's larger losses, though it reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its forecast for profit over the full year was also within range of Wall Street's estimates, but the jeans and clothing company could simply be facing the challenge of heightened expectations after a big run. Its stock price came into the day with a surge of nearly 42% for the year so far. Some of Friday's strongest action was in the oil market, where the price of a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude sank 4.2% to $58.90.
President Trump on Friday announced a sweeping 100% tariff on Chinese goods, escalating a high-stakes standoff over China's new restrictions on rare earth minerals vital to global technology and manufacturing. The levy will take effect no later than Nov. 1, Trump posted on Truth Social, and will replace existing tariffs applied to Chinese goods. He made the announcement soon after the markets had closed; shares plunged after Trump had threatened higher tariffs earlier in the day.

Trump also said the US would implement export controls on "any and all critical software" as part of his retaliation against China's new restrictions on rare earth minerals essential to the US economy. The announcement, and the decision earlier in the week by Chinese President Xi Jinping, could set back negotiations for a trade deal between the two nations, per the Washington Post. China said foreign companies will have to obtain a license to export products containing more than 0.1% of rare earth elements if those elements are sourced in China or processed using Chinese technology, per the Hill.

Average tariffs on imports from China now are about 57%, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. They reached 140% at the height of Trump's trade war earlier this year. The Chinese government announced overnight that it's launching an antitrust investigation of Qualcomm, weeks after accusing another US tech giant, Nvidia, of antitrust violations, per the Post. Although Trump's wording Friday was definitive, the AP points out that he's backed away from similar threats before.
TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is pleased to announce the return of the Chef's Table Presented by Milk in partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario, as the title sponsor of the series. Taking place throughout the ten days of The Royal, November 7 to 16, the Chef's Table will once again showcase the very best of culinary excellence, while offering guests an immersive cooking experience utilizing high-quality, local Ontario milk and dairy products with recipes crafted by some of Canada's top chefs.

CHEF'S TABLE PRESENTED BY MILK (CNW Group/The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair)

This year's Chef's Table features Eric Robertson of Restaurant Pearl Morissette, recently honoured with his second Michelin star, alongside fellow Michelin-recognized chefs Daniele Corona of DaNico, Jeremy Austin of The Pine and Rafael Covarrubias of Hexagon. For the first time, The Royal will showcase multiple Michelin starred chefs on one stage, giving guests a rare opportunity to experience world class culinary talent in an engaging and accessible setting.

Building on the success of 2024, the Chef's Table Presented by Milk will feature interactive cooking demonstrations designed for all ages and skill levels. Guests can learn directly from leading chefs while preparing a finished dish, creating an engaging and accessible experience for families and aspiring home cooks. Tickets start at $28 per class, with general admission to the Fair sold separately.

For those seeking an elevated dining experience, the Chef's Table Dinner Series Presented by Milk returns with four multi-course dinners and one premium brunch. Each event highlights seasonality, sustainability and local producers, offering three to five thoughtfully prepared courses paired with curated beverages, along with opportunities to engage personally with the chefs and their culinary teams. This is The Royal's premium culinary experience.

"This year's Chef's Table showcases where excellence in Canadian agriculture meets excellence in the kitchen," said Cyrus Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. "Welcoming Michelin starred chefs Daniele Corona, Jeremy Austin, Eric Robertson and Rafael Covarrubias elevates the program while keeping it welcoming for families and home cooks. We are grateful to Dairy Farmers of Ontario for their continued partnership, and for helping us showcase the high-quality and versatility of Ontario milk and dairy."

Visit The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair from November 7 to 16, 2025 and explore everything the Chef's Table Presented by Milk has to offer. More information and tickets for experiences are available at https://www.royalfair.org/chefs-table/.

About The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the world's largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian show. Now in its 103rd year, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair takes place every November at Exhibition Place, in the City of Toronto and celebrates the best in agriculture, culinary and equestrian competitions from across the country. For more information, please visit: http://www.royalfair.org/, @royalfair on Facebook, @theroyalfair on Instagram and @TheRoyalAgriculturalWinterFair on YouTube.

About Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) is the regulator and sole delegated authority for the marketing of milk in Ontario, the largest sector of Ontario agriculture. Our mission is to provide leadership and excellence in the production and marketing of Canadian milk for a dynamic, profitable growing dairy industry. Ontario's dairy farmers, their families and employees are proud to produce high-quality milk for Canadians. For more information, visit www.milk.org.

SOURCE The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

For general media enquiries regarding The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please contact: Sam Forgie [email protected]
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE THIRD QUARTER ENDED AUGUST 31, 2025

Sales of $499.2M, up 6.7 %, of which 4.1 % came from internal growth and 2.6 % from acquisitions.

of $499.2M, up 6.7 %, of which 4.1 % came from internal growth and 2.6 % from acquisitions. EBITDA of $57.0M - EBITDA margin of 11.4 %.

of $57.0M - EBITDA margin of 11.4 %. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of $23.9M, or $0.43 per diluted share, up 4.9 %.

attributable to shareholders of $23.9M, or $0.43 per diluted share, up 4.9 %. Cash flow from operating activities of $82.7M.

of $82.7M. Expansion: two acquisitions completed after the quarter (Quebec - Manitoba), adding a further $22M in annual sales.

FIRST NINE MONTHS

Sales of $1.45 billion, up 7.2 %,including $789.8M in Canada and US$473.2M in the United States.

of $1.45 billion, up 7.2 %,including $789.8M in Canada and US$473.2M in the United States. EBITDA of 154.7M$ - EBITDA margin of 10.6 %.

of 154.7M$ - EBITDA margin of 10.6 %. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of $60.3M, or $1.08 per diluted share.

of $60.3M, or $1.08 per diluted share. Cash flows provided by operating activities of $133.6M.

of $133.6M. Healthy and solid financial situation as at August 31, 2025, with a net cash of $12.4M and a working capital of $632.7M (ratio of 3.2:1).

Quarterly dividend of $0.1533 per share payable on November 6, 2025, to shareholders registered as of October 23, 2025.

MONTREAL, Oct. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - (TSX: RCH) "The solid performance of all of our market segments in the United States and in all regions of Canada, with the exception of Ontario, resulted in sales growth of 6.7 % in the third quarter. Our sales increased by 6.5 % in the manufacturers' market to reach $442.5M and they rose by 8.6 % in the retailers' market to $56.7M. Following the end of the quarter, we completed two strategic acquisitions. The acquisition of Ideal Security, a Canadian distributor of door and window products mainly for the retails' market, enables us to increase our sales and broaden our offering in Canada and in the United States. As for the acquisition of Finmac Lumber, it strengthens our presence in Manitoba and allows us to complete our product lines in this market. We are thus continuing the disciplined execution of our growth strategy and expect to finish the 2025 fiscal year with strong results," said Mr. Richard Lord, President and Chief Executive Officer.

MAIN TRADEMARKS (CNW Group/Richelieu Hardware Ltd.)

"I am also proud to highlight that our operations generated $82.7M in cash flow during the quarter, including a $16M reduction in inventories, generating a positive cash position. This reflects the strength of our financial position and an exceptional balance sheet. Despite uncertainties related to tariffs, our business model remains strong: it enables us to protect our margins, stay competitive, and respond with agility to our customers' needs. We also continue to focus on our exclusive products and private brands, with the goal of strengthening our margins and expanding our offering. This is at the core of our strategy and sets us apart from the competition," added Mr. Richard Lord.

CLOSING OF EIGHT ACQUISITIONS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2025 REPRESENTING ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SALES OF MORE THAN $75M

To the six acquisitions completed in the first half of the year, including two in Canada (Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and in Quebec) and four in the United States (Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey (2)), were added the acquisitions of Ideal Security on September 2, 2025 and Finmac Lumber on October 1, 2025. Specializing in hardware products for doors and windows, Ideal Security is based in the Greater Montreal area and primarily serves the North American retailer and renovation superstore market. As for Finmac Lumber, a distributor of specialized wood products, its customer base consists mainly of woodworkers, cabinetmakers, and building material retailers in the Winnipeg area. These eight acquisitions completed since the beginning of fiscal 2025 represent sales of more than $75M on an annual basis, in addition to offering customers complementary high-quality product lines.

OPERATING RESULTS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER AND FIRST NINE MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2025

The following table provides an overview of Richelieu's sales in its two main markets for the quarters ended August 31, 2025 and 2024 :













Quarters ended August 31 2025 2024  % (in millions of dollars, except exchange rates) Total Internal Acquisitions Consolidated 499.2 467.7 6.7 4.1 2.6 Manufacturers 442.5 415.5 6.5 3.6 2.9 Retailers 56.7 52.2 8.6 8.6 -- Canada 272.4 264.6 2.9 1.5 1.4 Manufacturers 226.3 222.1 1.9 0.1 1.8 Retailers 46.1 42.5 8.5 8.5 -- United States in US$ 165.3 148.4 11.4 7.3 4.1 Manufacturers 157.6 141.2 11.6 7.3 4.3 Retailers 7.7 7.2 6.9 6.9 -- United States in CA$ 226.8 203.1 11.7



Average exchange rates 1.372 1.369



















For the third quarter ended August 31, 2025, consolidated sales totaled $499.2M, compared to $467.7M for the third quarter of 2024, representing an increase of $31.5M, or 6.7% of which 2.6% comes from the positive contribution of acquisitions and 4.1% from internal growth. Internal growth in the U.S. manufacturers' market was supported by higher selling prices. Part of this internal growth came from price adjustments applied to reflect the new tariffs, representing essentially a cost pass-through with no impact on gross margin. In Canada, overall sales remained stable, reflecting good performance in the Eastern manufacturing markets, offset by a decline in Ontario due to a more challenging economic environment. On a currency-adjusted basis compared to the third quarter of 2024, consolidated sales for the third quarter ended August 31, 2025, would have increased by 6.6%.

Operating expenses excluding amortization totaled $442.2M, representing 88.6% of sales, compared to $414.8M, or 88.7% of sales, for the same period in 2024. The increase in operating expenses in absolute terms reflects the growth in sales.

Earnings before income taxes, interest, and amortization (EBITDA) reached $57.0M, up $4.1M or 7.7% from the corresponding quarter of 2024. This growth was mainly driven by higher sales. As a result, the EBITDA margin was 11.4%, compared to 11.3% for the corresponding quarter of 2024.

Amortization expense for the third quarter of 2025 amounted to $18.7M, up $1.4M compared to the same period in 2024. This increase is primarily attributable to the growth in right-of-use assets related to expansion projects, lease renewals, and business acquisitions completed over the past 12 months. Net financial costs totaled $3.4M, compared to $3.0M in the corresponding quarter of 2024, representing an increase of $0.4M.

Net earnings were $25.6M, an increase of 6.7% from the corresponding quarter of 2024. Including non-controlling interests, net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation were $23.9M, an increase of 5.2% from the third quarter of 2024. Net earnings per share were $0.43, basic and diluted, compared to $0.41, basic and diluted, for the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 4.9%.

Cash flow from operating activities, before net change in non-cash working capital balances, was $48.1M or $0.87 per diluted share compared to $42.7M or $0.76 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2024. This 12.5% increase mainly reflects the increase in earnings before income taxes, interest, and amortization. Net change in non-cash working capital items represented a cash inflow of $34.6M, reflecting a $16.2M reduction in inventories, while other items represented a cash inflow of $18.4M. As a result, operating activities provided a cash inflow of $82.7M, compared to a cash inflow of $50.2M in the third quarter of 2024.

In the first nine months of 2025, consolidated sales reached $1.45B, up $97.1M or 7.2% over the first nine months of 2024, of which 3.2% from the positive contribution of acquisitions and 4.0% from internal growth. On a currency-comparable basis with the corresponding period in 2024, the increase in consolidated sales would have been 5.7%.

Operating expenses excluding amortization totalled $1.30B, representing 89.4% of sales, compared to $1.21B, or 89.1% of sales, for the same period in 2024. The variations in monetary terms and as a percentage of sales reflect the aforementioned elements.

EBITDA was $154.7M, up $7.5M or 5.1% from the corresponding nine-month period of 2024 and net earnings attributable to shareholders were $60.3M, down 1.8% from the corresponding period of 2024. Net earnings per share were $1.09 basic and $1.08 diluted, compared to $1.10 basic and $1.09 diluted for the same period of 2024, down 0.9%..

Cash flow from operating activities, before net change in non-cash working capital balances, was $132.1M or $2.38 per diluted share compared to $122.7M or $2.18 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2024. The net change in non-cash working capital items represented a cash inflow of $1.5M, mainly reflecting the change in inventories which generated a cash inflow of $3.5M, while other items used cash of $2.0M. As a result, operating activities represented a cash inflow of $133.6M, compared to a cash inflow of $106.4M in the first nine months of 2024.

FINANCIAL POSITION

As at August 31, 2025, net cash was $12.4M, compared to a net cash of $12.3M as at November 30, 2024, total assets were $1.44B, compared to $1.39B as at November 30, 2024, and the Corporation had a working capital of $632.7M, for a ratio of 3.2:1, compared to $612.9M (ratio of 3.1:1) as at November 30, 2024, with an average return on shareholders' equity of 9.0%.

SHARE CAPITAL

As at August 31, 2025, the Corporation's share capital consisted of 55,219,988 common shares [55,218,678 common shares as at November 30, 2024]. For the three and nine-month periods ended August 31, 2025, the weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding was 55,561,110 and 55,570,600 [56,260,000 and 55,971,950 in 2024].

DIVIDENDS

On October 9, 2025, the Board of Directors approved the payment of a quarterly dividend of 0.1533$ per share to shareholders of record as at October 23, 2025, payable on November 6, 2025. The declared dividend is designated as an eligible dividend under the Income Tax Act of Canada.

MAIN TRADEMARKS

PROFILE AS AT AUGUST 31, 2025

Richelieu is a leading North American importer, manufacturer, and distributor of specialty hardware and complementary products. Its products are targeted to an extensive customer base of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, storage and closets, home furnishing and office furniture manufacturers, residential and commercial woodworkers, doors and windows, and hardware retailers including renovation superstores. Richelieu offers customers a broad mix of high-end products sourced from manufacturers worldwide. Its product selection consists of over 145,000 different items targeted to a base of more than 120,000 customers who are served by 117 centres in North America  49 distribution centres in Canada, 65 in the United States, and three manufacturing plants in Canada, specifically, Les Industries Cedan Inc., Menuiserie des Pins Ltee, and USIMM UNIGRAV Inc., which manufacture a variety of veneer sheets and edge banding products, a broad selection of decorative moldings and components for the window and door industry as well as custom products, including a 3D scanning centre.

Notes to readers -- Richelieu uses earnings before interest, income taxes, and amortization ("EBITDA") because this measure enables management to assess the Corporation's operational performance. This measure is a financial indicator of a corporation's ability to service its debt. However, EBITDA should not be considered by an investor as an alternative to operating income, net earnings, cash flows or as a measure of liquidity. Because EBITDA is not a standardized measurement as prescribed by IFRS, it may not be comparable to the EBITDA of other companies. Richelieu also uses adjusted cash flows from operating activities, which are based on net earnings plus the amortization of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and right-of-use assets, deferred tax expense (or recovery), share-based compensation expense, and financial costs. These additional measures do not account for the net change in non-cash working capital items to exclude seasonality effects and are used by management in its assessments of cash flows from long-term operations. Therefore, adjusted cash flows from operating activities may not be comparable to those of other companies. Certain statements set forth in this report (generally identified by terms such as "may", "could", "might", "intend", "expect", "believe", "estimate" or comparable variants) constitute forward-looking statements which, by their very nature, remain subject to other risks and uncertainties as set forth in the Corporation's annual and quarterly reports. Although management considers these assumptions and expectations reasonable based on the information available at the time they are provided, such assumptions and expectations could prove inaccurate, and actual results could differ materially. Richelieu is under no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein to account for future events or circumstances, except as required by applicable legislation. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes and interim MD&A for the third quarter and first nine months ended August 31, 2025 will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and on the Corporation's website at www.richelieu.com.

OCTOBER 9, 2025 , CONFERENCE CALL AT 2:30 P.M. (EASTERN TIME)

Financial analysts and investors interested in participating in the Corporation's earnings conference call, scheduled for October 9, 2025, at 2:30 p.m., can dial 1-800-990-4777

a few minutes before the start of the call. For those unable to participate in real-time, a recording will be available starting October 9, 2025, at 5:45 p.m. until midnight on

October 16, 2025. Simply dial 1-888-660-6345 and enter the access code: 30318# to access the recording. Members of the media are invited to listen in.





SOURCE Richelieu Hardware Ltd.

Richard Lord, President and Chief Executive Officer; Antoine Auclair, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer; For information: Tel: (514) 832-4010 / www.richelieu.com
Kevin Pathrath an other warn of an AI Bubble and AI Ponzi with a potential 80% collapse. The core of the argument is the circular financing structure of the recent OpenAI-Oracle-Nvidia deal and the OpenAI-AMD deal.

Nvidia commits up to $100B in investments ($10B per gigawatt deployed, up to 10GW), starting with the first GW in H2 2026 on its Vera Rubin platform. This cash funds OpenAIs infrastructure. Each Gigawatt purchased by OpenAI would be about $30 billion worth of Nvidia chips. Nvidia would be selling at 60-75% margin. $10 billion would be only part of $15-20 billion of profits from each sale. The $10 billion would be purchased at the mid-2026 valuation for OpenAI.

Is buying shares in a customer company a ponzi scheme? Profits are still made by Nvidia. IF OpenAI failed there would be no domino effect on Nvidia.

The AMD deal is selling 6GW of chips to OpenAI. OpenAI pledges to deploy 6GW of AMD Instinct GPUs (starting 1GW in H2 2026) which should be about $15-20 billion per gigawatt in AMD revenue. AMD. has about 38% margin. AMD issues warrants for up to 160M shares (~10% stake) at $0.01 each, vesting on AMD stock price targets (up to $600/share, ~3x current levels) and OpenAIs technical/commercial milestones. This would be about $38 billion of value today. AMD is refunding the profits from the OpenAI chip purchases in AMD stock.

Is a 30% discount a ponzi scheme?

If OpenAI fails with its data center that might impact future AMD sales. AMD gets a volume increase.

AMD and Nvidia are all still making money on these deals.

This creates a self-reinforcing loop: Nvidias investment  OpenAI cash  AMD chip buys and deployments  AMD revenue/stock rise  OpenAIs stake value increases  Nvidia (via its OpenAI ownership) benefits  More Nvidia investments  Further AMD expansions (lagging ~6 months behind Nvidia). Both deals sync on H2 2026 timelines, with AMDs weaker financials (39.8% gross margin, 11.3% net margin vs. Nvidias 72% gross).

Kevin projects an $800B revenue shortfall by 2030 ($1.2T expected vs. $2T needed for AI buildout). If the revenue was only $1.2 trillion over the next 4-5 years then it would still reach $2 trillion about 18-24 months later.

Kevin fears Fed bailouts, rate cuts, and AI-induced unemployment mirroring 1929s slow bleed.

Analysis of AI Ponzi Scheme Claims

Kevins narrative paints the AI sectorexemplified by the Nvidia-OpenAI-AMD dealsas a giant circle that is similar to a Ponzi scheme, where investments recycle among insiders without productive output, propped by FOMO, debt, and stock-tied incentives. However, a true Ponzi requires no genuine positive returns. Ponzi is only sustained via new inflows to pay early participants. Here the shares involved are a fraction of profits in cash involved in the related transactions.

These investments fund tangible infrastructure (data centers, chips) for AI deployment, with returns hinging on AI inference success. There is real-time AI usage from things like ChatGPT queries and they are generating scalable revenue.

OpenAI-AMD  This coopetition reduces single-supplier risk but ties payouts to speculative milestones (AMD tripling). Yet, unlike a Ponzi this generates real economic activity: Chip sales and data center builds and AI services. The risk is overbuild if demand softensKevins $800B shortfall aligns with broader forecasts needing $2T total AI spend by 2030 vs. ~$1.2T revenue but positive returns from inference could break the cycle.

If inference scales, this is venture-like bootstrapping.

The global AI inference market is projected at $106B in 2025 and could go to $255B by 2030 (CAGR 19%) or even more.

For OpenAI, inference powers 80%+ of ChatGPT revenue with H1 2025 sales at $4.3B (16% YoY growth)

Inference is ~10x cheaper than training per query, enabling 70-80% gross margins (Nvidias current AI revenue benchmark). Google Cloud reports AI inference yields=ing 20-50% ROI via personalized recommendations, cutting customer churn 15-30%.

IBM reports average 5.9% ROI across AI pilots, but 20-40% in inference-heavy uses like predictive maintenance (reducing downtime 25%).

Marketing/Sales: GrowthLoop cites 15-25% uplift in conversion rates from AI personalization, with ROI over 200% in 6-12 months

Kevins fear of a revenue miss ignores inferences scalability: As models commoditize, take rates (2-5% on agentic commerce) could yield $200B+ for OpenAI alone by 2030.

AMDs lower margins highlight dependency on volume deals.

Nvidias fortress balance sheet funds the circle without distress.

Actual Creation of Value Using AI. Especially AI inference, demonstrably creates value beyond hype, countering Ponzi fears
New Jersey school districts are being encouraged to consider additional restrictions on cellphones. Photo illustration by N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

New Jersey is offering money to local school districts that agree to tighten restrictions on cellphone use by students in class.

The state Department of Education will award grants to districts that adopt policies banning cellphones bell-to-bell  which means prohibiting use during the entire school day  for students in grades 6 through 12.

The new, "Phone-Free Schools Grant Program" was announced Oct. 1, two weeks after a New Jersey commission urged all schools to prohibit students from using cellphones and social media during the school day.

Districts selected for the grant program will get a minimum of $500. State officials did not say if there is a maximum amount. The size of the grants will depend on how many school districts apply.

School officials must agree to require that internet-enabled phones and other devices to be stored upon arrival at school and returned at dismissal, education department officials said.

That is a stricter policy than many New Jersey schools currently enforce. Some schools ban cellphones in class, but allow devices to be used at lunch, at lockers or in school hallways.

Grant funds may be used to implement storage solutions to collect and secure student devices. Those could include locked pouch systems, lockers, bins and cabinets, along with related equipment and software to secure the phones.

The grant money can also be used for staff training on a districts cellphone policy and storage procedures to ensure consistent, equitable implementation across schools, the education department said.

There is no New Jersey law governing cellphones in schools. Each school district adopts its own rules.

The grants will only go to school districts that adopt strict policies that require students to store their phones for the entire school day.

Adoption of less stringent approaches, such as Off and Away or Limited Use policies, do not qualify for this program, the state education department memo said.

State education officials did not say how many grants can be awarded or a maximum amount schools can receive. Oct. 31 is the application deadline for the grant.

The school board in Jersey City, the states second-largest city, recently enacted a policy requiring students to turn their devices off, or place them in airplane mode, while in class. But it is not a bell-to-bell that requires students to store their phones during the school day.

However, Ramsey High School is among the school districts telling students to put away their phones all day. In January, the Bergen County district began requiring students to store their devices in Yondr cellphone pouches during the school day.

Yondr is a San Francisco-based company best known for producing a lockable pouch for cellphones that keeps phones out of reach from students until the pouch is tapped on an unlocking base.

The new grants are rolling out amid a national focus on whether cellphones and other wireless communication devices are detracting from academic performance and worsening bullying and other problems.

The state Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage in Adolescents issued a report last month endorsing bell-to-bell phone bans. The report outlined numerous harms to adolescents stemming from social media, including among students who access sites on their cellphones.
Pho with rare and well-done beef at Pho Hanoi Corner inside Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

Youll walk into this cafe expecting a latte, but might walk out slurping pho.

Pho Hanoi Corner, a Vietnamese pop-up tucked inside Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, is serving steaming bowls of pho in a very unexpected setting.

Vera Caffe opened in January 2024, offering all things coffee  lattes, specialty drinks and their viral teddy bear matcha lattes, complete with matcha-flavored ice shaped like an actual bear. In December, owner Anna Nguyen decided to launch a pho pop-up inside the cafe serving pho on the weekends.

When my mom lived in Vietnam, there were a lot of of places like this where they are a cafe but also serve a lot of Vietnamese food and lunch and dinner at the same time, Nguyens daughter, Linh Vu, told NJ Advance Media this week.

Outside of Pho Hanoi Corner inside Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

The menu is limited but focused. Beef, chicken, vegetarian, and seafood pho options plus Hanoi spring rolls, corn sticky rice with fried pork patties and herbal chicken soup.

Upon visiting, I was asked the all-important question when I walked in: Food or drink?

My answer  both. I was seated at a table with sriracha, hoisin sauce, chopsticks, a soup spoon and a napkin. Unfortunately, only chicken and beef pho were available during my visit.

Inside Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

I ordered the pho with rare and well-done beef ($17.99), which came with thinly sliced rare beef, braised brisket, rice noodles, green onions, herbs, lime and chilies  all swimming in a rich beef broth.

But the pho here isnt the typical bowl that can usually be found all over the state. The owner is from the Hanoi region of Vietnam, where pho has a more translucent, delicate broth as opposed Southern-style broth which is more complex  richer and sweeter.

Hanoi-style pho also features simple, minimal garnishes like green onions and cilantro.

Pho with rare and well-done beef at Pho Hanoi Corner inside Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

When it arrived, the bowl was massive  easily enough for two meals or one very hungry pho fan, which luckily I am. The broth was the first thing I noticed  light in color and clear enough to see nearly everything in the bowl.

A small side of bean sprouts, cilantro, chilies and a slice of lime came with the bowl  classic pho accouterments. As with any good pho, the first slurp was the most comforting  but I immediately noticed a slight difference. The broth stood out, with subtle notes of clove and cardamom cutting through the rich beef flavor. Unlike most spots that pile on meats and noodles, this bowl felt more restrained and minimalistic  clearly designed to let the broth shine.

Iced teddy bear strawberry matcha from Vera Caffe in Fort Lee, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

To round out the experience, I also tried something from the cafe side: the iced teddy strawberry matcha ($7.50), made with layers of matcha, milk, and strawberry, and topped with their signature bear-shaped ice cube.

My iced drink paired beautifully with the steaming bowl, cooling me down with layers of matcha, strawberry, and milk. The teddy bearshaped ice was a fun touch  more decorative than functional, but still charming.

New Jersey, especially in Fort Lee, is full of amazing pho spots. But Pho Hanoi Corner differentiated itself by serving a unique style of pho in a cozy, unexpected cafe setting.

What first started out as a weekend pop-up has now become a fully run restaurant that offers pho everyday except for Mondays.

Dont be surprised if you plan to walk in for a quick coffee but leave with a full belly and a new favorite pho spot.
A Hudson County bus company and its owner were charged with theft of services after racking up $290,000 in unpaid tolls, officials with the state Attorney Generals Office said.

Somaya Elkaramany, 57, of Bayonne, was charged with five counts of theft of service and her company, Best Big Bus, LLC, was also charged in three of the five counts.

Officials said Elkaramany owned and operated vehicles registered to herself and her company that incurred about $290,000 in unpaid tolls to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey between October 2020 and September 2025.

Three separate license plates racked up the unpaid tolls, including $143,835 for 3,526 violations for a license plate registered to Best Big Bus between September 2022 and October 2024, officials said.

In total, over 7,000 toll violations were issued over the nearly five year period authorities said the company and Elkaramany failed to pay tolls, officials said.

Over the last year alone, from November 2024 to September 2025, Best Big Bus racked up over $65,000 in unpaid tolls through 1,360 tickets, officials said.

Elkaramany did not have an attorney listed in court records on Friday. A representative from Best Big Bus could not be reached for comment.
An 18-year-old man was shot and killed in a park in New Brunswick on Wednesday night, officials said.

Fernando Buezo Diaz was shot in the parking lot of Recreation Park, off Pine Street at about 11:30 p.m. New Brunswick police said.

Diaz, of New Brunswick, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office said Friday.

On Thursday, Rutgers University police initially stated that the shooting victim had been taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries.

The shooter fled before police arrived at the park, which is about a block from the edge of Rutgers Cook/Douglass campuses. Diaz was not a Rutgers student.

The shooting was not random and there is no threat to the public, according to the prosecutors office.

Anyone with information is asked to call New Brunswick police Detective Victor Delgado at 732-745-5200 or Detective Javier Morillo of the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office at 732-745-8843.
TD Bank is expanding its specialty Automated Treat Machines (ATMs) for dogs to 14 additional branch locations from Maine to Florida over the next two years, building on the success of its first canine-focused ATM that debuted in Philadelphia 18 months ago. TD Bank

TD Bank is expanding its specialty Automated Treat Machines for dogs to 14 additional branches over the next two years including two locations in New Jersey.

The bank will install Dog ATMs at eight branches this month. Six more machines will be operational in 2026.

The expansion follows the success of TDs first canine-focused ATM, which debuted in Philadelphia 18 months ago.

The machines resemble traditional bank ATMs but feature dog-themed content on their screens and include paw print mats with motion detectors that automatically dispense free treats when dogs approach.

We want to make our stores feel unmistakably TD  and our Automated Treat Machines connect us with our customers and bring the community closer to the store in a unique and memorable way, Michael Snyder, TDs head of U.S. regional, retail distribution and experiential marketing said in a statement.

For years, many branches had special treats to share with customers pets. In April 2024, the bank opened its first Dog ATM at the South Broad location in Philadelphia.

In New Jersey, two branches get Dog ATMs this month with special events featuring prizes, giveaways and treats for both humans and pets.

The Cranford location at 465 South Ave. East will host its Dog ATM debut event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an on-site caricaturist who will sketch portraits of customers and their pets.

The Elmwood Park location at 600 Market St. will hold its celebration on Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event will include a dog adoption event with Good Karma Dog Rescue and a doggie food truck.
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Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill accused Republican Jack Ciattarelli of complicity in the opioid epidemic through his former medical publishing company during Wednesday's debate. NJ Advance Media photo illustration | Photos by AP and Ed Murray

Over the past four decades covering politics in the state, Ive seen Jersey candidates call each other sleazeballs and crooks, lie about records, claim their opponents were soft on crime and easy on sex offenders, spread nasty and unfounded rumors, make fun of a candidates girth, and even trot out an opponents ex-wife for an especially bitter campaign ad.

But Wednesday night was a first. Never had I heard a candidate for governor accuse a rival of killing thousands upon thousands of New Jerseyans.

Yes, that really happened. During a debate for governor. Televised for the whole world to see. Uttered not once but several times.

Democrat Mikie Sherrill claimed Republican Jack Ciattarelli killed tens of thousands of people and a medical publishing company he once owned made millions by printing propaganda and disinformation about the opioid crisis.

What followed was a heated exchange with both candidates shouting Shame on you! at each other, Ciattarelli calling Sherrill desperate and a liar and Sherrill repeating her charge.

Late Thursday, the Ciattarelli campaign announced it will sue Sherrill for defamation of character for baselessly and recklessly accusing him of mass murder.

The Sherrill camp then said Ciattarelli was hiding behind a lawsuit and that he had profited off the pain of New Jerseyans.

Fair game or foul charge?

Some insiders say Ciattarellis former firm, which he sold in 2017, may be fair game. NJ Advance Medias Ted Sherman has reported that it faced criticism for producing continuing education materials for major universities that appeared to downplay the dangers of opioids. Much of it was funded by pharmaceutical company grants.

However, they also say Sherrill took it a bridge too far.

My jaw dropped, said one Democrat, describing that moment in the debate.

A Republican operative called it irresponsible and reckless  almost unhinged.

But heres the thing: In the cold calculus of politics circa 2025, it worked. Its advantage Sherrill, at least for now. While both candidates had strong moments during the debate, Sherrills charges dominated the post-debate headlines, video clips and social media chatter, usually seen by far more eyeballs than the televised event.

In a second, high-profile moment  this one prompted by a hosts question  Ciatterelli said he would give President Donald Trump an A for his first nine months in office. In a state where most Republicans (except for Trumps most ardent fans) would have probably held the line at a B+  it also didnt help matters for him.

Jack on the defensive

With the hard-charging Ciattarelli gaining momentum, Wednesday nights debate has suddenly put him on the defensive, just weeks from Election Day. Sherrill, who was getting creamed by Ciattarelli commercials showing her sputtering when trying to answer a softball question earlier this year, went on the attack and succeeded. And its all the better for her when the post-debate narrative doesnt center around her Democratic Partys failures on taxes and affordability.

The moment, however, may be fleeting.

Im not sure all of this will move the needle, one Democrat told me. I think a lot of people tune all this crap out.

For those tuning in, there is obvious method to the malice.

Each candidate has a strength that the other is trying to smack down.

Ciattarelli focuses on cutting taxes and saying Jersey is too expensive under Democratic rule, so Sherrill launches ads calling him High Tax Jack that falsely claim he may raise sales taxes to 10%

When Sherrill made hay by breaking with Gov. Phil Murphy and vowing to declare a state of emergency to tackle soaring electricity bills, Ciattarelli distorts her comments to make it look like shes saying good people will gladly pay an arm and a leg for higher energy costs.

In recent weeks, however, its taken what Ill call an anti-Godfather turn. Its not business, its personal.

Second gubernatorial debate between Jack Ciattarelli and Mikie Sherrill at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick , NJ on Tuesday, October 8, 2025 Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

Sherrills comments during the debate came after Ciattarelli hammered her for not releasing her military files after she had said she was not allowed to walk at her U.S. Naval Academy graduation because she would not dime out cadets accused of cheating in a huge scandal 30 years ago. For the past two weeks, his campaign has played a release the files drumbeat that reminds you of what Democrats say about the Epstein files.

I think she was punished for something else, Ciattarelli said during the debate. And so I think she needs to come clean. I think the people in New Jersey deserve an answer as to why she was punished at the Naval Academy.

Sherrill responded by once again smacking the Trump administration for releasing her personal information to the Ciattarelli campaign and accusing her opponent of sharing it with reporters. (Its now under investigation by the National Archives, which had said the information was released by mistake).

For her part, Sherrill took aim at a Ciattarelli campaign strength: His background as a successful business owner. Jack had hit her on how she made money (on stock trades), now Mikie would hit him on how he made his. Thats when those big opioid charges were launched, prompting that tense back and forth in which Ciattarelli told her: I got to walk at his college graduation.

Its not hard to predict this already ugly race will get even worse during the home stretch because each campaign knows its razor close with so much at stake and the national parties now pumping millions into commercials pull no punches.

I guess were at a place right now in the campaign where they just can say things and, you know, see what sticks, one operative said. Just put it out there.

How low can they go?

As each candidate in the Jersey governors race dances a 2025 version of the Limbo Rock, that answer is clear: All the way to the floor.

Previous columns:
President Donald Trump took a victory lap Friday as the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect, comparing his big moment to an unforgettable scene in American history.

In a video clip posted to Trumps Truth Social account, Newsmax TV anchor Rob Finnerty contrasted a hushed public exchange between Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio against the whispered message delivered to former President George W. Bush on 9/11.

You might remember this, Finnerty said. When President Bush was reading The Pet Goat to a classroom of second graders in Florida and White House chief of staff Andy Card walked over the president  very similar scene  and whispered a message in the presidents ear. The message was: A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack. For George Bush and America, that was very bad news.

But for Donald Trump yesterday and for America and for the world it was very good news. Donald Trump ends wars. Other people start them. Donald Trump ends them. Geroge Bush was reading a book about a goat. Tonight, Donald Trump is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time).

New media post from Donald J. Trump



(TS: 10 Oct 07:04 ET) pic.twitter.com/NXJYPiKFdP  Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 10, 2025

That moment between Trump and Rubio occurred Wednesday during a White House roundtable with conservative journalists and influencers about Antifa.

In their brief exchange, Rubio handed the president note which read, You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.

I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that were very close to a deal on the Middle East, and theyre gonna need me pretty quickly, Trump said, per the Associated Press. So well take a couple of more questions.

About two hours after the roundtable concluded, Trump announced the agreement in the 2-year-old war on his social media platform.

I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan, Trump wrote.

"I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan... BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!" - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/lAUxi1UPYh  The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 8, 2025

The first phase of the plan began Friday and included an agreement by Hamas to free the remaining living Israeli hostages within days in exchange for the release of hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians. The Israeli military also announced it had pulled back its troops to agreed-upon lines inside Gaza, withdrawing from much of Gaza City and other surrounding areas.

Trump, who on Friday will address troops and undergo his second physical examination of the year at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, plans to travel to the Middle East this weekend amid the ongoing talks between Hamas and Israel.

Im going to try and make a trip over. Were going to try and get over there, and were working on the timing, the exact timing, Trump said Thursday during a White House Cabinet meeting. Were going to go to Egypt, where well have a signing, an additional signing, and weve already had a signing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
FILE - President Donald Trump speaks 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. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) AP

The chairman of the Nobel Prize committee was not moved by President Donald Trumps campaign for the famed peace award.

After announcing Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as this years recipient, committee leader Jrgen Watne Frydnes was specifically asked about Trumps campaign, before citing the traits he viewed as inherent to the previous winners.

In the long history of the Nobel Peace prize, I think this committee has seen any type of campaign, media attention, Frydnes said Friday. I receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace.

This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.

Nobel Committee Chair explains why Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize:



"All laureates [have] both courage and integrity... We base our decision on the work and will of Alfred Nobel." pic.twitter.com/9YcdVFoZOs  FactPost (@factpostnews) October 10, 2025

Though Trumps efforts did not result in a personal victory, Machado dedicated her award in part to the second-term U.S. president.

This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom, Machado wrote on X. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy. I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

Trump and his supporters spent months touting the presidents achievements as worthy of a peace prize, which was previously awarded to President Barack Obama in 2009. Those feats included the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began Friday, though the committees deadline for submitting a nomination passed on Jan. 31.

The woke Nobel Committee gave Obama a peace prize for doing nothing, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said in a post on X. They wouldnt know peace if it stared them in the face.

White House communications director Stephen Cheung also slammed the Nobel committee on X.

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, Cheung wrote. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Trump did not comment on Machado partly dedicating her Nobel Prize achievement to him but did praise the Venezuelan politician and activist as a freedom fighter in a Truth Social post earlier this year.

Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado and President-elect Gonzalez are peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime, Trump wrote on Jan. 9. The great Venezuelan American community in the United States overwhelmingly support a free Venezuela, and strongly supported me. These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!
A Sussex County man faces multiple charges related to child sexual abuse materials allegedly found in his home depicting victims from New Jersey and across the United States, authorities said.

Ryan J. Smith, 24, of Franklin, was arrested Sept. 18 after investigators executed a search warrant at his home, according to Sahil K. Kabse, Acting Prosecutor for the Sussex County Prosecutors Office.

Smith had been the subject of an ongoing investigation (conducted by detectives) after information was received indicating he was in possession of child sexual assault material, Kabse said in a statement Tuesday.

As a result of the search, investigators determined that Smith was involved in the solicitation, creation, and distribution of (child sex abuse material), with victims located in New Jersey and other parts of the United States, the prosecutor said.

Court records state Smith was involved in the filming of child victims.

Smith was charged with possession of images of sexually exploited children, storing the images on a file-sharing program, reconstructing the images, and possession of items depicting sexually exploited children with intent to distribute, all second-degree crimes.

He was also charged with third-degree conspiracy to share or distribute images of child exploitation as an organizer/administrator of a network, and fourth-degree destruction of evidence.

Smith was held at the Morris County Jail pending a court hearing. Attorney information was not listed in court records on Friday.

During the investigation, police also arrested a 61-year-old Franklin woman who they said interfered with the investigation by entering an ambulance present at the scene during the search of Smiths home.

The prosecutors office did not say why an ambulance was present.

The woman was charged with obstruction and resisting arrest, both classified as fourth-degree crimes. She was released on a summons ahead of a court hearing.
A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain and coastal flood at the Jersey Shore beginning Sunday and lasting into Monday, forecasters say. AccuWeather

UPDATE: N.J. declares state of emergency ahead of storm

A dangerous noreaster storm is expected to churn high winds and heavy rain to New Jersey beginning Sunday, causing significant flooding and potential evacuations in Jersey Shore towns, forecasters say.

The National Weather Service has issued high wind watches and coastal flood watches for multiple counties, with the most severe conditions anticipated at high tides along beaches and bays.

Moderate to major coastal flood impacts are increasingly likely, the weather service said in an update early Friday. Widespread roadway flooding and impassable roads, inundation of structures, and evacuations are possible Sunday-Monday.

A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain and coastal flood at the Jersey Shore beginning Sunday and lasting into Monday, forecasters say. National Weather Service

Forecasters say the storm will develop Sunday morning, with northeast winds increasing to 30-50 mph inland and potentially gusting up to 60 mph along the coast.

Jersey Shore counties face the highest risk of strong winds and potential coastal flooding.

A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain and coastal flood at the Jersey Shore beginning Sunday and lasting into Monday, forecasters say. AccuWeather

Residents in these areas should prepare for possible power outages and property damage.

Significant beach erosion and dune breaching is possible due to very high surf, the weather service said. Now is the time to prepare your property for the threat of coastal flooding.

Rainfall is expected to be substantial, with most areas predicted to receive 1-3 inches of rain over 36 to 48 hours.

Locally higher amounts of 3-5 inches of rain are possible, the weather service said in an updated briefing Friday. Coastal areas could see a compounded impact with heavy rain on top of moderate to major tidal flooding.

A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to pound New Jersey beginning Sunday with up to 60 mph, widespread heavy rain and major coastal flooding at the Jersey Shore. National Weather Service and Canva

While significant flooding inland of the Jersey Shore is not anticipated due to recent dry conditions, minor poor drainage flooding is possible.

The heaviest precipitation is likely to occur Sunday afternoon through Monday, with rain potentially continuing into early Tuesday.

A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain and coastal flood at the Jersey Shore beginning Sunday and lasting into Monday, forecasters say. AccuWeather

The storms impacts will vary by location, with coastal regions experiencing more severe conditions.

Inland areas may see less intense winds and rainfall, though gusts up to 30-50 mph are still possible near the I-95 corridor.

A dangerous nor'easter storm is expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph, heavy rain and coastal flood at the Jersey Shore beginning Sunday and lasting into Monday, forecasters say. AccuWeather

The National Weather Service emphasized the complexity of the storms track, noting some uncertainty in its exact path and intensity.

By Tuesday, conditions should begin to improve as the storm weakens and moves offshore.

High pressure is expected to build back into the region by midweek, bringing more stable and cooler weather.

Temperatures are forecast to return to near-normal levels for early October, with potentially below-normal temperatures by Thursday.

Residents are advised to stay informed about changing weather conditions, secure loose outdoor items, and be prepared for potential power interruptions.

Local emergency management offices recommend having an emergency kit ready and staying tuned to local weather updates throughout the weekend.

Current weather radar
Forecasters are clear that the powerful noreaster set to slam New Jersey with heavy rain, strong winds, storm surge and coastal flooding this weekend was never a threat to become a tropical storm or a hurricane.

But its not a weather event that should be dismissed by New Jersey residents  particularly those who reside along or near the coast, forecasters say.

Ive heard that a lot  in terms of like we get storms all the time and, while, this isnt gonna be Hurricane Sandy by any stretch, there are going to be impacts from this event, notably from wind and also another thing is coastal flooding, WeatherWorks lead meteorologist Michael Priante said by phone on Friday.

Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.

The National Weather Service has already issued a coastal flood advisory for the Jersey Shore with high wind and coastal flood watches set to kick in Sunday morning. About 1 to 3 inches of rain are expected by Monday.

We are going to have wind, we are going to have rain and wind gusts could be in the 55 mph range or even a little bit higher, National Weather service meteorologist Zachary Cooper said Friday.

Gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible as far inland as the Interstate 95 corridor and could also pull down tree limbs and trigger power outages.

Priante said its not out of the question that strong winds gusts could last for 12 to 24 hours.

Aside from the gusty winds, flooding is a concern, according to Cooper.

Its not the primary threat, but the big thing that were really, really concerned about, is were gonna have a long period of very strong onshore flow, so for coastal locations, were looking at widespread, moderate to even major flooding that could be quite significant.

Priante also warned that flooding is capable of causing 2 to 3 feet of inundation at the shore,

If you do get to those levels, (it) would certainly be able to to make roads impassable at the Shore, and so, you know, maybe even some water into some houses that are low lying.

Rain falls and it starts to kind of pick up and the coastal flooding can come in almost suddenly, you know, its almost like storm surge where all of a sudden its fine then an hour later and theres water everywhere.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the storm isnt a reality yet so the exact track and timing as well as the impacts are still not certain.

The systems kind of just forming now, Cooper noted.

In the meantime Jersey Shore communities are preparing for potential problems.

So right now were following all the precautionary actions we would as if we would for a hurricane, Cape May Emergency Management Coordinator Michael Eck said Friday.

Fortunately the winds arent projected to be as high as a hurricane, but, the flooding may rival some of the, tropical storms that we see. Weve had some flooding events this year with, some of the tropical storms that are off the coast, so we kind of know what were expecting to see, but our public works are making sure that the beachfronts are secured, getting any materials off the beach that may break loose.

More than 100 miles north in Long Branch, similar steps are being taken.

The city has crews on standby and in a worse case scenario has arranged to use Long Branch Middle School as an emergency shelter if evacuations become necessary.

Long Branch OEM coordinator Stan Dziuba said city officials are most concerned about back bay flooding and beach erosion.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 28F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Snow in the evening will give way to lingering snow showers overnight. Low 18F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch.
The NOPD seeks assistance from the public in locating three persons of interest in the investigation of a homicide that occurred on October 9, 2025 in the 1000 block of Bienville Street.
An estate agent in North Devon has welcomed the Conservative Partys proposal to abolish stamp duty on main home purchases, announced at the party's annual conference in Manchester from 5 to 8 October 2025.

Sean Brickley, director of Northwood estate agents in Barnstaple, said the move could help stimulate the local housing market, though he noted the effect in the area may be limited.

Stamp duty, formally known as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), is paid by anyone purchasing a home in England and Northern Ireland. It currently applies to properties costing 125,000 or more, or 300,000 for first-time buyers.

In the 2023/24 financial year, SDLT raised 11.6 billion for the government (HMRC).

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Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch unveiled the proposal during her conference speech, framing it as part of a broader agenda to restore a strong economy, secure our borders, and rebuild Britains strength.

She criticised Labours approach to taxation at the conference, stating: Whether it's Starmer, Farage, Corbyn or Davey, all these men are shaking the same magic money tree.

The pledge to abolish stamp duty is part of a wider Conservative strategy to reduce taxes and stimulate economic activity.

Ms Badenoch also said a Conservative government would scrap what she described as Labours vindictive tax on education their tax on family farms [and] their tax on family businesses.

Mr Brickley, said the announcement was encouraging for the local market.

Any announcement about the abolishment of this tax will be welcomed by the industry along with those looking to move. There have been various tweaks to the rules over the years, so to finally hear a political party advocating its abolishment is encouraging, he said.

Mr Brickley added that while the policy could help stimulate transactions, it is unlikely to push up house prices.

I wouldnt expect this impact on prices as sellers need to be competitively priced still, but it would help stimulate the market and increase the number of property transactions taking place, he explained.

He also noted that first-time buyers in North Devon are largely already exempt from stamp duty due to the 300,000 threshold.

I dont believe It would have a huge impact on First Time Buyers (FTB) in North Devon as most will already be exempt from Stamp Duty, as the threshold is currently up to 300,000 for FTB, he said.

Still, he added that any national announcement could give the subdued local market a welcome boost.

The market remains subdued so it would certainly be a boost if Labour were to announce something similar in the forthcoming budget, we will wait and see he said.

Analysts say that while abolishing stamp duty could make moving more affordable and stimulate transactions, the effect is likely to vary by region.

In areas like North Devon, where property prices are lower and first-time buyers already benefit from exemptions, the policy may have a modest effect compared with higher-priced urban markets.

Supporters of the policy argue that stamp duty has long been a barrier for buyers, adding thousands of pounds to the cost of moving.

Critics maintain it is an important source of government revenue and a tool to moderate the housing market.
The price of gold has gained more than 50 percent this year, and it hit a record this week by going above $4,000 per . Fill in the blank. (Hint: Its the standard unit for pricing gold.)
Properties in Offaly were searched as part of a massive Garda operation this week. During the searches, Gardai seized in excess of 110 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 1.5 kilograms of suspected heroin, with an estimated street value of 8.2 million.

As part of ongoing investigations into organised criminal activity linked to drug trafficking, Gardai carried out a coordinated operation on October 7 and 8 aimed at dismantling a well-structured criminal organisation involved in large-scale drug distribution.

The operation was led by the Terenure Drugs Unit, with support from the Serious Crime Unit Terenure, the DMR South Divisional Crime and Community Engagement Units, the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), the DMR Armed Support Unit and the Stolen Car Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI). A total of 60 Garda personnel participated in the operation.

In the course of the operation search warrants were executed at 16 properties across South Dublin, West Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Laois, and Offaly.

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During the searches, Gardai seized in excess of 110 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 1.5 kilograms of suspected heroin, with an estimated street value of 8.2 million. The drugs were recovered from two vans seized during the operation and will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis. Additionally, cash totalling 38,000 sterling and 63,000 euro was confiscated.

One male, aged in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking offences. He was charged and was due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Thursday

Investigations are ongoing.
A DRUG dealer who answered the door in his underpants to gardai posing as staff with the DPD delivery service has been jailed for three-and-a-half years at Tullamore Circuit Court.

Judge Sinead McMullan this morning (Friday, October 10) deferred the sentence to October 29 so that Maciej Klosiewicz (56), St Patrick's Avenue, Rhode can attend the graduation of his daughter who has qualified as a dental nurse.

Mr Klosiewicz admitted possessing of amphetamines, methylamphetamines and chloromethcathinone for sale or supply to others at his residence on St Patrick's Avenue, Rhode on September 4, 2023.

Mr Klosiewicz also pleaded guilty to a connected charge of having drugs with a market value of more than 13,000 and the court heard they were worth a total of 49,382.44.

The latter offence carries a maximum sentence of life with a presumptive minimum of 10 years but Judge McMullan said there were exceptional circumstances in the case where she could deviate from that minimum.

She said the accused had no previous convictions for drug trafficking and had pleaded guilty, which she stated was the greatest form of mitigation.

The man also suffers from poor health, had a drug debt and had been threatened, and did not have the trappings of wealth.

Furthermore, he was no longer abusing substances himself and had stopped doing so without professional help. Also, he did not drink.

Judge McMullan nonetheless said he had committed very serious offences: Drugs are a scourge on society and the courts look on that as very serious indeed.

While the value of the drugs was high, the man's involvement seemed to be for financial gain and to pay off a drug debt.

Along with the three-and-a-half years for having drugs valued at more than 13,000, a concurrent two-year sentence was imposed for having drugs for sale or supply to others. Possession of amphetamines was taken into consideration.

Damien Colgan, SC, defending, said the accused's daughter's graduation is due to take place on October 28 and the man, who is on bail, would like to be present for it. He was seeking a deferral of the imposition of the sentence.

The judge said that was not something she had done before but she agreed to do so after Shane Geraghty, BL, for the DPP, said the State was neutral in relation to that matter.

Judge McMullan ordered that Mr Klosiewicz present himself at Tullamore Garda Station on October 29 at noon and in the meantime he is to observe a curfew between 10pm and 7am.

The judge stressed to the man that the curfew also applies on the night of his daughter's graduation.

In a sentencing hearing earlier this week, Detective Garda Tom Dunne outlined how a sting operation had been arranged after information had been received that a package that was intercepted at the DPD depot in Athlone on August 30, 2023 contained a controlled substance.

The name on the package was Maciej Chodzymski but the address was that of Mr Klosiewicz in Rhode.

What gardai call a controlled delivery was arranged and Detective Garda Edel Kenny arrived at the man's house with a clip board and DPD documentation.

The accused answered the door in his underpants and when he was asked, he said he was Maciej Chodzymski and signed for the package, which contained a microwave oven.

Methylamphetamines and chloromethcathinone were hidden in the oven in an area which had to be screwed apart for them to be found.

Amphetamines, which were of much smaller value than the other drugs, were found in the sitting room. There were two other microwave ovens in the house.

A tick list, three weighing scales and a vacuum packer were also found and during a conversation with gardai the accused, who appeared in court with the help of an interpreter, said he couldn't understand when some matters were put to him.

Detective Garda Dunne detailed that the man had come from Warsaw, Poland in 2006 having had a small fruit and vegetable shop there.

He lived in Edenderry at first with his wife and daughter and then moved to Rhode in the last seven or eight years.

I don't know nothing about the package, he was recorded as saying in a garda interview and he said the drugs in the package weren't his but admitted owning the amphetamines, which he would sometimes sell to friends.

He owned a car and a boat, with the latter said to be of not much value, and said he had inherited an apartment from his mother in Warsaw, which he had sold.

He also told gardai he was owned about 2,000 or 3,000 and after he had paid his rent of 650 he would have about 200 disposable income each month.

The package sent to his house had his mobile number on it and had come from Poland and there were messages on his phone which indicated drug dealing.

He indicated that he did not expect that amount of drugs to arrive and didn't know what they were.

In summary, he accepted that the amphetamines were his but disavowed any knowledge of the other drugs.

Detective Garda Dunne said the man's house wasn't in great condition and he was in receipt of 245 per week disability payment.

The garda also said there was no sign of any wealth in the accused's Credit Union account and indeed he had a loan from the Credit Union.
THE introduction of the companion pass will help tackle social isolation and ensure older people across Offaly can travel on public transport with a friend or relative, said a Fine Gael TD.

Deputy John Clendennen said that all those aged 70 years or over in receipt of Free Travel will now have an entitlement to receive a Free Travel Companion.

The introduction of the companion pass is hugely positive. If youre coming up from the country for a day out in Dublin, you can take a friend with you. If you have to travel to a hospital or medical appointment in Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore, you can bring a family member along with you. This will make a real difference in so many peoples lives.

Previously, you could only bring a spouse or partner. Its now changed so that people can bring a friend, niece, nephew, or grandchild. For many older people the ability to choose more freely who can travel with them could be the push they need to make their journey.

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Card holders can avail of the free trips on most Irish Rail, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, DART and Luas services.

The companion pass will help combat loneliness and isolation and support older people in Offaly to keep active so they can travel around the country for as long as they wish. This measure makes it a little easier for them to do so.

Across the country over 480,000 people will benefit, with 7, 493 benefitting here in Offaly.

This is an important measure brought forward by former Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys who wanted to tackle social isolation and ensure older people can feel safe and secure in their travel.

This measure will be key to combatting isolation and I hope will encourage older people across Offaly to get on the bus, or train to get out and about, concluded Deputy Clendennen.

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THE third annual Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School, which took place over four days in September, was a tremendous success.

The theme, Political Theatre: Learning from the past?, was explored in a series of presentations, a film screening, script writing workshops and in the art created by artists from the North Tipperary Artists Collective.

The Hedge School was thrilled that filmmaker Williams Rossa Cole travelled from his home in New York to present his documentary Rebel Wife: The Story of Mary Jane ODonovan Rossa. Coles film explores the life of this extraordinary woman, highlighting Mary Janes origins as well as her remarkable achievements as a poet, author, public speaker, human rights activist, wife and mother. Following the screening on Wednesday evening, September 17th, members of the audience contributed to the discussion, providing new information on Coles great-grandmother.

Participants on Professor James Morans script writing workshops on the Thursday and Friday gave the workshops high praise, saying they were provided with a great learning opportunity. In their feedback forms they requested the workshops be extended to two full days next year. Professor Moran said he was impressed with the accomplished standard of writing and debate from the attendees.

On Culture Night 2025 Friday September 19th, Ryan OMeara TD launched the Hedge School exhibition.

The exhibition was curated by Lian Callaghan. Lian, who has a painting in the exhibition, worked as a scenic artist in the Abbey Theatre and in the costume department in many film productions including Braveheart, The Butcher Boy, and Michael Collins.

In her eloquent introduction to the exhibition, Maura Kennedy, founding member of the North Tipperary Artists Collective, made reference to specific works by the fourteen artists on show, and on the impetus for their creative responses to the hedge school theme.

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Following the exhibition launch, Professor Moran engaged Ryan OMeara TD in a fascinating discussion on his views on political theatre. James read a short, powerful play by one of the participants in his workshop, and invited the audience to repeat a refrain within the play. Copies of Pearses oration at Jeremiah ODonovan Rossas graveside were handed out to the audience, who each read a line; an extraordinary exercise that emphasised the rhetorical, literary, and theatrical elements in the speech.

On the Saturday, the Hedge School held a one-day seminar in which distinguished academics, Dr Leeann Lane, Dr Ailbhe McDaid, Professor Eugene OBrien and Professor James Moran made presentations that reflected broadly on the Hedge School theme. The talks were curated by Eleanor Hooker, poet and writer and PhD candidate at the University of Limerick.

Dr Leeann Lanes keynote address, drawing on her recent acclaimed, academic book on Mary MacSwiney, centred on the life and activism of this exceptional woman. Whilst redressing the reductive terms in which MacSwiney was characterised by the politicians and papers in her day, Dr Lane portrayed MacSwiney as a complex, multi-dimensional, family woman.

In a panel entitled Poetry and Politics: Plural Perspectives Dr Ailbhe McDaid and Professor Eugene OBrien discussed how poets respond to different political events, and the symbolic (even theatrical) language of poetry to capture the past and current political upheavals.

Dr McDaid considered Yeats complex interactions with the politics of early years of the State before turning to a more contemporary act of political theatre  the public inquiry.

She noted that the public inquiry or commission of investigation is a familiar and, arguably, performative act in contemporary Irish politics. Dr McDaid considered sensitive and wrought poems by Thomas Kinsella, Rachael Hegarty, Celia de Freines and Kimberly Campanello to showcase how poets take ownership of these often-dehumanising political gestures in order to reinstate the individuals erased in the processes of political performativity.

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Professor Eugene OBriens presentation examined the connections between poetry and politics in Northern Ireland. Professor OBrien, whilst focusing principally on Seamus Heaney's careful adjudications between both poetry and politics, discussed his signature text North, as well as some later poems, most notably 'The Flight Path' from his collection The Spirit Level. Professor OBrien explored how for Heaney politics and poetry were intertwined, and how the poet demarcated both.

To conclude the day, and to close the 2025 Hedge School, Professor James Moran delivered a talk entitled The playwrights and 1916. In his presentation he highlighted the ways in which Thomas MacDonagh prepared for the Easter Rising by scripting the play When the Dawn is Come. He invited members of the audience to do a read through of the opening scenes of the play. Professor Moran told how this play mesmerised some of the key dramatists of the twentieth century, including Sean OCasey, W.B. Yeats, G.B. Shaw and Teresa Deevy, all of whom sought a creative response to the Easter Rising.

Una Johnston, Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School and Museum Director, said she was pleased with the hugely positive engagement from participants and audience. Una said she wished to thank our funders: Creative Ireland Programme; Tipperary County Council; the Department of Culture; Communications and Sport; the Arts Council and Culture Ireland 2025, whose continued support ensures the success of the Hedge School.

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Papua New Guineas state-owned telecoms network wholesaler PNG DataCo says that internet services in the southeastern towns of Popondetta and Alotau have been disrupted due to a subsea cable break likely caused by an earthquake on Tuesday.

According to a statement from DataCo posted to social media on Wednesday, the operator reported a network operational failure on its Kumul Submarine Cable Network (KSCN) subsea cable link between Madang and Alotau.

The fault occurred following a 6.6 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday near Lae, Papua New Guineas second largest city, which sits between Madang and Alotau.

DataCo said its engineers are investigating the fault and its location to restore the affected link. The operator also advised its ISP customers to utilize redundant links if available until service is fully restored.

The earthquake also knocked out internet services in New Guinea Islands, Momase and the Highlands, although DataCo said in its statement that all of those links had been restored and stabilised by Wednesday morning.

DataCo experienced similar problems in 2022 after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake resulted in multiple breakages in the KSCN cable system outside of Madang.
Although Albert Einstein is best-known as a theoretical physicist, he also spent much of his life grappling with the problem of war.

In 1914, shortly after he moved to Berlin to serve as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics, Einstein was horrified by the onset of World War I. Europe, in her insanity, has started something unbelievable, he told a friend. In such times one realizes to what a sad species of animal one belongs. Writing to the French author Romain Rolland, he wondered whether centuries of painstaking cultural effort have carried us no further than... the insanity of nationalism.

As militarist propaganda swept through Germany, accompanied that fall by a heated patriotic Manifesto from 93 prominent German intellectuals, Einstein teamed up with the German pacifist Georg Friedrich Nicolai to draft an antiwar response, the Manifesto to Europeans. Condemning this barbarous war and the hostile spirit of its intellectual apologists, the Einstein-Nicolai statement maintained that nationalist passions cannot excuse this attitude that is unworthy of what the world has heretofore called culture.

In the context of the war's growing destructiveness, Einstein also helped launch and promote a new German antiwar organization, the New Fatherland League, which called for a prompt peace without annexations and the formation of a world government to make future wars impossible. It engaged in petitioning the Reichstag, challenging proposals for territorial gain, and distributing statements by British pacifists. In response, the German government harassed the League and, in 1916, formally suppressed it.

After the World War came to an end, Einstein became one of the Weimar Republic's most influential pacifists and internationalists. Despite venomous attacks by Germany's right-wing nationalists, he grew increasingly outspoken. I believe the world has had enough of war, he told an American journalist. Some sort of international agreement must be reached among nations. Meanwhile, he promoted organized war resistance, denounced military conscription, and, in 1932, drew Sigmund Freud into a famous exchange of letters, later published as Why War.

Although technically a Zionist, Einstein had a rather relaxed view of that term, contending that it meant a respect for Jewish rights around the world. Appalled by Palestinian-Jewish violence in British-ruled Palestine, he pleaded for cooperation between the two constituencies. In 1938, he declared that he would much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state. He disliked the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power, plus the development of a narrow nationalism within our own ranks.

The most serious challenge to Einstein's pacifism came with the Nazi takeover of Germany in 1933 and the advent of that nation's imperialist juggernaut. My views have not changed, he told a French pacifist, but the European situation has. As long as Germany persists in rearming and systematically indoctrinating its citizens in preparation for a war of revenge, the nations of Western Europe depend, unfortunately, on military defense. In his heart, he said, he continued to loathe violence and militarism as much as ever; but I cannot shut my eyes to realities. Consequently, Einstein became a proponent of collective security against fascism.

Fleeing from Nazi Germany, Einstein took refuge in the United States, which became his new home. Thanks to his renown, he was approached in 1939 by one of his former physics students, Leo Szilard, a Hungarian refugee who brought ominous news about advances in nuclear fission research in Nazi Germany. At Szilard's urging, Einstein sent a warning letter to President Franklin Roosevelt about German nuclear progress. In response, the U.S. government launched the Manhattan Project, a secret program to build an atomic bomb.

Einstein, like Szilard, considered the Manhattan Project necessary solely to prevent Nazi Germany's employment of nuclear weapons to conquer the world. Therefore, when Germany's war effort neared collapse and the U.S. bomb project neared completion, Einstein helped facilitate a mission by Szilard to Roosevelt with the goal of preventing the use of atomic bombs by the United States. He also fired off an impassioned appeal to the prominent Danish physicist, Niels Bohr, urging scientists to take the lead in heading off a dangerous postwar nuclear arms race.

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"Either this nation shall kill racism, or racism shall kill this nation." (S. Jonas, August, 2018)

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"How do you spell ICE in German? GESTAPO." (S. Jonas, May, 2025)

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First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.

Pastor Martin Niemoller (c. 1946)

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Introductory note: This column is looong, even for me. That is because it includes a 3300- word excerpt from my 1996 future history book, The 15% Solution: How the Republican- Religious Right Took Control of the U.S., 1981-2022 (2013 re-printing available on Amazon). The central focus of the column is on how, at the funeral for Charlie Kirk, Republican leadership went out of their way to link Kirk and the Republican Party to what Vice-President J.D. Vance described as the Christian Faith. The excerpt below from my book is a fictional Inaugural Address delivered by a then-future-fictional Republican President, Jefferson Davis Hague, in which among other things he announces and provides the rationale for the conversion of the Republican Party to the American Christian Nation Party.

But first, back to reality.

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At the funeral for the assassinated Far Right leader, Charlie Kirk, on September 21, 2025, Vice-President J. D. Vance:

[D]elivered an emotional tribute to Charlie Kirk . . . He said in part: Charlie brought the truth that Jesus Christ was the King of Kings, and all truth flowed from this first and most important one. . . I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have in my entire time in public life, Vance told the audience. That is an undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk. . . . For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness. For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when staring down the barrel of a gun. The vice president closed his Arizona remarks with a call to action, declaring Kirk both a hero to the United States of America and a martyr for the Christian faith.

Just consider that last statement, from a Vice-President of the United States of America giving a funeral address for a member of his political party: [Kirk was] a martyr for the Christian faith.

At the same funeral, Stephen Miller, a Senior Advisor to Pres. Trump, in this context said in part):

Our enemies [emphasis added, for Miller appeared to be referring to the Republicans domestic political enemies, not rivals, presumably the Democrats and other] cannot comprehend our strength, our determination, our resolve, our passion, our lineage, and our legacy hails back to Athens, to Rome, to Philadelphia, to Monticello. Our ancestors built the cities. They produced the art and architecture, they built the industry. ... We stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble. And for those trying to incite violence against us, those trying to foment hatred against us. What do you have? You have nothing. You are nothing. You are wickedness, you are jealousy! You are envy! You are hatred! You are nothing! You can build nothing. You can produce nothing. You can create nothing. We are the ones who build. We are the ones who create. We are the ones who lift up humanity. ...

To our enemies, you have nothing to give, you have nothing to offer, you have nothing to share, but bitterness. We have beauty, we have light, we have goodness, we have determination, we have vision, we have strength. We built the world that we inhabit now.

These remarks were delivered at a Christian funeral, by one of the highest appointed officials in the current Federal government.

And further: Some admirers of Charlie Kirk hope response to his death signals start of a religious revival, (from an article by David Crary, et al, Associated Press). With Vice President JD Vance calling Charlie Kirk a martyr for Christianity, and a Catholic cardinal calling him a modern-day St. Paul, some Kirk admirers suggest his assassination will galvanize throngs of people notably young conservatives to become more engaged in evangelical and Catholic churches. . . . Evocations of Kirk-inspired religious fervor surfaced almost immediately after his death on Sept. 10. . . Charlie had big plans, but God had even bigger plans, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the service in Arizona.

The Vice-President also noted that: The evil murderer who took Charlie from us expected us to have a funeral today, and instead, my friends , we have had a revival in celebration of Charlie Kirk and of his Lord Jesus Christ [emphasis added] . . . . He brought the truth that life was precious, and we must fight to protect it at all stages and at all times. And most of all, Charlie brought the truth that Jesus Christ was the King of Kings and that all truth flowed from this first and most important one . . . . You know I was telling somebody backstage that I always felt a little uncomfortable talking about my faith in public as much as I loved the Lord and as much as it was an important part of my life. I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public life. And that is an undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk . . . . It is better to be persecuted for your faith than to deny the kingship of Christ. It is better to die a young man in this world than to sell your soul for an easy life with no purpose, no risk, no love, and no truth. . . . My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America and he is a martyr for the Christian faith [emphasis added].

So much for the first clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; . . .

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In 1996, I published a book (in its current printing) entitled . In summary, it is a fictional history of the conversion of the United States from a democratic Constitutional Republic to an apartheid state governed by a dictatorship under the control of a successor to the Republican Party called the American Christian Nation Party. To give the reader some idea of what nation would be about in the then-future, I present the 2nd Inaugural Address of that party's President, J. D. Hague.

(The "J.D." in that President's name was entirely coincidental. After all, I wrote the book in 1994-95. Where did it come from? As it happened, his fictional parents were ardent segregationists who named their second son after Jefferson Davis. As for the family name, they were descendants of the at-the-time-of-writing-still-well-known 1940s Mayor of Jersey City, N.J., Frank Hague. Their first son was named after the former Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, one of the best-known founders of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.)

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The 15% Solution: Chapter 10 - 2008: The Second Inaugural Address of President Jefferson Davis Hague, December 25, 2008

My fellow Americans under God. I stand here before you on the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, anticipating in all humility the opportunity you have so graciously given me to continue to do His bidding as your President. And I can tell you that His bidding now is to continue to fight the good fight, for the Lord, and for you the American people under God.

In fighting this fight, to the best of my ability, blessed by both our Lord Jesus Christ and you, the American people under God, I am both pleased and privileged to be able to announce today the first step we of the Second Hague Administration have taken to do just that. We have converted our nation's leading political party, the RepublicanChristian Alliance, the party of Godfearing people that has put you in complete control of the government here in Washington, into a brandnew entity.

This is an historic decision, comparable to the one that established the original Republican Party back in the mid19th century. For all of us, Christian and pagan American alike, it will usher in a glorious new era of peace and harmony under the blessings of our Lord and his only son whose birthday we celebrate today, Jesus Christ.

Reflecting the spirit of our times, and the best of all American traditions, we have named our new party the American Christian Nation Party. For yes, in truth, declaring and carrying out Christian policies is the only way that we will be able to continue to fight the good fight to rescue our beloved country from the forces of sin, Godlessness, and liberalism [2] that continue to drag her down.

For inspiration, in this never-ending struggle I have turned often to the great Keith Fournier, who sat at the right hand of our beloved Rev. Pat Robertson, as the Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice. As he said (1994):

"The challenge I have as a Christian is to bring people to Jesus Christ, to a personal decision to accept Him as Savior and Lord, to bring them to personal repentance and conversion. But for me that is only the beginning. That salvation must be sustained, nourished, and deepened. It must also lead to personal transformation and holiness through implantation into Christ's Body, the church. The church is not an option, an extra we can accept or reject. It is the ark, the ship of God, and her mission is to help rescue and restore the drowning. This has always been her primary mission. The church exists to evangelize and disciple toward personal and corporate transformation, a mission entrusted to her by her Head, Master and Lord, the evangel Himself, Jesus Christ." [3]

To our friends who are not Christians we say first, join us, for the Christian Way is the Godly Way. But for those Americans who choose to continue to exercise their right as an American to freely practice the religion of their choosing, a right we fiercely defend, we say ally with us, to carry out the work of the Lord. And let me make it very clear that no one has anything to fear from our new party or the new policies we will be carrying out, as long as he is a loyal American, devoted to God.

But let me also make it very clear that woe be to him who is Godless, or worships a false God, or does not accept the Holy Bible as the innerant word of our Lord God and his only son Jesus Christ. For upon him will fall the wrath of God and our wrath too. Let that be known [4]. For as the great R.J. Rushdooney has said (Sloan):

"Every social order institutes its own program of separation or segregation. A particular faith and morality is given privileged status and all else is separated for progressive elimination. . . . Every faith is an exclusive way of life; none is more dangerous than that which maintains the illusion of tolerance."

Let me now turn to sharing with you the genesis of our brand new American Christian Nation Party. It sprang from the God-inspired minds of the forefathers of our movement [5]. And it is the thinking of some of them, both great and small, that I would like to share with you now.

To set the stage as it were, I will first turn to the writings of Thomas P. Monaghan, a Senior Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (1994):

"In human existence there is only one moral order. This is an order that, through the grace of God, has been revealed to all human beings. The Lord gives us reason and faith so that at all times and in all places we are called to the good, which is ultimately God Himself. We all, Christians, pagans, and others, have this law engraved on our hearts, . . . The choice before us today is what it has always been: Christ or Caesar. Caesar can never give the human heart that for which it hungers. Christ can."

And how in our country, with our valued Constitution, do we reconcile Caesar and Christ? The Rev. Pat himself told us (ACLU, 1992):

"The Constitution of the United States is a marvelous document for self-government by Christian people [emphasis added]. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian people and atheist people, they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society."

And the Rev. Pat told us how Christian governmental control is to be achieved and maintained (Freedom Writer, 2/95):

"Christians founded this nation, they built this nation, and for three hundred years they governed this nation. We can govern again. That's why I founded the Christian Coalition. . . . The mission of the Christian Coalition is simple: to mobilize Christians one precinct at a time, until once again we are the head and not the tail, and at the top rather than the bottom of our political system." [6]

And finally the Rev. Pat, in 1993 speaking at his Regent University law school, predicted that what we have now achieved would indeed be achieved by us (Clarkson): "One day, if we read the Bible correctly, we will rule and reign along with our sovereign, Jesus Christ."

But let me refer to other of our forefathers besides the good Reverend Pat. Being just plain forthright about it, the 1990s Republican Governor Kirk Fordice of Mississippi put it thusly (Berke, 1992): "The United States of America is a Christian nation. . . the less we emphasize the Christian religion the further we fall into the abyss of poor character and chaos. . . "

And our revered Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, the prototype of those many organizations which now militantly protect and defend God's Way, said back in August, 1993 (Foxman): "Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism."

And he said further (Porteous):

"You better believe that I want to build a Christian nation, because the only option is a pagan nation. . . . A Christian nation would be defined as 'We acknowledge God in our body politic, in our communities, that the God of the Bible is our God, and we acknowledge that His law is supreme.'"

The great Rev. Jerry Falwell, writing in 1993 under the headline "America is a Christian Nation!":

"Our pledge of allegiance declares we are 'one nation under God.' Our currency states 'In God We Trust'. The Declaration of Independence says we have a God-given right to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'. [7]

"Yet today, we find our religious heritage under attack. Ungodly forces in society seem intent on removing God from every area of public life. . . . But despite what the Supreme Court and radical liberal activists may say, AMERICA IS A CHRISTIAN NATION!"

Mr. Robert Flood of that God-serving organization "Focus on the Family" said in 1992 (Freedom Watch): "The Constitution was designed to perpetuate a Christian order."

Mrs. Cheryl Gillaspie, a right-thinking Councilwoman from that font of Right Thinking, Colorado Springs, CO [8], said in a November, 1994 speech to the local chapter of the Christian Coalition (Freedom Watch): "There is no validity to the doctrine of separation of Church and State . . . America was established as a Christian nation by believing Christians."

Mr. Robert Simonds, president of Citizens for Excellence in Education tells us (Freedom Watch):

"Government and true Christianity are inseparable! There can be no morality (right or wrong) without the Bibleman's only reliable book on right and wrong. Christians can properly apply Bible principles to government, because they are the ones who read the Bible."

And finally, my friends, in an early version of Focus on the Family's Community Impact Curriculum, we are told (Freedom Watch): "[T]his was really a Christian nation and, as far as its founders were concerned, to try separating Christianity from government is virtually impossible and would result in unthinkable damage to the nation and its people."

It is this thinking and these thinkers and their successors that have provided the foundation of our new Party. But I want to tell you that our Party has not been formed with Christian leadership alone. The ACNP provides nothing if it does not provide a "Big Tent" [9] to accommodate many differing views on how we can best move our nation forward.

Thus I am pleased to announce that we have been joined by and welcome as integral parts of our new Party, among others The Order, the Ku Klux Klan, the Leadership Coalitions for America, the Skinheads Factions, the Militias, Jews for Christ and Tradition, the Aryan Nations, the Men of Liberty, the Posse Comitatus, the Armed Survivalists, and Christian Identity.

The Republican-Christian Alliance has been strong, and it has brought us a long way. But we have yet a long way to go, and it is the American Christian Nation Party that will get us there. In closing, my friends and fellow Christian Americans, let us join together in pledging allegiance to our new Christian flag [10]:

"I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Saviour, for whose Kingdom it stands, one Saviour, crucified, risen, and coming again [11], with life and liberty for all who believe."

Thank you my friends, God bless the Godfearing, and good night.

References and notes from the published book (with apologies for their length) :

ACLU: American Civil Liberties Union fundraising letter, quoting Rev. Pat Robertson, 1992.

Berke, R.L., "Religion Issue Stirs Noise in G.O.P. Governors' 'Tent," The New York Times, Nov. 18, 1992.

Berke, R.L., "Dole Works on Expansion Of a Conservative Resume," New York Times, April 12, 1995.

Blumenthal, S., "Christian Soldiers," The New Yorker, July 18, 1994, p. 31.

Bradsher, K., "Gap in Wealth In U.S. Called Widest in West," New York Times, April 17, 1995.

Butterfield, F., "New Prisons Cast Shadow Over Higher Education," New York Times, April 17, 1995.

Clarkson, F., "Neither a Juggernaut Nor a Joke," Freedom Writer, October/November, 1993.

Egan, T., "Many Seek Security in Private Communities," New York Times, Sept. 3, 1995, p. 1.

Falwell, J., "America is a Christian Nation!," Drawing Closer, Vol. 1, No. 7, 1993.

Foxman, A.H., Fundraising letter, New York: Anti-Defamation League, Jan., 1994.

Freedom Watch, "Exploring the Myth and Reality of 'Christian America'," Vol. 4, No. 3, March, 1995.

Freedom Writer, "Reed Masks Coalition's True Agenda," Feb. 1995, p. 3.

HRC, House Republican Conference, Contract With America, Washington, DC: September 27, 1994.

Fournier, K.A., A House United?, Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 1994, p. 33.

Judis, J.B., "The Jobless recovery," The New Republic, March 15, 1995, p. 20.

Kramer, M., "Will the Real Bob Dole Please Stand Up?" Time, November 30, 1995, p. 59.

Monaghan, T.P., "Nosophobia," Law and Justice (American Center for Law and Justice) Vol. 3, No. 1, 1994.

Niebuhr, G., "Gramm, on Stump, Invokes the Second Coming of Christ," New York Times, September 20, 1995.

Porteous, S., "OR founder calls for a 'Christian nation,' " Freedom Writer, Sept., 1995, p. 1.

Rich, F., "Bait and Switch, II," New York Times, April 6, 1995.

Sloan, J., "A hidden agenda?" Freedom Writer, April, 1995, p. 1.

Thurow, L. C., "Companies Merge; Families Break Up," New York Times, September 3, 1995.

Time, "Chronicles: An Olive Branch," April 17, 1995, p. 16.

Toward Tradition, "Should Jews Fear the 'Christian Right'?" (an advertisement), New York Times, August 2, 1994.

Wright, R., "Who's Really to Blame?" Time, November 6, 1995, p. 33.

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Authors [ Jonathan Westminster] Notes on the text (with further apologies, for their length):

1. There is no indication or evidence that the Christian Coalition, Keith Fournier, R.J. Rushdooney, Thomas P. Monaghan, the Rev. Pat Robertson, Kirk Fordyce, Randall Terry, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, Mr. Robert Flood, Mrs. Cheryl Gillaspie, Mr. Robert Simonds, Focus on the Family, or any other organization, or any of the other historical personages mentioned in the "Hague Second Inaugural," elsewhere in this chapter or elsewhere in this book in a similar manner, would have supported or approved of any of the thoughts, positions, or actions taken by Jefferson Davis Hague or any member, employee, or associate of his government, either of the U.S. or the NAR, or of any of the events that occurred in the United States or the New American Republics subsequent to the delivery of the Hague Second Inaugural Address and the implementation of the policies carried out pursuant to it.

2. Liberalism," however one wanted to define it, had long-since lost whatever force it once had to influence the direction the country was taking. Nevertheless, it and its supporters, the "liberalniggerlovers" as Curley Oakwood liked to call them, were still blamed by the Right-Wing Reactionaries for virtually all of the ills of the time they cared to identify. As noted previously, during the Transition Era Righ-Wing Reaction had used something they called "The Counter-Culture" in much the same way.

3. Right-Wing Reaction's common political strategy, described previously, was to first demonize and then blame "the other" for whatever troubles they wished to focus the public's attention on. At the same time, as we have noted previously, they neither defined precisely what they were talking about as "the enemy" nor proved in any way that whatever or whomever the identified enemy was had in fact caused the harms Right-Wing Reaction identified with it.

Whatever the "Counter Culture" really was or had been, by the time of the Reagan Presidency it had lost whatever national influence it had had. However, absent people and absent movements both find it difficult to either defend or promote themselves. That was the case for both the "Counter Culture" and the "liberals" during the times they were, respectively, the leading targets for Right-Wing Reaction. But my, what convenient targets they did provide.

3. At the time Fournier wrote this passage, the church he was referring to was the Catholic Church, a fact omitted from the quoted passage. But by the time Hague was quoting the text, the dominant Christian Church in the old U.S., supported by most members of the old Religious Right, Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish, was that of the homogeneous, but definitely Far Right, New American Religion.

4. As a past chairman of the House American Morality Committee (see Chapter six), Hague would speak with special feeling on this point.

5. Hague was referring here not to the traditional "forefathers" from the time of the founding of the nation, but rather to prominent Transition Era figures representing Right-Wing Reaction, especially of the religious variety.

6. Some extensive sleuthing found Robertson originally making this statement on a 1990 Christian Coalition recruiting video called "America at the Crossroads." The nascent campaign Robertson was describing lead directly to the development of "The 15% Solution." The creation of the ACNP can be seen as the eventual, logical, outcome of the whole process.

7. Neither the Pledge nor the currency said precisely which or whose God was being referred to. The Declaration mentions God but once, in the context of Nature, but emphasizes "our Creator," a rather different concept, popular with the Deists who wrote and signed the document. But that didn't stop Falwell from making a leap of faith from "Creator" to "God" to a "Christian God" to a "Christian God with the characteristics I, Jerry Falwell, attribute to Him." And it was a "him," you can be sure.

8. Colorado Springs was a central focus of Right-Wing Reactionary activity in the old U.S. For example, it was the home of the organization that in 1992 put together the famous homophobic "Amendment 2" that became the prototype for much of the homophobic legislation that spread nationally over the following two decades (see the next chapter.) Colorado Springs was also home to the courageous early Constitutionalist organization, the "Citizens' Project."

9. During the Transition Era, some members of the old Republican Party had developed the "Big Tent" concept in an attempt to keep both pro and ant-freedom-of-choice-i-the-outcome-of-pregnancy but otherwise reactionary elements in the party. That attempt ultimately proved to be in vain, as the "Rightward Imperative" (see below) took effect. This second Big Tent strategy of Hague's was much more successful.

10. The "Christian flag" at this time was the old U.S. flag with a Christian cross emblazoned on the field of red and white stripes. At a January, 1994 training conference for Religious Right activists called "Reclaiming America," looking at such a flag, a former Vice-President of the old U.S., J. Danforth Quayle, lead the crowd in reciting the Pledge with which Hague concluded his speech (Blumenthal).

11. The apocalyptic concept of the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ, based on the Book of Revelation and part of the theology of many an evangelical preacher like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, had begun to make its appearance in the rhetoric of Republican political candidates late in the Transition Era. For example, Senator Phil Gramm, a Far Right candidate for the 1996 Republican Presidential nomination, said in a 1995 fundraising letter (Niebuhr): "I ask you to fight tirelessly and when you are too tired to go on, remember that there is only one person who has ever lived whose values we would be willing to see imposed on America. And when He comes back, He's not going to need Governments help to get the job done."-

12. "Off the shelf" is a term the arch Right-Wing Reactionary William Casey, President Ronald Reagan's first Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, used to describe an extralegal rightwing foreign insurgency instigation and support group he had put together during his tenure at the CIA.

13. The swastika or hakenkreutz ("crooked cross" in German) was the symbol of the German Nazi Party between 1933 and 1945.

14. The Hagueites commonly referred to that tiny, but very visible, vocal, and influential minority of the American Jewish community that supported Right-Wing Reaction as "Real Jews." Their leading organization by this time, "Jews for Christ and Tradition," was officially welcomed into the ACNP coalition by Hague in his speech. The traditionally Constitutionalist Jewish community, representing a majority of American Jews, was referred to as "the Renegade Jews."

15. The phrase "a wink and a nod" came from the practice President Reagan had used to give his approval for "unofficial" governmental activities of questionable legality without committing anything to paper, and oftentimes not saying anything directly at all to those on the operational level, even privately.

16. Poughton had no way of knowing what the country would have coming to it for many more than four more years of Hague.

(Article changed on Oct 10, 2025 at 10:47 AM EDT)
What has Trump accomplished with his media dominance? Will it end?

By Robert Weiner and Ingrid Lang

The short answer is that Donald Trump has always thrived on attention, and he continues to dominate it. A 2017 report from Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center found that Trump consumed 41 percent of all news coverage in his first 100 days, three times more than previous presidents. That pattern hasn't faded. A 2025 Media Research Center study of NBC, ABC, and CBS evening newscasts found Trump received 1,716 minutes of airtime between January 20 and April 9. President Biden received 726 minutes during the same period in 2021. Trump's grip on the media remains unmatched. But to what end? The media dominance has distracted from accountability, framed political violence on Trump-Vance MAGA's term, and allowed policy decisions to unfold in the shadows. Events raise the question of whether Trump's media dominance is threatening free speech itself. It might be pushing the United States closer to where free speech becomes conditional and power dictates what voices are heard.

Trump's entire political career has been built on omnipresence. Steve Bannon described the approach in 2018, saying that The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone. By overwhelming journalists with a constant stream of statements, scandals, and provocations, Trump ensures that no single controversy sticks. New York University professor and media critic Jay Rosen has argued that the press has allowed Trump to become the center of gravity, the sun around which the media universe orbits. When he speaks, he dominates. When he is silent, the vacuum is filled with speculation.

At Kirk's memorial service, Trump turned what could have been a tribute into a campaign-style speech. He lashed out at Democrats, saying, he differed with Kirk, who urged conversation and discussion. At the solemn ceremony Trump said, "I differ with Charlie:I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them.Trump used the stage to push a partisan message and frame Kirk's death in terms that suited his politics.

Another chilling illustration of what Trump's media dominance can enable came with the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!by ABC. The network pulled the show after Kimmel criticized conservatives' reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. For nearly a week, he was off the air. Free speech activists and actors pushed for Disney's to make ABC bring him back. This incident occurred during Trump's U.K. state visit. Trump praised George Orwell for his themes of magnifying state control while blocking free speech. Critics suggest that applauding Orwell in that context is itself Orwellian, a term used to describe government overreach, censorship, and the erosion of free speech. This might be signaling support for a narrative where free speech is conditional, and where political power can reshape what broadcasters are allowed to say.

The same dynamic applies to policy. An example of Trump's media dominance is his recent move to gut cancer research funding. In his proposed budget for the next fiscal year, Trump has called for more than a 37% cut to the National Cancer Institute. This decision threatens to dismantle a scientific system that took 50 years to build and has saved millions of lives. As Rachel Maddow emphasized on her show September 15th, America's 80-year run as the world leader in biomedical research and its 50-year leadership in cancer research is being dismantled before our eyes. She pointed out that in the mid-1970s, the nation's five-year cancer survival rate was just 49%. Today, it is 68%, thanks to decades of investment in research. Who is for cancer? Maddow asked, underlining the absurdity of narrowing the funding. Yet despite these life-or-death stakes, this policy decision did not receive a lot of attention.

With Trump's media dominance, he is not only flooding the zone with noise, he is allowing major policy choices to unfold in the shadows.Trump's media dominance is reshaping the rules of both politics and journalism. So, what can be done? Journalists must resist treating his every word as the main event. Coverage must shift from amplifying Trump's dominance to exposing its consequences. That means prioritizing policy over provocation, context over outrage, and public interest over spectacle. Trump has hacked the media system. The only way out is for the press to rewrite the code.

On June 14, demonstrators nationwide held No Kings Day protests against Trump's policies and actions during his second presidency. Alongside the ongoing government shutdown, this could mark a turning point. Recent polls show Trump's approval rating for handling the shutdown down by 20 points. It is clear that Americans want health care protected - a message Trump is losing. The only way that his dominance will be erased is when he starts losing. Another national No Kings protest is already scheduled for October 18.

Robert Weiner is a former White House spokesman in both the Clinton & Bush administrations, as well as former Public Affairs Director under DrugCzar/4-Star General McCaffrey, former spokesman for the House Narcotics Committee under Chairman Charles Rangel, Chief of Staff of the House Aging Committee under Claud Pepper, legislative assistant to then- Cong Ed Koch, spokesman for the House Government Operations and Oversight Committee under John Conyers, and a political aide to Ted Kennedy in his Senate and Presidential runs. Since leaving the White House, he created and currently directs an op-ed group recruiting young journalists as co-writers 1,000+ published to date including with the Globe -- he won the National Press Club Presidents Award for the program:www.weinerpublic.com/ opeds

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Two Portland police officers were legally justified in shooting an armed man who traded fire with them at a Southeast Portland gas station last month, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office said Thursday.

The officers  Sammy Smith and Spencer Foster  shot and wounded 30-year-old Bryan Velasco-Ruelas Sept. 20 after he fired at them at a Shell gas station on Southeast 122nd Avenue and Division Street. Earlier that morning, Velasco-Ruelas had threatened an employee with his gun at a nearby Space Age and a different Shell gas station before fleeing.

Smith and Foster, who were patrolling the area, found a car with the same license plate and description broadcast over radio, prosecutors wrote. They parked behind the Nissan sedan and gave commands for the driver and passenger to show their hands.

Prosecutors say the driver complied but the passenger, Velasco-Ruelas, later cursed at them, reached into the car for a pistol and began firing.

Prosecutors wrote in a memo that Velasco-Ruelas fired two shots from a semiautomatic pistol. Foster fired three shots from a pistol and Smith fired 10 shots from his patrol rifle. Officers then administered first aid before Velasco-Ruelas was sent to a hospital.

Both officers felt compelled to fire on Velasco-Ruelas in that moment because they reasonably believed, given everything that had occurred to that point, both officers would be shot and killed if they did not take that immediate action, wrote Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Davidson, who reviewed the investigation.

At least two cars were hit by gunfire during the exchange. Police said Smith and Foster were not injured.

Separately, a Multnomah County grand jury charged Velasco-Ruelas Thursday with attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing and recklessly endangering another person.
Jason R. Steiner appears in court for a bail hearing on Thurs., Jan. 16., 2025. A Multnomah County jury found him not guilty of all counts. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian

A Multnomah County jury found a Portland man not guilty in the fatal shooting of two people who attempted to rob the cannabis store where he worked.

The jurors agreed with attorneys for 35-year-old Jason Steiner, who argued the La Mota employee was legally justified in opening fire because the robbers had threatened his life at gunpoint and could have pursued him.

These were not fake or ammo-less guns. They were prepared and ready to kill that night, defense attorney Thalia Sady said during closing arguments Wednesday.

She began her presentation with police body-cam footage showing Steiner weeping at the scene and saying I didnt want to hurt anyone.

Prosecutors had argued that Steiner, who walked out of the store and then returned to a walk-up window where he fired more than a dozen rounds, had many choices available to him, including leaving the area altogether.

Multnomah County Chief Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson argued that Steiner made a conscious choice to shoot the robbers in the back  saying he could have easily ducked behind a hedgerow or disappeared into a tree-lined residential street without lighting.

Jackson pointed to footage showing Steiner firing as soon as he returned to the window, and said his motive to kill was clear.

(I saw) all three of them just completely oblivious and just decided now is the chance, Steiner later told a detective, according to the prosecutor.

Steiner, wearing a black collared shirt and khaki pants, wiped tears off his face when Multnomah County Circuit Judge Celia Howes read the verdict.

The jury made the right decision, said Sady, the lead attorney representing Steiner.

Steiner was accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 18-year-old King Lawrence and 20-year-old Tahir Burley. A third robber, who escaped uninjured, was identified as 21-year-old Jalen Hudson in June.

A jury found Steiner not guilty of the two counts, plus charges of unlawful use of a weapon and attempted murder.

Lawrence, Burley and Hudson tried to rob the La Mota branch in the St. Johns neighborhood on Oct. 2, 2024, when Steiner was the lone employee working.

He told police he was in the back room of the shop when he heard people enter the store. Once he left the back room, he found three people pointing guns at him. He told them to take the store and grabbed a bag out of the back room with his gun and told them he was leaving.

Surveillance footage captured Steiner then walking back toward the store, approaching a drive-thru window outside and firing multiple rounds at the trio of alleged robbers. Burley and Lawrence both died at the scene.

Hudson escaped uninjured, but police later found him dead in a fatal North Portland shooting in July.

Sady claimed the detective assigned to the case had known Hudsons identity for months, but didnt vigorously pursue his arrest because Hudsons testimony would have been damaging to the prosecution of Steiner.

As he left the courtroom, Jackson, the prosecutor, said, We believe a crime was committed, but we respect the jurys decision in the case.

Family members of Lawrence and Burley packed the courtroom pews and quickly walked out in tears after Howes read the verdict.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Zane Sparling contributed to this article.
President Donald Trump held a roundtable on Wednesday, which featured prominent administration officials and independent journalists, billed as a Roundtable on antifa.

Much of the commentary at the event, which lasted more than 90 minutes, focused on Portland and other cities where Trump has attempted to or succeeded in bringing in federal troops to quell protests.

Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is used to broadly describe militant, far-left-leaning groups. Outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland, where protests have been happening since June, a large share of protesters at night are dressed in black bloc to conceal their identity, wearing dark clothing and masks. But thats not enough to establish that someone is antifa, since thats not a fixed identity.

Here are seven claims made during the roundtable event, and a fact check of those claims.

Claim: Trump claimed without evidence that there are fires all over Portland, going on to compare the city to a movie with bombed-out cities and bombed-out people. He also said that Portlanders, the real people that live there, want a federal presence in the city.

The amazing thing is, you look at Portland and you see fires all over the place, you see fights and just violence  its just so crazy, he said.

Trump added: Its like the movies you see for the kids, I guess not only the kids, adults also, where you have these bombed-out cities and these bombed-out people  its like, worse than that. I dont think they could make a movie as bad. And then the governor will get up and say, I dont know why theyre coming here. Its such a wonderful place. And the amazing thing is, the people want us to be there. The real people that live there. Many of them have left. But the real people want us to be there."

Fact check: Portland Fire & Rescue responded to four calls about fires near the ICE building since June 6, according to fire department data. One of the calls  on Sept. 14  came from someone who called 911 based on what they saw in a TikTok video. There was no evidence of a fire and no response according to fire department notes on the call.

From June 6 to Sept. 30, the department has seen a 15% increase in reported fires over the same time last year, a fire department spokesperson told The Oregonian/OregonLive. He said most of the increase came from bark dust and dumpster fires, and building fire responses were down 33% over that same time period.

The narrative that fires are happening all over the place is not what Im seeing in the data evaluation, the fire department spokesperson said.

There have been no bombs dropped in Portland or exploded in Portland in recent memory. The last recorded bomb to explode near Portland was 2008 when a father-son duo placed a bomb outside a bank in nearby Woodburn, according to The Oregonians archives. Officers responding to the scene thought the bomb was fake and it exploded as they attempted to dismantle it, killing two men.

The most recent known occurrence of a Portland explosion came Sept. 23 at a food cart pod in Southeast Portland. Investigators suspect it was an accidental propane tank explosion. No one was injured, and firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.

Claim: In addition to slamming protesters, Trump accused Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek of breaking the law.

In Portland, Oregon, antifa thugs repeatedly attacked our officers and seized federal property in an attempt to violently stop the execution of federal law. Everything were doing is lawful and what theyre doing is not lawful. And the governor and mayor, as an example, you can say of Portland and certainly of Chicago, its not lawful what theyre doing. They have to be very careful.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Wilson and Kotek of covering up terrorism happening in Portland, saying they either ignore whats going on or they are helping antifa cover it up.

I was in Portland yesterday and had the chance to visit with the governor of Oregon and also the mayor there in town, and they are absolutely covering up the terrorism that is hitting their streets, Noem said.

Fact check: Protesters erected multiple barricades in June and used a stop sign to shatter the glass of the front door of the ICE building. About 75 arrests have been made in connection with the protests over the past four months. More than a dozen people have been accused of assaulting a federal officer, including a man accused of spitting at an officer earlier this month. Among more than 40 Portland Police Bureau arrests, charges have ranged from disorderly conduct and harassment to criminal mischief, arson, assault and robbery.

Most of the arrests came either in June, when there were 45 total, or after Trump announced Sept. 27 that he would deploy troops. There have been 22 arrests since then.

Recent protests have been markedly less active and violent since they peaked in June, with protesters regularly stepping aside and following instructions when federal agents tell them to clear a path for cars entering or exiting the facility. A Portland police official said in court testimony in July that federal officers were instigating some of the clashes with protesters and police have described instances when federal agents use of force inflamed tensions or served no clear purpose.

Kotek fired back at Trump on Thursday, telling Fox 12: The Trump Administration has no interest in the facts, no interest in public safety and we cannot take them at their word.

Wilson said Tuesday that the calm Noem witnessed during her visit showed that Portland continues to manage public safety professionally and responsibly, irrespective of the claims of out-of-state social media influencers.

Claim: Trump said Washington, D.C., was almost as bad as Portland, until federal troops were deployed to the capital city in August. He claimed that most of the retailers have left Portland.

I dont know what could be worse than Portland, you dont even have stores anymore, Trump said. They dont even put glass up, they put plywood on their windows. But most of the retailers have left. But Washington, D.C., was so bad, and Id say it took 12 days to really make it pretty good, and a month to make it great.

Fact check: Plywood was common on Portland retail storefronts in 2020 and 2021, both downtown and in many other parts of the city. That began to ease in 2022 and plywood has come down almost everywhere in the city now. One prime example of plywood was the Apple Store downtown, which was looted on the first night of riots that took place in the early morning hours of May 30, 2020. Plywood remained on the storefront until February 2021. Apple donated a mural painted on the plywood, then put up metal barricades. Those came down in March 2023, when Apple put up a new glass exterior made of panels that are cheaper to repair than the floor-to-ceiling glass and which remains today.

Portland has lost many chain stores over the past few years, due variously to poor performance, rampant shoplifting and (perhaps) Oregons corporate activity tax, which levies a tax on sales at large businesses  especially retailers. Closures include two Walmarts in 2023, three Targets in 2023, the Pearl District REI in 2023, the Northeast Portland Nike store in 2023, the Gateway Fred Meyer in 2025 and the Gateway Kohls in 2025. In addition, many retail pharmacies have closed in Portland, but thats the case everywhere.

And, while major retailers have certainly moved out of downtown, small businesses continue to move in.

There are still many places to shop in Portland. Some stores have closed due to crime  though its shoplifting, not violent crime, that prompted the closures. And its difficult to differentiate between which closures were the result of shoplifting and which are the result of poor performance based on the location or the corporate parent.

Claim: Katie Daviscourt writes for the conservative Post Millennial website, where former Portlander Andy Ngo is editor-at-large, and has said she was hit in the face by a protester in Portland. Daviscourt called the Portland protests nothing short of a sustained attack on the United States, which is being supported by Democratic elected officials.

The Portland Police Bureau has completely abandoned several blocks outside the ICE facility, giving away their jurisdiction to a terrorist group who has spent the past four months harassing, assaulting and intimidating anyone they perceive to be against their cause, she said.

Fact check: The Portland Police Bureau had a nightly presence at the ICE facility in June. Police pulled back resources over the summer. Officers have typically stood back from the gathered protesters, who have numbered between a dozen and about 150 people since Trump made the announcement about sending National Guard troops to the city. There have been about 75 arrests associated with the protests over the last four months. Federal officers made about 30 of those.

Claim: Brandi Kruse, a right-wing podcaster, on the idea that antifa is a concept and not a real group that calls itself Antifa.: Some of them literally do, Kruse said. They call themselves Rose City Antifa.

Fact check: In 2020, Trumps FBI director, Chris Wray, told lawmakers that antifa is an ideology, not an organization.

It is also true that Rose City Antifa is the name of a group formed in 2007, according to its website, in order to shut down a neo-Nazi skinhead festival called Hammerfest.

The group did not respond to a request for comment about whether it has been involved with the recent protests or even if the group is still active. On its website, Rose City Antifa said it participates in direct action, education and solidarity.

The last blog post on the site was from March 2025.

In July, Noem accused Rose City Antifa, among other groups, of trying to dox ICE officers.

Claim: Conservative influencer Nick Sortor, on the buildings across the street from the facility: You talk to the neighbors that live in the apartments next door to the ICE facility. They are veterans with PTSD that live there and they hear all night long screaming, fireworks being lit off by these rioters, children crying because they cant sleep at night and they are scared of all the noise outside and they cant leave.

Fact check: Even when there havent been arrests, the protests have been disruptive to neighbors, with yelling, loud music and bullhorns. One resident filed a lawsuit asking that the city be compelled to enforce noise ordinances around the area, but a judge ruled in August that Portland police are not required to do so.

Lashawnda Shavers, a resident of a nearby building, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she can see where demonstrators are from her sixth-floor apartment.

Our neighborhood is beautiful, and overall I feel safe here, Shavers said. What I dont feel safe about is the tear gas federal employees have used during demonstrations.

Another resident, Dustin Ragsdale, told The Oregonian/OregonLive, Its been very jarring and terrifying, because the federal state is bringing violence against my neighborhood.

Ragsdale keeps coming to the protest, he said. Its kind of hard to sleep with this going on anyway, so I might as well be present.

Not every neighbor is supportive of the protesters. BBC News interviewed Cindy Colgrove, who lives in the building. According to that report, Colgrove told the media company that its been 115 days of hell since protests against Trump intensified outside the ICE facility in June.

I only come out during the day, Colgrove said in the story, which was quoted by the White House in a press release.

You see all the black-covered antifa people arent here. They come with the night. In the daytime its all these little old senior people that think theyre changing the world before they pass from this earth.

Still, most people living nearby interviewed by the BBC did not agree with Colgrove. One, Mai Tai Boyd, a U.S. Air Force veteran, said he thinks Trumps plan to send troops is unconstitutional.

I keep up with the politics, he told BBC News. So I feel a little different.

Claim: According to Trump, while Kotek was walking around Portland on television saying Portland didnt need federal troops, there were explosions in the background.

Fact check: Kotek has posted videos to social media that show scenes from Portland. She also has held news conferences in Portland in recent weeks to say that the city does not need or want federal troops. No explosions happened in any of these videos.

-- Veronica Nocera, Mike Rogoway, Zaeem Shaikh and Fedor Zarkhin of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report.
The Ducks Confidential podcast, hosted by The Oregonian/OregonLives Aaron Fentress and former UO and NFL tight end George Wrighster, host of the Unafraid Show, discusses No. 3 Oregons matchup with No. 7 Indiana on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore scrambles down the sideline for a first down as the No. 6 Ducks face the Oregon State Beavers in a college football game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

. . .

TOPICS (Listen, Watch)

Freshman WR Dakorien Moore allowed to speak with the media.

Indianas offense is loaded with numerous weapons, but was held in check at Iowa.

Indianas defense has looked dominant, but hasnt faced a. team like Oregon.

A look around the country.

Predictions.

More.

FULL EPISODE

No. 3 Oregon (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 7 Indiana (5-0, 2-0)
Steph and Jimmy MacDonalds shared vow 10 years ago was to create premium bedding using materials, from the cotton seed to the final stitch, made in the U.S. by workers across the country.

They called their small Vancouver company Authenticity50 and produce ethically manufactured sheets, pillows, towels and blankets.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, they partnered with their Pacific Northwest neighbor, Pendleton, which happens to be the oldest and most famous woolen mill in the United States.

The couples dream: to create a limited-edition blanket called the Northwest Wool Throw using pure Oregon-sourced wool and with the final weave at Pendletons historic Washougal mill.

On Oct. 10, Authenticity50 released its Northwest Wool Throw, which has soothing gray stripes against a soft Rainier red background, inspired by the colors of Mount Rainier.

The price is $199 for the opening weekend launch, then $219, starting Monday, Oct. 13, and is sold exclusively at authenticity50.com.

We wanted our throw to feel like a comforting hug, Steph MacDonald told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The blanket weighs 3.5 pounds, and at 54 inches by 66 inches, it can wrap a person from head to toe.

It has been a fun project to work with Authenticity50 on this throw, said Robert Vallely, operations manager at Pendleton Woolen Mills. He describes the blanket as having a clean classic look.

For me, I think it is a good representation of outdoorsy Northwest living, he said. The weight and construction of the throw make it perfect for your RV or a cool evening on the deck.

Wool is a natural fiber that is hypo-allergenic, durable, insulating and breathable; and due to its unique properties, it will keep a person warm when its cold out, and cool when its hot.

Pendleton agreed to work with us to design a custom blanket that is exclusively ours, not co-branded, said MacDonald. Their signature tag of authenticity is woven into the blanket, certifying that it is a Pendleton. And weve been given the rare opportunity to create our very own blanket, something about which were still pinching ourselves.

The MacDonalds approached Pendleton in fall 2023 about creating a Pacific Northwest blanket, with the wool and the entire weaving in line with their trademarked Seed-to-Stitch mission.

Pendleton is an iconic brand that has been around since 1863, and it took a lot of persistence to convince them to meet with us, MacDonald said. We dont have the same legacy in place, but our office is a 10 minute drive from their Washougal mill location and we feel like it was a partnership meant to be."

The MacDonalds and the Pendleton team discussed colors, design and yarn types. The couple visited one of Pendletons Oregon sheep farms, and saw sheep being shorn and the wool being collected and baled.

There were lab tests to review colors, washing and drying to make sure the heirloom throw would remain handsome and durable despite years of use.

After months of sampling, tweaking and finalizing, the blanket went into production this summer.

The Pendleton team is the best at what they do, MacDonald said. And its truly inspiring to see what is being expertly crafted right in our own backyard.
Ericsson has pledged to manufacture all telecoms equipment sold in India domestically, in line with the governments Make in India initiative.

As reported by The Economic Times, Andres Vicente, market chief for Southeast Asia, Oceania and India at Ericsson, said at India Mobile Congress 2025: Our intention is to manufacture in India everything we sell in India.

Vicente noted that this would include 6G equipment, with Ericsson planning to begin trialling the standard in India next year. The Swedish vendor currently manufactures 4G and 5G gear in India, but still needs to import numerous components to do so.

We need to change that by investing in a holistic way, not only in anchor brands like Ericsson, but also in the ecosystem of components, filters, batteries and many other things, said Vicente. India has a lifetime opportunity to become an alternative ecosystem where all the components are produced here.

Ericsson has three R&D centres in India. It recently expanded its ASIC (application specific integrated chips) R&D in Bengaluru, and has begun local production of passive antennas together with VVDN Technologies.
Margaret Salazar, CEO of the nonprofit that operates the Gray's Landing apartments, stands for a portrait within view of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building (upper right). Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

Margaret Salazar left a government career in 2023 to run one of Oregons largest housing nonprofits.

By the time she left the public sector behind, shed served as an appointee of President Joe Biden, in charge of the Northwest region for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the head of Oregons housing finance agency.

Today, as the chief executive of REACH Community Development, Salazar said she never expected to be back in the thick of a big federal action.

But on Thursday, as groups of protesters and news crews milled around outside, she spoke about how the past weeks and months have affected tenants at Grays Landing, the low-income apartment building that also houses REACHs headquarters.

It sits directly across South Bancroft Street from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

Salazar said she works at the office 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and generally sees between 10 to 30 people quietly expressing their views. She said she cant speak to the nighttime, as she doesnt stick around for night protests and hasnt attended any personally.

The 209-unit Gray's Landing apartment building houses low-income Portlanders across the street from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

Nighttime demonstrations outside the ICE facility have remained mostly nonviolent. Local and federal police have arrested dozens on allegations of assaulting officers and destroying government property, many of them at the outset of the protests in early summer. The Oregonian/OregonLive has also documented the use of force by federal officers against nonviolent protesters outside the ICE building.

The 209-unit apartment building overlooks the street where clashes occur. And Grays Landing residents of various political stripes have expressed exasperation in media interviews about bullhorns, yelling and tear gas. The White House seized on one such interview, published by BBC News, to press its argument that Portland had descended into chaos.

In a boardroom at the nonprofit headquarters, blinds drawn as they typically are now as protesters gather outside, Salazar recalled a recent conversation with one resident who told her, It never ends. This is just 24/7.

Salazar voiced frustration with how the past weeks have played out for her tenants: Theyre being treated as pawns in this whole political game.

On Tuesday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared on the roof of the ICE building, where protests have taken place nightly since June. During meetings she held with Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon State Police Superintendent Casey Codding and Portland Police Chief Bob Day, Noem made multiple demands. Among them: more security at the ICE building as well as a permanent perimeter around it that would move protesters further away from the facility into surrounding neighborhoods.

In her capacity as REACHs chief, Salazar has urgent requests for both federal and city officials.

Federal officers need to stop deploying tear gas and pepper balls that leak into her tenants apartments, she said, and de-escalate clashes with protesters. Three tenants have already left Grays Landing, she said, and others have threatened to go.

Federal officers deploy chemical crowd control munitions on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, outside the Portland ICE building. The leader of the nonprofit that operates the Grays Landing low-income apartments (back left) called for officers to stop using the munitions. Allison Barr/The Oregonian

In an Oct. 7 letter, Salazar asked Wilson and city councilors to reroute traffic to discourage congregation and escalation on the corners adjacent to the Grays Landing property.

Weve actually asked them to make changes to block off some of these streets, Salazar said.

Portland Police Bureau officers cordoned off a few blocks in several directions as a buffer zone when Noem visited Tuesday, but took the police tape down Wednesday.

We didnt hate that, Salazar said of the temporary buffer.

Shes also requesting Portland City Hall pitch in to cover REACHs costs tied to addressing the fallout from the clashes across the street, which she says have escalated since President Donald Trump called for National Guard troops to deploy to Portland.

The nonprofit has spent approximately $150,000, including on air scrubbers now scattered throughout building common areas. Its also ordered air purifiers to place in apartments and hired security guards to watch the building, she said.

The Portland Housing Bureau has so far contributed about a third of that sum, she said.

Salazar came up through HUD for much of her career in the aughts and 2010s before Gov. Kate Brown tapped her in 2016 to lead Oregon Housing and Community Services, the state housing finance agency. She held that role until 2022, including through the COVID-19 pandemic, when the state agency deployed its Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program. In the two years the program operated, agency officials disbursed $426 million in rent aid to prevent evictions, though auditors found many flaws in the program.

REACH Community Development put up signs around its Gray's Landing apartment building that it says has largely warded off property damage. Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

Salazar left her state job after Biden appointed her to a regional administrator role with HUD, where she worked from a downtown Portland office before moving to the private sector.

Describing Tuesdays visit by the Homeland Security secretary, she said administration officials like Noem are deployed to find the right photo op to reinforce the message that you already are bringing  and that is true for all administrations.

Youre trying to find an example that youre painting to bolster your cause, to make an announcement, thats going to prove your point, Salazar said. They have chosen this corner to prove a point.
Oregons congressional Democrats are pressing federal officials on the treatment of immigrants and protesters at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility south of downtown Portland.

Oregons Portland-area U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Maxine Dexter and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, all Democrats, visited the compound on Sept. 25, just days before Trump posted to his social media site TruthSocial that he would deploy Oregon National Guard troops to war-ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.

The visit left the politicians, deeply concerned by the lack of oversight and accountability of ICE agents, including those operating out of the Macadam (Portland) facility, they said in a statement.

They sought clarity in three separate letters sent Wednesday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Erik Johnson, deputy field office director of enforcement and removal operations at the ICE field office in Seattle. All three letters demanded information, but only the letter to Noem included a deadline for an answer, for Oct. 22.

During the September tour of the facility, the four said, they met with ICE officials who failed to thoroughly respond and provided some conflicting answers to their questions. They asked about immigrants access to legal representation, the use of pepper bullets and tear gas against protesters and protections for nearby residents caught in the fray.

Spokespersons for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from the Capital Chronicle on Thursday. An automated message from the U.S. Attorney Generals Office said: During the current lapse in appropriations, this inbox will not be monitored on a regular basis. Inquiries outside of essential public safety functions will be considered when the lapse in appropriations ends.

Noem, who visited Portland and the ICE compound on Tuesday, called Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Portland Police Chief Bob Day a bunch of pansies on Fox News after the visit. She vowed to send four times the amount of federal officers to Portland if the mayor didnt comply with her demands. The demands include a security perimeter around the building, increased police presence and the creation of designated free speech zones where protests are contained. Wilson has increased police presence at the facility but did not agree to create a perimeter or restrict protest zones.

At a White House roundtable on antifa Wednesday, Noem accused Kotek and Wilson of covering up the terrorism that is hitting their streets.

In their letter to Noem, Oregons congressional Democrats expressed concerns that federal law enforcement officers over the weekend escalated their use of pepper bullets and tear gas against crowds without provocation, endangering protesters and nearby residents. They asked what kind of pepper bullets and gas were being used and what criteria must be met when officers decide to use them against crowds.

They also asked for details about federal officers engagement with protesters and how officers are working with neighbors and businesses around the facility to reduce the impacts of lingering tear gas in the area.

In their letter to Johnson, the politicians raised concerns theyd heard about immigrants with legal status being detained, immigrants being denied bond and held for excessive amounts of time and immigrants with documented medical and health concerns being deported. They asked for clarity about the agencys public accountability standards for unidentified and masked ICE agents and why it was hard for the agency to hire for a community relations position at the Portland facility.

In September, city officials notified the buildings private owner that ICE was likely violating its agreement with the city by detaining people longer than the allowed 12-hour limit. The city cited reports that people were kept overnight at least 25 times between Oct. 1, 2024, and July 27, 2025.

To Bondi, they expressed concerns over reports that some immigrants at the Portland facility were being denied counsel and asked whether or not requests for virtual immigration hearings were being granted.

-- Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy.
Protesters in frog suits multiplied on Thursday night, Oct. 9, 2025, as a few dozen people gathered peacefully as night fell outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland. Fedor Zarkhin/staff

The wait has now begun to see when and how a federal appeals court will rule on Oregon U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immerguts temporary order barring the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops in Portland. The order remains in effect for now while the court deliberates.

Heres what we know.

Some 9th Circuit judges seem skeptical of Oregon judges decision

At least two Trump-appointed judges on a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appeared ready Thursday to lift an order barring the Trump administration from sending Oregon National Guard troops to Portland.

The three judges (the third judge was appointed by President Bill Clinton), asked a lot of questions, including about the definition of rebellion, whether they should consider historical examples of rebellions and what document Trump relied on to authorize the Guard deployment here.

Its not clear when the 9th Circuit panel will issue its ruling, but it will likely come before an Oct. 17 hearing on whether U.S. District Judge Karen Immergut should extend her restraining order for another 14 days.

The truth is out there

The Oregonian/OregonLive fact-checked seven suspect claims made at President Trumps antifa roundtable earlier this week that featured prominent administration officials and independent journalists with right-wing viewpoints.

We found: Portland is not on fire or bombed out.

Fact: Portland Fire & Rescue responded to four calls about fires near the ICE building since June 6, according to fire department data.

Fact: The last recorded bomb to explode near Portland was 2008.

Read more about what they said and what we found.

Costumes come out at night

Our reporters at the ICE building Thursday night counted several frogs, a unicorn, a polar bear, an axolotl, a raccoon, a peacock, a shark and a cat among about 100 regularly dressed people.

The nightly protest proved uneventful as darkness fell and protesters and counter-protesters started to gather.

The herd of animal costumes stood out. Or was it a flock?

A helicopter circled. People used megaphones to yell at federal officers, who congregated for hours on the buildings lower rooftop and pointed what appeared to be pepperball guns at the crowd as other officers let cars in and out of the small gated compound.

The rooftop officers used their pepperball guns several times when protesters got particularly close to the officers on the ground.

A noticeable difference this night: The federal officers didnt carry the clear shields that have been a typical piece of their riot gear whenever they face the crowd. They also gave warnings when they came out of the building and multiple officers wore no face coverings or gas masks when they came out.

Federal officers detained three people, including a counter-protester, and brought them inside the building as some in the crowd lined up toe-to-toe with them. Others pulled out their phones to record the action.

The scene outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in South Portland on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Fedor Zarkhin/staff

One of the officers loudly warned about trespassing and pointed out the area considered out of bounds.

Counter-protesters about a block away milled around a prominent right-wing streamer, Thomas Allen, who had been barred by a court order from coming within 200 feet of the ICE building. Portland police arrested Allen, 36, on a warrant.

Police also arrested a Portland man  32-year-old Harold Smith  on allegations of harassment, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement.

As the night wore on, a demonstrator carrying a sign that said End ICE reign of terror on one side wielded a device blowing bubbles along the painted blue line marking GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.

Cars passed on the street in front of the building. An occasional dog walker passed by clusters of people huddled on nearby corners.

A Buddhist priest from Beaverton led prayers and the crowd started to thin around 10:30 p.m.

A pretty mellow night.

What were watching for today

 Why Trump could still send troops to Portland, no matter what appeals court says

 Meet the former presidential appointee working across from Portlands ICE building
President Donald Trump has said he would invoke the powerful Insurrection Act, if he deems it necessary, in Portland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Experts steeped in the intricacies of national security law say President Donald Trump will likely prevail in his attempt to send troops to Portland, even if he loses his appeal of a federal judges ruling that temporarily barred him from taking that action.

Thats because Trump has a much more potent tool in his arsenal: The more than two-centuries-old Insurrection Act.

Four experts told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Trumps power under the Act is astounding and broad. Others have described the Acts sweeping scope in legal deep dives.

These legal scholars say that the Insurrection Act would allow Trump not only to send the National Guard to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland, but empower him to call on the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to enforce federal laws and tamp down on violent crime throughout the entire city.

Up to this point, Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act. Instead, he relied on a different statute  Title 10 USC 12406  after he announced Sept. 27 that he would send National Guard troops to Portland. A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Thursday on whether Trump should be allowed to send those troops to Portland under that statute.

But if Trump ultimately opts to invoke the Insurrection Act, he will face a much lower bar to take action. The Act states that any move to send the military into cities to suppress rebellions, violence or insurrections is up to the presidents discretion as he considers necessary.

I would say as a legal matter, (Trump) does hold the cards, said Mark Nevitt, an associate law professor at Emory University in Georgia and a retired Navy commander who served as a military lawyer.

Tung Yin, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School in Southwest Portland, agreed.

What happens if the president invokes the Insurrection Act: Is it more likely that the troops will be deployed or more likely that they will still be blocked? Yin said. I think its more likely they will be deployed.

William Banks, professor emeritus of law at Syracuse University in New York, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the Insurrection Act is an exceptionally powerful tool.

Indeed, the Insurrection Act is the big gun, Banks said. And metaphorically, the reason thats so is that Trump can do just about anything he wants to do with the military then.

Banks said he knows dozens of other scholars whod say the same thing.

There really isnt any debate, Banks said.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this week that he would consider using the Insurrection Act to get around recent court rulings if it was necessary, such as if people were being killed and courts were holding us up, or governors or mayors were holding us up.

Trump for years has been vocal about his disdain for heavily Democratic Portland, where residents overwhelmingly voted for his opponents in 2016, 2020 and 2024. But in recent weeks, he has set his sights on the city like never before. He has described it as war ravaged, a hell hole and like a third world country that has been burning night after night for years.

That has mystified many locals. While prolonged racial justice protests in Portland in 2020 drew hundreds and sometimes thousands, and were frequently violent, protests at the ICE facility this year have been much smaller and more subdued. Aside from a few days that ranged between about 100 to several hundred, protests had often amounted to no more than several dozen people. That is until Trump announced he was deploying the National Guard and the numbers of nightly protesters, reporters, conservative social media influencers and onlookers began to swell.

So far Trump appears to be waiting to see how his appeal under Title 10 USC 12406 pans out before deciding how to act.

That legal fight began a day after Trump announced that he was authorizing troops to deploy to Portlands ICE building. Lawyers for the city of Portland and state of Oregon filed a lawsuit to stop him. On Oct. 4 and 5, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a pair of rulings temporarily blocking Trump from taking action. His administration appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

During a hearing Thursday, two Trump-appointed judges on a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit appeared poised to overrule Immerguts rulings, though they havent issued their final decision yet. Nor have they said when they will rule.

Will Chamberlain, senior counsel at The Article III Project, which is an Alexandria, Va.-based conservative group, said he is confident the 9th Circuit will reverse Immerguts decision. But even if it doesnt, the Trump administration would win an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, Chamberlain posits.

Ive said I would give 20-to-1 odds against anybody who would think otherwise, and I havent got any takers, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Theres no way you get five justices to say the president cant use federal personnel to protect federal facilities.

And even in some unlikely world (if) the city of Portland and the state of Oregon prevail in their litigation  which I think is incredibly unlikely  its still not the only path.

Thats when Trump could turn to the Insurrection Act, Chamberlain said. But Trump doesnt need to wait days, weeks or months for the 9th Circuit or the Supreme Court to rule, Chamberlain and other legal experts agree. Trump could invoke the Act tomorrow.

All he has to do is issue a proclamation saying that hes doing this and then calling on the insurrectionists, whoever they may be, to cease and desist, said Banks, the Syracuse University professor.

It could be fairly quick, said Nevitt, the Emory University associate professor.

Under the Insurrection Act, Nevitt thinks that Trump could call on the Oregon National Guard or send troops into Portland from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Wash., just a two-hour drive away.

Nevitt has pushed for Congress to rein in presidential powers under the Insurrection Act  laying out detailed arguments  for years. But Congress has left the Act untouched for more than 150 years.

Without those changes, Nevitt said Trump is in the power position.

This president has a maximalist view of the military, and I dont think hed hold off on using all of the legal tools at his disposal, including the Insurrection Act.

In all, presidents have used it more than 30 times, according to New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice. That includes Abraham Lincoln at the start of the Civil War in 1861, Ulysses Grant in the early 1870s to try to stamp out the Ku Klux Klan and presidents during the Civil Rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s, even when governors who fought school desegregation or integration vocally opposed the military intervention.

The Act was last used by George H.W. Bush in 1992, after riots broke out in Los Angeles over the acquittal of four white police officers after the beating of Rodney King, a Black man whose beating was captured on video. But Bush was responding to a request by Californias governor for help.

Nevitt said he doesnt know of any instance where a state both opposed a president and filed suit in court to stop the commander in chief.

Yin, the Lewis & Clark Law School professor, said although Trump may be able to act with powerful authority under the Insurrection Act, he doesnt think its out of the question that the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court would be willing to hear a challenge filed by Portland or Oregon.

Some aspects of the Insurrection Act, such as allowing the president to dispatch the military even if one person is committing violence against another, might not sit well with some members of the nations highest court.

Thats one where I just wonder if all six conservative justices would go along with that, Yin said. Ive got to think it would give at least some of them heartburn.

But Yin said for the time being, more likely than not, Trump will succeed in deploying troops into Portland, one way or another.

I dont want to give people false optimism, Yin said. Thats even though those of us living in Portland know its not a war zone.
A Cascadia subduction zone earthquake is coming for the Pacific Northwest, and when it hits, scientists now believe, it could cause the San Andreas fault in California to go off.

It would be a very bad day on the West Coast of the US, thats for sure, said Chris Goldfinger, a professor emeritus at Oregon State University who studies marine geology, geophysics, paleoseismology and subduction earthquakes.

Goldfinger is one of the authors on a paper published in late September called Unravelling the dance of earthquakes: Evidence of partial synchronization of the northern San Andreas fault and Cascadia megathrust.

The idea, Goldfinger said, is that when a fault ruptures, its relieving stress locally, but its transferring stress to areas nearby, Goldfinger said. So when Cascadia ruptures, it transfers stress to Northern California.

Goldfinger and others have been working on this idea for about 30 years, he said, and they first published a paper hypothesizing that a Cascadia event could trigger a quake on the San Andreas fault in 2008.

Back then, using radiocarbon dating, they knew that some ancient Cascadia and San Andreas earthquakes happened in similar time frames, but using that technique, they couldnt prove exactly how close together the events took place.

So they tried something different: relative dating.

With relative dating, Goldfinger said, you can try to determine if two things happen closely together in time, even if you dont know the absolute timing very well.

Looking at geologic deposits, paleoseismologists were able to determine that San Andreas quakes followed Cascadia quakes closely and in some cases, almost instantly.

Now, Goldfinger said, we have the smoking gun, we think, to nail down the timing to be very close.

Scientists were able to see multiple earthquakes matching up in the last several thousand years, but the best match, Goldfinger said, was in 1700.

The 1700 Cascadia subduction zone quake is well documented by the geological record, the people living along the coast and the people of coastal Japan, where a tsunami landed sometime not long after the earthquake occurred.

It turns out there was also a 1700 San Andreas earthquake, Goldfinger said.

Whether the San Andreas quake happened on exactly the same day as Cascadia is not known, since there is no specifically dated material available. The first Spanish installations were built in the San Francisco Bay Area around 1770 and there was not a continuous presence of Spanish or English speakers and writers before that in the area, so there is no colonialist record of the San Andreas quake.

According to Goldfinger, at least one researcher is looking into the question of whether the native people of the area have stories of an earthquake from around that time.

Either way, Goldfinger said the geological evidence points to the San Andreas quake coming minutes to hours after the Cascadia quake.

The sediment created by Cascadia had not yet settled, he said, when the San Andreas quake happened.

The next step, Goldfinger said, is for emergency managers at the state and national level to take note of the possible implications of back-to-back major West Coast earthquakes.

Regionally, Goldfinger said, having two disasters in close timing proximity would be a huge thing for the country to try to respond to.

Its also possible that a Cascadia earthquake could act as a warning system for a San Andreas earthquake, though there are still many variables and unknowns.

One of the complications is that, though the 1700 earthquakes happened within minutes to hours of each other, scientists dont know the probability of that version happening again.

Instead of minutes, Goldfinger said, It could be weeks. It could be a couple of decades. It could be 50 years even.
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The bells are ringing for Windows 10, and many users who have waited are now choosing to update to Windows 11. If youre one of them, congratulations on continued security updates and new features, but also on an operating system that has received a lot of criticism since its launch in 2021  sometimes justified, but often exaggerated.

Because when you look beyond the glassy surface with its rounded corners and the Start menu in its strict position, the differences are not that insanely big actually. Its not like switching to Mac or Linux, not by a long shot.

In many cases, these are fairly small changes that you can quickly get used to. In many cases, its even possible to restore or mimic old behavior, and new additions you dont need can often be turned off or hidden.

We recommend: Windows 11 Pro Price When Reviewed: 69,99 Euro Best Prices Today:

Relax and enjoy the ride and everything will be easier, right?

Microsoft has become a bit more like Apple in one area in recent years. Where the company used to make an effort to step aside and let users choose how they want to use their computer, it now prefers you to do certain things in a certain way.

Foundry

The most obvious example is that youre almost forced to sign in with a Microsoft account instead of a traditional local account. For example, it is not normally possible to choose a local account when installing the system. This can be circumvented fairly easily, but Microsoft keeps harping on about all the benefits of its account.

In a way, the company is right. With a Microsoft account, for example, you dont have to worry about registering Windows because the license key is linked to the account and its easy to reactivate if you make changes to the hardware. I find this very useful as I sometimes boot my Windows installation directly and sometimes in a virtual machine  even though the hardware is completely different, the system has no problem with activation.

Windows 11 Home can encrypt the local storage with Device Encryption, but it requires a Microsoft account to store a copy of the recovery key  so if you want to use a local account you need a Pro license to encrypt the disk.

Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life

Other benefits include synchronization of settings and applications installed from the Microsoft Store between computers and automatic authentication for all other Microsoft services and applications. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription for Office, it will be much easier if you are logged into Windows with the same Microsoft account.

But if you dont subscribe to Microsoft 365, dont use OneDrive, have no need for disk encryption, and rarely or never change hardware, theres no practical gain from a Microsoft account. If you prefer, you can then opt for local account anyway, even with Windows 11 Home.
Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletteryour weekly dose of hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the latest topics on our YouTube show or burning news from across the web? Youre in the right place.

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I never thought Id think on laptops with envy. But here I am, writing these words.

It comes on the heels of Intels deep reveal of Panther Lake, which is what Adam, Will, and Mark were learning about last week. (Such is the super sekret life of tech journalists.)

Marks quick rundown of the facts is extensive, as overviews gotheres just that many details to cover. I highly recommend reading his deep dive as well, but among the highlights: Three chip families represented by one 8-core and two 16-core processors, with a claim of 50 percent better multithreaded performance over previous generations. The top-tier 16-core CPUs pack juggernaut-level integrated graphics, including dedicated support for ray-tracing. Said integrated graphics take the form of Xe3 GPU cores touted as 50 percent faster on average compared to last gen. Multiframe generation support (yep, fake frames).

Intel is also cramming in upgrades to the image processing unit in its integrated laptop processors to boost clarity and color fidelity of video during webcam calls. Inaccurate skin tones and grainy low-light calls should be less of a problem on a Panther Lake chip. But the feature I want in all chips, including desktop? Auracast, which not only lets you wirelessly play videos across two devices simultaneously, but also use the onboard Bluetooth radio to triangulate the location of a lost itemwhether the laptop itself or a connected device, like earbuds.

So why the envy, when desktop could get Auracast (and likely will)? When kickass integrated graphics matter less, given the flexibility for discrete GPU support? When desktop processors outstrip performance on laptops?

Memory issues.

I mean of course the ominous reports of anticipated shortages and sharper rising costs for memory. In a recent interview, Phisons CEO thought that demand from AI data centers for NAND-based products could create a dearth lasting as long as 10 years.

A whole-ass decade.

Blake Patterson

Its not just NAND, either. DRAM is also expected to suffer from the same shortages and price hikes as demand skyrockets. (You can read Luke Jamess excellent article over at Toms Hardware for more of a dive into the factors contributing to this bleak outlook.)

Heres my thinking: CPUs and GPUs will continue to improve on desktop, yes. Its likely features like Auracast will come to desktop processors, yes. But what good will that do me if I cant afford to build a PC around those chips?

These days, I think of storage and memory as basic staples among hardware componentsno different than the potatoes, rice, or bread of a meal. The idea of RAM and SSDs becoming both scarce and expensive makes me start to question what I can take for granted about desktop PCs and DIY building.

I wonder if interest in DIY building will slow a bit, due to the extra burden on budgets. If that will then lead to an equal slowdown in consumer CPU and GPU innovations. If that then increases the withdrawal from DIY building, leading vendors to pull back on the innovation and variety in cases, fans, and other such components.

Im not predicting a death spiral, but I fear a period of dormancy that returns us to the mood and vibe of past eraswhen desktop PCs were boring, bland, and not highly performant unless you had serious spare cash to drop.

For now, Im preparing for austerity even as I look forward to seeing what else could come from Intels Panther Lake, Qualcomms Snapdragon X2 Elite and Elite Extreme, and future laptop processors. I love the idea of powerful mobile chips. I hate the idea that they could supplant desktop PCs as the only reasonable option for consumers.

In this episode of The Full Nerd

In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Will Smith, and special guest Edward Crisler, NA PR Manager at long-time GPU maker Sapphire Technology, discuss the current state of GPUs, including manufacturing challenges and benchmarking changes.

I should talk more about the actual episode here, but honestly, Ed always has great insights and you should definitely check out the whole conversation. More to the point, Im still extremely preoccupied by the lollipop scorpions that Adam brought back as a souvenir for Willis.

Surelythats an HR violation? Isnt it? Wouldnt it be? (Willis, be careful!)

Willis Lai / Foundry

Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd Network YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time!

Dont miss out on our NEW shows tooyou can catch episodes of Dual Boot Diaries and The Full Nerd: Extra Edition now! (Adam just dropped a new episode of Extra Edition related to Panther Lake!)

And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord communityits full of cool, laid-back nerds.

This weeks packed nerd news

Intels Panther Lake chips definitely made the biggest waves in tech news this week, but other interesting, quirky, and downright unsettling tidbits popped up, too. Im predictably wary after reading a new report about AI models being easily corrupted, but balancing out the scales is a rather delightful DIY take from Google on a keyboard.

Also, we got word of it a few weeks ago, but now its time to bring out the bugleAOLs dial-up service is now officially dead. Rest in peace, old friend.

Its unusual, but I want one. Google

Expect Thread Director changes in Intels Panther Lake: Mark wasnt the only one who dug deep into Panther Lake while at the press briefings in Arizona. Will took a dive with Intel Fellow Rajshree Chabukswar into the upcoming improvements Intel is making to Thread Director for Panther Lake, too.

Xbox Game Pass site chokes as flood of gamers rush to unsubscribe: Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. (If you want to try to load up on the previous, more reasonable price for Ultimate while you still can, try these methods.)

The only RAM config that PC gamers need? This advice from our colleagues over at PCWelt takes the pressure off to spend more to get better performance. But will the internet agree to a sensible take?

AI can figure out conversations based onmice vibrations: Right out of a spy novel. I hope Im never a high-profile enough target for this. (Also, I guess this justifies my use of a crappy cheap mouse.)

Keep it secret. Keep it safe: Googles allowing end-to-end encrypted emails to be sent to non-Gmail recipients. Its only available to Workspace users, but I like what it could mean for personal accounts down the road.

You can play real Game Boy games in a LEGO Game Boy: My current favorite modder is back with this dope LEGO GameBoy tweak. I definitely smiled when I read about this and saw who was behind it.

I love Natalie_The_Nerds work. Natalie the Nerd

Id try this rotary dial keyboard: It would be slow, yes. But I like what it could mean for accessibility options. (Though maybe voice typing is faster. Assuming it recognizes what youre saying with any accuracy. And its not always necessarily as private as Id like.)

So it doesnt take much to corrupt AI models: Cool cool cool.

At least one Starlink satellite per day is falling and burning up: The good news is the debris wont kill anyone. The bad news is that these occurences will contribute to global warming, which indirectly causes death worldwide.

Microsoft keeps trying to kill off local accounts in Windows 11: Im really grumpy about this. Seriously, Microsoft, who do you think is bothering to open the Command Prompt during setup? It sure isnt most folks.

Interstellar interlopers makes a great band name: As always, much appreciation for the fine folks at Ars Technica, keeping the wonder and mystery of space alive for us all.

Catch you all next weekif I manage to escape the boxes Ill be swimming in, after taking inventory of my October Amazon Prime Day purchases. None of it is exciting, but Im excited that I got a good deal on boring stuff. Yeah, Ive reached that age.

~Alaina

This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld.
Microsofts release of its Limited Edition Crocs has moved out of beta and into general release, the company said Friday. The $79.95 Crocs are now available in several sizes.

Originally, Microsoft had made the Limited Edition Crocs available in October, timed with the companys 50th anniversary celebration. The shoes were originally made available as part of a Microsoft-sponsored sweepstakes. However, the footwear has now become a viral hit of sorts.

Based on the incredible response and positive engagement across social media, were thrilled to share that the Microsoft Limited Edition Crocs Bundle officially drops globally beginning today, the company said in an updated blog post.

The Crocs ship in a Windows XP-inspired theme. Its based upon the Bliss background, inspired by a photograph from Charles ORear taken just a few miles from my home. (Like Windows, the Sonoma, Calif. vista looks nothing like the original photograph.) They also include custom Jibbitz charms taken from Microsoft iconography, such as the mouse cursor. Theres even a Bliss-themed drawstring backpack, perfect for carrying them to your next gala or shindig.

Where can you buy such wonders? At Microsofts official merch site, where sizes are available from a womens 4/mens 2 all the way up to a womens 19/mens 17.

While I have actually purchased several Microsofts Windows ugly sweaters with my own hard-earned cash, for me the Crocs are a step too far  Im well into the New Balance era of my life. But if youre a hip influencer, perhaps you can grab one before theyre gone.
The 31-year-old Baltimore man who shot two Pennsylvania State troopers in Franklin County Wednesday evening opened fire from the drivers seat of a van and chased officers as they tried to take cover, officials said during a Thursday news conference.

Police officials staged a 4 p.m. news conference to provide more details on the shootout that ended with two troopers getting shot multiple times and the suspected gunman dead.

The incident started around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday after police say two women and a man, all from Baltimore, stole more than $1,000 worth of clothing from a Dicks Sporting Goods store in Guilford Township.

They fled in a van, which was eventually chased along Interstate 81 by Trooper Thomas Pack and Trooper Lucas Amarose.

According to police officials:

Assisting troopers tried to put a tire deflation device across the highway, but the van avoided it. They tried again and it worked, sending the disabled van into the grass near exit 3 for Route 11/Molly Pitcher Highway, about 15 miles south of the sporting goods store.

Troopers surrounded the van and took cover behind their patrol cars, Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said.

The women  Amir L. Swift and Giani Jaida McGowan, both 21  complied with troopers orders and were getting out of the van, but the driver, Lamar L. Foy, didnt budge.

Troopers tried to force him out of the van by breaking the drivers side window. Thats when Foy started shooting from the drivers seat, sending the troopers scurrying for cover again.

Foy got out of the van firing and chased the troopers while he continued to fire shots from a fully loaded 40-caliber handgun that was reported stolen in Maryland last month.

Trooper Pack, 23, who has worked for PSP for about a year, and Trooper Amarose, 31, were shot multiple times during what Colonel Christopher Paris called a fierce gunfight.

A third trooper, who was not injured in the firefight, shot and killed Foy.

Having watched the video, I am incredibly proud of those troopers. They stayed in the fight, in spite of having, both of them, having significant, serious wounds. They stayed in the fight until the threat was neutralized, Bivens said.

Bivens noted how quickly the shootout unfolded.

This all played out in seconds, he said. As the vehicle came down the ramp, went into the grass, and within moments there was an exchange of gunfire. It all played out in probably less than a minute or a minute and a half.

An off-duty doctor stopped to render aid, officials said. Paris noted the use of tourniquets was a critical piece in saving the troopers lives.

Pack and Amarose were flown to WellSpan York Hospital in critical condition. Pack has since been released, but Amarose is still in serious condition and underwent multiple hours of additional surgery Thursday.

Paris said both of the injured troopers were in high spirits when he visited them.

Since January 2023, Pack and Amarose represent the seventh and eighth troopers shot in the line of duty, Paris said.

Franklin County District Attorney Ian Brink also spoke during the Thursday press conference after reviewing body-cam footage from the incident.

I am confident that the troopers use of force was 100% justified. There is no question in my mind, Brink said. Again, the use of force was not just justified as the law requires, it was absolutely necessary.

Foy had a long and violent criminal record. He was wanted in Maryland for failing to appear July 11 for his court hearing on a charge of possessing illegal drugs with an intent to distribute them.

He was also wanted for charges filed April 9 for two counts of second-degree assault, arson, harassing phone calls and destroying property.

Foy had convictions from 2020 for second-degree assault and burglary and from 2015 for assaulting a corrections officer. He was incarcerated at that time for attempted murder, assault and gun crimes.

Swift and McGowan were charged with felony retail theft, possession of drugs with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Chris Stapleton announced he has to take a break to heal up from bronchitis. StubHub

Country music star Chris Stapleton is taking a break on the advice from his doctors.

The country music star announced on Thursday that he is postponing a pair of live shows on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 in Florida as he battles bronchitis.

To all my friends in Hollywood, Florida, I am very sorry to let you all know I am battling bronchitis and am unable to perform this weekends shows as my doctors have put me on vocal rest, he said in a statement shared to his Instagram account. I want to sincerely thank anyone who made plans to attend these shows. We appreciate your patience and understanding and look forward to seeing you next year.

Stapleton said that the show will be reschedule for January 10 and 11 and that all tickets form this weekends concerts will be honored.

Fans were supportive of Stapleton in the replies.

So bummed but we hope you feel better soon!!! one person wrote. Well be praying for your recovery! Cant wait for January!

We came from Brazil to see you! another wrote. Get well soon.

Hope you get better soon, Mr. Chris, another wrote. The light you carry means a lot to us.

Dear Chris, Sending you heartfelt wishes for a full and speedy recovery, another wrote. Your voice and spirit have brought so much comfort and joy to so many people, and now its your turn to rest and heal. Bronchitis is no small thing for someone whose soul speaks through song  so take all the time you need to get your strength back. Your fans will be here waiting with open arms and grateful hearts when youre ready to return to the stage. Until then, may you be surrounded by peace, good care, and the music that continues to inspire us all. Get well soon, Chris  your health comes first. With love and respect.

The Boot reported that Stapleton kicked off his All-American Road Show Tour in June, and was slated to wrap it up with the Florida dates.
Jonathan Cain of the band Journey performs on day three of the Lollapalooza music festival on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP) Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP

UPDATE: According to Consequence, a spokesperson for Jonathan Cain has released the following statement: Jonathan Cain remains an active member of Journey, and any reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate. He is fully dedicated to touring with the band over the next couple of years and has only expressed plans to retire at a later time.

If you go to a Journey concert in the near future, you wont see Jonathan Cain there.

Thats because the keyboard player has left the group, according to guitarist Neil Schon, who posted the news on X.

Jonathan Cain announced his farewell to Journey tonight, Schon wrote. Im nowhere near done! Journey has so much more life ahead! Im sure we will have a great tour!

In a response to a fan who said Cains exit was a sad day, Schon replied, He wants to do his ministry.

Schon then later clarified even more, saying that Cain is currently playing in the band but plans to leave at the end of 2026 or 2027.

We will have a great couple of years, Schon wrote.

According to Blabbermouth, Cain announced a new single earlier this week, No One Else, written in honor of Turning Point founder and right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed back in September.

Cains wife, Paula White-Cain, became the first female clergy member to pray at a presidential inauguration during Trumps second inaugural event and is currently the first female primary spiritual adviser to a U.S. president.

Cain and Schon had been feuding rather publicly recently, with Schon suing the keyboard player, accusing him of overspending on the bands American Express card. A Delaware Chancery Court eventually ruled in favor of Cain.

Cain has been a member of Journey since 1981, when the band released its most successful album, Escape. He helped write a number of the groups best known songs, including Open Arms and Dont Stop Believin.
Harrisburg Dairies at 2001 Herr St. in Harrisburg has closed. File photo by Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

A decades-old family-owned milk supplier in Harrisburg has abruptly closed.

Harrisburg Dairies Inc. notified its remaining dairy farmers earlier this week it was ceasing its contracts, said Rob Barley, chairman of the Pennsylvania Milk Board.

In all reality its very unfortunate, Barley said. The end happened quickly, but the end was coming.

PennLive was unable to reach Harrisburg Dairies, which operates at 2001 Herr St. in Harrisburg.

The fourth-generation milk producer was established in 1931 and sold milk, iced teas, lemonades, bottled water and juices, according to its website.

Its products were distributed to several states including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, New York and Washington, D.C.

Retailers like Dough n Joe doughnut shop in Mechanicsburg and Hampden Township, in recent weeks noticed inconsistent inventory with Harrisburg Dairies.

Owner Brad Livezey said the dairy suddenly stopped supplying chocolate milk, one of his biggest sellers at about 130 bottles a week.

They didnt even let us know, he said, adding he switched to Meadowburne Farms in Wellsville.

Harrisburg Dairies in Harrisburg sold milk in several states. Dairy farmers report the dairy informed them it is no longer accepting milk. File photo by Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Dairy farmer Adam Kopp, owner of Stoney Lawn Farm in Londonderry Township, said he received notice from Harrisburg Dairies on Tuesday morning. His familys farm had been selling milk to the company for 20 years.

The third-generation farmer said Harrisburg Dairies hadnt compensated him for his milk for two months. Fortunately, he mentioned he was able to find a new processor.

The main thing is our farm is our business and we sell product, which is milk. That milk was sold to Harrisburg Dairies and they in turn sold it and never paid for it. Thats criminal, Kopp said.

Barley said he understands Harrisburg Dairies had contracts with about five dairy farmers, down from about 19 this summer.

He said all five farmers have found other processors. Noting the board is working to ensure that the farmers receive about 75 percent of the pay Harrisburg Dairies owes them, he said the money will come through a security fund.

We are doing everything we can to make sure the farmers get everything they are owed, Barley said.

He added the board was aware Harrisburg Dairies was having financial issues. In an effort to be transparent, he said he warned dairy farmers they might want to consider looking for new markets to sell their milk.

In August, Lancaster Farming reported Harrisburg Dairies halted its contracts with seven Lebanon County dairy farmers after Whole Foods Market ended its purchasing contract with the company.

Whole Foods had been purchasing about 27,000 gallons of milk weekly from Harrisburg Dairies, according to the publication.

Barley said in recent weeks the board had made some progress helping Harrisburg Dairies secure funding, but he understands more retailers ended contracts with the company late last week.

Jayne Sebright, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence, said its fortunate that the affected dairy farmers found new markets to sell their milk.

She noted it has become increasingly difficult for dairy farmers to find new markets as milk suppliers consolidate and close.

The dynamics today in the marketplace are different than they were even a decade ago, Sebright said.

In 2018, Harrisburg Dairies provided a lifeline to a handful of dairy farmers that had been dropped by national producer Dean Foods.
Costco has a new item on the menu that's turning heads. AP

If youre a fan of Costco, then you know how convenient their food court is while shopping.

The initial beauty of Costcos food court was that it was accessible to both paying and non-paying customers, which the company hoped would inspire more people to sign up.

But in 2024, Costco began enforcing the policy that food courts were for members only. The effort was part of a broader crackdown on membership sharing. It also came in response to member complaints about crowded stores and parking lots, per TheStreet.

These days, if you want to experience the food, you have to join or find a hack that gets you into the store without paying for a membership.

But it might be worth joining now because the food court has introduced a new, delicious item: a salted caramel brownie sundae.

So far, its a huge hit; the reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

In fact, Instagram user @costcohotfinds shared a video of the new dessert, which featured the vanilla ice cream sundae topped with brownie bits and decadent caramel sauce drizzled throughout.

There was no shortage of brownie bits in this dessert, the video said.

One Reddit user took to the platform, writing, Whos the evil genius who came up with that one? I salute him!

This looks amazing, another user wrote.

The new item joins other offerings that shook up Costcos menu in recent years, including:

Giant chocolate chip cookies

Rotisserie chicken Caesar salads

Turkey and provolone sandwiches

Frozen strawberry lemonades

The salted caramel brownie sundae is currently available at Costco for $2.99.
Bacco Pizzeria & Wine Bar has arrived in Hershey.

Owners Max and Maria Randazzo recently opened the restaurant at 131 W. Chocolate Ave. in the former Iron Valley Realty Company at Hershey Towne Square.

The couple own Bacco locations in Harrisburg and Hampden Township. This summer, they closed a Bacco that had operated in Lower Allen Township for less than a year.

Their latest establishment mirrors the other restaurants, but with a smaller menu focused on brick-oven pizza, small plates, salads and a full bar.

I wanted to be in Hershey to get the name recognition for Bacco. I wanted to expand the name, Max Randazzo said.

Max Randazzo owner of Bacco Pizzeria & Wine Bar, pictured earlier this fall. File photo by Sean Simmers ssimmers@pennlive.com Sean Simmers ssimmers@pennlive.c

The former real estate office was renovated into the 40-seat cafe with a modern vibe including chandeliers. The gas-fueled brick oven was imported from Sicily and fires up to 750-degrees.

Pizzas are the star of the menu. Max Randazzo said they use finely ground double zero flour without bromine, creating soft, airy crusts.

Pizzas include margherita; a di parma with prosciutto, crushed tomato, arugula and mozzarella; funghi with mushrooms and a bechamel sauce; and gambero with shrimp, plum tomato sauce, mozzarella and red pepper flakes.

Small plates feature tuna tartare, burrata caprese, beef carpaccio and eggplant rollette while main entrees include lobster ravioli, braised beef ravioli and Mediterranean bronzino.

The restaurant sells wine, beer and spirits.

Max Randazzo said his wifes family including her grandfather used to make wine in Sicily, a tradition the family brought with them to the United States. The Randazzos bottle the wine at the restaurant and sell it by the glass and bottle.

Bacco is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
Cedars Lebanese Cuisine in Camp Hill is for sale.

Owner Pascale Baaklini said she is too busy caring for her elderly father to operate the establishment at 2153 Market St.

The restaurant closed in June.

I actually had an incident where there was flooding in the kitchen and I had to temporarily close it, she said. I had hoped to reopen it and then my father got really ill.

The sale is posted on Facebook Marketplace and on Transworld, an online brokerage site. The fully-furnished restaurant includes indoor seating and garage-style door in the front that opens onto a patio.

Baaklini said shes accepting the best offer. The sale includes the business only with kitchen equipment and furnishings such as tables and chairs.

Cedars Lebanese Cuisine owner Pascale Baaklini, pictured in 2023, is selling the restaurant in Camp Hill. File photo by Mark Pynes | PennLive Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

She took over Cedars in 2022 from her uncle, Milad Mike Rhayem and continued the Lebanese theme, serving food such as falafel, kefta kabab and char-grilled lamb chops.

With no one else available to operate Cedars, Baaklini said she has no choice but to sell the business.

Given the circumstances and the dynamics that have happened since then, its very difficult for me to care for my father and run a business by myself, she said.

Baaklini said a buyer can open the restaurant under a new concept, whether lunch service or fine dining.

Since closing, she said many customers who are like family to her have reached out.

Baaklini hopes to return to the restaurant business in the future and open a smaller Lebanese food concept such as a quick-service establishment or food truck.

Thats what I am going to miss the most, the people, she said.

Anyone interested can reach out to Baaklini at 717-439-1143.
FILE - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 9, 2025, the day before his inauguration for a third term. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File) AP

OSLO, Norway (AP)  Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, winning recognition as a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.

The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolas Maduros government, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.

In the past year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding, Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.

He told the AP that the committee was able to reach Machado just before the announcement and it came as a surprise.

Exiled opposition candidate celebrates

Machados ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a short video of himself speaking by phone with Machado.

I am in shock, she said, adding, I cannot believe it.

Gonzalez celebrated Machados Nobel win in a post on X, calling it a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.

FILE - Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado waves from atop a truck during the closing election campaign rally for presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) AP

Maduros government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro, but the government disqualified her. Gonzalez, who had never run for office before, took her place. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.

Crackdown on dissent

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January. A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez over the publication of election results. He went into exile in Spain and was granted asylum.

Last year, Machado and Gonzalez were awarded the European Unions top human rights honor, the Sakharov Prize.

Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honored.

Speculation about Trumps Nobel chances

There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the prize going to U.S. President Donald Trump, fueled in part by the president himself and amplified by this weeks approval of his plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Asked about lobbying for and by Trump, Watne Frydnes said: I think this committee has seen any type of campaign, media attention. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace.

This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.

Last years award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons.

The peace prize is the only one of the annual Nobel prizes to be awarded in Oslo, Norway.

Four of the other prizes have already been awarded in the Swedish capital, Stockholm this week  in medicine on Monday, physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The winner of the prize in economics will be announced on Monday.
This map shows, in blue, the East Shore section 3, second contract, of the Interstate-83 Capital Beltway Project. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said it has awarded that $132.7 million contract to J.D. Eckman of Atglen. The entire Capital Beltway Project is estimated to be completed in 2040. Provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has awarded the second contract for the East Shore section three, part of the massive Interstate-83 Capital Beltway project.

The contract was awarded to J.D. Eckman of Atglen, Chester County. The company submitted a low bid of $132,727,725.31. PennDOT said three companies submitted bids.

East Shore section three includes widening and reconstructing I-83 from two lanes to three lanes in each direction, construction of new collector-distributor lanes in each direction, reconstructing and widening of two I-83 mainline bridges ...

Also included in the project is a new 13th Street bridge, reconstruction of the 17th Street interchange, widening of 17th Street and a new, wider 17th Street bridge over the railroad as well as realignment and improvements along the Paxton Steet corridor that includes retaining walls, overhead signs, guiderails and lighting.

Construction is expected to begin this fall and continue through 2033.

The first contract for East Shore section three is currently being executed. That $154.6 million contract is held by New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company of New Enterprise. All work on that contract is expected to be completed by Oct. 12, 2027.

The work in the New Enterprise contract, PennDOT said, includes widening and reconstructing portions of the I-83 roadway, construction of overhead bridges at 29th Street and 19th Street, construction of the new Cameron Street Interchange, removing the 13th Street interchange, and roadway improvements along the Cameron Street, 19th Street and 29th Street corridors.

PennDOT said East Shore section two of the project will include five contracts and is expected to begin in 2028.

The entire project, according to PennDOT, is estimated to be completed around 2040.

East Shore section two two includes widening I-83 from just south of the Union Deposit Interchange to 29th Street and includes the reconstruction of the Eisenhower Interchange and portions of US 322, I-283, and Eisenhower Boulevard ...
A 47-year-old Franklin County man with a suspended drivers license was arrested Thursday after police said he struck and killed a pedestrian earlier this week.

Just after 7 p.m. Oct. 7, Chambersburg Police and emergency services were dispatched to West Washington and Water streets for a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.

Jorge Santamaria, of Chambersburg, hit Carol Ferry with a van as she was walking in a crosswalk, police said.

Santamaria initially stopped after hitting Ferry, but later left the area without rendering aid or providing his information.

He is charged with accidents involving death or personal injury, accidents involving death or injury while not licensed and driving under suspension  DUI related.

As of Thursday evening, Santamaria is incarcerated in the Franklin County Prison after being unable to post his $150,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 21.
The Shapiro administration received good news on Friday that Pennsylvania is the only northeast state with an expanding economy. Gov. Josh Shapiro in June announced a $20B investment by Amazon in Pennsylvania data centers. Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Josh Shapiro has two new feathers to pin on his hat: A new report finds that Pennsylvania is the only northeast state with a growing economy.

That new finding comes on the heels of Pennsylvania emerging as the only northeast state to place in the top 20 Best States for Business this year.

The findings on Pennsylvanias geographically robust economy come from Axios, which on Friday published an analysis by Moodys Analytics that found the Commonwealth is one of just 16 states nationwide where the economy continues to expand despite national headwinds.

The analysis  led by Moody chief economist Mark Zandi  examined state-level jobs data, industrial production, personal income, and housing starts.

Twenty-two states are either in a recession or on the precipice of a downturn, the Moodys report shows. The problems of those states are driven largely by a mix of slowing immigration, increasing tariffs and federal job cuts, Zandi argues.

He finds that the immigration crackdown is suppressing growth.

State-level data makes it clear why the U.S. economy is on the edge of recession, Zandi wrote in an X post.

Pennsylvania ranked among the third cadre of states with growing economies. The report found that California and New York, which together account for over a fifth of U.S. GDP, are holding their own. Their stability is crucial for the national economy.

The Shapiro administration is touting the recognition as growing evidence that Pennsylvanias economy is strong, competitive, and growing.

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has made Pennsylvania more competitive  launching the Commonwealths first economic development strategy in nearly two decades  and by cutting red tape, streamlining permitting and licensing, and making strategic investments that have attracted over $25.6 billion in private-sector investment, created more than 12,500 good-paying jobs, and expanded opportunity across the Commonwealth, the administration said in a press release Friday.

Last week, Area Development ranked Pennsylvania among the top 20 Best States for Business  the only Northeastern state to make the list  and placed the Commonwealth in the top 10 for Site Readiness Programs.

This includes the largest private-sector investment in Commonwealth history: Amazons initial $20 billion investment to build new AI and cloud computing campuses that will create thousands of high-tech and construction jobs.

The accolades for the Commonwealth under Shapiros leadership come at a time when polls consistently show favorable public opinion of the Democratic governor.

A new Franklin & Marshall College poll shows Shapiros approval rating besting that of President Donald Trump  with a 10-point advantage.

F&Ms poll found that Shapiro continues to be comparatively popular, with 51% of those surveyed rating his performance good or excellent. Only 41% of those voters thought the same of Trump.

A Quinnipiac poll earlier this month found that Shapiro continues to enjoy broad-based approval, with 60% of poll respondents saying they approve of how hes handling his job.

That includes 93% of registered Democrats, along with 28% of Republicans, as well as 66% of independents who view Shapiros job performance favorably.

Shapiro in recent months has been criss-crossing the state to announce or roll out one business or economic initiative after the next.

On Thursday, the governor was in Lackawanna County to announce $39 million and more on 11 projects that will transform land riddled with abandoned coal mines into areas ready for data center development.

The so-called PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) have directed $114 million in funding for 29 projects statewide that will transform underused land into shovel-ready business sites.

Lackawanna County is on the brink of growth in various areas, and we are excited to embrace this opportunity to help our communities thrive and keep our residents employed in family-sustaining jobs, Kristin Magnotta, director of the Lackawanna County Department of Planning and Economic Development, said in a statement.

The Lackawanna project calls for the reclamation of old coal mine-scarred lands into viable sites for power-intensive data centers.

The race to make Pennsylvania attractive to Big Tech and data centers, however, has garnered plenty of scrutiny, with questions on whether AI and cloud computing will be an economic boon for parts of the Keystone state  or another boom and bust.

Some analysts warn that the impressive job numbers forecast with high tech jobs can lead to massive exaggerations on the number of permanent jobs created by these capital-intensive projects.
Man sentenced in a multi-state vehicle theft ring that involved "muscle cars" like the Chevy Camaro (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) AP

WILLIAMSPORT  One of the four individuals charged in a multi-state conspiracy to steal high-end muscle type vehicles and sell them has been sentenced to a year in prison.

Shamar Morris, 23, of Philadelphia, was described as a minor participant when he was sentenced Thursday in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.

Moments later, another member of the ring, Rafel Otero Nieves, 41, of Baltimore County, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the same charge and a conspiracy count.

He is expected under the sentencing guidelines to receive at least 10 years in prison as a manager or supervisor.

The conspiracy involved stealing vehicles, driving them to residences, displaying them in person at meetups or on social media, keeping them for personal use, concealing them or selling them.

One of the dealerships that was victimized and mentioned by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn E. Zenzinger in Nieves case was the former Murray Motors in Selinsgrove.

Taken from it on Oct. 3, 2023, were two 2017 Cadillac CTS-Vs, two 2019 Cadillac CTS-Vs, a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V and a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro.

According to the indictment, the conspirators either themselves or caused others to:

* Purchase key programs and blank fobs that would be used to steal vehicles in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.

* Organize and promote car meetups and street takeovers using social media platforms such as Instagram.

* Conceal the stolen vehicles by altering, obscuring and removing vehicle identification numbers and using stolen or temporary paper license plates.

* Sell the stolen vehicles on Facebook Marketplace, Instagram and elsewhere.

According to a sentencing memorandum in the Morris case submitted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Moreno, more than 30 cars valued in excess of $4 million were stolen in at least four states.

The amount attributable to Nieves was in excess of $1.5 million, his plea agreement states.

Morris was a participant in the theft of at least six muscle cars and seen in a video spinning and drifting a seventh, a $40,000 Chevrolet Camero, the document states.

Drifting is when a driver while maintaining control purposely oversteers at a turn resulting in loss of traction.

The investigation revealed Morris stole the vehicles largely for pure sport, Moreno said. He took them to car meetups and street takeovers where he would drift them for live and social media audiences, he said.

Why are earth did you engage in this. I dont know, Judge Matthew W. Brann commented at the sentencing. The judge noted Morris did not have a criminal record and was a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

When Morris completes his prison term he will be on supervised release for two years during which time he must do 20 hours of community service.

He was ordered to pay restitution of $29,152 with all but $350 to be shared with two other defendants. The government has 90 days to adjust the restitution amount if more claims are received.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) AP

Donald Trump has made it known that he believes he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, and Sen. John Fetterman apparently thinks the president should be considered, too.

The Democrat from Pennsylvania shared his thoughts while appearing on Fox News Americas Newsroom on Thursday. It came as Israel and Hamas agreed to a U.S.-backed plan for peace in Gaza.

If this sticks, Fetterman told Fox of the peace agreement. I think the whole point of having a Nobel Peace Prize is for ending wars and promoting peace. And if he brings the Ukrainian war to its end, I will be the Democrat leading the committee for his Nobel Peace Prize.

According to Newsweek, Trumps chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize have surged after the Israel-Hamas announcement.

The outlet reported that Trump is now second on the list of favorites for the award with his odds rising from 16.7 percent on October 3 to 25 percent today at bookmaker Star Sports. The leader for the award according to the site is Sudans Emergency Response Room with a 33.3 percent chance of winning or 2/1 odds.

Doctors Without Borders and Yulia Navalnaya  who is the wife of the late Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny  are third and fourth in the odds to take home the prize.

The world will find out soon enough if Trump does get the Nobel Peace Prize for this year because the award winner is slated to be announced on Friday.
The York County shootout that killed three officers last month injured Lt. David Godfrey so badly he was barely able to move his leg.

Now his rehab hospital says Godfrey, who heads the K-9 unit at York County Sheriffs Office, is heading toward being able to walk on his own.

WellSpan Surgery & Rehabilitation Hospital said his care team reports that he is making daily progress in regaining strength and is working toward walking without assistance.

The hospital said Godfreys team hopes to discharge him within the upcoming weeks as his progress continues.

Godfrey was one of two officers critically injured on Sept. 17 when 24-year-old Matthew Ruth opened fire on officers from inside his ex-girlfriends house in North Codorus Township. Three Northern York County Regional Police detectives  Isaiah Emenheiser, Mark Baker and Cody Becker  died during the exchange of gunfire.

From left to right: Det. Mark Baker, Sgt. Isaiah Emenheiser and Det. Sgt. Cody Becker were killed in the line of duty last week during an ambush as they served an arrest warrant. District Attorney's Office Submitted

Godfrey, a 24-year veteran of the York County Sheriffs Office, recently attended a fundraiser dinner for the offices K-9 Unit, according to a video posted on Facebook.

Just one week ago, Lt Dave Godfrey was in the hospital, barely able to move his leg  and here he is today, WALKING into the York County, PA Sheriffs Office spaghetti dinner to show his support for his K9 team and to be there as his one of his own K9 Tommi, retires, a caption on the video said.

Godfrey responded to the North Codorus Township address on Sept. 17 to help with drone surveillance while Northern York County Regional Police attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Ruth.

Another detective from the Northern York County Regional Police Department was critically injured in the shooting but was released from WellSpan York Hospital at the end of September.
When youve been around a long time, as I have, the same topics tend to recur. One of those is NIMBY, which translates into Not In My Backyard.

Heres a definition of NIMBY I wrote a decade ago: Its great that Im living here, but enough is enough and we dont want you.

Ive seen it dozens of times in my career: A neighborhood springs up, people settle into their homes. Its nice. Its cozy. Then, a developer proposes a new neighborhood on the next empty plot of land.

People from the established neighborhood flock to the next municipal meeting, waving a laundry list of reasons the proposed development should be axed.

Im not saying they are wrong. Im not saying they are right. Im just saying its how it is.

Recently, I read about a brouhaha in Lower Paxton Township. A developer wants to build 700 houses over the next decade just east of Linglestown.

Good? Bad? I dont know. Its not my backyard.

But reading about it drew me back to my days as a reporter. I sat in Lower Paxton and Susquehanna township meetings and encountered this topic over and over again. (The same thing was happening on both shores, but my job required me to sit through those particular meetings.)

Roads cant handle traffic, schools cant enroll all those students, wildlife will be bullied into moving who knows where. Those were generally the main objections. Many people agree they are good ones.

Its a feeling as old as this land. When the Pilgrims arrived on these shores, I doubt the Native people said, Oh, thank heaven they are here. And as settlers moved ever westward, nobody wanted anybody to share those huge open spaces.

If you disagree, watch an old western. The Native Americans wanted no white folks. White folks chose to kill a lot of natives and herd the rest off to another place, somewhere out of sight. Ranchers hated farmers, and farmers accused ranchers of destroying their crops.

In the Southwest, nobody wanted the Mexicans, and the Mexicans didnt want them either. And Black people? We could write a dissertation on their experiences.

My parents bought their little ranch house in the 1950s. It was built on land that had been a farm. Growing up in that house, I saw fields turning into housing developments at a rapid rate. Roads couldnt handle traffic, schools overflowed with students, wildlife went who knows where.

As a member of the Baby Boomers generation, I rode a school bus where kids sat three to a seat and the older students stood, crammed in the aisle. I saw more than one nun teach alone in an elementary classroom with 70 students. I witnessed Lancaster Countys rural tableau transform into a mass of highways, outlet stores, tourists and faux Amish everything.

Good? Bad? It depends where youre sitting, I guess.

If we extend NIMBY a bit, it explains why we find ICE and military troops on our streets. Were here, and we dont want others to be. Weve got ours, and they cant have any.

Nobody wanted my relatives when they arrived either. Signs popped up: No Irish need apply. Germans were pushed into one corner of town, Italians in another.

In the era leading up to World War II, America turned away Jews. Then our forefathers locked up the Japanese.

In my lifetime, weve argued about accepting Cubans, Vietnamese and people from Mexico and other countries to our south. There are plenty more, but you get the drift.

The Statue of Liberty may claim we want huddled masses, but in truth we dont.

We dont want anyone else in our neighborhoods, our state, our country. Its always been that way. I doubt its going to change.

NANCY ESHELMAN: columnist1@verizon.net
William Howard Day was Harrisburg's first Black school board president, serving from 1891 to 1893. The abolitionist, political campaigner, educator, minister and journalist was born 200 years ago this month. Historical Society of Dauphin County

It was unanimous.

The Harrisburg Board of Control, or school board, elected William Howard Day president in October 1891.

It was a historic moment in Harrisburg and beyond: Day was the citys first Black school board president, a rarity anywhere in those days.

Day was more than qualified: masters degree from Oberlin College, tutoring freedom seekers in Canada in the 1840s and 1850s who had escaped slavery in the United States, superintendent of Black schools in Maryland and Delaware in the Freedmens Bureau from 1867 to 1871, not to mention currently serving his fourth term on the school board. He had even served as interim president for about three months in 1890.

And the symbolism of a Black mans elevation to president was not lost on the school board.

(Day) is  a shining example of the intellectual capabilities of that hitherto oppressed people, said the colleague who nominated him, and a living illustration that all races of men are born equal, and given the same advantages, can attain the same plane of intellectual culture.

For Day, becoming president was another step in his lifelong fight for racial equality.

By our necessary relationship to the poor and the lowly, in that we are striving to lift the lower stratum of society, so that all society shall be lifted with it, Day told the school board, we know no rich, no poor, no bond, no free, no black, no white, but we know humanity, which must be lifted by educational training to higher places of useful life, and that is our mission.

Thursday marks the 200th anniversary of this pioneering Harrisburg civil rights leader and educators birth.

Integrating Harrisburg's schools was one of William Howard Day's main focuses as a school board member. Wikimedia Commons

A varied life

Days accomplishments went beyond education.

Born in New York City to a father who was a sailmaker and a mother who was active in the African Methodist Episcopal Zions mother church, Days father died when he was young. Day was adopted at age 12 by a white abolitionist couple in Northampton, Massachusetts.

According to historian Todd Mealy in his biography of Day, Aliened American:

Day was an abolitionist, joining the Colored Citizens League, an early civil rights group; becoming involved with the Underground Railroad; and lobbying the Ohio General Assembly for Black rights.

He was a journalist and publisher, starting several short-lived newspapers and printing the constitution for the country radical abolitionist John Brown planned to form if his raid on Harpers Ferry had been successful.

He lived in the United Kingdom from 1859 to 1863, raising money for Canadian settlements of former enslaved people and giving lectures in support of abolition.

He gave a keynote address in the first civil rights demonstration at the U.S. Capitol, on July 4, 1865. Months later in Harrisburg, he was the main speaker at the grand review of U.S. Colored Troops who served in the Civil War.

He was a minister, ordained as an elder in the AME Zion Church in 1866 and served the denomination in a variety of ways, including as secretary of the general conference, leader of the Sunday school association and interim pastor in Harrisburg and York.

He was Pennsylvanias first Black state worker, serving as clerk in Auditor General Harrison Allens office from 1873 to 1876. Day seemed to use his influence to secure a state appropriation for Black schools such as Lincoln University, historian Eric Ledell Smith notes in a paper in the Historical Society of Dauphin Countys archives.

Day moved to Harrisburg permanently in 1873, settling in the Old 8th Ward, a largely Black and immigrant neighborhood near the Capitol. He added a cause: racial equality in Harrisburg schools.

William Howard Day and suffragist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper are two figures depicted in the "Gathering at the Crossroads" monument at Fourth and Walnut streets in Harrisburg. The monument, commemorating the Old 8th Ward, was dedicated in 2020. (Sean Simmers, PennLive, 2020)

On the school board

Elected to the school board in 1878  the boards first Black member  Day campaigned to integrate the citys segregated schools. No Black students attended the citys two high schools, and the district had few African American teachers.

That changed in the 1878-79 school year, Mealy writes, when John P. Scott and William H. Marshall enrolled in the Boys High School and three unidentified Black students entered the Girls High School. Pennsylvania officially integrated its schools in 1881.

Among his other actions on the school board, Day led an effort to provide night schools for students who had to leave school early during the day to work, and he helped end corporal punishment, enact truancy reform and improve the quality of teaching.

Under his leadership  the board unanimously reelected him president in 1892  the board voted to provide free textbooks to all students and extended the school year from six to seven months.

His last notable act as president was dedicating the citys new coeducational high school, Harrisburg Central at Forster and Capital streets.

In a ceremony, Harrisburg school board President William Howard Day dedicated the coeducational Harrisburg Central High School at Forster and Capital streets in June 1893 "to education of the people without distinction of class, race or sex." The building was torn down in 1952. Historical Society of Dauphin County

To the training of mind without bigotry

More than 1,000 people crowded into the assembly room of the new high school for the dedication in June 1893.

In a speech frequently interrupted by applause, Day expressed his egalitarian philosophy of education.

He dedicated the new high school to the inculcation of the principles of freedom, justice and equality; from whatever quarter of the globe we may have come, we shall meet here as Americans; to the promotion of true liberty, true virtue, true independence as sons and daughters of Pennsylvania; to the training of mind without bigotry; to the teaching of letters without pedantry; to the instilling of moral principles, without sectarianism; to the making of intelligent American citizens  ."

Day decided not to seek a new term leading the school board in 1893, and the board was reconfigured less than a week later. His presidency came to an end.

Day continued to serve on the school board until 1899, a total of six terms.

He died Dec. 3, 1900, at age 75. Since his death, his name has lived on in the Harrisburg area.

A federal housing project in Harrisburg and a cemetery in Swatara Township bear his name (although he is buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Susquehanna Township).

He is depicted in a monument at Fourth and Walnut streets in Harrisburg commemorating the Old 8th Ward.

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association hands out the William Howard Day Award to people and organizations for their contributions to public education.

Thats fitting.

Education was at the center of his lifes mission.

As he told a Harrisburg audience in a speech capping a five-day celebration of his life of public service in 1898, the Black teachers who were hired during his time on the school board taught their students to treasure education.

And that, you see, he said, was the greatest lesson I ever learned.

Joe McClure is a news editor for The Patriot-News. Follow him on Instagram: @jmcclure5nine.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has joined two dozen other Democratic governors in an amicus brief informing President Donald Trump that they have sovereignty over their state's National Guards, and no federally ordered deployments will be allowed. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) AP

As the Trump administration deploys National Guard troops in some of the countrys most populous cities, Gov. Josh Shapiro has doubled down on warnings to the president that he has ultimate power in Pennsylvania and will not permit such deployments under his watch.

Shapiro on Wednesday night joined two dozen other Democratic governors in a lawsuit that underscores civilian authority over the military and the sovereignty and police powers of states.

I filed that amicus brief last night to make very, very clear that the Pennsylvania National Guard, under the leadership of General (John) Pippy, is under my command, Shapiro said in a written statement.

Im the Commander in Chief of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and we use the Guard responsibly. Deploying the National Guard to patrol American cities over the wishes of their governors is incredibly dangerous and an unprecedented infringement on states rights.

Shapiros role in the multi-state action represents the latest legal challenge to what Democratic governors say is President Donald Trumps unlawful deployment of National Guard troops in American cities.

Shapiro, during a visit to Philadelphia on Thursday, said his action is about protecting both public safety and the rule of law.

I think the way the President has chosen to deploy the guard in other states, and in at least one case, deploy the guard of one state into another state  Texas into Illinois  is extremely dangerous.

I will tell you, as both the Commander in Chief of the Pennsylvania National Guard, along with the former chief law enforcement officer of this commonwealth, Pennsylvanians safety is paramount, he said. And the way in which the President of the United States has engaged on this Guard issue does not make us more safe. It creates chaos and real danger in our communities.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has joined two dozen other Democratic governors sending a message to President Trump that deployment of National Guards to their cities will not be tolerated. (AP Photo/Marc Levy, File) AP

Trump has defended his deployment of National Guard troops to several cities as necessary to quell violence and crime and support his immigration crackdown. In a break from all political and judicial norms, the Republican president has called for his Democratic opponents to be prosecuted or locked up.

Trumps efforts were under court scrutiny on Thursday as attorneys for Portland and Oregon urged a federal appeals court to leave in place a restraining order against troop deployments in those cities.

Lawyers for Chicago and Illinois argued before a federal judge to try to block troops from being deployed.

Were looking for the courts to do the right thing, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, told reporters Wednesday.

Trump has defended his actions as legal and lawful. On Wednesday, Trump said Pritzker and the Chicago mayor should be jailed for their opposition to his National Guard deployment.

Shapiro noted that his administration has been working to hire more police in Pennsylvania. He said the new recruit count for the state police stood at approximately 1,500, as his administration aimed to surpass the 2,000 mark.

Shapiro noted that crime was down 42% across the Commonwealth.

If the President really wants to help on safety, he should invest more in policing here in Pennsylvania, Shapiro said. He should invest more in violence prevention, here in Pennsylvania. He should not attempt to deploy the Guard against my wishes.

The multistate amicus brief, filed in a federal appeals court, argues that the Trump administrations deployment of the National Guard in Oregon was unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.

The brief states that such deployments violate the principle that freedom depends on the subordination of the military to civilian authority and infringe on the sovereignty and police powers reserved to the states.

Shapiro has criticized Trumps use of the National Guard as a domestic police force, warning that such actions erode trust and threaten constitutional norms.

Other states joining the legal brief include Washington, Maryland, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear also joined the brief.
The 5,300 Main Event at the 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour Malta is entering its twilight stages at Casino Malta, with just 15 players still in contention from the 898-entry field. And make no mistake, theres no shortage of star power among the Day 4 survivors.

Three names leap off the page: Adrian Mateos, Ben Heath, and Juan Pardo. Between them, the trio have amassed more than $100 million in live earnings and will be among the biggest favorites to chase down the 760,000 top prize from the 4,355,300 prize pool. Of the three, Pardo bagged the largest stack, ending the night with 2,495,000 chips, while Heath and Mateos will also return in healthy shape with 2,320,000 and 845,000, respectively.

Mateos is the only one of the trio to have already lifted an EPT Main Event trophy, winning in Monaco a decade ago at just 20 years old. Heath, meanwhile, has never bettered a 12th-place finish at EPT Barcelona in 2018, while Pardo recorded his best run earlier this year with a 19th-place showing in Monte Carlo. (All stats courtesy of The Hendon Mob.)

Aliaksei Boika

Theyre not the only big names chasing history. Aliaksei Boika, who won the last EPT Malta Main Event back in 2016, is still firmly in the hunt. The Belarusian has been among the big stacks throughout and returns with 2,265,000 as he looks to defend his crown almost a decade later.

All of them, however, will be looking up at Tom-Aksel Bedell, who retained his chip lead from Day 3 thanks to a late flurry of eliminations. The Norwegian businessman has been a wrecking ball inside Casino Malta, knocking out the likes of Giorgos Onisiforou, Grzegorz Kozieja, and Tom Vogelsang. He's in command with 5,765,000, and miles ahead of his closest challengers Mykhailo Ostash (2,985,000) and Toni Kaukua (2,625,000).

Tom-Aksel Bedell

Bedell has shown no fear mixing it up with the high rollers, having battled them countless times before. With momentum on his side, could an upset be brewing when play resumes on Saturday, October 11 at 12 p.m. local time?

End of Day 4 Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Tom-Aksel Bedell Norway 5,765,000 192 2 Mykhailo Ostash Ukraine 2,985,000 100 3 Toni Kaukua Finland 2,625,000 88 4 Juan Pardo Spain 2,495,000 83 5 Ben Heath United Kingdom 2,320,000 77 6 Aliaksei Boika Belarus 2,265,000 76 7 Longmao Fan China 1,820,000 61 8 Adria Calonge Spain 1,750,000 58 9 Joao Tomas Portugal 1,095,000 36 10 Luis Faria Portugal 1,080,000 36 11 Tomasz Brzezinski Poland 985,000 33 12 Adrian Mateos Spain 845,000 28 13 David Tous Spain 410,000 14 14 Maxime Chilaud France 275,000 9 15 Alessandro Barone Italy 230,000 8

Bedell Cracks Kings for the Chip Lead

Day 4 began with 36 hopefuls, and the field thinned quickly. It took less than two levels to reach the final three tables, with eliminations coming thick and fast.

Pawaan Bansal was the first to hit the rail, while Pardo scored an early boost by going runner-runner to down Paolo Boi. Heath then ousted Emika Senda  the last woman standing  before Mateos accounted for Manuel Carvalho, just a handful of the notable exits in the early going.

Pardo continued to build momentum when he flopped the nuts to send Giuseppe Spitale out in 24th, while Bedell started his charge by winning a flip to dispatch Kozieja in 21st place. Bedell wasnt done there; he soon bested Onisiforou in 18th with king-queen getting the better of ace-ten.

Moments later came the hand of the day. High-stakes crusher Vogelsang five-bet jammed with pocket kings, and Bedell called with king-queen of hearts, saying, "I like my hearts." The flop rolled off three hearts, giving Bedell the flush and the 120 big blind pot, leaving Vogelsang shell-shocked and out of the tournament.

The final elimination of the night came courtesy of Heath, who made a flush of his own to oust Roman Stoica in 16th, locking in the official final 15 for Day 5.

Remaining Payouts

The 15 hopefuls are all guaranteed at least 38,950, but the money jumps are steep as they close in on the final table.

Place Prize Place Prize 1 760,000 7 118,650 2 474,650 8 91,250 3 339,000 9 70,250 4 260,750 10-11 56,050 5 200,550 12-13 46,750 6 154,250 14-15 38,950

Action restarts at Level 24 with blinds of 15,000/30,000 and a 30,000 big blind ante. The plan for Day 5 is to play down to six players, setting the stage for Sundays finale.

As always, stay locked in with PokerNews as we bring you live updates and every elimination until a new EPT Malta Main Event champion is crowned.
Members of Charleston County Council listen as Bob McIntyre shares concerns about the Register of Deeds office, where he worked for 26 years, during public comment at a meeting in 2022. County Council is considering adjusting the public comment period at its meetings.
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Sunny. High around 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 9, 2025 / BioNxt Solutions Inc. ("BioNxt" or the "Company") (CSE:BNXT)(OTCQB:BNXTF)(FSE:BXT) wishes to advise its shareholders, due to the Canada Post mail strike, of alternative ways to vote their shares for the upcoming annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "Meeting").The Meeting will be held in person at the offices of McMillan LLP, 1500 Royal Centre, 1055 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on November 7, 2025. The Meeting is being held for the following purposes:To receive and consider the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, together with the auditor's report thereon and the related management discussion and analysis.To elect directors of the Company for the ensuing year.To appoint Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional accountants, as auditor of the Company for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix the auditor's remuneration.To consider any permitted amendment to or variation of any matter identified in this Notice and to transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting or at any adjournment or postponement thereof.Electronic copies of the Notice of Meeting and Information Circular and the form of proxy prepared in respect of the Meeting have been mailed to shareholders and are available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.bionxt.com . Shareholders who do not receive these Meeting materials on a timely basis through the normal course of delivery are encouraged to access them via SEDAR+ or to contact Hugh Rogers at 778-598-2698 or investor.relations@bionxt.com to obtain copies.Shareholders are not required to be present at the Meeting and can vote their shareholdings in advance of the Meeting. All proxies must be received by Computershare Investor Services Inc. ("Computershare") at least 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the Meeting, and may be submitted to Computershare via fax within North America at 1-866-249-7775, outside North America at (416) 263-9524, or by hand to 320 Bay Street, 14th Floor, Toronto, ON M5H 4A6. Registered shareholders may call Computershare at 1-800-564-6253 to obtain a control number to vote online (go to www.investorvote.com and enter the control number). Please note that the form of proxy found on SEDAR+ is not personalized and each registered shareholder must ensure its name and address are added, and that the proxy is duly signed and dated, before submission.Beneficial holders should contact their brokerage house or depositary company directly, as each intermediary has its own form of proxy return instructions.Any questions with respect to voting matters may be directed to Computershare, the Company's transfer agent, at 1-800-564-6253.The Company has complied with the filing requirements for proxy-related material in Section 9.3 of National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Requirements, and has satisfied all the conditions to rely, and is relying, on the exemption from the requirement to send proxy related materials pursuant to the CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 51-931.The Company has entered into a service agreement with Native Ads, Inc. ("Native Ads") (244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N-249 New York, N.Y. 10001 USA, 1-866-773-3540, info@ nativeads.com) pursuant to which Native Ads will provide a marketing campaign for a total retainer of up to US$200,000, with a term of up to six months or until the retainer is depleted. Under the agreement, Native Ads will execute a comprehensive digital media advertising campaign for the Company, where the majority of the campaign budget will be allocated to cost per click costs, media buying and content distribution, and search engine marketing. The remaining budget will be allocated for content creation, web development, advertising creative development, search engine optimization, campaign optimization, and reporting and data insights services. Native Ads is a full-service advertising agency based out of New York and Vancouver, BC. Native Ads and its principals are arms length to the Company and hold no interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company or any right to acquire such an interest.About BioNxt Solutions Inc.BioNxt Solutions Inc. is a bioscience innovator focused on nextgeneration drug delivery technologies, diagnostic screening systems, and active pharmaceutical ingredient development. The Company's proprietary platforms-Sublingual (ThinFilm), Transdermal (Skin Patch), and Oral (EntericCoated Tablets)-target key therapeutic areas, including autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, and longevity. With research and development operations in North America and Europe, BioNxt is advancing regulatory approvals and commercialization efforts, primarily focused on European markets. BioNxt is committed to improving healthcare by delivering precise, patientcentric solutions that enhance treatment outcomes worldwide.BioNxt is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange: BNXT, OTCQB Markets: BNXTF and trades in Germany under WKN: A3D1K3. To learn more about BioNxt, please visit www.bionxt.com Investor Relations & Media ContactHugh Rogers, CoFounder, CEO and DirectorEmail: investor.relations@bionxt.com Phone: +1 778.598.2698Web: www.bionxt.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bionxtsolutions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bionxt THIS NEWS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THE DEBENTURES AND THE SHARES WHICH MAY BE ISSUED ON EXERCISE THEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "U.S. SECURITIES ACT") AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: BioNxt Solutions Inc.
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DUBAI, UAE / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 /D As the global digital finance evolution accelerates,Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surgereturns to Dubai Harbour from 12-15 October 2025, convening international innovators, startups, regulators, investors, and tech leaders during Expand North Star, the world's largest startup and investor connector event powered by GITEX GLOBAL.Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Expand North Star celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025 and welcomes the entire global tech community throughout its four-day duration. It presents participants with a unified platform to explore funding, scaling, and deal flow opportunities while showcasing industry best practices and driving inclusive digital growth across emerging and established markets.A key feature of the 2025 programme is Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge , the region's premier blockchain and fintech gathering, established as the single destination where blockchain, fintech, and Web3 unite with the wider innovation ecosystem. From embedded payments and Web3 banking to open finance, AI-driven platforms, and beyond, the summit aims to redefine finance through blockchain and inspire the creation of next-generation financial systems.This year's centrepiece is the Digital Assets Forum , sponsored by YPAY, convening regulators, banks, investors, and innovators to examine the new market structure of finance. Attendees will gain exclusive access to a one-day deep dive into CBDCs and stablecoins, tokenised capital markets, cross-border regulation, inclusive payment systems, and AI's pivotal role in risk and compliance.Across the exhibition and conference stages, participants can expect exclusive insights on policy, regulation, and enterprise adoption alongside product showcases and live demos that connect corporate innovation teams with disruptive technologies. Investor matchmaking will facilitate one-to-one meetings between founders and global capital, while a curated demo program spotlights the newest market deployment breakthroughs.Startups exhibiting at Expand North Star will be automatically enrolled in the Supernova Challenge, the world's largest startup pitch competition and a launchpad propelling high-growth ventures. Finalists will pitch live before global judges, tech media, and leading investors, competing for their share of a US$214,000 equity-free prize pool. Additionally, Headline, Gold, and Bronze Sponsors anchor this year's agenda: Ruya as Headline Sponsor, OKX as Gold Sponsor, and DKK Partners as Bronze Sponsor, with YPAY supporting the Digital Assets Forum.Christoph Koster, CEO of Ruya, said:"We're excited to take part in Fintech Surge and the Future Blockchain Summit in Dubai this year. These events provide an ideal platform to highlight how ethical Islamic Finance, fintech, and blockchain technologies come together to deliver integrated solutions." Reinforcing Dubai's position as a global meeting point for digital assets, visionary leaders from exchanges, foundations, and enterprise Web3 will appear on stage. Speakers include Jimmy Su, Chief Security Officer - Binance, Eric Piscini, CEO - Hashgraph, Oliver Stauber, CEO - KuCoin, Lily Liu, President - Solana Foundation, and Kevin Lee, Chief Business Officer - Gate .Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge invites founders, corporates, regulators, and investors to join a programme designed to move the market forward, with sessions, showcases, and structured connections that translate ideas into action.For event registration and information, please visit the official website .About Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech SurgeFuture Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge is the MENA region's most immersive large-scale blockchain event and leading fintech exhibition. Capitalising on Dubai's status as a global Web3 hub, the event will unite the entire blockchain and finance ecosystem and provide a leading platform to foster collaboration. Powered by GITEX GLOBAL, the eighth edition of Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge will bring together more than 1,000 investors, 150 exhibitors, and 120 speakers from across the world at the iconic Dubai Harbour, from 12-17 October 2025. It will take place alongside Expand North Star, GITEX Impact, Fintech Surge, and Marketing Mania.About Expand North StarExpand North Star 2025, the world's largest startup and investor connector event, convenes leading founders, VCs, tech innovators, and ecosystem enablers at Dubai Harbour from 12-15 October 2025. Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Expand North Star features four co-located events: Future Blockchain Summit x Fintech Surge, GITEX IMPACT, and Marketing Mania. This year's 10th edition welcomes over 1,800 global startup exhibitors, 1,000 investors, and 350 speakers from 100 countries. The show is inspired by the world largest tech show, GITEX GLOBAL, which takes place at DWTC from 13-17 October 2025.PR Contact: ZEX PR WIRE info@ zexprwire.com SOURCE: Future Blockchain Summit
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ReelTime Media (OTCID:RLTR) surged +4.77% today while AI giants like NVIDIA (NVDA), Alphabet (GOOGL), Palantir (PLTR), and Meta (META) all declined on tariff fears - underscoring RI's independence from chipsets and geopolitics.BOTHELL, WASHINGTON / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2025 / ReelTime Media, Inc. (OTCID:RLTR) today highlighted a striking market divergence as its stock continued to rise while many of the world's largest AI companies fell sharply. Investor confidence in ReelTime's flagship "Reel Intelligence" (RI) platform propelled ReelTime higher, even as global tensions and tariff anxieties triggered losses across the broader AI sector.ReelTime's stock resilience stems from the unique independence of its RI platform. Unlike conventional AI systems that rely on specialized chips and massive data centers, RI is fundamentally chip-agnostic and globally distributed, meaning it is not tethered to any single hardware supplier, cloud cluster, or country's infrastructure. This strategic advantage has insulated ReelTime from the geopolitical headwinds currently battering its peers.Everyone is encouraged to try RI Now for free at http://tryrinow.com/ "While others scramble to navigate chip shortages, tariffs, and political crosswinds, RI thrives because it lives throughout the connected world," said Barry Henthorn, CEO of ReelTime Media. "RI doesn't rely on a single chipset or server farm. It was built to operate everywhere, all at once, making it resilient where others are vulnerable." Industry analysts have taken note of RI's unconventional design and performance. In an update earlier this year, experts described RI as "smarter, more capable, higher quality, more efficient, and significantly more environmentally friendly" than any other AI on the market. Since its public launch in March, RI has surpassed industry-leading AI systems across multiple domains, from language fluency to image generation, music composition, and even 4K video creation, all while using only a fraction of the computing resources required by traditional models. These breakthroughs, achieved without the massive server farms or costly GPU clusters of rival platforms, reinforce why investors see ReelTime's technology as fundamentally different. Today's market action underscores that RI's hardware-agnostic, globally distributed approach is proving its value, as ReelTime extends its rally in the face of challenges that sent many big-tech AI stocks sinking.Why Reel Intelligence (RI) Is Superior to Traditional AI PlatformsAll-in-One Creativity: RI handles an array of tasks that typically require multiple AI tools, from natively generating 4K cinematic video and photorealistic images to composing Grammy-eligible music with vocals and even writing or debugging software code. This comprehensive capability outstrips siloed platforms that specialize in only text, images or code, positioning RI as a one-stop creative intelligence solution.Self-Learning & Adaptive: RI continuously improves itself via proprietary real-time feedback loops, allowing it to evolve faster than competing models that wait for manual retraining. In practical terms, RI gets smarter and faster with each interaction, whereas traditional AIs remain static between big updates. This adaptive learning gives RI a growing performance edge over time.Independent of Data Centers: Dubbed the "greenest AI on Earth," RI runs without energy-draining centralized servers. Its lightweight, distributed architecture leverages existing connected devices for processing power instead of power-hungry data centers. By eliminating bulky server farms, RI dramatically reduces infrastructure costs and carbon footprint, all while delivering high-end AI functionality to users.Globally Distributed Power: Rather than hinging on any single chipset or cloud facility, RI scales across a worldwide network of nodes, dynamically allocating work around the globe for maximum efficiency. This dispersed model means RI remains highly reliable and speedy even if one region faces hardware shortages or internet restrictions. In short, RI can tap computing resources "everywhere" - providing unparalleled resilience and uptime.Today's performance highlights what investors are beginning to recognize: RI is not just another AI tool, it is a resilient, adaptive, and superior intelligence platform uniquely positioned to succeed where others falter.About ReelTime Media (OTCID:RLTR)ReelTime Rentals, Inc. (OTCID:RLTR), doing business as ReelTime Media and ReelTime VR, is a Seattle-based publicly traded company at the forefront of multimedia production and AI innovation. The company's flagship Reel Intelligence (RI) platform delivers an unprecedented suite of tools for creating images, audio, video, and more. ReelTime has also pioneered virtual reality content development and technology, providing end-to-end production, editing, and distribution services. The company continues to leverage its expertise to transform how content is produced, distributed, and experienced worldwide.Media Contact: Barry Henthorn, CEO - ReelTime MediaEmail: ceo@ reeltime.com Website: www.ReelTime.com SOURCE: ReelTime Rentals, Inc.
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 9, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE:EW).SO WHAT: If you currently own shares of Edwards stock, please visit the firm's website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=29704 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@ rosenlegal.com WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
British independent oil & gas company Savannah Energy has handed independent director roles to Nigerias Uyi Akpata, a former country senior partner at PwC Nigeria, and Kehinde Ogunwumiju, the managing partner at the law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.

Savannah Energy, which is Africa-focused with operations in Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon, is listed in the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, the segment that lists smaller or high-growth companies.

The firm decided to appoint the two Nigerians to its board in alignment with its succession plan following the retirement of Stephen OBrien and David Clarkson, it announced on Thursday.

Mr Akpatas and Mr Ogunwumijus experience in audit, finance and legal affairs is expected to boost Savannah Energys capabilities in those areas, with the former expected to chair the audit committee on assuming office. He is also currently PwCs Africa oil and gas leader.

Both are internationally respected professionals in their respective fields  finance and legal  and have proven track records supporting dynamic, high-growth organisations, Chairman Joseph Pagop Noupoue said of the two men.

The changes announced this morning form part of Savannahs ongoing and dynamic Board succession planning process, which is designed to evolve in step with the companys strategic direction, operational priorities, and growth trajectory, he added.

Uyi Akpata

Mr Akpatas career of over four decades encompasses top roles at PwC Nigeria, where he held positions such as regional Senior Partner for West Africa, Africa oil and gas leader and a member of both the firms Global Oil & Gas Leadership team and Africa Leadership team.

He has coordinated the auditing of state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now NNPC Limited) and oil and gas multinationals operating in Nigeria.

Beyond oil and gas, which is his forte, he has led audit work in sectors like consumer goods, agriculture and financial services.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a former chairman of the Professional Services Group of the Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce.

READ ALSO: Savannah Energy completes acquisition of SIPEC

Kehinde Olamide Ogunwumiju

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ogunwumiju has represented the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in more than 100 lawsuits and the country in several international disputes.

He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Ibadan and gained a masters in International Commercial Law at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, and an associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria.
Gatefield, a public strategy and media group is set to host a health summit in Abuja later this month, bringing together global and African leaders to define a new agenda for resilient and equitable health systems across the continent.

The development was made known in a press statement issued on Friday by Gatefield, organisers of the summit scheduled to hold from 22 to 23 October at Nile University, Abuja.

The event will bring together policymakers, researchers, and private sector leaders to explore new strategies for addressing chronic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and gaps in mental and womens health financing.

With health systems across Africa under unprecedented pressure, from rising non-communicable diseases to drug-resistant infections, the event seeks to inspire evidence-driven policies and stronger domestic investment in healthcare.

Rising disease burden and fragile health financing

According to the statement, sub-Saharan Africa stands at a defining moment for health resilience.

Fewer than eight per cent of people across the region have health insurance, even as chronic diseases continue to rise faster here than anywhere else in the world.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes now account for nearly one in four deaths on the continent.

The statement warned that drug-resistant infections have overtaken HIV/AIDS and malaria as leading causes of death, signalling a growing global health threat.

If unchecked, antimicrobial resistance could claim up to 10 million lives globally each year by 2050, surpassing cancer as the worlds leading cause of death, the statement noted.

It added that Africa bears 25 per cent of the worlds disease burden but receives only three per cent of global health spending.

Each year, about 150 million Africans face catastrophic health expenses that push families into poverty, underlining the fragility of the continents health financing systems.

Womens and mental health underfunded

The statement further highlighted the neglect of womens and mental health services, noting that half of African women of reproductive age are anaemic, while access to contraceptives, maternal care, and HIV prevention remains uneven across many countries.

It also revealed that an estimated 116 million Africans live with mental health conditions, yet less than two per cent of global health funding is dedicated to addressing the crisis.

It said stigma, poor infrastructure, and limited human resources continue to exacerbate the problem.

Building resilience through innovation and financing

Omei Bongos, Public Health Lead at Gatefield, was quoted in the statement as saying that Africas health challenges require long-term reforms built on innovation and sustainable investment.

Ms Bongos said health resilience begins with systems that anticipate shocks, whether pandemics, drug resistance, or financial strain, and protect the most vulnerable.

It demands stronger domestic financing, data-driven governance, and innovation in community- and at-home care, she said.

Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, said the summit will provide an opportunity for health leaders to reimagine systems that can withstand future shocks.

Ms Ewang said from food and funding to womens health and medicines, the agenda recognises the shared truth that health systems must be built to endure.

Global participation

The statement listed confirmed speakers from the World Bank, International Diabetes Federation, Pathfinder International, Policy Innovation Centre, Society for Family Health, and the South African Medical Research Council.

Sessions will focus on sustainable health financing, universal health coverage, and the integration of womens and mental health into national health policies.

Interested participants, can register for the summit at tix.africa/discover/ghs2025.

About Gatefield

Gatefield is a public strategy and media group that promotes positive change through creative, evidence-based advocacy and storytelling.

It works with governments, civil society, and development partners to strengthen systems and promote sustainable development.
US President Donald Trump has lost the Nobel Peace Prize despite his intense campaign to win it.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday that it has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader.

The committee chair, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, said Ms Machando was recognised for her tireless efforts to promote democracy in Venezuela.

The committee said she was awarded the Nobel for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela.

This comes two days after the Trump-led administration successfully brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and the Israeli government to put an end to the two-year-long war that has led to the death of thousands.

After the announcement on Wednesday, several world leaders openly called for Mr Trump to receive the award.

Since his return to the White House earlier in the year, the US has openly coveted the prize.

At the last minute, his allies sprang into action to help secure the award for him.

But this wasnt enough as Ms Machado won the prize for being one of the critical voices against Nicolas Maduros regime in Venezuela.

Al Jazeera reports that 338 nominations had been submitted for the award, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations.

The US president was the nominee. Al Jazeera also reports that observers have said his chances of winning the 124-year-old prize were slim.

Other contenders included Sudans Emergency Response Rooms and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Each prize is worth about $1.2 million. The winners will also receive a diploma and a gold medal on 10 December, which is the anniversary of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobels death.

Reacting to the announcement, the Venezuelan opposition leader said she is in shock to learn she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Im in shock shocked with joy, the 58-year-old said on hearing the news, in a video sent by her press team to the AFP.

She also stated that she was confident the opposition would succeed in securing a peaceful transition to democracy in her country.

Ms Machado had been barred from running in last years presidential elections, won by President Nicolas Maduro.

The international community widely regarded the elections as neither free nor fair. Ms Machado has been in hiding since the election.

Were shocked with joy, replies Mr Gonzalez, who also went into exile almost a year ago.

Meanwhile, the Nobel Committee Chairman said the committee hopes Ms Machados win will support her cause rather than limit it.

Ms Frydne said, This is the discussion we have every year for all candidates, particularly when the person who receives the prize is, in fact, in hiding because of serious threats to her life.
TAJBank Limiteds N20 billion Sukuk bond, offered earlier this year with a 20.5 per cent return per year, has recorded an oversubscription of 185.2 per cent, the institution disclosed on Friday, underscoring growing investor confidence in the Nigerian non-interest banking sector.

The transaction, the second tranche of the banks N100 billion Sukuk programme, which debuted nearly two years ago when the N10 billion offered attracted considerable interest from investors, rode on that earlier success.

The Mudarabah Sukuk recorded allotments totalling N57 billion, TAJBank said in a statement. Mudabarah, in Islamic banking, is an arrangement whereby one party provides capital, while the other invests it with an agreement for the two to share the returns based on agreed terms.

Let me say that this outstanding performance of the Sukuk bond is a clear demonstration that the bank is enjoying growing investor confidence, Founder and CEO Hamid Joda said.

That, he stated, was achieved, despite Nigerias current economic headwinds.

This can only be attributed to the quality of innovative products and services, value addition TAJBank is delivering in the non-interest banking subsector of the banking system, especially when analysed within the context of the current realities in the debt instrument market today.

The result highlights the growing appeal of ethical finance instruments, which comply with the Islamic principles prohibiting interest-based investments.

TAJBank, which commenced operations about six years ago as one of the countrys few fully non-interest banks, offers products tailored to the needs of investors seeking alternative financial instruments.

READ ALSO: NDIC seeks stronger alliance with CIBN in managing financial sector risks

Co-founder and Executive Director Sherif Idi said, This investment feat is a clear demonstration that investors trust in TAJBank and we will continue to do our best to surpass their expectations through world-class products and services. As we always, our interest in the customers and investors.

The success of the Sukuk affirms the growing global appeal of non-interest financing options, which may help Nigerian banks seeking an opportunity to scale and diversify their funding sources.
The House of Representatives has inaugurated an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for oil spill clean-up projects in the Niger Delta.

Speaking at the inauguration on Friday, the Committee Chairman, Okpolupm Etteh (PDP, Akwa Ibom), said the move represents a renewed legislative commitment to accountability, transparency, and environmental justice for oil-producing communities that have long suffered the impact of pollution and neglect.

Mr Etteh, in his address, said the House resolved to set up the committee following troubling reports of inefficiency, poor coordination, and financial mismanagement among the agencies responsible for clean-up operations in the region.

The Niger Delta has faced years of environmental degradation and untold damage due to oil exploration and frequent spills, he said.

The lawmaker noted that despite billions of naira allocated to various clean-up initiatives over the years, most affected communities remain unsafe and uninhabitable. He cited persistent allegations that environmental remediation projects had been poorly executed or abandoned, while residents continued to suffer health and economic consequences.

Mr Etteh stressed that the committees mandate is not to target individuals or institutions unfairly but to uncover the truth behind the failed clean-up projects and propose reforms for sustainable environmental recovery.

I want to emphasise that this committee is not on a witch-hunt. However, we will not hesitate to ask tough questions to unravel the truth for posterity and to uphold the integrity of our mission, he noted.

He added that the committee would evaluate the utilisation of clean-up funds, review the performance of responsible agencies, and engage stakeholders, including host communities, experts, and civil society groups. Field visits to affected areas are also planned to obtain firsthand evidence.

Mr Ettehs remarks come amid growing public discontent over the slow pace of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the flagship agency for the Ogoniland clean-up and other federal interventions that have produced limited results despite repeated budgetary provisions.

Several reports have questioned how funds earmarked for environmental remediation were utilised, with some projects either unexecuted or poorly managed.

The committee, according to Mr Etteh, will operate transparently and consult broadly to ensure its findings reflect the realities on the ground and restore public confidence in the governments commitment to the Niger Delta.

He said, Agencies will be held accountable, community perspectives will be valued, and our conclusions will be based on factual evidence rather than emotions. Our aim is to illuminate the truth and ensure that the Niger Delta receives the justice it rightfully deserves.

We will conduct our work with professionalism, patriotism, and a strong respect for the rule of law.

The lawmaker called for the cooperation of government agencies, host communities, and the media to enable the committee to achieve its mandate, assuring that its report would be comprehensive, honest, and impactful.
Parliament introduces payday super legislation as new data reveals one-third of SMBs need to build cash reserves to stay solvent.

Whats happening: The Australian government has introduced payday superannuation legislation requiring employers to pay super contributions alongside wages from 1 July 2026. New modelling reveals small and medium businesses face a $124,000 working capital gap to meet these requirements, while 15% remain unaware of the incoming changes.

Why this matters: The reform aims to recover $5.1 billion in unpaid super annually and could add $6,000 to the average 25-year-olds retirement balance. However, one-third of SMBs say theyll need to build cash reserves to stay solvent, and more than 20% may alter pay cycles despite employee opposition.

The long-awaited payday superannuation bill has arrived in parliament, bringing with it both promise and concern as businesses prepare for one of Australias most significant payroll reforms in decades.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives, marking a key milestone in a policy first announced in the 2023-24 Federal Budget. The reform requires employers to pay superannuation contributions at the same time as wages, rather than quarterly, from 1 July 2026.

The Treasurer told parliament that workers will benefit from more frequent and earlier super contributions that compound over their working lives, with the average 25-year-old worker gaining the equivalent of an extra $6,000 in todays dollars by retirement.

The cash flow challenge

While industry bodies have welcomed the legislation, new modelling from Employment Hero reveals a substantial financial hurdle for small and medium-sized businesses. The analysis shows a $124,000 working capital gap for SMBs attempting to meet the new requirements.

A survey of Employment Hero customers uncovered further challenges. Fifteen per cent of small businesses remain unaware of the payday super changes, whilst 32.5% say they will need to build cash reserves to maintain solvency under the new system.

More than 20% of businesses indicated they may change their pay cycles to accommodate the requirements, despite 84% of employees opposing such changes.

Ben Thompson, CEO of Employment Hero, said his organisation supports the reforms intention whilst acknowledging the practical challenges.

Employment Hero welcomes the introduction of the Payday Super bill to the Australian Parliament. With the 1 July 2026 implementation date fast approaching, this legislation provides much-needed clarity and certainty for Australian businesses preparing for one of the most significant payroll and compliance reforms in decades, Thompson said.

Our focus remains on supporting hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses through these changes with industry-leading technology. We are rapidly developing new solutions within our Employment Operating System to help employers manage Payday Super with ease, accuracy and confidence, Thompson said.

Workers set to benefit

The Super Members Council has described the legislation as a gamechanger in addressing unpaid superannuation. Data shows unpaid super affects one in four workers across Australia, with $5.1 billion going unpaid for 2.8 million Australians in 2021-22. The average underpayment stood at $1,800 per worker, with a staggering $100 million of super failing to reach workers accounts each week.

The organisations chief executive, Misha Schubert, said the introduction of payday super legislation has been a long time coming.

The impact will be particularly significant for workers who have been missing their super entitlements. Chalmers noted that in a typical unpaid super case, a 35-year-old worker recovering their contributions could see their retirement balance improve by more than $30,000 in todays dollars.

Currently, unpaid super is often detected too late. When the Australian Tax Office responds to an employee complaint, it may be investigating two years of unpaid contributions. The Treasurer said the government is investing in the ATOs capability to detect suspected non-payment of super in real time as part of the reform.

Shane Hancock, AustralianSupers General Manager for Retirement, said research shows strong public backing for the change. Recent polling commissioned by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia found 80% of respondents agreed super should be paid at the same time as wages.

For many working Australians, this means their super will be paid earlier and invested earlier, maximising the benefits of compounding growth. Payday super will also help to address issues of unpaid and underpaid super so Australians receive the super they have earnt, Hancock said.

Industry preparation underway

Superannuation funds have been working for years to prepare for the increased transaction volumes the new system will require. Funds will need to process and invest contributions up to twelve times more frequently than before.

Mary Delahunty, chief executive of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, said the sector has been preparing for this major shift despite the increased administrative burden. She explained that funds will need to process and invest super contributions up to twelve times more often than before, necessitating large amounts of technical preparation by the industry.

The super sector has established a dedicated community of implementation experts convened by ASFA, known as ASFA InPractice, which brings together professionals from super funds, administrators, software providers and regulators. This group has been leading the sectors preparation for payday super since the policy was announced in the 2023 Federal Budget.

Delahunty described the collaborative preparation process as one of the best Australian examples of an entire industry cooperating towards positive change in recent years. She said funds have been preparing for higher transaction volumes for years and expressed confidence the sector can handle the change cleanly and efficiently.

AustralianSuper, which supports superannuation payments for a significant portion of the workforce, has been developing dedicated resources to help businesses transition. Hancock said the organisation recognises this represents a significant change for employers.

For business, payday super will be a big change. Our team have been focused on supporting business by delivering compliant, integrated payment technologies and tailored education so they can confidently meet their obligations, Hancock said.

Seven-day window revised

The legislation reflects a key change advocated for by industry, with the compliance window revised from seven calendar days to seven business days.

Paul Robson, CEO of MYOB, welcomed this adjustment as a commonsense approach to compliance timeframes.

MYOB advocates for certainty for small and medium-sized businesses, giving them time to adapt to changes and remain compliant. To this end we welcome the clarity and confidence the introduction of the Payday Super Bill gives SMEs, ahead of the new superannuation payment requirements commencing on 1 July 2026, Robson said.

We are pleased to see the government has considered industry feedback and taken a commonsense approach to compliance timeframes. Small and medium-sized businesses employ around two-thirds of Australias workforce, making their readiness essential to the successful rollout of Payday Super. Empowering these businesses to implement the changes effectively will be key to achieving the Bills goals, Robson said.

MYOB supports superannuation payments for approximately 1.2 million Australian employees through its software. Robson said the companys digital solutions are ready for SMEs to adapt to the changes and remain fully compliant.

Angad Soin, Managing Director ANZ and Global Chief Strategy Officer at Xero, described the reform as ultimately a commonsense move whilst acknowledging implementation challenges.

Aligning super contributions with pay cycles is ultimately a common-sense move that promises to improve transparency and help reduce unpaid super. At the same time, we recognise that the proposed changes will result in increased friction for small businesses already facing time, compliance, and financial pressures, Soin said.

Xero has been dedicating resources to making the transition as smooth as possible, focusing on providing education, tools and support to help small businesses meet new compliance requirements with confidence. The company is actively collaborating with the government, the ATO and industry partners to ensure implementation is fair and practical for both employers and employees.

Superannuation fund Rest said the legislation represents a major step towards fairer super for Australian workers, particularly those in part-time and casual roles. The funds chief strategy officer, Tyrone ONeill, noted the reform will make it easier for members to track their contributions, which is particularly important for those whose working hours vary week to week.

The bill will now progress through parliament, with industry observers watching closely as businesses prepare for the July 2026 implementation date.

For more information on MYOBs superannuation solutions, please visit: Payday Superannuation: A Complete Small Business Guide

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has congratulated Joash Amupitan on his appointment as Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging him to consolidate on Nigerias electoral reforms.

IPAC National Chairperson, Yusuf Dantalle, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, described the appointment as a well-deserved appointment in the citizens quest for sustainable democracy and development.

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, nominated Mr Amupitan, a law professor, as the new INEC chair. If confirmed by the Senate, he will replace Mahmood Yakubu, who left the position on Tuesday, weeks before the expiration of his second term of five years.

Mr Dantalle said that as a man of integrity, distinguished academic, astute administrator, and legal luminary, the nation hoped the new INEC chairperson would bring his wealth of experience in discharging the critical national assignment.

He said that under Mr Amupitan, Nigerians expect an independent electoral body and electoral reform that would consolidate, deepen, and strengthen the democratic system.

The IPAC chairperson also asked him to conduct free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive elections that will foster national unity, political stability, and prosperity.

He also urged Mr Amupitan to conduct elections and reforms that will rebuild trust in the electoral process and uphold the sanctity of the ballot box, in which every vote is counted and counts in the overall result, and the mandate of the people is respected by all stakeholders.

These aligned with the vision and mandate of IPAC in deepening our democracy, ensuring an environment conducive to successful elections, political stability, and the overall well-being of Nigerians, he said.

Mr Dantalle noted that as the umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, IPAC will collaborate with the new leadership of INEC and critical stakeholders to enhance the credibility and integrity of the nations electoral process and strengthen democratic institutions and governance.

He charged Mr Amupitan to discharge his constitutional responsibilities without fear or favour and justify the confidences Nigerians reposed in him, bearing in mind that the whole world is watching him, saying to whom much is given, much is expected.

The litmus test of his leadership is the 8 November, Anambra governorship election.

INEC should remain neutral as an umpire and ensure it is fair, transparent, and inclusive.

The success of this off-cycle election will indicate what citizens will expect in the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls, Osun and Ekiti gubernatorial elections, and the decisive 2027 general election.

READ ALSO: Governor Radda congratulates Amupitan on appointment as INEC chairman

The need for patriotism, excellence, transparency, integrity, security, and accountability cannot be overstated, Mr Dantalle said.

He pledged the IPAC Council decision to stand with INEC, stakeholders, and fellow compatriots in building a strong, united, stable, prosperous, and inclusive democratic nation.

He said that while the council had submitted a proposal to the National Assembly on constitutional amendment regarding the mode of appointing the INEC chairman, IPAC wishes him a successful tenure as he embarks on this critical national duty.

(NAN)
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has revealed how the suspects behind the killing of Arise News newscaster, Somtochukwu Sommie Maduagwu, were apprehended.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the television station confirmed Sommies death on 29 September following an armed robbery attack at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja.

Appearing on the station, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, explained that the journalist jumped from the third floor of her building after armed robbers invaded her home, killing one of the security guards, Barnabas Danlam.

He said a manhunt was launched for the perpetrators, following President Bola Tinubus directive to security agencies to fish out the killers and conduct a quick and thorough investigation.

12 suspects

However, in a statement released on Friday via the Commands official X page, the spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, announced that twelve suspects linked to the killing of Sommie and the security guard, Mr Danlam, had been arrested.

She said: Following the tragic incident, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale, PSC. MNIPS established a Special Investigation Team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), DCP Aliyu Abubakar, and assisted by the Commander, Scorpion Squad, ACP Victor Godfrey, with a clear mandate to track down and dismantle the criminal network behind the attack.

Leveraging digital reconstructive intelligence and conducting coordinated operations across the FCT, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States, the team successfully apprehended twelve (12) suspects and recovered the following exhibits: one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one locally made pistol, one pump-action gun, thirty-six live ammunition, two live cartridges, four mobile phones, two knives, one cutlass, and one heavy flashlight.

Ms Adeh disclosed that the suspects included 22-year-old Shamsudeen Hassan, 27-year-old Hassan Isah, 27-year-old Abubakar Alkamu, also known as Abba, and 20-year-old Sani Sirajo, popularly called Dan Borume, who served as the gangs driver.

Others named were 28-year-old Mashkur Jamilu, also known as Abba; 21-year-old Suleiman Badamasi, also known as Dan Sule, who supplied vehicles for the groups operations; and Abdulsalam Saleh, also known as Na-Durudu.

The list further comprised 23-year-old Zaharadeen Muhammad, also known as Gwaska; 30-year-old Musa Adamu, also known as Musa Hassan; 27-year-old Sumayya Mohammed, also known as Baby; 25-year-old Isah Abdulrahman, also known as Abbati; and 31-year-old Musa Umar, also known as Small.

She added that the suspects were all natives of Kaduna and Katsina States.

Firearms

Ms Adeh revealed that preliminary investigations indicated the gang obtained their firearms from an as-yet-unidentified supplier in the Niger Republic.

READ ALSO: Police suspend enforcement of tinted glass regulations

She added that the suspects had also confessed to participating in other armed robbery operations at Katampe 1, a hotel in Apo, and another in Zuba, all within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Further investigations confirmed that the fatal shot, which claimed the life of the security guard, Barnabas Danlami, was fired by one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, extends his heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the late Ms Somtochukwu Maduagwu and Mr Barnabas Danlami. He assures that the Command remains resolute in ensuring justice will prevail and all those responsible for this grievous act are brought to justice, Ms Ajeh added.

She stated that the Commissioner commended the professionalism and dedication of the operatives involved in the investigation, reaffirming the commands steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents of the FCT.

Ms Adeh further noted that the commissioner urged public members to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities through the commands emergency contact lines.
On Thursday, the National Council of State granted a state pardon to former Kano lawmaker Farouk Lawan.

Mr Lawan was jailed for taking bribes while serving as the chairman of a House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the fraud around the fuel subsidy regime in 2012.

The former lawmaker is among four ex-convicts President Bola Tinubu pardoned: Anastasia Nwaobia, Hussaini Umar, and Ayinla Alanamu. Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said, They were pardoned to enable them to integrate into society, having demonstrated sufficient remorse.

Mr Lawan was convicted of receiving a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, a businessman. Mr Lawan was accused of demanding $3 million to remove Mr Otedolas firms from the list of companies indicted for fuel subsidy fraud.

He represented the Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State at the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2015.

Ironically, the former lawmaker was called Mr Integrity for his assertive anti-corruption posturing in the House.

Mr Lawans ad hoc committee indicted Mr Otedolas Zenon Oil and Gas Ltd and many other firms for fraud.

The committee said Zenon Oil had fraudulently obtained over $230 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to import petrol under the subsidy scheme, but did not import the fuel.

Mr Lawan later removed Zenon Oils name from the list of indicted firms after receiving $500,000 from Mr Otedola as the first tranche of a negotiated $3 million bribe.

Both men later claimed that they gave or received the money as evidence of a bribe against each other.

However, Mr Otedola said he reported to Mr Lawans demand to the State Security Service (SSS), which asked him to play along. He said the SSS organised a sting operation that captured the legislator collecting the bribe on video.

Mr Lawan, on his part, insisted that he collected the money as evidence against Mr Otedola, but admitted he did not report to any law enforcement agency.

The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, though a private prosecutor, Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, charged Mr Lawan with the first two counts under section 18(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and the third count under section 17(1)(a) of the same law.

Journey through courts

In her judgement delivered on 22 June 2021, the judge, Angela Otaluka of the FCT High Court, convicted Mr Lawan on all three charges filed by the government.

In February 2022, the Court of Appeal affirmed Mr Lawans conviction but exonerated him on two counts and reduced his seven-year imprisonment to two years.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction.

Last October, Mr Lawan was released from prison after serving five years.

With his pardon, Mr Lawan joined the politicians jailed for corruption but controversially pardoned by the political authorities.

In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari pardoned two former state governors, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, serving prison terms for stealing public funds.

The former governors were among 159 convicted persons whose pardon was approved by the Council of State in the Buhari administration.

Presidential pardon or societal pardon?

In his time in the House of Representatives, Mr Lawan led a group known as the Integrity Group, which fought for the removal of the first female Speaker, Patricia Etteh, and her replacement by Dimeji Bankole.

His arrest and conviction in the bribery scandal destroyed his reputation and political career in his home state of Kano, where he was influential.

Following his release from prison last year, Mr Lawan was speculated to have dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a first step towards a political comeback.

The presidential pardon means Mr Lawan can return to active politics, but observers say he also needs the pardon of the public, his conviction having tarnished his reputation and standing in society.

My hope is renewed  Lawan

Moments after announcing his pardon, Mr Lawan expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, describing the gesture as divine mercy.

In a statement titled My Hope Is Renewed, Mr President, he said the pardon signified a new beginning in his life and a reconciliation with destiny.

Mr President has cast a warm blanket over me, pulling me back from the harshness of yesterdays cold, he said. A day like this is not for a long treatise. I lie prostrate, utterly humble in my heart and entire being, grateful for the mercy Allah (SWT), through Mr President and my country, has shown me.

Mr Lawan said his faith in God and the nation remained unshaken throughout his ordeal.

During the eclipse at noon of my life, a path designed by destiny, my family, friends, and associates stood by me through thick and thin, their light became my singular, unfailing beacon. I remain eternally indebted to you, he stated.

He said the experience had taught him lessons in humility and reflection, noting that the presidential pardon had renewed his sense of purpose.

Throughout those moments of sober reflection, my faith in the greatness of our Fatherland never wavered, nor did my resolve to contribute to it ever weaken. A re-dedication to the ideals of Nigeria is upon me. My hope is renewed, Mr Lawan said.

Council of State

The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government as stipulated by Third Schedule Part 1B of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The Councils membership includes the President, who is Chairman; the Vice-President, who is Deputy Chairman; all former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation; all former Chief Justices of Nigeria; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; all the Governors of the states of the Federation; and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The Council has the power to:

(a) advise the President in the exercise of his powers with respect to the:-

(i) national population census and compilation, publication and keeping of records and other information concerning the same;

(ii) prerogative of mercy;

(iii) award of national honours;

(iv) the Independent National Electoral Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission);

(v) the National Judicial Council (including the appointment of the members, other than ex-officio members of that Council); and

(vi) the National Population Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission); and

(b) advise the President whenever requested to do so on the maintenance of public order within the Federation or any part thereof and on such other matters as the President may direct.
The funeral service of Inih Ebong, a Nigerian university lecturer who was victimised for over two decades by the university authorities, is ongoing in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The service is conducted by the Rosicrucian Order at the Aton Lodge, Uyo.

Mr Ebong, 73, died on 16 April 2025 at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital after a protracted battle for justice and survival, and against ill-health.

He was an associate professor of theatre arts at the University of Uyo (UniUyo), Akwa Ibom State, before his teaching appointment was unlawfully terminated on 27 March 2002 during the administration of then-Vice-Chancellor, Akpan Ekpo, because of his constant criticism of the authorities for alleged corruption and maladministration.

To date, UniUyo has yet to establish any wrongdoing against the deceased lecturer, and has refused to obey a court judgement ordering it to reinstate him and pay his accumulated salary and entitlements.

Mr Ebongs widow, Uduak, his first son, Ifiok, and other children are attending the funeral ceremony.

Among the dignitaries at the service are a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who flew in from Lagos to pay his last respect to Mr Ebong, and a retired professor and Mr Ebongs close friend, J.J. Andy.

UniUyo authorities had not sent condolences or a representative to the funeral service.
Three people have been confirmed dead, and several others injured in separate attacks between crop farmers and cattle herders in the Birniwa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The most recent attack took place on Thursday in Dagaceri Karaguwa, resulting in the deaths of two farmers. A resident, Yusuf Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that the incidents occurred after local farmers repelled an attack last week by a group of suspected cattle rustlers, believed to be herders, and killed one of them.

Last week, suspected cattle rustlers invaded the community and rustled cows, but the residents confronted them, killing one of them. The herders regrouped and attacked the community, killing two people and injuring eight others, burning several houses.

The attackers invaded the village at around 1 a.m. in a shooting spree. They burned down two motorcycles, stole one, burned down several houses, killing two people on the spot, before fleeing, Mr Abdullahi said.

Other residents said the incident caused panic among the locals, with members of Fulani settlements in the area fleeing for safety.

The deceased persons had been laid to rest after a funeral prayer attended by the local government chairperson and the police divisional officer.

The police spokesperson in Jigawa, Lawan Adam, confirmed the incident to reporters, adding that seven suspects had been arrested

The police spokesperson said a combined team of security personnel under Operation Salama have been deployed to the scene to restore order.

The incident in Birniwa followed a similar one in January when 10 people were killed in Miga LGA during a fight between the farmers and herders.

The January attack occurred at Gidan Nagari, where the peasant farmers accused the herders of looting a provision store.
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has inaugurated a new executive council after a keenly contested election in Lagos.

The new EXCO is headed by Danlami Nmodu, mni, as President. Other officers include Olumide Iyanda, Deputy President; Sufuyan Ojeifo, General Secretary; Akeem Oyetunji, Deputy General Secretary; Ngozi Onyeakusi, Treasurer, Moses Ebosele, Financial Secretary; and Kemi Yesufu as Publicity Secretary,

With the inauguration, Mr Nmodu took over from immediate past president of GOCOP and publisher of RealNews, Maureen Chigbo.

In his acceptance speech after inauguration, the new president expressed gratitude to members of GOCOP for finding him worthy of the office of President.

He promised to abide by the ideals, rules and regulations of the guild in order to take the body to a higher level of growth within the online publishing community in Nigeria.

I take the responsibility of the office seriously. Our members shall come first. I promise to work harmoniously with other exco officers and members to take GOCOP to a higher level of growth, he declared.

Mr Nmodu also promised to create more human capital and business opportunities for all members of GOCOP.

The presidency was the only contested position during the election between Mr. Nmodu and Segun Adeleye. The other officers were returned unopposed.

Declaring the results of the election, Yusuf Ozi-Usman, Chairman, Electoral Committee, GOCOP 2025 stated that out of a total of 120 registered members as of October 8, 114 were qualified, by the provision of GOCOP constitution to vote and be voted for.

He also disclosed that out of the 114, 80 members attended the Annual General Congress in person, while 71 voted physically, nine members did e-voting.

Mr Nmodu scored a total of 56 votes to emerge.
A male passenger on an Ibom Air flight bound for Abuja from Lagos on Wednesday was accused of stealing the sum of N290,000 from the carry-on baggage of a foreigner.

A viral seven-second video shows the suspect being escorted off the aircraft by a hostess as other passengers stared at and passed remarks at him.

Thats the thief, one voice was heard saying in the clip, while another threatened to slap him.

Although neither Ibom Air nor the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a statement as of press time, some officials of the airline at the Lagos airport confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.

Messages sent by PREMIUM TIMES to Ibom Airs spokesperson, Aniekan Essienette, havent been replied.

Yes, it is true, an official of Ibom Air told PREMIUM TIMES, requesting anonymity as she is not authorised to speak on the matter.

How it happened

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. while boarding the airlines first LagosAbuja flight on Wednesday.

Sources at Murtala Muhammed International Airport said the foreigner raised the alarm on realising that his money had disappeared from a bag placed in the overhead compartment above his seat.

Another observant passenger reportedly informed the cabin crew that he saw the suspect handling the foreigners bag shortly before the complaint.

The accused was reported to have initially denied involvement before a search revealed the missing cash under his seat.

One of the passengers, Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, who was on the flight, recounted the episode on social media.

We caught a thief on the plane today. The Oyibo man said his bag had been moved, and his N290,000 was gone. Another passenger confirmed she saw the suspect with the bag.

They searched him, and the money was found under his seat, she narrated.

Ms Ifeanyi-Eze described the suspect as visibly nervous, sweating heavily, adding that the incident delayed the flight for about 20 minutes.

Ibom Air officials told PREMIUM TIMES that the suspect was handed over to airport security after being deboarded.

Previous Incidents

This is not the first time a theft incident has been reported on the airlines flights.

In July 2023, a Nigerian passenger, David Ogeneochuko, was arrested in Lagos for allegedly stealing a laptop from another passengers bag on an Ibom Air flight QI300 to Abuja.

Airline officials said they have noticed that some individuals deliberately purchase flight tickets with the intention of stealing from other passengers.

That is why we always advise passengers to place their luggage in overhead lockers close to them and monitor movement around their belongings, an Ibom Air official said.
A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, on Friday, called out the University of Uyo (UniUyo) authorities at the funeral service of Inih Ebong, a lecturer who was victimised for over two decades by UniUyo.

Family members and friends, including some academics and old classmates, attended the funeral conducted by the Rosicrucian Order at the Aton Lodge, Uyo.

Mr Ebong, 73, died on 16 April 2025 at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital after a protracted battle for justice and survival, and against ill-health.

He was an associate professor of theatre arts at UniUyo, Akwa Ibom State, before his teaching appointment was unlawfully terminated on 27 March 2002 during the administration of then-Vice-Chancellor Akpan Ekpo because of his constant criticism of the authorities for alleged corruption and maladministration.

In one instance, Mr Ekpos administration accused him of sexually harassing a student, allegedly in a bid to silence and discredit him.

To date, UniUyo has yet to establish any wrongdoing against the deceased lecturer and has refused to obey a court judgement ordering it to reinstate him and pay his accumulated salary and entitlements.

The university did not send condolences to the bereaved family nor a representative to the funeral service.

Injustice to one is injustice to all

History will not be kind to me if I dont make this statement. I havent seen the vice-chancellor of the University of Uyo here. I am not sure if their representatives are here, said Mr Effiong, who flew in from Lagos to pay his last respects to Mr Ebong.

Injustice to one is injustice to all. It will be unfair if we just come here and talk and dont acknowledge the crime that the University of Uyo committed against Dr Inih Ebong. And they must pay for that crime, whether in this life or the afterlife.

Mr Effiong, a UniUyo alumnus, described Mr Ebong as a principled man who suffered persecution because of his convictions.

We have very few Dr Inih Ebong in Akwa Ibom; people willing to speak truth to power. It behoves on us to honour his legacy, to honour his name.

And I want to tell the family that I am sure Dr Inih Ebong is very proud of you, and you are also very proud of him. Please continue to stand on the principles that he stood for.

In October 2020, Mr Effiong visited Mr Ebong at his Uyo residence shortly after the lecturer was diagnosed with a life-threatening cardiovascular disease.

READ ALSO:Nigerian lecturer victimised for over two decades is buried today

It would be a shame, the blood of Dr Inih Ebong will be on the management, will be on the Senate and the Governing Council of the University of Uyo if Dr Inih Ebong dies, without getting justice, said the lawyer during the visit.

Mr Effiong, with his phone, did a live Facebook broadcast at Mr Ebongs home, where he appealed for peoples intervention and support for the ailing lecturer at the time.

At the burial, Mr Ebongs first son, Ifiok, spoke on behalf of the family and thanked the lawyer for standing by their late father.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State will on Tuesday defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Chairperson of the APC Caretaker Committee in Enugu, Ben Nwoye, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday after the inauguration of the seven-member committee appointed for the state chapter.

The APC National Working Committee (NWC) dissolved the Enugu State Working Committee and inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee the partys affairs.

The move, party officials said, was part of wider efforts to reposition the party in anticipation of the governors defection.

Speaking after his inauguration at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, Mr Nwoye confirmed that Mr Mbah would be accompanied by 260 councillors, 24 members of the State House of Assembly, federal legislators, and members of the state executive council of the PDP, a move he described as a historic alignment with President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda.

This is not just about Enugu State. Where Enugu goes, the South-east goes. What we are witnessing is the beginning of the political reawakening of the South-east as we move to integrate the region into national politics, he said.

The caretaker chairman praised the governors performance, noting that his administration has repositioned Enugu as one of Nigerias fastest-growing states in internally generated revenue and infrastructural renewal.

He said, In barely two years, Governor Mbah has moved Enugu from a lagging state to a front-runner.

Today, Enugu ranks fifth in internally generated revenue nationwide.

He added that the convergence of Mr Mbahs transformation agenda with Mr Tinubus Renewed Hope vision would accelerate development in the South-east.

We are seeing a merger of progress and purpose. The transformative agenda of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah will now align with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said.

The National Chairperson of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, Deputy National Chairperson (South), Emma Eneukwu, said during the inauguration of the committee that hinted at the efforts the party had been making to strengthen its influence in the South-east.

PREMIUM TIMES reported exclusively that the governor was finalising arrangements to dump the opposition PDP, a party that has governed Enugu uninterruptedly since 1999, for the APC.

According to sources familiar with the development, Governor Mbah had in recent weeks held extensive consultations with political associates, stakeholders, and national leaders within and outside the state to consolidate his move.

Influence of APC leaders in Enugu

Mr Mbahs defection, multiple sources say, follows sustained persuasion from top APC figures in the state, including former governors Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime, and a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.

The three political heavyweights, all prominent figures in the ruling party, reportedly played key roles in convincing Mr Mbah to align with the APCs leadership at the centre.

PDP faces another major setback

With Mr Mbahs defection, the APC is set to make further historic inroads into a region that had long remained a PDP stronghold, potentially redrawing Nigerias political map ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It will further weaken the PDP, coming just months after Governors Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, crossed over to the ruling party.

The trend reflects growing instability within the PDP, which has struggled to maintain internal cohesion since its defeat in the 2023 general elections.

The governors exit may mark the end of PDPs 25-year dominance in Enugu politics and bolster the APCs ongoing drive to expand its foothold in the region.
Third prosecution witness Afanda Bashir Emmanuel on Friday testified in the ongoing trial of alleged serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, at the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.

The trial was before a judge, Mojisola Dada.

Mr Emmanuel, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that he joined the Commission in 2009 and became involved in the case after it was transferred from the Nigeria Police Forces Special Fraud Unit to the EFCCs Advance Fee Fraud Section.

He said the EFCC contacted several institutions  including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Commissions forensic laboratory  in the course of its investigation into the alleged $1,043,000 fraud against a Palestinian businessman, Zad Abu Zalaf.

The witness confirmed interviewing the complainant, Mr Zalaf, and another individual, Michel Opkema, as well as visiting Mr Ajudua at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, where relevant documents were obtained.

Under cross-examination, the EFCC operative admitted that the agency did not take new statements from the defendant after the case was transferred from the police.

The proceedings were briefly halted after the defendant requested a toilet break. Upon his return, Mr Ajudua, who appeared in white native attire and held a walking stick, complained to his lawyer that he was bleeding.

His lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), consequently sought an adjournment to enable his client to attend to his health.

Earlier in the session, Mr Ojo informed the court that his client had filed a fresh bail application after withdrawing a related motion pending before the Supreme Court.

He said the step was taken to allow the trial court to deliver its ruling on the new application.

We decided to withdraw the motion we filed at the Supreme Court to allow this Honourable Court deliver its ruling on the bail application, Mr Ojo told the court, while submitting an affidavit and a copy of the withdrawal notice.

But EFCCs lawyer, Seidu Atteh, opposed the move, arguing that the withdrawal notice was still before the Supreme Court.

The defendant must produce an order of the Supreme Court either dismissing or striking out the notice of withdrawal. We urge this court to await the decision of the Supreme Court, he said.

Ruling

In her ruling, Mrs Dada agreed with the prosecution, holding that the trial court must confirm the status of the withdrawal before taking further steps.

This court, being a court of record, must be satisfied that the notice of withdrawal has been properly filed and considered by the Supreme Court, the judge ruled.

The case was adjourned until 31 October for continuation of cross-examination.

Mr Ajudua has been standing trial for allegedly defrauding Mr Zalaf of $1.043 million under false pretence.

In May, the Supreme Court revoked his earlier bail and ordered his remand in prison.

The EFCC has since opposed his fresh bail efforts, insisting the trial court must await the outcome of related Supreme Court filings.
Startup crowdfunding fell to $33 million as deal numbers halved, yet average investment size jumped to $2,183, signalling stronger investor conviction.

Whats happening: Australian crowdsourced funding has dropped 49% to $33.1 million in FY25, down from $65 million the previous year, according to Birchals sixth annual industry review. The decline stems from fewer deals closing and smaller average raise sizes, though individual investment amounts have increased significantly.

Why this matters: The contraction reflects broader funding pressures facing Australian startups, yet women founders captured 32% of crowdsourced capital compared to just 15% in traditional VC. Rising average investment sizes suggest committed investors are backing fewer companies with greater conviction, whilst platform consolidation reshapes the market.

Australias crowdsourced funding market has experienced a significant contraction, with total capital raised falling nearly 50% in the 2024-25 financial year, according to the latest industry review released by crowdfunding platform Birchal.

The sixth annual report, authored by Birchal CEO Kirstin Hunter, reveals that startups and businesses raised $33.1 million through crowdsourced funding in FY25, representing a 49% decrease from the $65 million secured in FY24. The number of successful deals dropped from 99 to 63 over the same period, whilst average deal sizes contracted from $660,000 to $525,000.

Individual investments also declined sharply, falling from 35,000 to 15,154. However, the average investment size climbed to $2,183, well above the historical average of $1,800, indicating that investors are placing larger bets on fewer opportunities with greater conviction.

Hunter emphasised crowdsourced fundings role as a vital alternative capital source at the intersection of people and financial power, even as market conditions tightened throughout the year.

Market contracts sharply

The quarterly breakdown reveals an uneven year for crowdsourced funding. The first quarter saw 16 deals raise $5.1 million, representing a 70% decline from the $16.8 million raised in the same period of FY24. Health beverage company Nexba led Q1 with a $741,000 raise on Venture Crowd.

The absence of larger deals proved decisive in Q1s weak performance. Whilst the corresponding quarter in FY24 delivered eight deals raising more than $1 million, Q1 FY25 recorded none. The weaker start reflected challenging broader economic conditions, including soft GDP growth of just 0.2% in early 2025 and renewed global trade tensions.

The second quarter showed signs of recovery, with 27 deals securing $16.2 million, compared to 35 deals raising $23.4 million in the prior year. Birchal itself led the quarter with a $2 million raise, whilst Pronto Pilates secured $1.64 million on OnMarket and Volt Solar Tile raised $1.6 million on Birchal. Seven deals achieved raises over $1 million in Q2, compared to four in the same quarter last year.

Quarter three delivered the strongest performance relative to the previous year, with eight deals raising $7.8 million, marking a 45% increase from the $5.6 million raised in FY24 Q3. Prohibition Liquor dominated with a $2.69 million raise on OnMarket, the largest single deal of the financial year. Contributing factors included a modest lift in household spending and greater political stability after the conclusion of the Australian federal election.

The final quarter reflected renewed market pressures, with 12 deals raising just $3.9 million, an 80% decline from the $19.8 million raised in Q4 FY24. Aviation technology company Skyportz recorded the quarters notable raise at $912,000 on Birchal. Unlike FY24, which featured five raises exceeding $1 million in the final quarter, no campaign exceeded the million-dollar milestone in Q4 FY25.

Despite the annual contraction, the cumulative long-term statistics demonstrate the sectors growing maturity. As of 30 June 2025, Australian crowdsourced funding has facilitated more than $347 million across 489 successful offers, comprising over 194,000 individual investments since the regimes inception.

Investor conviction rises

The shift in investor behaviour represents one of the years most significant trends. Whilst fewer individuals participated in crowdsourced funding rounds, those who committed capital invested substantially more per deal.

The Birchal report notes that cost-of-living pressures and global market volatility resulted in fewer investors participating, yet those who invested in FY25 appeared to do so with higher conviction. This trend aligns with broader market conditions where risk-averse capital seeks higher-quality opportunities.

Repeat fundraising emerged as another indicator of investor loyalty. Twenty-five per cent of companies that raised capital in FY25 had previously completed successful crowdfunding campaigns. First-time raises attracted an average of 192 investors, whilst second-time raises averaged 338 investors. Companies raising for the third time or more achieved an average of 521 investors, demonstrating how trust and familiarity translate into deeper participation over time.

Notable repeat raisers included Skyportz, which completed its fourth raise on Birchal, securing $908,346 from 461 investors. The company has raised $2.4 million from more than 1,000 investors since 2021, with its share price climbing from $0.75 in 2021 to $3.85 in 2025.

Waste technology company RecycleSmart completed its third raise in July 2024, securing $1.34 million from 999 investors on Birchal. The company has now raised $3.4 million across three campaigns since 2019, having diverted more than one million kilograms of waste from landfill.

Women founders outpace VC

Gender diversity in crowdsourced funding continued to significantly outperform traditional venture capital metrics. Teams with at least one woman founder captured 32% of total capital raised in FY25, more than double the 15% share women founders receive in traditional VC funding.

Women-only founding teams secured 5% of crowdsourced capital, representing more than twice the 2% share these teams typically receive from venture capital sources. In Q2 2025, women-only teams received as little as 0.5% of venture capital funding.

Mixed-gender teams demonstrated the strongest performance metrics, with an average deal size of $640,000 and an average investment amount of $2,300 per investor. These results suggest that when barriers to accessing capital are removed, investors back diverse founding teams with conviction.

Solo founders also demonstrated strong market appeal, with 24 individual entrepreneurs raising $9.6 million collectively, representing 29% of all capital raised. The average raise size for solo founders reached $402,000, whilst co-founder teams raised $23.8 million across 39 deals at an average of $601,000 per raise.

Deals led by women-only teams attracted fewer investors on average at 158 per deal, compared to 238 for men-only teams and 278 for mixed-gender teams. However, investor conviction remained strikingly consistent, with average investment sizes for women-only teams at $2,100, marginally lower than men-only teams at $2,140 and mixed-gender teams at $2,300.

Platform consolidation accelerates

The competitive landscape for crowdfunding platforms shifted substantially during FY25. Birchal maintained its market leadership position with 46 deals raising $23.3 million, representing approximately 70% market share, consistent with its position over the past five years.

OnMarket secured second position with 10 deals totalling $9.8 million, achieving around 20% market share in its strongest performance yet. OnMarkets position was bolstered by standout campaigns including Pronto Pilates, Phat Brew Club and Prohibition Liquor.

The market experienced significant structural change with Equitises exit, entering administration in October 2024 after holding the number two position until FY23. Venture Crowd reduced its retail crowdsourced funding activity compared to prior years, focusing instead on wholesale-only raises for the majority of the year. Venture Crowd completed six successful deals raising $6 million, whilst Swarmer completed one deal raising $740,000.

The final quarter proved particularly challenging for platform competitors. Only 12 deals were completed across the entire market, down sharply from 37 during the same period last year. Birchal ran 11 of those 12 campaigns, accounting for 97.5% of the funding volume for the quarter, with Swarmer making up the balance and no retail crowdsourced funding deals from either Venture Crowd or OnMarket.

Industry sector performance reflected evolving investor preferences. Food and beverage companies dominated with 28% of capital raised, securing $9.3 million across 15 deals. Healthcare ventures captured 11% with $3.6 million across five deals, bolstered by a surge in successful medicinal cannabis raises. Fintech companies raised $3.4 million across five deals, representing 10% of total funding.

Hardware innovation gained traction, with companies like Volt Solar Tile raising $1.57 million, demonstrating investor appetite for tangible technology solutions addressing sustainability challenges. Other successful hardware raises included Cormagna at $713,500, Skyportz at $907,900, Benzina Zero at $1.17 million and Dovetail Electric Aviation at $254,700.

The Birchal report notes this represents far greater industry variety compared to venture capital, which remains heavily weighted towards software. Healthcare technology and sustainability both ranked in the top five industries for venture capital, demonstrating some alignment between professional and crowd investors.

Geographically, Victoria led with $10.7 million raised across 21 deals, closely followed by New South Wales at $9.8 million across 23 deals and Queensland at $4.9 million across 10 deals. All three states experienced declines from the previous year. South Australia bucked the trend with 265% growth to $3.2 million across three deals, driven primarily by Prohibition Liquors substantial raise.

Adam Carpenter, CEO of Prohibition Liquor, said the March 2025 raise generated unprecedented interest, with almost 4,000 people registering expressions of interest worth close to $15 million before launch. The offer became the first South Australian liquor business to raise capital under the crowdsourced funding regime and the third-largest spirits raise in Australian crowdfunding history.

These arent just shareholders  as part owners they are now ambassadors for our brand, helping to spread the Prohibition story far and wide, Carpenter said.

Healthcare company Medigrowth raised $1.59 million from 852 investors in March 2025, building on its landmark $3.44 million raise in 2023. The campaigns late surge saw $1.3 million pledged by 743 investors in the final hours, underscoring both the companys appeal and the growing sophistication of the crowd in supporting regulated health and biotech ventures.

Nature-based wellness company Unyoked completed its second raise in March 2025, securing $492,000 from 216 investors in a post-Series A round. Founded by brothers Chris and Cam Grant in 2016, Unyoked first used crowdsourced funding in late 2021, raising nearly $1 million from 574 investors. The companys guests have spent more than two million hours in nature to date.

Growth businesses, defined as those with more than $1 million in reported revenue, accounted for just over 50% of all deals in FY25, up from 46% in FY24. However, the average raise size for these businesses reduced from $809,000 in FY24 to $723,000 in FY25, reflecting the challenging market conditions.

Earlier-stage businesses, including pre-revenue companies and those with less than $100,000 in revenue, largely held their position compared to the previous financial year, suggesting that challenging macroeconomic conditions have not dampened investors enthusiasm for innovative early-stage companies.

The FY25 results paint a picture of a crowdsourced funding market facing significant headwinds yet maintaining fundamental strengths. The substantial improvements in gender diversity metrics and rising investor conviction suggest the sector continues to fulfil its role as an alternative capital source, particularly for founders underserved by traditional venture capital.

As the market heads into FY26, platform consolidation and evolving investor behaviour patterns will likely continue shaping how Australian startups access growth capital through crowdsourced funding channels.

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Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on democracy and elections in Nigeria and across Africa have called on the Nigerian Senate to ensure a transparent and credible screening process for the newly appointed chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan.

The CSOs made the call in a joint statement on Friday.

The organisations that endorsed the statement are Yiaga Africa, Womens Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), International Press Center (IPC), The Kukah Centre, Centre for Media and Society, TAF Africa, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Accountability Lab Nigeria, and YERP Naija Campaign.

They urged the Senate to televise the screening and allow public participation through memoranda and petitions.

We call on the Senate to ensure that its confirmation hearings are transparent, televised, and inclusive of citizen and civil society input through memoranda, petitions, and participation in the confirmation hearings, they said.

The CSOs also advised lawmakers to conduct a thorough examination of the nominees competence, integrity, and vision for electoral reform.

The Senate should undertake a rigorous examination of his competence, public records, vision for electoral reform, INECs institutional strengthening, as well as his capacity to resist political interference and uphold electoral integrity.

The Senate should also interrogate the nominees plans to address systemic challenges, including voter registration, result transmission, and enforcement of INECs regulations and guidelines.

President Bola Tinubu had on Thursday appointed Mr Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and professor of law at the University of Jos, as INEC Chair following ratification by the National Council of State.

His appointment is, however, subject to Senate confirmation as required by Section 154 of the Constitution.

Mr Amupitan, who specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, was conferred with the rank of SAN in September 2014.

He succeeds Mahmood Yakubu, also a professor, who served as INEC Chairperson from 2015 to October 2025. Mr Yakubu handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, on Tuesday.

If confirmed, Mr Amupitan will become the 13th substantive INEC Chair since Nigerias independence in 1960. His predecessors include Eyo Esua (19641966), Michael Ani (19761979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (19801983), Eme Awa (19871989), Humphrey Nwosu (19891993), Okon Uya (1993), Sumner Dagogo-Jack (19941998), Ephraim Akpata (19982000), Abel Guobadia (20002005), Maurice Iwu (20052010), Attahiru Jega (20102015), and Mahmood Yakubu (20152025).

No objection

While expressing no objection to the nominees credentials, the CSOs emphasised the need for independence and moral courage in leading the electoral body.

We acknowledge Professor Amupitans academic and professional accomplishments; therefore, we have no objection in principle to his nomination. However, the current state of Nigerias electoral process requires a fiercely independent INEC, immune to political manipulation, and unwavering in its commitment to credible elections. Consequently, as the next INEC Chairman, if confirmed by the Senate, he must demonstrate moral courage and resistance to political interference. INEC works better when it is insulated from political interference.

Read the full statement by the CSOs

Civil Society Statement on the Nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as INEC Chairman

Abuja, October 10, 2025

We, the undersigned civil society organizations working on democracy and elections in Nigeria and across Africa, acknowledge the announcement by the Presidency on the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the conclusion of Professor Mahmood Yakubus tenure. This comes after consultation with the Council of State, which reportedly granted unanimous approval to his nomination. We must, however, note that the Council of State approval does not replace the duty of the Nigerian Senate to conduct due diligence through rigorous and transparent screening process that inspires public trust. We reiterate our longstanding call for a transparent, inclusive and citizens-centered appointment process that is consistent with the recommendations of key electoral reform interventions like the Justice Uwais Report, Ken Nnamani committee report, and the Citizens Memorandum on Electoral Reforms.

Our Position

We acknowledge Professor Amupitans academic and professional accomplishments; therefore, we have no objection in principle to his nomination. However, the current state of Nigerias electoral process requires a fiercely independent INEC, immune to political manipulation, and unwavering in its commitment to credible elections. Consequently, as the next INEC Chairman, if confirmed by the Senate, he must demonstrate moral courage, and resistance to political interference. INEC works better when it is insulated from political interference.

Our Call to Action

We call on the Senate to ensure that its confirmation hearings are transparent, televised, and inclusive of citizen and civil society input through memoranda, petitions and participation in the confirmation hearings.

The Senate should undertake a rigorous examination of his competence, public records, vision for electoral reform, INECs institutional strengthening, as well as his capacity to resist political interference and uphold electoral integrity.

The Senate should also interrogate the nominees plans to address systemic challenges, including voter registration, result transmission, and enforcement of INECs regulations and guidelines.

Nigerians expect the Senate confirmation process to be open to citizens participation in line with the Framework for Citizens Engagement in the INEC Appointment Process previously submitted to the Senate by the undersigned civil society organizations.

This includes full disclosure of the nominees credentials, public service history, and capacity to manage elections without political interference.

Signed.

Yiaga Africa

Women Rights Advancement Protection Alternative (WRAPA)

International Press Center

The Kukah Centre

Center for Media and Society

TAF Africa

African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD)

Nigeria Women Trust Fund

Accountability Lab, Nigeria

YERP Naija Campaign
Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of narratives about the alleged genocide against Christians that is said to be on-going in Nigeria. The current wave of the narrative is essentially from the United States, generated recently by the comedian, Bill Maher and CNNs Van Jones who have both accused Nigeria of indulging in Christian genocide. In addition, Senator Ted Cruz, amongst other American legislators has 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. The Canadian Parliament has also described Nigeria as 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.

I am a Christian and of course I know that it is true that Christians are being killed all the time in Nigeria. It is also true that Muslims are being killed all the time in Nigeria and the complete truth is that Nigeria has tens of thousands of terrorists, bandits, insurrectionists and criminals that are killing Nigerians all the time. Certain evangelical groups have however decided to see only the killing of Christians based on a conspiracy theory of a plan to wipe out the countrys Christian community.

Part of the problem is that these narratives have been circulating for decades without systematic response from the Nigerian government. I first encountered the narrative in the US Congress in 2017. Some of us, including Cardinal Onaiyekan, Dr Usman Bugaje, Prof Chris Kwaja etc were attending a conference at the United States Institute for Peace on peacebuilding in Nigeria when we were informed that there was a congressional committee hearing on the massacre of Christians in Nigeria and we decided to attend. An American missionary who had visited Benue State made the presentation of organised and systematic massacre of Christians in Benue State and called for sanctions against Nigeria. No one countered the narrative and we were not registered to speak. We raised the matter with diplomats of the Nigerian Embassy attending the conference pointing out that the Embassy was not there to speak for and defend Nigeria. Their response was that such hearings were routine and take place all the time.

In my own civil society career, I have over the years received many visits from commissioners of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom coming to investigate crimes against Christians in Nigeria. I have always argued that terrorists in Nigeria are equal opportunity offenders and act against everybody outside their group. What I got from these conversations is that they come to investigate because they have a large number of petitions listing crimes against Christians and there are virtually no responses countering them. As there are no alternative arguments they believe what they have.

Many of the American legislators leading the campaign about Christian genocide in Nigeria are currently actively engaged in the real campaign of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and they find it convenient to distract attention from that real genocide to focus on Christians in Nigeria. What is important to realise however is that these narratives are deep and are very much part of the divisive foreign policy agenda of the West.

In 2020, I attended a workshop at Wilton Part in Sussex on the theme of fostering social cohesion in Nigeria. It was organized by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The workshop title was framed rather diplomatically as the focus of discussions was the Bishop of Truros 2019 independent review into the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Offices work to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and globally. The assumption was that Nigerias multiple and complex security challenges including Islamist violence in the North East, worsening violent criminality and insecurity in the North West and ethno-religious violence, and farmer-herder conflict across large parts of central Nigeria are all directed at targeting Christians for persecution.

The Bishops report says there was widespread evidence showing that Christianity constitutes by far the most widely persecuted religion in the world. They cite the Pew Research Center report that in 2016 Christians were targeted in 144 countries, a rise from 125 in 2015. The Bishop affirmed that the most serious threat to Christian communities came from the militant Islamist group Boko Haram in Nigeria, where direct targeting of Christian believers on a comprehensive scale set out to eliminate Christianity and pave the way for the total Islamisation of the country. They cite an investigation that claimed that in 2018 far more Christians in Nigeria were killed in violence in which religious faith was a critical factor than anywhere else in the world; Nigeria accounted for 3,731 of the 4,136 fatalities: 90 percent of the total.

The other area of focus of the report was what they call the new and growing threat to mainly Christian farming communities had emerged from nomadic Fulani herdsmen. The Fulani, says the report, carry out attacks against Christian communities especially in Nigerias Middle Belt, the border territory between the Hausa-speaking Muslim areas in northern Nigeria and land further south mainly populated by Christians. The report also showed mostly retaliatory attacks against Fulani by predominantly Christian farmers, such as the November 2016 killing of about 50 mainly Fulani pastoralists by ethnic Bachama local residents in Numan district, Adamawa state. The causes of this inter-communal conflict are complex and attributed to many factors. That said whilst the conflict cannot simply be seen in terms of religion, it is equally simplistic not to see the religious dimension as a significantly exacerbating factor, and the Fulani attacks have repeatedly demonstrated a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity.

The general view of the workshop participants, in my understanding, was that the Bishop of Truro, by his terms of reference, worked from the answer to the question and therefore found what he was asked to look for. Many participants pointed out that there is indeed evidence of targeting of Christians in Nigerias growing culture of violence but also evidence of the targeting of Muslims by the same forces. It is therefore important to have some comparative perspective and balance in assessing the situation. In addition, the multiple conflicts and rapid growth of criminal gangs targeting all sectors of society and community should guide us into developing a more complex evaluation of what is going on.

The workshop was attended by major faith leaders in the country, inter-faith advocacy groups, academics and human rights campaigners. There was a lot of useful discussion on expanding the domain of inter-faith dialogue between Muslim and Christian groups to address the continuous flow of inter-faith conflicts and misunderstanding that emerge on a daily basis. Each religious group was also encouraged to counter conflict entrepreneurs from within that are more interested in generating and exacerbating rather than ending the conflicts. Some of the faith leaders complained bitterly that politicians and governments will cause conflict and then call on religious leaders to pray and resolve the conflicts. the positive spirit that developed was that we must work together if we are to build peace. The problem has been that over the years in which these narratives have spread, the Nigerian government has not invested in countering the false narratives and framing a response that would work for all Nigerians, Christians and Muslims.

The real harm to Nigeria is caused by the growing sense of injustice in the country, from virtually all quarters. When people believe that they are victims of injustice, its difficult for them to embrace peace. There can be little progress in peace building unless State actors take up the issue of addressing concerns on the massive injustice in the country. The objective must be for all stakeholders to continue to discuss the challenges of inter-communal violence in Nigeria and examine how collectively government, civil society, faith-based and community organisations and others can work together to build solutions. Nigeria is in a dangerous phase in its development where each community now believes that the State is not ready to address its problems and that it has to procure arms to engage in self-help.

Clearly, the massive growth of poverty in Nigeria over the past decade makes peace building a very difficult enterprise. The youth bulge and unemployment for both the educated and uneducated young persons makes interlocutors for peace scarce. These are all elements about building a more inclusive State and society that we have to take on board. The challenge here is the dominance of a self-serving political class whose only objective appears to be the primitive accumulation of capital and self-aggrandisement.

A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.


In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our beloved master Prophet Muhammad, the last of Prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Dear brothers and sisters! Know that, in every society, an evil Islamic scholar misleads people, corrupts divine teachings, and promotes discord and divisions instead of peace and unity; causing great harm to the Ummah by distorting the truth and preventing others from reaching it. These Islamic scholars exploit weaknesses, twist virtues into vices, and use their position in the society to promote their own flawed and selfish desires, such as the love of authority over reliance on Allah. Therefore Muslim believers must exercise discernment, seek knowledge from true sources, and rely on Allahs guidance in order to resist such misguidance and ensure their actions align with divine will, rather than being misled by false teachings. Allah Almighty says:

The example of those who were entrusted with observing the Torah but failed to do so, is that of a donkey carrying books. How evil is the example of those who reject Allahs signs! For Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. [Quran, 62:5]

Fellow servants of Allah! This Quranic verse describes the ignorance of those Islamic scholars who were blessed with knowledge but failed to act upon it. Allah the Most High references the people of Prophet Musa (AS), who were given the Torah but refused to acknowledge it despite their observance of multiple divine signs. The inception of their faith was set with the precedence that they will only uphold that which is convenient to their lifestyle and forgo that which is disadvantageous.

Allah Almighty likens these people to that of a donkey carrying volumes of books. Although a donkey has the potential to trail through difficult terrains carrying books, it will never have the capability to understand and convey the contents of the books. Similar are those Islamic scholars who were handed divine scriptures but did not uphold or convey the teachings of the scriptures.

This example transcends to the Ummah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in regards to those of us who have been blessed with the knowledge or the opportunity to gain knowledge but fail to uphold it. Once we acquire knowledge, it becomes our duty to sustain that knowledge through our actions. If we succeed in that, we will be grouped with those who are the best of Allah Almightys creation and if we fail, we risk falling with those Allah the Most High describes in this Quranic verse as the wretched.

Respected brothers and sisters! Given my knowledge of Arabic linguistics, I examined the analogy presented in this Quranic verse. The first part states:

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah but then failed to uphold it

While the second part compares them to:

a donkey carrying volumes [of books].

Traditionally, this Quranic verse is understood to mean that those who were given the Torah but did not act upon it are like a donkey carrying booksbearing the weight of knowledge without comprehension.

However, a closer look reveals a subtle yet significant nuance. The verse describes people who were entrusted with the Torah but failed to uphold it. Yet, the simile references a donkey carrying books. This led me to a question: How can those who abandoned the Torah be compared to a donkey that carries books? If they neglected the Torah altogether, they werent carrying it at all. This prompted me to search for a deeper meaning.

Unraveling the Analogy Through Other Quranic Verses

My contemplation led me to another Quranic verse. Allah Almighty says:

Human beings were [once] a single nation. Allah sent Prophets carrying good news and warnings, and with them, He sent the Book in truth to judge between people in matters of their disputes. Yet rivalry between those who received it led them to disagreement, even after having received clear signs. Allah willingly guided believers to the truth about which they differed. Allah guides whoever wants to be guided into a straight path. [Quran, 2:213]

This raised another question: Was humanity originally united in truth or falsehood?

Surah Al-Anbiyah (Quran, 21:92) clarifies that:

Indeed, this community (Ummah) of yours is one, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.

Similarly, Surah Al-Muminun (Quran, 24:52) states:

Indeed, this community (Ummah) of yours is one, and I am your Lord, so be mindful of Me.

From this, it becomes clear that the original unity of humanity was based on truth, in alignment with the message delivered by the Prophets.

The Need for Prophets and Scripture

If humanity began in truth, why did Allah send Prophets?

Revisiting Quran, 2:213, I understood that people were initially united but later deviated. This is supported by Surah Yunus (Quran, 10:19):

Humanity was but one community, but they differed.

Thus, history unfolded as follows: Humanity was created upon fitrah (the innate disposition of truth), but over time, deviations emerged, particularly from the time of Prophet Nuh (AS).

Allah the Most High states:

We have revealed the Book to you only to clarify for them what they differed about, and as a guide and mercy for people who believe. [Quran, 16:64]

Although divine scriptures were meant to resolve disputes, people continued to differ even after receiving clear guidance. Why?

The Root Cause of Division: Transgression and Arrogance

The Quran provides an answer:

They differed only after knowledge had come to them out of envy (Hasad) among themselves. [Quran, 3:19; 45:17]

The issue lies in baghyi  transgression, arrogance, and selfish desires. Instead of accepting truth and divine guidance, people altered scripture to serve their own selfish interests. Allah mentions this in reference to the Israelites:

We gave Musa the Scripture, but differences arose over it. [Quran, 11:110; 41:45]

The differences werent due to ambiguity in revelation, but rather human corruption.

Moreover, Allah Almighty states:

Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, judgment would have been passed between them. [Quran, 10:19]

This decree refers to Allahs test for humanity:

If Allah had willed, He would have made you one community (Ummah), but [He allows differences] to test you in what He has given you. [Quran, 5:48]

The final judgment on these matters will occur on the Day of Resurrection.

Returning to the Meaning of the Donkey Analogy

Now, lets revisit Quran, 62:5. The Quranic verse does not merely compare people to a donkey carrying booksit highlights their abandonment of true guidance. Instead of adhering to the Torahs clear message, they replaced it with volumes of distorted interpretations. Like a donkey carrying books it cannot understand, these corrupted scriptures brought confusion rather than enlightenment.

Such as the Talmud and other interpretation books of the Torah:

 Selective reinterpretation of Torah laws:

Some rabbinic rulings in the Talmud have been criticised for modifying or overriding direct commandments found in the Torah.

 Human additions to divine scripture:

The Mishnah and Gemara, which form the Talmud, contain extensive rabbinic commentary that some believe has overshadowed the Torah itself.

 Sectarian divisions:

Over time, different Jewish sects have developed varying interpretations of scripture, leading to conflicting religious practices.

Beyond the Talmud, other examples of distorted interpretations include:

 Apocryphal texts:

Some non-canonical Jewish writings have introduced ideas that diverge from the Torahs teachings.

 Philosophical reinterpretations:

Certain medieval Jewish philosophers reinterpreted scripture through the lens of Greek philosophy, altering its original meaning.

 Modern ideological adaptations:

Some contemporary movements, groups, sects and organisations reinterpret religious texts to fit their modern social or political agendas.

Thus, this Quranic verse condemns those who, despite receiving divine truth, prioritise their selfish desires over Allahs guidance, rendering their efforts as futile as a burdened beast with no comprehension.

The Ultimate Solution: Returning to Pure Revelation

The only way to resolve differences and find true guidance is to adhere to Allahs revelations without distortion or sectarian bias. The Quran reminds us that:

Whatever you dispute about is to be judged by Allah. [Quran, 42:10]

True unity can only be achieved by following Allahs clear, unambiguous guidance, rather than relying on human-modified ideologies. The tendency to create factions, as mentioned in the Quran (Each faction rejoicing in what they haveQuran, 23:53; Quran, 30:32), leads only to further division and disunity.

Therefore Surah Al-Jumuah (Quran, 62:5) serves as a profound warning: Divine scripture is meant to be understood and applied  not manipulated for personal gain. The path to unity lies in returning to the Quran, Sunnah and previous scriptures in their pure form, free from human distortion and corruption.

Dear brothers and sisters! Know that, in Islamic contexts, donkeys serve as a potent symbol of ignorance despite possessing knowledge, as seen in the Quranic parable where they carry books but lack understanding. This symbolises individuals who accumulate knowledge without acting upon it, losing its true blessing. However, donkeys are also mentioned in the Quran as animals created by Allah for transport and sustenance, highlighting the benefit of all creations and the importance of acting with reverence and practical application of divine guidance.

In this blessed Surah Al-Jumuah (Quran, 62:5), Allah Almighty likens those who were given the Torah but didnt act upon it to donkeys carrying volumes of books.

Just as a donkey cannot read and write or understand the books it carries, these individuals and Islamic scholars fail to grasp and implement the divine teachings they possess.

This example serves as a powerful reminder for Muslims to not only acquire knowledge but to internalise it and act upon its principles to avoid being like those wretched individuals described in the Quranic verse.

The Quran mentions donkeys (along with horses and mules) as animals created for humans to ride on and for their benefit.

The creation of donkeys, like other animals, is presented as a sign of Allahs power and a lesson in appreciating His provisions.

This aspect emphasises the importance of being grateful for Allahs blessings and using them responsibly.

The key lesson is that knowledge is a trust from Allah, and its true value is realised through application and righteous actions.

A Muslim should strive to use knowledge to better worship Allah, making their hearts sincere in their devotion and practice.

By acting on what we know, we become blessed by Allah and can avoid the fate of those who become like donkeys carrying books, benefiting from the guidance rather than just bearing its weight.

Finally, respected servants of Allah! Surah Al-Baqarah verse 44 is another verse in the Quran that questions Islamic scholars who command others to do good deeds but neglect to do them themselves, even while reciting scripture. The verse asks if they do not understand the irony of their behaviour and if they will not use their reason to understand the inconsistency between their words and actions. Allah the Most High says:

Do you order righteousness to the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason? [Quran, 2:44]

And Allah Almighty says:

Indeed, those who conceal the clear proofs and guidance We have sent down, after We have clarified them for the people in the Book, will be condemned by Allah and all those who condemn. [Quran, 2:159]

This Quranic verse highlights the severe consequence for hiding revealed knowledge, drawing a condemnation from Allah, the angels, and all righteous individuals.

And Allah the Most High says:

And [recall, O Prophet], when Allah took a covenant from the People of the Book, [saying], You shall surely make it clear to the people and not conceal it, but they cast it behind their backs and sold it for a small price. How evil is their bargain! [Quran, 3:187]

This Quranic verse describes how some of the People of the Book (referring to Jews and Christians) were given the scripture from Allah with the instruction to reveal its knowledge to humanity and not hide it. However, they disregarded this covenant, concealing its teachings and using it to gain worldly benefits, which is described as a miserable profit or a vile bargain.

And Allah the Most High says:

And relate to them O Prophet Muhammad the story of the one to whom We gave Our signs, but he abandoned them, so Satan took hold of him, and he became a deviant. If We had willed, He would have elevated him with Our signs, but he clung to this lifefollowing his evil desires. His example is that of a dog: if you chase it away, it pants, and if you leave it, it still pants. This is the example of the people who deny Our signs. So narrate to them stories of the past, so perhaps they will reflect. [Quran, 7:175-176]

These Quranic verses 175-176 of Surah Al-Araf (Chapter 7) describe an Islamic scholar who was given knowledge and Allahs signs but rejected them, leading to Satans influence and his straying from the path of righteousness. He was likened to a dog because his love for worldly life and desires kept him restless and unfulfilled, whether pursued or neglected. The Quran commands the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to relate such stories to the people so that they may reflect and understand the consequences of rejecting Allahs signs.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Prayers, peace and mercy are upon our beloved master, Prophet Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace be upon him), his family and Companions.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected] or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.

This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Rabiul-Thani 18, 1447 AH (October 10, 2025).
If Aishas story teaches us anything, it is that pain ignored is pain multiplied. Until we face this crisis head-on, we will keep losing our youth, while pretending to pray them back to life. Suicide is not a spirit; it is a symptom. A symptom of pain, pressure, and a society that turns away when its children cry for help We cannot heal Nigeria without healing Nigerians.

When I picked up one of PRNigerias latest publications, Healing Nigeria: A Chronicle of Health Reforms, an article titled Mental Health Matters stirred memories I have long tried to forget. It reminded me of a young woman whose story still haunts me  Aisha Omolola, a 300-level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

In 2018, Aisha took her own life. I remember seeing her for the last time when she came by my hostel to visit my roommate, her close friend. She was calm, gentle, and kind. A few days later, news broke that Aisha had ended her life with Sniper, the deadly insecticide that has since become synonymous with suicide in Nigeria.

The campus was thrown into confusion. Her story spread across social media, sparking fleeting outrage. But what shook everyone the most was her final note, in which she reportedly said her parents should be held responsible. That single line forced many to look inward. Yet, like every tragedy in our society, the outrage soon faded, and the conversation died.

But how many Aishas have we lost since then? How many more young Nigerians have chosen silence  or suicide  over the crushing weight of unspoken pain?

Despite its cultural pride and moral posturing, Nigeria remains in deep denial about mental health. Depression, anxiety, and trauma are rarely treated as medical conditions. Instead, they are dismissed as signs of weakness, witchcraft, or the lack of faith. When someone says, Im not okay, the response is often, pray harder.

Therapy is stigmatised. Seeking help is ridiculed. Emotional distress is judged as spiritual failure. And in that dangerous misunderstanding, we keep losing our brightest minds. Aishas death was not just a personal tragedy  it was a mirror reflecting a society that refuses to see itself.

Her story embodies the quiet despair of countless young people  burdened by expectations, crushed by economic hardship, and trapped in cultures that silence pain. Walk through any university campus today, and behind the laughter, you will see exhaustion.

It is therefore unsurprising that as the world marks the World Mental Health Day today 10 October, a UK-based non-profit, Changed Foundation, has sounded the alarm on Nigerias worsening mental health crisis. The organisation estimates that 40 million Nigerians  about 20 per cent of the population  live with mental disorders, while nearly 80 per cent lack access to proper care.

Nigeria has fewer than 350 psychiatrists serving over 200 million people, one of the lowest ratios in the world. Founder Scholastica Onumonu called for the urgent implementation of the National Mental Health Act and integration of mental health services into primary healthcare. Her Mind Matters Nigeria campaign emphasises awareness, early intervention, and community-based support. Mental health is real, treatable, and nothing to be ashamed of, she said, which is truth that too few Nigerians are willing to accept.

The situation is especially dire for students, who grapple with academic pressures, unemployment anxiety, and emotional instability, often in isolation. University counselling units, where they exist, are grossly underfunded, underutilised, or hidden away behind stigma. The few who dare to seek help are often met with derision or disbelief.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the United Nations, has declared this years theme as: Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies: Access to Services in Times of Crisis. Its a timely call to action. One in five people living in conflict or crisis zones suffers from at least a mental health condition, yet most never receive treatment for it.

If that definition fits anywhere, it is Northern Nigeria, where insecurity, poverty, and trauma have created an emotional emergency of their own. Students, widows, orphans, displaced families, all live in cycles of anxiety and fear. For them, the humanitarian crisis is not only about shelter or food; its about invisible wounds left untreated.

Mental health is not a privilege  it is a lifeline. It sustains resilience, hope, and human dignity. When ignored, it kills quietly, efficiently, and without warning. The North is losing its young people  not to bullets, not to famine, but to despair.

We cannot continue to treat mental health as a luxury or a Western idea. It is time for a national awakening. Every tertiary institution in Nigeria should have a Mental Health Desk, equipped with trained counsellors and peer educators. Counselling should not be buried under bureaucracy; it should be visible, accessible, and trusted.

Religious leaders must also play their part. The pulpit should not be a place of condemnation but compassion. Faith and therapy are not enemies; they are partners. Islam and Christianity both preach care for the soul, and healing requires attending to the mind as well.

Our collective silence is the real epidemic. We glorify preachers who shame the sick and ignore doctors who can heal them. We stigmatise those who seek help but romanticise those who suffer in silence. This is not faith; it is negligence.

If Aishas story teaches us anything, it is that pain ignored is pain multiplied. Until we face this crisis head-on, we will keep losing our youth, while pretending to pray them back to life. Suicide is not a spirit; it is a symptom. A symptom of pain, pressure, and a society that turns away when its children cry for help.

We cannot heal Nigeria without healing Nigerians. And we cannot heal Nigerians until we treat mental health as a national priority  protected by law, funded by government, and embraced by society.

Because mental health doesnt just matter; it is what keeps us human.

Hadiza Isyaku Abdulsalam is a health advocate and social development writer based in Zaria, Kaduna.

[email protected]
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the dissolution of the partys leadership in Enugu State.

Durosinmi Meseko, the deputy national publicity secretary of the APC, disclosed this in a statement posted on the partys official Facebook page on Friday.

Mr Meseko said the NWC approved the dissolution at its 179th meeting at the partys national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

The deputy national publicity secretary said the APC National Chairperson, Nentawe Yilwatda, a professor, presided over the meeting.

Appointment of caretaker committee

Mr Meseko said the NWC constituted a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party in the state pending the election of substantive leadership.

Ben Nwoye, a former chairperson of the APC in Enugu State, was appointed caretaker chairperson, while a former speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh, emerged as secretary.

Other members of the committee are Fidelia Njoeze, Peter Chime, Oby Ajih, Chiedozie Nwafor and Emma Ekeh.

The deputy national publicity secretary said the committee would be inaugurated at 10:00 a.m. today, Friday, 10 October at the APCs National Secretariat in Abuja.

The official said the dissolution of the APCs leadership in Enugu State was intended to reposition the party in the state for greater unity and effectiveness.

Dissolved leadership

Before the dissolution, Ugochukwu Agballah was the states chairperson of the APC.

Uche Nnaji, who recently resigned as the minister of innovation, Science, and technology, was the leader of the party in the state.

The dissolution came days after a PREMIUM TIMES investigation exposed how Mr Nnaji forged his degree and NYSC certificates, resulting in his resignation from office as minister.

Background

In recent years, the APC in Enugu State has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis, which has split the party into two factions.

A faction was led by a former President of the Nigerian Senate, Ken Nnamani, while Mr Agballah led the other faction.

Mr Agballah had the backing of Mr Nnaji and the partys national leadership at the time.

In 2023, the faction led by Mr Agballah suspended some rival faction members.

Shortly after, the then-APCs National Vice Chairperson, South-east, Ijeomah Arodiogbu, ratified the suspension.

Mr Nwoye, who was among those suspended from the party, later dismissed the suspension, calling on Mr Arodiogbo to investigate the allegations of anti-party activities against them.

In February 2025, the faction led by Mr Nnamani announced the expulsion of Mr Agballah and eight others from the party.

The party faction claimed that Mr Agballah and other expelled members had consistently disobeyed the orders of a high court that restrained them from parading themselves as executive members of the party in the state.

Mr Agballah said his expulsion would not stand.

In April, Mr Nwoye announced his resignation from the APC, explaining that his decision was in response to deep internal crises and leadership disintegration in the party.

Sources say the dissolution of the APC leadership was done to pave the way for the planned defection of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State from the PDP to the APC.

Unlike Mr Nwoye, who recently asked Mr Mbah to join the APC, Messrs Agballah and Nnaji fiercely opposed the governors planned defection to the party.
The Lagos State Government sealed off the Nordic Hotel, Victoria Island, on Thursday, for allegedly discharging untreated wastewater into public drains, causing an offensive odour and environmental pollution.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying the enforcement was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO).

Following public complaints and in pursuit of a safer, sustainable, and cleaner Lagos, the LSWMO on Thursday, 9th October 2025, sealed Nordic Hotel at No. 258, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, for deliberate discharge of untreated wastewater into drainage, thereby causing offensive odour, public nuisance, environmental pollution, and endangering human life, he wrote.

Mr Wahab urged residents to adopt proper wastewater management and hygiene practices to protect public health and the environment.

The development comes amid growing concerns over poor sanitation and environmental hazards on Lagos Island.

A PREMIUM TIMES check recently documented worsening conditions across major areas such as Broad Street, Itafaji, and Adeniji Adele, where Styrofoam wastes, open defecation, and exposed manholes pose serious health and safety risks.

Despite the states ban on Styrofoam and other single-use plasticsincluding takeaway packs, cups, and nylon bagsthese non-biodegradable materials continue to clog drains and litter streets, raising concerns about flooding during the rainy season.

Residents say enforcement has been inconsistent. Along Ibraimoh-Igbo Street in Itafaji, people were seen defecating openly and dumping food waste into shallow gutters.

I have been enduring this filthy-smelling environment for a while. You can see elderly women defecating openly and washing themselves where the gutter runs past many houses, said Gift Paul, a resident who moved into the area in January.

Beyond sanitation, safety concerns persist. Several manholes around Lagos Island East Council and Broad Street remain uncovered or crudely filled with sand.

Last week, I saw someone place a tyre to mark the manhole, but it has since been removed. Anyone can fall into itnot just motorists, said Chizoba Okere, a commuter.

The state government began full enforcement of its single-use plastics ban in July, warning that shops or outlets found selling or storing prohibited materials risk being sealed and prosecuted.

Mr Wahab has maintained that the policy will not cost jobs but instead promote sustainable packaging industries.

Citizen action has also helped spur government response. In September, broadcast journalist Deji Bademosi mounted a billboard drawing attention to a dangerous open manhole near Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. Within 24 hours, state officials reportedly covered it.

I hope the state government will react to cover all other uncovered manholes across the city, Mr Bademosi said in a Facebook video.

The incident underscores growing public frustration with sanitation and safety lapses in Lagos. Residents are urging the government to intensify enforcement of environmental laws, clear blocked drains, and urgently repair open manholes before the rainy season peaks.

PREMIUM TIMES reached out to both Mr Wahab and the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) for comments via text and WhatsApp messages on Tuesday. As of press time, neither office had responded.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) no longer has any representative at the Ondo State House of Assembly following the defection of all its members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Thursday, the only two PDP members left announced their resignation from the party and their joining the APC.

The two new APC members are former House Minority Leader Olajide Oguntodu, representing Akure South 1 Constituency, and his deputy, Oluwatoyin Daodu, representing Akoko South West 1 Constituency.

Their defection comes just five weeks after two other PDP lawmakers resigned.

They announced their resignations during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji

The speaker read their letters of resignation from the PDP and welcomed them to the APC.

He expressed optimism that their shift would enhance the APCs numerical strength in the House.

In their resignation letters, the lawmakers cited extensive consultations with family, constituents, and party leaders, who advised them to join the ruling party.

They also cited ongoing internal disputes within the PDP as part of the reasons for their defection.

Mr Oladiji described the defections as a significant milestone in the states political history.

He also urged the new APC lawmakers to contribute positively to the partys growth.

The opposition party has witnessed a series of resignations by its members following continued bickering among its leaders.

At inception, the assembly had 22 APC lawmakers and four PDP members.

In July, thousands of PDP members in the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency defected to the ruling APC, following in the steps of the member of the House of Representatives from the Federal Constituency, Festus Akingbaso, who had earlier announced his defection from the PDP to the ruling party.

The PDP elected a new executive committee barely 11 days ago, hoping to rebuild the partys confidence and reunite its members.

The new working committee has Victor Aisida as its chairman.

In his inaugural address, he said, The night of division is over, and the morning of revival is here. Together, we will restore confidence in our members, rekindle hope in our supporters, and present the PDP as the credible alternative our people deserve.
A Celebration of Fashion, Design, and Artistry in the Heart of Chelsea

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- September 11, 2025, 18th Street Design Collective hosted an exclusive New York Fashion Week exhibition featuring the Spring Summer 2026 collection by designer Nabys Vielman at Eichholtz Manhattan.

Set against the bold rich elegance of the Eichholtz Manhattan showroom, the evening celebrated the intersection of interior design and contemporary fashion, two worlds united by form, texture, and light. Guests were invited to explore Vielman's ethereal new collection, which balanced architectural precision with fluid drapery and luminous fabric.

The exhibition showcased thirty-two men's and women's looks, presented through both live models and mannequins displayed throughout the showroom. Vielman's sculptural silhouettes and luminous textiles complemented Eichholtz's architectural interiors. Together, they created a visual dialogue between movement and space. The designer's refined palette and fluid structure found a natural home among Eichholtz's collection of statement furnishings and lighting, transforming the Chelsea showroom into an immersive experience of modern artistry.

Guests included prominent members of New York's creative and fashion communities, alongside Jean Shafiroff, Maryanne Grisz, Global President and CEO of The Fashion Group International (FGI), and Rebecca Seawright, Member of the New York State Assembly. During the event, Nabys Vielman was honored with a Certificate of Merit from FGI "in recognition of the exceptional Collection Spring Summer 26 showcased at NYFW. Your creativity, vision, and artistry continue to inspire the fashion community and elevate the standard of excellence in design." Vielman was also featured in The Fashion Group International Communique Issue 1 #SS26, which captures and highlights the most influential trends of New York Fashion Week.

"Collaborations like this are what inspire us most," says Niki Cheng, Founder of the 18th Street Design Collective. "Eichholtz Manhattan was designed to be a platform where creativity across disciplinesfashion, art, and interiors, can coexist and inspire one another. Hosting Nabys Vielman's work within our showroom brought that vision beautifully to life."

About 18th Street Design Collective

Founded by Niki Cheng and Shaokao Cheng, the 18th Street Design Collective curates and operates showrooms for high-quality furniture brands in New York City, including Eichholtz Manhattan, Calligaris, Camerich, Connubia, Luce Plan, and Ditre Italia. Known for hosting collaborative events and exhibitions, 18th Street Design Collective continues to shape New York's design scene through its dedication to creativity, craftsmanship, and community.

Eichholtz: A Legacy of Luxury

Eichholtz, the Dutch brand known for its luxurious furniture, lighting, and accessories, is redefining contemporary elegance through timeless design. Each collection offers a refined balance between classic sophistication and modern sensibility. Eichholtz's sculptural lighting and handcrafted furnishings transform any interior into a statement of artistry and refinement.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jordan Lee

[email protected]

SOURCE 18 Street Design Collective
MUMBAI, India, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ACES India, a fully owned subsidiary of ACES (Saudi Arabia), has partnered with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to deploy advanced 4G and 5G In-Building Solutions (IBS) across the Mumbai Metro Aqua Line-3 - a key milestone in the state's digital infrastructure development.

Sitting: Mr. Mohammed N Mazher- MD- ACES India, Dr Akram Aburas- Group CEO- ACES, sh Harinder Kumar Makkar CGM, & smt Vandana Sethi PGM(CFA) Standing: sh Suneel Kumar Niraniyan PGM( S & M), sh Vinay Kumar Singh CE(civil), sh Dhananjay Kumar PCE(elec),sh Suresh Nakhale GM(HR), sh P.P Singh PGM (TRNS), sh Vivek Mahavar sr GM(F)& IFA, Sh Suresh Kumar - Director- Commercail ACES India, sh Vinod Kumar Dwivedi GM(CM), sh Suhas Mankar GM, sh K K Jain DGM (CM) & sh shoeb shaik- Project Manager ACES India.

The announcement came on a landmark day for India's infrastructure and connectivity growth, which also witnessed the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the launch of the Mumbai One App - "One App, Limitless Journeys", and the opening of Mumbai Metro Line-3 (ColabaBandraSEEPZ), Phase 2B, from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade, in the presence of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The collaboration between ACES India and BSNL will cover the entire 33.5 km underground corridor, including 27 stations and associated tunnel networks, ensuring uninterrupted, high-speed mobile connectivity for millions of daily commuters. This marks BSNL's first-ever deployment of an advanced IBS system in a metro project in Maharashtra, setting a benchmark for future urban transit connectivity across the state.

Dr. Akram Aburas, Group CEO, ACES, added:

"This collaboration with BSNL is a milestone in India's digital infrastructure journey. ACES India is leading the way in extending next-generation connectivity to urban transit systems, supporting the broader vision of a connected India."

Mr. Mohammed N. Mazher, Managing Director, ACES India, said:

"We are proud to partner with BSNL for this landmark project - our first metro IBS deployment in Maharashtra. As a fully owned subsidiary of ACES, Saudi Arabia, we bring global expertise and local execution strength to transform how connectivity integrates with urban mobility."

Mr. Harinder Kumar Makkar, Chief General Manager, BSNL Maharashtra Telecom Circle, said:

"This partnership with ACES India marks a significant milestone in BSNL's commitment to expanding next-generation telecom infrastructure in high-density urban environments. The Aqua Line-3 IBS rollout will set new standards for underground connectivity and public service delivery."

The signing ceremony witnessed the presence of senior officials from both organizations, including Dr. Akram Aburas - Group CEO, ACES, Mr. Mohammed N. Mazher - Managing Director, ACES India, Mr. Suresh Kumar - Commercial Director, ACES India, Shri Harinder Kumar Makkar - CGM, BSNL Maharashtra Circle, and Smt. Vandana Sethi - PGM (CFA), BSNL, Sh. Vinod kumar Dwivedi - GM( CM), BSNL, along with key dignitaries from BSNL and ACES India.

The IBS deployment on Aqua Line-3 represents a major milestone for ACES India as it expands its footprint in India's smart mobility and telecom infrastructure sectors. The project also underscores BSNL's leadership in enabling next-generation connectivity within India's most advanced metro systems.

About ACES India | ACES India, a fully owned subsidiary of ACES (Saudi Arabia), is a technology-driven engineering and digital transformation firm delivering advanced telecom infrastructure and connectivity solutions. The company focuses on integrating digital innovation into India's smart mobility, transport, and infrastructure ecosystems, bringing global expertise to local implementation.

About ACES | ACES, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, is a global engineering and digital transformation company delivering technology-led infrastructure, automation, and connectivity solutions across multiple sectors. The firm partners with governments and enterprises worldwide to create sustainable and future-ready ecosystems.

About BSNL | Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a Government of India enterprise under the Department of Telecommunications, is one of India's leading telecommunications service providers. BSNL offers mobile, broadband, fiber, and enterprise connectivity services and continues to play a key role in advancing India's digital transformation and rural connectivity initiatives.

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SOURCE ACES India
Australian technology firms attracted $181 million in investment capital this week, led by medical AI scaleup Heidi Healths $98 million Series B funding round.

Heidi Health secures $98 million Series B

Melbourne scaleup Heidi Health has attracted US$65 million (A$98m) in a Series B round, arriving just seven months after securing nearly $27 million in a Series A extension.

New York hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohens investment arm, Point72 Private Investments, spearheaded the round, joined by continuing supporters including Australian VC Blackbird, plus US investors Headline and Latitude (the growth fund of Phoenix Court).

The funding values Heidi at US$465 million (A$704m), representing more than 450% growth from Mays US$100 million valuation, following US$96.6 million in total venture investment into the AI-powered medical documentation platform.

Octopus Deploy secures another $45 million injection

Enterprise software scaleup Octopus Deploy, which self-funded for 11 years before a $220 million capital raise in 2021, has secured US$30 million (A$45m) in additional funding from its sole investor, New York VC firm Insight Partners.

The capital arrives eight months following the Brisbane companys $43 million purchase of US competitor Codefresh.

The investment from Insight pushed the companys worth up US$80 million to A$883 million, positioning it amongst the largest privately owned businesses in the DevOps ecosystem.

Platform engineering teams rely on Octopus Deploy for continuous integration/delivery (CI/CD), and this month the company introduced the Octopus MCP Server, which integrates with source control, CI and cloud MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools, facilitating agentic workflows throughout DevOps ecosystems.

Following a decade of profitability and self-funding since husband and wife duo Sonia and Paul Stovell established the business in 2012, the company has prioritised accelerated expansion since attracting US$172.5 million (A$222m) four years ago.

Nexl secures $35 million Series B

Sydney legal practice collaboration and CRM platform Nexl has attracted US$23 million (A$35m) in a Series B round.

Dave Yuans US growth equity firm Tidemark Capital spearheaded the investment.

Philipp Thurner, previously head of innovation at Gilbert and Tobin and currently based in New York, established Nexl in 2018, shifting direction in 2021 to enable law firms to coordinate across marketing, business development and operations to boost revenue, enhance profitability and strengthen service delivery plus client relationships.

The AI-powered growth platform transforms the commercial side of legal practice, connecting front-office functions for customer relationship management (CRM).

Nakatomi secures $3.5 million to launch the next gen of Australian start-ups

Supported by founders from Leonardo.ai, Gannet Capital, Scalare Partners, Booking.com and private equity veteran Les Fallick, Nakatomi targets launching three to four new ventures annually.

Nakatomi, a Sydney-based firm that supports and creates new ventures with founders and corporates from the ground up, has secured $3.5 million in investment to accelerate its venture-creation model. The approach offers founders an alternative pathway to launch new businesses, whilst helping corporates counter disruption by staying ahead of competitors.

Nakatomi has already created and introduced several successful start-ups, including Australias first womens health AI partner, Ovum, which recently attracted $1.7 million to address the gender health gap, plus Ruminati, an agricultural ESG platform enabling the entire supply chain to track and minimise environmental impact.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bedford Breast Center, California's leading destination for comprehensive breast care, announces a series of October initiatives in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, alongside clinical advancements and leadership updates that reinforce its position at the forefront of modern breast health.

Founded by renowned plastic & reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Lisa Cassileth and breast surgeons Dr. Heather Richardson and Dr. Leslie Memsic, Bedford Breast Center is widely recognized for its pioneering contributions to breast surgery and commitment to delivering concierge-level care in a modern, luxury setting. Bedford Breast Center is the only facility in California to offer both Vera Scan Breast CT and Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM), two of the most advanced screening modalities available. These technologies allow for earlier, more precise detection, redefining diagnostic breast imaging.

A New Chapter in Radiology

Bedford Breast Center proudly names Dr. Lakshmi Tegulapalle as Head of Radiology. A board-certified expert in breast imaging, Dr. Tegulapalle brings a patient-first philosophy and deep diagnostic expertise to Bedford's radiology department.

"Dr. Tegulapalle's leadership marks a new era in precision imaging," shares Dr. Cassileth. "Her clinical rigor and warmth reflect everything Bedford Breast Center stands for."

A Partnership with Purpose: Supporting The Breasties

As part of its philanthropic commitment this October, Bedford Breast Center is proud to partner with The Breasties, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by breast and gynecologic cancers. In alignment with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bedford will donate 10% of revenue from screening mammograms throughout October to The Breasties, helping fund community programs, retreats, and advocacy efforts that empower survivors, previvors, stage 4 thrivers, and caregivers nationwide. This partnership reflects Bedford's belief that breast care extends beyond the clinic, it's about connection, compassion, and collective impact.

For more information or to schedule your mammogram, visit bedfordbreastcenter.com.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Events

In partnership with The Breasties, The City of Beverly Hills, and The Pilates Cave, Bedford Breast Center will host a series of events throughout October intended to educate, empower, and engage.

Pilates for Prevention: Bedford Breast Center x The Pilates Cave Date: Saturday, October 18th Time: 12:30pm and 2:00pm Location: The Pilates Cave 11663 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 Cost: $45

Join us Saturday, October 18th, for two energizing mat Pilates classes in partnership with The Pilates Cave, named one of Los Angeles' top studios by the LA Times. Each session offers a transformative workout designed to challenge, tone, and shape the body. All proceeds will be donated to The Breasties and matched by Bedford Breast Center.

You can reserve your spot through The Pilates Cave online booking platform.

Bedford Breast Center at The Beverly Hills Farmers' Market Date: Sunday, October 19th Time: 8:00am  1:00pm Location: 9300 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Alongside The City of Beverly Hills, Bedford Breast Center will be present at the Annex Booth at the Beverly Hills Farmers' Market on October 19th. Our providers and representatives will provide breast health resources, answer questions, and giveaway pink-themed merchandise to support community awareness.

About Bedford Breast Center

Founded in 2015 by Dr. Lisa Cassileth, Dr. Heather Richardson, and Dr. Leslie Memsic, Bedford Breast Center is a physician-led, Beverly Hills-based medical practice specializing in breast health, imaging, and surgery. With concierge-level care, cutting-edge technology, and a deeply personalized approach, Bedford offers patients a rare combination of clinical excellence and 5-star hospitality. From prevention to treatment, Bedford Breast Center is redefining breast health, delivering clarity, comfort, and confidence at every step of the patient's journey.

SOURCE Bedford Breast Center
MARSHALL, Texas, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- An eight-member jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Marshall awarded a unanimous verdict of $445,494,160 this morning in favor of Collision Communications Inc. in a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

The patents cover methods for reducing signal interference in network communications, utilizing technology developed by defense contractor BAE Systems to ensure clear communications on busy networks. Collision Communications acquired the patents from BAE nearly 15 years ago to commercialize the technology in the cellular industry.

The jury of seven women and one man issued the Oct. 10 verdict against Samsung for willfully infringing a series of Collision Communications patents used in mobile devices that rely on Samsung's 4G and 5G networks.

Experienced attorney Brad Caldwell from Dallas' Caldwell Cassady & Curry led the Collision Communications trial team, with fellow firm lawyers Chris Stewart, Justin Nemunaitis, and Aisha Mahmood Haley playing key roles. Andrea Fair of Miller Fair Henry in Longview also represented Collision Communications at trial.

The jurors heard evidence that Collision Communications and Samsung held extensive discussions from 2011 through 2014 about the possibility of forming a business partnership, including communications regarding the patent portfolio.

The case is Collison Communications Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc., No. 2:23-cv-00587.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation, including patent infringement cases, trade secrets claims, fiduciary duty cases, class actions, and disputes involving company founders. The firm has tried and won some of the nation's top verdicts against the largest companies in the world. Learn more about the firm at www.caldwellcc.com.

SOURCE Caldwell Cassady & Curry
Central New Energy Holding Group (01735.HK)'s subsidiary, CHG EnSOL Renewable Technology Co.,Ltd, showcased its CHG "C-STAR" series PV cells and CHG "ENSOL" series PV module products at booth I-238, joining elites from the global energy sector to explore new pathways for green energy development.

At this exhibition, CHG EnSOL's booth became a focal point of attention due to the high efficiency and localized adaptability of its exhibited products. Powered by N-type TOPCon-4.0 technology, the CHG "C-STAR" series PV cells and CHG "ENSOL" series PV module demonstrated significantly improved conversion efficiency, effectively reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). These products are highly compatible with the new energy application scenarios in Turkey. Whether in the hot and dry southern coastal areas of Turkey or the inland regions with significant day-night temperature variations, CHG EnSOL products can adapt to the local environment with their excellent weather resistance, ensuring efficient and stable power output.

As one of the "2025 Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises," Central New Energy (01735.HK) not only focuses on technological R&D and product iteration but also deeply extends its innovative vision towards the application end. In the future, Central New Energy (01735.HK) will accelerate the construction of a local production capacity system in Turkey, helping Turkey establish its own efficient, intelligent, and clean energy industry chain. This aims to achieve the dual goals of "Maximizing Green Electricity" and "Optimizing Energy Consumption Costs," providing local users with more valuable comprehensive energy services.

As a leader in clean and smart energy, Central New Energy (01735.HK) will persist in addressing the challenges of "going global" with a long-term perspective, actively participate in project construction in key regions of the "Belt and Road," focus on innovation and expansion at the application end, promote technological inclusivity and industrial upgrading through practical integration into local value creation, deeply expand international business, and contribute CHG's strength to global green, low-carbon, and sustainable development.

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eaton DC, the flagship property of Eaton Workshop, proudly announces it has retained One Michelin Key for the second consecutive year and has been named second place in Conde Nast Traveler's esteemed Readers' Choice Awards for Best Hotel in Washington, D.C. Together, these recognitions affirm Eaton DC's distinctive approach to mission-driven hospitalitywhere culture, community, and impact convergeseven years after opening its doors.

Earning and retaining One Michelin Key signals consistent excellence in experience, design, and service, while celebrating properties that offer a singular point of view. For Eaton DC, this accolade acknowledges the hotel's commitment to meaningful storytelling, progressive programming, and thoughtful details that elevate each stay. Ranking second in the Readers' Choice Awards, one of the industry's most trusted barometers of guest sentiment, further validates the bond Eaton DC has cultivated with travelers and locals who value creativity, inclusivity, and purpose alongside comfort and craft.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C., steps from the city's major monuments, Eaton DC stands as a beacon for changemakers, artists, and kindred spirits. Since its inception, Eaton DC has cultivated a sanctuary that blends hospitality with culture and social and environmental impactcreating the conditions for collaboration, creativity, and progress. The property's design honors its past life as a bus terminal and printing press, acknowledges the indigenous land on which it stands, and pays tribute to Black histories of D.C. through room naming and site-specific art.

Eaton DC offers a dynamic ecosystem of amenities: a cinema, radio station, library, holistic wellness center, Eaton House coworking space, music venue, rooftop bar, literary bar, exhibition space, creator's room, restaurant, coffee shop, and versatile event venues. Guests can explore diverse culinary and cocktail experiences across the property, including Allegoryrecognized by North America's 50 Best Barsensuring a memorable, layered stay.

Sustainability is foundational to Eaton DC's ethos. The hotel is LEED Gold certified, powered by 100% renewable energy, and operated with eco-conscious practices that align with its vision for a more just and livable future.

"We're honored to retain One Michelin Key and to be recognized by Conde Nast Traveler readers as one of the very best hotels in Washington, D.C.," said Jill Brahimi, General Manager at Eaton DC. "These awards reflect our team's dedicationand our fellows' and community partners' ongoing contributionsto crafting an experience that is both authentic and exceptional."

For more information about Eaton DC and its offerings, please visit www.eatonworkshop.com/en-us/washington-dc or follow @Eatonhotel.DC on Instagram.

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About Eaton DC

Eaton DC is Eaton Workshop's flagship location in downtown Washington, D.C. Inspired by historic movementsfrom the suffragettes to the Women's March to today's climate justice movementEaton DC channels the power of culture to convene and catalyze community. The hotel's design references its history as a bus terminal and printing press, evokes the nostalgia of an analog era, and presents a green, culture-forward sanctuary on K Street. A custom-designed sculpture acknowledges the indigenous land Eaton DC is built on, while its room names honor Black histories of D.C. Amenities include a cinema, radio station, library, holistic wellness center, members' workspace, music venue, rooftop bar, literary bar, exhibition space, creator's room, event spaces, restaurant, and coffee shop. Eaton DC is LEED Gold certified, eco-friendly, and powered by 100% renewable energy. More information and updates can be found at www.eatonworkshop.com/en-us/washington-dc/ or via @Eaton.DC.

About Eaton Workshop

Eaton Workshop is a global mission-driven hospitality companyglobal in outlook and deeply local in community engagement. Eaton DC opened in downtown Washington, D.C., in September 2018, followed by Eaton HK in Hong Kong's Jordan neighborhood in November 2018. Both properties are top-to-bottom renovations of existing hotels. For more information, visit www.eatonworkshop.com or follow @EatonWorkshop on Instagram.

SOURCE Eaton Workshop
Homeboy Industries Partners with Frank McCourt to Announce $100 Million Fundraising Campaign Post this

Hope Village reimagines the neighborhood surrounding Men's Central Jail, Homeboy Industries' current campus, and The California Endowment's Center for Healthy Communities. The visiondeveloped by Homeboy Founder Fr. Greg Boyle and Dr. Robert Ross, recently retired CEO of The California Endowmentcalls for replacing outdated infrastructure and vacant lots with a vibrant, integrated community rooted in healing and designed to serve Los Angeles' most marginalized populations.

"Hope Village, and Homeboy, embody the values of kinship, resilience, and community," said Frank McCourt. "Now more than ever, we need to empower organizations that are investing in human potential, unlocking opportunities, and providing hope, as well as the necessary support systems, to those who need it most."

"We appreciate the support of Frank McCourt and all our partners to bring Hope Village to life. This community will serve as a model for the nation  prioritizing healing the wound instead of punishing it," said Fr. Greg Boyle, Founder of Homeboy Industries. "In this collaborative mission and commitment to Hope Village we focus on long term health and wellness of individuals and their families to make Los Angeles and our communities safer."

The Fr. Gregory Boyle Center for Radical Kinship will serve as the anchor of Hope Village, offering over 200 units of supportive and transitional housing, along with 35,000 square feet of space dedicated to essential services, including mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, job training and career development.

This multi-phase campus expansion will significantly increase Homeboy Industries' capacity to deliver its full ecosystem of support, including education, legal assistance, healthcare, and reentry services. The Center builds on recent momentum, including the relocation and growth of the Homeboy Art Academy. As part of Hope Village, the Art Academy will expand into a new 5,000-square-foot contemporary space, where hundreds will engage in innovative programming focused on healing, training, and creative expression across multiple art forms.

"The Fr. Gregory Boyle Center for Radical Kinship will connect with and complement the Hilda Solis Care First Village, and The California Endowment's Robert K. Ross Center for Hope and Healing, and other emerging developments to provide housing and services for thousands of people annually  with a goal of reducing the heavy burden on systems like Men's Central Jail. Through public-private partnership, we are investing and building a new paradigm in care first for those in need," said Homeboy Industries Co-CEOs Shirley Torres and Steve Delgado.

Frank McCourt, the founding donor of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, established in 2013, has made the McCourt School of Public Policy available to Homeboy to invest in this new paradigm. The McCourt School will work with Homeboy to guide research and help elevate their work to a national level.

"We look forward to collaborating with the Homeboy Network in a variety of ways, including hosting an annual convening aimed at sharing best practices on a national scale and providing opportunities for our students to engage in this important work," said Carole Roan Gresenz, dean of Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy.

Together with Homeboy Industries, McCourt Partners, led by President Jordan Lang, will help establish a fundraising platform to support the $100 million campaign, with funds directed toward Hope Village master planning, land acquisition, and development. In addition to the $10 million commitment, McCourt Partners will provide strategic thought partnership on marketing, real estate, and development expertise to bring the vision to life. For more information visit https://hopevillage.homeboyindustries.org/.

About McCourt Partners

McCourt Partners is one of the most visionary and community-driven family-owned real estate development, investment and management companies in the world. With more than $1 billion of permanent capital, it has made significant investments in flagship projects in New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, London and Miami. McCourt Partners endeavors to build stronger communities through inclusive space, green technology, and resilient design. In addition to over 10 million square feet of assets planned, designed, financed or under development, the company was recently awarded development rights for a 28 million-square-foot site, adjacent to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation's campus in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.mccourtpartners.com .

About Homeboy Industries

Homeboy Industries is the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. Annually, the $40 million nonprofit welcomes 10,000 people through its doors who are seeking services and support. An additional 10,000 people come as visitors who experience the exquisite mutuality of the community. Formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated adults and youth are part of the innovative model and therapeutic community of wraparound services and social enterprise businesses. In combination with workforce development and job training in the social enterprise businesses, Homeboy Industries provides healing and alternatives to gang life, while creating more inclusive, safer, and healthier communities. Through the Global Homeboy Network, Homeboy Industries engages with hundreds of like-minded organizations around the world providing technical assistance and fostering a paradigm of social change rooted in radical kinship and a commitment to standing with those on the margins. www.homeboyindustries.org

SOURCE McCourt Partners
Investment Community Teleconference Set for November 13, 2025 at 8 a.m. ET

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Hydro One Limited (TSX: H), the largest electric transmission and distribution utility in Ontario, plans to release its third quarter financial results the morning of November 13, 2025, before North American financial markets open. A summary of the results will be distributed by newswire and the complete MD&A and financial statements will be posted at www.hydroone.com/investors and www.sedarplus.com.

Hydro One's management will host a teleconference with the investment community starting at 8 a.m. ET that same morning to discuss the results and outlook. Those wishing to listen to the teleconference can access the live webcast through the Investor Relations Events and Presentations section of Hydro One's website at www.hydroone.com/investors. A rebroadcast of the teleconference will be available following the call at the same link.

Members of the North American financial community wanting to ask questions during the call should use the following link (registration link), and you will be provided with personalized dial-in details. To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. Other interested parties and media are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis.

Hydro One Limited (TSX: H)

Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with 1.5 million valued customers, $36.7 billion in assets as at December 31, 2024, and annual revenues in 2024 of $8.5 billion.

Our team of 10,100 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2024, Hydro One invested $3.1 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying $2.9 billion of goods and services.

We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives.

Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.'s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com, www.sedarplus.com or www.sec.gov.

For More Information

For more information about everything Hydro One, please visit www.hydroone.com where you can find additional information including links to securities filings, historical financial reports, and information about the Company's governance practices, corporate social responsibility, customer solutions, and further information about its business.

SOURCE Hydro One Limited
MILFORD, Conn., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IGNITE Fitness Holdings ("IGNITE" or "the Company"), one of the largest developers and operators of fitness clubs under the Planet Fitness brand, today announced the appointment of Joe Pepe, Jr. as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Pepe will also join the Company's Board of Directors. IGNITE currently operates 134 Planet Fitness locations across the U.S. and Canada, with five additional openings planned by the end of 2025.

Mr. Pepe has been part of the Planet Fitness brand for more than 18 years and has served as IGNITE's Chief Operating Officer since 2019. During his tenure, he has played an integral role in the Company's growth, guiding its expansion from 15 to 134 locations while establishing a culture of operational excellence and delivering consistently high performance across the organization.

He also serves as Chair of the Planet Fitness Independent Franchisee Council's Member Experience Committee, where he collaborates with franchisees and the Planet Fitness Club Support Center to advance innovation and continuously elevate the member experience across the system.

"On behalf of the Board, I'm thrilled to congratulate Joe on his appointment as IGNITE's next Chief Executive Officer," said Cathy Stauffer, Chair of the Board of IGNITE Fitness Holdings. "Joe's track record of operational excellence, deep understanding of the Planet Fitness brand, and his authentic care for our people and culture make him uniquely qualified to lead IGNITE into its next phase of growth and success."

"I am deeply honored to step into this role and continue building on IGNITE's strong foundation," said Joe Pepe, Jr. "Our growth and success are powered by an extraordinary team whose passion for helping members live healthier lives inspires me every day. Together, we will continue to innovate and expand our reach to even more communities across North America."

Ryan Berk, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since February 2022, is stepping down to pursue other opportunities.

"We are grateful to Ryan for his leadership and many contributions during his tenure as CEO," Ms. Stauffer added. "Under his direction, IGNITE navigated a period of important growth and transformation, strengthened its leadership team, and continued to build on its strong partnership with the Planet Fitness CSC. We thank Ryan for his dedication and impact, and we wish him every success in his next chapter."

About IGNITE Fitness Holdings

IGNITE Fitness Holdings is one of the largest Planet Fitness franchisees, operating 134 locations across the United States and Canada, with five additional openings planned by the end of 2025. IGNITE is dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality fitness experiences that help people live healthier lives in welcoming, judgment-free environments.

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE IGNITE Fitness Holdings
LAKELAND, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Polk County Public Schools is excited to announce the launch of the Educator Academy, an innovative partnership between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College that will inspire and prepare future educators. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held to celebrate the launch of the inaugural Educator Academy, which serves 55 students in grades 912 and provides a unique, hands-on pathway into the teaching profession.

From left to right: Superintendent Fred Heid, Dr. William Allen, Crystal Abdon, Dr. Jeremy Martin, President at Florida Southern College, Dr. Lori Rakes. Dr. Tracey Tedder, Alain Douge at the Lakeland High School Educator Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Under the SAIL (Serious About Innovative Learning) and CTE (Career and Technical Education) umbrella, students at Lakeland High School select the Educator Academy as their elective each spring. Students who live outside the school's attendance zone can apply during the School Choice Priority Window, which typically runs from mid-January to mid-February.

"This partnership between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College will inspire our students and provide them with a pathway to pursue a career within education," said Alain Douge, principal of Lakeland High School. "As a Florida Southern graduate, I can confirm that our students will receive a first-class opportunity to be career ready from both Polk County Public Schools and Florida Southern College. Our students are learning from exceptional educators while developing the skills and passion needed to make a lasting difference in their own communities."

From their first year in high school, Educator Academy students gain immersive classroom experiences through Florida Southern College's renowned School of Education. Their work includes time at Roberts Academy, FSC's on-campus school for children with dyslexia, as well as placements in Polk County public schools.

Through a combination of articulated credit and dual enrollment opportunities, students can complete the equivalent of five college-level education courses by the time they graduate high school. Throughout the program, participants collaborate with Florida Southern faculty, complete authentic education coursework, and build the professional skills necessary to become classroom leaders.

"The Educator Academy at Lakeland High School exemplifies Florida Southern College's commitment to innovative and collaborative approaches in teacher preparation," said Dr. Tracey Tedder, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Florida Southern College. "By connecting high school students with college faculty and real-world classroom experiences, the Academy fosters early development of confidence, competence, and a strong sense of purpose in pursuing a career in education."

The Educator Academy marks an exciting new collaboration between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College, one that provides students with an early, authentic introduction to the teaching profession while strengthening the pipeline of future educators in Polk County and beyond.

SOURCE Florida Southern College
SHANGHAI, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanvin Group (NYSE: LANV), a global luxury fashion group, today announced that Mr. David Chan, Executive President and Chief Financial Officer, has informed the Board of his decision to step down from his position, effective October 27, 2025, to pursue new professional opportunities.

Since joining Lanvin Group at its inception, Mr. Chan has been instrumental in strengthening the Group's strategic and financial foundation, advancing its transformation into a global luxury platform, and supporting its continued progress following the company's NYSE listing.

Mr. Zhen Huang, Chairman of Lanvin Group, said, "On behalf of the Board and the entire Lanvin Group team, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to David for his dedication and leadership over the past years. His significant contributions have been pivotal in shaping the Group's strategic direction and transformation efforts. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors. Lanvin Group remains well-positioned to continue delivering growth and creating long-term shareholder value."

Mr. Chan said, "It has been a true privilege to be part of Lanvin Group's remarkable journey since its inception. I am proud to have contributed to building a strong strategic and financial foundation, supporting the transformation of our global luxury platform, and driving initiatives that position the Group for sustainable growth. Working alongside such talented colleagues and visionary leaders has been inspiring, and I remain confident in Lanvin Group's future as it continues to deliver value for its stakeholders and expand its global presence."

The Company has implemented a structured transition plan to ensure continuity across its finance and operations functions. While Mr. Chan steps down from his executive role, he may continue to support the Company in an advisory capacity. The Group will provide further updates regarding the appointment of a successor in due course.

About Lanvin Group

Lanvin Group is a leading global luxury fashion group headquartered in Shanghai, China and Milan, Italy, managing iconic brands worldwide including Lanvin, Wolford, Sergio Rossi, St. John Knits, and Caruso. Harnessing the power of its unique strategic alliance of industry-leading partners in the luxury fashion sector, Lanvin Group strives to expand the global footprint of its portfolio brands and achieve sustainable growth through strategic investment and extensive operational know-how, combined with an intimate understanding and unparalleled access to the fastest-growing luxury fashion markets in the world. Lanvin Group is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "LANV". For more information about Lanvin Group, please visit www.lanvin-group.com, and to view our investor presentation, please visit https://ir.lanvin-group.com.

Enquiries:

Media

Lanvin Group

Winni Ren

[email protected]

Investors

Lanvin Group

Coco Wang

[email protected]

SOURCE LANVIN GROUP
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Mike Balsamo, president of the National Press Club:

"We understand from the family of Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu, that the deadline for the Beijing High Court ruling on his appeal has again been extended from Oct.13, 2025 to January 13, 2026. This pattern of delays and extensions continues to suggest the government does not have and cannot find the evidence needed to make their case under Chinese law. We call on the Chinese government to release Dong Yuyu. In August 2025 we honored Yuyu with the prestigious NPC President's Award. We stand by Mr. Dong and his family as he fights for his freedom."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. With 3,000 members, the Club, through its Press Freedom Center, is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Bill McCarren 202-662-7534

SOURCE National Press Club
Arnon Rodthong, a well-known durian businessman in Thailand, went viral after promising 30,000 baht (US$920) for anyone willing to slap his sons mistress before backtracking and severing ties with him.

The tycoon, who owns a major durian warehouse in Lang Suan district in Thailands southern province of Chumphon, aired his sons affair and made the offer in a Facebook post earlier this week.

"To every gang in Lang Suan district, Im willing to pay 30,000 baht to anyone who assaults my sons mistress. You must slap her in the face at least ten times," he said, as quoted by local newswire Thaiger, adding that the woman "deserves it because shes having an affair."

Arnon went on to explain that the woman had previously worked for him and had married his nephew but subsequently got involved with his married son.

He said his post was meant to defend his innocent daughter-in-law and convince his son to break off the affair.

Thai durian tycoon Arnon Rodthong. Photo from Arnon Rodthong's Facebook

The post quickly caught the attention of Thai netizens, some of whom commended him for standing up for his daughter-in-law while others pointed out that the post was likely illegal for encouraging violence, according to Mothership.

Recognizing the possible legal implications, Arnon withdrew the offer and instead severed ties with his son, declaring that he would take back all assets previously registered under his sons name and give them to his granddaughter.

This is not the first time the durian tycoon has gone viral. In 2019, he made headlines after announcing a tournament to find a husband for his youngest daughter, offering a prize of 10 million baht and inheritance of his durian business, Khaosod English reported.

Reports at the time said his company, one of the largest durian distributors in southern Thailand, was purchasing 40 to 50 tons of fruit daily from farmers and had invested in real estate.

The tournament was later called off after public attention began to disrupt his family life and business operations.
Hybrid remains common, but more employers plan to increase required in-office days next year

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ResumeBuilder.com, the premier resource for professional resume templates and career advice, has published a new survey report examining companies' return-to-office (RTO) plans for 2026. The findings show that while hybrid work remains the norm, more companies will increase required in-office days and reduce remote options. In total, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 978 business leaders in October 2025.

According to the report, 3 in 10 companies will eliminate remote work entirely by 2026. Nearly half will require employees to be in the office at least four days a week, and 1 in 8 plan to increase in-office days next year. Among those increasing requirements, 64% say it's to strengthen company culture, 62% to improve productivity, and 45% to maximize office space.

"Many leaders claim to support hybrid work but are calling employees back more often because of underlying pressures and old habits," says Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. "They equate visibility with productivity and fear losing culture and collaboration. Executives still say 'hybrid,' but often mean structured office days rather than true flexibility."

Despite the push for more in-person work, fewer than one-third of companies offer incentives to encourage attendance. Only 28% provide any benefits for returning to the office, such as social events (55%), catered meals (51%), or commuter support (51%).

This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online via the polling platform Pollfish in October 2025. A total of 978 U.S. business leaders completed the survey.

To view the complete report, please visit: https://www.resumebuilder.com/3-in-10-companies-will-eliminate-remote-work-by-2026/

ABOUT RESUMEBUILDER.COM

ResumeBuilder.com provides templates to help job seekers create professional resumes. The website also offers up-to-date resources and machine-learning tools. With a team of certified resume writers, recruiting experts, and hiring managers, users gain a competitive advantage and confidence to get hired faster. To learn more, visit: https://www.resumebuilder.com/ .

SOURCE ResumeBuilder.com
STANFORD, Calif., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Secretary of the Interior and Energy Dominance Council Chair Doug Burgum is joining the second stop of the Energy Freedom Tour at Stanford University today.

The stop, hosted by the American Conservation Coalition and the Hamm Institute for American Energy in partnership with Stanford University, will feature other guests including Founder and CEO of Heron Power Drew Baglino; PG&E CEO Patti Poppe; Hamm Institute Executive Director Dr. Ann Bluntzer Pullin; and ACC Founder Benji Backer.

"We are proud to do our part to build an all-of-the-above energy future," said ACC VP of Development Alex Joyce. Post this ACC and the Hamm Institute for American Energy in Boston

ACC VP of Development Alex Joyce said, "Inspiring the next generation of Americans to enter the energy industry is essential to unleashing the power of American energy. We are proud to do our part to build an all-of-the-above energy future, and our team is excited to bring the message to the West Coast."

Hamm Institute Executive Director Ann Bluntzer Pullin said, "We look forward to continuing the Energy Freedom Tour and building a smart, innovative workforce for the future of American energy. We're grateful to Stanford University for their partnership in bringing this message to their student body."

The Energy Freedom Tour is designed to bring energy leaders of today and energy leaders of tomorrow together to share perspectives and champion an innovative, all-of-the-above approach to American energy abundance. Additionally, the tour seeks to highlight the importance of energy jobs, which are high-impact, well-paid, and mission-critical. The goal is simple: recruit the talent that will build and operate America's energy infrastructure and keep our competitive edge. Students can sign up for the Legacy Center , a job board for energy and conservation work.

The tour began in late September with guests including current and former Energy Secretaries Chris Wright and Ernie Moniz in Boston. The event was followed by an exclusive laboratory tour and included time for MIT students to present innovative projects to Secretary Wright.

For more information, visit EnergyFreedomTour.com . The tour will continue at Texas A&M on November 14.

The American Conservation Coalition (ACC) is a nonprofit organization committed to building the conservative environmental movement.

The Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University merges education, research, and policy to redefine the energy landscape with the mission to advance dispatchable energy that powers economies and secures our future.

SOURCE American Conservation Coalition, Inc.
Ford Dealer Days Offers Family-Friendly Fun for Oilers and Ford Fans

SHERWOOD PARK, AB, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sherwood Ford is hosting two exciting community events this October: the Fill a Ford Food Drive, running all month long, and Ford Dealer Days, taking place on Saturday, October 18, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the dealership. Community members are encouraged to drop off food items to help feed our community. Plus, doing so during Ford Dealer Days will enter individuals for a chance to win Oilers event tickets.

Fill a Ford Food Drive: Feeding Families Through the Holidays

Throughout the month of October, Sherwood Ford invites the community to participate in its Fill a Ford Food Drive, benefiting the Strathcona Food Bank. Guests are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items at the dealership to help local families in need during the upcoming holiday season.

Every donation countstogether, we can fill our Ford vehicles and fill plates across Strathcona County.

Plus, each test drive taken this month will earn a monetary donation from Sherwood Ford to the Strathcona Food Bank.

As a special bonus, participants who drop off donations on October 18 between 1 and 3 p.m. during Ford Dealer Days will have the opportunity to earn extra entries for prize giveaways, including exclusive Edmonton Oilers  Ford merchandise and game-day tickets.

Register today to join the fun and make an impact.

Ford Dealer Days at Sherwood Ford on October 18 from 13 p.m.

Location: Sherwood Ford, 2540 Broadmoor Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB

Date: Saturday, October 18

Time: 1:00 p.m.  3:00 p.m.

Admission: Free!

Sherwood Ford is thrilled to be a host location for Ford Dealer Days, a family-friendly celebration that brings together the excitement of the Edmonton Oilers and the innovation of Ford. This interactive event will feature fun activities, test drives, and chances to win exclusive prizes, all while connecting with the local community.

Event Highlights

Capture the Moment: Step into the fan-favourite photo booth and snap memorable photos with friends, family, and even Hunter, the Oilers' mascot.

Experience the Ride: Take part in exclusive test drives of the latest Ford models and discover advanced technology, comfort, and performance firsthand.

Play and Win: Join fun games and raffles for the chance to win OilersFord merch and Edmonton Oilers game tickets.

Meet the Legends: Meet beloved Oilers alumni and Lynx, their mascot, and enjoy a meet-and-greet and autograph session. Alumni guests will be announced closer to the event; follow Sherwood Ford's social channels for updates.

Fuel Up: Enjoy complimentary food and drinks while exploring everything Ford has to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to register to attend?

Yes, registration is highly recommended so we can ensure the best experience for all guests. Register here.

Who can attend?

Everyone is welcome! Bring your friends, family, and fellow Oilers fans.

Is there a cost to attend?

No, this event is completely free.

Will there be test drives?

Yes! Take a test drive during the event for another chance to win seats to an Oilers game.

Is it indoors or outdoors?

The event will take place both indoors and outdoors at Sherwood Ford.

About Sherwood Ford

Located in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Sherwood Ford is a trusted community-driven dealership dedicated to serving drivers across the Edmonton area. Known for its award-winning customer service, wide selection of new and pre-owned Ford vehicles, and commitment to local causes, Sherwood Ford takes pride in supporting the community year-round.

Relevant Links

Event Registration: https://tradablebits.com/tb_app/518964

Event Details (Eventbrite): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ford-x-oilers-dealer-days-tickets-1739053197929?aff=oddtdtcreator

Sherwood Ford Website: https://www.sherwoodford.ca

Follow on Social Media: @SherwoodFord

Sherwood Ford is your go-to destination for Ford vehicles, automotive services, and more.

SOURCE Sherwood Ford
SEOUL, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Religious persecution in Korea continued today with the indictment and continued detention of the 82-year-old Mother of Peace, Dr. Hak Ja Han.

As other recent legal proceedings confirm, this religious persecution is not limited to any one leader or church. Charlie Kirk put it best when he said, "There are some terrible things happening in South Korea right now."

In recent weeks, the world has come to recognize what is happening in Korea, While unacceptable, it is not new. Throughout history, the most powerful voices for peace have been persecuted by the systems they sought to redeem.

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for believing in equality. Mahatma Gandhi was jailed for teaching nonviolence. Mother Teresa was condemned for her compassion among the poor.

And now, today leaves no doubt  the indictment and detention Dr. Hak Ja Han places South Korea on the wrong side of history with so many others.

Persecutions based on Korean's faith, not their conduct, can never be condoned. And yet, that is where we are. As such, it marks yet another tragic moment for faith and freedom.

We fervently ask that the world pray for us. More will come so as long as the religious persecutions are allowed to continue here.

Make no mistake - this is not about justice  it is truly about religious persecution. In this case, the persecution of a woman whose entire life has been defined by peace, compassion, and service to humanity.

Dr. Han  a great-grandmother, humanitarian, and global spiritual leader  has harmed no one. Her only "crime" is her faith, her leadership, and her unrelenting vision that humanity can live as one family under God.

This moment is not about a courtroom  it is about conscience. It is about whether a nation that cherishes democracy will allow fear and falsehood to silence faith.

To those who believe in justice: we call on you to speak, to pray, and to act. This is not just a fight for one woman; it is a fight for the soul of religious freedom in the 21st century.

Though the walls of injustice may confine her, her spirit remains free  and so must ours. The Mother of Peace continues her mission through us all.

The persecution may continue  but our faith only grows stronger.

 President Demian Dunkley

Rev. Demian Dunkley, President Family Federation USA is available for interviews upon request.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ron Lucas

Communications Director

Agency of Record

Phone: (917) 686-9693

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Family Federation for World Peace and Unification
New Florida-based defense venture to produce advanced fuzes for mortars, artillery, and UAS systems

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TDR Industries, a Florida-based defense manufacturer & Broker, has joined forces with Reshef Technologies of Israel to establish Flash Fuzes USA, a new American company focused on producing precision fuzes for mortars and artillery.

With over 40 years of proven experience in the fuze industry, Reshef Technologies is a leading global supplier of advanced fuze systems to defense forces worldwide.

The company employs more than 300 specialists at its Israeli facility and is now expanding its footprint to the United States with a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Florida.

The investment, valued at several million dollars, is expected to create 3040 new high-tech jobs and strengthen local defense manufacturing capabilities.

"It is time for Reshef to expand and bring our expertise to the global stage, and the best way to do that is through the United States," said Berachya Spielman, CEO of Reshef Technologies.

"This partnership is an incredible opportunity to create new jobs and reinforce the U.S. defense manufacturing sector," added Itai Ivgi, CEO of TDR Industries. "It's an honor for TDR to collaborate with such a respected global partner and to help establish Flash Fuzes USA in Florida."

To support this strategic initiative, TDR Industries has retained The Southern Group, a leading U.S. government relations firm based in Texas, to assist with the regulatory, licensing, and establishment process.

Flash Fuzes USA has initiated its DDTC & ATF licensing process and is actively seeking a suitable location for its permanent production facility in Florida.

Companies and government agencies interested in partnership, procurement, or collaboration opportunities are encouraged to reach out directly.

Media & Business Inquiries: [email protected]

SOURCE TDR Industries
In recognition of the historic $55 million gift, Temple's College of Public Health will now be known as the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this fall, Temple University's College of Public Health (CPH) moved into its new home. Now, the college has a new name to match.

On Friday, Oct. 10, during the official grand opening ceremony for the newly renovated and reimagined Paley Hall, Temple President John Fry announced that University Trustee Christopher Barnett, CLA '10 , had committed $55 million to support CPH. It is the largest gift in Temple's history and in recognition of Barnett's generosity, CPH will now be known as the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health.

A historic $55 million gift from Christopher Barnett, CLA 10, will support Temple Universitys College of Public Health, which will now be renamed the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health in recognition of the gift.

"Today, I am thrilled and deeply moved to announce that Chris Barnett has just made a $55 million gift to the College of Public Health, the largest gift ever to Temple University," Fry said to the crowd of several hundred in attendance. "The word philanthropy comes from the Greek, meaning 'love of humankind.' Chris's gift is a true expression of that love. It will create many more opportunities for students to join the vanguard of future healers, researchers, and leaders across the health sciences and professions."

The gift comes at a time of considerable momentum for both Temple and CPH. With the opening of the 306,000-square-foot LEED and WELL certified Paley Hall, students, faculty and staff in CPH now have a unified home for the first time in the college's history. Prior to the opening of Paley Hall, CPH was spread across 11 buildings on both the Main and Health Sciences Center campuses.

Additionally, the $55 million gift is the second record-setting commitment that Temple has received in just over six months' time. In April, the university received $27.5 million from Caroline and Sidney Kimmel to support the new home for the Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts. This was the largest gift in Temple's history prior to Barnett's commitment on Friday. The commitment from Barnett is also the fourth largest gift that has ever been given to support a college or school of public health.

"At a time when public health is under attack by misinformation and funding cuts, my family and I asked ourselves how we could be part of the solution  and how we could help create the change we wish to see in the world. This gift reflects our belief that education is the most powerful force for progress and that, by strengthening the public health workforce, we can help shape a healthier, more equitable future for all," said Barnett, who is the founder and chair of ABA Centers, as well as the founder and CEO of ICBD.

For Barnett, the naming gift also represents a full-circle moment. Years ago, when he first applied to Temple, he was denied admission. However, Barnett met with an admissions counselor and pleaded his case, promising to graduate with a 4.0 GPA and give back as soon he was able to do so.

In the years since, he has gone on to launch ABA Centers, which has become the fastest-growing autism care provider in the world and currently provides services to families in more than 60 markets across 12 states and Puerto Rico. The organization employs more than 2,500 team members across the globe and since its founding, it has opened more than 30 autism care centers, including three throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.

ABA Centers' success has gained Barnett considerable recognition. In 2024, he was named the winner of the 2024 Ernst and Young (EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award. He was the first healthcare provider to win EY's national overall award. As Barnett's career has taken off, he has never forgotten where he came from, and he has never forgotten the promise that he made so many years ago. In fact, Barnett first gifted Temple with $1 million in 2022 to establish the ABA Centers Autism Lab, a multidisciplinary hub that conducts research, trains students, and offers diagnostic services to patients regardless of their ability to pay. He went on to support the university's on-campus food pantry, now named the Barnett Irvine Cherry Pantry, and in 2024, alongside the School of Social Work, he established Maddy's Room, a sensory-friendly space for students and faculty.

"Chris' story is one of the best examples of what it means to be Temple Made," Fry said. "At Temple and then throughout his career, he has persevered time and time again, and his career path should serve as an inspiration for all of us. I am incredibly grateful to Chris for his generosity and delighted that he continues to be so deeply committed to this university and its future success."

Mitchell L. Morgan, FOX '76, LAW '80, chair of Temple's Board of Trustees, echoed Fry's sentiments.

"As I have come to know Chris over the last several months, serving together as trustees, I have been impressed with how deeply he cares about Temple and its mission," Morgan said. "This gift reflects that, as it will have on a positive impact on the Temple community for years to come."

"This moment marks a new era for our collegeone that honors our mission and amplifies our impact. The Barnett College of Public Health will stand as a beacon for changemakers who believe, as Chris does, in the power of opportunity, compassion and perseverance to shape our communities," added Dean Jennifer Ibrahim.

Media Contact: Steve Orbanek: [email protected]

Temple University is a center of excellence in teaching and research, with an international presence and a commitment to the community.

Our talented faculty lead more than 600 academic programs across 17 schools and colleges, and on campuses and partnerships that span the globe, from Rome to Japan. While retaining our attention to Philadelphia, Temple draws students from the region, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States and around the world.

Today, more than 30,000 dynamic and diverse students call Temple their educational home. Temple is among the nation's largest educators in the combined fields of communication, dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and podiatry. The university's extraordinary faculty offer world-class teaching and experiences, while our researchers are engaged in solving the most difficult issues that we face today, from eliminating HIV/AIDS to helping communities deal with the impact of climate change.

More than 130 years after its creation, Temple continues to carry forward the vision of founder, Russell Conwell, who made his university the embodiment of its motto, "Perseverance Conquers."

SOURCE Temple University
The award-winning whiskey invites fans to celebrate with the signature cocktail while supporting the hospitality community and professionals

BARDSTOWN, Ky., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Elijah Craig Bourbon, the award-winning bourbon that helped define the classic Old Fashioned cocktail, proudly announces the return of Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week, running October 10 through October 19, 2025. Now in its sixth year, the brand-created celebration invites bourbon lovers to enjoy Elijah Craig Old Fashioneds at participating bars and restaurants nationwide  while also supporting the hospitality professionals who make the Old Fashioned experience possible.

Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week

"Old Fashioned Week is an Elijah Craig original, created to both honor the iconic cocktail and give back to the community that allows bourbon culture to thrive," Max Stefka, Associate Vice President, Elijah Craig Bourbon. "When you order an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned, you're not just raising a glass  you're raising hope and helping to support bartenders, chefs and service staff nationwide."

Cocktails for a Cause

Each year Elijah Craig's Old Fashioned Week celebrates the craftmanship behind both the cocktail and the people who make it. For every Elijah Craig Old Fashioned sold, the brand donates $1 for each drink to bar and restaurant workers in need (up to $100,000). Last year, with the help of Elijah Craig's donation, the Southern Smoke Foundation provided 760 no-cost mental health counseling sessions through their Behind You program along with $40,000 in emergency relief grants to industry workers nationwide.

Since its founding in 2020, Old Fashioned Week has raised nearly $500,000 for organizations like the Southern Smoke Foundation which provides emergency relief and mental health services to food and beverage workers. This year's celebration once against extends beyond the U.S. with events in Canada benefitting the Bartenders Benevolent Fund, and in the U.K., where proceeds will support The Drinks Trust.

Consumers can find participating venues through the online "Find a Bar" tool at www.oldfashionedweek.com, which lists locations exclusively serving Elijah Craig Old Fashioneds and twists on the classic.

Bartender Contest: A New Era of the Old Fashioned

Bartenders nationwide are encouraged to showcase their skills in the "New Era of the Old Fashioned Cocktail Contest," hosted by Elijah Craig and VinePair. Entrants will compete for a $15,000 grand prize and inclusion in the forthcoming "Old Fashioned Week Cocktail Companion: Volume 3." Entries will be judged on balance, creativity, and presentation. Submissions are open now through November 1, 2025.

About Elijah Craig

Known as "The Father of Bourbon," Elijah Craig is credited with being the first distiller to age his wares in charred oak barrels to make Bourbon. The clear, unaged corn whiskey became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that makes Bourbon what it is today. Elijah Craig's community impact continues through Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week, providing total donations of half a million to date to organizations supporting the hospitality industry. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the nation's largest independent, family-owned and led distillery and the world's second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon, the Elijah Craig lineup includes: Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Elijah Craig Toasted Rye Whiskey, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Elijah Craig's accolades have included Whisky Advocate's Whisky of the Year, Best Small Batch Bourbon and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and World's Best Small Batch Bourbon and Best Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon at Whisky Magazine's 2023 World Whiskies Awards. For more information, please visit www.elijahcraig.com.

IMAGES: here

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kaitlynn West

Heaven Hill Distillery

[email protected]

SOURCE Elijah Craig
Celebrate Truck Month with Exclusive Chevrolet Offers

FARMINGTON, Mo., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- It's officially Truck Month at Chris Auffenberg Dealerships, and that means now is the perfect time for drivers to get behind the wheel of a brand-new truck. For a limited time, well-qualified buyers can finance the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with an incredible 2.9% APR for 72 months when financing through GM Financial.

This special financing offer makes it easier than ever to drive home a powerful, dependable Silverado, a truck that's built to handle everything from daily commutes to weekend adventures and jobsite demands. Whether you're looking for a capable work truck or a refined ride with advanced technology and comfort, the Silverado 1500 lineup has a model for every kind of driver.

What Drivers Can Do During Truck Month

Test drive the latest 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and experience its power and innovation firsthand.

Explore a variety of trim levels, including the popular LT, RST, LTZ, and High Country models.

Customize their truck with available packages, accessories, and technology options.

Take advantage of trade-in appraisals to maximize their vehicle's value toward a new purchase.

Drivers are encouraged to visit their nearest Chris Auffenberg dealership to speak with a sales professional, explore financing options, and secure this limited-time offer before Truck Month ends.

About Chris Auffenberg Dealerships

Chris Auffenberg Dealerships have proudly served drivers across Missouri and Illinois for decades, offering exceptional customer care, competitive pricing, and a wide selection of new and pre-owned vehicles. Each location is committed to making the car-buying process simple, transparent, and enjoyable from first visit to final handshake.

As a trusted source for Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Buick, Lincoln, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles, Chris Auffenberg dealerships continue to help drivers find the right vehicle for their lifestyle and budget.

Visit During Truck Month

Truck Month won't last forever; visit a Chris Auffenberg Dealership near you today to explore the new 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and take advantage of 2.9% APR for 72 months for well-qualified buyers through GM Financial.

Find your next truck, your next adventure, and your next great deal, only during Truck Month at Chris Auffenberg Dealerships.

Chris Auffenberg's family of dealerships offers a variety of popular car makes and models, services, and financing.

SOURCE Chris Auffenberg
CPS Energy and Xcel Energy ranked top in the 2025 E Source Website Benchmark, which evaluated 94 public-facing utility websites for usability and feature availability.

BOULDER, Colo., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- E Source, a customer, grid, and technology solutions company focused on the utility sector, has announced the results of its 2025 Website Benchmark. The biennial study evaluated 94 public-facing utility websites across the United States and Canada to assess how effectively they serve residential customers.

Since 2002, the study has measured website performance on desktop and mobile devices on four key components: findability, functionality, content, and appearance. This year's study found that utilities are increasingly prioritizing providing multiple language options, with 61% of evaluated websites offering non-English language options, a 35.6% increase compared to 2021.

In 2025, CPS Energy (www.cpsenergy.com) earned the highest ranking, followed by Xcel Energy (www.xcelenergy.com).

"The scoring of this year's Website Benchmark emphasized accessibility more than previous editions," said Jordan Ellison, Senior Market Research Analyst at E Source. "Accessibility is no longer an optionit's a user expectation. The increase in language options and accessibility features also shows that utilities are prioritizing reducing barriers that might prevent customers from independently accessing the support and services they need."

Since 2023, median website scores in the Website Benchmark have increased by 7.2%, indicating improvements across high- and low-performing websites.

"Utilities are investing in digital experiences, and the improvements we're seeing in public website scoring shows that these efforts are making a difference," said Filomena Gogel, President of Research and Advisory at E Source. "Our research supports utilities in providing accessible online experiences that serve diverse customer needs. As digital spaces continue to evolve, we're excited to help utilities enhance their online presence."

In response to growing financial challenges among utility customers, the 2025 Website Benchmark expanded its scope to include Financial Assistance as a key feature. Other evaluated features included Outages, Payments and Billing, Energy Efficiency, Home Page, and Contact Us.

The Website Benchmark is part of E Source's Digital Self-Service subscription. Members will receive individualized and best-practice reports. To learn about how the Digital-Self Service helps utilities improve digital channels, visit Digital-Self Service.

The 2026 Website Benchmark will evaluate secure-side utility website features. To sign up to participate in next year's study, visit Website Benchmark.

About E Source

E Source combines industry-leading customer, grid, and technology solutions to help utilities make and implement better data-driven decisions that positively impact their customers, their bottom line, and our planet. Headquartered in Boulder, CO, E Source has teams across the US and Canada. Learn more at www.esource.com.

Media contact

Amy Sachrison, Vice President Corporate Marketing at E Source

[email protected]

SOURCE E Source Companies LLC
Integrated, modular solutions to address power and density challenges for AI environments will be unveiled at the 2025 OCP Global Summit

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced new rack, power, and cooling technologies designed to align with Open Compute Project (OCP) design guidelines and support high-density, energy-efficient data center environments. The innovations will be featured at the 2025 OCP Global Summit, Booth #C34, October 1316, highlighting Vertiv's continued commitment to advancing open and flexible infrastructure for evolving AI and compute workloads.

Vertiv PowerIT rack power distribution unit (PDU) provides up to 57.6 kW of reliable power distribution with monitored and switched models that deliver advanced management, load balancing, and cybersecurity features for high-density computing environments. Photo  Vertiv. Vertiv PowerBar Track, a modular overhead power distribution system for high-density AI and HPC applications, offers continuous power delivery through an open-track design that optimizes space and simplifies installation. Photo  Vertiv.

Vertiv's featured technologies demonstrate a broad range of OCP-aligned designs and concepts across multiple product categories. The Vertiv SmartIT OCP rack solution is a configurable, high-capacity rack system developed to simplify integration for system builders and support a variety of server and equipment types. The concept supports loads up to 142 kW and offers prefabricated configurations that combine validated power and cooling options for faster deployment and improved reliability.

Vertiv PowerIT rack power distribution units (PDUs), high-capacity systems recently released in North America and EMEA, provide up to 57.6 kW of power distribution, with monitored and switched models delivering advanced power management, load balancing, and cybersecurity features.

Vertiv PowerBar Track is a scalable, overhead power distribution system engineered for high-density AI and HPC environments. Its modular, open-track busbar architecture optimizes space, simplifies installation, and provides continuous power delivery. The system supports business continuity through reliable, upgradable components designed for future expansion.

Vertiv CoolChip Fluid Network manifolds from Vertiv's liquid cooling portfolio will also be on display in the booth rack, illustrating flexible and efficient approaches to managing thermal loads in high-density environments. These manifolds integrate with the Vertiv CoolChip CDU family and reflect ongoing development of modular, adaptive cooling technologies for AI and next-generation compute architectures.

The booth will also feature Harting connectivity and cabling solutions, developed in collaboration with Vertiv, demonstrating how compact, high-performance connections can simplify integration and save space in high-density environments. These solutions efficiently distribute power from the OCP Busway through the Power Distribution Box (PDB) and into the rack, reducing installation complexity and maximizing usable rack space for IT equipment. Vertiv's collaboration with Harting underscores its commitment to advancing reliable connectivity and open standards that benefit the broader OCP community.

"Meeting OCP standards is more than a compliance exercise; it's about delivering infrastructure that performs at scale," said Ramesh Menon, vice president of the IT systems business unit at Vertiv. "By integrating rack, busway, cabling, and distribution into one ecosystem, Vertiv is offering customers a faster, more reliable path to deploy AI-ready capacity across their facilities."

Together, these technologies reinforce Vertiv's broad portfolio across power, thermal management, IT management, integrated infrastructure, and global services. Vertiv's presence at OCP Global Summit reflects its focus on open, efficient, and vendor-neutral systems that support the next generation of data center design.

As part of the summit agenda, Vertiv will also share its vision for future innovation. Greg Ratcliff, chief innovation officer at Vertiv, will present "From Concept to Capability: Innovating the Future of OCP Reference Designs." The session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how Vertiv transforms early concepts into functional prototypes and how this approach accelerates the evolution of open infrastructure. Ratcliff will highlight the role of modular, scalable designs, AI-assisted planning tools, and collaboration with OCP stakeholders in creating data centers that are more adaptive, energy-efficient, and ready for emerging workloads such as AI.

For more information about Vertiv's OCP-compliant solutions and full portfolio of infrastructure offerings, visit Vertiv.com. To schedule a meeting with a Vertiv expert at the OCP Summit, visit Vertiv's scheduling page.

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers' vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today's data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv does business in more than 130 countries. For more information, and for the latest news and content from Vertiv, visit Vertiv.com.

Forward-looking statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27 of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. These statements are only a prediction. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements set forth herein. Readers are referred to Vertiv's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for a discussion of these and other important risk factors concerning Vertiv and its operations. Vertiv is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT

Ruder Finn

[email protected]

SOURCE Vertiv Holdings Co
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko states that the government supports the idea of introducing a zero-rate customs clearance for vehicles used by combat veterans, but a source of funding is needed.

"Regarding zero customs clearance. We support this idea, but the question is about the source. Finding the right source in a situation where resources are limited, which are entirely focused on ensuring the payment of salaries, lump sum benefits for the deceased, and for families, is crucial in a situation where we need to provide the security and defense sector with drones, deep strikes, and everything necessary to continue the fight," Svyrydenko said during Question Hour in the Verkhovna Rada on Friday, responding to a question about the prospect of introducing zero customs clearance for combat veterans for one vehicle with price restrictions.

She added that if such an opportunity arises, the government will ensure such a solution, because it supports it at the conceptual level.
Ukraine increased its imports of petroleum products by 3% (166,823 tonnes) year-on-year to 5,665,761 tonnes in JanuarySeptember 2025.

According to data from the State Customs Service, the value of imported petroleum products totaled $4.566 billion, down 11.1% from $5.134 billion during the same period in 2024.

Fuel worth $695.185 million (15.22% of the total) was imported from Poland, $595.812 million (13.05%) from Greece, and $569.152 million (12.46%) from Lithuania, while supplies from other countries amounted to $2.706 billion (59.26%).

As reported, Ukraine imported 7,562,556 tonnes of petroleum products in 2024, 1.1% less than in 2023 (7,646,537 tonnes).
Photo: https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported 245 combat clashes over the past 24 hours on Telegram as of 8:00 a.m. Friday.

"Yesterday, the enemy carried out 71 air strikes on the positions of Ukrainian units and settlements, dropping 161 guided bombs. In addition, 4,252 kamikaze drones were used and 4,146 attacks were carried out on the positions of our troops and settlements, of which about a hundred were from multiple launch rocket systems," the General Staff said.
The number of victims of the massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv has increased to twelve people, the mayor of the capital, Vitaliy Klitschko has said.

"As a result of the enemy's attack on the capital, 12 people were injured. Some eight of them are in hospitals. Four are receiving outpatient care," Klitschko said on Telegram on Friday morning.

The capital is experiencing energy and water supply problems following the attack, and schoolchildren have been told to stay at home.
A child was killed in a massive air attack by the Russian occupation army in Zaporizhia, more than 20 people are known to have been injured in the country, the attack was aimed at critical infrastructure facilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"The liquidation of the Russian attack on the energy sector is underway at many critical infrastructure facilities. A cynical and calculated attack: more than 450 drones and more than three dozen missiles against everything that ensures normal life and what the Russians want to deprive us of. As of now, more than 20 people are known to have been injured in the country - everyone is being provided with the necessary assistance. Unfortunately, a child died in Zaporizhia as a result of the attack. My sincere condolences to his family and friends," he said on Telegram on Friday morning.

The President noted that the consequences of the attack are being eliminated in 12 regions of the country.

"In Kyiv, brigades are working to restore electricity and water supply. There are power outages in Kyiv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Odesa regions, and the Dnipro region. Zaporizhia, Kirovohrad, and Kherson regions are also being restored after the attack. All necessary services are working on restoration," Zelenskyy said.

The head of the Ukrainian state emphasized that the aggressor's terror against civilian infrastructure can be stopped by the joint efforts of partners.

"It is precisely the civilian, energy infrastructure that is the main target of Russian strikes before the heating season. Together we can protect people from this terror. We need not empty words, but decisive actions - the USA, Europe, the G7 - in implementing air defense supplies, in sanctions. We are counting on a reaction to this cruelty from the Group of Twenty, all those who talk about peace in their speeches, but refrain from real steps. The world can protect itself from these crimes, and this will definitely add to global security. Thank you to everyone who helps," Zelenskyy said.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com

The European Union is launching three media initiatives in Ukraine to support independent media, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova announced on Facebook following her participation in the 10th Donbas Media Forum on Thursday.

At todays 10th Donbas Media Forum, we spoke about Russias ongoing efforts to deceive, spread disinformation, and use false narratives as part of its massive hybrid war  manipulating public opinion and influencing elections not only in Ukraine, but also across many European countries, Mathernova said on Facebook.

Despite its name, the Forum could not take place in Donbas  because the region remains under Russian occupation. More than 400 journalists came together in Kyiv, united by one goal: to defend truth against Russian disinformation and lies, the ambassador added.

Before the hundreds of participants, I announced the launch of three new EU media initiatives worth EUR 6.6 million. They will strengthen Ukraines independent media and help journalists continue their essential mission, Mathernova announced.

These projects  implemented by Internews, the Media Development Foundation, Reporters Without Borders & Institute for Mass Information  will:

- support 40 frontline media outlets and 20 investigative teams exposing corruption and Russian war crimes;

- provide protective equipment and emergency aid to over 400 journalists;

- and create 15 regional media hubs offering legal, safety, and professional assistance to more than 500 journalists across Ukraine.

The EU has long supported the independence of Ukraines media. Since 2017, we have invested over EUR 110 million in various projects  including EUR 57.5 million since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, Mathernova stressed.
The operational situation at the front remains difficult, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces are focusing their main efforts on deterring the enemy, stabilizing the situation in threatening areas, and inflicting significant losses on the enemy, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky has said.

"So, during September, the total losses of the Russian occupiers amounted to 28,500 people. Our defense is active. The counteroffensive operation of the Ukrainian troops in the Dobropilllia direction is ongoing. Thanks to the successful actions of the Airborne Assault Troops, assault regiments, and other parts of the Defense Forces, we are able to stop and repel the enemy, who planned to seize the entire Donetsk region in early autumn," Syrsky wrote on Facebook.

At the same time, he emphasized, over the past month the enemy has increased the number of air attack means used by 1.3 times.

"And although our air defense demonstrates efficiency at about 74%, we must make additional efforts to cover the rear energy sector, critical infrastructure, and logistics," Syrsky noted.

The defense forces are successful in implementing the DeepStrike program: last month, the number of hits on the territory of the Russian Federation was brought to 70.

"We are destroying the production of fuels and lubricants, explosives, and other components of the Russian military-industrial complex in the aggressor country. In particular, oil refining in Russia has been reduced by 21%," the commander-in-chief said.

The creation of a new type of troops is also being intensified - unmanned air defense systems within the Air Force. The system of assault troops is being improved and the Cyberforce command is being formed.

At the same time, measures to optimize military command bodies are underway in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They are designed to improve, simplify this system, and increase its efficiency. Thus, the Joint Forces Command and the Joint Task Force have ceased their activities, and their functions are being transferred to the grouping of troops (forces) formed on the basis of operational commands. The Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will also receive its important sector of the front with subordinate army corps.
BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's postal and express delivery industry handled a total of 7.231 billion parcels during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the State Post Bureau (SPB) announced on Thursday.

The industry handled an average daily volume of over 900 million parcels from Oct. 1 to 8, with overall operations remaining stable throughout the holiday.

An SPB official said that the postal and express delivery sector has continuously strengthened its services supply capacity and accelerated its integration into the culture and tourism industries in recent years.

During the holiday, the industry continued to promote the fusion of online and offline consumption across various sectors, supported innovation in diverse consumption scenarios, and worked to expand its development space, the official said.

This year, the National Day holiday coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, extending the public holiday period from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8.




Photo: https://t.me/svyrydenkoy

Emergency power outage schedules and special schedules are in effect in Kyiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has said.

"We held a meeting with key ministries, state energy companies, and everyone responsible for the progress of restoration work. After the airstrikes were lifted, restoration work began in all regions, repair crews are working. All necessary services have been involved," Svyrydenko said on Telegram.

According to her, Russia struck another vile blow specifically at civilian infrastructure, and it was one of the largest concentrated strikes specifically against energy facilities, and there is significant damage to the energy infrastructure.

"I heard a report from the Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine, the Minister of Energy and the Minister of Internal Affairs on the consequences and the restoration plan. Restoration work in the regions began immediately after the outages, and at 7:30 a.m. repairmen, energy workers, and involved services were already working across the country. There are instructions for each region. All services are working to restore power as soon as possible," she added.

The Prime Minister noted that in Kyiv and Kirovohrad region, full restoration of water supply is expected by the end of the day.

"Regarding the power supply in the capital, critical infrastructure has already been restored. Further work is ongoing. In a few hours, the Ministry of Energy will provide an update on the situation. Kyiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy regions - emergency outage schedules and special schedules are currently in effect, which the Ministry of Energy and Ukrenergo will separately notify," Svyrydenko said.

According to her, alternative energy sources have been provided for the duration of the work on the ground - generators, invincibility points, additional communication, and the number of police patrols on the streets and in transport in Kyiv and other regions has been increased.

"It is important that all representatives of local authorities, all community leaders provide maximum assistance to the restoration work and work in full cooperation with the regional and central authorities, with energy companies," she wrote.

As reported, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk reported that at night the Russians inflicted a massive blow on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, commenting on the initiative to limit the level of salaries of officials, stated that high-level specialists should receive a decent salary.

"Question on limiting salaries. It seems to me that if we want to have high-level specialists who will work for the state, they should receive a decent salary. The amount depends on what kind of body it is, what kind of state-owned enterprise it is," Svyrydenko said during the "hour of questions to the government" in the Verkhovna Rada on Friday, answering questions about limiting salaries for officials.

As reported, on October 1, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk and the Head of the Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy Danylo Hetmantsev submitted a proposal to the state budget for 2026 to limit the level of salaries of officials to a limit of UAH 80,000 per month.
Photo: https://t.me/DeepStateUA

The enemy continued mechanized attacks on Volodymyrivka in the Pokrovsk district (Donetsk region) and managed to land a large landing force using armored vehicles on Thursday, the OSINT project DeepState has said.

"According to updated data, at about 12 o'clock there were not four, but at least seven armored combat vehicles. At about 15 o'clock another attack took place again by 7 combat vehicles, and after 17 o'clock the enemy sent two tanks in the direction of the village. At least 16 compbat vehicles, six motorcycles were involved in the assault operations," DeepState said on Telegram on Friday.

According to the report, the aggressor troops landed in Volodymyrivka with a number of 50 to 75 infantrymen.

Analysts note that the enemy will try to take maximum advantage of the worsening weather conditions.

As earlier reported, Russian occupiers advanced near the village of Mykhailivka, Pokrovskydistrict (Donetsk region), near the village of Berezove, Synelnyk district (Dnipropetrovsk region), and the village of Poltavka, Polohiv district (Zaporizhia region), reports the OSINT project DeepState.
Among Ukrainians, a favorable attitude towards the idea of creating a government of national unity based on a broad unification of all patriotic forces in and outside the parliament prevails. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

"Yes, 49% of respondents said that they have a positive attitude towards such an idea. On the other hand, only 8% have a negative attitude. The remaining respondents have either a neutral (39%) or an uncertain (4%) attitude," the survey report states.

It is noted that in all regions of Ukraine the population is quite favorable towards the idea of a Government of National Unity. At the same time, the idea enjoys the greatest support in Western Ukraine.

Both among those who trust the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and among those who do not trust him, the attitude towards the idea of a national unity government is quite favorable.

Executive Director of KIIS Anton Hrushetsky, commenting on the survey results, noted that the survey raised the question of joining forces in and outside parliament, and, apparently, some respondents expect that forces outside parliament would also be able to take an appropriate part in such a Government.

"Yes, in Ukraine, the Defense Forces and volunteers enjoy the greatest trust, so many would like representatives of military and volunteer circles to be represented in leadership positions. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the attitude of Ukrainians towards parties and politicians as potential participants in such a broad association. As we have seen, in the case of no faction in parliament, the majority does not consider its activities useful, but at the same time 59% (i.e., the majority of the population) favorably assess the activities of at least one faction. With the addition of authoritative forces outside parliament, this indicator would be even higher. It is very possible that in the case of establishing constructive (in particular, without mutual insults and hostile rhetoric) and effective cooperation, Ukrainians could tolerantly perceive that such a broad association includes their political opponents. That is, the priority is still the effectiveness of cooperation," he explained.

Another practical issue, Hrushetsky emphasized, is leadership, that is, who could be the prime minister. As the KIIS survey in May 2025 showed, few politicians have a sufficiently high level of trust to claim the role of a unifying leader (if we are talking about the need for "national unity").

"Therefore, once again, the idea of a national unity government arouses favorable feelings among many Ukrainians, but at the same time we see that there are a number of practical issues that need to be resolved in order to gain more active support among the public," he said.

The survey was conducted from September 19 to 28, 2025. 1,029 respondents were interviewed using the method of telephone interviews (computer-assisted telephone interviews, CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers (with random generation of phone numbers and subsequent statistical weighting) in all regions of Ukraine (the territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine). The survey was conducted with adult (aged 18 and older) citizens of Ukraine who, at the time of the survey, lived in the territory of Ukraine controlled by the Government of Ukraine. The sample did not include residents of territories temporarily not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities (at the same time, some of the respondents are IDPs who moved from occupied territories), and the survey was not conducted with citizens who left abroad after February 24, 2022.

Formally, under normal circumstances, the statistical error of such a sample (with a probability of 0.95 and taking into account the design effect of 1.3) did not exceed 4.1% for indicators close to 50%, 3.5% for indicators close to 25%, 2.5% for indicators close to 10%, 1.8% for indicators close to 5%.

Under war conditions, in addition to the aforementioned formal error, a certain systematic deviation is added.
Detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), under the procedural guidance of a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), reported a notice of suspicion to the prosecutor of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), the SAPO reported on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

The SAPO prosecutor also notified two lawyers of suspicion, who are accused of inciting bribery.

"On the instructions of the Deputy Prosecutor General and Head of the SAPO, the prosecutor notified two lawyers of suspicion who were found guilty of inciting the provision of $3,500,000 in unlawful benefits for the closure of a criminal case, which was being investigated by NABU detectives, based on the 'Lozovy amendments,'" the SAPO said.

"As part of the pretrial investigation, it was established that lawyers and a prosecutor from the Prosecutor General's Office, having entered into a criminal conspiracy, proposed to a suspect in one of the NABU cases that he resolve the issue of closing the case by bribing officials of the SAPO and the HACC," the SAPO reported on Telegram.

According to the SAPO, according to the developed plan, individuals acted as intermediaries in the receipt and transfer of funds.

"Moreover, the amount of the unlawful benefit increased from $2,000,000 to $3,500,000. At the time of the crime's exposure, the prosecutor and defense attorneys received $200,000 in unlawful benefit from the suspect," the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office said.

The suspects' actions have been classified under Part 2 of Article 15, Part 4 of Article 27, and Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pretrial investigation is ongoing. Other possible participants in the criminal scheme are being identified.
By setting its substantial industry weight behind anti-censorship advocacy, Penguin Random House has become a leading force against book bans. In a letter saluting Banned Books Week 2025, PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya wrote that defending the First Amendment and the freedom to read has never been more urgent.

Malaviya said PRH will always stand firmly for free expression and continue to champion a free and open exchange of ideas. Every student should have the opportunity to have access to a wide range of books that build empathy, spark connection, and expand perspectives. Anticipating a common argument that certain books are inappropriate for their curricular contexts, Malaviya wrote, Not every book is for everyone, and thats why we trust expert librarians and teachers to select age-appropriate books for their communities, a role they have fulfilled successfully for decades.

To kick off BBW, PRH sent its bright orange Banned Wagon on a weeklong tour of Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, and it also organized a Save Our Stories Supper on October 6 at Washingtons Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Library. Right to read champions mingled and took turns at the mic, sharing their perspectives and demonstrating solidarity. Here are some highlights from the evening.

Skip Dye, chair of PRHs Intellectual Freedom Task Force, addressed attendees on the library rooftop. In a press statement, Dye said, This week is not just for celebrationits about action. By standing together as publishers, authors, educators, librarians, students, and readers, we can ensure that shelves remain filled with diverse ideas and perspectives, and that the next generation grows up with the freedom to explore them. On display nearby were the 30 frequently censored titles that PRH is featuring this week during its Banned Wagon tour.

The Save Our Stories Supper brought together authors and advocates including (from l.) Ibram X. Kendi, a young attendee, Karim Karefa-Smart, Jason Reynolds, Ramunda Young, Derrick Young, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, and Trevor Baldwin.

Malinda Lo, author of the National Book Award-winning Last Night at the Telegraph Clubone of PEN Americas top five most-banned books for the 20242025 school yeardelivered a message that book bans and challenges directly and negatively affect writers economically. While acknowledging the intellectual and psychological damages of censorship, Lo emphasized the economic harm done when libraries remove or dont order books. Schools and libraries are less willing to buy your book because theyre afraid it could be banned, Lo told listeners, and your publisher will probably be less willing to buy your next book. She added that childrens and YA authors have seen a steep decline in paid school visits, notably if they are people of color or queer people.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Associations Office of Intellectual Freedom, spoke about the ALAs advocacy mission in a year that has seen threats to federal funding of state libraries and threats to librarians who hold the line on privacy and access. ALA will close the week with a Let Freedom Read day of grassroots action on October 11.

Two nephews of Notes from a Native Son author James Baldwin, Karim Karefa-Smart (l.) and Trevor Baldwin, stood together at the Banned Wagon, which listed their late uncles 1956 novel Giovannis Room among the featured titles.

Trevor Baldwin (l.), executive producer of the Baldwin 100 podcast celebrating James Baldwins centenary, laughed with Mark Vonnegut, whose satirist father Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse-Five, one of the Banned Wagons 30 selected titles.

Hailie Bonz, who as a high school student participated in PRHs lawsuit combating Iowa book bans, has worked on youth coalition-building as a PRH public policy fellow and currently is a pre-law student in California.

Library advocate and TikTok personality Mychal Threets spoke at the gathering, days after being announced as the new host of the relaunched kids literacy show Reading Rainbow. Threets, known as Mychal the Librarian on PBS Kids, is the author of Im So Happy Youre Here! A Celebration of Library Joy, illustrated by Lorraine Nam (Random House, Feb. 2026).
The Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association gathered in Denver at the Renaissance Hotel & Conference Center October 58 for its annual FallCon, during which booksellers from across the West and Southwest networked with one another and with authors, publishers, and others during three days of programming. On Monday morning, as is the tradition, FallCon kicked off with the Childrens Authors and Illustrators Keynote Breakfast. This years presentations, by six authors and one illustrator, touched on themes of accessibility, inclusion, censorship, and the freedom to read, resulting in a morning that inspired and energized a packed room of booksellers.

The first speaker was Theresa Howell, who talked about her picture book, Books on Bikes, co-written with F. Isabel Campoy, and illustrated by Brizida Magro (Clarion). The story follows Lia, who reads upside down and around town and makes her beloved books accessible to her community by transporting them on her bike.

Discussing real-life books-on-bikes programs, and how they inspired this picture book, Howell emphasized the importance of bicycle-powered mobile bookstores, saying that they arent just transporting books: theyre transforming lives. Howell noted that Lia, while a fictional character, represents a new generation of readersas well as booksellers, going out into the community, rather than expecting people to come to them.

Describing Books on Bikes as a call to action, a way to engage ones neighbors and start conversations, Howell concluded by pointing out that sometimes the best way to inspire community is with two wheels and a basket full of books.

Noting that she, like other childrens authors, has a responsibility to write of the world both as it is and as it should be, Sara Pennypacker insisted that the gulf between the two has widened, so when she writes, she focuses on three things: providing information; characters who are role models, even in small ways; and the third thing is, kids really need us [authors]; they need people who believe in their characters, who believe them.

Pennypacker explained that she kept those three points in mind while writing Lions Run, illustrated by Jon Klassen (Balzer + Bray, Feb. 2026), which is set in occupied France during World War II, against a backdrop of a program established by the Germans that initially encouraged the impregnation of Aryan-looking teenage girls, but expanded into the kidnapping of children in Nazi-occupied countries. Lucas, a delivery boy, joins the Resistance when he learns that the pregnant teenage girls in a maternity home in his village are forced to give up their babies for adoption.

Our job as writers, Pennypacker concluded, is to give information that is appropriate for that age group to process, and that even a delivery boy in a French village can be a role model for others.

Tami Charles, accompanied by Bryan Collier, the illustrator of her picture book series, All Because You Matter, introduced the final volume in their trilogy affirming the value of Black lives, history, and culture, Together, United (Orchard). The series launched in 2020 with All Because You Matter, followed by We Are Here in 2023.

Together, United is the culmination: together we can create something beautiful, we can create magic, Charles said. The tale takes place on a school class trip to a planetarium, she explained, because such an excursion can help us imagine that were part of something bigger, and, Collier added, it forces you to think about how small you are on the planet.

Charles also praised booksellers for not just putting a book in a childs hands, but offering the gift of courage, the gift of resistance. Stories and books are being banned, but you have the power to fight that, she declared.

Jasmine Warga, author of The Claiming (Scholastic Press, Jan. 2026), the second volume in the Last Resort middle grade horror series launched by Erin Entrada Kelly last month, noted that she was writing in a new genre because she is the unofficial president of the Erin Entrada Kelly fan club. When Kelly asked her to write the second installment of tales set at an inn thats a portal between the worlds of the living and the dead, Warga happily agreed to leave her comfort zone and write about a boy, Teddy, who is obsessed with ghosts. The project was so much fun, she said, and its interactive: the reader can solve the mystery; and its accessible to readers of all abilities, which is important to me.

Warga also has another, more traditional novel coming out next spring, The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan (Balzer + Bray, March 2026), a tale about a rescue dog and a cheetah who become friends. The message in this read, she said, is that you dont have to be perfect to be worthy of love. She concluded by saying that the two books she had just presented may seem wildly different, but at the same time, their messages are similar: finding belonging, finding home.

Brandon Mull stepped up next to present the first volume in his new Guardians series, Forbidden Mountain (Labyrinth Road, Apr. 2026). Describing himself as a voracious reader as a child who loved The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mull said he was desperate to go to Narnia. I couldnt go into another world, he said, so I started doing it in my head, and became a writer. Ive been planning Guardians for 15 years, he said. Its my first series that you spend the entire series in another world.

The breakfast concluded with Shannon Hale, who read aloud from her new picture book, Holly Jolly Kitty-Corn, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Abrams), the story of a cat and a unicorn who decorate a Christmas tree together. Closing the book, Hale told the booksellers that she was accused of being a groomer and a pedophile because of this books prequel, Itty Bitty Kitty-Corn. Texas parents were outraged over a kids book about a kitten that wanted to be a unicorn, she said. A person on the [Katy, Tex.] school board said the main character wants to transform into something theyre obviously not, and that it was a transgender agenda. The controversy erupted again in Texas last year, when a group of people protested Itty Bitty Kitty-Corns inclusion in a childrens book festival in Abilene, but they were outnumbered by those supporting it.

Hale insisted that shed simply written about a kitten with a unicorn friend. Its up to the reader to take what they need out of it, she said, If theyre a trans kid whos like, I feel validated by this, hallelujah. But that is not the only purpose of books. The purpose of books is to be flexible and open so people can find themselves in it, whoever they are.

Censorship is about control, Hale said, And control always comes out of fear. If certain stories are [deemed] inappropriate, its saying that its dangerous to tell children to be you, no matter who you are. Its dangerous to tell them you are precious, lovable, worthy of a story, because if you tell children they can be who they are, then you cant control who they might become.

Hale concluded by urging booksellers to live in joy, as its the greatest rebellion against fear. Live in joy, despite everything, she insisted, because thats how change happens.
Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Associations FallCon in Denver revolved around the sold-out exhibit area on Tuesday, the second day of the annual conference. The trade show floor buzzed all day with lively exchanges between the 238 booksellers and 133 vendors and publishers, ranging from regional presses to big New York City houses, with some new companies like Left Field Publishing and Ghost Buyers, Edelweiss veteran Joe Fosters bookstore inventory management consultancy, introducing themselves.

Outside, in the ballroom foyer, veteran booksellers paired up for hour-long shifts at The Expert Is In table to dispense advice to a crowd of less seasoned booksellers on buying, author events, inventory management, social media, and marketing. Throughout the day, booksellers could also be found sitting on the couches and easy chairs lining the outer wall in the foyer, reading books.

The day began with a breakfast keynote featuring six editors from mission-driven presses. The panel shared the history of their respective imprints, pitched two to four of their hottest new and forthcoming releases, and explained how those specific releases fit into the larger framework of their imprint. The editors included Emily Bell of Astra House, Rosemary Brosnan of Heartdrum, Safon Floyd of Callisto, Emi Ikkanda of Tiny Reparations, Will Neville-Rehbehn of Torrey House, and Matt Weiland of W.W. Norton.

The keynote was moderated by Arsen Kashkashian, general manager of Boulder Book Store in Boulder, Colo., who later praised the MPIBA staff for setting up the session, saying that it puts the book in context, with the editor saying, heres what were trying to do, and heres how that book fits into our vision. Kashkashian noted that sales are up at Boulder Book Store, because the local community "has bounced back from the pandemic and is hopping, adding that the bookstore has launched a nonprofit, Boulder Book Store Literacy Foundation, to bring authors and donate books to schools in the area.

"We're trying to get books into the hands of kids who need them," Kashkashian said. "If kids don't have books, what's going to happen in 20 years?"

Rosa Mendez, a FallCon first-timer who opened Books by the Bay in La Porte, Tex., a Houston suburb, with her sister-in-law, Jessica Gutierrez, in December 2024, said that the sessions with authors, reps, or editors pitching their books were her favorite. I love to hear the authors, the publishers, and the editors pitching their books, she said. The more you know the person behind the book, the easier it is to handsell the book to your customers.

Books by the Bay, which sells only fiction for adults and children, started out as a pop-up in August 2024. We rushed to open it during the holidays after signing the lease, Mendez said, noting that the store is striving to become a community space, with programming that reflects that goal. Theres already a book club, and bookish craft nights, as well as wine tastings pairing wines with different genres of books, and other such interactive events. We want to make sure that reading is an experience, Mendez said. We want people to enjoy themselves.

Mendez added that she greatly enjoyed her interactions with booksellers from throughout the region at the conference, saying, Its good to know that were not alone in this.

Another first-timer, Isabella Bryan, 23, a bookseller for four years at Off the Beaten Path in Steamboat Springs, Colo., concurred. "We're all so similar," Bryan said. "I am with my people; I am in as a bookseller, I can't see myself out of it."

The importance of FallCon in fostering a community of booksellers in a geographically vast and diverse region where many MPIBA bookstore members are hours away from any other bookstore came up again and again in conversations with attendees.

Jesi Crawfordwho is opening a 1,200-square-foot bookstore, Indie Darling, in Lander, Wyo., on November 8is attending her second FallCon. Crawford said that she found it illuminating to attend FallCon at two different stages of the process of opening a bookstore. Last year, I was daydreaming, she said, and this year, its all about returns and inventory turns, and the financials.

Miranda [Berdahl] at Wind City Books in Casper [Wyo.] has really been helpful, and other booksellers are also taking me under their wings," Crawford said, noting that her fellow booksellers have offered her advice about how to navigate around in this cultural climate. She added, How do I make change in the world without pitchforks showing up outside my store?

Bookish excitement

Miriam Delgado, who has served since January as events manager at Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colo., said that attending FallCon was a great opportunity for her as a new bookseller learning the ropes. Its super exciting, hearing everyones passion for books, editors talking about the books they love, she said. Everyone here is so excited about books. Ive been going crazy, grabbing up books.

Speaking of books, if there was one book that created a buzz at FallCon, it was Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms, edited by Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, Kinsale Drake, and Darcie Little Badger (Torrey House, Nov.). Im very excited about it, Jesi Crawford told PW. There are so many incredible writers in there that I know from other places, and I love Torrey House: they publish really thoughtful books about the American West.

Anne Holman, the co-owner of the Kings English in Salt Lake City, who is attending her 20th or 22nd MPIBA trade show and loves that so many new people are here this year, is most excited about Blackstone Publishings illustrated edition of Dracula by Bram Stoker, which was released on Tuesday. Its unbelievable, she said.

Holman also raved about Chronicles Bibliophile Advent Calendar for Booklovers by Jane Mount. When you lift up each little book, you get a question about books or book-related trivia, she said. It retails for $40, but I ordered a bunch of them, so we can start selling them right away.

FallCon 2025 will wind down on Wednesday with a full day of education, with sessions on setting up clear, clever, and connected displays, leveraging digital media to increase sales, and, from the ABA, navigating attacks on ones bookstore. The conference will officially end with the Last Booksellers Standing Prize Drawing this afternoon.
The novels of Krasznahorkai, winner of this years Nobel Prize for literature, have a reputation for being formidable, perhaps because some of them sustain a single sentence across hundreds of pages, while others slowly develop an overarching theme with seemingly disparate vignettes. Its true that they tend to demand a great deal from the reader, but once youre in, it doesnt feel like work. Reading his fiction is like riding a never-ending wave. All you have to do is pay attention and stay on the board.

Krasznahorkai himself has described his work in similar terms, specifically The World Goes On, a set of monologues and stories: Each text is about drawing our attention away from this world, speeding our body toward annihilation, and immersing ourselves in a current of thought or narrative.

Its tempting to apply the above description to all of Krasznahorkais books, and to think of them as a retreat, but to do so would miss appreciating Krasznahorkais deep and impassioned engagement with the world. For instance, the more one worries about the rise of conspiracy theories, fascism, and groupthink, the more one will appreciate his most recent novel, Herscht 07769, about an intellectually disabled man forced into working for a neo-Nazi gang leader in their small German town, where nationalism is on the rise. You might even think of Krasznahorkais away from this world quote as wrapping around two sides of the same coin: our world, with all its distraction and insanity, requires from us a retreat of sustained attention to make any sense out of it.

It was Krasznahorkais earlier novels, The Melancholy of Resistance and Satantango, published in Hungary in the 1980s, that earned him his reputation on the world stage. Both remain incredibly powerful, but newcomers dont need to start at the beginning to grasp his brilliance.

These five books below, including two big novels, two novellas, and a collection, were all published in the past decade, and they each offer an excellent entry point into the adventure that is reading Krasznahorkai.

Buy this book Amazon Apple Books Barnes & Noble Bookshop Baron Wenckheims Homecoming Laszlo Krasznahorkai, trans. from the Hungarian by Ottilie Mulzet. New Directions, $27.95 (576p) ISBN 978-0-8112-2664-6 In this novel, a mad genius decamps to his hometown in Hungary, on the run from gambling debts. There, as our review noted, he determines to rid himself of human imbecility. It's a quixotic pursuit, of course, the type of which appears often in Krasznahorkais work. We also compared the book to Dostoyevsky, claimed that it places the author at the absolute summit of his decades-long project, and chose it as a best book of 2019.



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Buy this book Amazon Apple Books Barnes & Noble Bookshop Chasing Homer Laszlo Krasznahorkai, trans. from the Hungarian by John Batki. New Directions, $19.95 (96p) ISBN 978-0-8112-2797-1 This 2021 novella is also driven by a retreat, as the narrator flees a band of killers bent on annihilating him for unknown reasons. He seeks refuge on a Croatian island, said to be the place where Odysseus was held captive by the nymph Calypso. Our review said this one reads like a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie dreamed up by Beckett and Kafka.



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Buy this book Amazon Apple Books Barnes & Noble Bookshop Herscht 07769 Laszlo Krasznahorkai, trans. from the Hungarian by Ottilie Mulzet. New Directions, $19.95 trade paper (512p) ISBN 978-0-8112-3153-4 I dont recommend having a fever, but I happened to be laid up with one when I devoured this 512-page novel, and it felt like the perfect state to be in for the story of Florian Herscht and his mission to warn German chancellor Angela Merkel of an oncoming apocalypse. Even more arresting than Florians bizarre and misguided conviction of the world's end is Krasznahorkais description of Florians backwater town, where rising nationalist sentiments offer cover for a band of neo-Nazis: Almost everyone here is a Nazi, even the ones who dont realize it yet, says one character, a lonely antifascist. We named the novel among the top 10 books of 2024.



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Buy this book Amazon Apple Books Barnes & Noble Bookshop Spadework for a Palace Laszlo Krasznahorkai, trans from the Hungarian by John Batki. New Directions, $17.95 (96p) ISBN 978-0-8112-2840-4 Fans of Herman Melvilles Bartleby, the Scrivener and especially Enrique Vila-Matass novel Bartleby & Co. will love Krasznahorkais 2022 novella about a New York City librarian. The librarian, whose name is herman melvill, is obsessed with Melville (our review points out that herman's choice of lowercase style for his name signifies "his lowly self-regard compared to the classic author"). Amusingly, herman stakes a position similar to that of Bartleby, who is known for saying he would prefer not to, by refusing to lend out books.



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If theres one thing the Trump administration understands, its that foreign affairs is about a lot more than guns and planes. The America First agenda relies heavily on economics to project U.S. power through tariffs, partnerships with global corporations, and customized trade deals with other nations.

This strategy has been especially effective in outflanking China, which has barreled its way to the top of the economic food chain in recent decades. Thats why its important that the administration understands that its new agreement with Pfizer may end up hurting the America First agenda and empower China as it nips at our heels in drug manufacturing.

The partnership includes domestic manufacturing and consumer assistance pledges from Pfizer as well as a proposed website for direct consumer access to generic drugs. While the website details wont be known until 2026, it already joins Mark Cubans Cost Plus Drug Company and Amazon RXPass as the best-known brands that are capitalizing upon patients desire to find lower costs without sacrificing their health or time.

Every direct-to-consumer company proclaims some combination of lower costs, convenience, and/or no insurance required. But generic drugs make up only 12% of all drug spending, and the ones provided by DTC companies include few or none of the most important (and expensive) specialty drugs. Cancer patients, for example, need cost savings the most, but they wont find their life-saving medications online.

This means that no matter how many drugs are purchased from the proposed Trump/Pfizer website, it wont make much of an impact on China. And thats a shame, because according to a new report by economist Vance Ginn, the nation handles 30% of the worlds manufacturing - not far behind Americas 35%, itself a drop from 39% since 2009.

And despite being a global opponent, China plays a key role in our domestic drug development and use. Researcher Camm Epstein, citing multiple sources, recently noted that 40% of all prescriptions in the U.S. come from India. The latter relies on China for about two-thirds of the active pharmaceutical ingredientsneeded to produce those drugs, according to Epstein.

Got it? Were relying on our greatest geopolitical rival to stay healthy  the same country that created and lied about a global pandemic, and sent a spy balloon across much of the country shortly thereafter.

Its not a far cry to wonder what would happen to our military servicemembers and civilian workforce if we were in a cold or hot war with China. Chinas leaders could easily decide to pull its manufacturing inward, causing shortfalls of critical drugs that could harm millions of people.

Talking about drug manufacturing from a national security perspective may sound farfetched, but economics often matter far more to international affairs than headline-grabbing military action or diplomacy. The economics of slavery caused the U.S. Civil War, Americas oil embargo led to Japans attack on Pearl Harbor, and the First Gulf War was launched because Saddam Husseins Iraqi military invaded Americas oil-laden ally Kuwait.

It is incumbent upon America to become independent of Chinas economic influence related to many areas of manufacturing, such as automobiles, batteries, and iPhones. Thats why drug manufacturing should be part of all of President Trumps tariff and trade negotiations. Improving supply chains with regional and global partners will strengthen alliances, weaken China, and keep our nation healthy and strong should conflict break out.

However, freeing America from Chinas grip wont be easy - Epsteins report lays out how China systematically became a dominant world player in the drug manufacturing space. Interestingly, he and Ginn differ significantly on solutions  the latter advocates for reduced regulations to spur innovation and domestic production, while Epstein takes a national security approach that includes tax and purchase incentives as well as targeted tariffs.

But either approach would be better than focusing on the paltry percentage of drugs that are generic. It makes for a good headline for the administration, but it wont do much good for keeping prices down domestically  and it might distract us from real solutions to reduce dependency on China.

Irene Watkins was a policy analyst for The Heritage Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense, with a specialty in understanding global power positioning.
The imminent release of hostages from Gaza under President Trump's peace deal, which was announced yesterday, is cause for celebration and will bring relief to families who have endured two years of anguish. But this moment masks a strategic catastrophe that threatens to perpetuate an endless cycle of abduction and murder.

At the heart of Israel's vulnerability lies an unspoken social contract: citizens serve in the military, and the state promises to do "everything" to bring them homethrough rescue or negotiation at a "heavy price." This principle of mutual responsibility, the cornerstone of Israeli society's resilience, has become a strategic liability.

Israel's demonstrated willingness to pay extraordinary pricesreleasing 1,150 prisoners in the 1985 Jibril deal for three soldiers, or 1,027 for Gilad Shalithas transformed every Israeli into a high-value target. Enemies understand that capturing one Israeli achieves strategic objectives impossible on the battlefield.

The social contract must evolve. The state's promise cannot remain "we will trade for you." It must become "we will destroy those who capture you." This shift from retrieval-through-concession to deterrence-through-retribution changes the enemy's expected outcome from strategic victory to total annihilation, removing the incentive for hostage-taking entirely.

Ancient Israel understood what modern leaders have forgotten. King Saul fell on his sword rather than face capture by the Philistines. Samson chose death over continued humiliation as a prisoner. These warriors recognized that becoming a hostage meant becoming a weapon against their own people.

Those invoking biblical precedent to justify hostage negotiations misread the texts. Abraham rescuing Lot and David recovering the people of Ziklag involved decisive military action, not negotiation. The precedent supports rescue operations, not concessions that legitimize hostage-takers.

Most critically, Jewish law itself prohibits what modern Israel practices. The Mishnah explicitly states: "We do not redeem captives for more than their market value, for the sake of the good order of the world." The ancient rabbis understood that paying exorbitant prices encourages more kidnappings, ultimately causing greater suffering.

A critical distinction exists between legitimate prisoner of war exchanges and terrorist hostage negotiations. The Geneva Conventions establish protocols for POW exchanges: typically symmetrical trades between sovereign states at the cessation of hostilities, involving uniformed combatants lawfully captured in battle.

Israel's hostage exchanges occur with non-state actors operating outside any legal framework. The captives include civilians unlawfully abducted from their homesa war crime under international law. Yet Israel consistently agrees to wildly asymmetrical trades: 1,000+ Palestinians for 30 hostages in 2025, 240 for 105 in 2023, 435 for one civilian and three bodies in 2004.

History provides a damning verdict. The 2011 Shalit deal directly enabled the October 7 massacreamong those released was Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the deadliest attack in Israeli history. Hamas leader Ahmed Jabari confirmed the prisoners released in that deal were collectively responsible for killing 569 Israeli civilians.

The Israeli association of terror victims reports that 180 Israelis lost their lives to terrorists freed in prisoner exchanges since 2000. In 2015 alone, six Israelis died in incidents involving Shalit-deal prisoners who returned to militant activity.

As one Israeli negotiator revealed, "Shalit was kidnapped by Sinwar's brothers in order to free Sinwar"the operation succeeded precisely as intended. The released terrorist then learned Hebrew in Israeli prison, studied Israeli society for 22 years, and used that knowledge to plan October 7.

Western leaders fail to grasp how terrorist groups view these negotiations. For Hamas, hostage-taking isn't desperation but a proven strategy delivering strategic victories. One captured Israeli frees a thousand Palestinian fighters. Those thousand kill hundreds of Israelis. The cycle continues because Israel treats each crisis as isolated rather than recognizing the systemic problem.

Israel must fundamentally shift its approach. First, declare that it will never again negotiate for hostages with terrorist organizationsremoving the incentive entirely while maintaining normal prisoner exchanges with legitimate state actors. Second, any terrorist group taking Israeli hostages must face immediate existential consequencesnot limited operations but complete organizational destruction.

Third, pursue root cause eliminationdestroying not just military infrastructure but the entire ecosystem enabling hostage operations: tunnel networks, command structures, financial systems, and political leadership.

This acknowledges the human cost. Some rescue attempts will fail. Some hostages may not survive. But the alternativeperpetual cycles of abduction and releaseguarantees far greater suffering. When Israel chose military action over negotiation in 1994 with soldier Nachshon Wachsman, the rescue failed and Wachsman diedbut it sent a clear message that kidnapping wouldn't be rewarded.

After the current hostages return, Israel faces a defining choice. It can return to the failed paradigm of management and containment, guaranteeing future October 7ths. Or it can use this moment to fundamentally restructure its approach to asymmetric warfare.

Changing the social contract requires national courage. Israel must tell its soldiers and citizens that their protection comes not from negotiating their release but from ensuring no enemy survives the attempt to take them. The Israeli Cabinet's 26-3 vote approving the Shalit deal represented not compassion but strategic blindness.

Israel's enemies have learned that kidnapping works. The only way to unlearn this lesson is through decisive action making hostage-taking suicidal for those who attempt it. History will judge Israel not by how many hostages it recovers through negotiation but by whether it finds the courage to end the hostage crisis permanently. Sometimes the most humanitarian act is refusing to negotiate with those who weaponize humanity itself. Israel's moral responsibility demands nothing less than complete victory over the infrastructure of terror. The social contract must evolve from a promise to trade for captives to a promise to annihilate their captorsonly then will the cycle finally break.

Gregg Roman is Executive Director of the Middle East Forum.
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) has assisted victims of the massive combined missile and drone attack by the Russian army in Zaporizhia and Kyiv.

"Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross rapid response unit in Zaporizhia region provided first aid and first psychological assistance to the victims," the URCS said on Facebook on Friday.

Volunteers of the rapid URCS response unit worked at the site where UAV debris hit in Kyiv. They conducted a house-to-house tour of the damaged house to identify the victims and provided first aid to one wounded person.

As reported, a 7-year-old boy was killed and 5 more people were injured as a result of the Russian shelling of Zaporizhia.

Some 12 people were injured in Kyiv, 8 of whom are in hospitals. Damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure was recorded in several districts of the city.
When Americans think of Iranif they do so at allit is usually because of Irans support for terrorist movements around the world and its efforts to build its own nuclear arsenal. But despite successful U.S. and Israeli attacks on Irans nuclear program inside Iran, the killing of many of Irans proxies in Hezbollah and Hamas, and the removal of the Iranian regime in Syria, 92 million Iranians remain hostage to a murderous dictatorship. Many of them face executiona sober reminder as we commemorate World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Iran executes more people than any other nation. In 2024 alone, Iran hanged over 1,000 prisoners. In the first 9 months of 2025, the regime has already exceeded that number. These were not violent criminalsbut political prisoners whose major crime was speaking out against human rights abuses in Iran. But not all the thousands of political prisoners will die by hangingmany will die by medical neglect.

One person who faces that threat is Maryam Akbari Monfared. The mother of three daughters, Maryam has spent 16 years behind bars in Irans notorious prisons. Her crime? Demanding answers about the extrajudicial killing of her three brothers and a sister in the 1980s. Rather than burying their memory, Maryam demanded answers, filing a formal complaint with the judiciary and asking why her brothers and sister had been killed.

After being incarcerated in 2009, Maryam secretly sent a complaint to the UN urging an inquiry into the fate of her sister and brothers. This infuriated the authorities, who responded with vengeance, increasing her sentence to 15 years. When that sentence neared its end, officials fabricated new charges to keep her locked away for two more yearsa tactic commonly used to indefinitely detain political prisoners whose release might inspire others. In all the years shes been imprisoned, Maryam has not had one single day of furlough.

Now, almost 50 years-old, Maryam suffers from chronic health conditions including severe spinal cord injury and a herniated disc, yet she has been denied access to proper medical care. This medical neglect is not because of lack of resources but is used as a deliberate strategy to pressure victims, slowly extinguishing the lives of prisoners whose only crime is speaking out.

Maryams story is about resistance, and the price of truth. In the 1980s, three of her brothers and one sister, charged with enmity against God, were murdered for their affiliation with the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), a leading pro-democracy Iranian opposition group. In the summer of 1988, the regime massacred 30,000 political prisoners, most of them PMOI/MEK members, in what UN Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman described in his 2024 report Atrocity Crimes In Iran as a crime against humanity and genocide.

And the threat continues. Today, at least 17 political prisoners affiliated with the MEK are on death row, facing the same charge ofenmity against Godthat condemned Maryams sister and brothers. They are activists, students, and ordinary citizens who dared to speak out and are willing to pay the ultimate price to bring an end to tyranny in Iran.

The growing number of political prisoners on death row is not just a tragedyit is a testament to the rising tide of resistance inside Iran. Every new death sentence handed down to a dissident is a measure of the regimes fear of its own people. The spike in executions is not a sign of strength, but of desperationa decaying regime terrified by the courage and defiance of those it cannot silence.

Maryams story is not just about Iran and Iranians. It is universal. It is the story of every woman who has stood up to tyranny, every mother who has fought for her children, every sister who has refused to forget. It is the story of human dignity in the face of state violence.

And it is a story that demands our attention.

As we mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty, the global community must raise its voicenot just for Maryam, but for the thousands of political prisoners who languish in prisons across Iran. Western governments must predicate diplomatic engagement with Iran on respect for human rights. Moreover, international organizations should investigate the 1988 massacre and the regimes ongoing crimes. Every person of conscience must stand with Irans dissidentsnot as victims, but as heroes.

Maryam Akbari Monfared has sacrificed everything for the hope of a democratic Iran. Her courage is a challenge to all of us: Will we stand with her, or will we look away?

The regime in Tehran has spent 46 years trying to silence dissent. It has executed more than 100,000, tortured countless more, and turned prisons into graveyards. But it has failed to kill the spirit of resistance. That spirit lives in Maryam. It lives in the streets of Iran, where women and men continue to risk everything for freedom.

Let us honor that spirit today. Let us make this day not just a commemoration, but a commitment.

Because the fight against executions in Iran is not just about ending deathit is about affirming life for a great nation. And Maryam Akbari Monfared is proof that even in the darkest cell, life can still shine.

Linda Chavez is a former White House Director of Public Liaison and US Expert to the United Nations Human Rights Subcommittee on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.
Disney/Michael Kirchoff

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/09/2025



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

New star Taylor Frankie Paul's mother Liann May has shared her thoughts on Taylor having sex in the Fantasy Suite during her season.Taylor, a 31-year-old divorced mother of three and the creator of #MomTok in her Mormon community, will be handing out roses on 's 22nd season when it premieres in 2026, and part of her journey will include the off-camera overnight dates, presumably with her Final 3 suitors."I think the best situation is that you know who you're going to pick going into Fantasy Suites, right?" Ashley Iaconetti told Liann during a recent episode of her "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast."Ashley continued, "Those leads usually end up just sleeping with the one person they know they're going to pick. Because when you go into it and you sleep with everyone, it can get really messy!""Oh, I bet!" Liann said in reply."I will be so pissed if she goes in and does that. I will. I will be so mad!"Liann went on to admit, "And I know [Taylor] doesn't care , really, what I think. She does, but she doesn't. It's just weird."Taylor recently opened up on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast how she's not sure how she's going to handle Fantasy Suite Week on 's upcoming 22nd season.Taylor admitted she'd "feel lots of guilt" and pretty "sh-tty" to sleep with multiple guys , but at the same time, she reasoned, "If you don't connect, that could be a huge issue down the road."Liann noted of her daughter, "She always says, 'You wouldn't buy a car... unless you test drive it.'"Liann confessed to Ashley that she absolutely hates that saying."It's like, I didn't have sex with my husband [Jeremy May] until I got married, and I already had [Taylor]. So I tried it that way first and then obviously I've been married for 29 years, so that is so not true," Liann explained.(Jeremy is Taylor's stepfather, who adopted Taylor when she was two-years-old)."Our relationship is, like, a great relationship and I don't know," Liann elaborated of her marriage. "I just think that [the test-drive theory] is not true about people."But Ashley pointed out how dating in The Bachelor world is very different from the real world."If you have to test drive the car, right, make it the person you're going to pick... You can go through it and you can sleep with no one in the Fantasy Suites -- which is probably the best idea -- and your test drive is after the show," Ashley suggested, adding how an engagement isn't a marriage.Liann said, "Yes, I agree!""And to be honest," Ashley noted, "a lot of people who leave the show engaged think, like, 'Okay, now we're starting to really date.'"Liann complimented Ashley for going on The Bachelor franchise as a virgin."I love that, because you were a great example to so many people. I think with the younger generation, there's hookup culture, and I just feel like, 'Gosh, you give so much of yourself to these guys or vice versa!'" Liann shared."The men too, and it's just like, I don't know, I wish more [people], especially women, would value themselves more and didn't give it up that quick."Liann argued that there's "so much more to" sex than just physical pleasure."Sex, it's a connection that you give to someone else, and [would you give that to] somebody you just don't know or isn't that great?" Liann questioned.Taylor married Tate Paul in 2016 and the pair welcomed two children together: daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5.Taylor previously admitted to violating the rules of the couple's soft-swinging arrangement by becoming more intimate with another man in their friend group, which led to their separation and eventual May 2022 divorce.The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered in 2023 on Hulu, featured Taylor's cheating scandal.The show has also documented Taylor's first post-divorce relationship with Dakota Mortensen.Taylor and Dakota made their romance public in July 2022, and then they welcomed a son together, Ever True, in March 2024.Taylor and Dakota appeared to break up in late 2024, although Taylor didn't publicly confirm their split until May of this year.While won't be returning until next year, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is set to release new episodes on November 13 on Hulu.Two other stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck, are also currently competing on Dancing with the Stars' 34th season on ABC and Disney+.'s official premiere date and cast of bachelors for Season 22 will be announced at a later date.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
'Solutions developed in India are being commercialised and offered globally because we're executing at scale, creating new markets and revenue streams.'

Kindly note that this illustration generated using Google Gemini has only been posted for representational purposes.

In this two-part interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff, Monica S Pirgal, CEO of Bhartiya Converge, reveals how tier-2 cities are becoming GCC magnets with government support and local talent pools.

She also reveals why metros still dominate leadership roles, the hub-and-spoke model's success, and India's evolution from cost-driven back offices to strategic innovation hubs powering Fortune 500 companies.

India's GCC industry is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030. From your perspective as someone who has led GCCs for global firms, what explains the accelerated confidence that global CEOs now have in India?

There are two key aspects to consider: The global scenario and what India offers globally. External factors such as supply chain concerns and tariff situations have created significant pressure on global businesses to either increase their top line or reduce operating costs to impact their bottom line positively.

As global CEOs seek solutions to these challenges, GCCs represent one of the best options available.

The confidence stems from proven success -- approximately 30 of the Fortune 500 companies have already established their global capability centres in India. This success is built upon India's strategic investments over the past 30 years in education, coupled with our English-speaking population, lower labour costs, and labour arbitrage advantages.

When you combine all these elements, it creates a highly successful formula for executing global work at reduced costs with the right talent arbitrage.

India now possesses well-trained talent that has matured over three decades of working in various GCCs. These professionals have progressed to senior leadership roles and possess deep industry understanding, enabling them to help global CEOs execute plans and visions crafted at global headquarters but implemented from India.

Additionally, our startup culture has significantly accelerated this trend. Bootstrapped and highly agile startups are developing solutions that global organisations can implement through GCCs at substantially lower costs, with innovation at the forefront of these startup communities.

Would you say that cost arbitrage is the most important reason why global companies establish GCCs in India?

No, that narrative was predominantly relevant about two decades ago, particularly in the early 2000s around 2005. During that period, large Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) companies came to India primarily for cost arbitrage because we had abundant deployable talent, and the salary differential was substantial.

However, the landscape has transformed dramatically. The same talent that started working two decades ago has now become very senior and requires no training -- it's essentially plug-and-play. Professionals are ready from day one and can deliver immediately. In contrast, back in 2004, when costs were lower, employers had to invest in training periods to prepare talent.

Today, cost arbitrage is completely secondary. Whilst it remains one of many driving factors, the primary attractions are our trained talent landscape, innovation mindset, and global exposure working with international setups.

The cultural understanding of working with US and UK companies -- including requirements, time zones, and business practices -- cannot be developed overnight. This expertise now plays a crucial role in CEOs' decisions to look towards India for solutions to problems being discussed in their boardrooms.

In the early years, GCCs were often dismissed as back-office centres. How have you seen their role transform, and what does this shift mean for global boardrooms?

You're absolutely correct. Twenty to thirty years ago, when work initially moved to India, the country was still being explored as a viable geography -- it was largely trial and error for global companies. With this experimental mindset, companies weren't willing to send leadership or transformational work to India. The approach was to have larger teams at headquarters with smaller extensions in India, simply executing tasks under guidance.

This led to the terminology of 'outsourced' versus 'captive' models, where captive centres had dedicated talent working exclusively for one account, unlike tech services where talent worked across multiple brands.

Today, with talent maturity and India's global readiness, the Indian workforce has become more globally oriented than many actual global MNCs themselves.

Many companies in the UK and US haven't ventured outside their own countries for business or talent leverage, whilst India has extensive experience with numerous GCCs, making us exceptionally prepared for global work requirements, time zones, and cultural nuances.

This maturity now drives innovation and transformations, with ownership increasingly residing in India. GCCs have evolved from cost centres to strategic innovation hubs that contribute directly to global business transformation.

Could you highlight some specific innovations being carried out at GCCs in India currently?

Across various industries, we're witnessing remarkable innovation.

In the automotive sector, substantial intellectual property and patents are being created through GCCs and R&D centres. For instance, Jaguar Land Rover claims that every car is touched by an Indian professional at some point in the manufacturing process, with numerous patents being generated locally.

Technology companies are creating innovations through startup collaborations and independent development. GCCs that initially came to build capabilities are now creating business value propositions.

Solutions developed in India are being commercialised and offered globally because we're executing at scale, creating new markets and revenue streams.

A notable example involves a major retailer where a technology solution developed for their specific needs proved so agile and effective that they monetised the concept, offering it to other retailers in the market.

This demonstrates how GCCs have evolved from being cost items on balance sheets to becoming revenue streams, identifying new revenue opportunities for global operations.

For the 30 Fortune 500 companies operating GCCs in India, what portion of their revenues could be attributed to Indian GCCs?

These 30 GCCs primarily function as capability centres building competencies for global businesses rather than creating markets specifically in India. Even as some GCCs support the Indian market alongside US or UK markets, the direct revenue impact from GCCs creating new revenue streams remains limited.

Currently, only a small percentage of GCCs are actually generating revenue streams -- I'd estimate this is still in single digits.

The primary function remains building capabilities for global operations rather than direct revenue generation, though this is gradually evolving.

Tier-2 cities like Coimbatore, Kochi, Jaipur and Indore are emerging as magnets for new GCC investments. Beyond cost advantages, what makes these locations attractive, and how does talent retention compare with metropolitan areas?

The evolution began when metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon reached saturation after successfully capitalising on GCC opportunities due to available talent pools.

Recognising this lucrative opportunity for state revenue generation, other state governments developed highly viable and business-friendly GCC policies, offering rebates, refunds, and incentives to attract global companies.

The attractiveness of tier-2 cities is significantly enhanced by government support -- companies wouldn't naturally consider locations like Coimbatore without substantial governmental assistance in establishment.

This governmental support is complemented by educational infrastructure, with numerous colleges being established in tier-2 cities. Previously, graduates from these cities would migrate to metros for employment.

Now, with jobs available locally, there's reduced motivation for talent migration to tier-1 cities, creating more equitable talent distribution.

However, metros continue to dominate in leadership roles due to global exposure and transformational mindset requirements for GCC leadership.

The optimal model appears to be hub-and-spoke, where leadership remains in metros whilst operational teams function in tier-2 cities, combining the cost arbitrage of tier-2 locations with the leadership and talent arbitrage of tier-1 cities.
SP Group chairman Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry on Friday reiterated calls for public listing of Tata Sons to bring transparency, amid infighting among trustees of Tata Trusts which controls a 66 per cent stake in the holding company of the salt-to-software conglomerate.

Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Shapoorji Pallonji family is the single largest minority shareholder with about 18.37 per cent in Tata Sons.

In a statement, Mistry called for the RBI's compliance timeline of September 30, 2025 for Tata Sons to be listed "under the "Upper Layer" classification "be viewed with the seriousness and sanctity that regulatory commitments deserve".

The Shapoorji Pallonji Group has consistently advocated the public listing of Tata Sons, Mistry said.

"We firmly believe that listing this premier institution will not only uphold the spirit of transparency envisioned by its founding father, Shri Jamsetji Tata, but also strengthen trust among all stakeholders -- employees, investors, and the people of India," he noted.

He further said, "Our stance is guided by a simple yet profound belief - transparency is the truest form of respect for both legacy and the future."

As one of India's oldest business houses, he added, "We have full faith in the Reserve Bank of India, a constitutional and autonomous body, to take decisions grounded in the principles of equity, justice, and public interest."

The RBI's Scale-Based Regulatory Framework clearly articulates that a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) should not act in a manner detrimental to the interests of its investors, Mistry noted.

In this context, he said, "We trust that the 30th September 2025 compliance timeline under the "Upper Layer" classification will be viewed with the seriousness and sanctity that regulatory commitments deserve."

He expressed confidence that the RBI will act in accordance with the rule of law and the spirit of fairness.

Mistry asserted that the public listing of Tata Sons is "not merely a financial step but it is a moral and social imperative".

He further said, "It will unlock immense value for over 1.2 crore shareholders of listed Tata companies, who are indirect shareholders of Tata Sons, representing the aspirations of all Indians -- the very citizens who have, for decades, held faith in the Tata name as a symbol of integrity and national pride."

Importantly, he said, Tata Trusts, India's largest public charity, stands to benefit immensely from this process.

"A transparent and publicly accountable Tata Sons would pave the way for a robust and equitable dividend policy, thereby ensuring sustained inflows to the Trusts," Mistry noted.

These funds, true to the founding vision of the Tatas, can then be dedicated to the welfare of the poor, the upliftment of communities, and the service of our great nation, he added.

"Our position is in not in conflict, but completely in consonance, with the ideals of Shri Jamsetji Tata, whose vision was that of an enterprise serving the nation with openness, accountability, and compassion," Mistry asserted.

His statement comes at a time when the trustees of Tata Trusts are vertically split and the infighting threatens to impact the functioning of Tata Sons and in general the over $180-billion salt-to-semiconductor conglomerate.

Tata Trusts exerts decisive influence over India's most valuable conglomerate through its about 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons.

The matter reached the government and on Tuesday Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, along with Tata Trusts vice chairman Venu Srinivasan and trustee Darius Khambata, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the home minister's residence.

The relationship between the SP Group and the Tata Group became strained after the unexpected sacking of Late Cyrus Mistry as Chairman of Tata Sons in October 2016, following which acrimonious board room fights and legal battles ensued.

Shapoorji Pallonji family owns about 18.37 per cent of Tata Sons.

The SP Group has been looking at leveraging its shareholding in Tata Sons to raise funds and pare its debt.
Ten policemen, including the sub-divisional officer of police, from Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district, have been suspended for allegedly looting Rs 1.45 crore of hawala money, being sent to Maharashtra in a four-wheeler after assaulting its driver, an official said on Friday.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The alleged crime came to light after the driver and a businessman, who had sent the money, approached the police, prompting inspector general of police (Jabalpur) Pramod Verma to order a probe.

Madhya Pradesh director general of police Kailash Makwana issued an order suspending SDOP Pooja Pandey based on the report of the IG Jabalpur, an official said.

During the suspension period, she will be posted at the police headquarters in Bhopal, he said.

Seoni superintendent of police Sunil Kumar Mehta told PTI that during a checking operation on Wednesday night, the Bandol police station in-charge and the staff from the office of the SDOP intercepted a four-wheeler in the Siladehi forest.

The cops discovered a large amount of cash, which was being transported from Katni in MP to Jalna in Maharashtra.

However, instead of seizing the cash, they beat up the driver, chased him away and tried to usurp it, he said.

The police team also did not keep their seniors informed about the hawala money. They got exposed after the businessman, who lost the money, reached the Kotwali police station on Thursday morning, he said.

As the serious allegations against the police personnel reached higher-ups in Jabalpur and Bhopal, 10 cops were suspended.

It is also being claimed that there was over Rs 2.96 crore in the vehicle.

The exact amount of money found in the vehicle will be clear after a probe, the official said.

The investigation into the incident was assigned to Jabalpur Additional Superintendent of Police Ayush Gupta, who arrived in Seoni on Thursday night.

The IG has sought a detailed report on the incident within three days, Seoni SP Mehta said.

IG Pramod Verma told PTI that a proposal was sent to the police headquarters in Bhopal for taking action against the SDOP, following which the suspension order was issued.

The other suspended police personnel included sub-inspector Arpit Bhairam, who is the Bandol station in-charge, head constables Makhan and Ravindra Uike, constables Jagdish Yadav, Yogendra Chaurasia, Ritesh (driver), Neeraj Rajput, Kedar and Sadafal, the SP added.
A 31-year-old bank manager was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the washroom of a pub in Bengaluru, the police said on Friday.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The deceased, identified as Megharaj is survived by his wife and a six-month-old child, they said.

The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained, police said.

The incident occurred on Thursday night when he along with his three friends went to the pub in Rajarajeshwari Nagar for drinks and food, they said.

According to police, after having their dinner and paying bill, Megharaj went to the bathroom as he was apparently feeling nauseous while his friends stepped out of the pub.

After waiting for a while, their friends went up to the pub looking for him, they said.

When they couldn't find him on the pub floor, they alerted the management.

"After scanning the CCTV, it was found that he had gone to the washroom and had locked himself inside. After breaking open the door, he was found collapsed dead. The scene of crime officers team visited the spot along with local police," deputy commissioner of police (West) S Girish said.

A case of unnatural death has been registered based on the complaint of deceased's brother, police said, adding that the exact cause of death will be ascertained only after the post-mortem.
Kabul will soon send its diplomats to India as part of "step-by-step" efforts to improve bilateral relations, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Friday even as he asserted the Taliban will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against other countries.

IMAGE: Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi during a press conference, in New Delhi, on Friday. Photograph: ANI Video Grab

Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday on a six-day trip, is the first senior Taliban minister to visit India after the group seized power four years back. India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up.

In an interaction with a small group of journalists, after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Afghan foreign minister invited Indian businesses to invest in his country's mining, minerals and energy sectors.

Muttaqi also pitched for India and Afghanistan joining hands to remove obstacles for development of the Chabahar port in Iran in view of the Trump administration bringing it under sanctions.

The Afghan foreign minister's visit to India assumed greater significance as it came at a time when both India and Afghanistan are having frosty relations with Pakistan over a range of issues including cross-border terrorism.

Muttaqi said Kabul will soon send its diplomats to New Delhi.

"The foreign minister (S Jaishankar) said you can send diplomats to New Delhi now. When we go back, we will select people and send them," he said.

In his meeting with Muttaqi, Jaishankar announced the upgrading of India's technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy.

Asked if the Taliban regime will appoint an ambassador, Muttaqi said: "we will now send diplomats and gradually the contacts will increase." Till now, the Afghan missions in India have officials who were largely appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government.

To a question on whether the Indian government will hand over the Afghan embassy premises in New Delhi to the Taliban regime, the foreign minister shot back: "It is with Afghanistan; it belongs to us."

Muttaqi said the ties between India and Afghanistan are witnessing steady progress in the last four years.

"This is my first visit to India and it was decided that India will upgrade its technical mission in Kabul to a diplomatic mission and our diplomats will come to New Delhi. Gradually, the goal is to take things to normal," he said.

The Afghan foreign minister said his country will not allow its territory to be used to "threaten or harm others" and asserted that there is no presence of any terror group including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Afghanistan.

"Not even one inch of soil is controlled by anyone other than the Islamic Emirate. These groups and tanzeems are not present in Afghanistan, they have left Afghanistan in these four years. We finished those against whom we conducted operations," he said.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has proven over the course of the last four years that its territory will not be allowed to be used against others," Muttaqi said.

There have been concerns in New Delhi over the possibility of use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups to launch attacks.

Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump asking the Taliban to hand over the strategic Bagram airbase to US forces, Muttaqi said Kabul will not accept any foreign military presence in the country.

"Afghanistan has a long history of safeguarding its independence and sovereignty and combating occupations. Afghanistan will not allow military interventions or military presence of anyone," he said.

Muttaqi also criticised Pakistan's approach towards Afghanistan while responding to a question on reports of explosions in Kabul on Thursday night.

The foreign minister said Pakistan had a hand in an attack in the border areas and that it was yet to be ascertained how the explosion took place in Kabul.

"Afghanistan is an independent country in this region and when peace has come there, why are others troubled? Afghan people too have rights. The peace, benefits and progress of the last four years should be strengthened," he said.

"Just as we want good relations with India, we want good ties with Pakistan. But these relations can only be built from both sides, it can't be done by one side," he said.

The visiting minister said India and Afghanistan should work together to address hurdles in development of the Chabahar port.

"Both Afghanistan and India should try to remove all problems and obstacles in this route, because there are some restrictions on this path from America," he said.

"Afghanistan and India should jointly talk with America and also talk among ourselves and derive the maximum benefits from this route, this is the need for both countries and we understand this need because trade between Afghanistan and India last year was more than USD 1 billion," he said.

"If routes are closed, trade will not decrease, not increase, and we should open all routes, including the Wagah land border," he said.

Muttaqi also pitched for trade between India and Afghanistan through the Wagah border transit point.

"The Wagah route is the shortest for Afghanistan and trade was conducted through this route in the past. Pakistan and India should not close this route because economic, human and trade issues should not be mixed with political issues," he said.

"This is the right and the need of the people, this is a route for trade and should not be closed because Wagah is close (to Afghanistan) and it is cheaper to transport goods between Afghanistan and India through this route," he said.

"It is our request to both countries that this route should be opened for starting and increasing trade," he added.
A 22-year-old BTech student died after being beaten allegedly by police personnel in the early hours of Friday in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, officials said.

Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo

A video clip showed a policeman holding Udit Gaayke, while another is seen hitting him with a stick.

Constables Santosh Bamaniya and Saurabh Arya have been suspended in this connection, and further action will follow after the post mortem report is received, Bhopal Zone 2 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vivek Singh said.

Gaayke was rushed to hospital by his friends where doctors declared him dead, he said.

His friends said they were partying in Indrapuri last night.

One of them was dropping Gaayke home around 1:30am when the latter spotted police and started running into an alley, they added.

Both the policemen chased him down, and beat him, and he was later found with his shirt torn and with bruises on the body, the friends said.

These friends claimed the policemen sought Rs 10,000 when asked to stop the assault.

"Details will be clear after the post mortem report is received. Statements of family members are being recorded. The case is being probed by a City Superintendent of Police level officer," DCP Singh said.

Another official said Udit's parents work in Bhopal, while his brother-in-law is a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Balaghat district.
Photo: https://www.nobelprize.org/

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, a former member of the Venezuelan parliament, according to a press release from the Nobel Committee's website.

"Maria Corina Machado is being awarded for her tireless work in promoting democratic values for the Venezuelan people and for her fight for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy," the statement said.

According to the statement, she is one of the "most outstanding examples of civic courage in the modern history of Latin America."

Machado was a deputy of the National Assembly of Venezuela in 2011-2014, a candidate for president of Venezuela in the 2012 elections. Machado is an opponent of the government of President Nicolas Maduro, and participated in protests against him in 2014.

Earlier, many politicians, media outlets and observers expressed the opinion that Donald Trump should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. This position was expressed the day before by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. They noted the role that Trump played in reaching an agreement between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of the American settlement plan in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday night, Trump said that, according to his calculations, during his second presidential term, he had already managed to resolve eight international crises. "Perhaps no one in history has achieved anything like this," the president suggested.

"But maybe they will find a reason not to elect me," Trump added.

Trump, however, emphasized that it was important for him to achieve peace on the planet, and not to receive the award.

At the same time, some American media outlets noted that not in all cases did Trump's figure play a central role in the settlement. In addition, as noted in the publications, some conflicts that the US president considers resolved may flare up again.

Delhi denied Trump's claims that he played a key role in resolving the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025.
A day after a first information report (FIR) was registered in connection with the alleged suicide of senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar, his bureaucrat wife Friday wrote to the police questioning 'incomplete information' in it, and asked for it to be amended 'to accurately reflect the names of all accused'.

IMAGE: Senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar. Photograph: ANI on X

In a letter to Chandigarh Police SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, Amneet P Kumar, a senior IAS officer, has also sought that 'diluted sections of the SC/ST Act' that have been added in the FIR should be amended.

Chandigarh Police late Thursday evening registered an FIR with charges of abetment to suicide and some provisions of the SC/ST Act based on a 'final note' by the deceased police officer who had named many senior IPS officers, and specifically referred to Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya for allegedly harassing and maligning him.

Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself dead at his Chandigarh residence on Tuesday and left behind a 'final note'.

"An FIR under Section 108 rw 3(5) (abetment of suicide) and 3 (1) (r) POA (Prevention of Atrocities) SC/ST Act, has been registered against the accused mentioned in the final note," Chandigarh Police said in a brief statement on Thursday evening.

The police officer's wife has so far allegedly refused to allow the post-mortem of her husband's body till 'justice is delivered', according to sources.

In the column meant for naming the accused in the FIR, 'as per final note' is written. The FIR has also reproduced the 'final note' and the complaint submitted by Amneet Kumar on Wednesday.

Amneet Kumar titled her letter on Friday to Chandigarh's Senior Superintendent of Police: 'regarding incomplete FIR copy and imposition of proper sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act'.

'This is to bring to your notice that you personally came to my residence in Sector 24, Chandigarh, to hand over a copy of FIR dated October 9, time 22:22 hrs. However, the said unsigned FIR copy provided to me contains incomplete information,' wrote Amneet, who is also Commissioner and Secretary in the Haryana government.

The names of the accused persons have not been mentioned clearly, and the document lacks the necessary details required for a fair and transparent probe, she wrote.

'As per my complaint, the names of the accused (1) (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur (2) Narendra Bijarniya (Rohtak SP) persons have not been entered in the FIR, that was trigger point for his suicide,' she wrote.

'As per the prescribed FIR document format, all the accused should be clearly listed under Columns No 7. It is therefore requested that the FIR be amended to accurately reflect the names of all accused individuals in the proper section,' Amneet wrote.

She said the 'diluted sections' of the SC/ST Act that have been added should be amended in the FIR to reflect the appropriate section.

'The section mentioned under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the FIR is diluted. The appropriate section applicable in this case is Section 3 (2) (v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as amended. The sections must be added accordingly to ensure the correct legal provisions are applied,' she wrote.

She further submitted that the 'final note' dated October 7, 2025, recovered from the pocket of the deceased IPS officer and another from his laptop bag, have not been provided to her to date.

'I have not received any copy of the said 'final note' to compare it with the version referenced in the FIR. I request certified copies of both 'final note' to be supplied to me immediately for record and verification. 'In view of the above, I request your kind intervention for the immediate correction and amendment of the FIR as per the points mentioned, and for providing me with the copies of the 'final note' documents at the earliest,' she further wrote.

In his eight-page 'final note', the deceased officer named eight senior IPS officers, naming Haryana DGP Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya for allegedly harassing and maligning him.

The deceased, in his note, has also given accounts of alleged harassment, including caste-based discrimination, by some other officers.

In her complaint to Chandigarh Police on Wednesday, Amneet Kumar had requested an FIR to be lodged against Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya under Section 108 BNS, 2023 (abetment of suicide) and other relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and called for their immediate arrest.

His wife, Amneet Kumar, sought Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's intervention on Thursday to ensure that an FIR is lodged against those named in the 'suicide note'.

Some Dalit groups and opposition parties had also demanded action in the matter.

Known for his interventions in matters related to the rights of officers and seniority, Puran Kumar was recently posted as the Inspector General of the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Rohtak's Sunaria.

His wife, who rushed to Chandigarh from Japan, where she was a part of a Haryana government delegation, on Wednesday alleged that her husband's death was the result of 'systematic persecution' by high-ranking officers.

A 'will' and a 'final note' were among the articles found at the scene and seized on Tuesday, according to police.
The Kerala high court on Friday directed the state police to register a criminal case in connection with the "misappropriation of gold" from the "side frame or lintels" of the shrine and launch an investigation.

IMAGE: File image of devotees offering prayers at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar issued the direction after noting that from the investigation conducted till now, "it appears that insofar as the side frames or lintels are concerned, misappropriation of gold has been carried out".

The bench further said that it was also revealed from the vigilance report placed before it that "substantial quantity of gold -- amounting to about 474.9 grams -- was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty (the sponsor who offered to carry out the gold-plating)".

"However, the records do not reveal that this quantity of gold was entrusted with the TDB (by him)," the court added.

The bench directed the Special Investigation Team constituted by it to probe the side frame/lintels issue also along with all the other aspects that come up during their inquiry.

It directed that the vigilance report be placed before the Travancore Devaswom Board which in turn was ordered to forward it to the State Police Chief.

The state police chief was asked to direct H Venkatesh, ADGP (crime branch and law and order) to register a criminal case in connection with the matter and launch an investigation.

ADGP Venkatesh is heading the SIT according to a government order issued on October 9.

The bench directed the SIT to "conduct a thorough, impartial and expeditious investigation to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice".

The SIT was also directed to file a report within six weeks and place status reports about the probe before the court once every two weeks.

The bench also said that the SIT will be "directly answerable" to the court "to ensure the investigation is conducted with the utmost discretion and integrity".

The SIT was further directed not to divulge details of the probe to the public or the media till the investigation is over.
The Kerala high court on Friday said that notifying the Munambam land as waqf was a "land grabbing tactic of the Kerala Waqf Board" and upheld the government order appointing an inquiry commission to ascertain ownership of the disputed area.

IMAGE: A protest rally against the Waqf Board's stand on Munambam land, near Kochi. Photograph: Kind courtesy surendranbjp/X

A bench of justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V M also said that the subject property could never have been classified as a waqf property for want of compliance with mandatory procedure and provisions of the Waqf Act of 1954 and 1955.

It said that the notifying of the land in dispute as waqf was ultra vires the provisions of the Waqf Act of 1954 and 1995 and "nothing less than a land grabbing tactic of the Kerala Waqf Board (KWB)".

The bench observed that the move has "affected the bread and butter, livelihood of hundreds of families and bonafide occupants who had purchased tranches of land decades prior to the notification of the waqf property".

In these circumstances, the state government could not have been restrained from constituting an inquiry commission and submitting a report, the bench said while allowing the appeals against a March 17 single judge order that quashed the appointment of the panel.

Upholding the appointment of the IC, the bench said that the state government was at liberty to implement the panel's recommendations in accordance with law.

The bench also held that the actions of the Kerala Waqf Board of declaring or registering the land in dispute as a waqf property were a "sham" and "bad in law" on the grounds of being "unreasonably delayed" and having been issued in "palpable violation of the provisions of the Waqf Acts of 1954, 1984, and 1995 and, therefore, "non-enforceable".

On the aspect of delay, the court said there was no reason for the KWB to wait for 70 years to suddenly issue the declaration that the subject property was waqf.

"The inordinate delay in itself is sufficient enough a reason to taint the whole exercise of KWB as unreasonable and arbitrary," it said.

The court further said that if such arbitrary declaration of waqf received judicial approval, then "tomorrow any random building or structure, including Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Niyama Sabha Mandiram (State Legislature Complex), or even this court's building would be vulnerable of being painted with the brush of a waqf property by the KWB on the basis of any random document at any point of time'.

"The court, obligated to act under the Constitution, especially in a secular country like India, cannot permit such a belated and fanciful exercise of power," the bench said.

It further said that merely because the nomenclature of the subject land deed of 1950 was a waqf endowment, will not clothe it with the said character in view of the "absolute vesting of rights of transfer or sale and ownership in the hands of Farooq College Management Committee".

The land in Munambam village of Ernakulam district, whose ownership is being claimed by the waqf, was sold to the current residents by the Farooq Management.

The bench said that the endowment deed of 1950 never intended to create any permanent dedication in the favour of God.

It was simply a gift deed in favour of the Farooq Management and therefore, "could never have qualified as a waqf deed under any of the enactments of the Waqf Act, the court said.

"However, we restrain ourselves from issuing a formal order of quashing them (KWB orders), since the purpose of returning all the above findings is just to hold that the state government is not bound by such highly belatedly issued declaration by the KWB after 7 decades (69 years)," the court said.

The bench said that it would not be appropriate to interfere with the constitution of the IC at the threshold, when it was yet to furnish a final report which is to be acted upon and taken to a logical conclusion by the state government.

"We expect and hope that the sole member Inquiry Commission shall respect the expectations placed upon it by us in the preceding paragraphs and provide a room for consideration of grievances of all the aggrieved parties," it said and set aside the single judge's March 17 order.

The state government had appointed a commission headed by former acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court Justice C N Ramachandran Nair in November last year to ascertain land ownership in the disputed area.

In the villages of Cherai and Munambam in Ernakulam district, residents have alleged that the Waqf Board was unlawfully claiming their land and properties, despite them holding registered deeds and land tax payment receipts.
A student of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Nava Raipur in Chhattisgarh was arrested for allegedly creating objectionable images of female students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, police have said.

Second-year student Sayyed Rahim Adnan Ali, 21, was taken into custody from his native Bilaspur district following a complaint by the institute's Registrar (in charge) Dr Srinivasa KG, said Additional Superintendent of Police (Nava Raipur) Vivek Shukla on Thursday.

After the matter came to light, a team from Rakhi police reached the institute. The management informed that Ali, who was residing in the institute's boys hostel, had allegedly created obscene images by morphing photos of around 36 female students using AI image generation and editing tools, Shukla said.

The institute's management conducted an internal inquiry after receiving complaints from students. Based on its findings, Ali was suspended from the institute, and his mobile phone and laptop were seized, he added.

A complaint was later lodged at Rakhi police station, claiming his act had caused social and psychological harm to the students and their families, and also inflicted irreparable damage to the institution's reputation, the official added.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest the morphed images were circulated or made viral. The management has also not indicated that the images were shared online. Ali was booked under section 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the IT Act. His questioning is underway, Shukla said.
The United States has sanctioned more than 50 entities, people and vessels including two Indian nationals for allegedly facilitating Iranian energy sales, in an attempt to dismantle "key elements" of Tehran's "energy export machine", according to an official statement.

Photograph: @WhiteHouse/X

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctions on Thursday.

"These actors have collectively enabled the export of billions of dollars' worth of petroleum and petroleum products, providing critical revenue to the Iranian regime and its support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States," the department said in a press release.

The sanctions are part of the department's efforts to curb Iran's petroleum and petrochemical exports.

The Treasury Department is degrading Iran's cash flow by dismantling key elements of Iran's energy export machine, it said, quoting Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

The Indian nationals sanctioned include Varun Pula, who owns Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc., which owns and operates Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR.

The vessel has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since July 2024, according to the US statement.

The other Indian national sanctioned is Soniya Shrestha, who owns Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited. The company owns and operates another Comoros-flagged vessel, NEPTA, which has transported Iranian-origin LPG to Pakistan since January 2025.

The statement added that all "property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons" that are in the US or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.

Any entities owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked persons also stand blocked.
India on Friday announced the upgrading of its technical mission in Kabul to the status of an embassy and decided to restart its development projects in Afghanistan with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar appreciating the Taliban set-up for showing sensitivity towards New Delhi's security concerns.

IMAGE: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar with visit Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, New Delhi, October 10, 2025. Photograph: S Jaishankar/X

Jaishankar made the twin announcements during his wide-ranging talks with visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for the first time, signalling a new approach in New Delhi's ties with Kabul though it has not yet recognised the Taliban set-up that came to power in August 2021.

Muttaqi, on a six-day trip to India, said Afghanistan will not allow any elements to use its territory against New Delhi's interests and identified the Daesh terror group (ISIS) as the main challenge for the region. He added that Kabul is at the frontlines of this struggle.

Since the Taliban came to power, New Delhi has been insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

The Afghan foreign minister also invited Indian companies to invest in the mining and mineral sector in his country, saying it would help strengthen the bilateral trade relations.

In the talks, the two sides welcomed the commencement of the India-Afghanistan air freight corridor, which is expected to enhance direct trade and commerce between the two countries.

Hours after Jaishankar announced an upgrade of its diplomatic presence in Kabul, Muttaqi told a select group of journalists that Kabul will also send diplomats to India as part of step-by-step efforts to improve the bilateral ties.

India had withdrawn its officials from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. In June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by deploying a "technical team".

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar listed cross-border terrorism as a shared threat for both the countries and said India and Afghanistan must coordinate efforts to combat the menace.

"Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan," Jaishankar told Muttaqi in his opening remarks at the meeting.

"As a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in your development and progress," he said.

India's longstanding partnership that has seen so many Indian projects in Afghanistan stands renewed, the external affairs minister announced.

Jaishankar said both India and Afghanistan have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity.

"However, these are endangered by the shared threat of cross-border terrorism that both our nations face. We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.

"We appreciate your sensitivity towards India's security concerns. Your solidarity with us in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack was noteworthy," the minister added.

Jaishankar said India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan.

"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience. To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of embassy of India," he said.

In the interaction with the small group of journalists, Muttaqi said Kabul will soon send its diplomats to New Delhi.

"The foreign minister (S Jaishankar) said you can send diplomats to New Delhi now. When we go back, we will select people and send them," he said.

Asked if the Taliban regime will appoint an ambassador, Muttaqi said: "we will now send diplomats and gradually the contacts will increase."

Till now, the Afghan missions in India have officials who were largely appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government.

In his media interaction, the Afghan foreign minister said India and Afghanistan should work together to address hurdles in development of the Chabahar port.

"Both Afghanistan and India should try to remove all problems and obstacles in this route, because there are some restrictions on this path from America," he said.

Jaishankar said India is now ready to commit to six new projects, the details of which can be announced soon.

"A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of goodwill and I would like to hand over five of them to you personally as a symbolic step," he said.

The external affairs minister also appreciated Kabul inviting Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan and said the proposal can be discussed further.

"We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce. I am glad to note the commencement of additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi," he said.

In his remarks, Jaishankar described as a matter of deep concern the plight of "forcibly repatriated" Afghan refugees and said their dignity and livelihood is important.

"India agrees to help construct residences for them and continue providing material aid to rebuild their lives," he said.

Muttaqi described India as an important country of the region and one that has always stood by Afghan people and assisted them in many areas.

"We will not allow any (element) to threaten anyone else or use the territory of Afghanistan against others. Daesh is a challenge for the region and Afghanistan is at the frontlines of this struggle," he said.

"Luckily, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, its forces and its strong struggle against it has eradicated it from Afghanistan. The need of our region is that we combat this menace together and this is a need for the common prosperity of both nations," he said.

Considering Afghanistan's pressing requirement for economic recovery and development, both sides agreed that India would further deepen its engagement in development projects, particularly in the sectors of healthcare, public infrastructure and capacity-building.

As part of India's ongoing healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, several projects are being undertaken, including the establishment of a thalassemia centre, a modern diagnostic centre, and replacement of the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul, according to a joint statement.

Additionally, India will construct a 30-bed hospital in Kabul's Bagrami district, an oncology centre and a trauma centre in Kabul, and five maternity health clinics in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia.

India will also continue to extend medical assistance and provide high-quality healthcare treatment to Afghan nationals, the statement said.

It said both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries and underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.

"Both sides emphasised respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.

Jaishankar appreciated the Afghan side's understanding of India's security concerns and the Afghan foreign minister reiterated the commitment that the Afghan government will not allow any group or individual to use the territory of Afghanistan against India, it added.
The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the Madras high court for constituting a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Karur stampede in which 41 people were killed.

IMAGE: A large crowd at TVK chief Vijay's rally in Karur, ahead of the stampede on September 27, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and N V Anjaria wondered how the high court proceeded with the matter.

"We are unable to understand how this order was passed? How did the single bench in the Chennai Bench proceed with the matter when the division bench in Madurai was considering the matter?

"In my experience of over 15 years as a judge, a single bench holds back if the division bench has taken cognisance," Justice Maheshwari observed.

At the outset, senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for Tamil actor Vijay's political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, submitted that the petition before the high court was filed only to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) for political rallies.

He said the SIT was constituted by the high court on the first day itself and the court made adverse remarks against the party and Vijay without hearing them.

Senior advocate C A Sundaram, also appearing for the TVK, submitted that the chief justice of the high court can authorise a special bench to hear the matter but it has not happened in this case.

Both lawyers told the apex court that the high court's observations that the TVK and Vijay abandoned the place and that they did not express remorse were wrong.

They said the police forced the actor to leave the place on the ground that it would aggravate the situation.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the state government, said the SIT was formed by the high court itself and that the state did not give any names.

Rohatgi said the officers are known for their integrity and independence, and there was no reason to doubt.

The bench reserved its order after hearing the parties.

On Tuesday, the CJI-headed bench agreed to hear Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Anandan's plea challenging the high court order refusing a CBI probe into the September 27 stampede.

BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, G S Mani, has also filed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the stampede.

The TVK has sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, contending that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by officers of the Tamil Nadu Police.

The plea has objected to the high court constituting an SIT only with officers of the Tamil Nadu Police.

It alleged the possibility of a pre-planned conspiracy by some miscreants that led to the stampede.

The plea also took exception to the scathing remarks of the high court against the party and the actor-politician that they abandoned the place after the incident and did not express any remorse.

Earlier, the police said the rally saw a turnout of 27,000, nearly three times the expected 10,000 participants, and blamed a seven-hour delay by Vijay in reaching the venue for the tragedy.
The BJP-led government's decision to grant Kunbi status to individuals from the Maratha community has opened a Pandora's box.

IMAGE: Manoj Jarange Patil listens to Maharashtra cabinet sub-committee head Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil reading out the government resolution on Maratha reservation at the Azad Madian in Mumbai, September 2, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

On July 29, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil urged members of his community to wind up their farming activities and prepare to march to Mumbai.

Addressing a gathering at Antarwali Sarathi village in Jalna district, a part of the Marathwada region, he alleged the government had reneged on its promises to the Marathas, and threatened to launch a massive protest.

Exactly a month later, Jarange executed his threat with precision. On August 29, the lean and feisty activist began an indefinite strike at the iconic Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, the business hub of India's financial capital.

Addressing thousands of his supporters, the 43-year-old announced: 'I will not go back until our demands are met. Even if I am shot dead, I will not retreat.'

Jarange had been demanding that the Maratha community be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category -- making them eligible for reservation in government jobs and educational institutions.

He particularly insisted on the implementation of historical records of the Bombay, Satara, and Nizam-era Hyderabad gazettes, claiming they provide evidence on the classification of Marathas as Kunbis.

Marathwada, an arid land-locked region, was under the rule of the erstwhile nizam of Hyderabad, till its liberation in 1948.

Three days into the protest, as scores of Jarange's followers from across Maharashtra kept pouring into Mumbai and the activist threatened that he would stop drinking water, the Devendra Fadnavis-led state government blinked.

It issued a resolution on the Hyderabad Gazette and announced the formation of village-level committees in Marathwada to issue Kunbi caste certificates to individuals from the Maratha community, provided they could furnish historical evidence of their Kunbi lineage.

Jarange ended his five-day stir on September 2. The very next day, Maharashtra Minister and prominent OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal skipped a cabinet meeting.

Although the government has assured that existing reservation for OBCs would remain untouched, several organisations representing backward classes have expressed anxiety over the possibility of their share in the quota pie shrinking.

The move to issue a government resolution (GR) seems to have opened a Pandora's box.

"The Hyderabad Gazette has become a new Google-like search engine for Kunbis among Marathas," an OBC activist said, requesting anonymity, adding that the non-agrarian and landless castes felt cornered in the quota space, crowded by land-owning communities.

For example, after the state government agreed to Jarange's demands, the Banjara community has started demanding reservation under the scheduled tribes category, citing records in the the Hyderabad Gazette.

Maratha quota activists, meanwhile, remain steadfast in their stance, citing "historical evidence".

"Marathas and Kunbis are not separate. The Shinde committee has already submitted 5.8 million Kunbi records to the government. These are all government records and historical evidence that can't be disputed. Now, it is the government's responsibility to ensure the implementation of the GR," Advocate Shreerang Lale said.

He has been studying the Marathas' reservation demand, which can be traced back to the early 1980s.

In 2023, the government under then chief minister Eknath Shinde had formed a panel under Justice Sandeep Shinde to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community.

Behind the Marathas' insistence to be categorised as OBCs, some political observers say, are the terms laid down by the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict in the Indra Sawhney vs Union of India case of 1992.

The court had introduced a ceiling on reservations, ruling that quotas for the scheduled castes, STs and backward classes cannot exceed 50 per cent.

IMAGE: The Maratha protesters arrived in Mubbai from across Maharashtra -- a significant number of them from the eight districts of Marathwada -- in some 8,000 vehicles. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff

Moves by state governments to breach this ceiling have rarely succeeded.

In 2023, the Bihar government raised the quota slab in the state to 65 per cent -- a decision that was set aside by the Patna high court. The Supreme Court too refused to stay the high court order.

"Agrarian castes like Marathas and Kunbis should be given a separate 16 per cent quota. Even if this breaches the 50 per cent ceiling, the Centre should ensure a Constitutional amendment to secure this. Like it was done in the case of Tamil Nadu, the enacted law should be placed under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution," Champat Boddewar, research fellow at The Unique Foundation in Pune, said.

Under certain conditions, the Ninth Schedule shields laws inserted into it from judicial scrutiny.

Boddewar added that courts have to be convinced that an additional set of parameters needs to be considered while determining backwardness of some communities, especially after the changes brought about post-liberalisation.

There are millions among land-holding communities, like the Marathas and Jats, who face acute economic distress, he said.

IMAGE: Maratha protestors in action. Photograph: Sahil Salvi for Rediff

According to Bhausaheb Ajabe, general secretary, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, caste-based agitations primarily focus on seeking reservation.

However, he suggested that an umbrella identity of farmers in the state must be forged to address underlying structural issues like rural distress.

"BJP is deliberately playing 'divide and rule' politics by creating a rift between OBCs and Marathas that is leading to the collapse of social cohesion in Maharashtra," Ajabe said.

Even as the culturally dominant Maratha community, which makes up almost 28 per cent of Maharashtra's population, has been demanding reservation for decades, attempts towards a solution have failed.

Almost a decade-and-a-half back, during his stint as the Union minister for heavy industries and public enterprises, Maratha stalwart and former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh had made a proposition that raised eyebrows.

'If economic criterion is considered for granting benefits, then people won't search for their caste. Today everyone thinks how their caste identity may bring in some benefits... A consensus at the national level has to be evolved on this so that there are no conflicts in the future,' Deshmukh had said at a public gathering.

Sharing the stage with him and patiently listening were former CM and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, a Brahmin; the BJP's Gopinath Munde, one of Maharashtra's tallest OBC leaders; and the Nationalist Congress Party's R R Patil, a Maratha.

No leader of this quartet could live long enough to witness Jarange's protests. The 'consensus' that Deshmukh had called for never emerged, but his warning seems to have come true.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
The Bharatiya Janata Party ally and Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas president Chirag Paswan on Friday demanded a time-bound and impartial probe into the death of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar and said that no one, irrespective of their position or influence, should be spared.

IMAGE: Union Minister of Food Processing Industries and LJP-Ram Vilas chief Chirag Paswan meets with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in New Delhi, August 31, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Paswan spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the matter.

In a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, he said the alleged suicide of the senior IPS officer belonging to Scheduled Caste signals the continued presence of caste oppression in the administrative system. It is spread in the system like poison, the Union minister told Saini.

The Dalit leader also spoke to Saini and called up the deceased officer's wife to offer condolences.

If an official has to suffer mental harassment due to his caste, ideology and honesty, then it is not only condemnable but also a blow to the soul of Constitution, the LJP-RV president said.

The Chandigarh police on Friday constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team to investigate the alleged suicide of the Haryana police officer for "prompt, impartial and thorough investigation" in a time-bound manner.

A suicide note left by Kumar has blamed a number of officers for harassing him. Kumar's wife has said that his death was the result of "systematic persecution" by high-ranking officers.

Paswan, a Dalit, said that Kumar's words in the "suicide note" shake the soul of administrative system, asserting that the incident is linked to the country's prestige and constitutional decorum.

It is painful that an officer who dedicated his life to the law, discipline and service had to finally bow to this "inhuman system", Paswan said.

He told Saini that strict, transparent and fearless action in the matter will send a message to the country that no one is above the law, neither is someone's designation, nor reputation or influence.
A first-year cadet of the National Defence Academy was found hanging in his hostel room at the premier institute here early on Friday with the police suspecting it to be a case of suicide while his family members alleged harassment by seniors drove him to take the extreme step.

IMAGE: The National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The NDA said a court of inquiry (CoI) has been ordered into the death of the 18-year-old cadet, Antriksh Kumar Singh, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh.

According to police, Antriksh's course mates saw him hanging in his room in the morning.

No note was found at the spot, but preliminary findings suggest a possible case of suicide, a police official said..

However, Antriksh's family members alleged he was harassed by his seniors at the academy and they had raised the issue with the NDA authorities recently. He was disturbed by the harassment and would say he wanted to discontinue his training at the academy, located on the outskirts of Pune city, they claimed.

"Everything was alright until he recently complained to his mother about harassment by some seniors. After that, the family took it to the authorities at the academy. His mother and grandmother went to the NDA before Navratri and pointed out the issue. The NDA authorities also responded and assured to take action," said Antriksh's maternal uncle A P Singh, a retired Army officer.

Till Thursday afternoon, everything was fine, he said.

"Antriksh spoke to his mother in the afternoon but it seems something happened later in the evening as there was some party there. It seems something happened during the party which made Antriksh very sad and prompted him to take the extreme step," he said.

He added that his nephew was disturbed by the alleged harassment and used to say that he did not want to continue his training at the academy.

Singh said that Antriksh had completed his education in Lucknow. His father had also retired from the Army.

"Since there was a background of armed forces in the family, he had prepared for the NDA and got selected," he said.

In a statement, the NDA said Antriksh Kumar Singh, a first term cadet, died in the early hours of Friday.

"The cadet, who was undergoing training at the NDA, was found in lifeless condition in his cabin by fellow cadets after he failed to report for the day's training. He was immediately rushed to the Military Hospital, Khadakwasla, where he was declared dead at 6.30 am," it said.

The next of kin and the local police were informed, and a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident, the academy said.

In August 2014, Yashi Dorji (18), a cadet from Bhutan, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his cabin. In July 2017, another cadet, Alekh Jaiswal, was also found hanging in his hostel room.

Established in 1954, the NDA is a premier joint training institute for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. It provides training to young cadets and prepares them to become officers in the Indian armed forces. The tri-service academy also trains cadets from many friendly countries.
The Appellate Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) found the current Member of Parliament of Ukraine Andriy Odarchenko guilty of attempted bribery and upheld the absentee sentence of eight years in prison

"On October 10, the Appellate Chamber of the HACC completed the consideration of the appeals of the defense and prosecution against the HACC verdict of November 14, 2024, by which the current People's Deputy of Ukraine was found guilty of providing an illegal benefit to the head of the State Agency for Infrastructure Reconstruction and Development of Ukraine (Part 4, Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," the HACC said in a message on its Telegram channel on Friday.

The Appellate Chamber reminds that the court of first instance sentenced the specified person to 8 years of imprisonment with confiscation of all property belonging to him and deprivation of the right to hold positions in state bodies for a period of three years.

"According to the results of the consideration, the panel of judges left the appeals of the parties without satisfaction, and the verdict of the Supreme Court of Cassation unchanged," the message states.

The decision entered into force from the moment of its announcement and can be appealed to the Cassation Criminal Court within the Supreme Court.

During the consideration by the court of first instance, the convicted person was declared a state and international wanted person, and the bail in the amount of UAH 15 million was collected as state revenue.

The court does not specify the name of the fugitive deputy, but refers to Odarchenko.
US President Donald Trump has repeated his claim of "stopping" the conflict between India and Pakistan through trade and tariffs, but said he "doesn't know" if he'll get the Nobel Peace Prize for settling "eight wars, including the one between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

IMAGE: US President Donald J Trump speaks at a dinner he hosted for Republican senators at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, February 7, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Trump has asserted multiple times over the past months that he should receive the prestigious award for settling multiple conflicts during his tenure.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee today.

During a bilateral meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Friday, Trump was asked by a reporter about his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

"Well, I don't know," said the US President, asserting that he made eight deals and solved wars, and would also "probably" solve the Russia-Ukraine war. "I think we'll do that too...And I think they'll be coming to the table pretty soon."

He called the conflict between India and Pakistan "very big" and claimed to resolve it based on trade and tariffs.

"But I said if you guys are going to fight, I'm putting 100 per cent tariffs on each of you, and they immediately stopped fighting," he said.

"And that was going to go nuclear, you know, that was back and forth," he added.

India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

"So, I know one thing -- I don't know what they (Nobel committee) are going to do, really, but I know this, that nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months, and I've stopped eight wars. So, that's never happened before. But they'll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine," Trump said.

"But nobody has ever done eight wars. Nobody's done eight wars in 30 years, let alone nine months," he reiterated.

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim dozens of times that he helped settle the conflict between India and Pakistan.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
The United States on Friday dismissed reports suggesting that Pakistan would receive new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) under a recently amended contract, clarifying that the modification relates only to sustainment and spare parts support and does not involve any delivery of new weapons.

IMAGE: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir meets US President Donald Trump at the White House. Photograph: White House

In a statement, the US embassy said the Department of War's September 30 announcement referred to "an amendment to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract for sustainment and spares for several countries, including Pakistan."

The embassy stressed that "contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new AMRAAMs to Pakistan," and added that the sustainment work "does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan's current capabilities.

The clarification follows media reports, including from Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, that interpreted the US Department of War's September 30 contract update as a new missile sale to Pakistan.

The official release had announced that Raytheon Co., based in Tucson, Arizona, received a USD 41 million modification to an existing AMRAAM production contract, taking the total value to over USD 2.5 billion.

According to the original Department of War statement, the contract involves foreign military sales to several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Australia, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Kuwait, Turkiye, and Pakistan, and is expected to be completed by May 2030.

While the announcement listed Pakistan among the participating countries, the US Embassy has now confirmed that the inclusion relates to ongoing sustainment support, not to new missile deliveries.

Pakistan had previously purchased around 700 AMRAAMs in 2007 for its F-16 fleet, which was at that time the largest international order for the air-to-air missile system.

Reports of a new supply deal emerged weeks after Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir met with former US President Donald Trump in September.
The United States on Friday described reports that it will supply new advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) to Pakistan as "false".

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a statement, the US embassy in India clarified that a recent contract amendment on the programme only covers sustainment and spare parts and does not entail the delivery of new missiles.

The Department of War on September 30 released a "list of standard contract announcements, which referred to an amendment to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract for sustainment and spares for several countries, including Pakistan", it said.

"The Administration would like to emphasise that contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles to Pakistan," it said.

The embassy said the "sustainment does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan's current capabilities".

Reports from Pakistan this week said Islamabad is likely to receive the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles from the US.
The White House on Friday slammed the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, accusing it of ignoring President Donald Trump's contributions to global peace, an honour he has been aggressively seeking often on the back of exaggerated or unverified claims, including his assertions of defusing tensions between India and Pakistan.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

"The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace," White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a social media post, hours after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was declared the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

Cheung said Trump "will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will".

Shortly after Cheung's comments, Trump, in a social media post, thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for praising his peace efforts, despite not winning a Nobel.

"Thank you to President Putin!" he wrote.

Replying to a question, Putin told reporters in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, that Trump is doing a lot to resolve complex crises that have lasted for years and even decades.

In another post, Trump reposted Machado's recognition of him, but didn't comment on her remarks.

In a post on social media, Machado praised Trump's

decisive support

, as she dedicated the prestigious award to the US president and to the Venezuelan people.

"This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

"I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!" she wrote.

According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Machado was awarded for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy".

Trump has been claiming credit for brokering peace agreements, most notably the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab nations.

The US President has asserted multiple times that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for settling "eight wars

, including the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

Trump has repeated several times that in the second term of his administration so far, he has ended several wars, including between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party president BY Vijayendra on Friday said several political developments already underway in the state are expected to reach a logical conclusion after the Bihar assembly polls, citing voices within the ruling Congress about a possible change in the chief minister later this year.

IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah takes part in Valmiki Jayanti at Vidhana Soudha premises, in Bengaluru, October 7, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

He also said recent developments indicate that "all is not well" within the ruling Congress, with party members themselves hinting at political changes gaining momentum in November.

Speculations are rife about the change of guard and cabinet reshuffle in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as "November revolution".

"The reactions of ministers and legislators of the ruling party, makes it clear that all is not well in the Congress party. After the Bihar polls, a lot of political developments that have already begun in the state, will meet its logical end. Those in the ruling party are themselves talking about it," Vijayendra told reporters in Bengaluru.

Asked if there are indications of political developments gaining momentum in November, he said, "ruling party members themselves are dropping hints. We have been saying it for six months. Whether there is a peril for the Chief Minister's chair, or will it be good luck for someone else, let's wait and watch."

Amid talks about CM change, Siddaramaiah has reiterated that he will complete a full five years term.

According to sources, the chief minister is also said to be considering a cabinet reshuffle, as the government is about to complete 2.5 years in office, which will be seen as a message that he is at the helm and will continue to do so.

A closed-door meeting between seenion ministers like -- home minister G Parameshwara, social welfare minister Dr HC Mahadevappa and public works minister Satish Jarkiholi -- on Thursday, has added to the buzz.

There has been speculation within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the chief minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of assembly election results in May 2023.

The Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
Tejashwi Yadav and Prashant Kishore claim that a group of senior Janata Dal-United leaders and retired bureaucrats, locally dubbed the 'Bhunja Party', manages the state administration on Nitish Kumar's behalf.

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha inaugurates the Patna metro rail service, October 6, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Questions surrounding the mental fitness and health of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are set to become a central focus as campaigning for next month's state assembly polls intensifies.

The 74-year-old leader's recent public appearances have fuelled political speculation. His unusual behaviour at official functions and visible signs of fatigue and confusion have strengthened persistent rumours in political circles that his health is failing.

The Opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav and the new political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor, have already raised the issue.

Both Tejashwi and Kishore claim that a group of senior Janata Dal-United leaders and retired bureaucrats, locally dubbed the 'Bhunja Party', manages the state administration on Nitish Kumar's behalf.

Bhunja is a Hindi word for roasted snacks popular across Bihar.

Tejashwi Yadav has repeatedly referred to Nitish Kumar as the 'Achet Mukhya Mantri (unconscious chief minister)'.

Prashant Kishor has consistently described Nitish Kumar as 'tired and retired'.

Earlier this week, Tejashwi highlighted the chief minister's erratic behaviour at a function, stating that it 'deepens suspicions about his mental health and the ability to run the government'.

Opposition leaders allege that the so-called 'Bhunja Party' is in full command of the JD-U and government, taking key decisions.

IMAGE: Nitish Kumar with Samrat Choudhary during the inauguration of 22 development projects worth Rs 1,333 crore at the Baliram Higher Secondary School campus at Sakra block, Muzaffarpur, October 6, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

"The Bhunja Party is really running the show in the name of Nitish Kumar, who is neither mentally alert nor fit. His functioning and conduct in public are visible to all," claims one political observer.

RJD Spokesperson Jayant Jigyasu earlier revealed the names of individuals he claims constitute the 'Bhunja Party.' Prominent members reportedly include:

Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh, 70, Union minister and former JD-U president.

Sanjay Jha, mid-50s, JD-U working president and Rajya Sabha MP.

Vijay Choudhary, 68, Bihar cabinet minister.

Ashok Choudhary, 58, Bihar cabinet minister.

Deepak Kumar, 64, retired bureaucrat.

IMAGE: Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh, centre, and Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh release a book titled Empowered Women, Prosperous Bihar at Adhiveshan Bhawan in Patna. Photograph: ANI Photo

Lalan Singh, a close confidant of the chief minister since the Samata Party days in the 1990s, belongs to the powerful Bhumihar upper caste. He is widely regarded as the party's main strategist, someone who manages its political and financial challenges.

A JD-U leader noted that "Lalan Babu is an old face of the Bhunja Party. He, Nitishji and a few others used to chat for hours."

Sanjay Jha, the JD-U's first-ever national working president, is known for his connections to senior Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders, which are crucial for maintaining the smooth functioning of the National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar.

Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a soft-spoken, six-time MLA from the Bhumihar-Brahmin caste, has been an associate of Nitish Kumar since joining the JD-U in 2005 and is frequently seen accompanying the chief minister in public.

Ashok Choudhary was in the news last month after Prashant Kishor levelled serious allegations against him, claiming he had amassed assets worth 500 crore.

Finally, retired bureaucrat Deepak Kumar, a 1984 batch IAS officer, is considered so influential that Opposition leaders frequently refer to him as the 'real chief minister'.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
On the way out of the home, I thought, This good-hearted woman carried me for nine months and brought me safely into the world and cared for me till I grew up. How great women are!

IMAGE: My mother at the retirement home in Kottayam. All photographs: Shevlin Sebastian

Owing to an unforeseen development in my life, my mother now stays at a retirement home in Kottayam. The sisters of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Camillus run it.

The home is in sylvan surroundings: clear skies with the occasional cloud scudding past, trees all around, hills in the distance.

As for sounds, it's mostly nature's voice -- leaves whistling; sparrows chirping; crows cawing. My heartbeat settles to the speed of a slow-moving brook.

During the week, my Kottayam-based sister visits her. On Sundays, I go from Kochi, 63 km away, by train.

Whenever I go to her room, I see that my mother is always dressed well. It's a habit my father had. And her kids have picked it up, especially me.

Nowadays, she recites a two-line verse in Malayalam from her childhood. 'Amma, Amma, I am going/If you don't see me, don't get worried.'

"What is the meaning?" I asked her.

My mother said, "We would say this just before we left for school. There were Britishers in our town of Muvattupuzha. There was talk that they kidnapped the boys but left the girls alone."

IMAGE: My father and mother.

I cannot confirm the story of the kidnappings, since my grandmother passed away several years ago. But there were Britishers in South Kerala during the 1940s, primarily in an administrative capacity, in the princely states of Travancore and Cochin.

Sometimes, my mother takes me out to the veranda and points out the various plants grown by the nuns.

"That is jackfruit cultivation going on," she said, pointing with her index finger. "Those are banana plants. Look at the tall coconut trees. Right next to them are newly planted coconut plants."

I couldn't resist teasing her, "Do you think the small coconut plants may be telling the tall trees, 'Amma, Amma, I am going/If you don't see me, don't be worried'."

My mother laughed, tapped my elbow, and said, "Don't be silly."

IMAGE: My parents on their wedding day, December 31, 1954.

On the cusp of 89, my mother forgets things quickly. But the old memories remain intact.

"My husband was a good man," she said. "Appachan looked after me with so much care and affection. I was very lucky. In those days, men treated their wives roughly. But your father was always gentle with me."

My mother paused and said, "Now Appachan is in a good place."

My father, ten years older, died on February 18, 2021, at the age of 94.

My mother also praised her father. "I will never forget that when my father wanted to scold me, he would never do it in public. He would take me aside and speak to me gently."

My mother was indeed lucky. Two of the primary influences in a woman's life -- a father and husband -- had been good to her.

I couldn't help but think, women are so vulnerable to a man's violence.

Women have little defence, even though the laws against gender violence have become stronger. But how many women, except for a certain stratum, know about these laws?

IMAGE: My mother, second from left, with her sisters.

My mother likes to read the newspaper. She told me she kept me on her lap when I was a baby and read the newspaper.

"You were a quiet baby," she said. "You made no noise." It's a habit she passed on to me.

Even now, I devote my early mornings to reading the newspaper with a cup of tea. I will always thank my mother for my love of reading.

In the room, my mother pointed to a news scroll at the bottom of a television screen. Then she asked, "Can you read Malayalam?"

I shook my head and said, "We were in Calcutta."

She looked at her middle-aged son and said, "I should have taught you when you were a child."

There was regret in her voice.

I remain silent, as I ponder over what she said.

IMAGE: My mother with her daughter.

When a nun comes into the room, my mother smiles easily. They treat her with a lot of love. It's an Italian order.

Like old-age care in Europe, they give a lot of respect to patients and pay heed to their wants.

My mother cannot bear to see me not eating anything. She takes out a plastic bottle, which contains a peanut mixture, followed by chocolate eclairs.

"Have, have," she kept saying. It probably reminded her of the years when she fed her children -- two boys and a girl -- through their growing years.

IMAGE: A photograph taken in the 1940s. My mother, the small girl standing in the middle, is the only one alive.

My mother showed me a family photograph taken in the 1940s. When I peered closer, I realised she was the only one alive.

Seven of her siblings have already passed away. Time kills everyone, I thought. It will kill my mother and me and all those close to us.

My mother has aged well. There are not too many wrinkles. Touch wood, she has no major health problems.

She takes no tablets at all. When I leave, I hold her soft hand and say, "Bye." Both of us are shy about showing emotion. But I compensate by trying to reveal emotion when I write.

On the way out of the home, I thought, This good-hearted woman carried me for nine months and brought me safely into the world and cared for me till I grew up. How great women are!

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
Photo: https://t.me/OleksiiKuleba

Despite the massive attacks on Ukrainian critical and civilian infrastructure, train No. 99/100 Kyiv-Bucharest set off on its maiden voyage with a hundred passengers, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction - Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba has said.

"Despite the massive attacks on Ukrainian critical and civilian infrastructure from Russia, Ukrzaliznytsia trains are departing on schedule. Yes, train No. 99/100 Kyiv-Bucharest set off on its first trip exactly on schedule," Kuleba wrote on his Telegram channel on Friday.

According to him, the new train will run daily on the Kyiv-Bucharest route via Vinnytsia, Zhmerynka, and Mohyliv-Podilskyi. Border control will be held in the cities of Velchynets and Ungheni.

It is noted that the train arrives at the main station of the Romanian capital - Gara de Nord.

Separately, Kuleba specified that the train from Kyiv will depart from the Central Station at 06:30 and arrive in Bucharest at 06:47 the next day.

In the opposite direction, according to the schedule, it will depart from the Gara de Nord station at 19:10, arriving in Kyiv at 19:34 the next day.

"Even during the war, Ukraine continues to move forward - literally and symbolically," he said.

As previously reported, Ukrzaliznytsia is launching a daily train on the Kyiv-Bucharest route from October 10. The cost of a ticket in a compartment car is approximately UAH 3,800. Tickets can already be purchased in the application or on the Ukrzaliznytsia website.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 30F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low around 15F. Winds light and variable.
"I think that Bennington will be a great location for Her Closet," said the store's administrator Kendy Skidmore. "And, I'm hoping that we get
The group of ambassadors of the G7 countries in Ukraine held an urgent meeting on Friday with the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk and the heads of energy companies  NPC Ukrenergo, NJSC Naftogaz and Energoatom, during which they discussed the consequences of the Russian attack on critical infrastructure and support in addressing the most urgent needs of the industry.

"The G7 ambassadors held an urgent meeting with the Minister of Energy Hrynchuk and partners - Ukrenergo, Naftogaz and Energoatom to discuss the Russian attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure and support for Ukraine in countering further attacks and addressing the most urgent needs," the post on the official account of the G7 ambassadors representation on the social network X said on Friday.
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, Im looking into the back-and-forth between Israeli and Iranian officials over whether Iran is advancing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of threatening the United States.

What You Need To Know

 Could Iran Target American Cities?: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised alarms about Irans missile ambitions, claiming Tehran is developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US East Coast with minimal enhancements. While Netanyahus warnings emphasize an emerging threat to American cities, Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi rejects these assertions as unfounded, stating Irans longest-range missiles are limited to about 2,000 kilometers and serve purely defensive aims.

 Calls Grow To Shut Womens Prison: At least two inmates have died in Qarchak Prison, which is billed by Iranian media as one of the worlds largest womens prisons. The deaths have reignited calls for the authorities to close the prison, which has long been a grim symbol of repression in Iran. RFE/RLs Radio Farda spoke with activists who served time in Qarchak, with one describing the facility as uninhabitable.

 Iranians Feel The Pinch As UN Sanctions Return: Videos showing young women riding motorcycles through the streets of Tehran have taken social media by storm this week amid a debate over Irans longstanding ban on issuing motorcycle licenses to women. Under current law, only men can obtain a license, leaving women who ride motorcycles without insurance coverage or legal protections. Lawmakers are now reviewing a new bill that could finally address the issue.

The Big Issue

How Long Is Too Long?

Benjamin Netanyahu reignited debate over Irans missile capabilities this week, claiming that Tehrans latest missile developments could threaten major cities well beyond the Middle East.

Netanyahu stated Iran is working on intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with a range of up to 8,000 kilometers -- enough to strike the US East Coast if the range is extended further.

But Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi swiftly dismissed the warnings, labelling them as fabricated and imaginary. He reiterated Irans stance that its longest-range missiles reach approximately 2,000 kilometers, targeting only regional adversaries such as Israel, and maintain that their program is strictly defensive in nature.

But conservative lawmaker Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani contradicted Araqchi in an interview with a local news outlet.

Ardestani, who is a member of the parliaments influential National Security And Foreign Policy Committee, claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lifted all restrictions on the range of Iranian missiles.

Why It Matters: Though Iran formally denies pursuing nuclear armament for its ballistic missiles, a senior Iranian commander hinted this month that missile ranges may be extended further if future security concerns warrant it.

This follows strategic shifts after the Israel-Iran war in June, which saw launch sites pushed further east inside Iran, necessitating greater reach for future deterrence.

In a segment of a 2021 documentary released by the supreme leaders office, Khamenei tells a small gathering that military leaders wanted a range of four to five thousand kilometers, but I wouldnt allow it; I told them not to build anything over 2,000 kilometers for now.

When someone in the audience asked for the justification, Khamenei replied, Theres a reason, and added that the commanders continue to complain to him because he wont lift the restriction.

What's Being Said: Netanyahu warned on during an interview with American conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro that Iran is developing ICBMs capable of putting New York City, Boston, Washington, or Miami under their atomic guns.

Iran can blackmail any American city, Netanyahu explained. People dont believe it. Iran is developing intercontinental missiles with a range of 8,000 kilometers; add another 3,000 and they can get to the East Coast of the [United States].

Araqchi responded on X, writing that Israel is now trying to make an imaginary threat out of our defense capabilities and accusing Netanyahu of goading Washington into fighting Israels Forever Wars.

Expert Opinion: The United States and its allies remain deeply concerned that Irans space program may serve as a cover for developing long-range missile technology, including ICBMs. Tehran, meanwhile, insists its program is peaceful, focused solely on communications and research.

Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, recently told Radio Farda that Irans satellite launch vehicles (SLVs) could, with some modifications, be converted for use as ICBMs.

Normally, its the other way around: you turn long-range missiles into SLVs, Nadimi noted, reflecting the dual-use nature of the technology.

Iran has sent several satellites into orbit using vehicles like Zoljanah -- a hybrid-fuel, road-mobile rocket -- but with a mixed record: numerous launch failures show the technology is still maturing. Nadimi added that while it may be impossible right now to turn Zoljanah into a true ICBM, it has the potential for future adaptation.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.
When US President Donald Trump unveiled his peace plan for the Gaza Strip, it was first met with official silence in Iran, then state media condemnation, and finally cautious acceptance.

Irans posture, experts say, is a calculated effort to avoid being seen as a spoiler while allowing Tehran to preserve its influence over Hamas, the US-designated Palestinian terrorist group.

Irans restrained endorsement of the US peace plan also reflects Tehrans waning clout in the region as well as its shifting priorities after a costly 12-day war with Israel in June, experts say.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a first phase of the plan that includes a cease-fire and hostage release. Other thorny issues in Trumps peace plan unveiled last month have been left for later negotiations.

Keeping Ties With Hamas Alive

Iran is trying to avoid being branded as a spoiler, seeing the negotiations and possibility of a cease-fire as beneficial for keeping ties with Hamas alive, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.

Iran has for years provided financial and military support to Hamas. But Tehrans leverage over Hamas has diminished as Israel has degraded the armed groups military capabilities during two years of war in Gaza.

Tehrans ability to shape outcomes in Gaza, too, has been reduced.

Irans so-called axis of resistance, its loose regional network of proxies, and armed groups against Israel, has been severely weakened over the past year. The alliance includes Hamas, Lebanons Hezbollah, Yemens Huthi rebels, and Shiite militias in Iraq.

During the brief war in June, Israel and the United States carried out a bombing campaign that degraded Irans nuclear and military capabilities.

Even if it wanted to spoil the plan, [Iran] understands very, very clearly that it doesnt really have the ability to do that, said Raz Zimmt, director at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies.

Iran is preoccupied with rebuilding its military capabilities, including missiles and air defense systems, and restoring its strategic footprint in the region, Zimmt said.

The Future Of Hamas

Trumps peace plan requires Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, to fully disarm and surrender power. Control of the territory would then pass to a transitional Palestinian administration.

When Iran expressed support for the plan, it commended Hamass smart response to Trump, noting that the group had agreed to the hostage release but rejected disarmament and its surrender of power.

Israel would like to disarm Hamas, to disarm the Gaza Strip, but I think it's very realistic to assume that it's not going to be that easy, said Zimmt.

If a cease-fire holds in Gaza, Iran will just look for other opportunities to insert itself in Palestinian politics, most likely via the Israeli-occupied West Bank, experts say.

Tehran will [shift] resistance support to the [Israeli-occupied] West Bank and also support civil society resistance, said Vakil.

Iran could also use the media and social platforms to promote anti-Israeli narratives, she said.
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Russian air attacks triggered a fire in a high-rise apartment building in central Kyiv early on October 10 after it was hit by a drone. RFE/RL's Maryan Kushnir spoke to residents as firefighters battled the blaze in a central district of the Ukrainian capital.
Two senior members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) extremist group have been killed in unprecedented Pakistani drone strikes in the Afghan capital, sources told RFE/RLs Radio Mashaal, marking a major escalation of tensions between the two side.

The target of the strikes in Kabul late on October 9 was Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of the TTP, which is also known as the Pakistani Taliban, a Pakistani security official and a member of the TTP said.

It was not clear if Mehsud was killed in the strikes. A TTP source said the militant leader was alive but two important members of the group were killed, without disclosing their names.

Longtime allies, the sides have fallen out over the Afghan Taliban's alleged sheltering of the TTP, which has waged a deadly insurgency against Islamabad for years. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 as international troops left Afghanistan.

The attacks in Kabul were followed by suspected Pakistani air strikes in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika, which borders Pakistan, early October 10.

Witnesses said a market selling second-hand weapons, a shop selling computers, and a restaurant were hit. No casualties were reported.

In a statement issued on October 10, the Talibans Defense Ministry condemned what it said were Pakistani air strikes in Paktika and Islamabad's violation of "Kabul's sovereign territory.

Pakistan's military spokesman, in a televised press conference on October 10, did not directly respond when asked if Islamabad was responsible for the attacks.

To safeguard Pakistani lives and properties, what measures need to be taken will be taken, General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told reporters.

The attacks inside Afghanistan came two days after the TTP killed 11 Pakistani security personnel, including a lieutenant colonel and a major, in an assault in northwestern Pakistan.

'Huge Escalation'

Former US ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad posted on X that Pakistani strikes against Afghanistans capital are a huge escalation and pose dangerous risks.

Khalilzad added that military escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not the answer. It is unlikely to work and will increase death and destruction in both countries.

The strikes coincide with a groundbreaking trip by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India, Pakistans archenemy.

Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on October 10 for a week of talks, in the Talibans highest-level visit to the country since the hard-line Islamist group took power.

During the first day of talks between Taliban and Indian officials, New Delhi announced it was upgrading its mission in Kabul to a full embassy. The sides were also expected to discuss trade and economic ties.

The Talibans outreach to India as well as the TTPs increasing attacks in Pakistan is taking the situation towards a very serious level, said Mansoor Mehsud, director of the Islamabad-based FATA Research Center.

Pakistan will react more seriously, and this will make the situation dangerous, he said.
BRUSSELS -- US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker says President Donald Trump has "a lot more" cards to play to bring Russia to peace talks with Kyiv as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned what he called a cynical and calculated" attack by Moscow that left parts of the capital without power.

Zelenskyy said on October 10 that Russia had launched more than 450 drones and over 30 missiles across Ukraine and emphasized that civilian and energy infrastructure...is the main target of Russias strikes ahead of the heating season.

He urged stronger international support, saying, together, we can protect people from this terror. Whats needed is not window dressing but decisive action -- from the United States, Europe, and the G7 -- in delivering air defense systems and enforcing sanctions.

Speaking to RFE/RL in Brussels, Whitaker said that both sides in the nearly four-year-old conflict will have to make concessions to bring about peace.

"There are almost, I don't want to say unlimited cards, but certainly there are a lot more, a lot again, consequences for not doing a peace deal that could be brought to bear against the Russians," he said.

Zelenskyy has been looking for Trump to ratchet up pressure on Moscow to end its war -- the longest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Trump has said he could impose sanctions on Russia to stop the fighting but without similar actions from Europe, "we're all wasting a lot of time."

Whitaker echoed the president's words, saying that sanctions against India for buying Russian oil, the opening of weapons stockpiles in the production capacity to Ukraine, and other measures have increased pressure on Moscow.

But he added pushing Moscow to the negotiating table has to be a joint effort, meaning Europe must also take action.

"Instead of...asking what the United States is going to do, I would prefer to ask what we all are going to do because Europe is consequential," he said, noting that some European countries need to wean themselves off of Russian oil.

"We need to help them make that transition, the EU is very crucial to that as well."

Air Attacks On Kyiv

As diplomats continue to seek ways to put peace talks back on track, many residents of Kyiv were digging out of the rubble after another massive wave of air attacks.

A drone set apartments on fire on the 6th and 7th floors of a high-rise block in a central district, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, adding that both drones and missiles had been deployed in the assault.

"There's no electricity at all," one woman in the capital told RFE/RL. "When [firefighters] were putting out the fire, there was still power in the house, then it went out, then came back on, and then it went out completely across the whole district."

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said 12 people had been injured, with eight of them taken to the hospital. He said there were power outages in the eastern districts of the city.

"The left bank of the capital is without electricity. There are also problems with water supply," Klitschko said on Telegram.

The Energy Ministry said in a post on social media that at mid-afternoon, power outages continued around Kyiv, as well as in Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhya.

According to a Telegram post by Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, the water supply has been restored for two million people in Kyiv, though approximately 4,000 buildings remain without water.

"Despite major infrastructure damage, restoration efforts are underway across the country, with repair crews working tirelessly to restore electricity and water to homes as quickly as possible," he stated, just hours after Russia's massive strike.

Russia has consistently denied targeting civilian installations in Ukraine despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

The Ukrainian Air Force described the attack as "massive" as multiple explosions and the sound of drones were heard over the capital.

In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhya, drones struck several targets overnight, killing a 7-year-old child, the regional governor said.

"Tragic news. A 7-year-old boy who was wounded in a nighttime Russian attack has died in hospital," Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.

Fedorov said earlier that the drone strike triggered at least one fire in a dwelling.

Following the morning attacks, Zelenskyy told reporters at a briefing that Ukraine seeks clarity on 10 Patriot missile batteries previously promised by the US, adding that 203 energy facilities are currently in need of air defense protection.

He also expressed hope for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a grouping of over 20 Western countries supporting Ukraine, later this month.





RFE/RL Ukrainian Service correspondent Maryan Kushnir contributed to this report from Kyiv.
Melania Trump said eight children who were separated from families as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine have been reunited with families, part of an "ongoing effort" following months of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin had no immediate comment to Trump's announcement, which she made in a televised statement on October 10 from the White House.

The issue of Ukrainian children, removed from Ukraine by Russian authorities, often without the consent or knowledge of family members or legal guardians, has been a highly charged issue since the start of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In her comments, Trump said three of the children had been separated from their parents due to the fighting on the front lines and taken to Russia.



The other five were separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, she said.

Among them was a young girl who has now been returned to Russia from Ukraine.

In her comments, she said a letter she had written to Putin was delivered by her husband, President Donald Trump, during his meeting with the Russian leader in Alaska in August.

"He responded in writing, signaling a willingness to engage with me directly and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia," she told reporters.

"Russia has demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective and detailed information reflective of the current situation," she added.

Melania Trump has taken an interest in the issue of thousands of children who have been removed from Ukraine -- in some cases, involuntarily -- by Russia since the launch of Moscow's all-out invasion in February 2022.

Western officials say in many cases, Russia has done little to identify the legal guardians of children removed from Ukraine, and pushed forward to have them adopted by Russian families.

Ukraine's government says at least 19,500 children are missing since 2022, while the researchers at Yale University estimate that the number could be up to 35,000.

The International Criminal Court has filed an arrest warrant against Putin, and the Kremlin's main children advocate, as part of the campaign, which has included military and government jets.

Russia denied wrongdoing and claimed it was evacuating Ukrainian children from conflict zones to give them protection from war.

Yale researchers have also charged that Russia has subjected the children to nationalist propaganda.

In their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly at the end of September, Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska thanked Melania Trump for her "support of Ukraine" and "particular attention to children who became victims of Russia's brutal war."
BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Global Leaders' Meeting on Women will be held in Beijing from Oct. 13 to 14. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the meeting and deliver a keynote speech, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday.

The meeting, co-hosted by China and UN Women, will gather heads of state, government leaders, parliamentary leaders, deputy prime ministers, ministerial officials, leaders of international organizations, and friendly personnel from various continents, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing.

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, which adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Guo said the meeting aims to reaffirm the spirit of the conference and accelerate the implementation of its outcomes.

He said the meeting will inject new momentum into advancing gender equality and the well-rounded development of women, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Guo said China looks forward to working with the international community to ensure the success of the upcoming meeting, making it another milestone in the history of global women's development.




Photo: https://www.facebook.com/zelenskyy.official

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has had a telephone conversation with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.

"We discussed how to fairly use frozen Russian assets to protect against the Russian war and restore life in Ukraine. There is a solution to how to do this. Thank you for your support. There must be sufficient political will in Europe, because that is where the largest part of these assets is concentrated," Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Friday.

He noted that most partners support this, and Ukraine is counting on action.

The president also informed Lagarde about the consequences of the Russian night attack on energy infrastructure.

"Repair teams and energy specialists are currently working in various regions of our country. We are doing everything we can to restore normal life. It is important that Russia bears real responsibility for what is prolonging this war and trying to destroy life," he stressed.

Zelenskyy and Lagarde agreed to work closely together with other European leaders.
At least 214 civilians were killed and nearly 1,000 injured across Ukraine in September 2025, another tragic month, especially for communities along the frontline, which remain at the epicenter of the devastation, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said on Friday. The mission said attacks on energy infrastructure also continued throughout September and intensified in October, when a large-scale attack last night caused power and water outages in several regions of the country.

"The high level of civilian casualties last month confirms a worrying trend this year of increasing violence in Ukraine, with hardly a day passing without civilians being killed or injured, especially in frontline communities," said HRMMU Head Danielle Belle. In its monthly report released on Thursday, the HRMMU said that 69 percent of civilian casualties in September occurred in areas close to the front line, with significant numbers recorded in Donetsk and Kherson regions in eastern Ukraine. At least 87 of the dead were elderly, as they are often the last residents in their communities.

For example, on 9 September, a Russian airstrike in the village of Yarova, Donetsk region, killed 25 civilians (16 women and 9 men) and injured at least 19 (13 women and six men). Most of the victims were receiving pensions near a postal van in the city center when the bomb fell nearby: 21 of the dead and 13 of the injured were over 60 years old.

It is noted that the main cause of civilian casualties near the front line remains strikes by short-range unmanned aerial vehicles, mainly FPV drones (first-person view drones). With almost 30 percent of all civilian casualties in September caused by this type of weapon, residents reported to the HRMMU that frequent attacks by short-range drones are making life increasingly dangerous and unbearable.

Further away from the front line, Russian attacks using missiles and loitering munitions have also continued throughout the month, causing another 30 percent of all civilian casualties across Ukraine  in 16 regions, including the capital Kyiv, as well as in cities hundreds of kilometers from the front line.

Some 97 percent of all civilian casualties occurred in government-controlled territory.

"The attacks carried out by the Russian Federation in September damaged Ukraines energy infrastructure at least 31 times, continuing an escalation that began in August 2025," the report said.

The UN noted that in Chernihiv region alone, energy infrastructure facilities were attacked at least 12 times, leading to temporary power outages in several areas and the subsequent introduction of emergency power outage schedules in October.

"Last night, another large-scale rocket attack on energy facilities across the country reportedly killed a seven-year-old boy, injured 34 civilians and caused power outages in several regions, including Kyiv," the mission said added.

In the first nine months of 2025, the number of civilian deaths and injuries in Ukraine increased by 31 percent compared to the same period in 2024. This significant increase shows no signs of slowing down. Since the start of the Russian Federations full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the HRMMU has documented at least 14,383 civilian deaths, including 738 children, and 37,541 injuries, including 2,318 children.
OPW Minister Kevin Boxer Moran is to call for a meeting with officials from Bord na Mona, Roscommon County Council and Coillte to discuss the flooding of lands near where bog rewetting is taking place.

Earlier today in Ballyleague, Minister Moran met with farmers and landowners in the Mount Dillon area whose lands have been affected by flooding.

In response to the flooding claims, a spokesperson for Bord na Mona has previously said that weather conditions arising from Storm Amy last week caused flooding across parts of the midlands.

"There is no evidence of BnMs peatlands restoration activity (conducted in accordance with its dedicated Peatlands Climate Action Scheme) contributing to this flooding, he said.
Three new recharging hubs are to be located in County Roscommon to service the expanding electric vehicle (EV) fleet.

The Roscommon sites are among 90 announced today, Friday, as part of a 10 million package to support grants for recharging infrastructure at the selected sites.

These new sites will deliver 192 new fast recharging points, with an average capacity of typically 250kW, at 90 locations along the national primary and secondary road network.

The sites in County Roscommon will be located at Ballinlough Service Station on the N60, Cooneys in Boyle on the N61 and Brennans Centra in Roscommon Town on the N63. Meanwhile, a hub will also be located at the Spar Service Station in Lanesborough, also on the N63.

The announcement is part of a wider plan to build a recharging network across the country, with the distance between recharging hubs envisaged as 30km or less.

Minister for Transport, Darragh O'Brien Said he was "delighted to see the rollout of these EV recharging hubs right across regional and rural Ireland. Achieving our climate action plan targets will only be possible if drivers know they can charge conveniently and reliably, and todays announcement is another significant step towards achieving that. This investment marks an important step in giving people the assurance that switching to electric is not only the right choice for the environment, but also a practical one for their daily journeys.
Ken Foxe

The Justice Minister was inundated with emails and letters from frightened immigrants about a series of vile attacks on the Indian community.

In one message, a woman wrote about being unable to change her skin colour, and asked what she was supposed to do to feel safe while walking around.

Another wrote of being fearful of speaking their native language in public spaces and terrified of commuting [and] walking alone.

One email said Irelands famous Cead Mile Failte seemed more of a gimmicky marketing slogan than the day-to-day reality for people living here.

The messages were sent in the wake of a shocking assault in July in Dublin, where an Indian man in his forties was left stripped and bloodied on the street.

A total of 280 pieces of correspondence were received by Minister Jim OCallaghan, of which his department released a sample of 40 under Freedom of Information laws.

In one, a person wrote: I recall becoming acutely more aware of my skin colour and looking over my shoulder for months.

I stopped going to my workplace in South Dublin. Now, I'm contemplating moving out of Dublin  out of fear for my family's wellbeing.

Another wrote: We cannot change our skin colour. I am a brown girl, dark-skinned  what should I do to be accepted in Irish society such that I feel safe walking around at any time of day or night?

One email was sent to Tanaiste Simon Harris before being forwarded to the Department of Justice.

Do you understand the fear and tension in the air in Ireland at the moment? it said.

Another person said it was frightening to think attackers felt emboldened enough to film the attacks and upload them to social media.

A message said: This is deeply disturbing and extremely concerning. It is crucial that we send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated and that perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

One Irish person called for the opening of a new youth offenders camp to imprison those that threatened the migrant communities that were keeping our health services functioning.

Another wrote: I am interested in knowing how many of these criminals who beat Indian nationals in Dublin were arrested and charged.

Had a similar incident occurred in New Delhi, there would be uproar in Ireland.

Not all letters were in support of migrant communities, however, with some choosing to share unsupported and debunked claims about other crimes.

Others said the spread of these conspiracy theories on social media were directly leading to tension and violence.

They said two named groups on one platform were consistently spreading harmful narratives that fuel division, fear, and anger towards immigrant populations".

Another said Minister Jim OCallaghan himself needed to be more careful about his own stance of being seen as tough on immigration.

These attacks do not take place in a vacuum, they wrote.

Asked about the correspondence, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said: Attacks on individuals because of their inherent characteristics, including race, are abhorrent to the values of our republic and are condemned by any right-thinking people.

The government is determined to stamp out hate-motivated crimes and to protect vulnerable communities.

He said laws had recently been amended to ensure hate-motivated violence would result in increased sentencing parameters for judges.

The spokesman added that An Garda Siochana takes hate crime very seriously and that every incident was professionally investigated with support provided to victims throughout the criminal justice process.
The Ukrainian Red Cross (URCS) is providing assistance to residents affected by a Russian airstrike in the city of Kaniv.

"Cherkasy region also came under attack last night. A rapid response unit and the team of the Cherkasy Regional Organization of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, together with the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Cherkasy region and the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, are assisting those affected," the URCS reported on Facebook on Friday.

A Red Cross assistance point is currently operating at the site, where volunteers are preparing hot drinks and providing water and snacks to rescuers and local residents. People whose homes were damaged are receiving OSB boards, plastic sheeting, blankets, and other materials for temporary repairs from the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. Volunteers from the rapid response unit are also ready to provide first aid and psychological support if needed. A mobile medical team is offering medical consultations and stabilizing the condition of injured residents seeking help.

According to the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, a school, a kindergarten, and at least seven apartment buildings were damaged in Kaniv. Due to the destruction of critical infrastructure, part of the community has been left without gas, water, and heating. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that 10 people were injured in the massive Russian attack, including a 10-year-old boy.
Chandigarh Police Forms 6 Member SIT to Probe Alleged Suicide Case of ADGP Y. Puran Kumar

The 50-year-old, Y. Puran Kumar, belonged to a scheduled caste community.

Chandigarh Police Forms 6 Member SIT to Probe Alleged Suicide Case of ADGP Y. Puran Kumar Latest: Chandigarh police on Friday afternoon constituted a 6 Member Special Investigation Team, headed by an IG-rank officer, to investigate the suicide case of ADGP Y. Puran Kumar.

Y. Puran Kumar, in his purported suicide note, has named nine serving IPS officers of the Haryana Police, a retired IPS officer, and three retired IAS officers, accusing them of caste-based discrimination, public humiliation, targeted mental harassment, and atrocities that pushed him to take the extreme step.

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The SIT comprises the following members:

Pushpendra Kumar, IPS, IGP, UT, Chandigarh  Head

Kanwardeep Kaur, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, UT, Chandigarh  Member

K M Priyanka, IPS, SP/City  Member

Charanjit Singh Virk, CPS, DSP/Traffic  Member/IO

Gurjit Kaur, CPS, SDPO/South  Member

Insp. Jaiveer Singh Rana, No. 693/CHG, SHO/PS-11 (West)  Member





In view of the gravity and sensitivity of allegations, the probing team has been constituted, with immediate effect to conduct a prompt, impartial, and thorough investigation of the case under the supervision of IGP, UT, Chandigarh, the order said.

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The team will prepare the final report upon completion of the investigation.

Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary, D Suresh Kumar in stated ment said, "We have requested for fair and quick investigation and immediate arrest of DGP Shatrujeet Kapoor and SP Rohtak."

Earlier today, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), Government of India suo motu cognizance, issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Chandigarh, Government of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, and the Director General of Police, Chandigarh Police Headquarters, directing them to submit an action-taken report within seven days.

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The 50-year-old, Y. Puran Kumar, belonged to a scheduled caste community.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naib Saini, urging the government to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the IPS suicide case. He also demanded that those held responsible for the death be investigated and action taken against them.

Additionally, Punjab MLA, Harpal Singh Cheema, accused the Bhartiya Janata Party, stating that during its rule, the Atrocities against Dalits crossed every limit  from the Chief Justice of India being attacked to now a senior IPS officer driven to suicide.

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"This is oppression," he said, adding, "We demand an independent judicial inquiry. BJP will pay for this injustice."

Atrocities against Dalits under BJP rule have crossed every limit  from Chief Justice of India being attacked to now a senior IPS officer driven to suicide. This is oppression. We demand an independent judicial inquiry. BJP will pay for this injustice. aSYAAA #DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/L5aWvWJwwB  Adv Harpal Singh Cheema (@HarpalCheemaMLA) October 10, 2025

(For more news apart from 'Chandigarh Police Forms 6 Member SIT to Probe Alleged Suicide Case of ADGP Y. Puran Kumar,' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Centre Approves Sawalkote Project On Chenab River After 4 Decades Amid Indus Waters Treaty Freeze

The project received Stage-I forest clearance in July.

Centre Approves Sawalkote Project On Chenab River After 4 Decades Amid Indus Waters Treaty Freeze: The Centre has recommended environmental clearance for the 1,856-MW Sawalkote Hydro Electric Project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir, a strategically important project being revived following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.

Stalled for nearly four decades, the Sawalkote project is one of India's largest hydropower schemes in the Chenab basin and a key part of the government's push to fully utilise its share of western river waters under the 1960 treaty.

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Its revival comes months after New Delhi announced the suspension of the treaty following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, allowing India to freely develop infrastructure on the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.

Under the IWT, the three eastern rivers -- Ravi, Beas and Sutlej -- were allocated to India for its exclusive use. The three western rivers -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- were reserved for Pakistan, though India retains limited rights to use their waters for non-consumptive purposes, such as run-of-the-river hydropower generation, navigation and fisheries.

To be built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited at an estimated cost of Rs 31,380 crore, the run-of-the-river project will straddle Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

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It includes a 192.5-metre-high roller-compacted concrete dam and underground powerhouses designed to generate about 7,534 million units of electricity annually.

Once commissioned, it will be the largest hydropower project in the Union Territory and provide crucial peaking power and grid stability for northern states. The project carries both developmental and strategic weight.

Besides adding to the region's power supply, the project will enhance India's ability to manage and store the Chenab's waters, a right allowed under the IWT but rarely exercised fully due to engineering challenges and diplomatic sensitivities with Pakistan.

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The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for river valley and hydroelectric projects of the Union environment ministry, at its meeting on September 26, examined the NHPC's updated proposal covering a total area of 1,401.35 hectares, including 847.17 hectares of forest land.

The project received Stage-I forest clearance in July.

According to the committee's minutes published on October 9, no protected area lies within a 10-kilometre radius of the site and the nearest sanctuary, Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, is about 63 kilometres away. The NHPC's revised environmental-management plan allocates about Rs 594 crore for mitigation and restoration measures, up from Rs 392 crore earlier.The plan includes catchment-area treatment, muck disposal, biodiversity conservation and long-term monitoring of the air, water, soil and aquatic ecosystems.

The project will affect 13 villages and displace about 1,500 families, primarily in the Ramban district.

The NHPC has proposed a detailed rehabilitation-and-resettlement plan, offering housing, livelihood support and skill development to the project-affected families.

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Around 1,500 people will be employed during construction, with about 200 technical staff retained during operation.

Public hearings were held in Udhampur, Reasi and Ramban in early 2016, where residents demanded fair compensation, better connectivity, healthcare, education facilities and free electricity.

Concerns were also raised over forest loss and riverine impacts.

The EAC, after reviewing the updated baseline environmental data and responses, found the proposal compliant with regulatory norms and recommended clearance with specific environmental safeguards.

The Sawalkote project was first conceived in the 1980s but faced repeated delays over forest clearances, rehabilitation issues and questions about cumulative impact studies.

The environment ministry's Forest Advisory Committee and the home ministry recently backed its clearance on strategic grounds, noting that new assessment norms introduced in 2013 should not apply retrospectively to older projects. (PTI)

(For more news apart from Centre Approves Sawalkote Project On Chenab River After 4 Decades Amid Indus Waters Treaty Freeze, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
India To Reopen Embassy In Kabul, Afghanistan: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar

This is the first time a Taliban foreign minister has visited India.

India To Reopen Its Embassy In Kabul, Afghanistan: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar Latest News: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday told Taliban-ruled Afghanistans Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi that India will reopen its embassy in Kabul.

This is the first time a Taliban foreign minister has visited India.

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(For more news apart from India To Reopen Its Embassy In Kabul, Afghanistan: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Normalcy Restored in Leh Ladakh with Conditions; Leaders Demand Judicial Inquiry into 4 Deaths (Representative Image)

The leaders called for a judicial inquiry into the events of September 24 & demanded release of innocent youth currently in police custody.

Normalcy Restored in Leh Ladakh with Conditions; Leaders Demand Judicial Inquiry into 4 Deaths: Mobile internet services were restored in Leh Ladakh on Thursday evening after 15 days of suspension. The restoration came following peace talks held earlier in the day between the Ladakh administration and local bodies, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB).

The internet was suspended after the violence on September 24, which resulted in four deaths due to police firing and left 90 people injured. The unrest stemmed from the longstanding demand for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the call for statehood.

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Late Thursday evening, the District Magistrate of Leh issued an order prohibiting the circulation, sharing, or forwarding of any fake news, rumors, or unverified information on any social media platform within the jurisdiction of Leh district.

The order also directed all social media group administrators to monitor the content shared in their WhatsApp groups and to immediately delete any fake, misleading, or rumor-mongering content. Administrators were instructed to turn on the Admin Only mode for sending messages in WhatsApp groups.

Strict legal action under relevant sections of law will be taken against those found indulging in the creation, sharing, or forwarding of fake news, messages, rumors, or misinformation, the order stated. It will remain in force for two months from the date of issuance or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the order read.

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However, one user questioned the move in the comment section of the official Instagram page of the Ladakh Information Department, asking whether legal action would also be taken against the UT administrations own page for allegedly spreading fake and misleading information.

There were many fake news and misinformation from this page. Will there be legal action? questioned the Instagram user with the handle thethirdpassport.

Many other comments under the UT administrations post echoed similar sentiments, strongly accusing the administration of spreading fake news.

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Meanwhile, along with the restoration of internet services, the administration announced that complete normalcy have returned, citing uninterrupted internet, the smooth functioning of educational institutions, and the resumption of public transport and other civic activities. Restrictions in Ladakh have been lifted, the administration said, owing to the peoples cooperation and responsible behavior.

Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta expressed satisfaction over the prevailing calm and order across the Union Territory, according to a press release by the UT administration.

The Lt Governor stated that the people of Ladakh had shown exemplary patience and unity during recent challenging times, adding that the spirit of cooperation was instrumental in quickly restoring normal life across the region.

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The restoration of normal life is a clear reflection of the peoples faith in the administrations commitment to ensuring safety, stability, and inclusive growth, the Lt. Governor was quoted as saying.

Highlighting the deep-rooted sense of nationalism among the people, he added, Ladakhis are among the most patriotic citizens of our nation, who have always stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the country in safeguarding national interests.

He urged all sections of society to work with 'renewed energy' for the development and prosperity of Ladakh.

Separately, Chief Secretary of UT Ladakh, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, held a Peace Coordination Meeting yesterday to deliberate on the recent violence and its aftermath, another press release stated.

Prominent religious and political leaders, including Apex Body President Thupstan Chhewang, Tsering Dorjey Lakruk, Ashraf Ali Barcha, and Abdul Qayoom, were present at the meeting.

The leaders called for a judicial inquiry into the events of September 24 and demanded the release of innocent youth currently in police custody.

They also emphasized the need for adequate financial compensation for the families of the victims, who mostly belong to the middle class and economically weaker sections of society.

The leaders jointly condemned certain sections of the mainstream media for portraying Ladakhis as anti-national, highlighting the communitys historic contributions to the nation, including over 600 gallantry awards earned by its citizens.

They reiterated their collective demand for Sixth Schedule safeguards and statehood for Ladakh and called for an early resumption of talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

During the same meeting, the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of LAHDC Leh stated that while the tragic loss of lives cannot be reversed, continued dialogue with the Government of India is essential to bridge the existing trust deficit.

He emphasized that LAHDC Councils should play a constructive role as a bridge between the government and the public, ensuring transparency and sincerity in all discussions.

(For more news apart from Normalcy Restored in Leh Ladakh with Conditions; Leaders Demand Judicial Inquiry into 4 Deaths, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Gunshot Fired at Science Teacher in Faridkot, Punjab Over Old Rivalry

A case has been registered against the accused based on the complaint, and the SHO assured that the accused would be arrested soon.

Gunshot Fired at Science Teacher in Faridkot, Punjab Over Old Rivalry Latest News: A teacher of a government middle school in Jandwala Sandhuan, Faridkot district of Punjab, was attacked by a couple who fired two shots at him over an old rivalry while he was reportedly taking a class, leaving everyone, including students, in panic.

The couple allegedly fired the two shots toward Amandeep Singh Batra, the science teachers leg. However, he managed to save himself by hiding behind a nearby car.

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By the time other teachers, mid-day meal workers, and villagers reached the spot, the attackers had fled the scene.

The teacher stated that Harpreet Singh, allegedly accompanied by his wife, fired two rounds at him inside the school. Later, they allegedly threw a chair at him and left the premises, the teacher added.

Navdeep Bhatti, SHO of Sadiq Police Station, stated that there was an old rivalry between the two sides, due to which Harpreet Singh allegedly fired at teacher Amandeep Singh.

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A case has been registered against the accused based on the complaint, and the SHO assured that the accused would be arrested soon.

(For more news apart from Gunshot Fired at Science Teacher in Faridkot, Punjab Over Old Rivalry, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Editorial: 'Coup d'etat' in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province

Tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh is being seen more as a rivalry between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) &its ally at centre

Editorial: 'Coup d'etat' in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province: The political spectacle continues in Pakistan. On one hand, there is a tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh provinces over the sharing of canal waters and flood relief funds, on the other hand, the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province (Wazir-e-Ala in Pakistani terminology) Ali Amin Gandapur has been dramatically dismissed.

The tug-of-war between Punjab and Sindh is being seen more as a rivalry between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and its ally at the centre - the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), less as a political antagonism. This does not pose any threat of destabilising the governments of the two provinces.

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The danger lies in a militancy-ridden province like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where the ongoing political war is, in fact, a product of the civil war within the ruling PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf). This could also prove to be the reason for political instability in this province and also for tribal violence. In this province, Ali Amin Gandapur resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Wednesday on the instructions of party supremo Imran Khan. Gandapur is considered the chieftain of the Kulachi area of aaDera Ismail Khan district. The Pashtuns of this area are upset with the insult of their chieftain.

According to Pakistani media, Gandapur was removed from office due to an 'AK' between Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and his eldest sister, Aleema Khatun. Stories of enmity between Bushra Bibi and Aleema have been popular on social media as well as in mainstream media. But as both of them united to remove Gandapur, Imran was forced to distance himself from his staunch loyalist Gandapur. Gandapur kept asking for two days to meet him in Adiala Jail near Rawalpindi, but Imran did not agree to this meeting.

This was a clear indication that he should abdicate. 35-year-old Sohail Afridi has been nominated as the new Chief Minister in place of Gandapur. Sohail was sworn in as the Education Minister in Gandapurs cabinet on Imrans instructions on October 1. Before this, he was the Chief Ministers Assistant on Communication Affairs. The former president of PTIs student wing Insaf Students Federation (ISF) and the first-time MLA from Bada constituency in Khyber district, Afridis rise is considered miraculous by PTI constituents.

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The discussion is that Aleema Khatoon made his appointment possible. There were three factions active within PTI against Gandapur. The fact that none of these leaders were considered fit for the post of Chief Minister shows that Aleema Khatun wanted a Chief Minister in the Pathan-majority border province who would remain her puppet. Gandapur was also her choice, but a month after she became the Chief Minister of the border province on March 3, 2024, she started showing that she could not be run by remote control.

This kind of independent approach eventually cost her dearly. Imran Khan has four sisters. Of these, Rubina Khanum has never been much in the media spotlight as she lives in Britain. The other three - Aleema Khanum, Uzma Khanum and Hani Khanum - have been in the news during Imran's tenure as Prime Minister due to land scandals and leading protests after his detention. It has also been often heard that the three do not get along at all with Bushra Bibi. Making such family interference and strife a part of his politics is costing Imran Khan politically.

In the 145-member Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the number of pro-Imran members is 92. The opposition has 52 members, of whom 18 belong to Jamaat-e-Islami (Fazlur). Due to such political calculations, the existence of the provincial government is apparently not in danger. But in a province where loyalty to family or tribe takes precedence over political loyalty, it does not take long for a Chaudhry to be lost.

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's 'PML-N' and Bilawal Bhutto's PPP are trying to snatch the only province with a Chaudhry from Imran Khan's PTI. What seemed impossible to them a month ago is now starting to seem possible. Therefore, the next boiling point in Pakistani politics is not far off.
Victory for PAS and Moldovas Pro-European Future

In September, the Republic of Moldova passed a decisive electoral test

EU - R. Moldova (photo: European Union, 2022 / Photographer: Lukasz Kobus)

Corina Cristea, 10.10.2025, 13:49

In September, the Republic of Moldova passed a decisive electoral test, which would shape the countrys future direction: towards consolidating the European path or, on the contrary, postponing it.

For several years, the EU accession has been a political objective for the Republic of Moldova, a goal accompanied by hopes of stability, prosperity and security. Now, the Republic of Moldova has chosen, and the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has achieved a historic win, securing more than half of the seats in Parliament.

The result gives a real chance to the countrys European path and implies a validation of the promise to carry on the reforms requested by Brussels: an independent judiciary, tackling corruption, and modernising the countrys institutions. How difficult will Moldovas road to accession be? Sorin Ionita, public policy expert:

Sorin Ionita: The European path has always been difficult, and I dont think they can necessarily promise a deadline, although 2030 is being talked about. But what is extraordinarily good is that this path can continue. So they can start actual negotiations, counting on at least four years of stable governance ahead. And it is the only possible option, because anything else that would have come out of the elections would have blocked Moldovas European path for good. And we have seen what it means to go off track now, we have the experience of the Western Balkans. It means that if you dont seize an opportunity when you have it, when you have a window of opportunity, that if you wait for it to close and reopen it who knows when, then goodbye, the ship has sailed. So Moldova is in the best possible scenario now, but it wont be easy to close the technical negotiation chapters.

The road ahead is not without obstacles. Domestically, the political opposition talks about the costs of the integration and tries to capitalise on fears of economic or social changes, while externally, Russia keeps its influence in Transnistria and uses disinformation. All the more reason for the promised reforms in the judiciary, administration and economy to be implemented. Rufin Zamfir, expert in strategic communication:

Rufin Zamfir: First and foremost, we need to strengthen our understanding of the vulnerabilities that our society has and that can be used by Russia. I mean in particular the fact that within the Moldovan society there is an impoverished layer, a category that has no information or awareness of the benefits. Such differences between the large urban area, which is basically the capital city, Chisinau, and the rest of the country, are the corridors through which manipulation and propaganda get into Moldova. These things must be addressed first. Concurrently, this promised agenda of strengthening ties with the European Union must be synchronised and negotiated with Brussels so as to prioritise those measures that produce benefits for the general population, so to speak. It is an extremely difficult path to navigate. Russia will not stop, the political actors who support its agenda inside the Republic of Moldova will not cease their actions to challenge the democratic orderall these things are defining for the period ahead in the Republic of Moldova.

For Russia, the result of Moldovas parliamentary elections was an extremely strong strategic blow, says Rufin Zamfir:

Rufin Zamfir: Lets not forget the desperation with which Russia was looking for a win in the Republic of Moldova, a victory to sell to its own population first and foremost. It is an even more painful defeat for Russia as the material and financial efforts that Moscow invested in hijacking the Moldovan parliamentary elections are unprecedented even for Moldova, a place tested so hard. All this terrible scaffolding that Russia built via or with the help of political actors and political agents in Moldova has been shattered, knocked to the ground by the resilience that the citizens of Moldova have proven at the polls. But this will not prevent Russia from carrying on its attempts to turn the Republic of Moldova away from its European path and to fasten it in its web of influence.

What is still to be expected from Moscow? Democratic actors in Chisinau expect Russia and those who support its interest in the Republic of Moldova to push the country towards political and social instability, by creating big enough political problems that the reforms, the degree of bringing welfare to the Republic of Moldova will be at least significantly slowed down, if not stopped altogether. The goal would be to create dissatisfaction with the government in Chisinau as concerns the promised closeness to the EU.

In Brussels, Bucharest and all Western capitals, the victory of the pro-Europeans in the Republic of Moldova at the expense of Russian-backed parties was welcomed. Likewise in Kyiv, where president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had failed to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, so that Moscows subversive influence would not spread further into Europe. (AMP).
EIB to finance Pitesti-Sibiu motorway

Romania secures EIB funding for the Pitesti-Sibiu motorway project

Finance Minister signs agreement for SibiuPitesti motorway (photo: https://www.facebook.com/mfpromania)

Leyla Cheamil, 10.10.2025, 13:50

The European Investment Bank provides EUR 1 bln for the construction of the A1 motorway, Pitesti-Sibiu, Romanias first mountain motorway. The high-speed road that will cross the Carpathian Mountains is the countrys most important road infrastructure project.

While in Romania to sign the EUR 500 mln financing agreement that accounts for the first instalment of a total package of EUR 1 bln, the banks officers met with PM Ilie Bolojan in Bucharest. He stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation with the EIB and other European financial institutions, in close partnership with the European Commission.

The Prime Minister highlighted that, in the context of the fiscal and budgetary commitments undertaken by Romania, the banks support is important for the co-financing of projects already included in the national budget planning, ensuring that investments are carried on and completed.

The agreement for the first financing instalment was signed by the finance minister Alexandru Nazare. The project is estimated to amount to a total approx. EUR 5.5 bln.

With a total length of 122 km, the Pitesti-Sibiu motorway is divided into five sections. The project, which is part of the central trans-European transport network and Romanias transport master plan, began in March 2020 and is estimated to be completed by the last quarter of 2028. The main goals of the investment are to increase the efficiency of the transport network and lower travel times. Another goal is to improve road safety and to better connect the regions of Romania to European transport networks.

Signing this agreement is a new proof of our commitment to supporting regional development and creating a solid basis to increase Romanias competitiveness, the finance minister Alexandru Nazare said. He pointed out that this is a project of European importance, which will stimulate investments and generate new jobs, and the benefits will be felt directly in the economy and in the daily lives of citizens, through safer roads and faster connections.

In turn, the vice president of the European Investment Bank Ioannis Tsakiris stated that this is an investment in people, safety and opportunities that contribute to faster, safer and more accessible journeys for people and goods. The project will stimulate competitiveness and connect communities, demonstrating that European unity means sustainable prosperity and social inclusion, Ioannis Tsakiris said.

Continued financing is already being considered, and a second EUR 500 mln agreement could be signed in the first half of next year. (AMP)
Perspectives for Romanian agriculture

Romania is to receive 16.6 billion through the future Common Agricultural Policy  the sixth largest beneficiary in the EU.

Foto: pixabay.com

Daniela Budu, 10.10.2025, 14:00

Romania will receive at least 16.6 billion through the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with the possibility of adding more from national allocations, making it the sixth largest beneficiary of CAP funds in the European Union. The announcement was made by Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, during his visit to Bucharest as part of the negotiations on the new CAP and the 20282034 Multiannual Financial Framework. He also took part in a specialized conference.

This provides predictability and stability for farmers  strong and guaranteed support for their income at a time when other sectors face uncertainty. This firm commitment underlines the unquestionable importance of farmers in ensuring food security and sovereignty across the Union, Commissioner Hansen said.

He also announced that through the European Competitiveness Fund, around 40 billion will be available to stimulate research, innovation, and resilience in agriculture. According to the EU official, this will allow Romanian authorities to adapt interventions to national and regional needs. Farmers will benefit from simplified rules, more flexible instruments, and reduced administrative burdens.

Furthermore, support will focus on small and family farms, as well as young farmers. Those owning less than 10 hectares will be exempt from inspections. Large farms, in turn, will continue to receive substantial payments, which may be complemented by funds for investments and environmental actions.

Beyond the CAP, the EU Commissioner added that the amount Romania will receive for national and regional partnerships will be 17% higher than at present. Border regions will also receive additional funding to help prevent land abandonment in those areas.

On the other hand, Christophe Hansen announced that Romania will receive 11.5 million from the agricultural reserve to support farmers whose production was affected by spring frosts.

Romanias Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, called on the European official to ensure that the new CAP includes clearly defined funds and percentages for rapid compensation in case of natural disasters. He also emphasized that the EUs Common Agricultural Policy should remain separate from cohesion funds, to ensure that food production is not tied to benchmarks or targets.

Food security in Romania and the European Union is ensured by farmers. Farmers can guarantee food security only if we provide them with proper financial frameworks and predictability over the next ten years, Florin Barbu added.

During a meeting with the European commissioner, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stressed that the future EU Common Agricultural Policy must remain balanced and adequately funded, given that some Member States are proposing cuts to EU agricultural funds. He also noted that financing rules must be realistic and adapted to each countrys level of development. (VP)
Several biotech stocks posted notable after-hours gains on Thursday, October 9, driven by fresh data, strategic updates, and corporate developments. Here's a quick look at the key movers and catalysts.

Shares of Palisade Bio Inc. (PALI) traded at $2.26 in the after-hours session as of 9:16 PM EDT on October 9, reflecting a 7.62% gain from the prior close. The stock had ended Thursday's regular session at $2.10, up 5% on the day. Over the past 52 weeks, PALI has ranged between $0.53 and $4.32.

The after-hours movement coincided with the company's announcement that it had cancelled its previously adjourned special meeting of stockholders, which had been scheduled to reconvene on October 10. Palisade Bio stated that the meeting was cancelled due to the continued lack of quorum. As a result, all proposals outlined in its definitive proxy statement filed on August 18, 2025, were withdrawn from consideration.

Healthcare Triangle Inc. (HCTI) traded at $2.88 in the after-hours session as of 7:58:50 PM EDT on October 9, up 4.35%. The stock closed Thursday's regular trade at $2.76, down 17.86%. Over the past 52 weeks, HCTI has fluctuated between $1.49 and $473.10.

The after-hours rebound followed the company's announcement that it signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to acquire Teyame.AI, which is projected to generate $34 million in revenue for fiscal year 2025 and would provide Healthcare Triangle with a next-generation global customer engagement platform.

Nutriband Inc. (NTRB) traded at $8.25 in the after-hours session as of 6:24 PM EDT on October 9, up 4.30%. The stock had closed the regular session at $7.91, down 6.94%. Over the past 52 weeks, NTRB has ranged between $3.72 and $11.78.

Most recently, the company announced that it has filed a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to further strengthen its intellectual property protection for its AVERSA abuse deterrent transdermal .

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (KPTI) traded at $6.08 in the after-hours session as of 7:37 PM EDT on October 9, up 4.46% from its regular session close of $5.82 at 4:00 PM EDT, when the stock had declined 1.36%. Over the past 52 weeks, KPTI has ranged between $3.51 and $16.95.

The after-hours gain followed the company's announcement of comprehensive financing and capital structure transactions expected to provide $100 million in financial flexibility and extend its cash runway into the second quarter of 2026.

Shares of Editas Medicine Inc. (EDIT) traded at $4.22 in the after-hours session as of 7:59 PM EDT on October 9, up 3.43%. The stock had closed the regular session at $4.08, down 1.69%. Over the past 52 weeks, EDIT has ranged between $0.91 and $4.54.

The after-hours gain followed the company's presentation of new preclinical proof-of-concept data for its experimental therapy EDIT-401 at the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Congress, showing =90% LDL-C reduction in non-human primates and mice.

CG Oncology Inc. (CGON) traded at $45.40 in the after-hours session as of 7:59:45 PM EDT on October 9, up 2.11%. The stock had closed the regular session at $44.46, gaining 9.21%. Over the past 52 weeks, CGON has ranged between $14.80 and $45.47. No official news releases or filings were issued during the day.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
During the visit of the Ukrainian team to the United States next week, the entire range of issues of Ukrainian-U.S. strategic partnership will be discussed, including the Drone Deal, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhiy Tykhy has said.

Answering a question from an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent regarding whether the so-called "Drone Deal" will be discussed during the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the United States, Tykhy said "the entire range of issues of Ukrainian-U.S. strategic partnership will be discussed."

"Including, and security and defense issues will be a priority, of course. The drone deal, of course, is included in the circle of these issues, work on this agreement is ongoing. I am convinced that the conversation about advancing this agreement will be among the important subject of this visit," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

According to Tykhy, Ukraine expects that "the visit will be very meaningful."

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the United States. According to him, preparations are underway and a plan of meetings is being formed.

The president announced that the delegation will include Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Head of the Presidents Office Andriy Yermak, as well as Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk.

"There will also be a significant component of the visit from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the National Security and Defense Council. We are forming a plan for meetings. We have offered the United States several strong defense agreements that can strengthen both of our countries, and we must make our dialogue with United States on these agreements more meaningful," Zelenskyy said.
Finland's industrial production declined for the third straight month in August, figures from Statistics Finland showed on Friday.

Industrial output dropped 0.2 percent year-over-year in August, much slower than the 5.3 percent decrease in July, which was the fastest decrease since May 2024.

The overall decline was mainly due to a 2.3 percent contraction in the utility sector output and a 1.0 percent fall in the mining and quarrying production.

On the other hand, output produced in the electrical and electronics industry grew 12.2 percent annually in August. The metal industry expanded 4.2 percent, and manufacturing output was 2.8 percent higher.

On a monthly basis, industrial production recovered strongly by 2.6 percent versus a 1.9 percent drop in July.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
After climbing higher early on in the session, German stocks are down in negative territory around noon on Friday, weighed down by political tensions on France, and rising concerns about and AI bubble.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called a meeting of the country's mainstream political parties today ahead of a self-imposed deadline to name a new prime minister.

The benchmark DAX, which dropped to 24,540.20 after climbing to 24,704.11 earlier in the session, was down 92.52 points or 0.4% at 24,559.64 a little while ago.

Bayer is gaining about 2.7%. Mercedes-Benz is up 2%, while Merck and Henkel are rising 1.3% and 1.25%, respectively.

Beiersdorf, Vonovia, BASF, Daimler Truck Holding, Deutsche Post, Continental, Zalando and Symrise are up 0.6 to 1%.

MTU Aero Engines is down 2.8%. Siemens Energy and Rheinmetall are down 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Heidelberg Materials is declining by about 1.2%.

Scout24, Brenntag, GEA Group, BMW and Hannover Rueck are down 0.4 to 1%.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
French stocks are turning in a mixed performance on Friday with investors largely making cautious moves amid political uncertainty, and a lack of significant news on the corporate and economic front.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called a meeting of the country's mainstream political parties today ahead of a self-imposed deadline to name a new prime minister.

The benchmark CAC 40, moving in a tight band between 8,037.16 and 8,082.53, was down slightly at 8,040.63 a few minutes ago.

Kering is gaining about 2.5%. Dassault Systemes is up nearly 1.5%, while Carrefour, Unibail Rodamco and Michelin are up 1 to 1.3%.

Stellantis is up more than 1% on reporting a 13% increase in Q3 2025 shipments.

LVMH is rising nearly 1%. Capgemini, Euronext, BNP Paribas, Hermes International, Pernod Ricard, Bureau Veritas, Publicis Groupe and Credit Agricole are up with moderate gains.

Among the losers, ArcelorMittal is down 2.7% and Thales is lower by nearly 2%, while Safran, Legrand and Airbus are down 0.8 to 1%.

TotalEnergies, Schneider Electric, Eurofins Scientific, Edenred and Societe Generale are down 0.4 to 0.6%.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Under the landmark UK-France migration deal, the first groups of illegal migrants who landed in the UK on small boats have been successfully returned on flights to France.

The UK-France treaty grants the UK decisive new powers to detain and rapidly remove individuals who enter illegally via small boats, blocking access to the UK asylum system.

Over the past week, two group flights saw 19 individuals returned to France, following the successful returns of an additional 7 individuals in the last month. The second group flight arrived in France Thursday before continuing its journey to Eastern Europe as part of the government's regular schedule of returns flights.

Further flights to France under this pilot scheme are scheduled to take place over the coming days and weeks, the UK Home Office said.

In addition, the UK government continues to work with France to operate a tightly controlled legal route for an equal number of eligible migrants to come to the UK, subject to rigorous security checks. Nine arrivals entered the UK this week through this route.

This pilot scheme will continue to be ramped up, with both countries having committed to continuously improving this process.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, "We must put an end to these dangerous crossings which put lives at risk and money in the pockets of criminal gangs".

The UK Home Office said enforcement activity continues to be ramped up, with the National Crime Agency carrying out more than 350 disruptions against people-smuggling networks last year - a 40 percent increase on the previous year.

More than 35,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the UK have been returned, with asylum-related returns up 28 percent year-on-year.

The Home Office is now issuing more than 31,000 initial asylum decisions every quarter - triple the average under the previous government.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Futures point to a flat start for the Canadian market Friday morning, but the nation's employment data, due before the opening bell, could well set the trend for stocks. Firm gold and silver prices are likely to trigger some strong buying in the materials sector.

Gold futures are gaining $40.50 or 1.02% at $4,013.10 an ounce, and Silver futures are up $1.298 or 2.75% at $48.455 an ounce.

West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures are down $0.67 or 1.09% at $60.84 a barrel.

The Canadian market ended weak on Thursday, weighed down by losses in the materials sector after gold prices fell sharply. A lack of progress in Canada - U.S. talks weighed as well on sentiment.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index settled at 30.269.98, down by 232.01 points, or 0.76%.

Asian stocks closed broadly lower on Friday as investors booked some profits in the sector following warnings of stretched valuations. Chinese ended lower amid intensifying trade tensions with the United States.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Bank of England (BOE) have both cautioned about the potential for a collapse mirroring the dotcom bubble.

European stocks are turning in a mixed performance in somewhat lackluster trade as investors remain reluctant to make significant moves due to a lack of fresh data.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Sending money across the euro area will be faster and safer than ever, thanks to new EU rules on instant payments. People and businesses can now transfer money in euro within seconds, anytime - day or night, weekdays or weekends - whether within their own country or across the euro area.

Since January, payment service providers (PSPs) in the euro area are obliged to offer their clients the possibility to receive euro instant payments. PSPs are also obliged to offer their clients the service of sending instant payments in euro and, in order to combat payment fraud in euro credit transfers, the service of payee verification (VoP). This makes instant payments more widely available, safer, and more affordable for everyone across the euro area.

Instant payments will boost Europe's and bring major benefits for citizens and companies, according to the Eoropean Commission.

Transfers in euro will no longer take days - they will reach the recipient's account in seconds, including at weekends and holidays.

The Commission has made it clear that banks and other payment service providers must not charge more for an instant payment than for a standard credit transfer.

To ensure stronger protection against fraud and errors, the Commission has urged providers to verify whether the name of payee (or recipient) matches the IBAN provided before a payment is made. This service shall be provided free of charge to the payer.

New rules also enable payment and e-money institutions to directly participate in payment systems, so they can provide their payment services, including instant payments, more efficiently.

From January 2027, payment service providers outside the euro area will also be required to allow their clients to send and receive instant payments in euro and verify the beneficiary, the European Commission said in a press release.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
With GST reduction of up to Rs 75,000, Hyundai cars are now available in the price range of Rs 5.47 lakh to Rs 20.96 lakh

Hyundai Motor India has passed on the full benefits of the new GST 2.0 reform to its customers, making its cars more affordable this festive season. Prices have been revised across popular models including Grand i10 Nios, i20, Exter, Aura, Venue, Verna, Creta, and Alcazar. In addition, Hyundai is also offering limited-period festive benefits of up to Rs 70,000, available to select customers.

Hyundai Hatchbacks  Grand i10 Nios, i20

Hyundais entry-level model, Grand i10 Nios, now gets a GST-linked price cut of Rs 51,022, bringing its starting price down to Rs 5.47 lakh. The i10 Nios remains a strong performer in the hatchback space. The Hyundai i20 receives a Rs 64,035 price cut and now starts at Rs 6.87 lakh. Powered by a 1.2L petrol engine (83 PS  MT / 88 PS  iVT), it is among the top selling premium hatchback.

Hyundai Sedans  Aura, Verna

The Hyundai Aura benefits from a Rs 55,780 GST-linked reduction, with prices now starting at Rs 5.98 lakh. It is Indias second best-selling compact sedan. The Hyundai Verna, winner of the 2024 Indian Car of the Year, now gets a Rs 60,640 price cut and starts at Rs 10.69 lakh. It is offered with two powertrains  a 115 PS 1.5L MPi petrol and a 160 PS 1.5L turbo petrol.

Hyundai SUVs  Exter, Venue, Creta, Alcazar

Hyundais compact SUV Exter sees a Rs 55,984 price drop, with prices now beginning at Rs 6.05 lakh. Exter contributes nearly 12% to Hyundais overall sales. The popular Hyundai Venue now starts at Rs 7.26 lakh after a GST benefit of Rs 67,719. Its Hyundais second-best-selling car after Creta, contributing around 19% to the brands volumes.

The Hyundai Creta, Indias best-selling SUV, receives a GST-linked price cut of Rs 38,311, bringing its starting price to Rs 10.72 lakh. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Alcazar sees the highest reduction of Rs 75,376, now priced from Rs 14.47 lakh (petrol) and Rs 15.44 lakh (diesel).

Additional Festive Offers

In addition to GST benefits, Hyundai is also offering special festive discounts for eligible customers under CSD and KPKB categories. These include:

 Up to Rs 60,000 off on Grand i10 Nios and i20

 Up to Rs 50,000 on Aura and Exter

 Up to Rs 70,000 on Venue

With GST benefits and festive discounts, Hyundai cars have become even more value-packed this season. For buyers planning a new car purchase, this is the ideal time to bring home a Hyundai.
UK Ministry of Defense: Hundreds of air defense missiles delivered to Ukraine almost six months ahead of schedule

Hundreds of air defense missiles have been delivered to Ukraine five months ahead of schedule, the press service of the UK Ministry of Defense has said.

"Hundreds of air defence missiles delivered five months early, with production creating UK jobs," the Ministry of Defense said the websites statement on Friday.

As noted, UK Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard led a trade delegation that visited Kyiv this week to increase military support for Ukraine. "Crucial missiles for Ukraine are months ahead of their delivery schedule," the statement reads.

This became possible after the largest drone manufacturer in Ukraine invested GBP 200 million in drone production in the UK, creating 500 jobs.

According to the Ministry of Defense, these missiles, known as Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), have been protecting Ukraine from threats since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. "The latest phase of a 1.6 billion deal signed earlier in the year will enable those battle winning missiles to be integrated further into Ukraines air defence system, in a significant step for Ukraines own sovereign capabilities," the British defense department said in a statement.

As Pollard stressed, "the UK is stepping up our ironclad commitment to help Ukraine defend itself against Russias illegal invasion. This year alone we are spending 4.5 billion on military support for Ukraine, more than ever before () Driving industrial partnerships is essential so that we can learn from their expertise and together build the industrial base we need to defend the UK, deter our adversaries and support Ukraine."
Photo: Reuters

Eight Ukrainian children have returned from Russia to Ukraine over the last 24 hours, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has said.

"My representative is working directly with President Putin's team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine. In fact, eight children have been rejoined with their families during the past 24 hours... Three [of them] were separated from their parents and displaced to the Russian Federation because of frontline fighting. The other five were separated from family members," Melania Trump told reporters on Friday.

According to her, over the past three months, both sides have participated in several behind-the-scenes meetings and calls, "all in the spirit of goodwill."

"Much has unfolded since President Putin received my letter last August. He responded in writing, signaling a willingness to engage with me directly and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia. And since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children," the first lady said.

Melania Trump said Russia "has demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective and detailed information reflective for the current situation." "The Russian Federation has provided biographies and photographs of each child involved in this week's reunification, along with an overview of the social, medical, and psychological services afforded to the Ukrainian children. Further, I was provided a detailed report which verified the identities and circumstances of these eight individuals. The U.S. government confirmed the facts contained within this document are accurate," she said.

The first lady also said the original verification report was jointly prepared by the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights and the Russian Children's Ombudsman.

Melania Trump also said she had expressed concern about those who were minors at the time of their displacement due to the war, but have since reached adulthood and are now residing in Russia. "Given the dangers of traversing this war-torn region, their safe return requires coordinated assistance. Accordingly, Russia has agreed to rejoin the individuals who have turned 18 within a short period of time. Again, this remains an ongoing effort," she said.

"Plans are already underway to reunify more children in the immediate future. I hope peace will come soon. It can begin with our children," the first lady added.
Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/

The Russians tried to conduct offensive operations in Dobropillia axis to unblock their military, the enemy retreated, its equipment was destroyed, a cleanup is underway in Volodymyrivka, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"There was a report by Commander-in-Chief Syrsky about Dobropillia, this is important, you know the operation, the ring is appropriate. Today, offensive operations were in Volodymyrivka, Shakhivka, Sofiivka. They wanted to unblock their military," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Friday.

He noted that to date, the Russian losses in this direction amount to approximately 13,000, so the enemy wanted to unblock its military, but suffered losses.

"They retreated, the equipment was destroyed, and now a cleanup is underway in Volodymyrivka and nearby," the president said.
Photo: Raytheon Missiles & Defense

During the last meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the possibility of transferring not only Tomahawk missiles, but also HIMARS, ATACMS.

"We talked with President Trump during our last meeting in New York. We talked not only about Tomahawk [missiles]. We talked about HIMARS, and I mentioned ATACMS. In fact, when you have, for example, 40, 50 or 60 ATACMS between us, it's nothing," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Friday.

He said Ukraine uses 140-150 drones of its own production, and can assemble 300-350, "and when you have, for example, 40 or 50 ATACMS for a long period of time  it means nothing, between us."
Due to meteorological conditions, the possibility of repelling the Russian night attack decreased by 20-30%, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"I would say that I believe that the weather forecasters reduced our repelling by about 20-30%, I believe. I think it had such an effect, but nevertheless, if we can restore, almost restore the water supply during the day, and I think that there will be processes for more positive decisions on electricity," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Friday.

He noted that the Russians had been stockpiling missiles and drones for this attack, and were waiting for rainy weather and fog, understanding that this would hinder the use of aviation.

"This is a strong blow, but it is definitely not fatal. Partners must help, America must calm Putin down, partners must not let go, support Ukraine, and the Ukrainians, I believe, are doing everything right," the president said.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will have a call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with whom he will discuss the meeting on security guarantees and the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.

"The first topic is our meeting on security guarantees and the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. And we will decide with him what date and what format we can choose," Zelenskyy said during a briefing on Friday.

He said he hopes that the meeting in one format or another will take place within two weeks or this month.

"This is crucial because I want to at least take the final steps to specify the details of security guarantees. But to put it on paper, not just talk about it. And I think this meeting will be very important," the president said.

In addition, he is going to discuss with Starmer the possibility of the UK joining the PURL program.

"It is a good signal if Cyrus decides to join PURL. For us, this is air defense," the head of state added.
London stocks ended sharply lower on Friday, having extended losses into the close after US President Trump threatened a "massive" tariff hike on China in a dispute over rare earth metals.

Having been just slightly weaker for most of the day, the FTSE 100 fell sharply on the back of Trumps threats, ending down 0.9% at 9,427.47.

In a very long post on Truth Social, Trump said he might cancel an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in response to Beijings latest move to restrict exports of rare earth magnets and raw materials.

"There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the World captive, but that seems to have been their plan for quite some time, starting with the Magnets and, other Elements that they have quietly amassed into somewhat of a Monopoly position, a rather sinister and hostile move, to say the least," Trump wrote.

The US President said he was still considering his next move, but suggested one option on the table was a "massive increase" of tariffs on Chinese products coming into the US.

"There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration," he added.

On home shores, investors mulled the latest data from the British Retail Consortium, which showed that weak consumer confidence and uncertainty arising from the upcoming Autumn Budget prompted a steeper drop in footfall across the UKs high streets.

According to the monthly BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor, overall footfall fell by 1.8% year-on-year last month, worse than the 0.4% annual decline posted in August.

In equity markets, defence stocks were down, with Melrose Industries, Babcock, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce all weaker.

Joshua Mahony at Scope Markets said progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza eased geopolitical risk premiums, reducing demand for the sector that had been buoyed by the conflict.

Building products manufacturer Ibstock slumped as it reported weaker-than-expected demand in its core construction markets during the third quarter amid a "more uncertain near-term backdrop".

Ibstock said both clay and concrete revenues were impacted, with second-half sales volumes and adjusted underlying earnings now anticipated to match the first half due to softer market conditions.

Breedon also fell.

Aviva was in the red after a downgrade to underperform at KBW.

On the upside, Sage Group rallied after Citi placed the shares on positive catalyst watch into full-year results in November, saying it expects a better-than-feared update.

Recruitment firm Hays nudged higher after saying it experienced the typical recovery in post-summer activity in its first quarter, but expects ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty to weigh on its performance over the remainder of the year.

Like-for-like net fees declined by 8% year-on-year over the three months to 30 September, with a 5% decrease in temp and contracting fees met with a 13% drop in the permanent side of the business.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "So much bad news was already in the price and there were morsels of good news buried in the statement.

"Chief executive Dirk Hahn appears to be keeping his chin up and the implied message of well get through this and prosper later on appears to have been duly noted by the market."
London stocks were set to fall at the open on Friday following a downbeat session on Wall Street, as investors mulled a drop in retail footfall.

The FTSE 100 was called to open around 25 points lower.

Danske Bank said: "Equities edged slightly lower yesterday, with defensive sectors outperforming in what was otherwise a calm session.

"We've entered a classic wait-and-see mode ahead of the upcoming US data flow and the reopening of US markets after the holiday. The Q3 earnings season will kick off in earnest next Tuesday, which is likely to re-energise sentiment."

On home shores, data released earlier by the British Retail Consortium showed that weak consumer confidence and uncertainty arising from the upcoming Autumn Budget prompted a steeper drop in footfall across the UKs high streets.

According to the monthly BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor, overall footfall fell by 1.8% year-on-year last month, worse than the 0.4% annual decline posted in August.

Footfall across UK high streets was down 2.5% on last year, following a 1.1% increase the previous month, retail park footfall fell 0.8% after a previous 1.1% decline, while shopping centre traffic slipped 2.0% after no growth in August.

Footfall fell across all nations again in September compared with the year before: -0.5% in Northern Ireland, -1.8% in England, -2.3% in Scotland and -2.5% in Wales.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said speculation about possible tax rises in November's Budget was keeping shoppers away during the month.

"Tube strikes in London, heavy rainfall in the first half of September and Storm Amy towards the end of the month exacerbated the decline," she said.

Dickinson blamed the 5bn in additional employer costs imposed on the retail industry from the last Budget for the lack of investment in local communities and high streets.

"For retailers to invest in shopping destinations that will entice shoppers back, the government imposed cost burdens holding back that investment must be lifted. The upcoming Budget is the moment for the Chancellor to do just that, deliver the Labour manifesto commitment of a meaningful reduction in business rates for the industry and ensure no shop pays more in the process," she said.

In corporate news, recruitment firm Hays said it experienced the typical recovery in post-summer activity in its first quarter, but expects ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty to weigh on its performance over the remainder of the year.

Like-for-like net fees declined by 8% year-on-year over the three months to 30 September, with a 5% decrease in temp and contracting fees met with a 13% drop in the permanent side of the business.

"We expect near term market conditions to remain challenging and, although we have limited forward visibility, we believe this is likely to persist through FY26," the company said.

Fund solutions provider JTC said it has extended possible takeover talks with suitor Warburg Pincus.

The FTSE 250 firm first announced last month it was in talks with the private equity firm, having rebuffed a previous approach.

Under City rules, Warburg had until 1700 BST on Friday to make a firm offer or walk away - a so-called put up or shut up deadline.

However, JTC said discussions remained "ongoing" and it had therefore sought - and been given -approval from the Takeover Panel to extend the deadline.

Building products manufacturer Ibstock reported weaker-than-expected demand in its core construction markets during the third quarter amid a "more uncertain near-term backdrop".

Ibstock said both clay and concrete revenues were impacted, with second-half sales volumes and adjusted underlying earnings now anticipated to match the first half due to softer market conditions.

Full-year net debt was expected to be above previous guidance.
Beatriz Serrano, a journalist for Spain's El Pais newspaper, hypnotizes with her brilliant fiction debut, Discontent, engagingly translated by Mara Faye Lethem. Serrano's dedication, "For everyone who wakes up, every day, with no desire to go to work," sets the perfect tone to introduce her protagonist's attitude about her stifling career.

Marisa, 32, has worked in advertising for eight years, the last four as creative strategist for a Madrid agency. She also teaches at a private university, "thanks to the English diploma [she] listed on LinkedIn." She attributes her success to "perfecting the office game until everybody believed [she] was a great professional," yet she can only get through the days by watching YouTube behind closed doors, escaping to nonexistent meetings, relying on the Internet and her students to do her work. Alas, she's utterly miserable: "I broke down every morning when the alarm beeped because life, lived this way, seemed like a badly written tragedy." She's already lost (to suicide) the sole co-worker with whom she had "encounters that could be classified as pleasant." And now she's facing a team-building retreat, "an entire weekend surrounded by people," all of whom she can't stand. Drugs, alcohol, and kissing strangers may well be the only way to survive.

Serrano's biting insight illuminates virtually every page, rife with stinging wisdom ("My job is to be nice and sell snake oil") and cutting one-liners ("It's 5:30. I've tricked capitalism for one more day"), as she deftly exposes the herculean challenges of quotidian life. She closes her acknowledgments with a thankful, delightful promise for more: "I trust we will meet again." --Terry Hong
Danish novelist and poet Olga Ravn hauntingly combines Nordic folklore and historical sources to fiercely reimagine the experiences and tribulations of a 17th-century noblewoman accused of witchcraft in The Wax Child. She reunites with award-winning translator Martin Aitken after her 2021 International Booker Prize-shortlisted novel, The Employees.

The titular wax child is "shaped in beeswax... made like a doll the size of a human forearm" by Christenze Kruckow in Nakkeblle on the Danish island of Funen. It is christened under the still darkness of night. As Ravn's narrative opens, Christenze is dead, but the abandoned wax child insists on bearing witness to its mistress's horrific demise.

Christenze, born noble but impoverished, works at Nakkeblle Manor as a servant, while also befriending the manor's young wife, Anne. After losing 15 infants over 12 years, Anne "cast her gaze at Christenze." Anne convinces others that Christenze is behind the murders of her babies, prompting her husband to "initiate proceedings against [Christenze] with the charge that she did harm by means of witchcraft." Christenze flees to northern Aalborg in 1616. First she meets Maren and is "enchanted by the forbidden love of a woman." Maren introduces her to a collective of strong wives. Among them is Elisabeth, who is abused by her husband and who eventually betrays these women to his machinations.

Ravn's author's note illuminates fascinating historical provenance, the "letters, ledgers, court documents and theological texts" associated with Danish witch trials recorded between 1596 and 1621. The "spells" recorded throughout are also borrowed, from "so-called black books, grimoires and other such works." Four centuries later, Ravn enthrallingly immortalizes those long-silenced voices. --Terry Hong
GUANGZHOU, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The flame lighting ceremony for China's 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games was held in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on Thursday.

China's 15th National Games will be jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao from November 9 to 21. The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games will be held from December 8 to 15.
Chisinau will help provide the Transdniestrian region with gas if necessary, Moldovan Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu told reporters after a government meeting on Wednesday.

"The right bank of the Dniester is fully provided with gas, the authorities are ready to help the left bank, if necessary. No requests for gas supply have been received from the administration of Transdniestria yet. Last year, the Republic of Moldova supported the Transdniestrian region. The same will happen this year," he said.

The National Agency for Energy Regulation of the Republic of Moldova (ANRE) has put the Moldovagaz company in charge of supplies to the left bank of the Dniester, he said.

"Moldovagaz supplies gas to the left bank. In early October, they purchased 50% of the necessary volume of 57 million cubic meters as an insurance reserve, to which they are entitled in keeping with the storage obligations," Junghietu said.

Moldova is ready for the cold season, the Energocom state company has purchased all necessary gas for the 2025-2026 heating season, he said. The company has created a reserve for energy security in an amount of 50 million cubic meters, which is stored in Romania and Ukraine.

"The purchase of 15% of the storage volumes established by the legislation will be completed by November 1. Coal and fuel oil have been fully purchased for the heating season, Moldelectrica and Energocom are ready to intervene if need be," the minister said.

Transdniestria introduced a strict gas-saving regime on October 2. Transdniestria's Economic Development Minister Sergey Obolonik said temporary regime had been introduced due to "unfavorable circumstances."

"Electrical power for the population, for domestic and humanitarian needs, will be generated on a priority basis," Obolonik said. Transdniestrian companies will not be able to buy gas in the coming one and a half weeks, if not longer, which is why industrial enterprises are halting operations, he said.

The supply of hot water has stopped in the Transdniestrian region due to the gas-saving measures, heating is off, there is no methane in gas stations. The Moldovan Power Plant (Moldovan GRES), which uses natural gas, continues normal generation of electricity for residential buildings, schools, and hospitals.
TCS leads the earnings season with an 8.4% profit rise, stronger margins, and new AI infrastructure plans.

Natco Pharma wins big as the Delhi High Court clears its launch of a low-cost generic Risdiplam.

NTPC Green Energy boosts renewables with a massive 15 GW MoU for solar and wind projects in Gujarat.

The Indian stock market is set for another busy day on October 10, with several major companies announcing quarterly results, key business developments, and new deals. Heres a quick round-up of the top stocks likely to be in focus in todays trading session.

Quarterly Results to Watch

Several companies will be announcing their quarterly earnings today, including Elecon Engineering Company, Indosolar, Waaree Renewable Technologies, Yash Highvoltage, GK Energy, Hathway Bhawani Cabletel & Datacom, AAA Technologies, Affordable Robotic & Automation, Evoq Remedies, Intense Technologies, Oswal Overseas, and Pro Fin Capital Services.

On October 11, Avenue Supermarts and Euro Pratik Sales will release their financial results.

TCS Q2 Earnings

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported an 8.4% year-on-year (YoY) increase in net profit at Rs 12,904 crore compared to Rs 11,909 crore last year. Revenue grew 2.4% YoY to Rs 65,799 crore, while EBIT jumped 7.1% to Rs 16,565 crore. The companys operating margin also expanded to 25.17%, up from 24.06% last year.

TCSs total contract value stood at $10 billion, showing solid business momentum. The company also announced the acquisition of ListEngage, a leading Salesforce Summit partner. Additionally, TCS is setting up a new business entity to build world-class AI infrastructure, including a 1 GW capacity AI data center in India, signaling its aggressive expansion in the AI space.

Tata Elxsi Q2 Earnings

Tata Elxsi posted a 32.5% decline in profit, which stood at Rs 154.8 crore against Rs 229.4 crore last year. Revenue fell by 3.9% to Rs 918.1 crore, while other income dropped 24% to Rs 48.8 crore. The weaker numbers were mainly due to slower demand in some verticals and project delays, which affected quarterly performance.

5Paisa Capital Q2 Results

5Paisa Capital reported a 56.7% fall in profit to Rs 9.5 crore from Rs 21.9 crore last year. Revenue also dropped 23.4% YoY to Rs 77.2 crore. The fall in numbers reflects the impact of slower retail trading activity and higher operational costs.

ICICI Prudential Life Monthly Update

new business premium to Rs 1,761 crore. However, the annualised premium equivalent (APE) rose 20.6% to Rs 871 crore. Retail APE also showed strong growth of 25%, reaching Rs 739 crore, indicating improved traction in the individual insurance segment. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance reported a 0.84% month-on-month (MoM) decline into Rs 1,761 crore. However, the annualised premium equivalent (APE) rose 20.6% to Rs 871 crore. Retail APE also showed strong growth of 25%, reaching Rs 739 crore, indicating improved traction in the individual insurance segment.

Key Stocks in News

Afcons Infrastructure: The company has secured an order worth Rs 576 crore for civil and allied infrastructure works, strengthening its project pipeline across India.

Lloyds Engineering Works: Lloyds Engineering signed an MoU with FlyFocus Sp. z o. o. to jointly develop and manufacture the Defender SIGINT UAV, a next-generation unmanned aerial platform for intelligence and surveillance applications.

NTPC Green Energy: NTPC Green Energys subsidiary, NTPC Renewable Energy, signed an MoU with the Gujarat Government for the development of 10 GW of solar projects and 5 GW of wind projects in the state a massive step towards boosting renewable energy capacity in India.

RailTel Corporation of India: RailTel received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Centre for e-Governance (CEG), Karnataka, for a project worth Rs 18.22 crore involving OEM support for routers and switches under the KSWAN 2.0 initiative.

Capri Global Capital: The diversified NBFC has appointed Monu Ratra as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to strengthen leadership and drive growth across its lending businesses.

Mahindra & Mahindra: Mahindra reported a 24.4% YoY rise in production to 99,758 units in September, while sales increased 13.9% to 97,744 units. Exports also surged 44%, signaling robust demand in both domestic and international markets.

Natco Pharma: In a major legal win, the Delhi High Court dismissed an appeal by Swiss drugmaker F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, paving the way for Natco Pharma to launch a generic version of Risdiplam, used to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Natco announced it will launch the drug immediately at an MRP of Rs 15,900, making the treatment more affordable in India.

MIRC Electronics: Authum Investment & Infrastructure has increased its stake in MIRC Electronics to 21.25%, with a total investment of Rs 131.62 crore through the preferential allotment of 7.83 crore shares at Rs 16.81 each.

Bulk Deals: TechEra Engineering: Ace investor Ashish Kacholia bought 2 lakh shares personally and 1.12 lakh shares through his investment firm at Rs 247.1 per share, totaling a 1.89% stake worth Rs 7.72 crore. Meanwhile, other investors sold off their stakes, leading to a reshuffle in the companys shareholding.

Tarmat: Arton Global acquired 4.7 lakh shares (1.95% stake) at Rs 52.86 per share, valued at Rs 2.5 crore, while Aegis Investment Fund and Dove Soft exited the stock.

Dynamatic Technologies: Samena Special Situations Mauritius III sold 72,000 shares (1.06% stake) at Rs 6,800.65 per share, worth Rs 48.96 crore.

Also Read: Indian Markets Eye Bright Start on Global Ceasefire Cheer

Listings and Corporate Actions

Mainboard Listing: WeWork India Management debuts on the mainboard today.

WeWork India Management debuts on the mainboard today. SME Listing: NSB BPO Solutions lists on the SME exchange.

NSB BPO Solutions lists on the SME exchange. Stocks Trading Ex-Dividend: Hexaware Technologies, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, Sacheta Metals.

Hexaware Technologies, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, Sacheta Metals. Stocks Trading Ex-Bonus: Valiant Communications, Harshil Agrotech, Narmada Macplast Drip Irrigation Systems, Purity Flexpack, Ujaas Energy.

Valiant Communications, Harshil Agrotech, Narmada Macplast Drip Irrigation Systems, Purity Flexpack, Ujaas Energy. Stock Split Ex-Date: AGI Infra.

AGI Infra. Rights Issue Ex-Date: Capital Trust, Magnus Steel and Infra.

F&O Ban

RBL Bank is the only stock currently under the Futures and Options (F&O) ban today.
Exterior photos of Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, including the hospital's new Emergency Department. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  While prosecutors on Friday handed over a certificate of indictment for Damien Hurstel in the decapitation of his mothers long-time boyfriend, the defendant remained absent from court.

A Staten Island grand jury this week indicted Hurstel on charges that include second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in connection with the slaying on Monday inside the familys West Brighton home.

Hurstel, who was under doctors care at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, was ordered held from appearing in the courtroom amid concerns over his psychiatric condition, according to court proceedings and sources with knowledge of the case.

On Tuesday, the defendant was escorted out of the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George amid reports of a medical emergency, the details of which remain unclear Friday. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)

Family of the defendant, including his mother, uncle and cousin, have shown up to court each of the past three days in an attempt to see him.

Judge Raja Rajeswari adjourned the case to Oct. 16 in state Supreme Court, St. George, in light of the grand jury indictment.

On Tuesday, Hurstel was scheduled for arraignment but after a medical emergency at the 120th Precinct in St. George he was instead taken to the hospital. He was arraigned Wednesday afternoon virtually from a hospital bed. The details of the medical emergency remain unclear.

Victim identified by police

Police identified the victim as 45-year-old Anthony Casalaspro, of Cary Avenue in West Brighton. Facebook

The victim, who was in a long-term relationship with the defendants mother, was identified Tuesday by police as 45-year-old Anthony Casalaspro.

He was a retired Sanitation Department mechanic who graduated from McKee High School.

Friends of the victim who rushed to the scene told the New York Post he was a good person who would give the shirt off his back.

The morning after Casalaspros death, nearby neighbors recalled seeing him on the block.

We see him every now and then sitting on his balcony in a chair, one said. He kept mostly to himself.

And while Casalaspro was remembered fondly by many who say they are heartbroken over his death, his life was marked by complex challenges that included family loss, legal run-ins and a fraught domestic environment strained by the mental illness of the young man now accused of killing him.

A gruesome scene

The remains of stabbing victim Anthony Casalaspro, 45, are removed from the family's home on Cary Avenue in West Brighton. (Advance/SILive.com | Scott Axelrod)

Police responded to a 911 call Monday at the familys home on Cary Avenue, where the defendant lived with the victim, his mother and his sister.

His sister was the first to discover the horrific scene upon returning home from school. A crime scene photo showed the victims body slumped into a bathtub, his severed head placed beside him.

Police on Monday roped off the home on Cary Avenue after responding to a 911 call reporting the gruesome scene inside. (Advance/SILive.com | Scott Axelrod)

The defendant allegedly told police:

We fought and I stabbed him. I carried him to the bathroom. I cut his head off and put parts of his body in the blender. I tried to clean it up.

Law enforcement sources noted the use of a hammer, a saw, a soup ladle and a bowl as the defendant allegedly mutilated the body.

When Hurstel was arrested at the home, one neighbor described him as calm and courteous with police.

Long and tortured history: Fonte

In speaking about what sources have cited as arguments within the home and reports of prior domestic incidents, Fonte said that if there were problems, they were centered around his clients long and tortured history of mental health issues.

The disputes within the family all stemmed from his medical condition, said Fonte, who rattled off multiple diagnoses including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Prior to his client turning 18, the family was on top of him about his medications, doctor visits and hospitalizations, as any caring family would be, Fonte said.

In this April 2019 photo, Mark Fonte speaks to reporters about a high-profile case involving the murder of a Staten Island teacher.

However, when Hurstel reached adulthood, doctors were legally prohibited from discussing his treatment with the family. They had to rely solely on the patient in regard to consistency with the medication and accurate feedback about their effectiveness.

Thats when things started to go haywire, said Fonte. Arguments ensued with respect to, Did you take your medication? What medication are you on?

To which the defendant would often reply: None of your business, Im an adult now.

Speaking generally about mental health in America, Fonte said that based on his own experience in the court system it is an issue that requires more attention and more resources.

There is a mental health crisis raging that needs to be addressed and addressed quickly, said Fonte. Im in favor of limited government, but if government is going to allocate resources, they need to allocate resources to the mental health crisis.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A 47-year-old man was arrested after his apartment in New Brighton was raided following multiple alleged drug sales to an undercover officer.

Luis Ortiz, who lives in the Richmond Terrace Houses, has been indicted on four counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance. The defendant exchanged cocaine for cash in July and August with an undercover officer, according to the indictment.

Ortiz also traded five caps and a twist containing cocaine with an undercover officer in September, court documents allege.

Officers armed with a search warrant swarmed Ortizs apartment on Sept. 18 at 6 a.m. On the same day, officers conducted a separate raid at a different apartment in the city Housing Authority complex, resulting in the arrest of three additional individuals on drug charges.

The criminal complaint alleges that inside Ortizs apartment, officers found a backpack that held capsules containing cocaine. A digital scale tainted with that stimulant was located in the kitchen, authorities allege. Such scales are typically used to weigh and measure controlled substances in preparation for packaging and sale.

In addition to the drug sale indictment, Ortiz faces charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal use of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The defendant was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is scheduled to appear in state Supreme Court in St. George on Oct. 20 and in Criminal Court on Nov. 20. No defense attorney or information about bail status is listed in public records.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As Bay Terrace resident Marylu Hegazy embraced her daughter, Leila, 35 -- who was wearing only prison sandals and pajamas given to her by the Jordanian government -- in JFK Airport in Queens, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Leila returned from a 45-day journey on Wednesday night, which began in Barcelona, Spain as an effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and ended with being released from an Israeli prison.

I was terrified, but I am so proud of her, said Marylu of her daughter, who is a St. George resident, teacher, musician and social media creator. This was an unbelievable thing to me that she did; she really put her life on the line. As a mother, its scary as hell, but Im so proud of her for following through.

When speaking to the Advance/SILive.com, Marylu recounted her daughters harrowing experience aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli Military last week for attempting to bring aid to civilians in Gaza. Leila and hundreds of other activists were arrested and detained by Israel.

Pictured is Leila Hegazy in the airport after returning home from a Gaza aid mission. Courtesy of Petra Gregory

She said Leila was forced to live for several days in a small jail cell designed for five people with 15 other flotilla activists from around the world. They were given little food and water during that time, said Marylu.

They basically threw out any medications that people [the activists] had. Leila had a whole bunch of seasickness stuff, and they threw everything out. They threw out everything that was in her bag. ...But honestly, what they [the activists] had to go through is nothing compared to what Palestinians have to go through in prison, she said.

Marylu also criticized the U.S. Embassy in Israel for not helping her daughter once she was detained by the Israeli Military.

Our embassy in Israel basically, is, they are Israelis... its kind of like an Israel first kind of relationship, she said.

Marylu said she was also shocked that the U.S. government didnt notify families about the activists release or deportation. We had no prior notice that they were being deported Tuesday morning, she said.

St. George resident Leila Hegazy is taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is made up of a fleet of ships carrying hundreds of activists on about 50 boats from more than 40 countries, who are bringing aid to the civilians in Gaza. Courtesy of Leila Hegazy

However, she said she is proud of Leilas, as well as her twin sister, Omnias activism to support civilians in Gaza. Marylu also touted Leilas album We are the Resistance, which raised over $15,000 for children in Gaza.

Leilas message when she arrived home

Leilas social media post upon arrival in the U.S. again sought help for civilians in Gaza.

The thing that kept going through my mind constantly is that at some point I will be out, but there are 11,000 Palestinians currently in detention, and many of them have no idea when they will be out, she said in her Instagram story. And every day that goes by, they still dont know they are subjected to much worse treatment than even I was subjected to, and it was pretty terrible. So honestly, thats where my heart is, and we need to do everything we can to get them out, because they deserve to be free, just like everybody else.

Leila Hegazy landed in JFK Airport on Wednesday after being detained in an Israeli prison. Courtesy of Steph Ching

Leilas journey

Leila was aboard the Alma, with Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandelas grandson (Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela) which was part of the flotilla.

St. George Resident Omnia Hegazy knew on Aug. 25, when her twin sister and bandmate, Leila, left to become part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, there were risks involved. Omnias fears came to fruition on Oct. 1, when she learned via social media that Leila was one of dozens of global activists arrested by Israeli Military for attempting to bring aid to civilians in Gaza. Courtesy of Omnia Hegazy

The Flotilla was made up of a fleet of ships carrying hundreds of activists on about 50 boats from more than 40 countries. Organizers alleged that Israels interception of the flotilla was an illegal attack, according to CNN. Lelia previously told the Advance/SILive.com that her ship was carrying baby formula, and medical supplies, including diabetes medication.

Published reports say the flotilla was intercepted 7080 nautical miles off Gazas coast in international waters. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ships sailing in international waters enjoy freedom of navigation, and interference by another state is prohibitedunless specific legal conditions are met.

Leila Hegazy landed in JFK Airport on Wednesday after being detained in an Israeli prison. Courtesy of Steph Ching

According to a PBS report, Leila is one of about 450 activists arrested by Israeli forces when they intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, and among the many who reported mistreatment by Israeli prison guards. This is an accusation that Israel denies.

Earlier this week, a broader ceasefire plan was hashed out between Hamas and Israel to end a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, caused mass destruction and famine in Gaza, and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza, according to the Associated Press.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Dozens of people packed into a courtroom Wednesday afternoon to learn the fate of three men accused of executing a man and woman in their Syracuse apartment in 2022.

After a nearly three-week-long trial, a jury took just one day to come to a verdict.

The men  LaShawn Dixon, 47, Donnell Thornton, 30, and Jamel Weston, 49  sat stoically as a dozen court officers and custody deputies stood between them and the gallery.

Each man was found guilty on all six counts they faced in connection with the deaths of Alexis Sellin, 32, and her boyfriend, Jamie Crawford, 46, including first-degree murder.

Now, they face the potential of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

As the verdict was read, the victims loved ones clutched each other and sighed in relief. Some of the defendants loved ones left the courtroom.

The men were found guilty of shooting the couple multiple times in the early hours of Aug. 21, 2022 inside an apartment at 3101 Burnet Ave. as the womans son lay in a nearby room.

The disabled boy, 6-year-old Markese Smalls Jr., was found alive, but badly dehydrated. He had been left alone, unable to get out of his bed for three days.

Smalls, the only possible witness to the crime, couldnt say what happened. He is blind, paraplegic and non-verbal.

Prosecutors during the trial said the group did a test run earlier in the night before returning around 1:40 a.m., circling the area and executing the couple.

The case was built on circumstantial evidence.

Prosecutor Alphonse Williams used cellphone data, video evidence and witness testimony to weave together a story illustrating his theory of the murder.

Three defense attorneys warned jurors not to let Williams fill in gaps in the evidence with assumptions. They told the jury that police made assumptions as the basis for the timeline of their investigation and had no forensic evidence.

Ultimately, the jury agreed with Williams that there were too many coincidences pointing to the mens guilt without another innocent explanation.

They were each found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. They were charged with first-degree murder for killing multiple people.

They are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12. The victims families are expected to address the convicted killers at the sentencing.

As the three men left the courtroom, their remaining loved ones yelled that they loved them. The victims families responded by shouting their love for Jami and Lexi, the couple who was murdered.

***

Jami Crawfords obituary

Alexis Lexi Sellins obituary

***
Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, who slammed fat armed forces service members, is getting roasted for undergoing a vain beauty treatment.

The Daily Mail reported that Hegseth, a former Fox and Friends host, last month underwent a round of Botox injections in order in order to fight wrinkles.

An insider told the Daily Mail of Hegseth: Its all an ego play for Pete. Hes always been full of himself but lately his ego is off the charts.

The source continued: Hes obsessed with his body and now he wants to create the entire military in his image.

Hegseth had reportedly already installed a makeup studio complete with lights and a directors chair at the Pentagon.

Hegseth, also known as the Secretary of War after a department rebrand by President Donald Trump, raised eyebrows last month when he suddenly called top military brass to a meeting at Quantico, Va.

Hegseth slammed the leaders over armed forces personal fitness standards and military DEI efforts.

Said Hegseth: No more DEI, dudes in dresses, or gender delusion...prepare for war.

Hegseth also said: From this moment forward the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: war fighting, preparing for war and preparing to win.

Hegseth also said that the was tired of seeing fat troops and wanted tougher physical fitness standards imposed on members of the armed forces.

The insider told the Daily Mail: Now thats hes Secretary of War his sense of self-importance has gone to his head  along with his vanity.

And even though he strutted about the stage like a peacock when he gave his insulting lecture to the military brass, he still doesnt garner respect. He made a minor speech to important people, and he was still upstaged by Trump.
There is renewed scrutiny about President Donald Trumps health after the White House announced that the commander-in-chief will have a second annual health exam on Friday.

The president will travel to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to have what the White House called a routine yearly checkup, Newsweek reported.

The exam comes just six months after Trump had an annual checkup in April, sparking renewed questions about the health of the president.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump was set to meet with armed forces members at Walter Reed and that while the president was there he would stop by for his routine yearly check up.

Trump, 79, is the oldest person ever sworn in as president.

Following his April exam, the presidents physician said that Trump was fully fit to serve as commander-in-chief.

He added that Trump remains in excellent health, exhibiting robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and general physical function and that his active lifestyle continues to contribute significantly to his well-being.

But rumors swirled about the presidents health after he was seen with bruising on the back of his right hand, discoloration which was sometimes concealed with makeup, and swelling in his legs.

The White House in July said that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where the veins in the legs are unable to efficiently return blood to the heart.

Trumps physician said that the condition is benign and common in older adults.

Leavitt said the hand bruising was attributable to frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which Trump takes regularly to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

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President Donald Trump is furious with Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Wall Street Journal reported, and one of the reasons has nothing to do with her job performance.

Its reported that Trump has fumed ever since his hand was cut by Bondis oversized diamond ring last year.

The president is known to remind aides that he cut himself on Bondis large wedding ring last year, causing him to bleed from his hand.

The attorney general is frequently seen wearing a flashy diamond ring at public events.

Bondi is twice divorced and is currently unmarried. She has been dating her domestic partner, John Wakefield, since 2017.

The WSJ report doesnt make it clear exactly how Bondis ring caused Trump to cut his hand.

Trump is also furious because he thinks that Bondi is dragging her feet in prosecuting former FBI Director James Comey.

Shes moving too slow, Trump said of Bondi.

Aides have cautioned Trump that the Comey prosecution is a work in progress.

The WSJ report, based on unnamed administration sources, also claims that Trump accidentally sent Bondi a message on Truth Social, urging her to prosecute Comey.

Trump was reportedly shocked to learn that the message was public as he had intended for it to be a private communication with the AG.

We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility, the message read.

It read, They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!

Bondi was said to be incensed at Trumps Truth Social snafu and called the White House to complain to the president directly.

Trump soon after sent out a second Truth Social missive, lauding Bondi for doing a GREAT job.

The WSJ story was picked up by the Daily Mail.
Governor of California Gavin Newsom speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in New York. AP Photo/Andres Kudack

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) dared Joe Rogan to host him on his show, firing back after the popular podcaster mocked his political record and potential run for the White House.

Rogan discussed possible Democratic contenders for the 2028 presidential election during Wednesdays podcast episode with guest Jack Carr, an author and retired Navy SEAL. At one point, Rogan suggested that Democrats dont have any faith in Newsom to run for the White House.

They dont have any faith in Gavin Newsom, which is kind of funny, because he wants to be president, so bad, Rogan said. You cant ruin a city and then go on to ruin a state and say, Guys, that was just practice. Once I get it as a president, I want to fix it. I fix it all.

Carr then noted that Newsom is such a great politician, before Rogan fervently disagreed.

No hes not, Rogan said. I think hes terrible.

Rogan suggested it was low competition that allowed Newsom to keep getting reelected. Carr explained that he should not have said Newsom was a good politician, but that he was smooth.

Rogan responded by saying Newsom was a good bulls--- artist.

But the things that he says when he gets confronted...Were the highest this and the highest that. Everybodys leaving! You have the highest unemployment, you have the highest homelessness, Rogan explained.

You killed Hollywood, like Hollywood doesnt exist anymore. Its literally gone. Mandated vaccines for kids that didnt need them. You guys, he did horrible s---, Rogan added.

Newsom responded to a clip of the exchange on social media platform X, where he used a chicken emoji to troll Rogan.

Joe Rogan is too [chicken emoji] to have me on his show and expose his listeners to the truth, so Ill put it here, Newsom wrote.

He noted that California is the fourth largest economy in the world and the top state in manufacturing, farming, new business starts, tech investments and in Fortune 500 companies. He then challenged Rogan to host him on the podcast.

I could continue invite me on any time, @joerogan," Newsom wrote with a smiley face emoji.

Joe Rogan is too  to have me on his show and expose his listeners to the truth, so Ill put it here.



California is:



- 4th largest economy in the world

- #1 in manufacturing

- #1 in farming

- #1 in new business starts.

- #1 for tech and VC investments

- #1 for Fortune 500 https://t.co/w6EprxNYud  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 8, 2025

Newsom has been fueling speculation that he is gearing up for a 2028 presidential run as he escalates his public attacks on President Donald Trump.

Newsom launched a podcast of his own earlier this year, where he hosted a number of Trump supporters including MAGA architect Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was assassinated last month while speaking at an event.

Newsoms press office has been mocking Trump by mimicking the presidents social media posts for months, often tweeting posts in all-caps and giving his political rivals new nicknames. The MAGA base and conservatives have complained about Newsoms new social media strategy, with many arguing that he is not being authentic.

Newsom even took the trolling a step further in August by launching his own merchandise shop that plays off Trumps slogan, Make America Great Again.
The Verkhovna Rada's vote to extend the powers of local authorities is both a sign of institutional stability and a potential threat of corruption. This opinion was expressed by experts during a discussion on the legitimacy of extending the term of local councils, as well as the possible legal consequences and political risks of this step.

"No one is expecting the war to end tomorrow, so the issue of extending the powers of local councils is debatable. One can criticize this decision, but one can also say that, given the current circumstances, the deputies did what was necessary to signal to foreign partners and Ukrainian society that there is continuity of power in Ukraine and that there is no power vacuum. On the other hand, there are shameful practices that many representatives of the deputy corps have shown in terms of corruption and abuse, and, unfortunately, this decision, in addition to confirming the legitimacy of local authorities, empowers looters, swindlers, schemers, and many representatives of the authorities to continue their machinations and abuses," said Oleksiy Usachov, chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Politics Institute and political consultant, at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Friday.

Gatne village head Oleksandr Palamarchuk, in turn, drew attention to the actual paralysis of the normal electoral process.

"Today, it is very difficult and almost impossible to hold elections during the war. First of all, because many people, local residents, are fighting, many have left the country or moved to other regions. In addition, holding elections during bombings and drone strikes puts a large number of people at risk. Therefore, yesterday's vote by the Verkhovna Rada confirms the logical actions during a full-scale war in Ukraine," he said.

According to local government expert Ivan Fursenko, it is impossible to hold representative elections without ending the hostilities and updating demographic data.

"The extension of the powers of local councils is an absolutely logical decision by the Verkhovna Rada, since both the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada itself continue to perform their functions. It would be a big surprise to our international partners if local authorities ceased their powers and we began to prepare for elections. The problem lies not only in security, but also in the fact that, unfortunately, we do not have complete data: how many people are internally displaced, how many have left the country, where they are, and how to organize the electoral process," Fursenko emphasized.

Lawyer and member of parliament in the 5th and 6th convocations Valery Bondik, in turn, drew the attention of the participants in the discussion to the fact that the extension of the term of office does not relieve local councils of their responsibilities.

"It is now a matter of debate that local councils will not be elected, but there are reasons and grounds for this  there is a war going on, no census has been conducted, etc. We can endure this, but at the same time, local councils must work responsibly. They cannot be eternal and must understand that before completing their work, they must report to the people. Because when the authorities report to the people, this is the main lever that can be used to influence the authorities, who sometimes abuse their constitutional powers," he added.

Veteran Oleksandr Magdych expressed a critical attitude towards the extension of powers without elections, instead proposing participation in combat operations as a moral criterion.

"If the Verkhovna Rada wanted us to live in justice, to raise morale and mobilization rates, it would have been necessary to immediately adopt amendments to the legislation and say: in the next elections, only those who directly participated in combat operations can run for deputies of village, city, and regional councils. That would be wonderful and fair. This is my wish and that of our veteran community," he emphasized.

The press conference was organized by the My Kyiv Region Information Agency, the Ukrainian Politics Institute, the Ukrainian Community Charitable Foundation, and the Active Group sociological company.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio whispers to President Donald Trump during a roundtable meeting on antifa in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

As the Nobel Peace Prize verdict approaches on Friday, do bettors believe President Donald Trump has a high chance of winning the prestigious award?

While Trump has maintained that he deserves the prize, recently saying it would be a big insult if he didnt win, calls from the presidents closest allies and members of his administration have mounted after he announced Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of a U.S.-backed plan to end the conflict in Gaza.

Trump said that he expects Hamas to release all remaining hostages on Monday. Of the 48 hostages that are still believed to be in captivity, Israel estimates that 20 are alive. The agreement also includes Israeli troop withdrawal to an agreed-upon extent and the release of some Palestinian prisoners.

Retweet if you believe @realDonaldTrump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize," Eric Trump, one of the presidents sons, wrote on X after Trumps announcement on his Truth Social platform.

Retweet if you believe @realDonaldTrump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.  Eric Trump (@EricTrump) October 9, 2025

The official White House account called Trump The Peace President.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also posted: Undoubtedly, President Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

According to Star Sports, an independent bookmaker based in the United Kingdom, Trumps odds of winning the award have increased over the past few hours. Newsweek reported that the president stands at a 25% probability, right behind Sudans Emergency Response Rooms at 33.3% as of Thursday morning. On Oct. 3, Trump only had a 16.7% chance among bettors on the platform, according to the outlet.

Polymarket, the worlds largest prediction market, finds Trump, who has 6.5% odds, in fourth. It finds the president also trailing Sudans Emergency Response Rooms (37%), as well as Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and humanitarian aide charity Doctors Without Borders, both with 10%.

Oddspedia, compiling data from Ladbrokes and Unibet, has Trump as a favorite to win the prize, with a 33.33% probability. Sudans Emergency Response Rooms follows with 28.57%, and Navalnaya has a 20% chance.

As it stands: Donald Trump is favorite to win the Nobel Peace Prize at +200, Oddspedia wrote on its website.

Meanwhile, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prize, told tabloid VG that the decision of this years recipient was already finalized on Monday, Bloomberg reported. Frydnes signaled that a possible peace deal in the Middle East would count toward next year.
This National Weather Service graphic shows rainfall amounts forecast for New York City from Sunday, Oct. 12, through Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (National Weather Service)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  New York City residents, particularly those along the coast, are urged by New York City Emergency Management to prepare for the storm forecast to impact the five boroughs this weekend.

The storm is expected to bring gusty winds, heavy rain and the threat of coastal flooding to the city from Sunday through Monday.

As explained by the National Weather Service, residents can expect anywhere from 1.5 to 3 inches of rain, but some areas can see even more precipitation.

The storm, forecast to form Friday night, will shift north and generate strength as it progresses closer to the city. A predominant concern shared by both city officials and Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather, is the potential for coastal flooding. New York City Emergency Management particularly highlighted the risk posed to the eastern shore of Staten Island, southern Brooklyn, southern Queens and the Bronx shoreline.

 Weather Alert for NYC:High winds and coastal flooding are expected Sunday through Monday. Secure outdoor items, plan ahead for travel, and use caution near coastal areas.



 Stay informed with NotifyNYC New York Citys official emergency notification system. Get real-time pic.twitter.com/EaWZM9faME  NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) October 10, 2025

This weekend, New Yorkers should expect a storm that will bring strong winds, heavy rainfall, and potential flooding, said Mayor Eric Adams. Our teams are ready and prepared, but as always, we encourage New Yorkers to stay aware and connected through Notify NYC to prepare for any impacts. We will continue to monitor this storm to keep our city safe and strong.

Gathering supplies, clearing storm drains and monitoring storm surge forecasts are among the recommendations made by emergency management.

Were keeping a close eye on this storm as it moves up the coast, said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. While the exact impacts will depend on the storms track, were expecting strong winds and coastal flooding, especially in our shoreline communities. We encourage all New Yorkers to begin preparing now: make a plan, check on your neighbors, and sign up for Notify NYC alerts.
Trump was quick to tout his hard work on phase 1 of the truce, via his Truth Social app, calling it the first steps toward a strong, durable and everlasting peace and something about the biggest thing that has happened in the Middle east in 3000 years.

The Bulls N Bears Runners cavalcade this week is a promising mix behind the atomic uranium chart topper, Infini Resources. A gas hunter has flown on its hydrocarbons strike in Queensland, a Tasmanian gourmet gem has sashayed onto shelves, conquering the Coles aisles with a country wide invasion. And an Argentinean gold-silver hopeful got the greenlight to drill baby drill, unleashing the drill bit on its monster precious metals play.

INFINI RESOURCES LIMITED (ASX: I88)

Up 245% (22c  76c)

Theres no place like first place and last week line honours for Bulls N Bears Runner of the Week went to Canadian uranium explorer Infini Resources which has gone nuclear, blasting off on off-the-scale early x-ray results (XRF) and eye-watering yellow uranium visuals from its flagship Portland Creek project in Newfoundland.

The junior hit paydirt right out of the gate in its phase two diamond drilling program, nailing elevated uranium readings across a monster 284-metre section in one hole with the portable XRF screaming peaks of 12,000 parts per million (ppm) uranium at 270-m and 11,700 ppm at 289m.

With swathes of yellow uraninite coating joint surfaces grading up to a whopping 1.17 per cent uranium mineralisation, the discovery looks to have the makings of Canadas uranium elite. Deposits so high-grade and rich are practically reactor-ready off the shovel.

The stellar hits came from the initial holes in a planned 2500m campaign testing up to 12 priority targets along a structural corridor stretching over six kilometres.

The project is laced with uranium-in-soil anomalies that have geologists salivating.

Importantly, over 90 per cent of the XRF readings in that 284m stretch from 28m to 312m clocked between 1000 ppm and 12,000 ppm uranium, setting the stage for lab assays that could rewrite the projects playbook.

Infini shot the lights out here last year too, with head-turning anomalies at surface topping 74,997 ppm uranium oxide (7.5%) that got the market buzzing harder than the Geiger counter.

The current phase two effort almost immediately struck noteworthy values, underscoring extensive mineralisation and hinting at a large polymetallic system brewing underground.

The company says its mineralisation is tied to fractures and cavity zones in intensely altered granites with rubble and breccia pipes acting like superhighways for uranium-bearing fluids to flood in.

And get this - the structurally controlled system is throwing up anomalous gold too, albeit only via XRF right now.

Portland Creek sprawls over 149 square kilometres of mining-friendly Newfoundland in eastern Canada. But heres the kicker  drilling has only scratched two of those 12 targets so far, leaving a vast untapped corridor that screams monster potential.

The companys stock ambled at first on announcement, before the visuals lit the fuse, sending its shares parabolic up 245 per cent from the week before close. Punters traded Infini from its 22 cent close the week before to a high of 76 cents on a frenzy of $15 million in shares traded.

They piled in as word spread of those brilliant yellow cores turning the explorer into an instant uranium darling. With assays pending and 2000m more drilling locked in, Infini could be staring down a resource discovery that catapults it from minnow to mid-tier like so many Canadian uranium stories of ASX past.

XSTATE RESOURCES LIMITED (ASX: XST)

Up 242% (2.1c  7.2c)

Just getting pipped at the post this week was Aussie oil and gas player Xstate Resources, which teamed up with farm-in partner Elixir Energy to drill into an eyebrow-raising gas column at its Diona-1 well in Queenslands onshore Surat-Bowen Basin.

The dynamic oil and gas duo revealed preliminary hits from the well that had reached to 2479m measured depth, while punching through both primary and secondary reservoir targets before stumbling into a 181m hydrocarbon-prone Permian-to-basement sequence starting at that depth.

What followed was a belter of an over-pressured gas column, complete with a kick that forced multiple hikes in mud weights and frantic circulation to bleed the overflow of gas out of the hole.

Management is quick to note those mud weight bumps are generally a cracker sign, pointing to real pressure build-up and potential commercial flows once everything is said and done.

The discovery is now pending wireline logs and further analysis and the well is now pushing to its final target depth of about 2530m, followed quickly by a full logging blitz to harvest the intel before spilling the final interpreted volumes.

Xstate shares ignited on the news, rocketing 163 per cent from 19 c to a 50c high on a whopping $9.4 million in stock traded that day alone, with over 164 million shares flipping between punters. That accounts for about 65 per cent of the register in a volume explosion not seen in the companys history.

The Diona prospect is a shallow gas and oil sweet spot hugging the pipeline linking the Silver Springs gas plant to the Waggamba field in the prolific Surat-Bowen Basin, one of Queenslands go-to zones for conventional hydrocarbons.

With east coast gas prices twitching on supply wobbles, a hit here could unlock cashflows to fuel more drilling and another charge into Xstate.

PURE FOODS TASMANIA LIMITED (ASX: PFT)

Up 184% (2.5c  7.1c)

Nabbing bronze on last weeks Runners podium is Pure Foods Tasmania which waltzed into the spotlight on Tuesday, flaunting its national ranging expansion for its Tasmanian Pate brand across the Coles Supermarkets empire.

The deal swells distribution from a modest 300 stores to a nationwide 700, with the rest rolling out over coming weeks and initial September orders clocking in more than ten times the old monthly average.

Thats no small fry sales agreement. Pure Foods is hinting at an annualised kicker of $500,000 to $600,000 straight into the annual coffers, dwarfing prior Tasmanian Pate hauls and greasing the wheels for the companys turnaround.

At its peak, Pure Foods shares surged 184 per cent from last weeks 2.5 cent close, hitting a high of 7.1 cents - a level not contemplated since mid-2024.

Well positioned to keep the turnaround train chugging, Pure Foods could feast on this Coles lifeline to plate up profits and maybe even eye the bigger leagues.

Its a beautiful thing; spectacular yellow in drill core from Infini Resources Portland Creek uranium project in Canada.

BATTERY AGE MINERALS (ASX: BM8)

Up 160% (9.8c  25.5c)

Rounding out the Runners roster last week and tapping the precious metals vein was Battery Age Minerals which charged ahead on drilling green lights for its El Aguila gold-silver project in Argentinas fabled Patagonia.

Local officials gave the company the environmental nod as drilling authorisations for a maiden reverse circulation campaign followed a successful environmental impact assessment.

Battery Age locked in the pristine ground in an opportunistic farm-in deal back in January this year, snagging up to 100 per cent of El Aguila.

Surface sampling has already dished up some rippers with grabs hitting 174.58 g/t gold and a blistering 4739 g/t silver underlining the shot at large-scale high-grade pockets that could scale to district glory.

The company has locked in a drill contractor, technical geos, field techs and assay labs while prepping site infrastructure comms setups and eco-monitors ahead of rig mobilization - all systems are now go for a 2000-metre program blending infill on known hits with discovery darts at fresh chances.

Batttery Age says El Aguilas is laced with promise from high-res soil geochem ground magnetics and gradient IP-resistivity sweeps that flagged a pipeline of targets ripe for the drill bit.

The companys stock rode the approvals like a stallion, up 160 per cent from 9.8 cents to 25.5 cents on $2.8 million worth of paper swapping hands.

The RC blitz will stitch resource definition with growth probes, testing strike continuity depth plunges and priority zones where historical drilling coughed up multiples like 0.55m at 40.55 g/t gold and 107 g/t silver. Over 100 surface grabs have logged those eye-poppers including 174.6 g/t Au and 327 g/t Ag, truly staggering bonanza grades.

In a crazy gold-silver price environment thats as potent as it gets, this setup leverages Argentinas mining-friendly reforms and proximity to ports and power to chase tier-one mining status, as the ounces add up quickly when they run several ounces to the tonne.

The farm-in structure keeps the cash burn low while upside is sky-high and a massive grade silver hit just as the global silber price breaks though US$50 an ounce is a beautiful thing.

With 2000m of drilling on the menu to test Battery Ages prized asset, any successful intercepts could unearth a mint of fortunes for the junior. Those unbelievable high-grades in a gold-silver mix for an exploration play can easily spark the market in a white hot precious metals bull market  and that is happening right now.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
If I had a boozy brunch every time you despaired about the American impact on English, Id need a new liver. Get-go for outset. My bad for sorry. Alternate for alternative. The laments are 24/7, forever assuming the tide is one way, while the US vocab is impermeable  period.

The tide, however, is switching. Yes, the language flow is chucking a U-ey on the turnpike, as Ben Yagoda measures in Gobsmacked  The British Invasion of American English (Princeton University Press, 2024). A professor emeritus of English, Yagoda has been hosting NOOBs since 2011, a blog dedicated to Not Once-Off Britishisms bobbing up in the States.

US President Donald Trump and King Charles speak their respective versions of English at Windsor Castle last month. Credit: Getty Images

Boozy and brunch, say, amongst my opening remarks, are now familiar to Floridians. Along with amongst and veg, peckish and pear-shaped, dodgy and scrounge. The trend was first seen in the colonial hangover of reckon and come a cropper  the dialect of The Beverly Hillbillies  and later boosted by the lexical exchange of World War II, furthered by the postwar appeal of tonier words like swimsuit, swank, master bedroom, even mummy as a posher option.

Small beer in the big picture  or nickel and dime to any US readers. Though the 1990s have tipped the scales, the Anglomania of Spice Girls redoubling the legacy of Stones and Beatles. Then you have the TV impact of Doctor Who and Ab Fab, the stream of expat hosts like John Oliver and James Corden, embedded journos such as Tina Brown, Anna Wintour and Christopher Hitchens, all aboard the Hogwarts Express.
Nova Poshta warns of possible delivery delays in Kyiv and the region after night attack

Photo: https://t.me/novapostcorp

The leader of express shipments in Ukraine, Nova Poshta, reported possible delays in cargo delivery in Kyiv and the region due to a nighttime enemy attack.

"At night, sorting terminals were temporarily out of service for security reasons, so some shipments are being processed with a delay," the company's Telegram channel said on Friday.

It is noted that all processes have now been restored, and the company is working to deliver parcels as quickly as possible.

Nova Poshta reminded that shipments can be tracked on the website and in the mobile application.

The main activity of Nova Poshta remains express delivery of documents, parcels, and palletized oversized cargo. The company is the leader in express delivery in Ukraine. Its ultimate beneficial owners are Volodymyr Popereshniuk and Vyacheslav Klymov.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Whats good, whats bad, and whats in between in literature? Here we review the latest titles. See all 51 stories . T his weeks reviews range from a stunning work from a new indie Australian publisher to speculative YA, a history of the Spartans, and an optimistic call to arms for how to make Australia better. FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK House of Day, House of Night

Olga Tokarczuk

Text, $34.99 The oeuvre of Olga Tokarczuk, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize for Literature, is a stylish, stimulating constellation of fact and fiction. The publication of her 1998 novel House of Day, House of Night in seamless English translation should be a red-letter event to anyone beguiled by later works such as Flights. In House of Day, House of Night an unnamed woman and her husband move to an isolated village in Silesia  a part of Poland that used to be another country. She advertises in the local rag, seeking to collect peoples dreams, and is rewarded with eccentric slices of life (and death), in a work that meanders dreamily through the surreal metamorphoses of local folklore, through mushrooms and medieval saints, exoplanets and erstwhile borders, and much besides. Theres an encyclopaedic quality to Tokarczuks imagination that feels more comprehensive for emerging from such a tiny community, and her episodic narrative instils a sense of the vastness and inevitability of story in even the most unassuming places. Newcomers might want to start with one of her more famous books. The initiated will need no encouragement to let the mind wander and wonder with this inimitable writer.

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My Heart at Evening

Konrad Muller

Evercreech Editions, $37.99 A new indie Australian publisher is something to celebrate. Founded by Adam Ouston to promote boldly defiant new writing, Evercreech Editions launches with a novel that springs from a mystery in Tasmanian colonial history. My Heart at Evening investigates of the suicide of prominent architect and explorer Henry Hellyer in 1832, despite years of distinguished service as a surveyor with the Van Diemens Land Company. In the novel a former convict with demons of his own has been commissioned by Governor Arthur to inquire into Hellyers death. The trail leads to a web of pettiness, envy and malicious gossip, including rumours that Hellyer committed sodomy with convicts, while the dead mans surveying activity and exploration reveal a terrible contradiction: the rugged beauty of the landscape on one hand, and the horror of colonial violence against Aboriginal people on the other. This poised literary work combines the formal eloquence of a Victorian novel with an atmosphere of brooding existential fiction. Its elegant, deeply troubling and the most accomplished colonial-era historical novel Ive read in a while. Twisted River

James Dunbar

Echo, $32.99 An unknown nemesis has set out to destroy a married couple in the latest from Scottish-born crime writer James Dunbar. Cate and Rory Porter are in their 30s. She works at a charity; hes in web design. They seem too unremarkable to hate but someone despises them enough to plan a deranged scheme to destroy their peace of mind. When the couple returns home from a European vacation, a nightmarish situation awaits. Credit cards cancelled. Bank accounts emptied. Phone and internet disconnected. And it gets worse. Cate discovers someone has forged an inflammatory resignation letter in her own handwriting and delivered it to her workmates. The cops dont take their plight seriously, so its up to them to outwit and track down their persecutor as a deadly game of cat-and-mouse begins. Enmity is a strong motivator, and the wicked appeal of Twisted Rivers premise should attract crime fans, even if its stronger at black comedy than as a suspenseful thriller.

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Kings of This World

Elizabeth Knox

Allen & Unwin, $26.99 Kings of This World is a tense and rather Gothic schooldays thriller in which a motley group of teens enters the elite Tiebold Academy to hone their powers. The world of the novel is roughly contemporary, so magic and technology sit side by side. For Vex, magic has been a source of complicated feelings. She and her schoolmates have a power known as P, which can push or persuade people to do things you want them to do. Unlike her friends, though, Vexs power feels tainted  her fathers a notorious mass murderer who used his P to kill, and she was raised in foster care. Surprising herself, the outsider makes friends easily, including her ambitious roommate Ronnie, sensitive Ari and imperious Hannu, the son of a billionaire. Things take a turn when Vex and her gang are kidnapped by unidentified assailants and find themselves locked in a factory basement. Who kidnapped them? Why? And how can they escape? Though some world-building (and the plot resolution) can feel rushed, Elizabeth Knox has created a memorable YA low fantasy setting, and a likeably spiky heroine fighting to find her place in it. The Book of Lost Hours

Hayley Gelfuso

Allen & Unwin, $34.99 The central premise of The Book of Lost Hours bears comparison with the Borgesian library. Rather than being a library of every book that has ever or will one day be written, Hayley Gelfuso imagines the time space, a library where all memories of the past are stored in books. Eleven-year-old Lizavet Levy is hidden by her father in the time space for her own safety on Kristallnacht in 1938. He doesnt return and she grows up surrounded by other peoples recollections of the past. One day, she discovers special timekeepers who have been entering the librarys precious collection with sabotage in mind, hoping to remove inconvenient truths forever. Incensed, Lizavet decides to create a book of lost memories, hoping to preserve knowledge that someone wants suppressed. Meanwhile, in mid-1960s Boston, Amelia Duquesne is still grieving her father when shes approached by Moira, the head of a top-secret CIA department. Moira alerts her to the time space, shows Amelia how to access it and asks that she retrieve a sought-after book. The two strands intersect in a love story, and speculative fantasy adventure, thatll divert its YA audience.

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NON-FICTION REVIEWS Somebody is Walking on Your Grave

Mariana Enriquez, Granta, $34.99 In the opening tale of this combination of reportage, essay and meditation that walks us through cemeteries around the world, Mariana Enriquez remembers first visiting the Staglieno cemetery in Genoa, Italy, in 1997. It intriguingly sets the tone. She visits when she is 25, hours after meeting an Italian street violinist and falling for him. She creates an intoxicating picture of the place  with its voluptuous statues and maidens dancing with death  in which Eros and Thanatos constantly inform each other. Fittingly, she consummates the 24-hour affair against one of the gravestones. Far from being compounds for the dead, her cemeteries are alive with stories, often dark, as in Montmartre, where the old dead are dug up to make way for the new dead, their skulls tossed into a charnel house. Or the almost magically real, as in a flood-ravaged cemetery in her native Argentina in which coffins exhumed by natural forces are seen floating by. Or the hauntingly grim, as on WAs Rottnest Island and a site where Indigenous forced labourers are buried. An evocative, often sensuously written rendering of a lifetime fascination. Unknown Enemy

Charles Dick

Bloomsbury Publishing, $34.99 In the postwar trials of prominent Nazis for war crimes, organisations such as the SS and the SA loomed large in the public imagination. But not the Organisation Todt (OT). Named after its founder Fritz Todt (Nazi Party and SA member), the OT was responsible for all the major construction work of the 1930s/40s in Germany  especially the autobahns (intended for military use), the epic remodelling of Berlin named Germania (which Hitler was obsessed with and most of which was never built) and the Western Wall or the Siegfried Line. But the OT, a paramilitary force, was also responsible for the slave labour that built these projects  all drawn from concentration camps and POW camps, most of whom were worked to death by Todt, later succeeded by Albert Speer. Millions died, exhausted, shot or gassed, but when the war trials started, the OT was largely ignored, Speer being its most infamous conviction. In documenting the scale of the OTs horrific activities Charles Dick makes a long-overdue correction of a gross historical oversight.

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Sparta

Andrew Bayliss

Profile Books, $39.99 Although often referred to as an ancient superpower, the legendary military might of Sparta  as Andrew Bayliss concludes, in this engaging history of the Greek city-state  was, in many ways, illusory. Even the most famous battle they fought in, Thermopylae (for which they achieved Hollywood fame in 1962s The 300 Spartans), was really a defeat for the Greek alliance opposing the massive Persian invasion: the Spartans being remembered mostly for the bravery with which they fought against overwhelming odds. Bayliss, attempting to separate the myth from the fact, goes into the humble origins of Sparta to its emergence as a famous fighting force, taking in the rigour with which the male population was trained for war. He also incorporates the legendary strength and outspokenness of Spartan women  one of the most famous of female sayings being a mothers instruction to a son going off to war: Come back carrying your shield or on it. Mind you, wives were often farmed out to increase the fighting Spartan population. Unsuccessfully, for it proved to be a major factor in the states demise, Sparta attempting to make up for its lack of in-group numbers with a system of alliances. But in the end, as Bayliss says, there were simply too few Spartans. Better Things Are Possible

Jack Toohey

Allen & Unwin, $34.99 For too long, says Jack Toohey, it has been cool for Gen X-ers and Millennials to disengage from the system and embrace cynicism and apathy. No more  Hope Punk has arrived! When hopelessness becomes the status quo, he continues, hope becomes counter-cultural. And when he talks about hope he doesnt mean fuzzy, wide-eyed wishful thinking. He means imagining how the ascendent and pervasive neoliberal system that has failed so many for so long can be changed for the better, and actually taking action to bring about that change. He examines the current housing crisis, for example, in considerable detail, highlighting how greedy investors and banks are complicit in soaking up the nations wealth  wealth that could be used for infrastructure and innovative business. As he says at the end, much of this is already starting to happen, especially in politics, with independents challenging mainstream parties. Indeed, in his vision of Australia in 2050, minority government is the norm. A timely and spirited attempt to engage with the disengaged.

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Some of our most precious memories are entwined with food. I remember exactly where I was, and who I was with, when I first ate a smoked oyster at the age of six. The shock and awe of my first chilli crab at a Singapore hawker stall; red-faced and gasping for beer. The feeling of bitter resentment when I tried my first hot salt-beef sandwich at Carrolls in Great Windmill Street, London, because nobody had told me about it until then.

Photo: Simon Letch

Sometimes the memory is more of a quiet acknowledgement  yes, the pasta carbonara at Roscioli in Rome is the best Ive ever had  and sometimes its more kid-in-the-playground delight, like trying to eat live shrimp in Denmark while they did their best to jump out of my grasp.

These are flavours and emotions Ill never forget. Or will I? Sometimes I walk into the next room and come to a halt, not knowing what I went in to get. I run into people Ive known for years and have to fish for a clue to their names. If I dont write a list of whats needed at the supermarket, I have to ring home once I get there to be reminded  if I havent forgotten to take my phone with me.
For my birthday this year, I unknowingly submersed myself in a trend  by visiting a new bathhouse. Outside, a chill wind had transformed the lofty NSW Blue Mountains village of Blackheath into something more akin to Bleakheath, so cosy Aqua Ignis was a welcome respite. Red-cheeked and replenished, I practically floated down the mountains towards home.

The Soak bathhouse in South Yarra. Credit:

Turns out I hadnt really needed to leave the city to find hot pools, cold plunges, saunas and steamy times. Thats because, when I wasnt looking, urban bathing  communal wellness, really  became a thing. Soon afterwards, I decide to wriggle back into my swimmers to meet a friend at Soak Bathhouse in Sydneys Alexandria. Even early on a Monday evening, its a scene.

The bathers, mostly Zoomers and Millennials of all genders, are happily wallowing in a low-lit trio of pools. Some are here solo (ones reading Mel Robbins The 5 Second Rule, anothers wearing headphones), but most are in pairs or trios. The vibes buzzy and wholesome, with chilled drinking water and hot herbal tea freely available.

These alcohol-free watering holes just might be the new meeting place in these sober-curious times. Certainly, bathhouses are bubbling up everywhere. Soak started in Queensland in late 2020 before opening more outlets in Sydney and Melbourne.
Sydneys former deputy lord mayor painted a picture of locals sitting in the sun sipping on Aperol Spritzes in a new vision of life in Paddington if the Defence department goes ahead with plans to sell off Victoria Barracks and turn it into a mix of housing and public space.

But like so many things in Sydney, visions of the future depend on what side of the city youre on.

An aerial photograph of the Victoria Barracks in Paddington, Sydney.

In Sydneys west, the Lancer Barracks, just off Parramatta Square, are being pushed to be sold off and opened up for public space by local business and council leaders  but the volunteers at the museum featuring local military history have made a promise: We will fight to the death to keep Lancer Barracks, John Howells, a volunteer who runs the museum, said.

A fight might be what is required. This masthead reported on Friday that the federal government was planning to announce the sell-off of several military sites across the country, potentially handing the Albanese government billions of dollars.
Surgeons have been banned from billing WorkSafe and the Transport Accident Commission for procedures carried out in Victorian public hospitals following revelations by The Age that some doctors have allegedly rorted millions of dollars from the insurance schemes.

In a bid to stamp out fraudulent claims, the government-owned insurance schemes have told public hospitals they will now receive a single payment to cover the cost of treating patients injured at work or in transport accidents.

Surgeons will no longer be able to bill Worksafe and the TAC for work carried out in public hospitals. Credit: Getty Images

The move follows revelations in The Age that the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is investigating allegations that a handful of surgeons at the Royal Melbourne Hospital have been claiming millions of dollars from the insurers for medical treatment never carried out on patients.

It is also alleged that these doctors claimed lucrative assistant surgeon fees for operations they had minimal or no involvement in.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size There hasnt been a week since Sussan Ley seized the Coalitions top job that people havent speculated about a leadership challenge. But in the five months since the last election, a new group of conservative MPs within the National Right faction, with a distinctly Trumpian-populist flavour, has emerged to challenge accepted Liberal dogma. Its members are determined to speak out, and are not afraid of using incendiary language. The last month has been disastrous for Ley, losing two high-profile shadow ministers  Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price  both of whom are from the partys new right. The partys largest and most restless faction, the National Right Conservatives, is divided (though not formally split), with a new sub-faction taking shape in the last five months. This group, led by people including Hastie and Price, wants to upend Liberal orthodoxies and tack towards the MAGA movement. The old guard  think Angus Taylor, Michaelia Cash and rising star James Paterson  are the standard-bearers for smaller government, lower taxes and other conservative orthodoxies. At present, the numbers break down like this: Leys Moderate faction has 16 members. Shadow minister Alex Hawke is Leys closest political ally and his Centre Right faction, which has played kingmaker on more than one occasion, has four members, while six MPs are not aligned with any faction.

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Loading Combined, those groups deliver a likely 26 votes in a 51-member party room  which means Ley is safe for now, barring a catastrophic gaffe or misstep. In addition, many of the 14 members of the more pragmatic old guard do not want a challenge, at least right now. This further bolsters Leys position. This is my fourth piece on the Liberal Partys factions in the last 11 years (2014, 2021 and 2023 are here), and the ideological divisions within the party have never seemed sharper. The 2022 and 2025 elections wiped out a generation of talent for the Liberal Party, and Ley has taken control of the party at its lowest ebb in decades. As an optimistic senior figure in the Coalition said to me, once we deal with this outbreak [of disunity], we are actually ready to be a proper opposition. That remains to be seen.

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National Right (old guard) Peter Dutton and Michael Sukkar were the leader and convener, respectively, of the National Right until May 3, when both men lost their seats. The old guard is more pragmatic. It believes the party has to have some semblance of a credible climate policy, that to tear down the partys first female leader after just five months would be a disaster, that the party needs to restore its economic credibility and that Ley deserves a proper go in the top job as the party picks up the pieces from the 2025 election. Old guard: Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Angus Taylor was the groups candidate to be leader in the post-election run-off against Ley and lost, 29-25. Since then, as a Ley ally who doesnt want to be named puts it: Angus was OK to begin with, and he has been extra helpful recently as Hastie has imploded. Taylor presents himself as above factional politics, but his enemies (and some of his friends) claim he is involved, usually through surrogates, in preselection battles for lower and upper house seats in his home state of NSW. Born in September 1966, he is a generation older than Hastie, who was born in September 1982. Taylor does not have time on his side. Other senior members of the old guard include frontbenchers Michaelia Cash, Dan Tehan, Jonno Duniam, Claire Chandler and the most obvious candidate for future faction leader, James Paterson, who wants to take over the franchise and reunite it.

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Loading Some Moderates friendly with Paterson joke that he is a Moderate and just hasnt realised it yet, but the IPA alum tells colleagues he is a pragmatic conservative whose first priority is getting the Liberal Party back into government. That includes backing some sort of credible climate policy. Paterson voted for Taylor, but he supports Ley as leader. As a measure of her confidence in him, he recently returned to the leadership group after a post-election exile and has now also temporarily taken over Hasties portfolio in addition to holding finance, government services and the public service. Its important to note that while the old guard and new right are divided on policy, in the event of a leadership challenge, both groups would almost certainly unite to vote for the same candidate. That would most likely be Taylor or Hastie, but its not impossible to see a third option, such as Tehan, coming up the middle, as Scott Morrison did in 2019. National Right (new right) While some MPs claim the new right isnt a thing, it most definitely is. While you could not say there are now two conservative or Right factions in the Liberal Party, there is a generational struggle between the old guard and new right over economic policy (Liberal orthodoxy versus government intervention in markets), pragmatism versus populism, and support for globalisation versus an Australia-first approach.

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Loading The new right is generally younger, less doctrinaire, more open to market intervention by government (such as Hasties call for a return to advanced manufacturing in Australia and energy security), focused on cutting immigration levels and determined to fight and win culture wars against the woke establishment. The rhetoric is decidedly Trumpian, or perhaps owes as big a debt to Nigel Farage from Britains Reform UK party. New right Liberals believe that, given time and space to explain their message, it will resonate with ordinary Australians who mostly dont like Trump, but are receptive to messages about restoring manufacturing, clamping down on immigration and national pride. Tony Pasin and Andrew Hastie in question time this week. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The two standard-bearers of the new right, Hastie and Price, also have the backing of the conservative campaign group Advance, which proved its skills working for the defeat of the Voice to parliament referendum, and frequently boosts the pair on its social media channels. The new right doesnt want to blow up the show  it wants to take over. To underscore the point that the National Right is not entirely split, its worth noting that Liberal MP Tony Pasin is notionally a member of the new right, but hes also one of Taylors closest supporters and was one of his numbers men in the May leadership ballot. Similarly, Phillip Thompson and Cameron Caldwell are close to both Hastie and Taylor and could fit comfortably within either of the Right sub-factions.

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Liberal immigration spokesman Paul Scarr has taken a swipe at his former frontbench colleagues Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, welcoming debate about Australias immigration levels but warning it must not seek to inflame emotion.

And communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh has told colleagues they need to stop infighting and get on with it after the opposition was smashed at the last election.

Shadow immigration minister Paul Scarr. Credit: Oscar Colman

McIntosh, who has helped lead the attack on Communications Minister Anika Wells for the governments handling of the Optus Triple Zero failure, said the opposition needed to focus on the government if we ever want to return to government. I think Australians expect us to be a good opposition.

In a major speech to the Migration Institute of Australia in Melbourne on Friday, Scarr defended Australias long-standing commitment to multiculturalism, demanded better long-term planning from government, and argued that the countrys housing supply shortage should be a key factor in setting net overseas migration levels.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Bima, Indonesia: When he died in a fall at the age of 12, Arjun Bimantara was already a racing veteran. His father had been a jockey. So had his uncles and grandfather. At the age of five or six, it seemed right to the boy and his family that he would start as a jockey too. A natural rider, owners threw contracts at him so big that he bought his own horse for $1000, more than many adults in the Indonesian city of Bima  on the sparse island of Sumbawa  could hope to save in their lives. His nest-egg paid for his mother to go through university. In half a lifetime spent rounding the crude, dirt tracks of West Nusa Tenggara province, Arjun had come off his horses many times, his grandfather and mentor, Abdul Malik, says. At full gallop and without a saddle, bodies can slide off. In the suffocating tropical heat, small hands clenching manes and reins can lose their grip. He just fell, Malik says. There was no other horse or person to blame. Usually, Arjun bounded up and got back on his horse. This time he could not move. Malik ran onto the Bima track, cradling his grandson and urging him to speak. Arjun was slipping in and out of consciousness by the time they reached hospital. Rousing himself, he told everyone he felt no pain and wanted to go home. Ten minutes later, he was dead. Child jockey Arjun Bimantara was aged 12 when he died after a fall in 2023. Credit: Amilia Rosa

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It was August 13, 2023, when Arjun became the third boy jockey in four years to die in a fall on Sumbawa island. The total is now five, after the deaths of eight-year-old Febiansyah Putra in May 2024 and seven-year-old Muhamad Iswan in March. So much as looking at this beautiful photo makes me cry, Malik says, clutching his best portrait of Arjun staring confidently into the camera. No matter what, no other grandchild [of mine] will be a jockey. I lost Arjun on a racehorse, and Arjun will be the last. In the pockets of Indonesia where horseracing remains wildly popular, some jockeys start riding even younger than Arjun. Once, Malik says, he saw a little boy climb off a racehorse to feed on his mothers breast. There are no weight handicaps or restrictions. The lighter the jockey, the better the horses advantage. The children wear helmets, vests and kneepads. Forget about saddles. Kilograms equal centimetres. The money is big, and so is the workload. At a multiday carnival, the pool of boys might be a couple of dozen for 700 or more horses. They are often the breadwinners for their families, catapulting their parents and siblings from poverty to wealth. According to the Stop Child Jockeys Coalition, a collection of more than 10 civil society organisations, the horse owners are mostly government officials, police and military personnel, businesspeople, council members, and bank employees.

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It is barbarous, exploitation and illegal, says the coalition. The racing crowd on Sumbawa calls it tradition. The barrier gates fly open for the first of the grand finals at the Bima Mayors Cup. Credit: Amilia Rosa A lucrative game One of the premier events on the racing calendar in West Nusa Tenggara is the Bima Mayors Cup, a 10-day knockout-style carnival put on by the city government with prizes of cows, motorbikes and a total pot of about $50,000. This masthead is trackside for the final two days, mingling with the punters crammed into bamboo grandstands and pressing against crumbling fences. At the barrier gates, army men whip the shins of youngsters crowding too close. The kids flee in excited yips of pain, then creep back like a returning tide. Drugs for the horses are on open display. Haris, a pharmacist, will make about $3000 at the carnival. Every single horse is medicated, he says. It makes them more energetic.

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A collection of drugs available for horses before they race. The injections make them more energetic. Credit: Amilia Rosa Never mind that gambling is illegal in Indonesia. Men and boys wave notes of rupiah, looking for takers on their bets. One teenager with a mischievous smile confides that he gets his money from his mum for snacks. She doesnt know that I gamble. The betting and absence of any meaningful oversight to ensure integrity leads to race-fixing and sabotage. Between races, a fight almost breaks out among a crowd of men because of such an accusation. Military members and government officials see everything, and do nothing. With no weight handicaps or restrictions, the lighter the jockey, the bigger the advantage. Credit: Amilia Rosa The proud family of Sandi, a winning jockey in one of the penultimate days heats atop Queen Sahara, presents him as nine years old. It is not convincing. Minutes after flying around the track to glory on a powerful racehorse, Sandi is so shy at the attention he buries his frightened face into his mothers waist and refuses to let go of her shirt. Does she get worried about her son? No.

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His father was a jockey, and he is fine. His brother was also a jockey, and he is fine, she says. Sandi has been doing this for two years without any problems. Sandi soon after riding Queen Sahara to victory. Credit: Amilia Rosa A child comes off his horse in a cloud of dust. Dozens of people rush to his aid. The excitable race caller warns against taking photos and videos. The boy walks away, shaken and bruised, perhaps, but otherwise unharmed. Im aware of the five deaths, and Im very concerned, Saiful, the father of a 10-year-old jockey named Sahban, says. I would rather that he didnt ride. I believe I can sufficiently provide for the family without Sahban, but he is very insistent. He is proud and he is good. He is proud of the financial gain for our family. Child jockey Sahban, 10, insists on riding, his father says. Credit: Amilia Rosa Some jockeys are paid per ride, starting from about $10. Others are booked on contracts worth $600, plus bonuses for the duration of a carnival. Jockeys could have multiple contracts per carnival. In a city where an adult might make $200 a month, it is a lucrative game.

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London: French President Emmanuel Macron has made a dramatic move to stare down his rivals and impose his agenda on a fractured parliament by restoring a key ally to the prime ministers job just four days after he quit.

Macron re-appointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister on Friday (Saturday AEDT) and asked him to form a new ministry, spurning demands from political rivals for new elections to resolve years of division in the national assembly.

French President Emmanuel Macron Macron has re-appointed Sebastien Lecornu (above) as prime minister. Credit: AP

The stunning twist ended hopes among the assemblys left-wing parties for a new prime minister from among their own ranks, after they held talks with Macron on Friday in a bid to end disputes over new measures to reduce the budget deficit.

Lecornu, the nations fifth prime minister in two years, said earlier this week that he expected the president to name a new prime minister within 48 hours, and he appeared to leave no room to return to the post.
In a video released by the Nobel Committee that showed Machado being told of the award by phone, she struggled for some moments to find the words to respond to the news. Loading Thank you so much. I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person, she said. I certainly do not deserve this. Oh my god. Nobel Committee secretary Olav Njolstad replied: I think both the movement and you deserve it.

Asked on Thursday about his chances of winning the prize, Trump said he had ended eight wars including the conflict in Gaza but that he had not done so to win the award. Theyll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine, he said of the Nobel Committee. I know this: I didnt do it for that, I did it because I saved a lot of lives. Displaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Credit: AP The White House rebuked the Nobel Committee after the award was revealed, saying Trump had made peace deals, ended wars and saved lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will, said White House spokesman Steven Cheung, a long-time aide to the president.

The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. Machado, however, thanked Trump for his support for democracy in Venezuela. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy, she wrote on X. Machado with supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caraca. Credit: AP I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

In choosing Machado, the Nobel Committee pushed back at Trumps campaign for the prize but awarded the honour to a campaigner who shares Trumps interest in replacing the autocrat who rules her country. Machado became one of Venezuelas most vocal opponents of Hugo Chavez during his presidency from 1999 until his death in 2013, and she kept this up when he was replaced by his vice president, Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled since 2013. Democratic leaders including then-US president Joe Biden condemned Maduro as a dictator when he used violence and electoral fraud to shut down the national assembly and deny the outcome of last years election. Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro in recent days after sending warships, a submarine and F-35 stealth fighters to stop drug shipments from Venezuela to the US. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Maduro as a fugitive from American justice because US authorities want to bring him to trial. The US has placed a $US50 million reward on his head so he can face charges over narcotics trafficking.

The Nobel Committee made no comment about Trump but emphasised Machados work in defending the principles of popular rule and the acceptance of democratic outcomes even when citizens disagreed. Maria Corina Machado holds up tally sheets during a protest against the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro. Credit: AP At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground, it said. In August, Trump made a surprise phone call to Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO secretary-general, and said he wanted the prize. Critics have disputed his claims about ending eight wars, noting, for instance, that war continues between Congo and Rwanda despite his claims about peace. India does not accept that Trump ended its recent conflict with Pakistan. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev jointly endorsed Trump for the prize in August for his role in ending their conflict.

Loading While the award is decided by an independent committee of five at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, the members are elected by the Norwegian parliament and are connected by that process to the nations political leaders. Frydnes, the current chair of the Nobel Committee, is a human rights advocate who has worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and other non-government groups. Last years award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of survivors of the nuclear bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Previous recipients include Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian champion of equality and womens rights and Ales Bialiatski, a human rights advocate from Belarus. In 2021, it went to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia.

Wealthy Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who funded the prize, stipulated in his will that it should go to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. When a journalist asked Frydnes on Friday in Oslo about the lobbying for this years prize, the Nobel Committee chair said there had been many campaigns for the prize over its long history. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace, he said. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of Nobel laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.
Chinese FM calls for stronger China-Italy cooperation to advance world peace, development

Xinhua) 11:18, October 10, 2025

Italian President Sergio Mattarella meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

ROME, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called on Italy to work with China to make new contributions to world peace and the progress of human civilization.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, to whom Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings.

China values Italy's influence in Europe and the world, Wang said, noting that China stands ready to work with Italy to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, accelerate the advancement of the action plan on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership, and ensure more stable, resilient and fruitful bilateral relations.

Wang called for more modern-day "Marco Polos" to serve as bridges and links between different civilizations. The time-honored cultures and profound histories of China and Italy enable the two countries to view their differences with inclusiveness, address present-day challenges with wisdom, and explore the future of humanity with vision, he said.

Wang noted that the Chinese president has pointed out that all countries live in the same global village and should transcend divisions and differences, uphold the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. To this end, the Chinese president has put forward four global initiatives, providing the public goods that the world needs most today, he added.

Wang highlighted that in particular, the Global Governance Initiative recently proposed by the Chinese president aims to consolidate and strengthen the leading position of the United Nations, improve global governance through reform, and build a more just and equitable global governance system. Wang expressed hope that Italy will actively take part and work with China to practice true multilateralism, making new contributions to world peace and the progress of human civilization.

For his part, Mattarella asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to the Chinese president.

He spoke highly of the positive outcomes of the 12th Joint Meeting of the Italy-China Government Committee. He said that China enjoys great prestige in the international community and plays an increasingly important role, adding that Italy expects China to make greater contributions to world peace and stability.

Mattarella agreed with the notion of humanity sharing a common future, and welcomed the series of major initiatives proposed by the Chinese president, believing that they fully meet the needs of the international community and the aspirations of people across all countries.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues including the situation in the Middle East and the Ukraine crisis.

During his visit, Wang also held talks with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. Together, they attended the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and met the press.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Loading Trumps Middle East envoy had walked away weeks earlier, blaming Hamas. The militant group then accepted a proposal that mediators said was almost identical to one approved by Israel, but there was no public response from Israel or the US. Hamas stuck to its position that it would only release the remaining hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected those terms, saying the war would only end with Hamas surrender and the return of all the captives, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza. On September 9, explosions rocked Doha and smoke rose over the steel and glass skyline of Qatars capital.

Loading Israel had carried out an airstrike on Hamas leaders and negotiators as they had gathered to consider the latest ceasefire proposal in Qatar, a close US ally and mediator. The strike killed five lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security forces member. It infuriated Gulf Arab leaders and angered the White House. Trump quickly went into damage control, seeking to reassure Qatar. The strike alarmed US allies across the region, including Turkey and Egypt, which have hosted Hamas political leaders. The war that Trump had pledged to end was at risk of spiralling across the Middle East once again.

The strike united Gulf Cooperation Council countries in a way not seen since the blocs 1981 inception as a counterweight to post-revolutionary Iran. It caused the seven GCC members  which include Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates  to rethink what had been relatively moderate stances on Israel and led some to believe Israel was now a bigger threat to regional security and stability than Iran, according to Arab diplomats familiar with conversations at the blocs last summit in Doha. They were not authorised to discuss the private conversations publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Such a shift could have had profound implications for the Trump administrations anti-Iran push, which relies heavily on being able to respond from two major US military bases: in Bahrain and Qatar. And it might have doomed the signature diplomatic achievement of Trumps first term: the Abraham Accords, in which Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalised relations with Israel. Two weeks after the Doha strike, Trump met the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of an annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations that highlighted Israels growing isolation. The president said it was his most important meeting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that efforts took a turn at that meeting, with the US building a coalition behind Trumps plan. A ceasefire plan and an ultimatum Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan less than a week later  during Netanyahus fourth visit to the White House this year. Trump also made a show of trying to soothe angry Qatari officials. Benjamin Netanyahu apologises to the Qatari leader for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty with an airstrike targeting Hamas officials as a grim-faced Donald Trump listens. Credit: The White House Trump dialled up Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and spoke to him before handing the phone to Netanyahu. The prime minister read from a written apology, expressing his regret for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty with the strike.

Loading The White House later published photos of a grim-faced Trump with the phone awkwardly perched in his lap. In a press conference in Washington after the September 29 meeting, Netanyahu said he had accepted Trumps plan. Rubio said Trumps negotiators then stepped up their efforts through intermediaries in Qatar and Egypt to get Hamas on board, while Trump held phone calls and meetings with world leaders. The US plan calls for Hamas to release all the remaining hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, to give up power in Gaza and to disarm.

The plan essentially demanded Hamas surrender. Trump said the militant group had days to think it over and issued a stark warning. If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas, Trump wrote on social media last week. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Hours later, and ahead of schedule, Hamas submitted its response. A crucial move by Trump Hamas reiterated its willingness to release all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and to give up power to other Palestinians. But it said other elements of Trumps plan required more negotiation and offered nothing about disarming, a key Israeli demand.

The response was clearly a yes, but. The US and Israel could have taken it as a no and blamed Hamas for the failure to reach a ceasefire on Israels terms  as they had in the past. Israel could have vowed to press ahead with its invasion of Gaza City or even expand it. But when the Hamas response landed late on Friday, Israel was largely shut down for the Sabbath  and Trump was first to respond. Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! he wrote on his Truth Social site.

US officials declined to comment on Trumps thinking. If he misread Hamas response, no one was in any mood to correct him  neither Hamas, which had sidestepped his ultimatum, nor Netanyahu, who would not want to be seen as spoiling the presidents deal. In a brief statement later that night, Netanyahu said Israel was preparing for the implementation of the first stage of Trumps plan  the release of hostages  and was still committed to ending the war according to its own principles. It made no mention of the fact that Hamas had not accepted some key demands. There was room to negotiate, and a desperation on the part of the international community, key Arab players  and likely Trump himself  to end a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destabilised the region. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Thursday that he and many other Israeli officials were sceptical about Hamas heavily qualified acceptance. But he said Trumps decision to frame it as a sign of momentum proved to be a brilliant move.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Florida Everglades: As we move through the shallow mangroves, the gentle hum of the boats two-metre-wide propeller filling the air, an alligator pokes its head through the murky, brown water. The airboat driver slows the boat down, but not to a complete halt  too slow, and the heat breaches the wind, bringing with it a swarm of dollar-sized mosquitoes. An alligator comes up for air in the Everglades. Credit: Nicholas Garcia This swamp in the Florida Everglades, at Americas southernmost point, is where US President Donald Trump has assembled his flagship immigration detention centre  known as Alligator Alcatraz  as part of his crackdown on illegal immigrants. The controversial centre was ordered to shut down earlier this year, but is now back in action after a ruling last month by an appeals court, comprising a majority of Trump-appointed judges. More than 3 million alligators inhabit Florida. Credit: Calum Jaspan One hundred kilometres west of Miami, and three hours south of Tampa, visitors to the Everglades are met by the giant, aggressive mosquitoes, unbearable heat and near 100 per cent humidity.

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Tourists travel to these wetlands for airboat tours, hoping to see some of the 3 million alligators that call Florida home. They are the dominant beasts in this diverse habitat, which has been degraded over time by the changing climate and the invasive Burmese Python. Alligator Alcatraz sits in Big Cypress National Park in Trumps home state. Florida has invested hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds into helping him achieve his dream of deporting of millions of illegals. US President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at Alligator Alcatraz in July. Credit: AP It opened on July 3, with the ability to house 3000 detainees. It was erected at breakneck speed after it was announced by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. The location was chosen specifically because the swamp and its animal inhabitants made any escape attempts difficult and highly dangerous. The centre immediately gained popularity within the MAGA movement and raised Uthmeiers profile, and the official Department of Homeland Securitys social media accounts posted memes of alligators outside the prison wearing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hats. A meme posted by the Department of Homeland Security. Credit: US Government But in late August, district court judge Kathleen Williams ruled the facility should be shut down within 60 days, citing the irreparable damage that was being inflicted on the Everglades by its construction. It looked like the jail would have lasted less than two months, with detainees being transferred out and the facility to be dismantled.

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But in September, an appeal by the state in an Atlanta court overturned Williams decision by a 2-1 margin. The judges in favour were Trump appointees. And thus, normal service resumed at Alligator Alcatraz, in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage site. This is Trump heartland, but on a visit to the national park in late July, amid the peak of summer heat, I am surprised to find there are plenty of locals who do not support his makeshift prison. Ivan and his friends travelled from West Palm Beach, a 10-minute drive from Trumps Mar-a-Lago, to explore the Everglades and discover untapped fishing spots. Ivan travelled to west Florida to explore untapped fishing spots in the Everglades. Credit: Calum Jaspan Dressed for the conditions, Ivan describes the placement of Alligator Alcatraz as some messed-up shit. Honestly, why make something somewhere where there are hurricanes, you know what Im saying? Last year, the area was ground zero for three hurricanes that hit over just six weeks. Mosquitoes will bite all through the day here, he tells me, rather than just at dusk and dawn. I already know that: my legs were attacked within seconds of stepping out of the car, and still have the scars to prove it.

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The facility is operated by the state of Florida, not the federal government, and state Governor Ron DeSantis has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on it, and on deportations. He said the Trump government would reimburse the outlay, which it only did last week. This point had proven crucial in the appeals court decision: because the state hadnt received federal funding by September, the court ruled, it was not subject to the National Environmental Policy Act. But last week, the state was given a US$608 million ($927 million) reimbursement for building the deportation depot. Inmates must use open-air toilets in their cages. Credit: AFP Reports from inside the camp tell a story of 32 inmates per cage, no running water, broken sewerage, and shared and open toilets that overflow when it rains. Which it does, a lot. The lights are kept on 24 hours a day, and if the tents that form part of the compound have air-conditioning, it often doesnt work. The ceiling and walls arent sealed either, allowing gaps for those mosquitoes. Protesters rally outside Alligator Alcatraz in July. Credit: Bloomberg Before arriving at the Everglades, I expected I would struggle to find many who would speak openly against the detention centre, considering the surrounding Collier County had voted in a booming majority for Trump eight months earlier. But it isnt quite what I expected.

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If its not going to be there, its going to be somewhere else, a self-described MAGA worker at one of the airboat tour centres says. She did not want to be interviewed on the record. If they dont pay taxes, in which I pay taxes every year, they dont need to be here. Yeah  become legal. It doesnt really bother me. I never really think about it after I go home. We are Trump supporters around here  99.9 per cent of anyone that lives around here is a Trump supporter. Another tour guide describes the detention centre as shameful, but also does not want to be identified because their colleagues are all Trump-mad. Kelly and Steve from Fort Myers, Florida make their views on Alligator Alcatraz known. Credit: Calum Jaspan Others want people to know theyre openly against it. Driving by a street sign emblazoned with Alligator Alcatraz, Steve and Kelly have stopped to picture themselves giving the middle finger salute to the newly installed signage. People need to know not everyone is MAGA around here, says Steve, who is from Fort Myers, two hours north. Not all of us feel that way in Florida, Kelly adds. Its kind of ridiculous. Its ignorant on many accounts. Obviously, how hot is it here? The mosquitoes are horrendous.

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Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 100 per cent tax on Chinese imports starting on November 1 or sooner, potentially escalating tariff rates close to levels that in April fanned fears of a global recession.

Trump on Friday expressed frustration with new export controls on rare earth elements by China  and said on social media that there seems to be no reason to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of a coming trip to South Korea.

US President Donald Trumps latest move could revive a destabilising tit-for-tat trade war with Beijing. Credit: Bloomberg

Trump later told reporters he had not cancelled his meeting. But I dont know that were going to have it, he said during an Oval Office appearance. Im going to be there regardless, so I would assume we might have it.

He also suggested there might be time to ratchet down his steep new tariff threat. Were going to have to see what happens. Thats why I made it November 1, he said.
Scholar of Comparative Government & Politics, Acknowledging and assessing Sint Maarten's 15 years of autonomy as a constituent state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, characterized by Parliamentary Democracy, this odyssey can be best described as turbulent and pessimistic in nature. Turbulent and pessimistic in nature bearing in that over the past 15 years some 10 members of Parliament have engaged in the unconstitutional act of declaring themselves as Independent Members of Parliament; after declaring themselves as independent at least 3 members (on different occasions), joined forces with the opposition party/ parties with the intent to form a new government, affectionately know as ship-jumping, while the others just sat in Parliament as an independent causing government to fall on 4 occasions, with the most recent instance being one year ago (August 2024); the calling for new/ snap elections 5 times, and; further resulting in the realization of forming 12 governments over the past 15 years. Effectively eroding our autonomous statehood and the efficient function of our Parliamentary Democracy (as a result of the constant declaration of independence and ship-jumping). Notably, there are those who might disagree that the act of members of Parliament declaring themselves as independent members of Parliament is unconstitutional, arguing that Article 61.3 of the Constitution, which states that Members of Parliament shall not be bound by a mandate or instructions. Thereto, contending that parliamentarians have a free mandate to do as he or she wishes including declaring themselves as independent members of Parliament and ship jumping. Ignoring the imperative mandate of Article 47.1 of the Constitution and as further laid down in the Election Ordinance. Which states that the [our] electoral system is based on a system of list (political parties), not a system of persons (candidates) and political parties taking part in an election is assigned a number of seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for that political party. Constitutionally, the directives of imperative mandates supersede free mandates, without contradiction. To address the mitigating factors related to the turbulent and pessimistic autonomous statehood outlook of Sint Maarten (i.e., members of Parliament declaring themselves as independent and ship-jumping, thus, constantly causing the collapse of government), there is much talk about amending (or doing away with Articles 59 and 33 of the Constitution. Focusing on curbing or extending the process for the dissolution of Parliament and equally that for the no-confidence vote on ministers, with the hope that this would stop the constant collapse of the government. Notwithstanding the difficulty in making changes to the Constitution, until the Kingdom government signified its agreement (See Article 44 of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands), the amending of Articles 59 and 33 would have little to no bearing on stopping the collapse of government and motivating autonomous statehood. To the contrary, emphasis should be placed on modifying Article 59, Article 96(1) and (2), Article 98 of the Election Ordinance, and Article 2 of the National Ordinance Registration and Finances of Political Parties. And the insertion of an imperative mandate Article in the Election Ordinance, making it abundantly clear that the declaration of independence and ship-jumping shall not be permissible, in accordance with the Constitutionally mandated proportional representation composition of Parliament. On the other hand, there is much belief that the autonomous statehood of Sint Maarten is also seriously affected by its Constitutional governing structure within the Kingdom and referred to as democratic deficit. Contextually, a democratic deficit is a situation where the governing body falls short of providing proportional representation to the governed. At the onset, this seems to be the case for Sint Maarten and the other Dutch Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. However, taking into account the reality that approximately 98.2% of the Kingdoms population resides in the Netherlands and only 1.8% resides in the Dutch Caribbean, with approximately only 0.2% on Sint Maarten, clearly there is no democratic deficit in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Democratically, one cannot expect a polity of 337.5 thousand people (43.9 thousand in the case of Sint Maarten) to govern a population of 18.6 million. (source: www.worldometers.info) However, there is a Democratic Legitimacy issue, which arises whenever the set of those involved in making democratic decisions falls short of coinciding with the set of those affected by them. This is indicative of the Dutch Caribbean representation in the Kingdom Council of Ministers, which is the primary decision-making body for the entire Kingdom. Professor Veenendall of Leiden University proposed that by adding 3 seats to the current 150 in the Parliament of the Netherlands (House of Representatives) would address the so-called democratic deficit. A concept also called for by the Netherlands political parties Groenlinks-PvdA and D66. This is an empty concept. Empty in its application, mainly, because by adding 3 Dutch Caribbean representatives in the (Netherlands) House of Representatives, the Dutch Caribbean parts will be faced with the insurmountable 3 to 150 odds in the influencing and passing of Legislation (that will affect them), and would have absolutely no effect in the Council of Ministers where Kingdom policies are formulated and the decision-making occurs. An alternative scenario would be to allow for the seats in the Council of Ministers to increase from 18 to 27, with the Netherlands seating 18 (67%), Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten each seating 3 members (11% each), where a majority of 22 members (4/5) will be needed to make decisions for the entire Kingdom. As such, no one constituent state can dominate the decision-making process. And so, the alleged democratic deficit, more appropriately, the occurrence of the democratic legitimacy anomaly will be addressed, bringing into perspective Sint Maartens autonomy within the Kingdom (of the Netherlands).
PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten has issued multiple warnings and advisories as Tropical Storm Jerry approaches the region, prompting preparations for heavy rainfall, strong winds, and hazardous sea conditions. The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (TEATT) has also announced specific guidelines for business operations.

According to the 5:30 PM special weather bulletin from the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten on Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Jerry was located approximately 175 miles east-southeast of the island. The storm is moving west-northwest at 18 mph with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph. On its current forecast track, Jerry's closest point to St. Maarten is expected to be about 85 miles to the northeast early on Friday, October 10th.

In response to the approaching storm, several warnings are now in effect for St. Maarten:

A Tropical Storm Warning

A Flood Watch

A Small Craft Warning
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Solemn Public meeting on Monday, October 13, 2025.

The Public meeting is scheduled for 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is:

10-10-2025: Commemorating the Fifteenth Anniversary of the attainment of Country Status of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; A reflection of 15 years of Country Status.

It has become customary that the Parliament of Sint Maarten organizes a solemn meeting of Parliament every 5 years on the

occasion of attainment of separate status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

While the official date is October 10th, this years festivities, celebrating Country Sint Maarten 15th anniversary will take place on October 13, 2025. This also means the Parliament of Sint Maarten has existed for 15 Years.

For this special occasion, Parliament have invited several key stakeholders, dignitaries and special invited guests amongst others former Presidents of Parliament, and former Secretary Generals of Parliament to be part of the solemn meeting.

Besides the customary speeches by the President of Parliament and Faction Leaders, the program of this ceremonial gathering also includes a speech by the First President of Parliament, drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, and speeches by former recipients of the President of Parliament Award Mr. Ralph Cantave and Ms. Rochana Richardson.

A ceremony to unveil the Presidents and Secretaries General Wall and the burial of Parliaments Time Capsule will take place in the lobby area at the House of Parliament, immediately following the solemn meeting.

Access to the house of Parliament for this special occasion is upon invitation only.

The General Public is invited to follow the ceremony, via live broadcast on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament
IWC Schaffhausen has nearly 90 years of experience in creating robust and precise watches that cater to the functional needs of pilots. As part of its Professional Pilots Watches Program, the brand collaborates with military squadrons from various countries and their pilots. One of the squadrons that the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has repeatedly worked with is Staffel 11. The history of this squadron goes back to 1925. To celebrate the squadrons 100th anniversary, IWC Schaffhausen now presents its first ceramic chronograph as a tribute to Staffel 11.

Limited to 250 pieces, the Pilots Watch Chronograph Staffel 11 (Ref. IW389112) is crafted in black zirconium oxide ceramic, a material that IWC pioneered in the luxury watch industry during the 1980s. With a Vickers rating second only to diamond, engineering ceramic ranks among the hardest materials on Earth. Ceramic is manufactured in a highly engineered process, which involves sintering a mixture of ceramic powders at extremely high temperatures in a kiln.

The black dial is imprinted with the emblem of Staffel 11, the imposing tiger, which plays an important role in the design of this special edition. A symbol of intelligence, fighting spirit and determination, the tiger is typically found on the vertical stabilisers of the squadrons F/A- 18 jets. The pattern of the tigers fur is subtly mirrored in a discreet dark grey hue on the black dial. Additionally, the titanium case back is engraved with a tigers head and the squadron name, while also displaying the individual limitation number. Featuring IWCs signature cockpit instrument look, the dial design is complemented with white indices and numerals. As a reference to the squadron, the 11 numeral on the dial is coated with Super- LumiNova and will glow in the dark. The small seconds hand, the date in the day-and-date aperture, as well as the edges of the chronograph push-buttons are yellow, reflecting the colour of the squadrons tiger emblem.

High-precision and robust chronograph engine

The Pilots Watch Chronograph Staffel 11 is powered by the IWC-manufactured 69380 calibre. This mechanical chronograph movement has been engineered with a strong focus on robustness, precision and reliability. Its column-wheel design ensures that the switching sequences are clearly defined, providing distinct tactile feedback when the buttons are pressed. The efficient double-pawl winding system generates a power reserve of 46 hours in the mainspring. The IWC-typical vertical dial layout places the stop minutes at 12 oclock for easy and intuitive reading. Additionally, a soft-iron inner case effectively shields the movement from the effects of magnetic fields. The watch is fitted with a durable black rubber strap featuring the EasX-CHANGE system, which allows the wearer to change the strap quickly and easily without the need for tools.
Europe needs reusable rockets to catch Musk's SpaceX: ESA chief



Paris, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Europe must quickly get its own reusable rocket launcher to catch up to billionaire Elon Musk's dominant SpaceX, European Space Agency director Josef Aschbacher told AFP in an interview.

While the US company has an overwhelming lead in the booming space launch industry, a series of setbacks, including Russia's withdrawal of its rockets, left Europe without an independent way to blast its missions into space.

That year-long hiatus ended with the first launch of Europe's much-delayed Ariane 6 rocket in July 2024. But the system is not reusable, unlike SpaceX's Falcon 9 workhorse.

"We have to really catch up and make sure that we come to the market with a reusable launcher relatively fast," Aschbacher said at AFP's headquarters in Paris.

"We are on the right path" to getting this done, he added.



- 'Paradigm shift' -



The ESA has already announced a shortlist of five European aerospace companies bidding to build the continent's first reusable rocket launch system.

That number will be narrowed down to two -- or even one -- at the agency's ministerial council in the German city of Bremen next month, Aschbacher said.

"Ariane 6 is an excellent rocket -- it's very precise," Aschbacher said. "We have now had three launches," with two more expected before the year's end, he added.

Despite finally getting Ariane 6 and the new, smaller Vega C launcher off the ground, the ESA has decided on a "paradigm shift", Aschbacher said.

"The next generation of launchers will be very different," he told AFP.

When Ariane 6 was being planned more than a decade ago, reusability was not considered worth the extra cost and time.

But it has come under criticism when compared to the relatively cheap, reusable Falcon 9, which has completed well over 100 launches this year alone.

So the ESA has decided to emulate NASA, which also used to develop its own rockets but now outsources its launches to private companies such as SpaceX or Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin.



- A European Starlink? -



Many of the Falcon 9 flights have carried the more than 8,000 satellites that make up Musk's Starlink internet network into space.

The European Union is planning to create its own internet satellite constellation called IRIS2, scheduled to become operational in 2030.

"Europe needs it absolutely urgently," Aschbacher said.

"We have to make sure that we have the rockets to bring our satellites to space."

He stressed that IRIS2 would be "very different" from Starlink, with fewer satellites, while focusing more on "secure communication".

The constellation will mark a technological leap forward, even though Europe sometimes lags "a few years behind" its competitors, Aschbacher said.

Aschbacher noted that the EU'S navigation satellite system Galileo and Earth observation programme Copernicus started out 10 to 15 years behind US competitors GPS and Landsat.

Now both EU programmes are "the best in the world", he said.

Aschbacher lamented that European public investment in space is declining, even as the global space economy grows.

He called for "very strong financial engagement" from the ESA's 23 member states, which includes the United Kingdom, at next month's ministerial council.



- Impact of Trump cuts? -



In the United States, President Donald Trump's administration has proposed slashing NASA's budget, signalling it wants to cancel the joint Mars Sample Return mission with the ESA.

If the cuts go ahead, Aschbacher said, they could also affect shared missions such as the use of the International Space Station and the Artemis programme to put astronauts back on the Moon, he said.

The three ESA missions most likely to be affected are the EnVision mission to Venus, LISA gravitational wave observatory and NewAthena X-ray telescope, Aschbacher said.

However, Europe intends to complete these "flagship missions" even if the United States pulls out -- perhaps by bringing in other partners, he added.

Aschbacher also said there had been "interest from our colleagues in the United States" in applying for jobs at the ESA.

neo-ber-fbr/dl/phz/mjw
Press Release from Business Wire: Kioxia Corporation



(AFP) Oct 10, 2025



TOKYO, Oct 10, 2025 (BSW) - Kioxia Corporation, today announced an expanded RocksDB plug-in that enhances SSD lifespan and performance in multi-drive RAID environments. Building on its earlier demonstration of a Flexible Data Placement (FDP)-enabled SSD running RocksDB, the company will showcase this advancement at the upcoming Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit.

In a 4-drive RAID 5 setup, Kioxia's new plug-in reduced write amplification factor (WAF) by approximately 46% and boosted throughput to 8.22x the performance of MDRAID1. In a 2-drive mirrored configuration, WAF was reduced to approximately 1/3 and achieved throughput of 1.45x compared to MDRAID1. The technology achieves these gains by consolidating data writes so they are written sequentially - preventing data fragmentation and reducing garbage collection.

RocksDB, widely adopted for generative AI and cloud applications, is optimized for high-performance searches and efficient management of historical data.

The new plug-in will be featured with the KIOXIA XD8 Series SSD in a live demonstration at the Kioxia booth (A51) during the 2025 OCP Global Summit. The demo will showcase performance gains and reduced WAF in a two-drive RAID 1 configuration with the RocksDB plug-in, compared to standard Linux? RAID mirroring.

Kioxia will release the plug-in as an open-source contribution, underscoring its commitment to advancing SSD and flash memory technologies industry-wide. By sharing innovations that improve efficiency, Kioxia continues to support the evolving needs of advanced computing infrastructures and data centers. The new plug-in is expected to be released in CQ1 2026.

Notes:

(1) Performance claim based on testing using KIOXIA XD8 series in a KIOXIA lab environment. Lifespan measurement based on reduction of Write Amplification Factor (WAF). RocksDB performance improvement based on increase of queries per second.

* Read and write speed may vary depending on various factors such as host devices, software (drivers, OS etc.), and read/write conditions.* Open Compute Project and OCP marks are owned by and used with the permission of the Open Compute Project Foundation.* Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States and other countries.* Other company names, product names and service names may be trademarks of third-party companies.

About Kioxia

Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. Kioxia is committed to uplifting the world with "memory" by offering products, services and systems that create choice for customers and memory-based value for society. Kioxia's innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH?, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, automotive systems, data centers and generative AI systems.

*Information in this document, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is correct on the date of the announcement but is subject to change without prior notice.







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251009045194/en/









Contact

Media Inquiries:Kioxia CorporationPromotion Management DivisionSatoshi ShindoTel: +81-3-6478-2404







 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
EU questions Apple, Google, Snapchat, YouTube over risks to children



Brussels, Belgium, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



The EU on Friday demanded tech giants Apple, Google, Snapchat and YouTube explain what steps they are taking to protect children online.

The European Commission has sent requests for information under the Digital Services Act to Apple, Google, Snapchat and YouTube, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters before a meeting of EU ministers in Denmark.

"Privacy, security and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case, and that's why the commission is tightening the enforcement of our rules," Virkkunen said.

"Just today we have sent requests for information on four online platforms. To Snapchat, to YouTube, to Apple Store and Google Play, also to look at what kind of practices they are taking to protect minors online," she added.

She would not provide more information but said the commission would share details in a press release later on Friday.

Also before the meeting, Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen claimed people were using Snapchat to sell drugs.

The EU's demands are not the first under the DSA.

Brussels is also probing Meta's Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over fears they are not doing enough to combat the addictive nature of their platforms for children.

Inspired by Australia's social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is exploring whether such a measure could work in the 27-country bloc after several states including France and Spain pushed for limits on minors' access to platforms.

Denmark, in charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency, has been pushing the bloc to take more action collectively to protect minors through new rules.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday Denmark planned to introduce a ban on social media for children under the age of 15.

The EU's Digital Services Act, a mammoth law demanding platforms do more to tackle illegal content, contains provisions to ensure the safety of children online.

The ministers will discuss age verification on social media and what steps they can take to make the online world safer for minors.

They are expected to agree on a joint statement after the meeting on Friday in which they back EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's plans to study a potential EU-wide digital majority age, according to a draft document seen by AFP.

Von der Leyen said last month she would establish a panel of experts "to assess what steps make sense" at the EU level on the issue.

raz/del/lth

Apple
Austria finds Microsoft 'illegally' tracked students: privacy campaign group



Vienna, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Austria's data protection authority has determined that Microsoft "illegally" tracked students using its education software and must grant them access to their data, a privacy campaign group said Friday.

Austria-based privacy campaign group Noyb (None of Your Business) in 2024 lodged a complaint against the company, accusing its Microsoft 365 education software of violating EU data protection rights for children.

Noyb said that Microsoft 365 Education installed cookies that collect browser data and are used for advertising purposes, a practice likely affecting millions of students and teachers across Europe.

In a statement on Friday, Noyb announced that the regulator had issued a decision this week, which "finds that Microsoft 365 Education illegally tracks students and uses student data for Microsoft's own purposes".

Microsoft was ordered to provide users, including the complainant -- a minor represented by her father -- access to their personal data.

The Austrian data protection authority confirmed that it issued a decision on Wednesday but did not give any further details.

While not responding to requests by users for access to data related to its education software, Microsoft "tried to shift all responsibility to local schools" or other national institutions, Noyb said.

"The decision... highlights the lack of transparency with Microsoft 365 Education," Noyb data protection lawyer Felix Mikolasch said in the statement.

"It is almost impossible for schools to inform students, parents and teachers about what is happening with their data," he added.

Microsoft said in a statement sent to AFP that the company would review the decision and decide "on next steps in due course".

"Microsoft 365 for Education meets all required data protection standards, and institutions in the education sector can continue to use it in compliance with GDPR," it added, referring to the EU's landmark General Data Protection Regulation.

Noyb, founded by the online privacy activist Max Schrems, has launched several legal cases against technology giants, often prompting action from regulatory authorities over violations of the GDPR.

It has filed more than 800 complaints in various jurisdictions on behalf of internet users.

kym/jza/lth
Tech billionaire Thiel says Greta Thunberg servant of 'Antichrist'



San Francisco, United States, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel has branded Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and critics of artificial intelligence as "legionnaires of the Antichrist" during a series of private lectures.

The eight hours of lectures fused religious beliefs with warnings against technology regulation, according to recordings reviewed by The Washington Post.

In four roughly two-hour talks delivered over the past month at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Thiel argued that those proposing limits on technology development threaten to bring about the destruction of the United States and an era of global totalitarian rule, the Post reported Friday.

Thiel, part of the so-called PayPal mafia that also includes Elon Musk, has a net worth that stands at around $27 billion and has close ties to the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, a former associate.

He was also the only major figure from Silicon Valley that supported Donald Trump in his 2016 campaign to be president.

In Thiel's view, the biblical Antichrist is not an evil tech genius but someone who warns of existential risk nonstop and calls for strong regulation in innovative sectors.

"In the 21st century, the Antichrist is a Luddite who wants to stop all science. It's someone like Greta or Eliezer," Thiel said in his September 15 opening lecture, referring to Thunberg and AI critic Eliezer Yudkowsky, according to the recordings.

In his talk, the billionaire criticized financial regulations as signs that a world government has begun to emerge that could be taken over by an Antichrist figure.

"It's become quite difficult to hide one's money," Thiel said, describing an "incredible machinery of tax treaties, financial surveillance, and sanctions architecture" that gives wealthy people only an "illusion of power and autonomy."

The lectures come amid rising Christian nationalism in the United States and as Silicon Valley leaders escalate their fight against AI regulation under President Trump's second term.
Press Release from Business Wire: Axway



(AFP) Oct 10, 2025



PARIS, Oct 10, 2025 (BSW) - Axway, a 74Software company (Euronext: 74SW), a global leader in federated API management and enterprise integration, is recognized by Gartner as a Leader in the 2025 Magic Quadrant? for API Management1 - marking the 10th time Axway has been positioned as a Leader in the report. Based on specific criteria that analyzed the company's overall Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute, we believe the evaluation highlights the strength of Axway's Amplify API Management offering and its ability to address the growing challenges of API sprawl, governance, and AI-driven integration.

In companion research issued by Gartner along with the report, Critical Capabilities for API Management, Axway received the highest score (3.6 out of 5.0) for the Distributed API Management Use Case for the third consecutive year.2

"This is the tenth time Axway is named a Leader in this report. For us, this feels like a strong validation of Axway's vision and consistent ability to deliver," said Roland Royer, CEO at Axway. "We feel Amplify has become the enterprise control plane that brings security, governance, and intelligence to distributed ecosystems - ensuring enterprises can modernize with confidence and prepare for AI at scale."

Boehringer Ingelheim, a global research-driven pharmaceutical company, is generating value through API-powered digital solutions in the cloud with Amplify.

"Through our engagement with Axway, we continue our efforts to be a data-driven enterprise, supported at every level by API enablement as a service," says Ariel Atili, Head of IT EDP API Enablement at Boehringer Ingelheim.

The Amplify Platform was selected to enable those services with a strong distributed approach to API management. "With Amplify Engage, we gain federated API management capabilities, whether APIs are on the Amplify API Management platform, AWS, or any other cloud."

With Amplify API Management, global manufacturing and engineering innovator Bosch was able to accelerate product and service innovation.

"Axway's products have steadily evolved from API gateways into a unified API management platform, leveraging Amplify Fusion and Engage to flexibly meet today's diverse needs with a clear vision," says David Geiger, Head of API Management at Bosch Digital. "Our collaboration with Axway has always demonstrated a high level of responsiveness and openness to customer-driven innovation, giving us the confidence to navigate a rapidly evolving environment."

Amplify API Management helps enterprises build secure, scalable, and intelligent ecosystems with APIs that connect everything, so they can govern confidently and accelerate transformation. The platform's distributed foundation underpins the broader Amplify ecosystem:

-- Amplify API Gateway secures and manages APIs at scale, enforcing enterprise-grade policies, protecting data, and ensuring reliable performance across distributed environments.

-- Amplify Engage empowers organizations to expose, manage, and monetize APIs securely, driving reuse and new growth opportunities.

-- Amplify Fusion is a multi-pattern integration platform that unifies legacy systems, SaaS applications, APIs, and event-driven architectures into a governed layer delivering agility, visibility, and scale.

-- Amplify AI Gateway extends governance into AI interactions, enabling enterprises to safely bring AI models, MCP servers, and agents into business workflows with enterprise-grade security and governance.

"As AI reshapes how enterprises operate, the ability to govern APIs and AI assets together is becoming a board-level priority," says Mourad Jaakou, General Manager of Amplify Platform at Axway. "Amplify is designed to help enterprises build on what works today while safely embracing new AI-driven capabilities with speed, intelligence, and control."

"Axway's ambition is to support every integration pattern our customers rely on - from APIs and MFT to B2B/EDI, event-driven architectures, and beyond," concludes Roland Royer. "Convergence is not just a technical ambition. It is how we grow, strengthen customer relationships, and deliver differentiated value in a market that demands flexibility and control."

Magic Quadrant reports are a culmination of rigorous, fact-based research in specific markets, providing a wide-angle view of the relative positions of providers in markets where growth is high and provider differentiation is distinct. Providers are positioned into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players. The research enables you to get the most from market analysis in alignment with your unique business and technology needs.

Click here to view a complimentary copy of the full Magic Quadrant report.

1 Gartner(R) Magic Quadrant? for API Management, Shameen Pillai, John Santoro, Steve Schwent, Nicholas Carter, 7 October 2025

The report was published as Magic Quadrant for Application Services Governance for the year 2013 and 2015, as Magic Quadrant for Full Life Cycle API Management for 2016; 2019-2022, Axway was recognized as Axway (Vordel) in 2013.

2 Gartner, Critical Capabilities for API Management, Shameen Pillai, John Santoro, Nicholas Carter, Steve Schwent, 7 October 2025

Gartner disclaimer

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Axway

Axway is an independent technology provider that sustainably grows enduring value for our customers based on a history of trust, security, and stability that goes back nearly 25 years. Our extensive portfolio, which encompasses Managed File Transfer, B2B Integration, Financial Accounting Hub, and comprehensive API management through Amplify, empowers organizations to seamlessly integrate their internal and external ecosystems and succeed in a shifting digital business landscape. Learn more at axway.com.







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251010299604/en/









Contact

Lydia Defranchi, [email protected], +33618615126







 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Trump suggests Spain be expelled from NATO over low defense spending



Washington, Oct 9 (AFP) Oct 09, 2025



President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Spain be expelled from NATO over its failure to match the higher defense spending requirement he has engineered.

"We had one laggard, it was Spain," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "They have no excuse not to do this, but that's all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO frankly."

In June, the 32-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed to massively boost defense spending over the next decade under pressure from Trump, who at the time threatened to punish Madrid on trade for resisting the new target of five percent of GDP.

Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has insisted Madrid would not need to hit the headline figure. Spain has been one of the lowest-spending NATO countries on defense in relative terms.

The US president -- who has repeatedly suggested Washington could withhold protection from European countries unwilling to spend more on defense -- rammed through the commitment to spend five percent of their GDPs on security-related spending in a move seen as key to keeping him engaged with NATO.

That headline figure breaks down as 3.5 percent on core defense spending and 1.5 percent on a looser range of areas such as infrastructure and cyber security.

The new target replaces the alliance's former military spending goal of two percent, first set back in 2014.
The money is there, says the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. All that is needed is the political will

Olivier de Schutter, 57, thinks it possible for the over 800 million people who, according to the United Nations, live on less than $2.15 a day to improve their living conditions. According to the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, it would require the political will to tax billionaires and apply other measures, such as levies on aviation, maritime transportation and financial transactions. The money is there, the Belgian lawyer and poverty expert told EL PAIS during an interview that took place in late September in Madrid, where he participated in the Beyond Growth conference.

Question. In a world with more than 800 million people living in extreme poverty, what is your priority when it comes to addressing poverty and hunger?

Answer. The priority is clearly to allow low-income countries to finance social protection, because they simply do not have enough fiscal leeway to provide their population with economic security against unemployment, disability, sickness, pension payments and so on. It would cost about $308 billion per year to allow the 26 poorest countries on Earth to provide their population with social protection, about twice the level of official development assistance in the year 2019. It is not affordable for low-income countries alone, but it is affordable for the international community. All that is needed is the political will, and it is the best investment we can make.

Question. Many governments are reducing development aid budget. How does that affect the global fight against poverty?

Answer. Well, thats a disaster, and the figures show that millions of people will be affected by the retreat of USAID. Id like to commend the fact that the Spanish government has not retreated on its commitments to support development aid. But there are many other tools. In my most recent report to the United Nations, I listed a number of innovative financing mechanisms that could allow us to compensate for this reduction. Those mechanisms include a billionaires tax, as proposed by Brazil when it chaired the G20.

Question. How should billionaires be taxed?

Answer. A 2% tax on the wealth of billionaires, about 3,000 people in the world, would be more than enough to provide social protection to all people in low-income countries, 820 million people in the 26 poorest countries. And the billionaires would not even notice it.

Question. What other steps could be taken?

Answer. Solidarity taxes, for example, taxes on aviation, on maritime transportation, taxes on financial transactions. I show in the report that we could, with the necessary political will, mobilize enough resources to support the universalization of social protection across the world. The money is there.

Question. You also propose degrowth as a formula to reduce poverty. Why?

Answer. Degrowth is a strategy of democratic planning of the transition towards a more sustainable model of production and consumption. It is not an economic recession, where consumption and productions are reduced, and which people may be suffering from if it leads to deprivation and to sacrifice. With that understanding, degrowth can be a solution to reducing poverty, because it will mean a more equitable distribution of wealth and income and closing the gaps between the rich and the poor.

Question. Do you think there are certain discourses that lead to aporophobia, hatred of the poor?

Answer. One major reason why people are not able to escape poverty is because they face discrimination. They face negative stereotypes. That is not simply a subjective experience, but an exclusionary one. It is an obstacle to seeking employment, to finding housing, to improving your education or to gaining access to social protection. If you face discrimination from an employer who does not trust you because you have been a long-term unemployed person, or because you dont have the right accent, or you dont have the right cultural codes, you will face obstacles accessing jobs. If a landlord does not want to rent an apartment to a person who depends on social assistance or whose income is irregular, then you will find it difficult to rent an apartment. If your child is bullied at school because they are known to come from a low-income household, they will not perform well in class. And finally, if you are humiliated, harassed, shamed when you seek social benefits, then you will not claim your rights. Aporophobia is not simply unfair, it is also an obstacle that people face in order to escape from poverty.

Olivier de Schutter, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty, inside Spanish Congress in Madrid. Claudio Alvarez

Question. Can this be fought be changing the narrative?

Answer. All too often, politicians implicitly or explicitly blame people in poverty. They should follow training, they should provide a better education for their children, they should keep their appointments, and so on and that is extremely perverse. We should view poverty as the result of a society that is not inclusive enough, not as an individual issue. Paradoxically, the more a society becomes meritocratic, rewarding people based on their talent and effort, the more being poor is shameful. If you dont succeed in a meritocratic society, it means you do not deserve to succeed, and that is very perverse and dangerous. Those who succeed as meritocrats usually do so because their family is wealthy, they benefited from a good education, and had access to a support networks that allowed them to succeed.

Question. Is aporophobia growing in the Global North?

Answer. Yes, because the welfare system is under pressure and increasingly, people who benefit from social assistance have conditions imposed on them. People in poverty are seen as competitors, as potentially cheaters, as a dangerous class. The rise of the far-right populist parties in Europe and the United States have made people in poverty the scapegoats.

Q. As chair of the International Panel of Experts on Food Systems (IPES-Food), what structural changes are needed to end hunger?

A. The key is to understand that most hungry people are so because they are poor, not because of natural disasters or conflicts. They are poor because wages are too low, because social protection is insufficient, and because small farmers do not receive a fair price for their products. Hunger is not a technical problem; it is a political one, and it can be eradicated.

Q. And in the Gaza Strip, where there are already areas where famine has been officially declared?

A. Gaza is a special case; the famine is due to the blockade of humanitarian aid. But in most countries, there isnt a lack of food, just a lack of purchasing power.

Q. You have called what is happening in Gaza a genocide.

A. Im a lawyer. Genocide is defined by two elements. One, policies that can take the form of murder or living conditions that are unsustainable for the people. And the second element is a subjective: the intention to destroy a group defined by its religion, its ethnicity, its nationality, or other characteristics. And what is happening in Gaza is a genocide because the conditions to which the Palestinians are being subjected to increasingly reveal an intention to destroy a particular group defined by its ethnicity and its religion. Genocide can take different forms and the form we are seeing in Gaza is an indiscriminate use of force against defenseless civilian population. At least two-thirds of the 65,000 people who have been killed in Gaza since October 7th, 2023 are women and children. And that goes hand in hand with a growing discourse in Israel that is dehumanizing the Palestinians and that sees all of the Gaza population as complicit in the terrorist attacks of October 7th.

Q. What must the international community do to stop it?

A. For the moment, the measures that have been taken are symbolic. Even the recognition of Palestine [as a state] remains symbolic. The EU would seriously have to say, we are not importing any more goods and services from Israel, because the EU is the primary trading partner of Israel: 32% of the exports of Israel go to the EU, the equivalent of 16 billion per year. That is the only way to put pressure on Israel to stop the genocide. But that would very likely be opposed by Germany and Italy.

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Trump says 'stepping up pressure' to end Ukraine war



Washington, Oct 9 (AFP) Oct 09, 2025



US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington and NATO allies were "stepping up the pressure" to end the war in Ukraine, after his outreach to Russia's Vladimir Putin failed to achieve a ceasefire.

"Yeah, we are stepping up the pressure," Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb when asked by an AFP reporter if he would increase efforts for a deal.

"We're stepping it up together. We're all stepping it up. NATO has been great," he added.

Trump this week brokered a peace deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, but has said that the war sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine was proving even harder to solve.

Trump hosted Putin in Alaska in August but failed to achieve a breakthrough, and since then Russia's attacks on Ukraine have escalated.

Russia said Wednesday that momentum towards reaching a peace deal in Ukraine had largely vanished following the meeting.

Stubb said he was confident that Trump would be able to push through a deal on Ukraine following the Gaza deal between Israel and Hamas.

"I think this one will be the next big one," Stubb told reporters.
Team of 200 US troops to 'oversee' Gaza truce: US officials



Washington, Oct 9 (AFP) Oct 09, 2025



A US military team of 200 people will be deployed in the Middle East to "oversee" the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after a peace deal brokered by President Donald Trump, senior US officials said Thursday.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the US military's Central Command, "will initially have 200 people on the ground. His role will be to oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations," one senior official told reporters.

Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and probably Emirati military officials would be embedded in the team, he said. A second official said that "no US troops are intended to go into Gaza."

"The notion is to make it collegial, if you will. And the Israelis will obviously be in constant touch with them," the first official said.

"Putting Admiral Cooper in the room gave a lot of confidence and security to the Arab countries," they added.

"And therefore it was passed on to Hamas that we were taking a very strong role, or the president was taking a very strong position in standing behind his guarantees and his commitments here."

The second official said the US personnel were intended "to help create the joint control center and then integrate all the other security forces that will be going in there to deconflict with IDF (Israeli Defense Forces)."
North Korea's Kim hails 'cooperative' ties with China at state celebration



Seoul, Oct 9 (AFP) Oct 09, 2025



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday, praising the two countries' "friendly and cooperative relations", as Kim oversaw celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported.

Li's visit came as the neighbours seek to maintain a close relationship despite periods of strained ties between China and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

Kim praised Li's visit as "showing the invariable support and special friendly feeling towards the WPK and the government and people of the DPRK" as well as Beijing's efforts to maintain "traditional DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations and further develop them", state news agency KCNA reported.

Li stressed that "maintaining, consolidating and developing the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries is China's unwavering policy," according to China's state news agency Xinhua.

The celebrations came as North Korea's leader has been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, securing critical support from Russia after sending thousands of North Korean troops to fight alongside Moscow's forces.

Last month, Kim appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin at an elaborate military parade in Beijing.
Nobel Peace Prize to be announced as Trump pines for it



Oslo, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday, a day after a Gaza deal likely reached too late for US President Donald Trump to have any chance to win the award he desperately wants.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce the recipient of the Peace Prize, the most highly anticipated of the prestigious Nobels, at 11:00 am (0900 GMT) in the capital Oslo.

The announcement is due just hours after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal that could help end the over two-year war in Gaza.

But while Trump's pressure on the two sides has been seen as instrumental for the breakthrough, the deal has probably come too late for the Nobel Committee to take it into account.

The five members of the committee held their final meeting on Monday, when they put the final touches on the statement they will release explaining their pick -- usually decided several days before their final meeting.

The Gaza deal "has absolutely no significance" for the choice of the 2025 laureate because "the Nobel Committee has already made its decision", historian and Peace Prize expert Asle Sveen told AFP.

"Trump will not win the prize this year. I'm 100 percent certain," he said.

Trump has long given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "free rein" to bomb Gaza and provided the Israeli army with significant military aid, Sveen said.

Since returning to the White House for his second term in January, the US leader has repeatedly insisted that he "deserves" the Nobel for his role in resolving numerous conflicts -- a claim experts say is broadly exaggerated.

Asked Thursday by AFP what he thought his chances were of winning the prize, Trump replied: "I don't know what they're going to do, really. But I know this, that nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months.

"And I've stopped eight wars. That's never happened before," he said, adding that Gaza was "the biggest of them all".

But in Oslo, experts insist he has no chance, noting that his "America First" policies run counter to the ideals of the Peace Prize as laid out in Alfred Nobel's 1895 will creating the award.



- No obvious favourite -



Speculation is rife about who will get the nod this year, with 338 individuals and organisations nominated. The list of names is kept secret for 50 years.

With no obvious favourite, several names have been circulating in Oslo.

Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms -- a network of volunteers risking their lives to feed and help people enduring war and famine -- have been mentioned, as has Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights election watchdog.

The Nobel Committee could also go with a laureate that may expose it to criticism from the United States.

That could happen if it chooses to reaffirm its commitment to a world order currently challenged by Trump, for instance by giving the prize to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, or a UN body like its refugee agency UNHCR or Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.

It could also give the nod to international tribunals such as the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court, or champion press freedoms currently under attack by giving it to the Committee to Protect Journalists or Reporters Without Borders.

What is known for sure is that "there will be a laureate this year", Nobel Institute spokesman Erik Aasheim told AFP, quashing speculation that the committee could decide not to award the prize given the bleak geopolitical situation.

Last year, the honour went to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings campaigning against nuclear weapons.

The Nobel Peace Prize consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a $1.2 million cheque.

After the Nobel prizes awarded this week for medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace, the economics prize on Monday wraps up the 2025 Nobel season.
Taiwan leader vows stronger air defences to counter 'enemy threats'



Taipei, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed Friday to speed up construction of a multi-layered air defence system as part of efforts to counter "enemy threats".

Lai's government has been under US pressure to improve its ability to defend itself against a potential attack by China, which claims the island is part of its territory.

"We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defence system in Taiwan with multi-layered defence, high-level detection, and effective interception," Lai said during Taiwan's National Day celebrations.

Lai said Taiwan was determined to "maintain peace through strength" and called on China to "renounce the use of force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait".

Lai's speech followed a bruising year for the president, a staunch defender of Taiwan's sovereignty who is loathed by Beijing.

A failed effort this year to unseat dozens of opposition lawmakers, which could have given Lai's Democratic Progressive Party a majority in the parliament, left the government weakened.

US tariffs on Taiwanese shipments and doubts over President Donald Trump's willingness to protect the island have also eroded confidence in the key relationship.

Lai reiterated on Friday plans to ramp up defence spending to more than three percent of gross domestic product next year and five percent by 2030, "showing our determination to safeguard the nation".

"We will advance the integration of high-tech and AI technologies to build a smart defence combat system, maximising effective deterrence for our asymetric strategy," Lai said.

Taiwan will also boost its own defence industry and strengthen domestic supply chains to build a "robust line of defence", he said.

Friday's celebrations mark the 114th anniversary of the toppling of China's Qing dynasty and the subsequent founding of the Republic of China.

The current dispute between China and Taiwan dates to a civil war between the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek, who retreated to the island, and Mao Zedong's communist fighters.

Beijing launched military drills around Taiwan after Lai's National Day speech last year, sending planes and ships to encircle the island.

China would not need to respond "aggressively" this time given Lai was "suffering right now", said Jonathan Sullivan, a China and Taiwan expert at the University of Nottingham.

Trump is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the coming weeks as the rival superpowers thrash out a trade deal that could impact Taiwan.

"My assessment is that Chinese military exercises are unlikely during this period, at least in this month," said Hung Chin-fu, political scientist at National Cheng Kung University.

While Taiwan has increased spending on its military, it would be massively outgunned in a conflict with China and remains heavily reliant on US military might to deter Beijing from attacking.
Turkish military ready to take part in any Gaza mission: defence ministry source



Istanbul, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Turkey's military will take part in any mission to maintain peace in Gaza after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, a defence ministry source said on Friday.

Turkey, which has been closely involved in the negotiations, had sent a team to the talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh.

"Our Turkish Armed Forces, with their experience in establishing and maintaining peace, are ready for any task entrusted to them," the source said in response to a question if the army would join a task force in Gaza.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said said Turkey would participate in a "task force" to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire deal, without elaborating further.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said late Thursday that "a team consisting of the United States, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar will play a facilitating role in following up on these agreed-upon points, and will discuss the issues with both sides."

Fidan said these countries were also mediators and would oversee the implementation of the relevant articles of the agreement.
Taiwan leader vows stronger air defences to counter 'enemy threats'



Taipei, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed on Friday to speed up construction of a multi-layered air defence system as part of efforts to counter "enemy threats".

Lai's government has been under US pressure to improve its ability to defend itself against a potential attack by China, which claims the island is part of its territory.

"We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defence system in Taiwan with multi-layered defence, high-level detection, and effective interception," Lai said during Taiwan's National Day celebrations.

He said Taiwan was determined to "maintain peace through strength" and called on China to "renounce the use of force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait".

His speech followed a bruising year for Lai, a staunch defender of Taiwan's sovereignty who is loathed by Beijing.

A failed effort this year to unseat dozens of opposition lawmakers left the government weakened, while US tariffs on Taiwanese shipments eroded confidence in the key relationship.

Lai reiterated on Friday plans to ramp up defence spending to more than three percent of gross domestic product next year and five percent by 2030.

"We will advance the integration of high-tech and AI technologies to build a smart defence combat system, maximising effective deterrence for our asymmetric strategy," Lai said.

Taiwan will also boost its own defence industry and strengthen domestic supply chains to build a "robust line of defence", he said.

While Taiwan has increased spending on its military in recent years, it would be massively outgunned in a conflict with China and remains heavily reliant on its biggest arms supplier Washington to deter Beijing from attacking.

China's foreign ministry accused Lai on Friday of attempting to "seek independence through force", warning such action would "only drag Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war".

"Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait requires adhering to the one-China principle and taking a clear stand against Taiwan independence," spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference.

"China's firm opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan and US-Taiwan military ties is consistent and clear."



- 'Lessons learned' -



Increasing investment in Taiwan's air defence "reflects an appreciation for the lessons being learned in Ukraine", said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow in international studies at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

"Taiwan already has a robust air defence network comprising legacy and new systems... so they are integrating them into a resilient network able to defend against threats ranging from small UAVs to missiles to aircraft," Thompson said.

Friday's celebrations mark the 114th anniversary of the toppling of China's Qing dynasty and the subsequent founding of the Republic of China.

The current dispute between China and Taiwan dates to a civil war between the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek, who retreated to the island, and Mao Zedong's communist fighters.

Beijing launched military drills around Taiwan after Lai's National Day speech last year, sending planes and ships to encircle the island.

A US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China should not use Lai's remarks as a "pretext for destabilising actions".

China would not need to respond "aggressively" this time because Lai was "suffering right now", said Jonathan Sullivan, a China and Taiwan expert at the University of Nottingham.

Trump is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the coming weeks as the rival superpowers thrash out a trade deal that could affect Taiwan.
NATO to start annual nuclear exercise Monday



Brussels, Belgium, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



NATO will launch its annual nuclear exercise Steadfast Noon next week, alliance chief Mark Rutte said Friday, as tensions with Russia have risen after a series of air incursions by Moscow.

In a video posted online Rutte stressed that the two-week drill starting on Monday was "regular" and NATO said it is not linked directly to the Kremlin's latest actions.

"We need to do this because it helps us to make sure that our nuclear deterrent remains as credible, and as safe, and as secure, and as effective as possible," Rutte said.

"It also sends a clear signal to any potential adversary that we will and can protect and defend all allies against all threats."

NATO officials said the exercise -- which does not involve real nuclear weapons -- will involve some 70 aircraft and 2,000 personnel from 13 member states.

It will be flown out of airbases in the Netherlands, Belgium, Britain and Denmark and take place in the North Sea region.

The war game comes after a series of mysterious drones have disrupted airports and been seen at military sites in a string of NATO countries -- including Denmark.

"Drones are not a new threat to us. Drones are something we understand," said US Colonel Daniel Bunch, chief of NATO's nuclear operations.

"The more frequent incursions are obviously something we're keeping an eye on."

The exercise is the latest to be held by the alliance as the Kremlin has ramped up its nuclear rhetoric since the start of its all-out war in Ukraine in 2022.

Jim Stokes, NATO's director of nuclear policy, said allies "haven't seen any change in Russia's nuclear posture".

"We will, of course, continue to monitor on a regular basis all the Russian nuclear rhetoric, which happens quite often, and the use of dual-capable missiles in Ukraine."
UN calls on Madagascar to avoid unnecessary force against protesters



Antananarivo, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



The United Nations' rights chief on Friday called on Madagascan authorities to "desist from unnecessary force" against protesters, a day after several people were injured in clashes with police during protests in the capital Antananarivo.

Several thousand anti-government demonstrators marched in Antananarivo Thursday in the latest demonstration in two weeks of anti-government unrest sparked by anger over power and water shortages in the impoverished Indian ocean island.

AFP reporters on the ground saw at least six people injured and a man left unconscious on the ground after he was chased and severely beaten by security forces, who used tear gas, rubber bullets and armoured vehicles to disperse the crowds.

"We're receiving troubling reports of continued violence against protesters by the gendarmerie," the UN's human rights office said in a post on social media Friday.

UN High commissioner for human rights Volker Turk "renews his call on security forces to desist from unnecessary force and to uphold the rights to free association and peaceful assembly," it said.

Madagascar's security forces on Friday recognised that it had taken "strict measures" as they claimed the protesters aimed to "terrorise the population" and "incite looting".

The United Nations said on September 29 that at least 22 people had been killed in the first days of protests.

Rajoelina has disputed the toll, saying on Wednesday that there were "12 confirmed deaths and all of these individuals were looters and vandals".

After initially adopting a conciliatory tone and dismissing his entire government, the president appointed a military officer as prime minister on October 6 and chose to make the first appointments in his new cabinet to the ministries of the armed forces, public security and armed police, announcing that the country "no longer needs disturbances".
Maria Corina Machado: the face and fire of Venezuela's opposition



Caracas, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Maria Corina Machado, a fearless activist with rock-star appeal, is the face of opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's iron-fisted regime.

Hailed as "la libertadora", in an allusion to Venezuelan independence hero Simon "The Liberator" Bolivar, Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her work.

"Is this for real? I can't believe it!," she said in conversation with exiled opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

She was barred from challenging Maduro in July 2024 elections and went into hiding after the vote, which the opposition and much of the international community accuses Maduro of stealing.

But she remained a tireless democracy campaigner on social media, where she regularly posts videos assuring Venezuelans that change is near at hand.

Clad in jeans and a white shirt, Machado toured Venezuela last year to campaign for an end to a quarter century of increasingly repressive Socialist rule.

Her rousing speeches instill quasi-religious fervor in her supporters, many of whom are moved to tears by the sight of their plucky "liberator."

She won an opposition primary with 90 percent of votes cast in 2023, but was promptly declared ineligible by authorities loyal to Maduro.

Machado accepted to take a political back seat and campaign instead for her last-minute stand-in: little-known ex-diplomat Gonzalez Urrutia.

The opposition's tally of ballots from polling stations showed Gonzalez Urrutia easily defeating Maduro in the election -- but the Socialist incumbent was proclaimed the winner, sparking deadly riots, which were brutally repressed.

Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile after a bounty was placed on his head. Machado stayed behind to lead the resistance.

After months of hiding she briefly re-emerged on the eve of Maduro's inauguration for a third term in January to address an opposition rally.

"We are not afraid," she declared, before fleeing cloak-and-dagger style on the back of a motorcycle to avoid arrest.



- US strikes -



The Nobel announcement comes at a critical moment in a tense standoff between the United States and Venezuela.

President Donald Trump has ordered a major military deployment in the southern Caribbean, near Venezuela, and greenlighted strikes on suspected drug boats that have killed at least 21 people in recent weeks.

Washington, which recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela's rightful leader, accuses Maduro of leading a drug cartel.

Machado has backed the US military pressure on Maduro as a "necessary measure" towards a democratic transition in Venezuela.

"Today, more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve freedom and democracy," she wrote Friday on X.



- 'Bring our children home'



An engineer by training, Caracas-born Machado entered politics in 2002 at the head of the association Sumate (Join us), pushing for a referendum to recall Maduro's mentor, the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.

She was accused of treason over the referendum call and received death threats, prompting her to send her two young sons and daughter to live abroad.

In parliament, she confronted the firebrand Chavez.

"Expropriating is stealing," she told him in 2012, referring to his seizures of hundreds of domestic and foreign-owned businesses.

Banned from flying during last year's election campaign, she criss-crossed the country by road, wearing rosary beads around her neck.

"We're going to liberate the country and bring our children home," she said, vowing an end to Maduro's rule -- and with it a severe economic crisis that has prompted over seven million people to emigrate from the once prosperous petro-state.

In October, she and Gonzalez Urrutia were awarded the European Union's top human rights prize for having "fearlessly upheld" the values of justice, democracy and the rule of law.
In 2022, the lawyer became the first Peruvian woman to hold the top office, but saw her approval ratings drop to record lows by the time of her removal on Thursday

I am a woman of peace, of dialogue, an agreement-maker who believes in democracy, said Dina Boluarte in 2023. She had been president of Peru for just over six months, but her words were already falling on deaf ears for a large part of the population. Her administration had begun with a lie: she had claimed she would resign if Pedro Castillo were impeached or removed from office. This unfulfilled promise was seen as a betrayal of her followers in Peru Libre, the party that brought them to power, and it represented a break with a left that had been seeking a revolution.

Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, 63, the first woman to wear the presidential sash in Peru, enjoyed no respite. Her appointment on that turbulent December 7, 2022, sparked a backlash. When she completed 100 days in power, her disapproval rating hovered around 80%. Today, as she leaves the post, her support is below 2%. There are even some polls, such as the CPI, that give her 0% popularity among Peruvians aged 18 to 24. These are figures never seen for any other head of state.

Of the initial peace Boluarte offered, she got little of it. How many more deaths do you want? she said defiantly, after the police and armed forces had already killed 50 citizens who had taken to the streets to express their discontent at the start of her term. Deaths for which she has not apologized or shown any empathy. At the beginning of 2024, a woman broke through her security detail and grabbed her by the hair in Ayacucho, one of the regions with the highest number of deaths. Ruth Barcena had lost her husband in the protests.

Boluarte also failed to offer any kind of dialogue. Not only did she dodge questions, but her silences with the press were prolonged, several of them exceeding three months. Whats more, she impeded journalists work with intimidation. At the diplomatic level, she showed her shortcomings: she quarreled with several leaders across the continent, isolating the country. Among these were Colombias Gustavo Petro and Mexicos former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who called her a spurious president and refused to cede her the temporary presidency of the Pacific Alliance trade bloc.

Her Andean origins, which she often resorted to when in trouble, didnt work either: The protest has an Indigenous voice and face, and weve been treated as manipulable subjects incapable of transforming the country, or as violent individuals. Dina Boluarte doesnt honor her Andean origins. She may speak Quechua, but shes attacked our dignity, says Tania Pariona, executive secretary of the Human Rights Commission.

Feminist groups also distanced themselves from Boluarte, marched against her, and some groups claimed that her administration was allied with the patriarchy and violent against women. A scene illustrates this: Aymara mothers carrying their children, their eyes red, amidst toxic smoke. Another issue that drew public criticism throughout her term was her frivolity: her secret cosmetic surgeries and her high-end jewelry and watches allegedly received in exchange for channeling budget allocations to regional governments.

Her survival instinct, perhaps the only quality recognized by political analysts, manifested itself in her leniency toward the political followers of the late ex-president Alberto Fujimori. Boluarte not only allowed the autocrat to be pardoned in 2023, but also decreed three days of mourning for his death in September 2024. But even that wasnt enough to protect her: rampant crime caused the congressional factions that had protected her to turn against her in the final stretch.

Dina Boluarte is leaving, with her Independence Day speeches that set records  for length and for inducing yawns; she is leaving with her indifference toward the victims of her government; she is leaving without having captured the leader of her former party, Peru Libre, Vladimir Cerron, a fugitive who tweets daily and publishes books. The people who didnt elect her at the polls gave her no respite, because, as they say in the streets, she never did anything to deserve it. The nickname by which she is known will be repeated incessantly in the coming hours: Dina Balearte  which translates roughly to Dina the Shooter, a reference to the governments harsh response to protests or unrest during her presidency.
Putin says Trump 'doing a lot' to resolve crises



Moscow, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his US counterpart was "doing a lot" to resolve world "crises" but that it was not for him to decide whether Donald Trump should receive the Nobel prize.

Since returning to the White House for his second term, Trump had repeatedly insisted that he deserved the Nobel for his role in resolving numerous conflicts -- a claim observers say is broadly exaggerated.

Trump restated his claim on the eve of the peace prize announcement, saying that his brokering of the first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza this week was the eighth war he had ended.

"It's not for me to judge whether the current US president deserves the Nobel prize -- I don't know," Putin told reporters in Tajikistan when asked about whether Trump deserved the award.

"But he's really doing a lot to resolve these complex crises, which have lasted for years, even decades," he said.

Referring to the situation in the Middle East, Putin said: "If we succeed in achieving everything Donald has strived for... it will be a historic event."

But he also criticised the Nobel committee for awarding the peace prize "to people who have done nothing for peace" in the past.

"In my opinion, these decisions have greatly damaged the credibility of this prize."

Trump shared a video of Putin's comments on his Truth Social platform, saying: "Thank you to President Putin!"

During his current term as the US president, Trump has pushed for a rapprochement with Moscow and its longtime leader, who ordered Russian troops to Ukraine in 2022.

Trump also hosted Putin on US soil during a summit in Alaska in August.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who dedicated the award to Trump.
UK, France, Germany aim to restart Iran nuclear talks



London, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Britain, France and Germany will seek to restart stalled nuclear talks with Iran and the United States, the three European countries said in a joint statement on Friday.

Their announcement came nearly two weeks after UN sanctions were reimposed on Iran, under a "snapback" process the three European nations had initiated and which became effective from September 28.

Iran has said that, following those revived sanctions, it would not immediately resume nuclear talks.

In their joint statement, Britain, France and Germany said: "We are determined to reinitiate negotiations with Iran and the United States towards a comprehensive, durable and verifiable agreement that ensures Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon."

A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baqaei, on Monday said that "we have no plans for negotiations at this stage".

He added that Iran was examining the "consequences and implications" of the restart of sanctions.

"Of course, diplomacy -- in the sense of maintaining contacts and consultations -- will continue," Baqaei said.

"Whenever we feel that diplomacy can be effective, we will certainly make decisions based on the country's interests and priorities," he added.

Western countries, spearheaded by the United States and joined by Israel, accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons -- a charge Tehran has long denied.

The United States on June 22 bombed nuclear sites in Iran, joining an Israeli air campaign against various targets in the country.

France, Germany and Britain -- known as the E3 in the context of negotiations with Iran -- said in Friday's statement that "it was right that the snapback mechanism had been triggered".

"Iran's nuclear program poses a serious threat to global peace and security," they added.

In 2015, the United States, with the three European countries, Russia, and China concluded an agreement with Iran providing for the regulation of Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

President Donald Trump decided during his first term in 2018 to withdraw the United States from the deal and to reinstate US sanctions.

In retaliation, Iran pulled back from some of its commitments, particularly on uranium enrichment.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only country without a nuclear weapons programme to enrich uranium to 60 percent. That is close to the threshold of 90 percent required for a bomb, and well above the far lower level needed for civilian nuclear use.
Denmark to buy 16 more US-made F-35 fighters after drone flights



Copenhagen, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Denmark will buy another 16 F-35 fighter jets from the United States, its defence minister said Friday, two weeks after unidentified drones intruded into the Scandinavian country's airspace.

Copenhagen will also buy anti-drone defences worth some 2.1 billion kroner ($320,000 million), after the flights, including over military installations, prompted politicians to point the finger at Russia.

The purchase announcement however also comes as EU countries weigh up whether to replace the US-made planes with European alternatives.

"We have reached a political agreement to acquire 16 additional F-35 fighter jets... so that we will have more operational fighter jets in the future," Troels Lund Poulsen told a press conference.

The purchase, which will bring the number of F-35s in the Danish air force to 43, is set to cost 29 billion kroner ($4.5 billion).

Denmark -- which is accused of Washington of not doing enough to secure the Arctic region -- also said it will pour billions more into security for both the polar region and the north Atlantic.

The purchase from the United States comes following President Donald Trump's repeated comments on acquiring Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory located in a strategic region.
CORRECTED: Venezuela's Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize for 'civilian courage'



Oslo, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who accepted the accolade in hiding in the country described by the Nobel jury as a "brutal" state.

Machado, the democracy activist who challenged President Nicolas Maduro in last year's elections, has become a "unifying" figure in Venezuela, the jury said. She has refused to leave despite threats against her life.

She dedicated her award to the Venezuelan people and to US President Donald Trump, who had coveted it himself, as Washington steps up its pressure on Maduro's government.

"More than ever we count on President Trump," she wrote on X, citing his "decisive support of our cause".

The 58-year-old told Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpvikenshe she was confident the opposition would secure a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela.

"I'm sure that we will prevail," she said in the call, which was filmed and posted to X.

Machado, in hiding for the past year, is "one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times", said Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes.

"Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions."

Rumours have circulated on social networks that she is sheltering at the US embassy.

Venezuelan opposition figurehead Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who lives in exile in Spain, hailed her win as "a well-deserved recognition of the long struggle of a woman and an entire people for freedom and democracy".



- Rock star popularity -



Machado was the opposition's presidential candidate for Venezuela's 2024 elections, but Maduro's government blocked her candidacy.

She then backed the reluctant, little-known ex-diplomat Gonzalez Urrutia as her stand-in, accompanying him on rallies where she was welcomed like a rock star.

Maduro claimed electoral victory, but numerous officials have recognised Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela's president-elect.

An engineer by training, Caracas-born Machado entered politics in 2002 at the head of the association Sumate (Join us), pushing for a referendum to recall Maduro's mentor, the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.

The call led to treason accusations and death threats, prompting her to send her three children to live abroad.

The committee said it was aware Machado might not be able to attend the Oslo ceremony on December 10.

"We always hope to have the laureate with us in Oslo, but this is a serious security situation which needs to be handled first," Frydnes told reporters.

The United States has in recent weeks carried out strikes off Venezuelan shores in international waters, claiming to act against drug smugglers.

Washington accuses Maduro of leading a drug cartel, and does not recognise him as the country's legitimate leader.

Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia have backed US military pressure on the regime as a "necessary measure" towards the "restoration of popular sovereignty".



- Trump's hopes for prize -



Once relatively democratic and prosperous, Venezuela is now a "brutal authoritarian state that is now suffering a humanitarian and economic crisis", Frydnes said.

Systematic suppression of the opposition has included "election rigging, legal prosecution and imprisonment".

Machado has been a "key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided", he said.

She was not among those mentioned as possible laureates in the run-up to Friday's announcement.

Since returning to the White House for his second term in January, Trump has repeatedly insisted that he "deserves" the Nobel for his role in resolving numerous conflicts -- a claim observers say is broadly exaggerated.

His office called the committee's decision a sign of "politics over peace".

"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives," White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said on X.

The committee had made its choice days before the recent announcement of a US-backed deal to end the fighting in Gaza.

Regardless, Nobel experts had insisted Trump had no chance, noting that his "America First" policies run counter to the ideals of the Peace Prize as laid out by its founder Alfred Nobel.

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Gazans came together to share their joy, while thousands of displaced residents face the decision of whether to return to their destroyed neighborhoods or wait for clearer security guarantees from Israeli forces

For the first time in months, 40-year-old Mohammed Hamdan Abu Shahab sat down on Thursday with his friends to chat and play dominoes, his favorite board game. That simple gesture  sitting at a table on the beach, in a zone considered relatively safe  was something he had feared doing during the two years of war in Gaza. Abu Shahab smiled as he spoke about his immense joy upon hearing the announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel and Hamas had signed an agreement to achieve a ceasefire. The greatest achievement is stopping the killing, he says. In the last few days, we feared going to sleep at night and not waking up in the morning.

Beside him, his son Naim plays with him. From dawn until now, I havent been able to close my eyes for joy and happiness, Abu Shahab says. At daybreak, his wife let out zaghareed, traditional celebratory ululations, waking hundreds of families in nearby tents, who came out to celebrate. The women gathered, lit fires, made tea in the early hours, and everyone stayed awake until sunset.

Abu Shahab and his family left their previous home five months ago, and now they are unsure how  or if  they can return, mainly due to Israeli military restrictions in the area. Still, Abu Shahab speaks with determination about the future. We are the children of Gaza. We have tremendous human energy and the will to reclaim our lives, he says. The important thing is that we free ourselves from this occupation, that the siege is lifted, and the military operations cease, that they stop killing us. We will take it upon ourselves to rebuild Gaza.

Mohammed Hamdan Abu Shahab, 40, plays dominos with his son Naim and friends on Gaza beach on October 9. It is the first time in five months that he feels safe enough to enjoy this simple pleasure. Mohamed Solaimane

Like Abu Shahab and his family, minutes after Trumps announcement, thousands of Gazans emerged from their tents and displacement camps in spontaneous gatherings, singing and celebrating what many called a return to life.

We have a ceasefire! The war is over! We are alive again! echoed across the camps in Khan Yunis and throughout southern Gaza. Residents expressed immense relief. The crowds sang Palestinian national songs, and elders and children joined the celebrations, taking to streets that had been shrouded in darkness and fear for two years.

Throughout the day, spontaneous gatherings continued at schools converted into shelters, among rows of tents, near bakeries, and at food distribution points. People came together to hug, embrace one another, and share their joy.

Thousands of displaced people, however, now face the same difficult decision: return to their destroyed neighborhoods or wait for clearer security guarantees from Israeli forces. One such person is 67-year-old Khayriya Abu Gamea. She urges caution to her husband, Samir. Their conversations revolve around which areas are safe to return to. Abu Gamea fears the dangers her husband might face crossing these areas before official permits are granted.

Khayriya Abu Gamea, 67, and her husband Samir at the displacement camp in Al Mawasi, Gaza, on October 9, hours after the ceasefire was announced. Mohamed Solaimane

Everyone in Gaza is filled with unprecedented joy, Abu Gamea says. We were waiting for this day, but we are also in a state of shock because we didnt expect this agreement to be reached. Despair had gripped us to the point where we were certain the killing would finish us all off, until this agreement came.

Abu Gamea explains that she has not slept since hearing the news, following developments minute by minute. People came out of their tents cheering, clapping Everyone was crying with joy, she recalls. Here, people feel like theyve gone from death to life.

The conflict has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry, run by Hamas  the United Nations considers these figures reliable  and has damaged or destroyed over 90% of Gazas homes, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The uncertain return

The ceasefire agreement  announced by Trump and approved by the Israeli cabinet  outlines a phased plan, starting with a hostage and prisoner exchange. The first phase includes the release of 20 living Israeli hostages and 28 bodies in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees from Gaza.

Now hope is returning to us, the hope of stopping the death, the killing, the destruction, and the displacement, Abu Gamea says. What we need now is simply to return to the area where we lived, which we were forced to leave.

In another area of Al Mawasi, Samer al Masry, 63, sits with his children under the tent that has become home to his entire extended family. The retired official shares the tent with his son Mohammed, 31, a daughter, 27, who works as a medical laboratory specialist, four university-aged children, and his grandchildren. Al Masry recalls with deep sorrow the destruction of his family home in December 2023, as well as a property he later rented to a relative for $4,000. As tears stream down his cheeks despite his attempts to hold them back, he reflects on the complex emotions felt by many Gaza residents.

Samer Al Masry, 63, a retired civil servant, with his son Mohammed, 31, a civil engineer, in the tent they share in Al Mawasi, Gaza, on October 9. Mohamed Solaimane

Yes, today the killings have stopped, and we are happy about that, but we are facing a different kind of destruction, he laments. How will we manage now? We are literally on the streets. We have nothing. He points to the tent where they live. I dont even own it; I borrowed it from my brother. I dont have a single piece of clothing, a tarp, a blanket, or anything else I could take home to the Sheikh area, in the center of Khan Younis, where my two-story building has been destroyed: one floor was mine and the other belonged to other people. At my age today, I cry, first out of joy that the killings have stopped, and then out of sadness for our situation, he notes.

Still, if authorities allow him to return to the center of Khan Yunis, Al Masry says he will immediately begin rebuilding his life. I will work hard to transport everything available or buy everything I can to set up a tent there. We want to live on our land, he says.

As a retired civil servant, Al Masry faces enormous financial difficulties. What I receive from my pension isnt enough to feed my family. How will I be able to cover the costs of setting up tents, toilets, and other necessities? he asks. His son, Mohammed, a civil engineer who once had promising career prospects, now shares his fathers uncertain future.

Cautious optimism

Abu Gamea expresses both the hope and lingering anxiety shared by many Gaza residents. While she celebrates the end of immediate violence, she fears hostilities could resume after the hostage exchange, especially given the past experiences with ceasefires.

Previous experience with the occupation has taught us to be very cautious, she says. But now we feel that the whole world is with us, that Almighty God is with us. Israel had planned to complete the annihilation, destruction, and displacement, but God intervened, along with the sincere support of friendly peoples, especially Spain.

She mentions statements from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. I heard his nine-measure plan translated on local radio. I felt he was a friend of the Palestinian people, like a father and a brother who feels our pain for the children we have lost and the homes that have been destroyed. His position and that of others are what have brought us to this moment of calm.

This article was published in collaboration with Egab, a platform that works with journalists from the Middle East and Africa.

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Or was the monster the legion of filmmakers that took inspiration from his life and sensationalised it to make entertainment and darken the American psyche in the process? he asked. He didnt stop there: Is Ed Gein the monster of this show, or is Hitchcock the monster of the show? Or are we the monster of the show because were watching it?
It had all been going so well for Harry and Meghan  by recent standards, anyway. The Duke had just reunited with his father, King Charles, for the first time in 19 months and made a successful surprise visit to war-torn Ukraine. The Duchess business empire was booming with the launch of her new wellness-stroke-reality TV series and lifestyle brand. And the couple had even signed a new multi-year deal with Netflix, countering reports that the streaming company would not renew their contract. After years marred by questionable PR strategies and strained family relationships, Brand Sussex seemed, relatively at least, to be back on track  until it all went wrong.
That is why it is so dangerous when people like Bellil are sharing and spreading this kind of material online. But as weve shown here, we will investigate and identify those sharing this sort of material online, and there are very real consequences for doing so.
A spokesman for the IOPC said: "We can confirm that we have started an independent investigation into the actions of the Met Police during an incident at an address in Walthamstow, east London where we understand a man was shot by police this afternoon and taken to hospital."
Mr Farage said: "The most frightening thing about this particular young Afghan coming into our country is we only found all these things out because somebody sent me some of his videos, and I chose to expose it.
In a statement through his solicitor Hodge Jones and Allen, Mr Lawrence said: The use of undercover officers to gather information about my family is yet another example of wrongdoing by the Metropolitan Police, an organisation that has let me down time and time again.
Just a few hours have passed since the Norwegian Nobel Committee informed Maria Corina Machado (Caracas, 58) that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor that the opposition leader never imagined she would receive. Speaking through a screen  the only way to see her since she decided to go into hiding more than a year ago  Machado doesnt hide how overwhelmed she feels. Amid dozens of phone calls, she speaks with EL PAIS about the implications of the award. Her trembling voice at the start of the interview reveals a whirlwind of emotions.

At the time of the interview (9 p.m. in Spain, 3 p.m. in Venezuela), the Spanish government had still not congratulated her, and former vice president Pablo Iglesias had said that the Nobel Prize might as well have been given to Hitler: Depending on who it comes from, the attacks can be the greatest compliments, Machado says, referring to Iglesiass remarks. As for the governments silence, she is cautious: Only a few hours have passed, and I dont want to speculate because I myself havent even been able to answer the phone or speak to my children. But when it comes to the situation in Venezuela, there is no longer any room for silence or indifference between crime and justice. No one wants to be in the middle. And in the end, I know where the Spanish people stand.

Question. What significance does this award have at a time when Venezuela is going through one of its most critical points in history?

Answer. I have no doubt that this will be a fundamental boost for us Venezuelans. We have never been so close to freedom as we are at this moment. We have tried everything within our Constitution to preserve our liberties and then restore democracy after the regime destroyed all institutions and rights. We have protested, and we have been run over, attacked, and assaulted; we have participated in elections, defeated the regime, and they stole the election. We have been involved in multiple negotiation processes, and the regime has broken its word in every one. So, we are at a point where we understand that only the coordination of internal and external forces against a criminal structure will allow Venezuela to move forward in the democratic transition. And we are on the threshold of that.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures during an anti-government protest on January 9, 2025, in Caracas. Jesus Vargas (Getty Images)

Q. What are you feeling?

A. I cant sum it up in one word  its a tremendous responsibility. Its a commitment not only to Venezuela, but to the entire world. Im overwhelmed. I am just one person in a movement of millions, and I feel its somewhat unfair to have this focused on a single figure when we have political prisoners, nine million exiles, thousands of people killed, and more than 20,000 extrajudicial executions since Chavez came to power. This is a country that has given even its very life for freedom. I take it as a recognition of the Venezuelan people at the most important moment in our republican history.

Q. In recent days, the name of U.S. President Donald Trump was frequently mentioned on the list of possible prize winners. You were one of the first people he publicly thanked. Have you spoken with him?

A. Yes, we spoke today.

Q. What was that conversation like?

A. It was a private conversation, and Id prefer to leave it at that, but what I can say is that Venezuelans are deeply grateful to President Trump. He has firmly and correctly understood the nature of the regime we are facing. This is not a conventional dictatorship  it is a tyranny that has turned into a narco-terrorist system. The goal is to dismantle a criminal structure. Its about saving lives. And, of course, from our perspective, its about upholding popular sovereignty. We won an election under perverse, extreme rules that probably wouldnt have been accepted in Spain or in most democratic countries around the world. And even so, we went, and we won by a landslide. From that comes our greatest strength and legitimacy.

Q. What is your position regarding the U.S. attacks and military maneuvers off the Venezuelan coast? Do you fear they could jeopardize a peaceful solution in Venezuela?

A. The only way for a criminal structure to finally yield and accept that it must go is when you cut off its sources of funding. This is a regime that has financed itself through drug trafficking, gold smuggling, arms trading, human trafficking, the black market, and oil. When those flows start to dry up, the structures begin to crack. That is what is happening in Venezuela today, and that is what we need to understand. All those people who said there was no need to build a credible threat, that force shouldnt be put on the table  well, just look at whats happening. This confirms what weve been saying for years: freedom must be fought for, and facing a tyranny of this kind requires moral, spiritual, and physical strength. We are facing a real possibility that Venezuela will truly be freed and move toward an orderly transition, because 90% of the population wants the same thing. Dont tell us this could become another Libya, Afghanistan, or Iraq  this has nothing to do with that.

Q. And how far do you think that pressure can go?

A. That will depend on Maduro. Maduro has the opportunity to achieve peace. I say to him: Maduro, leave now for the sake of Venezuelas peace.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez wave a Venezuelan flag during a protest on July 30, 2024, in Caracas. Alfredo Lasry R (Getty Images)

Q. What do you expect from him and from Chavismo?

A. We are seeing what was to be expected. They betray each other, deceive each other, and expose one another. With each passing day, more and more members of that circle realize that this is over and that, for their own good, they must accept the terms of a transition. The person responsible for everything that is happening has a name  Nicolas Maduro. And, of course, the cartel  the cartel that has illegitimately taken control of all the institutions of my country.

Q. What are the terms of that transition? How do you envision it?

A. It has many layers. The most important one is the people  they are at the center of everything weve done; weve gotten here because of them. Now they tell us there cant be an orderly transition because there will be disruptive groups? Its going to be an absolutely orderly transition, and we are going to bring this country to stability thanks to the people, because we have earned it through sheer determination. Its a complex, extremely complex process. These people destroyed everything. Today, no one can tell you the size of Venezuelas debt, how much our reserves are, how much is exported, or how much is produced. No one. What we can say is that this is the greatest plundering in the history of humanity.

Q. How viable do you think a negotiation is? What gestures would you be willing to make if Chavismo agreed to negotiate?

A. From the day we swept the election, we said we were willing to enter into a negotiation that would allow justice to exist in Venezuela. Never vengeance or retaliation, because thats not who we are. Besides, the grassroots of what Chavismo once was are today the most passionate and fervent promoters of change in Venezuela, because they know the monster, because they dont want that for their children; because public employees, the military, and the police feel like  and are  political prisoners. No one has to be friends with me or with Edmundo [Gonzalez]. The great longing is for our children to come home. I know that Spain loves them and has welcomed them with open arms, but Ill tell you now that I want them all back  and quickly.

Q. And what would be the red lines of a negotiation with the Chavismo leadership?

A. Im not going to get into those details, but I know Venezuelans have confidence that we will carry out a process that will put the people at the center, and that will bring truth and justice. But actions must be taken to facilitate this process. We will take them and present them with absolute rigor and transparency  transparency to the nation. There is no one more interested than I am in seeing this process move forward quickly, in an orderly way, and with the least possible cost. Maduro decides whether to take it or leave it, but he will go, with or without a negotiation.

Q. Youve been in hiding for more than a year. How do you manage the distance? How does that isolation affect you when a large part of your movement is in prison? And above all, how do you maintain trust?

A. I admit that it has been very difficult, and if you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have said, Youre crazy  I dont even want a week in hiding. Theres nothing left. And yet, look at how weve managed to reinvent and innovate. The formidable structure we built  the comanditos, with more than a million volunteers , the regime didnt see it coming. They thought they could dismantle it with clubs, bullets, force, and repression. And yes, the cost has been brutal: there are 853 prisoners, thousands in hiding, and millions in exile. But even though we had to protect ourselves, we quickly came back with new forms of organization  careful, discreet, protecting one another  but very effective and powerful. If theres one thing Venezuelan society has today, its a level of organization like few others, despite having had to build it in secrecy.

Q. How do you think Latin American powers like Brazil, Mexico, or Colombia would react to a hypothetical U.S. military incursion in Venezuela? Or do you not see that scenario as viable?

A. The only invasion in Venezuela is the one weve had from guerrillas, from cartels, from Cuban, Russian, and Iranian agents, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other organizations. And all the countries of Latin America, and all the presidents of Latin America, know what is happening in Venezuela, and there is no longer any excuse. So today we are facing a country occupied by criminal forces, and each of these governments  and all of them in general  must make a decision: either they stand with the people of Venezuela, or they stand with a narco-terrorist cartel.

Q. So you rule out a U.S. military incursion, then?

A. I will not comment on an operation of that nature, which seeks to defend the national security of any other country. We are defending Venezuelas sovereignty and freedom, and we have lost thousands and thousands of human lives in that struggle. And todays recognition is a recognition of each one of them  of the political prisoners, of their families, of human rights defenders, of Venezuelans around the world  but above all of our children, our young people, and the generations that will be born in a free Venezuela.
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"This was frustrated  TB said at the time  in the office for reasons (he says) he was unclear about. I think TB would be interested in meeting Jeffrey, who is also a friend of mine, because Jeffrey is an active scientific catalyst/entrepreneur as well as someone who has his finger on the pulse of many worldwide markets and currencies.
In it, the former ambassador to the USA described Epstein as a friend and added he had ascertained from Jeffrey that he is flexible  he could be here any time from Tuesday onwards to fit round the diary  but would obviously need to know reasonably quickly so as to re-schedule accordingly.
Ms Cooper, who is now the Foreign Secretary, said: I am deeply frustrated about this case, because I, of course, wanted to see it prosecuted, but ministers were not involved in any of the evidence that was put to the Crown Prosecution Service or the Crown Prosecution Services independent decisions.
Froggatt, who is best known for playing Anna Bates in the hit period drama Downton Abbey, said: Ive been proud to support Plan International UK for over 20 years, so I know all about the life-changing impact they have for girls and women across the world. But right now, were witnessing a disturbing rise in violence against women and a growing assault on reproductive rights.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, 58. The committee recognized her for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Machado has been living in hiding since late August last year due to the repression unleashed by Nicolas Maduros regime following the presidential elections on July 28, 2024. Machado, barred from running in the election, had supported the candidacy of diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

Im in shock, Machado told Gonzalez in a phone call that the opposition politician, now exiled in Spain, shared on his social media. I cant believe it, she added, visibly moved during the conversation. The two politicians had received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament in October of last year, but the Nobel Peace Prize now represents a major boost to the democratic cause of the Venezuelan opposition.

As the leader of the Democratic Forces in Venezuela, Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America, said committee president Jorgen Watne Frydnes, when announcing the award. Machado has been a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.

Machado was chosen by the Norwegian committee over the candidate who had campaigned most heavily in recent months: U.S. President Donald Trump.

A veteran political leader, Machado confronted former president Hugo Chavez directly, who often disparaged her with personal attacks and insults  even calling her a petite bourgeois with fine manners. After years working away from the front line, she is now, alongside Edmundo Gonzalez, the main rival to Maduro and Chavismo.

Before the 2024 elections, she was the first Venezuelan political leader in more than a decade able to mobilize the vast majority of the opposition. Machado succeeded in uniting a coalition with differing sensitivities, ideological traditions, and strategic visions. Evidence of this was her decisive victory in the primaries held in October 2023, where she won 92.5% of the vote  a springboard for her presidential campaign. Her candidacy was cut short by a disqualification imposed by the Comptrollers Office, a body controlled by the ruling party, which forced her Democratic Unity Platform to scramble to find an alternative candidate.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Matias Delacroix (AP)

Machados influence in Venezuelan politics grew over time. While Machado was always a visible figure in the struggle against Chavez and Maduro, she has not always been a popular one. In the 2012 opposition primaries, she garnered only around 4% of the vote, compared with 64% for former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski. She then came to represent a sector of hardline anti-Chavismo, favoring election boycotts and convinced of the effectiveness of diplomatic pressure.

When, in 2019, a then-unknown lawmaker, Juan Guaido, challenged Maduro by proclaiming himself interim president and attempting to consolidate a parallel government, Machado took a step back and worked on the sidelines. It was not until early 2023, after the opposition acknowledged the failure of Guaidos attempt, that Machados project began to take shape.

Machado  who has been close to the White House since the George W. Bush era  knows that any U.S. decision has a direct impact on Venezuelas political balance. Yet she has always relied on the resilience of Venezuelans, confident that Maduros time will eventually end.

In her last interview with EL PAIS in July, she denounced the regimes persecution and spoke openly about her fears: Its hard, extremely hard, and I live with the threat hanging over my head, because theyve made it very clear to me that if they find me, theyll make me disappear.

She also made clear her chosen mission: I decided to dedicate my life to the freedom of Venezuela. While this is extremely hard, being completely locked up, without talking to anyone, without seeing anyone, without touching, hugging, kissing, caressing or even seeing my children, my husband, my mother, my colleagues, it has also allowed me to be completely focused on our work. We are ready, she said, referring to the horizon of a transition.

Maduro claimed victory in the 2024 elections without offering any evidence, while Machados campaign released the voting records showing a decisive win for Gonzalez Urrutia. Public outrage sparked widespread protests, prompting militarization of the streets and repression by Chavismo-controlled police forces. Four months after the elections, the Venezuelan Attorney Generals Office, under Chavista control like all public institutions, opened an investigation against Machado for allegedly supporting a new set of U.S. sanctions against Caracas. By then, the opposition leader was already in hiding, only emerging briefly in January to participate in demonstrations in the capital against Maduros inauguration.

The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Maria Corina Machado should help revitalize international efforts to promote a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela, said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), one of the first to react to the announcement. The Venezuelan people have suffered for too long under a brutal government responsible for systematic human rights violations and a devastating humanitarian crisis. Foreign governments should support Venezuelans in their fight for a democracy that respects human rights, she added.

Nobel Peace Prize

Since 1901, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has been responsible for selecting the individual it believes best fulfills the criteria set out by the prizes founder. In his will, Alfred Nobel explicitly stated that the Peace Prize should go to person, who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

The Nobel Peace Prize  the last of the five awards established in Nobels will, alongside those for Medicine or Physiology, Physics, Chemistry, and Literature  is traditionally announced on October 10, the anniversary of Nobels death, following the other prizes revealed earlier in the week.

The chairman of the Nobel Committee, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, announces that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is the laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025. Rodrigo Freitas (via REUTERS)

In 2024, the prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, Japans national organization of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki  known as hibakusha  for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again, according to the Norwegian committee.

This year, the frontrunner for the award, based on the latest data from Polymarket, one of the worlds largest prediction markets, was Sudans Emergency Response Rooms (ERR), a community-led initiative created in response to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the civil war that erupted in April 2023. They were followed by Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), which operates aid missions worldwide; Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny; the International Court of Justice; and, in fifth place, Donald Trump. Machado climbed rapidly in the odds on Friday morning, just hours before the Nobel announcement in Oslo.

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On March 30, 2024, the Dallas-based telecommunications company announced its first data breach, affecting about 73 million accounts  7.6 million current customers and 65.4 million former ones. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The deadline for filing a claim in the AT&T data breach lawsuit is a month away. The $177 million legal settlement could award eligible customers up to $7,500 in compensation.

Here's what to know about the settlement and how to file a claim.

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When were the AT&T data breaches?

On March 30, 2024, the Dallas-based telecommunications company announced its first data breach, affecting about 73 million accounts  7.6 million current customers and 65.4 million former ones. The leaked information, found in a dark web dataset, included:

addresses

Social Security numbers

birthdates

passcodes

billing numbers

phone numbers

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Another data breach was announced on July 12, 2024, after hackers had allegedly downloaded the data from a third-party cloud platform. This incident involved "nearly all" cellular customers and included records of calls and texts.

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"Based on our investigation, the compromised data includes files containing AT&T records of calls and texts of nearly all of AT&T's cellular customers, customers of mobile virtual network operators using AT&T's wireless network, as well as AT&T's landline customers who interacted with those cellular numbers between May 1, 2022 - October 31, 2022," the company said in the news release.

AT&T reported the hacked data did not "contain the content of calls or texts, personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information." The data aren't believed to be available publicly.

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Federal agencies supported the decision to delay the announcements of the breaches, citing the assessment of broader risks.

"In assessing the nature of the breach, all parties discussed a potential delay to public reportingdue to potential risks to national security and/or public safety," the FBI said in a statement. "AT&T, FBI, and DOJ worked collaboratively through the first and second delay process, all while sharing key threat intelligence to bolster FBI investigative equities and to assist AT&Ts incident response work."

The data breaches prompted a flurry of state and federal lawsuits, which were then grouped into two class-action cases.

How much is AT&T's settlement in the data breach lawsuit?

AT&T agreed to pay $177 million in total, which includes $149 million for the first settlement case and $28 million for the second. Before compensation can be distributed, however, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas must approve it in a final hearing on Dec. 3.

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In the meantime, affected customers are encouraged to file claims.

Who can file a claim for the AT&T settlement? How much is compensation?

The process for filing a claim and the maximum compensation amount depend on which data breach a customer was impacted by. Here's a breakdown of what the settlement website says.

Those affected by the first data breach can claim up to $5,000 by submitting materials for the documented loss cash payment option.

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Alternatively, individuals can choose a tiered cash payment option. This does not require proof of financial loss, though it involves a smaller share of the settlement. Tier 1 covers those whose Social Security numbers were included in the data breach, and the payments for these will be five times higher than those in Tier 2, whose Social Security numbers were not compromised.

Customers who can provide documented proof of financial loss in the second data breach can claim up to $2,500.

The tiered cash option in this incident only includes Tier 3, in which claimants will receive a share of the settlement after administration costs and claims are distributed

Those affected by both data breaches could receive up to $7,500 in compensation.

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How can I file a claim for the AT&T data breach settlement?

Claims for both AT&T data breaches opened on Aug. 4 following a ruling by a federal judge. Eligible customers are being notified via email from Kroll Settlement Administration at attsettlement@e.emailksa.com. Anyone with questions about their eligibility can call KSA at (833) 890-4930.

Claims can be filed on the KSA website, where further details are also available.

The deadline to file a claim online or via mail is Nov. 18. Affected individuals who choose to sue the company independently must opt out by Oct. 17. Those who choose to file a claim give up their right to sue AT&T as individuals.

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Individuals who submit a claim but do not receive a confirmation code and notice ID can contact the KSA at 833-890-4930.
The groundbreaking for The Works III at Tillery community in East Austin took place on Friday. The 120-unit housing project for homeless youths is expected to open in winter 2027. Chaya Tong / American-Statesman

Community leaders gathered Friday to break ground on a new, 120-unit community in East Austin for youths exiting homelessness, including young parents and those aging out of foster care.

The site, at 3201 Lyons Road, will be owned and operated by the LifeWorks nonprofit and developed by Capital A Housing. It will be near public transit, grocery stores and Austin Community College Eastview, and will include studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, all within affordable median family income ranges, LifeWorks officials said.

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The community, The Works III at Tillery, is scheduled to be completed in winter 2027. The majority of new residents will come from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition nonprofit. Future residents also will receive mental health, education and job training services from LifeWorks, which has a site less than a half-mile from the complex.

The really great part about this is, of course, the housing, but a big part of it is the support services that will wrap around that housing, embrace that housing, Mayor Kirk Watson said at the groundbreaking.

The project was funded by an $8 million loan from Austins Rental Housing Development Assistance program, $12.99 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the Travis County Supportive Housing Collaborative, $5.5 million from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and a $6.1 million donation for the land.

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State Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Austin, praised the project as a strong example of public-private collaboration but said the states efforts remain insufficient.

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Instead of legislators working with cities like Austin to address the problem, too often they impose limitations on local control that limit municipality abilities to respond in the way that they see fit, she said. Too often, the Legislature seeks to criminalize homelessness or view the person experiencing it as the problem, but homeless people are not a problem. The lack of affordable housing and necessary services is the problem.

District 3 Council Member Jose Velasquez also spoke at the ceremony, commending the citys work on homelessness.

This is a community-driven investment," he said. "It will add safe and stable homes close to schools, jobs and transit. It will provide a number of essential wraparound services like peer support, case management, employment services, and providing a space for true community.
Thanksgiving turkey dinner (including turkey legs, pecan pie, bread stuffing and cranberry sauce) amongst an Autumn season setting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Oct. 9, 2023. Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is next month. While there are still two more federal holidays before then, plus Halloween, it may be a good idea to start planning family gatherings.

When is Thanksgiving this year, and why is it always on a Thursday? Here's what to know.

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When is Thanksgiving 2025?

This year, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.

Why is Thanksgiving always on a Thursday?

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Thursday in November  but it wasn't always observed then. Here's a timeline, as reported by Britannica:

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1621: 53 Pilgrims and around 90 indigenous peoples share a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

53 Pilgrims and around 90 indigenous peoples share a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts. 1668: Holiday is celebrated on Nov. 25, but only for a few years.

Holiday is celebrated on Nov. 25, but only for a few years. 1789: President George Washington declares Thursday, Nov. 26 as a day of public thanksgiving; however, the holiday shifted months and days in following years.

President George Washington declares Thursday, Nov. 26 as a day of public thanksgiving; however, the holiday shifted months and days in following years. 1863: President Abraham Lincoln declares the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving.

President Abraham Lincoln declares the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving. 1939: This year has five Thursdays in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to move Thanksgiving up a week amid pressure from retailers who wanted consumers to have more time for holiday shopping. This sparked controversy and divided state governors: 23 states kept the traditional date, 23 adopted Roosevelt's new date, and Colorado and Texas celebrated both dates.

This year has five Thursdays in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to move Thanksgiving up a week amid pressure from retailers who wanted consumers to have more time for holiday shopping. This sparked controversy and divided state governors: 23 states kept the traditional date, 23 adopted Roosevelt's new date, and Colorado and Texas celebrated both dates. 1941: Roosevelt issued a presidential proclamation to observe Thanksgiving on Nov. 20 of that year. Congress then passed a law to observe the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November, which Roosevelt signed.

The big thrill of the Thanksgiving dinner at the Warm Springs Foundation for Infantile Paralysis sufferers came when President Roosevelt took up the tools and began to dismember the turkey. Here's the scene with Mrs. Roosevelt and Robert Rosenberg, of New York, flanking the distinguished carver. Bettmann/Bettmann Archive

True or false: The first Thanksgiving happened in Texas

While the widely known "first" Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and indigenous peoples occurred in Massachusetts, it can be argued that the first celebration of that sort unfolded 80 years prior  in what is now Texas.

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The 1621 feast shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in Plymouth took place several decades after a similar ceremony, which is often overlooked yet nonetheless marks a significant moment in history, according to the Library of Congress.

The First Thanksgiving in 1621, after a painting by Jean Leon Gerome; screen print, 1932. GraphicaArtis/Getty Images

In May 1541, Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led an expedition of approximately 1,500 men through the Texas Panhandle in search of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold. After enduring months of grueling travel and harsh conditions, the group stopped in Palo Duro Canyon to hold a thanksgiving celebration, expressing gratitude for their survival and reaffirming their faith.

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Austin police cruiser door. Austin American-Statesman

A man was arrested in North Austin on Wednesday for allegedly fatally shooting a woman behind an auto shop early this week, police said.

Enrique Gomez-Urbina, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after police said they linked him to the killing of Mary Gonzales, 43. On Monday, an employee of a German auto repair shop in the 8100 block of Research Boulevard found Gonzales unresponsive behind the business. She was pronounced dead at 7:53 a.m.

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From interviews conducted near the scene, officers believe the killing occurred late Sunday or early Monday when a witness said they heard a popping sound, authorities said. Police believe Gonzales was shot in the field behind the shop.

Police identified Gonzales' body on Wednesday. That same day, they issued a warrant for Gomez-Urbina's arrest.
CapMetros police department launched in July, and has since expanded its ranks to 12 officers and two sergeants. RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AMERICAN-STATESMAN FILE

Capital Metro has chosen the second chief of its young police force.

The Austin-area public transportation authority on Friday announced that RenEarl Bowie had been promoted to its chief of transit police. Bowie had previously served as a captain in the department and replaces Eric Robins, who departed in July.

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RenEarl Bowie CapMetro

Before joining CapMetro police in May, Bowie served with the Texas Department of Public Safety, where he began his career as a state trooper in 1994. He most recently served as the chief of the training division before he left the department in 2022.

Bowie is an outstanding choice to lead CapMetros Transit Police Department, CapMetro Chairman Jeff Travillion, a Travis County commissioner, said in a news release. His decades of leadership in law enforcement and deep commitment to serving the entire community give us the confidence that he will bring the experience and insight needed to guide the young department as it continues to grow.

Bowie holds a masters degree in criminal justice from Texas State University and a certificate from the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Austin Community College and Temple College, and has taught at a number of other universities and academies.

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Earlier this year, I joined the department as the Police Captain because I deeply believe in our mission, Bowie said in the news release. I am truly honored to now lead this dedicated team as we continue building relationships with our community and ensuring the safety and security of our system.

CapMetros police department launched in July, and has since expanded its ranks to 12 officers and two sergeants. The same week officers began patrols, Robins announced his resignation, sparking an extensive hiring process for the departments next leader. The agency hired Robins as its first police chief in 2022 to build the department from the ground up, according to the authority, and he left for the same leadership role at a Houston-area school district.

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Assistant Chief Joseph Rose led transit police in the interim, and his steady leadership was essential in ensuring a smooth and successful transition, said Dottie Watkins, CapMetros president and CEO.
Program assistant Kriston Skipper Ramirez hands water to a patient last year at an Austin adult enrichment center for people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. On Nov. 4, Texas voters will decide whether to approve funding for the newly created Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). Mikala Compton/American-Statesman

On Nov. 4, Texans will have the chance to make history. On the ballot is Proposition 14 to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), a bold, state-funded initiative investing $3 billion over the next decade to confront one of the most devastating medical challenges of our time: dementia and related brain disorders.

This is not just about research. Its about hope and reclaiming futures stolen by memory loss, degeneration and decline. The time is right for Texas to lead the fight against dementia, accelerate cures and build a lasting legacy in brain health.

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In March 2016, our daughters, Belle and Abby Andrews, were both diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, often called Childhood Alzheimers. For our family, DPRIT would be a beacon of hope. The institute would fund breakthrough research, expand early detection and prevention efforts, and support public education that could change the trajectory of devastating brain disorders for millions of Texans.

While childhood dementia is far rarer than adult-onset forms, it reveals how much we still need to learn. These rare disorders devastate families  yet they also hold clues to unlocking treatments for more common brain diseases. The same biological mechanisms  protein misfolding, lipid metabolism dysfunction and cellular waste buildup  are shared across conditions. Studying Niemann-Pick could help us better understand Alzheimers and Parkinsons in ways we never imagined.

Chris Andrews and Pam Crowley Andrews are shown with their daughters Belle, seated, and Abby. Both girls were both diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, often called Childhood Alzheimers. Courtesy of Andrews Family

This vote is ultimately about families. Dementia affects more than 400,000 Texans today, and that number is expected to double by 2050. These diseases rob people of their memories, independence and dignity. They also place enormous emotional and financial strain on caregivers, many of whom leave the workforce or spend their savings to care for loved ones.

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Modeled after the successful Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), DPRIT would provide vital funding for cutting-edge research, public health initiatives and improved access to care  especially in rural and underserved communities. It will create thousands of high-paying jobs, attract top scientists and stimulate our economy while reducing long-term healthcare costs.

The institute will be governed by a nine-member oversight board appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and the speaker of the Texas House. Members will include physicians and scientists with expertise in dementia and public health, representing the geographic and cultural diversity of Texas. Grants will be awarded through a competitive, peer-reviewed process to ensure transparency and accountability.

Whether its a parent with Alzheimers or a neighbor with Parkinsons, we all know someone affected by a brain disorder. DPRIT will fund research into early detection, prevention strategies and treatments that can transform lives. It will also educate Texans about brain health and lifestyle factors that reduce risk, empowering people to take control of their cognitive futures.

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Dementia costs the U.S. economy more than $300 billion annually, much of it borne by patients families. By investing in prevention and innovation now, we can save billions in long-term care costs  and improve quality of life for generations to come.

Proposition 14 has broad bipartisan support and endorsements from leading medical institutions and advocacy groups  a testament to the growing recognition that dementia is not only a medical issue but a human one. It touches every family and every community in our state.

A vote for DPRIT declares that dementia is not an inevitable part of aging but a public health challenge Texans are ready to confront. Together, we can honor our elders, protect our children, and invest in a future where dementia no longer defines our lives.

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Recent events at the University of Texas are not just attacks on higher education, Professor Lisa L. Moore writes. "They are attacks on every Americans First Amendment right to speak freely, to question authority, to teach and to learn without fear," she said. American-Statesman file photo

It happened slowly, then all at once.

Ive taught at the University of Texas at Austin for more than 30 years, and Ive always been proud to do so. UT has long been both a top-tier university and one of the most accessible. While other states boast excellent public institutions  Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan  their in-state tuition can cost up to five times more than UTs. The top students at every high school in Texas are guaranteed a spot at UT, meaning that each region sends its best and brightest to Austin.

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UT powers the citys and states economy, attracting innovators in technology, business and the arts. For almost 150 years, weve prepared Texans for meaningful work and purposeful lives.

Today, however, UT is being dismantled piece by piece. Those who see higher education as a threat are intervening directly  breaking norms, rules and even constitutional protections  in an effort to suppress and punish controversial opinions among our students and faculty. Since 2024, weve witnessed actions and threats in several areas, including:

Attacks on students and faculty

Student affairs offices that helped thousands of Longhorns navigate college life were shuttered overnight.

More than 60 staff members devoted to recruiting, retaining and graduating students were abruptly fired.

Over a hundred students exercising their First Amendment rights at campus rallies were arrested  charges were later dismissed by the district attorney.

Student conduct procedures were rewritten to make it harder to contest accusations, leading in some cases to suspension or expulsion.

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Administrative overreach

Nearly a dozen top administrators have been dismissed and replaced  without faculty input  by political appointees aligned with the governors agenda.

The Faculty Council, once a vital advisory body, was dissolved overnight, ending regular communication between faculty and administration.

Curriculum and research control

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Instructors have been targeted online for teaching so-called woke subjects.

Core curriculum courses are being audited by the politically appointed Board of Regents without faculty participation.

Our provost published an article stating that humanities courses should give priority to a narrow range of topics: classical Greek and Roman political thought, the European Enlightenment, and the American founding, contradicting the mission of the university as a global thought leader.

Prestigious departments  Womens, Gender and Sexuality Studies; African and African Diaspora Studies; Mexican American and Latino Studies  and related programs face potential closure, jeopardizing dozens of faculty and thousands of students and alumni.

The UT Board of Regents, appointed by the governor, is reviewing gender studies courses to ensure they match unstated political priorities.

A proposed federal compact would reward universities that suppress criticism of conservative ideas with priority grant funding  undermining the peer-review system that built U.S. research leadership.

Meanwhile, alarming developments at other Texas universities have deepened the chill on free speech, showing how severe the consequences of dissent can be: violations of the First Amendment, disregard for due process and suspension of long-standing personnel protections.

At Texas A&M, Gov. Greg Abbotts intervention in a student complaint led to the removal of a department chair, a dean and a campus president  and to an instructors firing without due process.

At Texas Tech, following the appointment of a political chancellor, faculty were instructed not to discuss gender except as the male-female binary.

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These are not just attacks on UT or on higher education. They are attacks on every Americans First Amendment right to speak freely, to question authority, to teach and to learn without fear. The science of gender, the history of racism and other legitimate fields of inquiry are being treated as thought crimes, as if Orwells satire were state policy. People are losing their jobs for doing their jobs.

I speak only for myself, representing only my own broken heart rather than these broken institutions. This is no longer the profession I have served with joy for 35 years. We are being pushed to retreat from the hard-won knowledge and progress of generations. Yet, like the medieval monks and nuns who buried precious manuscripts to hide them from the kings who burned their abbeys, we will preserve this knowledge and progress for another time in the future. In the meantime, we know the truth, and that keeps us free.

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Attendees gather in March for a "Day of Drag" protest at Texas A&M University. After a controversy last month over a lesson in a Texas A&M class, other colleges including the University of Texas System are reviewing all gender identity courses. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle

Scrolling through social media on Oct. 1, I was startled to see a message from the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus celebrating LGBTQ History Month. As a scholar whose research and teaching focus on queer history, I should have been pleased. Instead, I felt dread.

Just the day before, I learned that the University of Texas System would be reviewing all gender identity courses, and I was anxiously waiting to hear whether my spring course at UT-Austin on LGBTQ+ history in America would be canceled. Whether this part of our history will continue to be taught in Texas public colleges and universities is now uncertain.

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UT faculty learned of this audit not from administrators but from reporters. Our provost  who recently affirmed his support for academic freedom  has yet to address it. Across the UT Systems nine academic and four health institutions, faculty now face a Kafkaesque situation. We dont know how gender identity will be defined, which courses will be reviewed, or by whom. The UT System says classes will be evaluated for their alignment with applicable law and state and federal guidance and the priorities of the Board of Regents. Yet those standards remain undefined.

Recent events in Texas offer clues. On Sept. 8, a Texas House Republican released an audio recording of a student at Texas A&M objecting to a lesson on gender identity in a childrens literature course. The student incorrectly claimed the course was illegal under President Donald Trump's executive order recognizing only two sexes. Within days, Texas A&Ms president fired the professor, the department head, and the dean. Then the university president resigned under political pressure.

On Sept. 21, leaders at Angelo State University  part of the Texas Tech University System  instructed faculty not to discuss identities other than male and female, use preferred pronouns, or display LGBTQ+ symbols. After criticism, some of these directives were softened, but Texas Tech soon banned discussion of trans and nonbinary identities across its five campuses.

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The University of North Texas, Texas Womans University and now the UT System have announced similar course reviews. The UT System may eliminate all teaching about trans and nonbinary people, and all LGBTQ+ studies courses. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reportedly offered UT-Austin federal funding incentives if it agrees to recognize only two genders, among other requirements.

Opponents claim LGBTQ+ studies courses groom or indoctrinate students into queer-affirming politics or identities. They assume such classes merely celebrate LGBTQ+ people. In reality, these history courses share the same goals as any history class: to teach students to analyze evidence, think critically and understand how social norms evolve. My students, for instance, learn that the hetero/homo binary emerged only in the early 20th century  and that transgender youth and same-sex marriages are not modern inventions.

I can only hope my course proceeds as planned. If not, it will be one of many lost as public universities across Texas preemptively censor themselves. Even before receiving instructions, faculty are already cutting topics and readings to avoid risk.

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The consequences for future generations are immense. Texas public colleges enrolled 1.45 million students in fall 2024. If these institutions continue down this path, entire areas of study and debate will vanish. So much for politicians demands for ideological diversity on campus.

The field of LGBTQ+ history began outside universities in the 1970s and 1980s, with grassroots archives, oral histories and document collections preserving the experiences of gender- and sexual-nonconforming people. Back then, academic leaders dismissed LGBTQ+ history as insignificant. Decades of scholarship have proven otherwise.

LGBTQ+ history has reshaped how historians understand American citizenship, the Cold War and the civil rights movement, among many subjects. Officials may succeed in driving LGBTQ+ history out of Texass public universities  but they will not erase the past. LGBTQ+ history belongs to all of us.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows tries to keep order as Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, speaks in favor of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

In Republican-dominated Texas, the states leaders are largely chosen in the March primary election by a fraction of voters who turn out to have a say in the partys nominees.

This weekend, the state GOP is weighing a move to make the group of deciders even smaller.

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On Saturday, the governing body of the Texas Republican Party will consider whether to censure 10 GOP state representatives, including House Speaker Dustin Burrows, and remove most of them from future Republican primary ballots.

Supporters of the novel move say its their best bet to replace lawmakers they feel are insufficiently conservative and bar them from seeking re-election under the partys banner.

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Other members of the partys governing body are hesitant to pursue it, feeling the case for censuring some of the Houses top Republican leaders is weak after a session that saw the passage of so many party priorities. They say voters should be the ones deciding whether or not lawmakers met the mark.

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The penalty would almost certainly conflict with existing Texas law and trigger expensive legal challenges against the party. But even if it isnt used, the move is raising the profile and influence of the state GOP, which has long fought to push the state Legislature further rightward.

This is an effort to make Texas parties stronger than they have ever been, said Brandon Rottinghaus, an expert on Texas politics and a political science professor at the University of Houston. If the Republicans take some of their elected officials off the ballot, it takes the matter out of the hands of voters and puts them into the hands of people who are hyper-partisan.

Some Republicans worry that it could backfire.

Having a very small star chamber of people deciding the policy of the statewide primary elections is very, very dangerous, said state Rep. Carl Tepper, a Lubbock Republican who served as a local party chair for four years before his 2022 election to the House. It's not unbelievable to think that Democrats could start winning statewide races.

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The party is also seeking to close its primary to registered Republican voters only, causing some insiders to privately worry it will prevent new GOP voters, like some in South Texas, from choosing candidates that would succeed in a general election.

The showdown over both moves has deepened a feud inside the states dominant political party, pitting GOP lawmakers and some county chairs against the partys activist wing and raising fears ahead of a major midterm election that could help decide control of Congress.

People, not party bosses

The state Republican Party has historically been a weak force in Texas politics because candidates can raise unlimited campaign funds. Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and state House candidates regularly outraise the organization by millions of dollars each.

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The ballot-removal penalty is one way the State Republican Executive Committee, a 31-member body made up of some of the states more fervent conservative activists, is hoping to increase its influence.

The provision, added to party rules at the 2024 state convention, says members can be penalized if they violate the partys core principles or neglect on three separate occasions the 10 legislative priorities approved by convention delegates. Saturdays meeting marks the first time it is being proposed for use.

None of the ten targeted lawmakers responded to Hearst Newspapers request for comment. But in a letter to GOP Chair Abraham George, seven of them denounced the proposed ballot bans as unconstitutional, prohibited by Texas law, and corrosive to the republican principles upon which rest the foundation of our party. They warned that the GOP risks becoming a vehicle for voter disenfranchisement.

All of the targeted members except Burrows would be eligible for removal from the ballot, according to copies of the resolutions.

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House Speaker Dustin Burrows presides over the debate of a congressional redistricting plan at the Capitol in Austin, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Candidate choice in Republican primaries must rest with the people, not party bosses, the group of lawmakers, including Burrows, wrote in the Oct. 3 letter obtained by Hearst Newspapers.

Some local party officials have echoed that sentiment. A resolution adopted by the Smith County Republican Party likened the ballot-removal push to the undemocratic practices of the old Soviet Politburo, warning that a handful of elites should not determine who can stand for election.

The way that you hold elected officials accountable is through a primary election that happens every two years, said David Stein, president of the Texas Republican County Chairmens Association. This has created massive tension and really split the party in half.

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Megadonor Alex Fairly recently told the Texas Tribune hell fund lawsuits against the party if representatives are removed from the GOP ballot.

A January opinion from the Waco law firm Scanes, Yelverton, Talbert found that state law does not allow parties to restrict ballot access based on censure.

Party chairs have a mandatory duty to accept and certify ballot applications complying with the Election Code, the attorneys wrote in a memo sent to the State Republican County Chairmens Association. To overcome this, those favoring ballot-removal would need to challenge the laws constitutionality, they wrote, finding such a challenge is unlikely to succeed.

State GOPs governing body divided

Yet activists, too, see the censures as fighting for better representation.

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Susan Valliant, an SREC member from Tarrant County, said the primaries are unfairly skewed in favor of entrenched incumbents who benefit from big money, establishment endorsements and backroom deals.

It is our only recourse to hold these legislators accountable, she said.

In June censure resolutions, the Dallas County Republican Party accused two of the targeted House members of tyranny for voting to cut off debate over internal House rules.

"This was an egregious act that disrespected the members of the Texas House of Representatives and millions of voters in Texas, the resolutions state. The party also listed each of 30 committee vice-chair positions and six subcommittee chair positions awarded to Democrats as censurable offenses.

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Others argue that the partys role is to hold lawmakers to conservative principles, not to protect them in a general election.

It is not my job to get Republican incumbents re-elected when they vote with radical Democrats to grow government and squeeze taxpayers, SREC member Christin Bentley of Williamson County wrote in an Aug. 10 social media post.

Rolando Garcia, an SREC member from Harris County, said removing Republicans from the ballot is meant to be a nuclear option for the most egregious cases. He doesnt feel any of the 10 members theyll vote on have met the threshold for censure. Each of the censure resolutions came from local county parties, not the state GOP.

In those counties, they've kind of latched onto this as a substitute for the primary, Garcia told Hearst Newspapers. It was not intended as, I would vote against this guy in the primary, so Im going to knock them off the ballot.

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A party at a crossroads

Even if the censures dont pass, some Republicans see broader risks in the infighting.

Tepper, a former field director for Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, said the state GOP is making the party smaller and drifting from its mission. He feels the party organization should be sending groups of Texans to canvass in competitive Congressional races around the country, as he did in New Mexico years ago.

Instead, the Republican Party of Texas is too busy annoying and bludgeoning their own elected officials, who are all very conservative in one way or another, Tepper told Hearst Newspapers. It has really become separated from the mainstream of the Republican Party voters.

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Some GOP insiders said the effort threatens the progress that Republicans have made in South Texas and other historically Democratic areas of the state. In 2024, several counties on the border voted for a Republican president for the first time since the Civil War. Polls show the people whom the most fervent GOP voters prefer often do not reflect the views of moderates that the party is seeking to retain in 2026.

And some complain activists are taking major GOP wins for granted, including the passage of private school vouchers after years of failure. Other Republican-led bills included a ban on transgender individuals using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity, a sweeping abortion pill crackdown and the passage of a proposal to put the Ten Commandments in schools.

It's almost like it doesn't count, Stein, the Republican County Chairmens Association president, said.

READ MORE: Texas Republicans escalate battle to close primaries with federal lawsuit

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Regardless, its hard to argue that the Texas Republican Partys aggressive approach isnt having an impact. Abraham George, the party chair, has said this was a good session for the GOP. He did not respond to Hearst Newspapers questions for this article.

The state party also recently sued the Secretary of State over a law that prevents parties from holding closed primaries. If it succeeds, the party would ensure that only Republicans can cast ballots in GOP races, paving the way for a more right-leaning delegation.

And the threat of censure itself could alter lawmakers behavior.

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Educators gather to rally in support of the "Educators Bill of Rights" at the outdoor rotunda in the Texas Capitol Monday, March 17, 2025. Mikala Compton/American-Statesman The crowd welcomes Vice President Kamala Harris as she takes the stage at The American Federation of Teachers National Convention Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Houston. Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

After years of working to dismantle diversity programs, ban books and rewrite classroom curriculum, conservatives are converging on a new battlefront in their push to overhaul public education: teachers unions.

This spring, a right-leaning think tank called the Freedom Foundation launched the Teacher Freedom Alliance as a free, national membership program meant to incentivize public educators to jump ship from traditional teachers unions.

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The group, which is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, encourages teachers to instead take advantage of its $2 million liability insurance, professional development training and curriculum resources, including recommended learning from PragerU, a conservative group that produces free video content upholding Judeo-Christian values. The group is structured as a nonprofit, so it doesn't have to disclose its donors.

MORE FROM TAYLOR: Former Texas lawmaker sent $450K in unspent campaign funds to his own charity

The message we want to send to teachers is that you don't need the teachers unions, said Aaron Withe, the group's president as well as chief executive of the Freedom Foundation. They care about politics. What we care about is bettering our public education system (and) giving the teachers the resources that they need to help develop free, moral and upright citizens.

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The group says it already has 13,000 members in Texas. Last month, Withe brought on former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters to helm the effort. Walters drew bipartisan criticism during his Oklahoma tenure for his advocacy for teaching the Bible in public school classrooms.

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Speakers at the groups most recent summit, in July, included the founder of the conservative parental rights nonprofit Moms for Liberty and the former vice-chair of President Donald Trump's 1776 Commission. Event-goers wore red, white and blue and tossed bean bags into cornhole boards with the face of Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, emblazoned into the wood, her angry open mouth serving as the target.

The group said it was unable to connect a reporter with Texas teachers who have joined the new group. Hearst Newspapers scoured social media and contacted local chapters of Moms for Liberty but was unable to independently find members in this state.

Withe said The Freedom Foundation has helped 240,000 teachers leave their unions nationwide in the last five years. He added that Texas is not a high-priority target due to its already-low union membership compared to other states.

Texas is a right-to-work state, meaning teachers can opt in to union representation. As a result, the unions function more as professional development and legislative advocacy groups.

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Clay Robison, spokesperson for the Texas State Teachers Association, one of the states largest teachers unions with 68,000 members, rejected the notion that his groups mission of fighting for public schools and the separation of church and state was inherently left-leaning.

This allegedly ideology-free alternative to unions is run by ideologues, radical ideologues that basically want to dictate what is taught in classrooms to the detriment of the students, Robison said. Im not talking conservative or liberal or traditional Republican or Democrat. Im talking about radicalism. Christian nationalism, I believe, is radical. Its wrong.

Robison, who identifies as Christian, warned that the TFA represents a larger movement, supported by the Trump administration, that is pushing for the infusion of religion into public schools.

Mark Hlavacik, an assistant professor at Texas A&M who studies the intersection of politics and education policy, said he sees the TFA as part of a larger conservative offense to make changes to the way education operates in the U.S., including a push to privatize education. Texas is in the process of launching a massive private school voucher program next year, which critics have warned will drain resources from traditional public schools.

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But one of the groups biggest challenges will be attracting teachers, who tend to skew Democratic, he said. A 2024 Pew Research Center Survey found that the majority of public K-12 teachers, or 58%, identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.

American unions, and especially teachers unions, have traditionally found themselves aligned with Democratic politicians because they share similar goals, he said. The NEA, for example, helped elect President Jimmy Carter, who in turn in 1979 pushed Congress to create the Department of Education, one of the unions top priorities.

Withe and other anti-union advocates have railed against the unions for their overwhelming support of Democratic candidates, including through political action committees. The TFA does not have a PAC.

That tracks with recent polling showing that Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to say teachers unions are having a positive effect on schools. A May 2022 survey by Education Next, an education policy journal housed at Harvard University, found 60% Democrats agreed with that statement compared to 22% of Republicans.

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Julie Collier, a teacher in Oklahoma and founding member of TFA, said she heard about the group on social media because a representative direct-messaged her. She had previously taught in California, where union membership is required, and said the experience left her with a bad taste.

She said she feels she doesnt need a union to help her improve labor conditions because she can advocate for herself.

While TFA attracts teachers who identify as conservative, like herself, Collier said the difference between unions and her group is that the group does not put pressure on members to conform to anyone elses perspective, and membership is not compulsory.

The teachers unions are very well-funded, Collier said. They do not allow for any dissenting points of view. Youre shut out if you dont agree with them. They only seem to back leftist candidates, left-focused policies. Here at Teacher Freedom Alliance, youre free to have any point of view that you want.

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Withe similarly doesnt view TFA as simply the conservative counterpart to a union. Despite the association some might have with Walters past advocacy for religion in schools, Withe said, TFA is not a Christian group, and Walters role at TFA will not be political.

But Withe also said stripping the Bible from public classrooms would be a complete mistake and that parents who support children transitioning their gender are committing child abuse. He doesnt view those as partisan stances.

I dont think that being pro-America and pro-capitalism is ideological, he said.
TIANJIN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Tianjin Municipality, which had hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, witnessed vigorous tourism and consumption during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which ended on Wednesday.

During the eight-day holiday, the city recorded over 22.19 million tourist visits, an increase of 5.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

Tourists spent nearly 21.6 billion yuan (about 3 billion U.S. dollars) during the holiday, up 13.2 percent year on year, the bureau said.

Chen Bing, deputy head of the bureau, noted that Tianjin's successful hosting of the SCO Summit from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 has added appeal to the city, with many places featured during the event becoming sought-after attractions during the holiday this year.

Notably, Haihe River night views, which gained significant attention during the 2025 SCO Summit, emerged as key drivers of urban cultural and tourism consumption during the holiday, logging an average daily visit of over 300,000 along riverbanks and on cruise boats.

Data from the municipal commerce bureau showed that the 415 trading enterprises under its monitoring posted a combined 3.11 billion yuan in sales, and received 21.4 million visits during the eight-day holiday, up 6.2 percent and 4.5 percent year on year, respectively.




According to the US First Lady, eight children have returned to Ukraine in the last 24 hours

In a formally announced statement from the White House, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump said Friday that she is in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to repatriate Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia, and that some have already been returned to their families. This remains an ongoing effort, she stated.

Donald Trumps wife has affirmed that Putin has responded to a letter from her and that there is an open line of communication, a channel that has allowed the return of eight Ukrainian minors to their country in the last 24 hours. My representative has been working directly with President Putins team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine, the first lady stated. In fact, eight children have been rejoined with their families during the past 24 hours.

This line of communication was reportedly opened after Trump, during the summit between the U.S. and Russian leaders in Alaska in August, gave Putin a letter signed by Melania Trump, in which she asked him to protect the children of war. Much has unfolded since President Putin received my letter last August, he responded in writing, signaling a willingness to engage with me directly, and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia, she stated. And since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children.

Regarding the eight returned children, the first lady explained that three were evacuated to Russia without their parents because of front line fighting near where they lived, and the other five were separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, all of them in the Russian-occupied Donbas region, which Moscow refuses to relinquish. The Kremlin has claimed that these are ethnically Russian minors to justify the transfers. In 2024, Kyiv estimated the number of children kidnapped by the neighboring country at 20,000.

Russia has demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective and detailed information reflective for the current situation. The Russian Federation provided biographies and photographs of each child involved in this weeks reunification, along with an overview of the social, medical, and psychological services afforded to the Ukrainian children, she added, assuring that Moscow has also agreed to repatriate those forced to move to Russia as minors and who are now 18 years old.

This remains an ongoing effort. Plans are already underway to reunify more children in the immediate future. I hope peace will come soon; it can begin with our children, she concluded.

Adding to this sudden display of bilateral warmth is a message from the president on his social media platform, Truth, in which he thanks his Russian counterpart for his words about his role in achieving a peace agreement for Gaza. Thank you to President Putin, Trump wrote, along with a clip from a video in which the Kremlin leader states that, unlike others who have done nothing for the world, Trump solves complex problems, crises that last for decades. After the fiasco of the aforementioned Alaska summit, where he rolled out the red carpet for Putin, and after recently stating that he sees Ukraine capable of recovering lost territory and even winning the war  an assertion that contradicted his previous statements  the Trumps appear to be sending signals of a thaw to the Kremlin.

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Ten people at the Attorney Generals Office have been dismissed for replacing drugs that were to be incinerated with a harmless substitute  among them, the agencys comptroller

Everything seemed to be in order. Mexicos Attorney Generals Office (FGR) had seized a ton of cocaine in the state of Guerrero. As required by law, the drugs were to be incinerated. However, a group of officials sneakily replaced the cocaine with powdered milk  and thats what went up in flames. The scheme was uncovered, prompting the dismissal of a dozen officials, including the agencys comptroller, Arturo Serrano Meneses, the one ultimately in charge of giving the go-ahead for this type of operation.

According to sources from the FGR consulted by EL PAIS, the defendants face charges of corruption and serious omissions regarding the verification of seized assets and the incineration of narcotics. Of the whereabouts of the cocaine spared incineration, little is known.

Among the dismissed officials is Sergio Taboada, the brother of Santiago Taboada, former mayor of Benito Juarez  a central neighborhood of Mexico City  and former National Action Party (PAN) candidate for head of the government of Mexico City. These political implications have caused the case to fuel wrangling along party lines. The ruling Morena party has seized the opportunity to attack the PAN, alleging that a corruption and drug-trafficking network operated largely by Taboadas brother exists within the Attorney Generals Office  one that keeps seized drug shipments to later sell them to middlemen.

According to the news outlet Reforma, which first reported the case, the former comptroller was removed from the offices of the Attorney Generals Internal Control Unit in early August by federal security agents. Serrano and his collaborators were not officially arrested at that time, but the operation forced them to resign from their positions. The reports to which EL PAIS has had access indicate that the FGR is charging them with bribery, influence peddling and obstruction of justice.

The case of the cocaine exchanged for powdered milk is one of several involving Serrano and his cronies. The FGR alleges that the former comptroller was involved in irregularities in the awarding of public contracts and in taking bribes from suppliers. Ordinarily, the matter would have to be investigated by the Internal Affairs Unit, but Serrano and the rest of his collaborators are accused of organized crime  a matter handled by a different division of the Attorney Generals Office.

Arturo Serrano Meneses at the International Anti-Corruption Forum, in Aguascalientes, on December 8, 2022. FGR

EL PAIS tried to contact Serrano through Javier Morales, his private secretary, but did not receive a response. The FGR is also investigating Javier Morales, Serranos secretary; Jose Maria Pena, technical secretary; Carlos Rascon, head of the Responsibilities Unit; Josue Crespi, from Complaints and Investigations; Jose Alzati, from Verification of the Final Destination of Insured Goods; Hector Montes, from Internal Audit; Alejandro Velez, from the Legal Unit, and Javier Maldonado, from Administration.

Secretary of Federal Security Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into Serrano and his collaborators at one of the morning conferences held by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The president called for the investigation to continue and asked Attorney General Alejandro Gertz to present a report on the case.

Serrano was appointed comptroller of the FGR by the Chamber of Deputies in 2019 and in 2023 he had his position renewed for another four years. His resignation avoided the formal process for his removal by the lower house. Lawmakers have now named Oscar del Rio Serrano to replace him  the son of Jose Manuel del Rio Virgen, a Citizens Movement (MC) politician and close ally of Ricardo Monreal, leader of Morenas parliamentary group.

Omar Garcia Harfuch and Alejandro Gertz Manero, in Mexico City, on August 27. Galo Canas Rodriguez (Cuartoscuro)

Reforma reported that Serrano filed an injunction to avoid capture and argues that the former comptroller was also denounced for allegedly asking for six million pesos ($326,000) from the firm Casanova Rent Volks to arrange a contract related to the leasing of vehicles for the FGR. In this case, Carlos Rascon is also implicated. Casanova is an old supplier for the FGR. In 2020, Gertzs agency directly awarded it a contract of 1,620 million pesos ($88 million) for the vehicle leasing service.

Following the scandal, PAN lawmakers demanded that the Attorney Generals Office provide details on the proceedings against Serrano and pointed out the possible irregularity of his dismissal  a power that belongs exclusively to the Chamber of Deputies. Although the former comptroller was pressured to resign, thus avoiding the formal removal process, sources from the Interior Ministry told EL PAIS that officials there interpreted the PANs intervention as a clear defense of the accused officials, particularly given the connection to Taboada.

The former mayor is the right-hand man of PAN leader Jorge Romero and is in charge of political operations within the conservative party. Taboada is one of the ruling partys main adversaries and has been accused of being part of the so-called real estate cartel that profited from multimillion-dollar construction deals in the Benito Juarez district. Arturo Avila, spokesperson for Morenas congressional group, claims that Santiago Taboadas brother is one of the main operators in the scheme, alleging that all the cocaine they seized was replaced by powdered milk, and then taken out and sold.

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The politician refused to defend herself before Parliament in a fast-track process to remove her from office over the deep wave of violence overwhelming the countrys streets

Perus Congress approved the removal of President Dina Boluarte in the early hours of Friday morning after launching an expedited impeachment process. The legislature had summoned the head of state to appear immediately  that same night  to present her defense before the vote, but she refused, calling the procedure unconstitutional.

The four motions, filed under the constitutional charge of permanent moral incapacity, were passed thanks to votes from right-wing parties and Popular Force (FP), which had until now supported Boluarte. The president of Congress, Jose Jeri  a lawyer accused of rape  is the politician set to replace her. He will lead the country until the next elections, scheduled for April 2026, and the presidential handover, set for July 28.

After her removal, Boluarte appeared flanked by her cabinet to highlight her record and display her achievements. The motions to remove Boluarte had been initiated Thursday morning by the Popular Renewal (RP) bloc  the party led by Limas ultraconservative mayor, Rafael Lopez Aliaga, known as Porky  citing the deep wave of violence suffocating Peruvians. Hours earlier, on Wednesday night, the popular cumbia band Agua Marina had been attacked during a performance at a military facility. Four members of the group were shot in the chest and leg.

Boluarte, who took office after Pedro Castillos failed self-coup in December 2022, had until now maintained tight control over Congress  the countrys most discredited institution, according to polls. The decisive factor in her downfall was the vote of the Popular Force, the right-wing party led by Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori.

Neither the deaths of some 50 protesters, nor her secret absence from office to undergo a rhinoplasty and cosmetic procedures, nor the alleged favors traded for luxury jewelry and watches, nor suspicions of shielding fugitives from justice had managed to unseat her. Boluarte now faces her most difficult hours due to her inability to curb the crime wave battering Peru.

Congress  which had kept her afloat under a survival pact lasting until 2026  finally withdrew its support. Her presidency, which began on the wrong foot after she broke her promise to call early elections, sparked waves of demonstrations from the southern highlands toward the capital. The harsh repression by security forces dispersed them for a time, but they reignited by mid-2024 amid a surge in extortion and contract killings that have paralyzed urban transport and threatened businesses across sectors.

In recent weeks, young people  self-described as Generation Z  had once again taken to the streets. But it was the recent attack on the cumbia band Armonia 10 that finally triggered the current crisis. The Popular Renewal bloc, which had previously saved Boluarte more than once, filed a new motion to vacate the presidency. As hours passed, other major caucuses joined in: Popular Force, Alliance for Progress, and the coalition of Together for Peru, Voices of the People, and the Teachers Bloc. In total, four motions of vacancy were submitted. After nearly three years in power, with no resignation in sight, Boluarte now finds herself on the brink  and with nothing left to hold on to.

Thus Congress removed a president whose popularity barely hovered within the margin of error and whose speeches never resonated with the people. A president who failed to navigate the diplomatic arena, recalling her ambassadors from Mexico, Colombia, and Honduras after trading barbs with their heads of state. A president who strained relations with the Inter-American Human Rights System and repeatedly defied its orders, as when she did nothing to prevent the controversial release of the autocrat Alberto Fujimori at the end of 2023.

Boluarte will also be remembered for enacting the amnesty law favoring military personnel who committed human rights violations between the 1980s and 2000. One of the sadly infamous images of her presidency is her warm greeting of Juan Rivero Lazo, former head of the Army intelligence service, sentenced to 25 years in prison for the Barrios Altos massacre, as an honored guest at the Presidential Palace. She will also be remembered for her collection of indifferent and distorted statements about reality: Puno is not Peru or her advice to not answer unknown calls to avoid being extorted.

With her departure, Peru remains mired in instability: it has seen seven presidents in the last nine years.

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The Israeli army has carried out its partial withdrawal to make way for the hostage and prisoner exchange, which is scheduled to take place within the next 72 hours

It was almost immediate. Thousands of Gazans  aerial photographs show mass movement on Rashid, the coastal highway  displaced time and again during two years of war, began returning to their homes Friday, after the ceasefire went into effect. The Israeli army announced this at 12:00 local time, although according to the text of the agreement, it happened automatically earlier in the morning when Benjamin Netanyahus government voted by a large majority to give the green light to the first phase of Donald Trumps peace plan. The troops have, in fact, already completed their partial withdrawal to a position from which they will still control half of Gaza, in preparation for the next step: the exchange, in the coming days, of the last 48 hostages remaining in the Strip for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu warned in a defiant message that Hamas will be disarmed by fair means or foul.

A military spokesman told Gazans that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would allow movement from south to north via the two routes that cross the Strip, Rashid and Salahedinne, but warned them not to approach the troops, reminding them that they will remain present in various areas of Gaza. Approaching them places lives at risk, he added.

In particular, the spokesman defined as extremely dangerous any attempt to traverse the areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, Shejaia, and any area with troop concentrations; the Rafah crossing, the border with Egypt; the so-called Philadelphi Corridor; and parts of Khan Younis. The IDF has also prohibited anyone, including fishermen, from entering the sea in the coming days.

Shortly after the ceasefire began, Netanyahu addressed the nation in a pre-recorded speech in which he presented himself as the captain of a ship that has overcome all kinds of internal and external pressures, guided solely by Israels security. He claimed credit for securing the release of the remaining 48 hostages without requiring the IDF to completely withdraw from Gaza and presented the ceasefire as the result of a combination of massive military pressure over two years and massive political pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. We promised  and we are keeping our promise, he said.

But above all, Netanyahu made it clear that if Hamas does not disarm by fair means, as outlined in the second phase of Trumps plan, Israel will force the militia to do so by foul means. The message, aimed at his ultranationalist coalition partners (who voted against the agreement), opens the door to a Lebanese-style scenario, with almost daily strikes against Hezbollah targets, despite the existence of a ceasefire since last year.

Israel has also published the list of the 250 Palestinian prisoners, the most sensitive to public opinion, it will release: those serving at least a life sentence for participating in or organizing attacks against Israelis. It received the green light from the executive branch early Friday morning, following several hours of meetings to discuss the first phase of Trumps agreement.

All ministers voted in favor of the text, except for those from the Jewish Power and Religious Zionism parties (with one exception). These two religious ultranationalist groupings aspire to annex Gaza and rebuild Jewish settlements.

Trumps special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law and advisor, Jared Kushner, participated in the executive meeting, in a demonstration of Israels dependence on its great ally and of Trumps level of involvement in the Gaza agreement, reminiscent of the photograph, released by the White House, of the moment in which the U.S. president holds Netanyahus phone while he reads a written apology to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for having launched a strike at targets inside his country.

Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the latter speaks to Qatari PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. White House

The text of the agreement, revealed by the Israeli public broadcaster, clearly states that the executive branchs approval implies the immediate end of the war. In fact, Jalil al-Hayya, the head of the Hamas negotiating team, whom Israel had attempted to assassinate weeks earlier in Qatar, stated on Thursday afternoon that he had guarantees from the United States and the mediating countries [Qatar and Egypt] and Turkey that the war is completely over.

Netanyahus office, however, limited itself to announcing the approval of the framework for the release of all hostages, both living and dead. The Israeli prime minister also made no mention of the end of the war in his speech this Friday.

All this in just 36 breathtaking hours, during which Trump announced the agreement on the first phase of his plan; the parties and mediators signed it without media coverage in Egypt; the Israeli army halted its bombing and retreated at full speed (it had more time, up to 24 hours) to facilitate the swap, which still has no set date. Netanyahu was also ambiguous in his remarks (in the coming days). Trump put the timeframe around Monday (when he will address the Israeli Parliament) or Tuesday.

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The government of Nicolas Maduro on Thursday requested that a meeting of the United Nations Security Council be convened urgently in the event of an armed attack by the United States against Venezuela, which Caracas believes could happen very soon. This was stated in a letter sent by the Bolivarian government to the representative of this body, currently chaired by Russia, a Chavista ally.

Venezuela has moved quickly on the diplomatic front to try to ease tensions that have been growing for eight weeks, since the U.S. deployed naval forces in the Caribbean under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking. President Donald Trump has made the South American country the main target of this crusade. In September, Maduro asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intervene to reduce hostilities between the two countries, while conducting continuous military exercises and calling for the mass enlistment of civilians in the militia, who have undergone basic military training. Now Chavismo is denouncing the imminence of an attack and the urgency of Security Council mediation.

This letter, based on proven, reasonable, and objective information, confirms that an armed attack by the United States of America against Venezuela could occur very soon, Caracas warned in a statement shared by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil and addressed to Russias permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, the current president of the Security Council under the rotation system.

Venezuela is calling for a determination of the existence of a threat to peace and for recommendations to halt ongoing U.S. aggression plans. They argue that the United States has decided to shut off all diplomatic contact with Venezuela, according to The New York Times.

Washington claims this deployment is part of its fight against drug trafficking. The Trump administration accuses Maduro of leading the so-called Cartel of the Suns, which was designated as a terrorist organization and is allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The Maduro government has persistently rejected the accusations. It has also called it a false struggle and intimidation aimed at bringing about regime change.

The letter highlights three dangerous statements made by Trump that have set alarm bells ringing within Chavismo. The first is his September 22 address to the UN General Assembly, when Caracas claims he expressed his willingness to use U.S. military power to blow up President Nicolas Maduro, although the Republican specifically referred to Venezuelan drug traffickers without mentioning the Chavista leader.

Trump said this after a series of drone attacks on vessels allegedly transporting drugs from the coast of Venezuela. The second statement was issued on October 3, when he notified the United States Congress of his determination that the country was engaged in a non-international armed conflict with drug cartels. And the third, the letter adds, occurred on October 4, when Trump indicated that he would now have to begin searching on land for the alleged drug traffickers, which for Venezuela points to the imminence of a violation of its sovereignty. It goes without saying that this looming aggression against our country would have far-reaching repercussions for the peace, stability, and security of the entire Latin American and Caribbean region, the Venezuelan governments statement warns.

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Spc. Michael Fish, an unmanned aerial systems operator with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, attaches a 3D-printed munitions dropper to a Skydio X10D drone at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on June 25, 2025, during a test in which soldiers dropped live M67 grenades from the drone. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



GRAFENWOEHR, Germany  The U.S. Army took a step toward integrating killer drones into its battlefield tactics after it dropped live grenades from the air at a training area in Germany this week.

Members of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard on Wednesday became the first conventional soldiers to detonate an M67 fragmentation grenade from a drone-borne dropper, Army officials on site said.

The plastic device, known as Audible, was attached to the undercarriage of a Skydio X10D drone that attacked a simulated vehicle convoy at the Grafenwoehr Training Area.

On Wednesday, 1st Lt. David Baker checked Audibles dropper device. He then attached a hand grenade, making sure the pin was in the correct position to be pulled. He removed the safety clip and the drone was airborne.

U.S. soldiers watch a Skydio X10D drone take flight at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on June 25, 2025, during an inaugural test of the drone's ability to drop M67 grenades. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A Skydio X10D drone is launched at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on June 25, 2025, during U.S. soldiers' test drop of M67 grenades from the drone using a device called Audible. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

U.S. soldiers prepare to launch a Skydio X10D drone fixed with a dummy M67 grenade at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on June 25, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A Skydio X10D drone takes flight with a dummy M67 grenade round during an inaugural test at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on June 25, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



Maj. Phillip Draper watched from a television screen in a nearby control tower as the drone flew toward three simulated stationary vehicles. The falling grenade struck right next to the lead vehicles passenger side.

It was a successful test, Draper said. Hopefully we can build on this and make it better and then get those results to the warfighter.

After that test, though, the Audible cracked in a hard landing and a 3D-printed version made by soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade filled in with inert rounds for additional drone test flights.

The successes and failures each provide valuable data. Within a couple of hours of the test and crash-landing, the Combat Capabilities Development Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., had been notified and seven more devices were on the way.

Were dropping a regular ordnance that every soldier would carry in combat, said civilian David Oeschger, deputy of operations for the 7th Army Training Command, which hosted the test. Weve learned well from the Ukrainians and the Russians on how we are going to use this system in the next fight.

A U.S. soldier prepares to launch a Skydio X10D drone fixed with a dummy M67 munition during testing June 25, 2025, at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A U.S. soldier catches a Skydio X10D drone after a test launch of a dummy grenade at Grafenwoehr Training Area on June 25, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Spc. Michael Fish, an unmanned aerial systems operator with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, controls a Skydio X10D drone outfitted with an M67 dummy grenade at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on June 25, 2025. Soldiers including Fish were testing the drone's ability to drop grenades on targets. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



Dropping grenades with drone-mounted devices like Audible will become a part of normal Army training within months, Oeschger said.

The U.S. Army, which trains Ukrainian soldiers at locations including Grafenwoehr, updated its fighting doctrine last year due to lessons learned in Ukraine. The service now seeks to constantly evolve and leverage mobility, speed, deception and technology.

The ability of small, off-the-shelf drones to carry munitions to strike personnel, armor and command posts has dramatically changed military strategy and tactics.

More tests are planned for the Audible, which was developed by the Maryland-based command.

This really expands the arsenal, being able to go out and reach targets beyond the front line of troops and putting that at the lowest level, Baker said.
Spc. Basil Holland, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, maneuvers a drone attached with a 3D-printed grenade dropper at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



HOHENFELS, Germany  Spc. Basil Holland looked on with keen interest this week as a Performance Drone Works C100 quadcopter with an invention of his attached took to the sky carrying four simulated grenades.

Holland created a new 3D-printed ordnance dropper called the Widowmaker, which was getting additional field action in test runs in the forested expanses of Bavaria.

We looked at what a lot of people are doing in Ukraine, and we were like, How can we utilize this system?  Holland said. So we designed everything from scratch.

As the drone hovered 350 feet above a vehicle at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center on Thursday, two specks fell from the aircraft, followed by a thud on the vehicles hood.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment were testing the durability of the Widowmaker and learning the controls on the new Anduril Bolt-M one-way attack drone.

A C100 drone flies toward an Infantry Squad Vehicle used as a target in grenade-dropping practice at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A C100 drone carries a dropper attachment for four grenades Oct. 9, 2025. at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, where soldiers practiced hitting targets with practice grenades. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Spc. Basil Holland of the 502nd Infantry Regiment prepares to fly a C100 drone fashioned with a 3D-printed grenade dropper called the Widowmaker at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



The Bolt-M uses artificial intelligence to track targets before silently slamming into them at a terrifying pace.

The assessments ahead of Combined Resolve, an annual multinational exercise that starts Tuesday and will run sporadically through summer 2026, were evidence that not even a government shutdown can stop the evolution of drone technology.

The growing reliance on drones and autonomous systems to fight modern wars was born from battlefields in Ukraine and has quickly become integrated into Army doctrine through the modernization initiatives dubbed Transforming in Contact, and the counter-drone Project Flytrap.

The dropper is not a new concept, company commander Capt. Jacob Moberly said. The Islamic State militant group was using similar systems in Iraq a decade ago, but what makes the simple dropper special is its ability to be mass-produced, he said.

The Widowmaker can be printed in house with materials costing less than $50 and scaled for use by any infantry platoon that has the C100 and access to a 3D printer, he said.

The Army has signed three separate contracts with Performance Drone Works for an unspecified number of the portable heavy-lift quadcopters. The last was on Sept. 16 for $20.9 million.

Spc. Basil Holland of the 502nd Infantry Regiment controls a drone as part of practice with a grenade dropper attachment at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Soliders attach a 3D-printed grenade dropper on a C100 drone for target practice at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, watch as a C100 drone lands after a grenade drop on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A soldier watches an Anduril Bolt-M drone during a demonstration at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



The unit previously used the dropper with training grenades at a live-fire range in Poland in August. The C100 dropped two smoke grenades into a trench.

Once the smoke obscured the simulated enemys vision, two blue body grenades followed. Then an assault team entered the dugout. The dropper is equipped to hold M67 fragmentation grenades.

The unit also has first-person attack drones and the Anduril Ghost-X reconnaissance aircraft. Integrating drones with traditional systems and move-and-shoot tactics has made the force deadlier, Moberly said.

The soldiers in Hollands regiment hope his Widowmaker will soon be sent out and adopted by every infantry unit that has the same drone.

Right now, were at a tipping point in technology and we need to meet that challenge, Moberly said. It all starts from the bottom up with soldiers being empowered, like Specialist Holland, to actually implement their ideas into real practice.
The U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. (United States Military Academy)



An appeal deadline that Army prosecutors missed by 20 minutes ultimately led to the permanent dismissal of a case against a West Point colonel who had once been ready to plead guilty to charges that involved drinking alcohol with cadets and then interfering with the investigation.

The Army Court of Criminal Appeals, in an opinion released last month, upheld Military Judge Lt. Col. Carrie Wards decision in April to permanently dismiss charges against Col. William Wright at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The case was noteworthy because the charges against Wright were brought to court-martial and dismissed three times in 10 months.

Between the second and third courts-martial, Army prosecutors had a three-day window to appeal the judges decision to dismiss the charges. They missed the deadline. Instead, prosecutors attempted to bring the case to court-martial for a third time, which the judge said they could not do. The Army Court of Criminal Appeals agreed with the judge.

Wright, who was the director of the academys Geospatial Information Science Program, was charged with violating Army policy on trainer-trainee interactions, interfering with an adverse administrative proceeding and making a false official statement during an inquiry into the allegations.

The first case ended in October 2024 with a dismissal the day before Wright was prepared to enter a plea deal. The convening authority withdrew from a plea agreement and dismissed the charges. At West Point, the convening authority overseeing court-martial proceedings that are outside the purview of the Office of Special Trial Counsel is the superintendent, Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland.

In the second court-martial, the judge in January dismissed the charges because she concluded the Armys withdrawal in the previous court-martial was based on three improper reasons: to avoid a ruling against a motion prosecutors filed; to avoid releasing adverse information about a witness relevant to the pending defense motions; and because Wrights attorneys had filed a motion to dismiss.

Ward also ordered prosecutors to perform in accordance with the original terms of the plea agreement if they returned the case to court-martial.

This is when the Army had 72 hours to file an appeal on the judges decision and did so 20 minutes after the deadline, according to the appeal opinion. With no appeal, the judges ruling stood, so the Army in April sent the case to court-martial for a third time.

Now, [the Army] attempts to reopen that closed window by bringing the same charges, in the same manner, against the same accused, inducing substantially the same ruling by the same military judge, according to appeals court opinion.

The Army cant resend a case to court-martial as a way to reset deadlines for court decisions it does not like, according to the opinion. It must meet appeal deadlines, which require attorneys to file an intent to appeal within 72 hours.

When Ward dismissed the case, she said, [w]hether I was right or wrong, it really doesnt matter anymore, because you didnt challenge it.  [Wright] gets the benefit of the dismissal because the government opted not to file its appeal, according to appeals court opinion.

Officials at West Point sent all questions about the case to the Army because of an ongoing government shutdown. The Army confirmed Wright is still in the service and assigned to the academy.

Wright had filed for retirement, which should have been July 31, according to his attorney Phil Cave. He now hopes an early decision will be made to continue his retirement and move on with his family to new endeavors, Cave said.

Robert Capovilla, co-founder of Capovilla and Williams, a military defense law firm, said he reviewed the appeals courts opinion and applauded the judges position to hold the deadline.

Deadlines for both the defense and the government matter, he said. As a result of the governments mistake, in Wrights third court-martial, the judge dismissed this case with prejudice. Under the law, that is the exact proper measure to take.

The Army could appeal the ruling further to the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. It has 60 days to do so.
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen, and Freedom-variant littoral combat ships USS Billings and USS Cooperstown transit the Delaware River on Oct. 9, 2025, during a parade of ships in celebration of the Navys 250th birthday in Philadelphia. (Chad Butler/U.S. Navy)



A parade of ships cruised up and down the Delaware River as the Navy and Marine Corps returned to Philadelphia, the birthplace of the sea services, to celebrate 250 years of heritage.

Among the ships that took part were the USS Lassen, the USS Billings and the USS Cooperstown. A military flyover accompanied the flotilla.

The parade launched a weeklong celebration in Philadelphia, despite an ongoing government shutdown.
USS Wyoming pulls into Norfolk, Va., in February 2024. (Cameron Stoner/U.S. Navy)



The Navy fired the commander of one of its ballistic missile submarine crews at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia this week, service officials said Friday.

Cmdr. Robert Moreno, who led the USS Wyomings Blue Crew, was relieved Wednesday by Rear Adm. Bob Wirth, Submarine Group 10s commander, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, according to a Navy statement. The military routinely cites loss of confidence in leaders it removes from duty without providing specific information about the reason for their removal.

The Navy statement on Friday did not provide additional information about the decision to remove Moreno, and a service spokesperson declined to provide further details.

Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct, the statement reads. They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.

Moreno took command of the Wyomings Blue Crew in May 2024. Ballistic missile submarines, which can carry nuclear weapons, are each assigned two crews under separate commanding officers, a Blue and Gold crew. Those crews take turns manning the vessel when it is deployed.

Moreno was commissioned as a submarine officer in December 2005, according to his Navy records. He had previously served aboard the USS Pennsylvania ballistic missile submarine, the nuclear-powered attack submarines USS North Carolina, USS Dallas and USS Cheyenne, according to his records.

He has been reassigned to another position at Kings Bay, the Navy said.

Capt. David Burke will temporarily replace Moreno as commander of the Wyomings Blue Crew, officials said. Burke had been serving as Kings Bay-based Submarine Squadron 20s deputy commodore for training.

Navy officials said the USS Wyoming is currently in port for prolonged maintenance and repair, and Morenos firing does not impact the ships mission or schedule.

Morenos removal comes amid a string of high-profile firings in the Navy this year.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Navys Chief Naval Officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, in February. The commanders of the Navy Reserve, Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, and Naval Special Warfare Command, Rear Adm. Milton Jamie Sands III, were fired in August. Last month, the commander of the USS Santa Barbara, Cmdr. Adam Ochs, was relieved from leading the littoral combat ships Blue Crew. Hegseth this month fired the Navys civilian chief of staff, Jon Harrison.

Hegseth and service officials have not provided specific reasons for most of the firings in 2025.
The USS North Dakota, a Virginia-class attack submarine, rolls out of the indoor factory at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. (General Dynamics)



BREMERTON, Wash.  The Navy officially has a new backbone of its submarine fleet that is bigger, faster, quieter, and has more endurance and firepower than the Vietnam War-era design it passed by in sheer numbers this past summer.

Admirals, U.S. senators and other VIPs gathered April 5 at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. Sailors in dress blue uniform were given the traditional command: Man our ship and bring her to life. They ran up the gangplank to formally commission the new Virginia-class attack submarine USS Iowa.

On July 25, a smaller gathering at Naval Base Kitsap, in Washington state, marked the decommissioning of the USS Helena, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine.

For nearly 40 years she has operated in the silent, unseen depths  a critical spearhead in our nations defense, said Cmdr. Kyle Jones, commander of the boat.

The ceremonies represented a tipping point for the Navy.

The Iowa is the 24th Virginia-class sub to enter Navy service. The Helenas exit leaves the Navy with 23 Los Angeles-class submarines that entered service from 1976 to 1996. The Navy also has three 1990s-era Seawolf-class attack submarines.

Navy promotional materials in recent decades have touted nuclear-powered attack submarines as the backbone of the undersea fleet.

Bryan Clark, a former Navy submariner whos now a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank, said having the number of Virginia boats surpass Los Angeles boats is good news for modernizing U.S. national defense.

The Virginia class is the jack-of-all-trades for the Navy, Clark said. Its simply more sophisticated than the Los Angeles class.

Sailors run toward the Virginia-class submarine USS Iowa during commissioning ceremony April 5, 2025, at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. (Joshua Karsten/U.S. Navy)

Schematic details of the Block IV version of the Virginia-class submarine, including extended hull section in front of the sail that allows for additional weapons or to carry troops to be deployed near shorelines. (U.S. Navy)



Until this year, the most numerous attack submarine in the U.S. Navy was a design that started construction in 1972  the year the keel was laid for USS Los Angeles.

The 7,800-ton Virginia class is designed to remain submerged for up to three months, moving through the water at 25 knots with four torpedo tubes and 12 vertical-launching Tomahawk cruise missile tubes.

Clark said the Virginia class not only outperforms the Los Angeles class but should also best the Russian Akula class and Chinese Shang-class in the competition for dominance of nuclear hunter-killer submarines. He added that it has better acoustic silencing of noise as it prowls the seas and a more sophisticated sonar array.

Its the quietest submarine weve ever had, Clark said

The majority of Virginia-class submarines were initially assigned to homeports where they could shadow Russias more advanced submarines, particularly in the Arctic regions. But the recent assignment of the USS Minnesota to Guam and the arrival in Hawaii of more Virginia-class subs, such as the USS Montana, shows the Navy is starting to spread out its most modern submarine. The Virginia-class is now operating in the south and central Indo-Pacific region, where China is the major peer adversary.

Russia and China held joint exercises in the Sea of Japan in August 2025, including the Russian submarine RFS Volkhov, shown here, transiting the Tsushima Strait. (Japan Joint Staff Office)



So far, the strategic Achilles heel of the Virginia class has been its slow pace of construction.

The Navy currently has 50 attack submarines at a point when the Pentagon had hoped to have 66 arrayed around the world.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, D.C., said that the reason the Virginia class is the most numerous Navy attack submarine today is largely due to the speed with which the Los Angeles-class subs have been retired. The Virginia program, meanwhile, has had production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and industrial reductions after the Cold War.

Were at the bottom of the bathtub, with the lowest production rate for submarines since the 1990s, Cancian said.

When approved by Congress in 1999, the Navys plans for the Virginia-class subs called for building two to three each year with a price of about $2.8 billion each, the service wrote. Production would end in 2043, with the last boats leaving service in the 2070s.

The two shipyards building submarines  General Dynamics Electric Boat, in Groton, Conn., and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding, in Virginia, have turned out an average of 1.2 boats per year.

A 2024 Navy analysis showed that the Virginia program suffered from $17 billion in cost overruns and delays, and production was two to three years behind schedule.

Costs for each Virginia-class submarine continue to rise. The newer Block IV models, which include an extended weapons bay, cost $4 billion each, according to the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command.

While the transition from the Biden to the Trump administration has brought significant changes to many policies and programs, the Virginia-class submarine program has drawn both bipartisan support and criticism.

Democrats and Republicans have decried the slow production cycles for submarines  a problem plaguing almost every Navy ship construction program, from Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers to Constellation-class frigates.

Navy and political leaders have pointed to submarine construction as the nations No.1 naval priority.

Lloyd Austin, the defense secretary under President Joe Biden, called the Virginia-class the apex predator of the worlds oceans during congressional testimony last year.

In 2017, President Donald Trump gushed about the Virginia-class attack and new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

The most powerful machines ever built, and nobody knows where they are, Trump said.
The Norwegian committees decision to award the prize to Venezuelas opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was made before the agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza

This Thursday, there was only one question in Washington: Will Donald Trump get the Nobel Peace Prize? The answer came at 5:00 a.m. Friday (11:00 a.m. in Oslo, Norway): And the answer was: No.

The U.S. president believed he deserved it, having publicly stated this for months, if not years, and lobbying for it. But the Norwegian Nobel Committee instead opted for Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The Committee said that Machados work promoting democratic rights in her country is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.

The White House criticized the decision through Communications Director Steven Cheung, who posted on X: He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Maria Corina Machado receives the news that she has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Machado, 57, has been in hiding for almost a year. President Nicolas Maduros regime forced her to retreat to a secret location after the presidential elections of July 28, 2024, which marked a turning point in Venezuelas recent history. Chavismo, claimed victory without providing any evidence to certify it, and all Maduro has left today is terror, she told EL PAIS in a July interview from an undisclosed location.

Prize for Gaza deal

The supporters of giving the prize to Trump  a diverse list including prime ministers, foreign ministers, and Republican congressmembers seemingly as interested in world peace as in pleasing the White House resident  thought that after Trumps announcement on Wednesday (36 hours before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement) that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of Washingtons peace plan for Gaza, the prize would be a given.

But it didnt happen. And it was for reasons more in keeping with the prizes guidelines than purely political ones. The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded every October since 1901 (with the logical exception of the World Wars), values candidates efforts of the previous year, even though the committee has sometimes broken that rule. And in 2024, Trump was not yet president of the United States, much less had he ended the seven wars (eight, including Gaza, he said this Thursday at the White House) that he repeatedly claims to have ended, despite the exaggeration that this represents.

In reality, the conflicts to which the Republican often refers, from the one between India and Pakistan to the one between Sierra Leone and the Congo, are disputes in which his Administration played a minor role, and which remain unresolved. Unfortunately for Trump, wrote the authors of Politicos Playbook newsletter, perhaps the most influential one in Washington, early Thursday, the Norwegian judges made their decision weeks ago. But next years award? Honestly, who knows?

The Washington Post editorial, for its part, argued that the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed on Trumps plan to end the two-year war in Gaza could be the greatest diplomatic achievement of his second presidency. In fact, the newspaper argued, if the deal holds  which we must not forget refers just to a first phase (points 3, 4, 5 and 7 of a 20-year plan) and is not yet the lasting and permanent peace that its promoter yearns for  the Republican leader Trump can legitimately bolster his claim to be a peacemaker worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Message created by the artist Peter Winner near the Kibbutz Maoz Haim, in the north of Israel. Guy Sherry (REUTERS)

The committee chairman had already hinted this week that this years honoree was decided on Monday, so that Wednesdays events could not have influenced the mood of the five voting members. The editors of Politico and The Washington Post also seem to forget that, contrary to Norwegian opinion, the peacemaker Trump disdains multilateral organizations and the fight against climate change, that he has ordered the deployment of troops against his own citizens and has asked the military to use cities like Portland and Chicago as training camps. Or that he has been launching extrajudicial military operations in Caribbean waters for weeks, as part of a war against drug trafficking and Venezuelan criminal gangs that he himself declared, without consulting Congress.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during the activities on the 'International Day of Families' on May 15, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela. Although U.S. officials insist the mission in connection to Venezuela is focused on drug interdiction, critics argue it also serves as a show of force against the Maduro regime. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images/TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  The government of Grenada said Thursday it is carefully reviewing a request by the Trump administration to deploy radar and other equipment on its territory.

The confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs comes after local media reported that such a request had been made by the United States, which has ramped up its presence in the southern Caribbean  allegedly to target drug cartels operating from Venezuela.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development confirms that a request for the temporary installation of radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport was received from the Government of the United States of America, the statement said.

The ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs, and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing it in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada Airports Authority and other relevant agencies, the government added.

At this stage, the Government of Grenada is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures. Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed, the statement noted.

The announcement from Grenada comes amid growing signs that the U.S. is considering launching land operations inside Venezuela to disrupt drug cartel activities within the South American country. The request to Grenada stands out because Trinidad and Tobago, which is closer to Venezuela, has said that it would cooperate with Washington if it were to ask. The countrys prime minister, Kamala Persad-Bissessar, has been vocal of her endorsement of U.S. efforts in the Caribbean Sea and recently met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

U.S. forces have already targeted several boats allegedly smuggling narcotics from Venezuela through the Caribbean. The Pentagon said those operations destroyed at least five vessels and left 21 people dead. The strikes have fueled speculation that a broader military intervention in Venezuela could be on the horizon.

Now well look at cartels, Trump told reporters at the White House last week. Were going to look very seriously at cartels coming by land. He added that since U.S. forces began targeting drug-trafficking boats, we have absolutely no drugs entering our country by water, because they were lethal.

Trumps comments align with recent media reports suggesting the administration is reviewing plans for targeted operations inside Venezuela. NBC News reported that options under consideration include drone strikes on cartel figures and clandestine drug labs. While no final decision has been made, officials say potential actions could begin within weeks.

Venezuela has already warned its Caribbean neighbors that it would retaliate if they support the U.S. military in any hostile actions.

Speaking last month in a video posted on social media, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez warned neighboring Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago not to allow the U.S. to drag them into an armed conflict.

I tell these governments... that if we are attacked from their territory, they will also receive a response, and that is in legitimate defense, Padrino declared in a video shared on his Telegram channel.

Padrino also accused Washington of sharply intensifying aerial surveillance of Venezuela, citing a surge in spy flights last month. Now they moved from a daytime pattern to doing it at night and at dawn, and tripled in August the intelligence and reconnaissance operations against Venezuela, he said.

Tensions between Washington and Caracas have been rising in recent weeks amid one of the largest U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean in decades. Warships, surveillance aircraft, amphibious vessels and even a nuclear-powered submarine have been stationed off Venezuelas northern coast. Although U.S. officials insist the mission is focused on drug interdiction, critics argue it also serves as a show of force against the Nicolas Maduro regime.

Washington has long accused Maduro and senior officials of leading the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a shadowy network allegedly embedded within Venezuelas military and intelligence services, responsible for trafficking cocaine to the United States. The Trump administration has labeled Maduro a fugitive from American justice and indicted him on charges of narco-terrorism.

Maduro has categorically denied the allegations and has signed a decree activating a state of emergency in the event of foreign aggression. Venezuelan officials condemned what they described as U.S. threats of an imperialist invasion, warning that military action could destabilize the region.

Our goal is to ensure that the entire nation  every citizen  has the support and protection of all the forces of Venezuelan society to respond to any threat or attack against our country, Maduro said in a televised address last week.

In total, approximately 4,500 Marines and sailors have been deployed, supported by a cruiser, several destroyers, and a Los Angeles-class attack submarine equipped with more than 400 missile tubes capable of precision strikes. Ten stealth F-35 fighter jets have been stationed in Puerto Rico, with the capability to neutralize Venezuelas aging fleet of Sukhoi-30s and F-16s.

U.S. Marines have conducted joint exercises on the island, while Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine have made high-profile visits.

McClatchy Washington Bureau reporter Emily Goodin contributed to this story.

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Spalling concrete is pictured on housing tower 1088 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)



CAMP KINSER, Okinawa  The Okinawa Military Housing Office has delayed repair work on spalled concrete at housing towers on this Marine Corps base after discovering asbestos in some balconies, according to the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base.

The wings 718th Civil Engineer Squadron identified limited areas containing asbestos in some residential balconies in the towers, the wing wrote in an unsigned email Friday. The message did not specify which towers were affected.

The material is non-friable (tightly packed) and remains contained, meaning it does not pose a health risk to residents under current conditions, the email said.

The discovery was made during early inspection and planning phases for repairs and required additional coordination and contracting to ensure proper abatement procedures, according to the wing. Residents have been instructed to not attempt self-repairs, and to avoid spalling debris if it is discovered.

Spalling refers to cracking and delaminating steel-reinforced concrete.

Work remains on track to begin later this fall, the email said, without elaborating.

Engineer squadron commander Lt. Col. Akira Nervik and Kinser commander Marine Corps Col. Paul Bock led a town hall meeting at Surfside Club on Tuesday, during which Nervik discussed the asbestos discovery, according to an attendee.

Tech. Sgt. Micaiah Anthony, acting on orders from Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander, barred Stars and Stripes from attending the meeting. Bock also requested that Stars and Stripes not attend, Master Sgt. Davon Hammond, Kinsers operations chief and acting camp director, told the news outlet before the meeting.

Asbestos was discovered in the outer layer of concrete on all the housing towers, Nervik told residents at the meeting, according to Gunnery Sgt. John Beaver of Marine Air Control Squadron 4, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

They said because its not pulverized or in an aerosol form  powder form  theres no issue, but thats the concern with the repairs, so now they have to reassess how theyre going to do the solution because they have to factor in the asbestos, he told Stars and Stripes after the meeting.

Engineers will begin installing scaffolding around the six occupied towers in November to replace the orange plastic fencing that has surrounded them since July, according to the wings email.

Im unable to take my dog around the areas, unable to use the majority of the grassy areas around the tower that I live in, Capt. Samuel Kuckuk, of the 4th squadron and a resident of tower 872, said after Tuesdays meeting. The whole annoyance of canalizing the entryways makes it much more of a process to get in and out.

Spalled concrete was found July 29 outside tower 1088, according to an Aug. 1 unsigned email from the wing. Further inspections were made at 544 homes in six occupied and two unoccupied towers, Nervik told residents at a Kinser town hall meeting on Aug. 19.

None of the families living in 65 homes with balconies at high risk for spalling concrete will be required to move, he said.

The 263 occupied units are in towers 1086, 1087, 1088, 867, 871 and 872 on Kinsers north side.
A service that launched on Oct. 6, 2025, allows people at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo to hail taxis using the Uber app. (Marc Castaneda/Stars and Stripes)



YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  The ride-hailing service Uber is now an option for airmen and their families traveling on and off this airlift hub in western Tokyo, according to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service.

Yokotas exchange posted photos on Oct. 6 of a ceremony launching the Uber application for hailing taxis on base. The post showed 374th Airlift Wing commander Col. Richard McElhaney and other officials cutting a ribbon to promote the service.

The Uber app links Yokota customers with taxis operated by local company Yokokawa Kanko, the firms managing director Kento Yamaguchi said in an email Tuesday.

Uber launched its ride-hailing service in 2011 in San Francisco as an alternative to traditional taxi service but now partners with taxi companies that employ the Uber app.

In the United States, Uber reported 180 million monthly active customers averaging 6.1 trips a month in the second quarter of this year, the Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 6.

However, ride-hailing services cant easily access U.S. military bases where only authorized personnel can enter.

In a separate Facebook post on Oct. 6, AAFES said Uber passengers may travel from Yokota to any destination outside the base.

The app can be used only to hail rides to the base from places that are 20 minutes drive from Yokotas main gate, according to the post.

The Uber app had to be programmed to only call for taxis with base passes, AAFES spokesman Chris Ward said by email Friday.

Taxi companies in Japan typically have specific territories in which they are allowed to operate, he said.

Yokota is within multiple taxi territories, he said. A great deal of coordination is required to get approved taxi services authorized on base that can accept rides in the other territories.

Uber in Japan is a third-party license that a local taxi company can opt into, Ward said.

If customers have questions regarding Uber availability at their installation, they may contact their local taxi service and see if they operate using the Uber app, he said.

A Japanese language ride-hailing app called Yokokawa Taxi, which was launched in May 2024 and promoted by AAFES, allowed people to summon Yokokawa Kanko taxis to spots on Yokota before the Uber app launch.

People can still use that app to hail rides, Ward said.

The number of customers using the Japanese-language app has been increasing but Yamaguchi expects more interest from people using Uber.

It is a ride-hailing app with a large share of the international market, he said. Uber has a proven track record of use around the world, so we thought it would be convenient for our customers when using taxis.

The taxi company is approved for customer pick-ups and drop-offs at homes and offices on Yokota, although some locations, such as the flight line, are off limits, he said.
A Marine in Senegal in 2011 holds doxycycline, an anti-malaria medication taken in combination with mefloquine. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week revived a class-action lawsuit filed by four former service members against the makers and distributors of mefloquine pills administered to them while they were in the military. (Timothy Solano/U.S. Marine Corps)



Four former service members who say they suffered a range of symptoms after taking an antimalarial drug while serving in the military can proceed in suing the companies that manufactured and distributed the product, an appellate court decided.

Andrea Caston, Richard Githens, Patrick Wagher and Kendrick Allen filed the original lawsuit in 2023 on behalf of themselves and all service members who were severely sickened by side effects of mefloquine.

The plaintiffs took mefloquine pills before and during overseas deployments to Africa and Afghanistan in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to court papers. They served in the Army, the Army National Guard and the Navy.

They later exhibited symptoms such as pain, sleep disturbances, skin disorders, suicidal thoughts, depression, fatigue and cognitive decline, which have persisted beyond their military careers.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday partially reversed a 2024 ruling by U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson in California, who had dismissed the complaint with prejudice, meaning it couldnt be refiled.

The lawsuit accuses Roche and Genentech of using the prospect of wartime profits to provide mefloquine to the U.S. military despite knowing that it causes significant and irreversible neuropsychiatric harms.

It also refers to what it calls mefloquine toxicity as the modern-day version of Agent Orange in scope and scale.

In the Tuesday ruling, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit determined that a legal consideration known as the political question doctrine does not bar the suit against Genentech, a San Francisco-based biotechnology company that distributed mefloquine under the trade name Lariam to U.S. military bases.

The doctrine is applied by courts seeking how to avoid issues better handled by Congress or the president.

Thompson had ruled that it would be inappropriate for the court to second-guess federal regulators who had approved the drug. She also tossed out a similar suit against Roche in 2022.

On Tuesday, the 9th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the case against Roche affiliates, which previously provided the drug to bases before merging with Genentech in 2009.

But the appellate judges said Thompson had erred in dismissing the claims against Genentech with prejudice, and they sent the case back for review.

We look forward to returning to the trial court to prosecute the veterans claims and ensure their voices are heard, Dwayne A. Robinson, the service members lead appellate counsel, said in a statement Thursday.

The lawsuit seeks to force the defendants to pay for medical monitoring, including screening, treatment, therapy and rehabilitation for all members of the class-action suit.

The companies argued that the monitoring program was unnecessary, given that the service members had already undergone extensive treatment and screening.

But the appeals court said the veterans can amend their complaint and explain how the proposed monitoring program would benefit them.

In response to the ruling, Roche told online legal journal Law360 that the appellate court had correctly recognized an issue of whether the plaintiffs have standing to seek medical monitoring.

Army researchers developed mefloquine during the Vietnam War. Roche, a Swiss drugmaker, was granted the intellectual property rights and won FDA approval for Lariam in 1989. The drug was given to hundreds of thousands of troops sent to Afghanistan and Somalia.

In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration began requiring a warning label on mefloquine products highlighting their adverse neuropsychiatric side effects. In response, the U.S. military reclassified mefloquine as a drug of last resort.

The Veterans Affairs website says mefloquine is very effective at preventing malaria but adds that people with certain medical conditions should not take the drug. The list includes psychiatric disorders, epilepsy and certain heart conditions.
Mountain Home Air Force Base is home to the 366th Fighter Wing, colloquially known as The Gunfighters, and more 50 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft and 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG aircraft. (Daniel Barnhorst/U.S. Air Force)



WASHINGTON  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. will host a new Qatari air force facility in Idaho.

Were signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatar Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho, Hegseth said alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon. The location will be host to a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability.

There are no foreign military bases in the U.S., but some foreign militaries do maintain a presence for training. Singapores air force also has a presence at Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho.

The Qatar project dates to 2017, when the United States signed a $12 billion deal that gave Qatar 36 aircraft, their associated weapons systems, U.S.-based training, maintenance support equipment and logistics support, The Idaho Statesman reported in 2022.

The announcement came as Hegseth thanked Qatar for its role in peace talks between Israel and Hamas.

Israel and Hamas agreed Wednesday to pause fighting in Gaza so that the remaining hostages could be freed in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, accepting elements of a plan put forward by President Donald Trump and his administration that would represent the biggest breakthrough in months in the devastating 2-year-old war.

The war began with Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israels retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics. The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought widespread allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace  what we believe will be a lasting peace  in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to make sure that came about, Hegseth said.

President Trump signed an executive order last month assuring the security of the state of Qatar following Israels decision to carry out a military strike in Qatars capital city of Doha, where the vast majority of Qataris live.

The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States, the executive order reads.

The U.S. in May accepted a Boeing 747 jetliner from Qatar.

The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said at the time.
The Defense Commissary Agency is seeking input on the potential privatization of 178 commissary locations across the contiguous United States and Puerto Rico. (Defense Commissary Agency)



The Defense Commissary Agency has extended the deadline for the commercial grocery industry to weigh in on the possible privatization of 178 stores that provide discounted groceries to military families in the U.S.

The new deadline is Nov. 5, the agency said in a Friday news release. The request focuses on commissaries in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

The purpose of this [request for information] is to determine whether commercial grocery operators and investment firms are both interested in and capable of assuming commissary operations, with no government subsidy or with a materially reduced subsidy, while preserving the critical military benefit of a 23.7% average savings for authorized patrons, the agency said in its initial statement last month.

It based its decision to seek privatization on an April memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that called on Defense Department components to review organizational structure to increase efficiency and optimize the civilian workforce. It also called for retail and recreation functions to be prioritized for privatization  something that has long been debated for commissaries.

The request seeks to understand if commercial grocers would be able to meet the Defense Department policy that commissary shoppers save 23.7% as a benefit to military service with little to no help from the federal government.

The Defense Commissary Agency said it operates 235 stores in 13 countries and two U.S. territories with shopping privileges available to roughly 8.35 million households. Of those, about 1.8 million shop at least monthly.

Contributing: Stars and Stripes reporter Rose L. Thayer
Rescue teams had to wait until all the detonations had ended to access the facility

An explosion at a military ammunition manufacturing plant in Hickman County, Tennessee, left several people dead and missing on Friday, local authorities confirmed. We do have several people at this time unaccounted for. We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a press conference. We do have some that are deceased.

At least 13 people are missing, Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates told ABC News.

The explosion occurred early Friday morning at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility in Hickman County, about 50 miles from Nashville. The company, founded in 1980, explains on its website that it manufactures and tests explosives at an eight-building facility spread across wooded hills near Bucksnort, southwest of Nashville. We specialize in the development, manufacture, handling, and storage of a diverse array of energetic products and explosives for military, aerospace, and commercial demolition markets, it explains.

The explosion occurred in the morning. After the initial blast, there were several subsequent explosions, which delayed the arrival of rescue teams. Emergency crews were unable to access the plant due to the successive detonations, according to David Stewart, an emergency medical technician in Hickman County.

Weve got a very big investigation, Sheriff Davis said. This is not going to be something that were going to be  like a car wreck or something like that  that we are just going to clean up the debris and leave. Davis explained to reporters that there is still much work to be done before drawing conclusions about the cause of the explosion.

Some of the residents who live near the factory say they felt the impact of the explosion, which sent shockwaves at a distance of several miles. I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it, Gentry Stover told the Associated Press. I live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that, he added.

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Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut helped to lead a group of Democratic lawmakers on the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees that accused the Department of Veterans Affairs of ignoring their requests for assistance on behalf of veterans and their families during the federal government shutdown. Blumenthal, along with Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., sent the letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)



WASHINGTON  Democratic lawmakers on the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees accused Department of Veterans Affairs leaders of weaponizing the federal government shutdown by ignoring their requests to assist veterans and their families in their districts.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, and Rep. Mark Takano, of California  the top Democrats on their respective committees  are leading a group of lawmakers who in an Oct. 7 letter accused VA Secretary Doug Collins and other VA leaders of artificially ending communications with Congress, even though constituent services remain fully funded under multiyear appropriations bills.

The federal shutdown entered its 10th day Friday after the Senate for the seventh time rejected a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government through Nov. 21. The Senate adjourned early Friday and will not return until Tuesday after observing Columbus Day, a federal holiday.

More than 650,000 federal employees are furloughed, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Furloughs are mandated leaves of absence that are the result of budget problems or other operational needs.

VAs Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs is refusing to initiate or respond to congressional casework, Takano said Friday. This is a concerning departure from past precedent. During previous shutdowns, VA continued to respond to casework inquiries.

Takano said there is carryover funding that enables the VA to respond to lawmakers requests to assist their constituents. This administration has deliberately chosen to refuse to process veteran casework. Republicans are once again treating veterans as political pawns, Takano said.

Takano also accused VA leadership of continuing to communicate with the Republican majority staff on the House Veterans Affairs Committee while ceasing communications with the Democratic minority staff.

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., who is chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he believes Collins and other VA leaders are trying to do everything they possibly can with the money that we actually provided for them through advance [appropriations] for our veterans.

But Bost also blamed Democrats for the shutdown that began Oct. 1 over partisan differences about federal spending levels, foreign aid rescissions and health insurance subsidies.

The Democrat shutdown has caused pain and uncertainty for veterans, service members and their families across the country. Ranking Member Takano and Ranking Member Blumenthal are correct that VA cannot deliver certain services to veterans due to the Democrat shutdown, Bost said Friday. As chairman, I am concerned about this as well, which is exactly why their party should stop holding the vitally important VA services veterans and their families rely on hostage and vote to reopen the government. Enough is enough  its time for Democrats to stop playing politics with the American peoples lives.

More than 14,000 VA employees are furloughed, representing just 3% of a workforce that tops 460,000.

Blumenthal and Takano also accused the VA of sending politically charged messages to veterans about the continuation of their benefits in the shutdown that blamed Democrats in the Senate for blocking legislation to keep the government open. They said VA leaders had violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits certain political activities of government employees, including those in the executive branch. The laws goal is to keep federal programs nonpartisan.

In the Oct. 7 letter to Collins, Democratic lawmakers wrote that veterans and their families from their districts who are turning to their offices for help  sometimes as a last resort  are encountering more delays because the lawmakers queries to the VA are ignored.

We write to urge you to reverse your weaponization of the current lapse in appropriations and restore vital congressional communications to ensure our veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve, which are covered by multi-year appropriations and should not be affected by the current shutdown, the Democratic lawmakers wrote.

The department must dedicate sufficient staff and resources necessary to accomplish the task of responding in a timely manner to ALL constituent casework requests initiated by Congress, according to the letter.

VAs Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs  which is responsible for responding to lawmakers queries  has available funding unrelated to the shutdown to continue operations, they wrote.

But the office refuses to initiate, dispatch, or respond to congressional inquiries on behalf of our veteran constituents, according to the letter.

We take [their] concerns or their specific cases directly to VA and advocate on their behalf. Thus, any delay in responding to this outreach or dispatching their cases will cause harm to the veterans we serve, they wrote.

Because of the Democrats government shutdown, VA has suspended all congressional relations activities except for those involving patient safety or immediate care needs. Once the Democrats shutdown ends, these services will resume, VA Secretary Peter Kasperowicz said in a statement Tuesday.

The letter from Blumenthal and Takano was signed by several members of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees.

They are: Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii; Sen. Angus King, I-Maine; Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif.; Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill.; Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla.; Rep. Herb Conaway, D-N.J.; Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore.; Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y.; Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn.; and Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.
An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the newly harvested corn at Han Fengxiang's cooperative in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang checks an agricultural machine in the field in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025.

Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang (R) chats with farmers in the field in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang (L) chats with a farmer in the field in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang checks agricultural machinery at her cooperative's warehouse in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang calculates the salary of the farmers at her cooperative in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang checks the growth of corn in the corn field in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang promotes the agricultural products of her cooperative through live streaming in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang dries the freshly harvested soybeans at her cooperative in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang checks the growth of corn in the corn field in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

Han Fengxiang explains the smart agriculture system to farmers at her cooperative in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 9, 2025. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)

An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the harvesting corn fields in Lishu County, northeast China's Jilin Province. Han Fengxiang, 43, returned to her hometown in Jilin's Lishu County to run a cooperative in 2010. Instead of relying on traditional farming methods, Han carried out mechanized farming leveraging large-scale agricultural machinery to enhance the grain output. With years of operation, the cooperative currently boasts 76 sets of large agricultural machinery and manages 1,000 hectares of land with mechanized cultivation.

Now, Han Fengxiang has led the cooperative to actively explore new management models. Through live streaming and other means, they have developed a model of "planting, breeding, processing and sales", injecting new vitality into rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), delivers a speech at a grand commemorative meeting to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Oct. 9, 2025. The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

PYONGYANG, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting at the May Day Stadium to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, delivered a speech at the event, which was attended by delegations from foreign parties and governments.

In his speech, Kim reviewed the history of the party's formation and its leading role in the country's revolution.

He said that by successfully leading social transformation of different stages under the banner of the Juche idea, the WPK has built a genuine people's country, a powerful country that comprehensively embodies socialist ideas and ideals, while also making a significant contribution to advancing the international cause of independence and justice, Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

He noted that the WPK has persevered under the banner of independence and socialism despite adversities and that the DPRK's international prestige as a faithful member of the socialist forces and a bulwark for independence and justice continues to grow.

Kim added that he will work with the DPRK people to transform the country into a more affluent and beautiful socialist nation.

The speech was followed by a grand mass gymnastics and artistic performance on Thursday evening, said the report. 

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), delivers a speech at a grand commemorative meeting to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Oct. 9, 2025.

The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attends a grand commemorative meeting to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Oct. 9, 2025.

The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attends a grand commemorative meeting to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Oct. 9, 2025.

The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows people cheering during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows a scene during an event to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK on Thursday held a grand commemorative meeting here to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
This town in Granada is going to have the biggest interurban zip wire in Europe.

C. L. Friday, 10 October 2025, 18:11 Share

Lanjaron in Granada province's Alpujarra area is one step closer to becoming a European benchmark for active tourism. At the meeting held on Wednesday 9 October with the provincial Diputacion de Granada, the Alpujarra town hall received final confirmation of the allocation of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funds for sustainable urban development, which will allow the project for the longest interurban zip-wire bridge in Europe, connecting the Camino del Tajo Colorado with the town centre.

It will be integrated within the Senda del Tajo Colorado, reinforcing the tourist attraction of Lanjaron and its commitment to a model of sustainable development, linked to nature, sport and innovation.

In total, the Diputacion will allocate 52.7 million euros for 71 initiatives in 84 municipalities, of which 44.8 million will come from the ERDF and 7.9 million will be assumed by the Diputacion itself. In the case of the Alpujarra area, the total investment amounts to just over seven million euros.

The mayor of Lanjaron, Eric Escobedo, welcomed the news highlighting the importance of the project. "Once again, Lanjaron is in luck. This morning, at the meeting held with the Diputacion and thanks to the European Funds, we have obtained the grant for the construction of the zip wire that will connect the Camino del Tajo Colorado with our town. We are very proud to achieve this objective once again".

Three panoramic viewpoints

Following the acquisition of the land, which is now municipal property - announced by the town hall last September - the project continues to progress according to plan. The tender for the project will be published shortly and completion is scheduled for June 2026.

The Camino del Tajo Colorado project is part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan Lanjaron Pueblo del Agua: Ecotourism in the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, financed with European funds Next Generation EU with an investment of 2.5 million euros. This plan includes a total of 23 projects aimed at consolidating Lanjaron as a reference tourist destination in the region.

The Tajo Colorado Trail will include a one-kilometre-long pedestrian path, another path of more than 500 metres, a via ferrata climbing route of more than 600 metres and the future 800 metre long double zip-wire bridge, which will allow the descent from the Tajo Colorado to the vicinity of the medieval castle of Lanjaron. In addition, the route will have three panoramic viewpoints that will offer unique views of the natural environment.
J. L. Piedra Seville Friday, 10 October 2025, 11:44 Share

The Junta's regional government president Juanma Moreno has announced an investment of 160 million euros to boost the logistics network in Andalucia through to 2030.

Moreno stressed that the objective of this investment to develop logistics centres and communication hubs for global transportation routes will contribute to economic development, job creation and the overall economic well-being of the region.

This is what the president of the regional government said during his visit to Amazon's distribution centre in the Seville town of Dos Hermanas on the fifth anniversary of its opening, a facility where 2,000 employees work.

Moreno praised Amazon's presence in Andalucia with this centre and "the contribution of one of the giants of world trade to the technological, sustainable and logistical awakening of southern Europe, in which Andalucia aims to be a market leader as a major hub," he stated.

He also highlighted "the growing importance that the region has been demonstrating in the logistics and trade spheres thanks to the constant activity registered in recent years by its 11 hubs, including its seven ports".

Moreno also pointed out the strategic location of Andalucia for major global trade routes, which is increasingly valued by major brands and companies around the world, such that "we have a central position on the global maritime arena".

Logistics nowadays plays a significant role in the Andalusian economy, contributing 6% of regional GDP (gross domestic product), with more than 64,000 companies and 125,000 direct jobs, according to data from the Junta de Andalucia.

Logistics development is largely driven by port traffic absorbed by the 11 ports across the region, including Algeciras, one of the most important in Europe. Consequently, 25% of the national traffic registered in Spanish ports bears the seal of having come via Andalucia.
A.T Huelva Friday, 10 October 2025, 14:39 Share

In the province of Huelva, between hills and reddish valleys, lies the Riotinto mine. At first glance, it may seem a strange landscape: the soil has a deep coppery hue and the Tinto river flows through the area with its red waters, tinged by the minerals it carries. It is not just the colour that makes it interesting, however: metals have been mined there for more than 5,000 years, making it the oldest active mine in the world. Today, Riotinto combines mining activities with tourism and industrial heritage, receiving more than 100,000 visitors every year.

Centuries of history

The extraction of minerals at Riotinto began long before there were historical records. Tartessos and phoenicians were already extracting copper from these lands. With the Romans, mining intensified and became a strategic resource. But it was in the 19th century that the area really changed, as British companies introduced modern machinery, open-cast mines and railways to transport the minerals to the port of Huelva. Industrial exploitation completely transformed the landscape and the life of the nearby villages, many of which came into being thanks to mining activities.

Today, Riotinto not only preserves historical remains, but continues operating as a copper mine at full capacity. Atalaya Mining extracts more than 50,000 tonnes per year, combining modern industrial activity with heritage preservation.

Riotinto as a tourist destination

The Riotinto mining park takes visitors on a trip through the history of mining and this unique landscape. The 90-minute Riotinto Experience tour them from the mining museum to the Atalaya Mining facilities in a special vehicle. During the visit, you can see the machinery in action, learn about copper extraction and understand how modern mining can be done in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

The tour includes stops at several highlights:

The Cerro Colorado open-pit mine that impresses with its size;

The processing plant, where the extracted copper is transformed;

The San Dionisio hill, which is the highest point of the park, with the Santa Barbara cross and panoramic views of the whole area.

What to see in the mining park

In addition to the Riotinto Experience, the park offers other points of interest:

Mining museum: tools, documents and machinery that tell the story of mining in Riotinto from ancient times to the present day;

Casa 21 in Bellavista: a former British-era dwelling, showing the cultural and industrial influence of mining;

Tourist railway: a train that travels along the old roads where the mineral was transported;

Corta Atalaya: another emblematic open-pit mine;

Pena de Hierro: an underground mine 250 metres deep where you can walk through galleries and learn how the miners worked;

'Mars on Earth' circuit: a route through the reddest and most spectacular landscapes, ideal for geology enthusiasts or for those looking to take photos.

Each visitor can choose the experience that best suits their time and interests, from short three-hour tours to full six-hour days in which you can visit all the spots.

Heritage and responsible tourism

The mining park aims not only to attract visitors but also to preserve and enhance mining history. The Rio Tinto foundation and the Mineria y Vida foundation have signed an agreement to promote geomining tourism and the recovery of industrial heritage. This includes educational activities, events and collaboration with other institutions to ensure that tourism and the mining industry coexist in a sustainable manner.

The Riotinto mining basin is an example of how an industrial area can reinvent itself and become a cultural and economic driving force. To visit Riotinto is not just to see a mine: it is to travel through a unique landscape and through the history of mining in Spain. The park surprises visitors just by simply offering a walk on top of its red ground and surrounded by history.
Juan Soto Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 10:32 | Updated 17:03h. Share

Malaga has entered the culinary Olympus thanks to two local chefs who are thriving both inside and outside the province. Chefs Dani Garcia and Benito Gomez, owners of Smoked Room (Madrid) and Bardal (Ronda), have been recognised at The Best Chef Awards, which honour excellence and creativity in the world of gastronomy.

Malaga-born chef Dani Garcia, whose restaurant holds two Michelin stars, received two knives in the guide, signifying his high-class cuisine. Meanwhile, Benito Gomez from Ronda, also a two-Michelin-starred chef, received one knife, indicating that his cooking is excellent.

The award recognises chefs who set trends in global gastronomy, with honours structured around a knife system ranging from one to three, depending on the maximum score achieved. In this edition, 126 chefs worldwide received the highest distinction of three knives, 236 earned two, and 421 received one.

After receiving the award, Benito Gomez, born in Catalonia but adopted by Malaga, stated that "this award is not only a personal recognition, but also for the whole team and our constant effort to give value to what we do".

Pushing boundaries

Meanwhile, Dani Garcia's team noted that this recognition "allows us to continue pushing boundaries as part of The Best Chef Awards list, as global references in gastronomy".

This year's publication features 56 Spanish chefs, including Andalusians Angel Leon of Aponiente (Cadiz), Juanlu Fernandez of Lu Cocina y Alma (Jerez de la Frontera), Paco Morales and Paola Gualandi of Noor (Cordoba), and Pedro Sanchez of Baga (Jaen).

In this year's edition, and for the second consecutive time, Danish chef Rasmus Munk of Alchemist (Copenhagen) was chosen as the world's best chef, followed by Slovenian Ana Ros (Hisa Franko) and Indian Himanshu Saini (Tresind Studio, Dubai).
Tony Bryant Seville Friday, 10 October 2025, 11:25 Share

Seville is featured in countless operas, some of which have become universally recognised and have carried the city's name way beyond its borders thanks to composers such as Georges Bizet. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Bizet's Carmen, which took place in Paris on 3 March 1875. Based on the novel written 30 years earlier by Prosper Merimee, the French composer gave rise to one of the most popular myths of Seville, that of the beautiful Gypsy cigarette girl who became the most brazen female character in 19th-century opera.

Although not at first well received due to its controversial main characters, Bizet's adaptation of this classic tale has been widely celebrated for its brilliant melodies, rich harmonies and masterful orchestration, as well as for its powerful portrayal of the characters. This is quite an accomplishment considering that Bizet never actually set foot in Spain. Despite the strong Spanish influences in his musical adaptation of the story, the composer relied on books, music and cultural references gathered from his contemporaries.

Zoom

His opera is celebrated in Seville through the 'Carmen route,' which guides visitors through various locations featured in the story. These include the old tobacco factory (today part of Seville university), the former prison, the bullring and the monument to Carmen located on the banks of the Guadalquivir.

However, there are no streets or squares named after the composer himself in Seville, yet the city of Malaga has honoured him with Calle Georges Bizet. This tribute acknowledges a local tale from Malaga that inspired Merimee's original story.

Bizet died on 3 June 1875 after suffering a heart attack, so he was unaware that his Carmen would achieve international acclaim: it has since become one of the most popular and frequently performed operas.
Paco Grinan Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 11:28 Share

For decades the archives of different Spanish ministries and public bodies hid images of the Civil War, of suffering and hardship, buried during the dictatorship. With the arrival of democracy, all this graphic material was brought together in the National Library of Spain (BNE).

Among this material, 86 negatives were found that were attributed to the German photographers Hans Namuth and Georg Reisner, who had published images of different episodes of the conflict, such as the flight of civilians in Cerro Muriano (Cordoba) in September 1936. However it was later discovered that an unpublished set of images of the horror of the war, until then associated with the Cordoba photographs, were really taken at a later date. They were from February 1937, the time of the Desbanda, when thousands fled from Malaga to Almeria after Franco's troops entered the city.

"In the negatives there are many refugees, but on seeing them up close we realised that they were not the same as the ones from Cerro Muriano," said researcher Carlos Vega Hidalgo who, together with Laura Garcia Fernandez, is the author of a study based on the collection.

A simple visual examination of the old photos revealed differences: the refugees in September in Cordoba had short sleeves and light clothing, while the people in the new negatives wore coats and hats.

The black and white images portray the civilian population, women, the elderly and children, carried in arms or on shoulders.

A couple of images from the same collection hold the key to the mystery. "One negative shows a crossroads with a sign for Almeria, so many of these photos correspond to refugees from Malaga somewhere along the Andalusian coast," explained Vega Hidalgo.

Other photos confirm this: sailors on the battleship Jaime I and the cruiser Mendez Nunez, assigned to the Malaga-Almeria-Cartagena route in February 1937.

Reisner and Namuth became war reporters by chance. Both had left Germany in 1933, fleeing the rise of Hitler. They met in Paris, opened a photography studio in Mallorca in the summer of 1935 and in July the following year they arrived in Barcelona to cover the People's Olympiad for the French magazine Vu. But the event was never held; on the opening day gunfire replaced fireworks. The Civil War had broken out and the Germans did not hesitate to take to the streets with their cameras.

From Catalonia they travelled through Valencia, Extremadura and Andalucia in pursuit of the news and images of the war, even coinciding in the same places as better-known photographers such as Robert Capa and Gerda Taro. They also crossed paths in Valencia with the journalist and spy Arthur Koestler on his way to Malaga, a further clue that points to the presence of German reporters in the Desbanda.

The epilogue to this sad story was Hans and Georg's return to Paris to save their lives, unaware that the war and the Nazis from whom they had fled would eventually catch up with them. Both were arrested by the French authorities in 1939 for being German, regardless of their Jewish origin and anti-fascist militancy. Namuth enlisted in the Foreign Legion and later emigrated to the US where he became a popular photographer of artists and intellectuals. Reiner was arrested again in 1940 and, fearing he would be handed over to the Germans, took his own life in Les Milles concentration camp in France.
Pepe Viyuela, in the Picasso Museum, watched by a portrait of the painter, whom the actor brings to life at the Soho Theatre.

Paco Grinan Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 19:04 | Updated 19:32h. Share

Picasso has fulfilled his greatest wish: to return to Malaga. That yearning is one of the core themes in El Barbero de Picasso' which premiered on Thursday at the city's Teatro del Soho Caixabank.

The play stars Pepe Viyuela as Pablo Picasso, at a similar in age to his popular statue in Plaza de la Merced, and who had a profound friendship with his barber, Eugenio Arias, a friend, confidante, and both exiled in France. More than half a century later, Pepe Viyuela has become the iconic painter, and, before making his debut on the Calle Cordoba stage, visited his other self at the Museo Picasso Malaga (MPM). A reunion between Picasso and Picasso.

Pepe 'Picasso' Viyuela was received by the director of the museum, Miguel Lopez-Remiro, who told him that the performance and the visit could not have come at a better time, as we are in the middle of October, which is Picasso's 144th birthday anniversary and the 22nd anniversary of the museum's opening.

The visit was also attended by the barber, played by Antonio Molero, as well as Mar Calvo (playing Jacqueline Roque, the artist's last partner) and Jose Ramon Iglesias (in the role of another Spanish emigrant who, with his cynicism, annoys the Malagueno).

Zoom Jose Ramon Iglesias, Antonio Molero, Miguel Lopez-Remiro, Pepe Viyuela and Mar Calvo, during the visit. Marilu Baez

Pepe Viyuela and the rest of the cast explained to Lopez-Remiro that El Barbero de Picasso is on stage at the Soho theatre until Saturday 11 October. The show brings a lightness and a humour to the exile, offering an intimate and "friendly" interpretation of the painter. A work of "human archaeology", said Viyuela, who has recreated Picasso with the help of another Malaga native, Chiqui Carabante, stage director. The play aims to redefine the painter beyond his art, in which everyone venerated him.

"The difference is that Eugenio was his friend and didn't treat him like everyone else," Molero points out, to which Iglesias is quick to point out - as his own character in the play would do - "not everyone touches your head". Least of all Picasso's.

A fruitful visit

After the discussions, expert Carolina Montufo guided the Picasso troupe through the rooms of the MPM's permanent collection, starting with the emblematic oil painting Lola with a Doll (c. 1986), which reveals the artist's mastery over realism when he was still a teenager, to his final works in large-format - groundbreaking and revolutionary.

"If he hadn't experimented, he would have been just another artist," Molero said aloud, very interested in the work of the Malaga-born artist, whom he had visited at the Reina Sofia and other museums, but not in his native city. "We should have visited before starting play rehearsals," said an enthusiastic actor.

Zoom M.B.

Mar Calvo could not help but stop in front of the cubist piece Jacqueline Seated (1954), while the cast joked and told her, "hey, girl, you look great". Other pieces, such as the Bull's Head (1942), a sculpture made up of a bicycle saddle and handlebars, were also noted.

"This work was included in the play's text," said Molero, who asked Viyuela about the line in the script that referenced it: "Picasso said that he saw an animal, but if someone else looked at it, it would surely just be bicycle parts," answered the fictional Pablo.

Passing in front of Bronze Metamorphosis II (1928), the quartet of actors solemnly turned to the small sculpture until Jose Ramon Iglesias cracked a joke: "That's junk". Immediately, smiles appeared on the cast's faces. "That's what my character would say on stage," explains the actor, who adds that his role is another "comrade from the communist party in France who is a bit of an idiot because he doesn't understand Picasso's work and the Malagueno doesn't like him".

Zoom On the museum's terrace. Marilu Baez

With the talk and the tour, the guided expedition has reached its end, although the museum prepared a surprise for them. An area usually closed to the public was opened to them, the Mudejar tower of the Buenavista Palace, which is the headquarters of the MPM, and features a circular terrace, overlooking the city centre. From there they went on an unpublicised visit to the Alcazaba, the Cathedral, the Church of San Agustin, the penthouse of Antonio Banderas (another actor who has also embodied the Malaga painter) and lastly, an image that probably made the exiled Picasso unable to forget Malaga: the tower of the Church of Santiago where he was baptised and the Plaza de la Merced where his house remains. A reunion that 'Pablo' Viyuela experienced in Picasso's place.
Alekk M. Saanders Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 14:22 Share

On 12 October Spain celebrates its national holiday commonly known Dia de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Day). However, few people know that the word 'Hispanidad' refers to Hispania and rabbits.

Cuniculosa due to rabbits

When the Phoenicians arrived on the Iberian Peninsula, they named it itI-shephan-im - the land of rabbits. Later, this name evolved into the Greek Sphania until the Romans transformed it into Hispania, which eventually became Espana (Spain). It is not surprising that Spain was depicted as a matron with a rabbit at her feet on some Roman coins from the reign of Andalucia-born Emperor Hadrian. It is also interesting that the Latin poet Gaius Valerius Catullus called the Iberian Peninsula Cuniculosa (cuniculus: 'a rabbit' in Latin).

Most modern historians agree that rabbits originated on the Iberian Peninsula. Catalonia is believed to have been the epicentre of the spread of rabbits. Later, the animals 'colonised' the Balearic Islands. For example, one of the islands near Ibiza is called Conejera (Illa Conillera: rabbit island in Catalan).

It is reported that the incredible fertility of rabbits turned into a real disaster. The animals destroyed crops and undermined the ground and houses to make their burrows. Therefore, in order to get rid of the animals, the locals turned to the Romans for help, who sent troops from Africa with ferrets, natural predators of rabbits.

The wild rabbit of the UK originates from the Iberian Peninsula. Some say the rabbit was brought to the UK by the Romans, while others say it was the Normans. Both cases refer to the Iberian rabbit. Apparently, hunting enthusiasts brought Iberian rabbits to Great Britain at the very beginning of the 14th century. In 1859 Iberian rabbits were introduced to Australia.

Valuable meat

Rabbits were easily domesticated. Their breeding began in ancient times. In the Roman Empire, wild rabbits were often given shelter and cages in convents. However, centuries passed before rabbit was considered a truly valuable meat and technically advanced rabbit breeding appeared. Today, rabbits can be found in any butcher's shop in Spain. Even foreign supermarkets (such as Lidl) have rabbits in their meat department.

Many traditional Spanish dishes are prepared with rabbit. The famous paella, in its original Valencian recipe, is made with chicken and rabbit. Conejo en salmorejo (rabbit in marinade) is considered a signature dish of Canary cuisine. The rabbit meat is marinated, then fried and finally cooked in the marinade until done. Conejo en salsa estilo andaluz (rabbit in Andalusian sauce) is known throughout Andalucia, with different variations in preparation.

If you go to the forests of Andalucia, you are bound to encounter rabbits. This key species of Mediterranean forests is the basic prey of most predators and endangered species inhabiting these areas. Incidentally, rabbits are easily confused with hares, although rabbits are much smaller in size. They do not have white fur on their bellies like hares, and their ears are shorter and without black spots on the tips. Their tails are also different, with no black spots.

In the province of Malaga, wild rabbits mainly live in the north, in the Antequera and Ronda areas, especially near Fuente de Piedra and the Genil River. So observing rabbits or tasting them in local restaurants could be an alternative way to celebrate Hispanidad Day.
The finalists competing to become the gastronomic capital of Spain in 2026 are the town of Antequera in the north of Malaga province and the Andalusian city of Jerez de la Frontera, with the winner to be announced next Friday 17 October. Antequera is trying for the third time, having previously failed to beat Oviedo and Alicante in other years, so there is a lot of expectation that this will be a 'third time lucky' situation.

The mayor of Antequera, Manuel Baron, and deputy mayor in charge of tourism, Ana Cebrian, this week presented the dossier that was submitted to the technical committee for the Gastronomic Capital of Spain. This is the judging panel that will decide which of the two will be chosen for next year.

Whether or not Antequera succeeds, "it will be the last time" that Antequera bids for this accolade, since being "perpetually a contender is detrimental [to the town]". So they hope and trust that the jury will endorse the town's important gastronomic and tourism proposal this time around. For deputy mayor Cebrian, she presented the various points within the bid documentation, from the endorsements and supporting statement from Junta president Juanma Moreno to those from president of Malaga's provincial authority Francisco Salado.

Likewise, companies and other organisations are showing their support for a bid that would allow Antequera to hold a broad programme of activities throughout 2026, with food and drink as the main attraction. These events would range from healthy cooking sessions featuring local produce, activities related to Lent and Easter, fairs such as 'Antequera, Que Bien me Sabe' (Antequera tastes sooo good) or the Real Feria de Agosto with its national porra soup competition every August, to national events such as 'A Todo Queso' (all things cheese-related) or the gastro-sports festival 'Sport Gourmet'.

In addition, a media and tourism promotion plan has been drawn up to push Antequera's image as a top-level foodie destination, supported by its many designations of origin products, the quality of its products in general and its status as a World Heritage site, the only one among the competition.

The bid also "presents a proposal that is 100% Antequera, based on local products and dishes such as porra [a thick, chilled soup], mollete [a soft, flattish, breakfast bread roll], mantecados [a biscuit made from lard] and chivo a la pastoril [braised goat], without resorting to generic Andalusian or provincial recipes, but rather highlighting what makes us unique", said Cebrian. The verdict will be announced in all but a few days.
Europa Press Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 16:39 Share

The Malaga public prosecutor's office is requesting a two-year prison sentence for the promoter of a party announced in January 2025 in Torremolinos that denied access to homosexuals, considering that it is a hate crime and that with his "homophobic messages" he violated dignity for discriminatory reasons based on sexual orientation. Along with the prison sentence, the prosecutor is also requesting a fine.

This is stated in the document prepared by Fernando Benitez, deputy prosecutor of the hate crimes and anti-discrimination department of the Malaga public prosecutor's office. The promoter is also accused of another crime of insulting a public official in the exercise of their duties  due to his statements against the Mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita del Cid, who reported the incident.

The prosecutor reports in his initial conclusions, consulted by Europa Press, that this party was advertised through social media networks with an advert in which the "rules" specified: "no fights, drugs, flip-flops or homosexuals", including a contact number which, according to the investigation, is the defendant's. The ad was removed from the account, which remains active with 267 followers.

"A serious humiliation"

For the public prosecution, the terms used by the defendant in the event announcement - rejecting the widespread admission of homosexual people and equating homosexuality with fighting or drug use -constituted a serious humiliation that undermined the dignity of people belonging to the LGBT+ community, which led numerous associations to join this case.

According to the prosecutor, the promoter, of Moroccan nationality, was aware that his message was being shared on social media, meaning that from that moment he had no control over its dissemination, as its impact could multiply through successive sharing, thereby exponentially increasing the humiliation of the group of victims of his attacks, as indeed happened.

Likewise, the provisional document states that the mayor, faced with the clearly discriminatory nature of the festival regulations, also made a post on social media expressing her condemnation, rejecting all homophobic behaviour and stating her intention to do everything possible to prevent the event or any similar activity from taking place.

The party was not held due to the "firm opposition of Torremolinos town hall and the widespread reaction of public opinion"

In response, the accused sent a private message insulting the mayor and stating that the event was going to be moved to Malaga. In addition, a journalist from the newspaper Malaga Hoy contacted the accused by telephone and he again, according to the public prosecution, "insisted on his homophobic messages". In the end, the party was not held due to the "firm opposition of the Torremolinos town hall and the widespread reaction of public opinion".

For the prosecutor, it is a hate crime in the form of injury to dignity on discriminatory grounds of sexual orientation, another of insult to the authority in the exercise of its functions and a third of attempted denial of services.

For these reasons, it is requested that the defendant, who is in an irregular administrative situation in Spain, be sentenced, in addition to two years in prison, to disqualification from organising events for the same period. It also suggests a special disqualification from working in industry or commerce, as well as from holding an educational profession or trade, for a period of five years and nine months.
On October 9, at a press briefing held by the Anhui Provincial Government Information Office about the 15th Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival, reporters learned that the festivals opening ceremony will be held in Huangshan on November 15, and that, for the first time, a conference matching technology-enabled elements with culturaltourism development will be held. The 15th Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival is hosted by the Peoples Government of Anhui Province and jointly organized by the Anhui Provincial Party Committee Publicity Department, the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Huangshan Municipal Government. South Korea has been invited as the guest of honor. Representatives of sister-city governments, diplomats from multiple countries stationed in China, heads of international tourism organizations, major domestic and foreign tour operators and investors, and heads of culture and tourism departments from key domestic source markets will also gather in Huangshan. The festival will include eight events, among them the opening ceremony, an inbound tourism conference, the technology-enabled cultural-tourism development elements matchmaking conference, and a cultural-tourism industry-chain matchmaking conference. The inbound tourism conference will invite more than 300 international tourism organizations, agencies and tour operators, and will promote international routes such as the "World Heritage Tour" and the "Beautiful Anhui Health & Wellness Tour." The "One Million Inbound Visitors to Anhui" initiative will be officially launched to accelerate the construction of a world-class tourism destination. Notably, this is the first time Anhui is holding a cultural-tourism industry-chain matchmaking conference with "industry chain" as the theme. The conference has identified tourism performances, immersive experiences, cultural-tourism equipment, and cultural and creative industries as the main tracks for industry matchmaking, and has listed project operations as a key investment target. The information of high-quality investors and suppliers will be collected nationwide, and product supply-and-demand handbooks will be compiled and distributed to facilitate business matching for enterprises. Technology is a major highlight of this years festival. For the first time Anhui will host a conference specifically for matching technology-enabled elements with cultural-tourism development, showcasing a series of cutting-edge technological applications. New tech-enabled cultural-tourism products such as "AI tour guide devices" and "intelligent cultural relics inspection equipment" will be launched on site, and new "culture & tourism + technology + creativity" integration scenarios will be introduced, covering areas including low-altitude tourism, immersive tourism, and cultural relics monitoring and restoration. At the matchmaking conference, leading culture-and-tourism technology companies and relevant organizations from inside and outside the provincesuch as iFlytek, EASPEED Tech, and Zhejiang Dafengwill present product supply and demand and conduct project roadshows focused on the application and needs of technology in culture and tourism. The conference will publish the "Technology-Enabled Culture & Tourism  New Supply and New Demand Matchmaking Handbook," introduce 20 new business formats and scenarios combining culture & tourism, technology, and creativity, demonstrate applications of technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the metaverse in the cultural-tourism field, and release the list of Anhui Provinces 2025 cultural and tourism digital innovation practice cases.

Source: Hefei Evening News
PYONGYANG, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), held talks Thursday with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

To arrived in Pyongyang earlier Thursday for a visit on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK. He met with the top leader of the DPRK after attending a welcoming ceremony, according to the KCNA.

Kim warmly welcomed To, saying that the visit strengthens the friendship between the two parties and two peoples and adds significance to the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK, said the report.

Noting that he is impressed by the fact that the DPRK people have achieved eye-opening successes in the struggle for the comprehensive rejuvenation of the state through self-reliance and unity around the WPK headed by Kim, To expressed the will of the Vietnamese party, government and people to further consolidate the long-standing friendly relations with the DPRK's counterparts and advance them further, said the KCNA.

The two sides also exchanged views on actively promoting the cause of building socialism in the DPRK and Vietnam and expanding the cooperative relations between the two parties and the two peoples, as well as other issues of mutual concern, said the report. 
Rachel Haynes Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 11:26 | Updated 18:47h. Share

Alex Ellis has been British Ambassador to Spain now for just over a year and from his enthusiastic tone in this telephone interview it appears that the novelty has not yet worn off.

However, as he goes on to sum up his first 12 months in the job, this satisfaction appears more than justified.

"Firstly, it's a wonderful place to live; I'm no different to anyone else in really enjoying living in Spain for lots of different reasons," says the 58-year-old diplomat. That, however, is where the similarities with your average Brit in Spain end.

"Secondly, it has been a good year for trying to achieve our main aim," he explains, adding that this was none other than "to bring the political strategic relationship closer to the human and economic relationship" between the UK and Spain.

The agreement in June with the EU on the post-Brexit relationship with Gibraltar and Pedro Sanchez standing on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street with Keir Starmer last month are proof of the achievement.

Gibraltar There is a very strong desire, on the UK, the Spanish and the Gibraltar sides, to move as quickly as we can

The effects of Brexit are still piling up though, as British travellers to Spain will find out over the next few months with the new EES Entry/Exit System for non-EU nationals that is being gradually brought in at air and sea borders from this 12 October.

The ambassador stresses a message the British consulates have been repeating for months: "It's really important that every eligible British resident in Spain gets a TIE," he says, to be able to be recognised as resident by the new system.

Gibraltar

While some borders may potentially get more complicated, others are due to get simpler, or in fact disappear. The ambassador speaks of the Gibraltar agreement, which involves the removal of all checks and controls at the border, as one of the major achievements of the year. That much-published image of the four-way handshake between Lammy, Sefcovic, Albares and Picardo was in June. How much longer will we have to wait for this to be implemented?

"Behind every ministerial handshake is a vast amount of work. Now you've got to turn that agreement into legal text, then you've got to publish it, then you've got to sign it, then you've got to ratify it and ratification is done by the UK and the EU. And then you've got to implement it. This implies quite a significant change on the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain, where you would remove much of the infrastructure and you would have controls within the airport," explains the ambassador. "What there is, I think, is a very strong desire, on both the UK and the Spanish sides and also the Gibraltar side to get on with this and to move as quickly as we can."

So are we talking about weeks or months?

"I hope that the text, the legal text, will be completed in the coming weeks. But that requires publication, signature and ratification. Ratification is a standard procedure in the UK, which is 21 working days, if I remember rightly. It's maybe a bit longer in the EU. So it'll take a bit of time."

"This was a painstaking negotiation which lasted more than three years," he adds. "So people are really keen to get on with turning it into reality."

Politics Now we have a political relationship and a framework underneath it to guide our work

With the Gibraltar agreement signed in June, this paved the way for another of the ambassador's highlights of the year: the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer.

UK-Spain relations

"It's again a product of a lot of work by a lot of people," he explains. "It's been too long since the last proper meeting between the two prime ministers.

"If you look at the world we're in, what's going on with Russia, the rise of China, the different kind of administration in the US, I think countries like the UK and Spain have to get closer together.

"In a way we have this great human relationship. We have this great economic relationship. We're amongst the biggest investors in each other's countries. But we didn't have that political relationship. And so I'm very pleased we have that now and we also have a framework which sits underneath it to guide our work."

The UK, in effect, is resetting its relationship with Spain, indicates the ambassador, just as the UK-EU reset was launched in May this year.

Defence is also an area where the two countries are working together, the ambassador explains.

"We just had a Spanish frigate, which has been part of the carrier group that has been going out to the Indo-Pacific.

Costa del Sol You have very long-established communities and some amazing people

"We have the defence investment by [Spanish shipbuilders] Navantia in buying Harland & Wolff, the British shipyard, to help it deliver on its contract for building three new ships for the British navy. We've just had the head of our armed forces out in Spain," says Ellis, adding that he expects defence collaboration to "grow a lot more in the next few years".

Expat community

Being British ambassador to Spain has a side to it that not all diplomatic heads around the world have. Spain, especially areas like the Costa del Sol, has a huge, well-established British population. Does that make an ambassador's job easier?

"It makes it both easier and harder at the same time. It makes it more fun and more interesting.

"You have very long-established communities and some amazing people who we've tried to recognise, for example, through the awards that we give."

The ambassador lists some of the sources of information and help available to British residents in Spain: the Living in Spain website, which is part of gov.uk; Support in Spain; Age Concern; Adintre; the Royal British Legion...

"There are lots of Brits all around the world and I think more in Spain than any other European country," he says, flagging up the "excellent consulate in Malaga".

"And obviously, occasionally there's some folk who you probably don't want to have around, so we have excellent police cooperation as well and that stretches all over Spain," adds the ambassador.
Chus Heredia Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 18:33 | Updated 18:44h. Share

The EES (Entry/Exit System) is a security protocol designed to increase control of European borders. Put like that, it may seem like a distant issue, but it directly affects Malaga. Last year 5.7 million British visitors passed through the airport. They are not the only ones affected, but they are the biggest group required to comply with the new system, which includes biometric control of passengers and comes into operation in the EU from this Sunday, 12 October.

It is a significant change and has generated some uncertainty in the sector due to fears of queues and added hassle on arrival.

Malaga Airport, however, will not be implementing the EES for the time being. This Sunday, only Barajas Airport in Madrid will be starting partially. The system will come in around the country gradually and will coexist with manual stamping for six months. However, the deadline for its general implementation is in May.

The new Entry and Exit System (EES) replaces passport stamps with a digital and biometric record. Passengers from outside the European Union will have to scan their passport and register their biometric data (fingerprints and photo) as well as personal and travel data on their first entry into the EU after the system is implemented.

So why is the EES being brought in? To have more precise control over visitors' length of stay and to speed up border controls. People from outside the EU are only permitted to stay in the union for short periods of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The system will automatically monitor the length of stay, and exceeding the limit may result in fines or entry bans.

For EU officials, the EES will provide reliable real-time data, helping national authorities identify individuals who pose a threat to security, as well as cases of document and identity fraud. It will also help detect irregular migration by identifying individuals who overstay their permitted length of stay or those who attempt to enter any EU country irregularly.

Help available

Aena has just put out to tender the service to advise passengers on the use of the EES border registration self-service kiosks. The service will provide the necessary instructions, if required, to ensure that the processes at these points are carried out without affecting security, in compliance with current regulations and providing the service with the quality required.

All this must be done with the collaboration and guidance of the security forces. The contract for Malaga Airport is worth 363,000 euros. This service will be provided for three months, extendable for a further three months. The total investment in Spain for adaptation to the EES has been 83 million euros.
Europa Press Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 15:30 Share

The National Police have arrested a 50-year-old man who reportedly broke into a charity box inside the chapel of the Hermandad de la Piedad, located in the El Molinillo neighbourhood in Malaga. The detainee is also suspected of five thefts carried out in establishments, mostly bars and restaurants, in Malaga city centre.

The investigation was launched after the La Piedad brotherhood reported that someone had forced the alms box to steal from it. The investigators focused on identifying the offender by reviewing the footage recorded by security cameras in the area.

While they were working on that, they received several other reports concerning thefts in bars and restaurants. The suspect's physical appearance in all of the thefts coincided with that of the chapel perpetrator. It was discovered that the man would take advantage of employees' distraction to gain access to the cash register or any valuable items he could get.

Locating the suspect was a difficult task, given the security measures he took. However, the police set up a search operation in the areas most frequented by him and ultimately managed to arrest him.
Jose Antonio Sau Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 12:52 Share

The municipal urban planning department of Malaga city council has granted planning permission for the refurbishment and extension of Hospital Materno with the construction of a building for a proton therapy centre. The new facility will use one of the most advanced radiotherapies available for treating cancer. The latest development was the public tender for drafting the basic and execution projects in February 2024, which, judging by the granting of the permit, have now been completed.

Proton therapy allows "a more localised release of the applied radiation, which results in a better distribution of the dose and less radiation to the surrounding healthy tissue". This reduces late adverse effects on the organs and tissues surrounding the tumour, as well as the risk of subsequent development of other tumours, which is particularly relevant for children, as they have a longer life expectancy.

The proton equipment that Hospital Materno will receive is the IBA Proteus One, donated to Andalucia by the Amancio Ortega foundation. It will be mainly used to treat cancer in children and adolescents. The other equipment donated by the foundation will go to Hospital Militar in Seville.

As SUR revealed in November 2021, the project will involve an investment of more than 60 million euros, co-financed by the Amancio Ortega foundation (52 million euros) and the Andalusian regional government (10 million). The Junta has stated that, although the equipment will be located in Andalucia, patients from Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Ceuta and Melilla will also be referred to Malaga's proton therapy centre. In addition, patients from other EU countries will also have access to it.

The Materno Infantil stands out for its strategic location, as it will be internally connected through buildings belonging to Hospital Civil and Malaga's third hospital, which is yet to be built.

The new equipment requires the construction of a bunker. The proton therapy centre will be located on a plot of land outside Materno Infantil, next to the paediatric emergency room - specifically, at the northeastern end of the adjoining lot and also on top of the building on the basement level (floor -1) that is used for tomotherapy.

The building includes a large, three-storey-high bunker, "located at the level of floor -2, reaching the level of the ground floor and next to the new tomotherapy building". In addition to the bunker, other adjacent spaces such as waiting rooms, auxiliary service areas, offices, etc. will be fitted out, all of them located on floors -2, -1 and ground floor, but also extending over the tomotherapy building on floor -1, occupying the ground and first floors of this building. The centre will complement the oncology unit.

The proton therapy device is part of a donation of 280 million euros from the Amancio Ortega foundation to the Ministry of Health for the purchase of ten proton therapy devices, which will be distributed to the Basque Country (one in Vizcaya), Catalonia (two in Barcelona), Galicia (one in A Coruna), Andalucia (one in Seville and one in Malaga), Valencia (one in Valencia), Madrid (two in the capital) and the Canary Islands (one in Gran Canaria).

The contract for the drafting of these projects was put out to tender for 831,443.56 euros, although the details of the design, the specific investment, the construction schedule and the start dates are not known yet. However, estimates point to everything being completed within six months.
Eviction of members of the Mar Puro organisation, who had fenced off the area where they were living.

Jose Carlos Garcia Marbella Friday, 10 October 2025, 15:14 Share

Marbella town hall has finally managed to evict the squatters in the Puerto Rico natural park - the area where, previously, residents celebrated the traditional Dia de Toston chestnut festival on 1 November, although they haven't been able to do it recently due to the squatters. The 30,000-square-metre plot in Sierra Blanca was acquired by the town hall from Manzah Al Kaid Limited for 348,000 euros. The purchase was approved on 5 September 2023, but the eviction of the squatters only took place this October.

With the operation, the town hall puts an end to years of acquisitions and litigation in the court. The total surface area of the park, including the upper and the lower parts, of 390,000 square metres now belong to the town. The plan is to convert the 50,000-square-metre lower part into a periurban park.

In 2021, the town hall bought land for which Jesus Gil was indicted

The previous operation that the town hall had carried out in the area was in November 2021, when it purchased 50% of Puerto Rico Alto that was not municipally owned - land for which former mayor Jesus Gil had been investigated. Before Gil's arrival, the town hall had reached an agreement with the owners of the property - the Martinez Higuero and Arias Salgado families - to exchange it for land for development in the Nagueles area in order to build a municipal park.

This ended in August 1994 with the approval of an urban development operation that revoked the previous agreement and validated another one, which involved the exchange of two plots in La Pepina totalling 20 hectares, with a net buildable area of 6,200 square meters.

This urban development agreement was signed by Jesus Gil himself and led to his indictment following the criminal complaint filed by the Martinez Higuero family for fraud. The case was dismissed in 2004 after the former mayor died.

The reason for the dismissal is that, in parallel to the processing of the agreement, the town hall signed another agreement with the Arias Salgado family. The land reserved for the Martinez Higuero family did not correspond to the land they had acquired and the Arias Salgados quickly sold the plot to a company owned by Jose Maria Gonzalez de Caldas - bullfighting business owner, former president of Sevilla FC and a friend of Gil. The courts eventually ruled in favour of the family, recognising their 50% ownership of the estate, which was acquired by the town hall at the end of 2021.
Rachel Haynes Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 11:21 | Updated 11:31h. Share

The British ambassador to Spain, Alex Ellis, spoke to SUR in English this week about the coming into force of the EU's new Entry/Exit system for non-EU residents this coming Sunday, 12 October.

Sources from Malaga Airport confirmed that the recording of travel document data, fingerprints and captured facial images, among other information that will be required from non-EU passengers, would not be starting this weekend on the Costa del Sol, but would be rolled out gradually over the next few months.

Alex Ellis confirms this: "Essentially the entry into force is being staggered over six months. I think Madrid is first on Sunday and with only roughly 10 per cent of the passengers."

"The Spanish authorities have obviously been preparing for a while but they want to take it step by step," said the ambassador, describing two main issues: the sheer volume of passengers travelling between the two countries - 18.4 million visitors from UK to Spain last year - and "it's an IT system and that always takes a bit of work".

"There are an awful lot of airports and ports. I think Spain and the UK have more flights between each other than any other two countries so there's a lot to cover," said Ellis.

TIE cards for residents

The ambassador is keen to reiterate one of the current major concerns of the British consulates around Spain: "There are still a lot of residents who don't yet have a TIE [foreigners ID card] and that is important because having that is a proof of residency which enables you not to have to go through the same processes as a British passport holder who is not a resident in Spain."

Ellis clarified that while applying for a TIE was not compulsory for British residents previously holding an EU green document, they will need one to be recognised as resident in the EU by the EES system.

Not having this could lead to their data being entered in the system for non-residents and eventually being considered as an overstaying visitor.

Non-residents are only allowed to be in the EU for 90 out of 180 days, something the ambassador confirms is unlikely to change: "The first summit since the UK left the EU took place in May of this year and a few agreements were reached and more were launched but that is not one of the things envisaged. I think that your readers should work on the assumption that that 90-day rule will remain," said the ambassador.
EP Seville Friday, 10 October 2025, 13:22 Share

The Junta's regional ministry of tourism is launching this week a mechanism to prevent the registration of properties for tourist use (known as a VUT) in the Andalusian tourism registry (RTA) if they are located in municipalities where there are already planning restrictions. For the time being, the measure will be implemented in the cities of Cadiz, Malaga, Seville and El Puerto de Santa Maria, pending the addition of more municipalities with similar issues.

Among the limitations proposed, the system provides for the "suspension of registration of properties for tourist use for a specific period or maximum number of units per zone", the Junta specified in a recently published statement. The Junta added that this mechanism would mean that any 'responsible declaration' form submitted as part of the registration process would be rejected if any such urban planning breaches were present.

The mechanism allows for the automatic generation of a resolution to deny registration if the declaration submitted applies to a property in the aforementioned areas. This measure provides greater legal certainty for property owners going down the tourist rental route. If not denied at this early stage, they would be exposed to a process of cancellation of their tourist licence and possible liability. Furthermore, this makes some progress in reducing the administrative burden resulting from subsequent cancellation and sanctioning procedures for non-compliance.

For Arturo Bernal, regional minister for tourism, this measure demonstrates that Juanma Moreno's regional government continues to make progress in regulating, managing and controlling this phenomenon of tourist rentals that has grown so much in recent years across the whole region. "We are thus taking another step towards guaranteeing the excellence of Andalucia as a [tourist] destination with accommodation that complies with quality and legal standards, in line with our commitment to quality tourism that allows us to remain a benchmark region in tourism management," he stated.

Bernal also noted that the Junta has been working hand in hand with local councils to manage the control of these tourist properties, signing eight agreements to strengthen oversight and information exchange. Furthermore, over 20 more such agreements are currently being processed.
The price means that there are few fishmongers with coquinas. In the picture, one in the market of San Pedro Alcantara, in Marbella.

Jose Carlos Garcia Fuengirola Friday, 10 October 2025, 15:08 Share

The 'Nuevo Rafaela Manuel' boat enters the port of Fuengirola at 20 minutes to midday. On board is 61-year-old Salvador Lopez, who has 47 years of experience as a fisherman. He started with his father and now works alongside his son Mario - one of the only three or four young people who dedicate their time to fishing in this port. The crew of the 'Nuevo Rafaela Manuel' return with the day's work, but their catch is not from Fuengirola. Salvador and Mario come from Marbella.

"There's not as much as before, but a bit more than here," Salvador says. Three hours for the trip there and back to catch just eight kilos of coquina clams. If the conditions are great, they return with 40 or 60 kilos at most, while there used to be times when fishermen could catch 400 kilos, as Jose Manuel Escobedo from Escobedo Marisco Vivos says.

The average selling price in the fish market is over 22 euros per kilo this year 2025; these days it reaches 40 euros

The crew's efforts are only worth it because the selling price of the coquina is currently between 38 and 40 euros per kilo. It is a price that fluctuates throughout the year. The reason for this lies in the quota of 25,000 kilos of annual catches established for Malaga's ports. It's not a limit per port, but per province, meaning that what is landed at the markets of Estepona or Marbella affects those of La Caleta de Velez and Fuengirola, and vice versa.

For Malaga fishermen, the coquina clam is a product that comes and goes. Due to the quota, the shellfish farmers never know how many months they will be able to catch coquina throughout the year. This year they stopped in February and did not catch them again until July. Right now, they are just over 4,000 kilos short of the annual quota of 25,000.

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Price and demand

According to official sector data, the price this year stood at 22.85 euros per kilo, three times what it was in 2018 (11.37 euros) and a far cry from the 9.65 euros in 2015.

What keeps the price within these limits is the high demand. "A Malaga restaurant is not going to cheat its customers, it is going to serve local coquina whatever it costs," Escobedo says. Local business owners are ready to pay these prices, even though the annual price of coquina from Huelva is much lower: 7.43 euros and seven euros at this time of year. The cost in Malaga could result in a loss for the restaurant. "We make up for what we lose with the wine," said one restaurant owner.

"The coquina: it is what it is".

It seems that local fishermen have tried to make their peace with the situation, although this is their livelihood. The coquina clam, which lives only eight metres off the coast, seems to be going the same way as other shellfish species disappearing along the coast of Malaga. The Spanish institute of oceanography is still trying to determine the natural cause, which could also be attributed to a parasite.

If the price of Malaga's coquina clams were the same as that of those from Huelva, the two crew members of the 'Nuevo Rafaela Manuel' would never have thought of going all the way to Marbella to earn 56 euros and those eight kilos would never have made it to the fish market.

Even so, Salvador is pleased to have gone from catching sea bass and bream and other fish to shellfish. There is not much left for trammel net fishermen. Of the two boats in the port of Fuengirola, one has decided to stop, while the other continues but sells its catch in another port because, unlike coquina clams, the demand is different and, as Escobedo points out, "there are no buyers".

At the end of the day, in the fishing sector, as in any other, the law of supply and demand rules. Adam Smith (1723-1790), the father of classical economics, created the theory of the invisible hand to describe the ability of markets to regulate themselves. The problem is that there is another invisible hand along the coast of Malaga that is not as skilful. For the time being, however, Salvador and Mario will continue going out for clams, despite the three-hour journey ahead of them.
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The Spanish government has made a big show of not wanting to join the European arms race, as countries across the bloc look to bolster their defence capabilities - but the financial sector has no such compunction. In a bold move, Santander has hired the former head of the British army to lead its defence lending business.

Spain's biggest bank will be hoping that General Sir Patrick Sanders, who was Chief of the General Staff between 2022 and 2024, ensures that it invests wisely in an industry set to expand by 10% a year for the next decade.

Financial institutions often stay away from arms companies, wary of the reputational risks attached to such investments. In luring Sanders out of retirement, Santander seeks to reverse that trend.

According to Darren Jones, head of the banking giant's global operation, "supporting [the defence] sector is critical for the security of the region, and as one of Europe's largest banks, we recognise the important role we must play". Cynics such as myself, who believe that banks' sole motivation is profit, thus stand corrected.

There are still some restraints to be observed in the defence spending bonanza. According to its own policies, Santander cannot invest in landmines or ammunition that contains depleted uranium, and part of Sanders' new job will be to determine "whether goods may cause or exacerbate armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions in the final destination country".

Sanders, 59, has a master's degree in defence technology - but it's his four-decade career in the British army and bombastic stance on defence spending that make him a smart hire for Santander.

After training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, he served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, Sanders was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and in 2012 a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Recent claims by European leaders, Pedro Sanchez among them, that the EU needs a multinational ground force to combat Russian imperialism echoed Sanders' calls for a "citizen army" in the UK. In a speech given a few months before he stepped down as head of the British army, Sanders claimed that it would take a "whole-of-nation undertaking" to prepare for war, and that the UK's current army is not sufficient for the task. He has also been an outspoken critic of spending and personnel cuts within the British military.

Sanders' claims about the immediacy of the Russian threat to the UK might have been exaggerated. But his calls to increase defence spending come at a time when many EU leaders are concerned about the bloc's military capacity, especially after Donald Trump's withdrawal of support.

He's likely to have more influence over defence investment at Santander than he did as head of the British army.
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A collective "ooooh!" rises and falls like a butterfly as we pass within inches of the mountain rock immediately to our right and glide back to base. We're all lightly crammed into the bright yellow cable car which takes passengers up to Montserrat, the multi-peaked mountain range situated about 45km north-west of Barcelona. The official chap accompanying us - who, rather worryingly, opens the roof and fiddles about with a spanner before we set off - looks non-plussed.

He's seen it all before, many times. I, on the other hand, am quite taken with the melodic sound of the twenty-or-so Japanese tourists who are our companions for the trip and I wonder momentarily if each nation has a stereotypical reaction to coming so close to a mountain ledge at such a fair lick.

"Way to go!" and "Awesome!" would surely be the North American cries, possibly accompanied by a few unsolicited whoops for good measure, while the British would almost certainly plump for a classic raised eyebrow and popping a piece of untouched sponge cake back into their pocket. Germans might, I'd like to think, offer a hearty, if nervous, laugh while the Italians and the Spanish wouldn't notice anything happening at all because they'd still be talking in detail about what they'd just eaten for lunch. Meanwhile, teenagers of every nationality would simply shrug their shoulders and mutter the equivalent of 'whatever' in their mother tongue.

I was actually tempted to ask the man with the spanner what really happens in some or all of these cases but he looked like he'd got his mind on higher things - like the cheese and tomato sandwich his wife had made for him that morning, for example. Anyway, amid all the available options, I'm pleased that we were blessed with the Japanese butterfly sigh. It sounded quite delightful.

Montserrat itself is well worth a visit, although the boys' choral performance we were looking forward to attending at the monastery was cancelled because they were 'away singing elsewhere' according to the sign. In further bad luck news, the rack railway which takes you up to the very top of the mountain employing a pinion system for the steep inclines was closed for repair after some heavy rainfall. One can only imagine the heavenly sounds of the Japanese on that particular journey but they'll have to wait until next time.

Still, there are plenty of bracing walks to be undertaken and spectacular views to be witnessed. Sturdy shoes are a must.

Later, as we headed homewards in the car, I attempted to compute the enormity of moving amid mountain peaks that are more than fifty million years old but my eyes began to swivel in their sockets so I gave up, opting instead to tuck into the piece of untouched sponge cake I'd popped into my pocket earlier in the day.

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Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends and delivers a speech at a symposium on the centenary of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A symposium on the centenary of the Palace Museum was held in Beijing on Friday, gathering more than 100 officials, experts and scholars, as well as representatives in the cultural sector to discuss the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended and delivered a speech at the symposium.

Attendees agreed that the Palace Museum stands as a unique symbol of Chinese history and is an important emblem of Chinese civilization.

Established amid the sweeping social transformations of modern China, the Palace Museum has journeyed through a century, and it represents an enduring achievement in both China's cultural history and the cultural history of humanity, they said.

Attendees called for greater efforts to safeguard and pass down cultural heritage, explore its value further, and to share it more effectively with the world.

They also emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation, and of promoting deeper exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. 
Europa Press Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 16:18 Share

The National Police in Spain have dismantled a criminal network in the provinces of Alicante and Malaga allegedly dedicated to the misappropriation of high-end vehicles, causing financial damage exceeding 400,000 euros. The two detainees, aged 46 and 50, used car trading companies, presenting themselves as intermediaries for the sale of high-end vehicles. Once in their possession, these cars were transferred to third parties without the owner's knowledge and by falsifying the sale and purchase documents, the police said.

The facts investigated in Operation Iris Business II began following a complaint by the manager of a company in the city of Malaga engaged in the purchase and sale of vehicles. In this complaint, he reported that the manager of another company in the same sector, based in Alicante, had committed crimes of misappropriation, false documentation and fraud.

The complainant stated that he had rented a high-end vehicle to this man, which, once the contract had expired, had not been returned. Far from handing over the vehicle and paying the rental fee, the complainant received a call from a third party requesting the original documentation of the car, as they had purchased it from the accused man and needed to carry out the ownership transfer.

How the scheme operated

During the investigation, police officers found that the accused man had also appropriated a number of vehicles owned by the same company, even changing the ownership of some of them. These vehicles, after a contract had been signed between both parties, were handed over to the accused company so that they could be exhibited and sold on their premises to third parties.

After some time, the complainant became aware that several of them had been sold by the depositing company, so he waited to receive the agreed price for the sale of each vehicle.

A woman was also arrested for the same offences, acting as a front for the detainee

However, although the vehicles were sold to several private individuals and the buyers paid the price to the depository company, the company that owned the vehicles did not receive any money for the sale and purchase transactions.

Debts

After analysing the facts, the officers determined that the modus operandi of the main suspect was always the same: through his companies, he established the necessary contacts in the automobile trade, offering himself as an intermediary in the purchase and sale of high-end vehicles in exchange for a commission for their sale. Once he had these vehicles, acquired in various destinations, most of them were transferred to third parties without the knowledge of the owner and by falsifying the purchase-sale contracts. Once sold, he appropriated all the money paid for their sale, without providing any amount to their owner as established in the sales commission contract formalised between the two companies.

All this generated financial losses to third parties, buyers who ended up being swindled, losing their money and the vehicle, creating a network of victims around the same vehicle.

The main suspect was arrested for his participation in the offences of misappropriation, forgery and fraud. A woman was also arrested for the same offences, acting as a front for the detainee. Both were charged with eight crimes of misappropriation, 12 crimes of fraud and nine crimes of false documentation involving 20 high-end vehicles. The damage caused exceeds 400,000 euros.

The detainees, following police investigations, have been handed over to the investigating courts in Alicante city.
Alfonso Torices Madrid Friday, 10 October 2025, 15:47 Share

Spain's Ministry of Education is negotiating the introduction of a new law with education workers' unions which, if approved, will cut the maximum number of teaching hours per week from the next academic year. In addition, the proposal foresees the reduction of the number of pupils per class, which will take place at a gradual pace over the next three academic years. The full implementation of the new ratios would be completed in six years, in the 20231-32 school year.

The draft bill proposes reduction to 22 (from 25) pupils per class in primary schools and to 25 (from 30) in secondary schools. In addition, there is a proposal to reduce ratios in Bachillerato and Formacion Profesional (sixth form and vocational further training in the British education system), but no specific numbers have been indicated for now.

If the new law is approved, each student with special needs (intellectual, visual or hearing), autism or any behavioural disorders will count as two students in the classroom. The aim is to allow them to receive more personalised attention and to reduce the workload on teachers so that they can devote time to the necessary pedagogical and organisational adaptations. Currently, there some 290,000 pupils that will count as two.

Each region will be responsible for implementing the new regulations in educational centre. Authorities will be in charge of ensuring "a balanced distribution of students with special needs". In addition, the regional ministries will be obliged to provide "human and material resources necessary for the adequate attention to all students with special educational needs enrolled in ordinary classrooms".

The draft law under negotiation states that the royal decree to be drawn up within a year of the approval of this law will incorporate specific measures to improve schools with a high level of social complexity (poor families, high immigration), which are those most in need of small groups and educational support. Usually, higher levels of year repetition is registered in these schools. The Ministry of Education will collaborate with the national institute of statistics in order to assess which educational centres are more vulnerable and, therefore, where ratio reductions are more necessary. Most of these schools are within the public education system, as that is where 80% of pupils with special educational needs are enrolled.

The same law that will lower the ratios will establish the new maximum weekly teaching hours that teachers will have to teach from next year onwards. These are the effective hours of class, to which must be added those used for meetings, tutorials, corrections or preparation of teaching material and class preparation, in order to complete the monthly working day of teachers. As Pedro Sanchez has already announced, there will be a maximum of 23 hours in primary education and 18 hours in secondary education.

The same law that will reduce class sizes will also set the new maximum weekly teaching hours that teachers will have to give from next year onwards. These are the actual class hours, to which must be added the time teachers spend on meetings, tutoring, grading, preparing teaching materials and lesson planning to complete their monthly work schedule. As PM Pedro Sanchez already announced, the maximum will be 23 hours in primary schools and 18 hours in secondary schools and Bachillerato.

Gradual implementation

The draft law establishes a timeline for implementing all these measures. The new weekly teaching hour limits and the double-counting of students with special needs for class ratios would come into effect next school year. In the following year, 2027-28, the new ratios would begin to be applied gradually, starting with the first year of the second cycle of early childhood education and the first year of primary school. Within three years, in 2028-29, the new maximum ratios for secondary education would start to be applied gradually from the first year, and in 2029-30, the future ratios for Bachillerato would begin to be applied from the first year. All stages are expected to have the new ratios fully applied to all grades by 2031-32 at the latest.

Sanchez also announced a plan to grant free education for children from zero to three years of age to all children from families with incomes below the poverty line. The initial budget for this initiative will be 175 million euros for the first two years. In addition, the government plans to implement measures to reduce the bureaucratic burden on teachers.
Alfonso Torices Madrid Friday, 10 October 2025, 18:03 | Updated 18:10h. Share

Mental health concerns have been at the centre of the debate when it comes to the main health concerns of Spaniards. The combination of increasing visibility of the high incidence of emotional disorders, the great psychological impact caused by the pandemic and the pressure exerted by accelerated social change on the well-being of people has had a clear effect. According to an Ipsos poll, two out of three people in Spain consider mental health to be the number one health issue. Ipsos has compared the results of the poll in Spain to those of 29 other countries across the globe.

The study shows that 62% of Spaniards place personal concern about their mental health well ahead of other very serious health problems such as cancer, stress, obesity or smoking, which are the other four most common concerns in Spain.

What is striking is that, on a global level, Spain is 17% above the average for the rest of the countries in terms of emotional well-being concerns. In addition, Spain is second in Europe, just 1% behind Sweden. Almost four out of ten people who have taken part in the poll have said that they have suffered episodes of prolonged depression one or more times in the last year.

Not everyone is equally concerned, however. Among Spaniards, women are 13% more concerned than men and those in the 18-30 age group are also above the average. Both groups say that they think about the prevalence of mental health issues very often.

Stress is the third biggest health concern; in the last year, it has affected the daily lives of two out of three people

Concern about emotional well-being among Spaniards has skyrocketed in a very short time (the last five years) and the social upheaval unleashed by the pandemic has been a clear accelerator of public awareness. The perception of the huge problem it represents has doubled in just seven years. In 2018, only 23% of Spaniards considered it to be the main health problem, while the figure has now grown to 62%.

The third major health concern for people in Spain is stress, which often amplifies emotional discomfort. Just over a third of Spaniards (36%) consider it one of their main preoccupations, making Spain the third European country where stress is perceived as the most worrying disorder, behind France (38%) and the tie between Poland and Italy (37%). Since 2018, reports on stress concerns have grown by 11% in Spain.

An everyday problem

Some 61% of Spaniards indicate that they have felt so stressed in the past year that the disorder has had a direct and palpable impact on their daily lives. For half of them, stress reached such a level that they were unable to cope with their daily duties and activities. The most affected groups were, again, women and young adults.

Despite growing statistics, almost half of the people did nothing to find a solution or seek help. There is a tendency to turn to friends and family instead of seeking the help of a professional. Once again, women and young people are those who go to a mental health specialist in greater numbers. These are also the two groups that are more prone to accepting medication as means of support in their healing.
C. P. S. Madrid Friday, 10 October 2025, 09:42 Share

The level of basic skills (reading comprehension, mathematics and problem solving) of the working-age population as a whole (16 to 65 years) is lower in Spain than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average. The OECD is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and help to shape better policies for better lives.

In all three skills, Spain is in the bottom group of the five countries that have improved the least, along with the United States, Sweden, New Zealand and Slovakia. The gap between the skills of young Spaniards aged 25 to 34 and the OECD average is three times that of those aged 55 to 65. This is revealed in a report by the BBVA Foundation that analyses the progress made in education by generations and which was made public on Wednesday 8 October.

The increase in the gap can be attributed to the quality of training, measured as the skills acquired at the same level of educational attainment. In fact, for the same level of education, the 55-65 generation outperforms the OECD average in all three skills.

The most recent data from the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (Piaac-2023), a test similar to PISA but for basic skills in reading, mathematics and problem solving for the working-age population (16 to 65 years), allow a comparison of progress in skills across countries. Overall, Spain is below the average and occupies one of the bottom positions in all three areas: reading (with an index of 247 compared to the OECD average of 260), mathematics (250 and 263) and problem solving (241 and 251).

Reading literacy skills of the 25-34 age group are only 18.5 points higher than those of the older age group (55-65), compared to an OECD average improvement of 30.4 points between the two groups. In mathematics, skills have increased by 13.2 points between the two generations, below the average of 25.7 points and in problem solving, the difference of 17.4 points in Spain contrasts with the average of 29.7 points. In all three skills, Spain is among the five OECD countries that have improved their skills the least in recent decades.

Generational differences

Improvements in skills between generations in Spain have been increasingly weaker. In the case of mathematical skills, the 45-54 age group shows an improvement of 8.5 points compared to the 55-65 age group, but only 4.6 points between the 35-44 age group and the 45-54-year-olds and only 1.8 points between the 25-34 and the 35-44 age groups. The results are similar or even stronger for problem solving and reading skills.

The data also show a growing gap between Spain and the OECD average, with the skills gap widening among the younger generations. In the case of mathematics skills, the gap with respect to the OECD average is -6.3 points for the oldest group (those aged 55 to 65), but triples to -18.7 points for those aged 25 to 34. This pattern is also true for the other two skills.

Historically, in 1964 only 3.1% of the employed had university studies and 92% lacked secondary education, showing that the country has in fact followed a pattern similar to that of the OECD countries as a whole.

The positive effect generated by the increase in the number of people completing higher education (university and higher vocational education) has been limited by the negative effect of high early school leaving rates. In 2024, 52.6% of the population aged 25-34 had some form of further education qualification compared to an EU average of 44.2%. At the same time, 13% of 18-24 have not gone on to further education, compared to an EU average drop-out rate of 9.3%.

The data, according to the BBVA Foundation report, point to "the need to make additional efforts in education" and warn that the numerous educational reforms implemented since the 1980s, "all lacking in consensus", have not managed to reduce the gap with the rest of the OECD countries.

"The absence of an agreed, coherent and sustained education policy (unlike in other countries such as Finland) may have contributed to the poor results in the acquisition of basic skills," the analysis notes. In this sense, "it is worrying" that the difference in the quality effect with respect to the OECD average has grown over time.

The report points out that improvement "requires consensus and is a challenge for the entire education system". In this sense, it points out that "the improvement of quality depends fundamentally on elements of a more qualitative nature, such as the selection and training of teaching staff, school organisation and environment, student effort and the management and autonomy of educational centres".
Photo from the last alliance summit in the Hague, showing Sanchez standing a metre away from the rest of the leaders.

T. Nieva Madrid Friday, 10 October 2025, 10:06 Share

US President Donald Trump has suggested expelling Spain from Nato over disagreements on increased defence spending, after Pedro Sanchez's government refused to reach 5% of GDP. In August this year, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization announced that Spain would reach 2% of spending this year, which was the amount agreed in a 2014 deal.

Trump, it seems, does not let Spain off the hook so easily. "I requested that they pay 5%, not 2%, and most people thought that it was not gonna happen. And it happened virtually unanimously. We had one laggard: it was Spain," Trump said on Thursday during a meeting with Finland President Alexander Stubb.

He proceeded to say that the Spanish "have no excuse" not to increase defence spending and he attributed Spain's progress and economic well-being to "a lot of things" the US has done. For this reason, Trump believes that Spain should be kept accountable and explain why the government is "being a laggard". In the end, the US President said: "Maybe we should expel them from Nato."

'Calm' in Moncloa

However, shortly afterwards, Spanish government sources expressed their "calm" and defended the country's position. "Spain is a committed member of Nato. It fulfils its capability objectives as well as the US," the Moncloa told Europa Press.

However, the leader of the conservative party (PP) Alberto Nunez Feijoo reproached Pedro Sanchez for "not being a reliable leader". He then added that Spain "is a credible, proud and committed partner" that "does not have to pay" for the "frivolity and irresponsibility" of its prime minister.

Spain injected an extra 10.5 billion into defence in April to reach 2% of GDP for the first time

During the alliance summit in the Hague in June, Sanchez had already expressed Spain's position and reluctance to raise defence spending from 2% to 5% of GDP, as Trump had demanded that all Nato members do. The socialist (PSOE) government's position almost caused the summit to fail. In the end, it was agreed that the allies would eventually reach 5%, although they were given some flexibility in the timeframe to reach this goal.

In August, Nato announced that Spain's objective will be to reach 2% in 2025 - a target set by the alliance at the 2014 summit for the following decade. Thanks to an investment of 10.5 billion euros, announced in April, Spain will reach the 2% target for the first time this year.

Record investment

The document gathered data from the defence ministries of each allied country on current and projected spending, based on the payments made or to be made by the governments during the fiscal year to meet the needs of their armies or of Nato.

According to these estimates, Spain would reach 2% of GDP in military spending well before 2029, which was the date initially planned by the government. Sanchez has already confirmed that he would bring this date forward in order to fulfil the Nato commitment earlier - something that will be possible after the historic extra investment of 10.5 billion euros.

Minister of defence Margarita Robles confirmed Spain's commitment to fulfilling defence needs. She recalled the contribution of human resources to Nato missions (3,000 soldiers on the eastern flank to dissuade Russia) and the investments made in the security sector to combat phenomena such as forest fires.
Tony Bryant Antequera Friday, 10 October 2025, 09:47 | Updated 13:51h. Share

The Cambaya Records music club in Antequera is hosting a series of blues concerts performed by some of the region's most established musicians and bands. The initiative presents concerts on Saturdays throughout October, November and December, the next of which takes place on Saturday 11 October, when The Blue Stompers Jump Review takes to the stage of the popular venue, located on the La Azucarera industrial estate in Antequera.

The Blue Stompers need no introduction to lovers of boogie, swing and jump music, as the band have been performing at venues along the coast, and also on the European blues circuit, for almost ten years. Fronted by harmonica player Paul Stylianou, the band's repertoire is made up of classic blues hits and their own energetic compositions.

Another stalwart on the local blues scene, Lito Blues Band, bring their distinctive style to the venue on Saturday 18 October. The veteran Malaga group was founded by legendary guitarist Jose Fernandez 'Lito', one of the coast's most celebrated blues musicians whose career has spanned almost 40 years.

November concerts include Nacho and The Browns (1st), Kid Carlos Band (15th), Syrah Morrison (22nd) and Joaquin Bermudez (29th). Blues Band de Granada are scheduled for the 6 December, while Andy Cortes will close the cycle on 13 December

All concerts start at 7.30pm.

www.cambaya.com
Regina Sotorrio Malaga Friday, 10 October 2025, 13:53 Share

To start from scratch, we must return to the origin of everything, to nature and to the first art form. Having broken the relationship with realism and figuration, the true revolution lies in connecting with the earthy and the primitive. The Carmen Thyssen Museum in Malaga traces the roots of the Spanish avant-garde, what makes it unique, and finds it buried in the earth, in its materials and forms, and in the ancestral, in a language of signs hidden in the caves that will be the source of abstraction. The art gallery takes a new look at the creations of the last century, from the 1930s to the present day, in its temporary exhibition, inaugurated this Monday by Baroness Carmen Thyssen herself. "Being here is my joy, my happiness. We've been here for almost 15 years now and it's always beautiful," she stated.

The exhibition is entitled Teluricos y Primitivos. De la Escuela de Vallecas a Miquel Barcelo. It brings together a total of 64 works by 45 Spanish artists across all artistic forms, until 1 March. Miro, Picasso, Tapies, Manolo Miralles, Chillida, Saura, Benjamin Palencia, Alberto Sanchez, Maruja Mallo, Juana Frances and more. The exhibition is heterogeneous and not in chronological order, but it champions a clear discourse: to demonstrate that there is a common foundation in modern Spanish art immediately before and after the Spanish Civil War and up to the present day.

Earthy colours, the importance of material and drama are the hallmarks of modern Spanish art.

The earthy (telluric) and the primitive are in the DNA and fuel all the avant-garde experiences born in this country. They manifest themselves in a tendency towards earthy colours, drama and expressiveness which also has a long tradition in Spanish art, as Barbara Garcia, curator of the exhibition together with Alberto Gil, both from the museums conservation department, points out. This atavistic component is present in other European avant-garde movements, but in Spain it has become something persistent and recurrent.

The inspiration will be in wild art, primitivism, childrens art; also from a yearning to escape from the modern world, from a world in crisis, reflects Lourdes Moreno, director of the Carmen Thyssen.

A striking piece by Manolo Millares, El Homunculo (1959), opens the exhibitions tour as an introduction to this art form. Here, the artist uses torn burlap, a nod to the material used to wrap the Guanche mummies of his native Gran Canaria. For abstraction, he turns to an ancestral past, explains Moreno. This notion runs throughout the exhibition. Alongside this work, there is a space given over to the pioneers, the Vallecas School, a surrealist troupe of artists from the 1930s to which Benjamin Palencia, Alberto Sanchez and Nicolas de Lekuona belonged. Its the first Spanish art movement that was supposedly avant-garde, indigenous. And the great paradox it poses is to refound art with roots in the atavistic. There are references to cave art, an interest in geology and a first attempt at working with materials, notes Gil.

Earth enters the painting, quite literally, with volcanic soil in Cesar Manriques Pintura numero 100 and also with straw in a piece by Josep Guinovart. In the latter artists work, Paisaje con Paja, the telluric and primitive coexist with ancestral symbols on the canvas. Spanish abstraction, from the 1940s onwards, has been influenced by cave art, led by the members of the so-called Altamira School. After the Civil War, with many of the artists of the first avant-garde period in exile, those who had to refound Spanish art turned to the oldest reference point in art.

These schematic drawings are echoed by the two lithographs exhibited here by Picasso and several canvases by Manolo Millares. The painter from the Canary Islands shares the space with colleagues from the El Paso group, such as Juana Frances, Luis Feito, Manuel Rivera and, of course, Saura. All of them feature another defining characteristic of this period: the displacement of the human being from the focus. The artists expression and his relationship with the material take precedence. Painting with material is the great contribution of Spanish art to the international scene, declares the curator..

Joan Miros large oil painting on sandpaper, in which he embeds nails and a piece of wood from a mill he owned, certainly stands out in the room. Its a very earthy and primitive thing to resort to materials provided by ones own surroundings, say the curators. Directly opposite, Chillidas sculpture, Hierro, rises up in stylised form. Two essential names from the avant-garde give way to the apotheosis of material in the final part of the exhibition, with a striking painting by Miquel Barcelo with textures that protrude from the canvas: Calabazas. Joining him are Saura with Manda (one of his series of works portraying women), Tapies with Rectangles grisos and Gustavo Torner with Blanquisimo- con Chatarra.

Nearly 20 patrons of art have lent works of art to this temporary exhibition, which has benefited from the collaboration of Fundacion La Caixa and Soho Boutique Hotels. Along with the baroness and Lourdes Moreno, the presentation was attended by Malagas mayor, Francisco de la Torre, and other representatives from the sponsoring organisations, Malaga city council and key museum staff.
WASHINGTON/BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Argentina have finalized a 20 billion-U.S.-dollar currency swap framework aimed at stabilizing Argentina's financial markets amid a severe liquidity crunch, officials said Thursday.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the deal after four days of meetings in Washington with Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo and his delegation, attended also by IMF officials.

Bessent said Argentina faces "a moment of acute illiquidity," but noted that the international community, including the IMF, is united in supporting the country's "prudent fiscal strategy." He wrote on X, "To that end, today we directly purchased Argentine pesos."

He added that the U.S. Treasury has "finalized a 20 billion-dollar currency swap framework with Argentina's central bank" and is "prepared, immediately, to take whatever exceptional measures are warranted to provide stability to markets."

The package also includes U.S. intervention in Argentina's foreign exchange market through peso purchases.

Caputo welcomed the agreement, describing it as a step that "lays a solid foundation for shared economic goals."

In April, the IMF approved a new 20 billion-dollar loan program for Argentina to bolster its economic recovery. The latest U.S. support comes amid continued currency volatility and ahead of major debt payments due in January and July 2026, estimated by Argentine President Javier Milei at around 8.5 billion dollars. 
Syracuse, N.Y.  A woman who told a jury she acted in self-defense when fatally stabbing a Syracuse man has been found guilty of killing him but avoided a murder conviction.

Shandrika Kersey, 29, was found guilty Thursday of first-degree manslaughter but acquitted of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Markel Washington, 49.

Kersey now faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. If convicted of murder, she faced 25 years to life in prison.

Kersey never contested that she was the one who fatally stabbed Washington in the neck near a railroad bridge on the 900 block of South Clinton Street on Aug. 23, 2024.

She argued she acted in self-defense and had no intention of killing the man.

Her defense attorney, Donald Kelly, told the jury Kersey feared for her life and only stabbed the man once before jumping back and running away. He argued if she had an intention to kill Washington, she would have stabbed him repeatedly.

In a rare move, Kersey testified on her own behalf and cried as she detailed the events of the day.

She told the jury Washington confronted her as she was preparing to smoke synthetic marijuana because she had punched his girlfriend earlier that day.

She said Washington threatened her multiple times. She said she had seen him assault his girlfriend in the past, so she knew he was capable of violence.

She sobbed as she said she never meant to kill Washington. She stabbed him with a pen to try to gain control of the situation, she told the jury.

Prosecutor Rob Moran told the jury that just because Kersey cried, that does not mean she is telling the truth.

Moran told the jury to watch Kerseys body language in the grainy video that captured the homicide. She appears to step toward him and looks ready for a fight, he said.

Moran told the jury to watch the video closely. Washington is moving when she swings because he is turning away to leave, he said.

He pointed out that Kersey never said she was scared for her life. He said Washingtons threats were conditional and she was never in imminent danger.

The jury ruled that while Kerseys actions were not justified, there was not enough evidence to support she intended to kill Washington.
Canisteo, N.Y.  A Massachusetts man has been charged with kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old Steuben County girl after traveling to meet her, troopers said.

Troopers arrested Estefan D. Henriquez, 29, of Massachusetts on Wednesday, according to a news release from State Police.

Investigators determined Henriquez had engaged in sexually explicit online communications with the girl and had made arrangements to travel from Massachusetts to meet her, troopers said.

Police found out that Henriquez had previously met the girl in person and sent numerous explicit messages through a social media platform in the days before his arrest, according to troopers.

Around 2:58 a.m. Wednesday, police saw Henriquezs car arrive at a prearranged location in the village of Canisteo, where he was arrested, troopers said.

Henriquez was charged with:

Second-degree kidnapping (sexually motivated) (felony)

Second-degree rape, 2 counts (felony)

Second-degree attempted kidnapping (felony)

Second-degree attempted rape, 2 counts (felony)

Endangering the welfare of a child (misdemeanor)

Attempted endangering the welfare of a child (misdemeanor)

As of Thursday evening, Henriquez was being held in the Steuben County Jail.
Rome, N.Y. - State Police announced Friday that a Rome mans death five months ago is a homicide.

On May 10, at approximately 4:30 a.m., troopers responded to a possible assault at a home on Elmer Hill Road in the outer district of Rome, according to a news release from Trooper Jennifer Jiron.

Troopers found a 56-year-old man, who later died at Wynn Hospital, shortly after the incident.

The man was identified as Mark A. Capparelli.

Troopers said Friday that he had been shot.

Capparelli worked over the years as the owner of MC Home Improvements, at the First Presbyterian Church and most recently as manager of the Frontier Inn in Rome, according to his obituary.

An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed camping, fishing, snowmobiling, concerts, and fixing anything that needed repair, the obituary said.

State Police urge anyone with information related to this case to contact them at 315-366-6000.
Apple season has returned to Upstate New York, and so have the candy apples.

New York is the second-largest producer of apples in the nation. With more than 30,000,000 apples expected to fall from trees this season, there are an unlimited number of ways for us to enjoy them: in pies, cakes, pudding, ice cream, cider, pancakes and more.

And dont forget candy apples. Thousands will be sold across the region this fall.

So, whats your pleasure? A bright red sticky apple? A juicy one covered in caramel? Either way, theres no shortage of places to satisfy your sweet tooth this season. Here are 10 of the best spots to find candy apples in Upstate New York.

Interior of Krause's Homemade Candy Store on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 in Colonie, N.Y. Lori Van Buren | Albany Times Union via Getty Images Lori Van Buren | Albany Times Union via Getty Images

Just a little candy house with red awnings tucked into the sprawling, crazy traffic nest that is Albanys Central Avenue. Krauses has been turning out some historic caramel apples since they first opened in 1929 (now in the third generation of family candy makers).

For high-quality, elegant chocolate offerings, you just cant beat this Capital Region destination. Caramel apples come in three flavors: Chocolate-covered, caramel and caramel-covered with peanuts.

Address: 1609 Central Ave., Albany

Located just a few miles north of Albany, this destination offers an endless array of chocolate goodies perfect for every season. Go for the gusto and try their gigantic caramel-covered candy apple smothered in Reeses Pieces. Believe me, you only need one of these to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Address: 594 New Loudon Road, Latham

This venerable Triple Cities apple emporium does that extreme thing when it comes to their candy apples. Seven different flavors coat their fresh, hand-picked apples in a rainbow of colors and tastes. Try them all (you get a discount on a purchase of three or more): Cinnamon, caramel, raspberry, strawberry, grape, cherry and lime.

Address: 2 Nanticoke Ave., Endicott

In addition to making their own creations, the Speach Family Candy Shoppe in Syracuse stocks a wide variety of other bulk candy , Thurs. Nov. 19, 2015. David Lassman | syracuse.com David Lassman | syracuse.com

With so many varieties to choose from and so many new creative ways to dip and decorate a candy apple, sometimes you hunger to go back to the good old days. Those days are here at Speachs in Central New York.

This 100-year-old candy store sells a simple delight called the Carnival Candy Covered Apple. It is just how it sounds: A big juicy apple covered in a thin, tart, cherry-flavored shell that cracks when you bite into it. Just like at the county fair.

Address: 2400 Lodi Ave., Syracuse

Some of the best candy apples in the Adirondack region. This store, perfectly located across the road from Lake Georges Million Dollar Beach, has been making delicious candy apples for more than 50 years.

Address: 12 Beach Road, Lake George

Fly Creek Cider Mill in Fly Creek, N.Y. Oct. 2, 2025. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com

One of Upstate New Yorks most fabled autumn destinations. Located in tiny Fly Creek (just a line drive from downtown Cooperstown), it has been in operation since 1856 and was recently named the third-best cidery in the United States. Go for the candy apples, stay for the history of this fun place.

Address: 288 Goose St., Fly Creek

With several locations throughout the Hudson Valley, Adams Fairacre Farms makes large, creative candy and caramel apples. You can even watch a video on their website showing how they make these delicious autumn treats. Willie Wonka, eat your heart out!

Address: 1560 Ulster Ave., Kingston (and other Hudson Valley locations)

Apples are on display and ready for sale at Ontario Orchards in Oswego. Joe Blum | syracuse.com Joe Blum | syracuse.com

Since 1965, a family trip to Ontario Orchards during the fall season has become a generational tradition. Their large caramel-covered apples rolled in nuts are a must-try  and a bargain at around $5.

Address: 7735 Route 104, Oswego

Open year-round, this Pittsford staple shines in autumn. Located just outside of Rochester in a cute little suburb, they host family-friendly events. Pick up a pumpkin while you are here (they sell hundreds of them).

Address: 161 Marsh Road, Pittsford

Behling Orchards offers lots of family fun near Mexico, N.Y. Oct. 12, 2024. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com

Now more than 50 years old, there is so much to do here besides picking seasonal fruits. Check the website of this family-run orchard near Mexico, New York, for their full lineup of fall fun. Visit the Main Barn for a great array of candies and goodies, including mouth-watering candy and caramel-dipped apples.

Address: 114 Potter Road, Mexico
Indigenous Peoples Day has been recognized for decades in different forms and under a variety of names to celebrate Native Americans history and culture and to acknowledge the challenges they continue to face.

In 2021, President Joe Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day. He said in a statement that the day is meant to honor Americas first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. He last marked Indigenous Peoples Day in 2024.

President Donald Trump made clear in April that he would not follow his predecessors practice of recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day in October. He accused Democrats of denigrating the explorers legacy as he pressed his campaign to restore what he argues are traditional American icons.

On Thursday, Trump issued a proclamation for Columbus Day but not Indigenous Peoples Day. In his first term, Trump recognized National Native American Heritage Month, which takes place in November.

Native American people across the country will honor their centuries-long history of resilience with ceremonies, dances, rallies and more for Indigenous Peoples Day. We have partnered with the Indigenous-led news organization ICT to share many of these events with you here.

Is Indigenous Peoples Day a federal holiday?

Indigenous Peoples Day is typically observed on the second Monday in October, the same day as Columbus Day, a federal holiday established decades ago to recognize Columbus sighting in 1492 of what came to be known as the Americas.

Although Indigenous Peoples Day is not a federal holiday, 17 states  including Washington, South Dakota and Maine  as well as Washington, D.C., have holidays honoring Native Americans, according to the Pew Research Center. Many of these state holidays are paired with Columbus Day or replace it altogether. Dozens of cities and school systems also observe Indigenous Peoples Day.

Find your community: Events near you

ICT, formerly Indian Country Today, is keeping a running list of Indigenous Peoples Day events happening from coast to coast. See some highlights here, and go to ICTs website for a more comprehensive list, plus additional details on events happening in your cities and states.

EASTERN TIME

 GEORGIA: Bad River documentary screen and talkback, Atlanta. Monday.

 MARYLAND: Johns Hopkins annual powwow, Baltimore. Monday.

 MASSACHUSETTS: Indigenous Peoples Day Observance, Newburyport. Saturday.

 MICHIGAN: Indigenous Peoples Day 2025, Mt. Pleasant. Monday.

 NEW YORK: Indigenous Peoples Day NYC 2025, Randalls Island Park, New York. Sunday-Monday.

 NORTH CAROLINA: UNC Pembroke Indigenous Peoples Day, Pembroke. Monday.

 OHIO: Indigenous Peoples Day Convergence, Cincinnati. Friday-Monday.

 VIRGINIA: Richmond Indigenous Peoples Day, Richmond. Monday.

 WASHINGTON, DC: 33rd Annual Indigenous Peoples Day in DC, Meridian Hill Park. Monday.

___

CENTRAL TIME

 ILLINOIS: Indigenous Peoples Day Seed Collection, Mahomet. Monday.

 INDIANA: Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, Indianapolis. Monday.

 IOWA: Indigenous Iowans Day, Urbandale. Saturday.

 KANSAS: Indigenous Peoples Day, Bonner Springs. Monday.

 MINNESOTA: Indigenous Peoples Day Mankato, Mankato. Thursday-Friday, Monday.

 MISSOURI: Indigenous Peoples Celebration, St. Louis. Saturday-Monday.

 NORTH DAKOTA: Indigenous Peoples Day Gathering, Minot. Monday.

 OKLAHOMA: Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow, Lawton. Saturday.

 SOUTH DAKOTA: Indigenous Peoples Day Parade, Sioux Falls. Monday.

 TEXAS: Indigenous Peoples Day at the Texas State Fair, Dallas. Monday.

 WISCONSIN: Indigenous Peoples Day Ho-Chunk Nation, La Crosse. Monday.

___

MOUNTAIN TIME

 ARIZONA: Indigenous Peoples Day 2025: Everybody Dance, Phoenix. Monday.

 COLORADO: Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, Denver. Monday.

 MONTANA: Round Dance and Vendors Show, Billings. Saturday.

 NEW MEXICO: 3rd Annual Honoring Native Nations Powwow, Santa Fe. Monday.

 SOUTH DAKOTA: Remembering the Children Memorial Walk, Rapid City. Monday.

 UTAH: Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, Millcreek. Monday.

 WYOMING: Wind River Buffalo Bash, Kinnear. Monday.

___

PACIFIC TIME

 CALIFORNIA: Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow and Market, Berkeley. Saturday.

 OREGON: Indigenous Peoples Day Paddle, Portland. Sunday.

 WASHINGTON: Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, Seattle. Monday. ___

ALASKA TIME

 ALASKA: 42nd Annual Elders and Youth Conference, Anchorage. Sunday-Wednesday.
KIGALI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame Thursday called for equal and mutual partnerships between Africa and Europe which are not built on dependency.

Speaking during the second edition of the European Union's Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium, Kagame said that in the face of ongoing economic and political shifts, Europe and Africa can forge productive partnerships to deliver concrete transformation.

"Cooperation only works when it is built on the right foundation. We are here to discuss partnerships; however, the term seems to mean different things to people. For some, it is about giving instructions and setting conditions; for others, it means complying," he said.

"Africa's experience shows that this approach does not deliver the transformation that we need. A good partnership does not create dependency. It creates value," he added.

The Rwandan leader said in light of the changing global landscape, the answer lies not in retreating or turning inwards because today's economies and security are intertwined in ways that cannot be reversed.

"The challenge is to make this integration equitable so that the opportunities and the benefits of growth flow both ways," he said.

Kagame's remarks were a subtle criticism of unbalanced partnerships between Africa and the West, according to observers.

"If you want to work with Africa, a true and lasting partnership must be equal, with shared risk and reward," he said.

Kagame outlined Africa's priorities, including infrastructure, technology, and industries that can help the continent trade competitively.

"For Europe, the opportunity is equally evident: Africa offers a growing market, talent, and the natural resources essential for the green and digital transformation. Our interests are aligned, and this is the right time to turn them into sustained, mutual growth. This is precisely what the Global Gateway can make possible, if we remain consistent and pragmatic," he said.

The forum drew European and African leaders, business executives, and international partners to discuss ways to strengthen global connectivity, sustainable investment, and digital transformation. 
YouTube revealed that it is giving "second chances" to a handful of previously banned creators to apply under the new program and get the chance to create new accounts on the platform.

According to the company, they believe that some of the accounts they terminated are deserving of another shot to use the platform and distribute content.

YouTube's Second Chance for Banned Creators is Now Here

YouTube shared in its latest blog post that it is now giving second chances to select banned creators on the platform, which would give them new opportunities to join the community.

"We know many terminated creators deserve a second chance  YouTube has evolved and changed over the past 20 years, and we've had our share of second chances to get things right with our community too," said the company.

According to YouTube, the program will be rolling out in the next several weeks.

Apply to Create New Accounts

It is being emphasized that only select creators would be given a second chance via an option to request a new channel after logging into their YouTube Studio accounts on desktop.

As per TechCrunch's report, this latest program was created after Alphabet was subpoenaed by Rep. Jim Jordan, who is investigating whether the Biden administration "coerced or colluded" with platforms to censor speech.

Misinformation on YouTube Led to Bans

Misinformation has been a serious problem in the last few years that YouTube has been trying to address. The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the hotbeds for misinformation, with YouTube affecting a COVID-19 misinformation policy that led to banning videos and accounts that spread fake news about vaccines and more.

Another hot topic on the platform that faced significant waves of misinformation from certain creators was the two elections that took place in the United States, alongside other elections worldwide. YouTube was one of the social media platforms that adopted election misinformation policies, and this led to the banning of certain accounts that talked about right-wing propaganda and spread fake news.
Three U.S.-based physicists  John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis  have won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for groundbreaking experiments that showed quantum mechanics at work in electrical circuits large enough to be seen and measured.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on Tuesday, recognizing the trio for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.

Their pioneering work in the 1980s demonstrated that the bizarre principles of quantum mechanics  normally seen only in atoms and tiny particles  could also apply to larger, man-made systems under the right conditions.

Quantum Effects On A Human Scale

Quantum tunnelling is one of the strangest effects in physics: it allows particles to slip through barriers that, by classical logic, should stop them. Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis built a superconducting circuit  cooled to near absolute zero  where this quantum phenomenon could appear in measurable, man-made systems.

By using Josephson junctions  two superconductors separated by a thin insulator  they showed that electrical current could tunnel through the barrier, revealing unmistakably quantum behavior in a macroscopic system. Even more remarkably, the circuits also absorbed and released energy only in fixed amounts, or quanta, just as theory predicted.

It is wonderful to be able to celebrate the way that century-old quantum mechanics continually offers new surprises. It is also enormously useful, as quantum mechanics is the foundation of all digital technology, said Olle Eriksson, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, in a press statement.

Laying The Groundwork For The Quantum Future

The laureates pioneering experiments have paved the way for superconducting quantum circuits, which today form the backbone of efforts to build quantum computers, quantum sensors, and secure quantum communication systems.

Quantum computers use units called qubits that can exist in multiple states simultaneously  enabling them to process vast amounts of information and solve certain problems faster than classical computers.

Todays leading tech firms, including Google and IBM, use superconducting qubits  a direct descendant of the systems Clarke, Devoret, and Martinis helped invent  in the race to build the worlds first practical quantum computer.

Beyond computing, their discoveries also fuel the opportunities for developing the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors.

The surprise of my life

Speaking after the announcement, John Clarke, a British-born professor of the University of California, Berkeley, said he was completely stunned by the honor.

Of course it had never occurred to me in any way that this might be the basis of a Nobel Prize. To put it mildly, it was the surprise of my life, Clarke told the Nobel news conference over his telephone. One of the underlying reasons that cellphones work is because of all this work.

He also praised his co-winners, saying, Their contributions are just overwhelming.

Michel Devoret, a French-born professor at Yale University and Chief Scientist at Google Quantum AI, and John Martinis, formerly head of Googles Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, which in 2019 claimed to have achieved quantum supremacy, were equally surprised and delighted at being awarded the Nobel Prize.

Paving The Way For The Quantum Age

The trio will equally share the 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.17 million) prize. It will be presented by the King of Sweden at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobels death.

This years Nobel Prize marks a turning point  celebrating how quantum theory leaped from abstract science to real-world technology, shaping the foundation of todays and tomorrows computing revolution.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, watches military parades in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Oct. 10, 2025. Li Qiang attended the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Workers' Party of Korea, held on Thursday and Friday in Pyongyang. Li attended the celebration ceremony and watched grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances and military parades. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

PYONGYANG, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Workers' Party of Korea, held on Thursday and Friday in Pyongyang.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the celebration ceremony and watched grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances and military parades.

On the sidelines of the event, Li also talked with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam, Chairman of the United Russia party and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, and others. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the celebration ceremony and watches grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Oct. 9, 2025. Li Qiang attended the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Workers' Party of Korea, held on Thursday and Friday in Pyongyang. Li attended the celebration ceremony and watched grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances and military parades. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Press Release from Business Wire: Miyahthon



(AFP) Oct 09, 2025



RIYADH, Oct 9, 2025 (BSW) - The Saudi Water Authority is continuing to accept applications for participation in the second edition of the global hackathon "Miyahthon", which brings together innovators and entrepreneurs from Saudi Arabia and beyond to develop sustainable solutions for the future of water. Registration remains open until 11 October 2025.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251009024083/en/

Registration Continues for the Second Edition of "Miyahthon" to Advance Innovation in Water Sustainability (Photo: AETOSWire)



This edition builds on the success of the inaugural Miyahthon, which witnessed wide participation from both local and international innovators. It led to the development of groundbreaking projects, including the "Smart Ric" water treatment solution and "Hydraya", an artificial intelligence application. The winning projects were incubated in the business accelerators of the Saudi Water Innovation Center, enabling them to grow and transform into market-ready solutions.

Miyahthon aims to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the water sector through dedicated incubation and acceleration programs that empower innovators to transform their ideas into impactful, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable projects. The program also connects participants with global innovation platforms and investors to expand the reach of their work.

The current edition includes both virtual and in-person bootcamps designed to enhance participants' skills in diverse areas such as desalination, sustainable production, and artificial intelligence. These training workshops, led by local and international experts, will prepare participants for the final stages of the hackathon.

Miyahthon stands as one of the Kingdom's leading national initiatives, reflecting the Saudi Water Authority's commitment to strengthening national capabilities in innovation and technology, developing solutions that contribute to the sustainability of water resources, and consolidating Saudi Arabia's position as a global hub for water technologies.

For more details and registration, please visit the official platform: https://miyahthon.com/en/

*Source: AETOSWire







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Press Release from Business Wire: Ant International



(AFP) Oct 10, 2025



ABU DHABI, Oct 10, 2025 (BSW) - DANA and Ant International, together with Konservasi International, today unveiled the Ocean Buddyinitiative, an interactive in-app mini program to raise awareness and drive long-term public participation in marine conservation among DANA's 200 million users in Indonesia. The launch was announced at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251009459552/en/

From left to right: Ms Sabrina Peng, Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ant Group, Mr Vince Iswara, CEO & Co-Founder of DANA Indonesia, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder and Chair, Mission Blue, Mr Eric Jing, Chairman, Ant Group



Inspired by Ant Forest, a global pioneer for digitally-driven environmental advocacy, Ocean Buddy leverages gamification incentives and lively visual designs to enhance broad-based, long-term user participation in conservation efforts, specifically the protection of whale sharks along the southern coast of Java.

Innovation and Collaboration for Broad-Based Sustainability Action

Ocean Buddy underlines DANA's ESG focus on building climate resilience for its business and the wider Indonesian community through proactive analysis and responsible action. As the world's largest archipelagic state, Indonesia is home to the world's largest whale shark population, a plankton-feeding species critical to maintain global ecological balance. According to Konservasi Indonesia, whale shark populations across the Indo-Pacific have declined by up to 63 percent over the last 75 years due to stranding and other threats.

The project is also the latest collaborative project under Programme Sirius, Ant International's flagship programme where 13 global e-wallet leaders, including DANA, join hands to make sustainability inclusive and accessible through digital innovation.

Ant International launched its new Sustainability Framework in June 2025, with a focus on collaborative sustainability, inclusion and trust initiatives across its payment and fintech business pillars. In 2024, Programme Sirius launched AquaViva at COP29, a global programme focused on scaling marine conservation through open collaboration.

Vince Iswara, CEO & Co-Founder of DANA Indonesia, said, "Environmental issues are becoming increasingly urgent. Now is the time for the fintech industry to play an active role in bringing forward technology that supports sustainability. Through the Ocean Buddy initiative, we want to prove that technological innovation is not only an engine for economic growth; it is also a powerful gateway to popular participation in protecting our marine and land ecosystems, to a sustainable as well as prosperous future for generations to come."

Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ant International, said: "Ant International's mission is to build inclusive, sustainable growth through innovation and open collaboration. We are thrilled to support industry leaders like DANA to achieve sustainability and growth goals for the world's diverse communities. Through co-building innovative solutions and learning from each other, together we will be able to build a greener and more prosperous future from local to global."

"The presence of whale sharks is closely tied to the health of Indonesia's oceans. Konservasi Indonesia supports DANA through the Ocean Buddy program by sharing scientific knowledge while encouraging people to realize that simple actions can make a real contribution. With collective awareness and cross-sector collaboration, we believe that efforts to protect the oceans can become stronger and more sustainable," explained Tinton Galih Yudhianto, Director of Partnership and Communications at Konservasi Indonesia.

Through Ocean Buddy's cumulative-score ranking and an Impact Coins system, DANA users' everyday online activities are translated into offline conservation projects, including first response training for stranded marine mammals and the protection of whale shark habitats. All educational content under Ocean Buddy is verified by Konservasi Indonesia.

The partners plan to continue expanding Ocean Buddy's coverage and partnership circle, and evolve new features to drive nationwide conservation advocacy and action.

About DANA

DANA (PT Espay Debit Indonesia Koe) is a digital wallet-based technology financial company that provides payment platforms and financial services in Indonesia. Since its launch in December 2018, DANA has now reached more than 200 million users in Indonesia. DANA provides complete digital transaction solutions that are safe, easy and convenient for users, merchants and financial institutions. The DANA solution, developed by leading financial technology engineers in Indonesia, aims to advance and accelerate financial literacy and inclusion in Indonesia. Apart from empowering digital finance, DANA also seeks to encourage Indonesian society through impactful social initiatives that focus on empowering women and preserving the environment.

About Ant International

With headquarters in Singapore and main operations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. Through collaboration across the private and public sectors, our unified techfin platform supports financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to achieve inclusive growth through a comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital payment and financial services solutions.

To learn more, please visit https://www.ant-intl.com/

About Konservasi Indonesia

Konservasi Indonesia is a national foundation that aims to support the sustainable development and protection of critical ecosystems in Indonesia. We believe in the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships across sectors and jurisdictions. Working in partnership with the government and others, we design and deliver innovative nature-based solutions to climate change, using a sustainable landscapes-seascapes approach to create lasting impacts for people and nature. More information visit: www.konservasi-id.org







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Carmakers face massive UK dieselgate lawsuit



London, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Five major car manufacturers go on trial at London's High Court on Monday in the latest chapter of the dieselgate emissions scandal that has rocked the global car industry for a decade.

The High Court will decide whether systems installed in Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Nissan diesel vehicles were designed to cheat clean air laws.

The five lead defendants deny the accusations.

The huge trial will have ramifications for other manufacturers, potentially paving the way for "billions of pounds" in compensation, said Martyn Day, lawyer at Leigh Day representing the claimants.

The dieselgate scandal first erupted in September 2015, when German automaker Volkswagen was found to have cheated pollution tests by installing so-called defeat devices to reduce nitrogen oxide readings.

It caused waves in the global car industry, ensnaring several other top carmakers and leading to legal action in several countries.

The new trial, scheduled to last three months, comes after 1.8 million UK drivers brought complaints against the five lead defendants, as well as other manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Vauxhall-Opel and BMW.

"It's much wider than VW (Volkswagen), it's for nearly all the manufacturers in this country," Day told AFP.

Although not all the carmakers are directly part of the trial, they could still be required to pay compensation depending on the judge's ruling.



- UK compensation -



Adam Kamenetzky, one of the claimants, bought a Mercedes SUV in 2018 on the belief that it was less polluting than other models.

He told AFP that after he had "paid a premium for what was supposed to be a green SUV, it turned out to be an absolute lie."

But for claimants like Kamenetzky, it will take some time for any possible compensation to reach them.

The trial beginning on Monday must first determine whether carmakers are liable, before a separate compensation phase can follow next year.

German automaker Mercedes told AFP that emissions control software was based on technical needs, not an attempt to cheat regulatory tests.

These mechanisms were "justifiable from a technical and legal standpoint," a spokesperson said.

Mercedes and US carmaker Ford both rejected the claims as having "no merit," while Japan's Nissan declined to comment.

French manufacturers Renault and Stellantis, parent of Peugeot and Citroen, both said the vehicles they sold were compliant with regulation at the time.

The High Court in 2020 found that Volkswagen had used defeat devices in breach of European Union rules to pass emissions tests.

Volkswagen settled a class action out of court, paying 193 million pounds ($259 million) to 91,000 British motorists.

To date, Volkswagen has had to pay more than 32 billion euros worth ($37 billion) in penalties over the scandal, mostly in the United States.

ajb/jkb/gv

Mercedes-Benz Group

Ford Motor Company

Groupe PSA

Renault

Nissan Motor

Volkswagen

Jaguar Land Rover

TOYOTA MOTOR

BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
Girl's remains identifed 14 years after Japan tsunami



Tokyo, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



Human remains found in Japan have been identified as those of a six-year-old girl missing since the massive earthquake and tsunami of 2011, police said Friday.

The disaster killed 15,900 people, with 2,520 people still listed as missing as of the end of February, according to the National Police Agency.

Teeth and fragments of jaw were discovered in February 2023 in the northern region of Miyagi, a spokesman for the local police told AFP.

"After dental and DNA identification analyses, it was confirmed the remains belong to Natsuse Yamane, female, who was six years old at the time," he said.

The girl had been at her home in Yamada, a town around 100 kilometres (60 miles) away in Iwate Prefecture, when the tsunami swept her away, the spokesman added.

She had been listed as missing ever since.

The remains were found by construction workers sifting through material amassed in a clean-up of coastal areas, the Asahi Shimbun daily reported.

The child's family issued a statement of thanks.

"We are very happy to have been contacted and to receive this news after having given up hope," the Asahi Shimbun quoted the statement as saying.

The last time remains were identified in the three prefectures hardest hit by the disaster -- Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima -- was in August 2023, the Asahi said.

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake in March 2011 also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in this century's biggest atomic disaster.
Three killed as major quake strikes southern Philippines



Mati, Philippines, Oct 10 (AFP) Oct 10, 2025



A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least three people and triggering regional tsunami warnings that were later lifted.

The quake hit about 20 kilometres (12 miles) off Manay town in the Mindanao region at 9:43 am (0143 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey.

One person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city, the largest population hub near the quake's epicentre, while a local man suffered a fatal heart attack, local officials said.

Another person was killed in Davao city, more than 100 kilometres west of the epicentre, a city government statement said without giving details.

Philippine authorities had swiftly issued a tsunami warning and ordered evacuations of coastal areas on the country's eastern seaboard deemed at risk from waves of up to three metres (10 feet) high, but the alert was later lifted.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its own alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia at around noon, saying "there is no longer a tsunami threat from this earthquake".

Wes Caasi, a local official in Tagum city, northwest of Manay, told AFP that a government event at the city hall was thrown into chaos as "the people panicked, they screamed and ran".

Confirming videos that circulated on social media, Caasi said she saw city workers scrambling down a metal Christmas tree they were decorating when the quake struck.

Other witnesses said they saw students and workers poured out of schools, office buildings and shopping malls -- though some footage shared on social media proved to be misinformation.

Many Visayan-language posts shared footage of a crane falling from a building and imagery of destroyed buildings, but AFP fact-checkers found both visuals predated the tremor.

So far, the tremors seem to have caused minor and scattered damage, according to witnesses. More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded, some of them with at least a magnitude of 5.0.

Dianne Lacorda, a police officer in Davao Oriental province, told AFP that power and communication lines had been severed and authorities were struggling to assess the damage in some areas.

The provincial government said on Facebook that it had suspended classes "until further notice" and had sent non-essential public workers home.



- 'Shaking was so strong' -



In the town of Pantukan, west of Manay, officials told AFP they were trying to reach out to a remote gold rush site called Gumayan where small-scale miners tunnel into the sides of a mountain in rickety shafts in search of the precious metal.

Christine Sierte, a teacher in the town of Compostela near Manay, told AFP she was in the middle of an online meeting when the violent shaking started.

"It was very slow at first, then it got stronger.... That's the longest time of my life. We weren't able to walk out of the building immediately because the shaking was so strong," she said.

"The ceilings of some offices fell, but luckily no one was injured," she said, adding that some of the school's approximately 1,000 students "suffered panic attacks and difficulty in breathing".

Kath Cortez, a local journalist based in Davao city to the west of Manay, told AFP that small cracks had appeared in the ground floor walls of her family's home.

Around the same time as the Philippine quake, USGS reported a shallow 6.2 magnitude tremor just over 140 kilometres southeast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Another quake struck on Tuesday near the Papua New Guinea's second-largest city of Lae. No major damage was reported.

The latest Philippine quake struck 11 days after a 6.9-magnitude one killed 75, injured 1,271 others according to an updated official tally.

Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

An 8.0-magnitude quake off Mindanao island's southwest coast in 1976 unleashed a tsunami that left 8,000 people dead or missing in the Philippines' deadliest single natural disaster.
SHANGHAI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- China is developing an AI regulatory framework designed to promote openness and innovation while containing potential risks, according to the research published Friday in the journal Science.

A team led by researchers from Tongji University Law School concluded that China's six-pillar system has been notably effective in encouraging open-source innovation while keeping safety risks under control.

Among its features are open-source and research exemptions, meaning that releasing a model on platforms such as GitHub or Hugging Face, or using it solely for academic purposes rather than public service, does not require regulatory filing.

The third pillar comes from the legal efficiency due to China's establishment of Internet Courts that handle disputes involving frontier technologies, according to the paper.

China is also exploring tighter AI oversight, including stricter governance of AI use in research to bolster integrity, and a mandatory ethical-review obligation for certain high-risk AI activities.

The sixth pillar is a mechanism that allows companies to introduce AI products gradually, moving them from closed testing environments to real-world use, as seen in the road-testing procedures for driverless cars before their full market launch.

China's AI governance framework and the principles it embeds can offer Chinese wisdom and a ready-made blueprint for the global governance of artificial intelligence, said Zhu Yue, an assistant professor at Tongji University and the paper's first and co-corresponding author.

China is actively promoting global AI governance. In 2023, China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative at the 78th UN General Assembly to enhance international cooperation on AI capacity building.

"We advocate for an open future of AI...because in-depth global cooperation, for which openness has always and will always be necessary, is a prerequisite for the urgently needed national institutions and international governance to enforce standards preventing recklessness and misuse by rapidly progressing frontier AI," according to the researchers. 
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To mark the launch of her new album, the musician Mikaela Straus, aka King Princess, hauled a 200-pound steel coffin onto a stage in Brooklyn. And she lay there, eyes shut in an open casket, as her fans paid their respects. It was a symbol of her rebirth, and a vigil for her old era: in 2023, Straus took a break from making music and left Mark Ronsons Columbia imprint, Zelig Records, for the independent label Section1. She also left Los Angeles and moved back home to New York, and she saw the end of a four-year relationship.

This is the beginning of me putting out music and loving it again, the 26-year-old tells me, adding that the commercialisation of her craft began to feel stinky. I grew up writing music as a form of therapy, she says. And then its monetised. You get signed and then youre not putting [music] out for yourself anymore. Overwhelmed by numbers and statistics, she began to feel numb. Now I feel like Ive let go  its a really good exercise in detachment, she says brightly.

The result of that period is Girl Violence, Strauss first album in three years, and her most decisive yet. It was such a purge that she likens it to giving birth to an infant. It feels like Im split open. The baby was 15 pounds, she says, utterly deadpan. P***y and asshole are one. The doulas have come and gone.This is signature Straus: she fluctuates between a kind of studied nonchalance and a fiery brazenness. Today, shes sitting across a boardroom table in Section1s London office. Her pale, elf-like face is framed by a shaggy, brunette mullet. She slinks back in her chair to sip on her smoothie, wearing a fuchsia Polo shirt underneath a black, oversized blazer with Frankenstein-style shoulder pads.

I can see how releasing Girl Violence has been cathartic for her. The record is rockier, grittier and more emotional than much of her past material  solidified by the shoegazey guitars that roar through Cry Cry Cry, the heavy snare drums pulsating on I Feel Pretty, and the gravelly vocals that take an ex-lover down to a mere fly in a glass on Jaime. Its virtually unrecognisable from her platinum 2018 single 1950, a wafty indie pop ballad about a complex queer relationship. It was the track that ignited her career (it placed 17th on the US charts, led to a Harry Styles co-sign, and an appearance on Saturday Night Live.)

Girl Violence, conceptually, relates to the subliminal warfare that Straus suggests women wreak on each others lives. It is the antithesis to the basic ass masculine violence thats everywhere in the world right now, she says. Its about women who weaponise their emotional intelligence and empathy for either good or evil.

I tell Straus that the term is incredibly accurate  and that she should look into officially coining it. She shrugs. I am the lesbian Shakespeare, she says, as if it were common knowledge. I do think Im an accidental lesbian professor. Clearly not a real one, because I have no degrees, but I do think I could teach a class on it. I mention that Brat summer  from Charli XCXs hit record last year  was chosen by the Collins Dictionary as its 2024 word of the year. Straus comically turns to her publicist: Do you know anyone who can get me in?

Girl Violence is Strauss first release in three years  and shes reemerged into a moment where queer horniness and heartache have become chart-topping themes for some of the biggest names in pop. Chappell Roans Good Luck, Babe!  about a closeted lesbian who tries to avoid her true feelings  has accumulated more than 2 billion streams, while Billie Eillish placed fifth on the US Billboard Charts for Lunch, her 2024 song about cunnilingus. And theres Renee Rapp, who sang about Pretty Girls on her hit record Bite Me.

Straus, who is non-binary (she uses she/they pronouns) and came out as gay as a child, says that when she released 1950, there was a deficit in music written from this lens. Now, though, she thinks that tropes of queerness are sometimes commodified. The people youve named are incredible queer artists, but you can totally tell that people are like, Its cool to be gay now, so let me just write a song about kissing a girl in a club, she says. You know that the dial is changed when it becomes lucrative to put on an identity or try it on for the sake of sparking interest in your music.

open image in gallery King Princesss latest album, Girl Violence, chronicles the subliminal warfare that Straus suggests women wreak on each others lives ( Conor Cunningham )

Strauss work has never been vague about her sexuality. My music isnt really about the possibility of being queer or being with someone who possibly could be queer, or is trying it on. My music is about expert-level lesbianism, she says matter-of-factly. I write music about love and loss and mess, and thats through the lens of someone whos been gay and out since I was a little kid.

She does think its easier now for queer musicians to exist and not be defined by their sexuality. Straus recalls several uncomfortable interviews early in her career, which she says wouldnt happen today. The questions were like, whats it like being gay and making music? I was 19. It was crazy, they wanted to know who I was f***ing, there was such an emphasis on the sex part of it. The oddity was like, Oh, you eat p***y. And now looking back, I can mourn what that was like, but also feel really happy that people aren't approached like that anymore.

In her short break from making music, Straus found escape in her first acting role, in the second season of mystery series Nine Perfect Strangers, which stars Nicole Kidman as a sinister Russian therapist. She also stars alongside Hugh Jackman in Craig Brewers forthcoming musical film Song Sung Blue, about the rocky life of a Neil Diamond tribute act. Jackman, Straus says, became a King Princess stan after she gave him an unreleased vinyl of Girl Violence.

She describes the actor as the most gracious on set; he greeted everyone politely each day, and was always the last to leave. I just thought, Wow, thats just such a great example of how you just dont need to be a dick, Straus says. The pairs friendship flourished; he invited her to join him onstage at his Radio City residency, where they duetted Sonny & Chers 1965 love song I Got You Babe. She learnt a lot from Jackman  so much that shes already booked another acting gig. I really just want to push myself, she says. So anyone whos down to let me get in full prosthetics and like, cuckoo bananas, Im down.

open image in gallery King Princess photographed onstage in 2023 ( Getty )

Strauss father is a recording engineer and her mother has long worked in fashion, and she tells me she grew up watching her father work at his recording studio  that led to her recording her first song aged five (a 12-bar blues about her childhood dog, Jackie, running away). Straus is also the great-great-granddaughter of US congressman and Macys co-owner Isidor Straus, who died on board the Titanic, while travelling first class with his wife, Ida. In James Camerons 1997 film about the catastrophe, they embrace each other in bed, crying, as the ship sinks.

Straus isnt coy when addressing her familys history. When a group of wealthy businessmen went missing on the OceanGate submersible in 2023  on an expedition to explore the Titanic wreckage  she criticised the rich for making terrible decisions. I think there is a cycle of bajillionaires wanting to explore s*** and then dying, Straus said in a TikTok at the time. Like, look at my f****ing family, right?

That sentiment has never been more relevant, now that celebrity space missions are a regular occurrence, thanks to Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin company. I've always thought it was an interesting phenomenon that rich people love to go places theyre not supposed to go, she tells me. They think theyre invincible because theyre rich, then it explodes and its like, Oops! Its so deranged to me.

Straus is keen to point out that her line of inheritance was spent long before she was born. If you look at the bullet points of it and you hear like Macys, Titanic, first class, youre like, nepo baby. Thats the natural connection, she says defensively, saying she has not seen a dime of her familys money. She does, however, admire what shes learnt about her great-great-grandparents. I am proud of what I have heard about the way in which the Macys employees were treated, she says. They sounded like chill people.

As a homage to her past, Straus and her mother designed a new T-shirt for the merchandise for her forthcoming tour. It depicts Straus, completely nude apart from some strategically placed tape on the intimate areas, with King Princess emblazoned in the iconic Macys serif font and star logo.

Its really c*** to have like, my p***y out on a Macys themed Girl Violence T-shirt, she says. She pauses and eyes my blouse. Im sorry, but you need that T-shirt  it would look great with your lil Ganni shirt. I promise to oblige.

Girl Violence is out now via Section1
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Your body does try to warn you. It just depends on whether you can read the warning signs. Alex Kingston is talking about cancer. More specifically, her own recent, earth-shattering experience of womb cancer. The actor hasnt spoken publicly about it before, but her 2024 was dominated by a shock diagnosis and subsequent recovery. I had a major operation, she says frankly. I had to have a hysterectomy, I had to go into radiation therapy, and that took up a huge part of my life. Her treatment only finished towards the end of last year.

It is astounding, really, considering the Doctor Who star is currently competing in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. The training schedule is notoriously gruelling, requiring a level of fitness that would be supremely challenging for most 62-year-olds  let alone a 62-year-old whos just overcome the big C. But more than that, Kingston looks in incredible shape.

Two weeks into the iconic BBC show, she and professional dance partner Johannes Radebe have already delivered a gloriously dramatic Viennese waltz to Cry Me a River, Kingston swoon-worthy in a floor-length red gown with her signature golden curls smoothed into soft, 1940s waves. Last Saturday saw her snap into the samba swathed in multi-coloured frills to the jaunty strains of La Bamba. Though she describes the experience of learning a complex routine in just three days as intense, shes clearly loving every minute. I feel like Superwoman, she tells me  and I believe her. Theres an aura of buoyant, unquenchable energy emanating from this woman.

Its all in stark contrast to this time 18 months ago. I had assumed that the way I was feeling was old age, and I just sort of accepted it, Kingston says over Zoom. Clad in a grey sweatshirt, lioness-like corkscrew curls framing her face, she looks the picture of health as we chat during a break between rehearsals. I thought, OK, this is what its like to be in my sixties. But a lot of how I was feeling was to do with my illness.

Kingston had been experiencing bloating and achiness for years. It wasnt until she noticed blood in her urine that she sought medical help  but even then, I never went down the cancer road in my head, she admits. It was a shock, because I have a very positive outlook on life in general. Even though my body was telling me there was something very seriously wrong, I kept thinking, Oh, Ive got a bad UTI or fibroids.

Then, while doing a play at Chichester Festival last summer, her body sent her a message that couldnt be ignored. That night on stage, I haemorrhaged, she says. That was really shocking. She was thankfully wearing a big Tudor dress and knee pads at the time; I just knocked my knees together and prayed that it would soak everything up. Its a macabre tale  we both chuckle darkly at the black humour of it all  that perhaps perfectly epitomises the old adage the show must go on.

open image in gallery Kingston with Johannes Radebe on Strictly Come Dancing ( BBC )

The wardrobe women were incredible, she adds. I ran off stage and said, Grab me some pads! We shoved some pads in my pants and I went back on stage and carried on. That was how we finished the show.

Kingston was advised to wait until the six-week run was over before undergoing further tests and investigations at her local hospital once shed returned home. Though she was blindsided by the eventual diagnosis, she was lucky  the cancer was in her fallopian tubes but hadnt spread to the ovaries. Moreover, the treatment turned out to be not just lifesaving, but life-changing. Despite having gone through all of that  and any cancer is really tough to accept, to steel yourself to go through all of the necessary procedures to get back into health  the minute I had the operation, I suddenly felt like myself again, she says. Kingston realised she hadnt felt like that for years.

Her main guidance for other women is not to ignore it when they feel out of sorts. Womb cancer is really tricky because it is so sneaky, advises Kingston. What I would say is, the body does know  and that was the body saying to me, Help! Theres something really wrong. Its so important to seek advice and have a check-up.

Theres nothing like a health scare to put things into perspective; theres nothing like coming face to face with ones own mortality to make seizing the day feel urgent. Though sobering, Kingstons experience with cancer is the real reason she said yes to Strictly  something shed dreamed of doing for years. When they approached me, I thought of that cliche: life is too short, she says. Go for whatever it is you secretly long to do, because if youre not brave and you dont do it, it wont happen. And, really, whats the worst that could happen? In the case of Strictly, you might get voted off. So what? Youve done it. Youve proved yourself.

open image in gallery The actor as River Song in Doctor Who ( BBC )

Its why Kingston isnt particularly fussed about how far she gets in the competition; determined to live in the now, shes taking it one dance at a time. Though she would, she confesses, like to stay in for Radebes sake. Hes putting so much effort into me  I would like to get as far as we can because I think he deserves it.

Shes been inspired, too, by another professional dancer on the show: Amy Dowden. The 35-year-old has undergone her own very public health struggles, having first been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2023. Following a mastectomy and various setbacks, she was told there was no sign of the disease in February 2024 and returned to Strictly this season (though sadly, she and celebrity partner Thomas Skinner went out in week one). The very first time I met her, it was the day that all of the contestants met the dancers, recalls Kingston. They walked into the room and looked like gods and goddesses. But I went and found Amy and gave her a hug and said, Ive been through it. I told her how incredible she is, how strong and brave shes been.

I may not have all those parts that are about fertility and childbearing any more, but it doesnt mean Im not still functioning down there!

Kingston is also conscious that shes repping not just herself, but older women everywhere. The former ER star is here to prove that age is not a barrier and that we are still fully functional and vibrant. During a recent appearance on ITVs This Morning, Kingston put it even more bluntly, telling a slightly bemused Cat Deeley: Were not dead below the navel! The actor bursts out laughing at the very mention of it: Bizarrely, that came out of my mouth because I had just had my hysterectomy and I no longer have a womb. It was an analogy that nobody else really understood. But I understood  because I may not have all those parts that are about fertility and childbearing any more, but it doesnt mean Im not still functioning down there!

Its a laudable goal to strive for visibility in an industry notable for its rampant ageism, particularly when it comes to female actors. Kingston famously called out ER after her character, British surgeon Elizabeth Corday, was dropped from the medical drama in 2004 following more than seven seasons. Apparently, I, according to the producers and the writers, am part of the old fogies who are no longer interesting, quipped the then-41-year-old. Have things improved since then?

I think it has got better, she muses. I mean, the very fact that Im still working... I was already older when I got the job on Doctor Who as River Song [Kingston was in her mid-forties when she was first cast]. Im old enough to be Matt Smiths mother! It definitely has changed.

The pressure to stop visibly ageing, though, has not. At least if half of Hollywood  Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Kris Jenner et al  are anything to go by. But again, Kingstons recent health journey has made such strivings feel a little, well, frivolous. My attitude has changed since Ive had my diagnosis, because theres part of me that doesnt care so much about that, she says. There are far more important things in life than how am I looking, or can I still be cast as a 40-year-old? Of course you cant! Get over it.

Shes breezy, too, when it comes to social media  mainly because she has no truck with it whatsoever. I could be cancelled and I wouldnt even be aware of it, Kingston says blithely with a shrug, when I ask whether were too quick to judge each other these days. Its somewhat ironic, considering she starred in the Steven Moffat-penned ITV drama Douglas is Cancelled last year, which saw Hugh Bonnevilles presenter-of-a-certain-age fall foul of the online mob. I stay away from it all, she explains serenely. I like to keep my own life private. In a sense, you can take the power out of cancel culture if you dont actually join in. You dont have to engage. Youll actually have a much simpler life.

open image in gallery The doctor is in: Kingston as Elizabeth Corday in ER, a role she had for seven years ( NBC )

The only exception to her mistrust of social media is Strictly, during which shes happily meeting her contractual obligations by using it to connect with fans. But dont expect to see her popping up on your Insta after that  even if it may feel mandatory in our influencer-obsessed era. There is pressure; all the actors that get work nowadays are the ones who have huge numbers of followers, and thats what casting producers often look at, Kingston says ruefully. I want to be cast because of my ability, my talent  not because of how many followers I have. I just wont play that game.

Working on Douglas is Cancelled had the added benefit of bringing Kingston back into the professional orbit of two fellow Doctor Who alumni: Karen Gillan, the Doctors assistant during Matt Smiths tenure, as well as former showrunner Moffat. Both have been in touch to say theyre rooting for their ex-colleague on Strictly  Gillan has even said shell fly over from the US  and theyre not the only ones. Matt Smith left me an amazing voice message, says Kingston fondly. Hes really hard to get a hold of, so for him to suddenly message me, I must be doing something right! Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat Theyre all obsessed. The Doctor Who gang is on the ball.

All these years later, her former ER castmates are also in her corner. Laura Innes, who played hospital chief of staff Kerry Weaver on the series, is currently in England shooting the third season of Apple TVs dystopian future drama, Silo. Ive already told her she has to come and watch me dance, Kingston says excitedly. I said, Laura, Im going to put you in the front row!

And with that, its time for Kingston to get back to rehearsing the quickstep  she cant disappoint her legion of fans, after all. I comment again on how amazing she is to be handling such a physically demanding challenge less than a year after completing cancer treatment. But shes not having any of it.

The thing is, it isnt amazing. We can all do it. Its just having the belief that you can do it and going for it.

I nod along politely, but I dont really believe her. She is a bit amazing, actually.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday 11 October

Specialised womb cancer organisations:

The Eve Appeal is a national charity that raises awareness and funds research for all five gynaecological cancers, including womb cancer. They also offer a support service called Ask Eve. eveappeal.org.uk

Peaches Womb Cancer Trust is a UK charity focused on funding research, raising awareness, and providing support to those affected by womb cancer. peachestrust.org

Womb Cancer Support UK is an organisation established to support and inform women diagnosed with womb cancer and raise awareness of the disease. wombcancersupportuk.weebly.com
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Big Brother housemate George Gilbert will not appear on the shows recap programme Late and Live after being axed from the competition.

ITV revealed on Tuesday that Gilbert, 23, had been removed from the house with immediate effect after repeated use of unacceptable language and behaviour.

A source told The Sun that Gilbert has not been asked to return for Late and Live, as is tradition for the housemates after they leave the programme. ITV declined to comment.

Late and Live airs immediately after the main show, with evicted housemates and commentators discussing the events that unfolded in the episode.

Gilbert, a parish councillor, had previously been given several warnings about his language on the show. In one instance, Gilbert appeared to mock fellow housemate Sam Ashby. Ashby later told Big Brother that Gilberts impression was rude and that it felt like he was back at school.

Earlier this week, Gilbert was summoned to the Diary Room due to his language towards Ashby, where Big Brother told him: George, before you entered the Big Brother House, the rules regarding unacceptable language and behaviour were explained to you. Big Brother needs to talk to you about a conversation at the dining table last night.

During a game of truth or dare, when asked about your least favourite qualities of other housemates, you said the following, Sam, um too, you then went on to mimic Sam using both noises that mocked the way Sam talks and body language that included limp wrists.

Do you understand how both your language and behaviour could be offensive to Sam, your housemates and the viewing public?

George Gilbert on Big Brother ( ITV )

Gilbert said that he had spoken to Ashby about his behaviour and had apologised to his fellow contestant. I dont want to make anyone feel like that, so I will be walking on eggshells around Sam from here on in, he added.

After his removal from the house, a Big Brother spokesperson said: Following repeated use of unacceptable language and behaviour, George has been removed from the Big Brother House with immediate effect and will no longer participate in the programme.

After his removal, Gilbert told Big Brother: Coming into the house, I always wanted to question any theory, any movement. I just want to know the truth about things. Im sorry that the decisions been made and Im gutted. But if thats what you want to do, then theres no point trying to convince you otherwise. Sorry its ended like this.

Big Brother returned in September for a third series on ITV2, with AJ Odudu and Will Best on hosting duties.

The social experiment, which first aired in the UK on Channel 4 in 2000, follows a group of strangers living together under one roof, who take on weekly shopping tasks and face weekly evictions following a round of nominations.
TAIPEI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's population has registered negative growth for a 21st consecutive month, according to figures released by the island's interior affairs office, highlighting the serious demographic challenges it faces.

The latest statistics reveal that Taiwan's population totaled 23.317 million at the end of September. In that month alone, its total population dropped by 87,107 year on year, and by 11,312 from the previous month.

By the end of September, the number of residents aged 65 or above neared 4.62 million, accounting for 19.8 percent of the island's population -- just shy of the 20 percent threshold that defines a "super-aged" society.

Only 81,381 babies were born in Taiwan the first three quarters of this year, which was down 16,352 from the same period last year.

Local media have warned that if the current demographic trend continues, Taiwan's twin challenges of declining birth rates and population aging will intensify further. 
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First Lady Melania Trump is already getting into the holiday spirit.

Years after she was recorded complaining about her preparations for Christmas, Melania is preparing for her first holiday season back in the White House since her husband, President Donald Trump, was re-elected in November 2024.

On Wednesday, the First Ladys X account posted a five-second clip of Melania placing a gold ornament on a gold-themed table-scape. Christmas meeting in the @WhiteHouse, the video was captioned.

An official theme and an unveiling date have not yet been revealed.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.

Throughout the presidents first term, Melania was widely criticized for her holiday decorations, as her red trees in 2018 were panned for appearing to be covered in blood.

That same year, a conversation was recorded by one of her friends, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, in which she complained about her decorating responsibilities.

Im working ... my ass off at Christmas stuff that you know, who gives a f**k about Christmas stuff and decoration? she can be heard saying in the clip, which was leaked to CNN in 2020. But I need to do it, right? Correct?

OK, and then I do it, and I say that Im working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, Oh, what about the children that, they were separated? Give me a f**king break, she added, likely referring to a visit to the southern border she made to see children who had been separated from their parents.

The first lady was previously criticized for decorating the White House with red trees, which people claimed they appeared covered in blood ( AFP/Getty )

The president has previously spoken about the backlash his wife received about her holiday decorations while visiting the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas in 2021.

She would make the most beautiful Christmas decorations, he said about his wife. And I remember she made these magnificent red trees, and the media said, Oh, thats terrible. I said, Honey, next time, try white.

She made magnificent, remember, the most beautiful youve ever seen, white trees? And they said, Oh, thats terrible. I said the next time, lets do it more traditional. Lets go with green, he added.

We went with beautiful green trees, and they said: Why wouldnt you make them white like they used to be? But Ill tell you what, shes loved all over, and shes got a tremendous heart, and she says hello, he said.

Earlier this year, in August, it was announced in a press release that Melania was looking for talented musical groups  including school bands, choirs, and holiday-themed entertainers  to volunteer to perform in Washington, DC, on eight specific dates in December during the holiday open houses at the White House.

In addition, Melania was looking for volunteers to help decorate the White House for the Christmas season.

Both performers and decorating volunteers are responsible for their travel accommodations and personal expenses in DC.

Along with open houses, the White House hosts a National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony every year, with celebrities headlining.
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A brand of frozen spinach has been recalled due to Listeria concerns.

Sno Pac Foods, based in Minnesota, is recalling two types of its frozen spinach, according to a Tuesday press release shared by the Food and Drug Administration. The recall was issued because the products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a disease-causing bacteria.

The affected products are Del Mar 35-pound Bulk Organic Frozen Spinach and Sno Pac 10 ounce Organic Frozen Spinach. They were distributed nationwide in various retail stores.

Sno Pac Foods issued the recall after a bulk case of spinach from its supplier was tested and found positive for Listeria monocytogenes, according to the press release.

The production of the frozen spinach products has been suspended while the company continues to investigate the source of the problem.

open image in gallery Sno Pac Foods is recalling two types of its frozen spinach ( Getty/iStock )

However, there were no illnesses reported to date due to the two spinach products.

One of the recalled products comes in a 35-pound box and has an expiration date of January 7, 2027. Meanwhile, the second recalled item comes in a 10-ounce, poly retail package, marked with different lot codes and 2027 expiration dates.

Both of these products can also be identified by their lot codes, which can be found here.

Spinach is the latest vegetable thats sparking Listeria concerns in the U.S. Earlier this week, HelloFresh subscribers were urged to avoid consuming ready-made meals containing spinach that may be tainted with Listeria.

open image in gallery The recall came after the spinach tested positive for listeria ( US Food and Drug Adminstration )

According to an alert from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the meals were produced by California-based FreshRealm, a company already linked to a growing listeria outbreak in heat-and-eat pasta dishes.

The affected products include 10.1-ounce containers of HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of HelloFresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both items are shipped directly to consumers.

The contaminated spinach was discovered when FreshRealm alerted the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service that the leaves used in the products had tested positive for Listeria bacteria.

Health authorities warn that listeria infections can be especially dangerous for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant individuals, and newborns. Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, balance loss, and convulsions.

Around 1,250 people in the U.S. become ill from listeria each year, and one in six older adults with the infection dies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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A former Penthouse model has been accused of luring old men on dating apps so she can burglarize their homes.

Adva Lavie, who has also claimed to be Israels top OnlyFans model, has been accused of targeting ten elderly men, but now her fellow porn stars are claiming that she has robbed them, too.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department issued a special bulletin on Wednesday, urging the public to let authorities know if they see Lavie or her distinctive vehicles, a glamorous black Porsche SUV and a white Mercedes-Benz sedan.

Suspect Lavie has been involved in a series of residential burglaries throughout LA County, targeting older men and posing as a girlfriend or companion on social media dating platforms and applications, the sheriffs department said.

Lavie, also a former soldier in the Israeli Defence Forces, is known to use a range of aliases, including the name Mia Ventura.

open image in gallery Adva Lavie, a glamorous Porsche-driving former pin-up girl, dated older men to burgle their homes, California cops say ( Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department )

She uses her Mia Ventura alias when posting explicit content on HoneyDrip, a rival site to the industry giant OnlyFans. Lavie is also known to use the aliases Shoshana and Shana, according to the press release.

However, the porn star and former Penthouse pet of the month told the Daily Mail that the allegations were all new to her and that she was the victim of a conspiracy theory.

I think when you probably hang out with someone really powerful and someone really connected, if you piss them off, it's problematic because they can really f*** you over, she said.

When asked who she was talking about, she reportedly put the phone down on the Daily Mail reporter.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department did not announce any charges against Lavie in their bulletin.

However, her fellow porn stars have claimed that Lavie has also targeted them.

Codey Steele, an adult film star, said that he was victimized by the Israeli pin-up model while working with an LA-based party company. Steele says that Lavie burglarized the Airbnb rented for him by the entertainment company, stealing a slew of designer items.

open image in gallery Authorities say Lavie, who also goes by Mia Ventura Shoshana and Shana, drives a black Porsche SUV and a white Mercedes-Benz sedan ( Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department )

She decided to pretty much rob basically every person in that group, essentially anything marked with a designer label, Steele told KTLA.

Lavie turned to the adult industry after being laid off during the COVID pandemic while working as a flight attendant.

She quickly built up a large social media following. She began appearing in porn films despite disappointment from friends and family due to religious beliefs, according to a press release from Clubhouse Media Group, which owns HoneyDrip.

"I consider myself a creative artist and HoneyDrip.com allows me to take this passion of mine in any direction I choose, Lavie was quoted in the press release. Never be scared or ashamed, feel empowered and free."

Michael Sartain, host of the Access Vegas podcast, also accused Lavie of burglary after she appeared on the election night episode of the show. He told KTLA that she went into the greenroom and took credit cards and cash from her female co-stars purses.

She got up at the 45-minute mark, and she was gone for 45 minutes and just went through everyones bag, he said.

Eden Lynn claimed to KTLA that she was one of the women targeted that night.

She said that she felt Lavie had robbed her because her card was charged for a hair appointment in a luxury Beverly Hills salon. The appointment was allegedly booked by someone who called themselves Mia Ventura.

I got in contact with the salon and the stylist she booked with, and they gave me the name it was put under, Lynn told KTLA. She sent shots of the consultation FaceTime she did with her and the receipts and text messages.
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Kerri Rawson was in high school when her father handed her the keys to the family station wagon. She had no idea what dark secret the car held.

Years later, she would learn that the very same car was once used to transport the body of a woman who was strangled and stashed in the trunk. And she would learn that her own father  the churchgoing family man who built her a treehouse, taught her to fish, and handed her the keys to the family car  was actually one of Americas most notorious serial killers.

Dennis Rader, also known as BTK, bound, tortured, and killed 10 people in Kansas between 1974 and 1991. But for 31 years, he went undetected, free to carry out sadistic killings.

The last of his known victims was Dolores Davis, murdered in 1991  her body hidden in the trunk of the very car Rawson would drive just a few years later.

Its just one of many unsettling memories Rawson reveals on My Father, the BTK Killer, the new Netflix documentary premiering October 10.

open image in gallery Kerri Rawson talks about how she found who her father was in Netflixs new doc My Father, the BTK Killer ( Netflix )

The documentary is inspired by Rawsons 2019 book, A Serial Killers Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love and Overcoming. Told from her perspective as a daughter, victim, survivor, and witness, she attempts to make sense of a nightmare she never saw coming.

I dont know who my father is, what he was hiding, Rawson says in the documentary. Was he using my family to hide? Was he using us that whole time? Its hard to know who I am if every moment in my life was a lie.

open image in gallery I dont know who my father is, what he was hiding, Kerri Rawson says in the documentary ( Netflix )

Interweaving archival footage, interrogation tapes, and Rawsons present-day reflections, the documentary takes viewers not only through Raders horrific crimes, but reveals the quiet devastation left behind.

One journalist featured in the documentary poses the question: Can you imagine finding out that your father is one of the most evil people on Earth?

Its something Rawson admits she still wrestles with. She had no awareness of her fathers other life  until years later, when everything changed.

From loving father to living nightmare

Rawson remembers a typical, loving childhood.

Growing up in Wichita, she and her brother played in a treehouse their father built, spent hours fishing, and went to church where Rader served as congregation president.

My dad never treated me like a girl, Rawson said. He treated me like a tomboy and let me do whatever he was doing. So as soon as I was walking, I was right there by him.

Rawson described her father as appearing from the outside as a mild-mannered man but also recalled moments of dad when something would trigger him and he would flip on a dime.

But none of it hinted at what would later unfold.

open image in gallery Between 1974 and 1991, Dennis Rader was secretly terrorizing Wichita, Kansas, under the self-styled moniker BTK ( Wichita Police Department )

Between 1974 and 1991, Rader was secretly terrorizing Wichita, Kansas, under the self-styled moniker BTK  which stood for Bind, Torture, Kill.

He murdered at least 10 people in a series of sadistic killings, taunting law enforcement and local media with cryptic letters that detailed his crimes. By the early 1990s, BTKs messages stopped. The trail went cold.

Then in 2004, the unknown killer resurfaced through taunting communications.

The next year, when the FBI was able to trace a floppy disk back to a computer at Christ Lutheran Church in Park City, the mask finally fell. At the center of the storm was Rader  the man Rawson had always called Dad.

open image in gallery Outwardly, Rader had lived a normal life as the respected president of Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita and a Cub Scout leader. But he was a killer who evaded capture for 31 years ( Netflix )

On February 25, 2005, Rader was arrested and Rawsons world imploded. She was only 26 years old at the time.

I will never forget that day, she said.

Rawson got the news from an FBI agent who knocked on her door hours after the arrest. And then he goes, your dad is BTK, she recalled.

In June 2005, Rader pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 consecutive life terms  a minimum of 175 years behind bars.

For Rawson, the years that followed were a different kind of sentence.

open image in gallery Rawson got the news from an FBI agent who knocked on her door hours her father was arrested: Your father is BTK, they said ( Netflix )

A newlywed of about 18 months who was starting her own family in Michigan, Rawson tried to move on and live a normal life. But she found herself, unwillingly, at the heart of a gruesome national story.

So after years of silence, she spoke up. And then began her own long investigation  into her identity and the trauma that destroyed their family.

BTKs killing spree

Raders killing spree began in January 1974, when he committed his first known murders, of Joseph Otero, 38, Julie Otero, 33, and two of their five children.

In April 1974, Rader killed 21-year-old Kathryn Bright, in the same way he did the Otero family, binding her, then strangling her to death.

His next two victims, Shirley Vian and Nancy Fox, were killed in 1977. He claimed responsibility for the crimes in a letter sent to Wichita television station KAKE.

The letters continued with Rader demanding to be called BTK as he boasted of his kills.

Raders murders appeared to slow down after his children were born in the late 1970s.

Dad said he got busy raising kids, Rawson said in the documentary.

Then in 1985, he killed Marine Hedge and, in 1988, Vicki Wegerle. His 10th victim was 63-year-old Dolores E. Davis in January 1991.

open image in gallery Rader sent taunting letters to the police and the media demanding to be called BTK and boasting about his kills ( Netflix )

In an interrogation video featured on the Netflix documentary, Rader tells investigators how he carried out his final murder.

Well I proceeded to tie her up and I think she realized that was going to go bad, he said, recalling that she had pleaded with him, Dont kill me, dont kill me.

I slipped the panty hose over her head and strangled her, he continued, adding that he then put her body in the station wagon and dumped her body under a bridge where she would be found 13 days later.

Rawson remembers January of 1991. Her mother was sick with pneumonia and spent about 10 or 12 days in the hospital.

Not long after that, he killed Mrs. Davis, she said in the documentary. Put her body in the back of our station wagon. He then gave me that station wagon to drive in high school.

Rawson shook her head as she remembered the old car that had 96 Grad painted on the back window.

I was like no thats not ok, she said about being given the car. Thinking that Mrs Davis had been in that vehicle.

open image in gallery Over the years, Rawson corresponded with her father by letters, but she avoided in person contact  until 2023 when she faced him for the first time in years ( Netflix )

Confronting a monster

Over the years, Rawson corresponded with her father by letters, but she avoided face-to-face contact.

That changed in 2023, when she visited Rader at the El Dorado Correctional Facility. It was the first time she had seen her father in 18 years.

It was the first time he ever dropped his mask and became BTK in front of me, Rawson said in an exclusive interview with NewsNation at the time.

During that visit, Rawson confronted Rader about unsolved disappearances and the possibility of additional victims, as well as her own repressed memories of alleged abuse. He reportedly told her that he never touched the family.

open image in gallery In January 2023, the Osage County Sheriffs Office launched a new investigation into hundreds of Raders drawings and writings that were recovered after his 2005 arrest ( Osage County Sheriffs Office )

In January 2023, the Osage County Sheriffs Office launched a new investigation into hundreds of Raders drawings and writings that were recovered after his 2005 arrest.

New information led investigators to search Raders former home in Park City in connection with a 1976 case of Cynthia Dawn Kinney.

Kinney had disappeared from an Osage County laundromat at 16 years old.

During the search, investigators unearthed a crossword puzzle with chilling clues. Back in 2004, Rader had sent local news outlets a crossword puzzle containing the details about the women he killed.

open image in gallery Cynthia Dawn Kinney vanished from a laundromat in Oklahoma in 1976 ( National Missing and Unidentified Person System )

In May 2024, Osage County, Oklahoma Sheriff Eddie Virden said that the puzzle found at Raders former property connects the killer to Kinneys disappearance.

Investigators also said in 2024 they have evidence indicating Rader may have buried Kinney in a barn near the Kansas-Oklahoma border. Her body has never been found.

Sheriff Virden explained officers received an anonymous call months after Kinney disappeared from a man claiming her body could be found in an old barn along the Oklahoma-Kansas border. Then law enforcement recently intercepted communications from Rader in prison that revealed there may be some hidden items in old barns, according to the sheriff. Rader has denied killing Kinney.

Meanwhile, Rawson continues to assists the Osage County Sheriffs Department in their effort to potentially link him to additional victims. At the time of the documentarys release, no new victims have been announced.

open image in gallery Raders former Kansas property was searched in 2023 for clues pertaining to two new potential cases ( Osage County Sheriff's Office via AP )

Im more than just BTKs daughter

Rawson has since tried to reclaim her story  and transform her pain into advocacy with the hope of helping others.

But her path to healing has not been easy.

In a 2025 GoFundMe post, Rawson, who has two children, revealed she had been hospitalized for months, possibly from long COVID, and feared losing her home.

But she continues to speak out. Through her voice, the new Netflix doc reframes the familiar narrative of the BTK murders as it attempts to focus less on the man who committed the crimes and more about the family he destroyed, the community he terrorized, and the woman who refuses to let his story define hers.

open image in gallery Through Kerri Rawsons voice, the new Netflix doc reframes the familiar narrative of the BTK murders as it attempts to focus less on the man who committed the crimes and more about the devastation he left behind ( Netflix )

While many news headlines identify Rawson simply as BTKs daughter, she says in the doc that she is so much more than that.

Im a mom ... Im a normal person. And most days I don't even really think about who my dad is, she adds. I'm just me.

My Father, the BTK Killer streams on Netflix beginning Friday, October 10.
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A former North Carolina middle school teacher serving time for repeatedly raping a teenage girl was found dead inside a state prison last weekend  allegedly killed by another inmate who was already serving time for murder.

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction said Ernest Nichols, 60, was discovered lying on the floor beside his bunk at Greene Correctional Institution Sunday morning.

Wilbert Baldwin, 41, has been charged with Nichols murder, officials said. Baldwin, who was serving a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder in Richmond County that happened in 2007. He has now been moved to Maury Correctional Institution and is being held without bond.

According to WBTV, Nichols was teaching physical education at Ranson Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina, when he was convicted in 2011 of statutory rape. He had been set for release in September 2027.

open image in gallery Wilbert Baldwin (pictured), is accused of killing fellow inmate Ernest Nichols, in a North Carolina prison ( NCDAC )

After 14 years with the school district, Nichols was suspended without pay and banned from school grounds when administrators learned of the accusations, WBTV reported, referring to court documents the outlet obtained detailing his crimes.

According to the court documents, Nichols raped a 15-year-old girl multiple times over a six-month period beginning in the fall of 2008. Investigators said Nichols also watched the teenager have sex with another boy.

The former teacher reportedly used a fake Facebook account posing as his teenage son to contact the victim, asking her to create sexually explicit stories and to message him whenever she entered the shower, according to an arrest warrant cited by the outlet.

Nichols also allegedly told the girl to tell people she wanted to have sex if anyone asked about what happened. The victim was not a student at Ranson Middle School, where Nichols worked.

open image in gallery Nichols, 60, was discovered lying on the floor beside his bunk at Greene Correctional Institution Sunday ( NCDAC )

At the time of Nichols arrest in October 2009 , he was married with two children.

He faced a long list of charges, including five counts of second-degree rape, five counts of statutory rape of a person 13, 14, or 15, six counts of second-degree kidnapping, four counts of second-degree forcible sex offense, three counts of crime against nature and six counts of indecent liberties.

The Department of Adult Correction said the investigation into Nichols death remains ongoing.
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A California woman known as the butt lady was found guilty Thursday of murdering ER and Married  with Children actor Cindyana Santangelo after a silicone injection went tragically wrong.

Libby Adame, 55, of Riverside County, was convicted by a Los Angeles jury of second-degree murder and practicing medicine without a license after 58-year-old Santangelo died from a fatal embolism caused by silicone injections Adame administered at the actresss Malibu home on March 24.

In California, second-degree murder carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years, practicing medicine without a license can add up to three years, and the special allegation of causing great bodily harm adds three to six years to Adames sentence.

Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan told jurors that Adame was only consulting for licensed doctors in Tijuana, Mexico, and argued she didnt have time to perform the fatal procedure on Santangelo, the LA Times reports. He also criticized investigators for holding her responsible without conducting a complete investigation.

Flanagan argued that Santangelo already had bandages on her buttocks when Adame consulted with her, suggesting someone else performed the fatal procedure, according to NBC4 Los Angeles. Adame testified in her defense, denying she administered the injections and stating she didnt know who did.

open image in gallery Libby Adame, 55, also known as 'the butt lady' or 'La Tia,' was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder and practicing medicine without a license for administering a fatal silicone butt injection to actress Cindyana Santangelo ( LAPD )

At the time of Santangelos death, Adame was on probation for a 2019 involuntary manslaughter case involving the fatal buttocks injections of 26-year-old Karissa Rajpaul, per the LA Times.

Rajpauls death was ruled a homicide caused by acute cardiopulmonary dysfunction and silicone injections. Investigators said the women, presenting themselves as specialists, mixed safe cosmetic substances with dangerous chemicals.

Both were sentenced to prison but were released within a year after receiving credit for time served and electronic monitoring.

Flanagan admitted that Adame, also known as La Tia (The Aunt), performed a procedure on Rajpaul, but said she knew she was no longer permitted to perform butt work in California, the outlet said.

Santangelo, best known for her roles on Married... with Children and ER, had a history of substance abuse but had been sober for several years.

open image in gallery Cindyana Santangelo, 58, died at her Malibu home on March 24, 2025, from a fatal silicone butt injection administered by Libby Adame ( Instagram/@cindyanasantangelo )

Her husband, Frank Santangelo, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Adame, claiming his wife was killed in the prime of her life in her own home.

During the trial, Frank Santangelo testified that his wife appeared to be breathing normally before meeting with Adame, but later struggled to breathe on the massage table and was bleeding from both butt cheeks.

He claimed Adame told him, This has never happened to a client of mine before, mentioned she might have something in her car to help, but then packed her bag and never returned.
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A Georgia judge was arrested early Tuesday morning for allegedly driving under the influence after a fender bender in the parking lot of a Florida strip club.

Superior Court Judge Robert Bert Guy Jr., president of Georgias Council of Superior Court Judges, is accused of hitting a Ford F-150 while backing his Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot of Wackos Gentlemens Club in Jacksonville.

According to a Florida arrest report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the incident occurred around 3 a.m.

Witnesses reported that Guy exited his sedan, spoke briefly with the trucks driver, and then attempted to drive away. However, he appeared highly intoxicated and was unable to do so, prompting a parking valet and another patron to assist him back into a parking space.

Guy was then escorted back inside the club, where he handed over his car keys and cellphone to staff members.

open image in gallery Superior Court Judge Robert Bert Guy Jr. allegedly smelled of alcohol, was confused and slurring, and offered $500 to the driver of the truck that he hit to avoid police involvement, Florida police said ( Judicial Council of Georgia )

Upon arrival, law enforcement officers noted that Guy smelled strongly of alcohol, appeared confused, and slurred his words.

He reportedly insisted he didnt have his keys and told authorities he couldnt remember whether he was driving when the damage occurred.

He reportedly refused to provide his ID and offered the truck driver $500 to settle the damages without involving authorities.

Guy was arrested at the scene and charged with DUI and DUI-property damage. He later refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, resulting in an additional charge.

Following his release on a $3,000 bond, Guy self-reported the arrest to the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Georgias judicial oversight body. JQC Director Courtney Veal confirmed that an investigation is underway.

Guy has retained an attorney in Florida to handle the legal proceedings.

As president of the Council of Superior Court Judges, Guy represents the group during Georgias legislative sessions and serves as a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia. He was first elected as a Superior Court judge in 2016 and has presided over cases in the five-county Brunswick Judicial Circuit.
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Recently unsealed court documents reveal that two jurors deliberating on the Harvey Weinstein trial felt threatened by other jurors to deliver a guilty verdict.

Weinstein is now trying to use this development to have his conviction thrown out, alleging that "substantial misconduct and gross unqualification of jurors" robbed him of a fair trial.

In June, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault against former Project Runway assistant Miriam Haley. He was acquitted of assaulting former model Kaja Sokola, and a rape charge against him was dropped after a mistrial was declared due to the jury foreperson claiming they were being threatened by other jurors.

In the recently released court documents, one juror  whose number is redacted  claims they overheard other jurors saying they needed to "set an example" with their verdict, and further claimed they were "aggressively screamed at" for wanting to return a not-guilty verdict on all three charges.

"During this interaction, Juror Number [redacted] stood up, spoke in an extremely loud volume and said to me, 'You are deliberately making this a hung jury.' I noticed that his hands were shaking as he screamed very loudly at me."

open image in gallery Harvey Weinstein has filed to have the verdict in his criminal sexual assault trial overturned, after court documents revealed that some members of the jury felt threatened by others in their cohort to deliver a guilty verdict against their will ( Steven Hirsch /New York Post via AP, Pool )

The same juror also recalls a fellow juror insisting that there was "something mentally wrong with you," and another juror expressing her desire to have them removed from the panel, saying, "We have to get rid of you."

The juror said they lived near one of the other jurors who was angry with them and claimed they felt "physically threatened by her" and another juror.

They said the fear of retaliation from other jurors ultimately forced them to go along with the guilty verdict.

"I was so afraid of the repercussions and feared for my physical safety that I ultimately voted with the majority," the juror said, despite having "really wanted to vote not guilty."

The juror said that they "regret the verdict."

During the trial, one of the jurors had asked to address the court twice during deliberations because he said he had heard other jurors discussing another member of the panel in the elevators. The juror wanted to be excused from the jury, saying they did not feel the process was "fair."

The jury foreperson also reportedly told the judge that other jurors were considering parts of Weinstein's past not directly related to the case and not entered as evidence while considering their verdicts, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

open image in gallery Juror number one, left, speaks to Judge Curtis Farber regarding the dynamic in the jury room during Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct trial in Manhattan criminal court, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in New York ( Elizabeth Williams via AP )

Arthur Aidala, Weinstein's lawyer, called for a mistrial more than a dozen times during the trial but was denied each time. In the most recent filing, Aidala alleges that the court failed to conduct a sufficient inquiry when such misconduct was brought to its attention.

In an affidavit filed on August 4, a juror said that fellow jurors "who believed Mr Weinstein was not guilty were aggressively challenged and forced to explain themselves, while pro-guilty views were accepted without question.

The juror noted that another juror threatened them, reportedly saying, I check people who talk to me like that. You dont know me. Ill catch you outside."

During the trial, Judge Curtis Farber questioned the jurors in court and in chambers about what had been reported to him by the concerned jurors, but found that no misconduct had occurred.

Prosecutors are planning to retry Weinstein on the rape charge relating to actress Jessica Mann. Weinstein has already filed to have that verdict tossed out, and he is still facing sentencing on the criminal sexual assault charge. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

Aidala said he plans to request a hearing regarding the alleged jury misconduct and to assess the adequacy of the Courts response during trial.
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The White House has announced that it is looking into how convicted child killer Ronald Exantus was released halfway through his sentence earlier this month.

Exantus was jailed after killing six-year-old Logan Lipton, but left prison early due to Kentucky law.

The killer was given two consecutive 10-year sentences for stabbing Logan and members of the six-year-olds family, but was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that the White House is now looking into the case.

Its wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison, she wrote on X.

open image in gallery Ronald Exantus was given two consecutive ten-year sentences after stabbing a six-year-old baby ( Facebook/Marion County Sheriff's Office )

However, Logans father says that the family has yet to hear from the government.

You know, you say youre investigating this, come talk to the family. Find out what this family has been through, Dean Tipton said to WKYT.

He also said that he would kill Exantus if he ever crossed paths with him.

After being released, Exantus requested to complete his mandatory reentry supervision in Florida.

Shortly after moving to the Sunshine State, he was rearrested near an elementary school in Marion County on Thursday, according to a press release from the local sheriffs office.

'I am proud of the quick response by my deputies and the inter-agency teamwork that helped locate and arrest this disgusting individual,' Sheriff Billy Woods said.

Now, the six-year-olds family wants Kentucky legislators to pass Logans Law to supersede the law that allowed Exantus to leave prison. The law would require that people who are deemed insane and convicted of violent crime be held for the rest of their lives in a secure facility, according to a fundraiser.

Please help us [President Trump], Heather Tipton, Logans mother, said. This has been a long ten years. A lot that I dont think was done right.

Following Exantus release, the Kentucky Justice Cabinet released a statement claiming that the parole board had ordered the inmate to remain in prison.

open image in gallery Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that the White House is looking into Exantuss release ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Parole Board did not release Ronald Exantus on parole, the statement read.

Exantus was reviewed for parole on Sept. 30, as required by state law.

The Parole Board issued a decision that Exantus stay in prison for the remainder of his sentence.

Despite this decision, a provision in Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision (KRS 439.3406).

Koral Tipton, Logans sister, said previously that she watched as Exantus attacked her brother.

He did it, she said. He did it in front of me. He did it in front of my siblings.

And being an older sister, who has the obligation anyway to protect her younger siblings, its just, he ruined, he messed us up.

Exantus former attorney, Bridget Hofler, said that she was not surprised that he had been released early, though, according to WYKT. She said that her former client called her after the order for his release was issued.

"It didnt really surprise me. If anybody deserved to get out early, it was Ron," she said. "He had accomplished so much while he was in prison.
ANKARA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen Turkish citizens who were on board a Gaza-bound international aid flotilla intercepted by Israel are returning to Turkiye Friday afternoon aboard a specially chartered flight, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said.

Turkiye is evacuating a total of 94 activists from 21 countries on this flight, Keceli said on the social media platform X.

Keceli's remarks came amid Turkiye's broader efforts to repatriate citizens and aid workers caught in the Israeli interception of humanitarian flotillas bound for Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla, on its way to Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday. Among those detained by Israeli forces are Turkish lawmakers and members from different parties, local media reported.

The Freedom Flotilla marked the second recent attempt by a civilian aid flotilla to break the naval blockade of Gaza, following Israel's interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla last week. That mission involved over 470 volunteers from more than 40 countries. 
BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday expressed firm opposition to the recent decision of the United States to add multiple Chinese entities to its export-control "entity list," urging the U.S. side to immediately correct its wrongdoings.

"The United States has consistently overstretched the concept of national security, abused export control measures, and arbitrarily exercised long-arm jurisdiction, imposing penetrative sanctions on multiple entities, including those from China," a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The statement followed an Oct. 8 announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce that added 16 companies from the Chinese mainland to its entity list.

"This latest move severely undermines the legitimate rights and interests of companies and disrupts the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains," the spokesperson said.

China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese entities, according to the spokesperson. 
Tokyo. Shanghai. Beijing. Now, comes the first Ricoh GR Space in the southern hemisphere  in Brisbane.

The original GR Space opened in Tokyo last year, as a coolly designed community hub and gallery revolving around Ricohs GR series of cameras, which began to achieve cult-status among street photographers in the mid-2010s.

Clem Kennedy reckons the first question hes always asked, perhaps predictably, is: why Brisbane? And his answer  why not?  could be seen as equally obvious.

The first Ricoh GR Space in the southern hemisphere opened in Spring Hill opened this week.

But the Sydney-based Kennedy has put money where his mouth is. His familys company, CR Kennedy & Company, in 2021 purchased the former Federal Police building on Wharf Street in Spring Hill, and was instrumental in bringing South Melbourne Japanese favourite Komeyui to Brisbane as one of its tenants (CR Kennedy & Company own the premises of Komeyuis Melbourne restaurant.)
Ultimately, the judge instructed the jury that it was up to them to determine whether Browns lack of memory is genuine, real, fake or due to medical conditions, which the jury heard included a heart attack, meningitis and renal failure. Former NSW Labor MP Joe Tripodi outside court in March 2024. Credit: Steven Siewert In his summing up, the judge also warned against speculation about the consequences for Brown. After being discharged, the jury was informed that the three former ministers were facing separate trials. The judge also said he had disallowed Browns evidence before the anti-corruption body to be tendered in Kellys criminal trial. He said criminal trials are about admissible evidence  and the right to silence. Brian McGlynn, at the time an expert retained by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, had told the jury that he and a panel of experts had compiled a draft cabinet minute in April 2010 recommending against the government entering into a private-public partnership with AWH.

The jury heard that McGlynns draft cabinet minute should have killed off AWHs ambitions, but the following month, Kelly submitted a substantially revised minute to the budget committee of cabinet. Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, said the changes to McGlynns minute were not just cosmetic or stylistic but reversed the main recommendation. Hatfield said the Kelly cabinet minute included a number of false and misleading facts as well as significant omissions and, in some cases, direct lies. [The Kelly cabinet minute] included a number of false and misleading facts ... and, in some cases, direct lies. Brett Hatfield SC After a lengthy ICAC inquiry in 2014, the corruption watchdogs final report on AWH and the cabinet minute was released in 2017. Criminal charges were recommended against the four men.

This was not the first document that Kelly has run into trouble over. In 2011, the ICAC investigated allegations that Kelly, a former lands minister, had backdated a document purporting to give authority to late Lands department chief Warwick Watkins to purchase a 23-hectare site at Currawong Beach, Pittwater. One of the cottages at the Unions NSW property at Currawong Beach, Pittwater Credit: Paul Miller Because the sale occurred while the government was in caretaker mode, meaning no major contracts should be entered into before the March 26 election, Watkins arranged for Kelly, the relevant minister, to backdate a letter of authority to February 28 to give the appearance it was all above board. The sale of the site had been mired in controversy long before Kellys backdated letter. Since 1949, Currawong had been owned by Unions NSW (previously called the Labor Council.

When it was revealed in January 2007 that Unions NSW had sold Currawong, a collection of rustic holiday cottages accessible only by water, there were complaints that the property had not been sold to the highest bidder. The successful bidders at $15 million were property developers and large Labor donors Allen Linz and Eduard Litver. Macquarie Bank had offered $25 million. Late standover man Michael McGurk and property developer Ron Medich, since jailed for McGurks murder, had offered $30 million. Murdered standover man Michael McGurk. Former Labor opposition leader John Robertson later revealed that, when he was secretary of Unions NSW, he had met McGurk twice. Facilitating the meeting was Eddie Obeids son, Moses, who was later jailed with his father over a corrupt government-issued mining licence. It wasnt until 2013 that Robertson revealed said that in 2006, McGurk had offered him a $3 million bribe to secure the deal. Robertson failed to report the attempted bribe at the time.

In the months before he was murdered in 2009, McGurk had been threatening to blow the lid on the original sale. A Herald investigation revealed Robertson had hired David Tanevski, one of former minister Tripodis closest friends, to handle the 2007 sale. What the union rank and file did not know was that Tanevski, who was in charge of the sale, and Linz, the buyer, were in business together. All three men  Robertson, Tanevski and Linz  had been directors of Getonboard, a company that was to supply unionists with cheap computer packages. Getonboard, run from Tanevskis Martin Place office, was a private company with only five shareholders: the Australian Labor Party (NSW) Branch Gifts, the Labor Council, two companies associated with Tanevski and Linz, and owning $4 million, finally, the mysterious Good Century Assets Ltd, a company registered in the tax haven, the British Virgin Islands. Former Labor leader John Robertson in 2020. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Robertson sidestepped questions about who was behind this company when he was grilled at a 2014 parliamentary inquiry into the sale of Currawong. Unions NSW justified the 2007 sale to Linz and Litver on the grounds that their company Eco Villages had made an unconditional bid. However, it was later revealed the company had paid $1.5 million for a put and call option. The actual sale was not completed for another 14 years, when Eco Villages paid $9.5 million, bringing the total price to $11 million.

They sold it to the government six weeks later for $12.2 million when it became clear they werent able to build 25 luxury villas, later reduced to 12, and a private marina as planned. Linz and Litver negotiated the sale of Currawong with Watkins, the chief executive officer of the governments Land and Property Management Authority. The sale contract was dated March 15, 2011. Former premier Kristina Keneally and then planning minister Tony Kelly in 2010. Credit: Jon Reid The following day, then-premier Kristina Keneallys office heard of the unauthorised sale. Tony Pooley, her deputy chief of staff, later told the ICAC he was shocked as he knew there had not been a cabinet committee process and the government was in caretaker mode. Keneally was furious.

Following anger from the premiers office, Watkins set about sanitising his actions. One of the senior bureaucrats underlings gave evidence at the ICAC about confronting Watkins over the stupidity of backdating a letter to mislead an inquiry. Watkins responded by slamming his fist on his desk, saying: As far as the minister and I are concerned, this letter was signed on February 28. The corruption watchdog found nothing untoward in the dealings between Unions NSW and the buyers, or that any person associated with Eco Villages acted corruptly in the sale of the Currawong site to the NSW government. Although the ICAC recommended Kelly be prosecuted for making a false document and the common law offence of misconduct in public office, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute. The charges brought against Watkins over the backdated letter were dismissed by a magistrate but he later received a 12-month good behaviour bond for lying to the ICAC about the Currawong matter. The DPP will now decide whether Kelly will face a retrial. The matter will be in court for mention on November 26.
The decision to scrap social and affordable housing requirements for a major Brisbane development area is a missed opportunity to meet Queenslands ambitious housing goal, according to the states peak social services body.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie announced on Thursday that the existing requirements for developers to include 20 per cent social and affordable housing in the Woolloongabba Priority Development Area would be removed.

Bleijie said the updated plan would deliver 16,000 homes  2000 more than the previous iteration.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie made the announcement on Thursday. Credit: Brisbane Times/Catherine Strohfeldt

During this weeks announcement  which came with the news a 17,000 arena would be built for the 2032 Olympics  Bleijie said the market had rejected the requirements.
An alarming number of Australian women have been killed in recent years. Find out more about their lives. Some of the cases are still before the courts.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman in Melbournes north.

The 50-year-old from Rockbank is expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court this evening, where police will allege he knew the woman personally.

The man was arrested on Thursday night, several hours after the woman, 44, was found unresponsive on Gottloh Street in Epping.

At the time, police said they were treating the death as suspicious.
The plan was to leave the container on the docks, follow it when it was collected then nab the scoundrels. But somehow Mokbel, using his impressively corrupt network, managed to put the container on a semi-trailer, take it to a Coburg industrial site controlled by his family, and offload the tubs. On November 6, Mokbel rang a trusted contact to tell him the Serbian container had arrived, saying that girl is waiting for you. Seeing the slang for ecstasy was Suzie, it was a pretty cool code. The drugs were hidden inside ceramic toilets. Never one to waste an opportunity, Tony planned to use the toilets in a block of apartments he was building, but they werent up to scratch and he destroyed them. He sold one barrel for $500,000 and tried to sell another to a police informer. The 17-gram sample Tony gave him matched residue found in the container. Without the 550 kilograms, the quick sting operation turned into a slog.

Back in the newspaper office, one of the bosses wanted me to do some boring story. I baulked saying I was working on a Big One. When I refused to tell him what the Big One was, he was less than happy. He pushed and I pushed back. He sent a confidential note to another editor demanding I be pulled into line and do what I was told. Sadly, he misspelled my name. I had the impressive title of crime editor at the time. I wouldnt have it for much longer. I quietly prepared a 3000-word background story and was ready to go. Arrest day was August 24, 2001. About 100 detectives raided 18 properties, arresting eight men. I was down at Port Melbourne to see Tony nabbed. The day Tony Mokbel became headline news. Credit: Naked City Crime Museum. I thought that would be the end of the story. It was only the beginning.

Mokbel was a friend and mentor to emerging drug manufacturer Carl Williams, with police believing Williams paid Tony a royalty on every successful drug cook. A few years earlier, the two travelled to Sydney to break into a drug factory to steal chemicals for the illicit market. Mokbels first criminal conviction was for burglary when he was still a teenager. Williams called Tony the Lord Mayor because he ran Melbourne. Later Carl, filled with hubris and Crown Casino party pies, would go one better, calling himself the Premier because he claimed to run the state. Drug dealer and killer Carl Williams arrested by Purana detectives in 2010. Credit: Angela Wylie Months before the container turned up at the docks, Williams had murdered gangster Mark Moran who, along with his half brother Jason, had shot Williams a year earlier.

The Underbelly War had started. Not that we knew it. Long before Mokbel was a headline act, he was a major player in the drug world. At his peak he was making more than $90,000 a day, investing $20,000 a week on Tattslotto and allowing himself $10,000 a week in pocket money. In 2000, the former suburban pizza shop proprietor owned shops, cafes, fashion labels, fragrances, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and land in regional Victoria. He owned various cars, including a red Ferrari roadster he bought in September 1999. He also owned 14 properties in Brunswick, three in Boronia, two in Kilmore (a horse stud and a pub) and one each in Coburg, Pascoe Vale and Templestowe. Tony Mokbel's Ferrari, seized in 2001 as part of Operation Kayak. Credit: Wayne Taylor They had a secret lab in a residential street in Brunswick that became very public in February 1997 when Paul Edward Howden kicked over a bucket of solvents that ignited and burnt the house down. They found Howden at The Alfred hospital being treated for severe burns to 30 per cent of his body.

Loading Police found the lab had produced 41.25 kilograms of pure methylamphetamine with a potential street value of a then-record $78 million. The house next door was owned by the Mokbels, with Tony and Howden directors of their own company. Mokbel and his mates formed the Tracksuit Gang, to launder money on racetracks. They won $500,000 after placing bets on Doomben winner Timeless Winds. Bookmakers said the gang demanded to be paid in green $100 bills after lodging the bets with the older grey notes.

Years earlier, he was convicted of trying to bribe a county court judge, but this time it was corruption of another kind that would give Mokbel an undeserved break. In a portent of things to come, Tony became the beneficiary of police misbehaviour. Two drug squad detectives (later there would be a third) were charged with corruption involving the very informer who fingered Mokbel in Kayak. The courts decided to deal with the cops first, meaning Mokbel was bailed. If he had chosen to retire then, do a little bit of time, he would have lived handsomely on his $15 million investments. He was a razor-sharp businessman grasping both legal and illegal opportunities. Instead, he doubled down. Little wonder he named his family company Always a Winner. Mokbel was addicted, not to the drugs he produced, but money and power. He was a key figure in the Underbelly crime war and, at the very least, had inside knowledge of some of the murders. Instead of hiding in the shadows he sought the centre stage. He was seen in the Flemington Young Members area handing out cocaine, including to a female surveillance officer following him.

By 2005, the Purana Gangland Taskforce proposed a special effort on the Mokbel clan, codenamed Posse. Loading The reputation of the Victoria Police and other law enforcement bodies will rest on the outcomes of the operation. Should the operation fail, then the Mokbels, as well as other criminal cartels such as Italian Organised Crime identities will continue to run rampant in the belief that they are able to outsmart the police. The operation will not be quick, nor will it be cheap. They got that right. He jumped bail in 2006, was recaptured in Greece in 2007, extradited in 2008, then pleaded guilty to a raft of drug charges, many that would be thrown out on appeal a few days ago. But he remains a convicted drug trafficker. Recently, he has been breaking bread (as opposed to breaking rocks) with old friends and foes to declare a lasting peace.

The balding alien from My Favourite Martian. When I saw Tony in court (he was about to be acquitted of a murder charge), he was at his affable best, giving me a smile and a nod in acknowledgment. Because that is Mokbel  he is polite until he isnt and would rather have friends than foes. He wanted to be known as a deal-maker not a knee-breaker. The exception was when he was unnecessarily rude to an interstate bikie in what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting in Lygon Street. He was flogged and hospitalised. Behind the scenes, he gave me a nickname  the Bald-Headed Alien  which was palpably unfair on both the airless and the hairless.

The shovel and the octopus strap. Credit: Naked City Crime Museum Tony had another nickname  the Octopus, not because he had to be beaten to be tender, but because he had his tentacles everywhere. Many years ago, during the gangland war, I came home to find a shovel resting against the stairs. I asked my daughter, then a secondary school student, if she knew how it got there. A man had knocked on the door and asked if John Silvester lived there. He then produced the shovel and said: Give him this. Wrapped through the handle was an octopus strap.
The regional Victorian city of Bendigo is mourning the death of a 15-year-old boy who was hit by a truck on his morning walk to school.

The teen, a student of Girton Grammar, was hit on High Street in the suburb of Golden Square near the school just after 8.30am.

Police are investigating the collision. Credit: Nine News

A passerby attempted CPR, but the teenager died at the scene.

Police said the truck driver was not injured and was assisting with the investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
The Liberal Partys brand has become so toxic for young people that joining the Melbourne University Liberal Club is considered social suicide, club members admit.

On Friday, the club, which is nearly two decades older than the party, will celebrate its centenary with a gala dinner at the State Library, to be attended to by club and party luminaries from the past six decades.

Melbourne University Liberal Club members (from left) Lachie Eliau, Ruby Corbett and Kai Bowie say there is a negative perception of the Liberal Party among young people. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Despite an increase in club membership over the past five years  there are now 174 members  failures by the party have made the term Liberal so unpalatable, its driving away potential new members, club president Kai Bowie said.

There are a great deal many students at University of Melbourne who are interested in what we do at the club  they say, We like what you do and we might even, to a point, have a centre-right ideology but  to be affiliated with anything Liberal would be social suicide, Bowie said.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. state of Virginia on Thursday.

U.S. media noted that the charges against James are not yet clear. The Justice Department previously launched a criminal probe into James around alleged mortgage fraud and later expanded its investigation.

In a statement, James called the indictment "a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system."

"These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost," said the prominent Democrat.

The indictment came two weeks after a grand jury in the same court -- the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia -- indicted former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly making a false statement and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. On Wednesday, Comey pleaded not guilty to the two charges.

The indictments of Comey and James came after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate them, along with Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and longtime Trump critic.

During the Biden administration, James' office sued Trump -- who was then a former president -- and the Trump Organization for fraud in 2022.

In her statement on Thursday, James defended her lawsuit. "I stand strongly behind my office's litigation against the Trump Organization. We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence -- not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court's finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud," she said.

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump referred to James as "scum" and "corrupt," demanding her removal from office. 
Car parks around railway stations could make way for residential development in Brighton, with the state unlocking multiple sites for homes that will further slash car spaces.

Precincts Minister Harriet Shing will this weekend add four new locations to the governments Small Sites Program, which opens up blocks of surplus government land to the private sector to develop.

North Brighton station is one of the locations where increased density will be located. Credit: Joe Armao

In a move likely to provoke further reactions from locals, two of the sites are car parks on Lindsay Street, near Middle Brighton station, and Marion Street, near North Brighton station.

This would affect about 80 spots out of 110 in Middle Brighton and 75 out of 120 spots in North Brighton. These numbers are estimates and would depend on what the developers ultimately plan for the sites.
In this special series, The Age focuses on Melbournes western suburbs to see how life could improve in Australias fastest-growing region.

A new Voices of group in Melbournes inner west is taking aim at the governments dominance as it kicks off a search for candidates to challenge Labor-held seats for the first time in Victoria.

The founding members of Voices of the Inner West, many of whom have connections to so-called teal political campaigns, are united by the issues of climate, integrity and equality  just dont call them teals.

From left: Jessica Marsh, Mia Cusack, Graeme Hammond, Anthony Warren and Derek Begg of the community-backed Voices of the Inner West. Credit: Jason South

Instead, the organisers say the decision to run reflects growing frustration with what they describe as one-party dominance in Melbournes west, a region held almost exclusively by Labor for decades.

The groups Anthony Warren from Yarraville said it hoped to find community independents to target Footscray and potentially Williamstown at next years state election.
Rents in dozens of Melbourne suburbs have jumped by double digits over the past year, bucking the broader trend of flatlining rental costs.

Asking rents have soared in some of Melbournes more prestigious and tightly held suburbs, with Caulfield showing a 29.4 per cent increase to $1100 a week, followed by a 20.4 per cent hike in Princes Hill to $915, the latest Domain Rent Report for the September quarter showed.

Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said while overall rents have stagnated and that period of real hikes in rent is in the past, some suburbs were bucking the trend.

When you look at the growth, its led by some suburbs for houses, but I do think there is a two-speed market going on for houses, she said.
NORRIS, Tenn., Oct. 8, 2025 -- The North Alabama Mountain Lakes region of the Tennessee River Valley has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first destination in Alabama to receive the "Destination Verified" status from Wheel the World. This designation from Wheel the World, a global organization that specializes in accessible travel, demonstrates the region's pledge to provide an easier and more pleasant experience for visitors of all abilities.

Travelers looking for a destination that embraces inclusivity should consider visiting the North Alabama Mountain Lakes region. Plan your visit today and experience the welcoming atmosphere and accessible attractions that make this area a standout destination. Detailed accessibility information for numerous regional sites, including scenic overlooks, outdoor adventures, cozy lodges, and local dining options, can be found on Wheel the World's online booking platform at https://wheeltheworld.com/.

Wheel the World collaborates with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), local businesses, and travelers worldwide to redefine inclusive tourism. Their mission is to ensure that all destinations are accessible to everyone, from small towns to modern resorts. The North Alabama region joins other Southeast destinations like Savannah, Georgia; Kissimmee, Florida; and Lexington, Kentucky, in receiving this recognition, setting a new benchmark for accessibility within the state.

"For the past ten months, we have been working with Wheel the World and local businesses to verify accessibility and share resources. This designation marks a significant step forward," says North Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism Association President, Tami Reist. "making the North Alabama Mountain Lakes region a model for inclusive tourism in the Southeast, and ensuring that everyone can enjoy the scenic overlooks, outdoor adventures, and local dining that our region has to offer."

This achievement underscores the region's commitment to ensuring every traveler can fully appreciate the beauty, adventure, and hospitality of North Alabama. The "Destination Verified" status is not merely about meeting requirements but about fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion.

The Tennessee River Valley's North Alabama Mountain Lakes region serves as an example for inclusive tourism in the Southeast. By prioritizing accessibility, the region not only enriches the visitor experience but also fosters economic growth and strengthens community bonds.

Key highlights of this achievement include:

First in the Region: The North Alabama Mountain Lakes region is the first in the Tennessee River Valley and in Alabama to receive this designation.

The North Alabama Mountain Lakes region is the first in the Tennessee River Valley and in Alabama to receive this designation. Commitment to Accessibility: The recognition highlights the region's dedication to making travel easier and more enjoyable for visitors with physical, cognitive, and invisible disabilities.

The recognition highlights the region's dedication to making travel easier and more enjoyable for visitors with physical, cognitive, and invisible disabilities. Comprehensive Verification: Wheel the World worked with various local businesses to verify accessibility, ensuring reliable information for travelers.

The Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council, a 501 c3 nonprofit, serves as the steering committee and editorial board for the Geotourism MapGuide website. It is comprised of volunteers from a seven state region. The Council's efforts are made possible through the generous support of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

SOURCE Tennessee River Valley
AMARILLO, Texas, Oct. 9, 2025 -- ProLift Garage Doors of Amarillo will host its 3rd Annual Food Drive in support of FILL WITH HOPE, a nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger for students in Canyon ISD. The event will take place on Saturday, October 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the United Supermarket, 201 N 23rd Street, Canyon, Texas 79015.

This annual drive reflects ProLift's ongoing commitment to the mission of FILL WITH HOPE, which serves over 1,600 kids at23 schools across 732 square miles of Canyon ISD.

"Every child deserves to go to school without worrying about where their next meal will come from," said David Manley, franchise owner of ProLift Garage Doors of Amarillo. "FILL WITH HOPE has made an incredible impact right here in our community, and we're honored to stand alongside them in their mission. The need continues to grow each year, which makes this food drive more important than ever."

To make giving even more accessible, an Amazon Wishlist has been created so supporters can donate items online: https://a.co/5H26Xtr.

FILL WITH HOPE provides weekend food bags and resources to students facing food insecurity, ensuring that hunger does not stand in the way of their ability to learn and thrive.

For more information about FILL WITH HOPE, visit https://fillwithhope.org/
Qunnect to help meet rising defense demand as commercial traction for quantum communications accelerates globally

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Oct. 9, 2025 -- Qunnect, the company pioneering quantum infrastructure for real-world use, has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to advance components of its quantum networking technology for national defense applications. The contract comes as governments around the world invest more than $55 billion in quantum technologies, with networking increasingly recognized as the next frontier of secure connectivity.

Qunnect is the first company to deploy metro-scale, entanglement-based quantum networks on commercial fiber, a critical step towards a secure communications infrastructure already validated in New York City and Berlin. With best-in-class uptime and fidelity, these high-performance deployments reflect a broader market shift: entanglement-based networking is now operational, demonstrating the performance and scalability required for defense and commercial use cases while laying down essential infrastructure for the future quantum internet.

"Qunnect is the first company to have deployed metro-scale quantum networks on commercial fiber in real-world environments," said Noel Goddard, CEO of Qunnect. "Now, with the Air Force's support, we're extending those capabilities to validate defense-grade specifications and accelerate national security use cases."

Quantum networks are tamper-evident: while traditional networks rely on mathematical encryption, quantum networks use quantum physics to secure and share data. Capabilities extend from near-term applicationssuch as position verification and intrusion detectionto laying the foundation for distributed computing and sensing in the future quantum internet. Applications by industry include:

Government: Detect eavesdroppers and other network intrusions, distributing quantum encryption data.

Detect eavesdroppers and other network intrusions, distributing quantum encryption data. Financial Services: Prevent spoofing while protecting in-transit and at-risk transactions.

Prevent spoofing while protecting in-transit and at-risk transactions. Critical Infrastructure: Deliver position verification and tamper alerts, adding a new layer of protection to energy grids and other essential systems.

Deliver position verification and tamper alerts, adding a new layer of protection to energy grids and other essential systems. Data Centers & Telecomms: Connect supercomputers and data hubs while laying down the infrastructure for tomorrow's quantum internet.

Connect supercomputers and data hubs while laying down the infrastructure for tomorrow's quantum internet. Healthcare: Protect patient data across cloud-based and low-trust networks while providing broader access to quantum computing capabilities for drug discovery.

"Around the world, quantum networking is emerging as the lynchpin for secure connectivity," said Mael Flament, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. "We're seeing entanglement-based networking mature from lab concept to deployed infrastructureit's operationally relevant for defense today and foundational for the quantum internet of tomorrow."

Industry reports project a global quantum networking market of nearly $17 billion by 2032, with adoption accelerating across government, telecommunications, and finance. For investors, quantum networking is no longer a distant moonshotit's generating commercial revenues today, and it will be the essential infrastructure for the quantum future.

Qunnect is at the center of this shift, working with national laboratories, telecommunication giants, states like New Mexico and academic research institutions like Montana State University. The company's deployments reflect the broader global movement that quantum networking is earning trust and scaling quickly.

About Qunnect: Qunnect is the leading provider of quantum networking solutions for real-world environments. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the company builds entanglement-based hardware that operates on standard telecom fiber, at room temperature, with best-in-class fidelity and uptime. Its flagship product suite, Carina, enables scalable quantum networks that support secure communication, distributed computing, and precision sensing. With deployments in New York City, Berlin, and soon Albuquerque, Qunnect is laying the foundation for the quantum internet. The company is backed by Cisco Investments, Airbus Ventures, and Quantonation. To learn more: www.qunnect.inc

Media Contact:

Varnum Street Strategies [email protected]

SOURCE Qunnect Inc.
Global alliance convenes innovation companies, airline venture teams and investors to explore and promote new technologies.

LISBON, Portugal, Oct. 9, 2025 -- oneworld hosted its first-ever Innovation Summit on Monday as a precursor to the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon. The event connected digital, customer experience and sustainability leaders from across the alliance with innovators, industry partners, start-ups and scale-ups for a deep dive into new technologies that are being both successfully deployed and considered for future implementation.

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Matt Ridley, oneworld Director of Sustainability and Innovation, hosting a panel at the Innovation Summit.

"oneworld member airlines are exploring, investing in and deploying innovation that is reshaping aviation, and they are collectively doing so at an industry-leading rate," said Nat Pieper, chief executive officer of oneworld. "We have a wealth of expertise across our alliance, uniquely positioning us to bring parties together to share best practices and spark new ideas to solve common challenges at scale."

"Innovation is bigger than one company; if you want to create epic outcomes you need to first connect and then collaborate," said Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext, who shared the mission and strategy of UpNext with attendees. "It all starts with open listening and that's what I have appreciated from my day with the oneworld community. Creating a space to ideate together is a great beginning, I look forward to seeing where it takes us."

"By combining Breakthrough Energy Ventures' deep technical and investment capabilities with oneworld's global aviation expertise, we are getting closer to enabling the technologies that can help deliver cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel at scale" said Max Sabbe, Principal, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. "Collaboration across the aviation and investment communities is essential to accelerate progress and turn promising innovation into lasting impact."

The oneworld Innovation Summit featured a dynamic mix of panel discussions, presentations and dedicated networking sessions, creating an environment for the audience to build connections and explore the future of aviation technology.

Collaborating to net zero

oneworld was the first alliance to commit to net zero by 2050, and its members are committed to tackling the environmental impact of air travel through a number of initiatives.

Regular collaboration between sustainability experts across the alliance led to the recently launched $150 million fund between oneworld and Breakthrough Energy Ventures designed to accelerate and scale new technology for the development and commercialisation of SAF.

In addition to panel discussions, the oneworld Innovation Summit featured presentations from leaders in the field of aviation innovation including:

JetZero : CEO Tom O'Leary outlined next steps in revolutionising commercial air travel, through ground-breaking, highly-efficient aircraft design.

: CEO Tom O'Leary outlined next steps in revolutionising commercial air travel, through ground-breaking, highly-efficient aircraft design. UP.Labs : Airlines Ventures CEO Vicki Nakata shared her insights into how collaboration unlocks solutions, driving broader innovation across the aviation ecosystem.

: Airlines Ventures CEO Vicki Nakata shared her insights into how collaboration unlocks solutions, driving broader innovation across the aviation ecosystem. Volantio : CEO Azim Barodawala showcased the company's award-winning, advanced AI which delivers a better passenger experience during irregular operations and is used by oneworld members including Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines and Qantas.

: CEO Azim Barodawala showcased the company's award-winning, advanced AI which delivers a better passenger experience during irregular operations and is used by oneworld members including Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines and Qantas. Loft Dynamics: CEO Fabi Riesen founded the first company to have received FAA and EASA approval for its innovative virtual reality flight simulators.

About oneworld

oneworld is a global airline alliance bringing together 15 of the world's leading airlines, who are committed to delivering the highest level of service and convenience to travellers. With a strong focus on innovative solutions, oneworld member airlines are working collectively to address their environmental impact and accelerate the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. The alliance's members serve nearly 1,000 destinations worldwide and include: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines. For more information visit oneworld.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Chris Singley

[email protected]

+1 (817) 308-1288

Katie Hulme

[email protected]

+44 7301 164252

SOURCE oneworld Management Company, Inc
China announces export control measures on superhard materials, rare earths, battery-related items

Xinhua) 08:10, October 10, 2025

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's commerce ministry and the General Administration of Customs on Thursday announced export control measures on items related to superhard materials, rare earth equipment and materials, and batteries.

Effective from Nov. 8, exports of items related to superhard materials, equipment and raw materials related to rare earths, five medium and heavy rare earth elements including holmium, lithium batteries, as well as synthetic graphite anode materials, will not be permitted without approval, the Ministry of Commerce stated.

Given the dual-use nature of these items, the ministry said that China implements export control measures in accordance with laws and regulations, which conforms to international common practice and is in line with better safeguarding China's national security and interests, and better fulfilling its international obligations, such as its commitment to non-proliferation.

The Chinese government is willing to work with all countries to maintain the stability and smooth operations of global industrial and supply chains, the ministry said.

These measures are not targeted at any country or region, the ministry said, adding that China will grant approval to export applications that are legal and compliant following a review process.

At the same time, China is willing to engage in communication on export control policies and practices with relevant parties through bilateral dialogue and exchange mechanisms, to jointly promote and facilitate compliant trade, the ministry said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Over 263,000 Chinese couples have benefited from the country's simplified marriage registry location rules since they took effect on May 10 this year, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Friday.

The new rules allow couples in the country to register their marriage at any eligible registry office nationwide, regardless of their household registration location.

Additionally, couples now only need to present their identification cards to get registered, eliminating the long-time requirement for household registration books.

Lu Zhiyuan, minister of civil affairs, told a press conference that the reform of marriage customs continues to deepen in China, with a more healthy trend taking shape at a faster pace. 

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

A journalist asks questions at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Journalists work at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, speaks during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, also attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)
COLOMBO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan health officials have identified 12 districts as high-risk areas for the spread of leptospirosis, also known as rat fever, said a minister on Friday.

Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa told parliament that these districts include areas where a large number of people are engaged in agriculture, adding that the disease mainly spreads among paddy farmers during the cultivation season.

The minister said the government has sufficient stocks of drugs used to prevent and treat rat fever to last for 12 months.

Over 10,000 cases of leptospirosis were reported in 2024, and about 200 people die from the disease each year, he said. 
Conversion victims can face action if they try to convert others: Guj HC





AHMEDABAD :

THE Gujarat High Court has said that persons claiming to be victims of religious conversion can also face legal action if they later attempt to convert others. On account of their act of influencing, pressuring and alluring other persons to convert to Islam, a prima facie offence is made out against them, the court of Justice Nirzar Desai said on October 1, hearing a batch of petitions moved by several persons. The petitioners claimed they were originally Hindus and had been converted to Islam by other persons, and hence they were themselves victims of conversion and not accused. The court noted that they were involved in pressuring and alluring other persons to convert to Islam, which would prima facie make out an offence against them.

Several men accused of religious conversion had approached the High Court, contending that they were themselves victims of religious conversion and the First Information Report (FIR) against them was misconceived. They sought the FIR lodged against them at Aamod police station in Bharuch district to be quashed and set aside. Rejecting their plea, the HC noted, On account of their act of influencing and pressurizing and alluring other persons to convert to Islam, as can be seen from the FIR as well as statements of the witnesses, of course, those allegations are prima facie in nature for which today, upon examination of material produced, the court is of the view that conversion of the victims indicates that a prima facie offence is made out.

Therefore, it cannot be accepted that those persons who are arraigned as accused who are originally Hindus and subsequently were converted to Islam, can be said to be the victims on account of allegations made in the FIR as well as the material collected during the course of investigation by way of charge-sheet papers, it said.
Cough syrup deaths: Madhya Pradesh CM Dr Mohan Yadav visits Nagpur hospitals





Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav interacting with Dean Dr Raj Gajbhiye at GMCH. (Pics by Satish Raut)

Staff Reporter :

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Thursday alleged that the Tamil Nadu Government was not co-operating in connection with the probe linked to the death of 23 children from his State due to consumption of a cough syrup manufactured in the southern state. He said his Government will not spare anyone playing with the lives of children and urged the Tamil Nadu government to take concrete steps and proper action in the episode. Yadav visited the hospitals in Nagpur on Thursday to enquire about the health of children undergoing treatment following consumption of Coldrif cough syrup manufactured in Tamil Nadu.

Twenty-three children, mostly from Chhindwara in MP, have died so far due to suspected kidney failure after consuming the cough syrup. The Madhya Pradesh police arrested Ranganathan, the owner of Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma, in the wee hours of Thursday and also seized some documents from his Kancheepuram factory. Talking to reporters after his visit to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur (AIIMS) and the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur, CM Yadav said, A proper report of the medicine concerned from the drug controller over there is expected. The pharma company was responsible for the end-to-end process of the medicine. The Madhya Pradesh government suspended the drug controller and assistant drug controller for negligence in (testing) random samples (of the medicine).

We immediately formed an SIT and the police arrested the owner of the pharma company in Tamil Nadu. But the Government where these medicines are manufactured should take concrete steps and proper action, Yadav added. It appears that the medicine given (to children) during the treatment is responsible, which is a manufacturing mistake, the CM said. Our Government will not spare anyone who is responsible (for the deaths), and strict action will be taken against the culprits, he said. Three more children from Madhya Pradesh have succumbed to kidney infections caused by the consumption of a contaminated cough syrup, taking the death toll to 23, an official said on Thursday.

The accused will be produced in a Chennai court for obtaining his transit remand and will be brought to Parasia by Friday, he added. The MP Government earlier this week suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and transferred the States drug controller amid an investigation into the childrens deaths. Chhindwara-based Dr Praveen Soni has been arrested for alleged negligence. A local court in Parasia town on Wednesday rejected the bail application of Soni. The Indian Medical Association has threatened to go on an indefinite strike in the district against Dr Sonis arrest on Thursday.
Dr Nashine honoured with MY Bharat NSS award





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR

Dean of College of Agriculture and Research Station, Narayanpur and National Service Scheme (NSS) officer Dr Ratna Nashine was honoured with MY Bharat NSS national award in a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi recently. Dr Ratna Nashine received the award from President of India Droupadi Murmu in the function. Dr Ratna Nashine was felicitated with MY Bharat NSS national award- 2022-23. This achievement is not only recognition of the tireless efforts of Dr Ratna Nashine, but is also a matter of pride and inspiration for every Chhattisgarh resident. As a reward, an amount of Rs 2.50 lakh has been given to College of Agriculture and Research Station Narayanpur and Rs 1.50 lakh has been given to Programme Officer Dr Ratna Nashine.

Programme Officer Dr Ratna Nashine and her team have conducted several awareness programmes in remote tribal villages of Narayanpur and Orchha blocks over the years, in which blood donation, My Bharat Abhiyan Yatra, tricolor in every house, drug de-addiction, road safety awareness programme and tree plantation were done and the villagers were informed about many schemes of the central government. Especially in many villages of Narayanpur block, training programmes for organic farming were also conducted.

The National Service Scheme (NSS) of the Lingo Mudiyal Agricultural College and Research Station Narayanpur, operates in various villages in Narayanpurs two blocks: Narayanpur and Orchha. This area is predominantly tribal and rich in forests, and is dependent on them. The villages here are economically weak due to malnutrition, anemia, traditional agriculture, etc. In light of all this, the Rashtriya Seva Yojana (RSY) unit has worked tirelessly under the Swachhata Abhiyan (Cleanliness Campaign) to raise awareness among the people about plastic-free living and cleanliness.
Ex-Union Minister Rajen Gohain, 17 others resign from BJP in Assam





DIBRUGARH :

FORMER Union Minister and four-time BJP MP Rajen Gohain from Assams Nagaon parliamentary constituency resigned from the party along with 17 other members on Thursday, officials said. In a letter to state BJP president Dilip Saikia, Gohain said he was resigning from the primary membership of the party and stepping down from all party positions with immediate effect. Seventeen other BJP members, mostly from Upper and Central Assam, also submitted their resignations to Saikia, sources said. Speaking to PTI, Gohain said he resigned as the party had failed to fulfil the promises made to the people of Assam and betrayed the indigenous communities by allowing outsiders to settle in the State. He also charged the partys State leadership with encouraging communal politics and dividing the centuries-old Assamese society. He represented the Nagaon parliamentary constituency for four terms from 1999 to 2019 and had served as the Union Minister of State for railways from 2016 to 2019.

Gohain submitted his letter at the party headquarters in Guwahati. The State President along with senior office bearers are at Dibrugarh to attend BJPs central committee and office bearers meeting during the day. Saikia, who is also in Dibrugarh, however, did not say whether the resignation has been accepted or not. Gohain, 74, said that he was disillusioned with the party as it had betrayed its core assurances to the indigenous communities. The current BJP leadership in the state allowed outsiders to settle at the expense of the indigenous Assamese peoples land and resources, he claimed. He criticised the Governments approach to the contentious issue of illegal immigration, a central plank of the BJPs earlier campaigns.

The Government, which promised that after May 16, 2014, there would not be a single Bangladeshi in Assam, is continuously bringing in Bangladeshis through new tactics, he alleged. He further said that not granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities of the state was a major point of contention. The former Minister alleged that a key reason for quitting the party was that the present leadership had sidelined its dedicated grassroots workers and did not give due respect to the dedicated workers who sacrificed their youth to advance the party, even after the Government was formed in the State in 2016. He accused the state Government of promoting nepotism and implementing policies that crush local enterprise by imposing new rules regularly that squeeze the livelihoods of local small businessmen and handing over those opportunities to large outsider business groups. Assembly elections are due in the State next year.
India, UK natural partners: PM Modi





MUMBAI :

INDIA and the UK are natural partners and their growing ties stand as an important pillar of global stability and economic progress at a time the world is witnessing uncertainty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. Modi made the remarks after his wide-ranging talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In his media statement, PM Modi said the historic India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement inked in July will reduce import costs between the two countries, create new employment opportunities, boost trade, and benefit industries and consumers on both sides. India and the UK are natural partners.

Our relationship is built on the shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, he said. In todays time of global uncertainty, our growing partnership stands as an important pillar of global stability and economic progress, he added. The two leaders also shared views on the Indo-Pacific, peace and stability in West Asia, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. On the issues of the Ukraine conflict and Gaza, India supports all efforts to restore peace through dialogue and diplomacy. We are fully committed to enhancing maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, Modi said. The Prime Minister said Indias dynamism and the UKs expertise have together created a unique synergy. Our partnership is trustworthy, and driven by talent and technology.

And today, as PM Starmer and I stand together on this stage, it is a clear reaffirmation of our shared commitment to work hand in hand towards building a brighter future for the people of both our nations, he said. Modi also touched upon the growing defence partnership between the two countries. We are moving towards defense co-production and connecting the defence industries of both countries. Taking our defence collaboration a step further, we have signed an agreement for cooperation in military training, under which flying instructors from the Indian Air Force will serve as trainers with the UKs Royal Air Force, he said. The British leader, accompanied by a delegation of 125 of the UKs most prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs and educationists, landed in Mumbai on Wednesday morning on a two-day visit. Starmers visit to India came two-and-half months after the two countries inked a landmark free trade pact that will increase market access, cut tariffs and is expected to result in doubling the bilateral trade by 2030. The trade deal was firmed up during PM Modis visit to London in July. In his remarks, Starmer described the India-UK partnership as special that is focused on the future.
State sanctions 4407 supernumerary posts of Safai Karmacharis for NMC





Staff Reporter :

Revised staffing pattern approved by the Maharashtra Government wherein heirs of Aivajdars would be absorbed in regular service of the civic body

In a major boost for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the Maharashtra Government has approved a revised staffing pattern wherein it sanctioned 4407 supernumerary posts in the Sanitation Department. The decision relates to a major demand put up by NMC to delete an earlier direction of the State Government about the lapse of the post of Aivajdars; they were heirs of workers engaged in the Solid Waste Department. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has authorised absorption of the Aivajdars in regular service of the civic body.

The decision is as per the recommendations of the Lad-Page Samiti that was set up by the State Government to go into the issue of the absorption of Aivajdars. The committee said that heirs of the deceased and Devendra Fadnavis was busy for the last two days with pressing engagements, the Government machinery could not take any policy decision on the demands of striking employees. Hopefully, on Friday a meeting is going to be held, likely with Chief Minister and that would yield some result. The unions are in jittery over the issuance of licences to private companies in the lucrative power distribution arena in State. They are seeking the scrapping of a policy decision taken by Maharashtra Government opening the distribution sector to private companies, saying it would strike at very roots of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

Also they have opposed the decision of MSEDCL to outsource technical manpower at 329 sub-stations across Maharashtra, excluding Mumbai, as the same is being claimed as privatisation. In city, the strike employees gathered at the office of Regional Director, MSEDCL, on Katol Road, where a gate meeting was held under presidentship of Mohan Sharma, the senior-most trade union leader. The union leaders flayed the policy of State Government and urged workers to remain united. From the Government side, Principal Secretary, Energy, Abha Shukla; CMD, MSEDCL, Lokesh Chandra; and other senior officials held talks with the representatives of 7 unions.

The unions claim they represent 86,000 workers and engineers and also 42,000 contractual workers, and now the effect of the strike would reflect on regular maintenance work and also on fuse calls that would go unattended. Meanwhile, MSEDCL maintained that the strike by employees has no effect on power distribution. Throughout the state there was no report of disruption at any place. MSEDCL has engaged the services of 20,000 external workersto maintain seamless operations at all sub-centres, along with workers who have not joined the strike. Senior officials are monitoring the situation through the control room at Prakashgad 24 hours.
BOGOTA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Thursday demanded that the United States disclose the identities of those killed in recent U.S. missile strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea.

"The White House official is obligated to reveal the names and origins of the people killed in the Caribbean with missiles," Petro wrote on social media.

His statement came after the White House dismissed his allegation that the latest U.S. strike in the Caribbean may have hit a Colombian vessel, calling the claim "baseless and reprehensible."

While acknowledging that Colombian traffickers operate in the Caribbean, Petro urged Qatar to mediate between Colombia, the United States and armed groups such as the Gulf Clan and the "Conquistadores de la Sierra," which he said control nearly all cocaine exports from Colombia.

He also called on Washington to end its practice of bombing boats in the region as part of its anti-drug campaign.

On Wednesday, Petro backed an initiative put forward by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff calling for a congressional vote to end Washington's military strikes in the Caribbean, believing they pose a risk of war.

According to Schiff, the U.S. Congress has not authorized the repeated attacks in the Caribbean, which the administration of President Donald Trump claims aim to combat drug trafficking.

Since September, the United States has carried out four missile strikes against vessels in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 suspected "narco-terrorists," according to U.S. government reports. 
State to act against medical negligence: CM





Staff Reporter :

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav stated that the children and families of Madhya Pradesh are the victims; children from our State have died. The Madhya Pradesh Government will not hesitate to take strict action against any culprits in this sensitive case. Chief Minister Dr Yadav stated that the responsible individuals from any culpable company involved in the use of banned cough syrup have been apprehended and arrested. The Madhya Pradesh police have arrested the culprits. Unfortunately, the Tamil Nadu government is not providing the expected co-operation. The Tamil Nadu Drugs Controller should investigate the pharmaceutical company as required.

The Madhya Pradesh Government conducted the necessary investigations by taking random samples and has suspended the Chhindwara doctor and other culprits, and the Drugs Controller has been removed. Additionally, action has been taken against doctors who continue to prescribe the companys banned medication to patients. Chief Minister Dr Yadav stated that the Tamil Nadu government should take strict action in accordance with the rules. Investigations so far have revealed a fundamental manufacturing error. This defective medication was administered to children, resulting in loss of life. The Madhya Pradesh Government banned this cough syrup and arrested the pharmaceutical company owner. The Madhya Pradesh Government will continue to take strict action. No one found guilty will be spared, Dr Yadav reiterated.
TN-based cough syrup pharma owner held





CHENNAI :

TAMIL Nadu-based Sresan Pharma owner has been arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police with the help of Chennai Police in the wee hours of Thursday, in connection with the adulterated cough syrup case, a police official said. Teams from the Madhya Pradesh Police and Chennai cops launched a hunt to trace out and nab the pharma owner Ranganathan. Coldrif cough syrup manufactured by his company is attributed to the deaths of children in multiple States.

A senior police official said he was detained following a midnight operation and taken to Sunguvarchatram police station for an inquiry. According to the police official, the police teams have been searching for G Ranganathan since October 7 after the Madhya Pradesh police team arrived, and he was finally arrested at 1.30 am today. The police also seized some documents from his Kancheepuram factory. After being produced in the court here for obtaining the transit remand, he would be taken to Chhindwara, he said. On October 7, the Sriperumbudur Drug Control Inspector had issued a show-cause notice to the pharma company asking it to explain the discrepancies in the quality and labelling of the medicine.

Officials from the TN Directorate of Drugs Control inspected the manufacturing facility and found that the medicines were allegedly stored in unhygienic conditions on the corridors, and they noticed certain risk of contamination, he said. The Tamil Nadu Government had sealed the factory after 20 children from Madhya Pradesh died after consuming the contaminated cough syrup allegedly made in the unit. The Government banned the cough syrup Coldrif in the State from October 1 and ordered the removal of stocks of the medicine from the market.
Treatment by quack claims life of 13-yr-old girl





Our Correspondent

PENDRA

ONCE again, unqualified medical practice has cost an innocent life in the district. A thirteen-year-old girl died after being treated by a quack in Silpahari village under Pendra police station limits. According to information, the victim, identified as Khushboo Wakare (13), daughter of Deendayal Wakare, had been suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea. The family, instead of taking her directly to the hospital, sought treatment from a local quack. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly during the course of treatment. Realising the worsening condition, the quack referred the girl to the district hospital, but she succumbed on the way.

On arrival, doctors at the district hospital examined her and declared her brought dead. The incident has sparked outrage in the locality, with villagers accusing the quack of gross negligence. They alleged that unqualified practitioners are openly operating clinics in the area, posing serious risks to public health. The residents have demanded strict action from the administration to prevent such tragedies in the future. Meanwhile, the Health Department and Pendra Police have begun a joint investigation into the suspected medical negligence. Additional Superintendent of Police Om Chandel informed that a case has been registered and the girls body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Further action will be taken once the post-mortem report is received, he said.

Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Rameshwar Sharma, when contacted, confirmed that the girl died due to treatment by a quack. An investigation team has been constituted to look into the matter, and strict action will be taken against the offender. We are continuously taking action against such unlicensed practitioners and will continue to do so, Dr Sharma said. The girls family remains inconsolable following the tragedy, while the district administration faces mounting pressure to crack down on the growing menace of quackery in rural areas.
GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Hamas-run interior authority said on Friday that its security forces will begin deploying in areas of the Gaza Strip from which the Israeli army withdraws after the ceasefire agreement comes into effect.

In a press statement, the authority said the deployment aims to restore public order and address the chaos left by the two-year war, which caused heavy casualties and widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip.

It "congratulates the Palestinian people on the agreement to end the war that lasted for two years," the authority said.

It added that the security forces will work to restore security and stability, urging residents to cooperate with the security personnel and adhere to safety instructions.

The Israeli military announced earlier in the day that a ceasefire in Gaza had come into effect and its forces were withdrawing to the first of three withdrawal lines.

In a statement, the military said the truce began at noon, local time. "Troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines," it said.

"Troops in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to remove any immediate threat," the military added.

Hamas and Israel on Thursday reached a ceasefire agreement after three days of intensive negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States.

The first phase of the peace plan includes the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza City, the north, Rafah, and Khan Younis, the opening of five crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners. 
JAKARTA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has declared its readiness to actively participate in Gaza's reconstruction following the ceasefire, while calling for a permanent end to violence and broad humanitarian access, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

"Indonesia welcomes the phase one of the ceasefire in Gaza and the permanent end of hostilities," the ministry said through its official social media account. "It is hoped that access to humanitarian aid will be opened widely soon and Indonesia is ready to actively participate in supporting the Gaza reconstruction process."

Indonesia urged the global community to seize this momentum to resume the peace process in Palestine and realize the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international law. 
TOKYO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreign residents living in Japan has reached a record-high 3.95 million, as the country accepts more foreign workers amid a severe labor shortage, government data showed Friday.

According to figures released by the Immigration Services Agency, 3,956,619 foreign nationals resided in Japan as of the end of June, up 5.0 percent, or 187,000, from the end of 2024, accounting for 3.21 percent of the country's total population.

By residential status, permanent residents comprised the largest group at 932,090, up 1.5 percent, followed by a visa category for engineers, specialists in humanities and international services, including interpreters, which increased 9.4 percent to 458,109.

At the current pace, the number of foreign residents is expected to come to 4.15 million at the end of this year, the immigration agency said.

In the first half of 2025, the number of foreigners entering Japan reached a record 21.3 million, marking a 21 percent increase from a year before and growing at a pace that could bring the annual total for this year to a record 45 million. 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (5th L, rear), U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff (4th L, rear) and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (6th L, rear) attend a government meeting in Jerusalem on Oct. 9, 2025. The Israeli government on early Friday approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining hostages. (Ma'ayan Toaf/GPO/Handout via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government on early Friday approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining hostages.

Under the terms of the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua, the ceasefire is now in effect.

"The government now approved the framework for the release of all the hostages -- both the living and the deceased," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

The deal gained enough votes, though pro-settler ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, among others, voted against it.

"The war will immediately end upon the approval of the Israeli government," the agreement read. "All military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment and targeting operations will be suspended." 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2nd R), U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff (3rd R) and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (1st R) attend a government meeting in Jerusalem on Oct. 9, 2025.

The Israeli government on early Friday approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining hostages. (Ma'ayan Toaf/GPO/Handout via Xinhua)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C), U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner attend a government meeting in Jerusalem on Oct. 9, 2025.

The Israeli government on early Friday approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining hostages. (Ma'ayan Toaf/GPO/Handout via Xinhua)
Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), welfare for children and the elderly in China has seen significant improvements, China's Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said on Friday.

During this period, a comprehensive protection and care system for children in need was established, covering de facto unattended children, "left-behind" children whose parents work far from home, and migrant children, all of whom are now included within the country's protection and care services, Lu told a press conference.

De facto unattended children primarily refer to children whose parents are both missing, severely disabled, critically ill, imprisoned, deported, or subject to compulsory drug rehabilitation.

Lu said that compared to 2020, the basic living allowances for orphans in welfare institutions, orphans living with their families, and de facto unattended children have increased by 26 percent, 32 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

During the same period, China completed home renovations and redesign of elderly-friendly facilities for 2.24 million households with elderly people facing special difficulties, Lu said.

He added that China has established 500 model community-based eldercare service networks, 2,990 model elderly-friendly communities, and 86,000 community canteens for seniors.

Various subsidies and allowances, including those for very old people, senior citizens experiencing financial hardship, and seniors with disabilities, have benefited over 49.4 million people, according to the minister. 

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

A journalist asks questions at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Journalists work at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, speaks during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, also attended the press conference here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, and Li Changguan, Hu Haifeng, and Liu Zhenguo, all vice ministers of civil affairs, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in civil affairs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xin)
YANGON, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Ministry of Transport and Communications held an event in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday to mark World Post Day 2025, the state-owned daily The Mirror reported on Friday.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister for Transport and Communications U Mya Tun Oo said that this year's theme, "Post for People: Local Service. Global Reach," reflects the role of the postal sector in global connectivity by providing services to the public, from urban to rural areas, the report said.

He added that it also serves as a visionary guideline for the country and the world to continue working together, the report said.

The minister further stressed the need to use digital technologies to support the development of Myanmar's postal sector, the report said.

Awards were presented to winners of local essay competitions on World Post Day during the ceremony, the report said.

Commemorative video clips about World Post Day were also shown at the event, the report said.

Historical photographs, books, and business materials illustrating the development of postal services over time were also displayed during the event, it said. 
PREPAK celebrates foundation day

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IMPHAL, Oct 9: The proscribed PREPAK celebrated its 48th foundation day at different places in association with both the hill people and plain people.

The 48th foundation day of PREPAK was celebrated at its central headquarters, general headquarters, 707 mobile battalion, base area-1, base area-2, base area-3, base area-4, tactical headquarters, training centres, transit camps, mobile battalion-01 and mobile battalion -02, said a press release issued by the outfits Publicity Officer, Department of Publicity and Propaganda Mangal Khuman.

PREPAK Interim Council Chairman Aheiba Angom and Charge-d-Affairs, Publicity and Propaganda LeibaakNgaakpa Luwang graced the raising day function held at the central headquarters as chief guest and president respectively.

There, Aheiba Angom hoisted the partys flag after lighting up the ceremonial lamp.

Speaking on the occasion, Aheiba Angom said that the Government of Indias geopolitics and the resulting conflict among the communities have posed serious threats to the integrity of Kangleipak as well as peace and harmony.

At the general headquarters, Red Armys Chief of Army Staff Romi Meitei, Charge-d-Affairs Medical & Family Welfare Chamba, Deputy Finance Secretary Rocky, Organisation-1 Shanti and Organisation-2 Ngairamba attended the foundation day celebration as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.

After the Red Armys Chief of Army Staff opened the function by lighting up a ceremonial lamp and unfurling the partys flag, floral tributes and gun salute were offered to all the martyrs, said the press release.

Base Area Secretary Langamba and Red Armys Camp Commander Md Pakkish attended the foundation celebration at 707 Mobile Battalion as chief guest and president respectively.

PREPAK has also conveyed gratitude to all fraternal revolutionary organisations of WESEA and Kangleipak which extended warm greetings to the outfit on its 48th foundation day. It further conveyed gratitude to all the hill and plain people who made the foundation day celebration a success.
Will a popular Govt improve things ? Has a roadmap been worked out ?

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Number 1 fact is, after Manipur came under Presidents Rule on February 13, 2025, incidents of violence have come down. But then absence of violence should not be equated to normalcy by any stretch of the imagination. This is fact number 2. Even today no Meiteis will take the road to go from Imphal to Senapati or Dimapur or Guwahati or Shillong and no Kuki-Zo man will take a flight from BT Airport after travelling by road upto Imphal-This is fact number 3. It also stands that thousands continue to languish in the different relief centres set up across the length and breadth of the State which means that many still cannot go back to the place they once called home at Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Moreh, Imphal and any other place in the valley districts. This is fact number 4. The question is, what are the steps that have been taken or are being mulled to be taken up to take Manipur closer to the understanding of normalcy ? No definite answers have come as yet other than the line that the Centre is working towards a formula to resolve the issues besieging Manipur since the evening of May 3, 2023. And it is amid this reality that a large number of BJP MLAs have proceeded to Delhi to meet Central leaders of the party to impress upon them the necessity of installing a popularly elected Government. The question is, have the BJP MLAs and the former Ministers in the then BJP led Government worked out any roadmap that could take the place to the road of normalcy and accordingly convince the Centre of the need for a popularly elected Government ? Nothing on this line has been spelt out so far and this is where one is left wondering whether the return of a popular Government would help Manipur in any way. It also stands that it took the Centre nearly two years to decide that the situation here warranted Central intervention in the form of Presidents Rule, though in fact the Centre had taken key responsibilities of looking after the law and order situation right after violence erupted on May 3, 2023. It did not take days for the Centre to depute a Security Advisor in the person of Kuldiep Singh who was also made the Chairman of the Unified Command. The Centre also took upon itself the task of naming the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Manipur, a break from the established practise that appointments to these posts are made at the discretion of the Chief Minister. In short the major arrangements looked like Delhi calling the shots from the moment violence erupted on May 3, 2023 and this is where one is left wondering why this arrangement was discontinued and Presidents Rule had to be imposed. The politics at play here can be confusing but has it helped the cause of Manipur in any way ? Or more importantly are the political leaders of the day aware of the finer nuances of the politics that is being played here ?

No one knows how long Presidents Rule will continue and no one knows if the case to be presented by the BJP MLAs from Manipur will have any impact or not. And it is against this background that the MLAs are seeking an audience with the Central BJP leaders and it is along this line that reports have come in that some of the MLAs are scheduled to meet general secretary of the BJP BL Santosh on October 10. How the meeting proceeds remains to be seen and the important question here is whether any of the MLAs in Delhi would be in a position to spell out what exactly transpired in the meeting. As things stand right now, Manipur wants to know of any development in Delhi vis-a-vis the visit of the BJP MLAs there, but the important question is whether the MLAs have made any arrangements to have someone from amongst them to answer queries from the media. From what could be gathered so far, no such arrangement has been made, but it would have helped if someone had been authorised from amongst the MLAs to speak to the media. In the ultimate analysis, the BJP MLAs are there in Delhi on behalf of Manipur and it is only expected that the people want to know of the development. Afterall the question of whether PR continues or the popularly elected Government returns will depend on how Delhi perceives the situation and how well the case for a popular Government is put forward.
JAKARTA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's resort island of Bali plans to establish 24-hour integrated service units and tourist service posts across all major tourist destinations to ensure visitors' safety and comfort, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said on Friday.

The initiative comes as tourists may face various risks during their holidays, ranging from security disturbances and traffic accidents to illness and natural disasters, Koster said.

The governor explained that the service posts will be connected with health centers, disaster mitigation units, police stations, civil service police units, search and rescue offices, and tourism authorities.

"Emergency services must be available at every tourist destination and be quickly accessible through a dedicated contact number," he said at a meeting on the control and protection of tourists and foreign nationals in Denpasar, Bali.

Koster added that the local government is also preparing a digital application to ensure the system operates in an integrated and efficient manner.

"We must build a system that guarantees the safety and comfort of tourists throughout their stay in Bali -- whether at hotels, beaches, mountains, rivers, or while traveling between destinations. Everything must be managed cohesively," he said.

According to I Wayan Sumarajaya, head of the Bali Tourism Office, international tourist arrivals in Bali reached 5.6 million from January to September. Australia, China, India, and Britain remained the top four sources of foreign visitors entering Indonesia through Bali. 
Uruguayan teacher and journalist Lucy Garrido receives an interview with Xinhua in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

by Gerardo Laborde

MONTEVIDEO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thirty years after the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, Uruguayan teacher and journalist Lucy Garrido still recalls the sense of uncertainty that came with traveling to China in 1995 -- and the inspiration she brought home.

"Many of us feared we would lack necessities or food," Garrido said in a recent interview. "But in China, we found everything we needed. We were treated in an exemplary manner."

The United Nations conference, hosted by China, gathered tens of thousands of delegates from around the world to discuss equality, development and peace. Garrido, who served as a communication coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean during a forum in the lead-up to the conference, said it helped shape international understanding of women's rights for decades to come.

"When people, countries get to know each other, they go away with something that is unshakable -- a kind of solidarity and affection that arises between people," she said.

The Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the conference, set out 12 key areas, along with goals and strategies to promote gender equality. Garrido said it became a lasting reference point for policymakers, activists and courts.

"It gave women around the world a floor, not a ceiling, a platform to inspire even more," she said. "It was such an important political tool that we still use it today. There are court rulings and judgments where judges use the 1995 platform."

The conference's influence, Garrido said, extended beyond governments and international organizations. When she returned to Uruguay, she was struck by how people from all walks of life felt connected to its outcomes.

Garrido said the Beijing conference was also an example of cooperation and compromise among countries that didn't always share the same priorities.

"Now that the United Nations is being called into question, this is proof of how useful and important multilateralism is," she said. "That conference was an example of it."

She still remembers one of the slogans from 1995: "Now is the time for women because the next millennium is ours."

"I think that came true," she said.

Looking ahead to the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women China plans to host, Garrido said she hopes it will continue to strengthen international cooperation and expand the original platform for action.

"China is playing a role that is very useful to all of us, especially those who believe in multilateralism and in reducing global tensions," she said. "You can't talk about humanity if you don't talk about half of humanity and if you don't respect diversity." 

Uruguayan teacher and journalist Lucy Garrido receives an interview with Xinhua in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sept. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to "oversee" the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, U.S. media reported Thursday.

The task force will "oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations" of the deal, a senior U.S. official told reporters.

Members of Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish armed forces would be embedded in the U.S. team, according to the official.

The task force will "not be in Gaza," another U.S. official said. 
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities have authorized hundreds of trucks to roll assistance into the Gaza Strip, a UN spokesman said Thursday.

The United Nations has secured clearance from the Israeli authorities for 170,000 metric tonnes of food, health and nutrition supplies, as well as shelter items and other critical aid, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"These supplies are currently in the region -- mainly in Israel, also in the West Bank, in Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus," he said, adding that unimpeded access to the strip was being sought, and that meant the opening of all crossings into Gaza.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the humanitarian community's initial response plan for the first 60 days of the ceasefire prioritizes restoring hundreds of community-based and household-level distribution and services, a proven way to reach the most vulnerable.

OCHA said that its partners are set to increase support for local food production, malnutrition screening and treatment, the restoration of essential health services, repair of the decimated water grid, and a massive surge in emergency shelter provision.

During a video briefing to reporters from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said "we must seize this moment with collective will, with determination, and with generosity," adding that "there must be no backsliding on the agreements that have been made."

The under-secretary-general said that in the first 60 days of the ceasefire, humanitarians aim to increase the pipeline of supplies to hundreds of trucks every day. The provision of food aid will include 500,000 people in need of nutrition.

"Famine must be reverted in areas where it has taken hold and prevented in others," he said, adding that they will be distributing in-kind rations, supporting bakeries and community kitchens, and providing cash for 200,000 families, to cover basic food needs.

"On water and sanitation, we're targeting 1.4 million people with water and sanitation services," he said. "We will help to restore the water grid -- so to (reduce) people's reliance on water trucking." 
MELBOURNE, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Scientists in Australia have developed a coin-sized fluid-based chip that behaves like neural pathways of the brain, potentially heralding a new generation of computers.

The chip channels ions through tiny pathways in a specially designed metal-organic framework (MOF), mimicking the on/off switching of electronic transistors in computers, according to a statement released Friday by Australia's Monash University, which led the study.

But unlike conventional computer chips, it can also "remember" previous signals, mimicking the plasticity of neurons in the brain, it said.

"For the first time, we've observed saturation nonlinear conduction of protons in a nanofluidic device. This opens up new opportunities for designing iontronic systems with memory and even learning capabilities," said study co-lead author Professor Wang Huanting, deputy director of the Monash Center for Membrane Innovation.

"If we can engineer functional materials like MOFs just a few nanometers thick, we could create advanced fluidic chips that complement or even overcome some limitations of today's electronic chips," Wang said, highlighting the potential of engineered nanoporous materials for next-generation devices.

The team demonstrated the chip's potential by building a small fluid circuit with multiple MOF channels, according to the study published in Science Advances.

The chip's response to voltage changes mimicked the behavior of electronic transistors, while also showing memory effects that could one day be used in liquid-based data storage or brain-inspired computing systems, it said.

The development was the first-of-a-kind and a major step towards computers that think more like humans, using liquid instead of solid circuits, said study co-lead author Lu Jun from the Monash Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

"Our chip can selectively control the flow of protons and metal ions, and it remembers previous voltage changes, giving it a form of short-term memory," said Lu, who is now a visiting scholar at the University of California in the United States.

The chip's unique hierarchical structure allows it to control protons and metal ions in entirely different ways, a previously unseen feature in nanofluidics, Lu said. 
Saint-Laurent, QC (H4T1V6)

Today

Cloudy skies. High 23F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 12F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Nenkasman poses for a photo with her husband in front of their home in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. Nenkasman, 40, hailing from Qiaoqi Tibetan Township in Baoxing County, Ya'an City, has been leading a diverse life.

In 2007, Nenkasman and her husband started a family-run guesthouse and engaged in nature education. They led children participating in study tours onto pastures for hiking and bird-watching, collecting plants along the way to make specimens.

Around a decade ago, Nenkasman began recording daily life and culture in her hometown with videos. During this process, she noticed that traditional skills once essential to local women -- yak wool spinning and Qiaoqi floral sash weaving -- were gradually fading as fewer people were willing to carry them on.

Determined to protect and pass on these techniques, she established a textile handmade studio in 2016, combining traditional craftsmanship with innovative design to produce backpacks, scarves, belts, and other handicrafts. She marketed these products through fairs and online sales. As orders increased, Nenkasman shared them with village women, enabling them to earn extra income during the off-season of farming. More than 50 women have since engaged in the part-time job under her guidance.

Today, Nenkasman's studio is attracting growing numbers of schools and craft enthusiasts for visits and hands-on experiences. In her Tibetan guesthouse, the culture space she established is taking shape, welcoming more visitors. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman demonstrates yak wool spinning at her studio in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (L) instructs a tourist to experience the techniques of yak wool spinning at her studio in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (L) teaches weaving techniques at a villager's home in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 1, 2025. (Photo by Zhu Tao/Xinhua)

Nenkasman (R) drinks tea with a tourist at her guesthouse in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (L) introduces the flowers and seeds she collected to a tourist in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (L) introduces the procedure of yak wool spinning to a tourist at her studio in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (R) displays the video she recorded to Lu Juntang, a graduate student who is conducting a research here in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman prepares lunch for tourists at her guesthouse in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (R) and Lu Juntang, a graduate student conducting a research here, decorate the culture space in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (L) introduces the Qiaoqi floral sash weaving to a tourist at her studio in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

Nenkasman (1st R) shoots a video in a field in Jiajinshan Village of Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

This photo shows Nenkasman's guesthouse in Qiaoqi Tibetan Township of Baoxing County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)


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With an issue size of Rs 1,377 crore, Rubicon Research IPO is already a hit with the investors, resulting in an oversubscription on day 2 of the public bidding.

As per official sources, Qualified Institutional Buyers subscribed for 2.11 times their allotted share. Meanwhile, Non-Institutional Investor and Retail Individual Investor subscribed to 1.82 times and 3.94 times their allotted share.

IPO Live Subscription Updates (as of Oct 10, 2025)



 Rubicon Research (Day 2): 2.49x | Apps: 3.25 Lakh+

 Canara Robeco AMC (Day 2): 0.44x | Apps: 1.59 Lakh+

 Canara HSBC Life Insurance (Day 1): 0.09x | Apps: 59.8K+



 Track Live IPO Subscriptions, Apply & Check Allotments pic.twitter.com/fZH6yU5IW9  IPO Ji  (@ipoji_) October 10, 2025

Investors can apply for the Rubicon Research IPO for a minimum investment of Rs 13,830 for 30 shares. The price range is set at Rs 461-485.

IPO dates

Rubicon Research IPO bidding, which started on October 9, will continue till October 13. The tentative allotment date is set for October 14, and shares are expected to be listed on October 16.

As per multiple media reports, the grey market premium of Rubicon Research IPO stood at Rs 111, and a listing gain of 22 per cent is expected.

About Rubicon

The company, established in 1999, evolved from a contract development services provider to a focused pharmaceutical company developing, manufacturing, and marketing speciality and generic prescription products primarily for the US market.

Rubicon operates through two key US subsidiaries, AdvaGen Pharma for generic products and Validus for branded specialty pharmaceuticals. The company's manufacturing capabilities span three US FDA-inspected facilities in India, capable of producing oral solids, liquids, and nasal sprays. It also ranks 9th globally among companies securing speciality pharma approvals between 2019 and 2024, having received seven approvals during this period.
Addressing the India-Australia Defence Industry Business Round Table in Sydney, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted that while India offers vast manufacturing scale, software capabilities, and indigenous strength in shipbuilding, missile technology and space, Australia excels in niche technologies such as quantum systems, autonomous underwater vehicles and advanced maritime surveillance, making the defence collaboration between the two countries extremely important.

At the event, jointly organised by the ministry of defence (Government of India), the Australian department of defence, the Newland Global Group and the Australia-India Business Council defence minister pointed out that under the banner of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2020, the two countries stand at a pivotal juncture to re-position the defence relations, not merely as partners, but as co-creators of a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Singh observed that strong bilateral relations rest on three essential pillarsa forward-looking government-to-government collaboration, people-to-people connect and convergence of business interests. Our governmental frameworks are robust and getting further strengthened. On the peoples front, we have a large Indian diaspora in Australia, complemented by an increasing Australian presence in India. However, our defence industrial partnership, based on joint R&D, innovation, co-creation and co-production, still has untapped potential.

Visited the historic and strategic naval facility HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney today. Was familiarized with the impressive facilities at Sydney harbour onboard Admiral Hudson. Both countries stand to benefit from deepening India-Australia naval collaboration and coordinated maritime pic.twitter.com/cofnw2fyff  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 10, 2025

He noted that DRDO and Australias Defence Science & Technology Group are already collaborating on towed array sensors, and discussions are advancing in quantum technology, AI, cyber security, information warfare, and advanced science and technology.

India welcomes Australian companies to co-develop and co-produce high-end systems, including propulsion technologies, autonomous underwater vehicles, flight simulators, and advanced materials and added that these ventures can help build interoperable platforms aligned with the strategic objectives of both nations.

Further, highlighting the ship-building capabilities of India, the defence minister said, Our shipyards have a proven track record in building and maintaining a wide range of naval platforms. Indian yards can offer refit, mid-life upgrades, and maintenance services to the Royal Australian Navy and vessels under Australias Pacific Maritime Security Program.
The Delhi High Courts recent order rejecting Swiss pharma major Roches appeal to restrain domestic drugmaker Natco Pharma from selling the generic version of the life-saving drug Risdiplam has brought immense relief and hope to Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients across the country.

Risdiplam is the first and only home-administered oral medication for treating SMA in adults, children, and infants.

The division benchs ruling upheld an earlier single-bench order from March, which had denied Roches request for an interim injunctionreaffirming that public health must take precedence over monopolistic practices and evergreening tactics.

The appeal filed against NATCO was dismissed by the Commercial Appellate Division of the Hon'ble Delhi High Court, resulting in the launch of medicine for Spinal Muscular Atrophy in India.#NATCOPharma #LegalUpdate pic.twitter.com/A5yW8Fd5O3  NATCO Pharma (@pharma_natco) October 10, 2025

The courts decision has paved the way for the introduction of an affordable generic version of risdiplam by Natco Pharma, significantly improving access to this life-saving treatment for patients across India.

"We are extremely disappointed with the Supreme Courts decision to dismiss our plea concerning the Risdiplam preliminary injunction. Strong IP protection, including patents, is the cornerstone for any innovation to thrive and address critical healthcare challenges. For India to truly emerge as a global life science innovation hub, it must protect and enforce the integrity of IP. This is crucial to build an ecosystem like other developed nations, that rewards discovery & development while ensuring sustainable access to clinically validated treatment options for its people. As a global healthcare company that invests significantly in research and discovery to bring life-changing medicines to patients, we are fully committed to protecting our innovations," said a spokesperson at Roche.

Expert views

The decision is particularly significant given the striking price difference between the two versions of the drug. Roches Risdiplam currently costs around Rs 6.2 lakh (USD 6,982) per bottle. As it has to be taken lifelong, the cost makes it unaffordable for most families. In contrast, Natcos generic version is expected to cost around 15,900 (USD 179) per bottle, reducing the price by nearly 97%, noted representatives of the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatment.

The Working Group also observed that the verdict will ensure wider availability of this critical drug to SMA patients and enable greater government support under the National Policy for Rare Diseases.

Seba PK, a 26-year-old from Kerala and one of two SMA patients who intervened in the case opposing the injunction, had earlier written in THE WEEK that patent monopolies play a major role in keeping prices unaffordably high. Life-saving drugs should not be treated as profit-generating commodities. If negotiations fail to bring prices down, the government should not hesitate to invoke the public interest safeguards under the Indian Patents Act, she had noted.

Following the division benchs verdict, Seba expressed immense relief. We have all been eagerly waiting for the judgment. The courts decision could make a significant difference in the affordability of Risdiplam. With the reduced price, the government will now be able to purchase and provide the medicine for several years using the Rs 50 lakh fund under the National Policy for Rare Diseases. This is a huge relief for me and my friends living with SMA.

Collective victory

Purva Mittal, another intervener representing people living with SMA, stated: This victory belongs to all the parents of SMA patients and the angels of the SMA community. It marks a pivotal moment in our collective journey. We are deeply grateful to the judiciary for delivering a verdict that prioritises life, compassion, and justicea decision that will help save countless lives and offer hope where it is needed most.

Meanwhile, the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatment emphasised that access to life-saving medicines should not depend on a persons ability to pay and urged the Union Government to take proactive steps to procure the generic version of Risdiplam under the National Policy for Rare Diseases to ensure timely and equitable access to this essential medicine.
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has appointed actress Deepika Padukone as India's first Mental Health Ambassador. The move is seen as a bid to strengthen India's mental health support system and promote open conversations about well-being.

Why did Centre pick Deepika Padukone as Mental Health Ambassador?

Deepika Padukone has been open about her mental health struggles in the past. She has also been actively promoting conversations about mental health through the Live Love Laugh Foundation. She will work with the ministry to spread awareness on mental health, organise de-stigmatisation programmes and promote government initiatives like Tele MANAS.

Renowned Indian actress Deepika Padukone has been appointed as the first-ever Mental Health Ambassador of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.



She expressed her deep honor in taking up this role and emphasized her commitment to supporting Indias ongoing efforts under pic.twitter.com/lRa2LzcaMI  Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) October 10, 2025

"The partnership with Deepika Padukone will help widely disseminate awareness about mental health issues in India, normalise discussions to reduce stigma, and highlight mental health as an integral aspect of public health," said Union Minister JP Nadda.

Deepika shared an image in which she was seen having a conversation with minister Nadda and Punya Salila Srivastava, who is the Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare (DoHFW) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. "On World Mental Health Day, I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfares first-ever Mental Health Ambassador," the actress wrote in the caption.

Marking Mental Health Day, Deepika on Friday shared he mental health struggles and how she inspired people. "I still remember that first meeting in my home at the dining table. It was just the three of us  myself, Dr Shyam, and Anna Chandy  who were also the people I went to when I was seeking help. I called them over, and we sat together, and I said, 'I want to do something for mental health in India'," she told CNBC-TV18.

All I know is that it was a deeply personal experience, and just going public with my experience was not enough. I knew very early on that this was something I wanted to share with the world, but also to do something more, she added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that infiltration was a national issue and the Opposition must not grant political patronage to infiltrators. Targeting the Opposition, the Union minister said anyone who fails to understand the difference between refugees and infiltrators is "deceiving themselves, their very souls."

Addressing an event organised by Dainik Jagran, Shah, targeting West Bengal, said "some" state governments have started providing shelter to infiltrators since they have started seeing a vote bank in them. "I want to tell all political parties: Don't link the issue of infiltration, demographics, and SIR to politics. A time will come when even you won't be spared. This isn't a political issue; it's a national issue," the Union home minister said.

#WATCH | Addressing the 'Narendra Mohan Smriti Lecture' and 'Sahitya Srishti Samman' ceremony organised by Dainik Jagran, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "... When the BJP won an absolute majority, Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, we introduced the CAA and worked to grant pic.twitter.com/Zbx6yrk2ZQ  ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2025

Underlining the difference between an infiltrator and a refugee, Shah said the latter comes to India to save his/her religion, while an infiltrator crosses over the border illegally, not because of religious persecution but because of economic and other reasons.

"Who are infiltrators? Those who have not faced religious persecution and want to come to India illegally for economic or other reasons are infiltrators. If anyone in the world who wants to come here is allowed to do so, our country will become a dharamshala," he said.

Linking infiltration to change in Hindu-Muslim population demography in the country, Shah said he is picking these two religions to highlight "infiltration". Citing data of population censuses conducted between 1951 and 2011, Shah said, "In the 1951 census, Hindus constituted 84 per cent of population, while Muslims constituted 9.8 per cent." Highlighting the increase in Muslim population over the years, Shah said in the 1991 census, "we (Hindus) accounted for 89 pc, and Muslims accounted for 14.2 pc."

Saying refugees and infiltrators cannot be kept on the same page, the home minister said the Centre will follow the policy of "detect, delete and deport" while dealing with infiltrators. Backing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Shah said inclusion of infiltrators in the voters' list pollutes the spirit of the Constitution.

"Free and fair elections cannot take place unless the voter list is according to the voters' definition, which is being an Indian citizen and attaining the eligible age," Shah asserted.
Amid seat-sharing disputes between Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan and NDA allies, reports emerge that the young leader may have finally yielded to the BJPs pressure with regard to his demand for 40 seats. Paswan has reportedly agreed to let go of five seats, but is still insisting on 35.

ALSO READ | Bihar assembly polls: Seat-sharing tensions mount in NDA and Mahagathbandhan, small parties rattle grand alliances

He has also submitted a list of 35 candidates to the BJP, according to local media reports, which state that the BJP has agreed to set aside 25 seats for LJP. It has also offered one MLC and one Rajya Sabha seat for the party in the future.

VIDEO | Delhi: Congress leader Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) on Union Minister Chirag Paswan said, "Where will he go? NDA's allies do not have the courage to break ties with them. Plus, there is greed for ministry. If NDA gives 10 seats, they will contest elections together."



(Full pic.twitter.com/hHH8SIFAOv  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 10, 2025

Paswan is insisting on at least two seats from the five Lok Sabha constituencies his party won in the last Parliament elections, according to local media reports. In the last Lok Sabha elections, the LJP had won Hajipur, Jamui, Vaishali, Khagaria, and Samastipur.

ALSO READ | Bihar SIR: SC steps in, directs Legal Services Authority to help deleted voters

However, the impasse is mainly over LJPs demand that it contest from some seats currently contested by allies. This includes Govindganj, Matihani and Sikandra, which are currently held by the Hindustani Awami Morcha, JD(U), and BJP, respectively.

However, Paswan wants LJP state president Raju Tiwari for Govindganj, and Hulas Pandey for Brahmapur. The party has also set its sights on Mahnar and Mahua in Hajipur, Morwa in Samastipur, Alauli in Khagaria, Bhagalpur Sadar, Bakhtiyarpur, Fatuha (Patna), Atri (Gaya), Obra (Aurangabad), and seats like Sheikhpura, Arwal, and Jehanabad.

ALSO READ | 'Papa always used to say...': On Ram Vilas Paswans death anniversary, Chirags subtle message to NDA allies

"We have lowered our demands, but we are only talking about seats where we have a strong hold and a high chance of winning. For example, we won the Matihani seat in the 2020 assembly elections, but our MLA, Rajkumar Singh, later joined the JD(U). That seat is ours, and we want it back," a senior leader told Jansatta.

Unhappy with the seat-sharing talks, Paswan had summoned an emergency meeting of party leaders in Patna on Thursday morning. He was reportedly miffed with JD(U) for finalising its candidates nomination schedule even before a formal seat-sharing announcement.
Homestays in Darjeeling and other parts of the hills in West Bengal have been impacted after torrential rains, leading to landslides in many areas on October 4the worst that the hills have seen since 1968.

While locals say the main towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, and Mirik are not badly affected, the outskirts and connecting roads have been damaged, affecting connectivity for tourists to many parts of the hills. The worst affected areas include parts of Tabakoshi, Nagari, and Mirik.

14 people were at my homestay on Saturday when it rained heavily, including 10 tourists, my wife, and 2 tribals. 9 tourists have been rescued by villagers and me while one student from Kolkata, Himadri is missing. I spoke to him twice on Saturday, asking him to go to higher ground and hold on to a tree as he was on the other side of the homestay. The last call was at 2:20 AM, when he said he will not be able to survive. His phone went dead after that, explained Abhishek Gurung, owner of the five-year-old Bagar Farm Stay in Tabakoshi.

Loved by villagers for his ability to mingle as their own, 25-year-old Himadri Purkaist was sleeping in a tent on another side of the 2.5-acre homestay property. Gurung is now assisting 6 of Purkaists family members along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team to look for the Jadavpur University student from Kolkata.

Two cottages built from recycled plastic and cloth are still intact, as are rooms of other cottages. About 40 per cent of the property is damaged, including a natural pool.

I also have a restaurant serving local organic food. We will start rebuilding little by little and will reopen our homestay soon too. The local administration has given us their word of rebuilding infrastructure, but I am not so hopeful, adds Gurung.

Meanwhile, the Riverside Dwelling Homestay (on the other side of Tabakoshi) was not directly affected by the natural calamity.

I am very lucky I was not near the river. Though we are not directly affected, road connections are cut off and we have people cancelling their stay with us since Saturday. Not just me, my staff will suffer (monetarily) if this continues. Only the local administration can help us by reconstructing infrastructure. It depends on the will of the administration, said Sanjok Chamling.

Homestays in main towns are not affected, unlike those in offbeat locations that are tourist attractions. Many connecting roads to and from main towns are damaged, with the Dhudia steel bridge in Tukrewhich offers connections to many offbeat tourist spotshaving collapsed.

The administration and Army is expected to build a Bailey bridge in 15 days, while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the concrete bridge will be reconstructed in one year.

Mingma Girmi Sherpa, who runs a day trekking tour company called 'Dekho Darjeeling' with private and community packages for travellers, is optimistic of tourism bouncing back in the hills.

He has received no cancellations from tourists hailing from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Mumbai, who had made prior bookings for treks after October 19.

I had no bookings when disaster struck. People are calling us now to ask whether the hills are safe for travel. The area was only impacted for 2-3 days. Everything is fine, under control, Sherpa pointed out.

Many tourists who were trekking in Sandakphu came down to the plains. Sherpa goes on to say that the main towns are unaffected and alternate roads connecting Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseng, and Mirik have reopened.

Sandakphu was closed for 3 days but has reopened. All tourist spots like Tenzing Block, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Tiger Hills are open to tourists now. Connectivity is affected only in Rohini for which repair work is already taking place, Sherpa added.
PRAIA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cape Verde has recorded 56 malaria cases, including 23 imported ones, Minister of Health Jorge Figueiredo said on Thursday, urging residents of Praia, the city most affected, to remain vigilant.

"We are going through a complex period related to malaria, and consequently, cases are emerging that we are closely monitoring," the minister said.

Figueiredo said that while some cases have shown fluctuating patterns, challenges in tackling the disease are expected to persist through the end of the year.

"We are strengthening strategies to prevent the occurrence of malaria and epidemics, as well as serious health impacts on the population," he added, calling on all multisectoral authorities, from environmental services to municipalities, to take part and to care for themselves and their communities.

Despite weather conditions that remain favorable for malaria transmission, Cape Verde is working diligently to maintain its malaria-free status, granted by the World Health Organization in January 2024, the minister said. 
The Supreme Court on Friday raised several doubts over the legal proceedings in the tragic Karur stampede, and it even probed the conduct of autopsies in midnight and the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Madras High Court.

Hearing a bunch of petitions over the tragic stampede, a bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria heard submissions from senior counsels appearing for the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, victims, Tamil Nadu government and others.

The matters include a petition moved by TVK secretary Aadhav Arjuna challenging the police-led SIT and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders' pleas seeking a CBI probe. Hearing the pleas, the apex court wondered why the Madras High Court heard the matter while the case fell within the jurisdiction of Madurai bench.

The apex court also questioned the constitution of a SIT by the Madras High Court, while the plea it was considering was regarding the formulation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for public events.

"I am unable to understand, Chennai court, they are not looking at the prayer which is given. Something has to be done about propriety. Here in this case, the prayer is different and the court considers different prayers," Live Law reported, quoting Justice Maheshwari.

During the hearing, senior lawyers appearing for TVK took exception to scathing remarks made by the High Court against Vijay and other party leaders. The High Court had observed Vijay and other TVK leaders lacked remorse, and accused them of "escaping" from the place.

Contending the High Court's charge, TVK said in apex court that it was police who escorted Vijay out Karur, saying his presence would only aggrevate the situation. "These observations are politically damning to us," TVK's lawyer C.A. Sundaram said.

The party challenged the constitution of the SIT comprising only Tamil Nadu police personnel and said a retired Supreme Court judge should lead the probe.

"You conducted post-mortem in four hours at midnight?," Justice Maheshwari questioned the state. Senior lawyer P. Wilson, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said autopsies were conducted in the night following collector's permission. Wilson said the state will file an affidavit answering the queries, the publication reported. The apex court has reserved orders on the pleas.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is once again preparing to test its electoral fortunes in Bihar, a state where its presence has long been marginal but symbolically significant. The party will contest all 243 seats, the only other party doing so besides Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj, which is making its debut in this round of assembly polls.

Ahead of the Bihar elections, BSP supremo Mayawatis rally in Lucknow on the occasion of party founder Kanshi Rams death anniversary was a massive show of strength. It was interpreted not only as an endorsement of her nephew Akash Anand as her heir, but also as a signal of her political messaging. While attacking the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, Mayawati showed unexpected warmth towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Her praise for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths administration for maintaining Dalit memorials built during her tenure has reignited speculation about the BSPs nuanced shift.

This apparent softness towards the BJP coincides with a renewed attempt to expand the BSPs footprint in Bihar. Mayawati has declared that her party will contest all seats in the states forthcoming assembly election. Akash Anand, who recently led the Sarvajan Hitay Jagran Yatra, will spearhead the campaign.

The BSPs electoral record in Bihar tells a story of persistence amid decline. In the 2020 assembly elections, it contested 78 seats in alliance with Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM and Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Morcha, managing to win only one. Earlier, in 2015, it had gone solo on 228 seats and failed to open its account.

The BSPs vote share has hovered between two and three per cent in the state, marginal yet higher than that of several other regional parties. This reflects its captive Dalit vote bank spread across constituencies, which often becomes the difference between the winner and the runner-up.

For the BSP, Bihar now represents both an opportunity and a test. The states diverse social base and multiple regional parties organised along caste lines offer openings for the BSPs social engineering model. On the other hand, the vigour in the BSPs campaign and any improvement in its performance is likely to impact other parties courting Dalit voters, particularly those in the Grand Alliance, such as the Congress and the RJD.

In Bihar, both the Congress and Jan Suraaj had appointed Dalit leaders as their state presidents, underscoring the growing competition for this voter base.

Mayawatis attacks on the SP and Congress during the Lucknow rally were also aimed at preventing these parties from attracting Dalit voters who had begun drifting towards them as the BSP came to be seen as a non-serious contender.

As Bihar heads to the polls, the BSPs challenge may not be reflected in the number of seats it wins, but in the vote share it manages to reclaim. Which parties will feel the impact most will become clear only after the results are out.
The political battle over Special Intensive Revision(SIR) intensifies in West Bengal with Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari meeting Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Friday over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees comments on Thursday during her press conference at the State Secretariat, Nabanna.

The Chief Minister has to provide documents to prove which officers have threatened whom, when and where," said Suvendu Adhikari. I am giving her time till Monday, 5pm.

Adhikari also warned of holding a dharna 200 metres away from the Election Commission's office if it ignores discrepancies in the recruitment of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). We dont want any favour, we want transparency," added Adhikari.

While lashing out at BJP MP Shantanu Thakurs comments on Thursday, saying that 1.2 crore illegally registered voters' names will be struck off the list after the SIR is conducted, Banerjee hit back at the BJP and EC, terming the SIR as a backdoor NRC exercise. Without naming CEO Agarwal, Mamata alleged, There are several complaints against the CEO of Bengal himself, which I will reveal at the right time. But I hope he does not overreact. He has been threatening many officers.

While the SIR is the talking point, the EC conducts checks on the voter list every year, irrespective of whether it is an election year or not. The SIR exercise will be completed by December 2025, and the SIR list is expected to be out by January or February 2026. West Bengal Assembly elections will conclude by May 10.

After Bihar, the SIR will be conducted in West Bengal now, and EC officials have begun looking into various aspects for its smooth functioning. These include the CEO of West Bengal Agarwal and Deputy Election Commissioner of India(ECI), Gyanesh Bharati, meeting Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across 23 districts. BLOs expressed concern over threats from political parties, while the EC assured they will face no coercion. However, EC maintains that law and order are a state subject, with the EC maintaining vigilance.

SIR took place last in 2002 in West Bengal, and EC officials will verify authentic names on the list of 7.6 crore voters currently in the state. 60 per cent of voters names are in the 2002 SIR list. Here is how it works:

1. Voters will fill out and submit two enumeration forms after which names of current voters will be matched with the 2002 voter list.

2. If names are not in the 2002 list, the voter can be linked to their parents name in the 2002 SIR voter list.

3. If this too is not a possibility for the voter, relevant documents to prove date of birth and other details need to be produced online or offline.

4. 30-40days will be given from the date of announcement till the due date, after which the first draft voter list will be released in time. Voters will have a chance to appeal for changes to be made, if any, before the final list is published by early next year.

4. The SIR exercise will cover voters in the state who have migrated to other cities or countries for education or work, and checks will be done to avoid names being in two different electoral constituencies.

5. These checks can be done online or WhatsApp by the BLO.

Currently, there are approximately 7.6 crore voters in 294 assembly constituencies of West Bengal. With around 80,600 polling stations in the state, EC officials are confident that 294 Electoral Registration Officers (ELOs) in charge of each constituency will oversee the efficient functioning of ground-level checks conducted by BLOs.

EC estimates there will be around 900 voters under each BLO and 250-300 families per polling station, which means, if a BLO visits various households in a block for two hours a day, the SIR exercise in each block will be completed within a week.

West Bengal, being a border state and infiltration being a concern, complaints made to the EC will be taken up, and the final decision of these voters will be taken by the ERO in accordance with the slated rules devised by ECI. Strict action will be taken against field-level abrasions like fake documents being procured, which question the authenticity of the voters identity. However, the EC estimates 80-90 pc cases being normal.
The Israeli cabinet voted early this morning in favour of a ceasefire deal in Gaza that will see hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a halt to the fighting, despite vocal objections from members of the far-right coalition.

The deal was opposed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, and Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu. The vote tally was not made public.

Understanding the ceasefire and hostage deal

The deal, which forms the first phase of a broader 20-point peace proposal introduced by President Donald Trump, has been described as a major breakthrough by both sides.

ALSO READ | OPINION | What true peace means for children scarred by Gaza conflict

The initial agreement includes several coordinated steps to be undertaken by Israel and Hamas, following indirect negotiations held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, with involvement from envoys representing the US, Qatar, and Turkey.

The ceasefire is expected to begin within 24 hours of the cabinets approval. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will pull back to new positions inside Gaza, with the withdrawal set to leave Israeli troops in control of approximately 53 per cent of the territory. 72 hours after the ceasefire begins, Hamas is to release all remaining hostages. Of the 48 hostages still held, only about 20 are believed to be alive.

In exchange, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange is reported to include 250 inmates serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained during the conflict. For each deceased Israeli hostage, Israel will return the remains of 15 Palestinians.

Trump, who has described the deal as a momentous breakthrough, could attend a formal signing ceremony in Egypt. A possible visit to Israel is also planned for Sunday. According to the White House, the hostage release may occur on October 13 or 14.

The ground situation

To monitor the ceasefire and ensure logistical coordination, the United States will send approximately 200 military personnel to Israel.

ALSO READ | Who will excavate remains of dead Israeli hostages in Gaza? 5 confirmed Hamas-Israel peace deal updates

These troops, primarily military planners and security specialists, will operate from a joint civil-military coordination centre. They will be joined by personnel from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Senior US officials have confirmed that no American troops will be deployed on the ground in Gaza.

Inside Gaza, where famine was declared by experts in August, UN agencies are preparing to deliver emergency aid. The UNs humanitarian chief said 170,000 metric tonnes of aid, medicine, and other supplies are ready for immediate shipment.

Trumps proposal outlines plans for 600 truckloads of aid to enter Gaza daily, although Palestinian officials expect an initial minimum of 400, with the number gradually increasing.

Mixed reactions to the deal

The reaction to the announcement has been varied.

ALSO READ | Trump's Middle East breakthrough: What's next for Gaza after Israel-Hamas peace deal?

In Israel, thousands were out on the streets waving Israeli and American flags and expressing relief and optimism, while in Gaza, celebrations were more subdued. Most Gazans expressed fear about whether the deal would hold.

What lies ahead?

Their fears are not misplaced. Although the initial ceasefire is significant, there are unresolved questions like the future governance of Gaza, the possibility of Hamas being disarmed, and the timeline and scope of Israels full withdrawal.

Under Trumps plan, the eventual administration of Gaza will be by a reformed Palestinian Authority, overseen initially by a Board of Peace chaired by Trump himself. Yet, Hamas is not so keen on an external board, while Netanyahu does not want any future Hamas role. Hamas, for its part, insists on maintaining a role in what it calls a unified Palestinian movement, and has refused demands for disarmament.

For now, the mood remains tentatively optimistic, with international stakeholders hopeful that this first phase may lead to a more durable solution.

Speaking after the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said:

Weve fought during these two years to achieve our war aims. A central one of these war aims is to return the hostages, all of the hostages, the living and the dead. And we are about to achieve that goal.
A 26-year-old reserve soldier of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) was killed on Friday by Hamas militiamen in the Gaza Strip, Tel Aviv confirmed. Sgt. First Class (res.) Michael Mordechai Nachmani was taken out by an enemy sniper, Israeli media reports claimed, quoting the military. While the mediators had pushed for the immediate enforcement of the US-brokered peace deal between the two sides, Israel refused, claiming that it needed to be approved by the cabinet later in the night.

We mourn the loss of Sergeant First Class (Res) Michael Mordechai Nachmani, 26, a soldier in the Combat Engineering 614th Battalion, who fell in combat in northern Gaza.



Our hearts are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/e0l9oilZAk  Israel  (@Israel) October 10, 2025

Sgt Michael Mordechai could be the final Israeli casualty of the invasion that has killed around 480 IDF servicemen. However, 68,000 Palestinians, mostly unarmed civilians, lost their lives in the IDF offensive.

We mourn the loss of Sergeant First Class (Res) Michael Mordechai Nachmani, 26, a soldier in the Combat Engineering 614th Battalion, who fell in combat in northern Gaza.



Our hearts are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/SU7F61RzzD  Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 10, 2025

Nachmani was attached to the Combat Engineering Corps' 614th Battalion when killed, media reports said. The engineering battalions are responsible for breaching the obstacles set by the enemy during warfare, thus allowing the forces to carry out their mission. Engineering troops act as an attacking force and not as auxiliary troops. "During warfare, the Combat Engineering troops operate as an infantry unit in all matters and are responsible for implementing engineering missions, such as the detonation and demolition of homes," the official IDF website claims.

WATCH | Hamas sniper kills Israeli soldier; viral video catches fellow IDF comrade running away without helping

Sgt Mordechai, hailing from Negev of the Southern District of Israel, was reportedly stationed in northern Gaza when he was killed by the Hamas sniper. "The great achievements attained are thanks to Michael, of blessed memory, and the heroic IDF fighters who fought with courage and determination against a cruel terrorist organisation," Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote in a post to X/Twitter lamenting Nachmani on Friday morning.

Hamas propaganda wing had earlier released multiple videos of its guerrillas taking out the "invaders" using a sniper rifle. Often hiding in the debris of high-rises, the militiamen target unsuspecting IDF soldiers with armour-piercing bullets.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a "key, unifying figure" in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolas Maduro's government, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.

"Maria Corina Machado  awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize  has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people. The Venezuelan regimes rigid hold on power and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair," the Nobel Prize further said on X.

However, following the announcement, many have started to point out that the 58-year-old is a strong ally of Israel and openly backs the country's decision to bomb the largely unarmed civilians of the Gaza Strip. While there is no known evidence to argue that she supported the one-sided attack on the Palestinian civilians, Machado is undoubtedly an ally of Benjamin Netanyahu. In the past, the centrist-right leader had even declared that if she gains power, she will restore diplomatic relations with Israel.

Maria Corina Machado had expressed her solidarity with Israel following the surprise October 7 attack by Hamas. Machado, who was then an opposition primary candidate, had criticised Hamas's "terrorist attacks" on Israel. She had said terrorism must be defeated at all costs and "whatever form it takes."

In 2020, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner's party, Vente Venezuela, signed a cooperation agreement with Likud to cooperate on political, ideological and social issues  strategy, geopolitics and security. For the unversed, Likud  National Liberal Movement is the right-wing Israeli political party whose chairperson is Benjamin Netanyahu. "The struggle of Venezuela is the struggle of Israel," she had said on X in 2019.

There is a claim that in 2018 Machado sent a letter to Netanyahu asking for the use of "power" (possibly including military intervention) against the Venezuelan government. She had reportedly cited the left-wing government's alleged association with Iran and extremist groups as a reason for this. However, reports claim that this letter was concerning her country's internal politics and had nothing to do with endorsing Israeli actions in Gaza.
While the Israeli government agreed to the ceasefire deal in Gaza, which included a prisoner-hostage exchange, it omitted the names of four prominent Palestinian prisoners from the list. Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Ibrahim Hamed, and Abbas al-Sayed had been removed from the final list. According to reports, they were expected to top Hamass demand list for release.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian, when asked about Marwan Barghouti, said I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release, to the The Times of Israel.

The full list of prisoners' names compiled by the Justice Ministry has not been made public yet. According to the government statement, 250 out of the 270 prisoners and detainees held by the Israel Prison Service would be released.

The ceasefire, which will begin 24 hours after the cabinet's approval, will see the exchange of about 20 live Israeli hostages for the 2000 Palestinian prisoners.

Who are Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Ibrahim Hamed, and Abbas al-Sayed?

The four prisoners, Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Ibrahim Hamed, and Abbas al-Sayed, were expected to make it to the top of Hamass demand list, a report by the Jerusalem Post said.

Marwan Barghouti

Marwan Barghouti is a Palestinian political leader from the West Bank who advocated for a two-state solution before he was imprisoned by Israel.

He used to lead several street protests and diplomatic initiatives until 2002, when he was captured and convicted by Israel. He was charged with involvement in deadly attacks that resulted in the deaths of five people. He was sentenced to five cumulative life sentences for the murders and an additional 40 years for attempted murders and terrorist activity in 2004.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union found that it was impossible to conclude that Barghouti was given a fair trial due to the numerous breaches of international law."

He often tops Palestinian polls that ask people who they would vote for in a presidential election.

In 1996, he served in the Palestinian Legislative Council for the district of Ramallah. He had participated in diplomatic talks with Israeli politicians.

After Palestinians grew frustrated with the failure of the Oslo records in the 1990s that promised an independent state, frequent protests were arranged, and Barghouti was said to have participated in almost all of them. Israel had attempted to assassinate Barghouti in 2001, according to a report by Haaretz.

After the Second Intifada began, Barghouti is said to have asked Palestinians to target Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank and Gaza but not within Israel. Hamas leaders, on the other hand, supported attacks on Israelis within Israel.

Barghouti had continued his political activity from within prison for the 2 decades. Several reports say that he was subject to torture multiple times.

Ahmad Saadat

Ahmad Saadat, who is also known as Abu Ghassan, is a Palestinian militant and the Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Marxist-Leninist Palestinian nationalist organisation. He succeeded Abu Ali Mustafa after he was assassinated by Israel during the Second Intifada.

Saadat often claimed that the only a one-state solution and not a two state solution was the only way to solve the Israel Palestinian conflict.

He was arrested and held in prison since 2002 for the assassination of the Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi, who was killed on 17 October 2001. He was tried and convicted in the Palestinian court.

The Palestinian Supreme Court had declared that Saadats imprisonment was unconstitutional. Amnesty International also supported this claim and said that he received an unfair trial.

In 2006, Israeli military forces surrounded the prison where Saadat was held in a raid and captured him and five others, taking them into custody. Saadat was sentenced to 30 years in prison for heading a terrorist organisation.

Ibrahim Hamed

Ibrahim Hamed is a Hamas military commander from the West Bank who was arrested by Israeli authorities in 2006 for ordering suicide bombing attacks during the second Intifada. He was sentenced to serve 45 life sentences after he was accused of being responsible for the deaths of 96 civilians and killing 46 people. He was tried in an Israeli military court.

Israeli sources say that he orchestrated multiple suicide bombings in Jerusalem. He was also accused of being involved in the Hebrew University massacre, which killed nine students.

Abbas al-Sayed

Abbas al-Sayed or Abbas Al-Sayyid is a Palestinian military leader and politician. According to Israeli news reports, he is a senior Hamas operative from Tulkram and was one of the two chief planners of the the Passover Massacre in Netanya, a suicide bombing that took place in 2002.

He is also said to have helped plan the Seder night suicide bombing, which killed 30 people and wounded 160. He was tried in the Tel Aviv district court and sentenced to 35 sentences according to The Jerusalem Post.

According to The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre, Sayed kept close contact with senior politicians and operational cadres within Hamas. He was also involved in a variety of political organisational activities and propaganda for the group.
The ESCAPADE Mars mission that is being launched on behalf of NASA by Blue Origin, the private spaceflight firm headed by Jeff Bezos, is preparing to send two small spacecraft to Mars later this month or in November.

This mission will tackle the same big question that India's pioneering Mars mission explored: why is Mars losing its atmosphere? On October 8, 2025 (in the US), Blue Origin moved its massive New Glenn rocket to the launchpad in Florida.

The rocket will carry two NASA spacecraft called ESCAPADE probes, which stand for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers. Their job is to study how Mars is slowly losing its atmosphere to space.

Think of Mars as a balloon with a slow leak. Scientists want to know why and how fast the air is escaping. The two spacecraft, named Blue and Gold, will work together to measure how the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles flowing from the Sun, strips away Mars's thin atmosphere bit by bit. This is where India's Mangalyaan mission becomes relevant. When ISRO sent the Mars Orbiter Mission to the Red Planet in 2013, it became the first Asian nation to reach Mars and the first country to succeed on its very first attempt. One of Mangalyaan's key objectives was also to study Mars' atmosphere and how it interacts with solar radiation. The mission operated for eight years before contact was lost in 2022, far exceeding its planned six to ten-month lifespan, explained space analyst Girish Linganna.

Same question, new tech

The ESCAPADE mission will dive deeper into the same scientific question using more advanced technology. While Mangalyaan studied Mars from a single orbit, these two American probes will provide measurements from two different locations at the same time. This dual-spacecraft approach will help scientists understand the real-time changes in Mars' atmosphere and magnetic field as the solar wind hits it, added Linganna.

Experts point out that understanding how Mars lost its atmosphere is crucial because Mars was once warm and wet, possibly even capable of supporting life. If we can figure out what happened to its air and water, we can better understand whether other planets might be habitable and how Earth's own atmosphere might change over time.

For India, this mission is particularly relevant because ISRO is planning Mangalyaan-2, its next Mars mission. The mission received approval earlier this year and will be far more ambitious than the first, including not just an orbiter but also a rover, a helicopter similar to NASA's Ingenuity, and a sky crane landing system. As ISRO scientists design instruments for Mangalyaan-2, they will be watching closely to see what new techniques and discoveries ESCAPADE brings to Mars exploration.

India's success story

Mangalyaan's success story is worth remembering. India accomplished its first Mars mission on a shoestring budget of just Rs 450 crore, less than the cost of making a Hollywood space movie. The mission was so significant that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) even featured an illustration of Mangalyaan on the country's 2,000 rupee currency note.

This upcoming launch also marks an important moment for Blue Origin. Unlike its first flight in January, which was mainly a test, this time the New Glenn rocket will carry a real scientific payload on an actual mission.

If successful, it shows that private American space companies can now handle deep-space exploration missions to other planets.

As private space companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX make rocket launches cheaper and more frequent, it opens doors for countries like India to book rides for their spacecraft at lower costs. ISRO has already partnered with international launch providers in the past, and missions like ESCAPADE show how reliable these commercial rockets are becoming for serious scientific work.

The two ESCAPADE probes were built by Rocket Lab in California and arrived in Florida in late September. They carry sophisticated instruments to measure magnetic fields, plasma, and particles around Mars. Working as a pair, they will help scientists understand how the Sun's activity affects Mars's atmosphere.

Mars today is cold and dry, and has an atmosphere so thin that water cannot exist as liquid on its surface. But billions of years ago, rivers flowed across its landscape and lakes filled its craters. The leading theory is that solar wind gradually stripped away the planet's protective atmosphere after Mars lost its magnetic field. ESCAPADE aims to catch this process in action and measure it precisely.

ESCAPADE will work alongside NASA's MAVEN spacecraft, which has been studying Mars's atmosphere since 2014. While MAVEN continues its observations, ESCAPADE's two spacecraft will provide simultaneous measurements from different locations, giving scientists a three-dimensional view of how the solar wind interacts with Mars.

For India, the relevance of this mission goes beyond just science. It shows how missions from different countries and organisations all contribute to answering big questions about the Red Planet. India was the first Asian nation to reach Mars, proving that space exploration is not just the domain of superpowers. As ISRO prepares Mangalyaan-2, every new Mars mission adds valuable knowledge that scientists worldwide, including those in India, can use to plan better experiments.
After the Nobel Committee overlooked US President Donald Trump and chose Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for the peace prize, White House slammed the committee, claiming that it placed politics over peace.

While Trump had aggressively campaigned for the peace prize and even received a number of nominations for the prestigious award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chose to overlook these and opt for Maria Corina Machado to honour "her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize; Donald Trump snubbed



"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her pic.twitter.com/FouXxsC9W6  THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) October 10, 2025

According to House spokesperson Steven Cheung, Trump has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him.

"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will," he said in X post, and added that the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Trump had often spoken about his desire to win the prestigious prize. While there have been such statements from him during both his terms, these were particularly strong in the recent times as he had been claiming credit for ending conflicts around the world.

However, he had also expressed reservations that the Nobel Committee would ever grant him the peace prize.

Trump, those who recommended his name for the prize, and his supporters are likely to view the decision as a deliberate affront to the US president.
After Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 on Friday, supporters of Donald Trump were miffed by the fact that he did not win the coveted title this year. However, many other well-wishers were quick to point out that the deadline for Nobel nomination ended on January 31 and Trump's second term presidential inauguration was on January 20.

Others pointed out that Barack Obama was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize before January 31, 2009 even though he took over as president on January 20 the same year. The question is, what did Obama do to win the Nobel peace prize, one asked, while another stated, So if the deadline was Jan 31st and Trump was sworn in on Jan 20th how exactly was he denied or snubbed? Next year would be his time.

VIDEO | When asked about US President Donald Trumps repeated claim to be a peacemaker and deserving the Nobel Peace Prize, Jrgen Watne Frydnes, Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, says, "In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, this committee has seen all types of pic.twitter.com/FN625y7IGG  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 10, 2025

Another slammed Trump for campaigning for Nobel Prize without knowing the nomination date. Imagine how dumb you must be to have an ego the size of Earth yet still create hype that youll win an award that you cannot win (Nobel nominations closed in Jan) so to guarantee youll appear as a reject and loser when the winner is announced. A spectacular own goal for Trump, wrote a user.

'Will Trump tear up the Gaza deal?'

One concerned user wondered whether Trump would jeopardise the finalised truce between Israel and Hamas after Nobel snub. Will he now tear up the Gaza deal? they asked.

Some MAGA fans were optimistic that he could win the Nobel next year. Donald Trump better win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2026. If securing peace in the Middle East and solving a whole host of other conflicts doesnt win you the award, then what does? They handed one to Obama for Christs sake, wrote a user.

I believe that if one day next year we see @realDonaldTrump walking through the streets of Gaza in the midst of reconstruction, while Palestinians applaud and cheer him, showing their respect and gratitude, President Trump will be honored with greater grandeur, as he deserves, posted another.

'Will Trump declare war on Norway, Venezuela?'

Others feared that Trump might attack Norway over the Nobel snub. Has DT declared war on Norway yet? Dont think I would want to be on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship today, said a user.

Another user was concerned about Trump directing his anger towards Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado's home country Venezuela. The question now... is Trump going to congratulate her or invade her country? the netizen asked.

Some users felt that he did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, pointing out that he renamed the Department of Defense to Department of War. Oh. let's not forget... renaming the 'Dept of Defense' to the 'Dept of War' is in no way, shape, form or manner indicative of 'Peace'."
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with the leaders of three multinational companies: Abbott Laboratories from the United States, Prudential from Britain, and SK Group from the Republic of Korea, in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday encouraged multinationals to expand their investment in China as the country will continue to expand its high-standard opening up.

He, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when he met with the leaders of three multinational companies: Abbott Laboratories from the United States, Prudential from Britain, and SK Group from the Republic of Korea.

He said that China's economy has stable foundations, numerous strengths, remarkable resilience and vast potential, noting that the dominant trend of a long-term, sound Chinese economy and the elements supporting it have not changed. He encouraged the multinationals to expand their investment in China, deepen cooperation with China and share development opportunities.

The company leaders expressed their optimism about China's economic prospects, stating their willingness to strengthen their presence in the Chinese market and expand their cooperation with China. 
Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela was announced as the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 winner on Friday. The leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela, 58-year-old Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times, the Norwegian Nobel Committee observed.

BREAKING NEWS

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to pic.twitter.com/Zgth8KNJk9  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy," the Nobel Prize said on X.

Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence.



Maria Corina Machado  awarded the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize  has spent years working pic.twitter.com/URtYv9uBfV  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

"Maria Corina Machado  awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize  has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people. The Venezuelan regimes rigid hold on power and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair," The Nobel Prize further said on X.

Maria Machado has been a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government. This is precisely what lies at the heart of democracy: our shared willingness to defend the principles of popular rule, even though we disagree. "At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.

The award committee's focus on the durability of peace, the promotion of international fraternity and the quiet work of institutions that strengthen those goals are the factors that favoured the former opposition presidential candidate in Venezuela

The Venezuelan leader the winner in a year dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated public statements that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Ahead of the announcement,experts on the award had said Trump would not win it as he is dismantling the international world order the Nobel committee cherishes.

The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or about $1.2 million, is due to be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who foundedthe awards in his 1895 will.

Last year's award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons.
Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif-led government has cut off mobile and internet connectivity in Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of the planned 'Labbaik Ya Aqsa Million March' by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a radical Islamist party.

According to a letter sent to the country's Public Relations Department and approved by Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi, internet services in both cities have been suspended indefinitely.

#BREAKING: Pakistan Government has suspended internet in the capital Islamabad as well as Rawalpindi in view of Tehreek-e-Labbaik's protest call to the US Embassy against the Gaza Peace Deal. Pakistani Islamists upset with Asim Munirs embarrassing surrender to Trump & Netanyahu. pic.twitter.com/qPunC8sPsI  Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) October 10, 2025

Routes into the capital city have also been blocked.

A Section 144 order, which bans more than four people from gathering in public places, has also been imposed for 10 days on the capital city by Pakistan's Punjab police. However, the order will not apply to prayers, weddings, funerals, offices, or court premises. Section 144 is already in effect in Rawalpindi till October 11.

This comes after its violent clashes in Lahore with TLP party members over an anti-Israel protest that had left many injured on Thursday.

In that regard, ahead of a TLP announcement about an anti-Israel protest outside Islamabad's US embassy on Friday, the Punjab police arrested TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.

The Jews are oppressing Muslims in Gaza, and here their supporters are oppressing Muslims here, a TLP spokesperson has said, adding that the party strongly condemned the arrests and raids on its workers across Pakistan's Punjab province.

           10  2025



         2025-10-10                                 pic.twitter.com/n0yBhbBlKd  Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) October 9, 2025

The Islamabad traffic police also issued a diversion plan, referring to the law and order situation in the Faizabad area, while the US Embassy in Islamabad advised US citizens in an X post to "avoid large gatherings and remain aware of their surroundings".

U.S. Embassy Islamabad and the U.S. Consulates General in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar are monitoring planned protest activity across Pakistan on October 10, 2025. These protests may cause traffic delays/detours due to closed or blocked roads in the vicinity of the pic.twitter.com/QN8AFKUEyp  U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) October 10, 2025

"At least five police constables and over a dozen TLP workers were injured in clashes that continued for several hours," a PTI report said on Thursday, citing a police officer. The TLP, however, claimed that at least one of its workers was killed and 20 were injured in clashes with police.
Amid Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqis landmark visit to India, an explosion rocked Kabul on Thursday evening. This also came soon after Pakistan sent fighter jets to target Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) positions along the border of both countries.

According to AFP, there were reports of two powerful explosions in central Kabul around 9:50 pm local time on Thursday. Though Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the sound of an explosion, he stated no casualties have been reported.

The explosion comes a day after it lost 11 security personnel in an exchange of fire with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group, hinting at Pakistani involvement. Though Islamabad or Rawalpindi are yet to acknowledge it, reports are that Pakistani fighter jets were targeting TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud.

The resident also cited unknown jets carried out strikes across multiple locations, with heavy explosions.

Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban, is an alliance of formerly disparate militant groups that came together in 2007. Pakistan has been blaming the attacks carried out by the group on India, even calling the organisation Indian Proxy, Fitna al Khwarij in an attempt to divert from the real issues. On Thursday, Sharif and deputies issued an open war cry against Afghanistan, but in vague statements, when he declared that  facilitators were protecting terrorists who were coming from across the border.

The timing of the attacks, which coincides with Muttaqis visit to India, has raised eyebrows. Especially since Islamabad is worried about Indias Afghan policy at a time when its own relations with Kabul have soured.

The budding Kabul-Delhi rapport came as a huge shock to Islamabad. It was beyond belief that their relations with the Taliban would deteriorate to such a degree, while India would establish a multilateral relationship with the new government in Kabul.

Experts believe Pakistan is directly responsible for the rise of the TTP after supporting the group since its inception in 1994 and using it as a fighting force against India, until the tables turned.

As for Kabul, a close relationship with New Delhi means a perception of legitimacy.
After winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the award was a recognition of the "struggle of all Venezuelans." She went on to dedicate the Nobel to the suffering people" of her country and to US President Donald Trump for his decisive support" for the her country's democratic movement.

Taking to X, Maria Corina Machado posted, "This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom."

Oh my god I have no words.



Listen to the emotional moment this years laureate Maria Corina Machado finds out she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.



Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, shared the news with her directly before it was pic.twitter.com/OCUpNz752k  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

"We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy," she added.

Mentioning the US president once again in her post, Maria Corina Machado said, "I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!"

This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.



We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic  Maria Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) October 10, 2025

Earlier on Friday, the Nobel committee said Maria Corina Machado was picked for the coveted award for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

Maria Corina Machado who recorded a thumping victory in the 2023 primary polls was banned from contesting the 2024 election against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

This is not the first time that Maria Corina Machado has lauded Trump. Earlier, she praised the Republican for his "unwavering support" for Venezuela's democratic transition.

Trump too had previously warned Maduro against arrest of Machado, saying, "These freedom fighters should not be harmed."
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado instead of US President Donald Trump, who is known for publicly stating multiple times that he should win it.

Though the names of the 2025 Peace Prize nominees cannot be revealed until 2075, as per the Nobel Committee's 50-year secrecy policy, their statement after Machado's win hints at a possible reason behind the snub.

BREAKING NEWS

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to pic.twitter.com/Zgth8KNJk9  The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025

"We live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence ... We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation," the committee said.

ALSO READ | Maria Corina Machado: Why the Venezuelan politician is 2025s Nobel Peace Prize laureate

This hints at the nature of the Trump administration, which is often perceived as authoritarian.

It also comes amid a US government shutdown that threatens hundreds of federal workers, ICE deportation-related protests, baseline tariffs on almost every US trading partner, and (contested) attempts at deploying the National Guard in Chicago.

Notably, the multiple nominations that the US president received from top leaders of countries like Russia, Pakistan, and Cambodiaas well as lawmakers from the US, Sweden, and Norwaydo not necessarily lead to an official Nobel nomination.

Also, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recognises efforts of peacemakers from 2024, at which time Trump had been elected, but had not yet taken office. That nomination window ended in January 2025just after Trump returned to the White House.

So while the question remainshow the man who claimed to have "settled" eight warswhich includes brokering the Gaza ceasefire deallost the prestigious prize, it might not be too far-fetched to say that Venezuela's 'Iron Lady' Machado, who has silently struggled for democracy for 20 years, has proven herself worthy of the Norwegian award.
Alright, all the big films have come and gone. Now, time to make space for the small ones. And October seems, so far, an auspicious month for them. A day after a satisfactory preview screening of Feminichi Fathima, directed by a Malayali debutant, I went into another preview screening that proved fruitful. In this case, the film comes from a familiar filmmaker, Senna Hegde, the man behind the much-adored Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam. Happy to report that his latest, Avihitham (English: Adultery), sees the Kanhangad-based filmmaker back to form  and back to roots  with yet another stellar 'Made in Kanhangad' outing.

Its yet another case of taking the smallest idea and doing fabulous things with it, something Malayalam cinema has been praised for doing for a while. When everyone else is trying hard to find excitement in the big ideas, Avihitham finds it in the simplest things, like someone discovering that two neighbours are having an affair. One of them happens to be a married woman, the identity of whom neither the discoverers nor we are kept in the know until the closing moments of the third act. All in due time, because Senna knows that a lot of fun is to be had first.

And while his idea of fun may at first seem so simple, Sennas imagination is not to be underestimated. He finds opportunities to extract some of the funniest and most exciting developments from this idea. He finds them in someone's dilemma of breaking the unpleasant news to her husband. He finds them in the prospect of exposing a couples transgressions. He finds them in the possibility of taking a jab at the misplaced self-righteousness in some of us. He finds them in the thought of briefly entertaining our hypocrisies and proclivity for getting kicks out of gossip and masala, and then pulling the rug from underneath us at the last minute. Through his film, he probably wants to tell us not to act so pure, that if given the opportunity and necessary confidence, we too might listen to the strong call of our baser instincts. He also spares some characters from judgment. Valid reasons are provided for the whys.

I didnt expect someone to take such a simple idea and create a heist-movie atmosphere, loaded with some neat surprises, out of it. Once the group of men conceive a 'plan', there are only two outcomes  the good kind or the bad. One character even produces a meticulously detailed diagram of their neighbourhood, and behaves like a general ordering his troops. The ones who put the plans in motion are assumed to be the most intelligent and the wisest, but Senna will soon prove they suffer from delusions of grandeur. Dont pretend to be a brainy dude, because you dont have much brains, an older man tells a younger one who has just been informed that his wife is being unfaithful.

The cast is filled with faces both familiar and otherwise, actors with convincing dynamics, which works greatly in the films favour. Unni Raja and Renji Kankol are familiar to those who have followed their work in both television and the big screen. These actors, blessed with natural acting abilities, effortlessly slip into their roles. That reminds me, Avihitham requires, for a certain stretch, for these characters to put on an act to eliminate any doubt. At one point, one man asks why another is acting so stiff, and the former, like a student from the Lee Strasberg school, suggests, Natural acting.

This line  and many others  are delivered with the right measure of deadpan delivery and clever wordplay that you cannot help but burst out laughing. One finds such excellent instances of comic timing in several places in the film. And I can't tell for sure if these actors came up with these lines while rehearsing (was it even required?) because at no point does one feel a false note  except for, maybe, that one instance where someone suddenly blurts out English and upon hearing this another man immediately breaks out a salute.

But that minor hiccup aside, everything else feels so organic. Avihitham reminds us that some films are ill fit for big stars and that no matter how unfamiliar these actors may feel to us, if they can momentarily take us back to that time when we saw Priyadarshans Mukundentta Sumithra Vilikkunnu or Sreenivasans Vadakkunokkiyanthram for the first time, when we were kids and yet to familiarize ourselves with not just Mohanlal or Sreenivasan, but also the immensely gifted legendary comedians who acted alongside in supporting roles, I think their mission is successful. If you, like me, hail from Kerala's Malabar region, you're most likely going to get more fun out of this than the others.

Film: Avihitham

Director: Senna Hegde

Cast: Unniraj, Renji Kankol, Vineeth Chakyar, Dhanesh Koliyat, Rakesh Ushar, Vrinda Menon

Rating: 4.5/5
Offshore wind farm developer Orsted is to cut a quarter of its global workforce by the end of 2027 after years of expansion.

The Danish firm said it was axing 2,000 staff, making 500 redundant by the end of the year, including 235 in its home market.

Orsted has 1,200 staff in the UK, but did not break down job cuts per country.

It said as well as redundancies it would look to cut its workforce through staff turnover, outsourcing and selling off divisions.

Orsted said a number of big projects are set to finish soon, and it needed to become more competitive.

The firm has just raised 59.56 billion Danish kroner (6.93 billion) through an investor cash-call to boost its capital structure and support projects.

Its shares have been hit by US President Donald Trumps row back from renewables and net zero aims.

Job cuts: Offshore wind developer Orsted said it was axing about 2,000 roles out of its 8,000-strong workforce, with plans to make around 500 staff redundant by the end of the year

Rasmus Errboe, chief executive of Orsted, said the group needed to be more efficient and flexible.

He said: This is a necessary consequence of our decision to focus our business and the fact that well be finalising our large construction portfolio in the coming years - which is why well need fewer employees.

At the same time, we want to create a more efficient and flexible organisation and a more competitive Orsted, ready to bid on new value-accretive offshore wind projects.
PepsiCo has seen sales of its snacks and drinks fall as health-aware consumers cut back.

The US giant, which owns Walkers, Doritos and Pipers Crisps in the UK, said the volume of goods sold by its food and drink arms fell 1 per cent in the third quarter.

In North America, volumes at its snack division fell by as much as 4 per cent. But higher prices helped its sales rise 2.7 per cent to 18billion.

PepsiCo has famously used celebrities to grow its market base, first hiring Beyonce in 2002.

Its figures come as food manufacturers grapple with changing habits, including the rollout of fat jabs such as Ozempic, which have meant more shoppers eating less.

The company said it was launching products that appeal more to health-focused consumers.
CHANGSHA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A direct air route between Singapore and the tourist city of Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan Province was launched on Thursday.

The new route uses Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, and operates round-trip flights every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Official data shows that in 2024, Zhangjiajie welcomed visitors from 183 countries and regions. Singapore was the city's seventh-largest source of inbound tourists that year, accounting for some 81,000 arrivals.

Zhangjiajie, known for its spectacular sandstone pillars and as the inspiration for the movie "Avatar," has expanded its international tourism market beyond established sources.

"This year, with China's continued optimization of its visa-free transit policy, Zhangjiajie has opened 15 international or regional passenger routes," said He Chao, deputy general manager of Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport.

The airport now connects to 11 overseas destinations, including Seoul, Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, handling more than 103 flights each week, according to He.

Zhangjiajie is a well-known Chinese tourist destination. The city's Wulingyuan scenic area is a natural site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 
Tourists visit the city wall museum of Nanjing in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 5, 2025. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Visiting museums has become a new holiday fashion among young Chinese people, as more travelers got off the beaten track during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday to enjoy culture and history rather than overcrowded tourist spots.

Ahead of the "super golden week," online tickets for popular Chinese museums, such as the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing, and the Shanxi Museum in the northern province of Shanxi, sold out quickly.

"I feel really lucky to have secured a ticket for the National Day!" said a visitor in her early 30s, surnamed Wang, from the eastern Chinese city of Fuzhou, who visited the Shanxi Museum on Oct. 1.

For many young visitors, museums offer not only a cultural enrichment journey that transcends time and space, but also a peaceful and therapeutic retreat from the holiday bustle.

"I like to come here for a walk when I feel stressed," said a 30-year-old surnamed Wang, who works for an internet company, when visiting the Jinci Museum in Shanxi's provincial capital of Taiyuan. "Gazing at these millennia-old buildings and reflecting on how ancient people created such marvels with so little help put my own troubles into perspective."

Some visitors want to make their museum visits more fun and personal by creating humorous memes based on artifacts in the museums and purchasing creative cultural products from museums.

At the Shanxi Museum, stuffed toys shown sleeping cozily in a pouch, were a particular hit with visitors during the holiday.

A little girl in traditional costumes is pictured at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Qiu Ping, deputy director of the Jinci Museum, noticed the changing behaviors of young visitors. "They are no longer satisfied with just walking through exhibits -- they do homework on the museums in advance and are not shy to discuss with the museum guides and ask questions about the exhibits' cultural significance."

This shift from passive observation to active participation reflects the growing interest of China's younger generation in traditional culture, Qiu said.

On Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform, posts tagged "museum" have exceeded 11 million, as many young people share their museum experiences.

Technology is also adding new dimensions to the museum experience. At the Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, visitors can don VR headsets to experience the grandeur of ancient banquets, while interactive projection walls enable them to play music alongside musicians in the murals with a simple wave of the hand.

Wang Jiang, the museum's director, said the venue aims to create immersive experiences for visitors using technologies such as digital imaging and 3D animation.

The move has helped the Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum attract more young visitors, as those under 30 accounted for more than 60 percent of all bookings at the museum during the holiday, according to the museum's data. 
The latest word from the Missouri elected leader might find some agreement from both sides when he notes says that the current beltway impasse is really about Prez Trump.

Here's the word . . .

Congressman Mark Alford explained that while a clean continuing resolution extending funding until November 21st was passed by the House Appropriations Committee, Senate Democrats blocked it, causing the shutdown



It is day nine of America held hostage with the Schumer shut down and the fight goes on in Washington, Alford said. The fight by the Democrats is against President Trump and not for the American people.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

NewsTalkZRG: Congressman Mark Alford says shutdown is the fault of Democrats

Developing . . .
This week there has been a great deal of mainstream media outcry over alleged government spying on GOP leaders . . . No idea why they're so special given that mobile phones are pretty much survillance ankle bracelets for the plebs.

Still . . . Just for #TBT we give credit to a favorite local conservative author for making an articualte connection . . . Here's his argument . . .

"What few know is that President Joe Biden simply picked up where President Barack Obama left off. Fewer still remember just how invasive the Obama surveillance state was. Long before he and his henchmen practiced their spycraft on Donald Trump and his advisers in Russiagate, they were honing their skills on federal employees and even on the media. "

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
A parking lot shoot out claims another local life . . . We'll update later tonight as more info becomes available for now here are the basics

UPDATE: Here's what police are sharing with local media . . .

Homicide 1300 block of E. Bannister Rd.

Tonight just before 6pm officers were dispatched to the convenience store in the 1300 block of Bannister Rd on a shooting call.



On arrival officers were directed to an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the ground next to the business.



Officers rendered aid and called for EMS who responded and declared the victim deceased at the scene.



Homicide detectives are at the scene investigating and canvassing for any witnesses. Crime scene investigators are processing the scene for evidence to give detectives an idea of what led up to the shooting.



Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim had an interaction with an unknown suspect in the parking lot of the business that escalated to gunfire which struck the victim.



If anyone heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

At least one person killed in shooting on Bannister Road in Kansas City The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a deadly shooting Thursday evening on E. Bannister Road.
This open letter cuts to the core of KCMO support for local biz and calls out elected leaders for ongoing neglect . . .

We don't want to jump in the way so we'll make it quick with the summary . . .

WATTS MILL BIZ DELIVERS SCATHING MESSAGE TO MAYOR & COUNCIL!!!

Check the message sent to www.TonysKansasCity.com by more than a few locals . . .

Urgent: Public Safety Crisis at Watts Mill Plaza  Immediate City Action Needed

Dear Mayor Lucas and Councilwoman Bough,



I want to begin by saying how deeply disappointing your latest responses have been  especially regarding the suggestion that we form a Community Improvement District (CID) to patrol our own streets. That statement alone proves how out of touch this City Council is with whats really happening in South Kansas City.



Let me be clear: a CID is not, and never was, intended to replace core city functions like policing, public safety, and sanitation. Suggesting that the business and property owners  including the car dealers of Watts Mill  should tax ourselves again to provide the security our city taxes are supposed to pay for is an insult.



1. CID is not a solution to the Citys failure to protect us



Our property owners, Brixmor, have already explored forming a CID and have repeatedly tried to get information and guidance from the City. Each time, they were met with red tape and silence. Even David Aarcon, President of Munisupport out of Chicago  who works nationally with property owners and local governments to reduce crime and blight  has said hes never experienced a city leadership team as uncooperative and uninterested in helping property owners as what hes encountered here in Kansas City.



Both David and our landlord, Brixmor, have said the same thing: they have never dealt with a city leadership team that didnt want to help property owners the way Kansas City has resisted doing so here. Theyve hit roadblocks at every turn, even when offering proven solutions that have worked successfully in other major cities.



So, lets stop pretending that a CID is some quick fix. Weve watched many of you stand at the podium when other areas cried for help  River Market, Downtown, the Plaza, 18th & Vine, and 39th & Prospect  all receiving direct city support, funding, and additional police coverage when their crime problems grew. Meanwhile, South Kansas City is told to create a CID.



As of this year, KCPDs South Patrol Division  which covers a huge geographic area stretching from Bannister to 155th Street  reportedly has only three to four officers per shift to protect tens of thousands of residents and dozens of commercial centers. They need more resources, plain and simple.



2. The jail excuse doesnt hold up



Mayor Lucas, you recently told me you disagree with my assessment about the jail issue. Youre entitled to that view. But disagreement doesnt solve anything  and it doesnt answer the fundamental question:



What exactly are KCPD officers supposed to do when repeat offenders cant be detained because theres nowhere to take them?



When individuals are harassing customers, trespassing, vandalizing, or starting fires  and refuse help from outreach programs like Josh Henges team  what then? Are we just expected to deal with them indefinitely until they decide they want help? Both Jasper and I have had the same troublemakers repeatedly spoken to by KCPD, and all officers can do is tell them to move along  because they cant take them anywhere. Or if they do, theyre released within 24 hours and return with a vengeance.



Just a couple of weeks ago, we had one of these individuals pull his pants down in front of our north patio window  right in front of my mother-in-law, her friends, and families with young children  at 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. Yes, we filed a police report and yes, KCPD is trying to locate him, but this is how out of control this area has become. Thanks to the free Metro, they come from all over the city to this area.



What do you tell families and their children who come to Watts Mill for a nice dinner and have to witness that? I have installed more than 15 cameras inside and outside our business. What good are they if nothing can be done when someone commits a crime and is caught?



Mayor Lucas, you said a temporary jail will open in May 2026. Thats fine  but were living this chaos right now. Until that facility is ready, what is your operational plan for enforcement in South Kansas City? Because if theres no place to take those who continually break the law, the ordinances you pass mean absolutely nothing.



And one more thing: Im frustrated. Im a small business owner trying to protect my livelihood, my employees, and  most importantly  our guests, while the city I help fund through taxes continues to ignore us. You want me gone? Ill gladly return to running my two businesses that I operate here in Kansas City  if and when you do your job. Until then, Im not leaving. Ill be organizing my neighbors, filing complaints, attending council meetings, and using every legal means available to demand results.



I would much rather be a partner in fixing these issues  just as I have been with MoDOT and with multiple neighborhood HOAs whove reached out for help since the City would not  but instead, you treat me as a foe. Thats on you, not me.



3. The fear is real  and growing



This isnt political. Its personal and it's a safety issue. My customers  loyal Kansas Citians who have supported us for years  now tell me theyre afraid to come down to Watts Mill. I hear the same stories from Jasper and his brother Leonard; their customers are also scared to drive down due to the issues in the parking lot. Theyve been harassed, followed, yelled at, and threatened. My staff doesnt feel safe walking to their cars at night. And its been like this for nearly five years now.



I still remember when we took that walk along the trail years ago, Councilwoman Bough  you and Brian Platt both promised action. Yet here we are, worse off than before. The camp under the 435 bridge is bigger, the trash is worse, flooding from debris blocking storm drains has happened twice this year, and the violence is escalating.



4. MoDOT has done more than the City



While City Hall deflects responsibility, even MoDOT  which oversees state roadways and bridges  has stepped up. Ive worked directly with MoDOT officials to help clear encampments and debris under Highway 435. They told me today that the camp under the 435 bridge over Stateline will be cleared next week by a contractor they hired. But what is your plan to keep them from returning? Because they always do  as they have for the past three years.



Ive personally cleaned up under that same bridge with volunteers we organized to clean up the Watts Mill area several times, working with Parks and Recreation and Park Rangers to facilitate the 24-hour notice for them to leave and coordinate trash pickup.



Heres how a MoDOT representative described the situation in their own words:



It is considered a trespass problem, so if we have trouble with them leaving, MoDOT needs to contact KCPD to remove them. MoDOT has stepped up its efforts to remove them from our structures due to the very reason you have specified  fires reducing the life expectancy of our bridges.



Contact me again and I will schedule another cleaning if they return. We just hope that with repetition they will decide to locate elsewhere.



We currently spend almost $2 million dollars to clean up the mess left behind in our Kansas City district alone.



That quote came directly from a MoDOT district director  and it shows that even a state agency is taking responsibility and action, while our city leaders continue to punt the problem down the road.



5. Facts show City neglect



KCPDs South Patrol Division, located at 9701 Marion Park Drive, covers one of the largest geographical areas in the city yet remains consistently understaffed, averaging just a few officers per shift.



The Citys own budget shows that over 40% of the General Fund goes toward policing and public safety  so lack of funding is not the issue.



Studies show that focused, place-based policing  like the Kansas City Risk-Based Policing Initiative, which cut violent crime by 22% in its target areas  works when leadership commits to it.



What we lack isnt data or ideas  its willpower. The will to treat South Kansas City as equal to every other district in this city.



6. What we expect  immediately



Im done with vague replies like well discuss it with South Patrol or we encourage you to form a CID. We need real, documented commitments. Heres what Im asking for, on the record:



A written, detailed enforcement plan from the City and KCPD outlining how Watts Mill and South Kansas City will be protected between now and the jail opening in 2026.



Transparency on staffing: publish the number of officers currently assigned to South Patrol and how that compares to other divisions.



A directive from City Council and the Mayor that South Kansas City receive equitable police coverage and resources.



Monthly progress reports from city staff and KCPD on encampment removals, enforcement actions, and reoccupation prevention.



A public meeting at Watts Mill within 30 days, where you  the Mayor, Councilmembers, and Police leadership  walk the site, see the conditions yourselves, and answer our questions directly.



7. Respect and accountability



Ive sent dozens of emails over the years. Ive shown you photos, videos, and firsthand evidence. Yet only when my friend Jasper Mirabile  a respected figure in Kansas City  writes in, do we see immediate replies and copied responses from the Mayor.



Thats fine; Im not asking for attention. But what hurts is that as a resident, business owner, and taxpayer, Ive been ignored and dismissed. I pay into the same system as everyone else. My taxes fund the very salaries of the City Council members who are supposed to represent us.



So dont tell us to create a CID as a way to help ourselves. Thats not leadership  thats passing the buck.



Were not asking for special treatment. Were asking for the same respect and protection every other area in Kansas City receives when it faces a crisis.



If you want to disagree with my tone, fine. But dont ignore the reality  because I will keep documenting it, sharing it, and demanding action until we see real, long-lasting results. We dont want to be the next Sunfresh.



Respectfully,

Matthew Alexiou

Southside Bar & Grille

Watts Mill Plaza

Kansas City, Missouri

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Developing . . .
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan continue to strengthen cooperation in the fields of transport, logistics, and economic partnership, the Turkmen Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Gurbanmammet Elyasov, said during an event in Baku dedicated to Turkmenistans Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of its permanent neutrality, Trend reports.

The relations between our countries are steadily developing in political, economic, energy, transport, and logistics areas, as well as in cultural and humanitarian spheres, the diplomat emphasized.

He noted that the successful exchange of high-level visits and the participation of the leaders of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in joint summits are creating new opportunities to enhance transport and logistics connectivity across the region.

The ambassador added that active collaboration within international organizations helps establish effective mechanisms for integration and coordination in the fields of transport and trade.

We are confident that the further development of transport infrastructure and logistics between our countries will contribute to stronger economic ties and increase the investment appeal of the region, Elyasov concluded.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. As reported earlier, On October 10, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by the Russian RBC TV channel. On October 11, the TV channel broadcast the interview with the head of state. Trend presents the interview.

- First of all, thank you very much for agreeing to speak with us. Before we start, I want to talk about the principles of RBK. A few days ago, there was an extensive interview with the prime minister of Armenia, and now we are here in Azerbaijan, in Baku, to speak with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. One more remark, before I ask the first question, condolences to the relatives of all the victims on both sides. I have heard a lot that no-one needs war and the sides could have done without it. And now the most difficult but also the most interesting task begins. The negotiations have ended. How would you assess what happened in Moscow? It is very important for us to understand what it all means.

- In general, I have a positive assessment because the statement circulated after the talks says that a ceasefire is being declared for humanitarian reasons and  what is of fundamental importance, this was the position of Azerbaijan and I am glad that this was reflected in this document  substantive negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan will begin and the format of negotiations remains unchanged. These are the two positions the new Armenian government tried to undermine. It is no secret to anyone that the statements we heard from Yerevan were essentially aimed at undermining the process of negotiations that had been developed over the years, including its fundamental principles, at undermining the format of negotiations. Therefore, it was extremely important that the Armenian side  of course, this happened as a result of what we have on the battlefield  was forced to accept that the fundamental principles form the basis for a settlement and they clearly state how the conflict should be settled and in what sequence the occupied territories should be returned to Azerbaijan. Secondly, the format of the negotiations remains unchanged. This means that negotiations have been, are and will be conducted only between Azerbaijan and Armenia. All attempts by the Armenian leadership to shift this responsibility onto the puppet regime that exists in Nagorno-Karabakh have failed. Thus, after that I am sure that we will no longer hear from Pashinyan that "Karabakh is Armenia". Also, we will not hear his statements that Azerbaijan should negotiate with the so-called leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh. If he does make such statements, it will mean that he shows disrespect both for the mediators and for his own delegation, which agreed on this text in Moscow, and this will again undermine the process of negotiations. What did it lead to this time? I think everyone can clearly see that. I don't think he can allow himself to step on the same rake a second time.

- The ceasefire  how long will it last? How would you assess the fragility of this truce? What will it depend on?

- This ceasefire lasted for many years until the current escalation, for decades. There were certain clashes on the line of contact, there were provocations of the Armenian side on the state border in July this year. But such large-scale action has never taken place in the last almost 30 years. Therefore, everything will depend on the Armenian side. First of all, whether it will observe the ceasefire. Because this morning and yesterday, that in the early hours of today and in the morning, I was informed about attempts of a large-scale counter-offensive by the Armenian forces in many directions  an attempt to recapture Hadrut, an attempt to recapture the territories we have liberated in Jabrayil district and an attempt in the northern direction. In other words, understanding that the parties can come to an agreement in Moscow, they tried as much as possible to get back what they had lost and what never belonged to them. Therefore, the key factor for the durability of the ceasefire will be that Armenia must come to terms with the fact that we have these territories, that it will never see them again and will not make any attempts to recapture it by military means. The second equally important factor is exactly what I have just mentioned. At the negotiating table, we must see a constructive approach from the Armenian side, so that they stop trying to imitate the process of negotiations, so that they refrain from provocative actions and statements, and so that they are committed to finding a settlement. All we have seen from the Armenian side over the past year was precisely aimed at undermining the negotiations and blaming Azerbaijan. So we will see. We are committed to our statements. Azerbaijan is a country that has always fulfilled its obligations. I have always said that our signature has the same value as our word. But the ceasefire is not a unilateral process, so we will see how the Armenian side will behave now.

- In Azerbaijan, as far as I understand in the two days I have been here, the public sentiment is that we must go to the end. How can you explain to the Azerbaijanis now that Baku has agreed to negotiations again?

- We are going to the end. We didn't stop. If the Armenian side is committed to the ceasefire regime, then, as I said yesterday, the phase of political settlement will begin and the phase of coercion to negotiations will end. Therefore, we will go to the end anyway. Our goal remains unchanged. Restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which is recognized by the entire world community, the return of Azerbaijanis to the places of their original traditional residence, including Shusha and other settlements of Nagorno-Karabakh, and, of course, to all other territories outside the administrative border of the former NKAO. Therefore, our goal remains unchanged. The question is about how we will move towards this goal? We have always tried to follow the political path and have always heard that there is no military solution. We have proven that this is not the case. We showed on the battlefield that this is not the case and that these negotiations would have lasted another 30 years without a military component. What would have happened before that? Illegal settlement. This is an international crime and a violation of the Geneva Convention. Unfortunately, no-one ever reacted to this  the Minsk Group, the European Union or the UN. The destruction of Azerbaijans historical heritage, the destruction of our cultural, historical and religious sites, the change of place names, the change of administrative boundaries of our regions, the change of the names of our mountains, rivers and cities. In other words, we would have had to wait another 30 years and then we would have been told that this is what the situation is like now, so put up with it. We have already been told that. Therefore, I think that the military component, or its first stage, has come to an end, we have now reached a political settlement which will secure that we reach the end and get what is rightfully ours. Therefore, I think that Azerbaijani society will perceive what happened yesterday and tonight correctly and continue to support our policy. Because we have always told our people the truth. We have always defended the interests of our people. What happened on the battlefield proved it to everyone again.

- You have met with Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan several times before these events. After these events, are you ready to sit down at the same table or talk with him?

- You know, it is difficult to speak with a person who is very trustworthy. I had to negotiate with his predecessors, whom I consider war criminals because they have committed a bloody genocide in Khojaly, they are responsible for the killing of peaceful Azerbaijani population, for the destruction of our historical and cultural heritage. But I had to negotiate because we had to find a solution to this conflict. When the new government came to power, of course, first contacts with the new leadership were quite encouraging. I have already spoken about this once and do not want to repeat myself. But then the opposite happened. In other words, we felt deceived. We understand that we are negotiating with the enemy, but we must remain honest even with the enemy, honest at least to ourselves. We must respect our word. When this happened, we lost any desire to continue this senseless activity, of course. What can you talk about with your opponent if every word is a lie, if their lies are circulated in the world media and if lies are broadcast all over the world? They are probably used to lying in their own country. But when you lie about history and about the essence of the conflict in the Internet age, it is very quickly exposed. Therefore, I do not rule out such a possibility but this requires certain conditions. At this stage, I don't think it would be productive. On the contrary. The Armenian leadership should finally understand that it is impossible to speak to Azerbaijan in the language of ultimatums, insults and blackmail. I have never allowed myself such a tone of communication with anyone  neither within the country nor abroad. But when Pashinyan put forward seven ultimatums to us, when he insulted the feelings of the Azerbaijanis, he should have been punished for this. And we did that! Let him thank Putin for the fact that Russia has once again come to Armenias rescue.

- You have mentioned the role of Russia. That is, it really was decisive in these negotiations.

- Russia as a co-chair of the Minsk Group, of course, has the same rights and powers as the other countries of the OSCE Minsk Group. But, of course, as our neighbor and a country that has a common history with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, Russia plays a special role, of course. This role is based both on history and on the interaction of our peoples, as well as the weight and role of Russia in the world and in our region, of course. Therefore, due to these objective reasons, the possibilities of Russia to influence the settlement of the conflict are incomparably greater than those of any other country. Therefore, we have repeatedly appealed to the Russian leadership, so that the Russian leadership would engage the levers of political influence on Armenia and urge the Armenian side to end the occupation. This topic has been discussed many times, and I can tell you that in all of the numerous meetings I have had with my Russian colleague, this topic was discussed in one form or another, either in detail or not very extensively, but this did not happen. It is no secret that Armenia fully depends on Russia today. Security is provided by Russia, free weapons are provided by Russia. We have destroyed Armenian hardware probably worth billions of dollars. Right now, in a matter of two weeks. Where did they get this money? They don't have it. These are all free deliveries from Russia. Gas supply at preferential prices from Russia, electricity to some extent too. Railways, communications, a military base. Even the Armenian border with Turkey and Iran is guarded by Russian border troops. If it wasnt for this, it would be empty. What other country has so many levers to influence Armenia? None! And there are probably no other two countries in the world, one of which would be so completely dependent on the other. Therefore, of course, I am convinced that if there is insistence on the part of Russia, given that we have changed the status quo, broken the line of contact and brought Yerevan to its senses, I think that Russia certainly has a lot of tools to quickly convince Armenia that the only way out of the situation  and not only in terms of military confrontation but also for the future of Armenia in general  is to find a solution together with Azerbaijan. And it is quite simple  leave the territory, withdraw the troops, our people will return there and we will try to live side by side again.

- I will now ask you about another country  Turkey. Azerbaijan and you personally have been repeatedly accused these days of the fact that everything, including this conflict, is controlled by Turkish authorities. Yesterday and tonight, we did not see Turkey at the negotiating table. Why?

- This shows that all these opinions were false and that it was deliberate media speculation. There were several goals. First, to further demonize Turkey and this, unfortunately, is becoming almost a norm in the so-called modern political fashion. This is completely unfounded. Turkey is defending its interests, defending its right to live its own life. Under the leadership of President Erdogan, Turkey ceased to be an obedient ally of the West. It dictates its will in its region and in the world. Turkey is reckoned with now. Turkey's authority has grown. The Turkish army is the second biggest army in NATO and it can solve any military-political problems. Therefore, of course, there is such open pressure from the West. It is even fraught with some very strange and negative emotional background in relation to Turkey. So this is the first reason  the demonization of Turkey. The second reason is the underestimation of Azerbaijan's potential, including military-technical, an attempt to introduce things in such a way that it was Turkey or someone under the influence of Turkey that solved a military issue. No! We have liberated our lands ourselves. The myth about the so-called victorious Armenian army has collapsed. It never existed. Those who know the history of the conflict are well aware that our lands were occupied also by the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the Soviet army, which was stationed in Khankandi and I think 70 percent of its servicemen were of Armenian origin. So it was Soviet weaponry and Soviet command with an Armenian composition, and they took an active part in both ethnic cleansing and genocide.

- When ... the events of the early 1990s ...

- Of course! Without the support and active participation of the 366th regiment, Armenia would not have seized our territories. Therefore, a myth was created afterwards that the Armenian army was victorious and the Azerbaijani one would not be able to resist it. This was why it was necessary to preserve this myth. Apparently, acknowledging a bitter defeat at the hands of Azerbaijan is beyond the capacity of Armenian society and leadership. Third, it was necessary to belittle the role and importance of Azerbaijan in the world arena. This is very difficult to do because Azerbaijan today has very extensive economic and political ties with countries of the world. Today we chair the Non-Aligned Movement, which brings together 120 countries, and we were elected unanimously. If our country did not have an independent potential, would we have won such respect? Therefore, all the insinuations that Turkey is directing Azerbaijan and that we are acting upon its will are absolutely wrong. This is also aimed at disrupting or undermining the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood, but it will not succeed. By the way, if all this information hype around Azerbaijan and Turkey had a basis, then there would not have been today's statement. This statement was agreed with me and no-one else. If we were controlled by someone, this issue would probably not have been resolved so quickly. Therefore, Turkey plays a stabilizing role in the world and in the region. The active and very clear position of the Turkish leadership, personally its President and other officials during the escalation, essentially prevented the intervention of third countries in this conflict. Therefore, I believe that the role of Turkey is extremely positive, and it should play an even greater role in our region, including the settlement of the conflict.

- Many in Russia will hear the phrase that "Turkey should play an even greater role". What is hidden behind these words? What do you mean?

- I think it is too early to talk about this, because I am expressing the position of the Azerbaijani side. But I said in one of my recent interviews that the Minsk Group was formed many years ago, in 1992, with completely different geopolitical realities. And if we were to form a contact group of mediators today, the composition would be different. The composition should reflect the intentions and wishes of the parties to the conflict but the composition of the Minsk Group practically does not reflect that. The composition of a new contact group or a working group, whatever you call it, should reflect the existing balance of power in the region, the existing interests of the countries of the region and should be focused on results. Otherwise, what is the point? It doesn't make any sense. If we want to resolve the conflict, then it must be resolved within the framework of a new format. Notice how many new formats of cooperation  trilateral, quadripartite  have been set up recently to coordinate the positions of countries on many hot spots. After all, they are being created now, they are not created on the basis of any dogmas, on the basis of the real balance of power. Therefore, of course, there can be no doubt that Turkey should and will play an important role in the settlement of the conflict. In what form  legal or de facto  this is already a technical question.

- About the role of Russia. When I walked around Baku, I saw a lot of Azerbaijani flags and slightly fewer but still quite many Turkish flags, but I did not see a single Russian flag. Does this mean that Russia's influence in Azerbaijan has decreased or has the attitude of people in Azerbaijan changed towards Russia?

- I don't think it has changed. The fact that there are many Turkish flags is natural. We are fraternal peoples. Today there is such a level of trust, mutual support and relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan that, in my opinion, cannot be found between any other countries of the world, even the closest allies. This is a reality. And this reality was created by us  the leadership of Turkey and Azerbaijan. And it is not about our common roots and our common history. There are also peoples with close ethnic roots in the world, like Turkey and Azerbaijan, who are at war with each other. And you know that very well. Or they are engaged in intrigues against each other. Therefore, the presence of Turkish flags in Azerbaijan is a reality. Also, if you go to Turkey, you will see Azerbaijani flags in many places. As for the attitude towards Russia, I can give you one fact. Before the pandemic, the annual growth of Russian citizens visiting Azerbaijan was in the region of 15-20 percent. Last year it approached a million people. I have always said that Russians are attracted to Azerbaijan not only by the cuisine, not only by the beaches, not only by history, but also by the fact that they feel comfortable here, they feel at home, they speak Russian with our people. You probably know that nowhere else are there as many schools in Russian as in Azerbaijan  more than 300. There are Russian universities and branches in Azerbaijan. Russian musical and theater groups were here almost every week before the pandemic. Therefore, the attitude towards Russia and towards the Russian people inhabiting the Russian Federation is extremely positive in Azerbaijan. But you have already spent several days here and you know how the factor of the Armenian occupation influences the mentality of the people. People catch every word, people catch every gesture, every facial expression. But I will tell you quite frankly, during this time, during these days of the week when some Russian channels run rabid anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, falsification, manipulation, provide an unbalanced composition of talk show participants, when the Azerbaijani people are insulted, when the President of Azerbaijan is insulted on leading Russian channels, this, of course, does not add credibility to Russia. I brought this issue to the attention of the Russian leadership. Not in terms of the fact that we are concerned about it  the Azerbaijani society and public opinion are formed within Azerbaijan. But in terms of the fact that this may someday lead to certain difficulties in our plans. We have plans with Russia for the further development of cooperation. We are now actively working on five roadmaps for economic and other cooperation, there are very good issues politically. But the information attack we encountered in the Russian media during this time, of course, caused great harm to the public perception of Russia. I think it will take time and effort for the leadership of both sides to correct this situation.

- I will ask two more questions. 27 September, night or morning. Do you remember how the decision was made that you need to start responding, you need to start this war?

-Well, in practice decisions are made automatically. There are certain instructions for the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army. I think every army has that. What your actions should be in case of threat, in case of attack. That is, we had no hesitation on how to act. Moreover, we were expecting this attack. I spoke about this from the UN platform a few days before the escalation. You can see the text of my speech  I said that Armenia is preparing for war. Armenia must be stopped. There were a lot of arguments in favor of that. First of all, the statement of the Armenian defense minister he made in America last year when he said that Armenia is preparing for a new war for new territories. Then Pashinyan's statements such as "Karabakh is Armenia" and so on. Further provocative actions in the form of demonstrative settlement of Armenians from Lebanon to Shusha, which is a war crime. Further, the insult of the Azerbaijani people by holding the so-called "swearing-in" ceremony in Shusha  in fact, for the first time in the entire existence of the occupation regime there. An attempt to move the parliament of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh republic" from Khankandi to Shusha, and much more. All this was a provocation against us. Then July. An unprovoked attack on military positions, and we lost four servicemen and then a civilian in the very first hours. Then August. A sabotage group penetrating Goranboy district on the line of contact. The leader of this group is now giving evidence. We waited. We were ready. Naturally, the decision was made automatically, including myself, without any hesitation. We had to put the aggressor back in its place. In July, Azerbaijani society demanded a continuation. You probably know about this.

- Yes, there was a rally.

- Yes. In July, the main slogan at the rally was "Commander-in-Chief, give us weapons!" This is what people were saying. In July, we could have easily crossed the state border with Armenia and seized vast territories of the Armenian Republic. But we didn't.

- This did not happen in Karabakh.

- Quite right. We did not do that. There were no difficulties there. We showed this now when we broke the defense that was deeply echeloned for 30 years. The local terrain there is defense in itself. We were going from bottom up, we were breaking these concrete slabs thanks to the incredible efforts of the Azerbaijani Army, the heroism of our soldiers and officers. What would it have cost us to move into any point in Armenia? But I stopped it, I said that no, we will not go for that, we are not them. We will not enter the internationally recognized territory of Armenia. We reached the border, drove out the invaders who entered our territory and stopped there. In other words, after that we had to punish the aggressor and discourage it from even looking in our direction. And we did that. Look at what a miserable situation Pashinyan is in now. He humiliates himself, calls, begs. There is hardly anyone left he hasnt called yet. Heads of government of the European Union. And what does he demand? He demands that they recognize Nagorno-Karabakh. It speaks of a complete inadequacy of the Armenian leadership. There is an agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union, one of which was initialed two years ago. It states that the European Union respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of Azerbaijans borders. We have documents on strategic partnership with seven EU member states. All of them recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Only a person who is completely far from politics and devoid of any knowledge in the international sphere can demand recognition for Nagorno-Karabakh. This is where they are now. And we had to punish them. We had to put them in their place. They should know that they cant talk to us like that and they won't get away with it. And they didnt. He will be held accountable for the tears of mothers, for the deaths of innocent young citizens of Armenia they are sending to the frontline.

- What will happen to the territories Azerbaijan has returned? What will they do there now?

- We will return our refugees to their homes. You can imagine the joy of these people, the joy of the inhabitants of Jabrayil, the villages of Fuzuli, the inhabitants of Tartar district, Hadrut, who will return to their lands after almost 30 years. There is nowhere to go back to now. The video footage we show from the liberated territories shows that everything there has been destroyed. We knew that it is worse than Stalingrad. Everything that was not destroyed was plundered. They even stole window frames, stole toilets. This is just looting elevated to public policy. Therefore, we will restore these territories.

- Will you rebuild them?

- We will rebuilt them. Of course. We will help. This year, according to our construction program for internally displaced persons, we are commissioning 7,000 apartments. Can you imagine? If we multiply that by five people on average, we accommodate 35,000 people a year. in other words, even by our standards it is a fairly medium-sized city. We have already accommodated more than 300,000 people. Every year we allocate huge funds from our budget to create good conditions for refugees. Each refugee receives a monthly allowance from the state. We will do it there. We will rebuild Jabrayil. We will rebuild all the villages. People who will live there will be involved in construction work. They will receive a land parcel to rebuild their homes. Life will return there, children's laughter will return there. People will heave a sigh of relief. People will feel that they have regained their dignity. Can you imagine what it is like for Azerbaijanis to live in such a situation for so many years? Imagine my feelings when, on the line of contact, I looked at our destroyed cities through binoculars. Let the Armenian side give this a thought. They will not understand what it is like. But they should have thought about it earlier. They should not have hurt the feelings of the Azerbaijanis. We are a kind people, a peace-loving people but we will not allow our dignity to be trampled and insulted. When Pashinyan, in a drunken stupor, danced in Shusha on Jidir-Duzu, he signed up for what happened today.

- Are you going to visit these territories yourself?

- Of course! When we liberated Jojug Marjanli from occupation in 2016, I told our State Committee for Refugees and IDPs that they should ask the residents of this village if they would like to return. Because many years have passed, many of them are in Baku, many have jobs, children, schools, many live in other regions of Azerbaijan. Changing your place of residence, especially where everything is destroyed, is not so easy. You know, after some time I was informed that there was a queue. Even young people who had never been there, who were born afterwards. They all asked to be returned there as soon as possible. And in less than a year we rebuilt a village of 150 houses, built a school, a medical facility, a mosque, all the infrastructure, installed gas lines and roads there. This has become a symbol of our return. When I arrived there and saw the faces of these people, their joy, tears of joy in their eyes, I said to myself again that we would definitely return to our homes. And, of course, we will restore these places so that these people who suffered for so many years, many of them did not live to see this happy day, they died longing for their homes, so that those who have survived them live happily and those who did not live to see this day have their souls in paradise.

-Thank you very much!

-Thank you!
Semeni Mohammed Salum (R), secretary of the Wakulima Hai cooperative society, and a fellow member display seaweed-based products at the cooperative's workshop in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Oct. 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Nurdin Pallangyo)

by Xinhua writers Hua Hongli, Lucas Liganga

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- In Zanzibar, Tanzania, women are driving the blue economy by turning seaweed and other marine resources into thriving businesses, inspired by China's expertise and cooperation.

Semeni Mohammed Salum, secretary of the Wakulima Hai cooperative society, Swahili for "Living Farmers," is among the pioneers leading this transformation. The cooperative, which brings together more than 100 members, including about 80 women and 20 men from the islands of Unguja and Pemba, has become a model for how women can turn the ocean's bounty into sustainable livelihoods.

"Our cooperative was formed after receiving training from the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries," said Semeni. "We later benefited from entrepreneurship training in China's Fujian Province, where we learned advanced techniques in seaweed and sea cucumber farming."

Semeni's first visit to China in 2011 opened her eyes to new possibilities. At the Fujian Institute of Oceanography, she spent a month learning hands-on skills in marine cultivation. A second visit in 2017 further deepened her expertise in sea cucumber farming and seaweed processing.

"Visiting markets in China, we discovered that many marine products we used to ignore in Zanzibar were highly valued there," she said. "That experience opened our eyes to the vast opportunities around us."

Upon her return, Semeni applied what she had learned and helped establish Zanzibar's first sea cucumber farm. Today, her cooperative not only cultivates seaweed but also processes it into value-added products such as soap, hair oil, massage oil, shampoo, and seaweed powder, alongside selling sea cucumbers, oysters, and fish intestines.

"Initially, we did not know the value of these marine products," Semeni said. "But after training, we realized their potential as food, medicine, and sources of income."

Under her leadership, over 80 percent of Zanzibar's seaweed farmers, most of them women, have benefited from new skills and improved production techniques. According to official statistics, Zanzibar produced 12,594 tonnes of seaweed annually by the end of 2022, with exports reaching nearly 14,000 tonnes per year. The industry now supports about 23,000 farmers, 90 percent of whom are women.

Despite these gains, challenges persist. "Convincing the community to use marine products as food and business is still difficult," Semeni said. "While China and other countries consume them widely, in Tanzania, they are still underutilized."

Semeni believes that the skills and knowledge she gained from China have transformed her life and can uplift many others. "The ocean can empower women economically," she said. "We are grateful to the Chinese government for sharing this knowledge and for showing us that marine resources can transform lives."

For Semeni, the rewards go far beyond financial gains. "Through this business, I have educated my six children. Some are now in universities," she said proudly. "Marine products are not just about income; they are about opportunity, dignity, and a better future." 

Seaweed-based products including hair oil, massage oil, and balm are seen displayed at the Wakulima Hai cooperative society in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Oct. 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Nurdin Pallangyo)
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, October 10. On October 10, a limited-format meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council was held in Dushanbe, Trend reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the event.

Speech by President Ilham Aliyev

- Dear Emomali Sharipovich,

Dear colleagues,

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the esteemed President of Tajikistan, Emomali Sharipovich Rahmon, for his hospitality and for the excellent organization of our event.

I would like to congratulate fraternal Tajikistan on the successes and achievements attained under the leadership of its President.

Having visited Dushanbe on multiple occasions, I have observed how rapidly the countrys capital is developing, with new buildings being constructed. This brings us great joy as friends. I congratulate you on your achievements in urban development and am delighted to see Dushanbe becoming more beautiful year by year.

Today, I would also like to highlight the steady development of bilateral relations between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. These relations are founded on brotherhood, friendship, and mutual support, and they hold significant potential for further growth.

At todays meeting, I would like to address issues related to strengthening cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. I express my gratitude to the CIS heads of state for supporting the candidacy of the city of Lachin in Azerbaijans East Zangezur region as the Cultural Capital of the CIS for this year. In June of this year, Lachin hosted the opening ceremony of the Year of the CIS Cultural Capital, during which information about the history and cultural heritage of this ancient Azerbaijani land was presented. Guests of the event witnessed firsthand the rapid revival of Lachin following its liberation from 30 years of Armenian occupation. A city that was completely destroyed has, in just a few years, transformed into one of the most beautiful and livable cities.

Another significant event in the life of the Commonwealth was the 3rd CIS Games, held in Azerbaijan from September 28 to October 8 of this year. The center of the Games was the ancient city of Ganja, the homeland of the great 12th-century Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi. In addition to Ganja, six other Azerbaijani citiesGabala, Goygol, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Khankendi, and Shekiwelcomed over 1,600 athletes from 13 countries, including both CIS member states and guest nations. Such events strengthen friendship and cooperation within the CIS and beyond, fostering relationships based on equality, mutual interests, and respect.

Thank you for your attention.

President Emomali Rahmon: Thank you, Ilham Heydar oglu.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. As earlier reported, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held a one-on-one meeting with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, in Dushanbe, Trend reports.

Commenting on the landmark event, Azerbaijani political analyst Azer Garayev said that this meeting demonstrated that relations between the two countries have entered a new, more mature stage based on mutual trust.

The analyst noted that the discussions held at the meeting reaffirmed that the parties have common interests in deepening stability and cooperation in the region.

"The main thrust of the dialogue was the normalization of relations, the elimination of some misunderstandings that have arisen in recent months, and the formulation of a forward-looking agenda. In particular, the statements made by the Russian president regarding the incident with the passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL) showed that this issue is now behind us and that there is the necessary political will to restore trust between the two countries.

Putin stated that compensation will be paid in this regard, and the perpetrators will be punished. This also proved that Baku and Moscow are based on cooperation, not tension, in their relations," Garayev reminded.

He pointed out that at the same time, the information manipulations of some circles that have been trying to cast a shadow on Azerbaijani-Russian relations in recent times - especially pro-Armenian figures such as Simonyan, Solovyov, and Zatulin - have failed.

"Their goal was to undermine trust between the two states and create a cold front on the Moscow-Baku line. However, the direct and sincere dialogue of the presidents clearly showed that these attempts were groundless, and that relations at the state level were developing in a healthy and strategic direction," the analyst explained.

Garayev emphasized that one of the important issues for Azerbaijan was the influence of anti-Azerbaijani circles operating in Russia.

"President Putin's statements to the media clarified this direction and demonstrated that Moscow doesn't intend to fall under the influence of such destructive forces. This is a positive signal for both the Azerbaijani public and the region.

In general, this meeting not only put an end to the questions that arose between the two countries, but also confirmed the political will for future cooperation. The full normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia is of great importance in terms of ensuring stability, economic partnership, and security in the region.

The meeting of the presidents showed that Baku and Moscow are determined to develop relations based not on confrontation, but constructive dialogue and mutual respect," Garayev also said.

Besides, President Ilham Aliyev touched upon many issues during his speech at the limited session of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Dushanbe.

The analyst said that President Ilham Aliyev's speech at the event held in Dushanbe conveyed important messages regarding the development of bilateral Azerbaijan-Tajikistan relations as well as cooperation within the CIS.

"President Ilham Aliyev's speech attracted attention with both its sincerity and pragmatic approach to regional cooperation. In addition, his views on the socio-economic development of Tajikistan, especially the rapid transformation of Dushanbe, were an expression of respect and a friendly attitude towards the Tajik people.

This once again demonstrated that Azerbaijani-Tajik relations are developing in the spirit of mutual trust and sincere partnership. In his speech, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of humanitarian cooperation and thanked the CIS heads of state for their support in selecting the city of Lachin as the cultural capital of the CIS for 2024.

The restoration and revival of Lachin in a short time after its liberation from occupation, and the presentation of Azerbaijan's cultural and historical heritage to the world are a celebration of both the country's constructive potential and the spirit of cooperation within the CIS," the analyst mentioned.

Garayev noted that, in addition, holding the 3rd CIS Games in the ancient city of Ganja and other regions of Azerbaijan is a clear indicator of the contribution of Azerbaijan to regional cooperation.

"This event, attended by more than 1,600 athletes from 13 countries, served to strengthen friendship, sports, and cultural ties in the CIS, and deepen solidarity between peoples. In general, President Ilham Aliyev's speech highlighted the importance of equal cooperation, mutual respect, and cultural proximity within the CIS. As an active member of this union, Azerbaijan makes a significant contribution to strengthening stability, partnership, and mutual understanding in the region," he concluded.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 11. 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.

The erupted 44-day Second Karabakh War ended with liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation.

Trend presents the chronicle of the 15th day of the Second Karabakh war:

- President Ilham Aliyev in connection with the shelling of Ganja: the Azerbaijani side will give a worthy answer to all this!

- President Ilham Aliyev: The missile attack on Ganja was carried out from the Vardenis region of Armenia.

- President Ilham Aliyev: These dishonorable deeds of Armenia can never break thewill of Azerbaijani people.

- First VP Mehriban Aliyeva: I call upon the international community not to remain indifferent to all happened.

- The Ministry of Defense issued a statement that the information disseminated by the Armenian side about the alleged killing of civilians in Hadrut by Azerbaijani servicemen - a woman and her disabled son - is groundless, not supported by facts and is aimed at misleading the international community.

- The Ministry of Defense issued a statement that the information disseminated by the Armenian side about the missile strikes allegedly inflicted by the Azerbaijani army on settlements in the occupied territories is a lie and disinformation.

- Azerbaijani Ganja city once again under fire.

- As a result of the next shelling of Ganja by the Armenian Armed Forces, 5 people were killed and 27 were injured.

- Information about the shelling of Baku does not correspond to reality.

- Armenian armed forces launch missile attacks on Azerbaijani Mingachevir.

- Azerbaijani army delivers fire strikes against the Armenian Armed Forces.

- Deputy regiment commander of the Armed Forces of Armenia destroyed.

- A large number of forces and equipment of the Armenian army destroyed.

- On October 11, around 08.00, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of Armenia, which attempted to fly in the Mingachevir direction, was destroyed by the air defense units of Azerbaijan.

- The forces and means of the Armenian Armed Forces, which tried to go on the offensive, were destroyed.

- The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan reported that as a result of the shelling of Ganja by the Armenian Armed Forces, 7 people were killed and 34 were injured.

- The Armenian Armed Forces fired at an ambulance with a white flag on it, which was picking up the bodies of the Armenian military.

- The death toll in Ganja as a result of rocket attacks from the Armenian Armed Forces has reached 9.

- The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan reported that since the beginning of the attacks of the Armenian Armed Forces, 41 civilians were killed and 205 civilians were wounded.

- The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated that the responsibility for the aggravation of the situation in the region lies entirely with the leadership of Armenia.

- Azerbaijan destroys another Armenian UAV.

- Video of the moment of the missile strike on Ganja released.

- Armenian armed forces suffer heavy losses as result of airstrikes.

- Azerbaijani MoD publishes footage of liberated Dashkesan village.

- Kub anti-aircraft missile system of Armenian armed forces destroyed.

- Azerbaijani MoD publishes footage of liberated Horadiz village.

- Azerbaijan shows newly liberated Sugovushan village of Tartar district.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The laying of the foundation stone for a mosque in Fuzuli has important symbolic significance and has become a vivid manifestation of the unity and brotherhood of the Turkic peoples, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, Gurbanmammet Elyasov, said at a briefing, Trend reports.

According to him, the mosque foundation ceremony, held as part of the 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Gabala, was a significant event not only for the Turkic world but also for the entire Islamic world.

The laying of the foundation of the mosque in Fizuli symbolizes the restoration of Karabakh's belonging to the Republic of Azerbaijan. I am confident that in the future this mosque will become a symbol of friendship and brotherhood among the Turkic peoples, he stressed.

The diplomat also recalled that the ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the heads of other Turkic states.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Azerbaijan has proposed replacing the 5+1 cooperation format with Central Asian nations with a new 6 format, said Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR) Board, Trend reports.

Speaking at a briefing held on the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the mosque in Fuzuli, donated from Turkmenistan to the Azerbaijani people, Shafiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan continues to expand its cooperation with Central Asian countries.

There are various frameworks for engagement. For example, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on alternative energy. I believe the project implemented between Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan also holds great potential, Shafiyev said.

He added that Azerbaijan now envisions a platform involving all six countries instead of the traditional 5+1 structure.

In other words, Azerbaijan, as an integral part of the Caspian region, intends to further develop this platform together with the five Central Asian nations, he noted.

Shafiyev also underlined that current geopolitical threats make closer cooperation even more crucial.

I hope that Turkmenistan will one day become a member of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). I understand the principle of neutrality and non-alignment with military-political blocs, but it is essential to deepen cooperation within international frameworks. Therefore, I hope that collaboration between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan will also progress on global platforms, he stated.

Speaking on the Middle Corridor, Shafiyev highlighted its growing strategic importance.

Considering that the traditional northern route is now operating far below its capacity due to the Russia-Ukraine war, this issue is unlikely to be resolved soon. Therefore, the Middle Corridor holds enormous potential. In this context, Turkmenistans participation is of great importance, he said.

He also mentioned the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, adding that it could logically be extended through Turkmenistan to the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and further westward.

These are two major initiatives with significant economic potential, Shafiyev concluded.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. We welcome the agreement reached on Gaza that would establish a ceasefire in Gaza, and pave the way for the release of hostages and prisoners, and for the unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza and its reconstruction, the statement of the Azerbaijani MFA on X said, Trend reports.

"We hope all the phases of the agreement will be duly implemented, and intensify efforts for a just and lasting peace in the region.

We commend the mediation by the United States, Turkiye, Qatar, and Egypt toward this outcome," the statement reads.
Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Footage of President Ilham Aliyevs working visit to Tajikistan has been published on his social media accounts.

Trend presents the post:

"President Ilham Aliyevs working visit to Tajikistan (0102.10.2025)".
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 11. Today marks the fourth anniversary of Armenia's missile strike on Ganja, which occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. on October 11, 2020, Trend reports.

Ten innocent people lost their lives and forty more were injured when a ballistic missile attack hit the heart of the city.

This fourth missile strike on Ganja exemplified Armenia's military-political leadership's policy of terror against civilians, in gross violation of the Geneva Convention, UN resolutions, the Hague Convention, UNESCO, and other international and regional obligations to which Armenia was bound.

Throughout the conflict, Ganja endured a total of five missile and heavy artillery attacks, which claimed 26 lives, injured 175 people, and caused severe damage to civilian infrastructure and vehicles.

The war, which began on September 27, 2020, and lasted 44 days, saw the deaths of 93 Azerbaijani civilians, including 54 men, 27 women, and 12 children. Additionally, 444 people were injured, including 268 men, 109 women, and 67 children, as a result of Armenia's military actions.

Notably, the former so-called president of the Karabakh separatists, Arayik Harutyunyan, who was accused of orchestrating terrorist attacks on Ganja's civilian population during the Second Karabakh War, has been detained by the State Security Service and transferred to Baku.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. A new group of families displaced by the conflict has been resettled in the Ballija and Tazabina villages of Azerbaijans Khojaly district, as part of the governments ongoing Great Return program to territories liberated from occupation, carried out under the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Trends Karabakh bureau reports.

The families had been living in temporary accommodations such as dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings across the country before being moved to their new homes this week. In this phase, 15 families comprising 53 people were resettled in Ballija village, while 28 families totaling 126 people moved to Tezebine.

The returnees expressed deep gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva for what they described as strong state support during the resettlement process.

They also voiced appreciation for the Azerbaijani Army and the soldiers who took part in liberating the lands, offering prayers for the martyrs who lost their lives in the effort.

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AGHDARA, Azerbaijan, October 10. Participants of the international conference Joining Forces and Expanding Cooperation to Address the Issue of Missing Persons, held within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on missing persons, have begun their visit to the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from occupation, Trends Karabakh bureau reports.

The trip was organized by the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons.

As part of the conference, which runs from October 9 through 11, participants are visiting a mass grave discovered on a hill that once served as a military position near the village of Balligaya in the Aghdara district, where the remains of more than 10 Azerbaijani soldiers were found.

The delegation will later travel to the city of Shusha, where they will take a walking tour and visit the Shusha Prison, a site where Azerbaijani prisoners and hostages were once held and subjected to severe torture.

Tomorrow, the participants are expected to visit the Jabrayil district as well as the Zangilan district's Aghali and Mammadbeyli villages.

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Tatjana Macura, Serbia's minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, the prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women, speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

by Xinhua Writer Zhang Xuan

BELGRADE, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- "I have high expectations for the upcoming global leaders' meeting on women to be held in Beijing," said Tatjana Macura, Serbia's minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, the prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women.

Shortly before attending the meeting, Macura told Xinhua in an interview that her expectation "goes in the direction of protecting the rights of women that have been achieved so far," adding that it is necessary to recognize how the role of women in society has evolved through generations, to encourage men and women to cooperate, and to build consensus to further promote the "power of women" in the new era.

Macura added that she expects the summit to "focus on safeguarding the rights women have achieved so far."

"Beijing was in fact the starting basis for the adoption of the Beijing Declaration," she noted, adding that this year's event marks 30 years since its adoption.

Macura highlighted that the Beijing Declaration laid the foundation for global legislative efforts aimed at strengthening and protecting women's rights. "The very fact that, three decades later, work in this field continues shows how meaningful and enduring that commitment has been," she said. "China's decision to gather world leaders again in Beijing to revisit these goals sends a strong message about how seriously the Chinese government takes this issue."

"Every woman's struggle for rights has meaning, as each effort contributes to the progress we see today," Macura added. "I thank Beijing for once again hosting such an important event."

She further said that Serbia has made notable progress over the past 30 years, especially in women's economic and political empowerment. Today, women make up approximately 40 percent of members in the Serbian parliament and around 30 percent of the national government. Women also hold key leadership positions, including speaker of the National Assembly and heads of both the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.

"In sectors such as healthcare, administration, and even science -- women now represent 52 percent of the total number," she said.

Macura stressed that Serbia has implemented significant legislative measures to safeguard women's rights, focusing especially on preventing and combating violence against women and girls. In recent years, the country adopted the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence, and more recently, the Draft Law on the Exercise of Rights from the Alimony Fund, which guarantees state support to single-parent families -- predominantly led by women -- during times of need.

Looking ahead, Macura said the current global women's agenda should shift toward addressing the challenges in protecting women's rights and outlining the future course of development. "In the 21st century, both society and family life have changed significantly -- and so have women's roles," she said. "The protection of women's rights must evolve accordingly, while respecting cultural traditions and values."

She called for stronger partnerships between men and women, not only on global issues like economic and political empowerment, but also in everyday life. "I strongly support institutional dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts and disputes," she said.

She added that Serbia supports the vision of humanity as "a deeply interconnected community with a shared future" and recognizes the importance of enhancing global governance to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous world.

Macura also noted that China's Global Governance Initiative provides an important opportunity to reaffirm that women are key actors in sustainable economic and social development, and that gender equality must be integrated into all global processes. 

Tatjana Macura, Serbia's minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, the prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women, speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

Tatjana Macura, Serbia's minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, the prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women, speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

Tatjana Macura, Serbia's minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, the prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women, speaks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The open court hearing on the criminal cases of citizens of Armenia on October 10 heard the announcement of several documents related to the cases, Trend reports.

Facts and statistical data obtained from various public agencies regarding criminal cases, civilian casualties, missing persons, as well as damage caused to civilian infrastructure, residential houses, environment, religious and cultural monuments as a result of Armenian armed forces attacks against the territories of Azerbaijan were announced in the court.

The announced documents included data obtained from various ministries, committees, agencies, district and city executive authorities, as well as other institutions of Azerbaijan.

The court proceedings continue against Armenian nationals accused of crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, aggression, terrorism, and violations of the laws of war. The charges also include financing terrorism, the violent seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Azerbaijan will host the Culture Days of Turkmenistan, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture.

The ministry noted that Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan share an ancient history, common roots, and cultural and spiritual values. In recent years, relations between the two countries have been developing rapidly, with growing cooperation across various cultural fields.

From October 13 through 15, Azerbaijan will host the "Culture Days of Turkmenistan," an event organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A distinguished delegation of cultural figures and artists from Turkmenistan will participate in this important cultural exchange. The program will showcase an array of Turkmen artistic expressions, including musical performances, decorative and applied arts, museum exhibitions, and culinary traditions. Additionally, a Turkmen Literature Corner will be inaugurated at the National Library of Azerbaijan, further enriching the cultural dialogue. This event promises to make a significant contribution to deepening the bonds between the two nations and advancing cultural cooperation in the region.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The new mosque, which will be built in the city of Fuzuli with the support of Turkmenistan, has deep symbolic meaning not only in religious and cultural terms, but also in spiritual and political terms, a member of the Board of Directors of the Center for Analysis of International Relations, Gulshan Pashayeva, said, Trend reports.

She made the remark at a briefing dedicated to the ceremony of laying the foundation of the mosque, presented by Turkmenistan to the Azerbaijani people in Fuzuli.

According to her, the newly built mosque is a living embodiment of friendship, brotherhood, common history, and roots of the Turkmen and Azerbaijani peoples:

"As you know, the Karabakh lands, which have been devastated for many years, are now being rebuilt and revived, and life is returning to them. New roads, schools, cultural centers, and residential areas are being built. The mosque, which will be built in the city of Fizuli with the support and initiative of brotherly Turkmenistan, is not only an integral part of the restoration process carried out by our state, but also a vivid example of Turkmenistan's moral support for our people. The call to prayer that will sound from the minarets of this mosque will embody the free breath of Karabakh, the restoration of justice, and Turkish-Islamic solidarity. It will become not only a place of residence, but also a symbol of spiritual revival, peace, unity, and mutual trust in our lands liberated from occupation."

Pashaeva emphasized that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have reached an exemplary level in recent years:

"These relations should be assessed not only in terms of diplomatic, political, economic, and cultural partnership, but also as fraternal relations. Cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, transport, and logistics is developing dynamically. The most striking example of this is the agreement signed in 2021 on the joint development of the Dostlug field in the Caspian Sea. Within the framework of this project, a solid foundation of friendship and mutual trust has been established between the two nations. At the same time, the growth of trade turnover through the Caspian Sea, regular transportation between the ports of Baku and Turkmenbashi, and cooperation in the field of logistics are strengthening the strategic integration of our region. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are also working shoulder to shoulder within the Organization of Turkic-speaking States (OTS) to preserve our common values, language, history, and culture, and pass them on to future generations.

The official also noted that today's stage is not only the laying of the foundation for a new mosque, but also a bright page in international cooperation and friendly relations in the restoration of Karabakh:

"Turkmenistan's participation in this project demonstrates the sincere interest of the brotherly states in contributing to the restoration of the liberated territories and their socio-economic and cultural life.

Today, we are making history. The mosque that will be built in Fuzuli will become an eternal symbol of friendship, solidarity, and cultural unity for future generations," she added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The mosque that Turkmenistan will build in Fuzuli is a testament to our unity, the deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament and chairman of the Council of Elders, Eldar Guliyev, said, Trend reports.

He made the remark at a briefing dedicated to the ceremony of laying the foundation of the mosque in Fuzuli, donated by Turkmenistan to the Azerbaijani people.

Guliyev emphasized that all Turkic states provided moral support to Azerbaijan during the Second Karabakh War:

"Armenia completely destroyed the territories of Azerbaijan during its 30-year occupation. After the liberation of the lands from occupation, we began restoration work, and in this process, we saw the Turkic states standing by our side. The mosque, which is a gift from Turkmenistan, will probably be built and handed over in the near future. We highly appreciate this gift because it testifies to our unity," he emphasized.

The deputy said that he visited Turkmenistan in 1992. He is pleased with the difference over the past 30 years and the development of Ashgabat.

Turkmenistan is developing and looking to the future with hope. Today, dozens of fountains are flowing in Ashgabat, which was once thirsty, Guliyev stressed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. A briefing for media representatives was held in Baku with the assistance of the Embassy of Turkmenistan, dedicated to the ceremony of laying the foundation of a mosque in the Azerbaijani city of Fuzuli - a gift from Turkmenistan to the brotherly Azerbaijani people, Trend reports.

Addressing the participants of the event, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, Gurbanmammet Elyasov, noted that the ceremony of laying the foundation of the mosque, which took place within the framework of the 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Gabala, was a significant event not only for the Turkic world, but also for the entire Islamic world.

The laying of the foundation of the mosque in Fizuli symbolizes the restoration of Karabakh's belonging to the Republic of Azerbaijan. I am confident that in the future this mosque will become a symbol of friendship and brotherhood among the Turkic peoples, he stressed.

Deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Culture Gunay Efendiyeva added that the noble tradition of fraternal initiatives continues: a school named after Mirza Ulugbek, built on the initiative of Uzbekistan, is already operating in Fuzuli, and now Turkmenistan is implementing a new symbolic project.

According to her, the establishment of sister city relations between Fizuli and one of the cities of Turkmenistan creates additional opportunities for strengthening cultural ties and holding joint events.

In turn, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Birol Akgun added that strengthening spiritual and cultural values, developing infrastructure, and supporting education have always been important principles of the Turkic world. Create, develop, open your hearts, show justice, bring joy wherever you go, he recalled the legacy of Ahmed Yesevi.

According to the diplomat, the joint initiatives of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan demonstrate not only the brotherhood of peoples but also their commitment to working together to preserve the cultural values and spiritual heritage of the region.

Azerbaijani MP and Chairman of the Council of Elders, Eldar Guliyev, stressed that all Turkic states provided moral support to Azerbaijan during the Second Karabakh War.

"Armenia completely destroyed the territories of Azerbaijan during its 30-year occupation. After liberating the lands from occupation, we began restoration work and saw the support of the Turkic states in this process. The mosque, which is a gift from Turkmenistan, will probably be built and handed over in the near future. We highly appreciate this gift because it testifies to our unity," he said.

Tanzila Rustamkhanli, a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and head of the working group on interparliamentary relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, added that

The Turkic world has come a long way to achieve its current level of unity, and it is political will and mutual trust that have made the rapprochement between the brotherly countries possible.

Azerbaijan's victory in the Karabakh war is a victory for the entire Turkic world, the deputy stressed.

Rustamkhanli expressed special gratitude to Turkmenistan for its active participation in the 10th summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala and for its initiative to build a mosque in the city of Fuzuli, calling this step a strong message to the world about the solidarity of the Turkic peoples.

The laying of the foundation stone of the mosque is not just a religious event, but a symbol of spiritual and cultural unity. With this step, Turkmenistan has shown the whole world the power of brotherhood and the common values of the Turkic states, she said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The groundbreaking ceremony for a mosque in Fuzuli, attended by the leaders of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), represents a significant historic event for the Turkic world, said Uzbekistans Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, Trend reports.

Speaking at a briefing dedicated to the occasion, Ashrafkhanov emphasized that the event not only symbolizes unity and brotherhood among Turkic nations but also carries profound spiritual importance for the entire Islamic world.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the mosque in Fuzuli, attended by the leaders of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States, is a historic moment for the whole Turkic world. Additionally, laying the foundation of a mosque in the liberated city of Fuzuli holds great significance for the Islamic world. The construction of this mosque in Fuzuli itself symbolizes that Karabakh is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan, he added.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The laying of the foundation stone for a mosque in Azerbaijan's Fuzuli has become an important symbol of unity among peoples and Turkic brotherhood, the First Deputy Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board (CMB), Salman Musayev, said at a briefing dedicated to the construction of the mosque in Fuzuli, Trend reports.

Today, we express our gratitude to everyone who participated in and supported this important cause. The mosque will become a symbol of the unity of a people who have overcome suffering and will remind future generations of their significant deeds, he emphasized.

Musaev noted that the event demonstrates the ability of leaders and statesmen to unite and cooperate in overcoming difficulties. After thirty years of occupation of Karabakh, we have witnessed steps taken by the peoples to restore justice, he added.

According to the deputy chairman, the laying of the foundation of the mosque is a manifestation of Turkic brotherhood and strengthens cooperation between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, leaving a significant legacy for future generations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. As part of Azerbaijani Culture Days in Estonia, the "Ashug and Mugham" concert was held at the Mere Cultural Center in Tallinn, honoring the 140th anniversary of renowned Azerbaijani composer and musicologist Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Trend reports.

The event was supported by the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Work with Diaspora and organized by the Azerbaijani creative center Buta Art Studio.

The concert featured Associate Professor of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory and Candidate of Art Studies Mubariz Aliyev, along with representatives of Estonias parliament, Ministry of Culture, Integration Fund, diplomatic corps, local artists, and residents.

Performers, including tar player Asim Pirimov, kamancheh master Huseyn Naghiyev, and khanende Revana Veliyeva, captivated the audience with traditional Azerbaijani mugham, while ashug Mubariz Aliyev impressed with virtuoso saz performances. Folk songs, mugham excerpts, and ashug music received prolonged applause.

A highlight of the evening was the performance by Tallinns renowned dance group Gracia, who performed to the melody of "Sari Gelin."

Guests emphasized the importance of regular cultural events, noting that Azerbaijani music and dance resonate deeply with Estonian audiences. The evening was hailed as a celebration of art and a bridge for cultural understanding between nations.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Slovenian Armed Forces presented the renovated and modernized Crngrob shooting range near Skofja Loka, showcasing its technical capabilities and enhanced safety, noise reduction, and fire protection measures, Trend reports.

The presentation was attended by the Commander of the Forces, Brigadier Bostjan Mocnik. In his speech, he emphasized not only the improved standards and better conditions for shooting training, but also the importance of raising the overall readiness of the Slovenian Armed Forces. He also spoke about cooperation with the local community.

The officer in charge of introducing the range into operational use, Lieutenant Colonel Ales Kesic, highlighted that the renovation represents an important step toward improving the combat training of Slovenian Armed Forces personnel and ensuring more transparent and safer training. He also pointed out noise mitigation measures as well as flood and fire protection improvements.

The range is designed for standardized shooting with pistols, automatic rifles, and light machine guns, which allow members of the Slovenian Armed Forces to meet their annual shooting standards. It is also used for close-range shooting, which serves as a transition to tactical combat shootingtraining the armed forces for operations in urban environments and counterterrorism missionsas well as for competitive shooting, through which the military develops shooting excellence. In the coming days, the range will host an international shooting competition.

Since the Crngrob range is located near the villages of Crngrob, Sutna, and Dorfarje, part of the investments goal was to minimize the impact of military training on the local environment. The firing sector closest to the village of Crngrob was shut down, while both boundary sectors were enclosed with 3.5-meter-high ballistic walls. Noise measurements show that noise toward Crngrob has been reduced by half, though the situation toward Dorfarje has not improved.

Therefore, the Slovenian Armed Forces have erected an additional ballistic wall behind the firing positions in one sector and will build another as soon as a new maintenance and construction contract is signed. Ballistic walls around the entire range, facing all nearby villages, are expected to be completed later this year. Special attention was also given to the installation of bullet traps and targets. The renovation additionally strengthened the sites fire and flood safety. The water basin, which provides firefighting water for the village of Crngrobwhere there is no hydrant networkwas refurbished, and its water level can now be regulated.

The range is primarily intended for training the Slovenian Armed Forces, but in accordance with government regulations, it can also be used by the Police and other state bodies or organizations whose activities serve the public interest in the field of defense.

Before the renovation, approximately 7,000 personnel trained annually at the range. According to the Defense Act, the Slovenian Armed Forces conduct military education and training for commanding armed combat and other forms of defense, maintain required readiness levels, fulfill contractual obligations undertaken by the country within international organizations, and, in the event of an attack on the country, carry out military defense.

The renovation of the shooting range, completed in spring, cost 2.7 million euros.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. On October 8, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna met in Tallinn with Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis, who was on an official visit to Estonia, Trend reports.

The meeting focused on bilateral relations, European security, and efforts to increase accountability for ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Minister Tsahkna emphasized that as European Union border states, Estonia and Greece share a similar understanding of current security challenges.

At a time when our neighboring regions are facing growing instability, strengthening our defense capabilities is of utmost importance. We must continue to increase defense spending to reinforce NATOs eastern and southeastern flankson land, at sea, and in the air, Tsahkna said.

The Estonian Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to his Greek counterpart for support during NATO Article 4 consultations and at the extraordinary session of the United Nations Security Council held in September, convened following serious airspace violations near Estonia.

Estonia and Greece stand firmly for the principles of international law, upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. Greece is currently serving as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council until 2026, Tsahkna underlined.

Discussing the situation in Ukraine, Minister Tsahkna highlighted the need to maintain strong political and economic pressure in response to ongoing hostilities.

To curb the machinery of war, the European Union should swiftly adopt its 19th sanctions package, including additional measures targeting covert maritime networks and restricting the export of fossil fuels, he said.

The ministers also discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, digital development, and tourism.

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CHONGQING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- As dusk settled over Songgai ancient town in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the scent of roasted rice cakes and steaming tofu pudding mingled with the lively hum of visitors wandering beneath rows of oil-paper umbrellas and glowing snack stalls.

"Having explored the town by day, I returned to experience its nighttime charm. The lanterns and ancient architecture create an entirely different atmosphere after dark," said Zheng Guangxin, who hails from east China's Shandong Province.

This shift toward nighttime leisure -- from bustling markets and cultural performances to late-night dining -- is becoming an increasingly popular way to spend holidays across China.

The country recorded 888 million domestic tourist trips during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, up 123 million from the seven-day National Day holiday in 2024, data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed.

According to the Ministry of Commerce's urban resident consumption habits survey, approximately 60 percent of domestic consumption occurs at night. Driven partly by the night economy, domestic tourism spending reached 809 billion yuan (about 113.8 billion U.S. dollars) during the holiday, up 108 billion yuan year on year.

From central China's Fenghuang ancient town in Hunan Province, where visitors pose in traditional attire against glowing waterfront backdrops, to cliffside guesthouses in east China's Jiangxi Province, nightlife is redefining travel experiences.

In Chongqing, the nightly closure of Qiansimen Bridge to vehicles transforms the structure into a vibrant pedestrian market.

"We prepared for days and came early to secure a good spot," said a vendor surnamed Zheng, who sells popular snacks like pan-fried dumplings and triangular rice cakes. "Holiday business is always strong, and we often run out of ingredients."

Technology has further enriched the experience. On Oct. 1, a drone light show featuring thousands of drones illuminated Chongqing's skyline with patriotic and cultural themes. Regular weekend and holiday performances have attracted over 4 million spectators since April, boosting restaurant occupancy near show venues and spurring a surge in online searches for "drone show dining."

"Each performance brings new creativity," said Liu Shuangyu, head of the drone show's operations team.

The convergence of culture, technology and commerce within the night economy also reflects China's broader economic resilience. Major commercial districts in cities like Beijing and Shanghai reported increases in foot traffic and revenue during the holiday period.

"With fast-paced lives, people like us crave unique experiences during long holidays, especially these lively, well-lit nights," Zheng said. 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds on Thursday attended the opening of the exhibition Six Hundred Years of Spanish History Across Four Continents in 20 Paintings by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau, organized by the Embassy of Spain and the Latvian War Museum, Trend reports.

The exhibition is part of a broader program of events marking Spains National Day celebrations in Latvia.

Today, more than 600 Spanish soldiers are serving in Latvia as part of NATOs multinational brigade in Adazi, representing the second-largest allied contingent in our country. This is a symbol of trust and solidarity, showing that Spain and Latvia are united by a common goalto defend every nation and every person within the Alliance. Our cooperation extends beyond the military sphereit also includes culture, science, education, and public understanding of security, Minister Spruds said.

As part of the National Day program, the Spanish Embassy hosted a roundtable discussion at the Latvian War Museum titled Historical Experience and Contemporary Challenges: Spain and Latvia in the Context of European Security. The event brought together historians and political scientists from both countries and featured three thematic panels focusing on significant historical moments and present-day challenges shared by Spain and Latvia.

Commemorations will continue on Saturday, October 11, with a public ceremony at Freedom Square and its surroundings in Riga. The event will be attended by Defense Minister Spruds, Spains Ambassador to Latvia Manuel Alama Orenes, and the commander of the Spanish contingent in Latvia, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Diaz Simon.

The program will include a military parade and an exhibition of military equipment, followed by a memorial ceremony honoring fallen Spanish soldiers, with a wreath-laying and flower tribute at the Freedom Monument.

After the parade, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy traditional Spanish paella prepared by the Spanish Army field kitchen.

It is a great honor to celebrate our National Day at the Freedom Monument, such an important symbol for Latvia. We want to show the Latvian people Spains contribution to our shared security and defense and to bring our military personnel closer to the local community on this special day, Ambassador Orenes said.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. On Thursday, October 9, the Ministry of Defense signed agreements with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Ministry of Finance, and the state-owned company Valsts nekustamie ipasumi (State Real Estate, VNI), reinforcing cooperation in implementing public-private partnership (PPP) projects in Latvia, Trend reports.

Under the PPP framework, the Ministry of Defense plans to develop residential and administrative areas and road infrastructure within the Selija military training base, as well as warehouse infrastructure in Kuldiga Municipality.

In response to current geopolitical challenges, we are steadily implementing the National Armed Forces Development Plan 20252036, approved in 2023. Public-private partnerships are among the most effective and forward-looking models for developing military infrastructure. This cooperation will strengthen both Latvias and the regions defense capabilities, emphasized Minister of Defense Andris Spruds.

The Selija training area is a strategically important project not only for Latvia but for the entire Baltic region. This collaboration is not only about developing infrastructure but also about demonstrating readiness, resilience, and regional solidarity. The EIB is pleased to participate in this project as an advisor to ensure it is financially sound, sustainable, and impactful, said Karl Nehammer, Vice President of the European Investment Bank.

Our cooperation with the European Investment Bank demonstrates how public resources can be used wiselyby attracting private-sector expertise and international experience, which strengthens Latvias defense and economy. Since the EIB opened its office in Riga, its presence in Latvia has become increasingly significantthis year alone, EIB investments have exceeded 330 million euros, a substantial contribution to our economic development, Minister of Finance Arvils Aseradens added.

The EIBs advisory support, provided at the initiative of Latvias Ministry of Defense, will focus on the development of military base, training area, and storage infrastructure. This will be the first PPP project in Latvias defense sector. The EIB has previously supported successful initiatives such as the construction of the Kekava Bypass and the Ministry of Finances affordable rental housing program, which aims to build at least 924 apartments in seven Latvian cities by 2030.

Through its European PPP Expertise Centre (EPEC), the EIB will provide advisory services to prepare financial, risk, and impact assessments to ensure the PPP project is implemented effectively and efficiently. The advisory support will be financed by EIB resources. Its goal is to ensure that the military infrastructure is developed sustainably, is financially viable, and is attractive to private investors.

We are honored to contribute to this strategically important project for Latvias and the regions security. VNI will oversee the implementation of the project from the realization phase until the end of the availability period. Our teams extensive experience in defense infrastructure management and PPP implementation will help ensure this ambitious initiative meets the highest quality standards, said Renars Griskevics, Chairman of the Board of Valsts nekustamie ipasumi.

The EIBs involvement in Latvias defense infrastructure projects reflects its growing role in strengthening Europes security and resilience. Across Europe, the EIB increasingly supports defense-related initiatives, including barracks construction, logistics centers, critical infrastructure, industrial capacity, advanced technologies, and small and medium-sized enterprisesall aligned with European Union initiatives to bolster security and resilience.

In late September, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved the application of the PPP framework for defense infrastructure development. The decision instructs the Ministry of Defense to begin financial and economic assessments for the development of the Selija military bases residential, administrative, and transport areas, as well as warehouse infrastructure in Kuldiga.

Under the PPP model, no state budget payments will be required during the project preparation and construction phases. Construction and operational risks will be transferred to the private partner, who will handle design, construction, and financing and maintain the facilities for 30 years after completion. The first availability payment to the private partner is expected at the beginning of 2030.

To recall, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) implementation in Latvia began with the adoption of the Concession Law in January 2000, followed by the validation of the concession promotion concept in April 2002. Following this, five PPP pilot projects were initiated in 2005 to establish good practices and identify obstacles, paving the way for larger projects like the Kekava Bypass, the country's first large-scale PPP, which was completed and opened in 2023.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. On October 10, the Council of Heads of CIS States will meet in Dushanbe. The agenda includes familiar but no less important issues: strengthening economic cooperation, ensuring food and energy security, developing humanitarian ties, and advancing digital transformation. However, the central focus of the summit will be a new stage - the 'CIS+' format.

First proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in October 2024 in Moscow, the initiative envisions expanding the CIS platform to include third-party partners and observers. In effect, the organization is looking to replicate the successful model of the SCO and BRICS, transforming itself from a closed club into an open, inclusive platform.

"The CISs authority on the global stage is growing. Last year, observer and partner statuses were introduced, demonstrating the organizations maturity. Building on this, I propose we consider the 'CIS+' format," Tokayev said. He emphasized that the new format would serve as a foundation for expanding regional ties and enable coordinated efforts in the economy, security, and humanitarian areas.

'CIS+' could turn the Commonwealth into a tool not only for dialogue but for concrete projects. Member states could jointly develop transport corridors, energy networks, digital technologies, and humanitarian initiatives. This move would strengthen the CISs influence in Eurasia and enhance its international profile.

Active participants in the new format could include countries that have already proven themselves as drivers of regional integration. Azerbaijan, now a key economic and transport hub in Central Asia, demonstrates how a country can unite the region around energy, investment, and trade projects. Bakus strategy aims to create a unified space of stability and growth stretching from the Caspian to Europe.

Uzbekistan also plays a major role, actively promoting practical initiatives within the CIS in recent years - from transport routes to innovative projects. Tashkents proactive approach shapes the overall cooperation agenda and sets the tone for the Commonwealths renewal.

Kazakhstan continues to strengthen transport corridors, trade, and technological links, while Turkmenistan shows that neutrality can coexist with an active economic agenda and broad cooperation with partners.

The creation of the 'CIS+' format comes at a time when international organizations are gaining influence across Eurasia. For Russia and other key CIS members, it offers a chance to solidify their positions and elevate cooperation to a new level, especially amid a complex global environment.

If successfully implemented, 'CIS+' could transform the Commonwealth from a forum for dialogue into a platform for concrete projects, new economic connections, and international collaboration. The "open-door" approach could turn the CIS from a familiar club of states into a dynamic, action-oriented organization capable of influencing regional development and expanding international ties.

In this sense, the Dushanbe summit could become a turning point for the Commonwealth: the 'CIS+' format will engage external partners and give fresh momentum to regional integration.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) have discussed the future prospects of the Zangezur corridor and possible EU support for the development of Nakhchivan's transport infrastructure, Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

"We participated in the second meeting of the High-Level Transport Dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EU in Brussels. During the meeting, we discussed the future prospects of the Zangezur corridor and possible EU support for the development of Nakhchivan's transport infrastructure.

We also exchanged views on cooperation between our country and the EU in the fields of air, sea, and road transport, as well as existing opportunities and new initiatives to expand transport ties," he explained.

The Zangezur corridor is a transport corridor concept that was introduced following the 2020 Karabakh War. It was advocated for by Azerbaijan and Turkiye as a direct land connection between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave, passing through Armenia's southern Syunik province.

Zangezur was historically a portion of Azerbaijan. This territory was transferred to Armenia by the Bolsheviks on November 30, 1920, at the direction of the Moscow leadership. Consequently, Armenia received the residual 3,637 sq. versts of the 6,742 sq. versts of the territory, while 3,105 sq. versts remained in Azerbaijan. Consequently, the land connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, which was a component of it, was severed.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. A meeting was held between the Chairman of the Management Board of Uzbekneftgaz JSC and the regional directors of Boeing to discuss prospects for expanding cooperation as part of the companys delegation visit to Uzbekistan, Trend reports.

During the talks, special attention was given to the historic agreement signed between Uzbekistan Airways and Boeing during the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the United States. Information was also presented on plans to further strengthen cooperation between Boeing, the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, and Uzbekistan Airways.

The parties discussed Boeings interactive online model for calculating CO emissions and its potential solutions aimed at reducing carbon output.

The delegation was briefed on the operations of Uzbekneftgaz enterprises, particularly the Bukhara Oil Refinery, which produces Jet A-1 aviation fuel, as well as the semi-synthetic Jet A-1 SSF aviation fuel jointly developed by the Bukhara Refinery and Uzbekistan GTL, and GTL kerosene.

It is noteworthy that in September 2022, Boeing officially approved the use of semi-synthetic Jet A-1 aviation fuel for commercial flights.

The meeting also reviewed promising plans for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), as well as cooperation prospects in stabilizing and reducing SO emissions.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Boeing representatives proposed showcasing Uzbekneftgaz JSCs achievements in the production and application of semi-synthetic aviation fuel at international forums. The sides also agreed to establish a joint working group to further enhance bilateral cooperation.

To note, on September 23, Uzbekistan Airways, the national carrier of Uzbekistan, signed a firm contract with Boeing for the delivery of 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with options for an additional eight aircraft.

As regards Uzbekistan's fuel production potential, in 2024, Uzbekistan produced 44.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 713,400 tons of crude oil. The production of coal (8.17 million tons) and gas condensate (1.11 million tons in Jan-Nov 2024) increased significantly year over year, while ethanol and diesel production decreased. The overall fuel production landscape is influenced by an increase in coal production and a rise in gas condensate, as well as a declining trend in gas and oil output.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Earthworks have officially begun at the construction site of Uzbekistans first small modular nuclear power plant (SMR) equipped with the Russian-designed RITM-200N reactor in the Jizzakh region, Trend reports, citing Rosatom.

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Director of the Atomic Energy Agency Uzatom Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev jointly launched this key stage of the project.

At the initial phase, approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of soil will be excavated for the foundation pit of the power unit, which will reach a depth of around 13 meters. The plant is being built in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region based on a Russian design.

As in all our international projects, the construction of the SMR will feature a high level of localization. The work is being carried out by Uzbek subcontractors. Rosatom will build a station with a minimum service life of 60 years and will continue to provide all necessary support during its operation. We are looking forward to many decades of productive and mutually beneficial cooperation, noted Alexey Likhachev.

The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of the practical implementation of Uzbekistans first small nuclear power plant. Both sides expect to reach the first concrete stage for Unit 1 of the SMR by the spring of 2026.

Uzbekistan and Russia originally signed an agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant in 2018. The document outlined the design, construction, commissioning, operation, and eventual decommissioning of a facility consisting of two power units equipped with Russian VVER-type water-cooled reactors, each with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW.

In May 2024, the parties agreed to begin cooperation by implementing a small-scale nuclear project. Amendments were made to the intergovernmental agreement to include provisions for the construction of a small modular plant comprising six reactorslater revised to two.

In June 2025, Rosatom and Uzatom signed an agreement to jointly study the prospects of building a large-scale nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan.

The SMR project is based on the Russian RITM-200N technologya water-cooled reactor adapted for land-based deployment. Each unit will have an electric output of 55 MW and a thermal output of 190 MW, with an operational lifespan of up to 60 years. The first concrete pour for the foundation is scheduled for March 2026, with the plant expected to reach full design capacity by 2033. Each subsequent unit will be commissioned at six-month intervals.

The large nuclear power plant project envisions the construction of two VVER-1000 power units, with the potential for future expansion to four units. Its implementation period is estimated at around six years, and negotiations are underway with international partners on the supply of turbines, generators, and auxiliary equipment.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting Croatias green energy transition with a senior non-recourse project finance loan of up to 12.2 million euros to RP Global Novalja d.o.o., a subsidiary of RP Global, Trend reports.

The financing will enable the development and construction of the 21 MW Novalja solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Croatia.

The project has been approved under the EBRD InvestEU Framework for Sustainable Transition, reflecting the Banks commitment to accelerating the shift to renewable energy across its regions. The loan is structured in two tranches: Tranche A of up to 7.2 million euros, and Tranche B of up to 5 million euros, the latter benefiting from an EU guarantee under the EBRD InvestEU Framework.

The Novalja solar PV plant will add 21 MW of new renewable generation capacity to the Croatian national energy system, contributing to climate change mitigation and strengthening the private sectors role in the countrys renewable energy sector. The project is expected to deliver annual CO emissions savings of approximately 6,400 tonnes.

RP Global Novalja d.o.o. is a limited liability company incorporated in Croatia for the purpose of developing, constructing, and operating the Novalja solar PV plant. The company is owned by RP Global an Austrian renewable energy developer with a strong track record in the sector.

Since opening in Croatia in 1993, the Bank has committed over 5 billion euros to 272 projects in the country. The Banks activities focus on supporting efforts to accelerate the reform process, leveraging the benefits of European Union (EU) accession to advance transition, and restructuring and commercialising public-sector enterprises
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. A range of Romanian businesses will be eligible for easier financing as a result of a 25 million euros loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to Patria Bank SA, Trend reports.

Bucharest-based Patria Bank will use the EIB credit to expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Mid-Cap companies across Romania.

The funding will be deployed mainly in less-developed regions of Romania, strengthening economic cohesion. A fifth is earmarked for climate action, enabling companies to invest in clean power such as rooftop solar panels and in machinery that consumes less energy or produces fewer emissions of greenhouse gases.

The agreement is the second between the EIB and Patria Bank and tackles one of Romanias main economic challenges: limited access to long-term credit for small businesses. The loan will provide both longer-term and more affordable funding for companies, including outside major urban centres.

We are taking another significant step to ensure long-term finance reaches the real economy, said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. Together with our partner Patria Bank, we are offering stability and predictability that businesses need to invest with confidence to expand their production, create jobs and accelerate the shift towards cleaner technologies. At the same time, we are helping businesses lower their electricity costs in a period of persistent price volatility.

Small businesses, which make up the backbone of Romanias economy, are vulnerable to market shocks and interest-rate fluctuations. The new loan aligns with the EIBs strategy in Romania to foster inclusive growth, modernise industry and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This second EIB financing represents a validation of the strategic direction we have pursued and clear proof of our commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial environment in Romania. By accessing these additional resources, Patria Bank strengthens its capacity to provide tailored solutions to entrepreneurs, supporting their sustainable development and long-term resilience. The cooperation with EIB reconfirms the confidence that international partners place in the bank and consolidates our strategic role as a catalyst for local development by offering modern financial instruments designed to generate a positive impact on the economy, said Patria Bank Director General Valentin Vancea. Now we can offer longer maturities, better interest conditions and targeted support, including for green projects. We are helping to build economic resilience, competitiveness and sustainability in the country.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. The 11th Working Party meeting on Uzbekistans accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) is scheduled for November 56, 2025, at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues Azizbek Urunov wrote on his LinkedIn channel, Trend reports.

As per Urunov's analysis, this event will signify the sixth uninterrupted convening since the inception of 2023, with antecedent assemblies occurring in the years 2002, 2003, 2005, 2020, and 2022.



This represents a significant benchmark in propelling our accession trajectory, and I wish to express our appreciation to WTO stakeholders for their ongoing endorsement of Uzbekistans membership initiatives, Urunov articulated.



Uzbekistan is strategically positioning itself to finalize its World Trade Organization accession trajectory prior to the 14th Ministerial Conference, slated for 2026 in Cameroon. As of now, the nation has successfully executed 29 market access agreements and established preliminary frameworks with two further jurisdictions. Concluding the bilateral discourse necessitates consensus on stipulations with the three outstanding jurisdictions.

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Photo: The Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov held a meeting with representatives of the U.S.-based company Amazon Kuiper and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Trend reports.

The agreement outlines areas of cooperation for providing high-speed internet services across Uzbekistan through the Project Kuiper satellite network and for the development of the countrys telecommunications infrastructure.

During the discussions, both sides explored opportunities for collaboration in expanding digital infrastructure and enhancing broadband internet services.

Amazon Kuiper is a division of Amazon Corporation focused on a satellite internet project aimed at delivering high-speed internet access worldwide via low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

To note, low Earth orbit satellites are satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of roughly 160 to 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles). These satellites circle the planet very quickly, completing an orbit in about 90 minutes, and are used for applications like satellite internet, Earth observation, and the International Space Station (ISS). Due to their low altitude, LEO satellites offer lower latency and faster speeds for services like internet but require constellations of many satellites to provide continuous coverage.

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Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji (R) and Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani attend a joint press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, on Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

BEIRUT, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Friday that Lebanon looks forward to building stronger and more balanced relations with Syria, as he received Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani.

"Lebanon seeks to strengthen its brotherly ties with Syria on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality, to serve the stability and prosperity of both nations," Aoun said during their meeting, according to a statement released by Lebanon's presidency.

Aoun told the Syrian delegation that Lebanon aims to "activate cooperation in political, economic, and security fields to achieve stability in both countries." He proposed forming joint committees to review and update bilateral agreements and address pending issues such as border demarcation, gas pipeline coordination, and the status of detainees.

The president added that Lebanon was awaitting the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Beirut to follow up on bilateral matters.

For his part, al-Shibani expressed Syria's readiness to "open a new chapter" in relations with Lebanon. He called for strengthening cooperation in the economic and trade sectors.

"Our peoples have suffered enough from wars and mismanagement," al-Shibani said. "Let us try peace. We are ready to discuss all pending files, whether economic or security-related."

Earlier in the day, al-Shibani also met Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji.

At a joint press conference, al-Shibani said Syria, now entering a stage of recovery and reconstruction, seeks "balanced political relations founded on respect for sovereignty and non-interference."

He added that Syria intends to turn its relationship with Lebanon from "a tense security-based one into a strong political and economic partnership that benefits both nations." 

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji (R) and Syria's foreign affairs chief Asaad Hassan al-Shibani attend a joint press conference in Beirut, Lebanon, on Oct. 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
Bank Respublika signs the largest loan agreement among private banks in Azerbaijan

FMO provides Bank Respublika with USD 65 million loan

Bank Respublika, one of the largest commercial banks in Azerbaijan, has signed a landmark loan agreement with the Netherlands Development Bank (FMO). Under the agreement, FMO will provide the Bank with a four-year loan in Azerbaijani manats (AZN), equivalent to USD 65 million.

The funds raised will be allocated to financing the agricultural sector, as well as micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, including support for young and women entrepreneurs, and the development of green projects in the country.

This transaction represents the largest loan agreement ever concluded by a private bank in Azerbaijan, underscoring the high level of trust that international financial institutions place in Bank Respublika and in the Azerbaijans economy.

The new agreement signed between Bank Respublika and FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank  is yet another strong indicator of the confidence international financial institutions have in the reliability of Bank Respublika and the stability of Azerbaijans banking system. We extend our sincere appreciation to our partners at FMO, represented by CEO Michael Jongeneel, for almost 20 years of successful cooperation and their continued support in financing our key priorities  green projects, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those engaged in the agricultural sector, as well as young and women entrepreneurs. Partnering with such leading international financial institutions as FMO enables us to strengthen our support for the real sector and contribute to the growth of entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan.said Tariyel Ismayilov, Chairman of the Management Board of Bank Respublika.

Michael Jongeneel, CEO of FMO commented: At FMO, we believe that access to stable, long-term local currency financing is essential for building resilient financial systems and supporting inclusive growth. This facility with Bank Respublika enables the bank to expand its outreach to micro-entrepreneurs, youth and women-led SMEs, while also supporting green investments, all in Azerbaijani manats. By reducing foreign exchange risk for end borrowers, we help ensure that financing is both accessible and sustainable. Were proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Bank Respublika and contribute to strengthening Azerbaijans entrepreneurial ecosystem and look forward to the joint impact we will achieve.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Uzbekistan's trade turnover with CIS member states increased by 11 percent last year and continues to demonstrate steady growth this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Trend reports, citing the Uzbek presidents office.

The head of state emphasized that the CIS countries possess significant potential for deepening economic ties. To make fuller use of available resources and preserve the positive momentum of cooperation, President Mirziyoyev proposed focusing joint efforts on a number of key areas.

Speaking about trade, the president emphasized the need to roll out the red carpet for smoother trade and to pave the way for a fruitful exchange of goods and services. He called for simplifying procedures and requirements for the supply of products, particularly agricultural ones, and for ensuring broader access to national markets, including systems of public procurement. Mirziyoyev also stressed the need to launch mechanisms within the CIS Economic Council that would allow a rapid response to changes in the global environment and the timely redirection of trade flows. Another important step, according to him, is the coordination of draft agreements on technical barriers and the mutual recognition of conformity assessment documents.

Touching upon the transport sector, the president drew attention to existing bottlenecks in regional infrastructure that still hinder the full efficiency of transport corridors. He suggested establishing integrated information and logistics centers that would connect all modes of transport. Uzbekistan, he noted, has already initiated a conference on expanding public-private partnerships in the transport sector, aimed at attracting private investment for the modernization of freight infrastructure.

The head of state also highlighted the growing importance of investment cooperation and industrial collaboration. He proposed developing a comprehensive roadmap to support and expand special economic and industrial zones, as well as creating a CIS venture platform to promote innovative start-ups. Mirziyoyev added that Uzbekistan plans to host an Innovation Industry Forum next year as part of the INNOPROM exhibition in Tashkent, which will provide a new platform for exchanging technological ideas and experiences.

Particular attention was paid to energy cooperation. The president underscored that Uzbekistan and its CIS partners are implementing several large-scale strategic projects in the field of both traditional and renewable energy, including the construction of a nuclear power plant. He called for the adoption of a long-term CIS program for innovative energy development that would ensure technological modernization and enhance the regions energy security.

Digital transformation was another priority outlined by the Uzbek leader. Referring to the successful International Forum Development of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the CIS, held in Samarkand in August, Mirziyoyev noted that it clearly demonstrated mutual interest and readiness for cooperation in this field. Building on this momentum, he proposed developing a multilateral Action Plan to strengthen practical collaboration in digitalization and artificial intelligence.

In conclusion, the president emphasized that the success of economic initiatives must be complemented by active cultural and humanitarian exchanges, joint scientific research, and educational cooperation. He reaffirmed Uzbekistans readiness to host the CIS Youth Forum in Khiva next year, which will include discussions on creating a Youth Laboratory to support innovation and the intellectual potential of the younger generation.

He also drew attention to regional security issues, stressing the importance of maintaining close coordination between the foreign ministries and security services of CIS countries. Special attention, he noted, should be paid to the situation in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan remains firmly committed to ensuring long-term peace, stability, and sustainable development in Afghanistan. In this regard, we propose considering joint participation in major investment and infrastructure projects in this country, the president stated.

At the conclusion of his speech, President Mirziyoyev expressed support for the reappointment of Sergey Lebedev as Secretary General of the CIS and congratulated President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan on assuming the chairmanship of the organization, wishing him success in this responsible mission.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, held a meeting with Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Trend reports, citing the official social media of the Head of the Presidential Administration.

During the discussion, we touched upon both global and regional issues, paying special attention to Central Asia. It was noted that despite the complex geopolitical situation, cooperation between our regions continues to develop, Mirziyoyeva stated.

I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Kallas for the open and substantive conversation. I look forward to taking further steps to strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership between Uzbekistan and the European Union, she added.

To note, the ties between the European Union and the Republic of Uzbekistan have been progressively evolving since its independence in 1991. The European Union's relations with Uzbekistan are integrated within the periodically assessed EU and Central Asia Strategy for a New Partnership, which delineates the overarching cooperation goals, policy measures, and priority areas for the EU's involvement in Central Asia.



The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and the Republic of Uzbekistan, effective since 1999, established a foundation for an expanded bilateral engagement. The PCA encompasses political dialogue, trade in goods, business and investment, protection of intellectual, industrial, and commercial property, legislative cooperation, economic collaboration, cooperation regarding democracy and human rights, prevention of illegal activities, cultural cooperation, and financial collaboration in technical assistance.

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Photo: Committee for the Development of Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Olimjon Jumayev, Director of the Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Research Center of Uzbekistan, signed Memorandums of Cooperation with Liu Xinhai, Director of the Competition Policy and Assessment Center under Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation, and Otabek Nasirov, Chairman of the Central Asia Fintech Association NGO, Trend reports.

The agreements were signed within the framework of the international conference Platform Economy: Competition Law and Market Power of Digital Platforms.

The Memoranda aim to establish a long-term, effective, and mutually beneficial partnership to implement joint initiatives focused on the development of competition policy and the protection of consumer rights in the digital economy.

This collaboration represents a significant step toward building trust, transparency, and innovative progress between the Research Center and the Association.

On October 1011, Tashkent is hosting the international seminar Platform Economy: Competition Law and Market Power of Digital Platforms. The event was organized by the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre and the Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Research Centre under the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee of Uzbekistan.

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is a ministerial-level organization in China, operating directly under the State Council of the People's Republic of China, tasked with market oversight and administration. SAMR was founded in 2018. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) serves as China's principal antitrust authority but with considerable jurisdictional overlap with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It also possesses regulatory duties pertaining to data governance and labor matters.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. Munira Aminova, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, met with Konstantin Obolensky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to Uzbekistan, to discuss the current state and future prospects of Uzbek-Swiss cooperation, Trend reports.

Particular attention was given to the development of economic partnerships, the expansion of multilateral ties, and the strengthening of regional integration.

The officials shone a light on Switzerlands invaluable contribution in lending a helping hand with financial and technical support for projects in Uzbekistan, covering the bases of water management, education, digitalization, and environmental protection.

The importance of continuing joint initiatives under the Blue Peace Central Asia program was also emphasized, along with collaboration in education, notably with the El-Yurt Umidi Foundation and leading Swiss universities, aimed at training qualified specialists and promoting academic exchanges.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

The Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) program represents a Swiss-backed endeavor aimed at fostering transboundary hydrological collaboration among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Its objective is to reframe water resources from a catalyst of discord into a mechanism for regional tranquility and socio-economic advancement. The initiative seeks to optimize hydrological governance via strategic political discourse, innovative technical interventions, capacity enhancement for water sector stakeholders and the youth demographic, and augmented data dissemination to promote sustainable development and regional stability.

The El-Yurt Umidi Foundation operates as a state-sponsored entity within Uzbekistan, dedicated to the facilitation of educational opportunities for exceptionally gifted and talented Uzbek scholars in international academic environments. It additionally enhances transnational scholarly and pragmatic collaboration by establishing a nexus among Uzbek higher education institutions and expatriate specialists. The foundation facilitates the allocation of financial aid for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral academic pursuits at international institutions, aiming to repatriate high-caliber professionals to Uzbekistan.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Enis CEO Claudio Descalzi met with President of Argentina Javier Milei today to discuss the companys ongoing and potential energy projects in the country, Trend reports.

The meeting highlighted Enis commitment to developing Argentinas natural gas resources and advancing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) capabilities.

Following the presidential meeting, Descalzi and YPF President and CEO Horacio Marin signed the Final Technical Project Description (FTPD) for the Argentina LNG (ARGLNG) project. This milestone represents a critical step toward the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the 12 MTPA LNG phase of the integrated upstream-midstream development. The project will process gas from the Vaca Muerta field, transporting and liquefying it through two floating LNG (FLNG) units, each with a 6 MTPA capacity, while also valorizing associated liquids for export.

The agreement builds on a Head of Agreement signed in June 2025 and leverages Enis FLNG expertise from projects in Congo and Mozambique, combined with YPFs experience in managing upstream operations in Vaca Muerta.

Claudio Descalzi commented: We are proud to contribute to Argentinas LNG development, which will become a significant supply source for international markets. The expertise we have gained from FLNG projects makes Eni an ideal partner for this type of development.

The Argentina LNG project is designed as a large-scale integrated gas development, capable of exporting up to 30 MTPA in multiple independent phases. The initiative aligns with Enis strategy to promote the energy transition, expand gas production, and contribute to carbon neutrality by 2050, while enhancing the security and competitiveness of global energy supplies.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev has met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos in Brussels, the minister wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

He reported that the meeting discussed the future prospects of the Zangezur Corridor, as well as possible EU support for the development of Nakhchivan's transport infrastructure.

"We presented detailed information on the strategically important projects being implemented by Azerbaijan in this area. We also exchanged views on the EU's possible participation in these projects. The meeting also discussed expanding cooperation in the fields of transport, digitalization, innovation, and ICT," Rashad Nabiyev noted.
ING pulls back curtain on Brent and Dutch TTF price forecasts until 2028

ING has forecast Brent crude to average $68 per barrel and Dutch TTF gas at 38 /MWh in 2025. In 2026, prices are expected to drop to $57 per barrel for Brent and 31 /MWh for TTF. For 2025s Q3 and Q4, Brent is projected at $68 and $62, while TTF is seen at 33  and 35 , respectively.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Azneft Production Association of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Singaporean companies Kranji Solution and MySep Pte, Trend reports via Azneft.

The document was signed by Chief Engineer and First Deputy General Director of Azneft Tofig Heydarov, Technical Director of Kranji Solution Michel van Vorselen, and Head of MySep Pte Guy Hellinx.

According to the agreement, the separators operating in the gas gathering and transportation system of the oil and gas production departments included in the structure of Azneft will be modernized in accordance with the existing regimes, and 10 employees will be trained in the field.

As a result, the design of the separators, troubleshooting, compliance, and power increase checks will be carried out independently by our local specialists, and the risks of complications in the gathering and transportation systems will be minimized.

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PashaPay, one of Azerbaijans leading fintech companies and a member of the Bir Ecosystem, participated as a platinum sponsor at the Baku Fintech Forum 2025, held on October 9, 2025. Organized by the Azerbaijan Fintech Association (AzFina), the forum was supported by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Banks Association. The event aimed to foster international collaboration in the fintech sector and support the development of digital financial services.

During the opening panel, Samir Mammadov, CEO of PashaPay, underscored the critical role of fintech in shaping the future of Azerbaijans economy. He noted that fintech solutions enable the financial system to adapt to modern demands, while also empowering users through convenient and innovative financial tools, thereby influencing new behavioral models.

Serving over 4 million users, PashaPays core mission is to accelerate the transition to a cashless economy. Samir Mammadov emphasized that fintech plays a decisive role in advancing financial inclusion across the country.

Among the company's strategic priorities is the integration of artificial intelligence technologies within its m10 and Million brands. Mammadov highlighted that modern payment applications should not merely function as financial instruments but must also serve as user-centric platforms tailored to daily lifestyles.

He also praised the Azerbaijan Fintech Associations pivotal role in developing the countrys financial and digital ecosystem, stressing the importance of expanding membership among fintech enterprises.

As part of the forum, PashaPay was honored with a Proud Sponsor award by the organizers. Additionally, Ramis Ramazanov, Head of the Fraud Department at PashaPay, moderated a panel discussion titled The Future of Security in Fintech: Fraud, Cybersecurity, and Resilience.

The event also featured a dedicated booth showcasing PashaPays m10 digital wallet and Million payment terminalsboth integral brands within the Bir Ecosystem. The exhibition attracted significant attention from forum participants.

About PashaPay

PashaPay, part of the Bir ecosystem, is a leading fintech platform offering users innovative, fast, and secure financial solutions through its m10 digital wallet and MilliOn payment terminals. The company has also prioritized the development of cashless payments and the expansion of innovations in the field of financial technologies in the country.

www.pashapay.az
Customs officers check imported salmon at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 30, 2025. (Photo by Deng Mingfang/Xinhua)

by Xinhua writers Lu Youyi, Hu Xu and Li Qianwei

CHENGDU, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- In the heart of Sichuan, an inland province in southwest China once synonymous with spicy hotpot, a new phrase -- "durian freedom" -- is catching on.

Not long ago, the spiky, pungent "king of fruits" was considered a luxury, often costing over 200 yuan (about 28 U.S. dollars) per kilogram. Today, thanks to a cold-chain corridor along the China-Laos Railway, it sells for around 44 yuan per kilogram in supermarkets in the provincial capital, Chengdu.

The journey begins in an orchard in eastern Thailand. There, freshly harvested Monthong durians are packed into refrigerated containers, transported by road into Laos, and loaded onto specialized cold-chain trains at Vientiane South Station.

Inside the rail cars, temperatures are held steady at around 13 degrees Celsius, with humidity monitors ensuring the fruit stays fresh. These are no ordinary carriages. They have been retrofitted with underflow ventilation and insulation to withstand tropical heat on the long, bumpy ride.

Clearing customs used to take days, but now the process runs in parallel, with documents pre-cleared while inspections are conducted swiftly at the border. At the Chengdu International Railway Port, where containers are unloaded amid a rich durian aroma, forklifts shuttle back and forth, moving the fruit to a dedicated distribution center.

"Before, durian felt like a luxury, and the quality was unpredictable," said a local customer surnamed Yang. "Now, buying it right at the port means it's both fresh and affordable."

Behind the cheaper price tag lies a sophisticated experiment in supply chain efficiency. By adopting a model combining direct procurement, dedicated shipment and port retail, Chengdu has cut the durian's travel time from tree to table to just three or four days.

According to Wang Hao, general manager of Sichuan Langhao Import & Export Group Co., Ltd., rail transport is about 70 percent faster than sea freight and nearly 50 percent cheaper than traditional road haulage.

Yet durian is more than just a fruit; it has become a catalyst for industrial transformation. The port is building an integrated system covering overseas sourcing, rail transport, cold-chain warehousing, wholesale and retail, as well as live-streamed e-commerce. Since launching durian imports this year, the port has recorded over 150 million yuan in trade value. A planned tropical fruit distribution center is currently under development.

The strategy mirrors the approach Chengdu adopted years earlier with the China-Europe freight train service -- first build the corridor, then attract industry and finally cultivate an ecosystem. Where trains from Laos once carried stone, chemicals and machinery, they now transport tropical fruit, transforming this transportation mode into a driver of consumer affordability.

Meanwhile, salmon is embarking on its own remarkable journey. Caught in the icy waters near the Arctic Circle, it can now reach a dinner plate in Chengdu -- a city far from the sea -- in as little as 36 hours. Airlifted from European hubs such as Brussels to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, the fish clears customs in under three hours through a dedicated green channel for perishable goods.

"More than 560 tonnes of salmon enter through Chengdu each month, over 90 percent of which is distributed across China," said Zhang Dongdong, project manager at the Western cold chain fresh food port under China Eastern Cold Chain, a second-tier subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines. According to him, Chengdu is not only a vibrant consumer market but a complete ecosystem of trade, air transport, processing and distribution.

The Norwegian Seafood Council has taken notice. "Chengdu is becoming one of the most important salmon markets in China," said Sigmund Bjorgo, the council's country director for China.

In the first half of 2025, China's salmon imports rose 39 percent year on year, making it Norway's third-largest seafood export market by August. With per capita consumption still at just 0.9 kilograms, the Chinese market remains far from saturated and is full of potential.

The imports of salmon have also sparked local culinary creativity. At a recent food promotion, Sichuan chefs rolled out innovations like "chili salmon rolls" and "strawberry salmon jelly," hinting at a future where "Sichuan-style salmon" becomes its own genre.

Sichuan is expanding its salmon industry chain to build a regional distribution hub, with eight culinary promotion bases and two processing centers now in operation. These facilities are producing value-added products like smoked and canned salmon, significantly boosting profitability, the provincial commerce department said.

Not to be overlooked is a third, more modest import -- tapioca. Sourced largely from Laos, the starch forms the chewy balls in China's wildly popular bubble tea. According to data, China's new-style tea beverage market hit over 350 billion yuan in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly 375 billion yuan in 2025.

"The China-Laos Railway has slashed shipping times and freed up capital for the tapioca trade, which previously relied on slower sea-river routes," said Zhu Qiurun, who works with the port and logistics office in Luzhou, Sichuan. Neijiang City, situated in the middle of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, is also actively expanding its tapioca imports from Laos by leveraging the advantages of its bonded logistics center.

One local firm in Neijiang has already imported about 1,590 tonnes of tapioca this year and plans further expansion. For Lao suppliers like trader Thieng Somsat, the efficient rail link has opened a vital gateway, allowing them to tap into the vast potential of the Chinese market. "It has brought tangible benefits to our people," he said.

As tapioca is turned into starch balls and shipped to bubble tea shops, it completes a symbolic cycle, with a raw material from Southeast Asia refined in China and delivered to consumers through a seamless international supply chain.

In Chengdu, globalization is no longer an abstract idea. It now has a smell, a taste and a bite, and arrives faster, fresher and closer than anyone could have imagined. 
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan has signed agreements on energy cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Trend reports via the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the Global Gateway forum in Brussels, where Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Yerlan Akkenzhenov held a series of strategic meetings with European Union officials and heads of European financial institutions.

The agreements aim to attract investment into regional projects, including the Kambarata Hydropower Plant-1 (HPP-1), renewable energy development, and the modernization of Kazakhstans electricity grids.

"Our visit to Brussels confirmed the strong mutual interest in deepening energy partnerships. Kazakhstan is a reliable supplier of energy resources and is ready to become a strategic European ally in green energy, critical materials, and green hydrogen production. The agreements signed with the EIB and EBRD send a clear signal to European businesses that Kazakhstan is a promising and secure destination for long-term investments in a sustainable future, Akkenzhenov said.

During the forum, discussions were held with European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Sikela, and European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. The parties explored opportunities to enhance cooperation in energy security and green energy development.

Akkenzhenov reaffirmed Kazakhstans strategic goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, emphasizing a pragmatic and balanced approach to the green transition. According to him, this process must balance renewable energy development with the reliability of the national energy system, which currently relies on conventional generation.

Investment promotion was a key focus of the visit. Substantive talks were held with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso, French Development Agency (AFD) Director Cyrille Bellier, and leadership of the Italian financial group Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).

Additionally, the forum featured a Partnership Dialogue in Central Asia organized by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Energy ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan participated. Akkenzhenov outlined Kazakhstans stance on regional electricity trade, joint hydropower development, and the establishment of unified technical standards for renewable energy.

Earlier today, the EBRD announced that memoranda of understanding aimed at accelerating the preparation and launch of the Kambarata HPP-1, a 1,860-megawatt facility on the Naryn river in Kyrgyzstan, were signed between EBRD officials and the ministers of energy of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan: Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Taalaibek Ibraev, and Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, respectively.

Kambarata Hydropower Plant-1 (HPP-1) represents a significant hydroelectric infrastructure initiative currently in the development phase along the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, with aspirations to emerge as a preeminent energy generation facility within the Central Asian region. The system is engineered to produce 1,860 megawatts of electrical output and plays a pivotal role in the regional energy matrix and hydrological governance, especially in facilitating power distribution during the winter months and enhancing agronomic irrigation during the summer for the nations of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The initiative represents a collaborative synergy among Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, bolstered by strategic backing from the World Bank.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan has proposed exploring the possibility of creating a Unified Digital Transport and Logistics Map for the CIS, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said while speaking at the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of State, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

It would allow us to integrate national infrastructure plans and create a coherent space of transport connectivity, providing conditions for attracting significant investment, he noted.

Tokayev also highlighted that the preparation of the concept for coordinating the main transport arteries across the CIS, initiated by Kazakhstan, is nearing completion. To manage cargo flows effectively, reduce costs, and minimize risks, he suggested that the document should include provisions for the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies.

According to him, fully realizing the transport potential of all our countries requires the creation of modern, high-capacity infrastructure.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. The EastWest route and the Middle Corridor, linked with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, are turning the CIS into a unique overland bridge across Eurasia, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of State in Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

He noted that the NorthSouth corridor provides CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries with direct access to the markets of the Persian Gulf and South Asia.

The recently launched DostykMoynty railway line in Kazakhstan, which initiated the Trans-Kazakhstan Railway Corridor, is designed to strengthen the transit potential of our region. But to fully unlock the transport potential of all our countries, we face the task of creating modern infrastructure, Tokayev said.

He also proposed exploring the creation of a Unified Digital Transport and Logistics Map for the Commonwealth. It would allow us to integrate national infrastructure plans and create a coherent transport connectivity space, creating conditions to attract significant investment.

Tokayev further noted that the preparation of the concept for coordinating the main transport arteries across the CIS, initiated by Kazakhstan, is nearing completion. To manage cargo flows efficiently, reduce costs, and minimize risks, he suggested that the document should include provisions for the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies.

To note, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) represents a comprehensive global infrastructure development framework initiated by the People's Republic of China in 2013, aimed at catalyzing investment across a diverse portfolio of over 150 nations and multilateral entities. The Belt and Road Initiative encompasses a network of six urban development land corridors interconnected through a multifaceted array of transportation modalities, including roadways, rail systems, energy conduits, and digital frameworks, alongside the Maritime Silk Road, which is facilitated through strategic port development initiatives. The Belt and Road Initiative represents a multifaceted endeavor that intertwines geopolitical strategies with geoeconomic frameworks.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan invites the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to take part in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit, which will be held by the country in 2026, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated at the CIS Heads of State Council meeting in Tajikistan's Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

In 2026, Kazakhstan will chair the bodies of the EAEU. As part of this chairmanship, a series of key events, including the Eurasian Economic Forum, is planned. In this regard, I invite my esteemed colleagues, as well as representatives of the governments and business communities of the CIS countries, to take an active part in the summits work, Tokayev said.

Tokayev emphasized that the forum serves as a platform to address issues shared by all member states and proposed granting it the status of a joint event between the EAEU and the CIS.

He added that the overall trade turnover among CIS countries increased by 8 percent last year, reaching about $110 billion, while Kazakhstans trade with CIS partners grew 1.5 times over the past five years to around $38 billion.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan invites the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to join an initiative aimed at preserving the Caspian Sea, the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated at the CIS Heads of State Council meeting in Tajikistan's Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

We propose to unite our efforts by establishing a Regional Center for Forecasting Emergency Climate and Technogenic Situations. The rapid shallowing of the Caspian Sea is a cause of serious concern. In fact, this is no longer a regional but a global problem. Therefore, we suggest joining the Interstate Program for the Conservation of Caspian Water Resources, developed under our initiative. Along with the Caspian littoral states, all interested countries and international organizations may participate in preparing this important document, Tokayev emphasized.

The head of state noted that environmental threats, natural disasters, and man-made catastrophes pose serious risks to the sustainable development of CIS countries. Tokayev also stressed the importance of applying effective tools for early detection and prevention of such crises.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan is rapidly advancing its digital agenda, which covers public administration, the social sphere, and the daily lives of citizens, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of CIS States in Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

Tokayev noted that digitalization and artificial intelligence are becoming key factors in the sustainable development and competitiveness of states.

He announced the creation of a ministry of artificial intelligence and digital development, work on a digital code, and the development of a conceptual document, Digital Kazakhstan, which will combine all initiatives and projects into a single national strategy and ecosystem. The president also added that Kazakhstan is open to cooperation in this area with all CIS countries.

The head of state said that a decision had recently been made to establish a university in the country specializing in artificial intelligence. In addition, a state program has been successfully launched, covering more than 400,000 students and creating conditions for the formation of research teams and DeepTech startups.

The Kazakh leader proposed scaling up this project and declared Kazakhstan's readiness to cooperate with CIS countries in order to train a new generation of specialists capable of working in the highly competitive global market.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan attaches special importance to the upcoming visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Russia on November 12, 2025, Tokayev said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

According to Tokayev, in the lead-up to the visit, trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia continues to strengthen. Bilateral trade reached $28 billion in 2024, while total Russian investments in Kazakhstans economy exceeded $26 billion. In 2024 alone, Russian businesses invested around $4 billion, with the positive trend expected to continue this year. Countries are expected to reach the milestone of $30 billion in mutual trade within the next one to two years.

He also highlighted that Kazakhstan and Russia are executing extensive collaborative ventures, encompassing the development of a nuclear power facility with the direct involvement of Rosatom.



In total, there are 114 collaborative initiatives with a cumulative valuation approaching $22 billion currently in execution, underscoring the strategic intricacies of bilateral engagement.

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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, October 10. Tajikistan has continued to work on expanding trade-economic cooperation within the CIS chairmanship, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said at a narrow meeting of the CIS heads of state in Dushanbe, Trend reports.

"We are always happy to welcome our friends and partners, with whom we share common interests and aspirations for developing cooperation. During its chairmanship of the CIS, Tajikistan, in close cooperation with member states and the Executive Committee, continued comprehensive work to effectively implement its stated goal. We held dozens of events during our chairmanship," he said.

Rahmon emphasized that strategic focus was directed towards optimizing the organization's operational efficiencies.



"Efforts persisted to enhance commercial exchange and economic collaboration while advancing transportation, logistics frameworks, and digital synergies," the Tajik president elaborated.

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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, October 10. The main focus of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in Dushanbe was on improving the effectiveness of the Commonwealth and strengthening its position in the international arena, Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin said at a briefing following the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Dushanbe, Trend reports.

According to him, special attention was paid to promoting a positive image of the CIS and expanding its interaction with international and regional structures.

In this context, cooperation to strengthen the image of the CIS in the international arena was actively promoted, including through the expansion of the Commonwealth's cooperation with the UN, SCO, CSTO, and other regional organizations, the minister noted.

He emphasized that a crucial step was the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution on UN cooperation with the CIS, initiated by the Republic of Tajikistan.

In addition, Muhriddin stated that the heads of state signed decisions on launching a new format of cooperation, CIS+ +, as well as on granting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization observer status in the CIS.

We are convinced that these decisions will contribute to the international activity of our organization and enhance its image and representation in the international arena, the Tajik diplomat emphasized.
Meet Liu Minrui, the only female bomb disposal officer in Tongling, east China's Anhui Province. Wearing a 35-kg suit, she defuses explosives and trains daily for precision and courage.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 10. Turkmenistan will approach its chairmanship in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2026 with full responsibility, said President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov during the expanded meeting of the CIS Heads of State in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Trend reports.

The head of Turkmenistan expressed gratitude to the participants of the meeting for the decision to grant Turkmenistan the chairmanship of the Commonwealth, noting that this is a manifestation of respect and trust from all member states.

We regard this as recognition of our countrys contribution to the development of the Commonwealth of Independent States. We will approach the chairmanship with full responsibility, being fully aware of the scale and level of the tasks that we will have to address together, President Berdimuhamedov emphasized.

He noted that in the near future, Turkmenistan will develop the concept of its chairmanship in the CIS, reflecting the approaches and vision for further development of multilateral cooperation. The document will be sent to the member states through diplomatic channels.

Berdimuhamedov also stressed that Turkmenistan, in its activities, will be guided by the principles and goals laid down in the foundation of the Commonwealth, including goodwill, equality, and mutual respect among the countries.

We are convinced that the CIS is called upon to continue serving as an important instrument of cooperation based on the goodwill of its participants, equality, and mutual respect, as well as alignment with the national interests of each country, the president of Turkmenistan stated.

He emphasized that these principles ensure the viability and flexibility of the Commonwealth, open up new prospects for partnership, and allow the CIS to remain a significant factor in maintaining international stability and security.

In conclusion, Berdimuhamedov thanked his colleagues for their trust and expressed confidence in the successful implementation of the tasks facing the Commonwealth.

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Italian President Sergio Mattarella meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

ROME, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called on Italy to work with China to make new contributions to world peace and the progress of human civilization.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, to whom Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings.

China values Italy's influence in Europe and the world, Wang said, noting that China stands ready to work with Italy to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, accelerate the advancement of the action plan on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership, and ensure more stable, resilient and fruitful bilateral relations.

Wang called for more modern-day "Marco Polos" to serve as bridges and links between different civilizations. The time-honored cultures and profound histories of China and Italy enable the two countries to view their differences with inclusiveness, address present-day challenges with wisdom, and explore the future of humanity with vision, he said.

Wang noted that the Chinese president has pointed out that all countries live in the same global village and should transcend divisions and differences, uphold the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. To this end, the Chinese president has put forward four global initiatives, providing the public goods that the world needs most today, he added.

Wang highlighted that in particular, the Global Governance Initiative recently proposed by the Chinese president aims to consolidate and strengthen the leading position of the United Nations, improve global governance through reform, and build a more just and equitable global governance system. Wang expressed hope that Italy will actively take part and work with China to practice true multilateralism, making new contributions to world peace and the progress of human civilization.

For his part, Mattarella asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to the Chinese president.

He spoke highly of the positive outcomes of the 12th Joint Meeting of the Italy-China Government Committee. He said that China enjoys great prestige in the international community and plays an increasingly important role, adding that Italy expects China to make greater contributions to world peace and stability.

Mattarella agreed with the notion of humanity sharing a common future, and welcomed the series of major initiatives proposed by the Chinese president, believing that they fully meet the needs of the international community and the aspirations of people across all countries.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues including the situation in the Middle East and the Ukraine crisis.

During his visit, Wang also held talks with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. Together, they attended the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and met the press. 

Italian President Sergio Mattarella meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Mendenhall Glacier to pull toe from lake

Photo by Eran Hood

Mendenhall Glacier barely touches Mendenhall Lake near Juneau in this photo taken from a helicopter on Aug. 13, 2025.

In the near future, Juneaus Mendenhall Glacier will withdraw its icy toe from the lake of its making, scientists say.

The lake is about to not have a glacier in it, said hydrologist Eran Hood of the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau. Within the next few years is my guess.

Hood is part of a UAS team whose members are studying glacier outburst floods from Mendenhall Glacier. He and his colleagues have been watching Mendenhalls recent retreat from the lake, which first appeared as the glacier retreated in the 1920s.

We are close to the end of a long era of fresh icebergs floating in front of one of the most-visited glaciers on Earth.

Well be able to see the glacier for several more decades at minimum, but once it backs out of the lake itll be climbing away from us, Hood said. In 2050 or beyond, itll be completely out of sight.

Hoods colleague Jason Amundson noted how the Mendenhall Glacier is part of the character of Alaskas capital city.

The glacier is part of the town, kind of its symbol, Amundson, a professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, said. There are several glaciers around Juneau, but this is the glacier.

Photo by Ned Rozell

Juneau residences and businesses occupy the Mendenhall Glacier valley downstream from the freshwater lake created by the glacier.

Native Tlingits may have called the glacier Aakw Taak Sit (glacier behind the little lake). In 1879, John Muir named this giant body of ice, which flows seaward from the Juneau Icefield, Auke Glacier. Thirteen years later, workers for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the nations first scientific agency, renamed the glacier for its superintendent, Thomas Corwin Mendenhall, who helped map Alaska and its boundary with Canada.

Warming temperatures in Juneau consistent with the rest of Alaska have initiated a decades-long retreat of Mendenhall. The glacier, which spilled over much of the Mendenhall Valley during its peak in the late 1700s, has shrunk dramatically since then.

Near the end of the glacier, the ice surface melts at 10 to 15 meters per year, Amundson said. Theres not enough flow coming down the glacier to replace it.

Scientists predicted Mendenhalls change from a lake-calving glacier to a mountain glacier as early as 2002, when Roman Motyka and his colleagues wrote that over the next one to two decades, (Mendenhall will have) a terrestrial terminus.

Motyka, 83, a University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute emeritus glaciologist, is a Juneau resident who has watched Mendenhalls terminus creep toward the mountains.

It has retreated over a kilometer since Ellie Boyce (currently with the Alaska Volcano Observatory) did her masters thesis on the terminus in 2006, he said.

Photo by David Polashenski

Mendenhall Glacier, here seen in summer 2025, has almost retreated entirely from the lake of its own making.

Motyka was surprised no glaciologists had worked on such an iconic glacier in the early 2000s, when he and his colleagues received funding to study Mendenhall. Part of the impetus was the start of helicopter tours that allowed tourists to step on the ice.

One of those helicopter tour companies maintained a camp on the glacier that Motkyas team found was set up on ice with a bed elevation below sea level. That beneath-ice basin might soon become visible.

If the glacier continues retreating, there will be another lake (where the helicopter camp was located), Motyka said.

For those in Juneau, Hood and Amundson will give a talk, Researching the Mendenhall Outburst Flood: 2025 and Beyond, on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Egan Lecture Hall of the University of Alaska Southeast.

Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Eight Pakistani soldiers were killed and five others injured when militants opened fire on an army post and a security patrol in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province early Friday morning, security sources said.

The incident happened at about 4:30 a.m. local time (2330 GMT Thursday) in Khyber district when the militants simultaneously attacked the check post and the block party of the same regiment deployed approximately 200 meters from the main post, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"During the assaults, the attackers used under-barrel grenade launchers, sniper rifles, and small arms, while security forces responded effectively, leading to an intense exchange of fire," the sources said.

They added that the area is remote, and communication challenges are hindering the timely flow of information.

Authorities have imposed a curfew in the region until Saturday as part of ongoing clearance operations, the sources said.

No group has yet claimed the attack. However, the sources noted that several militant outfits, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), remain active in the area. 
American puppet bests Trump to win Nobel Peace Prize 2025

Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelas Opposition Leader viewed as a puppet of the United States, has bagged the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 leaving Trump in shock.

Friday October 10, 2025 8:12 PM , ummid.com News Network

Nobel Prize 2025: Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelas Opposition Leader viewed as a puppet of the United States, has bagged the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 leaving Trump in shock.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it conferred Nobel Peace Prize on Maria Corina for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

As the leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela, Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times, the Nobel Award Committee said.

The committee said Maria Corina meets all three criteria stated in Alfred Nobels will for the selection of a Peace Prize laureate.

Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected, and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace, the Nobel committee said.

Smiling face of USs regime-change machine

In contrast to what the Norwegian Nobel Committee said about Maria Corina while conferring on her the Peace Prize 2025, she is viewed as a smiling face of Washingtons regime-change machine, the polished spokesperson for sanctions, privatization, and foreign intervention dressed up as democracy.

Machados politics are steeped in violence. She has called for foreign intervention, even appealing directly to Benjamin Netanyahu, the architect of Gazas annihilation, to help liberate Venezuela with bombs under the banner of freedom, Michelle Ellner, the Latin America campaign coordinator of CODEPINK who was born in Venezuela, wrote in an article published today.

Ellner also accused Maria Corina of being Trumps cheerleader who praised Trumps decisive action against what she calls a criminal enterprise, aligning herself with the same man who cages migrant children and tears families apart under ICEs watch, while Venezuelan mothers search for their children disappeared by U.S. migration policies.

Machado isnt a symbol of peace or progress. She is part of a global alliance between fascism, Zionism , and neoliberalism, an axis that justifies domination in the language of democracy and peace, Ellner wrote in Codepink.org Friday.

Trump in shock

Interestingly, Maria Corina won the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 beating her hero Donald Trump who had publicly, and multiple times, expressed his desire for the coveted prize.

At one point, Trump while claiming he has been instrumental in stopping a number of wars said he is a fit case for the Nobel Peace Award but will not get it .

Noticing Trumps strong desire for the Nobel Peace Prize, state heads of a number of countries, including Israel and Pakistan, nominated him for the peace prize.

When asked during the announcement of the 2025 peace prize winner why Donald Trump was not considered for the same, the chairperson of the Nobel committee, Jrgen Watne Frydnes, replied, This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity.

We base our decisions on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel, he added.

On his part, Donald Trump appears to be in shock and has not commented on the Nobel Peace Prize announced today.

However, all hope is not lost for him. The Nobel Committee sources said the winner of the Peace Prize 2025 was finalized on Wednesday - a day before Trump announced Gaza Ceasefire . And, he can be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize 2026 if he is nominated again.

The Nobel Award Season 2025 started on Monday October 06, 2025 with the announcement of Nobel 2025 Prize in Medicine , Nobel Prize 2025 in Physics announced on Tuesday October 07, 2025, Nobel Prize 2025 in Chemistry conferred on Omar Yaghi and two others on Wednesday October 08, 2025 and Nobel Prize 2025 in Literature to Laszlo Krasznahorkai "for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art" announced on Thursday October 09, 2025.

The Nobel Prize 2025 award ceremony will be held December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel (D: 1868), the wealthy Swedish industrialist and the inventor of dynamite who founded the prizes.

Nobel Prize 2024 Winners

Last year, the Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to Japan's atomic bomb survivors' group Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to ban nuclear weapons.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.

On October 08, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 to John J. Hopfield of Princeton University, NJ, USA and Geoffrey E. Hinton University of Toronto, Canada.

On October 09, 2024, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly conferred on David Baker of U.S.A., and Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper of the United Kingdom for their research on protein.

On October 10, 2024, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature conferred on South Korean author Han Kang for her work on the fragility of human life.

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Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday.

The movement of civilians came shortly after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas entered into effect at noon local time, ending two years of conflict that left tens of thousands of people killed and caused widespread destruction across the enclave.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said its forces had redeployed along new lines in accordance with the terms of the agreement and the framework for the return of captives. It added troops under the Southern Command would continue to monitor the situation and respond to any immediate threats to Israel's security.

In a message to Gaza's residents, army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said Israeli troops would remain deployed in specific areas inside the Gaza Strip and warned civilians against approaching military sites "until further notice."

He cautioned civilians to avoid Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and al-Shuja'iyya in the north, as well as Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor in the south, describing them as high-risk areas.

Adraee also urged residents to stay away from the sea and border areas, advising against fishing or swimming during the coming days.

Local security sources and eyewitnesses reported that shelling and gunfire stopped completely across the Gaza Strip as the ceasefire took effect. A cautious calm prevailed over Gaza City, the central region, Khan Younis, and Rafah for the first time in months.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians were seen walking or driving north along the coastal Rashid Road, which reopened to traffic following the withdrawal of Israeli military vehicles from the area. Heavy movement was also reported along Salah al-Din Road as more families began to return to their homes in northern Gaza.

"We are going back despite the destruction; what matters most is that the war has stopped and our children are safe," Mohammed al-Louh, a displaced resident from Gaza City, told Xinhua.

He described the moment as "the beginning of life's return after two years of hardship."

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces will remain in the Gaza Strip to maintain pressure on Hamas until the group disarms and the enclave is demilitarized.

In a televised address, Netanyahu said the Israeli military "remains deep inside the strip and holds all the positions that control it."

"In this way, we are encircling Hamas from every direction ahead of the next stages of the plan, in which Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized," he said. "If this is achieved the easy way -- that will be good. If not, it will be achieved the hard way."

He said that 20 living hostages and 28 bodies would be released in the coming days.

The implementation of the ceasefire follows days of intensive negotiations in Egypt, as part of broader understandings that include a prisoner exchange and arrangement to reopen border crossings and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Under the agreement, the Israeli army would halt fighting and partially withdraw from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas would release all remaining detainees in exchange for Israel freeing more than 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

Two years of Israeli strikes have left Gaza in ruins, caused famine, and killed more than 67,000 people, according to the Gaza health authorities. 

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians move on road near the central Gaza Strip returning to Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians move on road near the central Gaza Strip returning to Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians move on road near the central Gaza Strip returning to Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Members of Palestinian police forces are seen on a street at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A member of Palestinian police forces is seen on a street at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Members of Palestinian police forces are seen on a street at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A member of Palestinian police forces is seen on a street at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians carrying their belongings return to the north along the Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza Strip, Oct. 11, 2025. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north after the Israeli army announced that civilians are permitted to move through the coastal Rashid Road and Salah al-Din Road, local sources said on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- In a Friday speech, Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te obstinately adhered to his "Taiwan independence" stance and played up the so-called mainland threats.

In a brazen maneuver of blame-shifting, Lai claims that it is the mainland that should "stop changing the status quo of the Taiwan Strait through force and coercion."

But the fact is that it is precisely Lai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities who are seeking to alter the status quo of the Taiwan Strait -- namely, that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of it. It is Lai's secessionist provocations that pose grave threats to peace across the Strait.

In his speech, Lai said Taiwan's defense budget will be raised to more than 3 percent of the island's GDP next year, and to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. This is a policy statement that once again exposes his ignorance of mainstream public opinion on the island and his attempts to push forward secessionist schemes with force.

By willingly acting as a cash cow for external forces, the DPP authorities have squandered taxpayers' hard-earned money on purchasing weapons, when such money could have been used to improve people's lives and develop the economy.

In fact, more and more people in Taiwan have realized that they must not become the sacrifices of "Taiwan independence" and that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China.

Yet in his speech, Lai referred to the V-Day anniversary as the anniversary of the "end of war," echoing the distorted historical perspective in the shoes of the Japanese aggressors.

As a matter of fact, China's sovereignty over Taiwan is reaffirmed in a host of documents with international legal effect, including the 1943 Cairo Declaration, the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation and the 1945 Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

Taiwan's restoration to China constituted an integral part of the outcomes of the World War II victory and the post-war international order.

The legitimacy, validity, and authority of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) Resolution 2758 are indisputable.

However, in his speech, Lai once again distorted the UNGA Resolution 2758 and the historical documents of World War II. Such attempts to challenge the post-war international order are doomed to failure.

If Lai sincerely advocates for peace, he should abandon the secessionist stance aimed at "Taiwan independence," uphold the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, and acknowledge Taiwan's restoration to China.

The "Taiwan independence" agenda, which defies public opinion and historical trend, will lead nowhere. 
Matt Demmeyer of Memorial Hospital of Converse County meets with medical students Makena Engelker, of Lusk, and Sarah Retherford, of Casper, at the recent Wyoming Hospital Association awards dinner. (WWAMI Photo)

The annual Wyoming Hospital Association (WHA) awards dinner brought together hospital leadership from across the state and students from the University of Wyoming WWAMI Medical Education Program for an evening of recognition, networking and forward-looking discussions on the states health care workforce.





The primary purpose of the awards dinner was to recognize the achievements of the WHA, its members and staff. Wyoming WWAMI students partook in the dinner to connect with hospital leadership from across the state.





One of the key highlights of the evening was an energized dialogue between Wyoming WWAMI medical students and hospital administrators about strategies to strengthen the physician pipeline and expand opportunities for WWAMI graduates to return to practice in Wyomings rural communities.





The WHA awards dinner was an amazing opportunity to connect with hospital leadership from all over Wyoming. They offered valuable advice about residency and future job searching, says Makena Engelker, a WWAMI medical student from Lusk. The connections we made will be invaluable throughout our medical careers.





Students shared their commitment to serving the state and reflected on their early educational experiences with clinical rotations that they have already experienced in hospitals spanning Wyoming. These opportunities, they noted, have opened their eyes to the unique challenges and rewards of practicing in smaller, community-based facilities.





Being at the WHA dinner allowed us WWAMI students to get a different perspective on health care around the state, and I think it was valuable for the hospital administrators to hear our perspectives that, although carry some naivety, also offer a unique point of view, says Erica Farris, of Cheyenne, a member of the class that started in July. Wyomingites deserve great health care and, as future physicians, we WWAMI students already have the opportunity to start advocating to improve the challenges Wyoming health care faces.





Hospital leaders echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of cultivating strong ties with students during their early years of training. Many administrators spoke about their facilities eagerness to host clinical rotations, increasing opportunities for mentorship and offering pathways for students to eventually establish their practices in state.





The discussion underscored the central role of the WWAMI program in addressing Wyomings long-standing physician shortage. Students and hospital leaders explored possible solutions, including expanded residency opportunities in Wyoming, student loan repayment programs tied to service in rural communities and enhanced support for rural hospitals serving as training sites.





WHA President Eric Boley praises both the hospital leaders and students for their shared vision of strengthening Wyomings health care future.





We loved having the WWAMI students attend our annual meeting. It was great to see their enthusiasm and to see them interact with hospital leaders from all over the state, Boley says. The WWAMI program is important to the future of our state in providing health care in every region and community. The WHA and our members are very honored to have such a great partnership with the WWAMI program.





The evening concluded on a hopeful note, with students and hospital leaders committed to continuing their collaboration to ensure Wyoming communities remain strong, healthy and supported by a robust health care workforce.





Relationships between programs like WWAMI and the hospitals in Wyoming lay the foundations of successful physician training and long-term retention, says Todd Guth, director of the WWAMI Medical Education Program. By working together, we give our students the real-world experience, mentorship and community connections they need to thrive -- and we help ensure that every Wyoming community has access to excellent health care now and into the future.





About the Wyoming-WWAMI Medical Education Program





The WWAMI Medical Education Program -- Wyomings medical school -- is a partnership between the University of Wyoming and the University of Washington School of Medicine. WWAMI is an acronym for the five states that participate in the program: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.





WWAMI reserves 20 seats each year for qualified Wyoming residents. Students accepted to the program spend 18 months on the University of Wyoming campus. The third and fourth years are spent at selected clinical sites throughout the WWAMI region.





To learn more about Wyoming-WWAMI, go here.
Mark Bray, a US university professor and expert on the loosely organized left-wing Antifa movement says he has fled the country after receiving death threats, amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on opponents.

Bray, 43, has written several books on the nebulous, self-described "anti-fascist" movement, which the Trump administration has classified as a terrorist group.

"The whole thing has been very stressful, even more stressful having small children -- my whole life has been turned on its head," Bray, a history professor at New Jersey's Rutgers University, told AFP in an interview.

Fearing for their safety, Bray and his family flew to Spain on Thursday evening.

Trump and his supporters "are trying to expand this term 'Antifa'... and they're trying to apply this to basically anyone they don't like," Bray said.

"It is particularly easy to try and label me... the guy who wrote the book about it."

- 'I'm a researcher' -

Bray acknowledged his history with the left-wing Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City in 2011, but stressed that he had "never been part of an anti-fascist group."

"I'm not now, and I don't intend to be. I support anti-fascism, broadly construed, I detest fascism, but in this capacity, I'm a researcher," he said.

Bray said he was first targeted on X following the September 10 murder of pro-Trump conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

Far-right activist Jack Posobiec labeled him online a "domestic terrorist professor," while Andy Ngo, a conservative content creator, accused him of being a "militant anti-fascist activist." Both took part in a White House round table discussion on the "Antifa threat" this week.

After those social media posts, Bray began receiving death threats, he said, including one "saying that someone was going to kill me in front of my students," and a threatening email with his home address.

"At that point, I decided I wanted to leave the country for the safety of my family," he said.

- 'Without fear' -

A petition calling for Bray's dismissal was launched last week by the Rutgers University chapter of Turning Point USA, the right-wing organization founded by Kirk, and has gained more than 1,000 signatures.

Bray also appears on a "watch list of professors" maintained by Turning Point USA.

In a statement, a Rutgers University spokesperson said the "institution is committed to providing a secure environment -- to learn, teach, work, and research, where all members of our community can share their opinions without fear of intimidation or harassment."

Turning Point USA and the student behind the petition have not responded to AFP's request for comment.

Since his return to power in January, Trump has launched an offensive against universities, with a series of shock decisions that have unsettled the scientific and academic community, pushing some professors to announce plans to move abroad.

vla/ane/ami/md/
Our director of publication and editor-in-chief directed French magazines several years ago, and has won journalism awards abroad. He has regularly contributed to some fifteen major dailies and magazines around the world.

Voltaire, International Newsletter is available by subscription for 500 a year, is published 42 times a year (not in July-August, nor during the Christmas holydays). Its an indispensable tool for any professional in international relations or defense.

Contents of issue N145

EDITORIAL

 3954 The Muslim Brotherhood, CIA and MI6 behind the "Sumud" flotilla

AMERICAS

 3955 Barack Obama criticizes Donald Trump, despite Tylenol admission

 3956 The January 6, 2021 riot was a setup by the FBI

 3957 Sixty percent of foreign aid in the fight against AIDS lost since 2003

 3958 Documents show Tylenol maker was aware of autism risks since 2018

 3959 Pfizer Signs Deal with US President Trump

 3960 Nick Fuentes and Alex Jones censored again by YouTube

 3961 YouTube pays $24.5 million in compensation to Donald Trump

 3962 Tucker Carlson questions 9/11

 3963 US military experts reflect on the war against cartels

 3964 Donald Trump opposes annexation of West Bank

 3965 Benjamin Netanyahu corrects Trumps peace plan for Gaza

 3966 Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House

 3967 Microsoft refuses to participate in mass surveillance of Palestinians

 3968 Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump announce a profound reform of US armed forces

 3969 JD Vance thinks Russia should wake up to deaths in Ukraine

 3970 Atlantic Councils "Global Citizens Award"

 3971 Six States Refuse to Verify Their Voter Rolls

 3972 Judge William G. Young Denounces President Trumps Immigration Policy

 3973 Javier Milei and Santiago Pena meet Benjamin Netanyahu

EUROPE

 3974 Leo XIV mocks those who make fun of climate change

 3975 NHS authorizes Marriages Between First Cousins

 3976 France prepares for a war on its soil from March 2026

 3977 Germany prepares for war against Russia

 3978 Gabrielius Landsbergis hopes Ukraine will have Tomahawks as well as Taurus

 3979 Hungarian Gay Pride banned

 3980 Patriots for Europe and The Left each table a motion of censure of the European Commission

 3981 Maia Sandus party wins the Moldovan parliamentary elections

 3982 Zelensky threatens air strikes on the Kremlin

 3983 Volodymyr Zelensky celebrates the 84th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre

 3984 GRECO calls for access to information as a means of fighting corruption

 3985 Council of Europe calls for the release of Ukrainian journalists imprisoned in Russia

 3986 Russia backs Trump plan for Gaza

 3987 The SVR anticipates a false flag operation by the Ukrainians and Poles

AFRICA

 3988 Abdelkader Haddad has fled Algeria

 3989 Massive Youth Protests in Morocco

 3990 Joseph Kabila sentenced in absentia to the death penalty

 3991 Massive youth protests in Madagascar

ASIA

 3992 Bezalel Smotrich opposes Trumps peace plan for Gaza

 3993 The US peace plan and its corrections after discussion with Benyamin Netanyahu

 3994 David Petraeus receives Ahmed al-Charaa

 3995 A Trump Plaza in Jeddah

 3996 Saudi Arabia invests in electronic games

 3997 UAEs conditions for meeting Netanyahu

 3998 Qatar stresses that recognition of the Palestinian State must be translated into action

 3999 According to General Safavi, Iran could join the Pakistani-Saudi defense pact

 4000 Iran builds underground supersite

 4001 The Pentagon is preparing to act in Iran

 4002 Pakistan could participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza

 4003 China questions the Anglo-Saxon concept of "freedom of navigation"

 4004 The Sanseito turns to Trump and Bannon

INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

 4005 The UN General Assembly and the Situation in Gaza

 4006 UN Security Council approves Gang Repression Force in Haiti

 4007 The EU and EPC are walking on the same ground
                 ( CC BY-NC-ND).

: Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Pope Leo XIV condemn the massacre in Gaza,  Gregor Frohlich,   , 10   () 2025, www.voltairenet.org/article222958.html
ANKARA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye is providing "technical support" for the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday.

"At this stage, our focus is on implementing the first phase -- the ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid," Fidan said at a joint news conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Ankara.

He said later phases would address Gaza's governance and internal security. "This process requires constant attention and focus," he added, pledging that Turkiye would continue to "manage and guide it with care."

Fidan warned against any interruption to the peace process. "If the process stops, it could lead to renewed massacres," he said, calling for sustained international engagement toward a two-state solution.

The implementation of the Gaza truce follows days of intensive negotiations in Egypt, as part of broader understandings that include a prisoner exchange and arrangements to reopen border crossings and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Under the agreement, the Israeli army would halt fighting and partially withdraw from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas would release all remaining detainees in exchange for Israel freeing more than 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

Two years of Israeli strikes have left Gaza in ruins, caused famine, and killed more than 67,000 people, according to the Gaza health authorities. 
Staff members from Egyptian Red Crescent stand near a truck carrying humanitarian aids as it enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

CAIRO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Sisi made the remarks in a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stressing the need to fully implement the ceasefire, the Egyptian presidency said.

He reaffirmed Egypt's support for UN agencies operating in Gaza, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and for efforts to assist Palestinian refugees in host countries.

Guterres said the path forward must include the creation of a Palestinian state under international resolutions and the unity of Gaza and the West Bank. He also called for the deployment of international forces in Gaza and UN Security Council backing for the ceasefire agreement.

The UN chief stressed the urgent need to begin Gaza's reconstruction and welcomed an international conference that Egypt plans to host for that purpose.

Israel and Hamas reached the ceasefire deal on Thursday after three days of talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the United States. The first phase of the plan includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis, and the north, the opening of five crossings for aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners.

A Hamas source said the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen in the middle of next week to allow limited movement of people, though details on operations have not been announced.

More than two years of Israeli military operations have devastated Gaza, killing over 67,000 people and triggering famine, according to Gaza health authorities. 

A truck carrying humanitarian aids enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids enter Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids enter Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Staff members from Egyptian Red Crescent stand near the trucks carrying humanitarian aids as they enter Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids wait to enter Gaza at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

A truck carrying humanitarian aids enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids enter Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Staff members from Egyptian Red Crescent stand near a truck carrying humanitarian aids as it enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Staff members from Egyptian Red Crescent stand near a truck carrying humanitarian aids as it enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)

Staff members from Egyptian Red Crescent stand near a truck carrying humanitarian aids as it enters Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Oct. 12, 2025. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that Egypt has begun sending urgent food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Ali Mostafa/Xinhua)
Snow Set To Exit; Another On The Way
Italy to launch EES at airports in Rome and Milan on Sunday.

The European Union's new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), will be phased in around Europe from Sunday 12 October, including at Italy's two largest airports.

The new entry system is designed to keep track of when non-EU citizens enter and leave the Schengen Area, an open-border zone encompassing 29 European countries, most of which are in the EU.

The EES applies to nationals from non-EU countries, including the UK, who cross external Schengen borders for a short stay, regardless of whether they require a visa or are visa-exempt.

In Italy, EES will be introduced at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa on Sunday before being rolled out nationwide over the coming months, in line with the rest of the Schengen Area.

British nationals who are resident in Italy do not have to register in the EES provided they can show proof of having either a carta di soggiorno residence card or, for those who have been living in Italy since 1 January 2021, a permesso di soggiorno.

From 12 Oct, the EUs new Entry/Exit System (#EES) goes live.



UK Nationals in Italy with a Carta or Permesso di Soggiorno are exempt. Visitors must register at the border.



Checkhttps://t.co/Shprt8Yw1H

EU Commissions citizens rights https://t.co/gE66osRLnL @EdLlewellynFCDO pic.twitter.com/f1pUOsEPYG  UK in Italy (@UKinItaly) October 10, 2025

The British embassy to Italy advises travellers in this category to take these documents with them when travelling.

The automated system, which requires the registration of fingerprints and facial images, will eventually replace the current system of passports being stamped manually.

The goal of EES is to enhance security by combatting against identity fraud as well as automatically calculating how many days travellers without a visa have spent in the Schengen area, to ensure they don't overstay the 90-day limit.

EES is also designed to streamline border checks however concerns have been raised that it will lead to delays when people from non-EU countries register their biometric information the first time.

The system is set to be fully operational by 10 April 2026. For full details see official EES website.

Photo credit: 1000 Words / Shutterstock.com.
Global Solidarity Run 2025 takes place in Rome on 11 October.

The Embassy of Ireland to Italy, in partnership with Rome Hibernia GAA, will host the Rome edition of the Global Solidarity Run 2025 in Villa Borghese on Saturday 11 October.

The Global Solidarity Run is an annual initiative organised by Sanctuary Runners, an Irish Solidarity-Through-Sport movement, and supported by Irish Aid, the Ireland Funds and the European Commission.

The event, which will be marked this year in 40 locations across Ireland and internationally, aims to show solidarity with all those around the world who are forcibly displaced and those living in extreme poverty.

The Rome event will take place at 11.00 on Saturday morning, with a meeting point at the Obelisco Pinciano in Villa Borghese at 10.30.

Join us for the Rome edition of the #GlobalRun2025!



We are meeting on Saturday in Villa Borghese to run and walk together to show our solidarity with those who are forcibly displaced and living in extreme poverty.



Obelisco Pinciano

Saturday 11/10, 11 am pic.twitter.com/tQshE6vdwq  Ireland in Rome (@IrlEmbRome) October 9, 2025

The Rome Global Solidary Run is free and all ages and fitness levels are welcome to join the event, either running or walking the 5-km course.

Participants are encouraged to wear blue to show their solidarity, with Global Solidarity Run t-shirts and printed maps distributed before the event.
West Waterford councillor Donnchadh Mulcahy has renewed his call for a long-overdue bus shelter in Cappoquin.

Cllr Mulcahy said the lack of basic facilities for passengers is completely unacceptable and he has been in contact with Active Travel and the relevant departments on several occasions about the issue, but has yet to receive any confirmation or time frame for delivery.

The Cappoquin stop on the Tallow to Dungarvan Local Link route is used every single day by people going to work, school and appointments, he said.

It is one of the busiest routes in the country, yet passengers are being left standing in the open, often getting drenched before their day even begins. It is disheartening to see such a vital service without even a simple shelter, said Cllr Mulcahy.

The councillor said a bus shelter would have strong backing from the local community.

He said lack of transport infrastructure was a problem across Waterford.

The people of Cappoquin are crying out for this. It is a small ask that would make a big difference. I have raised the matter repeatedly and will continue to push for progress until something is done.

I am more than willing to work with Active Travel and Local Link to get this over the line, whatever it takes.

If we want people to use public transport and reduce car dependency, then we need to make it practical and comfortable, not leave people soaking wet at the side of the road, said Cllr Mulcahy.

(Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme)
Following a hugely successful first series, which reached over two million viewers in Britain, TV presenter Fred Sirieix is back for a second series of Tour de Fred, which will be partly filmed in Waterford.

Sirieix is best known for hosting First Dates, and for featuring alongside Gordon Ramsay and Gino D'Acampo on 'Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip'.

In the first series of Tour de Fred, Fred visited Northern Ireland, including the Mournes and Strangford Lough, Belfast, the Causeway Coast and the walled city of Derry.

This time round, he is exploring Waterford, Cork and Wexford.

The series is due to air on ITV1 and ITVX in 2026, and filming has been taking place over the past few weeks.

Viewers will see Fred explore and meet passionate locals in Waterford, and take part in a cycle challenge or two along the way, visiting Mahon Falls and the Copper Coast.

Fred commented, I'm excited to embrace all the rich history, incredible food and breathtaking landscapes of south east Ireland along the Copper Coast, and of course meet the charismatic locals. Joining me on the last leg will be my daughter Andrea and I can't wait to bring viewers on this next adventure with us."

Judith Cassidy, Tourism Ireland's Acting Head of Great Britain, added, His journey through Waterford, Cork and Wexford will highlight not only the stunning scenery and rich heritage of these counties, but also the genuine warmth of the people who call them home."
GAZA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Mediators have informed Hamas that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen in both directions next week, the group said on Friday, following the start of a ceasefire with Israel.

A Hamas source told the group's Al-Aqsa TV that the crossing is expected to reopen in the middle of next week to allow movement of people in and out of the enclave, though no details were provided on operations or which travelers would be allowed through.

Mediators also said humanitarian aid and essential supplies, including fuel and gas, would begin entering Gaza freely from Saturday, the source said, adding that talks were under way to restore electricity in the territory of more than 2 million people.

The announcement came after the Israeli army confirmed that a ceasefire with Hamas took effect at noon on Friday. The military said its forces had redeployed along new lines "in accordance with the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement," while troops in southern Israel would continue to respond to any immediate threats.

Following the truce, about 200,000 Palestinians returned to northern Gaza, said Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Hamas-run Civil Defense Agency. He said displaced residents began moving north as Israeli forces pulled back from several areas, and that humanitarian teams were helping families and reopening main roads.

Eyewitnesses reported heavy movement along Al-Rashid and Salah al-Din roads as thousands of people walked or drove toward their homes.

The ceasefire followed days of negotiations in Egypt that included a prisoner exchange and plans to reopen border crossings and allow aid into Gaza.

Under the agreement, Israel is expected to halt fighting and partially withdraw from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas will release all remaining hostages in exchange for the release of around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Two years of Israeli military operations have left much of Gaza in ruins, killed more than 67,000 people, and created severe shortages of food and basic supplies, according to Gaza health authorities. 
Ardscoil na Mara in Tramore and St Declans Community College in Kilmacthomas have received a CPR 4 Schools award from the Irish Heart Foundation.

Thirty-three schools received awards this year as part of the national heart and stroke charitys CPR 4 Schools programme.

The award is given to recogniseaschools, teachers and students for remarkable efforts in CPR promotion and training.

Ardscoil na Mara Principal, Padraig Cawley, said they were delighted to receive the award.

This is such a valuable training programme for teachers and students alike.

I would like to pay a special tribute to our colleague Derek O'Brien for his tireless work in encouraging our school community to avail of this training.

I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Irish Heart Foundation for the development of this wonderful initiative in schools.

Our communities are safer places because of programmes such as this, said Mr Cawley.

The programme trains students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, use an AED (defibrillator), and respond when someone is choking.a

It involves one-hour, video-led lessons, fully supported with manikin kits and classroom resources.a

Outside of the schools, afamilies and entire communities gain byahaving young people emerge as confident lifesavers.

Ninety-per-cent of secondary schools have engaged in the programme since its inception.

The programme has seen 2,630 teachers involved across 649 schools to deliver CPR training, giving the programme a reach of over 350,000 students nationwide.

The charity is now calling on all schools to sign up to help build a new generation of lifesavers.

Resuscitation Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation, Brigid Sinnott, encourages teachers nationwide to get involved.

We know that schools are extremely busy places, which makes us all the more blown away by the work and commitment they have put in to teach the lifesaving skill of CPR to date.

The Irish Heart Foundations mission is to build a nation of lifesavers through CPR training and schools are vital to help us achieve that.

The CPR 4 Schools programme is easy to run and takes just one hour to train a class.

I would encourage schools nationwide to visit irishheart.ie/cpr4schools to learn how easy it is to implement our programme.

Schools and teachers are at the core of this programme and these awards are our way of recognising them for empowering students with a lifesaving skill, said Ms Sinnott.

A persons chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately.

According to the Irish Heart Foundation, by learning CPR once in your life, you are 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.

Post-primary school teachers interested in signing up for the free programme can register by emailing: schools@irishheart.ie.

You can find out more about CPR 4 Schools here.
A local councillor has spoken out against Waterford Councils decision to appeal the development of Ferrybank Shopping Centre.

Plans to allow Dunnes Stores to finally move into the vacant site were approved in recent weeks by Kilkenny County Council.

However, Waterford City and County Council subsequently appealed this decision. The appeal has since been deemed invalid, due to a full application not being lodged in time by Waterford Council.

This week, Cllr Pat Fitzgerald said he wishes to be disassociated from any further appeals submitted by the Council, and that Waterford should instead support the developments commencement.

"I dont believe that was a very nice thing to do," the Sinn Fein councillor said.

"This centre has lain idle for years and it could be a huge asset for the city. Dunnes stores sells and promotes quality Irish produce and i believe this store should be allowed and we should actually support it."

Business brings more business, and it would benefit Waterford city.

"I would like to be disassociated with any further objection from this Council to the development.

Meanwhile, Cllr Mary Roche has supported the Councils decision to block the development.

She said this week, "It's fair to say that I dont believe such a centre would be allowed on the outskirts of Kilkenny City, and I think its important that we, having already prevented developments like this on the outskirts of our own city, would do everything to ensure that the threat is removed.

At this week's Plenary Council Meeting, Cllr Roche asked for an update on the status of the invalid appeal.

Ivan Grimes, Director of Services, said that he anticipates developments on the matter in the coming week or so, and discussions are ongoing.

Whats is happening at Ferrybank Shopping Centre?

Ferrybank Shopping Centre has been vacant since its construction was completed in 2008.

Kilkenny based politicians and residents living in the Ferrybank area have made constant calls for the owners of the site, Dunnes Stores, to progress with the development following years of significant setbacks.

The plans which were conditionally approved recently include the change of use and amalgamation of the centres unoccupied car showroom with the centres permitted retail anchor unit at ground floor level to form a new single-level anchor unit.

The reconfigured anchor unit will have 3,000 sqm net of convenience floorspace, including an ancillary off-licence.

2,042 sqm net of comparison floorspace is also approved, which likely will consist of a space designated to the sale of accessories and clothing.

The first floor of the retail anchor unit will be repurposed into a separate leisure unit measuring 3,140 sqm.

It is understood that a gym provider has been sought for this first-floor space.
Broadcaster Kieran Cuddihy has left Newstalk to join RTE Radio as the new presenter of Liveline.

Staff at Newstalk were informed of his departure on Thursday night, with an internal email from senior management announcing that Thursdays edition of The Hard Shoulder was his final show.

He takes over the Liveline show from Joe Duffy, who retired earlier this year.

Mr Cuddihy has been a key voice at Newstalk since joining the station in 2011, taking over as presenter of The Hard Shoulder, its flagship daily news and current affairs programme, in 2020. In addition to his radio work, Mr Cuddihy has presented The Tonight Show on Virgin Media since February and recently moderated the first broadcast presidential debate on the station. The move comes just hours after RTE confirmed that long-time presenter Ray DArcy is leaving his weekday afternoon slot on RTE Radio 1 after 11 years. The station on Friday confirmed an overhaul of the programme schedule on RTE Radio 1 for later this year. A new Today with David McCullagh will run from 9am, with Oliver Callan moving to a longer time slot at 11am until 1pm.

Rachael English will continue to present News at One, every lunchtime, before handing on to Liveline with Kieran Cuddihy from 1.45 pm.

Louise Duffy will take the 3pm slot for her one-hour show, followed by Katie Hannon and Colm O Mongain on Drivetime from the earlier time of 4pm.

Two new presenters will join Morning Ireland, but RTE said they will be announced in the coming weeks.

According to RTEs Director of Audio, Patricia Monahan: This new schedule marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for RTE Radio 1.

"Im also pleased to confirm that Sarah McInerney and Cormac O hEadhra will continue to be a regular presence on RTE and Radio 1. We look forward to sharing news of their new roles in the coming weeks.
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Review Eating outPerth Is Perth in the middle of a pizza golden age? We head to Dianella to find out From morning until night, this neighbourhood diner celebrates the possibilities and deliciousness of pizza. Max Veenhuyzen October 11, 2025 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 4 The calzone (folded pizza). Matt O'Donohue 2 / 4 Spaghetti marinara. Matt O'Donohue 3 / 4 Arancini is good... Matt O'Donohue 4 / 4 ...but pizza is the real star of the show. Matt O'Donohue Previous Slide Next Slide 14 / 20 How we score Pizza$$$$ In these lawless dining times, it seems like anything goes when it comes to breakfast. Craving Japanese-Italian pasta? Forklore at City West has the answers and mentaiko udon you seek. Craving a bowl of sunrise pho, stat? Go directly to U&I Cafe in Northbridge.

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Perhaps the decisions of the night before call for a morning-after steak sandwich or fried chicken? I know a place where you can get both. But when it comes to breaking down the barriers between AM and PM foodstuffs, such Johnny-come-latelys cant hold a candle to pizza. While humans have consumed leftover pizza for brekky since at least the days of Sizzler, local places like Canteen Pizza and the dearly departed Dank Pizza have done much to legitimise pizzas place at the breakfast table. Mima Pizzeria is a standout addition to Dianellas food scene. Matt O'Donohue Mima Pizzeria, a chirpy neighbourhood cafe in Dianella opened in March by Pizzeria de Leo co-founder Arber Alikaj, is one of the more recent inductees to the citys breakfast pizza fraternity. While this born-again coffee shop tiled in black splashbacks has served brekky pizza since opening, Mima only appeared on my radar following the arrival of Italian pizzaiolo Andrea Muru in August.

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Born in Sardinia, Murus has spent more than a decade geeking out over pizza and been in and around hospitality for more than 20 years. He comes to Mima from Bayswaters King Somm and brings with him, among other things, terrific breakfast pizza: crunchy, airy flatbread-esque slabs around the size of a film camera and blanketed with ruddy splotches of tomato sugo and dry splats of fior di latte produced by low and slow baking. Think of it as a Grandma-style pizza from Long Island in New York, as prepared by a private chef employed in a Manhattan penthouse. Impressively, this quietly sophisticated breakfast is just one way Mima celebrates pizzas potential. Related Article 14 / 20 Review Hidden spice: Perky shopping centre eatery proudly flies the flag for Indonesian food From Wednesday to Sunday, the shop switches to neighbourhood pizzeria mode, BYO and all. (Staff at the nearby bottle shop tell me nights have been noticeably busier since Mimas arrival: witness the power of a good pizzeria!) The temperatures on the twin Moretti Forni stone-based ovens go up; the same dough is massaged into discs and topped with the same cheese and sugo used in the mornings; and the kitchen sends out a steady stream of puffy-edged pies of reassuring weight and gentle crunch to diners occupying the shops 60 seats as well as delivery customers.

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Order the calzone (folded pizza) bulging with batons of Calabrese salami and cloud-like ricotta and taste the rewards of investing in artisan cheeses from local milk whisperers, La Delizia Latticini. (The parmesan and pecorino that the kitchen deploys on most pizzas stars in the calzone too, albeit gratineed into a cheesy, caramelised mass crowning the pizza pocket.) Wise heads know that a marinara pizza is the surest way to understand any pizzerias DNA. Mimas anchovy-enriched version superbly highlights the airiness of Murus dough plus the fruity sweetness of his sugo made using fabled San Marzano tomatoes from Italys Campania region. Related Article 14.5 / 20 Review One of Perths finest restaurants opens a new, all-day cantina diners will love In addition to being turned into a focaccia  in reality, more flattened pizza bianco rather than puffy, oil-enriched bread  our mans dough also features at dessert time where, following a costume change involving Nutella and crushed pistachios, it reappears as straccetti fritti: billowy fingers of fried dough that are seemingly above the laws of gravity and scarily easy to eat. While the menu includes things-that-arent-pizza, theyre not, for now, of the same calibre as the headliners.

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The spaghetti marinara  no relation to the pizza, alas  sees whole prawns breaking up a dry jumble of spaghetti spiked with chilli, garlic and diced tomatoes. The brightness of the house sugo helps perk up otherwise unremarkable arancini. The chips are those short, chubby chunks of high-vis potato synonymous with old-school fish and chippers. Bresaola carpaccio does exactly what it says on the box. None of it is terrible, but lets be clear: the star of Mimas show is its pizza (although likeable, obliging staff deserve recognition too.) Is there such a thing as bad pizza? Not at Mima. Matt O'Donohue Perth is no stranger to good pizza. Personalities such as Nunzio Nici (Il Padrino) and Theo Kalageceros (Little Caesers) made sure of that. But whereas these elder oven-tending statesmen made their name by cooking for popes and putting atypical ingredients on pizza bases, the modus operandi of Perths current crop of pizza savants is to study the dishs history while losing themselves in the latest science and technology (see fermentation, new-school ovens and an interest in wheat varieties). Fuse the two together and magic happens, as proven by the output of Maestro Sourdough Pizza, the pizza offshoot of Casa in Mount Hawthorn, plus roughly a gazillion backyard pizza warriors stoking and stroking their Gozney ovens.

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All the signs suggest Mima has the potential to ascend into P-Towns pizza stratosphere, not least because Muru has only been there a month and says, tantalisingly, that his long-fermented dough made with 10 different flours is still a work in progress. Im pumped to see  and taste  whats in store, and to uncover more Mimas and Murus making suburbia ever more delicious. Is Perth experiencing a new golden age of pizza where anything goes? You bet. Bring it on. The low-down Atmosphere: a chirpy neighbourhood eatery putting Dianella on the Perth pizza map. Go-to dishes: pizza marinara, straccetti fritti. Drinks: coffees by day, plus soft drinks, juices and whatever BYO you packed in your esky or Decor wine cooler. Cost: about $80 for two people Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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Mima Pizzeria Max Veenhuyzen is a journalist and photographer who has been writing about food, drink and travel for national and international publications for more than 20 years. He reviews restaurants for the Good Food Guide.
Tactical officers on The River Road after the Revesby arrests.

A little-known Asian crime syndicate allegedly hired three would-be assassins to murder a wayward employee as he collected his children from daycare.

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Three alleged killers for hire had planned to ambush their unsuspecting victim at his childrens daycare centre, lying in wait then peppering him with bullets as he arrived to collect his kids on Tuesday afternoon, police allege. A little-known Vietnamese crime syndicate, The Final Crime Family, had allegedly commissioned the three would-be assassins to murder a wayward employee. Two other major Vietnamese drug syndicates have allegedly contracted out serious violence  including the murder of an innocent woman  in Sydney since mid-2024. Loading Police allege the syndicates name was written on a note that was to be placed atop the victims dead body, the Herald has confirmed, and that the killing was to be livestreamed back to syndicate bosses. One of the alleged assassins was arrested with a GoPro camera strapped to his chest. Police say they averted certain death and significant collateral damage to innocent bystanders when they pulled two stolen cars over in peak-hour traffic in Revesby on Tuesday afternoon. The alleged plan was so far advanced, police say, that the trio were already wearing balaclavas. The address of the daycare centre attended by the would-be victims children was in the alleged kill teams Google Maps, police sources not authorised to speak publicly told this masthead.

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They certainly wanted to send a message, one police source said. Police arrested Greall Tighe, 18, Kevin Mundine, 19, and Tyrone Tuiluga Rio, 26, at the scene and charged them each with a raft of offences including conspiracy to commit murder. None of the trio arrested in Revesby on Tuesday are known to be involved in organised crime, which is highly unusual in cases alleged to involve contract killing. Contract killing has become increasingly commonplace within Sydneys underworld as gangs look to outsource their violent enforcement to limit liability and concentrate on the citys lucrative drug market. Gangs usually work with other sub-gangs or organisations with which they have links, not unconnected alleged criminals as was the case here. Greall Tighe, one of the alleged kill team, appeared in court on Wednesday. Facebook Police allege they began quietly surveilling The Final Crime Family  which has also undertaken several other conspiracies to murder  and the aspiring killers it allegedly hired several weeks ago when investigators realised they were allegedly gearing up to act. Still in question is the motive for the alleged planned execution, say sources close to the investigation. One line of inquiry is whether the would-be victims loyalties were in question; another is whether he had stolen drugs.

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Sources familiar with the investigation said that before that, The Final Crime Family was not well known to authorities. Vietnamese organised crime has been on the march since at least mid-2024, at the same time police began a secretive investigation into rippling violence in Sydneys south-west. NSW Crime Commission executive director of criminal investigations Darren Bennett said there were numerous Vietnamese crime syndicates operating across NSW. The characteristics of Vietnamese crime groups, he said, were high levels of violence. A lot of people have been shocked by some of the retribution action by Vietnamese organised crime. Darren Bennett, NSW Crime Commission A lot of people have been shocked by some of the retribution action by Vietnamese organised crime, he said. They dont seem to have filter around how they get payback to people who wrong them. Vietnamese organised crime was once characterised by cutting peoples arms off with machetes, another source not authorised to speak publicly said.

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The Herald revealed on Wednesday that police are looking at potential links between The Final Crime Family and the Victorian syndicate who ordered the kidnap and execution of a Sydney woman whose body was found in a burning car this year. Detectives maintain that Thi Kim Tran was innocent, and targeted because her husband, allegedly a drug cook for a Vietnamese drug syndicate, had been ripping his employers off to the tune of $80,000 worth of stolen methamphetamine. Thi Kim Tran was abducted from her Sydney home and found dead in a burnt-out car. Facebook In August, police arrested The Anh Nguyen and charged him with Trans murder. Nguyen was an upper echelon member of the syndicate who had been tasked with resolving the groups dispute with Trans husband and organised a crew of contract killers, police will allege. The Victorian syndicate are a major player in Australia, and probably transnational organised crime, Homicide Squad commander Joe Doueihi said at the time of Nguyens arrest. Loading Nguyen was refused bail and will return to court in November.

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Its extremely rare and, certainly, this organised crime group have ... upset a few people out there in the criminal milieu because this is not the norm, Doueihi said. Related Article Exclusive

Crime Savage attacks drag secretive crime gangs out of the shadows Family, females, children are normally not involved in this type of revenge attack. A different Vietnamese syndicate was allegedly involved in a six-day rampage last year in which a man was shot in the head and buried alive, a father was found dead in the bush after being disappeared a month earlier, and a third man was kidnapped and his ear partly cut off. Also based in Victoria, this syndicate also allegedly hired a contract kill crew. Unfortunately, its been seen quite often now that part of their torturing technique is to sever ears and fingers and toes of people they take hostage, Doueihi said of the syndicate at the time. Detective Superintendent Peter Faux, whose organised crime squad was charged with stamping out the violence, said that Vietnamese criminals differed from their counterparts.

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One lucky ticket has won a whopping $25 million on Thursdays Powerball  half of the total prize on offer  but the winner is yet to come forward and claim their prize.

Lotterywest spokesperson Zoe Wender said that the winner was in the metropolitan area and was a single-entry unregistered ticket, meaning they had no way to contact them.

One lucky Perth Powerball ticket has hit the jackpot.

If you had a ticket in last nights Powerball jackpot, check your numbers because you could be West Australias latest multi-millionaire, Wender said.

We usually see players come forward within the first couple of days, so its very possible that we could hear from the winner even this afternoon over the weekend, but its very possible that someone has that ticket stuck to their fridge in their glove box and has absolutely no idea that theyre sitting on a $25 million prize.

Wender said her understanding was that the winner of the second half of the jackpot was based in Alice Springs and also had not come forward.

Winners have 12 months to come forward and collect their winnings.

Western Australia has celebrated three Powerball wins so far this year  just last month, a Peel woman in her 60s claimed a $20 million prize, and back in April, a trio of friends from Perths eastern suburbs claimed a $30 million prize, Wender said.

We havent seen more than three power ball wins since 2015 so its been 10 years since the state has celebrated three wins in one year.
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PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Opinion Hasties got the right stuff but one obsession may fast-track or derail his ambitions Peter Hartcher Political and international editor October 11, 2025  2:00am

October 11, 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 534 View all comments

The train coming down the tracks isnt the one that you expected. Its not the one advertised on the board, says actor Benedict Cumberbatch playing the role of a pro-Brexit strategist. Well, tough, he says. It isnt even the one that I imagined. But I accept it. And you cant stop it, he says in the 2019 movie Brexit: The Uncivil War in the persona of the notorious Dominic Cummings, adviser to Boris Johnson. There is a new politics in town. One that you cannot control. Illustration by Joe Benke Andrew Hastie is fond of quoting the scene in private. To him, it encapsulates the current state of Western democratic politics. The same nativist impulse that drove Brexit and today propels Nigel Farages ascendant Reform Party in Britain is also driving Trumps MAGA movement and the far-right insurrection in many European nations. Hastie intends to be riding the train when it arrives in Australia. Not standing in its way. If we dont listen to peoples concerns and deal with their problems, someone else will, he tells colleagues.

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Which is why it was so important to him to be involved in developing the Liberal Partys immigration policy. So important that he quit the opposition frontbench over his exclusion. In the political class, the two main competing theories over Hasties resignation are that he is either a brat throwing a tantrum or that he is a schemer hatching a plot. The brat theory is contradicted by the manner of his resignation. Andrew Hastie is in no hurry to challenge for the leadership, but hes already staking out a more conservative ground for the party. Artwork: Marija Ercegovac; Photo: James Brickwood As he read his charter letter from his leader, Sussan Ley, setting out his duties as opposition home affairs spokesman, he realised he would have no part in immigration policy  opposition immigration spokesman Paul Scarr, not Hastie, would lead and develop the policy. Hastie practised his personal policy of a 48-hour cooling off before making any major decision. At this point, a more typical politician would accept the ruling, but then begin a quiet campaign of leaking and undermining against the leader. Hastie did not.

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He was careful to take counsel with a handful of trusted allies, including only two Liberal MPs, so that he couldnt be accused of doing the numbers as a prelude to a leadership challenge. He told the most trusted of his trusted circle, his wife, Ruth, that hed have to take a 25 per cent pay cut if he went ahead with the resignation. She rejoined that the family budget would simply have to adjust. Related Article Exclusive

Political leadership The meeting where Dutton and Hasties relationship fell apart He phoned Ley at 7.45am on Friday last week to tell her he was quitting the shadow ministry. He resigned on the principle that he would not be able to observe cabinet solidarity. He felt too strongly about immigration to stay shtum. He told Ley that hed be doing media after the call. Ley asked him to postpone until 5pm so as not to detract from her days program. He agreed. The next day, he called a press conference to disavow any intention to challenge her for the leadership and to express his support for Ley. He has since declined a blizzard of media invitations.

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So Hastie is not hostile to Ley. She should take comfort from the fact that theres no unified bloc against her. The party is still divided, hes told confidants. But he is now setting up in competition to her. He intends to use his backbench latitude to make calibrated and principled statements about matters he cares about. He is staking out a more conservative ground than Ley. In this way, hes also in competition with the leader of the Liberals conservative faction, Angus Taylor. Because Taylor, opposition defence spokesman, must respect cabinet solidarity while Hastie is free to move to the right of his leaders. Related Article Factional politics Liberal Party factions: The split in the Right that is reshaping the political landscape Hastie respects Leys mandate to lead and Taylors seniority in the party. His name is something of a misnomer; he is not in any haste. This is sensible. The Liberals are in a dire electoral position and the party is riven with internal resentments. To assume the leadership today is a political suicide mission. So the second theory  of the schemer hatching a plot  is closer to the truth. But he lacks the hostility and the intemperance of the typical leadership plotter. He resigned on a point of principle, and hes notable in his exercise of restraint.

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At 43, Hastie has plenty of time. He plans to invest much of it in his young family while developing both his social media profile and his substantial policy profile. On climate change (he opposes net zero), on housing policy, on productivity. But above all, on immigration. Hastie aroused a lot of fear and suspicion with a line in a 17-slide Instagram post on immigration last month: Were starting to feel like strangers in our own home. This recalled the infamous anti-immigration speech of British Conservative Party firebrand MP Enoch Powell in 1968. In his Rivers Of Blood speech, Powell described a future in which Britons found themselves made strangers in their own country. Hastie doesnt want to shut down the immigration program. But hes not Robinson Crusoe in wanting to cut it. Thats the stated intention of both the Albanese government and Leys Coalition. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley in Sydneys Little India on September 7, after senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the government was bringing in large numbers of Indian migrants because they voted for Labor. Sitthixay Ditthavong After two COVID years with zero immigrants, the intake staged a two-year catch-up that added almost a million people to the population. There is an unspoken Canberra consensus that this was predictable yet poorly managed, a serious mistake. The intake is now falling.

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Hastie, however, wants to cut harder and faster than the Liberal leadership is prepared to. He wants to return the level of net overseas migration to its scale of about a decade ago. Meaning a halving from its 2023-24 level, which was 446,000. Temporary foreign students accounted for 207,000 of these. Hastie thinks universities are abusing the international student system to make easy cash. He sees it as ripe for a major pruning. Related Article Opinion

Political leadership Sussan Ley will be challenged, but Libs may resist this Hastie elevation James Massola Chief political commentator He does not want to hack into the permanent intake of new settlers. Indeed, his own electorate of Canning in Western Australia is rich with immigrants from Britain, India, the Philippines and elsewhere. One of the immigrants is his wife, Ruth, now an Australian, whom he met in her native US. But whats the point of migrating to Australia if you cant buy a home? he says to colleagues. I want to make the Australian dream sustainable. If we dont act, we can expect anger and frustration, he wrote in his Instagram effort. We might even die as a political movement.

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The final slide in this stack cites late Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna as a source of inspiration for political strategy: If you no longer go for a gap that exists, youre no longer a racing driver. Hes going for the gap. Otherwise, Pauline Hansons One Nation seems the likely beneficiary of rising frustration with immigration levels. So far, Australian politics has remained remarkably and gratefully immune to the xenophobia and sensationalism of Farage and Donald Trump and Alternative for Germany and Marine Le Pen and the rest. One Nations share of the primary vote at the May election was 6.4 per cent, a gain of a bit over one percentage point on the 2022 election. In Hasties seat, it was 11.4 per cent this year, a doubling of its share. Hastie intends that he, not Hanson, will be riding the train of nativist immigration policy. In contrast to Hanson, Hastie is no racist. He uses his experience in his fathers church as a model for successful multiculturalism. He grew up in multicultural Ashfield in Sydneys inner west, where his dad was a Presbyterian pastor. The church ran a roster of services in English, in Mandarin, in Korean, in Samoan. It was a harmonious congregation of many nationalities, bound by common values.

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But wait. As opposition leader, Peter Dutton did go to the polls promising a major cut to the immigration intake. It certainly didnt protect him from a thrashing of historic proportions. So what makes Hastie think it could work electorally in the future if it proved so ineffectual in the recent past? We didnt talk about it, Hastie told the ABCs Patricia Karvelas recently. The problem wasnt the policy but the marketing of it, he says. He sees the oncoming train of a nativist, populist movement heading for Australias shores regardless of the evidence of election day, 2025. If so, he should beware the rejoinder to the Dominic Cummings line in the Brexit movie. Be careful what you wish for. You wont be able to control it either. Peter Hartcher is political editor. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
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Updated WorldEuropeNobel Prize Venezuelas Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, sparking White House anger David Crowe Updated October 11, 2025  1:05am ,first published October 10, 2025  5:04pm 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 130 View all comments

London: Venezuelan campaigner Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work defying dictatorship in her home country, triggering angry criticism from allies of US President Donald Trump who believe he should have won because of his efforts to end the war in Gaza. Trump has openly sought the prize this year and one of his top aides rebuked the Nobel Committee for its decision, but Machado responded by partly dedicating the award to the president for his support for democracy in her country. Maria Corina Machado has won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Bloomberg Machado is in hiding in Venezuela after campaigning for free and fair elections for more than two decades, and she has refused to leave the country even as 8 million of her fellow citizens have fled autocratic rule. Born in 1967, she trained in engineering and finance before entering politics in 2002, and she gained support as an opposition candidate for the presidency last year. The government barred her from running, and in August last year she went into hiding.

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Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes praised her as a woman who kept the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness in her country and around the world. Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America, he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Donald Trump to be given the award. Bloomberg Ms Machado has been a key unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided, an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government. Machado was briefly detained by authorities in January, when she attended a rally calling for fair elections, but she managed to return to hiding and remains in touch with Edmundo Gonzalez, recognised by the US and other nations as the rightful winner of last years presidential election.

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In a video released by the Nobel Committee that showed Machado being told of the award by phone, she struggled for some moments to find the words to respond to the news. Related Article Explainer

Nobel Prize How do you win a Nobel Prize? Thank you so much. I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person, she said. I certainly do not deserve this. Oh my god. Nobel Committee secretary Olav Njolstad replied: I think both the movement and you deserve it.

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Asked on Thursday about his chances of winning the prize, Trump said he had ended eight wars including the conflict in Gaza but that he had not done so to win the award. Theyll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine, he said of the Nobel Committee. I know this: I didnt do it for that, I did it because I saved a lot of lives. Displaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP The White House rebuked the Nobel Committee after the award was revealed, saying Trump had made peace deals, ended wars and saved lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will, said White House spokesman Steven Cheung, a long-time aide to the president.

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The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. Machado, however, thanked Trump for his support for democracy in Venezuela. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy, she wrote on X. Machado with supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caraca. AP I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

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In choosing Machado, the Nobel Committee pushed back at Trumps campaign for the prize but awarded the honour to a campaigner who shares Trumps interest in replacing the autocrat who rules her country. Machado became one of Venezuelas most vocal opponents of Hugo Chavez during his presidency from 1999 until his death in 2013, and she kept this up when he was replaced by his vice president, Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled since 2013. Democratic leaders including then-US president Joe Biden condemned Maduro as a dictator when he used violence and electoral fraud to shut down the national assembly and deny the outcome of last years election. Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro in recent days after sending warships, a submarine and F-35 stealth fighters to stop drug shipments from Venezuela to the US. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Maduro as a fugitive from American justice because US authorities want to bring him to trial. The US has placed a $US50 million reward on his head so he can face charges over narcotics trafficking.

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The Nobel Committee made no comment about Trump but emphasised Machados work in defending the principles of popular rule and the acceptance of democratic outcomes even when citizens disagreed. Maria Corina Machado holds up tally sheets during a protest against the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro. AP At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground, it said. In August, Trump made a surprise phone call to Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO secretary-general, and said he wanted the prize. Critics have disputed his claims about ending eight wars, noting, for instance, that war continues between Congo and Rwanda despite his claims about peace. India does not accept that Trump ended its recent conflict with Pakistan. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev jointly endorsed Trump for the prize in August for his role in ending their conflict.

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Related Article Analysis

Israeli-Palestinian conflict Trumps Gaza deal is a welcome ceasefire. Now for the tricky bit While the award is decided by an independent committee of five at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, the members are elected by the Norwegian parliament and are connected by that process to the nations political leaders. Frydnes, the current chair of the Nobel Committee, is a human rights advocate who has worked with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and other non-government groups. Last years award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of survivors of the nuclear bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Previous recipients include Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian champion of equality and womens rights and Ales Bialiatski, a human rights advocate from Belarus. In 2021, it went to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia.

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Wealthy Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who funded the prize, stipulated in his will that it should go to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. When a journalist asked Frydnes on Friday in Oslo about the lobbying for this years prize, the Nobel Committee chair said there had been many campaigns for the prize over its long history. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what, for them, leads to peace, he said. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of Nobel laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel. 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.
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Analysis WorldMiddle EastIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Trumps 20-point plan to end Gaza war  and how it might still unravel Jotam Confino and Henry Bodkin October 10, 2025  9:53am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

London: Hamas and Israel have agreed to the first phase of Donald Trumps solution to the Gaza war. The deal represents a breakthrough on the path towards the US presidents ambitious 20-point plan for peace in the Middle East. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu appear to be on the same page, for now. Marija Ercegovac Under the terms, hostages will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have also agreed to withdraw troops in Gaza to an agreed line. That leaves most of the rest of the plan, including a stabilisation force, aid and a future Palestinian state, to be negotiated.

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Here are the 20 points and how they could begin to unravel. Point 1 Gaza will be a deradicalised, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours. Along with recovering the hostages, ridding Gaza of terrorists was the Israeli key war aim. As for deradicalisation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that Israel has little faith in the Palestinian Authority  which is ultimately destined to take control of Gaza under the plan  to deradicalise the population, with measures such as changing the school curriculum. However, he expressed confidence that the Trump plan and the transitional authority was worth a try.

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Point 2 Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. A vague point but important given that the first time Trump and Netanyahu stood together in the White House this year the president suggested displacing the population and redeveloping the Gaza Strip into a rich mans paradise. Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City. AP Point 3 If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal. Withdrawal lines have been sticking points in previous negotiations.

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However, those set out in the map released by the White House on Monday were presumably tempting for Hamas to accept, as they would oblige the IDF to withdraw from Gaza City and other key strongholds, where Hamas was under heavy assault. Point 4 Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned. This reflects the changed thinking in Israeli and US corridors of power since the previous round of negotiations broke down in July. Namely, that a further programme of staged hostage releases simply would not fly. Steve Witkoff, Trumps diplomatic envoy, tried to reheat the January-February ceasefire deal many times, after all, without success. Einav Zangauker (blue jacket), the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, celebrates the news of the deal. Getty Images

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An agreement to exchange hostages and Palestinian prisoners was reached on October 9. Point 5 Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life-sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. Although it is a large number already, there were fears Hamas could delay a deal by arguing for more. Ultimately, however, there would not be a deal without this. Palestinian Raed al-Saadi, 57, right, and other prisoners are greeted by a crowd after being released from an Israeli prison following a ceasefire agreement in January. AP

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Point 6 Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. Netanyahu previously offered exile to Hamas members, saying in March that Hamas leaders will be allowed to leave Gaza. But his promise was made in relation to Trumps plan for voluntary migration of Gazans and Israel has killed all but one of Hamass senior leadership in Gaza. Israel killed a string of Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar (pictured). AP Point 7 Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the Jan 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.

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Point 8 Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the Jan 19, 2025, agreement. Israel will have to allow aid to enter the Strip, as the rest of the plan will be largely pointless if the people of Gaza continue to go hungry. Whatever they sign up to, Israel knows that it will retain control over the inflow of aid and can impose restrictions at the Jordanian and Egyptian borders, or entry points to Gaza. However, the plan does not suggest which countries will be in charge of the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied Israel was acting out a starvation policy. AP

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Point 9 Gaza will be governed under the temporary, transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the Board of Peace, which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including former prime minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including president Trumps peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment. This is arguably the bitterest pill Netanyahu has to swallow  the long-term potential of Palestinian Authority control of the Strip, however vague. Trump acknowledged that in the press conference. But this, it seems, a price the Arab partners demanded, and it is one Trump was determined that he paid. At one time, the idea of Gaza being run by the US president along with former British prime minister Tony Blair might have been mistaken as a particularly bad joke but we are in a new reality. Then British Prime Minister Tony Blair with then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for talks in 1998. Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were in London to break an earlier stalemate. AP

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Indeed, it is Trumps direct oversight of the postwar transition process  stopping Israel dragging its heels on military withdrawal  that may be a key factor securing Arab and indeed Hamas support. Point 10 A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energise Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesise the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza. Point 11 A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries. It wouldnt be a Trump plan if there wasnt strong economic incentives. The list of countries waiting to donate billions of pounds to reconstruct Gaza is long, making this point the least contentious. Arab Gulf nations such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have already pledged to donate, while European nations will do the same.

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Trading is trickier as Israel will probably insist on controlling all goods entering Gaza until it is sure that Hamas is no longer active in the enclave but it will be considered in Israels interests, by its moderates, to see Gaza prosper economically once a transitional government manages to uproot Hamas and take full control of the Strip. Point 12 No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. It is almost as if Trumps February Middle East Riviera press conference never happened. Elements in Israel had already begun planning where the first Jewish settlements would be situated in Gaza. What role the UN will play in helping run the postwar Gazan society is an open question. Israel detests UNRWA, which has acted as a proxy civil service for decades, but a handful of whose members took part in the attack on October 7. Trump also labelled them corrupt.

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As for the Palestinians who want to leave Gaza, the most important question remains unanswered: which countries will take them in? Point 13 Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarisation of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbours. This was the technical grist on the pathway to peace. The independent monitors are key here, as otherwise Israel could be tempted  perhaps under pressure from the ultranationalist coalition members  to slow the process by unilaterally deciding that a certain district or area has not demilitarised. However, it is still likely that Israel will retain a certain amount of control over Gaza with this process. It is ultimately their security at stake, after all. Point 14 A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbours or its people.

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Point 15 The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalise Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties. This will be one of the more difficult elements for Netanyahu to sell at home. Related Article Updated

Israeli-Palestinian conflict New genocide finding against Israel as major Gaza City assault begins What started with the October 7 massacre, ending with, potentially, Arab boots on the ground in Israels backyard will not go down well with everyone. However, it does mean that the exhausted IDF does not have to remain in Gaza permanently, a big relief to both the young men and women of Israel, who are called to serve on the front line, and its commanders.

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No process of deradicalisation and demilitarisation is ever entirely successful, so the strength of this new policing model will be crucial. A lot will be determined by the long-term commitment of outside nations to make it work. Point 16 Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarisation that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat. The dreams of Netanyahus coalition partners are explicitly dashed here. But it could be a long process. It is not impossible that this collapses the governing coalition, prompting elections where alterations to the deal could be on the agenda. But it gives Netanyahu an easy way out of a major headache that would see Israel in violation of international law while being responsible for the lives of two million Palestinians. Smoke rises after explosions in the Gaza Strip as seen from a position on the Israeli side of the border on August 31. Getty Images

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An occupation of Gaza would cost Israel billions of dollars every month to sustain, while putting enormous pressure on an already exhausted army. Israel was expected to insist on being the one deciding when to declare terror-free areas. But there are question marks over the timeframe for handing over responsibility to the international force and whether the force is ready to fight Hamas if it resurfaces in the terror-free zone. On the plus side, from Israels point of view, the IDF will keep the security perimeter it claimed since October 7. Point 17 In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF. This denies local Hamas leaders of derailing the whole process. However, the prospect of disarmament, deradicalisation and IDF withdrawal taking place successfully in one area while fighting continues in another seems hard to contemplate.

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Gaza is not a large area, after all. But this clause illustrates the commitment of the White House to drive the process forward. Point 18 An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasising the benefits that can be derived from peace. Who could argue with this? Except perhaps the Israelis and the Palestinians, the former still deeply wounded from October 7, the latter having endured what they see as a genocide. Loading Point 19 While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.

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This almost directly reflects the language the Saudi Arabia et al have spoken for years as their price for recognising Israel. It is a huge coup for the Palestinian Authority (even if they arent named in this particular clause). And a huge blow for Netanyahu, who has built his career on preventing Palestinian statehood. However, a credible pathway is a long way from a state. Point 20 The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence. This is extremely vague and, it could be argued, covered off by previous more concrete points. But a laudable aim, nonetheless, particularly after the polarisation of the last two years. The Telegraph, London Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.
MAPUTO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources Fernando Rafael has said that the government will, throughout the current five-year governance plan, invest in strategic water infrastructure to boost access to clean water and proper sanitation.

"The government is strongly committed to the construction and rehabilitation of strategic hydro infrastructures, including dams, small dams, dikes, and retention systems, which have a direct impact on the productive sectors, particularly agriculture and industry," the minister said Thursday at the Ministry Coordination Council.

According to the minister, the government will install 154 water systems and 133,000 new connections in villages and rural areas by the end of the current term, Radio Mozambique reported.

"The combination of these actions to expand access to clean water, increasing national coverage from the current 62 percent to 68 percent, and sanitation coverage from 37 percent to 47 percent, benefiting 5.6 million people across the country," added the minister.

The government's plan will also address the country's limited water storage capacity, a factor that exacerbates Mozambique's vulnerability to extreme events, including cyclical droughts. 
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR) has launched the construction of a railway expansion project, connecting an industrial park on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to the main Ethiopia-Djibouti railway line.

EDR Chief Executive Officer Takele Uma, addressing the launching event on Thursday, said the new project is the official start of EDR's journey in connecting the railway line with industrial parks, free trade zones, agro-processing zones, and logistics centers by utilizing domestic engineering expertise.

"In addition to jointly and successfully constructing the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, along with Ethiopia and Djibouti, our Chinese brothers have been actively working with us in managing and operating the railway line for six years," Uma said.

In May last year, the Chinese management contractors of the Ethiopia-Djibouti standard gauge railway officially handed over the railway's management and operation to Ethiopia and Djibouti after six years of successful experience-sharing operations.

According to Uma, the newly launched construction of a three-km railway line connecting AMG Industrial Park on the outskirts of Addis Ababa to the main railway line is set to be completed within the coming six months, which will eventually mark "a major milestone" in EDR's capability to undertake major railway infrastructure construction projects using local expertise and capacity.

"This railway construction project is a pioneering and unique testament to our homegrown revolution, one that we are designing and constructing with our own engineers and expertise. Going forward, our ambition is to carry out similar railway construction projects in Ethiopia and beyond, across the African continent," the EDR chief added.

According to EDR, the construction of the new project, which will be fully executed by EDR engineering experts, from design and project management to full-scale construction, represents "a massive step forward" for local expertise and capacity building in the sector.

It said the "historic move" will inject new impetus into EDR's aspiration to transport industrial products and other export commodities directly from industrial facilities to ports at an "unmatched speed and service."

Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics Alemu Sime said that as Ethiopia officially commenced the implementation phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement through initial exports of its key commodities to other African nations, the government has placed considerable emphasis on promoting regional economic integration. Expanding railway and other critical infrastructure is a crucial element of the East African country's goal to enhance regional integration.

"The construction of this railway line, which will be entirely executed using our domestic capacity from design to construction, demonstrates that Ethiopia's initiative to achieve prosperity through self-reliance is yielding positive results," he said.

The minister said that as the country's first-ever privately financed railway construction project, the newly launched expansion project lays the foundation for EDR and the two connected countries' economic future.

Jointly constructed by China Railway Engineering Corporation and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the 752-km standard-gauge railway, also known as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, is Africa's first electrified transboundary rail line. 
The 76th Session of the Harmonized System Committee (HSC) concluded with remarkable achievements and continued progress in ensuring the consistent interpretation and application of the Harmonized System.

Held from 17 to 26 September 2025 for discussions and on 3 October 2025 for the reading of the report, the session brought 74 Members, representing 73 countries and the European Union, under the chairmanship of Mr. Tom Beris (United States).

In his opening remarks, the Chairperson warmly welcomed El Salvador and Jamaica, which had recently become new Contracting Parties to the Harmonized System Convention. He underlined the vital role of the Committee in providing clear and consistent guidance that supports administrations and stakeholders in the correct and uniform application of the Harmonized System (HS).

The Committee produced outstanding results over the two-week session, demonstrating strong engagement and collaboration among Members. The agenda included the following achievements:

Examination of 71 agenda items

40 classification decisions

Two amendments to the HS 2022 Explanatory Notes

Creation of 21 new Classification Opinions and deletion of two existing Opinions

In addition, the Committee initiated discussions on the development of the Correlation Tables between the HS 2028 and HS 2022 editions and adopted an improved format of the Table presenting the correlation between the HS 2022 and 2028 editions, with the aim of enhancing clarity and usability. These Tables will serve as an essential reference tool for the effective implementation of the HS 2028 amendments.

The session also included the election of a new Chairperson for the next two sessions. Mr. Taufik Ismail (Indonesia) was elected Chairperson for the 77th and 78th Sessions of the Committee.

The delegations and the WCO Secretariat expressed their sincere appreciation to Mr. Tom Beris for his outstanding leadership and dedication during his tenure as Chairperson, covering the 73rd to 76th Sessions.

The next (77th) Session of the HSC is scheduled to be held in March 2026 at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
36-year-old Sasha Borman, of Madison, Indiana, was found dead on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 after being reported missing on Sunday, Oct. 5 in Jefferson County. (Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)
PHNOM PENH, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 596,341 tons of milled rice to international markets in the first nine months of 2025, up 33.7 percent from 445,913 tons over the same period last year, according to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) on Friday.

The Southeast Asian nation made almost 409 million U.S. dollars in revenue from the exports of milled rice from January to September this year, up 21.9 percent from 335.4 million dollars over the same period last year, the CRF said in a news release.

Fifty-seven companies had shipped milled rice to 69 countries and regions during the above-mentioned period this year, the news release said, adding that China was still one of the key buyers of the commodity.

The kingdom exported 143,187 tons of milled rice to China during the first nine months this year, earning gross revenue of 85 million dollars, the news release said.

CRF's secretary general Lun Yeng said 68.81 percent of the exported rice was fragrant rice, 16.18 percent was white rice, 2.44 percent was parboiled rice, 1.88 percent was organic rice, 10.13 percent was broken rice, and 0.56 percent was other types of rice. 
Ronald Exantus was released from prison last week after serving less than half off his 20-year prison sentence for Logan Tipton's death in 2015.
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Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn receives the credential presented by the new Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei at the Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 10, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday said that Thailand is willing to expand exchanges and cooperation with China to benefit the people of both countries and promote prosperity and development in the region and the world. The king made the remarks when he received the credential presented by Zhang Jianwei. (Bureau of the Royal Household/Handout via Xinhua)

BANGKOK, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday said that Thailand is willing to expand exchanges and cooperation with China to benefit the people of both countries and promote prosperity and development in the region and the world.

The king made the remarks when he received the credential presented by the new Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei in the Dusit Palace in Bangkok.

Thailand and China are friendly neighbors, and the two peoples share a bond of brotherhood, the king said, emphasizing that Thailand is willing to expand exchanges and cooperation with China at the bilateral, regional, and international levels.

Zhang said China and Thailand are good neighbors, good friends, good relatives and good partners, adding that China has attached great importance to developing friendly relations with Thailand.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Thailand, Zhang said China is committed to implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and achieving more fruitful results in building the China-Thailand community with a shared future. 
Man convicted of killing a 15-year-old girl in her home in 2001 is executed by injection in Indiana
Youre in! New wave of high school seniors receives direct admittance, scholarships to WSU

October 10, 2025

OGDEN, Utah  One year after its rollout, an initiative that automatically admits high school seniors and provides upfront scholarships continues to make the path to college clearer and more affordable.

Direct Admissions, first introduced last October, gives every high school senior in Weber, Davis, and Morgan counties a college acceptance letter paired with applicable financial aid and scholarship information.

Students are admitted to Weber State, Davis Technical College, and Ogden-Weber Technical College. After that, all thats left is filling out a confirmation of interest form to learn how to get started at each school.

Last week, nearly 10,000 high school seniors received their acceptance letters via email. Of those, more than 4,100 were also offered scholarships based on their academic records, giving them the opportunity to enroll at WSU with a scholarship already in-hand.

Before coming to college, one thing students are most concerned about is finances, said Jessica Oyler, vice president of Student Access & Success. Having scholarship and aid information right out of the gate means students can see that getting started is possible.

New this year, scholarship offers include the percentage of tuition and fees each award covers, giving students a clearer picture of their costs and the value of their scholarship.

The direct admissions initiative saves time by removing the need for application fees and forms, which can be a barrier for students. This means students have fewer steps to navigate before getting started.

Close collaborations like this make it easier for students to learn about their local education options. The goal is to not only make it easier to start college, but also continue. Through the TechTransfer program, students whove completed a certificate at a technical school can earn credit toward their associate or bachelors degree at WSU.

Removing hurdles can clear the way for people who mayve thought college was just out of reach, Oyler said. It sends a powerful message to students who may not have pictured themselves in college that they belong here, and that Weber State is excited to help them take the next step.
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two terrorists were killed in a joint operation by police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, police said on Friday.

The intelligence-based operation was conducted in the Domail area of Bannu district in KP, Deputy Inspector General of the District Police Sajjad Khan said in a statement.

The slain terrorists were wanted in several cases. One of them was identified as the mastermind of an attack that killed four CTD officials, according to police.

A cache of weapons, hand grenades and organizational material was seized during the operation. Security forces later launched a search in the area to trace accomplices, police added.

The officer vowed to continue operations until the region was cleared of militants. 
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar (R) meets with his Afghan counterpart Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, India, Oct. 10, 2025. Jaishankar on Friday announced the reopening of India's embassy in Kabul. (UNI/Handout via Xinhua)

NEW DELHI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday announced the reopening of India's embassy in Kabul.

Jaishankar made the announcement during his opening remarks at the meeting with visiting Afghan counterpart Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi.

Muttaqi arrived in India on Thursday for a week-long visit to hold talks aimed at fostering bilateral ties and securing diplomatic recognition.

He will be discussing diplomatic, trade and economic ties with the Indian counterparts.

The Afghan delegation will also meet representatives of the Indian business community. 
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Isabel Hayes

A man who robbed a service station in 2013 was charged eight years later after he was caught trying to rob the same garage again.

Brian Comiskey (46) was initially arrested in 2013 after his Valentine's Day robbery of the Texaco service station in Shankill, Co Dublin, featured on RTE's Crimecall, and gardai received an anonymous tip-off. However, there wasn't enough evidence to charge him with the crime, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday.

Some eight years later, in 2021, Comiskey was spotted by an off-duty detective walking into the same service station armed with a hammer, wearing a face covering and latex gloves.

He was apprehended before he could take any money, and while being taken to a garda station, he told gardai that he had robbed the same service station back in 2013.

This confession was not admissible, and Comiskey stood trial in relation to the 2013 charges earlier this year. However, he entered guilty pleas shortly into the trial process.

Comiskey, of Northway Estate, Finglas, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery at the Texaco service station in Shankill on February 14, 2013 and to one count of burglary on the same day at Centra, also in Shankill. He has 45 previous convictions, including robbery, burglary, possession of knives and public order offences.

Sergeant Bernard Dunne told Simon Matthews BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question in 2013, Comiskey entered the Centra and rooted around the staff room without any of the workers noticing. He took a screwdriver and left the store.

He then went to the Texaco service station, where he brandished the screwdriver and demanded money from the worker there, leaving the scene with 700 in cash.

The crime featured on Crimecall and Comiskey was named as a suspect and arrested, but there wasn't enough evidence to charge him until his admission in 2021. He was sentenced to one year in jail for the 2021 robbery offence and was released from custody in 2023.

Emmet Nolan BL, defending, said this prison sentence spurred Comiskey to do significant work on himself and he has not come to garda attention since his release from custody.

He is ashamed and embarrassed by his behaviour, Mr Nolan said. At the time of the 2013 offence, he said Comiskey was in the grips of addiction and leading a chaotic lifestyle.

He is now clean of all drugs and in steady employment. He had a sum of 350 in court as a token of remorse.

Judge Martina Baxter adjourned the case to December 18 for finalisation.
No final decision has been made on the preferred route for the controversial Belclare to Murrisk greenway, engineers from Mayo County Council told members of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District last week.

During a lengthy discussion on the project, which first went to public consultation in May 2022, local councillors John OMalley, Brendan Mulroy and Chris Maxwell urged the council to bring the greenway alongside the R335 road from Westport to Louisburgh, rather than pursue the stated preferred option, which would cut through private land.

However, over the course of the discussion, it emerged that up to 200 private properties might be impacted by running the greenway along the R335, meaning that proposal could result in even more compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) than the cross-country option.

Phase three of the project - design and environmental evaluation on the preferred route - is ongoing and will not be completed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) until the middle of next year. It is one of eight phases with the fourth being the statutory planning process.

Voicing opposition to the preferred cross-country option, Independent Cllr John OMalley said Taoiseach Micheal Martin had recently told the Dail that TII should "accommodate farmers who dont want their land split by greenway projects.

I ask you please to go out the road and get it done that way because I have a vision of what will happen if someone goes up through that land and its not going to be nice. There will be hostility in the area for years and you dont know what will happen to people using it.

Fianna Fail Cllr Brendan Mulroy said the time delays around the project were only allowing things to fester, adding: This situation is already controversial. Now you say phase three will go on to the end of 2026 and thats just a forecast, so we are looking at another year and a half before it does or does not come before us again. That is another year and a half of speculation and innuendo. This is not helping the situation and is creating a lot of bad blood between people. The time-frame is disappointing and I was of the view we would at least have the route determined by now.

Independent Ireland Cllr Chris Maxwell said: Farmers from Roonagh in have told me none of them want it on their land there and they will spend the next 20 years in court fighting ye. This has caused heartache and mental anguish, 18 months of torture put in by people in their seventies and eighties, people crying.

"The fact is everyone here wants a greenway to join up to Roonagh and beyond, but we want it go to back along the main road. Its done like that all over the country and is working perfect. The road itself is in a diabolical state so why cant TII upgrade the R335 also and get the two projects done together?

Cathaoirleach Cllr Peter Flynn said he was stunned to hear about the delays.

It will be another year at least before we are back to planning. The longer this goes on the more it festers. I know you have processes to go through, but this just seems to be really drawn out.

However, the Cathaoirleach also cautioned members against causing the greenway project to collapse, stating: This issue has already raised so many passionate debates over the last two years but it is clear we all want to see it developed to Roonagh and on to Achill. What we have to remember is we have an opportunity here to connect all of these greenways, from Clew Bay to Erris over to Sligo and back to Galway. We really can create something special and we need TII to be with us and to recognise this money is coming through and we would not have our facilities today without their funding.

Members were advised that council representatives had engaged extensively with landowners along the preferred cross-country route.

Senior Engineer Paul Hyland added: Its very hard to know how this is going, it is all very emotive. We have had constructive engagement with some landowners, others we just give the information to consider and others say they absolutely do not want to discuss this process with us.

"What I can continue to stress is if a landowner wants to effect any potential change on his land - whether it is for the least impact on his boundary, front or rear, and we can locate the greenway accordingly - then we can mitigate and we are open to these conversations. But if you dont discuss or at least allow the information be imparted to you, of course there will be fears.

Director of Services Joanne Grehan told members: We cannot forget what a project like this can deliver to a region like this. Failte Ireland have committed in their new strategy to investing in the northern part of the west coast so that we can draw visitors north of the Dublin-Galway line. They have already invested over 20 million to this end in Westport Estate. When people come to the county they want a variety of things to see and do and by investing in tourism such as greenways, or in keeping the Croagh Patrick path in good repair through conservation works, that is how we magnetise visitors here and I ask members not to forget this please.

She concluded: If this greenway is completed, it would attract up to 700,000 visitors and 16 million in the next ten years to the local economy. It would be remiss of me not to say this. It is very difficult and emotive but Mayo is a leader of delivery in greenways and we have a good relationship with TII.
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani security forces killed 30 militants during a large-scale operation in the Orakzai district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, days after an attack that left several soldiers dead, the military said on Friday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement that the operation was launched in the Jamal Maya area of Orakzai following credible intelligence about the presence of militants involved in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

After an intense exchange of fire, all 30 militants were killed, the statement said, adding that the group was involved in orchestrating the "heinous incident" earlier in the week.

According to military sources, terrorists attacked a group of soldiers in the district during a search operation on Tuesday in which 11 soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel and a major-ranked officer, were killed.

"These successful operations have avenged the attack and brought the main perpetrators to justice," said the ISPR.

The ISPR added that clearance operations are continuing in the surrounding areas to eliminate any remaining militants.

Pakistani President Asif Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for their brave action against militants, stating that Pakistan's continued success in the fight against terrorism reflects its unwavering resolve. 
A Mayo student at Trinity College has gained significant recognition at the worlds leading academic awards programme for undergraduate research.

The Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA) announced Caoilfhinn Plunkett from Castlebar as a winner of the highly commended award at the All-Ireland summit event held on Thursday at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin.

One of just four Irish students to be recognised this year, Caoilfhinn was awarded for her project Analysing Whether Student Experiences of Using TooGoodToGo Support a Sustainable Food Transition in Dublin in the Earth and Environmental category.

The Global Undergraduate Awards programme sees the best 10% of submissions deemed highly commended while regional winners are the highest-performing highly commended entrants from a GUA region in their category. The top submission in each category is deemed the global winner and awarded the Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal. Following an extensive judging process by 500 academics worldwide, the winners were selected from over 2,400 submissions spanning 348 universities in 99 countries across 25 categories.

We are delighted to celebrate these exceptional students and their achievements at the All-Ireland Awards event, said Jim Barry, chair of The Global Undergraduate Awards.

These awards celebrate the very best of undergraduate research from every corner of the world.

We are particularly proud to see Irish students once again recognised on the global stage, reflecting the strength of Irelands higher education sector, he added.
Members of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District have delivered a long to-do list to the head of Mayo Co Councils marine section.

Michael OBoyle attended last week's meeting to provide an update on marine developments along the Mayo coast and when he was finished the councillors had plenty of queries.

Cllr John OMalley told the Head of Marine that the slipway at Roscahill Pier near Kilmeena is deteriorating, saying: I had asked two or three years ago for something to be done but nothing had happened. It needs a lot of maintenance. The pier in Rosmindle is also not safe."

Cllr Sean Carey said a winch and retaining wall were needed at Porturlin Pier and a new pontoon was required at Blacksod. An application had been put in for one already and it was a bit frustrating how long it takes for progress to be made.

Cllr Gerry Coyle welcomed some great work being done at Porturlin but said: We need more proactive and effective works for removing algae from walls.

Cllr Coyle also wanted Tullaghan Pier looked at with a view to carrying out works.

Cllr Chris Maxwell said he was told by a fisherman there is a problem at Carramore Pier and it was a small job to sort out before it gets big and asked could the council also take a look at Lecanvey Pier.

In response, Mr O'Boyle said Roscahill Pier is on the list of works for next year.

Similarly we are working on the Tullaghan pontoon for next year. I want to replace the pontoon at Blacksod and there is a number of other pontoons in the north of the county we are working on.

The pontoon we put in at Dugort has been hugely successful. We want to work on the Blacksod one because of the Irish college and all the young people up there enjoying the water.

"We are applying for funding next year to develop pontoons so we are working on this and hope to have more of them for next year.

Work to make slipways around Mayo safer for both boat-users and others engaged in activities at piers is also ongoing, he said.

We are getting around to a lot more, they are a tricky issue and we need to keep improving. Fortunately the Municipal District staff here are very enthusiastic about this and we thank them for their help on this.
Two councillors joined forces at last weeks meeting of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District to call for an upgrade to a dangerous road on the Mayo/Roscommon border.

Independent councillors Patsy OBrien and Richard Finn requested that improvements be carried out on the R327 Carrownedian/Tulrahan road towards Culnacleha, citing the dangerous nature of bends and narrow stretches on this road, which is the main road between Claremorris and Cloonfad.

Mayo Co Council engineer John OMalley said strengthening and overlay works were carried out at Culnacleha in 2023 and 2024 and works will commence to overlay a further 1,500 metres at Tulrahan Bridge. However, he said that funding for these works did not cover widening corners and this would have to come via a Specific Grant from the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Cllr Finn said the road is dangerous because of the sudden changes in speed it forces upon motorists and it needs to be upgraded.

This is one of the worst roads in the county that is used by many road users, logistics companies and buses and is a major link road to Roscommon, he said. In one area you have a reasonable stretch where you can drive at the speed limit but it gets narrow and you drop to 30 or 40km. The residents have said this road needs immediate upgrades.

Cllr OBrien said he had canvassed this area during the general election campaign last November and the current state of the road was a concern for every household he visited.

We need to get that Specific Grant from the TII and we need to move this on a bit further, he said.

Cllr Alma Gallagher said she could wallpaper the council chamber with the representations she and her predecessor Cllr John Cribbin had received regarding this road.
Construction of the first phase of the Blacksod Bay Loop Scheme in Erris is set to start this month with completion due in November, members of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District were told last week.

Engineers from Mayo Co Council confirmed that a public consultation and environmental assessment is now complete and the construction contract has been awarded.

Cllr Sean Carey said the project will be a great asset to the area and has been welcomed with enthusiasm by locals, adding: This is a lovely part of the country to get opened up to cyclists and all as a shared space."

Cllr Gerry Coyle welcomed the consultation with people in advance and asked that the surface be tarmac and not concrete.

Members were advised that the section from Doohoma would be part of phase two of the scheme, with construction expected in the first quarter of 2026, subject to approval from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
Irish music sensation Kingfishr has officially sold out their highly anticipated two-night run at the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar  and they did it in just 45 minutes on Friday morning. With a large number of fans expected to attend the two concerts across the weekend of December 13/14, Castlebar is set to host one of the biggest live music events in the West of Ireland this year. These two December shows mark a major milestone for both Kingfishr and the TF Royal Theatre, highlighting the towns growing status as a key destination for major Irish music acts.

The atmosphere in Castlebar is expected to be electric all weekend, with local hotels, restaurants, and businesses preparing to welcome thousands of visitors in the lead-up to Christmas. Were absolutely thrilled to welcome Kingfishr for not one, but two sold-out nights here at the TF Royal Theatre, said Pat Jennings, Managing Director.

This year has been monumental for Kingfishr: they launched their debut album Halcyon in August, which went straight to No.a1 in the Irish Album Charts, while their smash hit single Killeagh held the No.a1 spot for ten weeks and has now been certified 10 Platinum in Ireland. Their 2025 schedule includes sold out headline shows at Dublins 3Arena in December, plus multiple dates in 2026 across the country already selling out.

The bands blend of powerful songwriting, soaring melodies, and unmistakably Irish sound has struck a chord with fans across the country  and these two nights promise to deliver a standout live experience in the heart of Mayo.

Events like this dont just bring music fans to Castlebar  they bring real economic benefit to the whole town, said Michael Yates, General Manager of the TF Royal Theatre.

Were expecting a major boost for local hotels, restaurants, pubs, and shops in the run-up to Christmas. Its a win for the venue, a win for the town, and a brilliant showcase of what Castlebar has to offer.
MOSCOW, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A MiG-31 fighter jet crashed in Russia's Lipetsk region on Thursday, with both pilots ejecting safely, TASS news agency reported.

"At about 19:20 Moscow time (1620 GMT), a MiG-31 aircraft crashed in the Lipetsk region while approaching for landing after a scheduled training flight. The crew ejected safely, and there is no threat to their lives," the Russian Ministry of Defense was quoted by TASS as saying.

The aircraft reportedly crashed in an uninhabited area and was not carrying any weapons during the flight. 
This long-exposure photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated TV Tower during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Visitors look at the illuminated TV Tower during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 9, 2025. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Visitors take selfies with the illuminated Brandenburg Gate during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 9, 2025. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated Brandenburg Gate during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Visitors take selfies with the illuminated Berlin Cathedral during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 9, 2025. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

This long-exposure photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated Berlin Cathedral during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

This long-exposure photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated TV Tower (R) and St. Mary's Church during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

This long-exposure photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated St. Mary's Church during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

A visitor takes photos of the illuminated Brandenburg Gate during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 9, 2025. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Photo taken on Oct. 9, 2025 shows the illuminated Brandenburg Gate during the 2025 Festival of Lights in Berlin, Germany. The 2025 Festival of Lights is held from Oct. 8 to 15 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)
OSLO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Denmark on Friday announced it will purchase 16 additional F-35 fighter jets for 29 billion Danish kroner (4.5 billion U.S. dollars), taking its future fleet to 43 aircraft, and will invest a further 27.4 billion Danish kroner to strengthen defense capabilities in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the F-35 decision also covers extra spares, weapons, simulators and training equipment.

Separately, under a "second partial agreement" on the Arctic and North Atlantic, Denmark -- in close coordination with the Greenlandic and the Faroese autonomous government -- will fund a new Arctic Command headquarters in Nuuk and a North Atlantic submarine cable linking Greenland and Denmark.

The package also includes two additional Arctic patrol ships, maritime patrol aircraft, more drones, access to icebreaker capacity, and a new air-warning radar in East Greenland.

"The Armed Forces' task is to ensure security across the Kingdom -- and, if necessary, to defend Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Denmark within NATO in all domains," Chief of Defense Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard said.

The government said it will present a plan in the near future for additional defense and security funding. (1 Danish krone = 0.16 U.S. dollar) 
BRASILIA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira held a phone conversation on Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss strengthening economic ties between the two countries, Brazil's Foreign Ministry said.

Both sides agreed that government teams will meet soon in Washington -- at a date yet to be determined -- to follow up on bilateral trade and economic issues, in line with directives from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The call followed Monday's phone conversation between Lula and Trump, during which the Brazilian leader urged the removal of U.S. tariffs on Brazilian products and the lifting of sanctions, including visa revocations affecting Brazilian officials.

Washington imposed an additional 50 percent tariff on a range of Brazilian goods in August, a move that strained bilateral relations.

Rubio invited Vieira to join the upcoming delegation to facilitate an in-person meeting between them.

A possible face-to-face meeting between Lula and Trump was also mentioned by the U.S. president during last month's UN General Assembly in New York, where the two leaders briefly greeted each other and agreed to hold broader talks later. 
Key Points

The energy sector is highly volatile, with oil prices often changing dramatically and quickly.

Chevron is a diversified energy giant that provides a high yield and material exposure to energy prices.

Enterprise Products Partners is a North American midstream giant with a lofty yield and a business model shielded from energy price volatility.

10 stocks we like better than Chevron 

There's a complex problem to solve when it comes to the energy sector and investing. Energy is vital, and there should probably be some exposure included in all diversified portfolios.

But energy prices tend to be volatile, with energy stocks often following along for the ride. If you are a dividend investor, however, there are two options for dealing with the volatility conundrum while still collecting a large and reliable income stream: Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD).

Chevron does it all -- while paying a reliable dividend

Chevron is what is known as an integrated energy company. That means it produces oil and natural gas in the upstream. It transports oil and natural gas in the midstream. And it processes oil and natural in the downstream, where it makes chemicals and refines the commodities into things like gasoline. Each segment of the industry operates differently through the energy cycle.

Image source: Getty Images.

That's important because when oil prices are weak, earnings in the upstream will suffer. But the downstream uses oil as an input, so it will often see a benefit from low oil prices.

All in, using an integrated model helps to smooth out the peaks and valleys inherent to the energy sector. That's a key part of how Chevron has been able to increase its dividend annually for 38 consecutive years.

If you have $1,000 to invest today, you can buy around six shares of the stock and collect an attractive 4.4% dividend yield. But that's not the whole story because Chevron also happens to have one of the strongest balance sheets among its closest peer group.

With a debt-to-equity ratio of just 0.2x (good for any company), Chevron has the capacity to take on debt during energy downturns. That allows it to support its dividend and business while oil prices are weak and, when oil prices recover, it pays down the debt in preparation for the next weak patch.

Simply put, Chevron knows how to survive the energy cycle.

Enterprise sidesteps commodity risk

While even conservative investors should feel pretty comfortable owning Chevron, there's still material exposure to commodity price volatility in the business. If you want to avoid that, you should look at Enterprise Products Partners, which operates solely in the midstream segment of the broader energy sector. It owns energy infrastructure assets like pipelines, storage, processing, and transportation facilities.
Lufthansa pilots have voted by a large majority in favour of strike action. But while nine out of 10 pilots support the strike, their union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) is doing everything it can to prevent one.

Pilots at Germanys largest passenger airline voted 88 percent in favour, and their colleagues at the freight division Lufthansa Cargo voted 96 percent in favour of strike action. More than 90 percent of eligible pilots took part in the ballot.

The widespread discontent expressed in the vote is directed particularly against the companys handling of employees occupational pensions. Since Lufthansa restructured the pension scheme in 2017, pilots have faced significant setbacks. The airline no longer guarantees the amount of pension benefits to be paid upon retirement but only guarantees to contribute to a company-managed fund at a fixed rate. Experience in recent years has shown that this change has substantially reduced pension levels. For this reason, the pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit is demanding a tripling of the employers pension contribution.

In addition, the market-based pension system is subject to all the fluctuations of the financial markets. Given the ongoing capitalist crisis, even a complete loss of pension funds is not an unrealistic scenario.

The cuts already implemented and those planned for the pilots flow directly into shareholders profits. According to its most recent annual report, Lufthansas net profit amounted to 1.4 billion. With a turnover of 37.6 billion, this represented a profit margin of around 4.4 percent.

But that is too little for the company. Starting in 2028, Lufthansa aims to raise its profit margin to between 8 and 10 percentsurpassing the historical results of the Lufthansa Group, as it promised at an investors conference in Munich. To this end, the company announced plans to cut 4,000 administrative jobs, further fuelling anger among employees. Many of these jobs are expected to be lost at the companys Frankfurt headquarters.

The job cuts are to be achieved through digitalisation, automation and the consolidation of workflows, including the use of artificial intelligence. Thus AItechnology that could in principle ease human labouris once again being used against workers in a profit-driven economy.

When Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter claims that an increase in company pension contributions is simply unaffordable, what he really means is that shareholders and executives intend to boost their own incomes at the expense of pilots jobs, wages and pensions. At the same time, Ritter threatened all pilots considering resistance: if they insisted on defending their pensions, there would be no alternative but to relocate further aircraft to more profitable operations.

This threat refers to a long-established practice by the company that has angered employees. By founding subsidiaries such as Discover Airlines and Lufthansa City Airlines (formerly CityLine), Lufthansa bypasses the collective agreements covering its core brand. Staff at CityLine, for example, are being told either to work under significantly worse conditions at Lufthansa City Airlinesor to leave.

The restructuring in the interests of shareholders affects more than 100,000 employees of the Lufthansa Group, which, in addition to the core Lufthansa brand (Germany), includes Austrian Airlines (Austria), Swiss (Switzerland), Brussels Airlines (Belgium), and ITA Airways (Italy).

Dividing the workforce between different airlinesand even within them, dividing administrative, ground and flight staffserves only to harm workers interests. If pilots, ground staff and administrative workers are to defend their jobs, wages and pensions, they must break through the narrow framework imposed by the unions. Whether VC, UFO (Independent Flight Attendants Organisation) or Verdi, all of these union organisations collaborate closely with corporate management and use their agreements to pave the way for further attacks.

VC itself agreed in 2017 to the conversion of the pension system from guaranteed benefits to fixed contributions. Eight years ago, after 14 pilot strikes, it also accepted that captains would retire at 60 instead of 55. In recent years, it has accepted 15 percent pay cutssomething that Arne Karstens, spokesperson for the bargaining committee, now laments while complaining about the companys ingratitude. UFO had already agreed to this for cabin crew in 2016. Lufthansa has thus saved billions, which have flowed into management bonuses and shareholder dividends.

On the fundamental issue, VC is now fully aligned with the company. We are sticking with the capital-market-oriented system, Karstens declared in an interview with aero.de. The level of the pension will not be guaranteed; what remains are guaranteed contributions. He complained that it is Verdi, not VC, that enjoys managements favour, even though pilots have caused the least strike costs since 2017.

The sectional union, founded by pilots over 50 years ago, supposedly as a less corrupt representative body, has shown itself today to be as bankrupt as Lufthansas house union Verdi and the other main unions. While nine out of 10 pilots have voted to strike, VC is doing everything possible to prevent it.

It is treating the result as nothing more than bargaining leverage in talks with management. The company must now finally present a negotiable offer on occupational pensions, says Karstens. The result is a strong signal of our members unity, declared VC President Andreas Pinheiro. The pilots stand firmly behind their demands and their bargaining committee.

This is false. The result is a strong signal to organise strike action. But VC is not doing so. The union has already held seven rounds of talks with Lufthansa management and, despite the strike vote, is now calling for an eighth.

Worldwide, workers are having the same experience. Union leaderships act as managements company police, isolating workers struggles instead of coordinating them. They defend the capitalist system and thus prevent genuine mobilisation and solidarity among workers.

In August, Air Canada flight attendants demonstrated their determination to fight by defying a government strike banbut their union, CUPE, sabotaged the action and shamefully capitulated to the government and company shortly afterwards. Only days ago, a Greek court banned air-traffic controllers and other aviation workers from participating in the general strike, and the unions accepted the decision.

The lessons for Lufthansa pilots and workers everywhere are clear. The fight for living wages and pensions and the defence of jobs cannot be left in the hands of VC, UFO, Verdi or any other nationalist and pro-capitalist union. Independent rank-and-file action committees must be formed, directly controlled by the workers themselves and coordinated across industries and national borders. These committees must base themselves on a political programme that rejects the subordination of human needs to corporate profit.

Most urgently, Lufthansa pilots must take the struggle out of the hands of the VC officials to prevent them from betraying it. VC does not want a strike. We call on all Lufthansa employees to contact us. Send us a WhatsApp message and fill in the form below to join an action committee.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom walks to the dais of the State Assembly during the assembly's Organizational Session in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. [AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli]

The signing of California Assembly Bill 715 (AB 715) by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 7 marks a milestone in the bipartisan campaign to criminalize political dissent and rewrite history in the service of imperialist policy. The timing of the bills signing, two years since the events of October 7 and the beginning of Gazas genocide, was no accident.

Passed under the fraudulent banner of antisemitism prevention, AB 715 embodies a reactionary fusion of state power, corporate censorship and Zionist ideology. It is part of a nationwide effort to equate opposition to the Israeli state with hatred of Jewish people, silencing criticism of the Gaza genocide and US imperialism in the Middle East.

The unanimous passage of AB 715 exposes the class character of American politics. In May, the Assembly approved it 680; the Senate followed 350; and the Assembly concurred 710. Not a single Democrat or Republican voiced objection. The progressive state that boasts of diversity and inclusion has united the entire establishment behind a law attacking freedom of speech, placing in grave danger academic freedom and democratic principles.

Unanimity among the ruling class is not progress but a warning. The American capitalist class achieves consensus when preparing war, abroad or at home. AB 715 is a declaration of war on democratic rights and public education, part of the ideological groundwork for dictatorship in the United States which will only facilitate the Trump administrations war on the working class.

Criminalizing anti-Zionism and political thought

Behind the humanitarian rhetoric of safe learning environments, AB 715 represents the most sweeping state intrusion into political expression in Californias history. The law establishes a new Office of Civil Rights (OCR) under the Government Operations Agency (of the executive branch) granting it vast powers to investigate, penalize and censor schools, teachers, students and curriculum providers. A governor-appointed Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator (APC), confirmed by the Senate, is authorized to shape curricula, with power to issue policy directives and propose legislation.

AB 715 amends the states Education Code to prohibit advocacy, personal opinion, bias, or partisanship in instruction and declares that discriminatory bias requires no direct harm or even a protected group member. This vague and sweeping language effectively criminalizes any viewpoint opposing official ideology. Teachers who discuss Israels origins, the Nakba, or the US-backed genocide in Gaza could be accused of antisemitic bias and face investigation or dismissal.

The law aligns Californias policy with the Biden administrations National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which endorses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Although AB 715 avoids naming IHRA directly, it adopts its logic wholesaleusing the guise of anti-hate enforcement to suppress anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide and socialist expression.

In an attempt to conceal the laws true purpose, Democrats broadened the bills scope by advancing the companion Senate Bill 48, signed by Newsom the same day, to include protections against discrimination based on religious beliefs, race and ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, an example of identity politics weaponized to erode democratic rights under a false egalitarian banner.

Civil liberties groups have condemned AB 715. The ACLU of California warned that it goes far beyond protecting students from harassment or violence and will chill constitutionally protected speech. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) denounced it for weaponizing anti-discrimination law to shield Israel from criticism.

Their warnings are justified: AB 715 explicitly defines discrimination to include vilification of Jews and Israelis and permits charges based on nationality, codifying the conflation of Zionism with Jewish identity and equating opposition to a colonial-settler state with hate.

Under AB 715, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)school districts and charter networksmust investigate and remedy any alleged bias they know or have reason to know has occurred, even without a complaint or evidence of harm. The state superintendent is empowered to impose corrective actions, fines and mandate the permanent removal of instructional materials deemed discriminatory.

These punitive powers extend beyond schools to private curriculum vendors and training providers, who must repay funds and publicly confess violations if their content is judged to promote discrimination. This modernized form of book burning embeds corporate-style content moderation into public education.

The state thus shifts from regulating educational quality to enforcing ideological conformity. Teachers are reduced to state functionaries, compelled to self-censor and monitor students speech. The result will be a profound chilling effect on classroom discussions, especially concerning war, genocide, imperialism and colonialism.

The Democrats leading role

AB 715 was spearheaded by Democratic Assemblymember Rick Zbur, a self-proclaimed liberal champion of civil rights, and signed with great fanfare by Governor Newsom, who declared it would make California a national model in the fight against hate. In reality, it makes the state a national model for government censorship allied with the political right.

The Democrats sponsorship of this law exposes the bipartisan nature of the assault on democratic rights. Despite their posturing against Trump and the far right, both parties share a common class goal: defending capitalism through repression. They are united in silencing criticism of US imperialism and its Israeli ally.

AB 715s authoritarian character is unmistakable. By erecting an apparatus of surveillance and punishment over teachers and students, the Democrats are actively collaborating with the Trump administration in wielding direct ideological control over education. The pretense of inclusivity masks the construction of mechanisms that can (and will) be turned against any expression of opposition to militarism, inequality, repression or dictatorship.

Just as the Biden administrations alliance with social media companies established frameworks to censor anti-war and socialist voices online, Californias civil rights law creates the administrative machinery for classroom censorship. The political logic is to stifle public dissent by redefining opposition to imperialism as hate.

Significantly, the role of the California Teachers Association (CTA) in this process exposes the complicity of the union bureaucracy with the Democratic Party. During a hearing before the Assembly Education Committee on May 14, 2025, CTA President David Goldberg issued only a tepid objection, stating that AB 715 raises serious free speech concerns, leaving teachers uncertain about what they can lawfully say in the classroom on a wide range of issues. At a time when too many are seeking to attack academic freedom and weaponize public education, AB 715 would unfortunately arm ill-intentioned people with the ability to do so.

Yet after this mild comment, the CTA fell silent. No organized campaign, no call to mobilize teachers or students, no public opposition followed. By refusing to mount a genuine struggle against the bill, the union leadership effectively abandoned hundreds of thousands of educators and students to state repression, confirming its role as an appendage of the Democratic Party and an enforcer of its political agenda.

The broader implications

The significance of AB 715 is not confined to questions of free speech. It is a frontal assault on public education itself. The law transforms schools into instruments of state ideology, where historical analysis must conform to the political needs of the ruling class.

At stake is not merely the right to discuss the crimes of Zionism or the genocide in Gaza, but the right to teach (and learn) history truthfully: the right to name imperialism, capitalism and class exploitation as the root causes of war and oppression. Under the new law, lessons on colonialism, racism or the origins of fascism may be censored as biased or partisan. Discussions of Marxism, anti-imperialist movements, or the revolutionary struggles of the working class could be deemed inappropriate or even unlawful.

This destruction of intellectual freedom is inseparable from the decay of American democracy as a whole. The same political forces that censor classrooms are gutting social spending, criminalizing protests, and preparing new wars abroad. The suppression of political speech in schools is not a separate issue but part of the ideological preparation for violent repression at home.

Genuine opposition to antisemitism cannot be entrusted to the capitalist state. It is inseparable from opposition to the Gaza genocide, nationalism, racism and imperialist war. Teachers, students and workers in California must recognize that no faction of the political establishment defends democratic rights. The trade unions, Democratic Partyand pseudo-left groups aligned with themhave all accepted censorship and imperialist propaganda.

The defense of free speech, academic freedom, public education and historical truth demands independent working class mobilization. Rank-and-file committees of educators and students must organize in every district to oppose AB 715, defend persecuted teachers and link the fight for socialism to the struggle for democratic rights and against war, austerity and inequality.
Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in Washington. [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein]

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Thursday that the Trump administration would fire air traffic controllers who failed to show up to work even though they are not being paid during the government shutdown. Duffys provocative comments came just days after the release of a draft White House memo stating that furloughed federal workers are not guaranteed compensation for their forced time off during the shutdown.

Friday is Day 10 of the government shutdown, which the Trump administration has used to accelerate its plans to fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers, eliminate entire agencies, gut entitlement programs and consolidate even more power in the hands of the presidency as part of Trumps plans to establish a police-military dictatorship.

Trump has relied on the cowardice and complicity of Democratic congressional leaders who have treated the crisis as routine haggling over programs, begging Republicans for a bipartisan deal that would provide funds for Trump to continue his fascist conspiracy.

An estimated 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have been forced to work without pay. Because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is at least 3,500 controllers short of its staffing targets, many controllers have been forced to work mandatory overtime and six-day weeks well before the shutdown.

Duffy denounced controllers who did not come to work, saying they were responsible for the estimated 15,000 flight delays since Monday. If we have a continual small subset of controllers that dont show up to work, and theyre the problem children, Duffy said on Fox Business. ... if we have some on our staff that arent dedicated like we need, were going to let them go. I cant have people not showing up for work.

Duffy added, Its a small fraction of people who dont come to work that can create this massive disruption, and thats what youre seeing rippling through our skies today.

Far from denouncing these threats, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) officials issued a statement warning its members that participating in a job action could result in removal from federal service and is illegal. In the eyes of the labor bureaucracy, it is completely legal to compel their members to work for nothing like slaves.

Air traffic controllers are facing the same problemsshort-staffing, grueling levels of overtime, antiquated equipmentthat provoked air traffic controllers to strike against the Reagan administration in 1981. The decision by Reagan to fire more than 11,000 strikers and smash the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) provoked massive opposition, with half a million workers marching in Washington D.C. and broadly supporting a general strike. But the AFL-CIO betrayed the struggle, sanctioning Reagans union busting and paving the way for decades of corporate-government attacks on the working class.

Trumps current attack on federal workers, however, goes far beyond PATCO.

Trump and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Voughta key architect of the right-wing Project 2025 playbookare operating like gangsters, gloating over the firing of thousands of federal workers and threatening to deny back pay to as many as 750,000 federal workers after the shutdown.

On Friday, Trump posted an AI-generated video with Vought as the Grim Reaper, with scenes of him carrying a scythe through Washington D.C. buildings as federal workers stand on unemployment lines.

Denying backpay to federal workers would be a blatant violation of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA), signed by Trump himself during the last government shutdown, which lasted a record 35 days. The law, known as GEFTA, has been widely interpreted as ensuring that furloughed workers automatically would be compensated after future shutdowns, an Axios report noted.

It continued: But the new White House memo from the Office of Management and Budget argues that GEFTA has been misconstrued or, in the words of one source, is deficient because it was amended nine days later, on Jan. 25, 2019.  [The amendment] added a phrase saying furloughed workers shall be compensated subject to the enactment of an appropriations Acts ending the lapse.  To the White House that means money for those workers needs to be specifically appropriated by Congress.

Asked Tuesday by a White House reporter whether it was the position of the administration that furloughed workers would get backpay, Trump responded like a Mafia boss: I would say it depends on who were talking about. I can tell you this, the Democrats have put a lot of people in great risk and jeopardy, but it really depends on who youre talking about. But for the most part, were going to take care of our people. There are some people that really dont deserve to be taken care of, and well take care of them in a different way.

In the face of this unprecedented attack, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has filed a handful of lawsuits and is urging its members to write to their congresspeople. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingartens message is: Nothing to worry about, stay at your classrooms. Other union officials are openly jumping into the Trump camp.

This bottleneck must be broken through the formation of rank-and-file committees, democratically controlled by federal workers themselves, to organize collective resistance to mass firings and wage theft. These committees, affiliated with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) must link up with the broadest sections of workers to prepare mass action, including a general strike, to drive Trump and his fascist cabal from power. Such a movement must be politically independent of the Democratic Party, which defends the same corporate-financial oligarchy as the Republicans.

The development of rank-and-file committees is the only way the massive opposition to Trump, which is being expressed in the growing support for the October 18 No Kings protests, can take a politically conscious form.

Federal workers spoke to the WSWS about the fight.

Were still working at the moment but subject to furlough at any time, a worker at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said. Trump saying he wont pay us really got me worried. Whats crazy is that the law is there in black and white. It couldnt be more clear that legally furloughed employees shall be paid. Theres no room to interpret it. Itll end up in the courts, but even then, thats not stopping him. Hes got the Supreme Court, and theyre just ignoring the courts anyway.

So many people are living paycheck to paycheck, and now we dont even know if well be paid. Whether they end up paying us or not, it shows what is happening in this country. Its crazy. Theyre making speech illegal, even things like calling for boycotts. This is not going to end well.

A worker at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. said, We do still have funds to stay open until the end of the week. A lot of people are very concerned about being laid off because we havent received anything from the White House yet and no direction.

Now, theyre saying theres no guarantee that people will have backpay after, so thats a major concern now, and just the uncertainty of how long the government shutdown is going to be.

There could be a possibility where Trump decides he no longer wants to fund the Smithsonian. We are under review. They can pretty much take down the entire Smithsonian, and then there will be no more. I mean, no more jobs, no more opportunities to educate Americans. Smithsonian is one of the biggest educators in the US, so thats a major concern.

We can make a bigger statement if everyone comes together and fights against this. Thats kind of how, if you think about American history, there hasnt really been any huge movements that work without everyone coming together and fighting.

In a Reddit comment one federal worker spoke of Trumps Grim Reaper social media post, More like oligarch death cult. Do these guys think a surveillance state and militarized police will protect them from another French Revolution-style event?
Israeli tanks are positioned on the coastal road leading to Gaza City as displaced Palestinians gather near Wadi Gaza in the central Gaza Strip, October 9, 2025. [AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)]

Israel and Hamas announced Thursday the formal adoption of a ceasefire agreement involving the release of all hostages held by Hamas and the permanent Israeli occupation of Gaza.

Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya announced, An agreement has been reached to end the war and aggression against our people.

In reality, the agreement is yet another step in the Israeli-imperialist plan to dominate Gaza and suppress the national rights of the Palestinian people. It turns Gaza into a colonial protectorate, supervised by a board led by the American president and involves the permanent Israeli occupation of a large portion of Gaza.

Al-Hayya declared that We received guarantees from the mediators and from the US administration, and everyone confirmed that the war has completely ended. The very people providing these guarantees, however, facilitated the Israeli bombing of Qatar last month that tried to kill Al-Hayya.

The government of Saudi Arabia hailed the agreement, declaring, This important step will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering ... achieve a full Israeli withdrawal, restore security and stability, and initiate practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.

It will do no such thing. It will only cement the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and permanently position Israel to strangle Gazas food supply, in order to facilitate and continue its plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza.

A particularly foul role has been played by bourgeois nationalist governments in the Middle East and the broader region, including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which endorsed the deal and agreed to implement it.

As a part of the agreement, Israeli forces will withdraw to a so-called yellow line amounting to 58 percent of Gaza. In the very last stage of the agreement, Israeli forces would retreat to a buffer zone in which they control all land crossings into Gaza, leaving the population subject to the threat of further deliberate starvation.

The deal inscribes a return to the open colonial domination of the Middle East that prevailed in the 19th century. Under the proposal, Gaza is to be governed by a Board of Peace that would be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump and include Former [UK] Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The Washington Post gloated that the agreement is A Hamas surrender and a Trump triumph. It boasted, Call this deal what it is: a total Hamas surrender that is worth celebrating.

The Wall Street Journal joined in the gloating, declaring, Hamas is giving up its best leverage but Israel isnt. Even after the hostages are ransomed, Israeli soldiers will remain in more than half of Gaza, including by the Egyptian border. It concluded, In accepting these terms, Hamas effectively acknowledges its defeat.

As the Wall Street Journal made clear, the pause in the fighting will create the conditions for the next offensive. If the new Gulf Arab-led stabilization force to be deployed in Gaza fails to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the strip, Israeli troops will be in position to do so themselves with what Mr. Trump calls full backing.

The Wall Street Journal added that last months Israeli attack on Qatar helped to influence the Arab governments to accept the deal. The newspaper counseled Trump to show the same aggressiveness he has used throughout the Middle East to escalate the US war against Russia. It declared, If Mr. Trump now reverses his strategy on Russia, next year even the Nobel committee might find it impossible to deny him the peace prize.

Condemning the peace agreement when it was first announced, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) wrote, The plans inclusion of an international Board of Peace ... ensures the exclusion of Palestinian voices from the decision-making of Palestinian futures.

Orlaith Roe, a spokesperson for the ICJP, noted, This plan offers Israel yet another opportunity to pause, rearm, and then return to violence with renewed impunity. He added that it is Steeped in colonial rhetoric.

The Associated Press reported that the United States would send an additional 200 troops to Israel to monitor and oversee the agreement.

The two-year-long Gaza genocide has led to the deaths of at least 65,000 Palestinians and the destruction of the vast majority of buildings in the enclave. Gaza has been shattered, and its population has been starved. A study published in The Lancet this week estimated that 55,000 children in Gaza are acutely malnourished. Among the children surveyed, 16 percent showed signs of wasting caused by lack of food.
"Generation Z" protest in Lima [Photo: @MinaAplicada]

Mass protests against the government of Perus President Dina Boluarte intensified markedly throughout September in Lima and across the country and have continued to escalate into October.

On October 2, the 12th transport strike in Lima and the neighboring port of Callao brought much of economic activity to a halt.

In the cities, youth have led so-called Gen Z protests, taking to the streets since late September with banners and signs brandishing Z and images from the popular Manga series One Piece.

Joined by many poor rural communities and the unemployed, the protests were sparked by a reactionary bill reshuffling the pension system in favor of AFPs, or private pension funds, but they have been characterized by general opposition to Boluarte and the far-right regime she leads.

The situation in Peru is part of a growing wave of working class struggles internationally, with youth leading the protests saying they were inspired by Gen Z protests in Nepal that brought down the prime minister.

Mass protests in Peru, Ecuador and other countries express growing opposition against the escalating turn by the ruling elites everywhere toward dictatorship and social attacks on workers in response to the crisis of global capitalism.

The Gen Z slogan has been exploited by the corporate media in Peru and other countries to present the protests as a generational issue extraneous to the sentiments and demands of the rest of the working class. However, the youth-led protests herald the escalation of workers struggles, as demonstrated by the transport strike and an increase in the class struggle across Peru.

According to an official report of the Ombudsmans Office, by August of this year there were 148 active conflicts, out of a total of 195 registered conflicts, of which only half were addressed, although without a resolution. Forty-seven conflicts are in a latent state, that is, they are permanent. The largest number of social conflicts are in the departments of Loreto, in the northeast, in the Amazon (25 cases); Puno, in the south of the country, bordering Bolivia (19 cases), Cusco (17 cases) and Ancash (17 cases). In the month of August alone, there were 250 protest actions and a general strike in May.

The October 2 transport strike, organized by the National Association of Transport Integration (ANITRA) and the National Transport Alliance, exposed the contradictory nature of the sectors demands. While leaders pushed for greater state interventionthrough police and militaryto fight the extortion and murder terrorizing transport workers, many rank-and-file drivers, fare collectors and controllers expressed opposition to the leaderships calls.

The strikers fight for survival amid urban chaos collides with a government apparatus deeply tied to criminal gangs and incapable of providing genuine protection, revealing the social decomposition under bourgeois rule.

The night before the strike, gangs shot at a bus full of passengers in San Juan de Miraflores, exacerbating drivers fears, with estimates that 30 percent have ceased working to avoid extortion threats and assassination attempts. While the Boluarte government claimed normal bus circulation, this was fiercely contested by strikers and reporters alike, fueling a greater mobilization with vehicles withdrawn, bus windows smashed and tires cut to immobilize services.

A police presence of 3,000 officers and hundreds of vehicles was concentrated in working class neighborhoods of northern Lima to contain the protests. Still, the strike led to widespread clashes with police and blockades of key roads like the Panamericana Norte and avenues in the heart of Lima, with arrests and police violence targeting demonstrators.

Of particular note was a convoy of buses without passengers traveling from various districts to the Congress, where over 1,000 workers, students and union delegates protested. Slogans denounced Boluarte as a murderer, and several unions, including construction federations and university students, joined the mobilization demanding improved working conditions.

The governing coalition, in both the executive and Congress, have agreed in the wake of the latest protests to advance a bill against urban terrorism to harshly repress the protests. This measure is hardly exclusive to Peru. In the United States, fascist President Trump speaks a similar language, railing against an internal enemy and intervening militarily in several cities (Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Memphis, Portland and others) with the aim of imposing a dictatorship. Capitalist governments the world over have declared war on the working class, knowing there is widespread repudiation of their authoritarian, anti-democratic and outright fascist measures.

After clashes with the police, denunciations of urban terrorism have been revived. With the defeat of the Shining Path Maoist guerrilla movement, the Fujimorist neoliberal dictatorship extended the use of terrorism to label protest demonstrations and distort them. Today those in power repeat this script. The popularly hated Peruvian Congress approved in a second vote the law Against Urban Terrorism with which it seeks to prevent a new generation of Peruvian workers, students and oppressed from drawing real lessons from the bitter experience with Shining Path and the dirty war waged by the Peruvian state against them and from rising up against the oppressive economic and political regime.

The current crossroads faced by Peruvian youth and workers urgently raises the need to take stock of their experiences with the different variants of bourgeois nationalism and petty-bourgeois radicalism.

Pedro Castillo survived his first year as president from July 2021 to December 2022 because his promotion as a left populist and rural teachers union leader. The alignment of all pseudo-left forces behind him was useful to the ruling class for diverting an emerging movement of the working class behind empty promises of social reforms. This political disarmament facilitated the murderous repression that followed Castillos overthrow.

The Maoist ideology promoted by Shining Path leader Abimael Guzman was hostile to the movement of the working class. It rejected the Marxist perspective of the independent political mobilization of the working class and the struggle to educate a revolutionary workers leadership. Instead, it advanced the pernicious theory of a peoples war based on the protracted warfare of a peasant army surrounding the cities. In practice, this amounted to terrorist attacks in which the masses were relegated to the role of passive bystanders.

Shining Path carried out assassinations of leftists, union leaders, leaders of peasant organizations and workers who did not comply with the strikes it decreed. It attacked factories, destroyed machinery and dynamited transmission towers and roads, cutting off the supply of electricity and food to the cities.

The Peruvian working class must reject with contempt the anticommunist propaganda of the bourgeoisie, while learning the bitter lessons of the experience with Maoism, a tendency that combines bourgeois nationalism, peasant radicalism and Stalinism, whose purpose is to block the construction of proletarian revolutionary parties.

In Latin America, the influence of Maoism was facilitated by the Pabloite revisionist tendency that rejected both the revolutionary role of the proletariat and the primary mission of the revolutionary party in the struggle for the development of socialist consciousness in the working class. Worse, Pabloism sought to liquidate the cadres of the Fourth International into Stalinism, bourgeois nationalism and the petty-bourgeois guerrilla groups, both Maoist and Guevarist.

If the political agents of the current capitalist regime in Peru, together with the media, are so determined to revive the refrain of terrorism and exalt the security forces, it is because they know that revolutionary struggles are on the horizon in a country where the working masses are condemned to poverty and misery.

The trade unions have been transformed over the course of decades into direct instruments for the intensification of the exploitation of the proletariat and the defense of their own national state. The Stalinist bureaucracy of the CGTP (Confederacion General de Trabajadores del Peru) is part of this process.

The betrayals of the union bureaucracy and the tendencies that proclaim themselves left have helped to create a devastating social crisis that underlies todays social ferment.

According to data from the INEI (National Institute of Statistics and Informatics), monetary poverty in 2024 affected 27.6 percent of the countrys population, which is equivalent to more than 9 million Peruvians. In other words, one in three Peruvians is poor. Monetary poverty, measured through spending on goods and services, means that incomes are insufficient to cover the cost of the Basic Consumption Basket (food and essential goods). But there are regions of the country with a monetary poverty index of more than 43 percent, such as Loreto (43 percent) and Cajamarca (45 percent). Extreme monetary poverty affected 5.5 percent of the population, that is, nearly 1.9 million people who do not have enough money to feed themselves.

Unemployment is very high, and labor informality abounds, exceeding 90 percent of the Economically Active Population (EAP). In these households, poverty reaches 31.9 percent.

Homelessness is another unresolved problem and worsens with population growth. Almost 1.7 million families are homeless.

The healthcare system is fragmented with multiple socially segmented public subsystems, with equitable access and quality of care in sharp decline. To this must be added the huge increase in the price of medications.

Parallel to this crisis, and feeding it, has been the devastation caused by COVID-19, two years of drought and ups and downs in the economy due to the international capitalist crisis and the war in Ukraine. These have triggered high unemployment rates and a drastic increase in the cost of living, especially food prices.

The search for national solutions leads inexorably to the subordination of the working class to the capitalist policies of adjustment, political reaction and trade war pursued by each native bourgeoisie. There is no way out of this stagnation except on the basis of proletarian internationalism, that is, the struggle to unite workers internationally against the capitalist nation- state system.

Technological advances associated with the invention and advancement of the integrated circuit and, above all, the development of AI have produced revolutionary changes, accelerating a process of global economic integration that is directly at odds with nationalist ideologies. But these economic and technological advances, far from opening up new historical prospects for capitalism, have raised the fundamental contradiction between the world economy and the current capitalist nation-state system, and between social production and private property, to an unprecedented intensity. This is what fuels the present struggles in Peru which are part of a wave of international struggles (Morocco, Indonesia, Ecuador, Nepal, Madagascar, Kenya and Angola).

All these struggles can and must be unified, but without a conscious political leadership in the working class there is no way out of the profound crisis facing Peru and the entire planet. This is the Achilles heel of the workers and popular struggles in Peru and internationallya weakness exploited by the pseudo-left representatives of sectors of the affluent middle class that not only discard the potential power of mobilizing the proletariat but have become consciously hostile to it.

The decisive question is the construction of a new revolutionary leadership, a Peruvian section of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
Workers at the Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit

Supply chain disruptions from the Trump administrations tariffs are continuing to roil the US and global auto and auto parts industry due to the globally integrated character of auto production. This includes frequent production halts caused by parts shortages.

The impact of Trumps tariffs is being borne by autoworkers through speed-up, job cuts and the undermining of working conditions enforced by the United Auto Workers bureaucracy. A tragic consequence was the death of Ronald Adams Sr., a skilled trades worker at the Stellantis Dundee Engine Plant in southeast Michigan six months ago under conditions where safety takes a back seat to profit concerns.

This past week workers at the Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly plant learned that they were being put on a mandatory 10-hour, 7-day overtime schedule starting the weekend of October 4. On Friday, however, Warren Truck workers were sent home after only nine hours, with management saying a parts shortage was disrupting production.

According to a management memo sent to Warren Truck workers, the UAW allowed the imposition of a 10-hour 7-day schedule citing Memorandum of Understanding 2 of the 2023 UAW-Stellantis national agreement in advance of the buildout date or model changeover. With hundreds of workers still on indefinite layoff at Warren Truck following the elimination of the second shift last year, the company is behind in production of the highly profitable Jeep Wagoneer assembled at Warren Truck. Sales of Jeep brand vehicles were up 10 percent in the third quarter of 2025 year over year, and sales of the three-row Wagoneer SUV built at Warren Truck were up 122 percent in the quarter.

As part of the sellout 2023 contract, the UAW secretly removed restrictions on the ability of Stellantis to make up production due to parts shortages through imposing mandatory overtime. The deal came despite the claim by Shawn Fain that the UAW had fought for work-life balance.

The imposition of mandatory overtime at Warren Truck and other plants, such as the Stellantis Jeep complex in Toledo, is seen by workers as particularly provocative given that thousands remain on indefinite layoff.

After being forced onto overtime, Warren Truck workers were told that the plant would be down for three weeks in mid-October due to parts shortages. Management cited the huge fire September 16 of undetermined origin at the Novelis aluminum factory in Oswego County, New York. While no workers were injured, large portions of the factory were damaged. The facility is a major supplier of aluminum sheet for the auto, beverage can and construction industry.

The disruption is seriously impacting Ford, which relies on aluminum from Novelis for its best-selling F-150 light truck. The company says it expects to take a $1 billion hit to profits as a result. Workers at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, were informed that the production of F-150 Lightning electric pickups would be suspended next week because of the aluminum plant fire.

The aluminum shortage will likely impact other automakers as well, including Toyota. Given the massive tariffs on imported aluminum, it will be difficult for the industry to make up for the lost production via global suppliers. The resumption of full production at the New York Novelis plant is currently not expected until early 2026.

In another reflection of continuing supply disruptions, workers at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, also in suburban Detroit, were told not to come to work two days last week. The production pause was reportedly due to delays in engines coming from the Stellantis plant in Saltillo, Mexico. Engine shortages from Saltillo and other supply issues have been causing production disruptions ever since the imposition of Trumps tariffs.

In mid-September, General Motors announced a three-week shutdown of its Wentzville, Missouri Assembly Plant due to unspecified supply chain issues. GM has also indefinitely laid off 900 workers at its Fairfax, Kansas Assembly Plant that builds the electric Chevy Volt. GM cited slow sales related to Trumps cancellation of EV incentives, which is also impacting other automakers who have invested heavily in the shift to EVs.

According to a recent report by CleanTechnica, Auto companies in Canada and Michigan are stockpiling parts and laying off workers. Bonus checks for autoworkers are shrinking by thousands. Suppliers are facing higher costs and delaying expansions. The price of a new car could rise by $2,500. Businesses are considering moving operations entirely overseas to pay one tariff on one product.

Highlighting the globally integrated nature of auto production, the Center for Automotive Research and US Department of Commerce data reveal that the average auto part crosses the USCanada border about 6 to 8 times before final vehicle assembly. When Mexico is added a part can cross the border up to 12 times before a final product is completed. About 50 percent of auto parts used in US assembled vehicles come from Canada or Mexico.

These facts illustrate the absurdity of the claim by UAW President Shawn Fain that the jobs of American workers can be defended by ignoring or even at the expense of the interests of workers in other countries.

In opposition to the nationalism of the UAW bureaucracy, the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) is fighting to unify workers across national borders and launch a coordinated struggle against the attack on jobs and conditions by the global automakers and capitalist governments that defend them.

This requires building new forms of working-class organization in every factory and workplace, rank-and-file committees that will transfer power from the high-paid functionaries in the union apparatus to the workers on the shop floor. Collective action must be prepared to defend all jobs, demand the rehiring of laid off workers, and a reduction in the workweek with no loss in pay. This fight is inseparable from the defense of the democratic rights of workers inside and outside the factories, and a struggle against Trumps plans to invoke the Insurrection Act, establish military rule and use state violence against all opposition, including workers fighting to defend their livelihoods.

A global shakeout is taking place in the auto industry under the impact of Trumps tariff wars and the costs of EV transition. All across Europe automakers face declining profits and are slashing jobs. Volkswagen, Mercedes, Bosch, ZF, Porsche, Ford, Audi as well as Stellantis have announced job cuts at their European operations.

While Stellantis, Ford and General Motors all saw higher sales in the third quarter of 2025, this was in part due to higher EV sales as buyers took advantage of the $7,500 tax credit before it expired September 30. Profit figures have yet to be released.

Anger over the mass firing of temporary workers in the wake of the 2023 contract and the elimination of the second shift continues to percolate at Warren Truck. Despite rebounding Stellantis sales very few workers have been recalled and the company is instead resorting to mandatory overtime.

One worker with 8 years told the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter, Some (laid off workers) were called back and went to other plants. But most of them are gone. Shawn Fain really messed us up. (The 2023 contract) sounded good. We got more money. But then what did they do, they laid people off. They knew that going in. They knew exactly what they were going to do.

New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has indicated his desire to work with the Trump administration on tariffs. In a speech last month, Filosa said that the company is engaging in a very positive exchange of ideas with the Trump administration regarding tariffs.

Stellantis is reportedly planning an additional $5 billion investment in its US operations, an apparent attempt to curry favor with Trump. As part of this, Bloomberg says Stellantis will put money into its idled Belvidere, Illinois plant. The move is based on the understanding that Fain and the rest of the UAW apparatus will continue working with management to slash costs and impose sweatshop conditions. The UAW bureaucracy has helped Stellantis cut thousands of jobs while scapegoating foreign workers rather than targeting the real source of the attacks on jobs, the capitalist profit system. Fain worked hand in hand with Stellantis to suppress worker opposition to job cuts and speedup in the wake of the sellout 2023 national contract. For his part Fain has praised Filosa for recommitting to investment in UAW jobs.

At the same time the UAW bureaucracy has remained silent on Trumps increasingly brazen attacks on democratic rights, including the mass roundup of immigrants, the dispatch of troops to US cites and plans to invoke the Insurrection Act.

Sections of the ruling class have noted with alarm the crisis of the Fain administration, which is increasingly despised by autoworkers. No doubt part of the calculations behind the decision to invest additional funds in the US is to throw Fain a political lifeline.

Workers must reject the nationalist program of the UAW and unite with their brother autoworkers in Mexico, Canada and globally to wage a common fight back against the assault on jobs, working conditions and democratic rights. This means supporting the call by the International Workers Alliance of Rank and File Committees (IWA-RFC) for the building of rank-and-file committees in every workplace.

For information on building a rank-and-file committee, fill out the form below.
Maneuvers to install a government under French President Emmanuel Macron, of ministers from the New Popular Front (NFP) led by Jean-Luc Melenchon are at an advanced stage. After the fall of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, the bourgeois Socialist Party (PS), a leading party in the NFP, is working frantically to form a government.

They are laying a political trap for the working class. A PS-led government under Macron would not be socialist or left-wing, but a capitalist government abetting Macrons rule against the people. Amid Frances historic debt crisis and the NATO-Russia war in Ukraine, its agenda of imperialist war, austerity and police-state rule would inevitably disappoint those workers who placed their trust in the NFP.

As Macron falls to 15 percent in the polls, and calls circulate on social media to block everything and bring down Macron with a general strike, the NFP is not mobilizing the workers, but trying to strangle the class struggle. Responsibility lies with the bankrupt role of Melenchon and his populist France Unbowed (LFI) party. By forming the NFP with the PS and its Stalinist and Green allies, after they collapsed in the 2022 presidential elections, he ressuscitated reactionary tools of French imperialism.

Today, the formation of a PS-led government under Macron would allow the neo-fascist National Rally (RN) to pose as the sole genuine opposition to Macron. It would vastly strengthen conspiracies in the French bourgeoisie to bring the RN to power and impose a far-right dictatorship.

Last night, PS First Secretary Olivier Faure, Stalinist French Communist Party (PCF) General Secretary Fabien Roussel and Green party leader Marine Tondelier issued a formal offer to build a coalition government. In a joint statement to AFP, they proposed a cohabitationthat is, building a governmental cabinet of ministers drawn from their parties, as opposed to Macrons party.

Addressing Macron, their statement declared: Either you persist in isolation and self-denial, and you take responsibility before history for considerably aggravating the fracture between the people and its institutions. Or you listen to the country and you open a new stage: cohabitation. This signified, they said, the naming of a left-wing, ecologist prime minister and government that will allow for the construction of a majority in the National Assembly.

Pointing to the fall of five prime ministers in the last two years in France, they pledged a left-wing and ecological government [with] a draft budget of fiscal and social justice.

This talk of social justice is a fraud. The PS is a discredited capitalist party with a 45-year record of austerity, war, police-state repression, and deals with far-right forces. The first president to formally invite neo-fascist party leaders to the Elysee presidential palace, Francois Hollande, was a PS member, whose austerity policies Macron helped devise as economy minister. While the PS is now pledging to consider taxing the rich and repealing Macrons pension cuts, it would rapidly abandon this if financial markets began speculating against French sovereign debt.

Yesterday, outgoing French Economy Minister Roland Lescure, a former PS official, pledged the incoming government would respect EU austerity criteria. A majority of parliamentarians in France want stability, he said, adding: [W]e need a budget for 2026, and this is very important: a budget that respects our promises to our European friends. So that is what will happen.

While building an NFP-Macron government would repudiate Melenchons calls to impeach Macron and hold snap presidential elections, LFI is signaling it is not totally hostile to such plans. On Wednesday, LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard and parliamentary leader Mathilde Panot issued a joint statement with the Green leader, Tondelier. As the Greens worked with the PS to prop up Macron, Bompard and Panot pledged to work on building a government together with them.

The hour is grave: our common responsibility is to act together to bring a new political program into power, end Macronism and defeat the far right, they wrote.

This is a fraud. As capitalist media falsely promote LFI as the radical left, an NFP alliance with Macron would not defeat but strengthen the far right. It would seem to legitimize RN denunciations of left-wing or socialist politics as complicit in Macrons rule against the people.

RN party leader Marine Le Pen has responded to talk of a PS-led Macron government by pledging to vote censure motions against the government until it falls. On X, she mocked plans for a PS-led government with the Greens, the right-wing The Republicans (LR), and the PCF: If I understand correctly, Emmanuel Macron is preparing to entrust the prime ministership to a party that won 1.75 percent of the vote in the presidential elections. It would build a government with representatives of those who got 4.63 percent, 4.78 percent, reinforced maybe by those who got 2.28 percent.

The RN is accelerating plans to form a government in alliance with factions of LR and Macrons supporters. Last year, Lecornu and another former prime minister of Macron, Edouard Philippe, discussed forming an RN-led government. Now, bolstered by poll results showing Le Pen coming in first in future presidential elections with 34 percent of the vote, the RN is bidding for support in the ruling class on an ultra-right program.

After Bardella issued an open letter to Frances CEOs calling for 100 billion in social cuts to address the deficit and the debt crisis, he is calling for a Union of the Right in future elections.

There are right-wing patriots with whom we are destined to work, he said on the far-right CNews TV station. Denouncing LR member Bruno Retailleaus role as Macrons interior minister and appealing to opposition to Retailleau inside LR, he said: We may not be in agreement on anything. You sometimes have a different sensibility from my own  But in the interest of France, we must walk the same path together.

An RN-LR government backed by factions of pro-Macron parties would be a fascistic dictatorship ruling against the people. However, this cannot be opposed by backing Macrons discredited police-state regime. The entire capitalist establishmentdriven by the unsustainable 3.4 trillion sovereign debt, contracted over decades of wars and bank bailoutsis set on a course of war, impoverishment of the people, and dictatorship.

There is no mechanism for the working class to resolve this crisis within the existing political system. Melenchons policy of alliance with the PS and the PCF and union bureaucracies, it is ever clearer, has not worked to represent the French people in the National Assembly but to let the capitalist oligarchy keep using the Assembly as an arena for conspiracies against democracy.

The decisive issue, as the Parti de legalite socialiste has stressed, is mobilizing opposition among rank-and-file workers to capitalist dictatorship and preparing a general strike to bring down Macron, independently of the NFP and allied bureaucracies. This is the only way to prepare the expropriation of the capitalist oligarchy and stop its anti-democratic conspiracies, as the PES explained in its statement, Build rank-and-file committees to wage the struggle against Macron and war!:

The defense of the fundamental social and democratic rights of the working class requires a mass mobilization of the rank and file, fighting for the self-organization of the working class and the preparation of a general strike to bring down Macron. This is inseparable from the construction of a political movement in the working class, in France and across Europe, for workers power and a socialist revolution. The PES calls for the transfer of power in all factories and workplaces from the union bureaucracies to the rank and file. To wage this struggle, workers need rank-and-file organizations to overcome the opposition of union bureaucracies whose social dialog ties workers to the diktat of the capitalist state.
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the bloodiest terrorist attack in modern Turkish history, the Ankara Train Station massacre on October 10, 2015.

A Peace Rally was to take place in Ankara on that day. Trade union confederations and professional organizations organized the event, and the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) and numerous left-wing organizations were set to participate.

At least 104 people were killed and nearly 400 injured when two Islamic State (ISIS)-affiliated suicide bombers blew themselves up among the crowd gathered at the Ankara Train Station intersection before the rally. Following the massacre, angry protests erupted across the country, with demonstrators holding the government responsible.

Hande Arpat, an executive of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), and numerous other witnesses, stated that immediately following the bombings riot police attacked those in the area with tear gas and water cannons. Then, Arpat wrote, They [the police] not only entered the area but also attacked healthcare workers treating critically injured people in life-threatening conditions, as well as the injured and the deceased, with pepper spray, endangering peoples lives.

Last year, ten ISIS members were sentenced to life in prison for the bombings. However, no official whose negligence allowed the attack to occur was prosecuted or resigned.

The massacre was part of the spread to Turkey of the war for regime change in Syria launched in 2011 by Washington and its regional allies, including Ankara. In the proxy war against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the United States, the Gulf regimes and Turkey armed, financed, and directed Islamist jihadist forces.

The spread of ISIS, which emerged from these proxy forces, to Iraq and the Kurdish regions of Syria in 2014 risked a deviation from US aims. The imperialist powers then militarily intervened directly in Iraq and Syria in the name of an anti-ISIS coalition, while the Peoples Defense Units (YPG)-led Kurdish nationalist militias developed into the main proxy force in the regime-change war in Syria.

In the same period, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was negotiating with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Turkish ruling elite saw the arming and support of the YPG, Syrian affiliate of the PKK, by Turkeys NATO allies as an existential threat. They feared that any step towards Kurdish autonomy or independence in Syria would encourage similar sentiments among the millions of Kurds in Turkey.

As Ankara turned sharply toward supporting Islamist militias seeking to crush the YPG in Syria, negotiations with the PKK collapsed in the summer of 2015. Turkey began suppressing Kurdish forces within the country and in Syria. On August 12, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the umbrella organization to which the PKK and YPG are affiliated, responded with a statement that read, There is no other option left for the people of Kurdistan but self-administration.

Self-administrations were subsequently declared in many Kurdish districts.

Meanwhile, the HDP, co-chaired by Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, achieved a historic 13 percent share of the vote (6 million votes) in the June 7, 2015 general election. For the first time since 2002, Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost the majority needed to form a government in the parliament.

Weeks of coalition talks between Erdogan and Kemal Klcdaroglu, the then-leader of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), failed. The HDPs offer to support a CHP-MHP (fascistic Nationalist Movement Party) coalition or form a coalition with the AKP also came to nothing. The HDP joined the election government formed afterwards, while the AKP turned to a policy of suppression and intimidation against the Kurdish movement to consolidate its vote ahead of the November 1st early elections.

On July 20, 33 young members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SDGF) were killed in an ISIS attack in the Suruc district of Sanlurfa on the border with Syria. The victims had been preparing to travel to Kobani to support its reconstruction after it was attacked by ISIS.

Turkey had become a hub where jihadists could easily cross the border and organize throughout Syria as part of the war to overthrow the Assad regime, which was supported by Russia and Iran, to secure the full dominance of US imperialism in the Middle East. It was confirmed by their own families that ISIS members who carried out these massacres had been operating freely in Turkey for years, under the watch of intelligence agencies, crossing into Syria and returning.

The police published a list of 21 possible suicide bombers, including Yunus Emre Alagoz, an ISIS member who carried out the Ankara attack. Alagoz was the brother of Sheikh Abdurrahman Alagoz, who carried out the Suruc massacre.

According to intelligence reports, Tuncay Kayaknown as ISISs expert bomberwas released 11 days before the October 10 Ankara bombings. He was sought as a suspect in a possible attack just hours after the explosions.

Two days before the Ankara massacre, the Turkish Intelligence Department of the General Directorate of Security received information indicating that three individuals, including Yunus Emre Alagoz, might be preparing for an attack. Hours after the bombings, the department sent a letter marked Confidential to the Counter-Terrorism Department.

As reported by the daily Evrensel on April 12, 2016, A.A., one of the Ankara Security Branch Directorate chiefs whose statement is included in the investigation file, accused the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), and the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Department of the General Directorate of Security of failing to take precautions. Despite these and similar accusations, the allegations against law enforcement agencies were dismissed, and no public officials, let alone government officials, were prosecuted.

Then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu brazenly stated the following regarding ISIS suicide bombers: We have a list, but since they havent taken action, theres nothing we can do [against them]. Meanwhile, hundreds of Kurdish politicians and journalists were imprisoned under the pretext of preventive detention.

After negotiations with the PKK collapsed, the Turkish government imprisoned thousands of Kurdish politicians and journalists, including the co-chairs of the HDP and elected mayors. Thousands of people were killed in military operations in Turkeys Kurdish provinces that began in August 2015 and continued until March 2016. On March 24, 2016, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey announced that at least 310 civilians had been killed during the military operations. The civil war in cities and towns led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Meanwhile, escalating tensions between Ankara and Washington over Syria and the Kurdish issue, as well as Erdogans policy of maneuvering between the US-NATO and Russia and China, led to a failed coup attempt backed by NATO on July 15, 2016. After surviving the coup, Erdogan expanded his offensive against the Kurdish movement into Syria.

Starting in August 2016, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) conducted numerous military operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)whose backbone is the YPG and occupied an area of northern Syria encompassing cities such as Jarablus, Afrin, Ras al-Ayn, and Tell Abyad to prevent the formation of a unified region under the control of Kurdish militias.

Today, Ankara and the PKK are once again negotiating. As was the case ten years ago, these negotiations are consistent with and subordinate to the imperialist redivision of the Middle East led by US imperialism. Furthermore, the tensions that ended the negotiation process in 2015 and led to the resurgence of civil war have intensified. This is accompanied by escalating imperialist and Zionist aggression in the Middle East, including the genocide in Gaza, military attacks on Iran and its allies, and the change of regime in Syria.

The Ankara-PKK agreement, formed with the approval of the United States as part of the anti-Iran alliance, is also a move against Israels growing influence in Syria and the region.

The entire process, masked by claims of peace and democracy, is a preparation for more extensive wars and is just as likely to collapse from within.

The aggression of the Zionist statethe spearhead of the USs new Middle East plansand the takeover of power by the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in December 2024, which overthrew the Assad regime, have deepened the conflict and intensified the struggle for influence over Syria.

The recent resurgence of clashes between the SDF and HTS regime forces not only demonstrates the danger of a new civil war in Syria but also highlights the fragility of the negotiations between the PKK and Ankara.

The only way to prevent atrocities like the Ankara massacre, which occurred as part of the imperialist re-division of the Middle East, end the genocide in Gaza, and ensure lasting peace throughout the region is to build an anti-war, socialist movement within the working class in the Middle East and internationally for the establishment of a Middle East Socialist Federation, in place of reactionary nation states serving imperialist-capitalist interests.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 25, Sri Lankan President Dissanayake ludicrously postured as a fighter against poverty and a campaigner for world peace.

Notwithstanding his false claims, the substance of Dissanayakes speech was a reaffirmation of his governments subservience to the imperialist powers, particularly the US and its support for the criminal Israeli regime.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake with US President Donald Trump and the first lady at dinner reception during the UNGAs 80th sessions [Photo: Presidents Media Division]

Dissanayakes appearance at the UN General Assembly was his first visit to the US since assuming office a year ago as head of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power administration. Clearly anxious to have his photo taken with the US president, he did so even as Trump was illegally mobilising federal troops in Washington and intensifying his governments assault on basic democratic rights.

The Sri Lankan president told the General Assembly that poverty was a tragedy as old as human civilization [and], has accompanied humankind on its journey through time. He cynically called on the assembled diplomats to pay special attention to eradicating extreme poverty.

Dissanayakes proclamations were a pathetic attempt to cover up the reality that poverty in Sri Lankan has drastically worsened under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) austerity measures initiated by the Wickremesinghe government and now being expanded by his own JVP/NPP administration.

Since Sri Lankas debt default in 2022, real wages have plunged by 14 percent in the private sector and a staggering 24 percent in the public sector. On top of this, Dissanayakes privatisation program will eliminate tens of thousands of state sector jobs. At the same time, the government has slashed funding to health, education and other essential services, driving working people into intolerable living conditions.

Over half the islands population is struggling to meet its basic needs. According to the latest World Bank figures, 22 percent of the population is living below the poverty line with another 10 percent just above it.

And while the Sri Lankan masses face grinding poverty, big business corporations are reporting increasing profits. Just a few days ago the Colombo stock markets All-Share Price Index hit an unprecedented high of 22,000.

But for Dissanayake, poverty and extreme social inequalitynow at extreme levels in Sri Lanka and globallyare not the result of capitalist exploitation and private ownership of the means of production but a permanent feature of human civilisation.

The imperialist powers and their reactionary client rulers at the General Assembly, who speak for the respective national billionaires, must somehow transform themselves into philanthropists to eradicate poverty. Dissanayake and his JVP/NPP government share the same fears of all those attending the General Assembly, that the deep gap between rich and poor will erupt in mass struggles against the capitalist profit system that they all defend.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing the 80th session of the UN General Assembly [Photo: Presidents Media Division]

Dissanayake told the General Assembly that Sri Lankan voters had endorsed his partys Thriving Nation, a Beautiful Life election manifesto. But the JVP/NPP campaign, which included a series of empty pledges to improve living standards, was a pack of lies.

Having come to office, Dissanayake ditched his partys vacuous promises and began ruthlessly implementing IMF austerity measures.

Health expenditure has been cut from 410 billion rupees in 2024 to 383 billion in 2025, ensuring that Sri Lankans continue to face worsening shortages of medicines, medical staff, equipment and a seriously deteriorating public hospital system.

Likewise, public education is badly underfunded with insufficient teachers and inadequate facilities.

Fully committed to the IMFs austerity measures, the JVP/NPP government has imposed a host of other harsh social measures, including high taxes on essentials, cuts to state subsidies and the corporatisation, privatisation or closure of state-owned enterprises, resulting in mass job destruction and cuts to wages and hard-won working conditions.

Having promised during its election campaign to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the Dissanayake government has used this repressive law against Ceylon Electricity Board workers fighting to defend jobs and conditions and against activists opposing the Israeli genocide. It also used the military to break national strike action by postal workers.

A leading representative of the JVP and its Sinhala-Buddhist supremacist agenda since the late 1980s, Dissanayake backed Colombos almost three-decade communal war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to the hilt. Dissanayake cynically told the General Assembly, however, I believe that we must awaken our conscience to oppose racism and religious extremism in protection of human rights and freedoms.

During his election campaign, Dissanayake made overtures to the Tamil community in the North and East, demagogically vowing to promote racial harmony and promising the return of landseized during the civil war and occupied by the militaryto their original owners. Those promises were ditched after the JVP/NPP took power and the military occupation of the Tamil-dominated North and East continues.

The JVP/NPP insists that the Sri Lankan military did not commit any war crimes during the almost three-decade war. Its foreign minister recently told the United Nations Human Rights Council that the JVP/NPP government opposed any international investigation into the actions of the military during the war.

Dissanayake went on to bemoan the death of tens of millions of people from inadequate healthcare when hundreds of millions are spent on futile wars and hundreds of thousands of children are denied the right to an education, as millions are spent on invading anothers land.

Dissanayake did not mention a single government or political leader during his anodyne lament but called on the assembled diplomats to commit themselves not to lead the world to another disaster but to make the world a better place for the next generation.

This posturing is a fraud. In fact, the Sri Lankan government is integrating itself with US imperialisms preparation for war against China. Dissanayake has welcomed numerous senior US and Indian officials to Colombo, including Admiral Steve Koehler, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, and Donald Lu, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia. In April, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Colombo, the JVP/NPP government signed the first-ever formal defense agreement with India.

Referring to Israels murderous ethnic cleansing war against the Palestinians in Gaza, Dissanayake was consistent with his regimes pro-Israeli and pro-US political line. He refused to utter the words genocide or ethnic cleansing during his speech, instead calling for equal acknowledgment of the legal, security, and humanitarian concerns of Israel and the Palestinian people and the bankrupt and reactionary two-state solution.

When scores of diplomats walked out in protest during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus fascistic speech to the General Assembly, a member of the Sri Lankan delegation remained seated along with the US, in a clear nod to Washington and its militarist agenda in the Middle East.

Lenin rightly called the precursor to the UN, the League of Nations, a thieves kitchen pointing out that it served as a platform for imperialist powers and their lackeys to pursue their geopolitical aims. Dissanayakes speech was another demonstration that his government will serve these interests.
Nio (NIO), which closed the past four years in the red and was in the red for 2025 as well, has seen a remarkable turnaround. The stock has not only turned positive for the year but has done so in style with YTD gains of over 70%. NIO is up a cool 130% over the last six months as the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) company defied naysayers with its strong operating performance.

www.barchart.com

Nio Has Impressed with Its Performance This Year

In some ways, 2025 is shaping up to be a lot like 2020 for NIO. That year, there were apprehensions over Nios survival after the company gave a going concern warning, which is often a prelude to bankruptcy. But the stock made a comeback to rise over 1,100%. Similarly, this year, there were concerns about whether NIO could scale up deliveries and move up the ladder. The company had launched several new models in the previous two years, which failed to gain momentum, and it seemed trapped in the endless loop of stagnant deliveries, fluctuating (but low) vehicle margins, and cash burn.

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However, its been a different story of late, and Nio delivered over 30,000 vehicles each in August and September, with shipments rising to new record highs in both these months, led by the strong sales of its L90 SUV that it markets under the Onvo brand. Last month, it also commenced deliveries of its luxury third-generation ES8 SUV.

Thanks to the economies of scale, higher deliveries have also flown to the companys bottom line, and its gross margin improved to 10% in Q2 2025 as compared to 9.7% in the corresponding quarter last year. In absolute terms, it reported a gross profit of $264.9 million in Q2, 12.4% higher than Q2 2024 and over twice what it generated in Q1 2025. However, while Nios net losses have narrowed, its Q2 2025 adjusted loss per share of $0.32 was a tad higher than consensus estimates.

NIO Expects Deliveries to Rise Significantly in Q4

While Nios Q2 earnings were tepid at best, the guidance was quite upbeat, and it forecast deliveries of 150,000 in Q4. For context, the company delivered 72,056 vehicles in the second quarter and 87,071 in the third quarter.

Management expects vehicle gross margins to rise to between 16% and 17% in the final quarter of the year, compared to 10.3% in Q2. Moreover, it reiterated its previous guidance of achieving breakeven on adjusted profits in Q4.
Trumps ongoing mass deportation operation continues to target citizens and residents alike, provoking mass anger across the United States.

In a video taken last month that has gone viral, Reverend David Black, a Presbyterian minister, is seen offering to pray for ICE agents outside the Broadview, Illinois facility. ICE thugs responded to this call to prayer by repeatedly shooting Black in the head with less lethal pepper ball rounds.

As Black fell to the ground under the barrage of pepper ball fire he recalled to Religion News We could hear them laughing.

In just the last week, US citizens in Oregon and Illinois have alleged that immigration Gestapo have assaulted and detained them, despite not having a warrant or legal justification. These cases demonstrate that the attacks on immigrants are an attack on the entire working class, regardless of citizenship status. Furthermore, the fight to defend democratic rights cannot be waged with appeals to the Gestapo, but must be fought on a class basis against not only the Republican Party, but also their Democratic Party co-conspirators, who have allowed Trump to return to the White House and have provided him with the votes and funding to carry out these attacks.

Two cemetery workers in Chicago pepper sprayed, shackled

On Tuesday, two US citizens and cemetery workers, Daniel Greer and David Eichler, were viciously assaulted by immigration police while laboring at the Concordia Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois. Forest Park, a suburb of Chicago, has been flooded with immigration agents as part of the Nazi-inspired Operation Midway Blitz.

Speaking to WGN9, Greer and Eichler said they were working when they noticed someone struggling in the Des Plaines River near the cemetery. Witnesses told WGN that the immigration Gestapo were trying to persuade the man in the river to give himself up to them.

Greer said he and Eichler thought the man, was in harms way because he was in the river and were trying to see whats going on.

Eichler began filming the armed ICE agents who became agitated once they saw the workers.



ICE agents demanded that the workers Just open the gate, buddy, onto the private property so they could access the river from both sides of the bank.

ICE thugs threatening cemetery workers in Illinois, October 7, 2025. [Photo: David Eichler]

The workers refused to unlock the gate, stating it was private property. ICE agents refused to provide a warrant or heed the workers advice. Instead, agents used a bolt cutter to break open the gate, after which they proceeded to assault, shackle and detain both workers. On the video, the agents are heard yelling, Get on the ground now! before repeatedly shooting the workers with stinging pepper ball rounds.

Once they breached the gate they pepper sprayed us, their guns were drawn and then proceeded to tackle us onto the ground, Darren Eichler told WGN9 Chicago. Eichler revealed that after several hours he was eventually hospitalized due to the pepper spray.

A still shaken Eichler told WGN, Im concerned for my neighbors, my families, my friends. If this happened to me, a US citizen [for] no real reason, who is to say what they will do to somebody else?

Both Greer and Eichler said they were never read their Miranda rights and, despite being detained for hours, they have yet to be charged with a crime.

Milwaukie man abducted by ICE, held for hours despite providing proof of citizenship

On October 2, Frank Miranda, 46, of Milwaukie, Oregon, was abducted by masked immigration agents dressed in plain clothes while he was on his way to work in Portland. Miranda was born in Glendale, California and is a US citizen.

In an interview with Willamette Week, Miranda said that the morning he was kidnapped he drove to work and parked his car outside the metal shop at about 6 a.m. when he noticed lights behind him. Shortly thereafter he saw two men come out of the SUV and call him by name, asking for his ID. Miranda said the men claimed they were from the Department of Homeland Security.

They looked like day laborers, Miranda told Willamette Week. They were not looking or acting professional at all.

Miranda said he took out his Oregon drivers license at which point the agents snatched it from his hand. At this point, Miranda took out his phone and began filming the incident. I pulled it out to show it to him. I knew something was wrong right there.

Miranda was able to film for roughly 30 seconds before the immigration Gestapo took his phone. In the video, one of the agents is heard accusing Miranda of an overstay. When Miranda rejected this lie, another agent is heard off camera threatening to get the dog.

An agent then asked Miranda where he was born, And dont lie to me. Miranda responded, California, and asked the agents where they got their information.

Wherever we got it from doesnt matter, came the reply.

The masked thugs proceeded to handcuff and shove Miranda into a separate van. Once inside the van, Miranda said an agent that didnt speak English kicked his legs out from underneath him and told him he would be sitting on the floor.

Miranda recalls the agents celebrating their capture, They were high-fiving. The immigration thugs proceeded to take Miranda to an ICE facility where he was fingerprinted and held for several hours. Miranda did not speak to any agents without a lawyer present, and none of the agents provided their names or badge numbers.

After several hours, Miranda was eventually driven back to his place of employment and dropped off without an explanation as to why he was abducted and assaulted.
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President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable meeting on antifa in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington, as Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listen. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

All the events of the past month since the killing of Charlie Kirkthe transformation of a fascist provocateur into a martyr of the MAGA movement, the mobilization of the National Guard against the so-called enemy within, and the open preparations to invoke the Insurrection Acthave demonstrated beyond any doubt that what is underway is a systematic conspiracy by the Trump administration to establish a dictatorship. Blinders are falling from peoples eyes. More and more Americans are saying, I dont recognize this country anymore. The Land of Lincoln is being transformed by Trump and his arrogant satraps into the land of a would-be Fuhrer.

This conspiracy entered a new and chilling stage on Wednesday, when President Trump convened a meeting in the White House that was presented as a roundtable on antifa. It was, in fact, a gathering of extreme right-wing political maniacs: neo-Nazis, Christian nationalists, racists, and Hitler lovers. They were assembled by Trump in what was clearly intended as a signal for all-out war against political opposition. An atmosphere of menace and imminent violence prevailed throughout the entire discussion.

Nothing like this has ever occurred in the history of the United States. The White House has been transformed into the headquarters of a conspiracy to legitimize fascism, brand anti-fascism as terrorism, and mobilize the repressive machinery of the state against the population.

Seated alongside senior government officialsHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and senior adviser Stephen Millerwere a collection of neo-Nazi agitators, masquerading as journalists. The most repulsive of these aspiring executioners was Jack Posobiec, a neo-Nazi whom the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as having collaborated with white supremacists, neo-fascists and antisemites for years.

At the White House meeting, Trump declared that we got rid of free speech and denounced protests involving millions, including the upcoming October 18 No Kings demonstrations, as paid operations directed by a vast left-wing terror network. The various fascist personalities singled out the Democratic Socialists of America, CODEPINK, and other groups as accomplices of antifa. Trump accused Democratic governors and mayors of acting illegally, called for their arrest, and warned them, in the style of a mafia boss, to be very careful.

Noem claimed that the supposed antifa network is as sophisticated as ISIS or Hezbollah, while Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to take them apart brick by brick, to destroy the entire organization from top to bottom. All those assembled at the White House agreed on the need to designate antifa as a foreign terrorist organization. This would sanction political repression and violence all the way up to assassination and mass murder.

But antifa is not an organization at all. It has no central leadership, no membership rolls, and no structure. When the Trump administration declares war on antifa, it means this literally: a war on anti-fascism itself, the criminalization of all opposition to dictatorship and repression.

During the discussion on whether to brand antifa a foreign terrorist organization, Trump turned directly to Posobiec and asked, Would you like to see it done? The fascist propagandist, who served as a key figure in the January 6 coup attempt, responded enthusiastically in the affirmative.

In his book Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them)with a foreword by Steve Bannon and a blurb from Vice President JD VancePosobiec portrayed all revolutionary movements of the past 250 years to be the work of subhuman monsters.

Leftists operate from envy, Posobiec writes. There is no way to reason with those who manipulate the have-nots en masse to loot and to shoot. If it is impossible to reason with unhumans, they must be dealt with through other means. Democracy has never worked to protect innocents from the unhumans, he wrote, It is time to stop playing by rules they wont.

This is an open call for violence against opponents of Trump. Posobiecs language is lifted directly from the vocabulary of the Nazis. His unhumans are a close translation of the Nazi term Untermenschen (subhumans), used to justify genocide against Jews, Slavs and other peoples. In 1942, SS leader Heinrich Himmler oversaw the publication of a pamphlet titled Der Untermensch, which declared that certain populations were biological creatures who are only partial human beings.

Posobiecs unhumans, like Himmlers Untermenschen, are those marked out for annihilation. What we need are lists, he wrotelists of enemies, along with men and women of action to hunt down opponents in the media, education and the economy: Let cultural Marxists tremble in fear At the CPAC convention last year, sharing the stage with Bannon, Posobiec declared, Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We didnt get all the way there on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it.

Posobiec also told Trump during the White House event that antifa has existed since the Weimar Republic in Germany, that is, since opposition to the rise of Hitler. This is a theme promoted by others in attendance, including Andy Ngo, who, in his book Unmasked, complained, While the Brownshirts are well remembered in contemporary Western society, the history of far-left paramilitaries in the German interwar years has faded to memory.

Hours after the fascist gathering, Mark Bray, a Rutgers University historian and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, was stopped from boarding a flight from Newark to Spain on Wednesday night. Bray, who had received death threats from Turning Point USA activists and was labeled by Posobiec a domestic terrorist professor, was attempting to leave the country with his family.

After passing through security, Bray was informed at the gate that their reservations had been cancelled. He wrote, Someone cancelled my familys flight out of the country at the last second. We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation disappeared.

The only explanation for this cancellation is that someone in or around the administration sought to prevent Brays ability to leave the US and escape from threats against his life, and to send a message that he is being followed and targeted.

One might have assumed that the invitation of fascists to the White House, where their calls for the political suppression and violent overthrow of constitutionally protected rights were endorsed by the president, would have been answered with a storm of protests. But nothing of the sort has happened. The open embrace of fascists in the White House has been met with near-total indifference from the political and media establishment. No leading Democratincluding House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, or Vermont Senator Bernie Sandershas issued a single statement on the gathering of neo-Nazis and white supremacists in the executive mansion.

The major network TV news programs gave it no coverage. The Washington Post, the principal newspaper covering the nations capital, has nothing on the front page of its website. The New York Times, the main media organ of the Democratic Party, published only a perfunctory report focused narrowly on Trumps claim to have taken away freedom of speech, omitting any reference to the fascistic threats and declarations made by the participants.

The silence extends to the various organizations that operate in and around the Democratic Party as well. Jacobin magazine, the organ associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has published nothing on the White Houses fascist meeting, the invocation of the Insurrection Act, or the threats against Bray and the cancellation of his flight.

The DSA itself, which was explicitly threatened at the White House meeting on antifa, posted a brief pro-forma statement Thursday afternoon: DSA affirms our fundamental right to free speech and assembly. We will not be intimidated by the Trump administrations cronies, and we will continue our struggle for democracy to the end.

The DSA says that they will not be intimidated, but if that is all they have to say in response to a direct threat from the White House, then they plainly are. Moreover, the issue is not only the fundamental rights of the DSA, but the overthrow of the Constitution and the establishment of a dictatorship. Nowhere does the organization explain how its proclaimed struggle for democracy is to be waged, because for the DSA the answer is always the same: to subordinate opposition to the Democratic Party, which through its silence and inaction is enabling Trumps coup.

There is enormous popular opposition to Trumps dictatorial agenda. Millions are preparing to take part in the upcoming No Kings demonstrations on October 18, with more than 2,100 protests already scheduled in cities and towns across the country. The administrations threats, its deployment of troops to major cities, and its plans to invoke the Insurrection Act are preemptive moves against the developing movement of the working class and youth.

There is every reason to believe that the Trump administration will seek to incite violent incidents to provide a pretext for repression. All those who are planning to participate in what are planned as peaceful protests must be on guard against and avoid falling into traps laid by provocateurs.

However, the demonstrations, motivated by profound determination to defend democratic rights, must confront critical political and strategic truths.

First and foremost, the assault on democratic rights is aimed against the working class. In the final analysis, Trump is seeking to create a political system in which workers are deprived of all means to defend their most basic social interests. His administrations program is being implemented in the government shutdown, now in its second week.

Trump is boasting of exploiting the opportunity to destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs, gut social programs, and strip millions of health care, housing, and retirement benefits. The same government that is deploying troops in American cities is spearheading a social counterrevolution against every gain won by the working class.

Second, Trump does not act as an isolated individual. He speaks and acts for the American capitalist oligarchy, which has concluded that its wealth and power can no longer be maintained through democratic means. The corporate and financial oligarchs who dined last month at the White House and showered Trump with praise are motivated by the same interests which led ruthless sections of the German ruling class to raise Hitler to power in 1933 and support his dictatorship.

The mega-billionaires are convinced that the capitalist system requires a massive reduction in entitlement programs and overall living standards of the working class. Moreover, they want the elimination of all restraints on the use of military power to secure their global economic interests. Trump has been placed in the White House to implement this fascistic program.

Third, the Democratic Party will do nothing to oppose this drive. Whatever tactical differences it may have, it is also an instrument of the financial-corporate oligarchy and the military-intelligence apparatus and shares Trumps basic goals: the defense of capitalist wealth, the prosecution of war, and the suppression of any movement from below. Its silence and complicity express its class character. What it fears above all is a mass movement of the working class that would threaten the foundations of capitalist rule itself.

From the recognition of the situation as defined above, it follows:

Fourth, the defense of democratic rights requires the independent political mobilization of the working class, the only social force capable of halting the descent into dictatorship. It numbers in the hundreds of millions, exercises the decisive role in the economic process of production, and has the potential power to bring the oligarchs to their knees and force a massive and democratic distribution of power and wealth.

Moreover, the vast American working class is part of an international working class that makes it possible to wage the struggle against capitalism on a global scale.

The October 18 protest demonstrations should mark the beginning of a counteroffensive against Trumps dictatorial and fascistic rampage.

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) urges that in every workplace, factory, neighborhood and school, workers and student youth must begin to discuss and organize resistance to the assault on democratic rights. The savage assault on immigrant workers and their families must be stopped. Moreover, all political organizations and individuals targeted by the Trump regime must be defended. For its part, the Socialist Equality Party will defend all victims of government attacks, regardless of differences over program and strategy.

Rank-and-file committees must be formed to coordinate this struggle across industries and borders. The SEP has taken the initiative to develop the fight through the formation of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). The fight for this strategy and program among the youth is being conducted by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE).

The fight against dictatorship is inseparable from the fight against capitalism and for socialism. To defend democracy, the working class must take power into its own hands, expropriate the financial oligarchy, and reorganize economic life on the basis of human need, not private profit. Only in this way can the descent into fascism and dictatorship be stopped.
In a partial release of his new song Bad News, country music star Zach Bryan refers directly to the brutality of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on immigrants being carried out by the Trump administration.

Bad News, unusual in the country music genre for its open criticism of the government, has elicited a series of attacks from the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and far-right media mouthpieces.

Zach Bryan, 2023 (Photo by Katrina Paisano)

This hysterical responsewhich includes an aggressive effort to blacklist and silence Bryanreflects the extreme nervousness of the fascists in the White House, who cannot tolerate any public criticism of their authoritarian measures. Aware of the widespread opposition among tens of millions against the ICE raids, the clique around Trump is fearful that voices such as Bryans will encourage others to speak out and take political action.

The lyrics, as revealed in Instagram snippets, focus on the harsh actions of ICE agents: ICE is gonna come bust down your door. Try to build a house, no one builds no more, well I got a telephone. Kids are all scared and all alone. Another section goes: I heard the cops came / cocky motherfers, aint they? and concludes, the bar stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling, the middle fingers rising, and it wont stop showing. Got some bad news, the fading of the red, white, and blue.

Facing a barrage of right-wing denunciations, Bryan backtracked somewhat, insisting the song was not a political statement, but a reflection of widespread fear and a plea for unity amid division: This song embodies my love for this nation and everyone within it above all else. Once you hear the entire song, you will grasp the broader context that resonates with both political sides. Those who are weaponizing this now only highlight how profoundly divided we truly are. We need to navigate our way back.

He stated further, I wasnt speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou ahole, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else.  To see how much s it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared.

Meanwhile, the fascistic Noem denounced Bryans lyrics as completely disrespectful  not just to law enforcement but to the country and every single person who has stood up and fought for our freedoms. In a video interview with extreme right pundit Benny Johnson, Noem stated, He compromised it by putting a product that attacks those who are trying to keep our streets safe. I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that is. The primary threat to safe American streets at present comes from the ICE-Gestapo forces unleashed by Noem and company.

The White House followed up Noems diatribe with spokesperson Abigail Jackson claiming Bryans song would incite violence against ICE and law enforcement and insisting a majority of Americans supported Trumps crackdown on criminal illegals. However, if there were so much support for ICEs criminal actions, why was it necessary for an official statement from the Deputy White House Press Secretary?

These comments from Trump officials were intended to and did inevitably set in motion the right-wing propaganda machine on social media and conservative talk shows, with various pro-Trump music figures joining the assault, labeling Bryan trash and a tool for criticizing the police state, and demanding boycotts of his music.

The effort to muzzle Zach Bryan is part of the campaign by the Trump administration to silence and punish any criticism of its fascist policies. The most visible recent example of this was the attempt to force late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off the air after he publicly exposed the political exploitation of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, a leader of the right-wing Turning Point USA, by the Trump forces.

Trumps vindictive response was at first successful, as ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! by using pressure from regulators and criminal threats from Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, who said, gangster-like, We can handle this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to modify their behavior and take action regarding Kimmel, or the FCC will have more work to do.

However, in the end, public opposition to the intervention of the Trump administration was so enormous that ABC and its affiliates were forced to put Kimmel back on the air within a week. Some 32 million people watched his return opening monologue live or on social media.

Similarly, there has been an eruption of support for Bryan on social media over his Bad News release and this reflects the mass opposition to the brutalization of immigrant communities, particularly the terrorizing of children by ICE.

The lines kids are all scared and all alone captures the trauma experienced by tens of thousands as agents break into homes and schools, forcibly separating families and deporting parents. It is these actions that have spurred mass protests in cities across the US from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Zach Bryan is one of several artists who have raised their voices against ICE and the police state measures. The far-right backlash he is facing is in line with the Trump administrations response to thosesuch as Bad Bunny, Shakira and Doechiiwho have dared to criticize the would-be dictator.

Artists have been using their work to challenge US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), turning fear into a call for resistance, notes Rebelphonics, which profiles musicians and visual artists mobilizing against ICE raids and border militarization.

Street murals, spoken word performances and mass protests led by immigrant youth have become regular occurrences, using art to express what mainstream politicians and media kissing up to the Trump government refuse to report on.

Zach Bryans Bad News is the latest example of dissent within popular culture in the US against the Trump administration. While his lyrics have brought vilification and censorship efforts engineered by Noem and her agents in the media, Bryans defiance has also tapped into something much deeper and stronger: the feelings of millions in America who are demanding an end to the cruelty and militarization of everyday life.
Dunamu, the operator of the South Korean crypto exchange Upbit, will have to overcome five legal hurdles if it is to complete its much-vaunted merger with the tech giant Naver, according to a new report.

Naver is the countrys biggest and most prominent internet firm, South Koreas answer to Google. Upbit, meanwhile, has cornered some 72% of the domestic crypto market.

Dunamu Naver Merger: 5 Legal Obstacles

A Dunamu-Naver merger could create a crypto-tech behemoth on a scale previously unseen in the East Asian market.

However, the South Korean newspaper Hanguk Kyungjae identified several issues that stand in the way of the alliance, despite the merger talk leaving the tech and crypto sectors abuzz.

It called these legal hurdles significant, and added that policy uncertainties could also undermine the bid.

Trading volumes on the South Korean crypto exchange Upbit in the past week. (Source: CoinGecko)

Hurdle 1: Tradfi Regulations

In late 2017, South Korean regulators imposed a rule effectively barring traditional financial companies from doing crypto-related business.

Although they never enshrined this in national law, financial industry guidelines still exclude the possibility of banks and other lenders providing crypto-related services.

Naver wants to merge its Naver Financial unit with Dunamu. The former is classified as an electronic financial service provider under the terms of the Electronic Financial Transactions Act.

Regulators would, in theory, need to modify their guidelines for the merger to go ahead as currently proposed.

The Dunamu Chairman Song Chi-hyung speaking at Seoul National University in 2021. (Source: Seoul National University/Seoul Kyungjae/YouTube/Screenshot)

Hurdle 2: Stablecoin Legislation Uncertainty

Domestic market observers think that one of the key goals of a Naver-Dunamu merger centers on the issuance of won-denominated stablecoins and the expansion of the payment ecosystem.

If Navers existing Naver Pay platform could make use of a KRW-pegged coin, the firm could expand its presence in the payments market.

However, politicians and regulators remain divided on several key stablecoin-related matters, despite President Lee Jae-myungs intention to legalize KRW-pegged tokens.

The central Bank of Korea (BOK) has taken a cautious stance, insisting that only commercial banks or consortia where banks are majority stakeholders should be allowed to issue stablecoins.

But some politicians want to allow fintech firms and other IT players to issue their own tokens.

Should the BOK get its way, this could prove a setback. The newspaper wrote:
A 55-year-old California man recently turned to the Bogleheads forum  a famously level-headed community of long-term investors  to ask the question most workers dream of: Am I ready to retire?

His post wasn't wishful thinking. It read like a financial statement. He's single, has no children, and no plans for an inheritance. His portfolio? A staggering $7.45 million, split across a mix of pre-tax accounts, Roths, and taxable investments. About 85% sits in stocks  index funds and a few highly appreciated individual shares  while 15% rests in bonds and cash.

His lifestyle runs about $133,000 a year, with a huge chunk  roughly $90,000  going toward mortgage, taxes, and HOA fees on his California condo. He's thinking about packing up and heading to Las Vegas, where there's no state income tax and housing costs are far lower. "After that," he wrote, "I could have my dream of spending three months in Europe and three in South America each year."

Don't Miss:

"You Have Plenty of Money"

The replies came quick. "You have plenty of money. Congratulations," one member said, pointing him toward a retirement planner tool. Another added, "You're loaded. Pull the pin and enjoy."

Others dug into finer details  mostly healthcare and taxes. One user noted that $20,000 a year for pre-Medicare coverage sounded high, but reasonable if it included out-of-pocket costs. Another reminded him to check Affordable Care Act subsidies and premium differences between states.

But the best advice wasn't about spreadsheets. It came from retirees who'd already crossed that same mental bridge. One recalled the fear of losing purpose after decades of 50-hour weeks. "It never happened," he wrote. "I ended up wondering how I ever had time for work before."

Trending: Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund Just Backed This Farmland Manager  Accredited Investors Can Join the Same Fund

The Real Question: What Comes Next?

The California poster admitted that it wasn't the money part that made him hesitate  it was the blank calendar. "That's the scary part," he said. "Waking up in the morning and having nothing to do and nowhere to go."

"Assuming I am financially ready, how do I go about making decisions when I'm on the fence about both retiring and moving?" he wrote, capturing the crossroads many future retirees find themselves at  not worrying about running out of cash, but about what comes next.
The international association Abacus Worldwide has expanded its network by incorporating Balans-Inform-Audit (BIA), an audit firm based in Uzbekistan.

Founded in 1999, BIA delivers services in economics, finance and corporate management, aiding companies in adapting to the market-oriented economy of Uzbekistan.

BIA's membership in Abacus Worldwide also includes joining Task International, a network that caters to independent accounting firms specialising in transnational auditing and compliance.

Abacus Worldwide CEO and president Julio Gabay said: As Uzbekistan works to attract more foreign investors, theres a greater need for local accounting help to navigate constantly changing economic landscape. From currency reforms to improvements in corporate governance, our members benefit greatly from the addition of a strong audit presence like BIA.

In August 2025, Abacus Worldwide added two Latin American firms into its network: Triade Auditores e Consultores from Brazil and Seven Group G7 from Colombia.

Triade, an audit firm established in 1989 and headquartered in Sao Paulo, provides a variety of auditing services catering to both national and multinational corporations.

Seven Group G7, with its headquarters in Cali, Colombia, brings a team of specialists with backgrounds in large companies, concentrating on audit and accounting services.

The association connects independent accounting, consulting, and legal firms worldwide, providing them with resources and knowledge to navigate the business environment.

Abacus Worldwides objective is to facilitate growth for its member firms by enabling them to address client needs both domestically and internationally. The association focuses on creating partnerships with suitable firms in certain locations to support this goal.

"Abacus Worldwide adds Balans-Inform-Audit to network " was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand.






[Editors note: This interview was originally published on January 29, 2025 and has been lightly updated for the films HBO debut Friday, October 10. It will also be streaming on HBO Max and is currently in limited theaters for Oscar qualification.]

Andrew Jarecki was never more anxious about sharing a new project at Sundance.

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At the festival, the veteran documentarian debuted his Oscar-nominated Capturing the Friedmans (2003), Just a Clown (2004), Catfish (2010), and Emmy-winning series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015), which he followed up with a popular sequel.

Earlier this year in Park City, Jarecki and his producer-turned-co-director Charlotte Kaufman premiered HBOs The Alabama Solution, a hard-hitting expose of the brutal Alabama state prison system, a six-year investigative project that deploys video footage taken on the contraband phones of the inmates themselves, as well as interviews by the filmmakers. The movie inspired a long, standing ovation at The Library, and the films activist subjects, Melvin Ray and Robert Earl Council, sent a pre-recorded video and participated in a live Q&A by phone from prison. It had an Oscar qualifying run in limited theaters starting October 3 and is a strong contender for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar, with a 90 on Metacritic.

This movie left my jaw open a few times. I gasped at the shocking conditions at the Alabama prisons: water sloshing on floors, strewn garbage, the rats accompanying solitary confinement. The filmmakers themselves became inured to the horrifying video footage the inmates sent them via their cell phones. They saw mens faces bashed by prison guards, the bloody streaks left behind by men dragged after a beating. They learned of murders.

First, you have to wrap your head around that this is a reality thats happening in our countrys prisons, Kaufman told IndieWire over Zoom. Most people understand that Americas prisons are tough, but I dont think people quite understand to what level is the cruelty, the trauma, the abuse, the negligence. The first couple of years of making this film was like having a bucket of ice water dropped on us every day.

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Six years ago in 2019, Jareckis daughter was reading a book about Anthony Ray Hinton, who had been wrongfully convicted in Alabama. Jarecki was reading articles about Montgomery and a memorial to people who had been victims of lynching. It was Presidents weekend, and we said, We got to go to Montgomery, maybe well learn something,' said Jarecki. Pretty much by chance, I met a man who was the first Black prison chaplain in the state of Alabama, and we started talking. And because Ive been interested in the justice system, and made a bunch of films in and around it, I started asking him about the prisons. He said, Well, why dont you come in and volunteer? And I said, Would they let me in there? And he said, Yeah, if you come and volunteer, you can do it.'

Charlotte Kaufman and Andrew Jarecki attend the The Alabama Solution premiere during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Getty Images

Thats why Jarecki and Kaufman decided to check out the Alabama prisons. They eventually obtained permission to film the opening scene, an outdoor picnic for the inmates at Easterling Prison. It was then that we started to be taken aside by these men, said Jarecki. And we discovered that there were things happening in the prison that nobody on the outside was allowed to see. So that was the initial way in.

Once they got that first glimpse and whisperings of what was going on, the filmmakers felt compelled to continue to look and to investigate, said Kaufman. The main response to all of this horror is a feeling of wanting to understand how its possible this is happening. As much as theres sadness and outrage, feeling compelled to keep looking and to keep understanding.

Another wrinkle: The two ringleaders of the activist movement inside the prisons, Council and Ray, who launched the Free Alabama Movement and were posting on social media like Facebook and YouTube, were in increasing danger. The film shows them hit and then slammed in the isolation tank. We knew, as we started to learn about just how dark things were in the prison, said Jarecki, that people were regularly retaliated against. When we were told about these incredible leaders inside, Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray, it was clear that they were going to be able to tell us things that we otherwise wouldnt know, and give us a perspective from the view of somebody whos in the midst of that horrible system. They had been working for many years fearlessly to get the word out. But trying to get through the walls of the prison is difficult.

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Anxiety about the potential reaction to the movie drove the filmmakers to keep a tight lid on the film before they showed it at Sundance. Its driven by our deep concern for their safety, said Kaufman, and wanting to be intentional of how we release it to the world, so that their attorneys, their defense committee, and they themselves, can be prepared, and that its not in a disorganized fashion.

Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Alanna Taylor

The mission and practice of the incarcerated subjects documenting their lives within prison walls even predated the films production. When events were happening around them that they felt was important for the world to see, they were documenting it, said Kaufman. But obviously, one-off videos sometimes dont portray the whole truth of whats happening. Theyve shared with us, and then they gave us a lot of their time to have these in-depth conversations throughout six years. The fact that we were able to have those conversations not on the wall phone, which is monitored by the prison, but we were able to have them through this other means was extremely meaningful.

Often the prisoners stand in the window holding their phones, so their faces are illuminated. They bought the phones from the prison guards. With no wifi, they nabbed cellular service signals in the sky, and figured out ways to charge the phones. There would be conversations about, Oh, youre backlit. Whens the next time were going to be able to talk?' said Kaufman. How precious do you want to be about those things? Because the most important thing is the dialogue, and the medium is the message. Thats part of the point of this film: Should it be that difficult to be able to have honest conversations and document whats happening in our facilities?

Its not new to have cell phones in prisons across the country. Cell phones have been present in Alabamas prisons and in many prisons since 2013-14, said Kaufman. Not everybody is using the technology in such a brave way and ingenious way, as the men who are in our film, but they are present.

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For the moment, neither Ray nor Council are in solitary confinement. The retaliation against them has been pretty varied over the years, and obviously for long periods of time, said Jarecki. The two of them together have spent a combined 14 years in solitary confinement. At the moment, they are, from a relative standpoint, stable. Theyre keen to see people react to the film and see people absorb this material thats been secret for so long. So theyre concerned, and were concerned, obviously, about any further retaliation by the administration.

Kaufman sees the film as not all about the evils of the prison system. As much as this film is about all of the darkness and the corruption and the cover-up, she said. Its also a portrait of human resilience. And they are still very resilient.

The movie introduces us to people who we would not otherwise get a chance to meet. And we can see their humanity. But we see the Alabama prison system denigrating convicted criminals, no matter their race, as somehow not deserving of being treated as human beings. Theres this binary quality to the thinking about criminal justice, said Jarecki. There is a mindset that there are people who are criminals and people who are not criminals, and our job here is to just root out the bad ones and then lock them up forever, because society will be safe with no recognition of which crimes we prosecute. You could have a person thats stolen a billion dollars in taxes. Maybe that person is going to get pardoned. You have another person thats stolen $30 in baby formula. Maybe that persons going to get locked up for a long time. So the system is seemingly illogical.

Its hard to witness in the film just how intractable and resolute the Alabama prison establishment and state government have been in refusing to do anything about whats going on. In the early days, said Jarecki, we thought, surely they will recognize that when the Department of Justice is writing findings letters that say that horrible things are happening, the state is going to respond to that in some way, right? Weve talked to people in the DOJ whove said, Most of the time, when we bring up massive problems in a states prison system, constitutional violations, horrible conditions, the state is embarrassed, and the state wants to do something about that. Not so with Alabama.

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Of all the terrible prison systems in America, Alabama is the worst. Its the deadliest prison system, said Jarecki. That includes the highest level of drug overdoses, of murder, of rape and suicide. However, as you could see from the film, similar things are happening in many states, because these states are not allowing anybody to see inside, and so journalists dont get access to these prisons. You say democracy dies in darkness. People die in darkness. We think of that as something that happens in some far off country or in the middle of war. Theres a great line from Melvin Ray: How is it possible that a journalist can go into a war zone, but cant go into a prison in the United States?

While scholars have shown that mass incarceration is rooted in racism and historical slavery, Kaufman said, This is a system that hurts everybody. Its harmful to the guards, its harmful to those incarcerated. The cruelty doesnt discriminate. The system is an equal opportunity disaster.

Next Up: The film is generating an impact campaign. The film is the beginning of what we hope is going to be an impact both in Alabama and outside Alabama, said Jarecki. Charlotte and I are both working a lot on that. Its going to be a way of life for the next year.

The Alabama Solution is currently in limited theaters and will make its debut on HBO and HBO Max Friday October 10.

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When the curtain rises in Paris this February, the stage will shimmer in gold, crimson, and feathers. The Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is bringing back Firebird  not the old Russian fairy tale, but a reimagined vision born from the Caribbean imagination of the late Geoffrey Holder. Choreographed initially to Igor Stravinskys legendary score, Firebird has always been about transformation. But in Holders hands, it became something far more vivid, a celebration of Black beauty and myth set in a magical Haiti.

Now, after 20 years away from French stages, DTH returns with that same fire, performing Firebird and other works across France in February and March 2026, including at the Palais des Congres de Paris. Its a beautiful, lush, amazing idea, a new idea of what the firebird could possibly be, says Robert Garland, DTHs artistic director. Most of the other productions rely heavily on the Russian, the old Russian look. And he threw all of that out. He created a sort of a scandal, Mr. Holder, with the tutu.

When Geoffrey Holder Gave Ballet Its Caribbean Wings

Nir Areli / Dance Theater of Harlem

Holder, a Trinidadian-American artist, dancer, and designer, was known for breaking boundaries. When he first unveiled Firebird in 1982, his costumes caused a stir. The traditional tutu had no front. Critics called it scandalous. Its absolutely perfect, because you know how the bird has the very slight legs? It accentuates the legs of the female dancer in such a beautiful way, Garland says. I call her a female superhero  the Storm of ballet.

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The look was daring: jeweled headpieces, sculpted gold crowns, and one-piece unitards in each dancers skin tone, draped with rope and shimmering fabric. The effect is ethereal, bodies both dressed and undressed, suspended between earth and fantasy.

Now, Leo Holder, the son of Geoffrey Holder, is helping bring those designs back to life. Were trying to make sure were doing everything to the letter of when it was performed the first time, says Fatima Jones, DTHs Chief Marketing and Advancement Officer. Were keeping the same costuming, the same production staging, all of that.

Its definitely going to be a beautiful rendering of a great African-American and, by way of, a Trinidadian artist, adds Robert Garland.

Paris, Harlem, And The Dance That Connects Them

For DTH, the return to France is a conversation between Harlem, Haiti, and Paris, places that have long echoed each others rhythm. Theres always been this fun kind of play between Harlem and Paris, Garland reflects.

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When you think about Mr. Baldwin, you think about Josephine Baker; theres always been this interesting kind of thing that goes on. Arthur Mitchell, our founder, danced with a man, George Balanchine, who was the founder of the New York City Ballet. The thing that inspired him to come back to America was hearing jazz music played in Paris in a club. And that was indeed the turning point that brought him to America, and eventually to Harlem.

That cross-cultural dialogue runs deep. Holders Haiti-inspired world connects with France not only through history but through aesthetics  both sharing a love of drama, opulence, and storytelling. The performance becomes a meeting point between continents, a dance between memory and imagination.

Arthur Mitchells Legacy Still Moves The Stage

The Dance Theatre of Harlem has been rewriting the language of ballet since Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded it in 1969, in the aftermath of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination. Mitchell, the first Black principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, built the company as both a refuge and a revolution: a place where ballet could belong to everyone, including those who had long been excluded from its story.

Garland sees that story as deeply rooted in the Black diaspora, a lineage of movement and music that predates ballet itself. Our love as a people has always been towards movement. Its not surprising that we would love to do something that involves movement, which would be ballet.

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Today, Arthur Mitchells legacy lives through DTHs dancers, artists from the U.S., Brazil, Puerto Rico, Germany, and beyond, each one embodying a piece of that global conversation. Their performances carry the tension and tenderness of the diaspora, translating centuries of survival and brilliance into line and motion.

For Jones, DTHs impact goes far beyond the stage. In New York, after performances, the company hosts Meet the Ballerina moments, intimate encounters that bring audiences face-to-face with dancers who look like them.

When I first got to DTH, Im like, oh, its going to be a bunch of kids. No, its kids and adults waiting to meet the ballerinas, Jones says. Its just such a beautiful moment.

Dance Theatre Of Harlems Fire Still Burns Across Borders

As DTH prepares to perform Firebird in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Roubaix, the excitement is palpable. The companys elegance and energy have long captivated international audiences, but France feels special.

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The people of African descent that well meet along the way  theyll become family, Garland says.  Im doing the best job I can to help represent and share with people what they can expect to see when they come into the theater. This company is gorgeous. Youre going to see some beautiful humans moving on the stage.

Learn more about Dance Theatre of Harlems upcoming tour and history at dancetheatreofharlem.org.







The post Dance Theatre Of Harlem Returns To France After 20 Years  With Fire, Fashion, And Diaspora In Motion appeared first on Travel Noire.
Adidas is getting into the safety footwear category via a new partnership with protective equipment company GLO Brands B.V.

According to GLO, a unit of Bunzl plc, the new high-performance safety footwear range is designed to support working professionals who perform under pressure in the toughest environments.

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Dubbed Adidas Pro Work, the first collection is expected to debut in the second quarter of 2026 through select distribution partners and channels. The collection will combine functional protection with comfort and aesthetics, ensuring professionals dont have to compromise on style or safety, the company stated.

Lauren Mooney, general manager of GLO, said that the company will translate Adidas design vision into specialist footwear backed by rigorous supply chain standards.

Adidas and GLO together are suited to bring to market best-in-class safety shoes  where uncompromising protection meets unique Adidas style, Mooney said.

This news comes after Adidas posted net sales of 5.95 billion euros in the second quarter and growth of 12 percent on a currency-adjusted basis.

That adds up to 14 percent growth in currency neutral terms over the first half of this year. So far in 2025, the companys net sales total 12.11 billion euros.

We have achieved this despite all the challenges, Adidas chief executive officer Bjorn Gulden told journalists at a press conference revealing the results in Germany this July. Our brand is hot. I think of course thats partly because of 76 years of history and accumulated marketing, but also our teams both globally and centrally putting us back in front of the consumer again.

Adidas saw growth in all product categories and sales territories between April and June and order books were full until the end of this year, Gulden said. Adidas ambition is to be the leader in all markets except North America. There the brand has the objective of doubling its business.

The German sportswear brand is expected to release its next earnings report on Oct. 29.

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NEED TO KNOW

Darius McCrary, known for his role on Family Matters, was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border on Oct. 5 due to a warrant from another state

He is being held in a San Diego jail with no bail on a felony charge

This is the third time McCrary has reportedly been arrested since 2015

Darius McCrary is currently being held in a San Diego jail without bail.

According to records obtained by PEOPLE, the Family Matters alum, 49, was arrested and booked at 7:17 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5 by the United States Border Patrol for an out-of-state felony warrant. He has not yet been sentenced and is not eligible for bail at this time.

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Online booking information lists it as a fugitive arrest and the San Diego Courts website shows McCrary is the defendant in an open criminal case. His first court date is set for Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Prince Williams/ Getty Darius McCrary Darius McCrary

His rep told TMZ that the warrant was out of Michigan due to a missed court appearance regarding his failure to pay child support.

A rep for McCrary did not respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Among McCrarys legal troubles was his messy divorce battle with ex-wife Tammy Brawner after their 2017 filing.

When they finalized the divorce in February 2019, McCrary was ordered to pay $1,366 per month in child support ($916 as a base amount, plus $415 in child-care costs), according to documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time.

Robin L Marshall/Getty Darius McCrary in 2025 Darius McCrary in 2025

In their agreement, Brawner, a former Harlem Globetrotter, was granted full legal and physical custody of the former couples then-3-year-old daughter Zoey.

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McCrary was ordered to attend alcohol/drug abuse and batterers intervention classes within 12 months, and was granted professional monitored visitation with Zoey every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until he completed 10 visits, when restrictions would continue to lessen.

Darius McCrary on 'Family Matters'

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In 2018, PEOPLE reported that, per court documents obtained by The Blast at the time, Brawner alleged that McCrary partially dislocated Zoeys arm.

Brawner reportedly told doctors that McCrary was taking his daughter to the bathroom and grabbed her arm. McCrary reportedly denied that account and claimed he grabbed one hand to lift her up and immediately grabbed the other.

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Zoey was allegedly diagnosed with Nursemaids elbow, a common elbow injury among young children and toddlers that occurs when a childs elbow is pulled and one of the bones partially dislocates.

McCrary is best known for his role as Eddie Winslow on the hit '90s sitcom Family Matters from 1989-1998 which he starred alongside on-screen parents Reginald VelJohnson and Jo Marie Payton.



Read the original article on People
NEED TO KNOW

Following her death on Oct. 8, 2025, PEOPLE examines the impact of the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident on Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of Sen. Ted Kennedy

At 37 years old, Joan was the subject of a PEOPLE cover story following her three-week stay at Connecticut's Silver Hill Foundation, a private sanitarium

Her mother Virginia Bennett was quoted at the time: "When you need a rest, where do you go?"

Joan Bennett Kennedy, who died early in the morning on Oct. 8, was the last surviving member of the Camelot generation. She lived through both the great highs and the traumatic lows often associated with America's famous political family.

Joan, the first wife of Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died at 89, was just 37 years old when she was the subject of a PEOPLE cover story in 1974 following her three-week stay at Connecticut's Silver Hill Foundation, a private sanitarium.

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Her mother Virginia Bennett was quoted at the time: "When you need a rest, where do you go? Maine Chance? Her Washington internist recommended this place ... I don't like these headlines 'nervous breakdown' and all that. She needed a rest and I hope she got it."

But Bennett's comments glossed over that her daughter had in recent years faced a series of illnesses, three miscarriages and difficult pregnancies, as well as standing by her husband during the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident.

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.

Dominique BERRETTY/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Ted Kennedy and spouse Joan Bennett Kennedy 1965 Ted Kennedy and spouse Joan Bennett Kennedy 1965

Chappaquiddick would prove to be the senator's most damaging scandal, and took place on July 18, 1969, when Ted's black Oldsmobile crashed off a small bridge on the tiny Massachusetts island of Chappaquiddick and landed in the water.

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The next morning, the body of Mary Jo Kopechne  a young woman who had worked for Ted's late brother, Robert F. Kennedy  was found inside the mostly-submerged car.



Over the years, PEOPLE has investigated the mysterious car accident that killed a promising young political aide  even launching an entire podcast dedicated to exploring what really happened that night yet many questions remain unanswered.

For more on Joan Kennedy and the Chappaquiddick incident, listen below to PEOPLE's "Cover-Up" podcast.

Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne had both attended a small party with friends earlier that evening at a rented cottage on the island, a small stretch of land that is part of Martha's Vineyard. Reports have indicated that only 12 people were at the gathering: Ted, five other married men, and six so-called "Boiler Room Girls," the name given to a group of young unmarried female campaign strategists, including Kopechne, who had worked on Robert's presidential campaign before he was assassinated in 1968.

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Ted was behind the wheel, later claiming that he was giving Kopechne a ride back to the ferry so she could return to her hotel, when he said he took a wrong turn and headed toward the Dike Bridge, in the opposite direction of the ferry landing. The car crashed and went over the bridge, falling into the water below.

Kennedy managed to escape the submerged car, and later claimed he dove down multiple times to try to rescue Kopechne before ultimately giving up, going back to the party and returning to the bridge with a cousin and another party guest, who also tried to rescue Kopechne.

They did not notify the police about the incident until approximately 10 hours after the crash, though numerous calls charged to Ted's credit cards were placed from phones at the rented cottage and at his hotel to Ted's staff, friends, family, advisors and lawyers, according to The New York Times.

About a week after Kopechne's death, Ted pled guilty to a charge of "leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury without making himself known." He was given a two-month suspended sentence.

Bettmann/Getty Ted and Joan Ted and Joan

The scandal haunted Ted's political career and is largely believed to be why his presidential campaign some 10 years later was unsuccessful  but it also haunted his first wife, as well.

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Joan, who was pregnant at the time, stood by her husband in court and also appeared with him at Kopechne's funeral, She miscarried shortly thereafter. By the time he unsuccessfully tried to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries, they had separated.

According to PEOPLE's 1974 cover story, Joan declared Chappaquiddick as "a tragic accident, very unfortunate," and added, "I believe everything he said." But the tragedy also proved devastating for the couple, as stories of Ted's extramarital affairs and heavy drinking dominated headlines.

She and Ted announced plans to divorce in 1981 and the decision was finalized in 1983. Joan never remarried.

In later years, her struggle to stay sober made headlines anew and included highly publicized drunk driving incidents. After being appointed a guardian when her alcoholism came to a head in the early 2000s, Joan lived a quiet life in Boston and stayed relatively out of the public eye.

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Together, Joan and Ted had three children, Kara, Ted Jr. and Patrick. Kara, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002, died from a heart attack in 2011. Ted Jr., an attorney and former member of the Connecticut state Senate, developed bone cancer at age 12 and had part of his right leg removed. Patrick served as a Rhode Island congressman for 16 years and is a mental health advocate.

GoLocalProv published an obituary announcing the news of Joan's death on Oct. 8, revealing that she died peacefully in her sleep at her Boston home. According to her death certificate, Joan died from dementia.

Friends remember her as a gentle soul, who loved the piano, and a loyal Kennedy.

Read the original article on People
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opened up about one of their greatest fears as parents while accepting a somewhat divisive humanitarian award in New York City last night.

The couple, who share two childrenson Archie, 6, and daughter Lilibet, 4traveled to Manhattan from their home in Montecito to attend the third annual World Mental Health Day Gala, hosted by Project Healthy Minds, where they were honored as "humanitarians of the year."

Taking to the stage to accept their award, Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, openly revealed their growing concerns about how to protect their children in an increasingly digital age, with the mother of two admitting that she is afraid about how she can "safeguard" the kids, while also allowing them to "embrace" the positive aspects of technology.

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"Our children, Archie and Lili, are just 6 and 4 years old. Luckily, still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming," she said.

"Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technologys benefits while safeguarding against its dangers. That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have opened up about the biggest parenting fears while attending a gala event in New York City, where they were named as "humanitarians of the year." (John Nacion/WireImage)

Harry, meanwhile, shed some light on the thousands of families who have been devastated by the fallout from social media use among children, who have been driven to suicide or suffered severe mental health issues as a result of online bullying and toxicity.

"Tonight, we are all here together to focus on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time," he said. "Let me share a number with you: 4,000. Thats how many families the Social Media Victims Law Centre is currently representingfamilies whose children have been harmed or lost forever to social media.

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"4,000 cases at just one firm. And that number represents only those parents who have been able to link their childs circumstance to social media use."

Harry added that, while some parents have realized that they have legal power to "fight back against some of the wealthiest, most powerful corporations in the world," doing so cannot help to provide "closure" for those who continue to grieve over the loss of their children.

This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in the digital age," he noted.

Despite their emotional speech at the New York City event, the decision to award Harry and Meghan with the prestigious honor has come under criticism from some royal experts, particularly because of the couple's ongoing rift with other members of the royal family.

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"Despite the work they have undoubtedly done to highlight mental health issues ... surely, they are the wrong winners for this sort of award," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News.

"Both Meghan and Harry are estranged from their families and have launched deeply destructive attacks on the royal family for their personal and financial gain. Surely, winners of such an award should be positive in approach."

Harry and Meghan have long been outspoken about the dangers of social media and unregulated AI, and vowed to continue raising awareness through initiatives launched by their non-profit, the Archewell Foundation.

The couple has also taken steps to protect their own children online, although Meghan has been more open about sharing glimpses into their lives on her personal Instagram account, which she relaunched on New Year's Day after going several years without a public social media presence.

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, both expressed serious concerns about their childrenArchie, 6, and Lilibet, 4using social media. (Instagram/Meghan Markle)

Meghan has been more open about sharing glimpses into her life at home with her kids, but takes steps to ensure that their faces are never visible in videos and photos. (Instagram/Meghan)

The Sussexes are raising their kids in a $14.65 million Montecito mansion, which they purchased in 2020. (Google Maps)

Since then, the Duchess of Sussex has shared multiple photos and videos of both of her children, including snapshots of Archie and Lilibet in and around the family's $14.65 million Montecito mansion and clips from a trip to Disneyland, although she ensures that their faces are always concealed from view.

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Meghan has previously described their home as being a "safe haven" for the family, revealing to People magazine in March that she chose not to film her new Netflix lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan," at the property so as not to burst that protective bubble.

"I wanted to protect that safe haven," she said. "We're a close-knit family, and I love those momentsputting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, having sacred time together at the end of the day.

"Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family, and with a crew of 80-plus people, that's a lot of people to have in your house!"

Harry and Meghan moved into their sprawling Montecito abode in 2020, soon after they quit their roles as senior working royals, having stumbled across the Mediterranean-style dwelling online.

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"We were looking in this area and this house kept popping up online in searches," she told The Cut of their househunting process during a 2022 interview.

Interestingly, Meghan admitted that she and Harry were initially concerned that they wouldn't be able to afford the home, noting thatat the timethey were both unemployed.

"We didnt have jobs, so we were just not going to come and see this house. It wasnt possible," she said. "Its like when I was younger and youre window shoppingits like, 'I dont want to go and look at all the things that I cant affordthat doesnt feel good.'"

However, her fascination with the nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom estate won out and they went to view the home in personwith Meghan revealing that they fell in love with it before even setting foot inside.

"One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees," she recalled. "We did everything we could to get this house."
Princess Martha Louise of Norway is rebelling against the critics.

The 54-year-old shut down speculation that she and husband Durek Verrett are in a lavender marriage, which means two queer individuals get into a heterosexual marriage in order to conceal their true identities.

In an Instagram video posted Monday, the couple looked confused as a question box popped up that read: Whats a Lavender Marriage?

Martha Louise and Shaman Durek Verrett attend the 1st Annual Gurus Awards at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., in November 2024. Getty Images

Louise covers the camera before footage of herself and Verrett, 50, sporting lavender-colored outfits appears on camera.

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Screenshots of the naysayers comments pop up next.

The real housewife of Norway and her lavender marriage, one commenter said, while a second added, Girl, I dont know if you know but you are in a lavender marriage.

Louise and Verrett shake their heads before they transition once more to a colorful outfit.

Verrett then dips his wife in a sweet dance move before they gaze into one anothers eyes.

Ordinary isnt our thing, the last message that flashed across the screen read. We just love.

The pair captioned their joint post, Thought it was lavender? Plot twist. Its just love and legacy.

The princess and Verrett tied the knot in 2024, and their union was featured in the September Netflix documentary Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story.

Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett married in 2024. Getty Images

Verrett identifies as bisexual and was previously married to a woman named Zaneta Marzalkova from 2005 to 2009.

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In 2007, he was engaged to a man named Hank Greenberg before splitting in 2015.

Greenberg told Daily Mail in 2019: I loved Durek dearly and wish him all the best, but I dont have anything nice to say about him.

He has immense talent and I believe in his mission that love is the answer, but I dont believe in the man anymore.

Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Shaman Durek attend a pre-ESPYs sports lounge event. Getty Images for Debbie Durkin/ECOLUXE Pre-ESPY's Sports Lounge

Louise was married to Ari Behn from 2002 to 2017. The author died by suicide in 2019.

In the documentary, Verrett explained that the princess initially introduced him as gay to her and Behns daughters: Maud, 22, Leah, 20, and Emma, 17.

Im glad that she actually told them that I was her gay best friend in the beginning, because theyre very strong personalities, and let me tell you, those girls wouldve put me through the ringer, he said. The fact that I became the cool gay best friend, and I kind of eased in that way, and then when they got to realize that we were actually in love with each other, it kind of eased it a little bit.

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Louise added, Then they liked him already.

Martha Louise of Norway accompanied her eldest daughter, Maud Angelica Behn, to Pride 2025. Instagram / @iam_marthalouise

Verrett and Louise first got together in 2018, and have continued to spark debate in recent years.

Following the Netflix doc, the duo was accused of breaching the agreement they made with the Norwegian royal family after Louise stepped down from her senior duties in 2022.

Verrett ended up retracting his previous comments that implied allegations of racism.

He shared in a lengthy online statement: What I said in the Netflix documentary about my father-in-law [the king] not knowing racism has been twisted by the media. Let me be clear about what I meant.

The Norwegian royal family during the Royal Silver Jubilee Tour on June 23, 2016, in Trondheim, Norway. Getty Images

In American culture when we say someone does not know racism it often means they have not experienced it in the same way we have or they do not understand the depth of its impact. It does not mean they are ignorant or unkind. It means their lived experience is different. Cultural language does not always translate the same way, Verrett expressed. I love my father-in-law and my mother-in-law deeply. We have a strong and respectful relationship. They have supported me and my wife through everything and we share great love and understanding.

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Despite online criticism, Louise hasnt shied away from gushing over her partner.

Being married is amazing, especially when youre married to the love of your life, she shared with Today.com in a joint interview last month. Its amazing to be married to a man who loves me like you do.
After nearly 20 years living on a farm in Hawaii, Roseanne Barr is leaving it all behind. The Roseanne actress and comedian recently listed her tropical property, and it sold for more than the asking price just a few days later.

Keep reading for all the details on Barr's stunning home  which was the setting of her short-lived reality show Roseanne's Nuts  as well as the real estate deal, and where she is living in her post-Hawaii life.

Related: Yolanda Hadid's Pennsylvania Farm Estate Goes on the Market for $11 Million

Roseanne Barr's Hawaii Home Sold in Just One Week

Barr's 46-acre estate, which famously includes a macadamia nut farm, is located on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii's Big Island. The home played a large role in Roseanne's Nuts, a Lifetime reality show that followed Barr and her family life's on the farm. It only ran for one season.

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Barr put the Hawaii property on the market in late August 2025. The asking price was $1.95 million, as reported by Realtor.com.

In early October, Robb Report shared the news that the home actually sold within a week of being listed  for $650,000 over the asking price, for a total of $2.6 million.

Real estate agent Paul Stukin of Deep Blue HI coordinated the sale of the house, which he dubbed as "Roseanne Barrs Macadamia Nut Farm" on the company's website. Stukin wrote on Instagram that the home received multiple offers.

Roseanne Barrs Macadamia Nut Farm Is a Hawaiian Paradise

The home includes four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Deep Blue HI describes the estate as "designed for indoor-outdoor living," thanks to the abundant trees surrounding the property and the incredible ocean views.

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Outside of the main house, you'll find a pool house, a swimming pool, a greenhouse, an outdoor shower and tub, an art studio, and more.

And in addition to the farm's famous macadamia nut trees, the land also grows crops including, apple bananas, tangerines, avocados, and finger limes.

Roseanne Barr Is Now Primarily Living in Texas

According to Robb Report, Barr still owns a smaller Hawaii home in Waimea.

"Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart, but Im getting too old to do as much as I used to," Barr told the magazine. "The land deserves someone with the spirit and energy to care for it the way it should be."

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That said, Barr has been primarily living in Texas since earlier this year.

My mom lives with me, my wife and my two daughters. Shes the best grandma," Barrs son Jake Pentland revealed to Us Weeklyin April 2025. Pentland also told the magazine that his mother was considering a move to Palm Beach, Florida.

In 2018, Barr made international headlines for her racist tweets, which led to her being fired from Roseanne spinoff The Conners. Now, she hosts The Roseanne Barr Podcast.

Related: Carrie Underwood Homes 2025: Every House She Has Owned Past and Present

This story was originally reported by Parade Home & Garden on Oct 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Celebrity Homes section. Add Parade Home & Garden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Comedian Roseanne Barr has bid farewell to her longtime Hawaiian refuge  selling her 46-acre Honokaa ranch for $2.6 million, roughly $650,000 above the $1.95 million asking price, The Post has learned.

The deal, which sparked a bidding frenzy, came together in a matter of days, underscoring the robust appetite for distinctive island properties. Robb Report broke news of the deal.

Barr purchased the sprawling macadamia nut farm in 2007 for $1.78 million.

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The property later served as the setting for her short-lived reality series Roseannes Nuts in 2011, which followed her attempt to run the farm alongside her partner Johnny Argent and her son, Jake Pentland.

Roseanne Barr has sold her longtime Hawaii ranch for $2.6 million  $650,000 over its $1.95 million asking price  just days after listing the property. Hawaii Realty Solutions

Roseanne Barr rides a tractor on the farm seen in an Instagram photo posted on June 5, 2025. officialroseannebarr/Instagram

Though the show lasted only one season, Barr held on to the estate for years, using it as her home and private retreat after the cancellation of her ABC sitcom revival in 2018.

The ranch, perched along the Hamakua Coast, features panoramic ocean views and more than 4,000 macadamia trees surrounding a 2,716-square-foot residence.

The main home includes four bedrooms, a sunlit open-concept living area with double French doors, and a kitchen fitted with wood cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances.

The property is situated on 46 acres. Hawaii Realty Solutions

The ocean-view estate, located on the Hamakua Coast, features a 2,716-square-foot main residence surrounded by 4,000 macadamia trees, along with a pool and waterslide, pool house, guesthouse, art studio, and greenhouse. Hawaii Realty Solutions

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Outside, amenities include a pool and a waterslide, a guesthouse, an art studio, a greenhouse, and a bamboo-enclosed outdoor shower and soaking tub.

Listing agent Paul Stukin of Deep Blue HI said that interest in the property was immediate and global.

There was interest where buyers flew in from five different states, the neighbor Island and three European countries, he told The Post.

After retreating to the ranch in 2018 following her shows cancellation, Barr has since relocated to Texas, where she now lives with her son Jake Pentland and his family. Hawaii Realty Solutions

Listing agent Paul Stukin of Deep Blue HI said the property drew buyers from five states, the Neighbor Islands and three European countries, reflecting the strong demand for distinctive Hawaiian properties. Hawaii Realty Solutions

Barr said shell always love Hawaii but added, Im getting too old to do as much as I used to. The land deserves someone with the spirit and energy to care for it the way it should be. Getty Images for DailyWire+

The kitchen. Hawaii Realty Solutions

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The screened-in porch. Hawaii Realty Solutions

One of four bedrooms. Hawaii Realty Solutions

An ensuite bathroom. Hawaii Realty Solutions

An aerial view of the property. Hawaii Realty Solutions

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Barr, 72, has since traded island life for the Texas Hill Country, where she resides with her son and his family.

While Barr said she will always cherish her connection to Hawaii, she acknowledged that maintaining such a vast property has become impractical.

Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart, but Im getting too old to do as much as I used to. The land deserves someone with the spirit and energy to care for it the way it should be, she previously told Robb Report.

Barr originally envisioned the ranch as a self-sustaining haven and a way to give back to the community she had long admired.
Ed Gein led a reclusive life inside a cluttered house on a farm in rural Plainfield, Wisconsin, in the 1950s. It was a house of horrors.

Authorities later determined that Gein's house was filled with macabre trophies from his penchant for robbing graves, generally of women who resembled his deceased mother. He also murdered two local women.

"He made chairs and lamp shades out of human skin which he carefully tanned for that purpose," the judge at the time, Robert H. Gollmar, said, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Ed Gein. Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Gein is now the subject of a Ryan Murphy Netflix series called Monster: The Ed Gein Story.

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There are photos on Getty Images from the 1950s that show the crime scene, giving viewers a peek inside of Gein's real farmhouse. The Wisconsin Historical Society's website also contains photos of Gein and his house.

Ed Gein crime scene photo of his house. Getty

The caption of the Getty Images crime scene photo above reads, "Unidentified police officer examines the junk-littered kitchen in the farm home of Edward Gein, where authorities found human skulls and other parts of human bodies. They also found the butchered body of Mrs. Bernice Worden hung in a shed near the house."

"After Gein was transferred to the Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane his farm was sold. There was a rumor that his home was to become a tourist attraction. Shortly after this was reported, the home caught fire one night and burned to the ground," Gollmar wrote. Here is the farmhouse before it was destroyed, per Getty Images:

Man boarding up the former home of serial killer Ed Gein in Plainfield in Wisconsin in 1957. Gein murdered women in his town and robbed many graves in the area. Getty

The Wisconsin Historical Society website contains a photo showing an auction advertisement for Gein's farm. There is also a photo showing authorities escorting Gein. Another picture shows Gein signing paperwork when he was brought in for a lie detector test.

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The Getty Images caption for the photo below says, "Trooper Dave Sharkey looks over some of the musical instruments found in the home of bachelor farmer Ed Gein, 51, suspected grave robber and murderer. Also found in the house were human skulls, heads, death masks and the newly-butchered corpse of a neighboring woman."

Trooper Dave Sharkey looks over some of the musical instruments found in the home of bachelor farmer Ed Gein, 51, suspected grave robber and murderer. Also found in the house were human skulls, heads, death masks and the newly-butchered corpse of a neighboring woman. Getty

Gein was the inspiration for notorious cinematic serial killers in Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Smoldering ruins is all that remains of the House of Horrors after a fire of undetermined cause destroyed the two story frame building on March 20, 1958. Once the home of confessed killer ghoul Ed Gein, who shocked the nation when human remains were found in it, the house was to be auctioned. Police suspected arson. Getty

The aftermath of the Gein house fire is also seen in photos on Getty Images.

A crowd of about 2,000 persons took advantage of sunny skies to watch the auction on March 30, 1958 of the Ed Gein farm. The highest bidder for the land and charred ruins of the House of Horrors was Enden Schey a Wisconsin real estate broker who said he planned to put the entire 195 acres into pine for timber and pulpwood production. Getty

Gein died in 1984 in a state mental institution in Wisconsin.

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Jennifer Lopez long ago established herself as a triple-threat performer. But Kiss of the Spider Woman, which hits theaters Friday, marks the first time she felt like the star of an old Hollywood musical like the ones she watched as a kid growing up in the Bronx.

It was like the stuff that dreams are made of, Lopez told reporters in a virtual news conference Sunday. I got to sing, I got to dance, I got to act. I got to play like a big Hollywood movie star.

In a tale retold several times over the past decades, the new Kiss of the Spider Woman movie musical adaptation has a star-studded cast that includes Lopez and Diego Luna, as well as breakout star Tonatiuh.

Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." (Roadside Attractions)

The story centers on Marxist revolutionary and political prisoner Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna) as he shares a cell with Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a gay window dresser who defies gender norms and is convicted of public indecency in early 1980s Argentina, during the country's seven-year military dictatorship. In prison, Molina uses his imagination to retreat into the comfort of his favorite movie, starring fictitious silver screen diva Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez, to get through the horrors of Argentinas repressive regime. That creates an unlikely opportunity for love and acceptance between the two very different cellmates.

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"They rip joy and beauty from the most darkest of places," Tonatiuh told NBC News.

Luna told NBC News that with "so many brutal examples of dictatorships in Latin America, it wasn't hard for to understand the historical context that effectively informed his captivating performance in the film.

But Luna, the successful Mexican actor known to many TV and film fans from his starring roles on Star Wars Andor and Netflixs Narcos: Mexico, enjoyed returning to his theater roots the most. This film to me is a homage to theater, he said, how much film was theater back then.

Reimagining a timeless tale

Kiss of the Spider Woman remains a timeless tale about how escapism can often serve as a survival mechanism  turning moments of joy, even if they are rooted in fantasy, into a tool to cope with the chaotic forces designed to wear people down during times of hardship and political turmoil.

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We are talking about how film and pop culture can be an escape but also a mirror, Luna said, a mirror that helps you transit reality.

Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." (Roadside Attractions)

Director and screenwriter Bill Condon told NBC News that "is very much the essence of the story," going right back to the first time it was told by the late acclaimed Argentine author Manuel Puig in the 1976 novel of the same name.

Puig's book was adapted into a stage play in 1983. Two years later, it became an Oscar-nominated film starring Hollywood greats William Hurt, the late Raul Julia and Sonia Braga. In 1993, Kiss of the Spider Woman was turned into a Tony-winning musical, starring Broadway icon Chita Rivera.

Condon created his newest adaptation by blending the novel's grittiness and its extravagant Broadway adaptation, effectively taking audiences on a journey between reality and fantasy.

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Condon's urgency to introduce "Kiss of the Spider Woman" to a new generation of viewers was so powerful that he took a leap of faith and wrote the film on spec, with no guarantee that it would get made.

"I just thought it had to be done," Condon said. "I really wanted to make it in a pure way. I thought it was the only way to do it."

For Lopez, the story of Kiss of the Spider Woman will continue to stand the test of time.

"I feel like the story and the message is not done yet. It needed to be told again, to this generation. We need to remind people of the humanity of these communities," she said. "Its a story that I think will keep being told until everybody gets on board with the fact that were all just people."

Introducing a new star

As Lopez brought her own style to the character Rivera originated on Broadway, Tonatiuh was stepping into the role of Molina, which earned Hurt an Oscar for best actor in the 1985 film adaptation.

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While they were on the film set, Lopez told Tonatiuh that she saw his dynamic performance in the movie as his "Selena moment," in reference to Lopez's own breakout role in the 1997 biopic of the late Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Perez.

"This moment is making me feel like Im ready to cry," Tonatiuh told NBC News when asked about the sweet moment. "I just feel so grateful."

Previously seen in Starz's "Vida" and Netflix's "Carry-On" and now one of Variety's "10 Actors to Watch," Tonatiuh, a Los Angeles native of Mexican American heritage, said having the opportunity "to champion stories that represent the different communities that Im a part of just feels like a gift."

In "Kiss of the Spider Woman," Tonatiuh plays a character who embodies "the totality of the gender spectrum" in a film that centers the dignity of Latino and the LGBTQIA communities, he said.

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"Oftentimes people in marginalized communities get conditioned as children to think that theyre not worthy and they internalize this narrative," Tonatiuh said. "Molina, despite all the horrors that happen to them, says, 'I refuse to look at that and to be anything other than happy.'"

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Oct. 9Joe Sheehan has traveled quite a distance  literally  since he first began taking piano lessons while growing up in Leechburg.

A lifelong student of music and now a Duquesne University professor and jazz composer, Sheehan, 44, of McCandless, traveled thousands of miles to Africa, more than once, to study traditional music and percussion.

That eventually led him to form the band Kinetic, which incorporates his vast knowledge of music with the rhythms and melodies of the African folk music he has studied.

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Ansonica Records will release Kinetic's newest album, "Generations," in mid-November, blending traditional songs from Uganda and the United States with original compositions by Sheehan.

"This project is a hugely collaborative endeavor, and I'm indebted to the artistic brilliance of all of the musicians who played and recorded the album," he said. "So much of the musical results were because of their skill, ingenuity and patience."

Sheehan spoke recently with TribLive about discovering jazz, falling in love with music and expanding his sonic palette over the years. This interview has been edited for length.

Q: How did you first become interested in jazz?

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A: I've always been drawn to the creative side of music, which eventually led me to jazz. As a young pianist, without knowing what I was doing, I would experiment and change parts of pieces I was practicing. Maybe it was boredom, but fortunately my mom, a great pianist in her own right, recognized I might enjoy learning about jazz. So my parents bought me a cherished record by Herbie Hancock and found a great jazz pianist named Bill Tobin who taught me for several years in high school.

Q: How did that lead to the formation of Kinetic?

A: Kinetic was an idea that came to me while studying traditional music in Ghana, West Africa. I wanted to create a group to explore groove-based music that I was immersed in within Ghana, but at that time, I didn't have the experience and network to bring it to life. When I returned to Pittsburgh, the jazz community (especially a jam session led by the great Howie Alexander) provided a space for me to grow as a pianist, and meet other musicians to collaborate with. This support helped me develop the skills to form Kinetic.

Q: You've traveled to Africa more than once to learn about African percussion and traditional music. How did that experience inform your writing for Kinetic and your approach to composing music more generally?

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A: I first went to Ghana in 2008-'09 for about six months to study traditional music and dance, and returned for more studies in 2013 and 2014. I also spent three weeks in Uganda in 2022, and two songs I learned in the country are on "Generations." Both countries have an incredibly rich repertoire of traditional music and instruments, and their music opened up my interest in creating the groove-based music Kinetic explores.

Sub-Saharan African music is also typically performed and expressed in a communal way, which led me to view composing as a collaborative endeavor, rather than a solitary, individual activity. I also became captivated by the folk songs that are an integral part of almost all musical activities. These elegant, vibrant melodies that have lasted over generations invited me to reconsider how joyful and universal singing is. Thus, much of the music Kinetic plays engages with these folk songs and is sung.

Q: What are some ways, as a jazz composer, that you build emotion into your pieces?

A: Emotion is such a personal experience, and we don't know what each listener will feel when they listen to any piece of music. However, when composing, I try to explore feelings that are universal that hopefully everyone can connect to in their own way. Some themes explored on "Generations" are celebration with others, gratitude tinged with longing, love for a child and even back pain! To bring these emotions to musical life, I try to find the right sounds that form a balance of colors, and provide moments of surprise that take the listener somewhere they didn't expect.

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"Generations" will be released Nov. 14 on Ansonica Records.

Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
The next General Hospital spoilers video for Friday, October 10, 2025, shows Michael telling Curtis how much he trusts Ronnie, while Tracy accuses Ronnie of running a scam, and Willow explains Michaels visitation offer to Drew.

Key Takeaways

Sonny goes on the defensive as Lulus reporting puts Michael in the spotlight.

Drew tightens his grip on Jordan, using Curtis as leverage to get what he wants.

Michael opens up to Curtis, showing growing trust in Ronnies presence in his life.

Tracys suspicions of Ronnie intensify, setting up a potential showdown.

Willows well-intentioned update to Drew may give him unexpected power in the visitation matter.

Coming up in Port Charles

Sonny (Maurice Benard) asks Lulu (Alexa Havins), Why are you going after Michael in the press? The advanced teasers show that Sonny questions Lulu (Alexa Havins). Shes probably just writing the facts of who the shooting suspects are, but Sonny has to step up for his son, no matter what. If Sonny had a loyalty card for defending his kids, hed have earned a free espresso machine by now.

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Drew (Cameron Mathison) assures Jordan (Tanisha Harper), If you can make that happen, I will make sure that Curtis stays out of prison. The spoilers also indicate that Jordan (Tanisha Harper) is threatened. Considering his evidence against Portia (Brook Kerr) went up in smoke, Drews probably setting his sights on Jordan. But shes too smart for him because shes probably already five steps ahead of himthis isnt her first shady rodeo.

Michael (Rory Gibson) informs Curtis (Donnell Turner), My grandmother brought Ronnie into our lives at just the right moment. At some point, Michaels going to open up to Ronnie (Erika Slezak), and clearly, he tells Curtis about her. Michael seems to like her and is willing to (at least for now) take her at her word (Will Carly sacrifice everything for Michael).

However, elsewhere, Tracy (Jane Elliot) yells at Ronnie, I know what youre doing is a scam! Tracy has been suspicious of her from the beginning, and lets face it, her timing for coming out of the woodwork is a tad suspect. We dont yet know if shes on the level, but Slezak plays her with such aplomb that you cant help but like her and root for her to be telling the truth.

And Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) will brief Drew on Michaels offer for visitation with the kids, supervised by a therapist. At least she agreed with it, but the mistake was telling Drew. Hell probably bribe the therapist in Willows favor. Willow means well, but telling Drew might just be the plot twist Michael didnt need. Supervised visitation might need supervised supervision at this rate.

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WATCH THIS: SoapHub Says covers every twist, turn, and jaw-dropper!

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This story was originally reported on Soap Hub on October 10, 2025. Add Soap Hub as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) unveiled an ambitious plan to distribute AED158 billion ($43 billion) in dividends across its six publicly listed subsidiaries by 2030nearly twice the total amount paid since its first IPO in 2017.

Announced at ADNOCs inaugural Investor Majlis in Abu Dhabi, the initiative highlights ADNOCs commitment to shareholder returns, disciplined growth, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to boost operational efficiency. The six ADNOC-listed firmsADNOC Distribution, ADNOC Drilling, ADNOC Gas, ADNOC Logistics & Services (L&S), Borouge, and Fertiglobecollectively represent AED550 billion ($150 billion) in market capitalization and nearly 40% of all dividends paid on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).

Under the new strategy, ADNOC Distribution, ADNOC Gas, and ADNOC L&S will join ADNOC Drilling in paying quarterly dividends starting in 20252026, offering investors more frequent returns. ADNOCs broader vision ties these payouts to ongoing efforts to expand upstream capacity, double chemicals and LNG production, and leverage AI to streamline operations and reduce costs.

Related: Forget OPEC Warnings the Real Oil Shock Is Happening Inside Russia

Group CEO Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber emphasized that the plan aligns with the UAEs national growth objectives and ADNOCs commitment to transparency, governance, and sustainable value creation. Our target to distribute AED158 billion in dividends gives investors clear visibility through 2030, Al Jaber said, highlighting ADNOCs confidence and steadfast commitment to long-term value.

Company-Specific Highlights
Netflix's latest drama series Monster: The Ed Gein Story focuses on the crimes of serial killer and body snatcher Ed Gein, however, he's not the only criminal we get to meet during the series.

Across eight episodes the show portrays dramatized versions of Ted Bundy, Jerry Brudos, and in the final episode, Richard Speck aka Birdman. But who was this mass murderer in real life?

Here's everything you need to know about him.

Who is the Birdman in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?

In episode 8 The Godfather, we get to meet one of Ed's fans, Richard Speck aka Birdman. Around the 21 minute mark, the episode heads to a prison in Illinois where a guard approaches the door of a man who is introduced as Birdman and told he has a male visitor.

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Birdman is transported to another cell where he has sex with an inmate in exchange for drugs. Following the pair having sex, Birdman confesses how much he idolizes Ed Gein, and how he read comic books and magazine articles about Ed while growing up.

He then confesses to his own crimes, revealing he robbed a house full of nurses and after one spat at him, and he ended up killing them allapart from one, who managed to hide and was the eventual reason for his arrest. Birdman went onto say how he was given the death penalty, but Illinois removed it and so he's now hoping to get out on parole.

Later on in the episode we then see Richard aka Birdman writing to Ed and sending him Polaroid pictures of his breasts. He then goes onto reveal that he himself has an admirer who is influenced by his crimes, just like how Birdman was by Ed.

Netflix

Who is the Birdman in real life?

Richard Speck was born in 1941 and in 1966 he killed eight female nurses in a Chicago house. He then went into hiding and reportedly tried to commit suicide. He was taken to a hospital where he was subsequently arrested after a doctor noticed his tattoo Born to Raise Hell, which was noted by the lone survivor of the nurses' house attack.

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Speck was sentenced to life in prison and was expected to get the death penalty. However, after Illinois ruled out the penalty, his sentence was changed to eight consecutive terms of 50 to 150 years. Despite applying for parole, he was never successful and died in prison at the age of 49 in 1991.

During his time in prison, a video was released of Speck in which he appeared to have grown breasts, due to the use of female hormone drugs.

Where did the nickname Birdman come from?

According to reports, Speck acquired the nickname of Birdman after being inspired by another serial killer, Robert Stroud, aka the original Birdman, who was known as the Birdman of Alcatraz.

Speck kept a of sparrow that flew into his cell and according to John E. Douglas' book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, after finding out he was no longer allowed to keep a pet, Speck threw the bird into a fan, killing it and was believed to have said: If I can't have it, no one can.

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Who was the original Birdman, Robert Stroud?

Robert Stroud aka the Birdman of Alcatraz was one of Alcatraz's most famous inmates. His life was even turned into a movie in 1962 called Birdman of Alcatraz.

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He was born in 1890 and was sentenced to life in prison after brutally murdering a bartender in 1909. During his time in prisoned he stabbed a fellow inmate and later stabbed a guard.

While imprisoned he also developed a keen interest in canaries and over the years went onto write two books about the species and raise nearly 300 of them.

Did Birdman really contact Ed Gein in real life?

In episode eight of Monster, Richard Speck writes Gein many letters; however, in reality it is not known for sure if the pair ever had any correspondence.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available on Netflix now.





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EXCLUSIVE: Unnur Birna Backman (Reykjavik Fusion, Black Sands) has landed the lead role in upcoming Icelandic crime thriller series Elma.

She will play the title role in the Eva Bjorg gisdottir book adaptation and be joined by Nikulas Hansen Daason (Brjann, Skviz), who is also attached to producer Glassrivers original series Avalanche and Hot Stuff. He will play Saevar.

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Backman is known for the likes of Nordic noir Reykjavik Fusion and for voicing the character Raya in the Icelandic dub of the Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon in 2020.

Glassriver is currently working on the first book in the Elma series, The Creak on the Stairs, which is being adapted by screenwriter and series showrunner Karen Bjorg Eyfjor orsteinsdottir. Sharing directing duties are Katrin Bjorgvinsdottir (Entrapped, As Long As We Live) and Thora Hilmarsdottir (The Rising, Katla).

Mediawan Rights has international distribution rights (excluding Iceland and Finland) and will be shopping them at next weeks MIPCOM Cannes. Other co-producers include Lunanime in Belgium and MTV Finland.

Andri Omarsson, co-owner and producer at Glassriver, said: Unnur Birna is one of Icelands most dynamic screen talents and shes absolutely the right actress to play Elma and to capture the quiet intensity of Eva Bjorg gisdottirs writing. Were incredibly proud to be working with her and Nikulas as part of this talented team to adapt one of Icelands most compelling crime stories for global audiences.

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The series will be set in the small port town of Akrane, Iceland, where police detective Elma has unxpectedly returned after fleeing a romantic affair that left her in pieces. When a womans body is found lying at the foot of a lighthouse, terrible secrets from the past threaten to resurface. Amid the towns oppressive atmosphere, Elmas colleague Saevar could provide salvation.

gisdottirs books have been translated into 23 languages, and is particularly popular in France. The Creak on the Stairs was published in French in 2021 and quickly became a bestseller there, while second book Girls Who Lie (Les Filles Qui Mentent) reached over 100,000 readers in France.

Elma joins Glassrivers scripted slate including comedy-drama Hot Stuff, a coproduction with Romanias IDEA Film, and Avalanche, a co-production with Whatevergroup. Also recently optioned is the crime drama Reykjavik Noir from author Lilja Sigurdardottir, which is being adapted for screen.

The Elma deal was negotiated with David Headley at D H H Literary Agency in association with The Artists Partnership.

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Taylor Sheridans spy series Lioness is closing streets in Fort Worth for season 3 filming.

Paramount renewed the show last week, and production began this week at Sheridans SGS Studios in far north Fort Worth. Yellowstone actor Ian Bohen is among the additions for the third go-around.

Streets in the Berkeley Place neighborhood, near TCU and the Fort Worth Zoo, will be affected by filming over the next week, according to a note from Fort Worth City council member Elizabeth Becks office. Simulated gun fire will be a part of the shoot.

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Heres what to know.

 More service stories from our newsroom:

Major blast of arctic air possible this winter

A new TX law cracks down on spam texts

Black and pink molds, live roaches found in DFW health inspections

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Lioness closes streets in Fort Worth

The show will close the same set of streets on and off for a week starting Thursday.

Thursday, October 9

Time: 9 a.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday

Closure: Forest Park Boulevard from Park Place Avenue to Park Hill Drive. Hawthorn Avenue from Forest Park Boulevard to Warner Drive.

Friday, October 10

Time: 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday

Closure: Forest Park Boulevard from Park Place Avenue to Park Hill Drive. Hawthorn Avenue from Forest Park Boulevard to Warner Drive.

Wednesday, October 15

Time: 3 p.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday

Closure: Forest Park Boulevard from Park Place Avenue to Park Hill Drive. Hawthorn Avenue from Forest Park Boulevard to Warner Drive.

Thursday, October 16

Time 3 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday

Closure: Forest Park Boulevard from Park Place Avenue to Park Hill Drive. Hawthorn Avenue from Forest Park Boulevard to Warner Drive.

Friday, October 17

Time: 3 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday

Closure: Forest Park Boulevard from Park Place Avenue to Park Hill Drive. Hawthorn Avenue from Forest Park Boulevard to Warner Drive.

(L-R) Zoe Saldana as Joe and Taylor Sheridan as Cody in Lioness, episode 1, season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024.

More on Lioness

Lioness follows CIA operative Joe (Zoe Saldana) as she balances her personal and professional lives as the tip of the spear in the agencys war on terror.

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Season 1 filmed in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, Paris and Mallorca, Spain. For season 2, the series primarily filmed in and around North Texas, including in Fort Worth, Weatherford, Strawn, Stephenville and Glen Rose.

In addition to Saldana, Lioness stars Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Laysla De Oliveira, Genesis Rodriguez, Michael Kelly, Dave Annable, James Jordan, Ian Bohen, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, Austin Hebert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill and Hannah Love Lanier.

Lioness seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Paramount+.
Montana is a state known first and foremost for its beautiful landscapes. "Big Sky Country" is home to both Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, where unique plants, wildlife, and terrain attract millions of visitors each year. The state is also know as the "Treasure State," for its founding history as a onetime gold rush destination. However, precious metals aren't the only treasure to be found there; Montana has a delicious offering of distinctive dishes that are riches in themselves.

Montana's food traditions are deeply rooted in its history of Indigenous tribes, ranching, hunting, and mining. The palate is largely influenced by the native plants and animals that have sustained human settlements there for centuries. From game meats like elk and bison to sweet treats made with wild berries, Montana's most iconic dishes reflect a lifestyle that values the simpler things in life, like living in harmony with the great outdoors.We've already shared the one food you need to try in all 50 states, but today we're expanding on the world of Montana culinary dishes. Keep reading for the eight foods everyone should try once that hail from the Treasure State.

Read more: Classic Southern Comfort Foods That Need To Make A Comeback

Elk Steak

A medium rare elk steak with french fries - Mironov Vladimir/Shutterstock

Elk has been a staple in Montana for centuries, first giving sustenance to Indigenous communities and later to early American settlers as they made their way West. Today, it's still one of the most prized game meats in the state, and the popularity of elk meat is rising across the country.

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While elk jerky is the easiest version of this meat to find, you'd be missing out if you didn't try an elk steak at least once in your life. The taste of elk meat is earthy, not unlike venison, but its flavor is much milder. The flavor is more similar to beef, with a greater depth of richness and a slight sweetness.

As a game meat, elk is naturally lower in fat than beef, which means it has less cholesterol and calories, but also means it can easily dry out if it's not prepared correctly. That's why most Montanans recommend serving it medium-rare to keep it tender and juicy. If you prepare an elk steak the correct way, it's likely to be one of the best steaks you'll have in your life.

Bison Burger

Thick juicy bison burger with cheese lettuce onion and pickles with a side of french fries - Bhofack2/Getty Images

Montana doesn't have an official state dish, but the bison burger is what most would conjure to mind as the most iconic Montanan food. Bison, also sometimes known as buffalo, are native to Montana's vast plains and have been a source of protein for the state's people throughout its history.

Ted Turner, business mogul turned rancher and bison preservationist, popularized bison meat across the country with his restaurant Ted's Montana Grill. He may very well be part of the reason why bison burgers are popping up at every trendy burger chain. Still, it's hard for bison to be mass produced the same way we raise beef cattle, so this meat remains somewhat of a delicacy.

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Today, bison meat is beloved across Montana as a leaner, slightly sweeter alternative to beef. If you spend time in Montana, you're bound to find bison prepared dozens of ways, from meatloaf to chili  but the bison burger is the undisputed champion and most popular way to serve the meat. Not only is it delicious, but the format of a burger is fitting for the laidback, no-frills cowboy culture of Montana. Typically, bison patty is paired with simple toppings, like cheese, lettuce and onions, to let the rich flavor shine.

From fine dining to corner taverns, you'll find this iconic dish on menus across the state. If you have the chance to eat one, kick back and enjoy a taste of the wild, Montana-style.

Pork Chop Sandwich

A pork chop sandwich from Pork Chop John's in Butte, Montana - Pork Chop John's / Facebook

The pork chop sandwich is an iconic dish hailing from Butte, Montana. First sold from the back of a truck by local John Burklund starting in 1924, the sandwich's popularity allowed him to open two locations in Butte. Over the years, his influence expanded with copycat dishes popping up on menus across Butte and beyond.

The sandwich is centered around a deep-fried pork loin, battered and fried in a top-secret recipe. The classic toppings are mustard, lettuce and onions, but you can also order "loaded deluxe" style  mayo, lettuce, and tomato  or add any number of toppings including cheese, bacon, ham or even a fried egg. One of the most indulgent versions, known as the "pork burger," will get you a quarter pound cheeseburger added to your fried pork patty.

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This hearty, greasy meal was originally a favorite lunch for hardworking miners in Butte. Today, it's a can't-miss local experience for travelers stopping through town on their way in between the state's Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

Smoked Trout

A smoked trout dish with asparagus and potatoes - Lisa Wiltse/Getty Images

In addition to its hunting draw, Montana is also a top fly-fishing destination. The ultimate prize? A big trout. There are many varieties of trout to find in Montana's rivers, from rainbow to cutthroat, the state's official fish. While many simply cook their fresh catch up over a campfire, the ultimate way to enjoy this fish is slow smoking it.

Smoked trout has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of woodsy aroma that makes it perfect for everything from breakfast spreads to pasta dishes. The smoking process is simple but requires time and patience. First, the fish is brined, then slow-smoked over hardwood until it's tender and infused with flavor.

This dish is a favorite among locals because it preserves the fish and adds depth to its taste. It's a versatile ingredient for dips and salads, but can also be eaten straight off the smoker. This classic dish represents outdoor life in Montana, from time spent on the river to the wood that imparts its natural smoky flavor.

Huckleberry Pie

A half eaten huckleberry pie - Meganbetz/Getty Images

Montana's state fruit is the huckleberry, and you'd be hard pressed to forget it. Every store, cafe, and ice cream parlor has something huckleberry-flavored to offer. But as Montanans, we don't mind. It's hard to get tired of this sweet, slightly tart, juicy berry.

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Going on visual appearance alone, it can be hard to tell the difference between a huckleberry and blueberry. But huckleberries are in a class all their own; these berries grow wild in high altitudes in the mountains and are notoriously tricky to cultivate, making them a true seasonal treasure. While you'll find huckleberry in many forms across Montana, from jams to ice cream to vodka, the most classic way to enjoy them is baked into a pie.

The berries' sweet tartness pairs perfectly with a buttery crust, creating a dessert that's fittingly rustic for Montana. Huckleberries ripen in mid-to-late summer, and the locals keep their favorite picking spots top-secret. Because these berries are hand-harvested and can't be farmed on a large scale, huckleberry pies are a unique delicacy, a tradition passed down for generations.

Pasties

A traditional cornish pasty with beef, potatoes, carrots, and herbs - Sophie_Marie/Shutterstock

The pasty is a direct line to Montana's mining history. Meat pies are a popular dish in cultures across the world; Montana's version harkens back to Cornwall, England. These hearty, handheld meat pies first appeared in the state in the late 1800s, brought to Montana by Cornish and Irish miners who needed a portable, filling meal to take underground to work.

A traditional Cornish pasty is packed with beef, potatoes, onions, and sometimes rutabaga, all sealed inside a flaky crust. This hand-held pocket of goodness was a practical choice for miners  easy to carry, retained its heat, and doesn't need a fork or plate. In Butte, Montana, where copper mining was once the dominant industry and economic force, pasties became a staple food.

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Today, the pasty is a comfort food passed down through tradition to generations of Montanans. While many eateries still serve the classic recipe, you'll also find creative twists with chicken, vegetables, or even breakfast fillings. Butte is considered the home of Montana's pasties, but you'll also find them across the state, a living testament to its simple roots.

Rocky Mountain Oysters

Rocky mountain oysters, or fried bull testicles, with a dipping sauce served at a restaurant - Sham Clicks/Shutterstock

The name Rocky Mountain Oysters likely brings to mind the ocean, but there's no local seafood in this land-locked state. Instead, these oysters are one of those weird foods that aren't what they sound like. This uniquely Western dish is actually made from bull testicles, a tradition that dates back to the days of cattle ranching and the Wild West. Ranchers lived off the land, and they made good use of every part of their animals  yes, even that part.

The name is a nod to the shape of the meat once it's sliced, breaded and fried to a deep golden brown. You might just mistake them for real fried oysters if you didn't know better. That crunch of the bread and the tender, juicy filling makes for a bona-fide Montana delicacy, often compared in flavor to fried calamari.

Today, Rocky Mountain Oysters are a novelty favorite, often served at bars, festivals, and even dedicated cook-offs. If you're an adventurous eater looking for a true taste of Montana cowboy culture, this is a dish you don't want to miss.

Flathead Cherries

Ripe, dark red flathead cherries from the Last Best Place Orchard in Kalispell, Montana - Last Best Place Orchard / Instagram

Flathead cherries are one of Montana's sweetest treasures. You can only enjoy these blood red gems for a few short summer months, when they're in season in the Flathead Valley near Kalispell, Montana, where they're grown exclusively.

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These dark, juicy cherries developed to thrive in the region's unique microclimate, with a combination of warm days, cool nights, and nutrient-rich soil. Anyone who has enjoyed Flathead cherries will tell you of their unbelievable sweetness, with just the perfect amount of tart.

Pick up a bunch at a local farmers market and enjoy them right off the stem, or in a pie, jam, or scone. Local coffee roasters and distilleries even incorporate the iconic fruit into their products to be enjoyed year-round.

An annual July festival at Flathead Lake has celebrated this beloved fruit every year since 1999, with everything from cherry pies to cherry-themed crafts. Because they're only available for a short season, locals and visitors alike stock up when they can. If you find yourself in Montana during cherry season, don't miss the chance to taste this regional gem.

Frybread

Sweet cinnamon sugar frybread, or fried elephant ears - Olgalepeshkina/Getty Images

Frybread is a great symbol of Montana's Indigenous community and their resilience and influence on the state's culture. This golden, chewy bread is a favorite at roadside stalls, county fairs, and Indigenous celebrations  but there's also a somber aspect to this food's history.

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The dish originally came to be during a dark time when Native communities were forced onto reservations and given government rations of flour, sugar, and lard. With limited ingredients, they created frybread as a way to survive. Today, it remains a beloved nostalgic staple for the local Crow communities and Montanans statewide.

Frybread is typically served hot, often dusted with powdered or cinnamon sugar or drizzled with honey. It also serves as the base for "Indian tacos" when piled high with seasoned meat, beans, and fresh toppings. While its origins are tied to hardship, frybread has become a symbol of cultural pride and connection to heritage. Everyone should try this unique historic dish at least once.

Cream of the West

A pantry full of Cream of the West hot cereals and oats - Cream of the West

If you grew up in Montana, chances are you've had a bowl of Cream of the West. This roasted wheat cereal has been a breakfast staple since 1914, when it was first made in a ranch kitchen in central Montana. Known as "cowboy cereal," it's hearty, wholesome, and made from simple ingredients like wheat, oats, and barley grown on Montana's high plains.

The cereal is roasted for a rich, nutty flavor and cooks up in just a few minutes, making it a quick, nourishing start to the day. It can also be used in a variety of non-cereal recipes, from muffins to grain salads. In 2002, seven ranch families bought the company and moved it to Harlowton to keep the Montana tradition alive and support local farmers. More than a century after its inception, Cream of the West remains a taste of Montana's ranching roots: simple, honest, and built to fuel a hardworking day.

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Good flavor knows no boundaries, and Charlottes restaurants featuring authentic Hispanic and Latin American cuisine will make your mouth water.

Whether you are an adventurous foodie or a novice at culinary exploration, it is possible to experience the tastes of Central or South America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands without getting on a flight. From tacos and empanadas to tostones and pupusas, weve got a guide to some of the hidden restaurant gems that serve up Latin American flavors.

Experience the tastes of Peru, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Argentina and more as you stamp your culinary passport around the Queen City.

Aromas De Mi Pueblo

Location: 9107 S Tryon Street, Suite J, Charlotte, NC 28273

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Experience the flavors of Ecuador when you visit Aromas De Mi Pueblo, located in Steele Creek. If youre a meat lover, try the chaulafan, a dish made with fried rice and chicken, ham, shrimp, steak and a fried egg. For lighter fare, the empanada de verde con queso, a plantain-crusted empanada stuffed with cheese, is an option.

Brasas Arepas & Grill

Location: 4740 Old Pineville Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217

Craving a taste of Venezuela? Visit Brasas Arepas & Grill, located at Charlotte Market International off of Old Pineville Road and Woodlawn Road. There you will find traditional favorites like arepa peluda  a hand-held treat filled with shredded beef and cheese  and carne a la llanera  skewered beef that is slow roasted and served with mouthwatering sides.

Chevere Street

Location: 315 S Polk St Suite #4e, Pineville, NC 28134

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Enjoy the flavors of Peru and Venezuela in the heart of Pineville at the newly opened Chevere Street. With the promise of quality, integrity and the joy of dining, patrons can enjoy a taste of stir-fried beef, pastry rolls filled with cheese and Latin-American wings.

The arepa bowl is a crowd-pleaser consisting of egg, chicken, beef and pork on a bed of fried plantains and lettuce.

Felix Handmade Emapandas

Location: 320 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Location: 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 3, Charlotte, NC 28206

Felix Handmade Empanadas turns a traditional Argentinian appetizer into the star dish at Optimist Hall and its The Alley at Latta Arcade locations. Try them baked or fried with a plethora of fillings to satisfy your palate. Chase them with a sweet apple crumble or guava and cheese pastry.

Felix Empanadas are handmade and are stuffed with a variety of meats, breakfast and dessert options. It is located at Optimist Hall in Optimist Park.

Go behind the scenes of a Spanish-language TV shoot at this Charlotte restaurant

Lempira

Location: 140 Eastway Dr, Charlotte, NC 28213

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Location: 5906 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217

Location: 4439 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Location: 7631 Sharon Lakes Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210

With chefs skilled in the culinary traditions of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador, Lempira brings Central America to the Queen City. Dine on yuca con chicarron (cassava with pork skins) or Mexican ceviche or select from the vast array of breakfast, lunch or dinner selections.

Lempiras Honduran-style seafood soup, or sopa de mariscos estilo Hondureno.

Los Chamos

Location: 7001 South Blvd Ste B, Charlotte, NC 28217

If you love the cornmeal flatbread called arepas and other Venezuelan street food, you wont be disappointed by the smorgasbord of options available to choose from at Los Chamos. Sample the award-winning patacon, which are two Venezuelan sandwiches made from two slices of fried green plantain and filled with shredded beef, coleslaw, Parmesan cheese and sauce.

Hallaca at Los Chamos restaurant in Charlotte.

Tamales, hallacas and humitas: Unwrapping a cornmeal holiday tradition in Charlotte

A Piece of Havana

Location: 11126 S Tryon St Suite B, Charlotte, NC 28273

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If youve been dreaming of a trip to Cuba, you only need to head down to Steele Creek for a plate of paella Cubana or Cuban croquettes. If you want to connect with your inner Dancing With the Stars persona, put on your dancing shoes and stop by on the weekends for salsa dancing and live bands.

Restaurante Y Panaderia Salvadorena

Location: 5724 E W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28215

This Salvadoran bakery and restaurant on W.T. Harris Boulevard offers a little something for everyone. Whether youre craving pupusas, ensaladas or quesadillas, check out Restaurante Y Panaderia Salvadorena for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Rincon Latino Restaurante Inc.

Location: 8432 Old Statesville Rd #300, Charlotte, NC 28269

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Self-described as casual dining, Rincon Latino Restaurante brings Central American street food and more to North Charlotte. Grab a baleada (thick handheld tortilla) filled with ham, eggs, chicken or beef. Sweeten your tastebuds with an atole de elote (a sweet, warm corn-based drink), or savor a dish of carne asada.

Zapatas Cantina

Location: 8927 J M Keynes Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262

Location: 15105 John J. Delaney Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277

Location: 19905 NC Hwy.73 West Catawba Ave., Suite 102, Cornelius, NC 28031

Zapatas Cantina aims to please with a friendly Mexican menu that caters to vegetarians and meat lovers alike. From tres quesos super nachos to a Bombay chimichanga, try a different dish at one of the three locations in University City, Ballantyne and Lake Norman.

Want to skip cooking? Here are 10 restaurants in Charlotte where kids eat free
Costa Rica has long been known for its beautiful rainforest landscape and the philosophy of Pura Vida: a way of life that embraces simplicity, happiness, and connection to nature. But in 2025, this Central American paradise is making waves in the luxury travel world with a new generation of resorts. Whether its renovations of existing resorts or the introduction of new major hotels, the countrys tourism landscape is evolving.

Hiltons Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

Resort renovations in Costa Rica

One of the most significant developments comes from RIU Hotels & Resorts, which has completed a full-scale renovation of its flagship Hotel Riu Guanacaste on Matapalo Beach. Originally opened in 2009, the resorts transformation embraces both comfort and culture. With redesigned guest rooms inspired by local biodiversity, six expanded pools, and a broader culinary offering, the resort caters to both families and couples and adventurers and relaxers. New swim-up suites and a refreshed RIU Land childrens area enhance the experience, while popular attractions like Splash Water World and lively RIU Party events continue to draw crowds.

Related: An unexpected place is charging the latest tourist tax

Marriott Internationals St. Regis Papagayo resort promises to further elevate Costa Ricas profile. Set to open in early 2027, the resort is being built on a sprawling 20-hectare oceanfront property in the Gulf of Papagayo. With 120 rooms, 143 residences, and a host of luxury amenities, including a beach club, multiple pools, six restaurants, and a 10,000-square-foot spa. The development is designed to reflect the laid-back yet luxurious essence of Pura Vida. The architecture by renowned firm Sordo Madaleno emphasizes natural harmony and cultural resonance.

New resort options

Hiltons Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique is making a grand entrance into the countrys scene. This marks the prestigious brands debut in Costa Rica and a strategic step in Hiltons regional expansion. Nestled on the Northern Pacific Coast, the resort features 188 rooms and a sustainable design that includes living rooftops and eco-certified beaches. Guests can enjoy six culinary venues under the guidance of Executive Chef Nicolas Piatti, as well as an expansive spa offering treatments rooted in indigenous Chorotegan traditions. The Waldorf also caters to families with dedicated Kids and Teens Clubs, and introduces Costa Ricas first branded residences.

Cliffside resorts overlook the ocean and back up to a lush backdrop in Costa Rica.

Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton, said, At Hilton, we have an incredible portfolio of luxury hotels designed to serve the most discerning travelers for any stay occasion. Today, were proud to celebrate the opening of Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique, a stunning resort that embodies Waldorf Astorias commitment to sincerely elegant service and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, while embracing Costa Ricas vibrant culture and rich biodiversity.

Related: Norwegians luxury cruise line is going more all-inclusive

These resorts are shaping a new vision for tourism in Costa Rica, one that balances sustainability, cultural integrity, and world-class luxury. For travelers seeking connection, wellness, and indulgence amid breathtaking natural beauty, Costa Rica is quickly becoming one of the most exciting destinations on the map.

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This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Oct 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Hotels section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
More than a billion Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists around the world are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, on October 20, 2025.

Diwali, also called Deepavali, is one of the biggest festivals in India. Its also widely celebrated in Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji and other countries with large South Asian diasporas. Homes, businesses and public spaces are lit up with diyas, or oil lamps made from clay, and fireworks displays abound. People gather with their families, eat sweets and exchange gifts.

Despite its deep religious significance, Diwali today is also a cultural festival observed by people regardless of faith.

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Heres what to know about the holiday.

What is Diwali?

Customers buy paper lanterns and other decorative items at a shop in Mumbai ahead of Diwali in 2023. - Sujit Jaiswal/AFP/Getty Images

Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning row of lights.

It marks the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. Though Diwali traditions vary according to region and religion, the myths and historical stories behind the holiday share themes of justice and liberation.

When is Diwali?

Diwali is celebrated every year in autumn, usually falling between October and November. The festival lasts five days, with the main celebration occurring on the third day. This year, Diwali will be observed on October 20.

These are the five days of Diwali:

 Dhanteras: People typically mark the first day of Diwali by purchasing gold and silver jewelry, utensils and other new household items for good luck. Many clean their homes to invite the blessings of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Others also honor Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda, and Yamaraj, the god of death, on this day.

People often mark Dhanteras, the first day of the Diwali festival, by purchasing gold or silvery jewelry. - Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

 Choti Diwali, or Naraka Chaturdashi: The second day of Diwali marks Lord Krishnas defeat of the demon king Narakasura. People wake up early to bathe and wash their hair. They also clean their homes, decorate them with rangolis and diyas and prepare sweets.

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 Diwali, or Lakshmi Puja: The third day of the festival is what people typically think of as Diwali. Families gather to exchange gifts, feast on scrumptious dishes and indulge in sweets. Many Hindus worship the goddess Lakshmi on this day.

 Padwa, or Govardhan Puja: The fourth day of Diwali honors the relationship between husband and wife, and husbands will typically buy a gift for their spouses. In some traditions, it commemorates the day Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to protect villagers of Vrindavan from rains brought on by Lord Indras anger. Some devotees offer a mountain of food to Krishna in remembrance, while others make clay and cow dung figures recreating the event.

 Bhai Dooj: The final day of Diwali celebrates the love between siblings, in honor of the bond between Lord Yama and his sister Yami (or Yamuna). Sisters will sometimes place a tilak, or red mark, on their brothers foreheads, while brothers will give gifts to their sisters.

What is the meaning of Diwali?

Diwali is largely observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, but much like Christmas, the holiday transcends religion and is now celebrated by many people outside those traditions.

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The meaning of the festival varies by community and region.

One of the legends at the heart of Diwali comes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. During the exile of Prince Rama (an incarnation of the god Vishnu) and his wife Sita (an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi), Sita is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. Rama ultimately defeats Ravana to rescue his wife. For some Hindus, Diwali marks Rama and Sitas triumphant return to their kingdom after 14 years of exile.

Students in the Indian city of Guwahati light oil lamps on a rangoli, a traditional Indian art form that is a staple of Diwali celebrations. - Biju Boro/AFP/Getty Images

Some Hindus in southern India celebrate Lord Krishnas defeat of Narakasura, which led to the rescue of 16,000 girls in the demons captivity. In western India, Diwali commemorates the day that Lord Vishnu banishes the demon king Bali to rule the netherworld.

Sikhs commemorate the occasion as Bandi Chhor Divas (The Day of Liberation), which will be observed on October 21 this year. It marks the day that Guru Hargobind, their sixth guru, and 52 Hindu kings were freed from wrongful imprisonment. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir initially only agreed to release Guru Hargobind, but the guru refused to go without the royals. After Jahangir declared that those who could hold onto the gurus cloak could leave, Guru Hargobind tied 52 tassels to his cloak so that each ruler could walk to freedom.

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For Jains, Diwali signifies the day Lord Mahavira, their last spiritual leader, attained physical death and achieved enlightenment. Some Buddhists acknowledge Diwali as the day the Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism.

How is Diwali celebrated?

A market in Singapore's Little India district is stocked with decorations ahead of Diwali. - Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images

Aside from the common traditions of decorating ones home, setting off firecrackers and feasting on delicious food, there are several other ways that people mark Diwali.

In some parts of India, people play gambling card games such as teen patti, blackjack and poker. Gambling during the holiday is considered auspicious, stemming from a legend in which the god Shiva and his consort Parvati play a dice game.

Diwali also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year, and many businesses, traders and shopkeepers open new accounts books during the holiday.

Naomi Canton contributed to this piece.

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If you missed one of those initiatives to purchase a home in the Italian countryside for the price of a cappuccino, don't worry. Set along the hills of Tuscany, the medieval town of Radicondoli is welcoming new residents with cheap housing and other subsidies.

Established over a thousand years ago with ancient churches and palaces, Radicondoli is a bucolic village with a history of wool working and a long tradition of producing olive oil.

The town launched its first housing program in 2023, offering up to 20,000 (around $23,227) plus a bonus of 6,000 (around $6,900) to people buying property. Since the project began, the town said it's added 60 new residents, growing from 900 to 960, according to the program's website.

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This year, Radicondoli and its neighboring village, Belforte, relaunched the scheme, known as the WivoaRadicondoli 3.0 program. "The goal is to offer opportunities to improve people's quality of life, stimulate economic development and residential development, and also invite new friends to join the community, with a particular focus on young people," the website states.

A Tuscan village where Leonardo Da Vinci was born, is pictured from the house of Leonardo Da Vinci in the outskirts of the village on April 9, 2019.

Mayor Francesco Guarguaglini told CNN that Radicondoli's population began to decline in the 1950s when villagers migrated to cities for better opportunities. This program aims to revitalize the area by attracting 1,000 new residents.

Other rural regions of Italy have had similar experiences and also launched similar schemes over the last several years with the goal of boosting development and combating depopulation. Some of the other programs include offering homes for as little as a $1 or paying new residents up to $32,000 to purchase a home in a village with a population of less than 5,000.

What are some of the incentives?

The two villages said on the program's website that they budgeted 300,000 (around $348,427) to fund initiatives aimed at residents, families, landlords and new businesses. First-time home buyers can get grants with a maximum of 20,000 (around $23,227) to go toward a property purchase, if they are registered as residents.

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According to CNN, the charming homes range between 50,000 (around $58,071) and 100,000 (around $116,132), with some neglected and in need of renovations.

Other incentives the program is offering include:

subsidies of up to 50% eligible expenses, or 4,000 (around $4,645), for revitalizing businesses for at least three years.

covering up to 80% of rent for two years, which targets young people moving out on their own or those from other municipalities who want to check out life in Radicondoli and Belforte with the possibility of settling there.

offering grants to property owners who are interested in becoming landlords that help them revamp homes to welcome tenants.

Who can apply?

According to the website, Italian, European Union or non-European Union citizens who are legally residing in Italy are eligible to apply. Depending on the specific incentive people are applying for, they may also have to meet certain requirements. For example, the first-home purchase grants require applicants to commit to living in the village for at least a decade and to own no more than one other property in Italy.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Want to live in Tuscany? This Italian town offers cash, cheap homes.
Ballots will soon be mailed out in Larimer County, kicking off the 2025 election season and bringing up some potential questions from area voters.

When will I get my ballot? What happens if I don't get my ballot? Where can I drop it off? When do I need to?

We answer all of that and more in this early voter guide. Happy voting, Larimer County.

When is Election Day?

Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025.

When will I get my ballot?

Ballots will start being mailed out Oct. 10, with most voters expected to receive theirs by Oct. 17, per the county's website. Those wishing to pick up an early ballot in person can do so by visiting the Larimer County elections office, 200 W. Oak St., Fort Collins, until Oct. 27.

What if I don't receive a ballot?

If you're a registered Colorado voter and you haven't received your ballot by Oct. 17, you can request a replacement ballot by visiting the county's elections office, 200 W. Oak St., Suite 5100, in Fort Collins through Oct. 27. You can also call the elections office at 970-498-7820 through Oct. 27. If it's past Oct. 27, you can visit a Voter Service and Polling center for a replacement ballot up to Election Day.

What if I lose or damage my ballot?

If you've lost or damaged your ballot, you can request a replacement ballot by visiting the county's elections office, 200 W. Oak St., Suite 5100, in Fort Collins through Oct. 27. You can also call the elections office at 970-498-7820 through Oct. 27. If you need a replacement ballot after Oct. 27, you can visit a Voter Service and Polling center for a replacement ballot up to Election Day.

When do I need to drop off or mail my ballot in by?

The Larimer County clerk's office must receive your ballot by 7 p.m. Election Day. Postmarks do not count as recieved dates. The county has two dozen ballot drop boxes that will be open 24 hours a day from Oct. 10 to 7 p.m. Nov. 4.

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Are you ready for the 2025 election? Your guide to Larimer County-area candidates, issues

Where can I drop off my ballot in Larimer County?

These ballot drop box locations will open Oct. 10 and be open 24 hours a day until Election Day. Ballots will be accepted at these locations until 7 p.m. Nov. 4, according to Larimer County. These locations offer drive-thru and walk-up service unless otherwise noted.

Fort Collins

Colorado State University's Lory Student Center, 1101 Center Ave Mall (walk-up only)

Elks Lodge, 1424 E. Mulberry St.

Edora Pool Ice Center, 1801 Riverside Ave.

Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 4001 S. Taft Hill Road

Fort Collins Police Services, 2221 S. Timberline Road

Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive

Fort Collins Traffic Operations, 626 Linden St.

Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St. (walk-up only)

Larimer County Administrative Services, 200 W. Oak St. (walk-up only)

Larimer County Human Services, 1501 Blue Spruce Drive

Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 E. Willow St.

South Transit Center, 4915 Fossil Blvd.

Loveland

Loveland Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 5250 N. Garfield Ave.

Loveland Police & Courts, 810 E. 10th St. (drive-thru only)

Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave. (drive-thru only)

Loveland Vehicle Licensing Office, 200 Peridot Ave. (drive-thru only)

Estes Park

Estes Park Municipal Building, 170 MacGregor Ave.

Estes Park Vehicle Licensing Office, 1601 Brodie Ave.

Bellvue

Ted's Place, intersection of US Highway 287 and Colorado Highway 14

Berthoud

Berthoud Community Library, 236 Welch Ave.

Laporte

Overland Foods, 3333 County Road 54 (walk-up only)

Red Feather Lakes

Red Feather Lakes Community Library, 71 Fire House Lane

Timnath

Timnath Town Center, 4750 Signal Tree Drive (walk-up only)

Wellington

Wellington Public Library, 3800 Wilson Ave.

Can I vote in person on Election Day?

Yes. If you'd prefer to vote in person on Election Day, you can do so at the county's Voter Service and Polling Centers, which are equipped with ADA-accessible voting machines. These centers are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday from Oct. 27-31 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 3 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 4:

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Larimer County Administrative Services, 200 W. Oak St., Fort Collins (first floor)

Loveland Police & Courts, 810 E. 10th St., Loveland

Colorado State University's Lory Student Center, 1101 Center Ave Mall, Fort Collins

This Voter Service and Polling Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 3 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 4:

Estes Valley Community Center, 660 Community Drive, Estes Park

This Voter Service and Polling Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 3 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 4:

Front Range Community College's Longs Peak Student Center, 4616 S. Shields St., Fort Collins

What key issues and races are on this year's ballot?

This November, voters will elect a new Fort Collins mayor and multiple City Council members, determine who will sit on area school boards and weigh in on a variety of local ballot measures  from what should be done with the old Hughes Stadium site to tax measures to support natural areas, childcare and more.

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Check out the Coloradoan's election guide for a rundown of candidates, races and issues you can expect to find on your ballot this year.

How does ranked voting work?

Fort Collins voters will experience ranked voting for the first time this November. Ranked voting is utilized when there are more than two candidates in a particular race. This year, the Fort Collins mayor's race and District 1 and District 3 races triggered the use of ranked choice voting.

Voters will fill out a "1st choice" bubble designating their top pick, a "2nd choice" bubble for their second pick and so on, until they've ranked all of the candidates in a race.

Any candidate who gets more than 50% of first-choice votes wins the race outright. But if no candidate has a majority vote, the last-place candidate gets knocked out, and those who selected them as their first choice then see their vote redistributed to their second-choice picks.

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The process then continues until one candidate gets more than 50% of the votes.

Coloradoan editor Sarah Kyle and Coloradoan reporter Rebecca Powell contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Early voter guide for 2025 election in Larimer County
One of three men accused of participating in a scheme to steal tools from Home Depot in Bettendorf in April has entered a plea in the case.

Taquille Collins pleaded guilty in two cases to charges of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, third degree theft, conspiracy to commit an aggravated misdemeanor and identity theft under $1,500 on June 19. Two charges of unauthorized use of a credit card, a charge of possession of methamphetamine first offense and a charge of identity theft under $1,500 were dropped at sentencing.

He was sentenced on October 9 to a period not to exceed five years in the Iowa Department of Corrections for the possession with intent charge, with credit for time served. He was sentenced to a period not to exceed two years in the Iowa Department of Corrections on the theft charge, with credit for time served. He was sentenced to a period not to exceed five years in the Iowa Department of Corrections for the conspiracy charge, with credit for time served. He was sentenced to a term not to exceed two years for the identity theft charge, with credit for time served. The sentences were suspended and he was placed on probation for three years. He was ordered to pay $ 3,590 in total fees plus surcharges, which were suspended. He must also pay restitution jointly and severally in the amount of $688 with a co-defendant.

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Rasneep Singh and Rodney Kroeger were also arrested in connection with the case. Kroeger pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance  second offense and was sentenced to 240 days in the Scott County Jail. That sentence was suspended and Kroeger was placed on one year of unsupervised probation. Singh is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on January 7.

(Clockwise from top left) Taquille Collins, Rodney Kroeger and Rasneep Singh (Scott County Jail)

The three men were arrested in April 2025 after they were accused of making multiple fraudulent transactions totaling $1,519.08 at Home Depot with a Home Depot card that belonged to a victim.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Agent, my agent. At OpenAIs developer event on Monday, Christina Huang, one of the companys execs, used the platforms new Agent Builder tool to create an agent (live, onstage, in under eight minutes) that would act as a sort of concierge to help users at a standard web page the company built about the event. It showed developers the agent builder was the main point, but it also gave a glimpse of how OpenAI is thinking about the future of websites. Website visitors could tell the agent what they hoped to learn at the conference, and the agent would assemble a schedule full of the best panels and work groups to suit that end. The agent also had its own personality and visual style. The user interacted with it by typing, but it could easily have been a voice interaction between user and agent, which would have added a new dimension to the agents vibe.

A new UX. Right now, we use a mouse or a touchscreen to peruse menus, tap buttons, and scroll. We do all this either to see what the publisher has on offer, or to find the specific content we want within the virtual layers of information on the website. The only intelligence guiding that process is the descriptive language in the menus and buttons. AI models could inject much more intelligence into the experience. Users might be able to just talk to the interface and let the website gather the most relevant information in real timesimilar to the way AI search engines like Perplexity form a custom package of multimedia information after a user enters a query. And all that information might change in front of the users eyes as they give the AI more instructions. In other words, websites may no longer have a standard structure dictating how and where content is displayed. It may depend entirely on what the user is looking for and how they describe their need.

At OpenAIs developer event this week, the company had a lot to say about autonomous agents, the AI-powered helpers that can understand what a user needs (sometimes proactively) and then do the work of getting it. The common narrative this week based on OpenAIs announcements is that the company is building a platform around ChatGPT and people will use the chatbot as a gateway to all sorts of web content. Freestanding websites (like Fast Company ) will likely still exist, but they might look and work very differently when powered by large language models and agents.

Sign up to receive this newsletter every week via email here . And if you have comments on this issue and/or ideas for future ones, drop me a line at sullivan@fastcompany.com, and follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @thesullivan .

This week, Im focusing on how generative AI and agents might radically change websites. I also look at the circular arrangements that are financing the AI boom, and at Blackrocks big move into data centers.

Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Companys weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. Im Mark Sullivan, a senior writer at Fast Company, covering emerging tech, AI, and tech policy.

Story continues

An intelligent UX and agents might play key roles in the websites of the future, or at least in the first phase of AI influencing how we access information online. From there, it could evolve to types of interaction that are hard to imagine right now. We should also remember that it may not be all about us (humans). Researchers are already trying to understand how websites might be coded differently for when most of the sites visitors are AI agents.

AIs incestuous funding circle

A growing number of people are voicing concern that just a few well-monied individuals and companies will control the AI that powers much of business and personal life, along with unprecedented amounts of personal information willingly fed into it by consumers. But the risks of AIs small circle of big players may run deeper than that. AIs biggest players are investing in each other, which some fear could be artificially inflating the stock prices and valuations of the whole group, as Bloombergs Emily Forgash and Agnee Ghosh point out.

For example, Nvidia announced a $100-billion investment in OpenAI, which will buy about 2% equity in the company. Notably, the Nvidia investment will time the release of the funds according to the pace at which OpenAI buys the chips: Nvidia gets guaranteed chip sales and a 2% share of OpenAI. [T]hese investments might be circular and raise related party concerns, as Nvidia may own shares in a customer that will likely use such funds to buy more Nvidia gear, writes Morningstar equity analyst Brian Colello in a research brief. OpenAI struck a similar agreement with Microsoft when it took a $10-billion investment from the software giant, then used the money to buy its Azure cloud computing services.

After facing criticism for the circular nature of the Nvidia deal, OpenAI doubled down and struck a similar deal with AMD, a rival AI chipmaker. OpenAI will buy large quantities of AMDs Instinct AI chips on a set schedule over the next decade. If it keeps to the schedule, itll get the option of taking a 10% stake in AMD. The deal gives OpenAI a solid second source for AI chips, and could give AMD the stamp of approval it needs to become a legit challenger to Nvidia. AMD CEO Lisa Su called the arrangement a virtuous, positive cycle. OpenAIs Sam Altman said during a meeting with reporters this week that the industry is still experimenting with the right financial models to pay for AIs immense development and hosting costs.

On Tuesday, reports said Nvidia will buy a stake of up to $2 billion in Elon Musks xAI, which is now raising a $20 billion round. The financing includes equity and debt and is tied to the purchase of Nvidia GPUs for xAIs Colossus 2 data center in Memphis.

The return on these big bets depends on how quickly AI can bring broad new efficiencies to big business, and, perhaps, find new ways to pry more dollars from consumers. There just isnt much real evidence that these things are about to happennot yet. As Bloomberg puts it, AI remains an untested technology in business. So all the funding and equity and chip contracts flying back and forth between these companies are, in a sense, just promises among a relatively small group of people that AI indeed will pass the tests that lay ahead. Thats why the word bubble is on everybodys lips.

Blackrock is moving hard on data centers and energy

The big money is moving into AI data centers. Blackrock, the worlds largest asset manager, is reportedly in advanced talks to spend almost $40 billion to buy Aligned Data Centers, which owns 78 data centers across the U.S., Canada, and South America. That news came two days after reports that Blackrock is also in advanced talks to buy the utility company AES in a deal said to be worth $38 billion.

Massive amounts of investment are pouring into the data center space, fueled by a belief that AI models will soon power many business and personal computing functions. Among the biggest barriers to such a transformation is a dearth of both AI computing power and the electricity needed to power it. M&A in both the data center and energy spaces has surged.

Blackrock is doing the deals through its Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) subsidiary. The Aligned Data Center deal, which was reported Friday by Financial Times and confirmed by others, could close any day now. MGX, an Abu-Dhabi AI investment firm backed by Mubadala/G42, may also participate independently in the deal, the reports say. The deal would be one of the biggest acquisitions of the year.

Earlier this year, Aligned raised $5 billion in equity and more than $7 billion in debt financing to expand its global footprint. GIP, which Blackrock bought in early 2024, already co-owns another data center group called CyrusOne, which it bought for $15 billion in 2021.

Tech companies and data center developers will likely break ground or advance several hundred new data center projects by the end of 2025. A ConstructConnect report found that data center construction starts reached $12.9 billion by the end of June (with $2.4 billion in June alone), a 48% increase from the prior year. OpenAIs Stargate project alone will build massive data centers on five new sites. The big money behind that project comes from Oracle, Softbank, OpenAI, MGX, and Nvidia.

Blackrock, with more than $10 trillion under management is often called a shadow bank because it manages funds for governments, pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, and corporations, as well as for individual investors.

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DENVER (KDVR)  The third and final fugitive in a December 2024 kidnapping and armed home invasion case at the now-closed The Edge at Lowry apartment complex has been extradited to Colorado after he was arrested by Chicago police in April on retail theft charges.

The Aurora Police Department said that as of Oct. 4, Jorman Jose Cuba-Zabala, 26, of Venezuela, was in the Arapahoe County Jail, where he is being held on a $250,000 bond.

He was extradited to the state on an Aurora Police Department warrant for four counts of second-degree kidnapping, four charges of aggravated robbery, two charges of menacing with a deadly weapon and two charges of extortion, which are all felony charges.

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1 dead, 2 detained in Aurora crash, Iliff and Blackhawk closed

Cuba-Zabala is one of 12 people facing charges in connection with what police are calling a violent kidnapping and armed home invasion on Dec. 17 at the once-troubled Aurora apartment complex. Other suspects in the case have been linked to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, according to the U.S. Border Patrol, and the chief of the Aurora Police Department later said that the kidnapping was 100% gang activity.

With Cuba-Zabalas arrest, all 12 suspects are now in police custody and facing charges.

Jorman Jose Cuba-Zabala, 26, of Venezuela, was arrested April 28 in Chicago on charges of retail theft. He was extradited to Aurora on an active Aurora Police Department warrant on four charges of second-degree kidnapping, four charges of aggravated robbery, two charges of menacing with a deadly weapon and two charges of extortion. (Courtesy of the Aurora Police Department)

The Edge at Lowry gained notoriety after FOX31 shared a video that went viral of armed men in a stairwell who entered an apartment and were implicated in a deadly shooting. The video eventually garnered the attention of President Donald Trump, who later held a rally in Aurora with posters of TdA mugshots behind him. Many of those seen in that video have been arrested and charged.

Police describe assault of kidnapped victims

Police said that during the December 2024 kidnapping, a Venezuelan couple, a man and a woman, were tied up, pistol-whipped, beaten and stabbed by the dozen armed suspects.

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Stolen truck investigation leads to 3 arrested, vehicles recovered in joint police operation

While the couple was undergoing the torture, other suspects went to the victims apartment and burglarized the unit, according to police. The Aurora department said that after hours of captivity, the victims were able to convince their captors they would not call the police if released. The victims were freed and went to a friends home, where they called the police department.

Aurora police said that officers locked down the complex upon responding and found 15 people inside one unit. In a press conference shortly after the incident, Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said that it appeared that most of the people in the unit were involved in the attack.

FOX31 captured these images inside The Edge at Lowry apartment complex. (KDVR) FOX31 captured these images inside The Edge at Lowry apartment complex. (KDVR) FOX31 captured these images inside The Edge at Lowry apartment complex. (KDVR) Todd Chamberlain, chief of the police department in Aurora, Colo., is shown in one of the buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry during a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) FILE  Officers gather outside one of the condemned buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry after a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

I am utilizing any resource that I can to verify who these individuals are, who these suspects are, what their involvement is with this crime and what their identities are, said Chamberlain during a press conference on Dec. 17, 2024. I am presently using the Department of Homeland Security, I am using HSI and I am also using ICE to help identify who these suspects are and what actions they are involved in.

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The investigation into this case is still ongoing. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and qualify for an up to $2,000 reward.

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A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southeastern coast of the Philippines Friday morning, according to the US Geological Survey, sending panicked residents running into the streets as the ground shook.

The quake struck off the eastern side of Mindanao island, 123 kilometers (79 miles) from the islands biggest city Davao, at a depth of 58.1 kilometers (36 miles), around 9:45 a.m. local time, according to the USGS.

At least one person died after they were buried under the rubble in the province of Davao Oriental, 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Almario said at a news briefing.

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The US Tsunami Warning system initially warned of possible tsunami waves in the Philippines, Indonesia and the island nation of Palau, but the threat had passed by midday.

A 6.7 magnitude aftershock earthquake was recorded by USGS at 7:12 p.m. local time on Friday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said earlier that it recorded hundreds of aftershocks and warned that these are likely to continue for several days to weeks and that some may be felt in nearby provinces.

The institute said in a statement that Davao Oriental and neighbouring provinces were situated in a seismically active regions, adding there have been at least six significant earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 7.1 to 8.3 between 1885 and 2023.

Dramatic video and images from the moment the quake struck showed panicked residents on Mindanao island, rushing out of buildings, or trying to maintain their balance as the ground beneath them shook violently.

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A video feed from a market in Davao showed the ground shaking, and people screaming and taking cover. In Davao City, firefighters were filmed crouching on the ground outside their station, as sirens blared.

Jaymar Seso told CNN he was outside the Davao Regional Medical Center when all of a sudden the ground began shaking and it became hard to walk.

All the people in the building came out shouting loudly, he said. After it subsided, you could really see the fear on peoples faces.

Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation officer of Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental, said he was driving when the tremor hit.

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I saw powerlines swaying wildly. People darted out of houses and buildings as the ground shook and electricity came off, Saavedra told The Associated Press. Weve had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest.

On Friday morning, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said authorities were assessing the situation on the ground and search and rescue efforts were being prepared.

We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it, Marcos said in a statement posted to social media.

Students at Davao De Oro State College are evacuated to safety following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck parts of Davao Region, in Davao, Philippines, on October 10, 2025. - Anadolu/Getty Images

The country is still recovering from a powerful quake that struck off the central island of Cebu less than two weeks ago.

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The 6.9 magnitude earthquake was the Philippines deadliest in over a decade, killing at least 72 people, wounding hundreds and displacing tens of thousands, and causing extensive damage, according to the Reuters news agency.

The Philippines is prone to natural disasters because of its location along the Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) arc of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean home to more than half of the worlds volcanoes, and regularly experiences powerful quakes.

The archipelago nation has also been battered by two destructive typhoons this month.

Meanwhile, protests have broken out over the governments alleged misuse of funds designated for flood relief projects.

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ISLAMABAD (AP)  Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad said Friday it is launching flights to Kabul, making it the latest airline to offer direct routes to the Afghan capital.

Etihad, which announced a record $476 million profit in 2024, said the new service responded to growing demand for travel between the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan and that the three weekly flights starting in December would support trade, travel, and community ties.

The UAE hosts one of the largest Afghan communities in the Gulf, with around 300,000 Afghans living and working in the country, according to the Afghan Business Council, the airline said in a statement. The new flights will further strengthen these economic and social ties while enhancing connectivity through Abu Dhabi.

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Other international carriers flying direct to Kabul include Turkish Airlines and FlyDubai.

The oil-rich UAE has forged close ties with the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan in recent years.

In June 2024, the Emirati leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met a top official and Cabinet member, Sirajuddin Haqqani, who had a U.S. bounty on his head over his involvement in an attack that killed an American citizen and other assaults.

A few months later, the UAE accepted the credentials of a Taliban government ambassador.

Even though the Taliban are largely isolated from the West, due to their restrictions on women and girls, they have successfully established bilateral relations with regional powers.

In July, Russia became the first country to recognize them as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. And, on Friday, India said it was upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy.
ZACHARY, La. (Louisiana First)  Americas fastest-growing grocer is officially open in Zachary. ALDI celebrated the grand opening of its first location in the city on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, giveaways, and plenty of excited shoppers ready to save.

Emma McDonald was the first in line, arriving at 3:45 a.m. to be among the first to walk through the doors on Church Street.

I got here at 3:45 a.m. and Im hoping that I get some fresh produce, and seeing all the good sales that we have, she said.

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ALDI leaders said the new store offers everyday low prices on groceries and household essentials, a draw that has helped the retailer expand rapidly across the country.

The average shopper is going to save a family of four on average about $4,000 a year if they choose to come to us, said Heather Moore, Loxley Division Vice President for ALDI. Thats real money, whether its getting ready for the LSU tailgate, going on vacation, or paying rent.

Beyond affordability, the company is also prioritizing sustainability. ALDI has eliminated single-use bags and launched nationwide efforts to reduce food waste, part of its push toward environmentally friendly shopping.

Zachary Mayor David McDavid said the store will be a major economic driver, serving both local residents and visitors traveling through the region.

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We got a lot of people coming out of the Felicianas, out of Mississippi, they travel through town to go to LSU or Southern. But they stop and shop at our grocery stores here, and this is needed right now, McDavid said.

The Zachary store is part of ALDIs growing footprint in Louisiana. Company officials say additional locations are planned in Gonzales and Denham Springs.

The grand opening celebration continues through the weekend, with tours, giveaways, and golden ticket gift card prizes for shoppers.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced the establishment of a Qatari military installation in Idaho.

Seated beside Qatars defense minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Hegseth announced that the United States is signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho.

The facility, the defense secretary said, will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperabilitythough he provided little else by way of detail.

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The two officials signed a letter green-lighting the move, after Hegseth praised Qatar for its role in securing a peace deal in Gaza. Notably, the announcement also comes from an administration heavily criticized for corruption involving Qatar, a country the president accused of being a funder of terrorism in his first term.

The agreement builds on an existing U.S.-Qatari military relationship. Under a $12 billion deal signed in 2017, the U.S. gave aircraft and U.S.-based training to Qatar. In 2022, it was reported that about 170 Qataris were to be sent to train with F-15s at Idahos Mountain Home Air Base, which already hosts Singaporean forces and would be expanded to accommodate the new arrivals.

Representative Mike Simpson, a pro-Trump Republican of Idaho, called the development fantastic news. But some proponents of the presidents so-called America First cause disagree.

Laura Loomer, an informal Trump adviser and frequent purveyor of Islamaphobic hysteria, decried the administrations decision. What the hell is going on? Why are we trying to train more Muslims how to fly planes on US soil? Didnt we already learn our lesson? she wrote, saying it would allow the Islamic enemy to gain so much ground in our country.
(The Center Square)  U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Arizona, wants Democrats to come to their senses and end the government shutdown.

Hamadeh told The Center Square that Democrats reasons for the federal shutdown keep changing. That includes Democrats representing Arizona on Capitol Hill.

Senator Mark Kellys and Senator Ruben Gallegos attack on Speaker Mike Johnson was embarrassing, and the attacks on our Republican members in the hallways are shameful, Hamadeh said in an email. Kelly and Gallego are engaging in desperate stunts to get attention and avoid the work before them.

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Democrats want more from Republicans in the way of health care spending, but the Trump administration has said numerous times that Democrats are holding out for things such as health care for illegal immigrants. Republicans in Congress have made similar claims.

Democrats own this shutdown, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, said in an Oct. 1 post on X.

Meanwhile, Hamadeh said Republicans have done their job to keep the government open.

We passed a clean continuing resolution (CR), Hamadeh told The Center Square. Our job is to pass a budget, and we did that.

The longer this shutdown lasts, the more it harms Arizonans, especially those who are federal employees, the congressman said.

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According to 2024 data on Congress.gov, 34,460 people in Arizona work for the federal government.

Hamadeh said the federal employees are furloughed or working without pay. That, he added, will impact all of our Arizona families as this shutdown continues.

It doesn't have to drag out if the Democrats come to their senses and realize that this political charade has real-world effects, said Hamadeh. As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee, I have been dedicated to advancing the welfare of our veterans and service members, and now, they are going to get hit hard by this hostage taking, and there isnt a Democrat who will ever be able to say credibly again that our veterans and service members are a top priority for them if they keep the shutdown going.

The Center Square reached out to Kelly and Gallego for comment but did not receive a response.

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However, in an Oct. 8 letter to the Arizona Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, the senators urged them to return to Washington, D.C., and work with Democrats to end what the senators call health care cost spikes.

If we do not act, Arizonans will see sharp premium spikes when they go to purchase a new plan on November 1, wrote the senators. Many of them will need to pay hundreds of dollars more per month.

Kelly made similar comments this week during a speech on the Senate floor.

If we don't work together to extend the Affordable Care Act's premium tax credits, millions of families will see their health insurance costs skyrocket overnight, said Kelly. Last year alone, 309,000 Arizonans used these tax credits, saving them an average of more than $400.00 per month.

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Without these tax credits, Kelly noted, some people could see their health care costs more than double.

That is money that a lot of families simply do not have at this time, he said.

That means cutting groceries, skipping a car payment, or saying no to the next time that their kid asks to join a school activity, said Kelly. So, now these families are going to be one accident or one illness away from financial ruin.

The senators added people who will be hit by this are hardworking people, including small business owners who must purchase their own health insurance plans. The senators are also concerned about older Arizonans who are not yet age-eligible for Medicare.

We believe thousands of Arizonans will see their health care prices spike, wrote the senators. Were talking to our Republican and Democratic colleagues about how to fix this and reopen the federal government.
Around four million people are now displaced across Africas Sahel region, the United Nations has said, with violence and insecurity driving a growing number of people from their homes.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called for greater international support on Friday, saying the affected countries could not deal with the situation alone.

About four million people are now displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and neighbouring countries  around two-thirds more than five years ago  reflecting insecurity, limited access to services and livelihoods, and the effects of climate change, said Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, UNHCRs regional director for West and Central Africa.

Do not forget about the Sahel. About 4 million people are now displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and neighbouring countries. Thats 2/3 more than five years ago. pic.twitter.com/TO9u952dSG  UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) October 10, 2025

While 75 percent of those displaced remain within their own countries, cross-border movements are on the rise, putting pressure on host communities with scant assistance available, he told reporters in Geneva.

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Women and children represent 80 percent of forcibly displaced people in the Sahel, Gnon-Konde said, adding the number of people impacted by pervasive gender-based violence had significantly increased this year.

The insecurity across the region is exposing people to violence, forced recruitment, movement restrictions and arbitrary detention, he said.





Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have been hit by violence from armed groups linked to al-Qaeda or the ISIL (ISIS) group for more than a decade.

Those three countries  all run by military governments  quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the beginning of the year, accusing the regional bloc of failing in the fight against armed groups.

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They have formed their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES), turning away from former colonial power France and pivoting towards Russia.

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have accused the fighters, the military and partner forces of Burkina Faso and Mali of possible atrocities.

Meanwhile, Gnon-Konde said food insecurity was increasingly pushing people to flee, while climate shocks were intensifying competition for scarce resources such as water, fuelling friction between communities.

Nearly 15,000 schools had closed in the region by mid-2025 as well as more than 900 health facilities.

UNHCR needs $409.7m to cover humanitarian needs in the Sahel, but has only received 32 percent of the total, Gnon-Konde said.

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The lack of funds has drastically impacted activities such as refugee registration and documentation, and the provision of education, health and shelter, he added.

More than 212,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are not yet registered, limiting their access to services and heightening their risks of arbitrary detention, he said.

UNHCR is calling for a renewed and strengthened international commitment to address the crisis, Gnon-Konde said. Countries in the region cannot face these challenges alone.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A big development in the effort to recover $100 million missing from a local special needs trust. 8 On Your Side reveals that attorneys are now going after a local bank.

Leo Govoni, 67, and his accountant John Witeck, 60, were indicted in June for a wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering scheme that spanned 15 years.

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According a complaint filed Thursday, the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration funneled stolen money through an elaborate network of accounts held at American Momentum Bank.

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The complaint continued to read that the bank was willing to cater to Govoni to keep him happy, willfully supporting the Centers breaches of fiduciary duty.

Leo Govoni pleads not guilty in nationwide $100 million fraud investigation

The missing money has left disabled families with nothing left to provide for their future care. Attorneys are calling it a classic Ponzi-scheme.

(WFLA)

The class action lawsuit represents 6,000 victims nationwide who entrusted their money at the center for safekeeping between 2009 and 2024. These victims include permanently disabled children, victims of catastrophic injuries and medical malpractice, and people suffering from severe mental illnesses.



The center deposited their funds at American Momentum Bank for safekeeping, specifically at the banks Urban Centre Branch on West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa.



The complaint alleged, Instead of guarding these essential funds that the trust beneficiaries rely on for their basic needs, the Bank facilitated a decade-long fraud and theft scheme by which Leo Govoni, former director of the Center, aided by others, siphoned $100,000,000 from the special needs trust accounts to line his own pockets.

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Daughter blames Leo Govoni for dads death after funds for chemo treatment went missing

Attorneys alleged that this then enabled Govoni to fund his other business ventures and buy, among other things, real estate, a private jet, and box seats to the Kentucky Derby and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Court records said, the Bank permitted the Center to affix the Bank logo to false account statements sent to beneficiaries; allowed wires out of Center accounts on the word of Govonis cronies, who had no authority to move Center funds; and charged thousands upon thousands of dollars of administrative fees for all of Govonis various business accounts to the Center.

Attorneys said the bank enabled Govonis depletion of special needs trust money  all while center employees scrambled to cover the costs of the victims housing and medical care. The center then filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in February 2024.



The attorneys alleged Govoni conducted his theft through American Momentum Bank and maintained more than 140 accounts, including for the center and his own businesses.

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The signers included a combination of Govoni, center co-founder John Stanton, and Govonis children, LJ Govoni and Caitlin Govoni Janicki.

When 8 On Your Side first reported the Centers bankruptcy, we were told a letter was discovered.

The unsigned letter dated from November 2021, according to the bankruptcy filing, was left behind by Govonis daughter, Caitlin Janicki, following her resignation in April 2022. She had been serving as the vice president. The center said it doesnt know why Janicki left, but it caused everything to begin unraveling.

8 On Your Side also has told you Govoni and his son, LJ Govoni, previously ran Big Storms five breweries and taprooms, which closed one by one and faced evictions and lawsuits.

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In a lawsuit filed in June, an investor alleged the two used their brewery as a front to commit financial fraud and theft.

8 On Your Side investigator Brittany Muller reached out to three attorneys representing American Momentum Bank and we have not yet heard back.

All of this new information begs the question: Will we be seeing more criminal indictments in this case and when? That will be up to federal prosecutors. The U.S Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida criminally charged Govoni and Witeck back in June, and in that indictment, it said in addition to those two, as well as others known and unknown to the grand jury, so in this case, they are investigating everyone that could be involved.

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A growing number of voices from the ruling Austrian People's Party (OVP) are trying to convince the organisers of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Vienna in May, not to host the competition in case Israel is boycotted from the event, according to domestic reports.

Initially, reports claimed that Chancellor Christian Stocker and State Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Alexander Proll, both from OVP, were among those who said Austria could refuse to host in case Israel is boycotted.

However, the Chancellery did not confirm this when asked by the Austrian outlet Kurier. The same outlet has stated that, according to its findings, a number of OVP politicians have openly shared this opinion.

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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body responsible for the annual music competition, said that its general assembly will vote in November on whether Israel can participate.

There has been pressure to freeze Israel out of the contest because of the war in Gaza and the spiralling humanitarian crisis in the Strip.

Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland and Slovenia have all said they will refuse to send competitors to the event if Israel is permitted to take part.

Austria's Chancellor Christian Stocker speaks during a news conference in Nicosia, 22 August, 2025 - AP Photo

Spain's decision is particularly significant because of its role as one of Eurovision's "big five" sponsors, alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

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According to the Israeli news portal Ynet in September, the EBU "unofficially" told Israeli representatives that they need to temporarily withdraw from the competition.

Alternatively, if Israel wishes to remain in the contest, they need to perform under a neutral flag, similar to the approach taken by Russian athletes at the Olympic Games.

However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that Germany would withdraw from the contest if Israel is prevented from competing, saying "Israel has a place there."

Austria is due to be host country for the 2026 contest after its entrant, JJ, won last year's event with the song "Wasted Love".

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But refusing to host this late in the day could see the national broadcaster, ORF, slapped with a penalty fee of up to 40 million.

Singer Yuval Raphael from Israel holds the national flag during a dress rehearsal for the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, 16 May, 2025 - AP Photo

Israel has been a participant in Eurovision, established after World War II to provide a forum for peaceful competition among nations, since 1973.

As calls grew to remove Israel from the contest in 2024 and 2025 due to the Gaza war, the EBU said that Eurovision is not a competition between governments, but between public broadcasters.

It said that Israels public broadcaster, KAN, had not violated any rules to warrant being frozen out of Eurovision.

In the case that the winning country is unwilling or unable to host the contest, the BBC is regarded as the unofficial default broadcaster.
LONDON (AP)  Lingering doubts about the economic promise of artificial intelligence technology are starting to get the attention of financial institutions that raised warning flags this week about an AI investment bubble.

Officials at the Bank of England on Wednesday flagged the growing risk that tech stock prices pumped up by the AI boom could burst.

The risk of a sharp market correction has increased, the U.K. central bank said.

The head of the International Monetary Fund raised a similar alarm hours after the Bank of Englands report.

Global stock prices have been surging, fired up by optimism about the productivity-enhancing potential of AI, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.

But financial conditions could turn abruptly, she warned in a speech ahead of the organizations annual meeting next week in Washington.

Is there an AI bubble?

Bubbles obviously are never very easy to identify, but we can see there are a few potential symptoms of a bubble in the current situation, said Adam Slater, lead economist at Oxford Economics.

Those symptoms include rapid growth in tech stock prices, the fact that tech stocks now comprise about 40% of the S&P 500, market valuations that appear stretched beyond their worth and a general sense of extreme optimism in terms of the underlying technology, despite the enormous uncertainties around what this technology might ultimately yield, Slater said.

The most optimistic projections about the fruits of generative AI products foresee a transformation of the economy, leading to annual productivity gains that Slater says have not been seen since the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. At the lower end, economist Daron Acemoglu of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has predicted a nontrivial but modest U.S. productivity gain of just 0.7% over a decade.

Youve got this incredibly wide range of possibilities, Slater said. Nobody really knows where its going to land.

Doubts about the worth of top AI companies

Investors have closely watched a series of intertwined deals over recent months between top AI developers such as OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, and the companies building the costly computer chips and data centers needed to power these AI products.

OpenAI doesn't turn a profit but the privately held San Francisco firm is now the world's most valuable startup, with a market valuation of $500 billion. It recently signed major deals with chipmaker Nvidia, the world's most valuable publicly traded company, and its rival AMD, and a $300 billion deal with tech giant Oracle for the buildout of future data centers.
By Andrius Sytas

KAUNAS, Lithuania (Reuters) -Alarmed by Russia's vast military spending since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the three Baltic states are drawing up contingency plans to deal with the possibility of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing a Russian troop buildup or attack.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have long voiced fears to fellow NATO states about possible Russian aggression, citing Russian cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and incursions over the past few months by Russian fighter jets and drones.

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Russia says it has no plans to attack NATO. But the three countries, which were annexed by Moscow during World War Two, have doubled defence spending since the all-out attack on Ukraine that followed repeated Russian denials of any such plan.

"Threats could vary," said Renatas Pozela, who as head of Lithuania's firefighting service is involved in the contingency planning, which has been stepped up since the three countries agreed to cooperate on civil protection in May. Details of the numbers of potential evacuees officials are preparing for are being reported here for the first time.

WHAT ARE THE SCENARIOS?

"It's possible we will see a mighty army along the borders of the Baltics, with the apparent goal of taking all three countries in three days to a week," Pozela said.

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Sabotage of communications or transport links, a mass influx of migrants, civil unrest among Russian-speaking minorities or fake news sparking mass flight are other scenarios discussed in local media and beyond.

"We talk about this every month, every week - at work, everywhere," said Arminas Raudys, 31, a volunteer playing the role of an evacuee in an exercise in Lithuania this week.

The role-play involved the evacuation of just a hundred people from the capital Vilnius, but officials interviewed by Reuters said contingency planning - still largely under wraps - was being made for much larger numbers.

Half of those living within 40 km (25 miles) of the borders of Russia and Belarus  about 400,000 people - are among them, Pozela said.

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The western town of Kaunas has plans to house 300,000 people in schools, universities, Catholic churches and the arena where Robbie Williams and Roger Waters performed recently. Similar efforts are underway in other towns.

Assembly points, including in Vilnius, have been selected, trains and buses designated and supplies such as toilet paper and hiking beds stockpiled in warehouses, an official at the firefighting service said.

Those fleeing by car would be directed to secondary roads, to clear others for the incoming army, with a map already available showing the towns where they can seek refuge.

"It's a very reassuring message to our society that we are ready and we are planning," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told Reuters. "We have done our homework."

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ARE PEOPLE EXPECTED TO MOVE BEYOND THE BALTICS?

None of the three Baltic countries have detailed plans to move anyone beyond their borders.

Two paved roads and several forest paths connect them to Poland through the Suwalki Gap - a narrow wooded part of Poland between Russia and Belarus, and incoming military vehicles would be given priority over those trying to escape to Poland.

"We have to take account of the risk (of the Suwalki Gap)," said Ivar Mai, mass evacuation advisor to the Estonian Rescue Board, referring to the possibility Russian forces could seek to cut the Baltics off from their only border with a fellow-NATO state.

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Estonia is preparing plans to rehouse a tenth of its 1.4 million people in makeshift shelters, with many others seen as likely to move in with relatives, said Mai.

Two thirds of the Russian-speaking town of Narva, population 50,000, are among those who could be expected to move, with the government assisting at least half of them. "It's only for those who don't have other places to go," he said.

Latvia estimates that a third of its 1.9 million people might leave their homes, said Ivars Nakurts, the deputy head of Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service.

"You plan for everything," he said.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in the Baltics, Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen in Finland, Johan Ahlander and Simon Johnson in Sweden, Barbara Erling in Poland; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
Airports in Brussels will be cancelling all departing flights on one day next week due to a major national strike disrupting airport operations.

The UK government has warned travellers who may be flying in and out of Belgium of the general strike that is planned for Tuesday 14 October.

The Foreign Office has advised travellers to monitor local news and check with their travel provider regarding potential delays and closures.

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It added that, alongside airports, other public transport and some public services are expected to be affected.

Strike action is an ongoing issue that can cause severe travel disruption across the country and affect international travel, the Foreign Office said.

A demonstration is planned for central Brussels, it added.

If you are in areas where large gatherings are taking place, remain vigilant and move away quickly if there are signs of disorder. Avoid protests, expect delays on some major roads and follow the advice of the authorities.

Brussels Airport, the Belgian citys main aviation hub, put out a statement to say they expect major disruptions to our airport operations on Tuesday.

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To ensure the safety of passengers and staff, we have decided, in consultation with the airlines, not to operate any departing flights on 14 October. In the upcoming days, the airlines will contact passengers directly to inform them of their options, the airport confirmed.

As departing passenger flights are cancelled, cancellations are also possible on some arriving flights, too.

We regret the inconvenience caused by this action, the airport added.

Brussels second airport, South Charleroi, confirmed that it would not be operating both departing and arriving flights on Tuesday.

Affected passengers who were scheduled to fly via Charleroi on 14 October will be contacted by their airline in the coming days regarding rebooking or a refund, the airport said.

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We regret the impact of this national strike on our passengers' travel plans and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The national strike was called by a number of trade unions protesting against a savings plan put forward by the Belgian government.

This latest union action comes after general strikes in Belgium in both March and April this year, which also saw severe travel disruption across the entire country.

Read more: New European sleeper train planned from Belgium to Slovakia
Tens of thousands of travellers have been met with severe delays and cancellations in Belgium today, as a national strike has ground travel to a halt.

All departing flights have been cancelled from Brussels South Charleroi Airport and Brussels Airport in Zaventem, while all arriving flights at Charleroi have been cancelled.

Meanwhile, most metro, bus and tram lines were not running and all entrances to the Brussels-Central railway and metro station were shuttered this morning, as a protest march moved through the capital, the Brussels Times reported.

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On Tuesday, 14 October, the joint trade union front enacted a protest against reforms by the federal government impacting pensions, salaries and working conditions.

The sudden move was expected to cause chaos for the countrys transport network.

Belgium strikes: Which airports are affected?

Brussels Airport had previously warned of major disruptions on the day of industrial action, which involves members of its security staff, before cancelling all flights today.

The airport handles about 200 departing flights per day.

Airport officials have warned travellers that Wednesday, 15 October, is likely to be busy following the closure.

"Be sure to come to the airport on time," it says. "We recommend you to check our app to know at what time to arrive for your flight."

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While the country's major airports cancelled flights, the smaller regional airports in Antwerp and Ostend remain fully operational, the Brussels Times reported.

"All flights and airport operations will continue as planned on Tuesday," the regional airports said. "Travellers can depart from or arrive at both airports with peace of mind."

Are metro, tram and bus services be impacted by the strike?

STIB-MIVB, Brussels travel network for metro, tram and bus services, also expected "major disruptions" on its network today.

"We will do everything possible to ensure at least a partial service and inform our travellers in real time about the situation on our network," the company said last week, while urging tourists to look for "alternative solutions to move around Brussels".

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Related

Only two of the city's metro lines - the M1 and M5 - are running, while just seven tram and 10 bus routes remain operational at reduced frequency, according to STIB-MIVB.

The STIB-MIVB app Floya is useful for tourists needing to find transport methods such as bicycles and scooters. It also shows which bus, metro and tram lines are still operating.

Although national railway operator SNCB had not received a strike notice for the upcoming demonstration, it added that disruptions remain possible due to the expected high number of passengers on the trains to and from Brussels.

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One such disruption has already taken place. At around 10:45 am, protestors set off towards Brussels South Station, via Brussels Central Station, disrupting traffic and leaving Brussels-Central station closed.

Will retail also be impacted?

Tourists in Belgium may also find it difficult to make the most of their holiday today, as unions are also calling on the retail sector to get involved with the strike.

Many workers at supermarkets, fashion retailers and DIY stores are expected to leave their workplace to demonstrate, which may result in swathes of shops suddenly closing.
MPONELA, Malawi (WIAT)  Meg Packard, of Birmingham, is currently halfway across the world, trying to change and perhaps even save lives.

Packard is part of a team of volunteers with Marion Medical Mission, a non-profit that has spent decades installing more than 58,000 safe, sustainable drinking water wells in a part of Africa where thousands of people die from drinking contaminated water.

Im a lawyer by training. I have no good usable skills, but here I am on a team where we all have the same goal, Packard said.

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For nearly two decades, shes been traveling 8,500 miles from Alabama to Malawi every fall. Malawi is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, where more than 70% of the population lives below poverty level, and where malnutrition and lack of clean water run rampant.

In Malawi alone, more than 9,000 people die every year from waterborne diseases, and most of them children under the age of five.

Giving the gift of water, it is an unbelievable experience, Packard said.

The non-profit is on track to install more than 4,100 wells across Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia this year alone. The job isnt easy. Volunteers like Packard travel hundreds of miles over bumpy, barren, dust-covered roads in trucks loaded down with water pipes and supplies, on the way to villages often accessible only by crossing bridges barely able to withstand the width and weight of a big truck.

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The role of the volunteers is to verify that the wells that have been built will provide safe drinking water to the villages, log the location of the well with GPS, take photos of the finished wells and take part in a handoff ceremony with village elders.

And then the best part, celebrate, because the excitement that they feel when that water first comes out is indescribable. Its over the top, Packard said.

She returns to Alabama in a few days, made richer by her experience in one of the poorest places on Earth,

It sounds trite, but its 100% true. Im getting out of it a thousand times more than I feel like Im offering, she said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
NEED TO KNOW

A 12-year-old boy suffered cardiac arrest after he crashed his bike in a Minnesota park

Three days after the incident, the middle schooler was taken off life support and died of his injuries

The child dreamed of becoming a police officer, prompting the local department to award him an honorary badge before his death

A 12-year-old boy has died after he was taken off life support following a bike crash in a Minnesota park. In his final moments, the boy, who dreamed of becoming a police officer, was given an honorary badge by the chief of the local police department.

On the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 5, Raghav Shrestha was riding his bike in Northside Park in Sartell when he crashed near the bottom of Muskie Hill, the Sartell Police Department said in a news release. A 10-year-old boy who was riding with him witnessed the crash and called 911 for help, but was unable to identify their location.

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A CPR instructor who was passing by was able to confirm where they were and told the dispatcher that the injured child wasnt breathing and had no pulse, officials said.

The man began to administer CPR on the 12-year-old, which was continued by officers and ambulance crews when they arrived on the scene. When the boy arrived at a local hospital, he had regained vital signs before he was flown to a medical center in Hennepin County in critical condition.

The Sartell Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further comment.

In an update on Monday, Oct. 6, police identified the child and confirmed he was on life support.

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Despite having a helmet on at the time of the crash, he suffered a severe head injury, the police department said. The serious injury seemed to have caused Shrestha to go into cardiac arrest after the crash.

By the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 8, the 7th grader had no brain activity, officials said in an update shared on behalf of the childs parents. He was set to be taken off life support that afternoon.

Raghav was a cheerful and fun-loving 12-year-old, doing what so many 12-year-old boys would be doing on a beautiful fall afternoon, which makes this tragedy so difficult to comprehend, Sartell Police Chief Brandon Silgjord said in a statement.

Later that day, the middle schooler passed away peacefully moments after being removed from life support, the police department said in the Wednesday update.

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The day was a tragic one for the childs family, as well as the community and police officers, who made sure to honor Shrestha before his death.



GoogleMaps Northside Park in Sartell, Minn. Northside Park in Sartell, Minn.

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During a visit to the hospital with fellow officers on Wednesday, Silgjord learned that Shrestha wanted to become a police officer when he got older.

"It only seemed appropriate that we make him a police officer before he left us," the chief tells PEOPLE via email. In an impromptu decision, Silgjord says he took his own badge and pinned it to the dying boy.

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"I shared with his family how incredibly sad it was that he won't ever get the chance to live that dream out," continues Silgjord, who whispered some words to the 12-year-old before leaving. "The least we could do was honor him now like one of our own."



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Roughly one in 10 pregnant women in the US undergoes a cesarean section that experts say could have been avoided. One of the strongest predictors of her risk of a medically unnecessary C-section isn't her age, health, or pregnancy complications  it's the C-section rate at the hospital where she delivers.

One of the best ways to avert an unnecessary C-section is to choose a hospital with low rates for the procedure, experts say. Yet pregnant women looking for this data may come up short.

Only 11 states make hospital C-section rates easily accessible on public websites, Business Insider found. Most states either say hospital C-section rates are confidential or release data only in response to formal public records or data requests. Some hospitals voluntarily disclose their C-section rates in response to annual consumer surveys; many do not.

What results is a patchwork of disclosures that can hide significant C-section rate swings across nearby hospitals. Business Insider requested C-section data from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. An analysis of the first 21 to produce data reveals some hospitals performed surgeries on fewer than 5% of women with low-risk pregnancies  those who are least likely to require surgery to safely deliver their babies since they are pregnant for the first time, are at full term, are not delivering twins, and whose babies are head-down rather than breech. On the high end, 10 hospitals operated on around 50%.

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Maternal healthcare providers, academics who study C-section rates and maternal health outcomes, and consumer advocates say that states' decision not to publicly publish hospital C-section rates benefits some hospitals competing for patients  but deprives pregnant women of critical information about their healthcare.

"It's not a priority for them, and frankly, some hospitals are embarrassed by it," said Eugene Declercq, a professor of community health sciences at Boston University who studies the impact of federal and state policy on maternal health.

"Some hospitals just cut more," Declercq said. "People should know that."

A far higher rate

Rachel Bruns, a communications specialist in Iowa, didn't know the C-section rate at the hospital she picked.

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Bruns, then 31 years old, was healthy and pregnant for the first time with a full-term baby positioned face-down  an ideal candidate for a vaginal delivery, her medical records show. About a week past her due date, Bruns' doctor induced her labor with Pitocin, a medication that causes the uterus to contract.

Nurses maxed out Bruns' Pitocin dosage, but she never dilated beyond 4 centimeters and never began to push. Bruns remembers her doctor saying she was unlikely to deliver vaginally. Bruns' labor had "failed to progress," according to her medical records, and her doctor recommended a C-section. Bruns, who says she was exhausted and scared, consented.

After her operation, lying in the recovery room unable to hold her newborn daughter without pain, Bruns felt a lingering, corrosive doubt: Was her surgery actually necessary?

Bruns' amniotic sac had not ruptured, so she remembered her doctor said she could have attempted a second induction. Her labor had been long  16.5 hours, according to her medical paperwork  but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that women who are induced, like Bruns, often have significantly longer labors; even when their amniotic sac is ruptured, which speeds up labor, it could safely take up to 18 hours to reach the active pushing stage. She and her baby were healthy and had tolerated labor well, the kind of patients for whom, even in a prolonged early labor, ACOG recommends a C-section "should be avoided."

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Bruns couldn't shake it. She later asked Iowa's Department of Public Health and Human Services for hospital C-section rates. The department initially said those were confidential, but eventually released them after a lengthy negotiation.

The data was stark. In the year Bruns delivered her daughter and in the four successive years, the hospital where she delivered had a C-section rate 15% higher than the state average, a finding Business Insider's own analysis of Iowa hospital delivery data confirmed. Over those same five years, doctors at her hospital performed surgeries on women with no prior C-sections, like Bruns, at nearly double the rate on average as the doctors at a hospital located 2 miles away.

"It's hard to make peace with," Bruns said. "If I had known, I would have chosen a different hospital."

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

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When medically necessary, a C-section is a lifesaving surgery. A recent large study found that up to 19% of all deliveries should be C-sections to protect the health and lives of women and their babies.

The US C-section rate is far higher  over 32%. That suggests that around one in three C-sections could be avoided, eliminating nearly half a million surgeries each year that leave women at a higher risk of hemorrhages, blood clots, and infections, and more likely to develop dangerous complications in future pregnancies.

Individual hospital C-section rates vary widely, ranging from extremes as low as 7% and as high as 70%, a recent study of data from 44 states shows. A woman's age, health, whether she's obese, and pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes or a previous C-section, may increase the chance that her baby is most safely delivered by C-section.

Multiple studies document that the hospital a woman chooses remains one of her biggest risk factors for undergoing a medically unnecessary C-section, after controlling for age, health, race, hospital delivery volume, and a host of other variables.

The delivery business

"Some hospitals do more unnecessary Cesarean deliveries than other hospitals," reads a website run in partnership with California's Department of Public Health that links to annual C-section rate data for each hospital in the state. To lower your risk of surgery, the site recommends, "choose a hospital with lower Cesarean delivery rates."

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Such transparency is rare.

Seven other states with a combined 23 million residents  Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota  told Business Insider that hospital cesarean delivery rate data is confidential, either by department policy or state law. The Louisiana Department of Health said the state does not track C-section rates by hospital  the only state in the country that claimed not to track this information.

Alaska initially cited confidentiality, but released the data after Business Insider requested more information about the department's policies.

An Idaho Department of Health and Welfare spokesperson suggested that Business Insider ask the state's hospital association, a private trade group. The Idaho Hospital Association and the Idaho Medical Association did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment. The hospital associations for the seven other states did not respond to Business Insider's request, declined to produce hospital C-section rate data, or said their organization does not track C-section rates.

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A spokesperson from the Hawaii State Department of Health told Business Insider the department has a "long-standing policy" against publicly disclosing hospital C-section rates, saying comparisons would be unfair to hospitals.

"C-section rates may vary significantly due to differences in patient populations," the Hawaii spokesperson wrote, "as well as differences in hospital practices, capacity, or available services."

Dozens of other states and Washington, D.C., do not readily publicly publish hospital C-section rates. Instead, they only release that information in response to public records or data requests, sometimes for a hefty fee. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, for example, initially priced the data at $1,800 when reached in mid-September.

When reached for comment in October, Josie Thacker, a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, said that hospital C-section rates in Utah would eventually be available for free on a public website, which is undergoing an update.

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"Until the update is complete, the fee for the data you requested is $900," Thacker wrote to Business Insider in an email.

By keeping C-section rates out of the public eye  either by withholding data or not making it readily accessible  health departments put the interests of hospitals over pregnant women's rights to make informed choices about their medical care, experts told Business Insider.

Hospitals traditionally operate labor and delivery departments at a financial loss unless patient volume and insurance reimbursements are kept high, according to former hospital administrators and recent industry analysis. Each patient  every woman in labor and baby delivered  is valuable to hospitals looking to turn a profit.

Some hospitals go to extremes. Two lawsuits in particular, while neither involves allegations of medically unnecessary C-sections, illustrate the lengths some hospitals allegedly go to capture a larger share of the delivery market.

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In 2016, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, which at the time operated 79 hospitals, paid over $513 million to settle federal and state charges accusing the hospital giant and its subsidiary hospitals in Georgia of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme to swell their delivery business. Tenet admitted responsibility and agreed to a court-appointed monitor, and two of its subsidiaries pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

That same year, a 2016 jury awarded $16 million in damages in a civil suit against Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, a hospital that at the time was majority-owned by Tenet, in part for launching an aggressive marketing blitz on television, billboards, and social media advertising labor care philosophies and amenities that were, in reality, unavailable or directly conflicted with the hospital's own care policies, according to court filings.

The jury found Brookwood was responsible for reckless fraud and medical negligence. Brookwood's current spokesperson referred Business Insider to Tenet for comment. Tenet did not respond to Business Insider's queries.

A patchwork of hospital disclosures

With each pregnant woman's choice of where to deliver so hard fought, a hospital's low C-section rate may become an advertising advantage; a high rate, a weak spot. Relatively low C-section rates are used in promotional materials at large hospital systems like Kaiser Permanente or Sutter Health.

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Some hospitals argue that C-section rate disclosure would bias consumers against facilities with higher C-section rates, said Dr. Emily White VanGompel, a family medicine doctor and professor at the University of Illinois Chicago who studies how organizations impact C-section rates.

Their argument is simple: If potential patients can look up a hospital's delivery rate data, "they're going to just all go to see the hospital with the lowest C-section rates," White VanGompel said, which could be unfair to hospitals that treat more women with complicated or high-risk pregnancies. That logic falls apart on closer scrutiny, she told Business Insider, since many hospitals that serve high-risk pregnant women still manage to keep their low-risk C-section rates low.

To better compare C-section rates at hospitals that treat different types of patients, maternal health experts recommend looking at the rate doctors operate on low-risk pregnancies. Women with low-risk pregnancies are the least likely to require surgery to safely deliver their babies, so this metric is one of the best to evaluate a hospital's possible cesarean overuse.

Experts say a hospital's administration and delivery policies have an outsize influence on the number of C-sections it performs. Publicly disclosing hospitals' low-risk C-section rates not only benefits women as consumers but could also encourage hospitals to safely support more vaginal deliveries, said White VanGompel, Declercq, and four other public health and maternal health researchers at the schools of medicine at Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Michigan, and Harvard.

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In California, hospitals participating in a state-led initiative to lower low-risk C-section rates publicly published their C-section rates, among other maternal healthcare improvement strategies. Over five years, the state's low-risk C-section rate declined from 26% to 22.8%.

Some hospitals already voluntarily disclose their low-risk C-section rate through a maternal health survey conducted annually by The Leapfrog Group, a healthcare transparency and consumer advocacy organization that publishes the results in a searchable database. In 2024, over 1,700 hospitals  around 70% of those surveyed  disclosed maternity care quality data, including C-section rates, according to the group's 2025 maternal healthcare report.

Significant blind spots remain. Springhill Medical Center, the only for-profit hospital in Mobile, Alabama, for example, declined to respond to Leapfrog's 2025 survey. Doctors at that hospital performed surgeries on 37.5% of women with low-risk pregnancies on average between 2018 and 2024  among the highest average rates in the state over those same years, according to Alabama Department of Public Health data obtained by Business Insider after filing a data request.

It's not known if any of those C-sections could have been avoided, but the lack of publicly available data meant expectant mothers could not compare Springhill's rate to those of surrounding hospitals.

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Springhill's average low-risk C-section rate from 2018 to 2024 was 33% higher than at a nearby hospital with roughly the same number of low-risk deliveries, and nearly 47% higher than a university teaching hospital that specializes in women with higher-risk pregnancies. The three hospitals are located within 6 miles of one another.

"Springhill Medical Center remains committed to safe, evidence-based care for all patients," Deanna Kyrimis, the president and CEO of Springhill, wrote in a statement to Business Insider. "We rigorously monitor our clinical outcomes and engage in a comprehensive quality review process  including case-by-case evaluations of cesarean deliveries  to ensure they align with medical necessity and best practices, supporting the highest standard of care for mothers and babies."

Business Insider identified similar patterns of hospitals declining to disclose to Leapfrog comparatively high C-section rates for low-risk pregnancies in Alaska, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

In Arkansas, where hospital C-section rates are confidential, more than a quarter of women with low-risk pregnancies deliver their babies by C-section  the 10th highest rate in the US, according to federal data.

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Of the Arkansas hospitals surveyed, 40% declined to respond to Leapfrog's maternal health survey. None of those Arkansas hospitals contacted by Business Insider disclosed their low-risk C-section rate.

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Cities throughout California may see a perceptible transformation of their urban design in the coming years under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to authorize dense housing around transit hubs.

Senate Bill 79, which the governor approved Friday morning, will change zoning standards around train stations, ferry terminals and bus rapid transit stops, allowing apartment buildings and other multifamily homes up to nine stories. The law will also loosen height restrictions within a half-mile radius of these transportation hubs.

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Celebrated by many housing advocates, the law culminates a seven-year crusade by state Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, to create compact neighborhoods and gradually undo a long pattern of suburban sprawl. Wiener has long pressed the dense development philosophy of "Yes In My Backyard," or YIMBY, saying it will empower people to ride transit to work, free them from long car commutes, and ease congestion on jammed freeways.

The state senator struck a triumphal tone in a statement his office released Friday, characterizing the new law as a sweeping paradigm shift. In Wiener's view, it could unwind "decades of overly restrictive land use policies that have driven housing costs to astronomical levels, forcing millions of people to move far away from jobs and transit, to face massive commutes, or to leave California entirely."

While the YIMBY movement has caught on in recent years, SB 79 faced pushback throughout the political process, including letters of opposition that arrived after the bill had passed the Legislature and sat on the governor's desk.

"While I support the intent to accelerate housing development statewide, as written, Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) risks significant unintended consequences for many of Los Angeles' diverse communities," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a letter to Newsom last month, urging for a veto.

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Some housing activists worried the bill became diluted as Wiener negotiated with every stakeholder, including big-city mayors and other local government officials, as well as union leaders. His staff added parameters that resulted in suburban areas - like Contra Costa and Marin counties - being cut out completely.

San Francisco's west side neighborhoods might also be spared if the Board of Supervisors passes Mayor Daniel Lurie's family zoning plan.

"Our family zoning plan gets us the housing capacity we need to meet state mandated targets without losing what makes our neighborhoods so incredibly special," Lurie said in a social media post Friday, meant to assuage constituents.

Ultimately, SB 79 went through 13 rounds of amendments that limited its scope but retained its intent. It will not lead to a building boom overnight, but it will spur a gradual shift in land use patterns.

The law takes effect in July.

This article originally published at Landmark California law would put more housing near BART and Caltrain.
This story was originally published on Supply Chain Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Supply Chain Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

Canada Post employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will scale back their nationwide strike action and shift to rotating work stoppages starting Saturday.

The carrier shut down operations after CUPW's national halt commenced Sept. 25. Moving to a rotating strike will allow parcels and mail to start moving through Canada Posts network again, according to Jan Simpson, the union's national president. CUPW locals participating in the rotating strike "will be informed closer to the time when they will take action," she said in a Thursday statement.

Canada Post said in a Friday press release emailed to Supply Chain Dive that postal services will begin to resume next week. However, the carrier warned that customers should expect delays during the rotating strikes and said all service guarantees will be suspended as a result.

Dive Insight:

The nationwide strike's end may be a relief for businesses reliant on Canada Post, but work stoppages in specific locations could still challenge the carrier's operations and risk delays for shippers. Experts have recommended Canada Post users leverage alternative delivery providers and maintain clear communication with customers in instances of labor disruptions.

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This year has had no shortage of disruptions for Canada Post users, including an overtime ban, a halt in delivering unaddressed direct mail and more recently the nationwide strike. CUPW launched its national work stoppage in response to a plan by Canada's government to reform the carrier and improve its financial health. The proposed adjustments, which Canada Post supports, include reducing door-to-door mail dropoff and tweaking delivery standards.

"Postal workers would much rather have new collective agreements and be delivering mail instead of taking strike action," Simpson said Thursday. "Yet, we could not stand by as the Government announced its plans to allow Canada Post to gut our postal service and slash thousands of our jobs."

Meanwhile, Canada Post and CUPW continue to negotiate new labor contracts for workers, but neither side has reported any recent progress toward an agreement.

Last week, Canada Post presented offers similar to the ones proposed in May and eventually rejected by employees. However, the proposals no longer include an employee signing bonus because of "the company's deteriorating financial situation," according to Canada Post. They also include establishing a layoff process in instances when other workforce reduction measures fall short of achieving its targets.

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"With thousands of employees set to retire over the next few years, reducing the size of the workforce through attrition will always be the first choice, but it cannot be the only option through this transformation," Canada Post said last week.

CUPW took a firm stance against Canada Post's proposals, with Simpson saying the contract offers wouldn't provide stability for postal workers and the public.

"Canada Post and the Government have repeatedly stressed the urgency of signing new collective agreements, but they are making a mockery of the collective bargaining process with these insulting offers," Simpson said last week.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from Canada Post.

Recommended Reading
A car parts plant in Elizabethtown is closing and its remaining 450 employees are being laid off.

Akebono Brake Corp., a car brake maker based in Japan with an American headquarters in Michigan, told the Kentucky Career Center Oct. 3 it was implementing a permanent workforce reduction starting Dec. 5 and lasting through years end until the plants closure.

The workforce reduction/layoffs are the result of a decline in Akebonos U.S. Business and are expected to be permanent, said Plant Manager Chris Cooper in the letter, as is required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN Act.

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The company first shared its closure plans in October 2023 after 35 years of operating in Hardin County, which is about 90 minutes west of Lexington.

Akebono Brake Industry Co. President and CEO Yasuhiro Miyaji told the companys board of directors at the time it had resolved to reduce the business of its U.S. subsidiary by closing one of two manufacturing sites, the News-Enterprise reported. In 2019, the plan to shift to a one-plant U.S. presence was adopted and around the end of that year, the company had closed its plants in Tennessee and in South Carolina.

According to its website, Akebono also operates a brake production plant in Glasgow, Kentucky.

The phased-out closure and layoff plan has allowed the community to aid workers in finding another similar job nearby or obtaining additional training to make a career switch, said Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation President and COO Rick Games when Akebono said it was pulling out of the city.

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The majority of impacted Elizabethtown employees are production associates and production group leaders, according to the letter. The plants employees are not represented by a union and no bumping rights exist.

Once all 450 of the plants employees are laid off permanently, the plant in Elizabethtown at 300 Ring Road will close.

Its not clear at peak production how many employees worked at the plant, but Akebonos website does indicate the company has approximately 5,350 employees.

The human resources coordinator listed on the letter sent to the state last week by Akebono was not immediately available for additional comment.

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Last month, Akebono laid off more than 50 of its employees from an engineering center in Michigan, according to the Detroit Free Press. The mass layoff there began Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 1 impacting engineering jobs, lab techs, analysts and designers.

The producer of advanced car brakes and noise reduction technology has customers in the likes of Japanese carmakers Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi along with Ford and GM, according to its website.

In 2023, motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts were Kentuckys top export products, totaling approximately $5.4 billion in sales, according to state data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

Auto-related news has been pouring out of Elizabethtown this summer. The city is also home to the still-under-construction BlueOval SK, a joint venture between Ford Motor Co. and South Korean SK On, where electric vehicle batteries are being manufactured.

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On Sept. 24, employees alleged in a class-action lawsuit they havent been fairly compensated for required work activities they do before and after their scheduled shifts.

The complaint was filed in Michigan roughly one month after long-awaited commercial production of batteries began at the plant and workers voted to unionize with the United Auto Workers.

That plant is just outside Elizabethtown in Glendale. According to 2023 estimates from a study commissioned by the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, once complete, the entire plant is anticipated to be the largest EV battery plant in the world.
Amazon is opening its largest fulfillment center in the Pacific Northwest and building another large e-commerce distribution center in Indiana.

The new facility in Woodburn, Oregon, outside of Portland, covers 3.8 million square feet  four times the size of the nearby international airports terminals  and will store millions of products, according to KGW News and other local media outlets. It is outfitted with advanced scanners, conveyor technology and robots that can automatically retrieve and sort inbound and outbound orders and deliver them to where needed.

Amazon plans to initially hire 3,000 people to run the facility.

Among the dignitaries at the grand opening was Democratic Congresswoman Andrea Salinas.

In related news, the retail giant plans to build a large, automated fulfillment center in Greenfield, Indiana, to meet rising customer demand in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, Chain Store Age and Supply Chain Dive reported.

Amazon already operates 11 fulfillment and sortation centers in Indiana.

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

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The post Amazon putting huge fulfillment centers in Oregon and Indiana appeared first on FreightWaves.
By Heather Schlitz

CHICAGO (Reuters) -On a chilly morning outside Nash Elementary School in a working-class Chicago neighborhood, teachers greeted students with the usual high-fives and hugs, while handing out sheets with red-bolded words proclaiming in capital letters: Defend your rights under the threat of occupation.

Four weeks into President Donald Trump's "Operation Midway Blitz" deportation drive, mass arrests across the city - which have swept up parents on their way to school and entire families - have induced fear in immigrant communities and protectiveness from educators, according to city leaders, the teachers' union, parents and immigration advocates.

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Some 500 National Guard troops began deploying near Chicago on Wednesday under orders from Trump.

"My Latino students, they're fearing everything," said Yaritza Santana, a science teacher at Nash Elementary. They fear that they're going to just be taken."

LESSON PLAN: 'KNOW YOUR RIGHTS'

The Department of Homeland Security said it has arrested 1,000 people in the Chicago area since September 8, when the deportation push began.

"Operations around schools are increasingly more and more common," city alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said. "It's caused so much fear and terror in schools."

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While Chicago Public Schools in 2019 designated schools as "sanctuary spaces," barring ICE agents from entering without a warrant, that halo of protection does not apply on the way to and from school, leaving immigrants vulnerable to ICE arrests, advocates say.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a press release on Tuesday that ICE officers do not target schools but didn't answer specific questions from Reuters.

The increased presence of federal agents has produced a range of responses from educators - from street protests to 'know your rights' leaflets and lesson plans - according to a dozen Reuters interviews with teachers, parents, the city's mayor, the president of the teachers' union and local lawmakers.

The leaflets advise students that they have the right to remain silent and to ask for a lawyer, as well as deny officers and agents access to their home without a warrant.

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The teachers' union is also pushing Chicago Public Schools for e-learning options so that students without legal immigration status don't have to leave their homes, said Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates.

"People should not be afraid to come to school," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an interview with Reuters. "I've ensured that our Chicago public schools and all of our public institutions are very clear about the rights that we possess and the rights that we get to protect."

E-LEARNING FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

Johnson said e-learning was not ideal but he would use "every single tool" to protect Chicago residents, including the courts and his executive authority as mayor.

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High-profile patrols of areas popular with tourists and standoffs with protesters - including one on October 3 where ICE agents lobbed tear gas near an elementary school - are fueling tensions between federal agents and residents, and anxiety among school children, teachers said.

Some of the teachers Reuters spoke to said they had seen students hug each other, promising that they wouldnt be separated by immigration officers; a teary-eyed high schooler asking her teacher what happened to a missing relative believed to be in an ICE detention center; and a classroom of anxious faces during know your rights training.

One school, in suburban Franklin Park, Illinois, went on a soft lockdown after Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a father of two, was shot and killed by ICE officers after dropping his children off at daycare and school. Top Illinois officials called for an investigation into his killing, which DHS has said was justified.

Im not going to lie, Im afraid. But Im also very angry, and that anger fuels me, said Anna Lane, who teaches social studies at Thomas Kelly Preparatory, a high school where most students are Latino.

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Lane said she recently spent nearly an hour on a know your rights training for her students .

You're not going anywhere, she told students in a classroom decorated with maps and flags. You're staying here. You just got to make sure you're informed and know your rights.

But fear may be keeping some students away. The number of English language learners dropped to 86,172 students from 88,807 the previous year, a decrease of 2.7%, according to Chicago Public Schools enrollment data, although English learners still make up about one-quarter of all CPS students.

Erika Mendoza, a Mexican immigrant with no legal status and a single mother of two U.S.-born children attending Chicago schools, broke down in tears in her home in Little Village, among Chicago's largest Latino enclaves, describing her concerns about ICE.

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I have a lot of fear when it comes to sending my daughters to school, Mendoza said in Spanish through an interpreter. Im afraid, but its important to be strong. I dont want to relay my worries to my daughters.

(Reporting by Heather Schlitz in Chicago. Additional reporting by Renee Hickman and Mary Milliken; Editing by Emily Schmall and Suzanne Goldenberg)
BEIJING (Reuters) -Vessels owned or operated by U.S. firms and individuals - or those built in the United States or that fly the U.S. flag - will be charged additional port fees per voyage starting on October 14, China's transport ministry said.

The fees are a counter-measure against upcoming U.S. port fees, the ministry said on Friday.

Also starting on October 14, ships built in China - or operated or owned by Chinese entities - will need to pay a fee at their first port of call in the United States. Fees could top $1 million for a ship carrying over 10,000 containers, and could rise annually through 2028, according to analyst estimates.

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Vessels owned or operated by a Chinese entity will face a flat fee of $80 per net tonnage per voyage to the U.S.

The U.S. fees on China-linked vessels, following a probe by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), are part of a broader U.S. effort to revive domestic shipbuilding and blunt China's naval and commercial shipping power.

Over the past two decades, China has catapulted itself to the No.1 position in the shipbuilding world, with its biggest shipyards handling both commercial and military projects.

The Chinese fees on U.S. vessels could hurt the U.S. less than the U.S. fees to be heaped on the legion of Chinese ships.

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Last year, Chinese shipyards built more than 1,000 commercial vessels, while the U.S. constructed fewer than 10, according to military and industry analysts.

For U.S. vessels berthing at Chinese ports from October 14, the rate shall be 400 yuan ($56.13) per net tonne, the Chinese transport ministry said.

That will increase to 640 yuan ($89.81) from April 17, 2026, and to 880 yuan from April 17, 2027.

For vessels calling at Chinese ports from April 17, 2028, the charge shall be 1,120 yuan ($157.16) per net tonne.

Tensions between China and the United States have started to deepen since September, with the two superpowers looking to be struggling to move beyond their current trade tariff truce - a 90-day pause from August 11 that ends around November 9.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet as they attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in South Korea at the end of October.

($1 = 7.1263 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Kim Coghill)
TOKYO (AP)  The head of Japan's Komeito says it is leaving the ruling coalition headed by the Liberal Democratic Party due to concerns over corruption, in a major setback for the woman who hopes to become the country's next prime minister.

The decision announced Friday by Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito deals a serious blow to the Liberal Democrats, who last weekend chose Sanae Takaichi, an ultra-conservative lawmaker, as its leader.

Takaichi could still become Japan's first female prime minister, but the departure of the Buddhist-backed Komeito will compel the Liberal Democrats to find at least one other coalition partner in order to stay in power.

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Speaking to reporters, she said Saito had one-sidedly announced the decision to leave the coalition even though she and her deputy, LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki, had said the Liberal Democrats would discuss the issues he raised and respond promptly.

Weve been together for 26 years and it was extremely disappointing, but this is how we ended up, Takaichi said.

The ruling coalition had already lost its majorities in both houses of parliament. The lower house is due to vote on a new prime minister later this month.

Saito said his party, which has been a coalition partner with the Liberal Democrats for 26 years, had raised several concerns in a meeting with its leaders.

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They include objections to Takaichi's stance about Japan's wartime history and her visits to Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of its past militarism. Another was Takaichi's hardline position toward foreigners, part of a backlash against growing numbers of foreign workers and tourists.

But the deciding factor, he said, was the Liberal Democrats' response to scandals over the use of political slush funds.

Saito said he found Takaichi's response to his concerns over history, the Yasukuni visits and foreigners to be acceptable. But he said she showed a lack of sincerity about doing more to clean up corruption.

The LDPs response was that it will think about it, which was highly insufficient and extremely disappointing, Saito said.

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We have decided to return to the drawing board and stop here, Saito said. Our endeavor against money politics is the highest priority for the Komeito.

Komeito was founded in 1964 by the leader of the Buddhist sect Soka Gakkai, Daisaku Ikeda, to represent diverse public interests and fight corruption, as an alternative to political parties backed by labor unions and big corporations.

The LDP has been beset by scandals involving dozens of lawmakers, many of them belonging to a party faction previously led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe's vision for Japan is one that Takaichi has emulated.

The Liberal Democrats have removed some senior lawmakers from top party and Cabinet posts. Takaichi has said that if she is chosen to be prime minister, she plans to put them back into key positions after they were re-elected twice more after their ousters.

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Saito told reporters Komeito lawmakers would not vote for Takaichi to become prime minister and the party won't perform its usual role of trying to drum up support for LDP politicians, who have long relied on votes from Soka Gakkai members, the Komeito's main source of support.

In the vote to replace departing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, expected around Oct. 20, he said, I will vote for Tetsuo Saito.
The IDF rejected the aid due to "serious concerns" about its contents and the intentions of the Italian organization.

Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories rejected 250 tons of aid for Gaza because of disagreements over its content, an Italian organization involved in last month's international flotilla said on Thursday.

Italy's Music for Peace NGO said it collected aid, including food, medical supplies, and educational material, as part of a mobilization in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which attempted to break Israel's wartime naval blockade on Gaza.

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About 40 tons of aid were loaded on boats that joined the flotilla from Italy, and which were intercepted by Israel with the rest of the convoy. Another 250 tons was intended to be delivered to Gaza via Jordan, but has not yet departed the Italian port of Genoa, the charity said.

"They told us that with a few phone calls, in three hours, the aid would have been in. Well, we've been trying for four weeks, and the end result is that we have been refused," Stefano Rebora, head of the NGO, said in a press conference.

Speaking in the Italian parliament, Rebora said one of the sticking points was a request to remove high-energy food products, such as biscuits and honey, from the shipment, a demand his organization refused to comply with.

People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest after Israeli forces intercepted the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to reach Gaza and break Israel's naval blockade, on the day of the two-year anniversary of the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas from Gaza, in Bogota, Colombi (credit: LUISA GONZALEZ/REUTERS)

Rebora also said there were disagreements with Israeli authorities over the registration and accreditation of the Italian charity and its local agents.

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COGAT rejected claims it blocks high-energy food products, and took aim at "certain international organizations (who) falsely portray Israel as obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid."

An Israeli military official said refusal by some international organizations to cooperate with a registration process raised "serious concerns" about their intentions and possible links to the Hamas terrorist organization.

A hostage-ceasefire deal has been reached

Israel and Hamas signed a Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal on Thursday for the first phase of US President Donald Trump's initiative to end the war in the Palestinian territory.

The plan includes provisions to increase aid.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  The inaugural Rhode Island Reading Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Providence Public Library.

The free event is open to the public and will feature a bilingual story hour, talks with authors and a community book swap.

Festival founder Zoe Mitchell joined 12 News at 4 Friday to share more about the event and the state of literacy in Rhode Island.

Watch the full interview in the video above, and learn more about the festival here.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.

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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 WPRI.com.
Oct. 9ST. PAUL  The Minnesota Department of Human Rights recently announced settlement agreements in two cases involving workplace sex discrimination at companies in Bemidji and Thief River Falls.

After a comprehensive investigation, the Department of Human Rights found that Lakes Concrete Plus, located in Bemidji, violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when the company fired a concrete truck driver "because she is a woman," according to an MDHR release.

When firing her, Lakes Concrete Plus told her that driving a concrete truck was not "women's work" and that she should find a job that was "more fitting," meaning a job fit for a woman, the release said.

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The Department of Human Rights reached a settlement agreement with the company that requires Lakes Concrete Plus to pay the former employee $45,000 for lost wages and implement changes to create a workplace free from discrimination.

In another investigation, MDHR found Key Lime Air, which operates flight services in Thief River Falls, violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when the company "refused to hire a qualified job applicant for a flight attendant position because he is a man," the release said.

During the investigation, Key Lime Air acknowledged its practice of only hiring women as flight attendants because the company believed women are "better" than men for the position, the release noted.

Under the settlement agreement reached with the Department of Human Rights, Key Lime Air must pay the former job applicant approximately $45,000 for damages and ensure its workplace policies do not discriminate against job applicants and employees in Minnesota.

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"In Minnesota, we know that work should provide for food and warmth in our homes and our communities, not discrimination. And we've worked hard to eliminate the notion that certain jobs ought to be performed by a woman or a man," MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said in the release. "Yet, these two cases demonstrate that there is still work left to do."

Those who believe they have been discriminated against should contact the Department of Human Rights by submitting the online form available at

mn.gov/mdhr.
LIMA, Peru (AP)  Perus Congress voted early Friday to remove deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte from office as a crime wave grips the South American nation and quickly replaced her with 38-year-old lawyer Jose Jeri, the legislative body's leader.

Lawmakers had set up a debate and impeachment trial late Thursday in the 130-member unicameral Congress after voting to accept four requests for a vote to remove Boluarte from office over what they said was her government's inability to stem crime.

They requested that Boluarte come before them shortly before midnight to defend herself, but when she did not appear they immediately voted to oust her. In short order, 124 lawmakers voted just past midnight to impeach Boluarte. There were no votes against the effort.

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The shocking turn of events came just hours after a shooting at a concert in the capital inflamed anger over crime roiling the country.

Unlike eight previous attempts to remove Boluarte, almost all legislative factions expressed support for the latest requests.

Boluarte, Perus first female president, took office in December 2022 after Parliament used the same mechanism to impeach her predecessor.

After Friday's vote, Boluarte spoke on national television, recounting her administrations achievements.

I have not thought of myself, but rather of Peruvians, she said.

Minutes into her speech, the broadcast was interrupted to show Jeris swearing in.

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Jeri, the president of the Congress, was sworn in early Friday as the interim president to serve out Boluarte's term. Elections are scheduled for next April and Boluarte's term was to end July 28, 2026.

Jeri said he would defend Peru's sovereignty and hand over power to the winner of the April election.

Boluarte was Peru's sixth leader in just under a decade. A normal presidential term is five years.

She assumed power in Peru in 2022 to complete the term of then-President Pedro Castillo, who was removed from office just two years into his five-year term after attempting to dissolve the legislature to avoid his own removal. She had served as Castillos vice president before becoming president.

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There were more than 500 protests demanding her resignation in the first three months of her presidency.

Plagued by scandals, her administrations inability to address Perus incessant crime proved to be her undoing.

On Wednesday, she partially blamed the situation on immigrants living in the country illegally.

This crime has been brewing for decades and has been strengthened by illegal immigration, which past administrations havent defeated," she said during a military ceremony. Instead, theyve opened the doors of our borders and allowed criminals to enter everywhere... without any restrictions.

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Official figures show that 6,041 people were killed between January and mid-August, the highest number during the same period since 2017. Meanwhile, extortion complaints totaled 15,989 between January and July, a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The countrys latest presidential crisis erupted after a man opened fire and injured five people Wednesday during a concert of Perus most popular cumbia groups, Agua Marina.

Prime Minister Eduardo Arana on Thursday defended Boluarte during a crime-focused hearing before Parliament, but it was not enough to dissuade lawmakers from pursuing the motions to see the president out of office.

Parliaments concerns are not resolved by addressing a request for impeachment, much less by approving it, Arana told lawmakers. We are not clinging to our positions. We are here, and we knew from the beginning that our first day here could also be our last day in office.
The Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge is seen from the air on Sept. 1, 2006. (Photo provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Three days after President Donald Trump signed an order approving federal permits for a proposed mining road through the Brooks Range, the U.S. Congress put the finishing touch on a resolution intended to further aid the Ambler Road project.

In a 50-46 vote on Thursday, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution that overturns the Biden administrations decision to enact a land management plan for Interior Alaska that would have limited development in order to encourage the growth of declining caribou herds, salmon, dall sheep and other wildlife.

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That vote followed one in early September by the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution now goes to Trumps desk, and the president is expected to sign it.

The Central Yukon Resource Management Plan was the result of a 10-year project to determine how 13.3 million acres of federal land in Interior Alaska should be used, including public access for subsistence and recreation, as well as opportunities for development. But the final result dissatisfied members of Alaskas congressional delegation and Alaskans who favor mining and resource development, including Doyon Ltd., the regional Alaska Native corporation for Interior Alaska.

Those opponents worried that the plan would hamper projects like the 211-mile Ambler Road, which is intended to connect the Dalton Highway with potential mine sites in the Brooks Range. They also expressed concern that the plan could derail construction of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.

Environmental groups praised the plan, noting that local residents and Alaska Native tribes participated in shaping the result.

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Opponents urged the delegation to seek the repeal of the plan, and Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, introduced a resolution to do so. Begich guided it through the House and on to the Senate, where it was supported by Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.

The Biden administrations Central Yukon Resource Management Plan was an egregious case of federal overreach and just one of the administrations 70 executive orders and actions singularly focused on harming Alaska, our economy, and our working families, Sullivan said in a written statement. This particular scheme effectively locked up millions of acres of Alaskas land, ignored Alaska Native voices, undermined long-standing federal law, and blocked access to critical mineral, energy, gravel, and material resources that our local communities, state and nation need.

Murkowski said that reopening the plan for additional changes will allow the Bureau of Land Management to develop a more balanced plan.

I expect a new final plan to address long-standing access issues, provide greater opportunity for economic development, including key energy and mineral resources, and ensure Alaska Native landowners in the region can maximize the use of their own lands while still protecting subsistence and conserving where truly necessary, she said in a statement.

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Begich said he is proud to see this legislation head to the Presidents desk and grateful for the work of Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan to get this across the finish line as we continue to unlock Alaskas resource potential.

Environmental groups denounced the decision, with the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society saying that the delegation acted incorrectly.

The existing plan was vital for both the people in the region and the salmon, caribou and Dall sheep that will suffer if migration routes are cut off and habitat isnt protected, said Cooper Freeman, Alaska director of the Center for Biological Diversity. Our Alaska delegation should stop selling out our communities and public lands to out-of-state corporations that just want to plunder our state for profit.

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Maine People's Alliance volunteers with signs at the B Street Health Center in Lewiston, including Jim Lysen, the former executive director Community Clinical Services, which operates the clinic. (Photo courtesy of Maine People's Alliance.)

As the federal government shutdown entered its ninth day with no end in sight, advocacy groups and the Maine Democratic Party are criticizing Republican U.S. Sen Susan Collins while raising concerns about what they see as an urgent need to address rising health care costs.

This is real. This is happening to all of us: middle income, working class individuals, said Maine Rep. Anne Graham (D-North Yarmouth), a retired pediatric nurse practitioner who spoke at a press conference Thursday alongside other party leaders who warned that tens of thousands of Mainers will face skyrocketing insurance premiums if Congress does not take immediate action.

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This is going to hurt us all, and Susan Collins has let us down consistently, Graham said.

That issue is at the heart of the shutdown, with congressional Democrats asking for a short-term funding plan that also extends tax credits that lower the cost of health insurance for people who buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Republicans, including Collins, are refusing to include that subsidy in the stopgap bill needed to reopen government.

Collins said on Monday that she supports extending the expiring tax credits, with some reforms, but doesnt think that should be part of the clean stopgap funding that she prefers.

Collins, as well as independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, have voted repeatedly since the shutdown began on Oct. 1 in favor of the Republican bill that would fund the government for seven weeks without any of the health care provisions requested by Democrats. King has also supported a Democratic proposal that includes the health care provisions. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Maine 2nd District Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to back the Republican plan.

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Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, highlighted the financial strain that Mainers are already facing and accused Collins and her Republican colleagues of exacerbating the crisis by failing to extend the tax credits.

Of the 61,000 Mainers who enroll through CoverME.gov, the states online marketplace, 85% rely on premium tax credits to reduce their monthly costs. If they expire, some families could see their premiums increase by as much as 117%, with some paying over $900 more per month, the administration of Gov. Janet Mills has warned.

Maine Rep. Drew Gattine (D-Westbrook), who chairs the Legislatures Appropriations Committee, echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the loss of tax credits would disproportionately impact working families, small businesses, and rural communities. People in Aroostook and Washington counties are facing premiums increases over 70%, he said. Across the board, Mainers will need to come up with $88 million a year to absorb these costs, Gattine added.

During the event, Graham shared examples of Maine families who would be devastated by the loss of tax credits, including a Fort Kent couple in their 60s whose premiums would jump from $7,200 to $25,000 a year.

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She said she has reached out to Collins directly about the pressing need to act on these health care issues. Graham said the senator appears to be responsive, but then votes against all the things that we really care about in the state of Maine.

Democratic Reps. Anne Graham of North Yarmouth and Drew Gattine of Westbrook speak at a press conference on Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/ Maine Morning Star)

A bipartisan issue

Megan Smith, a community organizer for Maine Peoples Alliance, a statewide progressive community action organization, joined volunteers outside the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor on Wednesday to speak with patients about concerns they have with the impending cost increases.

In rural Maine, where hospitals are struggling, Smith said she heard from several people who are already waiting up to six months for appointments with specialists.

If these offices close, these hospitals close, that means these people are going to have to drive hours for health care, she said. Losing the subsidies for the ACA is really scary to a lot of people, and even people who have insurance through their employers are scared that their rates are going to go up, as well.

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When Smith was a small business owner, she relied on marketplace health insurance herself, she said.

Those subsidies helped me for many, many years. And it just breaks my heart to even consider people not having access to that.

Jim Lysen, the former executive director of Community Clinical Services, which operates the B-Street Health Center in Lewiston, canvassed outside its entrance on Wednesday, trying to learn how patients may be impacted by the expiring tax credits as well as pending cuts to MaineCare, the states Medicaid program.

The system that I helped create is undone by MaineCare cuts, he said. Youre wiping out a lot of peoples access to health care who wont be able to afford it.

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He said in his decades-long career, he had never seen such an acute attack on health care, especially impacting low and middle income people.

Its unprecedented, he said. Ive never seen it this bad.

Lysen, who volunteers for Maine Peoples Alliance, said health care should be a bipartisan issue because hospitals serve people across the political spectrum.

Hospitals closing in rural areas is a bipartisan issue, its not just a progressive issue, he said. Because these hospitals in Maine serve lots of Republicans. So this is really a problem for all Mainers.

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UnitedHealth (UNH) shares are inching higher on Wednesday after senior Wells Fargo analyst Stephen Baxter issued a positive note in favor of the worlds largest health insurance company.

Baxter maintained his Overweight rating on UNH this morning and raised his price target to $400, indicating potential upside of another 8% from current levels.

More News from Barchart

His bullish call is particularly significant given UnitedHealth stock has already soared more than 50% since early August.

www.barchart.com

Why Is Baxter Bullish on UnitedHealth Stock?

Baxters research report arrives only days after UnitedHealth announced plans of scaling back its Medicare Advantage offerings, a decision that will likely affect some 180,000 beneficiaries.

Still, the Wells Fargo analyst recommends owning UNH because it, nonetheless, remains dominant in employer-sponsored and government-backed insurance with over 50 million members globally.

The investment firm raised its estimates for the insurance firms upcoming quarterly release today, citing the extension of increased subsidies as likely.

A healthy dividend yield of 2.39% makes UNH stock even more attractive to own, at least for income-focused investors.

UNH Shares May Not Be Out of Juice Just Yet

UNHs care delivery and analytics unit, Optum, is gaining scale and margin resilience, which the Wells Fargo analyst dubbed a structural growth engine that offsets near-term utilization pressures.

Despite a massive surge since early August, UnitedHealth shares are trading at a rather attractive valuation of less than 1x sales at the time of writing.

Those interested in loading up on UNH stock may also take heart in the fact that legendary investor Warren Buffett has recently disclosed a sizable position in the health insurance giant, indicating confidence in its long-term growth and stability.

All in all, Stephen Baxter believes the UnitedHealth selloff due to regulatory scrutiny and higher medical costs this year is largely overdone, creating compelling entry point for long-term investors.

Whats the Consensus Rating on UnitedHealth Group?

Wall Street firms more broadly remain bullish on UnitedHealth stocks ability to retain momentum as well.
The U.S. Senate voted this week to overturn all, or portions of, two land management plans in Montana and North Dakota and is expected to toss out a third, in Alaskas central Yukon. The House already voted to repeal the plans, which means the decision now head to the White House for President Trumps signature.

Its the first time in history Congress has overturned one of these land use plans, and conservation groups say the decision potentially leaves about 166 million acres of Bureau of Land Management land in limbo.

Youre not going to see the effects of this tomorrow, says Madeleine West, vice president for Western conservation at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. But this now has made the BLMs job of managing our public lands for all the multiple uses like hunting and fishing and recreation much harder. And it was already pretty hard.

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The decision covers massive stretches of eastern Montana grasslands, rolling North Dakota prairie, and mountains and tundra of Alaska. The decision to overturn the plans was largely a result of Congress and this administrations focus on increasing energy and mining production on public land, says David Willms, the National Wildlife Federations associate vice president for public lands.

The Miles City, Montana, vote overturned a coal leasing amendment that prevented new coal leasing on more than 1.74 million acres. The new resource management plan in North Dakota had placed new limits on oil and gas leasing and coal mining; and throwing out the Alaska plan continues to ease permitting and eventual construction of the controversial Ambler Road.

Resource management plans are one of those boring and messy processes with generational, on-the-ground implications dictating everything from what can be mined and drilled in which locations, what land should be left largely alone for species like mule deer, elk and sage grouse, and which areas are available for off-road-vehicle use or mountain bike trails. Without the new plan, the areas revert back to plans passed as many as 40 years ago  when the landscapes there looked a lot different.

A lot of people dont understand how important resource management plans are, Willms says. This creates uncertainty for everyone including hunters and anglers on how their lands could and should be managed going forward based on new priorities or new science.

Grasslands in eastern Montana are one of the parcels that are affected by the RMP change. Photo by Ann Boucher / BLM

Conservationists arent only worried about these three plans, but also about the broader implications. The Congressional Review Act is one of those policy tools that lawmakers typically use at the start of a new session when a recent election has flipped who controls the Congress and the White House. Did a Democratic administration craft and pass an 11th-hour policy before a Republican Congress takes over? No problem, the Republican Congress can overturn it. And vice versa.

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But these resource management plans dont tend to be last-minute policy decisions, Willms says. Instead, they reflect years and years of elbow grease by locals figuring out what they want on their land. In other words, they often reflect partisan groups working together to reach a compromise. The plans also reflect changes in technology and our understanding of land use and animal movements in general.

Earlier plans often include generous amounts of land available for disposal, because land managers decades ago may not have understood the value of large chunks for wildlife movement and habitat and access. Now with the advent of GPS wildlife collars and precise mapping apps like onX, we understand what parcels are actually available for hunting, fishing and recreating and what stretches of land wildlife typically use the most.

Without an updated plan, its harder to apply on the ground. The Congressional Review Act also states that an administration cant adopt another rule that is substantially similar. Who decides what constitutes substantially similar will likely become a matter for courts to decide.

But what West and Willms fear the most is, admittedly, even trickier to follow. By using the Congressional Review Act to overturn these local resource plans, Congress is setting a precedent that could potentially invalidate all resource management plans passed since 1996, when the Congressional Review Act became law.

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Read Next: Senator Lee Is Back with His Attack on Public Lands. This Time He Wants to Butcher the Wilderness Act Under the Guise of Border Security

That reality will likely be settled in a courtroom someday.

Congress just opened a new avenue of litigation, Willms says. And people are already frustrated that theres too much litigation.




The risk protection order barring a veteran prosecutor from possessing any firearms while she is facing a harassment charge will be in place for at least another six months, a judge ordered Friday.

Christa Baker, also known as Christa O'Connell, a senior assistant state's attorney in New London, is charged with second-degree harassment following an investigation by the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad.

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"I know you're here with your whore, tell her to come outside," Baker is alleged to have yelled outside the woman's apartment complex in Norwich on Dec. 6, 2024, according to the warrant for her arrest.

Baker, 49, is seeking accelerated rehabilitation, a program that, if granted and successfully completed, would erase the charge after a period of time. She is currently on administrative leave from her job as a prosecutor.

Court officials said there will be a hearing on Oct. 23 on Baker's application for the program.

The risk protection order, which was extended on Friday, states Baker cannot seek to get her firearms back until April 10, 2026.

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The victim, who recently was released from prison on a DUI offense, said Baker's yelling was the first in a series of encounters, the warrant said. The victim told police she didn't go outside because she was on parole and knew Baker is a prosecutor, according to the warrant.

Baker has been on administrative leave with pay since Aug. 13. She has been a prosecutor since 2006, according to state payroll records, and her projected annual salary is approximately $138,500.

Baker's case is sealed in state Superior Court in Middletown, indicating she has likely applied for a diversionary program for first-time offenders.

A month following the alleged incident outside the victim's apartment, Baker was accused of messaging the victim on Facebook, warning her to "stay away from my husband and family."

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"What you and (my husband) have done to our family, particularly to our children, is disgusting.  I have heard enough about you and have seen plenty of women like you go through the system to know what type of person you are.  You are an immoral opportunist who gives herself to almost any man who will give her attention," Baker wrote, according to the warrant.

The victim filed an application for a civil protection order on Dec. 11, referencing Baker coming to her apartment complex and sending her harassing text messages and messages on social media.

"I have not responded to anything or confronted her when she was here because she is a State's Attorney, and I am a convicted felon. I fear of this escalating and would like to prevent it from going further," the victim wrote in her application, according to the warrant.

The warrant said Baker allegedly asked her husband to convince the victim to not file the protective order because it would "embarrass her career." In return, Baker promised to stop contacting the woman, according to the warrant.

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The victim decided to not file the protective order at that time, the warrant said.

Days later, the texts to the victim from Baker continued, the warrant stated.

"I gave you a warning. You want to play we can play," Baker texted the woman, according to the warrant.

Subsequent texts from Baker referenced her ex-husband who went to prison for an accidental 2013 fatal shooting in Maine, which made the victim "very uncomfortable," the warrant said. The ex-husband also is alleged to have gone to the victim's apartment complex at one point to speak to Baker's husband, the warrant said.

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In mid-December, the text messages from Baker continued, the warrant said. On Dec. 15, Baker sent 41 messages within an hour, according to the warrant.

In a group chat Baker initiated on Jan. 7, she and the victim confronted her husband about his dishonesty.

The man "ultimately admitted to having sexual intercourse with both women," according to the warrant. As a result, the women exchanged supportive messages outside of the group chat, the warrant said.

Their communication remained cordial for some time, with Baker even recommending the victim read the book, "Why? Understanding the Narcissist's Behavior," the warrant said.

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But days later, the texts became confrontational again and eventually Baker blocked the victim, according to the warrant. As a result, the victim started texting her from a series of unknown numbers, accusing Baker of threatening her and using her position to send her back to prison, the warrant said.

On the same date, Baker replied: "Leave me alone. You are harassing me and my family. I am contacting the police," according to the warrant.

Baker provided a sworn statement to state police, alleging the victim harassed her and outlined a series of missed calls, text messages and unwanted contact with her family and friends, according to the warrant. Baker ultimately declined to pursue pressing charges against the woman.

When state police interviewed Baker and showed her printouts of texts and Facebook messages she sent to the victim, she admitted the statements could have been perceived as a threat.

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"The 'play if you wanna play,' I could see, yes. But the 'you gotta remember the choices will come back around on you' is not a threat," Baker told state police, according to the warrant. "That is karma."

This article originally published at Judge extends risk protection order barring CT prosecutor accused of harassment from gun possession.
A screenshot of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, speaking to CNN about her concerns about rising healthcare costs on American citizens (CNN screenshot)

Late-night comic Jimmy Kimmel could barely get the words out of his mouth when he had to say: I agree with Marjorie Taylor Greene.

It was his second time this month, he noted, and added I need something to wash out my mouth. But in truth, the issue at hand, which is access to health care, is no laughing matter.

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Greenes latest defection from the MAGA cult of loyalty for which she has been a leading figure popped up in an exclusive interview with CNN in which she didnt beat around the bush concerning the effect of the House-passed budget bill that, due to not reauthorizing Affordable Care Act subsidies, has caused the shutdown of the federal government.

Everybody is just getting destroyed Greene told reporters. This cliff is coming for millions and millions of Americans where their health insurance premiums are about to skyrocket. Republicans, you have no solutions. You havent come up with a new plan in place, and were not even talking about it, and it is hurting so many people.

Greenes concerns are at odds with the narrative the GOP is trying to spin on the shutdown  namely that its all the fault of Senate Democrats. Instead, Greene says the healthcare crisis now facing millions of Americans, including her kids and constituents, is a direct threat to Republicans in the polls and voting booths.

Its worth noting Greene is also one of four Republican House members who signed the discharge petition to force the release of the Epstein files, telling The Hill: I think when it comes to women being raped, especially when they were 14 years old, thats pretty black and white. Moreover, she said Speaker Johnsons attempts to keep the House shut down was wrong and they should reconvene to take care of the vast spectrum of Congressional business.

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For his part, Johnson doesnt want to reconvene the House due to the recent election of a Democrat who, when sworn in, will provide the final signature to force Johnson to deal with the Epstein bomb.

What could this MAGA rebellion by Greene have to do with Montana? Well, its not so dissimilar from a group of nine Republicans who broke with their own leadership over any number of issues. Chief among them was health care, and support for a bill by fellow Republican Ed Buttrey to lift the pending expiration of Medicaid expansion for low income people that the Senates GOP President, Matt Regier, opposed.

Like Greene, Buttrey noted that healthcare was critical and Republicans had no other plan: We have 10 years worth of data that shows that the program we designed is working and working well. Theres no need to change it, its a savings to our budget, it is providing help for people all across the state, its helping save our rural health care facilities. Why would you want to change that or come up with another plan?

Its fair to say the GOP tends to keep its soldiers in line when it comes to supporting or opposing leadership positions. Yet, just as Greene defied Johnson on Medicare funding and Trump on the Epstein files, Buttrey and his nine rebels defied their own leadership and governor to support Medicaid expansion.

None of this spells the end of MAGA, of course. But it shows that when it comes down to the critical issues that affect the citizens of our nation and state, party affiliation is not and should not be the determining factor  especially when it comes to taking care of each other.




Connecticut has until next month to comply with expanded work requirements for those seeking food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, officials say.

Starting Nov. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will require all states to follow new SNAP provisions that tighten eligibility for able-bodied adults without dependents by removing certain exemptions they were previously entitled to, said Dan Giacomi, director of program oversight and grants administration at the Connecticut Department of Social Services.

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The change could affect tens of thousands of Connecticut residents who will have to meet new work requirements or risk losing their benefits. SNAP, which helps millions of residents nationwide access groceries, is funded by the federal and state governments.

The revisions come from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," the federal spending law passed by Congress in July. The legislation narrows who can be exempt from SNAP's work requirements.

Able-bodied people are allowed to receive SNAP benefits for only three months within a three-year period, unless they meet certain work rules or qualify for an exemption, according to the state Department of Social Services. In Connecticut, people who are younger than 18 or older than 55 are exempt from the three-month time limit.

However, the new federal rules raise the age limit to 65, meaning that, starting next month, anyone between 55 and 65 will have to meet work requirements or prove they qualify for an exemption.

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The law also got rid of exemptions for groups that were previously protected, like veterans, people experiencing homelessness and young adults who age out of the foster care system, among others. In addition, it restricts the exemption for parents, applying only to those with children under the age of 14, as opposed to 18.

"As a result of H.R. 1 and the subsequent guidance in this memo that came out, these groups of individuals will no longer be exempt, which means they now have to provide to us information that shows that they're working or that they have one of the remaining exemptions," Giacomi said. "Otherwise, they could potentially be removed from the SNAP program for a period of time."

Since the law was signed on July 4, the U.S.D.A has been gradually offering guidance to states regarding the SNAP changes, Giacomi said. Last week, the agency sent a memo to all states, territories and Washington D.C. saying it plans to terminate any waivers that don't comply with the new criteria by Nov. 2. States can still apply for a waiver of the three-month time limit under certain circumstances.

Giacomi said Connecticut expects to fully comply with the Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 deadlines.

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He estimated that the new requirements could have implications for more than 40,000 residents. He said that's the number of people who will have to prove they're working or still exempt  not necessarily those who will lose benefits.

"We don't want to say that's the number of people who are going to be losing assistance because there very well may be individuals within that category that, as I said, have an exemption or are working who just need to provide verification to DSS to continue receiving SNAP benefits," he added.

The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress argue that the stricter work rules will reduce dependency on federal welfare programs. But advocates and state officials have warned that the overarching cuts to social safety net programs could be "catastrophic" for Connecticut's low-income residents, potentially increasing food insecurity and hunger.

To prepare residents, the social services department will be launching a "very vigorous communication plan" that involves letters and text messages, Giacomi said. Materials are also available on the agency's website.

This article originally published at How CT is preparing for Nov. 1 SNAP eligibility deadline affecting 40,000 residents.
Binance founder Changpeng CZ Zhao has revealed that he was the target of a hacking attempt linked to government-sponsored actors, reigniting concerns about North Koreas Lazarus Group and its ongoing attacks on the crypto industry.

Zhao said he received an alert from Google warning that government-backed attackers had tried to steal his password.

Sharing a screenshot of the notice on X, he wrote, I get this warning from Google once in a while. Does anyone know what this is? North Korea Lazarus? Not that I have anything important on my account. But stay SAFU.

Google Alerts CZ to State-Sponsored Hack Attempt

The incident reveals a growing pattern of state-backed cyber threats targeting high-profile cryptocurrency figures and infrastructure providers.

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Googles security notifications are typically reserved for serious intrusion attempts believed to be connected to state actors.

Zhaos warning comes amid a surge in cyberattacks attributed to North Koreas Lazarus Group, one of the most notorious hacking collectives operating today.

The group is widely believed to be responsible for some of the industrys largest heists, including the $1.4 billion Bybit hack earlier this year, the biggest crypto theft on record.

U.S. intelligence reports have long linked Lazarus to Pyongyangs efforts to fund its weapons programs through cybercrime.

The attempted breach follows earlier warnings by Zhao about North Korean operatives posing as remote IT workers to infiltrate crypto companies.

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In September, he cautioned that hackers were applying for development, finance, and security positions in crypto startups to gain internal access to sensitive data.

Zhaos comments coincided with findings from the Security Alliance (SEAL), an ethical hacking group that uncovered at least 60 North Korean agents posing as legitimate IT professionals seeking employment at U.S.-based crypto firms.

These operatives reportedly use fabricated identities, fake resumes, and LinkedIn profiles to secure remote jobs and exploit insider access.

Investigations have also exposed a network of North Korean-linked entities, including shell companies like Blocknovas LLC and Softglide LLC, allegedly set up to mask state-backed cyber operations.

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Blockchain investigators, such as ZachXBT, have documented dozens of such cases, identifying multiple operatives who used U.S. identification numbers and professional accounts purchased on the dark web.

Recent security research has also pointed out new malware tools such as PylangGhost, which are distributed through fake interview websites impersonating major crypto firms like Coinbase and Robinhood.

The malicious software is designed to extract credentials from more than 80 browser extensions and crypto wallets.

According to a cryptonews report, hackers tied to North Korea have stolen more than $1.3 billion across 47 incidents in 2024, with total losses surpassing $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025.

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Zhao has urged industry professionals to stay vigilant against phishing attempts and impersonation scams, reiterating his long-standing warning for users to stay SAFU, a reference to Binances Secure Asset Fund for Users.

North Korea Expands Crypto Crime Network After $21M SBI Hack

North Koreas cyber operations have continued to expand in scale and sophistication, with new evidence linking the regime to a $21 million hack targeting Japanese firm SBI Crypto in late September.

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT traced the stolen funds, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin, through multiple exchanges before being laundered via Tornado Cash.

The tactics matched those of the Lazarus Group, a state-backed hacking unit long tied to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK).

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Their activities now extend beyond theft, encompassing fake developer identities, fraudulent employment schemes, and targeted malware campaigns.

Earlier this year, ZachXBT uncovered a network of North Korean operatives posing as blockchain developers on platforms such as Upwork and LinkedIn.

The fake profiles were tied to several exploits, including a $680,000 theft from the crypto project Favrr.

U.S. authorities have intensified enforcement efforts. In June, the Department of Justice charged four North Koreans for using stolen identities to secure remote IT jobs and steal nearly $900,000 in cryptocurrency.

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The case is part of the DOJs DPRK RevGen initiative targeting illicit revenue streams linked to Pyongyangs weapons program.

Blockchain data shows North Koreas crypto holdings now exceed those of El Salvador and Bhutan, largely derived from past heists, including the 2024 DMM Bitcoin and 2022 Ronin Network breaches.

With the Lazarus Group operating as an arm of the regimes Reconnaissance General Bureau, analysts warn the attacks will likely intensify as the country continues to rely on digital assets to bypass international sanctions.

Read original story CZ Targeted by Government-Backed Hackers  Is North Koreas Lazarus Group Behind It? by Hassan Shittu at Cryptonews.com
OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT)  Firefighters from the Czech Republic were greeted by the city of Owensboro with a fire demonstration thats all part of an international firefighter exchange program.

The Owensboro Sister Cities and Regions Program has brought firefighters from Olomouc to learn different approaches to fighting fire.

Its a pretty good mix of leadership and even includes some volunteer firefighters from the Olomouc region, says Owensboro Fire Chief James Howard. So theyre here visiting us as a part of a training and educational exchange and a partnership to try to grow that relationship to benefit entities on both sides.

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This comes a year after several Kentucky fire fighters traveled to the Czech Republic to learn from the different crews in central Europe. Howard says his team is always ready to learn about new techniques and technologies from the Olomouc team.

Whenever we were over there, their approach to fighting electrical vehicle fires they had some things we didnt have, says Howard. In the meantime, weve looked at that and actually obtained similar equipment to what we saw that they were using in their demonstrations over there.

Karel Kolarik, the fire and rescue head of the Olomouc region, says this is second time visiting the city. Kolarik says its easier to learn from the fire crews that he has built personal relationships with, including in Owensboro.

This is especially important during emergency situations, the knowledge sharing not just between our cities but also around the world, says Kolarik. The more knowledge you have, the more you know how to prepare for difficult situations so this is a very beneficial thing to us.

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Howard says the traveling firefighters will get to work side-by-side with both the city and county fire departments this week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Alexiss view

Two upcoming elections showcase a persistent tension across Africa: the worlds youngest continent is ruled by its oldest leaders. And, in many cases, theyre staying in power for decades.

Cameroons President Paul Biya, in power for 43 years, is chasing an eighth term in Sundays election at the age of 92. And, in two weeks, Cote dIvoire will give its verdict on 83-year-old Alassane Ouattaras bid to win a fourth term at the helm of Francophone West Africas largest economy.

They arent outliers: Five sitting African heads of state have each been in power for more than three decades. Malawi swore in an 85-year-old president last week. Im not a young man, but even I have childhood memories of my parents discussing Yoweri Musevenis role in African politics. The 81-year-old, Ugandas president for 40 years, will contest an election early next year.

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Biya, Museveni, Outtara, and others have held on to power by undermining political dissent. But elections could act as a lightning rod for frustration over political repression to tip over into unrest. Cameroon, with its longstanding Anglophone separatist insurgency and jihadists forcing thousands to flee their homes, is particularly at risk. Young people in a country where the median age is 19 could look around the continent, to Gen Z protests in Madagascar  or recent unrest in Kenya and Morocco  for inspiration.

So much of our reporting hinges on the opportunities created by Africas demographic dividend compared with the Wests ageing populations. The danger is that leaders for life are blocking the fresh thinking that could unlock economic development.

Notable
Bamenda, Cameroon  On the day of Cameroons last presidential election in October 2018, then-16-year-old Annie Nsalla* watched from her sitting-room window as Anglophone separatist fighters wreaked havoc in the streets of Bamenda, firing gunshots and threatening voters to deter them from reaching polling stations.

It was the first time an election was taking place since armed conflict erupted in the English-speaking minority North West and South West regions in 2016.

As people rushed away in panic, Nsalla dropped to the floor to avoid stray bullets, slowly crawling to the safety of her bedroom.

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The violence she witnessed that day left a scar, she says, with the trauma still etched in her memory.

During the nearly decade-long conflict, Nsalla has also lost at least three relatives to the difficult circumstances, she says, referring to the armed violence in her part of the North West.

But her hope for a better country brought Nsalla  now finally of voting age  out to register in July as she plans to make her mark in Sundays presidential polls.

I am not doing anything wrong. I want to vote, the 23-year-old told Al Jazeera, but I do not know if I will vote, she admitted, fearing a repeat of 2018.

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We live in constant fear that something will happen on that day, Nsalla said.

We feel like we have restrictions from both parties. On one hand, there is the lack of security guarantee from government forces to move around, and on the other hand, Amba boys [a local name for separatist fighters] threaten us.

Anti-government demonstrators block a road in Bamenda, Cameroon in December 2016 [File/Reuters]

We dont know what to expect

Nsallas fears are echoed by others in Bamenda, the capital of the North West, and also in the South West, another region that has seen years of tensions and violence.

For decades, Anglophone citizens in the two regions complained of marginalisation by the mainly French-speaking government in Yaounde. This escalated when separatist fighters began squaring off against government forces several years ago.

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Since the crisis erupted, separatists have also blocked the Anglophone population from participating in government-organised activities, such as National Day celebrations and elections. They have enforced boycotts and lockdowns and ordered people to stay indoors on such occasions, as they have also done in the run-up to this months vote.

Eve Suh*, another hopeful first-time voter, lives in Alahbukan neighbourhood of Bamenda  one of the red zones, or places the government labels as insecurity hot spots.

According to Suh, barely a month goes by without gunshots and confrontations between separatist fighters and government forces.

The same scenario also occurs in other red zone neighbourhoods like Ntankar, where residents say frequent gun battles, arrests, and kidnappings are also rampant.

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It is against this backdrop that some voters are on the fence about the weekends polls.

Suh told Al Jazeera that some people are hesitant to even talk about the election for fear of being targeted by separatist fighters.

No one knows who is going to vote and where. There are spies around. Everyone is scared of dying or [being] kidnapped by the boys, she said, referring to the fighters.

It is a critical moment but I have no idea what it is going to be like. How do I go out to vote on that day without being shot? Suh wondered.

Some of us are trapped. If the lockdown persists, how do you go out? How do we vote? How do you decide who runs this country and potentially stop the violence?

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According to media reports from the 2018 polls, more than 20 separatist fighters paraded through the streets of Bamenda to intimidate voters on election day.

Two separatist fighters were also shot dead by the military after attacks on polling centres at the time, the reports said.

At the time, more than 2,300 polling stations were selected in the North West for the presidential election. But security threats reduced the number to 74.

This year, according to data published this week by Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the North West has 596 polling stations and potentially 135,974 voters, while the South West has 1,908 polling stations and about 405,823 voters.

A man casts his ballot at a polling station during the presidential election in Yaounde, Cameroon in 2018 [File: Zohra Bensem/Reuters]

Biya eyes another term

As Cameroonians across the country plan to vote in a new president, incumbent Paul Biya, age 92 and the worlds oldest leader, is eyeing an eighth term in office.

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He joins 11 other candidates on the starting block. Among them are two former government ministers: Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Bello Bouba Maigari.

While he was minister of communications under Biya, Bakary publicly stated that there was no Anglophone crisis. But in the run-up to this election, he visited Bamenda during his campaign and apologised for his past words.

I understand that many of you suffered about the statement. You felt injured, but I also suffered because I had no choice, he said, also pledging to secure the release and amnesty of political prisoners if he wins the election.

Maigari, a former state minister for tourism, also visited Bamenda during the election campaign, promising that if he wins, he will hold a dialogue with separatist leaders to work towards lasting peace.

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Biya came to power in 1982 when the countrys first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo, resigned. A new mandate will see him hold power for nearly 50 years.

The Anglophone crisis began under Biya in 2016, starting with peaceful protests by English-speaking lawyers and teachers against the central governments imposition of French-speaking judges and administrators in their schools and courts.

The demonstrations soon spread to include ordinary people calling for Anglophone independence, until, in 2017, government security forces launched a violent crackdown on protesters.

This added to years of Anglophone resentment over being a neglected and marginalised minority. The anger soon morphed into violence between government forces and separatist groups fighting for a breakaway state of Ambazonia. And the violence has not ceased.

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The Norwegian Refugee Council in its latest report in June said Cameroon is now the site of the worlds most neglected displacement crisis.

According to Human Rights Watch, at least 6,000 civilians have been killed by both government forces and armed separatist fighters in the North West and South West since late 2016.

According to the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, instability in the North West and South West has caused more than 900,000 people fleeing violence to become internally displaced and 60,000 others to flee abroad.

Burnt-out vehicles are scattered throughout the South West region, a testament to the areas unrest [Beng Emmanuel Kum/Al Jazeera]

New election, same fate?

When the 2018 presidential elections took place, only a fraction of residents voted in the restive Anglophone regions despite high voter interest.

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Voting statistics suggest that the activities of armed groups affected turnout: In the North West, only 5.36 percent of people voted, while in the South West, the turnout was 15.94 percent.

Jeremy Fru*, a father in his 40s and a native of Bamenda, told Al Jazeera that despite the insecurity, he went out to vote in 2018.

But he says the crisis has now reached new and extreme levels, meaning he faces the risk of not participating.

It is hard to tell if one can step out [and vote] like in 2018, he said.

We have been forced to stay indoors for days [due to lockdowns imposed by separatist fighters].

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Back in 2018, the situation was different and threats now seem to have increased, Fru said.

The situation has gone from bad to worse, he lamented, adding that close to a decade of separatists using guns to try and bring change has not been successful.

I want to see change through the ballot box. It didnt occur in 2018, but it can this year, he said, emphasising that elections are the only way the Biya government can be overcome.

An aerial view of Buea, in South West Cameroon [Beng Emmanuel Kum/Al Jazeera]

Holding hearts in hands

According to Tilarius Atia, a political scientist based in Bamenda, the security situation in the North West is very challenging.

Atia told Al Jazeera that separatist groups are multiplying their tactics and for the most part taking security forces unaware.

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In 2018, the firepower of the non-state armed group was not as strong as it is today. They have gone into sophisticated explosive devices and we do not know to what extent they may go on election day, he warned.

It will be a day of ballots and bullets, the analyst said of the election in the Anglophone regions. Voters will have to make the choice whether to cast their ballots under the bullets or they keep their ballots at home and stay safe from the bullets.

Voters in the region are holding their hearts in their hands and waiting to see how it will turn out, Atia said.

But he also advised the separatist groups to understand that nothing will change if they prevent people from voting.

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For the past nine years, they have been using their guns and bullets and nothing has changed; but then if they want change, I think change can come from the ballot box, Atia stressed.

Stephen Echuchou, a peace and conflict resolution expert based in Buea, the capital of the South West region, agrees.

Echuchou, director of the NGO the Center for Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa, told Al Jazeera that although the South West is experiencing a volatile security situation, the North West is in total chaos.

Both have been under a lockdown imposed by the separatist groups for about three weeks now. But experts say the North West has borne the brunt of the crisis, experiencing years of heightened violence and stricter lockdowns.

The insecurity will hamper the voter turnout. There are places where the non-state armed group has a grip, and their activities are there. And in these localities, the people will not be able to vote, Echuchou said.

There are so many people who would have loved to vote, and they will not. If the security situation is OK, the population will exercise their political rights; if not, they will protect their lives.

Echuchou also urged the national government to address the conflict once and for all.

We need to ensure that the security is guaranteed before, during and after the election for voters  and guarantee free, fair elections, he said.

Meanwhile in Bamenda, Nsalla says that despite the risks, she is determined to make her way to the polls on Sunday  even as she hopes she will one day be able to do so without a sense of fear.

I wonder, she said, if some of us will be able to vote one day freely like our brothers and sisters in other regions.

*Names have been changed for security reasons.
The ongoing shutdown of the U.S. government is not expected to affect flights at Pueblo Memorial Airport subsidized through the Department of Transportations Essential Air Service (EAS) program, at least for the foreseeable future.

The DOT secured $41 million in additional funding to sustain the program, which should prevent the program from lapsing into early November, according to an Oct. 8 DOT news release.

On Oct. 6, the DOT notified EAS-eligible communities and air carriers providing EAS about a potential shortfall of appropriated funding for EAS contracts and Alternate Essential Air Service (AEAS) grants.

The Pueblo Memorial Airport terminal and air traffic control tower.

That notification indicated funding for the program could possibly end on Oct. 12.

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Should funding lapse, the Department will suspend the contractual obligations of the air carriers providing EAS and will suspend reimbursement under AEAS grants until such time as appropriated funding is restored, and full budgetary authority is reinstated, the DOT release states.

The same day the DOT notification was sent, Denver Air Connection, the EAS provider for Pueblo Memorial Airport, announced that the government shutdown would not affect its flights to EAS communities.

We understand connectivity to major hubs is essential to our DAC passengers. Our commitment to communities will not change if funding runs out before a continuing resolution passes, Tonya Ruhsenberger, Denver Air Connections communications and community engagement manager, said in a news release.

Denver Air Connection Vice President for Strategy and Business Development Jon Coleman said the airline has no intention of suspending service or canceling flights.

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We understand how important these flights are for our passengers. For the foreseeable future, all DAC flights will operate as scheduled, Coleman said in the release.

What is the Essential Air Service program?

The Essential Air Service program guarantees smaller communities like Pueblo access to the national transportation grid by subsidizing carriers that fly from those communities to hub airports like Denver International Airport.

The program was launched after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. That granted airlines the ability to set their own fares and routes, guaranteeing continuous air service to small communities that would not normally see commercial air service.

As of fall 2024, the DOT was providing EAS subsidies to air carriers, or grants to communities through the AEAS program, to 65 communities in Alaska and 112 communities in the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico that otherwise may not receive any scheduled air service.

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Englewood-based Key Lime Air Inc., through its Denver Air Connection sister company, began providing 12 flights a week between Pueblo and Denver International Airport through the EAS program in April.

A letter announcing Denver Air Connection's selection as Pueblo Memorial Airports EAS carrier stated the contract term would be April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2027. Denver Air Connection will earn a subsidy of $6.4 million in the first year and $6.8 million in the second year.

More Pueblo news: How Trump funding cuts for Hispanic-Serving Institutions will impact Pueblo colleges

Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on X, at @ZachHillstrom. Support local news; subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Are Pueblo airport flights impacted by the US government shutdown?
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -ASML, the largest maker of equipment used to manufacture computer chips, said on Thursday it had appointed Marco Pieters as chief technical officer, joining the companys management board.

Pieters, a 25-year veteran of the company, has held multiple positions in several of ASML's product lines, including overseeing its "Holistic Lithography" programme.

ASMLs lithography systems, which can cost up to $400 million each, are among the most complex tools on the planet, using high-powered lasers to create the circuitry of computer chips with incredible speed and precision.

"After working alongside him for many years, Marco has my full support in driving forward our technology roadmap," said CEO Christophe Fouquet in a statement.

Pieters, trained as a mathematician, replaces Martin van der Brink, who retired in April 2024. Van der Brink is credited with having made difficult choices that enabled ASML to surpass Japanese rivals Nikon and Canon to dominate the lithography market.

Pieters' appointment is expected to be approved at the company's annual meeting in April, along with the reappointment of Chief Financial Officer Roger Dassen.

(Reporting by Toby SterlingEditing by Mark Potter)
NEED TO KNOW

Donald Trump slammed Barack Obama's 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in the final hours before the 2025 recipient was announced

Trump has publicly campaigned for the Nobel honor since returning to office in January, alleging that he's ended eight wars

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was ultimately awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Oct. 10 "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights" in her nation

President Donald Trump lashed out at one of his predecessors hours before hearing confirmation that he would not receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Sitting in the Oval Office on Thursday, Oct. 9, the president slammed former President Barack Obama for winning the Nobel Peace Prize shortly after taking office in 2009.

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"He got a prize for doing nothing," Trump, 79, said. "Obama got a prize, he didn't even know what he got. He got elected and they gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country."

"He was not a good president," Trump added, before going on to say that his 2024 reelection was "much more important" than Obama's historic victory in 2008.

At the time of Obama's award, the Nobel Committee praised him for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples, specifically citing his advocacy against nuclear weapons, his relationship-building with Muslim nations, his support for human rights and democracy, and his campaign trail messaging to break down ethnic, religious and political barriers.

On Friday, Oct. 10, it was revealed that Trump's public 2025 campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize had failed, with the Nobel Committee instead honoring Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

Jesus Vargas/picture alliance via Getty Maria Corina Machado Maria Corina Machado

In a post on X, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung shared a statement on Trump's loss.

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"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will," Cheung wrote. "The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace."

Prior to Machado's victory, Trump had flooded his Truth Social page with interview clips and news segments about his accomplishments to seemingly make a case that he deserved the honor.

In one interview that Newt Gingrich gave Fox News, the former House speaker described Trump as "a world figure in the sense that President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill were."

"He is achieving an orchestration of all of the major Arab states in order to support a peace agreement, and he is bringing enough pressure to bear on [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu that the Israelis are going to go along whether they wanted to or not," Gingrich said. "And as a result, he's creating sort of a forge of peace out of the sheer pressure of his personality and his ability to create friendships."



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Trump has engaged in a years-long effort to claim the prize, getting nominated several times over the years but never winning.

Since returning to office in January, he has been nominated for the coveted honor by many of his international allies, though most missed the formal Jan. 31 deadline.

During a July visit to the White House, Netanyahu gave Trump a nomination letter that he wrote to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which was later released in full.

The Israeli politician, who has been accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court, said Trump has demonstrated steadfast and exceptional dedication to promoting peace, security and stability around the world. In the Middle East, his efforts have brought about dramatic change and created new opportunities to expand the circle of peace and normalization.

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in February 2025 President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in February 2025

Amid his self-guided Nobel campaign, Trump claimed that he brought peace to seven unendable wars, per reporting by The Guardian. He made the heavily contested claim while speaking at the United Nations in September.

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Fellow world leaders were later caught on camera mocking Trump for his comments, centering on a gaffe he made when he incorrectly said he'd brokered peace between "Aber-baijan and Albania." He meant to say "Azerbaijan and Armenia."

After helping to negotiate the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas this week, Trump told reporters that he had officially helped end an "eighth" war.

"Nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months. And I've stopped eight wars. That's never happened before," Trump said in a video that's been posted on social media.

He added, "I know this, I didn't do it for that [winning the Nobel Peace Prize]. I did it because I saved a lot of lives."

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The president implied that he would also continue seeking a peaceful resolution to the standoff between Russia and Ukraine.

Alex Wong/Getty President Donald Trump speaks to military leaders at Quantico on Sept. 30, 2025 President Donald Trump speaks to military leaders at Quantico on Sept. 30, 2025

Trump previously predicted that he would "never" be selected for the prize. "Its too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me," he said in February, per USA Today.

In August, reports from Norwegian outlet Dagens Nringsliv suggested that the president had been in touch with Norway's Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg to say that he deserved the award, around the same time that he was negotiating their tariff rates.

"Out of the blue, while Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg was walking down the street in Oslo, Donald Trump called," DN reported, citing sources. "He wanted the Nobel Prize  and to discuss tariffs."

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Machado's win comes amid tense relationships between the United States and Venezuela, though the two politicians are on a similar page.

The president has taken a hardline stance and has threatened to use "every element of American power" to stop the alleged flow of drugs from Venezuela into the United States, per The New York Times.

In addition to blaming a Venezuelan gang as the basis for many of his aggressive immigration raids in the States, the Trump administration has targeted ships that are allegedly trafficking drugs and bombed them in international waters.

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 Independent noted that Machado, who is also conservative, has praised the president for his actions.

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I totally support his strategy, she said. And Ive said on behalf of the Venezuelan people that we are very grateful. I think it is the right thing to do. Its courageous. Its visionary."

The Nobel Peace Prize has formerly been awarded to four U.S. presidents  Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.



Read the original article on People
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The East Baton Rouge Coroners Office was called to a crash on the interstate early Friday morning.

A spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services confirmed that the coroner was called to an accident on I-12 eastbound, between Jefferson Highway and Airline Highway, which happened around 2 a.m. State Police identified the victim as Blair McKinley, 31.

According to Baton Rouge Traffic on X, I-12 east was closed at Essen Lane. Drivers are being diverted onto Essen Lane (Exit 1B).

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Further details about the crash were not immediately available.

Louisiana First News has reached out to the coroner and the Louisiana State Police for more information. This is a developing story.

Latest News

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
A tropical wind and rainstorm along the Atlantic coast will strengthen while moving northward and deliver damaging winds, major coastal flooding and heavy rainfall on par with a hurricane or powerful nor'easter from Sunday to Tuesday, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

The tail end of king tides and the ramp-up of the storm have already been producing flooding along parts of the southern Atlantic Coast from Friday to Saturday. Conditions will worsen farther north as the storm strengthens and begins to move.

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"It is possible this storm may evolve into a sub-tropical or hybrid storm that is part tropical and part non-tropical in nature. If it becomes a subtropical storm, it would be named Lorenzo, as that is the next storm name on the list for the 2025 Atlantic season," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.

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Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency to be in effect from Saturday evening to Monday to prepare for and react to the impending storm.

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"This will be a damaging and disruptive storm along the Atlantic coast regardless of any official designation or not by the National Hurricane Center," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

"The AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes for this storm is one," DaSilva said. This scale accounts for all impacts of the storm and ranges from less than one to five.

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The coast from North Carolina to southern New England will experience significant impacts from the storm, with some damage, power outages and travel disruptions related to flooding and strong winds. A narrow zone within this stretch of coast has the potential to experience major damage.

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"High winds may impact flights along the coast and lead to airline delays and flight cancellations," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said. This includes airports around New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.

This image shows an evolving tropical wind and rainstorm along the United States Atlantic Coast on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AccuWeather Enhance RealVue Satellite)

Outdoor plans during the second half of the weekend and into the start of the new week could be disrupted or canceled across parts of the mid-Atlantic and into southern New England due to expanding rains and increasing winds.

As the storm strengthens while moving to the north, near the coast and into interior portions of southern New England, east to northeast winds will increase to the point where gusts frequenting 40-60 mph are in store with an AccuWeather Local StormMax gust of 80 mph. A Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale has winds of 74 mph or greater.

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Winds this strong will lead to power outages, fallen trees and property damage. Loose items may become projectiles.

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The wind direction and speed will push a significant amount of water from the Atlantic Ocean toward the coast and into the back bays and estuaries.

A broad zone where a storm surge of 1-3 feet is anticipated will extend from the Carolinas to southeastern New England. However, there will be pockets with a storm surge of 4-5 feet in some beach communities and over the back bays.

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In the worst hit areas, it is possible that this storm's storm surge could be some of the most impactful since Sandy, especially in locations in the mid-Atlantic that were spared in the 2012 storm.

The AccuWeather Local StormMax surge is 6 feet for this event. The storm surge is water levels above the routine forecast tides in the absence of a storm. Waves along the beachfront and inlets on top of the surge will result in even higher water levels.

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Water levels this high will make some roads impassable, inundate the first floor of some neighborhoods, and damage vehicles parked in flooded areas.

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Access to some communities may be blocked by high water, which will be worse at times of high tide.

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Low tide levels during the height of the storm may be above normal high tide levels in many cases.

Seas will reach 25 feet well offshore and pose danger for small craft and could damage larger vessels. Twenty-five feet is approximately the height of a three-story building.

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Dangerous surf conditions will exist from the Carolinas to southeastern New England, with frequent and strong rip currents and large, pounding breakers. The combination of high water levels and heavy surf will lead to moderate to major beach erosion.

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The combination of high winds and rough seas may temporarily stop some ferry operations and close high bridges for safety concerns.

This storm will bring heavy rainfall along the coast, complicating the flooding situation, even in areas that are abnormally dry or experiencing significant drought.

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From 1-4 inches of rain is forecast to fall from South Carolina to southern New England. Within this zone, the AccuWeather Local StormMax rainfall is 10 inches and most likely to occur along the Carolina coasts.

"The storm is forecast to stall along the coast and may drift inland for a time or loop around before heading out to sea on Tuesday," DaSilva said. "During this maneuver, not only will winds, waves and coastal flooding blast away at the coast for a couple of days, but downpours may overwhelm some storm drains and lead to urban flooding."

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Minor to moderate problems associated with wind, storm surge and coastal erosion are anticipated along the southern coast of New England, with the most significant impacts in southwestern Connecticut and in Cape Cod and the islands of Massachusetts.

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In the wake of the storm, cool air will sweep in over the eastern third of the nation from the Great Lakes to Florida.

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Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
The formal launch of Ethiopias Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in September 2025 made news across the world. There was pomp and ceremony as Africas largest hydroelectric dam was officially inaugurated after 14 years and US$5 billion worth of project work.

The projects completion fulfils a national dream long in the making. It was formally initiated by the late Meles Zenawi, who served as president of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995 and as prime minister from 1995 until his death in 2012. But the idea of a dam on the Ethiopian Nile dates back even further. As early as the 1950s, Emperor Haile Selassie recognised the potential of a dam for Ethiopias developmental needs.

This vision has occupied the Ethiopian national imagination since then. That is why Ethiopians celebrated the launch as a significant national achievement. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hailed the dam as a shared opportunity for the region, which stands to gain from surplus electricity exports. The dams opening was also celebrated with street processions across the country.

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The completion of the dam is a major achievement. As a hydropower source, it is expected to deliver practical benefits such as electricity supply to a large number of Ethiopians. More than that, the dam is also being used to galvanise national pride and unity.

As a scholar of African politics with an interest in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, my work has focused on the challenges of constructing national unity and inclusion in Ethiopia.

It is not surprising that the government has seized this moment. National pride and unity have been low in Ethiopia in recent years.

The quest for national cohesion has occupied Ethiopian state builders stretching back from the imperial state up until the present period. Previous attempts proved to be largely symbolic, however, with limited transformative power.

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The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam risks falling into the same pattern. Its inauguration comes in the aftermath of a largely unresolved conflict in Tigray, and amid intense political fragmentation and ongoing civil wars in Ethiopia. When the war with Tigray ended, others erupted in different parts of the country, most notably in the Amhara and Oromo regions.

Elusive national unity

Ethiopia is a diverse country of over 120 million people. It comprises multiple ethnic, linguistic and religious groups.

Over 80 languages are spoken, with Amharic as the lingua franca. The largest ethnic groups correspond with the most widely spoken languages: Oromiffa, Amharic, Tigrinya and Somali.

Since the late 19th century, various leaders have attempted to construct a nation alongside the state. A state comes into being with the determination of borders and international recognition. Crafting a nation is different. It is the process of establishing a sense of common identity and purpose among the inhabitants of a state. The process of nation-making has been violently contested and fraught in Ethiopian political history.

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The results of this contested history can show up in the most unlikely places. For instance, the grand opening of the dam was timed to fall in the month of Meskerem (September). It came a few days before the Ethiopian new year  Enkutatash  which is celebrated on 11 September. This holiday is a major event in the Ethiopian calendar and is usually marked by national celebrations.

However, the holiday is rooted in Ethiopian Orthodox traditions. It carries huge symbolism for at least one particular group  Ethiopias Orthodox Christians, who are just over 43% of the population. But others could have felt excluded by this choice.

This has not dissuaded those in power, throughout history, from using such symbolic events and occasions to foster a sense of national unity.

Symbolic nationalism

The imperial regime of Haile Selassie made concerted efforts to unite the nation following the Italian occupation of 1935. At this time, state sovereignty was compromised, with some sections of the country still under foreign occupation. The country was divided between those that resisted the occupation and those who collaborated with the Italians.

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To build legitimacy and unity, the emperor turned to the heroic efforts of the patriotic resistance against the Italian occupation as a source of national pride. He also engaged in a policy of state modernisation. One of the key developments from this period was the establishment of Ethiopian Airlines in 1945.

The airline has been highly successful  and profitable. It has contributed to strengthening the Ethiopian brand. But it has not in any visible measure delivered long-term national unity and prevented political violence in Ethiopia.

The post-1991 government also made use of symbols and events to foster national unity. Amid growing concerns about where the ruling coalition was taking the country, in the lead up to the year 2007 (2000 according to the Ethiopian calendar), the government organised millennium celebrations. These captured the nations imagination and provided temporary respite from political tensions. Indeed, the initial name of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was the Millennium Dam.

What these symbolic attempts managed to achieve is short-lived national pride. They also drew attention away from the structural challenges facing the country.

What is needed to achieve long-term national unity

Ethiopia must come to terms with the deep-seated issues of inequality, historical and contemporary grievances of exclusion and marginalisation. These are the key drivers of recurring cycles of political violence. The country needs to have honest conversations, in non-partisan platforms.

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The National Dialogue that is currently underway is a good place to start. The process was launched in 2022 to address key national questions thrown up in part by the disastrous Tigray war. The dialogue seeks to create conducive conditions for national consensus on the root causes of divisions in the country.

National dialogues are useful tools that have been used in diverse national contexts for the purpose of conflict transformation and addressing internal conflicts. These have potential to yield positive results if they are inclusive and have clear implementation plans.

There are fears, however, that the dialogue might be undermined by the Ethiopian government, especially in light of elections in 2026. The government might use the national dialogue to advance its position and present itself in a positive light in relation to its political opponents.

If the National Dialogue fails to achieve its intended objectives, then it will be left to the different communities in Ethiopia to organise their own non-partisan platforms where they can have these urgent national conversations. Here, they would need to find consensus on key areas of national concern and collectively seek solutions. In so doing, Ethiopians would have taken significant steps towards nation building.

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This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Namhla Thando Matshanda, University of Pretoria

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Namhla Thando Matshanda receives funding from the National Research Foundation.
Days before the introduction of extra red tape for British visitors to the European Union, officials are predicting hold-ups at airports. Yet an app that would allow travellers to pre-register for the entry-exit system (EES) is not yet available.

A six-month roll-out of the entry-exit system begins on Sunday 12 October. From that date, third-country nationals, including UK passport holders, may be asked for fingerprints and facial biometrics when entering or leaving Schengen area nations.

After the 2016 EU referendum, the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement made British travellers subject to the checks.

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The UK government warns: EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete, so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border.

Romanias frontier police have told The Independent: We recommend that third-country nationals subject to EES procedures, especially in the context of air travel, arrive at the airport with extra time before their scheduled international flights.

And Louise Wahlberg of Swedish police is warning there may be some queuing for travellers initially.

Most checks will be taking place at the airport on arrival from the UK. Large numbers of kiosks have been installed to allow incoming passengers to register their details and biometrics.

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Many British travellers have been asking The Independent if it is possible to pre-register to reduce time and stress at the airport.

The answer: not yet, and  when an app is available  it will apply only for airline passengers to Sweden.

Experts are warning that the new EES system will lead to delays for travellers (Simon Calder)

Frontex, the EU border and coastguard agency, has developed an app called Travel to Europe. Its purpose: to enable third-country nationals, such as the British, to pre-register their travel document data and facial image for the entry-exit system (EES) before arriving at a border crossing point.

Prospective travellers can register their travel document details and facial image for the EES within 72 hours before arriving in, or departing from, the EU and wider Schengen area. Visitors can also answer their destination countrys conditions of entry questionnaire in advance.

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Frontex says: Voluntary EES pre-registration is one of the ways to reduce processing times at the border, benefitting both national authorities and travellers. It does not replace border control procedures but aims at making them smoother and faster.

Furthermore, it makes it more comfortable for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, or children, to register their travel data.

Yet even though Frontex made the app available a year ago for member states to integrate into their national systems, it is still not available to travellers.

Individual Schengen countries can decide if, when, how and where they deploy the app. But so far the only confirmed nation is Sweden.

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Swedavia Airports, which operates the countrys key international airports, will allow travellers to download the Travel to Europe from Sunday 12 October.

The organisation says: Airlines and tour operators are encouraged to include information about the app and the possibility of pre-registration in their communications with non-Schengen travellers.

The Independent has asked Frontex to comment on the limited take-up of the app.

Travellers with passports from the EU and wider Schengen area, or with residence permits for Europe, are not subject to the new biometric checks.
Claim:

Robert Kirk, the father of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, died in September or early October 2025.

Rating:

Rating: False

A rumor that circulated online in September and early October 2025 claimed Robert Kirk, the father of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was dead. The story primarily appeared in Facebook posts in the weeks following Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting. The Turning Point USA co-founder died at the age of 31 on Sept. 10 after being shot in the neck during an outdoor event for his "The American Comeback Tour" on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

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For example, on Oct. 4, a user managing the Kitten Cuties Facebook page posted (archived) the story about the elder Kirk with a single image displaying three different pictures. The pictures depicted a woman  possibly Charlie Kirk's wife, Erika, or his mother, whom The Guardian and The New York Times reported with the name Kathryn  crying while holding a framed photo of Robert Kirk, Charlie Kirk's father embracing him in a heaven-like environment and a family photo with all four family members, including his sister, whom The Daily Beast reported with the name Mary.

(Kitten Cuties/Facebook)

Other Facebook (archived) and Instagram (archived) users also shared the same claim, as well as some of the same images. The Kitten Cuties post, as well as others, featured links in top comments leading to advertisement-filled articles hosted on WordPress blogs. Two examples included links redirecting from newsgreen.org to an article on greenisland.linkxtop.com, as well as one redirecting from livenews24h.com to an article on kok.xemgihomnay247.com.

Searches of Bing, DuckDuckGo, Google and Yahoo found no news outlets confirming news of Robert Kirk's death. Some prominent outlets would have reported this rumor, if true.

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The person or people who started the rumor  people residing in countries outside the U.S.  fabricated the entire tale and created several artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images of the Kirk family, with at least the partial goal of earn advertising revenue on the websites hosting the aforementioned articles.

Snopes emailed Turning Point USA to obtain an official statement confirming Robert Kirk had not died, as well as contacted via Messenger a manager of the Kitten Cuties Facebook page to ask about the content, and will update this article if we receive more information.

The text from the posts

The most commonly shared text caption promoting the rumor, including in the Kitten Cuties Facebook page's post (archived), read as follows:

15 MINUTES AGO: Heartbreaking Loss Strikes Again in the Kirk FamilyRobert W. Kirk Dies After Never Recovering From the Pain of Losing His Son Charlie. In a devastating twist, the Kirk family has suffered yet another unbearable loss. Robert W. Kirk, still reeling from the tragic death of his son, Charlie, has passed away after never fully recovering from the overwhelming grief. His death has left the family, and the world, in mourning, as fans reflect on the immense pain and heartbreak the family has endured. The shock and sorrow continue to ripple through those who knew them, and the question remainshow much more can the Kirk family endure?

AI-generated images

The images users included with the Kirk family posts displayed at least some fake pictures. Users created at least two of the images with AI tools, including the pictures depicting a woman holding a framed photo and the one with Kirk's father embracing him in a heaven-like environment. Both images displayed an overly smooth appearance, in particular on the subjects' skin  one of several modern-day signs of AI-created pictures. Also, the idea a photographer could travel to a place where people exist after death did not square with reality.

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Another example of the page's managers publishing fabricated content with AI-created images included one post claiming country music icon Dolly Parton was battling a "serious health condition" from a hospital bed  one day after Parton officially addressed similar rumors in a video on her official social media pages. Parton's post displayed the text caption, "I ain't dead yet!"

Possible explanation for website redirect strategy

The users who created the Facebook posts featuring the rumor used redirects, such as the aforementioned newsgreen.org link, leading to an article on greenisland.linkxtop.com.

This strategy potentially involved an effort to protect from Facebook blocking links to visit their primary domain names, such as linkxtop.com.

Pages managed from outside US

The Kitten Cuties Facebook page's "page transparency" tab displayed information revealing its page managers primarily resided in Vietnam, despite the Denver, Colorado, mailing address in its bio. Motivational Speaker, another Facebook page promoting (archived) the rumor, showed information for page managers living in North Macedonia. Other pages featured page manager details about Pakistan, the Philippines and other countries.

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In September, The Associated Press reported about Russia, China and pro-Iran groups spreading disinformation about Kirk's killing, in an effort to widen political divisions among U.S. residents. We did not yet find any information confirming whether people residing in these countries directed the aforementioned page managers in North Macedonia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam to create the false rumor about Kirk's father.

Fabricated hospital rumor about Robert Kirk

A previously posted rumor from late September, also circulating in Facebook posts, claimed Kathryn Kirk revealed someone rushed Robert Kirk to a hospital.

The varying rumors of his hospitalization and death, as well as a claim that Robert Kirk cried out, "Give me back my son!" at his son's graveside, showed Facebook users varying their efforts with many different fabricated stories  much like how a company's marketing team would experiment with various strategies and measure success  again for at least the partial goal of generating ad revenue from the externally linked articles.

For further reading, Snopes previously reported on another story claiming Charlie Kirk once stopped his car on a dark highway to help change a transgender man's tire.

Sources:

Beaumont, Peter. "Charlie Kirk Obituary." The Guardian, 11 Sep. 2025. US News. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/charlie-kirk-obituary.

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Esposito, Laura. "Charlie Kirk's 'Secret Sister' Is Apparently a Bernie Bro." The Daily Beast, 15 Sep. 2025, https://www.thedailybeast.com/charlie-kirks-secret-sister-is-apparently-a-bernie-bro/.

Klepper, David. "Foreign Disinformation about Charlie Kirk's Killing Seeks to Widen US Divisions." The Associated Press, 17 Sep. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-russia-china-disinformation-putin-trump-bce0174644351c70811ae4a847ffa767.

Sommerlad, Joe, and Josh Marcus. "What We Know about Charlie Kirk's Family." The Independent, 21 Sep. 2025, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/erika-charlie-kirk-wife-family-kids-turning-point-b2830788.html.
Claim:

Democrats wanted $3.6 million in cooking classes and dance focus groups for "Haitian male prostitutes" as a condition for reopening the U.S. government in the fall of 2025.

Rating:

Rating: False

Amid the fall 2025 U.S. government shutdown, Republican lawmakers claimed that the Democrats wanted the U.S. Congress to restore $3.6 million in funding for pastry classes and dance focus groups for male sex workers in Haiti.

The claim appeared to originate from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought's June testimony in support of President Donald Trump's Rescissions Act of 2025. Vought claimed the act would rescind wasteful spending and alleged that under the "guise of preventative care" through an HIV/AIDS prevention program known as PEPFAR, Americans had been spending the aforementioned amount on "LGBTQ+ activism, free training in pastry cooking, 'psychosocial counseling,' a cyber cafe, and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti."

As part of the demands to end the government shutdown, Democrats want to restore funding rescinded by Trump's act, which became law in July. However, the final version of the Rescissions Act, amended by the Senate, did not take any funding away from PEPFAR, rendering the claim that Democrats want $3.6 million for "male prostitutes in Haiti" moot.

Furthermore, an analysis of PEPFAR spending datasets released by the State Department indicated that the United States did not spend $3.6 million on cooking classes and dance focus groups for Haitian sex workers. It was unclear where the $3.6 million figure came from.

Per U.S. law, foreign organizations must adopt a policy opposing prostitution in order to receive federal anti-HIV/AIDS funds. This policy makes it unlikely any PEPFAR funds would be spent on cooking and dance events for male sex workers.

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After Congress failed to pass a spending bill to keep the government open in fall 2025, Republican lawmakers claimed that the Democrats' demands for ending the shutdown included $3.6 million in pastry classes and dance focus groups for "male prostitutes in Haiti."

For example, here's an excerpt from Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy's Oct. 3 speech on the Senate floor (see 15:33):

We found $3.6 million dollars for pastry cooking classes and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti. I kid you not. I'm not making this up. It was in the budget under President Biden. We took it out. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez in the socialist wing, the loon wing of the Democratic Party, says we're going to shut down the government until we put it back in.

The rumor spread via Facebook, X and Instagram; one popular post from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., had about 19,000 reactions as of this writing.

Democrats have not shut down the government over funding for cooking classes and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti. The rumor originated from a White House budget analysis of federal funding for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a global health initiative.

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The Democrats have called for the restoration of foreign aid and public media funds revoked by President Donald Trump's Rescissions Act of 2025, but Trump did not rescind PEPFAR funding in that act. Furthermore, publicly available records for PEPFAR funding sent to Haiti indicated that the United States spent the money on services like HIV testing, clinical treatment, safe sex education and health care worker salaries.

Thus, we have rated this claim false.

It is also worth noting that New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as of this writing, does not serve on the budget committee, nor is she in a formal leadership position tasked with directing members to vote for or against funding proposals. The House of Representatives passed the Republicans' proposal to keep the government running on Sept. 19, and it failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the Senate. Ocasio-Cortez, as of October 2025, is a member of the House, not the Senate.

Kennedy, Mace and the White House Office of Management and Budget did not return inquiries asking for evidence to back up their claims. Democrats have repeatedly said that their top priority in shutdown negotiations was permanently expanding a premium tax credit program that has helped millions of Americans pay for health care coverage.

Origin of rumor

The rumor about the United States allegedly funding cooking classes and dance focus groups for "male prostitutes in Haiti" appeared to originate with Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, whom President Donald Trump tasked with winding down the U.S. Agency for International Aid and Development (USAID), previously the country's primary humanitarian aid organization.

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Vought spoke in front of the Senate on June 25 in support of Trump's Rescissions Act of 2025, a law the president later signed in July that rescinded $9.4 billion in spending for foreign aid and public media (see 37:09).

He argued the act would reduce wasteful spending and listed, without providing documentation, various supposed funding measures previously enacted by the government under PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. (PEPFAR, launched in 2003 by former Republican President George W. Bush, has saved 26 million lives via HIV treatment, according to the State Department.)

Here's what Vought said (emphasis ours):

For example, under the guise of so-called "preventative care" within the PEPFAR program, Americans have been funding the following: - $5.5 million to LGBTQI+ advocacy in Uganda;  $800,000 for "transgender people, sex workers and their clients and sexual networks" in Nepal; - $3.6 million for LGBTQ+ activism, free training in pastry cooking, "psychosocial counseling," a cyber cafe, and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti; and - $1.1 million to produce a "Gender Transformation in Diverse Social and Behavior Change" report, which advocates against "gender-blindness."

Kennedy, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee  the budget committee, in other words  then repeated Vought's claim, first in support of the Rescissions Act in July and then again in connection with the government shutdown.

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The Democrats' proposal to reopen the government called for restoring funding rescinded by the president in Section 118, Page 12, up until Sept. 30, 2026, the end of the federal fiscal year. However, while the White House's initial proposal cut $400 million from PEPFAR funding on Page 6, the Senate passed an amendment, introduced by Republicans, to remove PEPFAR cuts from the act (emphasis ours):

(5) Of the unobligated balances in the first paragraph under the heading "Bilateral Economic Assistance--Funds Appropriated to the President--Global Health Programs'' made available by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (division A of Public Law 119-4), $500,000,000 are rescinded: Provided, That none of the amounts rescinded under this paragraph shall be from the unobligated balances for the following programs: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Nutrition, or Maternal and Child Health: Provided further, That the preceding proviso does not apply to family planning and reproductive health programs.

The version without PEPFAR cuts became law, meaning that PEPFAR funding was not part of the Democrats' dispute with the Rescissions Act. Assuming Kennedy's claim originated from Vought's testimony, the allegation would thus be moot.

So where did the $3.6M number come from?

Snopes underwent an extensive review of PEPFAR funding using the State Department's datasets to determine how much money the department could have spent on Haitian male sex workers. The agency did not specify what funding went specifically to male sex workers, so our analysis focused on PEPFAR funding sent to Haiti's male population in general.

It is worth noting that per U.S. law, foreign organizations must adopt a policy opposing prostitution in order to receive federal anti-HIV/AIDS funds. While the same restriction does not apply to U.S. organizations  a 2013 Supreme Court decision determined that would violate the First Amendment  this policy makes it unlikely any PEPFAR funds would be spent on cooking and dance events for male sex workers.

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In total, the United States spent $4.1 million to benefit the male population in Haiti through the PEPFAR program between 2018 and 2024. Examples of where the funds went included health care worker salaries, "HIV Clinical Services," and preventative procedures like "VMMC"  "voluntary medical male circumcision," which helps reduce the risk of HIV. There was no mention of cooking classes or dance focus groups.

Vought claimed that the $3.6 million was spent under the "guise of preventative care," but according to the Department's databases, the U.S. spent $3.2 million specifically on "PREV," or "preventative care," for male Haitians from 2018 to 2024  and most of that money went to "Condom & Lubricant Programming" under Trump's first administration.

Vought did not provide information as to when the United States purportedly spent the $3.6 million, but Kennedy specified that the funds came from former President Joe Biden's "budget bill." If you consider only funds spent during the Biden administration  from 2021 to 2024  the total number was $1.2 million. Biden's budget request for fiscal year 2025 made no mention of Haitian male prostitutes, cooking classes or dance focus groups (see Page 17 in this PDF for PEPFAR funds).

See how the United States spent PEPFAR funds on Haiti's male population for yourself here:

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A chart with all data on PEPFAR spending for Haiti by program, downloaded via the State Department, is also available here.

Finally, a search for government awards sent to Haiti in the past four years returned one result between $3.5 million and $3.7 million: a $3.6 million grant for the Centre de Formation et d'Encadrement Technique (CFET), a human resources firm. The U.S. government awarded the grant for a USAID-led "Health Leadership Project," which focused on building up the Haitian government's health sector and workforce.

There's no mention of the project involving sex workers, cooking classes or dance focus groups. Publicly available details on the Health Leadership Project were scarce as of this writing, but a 2024 audit into CFET's use of USAID money "did not identify any instances of material noncompliance with applicable laws, regulations, and agreement terms," indicating the organization spent the money as intended. CFET's CEO, Marlene Gay, said via email that the organization's work with USAID was limited to working on the Health Leadership Project alongside Haiti's Ministry of Public Health.

Thus, it was unclear where, exactly, the $3.6 million figure came from. Government budget documents, however, indicated that the United States has not, in fact, spent $3.6 million on Haitian male prostitutes, nor did the Biden administration specifically seek that funding out in its budget request.

In sum ...

Claims from Republican lawmakers about $3.6 million in funds spent on Haitian male sex workers appeared to originate from the Office of Management and Budget's director, who claimed the $3.6 million was spent on "LGBTQ+ activism, free training in pastry cooking, 'psychosocial counseling,' a cyber cafe, and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti" through the PEPFAR program for HIV/AIDS prevention.

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Republicans have claimed Democrats' proposal to fund the government included restoring this supposed $3.6 million in funding. While Democrats did call for restoring funding for foreign aid rescinded by Trump, Senate Republicans blocked the Trump administration from rescinding PEPFAR funds, meaning those dollars aren't in dispute or included in the Democrats' proposal. Furthermore, the State Department's datasets on PEPFAR spending revealed the United States did not spend $3.6 million on the aforementioned list via the program. A search of Biden's last budget request before leaving office and a search of government awards sent to Haiti in the past four years also returned no relevant results.

Sources:

"22 U.S. Code  7631 - Assistance to Combat HIV/AIDS." LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/22/7631. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

A BILL Making Continuing Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2026, and for Other Purposes. democrats-appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/cr0917h.PDF. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, Inc., 570 U.S. 205 (2013)." Justia Law, supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/570/205/.

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Budget of the U.S. Government FISCAL YEAR 2025. www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BUDGET-2025-BUD/pdf/BUDGET-2025-BUD.pdf.

C-SPAN. "White House Budget Director Testifies on Rescissions Proposal." C-SPAN.org, C-SPAN, 25 June 2025, www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/white-house-budget-director-testifies-on-rescissions-proposal/661436. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"CFET S. A. | LinkedIn." Linkedin.com, www.linkedin.com/company/cfet/?originalSubdomain=ht. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Cole, Tom. "Actions - H.R.5371 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026." Congress.gov, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/all-actions.

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"Committee Assignments - U.S. Senator John Kennedy." Www.kennedy.senate.gov, www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/committee-assignments.

"Committees and Caucuses." Representative Ocasio-Cortez, 27 Aug. 2021, ocasio-cortez.house.gov/legislation/committees-and-caucuses.

Deng, Rae. "Democrats Didn't Shut down Government to Fund Health Care for 'Illegal Aliens.' Here's Context." Snopes, Snopes Media Group, 3 Oct. 2025, www.snopes.com/fact-check/government-shutdown-health-care/.

DEPARTMENT of STATE and OTHER INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS. www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BUDGET-2025-APP/pdf/BUDGET-2025-APP-1-16.pdf. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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"Director Vought Testimony." Appropriations.senate.gov, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/director_vought_testimony.pdf.

"House Passes H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026." House Committee on Appropriations - Republicans, 19 Sept. 2025, appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-hr-5371-continuing-appropriations-and-extensions-act-2026. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"Kennedy on Rescissions: 'It's Gut-Check Time. We Need to Pass This Bill.'" U.S. Senator John Kennedy, 9 July 2025, www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/2025/7/kennedy-on-rescissions-it-s-gut-check-time-we-need-to-pass-this-bill. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"Kennedy: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Is Calling the Shots in the Democratic Party." Youtu.be, 3 Oct. 2025, youtu.be/TCyyDvzyK6Q?si=t9uTISzdxZJ4CAJP&t=933. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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Newhouse, Sean Michael. "Bill to Rescind Billions in Government Funding Being Amended by the Senate." Government Executive, 16 July 2025, www.govexec.com/management/2025/07/bill-rescind-billions-government-funding-being-amended-senate/406783/.

Office of the Inspector General U.S. Agency for International Development. Financial Audit of the Program Health Leadership Project/Human Resources for Health in Haiti, Managed by Centre de Formation et d'Encadrement Technique, Cooperative Agreement 72052122CA00003, April 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023 (1-521-25-010-R). 29 Nov. 2024, oig.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/1-521-25-010-R.pdf.

"PEPFAR Latest Global Results & Projections Factsheet (Dec. 2024) - United States Department of State." United States Department of State, Dec. 2024, www.state.gov/pepfar-latest-global-results-factsheet-dec-2024/.

"PEPFAR Panorama Spotlight." Pepfar.gov, data.pepfar.gov/datasets#FMD. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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"Programme de Leadership En Sante." Management Sciences for Health, 14 Apr. 2023, msh.org/fr/projects/hlp/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Scalise, Steve. "H.R.4 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Rescissions Act of 2025." Congress.gov, 2025, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4.

---. "Text - H.R.4 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): To Rescind Certain Budget Authority Proposed to Be Rescinded in Special Messages Transmitted to the Congress by the President on June 3, 2025, in Accordance with Section 1012(A) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974." Congress.gov, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4/text.

"THE BUSH RECORD - FACT SHEET: President Bush's Global Health Initiatives Are Saving Lives around the World." Georgewbush-Whitehouse.archives.gov, georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/factsheets/globalhealth.html.

Thune, John. "S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4 - 119th Congress (2025-2026)." Congress.gov, www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/2853/text?s=a&r=1. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"USAspending.gov." Usaspending.gov, www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_72052122CA00003_072. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

"Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision." Www.who.int, www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hiv/prevention/voluntary-medical-male-circumcision.

Updates:

Oct. 14, 2025: This story was updated with comment from CFET's CEO, Marlene Gay, about the organization's work with USAID.
Claim:

In October 2025, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, said on live television that President Donald Trump has "plenary authority."

Rating:

Rating: Correct Attribution

Context:

Miller made the remark while discussing a judge's decision to block the Trump administration's efforts to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. It's unclear what he meant by "plenary authority." We reached out to Miller for more details, and we're waiting for a response.

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In October 2025, a rumor spread that Stephen Miller, the White House's deputy chief of staff, said live on television that President Donald Trump has "plenary authority," a phrase that refers to one branch of government having full or limitless power over an area of governance.

He allegedly made the comment while discussing Trump's decision to deploy National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon, and other parts of the country, such as Chicago.

A slew of social media posts shared the claim, some of which included a supposed clip of Miller's remark in an interview on CNN. The rumor appeared on Reddit, X, Instagram and Threads. Some critics of the Trump administration claimed Miller "said the quiet part out loud." HuffPost, a left-leaning online publication, shared the alleged clip on its YouTube account:

A CNN transcript (archived) confirmed Miller said these words during an Oct. 6, 2025, live interview with host Boris Sanchez.

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Miller was standing in front of the White House during the interview, while Sanchez was in a CNN studio. Miller cited Title 10 of the U.S. Code, a law that codifies the role of the military, when he claimed Trump has "plenary authority." After he made the comment, he fell silent, mid-sentence, and appeared to have lost the audio connection to Sanchez.

Snopes reached out to Miller asking what he meant by "plenary authority" during the interview. We await a response.

In a clip later posted on CNN's YouTube CNN account, Miller's comment on Trump's alleged plenary authority had been cut. In an email, a spokesperson for CNN said the news outlet made an "editorial decision" to "cut [the clip] for time."

The interview, transcribed

Miller made the comment after Sanchez asked him if the administration was planning to "abide by" a federal judge's ruling blocking it from deploying National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon. The moment went like this (emphasis ours):

SANCHEZ: You have called the district judge's ruling blocking the deployment of National Guard in Oregon legal insurrection. Does the administration still plan to abide by that ruling? MILLER: Well, the administration filed an appeal this morning with the Ninth Circuit. I would note the administration won an identical case in the Ninth Circuit just a few months ago with respect to the federalizing of the California National Guard. Under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the president has plenary authority. Has -- SANCHEZ: Stephen. Stephen. Hey, Stephen, can you hear me? It seems, Stephen, I apologize. It seems like we're having a technical issue. We'll try to fix that and get back to you after a quick break.

In other words, Miller claimed the president  the executive branch  has "plenary authority," (i.e. limitless power) allowing him to deploy National Guard troops in U.S. cities, unconstrained by Congress or the courts.

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Miller then fell silent and appeared not to hear Sanchez. Sanchez asked the question again after the technical issue and Miller answered for a second time  though, in that response, he did not mention plenary authority. He did not use the phrase in the rest of the live interview.

The word plenary comes from the Latin word "plenarius," which means complete. In the context of U.S. government, plenary authority or power refers to one branch of government having full or limitless power, unconstrained by the other two branches.

Branches of government already have plenary power over certain areas. For example, the Supreme Court has ruled several times to confirm Congress, the legislative branch, has plenary power over immigration for the most part. In addition, Congress has plenary power over interstate commerce.

The White House released this memo after the CNN interview

Snopes reached out to the White House to ask about Miller's comment and whether it believed it to be true; that the president has plenary authority that allows for him to deploy National Guard troops in U.S. cities, regardless of court or legislative actions.

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In response, the White House press office pointed us to a memorandum Trump wrote and published online hours after the CNN interview aired. The statement included the bolded passage:

In light of both past incidents in Chicago and the credible threat of future incidents, and in light of my determinations, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including 10 U.S.C. 12406, I hereby call into Federal service at least 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, until the Governor of Illinois consents to a federally-funded mobilization, under Title 32 of the United States Code, of the Illinois National Guard under State control. The members of the Illinois National Guard called into Federal service shall protect ICE, FPS, and other United States Government personnel who are executing Federal law in the State of Illinois, and Federal property in the State of Illinois. They shall do so at any locations at which violent demonstrations prevent the execution of Federal law or are likely to prevent the execution of Federal law based on current threat assessments and planned operations. The duration of such Federal service shall be 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of War. Further, I direct and delegate actions as necessary for the Secretary of War to coordinate with the Governor of the State of Illinois and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in identifying and ordering into Federal service the appropriate members and units of the Illinois National Guard under this authority.

The memo called for deploying National Guard troops in Chicago. (While Miller's comment in the CNN interview was in response to a question about troops in Portland, he mentioned Chicago later in the interview.) The document did not use the phrases "plenary power" or "plenary authority" while outlining the Trump administration's viewpoint that Trump has legal authority to send troops anywhere in the U.S.

Like Miller in the interview, Trump's memo cited "10 U.S.C." (Title 10 of the U.S. Code), which codifies the role of the military. Meanwhile, Title 32 U.S.C., which Trump also cited in the memo, codifies laws ruling the National Guard. Per Title 32, the National Guard remains under control of states, except in certain circumstances, outlined in Title 10 U.S.C. section 12406:

Whenever (1) the United States, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions, is invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation; (2) there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or (3) the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States; the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary to repel the invasion, suppress the rebellion, or execute those laws. Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States or, in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.

Legal questions remain

On Oct. 4, 2025, a Trump-appointed federal judge blocked an order to deploy Oregon National Guard troops in Portland. The day after, the same judge halted an order to deploy the California and Texas National Guards in Portland.The Trump administration has appealed those decisions.

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On Oct. 9, 2025, four days after Trump's memo, another federal judge ruled to stop the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago for two weeks.

In an opinion piece titled "No, Trump Can't Order Troops to Wherever He Wants," in the New York Times, Georgetown University law professor Stephen Vladeck argued that the president's power to deploy the National Guard has legal constraints.

Vladeck said Title 10 U.S.C. section 12406, which Trump cited in his memo, actually limits the president's power to federalize the National Guard, and that, before Trump orders such troops to streets, he must prove that there is a rebellion or the risk of a rebellion that "regular" law enforcement can not contain on its own.

Vladeck concluded the Supreme Court will ultimately decide on the matter.

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Snopes has reached out to several experts of constitutional law to ask about Trump's memo and the ongoing court proceedings, and we will update this story should they respond.

Sources:

"'Not an Open Rebellion': Sanchez Questions Stephen Miller Calling Protesters 'Street Terrorists." Youtu.be, 6 Oct. 2025, youtu.be/wLxq0JGmpjA?si=WCwVol4mH_zj1LLs. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

"10 U.S. Code  252 - Use of Militia and Armed Forces to Enforce Federal Authority." LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/252. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

"10 U.S. Code  12406 - National Guard in Federal Service: Call." LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12406. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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Barnett, Randy, and Andrew Koppelman. "Interpretation: The Commerce Clause | the National Constitution Center." National Constitution Center  Constitutioncenter.org, 2024, constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i/clauses/752. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

"CNN.com - Transcripts." Cnn.com, 6 Oct. 2025, transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnc/date/2025-10-06/segment/10. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025..

Archived: https://archive.ph/QbVa3.

Constitution Annotated. "Presidential Power and the Commander-In-Chief Clause | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress." Constitution.congress.gov, constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C1-1-11/ALDE_00013473/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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"Overview | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress." Constitution.congress.gov, constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-1/ALDE_00001255/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

"Plenary Power." LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/plenary_power. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Trump, Donald. "Department of War Security for the Protection of Federal Personnel and Property in Illinois." The White House, 6 Oct. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/10/department-of-war-security-for-the-protection-of-federal-personnel-and-property-in-illinois/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

"U.S. Code: Title 32." LII / Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/32. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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Vladeck, Stephen I. "Opinion | No, Trump Can't Order Troops to Wherever He Wants." The New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/opinion/trump-national-guard-cities.html. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025..

Archived: https://archive.ph/e1LD2.

Updates:

Oct. 12, 2025: This report was updated to clarify a judge's order that blocked Trump's call to deploy troops in Chicago came after the release of Trump's Oct. 6 memo.
By Trevor Hunnicutt

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has campaigned, joined by some foreign leaders, for a Nobel Peace Prize. But he is unlikely to be the winner announced on Friday, despite just announcing a ceasefire and hostage deal over the war in Gaza.

The push for Trump to get what is arguably the world's most prestigious award came in the midst of an eight-month diplomatic spin through many of the world's thorniest conflicts. Close watchers of the Nobel process said Trump's Gaza deal probably materialized too late to be considered.

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Here are some of the international disputes where Trump has intervened since beginning his second term in January.

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Trump brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 to sign a joint declaration pledging to seek peaceful relations between nations that have been at odds since the late 1980s.

"I got to know them through trade," Trump said later in a radio interview. "I was dealing with them a little bit and I said, 'Why you guys fighting?' Then I said, 'I'm not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. It's crazy.'"

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The two countries had committed to a ceasefire in 2023. In March they said they had agreed on the text of a draft peace agreement, but that deal has not been signed.

The subsequent White House-brokered declaration falls short of a formal peace treaty that would place legally binding obligations on both sides. Issues remain, including whether an agreement requires Armenia to revise its constitution.

The leaders struck economic agreements with Washington that granted the U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through southern Armenia. The Trump administration said this would allow for more energy exports. In documents released at the time, the corridor was named after Trump.

CAMBODIA AND THAILAND

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Trump helped bring Thailand to the table for talks after long-simmering tensions with Cambodia spilled over in July into a five-day military conflict, the deadliest fighting between the two in more than a decade.

The U.S. president reached out to then-acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after fighting erupted along a 200-km-long (125 mile) stretch of the border. Trump withheld deals on tariffs with both countries until the conflict ended.

Up to that point, Bangkok had rejected third-party mediation and had not responded to offers of help from Malaysia and China, Reuters reporting showed.

Trump's intervention helped get Thailand to the table, according to Lim Menghour, a Cambodian government official.

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Subsequent talks yielded a fragile agreement to end hostilities, resume direct communications and create a mechanism to implement the ceasefire. Trump went on to impose a 19% tariff on both countries' U.S.-bound exports, lower than he had initially floated.

Tensions remain. The new Thai leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, has so far downplayed Trump's future role in talks.

ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas this week agreed to the first phase of Trump-brokered hostage and ceasefire deal.

The agreement marked a major step forward for efforts to end the two-year war in Gaza in which more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed. The accord, if implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

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Supported by several key regional players, the deal also promises the return of the remaining hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started the assault.

Key details remain to be ironed out, including how the devastated Gaza Strip will be governed when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

Trump has supported Israel's efforts to disable other Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthi movement, and Tehran itself.

The U.S. president is working to expand the Abraham Accords, an initiative from his first term that aims to normalize diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab nations.

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Trump initially pursued talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. Israel launched an aerial war on Iran on June 13 and pressed Trump to join in. He did on June 22, bombing Iranian nuclear sites. He then pressed Israel and Iran to join a ceasefire that Qatar mediated.

The situation remains bitter and unstable. Iran continues to reject U.S. demands that it stop enriching uranium for its nuclear program. And Israel has said it will strike Iran again if it feels threatened.

RWANDA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The rebel group M23 staged a lightning offensive this year and now holds more territory than ever in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Rwanda has long denied backing M23, but U.N. experts and Congolese leaders disagree.

Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on June 27 under pressure from Trump.

But months later, fighting continues despite mediation efforts by the Trump administration and Qatar.

The insurgency is the latest episode in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

In February, a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal. Qatar, meanwhile, has also brokered talks between Congo and M23, but the two sides are yet to agree on a peace deal.

At the White House, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged Trump to stay engaged. Trump warned of "very severe penalties, financial and otherwise" if the agreement was violated.

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INDIA AND PAKISTAN

U.S. officials worried conflict could spiral out of control when nuclear-armed India and Pakistan clashed in May following an attack in India that Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

Consulting with Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance pushed Indian and Pakistani officials to de-escalate the situation.

A ceasefire was announced on May 10 after four days of fighting. But it addressed few of the issues that have divided India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars since their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947.

Days after the ceasefire, Trump said he used the threat of cutting trade with the countries to secure the deal. India disputed that U.S. pressure led to the ceasefire and that trade was a factor.

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EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA

Egypt and Ethiopia have a long dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo regards as a national security issue and worries will threaten its Nile River water supplies.

"We're working on that one problem, but it's going to get solved," Trump said in July.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later included Egypt and Ethiopia in a list of conflicts that "the president has now ended."

It is unclear what Trump is doing on the issue. In public comments, he has largely echoed Cairo's concerns, and some of his statements have been disputed by Ethiopia.

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Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed opened the dam in September despite objections from both Sudan and Egypt. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to protect his own country's interests.

SERBIA AND KOSOVO

Kosovo and Serbia still have tense relations nearly five years after agreements Trump brokered with both during his first term in office to work on their economic ties.

Without providing evidence, Trump said in June he "stopped" war between the countries during his first term and that "I will fix it, again," in his second.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after NATO bombed Serb forces to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians from the region during a 1998-1999 counter-insurgency war.

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But Serbia still regards Kosovo as an integral part of its territory. The countries have signed no peace deal.

Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control over the north, where about 50,000 ethnic Serbs live, many of whom refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence.

Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani said in July that over "the last few weeks" Trump had prevented further escalation in the region. She did not elaborate, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied that any escalation had been forthcoming.

RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

Trump, who said during the 2024 presidential campaign that he could solve the war in Ukraine in one day, has so far been unable to end the nearly four-year-old conflict that analysts say has left more than 1 million people dead or wounded.

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"I thought this was going to be one of the easier ones," Trump said on August 18. "It's actually one of the most difficult."

Trump's views on how to best bring peace have swung from calling for a ceasefire to saying a deal could still be worked out while the fighting continued.

He has threatened tariffs and sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin but backed off them after an Alaska summit where the two leaders appeared before backdrops that said "Pursuing Peace."

Since then, he has expressed increasing frustration with Putin.

Trump, who has sometimes criticized and sometimes supported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has expressed openness to helping with Ukraine's security in any deal. Exactly what such support would entail is unclear.

Europeans have worried that Trump might push Zelenskiy to accept a proposal from Putin that included significant territorial concessions by Kyiv and limited security guarantees from Washington.

SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH KOREA

Trump in June pledged to "get the conflict solved with North Korea."

The U.S. president and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held three summits during Trump's 2017-2021 first term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called "beautiful," before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over U.S. demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons.

North Korea has surged ahead with more and bigger ballistic missiles, expanded its nuclear weapons facilities, and gained new support from its neighbors in the years since. In his second term Trump has acknowledged that North Korea is a "nuclear power."

The White House said in June that Trump would welcome communications again with Kim. Kim said in September that there was no reason to avoid talks with Washington if it dropped its demands that his country give up nuclear weapons.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Additional reporting by Fatos BytyciEditing by Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell and Kate Mayberry)
By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize. But he did not win the award announced on Friday, despite just announcing a ceasefire and hostage deal over the war in Gaza.

The push for Trump to get what is arguably the world's most prestigious award came in the midst of an eight-month diplomatic spin through many of the world's thorniest conflicts. Some world leaders also said he deserved the award. Close watchers of the Nobel process, however, said Trump's Gaza deal probably materialized too late to be considered for this year's prize, which technically covers achievements in 2024.

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Here are some of the international disputes where Trump has intervened since beginning his second term in January.

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Trump brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 to sign a joint declaration pledging to seek peaceful relations between nations that have been at odds since the late 1980s.

"I got to know them through trade," Trump said later in a radio interview. "I was dealing with them a little bit and I said, 'Why you guys fighting?' Then I said, 'I'm not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. It's crazy.'"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two countries had committed to a ceasefire in 2023. In March they said they had agreed on the text of a draft peace agreement, but that deal has not been signed.

The subsequent White House-brokered declaration falls short of a formal peace treaty that would place legally binding obligations on both sides. Issues remain, including whether an agreement requires Armenia to revise its constitution.

The leaders struck economic agreements with Washington that granted the U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through southern Armenia. The Trump administration said this would allow for more energy exports. In documents released at the time, the corridor was named after Trump.

CAMBODIA AND THAILAND

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Trump helped bring Thailand to the table for talks after long-simmering tensions with Cambodia spilled over in July into a five-day military conflict, the deadliest fighting between the two in more than a decade.

The U.S. president reached out to then-acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai two days after fighting erupted along a 200-km-long (125 mile) stretch of the border. Trump withheld deals on tariffs with both countries until the conflict ended.

Up to that point, Bangkok had rejected third-party mediation and had not responded to offers of help from Malaysia and China, Reuters reporting showed.

Trump's intervention helped get Thailand to the table, according to Lim Menghour, a Cambodian official.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Subsequent talks yielded a fragile agreement to end hostilities, resume direct communications and create a mechanism to implement the ceasefire. Trump went on to impose a 19% tariff on both countries' U.S.-bound exports, lower than he had initially floated.

Tensions remain. The new Thai leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, has so far downplayed Trump's future role in talks.

ISRAEL, IRAN AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas this week agreed to the first phase of a Trump-brokered hostage and ceasefire deal.

The agreement marked a major step forward for efforts to end the two-year war in Gaza in which more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed. The accord, if implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Supported by several key regional players, the deal also promises the return of the remaining hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started the assault.

Key details remain to be ironed out, including how the devastated Gaza Strip will be governed when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

Trump has supported Israel's efforts to disable other Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthi movement, and Tehran itself.

The U.S. president is working to expand the Abraham Accords, an initiative from his first term that aims to normalize diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab nations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump initially pursued talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. Israel launched an aerial war on Iran on June 13 and pressed Trump to join in. He did on June 22, bombing Iranian nuclear sites. He then pressed Israel and Iran to join a ceasefire that Qatar mediated.

The situation remains bitter and unstable. Iran continues to reject U.S. demands that it stop enriching uranium for its nuclear program. And Israel has said it will strike Iran again if it feels threatened.

RWANDA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The rebel group M23 staged a lightning offensive this year and now holds more territory than ever in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rwanda has long denied backing M23, but U.N. experts and Congolese leaders disagree.

Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on June 27 under pressure from Trump.

But months later, fighting continues despite mediation efforts by the Trump administration and Qatar.

The insurgency is the latest episode in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

In February, a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal. Qatar, meanwhile, has also brokered talks between Congo and M23, but the two sides are yet to agree on a peace deal.

At the White House, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged him to stay engaged. Trump warned of "very severe penalties, financial and otherwise" if the agreement was violated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

INDIA AND PAKISTAN

U.S. officials worried conflict could spiral out of control when nuclear-armed India and Pakistan clashed in May following an attack in India that Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

Consulting with Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance pushed Indian and Pakistani officials to de-escalate the situation.

A ceasefire was announced on May 10 after four days of fighting. But it addressed few of the issues that have divided India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars since their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947.

Days after the ceasefire, Trump said he used the threat of cutting trade with the countries to secure the deal. India disputed that U.S. pressure led to the ceasefire and that trade was a factor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA

Egypt and Ethiopia have a long dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo regards as a national security issue and worries will threaten its Nile River water supplies.

"We're working on that one problem, but it's going to get solved," Trump said in July.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt later included Egypt and Ethiopia in a list of conflicts that "the president has now ended."

It is unclear what Trump is doing on the issue. In public comments, he has largely echoed Cairo's concerns, and some of his statements have been disputed by Ethiopia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed opened the dam in September despite objections from both Sudan and Egypt. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to protect his own country's interests.

SERBIA AND KOSOVO

Kosovo and Serbia still have tense relations nearly five years after agreements Trump brokered with both during his first term in office to work on their economic ties.

Without providing evidence, Trump said in June he "stopped" war between the countries during his first term and that "I will fix it, again," in his second.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after NATO bombed Serb forces to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians from the region during a 1998-1999 counter-insurgency war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Serbia still regards Kosovo as an integral part of its territory. The countries have signed no peace deal.

Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti has sought to extend government control over the north, where about 50,000 ethnic Serbs live, many of whom refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence.

Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani said in July that over "the last few weeks" Trump had prevented further escalation in the region. She did not elaborate, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied that any escalation had been forthcoming.

RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

Trump, who said during the 2024 presidential campaign that he could solve the war in Ukraine in one day, has so far been unable to end the nearly four-year-old conflict that analysts say has left more than 1 million people dead or wounded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I thought this was going to be one of the easier ones," Trump said on August 18. "It's actually one of the most difficult."

Trump's views on how to best bring peace have swung from calling for a ceasefire to saying a deal could still be worked out while the fighting continued.

He has threatened tariffs and sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin but backed off them after an Alaska summit where the two leaders appeared before backdrops that said "Pursuing Peace."

Since then, he has expressed increasing frustration with Putin.

Trump, who has sometimes criticized and sometimes supported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has expressed openness to helping with Ukraine's security in any deal. Exactly what such support would entail is unclear.

Europeans have worried that Trump might push Zelenskiy to accept a proposal from Putin that included significant territorial concessions by Kyiv and limited security guarantees from Washington.

SOUTH KOREA AND NORTH KOREA

Trump in June pledged to "get the conflict solved with North Korea."

The U.S. president and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held three summits during Trump's 2017-2021 first term and exchanged a number of letters that Trump called "beautiful," before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over U.S. demands that Kim give up his nuclear weapons.

North Korea has surged ahead with more and bigger ballistic missiles, expanded its nuclear weapons facilities, and gained new support from its neighbors in the years since. In his second term Trump has acknowledged that North Korea is a "nuclear power."

The White House said in June that Trump would welcome communications again with Kim. Kim said in September that there was no reason to avoid talks with Washington if it dropped its demands that his country give up nuclear weapons.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Additional reporting by Fatos BytyciEditing by Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell and Kate Mayberry)
A state audit has found that mining companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under-reported $16.8bn in revenue between 2018 and 2023, reported Reuters, which has seen the audit report.

This discrepancy may have reduced funds meant for government and local communities. As per the 2018 mining code, companies are required to contribute 0.3% of annual revenue to community development funds.

The June financial audit, which was carried out by the Court of Auditors, found that the mining companies declared $81.4bn to development funds, but reported $98.2bn to tax authorities. This resulted in a $50.4m shortfall in contributions to development funds, impacting schools, clinics and water systems.

The DRC, a leading producer of cobalt and copper, is among the world's poorest countries.

The audit identified that companies including Ivanhoe's Kamoa-Kakula mine, Glencore's Kamoto Copper, Eurasian Resources Group's Metakol, Ruashi Mining, SICOMINES and CMOC's TFM together under-reported $10bn, according to the media outlet.

Glencore, the second-largest cobalt exporter, stated its subsidiary Kamoto Copper fully met obligations under the mining code. The company noted that the discrepancy arose from different interpretations of when the law was implemented. Glencore added that its 0.3% community levy was based on half-year revenues, validated by auditors and the local development agency.

Other companies like CMOC, SICOMINES, Ivanhoe, Eurasian and Ruashi did not respond to requests for comments, reported Reuters.

Attorney General Jean Chris Mubanga Musuyu said: "Practically, 70% of the companies did not respect this regulation and it is an enormous loss of earnings for the Congolese state."

The Court of Auditors recommended suspending non-compliant companies, pursuing prosecutions, conducting revenue audits and enforcing stringent monitoring.

The DRC's average annual income is around $580 per person despite vast reserves of lithium, uranium and other minerals.

"Audit reveals DRC mining companies under-reported $16.8bn" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




(WFRV)  A popular bakery in southern Wisconsin announced that it is closing one of its locations due to the rising costs of doing business.

Study: Kwik Trip is the convenience store king of the nation, surpassing Wawa

Gather Bakehouse posted on its Facebook page, saying its last day for its Menomonee Falls location will be on October 19. The post mentioned that sales have been steady, but the rising costs of doing business played a role.

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The bakery said to keep itself strong and sustainable for the future, it needs to focus on its location in Bay View.

The post did say that it isnt goodbye to Falls forever, and they will always cherish the memories and community built there.

Those looking to still find their croissants, sourdough, donuts and cakes can do so at the Bay View location.

Police in Wisconsin continue to investigate and search for woman a decade after disappearance, was 14 years old at the time

No additional information was provided.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Loved ones are seeking the communitys help to bring home the body of a 16-year-old girl after she was killed in a Monrovia hit-and-run earlier this week.

The deadly collision happened around 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, the Monrovia Police Department confirmed, in the 800 block of W. Duarte Road.

Details on the crash are limited, but officials said a vehicle fatally struck the teen and then fled the scene. Paramedics transported the victim to a hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

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Since then, the teens family members have turned to GoFundMe in hopes of raising funds to return the girls body to Guatemala.

The fundraiser page, originally written in Spanish, identifies the 16-year-old victim as Sulmy Merary Lopez.

Sulmy Merary Lopez, 16, is seen in this undated photo provided after she was killed in a Monrovia hit-and-run in October 2025. (GoFundMe)

To all kind-hearted people who would like to contribute to the funeral of my little sister Sulmy, who was born on January 9, 2009, and passed away yesterday, October 5, 2025, at the age of only 16, reads a translation of the page, We ask with all our hearts for your help so that we can repatriate her to Guatemala.

The sister said that Lopez was killed in a terrible accident and that she and her family hope the police will investigate and provide them with answers they so desperately need.

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In their Wednesday morning press release, Monrovia police said detectives are actively investigating the collision and are seeking additional witnesses or surveillance footage from the area.

Woman, dog killed in San Bernardino County mobile home fire

Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Lopez, Monrovia Police Department at 626-256-8044.To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 1-800-222-TIPS(8477), or use the website lacrimestoppers.org.

Alexis Lewis contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
(The Center Square)  In a July meeting with the Louisiana District Export Council, New Orleans FBI agent Benjamin Dreessen gave a number of serious warnings about the threat of China to American trade, including that China is targeting the Mississippi River system.

Dreessen warned that Chinas five-year plan includes efforts to gain monopolistic control over key global industries by procuring others' intellectual property.

Dreessen said the strategy extends to the United States inland waterways and major ports. According to the description of his remarks, Dreessen told council members that Chinese entities are increasingly targeting major ports in southern Louisiana, which serve as the gateway to the rest of the river network and the U.S. interior. Dreesson also mentioned major cities such as St. Louis and Chicago.

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The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from Dreessen.

Trade between New Orleans and China has surged over the past decade, according to data from Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, with cargo tonnage climbing sharply as China became one of the citys fastest-growing foreign trade partners. Between 2014 and 2023, the state recorded a 387% increase in loaded total 20-foot equivalent units  nearly a fivefold jump in trade volume between New Orleans and China.

According to the minutes, China is seeking to secure access to and control over American supply chains. He cautioned that such economic footholds could be leveraged for political influence, intelligence collection, and potential disruption of U.S. commerce.

More broadly, Dreessen noted that China is anticipating major conflict with the U.S., and is working to interfere with the American military, induce panic and impede decision making in the White House.

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On protecting business from Chinese intellectual property theft, the minutes noted that not much can be done.

Lawmakers and federal agencies have increasingly described Chinas strategy as one in which the government tightly controls major trade and investment channels. Beijings policies often require U.S. firms to partner with state-owned companies and transfer proprietary technology to gain access to Chinese markets  a practice seen in sectors ranging from aerospace to semiconductors.

Examples cited by congressional analysts include U.S. firms partnering with Chinese companies to develop the C-919 passenger jet, state funding for semiconductor manufacturing to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers, and government mandates requiring localization of electric vehicle battery supply chains. China has also expanded control of critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology through overseas acquisitions and state-backed investment.

In the energy sector, Chinese purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas have at times included related investments in American export terminals  deepening Beijings exposure to, and potential influence over, U.S. energy infrastructure.
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Kabul was once known as the Paris of the east. | Credit: Hutchinson Heinemann

The Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul has been witness to many events of moment in Afghanistans recent history, said Bijan Omrani in Literary Review .

In the 1970s, it was a cosmopolitan watering hole where princes, diplomats, spies and journalists mingled. After the Soviet invasion of 1979, Red Army advisers would sip vodka in its bar, while rustic mujaheddin warriors got stuck in the revolving glass door. In late 2001, after 9/11, it hosted a gathering of Taliban clerics, who decided against handing over Osama bin Laden to the United States. During the US-led occupation that followed, it was attacked several times by suicide squads.

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Now the BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet has written a moving, richly detailed history of the hotel, which doubles as a portrait of modern Afghanistan. She is ideally placed to write such a book: having regularly stayed at the Inter-Con over the years, she knows both it and the country well; and she has an extraordinary sensitivity to the experiences of individuals, no matter their station.

When the Inter-Con opened in 1969, Afghanistan was unimaginably different from today, said William Dalrymple in The Guardian . A modernising monarch, Zahir Shah, was on the throne; Kabul was known as the Paris of the east. Memoirs of the time describe a world of mini-skirts, jazz clubs, bowling alleys and ice cream parlours.

All that was swept away  by coups detat and assassinations, the Soviet invasion and the Taliban (who banned the Inter-Cons waiters from wearing bow ties, as they looked like crosses). Yet through it all, the hotel remained open  becoming, as Doucet suggests, a moving symbol of the countrys ability to endure whatever horrors fate has thrown at it.
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  The death penalty has been a hot topic of debate across the country. Indiana is one state that used to carry them out until 2009. In late 2024, the Hoosier state resumed capital punishment, and since then, three people have been executed: Joseph Corcoran, Benjamin Ritchie and the latest with the execution of Roy Lee Ward.

With these carried out, Indiana has five inmates remaining on death row. Who are these individuals, and what were their crimes?

William Gibson:

William Gibson is on death row for the murders of Karen Hodella, Stephanie Kirk and Christine Whitis.

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Records indicate Hodella, 44-years-old from Port Orange, Florida, was strangled to death. This murder lead Gibson to plead guilty and receive a 65-year sentence in 2014.

Kirk was 35 years old when she was also strangled to death by Gibson in 2012. Gibson would go on to confess to the crime.

Whitis was killed when she was strangled by Gibson also in 2012, almost one month after Kirk was killed. Records indicate Gibsons sister was the one that found the body. This was the crime that lead to Gibsons arrest. Whitis was 75.

Eric Holmes:

Eric Holmes is on death row stemming from a violent robbery in 1989 when he was 21.

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Holmes was a former employee at a Shoneys restaurant in Marion County where he reportedly got into an argument with co-worker Amy Foshee. Holmes supervisors were 30-year-old Charles Ervin and 20-year-old Theresa Blosl.

After his dismissal, reports stated at closing Holmes waited in the parking lot with Michael Vance when Foshee left the restaurant with Ervin and Blosl. That was when Holmes and Vance trapped them in the foyer and stabbed Ervin and Blosl to death, grabbing the till. Foshee would survive.

Vance was tried in a separate trial and received 190 years in prison.

Kevin Isom:

Kevin Isom is on death row for the murders of his then wife and her two children in their Gary, Indiana apartment in 2007. He was sentenced to death row in 2013.

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Isom was convicted of killing Cassandra Isom, 16-year-old Michael and 13-year-old CiAndria. Records show police were called due to gunfire but were unable to immediately get into the building. Isom allegedly began to shoot at them through his apartment windows. He was eventually taken into custody by a SWAT team following a struggle.

Michael Overstreet:

Michael Overstreet is on death row for the 1997 kidnapping, rape and murder of Kelly Eckhart in Johnson County.

Eckharts body was found several days later dumped in Brown County.

It was determined Eckhart was strangled by her own shoestring and a strap cut from her overall suspenders. She was also found to have been shot in the head. Bodily fluids were also found on her, which was later matched through DNA analysis as been contributed by Overstreet.

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Overstreet was also claimed to be responsible of a Columbus, Indiana killing four months before Eckharts.

In 2014, Overstreet was found mentally incompetent for his sentence to be administered. Until that changes, Overstreet cannot be executed.

Jeffrey Weisheit:

Jeffrey Weisheit is on death row for the 2010 murders of 5-year-old Caleb and 8-year-old Alyssa Lynch in Vanderburgh County. Authorities state Weisheit bound and gagged the children before intentionally setting fire to his home with a railroad flare.

Weisheit was later arrested in northern Kentucky after a chase. It was determined Weisheit fled Indiana in a yellow Camaro and was stopped following the use of stop sticks.

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Weisheit was sentenced to death in 2013. He has previously entered appeals to the Indiana Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court, but his death sentence has been upheld. His latest appeal in 2023 to the United States District Court Southern District of Indiana was denied on Tuesday, according to court documents.

There is also one local Kentucky inmate who is on death row. However, Kentucky abolished the death penalty in 1976, and capital punishment has been indefinitely suspended by court order since 2009. The full list of death row inmates can be found here.

Robert Keith Woodall:

Woodall was sentenced to death on September 4, 1998, in Caldwell County for capital murder, capital kidnapping and first-degree rape.

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According to authorities, Woodall abducted Sarah Hansen from the Minit Mark parking lot in Greenville, Kentucky on January 25, 1997. Authorities say Woodall then drove to Luzerne Lake where he proceeded to rape her.

Woodall beat her and used a box-cutter knife to inflict cuts in Sarah Hansens throat. Her body was dragged and discarded into the water. Result of an autopsy revealed that water was found in Sarah Hansens lungs and reports that she died as a result of drowning.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Two months after a smiling Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shook hands at a military base in Alaska in what looked like the start of a U.S.-Russia rapprochement, a top Russian diplomat has raised doubts that the "spirit of Alaska" is still alive.

For Russia, the Anchorage summit on August 15 had two goals: to persuade President Trump to lean on Ukraine and Europe to agree to a peace settlement favourable to Moscow, and to encourage a rapprochement in U.S.-Russia ties.

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said this week there had been scant progress on either front and "powerful momentum" had been lost. Moscow had signalled it was ready to rebuild ties but Washington had not reciprocated, he said.

"We have a certain edifice of relations that has cracked and is collapsing," Ryabkov said. "Now the cracks have reached the foundation."

PUTIN SAYS COMPLEX ISSUES REQUIRE MORE STUDY

After Ryabkov spoke, a Kremlin aide and Putin's spokesman underlined that contacts with Washington continue, and the Russian leader sounded more optimistic than Ryabkov when asked about Ukraine and ties with the U.S. on Friday.

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"These are complex issues that require further consideration. But we remain committed to the discussion that took place in Anchorage," Putin told a press conference.

His aide later told the Kommersant newspaper that Russia had agreed to unspecified concessions at the Alaska summit it would be ready to make if Trump got certain things from Ukraine and the Europeans.

Such a contrast in tone among senior officials is rare in Moscow and highlights the delicacy and sensitivity of the twin-track approach Russia is taking - combining flattery and warnings to adapt to diplomatic reversals since the summit.

TRUMP'S FRUSTRATION

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While a Trump initiative has raised hopes of peace in Gaza, he is frustrated by his failure to broker an end to fighting in Ukraine and has soured, at least publicly, on Russia.

There is no new Trump-Putin meeting on the agenda, no date has been set for the next talks on improving ties, and Washington, without an ambassador in Moscow since June, has not sought Russia's approval to send a successor.

Trump has spoken of possibly supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, hitting a nerve with Putin, who said it would destroy what is left of U.S.-Russia ties.

Trump has also said he wants Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to hold direct talks, but there appears no near-term prospect of that happening as the tempo of the war increases.

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In a rhetorical U-turn, Trump has suggested Ukraine could win back all its lost territory, while dismissing Russia as "a paper tiger," a snipe shrugged off by Moscow.

APPEAL TO SHARED VALUES

In response, Russia has tried playing good cop, bad cop - with officials at times appearing to threaten tough responses to U.S. action and at others underlining shared values.

Putin offered to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons set out in the last arms control treaty with the U.S. once it expires next year if Washington does the same.

Trump said "it sounds like a good idea," but there has been no formal U.S. response.

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Putin on Friday praised Trump's credentials as a potential Nobel Peace Prize laureate, saying his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine were sincere and that his Middle East mediation initiative was already an achievement and would be "an historic event" if he was able to see it through to the end.

Trump took to social media to show he had noted the praise: "Thank you to President Putin!" he wrote on Truth Social.

Melania Trump also disclosed on Friday that she had secured an open line of communication with Putin about repatriating Ukrainian children caught up in the war, and that some had been returned to their families with more to be reunited soon.

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's presidential envoy, said Moscow appreciated Melania Trump's "humanitarian leadership."

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At a foreign policy conference this month, Putin also went out of his way to make a series of U.S.-focused statements likely to appeal to Trump.

Putin praised Michael Gloss, the son of a CIA official killed in Ukraine fighting on Russia's side, saying he represented "the core of the MAGA movement, which supports President Trump."

He also condemned the murder of Trump ally Charlie Kirk, saying Kirk had defended the "traditional values" which he said Gloss and Russian soldiers in Ukraine were giving their lives to defend.

PUSHBACK, WARNINGS AND DISAPPOINTMENT

But warnings have continued, and pushback against Trump's talk of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine was immediate.

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Putin said such a step would require the direct involvement of U.S. military personnel, destroy bilateral relations and usher in a new stage of escalation.

Andrei Kartapolov, who heads Russian parliament's defence committee, said Moscow would shoot down Tomahawk missiles and bomb their launch sites if the U.S. supplied them, and find a way to retaliate against Washington that hurts.

In other terse comments, Ryabkov said Russia would quickly carry out a nuclear test if the U.S. did the same, and that Moscow would "get by" if Washington did not take up Putin's nuclear arms control offer.

Ryabkov also backed off a Russian offer to discuss the fate of U.S. nuclear fuel at a nuclear plant Moscow controls in southern Ukraine, and spoke of how Russia was withdrawing from an agreement with the U.S. to destroy weapons-grade plutonium.

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"After the summit in Alaska, there was hope that Trump was ready to continue dialogue with Russia and take our interests into account," wrote Andrei Baranov, a commentator for pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"Donald has now thoroughly disappointed us with his trademark inconsistency."

(Editing by Timothy Heritage and Daniel Wallis)
A former acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota is entering the race for Hennepin County Attorney.

Anders Folk launched his campaign Thursday, with his pledges including "restoring public safety in Hennepin County, bringing back common sense to criminal justice, and protecting Hennepin Countys most vulnerable residents."

He criticized outgoing Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty  although he did not refer to her by name  for the at-times fractious relationship she has had with local police.

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"Im running for Hennepin County Attorney because our community deserves a prosecutor who understands the purpose and responsibilities of the office, Folk said in a statement. "The current County Attorney has lost sight of the offices priorities. That loss of focus has hurt public safety and damaged relationships with our community and law enforcement alike. Its time for a change.

Folk, 48, started his legal career in the Hennepin County Attorneys Office when it was led by current U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. He later served as acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota for several months in 2021 and worked as a senior official in the U.S. Department of Justice under President Joe Biden.

"As Hennepin County Attorney, I will bring a balanced, transparent approach, ensuring criminals are held accountable for their actions, while leading with compassion and empathy," Folk said. "The Hennepin County Attorney must be actively involved in our community, as a leader, a listener and a public safety problem-solver."

Folk is a native Minnesotan who studied law at the University of Minnesota and enlisted the U.S. Marine Corps as a student. He now lives in Hopkins with his family.

Anders FolkPhi Kappa Alpha

Folk is endorsed by former U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Andy Luger.

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Anders Folk has handled the toughest cases as an experienced prosecutor, Luger said in a statement. He will bring calm, steady and professional leadership to the Hennepin County Attorneys Office and focus on the most important issue for our top prosecutor: keeping Hennepin County residents safe. I am proud to endorse him.

Moriarty isn't seeking a third term in 2026. Other candidates running include state Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope) and Senior Ramsey County Attorney Hao Nguyen.

Related: Daniel Rosen confirmed as next U.S. attorney for Minnesota

This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Oct 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.




Former San Francisco District Attorney Arlo Smith, who was the city's top prosecutor from 1980 to 1996, died Thursday, according to several officials. He was 98.



Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisor Matt Dorsey expressed their sadness of the news of Smith's death. Along with his tenure as San Francisco district attorney, Smith was also a Democratic candidate for California attorney general in 1990, but lost to Dan Lungren.

Born in Mankato, Minn., in 1927 and raised in San Bernardino, Smith received a bachelor's degree and law degree from UC Berkeley and spent 26 years as a state prosecutor before being elected DA in 1979, according to a biography quoted by Dorsey. He is well known for his work around LGBTQ issues.

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Smith's wife, Helen Hale Smith, was a former schoolteacher who devoted her life to his campaigns. She died in 1997 at age 69.



"Arlo Smith served our city, state and country with honor and distinction," Lurie said in a social media post. "He wasn't born here - but he adopted the city and embraced it wholeheartedly. And throughout his life, he was dedicated to civic life in our city. My thoughts are with his family and friends."



Dorsey, who worked with Smith, called him an "influential mentor  for his commitment to doing justice, protecting public safety and uplifting the marginalized."

Smith is survived by his children, Arlo, Averell and Alexa; grandchildren, Mina Sohaa and Abram Hale; and great-grandchildren, Tadhg Hale and Nora Lili. He was predeceased by his son Adlai Smith and granddaughter Lili Rachel Smith.

Memorial services are pending.

This article originally published at Former San Francisco DA Arlo Smith dies at 98.
The countrys largest banks are navigating a delicate balancing act in President Trump's Washington.

CEOs for some of the biggest US lenders, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Morgan Stanley (MS), and Wells Fargo (WFC), are all competing to win a leading role in a lucrative public offering for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a competition that has involved Oval Office appearances with the president.

At the same time, Trump has called out some of these same Wall Street bosses over "debanking." Some are now facing increasing scrutiny from their regulators over whether they denied or refused services to conservative customers. Their legal and regulatory affairs teams are currently combing through old records for any account closures.

"There are a lot of areas where we're playing offense," said Greg Baer, CEO of the Bank Policy Institute, an industry trade group. "There's some areas where we're playing defense. It makes for a very complicated battlefield, that's for sure."

Banks began the Trump administration with high hopes for broad, sweeping reforms that would work to their advantage.

Making things complicated? President Trump speaks during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House on Oct. 7. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)  ASSOCIATED PRESS

And that does appear to be happening. Bank regulators are proposing the biggest walk-back in rules since Congress tightened the reins on the industry following the 2008 financial crisis with a piece of legislation known as Dodd-Frank.

The Fed, for example, has unveiled proposals to relax key bank capital components based on leverage and its annual stress-test exercise specific to large banks. It will host a conference on Thursday designed to air concerns about the regulation of smaller community banks.

"It's 15 years later, right, since Dodd-Frank was originally envisioned," Michelle Bowman, the Federal Reserve's top banking supervisor, said during a Georgetown University event in late September.

"I think we have a good perspective on what's been working, what could be improved," Bowman added.

But the Trump administration has also made things more complicated for banks at the same time.

For one, it has provided regulatory relief to the crypto industry, which is emerging as an upstart competitor to banks within the financial world. Some crypto companies are now seeking banking licenses  a sign they intend to push deeper onto banks' turf.

Bank lobbyists are pushing back. They're seeking language to bar non-bank crypto platforms from offering interest payments on customer stablecoin balances in a forthcoming crypto market structure bill, arguing that doling out interest on stablecoins creates less-regulated "pseudo-banks."
The deal will not include the release of four high-profile Palestinian prisoners long sought by Hamas in negotiations: Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayed.

Israel does not intend to release prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti as part of an agreement reached with Hamas to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Thursday.

"I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release," spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters.

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Israel and Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of Trumps Gaza plan, Qatars Foreign Ministry said, with a partial Israel Defense Forces pullback in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages within 72 hours. Further details are expected to be announced later.

An Israeli official said the deal will not include the release of four high-profile Palestinian prisoners long sought by Hamas in negotiations: Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Saadat, Hassan Salameh, and Abbas al-Sayed.

Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said both sides agreed on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms for the first stage, which is intended to lead to ending the war, releasing Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and allowing expanded humanitarian aid into Gaza.

A senior Hamas official, Mohammad Nazzal, told Qatars Al Araby TV that the understandings constitute a first phase that includes a declaration to stop the war and begin prisoner exchanges, with subsequent stages to be negotiated. He said humanitarian aid would enter Gaza through five crossings and that details had been set for a staged pullback of IDF forces.

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In a formal statement, Hamas praised the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and called on Trump and regional and international actors to ensure Israel fully implements the agreement.

Details of the deal

Trump announced the breakthrough overnight, saying Israel and Hamas had accepted a US- and Qatari-brokered framework for releasing hostages and a partial Israeli troop withdrawal.

Once the government vote passes, Israel will be required to withdraw its forces within 24 hours to a designated line agreed upon with Hamas.

The redeployment is expected to leave the Israel Defense Forces in control of roughly 53 percent of the Gaza Strip.

Following cabinet approval, a 72-hour countdown will begin.

By the end of that window, Hamas must release all hostages in one fell swoop and without public ceremonies, according to the terms of the agreement.
By Dominique Vidalon and Benjamin Mallet

PARIS (Reuters) -President Emmanuel Macron welcomed mainstream political leaders to a crunch meeting at the Elysee ahead of a self-imposed late-Friday deadline to name a new prime minister, as the country's central bank chief warned political turmoil was sapping growth.

Macron, 47, is searching for his sixth prime minister in under two years and will need to find a figure whose appeal spans the centre-right to centre-left in order to steer the budget for 2026 through a fragmented and fractious parliament.

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Ahead of the meeting, the president's Elysee office said the gathering needed to be a "moment of collective responsibility," which political pundits quickly interpreted as a signal he could call snap parliamentary elections if no consensus candidate was found.

Party leaders from the left, right and centre arrived at the Elysee, but the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) - two of the largest political parties in the National Assembly - were excluded.

It was unclear how long Friday's talks would last. Macron's 48-hour deadline to name a new premier is due to expire later on Friday night.

WHO MIGHT MACRON APPOINT AS PRIME MINISTER?

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The daily Le Parisien newspaper reported that Macron intended to reappoint Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned as prime minister on Monday after just 27 days in the post, and that the president did not rule out a snap vote if other party leaders reject the proposal. Lecornu was not due to attend the meeting at the Elysee, which did not respond to a request for comment.

Other names that have been floated in political circles include veteran centrist Jean-Louis Borloo, the head of the public auditor Pierre Moscovici, and Nicolas Revel, a technocrat who leads the Paris hospitals administration.

Reappointing Lecornu would risk alienating the political leaders whose backing Macron needs to form a broad-based government that can get a budget over the line.

COMPLEX BUDGET TALKS

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Wrangling over a budget that can both rein in the country's deficit while meeting the conflicting demands of both the left and conservatives has been going on for weeks, with Socialist demands for a repeal of a 2023 pensions reform and for heavier taxation of the rich proving big stumbling blocks.

"People tell me: 'He's going to test the Lecornu 2 hypothesis on you.' If that's the case, I wish him good luck," Green party chief Marine Tondelier told TF1 television.

Gabriel Attal, a former Macron prime minister and head of the president's Renaissance party, cautioned against naming the next premier without wider support.

"I fear that trying the same method ... of naming a prime minister before there has been a compromise will produce the same effects," Attal told France 2 television.

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SNAP ELECTION WOULD POSE RISKS FOR MAINSTREAM PARTIES

France's mainstream parties are keen to avoid a snap election. Opinion polls forecast the RN would be the main beneficiary and that another hung parliament would be the most likely result.

The crisis is the deepest that France, the euro zone's second-largest economy, has seen for decades. The turmoil was precipitated in part by the president's failed gamble on a snap election last year that further weakened his minority in parliament.

The central bank chief, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, forecast the political uncertainty would cost the economy 0.2 percentage points of gross domestic product. Business sentiment was suffering but the economy was broadly fine, he said.

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"Uncertainty is ... the number one enemy of growth," Villeroy told RTL radio.

Villeroy said it would be preferable if the deficit did not exceed 4.8% of GDP in 2026. The deficit is forecast to hit 5.4% this year, nearly double the European Union's cap.

Macron's second-to-last prime minister, Francois Bayrou, was ousted by the National Assembly over his plans for 44 billion euros in savings to bring the deficit down to 4.6%.

Rating agencies issued a fresh round of warnings about France's sovereign credit score this week after Lecornu said on Monday his government was resigning, just 14 hours after he had announced his cabinet line-up.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Benjamin MalletWriting by Richard LoughEditing by Alison Williams, Frances Kerry and Toby Chopra)
By Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS (Reuters) -Emmanuel Macron will not name a prime minister from the left later on Friday, leftist party chiefs said after talks with the French president, with their indignant response suggesting his future government will be as fragile as those that preceded it.

Macron summoned mainstream party chiefs to the Elysee on Friday, hoping to win their support for a new prime minister - his sixth in under two years - ahead of a self-imposed deadline later in the evening.

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France is in the midst of a spiralling political crisis as a series of minority governments struggle to push belt-tightening budgets through a deeply divided parliament. To resolve the crisis, some of Macron's political foes have said he should either call fresh legislative elections or resign, measures he has so far sought to avoid.

After leaving Friday's meeting, leftist party chiefs said Macron had said he did not plan to name a leftist prime minister, a position they believe is their right after the president's previous centrist picks were toppled by lawmakers unwilling to stomach proposed budget cuts.

They said Macron offered to delay the application of his contentious pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election - a proposal they said didn't go far enough.

"We're not looking for a dissolution of parliament, but we're not scared of it either," Socialist party chief Olivier Faure told reporters after the meeting, which did not include the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) - two of the largest parties in the National Assembly.

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Centrist and centre-right party chiefs did not comment to reporters after leaving the meeting.

A source close to Macron said the meeting had shown it remains possible to find a compromise that will resolve the crisis and avoid a dissolution of parliament. The source confirmed Macron's offer to delay some of the pension reform effects by a year.

WHO MIGHT MACRON APPOINT AS PRIME MINISTER?

All eyes will now turn to whom Macron will name as prime minister - and whether they can survive in the post long enough to pass a 2026 budget, due by year's-end.

The daily Le Parisien newspaper reported that Macron intended to reappoint Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned as prime minister on Monday after just 27 days in the post. Lecornu did not attend the meeting at the Elysee, which did not respond to a request for comment about his potential reappointment.

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Other names that have been floated in political circles include veteran centrist Jean-Louis Borloo, the head of the public auditor Pierre Moscovici, and Nicolas Revel, a technocrat who leads the Paris hospitals administration.

Reappointing Lecornu would risk alienating the political leaders whose backing Macron needs to form a broad-based government that can get a budget over the line, and could force him into calling a snap election.

SNAP ELECTION WOULD POSE RISKS FOR MAINSTREAM PARTIES

France's mainstream parties are keen to avoid a snap election. Opinion polls suggest the RN would be the main beneficiary and that another hung parliament would be the most likely result.

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The central bank chief, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, on Friday forecast the crisis would cost the economy 0.2 percentage points of gross domestic product growth. Business sentiment was suffering but the economy was broadly fine, he said.

"Uncertainty is ... the number one enemy of growth," Villeroy told RTL radio.

Villeroy said it would be preferable if the deficit did not exceed 4.8% of GDP in 2026. The deficit is forecast to hit 5.4% this year, nearly double the European Union's cap.

Macron's second-to-last prime minister, Francois Bayrou, was ousted by the National Assembly over his plans for 44 billion euros in savings to bring the deficit down to 4.6%.

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Rating agencies issued a fresh round of warnings about France's sovereign credit score this week after Lecornu said on Monday his government was resigning, just 14 hours after he had announced his cabinet line-up.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Benjamin MalletWriting by Richard LoughEditing by Alison Williams, Frances Kerry and Toby Chopra)
Petoskey Audubon will host a presentation on protecting the Kirtlands warbler on its wintering grounds in The Bahamas.

The program is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and is free and open to the public, according to a community announcement.

The event will take place in the conference room at Northern Lights Recreation, 8865 Harbor Petoskey Road (M-119) in Harbor Springs.

Steve Roels, Kirtlands warbler program director for the American Bird Conservancy, will discuss efforts to protect this Michigan bird, which has become a symbol of conservation success. Roels will share information about local organizations and island communities partnering with the conservancy in The Bahamas to safeguard habitat and support conservation.

Kirtlands Warbler

Roels and Petoskey Audubon board member Sue Kurtz also will highlight ecotourism opportunities, showcasing the birds and locations that make The Bahamas a unique destination for conservation and travel.

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Roels earned his doctorate from Michigan State University in 2018, studying bird ecology in tropical forest restorations. He has conducted field research in Michigan, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Vietnam and Panama. His scientific work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Avian Conservation and Ecology, Restoration Ecology, and Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.

Kurtz is an avid birder from Petoskey and a board member of the Petoskey Regional Audubon Society. She visited The Bahamas in March 2025 as part of an American Bird Conservancy trip.

This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey Audubon hosts talk on warbler conservation
Thirty-one French nationals who joined an aid flotilla to Gaza plan to file a criminal complaint in France over what they describe as arbitrary detention and mistreatment in Israel. The Global Sumud Flotilla was stopped by the Israeli navy before reaching the Palestinian territory. One of the French participants told RFI about the conditions inside the prison where they were held.

We were treated like animals, said Yacine Haffaf, a French surgeon. It was three and a half days of daily humiliation, intimidation and abuse.

Haffaf, 69, heads Waves of Freedom, which led the French contingent of the Global Sumud Flotilla. He was on board Jeannot III, one of the vessels intercepted by the Israeli military on 3 October, and among the 31 French citizens later expelled to Athens.

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Soldiers would suddenly storm into our cell when we were sleeping, pointing guns with green laser dots at us and ordering us into a corner, he said. We realised after a while that they didnt intend to shoot but wanted to terrify us.

The Global Sumud Flotilla left Barcelona in September to challenge Israels blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The mission involved 42 boats carrying 462 civilians from 57 countries.

Most of the activists have since been released from Ketziot, a high-security prison in Israels Negev desert. The facility is mainly used to detain Palestinians accused by Israel of terrorist activity.

Israel said the flotillas true goal was provocation in the service of Hamas, not humanitarian assistance.

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National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the participants terrorists in a video shared online.

He said he is proud that the flotilla activists are being treated as terrorists. In a second video, he said that they should not be sent home immediately.

I think we must keep them in Israeli prison for a few months so they can get a taste of the terrorist wing, he added.

French lawyers representing those expelled from Israel said legal proceedings are under way.

We will file, in the coming weeks, a criminal complaint to the French public prosecutor for arbitrary detention and mistreatment of the French nationals who were in the Global Sumud Flotilla, said Lucie Simon, one of five lawyers representing them.

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Gaza flotilla boarded by Israeli navy amid calls to lift blockade

Claims of abuse in custody

Haffaf said the detainees were denied essential medicine.

One of our comrades suffered an asthma attack. We hammered on the cell door to demand medicine, but it only came 48 hours later, he said. Despite the inhumane treatment, we refused to bow down and would chant Free Palestine to the soldiers.

Several other activists described similar treatment. Tabea Zaug, a Swiss national, said detainees were treated differently depending on their skin colour and passport.

I have white skin, blue eyes, I have a Swiss passport. They treated me much better than other passengers on board, she said after her release.

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Zaheera Soomar, a South African activist, said her hijab was forcibly removed and she was stripped naked in front of Israeli soldiers. The South African group said they received harsher treatment than others.

French activist Lyna Altabal said dogs were released into the cell where she was held. FrenchPalestinian Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament for France Unbowed (LFI), told RFI she was beaten by soldiers.

French nationals on Gaza aid flotilla deported from Israel, sent to Greece

Shahd Hammouri, a lecturer in international law at the University of Kent, said Israels actions were illegal.

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The humiliating mistreatment of civilians illegally detained in an Israeli prison is a violation of their human rights and of the torture convention, she told RFI.

Hammouri added that Israel acted unlawfully by seizing the ships in international waters and transferring the detainees to Israeli territory. Israel does not have the authority to cross the borders with them, she said.

Under the law of occupation, you should never hold people you catch outside the territory where you caught them.

She also rejected Israels claim that Palestine has no recognised borders.

The International Criminal Court, one of the highest courts in the world, rejected these claims in a 2021 judgment and confirmed that Palestine is a sovereign state under international law, Hammouri said.

Return to Greece

Thirty-one French nationals were expelled from Israel to Greece on 6 October. During their detention, they received consular protection from the French government.

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A French diplomatic source said the Consulate General in Tel Aviv stayed in contact with Israeli authorities and the families of those detained. In Athens, consular staff met the group at the airport to help arrange their return home.

The source said officials helped them find flights, contact relatives, and, if needed, book accommodation for the night.

But Haffaf disputed this account.

They brought chocolates and protein bars and explained that the French government would not pay for the plane fare to Paris, he said.

We were left to fend for ourselves in Greece. Thank God for the wonderfully generous Greeks who came to greet us with music at the airport.

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He said Greek supporters brought food and clothes, since the group was still wearing prison uniforms, and hosted them overnight. We had nothing, no money, no phone, nothing, he said.

It is true that we knew the risks, but I thought our government would step forward and take care of us in our hour of need.

Possible action against France

Lawyer Simon said that her team is considering taking the French state before the administrative court of justice for failing to protect French citizens wrongfully arrested in international waters and arbitrarily detained in an Israeli prison.

She argued that the government should have done more.

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Consular protection means protection before their arrests, protection through diplomatic channels or by sending a vessel like Spain and Italy to escort the flotilla and more specifically the French nationals, she said.

Warning them of the risks before they travelled to Gaza is not enough, she added.

She compared the governments stance to what she called the short skirt theory.

Youre wearing a short skirt, so you know that you might get raped. Its the same theory. I cannot understand that a state bound by international law can behave like that towards its citizens, Simon said.

Meanwhile, MEP Rima Hassan is calling for strikes and blockades  similar to those in Italy and Spain  to increase pressure on the French government over its response to events in Palestine.

Looking ahead

Back in Paris, Haffaf  who has carried out humanitarian work in conflict zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen  said that while he usually manages to return to normal life after a mission, this time is different.

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"I am completely exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. It has been a roller coaster of emotions. Staring down the barrel of a gun is not the same as operating under bombs in Gaza, he said.

Like most of the activists, he plans to volunteer again.

This mission created a huge impact in mobilising the hearts and minds of citizens across the world, he said. We may not have succeeded in breaking the blockade this time, but we opened a way. We mobilised more people and more resources for future flotillas to Gaza.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  For the first time ever, FSU Panama City and Northwest Florida Health Network have partnered to host a community resource expo.

Sixty vendors attended and shared information about how they can help with everything from mental health and substance abuse issues to domestic violence, housing, and food insecurity.

This magnificent event, this resource expo, this great partnership between Northwest Florida Health and FSU Panama City a reality today with 60 vendors, said Irvin Clark, Associate Dean of Student and Strategic Initiatives. Our expectation was 50. And we exceeded that by ten. So it is a great day, not just for Bay County, but for the Northwest Florida region.

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Organizers were expecting at least 200 people from the area to attend the resource expo.

With this event, we wanted to bring together all of these different community partners to build a better system of care for the families in Northwest Florida, and especially right here in Bay County. So if somebody needs something, they know where to go to get it. But also for providers to learn the other providers that are available to connect with, and just to build that better referral system within our community, said Maryann Roberts, NWF Health Director of Community Relations.

Northwest Florida Health serves 18 Panhandle counties, but this is the first time the organization has partnered with FSU Panama City.

For those who could not make it to the resource expo and want to know their local community resources, download the Northwest Florida Health Connect app and enter your zip code, or click here.

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Northwest Florida Health and FSU PC officials hope to make this an annual event.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
HOLYOKE  Ex-City Counselor Wilmer Puello-Mota  now a fugitive serving in the Russian Army having fled a Rhode Island child pornography prosecution  shouldnt be able to vote in citys upcoming election, says Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin.

Debra OMalley, director of communications for Galvin, said inmates incarcerated on a felony dont have the right to vote in Massachusetts.

Secretary Galvin says he doesnt qualify (to vote) based on the idea that if he had ... remained (he) would have been incarcerated, OMalley said.

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Allowing Puello-Mota to vote would mean that a felon could retain voting rights by fleeing, according to Galvins thinking, OMalley said.

Thats even if Holyoke decides to send him a ballot, a question likely headed to the citys normally-under-the-radar Board of Registrars of Voters, said Brenna Murphy Leary, city clerk and registrar.

Puello-Mota fled to Russia in early 2024, just as he was about to answer a charge of possession of child sex abuse images in Rhode Island. Hes also charged there with obstruction of the judicial system, forgery and counterfeiting. He would have served 18 months.

A veteran of the Air Force who served in Afghanistan, Puello-Mota joined the Russian Army against Ukraine and started appearing in Russian propaganda videos.

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Then, in the last few weeks, he started sending emails to Holyoke officials, seeking an absentee ballot for the upcoming Holyoke municipal election.

Puello-Mota, who sued the city to regain his council seat as part of this saga, has provided the city with a mailing address in Russia.

The Republican has filed a freedom of information request seeking Puello-Motas emails to the city.

Usually, a fugitive would not try and contact the government, OMalley said. In this case, the fugitive is in a country without an extradition treaty.

Police in Warwick, Rhode Island, where Puello-Mota was arrested in 2021 and from where he fled prosecution in 2024  are aware that hes been in contact with Holyoke City Hall and are investigating, said Lt. Gavin McVeigh.

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Puello-Mota reported the robbery of a firearm to Warwick police in 2020, and police later found explicit images of a 17-year-old girl on his phone. Theyd met on a sugar daddy website.

Prosecutors in Rhode Island also said Puello-Mota later faked Air National Guard documents and statements from his commanders in an attempt to get a lenient sentence.

Holyoke City Solicitor Lisa Ball said the city has a duty to investigate a voters eligibility.

Despite the Russian mailing address, Puello-Mota is listed as a Holyoke resident in the most recent city census.

Leary said she is likely to put the matter to the board, which most often meets to get big-picture updates on voting rolls and ballot access, and rarely takes up individual cases like this one.

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But that meeting is not yet set.

And then there is the practical matter of actually getting a ballot in Puello-Motas hands, Leary said. The U.S. Postal Service suspended international mail acceptance to Russia when it attacked Ukraine in March 2022.

Stories by Jim Kinney

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Palestinian families have begun returning to decimated Gaza City, as Israel continued deadly attacks on the enclave until the Israeli military said the first phase of the ceasefire deal went into effect at 12:00pm (09:00 GMT).

According to a military update on Friday, the Israeli army positioned themselves in the latest deployment lines, in accordance with the outline of the ceasefire agreement. The Israeli forces in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to operate to eliminate any immediate threat, it added.

President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff said on X said that the Israeli military had completed the first phase of withdrawal in Gaza and the 72-hour period for the release of captives had commenced.

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Tens of thousands of Palestinians have now been making the long and pained journey toward northern Gaza after the ceasefire took effect.

Earlier, as displaced families from the southern parts of the enclave moved north on Friday, Israel launched a deadly attack from helicopters on a site east of Gaza City and conducted air attacks in the southern Khan Younis area, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

Sources at Gaza Citys al-Ahli Hospital confirmed to Al Jazeera that the bodies of seven people had been recovered from several areas in Gaza City since Friday morning.

There were no initial reports of casualties in the attacks on Khan Younis, which also included rounds of shelling and heavy tank fire north of the city, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

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The attacks are the first to be reported in Gaza since Israels government ratified the first phase of a ceasefire deal with Hamas late on Thursday night.

The attacks took place as Al Jazeeras team on the ground reported Israel had started to pull its troops back behind the line agreed under the Gaza deal.





What is controversial is that there has been high activity of Israeli drones, fighter jets and even warships from the early hours of this morning, said Al Jazeeras Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Nuseirat in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza.

Abu Azzoum said families had started moving towards the north of the Strip, but were still waiting to enter the areas in the Netzarim Corridor, where the Israeli army used to operate.

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They are waiting for the last Israeli tank to leave the region to enter the territory, he said.

Gazas civil defence warned people to keep away from the border areas of Gaza City until the official announcement of the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Gazas police force said officers would fulfil their duties of serving and supporting citizens, and protecting public and private property, urging people to be extremely cautious and to look out for suspicious objects, hazardous waste, and unexploded bombs when returning to their homes.

Amjad Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGOs Network, told Al Jazeera that Palestinians were exercising their right to return, illustrating the failure of Israel in its efforts to deport the Palestinians from their land.

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He said his network had held intensive meetings with United Nations agencies and international NGOs to provide services to returning people as soon as possible.

Earlier, Israels government approved phase one of a ceasefire agreement, which will see captives exchanged and Israel withdraw from parts of Gaza, but details of how it fits into a wider plan to bring lasting peace, if at all, remain unclear.

Khalil al-Hayya, the head of Hamass negotiating team, said the group has received guarantees from the United States and mediators that an agreement on a first phase of the ceasefire agreement means the war in Gaza has ended completely.

The Israeli governments ratification of the peace plan, which was confirmed in the early hours of Friday morning, paves the way for fighting in Gaza to stop within 24 hours, while Hamas has been given a 72-hour timeline to free Israeli captives.

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Palestines Quds News Network reported that Gaza residents who left the Strip from Egypt will be allowed to return home through the Rafah crossing for the first time since October 7, 2023. Gaza residents will also be allowed to exit to Egypt.

About 600 aid trucks will be allowed to enter Gaza daily, with traffic circulating freely from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip on Salah al-Din and Rashid roads.




Tony Blair, the man being tapped by U.S. President Donald Trump to help oversee governance of a postwar Gaza, has ample experience with peace processes.

As British prime minister, Blair helped usher through the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that did much to end decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. After leaving office, he was also special envoy to the so-called Quartet  a diplomatic effort to find a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent devastation in Gaza, described recently as genocide by a U.N. body, make clear, that attempt failed.

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The 20-point peace plan that negotiators are currently discussing in Egypt is light on details. But it outlines the return of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the creation of an international security force to operate on the ground. Notably, the plan does not support the removal of Palestinians from Gaza  something that was present in previous proposals by the Trump administration and which human rights advocates noted amounts to ethnic cleansing.

On Oct. 8, 2025, Trump announced that an initial phase involving the exchange of hostages for prisoners and a pause in fighting had been agreed upon. But negotiations continue on sticking points, including the disarming of the militant group.

Among other things, the deal also provisions a postwar Gaza governed by an interim technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee. This temporary body will be overseen by a Board of Peace run by Trump himself. Other unspecified members will be added, but the only one mentioned in the proposals is Blair, who according to reports had been in talks with the Trump administration for some time crafting the current peace plan.

As a scholar of international relations and Palestinian politics, I fear the proposal contains the same limitations and failings that plagued previous peace plans pushed on Palestinians from outside bodies  including both Blairs Quartet efforts and the earlier Oslo Accords  and too little of what made Northern Ireland peace stick.

A plan rooted in illiberal peace

The biggest shortcoming critics find with the current plan is that it does nothing to definitively address the right of Palestinians to self-determination and sovereignty  a right enshrined in international law.

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Nor does the plan include any meaningful Palestinian input, either through legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people or through mechanisms to ensure the Palestinian publics buy-in.

Instead, the new framework is asymmetric, providing the Israeli government many of its political objectives while imposing multiple layers of international control on and vague assurances to the Palestinian people  and only if they comply.

As such, the plan continues the trend of what political scientists describe as illiberal peace in conflict resolution.

In a 2018 paper, scholars described an illiberal peace as one in which cessation of armed conflict is achieved in ways that are  unashamedly authoritarian. Such a peace is achieved through methods that eschew genuine negotiations among parties to the conflict, reject international mediation and constraints on the use of force, disregard calls to address underlying structural causes of conflict, and instead rely on instruments of state coercion and hierarchical structures of power.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Tony Blair during their meeting in 2011. (Getty Images)

The Northern Ireland case study

That stands in contrast to peace agreements that have succeeded elsewhere using more inclusive diplomatic frameworks, like in Northern Ireland.

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For 30-plus years, the territory was engulfed in sectarian violence between the mainly Protestant loyalists who wanted to remain part of the U.K. and the Catholic minority that wished to be part of a united, independent Irish republic.

To end this armed conflict, the peace process included all relevant parties, including militant groups on all sides.

The Northern Ireland peace process also explicitly engaged with the Irish public and offered the people input through two separate referendum votes. People in Northern Ireland voted on whether to support the plan, and people in the Republic of Ireland voted on whether to authorize the Irish state to sign the agreement.

This inclusive and democratic process has been able to sustain a cessation of conflict for the past 27 years.

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While Blair didnt start the Northern Ireland peace process, his government played a pivotal role, and it was he who memorably noted the hand of history on the shoulder of those involved in the final days of negotiation.

A failed Oslo counterexample

The Northern Ireland process stands in direct contrast to many of the failed peace processes attempted in the Middle East, which fall more in line with the illiberal peace concept.

The most serious push for lasting peace was the Oslo Accords in 1993, in which the Palestine Liberation Organization accepted Israels right to exist, forgoing its claims to much of historic Palestine, in return for Israels acknowledgment of the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

That process led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority, which was meant to exercise limited governance on an interim basis, and presidential and parliamentary elections in order to facilitate the input of the Palestinian public. But as many former U.S. officials have since admitted, the accords were asymmetric: They offered Palestinians recognition under the PLO but little pathway to achieve a negotiated solution under conditions of occupation by a far more powerful sovereign country.

President Clinton applauds Yasir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin September 13, 1993 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

That peace process fell apart when that asymmetry became clear. The two parties meant very different things when they used the word state. The Israel government envisioned some form of limited self-governance for the Palestinians and continued its settlement expansion and military occupation. The Palestinians, on the other hand, envisioned a legitimate state exercising sovereignty.

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Adding to the problems, Palestinians never had equal negotiating power, and the accords lacked a neutral arbiter in the U.S., the leading mediator.

Oslo was intended to be a time-limited process to give negotiators space to resolve outstanding conflict issues. In practice, it served to give long-term diplomatic cover for a status quo in which Israeli governments moved away from a two-state solution while Palestinians became more politically and geographically fragmented under worsening hardship and violence.

The Oslo peace process fell apart in the early years of Blairs government, at the same time as he was helping put the finishing touches on the Good Friday Agreement.

The necessity of public buy-in and an inclusive process was evident to many onlookers to the divergent fortunes of both peace processes.

Repeating failed lessons in Gaza?

In the Israeli-Palestinian context today, Blair risks repeating the mistakes of Oslo. He is poised to sit on an undemocratic international body overseeing a people under a de facto military occupation.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair gestures during a visit to the West Bank. (Getty Images)

Further, while the Trump plan is reliant on Hamas approval, there is no role for the group after the initial stage. In fact, the framework explicitly states that Hamas must be excised from any future discussions of postwar Gaza. Moreover, no other Palestinian group has any direct involvement; Hamas main rival Fatah  the party that is in control of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank  is only briefly mentioned. As for that Palestinian Authority, there is only a vague line about reforming the body.

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Similarly, there has been no mention of what the Palestinian people might actually want. In this way, the body being proposed recalls the creation of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority during the invasion of Iraq. That body governed Iraq immediately following the invasion and was criticized for corruption and lack of transparency.

The failure of the Iraq War, and the U.K.s involvement in it, contributed to Blairs resignation as prime minister in 2007, after which he took on the role of special envoy to the Quartet. Led by the U.N., U.S., EU and Russia, the Quartet was tasked with preserving some form of the two-state solution and implementing economic development plans in Palestinian cities.

But it, too, failed to address the changing political realities on the ground as Israeli settlements expanded and the military occupation deepened.

The underlying assumption about the Quartet, critics contend, is that it largely ignored the Palestinian right to self-determination and sovereignty; rather, it focused on marginally improving economic conditions and Band-Aid initiatives.

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The latest U.S.-backed proposal cribs heavily from the approach. Even if it does bring about a welcome respite from the suffering in Gaza in the short term, I believe a durable, mutually agreed upon resolution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires what Trumps plan sidelines: Palestinian self-determination.

In Northern Ireland, Blair once understood the importance of neutral mediation and the buy-in of all parties to the conflict and the people themselves. The plan he is involved with now appears to be operating with a far different calculus.

Dana El Kurd, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post Gaza Peace Plan Echoes Tony Blairs Failures, Not His Wins appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
The property sectors troubles trace back to a 2021 regulatory crackdown on excessive developer borrowing, which triggered a liquidity crisis and left numerous projects incomplete. While Beijing has recently shifted its focus toward stabilising the housing market by easing mortgage rules and encouraging city-specific support, structural headwinds persist. A shrinking population, stagnant income growth and an oversupply of homes continue to erode sentiment.

For years, Chinas urbanisation boom fuelled a construction frenzy and a wave of prosperity that boosted demand for luxury goods. That cycle has now reversed. After a decade of overbuilding, many cities are left with unsold apartments and half-finished developments. The slowdown in real estate construction has rippled through the economy, leading to layoffs, unpaid debts, and a decline in household wealth  all of which weigh heavily on discretionary spending, including premium car purchases.

Several factors explain the downturn. Competition has intensified as local automakers such as BYD, NIO, Xpeng and Li Auto launch cheaper electric models, igniting a relentless price war that has squeezed margins across the industry. At the same time, consumer confidence in China has weakened amid a deep property slump and broader economic uncertainty.

That momentum, however, contrasts sharply with BMWs performance in China  historically its largest single market  where sales dropped 11.2% to 464,971 vehicles. The weakness in China has become a major drag on global results and a central reason behind BMWs cautious outlook.

Between January and September 2025, BMW Group delivered roughly 1.8 million BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles worldwide, marking a modest 2.4% increase from the same period a year earlier. Growth was strongest in Western markets: sales in Europe rose 8.6% to 737,641 units, while deliveries in the Americas climbed 9.8% to 363,101 vehicles.

On October 7, the BMW Group revised down its 2025 financial guidance, pointing to weaker-than-expected demand in China as the main drag on performance. The announcement triggered an 8.25% drop in the share price, extending its monthly decline to 9.62% as of October 8. Despite the setback, the stock remains up 21.35% over the past six months, reflecting investors broader confidence in the brands longer-term prospects. The question now is whether this profit warning marks a temporary setback  or an early signal of deeper challenges for the German automaker. Lets take a closer look:

Story continues

As property values fall and household wealth contracts, Chinese consumers have turned more cautious. The countrys slowing growth and persistent trade tensions with the U.S. have only added to the uncertainty  leaving automakers like BMW facing not just cyclical weakness, but potentially a structural shift in demand for luxury vehicles in their once most profitable market.

The China Drag: Sales Below Expectation are Clouding BMWs Outlook

BMW has lowered its 2025 financial guidance after weaker-than-expected performance in China weighed on global results. The companys Chinese sales fell short of forecasts, forcing a downward revision to its fourth-quarter volume outlook. However, the challenges extend beyond demand weakness. BMW also cited delays in major customs duty reimbursements as a factor impacting cash flow, noting that a high three-digit million euro sum expected from U.S. and German authorities will likely be received in 2026 instead of this year.

BMW now expects its Automotive EBIT margin to land at the lower end of the 5% to 6% range. The Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) for the Automotive segment has been revised to 8%10%, down from the previous 9%13% forecast. Group earnings before tax are now projected to decline slightly year-on-year, rather than staying flat. Meanwhile, the outlook for free cash flow in the Automotive segment has been sharply reduced from above 5 billion to above 2.5 billion.

The company also pointed out that anticipated tariff reductions have yet to fully take effect, adding further uncertainty to its near-term profitability outlook.

Is BMW a Buy Following its Recent Profit Warning?

BMWs recent profit warning has raised questions about whether the automakers long-term growth story remains intact. While the revision reflects short-term headwinds, particularly in China, the broader picture suggests the company retains solid fundamentals and strategic opportunities for recovery.

The weakness in Chinese sales is largely a reflection of broader economic conditions rather than company-specific issues. The countrys property sector remains under pressure, weighing on consumer confidence and luxury demand. This slowdown has affected the entire German premium segment: Porsche has issued multiple profit warnings this year, while Mercedes-Benz recently reported a 12% drop in quarterly sales, both citing weaker Chinese demand and the impact of U.S. tariffs. Against this backdrop, BMWs volume decline appears more cyclical than structural.

Looking ahead, analysts such as JPMorgan argue that BMWs ability to stabilize sales momentum and pricing power in China during fiscal year 2026 will be key to sustaining its long-term competitiveness. The companys strong brand equity gives it a foundation to do so. BMW remains one of the worlds most valuable automotive names, associated with engineering excellence, innovation, and premium performance  qualities that continue to support pricing resilience and customer loyalty even in a slowing market.

Moreover, BMWs diversified product portfolio, spanning the BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad brands, allows it to target multiple luxury segments and adapt to shifting consumer preferences, particularly in the fast-growing electric and hybrid space. This diversification remains one of its major advantages over single-brand competitors.

From a market perspective, BMW shares have gained more than 21% over the past six months but are up only 2.19% year-to-date in 2025. Trading around 80, the stock still sits well below its all-time high of roughly 116 reached in 2015, leaving potential upside if the company can demonstrate resilience in China and maintain steady execution in its Western markets.

Daily BMW Chart  Source: TradingView

Sources: Reuters, Wall Street Journal, News Com AU, South China Morning Post, BMW Investors

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
By Alexander Cornwell and Nidal al-Mughrabi

JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Thousands of displaced Palestinians streamed back towards their abandoned homes on Friday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect and Israeli troops began pulling back from parts of Gaza.

A massive column of displaced Gazans filed north through the dust and rubble towards Gaza City, the enclave's biggest urban area, which had been under attack just days ago in one of Israel's biggest offensives of the war.

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"Thank God my house is still standing," said Ismail Zayda, 40, in the Sheikh Radwan area in Gaza City. "But the place is destroyed, my neighbours' houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone."

The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement had been activated at noon local time (0900 GMT). Israel's government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday, clearing the way to partially pull back troops and fully suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours.

Hamas is expected to release the 20 living Israeli hostages within 72 hours, after which Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving long terms in Israeli prisons, as well as 1,700 others detained in Gaza during the war.

Once the agreement is operating, trucks carrying food and medical aid will surge into Gaza to help civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes and razed entire cities.

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The first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from some of Gaza's major urban areas, though they will still control roughly half of the enclave's territory.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would stay in Gaza to ensure the territory was demilitarised and Hamas disarmed in future stages of Trump's plan: "If this is achieved the easy way then that will be good, and if not then it will be achieved the hard way."

ISRAELI FORCES PULL OUT OF POSITIONS IN CENTRE, SOUTH

In Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, some Israeli troops pulled back from the eastern area near the border, but tank shelling was heard, according to residents in contact with Reuters.

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In Nusseirat camp in the centre of the enclave, some Israeli soldiers dismantled their position and headed east towards the Israeli border, but other troops remained in the area after gunfire was heard in the early hours of Friday.

Israeli forces pulled out from the road along the Mediterranean coast into Gaza City.

"As soon as we heard the news of the truce and ceasefire, we were very happy and got ready to go back to Gaza City, to our homes. Of course there are no homes - they've been destroyed," said Mahdi Saqla, 40.

"But we are happy just to return to where our homes were, even over the rubble. That too is a great joy. For two years we've been suffering, displaced from place to place."

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Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin urged residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under Israeli military control. "Keep to the agreement and ensure your safety," he said on Friday.

HAMAS GAZA LEADER SAYS HE HAS RECEIVED GUARANTEES WAR IS OVER

The war has deepened Israel's international isolation and upended the Middle East, spreading into a regional conflict that drew in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. It also tested the U.S.-Israeli relationship, with Trump seeming to lose patience with Netanyahu and pressuring him to reach a deal.

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that provoked it.

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The exiled Gaza chief of Hamas, Khalil Al-Hayya, said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over.

Twenty Israeli hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer than releasing those who are alive.

HURDLES REMAIN

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Much could still go wrong. The sides have yet to publish the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli hostages. Hamas is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails.

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Further steps in Trump's 20-point plan have yet to be agreed. Those include how the demolished Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends, and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

The Hamas-run interior ministry said on Friday it would deploy security forces in areas where the Israeli army withdrew. It was not immediately clear whether fighters would return to the streets in significant numbers as they did during earlier ceasefires, a move sure to be viewed by Israel as a provocation.

Trump said he would head to the region on Sunday, possibly to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana invited him to address the Israeli parliament.

Hamas triggered the conflict when it stormed Israeli communities and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jersualem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; Additional reporting by Ahmed Eleimam, Jana Chouceir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, Mahmoud Issa; writing by Michael Georgy; editing by Peter Graff and Mark Heinrich)
By Alexander Cornwell and Nidal al-Mughrabi

JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Thousands of displaced Palestinians trekked over the wastelands of Gaza to return to the ruins of their abandoned homes on Friday, after a ceasefire took effect and Israeli troops began pulling back under the agreement to end the war.

A huge column of people filed on foot north along the coastal road overlooking sandy beaches towards Gaza City, the enclave's biggest urban area, which had been under attack just days ago in one of Israel's biggest offensives of the war.

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"Thank God my house is still standing," Ismail Zayda, 40, said in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City. "But the place is destroyed, my neighbours' houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone."

In the south, people picked their way through the dusty moonscape that was once Gaza's second largest city Khan Younis, which Israeli forces razed earlier this year. Most walked in silence. A boy teetered under a foam mattress.

A middle-aged man, Ahmed al-Brim, was pushing a bicycle with bundles of scrap timber tied to the front and back: his family would need the firewood to cook. It was all they had been able to recover from the ruins of their home.

"We went to our area. It was exterminated. We don't know where we will go after that," he said. "We couldn't get the furniture, or clothes, or anything, not even winter clothes. Nothing is left."

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NETANYAHU: HAMAS MUST DISARM 'THE EASY WAY' OR 'THE HARD WAY'

The Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement had been activated at noon local time (0900 GMT).

The first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group gives Israeli troops 24 hours to pull from positions in urban areas, although they will still hold more than half of Gaza.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces were staying in Gaza to ensure Hamas was disarmed: "If this is achieved the easy way then that will be good, and if not then it will be achieved the hard way."

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As the day wore on and it became clear troops were no longer blocking the roads into cities, an initial trickle turned into a flood of Palestinians returning from makeshift tented camps to the homes they had left behind.

Mahdi Saqla, 40, said his family had decided to set off north towards Gaza City as soon as they heard the news of the ceasefire.

"Of course there are no homes - they've been destroyed," he said. "But we are happy just to return to where our homes were, even over the rubble. That too is a great joy. For two years we've been suffering, displaced from place to place."

Israel's government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday. Once Israeli troops have pulled back, Hamas has 72 hours to release the 20 living Israeli hostages it is still holding. Israel will free 250 Palestinians serving long terms in its prisons and 1,700 detainees captured during the war. Hundreds of trucks per day are expected to surge into Gaza carrying food and medical aid.

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Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin urged residents of Gaza to avoid entering areas under Israeli military control: "Keep to the agreement and ensure your safety," he said on Friday.

HAMAS GAZA LEADER SAYS HE RECEIVED GUARANTEES WAR IS OVER

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and to return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attack that provoked it.

The exiled Gaza chief of Hamas, Khalil Al-Hayya, said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over.

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During the Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities and a music festival on October 7, 2023, fighters killed 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages.

Twenty hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer than releasing those who are alive.

HURDLES REMAIN

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Much could still go wrong. The sides have yet to publish the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli hostages. Hamas is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails.

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Further steps in Trump's 20-point plan have yet to be agreed. Those include how the demolished Gaza Strip is to be ruled when fighting ends, and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

The Hamas-run interior ministry said it would deploy security forces in areas where the Israeli army withdrew. It was not clear whether armed militants would return to the streets in significant numbers, a move Israel would see as a provocation.

Trump said he would head to the region on Sunday, possibly to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt, and Israeli police said they were preparing for a visit by him on Monday.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; additional reporting by Mahmoud Issa in Gaza, Ahmed Eleimam, Jana Chouceir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, Howard Goller in New York; writing by Michael Georgy and Peter Graff; editing by Mark Heinrich)
BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government plans to order more than 600 Skyranger 30 short-range air defence systems from Rheinmetall before the end of the year, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Friday, citing defence ministry and industry sources.

The contract for the turret and vehicle, in this case the Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle manufactured jointly with the Franco-German defense company KNDS, is valued at more than nine billion euros ($10 billion), reported Handelsblatt.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius last week said Germany would initiate the procurement of several hundred Skyranger tanks in the coming months. So far, 19 have been ordered.

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"I don't want to talk about numbers," said a German defence ministry spokesperson at regular government news conference in Berlin on Friday when asked about the order for 600 tanks.

Rheinmetall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rheinmetall's Skyranger mobile air defence systems is specially developed to defend against low-flying objects.

Air defence has come into focus in Europe amid mounting concern that Russia could be behind a growing number of recent drone incursion in the airspace of Ukraine's European allies.

The Kremlin has denied any involvement.

($1 = 0.8637 euros)

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Kirsti Knolle)
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH)  A subpoena for the testimony of Gov. Ned Lamont has been served at the Office of the Attorney General of Connecticut in relation to the bribery trial of Lamonts former state deputy budget director, Konstantinos Kosta Diamantis.

Norm Pattis, the defense attorney for Diamantis, has requested Lamonts testimony and described the subpoena as akin to an insurance policy in the event he chooses to actually call the governor to the stand.

Third day of Diamantis bribery trial concludes

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Mr. Diamantis will testify, and then we will see what is necessary thereafter, Pattis said.

We have accepted service on behalf of the Governor and will respond accordingly, said Elizabeth Benton, spokesperson for Connecticuts attorney general.

The governor can motion to quash the subpoena.

Rob Blanchard, a spokesperson for the governor, released the following statement about the subpoena:

The subpoena was issued by counsel for the Defendant. Governor Lamont is not a party to this case and has no involvement in the underlying criminal allegations. Attorney Rueckert is reviewing the subpoena and will discuss the matter with defense counsel and the Government. He will then respond as appropriate through the legal process on the issue of whether the testimony is relevant, necessary or meaningful to the case before the Court. The Governor and other public officials have only been identified as potential third-party witnesses by both sides in the case due to their potential knowledge regarding the projects involved in the case.

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Rueckert is with the law firm Shipman & Goodwin.

Federal prosecutors allege that Diamantis demanded and received thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors hired for school construction projects between 2018 and 2021.

The 69-year-old was charged with 22 counts, including two counts of extortion, two counts of bribery, two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and 14 counts of making a false statement. Diamantis was arrested last year and has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The charges are tied to his previous role as director of the Connecticut Office of School Construction Grants and Review. The indictment alleges that Diamantis demanded and received bribes from Acranom, a masonry contractor in Middlefield, as well as from the companys president and vice president. Diamantis also allegedly used his official position to obtain and maintain contracts for them for state-funded school construction projects.

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The 35-page indictment further alleges he demanded and received bribes from the owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, or CAP, to assist CAP in obtaining contracts to provide construction administrator and related services on construction projects.

In the fall of 2021, Lamonts office was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury seeking documents related to the school construction program that funds hundreds of millions of dollars in projects statewide.

Diamantis was the deputy secretary at Connecticuts Office of Policy Management until he was placed on paid administrative leave in October 2021. On the same day, he submitted a letter of resignation and his retirement.

Thursday marks day four of Diamantis trial.

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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 WTNH.com.
Follow our live updates on Hurricane Priscilla for the latest on weather impacts.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a ground stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport because of rainy weather on Thursday, Oct. 9.

The ground stop was ordered at 2:45 p.m., remained in effect until 4 p.m., and was reimposed from 5:30 p.m. to about 6:20 p.m., according to the FAA.

As of 6:20 p.m., dozens of flights were delayed, most less than 2 hours, according to the Sky Harbor website.

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Sky Harbor could experience further delays through the weekend as moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Priscilla moves into Arizona. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch, effective from noon on Friday, Oct. 10, to midnight on Sunday, Oct. 12.

How many flights were delayed at Phoenix Sky Harbor?

Sky Harbor experienced 334 delayed flights on Thursday, though no flights were canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

What does a ground stop mean when flying?

The FAA can order a ground stop when it's not safe for flights to take off or land at an airport.

It can also order a ground delay, which is when flights destined for an airport experiencing adverse conditions must delay their takeoffs, according to the FAA.

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The FAA can order a ground delay or ground stop, but it does not cancel flights.

No 'nonsoon': Late gush of rain marks a wet end to Arizona monsoon

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist whos covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republics consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Flights delayed at Phoenix airport Thursday ahead of wet weekend
Tennis fans take shelter during a rain delay during at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

What's in a name? For weather fanatics and casual observers, it's always a good time to deploy weather words. Going deeper down that rabbit hole, the National Weather Service (NWS) maintains a glossary with over 2,000 terms, phrases and abbreviations, proof that our relationship with weather is not just atmospheric but also linguistic.

During a late-season monsoon event in Phoenix in September 2025, a local meteorologist described the deluge of rain and accompanying hail as a "gullywasher." It's one of the many artful terms we use to talk about heavy rain, from "toad-stranglers" in the South to the "pineapple express" in California, alongside more technical terms like flash flood or cloudburst.

Here's a look at some of the quirkiest and most regionally distinct ways we talk about torrential rain and what, if anything, those terms tell us about the weather itself:

Gullywashers

A gullywasher is a slang term for a usually short, heavy rainstorm strong enough to send torrents of water rushing through ditches and ravines, language that is especially used in the Midwest and the West. The term mixes "gully," a small valley or drainage channel carved by running water, with "washer," capturing how the storm quite literally swabs the landscape clean.

Rain water rushes into storm drains as K-Rails protect homes in the background in an area that sits below where the 2009 Station Fire occurred and is now in danger of flooding, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010, in La Canada Flintridge, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It's the kind of rain that floods streets, rattles rooftops and vanishes almost as quickly as it arrives, leaving behind mud, puddles and, of course, that distinctive post-storm smell.

Toad-strangler and frog-strangler

A toad-strangler is a Southern classic, a vivid bit of regional slang for a rain so heavy it could drown a toad trying to hop across the road. The term likely originated in the South, where torrential downpours are common, especially during summer thunderstorms. A toad-strangler usually strikes hard and fast, turning dirt paths into streams and filling roadside ditches within minutes. Like a gullywasher, there's a bit more lore here than science, but it perfectly captures that mix of humor and healthy respect this part of the country brings to weather.

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Closely related to the toad-strangler, a frog-strangler is another Southern gem, used across the Gulf states and lower Mississippi Valley to describe a rainstorm so intense it might drown the local amphibian population. Like its cousin, it's all about brief, torrential rain, capable of turning a quaint front yard into a full-fledged pond in minutes.

The Pineapple Express

The Pineapple Express either sounds like a fun train ride or a cocktail, but it's actually meteorological shorthand for an atmospheric river - a long plume of moisture streaming from the tropical Pacific near Hawaii toward the U.S. West Coast. When it occurs, usually in California, Oregon or Washington during the winter months, it can deliver days of steady rain or even catastrophic flooding. The name nods to its Hawaiian origin and to the tropical moisture it carries, rain that can refill parched reservoirs or push them past their limits.

AccuWeather.com

For instance, California experienced a whopping 38 atmospheric rivers during the 2022-2023 water year. Los Angeles alone received 31.07 inches of rain, more than double the historical average.

Cloudburst

A cloudburst is one of the most dramatic words in the weather dossier. It describes a sudden, violent downpour with extraordinary rainfall rates, sometimes more than several inches in an hour. The term evokes the image of a cloud quite literally "bursting" open, dumping its contents all at once.

A wet downburst can be seen as a ball of rain descending from the sky (NWS).

A wet downburst or wet microburst is the meteorological term for a cloud that drops all its rain at once.

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Cloudbursts are rare but dangerous, especially in mountainous or desert areas where the ground cannot absorb water quickly. They often trigger flash floods within minutes. The term is especially used in the U.K. and India, where it can describe the localized, intense downpours in Himalayan regions like Uttarakhand and Kashmir.

Gullywhumper

Less common but too good to leave out, a gully-whumper is an old Western term for a storm that packs not just heavy rain but also fierce wind and thunder. The phrase captures the reality of a storm strong enough to "whump" the gullies and shake the homestead. Although mostly fazed out of modern use, it's a reminder that people who lived 100 years ago had a knack for making their weather sound as wild as it felt.
Hello parents, teachers and students of Belleville and the metro-east.

Im Madison Lammert, the education reporter here at the Belleville News-Democrat. This is my first edition of Education Matters, a one-stop resource for education news, notes and honors for the metro-east.

Look for this column online and in print twice a month. In the meantime, if you have an item youd like to be considered for inclusion, email me at mlammert@bnd.com . Please put Education Matters in the subject line.

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Lets get started.

Honor Roll

The Whiteside Warriors, winners of the SIJHSAA baseball championship.

Mark your calendar

Belleville West Little Theatres annual fall play is These Shining Lives, which chronicles young womens resilience after they were exposed to radiation when working at the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 through Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Belleville West Performing Arts Center, 4063 Frank Scott Parkway West. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults, and can be purchased online .

Friday, Oct. 17 is Wolf Branch Parent Teacher Committees fall festival. The event runs from 4 - 7 p.m. at Wolf Branch Elementary school and promises food trucks, vendors, games and more. Wolverines can get tickets and discounted armbands ahead of time online.

The East St. Louis Flyers Senior Night is also Friday, Oct. 17. Theyll face OFallon High School at 7 p.m., and ESTL alum are encouraged to compete for best tailgate set up, according to the districts Facebook page .

Parent resource round up

Belleville Parks and Recreation offers a Schools Out, Camps In program for children ages 5-12 on days local districts dont have school. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nichols Community Center and is $35 per camper, but before and after care are available for an additional cost. For more details, visit the Nichols Community Centers page on Bellevilles website .

T-Mobiles Project 10Million provides free internet access for eligible students, as East St. Louis School District 189 shared on its Facebook page . More information can be found at T-Mobile.com/Project10Million .

In Case You Missed It

These last few weeks were big for local education news, and it can be hard to keep up with everything. Lucky for you, weve compiled major headlines below.
[Source]

Jasmine Ikeda, an activist born in Hawaii, was among 479 people detained when Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on Oct. 1. The civilian-led convoy is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which included participants from more than 30 countries such as climate advocate Greta Thunberg, aimed to deliver food and medical supplies to the besieged enclave. Israeli authorities have deported many of those held, including Thunberg, but there has been no official confirmation regarding Ikedas current status or whereabouts as of this writing.

Message before detention: We are preparing for interception, Ikeda said in a short Instagram video before her detention. Please put pressure on the government to bring us home safely and to stop the genocide for Palestine this is devastating. The activist, who had been living on Orcas Island in Washington state, worked for environmental and Indigenous rights throughout the Pacific. Thunberg, who was later deported to Greece, described the groups mission as a peaceful humanitarian effort and said, We will continue until Gaza is free and people get the aid they desperately need.

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Reports from detainees: Most of the detained activists were held at Ketziot Prison, a high-security facility in the Negev desert primarily used to detain Palestinians accused of militant activity. By Oct. 6, 341 detainees had been deported, including 171 flown to Greece and Slovakia. Several deported participants alleged they were subjected to physical and verbal abuse in custody, including sleep and medication deprivation, beatings, dogs being set upon them, being forced to sleep on the floor and being made to watch footage of the Hamas attacks on Israel from 2023. Israeli authorities denied the allegations, saying detainees were treated according to legal standards.

Calls for Ikedas safe return: Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington, who represents Ikedas district of residence, said his office is working with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Israel to provide consular assistance. I am monitoring the situation closely to ensure Jasmine is provided with humane treatment while in custody, legal due process, and is released immediately from Israeli detention, Larsen said in a public statement. In Hawaii, community groups and human rights advocates have called for Ikedas safe return and for transparency from both Israeli and U.S. authorities regarding the treatment of detainees.

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Acorns are dropping across Connecticut but depending on where you live, you may see and hear a lot or none at all.

Scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station are reporting a highly variable year for acorn production in the state. The findings are part of observations from 575 individual red and white oak trees at 12 locations throughout Connecticut, according to the CAES.

The findings are part of the Oak Mast Surveillance Program, a collaborative effort among several states  including Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia  who have completed their annual acorn assessments and have reported average red oak acorn crops in 2025. Except for Virginia, which had a good white oak acorn crop, all other states reported fair to poor white oak acorn crops.

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Once a common component of Connecticut forests, white oaks have diminished across the landscape in recent years due to repeated insect defoliation and drought, said Joseph Barsky, a lead forest researcher for the study. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the southern part of the state has been in abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions for most of the summer. Currently, the entire state is under abnormally dry conditions. Barsky said that prolonged drought and climate conditions can impact acorn production.

White oak trees continued to exhibit crop failures across all areas of Connecticut, a concerning trend which has been observed for the last decade. Prolonged periods without adequate white oak acorn production are leading to fewer seedlings becoming established in our forested areas, Barsky said.

Over time, this shift will lead to a reduced component of white oak in our future forest and negatively impact the existing ecological processes and associated industries that depend on white oak, he added.

But its not just in Connecticut, white oaks have been seeing a decline across the United States, according to Barsky. Several initiatives are underway to save white oaks, including the White Oak Initiative, to focus and advocate for white oak regeneration. The white oak was made the official state tree of Connecticut in 1947.

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This fall, a bumper or mast crop of acorns is occurring among red oak trees in the northwestern corner of Connecticut, while areas in the northeastern sections are experiencing a good acorn crop, scientists said. The central and southern regions of the state are experiencing an expected widespread crop failure, following a bumper crop in those areas last year, according to scientists.

Hikers may find some trails in Litchfield County this fall to be completely covered in acorns, said Barsky.

A significant increase in acorn abundance that occurs as compared to previous years is a phenomenon referred to as either a mast year or bumper crop year, officials said. Mast seasons remain a poorly understood phenomenon because scientists cant replicate the amount of variables that may be responsible for them including weather, climate, soil, chemicals and external factors.

While scientists arent quite sure why bumper crop years occur in oak trees, the phenomenon has a direct impact on wildlife such as rodents and deer.

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A bumper crop can drive several ecological processes in our forests, such as the opportunity to help maintain and perpetuate declining oak populations while providing a nutritious food source to sustain wildlife populations throughout the winter months, Barsky said.

Mice, a common carrier of Lyme disease and a well-known host for ticks, can often see their populations multiply with an abundance of acorns. The acorns act as an important food source for them over winter, according to experts at the CAES. Some mice have been found to harbor over 200 ticks, with an average of about 23 ticks per mouse, according to experts.

Masting events can also lead to higher rodent populations, which serve as primary reservoir hosts for numerous human pathogens including the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, said Dr. Scott Williams, chief scientist for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Deer on the move?

Acorns from oak trees are a vital food source for whitetail deer, especially in rutting or mating season, which begins in November. The more acorn production, the less deer have to travel to find them, leading to fewer road crossings, according to officials.

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During years when there are fewer acorns available, deer tend to move greater distances but not outside their normal home ranges living areas they have established. They are resourceful animals and browse on a wide variety of woody plants and like other animals may gravitate toward urban interfaces utilizing bird feeders and consuming ornamental plantings when available, said Andrew LaBonte, state wildlife biologist with the states Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

There is an increased risk to motorists when resources are lower. However, we also see an increase in harvest during times when fewer acorns exist as deer are moving more, which provides opportunities that may not otherwise exist when resources are abundant, Labonte said.

According to AAA, between 2019 and 2023, there were 4,791 deer crashes in Connecticut. The number of crashes varies from year to year, with 2022 having the most crashes and 2023 having the fewest. While deer collisions can happen throughout the year, the state tends to see a spike in the fall, with 417 deer-related crashes between October and December 2023, AAA data showed.

The number of deer collisions is down from the early 2000s, when the deer population was at its height, according to Labonte. In 1996, there were an estimated 150,000 deer in Connecticut.

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As the days get colder and the nights are darker longer, experts are warning Connecticut motorists to stay alert as the chances of colliding with deer are greatest during the final months of the year. According to the AAA, deer crashes are most common between October and December for two reasons: Mating season and daylight saving time.

The mating, or rutting, season for deer in Connecticut runs from late October to mid-December, with the peak being the last two weeks in November, LaBonte said. During this time, mature bucks become increasingly active and less cautious to establish dominance within their territory. Deer also commonly abandon typical daytime habits and begin moving about in search of a mate, according to DEEP.

Mating season for deer begins mid-November/December and while males are focused on chasing females, they pay little attention to much else. Females running from males the same, LaBonte said. Motorists need to be cautious especially when low light conditions exist. Laws already exist to minimize accidents such as speed limits and cell phone use while driving, if theres a time to abide by those laws, its during the rut especially.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the U.S. will soon host a Qatari air force facility in Idaho as part of the new defense treaty the Trump administration has agreed to with the controversial Gulf state.

Today, were announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, Hegseth announced alongside his Qatari counterpart, Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

In late September, President Donald Trump signed an executive order committing the U.S. to defend Qatar in the event of an attack. The order read, in part, The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.

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Hegseths announcement added some additional military cooperation to the agreement. He began by noting we are signing an additional agreement here with Qatar, and its been an interesting couple of weeks, I will say. Your Excellency. Yes. Were glad to welcome you here. Were grateful for the strong partnership that we have, the way you support our troops at Al Udeid  referring to the massive U.S. military base in Qatar.

Your Excellency, the line of communication weve had together, which has been robust ever since the beginning of this administration, and then especially since the events that have transpired over the last month. We want to thank you. I also want to thank you for the release of the Americans detained in Afghanistan, the American Amir Amiri, on September 28th, Hegseth continued, adding:

Qatar mediated that, just like you have been a core part of what has unfolded in Gazaa historic moment. No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace that we believe will be a lasting peace in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to ensure that came about. So I want to thank you for that historic peace. I look forward to joining the President as that getsits already been delivered, but as thats formally signed as well. And Im also proud that today were announcingwere signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho. The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability. Its just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, Your Excellency, that you can count on us. We saw in Midnight Hammer, in those moments when we needed support in the region, Qatar was there without a doubt, without a blink, and that has meant a great deal. Ive had the opportunity to see that firsthand operationally. I want to thank you. I want to thank your country for that, for hosting our troops, and its wonderful to welcome you to the Pentagon.

Qatar has long been a source of controversy in U.S. politics as the gas-rich country both hosts a key military installation and is an important U.S. ally in the Middle East, but at the same time plays host to Hamas leadership and is an ally of Iran. Qatar also sparked a firestorm of criticism this year when it gifted Trump a luxury jet to be used as Air Force One and later donated to his presidential library. Critics questioned what Qatar would want in return for the flying palace  estimated to be worth over $400 million before a billion-dollar retrofit to use as Air Force One.

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

The post Hegseth Announces a Qatari Emeri Air Force Facility Is to Be Built at U.S. Airbase in Idaho first appeared on Mediaite.
Botswana has introduced a new regulation requiring mining companies to sell a 24% stake in new concessions to local investors if the government opts not to purchase it.

This rule, announced by the Ministry of Minerals and Energy, took effect on 1 October, reported Reuters.

Previously, the Mines and Minerals Act allowed the government a 15% shareholding in mining concessions, with a higher stake option in diamond projects.

The southern African nation, one of the world's top diamond producers by value and a rising copper mining hub, aims to increase local ownership in its mineral wealth.

The legislation is designed to encourage local value-added initiatives and mandates that mining companies create funds dedicated to environmental rehabilitation.

During parliamentary debates on the Mines and Minerals Act amendment, the former mines minister suggested that local investors could acquire stakes in concessions with support from domestic pension funds.

Last year, a law change required these funds to reduce offshore investments from 65% to 50% over three years.

The government, through the state-owned Minerals Development Company Botswana, holds equity stakes in Morupule Coal Mine (100%), Debswana Diamond Company (50%), De Beers (15%), and indirectly in Minergy via convertible debt.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that Botswana sought to close a deal to acquire a majority stake in De Beers by the end of October as negotiations continue with Anglo American, the diamond miners controlling shareholder, and other interested buyers.

The Government of Botswana, which already holds a 15% stake in the diamond company, aims to increase that to more than 50%.

Botswana President Duma Boko then stated that talks were under way with partners, including with Omans sovereign wealth fund, to fund the acquisition.

"Botswana mandates 24% local stake in new mining concessions" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




The release of The Jockey Club's annual Report of Mares Bred is one of the truest measuring sticks for a stallion's standing in the eyes of breeders, and New York sire Bucchero made a bit of history on that front in 2025.



With 192 mares in his book Bucchero broke the record for the most mares bred in a single season by a North American stallion standing outside of Kentucky. The previous record holder was fellow New York resident Mind Control, who covered 190 mares during his debut season in 2023.



Those returns also gave Bucchero the second highest year-to-year gain in mares bred, improving by 80 mares in 2025 after being visited by 112 mares in 2024. The only horse that saw a bigger jump was Tiz the Law of Ashford Stud in Kentucky, whose book grew by 116 mares en route to leading all of North America with 274 mares bred.



It was a somewhat unconventional path to the record for the 13-year-old son of Kantharos, who stood his second season in New York this year after residing in Florida for his first five seasons at stud.

The market often gravitates toward the newest thing, but with four crops of racing age and one season already under his belt in the Empire State, Bucchero didn't necessarily have that card to play heading into the 2025 breeding season. Instead, Harlan Malter of Ironhorse Stallions said he followed a similar playbook to what worked for the stallion in Florida.



"It actually has gone exactly the same as Florida," Malter said. "We really believed in him, and as we got started talking to people, they started to believe in him too, and we got 131 mares in his first season. But, what was really the difference maker was people physically getting to see him, and through that first year of seeing what the horse is all about, we went from 131 to 161.



"When we moved him to New York, we had to really talk to people and teach them about Bucchero, and the same thing happened," he continued. "Not a lot of breeders had been in Florida to see him. They'd never laid eyes on him. We bred 112 the first year, and I think people really liked what they saw."



It helped, too, that Bucchero had a lot going for him on the racetrack. His best runner, Book'em Danno was already a Grade 1 winner heading into the breeding season, and the gelding has since added another victory at the highest level of competition since then, establishing himself as one of the top sprinters in the country. Multiple Grade 3 winner Queen Maxima also picked up high-profile wins during the breeding season to draw more eyes to the stallion at a time when mare owners could act on it.

It's not necessarily an expected outcome for an Indiana-bred who specialized in turf sprinting to become a Grade 1 sire with record popularity in the breeding shed, but Malter said he saw the potential in Bucchero from the start.



Bucchero raced for Malter's Ironhorse Racing Stable during his on-track career, winning 11 of 31 starts and earning $947,936. From debuting with a runner-up effort in an Indiana-bred stakes race at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Bucchero went on to win two editions of the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, and hold his own in the Breeders Cup and at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet.



"It's a huge arc, obviously, going from a stallion that initially I don't think checked the boxes for a traditional sire," Malter said. "I said for a long time I thought Bucchero was a Kentucky stallion in Florida, and I'll say the same thing here. I think Bucchero's a Kentucky stallion standing in New York.



"Here's the great thing: I've asked Bucchero, and he has no idea whether he's in Kentucky or New York, so he's just doing his job," Malter said with a bit of dry wit. "He's just going to keep doing his job, and I think that's really the reason for the numbers."



Bucchero's first New York-sired foals are weanlings of 2025, and he is tied with rookie sire Americanrevolution for the most weanlings cataloged in the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale on Oct. 14, with 19.

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However, the stallion has already made headway in the Empire State's auction ecosystem, led by a filly who sold for $240,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale - the highest price achieved by an offering of a non-Kentucky sire.



Though the filly was conceived during Bucchero's final season in Florida, it still offered an eye-opening preview of what's to come when a full flotilla arrives for next year's New York-bred yearling sale.



Looking to 2026 and beyond, Bucchero will be the cornerstone of Malter's newly-christened Ironhorse Stallions operation at the former Stone Bridge Farm Training Center in Schuylerville, N.Y., which will set out to bring up future generations of Bucchero foals from conception to the racetrack on the same property.

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Malter said he didn't expect Bucchero to be raising his own bar next year in terms of the mares-bred record. There are new targets to hit.



"Having such a big year, our focus this year is going to be internally to keep upgrading the quality of our mares, and the same will go for Bucchero, in looking to breed him to the best mares we possibly can," he said. "We'll definitely be capping his book this year to try to elevate the quality over quantity."

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Oct 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A Hobart woman recently admitted to possessing a firearm in Delaware County.

District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that on October 7, Deanna Eignor, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm in the Fourth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor.

On January 12, the Delaware County Sheriffs Office was dispatched to the Buena Vista on State Highway 28 in Delhi for a suspicious person/drug complaint involving two vehicles. Upon locating one of the vehicles, Eignor was observed to get out of the vehicle with a backpack that contained a firearm that belonged to co-defendant Kenneth Dillmann. Dillmann previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3  to 7 years in state prison.

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Eignor is expected to be sentenced to one year in jail for this conviction.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.




Tadeo Amador has a crop of black hair that sticks straight up and a tube attached to his nose. His mother Veronica holds him as two of his brothers play nearby. He's now around 6 months old and has DiGeorge syndrome.

Her baby's health is not the only concern that has upended her life. In mid-August, her husband and Tadeo's father, Jose Amador, was detained by immigration authorities in Albany while he was on his way to work. He was the family's breadwinner. Now Veronica is struggling to figure out how to move forward.

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Without Jose to earn a living, she needs to work, but she can't because the baby requires specialized and constant care. DiGeorge syndrome, in which part of the 22nd chromosome is missing, causes medical complications. Tadeo is deaf in his right ear and, more gravely, he was born without a thymus, the gland that produces infection-fighting white blood cells known as T-cells, and he will need a transplant to survive.

More: Where ICE has arrested thousands of immigrants across New York this year

Related: Advocates say ICE is in Troy - they want the federal agency out of the city

"I cannot work, because I can't leave him with nobody," Amador said of her son. While they've received some help, expenses have piled on for her and her five children. "The food, the rent  we were not expecting all this. It's just like a bad dream."

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The sudden and prolonged absence of Jose from the Amador family likely reflects the experience of many others across the country whose family members have been snatched in recent months from the streets, their jobs or outside their homes by immigration enforcement officers. Thousands of people have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this year in New York alone, mostly Hispanic men, along with small numbers of women and even young children, the Times Union previously reported. While nowhere near the numbers seen downstate, the Capital Region has been a hotspot for ICE activity, with at least 130 arrests in Albany County, 118 in Saratoga County and more than 30 each in Rensselaer and Schenectady counties.

Amador said her husband would have been around 17 when he first came to the United States from Honduras in 2007. (Neither she nor an advocate from the Capital Region Sanctuary Coalition would disclose his current immigration status or details about how he entered the U.S. to avoid interfering with his ongoing case.) The two met about five years ago in Colorado, chatting on Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic. They married on New Year's Eve in 2020. His work doing maintenance at industrial facilities (Amador said his most recent job was at an Albany manufacturing plant) meant he moved often. He and his wife were in Florida when they submitted naturalization paperwork. Veronica Amador, a U.S. citizen, helped fill out the forms and contacted a lawyer. She says the attorney never submitted the documents.

Around 7 a.m. on Aug. 13, Amador received a call from her husband. He'd been stopped on South Pearl Street on his way to work by immigration authorities, and believed they had confused him for his brother. She called their attorney.

"He's like, You need to look for a lawyer to help you,'" she said. "Supposedly, he was the one who was going to help us in this situation."

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Amador got a new attorney for her husband. Two or three times a week, she made the four- or five-hour drive to Batavia, where he was initially held. Then, after driving there on Aug. 26, she learned he was no longer there. For a while, she didn't know where he was. She tried looking him up on ICE's detainee locator, but found nothing. Eventually, he called and told her they moved him to Texas, then Arizona and finally, Washington state.

"They had him in a very cold container," she said. "They put him in a plane. The motor or something wasn't working."

Eventually, they fixed the issue. With his hands cuffed, he spent the flight wondering what would happen if the plane went down, Amador said. Finally, he arrived in Washington state.

When someone is detained by ICE in upstate New York, they will most likely be taken to the processing center at ICE's Buffalo Field Office, located about 40 miles outside the city in Batavia, said Lauren DesRosiers, director of Albany Law School's Immigration Law Clinic. But it is also not uncommon for a detainee to be moved from one location to another, even to the other side of the country, as Jose was.

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"It's been a nightmare for people to track down their loved ones, for attorneys to track down their clients," DesRosiers said.

Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Wash., is a much larger facility than the one in Batavia. While Batavia has its own history of alleged abuse against detainees, a report found numerous health and safety issues in recent years at NWIPC, and the private contractor operating the facility, GEO Group, has been fighting state minimum wage requirements and health and safety standards in court.

In video calls, Amador's husband has shared details about his time in ICE detention with her. The food and overall treatment are terrible. Oftentimes, he and the other detainees are locked in their rooms for two or three hours at a time. Her husband is especially upset being held alongside people with criminal records - or those detainees being let out on bond - when his record is clear, she said. It just feels unfair.

DesRosiers noted that marriage to a U.S. citizen does not necessarily guarantee a green card, or permanent residency, to an immigrant. Someone who was not lawfully admitted to the U.S. would have to go to the consulate for their home country - and if they've been in the U.S. illegally for a certain amount of time, that could trigger being barred from the U.S. for a period of time. One exception is a waiver for those whose deportation would cause undue hardship for their immediate family.

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"It's a high bar," DesRosiers said. "It's not just: I'm the sole breadwinner and it would be hard on my family.'"

How long someone spends in ICE custody varies, DesRosiers said. But a shortage of immigration judges has only exacerbated immigration courts' backlog of cases, she said. (As of July, over 3.7 million cases were pending; in September, the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review announced it had completed more than 722,000 cases in the first 11 months of the fiscal year, "constituting the highest single-FY completion total in the agency's history.") Some may voluntarily leave the U.S. and return to their home countries rather than wait out their cases.

"There's often a lot of pressure to get out of detention, because it is not a nice place to be," DesRosiers said.

Of the more than 300 people arrested by ICE this year in New York who were then deported, at least 170 left voluntarily - nearly six times as many as last year, the Times Union previously found.

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The same day her husband was detained, Amador saw a protest on her way home. A rally was being held by the Troy branch of the Capital Region Sanctuary Coalition at a spot where ICE had stopped and detained people the day prior.

The CRSC regularly shares possible ICE agent sightings on social media and organizes protests. On Sept. 5, its Troy branch joined other advocacy groups calling out ICE's presence in the city. Amador spoke about her husband. At the time, she still didn't know where he'd been moved to from Batavia. Now that she knows where Jose is, Amador is weighing her options as she juggles advocating for her husband and caring for her children.

Amador found out Tadeo had DiGeorge Syndrome during her pregnancy. Doctors considered a treatment while she was still pregnant, but she didn't want to risk that it could terminate the pregnancy. After he was born, doctors learned Tadeo did not have a thymus while he spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Most people with DiGeorge Syndrome will have a weakened immune system, but for those without a thymus, the condition is much more dire. Such children usually die by age 2. Amador said they're waiting for a donor.

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The CRSC is hosting an online fundraiser to secure housing for Amador and her family.

Meanwhile, Amador is considering moving her family to Washington to be near her husband, despite the costs. Her fear now is whether her son Tadeo will survive to see his father again if he doesn't get a transplant.

"Right now he's here, tomorrow, I don't know," she said. "If he's not here tomorrow, (his father's) not going to be able to give him his last hug, his last kiss."

This article originally published at ICE detention removed a father from Troy family to other side of country.
By Shivam Patel

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India on Friday upgraded ties with Afghanistan's Taliban administration, giving a boost to the diplomatically isolated group, by announcing it would reopen its embassy in Kabul that was shut after the Taliban seized power in 2021.

India closed the embassy following the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces from war-torn Afghanistan four years ago, though it launched a small mission in 2022 to facilitate trade, medical support and humanitarian aid.

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About a dozen countries including China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey have embassies operating in Kabul, although Russia is the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration, whose members are under U.N. sanctions including a travel ban and asset freeze.

INDIA'S MOVE INFLUENCED BY TENSIONS WITH PAKISTAN, CHINA

India's announcement came during talks in New Delhi between Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his counterpart in the Taliban administration, Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is on a six-day visit after getting a temporary exemption on his travel ban.

It was the first such trip to India by a Taliban leader since 2021.

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India and Afghanistan have historically had friendly ties, but New Delhi does not recognise the Taliban government.

India and the Taliban are now recalibrating their ties because of souring relations with their neighbour Pakistan as well as New Delhi's concerns about major power rival China making inroads in Afghanistan, said Harsh Pant, foreign policy head at India's Observer Research Foundation think-tank.

"Engagement does not mean endorsement. There are many things that India is uncomfortable about (under Taliban rule) - minority rights, gender rights, and the human rights landscape in Afghanistan," he said.

"But there is a pragmatism inherent in India's engagement with the Taliban ... And this visit is, in some ways, continuing that tradition. It certainly can be considered the beginning of a new phase in India-Afghanistan relations under the Taliban government, which have been one-directional so far."

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Muttaqi's visit aimed to develop ties with New Delhi and highlighted Taliban efforts to expand engagement with regional powers in a quest for economic relations and eventual diplomatic recognition, analysts said.

Western diplomats have said the Taliban administration's path to recognition is being stalled by its curbs on women.

AFGHANISTAN WON'T BE SPRINGBOARD FOR TERRORISM, FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

In his opening remarks on Friday, Muttaqi referred to ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and said the Taliban administration would not allow anyone to use Afghanistan's territory for targeting other nations.

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"We hope that Afghanistan and India, on an official level and in different areas, increase their engagement," he said.

In his remarks about Friday's deal, Jaishankar said India was "fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan.

"Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience," he said, adding that India's "technical mission" in Kabul was being upgraded to an embassy.

Jaishankar did not mention a timeline for the change.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel and Surbhi Misra; writing by Sakshi Dayal; editing by YP Rajesh and Mark Heinrich)
Three snipers position on the top of a downtown building during Vice President JD Vance's Oct. 10, 2025 visit in Indianapolis. (Niki Kelly/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana leaders on Friday met with Vice President JD Vance for the third time as they work to secure support for mid-cycle, partisan redistricting. They remained tight-lipped about the meetings contents as protesters rallied in opposition.

Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, called it a productive and fruitful discussion. He said his caucus hadnt yet made a choice, but hinted an answer to the redistricting question could come soon.

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Obviously, the conversation was about redistricting, he told reporters. We talked a lot about that  pros and cons  and so, no decisions were made. But were going to work on that and hopefully have a decision very soon.



President Donald Trump is pushing GOP-led states like Indiana to redraw maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections to ensure a Republican majority in the U.S. House for the rest of his second term. Redistricting is typically only done after the decennial census.

Indianas current map, drawn in 2021, is 7-2 Republicans. Democrats hold seats in northwest and central Indiana

House Speaker Todd Huston declined to talk to reporters but released a statement thanking Vance for again talking with our caucus members and facilitating an open dialogue on this important topic. It means a lot to us that he is willing to spend time in our state, personally communicating with and answering questions from Hoosier lawmakers. We had another productive conversation today and well keep discussing this within our caucus and with the Hoosiers we represent as we come to a decision soon.

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Upon leaving the Statehouse, Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, shared that he was fully in support of new maps, regardless of consequences or constituent opposition.

I would rather be courageous and take a stand and do something that I know a fair amount of voters are going to say, You know what? Were not going to vote for you. I would rather lose my seat than my grandkids lose their country, he said.

Gaskill said he doesnt feel pressure from higher-ups. He knew the debate was coming when Texas and California moved to change their maps.

We ought to do our part  if one sides fighting the other side cant be doing rock paper scissors,' Gaskill said. Youre going to get run over.

An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer tells protesters and reporters to move away from the security perimeter set around the Indiana State Library, where Vice President JD Vance met with Hoosier leaders on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

When asked about the Senate Republican caucus delay, Bray said his members like to be thoughtful and contemplative and understand the issue very well before coming to a decision.

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He declined to share meeting specifics and didnt say whether there were enough votes to support new maps.

Weve been working on this for a while, so wed like to come to a resolution fairly shortly, he concluded.

Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, offered a more blunt analysis.

They dont have the votes, currently, she said during a joint news conference with House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta.

Theres something happening here because (otherwise) the vice president wouldnt have to come here  twice now  in order to twist some arms, said GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne.

House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, and Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, meet with the press on Oct. 10, 2025. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Protesters bring props to VPs visit

The Democratic leaders spoke following another energetic rally at the Indiana Statehouse.

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Protesters lined the dual marble staircases and filled the space in between, raising anti-redistricting signs and following speakers chants. One protester  in drag as Trump  puppeteered drag versions of Vance and Braun, who writhed upon the marble floors.

Some assembled earlier at the library, jeering as Vances motorcade rolled in. Law enforcement officers urged them away from the security perimeter.

Other protesters arrived even sooner.

A quartet of Hoosiers set up a reclining couch early Friday morning on the sidewalk in front of the Indiana Statehouse as a gift to the vice president, who was subject to a false claim involving couches based on a passage from his memoir.

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Indiana resident Cassie Jackson said she hoped the prop would stop Vance from pressuring state lawmakers further on the topic of redistricting.

You can have the couch as a gift, Jackson said. But please, dont come back.

She said the group transported the couch on a car roof and set it up before lawmakers arrived. The group recounted how one Republican senator, on his way in, privately told them that he wouldnt be voting in favor of new maps.

Jacksons friend was unconvinced, saying, These guys lie to us all the time.

Hoosiers protest mid-cycle redistricting while at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Theyre here to be persuaded so they can go back to their constituents and say, Oh, we were going to say were Indiana boys and were tough. But then JD came in and he told us whats what, Charlie Spears said.  I cant believe a guy from Ohio is going to come in here and tell Indiana how to vote.

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It was Vances second trip to Indiana in about two months, as the map-drawing push stalled.

At least two Hoosier congressmen joined: U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, who flew with Vance on Air Force Two, and 3rd District Rep. Marlin Stutzman.

Vance also met with Braun, who thanked the vice president for taking the time to visit Indiana in a statement posted to X.

I appreciated the thoughtful discussion about how our state is serving Hoosiers through common-sense and strong leadership, he wrote. We discussed redistricting and the importance of ensuring fair representation for every Hoosier. I look forward to continuing our partnership to keep Indiana  and America  moving in the right direction.

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The meeting was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the nearby Indiana State Library. Lawmakers began streaming into the underground tunnels of the government campus center  and underwent security scans by Secret Service agents  just after 9 a.m.

Senators exit a tunnel at the Indiana Statehouse after meeting with Vice President JD Vance. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Members of the Braun administration exited the tunnels at 11 a.m. Indiana Senate Republicans began filtering out from their gathering at 12:20, while the House GOP caucus left at 1:40 p.m.

Some exiting lawmakers were enthusiastic about the visit, including Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, who extolled Vances virtues and called him an absolutely wonderful family man.

The vice president last visited Indiana in August to meet with Braun, Bray and Huston and rally support for early redistricting. Neither the governor nor legislative leadership signaled any firm commitment to the proposal at the time.

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Later that month, dozens of GOP lawmakers from Indianas House and Senate traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Vance and other federal officials about a variety of topics, including redistricting. Bray and Huston met in person with Trump during that visit.

Braun has since repeatedly floated the idea of a November special session for early redistricting. The next regularly scheduled legislative session will kick off in January, around the same time that Indianas window to file congressional bids opens.

Multiple polls  including one released in August and one this week  have found that the majority of Hoosiers oppose early redistricting.

Editor Niki Kelly contributed.

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GREENSVILLE COUNTY, Va. (WAVY)  An inmate at Deerfield Mens Work Center has been taken into custody after he reportedly walked off prison property Friday afternoon in Greensville County.

Jeremy Paul Bushey, 27, left a farm property within the Greensville Correctional Center at about 1:15 p.m.

He is currently serving a 2-year, 7-month sentence for burglary, grand larceny and shoplifting.

VADOC announced that the inmate had been caught not far from VADOC property around 5 p.m.

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The VADOC thanks our dedicated corrections team and our law enforcement partners at Virginia State Police, the Greensville County Sheriffs Office and Stafford County Sheriffs Office who immediately jumped into action and demonstrated great partnership on this case, said VADOC Director Chad Dotson in the release. It is inspiring to see our public safety team come together in these critical moments to keep Virginians safe.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
Jihad A-Karim Azziz Rom was sentenced to life for Yuri Gushchin murder plus an additional 20 years for his role in the killing of the two reservists.

Jihad A-Karim Azziz Rom, a terrorist who participated in thelynching of IDF reservists Vadim Norzitch and Yosef Avrahami in 2000 and the abduction and murder of Yuri Gushchin in 2001, is set to be released as part of the Gaza peace deal, Maariv reported early on Friday morning after the Israeli government approved the deal.

Rom, who was 26 at the time of the lynching, was sentenced to life for Guschins murder plus an additional 20 years for his role in the killing of the two reservists.

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The Ramallah lynching became a key moment in Palestinian terrorism, after Italian film crews recorded Arab terrorists lifting their blood-soaked hands in celebration of the attack at Ramallah police station. The two reservists had mistakenly driven into Ramallah, where they were detained by Palestinian Authority police officers, and taken to the local police station in Ramallah's twin city, el-Bireh, where a thousand Palestinians rallied for their deaths. The crowd eventually overwhelmed the officers, took over the station, and beat and stabbed Norzitch and Avrahami to death.

Gushchin, who immigrated to Israel from Russia in 1990, was visiting Ramallah with a Palestinian acquaintance after falsely being promised work. He was murdered at the age of 18 and his body was discovered between the slaughterhouse between El Bireh and Beit El with multiple stab and gunshot wounds.

Aziz Salha with bloody hands during lynching in Ramallah in 2000. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Suicide bomber to be released

Baher Badr, one of the terrorists responsible for a suicide bombing in Tzirifin in 2004, is also reportedly set to be released. Bader was sentenced to 11 life sentences.

Israel has reportedly refused to release any child murderers, life prisoners who have served less than a decade in prison, and those defined as 'terror symbols' will not be released.
By Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi

JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israel's government ratified a ceasefire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours and free Israeli hostages held there within 72 hours after that.

The Israeli cabinet approved the deal early Friday morning, roughly 24 hours after mediators announced the agreement, which calls for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the start of a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza.

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"The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages  the living and the deceased," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's English-language X account said.

The war has deepened Israel's international isolation and upended the Middle East, having evolved into a regional conflict that has drawn in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. It also tested the U.S.-Israeli relationship, with Trump seeming to lose patience with Netanyahu and pressuring him to reach a deal.

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that started the assault.

Hamas' exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over.

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An Israeli government spokesperson said the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of government approval of the deal. After that 24-hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be freed within 72 hours.

Twenty Israeli hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead, and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer than releasing those who are alive.

Once the agreement is operating, trucks carrying food and medical aid will surge into Gaza to help civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes and razed entire cities to dust.

HURDLES REMAIN

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The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Much could still go wrong. Even after the deal was signed, a Palestinian source said the list of hundreds of Palestinians to be released was not finalised. The group is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails, as well as hundreds of people detained during Israel's assault.

Further steps in Trump's 20-point plan have yet to be discussed. Those include how the shattered Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

Netanyahu also faces skepticism from within his governing coalition, as many have long opposed any deal with Hamas. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would vote to bring down the government if Hamas is not dismantled.

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But the announcement of an end to fighting and return of hostages was greeted with jubilation.

'ALL OF THE GAZA STRIP IS HAPPY'

"Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing," said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. "All of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed."

Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is one of the last hostages, rejoiced in Tel Aviv's so-called Hostages Square, where families of those seized in the Hamas attack that triggered the war two years ago have long assembled.

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"I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't explain what I'm feeling ... it's crazy," she said.

In Gaza, Israeli attacks continued before the official start of the ceasefire, but there were far fewer fatalities than the scores killed on a daily basis in recent weeks. Local health authorities reported seven dead in two separate Israeli strikes on Thursday.

TRUMP HEADS TO REGION

Trump said he would head to the region on Sunday to possibly attend a signing ceremony in Egypt, and Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana invited him to address the legislative body, which would be the first such speech by a U.S. president since 2008.

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The deal received support from Arab and Western countries and was widely portrayed as a major diplomatic achievement for Trump.

Successful completion of the deal would mark a significant accomplishment for the Republican president, who has struggled to quickly deliver on his promises to bring peace to the Gaza conflict and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Western and Arab countries met in Paris to discuss an international peacekeeping force and reconstruction assistance for Gaza once the fighting stops.

The United States will deploy 200 troops as part of a joint task force for Gaza stability, with no Americans on the ground in the Palestinian enclave, two senior U.S. officials said on Thursday.

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The officials, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the 200 would be a core part of a task force that would include representatives from Egypt's military, Qatar, Turkey and probably from the United Arab Emirates.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jersualem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; Additional reporting by Howard Goller in New York, Pesha Magid and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, and Jeff Mason and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy, Peter Graff, Andy Sullivan and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party have announced they plan to vote against an agreement on the first phase of a plan to end the Gaza conflict.

In a post on X Thursday evening, he wrote that the reason was "the release of thousands of terrorists, including 250 murderers who are expected to be freed from prisons. This is an unbearably heavy price."

The Israeli government is expected to approve the deal on Thursday evening and a clear majority in favour of the agreement is expected.

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In return for the release of the remaining hostages, Israel is to release around 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment from Israeli prisons. In addition, around 1,700 people imprisoned after October 7, 2023 are to be released.

Ben-Gvir also repeated his threat to quit the government if Hamas retained influence in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured him this will not happen.

The plan foresees Gaza being administered by a transitional government of Palestinian technocrats under international supervision once the war ends.

Hamas has signalled its acceptance of the proposal, though it has not clarified whether it agrees to the demand that it play no role in Gaza's governance. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has likewise said his party will oppose the agreement.
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Brazils booming renewable energy sector has created an unexpected problem: too much clean electricity and nowhere to put it. Now, cryptocurrency miners are swooping in to tap that surplus power, potentially solving a billion-dollar headache for energy providers while fueling their own operations.

Crypto mining companies are in active contract negotiations with Brazilian electricity providers like Renova Energia, capitalizing on the countrys renewable power surplus without adding strain to the grid during peak demand, according to Reuters.

Following Tethers July announcement of an investment in Brazil, at least six small to medium-sized projects are underway, plus one major 400-megawatt operation.

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The Perfect Storm of Supply and Demand

Brazils chronic clean electricity oversupply stems from years of government incentives that triggered a wind and solar investment boom, but infrastructure development hasnt kept pacesome plants now waste up to 70% of their generated power. That mismatch has cost energy companies nearly $1 billion over the past two years, according to wind and solar industry groups ABEEolica and Absolar cited by Reuters.

Enter crypto miners, whose energy-hungry operations can scale up or down rapidly based on availability. Unlike traditional industrial consumers, mining machines solving complex mathematical problems to validate crypto transactions offer flexibility that could help balance Brazils lopsided energy equation.

Renova Energia is making one of the sectors first major plays with a $200 million mining project in Bahia state. We aim to expand the company and enter new markets, CEO Sergio Brasil told Reuters. We realized that by providing all the infrastructure for crypto mining, we were one step ahead of our competitors.

The 100-megawatt venture includes six data centers powered by a wind farm, positioning Renova to tap a market where crypto mining barely exists today.

Trending: Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund Just Backed This Farmland Manager  And Accredited Investors Can Join the Same Fund

Global Players Eye Brazilian Opportunities

Tether, the world's largest digital assets company, has acquired a majority stake in Adecoagro (NYSE:AGRO), the Latin American renewable energy and agriculture group, in a deal that leaves the company publicly listed. Tether plans to harness renewable power from Adecoagro's sugarcane mills to fuel bitcoin mining operations.
Argentine President Javier Milei at an event in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, on Oct. 2, 2025. Credit - Luciano GonzalezAnadolu/Getty Images

Argentinas President Javier Milei, a man whos enjoyed extraordinary success with a move-fast-and-break-things approach to politics and economic policy, is starting to look a lot more vulnerable. And at an inconvenient moment, with the approach of the countrys Oct. 26 midterm elections, which could mark the beginning of the end for Milei and his reform efforts.

In early October, lawmakers resoundingly overturned two vetoes that were part of his economic reform process: Argentinas Senate voted 59-7 to overturn Mileis block on new funding for universities and 58-7 against his attempt to veto new money for pediatric health care. The Chamber of Deputies, Argentinas lower house, had already rejected Mileis vetoes.

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Milei had argued that both bills would force government to spend money it doesnt have, but opponents in the Senate argued the plans were essential on moral, not fiscal, grounds.

These defeats come at a time of scandal. Allegations linking Jose Luis Espert, head of the ruling Liberty Advances ticket in Buenos Aires province, to a corruption scandal look likely to damage Mileis partys standing. Espert faces accusations of close ties with Federico Machado, a man indicted in the U.S. for drug trafficking and money laundering. Documents surfaced that appear to show Espert received a $200,000 transfer from Machado after the former had denied its existence. Though Espert denies any wrongdoing and quit the race on Oct. 6, the damage is done, in part because his name and photo will remain on the ballot.

The story is particularly damaging at a moment when public anger over violence is rising in Buenos Aires province in the wake of a recent high-profile crime involving drug-trafficking gangs.

This is not the first time that Milei, who rose to power in part with attacks on the venality of Argentinas elite, has been tarred with corruption accusations. In 2023, leaked audio messages suggested a senior official had discussed kickbacks with a drug company. Worse still, the leak appeared to implicate Karina Milei, his sister and chief of staff. (She denies the allegations.)

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Milei faces these challenges at a time when the countrys financial conditions continue to deteriorate and help from the Trump Administration is uncertain. Last month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessents promises of aid triggered optimism within the ruling party. But Washingtons plan didnt offer many specifics, and Bessent later clarified that any U.S. help would come only as a currency swap, would not include a plan to buy Argentinian debt, and would come only after the midterms.

Mileis economic team will soon travel to Washington, and he is set to sit down with Trump on Oct. 14, but a major breakthrough before the upcoming midterms is unlikely.

For all these reasons, Mileis party is set to underperform in the midterms, where half the seats in the Chamber and a third in the Senate are up for grabs. The party will likely draw less than 40% of the vote, an outcome that would bolster the view that Milei is politically wounded, and leave him with fewer willing negotiating partners for the next round of unpopular reforms. Mileis party will also, of course, face greater opposition in Congress, further damaging the prospects of his agenda.

For instance, after the midterms, Milei will likely have to take the hugely controversial step of devaluing the Argentine peso, and for that hell need the full support of his base. A tepid election showing will make it more difficult. His party already holds just seven out of 72 seats in the Senate and 38 out of 257 seats in the Chamber in Argentinas fragmented politics.

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Other political players, including governors and members of former President Mauricio Macris allied Republican Proposal party, will demand more concessions on reform and a much greater say in Mileis future policy choicesconcessions he will be reluctant to concede.

In November 2023, Milei won a commanding presidential election. He is weakened, and yet his opponents underestimate his continuing appeal with voters exhausted by decades of political dysfunction. The big question is if Milei, off-balance now, can bounce back.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The status of a potential mid-decade redistricting remains unclear even after lawmakers met with Vice President JD Vance in the Indiana State Library for hours Oct. 10, but legislative leaders promised a decision "soon".

The visit comes weeks after lawmakers in Missouri and Texas approved new maps and marked Vance's second trip to Indianapolis on the topic of redistricting. It's a possible sign that legislators are hesitant to change maps they approved just a few years ago, some Republican lawmakers and observers told IndyStar.

Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, told reporters when he arrived at the Statehouse after the meeting that lawmakers discussed "pros and cons" but did not reach an agreement.

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"No decision's been made," he said, "but we're gonna work on that and hopefully have a decision very soon."

When asked if leaders were still determining if they had enough votes to pass new maps, Bray told reporters they were still "looking at that."

Gov. Mike Braun has previously said he wouldn't call a special session without confidence that Republicans have enough votes to redistrict, though he told reporters in September that a special session "probably will happen."

House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, had no comment upon leaving the meeting but released a statement later thanking Vance for his visit.

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"We had another productive conversation today and we'll keep discussing this within our caucus and with the Hoosiers we represent as we come to a decision soon," Huston said in the statement.

Most other lawmakers were mum about specifics from their meetings with Vance.

The goal was clearly to change some minds. Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, attended the meeting, but his mind didn't change  he was already in favor of redistricting.

Though he believes Indiana's maps from 2021 are fair, he said, he fears the representation among Democrats from other gerrymandered blue states makes Indiana's representation "watered down."

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"It's like, the bully is kicking our butt on the playground, and we're trying to say, well, we're going to settle this with rock, paper, scissors," he said in the legislators' parking lot. "And sometimes when that kind of stuff is going on, you have to do something maybe you're not comfortable with."

He acknowledged there are a number of voters who won't like it. A survey out this week from North Star Opinion Research found that 53% of Indiana voters oppose mid-decade redistricting.

"I would rather lose my seat than my grandkids lose their country," Gaskill said.

Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, told reporters Oct. 10 that the Senate is the chamber delaying a redistricting special session, calling it the "firewall." Though Texas and Missouri approved new maps, mid-decade redistricting is not part of "Hoosier values," she said.

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"If we were going to have this happen," Yoder said, "it would have happened already."

While lawmakers were wrapping up talks with Vance, protesters filled the Statehouse to rally against redistricting.

"Vance isn't here to talk about skyrocketing utility bills," Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, told the crowd. "Or the grocery bills. Or the medical bills. Or the cost of child care."

Instead, she said, he was here for the "arm-twisting tour."

Hunley then directed protesters to march out of the Statehouse. They eventually matriculated over to the corner of the Indiana State Library, where they had eyes on where Vance's motorcade was set to depart.

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Facing his direction, they let chants fly, as three protestors dressed like Trump, Vance and Gov. Mike Braun danced.

As they saw the motorcade begin to leave, they shouted boos and chants of "Shame!"

"I think he heard us," joked Jackson Franklin, a Democratic 5th Congressional District candidate.

One of the loudest voices was 29-year-old Neil Lothamer, of Indianapolis, who added pot-banging to his chorus.

What's going on makes him want to leave the state, he said  the only thing keeping him here is his husband is finishing up a medical residency.

"I don't want to lose my vote," he said. "I'm tired of these people. ... When you take away all viable forms of dissent, what is left?"

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Contact Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: After JD Vance's visit, lawmakers promise redistricting decision 'soon'
NEED TO KNOW

Cindy McCain experienced a "mild stroke" this week, according to the U.N. World Food Program

McCain is the executive director of the program and taking a leave of absence amid her recovery

McCain is traveling home to Arizona to recuperate

John McCains wife Cindy McCain is taking a break from her work as the head of the U.N. World Food Program after experiencing a mild stroke.

The organization announced in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 9, that Cindy had the stroke this week and is recovering well and is expected to make a full recovery.

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The 71-year-old wife of the late senator is traveling back to her home in Arizona amidst her recovery and will return to the World Food Programs headquarters in Rome once shes cleared by doctors, according to the release.

Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Cindy McCain speaks in Milan, Italy, in May 2025. Cindy McCain speaks in Milan, Italy, in May 2025.

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The program said that Cindy is expected to be out of commission for four to six weeks amid her recovery.

I want to thank the medical staff in Italy for the excellent treatment I received, Cindy shared in a statement. My recovery is progressing well thanks to their outstanding care. I look forward to continuing my recuperation at home in Arizona with my family.

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She added that she has full confidence in the interim leadership team serving the WFP, including Carl Skau, who is taking on her role in her absence.

Cindy has been serving as the executive director of the organization since her appointment in May 2023.

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Meghan McCain (left) and Cindy McCain at the Time100 Gala in April 2023. Meghan McCain (left) and Cindy McCain at the Time100 Gala in April 2023.

Cindy is the mother of Meghan McCain, Jack McCain, Jimmy McCain and Bridget McCain. Her late husband was also the father to three children from his first marriage.

Senator John McCain died in 2018 at the age of 81 due to a malignant brain tumor. In August, Cindy posted a photo at Johns grave, writing, Happy Heavenly 89th Johnny!

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty John McCain (left) is sworn in as Cindy McCain looks on in 2017. John McCain (left) is sworn in as Cindy McCain looks on in 2017.

He was not precious. He had a really filthy and dark sense of humor, Meghan said in a discussion about her dad with her brother Jimmy in August. And I think he would be really entertained and confused by the way some people talk about him.

In June, Meghan exclusively shared with PEOPLE that she is pregnant and expecting her third child with her husband, Ben Domenech.

Read the original article on People
Chris Jones, the 2022 Democratic nominee for Arkansas governor, formally announced Thursday that he will run for Congress in the states 2nd Congressional District, setting up a challenge against Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill in 2026.

Jones, a physicist and ordained minister from Little Rock, said his campaign will focus on expanding opportunity across Arkansas.

Im running to build a bigger table of opportunity, Jones said in a statement on Facebook. Together, we are building a table that rests on four legs: justice, economy, democracy, and innovation. Justice that treats every Arkansan with dignity. An economy that allows all people to thrive. Democracy that reflects the will of the people. Innovation that prepares us for the challenges ahead. Im a builder. Pull up a chair  and join us in building whats next.

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Jones filed his statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on July 21, but had not made a formal campaign announcement until now.

He will face Zackary Huffman in the 2026 Democratic primary, while Hill is expected to face Chase McDowell in the Republican primary.

Hill, a banker and former aide to Gov. Mike Huckabee, has represented the 2nd District since 2015. The district includes much of central Arkansas, encompassing most of Pulaski County and all of Saline, Faulkner, Perry, Van Buren, Cleburne and White counties. Hill filed for reelection in November 2024 and is seeking a seventh term.

Jones rose to statewide prominence during his 2022 run for governor, when he won a crowded Democratic primary before losing to Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 63% to 35%. Since that race, Jones has co-chaired the national Dirt Road Democrats political action committee and sought a vice chair position with the Democratic National Committee.

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The Democratic Party of Arkansas praised Jones decision to enter the race back in July, saying in a statement that Arkansans deserve better than Hills continued support of former President Donald Trumps policies.

Background and education

Jones, 47, attended Morehouse College on a NASA scholarship, earning bachelors degrees in mathematics and physics while serving as student body president. He later earned two masters degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology  one in nuclear engineering and another in technology and policy  before completing his Ph.D. in urban planning at MIT in 2016. His dissertation examined how energy policy intersects with race and class in the United States.

A longtime advocate for science, education and infrastructure investment, Jones has described himself as a builder who believes Arkansas future depends on preparing for innovation while ensuring no community is left behind.

If elected, Jones would be the first Democrat to represent Arkansas 2nd District in a decade.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Democrat Chris Jones formally announces campaign to unseat French Hill
Will Berry and his wife Courtney sit in front the Alabama State Capitol on Sept. 23, 2025 before delivering a petition to Gov. Kay Ivey asking her to halt the planned execution of Geoffrey West. West was convicted of killing Berry's mother, Margaret Parrish Berry, during a robbery in 1997. Berry publicly opposed West's execution, saying he wanted to have a relationship with him. West was executed on Sept. 25. (Photo courtesy Lee Hedgepeth)

Recently, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall justified an execution with language that stopped me in my tracks.

We must stand firmly in our beliefs between right and wrong, justice and forgiveness, he wrote. Alabama is steadfast in our commitment to holding the guilty accountable because that is what honors the dignity of every victim. Justice is how we restore peace to the communities they leave behind.

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The statement, issued immediately after Alabamas execution by suffocation of Geoffrey West on Sept. 25, makes a mockery of terms and concepts that are spiritually central to the Indigenous practice of peacemaking: accountability, dignity, restoration, healing, and community well-being.

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Will Berry and Geoffrey West wanted those things. West wanted to say he was sorry, every day of his life, for having killed Berrys mother, Margaret Parrish Berry, when Berry was only 11 years old. Berry wanted to ask questions. They wanted to meet in person. They wanted to pray together.

The Berrys learned about Wests execution date from a news story, not from the state. After it became clear that Berry opposed the execution, Wests attorneys asked me to join the defense team as a restorative justice specialist. Preparation, which typically unfolds over the course of a year, was compressed into two weeks.

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I met with Berry to ask about his needs, boundaries, and aspirations within these constraints. I then met with West to develop a profile of his personal growth so that Berry could gain a sense of who he had become in the nearly three decades since his conviction. We crafted a letter of accountability to Berry that conveyed, with moral clarity, the harm he had caused. It also conveyed an understanding of the impacts his actions have had on Berrys life.

My mom is my best friend, and I know thats what I took from you, he wrote. I cant imagine how many times you have wanted to talk to your own mother and the pain that must have inflicted on you.

Geoffrey Todd West (Alabama Department of Corrections)

He expressed his sincere remorse and described what has tried to do to transform himself since then, even from within the environment of deprivation and isolation on death row.

We waited as Berrys pleas  for clemency; a reprieve, a restorative justice conference  were stonewalled by the governors office. In the end, the best we could do was comfort a bewildered and outraged Berry as the state did the very thing he told them would worsen his trauma and grief.

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The political landscape in Alabama equates justice with punishment, but a 2023 survey of Alabamians who had lost loved ones to homicide found that only a third reported feeling better after the person who killed their loved one was incarcerated. Like Berry, more than a quarter of respondents wanted to talk with that person. They also wanted direct support: counseling, assistance with the financial burdens that come with the sudden death of a close relative, and help navigating administrative bureaucracies in the wake of their grief.

Berrys requests echoed those of Toni and Terryln Hall who, in 2022, implored the governor to spare Joe Nathan James, Jr., the man who killed their mother, or at least allow them to meet him face to face. Berry made the same request to the governors constituent services representative: Its enough death. We dont want no more mourning, my family or his family. I want a relationship with this man but it cant happen if he dies. It cant. I think its wrong that yall, the state of Alabama, will let me see the man die but wont let me visit him, hug his neck, tell him I love him and forgive him to his face.

These needs also map onto the very restorative justice principles travestied by the attorney generals statement. Restorative justice is predicated on what Howard Zehr called the 3 Rs: Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships. It insists on a survivor-centered system in which those directly impacted by violence are given the respect of having their voices heard and their needs understood. It also insists on the inherent dignity of those who cause harm and requires communities to support them in accepting accountability, understanding the root causes of their actions, and taking concrete steps toward transformation and repair.

Restorative processes maximize accountability by creating opportunities for those who have harmed and been harmed to dialogue with one another about the causes and impacts of violence. Above all, restorative justice emphasizes the power of relationships, understanding harm to be a breach in community trust that requires active participation from impacted parties and adjacent community members in order to restore peace.

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Had the state of Alabama listened to Berrys needs, the process could have unfolded in the time it required. I might have been able to work with each party to establish trust, create guidelines for engagement, and establish a space that is safe for expressing difficult feelings: shame, remorse, abandonment, anger, grief, and pain.

Berry might have had the time he needed to seek the additional support necessary for the trauma he was still experiencing. Both parties could have emotionally prepared themselves for a meeting that, while challenging, would have also provided opportunities for understanding and healing. The process itself would have been an important step toward transforming cultures of violence that are perpetuated, not adjudicated, by the death penalty.

Instead, Berry sat at home and waited for news that the man he wanted so much to meet was dead. He did not believe, as the attorney generals office insisted, that Wests execution honored his dignity, nor did it honor that of his mother. She would not have wanted this, he insisted.

Now Will Berry, having lost his own mother, worries for the mother of Geoffrey West.

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The state should no longer claim to speak on behalf of survivors if it only acknowledges pain that can be harnessed for vengeance. It does not know what to do with survivors like Will Berry who insist on restorative justice.

And in the boldest and most desperate of moves, it manipulates the rhetoric of restorative justice to mask what it is really doing: trying its very best to convince the public that justice and forgiveness are incompatible.
The new addition connects by a breezeway to the older house that has served as headquarters to the Republican Party of Kentucky in Frankfort, Oct. 9, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Tom Loftus)

FRANKFORT  Two more big contributions this summer from special interests  $100,000 from Beam Suntory and $75,000 from Boeing  brought the total raised by the Republican Party of Kentucky to expand its state headquarters to $4.2 million.

That money was raised over the past three years  an effort nearly totally funded by massive contributions from a mere 21 donors, nearly all of them corporations or other entities with significant lobbying presences in Washington and/or Frankfort.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell spoke at a groundbreaking for an expansion of the RPK headquarters named for him, Sept. 5, 2024, in Frankfort. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Tom Loftus)

A report recently filed by the Republican Party of Kentucky Building Fund with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance listed the two additional contributions and the projects expenses between July 1 and Sept. 30. Both the whiskey giant Beam Suntory and the aircraft manufacturer Boeing had made previous contributions to the Republican Party of Kentuckys Building Fund. (A complete list of totals given by all of the large donors is listed below.)

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Kentucky Lantern first reported in early 2023 that the state Republican Party had launched the fundraising drive to expand its headquarters in Frankfort  a drive that got off to a spectacular start with a donation of $1 million from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, apparently the largest donation ever made to a Kentucky political party fund.

State and federal laws limit the amount any person can give to a state political party to $15,000 per year. And before 2017 state law banned corporations from making contributions.

But that year the Republican-controlled Kentucky General Assembly passed a law to make it easy for the GOP to raise the millions it would need to vastly expand its headquarters. That law let political parties establish separate building funds that could accept donations of unlimited amounts from corporations or people.

The Republican Party of Kentucky headquarters is in south Frankfort, about five blocks from the Capitol. It is called the Mitch McConnell Building in honor of Kentuckys senior senator who is credited with leading the party from decades of minority status to its current dominance in Kentucky politics.

The nearly completed expansion connects the existing headquarters to a new 6,800-square-foot structure on an adjacent vacant lot. The new structure is designed to conform to the residential nature of the neighborhood. It includes a 160-seat auditorium.

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Ground was broken for the project last summer.

Reports filed by the RPK Building Fund since early 2023 with the election registry show that $4,206,675 has been raised for the project since late 2022, and that through Sept. 30 the fund has spent about $3,826,000. Those reports show nearly all of that has been paid to three contractors: $3,294,000 to Branscum Construction, of Russell Springs; $261,500 to Stengel-Hill Architecture, of Louisville; and $180,000 to Haney Consulting for fundraising consulting. Haney Consulting is headed by Laura Haney, McConnells longtime fundraising consultant.

The Republican Party of Kentucky did not immediately respond to a phone call from Kentucky Lantern or to an email asking questions about the project and the contributions that funded it.

The Kentucky Democratic Party has not used the 2017 law to launch any fund drive. In the recent quarter, the Democratic Party Building Fund reported just $137 in receipts, $1,681 in expenses, and a fund balance of $284,952 as of Sept. 30.

The sign on the lawn of Republican headquarters in Frankfort honors the U.S. Senates longest-serving party leader. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Tom Loftus)

Donors to Republican Party of Kentuckys Building Fund

Pfizer Inc., New York, New York, $1,000,000

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NWO Resources, Greenwood Village, Colorado, $500,000

Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., New York, New York, $300,000

AT&T, St. Louis, Missouri, $300,000

Verizon, Washington, D.C., $300,000

Brown-Forman Corp., Louisville, $300,000

The Boeing Company PAC, Arlington, Virginia, $250,000

Beam Suntory, New York, New York, $200,000

Altria Client Services (Philip Morris USA), Richmond, Virginia, $150,000

Sazerac Inc., Louisville, $150,000

Microsoft Corp., Reno, Nevada, $125,000

Comcast Corp., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, $100,000

Churchill Downs, Louisville, $100,000

Keeneland, Lexington, $100,000

Barbara R. Banke Revocable Trust, Geyserville, California, $100,000

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Airbnb, Inc., San Francisco, California, $50,000

Delta Air Lines, Atlanta, Georgia, $50,000

National Thoroughbred Racing Assn., Lexington, $50,000

The Jockey Club, New York, New York, $50,000

Rescare Inc., Louisville, $12,500

Toyota Motor North America Inc., Plano, Texas, $10,000

Nine small donations, $9,175

Source: Reports filed by Republican Party of Kentucky Building Fund with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
By Jack Kim and Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea was expected to stage a military parade on Friday to showcase its growing military might as leader Kim Jong Un declared the country's global standing was rising by the day at an event marking the founding of the ruling Workers' Party.

Mirroring his visit last month to Beijing for China's World War Two anniversary, Kim was flanked by the leaders of allies as he called his country a "faithful member of socialist forces" and "a bulwark for independence" against the threat of the West's global hegemony.

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Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made "not a single mistake or error" in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, state news agency KCNA said on Friday.

"Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish," he said in a speech at May Day stadium on Thursday attended by high-level foreign delegations, KCNA reported.

A military parade was likely to take place on Friday evening, a South Korean military official said, citing indications of ongoing rehearsals involving troops, missiles and military equipment.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has used such parades, usually coinciding with key anniversaries and recently staged at night, as a glitzy showcase of growing military power, rolling out progressively advanced ballistic missiles and military hardware.

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This week's parade is being watched by officials and analysts for a possible display of the latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) powered by solid fuel with a range that can hit the mainland U.S.

On the centre podium of the packed May Day stadium on Thursday, Kim was joined by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, with foreign delegations and diplomats also in attendance.

The large crowd gathered erupted in cheers "that shook the capital's night sky," and the evening's celebrations included mass games and art performances, KCNA said.

Kim received Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam, who is leading a large government delegation, with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges, KCNA said.

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While international sanctions against Pyongyang have limited cooperation, Lam's large entourage shows Hanoi wants to add a lot more substance to their enduring Cold War connections, said Khang Vu, a visiting scholar on East Asian politics at Boston College.

Vietnam and North Korea see each other as significant potential economic partners, Vu said. "Vietnam can also be useful for North Korea to communicate with the West when Russia is being isolated while China has raised much skepticism," he said.

Kim also held talks with China's Li, where they said the visit marked a "new chapter" in advancing the two countries' ties under their supreme leaders and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.

(Reporting by Jack Kim, Josh Smith, Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese, Jamie Freed)
SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the country's global standing was growing stronger every day at an event on Thursday attended by visiting foreign heads of state marking the founding of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported on Friday.

Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made "not a single mistake or error" in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA state news agency said.

"Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish," he said at a speech at May Day stadium in Pyongyang attended by high-level foreign delegations, KCNA reported.

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The events come after Kim's visit to Beijing last month for China's 80th anniversary of World War Two victory, standing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade in his first public appearance on the multilateral diplomatic stage.

KCNA did not name the guests attending Thursday's events. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev had arrived in Pyongyang to attend anniversary celebrations, state media had reported.

Mass games and art performances were held at the stadium with Kim accompanied by guests whom the large crowd gathered greeted with cheers "that shook the capital's night sky," KCNA said.

State media made no mention of a large-scale military parade the country was expected to stage to mark the anniversary.

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Kim held talks with China's Li, where they said the visit marked a "new chapter" in advancing the two countries' ties under their supreme leaders and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.

Kim separately received Vietnam's To Lam with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges, it said.

Medvedev held talks with senior North Korean officials and attended a reception held in his honour, KCNA added.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed)
CAIRO (AP)  Bombardment stopped and Israeli troops pulled back in Gaza on Friday under a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But will the agreement lead, as U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed, to a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace?

It took pressure on Israel and Hamas from the United States, Arab countries and Turkey, each saying it was time to end a two-year war that has devastated the Gaza Strip, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, sparked other conflicts around the region and increasingly isolated Israel.

That push sealed an agreement on a first phase that is to free the remaining living Israeli hostages within days in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

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But it left unanswered a long list of questions over what happens next.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Israel wants to ensure that Hamas disarms. Hamas wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza and is not allowed to restart the war. At the same time, a postwar government for Gaza must be worked out to replace Hamas rule. Without that, reconstruction is unlikely, leaving Gazas more than 2 million people in continued misery.

With no trust between the sides, much relies on continued pressure from the U.S., Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Any hitch in working out those intertwined issues could unravel everything and potentially lead to Israel resuming its campaign to destroy Hamas.

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Here is what we know about the deal.

The first steps begin

The ceasefire took effect at noon Friday. The Israeli military said it had pulled back its troops to lines inside Gaza agreed on for the first day, withdrawing from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza's far north and the wide strip along Gaza's border with Israel.

The military said Palestinians displaced to the south would be able to move back to their homes in the north. Thousands were filling roads heading north.

Israel has given the United Nations the green light by Israel to begin delivering scaled-up aid into Gaza starting Sunday, a U.N. official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

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By Monday, Hamas is to begin releasing the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive. Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinians, including several hundred serving prison sentences and others seized from Gaza during the war.

Negotiations for the next phases would then begin.

Troop withdrawal

Hamas had long insisted it would not release its last hostages unless Israeli troops leave Gaza completely. After agreeing to free them first, Hamas says it is relying on guarantees from Trump that the full withdrawal will happen.

How long it will take  weeks, months, years  is unknown.

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An initial 20-point plan issued by Trump last week called for Israel to maintain a narrow buffer zone within Gaza along their shared border, and Israel has also spoken of keeping hold of the Philadelphi corridor, a strip of land on Gazas border with Egypt.

Israel is unlikely to relinquish those areas unless Hamas disarms and the void left in running Gaza is filled by a body that Israel deems palatable.

Trump's plan also called for an Arab-led international security force to move into Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy.

It is not known whether that system will be followed or an alternative will be negotiated.

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Disarmament

Hamas long refused to give up its weapons, saying it had a right to armed resistance until Israels occupation of Palestinian territories ends.

For Israel, disarmament is a key demand. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said its campaign will not end until Hamas military capabilities are dismantled, including the network of tunnels built around the territory.

There are signs, however, that Hamas could agree to a decommissioning of its offensive weapons, handing them over to a joint Palestinian-Egyptian committee, according to the Arab officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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Future government

Israel has said it wants Gaza purged of Hamas influence. But it has also rejected giving any role to the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority or any arrangement that could lead to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, has agreed to step down from governing the territory and hand over governance to a body of Palestinian technocrats.

What takes its place is uncertain.

Under Trump's plan, an international body will govern. The Council of Peace and Board of Peace have both been floated as names for the body.

It would hold most power while overseeing the administration of Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. It would also hold the commanding role of directing reconstruction in Gaza. Trumps initial 20-point plan called for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to lead the body.

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Hamas has so far not agreed, saying Gazas government should be worked out among Palestinians.

The stakes

Israelis celebrated the agreement announced overnight after three days of talks in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. For much of the Israeli public, freeing the last of the hostages held for two years has been their top priority.

But Palestinians in Gaza were more uncertain. There was relief that the relentless bombardment and ground offensives may stop for a time and aid may flow in. But there was also skepticism and worry over how long any pause in fighting would last, whether hundreds of thousands will be able to return to their homes, and whether Gaza  its cities largely in ruins  will ever be rebuilt.

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Many Palestinians fear Israel will take any breakdown in the talks as a chance to resume its assault. For months, Netanyahu and his hard-line allies have insisted they will keep long-term direct security control over Gaza and have spoken of pushing out its Palestinian population, ostensibly on a voluntary basis. In Gaza, many believe that remains Israels objective.

Pressure from the U.S. and its allies  if it continues after hostages are out  could prevent Israel from relaunching a full-fledged war.

But there is another, murkier scenario.

If Hamas and Israel cannot reach a final deal or negotiations drag on inconclusively, Gaza could slide into an unstable limbo, with Israeli troops still holding parts of it and Hamas still active. In that case, Israel would be unlikely to allow significant reconstruction, leaving Gazas population languishing in tent camps or shelters.
Key Points

XRP is up nearly 460% in a year after regulators backed off the crypto's issuing company, Ripple.

While adoption of Ripple's products continues to grow, large banks prefer a product that doesn't require the bank to touch XRP itself.

10 stocks we like better than XRP 

With the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) lawsuit against Ripple, the company behind XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), in the rearview mirror and a national bank charter application pending, XRP bulls feel there is a lot of momentum behind the token. Given its nearly 440% run during the past year, they have a point. So, with XRP hovering at less than $3, is now the time to buy?

Ripple's success is not XRP's success

The bull case for XRP seems compelling. After years of regulatory uncertainty, Ripple finally settled litigation with the SEC in August, paving the way for increased adoption within the traditional financial system -- the key to driving XRP's price higher. This has always been the core of XRP's investing thesis: As more banks adopt the technology, it will increase the demand for XRP, and its price will follow.

It's not so simple. Here's what I think a lot of investors miss: Banks can use Ripple's payment technology without ever touching XRP.

RippleNet, Ripple's most widely adopted product, doesn't require banks to hold or even briefly touch XRP. They get much of the speed advantages, the cost savings, and the efficiency gains while continuing to use their preferred currencies.

Ripple's on-demand liquidity (ODL) product, on the other hand, does often make direct use of XRP as a bridge asset for cross-border transactions. An ODL customer can send funds to a bank in another country without having to deal with the hassle and cost of currency exchange and maintaining pre-funded accounts in other countries. Instead, XRP can be used as an intermediary.

The issue is that ODL is not widely used by the larger banks that really matter. It's designed for institutions that have problems with liquidity, and in terms of value transacted, it remains niche compared to RippleNet.

This limits ODL's effect on XRP demand. While it's not non-existent, I don't think the effect is as strong as many investors believe. A dramatic increase in adoption across banking of Ripple's technology is much more likely to be seen with RippleNet, not ODL.

Image source: Getty Images.

Ripple's stablecoin further complicates the case for XRP

Even if ODL adoption were to accelerate, there's an even bigger problem on the horizon: Ripple's own stablecoin ambitions may derail XRP's path, or at least seriously hinder it. The company's pursuit of a national trust bank charter signals that it wants to be at the forefront of what could be a huge wave of adoption of stablecoins in banking. It's a smart move for Ripple, as stablecoins can provide some of the same benefits that Ripple offers, and could be a several-trillion-dollar market by 2030, according to a Citigroup analysis.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  Kosovos Parliament on Friday ended an eight-month political deadlock by electing its full leadership, including a representative from the ethnic Serb minority, clearing the path for the formation of a new government.

Although the Parliament elected the rest of its top team in August, including a speaker from the the left-wing Self-Determination Movement (Vetevendosje!), it had failed to elect one representative from the ethnic Serb minority, as the constitution requires.

In Fridays vote Nenad Rasic, from a small ethnic Serb party named For Freedom, Justice and Survival, was elected as deputy speaker with 71 votes in favor. All nine lawmakers from the main Serb party, Srpska Lista, voted against and 24 members from two smaller right-wing ethnic Albanian parties abstained.

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Srpska Lista, which won nine out of 10 seats reserved for the ethnic Serb minority, is considered as very close to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his government in Belgrade. Kosovo's Albanians view that relationship as a risk of inciting ethnic tensions.

The breakthrough followed a Constitutional Court ruling Wednesday urging lawmakers to resolve the stalemate within 12 days.

Friday's vote breaks a prolonged impasse that began after inconclusive elections on Feb. 9. Vetevendosje!, led by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, won 48 seats out of 120, down from 58 in the previous election and falling well short of the 61 members needed to govern alone.

Kurtis party and the main opposition groups have consistently ruled out forming a coalition.

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As the leader of the largest single party, Kurti will given a mandate to form a Cabinet within 15 days, which must then be approved by Parliament. However, if he fails twice, Kosovo could hold early elections.

A new government is urgently needed to address economic challenges and restart stalled talks, facilitated by the European Union, on normalization with Serbia. Kosovo also faces municipal elections on Oct. 12.

Around 11,400 people died, mostly from Kosovos ethnic Albanian majority, in the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, which was formerly a province of Serbia. A 78-day NATO air campaign ended the fighting and pushed Serbian forces out.

Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, remains a focal point of regional tensions. While most Western nations recognize its statehood, Serbia  along with Russia and China  does not.

-

Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.




Jet-engine machinists in East Hartford and Middletown, group-home caregivers across eastern Connecticut, automotive-manufacturing workers in Bloomfield, school bus drivers and monitors in Cromwell and Middletown, and submarine designers in Groton. In the past few months, they have all gone on strike or nearly walked out.

The unrest among these groups is no coincidence, according to workers and union leaders. Hit hard by the surge in the cost of living in the past few years, workers have expressed their discontent by going on strike or coming close to doing so when employers have not met their demands for better wages and benefits. Other issues, such as job security, have also figured among workers' concerns. The dissatisfaction is unlikely to dissipate until there is more progress in tackling the costliness of one of the country's most expensive states.

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"People are getting sick and tired of being sick and tired," Ed Hawthorne, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO labor federation, said in an interview. "They want to be able to work 40 hours, and that should be enough. They're willing to stand up and fight for it."

Strikes and near-strikes across the state

The four strikes that have started this year in Connecticut compare with seven last year, seven in 2023, four in 2022 and five in 2021, according to the Labor Action Tracker. Nationwide, the Tracker recorded 356 strikes last year, compared with 467 in 2023, 426 in 2022 and 274 in 2021. The Tracker is a collaboration between Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) and the University of Illinois' School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER).

"I think the character of strikes has changed in the past few years," Johnnie Kallas, an assistant professor at the LER and the project director of the Labor Action Tracker, said in an interview. "What we have seen in the last few years is that unions and workers are more frequently using strikes to secure gains, rather than just as a last resort."

In the latest work stoppage in Connecticut, about 240 workers at manufacturer Cummins-Jacobs Vehicle Systems' facility in Bloomfield went on strike from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5.

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"We've been working hard for months to negotiate a fair contract while management has been wasting our time," Anthony Banks, president of UAW Local 379, which represents the Cummins workers in Bloomfield, said in a written statement on the day the strike started. "It's time for all of us at Cummins here in Connecticut to have security for ourselves and our families. Corporations like Cummins are making record profits off of our work, which means we deserve a record contract."

The strike ended when the workers approved a new four-year contract, which includes wage increases between 3.5% and 4%.

About 110 school bus drivers and monitors in the Cromwell and Middletown districts came within a few hours of their own walkout before ratifying a new four-year deal on Oct. 5. The new pact includes "significant wage increases" and a 100% increase in 401(k) contributions, according to the workers' union, Teamsters Local 671.

But contract talks are still dragging on elsewhere. About 220 food-service workers at Central Connecticut State and Southern Connecticut State universities have voted in the past month to authorize potential strikes, if negotiations fail.

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"Why do we need a raise? It's essential," Nick McDonald, a food-service worker at Southern Connecticut, said at an Aug. 26 rally at the Central Connecticut campus in New Britain. "I've got to pay my mortgage. Where are my kids going to stay? They're going to sleep in the streets?... I've got to buy food I've got to buy school clothes, and I've got to pay for tuition. My daughter's going to be a senior, and she's got to go to college."

Likewise, cost-of-living anxieties were a catalyst for the largest work stoppage this year in Connecticut: the three-week strike in May by more than 3,000 machinists at the East Hartford and Middletown facilities of jet-engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

"It's one thing to stay middle class, but we can't even afford to buy homes," Richard Allaire, a Middletown-based assembly technician, said at the machinist union's May 4 meeting in Wallingford, where the machinists voted to go on strike.

Another worry for many of the machinists was whether Pratt & Whitney's expansion in other states such as North Carolina would threaten their jobs.

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"Job security is the biggest thing for me," Kiana Brown, a foundry equipment operator at the East Hartford plant, said on the picket line on May 6. "What is getting money handed worth if you're not going to be here in a couple of years?"

The strike ended when the machinists approved a new four-year deal on May 27. It includes a 2% special wage adjustment and general wage increases between 3% and 4%. It also guarantees that Pratt will keep operating the facilities in East Hartford and Middletown through 2029.

For the approximately 500 group-home workers across eastern Connecticut who went on strike from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27, the walkout was part of a campaign to secure higher employer contributions to avoid a potential pension-fund default, according to their union's leaders.

"We saw this as a fight around retirement security," Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199NE, said in an interview after the strike ended. "These are low-wage workers, people making overwhelmingly under $20 per hour. These are not folks who have the ability to save money through a 401(k), 403(b) or an individual retirement account. In many cases, these are workers who, on those wages, have to have two, three, sometimes four, jobs."

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At Oxford-based Jescraft, a manufacturer of material-handling equipment, nine employees went on a six-and-a-half week strike across April and May so that the company would recognize the Ironworkers International union as their bargaining representative. Contract negotiations between the union and the company subsequently started, with the next round of talks scheduled for Oct. 29, according to union officials.

"When the workers decided to drop their tools and go on strike after the company refused to voluntarily recognize, it showed that they were willing to take action and truly believed in forming a union in their workplace," Ironworkers International organizer Joe Lester said in an email. "They understand the importance of working under a contract with representation, and they were willing to risk it all to make it happen."

A message left for Jescraft that inquired about its response to Lester's assertion that it refused to voluntarily recognize Ironworkers International as the employees' bargaining representative was not returned.

At Groton-based submarine manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat, about 2,500 marine drafters, who focus on design, came within a couple hours of going on strike, before reaching in mid-May an agreement with the company for a new five-year deal. The workers' union, UAW Local 571, was not able to secure the pension plans for all members, cost of living adjustment and profit sharing that it sought. But union officials said that they were pleased that members will receive a compounded wage increase of about 30% and improved benefits, such as additional 401(k) contributions for members not eligible for pensions.

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"The company doesn't give us a damn thing unless we fight for it, and we fought hard for it," Bill Louis, president of UAW Local 571, said at a May 22 union meeting in Groton.

Work ahead for state officials

State legislators' main response to the labor unrest has been the passage of a bill that would have provided unemployment benefits to striking workers. But Gov. Ned Lamont, a two-term Democrat, bucked his party colleagues in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly by vetoing the bill in June. He argued that it would hurt efforts to make Connecticut more business-friendly.

A number of Democratic legislators have indicated that they would keep pushing for unemployment benefits for striking workers.

"I'm sorry it's not there for this fight, but it needs to be there for the next fight," state Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, co-chairwoman of the legislature's Labor and Public Employees Committee, said at a Sept. 17 rally of the food-service workers at Southern Connecticut's campus in New Haven.

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Some groups that opposed the bill, such as the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA), argue that workers would be better-served by the legislature tackling Connecticut's high cost of living. Among key indicators, Connecticut ranked joint-No. 37 in the cost-of-living category of CNBC's Top States for Business study this year.

"Workers may be making more money from employers, but they're not netting more because so much is going out of their pockets to pay for the high cost of living in Connecticut," CBIA CEO and President Chris DiPentima said in an interview. "That's why it so critical that policymakers focus on reducing the cost of living because there's only so much the employer can do relative to raising wages. Eventually, the employer gets to the point where they've raised wages so much that they're not competitive."

The legislature could make progress on some of those issues in a potential special session before the end of this year or in its three-month session in 2026. But far-reaching changes might have to wait until its next five-month session, in 2027.

"Main Street is suffering," said the Connecticut AFL-CIO's Hawthorne. "Rents are high, health care is expensive, retirement is out of reach, people can't afford to buy a home. This is not sustainable. The only way forward is to rebalance the economy where the working class and the middle class come first."

This article originally published at Labor unrest in CT seen through walk outs, threats. 'Main Street is suffering'.
The Latvian authorities have informed 841 Russian citizens that they must leave the country by 13 October due to non-compliance with migration legislation.

Source: Politico, citing Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Latvia amended its Immigration Law, tightening the conditions for Russian citizens to stay in its territory.

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Russians had to apply for EU long-term resident status, demonstrate knowledge of the Latvian language at the A2 level, and undergo security checks and questioning by 30 June 2025 in order to remain in the country legally.

Most of the approximately 30,000 Russians complied with the requirements, about 2,600 voluntarily left Latvia, and 841 Russian citizens did not manage to submit the necessary documents on time.

They were informed of the need to leave Latvia by 13 October  after this date, the stay of such people in the country becomes illegal, the Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs told Politico.

Among other things, these Russians will no longer be able to use social services  for example, receive subsidies and pensions.

Background:

Latvia recently reported criminal proceedings against a Russian citizen caught illegally crossing the state border.

Latvia also banned the employment or provision of services in critical infrastructure to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
The hard work of thousands of county residents was revealed after the Lebanon County America250PA mosaic was unveiled at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center.

Government officials and community leaders attended the dedication ceremony for the new art piece on Oct. 7. The mosaic is a culmination of more than 1,100 tiles created by Lebanon County residents, coming together to form a giant American flag with various colored fireworks.

Artist Linda Billet said the designed and assembled the 9-foot by 5-foot mosaic represents a thousand different points of view throughout Lebanon County.

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"It would be a boring world if everybody were like me," she said. "That's what makes this America, is were all hopefully loving and accepting of each other."

Lebanon Countys America250PA glass mosaic unveiled at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds during a dedication ceremony Oct. 7.

As each tile maker was able to use their own creative idea for their tile, there are more than a thousand different points of view incorporated into the mosaic. This flag represents how our individuality creates us as a whole, said Billet.

Visit Lebanon Valley was awarded a $10,000 grant from America250PAs first semiquincentennial grant round for the project, Our Country, Our County, Our Mosaic. Officials said that the funding enabled Visit Lebanon Valley to create a public art installation as part of Pennsylvanias celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Visit Lebanon Valley President and CEO Jennifer Kuzo made a little cow tile representing the tourism office's mascot, Lebanon Lilly.

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"This piece of history won't be found in the textbooks," she said. "But it's alive in our communities, in our traditions and in our families. It's art that we created to remember, to challenge and to celebrate who we are."

Additional support came from Lebanon Federal Credit Union, the Capital Area Intermediate Unit, and the Lebanon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Artist Linda Billet said the designed and assembled 9-foot by 5-foot mosaic represents a thousand different points of view in Lebanon County. "That's what makes this America, is were all hopefully loving and accepting of each other," she said.

America250PA Chief of Staff Matthew Darragh described the mosaic as something "beautiful, meaningful and lasting."

"I attended Catholic school and my Latin teacher would be proud that I remember 'e pluribus unum,' you know 'out of many, one,'" he said. "I think it's a good metaphor for this mosaic and for the work we do at the commission."

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Officials said art workshops were held across Lebanon County, representing groups that include Lebanon Valley College, Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts, WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital and Cornwall Manor residents, soldiers at Fort Indiantown Gap and Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services.

Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy members participate in the Presentation of the Colors during a dedication ceremony for Lebanon Countys America250PA glass mosaic Oct. 7.

Billet is a Central Pennsylvanian glass artisan specializing in fused and mosaic glass installations, and she has done pieces for hospitals, high schools, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Harrisburg International Airport. She said that nobody but Lebanon County residents could have made the America250 piece that sits at the Expo center.

Amongst the red, white and blue flag tiles are miniature grade school representations of a cowboy, a hair dresser's scissors and comb and Spider-Man. Billet said that one of the mosaic's orange firework's 178 tiles were made by grade schoolers in two hours.

"The grade schoolers that worked on it, they're not going to be Sistine Chapel tiles but they are still awesome little tiles," she said. "There's so much thought that 5-year-old puts into the tile. I don't know what it is, but they know and they're proud of it."

Lebanon Countys America250PA glass mosaic unveiled at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds during a dedication ceremony Oct. 7.

The mosaic is part of a number of events volunteers are planning leading up to the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States next year. All of their efforts lead up to July 4, 2026, the America250PA Lebanon committee will be working with other municipalities for a countywide fireworks display at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center.

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"This mosaic, this county, this celebration is about each and every one of us," America250PA Committee Chair Bonnie L. Loy said. "It's not about a station in life, it's not about a color. It's not about any of that. It's about you, it's about me and it's about all of us together."

Residents looking for more information about statewide efforts made by America250PA can visit their website at america250pa.org/HOME or visit their Facebook page.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon County PA America250PA Mosaic unveiled at Expo center
The Lebanese government says it foiled an Israeli plot to carry out assassinations and bombing attacks in the country, as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

The Lebanese General Security Directorate, a national intelligence agency, said on Friday that it dismantled a network working for the Israeli enemy that was preparing terrorist attacks, bombings and assassinations inside the country.

The statement appears to confirm earlier reports by several Lebanese media outlets that a group of Israel collaborators were working to place bombs inside cars and motorcycles at a commemoration ceremony for slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

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The reports said the foiled attacks aimed to cause as many casualties as possible.

The General Security Directorate said it arrested several people as part of the operation, including a Lebanese-Brazilian suspect and a Palestinian national.

As a result of the investigation, one of the detainees admitted that this network was responsible for previous assassinations of party officials in al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, it said.

Over the past two years, Israel has killed several officials from al-Jamaa al-Islamiya  a Lebanese group allied with Hamas.

Thwarting the alleged Israeli plot represents a rare counterintelligence success for Lebanon after Israel was able to penetrate Hezbollah, and identify, locate and kill many of its top political and military leaders, including Nasrallah, last year.





Israel also rigged thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah members last year with explosives, killing at least 12 people and injuring thousands of others, including children.

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The news outlet Lebanon Debate reported on Thursday that the recently arrested suspects planned to use similar explosives as the ones used in the pager incident to carry out bombing attacks.

The Lebanese intelligence operation comes as Hezbollah faces growing pressure to disarm.

Earlier this year, the Lebanese government issued a decree to remove Hezbollahs weapons, but the group said it will treat the decision as if it does not exist, arguing that its arms are needed to protect Lebanon against Israeli expansionism.

Tensions have been growing between Hezbollah and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who has been a vocal advocate of the disarmament push under a United States-sponsored plan.

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Despite the ceasefire it reached with Lebanon in November of last year, Israel has been carrying out air strikes regularly across the country, killing hundreds of people.

Critics argue that the bombardment is aimed at preventing residents from border villages from returning and rebuilding their towns.

Last month, an Israeli strike on the southern town of Bint Jbeil killed five civilians, including three children from the same family.

Israel also continues to occupy parts of south Lebanon.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Lebanon and Syria announced Friday the opening of a new chapter in their relations nearly 10 months after the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

This marks an attempt to move away from decades of tense ties, characterized by political domination and military interference, toward building a strong political and economic partnership.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, the first high-ranking Syrian official to visit Lebanon since Assad was overthrown by rebel insurgents in December, said a historic, political and economic opportunity exists to transform the Lebanese-Syrian relationship from "a tense, security-based one into a strong political and economic partnership" that benefits both countries.

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"We look forward to turning the page on the past because we want to build the future," al-Shibani said, reaffirming his country's respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and its commitment to establishing strong bilateral relations.

Earlier Friday, Syria told Lebanon it decided to suspend the work of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council and limit all forms of correspondence between the two countries to official diplomatic channels.

The council was established in 1991, after Syria -- under the late President Hafez Assad -- imposed itself as the main power broker in Lebanon, having been granted a guardianship role after the civil war ended a year earlier.

Lebanon has suffered from a decades-long Syrian military presence -- which began in 1976, shortly after the outbreak of the civil strife -- along with political domination and manipulation that deeply affected its governance, political life, economy and overall stability.

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Syria also was accused of being behind the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and numerous other such killings during the civil war and in peace time. Its influence over Lebanon began to wane rapidly following the withdrawal of its troops in 2005 and the outbreak of anti-Assad peaceful protests in 2011, which soon escalated into a bloody civil war.

Syrians, for their part, harbor grudges against Hezbollah -- and its patron, Iran --for siding with the Assad regime and joining the brutal battles against opposition fighters starting in 2012. The involvement of Hezbollah and Iran in Syria ended with Assad's fall.

"Our peoples have suffered from wars and tragedies; let us try peace," al-Shibani said after talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, calling for strengthened cooperation in all fields so that Lebanon can benefit from the lifting of international sanctions on Syria.

Aoun, who called for the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Lebanon -- a post vacant since the fall of Assad -- said that deepening and developing bilateral relations requires the formation of joint committees to address all outstanding issues.

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Both countries have undergone major changes and are working to resolve several complex issues, including the case of over 2,000 Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons, the fate of numerous Lebanese prisoners or missing persons in Syria, the return of 1.5 million Syrian refugees from Lebanon to their homeland, the demarcation of land and maritime borders, and joint efforts to combat drug trafficking and terrorism.

"We have a long road ahead of us. .... We have no choice but to agree on what serves these mutual interests," Aoun said, noting that the situation along the Lebanese-Syrian border has improved.

Al Shibani, accompanied by Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, the head of Syrian intelligence, Hussein al-Salama; and the assistant interior minister, Maj. Gen. Abdel Qader Tahan, said all these issues were "certainly top priorities" and that committees from both countries are reviewing them.

The Syrian foreign minister, who also met with his Lebanese counterpart, Joe Rajji, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, emphasized the importance of enhancing security and intelligence coordination, as well as forming technical and economic committees across the public and private sectors to support Syria's post-war reconstruction.

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"Syria is undergoing a phase of recovery and reconstruction, which should positively reflect on Lebanon," al-Shibani said.

Rajji praised Syria's new leadership for respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and refraining from interference in its internal affairs, adding, "We will work together to open a new path based on peace, security, economic cooperation and joint development."

Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, who attended the meeting between al-Shibani and Salam, said both countries demonstrated "political will" to address every issue "without taboos."

"We have opened a new chapter in Lebanese-Syrian relations unlike any seen in the past fifty years," Mitri said in an official statement released after the meeting.
NEW YORK  New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday in Virginia, marking a major escalation in President Donald Trumps mission to seek retribution against his perceived political enemies, sources told The New York Daily News.

The case against New Yorks top law enforcement official was presented to a grand jury by Lindsey Halligan, Trumps recently appointed interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to MSNBC, which first reported on the indictment. Halligan recently secured charges against former FBI Director James Comey, a staunch Trump critic, alleging he lied to Congress.

What James has been charged with is unclear. Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience, reportedly pursued the indictment following an investigation into allegations that the AG engaged in mortgage fraud while helping her niece finance a home in Norfolk, Virginia, allegations James has previously denied.

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In a statement, James said the indictment was part and parcel of a desperate weaponization of our justice system and that Trump was forcing the hand of federal law enforcement.

These charges are baseless, and the presidents own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The presidents actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties, the statement read.

His decision to fire a United States Attorney who refused to bring charges against me  and replace them with someone who is blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president  is antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country, James statement continued. This is the time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to speak out against this blatant perversion of our system of justice.

The Daily News reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

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James office brought a bombshell case against the Trump Organization that went on trial in October 2023, just more than a year before his return to power, after a sweeping two-year investigation.

The case culminated in Trump and his top executives being found liable on a series of claims alleging they committed wide-scale fraud for years  grossly misrepresenting Trumps net worth to banks and lenders  while operating his family-run real estate empire. Trump was hit with nearly half a billion dollars in fines. A mid-level appeals court recently upheld the findings but found the financial penalty was too high.

The president has disparaged James incessantly, regularly accusing her on Truth Social of leading a witch hunt against him and goading her from the witness box when he took the stand at his trial, deriding her as a political hack as she sat in the front row.

Comey pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on Wednesday. Like James, he has long been a target of the president. Halligan reportedly presented evidence to secure an indictment against the former FBI director after career prosecutors refused to pursue one. Trumps DOJ also recently fired Comeys daughter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, without reason. The highly respected Manhattan prosecutor was involved in cases against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean Diddy Combs and has brought a lawsuit seeking her reinstatement.

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The charges against Comey and AG James come weeks after Trump ordered U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his perceived enemies, accidentally posting the directive publicly on his social media site, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam Shifty Schiff, Leticia??? Theyre all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done, Trump wrote in the post.

We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!

Thursdays news prompted outrage over Trump using the federal governments tremendous enforcement powers to go after his perceived enemies and the apparent demolition of the wall of independence between the White House and the DOJ established after President Richard Nixons Watergate scandal.

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President Trumps open interference in the Department of Justices investigation  demanding charges, forcing out the prosecutor, and installing a loyalist  is a stunning violation of our countrys long tradition of an independent judicial system. The indictment of Letitia James makes it clearer than ever that President Trump has prioritized retaliation over the rule of law, NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman and ACLU Chief Political and Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said in a statement.

Whether its targeting Jimmy Kimmel, James Comey, Letitia James or the millions of everyday people exercising their rights to free speech, this administrations efforts to prosecute and bully and intimidate will only strengthen the Peoples resolve to exercise our freedoms and defend our democracy.

_______
Switzerland-based global healthcare company Novartis (NVS) is gaining momentum this year, thanks to solid pipeline execution, new regulatory wins, high-value license transactions, capital return to shareholders, and positive market sentiment. Novartis stock has surged 36.3% year-to-date, outperforming the broader market.

Following Sandozs (SDZNY) 2023 spinoff, Novartis is a pure-play innovative medicines firm focused on high-value therapeutic areas.

More News from Barchart

The company is scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings on Oct. 28. Let us see if the stock is a buy ahead of earnings.

www.barchart.com

Novartis Strategy Is Working

Novartis strategy of focusing on high-value, innovative medicines is paying off. Its priority brands rose 33%, excluding Entresto, indicating that the next generation of medicines is taking over driving growth. In the second quarter, net sales increased by 11% year-over-year, with core earnings per share rising by 24% to $2.42.

During the earnings call, CEO Vas Narasimhan cited the companys outstanding portfolio performance, notably its newer oncology, neurology, and cardiovascular products, as significant drivers of the strong quarter. The oncology drug Kisqali stood out as the quarters star performer, climbing 64% and gaining total prescription (TRx) leadership in metastatic breast cancer. Narasimhan stated that Kisqalis trajectory indicates it will become a multibillion-dollar growth engine over the next decade.

Additionally, Kesimpta, Novartis self-administered B-cell treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), increased 33% in the quarter. Pluvicto, for prostate cancer, returned to robust growth in the quarter, up 30%, following the approval of its new pre-tax indication in the U.S. Furthermore, the cholesterol-lowering drug Leqvio (inclisiran) saw 61% growth and is on track to exceed $1 billion in annual sales.

The companys blockbuster heart failure drug Entresto has continued to grow steadily. Novartis confirmed its estimate for a loss of exclusivity (LoE) in the U.S. by mid-2025, citing ongoing litigation with one generic contender. The product remains a significant global contributor, with half of revenues coming from Europe, China, and Japan, where patent rights last until 2026 and beyond. These regions are likely to continue to contribute considerable revenue throughout the decade.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia on Oct. 9 on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, shown here in a screen grab from a virtual press conference on Friday, released body-worn camera footage that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Robert Brooks, who died on December 10, 2024 after an encounter with New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy,

The indictment was brought down less than three weeks after President Donald Trump publicly called for her to face charges in a Truth Social post addressing the U.S. Attorney General as Pam. The Wall Street Journal was first to report that the post was intended by Trump to be a direct message on the conservative social media site to Attorney General, Pam Bondi.

Here is how several local federal officials have reacted.

Attorney General Letitia James

Attorney General Leitita James has called the federal charges baseless, and refers to the presidents own public statements as evidence that his only goal is political retribution at any cost.

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In a statement, James stands by her offices successful civil case against the sitting president, assuring that the two-year investigation was based on the facts and evidence. The guilty verdict was appealed by the President and upheld.

I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space. And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper, James asserted. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job.

U.S. Senator, Chuck Schumer, Democratic minority leader

U.S. Senator, Chuck Schumer, D-Ny took to X to warn this is what tyranny looks like.

Schumer accused Trump of using the Justice Department as his personal attack dog, targeting Attorney General Tish James for the crime of prosecuting him for fraud  and winning.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) pointed out the Trump-appointed prosecutor who handed down the indictment was also involved in the James Comey indictment just two weeks ago, where Comey was also targeted in Trumps Truth Social post to his DOJ head.

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Once again, career government attorneys found insufficient evidence to bring charges in this case, but President Trumps handpicked prosecutor plowed ahead regardless, said Gillibrand in a statement. This is obviously yet another example of the president weaponizing the federal government to pursue his political enemies. It is imperative that our justice system be guided by facts and fairness, not political retribution and pettiness.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

Congresswoman, Elise Stefanik, R-21, with constituents in parts of Oneida County, including the city of Rome, takes credit for spearheading Congressional efforts to expose the NY AGs alleged abuses accused James of having illegally weaponized her office to conduct a political witch hunt against Democrats political opponents, most notably President Donald J. Trump.

Stefanik is contemplating a run for governor.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: NY AG James calls charges in federal indictment against her "baseless"
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Louisiana State Police released official body-worn camera footage of the shooting that killed a man in Gonzales.

On Sept. 30, a state trooper was involved in a shooting on LA Hwy 431, near Dab Lane in St. Amant, during a traffic stop.

During the traffic stop, the driver, who was identified as 34-year-old Brandon Nicholas, was slow to exit the vehicle. After leaving the vehicle, the trooper and Nicholas discussed the reason for the stop at the rear of the drivers vehicle.

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The trooper requested Nicholas license, which he replied was inside the vehicle. The trooper then asked if there were any weapons inside the vehicle. Nicholas responded no. Shortly after, the state trooper saw a gun on the drivers floor.

According to the video, the trooper ordered Nicholas to turn around as he began placing him in handcuffs and said he was being detained. Nicholas began to resist before allegedly lunging into the car and reaching toward his gun. The trooper attempted to restrain Nicholas, but Nicholas was able to put the car in drive with the trooper partially inside the vehicle.

The trooper drew his gun, firing shots into the vehicle, before dismounting. Nicholas was able to continue driving before coming to a stop.

Nicholas was later taken to a hospital, but later died of his injuries.

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This is an ongoing investigation.

Watch the video here.

Latest News

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to appoint a new prime minister in France later Friday, as he remains under huge pressure to resolve the country's political deadlock.

It is not yet clear whether Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned after just four weeks in office, will stay on after all, or whether a new person will fill the role.

Before making his decision, Macron invited the leaders of the parties in parliament to the Elysee Palace for consultations at 2:30 pm (1230 GMT), French media reported.

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The only parties not present will be Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and left-wing party France Unbowed (LFI).

Various names have been suggested in the media for the country's next premier, including Socialist leader Olivier Faure, former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve, centrist politician Jean-Louis Borloo as well as Francois Villeroy de Galhau, the head of France's central bank.

Macron is under time pressure, because if highly indebted France wants to get a budget for the coming year in place in time, according to the constitution it must be submitted to parliament by Monday at the latest, and by a prime minister.

Fresh elections could be another potential path out of the crisis. Former premier Edouard Philippe, who served under Macron from 2017 to 2020 and plans to run in the next presidential election, on Thursday urged the president to step down, saying it was the only way to overcome the months of deadlock.

Macron should announce he is "organizing an early presidential election," Philippe told RTL radio.
NEED TO KNOW

Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old woman from Poland, believes that she is Madeleine McCann, who went missing in Portugal in 2007

She began contacting Madeleine's mother Kate McCann with these claims in 2022 and later the missing girl's younger sister Amelie in 2024

Wandelt is on trial following an incident in December 2024 when she showed up at the McCann home demanding they take a DNA test and was subsequently charged with stalking

It has been 18 years since Madeleine McCann went missing from a hotel room in Portugal while her family was on vacation.

Her family has remained in the spotlight ever since that day, and this week they are testifying against a Polish woman accused of stalking the missing girl's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and claiming to be their long lost daughter.

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Julia Wandelt has claimed for years to be Madeleine, and during that time gradually escalated her efforts to engage with the McCann family.

In 2022, she managed to get the contact information for Madeleine's mother, but after no response she continued her efforts. She finally succeeded in January 2024 when Madeleine's younger sister, Amelie McCann, responded to a message Wandelt sent her on social media.

Press Association via AP Images Julia Wandelt Julia Wandelt

Amelie, who was in the room with Madeleine on the night she went missing, testified in court that she thought responding to Wandelt was her best  and in many ways only  option at the time.

"I didn't think it was a criminal offense or know it would be considered stalking. I just thought I could deal with it myself and to ignore it," Amelia said in court while appearing via video feed, according to the BBC. "I didn't want to add any additional stress to my parents or my family, so I just left it with myself."

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In those messages, Wandelt attempted to convince Amelie that she was her sister, and even went so far as to share memories she had of the time she had spent with her sister before her disappearance.

"It's disturbing she is coming up with these supposed memories when she is not Madeleine," Amelie testified.

Amelie was just 2 years old when Madeleine, who was 3 years old at the time, disappeared.

Related: What Happened to Madeleine McCann? A Complete Timeline of Her Disappearance

Her twin brother Sean, who was the other person in the hotel room that night in Portugal, chose to have a statement read in court on his behalf. Unlike his sister, he did not engage with Wandelt and instead blocked her on social media after she first messaged him with her claims.

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He called her actions "strange and upsetting" while at the same time admitting he also feels "guilty for feeling upset" because he believes Wandelt might suffer from a mental health condition, the BBC reports.

Press Association via AP Images Amelie McCann Amelie McCann

The testimony of the two siblings followed that of their mother Kate McCann.

Amelie said that their mother was affected the most by Wandelt's actions, saying "it took a toll on her well-being."

On the stand, but covered by a curtain so she would not have to see Wandelt, Kate testified that Wandelt first contacted her approximately three years ago and would leave voice messages in which she claimed to be Madeleine.

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Some days she would call more than 50 times, according to Kate.

Much like her daughter, Kate attempted to deal with the messages and try to downplay the situation, until she came to learn that Wandelt had also been reaching out to Amelie.

Everything then came to a head on Dec. 7, 2024, when Wandelt flew from Poland to England and drove to Madeleine's parents' home where she demanded the missing girl's father submit to a DNA test.

The next day, Wandelt returned to the home and left a letter on their door that she addressed to Kate and signed as Madeleine.

That letter was read in court, according to the BBC, and said in part: "I think you are scared, but whatever makes you scared, just remember that you are stronger than that."

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She then wrote: "Yesterday, I heard a lot of care and love in your voice. I hope you will find a way to contact me."

AP Photo/Armando Franca Gerry McCann and Amelie two days after Madeleine went missing Gerry McCann and Amelie two days after Madeleine went missing

Wandelt was arrested two months later alongside Karen Spragg, a 61-year-old Welsh woman who became a fervent supporter of the accused stalker after hearing her story and accompanied her to the McCann's home on the day in question.

The two are both charged with a single count of stalking, which they deny.

Wandelt continues to claim that she is Madeleine on her social media account, where she posts DNA tests and facial analysis that appear to support her claims but are not vetted in any way.

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She wanted the family's DNA to support her claim that she is Madeleine after a DNA test showed that she was not the missing girl, who was born two years after her.





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Madeleine was on vacation in Portugal with her physician parents and younger twin siblings when she went missing from the resort where the family had been staying in Praia da Luz.

The McCann family had planned the vacation with other families and were eating dinner just 150 feet away from their hotel room when Madeleine went missing, despite the two checking on their three children throughout the night.

After an initial investigation, Portuguese authorities named the parents as suspects in their daughter's disappearance.

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Kate and Gerry were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing the following year, but none of the subsequent suspects in the case have ever been charged with the young girl's disappearance.

It is also still not known if Madeleine was kidnapped and killed or if she is still alive.

Madeleine would now be 22 years old.

Read the original article on People
Even the White House joined in the MAGA meltdown over Donald Trumps Nobel Peace Prize snub after the award was handed to a democracy activist instead of the president.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee overlooked Trump and gave the prize instead to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan democracy campaigner and vocal critic of the countrys leftist dictator, President Nicolas Maduro.

The decision was announced early Friday morning, while most Americans were still asleep. Some conservative commentators were still awake, however, as the news flashed up at 5 a.m. ETor had got up early to show off their loyalty to Trump, who claims to have ended seven or eight wars so far in his second term.

Cheung, pictured with Trump, was unhappy with the decision. / ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images

The White Houses firebrand comms chief, Steven Cheung, led the backlash, saying that the committee chose politics over peace. He wrote on X: President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

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Ever-present right-wing activist Laura Loomer also chimed in. Imagine thinking a woman who cries nonstop about @NicolasMaduro has done more for the world than President Trump.  What an absolute joke, she wrote on X. Everyone knows President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. More affirmative action nonsense.

Katie Miller, the wife of Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff Steven Miller, also gave her decidedly MAGA take. President Obama was given a Nobel months into his Presidency without ending any wars. President Trump has now ended EIGHT wars, she wrote on X, adding, POLITICS OVER PEACE.

Loomer reacted minutes after news of Trump's snub broke. / Laura Loomer/X

MAGA influencer Gunther Eagleman, real name David Freeman, agreed with an assertion from independent journalist Breanna Morello that the Noble Peace Prize lost its credibility after it was given to Barack Hussein Obama.

Truth, the conservative talking head wrote.

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X account MAGA Voice boasts over 1.3 million followers, including Republican congresswomen Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. It dubbed Machado some random person that nobody knows.

THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE IS A JOKE. Anyone with a brain knows Donald Trump should have won, the poster ranted in caps-heavy Trumpian style. TRUMP COULD HAVE CURED CANCER. SUCH A JOKE.

The General, a MAGA commentator, followed by the likes of Nancy Mace and MTG, added their take. President Trump did not win the Nobel Peace Prize, they wrote. Ive said it before and Ill say it again. He added, spelling the name of the prize incorrectly, The Noble Peace Prize is a participation trophy.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the prize for her pro-democracy fight. / Jonathan Lanza/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Bloomberg and The Guardian both reported that Norwegian officials fear that they might have inadvertently poked the bear by snubbing Trump. Bloomberg wrote that Norway is bracing for the aftermath.

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Indeed, the countrys foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, was keen to reiterate that the government does not interfere in the Nobel panels decisions.

The Guardian reported on fears in Norway over how he will react to being overlooked so publicly.

It comes as Norway is scrambling to cut a deal with Washington, with Trade Minister Cecilie Myrseth in D.C. this week trying to slash a 15 percent tariff hitting its exports. Looming in the background is also Oslos $2 trillion sovereign wealth fundthe worlds biggestwith roughly 40 percent tied up in U.S. markets, a tempting target if Trump decides to flex.

Trump had been pushing hard for a Nobel Peace Prize, touting his foreign policy deals as evidence he deserves the honor and griping publicly that hes been treated very unfairly by the Nobel committee.

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His brokering of a tentative peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, just two days before the Nobel Prize announcement, increased speculation around whether he might be handed the prize.

The committee, however, opted to recognize Machados tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for our struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
A Maine woman was arrested after she was speeding over 100 mph on Route 25 in Ossipee, according to New Hampshire State Police.

Alisha Bernice Timmons, 36, of Portland, Maine, was driving a 2024 Hyundai Venue at 107 mph in a 55 mph zone when she was stopped by Trooper First Class Eric Call of the New Hampshire State Police.

The incident occurred at 10:23 p.m. when State Police dispatch received a report of the speeding vehicle on Route 25 westbound in Center Ossipee.

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During the traffic stop, Timmons exhibited signs of impairment and was subsequently taken into custody.

She was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated (DWI), resisting arrest, criminal mischief, breach of bail, and open container.

Timmons was held in preventive detention and was arraigned in the Ossipee Circuit Court on October 9.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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It's becoming increasingly likely that a coastal storm will significantly impact Delaware this weekend, with potential effects including moderate to major coastal flooding and damaging winds, according to the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

The National Weather Service has placed the entire state under a coastal flood watch for Oct. 12 and 13. Sussex County is also under a high-wind watch for Oct. 12 into Oct. 13, while the lower Delaware Bay is under a storm watch and the upper bay a gale watch.

"A coastal low is expected to develop off the Southeast U.S. Coast early Saturday and strengthen through this weekend," said a release from the weather service in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

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Depending on the track and intensity of the storm, a combination of persistent, strong winds, high surf and high astronomical tides are all likely to contribute to flooding in Delaware's coastal areas, according to the NWS. High surf and rip currents will likely lead to beach erosion and wind could potentially reach over 55 mph. That could cause power outages, and heavy rain  up to 5 inches  could lead to flash flooding.

Cape Henlopen State Park, looking north from Herring Point, as Hurricane Erin swirled offshore Aug. 21, 2025.

Sussex County officials issued their own news release, calling the storm "the first nor'easter of the fall season."

DEMA is monitoring weather conditions and is working with local agencies to address any emerging needs, officials said in a news release.

Were asking Delawareans to follow local directives to remain safe through the developing storm. Take steps now to check your emergency kit, to clear gutters and secure outdoor furniture, to set aside some cash in case of loss of power, and to avoid nonessential travel during periods of heavy rains, DEMA Director A.J. Schall said in a statement.

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Weather: Freeze warning possible for region with coastal flooding watch as storm nears Delaware

NWS: Is the National Weather Service impacted by government shutdown 2025? What to know

DEMA is also encouraging Delawareans to:

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Major storm with coastal flooding to impact Delaware this weekend
VALLETTA (Reuters) -The foreign minister of European Union member state Malta said on Thursday that he had nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ian Borg, in a Facebook post, cited Trump's success in negotiating peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and his efforts towards ending wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

The winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner will be announced on Friday, though the deadline for nominations for each year's Nobel prizes is January 31.

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The leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed an accord at the White House in August aimed at ending decades of conflict between the two, a step described by Trump as "historic".

On Thursday, Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza.

Borg uploaded a picture of himself at a meeting with Trump, who has long openly coveted the prestigious Nobel Peace award.

"I handed the U.S. president a letter I wrote in my own name, in which I informed him that, like many others, I have nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize," he said.

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"I also urged him to continue working on the Middle East and Ukraine," wrote Borg, adding he was "pleased today to see increased commitment that is bringing us closer to peace".

(Reporting by Christopher Scicluna;, editing by Mark Heinrich)
The Nobel Peace Prize winner hailed Trump as a visionary just days before she won the prestigious award in Norway on Friday.

Maria Corina Machado, a conservative politician in Venezuela, was given the award for her work in promoting democratic rights, according to the Nobel committee.

Machado is the opposition leader in her country and has been forced to remain in hiding in the wake of Nicolas Maduros most recent election victory.

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Maduro has long been accused of breaking human rights laws by global watchdogs such as Amnesty International, which suggested that there had been allegations of torture and killings by the incumbent Venezuelan government.

Since Trumps reelection, Machado has been an outspoken supporter of the U.S. president, describing him as the biggest opportunity weve ever had for regime change in Venezuela.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corino Machado has been an outspoken supporter of Trump (AP)

She has also described the president as a visionary.

In September, the U.S. military attacked a Venezuelan speedboat carrying 11 people. The army claimed that the boat was carrying drug traffickers, but Venezuela insisted that only fishermen were on board.

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Tensions between Venezuela and America soared following the attack, but Machado insisted to The Sunday Times that Trump was right to bomb the boat.

I totally support his strategy, Machado said. And Ive said on behalf of the Venezuelan people that we are very grateful. I think it is the right thing to do. Its courageous. Its visionary.

Trump, on the other hand, has claimed that he is not talking about regime change in Venezuela.

Machado has claimed that she is in close contact with Marco Rubio, Trumps Secretary of State, the son of Cuban refugees.

The U.S. has sent warships, as well as aircraft and submarine support to the Caribbean in what Rubio has described as a counter-drug operation.

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Maduro, on the other hand, maintains that the U.S. is using the idea of a war on drugs as a cover to overthrow his government.

Nicolas Maduro seized control of Venezuela when he denied the election result last year (AP)

Machado led her opposition alliance to victory in the presidential elections last year, with Edmundo Gonzalez, her chosen candidate, winning by a landslide.

However, Gonzalez was blocked from taking office after Maduro declared victory despite the democratic result.

A brutal crackdown on protestors swiftly followed, with thousands of people being arrested and at least 25 people being killed.

We have risked everything  our families, our lives, everything, Machado said. We won an election by landslide and we have a mandate.

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The people of Venezuela have desperately asked for real, strong support. Finally, its reaching us.

Machado was forced into hiding after Maduro tightened his grip on the country (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Machados continued efforts to reinstate democracy in Venezuela resulted in her being handed the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10. She won despite Trump campaigning for months to be given the prize.

The US president has claimed that he has ended seven wars, including conflicts between Israel and Iran, as well as Thailand and Cambodia.

However, Trump had claimed that he ended a war between Serbia and Kosovo despite there being no fighting between the two nations. Although he did not technically end a war between Serbia and Kosovo, he did broker an economic deal between the two countries, which have long been at odds politically, in 2020.

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Now, Machado has called for the US to put even more pressure on Maduros government, which she has claimed is close to collapsing.

Earlier this year, she praised Trumps decision to axe licenses allowing energy companies to operate in Venezuela, a petrostate.

This is what can weaken a criminal system, and the flow of cash in the case of the Maduro regime comes from absolutely illicit sources tied to drug trafficking, oil, gold and minerals smuggling, money laundering, and then permitted income from oil licenses, Machado told Politico. As a result, whats happened is a clear statement from the Trump administration as to the threat that Venezuela poses.
Maria Corina Machado, who has become a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The opposition leader was forced into hiding and banned from running for office by the administration of President Nicolas Maduro. But her fearless campaigns and rock-star appeal have made her an incredibly popular politician in her country  and led her to beat US President Donald Trump in winning this years honour.

When her win was announced in October, the activist was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government.

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Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, added: In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist."

Maria Corina Machado became a symbol of resistance in the face of growing authoritarianism in Venezuela (AP)

Machados ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a video of himself speaking by phone with her after she received the news. I am in shock, Machado said. I cannot believe it.

The award ceremony is due to take place on Wednesday, 10 December, but at the eleventh hour it was announced that Machado is not going to attend.

What is Machados background?

Machado, 58, was born in Caracas on 7 October 1967. Her father was a prominent businessman in Venezuelas steel industry, with her upper-class roots making her a target of criticism from the countrys governing socialist party.

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Now a mother of three children, Machado is an industrial engineer by training, studying engineering at university before she gained a masters degree in finance, and went on to have a short career in business.

In 1992, she also started a foundation for orphaned children living on the streets of Caracas, the Atenea Foundation.

But she went on to co-found the vote-monitoring organisation Sumate in 2002, which aims to promote free and fair elections, marking her official entry into politics.

President Nicolas Maduros time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis (AP)

Banned from public office

In 2010, Machado won a record number of votes to get elected to the National Assembly, where she served from 2011 until the regime expelled her from office in 2014.

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She later became the national coordinator of the liberal political party Vente Venezuela, which she co-founded in 2012 and currently leads. Five years later, she helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance, aimed at bringing together pro-democracy forces from across the political divide.

Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023, and her rallies attracted large crowds. However, a ban from holding public office prevented her from running for president against Nicolas Maduro in an election in 2024, and she went into hiding. Mr Gonzalez took her place, having never run for office before.

The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations, with Maduro's government routinely targeting its real or perceived opponents.

The Venezuelan opposition leader addresses supporters at a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas in January (AP)

The crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

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The election results sparked protests across the country, to which the government responded with force and ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado emerged from hiding in January to make a brief appearance during a protest before the inauguration of Maduro  whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis. She was briefly arrested and then freed.

The 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Gonzalez  who has been granted asylum in Spain after a Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for him  celebrated Machado's Nobel win in a post on X/Twitter, calling it a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.

Last year, Machado and Gonzalez were awarded the European Union's top human rights honour, The Sakharov Prize.

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Machado now becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honoured.

Machado and Gonzalez join hands during a protest against the result of the presidential election last year (Getty)

She advocates for liberal economic reforms, including the privatisation of state-owned enterprises such as PDVSA, Venezuelas oil company. She also supports the creation of welfare programs aimed at aiding the country's poorest citizens.

Her political activism has come at a cost, leaving her isolated as nearly all of her senior advisers have been detained or forced to leave the country. Machado herself has accused Maduro's administration of operating as a criminal mafia.

Though sometimes criticised for being egotistical, even by her own mother, Machado rarely speaks about herself in public. Instead, she frames her campaign as a collective struggle for redemption and unity, aiming to inspire hope among Venezuelans weary of economic hardship and social decay.

What happened to Machado attending the ceremony?

Machado was due to receive the award in defiance of a decade-long travel ban imposed by authorities in her home country and after spending more than a year in hiding.

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Last seen in public 11 months ago, she had been due to hold a traditional news conference by the laureate the day before the formal award ceremony.

But the lunchtime event was delayed without explanation, until the Norwegian Nobel Institute said three hours after the scheduled time that it will not take place today.

On the day of the ceremony, the organisers confirmed she would not be attending and the award will be accepted by her daughter instead.

She is unfortunately not in Norway and will not stand on stage at Oslo City Hall at 1 p.m. when the ceremony starts, Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the institute and the permanent secretary of the award body, told broadcaster NRK.

Asked where she was, Harpviken said: I don't know.

Last month Venezuelas attorney general said Machado would be considered a fugitive if she went to Norway to accept the prize.
This story was originally published on Supply Chain Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Supply Chain Dive newsletter.

PVH Corp., the parent company of apparel brands Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, appointed Patricia Gabriel as its next chief supply chain officer and global head of operations, per a press release obtained by Supply Chain Dive.

At PVH, she will oversee global operations and the end-to-end supply chain for the company and its brands across multiple regions and functions.

In Calvin Klein and TOMMY HILFIGER, PVH has two of the most iconic and globally beloved brands, and Im incredibly excited to join at this important moment in the companys growth journey, Gabriel said in the release. Operational excellence and supply chain optimization will be true competitive advantages that fuel growth and innovation."

Gabriel currently serves as SVP and chief supply chain officer for Capri Holdings, which owns brands such as Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and Versace. She will officially join PVH in Q4, succeeding David Savman, according to the release.

With more than 25 years of experience, Gabriel also has previously led supply chain, manufacturing and logistics operations at Mondelez International and AB InBev. She has supported and overseen supply chain optimization, omnichannel fulfillment and network design across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia, the release says.

Savman has served as chief supply chain officer for PVH since 2022, adding the title of global head of operations in March, per his LinkedIn profile. He will now focus on his role as global brand president for Calvin Klein, a position he took over in May.

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify Savmans positions with PVH.

Recommended Reading
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake rattled the southern Philippines early Friday, shaking homes, cutting power and sending residents fleeing from the coast as officials issued tsunami warnings.

The quake struck just offshore from the coastal town of Manay in Davao Oriental and was strong enough to be felt across much of the island of Mindanao.

Officials say at least seven people were killed as homes collapsed, while hundreds of buildings, including schools and a hospital, suffered damage. For a tense few hours, a tsunami warning stretched across the region, from the Philippines to Indonesia, before being lifted.

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Authorities reported that more than 200 classrooms and at least one hospital sustained structural damage, and power was knocked out across much of the area. At least 250 hospital patients had to be evacuated and were being temporarily housed in tents.

Several strong aftershocks were reported, including a 6.8 magnitude shake that reignited tsunami concerns.

Local experts told the Associated Press that the 6.8 magnitude aftershock was actually a second earthquake. The second one is a separate earthquake, which we call a doublet quake, said Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology Vhief Teresito Bacolcol, adding, " Both happened in the same area but have different strengths and epicenters.

(MORE: Northern Venezuela Struck By Multiple Tremors)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is assessing the full extent of the damage and preparing to deploy rescue and relief teams once conditions are safe. The Philippine Coast Guard has placed its units on high alert to assist local authorities with search, rescue and evacuation efforts, while the United Nations' Philippines office said it stands ready to provide aid if needed.

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The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines confirmed that three power lines damaged by the quake have been restored, while one customer-owned line remains out of service.

(MORE: Kilauea Launches Lava Higher Than A Skyscraper)

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director, the quake was caused by oblique reverse faulting along the Philippine Trench, one of the countrys most active seismic zones. The Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity frequently triggers earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

This latest disaster comes just two weeks after a deadly magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the central island of Cebu, killing 74 people and becoming the nations deadliest quake in more than a decade.

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Fridays 7.4-magnitude temblor was one of the strongest to hit the southern Philippines in recent years.

Weather.com lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.
Credit: Reuters

Melania Trump convinced Vladimir Putin to reunite eight Ukrainian children with their families through one-on-one talks with the Russian president.

In a rare public speech at the White House, the first lady said Putin had engaged with her directly on the issue of repatriating Ukrainian children held in Russia.

President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children, she said. For the past three months, both sides have participated in several back channel meetings and calls, all in good faith.

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We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war.

My representative has been working directly with President Putins team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine.

Melania Trump made the announcement in a rare speech

In August, the White House revealed she had written to Putin, asking him to help protect children afflicted by the Ukraine-Russia war.

Her letter was handed to the Russian president when he met with his American counterpart in Alaska for high-level talks about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Mrs Trump wrote that it is time to protect children and future generations worldwide.

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Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nations rustic countryside or a magnificent city centre. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger, her letter said.

US researchers have identified more than 210 sites where Ukrainian children have been taken for military training, drone manufacturing, and other forced re-education by Russia, as part of a large-scale deportation programme.

Again, this remains an ongoing effort, Mrs Trump said. Plans are already on their way to reunify more children in the immediate future.

I hope peace will come soon. It can begin with children.

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The first lady made her announcement in the grand entry foyer of the White House, against a backdrop of portraits of former US presidents.

Mrs Trump approaches the podium in the Grand Foyer of the White House - Alex Brandon

Mrs Trump, recently emerging as a quiet diplomatic power in the White House, was a largely absent figure for much of Mr Trumps first six months.

She made clear that she detests the attention of the press and is reluctant to speak in public. Her announcement was brief and she left without taking questions.

Despite rarely appearing in public, Mrs Trump has emerged as a quiet force in the administrations foreign policy.

Mr Trump has described how his wife has guided him at times in his talks with Putin, and how they had looked at horrifying images of emaciated children in Gaza together.

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She has advised her husband to take a more sceptical approach to Putin.

I go home, Mr Trump told reporters in July. I tell the first lady I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.

She said oh really? Another city was just hit.

Mrs Trump says she hopes peace will come soon - Aaron Schwartz/ 2025 Bloomberg Finance LP

Earlier this year, The Telegraph revealed how the first lady had been the driving force in her husbands decision to launch air strikes on Syria in 2017.

A former official described how she had been deeply moved by images of children dying after a chemical weapons attack by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

I think she reacts to human suffering as a mom, without a policy or political filter, and shares her gut reaction with her husband, they said.

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Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for the release of Ukrainian children held in Russia.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Zelensky said that returning the children was a priority.

We need to bring them back to their families, to their relatives, he said, announcing that preparations are under way for a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.

Mrs Trumps diplomatic efforts have also extended past Ukraine. In September, the Turkish first lady wrote to her American counterpart urging her help in ending the suffering in Gaza.

Slow progress in ending Ukraine war

Her announcement came at the end of an extraordinary week of diplomacy.

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Mr Trump is expected to fly to the Middle East at the weekend as Hamas begins to release hostages as part of its historic ceasefire deal with Israel to end the war in Gaza.

Mr Trump has not enjoyed the same luck in making progress to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite pledging to end it on day one of his presidency.

Following a meeting with Mr Zelensky at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Mr Trump made a post on Truth Social in which he urged the Ukrainian leader to take back all of Ukraines territory won by Russia and go even further than that.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump meet at the United Nations General Assembly in New York - PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE HANDOUT HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock

He said in his post: I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.

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Dismissing Russia as a paper tiger in economic peril, Mr Trump added that Ukraine could take back their country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!.

On Friday, the Russian leader praised Mr Trumps peace efforts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Asked about the US presidents apparent Nobel Peace Prize snub, Putin said: [Trump] is really doing a lot to resolve such complex crises that have lasted for years and even decades.

There have been cases where the committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to people who have done nothing for peace... In my view, these decisions have done enormous damage to the prestige of this prize.

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Mr Trump thanked Putin for his comments in a post on Truth Social.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The E3 leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom have praised the efforts of US President Donald Trump as well as the mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey in seeking to resolve the Gaza conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas group.

In a joint statement published on Friday, they said: "It is now of utmost importance that all parties implement their obligations in full and without delay."

The three countries pledged to support "substantive humanitarian aid packages through UN agencies" in the coming weeks.

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A peace plan proposed by Trump and supported by Israel and Hamas is expected to lead to the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in the coming days.

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has already come into effect, which should also enable new aid deliveries.

However, the next steps towards a lasting peace have not yet been finalized.

With regard to the war in Ukraine, the three countries represented by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a vague statement.

They said that, together with the US, they are "ready to progress towards using, in a coordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraines armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table."

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The joint statement also mentioned Iran, stressing that the three governments agree that the reimposition of international sanctions against Tehran was necessary in light of the country's nuclear programme.

"We are determined to reinitiate negotiations with Iran and the United States towards a comprehensive, durable and verifiable agreement that ensures Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon," the statement said.
Erie County's district attorney has cleared a Millcreek Township police officer of any wrongdoing in a May 11 shooting at a township apartment complex that killed a 36-year-old man.

District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz, in a statement released mid-afternoon Oct. 10, said her review of the investigation into the May 11 shooting at the Reserve at Millcreek apartment complex found that the actions of the officer who fired the shots that killed 36-year-old Patrick J. Kanonczyk were reasonable and privileged under Pennsylvania law.

The officer, who Hirz and Millcreek police have not named, was reasonable in his belief that the officer and another officer were in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury due to Kanonczyk's actions, Hirz wrote.

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No charges are warranted against the officer and the case is now closed, Hirz wrote.

Hirz's determination comes five months after the shooting occured, and as an investigation that includes the Erie County District Attorney's Office continues into the July 2 fatal shooting in Erie of 43-year-old Marchello D. Woodard by a state parole agent.

The Pennsylvania State Police investigated the Millcreek police shooting and are involved in the Marchello Woodard shooting investigation.

Confrontation involved hammer, knife

The shooting happened after two Millcreek police officers were summoned on the early evening of May 11 to the apartment complex on Treetop Drive to investigate reports of a man with hammers smashing car windows.

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State police told the Erie Times-News previously that residents of the apartment complex said the man also reportedly threw a hammer at one resident who confronted him from her apartment balcony, breaking a window, and reportedly threw a hammer at some other people.

Millcreek Police Chief Carter Mook told the Times-News previously that the man was still armed with a hammer when the police officers encountered him, and he threw a hammer at the officers before displaying a "weapon," which Mook would not identify.

Hirz, in her Oct. 10 statement, wrote that the suspect pulled a knife out of his sweatshirt after attempts to deploy a taser on the suspect failed to incapacitate him. The suspect flipped open the knife and began to step toward the officers and, fearing the suspect would stab them or run away and cause injury to others, one of the officers fired three rounds at the suspect, Hirz wrote.

Police found a second knife next to Kanonczyk after he was shot, according to Hirz.

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Kanonczyk was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:24 p.m. May 11. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said Kanonczyk died of gunshot wounds, and he ruled the death a homicide.

Mook said Oct. 10 that he expects to release a statement on Oct. 13 concerning Hirz's determination in the shooting case.

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Millcreek officer's deadly force justified, Erie County DA rules
UPDATE: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has cancelled the missing person alert for James Raymon Smith

GADSDEN, Ala. (WIAT)  The Gadsden Police Department is asking for the publics assistance in locating a missing 80-year-old man.

According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, James Raymon Smith was last seen on Oct. 7 at around 4 p.m. in the area of Orangeburg, South Carolina. According to the Gadsden Police Department, he may be living with a condition that could impair his judgement.

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Anyone with information on Smiths whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Gadsden Police Department at 256-549-4578 or call 911.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
Welcome back to World Brief, where were looking at the deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a Taliban officials trip to India, and the Hungarian author who won the Nobel Prize in literature.

Steps Toward Peace

On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to pause fighting in Gaza to facilitate a hostage and prisoner swapthe first phase in the Gaza peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. If it holds, the agreement will be a major breakthrough in ending the war, which has claimed more than 65,000 Palestinian lives since Hamas killed roughly 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages in an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

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As the deal stands, Hamas said it will release all remaining hostages, including the roughly 20 who are believed to be alive and the bodies of around 25 others. Israel, meanwhile, will release 1,700 Gazans detained during the war and an additional 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in Israel. Israel will also partially withdraw from Gaza and allow a surge of medical aid and food trucks into the enclave.

This is the third cease-fire reached in the war; most recently, 25 Israeli hostages were exchanged for almost 2,000 prisoners earlier this year before Israel ended the cease-fire in a surprise attack in March.

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump announced his plans to travel to Egypt for an official signing of the deal in the near future. And in a phone call with Trump on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited the U.S. president to address the Knesset during the latters expected visit to Israel on Sunday.

But the intricacies of the dealand just how much of Trumps plan has been acceptedare unclear. Both sides are on track to concede their most aspirational demands: Hamas has long refused to release hostages unless arrangements for a permanent cease-fire are made, while Israel has repeatedly refused deals that dont involve Hamass disarmament. Other sticking points, such as the Palestinian Authoritys role in postwar Gaza and the potential for a two-state solution, were only vaguely detailed in Trumps plan and have not yet been agreed upon by the parties.

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The current deal is a major accomplishment and an important step forward for both Gaza and Israelmaking it last will prove even harder, Daniel Byman wrote in Foreign Policy. The international pressure from Europe, the United States, and the Arab world that forced negotiations will likely continue. But Israel and Hamas might themselves compromise a lasting cease-fire by refusing to adhere to conditions of the deal, dragging their feet, or resuming fighting outright.

Israels government is expected to convene on Thursday to vote on the deal. If it is approved, the cease-fire will go into effect immediately. The hostage and prisoner exchange will take place soon afterlikely Monday or Tuesday, according to Trump.

Though the agreement is tentative, hundreds gathered in Tel Avivs hostages square to celebrate the announcement. In Gaza, celebrations spilled into the streets amid flattened buildings, rubble, and the memory of tens of thousands killed.

We dont know whether to feel happy or sad, one woman displaced from Khan Younis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, told The Associated Press. A whole generation was lost. Two generations were lost, not just one. May God make it up for us.

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Todays Most Read Trumps Speech to Generals Was Incitement to Violence Against Americans by Kori Schake The Future of Intelligence Is Open by Greg Levesque and Calder Walton Is Europes Top Diplomat Diplomatic Enough? by Anchal Vohra What Were Following

Two trips to India. On Thursday, India hosted two major visitors: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

At a meeting in Mumbai, Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inked a $468 million contract to supply the Indian Army with U.K.-manufactured air defense missiles, which are built in a factory in Northern Ireland that also makes weapons for Ukraine. The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, the U.K. government said in a statement. Starmer and Modi also made strides toward another major deal to collaborate on the development of electric-powered engines for Indian naval ships.

Meanwhile, Muttaqi is making the most of a temporary reprieve of his U.N. travel ban with a six-day tour of India, including a meeting with his Indian counterpart, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and a visit to the Taj Mahal. The trip comes at a critical moment as Indias perennial rival, Pakistan, battles a Taliban insurgency, and it marks the first time that a Taliban leader has visited India since the group took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

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Muttaqis tour of India follows a trip to Russia, the only country to recognize the Taliban government, earlier this week. Both Russia and India recently sided with the Taliban against Trumps call for the United States to retake Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

South Sudan reshuffle. Late Wednesday, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir removed Gen. Dau Aturjong from his position as defense chief and reinstated Aturjongs predecessor, Paul Ngang Majok, whom Kiir fired just three months ago.

No official reason was provided for either of these decisions, but they are part of a string of reshuffling within South Sudans military and government. In September, Kiirs government charged former rebel leader Riek Machar with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in an attack that killed 28 people in March. Machar was also stripped of the vice presidency, which he assumed in 2020 as part of a post-civil war power-sharing agreement.

Analysts say these shake-ups may be a bid by Kiir to consolidate control ahead of long-postponed elections, now expected to be held in 2026. Kiir has led the transitional government since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and throughout the countrys nearly five-year civil war.

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Apostolic exhortation. Pope Leo released his first major papal document, titled I Have Loved You, on Thursday, calling on Christians to love and prioritize the poor and the suffering. Known as an apostolic exhortation, the document was started by the late Pope Francis and finished by Leo, who assumed the papacy in May.

The exhortation praises the churchs tradition of welcoming strangers and especially credits women for their work providing health care to the poor. Leo, whose criticism of the Trump administration has been ramping up, also seemed to reference Trumps immigration policies: Where the world sees threats, she [the Catholic Church] sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges.

Leo criticized political-economic systems that favor the strongest for creating extreme wealth inequality and a culture that tolerates with indifference that millions of people die of hunger or survive in conditions unfit for human beings. He called for a global commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty while giving charity to those who suffer in the meantime. A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today, Leo wrote.

Odds and Ends

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The Nobel Prize in literature was awarded to Hungarian novelist Laszlo Krasznahorkai for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art, as seen in works such as his 1999 novel War and War, about an archivist who loses his mind and travels from provincial Hungary to New York City, and his short story An Angel Passed Above Us, which takes place in the mud of a trench and contrasts the dazzling wonders and abject horrors of the modern worldand please excuse the run-on sentence: This World Brief writer is only paying homage to Krasznahorkais signature style.
In Montana, fall hunting seasons often put people in close proximity to grizzly bears that are feeding in the final weeks before the hibernation season.

That means surprise encounters, which can be dangerous and even fatal (for hunters and bears).

But good fortune was on the side of three archery hunters recently in the Taylor Fork area near Big Sky.

Grizzly bear on the move.

In one instance, according to Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks, two hunters were exploring near a known elk carcass on Sept. 29 when they spotted a grizzly bear.

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The hunters were said to have yelled in the hope of scaring the bear off, but the bear charged. The hunters each fired a handgun toward the bear, ending the confrontation.

ALSO: Six hunting dogs killed by wolves while pursuing bears in Wisconsin

FWP officers interviewed both hunters on Oct. 1 and determined that they probably did not strike the bear with their bullets. (Grizzly bears are protected in Montana, but can shot in self-defense.)

On Oct. 3, a solo hunter was charged by a grizzly bear during a surprise encounter at close range and used bear spray to repel the attack. The hunter later informed FWP of the incident.

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It was not clear what type of animals the hunters were after, but Archery Deer & Elk season in Montana began Sept. 6 and runs through Oct. 19.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Montana hunters use handguns, spray to repel grizzly bear attacks
Education Commissioner Caitlin Davis, shown here during her confirmation hearing in July, said on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, that New Hampshire has "the majority of our federal education programming funds for the full year." (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin)

Key federal funding for New Hampshire schools has not been affected by the shutdown in Washington, Department of Education Commissioner Caitlin Davis said Thursday  at least the money that flows through the state Department of Education.

Thats because the federal money for the coming school year was forward-funded, meaning it was given to the state department in July in advance of the current school year, Davis said.

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We have the majority of our federal education programming funds for the full year, Davis told members of the State Board of Education at its monthly meeting Thursday. So were lucky that doesnt impact us that much.

The pre-allocated money includes $50 million in Title I-A grants, which pass through the state agency and on to public schools with significant populations of low-income students.

It also includes funds for Title II-A, which supports efforts to train teachers and improve their effectiveness to raise student academic achievement, as well as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds, which cover a portion of public schools special education expenses.

In total, about $200 million in annual allocations from the U.S. Department of Education will not be affected by the shutdown, Davis said.

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But assistance programs run by other agencies may be in more jeopardy. For instance, money for free and reduced-price meals from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not been granted to New Hampshire in one lump sum, Davis said, and thus could run out. We do have some advanced money, Davis said, speaking on the meals program.

And other funding programs that affect public schools but are not run through the Department of Education, like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, could also be hurt by the shutdown, she said.

SNAP has not yet been affected by the shutdown because benefits for the state are covered through October; Medicaid also has sufficient funds to continue operating through the first quarter of the 2026 federal fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

The shutdown, which began after U.S. Senate Democrats refused to vote with Republicans to continue government funding in order to obtain assurances that health care subsidies will continue, entered its 10th day Friday. It has led to widespread furloughs of federal workers, including some at the Portsmouth Naval shipyard, and has forced some federal employees, such as air traffic controllers, to continue work without pay.

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In a Sept. 30 press release shortly before the expected shutdown, Gov. Kelly Ayotte asserted that most state operations would not be affected and predicted minimal impact, at least for the first 30 days.

Davis echoed that point Thursday, noting that the front-loaded money means that all 275 positions at the state education department will continue to be paid, even though some rely on federal funds.

We are continuing to monitor the situation on an ongoing basis and provide updates to both schools and department employees, because it can provide some unrest, as you can imagine, Davis said.

People hear the federal employees are not working in this time, and (ask) how does that impact our work?
Cenovus Energy has stepped up its bid for MEG Energy by raising its offer to C$8.6bn, including debt.

This move comes amid a competitive takeover battle with Strathcona Resources for the Canadian oil producer.

The revised bid values MEG at approximately C$29.80 per share, which Cenovus stated is its "best and final" offer.

In comparison, Strathcona Resources' revised offer last month valued MEG at C$30.86 per share.

Despite Strathcona owning 14% of MEG, Cenovus board has urged shareholders to reject Strathcona's bid, describing it as "fundamentally unattractive".

MEG's board has reaffirmed its support for Cenovus' offer.

Cenovus' latest offer follows an earlier statement that its August bid was fair.

The battle for MEG, one of Canada's last large pure-play oil sands companies, highlights the strategic importance of its Christina Lake oil sands project. The project is valued for its long reserve life, low operating costs and production growth potential, reported Reuters.

Cenovus has revised its offer structure, moving from 75% cash and 25% stock to an even 50-50 split of cash and shares. The change is intended to give MEG investors more potential upside in the combined company.

In addition, the companies have updated their standstill agreement to permit Cenovus to purchase up to 9.9% of MEGs shares prior to the merger vote.

MEG's shareholder meeting has been postponed to 22 October from 9 October to give investors more time to review the amended proposal.

A successful acquisition of MEG, which produces roughly 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day, would strengthen Cenovus presence as a major operator in Albertas Christina Lake region.

Cenovus reported upstream production of around 832,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025).

"Cenovus Energy raises offer for MEG Energy amid takeover battle" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Oct. 9WASHINGTON  With the government shutdown in its ninth day and no sign of serious negotiations between the parties to end it, Democrats are counting on sticker shock putting pressure on Republicans when Americans start seeing rising health insurance costs during this fall's open enrollment period.

That period beings Oct. 15 in Idaho, earlier than every other state, a fact Sen. Patty Murray of Washington sought to highlight in a virtual news conference on Thursday with Idaho State Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, a fellow Democrat. While Republicans control the House, Senate and White House, passing a funding bill to reopen the government requires the help of Democrats, who are demanding the GOP extend expiring subsidies that lower the cost of insurance premiums.

"If Republican leaders don't want to talk with Democrats about opening the government and stopping premiums from doubling, well, we're going to talk to the American people about what's at stake," Murray said. "We will lift up the voices of families who are worried their premiums will double."

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Wintrow, speaking from the Idaho State Capitol, pointed blame at the Gem State's all-GOP congressional delegation: Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson and Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. Simpson leads a subcommittee responsible for government funding, and Crapo chairs the Senate Finance Committee, but none of the four men have publicly engaged in talks to end the impasse.

"I am overwhelmed with calls from people all over the state who are frustrated and afraid about the things that are happening in their health care," she said. "Their stories are remarkably similar. They're worried, they're frustrated and they're asking, 'Why aren't the people we send to Washington helping us?' "

Republicans already passed a bill in the House to continue government funding at 2024 levels until Congress can finish a new full-year spending bill, and they insist that Democrats are overplaying their hand. In addition to the health insurance subsidies, Democrats have demanded the reversal of GOP cuts to Medicaid funding and restrictions on President Donald Trump's ability to cancel funding approved by Congress.

Most House Republicans are in their home districts for a second straight week as Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has canceled votes to put pressure on Senate Democrats to pass the bill that already cleared the House. But after Murray told a reporter on Wednesday that Washington's two GOP representatives, Michael Baumgartner and Dan Newhouse, were "home on vacation," Newhouse  who was in fact at the Capitol  posted a photo on X of himself standing in front of the senator's office.

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"I'm not in fact on vacation," the Republican from Sunnyside wrote. "I'm here in D.C. whenever you want to meet!"

Despite Newhouse's offer, neither party has so far been willing to budge. In response to a question from The Spokesman-Review, Murray suggested that the notices Americans will soon receive about premium increases during open enrollment periods will put more pressure on the GOP.

"I think Republicans think that this is just going to go away," she said. "But I have to tell you, people are getting those letters in the mail  in Idaho starting in just a few days, in Washington state in a few weeks, every state across the country."

Wintrow said rising health care costs could have political costs for the GOP, noting that Republicans designed their cuts to Medicaid funding to take effect only after the 2026 midterm elections.

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"I think if the election were to happen this month, there'd be a whole different response, because people are suffering," she said. "Most of the people in Idaho are Republican, and it's really heartbreaking for me to see that my congressional delegation is not listening."

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., also highlighted Idaho's first-in-the-nation open enrollment period in a post on X on Wednesday, with images showing an example of an estimated premium increase for a Gem State resident.

The increase in premiums varies by income, family size, location and a variety of other factors. The nonpartisan health care research organization KFF estimates that if Congress doesn't extend the tax credits before they expire at year's end, premiums would more than double for Americans who buy their health insurance from state marketplaces such as the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and Your Health Idaho.

"Our neighbors in Idaho are going to face skyrocketing monthly health care costs unless we extend the ACA tax credits," she wrote, referring to the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law often called Obamacare that established the health insurance marketplaces.

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In the decade after that law was passed, expensive premiums limited the number of Americans who bought health insurance, so Democrats created more generous  and more costly  subsidies in 2021. Many Democrats in Congress wanted to make those tax credits permanent in 2022, but when some in the party raised concerns about the cost of such a policy, they instead designed the subsidies to expire at the end of 2026.

That's the same deadline that Republicans put on their 2017 tax cuts, and Democrats wagered that the insurance subsidies could be extended in negotiations over the GOP tax cuts. But after Democrats lost control of the House, Senate and White House in 2024, Republicans extended the tax cuts without addressing the insurance subsidies.

A fundamental problem behind the shutdown is that the 100-member Senate requires 60 votes to pass government-funding legislation but just 51 votes to cancel that funding, which Trump has done with virtually no resistance from GOP lawmakers. That means Democrats have little reason to trust the traditionally bipartisan appropriations process unless Republicans agree to raise the bar for clawing back funding. But rather than focusing on that esoteric demand, Democrats have chosen to use their votes to demand concessions on health care, one of the few issues where polls indicate that Americans trust them more than Republicans.

Orion Donovan Smith's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
(Reuters) -Malaysia will send observer teams for Myanmar's contentious general election, set to be held in phases from December 28, state media said on Friday, a day after talks between the leader of the ruling junta and Kuala Lumpur's top diplomat.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a 2021 military coup that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered an armed rebellion that has led to large parts of the country slipping out of the junta's control.

"He advised that the election should be all-inclusive and vowed to send election observation teams to Myanmar," the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said, referring to Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

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The comment came after Mohamad met junta chief Min Aung Hlaing met in Myanmar's capital of Naypyitaw on Thursday, weeks ahead of an October summit of the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Malaysia's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the Myanmar state media report.

It made no mention of Malaysian election observers in a social media post that said, "The upcoming elections in Myanmar were also discussed."

Mohamad and Min Aung Hlaing discussed implementing ASEAN's peace plan, including halting violence, expanding humanitarian assistance and holding talks, the ministry added.

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Malaysia and Myanmar are both members of ASEAN, which has barred the latter's military leaders from its meetings since 2022, citing their failure to adopt a five-point peace roadmap the top general had agreed to, after a coup the previous year.

Critics and many Western nations view the coming general elections as a sham exercise designed to solidify and legitimise the military's rule via proxy political parties.

The ballot will be held amid a bitter civil war, with key opposition groups banned and new electoral laws that favour parties backed by the military.

In the fray will be 57 political parties that have registered for the polls, six of which plan to compete nationwide, state media have said.

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In remarks after a January ASEAN meeting on Malaysia's island of Langkawi, Mohamad had said the grouping told Myanmar's junta that an election should not be its priority, and urged instead for dialogue and an end to fighting.

(Reporting by Naw Betty Han; Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Clarence Fernandez)
A recently announced drug bust by the Myrtle Beach Police Department has received viral attention on social media, but it is not likely the type of response the agency was seeking.

MBPD posted Tuesday on Facebook that its monthslong investigation conducted in coordination with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division resulted in the arrest of six people on marijuana trafficking charges.

Officers serving a search warrant a 1306-C Enterprise Ave. recovered more than 38 pounds of marijuana and hundreds of other marijuana-related products, including pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes and boxes of THC vapes, according to the post.

MBPD Chief Amy Prock was quoted in the post touting the cases importance in enhancing the well-being of residents and keeping the community safe. Still, a majority of the more than 1,000 comments were critical of the departments actions, or the laws that led to these arrests.

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If we legalized weed they wouldnt have had to waste all this taxpayer money on a weed investigation, one user commented.

Wow, busting 38 lbs of mary jane while the opioid crisis laughs in the corner great use of my tax dollars, guys!, another commented.

Several commenters pointed out that marijuana has been legalized in many other states, and argued that officers time and effort would be better spent on investigations involving more deadly drugs such as fentanyl.

MBPD spokesman Randolph Angotti, asked about the negative response, said that the department remains committed to the fair and impartial enforcement of all South Carolina laws, statutes, and local ordinances.

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Its important to remember that every type of narcotic or illegal drug activity often brings additional crime, including theft and violence, he added.

An incident report provided to The Sun News by MBPD was scarce on details related to the investigation, but it does show the departments street crimes unit began the investigation March 18.

As of March 2024, 24 states have legalized adult-use cannabis sales  generating more than $20 billion in tax revenues, according to data compiled by the Marijuana Policy Project  and 14 other states have legalized medical marijuana sales.

Efforts to legalize marijuana, either adult-use or medical, in South Carolina have consistently failed at the Statehouse despite resident polling showing support of legalization. A 2023 Winthrop University poll showed that 76% of South Carolinians support legalizing medical marijuana, while 56% back recreational use.
Cmdr. Robert Moreno has been fired as the commanding officer of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Wyomings Blue Crew, according to Navy officials, who did not provide a specific reason for the move.

All ballistic missile submarines have two crews, blue and gold, which take turns manning the boats on underway patrols to ensure proper crew training, readiness, and morale, according to the Navy.

Rear Adm. Bob Wirth, commander of Submarine Group Ten, relieved Moreno on Oct. 8 due to loss of conference in his ability to command, a Navy news release says. No further information was immediately available about why Moreno was fired.

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The move was the second time in less than a month that Navy officials fired a ships commander. The commanding officer of the USS Santa Barbaras Blue Crew, Cmdr. Adam Ochs, was relieved on Sept. 11. The Santa Barbara is a littoral combat ship based in Bahrain.

A statement released on Morenos firing said that Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct. They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.

Missile submarine commanders are hand picked

As the commander of a Navy missile submarine, Moreno was one of just a handful of officers in the entire military entrusted with direct operational oversight and control of nuclear weapons. Missile submarine captains are one of just three roles, along with the air crews of nuclear bombers and launch officers of hardened missile silos, classified as critical under the Pentagons Nuclear Weapons Personnel Reliability Program, or PRP, which sets out the requirements, monitoring and disqualification guidelines for working with nuclear weapons.

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Military Life One VA staffer rubber-stamped benefits at 20 times the normal rate. That could be bad news for vets. By Drew F. Lawrence News Airman who returned fire at gunman was thinking of everybody else By Jeff Schogol News Navy maintenance crews are stripping their own jets and submarines for spare parts By Nicholas Slayton

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Troops working under PRP can be pulled off duty or even removed from their jobs for mistakes, small infractions or even ailments that would be waved off or dealt with quickly elsewhere in the military.

The Wyoming is one of 14 submarines that carry up to 20 nuclear-armed missiles, which the crews can launch in a matter of minutes. Missile submarines make up the smallest but most durable leg of the United States nuclear triad, along with the Air Forces land-based nuclear missile component and bombers that carry nuclear weapons are. The three independent branches are meant to deter adversaries by ensuring the United States would retain the ability to respond to a surprise nuclear attack.

Loss of confidence a common term

Military leaders, and those in the Navy in particular, can be and often are relieved for a wide range of reasons, ranging from poor performance or leadership failings to personal issues unrelated to their jobs, such as being arrested for drunken driving. But whatever the cause for a firing, military branches rarely disclose why a commander or senior enlisted leader is removed from their post, usually attributing the firing instead to a loss of confidence.

In some cases when a commander is relieved for significant misconduct, services have noted that an investigation has taken place. The announcement of Morenos firing did not allude to an investigation.

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Moreno, who assumed command of the Wyoming in May 2024, has been temporarily reassigned to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia.

Moreno began his Navy career in 1993 as an enlisted sailor. He commissioned in 2005, according to his official biography, which was provided to Task & Purpose. His past assignments include serving aboard the submarines USS Pennsylvania, USS Dallas, USS North Carolina, and USS Cheyenne.

Moreno also served as commander of Joint Force Maritime Component in Norfolk, Virginia from March 2021 to September 2023. The commands mission is to conduct joint maritime operations to execute the maritime aspects of strategic deterrence, according to U.S. Strategic Command, which has purview over the militarys nuclear arsenal.

Capt. David Burke has temporarily assumed command of the Wyoming, which is in port for maintenance, according to the Navy. Morenos firing does not impact the ships mission or schedule, the services news release says.

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Ohio-class submarines can carry up to 20 Trident II D5 missiles, and they spend an average of 77 days at sea followed by 35 days of in-port maintenance

They are designed specifically for stealth and the precise delivery of nuclear warheads, according to the Navy.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  State coordinators on Thursday assured those receiving benefits through the Nevada Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program that clinics remain open and food benefits and other services will continue during the federal government shutdown.

Federal support for the program will end Friday as the shutdown continues.

Nearly 40,000 WIC recipients live in Clark County as of the beginning of June, 2025. That includes about 22,000 children, 9,400 infants and 7,800 women. A video summarizing WIC benefits is available on YouTube.

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Ensuring uninterrupted food benefits and program support for pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children is our main priority and Nevadans should continue to redeem their food benefits and attend clinic visits, Blanca Ayala, Nevada WIC Program director, said in a news release sent out Thursday.

Nutritious food, breastfeeding education and support, and health screenings are vital to keeping women and infants healthy, Ayala said.

Nevada WIC encourages all current participants to:

Continue using their EBT cards as normal and keep scheduled appointments

Stay connected through the Nevada WIC website or WICShopper App

Call 1-800-863-8942 or email WICgeneral@health.nv.gov with any questions

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Nevada WIC will monitor the situation and evaluate next steps as the shutdown continues. Coordinators will provide updates to participants, vendors, and subgrantees as needed, the news release said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Ronald Exantus was released from prison under supervision on Oct. 1. A jury found him not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after he stabbed a 6-year-old child to death. (Kentucky Department of Corrections)

The child killer whose Oct. 1 release from a Kentucky prison sparked outrage on social media and criticism by the Trump White House is back in custody.

Ronald Exantus, 42, was arrested in Florida on Thursday and charged with failing to register as a felon. Florida law requires convicted felons to register with the sheriffs office within 48 hours of release or entering a county.

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The Marion County Sheriffs Office in Ocala announced it arrested Exantus at a home in Marion Oaks on Thursday and that he is being held without bond in the Marion County Jail.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Florida officials are working to send Exantus back to Kentucky.

Exantus admitted fatally stabbing 6-year-old Logan Tipton in 2015 after driving from Indianapolis where he lived to Central Kentucky and entering an unlocked home in Versailles where the Tipon family was sleeping. Exantus killed Logan with a butcher knife he found in the house.

After his arrest, Exantus entered the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center at the state prison in La Grange. At trial a psychologist testified that Exantus, a dialysis nurse, was in a psychotic state at the time of the killing. A jury in Lexington acquitted him of capital murder and burglary by reason of insanity; the jury found him guilty but insane on charges of assaulting other family members.

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He was sentenced to 20 years on the assault charges and became eligible for release in 2026 based on credits he earned in prison for good behavior and other activities. He was released early under a 2012 Kentucky law aimed at reducing recidivism by providing mandatory re-entry supervision as inmates make the transition to life outside prison.

He was to remain under supervision in Florida until June under an interstate compact. As a condition of his supervision he was required to report to a parole officer immediately upon his arrival. The Marion County Sheriffs Office did not say whether Exantus had reported to a parole officer as required.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said, I am proud of the quick response by my deputies and the inter-agency teamwork that helped locate and arrest this disgusting individual. The fact that he was living right next to an elementary school is even more repulsive. I have no tolerance for this type of dangerous person flaunting our laws and thinking he would hide out in our county.

Threats against Parole Board still under investigation

Earlier Thursday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the FBI has joined the Kentucky State Police in investigating violent threats made against members of the Kentucky Parole Board in response to Exantus release.

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The Parole Board had unanimously recommended on Sept. 30 and previously that Exantus remain in prison but lacked the authority to keep him there, according to the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Kentucky State Police Sgt. Matt Sudduth, speaking during the governors Thursday media briefing, said threats of violence are not protected under the First Amendment and can be criminal. Were going to continue this investigation, and if we can, when we get to a point where were ready to hold those accountable, thatll be the next steps in the investigation, Sudduth said.

Beshear said his office has not been contacted by the White House about Exantus release. Last week White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted criticism by a right-wing podcaster, saying, I can confirm the White House is looking into this. Its wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison.

Beshear chastised Leavitt for pushing out what he called wrong information and putting the lives of our Parole Board members in danger.

Beshear also said, If you are calling and leaving one of these racist violent messages for our Parole Board members, they were trying to do what you wanted them to do. They made the decision the way that you claim that they should have. And theres just no acceptable reason to ever threaten another human being with violence.
Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader driven into hiding since a disputed election last year, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for keeping the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.

Machado received the accolade for tirelessly promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said Friday, announcing the award at a ceremony in Oslo.

Born in Caracas, Venezuelas capital, in 1967, Machado trained as an industrial engineer before entering politics. In 2002, she founded Sumate, a volunteer group that promotes political rights and monitors elections.

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Machado has described her lifes work as promoting ballots over bullets. The Nobel committee lauded her as one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.

Oh my god  I have no words, Machado said after being woken in the middle of the night by a phone call from the committee to tell her she had won the prize.

In a statement accepting the award, Machado said the prize belongs to the people of Venezuela.

It is a recognition of what we have achieved together and a reminder of what still remains, she said, adding that it should act as an impetus for Venezuelans to complete their task of achieving freedom.

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Although the White House criticized the Nobel committee for overlooking the peacemaking efforts of Donald Trump  who has long publicly coveted the prize  the US president praised Machado in January for peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people.

On Friday, Trump said he spoke with Machado after the prize was announced, adding that she was very nice in their call. The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, Im accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it, the president said.

Machado, who mentioned the call earlier on Friday, told El Pais newspaper that Venezuelans are deeply grateful to the president.

Earlier, she publicly thanked him on social media for his decisive support of our cause.

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We are on the threshold of victory, and today more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the people of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies in achieving freedom and democracy. Venezuela will be free! she wrote on X.

Tensions between the US and Venezuela have escalated in recent weeks. CNN has previously reported that Trump is conducting a broad strategy aimed at weakening President Nicolas Maduro, according to sources briefed on the administrations plans.

Machados work has become more difficult over time. Freedom House, a monitoring group, says Venezuelas democratic institutions have deteriorated since 1999 and have grown sharply worse in recent years due to a harsh crackdown by the Maduro government.

Machado attempted to run against Maduro in the 2024 presidential election, but her candidacy was voided by the regime. She then switched her support to the party of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, and worked to mobilize citizens and train election observers to try to ensure the vote was free and fair.

Machado gives a speech alongside Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in Venezuela's capital in July 2024. - Jesus Vargas/Getty Images

Both Maduro and Gonzalez claimed victory after the vote. When Venezuelas government-aligned electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner, with 51.95% of the vote, opposition forces cried foul. Analysts reported suspicious data patterns in the reported results. One expert said there was about a one in 100 million chance that this particular pattern will occur by chance.

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After the election, Machado claimed she could prove that Maduro had lost in a landslide to Edmundo, 67% to 30%. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, she said her group had receipts obtained directly from more than 80% of the nations polling stations.

The Nobel committee praised Machado on Friday for making sure the final tallies were documented before the regime could destroy the ballots and lie about the outcome. At the time, the Biden administration also concurred that there was overwhelming evidence that Maduro lost the vote.

After declaring victory, the Maduro government moved to crack down on dissent. Human Rights Watch, a monitoring group, said this year that the government has killed, tortured, detained, and forcefully disappeared people seeking democratic change.

As a result, Machado has lived in hiding in Venezuela since last year, resurfacing briefly during protests in January. Speaking to CNN from an unknown location in August 2024, Machado said the regime had lost total touch with reality and lost its social base, allowing her movement  with no resources, and operating under strict censorship  to mobilize millions of Venezuelans committed to democracy.

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Everyone in Venezuela is afraid of losing our freedom or even our lives, she told CNNs Christiane Amanpour. But above all we are committed to make the truth prevail  and get a transition to democracy peacefully.

Democracy a precondition for peace

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each year to the individual or organization which has done the most to satisfy the terms set out in the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist whose fortune established the Nobel Prizes.

The will says the award will be given to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses.

Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said Machado had satisfied the full criteria.

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She has brought her countrys opposition together. She has never wavered in resisting the militarization of Venezuelan society. She has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy, he said Friday.

Gonzalez, Machados fellow opposition figure, said their movement is very pleased that the prize went to her.

This prize recognizes peace, a fundamental element in our (2024) electoral campaign. During the campaign we made peace the core of our ambitions, so we could have a peaceful and ordered transition. This is what this award exemplifies in the person of Maria Corina Machado, an upright, brave and courageous political figure

Maduro, seen here during a meeting at the National Assembly in Caracas in August, has cracked down on dissent since the 2024 election. - Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images

In selecting Machado as this years laureate, the committee signaled its concerns about the health of democracy worldwide, according to Karim Haggag, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

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The Nobel Committee clearly chose to highlight democracy as a priority area, underscoring that this award comes at a time of global backsliding of democratic values and norms, Haggag told CNN.

Nina Grger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said Machados award is above all, a prize for democracy.

Research shows that democracy is an important precondition for peace. At a moment when authoritarianism is on the rise across the world, this award highlights the courage of those who defend freedom with ballots, not bullets, she told CNN.

Analysts say the committee often uses the prize to send a message about areas of concern over the past year. The 2024 prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, at a time when the world was once again confronting the specter of nuclear weapons, amid Russias threats during its war in Ukraine.

Politics over peace

Fridays award came after a months-long campaign of self-promotion by US President Donald Trump, who stressed repeatedly that he believed he deserved the prize for ending unsolvable wars during his second term.

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Although Trump scored a major diplomatic victory this week in announcing the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, this likely came too late to influence the Nobel commitee. Nominations for this years prize closed on January 31, when Trump had only been in office for 11 days.

The White House nonetheless criticized the committee for snubbing Trump.

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, said communications director Steven Cheung. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had nominated Machado for the Peace Prize in 2024 when he was a US senator from Florida and while Venezuela was rocked by protests following its disputed presidential election. Her tireless struggle for a free and just Venezuela is an inspiration and will always be remembered, he wrote on X then.

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The prize also comes at a time of rising antagonism between the United States and Venezuela, with the US military carrying out lethal strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela, which the Trump administration has deemed to be narco-trafficking vessels.

The US has also deployed at least seven warships to the southern Caribbean and announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduros arrest. The Venezuelan president has faced formal drug trafficking charges from the Justice Department since 2020, which he denies.

The peace prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million) and will be formally presented at a ceremony in Oslo in December.

Frydnes, the chair of the committee, could not confirm whether Machado will be able to attend.

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Its a question of security. Its too early to say. We always hope to have the laureate with us in Oslo, but this is a serious security situation which needs to be handled first, Frydnes said.

CNNs Stefano Pozzebon contributed to this report.

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(Photo by: Jesus Vargas/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and President Donald Trump on Friday.

The Nobel Committee honored Machado on Friday for her tireless work promoting democratic rights in her home country of Venezuela, despite anticipation that Trump might receive the prize for his Gaza peace deal. Trump supporters in the U.S. and in Israel alike pushed for the committee to give the president the award after Israel and Hamas signed his 20-point plan just days ago.

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Taking to X, however, Machado extended her dedication to Trump, crediting the president for his decisive support in her cause.

Machado wrote: This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

She added: I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic  Maria Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) October 10, 2025

Trump has long sought the award, arguing that his foreign policy record has been undervalued. Those ambitions are far from over. Entries for the 2025 prize closed in January, before Trumps inauguration but his work brokering the Gaza deal could see him pushed for the 2026 prize.

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Machado, meanwhile, has long praised Trumps stance on Venezuela, thanking him earlier this year for unwavering support as her movement seeks to end dictator Nicolas Maduros rule.

The post Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dedicates Honor to the People of Venezuela  And Donald Trump first appeared on Mediaite.
Prior to announcing winners to the world, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, calls each person individually to deliver the good news.

This year, however, the organization was not able to reach all of the medicine prize winners prior to Mondays announcement.

One of them, Fred Ramsdell, an immunologist at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, did not find out the news until Tuesday.

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He was on a three-week camping trip through Montana, Idaho and Wyoming enjoying a digital detox" in the American West.

During an interview with The New York Times while still in Montana, Ramsdell explained how it was his wife who had turned on her phone while on their way back to the hotel. Letting out a yell, Ramsdell thought she had seen a bear.

But no, nothing that exciting.

According to the Times, Ramsdell recalled his wife yelling, You just won the Nobel Prize!

When he said that he didnt, she replied, I have 200 text messages saying that you did!

Not only did Ramsdell miss the call from the Nobel committee, he was late in receiving the worldwide well-wishing and attention that followed the announcement.

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Ramsdell told the Times that he certainly didnt expect to win the Nobel Prize, and that it never crossed my mind.

His family owns a house in Whitefish, Montana, where he was going when he finally received the news. Heading up there earlier this week, he said he was looking forward to celebrating with his colleagues.

What was the prize for?

Along with Mary E. Brunkow, a molecular biologist and immunologist at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, and Shimon Sakaguchi, an immunologist at Osaka University in Japan, Ramsdell received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their fundamental discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.

Their discoveries have been decisive for our understanding of how the immune system functions and why we do not all develop serious autoimmune diseases, Olle Kampe, chair of the Nobel committee, said in a statement.

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The three winners will share the 11 million Swedish kronor prize, which converts to more than a million dollars.

Their research laid the groundwork for future researchers to begin studying a whole new field of medicine based on how the immune system identifies safe and unsafe pathogens in the body.

The microbes that threaten our health do not wear a uniform  they all have different appearances. Many have also developed similarities to human cells, as a form of camouflage. So how does the immune system keep track of what to attack and what to protect? Why doesnt the immune system attack our bodies more frequently? reads the award statement.

Their discoveries are now being tested in clinical trials and have the potential to help with new treatments for cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado lauded Donald Trump on Fox News before beating him to the award that the U.S. president so desperately wanted.

Venezuelas opposition leadera staunch critic of President Nicolas Madurowas named the 2025 laureate on Friday for tirelessly campaigning for democracy in her home country.

The decision has infuriated MAGAworld, who were also desperate to see their hero win the gong and its $1 million prize after his frantic lobbying.

Maria Corina Machado praising Trump on Fox and Friends, alongside a photo of Maduro. / YouTube

Their annoyance has been compounded after Machado, a month earlier, used a hit on Trumps favorite news channel to hail his hard-line posture against Venezuelan narco-terrorists, days after the White House boasted of a U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat.

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Giving the sort of brave interview that saw the Norwegian Nobel Committee hand the prize to Machado, she told Fox & Friends on Sept. 4, I want to tell how grateful we are to President Trump and the administration for addressing the tragedy that Venezuela is going through.

Video footage of what Donald Trump told reporters at the Oval Office was U.S. having

Maduro has turned Venezuela into the biggest threat to the national security of the U.S. and the stability of the region.

And this is about saving lives, not only Venezuelan lives, but also life of American people. Because... Maduro is the head of a narco terrorist structure corporation.

So Maduro [is] understanding finally, that the time of impunity is over, and it is in his best interest to accept the will of the people that voted against him. Its time to go.

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Machado also described a climate of fear under Maduro: Maduro has no capacity to retaliate against [the] United States or the international community. So he goes against the most vulnerable.

There are more than 800 political prisoners. Everybody that raises their voice in Venezuela is threatened.

We know what to do once Maduro goes out to take over government, put order, bring security, and turn Venezuela into the strongest US ally in the region, in security, in energy, in trade. And you will see millions of Venezuelan migrants coming back home as soon as Maduro goes.

Machado backed opposition standard-bearer Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in last years election, which Washington recognized as his win. Maduro declared victory anywayand stayed put.

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Forced into hiding for months amid threats and prosecutions, Machado remains one of Venezuelas most prominent dissidents even as the regime bans her from public office, blocking her from the 2024 presidential ballot.

Maria Corina Machado was picked to honor her fight for democracy in Venezuela. / Anadolu / Bedirhan Demirel/Anadolu via Getty Images

As Machados win was announced, right-wing activist Laura Loomer chimed in. Imagine thinking a woman who cries nonstop about @NicolasMaduro has done more for the world than President Trump.  What an absolute joke, she wrote on X. Everyone knows President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. More affirmative action nonsense.

Katie Miller, the wife of Trumps Deputy Chief of Staff Steven Miller, also gave her decidedly MAGA take. President Obama was given a Nobel months into his Presidency without ending any wars. President Trump has now ended EIGHT wars, she wrote on X, adding, POLITICS OVER PEACE.

In April, Time named Machado to its TIME100 list of the worlds most influential people.

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Machado will be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Dec. 10.

U.S. President Donald Trump promoted his own case to win the award when he met Finnish President Alexander Stubb. / Anna Moneymaker / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

She is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for our struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, announced Jrgen Watne Frydnes, the committees chairman.

Machados recognition came despite Trumps team having pushed for him to win, despite the campaign of lethal boat strikes that have killed at least 21 people since Sept. 2 and sparked allegations of extrajudicial killings.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have touted the operations as necessary, with Hegseth boasting, we smoked a drug boat, after the first strike that the administration said killed 11 narco-terrorists.

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But the administration has not provided the names of the dead or proof that the vessels carried narcotics.

Senior Pentagon lawyers have warned internally about potential illegality as the White House leans on a secret DOJ opinion to justify a forever war against cartels, which critics say bypasses due process.

Despite Machados praise of the operations, Rand Paul, one of the few Republicans openly opposing the strikes, has argued that maritime interdictions frequently find no contraband.

About 25 percent of the time, the boat that they board doesnt have drugs on it Weve blown up four boats, he told Bloomberg on Wednesday, questioning the policy of sinking suspect craft rather than boarding and arresting crews.

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Regional blowback has also grown. Colombias president accused Washington of murder after the fourth strike, following which U.S. officials have not publicly identified the dead.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on Friday that it is launching an investigation into Qualcomms (QCOM) June acquisition of Autotalks, pulling the chip company into a growing number of firms ensnared in the ongoing economic tit-for-tat between the US and China.

In a statement, SAMR said Qualcomms acquisition is suspected of violating the countrys anti-monopoly laws, though it didnt provide any further details on what element of the deal broke monopoly laws or how.

In a statement, a Qualcomm spokesperson said, We are fully cooperating with SAMR in this matter. Qualcomm is committed to supporting the development and growth of our customers and partners. Qualcomm stock was down more than 4% in midday trade.

The announcement comes the same day President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that the Chinese government is seeking to tighten its control over rare earth minerals. Trump went on to threaten a massive increase in tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump also said theres no longer any reason for him to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two leaders initially planned at the APEC Summit in South Korea.

Like Qualcomm, SAMR has also accused AI chip giant Nvidia (NVDA) of violating Chinas anti-monopoly laws. In September, the regulator announced that it would conduct further investigations into the deal. Nvidia has denied any wrongdoing.

A Qualcomm booth at the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo. (Photo by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)  SOPA Images via Getty Images

China has also called on companies to avoid using Nvidias products, and in 2024, a state agency called for an investigation into Intels chips for what Chinas Cyberspace Security Association claimed were "frequent vulnerabilities and high failure rates."

The US and China are locked in a months-long trade fight that has seen the countries raise tariffs on shipments of their respective goods by more than 120% before lowering them again.

Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet

Technology and rare earth minerals are just two of the biggest pawns in the back-and-forth struggle between the two nations. Tech companies have had to maneuver their relationships with the countries, placating them to ensure they can continue to sell their products into both markets.

In the US, companies like Apple (APPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA), and TSMC (TSM) have committed to building new facilities or otherwise sourcing components from American factories in an effort to win Trumps approval and avoid potentially onerous tariffs.

Qualcomm relies on TSMC to build its chips, some of which come from the companys manufacturing plants in Arizona.
A nor'easter forming off the East Coast will make its way to Rhode Island, dousing the long weekend in rough weather.

The National Weather Service issued both a storm watch and a coastal flood watch for the Ocean State's coastline over the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day weekend.

Narragansett Bay will also be under a gale watch due to the predicted windy weather.

AccuWeather said the storm, forming off the Georgia coast, will move up towards New England by the end of the weekend.

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"The upcoming weekend, especially the latter part, is shaping up to be very stormy and could be damaging and dangerous for some due to the risk of flooding and enraged seas," AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said in a written statement.

NWS issues storm watch, coastal flood watch, and gale watch for Rhode Island

The National Weather Service issued a storm watch for the Rhode Island coastline, from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening warning of seas from 12 to 17 feet.

The weather service said that storm-force winds and hazardous seas could capsize or damage boats and reduce visibility on the water. Mariners should stay in port or alter their course, NWS said.

The entire coast of Rhode Island will also be under a coastal flood watch from the morning of Sunday, Oct. 12, through the night of Monday, Oct. 13, according to NWS.

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Flooding of 1 to 2 feet above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines, NWS said. You'll still be able to drive, the weather service said, but rough surf will probably cause some splashover onto coastal roads.

You shouldn't drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth, according to NWS.

The weather service also issued a gale watch for Narragansett Bay, as strong winds are expected from Sunday, Oct. 12, through Monday, Oct. 13. Waves of up to 2 to 3 feet are possible, NWS said. Mariners should avoid this area.

What's the weekend forecast in Rhode Island?

Saturday is supposed to be the nicest day of the weekend. Accuweather is predicting partly sunny skies with a high of 65 and a low of 52. Periods of rain will start on Saturday, according to the forecast and Monday is expected to be windy and rainy with a high of 61.

How much rain will Rhode Island get?

One to two inches of rain is possible across the region from the storm, according to the National Weather Service.

Seth Jacobson of the USA Today Network contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI weather: Nor'easter slamming state over long weekend. See timeline
By Jack Kim and Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea appears to have begun a military parade in its capital Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the creation of its ruling Workers' Party, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

Yonhap attributed its report of the widely expected nighttime parade to an unnamed informed source. A South Korean military official said earlier that a military parade was likely on Friday evening, citing indications of ongoing rehearsals involving troops, missiles and military equipment.

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Nuclear-armed North Korea has used such parades, usually coinciding with key anniversaries and recently staged at night, as a glitzy showcase of growing military power, rolling out progressively advanced ballistic missiles and military hardware.

This week's parade is being watched by officials and analysts for a possible display of the latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) powered by solid fuel with a range that can hit the U.S. mainland.

'BULWARK OF INDEPENDENCE' AGAINST WEST

At a ceremony on Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, flanked by leaders and officials of partner countries including China and Russia, declared that his country's global standing was rising by the day.

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Kim called North Korea a "faithful member of socialist forces" and "a bulwark for independence" against the threat of the West's global hegemony, state news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

On the centre podium of the packed May Day stadium on Thursday, Kim was joined by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, with other foreign delegations and diplomats also in attendance.

Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made "not a single mistake or error" in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA reported.

"Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish," he was quoted as saying.

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BUILDING TIES WITH VIETNAM

The ceremonies in Pyongyang follow Kim's visit last month to Beijing for China's World War Two anniversary, which featured a massive military parade.

KCNA said earlier that Kim received Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam, who is leading a large government delegation, with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges.

Kim also held talks with China's Li, in which they said the visit marked a "new chapter" in advancing ties and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.

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Kim also met Medvedev, who expressed gratitude for North Korea's support for Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, Russian state-run news agencies reported on Friday.

Khang Vu, a visiting scholar on East Asian politics at Boston College, said Vietnam and North Korea see each other as significant potential economic partners.

While international sanctions against Pyongyang have limited cooperation, Lam's large entourage shows Hanoi wants to add a lot more substance to enduring Cold War connections, he said.

"Vietnam can also be useful for North Korea to communicate with the West when Russia is being isolated while China has raised much skepticism," he said.

(Reporting by Jack Kim, Josh Smith, Joyce Lee; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Chris Reese, Jamie Freed, Aidan Lewis)
By Jack Kim and Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea appears to have staged a military parade in its capital Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the creation of its ruling Workers' Party, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

Yonhap attributed its report of the widely expected nighttime parade to an unnamed informed source. A report on China's official news agency Xinhua said visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended anniversary celebrations in Pyongyang on Thursday and Friday and watched "grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances and military parades."

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The reports did not elaborate.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has used such parades, usually coinciding with key anniversaries and recently staged at night, as a glitzy showcase of growing military power, rolling out progressively advanced ballistic missiles and military hardware.

'BULWARK OF INDEPENDENCE' AGAINST WEST

This week's parade is being watched by officials and analysts for a possible display of the latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) powered by solid fuel with a range that can hit the U.S. mainland.

A South Korean military official said earlier that a military parade was likely on Friday evening, citing indications of ongoing rehearsals involving troops, missiles and military equipment.

Advertisement Advertisement

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At a ceremony on Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, flanked by leaders and officials of partner countries including China and Russia, declared that his country's global standing was rising by the day.

Kim called North Korea a "faithful member of socialist forces" and "a bulwark for independence" against the threat of the West's global hegemony, state news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

On the centre podium of the packed May Day stadium on Thursday, Kim was joined by China's Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, with other foreign delegations and diplomats also in attendance.

Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made "not a single mistake or error" in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA reported.

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"Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish," he was quoted as saying.

BUILDING TIES WITH VIETNAM

The ceremonies in Pyongyang follow Kim's visit last month to Beijing for China's World War Two anniversary, which featured a massive military parade.

KCNA said earlier that Kim received Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam, who is leading a large government delegation, with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges.

Kim also held talks with China's Li, in which they said the visit marked a "new chapter" in advancing ties and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.

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Kim also met Medvedev, who expressed gratitude for North Korea's support for Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, Russian state-run news agencies reported on Friday.

Khang Vu, a visiting scholar on East Asian politics at Boston College, said Vietnam and North Korea see each other as significant potential economic partners.

While international sanctions against Pyongyang have limited cooperation, Lam's large entourage shows Hanoi wants to add a lot more substance to enduring Cold War connections, he said.

"Vietnam can also be useful for North Korea to communicate with the West when Russia is being isolated while China has raised much skepticism," he said.

(Reporting by Jack Kim, Josh Smith, Joyce Lee; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Chris Reese, Jamie Freed, Aidan Lewis)
NEW YORK  Mayor Eric Adams has been hitting the books.

Adams said Thursday that he enjoyed reading a book Jasmine Ray recently published about their romantic relationship, which played out before he appointed her to a senior role in his administration.

Jas has always led with integrity. Writing this book wasnt easy, but she wanted people to understand the work, the mission, and the human side behind the headlines, the mayor, whos currently in Albania, wrote in a post on X.

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I respect her for that and I enjoyed reading it. I hope all will read the book.

The mayors endorsement of Rays tell-all, Political Humanity, comes after he abandoned his bid for reelection last week as he faced record low approval ratings amid continued fallout from his federal corruption indictment and surrounding controversies.

Ray, who served in the newly-created role of Adams director of sports, wellness and recreation until she resigned before the release of her book this past weekend, wrote in the tell-all that she and the mayor dated between 2014 and 2016 after first meeting at a Brooklyn Nets game.

He was Brooklyns borough president at the time and was at the time dating Tracey Collins, who used to be a senior official at the city Department of Education until she resigned late last year after coming under internal investigation. Collins and Adams continued to be involved and have owned a home together in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

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The first time she slept with Adams, Ray wrote, was in his Brooklyn Borough Hall office after an event they attended together.

He had made up his mind. He closed the distance like a man stepping into something he couldnt walk back from, Ray recounted.

And then he said, F--k it.'

She also recalled Adams would bring her to Woodland, a since-shuttered Brooklyn restaurant run by Robert and Zhan Petrosyants, twin brothers whove had run-ins with the law and the mayor counts as friends. She wrote she and Adams would go to Woodland about three times a week, always sitting at the same table in a balcony section.

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The relationship got so serious, Ray, 42, wrote, that the mayor told her: Youre going to be my wife.

Adams, 65, remains unmarried.

According to Rays book, Adams summoned her to his office in 2016 and told her they had to break up.

While she said she was heartbroken by the split, Ray wrote she remained friends with Adams and supported him as a politician. She describes him as a caring and compassionate man who has gotten an unfair shake in media coverage of his administration.

Years after they broke things off, Ray wrote that Adams reconnected with her just before he became mayor in January 2022.

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He told Ray he wanted her to join him at City Hall, she wrote, resulting in her appointment to be the director of the mayors office of sports, wellness and recreation. She was the first person to ever serve in that position and pulled a nearly $170,000 city government salary while also working as a consultant for a private daycare in Brooklyn, a moonlighting gig the mayor granted her a waiver to be able to do.

She wrote they werent romantically involved while at City Hall.

Since the release of Rays book, Adams has barely appeared in public.

On Monday, Adams, who has yet to disclose his next career move, traveled to Albania to meet with that countrys prime minister and other local government officials. Adams, whose trip mostly got comped by Albanias government, was expected to return to New York late Thursday.
(This article was updated to add new information from the U.S. State Department.)

An Ohio University professor was aboard a boat with journalists and medical professionals attempting to deliver food and medicine to the besieged Gaza Strip as the ship was stopped by Israeli Defense Forces, according to an activist group.

Tom Hayes, 69, whom OU confirmed is an associate professor at the university, was aboard the vessel Conscience when it was intercepted by the Israeli navy at around 6 p.m. UTC time on Oct. 8, according to the Freedom Flotilla Tracker, an open-source tool that has been tracking vessels attempting to break the siege around war-torn Gaza.

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The vessel was intercepted and taken to the Israeli city of Ashdod, according to the tracker. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots group that organized the humanitarian trip, said in a press release Oct. 8 that the Conscience was boarded by Israeli Defense Forces.

In a statement sent Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State initially said all U.S. citizens associated with the flotilla had departed Israel and the department was in contact with them to provide services. The statement did not specifically reference Hayes.

Later that evening, the State Department sent an amended statement: "The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens. The Embassy will provide consular services to any U.S. citizens who are detained including prison visits as soon as practical. Due to privacy concerns, we are unable to share specific information on individual U.S. citizens."

A video from Reuters also shows the Conscience being intercepted and brought into an Israeli port. The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that the vessels and passengers were "safe and in good health," and that they would be deported promptly.

Another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in nothing. The vessels and the passengers are transferred to an Israeli port. All the passengers are safe and in good health. The passengers are expected to be deported promptly.  Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 8, 2025

An Instagram post from the Ohio University Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine said that Hayes, an associate professor at OU's School of Film, is a member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots organization that has repeatedly attempted to deliver food and aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

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The OU group said that Hayes signed on to the flotilla as a media volunteer, and that the "Conscience" was carrying international journalists and medical professionals from 25 other countries.

"Another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in nothing," the Israel Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.

So far, Israel has intercepted around 40 vessels and detained 450 activists attempting to deliver supplies to Gaza, according to Reuters. The coastal enclave has been battered by more than two years of Israeli shelling and bombardment since Hamas launched a cross-border attack into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,100 people and taking more than 200 hostages.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardment, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. But experts have repeatedly said that this number is an undercount due to the number of bodies stuck under the rubble of bombed buildings that civil service crews were unable to recover. The collapsed health care system has also contributed to the death toll.

Who is Tom Hayes?

Hayes is a documentary filmmaker and associate professor at Ohio University, according to a biography on the Freedom Flotilla website. He has produced three documentaries about the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including Native Sons: Palestinians in Exile, People and the Land, and Two Blue Lines.

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Hayes has been active in the Palestine solidarity movement since the 1980s, is the faculty advisor to Students for Justice in Palestine at OU, and a member of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.

Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: IDF intercepts flotilla headed to Gaza carrying Ohio University prof
Related video: KNWA/FOX24s Reagan Wynn talks Devils Den double homicide on NewsNations Banfield

OKLAHOMA CITY (KNWA/KFTA)  The man accused of killing two hikers at Devils Den State Park in Northwest Arkansas earlier this year had his teaching certification suspended in Oklahoma on Thursday.

Andrew McGann, 28, is facing two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of Clinton and Cristen Brink, were fatally stabbed while hiking with their daughters on July 26.

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On Thursday, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted unanimously to suspended McGanns teaching certification in the state.

Oklahoma State Department of Education records say McGann had a standard elementary education certificate for grades first through eighth that went into effect May 2022 and expired in June 2027.

McGann spent two years teaching in Oklahoma, in Sand Springs and Broken Arrow, before moving to Arkansas.

Walkaway inmate reported in LeFlore County

He also spent time teaching in Texas. Records from the Texas Education Agency show McGann was also certified as an educator in Texas, with his license set to expire in August 2028.

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McGann had been hired as a teacher candidate with Springdale Public Schools for the upcoming school year, but a Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland said he had not started with the district.

This individual has not at any time come into contact with Springdale students or the families we serve, the district stated.

Arkansas records show McGann holds a standard teaching license with multiple endorsements, including early childhood, elementary, several middle school subjects and ESL. It took effect in October 2024 and is valid through December 2028.

Spokespeople for Bentonville Schools and Fayetteville Public Schools previously confirmed to KNWA/FOX24 that McGann applied for jobs in those districts.

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McGann has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 14.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
A man from Middletown was killed in a crash on Summit Bridge Road just south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on the morning of Oct. 10, Delaware State Police said.

Police are investigating why the man, who was driving a Buick LaCrosse, left the east side of the road and struck a telephone pole around 7:19 a.m. He was approaching Old Summit Bridge Road while traveling north.

The man, a 27-year-old from Middletown, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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DELAWARE WRECK: Police identify 63-year-old man killed after car crashed into tree in Seaford

His name is being withheld until his family is notified, police said. The crash is still under investigation, and anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to Delaware State Police or Delaware Crime Stoppers.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Summit Bridge Road crash kills Middletown man
Muhammad Yunus  Nobel laureate, interim leader of Bangladesh and friend to Utah  surprised many when he came to New York City last week to speak to the United Nations General Assembly accompanied by the leaders of three rival political parties.

But the unnatural grouping  perhaps jarring, by American standards  seemed to be paying dividends.

The Deseret News has kept a close eye on the transformation currently underway in Bangladesh, examining what has been one of the most consequential and least covered international stories of 2025.

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I traveled there in February, taking a close look at how Yunus, as the nations interim leader, is trying to break the chain of political upheaval and violence while instituting safeguards to protect basic human rights. I spoke with leaders and political rivals, interviewed people who are rising out of poverty through Yunus microcredit programs, talked to a leader of the revolution that ousted the nations dictator and listened to stories of hardship and political suffering.

A small demonstration blocks the street as they walk in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Americans  from politicians to pundits to average people  argue and agonize over the future of constitutional democracy and the threats it must navigate to survive in a changing world. They speculate about the loss of prestige, diminished strength and eroding liberties caused by this or that policy or executive decision. They fear the rise of political violence and threats to free speech.

In Bangladesh, a densely populated, relatively new nation in volatile South Asia, these issues are playing out in real time against echoes of the American revolution and the age-old struggle for self-governance and human rights.

In short, Bangladesh holds some lessons for a United States that is growing ever more hyper-partisan.

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We are the outgoing government and they are the incoming government, Yunus told a group of supporters at a private reception Friday, Sept. 26, at the University Club in midtown Manhattan. He was referring to the political rivals he somehow had persuaded to travel together.

Yunus said the party leaders are not used to talking to each other. Its a wonderful thing to have them together and speaking in the same forum about their aspirations and so on, he said.

A crisis can either unify a nation or foment tribalism and disarray. Yunus, who at age 85 has no desire to run for office nor to hang onto power, and who is unattached to any political party, clearly wants to avoid the latter.

In the 28 years I have known him, he has been unequivocal in his support for a unified and free Bangladesh.

Elections and protests

He has called for elections in the first part of February. They loom as a potential crisis for his nascent campaign for democracy and human rights. Tensions have risen in recent weeks. Numerous media reports said protesters threw eggs at Yunus entourage at JFK Airport and picketed outside his hotel. The assailants were thought by many to be affiliated with ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose party, the Awami League, has been outlawed, and who is living under asylum in India.

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As time runs out on his interim government, Yunus seems to be in full-court-press mode to do what he can to ensure that the winner of the election will establish an inclusive and peaceful government.

The United States could learn much from this soft-spoken world leader. Recent political killings in the U.S.  including those of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, killed at Utah Valley University, and Minnesotas state Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband, killed at their home  have become hijacked by petty political narratives. Condolences are drowned by partisan venom on social media.

Two separate attempts were made on the life of Donald Trump while he was a candidate for president last year. Former House speaker Nancy Pelosis husband was beaten by a man who had been looking for her (she was not at home).

Americans are worried

A nationwide poll for the Deseret News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics conducted last month by Morning Consult found that 82% of Americans are either somewhat or very concerned about civil unrest, with 86% feeling the same about political violence and 77% about political polarization.

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It also found that 77% are either somewhat or very concerned about the safety of elected officials.

Where is the American leader who is willing and able to bring the leaders of the two major parties together, Yunus style, to talk frankly and honestly about common ground, instead of common differences?

State politicians have a better record of working together than those in Washington, as Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham demonstrated during a recent joint appearance on CBS 60 Minutes. But even then, host Scott Pelley noted, There are some people watching this interview who are disgusted that you two are sitting together.

Gov. Spencer Cox, right, speaks with "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley during the Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, broadcast. | CBS

Targeted violence goes well beyond politics in the United States. The recent mass shooting and fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is just the latest example of violence against worshippers  a direct assault on the First Amendment to the Constitution. In late August, a gunman opened fire through a Catholic church window in Minneapolis, killing an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old and injuring 19 other people, including 16 children, at a back-to-school mass, reports said.

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The 2025 edition of the Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey found last month that only 48% of Americans could name freedom of religion as one of the rights protected by the First Amendment.

Yunus may or may not succeed in implementing permanent human rights and democratic principles into Bangladeshs political traditions, but his efforts are remarkable. In the United States, by contrast, social media seems intent on reinforcing battle lines while performative politicians fear voter backlash for fraternizing with the enemy.

Yunus recently compiled what he calls the July Charter, commemorating the revolution that overthrew Hasinas government in July 2024. The charter is a list of political reforms for which all parties in Bangladesh are expected to give approval.

Discussions around the charter appear to have stalled, mainly over questions surrounding its implementation under the nations constitution, but here again, Yunus may have provided another idea from which Americans could learn.

A charter for America?

Would Americans sign a charter circulated in the United States, the purpose of which would be to reinforce and recommit to constitutional principles, including free speech and the right to freely exercise religion? It could be a great tool for discussion and education.

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Yunus first gained notoriety in the mid-1970s when he discovered that, by loaning small amounts of money to the very poor (as little as $6, in some cases), he could help them escape poverty by becoming entrepreneurs. He founded the Grameen Bank with the express purpose of providing such microloans on a massive scale.

K.M. Tipu Sultan, senior principal officer at Grameen Bank, goes over a ledger during a meeting with women in the village of Gopaldi to pay their loan payments outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Feb. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

He and the Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize for these efforts in 2006. Later, Hasina began threatening him with jail time, alleging, among other things, that he had persuaded the World Bank to withdraw funding for a bridge project. After last years student uprising, in which 1,400 protesters were killed, according to U.N. estimates, the leaders of the revolution persuaded Yunus to serve as the nations interim leader.

His unique position as someone unattached to any political party and as an interim leader without any parliament has been both a challenge and an advantage. He has little leverage other than his position and status as a national icon, but he also has the freedom to say and do as he pleases.

In some ways, Yunus is a type of George Washington to Bangladesh. He has no desire to hold onto power. He is working hard to establish precedents for freedom that will continue after he leaves office. He wants to protect the legacy of a popular uprising indicative of the peoples desires for a new course toward opportunity and prosperity.

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While he was in New York, some stark contrasts were obvious. The city is in the grips of a momentous mayoral race. The frontrunner, Zohran Mamdani, is a socialist who, among other things, advocates creating government-run grocery stores in order to drive down prices.

Yunus, on the other hand, lectured the United Nations on the need for what he calls social businesses. As he explained to me when I met him in Dhaka earlier this year, he believes Western socialism hides poverty by giving people subsistence without letting them grow. Also, unrestrained capitalism values profits above all else.

Social businesses, however, use the principles of capitalism with a twist. All profits go toward solving social problems, from homelessness to climate change to malnutrition.

With these businesses, he told the U.N., the entrepreneurial spirit of every human being can be harnessed for the welfare of society.

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Its a theme he has presented during his several trips to Utah through the years. Together with microcredit, its a recipe for poverty reduction he hopes to continue after leaving office.

First, however, he has to continue the fight to ensure his native country doesnt backslide into a return of political violence and retribution.

Back at the private reception in midtown Manhattan, Yunus recalled the many who gave their lives to overthrow the previous government, including, he said, 10-year-old boys and girls.

Thats the spirit which brought the uprising, he said. Our job is to fulfill their wishes and the imaginations these young people had.

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Someone had taken a photo of him in New York with the rival Bangladeshi political leaders, he said. The photographer had written, This is the united Bangladesh at the United Nations, Yunus said, adding that he believed it was a good headline for the photo.

That drew the loudest ovation of the evening.
In 1977, the U.S. gave Israel permission to employ foreign military financing funds to acquire the Merkava tank. Seven years later, Washington formalized a program for Israel to designate $250 million in foreign funds for what was termed offshore procurement. The program has been in force ever since, reaching a total of $819 million in 2019. It is scheduled to be terminated in 2028, but in 2025 Israel will still receive $450 million to spend on its own domestic military programs.

The U.S.-Israel offshore procurement arrangement is unique to Israel and has been critical to that countrys increasingly sophisticated and expansive arms industry. It is time, however, that even as the Israeli program is wound down, the concept should not be terminated. Instead, it should be extended to Ukraine and even to Poland.

The Ukrainian arms industry has been developing at a remarkable pace, even as the war with Russia drags on. Initially focusing on producing artillery and tank ammunition, it now produces such a wide a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles  both short- and long-range systems  that it is now among the worlds leaders in unmanned system technology. Indeed, some 40 percent of all weapons that Ukrainian forces are employing are now domestically produced, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has projected that figure to rise to 50 percent by years end.

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The Ukrainian arms industrys growth has in part been spurred by the emergence of numerous private arms manufacturers, as well as by government initiatives to support technology developers. In addition, domestic Ukrainian producers have been collaborating with foreign partners such as Germanys Rheinmetall that have opened production facilities in the country and have entered into joint ventures with Ukrainian firms,.

Finally, eight countries have adopted a model initiated by Denmark, and are providing funds to support Ukraines arms industry under a program that Ukraine calls Zbroyari (armor) Manufacturing Freedom.

Denmark in particular provides funds to allow Ukraine to purchase weapons directly from its own domestic defense industry. In July Copenhagen also reached an agreement with Kyiv to enable Ukrainian arms manufacturers to produce armaments in Denmark. And in September the first such production arrangement came into being when Fire Point, a Ukrainian firm, announced it would begin producing solid rocket fuel at a new factory in southern Denmark.

The Danish support model for Ukraine is almost identical to Americas forty-year-old offshore procurement program for Israel. It goes beyond Washingtons current support for Ukraine. The Trump administration is now supplying Ukraine with arms indirectly through a mechanism by means of which Europeans acquire American materiel to replace equipment that they send to Kyiv.

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Washington could go much further. Even if the administration does not want to reduce its own weapons stocks by shipping them to Ukraine  given the shortages it currently faces with respect to artillery and other systems, it could adopt the Danish model, which is a European version of its own offshore procurement program. Indeed, as it reduces annual funding for Israel, it could simply apply all or part of those funds to supporting the Ukrainian arms industry.

Washington should also consider directing at least some of the Ukrainian offshore procurement funds towards joint Polish-Ukrainian arms development. Doing so would be in line with President Trumps personal commitment to Poland and with the Sept. 18 agreement between Warsaw and Kyiv that, among other things, expands their joint weapons production.

When Trump met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Sept. 5, he indicated that he was ready to add to the 8,000 American troops already stationed in Poland. In response to the Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace several days later, Trump reiterated his strong support for Warsaw when he repeated Americas longstanding commitment to defending Poland and the Baltic States against Russian aggression. Supporting joint Ukrainian-Polish weapons development through an offshore procurement program would therefore underscore Trumps commitment to Warsaw.

Americas original offshore commitment program enabled Israel to become an international arms manufacturing powerhouse as well as a leading arms exporter. Creating an offshore procurement program for Ukraine, and indeed, for Ukrainian-Polish joint production efforts, would enable both countries further to develop cutting edge military capabilities, and, in doing so, bolster their joint deterrent against an aggressive Russia.

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With Russian President Vladimir Putin showing no sign of reaching a peace agreement with Ukraine, and with Moscows increasingly brazen attempts to test NATOs ability to respond to Russian incursions and hybrid warfare, creating an American offshore procurement program to further energize Polish-Ukrainian arms production capabilities could not be more timely.

Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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At Delaware Online/The News Journal, our mission is clear: Deliver trusted journalism and content that strengthens and informs our community. That mission doesnt change in the age of AI  it becomes even more essential.

As part of the USA TODAY Network, Delaware Online/The News Journal has announced a partnership with Perplexity, an AI-powered search and answer engine that combines large language models with real-time web search. What does that mean? It means Perplexitys search results and AI-curated answers will be based on the credible journalism created by your local newsroom.

Perplexity is prioritizing news and information that is accurate and relevant. Trusted content from USA TODAY and select USA TODAY Network publications, including Delaware Online/The News Journal, will be available for Perplexitys new agentic web browser, Comet.

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By licensing our content to Perplexity, were doing two things:

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Championing local journalism From school board and city council decisions to weather alerts and breaking news, our local stories matter  and they deserve to be part of the AI knowledge ecosystem. This partnership ensures that when users ask questions about their communities, they get answers grounded in our verified reporting.

Creating value for our newsroom We believe quality journalism has value. This agreement recognizes that and provides new revenue that supports our journalists and the work they do every day. Its a model for how publishers are evolving and adapting and how AI companies can collaborate responsibly  with proper attribution and fair compensation  to contribute to the information ecosystem.

As Perplexity noted in their Comet announcement: The quality of knowledge has never mattered more.

We echo that sentiment. This partnership is about making sure Perplexity includes the voices from local communities  and the journalists who serve them. Because when AI answers questions about your world, it should start with the people who know it best.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why our partnership with AI-powered Perplexity matters for local news
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  The Panama City Symphony will host a spooktacular concert this Saturday.

Nightmare By the Bay plays on Saturday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the Barbara W. Nelson Fine Arts Center at Bay High School, 1200 Harrison Avenue.

Now in its third season, this years theme, Beasts of the Bayou: Terror in the Mist, is an original story created by Maestro Sergey Bogza with costumes, original cinematography, and symphonic music.

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Additionally, on Friday, Oct. 10, Symphony patrons and the public are invited to attend Moments with the Maestro from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Panama City Center for the Arts. At this one-hour event, their Maestro takes a deep dive into the music planned for the following evenings concert, explaining the compositions nuances, significance, and background.

Costumes are optional but highly encouraged. Seats for this concert are limited; to purchase tickets, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. military is moving forward with plans to build a dedicated facility in Idaho to train pilots from Qatar, an important U.S. ally in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday.

Hegseth, who made the announcement during a visit by Qatar's defense minister, said the facility to be built at the Mountain Home Air Force Base would host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability.

The arrangement is not unusual. Pentagon officials noted that similar facilities have been set up for other allies for decades, and the Idaho base already hosts a fighter squadron from Singapore.

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But the news drew a sharp rebuke from close Trump ally and right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who called the plan an abomination and accused the Qataris of being associated with Islamic terror organizations.

No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries, Loomer wrote in one of several social media posts just hours after Hegseth's announcement.

Although Loomer holds no formal position within the Trump administration, her online complaints have a history of achieving results. Her criticisms have led to the firing of officials on the National Security Council, Dr. Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administrations vaccine chief, and Gen. Tim Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency.

Qatar, which hosts the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East, made clear that it will not have a base on U.S. soil and that it will cover the costs of building the training facility.

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This will not be a Qatari air base, the spokesman for the embassy in Washington said in a statement posted on X. Rather, Qatar has made an initial 10-year commitment to construct and maintain a dedicated facility within an existing US air base, intended for advanced training and to enhance interoperability in defending and advancing our shared interests around the world.

The statement said the project will create hundreds of jobs for Americans and noted that the planning began several years ago and it received local approval.

When asked for more details about the future facility, Hegseths office said it had nothing to offer beyond the secretarys remarks.

The announcement comes just days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to use all measures, including U.S. military action, to defend Qatar.

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Loomer also criticized that decision, writing, I dont want to die for Qatar. Do you? on social media. However, she was not alone.

The Wall Street Journals editorial board also questioned the pledge, writing that this is a decision that can be and should have been debated.

Instead it comes out of the blue  an executive order following no public debate, the board wrote.

The small, gas-rich country played a key role in negotiating the most recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the war in Gaza, as well as in several other key negotiations. Doha, the capital of Qatar, came under surprise attack from Israel last month as members of Hamas were in the city last month to discuss a ceasefire.

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Qatar also lavished a $400 million jumbo jet on Trump for use as Air Force One.

However, the Qataris' connection with U.S. military aviation predates these more recent developments.

In 2020, the U.S. Air Force announced it has signed a deal with Qatar for the sale of more than 35 F-15 fighter jets.

An Air Force environmental study, completed two years later, revealed that Mountain Home Air Force Base was proposing building a facility that would house 12 Qatari F-15 jets and about 300 additional Qatari and U.S. Air Force personnel.

While the U.S. military has a long history of training pilots for allied countries, the practice received scrutiny in 2019 following a deadly mass shooting at Pensacola Naval Air Station that killed three U.S. service members and wounded several others.

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The shooter, Mohammad Saeed Al-Shamrani, was a Saudi Air Force officer who was training at the Pensacola base. The FBI said he was linked to the al-Qaida extremist group and had been in contact with it before the shooting.

In the wake of the shooting, the U.S. sent home 21 other Saudi military students after an investigation revealed each had expressed jihadist or anti-American sentiments on social media pages or had contact with child pornography, including in internet chat rooms, according to officials at the time. However, the U.S. continued to train Saudi pilots.

Loomer referenced the incident in her social media posts on Friday. Why are we trying to train more Muslims how to fly planes on US soil? Didnt we already learn our lesson? she wrote on social media.
By Marco Aquino and Sarah Morland

LIMA (Reuters) -Peru's Congress voted unanimously on Friday to remove President Dina Boluarte from office in a late-night session held hours after political blocs from across the spectrum called for her ouster.

A crowd of mostly young people gathered outside the Congress building, many waving the Peruvian flag, as the vote to remove Boluarte, one of the world's most unpopular leaders, was held.

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Lawmakers from across the political spectrum had an hour earlier voted to impeach her on grounds of "moral incapacity" and summoned her to defend herself before Congress that same night.

She never arrived, and lawmakers had sufficient votes to proceed with a rapid impeachment process.

Boluarte, 63, is deeply disliked, with approval ratings between 2% and 4%, following accusations she has illicitly profited from her office and is responsible for lethal crackdowns on protests in favor of her predecessor.

She denies any wrongdoing.

Boluarte does not have a vice president and it is not immediately clear who would succeed her.

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Her removal continues a revolving door of leaders in the Andean nation, which has had six presidents since 2018. Three ex-leaders are currently behind bars.

A crowd also gathered outside the Ecuador embassy, many dancing and celebrating, as people anticipated that the president would seek asylum in the neighboring country.

Earlier Thursday night, votes on four motions presented to remove Boluarte gathered between 108 and 115 votes in favor - more than double the 52 votes that were required to advance with the debate. At least 87 votes are needed to impeach her.

Lawmakers then voted to summon the president to defend herself before Congress an hour later at 11.30 p.m. (0430 GMT), but she never appeared and shortly after midnight they voted to oust her.

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The support for Boluarte's removal marks an about-turn after lawmakers rejected a series of prior motions for removal, none of which made it to the debate stage.

The latest push was marked by the participation of right-wing parties that have historically supported her, including Rafael Lopez's Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force. Both political heavyweights are expected to stand for president in the presidential election April 2026.

"We cannot leave for tomorrow what we can do today," congressman Victor Cutipa told fellow lawmakers. "We must make a decision now."

Boluarte came to power in December 2022 as her predecessor President Pedro Castillo, under whom she had herself served as vice president, was ousted and arrested after he attempted to dissolve Congress.

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Castillo's removal was met with months of widespread, deadly protests particularly in rural Andean and Indigenous communities, and rights groups have accused Boluarte's government of using excessive force to repress the protests.

She also became embroiled in allegations of illicit enrichment involving undeclared assets and Rolex watches. In July, she decided to double her salary.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino, Sarah Morland and Alexander Villegas; Editing by Kylie Madry, Bill Berkrot, Christian Schmollinger and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday there were signs that Colombian citizens were killed in the last small boat attacked by the U.S. military off the coast of Venezuela.

A new front in the war has opened: the Caribbean, Petro wrote on the social platform X. Signs show that the last bombed boat was Colombian with Colombian citizens aboard.

He did not provide any explanation for what those signs were. I hope that their families come forward and report it, he added.

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Neither Petros office nor Colombias Defense Ministry responded immediately to requests for additional information.

The U.S. government also has not identified who was aboard the boat, nor the three boats attacked previously.

Last Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the strike on a small boat he accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela. He said the strike killed four men but offered no details on who they were or what group they belonged to.

The first military strike was carried out on Sept. 2 on what the Trump administration said was a drug-carrying speedboat, killing 11. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the boat was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, which started in Venezuela's prisons and was listed by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

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Then, on Sept. 15, Trump announced the U.S. military had carried out a strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela. That strike also killed three on board.

On Sept. 19, Trump in a social media posting said another strike was carried out against a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility and killed three.

Trump has told U.S. lawmakers he was treating drug traffickers as unlawful combatants and military force was required to combat them.

Earlier Wednesday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino told military leaders that the U.S. government knows its drug-trafficking accusations used to support the recent actions in the Caribbean are false, with its true intent being to force a regime change in the South American country. He added that the Venezuelan government does not see the U.S. warships deployment as a mere propaganda-like action and warned the population of a possible escalation.

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I want to warn the population: We have to prepare ourselves because the irrationality with which the U.S. empire operates is not normal, Padrino said during the televised gathering. Its anti-political, anti-human, warmongering, rude and vulgar.

____

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  Come Saturday morning thousands of South Dakota hunters will head out to public lands for the opening day of pheasant season.

The three-day season, reserved for residents only, starts statewide at 10 a.m. CT and runs from Saturday, October 11, through sunset on Monday, October 13.

Horse found dead after supposed shovel assault

The resident-only season was added in 2001 as a way to give South Dakota hunters a chance to get in the field one week ahead of the traditional season opener on the third Saturday of October.

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Last year, GFP sold 87,306 licenses to residents and 102,885 to non-residents for pheasant hunting.

The traditional season, which is open to residents and non-residents alike, starts this year on Saturday, October 18, and runs through January 31, 2026.

During the resident-only season, hunters can pursue pheasants on all lands that the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department owns, leases, manages, or controls that are otherwise open to hunting, as well all GFP-managed or GFP-leased private property designated as a Walk In Area.

Also open are all public properties otherwise open to the hunting of upland game birds on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production areas, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation property, U.S. Forest Service National Grasslands property, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property adjacent to the Missouri River, and the state Office of School and Public Lands.

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Public road rights-of-way along those public lands are open, too.

During the traditional season, private lands are open to hunters who have permission from the owners, and all public lands will be open as well.

There are high expectations for another big harvest of roosters this season. Hunters reported bagging more than 1.3 million during the 2024 season that ended January 31, 2025. That was the largest in a decade.

It is here. Excitement is high, state Wildlife Division director Tom Kirschenmann told state Game, Fish and Parks Commission members on Thursday during their meeting in Lemmon.

License sales have been very strong this year, he said, and he thanked private landowners for all they provide.

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When a state has 80 percent private land ownership, things happen on private land, Kirschenmann said.

GFP communications director Nick Harrington reviewed for the commission all the things that the department and the state Department of Tourism do to promote pheasant hunting.

He said that number one is the six-page Upland Outlook that is shared through GFPs website and emails and was distributed at the South Dakota State Fair last month. It now includes information about two other upland species, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chickens.

Its really cool how important this piece of information is. Harrington said.

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He credited upland game biologists Alex Solem and Jake Wolfe in the GFPs Huron office for putting the report together.

He said GFP is now in the second year of using push notifications to spur license sales. Theres also the partnership with the state Department of Tourism and four regional tourism organizations on advertising and promotional events such as communities involved in the Rooster Rush.

When we roll out the orange carpet for pheasant hunters, we roll it out across the state, he said.

The Hunt the Greatest campaign includes articles in publications and digital advertising.

GFP this year is posting on the Internet video reels featuring Solem and Wolfe talking about a pheasants year, explaining topics such as winter survival, nesting, brood rearing, fall transition and season structure. Theyll next get into hunting tips and late season suggestions.

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The reels have received thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of views, depending on the topic, according to Harrington. Those reels are making a big impact, he said.

Harrington said he has been visiting fourth-grade classes in the Pierre and Fort Pierre and Sully Buttes schools where he talks about pheasants.

Commission chair Stephanie Rissler of Vermillion praised the efforts.

I appreciate the consistent messaging done between the different departments, she said.

More information about pheasant hunting in South Dakota is available on the Game, Fish and Parks website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
NEED TO KNOW

A passenger jet traveling to London from Istanbul reportedly had to make an emergency landing in Bucharest, Romania, on Thursday, Oct. 9

Romanias Health Ministry said four people on the flight suffered from possible smoke inhalation, per the Associated Press

However, in a statement to the outlet, British Airways said they had not received any reports of smoke from the aircraft or that anyone had been hospitalized

Four people reportedly suffered from smoke inhalation during a British Airways flight from Istanbul to London, Romania authorities said.

On Thursday, Oct. 9, the plane, which was carrying 142 passengers, made an emergency landing at Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport in Romania at 6:14 p.m. local time the airport said, per the Associated Press and ABC News.

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Emergency and medical staff then reportedly boarded the plane.

Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty A British Airways aircraft A British Airways aircraft

British Airways flight status page showed that Flight BA603 was diverted to Bucharest.

Were very sorry, this flight scheduled from Istanbul to London, has been diverted to Bucharest, they wrote to passengers.

While airport authorities told the AP that no one required medical attention, Romanias Health Ministry said in a statement to the outlet that the presence of smoke was confirmed" and passengers were evacuated from the plane.

Four people are in poor health, possibly being smoke-intoxicated, and are receiving medical assistance on site, the ministry told the outlet, However, they later added that the passengers did not require medical care.



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In a statement to the AP, British Airways said they had not received any reports of smoke from the aircraft.

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Getty Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport in Romania Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport in Romania

The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority and our crew made the decision to divert as a precaution due to a suspected technical issue, the airline said.

They continued, The aircraft landed safely, customers disembarked normally, and we received no reports of smoke on board or hospitalisations.

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Were sorry to our customers for the disruption to their journeys and our teams are working to get them on their way again as quickly as possible, the airline concluded.

PEOPLE has contacted British Airways, Romanias Health Ministry and Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport for comment.

Read the original article on People
By Mikhail Flores

MANILA (Reuters) -A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday, its seismology agency said, with tsunami warnings issued in several countries and people in nearby coastal areas urged to move inland or to higher ground.

Agency Phivolcs warned of aftershocks from the quake, which struck in the morning in waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental in the Mindanao region. At least one person was killed, civil defence official Raffy Alejandro said on Facebook.

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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an update around noon local time saying the tsunami threat in the Philippines had passed, having earlier said waves 1 to 3 metres high were possible, although warnings from other agencies remained in place.

There were no other reports of casualties from disaster offices in the region contacted by Reuters, but one official in Manay said there were initial reports of damage to homes, buildings and bridges.

The quake was among the strongest in recent years to hit the Philippines, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and experiences more than 800 quakes each year.

RESCUE TEAMS BEING PREPARED

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The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat immediately after the quake, saying hazardous waves were possible for coasts within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake's epicentre.

The earthquake came two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest quake in more than a decade, with 74 people killed on the island of Cebu. That was a magnitude of 6.9 and also struck offshore.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities were assessing the situation on the ground, and said search-and-rescue teams would be deployed when it was safe to do so.

"We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," Marcos said in a statement.

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Richie Diuyen, a disaster official in Manay near the epicentre said the quake lasted 30-40 seconds and initial damage included some houses, the facade of a church, cracked roads and unpassable bridges.

"We couldn't stand earlier. I am 46 years old now, and this is the strongest earthquake I ever felt," Diuyen said by phone.

"The damage is quite big," she said.

TSUNAMI WARNING FOR INDONESIA, PALAU

Phivolcs revised down the magnitude from an initial reading of 7.6 to 7.4, and put the depth of the quake at 23 km (14.3 miles).

A tsunami warning was issued in Indonesia for its northern Sulawesi and Papua regions, and the PTWC said some coasts in Indonesia and the Pacific island nation of Palau could see waves of up to 1 metre.

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A video of the quake from the Philippine city of Davao posted on social media and verified by Reuters showed office workers holding on to desks, with the creaking noises of structures. Another showed toppled cabinets and evacuated workers gathering outside.

Jonathan Dolotina, a radio operator at the disaster office of the coastal Philippine city of Mati, said there were no immediate reports of casualties and authorities were checking a damaged school building.

Sawsan Entrino, a disaster officer in Banay-Banay 10 km away, told DZMM that local classes had been suspended and inspections were underway, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The governor of Davao Oriental in the Philippines said people panicked when the earthquake struck.

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"Some buildings were reported to have been damaged," Edwin Jubahib told Philippine broadcaster DZMM. "It was very strong."

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores in Manila and Ananya Palyekar and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Ananda Teresia and Gayatri Suroyo in Jakarta; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by John Mair)
BEIJING (Reuters) -China tightened its rare earth export controls on Thursday, expanding restrictions on processing technology, barring unauthorised overseas cooperation and spelling out its intention to limit exports to overseas defence and semiconductor users.

The announcement from the Ministry of Commerce clarifies and expands sweeping controls announced in April that caused massive shortages around the world before a series of deals with Europe and the U.S. resumed shipments.

China accounts for about 60% of global mine production and 90% of processed and permanent magnet output. Rare earths are vital materials in products from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.

Restrictions on exporting the technology to make rare earth magnets will be expanded to more types of magnets. Equipment used to recycle rare earths will now also require a licence to export, adding it to the long list of rare earth processing technology China has restricted.

Manufacturers overseas using any Chinese components or machinery must also apply for licences to export controlled items, the ministry said.

The announcement also clarified for the first time some of the targets of China's restrictions. Overseas defence users will not be granted licences, the ministry said, while applications related to advanced semiconductors will only be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Chinese companies working overseas are also barred from working with companies overseas on rare earths without permission from the ministry.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Beijing; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Kate Mayberry)
A 7.4 earthquake that struck near the Philippines was followed by a powerful second quake on Friday, Oct. 10, killing at least seven and damaging buildings, authorities said.

The initial quake struck offshore from the Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines at 9:45 a.m. local time on Oct. 10. In the wake of that 7.4 quake, tsunami warnings were issued to surrounding coasts, but were later canceled.

The large second quake struck at about 7:12 p.m. and new tsunami warnings were issued. Authorities urged people in the Davao Oriental, Surigao Del Sur and Surigao Del Norte provinces to evacuate to higher ground or move inland. Authorities in the Philippines said it was a 6.9-magnitude quake while the U.S. Geological Survey measured it at 6.7.

An employee at a mall carries a colleague after she slipped while evacuating a building in Butuan City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 10, 2025, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines. A security guard walks past a damaged wall and a car outside a mall in Butuan City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 10, 2025, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines. A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on October 10, triggering warnings of a "destructive tsunami" on the country's Pacific coast within hours. A relative of a victim who died in the 7.4-magnitude earthquake places a candle where the victim died, after a wall collapsed, in Mati town, Davao Oriental province in southern island of Mindanao. A powerful 6.9-magnitude aftershock jolted quake-hit southern Philippines late on October 10, triggering a fresh tsunami alert just hours after an earlier warning, authorities said. People gather outside the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Field Office Caraga after getting evacuated following an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck offshore in the southern Philippines, in Butuan city, Mindanao, Philippines October 10, 2025, in this picture obtained from social media. Employees at a shopping mall gather outside the building in Davao City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 10, 2025, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines. Police stand next to the rubble of a collapsed wall in Mati town, Davao Oriental province, in southern island of Mindanao, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the province. A cabinet lies on the floor following an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that struck offshore in the southern Philippines, in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, October 10, 2025 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. People gather as they wait to receive clearance from airport staff to enter the airport in Davao City on October 10, 2025, after an aftershock following the earlier earthquake. Two powerful quakes struck off the southern Philippines on October 10, killing at least six people and twice triggering tsunami warnings. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP) (Photo by JAM STA ROSA/AFP via Getty Images) Employees at a shopping mall gather outside the building in Davao City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 10, 2025, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines. A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on October 10, triggering warnings of a "destructive tsunami" on the country's Pacific coast within hours. Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes the Philippines. See the devastation 1 of 9 An employee at a mall carries a colleague after she slipped while evacuating a building in Butuan City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 10, 2025, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines.

As authorities warned more strong aftershocks could come, search-and-rescue teams were preparing to assess areas with damage when it was safe to do so, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

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At least seven people were killed in the quakes, civil defence official Ednar Dayanghirang said. At least two died in Mati City near the epicenter, civil defense official previously Karlo Puerto told Reuters. In Manay, there were early reports of damage to buildings and bridges.

"We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," Marcos said in a statement. "Let us continue to look out for one another and pray for the safety of all our countrymen."

The 7.4 quake was among the strongest to hit the Philippines in recent years. The nation experiences more than 800 quakes in an average year. On Sept. 30, a 6.9 earthquake killed at least 74 people on the central island of Cebu, causing the bell tower of a centuries-old church to crumble.

Richie Diuyen, a disaster official in Manay, told Reuters the Oct. 10 quake lasted 30 or 40 seconds and called it "the strongest earthquake I ever felt."

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Photos of a mall in Butuan City on the southern island of Mindanao show a gaping hole in the wall and debris around cars in the parking lot outside. At the airport in Davao City, people waited outside for clearance to enter, photos showed. A video posted to social media and verified by Reuters showed an overturned cabinet in one building in Davao City.

More: These are the most powerful earthquakes in history

What impact does a 7.4 quake have?

Magnitude measures the strength of an earthquake. The 7.4-magnitude quake on Oct. 10 is considered a major earthquake that can cause serious damage to a community. See the ranking scale:

Below 2.5 : Generally not felt.

2.5 to 5.4 : Minor or no damage.

5.5 to 6.0 : Slight damage to buildings.

6.1 to 6.9 : Serious damage.

7.0 to 7.9 : Major earthquake. Serious damage.

8.0 or greater: Massive damage. Can destroy communities

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Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY; Reuters

(This story has been updated to add new information and video.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philippines 7.4 earthquake followed by strong aftershock
New York Attorney General Letitia James became the latest defendant charged by the federal government after an indictment was filed against her in Virginia on Thursday.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a press release that a federal grand jury had indicted James on two counts involving a property she owns in Virginia, including:

Bank fraud.

False statements to a financial institution.

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Prosecutors allege that James misrepresented how she uses the property, located in Norfolk, to obtain a more favorable loan. Prosecutors say she claimed it as a second residence, when in reality she leased it out to tenants.

James has denied any wrongdoing and posted on social media that she will remain fearless moving forward.

This is nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system. I am not fearful  I am fearless," she said. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights.

This is nothing more than a continuation of the presidents desperate weaponization of our justice system.



I am not fearful  I am fearless.



We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. pic.twitter.com/X9U0EsHuGM  NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) October 9, 2025

James and others opposed to the lawsuit, like U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, labeled it as a weaponization tactic by President Donald Trump.

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Others say this is hypocritical as James was one of the primary prosecutors pursuing cases against Trump when he was out of office.

Last year, James led a New York civil fraud case, which left Trump with a multimillion-dollar penalty and saw him banned from doing business in New York state for three years.

CNN conservative pundit Scott Jennings posted on X that its incredible to see Democrats whining about selective prosecution in the case of Letitia James. Her entire career is built on the selective prosecution of one man! Give me a break.

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson shared a previous video of James using her own verbiage against her, A simple message from Letitia James herself: No one is above the law. Justice will prevail.

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If convicted, James could face up to 30 years in prison and face up to $1 million per count, according to a press release from federal prosecutors office.

Her initial court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said that Russia continues to act within the framework of the understandings on the war in Ukraine reached with US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Alaska.

Source: Russian state media Interfax, citing Putin

Quote: "This is a complex issue that requires further work. But our position remains grounded in the dialogue we held in Anchorage. We are not changing anything for ourselves  we believe there is still room for both sides to refine certain aspects.

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Overall, we remain within the framework of the Alaska agreements."

Details: No public announcement was made about any agreements reached following the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska. After the talks, Putin declared that he hopes they can "pave the path towards peace in Ukraine".

In an interview with Fox News after his meeting with Putin, US President Donald Trump said that it is now up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reach a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine.

Background:

On 15 August, US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin held their first talks in the US state of Alaska.

Following that meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders met Trump at the White House to discuss diplomatic solutions to end Russia's aggression.

After these discussions, Putin intensified attacks on Ukrainian regions, including the capital. During one of the large-scale air strikes, Russian drones violated Polish airspace.

Trump later said that Putin had "let him down" over efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has acknowledged a pause in talks between Ukraine and Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

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A new Qatari air force facility will be built in Idaho, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.

Today were signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatar Emiri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho, Hegseth told reporters. Its just another example of our partnership.

Hegseth said that the facility would host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the arrangement.

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The announcement came as Hegseth thanked Qatar for its role in peace talks between Israel and Hamas. Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, helped mediate the cease-fire negotiations that were held in Egypt this week. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a cease-fire deal.

No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peacewhat we believe will be a lasting peacein Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to make sure that came about, Hegseth said on Friday.

By Friday, Israel pulled its troops back to agreed positions in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has 72 hours to release the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, 20 of whom are thought to still be alive, under the terms of the deal.

At the end of September, Trump signed an Executive Order stating that the United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.

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In a controversial move a few months earlier, Trump accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One. Democrats attempted to block funding to turn the jet into Air Force One, but Republicans rejected that effort on Thursday.

Nik Popli contributed.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Oct. 10 (UPI) -- The Qatari Emiri Air Force will base several F-15 fighters and their pilots at a base in Idaho, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.

The Qatari fighter jets and pilots will be hosted at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho, which Hegseth said will enable training exercises with the U.S. military to make joint operations more effective, according to The Hill.

Hegseth announced the Qatari base agreement while meeting with Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon on Friday.

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"The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality [and] interoperability," Hegseth said, as reported by CBS News.

Hegseth and Al Thani signed a letter of acceptance to build the Qatari air force facility at the Idaho base, which also is home to a Singapore Air Force unit.

Qatar will build its base at the Idaho facility, but the dates of the planned construction and when the base would be operational were not announced.

Qatar has been instrumental in helping to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and potentially bring a lasting peace in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East, Hegseth added.

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Al Thani called the Gaza peace effort a "historic achievement" that shows "what can be accomplished when our nations work together," Fox News reported.

Hegseth and Al Thani referred to the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas that President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

The president credited Qatar, Turkey and Egypt with mediating the negotiations that resulted in what Trump said will ensure peace throughout the Middle East.

While Qatar will have an air force training base in Idaho, the United States likewise has a military base at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, according to Grey Dynamics.

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The U.S. has used the Qatar base since 2000, hosted coalition forces and served as the U.S. military's headquarters for its operations in Iraq.

A 2002 agreement formally made the U.S. military the manager of the Al Udeid base in Qatar.
Regenerative agriculture is a series of farming practices that improve long-term soil health, boosting yields.

It is a holistic style of farming, returning to traditional methods by reducing the use of heavy machinery and pesticides, and promoting soil cover with crop diversity. By improving soil health, regenerative agriculture can reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with farming because healthy soil means increased carbon sequestration.

Many companies like Dominos, McCain, and PepsiCo are heavily investing in regenerative agriculture to reduce their emissions and create resilient supply chains. These companies are investing money to help farmers transition to regenerative practices and making commitments to source regenerative supplies and ingredients.

Indigenous farmers never stopped using regenerative agriculture

While regenerative agriculture is growing in business settings as a method of reducing agricultural impact, and as an emissions reduction method, indigenous farmers have been responding to environmental stimuli and promoting non-intensive farming methods for millennia. Indigenous groups and farmers are the best guardians of the worlds ecosystems.

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Regenerative agriculture techniques like agroforestry and intercropping are traditional techniques for indigenous farmers. These farmers understand the soil, water, and local biodiversity, so it is vital to uplift their knowledge and voices.

Agroforestry in Honduras

One principle of regenerative agriculture is keeping soil covered. Agroforestry is the deliberate integration of trees and shrub cover into farming systems and is one of the primary ways of keeping soil covered.

The Lenca people in Honduras use agroforestry to provide shared protection and nutrients to crops. In Honduras, Lenca groups developed the use of agroforestry even before the Spanish conquest. The technique is known as quesungual. It actively protects the forests and their own sustenance.

It also promotes food security by increasing the production of resilient fruit and vegetables. In 1988, the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) helped communities reintroduce agroforestry after large portions of Honduras experienced food insecurity and malnourishment. Farmers in this community now combine quesungual with their coffee production.

Intercropping in Mexico and Guatemala

Regenerative agriculture promotes diverse crop production. Intercropping involves growing two or more crops together to promote nutrient-rich soils and biodiversity.

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The Maya people in Mexico and Guatemala practice polyculture and intercropping. The practice is called milpa and has crops like maize, beans, and squash growing together to regulate soil moisture and deter pestilence. Studies of milpa fields have shown that they are more productive and resilient than growing single crops alone.

The Maya people only grow crops native to the region, as they complement each other and better provide mutual benefits to the soil. Beans provide nitrogen that can be absorbed by other plants, and maize provides shade and protection, promoting healthy growing. Maize, beans, and squash are known together as The Three Sisters. It is one of the most common intercropping combinations.

Reduced pesticides in Peru

One of the last pillars of regenerative agriculture is the limited use of pesticides. The reduction of harmful agrochemicals reduces chemical pollution and improves soil health and water absorption.

In 2016, indigenous female farmers in Peru reintroduced traditional techniques due to the noticeable decline in crop yields from climate change. The women were supported by the UN Womens Fund for Gender Equality. The women used natural fertilisers like cow and alpaca manure.

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Eliminating agrochemicals and including crop rotations helped make crops more resilient, revitalised soils, and helped to boost local economies as the women could sell excess seeds and crops.

"Regenerative agriculture has its roots in indigenous farming" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.




Fake death threat letters from the Taliban are being used to dupe the Home Office in asylum applications for Afghan migrants.

A Telegraph investigation can reveal how corrupt officials in Afghanistan produce government letters threatening to kill asylum seekers. The letters are then used as evidence in asylum applications.

To demonstrate how easily such documents can be obtained, an undercover Telegraph reporter paid Taliban officials 40 to produce three fake letters from different regional offices on official headed paper, signed by local administrators.

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The letters can be published in full, but have been redacted to protect sources.

They include warnings that the Taliban will deliver justice upon you  shorthand for execution  for co-operating with the evil government of England.

One letter says: The mujahideen monitor all your activity on social media and will deliver justice when they see you. God will be pleased and you will be freed from this shameful life.

b'

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The practice of purchasing fake letters raises fresh questions about the integrity of the asylum system and whether genuine refugees are being disadvantaged by forgeries.

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Multiple migrants housed in Home Office hotels and Taliban officials in Afghanistan told The Telegraph that the use of fake letters is widespread.

In one case, a rejected asylum seeker said they submitted a fake letter in an appeal as evidence of facing danger in Afghanistan.

The new application was then approved, although it is not clear if the letter was the only piece of evidence that judges took into account.

In 2022, more than 100,000 Afghans applied to come to Britain, claiming to have helped or fought alongside UK forces before the 2021 withdrawal.

But multiple sources told The Telegraph that the vast majority had no such connection. The Ministry of Defence believes only a small proportion of asylum claims are genuine.

Premium letter includes Taliban stamp

The fake letters often cite the destination country by name, accusing applicants of co-operation with that government and warning of death if they return to Afghanistan.

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The undercover reporter requested letters from a Taliban official in an unnamed Afghan city for three fictional Afghans seeking asylum in Britain.

The official offered two versions: a standard letter for 40 and a premium version  complete with an official stamp and a 100 per cent approval rate  for 200.

One letter says the Taliban regime has proven the applicants contact with the British Government. After several acts of Islamic kindness by the mujahideen, your work continued, the letter says before threatening to kill them.

b'

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Another letter warns: Be aware that your family is under arrest and surveillance by the Islamic Emirate, and we have proof of your co-operation with England.

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It demands the recipient surrender as soon as possible, adding otherwise you will be responsible for the consequences.

In the third letter they wrote: This is to inform you that the Islamic Emirate is aware of your activities with the Government of England ... We will deliver justice upon you soon.

Asylum seekers in Home Office hotels confirmed the widespread use of such fakes.

One said: These things happen and its a reality. Some people even write these letters themselves in Pashto, and since there is no way of verification, the Home Office accepts them.

He added that the Home Office lacks the capacity to scrutinise such documents properly.

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There is no way they can read those lines. The Home Office asks them to translate and summarise the letters and include them in applications. Most of them are fake.

b'

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A second person at a Home Office hotel described being repeatedly contacted by a fellow asylum seeker desperate to obtain one of these letters.

The migrant, who originally entered Britain on a student visa before abandoning his university studies and moving into a Home Office hotel, said he did not know whether the person calling him succeeded in finding a corrupt Taliban official.

A third source acknowledged using such a letter in his own asylum application after his initial claim was rejected because of insufficient evidence that his life was at risk in Afghanistan.

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Following submission of the threatening letter, his application was approved, though he could not definitively attribute the success of his application solely to the letter rather than other changes in his circumstances.

I have a close relative within the Taliban, he said. I called him to write me a letter threatening me with death if I returned to Afghanistan. He wrote the letter, stamped it, and sent it back to me, which I then used in my application.

He did not disclose the date of his arrival or when he applied for asylum, fearing repercussions from the Home Office.

He emphasised the scale of the corruption, saying: Listen to me  lots of people are doing it, and some of them are successful and are granted asylum and the right to work.

A Taliban official suggested that its low-ranking members are faking the letters - Wakil Kohsar/AFP

A Taliban official in Kabul acknowledged that some local Taliban members were producing these letters without authorisation from senior leadership.

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He said: Some mujahideen do this kind of work, but it is not legal and they face consequences if caught.

He suggested the practice is done by low-ranking Taliban members either wanting to help fellow Afghans or to supplement inadequate salaries.

I understand they mainly want to help our countrymen or they are not being paid enough  it is a problem and plans are under way to provide better living conditions for local officials so they stop getting involved in such practices.

Small boats contained more migrants from Afghanistan than any other country in the year up to June 2025, according to Home Office data - Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

The official added that the Taliban regime, which took full control of Afghanistan in 2021, no longer uses letters to threaten people in any case.

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We dont need to send letters anymore  that was a tactic when we were not the government. Now we are the government: if we are sure someone has committed an illegal act, we can simply go to their home and arrest them.

Threat letters from the Taliban are referenced in multiple UK asylum tribunal cases, though it is unclear whether they were genuine or forged.

One case published on the website read: The Appellant appealed to the First-tier Tribunal. He produced what he claimed to be a threatening letter from the Taliban, sent to him by his family. He maintained that the garage had been raided and that the Taliban wanted the men who worked there because they had been engaged in supporting the Afghan Army.

Another tribunal case specifically referred to threat letters submitted by the applicant. The ruling said the letters were verified by an independent expert using a researcher in Afghanistan to help confirm their authenticity.

In 2022, more than 100,000 Afghans applied to come to Britain, claiming they had helped or fought alongside British forces - Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

The Home Office said no asylum claim is approved solely on the basis of such a letter.

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A spokesman told The Telegraph: No asylum case is assessed solely on the basis of one letter. Every asylum claim is assessed on its individual merits, and decision-makers receive thorough training to ensure all cases are properly decided.

A strong system of safeguards and quality checks supports this process, helping to ensure all claims are properly reviewed and decisions are reliable.

We take any abuse of the immigration system extremely seriously. Where there is evidence of wrongdoing, we will take firm action to challenge it and protect the integrity of our borders.

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.
Wegovy, which is used for weight loss, requires refrigeration because its not shelf-stable. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Rhode Islands Medicaid program is contemplating an end to coverage for GLP-1 drugs prescribed for weight loss.

The proposal appears in the Rhode Islands Executive Office of Health and Human Services 270-page operating budget submission for fiscal year 2027. The coverage change could take effect as early as July 1, 2026, but would more likely happen by October 2026 or January 2027, according to the budget request document  one of the many documents state agencies send to the governors office each fall with details on their monetary needs and challenges predicted in the upcoming fiscal year.

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While quite efficacious, these medications are quite expensive, with list prices ranging from $12,000 annually to roughly $16,000 annually as of March 2025, the budget proposal reads.

The departments proposal would only affect prescriptions for weight loss, and it would still cover prescriptions for diabetes, which the GLP-1 drugs were first used to treat. GLP-1 drugs work on type-2 diabetes by suppressing glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. The same mechanism plays a role in how the body feels hunger, which is why the drugs are valuable in weight loss.

The drugs are nearly chemically identical regardless of the condition they treat, and some drugs contain the same active ingredients but are marketed under different names. Novo Nordisk, for instance, markets two versions: Ozempic for diabetes, and Wegovy for weight loss. Other branded drugs in the GLP-1 family include Trulicity, Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Regardless of branding, the drugs share a high price point as well, and are expected to get even pricier. The department estimates it could save $6.3 million in general revenue, and $20.3 million across all funding sources, including federal ones.

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The savings would be procured by tweaking contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs), the insurers who deliver most of the states Medicaid coverage.

GLP-1 weight loss costs are expected to increase again between approximately 130 percent (low estimate) and nearly 200 percent (high estimate), by the end of the second quarter in fiscal year 2027, according to the departments budget request.

Between the start of fiscal year 2024 and the end of fiscal year 2025, GLP-1 costs roughly quadrupled in Rhode Island Medicaids per-member monthly payments to its managed care plans, according to the department.

That data aligns with what the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner reported in May about the drugs impact on the commercial insurance market. A record 7.8% in spending growth in 2023 across Rhode Islands health system was partially driven by a surging amount of GLP-1 prescriptions, which doubled from 2022 to 2023. Total commercial health plan spending on the drug class more than tripled from 2021 to 2023.

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Health and Human Services budget note does, however, provide a caveat about its analysis of fiscal impact, which is based on a short-term calculation tied directly to changes in managed care rates.

Ending coverage for GLP-1 obesity drugs would be in line with current financial trends in both public and private insurance companies but could result in health inequities and less comprehensive coverage for a large segment of Rhode Islands population, the budget note reads.

Obesity is more prevalent among low-income Rhode Islanders and communities of color. Among adults, 38.5% of Black residents have obesity, compared with 33.9% of Hispanic residents and 29.5% of white residents, according to Health in Rhode Island.

Income disparities are similar, with 44.6% of adults in households earning under $15,000 diagnosed as obese. Obesity is found in 35.5% of adults in households earning $15,000$25,000.

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Nationally, state Medicaid outfits are restricting GLP-1 coverage as list prices consistently climb alongside increasing demand. The EOHHS note adds that 14 states cover GLP-1s, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

But even these states may soon change their minds. Connecticut wants to roll back coverage, and Massachusetts MassHealth now limits weight-loss coverage to Zepbound with prior authorization. Patients must also take a trial of phentermine, an older drug chemically related to amphetamines and still widely used for weight loss, before they can be approved for GLP-1s.

The Health and Human Services budget document notes that the GLP-1 coverage chaos comes after the outgoing Biden administration left the specifics of the drugs eligibility under Medicare and Medicaid up to the Trump administration. In April 2025, President Donald Trumps administration declined to expand Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans to cover GLP-1s for weight-loss.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  The second Monday of October is a holiday, but its name may depend on where you are in the United States.

While the holiday is only federally recognized as Columbus Day, former President Joe Biden issued proclamations recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day each year of his presidency, beginning in 2021.

Some states will be formally recognizing both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 13, but in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Indigenous Peoples Day is not recognized in state law.

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Heres a look at the holidays history and whether a name change is in the works locally:

Rhode Island

According to Rhode Islands State Librarian, Columbus Day was first established in 1910 as a holiday celebrated annually on Oct. 12. In 1969, Columbus Day was established in state law as the second Monday in October.

No laws have been introduced in Rhode Islands general assembly this session to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.

Under the list of state holidays on the website for Secretary of State Gregg Amore, the second Monday of October is listed as Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day.

The Department of State has chosen to also observe Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October, Amores chief of staff, LeeAnn Byrne, told 12 News. But, at this time, only Columbus Day is recognized in State law.

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When asked whether Governor Dan McKee would support the introduction of legislation that would recognize Indigenous Peoples Day in Rhode Island, he said in a statement, while state law recognizes Columbus Day as the official holiday, I certainly encourage Rhode Islanders to honor both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday if they so choose.

Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the legal name of the holiday is Columbus Day in accordance with Chapter 6 Section 12V of the General Laws. The law states that the holiday should be observed to the end that the memory of the courage, perseverance and spiritual fervor of Christopher Columbus, discoverer of America, may be perpetuated.

Bills have been introduced in both the Massachusetts House and Senate to strike out Section 12V, replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

The newly proposed Section 12V states that the holiday should be observed, to acknowledge the history of genocide and discrimination against Indigenous peoples, to honor the histories and contributions of Indigenous peoples, and to recognize and celebrate the thriving cultures and continued resistance and resilience of Indigenous peoples and their tribal nations.

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State Sen. Jo Comerford presented the bill and released a statement in favor of its passage on Thursday.

Christopher Columbus did not discover the Americas. That long-perpetuated myth  rooted in racism and violence  has allowed generations to credit a European man with discovering a land already teeming with societies, Comerford said in a press release.

Comerford noted that Massachusetts is one of 15 states that still singularly recognizes the second Monday of October as Columbus Day.

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day is an act of respect, recognition, and reconciliation, Comerford explained. It honors the first stewards of this land  past, present, and future.

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The Houses version of the bill was reported favorably out of committee. The Senates bill has not yet been reported out of committee.

In the last two legislative sessions in Massachusetts, similar bills were reported favorably out of committee, although the legislation never made it over the finish line.

12 News reached out to Governor Maura Healeys office to see if the governor would support the proposed legislation, but has not heard back.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.

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Senegal has recorded 17 deaths from a mosquito-borne viral infection called Rift Valley Fever.

The viral disease normally affects livestock, but can also spread to humans and has been responsible for several deadly outbreaks in recent decades.

The West African nations health ministry said it had recorded 119 cases so far, most of them in the countrys northern livestock-producing region.

Humans typically become infected either through mosquito bites, or contact with the blood or organs of infected animals, putting herders, farmers, slaughterhouse workers and vets at particular risk. There are no recorded cases of human-to-human transmission.

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In people, most infections show no symptoms, or very mild ones. Rarer severe cases can cause eye damage, brain swelling or haemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Animal outbreaks hit goats and sheep hardest and can have a heavy financial cost to farmers.

Outbreaks have previously occurred in other African countries, including in Kenya and Somalia in 1998 when it killed over 470 people.

In 2000, the virus spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen  its first cases outside Africa  killing over 200 people and raising concerns of wider spread to Asia and Europe.

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Senegals last major outbreak occurred in the late 1980s, when it killed more than 200 people in the country and neighbouring Mauritania.

Mauritania last month also announced three deaths from the fever in the southern cities of Rosso, Kiffa, and Aleg.

Dr Merawi Aragaw Tegegne, an epidemiologist with the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the fever RVF had been endemic in northern Senegal since the 1980s.

He said: It has been becoming more frequent these days across Africa, and these various diseases are closely related with climate change and extreme weather events.

If you see torrential rain with quick floods, then sunny days, expect RVF in the coming days with favourable conditions for the vectors.

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Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, from BYD to start-up Dreame, are intensifying their expansion abroad as a fierce price battle at home clouds profit prospects, reported the South China Morning Post.

In a bid to capture a larger share of the global market, these companies are opting to either assemble vehicles abroad or expand their showroom presence internationally, targeting market share from established brands such as Volkswagen and Toyota.

Cui Dongshu, general secretary of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), said: Chinese EVs [are proving] to be quite attractive to car users worldwide because of their design and quality.

As a result, exports of Chinese-made EVs have rapidly increased since 2021. Trade barriers will not drag down their export growth.

CPCA figures show mainland Chinas roughly 50 EV manufacturers exported 2.01 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the first eight months of the year, a 51% increase from a year earlier.

The industry body projects overseas deliveries of Chinese-made cars, including petrol models, will reach 5.46 million this year, up 14% from 2024.

BYD is targeting up to one million sales outside the mainland this year, which could represent about 20% of total deliveries, according to Li Yunfei, the companys general manager of branding and public relations.

Overseas volumes made up less than 10% of BYDs 4.26 million deliveries in 2024.

BYDs pure electric models face a 27% tariff in the European Union, but Li said the bloc remains a priority as environmentally minded drivers shift to EVs.

Recently, carmaker Xpeng said it had started production in Europe through a partnership with Austrias Magna Steyr and plans to deepen the collaboration over time.

In early September, Dreames CEO Yu Hao led a team to Germany to scout locations for a car plant, the Suzhou-based company said.

The overseas push aligns with the Made in China 2025 strategy unveiled in 2015, which envisaged the top two domestic EV makers selling more than 10% of their vehicles abroad. Only BYD has achieved that target.

Last month, Dongshu said Chinas automotive sector is targeting annual sales surpassing 40 million vehicles within the next five years. The outlook includes exports, which are expected to reach ten million units.

He highlighted the scope for growth in both domestic and international markets, noting vehicle ownership in China stands at 250 cars per 1,000 people, well below levels in developed economies.

"Chinese EV makers ramping up overseas expansion amid price wars " was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.
From weeks-old dip to puddles on the kitchen floor, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City area restaurants last week.

Dining establishments like sit-down restaurants, drive-thrus, gas stations and grocery stores are required to get food inspections, and governments have to release those inspections to the public.

In Kansas City, the citys health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the states Department of Agriculture handles inspections. The lower the number of violations, the better.

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Most restaurants correct violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly after. The full inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations. They are available for Kansas City at inspectionsonline.us/foodsafety/mousakansascity/search.htm and Johnson and Wyandotte counties at agriculture.ks.gov.

Here are the restaurants in Kansas City and Johnson and Wyandotte counties that received seven or more critical violations or priority/priority foundation violations from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.

Midtown Market - Desi Dhaba

3967 Main St.

14 critical violations for an Oct. 3 routine inspection

There was no surface sanitizer prepared inside the kitchen of this Midtown grocery store Indian restaurant. The inspector found bottles of air freshener and window cleaner on a kitchen counter near food.

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The restaurant corrected all the violations, according to an Oct. 8 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Desi Dhaba.

Raj Express Indian Kitchen

11721 College Blvd., Overland Park

10 priority and priority foundation violations for an Oct. 1 routine inspection

The inspector wrote, I witnessed a medium roach crawling inside a large clean stock pot.

In the kitchen of the Indian restaurant near Johnson County Community College, the refrigerator table did not keep food cold enough.

The scheduled follow-up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for Raj Express by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.

Classic Cup Sidewalk Cafe

301 W. 47th St.

8 critical violations for a Sept. 30 routine inspection

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Water pooled in front of a walk-in cooler at this Plaza brunch restaurant. There were cracked lights in the kitchen and a hole in the ceiling of the liquor room.

The restaurant corrected all the violations, according to an Oct. 9 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for the Classic Cup.

Kobis

113 Oak St., Bonner Springs

8 priority and priority foundation violations for an Oct. 1 routine inspection

There were unmarked spray bottles containing blue and purple liquids in the kitchen of this Bonner Springs biker bar. One in ten open food packages did not have date labels.

The scheduled follow-up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for Kobis by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.

Gringo Loco - Neighborhood Market (Deli)

3825 Independence Ave.

7 critical violations for a Sept. 29 routine inspection

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The inspector found mouse poop under the dishwashing sink of the deli at this Northeast Mexican grocery store. Raid insecticide was stored in the bakery.

The restaurant corrected all the violations, according to an Oct. 6 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for the Gringo Loco deli.

Big Shots Bar and Grill

6541 N. Cosby Ave.

7 critical violations for an Oct. 2 routine inspection

An employee left their phone on a cutting board at this Northland bar and grill. A 6-week-old container of dill dip and a 2-week-old batch of sloppy joes were found in the refrigerator.

A follow-up inspection has not occurred. Read the full report for Big Shots.

Dominics Casual Italian

6209 NW 63rd Terrace

7 critical violations for an Oct. 2 routine

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The pizza oven conveyor belt was not properly clean at this Northland Italian restaurant, and there was no soap in the mens bathroom.

A follow-up inspection has not occurred. Read the full report for Dominics.

Frutas Arandas

2405 N 13th St., Kansas City, Kansas

7 priority and priority foundation violations for an Oct. 3 routine inspection

The aguas frescas stand did not have hand soap and the employee used a cup to pour water to wash their hands.

The scheduled follow-up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for Frutas Arandas by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.

Arada Market

2111 E. Crossroads Lane, Olathe

7 priority and priority foundation violations for an Oct. 2 routine inspection

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Raw goat carcasses were not cold enough inside of this East African grocery store. There was no soap at the handwashing sink.

The restaurant staff corrected all violations during the inspection. Read the full report for Arada Market by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.

Cocky Ocky Grille

3800 E. 39th St.

Suspended Sept. 29

The food truck license was suspended because there was no commissary kitchen. The owner told The Star the Cocky Ocky Grille is open, and the suspension was a technical error because the commissary kitchen moved.
ROCHESTER  The Rochester Museum of Fine Arts was honored with the Governors Arts Award for Creative Communities on Wednesday, Oct. 8, during a ceremony in the Executive Council chambers at the State House in Concord.

The Governors Arts Awards, presented biennially by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts since 1980, recognize individuals and organizations that have made lasting contributions to the states cultural life.

Our state is home to a vibrant arts community that contributes to our economy and provides opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy music, museums and more, said Gov. Kelly Ayotte. I am proud to present this years Governors Arts Awards and recognize the talent and creativity we have here in New Hampshire.

Amy Regan and Matt Wyatt, co-founders of the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts working on an art installation along Columbus Street.

The RMFA is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit community art initiative dedicated to the accessibility of contemporary works made by regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized artists. Founded in 2011, the organization works to enrich peoples lives through the presentation of fine art. The permanent collection and other rotating exhibitions are prominently displayed in the halls and Suite 135 of the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center and Rochester Public Library, in partnership with the city of Rochester.

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We are so honored to receive this award and represent Rochester on the state level, said RMFA co-founder Matt Wyatt. We want everyone to be able to enjoy art for free. Our alternative version of an art museum is a sustainable model that is easily replicable with the right people and energy. We encourage other communities to look at what weve done and copy us. Improve it, make it better, bigger  Art belongs everywhere.

The Creative Communities Award honors a city, town, village government, community-wide organization, or individual that has significantly fostered the arts through funding or program initiatives within the past three years. Past recipients have been recognized for achievements such as major municipal support for cultural facilities, the development of public art programs, the creation of unique public/private partnerships to promote cultural tourism, and significant increases in local support for the arts.

Creating exhibition opportunities is foundational to our work, said RMFA Co-Founder Amy Regan. The New England community is filled with talented, generous artists who work on their craft each day. Being able to showcase and uplift this work is my greatest pleasure, as well as meeting and learning from so many genuine people along the way.

Over the years, the award has recognized a wide range of communities and organizations across New Hampshire, from major cities to small towns and local nonprofits. Past recipients include municipalities such as the city of Nashua (1989, 2017), city of Manchester (2001), city of Portsmouth (2005), city of Claremont (1999), and the city of Rochester (1997). Community organizations have also been recognized, including the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce (1991), Dover Arts Commission (2021), Exeter Arts Committee (1993), and Creative Guts (2023).

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To learn more about the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, visit nharts.dncr.nh.gov, and to learn more about the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, visit rochestermfa.org.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Rochester Museum of Fine Arts earns governor's award
Moscow is escalating its efforts to cripple Ukraines energy infrastructure ahead of the winter.

A fresh drone and missile barrage on energy facilities in the early hours of Friday triggered power cuts across nine Ukrainian regions, after Russian strikes already crippled almost 60 per cent of the countrys gas production.

Parts of Kyiv were plunged into darkness, with disruption to water supplies and travel delays also reported in the capital after the bombardment.

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Moscows forces launched some 450 drones and 30 missiles on Friday at everything that sustains normal life, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, wrote on social media.

It is precisely the civilian and energy infrastructure that is the main target of Russias strikes ahead of the heating season, he added.

Parts of Kyiv were plunged into darkness as 450 drones and 30 missiles were launched by Moscow on Friday - Dan Bashakov/AP Photo

A seven-year-old child in the southern Zaporizhzhia region was killed by Fridays strikes, according to its governor Ivan Federov.

Nine people were injured in Kyiv where emergency services were photographed putting out a blaze at a 10-storey apartment block.

Fragments of a Russian drone also hit a high-rise residential building causing flats to catch fire - Evgeniy Maloletka

Svitlana Grynchuk, the energy minister, said Russian forces were inflicting a massive strike on the grid. Energy experts are taking all necessary measures to minimise negative consequences, she wrote on Facebook.

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Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have become the main feature of its tactics ahead of the winter months in its three-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin and his generals hope by plunging the country into darkness and preventing people from heating their homes, it will freeze innocent Ukrainians into submission and end their valiant resistance to his invasion.

Moscows aim is to break our spirit, Sergii Koretskyi, chief executive of Naftogaz, Ukraines state energy company, recently told the FT. This has nothing to do with military needs, none of these assets have any military value at all.

The strikes have been designed to break the spirit of Ukrainians - Dan Bashakov/AP Photo

Ukrainian officials have told their Western allies that recent long-range barrages have cut gas production by almost 60 per cent.

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The message was relayed at a recent meeting of G7 energy ministers in Toronto, Canada.

The country is reliant on natural gas for heating homes in its cities.

Russia has targeted energy infrastructure in every winter of the war since Putin ordered the invasion in February 2022.

This year, Ukraine officials fear they might have to import almost 2bn (1.7bn) of foreign gas to meet supply demands until March if the strikes continue.

Not only will this put a strain on innocent Ukrainians hoping to warm their homes during the winter months, it will put a strain on Kyivs ability to finance the military resistance against the Russian invasion.

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Ukrainian officials estimate the damage to the wider energy sector to amount to more than $20bn (15bn) since the start of the war.

Apart from the human cost, war damage to the energy sector is estimated at more than 15bn - State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters

And there are fears some of the damage to Ukraines hulking Soviet-era power is nearing irreparable.

Kyiv has urged its Western allies to support the repair efforts with spare parts and expertise.

It has also called on partners to deliver more air-defence systems to protect what is left of the ailing grid.

In recent months, Ukraine has ramped up its own retaliatory attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, in an attempt to cut the Kremlins main revenues to fund the war.

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Mr Zelensky recently estimated that the strikes had cut around a fifth of Russias petrol production.

Earlier this week, some 40,000 Russians in the border city of Belgorod were left without power after Ukrainian strikes on a power station in the area.

The Ukrainian president said these retaliatory assaults were showing results and driving up fuel prices in Russia.

He has secured Donald Trumps approval for the tit-for-tat action, overcoming the US presidents previous opposition to cross-border raids into Russia.

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Russia has launched nearly 500 drones and missiles on Ukraine overnight on Friday, in another nightly attack on cities and towns across the country.

In Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, local authorities reported more than 20 people being pulled out by rescue crews from a 17-storey apartment building in flames following a Russian attack.

The strikes damaged residential buildings across several districts. In Pechersk, drone debris hit an apartment block, sparking a fire.

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In Holosiivskyi and other areas, windows were shattered, facades damaged, and several cars set ablaze. According to Mayor Vitalii Klychko, 12 people were injured.

People watch as firefighters put out the fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. - Dan Bashakov/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.

A partial blackout and water disruptions in several districts of Kyiv were reported.

In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, a seven-year-old boy was killed by a Russian strike, according to military personnel, while his parents were injured.

A relative recounted that the father had just returned from captivity in March after being held for three years.

Reports from City Council Secretary Regina Kharchenko say that the city was under attack for over six hours  first struck with eight Shahed kamikaze drones, and later by guided aerial bombs and cruise missiles.

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The settlement of Kushuhum, in the Zaporizhzhia region, also suffered from shelling, as homes, shops, and municipal equipment were damaged, according to local media.

A total of 465 drones, including kamikaze drones, and 32 missiles, including ballistic missiles, were fired across the country overnight, according to Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Saline County residents vote early in the 2024 general election on Oct. 21, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)

A special election to fill an Arkansas House seat left vacant by a lawmakers resignation will be held June 9, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared Friday.

Rep. Carlton Wing, a North Little Rock Republican, resigned on Sept. 30 to become CEO and executive director of Arkansas PBS, necessitating the special election.

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Sanders previously set June 9 for a special election to fill the Senate vacancy created when Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, died Sept. 2.

At least two Democrats and one Republican have said they intend to run for Wings vacant seat. Four Republicans have said theyll run for the Senate District 26 seat left by Stubblefield.

Sanders proclamation on Friday set the party primary elections for March 3, the same day as other state primaries.

State law requires the governor to call a special election to fill a legislative vacancy as soon as possible after the seat is vacated. The law also requires the special election to be held within 150 days unless it is impractical or unduly burdensome to do so, which Sanders said it would be.

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Sanders made the same determination in setting the primary and general election dates to fill the Senate seat and drew criticism from some Republicans and the state Democratic party, who said the dates deprive District 26 residents of a voice in the legislatures fiscal session in April.

A resident of the Franklin County portion of District 26 filed a lawsuit Monday, asking a Pulaski County judge to move up the special election to December so the districts voters can be represented in the 2026 fiscal session. Lawmakers likely will consider funding for construction of a controversial state prison in Franklin County during the session.

Micah Wallace, a resident of District 70 and the spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, condemned Sanders decision to again deprive voters of a voice in the fiscal session.

It is absolutely outrageous and infuriating to now be among the 30,000 residents in House District 70 that Sarah Sanders is brazenly depriving of representation in the state legislature, Wallace said in a statement released by the party.

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Democratic Party Chair retired Col. Marcus Jones said the issue is beyond Democrat or Republican; this is about right and wrong.

Sanders is wrong, Jones said in the statement.

We refuse to let the governor hide behind pathetic excuses for why she cant fulfill her constitutional duty to hold a special election and let voters decide. She is imposing taxation without representation, plain and simple, refusing to give Arkansans a say in our state budget that will be decided on in April, he said.

The filing period for candidates in the House race will begin at noon on Nov. 3 and end at noon on Nov. 12, according to Sanders proclamation. The political parties must issue certificates of nomination by noon on April 10, and the candidates must file the certificates by 5 p.m. on April 13.

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Any Independent candidates for the special election must submit their notices of candidacy, political practices pledges, affidavits of eligibility and petitions to the Secretary of States office by noon on April 13.

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Savannah Technical College announced earlier today the passing of former president Kathy Love.

Love served as Savannah Tech's president from 2009 until March 11, 2024. On Tuesday March 12, 2024, Ray Perren, deputy commissioner for technical education at the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), had issued a memo that Love would no longer be serving as the president. A day later Ryan Foley was named interim president before being appointed permanent president in April 2024.

Foley provided a statement on Love's passing in an Oct. 10 press release from the college. He said her impact on both the college and the Technical College System of Georgia could not be overstated. "During her tenure as president, she led with compassion, vision, and a steadfast commitment to student success. Under her leadership, Savannah Tech expanded its programs, strengthened community partnerships, and enhanced its role as a vital contributor to workforce development across our region. She championed access to technical education and believed deeply in the transformative power of opportunity.

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Savannah Tech president change: Why is Kathy Love out as president of Savannah Technical College?

Former Savannah Technical College President Kathy Love

The college's press release lauded Love for her role in crucial capital projects and academic transitions that were "essential for meeting the demands of Coastal Georgias leading industries." Highlighted initiaves included the college's Aviation Training Center at its Crossroads Campus as well as the transfer of the Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene program, which had been a part of Armstrong Atlantic State University and led to a Dental Hygiene Clinic built on the main campus. The college also noted her oversight of the Student Enrichment Center completion. The facility centralized such services as Adult Education, Learning Support, English as a Second Language (ESL), and the Learning Enrichment Center.

During her tenure, Savannah Tech even earned a national distinction from Community College Magazine as one of the fastest growing two-year colleges of its size in the country.

She had previously been president of Flint River Technical College between 2002 and 2009. She had also served in numerous technical college education administrative roles prior to the Flint River role. She attended Georgia Southwestern State University, Columbus State University, and Northcentral University throughout her educational experience.

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A cause of death was not included in Savannah Tech's statement, but an official confirmed Love passed away Friday morning. Funeral arrangements are pending. Details about potential memorial or service arrangements will be shared as made available.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Former Savannah Technical College president has passed away
The South Carolina Attorney Generals Office has asked the Spartanburg County solicitor to review the shooting death of a North Carolina man in Horry County two years ago.

Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette on Oct. 3, 2025, asking his office to review the case of Scott Spivey, who was shot and killed by two men, including a North Myrtle Beach business man, along Camp Swamp Road in the Longs area on Sept. 9, 2023.

When asked about the request for review, Mark Tinsley, attorney for the Spivey family, said by text, I think its the best thing thats happened in the case since I got involved.

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The attorney general is not appointing a special prosecutor in the case, according to communications director Robert Kittle by email. We are asking a local solicitor to review SLEDs investigation into the (Horry County Police Departments) handling of the Scott Spivey case, after allegations of police misconduct, Kittle said.

The letter states that AGs Office had already reviewed the case and declined to charge the two men involved, citing the states Stand Your Ground law.

Once the investigation is complete, it may or may not bring up evidence that would affect the facts as we understand them from the initial investigation, including the review of the death of Scott Spivey and my offices determination of immunity under the Protection of Persons and Property Act, commonly referred to as Stand Your Ground Act, The AG said.

The letter asked Barnette to make any prosecutorial decisions regarding potential misconduct in Spiveys death.

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The Attorney Generals Office was asked to review the case after 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson recused himself from the case. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division also reviewed the case that was initially investigated by the Horry County Police department.

Spiveys family raised several concerns about HCPDs handling of the case and alleged misconduct by officers, many of them who were friends with one of the shooters, Weldon Boyd.

Boyd and his friend Kenneth Bradley Williams shot and killed the 33-year-old Tabor City, North Carolina, man after what appears to be a road rage incident that began on Highway 17 and ended on Camp Swamp Road. Neither man was charged in the case, which was determined to be self-defense under the state's Stand Your Ground law.

The family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the two men. The suit is currently awaiting a Stand Your Ground hearing, which will determine whether or not the case can move forward.
Oct. 9States are doing what they generally do during a federal government shutdown: continuing to operate programs serving some of the neediest people.

That means schools are still serving federally subsidized meals and states are distributing funding for the federal food stamp program. For now.

If the shutdown drags on and federal dollars run out, states can only keep programs going for so long. States may choose to pay for some services themselves so residents keep their benefits.

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But this time, state leaders have new worries about getting reimbursed for federal costs once the federal spending impasse is resolved. That's traditionally been the practice following a shutdown, but the Trump administration's record of pulling funding and targeting Democratic-led states has some officials worried about what comes after the shutdown.

Many states already struggled to balance their own budgets this year. And some fear going without federal reimbursement for shutdown costs could force states to make painful cuts to their own budget priorities.

Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine, a Democrat, said the administration has not made good on its word to states in recent months  freezing some congressionally approved funding and cutting already awarded grants. So it's likewise unclear whether the federal government will follow previous practice and reimburse states for covering shutdown costs of crucial federal programs such as food assistance.

"I think everything is a risk with this administration. ... We in the states are kind of left holding the bag yet again as the federal government tries to sort out what it wants to be when it grows up," he told Stateline.

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Nevada entered the shutdown with more than $1.2 billion in reserves. Last week, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo's office said in a statement that state funds would be adequate to cover "a short period of time with minimal disruption to services."

But the governor's office said a shutdown of more than 30 days would cause more significant challenges for the state.

Lombardo's office did not respond to Stateline's questions. But last week, it released a three-page document on the shutdown, saying it expected the federal government to reimburse states once the budget stalemate is resolved.

"As D.C. works through its issues, our administration will continue to support Nevadans in any way we can throughout this unnecessary federal government shutdown," Lombardo said in the statement.

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We in the states are kind of left holding the bag yet again as the federal government tries to sort out what it wants to be when it grows up.  Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine, a Democrat

While mandatory programs such as Medicaid and Social Security continue to send funds to beneficiaries during the shutdown, funding for other safety net programs such as food assistance are more uncertain. The federal government told states there were enough funds for the food stamp program to cover October benefits, though the special food program for women, infants and children may run out of money sooner.

By furloughing workers and halting federal spending, the shutdown could cost the national economy $15 billion per week, President Donald Trump's economic advisers estimated.

The White House says a prolonged shutdown will affect the economies of every state by reducing employment, federal benefits and consumer spending. White House estimates say this could cost Michigan $361 million per week in lost economic output, for example, while Florida could lose $911 million each week.

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'Fend for themselves'

Some federal services are shuttered during a shutdown: The Environmental Protection Agency has ceased many research, permitting and enforcement efforts, and official jobs data is no longer being released. Federal funds for other programs, including food assistance, are expected to last through the end of the month. But states can elect to spend their own funds on these programs, which were previously authorized by Congress and state legislatures.

Before the shutdown, states were stockpiling reserve funding. The National Association of State Budget Officers reported most state budgets this year maintained or increased rainy day funds. At the same time, state and local governments are borrowing record amounts: As much as $600 billion in municipal bonds is projected to be issued by the end of 2025.

"So states and localities are kind of getting the message they really need to fend for themselves much more than they ever had," said William Glasgall, public finance adviser at the Volcker Alliance, a nonprofit that works to support public sector workers.

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Since January, the Trump administration has stripped states and cities of billions of dollars that Congress approved for education, infrastructure and energy projects. Glasgall said that record leaves states with legitimate concerns about getting repaid for their shutdown-related expenses  a prospect that would likely spark even more lawsuits from Democratic-led states.

"They've already, before the shutdown, started rolling back federal funding, and I don't see any reason why they would stop now," he said. "The recissions that have been announced are pretty harsh, and it's money we're expecting and not getting."

The last shutdown, which lasted five weeks during Trump's first term, delayed billions in federal spending and reduced gross domestic product  the value of all goods and services produced  by $11 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated in 2019. Experts say states were repaid for costs they incurred providing federal services during that shutdown.

In Minnesota, State Budget Director Ahna Minge said staff have been studying previous shutdowns. But at a news conference with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz last week, she characterized this shutdown as "unpredictable."

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"The current federal administration may not follow the historic playbook," she said.

Walz said farmers would be among the first hit as the federal Farm Service Agency has ceased operations in the middle of the state's harvest season. Among other duties, that agency works on disaster assistance and processes loans during harvest to protect farmers against commodity price fluctuations.

Minge said Minnesota officials think programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children have enough existing federal funds to operate through October. But she said the state budget cannot backfill all the commitments made by federal programs.

"What we know is that the longer a shutdown lasts, the greater the impact to state programs and services," she said.

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Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, has pledged to use state dollars to keep WIC afloat if needed, The Associated Press reported. And Colorado lawmakers set aside $7.5 million just before the shutdown to keep WIC running.

Already under strain

In Maryland, the shutdown is compounding the economic instability from Trump's ongoing efforts to shrink the number of federal employees, agencies and spending.

With more than 160,000 federal employees, Maryland's economy relies heavily on the federal workforce. The Trump administration has said it may deny back pay to hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers, despite a law he signed in 2019 guaranteeing such back pay.

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Chief Deputy Comptroller Andrew Schaufele told lawmakers last week that a shutdown could cost the state $700,000 per day in lost tax revenue.

Democratic Gov. Wes Moore pledged to continue funding some federal programs, but said the state would not tap into its rainy day funds to do so.

"We're going to continually evaluate how long we can go," he said at a news conference.

As for getting repaid, Moore spokesperson David Turner told Stateline that the state had received no indication that the federal government would deviate from past practice, "but we are monitoring closely."

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This fiscal uncertainty hits states as they are already struggling to respond to the strain of federal agency layoffs and cuts in the major tax and spending law Trump signed this summer. The law slashed billions in social service funding and created costly new bureaucratic burdens for states, which administer Medicaid and food assistance programs.

"There's no way, really at this point, to sort of assess with any level of confidence what's going to happen when you also have these massive layoffs that were going on pre-shutdown," said Lisa Parshall, a professor of political science at Daemen University in New York. "There's just a real sense from states and localities  and I think rightly so  that that kind of reliability of the federal government is now in question."

It may not be a question of whether states are reimbursed for their shutdown expenses, but which states are reimbursed, Parshall said. The Trump administration has publicly targeted funding of liberal-led states and cities over policy disagreements, raising the possibility it could do something similar with the shutdown.

"Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, you know, you could argue," she said. "But it's definitely a thing that seems to be adding to this level of uncertainty  this shutdown feels different."

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In California, officials just closed a nearly $12 billion shortfall when negotiating the budget that was approved in June. The budget deficit is expected to grow to more than $17 billion next year, said H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for the State of California Department of Finance, which advises the governor and state agencies on budget issues.

"There isn't a long-term, open-ended line of credit available if this drags out," he said of the federal government shutdown.

The depth of reserve funds available varies by federally funded program, he said. CalFresh, California's name for its Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, has enough funds to cover food stamp benefits for this month, but anything beyond that is uncertain.

"If the duration of this is in the matter of days, it will be an inconvenience, but should not pose a massive problem," he said. "However, if it does drag out for an extended period of time, then clearly it's going to be a problem."

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at [email protected].

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.




WATERBURY - The son of a woman killed alongside her former husband inside their Beverly Avenue home says the family is struggling to make sense of the loss.

The pain is made even worse after the alleged killer of Carlene Williams and Marc Adams was their one son, Javian Adams, 25, of Waterbury.

Adams was arrested Tuesday by Watertown police following a reported burglary near Lake Winnemaug.

Adams faces charges of murder with special circumstances, murder in the commission of a felony, criminal use of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, first-degree reckless endangerment and larceny of a motor vehicle.

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Adams is being held on a $5 million bond and a judge granted a 30% cash bond petition on the murder charges. The judge also set a $1 million charge bond on the burglary charge.

Prosecutors allege Javian Adams killed his parents following an argument about money.

A surveillance camera on a neighbor's home captured the audio of an argument hours earlier, when Williams yelled at her son, according to the warrant.

"You don't pay rent. You don't pay a bill. You don't (expletive deleted) buy food. You're a scumbag," the woman said, according to the warrant.

Javian Adams responded several times that he doesn't "give a (expletive deleted)," according to the warrant.

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"I don't care no more. (Expletive deleted) what y'all say. I don't care. Shut the (expletive deleted) up," Javian Adams said, according to the warrant.

The woman "is later heard saying something to the effect of 'Shut me up. I'm not afraid to die,'" according to the warrant.

Javian's younger brother later told police Javian and his mother constantly argued about money, the warrant states. Williams said she was going to call the police on her son, the family told police.

Cardell Hayden, 29, who is the oldest and has four brothers and one sister, called his mother and stepfather "good people."

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They immigrated from Jamaica to the United States about seven years ago, he said.

"We're just trying to cope. It's not easy," Hayden said.

Hayden and his mother worked together at Amazon. He said his stepfather, who was a firefighter in Jamaica, worked as a chef in New York City.

The warrant indicates Marc Adams had recently moved back into the home.

Hayden, who lives in Hartford, said he learned of the shootings when his sister called him at work.

"I couldn't believe it," Hayden said. "It's still hard to believe."

His siblings are scattered, including one in the Army and stationed in Texas; another living in Atlanta.

This article originally published at Son of Waterbury woman killed alongside ex-husband says family struggling to cope with loss.
Members of the South Dakota Legislature's Comprehensive Property Tax Task Force meet on July 16, 2025, at the Ramkota in Rapid City. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

South Dakotas fiscal debates usually circle the same questions: whether to cut taxes, which ones, and who pays the price. Lately, rapid growth in residential property values has thrown the property-tax formula out of balance. Instead of commissioning a serious study of how to fix it, some state leaders and candidates have floated proposals to cap or even eliminate property taxes. The idea sounds attractive on paper, but in practice it would destabilize the institutions most South Dakotans depend on: local schools, city services and county governments.

At the heart of the matter is a misunderstanding of the causes of the pain some homeowners are experiencing. There is little indication that total property taxes have taken an inordinate jump in recent years. Instead, an increase in home values has apparently distorted the formula for allocating property taxes between residential, ag and commercial property.

Meanwhile, state government lives mostly on sales taxes and federal transfers. Yet it is state officials and politicians, some with little to no experience in local governance, who are calling for property tax cuts while leaving their own revenue streams untouched.

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This disconnect raises a larger question: What kind of reform does South Dakota really need? Businessman Toby Doeden, a political newcomer who wants to be governor, has suggested that he would DOGE state government, an acronym for Department of Government Efficiency that evokes the idea of slashing wasteful programs. But while such rhetoric resonates nationally, it misses the mark in South Dakota.

Unlike Washington, South Dakotas state government isnt awash in bloated agencies or ridiculous programs. Instead, it more closely resembles a struggling family-run shop: lean, underfunded, reliant on dated systems, and often vulnerable to inefficiencies or fraud. What the state lacks is not austerity but modernization. Outdated processes slow delivery of services. Fragmented structures increase costs. And the absence of coordinated, professional oversight leaves opportunities for improvement untapped.

A more constructive project would look less like DOGE and more like modernization and consolidation. Imagine a task force of seasoned executives from some of South Dakotas best-run companies taking a hard look at state operations. With a mandate to find efficiencies, improve service delivery, and apply modern technology, such a group could identify changes that truly move the needle. The likely results: streamlined systems, smarter spending, and improved outcomes for citizens.

That is why proposals like Gov. Larry Rhodens 2024 bill to cap property-tax growth, which is now state law, or Doedens talk of eliminating property taxes feel misguided. These measures target the wrong level of government. Property taxes sustain local governments, which must balance budgets each year while maintaining schools, roads, and public safety.

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When Pierre restricts their revenue without offering alternatives, the result is predictable: local officials are forced to cut programs or raise fees, shifting the burden in less transparent ways.

More about property taxes

There is, of course, a more obvious option, one that almost no politician dares to talk about. South Dakota has too many governments. With 66 counties, hundreds of townships, and more than 150 school districts, the state maintains a costly system of governments with redundant and unnecessary facilities and employees. Consolidation of counties or school districts could lower administrative costs and deliver services more efficiently. Yet such structural reform demands courage, political will, and a willingness to confront entrenched local loyalties.

For now, state leaders and politicians prefer easier sound bites: cutting property taxes without tackling the underlying system. The contradiction is glaring. While protecting their own sales-tax revenue, state officials are restricting the lifeblood of local governments. The unanswered questions loom large: When revenues fall short, will the state step in with replacement funding? Or will school boards and city councils be left to close libraries, shorten school years, or defer infrastructure repairs?

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Perhaps the better path for local government outsiders would be to first gain hands-on experience in local government. Let them run a school district or a county commission, grapple with balancing budgets, and decide which programs to cut when dollars run thin. Only then will they appreciate the complexities behind the talking points.

The real opportunity in South Dakota is not to starve local governments of revenue but to rethink how government at all levels operates. Modernization, efficiency, and consolidation, not blunt tax cuts, hold the key to a stronger, leaner state. What South Dakota needs is not a DOGE project, but a serious conversation about how to align its government structure with the realities of the 21st century.

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Citigroup invested in stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK through its venture capital arm Citi Ventures, which is a sharp reversal from the banks previous warnings about deposit flight risks from yield-bearing stablecoins.

BVNKs core technology operates as a payments rail facilitating global stablecoin transactions, allowing customers to move money between fiat and cryptocurrency.

US Regulatory Clarity Drives Stablecoin Infrastructure Growth

According to CNBC, the company declined to disclose Citis investment amount or its current valuation.

However, co-founder Chris Harmse confirmed the valuation exceeds the $750 million publicly disclosed at its last funding round.

BVNK, also backed by Coinbase and Tiger Global, operates in a highly competitive space alongside newcomers like Alchemy Pay and TripleA, as well as established players like Ripple vying for the cross-border digital money market.

Harmse said the company is experiencing momentum, particularly in the United States, which has been its fastest-growing market over the past 12 to 18 months following the passage of the GENIUS Act earlier this year.

The legislation established regulatory clarity for the stablecoin market, creating what the industry views as a more favorable environment.

The investment comes as CEO Jane Fraser confirmed in July that Citigroup is considering issuing its own stablecoin and developing custodian services for crypto assets.

Fraser said the bank aims to deliver the benefits of advancements in stablecoin and digital assets to our clients in a safe and sound manner by modernizing our own infrastructure.

Banking Industry Split Over Stablecoin Competition

The backing arrives just months after Citigroup analyst Ronit Ghose warned in August that stablecoin interest payments could trigger 1980s-style deposit flight from traditional banks.

Ghose drew parallels to the late 1970s and early 1980s when money market funds skyrocketed from $4 billion to $235 billion in seven years, draining deposits from banks whose deposit rates were tightly regulated.

Major U.S. banking groups, including the American Bankers Association and Bank Policy Institute, lobbied Congress to close what they called a loophole in the GENIUS Act allowing crypto exchanges and affiliated businesses to offer yields on third-party stablecoins.

The groups cited Treasury estimates suggesting yield-bearing stablecoins could result in up to $6.6 trillion in deposit outflows, fundamentally changing how banks fund loans.

However, crypto industry groups pushed back against these concerns.
Travellers to Sri Lanka will no longer be able to obtain a tourist visa on arrival at the airport from October 15 and

holidaymakers are being told to apply for their visa online before travelling.

"Effective October 15, 2025, all foreign nationals travelling to Sri Lanka for tourism purposes must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to arrival," Sri Lankan embassies have announced in several countries.

The measure applies to all foreign nationals. Applications are submitted online using the Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization System: eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ - the form is in English.

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When applying online, travellers should make sure to select the correct visa in the menu at the top left of the application page.

Anyone visiting the country for what officials might interpret as business purposes but who only applied for a tourist visa risks being arrested, Germany's Foreign Office warns.

For pure holidaymakers, the tourist visa is the right choice. It costs $50 and is valid for 30 days. It is free for children under 12 and anyone with a connecting flight out of Sri Lanka within 2 days.

From a place of conflict to a top-ranking tourist hotspot, Sri Lanka made it to the top of Lonely Planet's destination list in 2019, and tourism has become a major industry in the country.

The travel guide says the island country has something for everyone: "families, adrenaline junkies, eco-tourists, wellness seekers and foodies."
More than a week after Charles Ray Crawford filed an emergency petition in the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his execution, the State of Mississippi is asking the Court to deny Crawford's request.

Crawford, 59, has spent more than 30 years on death row and is scheduled to face execution at 6 p.m. Oct. 15, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman for the 1993 kidnapping, rape and murder of a Mississippi college student.

Crawford filed two petitions Oct. 1 with the U.S. Supreme Court, one requesting an emergency stay of execution and the other seeking to have his case reviewed on claims of Sixth Amendment violations during his trial.

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In a 38-page response filed Thursday, Oct. 9, the state refuted Crawford's claims, asserting that he "has refused the process he was due, his punishment is just, and his execution will be constitutional."

The state contends Crawford's filings are a last-minute effort to halt his execution, years after the case was decided and far too late to be raised now.

The states stated that any "irreparable injury" to Crawford would be because "his lawful death sentence was finally carried out  not because this Court denies a stay."

"His guilt is not in question  petitioner no doubt committed the crime that sent him to death row," the state's Oct. 9 response reads. "Petitioner was sentenced to death by a Mississippi jury in 1994. Three decades of litigation have not demonstrated constitutional errors occurred at trial. The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld his conviction and sentence four times, and lower federal courts have denied him habeas relief. This Court has denied certiorari review at every turn."

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Crawford was convicted and sentenced to death in 1994 for the 1993 kidnapping, rape and murder of Kristy Ray from her Tippah County home in the Chalybeate community. Ray was a 20-year-old student at Northeast Mississippi Community College student.

In 1993, Crawford was out on bond awaiting trial on charges of aggravated assault and rape. Four days before the trial, Crawford broke into Ray's home, left a ransom note to her family and abducted Ray from her parents' home in Chalybeate  about 255 miles north of Jackson.

According to court records, Crawford took Ray to a barn, where Crawford handcuffed the community college student and stuffed a sock in her mouth before sexually assaulting her and stabbing her to death on a country road in northeast Mississippi's Tippah County.

Key points in Ray, Crawford's case: MS death row inmate Charles Crawford execution set Oct. 15. What we know before

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After Crawford's family and attorney notified police that they feared Crawford was committing another crime, he was arrested.

"Petitioner initially told officers that he 'didn't know Kristy" or why officers wanted to speak to him," the state's response reads.

"When asked by FBI agents 'if Kristy was alive,' he 'began to cry' and 'admit[ted] that Kristy was no longer alive.' Petitioner then led officers to Kristy's body, hidden in a wooded area near the abandoned barn. Her jeans had been 'pulled down below her hips,' her 'hands were cuffed behind her back around a small cedar sapling,' a 'sock had been stuffed into her mouth, and a gag was around her head to keep it in place.'"

Court records state an autopsy later revealed Ray's cause of death was "a large stab wound to the left mid-chest which punctured her heart and left lung, causing extensive internal and external hemorrhaging." In addition, samples collected from the scene contained Ray and Crawford's DNA.

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More than 30 years after his 1994 conviction, Crawford's current attorneys said his then-trial defense counsel conceded his guilt to the jury and prepared a defense arguing he was insane at the time of the crime  both stances Crawford opposed.

The attorneys stated defense counsel told jurors in guilt-phase closing arguments that Crawford was "'legally responsible' for the charged crimes and that he was 'still dangerous to the community.'"

"Unsurprisingly," the jury convicted Crawford and sentenced him to death, the attorneys say.

Crawford 'has changed his life': Death penalty opponents urge Mississippi to halt execution of inmate Charles Crawford. "Who would Jesus execute?"

Charles Crawford was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in April 1994 in Lafayette County for the 1993 kidnapping and murder of Kristy Ray from her Tippah County home.

"Counsel made those sweeping concessions over petitioner's repeated and vehement objections, which he expressed to both counsel and the trial court," the Oct. 1 petition reads. "The trial court's rejection of petitioner's objections was a stark violation of the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees an accused the right to decide whether to permit counsel to concede guilt before the jury."

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The state responded by arguing that Crawford never instructed his counsel to maintain his innocence but instead to "'vigorously advocate for acquittal' which is exactly what counsel did."

"Counsel pursued an insanity defense aimed at securing petitioner's outright acquittal," the state's response reads. "The record reflects that counsel conceded underlying facts, yet at all times argued that Crawford was not guilty by reason of insanity."

Seperately, Crawford's attorneys filed a motion with the Mississippi Supreme Court requesting a rehearing on the setting of an execution date, arguing that no date should be set until his remedies with the U.S. Supreme Court are exhausted. The motion was denied Thursday, Oct. 9.

Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Charles Crawford appeal to US to stop execution prompts MS response
By Mikhail Flores

MANILA (Reuters) -A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck offshore in the southern Philippines on Friday, killing at least two people, while towns near the epicentre suffered structural damage and authorities warned of strong aftershocks.

The quake, in waters off the town of Manay in the province of Davao Oriental, triggered a tsunami alert for coasts within 300 km (186 miles) of the epicentre, but the warnings for the Philippines and Indonesia were subsequently lifted.

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There were initial reports of damage to homes, buildings and bridges, one official in Manay said, although the full extent of the damage in the Philippines was not immediately clear.

At least two people were killed, civil defence official Karlo Puerto said by telephone, both in Mati City close to where the quake struck. There were no other reports of casualties from regional disaster offices contacted by Reuters.

The quake was among the strongest in recent years to hit the Philippines, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and experiences more than 800 quakes each year.

It came two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest earthquake in more than a decade with 74 people killed on the central island of Cebu following an offshore quake of magnitude 6.9.

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VEHICLES SHAKING, GATES RATTLING

A video posted on social media and verified by Reuters showed people in the city of Davao calmly holding on to parked vehicles that rocked from side to side as the ground shook, as metal gates rattled nearby.

Richie Diuyen, a disaster official in Manay, said the quake lasted 30 to 40 seconds and damaged some homes and the facade of a church, while leaving cracked roads and unpassable bridges.

"We couldn't stand earlier. I am 46 years old now, and this is the strongest earthquake I ever felt," Diuyen said by phone.

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities were assessing the situation and search-and-rescue teams would fan out once it was safe.

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"We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it," he said in a statement.

WARNING OF STRONG AFTERSHOCKS

Seismology agency Phivolcs warned of aftershocks as large as magnitude 6.4 and urged people in affected areas to stay away from the shoreline. People in coastal areas had earlier been told to move inland or seek higher ground.

Verfied footage from the southern Philippines showed workers filing out of buildings to gather in the streets, lamps swaying in shops, and offices with toppled cabinets and workers holding on to desks as structures and fittings around them creaked.

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Video images from Indonesia's island of Sulawesi showed fishing boats returning from sea and children playing on a beach from which water had receded.

Phivolcs revised down the magnitude to 7.4 from an initial figure of 7.6, and put the quake's depth at 23 km (14 miles).

The governor of Davao del Norte in the Philippines said people panicked when the earthquake struck.

"Some buildings were reported to have been damaged," Edwin Jubahib told broadcaster DZMM. "It was very strong."

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores in Manila and Ananya Palyekar and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Ananda Teresia and Gayatri Suroyo in Jakarta; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by John Mair and Clarence Fernandez)
BEHIND THE LINES: In the past, far-left political violence in the UK was almost unknown, confined to a tiny lunatic fringe. But the hard core of Palestine Action is backed by a larger hinterland.

Supporters of the banned British direct action network Palestine Action held a demonstration in central Londons Trafalgar Square over the weekend. Around 1,000 people participated. Police arrested 490 participants, who carried placards declaring their support for the illegal group. In London for a few days, I went down to take a look at the gathering.

The Palestine Action demonstration took place two days after the terrorist attack at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, on the day of Yom Kippur, in which two people lost their lives. The organizers of the gathering had been asked to consider postponing their event, out of respect for those from the Jewish community grieving their dead. They declined to do so.

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Stewards at Trafalgar Square, however, periodically reminded participants that the day was supposed to include an element of reflection, and hence they would prefer that chanting not take place. This did little to discourage participants, and loud chanting of From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free and other slogans advocating the destruction of Israel were a constant accompaniment to the events at the square.

IT IS worth recalling for a moment what Palestine Action is, and why it was proscribed. The organization emerged in mid-2020. Its purpose, in its own words, is to use disruptive tactics against weapons factories that are operating on British soil and are complicit in the current genocide in Gaza, but also in the longer-term kind of oppression of the Palestinian people.

Its first notable action was a break-in to the headquarters of Elbit Systems in London. The Elbit offices were spray-painted, in a tactic that would become the movements trademark.

Protesters hold signs, during a mass demonstration organised by Defend our Juries, against the British government's ban on Palestine Action, at Trafalgar Square in London, Britain, October 4, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE)

The emergence of Palestine Action was an early sign that something was brewing in that space where the Western far Left meets political Islam. From within this spectrum, Palestine Action heralded a new pattern, which has now become plainly apparent. In the last surge of Islamist terrorism a quarter century ago, the violence came from the Islamist circles only, with their Western far-left supporters acting only as cheerleaders and occasional facilitators. This time around, its different. This time, the white Western far Left is generating violence of its own, to match that of its Islamist allies.

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The act that led to the banning of Palestine Action took place on June 23, 2025. On that date, five Palestine Action activists gained entry to RAF Brize Norton, one of the main active bases of Britains air force. Planes take off from Brize Norton for RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus, from where the UK conducts its various Middle Eastern air operations.

The activists located and sought to destroy a number of combat aircraft. Red paint was sprayed into the turbine of one of the planes, damaging it beyond repair. The attacks were reckoned to have cost the British Defense Ministry around $40 million.

In a statement issued at the time, Palestine Action said that Britain continues to send military cargo, and fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli jets. By decommissioning two military planes, weve broken the chains of oppression.

What took place at Brize Norton in June 2025, both in form and in intent, was an act of war, as the statement by its instigators acknowledges. That is, it was an attempt to actively intervene in an ongoing conflict on behalf of one of the sides  in this case, Hamas, currently engaged in war against Israel, whom Palestine Action identify as being aligned with the UK. The subsequent proscription of Palestine Action was hence unsurprising.

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What has followed, however, is worthy of note. In the past, far-left political violence in the UK was almost unknown and, in so far as it existed, was confined to a tiny lunatic fringe. The hard core of Palestine Action members, however, is clearly surrounded by a larger hinterland of active and less active supporters. This was in evidence in Trafalgar Square last Saturday.

SO WHO gathered there? Of what does the penumbra of support around the violent core of Palestine Action consist?

The crowd was, in the earlier part of the day, majority white and British. It was identifiably a middle-class, educated group, with a clear preponderance of older people, but with some younger faces around, too. As the afternoon wore on and the crowd thinned out, a larger number of Islamists arrived. These were younger, and seemed less inclined to listen to the organizers occasional, mild requests to refrain from speeches and chanting.

Its notable that the Islamists included representatives of both Shia, pro-Iranian groups and Sunni and Salafi elements. The differences between them were not disguised.

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The main dynamic of the afternoon consisted of the activists sitting down and bearing placards proclaiming their support for the banned Palestine Action. Police officers would then seek to arrest one or another of the activists. In the majority of cases, the activist in question would go limp and lie on the floor and would then be carried to an enclosure where the arrest procedure would continue. The arrests would be greeted by rounds of applause from the other activists.

Occasionally, the activists deviated from this script. On one occasion a man with a broad Glasgow accent, wearing a shirt depicting the Star of David with a swastika within it, sought to loudly resist arrest and was bundled away by the police.

Overheard at a Palestine Action rally

There were some absurd and incongruous juxtapositions, as befitting the uncomfortable alliance between ultra-secular leftist progressives and ultraconservative Islamic zealots. Here are a few representative snippets, gleaned from wandering among the crowd.

A group of elderly Quaker women sang a long call-and-response routine, while close by a group of bearded Islamists unfurled a banner reading Stand firm for justice, as witnesses for Allah  Quran 4:35.

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Just read the Quran, brother, read it  from cover to cover. And then come back and talk  an Islamist activist to a young leftist.

And they spout all these lies about beheaded babies. As if anyone believes that  a young white leftist woman to her friend.

The resistance axis, from Sanaa to the Dahiya, the resistance axis against racism  a young man of South Asian appearance, standing next to a banner bearing the visage of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Youre here, and youre standing next to that picture  an older Middle Eastern-looking man, in response, pointing to the picture of Khamenei. Thats a picture of a murderer.

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A masked young man, white, British, wearing black, to his female friend: And they bring European trees in, that dont fit the landscape, that go up like paper. And the Ashkenazis arent genetically from there.

And so, on and on. The weary litany of far-left and Islamist accusations against Israel and the Jews recited anew, many times over, amid the frequent sudden renderings of From the River to the Sea, 48 hours after the murder of two Jews by an apparent ideological and religious cohort of the people gathered. No indications of any reflection.

And lastly, of course, the small contingent of Jews. A man bearing a sign identifying himself as the son of a Holocaust survivor, telling an interviewer that Keir Starmer thinks he knows what antisemitism is. But he doesnt. Im the son of a Holocaust survivor, and I think I may know a bit about antisemitism.

I looked from the man across to the group of activists gathered around the picture of Khamenei and the banner of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, who had earlier been proclaiming their loyalty to the resistance axis. I recalled the late Hassan Nasrallahs remarks on the Jews: If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli. And a Jewish woman close by: We can be Jews anywhere in the world. We dont need a Jewish state. You may find you do, I thought.

The celebratory chanting of the Islamists continued all around.
Cody Balmer, charged with attempted murder and terrrorism in the firebombing of Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence Sunday, is escorted from his first court appearance Monday, April 14, 2025. (Ian Karbal/Capital-Star)

The Harrisburg man accused of firebombing the Governors Residence in April is set to appear in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday. He faces 50 felony and misdemeanor charges including attempted murder, aggravated arson, terrorism, aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the incident.

Cody Balmer, 38, last appeared in magisterial district court April 14, where he pleaded not guilty and District Judge Dale Klein denied Balmers attorneys request for bail, citing a danger to the community if he were released.

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Court records list the appearance next week as plea court. The Dauphin County district attorneys office did not immediately respond to a request for more information about the proceeding.

Neither Balmers public defender nor the governors office immediately responded to a request for comment.

Balmer turned himself in after allegedly setting off Molotov cocktails in the Governors Residence on the first night of the Jewish Passover holiday. Shapiro and his family were sleeping inside. No one was harmed, but the Governors Residence suffered major damage.

Following the incident, Balmer called police to turn himself in and told a 911 dispatcher that he will not take part in [Shapiros] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.

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Shapiro had faced criticism for his support of Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by the militant group Hamas, which led to the war in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians. Shapiro also pushed the University of Pennsylvania to quell student protests over Israels response.

Shapiro is the highest-ranking Jewish official in Pennsylvania.

Following his arrest, Balmers mother told reporters that her son suffered from mental illness, though Balmer denied this at a hearing in April.

In August, Balmer waived his preliminary hearing. He is currently being held in Dauphin County Prison.
Syrias foreign minister has held talks with senior Lebanese government figures in Beirut as the countries seek to reset ties after decades of belligerent relations, borne of involvement in each others ruinous civil wars and occupation, accrued during the reign of the al-Assad family.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Friday that his visit, the first to its neighbour by a senior leader of the fledgling government, demonstrated a new Syrian approach towards Lebanon that would overcome the obstacles of the past, alluding to the al-Assad clans decades-long control over Lebanese affairs.

Attending a joint news conference, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji concurred, saying that the neighbours, which regularly clash over their shared 330-kilometre (205-mile) border, were forging a new path.

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Key issues include the border, the status of 2,000 Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails, locating Lebanese nationals missing in Syria for years, and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees.

More than a million Syrians fled their countrys 14-year civil war for Lebanon  though the United Nations refugee agency says more than 294,000 have returned home this year.

After meeting President Joseph Aoun, al-Shaibani said the refugee issue would be resolved gradually. There are plans that we are discussing now, with international support, for the dignified and stable return of refugees, he said.

On the border issue, Lebanon and Syrias defence ministers signed an agreement last March to address security threats after clashes left 10 dead.





Respect for sovereignty

The two countries have to overcome decades of mutual mistrust.

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The new Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which overthrew Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive last December, harbours deep resentment over the Lebanese armed group Hezbollahs role in fighting alongside al-Assad forces in Syrias civil war, propping up his authoritarian rule for years.

And many Lebanese still hold a grudge over Syrias 29-year domination of its smaller neighbour, where it had a military presence for three decades and assassinated numerous officials in Lebanon opposed to its rule.

Syria had become the dominant power in Lebanon after former president Hafez al-Assad intervened in its 1975-1990 civil war. His son Bashar withdrew troops in 2005 following mass protests triggered by the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, blamed on al-Assad and Hezbollah.

Bridge-building between the two countries has gathered momentum following al-Assads ouster and Hezbollahs significant losses during its recent war with Israel. The group had lost a major ally and supply route with al-Assads removal.

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Al-Shaibani, who was accompanied by a delegation that included Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, reiterated Syrias respect for Lebanons sovereignty, saying Damascus seeks to move past previous obstacles and strengthen bilateral ties.

In December, al-Sharaa said his country would not interfere in Lebanon and would respect its neighbours sovereignty.




By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will build a new multi-layered air defence system called "T-Dome" to defend itself against enemy threats and increase defence spending, President Lai Ching-te said on Friday, calling on China to renounce the use of force to seize the island.

Democratically governed Taiwan has faced increased military and political pressure from China, which views the island as its own territory over the strong objections of the government in Taipei.

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Taiwan is ramping up defence spending and modernising its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles.

TAIWAN TO WEAVE DEFENCE SAFETY NET

Lai said in his National Day address that Taiwan is determined to spend more on defence, and would propose a special budget for military spending by the end of the year, showing the government's determination to protect the island.

"The increase in defence spending has a purpose; it is a clear necessity to counter enemy threats and a driving force for developing our defence industries," he said.

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"We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defence system in Taiwan with multi-layered defence, high-level detection, and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of citizens," Lai said, to applause from the crowd.

THE T-DOME

He did not give details about "T-Dome" in his first public mention of the system. Reuters reported on Thursday he would unveil the "T-Dome", which one source said would aim to be like Israel's Iron Dome.

A senior presidential office official told reporters that the "T-Dome" spending plans would be included in the budget proposal to come by the end of the year.

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"We are hoping to build a more thorough air defence net with a higher interception rate," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that countries like the United States are also building similar systems.

Taiwan's existing air defence systems are primarily based around the U.S.-made Patriot and the Taiwan-developed Sky Bow missiles.

Taiwan unveiled its latest air defence missile last month at a major arms show in Taipei, called Chiang-Kong, which is designed to intercept mid-level ballistic missiles and reach airspace higher than the Patriots.

CHINA ANGERED

Responding to the speech, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that "seeking independence by force" would only drag Taiwan into conflict.

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"He peddles the separatist fallacy of Taiwan independence," Guo told reporters in Beijing. "This once again exposes his stubborn nature as a troublemaker, creator of danger and a war-maker."

China, which held war games around the island in response to his speech last year, says Lai is a "separatist" and has rebuffed his offers of talks.

Lai added that China should renounce the use of force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and that Taiwan will work to ensure peace and stability.

"Looking back at World War Two, we see that so many experienced the suffering of war and the pain of invasion. We should learn from these lessons and ensure that the tragedies of history are never repeated," Lai said.

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China said it will "unite the Taiwan compatriots" against separatism and foreign interference, calling "reunification" the path to maintaining peace and stability, state broadcaster CCTV cited a spokesperson for its Taiwan affairs office as saying.

A U.S. administration official said that the United States welcomed Lai's commitment to increase defence spending and comments on ensuring peace and stability.

"We're not going to speculate on how Beijing might react. But our general policy is that we don't think routine speeches should be used as a pretext for taking any sort of coercive or military action," the official said.

Taiwan's National Day is held on the anniversary of a 1911 uprising that led to the overthrow of China's last imperial dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.

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The Republican government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, and the Republic of China remains the island's formal name.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Joe Cash and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Michael Perry)
The move followed the Israeli Cabinets approval of U.S. President Donald Trumps proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, marking a key step toward ending the two-year conflict.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office confirmed that the Cabinet had approved the outline of the deal, while an Israeli official said the ceasefire was expected to take effect immediately, with military forces to begin withdrawing within 24 hours. The wider agreement, however, leaves open key questions about Hamass disarmament and the future governance of Gaza.

The war, sparked by Hamass deadly assault on Israel on 7 October 2023, has left an estimated 67,000 Palestinians dead and nearly 170,000 injured, according to Gazas Health Ministry. The conflict has also displaced most of Gazas population, drawn accusations of genocide that Israel denies, and triggered global protests. With the new agreement, both sides appear closer than at any point in months to ending one of the regions deadliest wars in decades.
KANSAS, Okla. (KFOR)  According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, a third person has been arrested in a 2014 cold case.

Officials say on May 15, 2014, deputies with the Delaware County Sheriffs Office received a missing persons report regarding 20-year-old Dustin Carver. He was last seen at a home in Kansas, Oklahoma.

The OSBI served a search warrant at the property where they found human remains in a burn pile.

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In July 2025, the Clinton County Sheriffs Office in Missouri reached out to the Delaware County Sheriffs Office about possible leads in Carvers death. Information had come from an inmate in the Clinton County Jail, 42-year-old James Merritt Larson Jr.

Bradley Majors. Image courtesy OSBI.

According to the OSBI, both Larson Jr. and 40-year-old Penny Larson were allegedly involved in Carvers death. Larson Jr. was already in custody on unrelated charges and Penny Larson was found and arrested on September 17, 2025.

Officials say the investigation also led agents to 31-year-old Bradley Majors. He was arrested on October 8, 2025, for First-Degree Murder and booked into the Delaware County Jail.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Coinbase has activated staking services for New York residents, allowing users to earn yields on Ethereum and Solana holdings for the first time.

The rollout follows approval from state regulators under Governor Kathy Hochuls administration, ending a restriction that had separated New Yorkers from staking opportunities available to most other Americans.

New York users can now stake ETH, SOL, and other supported assets directly through the platform, with rewards earned in the networks native tokens.

New York Joins Shrinking List of States Where Staking Remains Restricted

Coinbase estimates that residents in California, New Jersey, Maryland, and Wisconsin have collectively missed more than $130 million in staking rewards due to state-level bans still in effect.

The exchange framed New Yorks decision as a policy shift that could influence other states, though several jurisdictions continue to maintain restrictions on staking-as-a-service products.

Throughout its legal battles, Coinbase has maintained that staking as a service does not constitute security, a position the company says is supported by recent SEC staff guidance and multiple state case dismissals.

Vermont, Illinois, Kentucky, Alabama, and South Carolina have all dropped their staking-related cases against the exchange, contributing to what Coinbase describes as an emerging national consensus.

Chief legal officer Paul Grewal has repeatedly called for federal legislation to replace what he characterizes as a patchwork of state-by-state enforcement actions.

Coinbase originally paused staking services in California, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Wisconsin in July 2023 after the SEC filed a lawsuit alleging the exchange offered unregistered securities.

Ten state regulatory bodies joined the enforcement wave, though only four jurisdictions required Coinbase to suspend new staking deposits while legal proceedings continued.

Illinois confirmed plans to drop its lawsuit on April 3, 2025, following Kentuckys dismissal filing on April 1 and South Carolinas withdrawal on March 27.

However, representatives for New Jerseys Bureau of Securities and Washington States securities administrator have confirmed that their cases remain active, indicating that the legal issues have not been fully resolved.

Meanwhile, South Carolinas withdrawal came alongside the states introduction of the Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Act, which proposes allocating up to 10% of certain funds into cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.
As the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into force in Gaza at midday local time on Friday, Palestinians are torn between cautious hope and disbelief  while medical charities stress the need for urgent humanitarian aid.

As Israel started pulling back troops from sectors of Gaza City and areas in the south of the Gaza Strip, thousands of displaced Palestinians began the slow and difficult process of returning to what remains of their homes.

Were going home and were facing a pile of rubble," Muhanad, displaced from Tal al-Hawa in Gaza City and now living further south in Deir el-Balah, told RFI.

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"What remained of our house has been destroyed, so were returning to a harsh and exhausting reality."

The United States has confirmed that Israel has completed the first phase of a pullback laid out in President Donald Trump's peace plan, but Israeli forces still hold around 53 percent of Palestinian territory.

"The ceasefire stages are only theoretical," Muhanad said. "They havent yet been applied."

Afnan Hijazzi, also in Deir el-Balah, dared to be more optimistic. We have so much hope... but even now, its still unbelievable," he said while admitting people were nervous that Israel might not stick to its side of the bargain.

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"Our greatest fear is that theyll break the agreement... that after taking back their prisoners, theyll simply say goodbye to us and carry on as before.

She said she hoped their houses would be rebuilt "so we can live in peace again rather than in tents  were really tired of the war".

Gazans hail Trump ceasefire call as Hamas agrees to free hostages

'Mixed feelings'

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned that the humanitarian situation remains critical.

MSF found that one in four children examined this summer was suffering rom malnutrition, and in August the United Nations confirmed a famine in northern Gaza.

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Claire San Filippo, MSFs emergency coordinator, said the situation had slightly improved with "a few fruit and vegetables" seen on the market on Friday "at less exorbitant prices", but stressed it was by no means enough.

"It is absolutely vital that this ceasefire should be lasting, but also that there should be the possibility of food aid entering Gaza immediately, unconditionally and on a massive scale."

RFI's correspondent in Gaza, Rami el Meghari, described talking to one woman on Friday morning who was weary from repeated displacement.

"She was crying. She said, 'tell the people who are negotiating that they should save what dignity we have left, the dignity that was taken from us with this war'."

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El Meghari stressed that 2 million Gazans "want to get their lives back as soon as possible after their lives have been turned upside down by two years of war".

Eyad el Amawi, director of a Gaza-based NGO, called the ceasefire announcement a great moment, but stressed the ambivalence many Palestinians feel.

We have mixed feelings between worry, sadness and happiness, he told RFI, on the line from Ramallah. Despite the ceasefire he said they'd "heard some bombs" and that Israeli forces "had not yet fully withdrawn from all areas of incursion".

Israeli settlements a threat to Palestinian state, Macron warns

Hope for hostages

After two years of conflict, the families of Israel's remaining hostages in Gaza were also hoping the truce would hold and allow for the release of 48 Israeli hostages  living and dead  still being held, out of the 251 abducted during the 7 October attack by Hamas two years ago.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged their release within 72 hours. An international team from the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey has been set up to oversee the process.

In Tel Avivs Hostages Square on Thursday evening, former hostage Amit Soussana, who suffered sexual abuse while being held by Hamas, addressed the crowd.

"We will not rest until the last hostage comes home. So we must carry on a bit longer and it will be over," she said. "I feel we're at the beginning of something new. Just a bit longer, and they'll be here."

Families of the deceased were anticipating being able to mourn them. Dan Golan, a relative of Inbar Haiman, the last female hostage and among the 28 dead, held up a photo of her, urging that the remains of those killed not be forgotten.

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"Weve had no news of Inbar since we had confirmation of her death in December 2023," he said. "She had been killed on 7 October. And that's our greatest worry, because the authorities said it would be difficult to find all the bodies."

'It's time for this to end': Israeli mother's two-year quest to free her son

Prisoner swap

Israel, meanwhile, has published the list of the 250 Palestinian prisoners it plans to release  along with 1,700 Gazans it has detained since 7 October.

In the West Bank, a Palestinian man imprisoned for 17 years for his role in the second intifada voiced concern over the fate of those due to be released from Israeli jails, particularly those convicted of violent crimes.

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"The mind cannot comprehend what they're living through, the way they're humiliated, insulted and beaten inside the prison, especially after 7 October," he told RFI's correspondent in Ramallah, on condition of anonymity.

Like many Palestinians, he hopes for the release of Marwan Barghouti, whose presence on the list remains shrouded in mystery. But he doubts that once free Barghouti and other Palestinian figureheads will be allowed to be active in the Palestinian cause.

"The detainees who come out of prison will live in a permanent state of terror, they'll be targeted 24 hours a day, they wont be able to move freely," he said.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Commission, numerous detainees released during previous prisoner swaps have been re-arrested.
By Yuliia Dysa

KYIV (Reuters) -Large parts of Kyiv were plunged into darkness in the early hours of Friday after Russian drones and missiles struck Ukrainian energy facilities, cutting power and water to homes and halting a key metro link across the Dnipro river.

In the latest mass attack targeting the energy system as winter approaches, electricity was interrupted in nine regions and over a million households and businesses were temporarily without power across the country.

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In southeastern Ukraine, a seven-year-old was killed when his home was hit and at least 20 people were injured. In Kyiv, an apartment block in the city centre was damaged by a projectile, while on the left bank of the Dnipro that divides the capital, crowds waited at bus stops with the metro out of action and people filled water bottles at distribution points.

"We didn't sleep at all," said Liuba, a pensioner, as she collected water. "From 2:30 a.m. there was so much noise. By 3:30 we had no electricity, no gas, no water. Nothing."

According to Ukraine's energy ministry, over 800,000 customers temporarily lost power in Kyiv.

CALLS FOR AIR DEFENCES, SANCTIONS ENFORCEMENT

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Ukrainians are bracing for a tough winter, as the full-scale war nears its fourth anniversary. Russia has intensified attacks on the energy system in recent weeks, striking power plants and gas production facilities, and local authorities are struggling with the scale of repairs required.

"They can't demonstrate anything real on the battlefield... so they will attack our energy sector," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv.

Calling for more support from allies, he said that Ukraine's 203 main energy facilities needed air-defence protection.

Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk met G7 ambassadors and representatives from some of Ukraine's biggest energy companies to discuss how allies could help protect the country against further attacks and repair the damage.

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"The blow is strong, but it is definitely not fatal," Zelenskiy said.

Speaking later in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said Putin had deliberately launched the overnight attacks when world attention was focused on the "valuable opportunity" to move towards Middle East peace after the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

"This marks a new record of Russian depravity, to intensify terrorist strikes and target civilian lives at such a moment," he said.

Ukraine's air force said it had downed 405 of 465 drones and 15 of 32 missiles in this attack. Ukraine's stretched air defences are no match for regular barrages on such a scale.

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According to Zelenskiy, Russia deliberately waited for bad weather to attack, and the inclement conditions reduced the efficiency of Ukraine's air defences by between 20% and 30%.

Russia said its overnight strikes were in response to Ukraine's attacks on Russian civilian facilities.

Ukraine regularly launches drone strikes against Russia's military and oil installations, although they are generally on a far smaller scale. Kyiv says it wants to force Moscow, which started the war, to negotiate a peace deal in good faith.

COMMUTERS STRANDED AMID TRANSPORT DISRUPTIONS

For many Kyiv residents, the day started with power cuts, disruptions in the water supply and transport delays.

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Over 250,000 consumers in the capital were still disconnected from the grid late on Friday, according to authorities.

"We had no power or water when I left my house. I can't get to work because the subway is not operating and buses are overflowing," Anatoliy, a 23-year-old student, told Reuters.

"I'm hoping for the best but I don't even know how to reach the other bank (of the Dnipro)," he said, after spending the night in his hallway because of loud explosions.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the assault was among the heaviest concentrated strikes on energy infrastructure and reported significant damage.

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Her deputy, Oleksiy Kuleba, said two million customers in Kyiv temporarily faced problems with water supplies.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said its thermal power plants had suffered significant damage but did not immediately provide further details.

Hrynchuk said it was three years to the day since Russia launched its first large-scale attack on Ukraine's power grid.

"Today, Russia continues to use cold and darkness as instruments of terror," she said on Facebook.

(Reporting by Vladyslav Smilianets, Anastasiia Malenko, Yuliia Dysa, Gleb Garanich and Ron Popeski; Writing by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Kim Coghill, Michael Perry, Timothy Heritage, Aidan Lewis, Sharon Singleton and Deepa Babington)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday offered his latest take on the prospect of Ukraine receiving Tomahawk Land Attack cruise missiles (TLAMs) from the United States. During a press conference, the Russian leader also hinted that his country would soon introduce a new nuclear weapon.

Asked his response to whether the U.S. is using the provision of Tomahawks to Ukraine as a bargaining chip in the sputtering peace talks, the Russian leader offered a terse answer.

Our response is strengthening the air defense system of the Russian Federation, Putin explained. He offered no further details. After nearly four years of war and Ukraines expanded long-range attacks deep inside the country, drastically broadening the demand for counter-air systems, Russias air defenses are already stretched very thin.

 Russia will respond to Ukraine's threats to strike with Tomahawks by strengthening its air defense system, Putin says. pic.twitter.com/3B572dZwVE   MilitaryNewsUA  (@front_ukrainian) October 10, 2025

Putins response today was far less vitriolic than what he said earlier in the week about these weapons.

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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.

Putin on Friday seemingly changed his tone. He suggested that the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine between him and Trump that took place during their Alaska meeting in August are indeed ongoing.

Well, you see, we did not reveal what exactly was discussed during the Anchorage meeting, Putin stated. We said that there is a general understanding from the United States and an understanding of the Russian side about where we can move and what can be done to resolve this conflict through peaceful means, and those are not simple issues.

The Russian leader said he and Trump both agreed to think about this issue with their respective government officials.

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This is a complicated set of questions that requires a thorough review, but were still grounded in that discussion that took place in Anchorage, Putin explained. We dont change anything here, and we still believe there is work to be done on all other sides, but were still within the framework of the agreements reached in Alaska.

Putin said the results of the talks with President Trump in Alaska are assessed positively and remain in effect.



"I would like to inform you in more detail on the results, which we generally assess positively, and, of course, our subsequent work on resolving the conflict in https://t.co/BSNRPqZybI pic.twitter.com/4HW70wOdls  Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 10, 2025

Trump is mulling allowing Kyiv to have TLAMs out of frustration with Russias continued attacks on Ukraine and Putins unwillingness to agree to a ceasefire. Earlier this week, Trump fanned speculation about this by saying he sort of made a decision about selling some to NATO countries to distribute to Ukraine.

Where they are sending them, I guess I will have to ask that question, Trump added. I would ask some questions. I am not looking to see an escalation.

We reached out to the White House for comment about Putins latest statement as well as the status of the Tomahawk decision and will update this story with any pertinent response.

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When it comes to escalation, Russian media earlier this week reported a suggestion that missiles be sent to Cuba should Ukraine get TLAMs. It comes in the wake of this weeks ratification of a military cooperation treaty between Moscow and Havana.

A military expert told the official Russian news agency TASS that Russia should consider sending Iskander operational-tactical missile systems and the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile systems to Cuba.

A Russian think-tanker suggests that Moscow send Havana missiles like the Iskander. (Russian MoD)

This is about a symmetrical response to the potential supply of Tomahawks, said Alexander Stepanov, a military expert with the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The ratified agreement maximally expands our military cooperation and allows, within the framework of bilateral interaction and in coordination with the government of the Republic of Cuba, to deploy virtually any offensive systems on the islands territory.

We are awaiting a response to Stepanovs suggestion from the State Department.

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The prospect of Ukraine getting its hands on the Tomahawk, which can strike targets at a range of almost 1,000 miles, carrying a 1,000-pound unitary warhead, has caused great jubilation in Kyiv, consternation in Moscow and raises real questions about how it would work. Ukraine does not possess the surface vessels, submarines or ground-based systems that can fire them.

There are multiple launcher options for ground-based Tomahawks now. These include four-round containerized launch systems derived from the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System that Lockheed Martin has developed for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. The U.S. Marine Corps had been in the process of acquiring single-cell Mk 41-derived launchers mounted on uncrewed versions of the 44 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, but announced plans to cancel that program earlier this year. Lockheed Martin has also at least shown models of a two-cell Mk 41-based ground launcher in the past, as well.

A containerized Mk 41 vertical launch system that is already in use by the U.S. military could be sent to Ukraine for firing the TLAMs. (DoD)

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has frequently requested TLAMs, Kyiv is producing its own long-range missiles.

In August, Ukraine unveiled a new ground-launched cruise missile, called Flamingo, which reportedly has a range of 1,864 miles (3,000 kilometers) and a warhead weighing 2,535 pounds (1,150 kilograms).

Ukraine has been using Flamingo, a ground-launched long-range cruise missile, on Russian targets, Kyiv claims. (via Ukrainska Pravda) via Ukrainska Pravda

Earlier this week, Ukraine showcased a new version of its Neptune cruise missile, which appears to have added fuel tank bulges for increased range; however, how far the missile can reach and with what kind of payload is unclear.

Ukraine has unveiled a new version of its Neptune cruise missile, which appears to have added fuel tank bulges for increased range. (Denys Shmyhal/Ukrainian Ministry of Defense) Denys Shmyhal/Ukrainian Ministry of Defense

Zelensky claimed that both weapons have been used in tandem on unspecified Russian targets.

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Over the past week  I wont specify in what quantity  our pair of Neptune and Flamingo missiles was used, he said. The corresponding results can be analyzed independently. Were not saying its a mass deployment of this pair. Were simply saying there has been use, and there are the first tangible results from this weapon of ours.

While Zelensky offered no details, images emerged on social media claiming to be the remains of a Flamingo.

FP-5 Flamingo missile debris somewhere on Russian territory pic.twitter.com/g1Gjk75ogE  Special Kherson Cat   (@bayraktar_1love) October 9, 2025

Speaking of weapons, Putin also hinted that he will soon introduce a new strategic one.

Asked about whether he is concerned if the U.S. fails to agree to an extension of a treaty limiting the number of nuclear warheads, Putin said it ultimately doesnt matter.

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I believe that in the nearest future, well have a chance to announce a new weapon, he said without offering any details. We spoke about it before, but now the tests are ongoing, which are successful.

Putin once again provided no details. However, as we have reported in the past, Russia is developing exotic weapons like a nuclear-powered cruise missile and orbital nuclear weapons system.

Putin announced that Russia will soon reveal "new weapons"



According to him, Moscow "is not afraid" of the U.S. refusing to extend the New START treaty  in that case, Russia will "announce its new weapons."



During his speech, Putin mentioned intercontinental missiles. pic.twitter.com/9Akdkt2rOz  Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) October 10, 2025

As of Friday afternoon, the question about whether the U.S. provides Ukraine with Tomahawks remains unanswered. So, too, are questions about how they will be used and what limits will be placed on the targets they can hit. Meanwhile, the two sides continue to pummel each other with the weapons they have.

Joseph Trevithick contributed to this report.

Update: 6:38 PM Eastern 

The State Department provided a comment about suggestions that Russia would send missiles to Cuba:

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For decades, Cuba has posed a national security threat to both our nation and our hemisphere. A recently signed military agreement between Cuba and Russia is another reckless step. We strongly oppose any modern military systems being sent to Cuba be they from Russia, China, Iran, or others. Under our America First foreign policy, we will ensure the safety of the American people.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
SPRINGFIELD  Those who live and work near the West Street Bridge that connects Springfield and Ludlow speak of the heavy traffic that came with the closure of the bridge in August.

Drivers will have to wait until Massachusetts Department of Transportation completes a detailed inspection before they get answers as to how  and when  the bridge will be fixed.

Ludlow Police closed the bridge on Sunday, Aug. 17, because a bump caused by expansion formed in the middle of the bridge, scraping and damaging vehicle undercarriages. The bridge, which carried about 13,750 cars a day in 2019, crosses the Chicopee River to connect Ludlow with the Indian Orchard neighborhood of Springfield.

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Christopher Cignoli, Department of Public Works director for the city of Springfield, said MassDOT will conduct an inspection in a couple weeks when the equipment to perform it becomes available.

In the next month or two, we, city of Springfield, town of Ludlow and MassDOT, were gonna be doing a lot of analysis and making a determination whats gonna be the long-term fate of this structure, Cignoli said.

A range of options face Ludlow and Springfield, who are jointly responsible for the structure. Does that mean closing the bridge forever? Does it mean a rebuild costing in the ballpark of $10 million to $12 million?

Whatever the next move, it wont be a quick fix, Cignoli said.

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What weve kind of figured out is that Band-Aid, bailing wire and duct tape are not going to fix this, he said.

The 86-year-old truss bridge closed two years ago to repair two sections of its steel deck at either end to address pooling water. The fix cost about $380,000 and Cignoli said it was thought to address the bridges biggest problem.

After the bump formed, Springfield ordered its own inspection of the bridge. The report, which sat on Cignolis desk Thursday afternoon, uncovered more issues. In parts of the bridge, the steel decking lifted up from its supports as weld joints failed primarily due to age. Photos of the breaks show they had rusted over time.

The inspection also showed steel beams that crossed underneath the bridge in a series of Xs are not in great shape, Cignoli said.

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The West Street Bridge, Cignoli said, is like a used car. Its like, hey, we fixed the transmission, but now the breaks dont work.

At the same time, a slew of other bridge and construction projects are underway across the region, Cignoli said, some of them funded through the same infrastructure bill.

For instance, nearby Putts Bridge has a weight restriction on it, and work planned for this fall aims to alleviate that restriction. But there is also a long-term plan to completely replace that bridge, Cignoli said.

One of the things that we always have to look at on these is timing of construction and detour, Cignoli said.

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A spokesperson for MassDOT referred questions about the status of the bridge to Springfield and Ludlow. They did not immediately provide information about the status of the states planned inspection.

At the bridge

The scene was quiet at West Street Bridge Thursday afternoon. The trees along the Chicopee River were beginning to turn yellow and red and a squirrel ambled across West Street, past a sign notifying motorists coming from Ludlow that the bridge was closed.

Up the road in Springfield, construction workers who were operating a backhoe in the nearby electrical substation parked along West Street, past the orange traffic cones and plastic barriers closing the road to the bridge.

Up the road further still, drivers in fluorescent jackets moved to and from the vans operated by Youth On The Move, a shuttle service that works with a variety of groups such as schools and state agencies, transporting people to dialysis, methadone clinics and work, and more.

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Janice Brown, owner of Youth On The Move, said her location on Front Street was the perfect location to use the West Street Bridge to jump on the highway and quickly get to all points in the region. Her drivers would fill their gas tanks at a station across the river in Ludlow.

While the bump on the bridge was so bad that vehicles undercarriages would scrape even when going 2 mph, for the small business that I am, I really could use that bridge, Brown said.

Traffic begins to pick up around 2 p.m., she said.

With the bridge out, Browns drivers are adding 20 minutes to each route to get around the traffic, and sometime thats not enough. If the delay that day was 30 or 40 minutes, then her drivers incur a fine for showing up late to a school or day care, she said.

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Its a problem she expects will get worse as warehouse club BJs is slated to open at the Springfield Crossing development later this year, attracting more motorists to the area.

Warner School is on the corner, Brown said. Now think about 2:30-3 oclock when parents are going to get their kids. BJs just opened up. Oh my God, its going to be a nightmare.

more news from Western Massachusetts

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U.S President Donald Trump's administration plans to prohibit Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace on flights to and from the U.S., Reuters reported on Oct. 9, citing a proposed order from the U.S. Transportation Department.

The move follows growing frustration among American airlines, which have been barred from flying over Russia since 2022, while Chinese carriers continue to use the route.

The U.S. Transportation Department said the current situation was "unfair and has resulted in substantial adverse competitive effects on U.S. air carriers."

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U.S. airlines argue that Chinese competitors have an advantage because they experience lower fuel costs when flying through Russian airspace, while U.S. carriers are forced to take longer routes.

Russia banned U.S. and other Western airlines from its airspace in retaliation for Washington's decision to bar Russian carriers from flying over the U.S. following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese airlines, unaffected by Western sanctions, expanded their market share on trans-Pacific routes, capitalizing on reduced travel times and operating costs. The U.S. ban would eliminate this advantage by forcing Chinese airlines to avoid Russian territory as well.

Moscow has repeatedly sought sanctions relief for its aviation sector.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier that Russia had asked the U.S. to lift sanctions on its state airline Aeroflot to restore direct flights between the countries, but Washington has not yet agreed.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, warned that Western partners should not offer Russia premature concessions, as sanctions could be leveraged into forcing Moscow to end the war.

Although China presents itself as neutral in the war, it has supplied Russia with dual-use technology and continues to buy large volumes of Russian oil, indirectly supporting Moscow's war effort.

Safety concerns about Russian airspace have also increased after an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet traveling from Baku to Grozny crashed in Kazakhstan on Dec. 25, 2024, killing 38 people.

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Earlier investigations found that Russian air defenses downed the plane.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Oct. 9 that Russian forces fired two missiles that exploded near the Azerbaijani airliner, claiming fragments hit the aircraft.

Read also: Russia-Ukraine peace talks are dead, for now. But were they ever alive?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(The Center Square)  The Trump administration is appealing a federal judges temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the administrations deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois.

Federal district Judge April M. Perry granted the state of Illinois and city of Chicagos request during a hearing Thursday at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in downtown Chicago.

President Donald Trump, cabinet officials and the U.S. Army appealed the decision late Thursday to the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

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The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit Monday seeking the TRO and preliminary injunction to block the federal deployment.

Several hundred National Guard troops had already arrived in the Chicago area by Thursday afternoon.

Perry said she found no evidence that the president could not execute the law with the available forces of the federal government.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Perry ruled correctly.

This was an important decision not just for the state of Illinois, but for the entire country, Raoul said.

Raoul said it is up the defendants to make sure they abide by the judges order.

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Perrys decision a win for the people and the rule of law.

Judge Perry echoed many of the points that we have made repeatedly: Trumps deployment is illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous, and unnecessary. There is no rebellion in Chicago. There are just good people standing up for what is right, Johnson said in a statement.

The TRO expires Oct. 23 at 11:59 p.m. but could be extended before that time.
Vladimir Putin has suggested that Donald Trump is too good for the Nobel Peace Prize after the US president was snubbed for the award.

Mr Trump, who brokered the deal to end the Gaza War, lost out after the Nobel committee voted to hand the award to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition politician in hiding.

The president and his supporters had lobbied for him to win the prize after securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and for the part he claims to have played in ending seven other conflicts during his second term.

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Putin said Mr Trump was truly doing a lot to resolve complex crises and the award had lost credibility, adding: I dont know whether the current US president deserves a Nobel Prize. But hes truly doing a lot to resolve complex crises that last for years, even decades.

Hes definitely trying, hes definitely working on these issues, on achieving peace and resolving complex international situations. The most striking example is the situation in the Middle East. If Donald can achieve everything hes strived for, everything hes talked about and is trying to accomplish, it will be a historic event.

But, I repeat, it is not for me to decide whether this is worthy of a prize or not, and whether this prize is worthy of achievements of this kind. That said, the credibility has largely been lost.

Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel winner, is regarded as a leading opponent of Nicolas Maduros government - Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

In response, Mr Trump thanked the Russian leader in a public post on his Truth Social network. The White House reacted to Mr Trump missing out on the 2025 by accusing the committee of choosing politics over peace.

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Steven Cheung, a White House spokesman, said: President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Ms Machado was honoured for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, said Jrgen Watne Frydnes, the chairman of the committee, in Oslo.

Mr Frydnes added that Ms Machado - who has been nicknamed Venezuelas Iron Lady - was a unifying figure and one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.

After her victory had been announced, Ms Machado acknowledged Mr Trump, praising him for supporting Venezuela.

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She said: This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.

We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, tells Donald Trump that a Gaza peace deal is agreed. The president hoped it would secure him a Nobel prize

Asked by The Telegraph on Friday night what he thought of Ms Machados Nobel Peace Prize win, Mr Trump said: The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called me and said, Im accepting this in honour of you because you really deserved it. It was a very nice thing to do.

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Speaking from the Oval Office following an announcement about drug prices, Mr Trump joked: I didnt say, then give it to me, though I think she might have. She was very nice.

Ive been helping her along the way. They need a lot of help in Venezuela. Its a basic disaster.

You could also say it was given out for [20]24 and I wasnt running for office in [20]24, he added.

The Nobel Peace Prize committees role is to choose a person - or group - that has done the most to promote fraternity between nations, in keeping with the will of the awards founder Alfred Nobel.

Two days before the committee announced a winner, Mr Trump declared he had secured peace in the Middle East after brokering the agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year conflict.

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At the 11th hour, Mr Trumps campaign received a spate of late backers, and his allies went into overdrive to help win him the award. But despite the president claiming also to have ended seven unendable wars, it was not enough.

Ms Machado has emerged as one of the strongest and most critical voices denouncing Nicolas Maduros regime and its campaign of repression. Her powerful social movement brought thousands to the streets before the election last year and she was banned from standing against Maduro.

Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a relatively unknown opposition candidate, won about 70 per cent of the vote, but Maduro declared victory and refused to hand over power. After the election, Maduros forces crushed protests and arrested opposition figures.

Mr Gonzalez fled into exile in Spain, while Ms Machado went into hiding in Venezuela. She has not been seen in public since January, leaving her refuge only on a handful of occasions, and has not seen her three children in months.

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Mr Gonzalez called her win a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy. He posted a video of himself speaking by phone with Ms Machado on Friday. I am in shock, she said, adding, I cannot believe it.

Ms Machado told Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the Nobel Institute, she was confident the opposition would succeed in securing a peaceful transition to democracy in her country.



Were not there yet. Were working very hard to achieve it, but Im sure that we will prevail, she told Mr Harpviken when he called to inform her that she had won the prize.

This is certainly the biggest recognition to our people [who] certainly deserve it, she said, adding: I am just, you know, one person. I certainly do not deserve it.

Mr Trump has been outspoken in his desire for a prize won by four of his predecessors, Barack Obama in 2009, Jimmy Carter in 2002, Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

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With the exception of Carter, they each won the award while in office, with Mr Obama honoured less than eight months into his presidency.

Benjamin Netanyahus office had pledged its support for Mr Trump by posting this AI image of him winning the Nobel medal

In his first term in office, Mr Trump brokered what are known as the Abraham Accords, normalisation deals between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan.

The five-strong committee, however, would have probably chosen its winner long before the Gaza ceasefire agreement, after months of deliberations. Its final meeting was held on Monday, two days before Mr Trump announced that the first phase of the peace deal had been agreed.

Courting Putin counts against Trump

Those with knowledge of the Nobel process had said that a Trump win was extremely unlikely, citing what they saw as his efforts to dismantle the post-Second World War international world order, which the Nobel committee cherishes.

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Nina Graeger, head of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said Mr Trumps withdrawal from the World Health Organisation and the 2015 Paris climate accords, and his trade war with allies, went against the spirit of Nobels 1895 will.

If you look at Alfred Nobels will, it emphasises three areas: one is the achievements regarding peace  brokering a peace deal, she said. The other is to work and promote disarmament and the third is to promote international cooperation.

Asle Sveen, a historian of the award, said Mr Trumps attempted rapprochement with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, would have counted against him. His admiration of dictators also counts against him, Sveen said. This goes against Alfred Nobels will.

Mr Harpviken, the committee secretary, who participates in all the deliberations of the five-strong panel but does not vote, said the award was not intended for last-minute achievements.

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This is a prize primarily for work done in 2024 and prior years, Mr Harpviken told the broadcaster NRK on Friday. Its not a prize for the work done in the most recent weeks or months.

Last years award went to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grass-roots movement of atomic-bomb survivors, who have advocated for the global abolition of nuclear weapons.

Insiders say the award follows a year-long process, during which the committee debates the candidates strengths and weaknesses.

Nominations for the prize must reach the committee by Jan 31. Committee members can also make nominations before the committees first meeting in February. Thereafter, the committee meets about once a month. The decision tends to be taken in August or September.

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The Nobel committee says it is used to working under pressure from people, or their supporters, who say they deserve the prize. Mr Frydnes told Reuters: All politicians want to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

A favourite to win this year had been Emergency Response Rooms, a community-led network in Sudan that is the backbone of the countrys humanitarian response to its civil war.

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.
US President Donald Trump has called into question his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, citing the ongoing trade conflict.

Trump was supposed to meet Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which begins at the end of October, "but now there seems to be no reason to do so," Trump wrote Friday on his Truth Social platform.

Trump justified his statement by saying that China had sent "letters to Countries around the World" announcing export restrictions on rare earths and other materials.

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This "came out of nowhere," he said, and could paralyse global trade and harm many countries. The People's Republic is becoming increasingly "hostile," he added.

The US president wrote that he had always felt that China was "lying in wait," and that he had been proven right "as usual."

Trump said he would now be forced to "financially counter" Beijing's move to protect the United States and other countries, and that his administration is considering "a massive increase" of tariffs on imported Chinese products.

There is currently a pause in the tariff dispute between China and the US, which escalated earlier this year. In April, both countries imposed surcharges of more than 100% on imports from the other country.

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China on Thursday said it was expanding its export restrictions on rare earths, which are critical to US industry.

According to the announcements by the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing, technologies and expertise for the extraction and processing of rare earths may in future only be shared with approval.

For the first time, products outside China that contain rare earths from China or that are manufactured using Chinese processes are also covered.

Companies exporting such goods to other countries will need to apply for approval from the Chinese authorities from December 1, the ministry said.

The ministry also announced export limits on five additional rare earths, bringing the total number of affected metals to 12. New restrictions on certain battery materials and graphite products are also set to take effect on November 8.

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China is the world's largest producer of rare earths, which are essential components in a wide variety of modern devices.

Beijing had already limited the export of certain rare earths and magnet products in April, amid the trade dispute with Washington.
The Trump administration is trying to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs as part of a broader campaign to end what it calls wokeness in American education.

As part of this rollback, the Justice Department announced in July 2025 that it would no longer defend the federal definition of Hispanic-Serving Institutions, or HSIs. These are colleges where at least 25% of undergraduates identify as Hispanic or Latino.

This is more than a legal technicality. It reflects the Justice Departments position that HSI grants violate constitutional protections, putting millions of federal dollars for these schools at risk.

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Citing this legal rationale, the Department of Education confirmed in September that it had frozen US$350 million in education grants intended for Minority-Serving Institutions. This includes more than $250 million for HSIs, specifically.

The Education Department argues that these programs amount to racial discrimination because they tie federal grants to students racial or ethnic backgrounds.

This echoes the Supreme Courts decision in 2023, which narrowed how colleges can consider race and ethnicity in admissions.

I serve as the university diversity officer at California State University, Chico, an HSI. I am also an ethnic studies scholar who focuses on equity in higher education.

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Advocates for HSIs say ending federal funding would hurt already underfunded colleges, particularly those that serve large numbers of first-generation and low-income students.

Elisa Castillo is the assistant vice president for Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution initiatives at Salem State University, a newly designated HSI in Salem, Mass. Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

What are Hispanic-Serving Institutions?

Congress created the HSI designation in 1992, through an amendment to the 1965 Higher Education Act. This amendment authorizes federal grants to help strengthen colleges that enroll large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students, providing more opportunity for those students to succeed and graduate.

There are more than 600 federally designated HSIs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. California is home to the most HSIs, with 167, followed by Texas, Puerto Rico, New York and Illinois.

In addition to showing that at least 25% of its student population is Hispanic or Latino, any college or university that wants to qualify as an HSI must also show that at least half of its students come from low-income backgrounds.

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Becoming an HSI allows colleges and universities to apply for federal funding intended to support underrepresented and low-income students.

HSIs vary in size and mission

HSIs enroll over 1.5 million Hispanic students, which amounts to over 60% of all Hispanic undergraduates in the U.S.

This marks a big increase from the 340,000 Hispanic undergraduates who attended an HSI in 1995.

Some of these schools are large public research universities, such as University of California, Riverside; University of California, Santa Barbara; and University of California, Santa Cruz. Others are regional institutions, private colleges and local community colleges.

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Over the past decade, another kind of Hispanic-Serving Institution has emerged  research-intensive HSIs. These are colleges and universities where at least 25% of the student body is Hispanic and where there is significant research funding and a range of doctoral programs offered. These schools include University of California, Irvine; Florida International University; and the University of Texas at El Paso, among others.

Some researchers have debated whether the HSI category has become too broad, grouping schools with vastly different resources, missions and student populations.

Despite their differences, many HSIs enroll large numbers of first-generation, low-income and working students, as well as immigrants and transfer students.

HSIs also generally operate with fewer financial and academic resources than comparable non-HSI institutions.

How HSI funding works

Title V grants from the Department of Education are one clear way that HSIs can receive federal funding .

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These competitive grants are intended to help HSIs expand educational opportunities and institutional capacity to support Hispanic and low-income students.

Rather than providing aid directly to students, Title V grants are used to offer faculty training, update classrooms and laboratories, create new degree programs and develop mentorship opportunities for first-generation students.

At campuses such as California State University, Chico and University of California, Irvine, Title V grants have given schools the money to create bilingual advising services and maintain data systems.

Title V grants form only one part of the broader funding picture for HSIs. Like many colleges, HSIs rely on state funding and tuition revenue. They also compete for other federal grants, including those from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Agriculture.

How HSIs help Hispanic students

A growing body of research shows that HSIs are crucial in helping more Hispanic and first-generation students attend and graduate college.

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Some HSIs have received national recognition for using evidence-based practices to help Hispanic students perform better in the classroom. Hispanic students at these schools, which include Arizona State University and California State University, Fullerton, graduate at rates roughly 8 percentage points higher than Hispanic students nationally.

Hispanic students at HSIs graduate at rates more than 5 percentage points higher than those at comparable non-HSI colleges, according to similar 2017 findings from the nonprofit Education Trust.

There are a few reasons why there is a relatively high graduation rate for Hispanic students at HSIs.

Students at HSIs often report feeling a strong sense of belonging and see their own cultures reflected in the curriculum. Many HSI campuses also offer dedicated programs for first-generation students and train faculty to teach and advise with equity and inclusion in mind.

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At University of California, Irvine, where I helped lead HSI initiatives, Hispanic undergraduate enrollment grew by nearly 150% between 2009 and 2019, from 3,000 students to more than 7,500.

During that time, more than 350 faculty and staff completed equity-focused training to strengthen advising and teaching practices that support Hispanic and other underrepresented students.

Whats at stake for HSIs

Hispanic Americans now make up nearly 20% of the U.S. population, and their college enrollment numbers are projected to grow from about 3.7 million in 2020 to 4.5 million by 2030, as overall college enrollment numbers are projected to decline during this time.

A national evaluation of Title V projects found that most colleges and universities used these grants to improve student services, develop new academic programs and build community partnerships that help first-generation and low-income students stay enrolled and complete their degrees.

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As HSI researchers note, graduation rates tell only part of the story. True student success at HSIs depends not just on graduation numbers, but on culturally responsive teaching, inclusive campus climates and equity-minded institutional practices.

How policymakers define and fund HSIs will shape not only the future of these institutions but also whether this growing generation of Hispanic students can access, afford and complete college in the years ahead.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Joseph Morales, California State University, Chico

Read more:



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Joseph Morales, Ph.D., works at California State University, Chico, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). While not a principal investigator on any federal HSI grants, he has participated in professional development programs and national conferences hosted by organizations mentioned in the article, including the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). These experiences inform his understanding of the field but did not influence the content of this piece. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California State University, Chico.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was named the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize early Friday, dashing the hopes of President Donald Trump who reportedly wanted the title.

Per the announcement, Machado was deemed the winner for her attempts to achieve a democratic transition of power in Venezuela with President Nicolas Maduros administration. The government later blocked her candidacy.

Machados win

The Norwegian Nobel committee announced Friday that Machado was the winner of the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. The committee highlighted Machados efforts for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

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Jrgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the Nobel committee, celebrated Machados efforts, calling her a key, unifying figure in the opposition to Maduros authoritarian government. He noted that in the last year since the Venezuela election, Machado had been forced to live in hiding yet remained in the country.

When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist, he said.

Maduro ran for a third term in 2024 and the National Electoral Council, backed by Maduro, claimed he won the election without providing evidence. Machado and the opposition made international headlines when they publicized the vote counts that showed Maduro had clearly lost the race.

The Nobel committee noted in its release that democracy is a precondition for peace but around the world it is at risk. More authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence, the committee said.

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The committee said it has been committed to honoring people who have stood up to repression, carried hope and shown that peaceful resistance can change the world. Machado met all three, the committee said.

Frydnes said Machado was awarded the prize because she is an extraordinary example of civilian courage.

Machado accepted the prize with profound gratitude and on behalf of the people of Venezuela who fought for freedom with courage, dignity, intelligence, and love. She said the award injects energy and confidence to Venezuelans to carry on the opposition work and the award demonstrates that the global community recognizes their struggle.

In a post online, Machado said she counts on Trump, the people of the United States and around the world to achieve their goal of freedom and democracy.

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I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause! she wrote.

Frydnes said he hopes that Machado would be able to travel and accept the award in person later this year, but since she has serious threats on her life, she may not be able to return to Venezuela if she leaves.

Trumps attempt for recognition

Trump had been pining to be named the 2025 winner for months. The president did not directly comment on being passed over for the award, but reposted Machados post recognizing him.

White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung posted online that Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, nodding to the recent peace plan agreed upon by Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza.

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He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will, Cheung said. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.

Trump had been nominated by several people and organizations for the award. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, dedicated to Israeli hostages taken by Hamas, nominated the president, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated Trump for his efforts to end the two-year war. Many of Trumps nominations happened after the Feb. 1 deadline for the award.

Trump maintained that he was deserving of the prize for settling seven wars but also acknowledged that the committee would find a reason not to give it to me. He criticized former President Barack Obama for receiving the award for doing nothing.

History of the award

The Nobel Prize is a legacy and way to honor Swedish businessman Alfred Nobel. He died in 1896 and left behind what was considered one of the worlds largest fortunes. Nobel wrote in his will that awards would be given in several categories, including physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace, the committee said.

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The Nobel Peace Prize was directed to be given to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses.

The five-person committee is selected by the Norwegian parliament. The first Nobel prizes were awarded in 1901.

Just three sitting U.S. presidents have been awarded the prize. Theodore Roosevelt earned it in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919 and Barack Obama in 2009. Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002 after leaving office and former Vice President Al Gore received it in 2007.

Machado winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize makes her the 20th woman to earn the title.
Stablecoin startup BVNK has drawn the attention of major players in crypto and payments, including Coinbase, Mastercard, Visa and Citi. | Credit: NurPhoto / Getty Images.

Key Takeaways

Coinbase and Mastercard are reportedly in talks to acquire BVNK.

The stablecoin startup previously received investments from Citi and Visa.

BVNKs infrastructure bridges fiat and blockchain payment rails.

Stablecoin startup BVNK has become one of the hottest properties in financial technology.

Existing investors include Visa and Citi. Meanwhile, reports suggest Coinbase and Mastercard are both bidding to acquire the company outright.

Major Firms Circle BVNK

A few years ago, BVNK was a relatively unknown startupone of many building infrastructure to facilitate stablecoin payments.

In 2022, the companys $40 million Series A round attracted the usual venture capital investors, but there was no sign of interest from major players in crypto or payments.

By the time BVNKs Series B came around two years later, the startup was $10 billion in annualized volumes. Participants included Coinbase Ventures, which has gone all in on stablecoin infrastructure, investing in companies like Bastion, Stablecore, and ZAR.

Since then, BVNK has received strategic investments from Visa, and most recently, Citi.

Those deals reflect broader maneuvers by powerhouse financial institutions. With stablecoin adoption rising, incumbent banks and payment processors face a threat to their hold on global money flows. At the risk of being left behind, they are scrambling to secure a position in the rapidly evolving stablecoin sector.

Moreover, in a still-young market that remains in flux, BVNKs token-agnostic rails could help investors hedge their bets against different potential outcomes.

Coinbase and Mastercard in Takeover Talks

Just as news of Citis investment broke, Fortune reported that Coinbase and Mastercard were in advanced acquisition talks with BVNK. Any deal could value the company between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, sources said.

Acquiring the stablecoin platform would create different strategic advantages for each firm.

For example, Coinbase could potentially influence which stablecoins BVNK customers use.

The crypto exchange has an equity stake in Circle and receives income from its Treasury reserves via a revenue sharing agreement, providing a strong incentive to nudge BVNK users toward USDC.

Meanwhile, Mastercard is racing to integrate stablecoins into its global payment network, where BVNKs ability to coordinate on- and off-chain transactions could give the card giant a crucial edge over Visa.

BVNKs infrastructure, which facilitates payment flows spanning stablecoin transfers and e-money fiat transactions, is in line with a view held by senior Mastercard executives.
President Trump failed in his bid to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, with the Norwegian Nobel committee announcing Friday that Maria Corina Machado was given this years award for promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.

Committee Chair Jrgen Watne Frydnes, announcing the winner Friday morning, said Machado represented the true spirit of the Nobel prize, as a unifying figure determined in her commitment to peaceful protection of democracy at a time when it is under threat acutely in Venezuela and around the world.

As the leader of the Democratic Forces in Venezuela, Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America, Frydnes said.

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Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended with words, with courage and with determination.

Trumps bid for the award was always going to be a long shot, with the deadline for nominations Feb. 1, just weeks into his second term. This was before he made major moves to settle what he describes as seven wars in seven months, though some remain largely unresolved.

And many of Trumps most public nominations for the award came after the deadline. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) submitted a nomination in December recognizing the presidents 2020 deal forging ties between Israel and two Gulf countries, called the Abraham Accords.

Still, the decision is sure to mark an added grievance for Trump, who has long criticized the organization for initially overlooking the Abraham Accords in its considerations. The 2021 prize, which the Abraham Accords would have been eligible for, went to two journalists promoting free speech under oppressive regimes in the Philippines and Russia.

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And Fridays ceremony came shortly after Trump announced he brought Israel and Hamas to agreement on a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, the first phase of his 20-point plan to end the war. The ceasefire announcement drew calls from Israeli leaders and Trumps supporters that the president deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this, Israel President Isaac Herzog posted on social media.

But the head of the independent Nobel committee earlier told Norwegian tabloid VG that the decision on this years award was made Monday.

Trump has been highly critical of the Nobel committee, yet he has publicly lobbied for the prize. In September, he warned that being passed over for the award this year would be an insult to our country, addressing an extraordinary gathering of hundreds of military leaders in Virginia late last month.

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Trumps public griping also likely worked against him. Nina Grger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, earlier told The Associated Press that the committee doesnt want to be seen as caving to political pressure.

At a campaign rally in North Carolina in 2024, Trump repeated his criticisms that former President Obama, awarded the prize in the first year of his presidency for his work to strengthen international diplomacy, did not deserve the Nobel Prize and that he is being repeatedly snubbed.

He didnt do anything. What Ive done is incredible  the Abraham Accords alone, Trump said.

So far, the Abraham Accords is likely the presidents best case for an award, as the Nobel committee weighs how sustained efforts and promotion of multilateralism contributes to international peace and security.

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The accords, which established ties between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have endured amid more than two years of regional conflict as Israel has battled against Iran and Iranian-backed proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen.

Trump has ramped up his peace efforts in his second term, though the results remain an open question.

Trump helped secure ceasefires between Israel and Iran, Cambodia and Thailand, and India and Pakistan.

Cambodian and Pakistani officials issued Nobel nominations over his interventions, while India rejected that the U.S. played a major role in settling its conflict.

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Likewise, fighting in eastern Congo has intensified even as Trump has celebrated ending that war. There remain bitter disagreements between Ethiopia and Egypt over a major dam. A recent peace signing between Armenia and Azerbaijan is viewed as a welcome development but faces a long road toward implementation.

Still, Trump used his address to the United Nations in September to tell members that everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in these seven conflicts.

And even as Trump portrays himself as peacemaker in chief, he has taken extraordinary military action throughout his second term in office: striking Irans nuclear facilities in June, deploying the U.S. military into American cities and declaring armed conflict with drug trafficking cartels in Venezuela.

Trump has admitted his efforts to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease his war in Ukraine have been more difficult than he originally believed.

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Ukrainian Member of Parliament Oleksandr Merezhko in June withdrew his nomination for Trump for the Nobel, saying at the time he had lost any sort of faith and belief the president could achieve an end to the war.

And Trump is currently engaged in one of his biggest peace challenges, to get Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, secure the release of 20 living hostages and the bodies of 28 others, and provide relief to nearly 2 million Palestinian enduring a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Families of hostages held by Hamas have invoked Trumps desire for the Nobel Peace Prize as a major motivator for getting to a ceasefire, with three Israeli Nobel laureates and an Israeli academy president  who all qualify to make nominations  promising to nominate the president if he succeeds in achieving peace.

World leaders have also dangled Nobel peace nominations to curry favor with Trump.

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Only three sitting U.S. presidents have won the award.

President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the prize in 1919 for being the leading architect of the League of Nations, the precursor to the United Nations. President Theodore Roosevelt was recognized in 1906 for negotiating peace in the Russo-Japanese war. And Obama was awarded the prize in 2009.

President Jimmy Carter was awarded the prize after his presidency, in 2002, for international conflict resolution. And while out of office, former Vice President Al Gore was awarded the prize in 2007 for his work on combating climate change.

Recent recipients include 2024s Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of survivors from the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The 2023 award went to imprisoned Iranian human rights advocate Narges Mohammadi, who is still behind bars.

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The Associated Press contributed

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President Donald Trump has never shied away from lashing out against any slight against him, real or perceived, but after the Norwegian committee responsible for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize snubbed him in favor of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado he held this tongue on the matter  at least for a few hours.

During a press conference in the Oval Office on Friday announcing new reduced drug costs stemming from a deal with U.K. based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, Trump was asked how he felt about the Nobel Prize announcement.

Trump began by referencing the recent ceasefire and hostage release plan negotiated between Israel and Hamas, calling it the most important deal ever made in terms of peace, and took credit for the accomplishment. That deal is still a long way from a peaceful resolution, as no hostages have yet been released, Israel has still not fully withdrawn from Gaza, and Hamas has not disarmed.

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But that did not stop Trump from lumping it in with the other seven wars he claims to have helped end during his presidency, explaining several of the conflicts in detail before commenting on Machado, who actually won the prize.

The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, I'm accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it. A very nice thing to do, Trump said.

He then assured reporters that he didnt demand the award from Machado.

President Donald Trump remained quiet on social media Friday after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize but later said she called and told the president he really deserved it (Getty Images)

I didn't say then give it to me, though, I think she might have, Trump said. She was very nice. And I've been, you know, I've been helping her along the way. She  they need a lot of help in Venezuela, it's a basic disaster.

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His comments following the 5 p.m. Friday press conference were the first hed made publicly about the early morning Nobel Peace Prize announcement.

A glut of social media posts emanating from the presidents Truth Social account Friday morning touched on multiple subjects, including reposting praise hed received for his role in helping broker the deal that has brought about a ceasefire in Israels two-year-old war against Hamas in Gaza.

One post included a clip from a show on the conservative Newsmax television network in which the host credited Trump with helping bring about peace to the Middle East region even though the deal had yet to be approved by Israels cabinet at the time.

Another touched on the Thursday indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James by a Virginia grand jury, the second set of charges against one of the presidents Democratic antagonists in as many weeks.

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A third Friday morning post included video of former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman  a New York lawyer who served in the role during Trumps first term  praising the presidents negotiating skills, while two more contained no text but merely reposted clips of Attorney General Pam Bondis combative testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week.

While one Trump message posted late Thursday included a Fox News article quoting mothers of children killed by illegal immigrants  so-called Angel Moms  calling for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, not a single one of the presidents posts addressed the fact that Machado, not he, had been awarded the honor.

Trump has long lobbied for the prize and had hoped his role in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement struck earlier this week might finally have clinched it for him.

Excitable members of the presidents MAGA coalition, led by his son Eric Trump, had called for him to be rewarded for his efforts in seeking to bring peace to Gaza, with more than one claiming the deal was so significant that the entire prize should be renamed after him in place of founder Alfred Nobel.

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But Trump himself did not dare get his hopes up, giving a cagey answer when he was asked about his prospects by a reporter at the White House on Wednesday.

I have no idea, he answered her. I mean, look, I did settle  Marco [Rubio] will tell you  we did settle seven wars. Were close to settling an eighth, and I think well end up settling the Russia situation, which is horrible... I think well settle that, so... I dont think anybody in history has settled that many, but perhaps theyll find a reason not to give it to me.

Had Trump been victorious, he would have been the fifth American president to receive the prize, following Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919), Jimmy Carter (2002), and, most importantly for the current commander-in-chief, Barack Obama (2009).

Trump offered no immediate reaction to losing out on the Nobel Peace Prize - but the rest of MAGA-world wasnt as quiet (REUTERS)

While Trump stayed mum in the morning, the rest of MAGA-world wasn't as quiet.

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White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung ripped the decision in a social media post: "President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace."

Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter went on TV to campaign for Trump winning the prize and had a new plan after the decision.

"Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize," Carter told Fox Business. "That's why I'm introducing a resolution today that will honor him with the Nobel Peace Prize."

The trouble is, it doesnt quite work that way.

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Speaking on Friday, after the prize had been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, committee chair Jrgen Watne Frydnes said the award is given to those with courage and integrity.

In the long history of the Nobel Peace Prize, I think this committee has seen many types of campaign, media attention, Frydnes said, without naming Trump. He added that they receive thousands of letters of people telling them what peace means to them.

This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of [founder] Alfred Nobel, he added.

Joe Sommerlad contributed reporting from London.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration on Thursday proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the United States, saying the practice puts American carriers at a disadvantage.

U.S. airlines have long criticized the decision to allow Chinese carriers to use Russian airspace on some flights because it gives them the advantage of decreased flying time and burns less fuel, lowering costs.

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The U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday in its proposed order "this imbalance has become a significant competitive factor."

The Transportation Department said it was proposing to bar Chinese overflights "to level this competitive disparity amongst U.S. and Chinese air carriers," saying the current situation was "unfair and has resulted in substantial adverse competitive effects on U.S. air carriers."

The Chinese embassy in Washington and Airlines for America, a major trade group representing carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that all fly to China, did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Russia has barred U.S. airlines and many other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the U.S. in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

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The decision could impact some U.S. flights operated by Air China, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines and China Southern.

The push comes amid growing tension between China and the United States over a series of economic issues.

Boeing is in talks to sell as many as 500 jets to China, which would represent a major breakthrough for the company in the world's second-largest aviation market, where orders have stalled amid U.S.-China trade tensions.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to hold a face-to-face meeting in South Korea at the end of October.

The Transportation Department is giving Chinese carriers two days to respond to the proposed order and said a final order could be in effect as soon as November.

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In May 2023, the United States approved additional flights by Chinese carriers after they agreed not to fly over Russia on new flights, Reuters reported.

Last year, the Transportation Department said Chinese passenger airlines could boost weekly round-trip U.S. flights to 50 but opted not to add more flights after pressure from U.S. unions and airlines. More than 150 weekly round-trip passenger flights were allowed by each side before restrictions were imposed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some U.S. carriers have told the Trump administration that direct East Coast flights to China are not economically feasible because of the added expense of not flying over Russia. In some cases, carriers must leave some seats open and reduce cargo because of the increased flight length.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Sanders and Jamie Freed)
By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he was raising tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. to 100% and imposing export controls on "any and all critical software" in a reprisal to recently announced export limits by China on rare earth minerals critical to tech and other manufacturing.

"Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented position, and speaking only for the U.S.A., and not other Nations who were similarly threatened, starting November 1st, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a Tariff of 100% on China, over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "Also on November 1st, we will impose Export Controls on any and all critical software."

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An earlier post from Trump on Friday signaled new levies against Chinese goods were in the offing, and threatened to cancel a meeting with President Xi Jinping. That broadside against Beijing sent markets and relations between the world's largest economies into a spiral.

Trump, due to meet Xi in about three weeks in South Korea, complained on social media about what he characterized as China's plans to hold the global economy hostage. On Thursday, China dramatically expanded its rare earth element export controls. China dominates the market for such elements, which are essential to tech manufacturing.

Trump said there was no reason to hold the previously announced meeting with Xi, which Beijing had never confirmed.

The actions signaled the biggest rupture in relations in four months between Beijing and Washington - the world's biggest factory and its biggest consumer. Many questioned whether an uneasy economic detente reached over the summer can survive.

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It was a swift and dramatic response by Trump, a Republican who has wielded tariffs paid by U.S. importers against friends and foes. It could escalate a trade war that Washington and Beijing paused earlier this year after painstaking diplomacy.

Beijing has long called for Washington to abandon unilateral trade restrictions it says undermine global commerce.

MARKETS TUMBLE ON TARIFF THREATS

China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. Many are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.

Trump's unexpected broadside shook global financial markets, sending the benchmark S&P 500 Index sliding by more than 2%, its biggest one-day drop since April when a steady barrage of tariff announcements by Trump stoked market volatility.

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Investors fled into the safe haven of gold and U.S. Treasury securities, and the U.S. dollar weakened against a basket of foreign currencies.

"Trump's post could mark the beginning of the end of the tariff truce," said Craig Singleton, a China expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Singleton said Washington viewed China's export control steps as a betrayal. "Beijing appears to have overplayed its hand."

In his first social media post on Friday, Trump said China has been sending letters to countries worldwide saying it planned to impose export controls on every element of production related to rare earths.

He said he had been contacted by unnamed countries incensed over Beijing's steps and said he was surprised because of the "very good" recent relationship with China.

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TRUMP CONDEMNS BEIJING'S 'HOSTILE ORDER'

Terming China's actions a "hostile order," Trump said he had been forced "to financially counter their move"

"For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two," Trump said.

His follow-up post announcing the levies made no mention of whether he would meet Xi in coming weeks. But earlier on Friday Trump had said: "I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so."

Previously, Trump had said he would meet Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum being held in Gyeongju, South Korea, starting October 31.

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The White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Trade Representative declined comment on what countermeasures Trump was contemplating while a spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The two offices have led talks with Beijing on trade.

Economic tensions had been rising in recent days. On Thursday, the Trump administration proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on routes to and from the U.S. On Friday, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on major U.S. online retail websites have removed millions of listings for prohibited Chinese electronics.

China's move on Thursday included adding five new elements as well as dozens of pieces of refining technology to its export-restricting control list. It also required foreign rare earth producers that use Chinese materials to comply with its rules.

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"Beijing must have concluded that the U.S. was not prepared to make significant concessions on tariffs, export controls or Taiwan," said Scott Kennedy, a China business and economics expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

China calculated, he said, that if Trump retaliates, "China will be in a better position to weather the storm, and that the U.S. will be the first to back down."

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, David Lawder and Maiya Keidan; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Deepa Babington and David Gregorio)
Donald Trump has suggested that Spain should be expelled from Nato because its prime minister refuses to accept the minimum target of spending 5 per cent of GDP on defence.

The US president said he had achieved agreement virtually unanimously on the rise in defence spending from all alliance members, except for one laggard: Spain, during a White House meeting with Alexander Stubb, the Finnish president.

Maybe you should throw them out of Nato, frankly, Mr Trump said, turning toward Mr Stubb.

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Spain, he said, had no excuse for not falling in line with the spending rise as the country was doing well economically, something Mr Trump said was thanks to his governments policies.

At Junes Nato summit in The Hague, allies responded to Mr Trumps threats to reconsider the USs role in the alliance by committing to spending at least 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence requirements and a further 1.5 per cent on security-related infrastructure and technology.

Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, negotiated an exception for his country, which he said could fulfil its existing Nato commitments with a defence budget of 2.1 per cent of GDP.

Neither Mr Sanchez nor any member of his Left-wing government responded immediately to Mr Trumps threat to have Spain expelled from Nato.

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Spain is a full member and committed to Nato. And it meets its capacity objectives just as much as the United States, government sources told The Telegraph.

According to Nato, Spain spent only 1.24 per cent of GDP on defence in 2024.

In April, Mr Sanchez pledged to increase defence spending rapidly to reach 2 per cent by the end of 2025.

Credit: Reuters

Despite Mr Trump floating the idea of Spains expulsion, the Nato treaty does not include a process for expelling member countries.

Mr Sanchez, a socialist who has styled himself as a bulwark against Right-wing forces in Spain, has made a point of confronting Mr Trump since his re-election last November.

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After Mr Trumps notorious dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, Mr Sanchez noted that in the 21st century, relations between nations are based on alliances and not vassalage.

Last month, during the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Sanchez made a swipe at governments such as that of Mr Trump that withdraw from multinational institutions.

The Spanish government has also led criticism of Israels war in Gaza, with Mr Sanchez calling the attacks on the Hamas-held territory a genocidal attempt to exterminate Palestinians.

Mr Trumps meeting with Finlands president was to mark a deal under which the US will gain 11 ice-breaking ships to increase its presence in Arctic waters.

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Four Arctic security cutters will be built at shipyards in Finland, with seven more to be made at US shipyards.

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US President Donald Trump spoke on Friday with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado after his administration denounced the committee awarding her the honor.

Trump has made no secret of his desire to win the prize. A growing number of world leaders have also said he should win the award. Those calls increased as his Gaza peace plan gained momentum in recent days. However, the nomination window closes at the end of January for the year, according to the awards website.

On Friday, the Nobel Committee announced the 2025 accolade would go to Machado for promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

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Machado said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais that she had spoken with the US president but declined to offer details about their conversation. The opposition leader, as she had in her post accepting the award, expressed gratitude to Trump.

In remarks Friday evening, Trump confirmed he spoke with Machado, adding that she was very nice in their call.

The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, Im accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it, the president said.

A very nice thing to do. I didnt, I didnt say, Then give it to me, though I think she might have. She was very nice, Trump joked.

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Ive been helping her along the way, Trump added. They need a lot of help in Venezuela, its a basic disaster. So, and you could also say it was given out for 24 and I was running for office in 24.

Shortly after the Nobel Prize announcement, the administration reacted negatively.

The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace, White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a post on social media.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gives a speech with opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, during a rally at Universidad Central de Venezuela on July 14, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela. - Jesus Vargas/Getty Images

Machado won the award after years of efforts to promote democracy and has described her lifes work as promoting ballots over bullets. She was driven into hiding in Venezuela amid a sharp crackdown on dissent by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

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Many in the Trump administration had previously praised Machados work. The administration has also repeatedly denounced Maduro and has deployed a substantial military presence to the region to combat narcotrafficking  a campaign that many see as an attempt to weaken and potentially drive the Venezuelan leader from power.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was among a group of lawmakers, including now US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, who nominated Machado for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024.

In our work as policymakers who strive for democracy and human rights in the face of dictatorial regimes in the Western Hemisphere and beyond, we have rarely witnessed such courage, selflessness, and firm grasp of morality as we have in Maria Corina Machado, they wrote in a letter in November 2024.

It is our firm belief that Maria Corina Machados courageous and selfless leadership, and unyielding dedication to the pursuit of peace and democratic ideals, make her a most deserving candidate for this prestigious award, the group of Florida lawmakers wrote.

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In April, Rubio called her the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism, someone who has never backed down from her mission of fighting for a free, fair, and democratic Venezuela.

Trump himself, before his inauguration in January, said she was a freedom fighter who MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!

Machado on Friday dedicated her Nobel Prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!

However, there were no warm words from the presidents allies after her win and the perceived snubbing of Trump.

Richard Grenell, Trumps envoy for Venezuela, declared the Nobel Prize died years ago.

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Benjamin Gedan, the Venezuelan director at the National Security Council under the Obama administration, said it appeared the Nobel Committee was sending a message to both the United States and the Venezuelan opposition in its choice to award Machado the prize.

The White House has been sending signals that it might use military force to topple this regime, and that it has the support of Maria Corina to do so, Gedan told CNN. It seems to me that the Nobel Committee would prefer that both the United States and the Venezuelan opposition continue to fight peacefully for change.

I think the US reaction might reflect both things  frustration that Trump wasnt chosen but also discomfort with this critique of US policy in the Caribbean, he said.

Although Trump did not speak publicly about Machados win until early Friday evening, he had, however, thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin hours earlier.

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There have been cases where the committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to people who have done nothing for peace, Putin said in remarks in Tajikistan Friday.

Whether the current US president deserves the Nobel Prize or not, I dont know. But hes really doing a lot to resolve complex crises that last for years, even decades, he said.

Thank you to President Putin! Trump wrote in on Truth social, following Fridays announcement, which included a clip of the Russian President who has perpetuated an ongoing war against Ukraine and has defied Trumps own efforts to bring that conflict to an end.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNNs Samantha Waldenberg contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A federal judge in Chicago has temporarily prevented the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the city.

Judge April Perry heard arguments Thursday from the federal government and the state of Illinois. The Trump administration has claimed that protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations amounted to insurrection. But Perry said the Department of Homeland Securitys perceptions of events are simply unreliable.

While reading her oral ruling, Perry said she has seen no credible evidence that there is a danger of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. Trump and the White House were caught Thursday posting video clips of arrests that actually occurred in Florida while insisting that Chicago is in chaos.

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Perry issued a restraining order curtailing troop deployments there for 14 days.

I find that allowing the National Guard to deploy at the Broadview processing center or anywhere else in Illinois will only add fuel to the fire, she said, according to The New York Times.

Perry then mentioned how Trump has ordered about 200 members of the Texas National Guard to the city, on top of about 300 from the Illinois National Guard.

Chicagos history of strained police-community relations is extremely well documented but also fairly nuanced, the Biden appointee said. Its something that I think the state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, whom Trump has threatened with arrest for allegedly failing to protect ICE officers, resoundingly approved the judges ruling.

Donald Trump is not a king  and his administration is not above the law, he wrote on X. Today, the court confirmed what we all know: there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago."

Mayor Brandon Johnson, about whom Trump made the same complaint, commended Perry for establish[ing] that the Trump administration is unreliable.

This ruling is a win for the people of Chicago and the rule of law.



Judge Perry echoed many of the points that we have made repeatedly: Trumps deployment is illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous, and unnecessary. There is no rebellion in Chicago. There are just good people https://t.co/cVrAlQg4GQ  Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) October 9, 2025

They lie, misrepresent, and put people in danger, he added. We will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to end the Trump administrations war on Chicago.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom also applauded the ruling.

When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson gave the Daily Beast the following statement:

Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to protect federal officers and assets. President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities and we expect to be vindicated by a higher court.

Anti-ICE protesters have congregated outside the agency's facility in Broadview, Illinois. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

The administration is expected to appeal, just as it did when a judge ruled that Trumps deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles this summer was illegal.

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Some California National Guard troops, the Trump administration revealed in court filings in the Chicago case, have arrived in Illinois partially to share any relevant lessons learned from the federal protection mission in California.

Trump administration officials have also been discussing another option: when and how they could invoke the Insurrection Act.
US President Donald Trump suggested that Spain should be thrown out of NATO as he met with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb in the White House on Thursday.

The meeting, supposed to be the prelude to Finlands purchasing of US icebreaker ships, steered into a discussion on the defence alliance, as Trump looked to reignite his months-long feud with the Iberian nation over disagreements on defence spending.

Trump has long clashed with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez since late Junes NATO summit in The Hague, where just days before the alliances leaders convened, Sanchez announced that Spain, will not be complying with Trumps demands of increasing defence spending to 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up from previous targets of 2%.

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As you know, I requested that they pay five percent, not two percent. And most people thought that was not going to happen, and it happened virtually unanimously. We had one laggard. It was Spain. Spain, said Trump.

Trump calls on reporter to ask a question during a meeting with Finland's President Alexander Stubb in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 - Alex Brandon/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved

You have to call them and find why are they a laggard, and they're doing well, too.

The US president lashed out in an otherwise friendly Oval Office meeting, suggesting the country should be booted from the organisation.

You know the funny thing? Because of a lot of the things we've done, they're going fine. They have no excuse not to do this, but that's all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly, Trump added.

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Hes previously stated that Washington was no longer willing to allow Europe to piggyback on its military strength, stressing that every NATO country has to pull its weight and contribute fairly to its defence.

During the meeting, Stubb and Trump formally approved a deal which would see the sale of 11 medium icebreakers to Helsinki, expected to cost around $6.1 billion (5.27 billion). Washington aims to deliver the first of the fleet by 2028.

President Donald Trump and Finland's President Alexander Stubb meet in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington - Alex Brandon/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved

It comes as Finland looks to bolster its defences as the threat of Russian interference continues to loom, following Moscows full-scale invasion of its neighbour Ukraine in February 2022. Finland shares the longest land border with Russia of any EU country.

The pair then spoke and joked about Trumps prospects of winning a Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, as nominations from world leaders for his winning of the prestigious prize continue to grow.

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Well, I don't know. Look, I made seven deals and now it's eight. Solved the wars, one going 31 years, one going 34 years, one going 35 years, one going 10 years. I made 7 deals. This would be number 8, said Trump.

But they'll (Nobel committee) have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this. I didn't do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives, he continued.

Finland's President Alexander Stubb smiles as he meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington - Alex Brandon/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved

Stubb was also asked to comment on the US presidents chances, to which he said he believed Trump could potentially do it.

Well, I think that's probably a decision that comes from the Nobel Committee. And my take is that there are two key pieces that have to be solved in the big picture, said Stubb.

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One is in the Middle East, and we're seeing the results of that. And then the other one is between Russia and Ukraine. And once those are solved, you know, I don't see any impediments to it.

Four US presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. Trump is looking to become the first Republican president since Roosevelt to secure the award in more than 100 years.
The Bombay High Court has ruled Indian crypto exchange CoinSwitch can secure its stolen assets held on the embattled WazirX platform.

Up until now, WazirX operator Zanmai Labs, which is an Indian subsidiary of Singapore-based crypto exchange Zettai, objected to CoinSwitch retrieving its funds.

In a judgment delivered Tuesday, Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan upheld an arbitration tribunal's order requiring Zanmai Labs to provide bank guarantees of approximately $5.4 million (Rs 45.38 crores) to protect CoinSwitch's claims.

WazirX and CoinSwitch both declined to comment when contacted by Decrypt.

The ruling comes more than a year after hackers stole $234 million worth of crypto from WazirX's multi-signature wallets on July 18, 2024, primarily targeting ERC-20 tokens.

With approximately $9.7 million of CoinSwitch funds frozen on WazirX, the judgment protects CoinSwitch's ability to recover its assets. It would have otherwise had to accept a loss on its assets alongside other creditors under Zettai's proposed loss distribution scheme.

Justice Sundaresan rejected Zanmai's argument that it shouldn't be held accountable because cybersecurity was allegedly Binance's responsibility under a 2019 acquisition agreement. Binance has denied responsibility for the exchange.

"If assets are held in the custody of a person under an agreement, it is for the person in whose custody those assets are held to be accountable for the custody of those assets," the judgment read.

Binance Denies Responsibility in WazirX Hack, Says It Never Acquired the Company

The court found that CoinSwitch's August 2022 Broker Agreement with Zanmai treated "WazirX as synonymous with Zanmai" and included provisions requiring WazirX to "take best efforts to ensure uninterrupted performance" despite force majeure events like cyberattacks.

The tribunal applied a 45% haircut only to CoinSwitch's ERC-20 token holdings, the specific asset stolen in the breach, while protecting the exchange's other assets from Zettai's proposed "socialization" scheme.

Legal implications

Navodaya Singh Rajpurohit, legal partner at Coinque Consulting and one of the lawyers representing creditors in a separate petition seeking a Special Investigation Team into the hack, explained the judgment's significance to Decrypt.

"The judgment reiterates the Wander v. Antox standardappellate courts won't disturb interim discretion unless it's 'perverse or implausible'and finds no basis to upset the Tribunal's arrangement, Rajpurohit said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 9 that he might propose removing Spain from NATO, claiming the country fails to meet defense spending requirements.

The president made the remark during a meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, praising Finland for increasing its defense spending while criticizing Spain as a "laggard."

"Spain  you have to call them and find, why are they a laggard?" the U.S. president said. "And they're doing well too, you know. Because of a lot of the things we've done, they're doing fine."

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"They have no excuse not to do this. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly."

Trump has long accused NATO members of underfunding their militaries and relying too heavily on the U.S. He has pushed to raise the defense spending targets well above the 2% standard.

At NATO's June summit, allies agreed to Trump's proposal to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), with 3.5% for core military spending and 1.5% for security investments.

Spain, governed by a Socialist-led coalition, was the only member that refused to adopt the benchmark.

"Committing to a 5% target would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote, arguing it would "move Spain further away from optimal spending."

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According to NATO estimates for 2024, only 23 of 32 members reached the 2% goal. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte nevertheless said that all allies are expected to hit the 2% benchmark by the end of this year as defense expenditures grow.

Spain spent only 1.24% GDP on defense in 2024  the lowest share in the alliance  but pledged to increase it to 2.1% on core military spending.

While Trump's remarks underscore his confrontational approach to alliance burden-sharing, NATO's founding treaty does not provide a mechanism for expelling a member.

Membership is based on sovereign consent, and decisions are made by consensus, meaning only political or diplomatic pressure could be used if a member fails to meet commitments.

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Protesters in Chicago demonstrate against President Donald Trump's National Guard, ICE deployments. | Credit: Octavio Jones / AFP via Getty Images

What happened

The Texas National Guard began operations in the Chicago area Wednesday night, the Pentagon said, as about 1,000 demonstrators marched down Michigan Avenue to protest the deployment and the aggressive, sometimes violent, federal immigration operations around the city. Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump said on social media that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers, echoing a claim from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Who said what

This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested, Johnson said on social media. Im not going anywhere. In an interview on MSNBC, Pritzker called Trump a wannabe dictator, adding: If you come for my people, you come through me. So come and get me.



Roughly 500 National Guard troops  200 from Texas, 300 from Illinois  are gathered at a military base outside Chicago, and their mission isnt clear. Pritzker said nobody had informed him what they will be doing. A U.S. Northern Command spokesperson said Wednesday night the Guard members had begun actively protecting federal personnel and property. White House spokespeople have frequently suggested the troops will help fight violent crime, but Trump and Noem have described the Guard deployments as aimed at furthering the administrations less-popular mass deportation effort.

What next?

A federal judge has blocked Trumps Guard deployment to Portland, and the presidents push to send troops into unwilling cities will be further tested in two court hearings today, Reuters said. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will review Trumps challenge to the Portland order, and a federal judge in Illinois will decide whether to bar troops from Chicago.
The US president promised Qatari and Egyptian mediators, as well as Turkey, that "Israel won't return to fighting." He will meet with Netanyahu and the hostage families.

US President Donald Trump will visit Israel on Monday ahead of the release of the remaining live hostages held in Gaza to speak before the Knesset and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The US president promised Qatari and Egyptian mediators, as well as Turkey, that "Israel won't return to fighting."

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Security and logistics preparations for Trump's visit will begin on Friday, N12 reported.

Trump will reportedly land at Ben-Gurion Airport and speak alongside Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, according to N12. Following these speeches, he may meet with hostage families.

His return flight to the United States is believed to be as early as 2 p.m.

People hold flags and cutouts of hostages, as hostage families and a women protest group call for the implementation of a U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza and release all hostages, on the day U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet, near the US consulate. (credit: REUTERS/SHIR TOREM)

Trump's Gaza deal

Trump's visit comes after he announced early on Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

The agreement was announced after intensive talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, where US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner pushed the two parties to an agreement, along with Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

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The plan was signed at noon in Egypt, and will come into effect after the Israeli government ratifies it in a vote set for 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Twenty living hostages are expected to be released within 72 hours of the deal taking effect. Additionally, Arab reports indicated that Hamas had begun collecting the remains of deceased hostages to return to Israel.

In the immediate wake of the announcement of the deal, the IDF began preparing to shift its deployment lines in the Palestinian enclave after The Jerusalem Post previously reported Israel had reached a full agreement on the maps detailing the military's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and  most vocally  himself.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the prize, after she was nominated last year by a group that included then-Sen. Marco Rubio, who is now Trumps secretary of state. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was honoring Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Machado, however, said she wanted to dedicate the win to Trump, along with the people of her country, as she praised the president for support of her cause.

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Her campaign manager Magalli Meda confirmed that Trump congratulated Machado in a phone call Friday.

At the White House later, Trump listed the peace efforts hed made while in office this year something that's become a frequent habit as he appears before the media  and was wistful as he spoke about Machado winning.

The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called me and said, Im accepting this in honor of you because you really deserved it. he said.

I didnt say, Then give it to me, he added, drawing chuckles from his advisers. I think she might have. She was very nice.

He also suggested the award, which has a Feb. 1 deadline for nominations, was given out for 2024 achievements.

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You could also say it was given out for 24, and I was running for office in 24, Trump said.

The tone from the White House was much sourer early Friday, shortly after the award was announced. White House communications director Steven Cheung said members of the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace" because they didn't recognize Trump, especially after the Gaza ceasefire deal his administration helped strike this week.

Machado's opposition to President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela aligns with the Trump administration's own stance on Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously praised her as the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.

Trump, who has long coveted the prestigious prize, has been outspoken about his desire for the honor during both of his presidential terms, particularly lately as he takes credit for ending conflicts around the world. The Republican president has also expressed doubts that the Nobel committee would ever grant him the award.

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Although Trump received nominations for the prize, many of them occurred after the February deadline for the 2025 award, which fell just a week and a half into his second term. His name was, however, put forward in December by Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York, her office said in a statement, for his brokering of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states in 2020.

A long history of lobbying for the prize

Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the committee has seen various campaigns in its long history of awarding the peace prize.

We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace, he said. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.

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The peace prize, first awarded in 1901, was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts. Alfred Nobel stipulated in his will that the prize should go to someone who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

Three sitting U.S. presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919 and Barack Obama in 2009. Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002, a full two decades after leaving office. Former Vice President Al Gore received the prize in 2007.

Obama, a Democrat who was a focus of Trump's attacks well before the Republican was elected, won the prize early in his tenure as president.

They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country, Trump said Thursday.

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Wars in Gaza and elsewhere

As one of his reasons for deserving the award, Trump often says he has ended seven wars, though some of the conflicts the president claims to have resolved were merely tensions and his role in easing them is disputed.

But while there is hope for the end to Israel and Hamas war, with Israel saying a ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect Friday, much remains uncertain about the aspects of the broader plan, including whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. And little progress seems to have been made in the Russia-Ukraine war, a conflict Trump claimed during the 2024 campaign that he could end in one day.

As Trump pushes for peaceful resolutions to some conflicts abroad, the country he governs remains deeply divided and politically fraught. Trump has kicked off what he hopes to be the largest deportation program in American history to remove immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. He is using the levers of government, including the Justice Department, to go after his perceived political enemies. He has sent the military into U.S. cities over local opposition to stop crime and crack down on immigration enforcement.

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Internationally, he also touched off global trade wars with his on-again, off-again tariffs, which he wields as a threat to bend other countries and companies to his will. He asserted presidential war powers by declaring cartels to be unlawful combatants and launching lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean that he alleged were carrying drugs.

The full list of people nominated is secret, but anyone who submits a nomination is free to talk about it. Trump's detractors say supporters, foreign leaders and others are submitting Trump's name for nomination for the prize  and announcing it publicly  not because he deserves it but because they see it as a way to manipulate him and stay in his good graces.

Global reaction

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who this summer said he was nominating Trump for the prize, on Friday reposted Cheungs response with the comment: The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen.

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The facts speak for themselves, Netanyahu's office said on X. President #Trump deserves it.

The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said Trump deserved the prize and said it was sheer stupidity for him not to receive it.

Lukashenko, whose government has faced sweeping Western sanctions for its brutal crackdown on critics after a contested 2020 election, had a phone call with Trump in August that sparked speculation of a possible thaw in relations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who sent troops to Ukraine in 2022 and has sought to show alignment with Trump, told reporters in Taijikistan on Friday that its not up to him to judge whether Trump should have received the prize, but he praised the ceasefire deal for Gaza.

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He also criticized the Nobel Committees prior decisions, saying it has in the past awarded the prize to those who have done little to advance global peace.

Putin's remarks nearly echoed the comments Trump made about Obama, and the U.S. leader responded to his Russian counterpart's praise by posting on social media, Thank you to President Putin!

Others who formally submitted a nomination for Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize  but after this year's deadline  include Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Pakistan's government, all citing his work in helping end conflicts in their regions.

___

Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Regina Garcia Cano in Mexico City and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Oct. 10 (UPI) -- The United States has sanctioned more than 50 people, entities and vessels accused of facilitating the sale of Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas, as the Trump administration continues to tighten its financial vise on Tehran.

The sanctions target nearly two dozen shipping vessels, a China-based crude oil terminal and a Chinese so-called teapot refinery that the Treasury accuses of moving hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of LPG for Iran.

The Treasury said that Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group, an independent teapot refinery in Shandong Province, has purchased millions of barrels of Iranian oil since 2023, receiving the shipments worth hundreds of millions of dollars via Iran's shadow fleet of vessels.

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The China-based Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal was also blacklisted for accepting more than a dozen of those shadow fleet ships.

"The Treasury Department is degrading Iran's cash flow by dismantling key elements of Iran's energy export machine," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

"Under President [Donald] Trump, this administration is disrupting the regime's ability to fund terrorist groups that threaten the United States."

The sanctions are the fourth round of the second Trump administration to target China-based refiners accused of purchasing Iranian oil and follow the U.S. blacklisting of facilitators of Iran's oil trade on Aug. 22 and a network of dozens of individuals, entities and vessels that make up Tehran's shipping network on July 30.

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The sanctions continue the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign that failed during his first term to bring Iran to the negotiating table on a new deal.

The punitive policy was initially launched in 2018, when Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark multinational Obama-era accord aimed at preventing Iran from securing a nuclear weapon as part of efforts to cobble together one of his own.

The maximum pressure campaign of sanctions and other measures was employed in an effort to compel Iran to resume negotiations on a new deal.

Instead, Iran continued to advance its nuclear program.

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The previous Biden administration attempted to restart negotiations with Iran on reinstating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, but those prospects were dashed when Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The second iteration of the maximum pressure campaign was launched on Feb. 4 with Trump's signing of National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which seeks to "impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop its support for terrorist groups."

The policy's second iteration is a broader focus on China's aid to Iran, secondary sanctions and a targeting of Tehran's shadow fleet

The sanctions announced Thursday coincided with the Treasury also sanctioning a network of individuals and companies assisting Iran with evading U.S. sanctions.

It also blacklisted 44 individuals and firms accused of being involved in Iran's nuclear program and weapons procurement network earlier this month.
Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was killed in Russian captivity, has been posthumously awarded the title of World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute (IPI).

Source: IPI website

Details: The Press Freedom Hero award recognises journalists who have demonstrated unwavering dedication to press freedom.

Quote: "Roshchyna's death in Russian captivity on 19 September 2024 exposed the brutal treatment suffered by the dozens of Ukrainian journalists unjustly held by Russian authorities, and brought new urgency to the need to protect the press and secure accountability for attacks on journalists.

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In naming Roshchyna a World Press Freedom Hero, IPI and IMS recognise her immense personal sacrifice in the pursuit of information and stories that must be told."

Details: This year's laureates of the World Press Freedom Hero award are:

Viktoria Roshchyna (posthumously), Ukraine  journalist killed in Russian captivity on 19 September 2024;

Mzia Amaglobeli , Georgia  co-founder and CEO of opposition outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, sentenced to two years in August 2025;

Martin Baron , United States  former editor of The Washington Post and The Boston Globe;

Mariam Abu Dagga (posthumously), Palestine  freelance photojournalist killed on 25 August 2025 during an Israeli strike in southern Gaza;

Gustavo Gorriti , Peru  founder and editor-in-chief of investigative outlet IDL-Reporteros;

Jimmy Lai , Hong Kong  publisher and founder of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, repeatedly imprisoned since 2021;

Tesfalem Waldyes, Ethiopia  co-founder and editor-in-chief of Ethiopia Insider, who has faced multiple arrests and now works in exile.

Read more: The Viktoriia Project: the story of the captivity and torture endured by journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna and thousands of Ukrainians imprisoned by Russia

Background:

In March 2022, Roshchyna was captured by Russian forces and held for 10 days in the temporarily occupied city of Berdiansk.

In 2022, Roshchyna wrote a series of articles for Ukrainska Pravda from the temporarily occupied territories. Her work included stories about life in occupied Crimea during the war, the sham referendum in occupied Donetsk Oblast, and a photo report from the devastated city of Mariupol.

On 25 July 2023, Roshchyna left Ukraine for Poland, planning to make the three-day journey via Russia to the occupied part of Ukraine's east.

On 3 August 2023, Roshchyna went missing in Russian-occupied territory.

It was not until May 2024 that Russia admitted to having detained Roshchyna. The Russian Ministry of Defence sent a letter confirming this to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyn.

Russia delayed the repatriation of Roshchyna's body, which was only returned in February 2025.

The Office of the Prosecutor General reported that Roshchyna's body bore multiple signs of torture and ill-treatment: abrasions, bruises, a broken rib and evidence of electrocution.

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United Airlines unveiled an aggressive international expansion plan for summer 2026 on Thursday, adding six new routes including four European cities where no U.S. carrier currently operates nonstop service, cementing its position as America's most international airline with service to 46 transatlantic destinations.

The Chicago-based carrier will launch flights from its Newark hub to Split, Croatia; Bari, Italy; Glasgow, Scotland; and Santiago de Compostela, Spainall unique destinations among U.S. airlines. United is also adding daily service from Washington Dulles to Reykjavik, Iceland, and year-round nonstop flights from Newark to Seoul, South Korea, starting September 2026.

Additionally, United will add a third daily flight to Tel Aviv from Newark and bring back all nine destinations from its record-breaking 2025 summer expansion, including Nuuk, Greenland, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The New Routes Breakdown

From Newark/New York (EWR):

Split, Croatia (SPU)  Starting April 30, 2026, three times weekly on Boeing 767-300ER

Bari, Italy (BRI)  Starting May 1, 2026, four times weekly on Boeing 767-300ER

Glasgow, Scotland (GLA)  Starting May 8, 2026, daily service on Boeing 737 MAX 8

Santiago de Compostela, Spain (SCQ)  Starting May 22, 2026, three times weekly on Boeing 737 MAX 8

Seoul, South Korea (ICN)  Starting September 4, 2026, daily year-round service

From Washington Dulles (IAD):

Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF)  Starting May 21, 2026, daily service

Frequency Increases:

Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV) from Newark  Third daily flight starting March 28, 2026, on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (18 total weekly flights)

Southern Europe Strategy

The expansion represents United's continued bet on secondary European cities rather than traditional hubs like London, Paris, and Frankfurt, which haven't been performing as strongly as anticipated.

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"United has an unmatched international network, and we pride ourselves on connecting our customers to unique, trendsetting destinations no other U.S. airline serves," said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. "With the addition of these new flights and the return of all of our new routes from last year, United now flies to 46 cities across the Atlantic, more than any other airline, and is the clear flag carrier of the U.S."

The focus on Southern Europe follows similar moves by competitors. Delta Air Lines recently announced service to Malta and Sardinia from New York-JFK for summer 2026, part of an industry-wide shift toward leisure destinations in the Mediterranean and Adriatic regions that attract high-spending travelers seeking alternatives to overcrowded traditional capitals.

Split offers access to Croatia's stunning Dalmatian coast, Bari serves as a gateway to Italy's Puglia region and connections to Albania and Greece by ferry, and Santiago de Compostela marks the endpoint of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail.

The Narrow-Body Dilemma

Image Credit: Shutterstock

While the expansion is impressive in scope, United's aircraft choices on certain routes raise significant comfort concerns for passengers facing long transatlantic crossings.

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Two of the four new European destinations, Glasgow and Santiago de Compostela, will be operated using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which lack lie-flat seats in business class. Instead, passengers will get recliner seats marketed as "premium economy," a far cry from the Polaris business class experience available on United's wide-body aircraft.

For passengers booking what they expect to be a premium transatlantic experience, discovering they'll spend 7-8 hours in a recliner seat rather than a lie-flat bed represents a significant downgradeeven if the flight is nonstop.

United already operates 737 MAX 8 aircraft on transatlantic routes to Nuuk, Greenland, and Ponta Delgada in the Azores, but those are relatively niche destinations. Glasgow, as Scotland's largest city, and Santiago de Compostela, a major pilgrimage site, will likely attract more business travelers and premium passengers who expect a proper long-haul product.

The airline has ordered Airbus A321XLR aircraft as eventual replacements for its aging Boeing 757-200 fleet, but those deliveries are still years away. Until then, passengers on these routes will have to accept narrow-body economics on long-haul international flights.

Editor's Take: Great Expansion, Comfort Trade-Offs

United's aggressive international expansion is genuinely exciting for travelers seeking nonstop access to unique European destinations. The addition of Split, Bari, Glasgow, and Santiago de Compostela opens up parts of Europe that previously required connections through major hubs, and for many travelers, the convenience of flying nonstop will outweigh comfort concerns.

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However, the use of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on routes like Newark to Glasgow means passengers need to set realistic expectations. An 8-hour transatlantic flight in a recliner seat, even a comfortable one, is a fundamentally different experience than the same journey in a lie-flat Polaris seat. Business travelers accustomed to arriving rested may find themselves disappointed, while leisure travelers prioritizing price over comfort might find the trade-off acceptable.

United is betting that customers value nonstop convenience over premium hard products on these secondary routes, and they're probably right for leisure demand. But passengers should check aircraft type before booking and understand what they're getting, especially when comparing fares to competitors offering better onboard products via connections.

The broader trend toward Southern Europe is smart. Delta's expansion to Malta, United's Croatian and Spanish routes, and the industry-wide focus on Mediterranean destinations reflects where travelers actually want to go, not just where legacy route structures have historically sent them.

As the aviation industry continues recovering and reshaping post-pandemic, seeing airlines experiment with new markets and take calculated risks on underserved destinations is refreshing. United's willingness to return all nine of last summer's new routes, including sold-out services like Nuuk, demonstrates confidence in its strategy.

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Just remember: if you're booking Glasgow or Santiago de Compostela, pack a good neck pillow. You'll be spending those eight hours sitting up.

Tickets on Sale Now

Tickets for all new routes are available for purchase today on United's website and mobile app, pending final government approvals. The expansion continues United's position as the U.S. airline with the most international destinations, operating nearly 3,000 weekly international roundtrips next summer.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  The University of Arkansas is preparing to install donated Ten Commandments posters across campus buildings in compliance with state law.

The University recently received donated posters of the Ten Commandments and will soon begin to install the posters in university buildings and facilities as required under Act 573 of 2025, UofA Director of Media and Core Communications John Thomas said in a statement.

Act 573 of 2025 required the Commandments and the motto In God we trust to be in each elementary and secondary school classroom, as well as other places like government buildings and institutions of 24 higher education.

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Oklahoma State Board of Education suspends teaching certification for Devils Den double homicide suspect

The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 vote in the Senate and a 71-20 vote in the House.

The law took effect on Aug. 5, but several school districts have been granted a temporary exemption while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality moves forward, arguing the measure infringes on First Amendment protections and conflicts with prior Supreme Court rulings.

Thomas also told KNWA/FOX24 that the university is assessing the wall structures of buildings across campus to determine what types of fasteners are required to install the posters.

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We will be scheduling installations [of the posters] as those assessments are completed while also working around class schedules, Thomas said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
A US Navy aircraft carrier was damaged after it collided with a cargo ship in February.

The damage to USS Harry S. Truman was spotted at a recent event attended by President Donald Trump.

A photo shows that it has been painted over and was covered by a large poster for the event.

A US aircraft carrier that collided with a cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea earlier this year remains in need of repairs eight months later. Photos show the damage is still there; it's just been painted over.

Sailors spotted the damage to USS Harry S. Truman on Sunday during a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the US Navy at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. Thousands of sailors attended the event, which featured a speech by President Donald Trump.

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A photo of the Truman, which was captured by a sailor in attendance and shared with Business Insider, shows a massive Navy poster hanging from the carrier and covering the damage. The sailor, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share their observations from the event, said the poster blocked most angles of the damage.

The photo has gone viral on social media. The sign is believed to have been a Navy attempt to obscure the damage.

The damage on October 6. Obtained by Business Insider

It certainly would not be the first time that optics have come into play when the Navy hosted Trump, who has long been heavily focused on the appearance of ships, from design to rust. During his first term in 2019, the White House requested that the sea service conceal the USS John S. McCain, a warship named after his late critic, for the president's visit to Japan, where the destroyer was forward deployed at the time.

A Navy spokesperson told Business Insider on Friday that Truman's exterior cosmetic damage will be fixed during its upcoming refueling complex overhaul, a mid-life process for America's fleet of nuclear-powered carriers that allows them to continue operating for another two decades.

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Truman was commissioned in 1998, so that work is coming due.

Collision in the Med

USS Harry S. Truman collided with a cargo ship in February. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mike Shen

The carrier Truman collided with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M on February 12 while operating in the Mediterranean near Egypt's Port Said. The Nimitz-class carrier had just been in the Red Sea, deployed as part of the Navy's efforts to defend commercial shipping lanes from Houthi rebel attacks.

The Navy said Truman suffered external damage, including to a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above a storage space. The exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space was also damaged.

Capt. Dave Snowden, Truman's commanding officer at the time, who was later fired over the incident, said that the ship was fully mission-capable and conducted flight operations after the collision, but it still needed some repairs to continue its deployment.

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The carrier sailed to a US naval base in Greece for an emergent repair availability, a standard repair process for unexpected incidents that allows ships to remain operational mid-deployment. By February 24, after days of repairs, Truman was back in the Mediterranean conducting routine flight operations. It later returned to the counter-Houthi mission.

The damage on February 13. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cody Beam

The damage on October 6. Obtained by Business Insider

The collision was one of several mishaps the Truman suffered during its deployment; it lost three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, including one to a friendly fire incident. The aircraft are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.

The Truman returned to Naval Station Norfolk from its eventful Middle East deployment in June. At some point prior to Sunday's big event, the damage from the February collision was painted over to match the color of the ship's hull.

The sailor who took the photo of the damage told Business Insider that if it doesn't affect a ship's capabilities, cosmetic damage repairs may be a lower priority.

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In Greece, new bulkheads were installed inside the damaged spaces "to establish weathertight integrity," the Navy spokesperson said on Friday, adding that the exterior damage will be repaired during the refueling complex overhaul (RCOH), a multi-year project that involves refueling the two reactors, as well as significant repairs, upgrades, and modernization.

"The US Navy's ability to rapidly repair its warships anywhere in the world is a testament to our lethality and the warfighting advantage of relationships with Allies and partners," the spokesperson said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, an American shipbuilding giant that does carrier work, was awarded a $913 million contract last year to complete the refueling and complex overhaul, which will take place at its Newport News facility.

HII did not immediately respond to Business Insider's question about when the process is expected to begin or when it will be completed.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Steve Holland, Phil Stewart and Ismail Shakil

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States will deploy up to 200 troops to Israel to establish a task force to support stabilization efforts in Gaza, but no Americans are expected to be deployed into the Palestinian enclave, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The U.S. military's Central Command will stand up the task force, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center, or CMCC, one of the officials said.

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The CMCC's job will be to facilitate the flow of assistance into Gaza, including security assistance and humanitarian aid, officials said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a social media post that the U.S. personnel will be tasked with monitoring the Gaza agreement in Israel and will work with other international forces on the ground.

Two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. troops would be the core of the CMCC, but it would also include representatives from Egypt's military, Qatar, Turkey and probably the United Arab Emirates.

The officials said the joint control center would coordinate with Israeli forces and other security forces to avoid clashes.

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"No U.S. troops are intended to go into Gaza," said one of the officials.

One of the officials said the American troops being deployed would have expertise in planning, security, logistics and engineering.

The officials said it is hoped the Gaza deal, once set into motion, will cool tensions in the region and create conditions for negotiations on more normalization deals between Israel and Arab nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump in his first term brokered what are known as the Abraham Accords, normalization deals between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan.

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The officials said Saudi Arabia is a candidate for such an agreement with Israel, as are Indonesia, Mauritania, Algeria, Syria and Lebanon.

(Reporting By Steve Holland, Phil Stewart and Ismail Shakil; editing by Diane Craft, Cynthia Osterman and Michael Perry)
Personal finance guru Dave Ramsey has once again blasted cryptocurrency, calling it a fad and comparing it to Beanie Babies and emus in a fiery new segment on The Ramsey Show.

The radio host and author known for his conservative investment philosophy and debt-free living strategy told a Pennsylvania caller that crypto has no place in a wealth-building plan, advising him to liquidate his holdings immediately to pay off debt.

Anything that you had money in that was not retirement, we would tell you to liquidate it and clear your debt, Ramsey said. It just gives us a little bit more joy when its something as stupid as crypto to tell you to do it.

The caller, Josh, said he and his family had $28,000 in remaining debt and $20,000 in crypto assets. Ramsey asked Josh to sell the coins, clear the debt, and move on.

When your debt is cleared up, you then have control of your most powerful wealth-building tool, which is not investments  its actually your income, he said.

Dave Ramsey is the founder and CEO of the company Ramsey Solutions. Getty Images

Its as dumb as Beanie Babies

Ramsey has long dismissed crypto as a speculative gamble rather than an investment, and in this episode, he made his feelings even clearer.

Right now its just all the cool kids doing stupid stuff, Ramsey said. Its maddening because people are using up their wealth-building power that they could have actually become wealthy  and they get screwed over trying to be cool.

He went on to mock the crypto frenzy by comparing it to failed investment fads of the past.

Its as dumb as Beanie Babies, Ramsey said. People were buying Beanie Babies and putting their kids college funds in them. I mean, we had friends that bought emu farms  same category for me as crypto.

The financial commentator argued that the problem isnt just volatility, but the mentality behind chasing fast money.

Its just something everybodys into and all the cool kids are talking about it, and its dumber than crap, he added.

Related: Dave Ramsey has a hard-nosed response to investing your 401(k)

I dont gamble much

When co-host Jade Warshaw asked if there was any scenario where Ramsey would ever buy crypto, he replied bluntly:

I dont gamble much, Ramsey said. If it ever became a proven investment, maybe. But its not going to be, because its a commodity  and commodities are never a proven investment.

Ramsey compared crypto to gold and oil, saying he doesnt buy commodities or currencies.

I dont buy gold, I dont buy oil, I dont buy the yen or the Deutsche Mark, he said. Crypto is a currency, a digital one  and I dont invest in currencies.

He conceded that someday crypto might develop a long enough track record to be considered legitimate. Someday, though, it could have a long track record and be much more legitimate than it is now, he said. But right now, its just a fad.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  The United States has introduced sanctions against Serbias main oil supplier, which is controlled by Russia, the company said Thursday. Serbia's president said this could have unforeseeable consequences for the Balkan country.

Serbia depends almost entirely on Russian gas and oil supplies, which it receives mainly through pipelines in Croatia and other neighboring states. The gas is then distributed by Petroleum Industry of Serbia, or NIS, which is majority-owned by Russias state oil monopoly Gazprom Neft.

The sanctions could deprive Serbia of gasoline and heating oil ahead of the winter months.

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Populist President Aleksandar Vucic is already under pressure at home from 11 months of anti-government protests. He said the sanctions will have extremely dire consequences in many aspects: This is something that will affect every citizen.

Vucic said Serbia will continue talks with both American and Russian officials. He said the government is prepared for the situation and urged people not to panic.

Trust your state. We will go through this together, he said.

NIS said Thursday it had failed to secure another postponement of the U.S. sanctions, which could jeopardize its efforts to secure oil and gas deliveries in a longer term.

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The special license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which enables unhindered operational business, has not yet been extended, NIS said in a statement. It added that it has stored enough supplies to keep the operation moving for customers for a longer while.

It also said problems could occur at NIS gasoline stations with payments made by foreign bank cards but added that cash payments would be accepted.

The U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control originally placed sanctions on Russias oil sector on Jan. 10 and gave Gazprom Neft a deadline to exit ownership of NIS, which it didnt do. There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials.

Gazprom Neft also owns Serbias only oil refinery.

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Analysts say that Serbia is collateral damage in a power game between Russia and the U.S.

Had the Russians agreed to sell their share, none of these things with sanctions would have happened, said Aleksandar Milosevic, a Serbian economic analyst.

But Russians do not want to sell. They are more ready to accept all the financial consequences coming from the sanctions than to actually show weakness and sell NIS, he said. So this is a political game between Russia and the United States and Serbia is kind of, basically, an irrelevant player in all that.

Although formally seeking European Union membership, Serbia has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion in Ukraine, in part because of the crucial Russian gas deliveries.

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The country's pro-Russian leader is facing one of the biggest threats to more than a decade of his increasingly autocratic rule. Protests have been held by university students and others since the collapse almost a year ago of a concrete canopy at a railway station in the countrys north that killed 16 people.

Many in Serbia believe rampant corruption and nepotism among state officials led to sloppy work on the building reconstruction, which was part of a wider railroad project with Chinese state companies.

___

Associated Press journalists Jovana Gec and Ivana Bzganovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed to this report.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ded to an opposition leader calling for democracy in Venezuela at a time when the Trump administration is waging a military campaign in the waters off the South American country's coast while simultaneously seeking to expel hundreds of thousands of its nationals from the United States.

The Oslo-based Norwegian Nobel Committee chose Maria Corina Machado over President Donald Trump, who had waged an intense and unprecedented public campaign for the prestigious annual award.

Trump had gone as far as to claim he had ended seven wars and telling American military leaders in September it would be a "big insult to our country" if he were not chosen, while predicting the prize would go to "some guy that didn't do a damn thing."

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Immigration: Do Venezuelans face deportation? Details on the Supreme Court's TPS ruling

Instead it went to a woman who went into hiding last year following the contested presidential election in Venezuela. President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory despite widespread belief that he lost in a landslide. Machado spoke out forcefully at the time, saying she could prove Maduro was routed 67% to 30% by challenger Edmundo Gonzalez.

Will Freeman, fellow for Latin American studies at the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, said Machado is "very courageous" and lauded her selection for the award.

"She reunited, helped reunite, and mobilized the Venezuelan opposition at a time in which it was very fragmented and it wasn't necessarily clear it would have what it took to mobilize millions of people to vote in a rigged election," he said.

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The fact that the military sided with Maduro, keeping him in power, Freeman added, did not detract from her bravery that in the aftermath her efforts "kept open a certain amount of space for dissent and opposition in Venezuela." While there are other Venezuelans who have also been outspoken in defense of human rights and democracy for their country, Freeman believes Machado stands out.

"That fact that she was actually there on the ground in Venezuela organizing in the midst of this really repressive environment, and we believe, is still there, now in hiding, is very courageous," he said.

The Nobel committee said they chose Machado for promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.

Trump had not, as of midday Oct. 10, commented on the Nobel prize decision on his social media platform. But he reposted a statement from Machado saying Venezuelans are on the "threshold of victory" and "more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United states, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve Freedom and democracy."

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Trump has ordered U.S. armed forces to conduct deadly strikes on what are nonmilitary boats speeding through the southern Caribbean Sea from Venezuela. The president and administrative officials insist the vessels and their Venezuelan crews are trafficking illegal narcotics.

The United Nations has denounced the deadly strikes that have reportedly killed dozens, saying international law does not allow governments to "murder alleged drug traffickers. The global body said criminal activity must be "disrupted, investigated and prosecuted" under the rule of law.

And Colombian government officials are saying that those killed in a recent strike on a boat were Colombians.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses supporters at a protest before the inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro for his third term, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 9, 2025.

At the same time, the Trump administration is pursuing the deporation of more than 600,000 of Venezuelans who have found safe harbor in from the Maduro dictatorship under U.S. Temporary Protected Status.

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In last year's presidential campaign, Trump bombastically claimed Maduro had emptied Venezuela's prisons by sending Venezuelans to the United States and as a result that Caracas was virtually crime-free.

Machado was not a name that had been frequently mentioned as a potential winner. She was not, for example, among the 25 leading candidates one odds-making site, BetOnline.ag, released Oct. 9.

That list included nature defender David Attenborough, world hunger advocate Jose Andres and climate change activist Greta Thunberg.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Nobel Peace Prize: Venezuelan leader wins over President Trump
By Gwladys Fouche and Terje Solsvik

OSLO (Reuters) -Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who lives in hiding, won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for fighting dictatorship in the country, receiving the award despite U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated insistence he deserved it.

Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

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"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.

'SHE WAS OVERWHELMED'

After being blocked from running in 2024, Machado threw herself into campaigning for her replacement, former ambassador Edmundo Gonzalez, drawing crowds that sometimes numbered in the thousands, according to attendees and images captured by media.

But several members of Machado's inner circle have faced arrest, including her head of security at the time of the campaign, and six members of her team took refuge in Argentina's embassy after prosecutors issued warrants for their arrest.

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Kristian Berg Harpviken, the secretary of the award body, said he had spoken to Machado on the phone just before the announcement was made in Oslo.

"She said it was overwhelming and that this was a prize for a whole movement, the movement in Venezuela that has fought for democracy," Harpviken said.

It was not immediately clear whether she would be able to attend the award ceremony in Oslo on December 10.

She is the first Venezuelan national to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the sixth from Latin America.

The United Nations human rights office welcomed the award to Machado as a recognition of "the clear aspirations of the people of Venezuela for free and fair elections".

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US HAS BEEN STRONG SUPPORTER OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION

The lead-up to this year's award was dominated by Trump's repeated public statements that he deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump is also a fierce critic of Maduro.

"I think the main takeaway is that the committee is again demonstrating its independence, that they wouldn't be swayed by popular opinions or political leaders to award the prize," said Halvard Leira, research director at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

"Trump will interpret this as he wants to, but this is a prize given to a cause which the United States has very much supported over the years.

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"The democratic opposition of Venezuela is something that the U.S. has been eager to support. So, in that sense, it would be hard for anyone to constitute this as an insult to Trump."

The award to Machado comes at a time when the United States has struck several vessels allegedly carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks.

Trump has also said the U.S. would look into attacking drug cartels "coming by land" in Venezuela.

GAZA DEAL TOO LATE FOR TRUMP, THIS YEAR

The committee took its final decision before a ceasefire and hostage deal under the first phase of Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza was announced on Wednesday.

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Ahead of the Nobel announcement, experts on the award had also said Trump was very unlikely to win as his policies were seen as dismantling the international world order the Nobel committee cherishes.

The peace prize is the fifth Nobel awarded this week, after literature, chemistry, physics and medicine. Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, won in 2024.

The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or about $1.2 million, is due to be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895 will.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, Nora Buli, Nerijus Adomaitis, Tom Little and Terje Solsvik in Oslo, Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva; Editing by Alex Richardson and Timothy Heritage)
A Vero Beach family who has been trying to bring their two adopted children from Haiti to the United States for almost four years is being told to wait again  even as the island spirals further into chaos and lawlessness.

Emmerson Philippe and his wife, Michelle Lake-Philippe, fell in love with Emmersons niece and nephew, ages 4 and 7, who live in Jeremie, a city 175 miles southwest of Haitis capital, Port-au-Prince. The couple offered to adopt them in January 2022, and their biological parents agreed.

But over the years, one thing after another stalled their arrival in a process that was supposed to take one year.

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"We worry about our kids constantly," Michelle told TCPalm. "They call us crying, telling us it's not safe and asking when they get to come home. I don't know what to tell them."

There are various bureaucratic steps necessary to adopt from Haiti, and the already cumbersome process is exacerbated by the rampant gang violence and dissolution of government that have rocked the country since the assasination of its prime minister in 2021.

Among the requirements are a medical exam, the issuance of new passports with the adopting parents names on them and a visa from the United States.

We missed so many milestones, Emmerson said. When we started this process, my niece was 1 year old. Now shes turning 5.

Children stranded in Port-au-Prince

Emmersons brother and niece and nephew traveled to Port-au-Prince for the medical exams around April, where they remained as their file sat on the desk of Haiti's Ministry of Interior director.

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Once the children completed the exams, they had no way of returning to their home in the relatively safer countryside of Jeremie. The journey back would have entailed over 100 miles of lawless roads and gang checkpoints, so theyve remained there since. The children hardly go outside. They cannot see friends. Theyre stuck.

Their lives are in danger, Michelle said. Port-au-Prince is where their grandmother died. A gang attacked her neighborhood in 2023, and the shooting gave her a heart attack.

After the exams, Haitian officials repeatedly told the couple their childrens passports were being processed, but the delays kept coming. Once, they were instructed to wait while the interior director was on vacation abroad. Another time, they were told to expect more delays during Cabinet changes under Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime.

It generally takes weeks to issue a passport, yet the paperwork went unsigned for five months.

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Then in late September, the Philippes  desperate for an update  were informed the interior director signed their paperwork. But it was too soon to celebrate. The passports would not be ready for pickup until Dec. 22.

They never gave any reason why, Michelle said. How are you going to tell us to wait another three months while our children are in danger?

Until their passports are issued, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti cant grant them a visa and exit letter.

Growing up amid gang violence in Haiti

The Philippes try to call their children about once a week, but conversations are often cut short by the countrys decapitated infrastructure. Most of Port-au-Prince cant access more than 15 minutes of Wi-Fi each day.

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The couple is left in tears as they stare at a frozen image of their children captured the moment before losing signal.

We try to remain strong for our kids, but there are a lot of days where were just crying, Michelle said.

The children live with their biological father in Haiti, who has been sending them photos of the children since the youngest was born in 2020.

That was when the couple offered to adopt the children, they said. Emmersons brother has been struggling with his health, as well as taking care of seven children and surviving gang violence.

We knew they were struggling, so we offered to adopt the two youngest kids," Michelle said.

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Adopting from their own family should have expedited the process, the couple said, but that was not the case.

Trump administration bans Haitian travel

From homeless to Marine: How one Haitian-Florida man used his story to help others in dire straits

Haiti TPS: Lone Florida woman joins lawsuit against Trump over Haitian protected status

The Treasure Coast Cultural Festival on Haitian Flag Day, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at the MidFlorida Event Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The event brings the Haitian community together, with food, fun, and promoting the art, history and culture of Haiti.

The Trump administration in June banned various countries from traveling to the United States, including Haiti. The only exception is for people with adoption visas.

Because all other travel was halted, there logically should be less paperwork and delays, the Philippes said.

Were not blaming anyone. Were just pleading to the Haitian government to expedite our kids passports, Michelle said. For the American government, please expedite the visa process so they can leave the island.

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But the Philippes were never ones to idle. The couple has written to their U.S. representatives, pleaded with Haitian officials and even joined a support group.

This is the hardest thing Ive ever had to do, Emmerson said. For other parents going through this, fight for the people you love, even if it hurts.

Jack Lemnus is a TCPalm enterprise reporter. Contact him at jack.lemnus@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1345, or follow him on X @JackLemnus.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Immigration for adopted Haitian children and Vero Beach parents stalls
PAYSON, Utah (ABC4)  It was a case that rattled Utah County: the murder of a former Brigham Young University professor.

Homicide, hostages, and a whodunit case causing heartache. Its why many  including attorney Greg Skordas  remember a day from over 15 years ago quite clearly.

Ive practiced law for 43 years and every case is different, but this one was very unusual, Skordas said. It appeared that we were going to trial, and this person came forward and said, Theyve charged the wrong people.

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To fully understand, we need to go back to Payson, Nov. 16, 2009. 70-year-old retired BYU professor Kay Mortensen was at his home for the evening when police got a call from his daughter-in-law, Pamela.

We came out to visit my husbands father and.we were held hostage, she told dispatchers that night in 2009.

Pam and her husband  Kays son, Roger  said they went to visit their father when intruders tied them up. Eventually, they say, the intruders left.

When police arrived, they found Kay in his home, dead in a bathtub, with his throat slashed.

Police didnt believe Roger and Pams story.

We believe the evidence will show that Pamela and Roger were participants in this murder, lead investigators said at the time.

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Despite maintaining their innocence, Roger and Pam were booked in the Utah County Jail for the murder of their father. Skordas was an attorney representing them.

We knew they were both going to be on trial for a murder case we believed they didnt commit, but we had no choice but to prepare for trial, he reflected.

Roger and Pam were in jail for about 4 months when a woman came forward, saying her ex-husband, Martin Bond, and his accomplice, Benjamin Rettig, were the real ones responsible.

That changed everything. Pam was released from jail in December 2010, and Roger was released a bit later. Skordas said their lives didnt look the same.

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These two went through hell, he said. They were facing spending the rest of their lives in the Utah State Penitentiary for a crime they didnt commit, and they were the only two besides the real murderers who knew they didnt commit the crime.

Martin Bond and Benjamin Rettig were ultimately convicted of the kidnapping and killing of Kay Mortensen, as well as tying up Roger and Pam. Its believed the pair wanted some of Kays guns he stored in his home.

Investigators said Rettig held a gun to Kays head while Bond slit his throat. Both went to prison. Neither has publicly spoken since the conviction  at least, not until now.

Convicted killer speaks

ABC4 News met with Martin Bond at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.

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Bond wore a white inmate uniform and appeared calm.

To comply with the Utah Department of Corrections media policy, ABC4 couldnt explicitly ask Bond about his crime and why he did it, but rather his life in prison since and his feelings now.

I was very angry at a lot of people for a long time, and then I kind of realized that I didnt have anybody to be angry at but myself, Bond said.

He described his actions as his single biggest regret in [his] entire life.

When asked about Roger and Pam Mortensen, Bond apologized.

Im really sorry they got tangled up in it as bad as they did, and that it caused such a rift in their family. I know a lot of people didnt trust them after that, he said. Im really sorry they had to find out what its like to be incarcerated. I mean, thats a hardship most people dont really experience.

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Bond also discussed what hes learned during more than a decade spent in incarceration.

How to better myself. Its been a really important thing to me to help keep me focused and motivated, he said. If you feel like youre advancing in some regard, you still feel like you have purpose. Without that, you might as well give up.

Bond is sentenced to life without parole in prison. He was found guilty of several crimes, including aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Rettig is sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for aggravated murder. His parole hearing is scheduled for 2035.

Pamela and Roger Mortensen sued Utah County in 2011, saying the ordeal hurt their relationships and finances. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2012. The pair turned down a request for an interview, but Pam said their experience permanently altered their trust in the criminal justice system.

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The Utah County Sheriffs Office declined to comment. They said investigators who were involved in the case do not want to relive the investigation. Current deputies do not feel it is appropriate for them to comment further.

Watch the full episode on News4Utah+

Join ABC4s evening anchor Sarah Murphy in Utah Uncovered, a segment featuring exclusive interviews and in-depth breakdowns painting the full picture of Utahs notable criminal cases.

Watch on the News4Utah+ app, free on your smart TV, in the Utah Crime Files video category.

Latest headlines:

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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 ABC4 Utah.
[Source]

Five years after Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang was arrested at her home in Ho Chi Minh City, an international coalition of human rights and press freedom organizations is urging authorities to release her immediately.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, groups including Reporters Without Borders, PEN America, PEN International, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Legal Initiatives for Vietnam said her continued imprisonment reflects the countrys escalating repression of independent journalism.

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Arrest and conviction: Trang, one of Vietnams most recognized voices for civil rights, is serving a nine-year prison sentence for anti-state propaganda after being convicted in a one-day trial in December 2021. Before her arrest, Trang was known for her independent reporting on human rights and environmental issues and for co-founding two online magazines, Luat Khoa and The Vietnamese, that promoted legal literacy and civil rights. Pham has received international recognition for her work, including the U.S. State Departments International Women of Courage Award and the Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award.

In a letter written in May 2019 to be made public if she were ever arrested, Trang stated, I don't want freedom just for myself, that's too easy. No, I want something greater  freedom for Vietnam.

Trending on NextShark: 'No Other Choice,' 'A Useful Ghost' lead Asias Oscar submissions

Detention and health concerns: Rights groups said these peaceful activities led to her arrest on October 6, 2020, under Article 117 of Vietnams Penal Code, a provision that criminalizes criticism of the government. She was held incommunicado for more than a year before her trial and was later transferred in October 2022 to a remote prison nearly 1,000 miles from her family, making visits by her elderly mother nearly impossible. Advocates have reported concerns about her health, citing chronic sinusitis, arthritis, gynecological issues and lingering injuries from a 2015 police assault.

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The coalitions statement called for Trangs immediate and unconditional release, along with assurances of her safety, access to independent medical care and regular communication with her family.

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The remnants of two tropical storms will bring widespread, and sometimes heavy rainfall across New Mexico starting Friday through early next week.

Fewer showers and storms popped up across New Mexico Thursday as high pressure develops in southeast New Mexico. This has also brought warmer weather to many areas. Storms popped up right over Albuquerque this evening, raining out and cancelling evening activities at Balloon Fiesta. Rain will stick around overnight around the Four Corners and tropical moisture begins streaming into the region. Friday mornings Mass Ascension will stay dry, but it will be cloudy and a slight breeze could keep some of the special shapes grounded while other balloons fly.

Isolated showers and storms will again develop Friday afternoon in western and northern New Mexico. A couple of these storms could make it as far east as the Albuquerque Metro by the evening. While winds may be breezy in the afternoon, they will be dying down during the evening activities at Balloon Fiesta.

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The biggest change to the forecast is rain that is now expected to move into the western half of New Mexico Saturday morning. Some forecast models bring light rain into Albuquerque for Saturday mornings Mass Ascension. Rain and storms will continue streaming into New Mexico as the remnants of what is currently Tropical Storm Priscilla streams into the state. The heaviest rain will fall in the western half of New Mexico. Showers and storms will be possible for Saturday evenings Balloon Fiesta events.

We will get a break in the rain Saturday night into early Sunday morning, but there will still be a chance for rain for the last morning of Balloon Fiesta. Winds will also be breezier just off the ground Sunday morning. The remnants of another tropical system in the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Raymond, will move into southern New Mexico by Sunday afternoon. This could bring more heavy rain and flash flooding to southwest New Mexico. Moisture will stick around the state Monday and Tuesday, bringing more showers and thunderstorms, along with locally heavy rain.

Drier weather moves in statewide Wednesday. When all is said and done, between now and Tuesday night, almost everywhere in New Mexico will pick up at least 0.10. Most places will pick up around 0.25 to 0.50. There will be several places along and west of the Rio Grande Valley into southwest Colorado that will see 1 to over 2 of rain.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
If you've ever looked at a map of Florida, you might have noticed the state nearly takes away all of Alabama's access to the Gulf. Is Florida just greedy, or is there more to the story?

While Floridians are obviously aware of the Panhandle, some might not actually know where it ends or why it's a part of our state.

Here's what to know.

Why is it called a Panhandle?

Well  it does look like one, doesn't it?

The official definition of a panhandle is a narrow projection of a larger territory. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the term originated in the 1850s, referring to the spike of land in Virginia (now West Virginia) between Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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There are nine states with panhandles, including Florida, Alaska, West Virginia, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

What is considered the Florida Panhandle?

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the official length of the panhandle goes southwest from Pensacola to Cedar Key along the Gulf of America, previously referred to as the Gulf of Mexico. It spans roughly 200 miles and is bordered by Alabama to the north and west, and Georgia to the north.

It includes both the Emerald Coast and the Forgotten Coast along the Gulf, as well as the scenic Highway 30A.

What cities are in the Florida Panhandle?

The largest city in the panhandle is the state's capital, Tallahassee. Sitting in Leon County, it is the eighth most populous city in the state, with a population of roughly 205,000.

Other well-known cities in the panhandle include:

Apalachicola

DeFuniak Springs

Destin

Fort Walton Beach

Panama City

Panama City Beach

Pensacola

Why did Florida get the Panhandle and not Alabama?

A 'new and accurate map of east and west of Florida' from the London magazine dated 1765 by the Library of Congress.

The Florida Panhandle was originally part of Spanish West Florida. However, the land, which included most of Alabama, was considered just "West Florida" after Great Britain acquired the land in 1763 from the Spanish.

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After the Revolutionary War, Spain regained control of the land. Then came the Louisiana Purchase, where Alabama Media Group reports that the U.S. announced West Florida, up to the old Perdido River dividing line, had been included.

This soon left Spanish Florida surrounded by American territory. This resulted in territorial disputes for decades until troops were sent to occupy the area up to the Perdido River in 1810. Though Spain still objected to the land grab, Alabama became a state in 1819, including the portion of West Florida.

Alabama Media Group reported that in 1821, Spain surrendered the rest of Florida to the U.S., and what was left of West Florida was lumped together with East Florida. Florida entered the Union as a state in 1845.

According to the Destin Log, the Florida Panhandle was almost sold to Alabama in 1869. The Alabama governor, David Lewis, offered the Sunshine State $1 million for everything from the current location of the Flora-Bama Bar to the Apalachicola River. And Florida almost took Alabama up on the offer.

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In May 1869, three commissioners signed a cession agreement on behalf of the Alabama and Florida legislatures. Later that year, Panhandle residents actually got to vote on the matter  approving cession by a nearly two-to-one margin of 1,162 to 661 votes.

Following the referendum, the cession effort stalled out in the Florida Legislature. During the 1870-71 session, the Florida House of Representatives passed legislation to proceed with the sale. The effort failed in the Florida Senate. Processionists tried again in 1873 but were unable to muster enough enthusiasm.

That wasnt the first time the idea of moving the Panhandle of Florida to Alabama was discussed. Actually, there have been petitions and legislative actions that occurred at the state level in Alabama in 1819, 1821, 1826, 1838, and 1840.

Contributing: The Destin Log

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: What is considered the Florida Panhandle? See official distinction
Over a year after former Twitter executives sued Elon Musk for around $128 million in unpaid severance benefits, both parties have agreed to settle for an undisclosed amount. The settlement is dependent on "certain conditions" being met in the near term, according to a new filing in the Northern District Court of California, but will postpone existing deadlines in the case so Musk can fulfill his obligations.

Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and general counsel Sean Edgett originally sued Musk for millions of dollars of unpaid severance benefits in 2024. The justification for their lawsuit was made clear in Walter Isaacson's account of the Twitter acquisition: Musk closed the $44 billion deal early and fired the executives in an attempt to avoid paying out their severance and vested stock options. The executives naturally sued, and now appear to be receiving some amount of what they're owed.

The whole lawsuit likely wouldn't have happened if Musk hadn't originally tried to back out of his acquisition of Twitter, which the company later forced to happen through an extended legal battle. The early days of Musk's ownership of the social network were characterized by drastic cost saving measures as a result, including mass layoffs and the decision to just not pay rent for some of the company's offices.

Finally settling this lawsuit closes the book on that original Twitter saga, with a dismissal of the lawsuit the only real missing milestone. If for whatever reason Musk and X are not able to meet the terms of the settlement, the case will continue on October 31.
Donald Trump has not won the Nobel Peace Prize  a decision that is likely to infuriate the President, who has claimed to have ended seven wars.

Instead, the Norwegian Nobel committee announced the Venezuelan opposition leader Marina Corina Machado as the winner of this years award, for her tireless work promoting the democratic rights for the people of Venezuela, in a statement in Oslo on Friday.

The politician is currently in hiding as a result of serious threats to her life.

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When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist, the committee said.

Trumps campaign to be awarded the accolade has been no secret. Hes been hinting at it since his first term in office, and has been even less inhibited this time, claiming that he deserves it and that he should have won it four or five times.

So much has he coveted the prize that world leaders have put on public displays of support for his Nobel candidacy during diplomacy talks.

Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Prize for Peace 2025 (AFP via Getty)

Who backed Trump to win?

Nearly every global leader has been asked in the past week whether they backed Trump winning the grand prize.

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Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would back Trump if the US provided Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles, while the Kremlin said it was supportive of a Trump victory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has a complex relationship with the US President, handed Trump an envelope containing a nomination during the Gaza peace talks.

Despite the somewhat dubious nature of his claim to have ended seven wars, the bestselling author of The Art of the Deal appears to have made serious strides towards peace in the Middle East. This week, Hamas and Israel signed an agreement to implement the first phase of Trumps 20-point peace plan.

Why didnt he win?

The timing of the Gaza peace deal

Nominations for this years Nobel Peace Prize closed on 31 January. Trump became president on 20 January, meaning he had been in office 11 days by the time submissions closed.

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That means none of his peacemaking efforts or nominations this year could technically have counted towards the announcement on Friday. With the Israel-Hamas agreement ratified so recently, and the hostages yet to be released, the fragile truce may not be seen as a strong enough achievement by the committee, who look for evidence of durability.

The Nobel Peace Prize is the result of months of research and deliberation by the Nobel committee, says Theo Zenou, a historian and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society.

They would not change their decision at the last minute based on a deal that is very much still in the offing.

But he could still be in the running next year  if the ceasefire in Gaza holds and paves the way for a more comprehensive deal.

Trump missed out on the Nobel Prize for Peace this week (Getty)

Public campaigning

The committee has admitted its made mistakes in the past, such as awarding the prize to Barack Obama in 2009, less than a year into his term as President.

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With Trump loudly campaigning for his own victory, experts say the five-member body would not want to be seen as caving into pressure.

Trumps overt campaigning for the prize probably irked the committee, says Zenou. They value their independence.

They didnt want to give it to Trump because he has lobbied so hard for it, agrees Matthew Mokhefi-Ashton, a politics professor at Nottingham Trent University.

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would back Trump if the US provided Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles (AP)

Strategic decision

It has been a year of global conflict, in which a number of high-profile wars, such as Russias invasion of Ukraine and Israels offensive in Gaza, have continued to make headlines. Others, such as the civil war in Sudan, have been underreported.

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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and Sudans Emergency Response Rooms, were thought to be frontrunners for the prize. But analysts say the committee may have wanted to shed light on a lesser-known issue.

Machado is a very uncontroversial pick, says Zenou. The committee is reaffirming its commitment to democracy. They intend this to send a signal to authoritarians and wannabe authoritarians around the world.

Mokhefi-Ashton believes that the decision could also be a smart move to placate both Trump, who has publicly supported Machado, and his critics.

Trump and the Republicans have long railed against the socialist government of Venezuela. Giving the award to one of the chief opponents of Maduras government makes it harder for him and other Republicans to criticise the decision.




Before Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her work leading the movement for democracy in Venezuela, she spent a year studying at Yale University as part of the school's prestigious World Fellows program.

Machado, a former opposition presidential candidate in Venezuela who was forced into hiding in January, was part of the 2009 class of fellows, who spent the fall of 2009 studying in New Haven with a cohort of 15 other international leaders. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in 2024, was another alumnus of the program.

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"I have huge admiration for what Yale as an institution represents," Machado is quoted as saying on the program's website. "I hope I will be able to give back and promote the values and the knowledge that I have learned here in my country, while I tirelessly fighting for its freedom alongside my fellow citizens."

In a statement Friday morning, Yale congratulated Machado on the Nobel recognition.

FILE - 09 January 2025, Venezuela, Caracas: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is leading a demonstration against the re-inauguration of authoritarian President Maduro this Friday. (Jesus Vargas/picture alliance via Getty Images)





In its announcement on Friday of the award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded Machado as a defender of democracy against the presidency of Nicolas Maduro, which the committee characterized as an "authoritarian regime."

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"Ms Machado has been a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided  an opposition that found common ground in the demand for free elections and representative government," the committee wrote. "Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected, and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace."

But some observers have criticized Machado, who backed a 2002 coup against then-President Hugo Chavez, who was democratically elected.

Greg Grandin, a Yale professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian of Latin America, described the choice of Machado as "perplexing" in a Friday morning interview on "Democracy Now." He also criticized her support of U.S. sanctions against the country, and her praise of President Donald Trump, who Machado has described as a "visionary."

"Machado is not a unifier, as the committee said. She represents the most intransigent face of the opposition," Grandin said, describing her as a hardline politician aligned with U.S. imperialism in the region. "They didn't give (the prize) to Donald Trump, but they but they seem to have given it to the next best thing."

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Machado was born in raised in Venezuela, and studied for a time at an elite boarding school in Wellsely, Mass. She founded the Atenea Foundation, a children's aid organization, in 1992 and was involved in the failed 2002 coup against Chavez.

At the time of her matriculation to Yale in 2009, Machado was running Sumate, an election monitoring organization in the country that received financial support from the United States and opposed both Maduro and his predecessor Chavez.

Shortly after finishing the Yale program, Machado was elected to the National Assembly. In 2023, she announced her intention to challenge Maduro for the presidency, but was blocked due to what his government alleges, and Machado denies, were financial irregularities during her time as a legislator.

Other members of Machado's World Fellows cohort include Claudia Lopez, who served as mayor of Bogota, Colombia, from 2020-23, and major international media commentators, including Maxim Trudolyubov in Russia and Zafar Sobhan in Bangladesh.

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"Maria Corina Machado was a brilliant member of our cohort: dedicated to democracy, deeply engaged at Yale (and with New Haven), and quickly struck up a rapport with other World Fellows. We saw first-hand her willingness to put campaigning for democracy first  at considerable personal cost," Alexander Evans, a cohort member of Machado and professor at the London School of Economics, wrote to CT Insider. "What's most striking is that all of us, conservative or liberal, recognised her courage and deep commitment to democracy."

Evans praised Machado's bravery in the face of personal harassment and threats in Venezuela, which prompted her to go into hiding earlier this year.

"I am delighted that these extraordinary men and women have chosen to spend time at Yale," then-Yale President Richard Levin said at the time of Machado's selection to the program. "We are certain that their leadership skills will be strengthened, and that the Yale community will benefit greatly from their presence on campus."

This article originally published at Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado spent a year in elite Yale program.
The Witkoff family and Witkoff Group threatened the New York Times with a defamation lawsuit last Thursday over an article that claimed Qatar had curried favor with the family.

The Witkoff family and Witkoff Group threatened the New York Times with a defamation lawsuit last Thursday over an article that claimed Qatar had curried favor with the family by investing in their projects to gain influence with US President Donald Trump.

The Parlatore Law Group alleged that the NYT had constructed a baseless narrative of impropriety by not asking Alex Witkoff about key elements claimed in the story, omitting statements from the businessman, and engaging in coercive methods.

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The mission was not to report objectively on the Witkoff Groups business activities, but to fit them into a preconceived narrative of corruption related to the Trump administration, law firm founder Timothy Parlatore charged in the October 2 letter. These were routine, arms-length financings with no special access or influence, and the article overstates entanglements without evidence.

The September 26 article Where Mideast Envoy Pitched Peace, His Son Pitched Investors alleged that Qatar had invested in several Witkoff projects, including saving then-CEO Steve Witkoff from financial difficulties by buying the Park Lane Hotel from him in 2023 before his loans to develop the project had come due.

The New York Times cited former Qatar lobbyist Joey Allaham, who claimed that, in 2017, he had advised his employers in their aim of allying with American Jews to vouch for the Gulf state. Allaham asserted that in 2018, the Qatari emirs brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al-Thani, proposed using Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, in which the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) was the third largest shareholder, as a vehicle to invest in Trump allies projects. The ex-lobbyist further claimed that he suggested Qatar invest in Witkoff Group projects. Additionally, he claimed that in 2017, Steve and Alex Witkoff discussed access to Trump and the Park Lane Hotel with Thani.

United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff visits Hostage square in Tel Aviv, January 30, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

The NYT reported that QIA had bought the Park Lane in 2023, in part with a loan from Apollo, which allowed Witkoff to escape financially unscathed after being unable to repay loans for the project.

Parlatore denies NYT claims

Parlatore rejected the premise that Witkoff was in financial trouble in 2017, having a net worth of $500 million at the time. The loans for the Park Lane were reportedly non-recourse, meaning that Witkoff was not personally liable for repayment beyond the collateral.

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QIA had been in the mezzanine investor position for years, according to Parlatore, foreclosing on the loans of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. The firm also challenged that Witkoff had come out unscathed from the Park Lane dealings  and that all parties lost out. The attorney alleged that the NYT didnt ask his clients about details of the Park Lane deal and, therefore, they werent given a chance to clarify what had occurred.

The NYT asserted that Qatar had made other investments in Witkoff projects with the involvement of Apollo. In 2022, Apollo partnered with the Witkoff Group in developing The Brook luxury rental building, and in May, received a $100 million loan from Apollo for the Palm Beach Belgrove property.

While the article presented the Brook partnership as the first Qatari investment with the Witkoff group, Parlatore argued that the timeline and details were skewed to imply that Qatar was seeking favor with a Trump ally. Parlatore argued that if an inquiry was made about the matter, they would have clarified that Apollo had been the lender for the original developer, RedSky, before Witkoff joined the Brook project.

The Belgrove loan, according to Parlatore, was made by Apollos Athene insurance, which supposedly does not have QIA ownership or control. Reportedly, QIA also has no board seat, approval authority, or decision-making rights within Apollo. A spokesperson for Apollo told the NYT that investors have no role in directing investments. QIA also denied to the NYT that it was invested in the Brook or Belgrove.

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The article also highlighted that the younger Witkoff had pitched Qatar on a planned investment fund focused on American real estate projects, claiming that he leveraged prospective investors by saying he had already secured pledges from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. The outlet noted that the fund was canceled shortly after queries by the Times.

The article explained that this occurred as the senior Witkoff was negotiating with Qatar on ending the Israel-Hamas War, and represented another startling example of the Witkoff family apparently trying to profit off its patriarchs proximity to the president.

Parlatore alleges NYT deliberately misrepresented Witkoff

Parlatore alleged that the NYT ignored Alex Witkoffs responses to the outlets inquiries, and had moved the remit of its initial inquiry by asking about pitching the fund to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, rather than Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait. Witkoff had allegedly denied that he ever claimed to have secured other investors when speaking to prospective partners.

Witkoff also reportedly said that it was laughable that the group had scrapped the fund plans because of a media inquiry, as was implied by the Times, but had instead chosen not to proceed because falling Federal Reserve rates in an overcrowded private credit market made profitability challenging.

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Representatives of Witkoff also claimed that one of the writers had engaged in unprofessional conduct by offering to meet with Alex Witkoff for a drink, which Parlatore interpreted as attempting to ply him with alcohol.

Parlatore threatened legal action, including a defamation suit, if the NYT did not implement corrections, issue a correction or retraction, and launch an internal review of the writers reporting methods.

Since the letter, a correction has been made regarding the loan made for the Belgrove property, as the lender was Apollo Global Management, not the subsidiary in which Qatar had invested.
From land, sea and air, the Second World War was truly one of the first total wars  spanning every continent except Antarctica and affecting nearly all parts of the globe.

While covert operations like Operation Mincemeat have recently captured audiences attention, much of the covert ops of World War II have lived in the shadows. Until now.

Backed by a cornucopia of assets  namely the National World War II Museums vast oral history collection, season one of the five-part series podcast "Secret WWII: Spies & Special Ops" delves into wartime tales of espionage and intrigue, and the formation of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner to present-day CIA.

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The museums senior historian and host, Bradley W. Hart, recently sat down with Military Times to discuss his latest project and how Pearl Harbor changed the way that Americans s[aw] intelligence. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

The podcast is a five-part series on espionage, code-breaking and covert operations that shaped WWII. How has the oral history collection from the museum played a part in shaping the series?

The oral history collection is absolutely essential. Its really, in some ways, the crown jewel of our collections. Here at the museum we have thousands of them that have been gathered over the decades, and so when I was conceiving this project, I went through a number of oral histories from that collection and really used them to shape the podcast from the experience of the people who were there.

A lot of people involved with the OSS go on to careers in the intelligence community, so theres not really that many of them, but the ones that we have are really powerful, and listeners will hear them sort of scattered throughout the series.

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The other part of it that I find interesting is the episode on Detachment 101, which is kind of a precursor to the Green Berets and Special Forces. Theres some really powerful oral histories in there about what these men saw in the jungles in places like Burma. The collections that we have here are really important to the mission of telling the World War II story holistically.

When one thinks of the OSS, one thinks of Bill Donovan. But what caught my attention was what came before  in World War I and the Secret Service being loaned out for such purposes. How did WWII precipitate the need for an intelligence arm of the military?

Up until World War II, there was this perception that intelligence was something that the U.S. only needed to do in wartime. This was a necessity, perhaps, of war, but it was seen as morally and politically undesirable.

Americans saw intelligence  even sometimes today  as something that nefarious other powers do. This was associated with European colonial powers, associated with non-democratic regimes. Its something that a lot of Americans have a real visceral reaction to, certainly up until World War II.

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Right after World War I, we kind of retreat from the world again, we retreat from intelligence gathering. After World War II, we dont do that. Theres this necessity of the U.S. staying engaged with the world because of the emerging threat from the Soviet Union.

So intelligence, as the U.S. expands its role in the world post 1945, has to expand alongside it ... WWII fundamentally changes the American perception, and the American perception of the need for these types of things.

Something that really stuck out to me in the first episode is the mind-boggling bureaucratic strategy regarding diplomatic code-breaking  the odd-even day agreement  which saw the Army and Navy switching off days. What occurred after Pearl Harbor that helped to streamline the process of gathering intelligence?

I think we have to remember just how shocking Pearl Harbor is. The U.S. has never suffered a surprise attack like this. Theres very much the perception that the two gigantic oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, will just protect us from this. Pearl Harbor shows thats not true.

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After Pearl Harbor, theres this perception that if you want to avoid this in the future you need to keep a permanent intelligence apparatus. You need to be constantly breaking the adversaries codes, trying to understand their intentions. And that becomes a key facet of the Cold War.

But in the interwar period  1918 through 1941  for the U.S., code-breaking falls to the side. To me, the Japanese are the obvious potential adversary, and because theyre a naval power, if they are going to attack, its going to be with the navy.

But whats really interesting about Pearl Harbor is theres this sort of message that is sent to the Japanese Embassy in D.C., cutting off diplomatic ties. This is decoded, but its not decoded in time. So theres always been this allegation of, Could the U.S. have known about Pearl Harbor ... had this been broken more quickly and been taken to the relevant decision makers?

The problem is that the message doesnt say anything about war, right? Doesnt say anything about an attack. It just says, Were breaking up diplomatic ties. This is in the midst of some pretty tough negotiations already. So I think that the diplomatic codes are a useful window, but in terms of military preparedness, the diplomatic codes only get you so far.

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Pearl Harbor changes the way that Americans see intelligence as something that not only can be used offensively or used on the battlefield, but something thats an essential piece of protecting the United States itself.

Code-breaking at Midway is a story in itself, but is there something new about breaking and also trusting the intelligence regarding Midway? Having the ability to turn around and use intelligence within minutes, and the advantage to exploit this tactically.

This is the breaking of the JN-25 naval code, and this really gives the U.S. a decisive advantage. Its not just breaking the codes; its being able to break them quickly enough to actually use this intelligence in a relevant way. Its not an academic exercise anymore, or in the case of Midway, to even know the enemys intentions.

The Japanese are never really are able to overcome the fact that the U.S. is reading these naval codes, and throughout the course of the war, as you say, we never really see the Japanese launching an offensive of that scale, partially because the losses that they take in the Midway, but also they lose the strategic imperative after this. This is a decisive blow at sea. The fact that war goes on so long is remarkable in that sense. I mean, the Japanese are essentially on the defensive after 1942  code-breaking is a key part.

Was it deemed as risky for Nimitz to trust this intelligence and basically say, No, were going to Midway,? Was it seen as a break with traditional fighting at that time?

Its new technology. Its something that no ones ever really done before. And within intelligence, theres always dissenting voices. Theres always this idea of, Is this being planted for us? Do the Japanese know that weve broken this code and are they giving us disinformation? So absolutely, theres a risk in it.

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We will talk about this throughout the remaining episodes of the podcast, but anytime youre relying on intelligence, theres implicit risk there. I think Nimitz deserves a lot of credit for acting on and for trusting intelligence and convincing Washington that this is the course of action to take.

Did the British SOE influence the OSS in anyway? Winston Churchill was very much in the muck and mud of planning and intelligence. How influential was President Franklin D. Roosevelt in regards to intelligence?

The OSS organizational chart, which actually does exist, is sort of a jumbled mess that kind of defies anyone  its like a plane theyre building when its already in flight. The OSS is only formally created after weve been at war. So they dont have time to sit down and plan this thing out, and Bill Donovan is not exactly the planning type. Hes a man of action. Hes going to leave things like how the org chart is structured to others  And they just never get around to it during the war.

But there are a couple new divisions. Youve got the RNA division, which is research and analysis, which is exactly what it sounds like. Then youve got the special operations side of it. Youve got the detachments that are largely out in Asia  not in MacArthurs sphere of Asia  but they are allowed to operate in places like China and Burma, places seen as secondary theaters.

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And then you have the sort of research and development division, the James Bond-types who are building poison pills, explosives and those sorts of things. This is really what makes OSS somewhat unique, right? Is that youve got intelligence-gathering, and youve got covert action all under one umbrella.

The British have MI-6, which is more or less the equivalent to the research and analysis section. The SOE is more of the assassinating officers and blowing up trains kind of thing.

This feeds into discussions post-war about what the U.S. intelligence community should look like. Theres a report at the end of the war that helps condemn the OSS  although it probably would have happened anyway because of President Harry Trumans personal animosity towards Donovan  but it concludes that the research analysis division is the part of the OSS that you should keep. You should dump the covert action side of it. That influences the early CIA.

Can you give a little preview for whats to come in the fourth and fifth episodes?

In episodes four and five, we are going to start talking about the lead-up to D-Day and the role of the Jedburghs, which was another form of direct action. These were three-man teams dropped into occupied Europe prior to D-Day, and in some cases, afterwards.

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And then in season two, were going to try to tell the longer-term story of the OSS  hopefully about agents in occupied Europe.

Were going to try to talk about agents in places like China, places we dont often think about as being areas of World War II for a lot of Americans. And were going to talk about the legacy of OSS in 1945. So, we have a lot of great material to cover and a super exciting story to share.
Any tips should be sent directly to Alexander Banks through email at abanks@yakimaherald.com, or by phone at 509-577-7654.

Alexander Banks reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and Yakima community members. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. To support local journalism, click here.
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

The majority (77%) of employees surveyed by Voya Financial said they plan to spend more time re-assessing their benefit elections during open enrollment this year  up from 69% last year.

Likewise, 63% of Americans surveyed told the firm they strongly agree or agree that their financial stability has a direct impact on their mental health  up from 57% over the past two years.

Voya researchers noted that workers may benefit from more education about retirement in particular, with only about half of workers feeling very or somewhat prepared for retirement.

Dive Insight:

These findings regarding employee sentiment are crucial, given the fact that less than half of employees know how to enroll in their employer-sponsored benefits, per an October report from New York Life Group Benefit Solutions.

Noting that open enrollment is just a starting point, a New York Life Group exec said in a statement that when employers focus on closing the knowledge gap year-round, they can create an overall culture of wellbeing.

Similarly, beyond acknowledging the link between mental and financial well-being, Voya noted the role HR can play in supporting workers during October  and throughout the entire year.

By helping workers connect with decision-making guidance in these areas, Voya Financial President John Brett noted, employers can help their workforce make smarter choices that support both their financial wellness and retirement readiness.
At nearly the same moment as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was expressing surprise over OpenAIs multibillion-dollar deal with competitor AMD  shortly after his company agreed to invest up to $100 billion into the AI model maker  Sam Altman was saying that more such deals are in the works.

Huang appeared on CNBCs Squawk Box on Wednesday. When asked if he knew about the AMD deal before it was announced, he answered, Not really.

As TechCrunch previously reported, OpenAIs deal with AMD is unusual. AMD has agreed to grant OpenAI large tranches of AMD stock  up to 10% of the company over a period of years contingent on factors like increases in stock price. In exchange, OpenAI will use and help develop the chipmakers next-generation AI GPUs chips. This makes OpenAI a shareholder in AMD.

Nvidias deal is the reverse. Nvidia has invested in the AI model-making startup, making it a shareholder in OpenAI.

While OpenAI has been using Nvidia gear for years through cloud providers like Microsoft Azure, Oracle OCI, and CoreWeave, This is the first time were going to sell directly to them, Huang explained. He added that his company would still continue to supply gear to the cloud makers, too.

These direct sales, which include AI gear beyond GPUs like systems and networking, are intended to prepare OpenAI for the day when it is its own self-hosted hyperscaler, Huang said. In other words, when its using its own data centers.

But Huang admits that OpenAI doesnt have the money yet to pay for all of this gear. He estimated that each gigawatt of AI data center will cost OpenAI $50 to $60 billion, to cover everything from the land and power to the servers and equipment.

So far, in 2025, OpenAI has commissioned 10 gigawatts worth of U.S. facilities through its $500 billion Stargate deal with partners Oracle and SoftBank. (Plus, it penned a $300 billion cloud deal with Oracle.)

Its partnership with Nvidia was for at least 10 gigawatts of AI data centers. Its partnership with AMD was for 6 gigawatts. Plus its Stargate UK partnership involves expanding data centers in the U.K., and it has other European commitments. By some estimates, OpenAI has this year inked $1 trillion worth of such deals.

Similar to the AMD deal, Nvidias deal has been criticized for being circular, Bloomberg reported. The critics say Nvidia is essentially underwriting OpenAIs purchases, getting the AI startups stock for its efforts.

Altman to the world: Expect more

As Huang was dissecting OpenAIs infrastructure needs on CNBC, OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans interview with Andreessen Horowitzs a16z Podcast dropped.
A story that has raised eyebrows in Hungary concerns a high-ranking government official who was allegedly caught shoplifting at a Lidl store in Balassagyarmat about a month ago, as reported by 444.

Given that the value of the goods stolen exceeded the legal threshold of HUF 50,000 (approximately $148 USD), criminal proceedings were formally initiated in the case.



Last week, the county prosecutor's office confirmed that the individual under investigation is indeed a high-ranking government official who currently heads a district office.



Legal Maneuvers and Rejection



According to the prosecutor's office, the official in question admitted to the offense and subsequently requested that the case be referred to mediation. In Hungarian law, successful mediation can often result in the termination of criminal liability, allowing the individual to avoid a formal conviction.



However, the local police station had initially proposed to the district prosecutor's office that the proceedings be terminated. This proposal was ultimately rejected by the county prosecutor's office.



The prosecutor's office also denied the official's request for mediation, stating that the legal consequences of the crime committed were considered too minor for that specific process to be applicable. Consequently, the criminal proceedings were not suspended and will move forward.



This incident offers a rare glimpse into how the Hungarian legal system handles criminal allegations against senior government figures, even for offences that might seem minor to an international audience.



Original article on 444.hu (in Hungarian) available here.



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An investigation by Direkt36 has revealed that Hungarian intelligence services operated a covert spy network in Brussels throughout much of the 2010s, targeting Hungarian nationals working within EU institutions.

Agents from Hungarys Information Office (IH), stationed under diplomatic cover at the countrys Permanent Representation to the EU, sought to gather information and exert influence inside the European Commission.



Their recruitment tactics included appeals to patriotic duty as well as offers of financial support and career advancement.



The operation was directed from Budapest and overseen by then-government minister Janos Lazar. It focused on areas sensitive to the Orban administration, such as disputes over the rule of law, media freedom, and fiscal policy.



According to sources, some diplomats approached Hungarian EU staff without discretion, with one reportedly pushing a Commission employee to sign a collaboration agreement. The network's exposure accelerated after the unmasking of V., the IHs chief intelligence officer in Brussels, leading to the operations collapse in 2017.



The investigation also notes that Oliver Varhelyi  currently an EU Commissioner  was serving as Hungarys ambassador to the EU while the spy ring was active. Although there is no proof of his direct involvement, sources say he was aware of the intelligence activities taking place under his diplomatic leadership and benefited from their reports.



Belgian counterintelligence agencies now monitor Hungarian operations closely. While Belgium officially maintains Hungary as a cooperative partner, insiders describe Hungary increasingly being classified as a purple country, reflecting rising concerns about its loyalty within the EU.



Further findings indicate that Hungarian intelligence attempted to penetrate EU security teams and leak internal documents, exploiting the assumption that institutions of member states operate with mutual trust. In response, the European Commission has launched an inquiry into the matter.



This case sheds light on the complex tensions within EU institutions and Hungarys ongoing political strategies on the European stage.



A Hungarian official working at the European Commission initially regarded the friendly invitations from V., a diplomat at Hungarys Permanent Representation to the EU, as innocent. Meeting two or three times a year  often in parks  the encounters seemed routine. But V. was not just interested in EU affairs; he also sought gossip spread within the officials extensive network.



He was likable and intelligent, but I already knew he was an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover, the official told Direkt36, recalling meetings between 2015 and 2017. Though officially a foreign ministry diplomat, V. was actually an operative of Hungarys Information Office (IH), the countrys foreign intelligence service.



Eventually, V. revealed his true intentions. In one meeting, he pressed the Commission employee to sign a recruitment agreement to become an official secret collaborator of the IH. When money failed to entice, V. offered to secure funding for a cause close to the employees heart, suggesting payments could come from another Hungarian state agency. The official declined firmly, expressing willingness to meet but refusing formal recruitment.



Brussels is a major hub for espionage, home not only to the EU but also NATO and many international bodies. However, spying between EU member states inside these institutions is rare. V. and his colleagues aggressive recruitment crossed accepted norms for diplomatic conduct, with their reckless approach drawing attention.



In 2017, V.s exposure as the IHs head of the Brussels network led to the collapse of Hungarys spying operation there. EU officials even filed reports about his brazen attempts.



This investigation, based on interviews with numerous insiders and EU officials targeted for recruitment, highlights a previously unknown chapter in the strained relationship between Orbans government and EU institutions.



The operation took place while Oliver Varhelyi  now an EU Commissioner  served as Hungarys ambassador to the EU (20152019). Though theres no proof of his direct involvement, sources say he was aware intelligence officers operated under his purview and used their reports.



Belgian counterintelligence has since stepped up surveillance of Hungarian activities, treating Hungary less as a trusted ally and more as a purple country with growing doubts about loyalty.



The IH focused exclusively on recruiting Hungarian nationals working in Brussels-based EU institutions, ignoring foreign staff. Recruitment tactics ranged from promises of money and career benefits to appeals to loyalty. Exactly how many were recruited is unknown.



One Hungarian EU official said the problem lies not in intelligence gathering itself but in using espionage to serve a ruling clique rather than the national interest. Former IH operations reportedly included wiretapping EU investigators probing misuse of EU funds by high-profile figures linked to the Orban family.



The IHs foreign intelligence unit, supervised politically by then-Prime Ministers Office head Janos Lazar, pursued information on issues critical to the government  media freedom, rule of law conflicts, judicial independence, taxes, and EU fund management. The aim was early warning of Brussels decisions threatening Hungarys interests.



Every Hungarian employee at the Commission was profiled using state databases and open-source research to identify potential recruitment targets. Initial contacts typically happened in Brussels but meetings moved to Hungary for security reasons.



Western intelligence services began doubting Hungarys loyalty, recalling the legacy of Soviet-era surveillance practices still influencing some Eastern European states. Belgiums counterintelligence agency declined to confirm details about V.s exposure but stressed any espionage against EU institutions is taken seriously.



Between 2013 and 2014, another diplomat, E., tasked with security matters, tried persistently to build a network among Hungarians in EU institutions  asking seemingly casual questions but probing for sensitive information. While these efforts sometimes failed to recruit, officials shared concerns about pressure to influence EU reports to favor Hungarys government perspective.



At the heart of the IHs Brussels operations, the IH chief V. officially held a diplomatic post but secretly led the spy network. His reckless behavior, fueled by demands from Budapest for urgent intelligence, led to his downfall. Messages sent over unencrypted channels and blatantly approaching recruits brought EU security services' attention.



Following 2018, after Hungarys change of government, the IH leadership was overhauled. The current scope of IH activities in Brussels remains unclear.



Though Hungary is officially considered a cooperative partner by Belgian intelligence, concerns about its loyalty have increased due to the Orban governments pro-Kremlin stance. Hungarys intelligence sharing has been downgraded and viewed with skepticism.



Despite this, Hungary continues to expand its diplomatic footprint in Brussels. In 2024, the government opened the House of Hungary near key EU and Belgian government buildings  a cultural center also watched carefully by Belgian intelligence for potential hidden activities.



This investigation underscores the complexities of trust and espionage within the EU, revealing how Hungarys intelligence operations have tested the boundaries of alliance and loyalty inside the heart of European power.



Original article published on Direkt36



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By Julie Zhu and Liam Mo

HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese humanoid robot maker AgiBot plans to launch an initial public offering in Hong Kong next year, eyeing a valuation of HK$40 billion to HK$50 billion ($5.14 billion to $6.4 billion), sources with knowledge of the matter said.

AgiBot's listing plans, backed by investors such as Tencent and HongShan Capital Group (HSG), comes as Beijing steps up efforts to develop automation to address its aging population and bolster its position in robotics amid escalating technological competition with the United States.

The Shanghai-based company appointed China International Capital Corp Ltd (CICC) and CITIC Securities earlier this year to lead its Hong Kong listing, the sources said. Morgan Stanley has joined the effort in recent weeks, two of the sources added.

According to PitchBook, it reached a valuation of $2.07 billion as of March.

The company is expected to issue 15%-25% of its shares, one of the sources said.

AgiBot plans to file a preliminary prospectus early next year, two of the sources said, with one adding that the firm aims for a public listing by the third quarter of 2026.

Details of the IPO, including its timeline, offering size and valuation are subject to change, the sources cautioned, declining to be identified as the plan is not public yet.

Reuters is reporting for the first time AgiBot's listing plans, the valuation target and appointed banks.

AgiBot and Morgan Stanley declined to comment. CICC and CITIC did not respond to emailed queries from Reuters.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX), the city's exchange operator, declined to comment on individual companies or their transactions.

ROBOTS IN VOGUE

Founded in 2023 by former Huawei employees Deng Taihua and Peng Zhihui, Agibot gained prominence after Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the company's robots during a visit to Shanghai earlier this year.

The company produces humanoid robot series called Yuanzheng and Lingxi, as well as data collection tools used for model training, which it also sells externally.

The company aims to deploy its humanoid robots across various sectors including manufacturing and logistics. At its data collection site in Shanghai, the company trains its robots to carry out tasks such as folding clothes, making coffee and washing toilets.

In August, Agibot announced a partnership worth tens of millions of yuan with automotive parts maker Fulin Precision Engineering to deploy nearly 100 Yuanzheng robots at Fulin's factories.

In the same month, the company also completed a strategic financing round with investors including LG Electronics and Mirae Asset. Chinese automaker BYD and asset manager Hillhouse Investment are also among its investors, according to corporate database Qichacha.
Hungarian novelist Laszlo Krasznahorkai was named on Thursday the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, 23 years after the honour was bestowed on another Hungarian writer, Imre Kertesz.

The awards panel said Krasznahorkai was honoured for his compelling and visionary work that, reaffirms the power of art in the midst of apocalyptic terror.



He was born in 1954 in Gyula, in south-eastern Hungary near the Romanian border.



His first novel, Satan Tango; set in a similarly remote rural environment, created a literary sensation in Hungary when it was published in 1985 and proved to be a breakthrough for the writer. It was later made into a seven-and-a-half-hour film by director Bela Tarr.



The book was eventually published in English translations by poet George Szirtes, as were The Melancholy of Resistance (1989) and War and War (1999), also mentioned among Krasznahorkais more significant works.



Krasznahorkai gave a brief English language statement for the Swedish National Radio station on Thursday. He said he is very happy, calm and nervous at the same time, adding You know, this is the first day in my life when I won a Nobel Prize.



The novelist has said he did not plan to be a writer and originally planned to write only one novel. But he was not happy with Satan Tango, so he wrote another one to correct the errors of the first book. He said his whole life is about corrections.



MTI Reports:



The Academy awarded Krasznahorkai "for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art," Mats Malm, the secretary of the academy, said in his laudation.



"Laszlo Krasznahorkai is a great epic writer in the Central European tradition that extends through Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, and is characterised by absurdism and grotesque excess. But there are more strings to his bow, and he also looks to the East in adopting a more contemplative, finely calibrated tone," the academy said in a statement.



Krasznahorkai, 71, will receive 11 million Swedish crowns (HUF 388m) along with the prize, which is traditionally handed over on Dec 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel's death.



President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban have congratulated Krasznahorkai for his Nobel Prize.



"I warmly congratulate Laszlo Krasznahorkai for his Nobel Prize in Literature," Sulyok said on Facebook.



"The pride of Hungary, the first Nobel Prize winner from Gyula, Laszlo Krasznahorkai. We congratulate you," Orban said on Facebook.



Opposition Tisza Party leader Peter Magyar and Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony also congratulated Krasznahorkai.



Magyar said on Facebook that "we respectfully congratulate Laszlo Krasznahorkai on winning the Nobel Prize in Literature". "The best novels by the latest Hungarian Nobel Prize winner depict the forgotten Hungarian provinces and the world of people oppressed by those in power," he added.



Karacsony quoted Krasznahorkai: "You have to tell people the truth, and artists must create architecture, poetry, music, science, and thought in this spirit." He added on Facebook that Krasznahorkai is "a perfect and well-deserved recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart!"



MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only
Laszlo Csizmadia, president of the pro-government COF-COKA organisation, has said the Peace March to be held on Hungary's October 23 national holiday sent a clear message that the country "will not be a colony, and we will defend our sovereignty".

Csizmadia said marchers commemorating the 1956 Hungarian Revolution will assemble at Elvis Presley Square at 9am, and march to Kossuth Square via Margit Bridge, Nyugati Square, and Alkotmany Street.



He said the march aimed to "hold high the lantern of our Peace March to illuminate Europe" and honour the heroes and martyrs of 1956, "not carrying pistols but true hearts and souls".



Csizmadia and journalist Zsolt Bayer accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European People's Party head Manfred Weber of using the Russia-Ukraine war as a distraction from their own accountability, calling their actions a "witch hunt."



Bayer argued that the EU leadership was pushing Europe into war and economic ruin, ignoring the consequences of cutting off cheap Russian energy. He also drew a parallel between Hungarys 1956 uprising against Soviet oppression and the current EUs treatment of Hungary, calling it "intolerable".



Political scientist Tamas Fricz framed the 2026 election as a "fateful decision" for Hungarys future, saying it would determine whether Hungary remained a sovereign nation or became a "subjugated colony of Brussels".



Fricz said Hungary wanted to stay in the EU but retain autonomy over key issues like the economy, tax policy, culture, and gender policies.



He warned that the opposition Tisza Party sought to impose Brussels' agenda on Hungary, making the Peace March crucial for mobilising support ahead of the election.



Andras Bencsik, editor-in-chief of the political weekly Demokrata, condemned the "army of hate" on social media, which he said had intimidated even left-wing figures into silence. He called for a "counter-army of love and unity" to preserve Hungary as the EU's "last stable, flawlessly functioning democracy".



COF-COKA spokesman Zoltan Lomnici Jr criticised the European Parliament for granting immunity to figures like Tisza Party leader Peter Magyar, Democratic Coalition leader Klara Dobrev and an "antifa criminal". "None of them will receive immunity from us," he added.



The march honours those who chose the side of the nation over communism in 1956, reinforcing the values of "Christian, national, and conservative Hungary", according to COF-COKA.



The organisers urged all Hungarians, including those from Transylvania, Vojvodina, southern Slovakia, and Carpathian Ruthenia, to join the march and demonstrate their commitment to Hungary's independence and traditional values.



MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only



Source: MTI  Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.



Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.



XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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The government supports the construction of a rapid rail line between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and the centre of Budapest in the framework of a concession, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, said at a weekly press briefing.

Gulyas said the concession would be called in January and the project could be completed within six years. He added that the rail link, terminating at Nyugati station, would cut airport transfer times to 19 minutes.



The airport trains, to run every 5-10 minutes, are expected to carry around 33,000 travellers a day, he said.



The cabinet also decided to build the M86-M87 expressway, in the northwest of the country, in the framework of a concession, he added.



For regular flyers in and out of Budapest, the journey to or from Liszt Ferenc International Airport has long been a frustration. While the airport itself functions well, the transport links - especially if you're relying on public transport - are not very convenient.



The 100E airport bus is frequently overcrowded, taxis come with surge pricing, and the existing suburban rail option is slow and requires a change, making it inconvenient.



But now, after decades of planning and at least eight abandoned proposals dating back to before 1989, the long-awaited direct rail connection is finally gaining traction.



New Concession & Plan



The Hungarian Economy Ministry has published a draft decree establishing a concession framework for the high-speed railway between Liszt Ferenc International Airport (Terminal 2) and Nyugati train station.



The project has been officially designated as being of "strategic importance for the national economy," which provides the legal basis for financing and constructing it through a concession model.



This is a significant step, especially following the government's acquisition of an 80% majority stake in the airport operator in 2024, alongside French co-investor VINCI, for a total of 3.1 billion.



The responsibility for concessions was transferred earlier this year to Economy Minister Marton Nagy, who announced in June 2025 that the line is expected to cost around 1 billion.



The government is pushing for the project to be funded and built by a concession holder over a long-term period, rather than upfront from the state budget.



Key Details & Logistics



The core of the plan involves a direct, transfer-free line linking the airport to Nyugati Station, one of Budapests busiest public transport hubs.



New Section: According to the latest announcements from Minister Nagy, new tracks will only need to be built between the airport and the Kobanya area in District X. From there, the line will be connected to the existing national railway network, running into Nyugati station.



Airport Station: The new airport station is likely to be underground due to space constraints.



Timeline: The government has indicated that the concession tender could be called before the end of 2025, with construction potentially starting within a year and a half.



Downtown Hub: Choosing Nyugati Station makes perfect sense for expats and locals alike. It's already a major railway hub with direct access to Metro Line 3, trams, and local buses, genuinely connecting travellers to virtually all parts of the city.



This investment is seen as crucial, as passenger traffic at the airport has been climbing at an average annual rate of 14% and is projected to exceed 20 million by 2030 and reach 35 million by 2040.



For anyone living in Budapest, a fast, reliable, and direct rail link is arguably the biggest infrastructure upgrade the airport could receive. It promises to eliminate the hassle of crowded buses, expensive taxis, or the slow suburban rail change.



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The employees of the state-owned firm have also received wage revision on Sunday. The move will have a financial impact of about Rs 87 crore per annum on the company. The statement also pointed out that the wage revision is for a duration of 10 years.
PM Modi, while speaking at the inauguration of the restored Stor Palace in Afghanistan via video conferencing, said that the ties between the two states will only strengthen and grow deeper in the days to come.
Referring to a recent request for proposals to hire 1,000 data-entry operators and 50 software developers for a period of one year, the Chief Minister said the move stands in contradiction to the commissions own order to district election officers (DEOs) earlier this month, asking electoral authorities in the state to refrain from engaging contractual data-entry operators and Bangla Sahayata Kendra (BSK) staff for SIR-related or other election-related data work.
Every year, World Mental Health Day serves as a reminder to prioritise emotional well-being as much as physical health. The theme continues to highlight holistic healing and one ancient practice stands out for its profound impact on mental balance: Yoga. Far beyond flexibility and fitness, yoga nurtures the mind, reduces anxiety, combats depression, and brings calm to the chaos of modern life.
By Mike Colias and David Shepardson

(Reuters) -General Motors is scrapping a program aimed at allowing its dealers to continue offering a $7,500 tax credit for several months on electric-vehicle leases following the September 30 expiration of the federal subsidy, the company said on Wednesday.

Toward the end of last month, GM devised a plan to have its in-house lending arm initiate the purchase of EVs in its dealers inventory. The company planned to apply for the federal $7,500 credit on those cars and then roll that money into EV lease terms for customers through the end of the year.

GM opted to kill the program after concerns were raised about it by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio, a former car dealer who is active in auto policy, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters.

After further consideration, we have decided not to claim the tax credit, the company said in a statement to Reuters on Wednesday, declining to elaborate on the reason for its decision.

Moreno told Reuters in an interview he was happy with GM's decision to scrap the EV tax-credit plan. "The EV subsidies ended September 30 and I'm happy that every car company" is going to abide by that. "I look forward to working with GM," he said. "We're putting a lot of policies in place to protect our domestic auto industry."

The idea behind the program was to ease the impact of the expiration of the tax credit on dealers, who worried they would be stuck with EVs that would be tough to sell. GM had planned to apply for the credit on tens of thousands of EVs in dealer stocks, according to people familiar with the plan.

Ford rolled out a similar program ahead of the tax-credit expiration. It is unclear if Ford is continuing its program. A spokesperson declined to comment.

GM had planned to claim the credit on roughly 20,000 EVs that were on dealership lots or being shipped to stores, people familiar with the matter said. Its finance arm, GM Financial, began making down payments on those vehicles before the deadline to qualify for the subsidy on each of those cars, the sources said.

In its statement on Wednesday, the company said it would "fund the incentive lease terms" through the end of October.

The formula for determining the down payments that GM Financial paid to dealers on those EVs was 5% of the maximum price for each car. For example, GM Financial would have made a down payment of about $6,300 for two Chevrolet Blazer EVs, which top out in the mid-$60,000s, according to documents GM provided to dealers outlining the terms.
On Oct. 7, GameStop (GME) announced the distribution of warrants to its shareholders and convertible noteholders as part of the previously declared warrant dividend.

The stock of this video game and gaming merchandise retailer, which fell 10% over the last week, gained 2.36% intraday on Wednesday.

Analysts see it as financial engineering to raise substantial capital without triggering immediate share dilution.

Under the terms, shareholders as of the record date of Oct 3, 2025, will be issued one warrant for every ten shares they own (rounded down). These warrants entitle holders to buy one share of GameStop stock at $32 in cash.

The Warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City time on October 30, 2026 (the Expiration Date).

GameStop's stock fell 21% year-to-dateImage source: TheStreet

A warrant, which works like a long-term option call, gives investors the right, but not the obligation, to buy stock from the company at a set price.

As this is a special dividend issued by GameStop, it is distributed free of charge to its shareholders, generating optimism among them.

More Retail Stocks:

This structure enables GameStop to defer capital raising until its share price exceeds the $32 strike price, indicating the companys confidence in its future valuation.

And if all the 59 million warrants are exercised, the company expects to generate up to $1.9 billion in gross proceeds, which will be directed towards corporate purposes, investments, and potential acquisitions.

Special dividend creates a speculative overhang

The uncertainty arises from the potential risk of share dilution if the stock trades above $32 and warrant holders exercise their rights, which could make investors hesitant to bid aggressively for the stock.

Related: GameStop takes a swipe at Microsoft after Game Pass blunder

The companys stock has been pretty volatile, with a 9% gain this month but a 20% loss year-to-date, following a surprising Q2 2025 earnings report.

GameStop's revenue jumped to $972 million, a 22% year-over-year gain. Management reported robust cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of about $8.7 billion at the quarter's end.

GameStop also revealed a significant exposure to digital assets, holding $528.6 million in Bitcoin, representing a substantial investment in the cryptocurrency.

Additionally, the company recently made news for slamming tech giant Microsoft's decision to raise the price of its Xbox Game Pass to $29.99 from $19.99 per month.
Crypto exchange Gemini announced on Wednesday that it is bolstering its services in the island nation after securing formal registration with the countrys anti-money laundering regulator, as new rules governing crypto exchanges are set to take effect.

Geminis local entity, Gemini Intergalactic Australia, Pty Ltd, is now registered with AUSTRAC, Australias financial intelligence and anti-money laundering regulator, which requires registration before offering crypto exchange services.

Prior to this, users in Australia were able to access the Gemini platform on a self-directed basis under its global entity, Decrypt was told.

The Australian government introduced a draft law last month, seeking to extend financial services oversight to crypto firms, which would require them to hold licenses under the Corporations Act.

"Our decision to expand into Australia has been in motion for some time," Saad Ahmed, head of APAC at Gemini, told Decrypt. "While we welcome the governments efforts to strengthen oversight of the sector and remain committed to full compliance, our focus on Australia stems from its strong market potential."

The exchange formally entered the Australian market in 2019, allowing users to trade a select number of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Its registration is part of a formal process being directed to all Australian crypto businesses.

As part of the changes, James Logan, former Country Manager for Luno in Australia, has been appointed Head of Australia at Gemini. Logan also previously held a role at Bitget, where he worked on expanding digital asset access to customers.

Gemini will now let Australian users trade directly in Australian dollars through local banking integrations, including NPP for instant transfers and PayID for simplified account payments, removing the need for cross-border transfers to Geminis U.S. accounts.

Crypto Exchange OKX Moves Into Australia's Self-Managed Super Fund Sector

Asked what could set Gemini apart in Australias increasingly competitive crypto market, Ahmed said that the crypto exchange is touting a combination of liquidity, regulatory rigor, and brand trust, adding that Gemini is not the cowboy-type operator that could, at times, be seen in the space.

That pedigree holds a lot of weight, especially in a market like Australia, Ahmed said in an interview with Decrypt during Token2049 in Singapore.

Australia's Regulator Eases Rules on Stablecoin Intermediaries

As for Geminis long-term plans in the country, Ahmed confirmed that the crypto exchange is also applying for an Australian Financial Services License from ASIC, the countrys financial markets regulator, to expand into regulated products such as derivatives for wholesale clients.
A Georgia car dealership put the brakes on a young mans ride when it repossessed his vehicle after allegedly stopping the automatic withdrawals hed arranged for the sky-high 34.9% interest loan. (1)

And now they say that the only way the 20-year-old Cherokee County resident can get his car back by paying the balance in full.

Its a bizarre case of a vehicle repossession despite the client reportedly both making regular loan payments on time, and keeping funds available for future payments.

As such, the young mans mother, Kimberly Carson, is speaking out, summing up her frustration in four words: These people victimized him. (2)

Meanwhile, the situation, and others like it, has sparked debate over whether this was a simple mistake or something more devious.

Must Read

Unfair repossession, or is there more to the story?

Carson told Atlantas WSB-TV that her son got his 2010 BMW from U.S. Express Auto in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and agreed to the high-interest loan because he had no credit and, thus, was using the car to help establish it.

She claims that her son paid the weekly $117 loan for eight months via automatic withdrawal from a bank account attached to her own, which had plenty of money to cover his payments.

Carson, however, says that U.S. Express Auto stopped taking the auto withdrawals in September, citing insufficient funds  a claim she disputed with screenshots showing the money available.

Nevertheless, the dealership repossessed the car and said that Carsons son can get it back if he pays for it in full by October 10. They told WSB-TV that our company follows all contractual agreements and complies with applicable state regulations, though the news report added that they are refusing to give specifics about their reasoning for the repossession.

Georgia law  like many other states  allows a lender to repossess a car without warning after a single missed payment. (3) Whats unclear is whether Carsons son actually missed one, given her claims that the funds were available and that the dealership allegedly refused to process them.

Still, Denbeaux & Denbeaux Law, which deals in illegal repossession cases, notes that its a violation of the law if proper repossession procedures arent followed. That includes Lender error showing incorrect delinquency  though, again, its unknown if that claim applies here. (4)
General Motors (GM) has reversed its decision to pursue a scheme that would have enabled its dealers to offer a $7,500 tax credit on leases of electric vehicles (EVs).

The move after the scheduled end of the federal subsidy on 30 September, reported Reuters, citing sources.

According to sources, the reversal follows concerns raised by Ohio's Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, who has a background in car dealership and is involved in automotive policy discussions.

GM initially proposed a plan in which its financing division, GM Financial, would purchase EVs from dealer inventories to qualify for the federal tax credit.

The credit would then be incorporated into lease agreements for customers until the end of the year.

However, after further consideration, we have decided not to claim the tax credit, GM told the news agency, without providing further details.

Senator Moreno expressed in an interview with Reuters that he was happy with GM's decision to scrap the EV tax-credit plan.

Moreno said: I look forward to working with GM. We're putting a lot of policies in place to protect our domestic auto industry.

The programme was designed to mitigate the impact of the tax credit's expiration on dealers, who feared difficulty in selling EVs without the incentive.

Sources said that GM had intended to claim the credit on approximately 20,000 EVs that were either in dealership lots or en route to stores.

GM Financial had even started making down payments on these vehicles prior to the deadline to secure the subsidy for each car, sourced added.

The news agency said that down payments made by GM Financial to dealers for the EVs were calculated at 5% of each vehicle's maximum price.

The plan was hastily assembled just days before the tax credit was set to expire, with GM outlining the details to dealers on a call on 29 September.

Last month, GM announced that it would be scaling back production at one of its key EV manufacturing plants, a move attributed to reduced federal support for EVs during the tenure of former US President Donald Trump.

"GM withdraws plan to extend EV tax credits after policy scrutiny  report" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




Scammers are at it again, this time sending official-looking letters on fake U.S. Supreme Court letterhead. The Social Security Administration's Inspector General wants you to know: these letters are completely fake.

What the scam looks like

The letter arrives addressed to you personally. It uses forged signatures of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The scammers claim you're a suspect in criminal proceedings. They'll drop names  real SSA officials, New Mexico's Attorney General Raul Torrez  to make it feel legitimate.

The letter says your Social Security number has been compromised. That the DEA (which they incorrectly call the "Drug Enforcement Agency") is involved. That the Supreme Court has ordered your bank accounts frozen. That you can't keep more than $10,000 in any bank or $80,000-$100,000 in investments.

Then comes the threat: cooperate with the Treasury Department or face "full liability" for losses when your Social Security number gets suspended.

It's all designed to scare you into acting fast.

The sophistication should worry you

"Even though this scam looks more sophisticated, it follows the same playbook we've been seeing for years  impersonate authority, create fear, and rush the victim into compliance," notes Melissa Caro, a certified financial planner with My Retirement Network. When scammers start using forged Supreme Court letterhead and real officials' names, it tells you how much they're investing in making these schemes believable.

People tend to assume they'd never fall for something like this. But when an official-looking document says you're under investigation or tied to a criminal case, logic can go out the window. That's exactly the point.

The Supreme Court generally does not mail you letters. Image source: Shutterstock

This Supreme Court scam isn't theoretical

Marguerita Cheng, a certified financial planner with Blue Ocean Global Wealth shares a recent case: her husband  a federal employee, CPA, and auditor  had to go to the Social Security office in person this week after someone filed a fraudulent claim on his record. The fraudster also opened a bank account at Wells Fargo in his name. He only caught it because he received a notice from SSA about a request to update his bank account information.

If it can happen to a federal auditor, it can happen to anyone.

Who's most vulnerable to scams like this

While younger generations have grown more skeptical of these schemes, older Americans remain the primary targets. Catherine Valega, a certified financial planner with Green Bee Advisory, points out that "it is the oldest generations that are susceptible."
There arent many upsides to the US government being shut down, most notably its the next big step forward to autocracy. But if looking for a golden needle in a grain pile of wheat, then I can say the fact the US government has been sucked into a black hole for what was supposed to be a USDA WASDE report day means the industry will be forced to actually pay attention to what markets are saying about supply and demand. The reality is this wont happen. Most of the industry will spend the day like an addict going through withdrawal. Those who have to have numbers to plug into spreadsheets, regardless of if the numbers are completely imaginary, will have tears in their eyes as they stare at empty Excel cells. Some members of ag media will interview each other, asking and answering questions about how they intend to fill empty time and space without the endless stream of made-up government numbers. Meanwhile, those who actually take markets seriously will go on about their business as if today is just another day ending in y. In other news, both gold and silver took a breather from recent rallies to post modest losses pre-dawn Thursday.

The corn market was quietly lower overnight through early Thursday morning. Yes, that is the same opening line as yesterday, but as the old saying goes, if it aint broke, dont fix it. As of this writing the December issue (ZCZ25) has posted an overnight trading range of 1.75 cents on trade volume of 15,000 contracts and was sitting 0.25 cent lower. Exciting stuff, right? Given this, what do we know about corns real fundamentals as we head into this report day? The National Corn Index ($CNCI) was priced at $3.8125 Wednesday evening a price that would put the Index in the lower 20% of the price distribution range based on weekly closes only back through 2020. This tells us available supplies in relation to demand are on the large end of the range over the past 5 years. National average basis was calculated Wednesday evening at 40.75 cents under December futures, as compared to 32.25 cents under December this same week last year, which was also the previous 5-year low weekly close for this week. Therefore, we know immediate supply and demand is also more bearish. Longer-term, the Dec-July futures spread covered 41% calculated full commercial carry versus last years spread covering 42% this same week indicating an outlook for continued solid demand.
A fashion novel about what happens when American budget jeans brands Lee and Wrangler team up with Norwegian outdoor specialist Helly Hansen might leave one struggling to see just where the plot was headed.

The brands come from two different worlds and the age of the big houses of brands has dimmed in the U.S. as VF Corp. shrank, Tapestry Inc.s deal to buy Capri Holdings fell apart and producers like PVH Corp. focused in on their biggest brands.

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But Scott Baxter, president, chief executive officer and chair of Kontoor Brands Inc., believes he knows where its all going.

In large part, thats because hes been there before.

Baxter, architect of the $900 million deal that brought Helly Hansen into the Kontoor fold, is a VF veteran who helped buy and sell brands and was ultimately tapped to lead the spinoff of Wrangler and Lee.

Now hes running with Kontoor  and starting to practice the art of portfolio management again. This time hes coming at it with a more mature and patient approach.

If theres a lesson I have learned personally, [its that] experience matters, it really does, Baxter told WWD.

If I was in this role, and I was 40 years old, I probably wouldve bought something earlier, said Baxter, whos led Kontoor as a stand-alone company for over six years. I wouldve just gone after a trophy earlier. But this time, I knew we had to wait for the right thing.

When I was 40, I thought really long term [about my career], I had 20-something years left, he said. Now, at 61, I actually think much more long-term about the company, because my focus has shifted to all about the company.

And Baxter said what Kontoor needed was Helly Hansen, explaining:

Kontoor has credibility in the outdoor space given the past association with VF, which has a giant business with The North Face.

Helly Hansen has built a big European business and has years of growth ahead of it in North America, a market Kontoor knows well.

And because the cultures of the two companies mesh well.

Corporate culture and how two companies will vibe together as one is something that dealmakers only sometimes talk about. But Baxter said it should always be at the top of the list.

After doing a bunch of acquisitions for a long time, and divestitures too, I learned one thing  its not so much the asset. People get caught up in the asset, he said. Some people get caught up in the financial returns. Some people get caught up in the financial synergies. If you cant get the culture, throw it all out the window.
Hino Motors, a truck unit of Toyota Motor, alongside Daimler Truck subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus, have outlined plans to consolidate their production facilities in Japan.

The move is a preparatory step towards their planned merger and the formation of a new holding company, Archion.

The consolidation process will reduce the number of domestic truck production sites from five to three, with operations focusing on the Kawasaki Plant in Kanagawa Prefecture, the Koga Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the Nitta Plant in Gunma Prefecture.

As part of this restructuring, Mitsubishi Fuso will shutter its Nakatsu plant in Aikawa, and Hino will transition its Hamura plant in Tokyo to Toyota.

Joint investments in next-generation technologies are also on the agenda for Hino and Mitsubishi Fuso, with backing from Toyota and Daimler Truck, each securing a 25% stake in Archion.

The integration of operations under Archion is expected to be completed by April.

Archion's leadership has been confirmed, with Karl Deppen of Mitsubishi Fuso set to take on the role of CEO.

Hetal Laligi will step in as CFO, and Satoshi Ogiso, currently president of Hino Motors, will become the chief technology officer.

Deppen said: With the strong brands Fuso and Hino, we will provide superior products and solutions for our customers and their needs. Archion will implement an effective governance model to build trust by promoting transparency, compliance and improving financial performance.

The merger is set to leverage Hino's medium- and heavy-duty truck expertise with Mitsubishi Fuso's focus on light-duty vehicles.

The aim is to create a synergy that will lead to more competitive products, cost-efficient operations, and quicker time-to-market for new launches.

The companies intend to reallocate savings from integration and improved efficiencies towards investments in the CASE domain (Connected/Autonomous & Automated/Shared/Electric).

Additionally, Archion plans to develop a range of products across all zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) segments, drawing on the technological prowess and scale of the Toyota and Daimler Truck network.

Ogiso commented: By combining the strengths of all four companies, we will accelerate the development of CASE technologies and shape the future of commercial mobility. To achieve this, we will foster a corporate culture that values mutual learning and respects diversity.

"Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso to merge production operations in Japan" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.
Swedish home furnishings retailer Ikea advanced efforts to take control over its delivery fulfillment network by acquiring U.S.-based logistics technology company Locus on Tuesday.

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Ingka Group, the largest retailer for Ikea, acquired the AI-powered platform for an undisclosed sum. (Locus raised $50 million in funding in 2021, pushing its valuation to $300 million at the time.) The deal is expected to bolster the furniture retailers distribution capabilities.

This acquisition aligns perfectly with our commitment to improving the customer journey at every touchpoint, said Tolga Oncu, head of Ikea Retail (Ingka Group). By bringing Locuss technology in-house, were taking control of a crucial element in our fulfilment chain, allowing us to deliver with greater speed and flexibility to the many.

The Locus platform provides fulfillment automation, advanced route optimization, real-time tracking and enhanced vehicle utilization. Ikea said leveraging this technology will allow it to increase efficiency throughout its supply chain, from managing capacity to final-mile delivery.

Ikeas online sales have surged from 11% of total sales in 2019 to 28% last year. The company mostly relies on third-party providers to execute home delivery. This acquisition marks a significant shift, bringing a critical part of the fulfillment process in-house.

Parag Parekh, global chief digital officer for Ikea Retail, said the acquisition strengthens the companys digital capabilities, which are needed to meet rising customer expectations, while ensuring the quality and reliability Ikea is known for.

Ingka Group has made other acquisitions to firm up Ikeas distribution network. In 2023, it acquired warehouse management software provider Made4net, and in 2017, it purchased furniture assembly company TaskRabbit.

Ikea announced a $2.2 billion-plus, three-year investment in its omnichannel strategy in 2023. That plan included opening new stores and expanding its fulfillment network.

Following the acquisition, Locus will remain operationally independent, continuing to serve its existing enterprise clients in addition to Ikea.

Locus Founder and CEO Nishith Rastogi said the partnership preserves our independence and ensures our perpetuity, while unlocking the scale and resources to serve our global enterprise customers with unmatched research and development.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:
ExxonMobil has reached a non-binding agreement with the Iraqi Government to assist in the development of the Majnoon oilfield and enhance oil exports.

Bloomberg previously reported that the US-based oil and gas company is looking to re-enter Iraq two years after leaving.

According to a Reuters report, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced a non-binding agreement with Exxon but did not provide details.

It follows Iraq's recent deals with other oil companies including Chevron, bp and TotalEnergies as the country seeks to offer more attractive terms to foreign investors.

Iraq has some of the largest oil and gas reserves globally and aims to increase its output significantly, targeting more than six million barrels per day (mbbl/d) by 2029.

Currently, the country produces around 4mbbl/d as challenges such as bureaucratic hurdles, corruption and infrastructure issues hinder progress.

Located 60km from Basra, Majnoon is among the worlds largest oilfields with an estimated 38 billion barrels of oil in place.

The agreement with Exxon will include a profit-sharing arrangement for crude oil and refined products, as well as plans to enhance Iraq's oil export infrastructure in the southern region.

Additionally, Iraq's state oil company, the State Organization for Marketing of Oil, is expected to formalise an agreement with Exxon.

The agreement aims to secure storage capacity in the Asian market, potentially leveraging Exxon's facilities in Singapore, said the report.

Basra Oil Company former crude operations manager and oil analyst Muwafaq Abbas said that the agreement reflects Iraqi officials' push to modernise the country's energy sector and improve relations with Washington.

Abbas said: The deals carry political weight, signalling Baghdad's intent to rebalance regional ties and deepen its integration with Western markets."

A spokesperson for Exxon told Reuters: We are pleased to have signed an HoA (heads of agreement) with the Iraqi Oil Ministry to evaluate exploration, development and oil marketing opportunities in Iraq.

The US-based oil company previously entered Iraq after the 2003 US invasion but abandoned the West Qurna project due to unsatisfactory returns.

The company also attempted to develop fields in the Kurdistan region but withdrew from those projects as well, citing poor exploration results.

Following its departure from the West Qurna 1 oilfield, Exxon transferred its stake and operatorship to PetroChina.

Recently, Iraq resumed oil exports from its semi-autonomous Kurdistan region to Turkiye after more than two-and-a-half years.
Italian prosecutors have asked for judicial administration to be imposed on shoemaker Tod's amid allegations of labour exploitation within its supply chain, as reported by Reuters.

The request, which would make Tod's the sixth luxury label in Italy to face such oversight since the start of 2024, emerged in a decision by Italy's Supreme Court.

The court has set a hearing for 19 November 2025 to resolve a jurisdictional dispute between Milan prosecutors and an appeals court in the Marche region, where Tod's is based.

Tod's told Reuters that it had been notified of the upcoming hearing but had no further details.

"We can only reiterate that Tod's complies with current legislation, including labour law, and that constant checks are carried out on the workshops we select and use," the company stated.

It added that workshops sign agreements before starting work, guaranteeing the quality of employees' work environments and compliance with labour contracts.

But prosecutors allege that Tod's "culpably failed" to adequately oversee its suppliers in pursuit of higher profits.

The company itself is not the subject of a criminal probe, with the focus on addressing issues in the supply chain.

The Milan appeals court had found the prosecutors' request for administration to be well founded but ruled that territorial jurisdiction lay with the Marche region.

The Supreme Court will now determine which authority should proceed.

Recent investigations by Italian magistrates have uncovered widespread exploitation in fashion and luxury supply chains.

Responding to the Tod's case, industry minister Adolfo Urso stated that the government had proposed a bill to introduce legal certification for fashion companies, allowing brands to obtain preemptive thirdparty certification of their supply chains' legal compliance.

"With this measure, it will be possible to secure Italy's fashion supply chain, a source of pride for 'Made in Italy', and protect its reputation worldwide," Urso said.

Previous judicial administrations have been imposed on highend firms including Loro Piana, and units linked to Valentino, Dior, Armani and Alviero Martini.

Previous measures relating to Armani, Dior and Alviero Martini were later lifted after the companies aligned their practices with legal requirements.

In 2024, private equity company L Catterton, backed by LVMH, took Tod's private in agreement with the Della Valle family, the group's main shareholder.

"Italian prosecutors seek judicial administration for Tods over labour claims" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
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There's been a lot of excitement about last week's ruling by a federal judge in Boston that the Trump administration, in its efforts to deport college students holding objectionable political views, violated the First Amendment. Commentators have described the opinion by District Judge William G. Young as "blistering" and a "landmark"  and so on in that vein. And I'm pleased to see that the court tried to find a way to extend the protections of free speech to those present in the country on temporary visas.

But even though I'm in sympathy with the outcome, I find the celebrated opinion itself oddly unpersuasive, perhaps because the judge sets out to answer the wrong question. Appalled as I am by the administration's assault on dissent, I wonder whether constitutional rights give us the proper lens through which to study what's gone so constitutionally wrong.

Here's a nice, clear democratic principle: The government should not keep track of what the people subject to its jurisdiction are saying  no surveillance, no recordkeeping, and certainly, no punishment. Yes, there are rare exceptions, but they must remain rare. Otherwise, debate suffers, which means that democracy suffers. Here's a corollary: The government should neither be granted nor presumed to possess broad powers that would enable it to violate the principle.

As any libertarian will be quick to note, that's not really a point about the rights of individuals; it's a point about the structure and limits of government.

To see why, let's turn to Association of American University Professors v. Rubio, the decision handed down by Judge Young . The plaintiffs  three chapters of the AAUP, together with the Middle East Studies Association  argue jointly that their members' speech has been chilled by the crackdown on noncitizens who, in the words of President Donald Trump's day-one executive order, "espouse hateful ideology"  in particular, speech that is pro-Palestinian or anti- Israel .

The deportations around which the case revolves arise from the exercise of the secretary of state's statutory authority to deport visa holders for otherwise lawful "beliefs, statements, or associations," but only if failing to do so would, in the secretary's judgment, "compromise a compelling United States foreign policy interest." The secretary holds the even broader authority to revoke a visa "at any time, in his discretion."

These are breathtaking grants of authority about which, as scholars often complain, there's remarkably little law. The issue before the court  an issue around which judges have traditionally tiptoed  was whether the First Amendment limits those and similar discretionary federal powers over visa holders. For example, the government cannot punish one of its own citizens for the most vile expression of anti-Semitic views; contrary to what left and right too often seem to think, the First Amendment admits no exception for "hate" speech. But what about a noncitizen on a student visa? Are the rules the same? That was, until recently, ground largely untrod.

Judge Young concludes that the secretary of state's broad discretion does not extend to deporting visa holders on the basis of speech alone, no matter how odious; and he concludes further that it was speech, and only speech, which prompted the visa revocations at issue.

I'm a near-absolutist on free speech, so I like the outcome. But the opinion itself is problematic  sufficiently problematic, I suspect, to invite reversal on appeal. For one thing, it's unnecessarily long (more than 160 pages) and, to be frank, sloppily written  with lots of repetition, meandering detours into politics, and such elementary errors as confusing "staunch" and "stanch." The New York Times , with old-fashioned understatement, called the opinion "exhaustive and winding." Parts of the text read like a press release  a feature that may help explain why the news media found the opinion so quotable. Moreover, the judge dismisses with just a few sentences the most relevant Supreme Court precedent.(1)

The difficulties emerge, I suspect, not from any inability to cope with the issues, but from the challenge of trying to fit into a First Amendment framework what's really a problem of government power in a democracy.

Another immigration-related example might help make the point. First Amendment fans are up in arms about Apple's recent decision to yield to Department of Justice pressure and remove from its app store ICEBlock and other applications that crowdsource information enabling users to track, in real time, the location of immigration agents. The developer says the app can help people avoid the area; the Justice Department says it can endanger federal personnel; and, reportedly, the Dallas detention center shooter used this app or a similar app to locate targets.

But the issue isn't whether true information can be misused by those with wicked agendas; the issue is the lack of debate over what amounts in practice to government pressure for a ban. The ease with which the Justice Department swept ICEBlock out of the app store is concerning. If the federal government is so large and powerful that the mightiest corporations in the world tremble at its slightest whim, what chance do ordinary individuals have when its angry gaze burns our way?

The real challenge we face is the vast power we have concentrated in the federal government in general and in the presidency in particular. As much as we might talk about courts as checks on executive authority, the sad truth is that Congress has granted the president too much authority to check. Whatever lever of power a judge might refuse to let the administration use, there's always another to tug. (See the Harvard litigation.)

Maybe it's too late to imagine a smaller federal establishment with fewer powers. But as current events illustrate, if that's the case, then the only real check is the ethical compass of the occupant of the Oval Office and those who advise him. Right now, they don't seem to be pointing true north.

____

(1) In addition, the opinion seems to misread the Supreme Court's most recent cases on the standing of associations to assert the rights of their members  a simple ground for reversal, should an appellate court prefer not to reach the merits of the case.

Stephen Lisle Carter is an American legal scholar who serves as the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale Law School. He writes on legal and social issues.
Amazon (AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos recently joined the growing chorus of voices calling out an AI bubble, but his take offers a surprisingly optimistic spin. Speaking at Italian Tech Week, Bezos acknowledged the market is experiencing what he called an "industrial bubble," where investors are funding both good and bad ideas indiscriminately.

The comparison to the dot-com crash worries many investors, but Bezos sees a crucial difference. Industrial bubbles, he argued, often produce lasting benefits for society even when individual companies fail.

More News from Barchart

He pointed to the biotech boom of the 1990s, which led to the development of life-saving drugs despite incurring billions in losses and numerous bankruptcies. Bezos emphasized that the bubble doesn't invalidate AI's transformative potential.

The technology is real and will impact every industry, he said, improving quality and productivity across companies worldwide. His own Amazon continues to bet big on AI, constructing data centers and developing custom chips to meet surging demand.

Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO David Solomon echoed similar concerns about market froth while acknowledging AI's powerful enterprise potential. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously warned that smart people get overexcited during bubbles but maintained that the economic upside would be substantial.

Nvidia Provides Both Safety and Opportunity

For investors seeking safety amid the AI frenzy, Nvidia (NVDA) stands out among the Magnificent 7. Over the last three years, Nvidia's stock has increased by 1,400%. Despite these outsized gains, NVDA stock trades at a reasonable forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 32.5x, which is above the 10-year average of 36.7x.

This relative valuation discount, combined with Nvidia's dominant position in AI infrastructure, suggests the company offers a more grounded entry point than other AI-related stocks trading at stratospheric valuations with minimal revenue to show for it.

www.barchart.com

The Bull Case for NVDA Stock

Nvidia continues to cement its position as the backbone of the AI revolution. It has recently announced several partnerships across various verticals, including quantum computing and robotics. The chipmaker unveiled breakthroughs across multiple fronts. In quantum computing, Nvidia's CUDA-X libraries are accelerating error correction and circuit optimization.
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Investment bank Jefferies disclosed Wednesday that one of its credit funds has roughly $715 million in exposure linked to bankrupt auto parts supplier First Brands.

The exposure represents nearly a quarter of a $3 billion trade finance portfolio managed by Point Bonita Capital, a subsidiary of Jefferies Leucadia Asset Management.

Not all of the exposure is carried on Jefferies balance sheet, though. About $113 million of Point Bonitas total invested equity of $1.9 billion comes from Leucadia.

The $715 million figure comprises invoices from retailers such as Walmart, AutoZone, NAPA, OReilly Auto Parts and Advanced Auto Parts that bought windshield wipers, oil filters, spark plugs and other auto parts from First Brands.

Point Bonita primarily carried out invoice factoring, which means repayment relies on the retailers rather than First Brands.

In its filing Wednesday, Jefferies disclosed that First Brands stopped directing timely transfers of funds from the [retailers] on Point Bonitas behalf on Sept. 15.

Two weeks later, First Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after investor scrutiny tanked a debt refinancing.

First Brands, in its bankruptcy filings, indicated that its special advisers were investigating whether invoices had been turned over to third-party factors upon receipt or whether the invoices were factored more than once.

We have not yet received any information regarding the results of that investigation, Jefferies wrote Wednesday. We are in communication with First Brands advisers and are working diligently to determine what the impact on Point Bonita might be.

Another Jefferies subsidiary, Apex Credit Partners, held $48 million in loans to First Brands, the investment bank disclosed Wednesday. Apex, a structured finance joint venture with MassMutual, managed the loans, which are owned by 12 collateralized loan obligations and one financing warehouse.

Jefferies is not the only bank to see exposure to First Brands debt. Swiss banking giant UBS counted more than $500 million in exposure to the auto parts supplier, according to First Brands bankruptcy filings.

Wednesdays disclosure, however, comes days after the Financial Times reported Jefferies earned undisclosed fees on the financing it provided to First Brands.
We came across a bullish thesis on Kimberly-Clark Corporation on Max Dividendss Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls thesis on KMB. Kimberly-Clark Corporation's share was trading at $123.82 as of September 23rd. KMBs trailing and forward P/E were 16.94 and 15.65 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.

Pixabay/Public Domain

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) is a global leader in everyday consumer essentials, producing iconic brands such as Kleenex tissues, Huggies diapers, Scott paper towels, and Cottonelle. Founded in 1872 in Wisconsin, the company transitioned from newsprint to household staples, achieving widespread brand recognition with Kleenex in 1924 and Huggies in 1978. Today, its products are sold in over 175 countries, reaching nearly every American household. Kimberly-Clarks enduring success is rooted in resilience, predictability, and essential consumer demand, which remain stable regardless of economic cycles.

The company has consistently converted this steady demand into strong cash flows, supporting 52 consecutive years of dividend increases, earning it Dividend King status. Its current dividend yield stands at approximately 3.6%, with five-year growth averaging 34% annually and a sustainable payout ratio. Beyond dividends, Kimberly-Clark has returned significant capital to shareholders through share buybacks, reinforcing its long-term investor appeal. The companys competitive advantage lies in its trusted brands, global distribution, and consumer loyalty, which collectively protect it from local economic downturns while maintaining shelf dominance in grocery stores worldwide.

While not a high-growth tech play, KMB offers a reliable, cash-generating business model that rewards patience and long-term investment. Its combination of steady revenue streams, brand strength, and disciplined capital allocation makes it an attractive option for dividend-focused investors seeking both income and stability. For those seeking predictability and compounding wealth through dividends, Kimberly-Clark represents a blueprint for resilient, long-term value creation.

Previously we covered a bullish thesis on Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) by Kontra in October 2024, which highlighted the companys diversified global presence, strong brands, and consistent growth in oral care, pet nutrition, and personal care segments. The company's stock price has depreciated approximately by 20.21% since our coverage. This is because the thesis didnt fully play out amid macro challenges. The thesis still stands as CL remains a quality compounder. Max Dividends shares a similar perspective but emphasizes Kimberly-Clarks reliable dividends, resilient cash flows, and essential consumer staples positioning.
By Chen Aizhu, Trixie Yap and Siyi Liu

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -The latest U.S. sanctions on Iranian petroleum exports deal a blow to Chinese refining giant Sinopec by targeting a terminal through which the state major handles one-fifth of its crude oil imports, industry executives and analysts said.

The sanctions announced on Thursday further complicate U.S.-China relations, coming ahead of planned talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month.

The move follows China's decision to tighten controls on rare earth exports and reflects Washington's continued efforts to restrict Irans oil trade with its largest customer.

Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co. Ltd, half-owned by a Sinopec logistics unit, was among the entities listed by the U.S. Treasury in a round of sanctions that also includes ships transporting Iranian crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas, as well as an independent Chinese refinery.

Rizhao Shihua terminal, in the Shandong province city of Lanshan, was designated for receiving Iranian oil on board sanctioned vessels, the U.S. said.

KEY CRUDE HUB UNDER SCRUTINY

The terminal, which runs three berths that can service VLCCs, very large crude carriers, is 50%-owned by Sinopec Kantons Holding, a Sinopec-controlled logistics operator, while the remainder is held by local-government-backed Shandong Port Group's Rizhao Port, according to Chinese business portal Qichacha.

The majority of crude oil passing through the terminal is handled by Sinopec, according to tanker tracker Vortexa and two industry executives familiar with the port.

Sinopec has steered clear of buying Iranian oil, traders and analysts have said.

A Sinopec spokesperson did not immediately comment.

Calls to Shandong Port Group and Rizhao Port went unanswered and Sinopec Kantons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest measures bring to five the number of sanctioned oil import terminals in the refining hub of Shandong, accounting for half of the province's capacity to handle VLCCs that carry 2 million barrels of oil each.

VESSELS MAY SEEK ALTERNATIVE PORTS

Shandong, where independent Chinese refiners are clustered, is the largest destination for oil shipments from sanctions-hit Iran, Venezuela and Russia.

"Compared to the previous round of sanctions on Chinese terminals, the impact could be larger," said Samuel Kong, senior analyst at FGE, which estimates that only 10-20% of the oil imported at Rizhao is from sanctioned sources.

"In the near term, we could see disruptions to discharges around Rizhao, and vessels carrying non-sanctioned barrels might seek alternative ports in Shandong to unload their cargoes."
President Trump said that the most advanced Nvidia (NVDA) chips will be reserved for US companies and kept out of China and other countries.

In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said only US customers will have access to high-quality Nvidia Blackwell chips.

"The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States," Trump said.

The White House released a fact sheet this weekend with more details about the trade agreement ironed out between Trump and China's President Xi Jinping in South Korea last week.

China will suspend additional export controls on rare earth metals and end investigations into US chip companies, according to the release. Meanwhile, the US will pause some of Trumps "reciprocal tariffs" on China for another year and will halt plans to slap a 100% tariff on Chinese exports to the US that was set to take effect this month.

The agreement struck between Trump and Xi came after months of chaos and confusion, putting on ice a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Here are some other key details we know about the thaw:

The US tariff on goods related to the production of fentanyl will drop from 20% to 10% with a promise that China would work "very hard to stop the flow." That means overall tariffs on Chinese goods will be cut to 47% from 57%.

Trump said China would purchase more US energy as part of a wider trade truce, and hinted at an unspecified transaction involving Alaskan oil and gas.

China will resume buying "tremendous amounts" of US soybeans "starting immediately," Trump said.

Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet

Here's what else to know on Trump's tariffs:

The US Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge to Trump's most sweeping tariffs  the "reciprocal" country-by-country duties. A ruling against the tariffs  which would be in line with lower-court decisions  could have significant ramifications for Trump's tariff strategy. Trump said he planned to skip the Supreme Court hearing this week over the legality of his global tariffs.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted that the Supreme Court, which is due to meet on Wednesday to decide the legality of President Trump's tariffs, will not be able to stop the duties, touting the alternative authorities the Trump administration can use.

A spat over an ad featuring the late Ronald Reagan has grown into an international incident, with Trump threatening to raise tariffs on Canada by an additional 10%.

The US Senate passed several resolutions that would end several of Trump's country-specific tariffs, in a rare rebuke of the president from several members of his own party.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER

145 updates
(Reuters) -Latin American e-commerce firm MercadoLibre will test the waters for online pharmaceutical sales in Brazil through its newly acquired drugstore, its local head said on Thursday, a first step in entering the country's multi-billion-dollar online medicine market.

Uruguay-based MercadoLibre, Latin America's largest company by market cap, already sells medicines online in Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Colombia, but not in Brazil, the firm's largest market.

In a call with journalists, executive Fernando Yunes confirmed recent media reports that MercadoLibre had acquired a physical drugstore in Brazil, a requirement under local law for companies selling pharmaceuticals.

Yunes said the company does not intend to build a nationwide drugstore chain. Another executive added that the goal is to allow small and medium-sized drugstores to sell in MercadoLibre's e-commerce platform in Brazil, and not to compete directly with pharmaceutical companies.

"The pharmaceutical sector is the only one in Brazil that we do not operate in. It's a sector where we see potential for improvement in access," Yunes said. "We want to be a marketplace, we want drugstores selling on MercadoLibre."

Next steps will depend on how its first drugstore performs, executives said.

MercadoLibre is also talking with Brazilian authorities to update the country's regulation for the pharmaceutical sector, which creates operational challenges, Yunes noted.

"Brazilian law was created a long time ago. We believe it needs to be modernized. This will allow pharmacies to have greater access to customers," he added.

(Reporting by Michael Susin; Writing by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Kylie Madry and Natalia Siniawski)
Tesonet Global, UAB

This May, Tesonet, a founders-led group, launched a nationwide initiative offering schools in Lithuania free access to two advanced AI tools, nexos.ai and Hostinger Horizons. The goal behind the initiative is to bring both teachers and students in the 9-12th grades up to speed with the latest developments in AI, ensuring Lithuanian competitiveness on the global stage.

As of October 7, over 250 schools  representing more than 40,000 students and 500 teachers  have registered to participate.

Registered schools have already gained access to nexos.ai, an all-in-one AI platform integrating the latest AI models, and Hostinger Horizons, an AI-powered website creation tool. The first dedicated onboarding events took place from October 79 in Vilnius and Kaunas, where teachers were trained on how to effectively integrate these tools into the classroom.

Due to high interest and active engagement from schools and bigger impact, registration for the initiative remains open throughout the academic year for all Lithuanian teachers and schools.

Simona Laiconaite, Director of the progressive initiatives fund Tesonet Foundation, emphasizes that educational change does not happen automatically  it is driven by schools, their managers' leadership and decisions. Current numbers indicate that approximately one in three students in grades 912 will take part in the project. Technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and the ability to keep up, understand its potential, and leverage it is essential for individuals, companies, and the country to remain competitive and foster creativity. That is why registration will remain open all year, giving new schools access to the initiative.

By providing access to Lithuanias most advanced AI tools, the initiative enables students to experiment and create their first digital business ideas, encouraging entrepreneurship and future founders. At the same time, it supports teachers by enhancing the quality of education and fostering a more engaging, creative learning environment. Focus groups with teachers conducted over the summer confirmed that AI can act as an assistant  helping create more creative projects and tasks supporting students emotional readiness in class, and significantly reducing administrative workload, S. Laiconaite added.

The success of this project depends primarily on the engagement of schools and teachers. Students are already using AI, but it is crucial to integrate it meaningfully into the learning process. Not all students have access to these technologies, so ensuring equal opportunities is also vital. Generation AI promotes using AI for education and entrepreneurship, not just leisure, said Simona.
By Bhanvi Satija and Maggie Fick

LONDON (Reuters) -Wall Street is looking to U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly and Anglo-Swedish rival AstraZeneca as the potential next in line after Pfizer struck a deal with Donald Trump's administration to lower drug prices last week.

Reuters spoke to seven healthcare analysts and investors. Four said Lilly could be next to make a deal, while three pointed to AstraZeneca. Others mentioned Merck, AbbVie, Regeneron and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Reuters could not independently confirm any such deals were in the offing, but drugmakers have been jostling to get a deal after Pfizer's September 29 agreement that pledged lower prices via Medicaid for relief on tariffs on imported medicines.

Lucy Coutts, a UK-based investment director at wealth manager JM Finn, predicted that AstraZeneca could be next after it broke ground on a $4.5 billion plant in Virginia this week and is planning a U.S. listing of its shares.

"I'd like to think it will be AstraZeneca given revenues from U.S., its investment in manufacturing and R&D in the US and implementing a dual listing on NYSE," she said.

Lilly said it did not have specific details to share about its discussions with the administration at this time. AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

READING THE PHARMA SECTOR TEA LEAVES

Reading the tea leaves with President Trump, however, is not for the faint-hearted. The Pfizer deal caught many in the industry unaware, though most firms have been looking to get into his good books amid threats of tariffs.

The Pfizer deal boosted pharma sector shares, with Eli Lilly the biggest gainer since then and AstraZeneca second. Denmark's Novo Nordisk, Pfizer itself and Novartis lag.

Reuters reported last week that the U.S. government is pursuing deals across as many as 30 industries - including pharmaceuticals. According to two sources, pharma executives are receiving near-daily calls from senior government officials.

Gareth Powell, head of healthcare at London-based investment fund Polar Capital, said that an announcement from Lilly could be in the works, followed by AstraZeneca.

Eli Lilly said last month it will invest $5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Virginia, part of a $27 billion U.S. expansion over the next five years.

Several other pharmaceutical giants - including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson - have announced U.S. investments this year.

Lilly and AstraZeneca were among the 17 leading drug companies who received a letter from Trump in July telling them to slash prices to match those paid overseas.
Bank of North Dakota, in collaboration with financial technology giant Fiserv, has announced plans to launch Roughrider Coin, the first state-backed stablecoin in the US.

According to official reports, Roughrider Coin will launch on the Fiserv digital asset platform, fully backed by US dollars. It will be available to North Dakota banks and credit unions in 2026, aiming to streamline bank-to-bank transactions, global payments, and merchant adoption.

Governor Kelly Armstrong cited the need for a more efficient financial system as a key driver behind the decision.

As one of the first states to issue our own stablecoin backed by real money, North Dakota is taking a cutting-edge approach to creating a secure and efficient financial ecosystem for our citizens, said North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong.

Fiserv, which currently processes over 90 billion transactions annually across 10,000 financial institutions, will provide the underlying blockchain architecture for Roughrider Coin.

Fiservs COO Takis Georgakopoulos also emphasized the need for blockchain technology to deliver faster digital payments.

With Roughrider Coin, were bringing together the reliability of traditional finance and the innovation of blockchain to deliver faster and smarter digital payments, Fiservs COO Takis Georgakopoulos noted.

Stablecoin Market Crosses $300B as US Regulations Drive International Impact

The Roughrider Coin launch comes as the global stablecoin market surpasses $313 billion, reflecting a 21.4% increase since July when US President Donald Trump signed the Genius Act into law.

Improved regulatory clarity in the US has driven corporate adoption of stablecoin globally. Existing players Tether and Circle have invested in new Layer-1 chains, Plasma and Arc, to enhance stablecoin utility for USDT and USDC respectively.

While new players like Trump-backed USD1 added $2.3 billion in market capitalization within three months post-launch, nine European banks collaborated to issue a euro-denominated stablecoin in September.

Read original story North Dakota to Launch Roughrider Coin: First US State-Backed Stablecoin on Fiserv Platform by Ibrahim Ajibade at Coinspeaker.com
North Dakotas oil heartland is feeling the aftershocks of Chevrons $53-billion merger with Hess Corp., as the supermajor trims more than 100 jobs across Minot and Tioga. Chevron told Job Service North Dakota that 111 positions63 in Minot and 48 in Tiogawill be cut beginning September 26, a larger number than initially expected.

The layoffs, part of Chevrons post-merger consolidation, come just months after the company completed the deal in July. We understand the impact this news may have on employees, their families and the communities where we operate, Chevron said, adding that severance and outplacement support will be provided.

Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, called the move part of a broader industry trend. Consolidation is part of the effort to lower per-barrel costs, he said, noting that U.S. oil producers are tightening operations as crude prices hover around $65 a barrel16% below last years average.

North Dakotas oil sector remains resilient. The state still boasts over 1,000 oil and gas job openings, and its unemployment rate sits near 2.5%. Yet drilling activity has softened: 32 rigs are currently active, down from 39 a year ago, according to the Department of Mineral Resources.

Chevron maintains that the Bakken remains integral to its long-term growth strategy. The Bakken fits nicely into our portfolio, said Chevron Vice President Kim McHugh during last months North Dakota Petroleum Council meeting. The companys combined shale footprint now spans over 2.5 million net acres across the Bakken, Permian, and DJ basinscementing its position as one of the largest U.S. shale operators.

Despite short-term layoffs, Chevrons integration of Hesss North Dakota assets is expected to yield greater efficiency and scale. The Bakken will continue to play a key role in Chevrons North American strategyanchoring its push to meet global energy demand through streamlined, high-return shale operations.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal offers fragile hope after 2-yr bloodshed in Gaza

Xinhua) 08:16, October 10, 2025

Israeli military vehicles are seen on the Israeli border with Gaza on Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

CAIRO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed to a Gaza ceasefire deal, offering a tentative path toward ending the two-year conflict that has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, injured almost 170,000 others, and left the enclave in ruins.

The deal on the "first phase" of a U.S.-backed peace plan, coming after intense negotiations in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the United States, outlines a phased Israeli withdrawal, while establishing mechanisms for prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid delivery.

While both Gazans and Israelis are experiencing moments of emotional release, political divisions within Israel's coalition government and Hamas's demand for international guarantees have somehow threatened to undermine the implementation process.

Besides, the enormous task of rebuilding Gaza and determining its political future looms large, testing whether the deal can evolve from temporary ceasefire to lasting peace.

THE PATH TO A DEAL

Both Israeli and Hamas's officials have indicated that the ceasefire deal is set for Israeli government ratification. The Israeli side said the ceasefire will take effect within 24 hours after its security cabinet votes Thursday afternoon on the agreement in a meeting, whereas Hamas said the ceasefire will take effect immediately upon Israeli government approval.

According to Israel's state-owned Kan TV, political resistance within Netanyahu's coalition, including from far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatens to complicate the voting process, but the deal will still secure majority support.

The deal establishes detailed reciprocal obligations. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Qatar's Alaraby Television Network in an interview on Thursday that Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza City, northern Gaza, as well as southern Gaza's Rafah and Khan Younis, while five border crossings will reopen for humanitarian aid.

A Palestinian child walks near temporary shelters in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

"Drone operations in the Gaza Strip's airspace will cease during the prisoner release process," which will involve "250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 other prisoners," he added.

Informed Palestinian sources told Xinhua that Hamas has provided mediators with prisoner lists "according to agreed criteria," awaiting final approval, and has begun relocating Israeli detainees to safe locations ahead of handover to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported that three Israeli army divisions have started pulling out of Gaza City since Wednesday night in preparation for redeployment around Khan Younis.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Thursday that it has "begun operational preparations" for the first of a three-phase withdrawal from Gaza, adding that "preparations and combat protocols are underway to transition to adjusted deployment lines soon."

However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also ordered the military to respond with "great force" to any potential threat or attack by Hamas in Gaza against Israeli forces.

According to an Israeli government spokeswoman, hostages would probably begin being released on Saturday or Sunday.

Hospitals in the Tel Aviv area, where the hostages are expected to arrive for medical checks and recovery, also said they are making preparations.

VOICES FROM THE GROUND

In central Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, family members of Israeli hostages embraced as reports spread of their loved ones' imminent return. Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, and Anat and Haggai Angrest, parents of soldier Matan Angrest, burst into tears of excitement in a video shared online.

"Matan and Matan are on their way home," Zangauker said. "From now on, this square will be called the Square of Hope!"

In Gaza, news of the ceasefire triggered spontaneous celebrations amid the ruins. "I want to cry and dance at the same time," Hussein al-Hindi, a 45-year-old displaced carpenter and father of three from the town of al-Zawaida in central Gaza, told Xinhua.

"For two years, we lived without sleep, listening only to explosions and the screams of the wounded," said al-Hindi, who now lives in a makeshift tent. "I still can't believe the war has truly stopped ... I wake up every morning expecting the airstrikes to begin again. All we want now is to rebuild our homes, send our children back to school, and live normal lives."

Displaced Palestinian children play at a shelter in Gaza City on Dec. 9, 2024. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Yet for the many more Gazans traumatized by the devastating conflict, the joy of hearing the news is just a flash in the pan. Abdul Majeed Haniyeh, a 52-year-old man from Deir al-Balah, who lost his teenage son in an Israeli airstrike last year, wept as he told Xinhua: "Nothing can compensate for the loss of my child, but at least no other fathers will bury their sons tonight."

Many Gazans have expressed cautious optimism, aware that previous truces have collapsed and that rebuilding their shattered lives will take years.

"The Gaza we knew no longer exists," Abed Dahman, a displaced father of five from Khan Younis, told Xinhua outside his tent. "We have to start from zero ... What we need now is not just promises but real reconstruction and a future for our children."

Despite the deal, 11 people were killed and 49 others injured by Israeli assaults across Gaza over the past 24 hours, including 13 wounded while seeking aid, Gaza-based health authorities said Thursday.

The conflict, erupted on Oct. 7, 2023 when a large-scale Hamas attack on southern Israel killed roughly 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages, has destroyed about 80 percent of Gaza's infrastructure and displaced nearly 2 million residents, apart from creating human casualties, according to UN estimates.

GUARDED OPTIMISM FROM MIDDLE EAST

The ceasefire deal has drawn widespread support from regional countries and organizations, which see it as a potential opening for broader political progress.

Hamdan described the deal as "the fruit of the steadfastness and sacrifices of the Palestinian people over two years of ongoing Israeli aggression," while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the deal to become "a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution."

In a press statement, Abbas emphasized the need to establish an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, stressing that "sovereignty over Gaza belongs to the State of Palestine." He also outlined key requirements for the deal's success: immediate implementation, release of all hostages and prisoners, unrestricted humanitarian access, and a clear reconstruction process.

Relatives and friends of Israeli hostages celebrate the Gaza ceasefire deal in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua)

Jordan and Iraq emphasized the importance of full commitment to the deal and the urgency of addressing Gaza's humanitarian crisis, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged to "closely monitor the strict implementation of the agreement," and continue contributing to the process as well as advocating for Palestinian statehood.

Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Oman also endorsed the deal. Egypt called it "a pivotal moment in the war of Gaza," Lebanese President Joseph Aoun hoped the agreement "will serve as a first step towards a permanent ceasefire," whereas the latter two highlighted the deal's potential to facilitate aid delivery and regional stability.

The Arab League also welcomed the breakthrough, with Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit calling it "good news for the people in Gaza after two years of bloodshed."

Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini on Thursday called the deal "a respite" for Gaza's traumatized population.

The UNRWA has three months of supplies ready for immediate distribution, Lazzarini said in a press statement, urging the international community to support the agency in carrying out its work and assisting those in need during this critical period ahead.

A man holds an injured girl in Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, April 17, 2025. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

However, analysts have cautioned that the deal represents only a first step. Gaza-based Palestinian political analyst Hussam al-Dajani told Xinhua that the deal, although marking an important step toward ending the war, "does not mean the conflict is over."

"Implementing the deal on the ground requires concrete international guarantees to ensure both sides' commitment," al-Dajani said. "Past experiences show that without monitoring, truces collapse quickly."

Gaza now faces two simultaneous challenges: rebuilding its devastated infrastructure and reorganizing its internal political situation, he said. "Ending the war does not end the suffering ... Gaza needs more than words; it needs a sustained international effort to ensure this tragedy is not repeated."

Yemeni political analyst Yasin Al-Tamimi said while the deal marks a diplomatic breakthrough, "the possibility of continued confrontation remains ... as the political and security dynamics that fueled this conflict are far from resolved."

"A genuine peace process requires a just solution to the Palestinian issue ... Without this, any U.S. initiative is bound to fail," Al-Tamimi told Xinhua.

Nabil al-Bukiri, director of the Arab Forum for Studies and Development, offered a more skeptical view, describing the U.S. role in the deal as more of political posturing and lacking sincerity and substance.

"Without addressing the root of the conflict -- the occupation and denial of Palestinian rights," he said, "talk of comprehensive peace remains an illusion."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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"ICE, unmask  what are you afraid of?" California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked before signing the "No Secret Police Act," a reckless state law ordering federal immigration agents to remove face coverings during operations. But it's Newsom who should be afraid, considering the shaky legal ground he's on.

SB 627 bans federal and local law enforcement officers from wearing "ski masks and similar extreme masking" and imposes civil and criminal penalties on officers who violate the new law. Its real effect is to expose them to doxxing, harassment, and potentially violent reprisals on the job and at their homes.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has already said it will not comply, and rightly so. California cannot regulate the federal government's actions in enforcing federal immigration law, much less any other federal law.

The Constitution is explicit. Article VI's Supremacy Clause declares the "laws of the United States" to be the "supreme Law of the Land." California has no authority to strip federal officers of their lawful protections and is barred from prosecuting federal law enforcement agents who are enforcing federal law.

Newsom and the oblivious state legislators who sponsored this legislative mess might want to reread the seminal Supreme Court decision In re Neagle (1890), when the court rebuked California for trying to prosecute a U.S. marshal who defended Supreme Court Justice Stephen Field from an armed attacker who tried to assassinate Field.

Who was the attacker that Marshall David Neagle shot at a railway station in the San Joaquin Valley? It was David Terry, the former chief justice of California's state supreme court. Known for his violent temper, Terry apparently had a grudge against Field over a court decision involving Terry's wife. Sounds like an unbelievable plot created by Hollywood script writers, but it actually happened.

The court held then, as it holds now, that federal officers carrying out their federal duties are immune from state prosecution and state interference in the carrying out of those duties. But it seems like California hasn't learned its lesson, doesn't it?

By demanding that federal officers be unmasked, Newsom has painted a target on their backs. Just days after he signed the law, a radical gunman opened fire on an ICE field office in Dallas, killing two detainees and injuring another before taking his own life. Recovered bullets were inscribed with the words "ANTI-ICE."

This was not an isolated episode. Attacks on ICE agents have surged over 1,000% this year. We have seen an armed attempt to storm a Texas ICE facility on Independence Day; a firebombing attempt in Portland, Oregon; a Border Patrol shooting in Texas that wounded two agents; and destructive riots in Los Angeles.

Yet Newsom mocked federal agents with his "What are you afraid of?" taunt. But what California has done is no joke. The message from Newsom and the Democrat-dominated legislature is clear: stop deporting illegal aliens, or face mob justice and violence.

While Democrats claim to defend the rule of law, Newsom and his Democrat legislative colleagues are empowering violent extremists to resist and obstruct the law, and to attack federal agents who are doing their jobs.

Federal agents have the right and duty to protect themselves and their families. These dedicated public servants will not be stopped from deporting the thousands of illegal aliens, many of them criminals, released into California by the Biden administration with Newsom's approval and support. Nor will they be demoralized by unconstitutional state edicts designed to leave them and their families exposed to violence.

If Democrats like Newsom and, for that matter, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, are truly serious about wanting to "lower the temperature," they should end their defiance of federal law and the hidden threats, instead of embracing and instigating chaos, violence, and anarchy.

They couldn't prosecute U.S. Marshall David Neagle in 1890 for protecting a Supreme Court justice. And they can't prosecute federal agents today for protecting themselves and their families.

Reread the Neagle case, Gov. Newsom. What are you afraid of?

Hans von Spakovsky is a Senior Legal Fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation and the host of the "Case in Point" podcast.



(COMMENT, BELOW)
In a surprising twist in the artificial intelligence (AI) chip wars, Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang expressed astonishment over rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) decision to grant OpenAI up to a 10% ownership stake as part of their newly announced multibillion-dollar partnership. Speaking on CNBCs Squawk Box, Huang described the move as imaginative and unique, but said he was surprised that AMD would give away 10% of the company before they even built the next-generation product. The announcement triggered a strong rally in AMDs stock, while Nvidia shares gained modestly, reflecting investor interest in how this development may affect competitive dynamics.

AMD stock is up 94% year-to-date, while Nvidia is up 44.5%, compared to the broader market gain of 16%. While Nvidias dominance remains unshakeable, Huangs reaction has sparked widespread speculation about what this unusual equity-for-chips strategy means for Nvidia. Lets find out.

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Whats the AMD-OpenAI Deal That Has Ignited the Market?

The agreement between AMD and OpenAI marks one of the most ambitious collaborations yet in the race for AI hardware dominance. Under the deal, OpenAI will purchase up to 6 gigawatts of AMDs chips, including the upcoming MI450 series, over several years. In exchange, OpenAI will receive warrants for up to 160 million AMD shares, which may amount to around 10% ownership if fully exercised.

Many feel the AMD-OpenAI agreement directly challenges Nvidias long-held leadership in the AI semiconductor business. However, Huang was eager to point out the distinctions between AMDs agreement and Nvidias own collaboration with OpenAI. Nvidia revealed plans to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI over the next decade to deploy Nvidia systems requiring around 10 gigawatts of electricity, or up to 5 million GPUs. Huang also noted that Nvidias relationship enables it to sell directly to OpenAI. He recognized that OpenAI will most likely need to raise significant funds  via income, stock, or debt  to meet its commitments.

AMDs Deal Is Bold, But Nvidias Lead Is Structural

AMDs move displayed ambition and a bold attempt to close the gap with Nvidia. However, if you are seeking the true AI juggernaut, the evidence favors Nvidia. Huangs statements indicate that Nvidias overall strategy of deep ecosystem investments and ongoing technology leadership will keep it at the forefront of the AI revolution.
Leon Neal / Getty Images Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Wednesday his only regret is not investing more in major AI players like ChatGPT maker OpenAI.

Key Takeaways

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Wednesday that AI demand has grown "substantially" in the last six months.

The CEO also said he believes the AI boom is still in its early stages, with further room for growth.

Demand for artificial intelligence is booming and only just getting started, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

This year, particularly the last six months, demand of computing has gone up substantially, the CEO told CNBC in a televised interview Wednesday, adding that that he believes the AI boom is still in its early stages, leaving room for further growth.

Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) were up 2% in recent trading, contributing to a rally in the tech sector. The chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom has seen its stock climb roughly 40% so far in 2025 as sales of its chips to power data centers surged and trade policy headwinds eased. Its move this year has helped propel Nvidia into the top spot as the world's most valuable public company, and made its CEO one of the richest people in the world.

Why This Matters for Investors

As a leading beneficiary of the AI boom, Nvidia has become something of a bellwether for the AI trade, with changes in its business and big moves in its stock able to influence broader markets.

Shares of Nvidia partners such as Micron Technology (MU) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI) also climbed Wednesday, adding to gains earlier in the week on a massive OpenAI deal with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which also collaborates with the companies. AMD's deal came just weeks after Nvidia announced its own deal with OpenAI.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a social media post Monday that the startup views its AMD deal as incremental to the ChatGPT maker's work with Nvidia, and that "the world needs much more compute." The move raised speculation more high-profile partnerships could be in the works, affecting a growing number of companies, with several Wall Street analysts likening the signal of strong demand for AI to a rising tide that lifts all boats.



Huang said Wednesday that his only regret is not investing more in major AI players like OpenAI and CoreWeave (CRWV), an AI data center provider in which Nvidia holds a stake.

The CEO also gave a shoutout to Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, saying Nvidia is investing in Musk's xAI and that almost everything that Elon is part of, you really want to be part of as well." Shares of the EV maker, which were up about 1% Wednesday, have been on a tear in recent weeks, adding roughly a third of their value since the start of September as bulls have shifted more of their focus to the company's developments in autonomous driving, robotics, and AI.

Read the original article on Investopedia
By Stephanie Kelly

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed a ceasefire deal in Gaza that could ease geopolitical tensions in the Middle East against stalled peace talks in Ukraine that could sustain sanctions on Russia and curb its exports.

Brent crude futures were up 13 cents to $66.38 a barrel at 0821 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 11 cents to $62.66.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages under a plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his government to approve the ceasefire agreement. The signing of the deal is expected to take place at noon Israel time (0900 GMT) on Thursday.

"The peace agreement is a major breakthrough in recent Middle Eastern history  its implications for oil markets could be wide-ranging, from the possibility of a decrease in the Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea to an increase in the likelihood of a nuclear deal with Iran and, eventually, the possibility for Iran to increase its crude and product exports," Rystad Energy's chief economist Claudio Galimberti said in a note.

Still, Galimberti cautioned that attempts at a ceasefire deal have fallen apart previously.

The war in Gaza has supported oil prices due to the potential risk to global supply if the fighting developed into a wider regional conflict.

Michael McCarthy, CEO of investor platform Moomoo Australia and New Zealand, said the Gaza ceasefire was unlikely to change oil supply in the Middle East as the OPEC+ producer group has not hit its increased production targets.

The group, made up of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, agreed on Sunday to a November output hike that was smaller than market expectations, easing oversupply concerns.

Prices had gained around 1% on Wednesday to reach a one-week high after investors viewed stalled progress on a Ukraine peace deal as a sign that sanctions against Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, would continue for some time.

Meanwhile, total weekly U.S. petroleum products supplied, a proxy for U.S. oil consumption, rose last week to 21.99 million barrels per day, the most since December 2022, according to a report from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.

JP Morgan analysts said global oil demand began on a softer note in October as numerous consumption indicators, including container arrivals at the Port of Los Angeles, truck toll mileage in Germany and container throughput in China, pointed to a moderation in activity.
By Stephanie Kelly

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed a ceasefire deal in Gaza that could ease tensions in the Middle East against stalled peace talks in Ukraine that could sustain sanctions on Russia and curb its exports.

Brent crude futures were down 12 cents to $66.13 a barrel at 0943 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 14 cents to $62.41.

Egypt's state-affiliated Qahera TV reported a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas had officially come into effect after noon in the region (0900 GMT), when the enemies signed it in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it would take effect only once ratified by the Israeli cabinet, which was scheduled to meet later on Thursday.

Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza and Hamas will free hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for prisoners held by Israel.

'WIDE-RANGING' IMPLICATIONS FOR OIL MARKETS

"The peace agreement is a major breakthrough in recent Middle Eastern history  its implications for oil markets could be wide-ranging, from the possibility of a decrease in the Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea to an increase in the likelihood of a nuclear deal with Iran and, eventually, the possibility for Iran to increase its crude and product exports," Rystad Energy's chief economist Claudio Galimberti said in a note.

Galimberti also said attempts at a ceasefire deal have fallen apart previously.

The war in Gaza has supported oil prices due to the potential risk to global supply if the fighting developed into a wider regional conflict.

Michael McCarthy, CEO of investor platform Moomoo Australia and New Zealand, said the Gaza ceasefire was unlikely to change oil supply in the Middle East as the OPEC+ producer group has not hit its increased production targets.

The group, made up of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, agreed on Sunday to a November output hike that was smaller than market expectations, easing oversupply concerns.

Prices had gained around 1% on Wednesday to reach a one-week high after investors viewed stalled progress on a Ukraine peace deal as a sign that sanctions against Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, would continue for some time.

Meanwhile, total weekly U.S. petroleum products supplied, a proxy for U.S. oil consumption, rose last week to 21.99 million barrels per day, the most since December 2022, according to a report from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.
On Thursday afternoon, hours after HSBC Holdings announced a plan to privatise subsidiary Hang Seng Bank, the local lender's headquarters in Central was crowded with customers queuing for services.

Among them were many elderly people, including five who told the Post they were not aware of the news and were unsure if it would have an impact on their bank accounts.

London-based HSBC would buy all outstanding Hang Seng Bank shares for HK$155 each in cash, or a premium of 30 per cent over the stock's Wednesday closing price of HK$119, according to a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. Hang Seng Bank's shares would be cancelled after the purchase, according to the plan.

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.

Alex Cheung, 47, who works in the insurance industry, said she was not concerned about the privatisation. "Every bank has its own risks and the government does not provide guarantees," Cheung said. "Having said that, I will not switch to another bank account.

David Liao, left, HSBC's co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East, and Georges Elhedery, HSBC group CEO, hold a press briefing on the privatisation plan. Photo: Jelly Tse alt=David Liao, left, HSBC's co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East, and Georges Elhedery, HSBC group CEO, hold a press briefing on the privatisation plan. Photo: Jelly Tse>

"Hang Seng has been in Hong Kong for so many years, nearly every local has an account. I don't see any reason to do that as long as it continues to provide good services."

Hang Seng Bank, which started as money-changing shop Hang Seng Ngan Ho in 1933, will retain its brand, branch network, 11-member board and its licence under Hong Kong's banking ordinance, as well as its "proposition" to customers, according to HSBC group's CEO Georges Elhedery during a media round table in Hong Kong after announcing the privatisation.

Sam Kwan, 27, who is self-employed, said he was worried about the potential impact. "Once it's privatised, I will not be able to get updated information publicly," Kwan said. He said he had read news about the bank's rising bad loans, but it had "nothing to do with retail customers like us."

However, under the current economic uncertainty, Kwan added, "anything could happen".

Elhedery said the privatisation had "nothing to do" with the bad debt. "We [see] the recent challenges in Hong Kong as credit cyclical challenges, and we [have] started to see stabilisation, including normalisation, in certain segments of commercial real estate," he said.
Base Power has built one of the largest battery storage systems in Texas in two years  and now it wants to grow faster.

The Austin-based startup, which had raised $200 million in April, is back with another $1 billion in funding. The Series C round was led by Addition with participation from CapitalG, Elad Gil, Lightspeed, Ribbit, Thrive Capital, and Valor Equity Partners.

The new round values the company at $3 billion pre-money, according to The New York Times.

Base Power has sold more than 100 megawatt-hours worth of its home storage batteries in Texas  a notable figure considering the company was founded in 2023.

Base Power leases the batteries to homeowners, who pay between $695 and $995 upfront to install 25 kilowatt-hour or 50 kilowatt-hour batteries, both of which dwarf the competition. (For instance, the 25-kilowatt battery doubles a single Tesla Powerwall.) The batteries can keep a household powered for as long as 48 hours, according to the company.

Customers also pay a monthly fee ($19 or $29) and commit to buying electricity from Base Power for three years at 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour plus delivery fees.

By leasing the batteries, Base Power has lowered a significant hurdle for many homeowners: the upfront cost of home storage batteries. The batteries themselves run thousands of dollars for less storage capacity, not including installation costs.

Base Power has also taken advantage of Texas deregulated utility market, which allows households to easily switch electricity suppliers.

The states utility regulator handsomely rewards power providers that can respond quickly with large amounts of electricity when the grid needs it most, something grid-scale batteries excel at. In exchange for the low upfront cost, Base Power customers agree to allow the company to use the batteries to sell electricity back to the grid when they dont need them for backup power.

In addition to expansion beyond Texas, the company is also planning to build a second battery factory in the United States. It is currently constructing its first factory near Austin, Texas.
Key Points

The rise of AI helped Nvidia to become the most valuable company in the world.

Its GPUs remain crucial to generative AI development, but the company relies heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's foundry services.

Alphabet is quietly building a comprehensive ecosystem stitched together by multiple AI-powered products.

10 stocks we like better than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 

Over the past few years, Nvidia has become synonymous with the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Its GPUs power everything from ChatGPT to self-driving cars, and its market capitalization surged past $4 trillion, firmly establishing the chipmaker as the largest company in the world.

Yet as the AI race matures, the next decade may not belong to Nvidia alone. Two companies -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) -- are quietly positioning themselves to challenge its dominance from distinct but equally powerful angles.

Nvidia's rise has largely been fueled by its high-performance chips, but the broader AI ecosystem relies on companies that supply crucial infrastructure and integrated platforms enabling this revolution. By 2030, investors may look back and realize that the true winners of the AI boom were those laying the foundation of the intelligent economy.

1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing: The ultimate pick-and-shovel AI stock

While Nvidia specializes in designing GPUs, its Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC for short) that brings this hardware to life. As the world's largest chip manufacturer by revenue, it produces cutting-edge 3-nanometer and 5-nanometer chips that power not only Nvidia's products, but also those of Advanced Micro Devices and Apple's M series processors. In many ways, TSMC is the pillar supporting the broader semiconductor industry.

As global demand for AI computing accelerates, the company's value proposition grows increasingly compelling. Its dominance in advanced node manufacturing should drive sustained revenue growth and expanding profit margins, backed by industry-leading pricing power.

Moreover, TSMC's strategic investments to diversify its geographic footprint beyond Taiwan -- including new production facilities in the U.S. -- are helping mitigate geopolitical vulnerabilities while deepening relationships with key customers. For investors looking for an infrastructure-first way to participate in the AI revolution, it represents the ultimate pick-and-shovel opportunity.

Image source: Getty Images.

2. Alphabet: Building a complete AI ecosystem

Over the past several years, Alphabet has methodically constructed a vertically integrated AI ecosystem.
Prezent, a startup that offers an AI-powered presentation builder to enterprises, said today that it has raised $30 million in funding led by Multiplier Capital, Greycroft, and Nomura Strategic Ventures, with participation from existing investors like Emergent Ventures, WestWave Capital, and Alumni Ventures.

The Los Altos, California, startup, which is now valued at $400 million, has raised over $74 million to date. It plans to use the new capital largely for acquisitions.

The company has also made its first acquisition, buying Prezentium, founded by Deepti Juturu, a services-led presentation company that operates in the life sciences vertical. In an unusual arrangement, Prezent founder Rajat Mishra was one of the co-founders of Prezentium. Mishra said that since the beginning of his new startup, he has been the non-operating president of Prezentium. Both startups already have an existing relationship, as Prezent uses Prezentium as a go-to-market partner. The acquisition essentially brings Mishras two ventures under one roof, allowing Prezent to use Prezentiums client base to offer its own AI suite to more customers.

Image Credits:Prezent

There are plenty of companies trying to create AI-powered presentation-building tools, including Presentations.ai, Lica, Gamma, and Chronicle. Notably, all these companies have Accel as a backer. While most of them focus on consumers and small business users, Prezent wants to stick to an enterprise strategy, targeting larger corporations. Previously, the company stated that it wants to expand its offerings to different verticals, including finance and manufacturing. However, Mishra noted that for now, the company wants to focus on serving clients in the life sciences and tech industries.

There are plenty of tools that are trying to make presentations pretty. We want to provide the best tools for business communications. I think presentation is one of the frontiers in businesses that is not automated yet. We want to help data scientists and designers to communicate effectively with this automation, Mishra told TechCrunch.

Prezent founder Rajat Mishra Image Credits:Prezent

Mishra, who previously worked at McKinsey, said that the company is taking a specialized approach to training AI models for presentations for each specific industry.

Prezent places a presentation engineer, who is familiar with the industry and the startups own offerings, in enterprises to help different people within the company get used to building presentations with AI tools.

The reality of AI in enterprise is that while AI can do many things, it cant teach people [how] to use AI. That is why we want to place presentation engineers in companies to help our customers adopt the product faster, Mishra said.
Bing Guan / Bloomberg / Getty Images Qualcomm shares have lagged the performance of major tech company stocks in 2025.

Key Takeaways

Qualcomm's acquisition of Israel-based auto-safety chipmaker Autotalks is said to be under investigation by Chinese regulators.

Shares of the Qualcomm were down more than 4% in midday trading.

Qualcomm (QCOM) shares declined Friday following news Chinese regulators have opened an antitrust investigation of the chipmakers June purchase of Israel-based car safety semiconductor manufacturer Autotalks.

Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation wrote in a statement seen by news organizations that it would be looking into whether Qualcomm unlawfully withheld certain details about the acquisition.

Why This Matters to Investors

China's antitrust investigation into Qualcomms acquisition of Autotalks puts a spotlight on tensions that could affect U.S.-China trade talks. The investigation may influence Qualcomms operations in the region, which could weigh on investor sentiment.

Bloomberg reported that Beijing was targeting Qualcomm as part of an effort to gain leverage ahead of trade talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected at the end of the month. It noted China has already announced an antitrust probe of Nvidia (NVDA), and has slapped curbs on exports of rare earth and other key minerals to the U.S., as well as limiting imports of soybeans from American farmers.

Qualcomm did not respond to Investopedia's request for comment before publication.

Shares of the company have gained 3% since the start of the year, trailing the performance of tech stocks that have surged amid booming demand for AI.



Read the original article on Investopedia
Since the mutual funds inception on Oct. 29, 2021, it has an annualized total return of 3.56%, considerably higher than -0.04% for the benchmark Russell 2000 Index.

I must confess, the 52-week low that SYZ hit yesterday isnt real at least, not in the truest sense. The ETF was converted from a mutual fund to an ETF on Sept. 12 after the close of trading. Its had 17 days of trading as an ETF.

Not only is SYZ worth considering if youre interested in owning small-cap stocks, but these three stocks in its top 10 holdings are also. Heres why.

While the two iShares ETFs are passive index ETFs, Lazards actively managed ETF seeks to identify the most compelling opportunities within the investable small-cap universe of 2,500 stocks.

I probably would be focusing on smaller companies because I would be working with smaller sums and theres more chance that something is overlooked in that arena, Money.ca contributor Vishesh Raisinghani wrote in August.

Warren Buffett said at Berkshire Hathaways (BRK.B) 1999 annual shareholder meeting that if he were starting over with $10,000 to invest, hed look for smaller companies.

In July, I wrote about the differences between the two most popular small-cap ETFs  the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR)  and explored possible options to capitalize on their growing popularity among investors.

Ive been focusing more of my attention on small-cap stocks in recent months because large caps, at least those listed in the U.S., have become quite expensive in 2025.

One of the stocks hitting a new low on Nasdaq that caught my attention was actually an ETF. The Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity ETF (SYZ) hit a new 52-week low of $24.59.

In terms of new 52-week highs and lows, the NYSE had 127 new highs and 52 new lows, while on Nasdaq, the new highs outdid the new lows, 275 to 86.

It was a big day in the markets on Tuesday. U.S. stocks were down for the first time in eight trading sessions, while the price of gold set a record, closing over $4,000.

Story Continues

The ETFs portfolio invests in anywhere from 200 to 500 small-cap stocks (427 currently) out of the 2,500-stock universe mentioned earlier. The portfolio managers have created a proprietary automated process for selecting the ETFs holdings based on several fundamental factors.

The stocks held have market caps that range from $54.5 million to $15.9 billion.

The valuation metric Im focusing on is the average price-to-cash flow ratio and the free cash flow yield. The former is 9.93x, considerably lower than 15.07x for the Russell 2000, while the latter is 6.57%, markedly higher (suggesting value) than the indexs 1.98% yield.

The biggest negative is the ETFs net expense ratio of 0.60%. However, if youre used to paying for active management, thats not exorbitant for small-cap stocks.

Mueller Industries (MLI)

Technically, the definition of small-cap stocks is those with market caps between $250 million and $2 billion. However, most small-cap funds stretch the high-end of the range to over $10 billion. Thats where Mueller Industries (MLI) finds itself.

Im pretty familiar with the maker of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products. In December 2023, it was one of three mid-cap stocks I recommended that had hit new 52-week highs.

At the time, its market cap was around $5.5 billion. Today, its $10.9 billion, nearly doubling in 22 months. Not a bad run.

It can keep going. Despite all the gains, it still only has two analysts covering its stock. Both rate it a Buy, with a median target price of $114.50.

Trading at just 14.6 times its 2025 earnings per share estimate of $6.75, it remains a GARP (growth at a reasonable price) stock despite subdued residential construction in the U.S.

It is the ETFs second-largest holding at 0.88%.

Perimeter Solutions (PRM)

Perimeter Solutions (PRM) is the ETFs seventh-largest holding. The company makes products for the Fire Safety (74% of revenue) and Specialty Products (26%) industries. It has a $3.3 billion market cap.

The Missouri-based companys shares are up 73% in 2025. Growth is a big reason for the gains.

In the first six months of 2025, its sales increased by 26% to $234.7 million, with gains of 20% or more from both segments, while its adjusted earnings per share rose 78% to $0.41 from $0.23 in the same period a year earlier.

Here in Nova Scotia, where I live, weve spent the summer and fall dealing with some wildfires, including one very close to the provincial capital of Halifax. That brought in water bombers to drop water on the fires.

Perimeters fire safety products include PHOS-CHEK and FIRE-TROL fire retardants, which help reduce the likelihood of a wildfire igniting in the first place. Thats a product much needed in virtually every part of the world due to climate change and a warming planet.

One key aspect to evaluate is the companys unique organizational structure.

On Nov. 7, 2021, Perimeter completed a reverse merger with London Stock Exchange-listed EverArc Holdings, which subsequently acquired Perimeter from SK Capital for $2 billion in cash and preferred shares.

As part of the transaction, EverArcs founders received a compensation plan for ongoing advisory fees that would pay out over the next decade. It included the annual issuance of 1.5% of the total shares outstanding as a fixed advisory fee through Dec. 31, 2027, and a performance fee, paid in cash or shares, equal to 18% of the share price gain over a predetermined high-water mark, through Dec. 31, 2031.

In 2024, for example, the founders received 2.36 million shares for the fixed advisory fee, but no variable compensation on the performance fee because the average price of its shares in 2024 was $12.85, below the previous high-water mark of $13.63.

Based on gains in 2025, the founders will likely get both fixed and variable advisory fees. After 2027, only the performance fee would apply.

The critical thing to remember is that the EverArc Founders Group, which includes Perimeter CEO Haitham Khouri, held 7.1% of the companys stock as of March 31. By 2027, it is likely to be no more than 10%.

Is it significant? You bet. Is it a deal breaker? I dont think so.

Willdan Group (WLDN)

Willdan Group (WLDN) is the smallest of the three companies with a $1.4 billion market cap. The company provides professional, technical and consulting services to utilities, government agencies, and private businesses.

It has two operating segments: Energy (74% of net revenue) and Engineering and Consulting (26%).

In the first six months ended June 30, its net revenues increased by 27.5% to $180.3 million, while its adjusted EBITDA was $36.4 million, representing a 52.3% increase from the same period in the prior year.

As a result of its strong first half, the consulting firm has raised its full-year 2025 guidance.

It now expects net revenue of $345 million at the midpoint of its guidance, with adjusted EBITDA of $71.5 million, and adjusted earnings per share of $3.58. Thats double-digit growth across all three financial metrics.

While its shares are up 148% year-to-date, they still trade at a reasonable 26 times its 2025 EPS estimate. The current multiple is either in line with or lower than the companys historical average P/E.

Although the companys guidance for 2025 net revenue implies just 16% growth year-over-year, thats up from 9.9% growth in 2024.

My guess is that management is being cautious with its estimate for the second half of the year. I would not be surprised if it maintained revenue growth of 20% or more in each of the final two quarters.

On the date of publication, Will Ashworth 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
Now, two years later, they are still celebrating and bragging that the attack has created a golden moment for the world to change history. But Israel fought back, killing nearly every major Hamas and Hezbollah leader, and has, with the help of the US, gone into the belly of the beast, namely Iran, to decimate much of the Iranian capacity for nuclear weapons.

And today the terror groups Arab sponsors are now in talks with Israel and the United States for a negotiated peace.

Even though much of the Western world has been unfairly critical of Israel, the Jewish nation did what they had to do, they protected themselves and secured their borders. They have prevailed in the face of overwhelming odds and they have come out on top. In fact, Israel has never been more secure than it is now.

President Trump has stated that either Hamas agrees to the deal that has been worked out between the US and Israel and much of the Arab world, or the terror group will be totally obliterated. Strong words. But the first thing that has to be done is a total return of all the hostages living and dead to Israel (about 48). Hamas has agreed to this in principle, butand its a big but. Israel must release at least a thousand of their terrorists, leave Gaza completely, and abide by other things which would be beneficial to Hamas.

Negotiations are now going on in Egypt. This is where we stand. But why are there any negotiations at all? There is nothing to negotiate as far as I can tell. Hamas is for all intent and purpose destroyed. If who is left of their leaders do not turn over the rest of the hostages, then Israel needs to acknowledge to the world that the terrorist group will never release them because they are probably all dead, then proceed to blow what is left of Hamas to hell once and for all. End of story.

President Trump thinks he can deal with these antisemites in a rational manner, but the fact is, you cant. These people are not rational in any way. And when I say people I mean more than Hamas, or even more than the so-called Palestinians. The Jewish-hating Arab world is filled with millions and millions of people who would like to eradicate Israel and wipe out the Jews.

The sad hard truth of the matter is, Islamist antisemitism is not going away with the elimination of Hamas. The Islamic religion will not stop their war on Israel until all of what is Israel is gone and all Jewish people are dead. That is paramount in their Koran, that is what their goal is. They teach their children to hate Jewish people and that it is honorable to kill them.

As Golda Meir once said, We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us. The question has always been, will that ever come to pass?

Donald Trump thinks he can make it happen. We should know something in the coming days. To borrow one of President Trumps expressions, lets see what happens.

(COMMENT, BELOW)
AST SpaceMobile rose 15% in premarket trading on Wednesday on news of a major deal.

The satellite manufacturing company is joining forces with telecom leader Verizon.

The move: AST SpaceMobile stock surged as much as 19% on Wednesday, extending a week of strong upward momentum.

The satellite design and manufacturing company is up more than 300% in 2025.

Why: On Wednesday, AST SpaceMobile announced an agreement with Verizon to provide cell service to consumers from space. Starting next year, the company will provide Verizon customers with a direct-to-cellular connection via satellite.

According to AST SpaceMobile, its network features the largest commercial communications array ever deployed into low Earth orbit. The technology can connect directly to standard smartphones.

"The agreement will extend the scope of Verizon's 850 MHz premium low-band spectrum into areas of the U.S. that would benefit from the ubiquitous reach of space-based broadband technology, stated AST SpaceMobile founder and CEO Abel Avellan.

What it means: The Verizon deal is a major milestone for the company, which has emerged as a popular stock among retail traders looking for exposure to the growing space tech sector. The news on Wednesday prompted a jubilant reaction from traders on forums like Reddit's Wall Street Bets.

Its partnership with an industry leader like Verizon may be a turning point for what's often been viewed as a meme stock, as it could position AST SpaceMobile as a serious competitor to larger rivals like SpaceX.

In September, ASTS stock briefly surged on momentum when a Mexican news outlet reported that America Movil was considering taking a stake, a story that SpaceMobile revealed to be false.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Auto tariffs have made 2025 an unusual year for U.S. auto giants.

Take Ford (F) , for instance. The Blue Oval leaned heavily into promotions to drive sales as consumers, concerned about the effect the 25% tariffs would have on prices, flocked to dealerships to purchase their vehicles before prices increased.

Ford says its total sales rose in the second quarter at a rate about 7 times that of the overall industry. The company says it was the top-selling brand in the U.S. during the first half of the year.

U.S. auto imports by brand:

General Motors: 750,000 Stellantis: 564,000 Ford: 420,000

Ford was especially equipped to take advantage of the tariff environment, since it imports fewer cars per year than its competitors by a large margin.

Meanwhile, newly minted Stellantis CEO Andrew Filosa is taking over the multinational conglomerate during this turbulent macroeconomic environment.

On Oct. 8, he made additional moves to right the ship.

Stellantis is shuffling its executive suite. Image source: Stellantis

New Stellantis makes moves to win back U.S. customers

Filosa, 52, is taking over Stellantis  which owns Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler  in the midst of the billion-dollar headwind also known as tariffs.

With the new automotive sector tariffs now in effect, it will take our collective resilience and discipline to push through this challenging time, new Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said recently.

Related: Stellantis makes a decision some Ram pickup fans will hate

Earlier this year, Stellantis said it expects to lose $1.7 billion to tariff costs in 2025.

At the same time, second-quarter shipments fell 6% to 1.4 million vehicles globally. In comparison, North American shipments are expected to decline by 109,000 units (25%) due to reduced manufacturing and shipments of imported cars.

Filosa, who has kept his title as director of North America, is investing heavily domestically to win back U.S. customers.

Under former CEO Carlos Tavares' leadership, Stellantis laid off American factory workers, shuffled its C-suite, and forced its U.S. brands to push products that American customers didn't like.

Filosa, on the other hand, shared that he is moving the CEO's office to Detroit, Michigan. In May, the company revealed that it will build a $388 million "megahub" in Van Buren Township, just outside of Detroit.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa shuffles his European cabinet

On Oct. 8, Filosa turned his attention to the European market,

He named several new lieutenants to lead the company's Europe-facing brands.

Emanuele Cappellano, formerly the company's head of South American operations, was named head of "Enlarged Europe and European Brands," replacing Jean-Philippe Imparato.
Canadian Natural Resources disciplined approach to capital allocation is about as close to saintly as anything involving tar sands can get, writes Charlie Garcia. - Getty Images

Most investors spend their days glued to stock tickers like teenagers monitoring their Instagram likes. Warren Buffett, bless his Omaha soul, cant be bothered.

Hes figured out something the rest of Wall Street seems constitutionally incapable of grasping: that dividends are boring  which is precisely why they work.

Most Read from MarketWatch

Buffett spelled it out in his 2014 letter to Berkshire shareholders with all the subtlety of a divorce lawyer explaining alimony. Invest a thousand bucks in the S&P 500 SPX back in 1964, sit on your hands for 50 years, and youd have twenty-four grand.

Respectable, if you enjoy waiting half a century for what amounts to a decent used car.

But reinvest those dividends  actually use the cash to buy more shares instead of blowing it on avocado toast  and that same thousand balloons to $112,000.

Thats not a typo. Its mathematics. Which has the advantage of being true whether you believe in it or not.

Hartford Funds did the arithmetic: Since 1960, dividends and reinvesting them account for 85% of the markets total returns.

Which means stock prices themselves  the thing everyone obsesses over  contribute about as much to your wealth as the participation trophy you got in Little League.

Buffett gets this. Back in the late 80s, Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway BRK.A BRK.B dropped $1.3 billion on Coca-Cola stock. Today, Coke KO mails him $816 million annually  and its increased that dividend every single year since he bought it, growing 8% annually for 37 straight years.

Its like buying a house once and having your tenants pay you back nearly two-thirds of the purchase price every single year, forever  with the rent going up 8%.

Try getting that deal from your rental property.

Now, Buffett likes companies that raise dividends steadily  5% to 8% annually. Solid, sensible. The investment equivalent of wearing a seatbelt.

But what if you found a company hiking dividends more than 20% every year for 25 consecutive years? Youd assume it was either impossible or funded by Colombian pharmaceutical exports. Yet this company exists.

This company should be more famous than the Kardashians, except Wall Street maintains a silence so deafening youd think someone discovered Jimmy Hoffa in the executive suite.

Why the hush? Because this company produces oil, and todays analysts would sooner attend a PETA barbecue than recommend energy stocks.
Key Points

Shares appear to be overvalued as the company is losing its long-time CEO.

Spotify compensates for its high valuation with excellent results and strong prospects.

The music streaming specialist should be fine under its two new co-CEOs.

10 stocks we like better than Spotify Technology 

Shares of music streaming specialist Spotify Technology (NYSE: SPOT) have been on fire, and the stock is up 52% this year. However, some might argue that after this strong run, it's best to stay away from it.

The bears might point out that the longtime CEO and co-founder, Daniel Ek, will soon be stepping down from his role. Ek has led Spotify since its inception in 2006, earning strong returns along the way. Now, many investors and analysts wonder whether the company can perform nearly as well under new leadership.

The detractors would also highlight the company's valuation. The stock is trading at 52 times forward earnings, more than twice the average of 21.6 for the communication services industry. Are the bears right? Let's find out whether there is more upside left for Spotify.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Spotify is performing well

Everyone loves music, and most people now own a smartphone. Spotify enables users to take their favorite songs and albums with them, wherever they go. The company's streaming platform is the leader in this niche, even beating out those of huge tech companies like Apple and Amazon in market share.

Any corporation that can survive and thrive amid competition from these two juggernauts in any domain is probably doing something right. Spotify's success comes from several factors.

The company has been a leader in this niche for a long time and has built a strong brand name. Some might say it's the music streaming equivalent of Netflix. Brand power matters; companies with well-known and powerful names can attract consumers with minimal advertising compared with competitors.

Spotify also benefits from a strong network effect. A growing number of subscribers attracts artists looking for publicity and record labels willing to sign licensing deals with the company. All these factors have generally led to strong financial results and a deepening ecosystem.

In the second quarter, revenue increased by 10% year over year to 4.2 billion euros ($4.9 billion). Monthly active users (MAUs) on the platform reached 696 million, an 11% increase compared to the same period last year. Premium subscribers reached 276 million, 12% higher than in the prior-year quarter.

Spotify reported a net loss per share of $0.49 for the period, significantly lower than the $1.56 earnings per share it posted in the prior-year quarter. That's also been one of the bears' arguments: It still isn't consistently profitable. However, the company has made significant progress in that department in recent years and generated a net profit over the first half of 2025.
The trust funds that support Medicare and Social Securitya financial backbone for nearly 70 million Americansare at serious risk of insolvency within the next seven years, threatening to slash benefits by up to 24% for retirees unless legislative action is taken immediately. For a typical couple turning 60 this year, this could mean a staggering loss of approximately $18,400 in Social Security benefits annually, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), one of Washington DCs top nonpartisan budget watchdogs.

Financial projections from both program trustees and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paint an alarming picture, the CRFB says: the trust funds that finance Social Securitys retirement program, Medicares hospital insurance, and the Highway Trust Fund will all be depleted by or before 2032.

Specifically for Social Security, projections indicate that the retirement trust fund will be depleted in late 2032, with the combined retirement and disability trust funds exhausting their reserves by 2034. Medicares associated hospital insurance fund faces a similar fate, with policymakers now estimating insolvency by 2032 as well.

What happens when the money runs out?

Current federal law mandates that these programs cannot spend more than the revenue they collect. Once their reserves are depleted, the programs will be forced to impose immediate and sweeping cuts to balance their budgets.

For Social Security, this translates into a 24% across-the-board cut in benefitsequal to an $18,400 reduction per year for the typical couple entering retirement in 2033. Medicare would simultaneously be forced to cut outlays by 12%, which could disrupt payments to hospitals and health providers and reduce access to care. The Highway Trust Fund faces a whopping 46% reduction in spending, threatening maintenance and construction of critical infrastructure.

The insolvency of these trust funds doesnt just jeopardize retirees; it has drastic implications for the entire economy. Over the next decade, the combined shortfall between trust fund spending and revenues will reach approximately $4.3 trillionabout 1.1% of GDPwith the annual gap ballooning to 1.7% of GDP by 2050 and projected to just keep rising. If benefit cuts are implemented as scheduled by law, the debt trajectory could slow, potentially lowering the national debt-to-GDP ratio from a projected 170% by 2060 (status quo) to 125% under strict benefit reductions.

The programs currently provide direct benefits to nearly 70 million Americans and serve or insure at least 200 million, according to the CRBF.
There will be enough natural gas for the UK during the winter season, the countrys National Energy System Operator said in a report ahead of peak energy demand season. National Gas, the UKs top supplier of the energy commodity, also sees no cause for concern for the coming winter, Reuters reported, citing both organizations.

Domestic natural gas production is on the decline as energy self-sufficiency falls down the priority list to be replaced by emissions reduction and the decarbonization of the economy, but this should not be a problem, NESO and National Gas said. NESO warned that electricity prices this winter would be heavily influenced by gas market developments.

Only a rare combination of events  such as a very cold UK winter coinciding with a major supply disruption, would pose a material risk to our gas or electricity systems, Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen, director of Energy Systems & Resilience at National Gas, said in the organizations new report.

The UK imports natural gas from Norway via pipeline and from other suppliers as LNG. This winter, National Gas forecasts 6% lower domestic gas supply and 7% higher imports of liquefied gas, the Financial Times reported. At the same time, National Gas has predicted lower consumption as well, down 3%, thanks to higher expected generation from wind and solar.

Related: Forget OPEC Warnings the Real Oil Shock Is Happening Inside Russia

National Gas warned, however, that there will be a certain degree of tightness on the domestic gas market this winter. Our margins for winter 2025/2026 are tighter than we have seen in the last four years, the company said in its winter gas outlook, adding that This is largely due to the well-documented continued decline in supplies from the UK Continental Shelf.

This winter, some 33% of the UKs gas supply is expected to come from its own North Sea fields, with another 36% coming from Norway and 24% coming from global LNG suppliers.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Promoting responsible business conduct by embedding human rights due diligence across operations and aligning with regional frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the draft AU Business and Human Rights Policy; and

Over three days, the Forum featured high-level panels, roundtables and clinics, alongside a dedicated UN Global Compact Networking Event. These sessions provided space for governments, businesses and rights holders to exchange experiences, showcase innovations and build partnerships to translate high-level commitments into tangible action.

This year's Forum aligned with the African Union theme, "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations." Participants focused on concrete steps to strengthen remedy and reparations frameworks and to promote responsible business conduct in the context of Africa's evolving economic and regulatory landscape. The Forum has become a critical platform for moving from policy to practice, accelerating implementation, and highlighting regional solutions to ensure that businesses in Africa uphold human rights while contributing to inclusive and sustainable development.

The Forum, held from 7 to 9 October under the theme "From Commitment to Action: Advancing Remedy, Reparations and Responsible Business Conduct in Africa," was co-organized by several partners, including the African Union, the UN Global Compact, UNDP, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, UN Human Rights (OHCHR), the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) and UNICEF.

LUSAKA, Zambia, Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4th African Business and Human Rights Forum (ABRH) concluded today in Lusaka, Zambia, bringing together more than 600 participants, including business leaders, governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, national human rights institutions and international partners, to advance the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) across Africa.

Story Continues

Speaking at the opening of the Forum, Herve Lado, Africa Head of the UN Global Compact, underscored the urgent need for businesses to embed human rights into their operations and lead by example. "The theme of this year is a call to action for effective remedy, an invitation to go beyond protect and respect. As we develop our new global strategy 2026-2030, we want to equip more businesses in Africa by 2030 with knowledge, expertise and more ambition in upholding the Ten Principles and implementing adequate and effective remedies where their activities have caused adverse impacts. How companies respect human rights and implement remedies is central to building resilient and inclusive economies," Lado said.

Issaka Garba Abdou, Head of Division for Governance and Human Rights, Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security at the African Union Commission, speaking at the Forum, emphasized the importance of Africa-driven approaches to business and human rights. "Our human rights approach derives from the AU Charter of 1981, and we promote a business and human rights approach that is rooted in African cultures and realities, with homegrown solutions. An African Guidance on Business and Human Rights has been drafted by the AU Commission and is currently under review," Abdou said.

The Lusaka Forum builds on earlier editions hosted in Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya, and included a one year review on progress of the Nairobi Declaration 2024 , which laid the foundation for advancing business and human rights across the continent.

Responsible business conduct in Africa continues to gain momentum, anchored in global and regional frameworks such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act, Agenda 2063, the AU Strategic Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human and Peoples' Rights in Africa, the draft AU BHR Policy and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Resolution on Business and Human Rights in Africa.

About the UN Global Compact

The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 65 Country Networks covering 85 countries and 9 Country Managers establishing Networks in 16 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative  one Global Compact uniting business for a better world. For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.

Cision

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(Reuters) -The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Indian authorities have not yet acted on its requests to serve summons and complaints to Adani Group executives over alleged securities fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, a court filing showed on Friday.

The case is one of the most high-profile attempts by a U.S. regulator to secure cross-border cooperation from Indian authorities in a matter involving one of that countrys largest conglomerates.

The SEC told a New York district court that it has been in repeated contact with Indias law ministry in efforts to serve legal documents to Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani. Its most recent communication with the ministry was on September 14, but no confirmation of delivery has been received.

"The SEC will continue communicating with the India Ministry of Law and Justice and pursuing service of the defendants via the Hague Service Convention," the filing said.

Neither Adani Group executive is in U.S. custody, and both are currently in India.

Last year, U.S. prosecutors in Brooklyn unsealed an indictment accusing Adani of bribing Indian officials to convince them to buy electricity produced by Adani Green Energy , a unit of the Adani Group.

The SEC complaint alleged that the executives then misled U.S. investors by providing reassuring information about the company's anti-graft practices.

Adani Group and Indias Ministry of Law and Justice did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. In the past, the Adani Group has called the allegations "baseless" and said it would pursue "all possible legal recourse." In January, Adani Green Energy said it had appointed independent law firms to review the U.S. charges.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona and Nishit Navin in Bengaluru; Editing by Louise Heavens)
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Volkswagen of America announced new leadership changes aimed at bolstering sales, marketing and brand strategy in the U.S. and North American markets, according to a Sept. 26 release.

The company appointed Brian Nash to serve as EVP of sales and marketing, as well as its North American region chief sales and marketing officer, effective Sept. 29.

Nash will be responsible for U.S. and North American sales, marketing, dealer relations and after-sales strategy, and is tasked with driving momentum behind Volkswagens renewed vehicle lineup and strengthening dealer network performance.

Volkswagen either introduced or significantly refreshed its non-SUV vehicles in 2025. Meanwhile, VWs subsidiary Scout Motors is facing a lawsuit from dealers after it announced plans to sell electric vehicles directly to consumers.

[Nashs] expertise in dealer collaboration and strategies that prioritize customer satisfaction will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen the Volkswagen business, Kjell Gruner, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement.

Previously, Nash spent 12 years at Mazda North American Operations, where he helped grow brand sales and introduce digital-first retail strategies. He most recently served as VP of emerging business and innovation. Nash began his automotive career in retail, managing dealerships in Florida, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Alongside Nashs appointment, VW of America has also made changes to its brand marketing leadership structure, adjusting the role of Rachael Zaluzec, SVP of brand marketing and customer experience for the VW brand in the North American region. Zaluzec and her team will now report directly to the companys president and CEO, Gruner, elevating the importance of brand strategy. The company also said that Zaluzec and her team will work closely with Nashs sales and marketing team.

In January, Volkswagen Groups chief financial officer Arno Antlitz said the company planned to double its U.S. market share by 2030.

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Business owners pose a unique challenge for financial advisors when it comes to retirement planning. With their often highly concentrated wealth and entrepreneurial mindsets, business owners don't fit neatly into the standard retirement planning strategies advisors use for typical 401(k)-invested, nine-to-five workers.

The first step, and challenge, of retirement planning for business owners is getting the client to think about it in the first place, according to Mitch Hamer, founder and lead advisor at Chicago-based Intersecting Wealth.

"Typically, when you have a business owner client, all the conversations are about cash flow, meeting payroll, like trying to optimize as much as you can month to month or year to year, you know," Hamer said. "So you're really thinking in the moment. And there's a behavioral psychology aspect that keeps folks sort of in the present."



In some cases, business owners can launch, scale and sell a business all before meeting with an advisor to start talking about retirement, Hamer said.

"We've seen clients come in post-sale of a business or exit that had done zero retirement," Hamer said.

From one business owner to the next, finances are far from uniform. But, advisors like Hamer say, it's helpful to start with the big questions before getting into the client's unique situation.

"When you're a business owner, you really have to do a lot of goal setting early on to say, 'OK, I'm very comfortable with two or three years of cash flow in case X, Y or Z happens  So [retirement planning requires] zooming out and really thinking behaviorally, psychologically and like, 'What are my goals? What do I want to achieve?"

Building wealth in a new way

For business owners, investing often means one thing: putting money back into the business. Advisors say that while that strategy can reap major benefits for the business, it may not necessarily be the right move when it comes to the owner's own retirement.

"It's really tough, because they're right. Oftentimes, the best place for your capital is in your business. And that's true until it's not," said Luke Neumann, director and wealth manager at Boston-based Crestwood Advisors.

The question is: best for what? The old adage that concentration builds wealth and diversification preserves it is especially salient for business owners, many of whom have a majority of their net worth tied to their businesses.

"Concentration is not something necessarily to be afraid of, right? It's something to lean into if you're interested in building wealth," Neumann said. "That said, once you get to a certain level, you obviously want to be taking steps to diversify once you have some kind of degree of success in business."
By Nazrin Abdul



Azerbaijan and the European Union have held discussions on the future prospects of the Zangazur Corridor and potential EU support for the development of transport infrastructure in Nakhchivan.

Azernews reports that Azerbaijans Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, shared the update via his official account on platform X (formerly Twitter).

"We participated in the second meeting of the High-Level Transport Dialogue between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union in Brussels," Nabiyev wrote.

"During the meeting, we discussed the future prospects of the Zangazur Corridor and possible EU support for the development of Nakhchivans transport infrastructure. We also exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in air, sea, and road transport between Azerbaijan and the EU, as well as explored existing opportunities and new initiatives to expand transport connectivity."
By Laman Ismayilova



A literary discussion has been organized between prominent figures of contemporary children's literature and young people at the F. Kocharli National Children's Library.

In her opening speech, the library director, Shahla Gambarova, emphasized the importance of such meetings in the development of children's literature.

Writer Aygun Baghirli spoke about the responsibility of authors in promoting children's literature and the importance of works directed at children that instill educational and moral values. She also added an interactive element to the discussion by paying attention to the ideas and suggestions of the young participants.

As part of the event, interesting questions such as "What is the role of literature in human life?" and "What would life be like without literature?" were addressed to the audience.

Zahid Khalil, a prominent representative of Azerbaijani children's literature, highlighted the important role literature plays in shaping human thinking. According to him, intuition, which leads to discoveries, is shaped by literature.

Student participants in the discussion emphasized that literature enriches a person's spiritual world, develops language and empathy skills, and expands the imagination.

The well-known pedagogue-poet ?brahim Yusifo?lu, in his speech, talked about the importance of the press in promoting children's literature, noting the role of newspapers and magazines such as "Az?rbaycan Pioneri", "Savalan", and "Goy?rcin". Writers Mehriban Naghiyeva, Gulzar Ibrahimova, and Nurlana Ishiq shared their thoughts on the publication of children's literature works, existing challenges, and the role of publishing houses in this regard. Gulzar ?brahimova pointed out that parents were the first promoters of children's literature.

During the discussion, information was also presented about the projects implemented by the Republic Children's Library in this field, including video summaries of books based on artificial intelligence technologies. At the end of the event, writers presented selected copies of their works as gifts to young readers.

The main goal of the event was to increase young people's interest in literature, discuss the development trends of contemporary children's literature, and bring together writers with the new generation of readers.
By Laman Ismayilova



Azerbaijan National Art Museum has opened an exhibition "Old Baku: Longing and Emotions" by Honored Artist and Professor Arif Alasgarov.

Over 60 works created by the artist in different years are showcased at the exhibition, organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Azerbaijan National Art Museum. The retrospective exhibition covers both Arif Alasgarov's classic works and his more recent graphic and painting pieces.

During the opening, director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum Shirin Malikova, People's Artist Arif Huseynov, First Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union, People's Artist, Professor Salhab Mammadov, Vice-Rector of the Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts, People's Artist, Professor Fuad Salayev, Advisor to the Rector of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, Honored Art Worker, Professor Valida Mammadova, and the Head of the "Design" Department at the Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts, Associate Professor Faig Dadashov delivered speeches.

They highlighted the artist's invaluable contributions to Azerbaijani visual arts through his multifaceted creativity, shared memorable experiences of collaborating with him, and reflected on his pioneering achievements in the field of art education.

At the end of the event, Honored Artist and Professor Arif Alasgarov expressed his gratitude for the comments on his work and for the value placed on art in general.

Following the speeches, the participants had the opportunity to explore the exhibition in more detail.

The exhibition features the artist's works in both graphic arts and painting, reflecting themes such as the lives of ordinary people, intergenerational relationships, love, the meaning and beginning of existence.

A special focus in many of his paintings is Icherisheher (the Old City), which embodies the nostalgic spirit of Baku and the poetic bridge he has created between the past and the present.

The exhibition "Old Baku: Longing and Emotions" will be open to visitors until October 26.

Established in 1937, the Azerbaijan National Art Museum presents art lovers with outstanding examples of Western European decorative and applied arts.

The museum's permanent collection features over 3,000 works displayed across 60 galleries, with an additional 12,000 pieces preserved in its archives. Visitors can admire masterpieces by renowned artists from Italy, France, Germany, and Poland.

The museum has also played host to numerous prestigious international exhibitions, highlighting the works of world-famous artists.

These exhibitions have not only drawn the attention of art enthusiasts but have also played a significant role in fostering cultural exchange between Azerbaijan and other nations.
Cybermindz.org , the not-for-profit community service organisation dedicated to defending the defenders of the digital world, today announced the formation of its Global CISO Advisory Council to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

The inaugural Council brings together internationally recognised cyber leaders who share a passion for and a proven commitment to mental health advocacy, uniting to tackle the global challenge of stress and burnout in the cyber workforce  protecting performance and helping stem skills loss.

Pioneering research conducted by Cybermindz has shown that cybersecurity professionals are burning out faster than frontline healthcare workers. (See cybermindz.org/research) The findings have spurred growing international recognition that mental resilience is not merely a wellness issue but a core operational-risk factor.

Cybermindz founder and industry veteran Peter Coroneos, explained:

Outside of cybersecurity, few people appreciate the sacrifices our cyber defenders make every day on our behalf. It is time to speak directly to the challenge. They operate at the edge of human endurance, because the unseen attack cycle runs 24x7x365.

Their successes are invisible, but the emotional and cognitive toll is very real because of the consequences of a single incident. Human error, unmanaged stress, poor sleep and burnout are major risks to the security of systems we all depend on. Our defenders carry this burden, and thats why they need our support.

Drawing on decades of collective leadership experience, the CISO Advisory Council will inform Cybermindzs global programs and research, extending proven mental resilience strategies and deepening understanding of how leadership culture, emotional intelligence and peer support sustain peak human performance under pressure.

Lisa Ackerman, respected cyber leader and Founding Chair of the CISO Advisory Council, added:

Technical defences are only as strong as the people behind them. This Council is about changing the culture  validating cyber leaders to talk about stress, advocate for change, implement proactive resilience programs and build teams that can sustain peak performance under pressure.

On World Mental Health Day, were saying clearly: defending societys critical information systems begins with defending the minds that protect them.

About Cybermindz

Founded in Australia in 2022, Cybermindz.org has since expanded operations into the United States, United Kingdom and France. Its landmark programs  BaseCamp, RapidReset, SteadyShields and CISOSupport  are built on the iRest (or Integrative Restoration) Protocol, a clinically validated neural training method with widespread military application for a range of clinical and non-clinical conditions.

Dr Richard Miller, internationally acclaimed mental health pioneer, clinical psychologist and creator of the iRest Protocol, said:

It has been profoundly moving to witness Cybermindz grow into a vibrant, purpose-driven initiative adapting the iRest program for the high-stakes world of cybersecurity. Those who protect our digital infrastructure carry immense responsibility and stress. To see iRest supporting these professionals in rediscovering balance, resilience and clarity is both humbling and deeply inspiring  especially on this World Mental Health Day. Supporting the mental wellbeing of those who protect the many systems we rely on isnt just vital or self-serving  its an act of collective humanity.

In marking the announcement, Mr Coroneos concluded, restating the organisations mission:

From day one, our vision has been clear  by alleviating the suffering of cyber defenders, we strengthen organisational resilience and, ultimately, the resilience of society itself. Its a big calling, but a worthy one, given the cost of losing our critical defenders to preventable conditions.

Call to Action:

Cybermindz is calling on CISOs, cyber leaders and partner organisations worldwide to join the movement to embed human-factor resilience into their security operations. For information about how to begin the journey to securing cyber teams, visit: cybermindz.org

More: For a short background document on Cybermindz.org - its mission, methods and research please visit cybermindz.org/ background/

Inaugural CISO Advisory Council Members:
The start of Australias much discussed Under 16 social media ban is only about 60 sleeps away and speculation on how effective it will be is reaching fever pitch. Award winning Australian technology journallist Chris Griffith shares his views.

The ban, aka a social media pause, was recommended by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and is widely supported by parents. Its designed to shield young teens from cyberbullying, contact from pedophiles, sextortion, scammers, extortion demands, and other potentially deadly harms until they are 16. Initially, the ban will impact just a few sites: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Meta, WhatsApp, X and YouTube, but outside of that, young teens have free reign on the internet.

Many say Australian teenagers will easily circumvent the ban using VPNs and undoubtedly many will. But other technologies exist that wont make that so easy. Netflix and others for years have dealt with customers using VPNs to buy subscriptions at cheaper rates in poorer countries. Theyve managed to live with the reality of VPNs.

I disagree that raising the access age of these platforms to 16 years old represents a breach of free speech, and overreach by the State. We dont take that view when we restrict kids from buying alcohol and driving. Its about safety and duty-of-care and consistent with the Convention on the Rights of a Child that seeks to protect children from information and material that harms their well-being. The convention demands that governments protect children from violence, abuse and maltreatment.

There were problems during the age estimation/verification trial looking at available technologies. I thought the trial got carried away with fringe biometric verifications methods when there are simpler solutions such as the commonwealths digital ID system. It provides verification while maximising users privacy by not disclosing other personal details to third parties.

So will this project succeed? Undoubtedly many teens will get around the ban with VPNs although they likely will face hurdles such as account profiling by tech platforms. But in a broader context, the project is already winning. There is increasing international recognition that platforms must adopt screening measures to protect younger users from online harms. If they dont, they face legal consequences.

Popular US game creation platform Roblox, with 85 million daily users, is case in point. Roblox is already being sued for not protecting children who experienced tragic consequences on its platform. So it is introducing screening measures. Using a combination of facial age estimation technology, ID age verification, and verified parental consent, this process will provide a more accurate measure of a user's age than simply relying on what someone types in. Well also launch new systems designed to limit communication between adults and minors unless they know each other in the real world.

Other platforms are following suit with age restrictions, at the very least, to shield themselves from legal action. Denmark is adopting a similar approach to Australias ban and so is New Zealand. The UK has been regulating platforms to require age screening. As a tool it is becoming legitimised.

Far from being treated as a pariah, the eSafety Commissioner has gathered respect as a regulator, including in her quest to stamp out deepfake pornographic images of real Australian women. According to several surveys internationally, a big proportion of women fear being depicted in deepfake images and subsequently targets for extortion. Ms Inman Grant is not the only one acting.

The NSW Government has enacted tough legislation against perpetrators. But it was her action that recently saw a man fined $350,000 in the federal court for creating deepfake images of women without consent. Ms Inman Grant also has been savvy in her online posts, responding to comments (which many posters never do) and gaining gratitude in posts from those she engages with. Theres the release of broader online safety codes and industry guidelines. She has plenty of supporters to help her succeed in the broader context.

My main concern has been the absence of a school syllabus that complements the ban, that offers a deep understanding of online dangers, how to react if targeted, analytic skills to identify misinformation, and an understanding of why an increased age limit was imposed on these platforms. Hopefully teens will see the ban as well intentioned and that defeating it is a pyrrhic victory.

In July, we canvassed a companion online course at Tech in Gov in Canberra in a lively discussion with Sue Keay, Director of the UNSW AI Institute, and Kim Vernon, project management from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. While it isnt happening formally, theres still the opportunity to build a comprehensive online multimedia course around this. The eSafety commissioner website has a hub of resources for parents, teens and others, but a more thorough education component is still warranted.

Finally theres sovereignty. We are entombed by foreign (mainly US) developed platforms with scant regard for information accuracy and user safety. Are we capable of developing our own platforms?

Australias Martin Dougiamas, the initial developer of Moodle, a free open-source learning management platform used by two-thirds of the world's universities, says Yes. Hes not a fan of the ban, but he does advocate Australia developing its own online platforms in response. If he can do it, other Australians can too.

We have the skills, know how and passion.

Chris Griffth's personal website is here.
GUEST OPINION: Government agencies in Australia and across Asia Pacific are facing a new era of cybersecurity threats, where digital and physical infrastructure are deeply intertwined, and where public trust hinges on uninterrupted services. From public transportation systems and utilities to health records and national ID platforms, the public sector now operates some of the most targeted and mission-critical networks in the region.

For example, in Singapore a recent government advisory confirmed that UNC3886, a China-linked cyber espionage group, had actively targeted national infrastructure. While Australia has not yet been subjected to a similar attack, the Qantas breach reignited concerns about third-party vulnerabilities in public-facing systems. Despite their differences, these incidents are not isolated. They represent a broader trend of increasingly sophisticated attacks against public systems that citizens rely on daily.

As cyber threats escalate in scale and sophistication, Australian government agencies are under pressure to modernise legacy infrastructure, increase transparency, and ensure cyber resilience, not just for defence, but for all layers of civilian services. The line between IT and operational technology (OT) is blurring, and public sector systems are often a combination of both - making visibility a core pillar of national cyber defence strategies.

Cybersecurity as national infrastructure

For decades, critical infrastructure meant physical assets: power grids, water treatment plants and transportation systems. Today, digital platforms - from e-passports to vaccination records - are just as critical. Government agencies are now recognising that cybersecurity itself must be treated as national infrastructure.

That recognition is driving new policies and frameworks, with Australias Critical Infrastructure Act expanding to cover more sectors. Yet regulations alone are not enough. Government agencies need practical tools that provide transparency across complex IT and OT networks, many of which operate on legacy systems that were never designed to withstand modern cyberattacks.

Why visibility is now a public mandate

Public sector networks face a unique set of challenges: budget constraints, regulatory pressure, aging infrastructure, and the constant need for availability. Despite this, many continue to rely on security tools that cant inspect encrypted traffic or require outages during routine maintenance. In OT environments such as power grids, public transport systems, and water treatment facilities, even a few minutes of downtime can lead to real-world consequences.

The challenge is further compounded by the growing use of connected devices, edge systems, and cloud platforms in government networks, each introducing new attack surfaces that are difficult to monitor without full network visibility.

Modernising cybersecurity architecture means adopting solutions that provide real-time traffic access, allow seamless integration across tools, and support continuous uptime even in the harshest operational environments. Inline bypass technology, hardware data diodes and network test access points (TAPs) that are built for both IT and OT are becoming foundational for public sector agencies aiming to secure both digital services and physical infrastructure without disruption.

These solutions provide agencies with better resilience against cyber threats by enabling an additional layer of protection through always-on access to network traffic, ensuring that no packet is missed and no blind spot remains. By decoupling monitoring from production networks, government agencies can inspect encrypted traffic, integrate multiple security tools without degradation, and maintain uptime across both IT and OT environments.

In practice, that means a transport authority can upgrade its intrusion detection system without taking rail services offline. A water utility can continuously inspect network traffic for anomalies without disrupting pumps or treatment processes, and a health agency can scale its cloud-based monitoring without sacrificing visibility into on-premises legacy systems.

The future of public infrastructure is cyber resilient

With increasing geopolitical tension and the rise in state-aligned cyber threats, public sector networks are no longer purely administrative systems, theyre national assets. Whether safeguarding citizen data, keeping transportation systems operational, or maintaining utility uptime, government agencies in Australia and across the broader Asia Pacific region are increasingly recognising the need to approach cybersecurity as critical infrastructure in itself.

That shift begins with visibility because in the face of evolving threats, you cant defend what you cant see - and the public cant afford what governments cant secure.
GUEST OPINION: Networking is not just about high-profile conferences and crowded forums. In real life, most new connections are made in simple and familiar settings. Coffee abroad has long been an informal way to make acquaintances, discuss ideas or agree on partnerships. It is a format that works quickly and naturally. And while it has long been part of European culture, this practice is even more effective in Dubai, where business is combined with image. Arriving at a meeting in a ferrari 812 rental Dubai immediately shows your seriousness and respect for your partner.

People notice details, and they form impressions even before the first word is spoken.

Coffee Culture Abroad and Why it Helps

In many countries, coffee is part of everyday life. In Italy, a quick coffee standing up is often the start of an acquaintance. In France, meetings in coffee shops last for an hour, and this time is used to discuss important issues. In Dubai, coffee also has cultural significance, as it often symbolises hospitality and openness to dialogue.

This is an ideal format for business. The atmosphere of a coffee shop relieves tension, makes conversation easier, and builds trust more quickly. When a person in a foreign country wants to establish contact, a simple cup of coffee can be the key to serious cooperation.

First Impressions in Business Meetings

First impressions always work in the background. If clothing, manners and speech create one impression, then transport reinforces it. In Dubai, many businesspeople use rent Ferrari, and it looks natural in a city where prestige and speed matter.

Here are a few factors that shape impressions at a meeting:

Location. Where the meeting takes place and what the atmosphere is like.

Style. Clothes and details that show attention.

Car. Ferrari rental car as a way to emphasise status.

These are three components that work together. And often they are the ones who determine whether a conversation will be productive.

Why Dubai Stands Out

Dubai has become a global hub for businesspeople. Exhibitions, business summits and start-up events are constantly taking place here. Local coffee shops have become the main venue for new acquaintances. It's fast, convenient and understandable for people from different countries.

Another reason why this format works particularly well here is the emphasis on image. Using Ferrari rent Dubai helps to set the right mood before a meeting. When your partner sees that you value time and look organised, they are more inclined to take you seriously.

Choosing the Right Place for Coffee Networking

Not every coffee shop is suitable for a productive conversation. It is worth choosing a place that does not distract and at the same time creates the right background. This is especially important if you are abroad and want to impress new partners.

The selection criteria are as follows:

Convenient location and accessibility.

Good reputation of the establishment.

Comfortable noise level and service.

Availability of parking for cars, including Ferrari rent Dubai.

The right location solves many issues. It shows that you are thinking not only about yourself, but also about the comfort of your conversation partner.

Coffee and Mobility

Modern business is impossible without mobility. When your day is scheduled down to the minute, it is important to make it to several meetings in different parts of the city. Using Ferrari car rental solves two problems at once: comfort and creating the right image.

The main advantages of this solution are:

Freedom of movement without depending on taxis or drivers.

A positive image in front of partners.

The ability to control time.

A wide selection of models for a specific event.

Rental services work so that a person can book a car in a few clicks. This saves time and simplifies logistics, and most importantly, allows you to focus on meetings.

Why Coffee Networking Works Everywhere

The coffee meeting format works not only in Dubai. In the US, businesspeople make deals in coffee shops literally between appointments. In Europe, they prefer longer discussions in a more relaxed atmosphere. In Asia, more and more people are using this format as a convenient tool for business networking.

One thing they all have in common is that coffee creates a space where it is easier to communicate. And the right transport, such as rent Ferrari, in places like Dubai makes this practice even more effective.

Practical Advice for Better Networking Over Coffee

For coffee meetings to be effective, there are a few things to consider. These are simple things, but they affect the quality of networking:

Agree on a time in advance to avoid overlaps.

Choose locations with a good reputation.

Pay attention to your appearance and details of your image.

Use services such as Ferrari rental car if you want to emphasise your status.

Prepare a conversation plan rather than relying solely on improvisation.

When these tips become a habit, meetings become easier and more effective. People feel that you are serious about your work and value their time.

Why Trinity Works

Trinity focuses on the basics done right  quality cars, clear pricing, and support that's there when you need it. What makes us different:

Latest models with minimal mileage, including 2024 editions.

All-inclusive pricing with no hidden fees.

Door-to-door vehicle delivery at your convenience.

Complimentary full fuel tank with every rental.

Dedicated personal manager for personalized assistance.

Daily mileage allowance of 300 km included.

Flexible payment options: cash, card, or cryptocurrency.

Professional chauffeur available upon request.

Most rental companies overcomplicate things. We don't. You pick a car, we bring it to you with a full tank, and you drive off. Need help? Your manager picks up the phone. Want to pay with crypto? Go ahead. Everything's included in the price we quote  no adding up extras at the counter. It's car rental without the usual nonsense.

Coffee, Cars and Connections  The Smarter Choice

Networking over coffee abroad works because it combines simplicity and effectiveness. It is a convenient way to find new contacts, develop ideas and start collaborations. But in many countries, and especially in Dubai, details are very important.

Using services such as Ferrari car rental allows you to look convincing and make the right impression even before the conversation begins. Combined with a well-chosen location, this gives maximum effect.

Business in the global world is built on small things. Sometimes, a cup of coffee in the right place and a stylish car at the entrance can open doors to new opportunities.
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Van Jones, the CNN host and commentator, recently complained that neither the global left nor the mainstream media are covering the horrific violence against Nigerian civilians by Islamic terrorists.

True, they are not reporting the slaughter.

Truer still, they should be.

However, Van Jones went completely off the rails when he blamed "the Jews."

Or as he put it, "No Jews, no news"  a stereotyped statement as antisemitic as it is untrue.

In truth, lots of mass violence worldwide is ignored.

Unlike President Donald Trump, neither the left nor the mainstream media cared much for the recent mass ethnic cleansing of Armenian Christians from Nagorno-Karabakh  more than 120,000  by Azerbaijani Muslims.

Nor did they report much on the dangerous May 2025 "mini" war between nuclear Pakistan and nuclear India, prompted by a mass killing by Pakistani terrorists.

They mostly ignored mass evacuations, terrorist acts, and ethnic cleansings had nothing to do with Jones's absurd idea of "no Jews, no news."

Nor were they neglected because of the color of the dead.

The West snored all through the 1990s when Russia obliterated Chechnya and left Grozny completely flattened.

Why then so much more attention to the Middle East conflicts, and for that matter, the Ukraine War?

The Middle East is the historic and volatile nexus of three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Choke points, like the Straits of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Bosphorus, are critical to the global economy.

The region is the birthplace of three global religions  Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Religious wars there have incited world attention continuously, from well before and after the Crusades.

The Middle East proved a critical front in both World Wars. During the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1973 neared a nuclear showdown over a proxy war.

Over 40 percent of the world's daily oil leaves the Middle East.

It is the birthplace of the terrorists of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and Hezbollah. Over the decades, they have collectively killed thousands of Americans.

To the degree the media now fixates on Israel, it is likely because of fear of an exchange between wannabe nuclear Iran and Israel, in such a historic, oil-rich, and geostrategically contested area. Or better, we might fault ancient antisemitism, which explains why the majority of condemnatory UN resolutions have fixated on tiny Israel.

Moreover, Europe has learned that any violence in the Middle East quickly translates to widespread terrorism and mass violence on its own streets by its growing and restive Islamic minorities.

As far as media attention on the Ukraine war, it marks the first proxy conflict between nuclear Russia and the nuclear West, in which one side is directly involved in the fighting, on Russia's own border and at the doorstep of Europe.

The war is the greatest bloodbath in Europe since 1945, exceeding battles at the Somme, Verdun, and Stalingrad in both duration and body count.

As for the horror in Nigeria, the only time when the left and the mainstream media really covered violence in Africa was during the unrest of the 1980s in apartheid South Africa, when it was a daily news story.

Then the Western media focused only on white Afrikaner-on-black violence.

In contrast, there is plenty of black-on-white violence today in South Africa, whose cities are statistically among the most dangerous in the world.

But the media and the world have mostly ignored the failures of a post-Mandela and increasingly racist and violent South Africa.

It is also lamentable that the left and the media do not talk much about the 12,000 murders per year of black Americans, mostly by black males.

Instead, it focuses far more on rare white-on-black iconic deaths that the left sees as politically useful, such as those of Michael Brown, George Floyd, and Trayvon Martin.

To the degree that the media reacts to particular pressures at home, domestic constituencies play some role.

Meteoric rises in the U.S. Islamic population and foreign students from the Middle East have made the Gaza "genocide" front and center in popular culture and the news, and far more covered by the media than October 7 itself.

If Jones wishes proper attention to the Nigerian catastrophe, he might better explain why American blacks have not commensurately pressured the left to publicize the slaughter of innocent Nigerians by Islamist terror gangs.

The reason is not "the Jews," but more likely the nature of the killers.

The mass deaths in Africa are not due to affluent white "colonial settlers," but to radical black Islamic terrorists.

Moreover, the protocols of diversity/equity/inclusion have strangely cast radical Islam as a shared victim in the binary of victimized/victimizers.

In sum, black Islamic terrorists who commit mass murder are often immune from left-wing and media censure, and thus their innocent black victims are mostly forgotten as well.

( Hanson's latest book is "The Dying Citizen" from Basic Books. Buy it in hardcover at a 52% discount! by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 41% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR.)

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in Residence in Classics and Military History at the Hoover Institution, a professor of classics emeritus at California State University at Fresno, and a nationally syndicated columnist for Tribune Media Services.
By Qabil Ashirov



Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Natural Resources, Energy, and Ecology Sadiq Qurbanov and MP Kamal Jafarov will pay an official visit to Turkiye from October 12 to 18, Azernews reports, citing the Milli Majlis Press and Public Relations Department.

The Azerbaijani lawmakers will hold bilateral meetings in Ankara and Istanbul with representatives of Turkiyes Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and the Zero Waste Foundation.

During the visit, they will also participate in the Zero Waste Forum, which focuses on sustainable environmental management, waste reduction, and climate resilience initiatives.

The visit aims to further strengthen environmental cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, promoting the exchange of expertise in green policy, urban sustainability, and climate adaptation practices.
At this moment, a meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council in a limited format is taking place in Dushanbe, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the event.
During a limited-format meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the strengthening of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and highlighted the development of Lachin.

The head of state noted: At todays meeting, I would like to touch upon enhancing cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. I express my gratitude to the heads of CIS states for supporting the candidacy of the city of Lachin in Azerbaijans East Zangezur region as the CIS Cultural Capital for this year.

Emphasizing that the opening ceremony of the CIS Cultural Capital Year took place in Lachin in June, President Ilham Aliyev stated that the event provided insights into the history and cultural heritage of this ancient Azerbaijani land. The guests of the event witnessed firsthand the rapid revival of Lachin following its liberation from 30 years of Armenian occupation, he added.
If you have grown up under the realities of western medicine, you likely have general grievances about the financial cost of care, the inconvenience of scheduling and attending appointments, and the long wait times at the emergency room or to see a specialist. As a medical student and an occasional patient, the majority of my experiences have been in this philosophy of health care where everyone is entitled to quality care regardless of financial means. Even the underserved populations, like the unhoused, can still go to the emergency room and get the same standard of care as the next, more financially comfortable patient.

I was not prepared for the realities faced by the patients and health care providers in undeveloped nations upon visiting Tanzania. What started as a mission to provide vital supplies and observe care in a rural town in the Katavi region of Tanzania has since fueled me to share the experiences of the people who live there with my medical student peers and others who may have an interest in global medicine.

The hospital consisted of long, rugged outdoor hallways interspersed with a placard above the door indicating the name of the ward. The intake area was an outdoor desk with benches arranged near it as well as a cashier. Small adjunct buildings such as a pharmacy, a lab, an eye clinic, a cafeteria and an administrative building were scattered about the property. The wards were a continuous room with metal frame, twin-sized beds arranged in a row along the opposite sides of the room, with a blue mesh mosquito net hanging above them. There were no bedside monitors, air conditioning units, televisions, buttons on the wall, or curtains. Beside each bed a small bedside table with a single drawer, or a small crib in the maternity ward. At the back of each ward there was a bathroom usually consisting of a stall with a toilet, a stall with a squat toilet, a sink without soap, and a shower. A small room at the front of the ward typically contained a desk, a cabinet, a tin of gauze, a stack of white sheets, and a bin with the patient files belonging to those on the ward. Patients sit in the ward and do not read or watch TV; they talk to each other or lay there observing. Patients do not cuss out the nurses or doctors, they rarely scream or cry, they fight and they endure. The treatment of patients on the wards was similar but differed depending on fullness, age of the patients, and resources available.

While rounding on the male surgical ward, we came to find a patient on a bed lying underneath a metal cage with a sheet draped over him. We asked the nurse who the patient was and what had happened to him, and she told us that he was burned and left at the hospital. We found it curious that she seemed unbothered with his condition and he was not on any IV medications or fluids. We lifted back the sheet to reveal a thin, lanky man lying on his stomach with his head turned to the side and with his eyes and mouth nearly swollen shut with contusions. His lack of shirt revealed his extensive back, arm, and abdominal burns. He was wearing faded black skinny jeans and a belt, so his legs were not exposed but he had burns on the soles of his feet. Tears slowly leaked out of his eyes as he winced in pain. We spoke to him in a mix of broken Swahili and English and tried to get a patient history and background. The nurse told us that he was not hooked up to IV fluids or receiving any medication because he had no money and no family had come to provide the supplies to him. We took over his care, ensuring he had antibiotics, IV fluids, pain medication, and dressing changes daily. He had his wounds debrided by a nurse with no pain management and we found him crying in his bed in the ward. We did an escharotomy under ketamine and continued to manage his pain with tramadol and NSAIDs.

There is no central stock room where nurses or physicians can go to get any supplies they may need off the shelves. This includes but is not limited to IV lines, needles, gauze, tape, scissors, band aids, wipes, gloves, ointments, or medications. We quickly learned that any supplies we may need to assist with patient care had to be purchased by us at the pharmacy and carried in backpacks to be used as needed. If we were mid-dressing change on our burn patient and ran out of silver sulfadiazine, gauze, or gloves, one of us would have to walk to the pharmacy to purchase it with our own money. We bought bottled water and food and brought it to this patient since no family had come. As he was healing and able to speak more, he revealed to us that he and his wife had just moved to the town, and he had gone to the market and was accused of stealing and some men in the market had beat him and burned him with an iron. His wife had an emergency C-section to deliver their first son just prior and could not come to bring him anything and they had no family in the area. Two weeks into treating him, his wife returned to the hospital maternity ward with a post-op infection, she came with their son, but he was not allowed into this ward. His sister had come to help care for them, but the majority of her time was spent with the baby, and she had no financial means to help him other than bringing bits of food and water for him. He had yet to meet his son and when we got to see him hold him in his arms for the first time, tears glistened our entire teams eyes. This man suffered unimaginable pain both physically and psychologically, he saw the ugliest sides of people and said he had lost all hope of meeting his son and was sure he was going to die, but we restored that hope in him and he was so grateful that we would go out of our way like that for him. His story had a happy ending and his wife, his baby, and he were discharged together and put on a bus to be reunited with their families. He was not an isolated incident where he had no family or money and thus received no care and was left to die. A bizarre and foreign concept to us that people are just left until they can provide the financial means for their care as we generally have a pay after approach in western medicine.

The female maternity ward was a large ward in which the beds were almost always full. The cribs always sat unoccupied by babies and instead by a bag, blankets, or other personal effects. The nurses station was in the center of this ward, and the most recently post-operative patient was placed in the bed across from the desk. A round plastic container was under each bed to be used as a bed pan or for soiled blankets which each family was responsible for. Off to the side of this ward there was a small dimly lit hallway with a desk at the end, a baby warmer against the wall, and three small doors. Behind each door was a primitive exam table pushed up against the wall with a step stool, a metal IV pole, a trash bin, and a small metal table. These rooms were for the women actively in labor and pushing. On the wall next to a sink were hooks with white rubber aprons and rubber boots. A woman would deliver her baby and then provide a blanket to wrap it in, and it would be whisked away to be weighed and set in the baby warmer. The baby was not tagged with any identifying bracelet, there was no newborn screening done, no baby hat given. The mother would just lay on the bed for one hour to ensure there were no complications. Only female visitors were permitted to enter and come sit with her. No pain relief was provided, only a shot of Pitocin to prevent hemorrhage and a single 250 mL IV bag.

Undergoing a C-section was much the same except you were taken to the operating theatre in a rickety wheelchair and sat by the door, often in obstructed labor until the surgeon was ready. In the operating theatre, there was a surgical table, an overhead lamp, a monitor for vitals, a broken looking anesthesia machine, two large fans, a newborn bassinet and a table for surgical instruments and gowns. No outdoor shoes were permitted in the OR and instead the rubber boots or Crocs littered around the doors were worn. Patients undergoing surgery received IV antibiotics and usually spinal anesthesia but were never intubated and generally came to as the surgeon was suturing the wound from the outside. They were given a shot of tramadol to help with pain and then taken back to the respective surgical ward. The baby that had been delivered was taken by a nurse shortly after delivery and would be waiting for the arrival of their mom in the baby warmer. If patients did not purchase all necessary supplies, including a cord clamp, things were improvised. The surgeon would snap off the cuff of his glove and tie the cord with that prior to cutting it. Blood pressure checks for the mom only happened every few hours and she generally did not receive IV fluids or extensive enough monitoring, and thus postpartum shock is a common occurrence. Mothers who had miscarriages or stillbirths were placed in the same ward as those cradling their healthy newborns heartbreak side by side with joy, separated by nothing more than the space of a bed.

The pediatric ward was the one we spent the most time in, and compared to the others, had more things in it such as an oxygen machine to supply the two most proximal beds. A parent generally sat in bed with their child next to them, or in their arms if they were infants. The majority of patients were there for severe malaria-induced anemia, burns, upper respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, malnutrition, and sickle cell crisis. The physicians do not have stethoscopes, they do not do vitals other than pulse oximetry and temperature, they only order basic labs, they rarely order a chest X-ray or ultrasound because patients cannot afford it (under three USD), and they pretty much only treat the patients they know they can save. They seem to have this general knowledge of a lost cause when they see one and often families have lost children previously. There is a nutritionist who visits the ward, but she does not have baby formula other supplemental things to give out, she advises parents on making a porridge with sugar and oil in it. There are no spare diapers, no spare blankets, no spare dressing supplies, no water or food, no medications, no ventilators. I found myself often using my own water with the hydroxyurea we purchased in a borrowed cup to be able to dose our sickle cell patients. There were no pre-filled saline syringes for IV-line flushes, and we were responsible for buying our own syringes, filling them, and carrying them around with us.

As with every hospital, patients die. Physicians make peace with this fact of life knowing they did everything in their power to help their patients or make them comfortable. It is easy to judge the doctors in developing countries and say they do not care about their patients, or they are uneducated but it is truly comparing apples to oranges. It is unfair for us to make these assumptions based off of three weeks of observation. It is important to remember global medicine trips should be about helping, educating, and friendship. The systemic injustices were not solved by us nor is it our place.

Before going on the trip, my objective was to learn and practice medicine but ultimately it was to connect with people. I held babies, I held hands, I wiped tears, I hugged people, I blew bubbles, I made kids smile, and old men happy with Vaseline for their chapped lips and dry skin. I welcomed new babies with a Happy Birthday and laughed and cried with patients. Healing physically and emotionally for patients truly begins by simple acts of showing care to each other as humans and making people feel less alone. All these things are what make global medicine a truly unique and privileged experience for health care providers.

Giana Nicole Davlantes is a medical student.
Hikers take pictures with Ulsanbawi Rock of Seoraksan Mountain in the distance. (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



If you appreciate the gift of nature, head to one of Koreas national parks for a hiking trip. From Seoraksan Mountain, with rough ridges and rock formations, to Hallasan Mountain, boasting its mystical scenery, and Bukhansan Mountain, with a panoramic view of Seoul, Koreas national parks await your visit. Whether you are a beginner who appreciates easygoing walks along forest trails or a seasoned hiker who scales great cliffs and deep valleys, these hiking trails have something for everyone.

1. Bukhansan Mountain

The view of Seoul from Bukhansan Mountain (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Located in the northern part of Seoul, Bukhansan National Park is a great place to enjoy the vastness of nature in a big city. Bukhansan Mountain refers to a collection of peaks around Seoul and northern Gyeonggi-do. Because of its location, it is interwoven into an excellent public transportation network, allowing easy access to its hiking trail entrances.

Parts of Bukhansan Mountains Baegundae Trail (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Bukhansan Mountain is also a place where the history and culture of Korea live and breathe: A monument erected on Bibong Peak, one of the rocky ridges of the mountain, by King Jinheung of Silla in the 6th century to commemorate his visit to the kingdoms borders, was designated as a natural treasure of Korea and is now housed in the National Museum of Korea. Bukhansanseong Fortress, built on the way to Baegundae Peak, Bukhansan Mountains highest peak, offers a great photo spot to capture the areas scenery.

Recommended Trails

Baegundae Trail

Length: 9 km

Time taken: 5 hr

Course : Bukhansanseong Information Center  Deungungak Pavilion  Baegundae Peak  Yongammun Gate  Jungheungsa Temple  Bukhansanseong Information Center

Starting point: Bukhansanseong Parking Lot 1, 24 Daeseomun-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul (   24  1)

How to get there: Take Bus No. 704 from Seoul Station Bus Transfer Center  Get off at Bukhansanseong Entrance Bus Stop

Tip! Bukhansan Shelter is an unmanned rest area for hikers.

Baegundae Trail map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

This trail takes you from Bukhansanseong Information Center to Deungungak Pavilion, Baegunbongammun Gate, and eventually to Baegundae Peak. It is quite steep, but there are rest areas built along the trail, so you can take the trail at your own pace. At the peak, you can take your pic of the day, enjoying an expansive view of downtown Seoul and Bukhansan Mountain. Note that some sections of the trail (Daedongsa Temple  Baegunbongammun Gate  Yongammun Gate) are closed because of the risk of rockfall at the present moment, so make sure to check whether the trail is open before your visit.

Sinseondae Trail

Length: 7.2 km

Time taken: 4 hr 30 min

Course: Dobong Ranger Station  Eunseogam Hermitage  Darangneungseon Ridge  Y Valley  Sinseondae Peak  Madangbawi Rock  Dobong Ranger Station

Starting point: Dobongsan Public Parking Lot, 282-26 Dobong-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul (   282-26 )

How to get there: Take the subway to Dobongsan Station on Seoul Subway Line 1  20 min hike to the entrance of the hiking trail

Tip! For safety reasons, you must follow the directions displayed on the map at the Y Valley section.

Sinseondae Trail map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

This trail from Dobong Ranger Station upward to Sinseondae Peak via Eunseogam Hermitage and Darangneungseon Ridge is a trail where you encounter the many faces of Dobongsan Mountain. For instance, you can see the tranquil scenery of Eunseogam Hermitage, the grandeur of Darangneungseon Ridge, and the steep rocks of the Y Valley in one hiking trip. Take a breather at Madangbawi Rock (Madang, meaning a wide land) before descending past Cheonchuksa Temple toward Dobong Ranger Station. The trail down is much gentler than the way up, so you can easily complete your visit.

Nearby Attraction

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center - Bukhansan Branch

Equipment rental space within the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Seoul Hiking Tourism Center offers tourist information services tailored to international hikers. It offers information on Seouls major hiking trails in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese and offers equipment such as hiking shoes and clothing for rental. The center also offers experience programs for international visitors, as well as lockers (both free and paid) for luggage storage and lounges for resting.

2. Seoraksan Mountain

Seoraksan Mountain (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Seoraksan National Park, the first place in Korea to be designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1982, is the second largest national park in Korea. It is famous among tourists, nature lovers, and hikers for its beautiful scenic features, such as the Gongnyongneungseon Ridge and Cheonbuldonggyegok Valley.

Daecheongbong Peak at Seoraksan Mountain (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Seoraksan Mountains roughness is only matched by its beauty. The way to the summit is not easy but certainly fulfilling. Many visitors stay overnight at the shelter at the midway point before climbing to the peak. If you want an easier hike, we recommend the trail along the stream in the valley leading to Biseondae Peak. If you are with seniors or children, you can take the cable car to Gwongeumseong Fortress, a mountain fortress built during the Goryeo period, to enjoy the panoramic view of the area and take a picture with the majestic Ulsanbawi Rock as a backdrop.

Recommended Trails

Daecheongbong Trail

Length: 16 km

Time taken: 10 hr

Course: Sogongwon Park  Biseondae Peak  Huiungak Shelter  Daecheongbong Peak  Namseorak (Osaek)

Starting point: Seoraksan Sogongwon Park, 1055 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do (   1055 )

How to get there: Take Bus No. 7 or 7-1 from Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal  Get off at Seoraksan Sogongwon Park Bus Stop

Tip! Closures for forest fire prevention

Many sections of Seoraksan Mountains hiking trails are closed during the forest fire prevention period.

Sections closed: Upper areas - Biseondae Canyon to Daecheongbong Peak

Open sections: Sogongwon Park entrance to Biseondae Canyon

Period: March 2  May 15 / November 15  December 15

Daecheongbong Trail map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

This hiking trail, which brings you from Sogongwon Park to Daecheongbong Peak, the mountains highest peak, through the wide and massive rock formation of Biseondae Peak and the beautiful Cheondangpokpo Falls, is the best way to experience the beauty of Seoraksan Mountain. It starts off with an easy walk along lush forest trails but eventually becomes an arduous climb along steep slopes from Cheondangpokpo Falls. However, the view at the summit and the majesty of the Gongnyongneungseon Ridge and Ulsanbawi Rock are more than enough to make up for that.

Ulsanbawi Trail

Length: 7.6 km

Time taken: 4 hr

Course: Sogongwon Park  Sinheungsa Temple  Heundeulbawi Rock  Ulsanbawi Rock  Sogongwon Park

Starting point: Seoraksan Sogongwon Park, 1055 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do (   1055 )

How to get there: Take Bus No. 7 or 7-1 from Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal  Get off at Seoraksan Sogongwon Park Bus Stop

Ulsanbawi Trail map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

The forest path from Sogongwon Park to Sinheungsa Temple and Heundeulbawi Rock is gentle, so it is quite accessible to visitors of all skill levels. Heundeulbawi Rock is a photo area popular among tourists, many of whom often try to shake the rock to test the veracity of its name (heundeul means wobbling). The path from Heundeulbawi Rock to Ulsanbawi Rock is rather steep, but the view from the summit is worth every drop of sweat. Ulsanbawi Trail is ideal for those who want to sample the beauty of Seoraksan Mountain but dont have the time or stamina for a longer hike.

Nearby Attraction

Baekdamsa Temple

Traditional Patterns on Baekdamsa Temples Eaves (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Baekdamsa Temple has a reputation of being one of the most beautiful temples in Korea, and for good reason. In particular, the surrounding mountains erupt in majestic red in fall, creating a scenery straight out of a landscape painting. It is a great place to enjoy meditation in peace and quiet. It also offers Templestays for international visitors, so if you want to experience life in a Buddhist temple in Korea, check out their programs.

3. Hallasan Mountain

Baengnokdam Crater Lake at the summit of Hallasan Mountain (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Standing 1,950 meters above sea level, Hallasan Mountain is the tallest mountain in Korea and one of four rare places in the world with the triple UNESCO designation of Biosphere Reserve, World Natural Heritage Site, and Global Geopark. This dormant volcano in the middle of Jeju Island is rightly known for its beautiful scenery, making it a popular destination for both islanders and visitors.

Snow-covered Hallasan Mountain (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



One of the charms of Hallasan Mountain is the variety of vegetation you will find as you climb the mountain. From the Tamnagyegok Valley to Baengnokdam Crater Lake, each step brings you to a new facet of Jejus nature. Note that the trail to the summit requires a reservation and has a limited capacity in order to protect nature.

Jeju Island offers plenty of things to enjoy outside of hiking. From its natural sights to delicious food and quirky cafes, the island has so many things to experience. If you plan to hike Hallasan Mountain, make sure to leave enough time to see the island outside your hiking plans.

Recommended Trails

Baengnokdam Trail

Length: 18.5 km

Time taken: 10 hr

Course: Seongpanak Parasitic Cone  Jindallaebat Shelter  Baengnokdam Crater Lake  Samgakbong Shelter  Tamnagyegok Valley  Gwaneumsa Temple

Starting point: 1865 516-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do (  516 1865)

How to get there:

Take Bus No. 181 from Jeju International Airport Gate 2  Get off at Seongpanak Bus Stop



Take Bus No. 281 from Jeju Bus Terminal  Get off at Seongpanak Bus Stop

Tips! Hiking along the Seongpanak Trail brings you to the Saraoreum Fork. From here, you can proceed along a side trail for about 600 meters to Saraoreum Parasitic Cone, one of the mystical craters of Hallasan Mountain. Climbing the Saraoreum Parasitic Cone offers a great view of Baengnokdam Crater Lake, the rocks of Yeongsil, and the wide Seonjakjiwat Plain. If you can manage the hike, make sure to visit and see the view.

Baengnokdam Trail map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

Seongpanak Trail, the most famous trail to Hallasan Mountains peak, boasts diverse scenic views. Go past the Sokbat Shelter and Saraoreum Parasitic Cone to find the Jindallaebat Shelter, after which the steep stairs begin. Once you reach the summit, however, you are rewarded with a great view of the island. The hike down isnt boring, thanks to exciting features like suspension bridges. From Tamnagyegok Valley, the trek becomes gentle, allowing for an easy descent. If you want to take in nature and seize the triumphant view at the summit, reserve your spot for Hallasan hiking.

Yeongsil Trail

Length: 8.4 km

Time taken: 5 hr

Course: Yeongsil  Byeongpungbawi Rock  Witseoreum Parasitic Cone  Eorimok

Starting point: Yeongsil Service Area, 495 Yeongsil-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do (   495 )

How to get there: Take Bus No. 240 from Jeju Bus Terminal  Get off at Yeongsil Ticket Booth Bus Stop

Tips! The 2.5 kilometer-long road from Yeongsil Ticket Booth to Yeongsil Trail entrance, Yeongsil Rest Area, and parking lot is accessible only to vehicles with 12 seats or fewer. There is no parking space for personal cars due to crowding. If you are taking the bus, you have to walk the 2.5 kilometers until you reach the entrance to the trail. The most convenient way is to take a taxi to the entrance. After the hike, you can take a taxi back to your accommodation from the entrance to Eorimok Trail.

If you choose to start from Witseoreum Parasitic Cone and proceed to the Nambyeok Observatory before returning to Witseoreum Parasitic Cone, it adds about 4.2 kilometers more of hiking to your trail.

Yeongsil Trai map (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



Hiking the National Parks of Korea

Yeongsil Trail is a charming trail where you can experience different facets of nature through flat roads and steep stairs. The road from Byeongpungbawi Rock to Witseoreum Shelter is quite steep and difficult, but the view at the summit is worth the journey. The road down to Eorimok Visitor Center allows you to enjoy lush forests and cool valleys embodying natures variety and beauty.

Nearby Attraction

Oneunjeong Gimbap

Oneunjeong Gimbap (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)



A roll of gimbap at the summit is an unmissable pleasure for Korean hikers. In particular, Oneunjeong Gimbap, one of the most famous gimbap shops in Seogwipo, Jeju-do, is constantly visited by hikers. The original Oneunjeong gimbap is filled with deep-fried bean curd, and you can also choose other menus like cheese gimbap and grilled galbi patties gimbap. Note that reservations are essential. If you are planning to enjoy your gimbap on the summit, make sure to visit the shop the day before and set up a pickup time.

(Screenshot of Hiking the National Park of Korea)



Your Perfect Guide to Hiking in Korea: Hiking the National Parks of Korea

This guide is a comprehensive guidebook of 46 hiking trails you can cover in a day within 23 national parks in Korea. It was written jointly by two staff members of the Korea National Park Service (Yoon Hong-geun and Park Hyeon-jeong) and Christian Jorgensen, who collected the opinions of experts and seasoned hikers and visited the trails to choose only the best of the best. The book provides a thorough list of unique features and information essential to each trail and is lavishly illustrated with photos to bring it to life. Pick up this guidebook and delve into Koreas beautiful world of national parks this fall.

*Most of this editorials content and photos (including infographics) were provided by the authors of Hiking the National Parks of Korea.

1330 Korea Travel Helpline: +82-2-1330

1330 Text Chat: https://m.site.naver.com/1rEid

(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian)

* This column was last updated in September 2024, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.
By Nazrin Abdul



AzInTelecom LLC participated in the "Digital Bridge 2025" forum held in Kazakhstans capital, Astana, showcasing its latest digital products and services.

Throughout the three-day event, AzInTelecom operated an interactive booth where forum attendees were introduced to the companys digital solutions and services in detail.

Farrukh Farajullayev, Director of the Commercial Department at AzInTelecom, took part in panel discussions, where he spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on business operations and highlighted the companys role in supporting Azerbaijans digital transformation. He emphasized that the integration of AI models into cloud and biometric technologies is driving innovation in both sectors, while enhancing agility in business and government services.

During the event, AzInTelecoms delegation also held meetings with representatives of several international companies to explore potential partnerships. Notable meetings included discussions with executives from Microsoft, VK Tech, and the Turkish Service Exporters Association, focusing on opportunities in digitalization and technological collaboration.

The forum featured a range of activities including the official opening of the International Artificial Intelligence Center, startup competitions, panel discussions, tech exhibitions, awards ceremonies, and thematic dialogues, making it one of the regions most dynamic platforms for digital innovation.
Efforts to support entrepreneurs through concessional financial mechanisms were discussed during a meeting between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, a meeting was held with representatives of Kazakhstans DAMU Entrepreneurship Development Fund at the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund.

During the meeting, the sides reviewed the steps taken to support business entities through preferential financial instruments. They also exchanged views on the progress made under the memorandum of understanding signed between the two institutions, and discussed prospects for future cooperation.
With one month remaining before the opening of the National Games, the flame-lighting ceremony for Chinas 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and the 9th National Special Olympic Games took place yesterday (Oct. 9) in Guangzhous Nansha District.

At the ceremony, Gao Zhidan, director of the General Administration of Sport of China, joined key officials from the three host regions  Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau  to simultaneously raise their ceremonial torches and light the official cauldron.

This included Guangdong Party Secretary Huang Kunming, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, and Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, who collectively ignited the sacred flame, symbolizing their shared role as hosts.

Also present at the event were Macaus Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam; Chairperson of the Macao Competition Zone Organizing Committee, Chan Chak Mo; and Director of the Preparatory Office for the National Games (Macau), Pun Weng Kun.

According to organizers, the flames source was combustible ice extracted from approximately 1,500 meters beneath the South China Sea.

The 15th National Games will officially take place from Nov. 9 to 21, followed by the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games from Dec. 8 to 15. NS

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The Gongbei Customs arrested 21 people and dismantled five criminal gangs since 2023, preventing nearly 25,300 obscene books from being smuggled into mainland China. Operations, conducted in three phases, uncovered networks hiding books in vehicles, luggage, and warehouses in Guangdong, and distributing them online for profit. Authorities also intercepted maritime smuggling via unlicensed vessels in Zhuhai, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Nanchang, targeting illegal shipments of books and other contraband.

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With the hairy crab season in full swing this month, five residents have fallen victim to online shopping scams, each reporting losses ranging from several hundred to MOP2,000. The Judiciary Police (PJ) issued an alert yesterday, revealing that scammers have been impersonating local businesses on Facebook by creating fake pages. They lured victims with offers of discounted hairy crab pre-orders, demanding payment first, delivery later. The police noted that after scanning the unverified MPay QR codes provided, the victims did not receive the promised goods and lost contact with the alleged businesses.

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China makes solemn representations to US over House committee report slandering educational exchanges: spokesperson

08:26, October 10, 2025 By Xu Keyue ( Global Times

When commenting on a so-called report on "how US visa policies enable China's defense entities to tap US higher education" recently issued by a committee of the US House of Representatives, which spreads disinformation and proposes restrictions on normal exchange and cooperation in education between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on Thursday that there is nothing credible about the aforementioned committee, which keeps attacking and smearing China for its political agenda.

According to Guo, in response to the committee's irresponsible investigation, the Chinese side has protested to the US side. "Let me stress that exchange and cooperation in education between China and the US is mutually beneficial. It is in the interest of both sides, is what the two countries expect, and is conducive to interaction and understanding between the two peoples," stated Guo.

The spokesperson stated that some US politicians overstretch the concept of national security and interfere in and disrupt normal educational cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Their attempts find no support and will lead nowhere.

"We urge the US to act on President Trump's commitment to welcoming Chinese students to study in the country and stop harming relevant parties' interests and China-US ties. China will keep a close eye on what the US says and does and will do what is necessary to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests," Guo said.

"This House committee report should be understood as a counter-current in the US perception of China. It runs contrary not only to the mainstream opinion within the US education sector but also to the stance of the current US administration," Lu Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

A recent decision of the US government allows 600,000 Chinese students to study in the US over the next two years, The Politico reported on August 31.

Countless examples have proven that educational exchanges between China and the US are beneficial for enhancing mutual understanding between the two sides, and can also help boost the US education industry, Lu said.

"We do not wish to see such counter-current rhetoric [by the US House committee] translated into policy, and we hope that mainstream opinion in the US can remain clear-sighted and use its own means to overwhelm such distorted reports," Lu told the Global Times.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
By Alimat Aliyeva

China has intensified its crackdown on semiconductor imports, deploying specialized customs inspection teams at major ports across the country in recent weeks, Azernews reports,according to a report by the Financial Times.

The inspections initially focused on ensuring that domestic companies comply with government guidelines discouraging the purchase of Nvidias China-specific chips, developed to meet U.S. export restrictions. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report noted that Chinese regulators have become increasingly concerned about the unauthorized flow of advanced AI chips into the country.

However, the scope of these checks has significantly broadened. Customs officials are now reportedly inspecting all types of advanced semiconductor products, not just those linked to Nvidia, in an effort to curb chip smuggling and unauthorized imports that may breach U.S. export control regulations.

This move comes amid an ongoing global tech rivalry between the U.S. and China, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Advanced chips  such as those used in machine learning, data centers, and military technologies  have become a focal point in this geopolitical competition. China's tightened inspections suggest a growing determination to control its supply chain, ensure self-sufficiency, and reduce reliance on foreign technology that might be vulnerable to sanctions.

Analysts believe that the stricter enforcement signals a new phase in China's strategy: not just resisting U.S. pressure, but actively policing its own market to ensure that domestic firms comply with both local directives and international trade limitations.
World leaders yesterday expressed hope for peace and urged Israel and Hamas to fulfill their commitments in the hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the parties had agreed to the first phase of a deal signaling a major breakthrough in the two-year war in Gaza.

Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace, Trump wrote on social media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media: With Gods help we will bring them all home.

United Nations

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the U.N. will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief, and we will advance recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

He urged all to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward toward recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.

China

China hoped for a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying that President Xi Jinpings government expects the agreement to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calm tensions in the Middle East.

We are ready to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote a comprehensive, fair and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue and the realization of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, noting that China advocates for a two-state solution.

Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country played a role in the negotiations, hailed the agreement. He thanked Trump in a statement on X for demonstrating the necessary political will, as well as Qatar and Egypt for facilitating the deal.

Erdogan later said that Turkey hoped to participate in any task force that would be responsible for overseeing the ceasefire agreement.

Egypt

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hailed the deal between Israel and Hamas as a historic moment.

This agreement does not only close the chapter of war; it also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability, el-Sissi wrote on social media.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, after phone calls from his European counterparts, expressed hope that the deal would start a new chapter in the region.

Syria

Syrias Foreign Ministry welcomed the ceasefire announcement and expressed hope the development would pave the way for a phase of regional stability.

The ministry also praised the mediation role of Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and the U.S.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE, which struck a diplomatic recognition deal with Israel in 2020, praised the move toward a ceasefire, saying it hoped it would constitute a positive step toward ending the humanitarian suffering in Gaza while moving toward a two-state solution.

France

President Emmanuel Macron said that the agreement is a great hope for the hostages and their families, for the Palestinians in Gaza, and for the entire region.

Macron commended the efforts of President @realDonaldTrump, as well as the Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators who helped make it happen, and called on the warring parties to strictly uphold the terms of the deal.

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the agreement and urged an immediate lifting of restrictions on aid.

Speaking while on a trade mission to India, Starmer praised the tireless diplomatic efforts of the mediators and said the U.K. will support efforts to turn the ceasefire into a sustainable path to long-term peace.

This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families and for the civilian population of Gaza, who have all endured unimaginable suffering over the last two years, he said.

Germany

Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the agreement and said that he was hopeful for a full deal this week.

Merz said that the developments are encouraging and that hopes regarding Israel and the Gaza Strip increased again last night, but this is not yet really concluded, so we are of course watching the situation very closely and remain optimistic.

Saudi Arabia

The kingdoms foreign ministry expressed hope that this important step will lead to urgent action to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, a complete Israeli withdrawal, the restoration of security and stability and the initiation of practical steps to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

Jordan

Jordans deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, praised the efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States and thanked Turkey for its role in the deal.

Safadi stressed the need for aid to enter Gaza, and said Jordan was ready to resume aid deliveries.

Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun said that he hoped the initial agreement would constitute a first step toward a permanent ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza.

Aoun called for continued international and regional efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and for Israel to halt its aggressive policies in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. ELENA BECATOROS, ATHENS, MDT/AP

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HSBC Asia Pacific announced yesterday its plan to take Hong Kongs Hang Seng Bank private in a deal valued at HKD106.1 billion (USD13.63 billion). This move comes after its majority-owned subsidiary faced criticism over its performance and exposure to the weakening property markets in both Hong Kong and mainland China.

HSBC said it will offer HKD155 per share for the 36.5% stake it does not already own, valuing Hang Seng Bank at approximately HKD37 billion.

The offer represents a 30.3% premium over Hang Sengs closing price of HKD119 on Wednesday, HSBC said.

According to Michael Makdad, senior equity analyst at Morningstar, the transaction marks the largest banking acquisition in Hong Kong in more than a decade, surpassing OCBCs $5.3 billion purchase of Wing Hang Bank in 2014.

Meanwhile, Citi analysts said in a note, While the strategic rationale is compelling, and this seems a sensible overall use of capital, we expect investors will question why now and at this price.

To finance the acquisition, HSBC plans to pause its share buybacks for about three quarters to raise the necessary capital. The deal is structured as a scheme of arrangement under Section 673 of Hong Kongs Companies Ordinance and values the lender at about HKD290 billion, giving minority shareholders a graceful exit at a premium.

HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery described the deal as a medium- to long-term investment in a leading local bank with a distinctive customer base and strong financial health, emphasizing Hang Sengs robust liquidity and capital ratios.

Elhedery also said the offer reflects HSBCs confidence in the Hong Kong market, which remains its most profitable geography and a declared home market.

It was also confirmed that Hang Seng Bank will retain its separate brand following the acquisition.

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The general strike on 3 October was a historic leap forward for the Palestine movement and for the class struggle in general. A human tide poured onto streets across Italy: 300,000 in Rome, 150,000 in Milan, Naples, and Bologna, 100,000 in Florence. The list is too long for this article. In total, an estimated 2 million people took to the streets in at least 100 cities. The next day, 500,000 people flooded Rome again for the national demonstration.

[Originally published in Italian at rivoluzione.red]

Numbers like these have not been mobilised in decades  some say in 20 years, some say 50. But it isnt just a question of numbers. A political strike of this magnitude to stand alongside a foreign people suffering genocide is unprecedented. And it is clear that the tensions accumulated over years of crisis, austerity, and sacrifice  which could not find an outlet  have exploded onto the streets.

What we are facing is therefore not a fleeting phenomenon, but a profound turning point that opens a new phase, if not a new era.

The scope of this movement transcends the borders of Italy: it is linked to a rise in revolutionary mobilisations worldwide and will, in turn, contribute to fuelling them.

The government flounders

In just over a month, from the march in Genoa on 30 August that launched the movement, to the general strike of October, the balance of power in society has been completely overturned. Now it is the government and the ruling class that are on the defensive, while young people and workers have become aware of their immense strength.

The government feels the pressure and is moving in a disorganised way. First, the Minister of Defence Crosetto pathetically pretended to care about the Flotilla and sent a frigate to protect it. But then, as soon as the Israeli navy blocked the ships, Meloni lashed out against the mission, even saying that the activists were putting peace in Gaza at risk (the activists, not the Netanyahu government! It sounds like a joke, but it is not)!

But reactionary rhetoric has little purchase now. So much so that even Deputy Prime Minister Salvini, faced with the scale of the strike on 3 October, had to give up on forcing workers back to work.

So, after three years of insipid parliamentary opposition, it is the movement on the streets that is finally putting the government in difficulty. It is time for the movement to set itself the clear goal of sending home this government, which is complicit in genocide and an enemy of workers.

What does let's block everything mean?

Since 30 October, a slogan has been passed from mouth to mouth that has now become widespread: let's block everything. It is a good slogan, as it breaks with the theatre in which all political action is reduced to parliamentary debates and delegated to professionals. This has been the policy of the parliamentary left: an intervention in parliament, a press conference that no one listens to, a few requests to the government that are blissfully ignored.

The eruption of the masses onto the scene, which is always the defining element of great processes of social change, has torn the veil / Image: fair use

Establishment politics, the 'democracy they have taught us ever since we went to school, is an intricate system designed not to convey the needs of the masses to those in power, but to filter them, and divert them into eternal waiting. It is an invitation to remain passive and to delegate the management of society to the upper echelons; that is, to the ruling class and its personnel.

The eruption of the masses onto the scene, which is always the defining element of great processes of social change, has torn the veil. We are no longer waiting, we are blocking everything to stop the genocide. And so, everything has changed.

Having established this, it is necessary to understand how this action can be carried out effectively. A good start is to look at the strengths of the movement so far and draw the necessary conclusions.

First, the slogan let's block everything had a real effect because it was carried out, not by a small minority, but by mass action. We must therefore put an end once and for all to the idea that the movement is made up of a handful of isolated activists, and work to ensure that the mass participation seen in the streets spills over into schools, universities, and workplaces.

This means creating widespread assemblies in which to discuss our objectives, programme, and methods of struggle in a democratic and coordinated manner. The active involvement of the majority (or at least of a large proportion of the working class) is the basis for the success of the struggle.

Secondly, apart from briefly blocking roads or train stations, it was the strikes that really brought things to a standstill (on 22 September, especially in schools, and on 3 October more generally). Outside the general strikes, it was in the ports where blocking everything was most effective, as it was the port workers themselves  workers located at strategic points in the supply routes for the Israeli military machine  that shut things down.

The workers must decide!

The example of the ports is instructive. There was no complete blockage of all activity, but a targeted blockage that stopped the loading of ships that were to carry war material to Israel.

This is a concrete example of a general concept: under capitalism, it is the workers who produce and distribute. Therefore, it is the workers themselves, if they organise, who can decide what to do and what not to do. Organised, they can take control and break with their normal condition of subordination to the directives of managers and bosses.

Workers' control is not an abstract formula. It arises spontaneously whenever there is an upsurge in workers struggles. Italy has a tradition of factory councils, created by workers during the Biennio Rosso (Red Two Years) and then again in the 1960s and 1970s.

Workers at the port of Ravenna explained how they managed to identify containers containing weapons for Israel and thus selectively block them. In Taranto, the Eni refinery was blocked to prevent the loading of an oil tanker that was to carry fuel to the Israeli air force. These examples must be shared as widely as possible, so that workers in different companies can discuss how and where to apply workers' control over production, starting with companies whose products and services are instrumental to the Israeli military machine.

Demonstrations and pickets outside strategic locations (today the ports, but it doesnt stop there) can provide important support, but they must always aim to strengthen the mobilisation of workers inside these workplaces, not replace it.

Workers' control is not an abstract formula. It arises spontaneously whenever there is an upsurge in workers struggles / Image: Paluello17, Wikimedia Commons

This is a reversal of the mobilisations of the early 2000s. Then, disobbedienti (or more precisely post-workerist) groups theorised that the working class was obsolete, that strikes were a useless tool, and that blockades could only be understood as blockades of roads, stations, sometimes even companies  but always from the outside. This stance resulted in actions that were necessarily short-lived, without significant impact, and that excluded the organised labour movement.

Today, on the contrary, it was the workers themselves who, with their spontaneous, grassroots action, have caused the movement to overflow. It was they who forced the trade union leaderships, particularly that of the CGIL, to call a general strike. This too marks a reversal of the balance of power. After decades in which it seemed impossible to move the elephantine trade union bureaucracies, workers now know that it was they who brought the CGIL onto the battlefield. And that they can do it again.

This raises one final point: the mass organisations of the working class have the power to defeat the enemy, but the leadership of the movement cannot be delegated to leaders who do not even want to enter battle.

The slogan let's block everything comes from the movement in France. For years in France, the leadership of the main trade union, the CGT, has been calling for large days of action that have brought millions of people onto the streets. But, isolated from each other, they did not have the strength to defeat Macron and the French bourgeoisie.

Bloquons tout! is the slogan of the trade union left, and of the most advanced sectors of the movement. This includes our comrades in the French section of the RCI, Parti Communiste Revolutionnaire, who are calling for an all-out strike until Macron falls and a workers government is established.

The same idea must now be applied in Italy. 3 October must not remain an isolated day. The enemy is in trouble and we must not give him any respite. The grassroots mobilisation that led to the strike must be extended and structured, in workplaces and throughout the rest of society. It must put on the agenda a 48-hour general strike to bring down the Meloni government. It must take up a programme that combines the struggle to end genocide with a class offensive.

Let's organise and block everything. Because it's time to take everything back.
When the leaders speak of peace, the common people know that war is coming. (Berthold Brecht)

This morning, the man in the White House must have choked over his plate of corn flakes when he saw the headlines in the newspapers:

Maria Corina Machado, the most prominent leader of the Venezuelan opposition, had just won the Nobel Peace Prize!

Norwegian Nobel committee chair, Jrgen Watne Frydnes, commended Machado as a brave and committed champion of peace who keeps the flame of democracy burning during a growing darkness.

This most unwelcome  and unexpected  news struck the President of the United States with the force of a hammer blow.

What the hell is going on? Have these people in Oslo lost their mind? Have they not seen the news? Dont they have televisions in Norway?

Poor Donald could scarcely believe his eyes. Only yesterday, he was savouring the momentous success of his peace plan for the Middle East, which must surely be inscribed in the annals of future history as one of the greatest triumphs in the entire history of world diplomacy.

Have these guys in Oslo not witnessed the wild scenes of rejoicing in Gaza? Did they not see a mass of people dancing in the streets of Israel, waving American flags and singing my praises?

The result should have been a foregone conclusion. The much sought-after prize should have been his for the asking! Something is badly wrong with the world today that it permits such a terrible injustice!

No doubt, the president will have used far stronger language than that. But, with due respect for etiquette, we will use a more charitable version. The essence, however, will be exactly the same.

When Donald Trump stood for election as President of the United States, he presented himself as the peace candidate. But let us examine the issue a little more closely.

What is the real meaning of Americas alleged mission for peace in the world?

A champion of peace?

In George Orwells 1984, the Ministry of Peace (Minipax) is the government department responsible for war. Similarly, the Ministry of Truth deals in lies, the Ministry of Love is responsible for torture, and the Ministry of Plenty signifies poverty and starvation.

These are examples of what Orwell called Newspeak. It is alive and well in the world of the 21st century. So-called political correctness informs us that people are no longer killed in wars, they are merely taken out. The massacre of civilians  as in Gaza  is merely collateral damage.

Under the guise of an alleged free press, we are constantly subjected to a barrage of lying propaganda. Last but not least, according to the biggest lie of all, we live under a rules-based international order.

Unfortunately, the rules referred to here are nowhere written down or codified in law. They have never been approved by any democratically-elected government or international organism.

They are merely invented by Washington at particular moments in order to justify whatever suits the interests of US imperialism.

President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order changing the Defense Departments name to the Department of War / Image: public domain

And the rest of the world is supposed to accept these arbitrary dictates or else face severe punishment, either in the form of sanctions, high tariffs, diplomatic pressure, or aerial bombardment and invasion.

Such, in a few words, is the essence of the foreign policy that has been pursued for decades by the United States. And it is still continued, albeit in a more chaotic and unpredictable manner, by the present administration.

At the beginning of September, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order changing the Defense Departments name to the Department of War.

The order authorises Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and subordinate officials to henceforth use secondary titles like Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War.

This little detail tells us all we need to know about the real nature and aims of US imperialism. At least it is a bit more honest than the language of George Orwells 1984.

The promises of the Peace Candidate

Let us recall that during the presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly promised that he would end the forever wars, to which the United States appears to be permanently addicted.

He promised that he would put an end to Americas involvement in the fatal morass that is the war in Ukraine, which he said he would end in a day. This was by no means a secondary factor in guaranteeing his victory.

Yet we now see that, far from ending, the war drags on with no immediate end in sight. And Donald Trumps much vaunted plans for peace (one could hardly call them a strategy) turned out to be a jumble of confused, and frequently contradictory, notions.

He constantly changed his policies on the Ukraine war from one day to the next  sometimes, from one hour to the next  in an endless game of hide and seek, leading precisely nowhere.

His negotiations were doomed to failure from the beginning, because they refused to take into account the real war aims of both Russia and the Kyiv regime.

Trump promised that he would put an end to Americas involvement in the fatal morass that is the war in Ukraine / Image: IAEA Imagebank, Flickr

The demand for a ceasefire was never going to succeed, because the Russians  who are undoubtedly winning the war  had no interest whatsoever in accepting it.

On the other hand, Zelensky stubbornly rejected any suggestion of compromise, instead insisting on his so-called peace plan, which amounted essentially to demand for an unconditional capitulation on the part of the Russians.

The suggestion, originally thought up by General Kellogg, that the Russians could be persuaded to do a deal on the basis of a limited offer of territory, basically amounted to offering them what they had already conquered on the battlefield.

In any case, Zelensky would not hear of it. Therefore, there was absolutely no ground for any successful negotiations, since the aims of both sides were mutually incompatible and experience has shown that it is impossible to square the circle.

That is why Trumps plan for peace ended in an entirely predictable debacle.

The USA and Israel

So much for Ukraine. But Trumps ignominious failure to square the circle in Ukraine now seems to have been compensated by his apparent success relating to the Middle East.

But is this really the case?

To begin with, there is a vast difference between the two. Although the Ukrainian question is constantly put forward as being of vital importance to the interests of the West  including the United States  this is far from the case.

In fact, when examined in the cold light of day, setting aside all the noisy propaganda that serves to confuse the issue and turn the truth on its head, there is nothing in Ukraine that affects the vital interests of the United States.

By contrast, the Middle East is of extreme importance to America, for economic, political and strategic reasons. This partly explains Donald Trumps obsessive  and at first sight incomprehensible  support for Benjamin Netanyahu.

At this moment in time, Israel represents the only firm point of support of US imperialism in the Middle East. From that point of view, the defence of Israel was always, and still remains, a central plank in Washingtons foreign policy.

It is this that explains the enormous support enjoyed by the pro-Israeli and Zionist lobby in Washington. That has always been present, but it appears to be expressed in an extreme form in the present administration.

Israel represents the only firm point of support of US imperialism in the Middle East / Image: public domain

It is a fundamental element in the ideology of the rabid ultra-right wing of the Republican Party, and also for the fanatical Christian fundamentalists who have acquired considerable support in the ranks of the Republicans.

Trump has always been inclined to that wing, and, now that he enjoys almost unlimited power as President of the United States, he finds himself in the position to give full expression to his prejudices.

This invariably led him into a policy of absolute and unconditional support for the regime of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Nevertheless, on many occasions, the Israeli Prime Minister has shown himself to be a very awkward ally, so full of his own self-importance that he feels able and willing to bite the hand that so generously feeds him.

Years of experience have taught him that, whatever he does or says, in the last analysis Washington will always back him. Although Donald J. Trump is not a man who likes to be contradicted, he seemed willing to put up with quite a lot from his friend in Jerusalem.

This fatal alliance has now become an obvious weak point in American foreign policy.

Israel isolated

The monstrous conduct of the Israeli army in Gaza has caused a backlash of world opinion, forcing even people like Starmer and Macron to attempt to distance themselves from the Israelis, at least in words.

But the words of moral outrage of the leaders of Europe, naturally, are devoid of any real content. They reek of hypocrisy. Even the recognition of a hypothetical Palestinian state is really an empty gesture that does not affect the genocide in Gaza in the slightest degree.

It merely serves as a convenient smokescreen behind which these governments can conceal their support for Israel, to which they continue to send large quantities of weapons and money, with which the Israelis can continue their slaughter without the slightest hindrance.

In the words of the great French diplomat Talleyrand, C'est pire qu'un crime, c'est une faute: It is worse than a crime, it is a mistake. The European leaders are now finding this out.

The attempt to dispatch a flotilla of small boats to provide aid to the starving people of Gaza was predictably sabotaged by the Israelis, who seized the boats and arrested some of those on board.

This immediately provoked a wave of fury, expressed in massive demonstrations and strikes in Italy, Spain and other countries. The Gaza war has become the focal point for all the accumulated rage and discontent of the masses.

It threatened to provoke a similar wave of outrage in the United States itself, and this will have profound and negative effects on the future of the Trump government.

The Israeli Prime Minister is well known to be as slippery as an eel and as treacherous as a poisonous snake / Image: Oren Persico, Wikimedia Commons

In the end, Netanyahu simply went too far. When he ordered the bombing of a building in Doha, where representatives of Hamas were engaged in negotiations for peace, it provoked a storm throughout the whole Middle East.

Faced with losing important allies among Gulf states like Qatar, Trump was compelled to change his stance and come down hard on Netanyahu, whose insolence and arrogance provoked the fury of the man in the White House.

This was an important factor which persuaded Trump to stage an abrupt about-face on the question of Gaza. The details are by now well known to everybody. Trump announced to an astonished world that he had finally solved the Gaza problem, and that peace would be brought about within a matter of days.

Problem solved! But was it? The Israeli Prime Minister is well known to be as slippery as an eel and as treacherous as a poisonous snake. While verbally agreeing to all of Trumps demands, he immediately began to backtrack.

While Hamas (or at least some of its leaders) reluctantly agreed to Trumps plan (or at least, to some of it), Netanyahu remained petulant and defiant. In one, now notorious, phone call, he so exasperated the man in the White House, that Trump shouted at him: Why are you so fucking negative all the time?

This was not the first time that Trump has used similarly undiplomatic language in conversation with Netanyahu. But this time, Trumps tone must have unnerved even the hard-nosed Israeli leader, convincing him finally that this man in Washington actually means business. From that point onwards, Benjamin Netanyahu was finally obliged to bend the knee before the Great White Chief.

This is now being trumpeted  not least, by the US President himself  as a momentous success. But is it? Has the war in Gaza really been solved? If we are to answer these questions, we must ask some other questions:

Will Hamas really disarm? Will the Israelis actually withdraw from Gaza, and not merely retreat into certain areas pending a renewal of hostilities?

Will Netanyahu finally accept the existence of a Palestinian state? And will Hamas be prepared to pull out of Gaza altogether, leaving it in the hands of so-called technocrats and the likes of Tony Blair?

Not one of these questions has yet been satisfactorily answered.

New wars for old?

While were on the subject of the Nobel Peace Prize, we must ask a few additional questions, since the danger of war is not confined to Ukraine and Gaza.

Recently, the US Department of War (as it is now called  with impeccable logic) summoned a meeting of around 800 generals, admirals and air force commanders, who were addressed by Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, and by the President of the United States.

The actual purpose of this meeting was never made clear. From the public speeches, we learned precisely nothing. But there were also other speeches  ones that were not made public  the content of which has never been revealed.

What precisely was the purpose of convening such an extraordinary meeting?

We have witnessed a noisy campaign directed against Venezuela in the American media / Image: own work

To call together such a large number of commanding officers only makes sense on one condition  they are being asked to prepare for combat.

And what might be the immediate target? There are two obvious candidates. One is Venezuela. The other is Iran.

Of course, it is not possible to be precise about this. Any predictions as to the course of action being planned must inevitably have a speculative character.

But if we base ourselves on the known facts, a very clear picture begins to emerge. In recent months, we have witnessed a noisy campaign directed against Venezuela in the American media.

Will the US attack Venezuela? At first sight, this seems to be a very strange thing to ask. Why should America attack Venezuela? After all, Venezuela is not attacking America. Nor is it a country that poses any real military threat to the United States.

But a public campaign is now being waged that the Venezuelan government is actually a drug cartel and that it therefore poses a threat to the United States.

This clearly suggests that an attack on Venezuela is on the order of the day.

This hypothesis has now received a very striking confirmation in an article published in The New York Times. In it we read the following:

President Trump has called off efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela, according to U.S. officials, paving the way for a potential military escalation against drug traffickers or the government of Nicolas Maduro.

The Art of the Deal

At first sight, Donald Trumps aggressive posture toward Venezuela seems to be in contradiction to the fact that he sent Ric Grenell, a special presidential envoy and executive director of the Kennedy Center, to negotiate a deal with Maduro.

In general, the man in the White House is not inclined to look for military solutions to problems. He far prefers to reach a deal. Let us remember that Donald J Trump was the author of the celebrated book that serves as the Holy Bible of the new religion of Trumpism, The Art of the Deal.

Behind Trumps apparent aversion to wars is not some kind of moralistic pacifism. It has a far more material, not to say cynical, basis. To state matters simply: wars are expensive. A good deal is a lot cheaper  always assuming, of course, that such a deal can be reached.

Behind Trumps apparent aversion to wars is not some kind of moralistic pacifism / Image: public domain

It was therefore quite natural for him to send Mr Grenell to fashion a deal that would avoid the need for an unpleasant and expensive military conflict, while leaving American companies access to Venezuelan oil.

For his part, Maduro was desperately seeking a compromise. As recently as last month, he wrote a letter to Trump denying his country trafficked in drugs and offering to conduct further negotiations with the United States.

Grenell has been negotiating for months, publicly striking a far more conciliatory tone. But Rubio and his allies in the Trump administration have been pushing a strategy to drive Maduro from power.

Grenell was therefore complicating the administrations work and frustrating his colleagues like Marco Rubio, who complained that Mr Grenells efforts were unhelpful and creating confusion.

Then, suddenly, the man in the White House pulled the rug from under his feet. The New York Times explains how during a meeting with senior military leaders on Thursday, Mr. Trump called Mr. Grenell and instructed him that all diplomatic outreach, including his talks with Mr. Maduro, was to stop.

What was the reason for this sudden decision? The article explains:

Mr. Trump has grown frustrated with Mr. Maduros failure to accede to American demands to give up power voluntarily and the continued insistence by Venezuelan officials that they have no part in drug trafficking.

In a notice to Congress, the Trump administration said the United States was engaged in a formal armed conflict with drug cartels. Taken with the decision to call off diplomacy, the notice gave a clear signal that the United States planned to escalate the military operations.

The drug cartels, the notice said, were terrorist organizations, and cartel members smuggling drugs were considered unlawful combatants.

These words can only be interpreted in one way: the United States now considers that it is at war with Venezuela.

The real war aims of the US

To this day, Washington has produced no satisfactory evidence to the effect that Venezuelas government is, in fact, merely a cover for a drug cartel.

Whatever you might think of the government of Nicolas Maduro, this outrageous accusation clearly has absolutely no basis in fact.

But it will undoubtedly have an effect on public opinion in America, which may be initially muted in its opposition to a military campaign against Venezuela.

Although they are based on a transparent falsehood, they nevertheless furnish Washington with a casus belli  a pretext for war  a fact that is made abundantly clear by this article:

American officials have said that the Trump administration has drawn up multiple military plans for an escalation. Those operations could also include plans designed to force Mr. Maduro from power. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and national security adviser, has called Mr. Maduro an illegitimate leader and repeatedly cited a U.S. indictment of him on drug trafficking charges. Mr. Rubio had described Mr. Maduro as a fugitive from American justice, and the United States increased the reward for Mr. Maduro to $50 million. A White House official said Mr. Trump was prepared to use every element of American power to force Mr. Maduro from power to stop drugs from entering the United States and had been clear in his messages to Mr. Maduro to end Venezuelan narcotics trafficking.

Here we have the real intention behind the dense smokescreen of lying propaganda, designed to conceal the aggressive and predatory intentions of the ruling clique in Washington.

The central objective is made quite clear in these statements: it is the overthrow of the present Venezuelan government, to force Mr. Maduro from power, using every element of American power to attain that end.

In other words, the intention is to bring about regime change in Venezuela, with the aim of the instalment of a pro-American regime in Caracas.

Is it possible that this is connected with the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the leader of the right-wing opposition in Venezuela precisely at this time? Since it would appear that the Nobel committee reached its decision some time ago, that is not at all inconceivable.

The view from Venezuela

We recently received a letter from a comrade in Venezuela, which is worth quoting:

Washington is constantly increasing the pressure on Maduro, who is indeed constantly retreating / Image: Eneas De Troya, Wikimedia Commons

Trump is preparing the ground for an attack inside Venezuela. He recently announced that he is considering the second phase of the anti-drug operation in the Caribbean, and the rhetoric no longer focuses solely on accusing Maduro of being a drug trafficker, but now speaks of the illegitimacy of his election. One might think that they might be seeking to use pressure to force Maduro to concede on something, but Maduro is willing to concede on everything (oil, deportations, etc.), and what I believe is that the Republicans are determined to achieve a foreign policy victory by weakening Maduro, in addition to sending a message to China. Even so, I believe the attack they will likely launch will be limited to bombing with drones or planes, which does not automatically mean Maduros downfall. But such bombings would escalate the pressure for a rupture.

Washington is constantly increasing the pressure on Maduro, who is indeed constantly retreating. But this only shows weakness, and weakness always invites aggression.

A ground invasion would be a very risky proposition, and the forces presently available for such an attack are clearly insufficient for that purpose. Everything suggests that the first act will be followed up by some kind of aerial attack.

The next step might well be the targeting of the leaders of Venezuela. It is a tactic that has been perfected by the Israelis, known as a decapitation exercise. That, you will recall, was carried out by the Israelis in the first stages of the missile attacks against Iran.

Through the bombing of selected targets  especially government buildings  they aim to create a crisis of the regime. They hope that will lead to some kind of military coup that will topple Maduro.

In order to facilitate this aim, they have put a price of $50 million on Maduros head  a tempting offer to the top layers of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, who are known for their addiction to the pursuit of life, liberty, and, above all, personal enrichment.

Can regime change succeed?

To this question, it is impossible to give a definite answer. It depends on many factors, especially the morale of the masses, which in the past always provided a solid bulwark against reaction. But times have changed.

The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency. It is trying to rally its

forces, and is calling up reservists and taking other defensive measures.

But is Venezuela in a position to withstand an attack by US forces? That is not at all clear. Nicolas Maduro has long ago abandoned any pretence of standing for the original programme of the Bolivarian Revolution that was defended by the late Hugo Chavez.

Under Maduros government, the rich have become richer and the poor increasingly poorer.

Under Maduros government, the rich have become richer and the poor increasingly poorer / Image: Nicolas Maduro, Twitter

Although it still lays claim to the name of Chavez and the revolution, it is now a regime of bourgeois Bonapartism, that balances between the classes, but consistently turns to the right, attacking the gains of the revolution and the rights of workers and peasants.

To the degree that the masses feel alienated and depressed, support for the government has ebbed, forcing it to cling to power by the simple device of falsifying election results.

It is true that previous attempts by American imperialism to engineer regime change in Venezuela have failed, mainly because of the continued loyalty of large sections of the masses to the memory of the revolution.

But the loyalty of the masses cannot be taken for granted. And there must now be a great deal of weariness, disappointment and demoralisation.

A Bonapartist regime ultimately finds that its only reliable basis of support lies in the state apparatus itself, and particularly the upper layers of the army and the security forces.

It was always the most fatal flaw of Chavezs policy to rely on the support of generals whose loyalty he thought he had ensured, partly by appeals to patriotism, but mainly by giving them lavish economic rewards and a privileged life.

But in the final analysis, such support can never be taken for granted. The Roman emperors who depended on the support of a privileged and pampered Praetorian Guard frequently found themselves suspended on the spears of those same guardians.

In more recent times, the fate of Salvador Allende who relied on the support of loyal, democratic generals like Pinochet is only too well known.

Divisions in Washington

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to predict the actions of Donald Trump is that he continually vacillates, veering wildly, first in one direction, then in another, according to the pressures he receives from either side .

This explains the frequent and abrupt nature of his zig-zags in the field of foreign policy. Just as in the cases of both Ukraine and the Middle East, so on the question of Venezuela, he is subject to different pressures.

There are clear signs of divisions inside the Trump administration. The New York Times states that:

Advocates of diplomacy within the Trump administration worry that any further expansion of the anti-narcotics campaign into Venezuela itself, or any direct effort to force Mr. Maduro from power, would risk entangling the United States in a wider war.

Has the final decision to intervene militarily against Venezuela been taken? It is impossible to say. But, at this moment in time, everything points in the direction of such an action.

There are clear signs of divisions inside the Trump administration / Image: Gage Skidmore, Flickr

At the Pentagon, some military lawyers, including international law experts, have raised concerns about the legality of the lethal strikes on suspected drug traffickers.

The Trump administration, through the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department, has produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers according to a report published by CNN.

The opinion argues that the president is permitted to authorise deadly force against a broad range of cartels given that they pose an imminent threat to Americans. That list of cartels extends beyond the administrations list of publicly designated terrorist organisations.

This legal opinion appears to justify an open-ended war against a secret list of groups, giving the president power to designate drug traffickers as enemy combatants and have them summarily killed without legal review.

What is our attitude?

Events are already unfolding in the Caribbean. Even as the negotiations seemed to be reaching a solution, the US military was swinging into action, attacking and sinking boats accused of running drugs on behalf of the Venezuelan government.

The notion that US imperialism would send a powerful fleet to the Caribbean, purely in order to sink a couple of small speedboats allegedly dealing in drugs, is clearly untenable. Far more serious objectives must be under consideration.

We have made it abundantly clear in previous material that we have absolutely no confidence in Nicolas Maduro, his policies or his government.

All this is true. But the overthrow of this regime cannot be entrusted to the hands of the imperialist gangsters in Washington and their local agents, who hide their counterrevolutionary intentions behind the false mask of restoring democracy.

The real aims of Washington are perfectly clear. The prospect of a renewal of the war against Iran  something that remains on the agenda  inevitably raises the spectre of a general crisis in the Middle East, severe disruption of oil production and the dislocation of trade, leading to a sharp increase in the price of energy.

This will have extremely serious consequences for the world economy, and therefore also for the United States. The temptation to get hold of Venezuelas considerable oil reserves must therefore be a very serious element in Trumps calculation.

The Americans aim to seize control of Venezuelas oil wealth and place the country at the mercy of the predatory US monopolies.

Such a development can never represent the interests of the people of Venezuela. This aggression must be resisted by all means possible.

It was our tendency that first put forward the slogan of, Hands off Venezuela! That slogan now becomes an imperative necessity / Image: own work

However, there is an even more powerful motive for Americas aggressive conduct. It is Americas fear of losing control of Latin America as a result of the rapid expansion of Chinas presence. US imperialism feels the need to throw its weight around to demonstrate its economic and military power in order to check the advance of China. Its aim is to overawe the governments of Latin America and compel them to break with China and submit to Washingtons dictates.

It was our tendency that first put forward the slogan of, Hands off Venezuela! That slogan now becomes an imperative necessity.

Our position has been made clear in statements by the US and Venezuelan sections of the Revolutionary Communist International, which were issued as soon as the movement of US military assets to the Caribbean started.

The United States finds itself trapped in an infernal dynamic, from which it appears unable to draw back. By a kind of fatal logic, irrespective of his intentions, Trump is being pushed remorselessly in the direction of further wars.

What now remains of the man who claimed to be the peace candidate? The man who was going to put an end to Americas involvement in forever wars? By now, those remarks have an ironic ring about them.

There can be many surprises in politics, as in life itself. There is a noisy campaign to grant the Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump. In the past there have been occasions when the Nobel Prize Committee has granted their award to two candidates. Is it possible that they may do so again?

This would be a bit like granting the Nobel Peace Prize to Count Dracula of Transylvania for services rendered to the cause of international blood transfusion services.

I suppose stranger things have happened. And against the illogicality of such a decision, we have to weigh the infinite degree of cowardice and servility of the European leaders in general, and of the Scandinavians in particular.

Who knows what will happen in such circumstances? However, it is probably far too soon for Donald Trump to be getting on the plane to Oslo to collect his prize.
2022-10-07 Lanczos interpolation explained

Lanczos interpolation is one of the most popular methods to resize images, together with linear and cubic interpolation. Ive spent a lot of time staring at images resampled with Lanczos, and a few years ago, I wondered where it came from. While many sources evaluate interpolation filters visually, I couldnt find a good explanation of how Lanczos interpolation is derived. So here it is! In this post I do not attempt to explain what a Fourier transform does, so if you do not know that already you might find the mathematical details unclear. However, I do try to visualize and explain the intuition behind all the ideas. Before we begin, the images below showcase a variety of images resized with no interpolation, linear interpolation, and Lanczos interpolation. Lanczos produces non-blocky, sharp images, both when upscaling and downscaling.

Gutenberg Bath Quixote Place Renoir Peacock Nearest Linear Lanczos Nearest Linear Lanczos Nearest Linear Lanczos Nearest Linear Lanczos Nearest Linear Lanczos Nearest Linear Lanczos 4 2 1  

We will proceed as follows:

If youre already familiar with Fourier analysis, section 6 might still be of interest, given that it explains the main ideas behind Lanczos interpolation.

Lets get started.

The problem #

When resizing an image, we generally have a specific target size in mind. In this post, we focus on the general problem of filling in the gaps between regularly spaced samples  that is, interpolating. Once we know how to interpolate between samples, we can resample at will, including downsampling and upsampling.

Lets consider the 1-dimensional case  well see shortly how to extend 1D interpolation techniques to two dimensions. Heres a 1-dimensional signal sampled at a fixed interval:

Well generally call the original signal from which the samples are taken f(t), and refer to the input as time to go along with digital signal processing terminology.

Linear interpolation is just connecting the dots:

Well call the interpolated signal \bar{f}(t), shown above in gold. More samples mean better interpolation:

Cubic interpolation fits a third-degree polynomial between each point and generally produces a smoother, more pleasant interpolation: If we can interpolate in one dimension, we can easily extend it to two by first interpolating along one axis, then interpolating the interpolated 1-dimensional signals:

Courtesy of Cmglee on Wikipedia Here, the discrete samples are colored, and the interpolated points are shown in black. Note how linear interpolation needs two samples, while cubic needs four  the number of points we need for a unique line and cubic respectively. Well only be concerned with 1-dimensional interpolation from this point forward.

Interpolation and convolution #

It is mathematically and practically helpful to frame interpolations as convolutions.

Lets imagine that our signal f(t) is sampled at regular intervals so that they are 1/\xi apart from each other. Well say that \xi is the frequency at which the samples are taken  the higher the frequency, the denser the samples. Well also use \xi to talk about frequencies in the spectrum of f(t) later on, and relate the two.

For instance, using our previous function and \xi = 2:

Well refer to a single sample with f_k, where f_k is taken at time k/\xi. Given some interpolation function g, we can convolve it with our discrete samples to get an interpolated signal \bar{f}(t):

\bar{f}(t) = \sum_{k = -\infty}^{+\infty} g(t - k/\xi) \, f_k

If the sum above is a bit opaque, dont worry, visual aid is coming shortly.

Within this framework, linear interpolation can be seen as interpolating with an appropriately scaled triangle function:

The first thing to note is that when g(t) = \mathrm{triangle}(\xi t), convolving at the sample points will not change them. Or in other words, the convolution at k/\xi will multiply f_k by 1, and all the other f_ks by 0, with the result of having \bar{f}(k/\xi) = f(k/\xi):

Lets see this in action when \xi = 2, and t = -3/\xi:

Were showing the interpolating function \mathrm{triangle}(t) in green, the green points are each term of the convolution sum, and the gold point is the interpolated point (that is, the sum of the green points, which is the convolution).

As you can see, the only point that contributes is f_{-3} = f(-3/2). Note that the only non-zero green point is hidden behind the gold point  since they have the same value.

Leaving the samples intact is a desirable and guiding property for interpolating functions.

Between sample points is where things get interesting:

The triangle will mix the two points to its left and right, producing the linear interpolation in the middle. Running the convolution at every point, we get back our linear interpolation:

The triangle function is a very basic option, but well soon discuss a fancier interpolation function.

\mathrm{sinc} , master interpolator #

We now get talking about \mathrm{sinc}, which is the basis for Lanczos interpolation and many other interpolation filters.

\mathrm{sinc} is defined as

\mathrm{sinc}(t) = \frac{\sin t}{t}

The hole at t = 0 is plugged by setting \mathrm{sinc}(0) = 1. It looks like this:

The first good property of \mathrm{sinc} is that it interpolates well in the sense that it keeps samples intact: we have \mathrm{sinc}(0) = 1, and then we have evenly spaced zeros. By default the zeros are spaced by \pi, but we can scale it to work with any frequency \xi using \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t):

Just like with \mathrm{triangle}, the samples are preserved, given the very conveniently placed zeros. But just like before, the interesting case is when were interpolating between samples:

Ive centered the interpolation point to better show what happens to the sides. While \mathrm{triangle} considers only the two closest points, \mathrm{sinc} considers an infinite number of points to its left and right.

This is what the full interpolation looks like for our function:

Nice and smooth!

Beyond being a well-behaved interpolating function, \mathrm{sinc} has a second property which makes it special in this realm.

Before going forward, lets recap on a few Fourier ingredients:

A very large class of functions can be represented as the sum of \cos \pi \xi and \sin \pi \xi oscillations (or frequencies).

The Fourier transform \mathcal{F}\{f(t)\}(\xi) of f(t) tells us how much of a frequency \xi is present in f(t).

\mathcal{F}\{f(t)\} uniquely determines f, and vice-versa.

\mathrm{sinc}s Fourier transform looks a bit like a brick wall. Here it is compared to the spectrum of \mathrm{triangle}: The spectrum of \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t) is constant within 1/2, and 0 elsewhere. Or in other words, \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t) contains a constant amount of frequencies below 1/2, and no frequencies beyond that. The spectrum of \mathrm{triangle}, on the other hand, tapers smoothly. This tapering reflects the blurring we witness when resizing images with linear interpolation. If we increase the \xi in \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t), the spectrum will widen accordingly:

With \xi = 2 the spectrum is now of width 1, although with halved magnitude. The halving is compensated by the fact that we have double the zeros (that is, double the samples when interpolating).

When were interpolating by convolving were adding up scaled versions of \mathrm{sinc}:

\bar{f}(t) = \sum_{k = -\infty}^{+\infty} \mathrm{sinc}(\xi \pi (t - k/\xi)) \, f_k

This means that the spectrum of \bar{f}(t) will also be limited to \xi/2 just like \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t) is. Moreover, samples taken at a rate of \xi uniquely identify functions with a spectrum of width less than \xi/2. Or in other words, theres only one function with frequencies limited to less than \xi/2 passing through a given set of samples taken at a rate of \xi. Intuitively, what this means is that if we take enough samples, the frequencies have nowhere to hide and are fully determined by the samples.

This key fact is known as the Shannon-Nyquist sampling theorem, and implies that if the spectrum for f(t) is narrower than \xi/2, and if we generate \bar{f}(t) using \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t), well have that f(t) = \bar{f}(t). So, if we sample densely enough, \mathrm{sinc} can reconstruct continuous signals from discrete samples perfectly! This is the sense in which \mathrm{sinc} is the best interpolating function, given that it is the only function with these characteristics. Weve gone through a lot of mathy details quickly, but whats important to remember is: \mathrm{sinc} interpolates leaving samples intact;

interpolates leaving samples intact; The spectrum for \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t) is constant within \xi/2 , and zero otherwise;

is constant within , and zero otherwise; Convolving adds scaled and translated versions of \mathrm{sinc}(\pi \xi t) , so the spectrum of the convolution will still be constrained to \xi/2 ;

, so the spectrum of the convolution will still be constrained to ; The facts above, together with Shannon-Nyquist, allow \mathrm{sinc} to reconstruct signals perfectly, assuming we sample densely enough. In the next section well gain a more intuitive understanding for how this process works out.

\mathrm{sinc} in practice #

Lets put this knowledge in action with our example function, which just so happens to be formed of three individual frequencies:

f(t) = \sin \pi \frac{t}{5} + \frac{1}{2}\cos \pi t + \frac{1}{3}\sin \pi 2 t

\sin \pi t/5 \frac{1}{2} \cos \pi t \frac{1}{3} \sin \pi 2 t

Usually, the Fourier transform of a function will be continuous. However, since were dealing with three isolated frequencies, for this signal it will not even be a proper function, but rather one impulse for each of the three frequencies. We might plot as follows:

Shannon-Nyquist tells us that that we need to sample at a frequency greater than twice the maximum frequency in the spectrum. In this case the maximum frequency is 1, so we need to sample using some \xi > 2. If we do that and convolve with a scaled \mathrm{sinc}, we should reconstruct the signal exactly:

The dramatic switch from \xi = 2 to \xi = 2.01 is no accident: our highest frequency sits right at the boundary of the spectrum, so we need to go past it to capture it. While I wanted to give a good intuition on why \mathrm{sinc} is such a mathematically sound interpolator, when interpolating we usually dont really know nor care what the frequency of the original image is. However, \mathrm{sinc} is still the starting point for many interpolation functions given its ideal properties.

The problem with \mathrm{sinc} #

Now that we know about how convolving with \mathrm{sinc} interpolates points, we still face problems. The first problem is evident: to convolve with \mathrm{sinc}, we need to consider all the samples we have every time. This is clearly impractical: wed need to look at every pixel in the input image to generate each pixel in the output!

The second problem is what happens when our spectrum is not of limited width. Lets consider a simple stepping function, and its spectrum:

As you can see, the spectrum of \mathrm{sgn}(t) tapers but never reaches zero. This makes sense: to identify the precise moment where the function goes from -1 to +1, wed need samples with no distance between them. So we can never reconstruct this function exactly with a finite number of samples.

That said, one might still be surprised at how poorly \mathrm{sinc} performs in situations like this:

The reconstructed signal repeatedly overshoots and undershoot our original function. These undesirable oscillations, known as Gibbs phenomenon, show up all the time in Fourier analysis when dealing with jump discontinuities and finite approximations. They are intimately related to \mathrm{sinc}  in a sense the Gibbs oscillations are all ghosts of \mathrm{sinc} in one form or another. Lanczos interpolation will address both problems presented in this section.

\mathrm{sinc} , chopped and screwed #

Lets first consider the problem of \mathrm{sinc} extending into infinity, and therefore requiring to examine all samples. Our first attempt to solve this issue might be just to just set \mathrm{sinc} to zero outside a certain window:

This allows our convolution to be made up of only 7 terms, rather than an infinite number of terms. For images, that would be 7 \times 7 = 49 terms, given we need to go in both dimensions. Not a tiny number, but manageable.

Well refer to function set to zero when |t| \ge a as \langle f(t) \rangle_a:

\langle f(t) \rangle_a = \begin{cases} f(t) & \text{if}\ -a < t < a, \\ 0 & \text{otherwise}. \end{cases}

How will \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_3 fare as an interpolation function? The first thing to notice is that were still stuck with the Gibbs oscillations in the reconstructed signal:

In images, this shows up in so-called ringing artifacts:

Those echoes around the letters are the same phenomenon as the wobbles in our reconstructed step function. They are particularly evident in images when text is present  the glyphs edges being our jump discontinuities.

However, to characterize how \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_a fares mathematically we can again look at its spectrum compared to \mathrm{sinc}s. Heres the spectrum of \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_a with a set to 3, 5, and 10 respectively:

The Gibbs oscillations spoil the fun again. Earlier, we didnt have enough samples, this time, we have too little \mathrm{sinc}, but its the same phenomenon. Lanczos key idea was to exploit its specific nature to modify our truncated function and counteract them. The oscillations in the spectrum for our truncated function follow a frequency that depends directly on how wide our window is  that is, how big a is. We can immediately see this from the last plot: as we increase a, were getting more rapid oscillations. Were going to make this precise now, so we need to get a bit technical. The maths is not required to understand the intuition behind Lanczos interpolation  but it is useful to grasp the ideas that underpin it. Weve been throwing the Fourier transform around, but lets define it exactly, alongside its inverse:

\begin{equation*} \begin{split} \mathcal{F}\{f(t)\}(\xi) = & \int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} f(t) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt \\ f(t) = &\int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} \mathcal{F}\{f(t)\}(\xi) \, e^{+2 \pi i \xi t} \, d\xi \end{split} \end{equation*}

As usual were packing both \sin and \cos oscillations together using Eulers formula:

e^{i x} = \cos x + i \sin x

The Fourier transform picks out how much a given frequency contributes to the function by looking how much they line up.

What we want to do is modify \langle f(t) \rangle_a so that its spectrum is as close as possible to that of f(t). Our starting point will be characterizing the nature of the error in the spectrum more precisely. First, lets split the spectrum of f(t) in three parts:

\mathcal{F}\{f(t)\}(\xi) = \int_{-\infty}^{-a} f(t) e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt + \int_{-a}^{+a} f(t) e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt + \int_{+a}^{+\infty} f(t) e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt

The error for the spectrum of \langle f(t) \rangle_a will be the first and third term:

\mathcal{F}\{f(t)\}(\xi) - \mathcal{F}\{\langle f(t) \rangle_a\}(\xi) = \int_{-\infty}^{-a} f(t) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt + \int_{+a}^{+\infty} f(t) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt

These are the annoying oscillations we see for our truncated \mathrm{sinc}s, and that we do not want. Considering only the right hand side of the sum above, and reworking it a bit, we get:

\begin{equation*} \begin{split} \int_{+a}^{+\infty} f(t) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt & = \int_{0}^{+\infty} f(t+a) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi (t + a)} \, dt\\ & = e^{-2 \pi i \xi a} \int_{0}^{+\infty} f(t+a) \, e^{-2 \pi i \xi t} \, dt \end{split} \end{equation*}

Weve now phrased the error as a modulation of the frequency e^{-2 \pi i \xi a}. Again, pause to appreciate that this carrier wave gets faster as a grows, which is consistent with how we witnessed our oscillations get more rapid as we truncated \mathrm{sinc} with a wider window. Heres the error for the spectrum of \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_3, together with its carrier wave \cos 2 \pi 3 \xi:

Lanczos next step was to smooth out the undesired oscillations by averaging out the result by the period of that frequency:

\text{smoothed} \: \mathcal{F}\{\langle f(t) \rangle_a\}(\xi) = a \int_{\xi-1/2 a}^{\xi+1/2a} \mathcal{F}\{\langle f(t) \rangle_a\}(\xi_0) \, d \xi_0

The period of e^{-2 \pi i \xi a} is 1/a, so we modify the spectrum by taking the average with a window of that width at each point.

This is what the smoothed spectrum looks like for \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_3, \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_5, and \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_{10}:

It tracks the original spectrum much more closely  in fact its useful to focus on the area around the cutoff to see whats going on:

The smoothed spectrum does taper a bit earlier. But this is a compromise well worth taking. Moreover, the convergence to the spectrum of \mathrm{sinc} as a grows to infinity is not compromised. This is all well and good, but how do we apply this in practice? Well, Lanczos final trick was to prove that we can smooth out the spectrum of any truncated function in this way by multiplying the function pointwise with \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t / a). Thats right, its \mathrm{sinc} again! So, instead of \langle f(t) \rangle_a, wed use \langle f(t) \rangle_a \, \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t / a) This \mathrm{sinc} stretched to match the Gibbs oscillations is called the Lanczos window. Wanting to smoothen the spectrum of \langle \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t) \rangle_a itself, well use \langle \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t) \rangle_a \, \mathrm{sinc}(\pi t / a) Lanczos interpolation consists of convolving our samples with this chopped and modified \mathrm{sinc}. This is what this new interpolation function looks like:

The plot above shows \mathrm{sinc}_3, the Lanczos window, and their pointwise multiplication. The spectrum is smoothed in exactly the way we desire. \mathrm{sinc} and its spectrum are also shown for reference.

While we set out to mimick \mathrm{sinc}s spectrum, Lanczos interpolation actually works better than interpolating with \mathrm{sinc} in the presence of jump discontinuities, due to its dampened curve:

That said, a bit of ringing remains. This is the main drawback with Lanczos or similar filters, compared to linear interpolation or some cubic filters:

Nearest \langle \mathrm{sinc} \rangle_3 \mathrm{Lanczos}_3

But for many applications, Lanczos (or something close to it) will be the best compromise.

Closing thoughts #

When I set out to write this post, I wanted to work up to Lanczos interpolation using just high-school maths. I couldnt find a way to explain it without getting quite technical, so I downgraded to an explanation targetet to an audience who has at least heard of the Fourier transform. That said, I still hope this post could illuminate these key areas in modern engineering through a concrete example.

Cornelius Lanczos himself brought forward a multitude of numerical methods. I highly recommend Applied Analysis, the book that introduced the technique explained in this post. Some of it is outdated, explaining how to manually compute roots of polynomials or solutions to linear systems. Its still very interesting, and written in an unusual conversational style that I find endearing.

Lanczos also strikes me as a delightful man, at least from two interviews I found on YouTube about mathematics and about his life.

Another reason to write this blog post was to showcase how much one can get out of software like Mathematica when playing around with such topics. In the end I mostly used Mathematica for plots, but I encourage you to look at the notebook to get a peek of whats possible.

Many thanks to Alex Appetiti, Alexandru Scvortov, Alex Sayers, Stephen Lavelle, and Kurren Nischal for reviewing drafts of this blog post.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing a political and diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict in its eastern provinces.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, October 8, Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya, announced that security experts from both the DRC government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group will resume peace talks in the coming days in Doha, Qatar.

The renewed dialogue, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, will centre on ceasefire mechanisms, humanitarian concerns, and the release of detainees.

The planned discussions follow the Declaration of Principles signed in July in Doha, which outlined a roadmap for negotiations to begin by August 8 and a peace accord to be finalised by August 18a schedule that has since expired. Meanwhile, fighting in the eastern region has intensified, with the M23 capturing major cities such as Goma and Bukavu since January. The conflict has exacerbated the countrys humanitarian crisis, with United Nations figures indicating that 27.8 million people face food insecurity and more than 7 million have been displaced, many multiple times.
Uganda and Somalia have signed three new memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening bilateral relations across key sectors including security, education, immigration, and labour.

The agreements were concluded on Wednesday, October 8, in Kampala during the second Joint Permanent Commission meeting, co-chaired by Ugandas Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, John Mulimba, and Somalias Minister of Education, Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir.

Officials said the pacts would enhance trade, mobility, and regional stability, while also creating opportunities for collaboration in health and refugee management.

One of the agreements focuses on safeguarding the rights of Ugandan citizens working in Somalia and establishing legal employment pathways for teachers, health professionals, and other skilled workers. Currently, more than 20,000 Ugandans are employed in Somalia.

In a joint communique, both nations reaffirmed their fraternal relations and pledged to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, and the free movement of people. The two-day meeting, held under the theme *Promoting Uganda-Somalia Partnership through Investment, Trade and Tourism and Harnessing Opportunities in Both Countries,* brought together government officials and private sector leaders to explore new avenues for mutual growth and regional development.
Burkina Faso has firmly rejected a U.S. request to accept deported individuals under President Donald Trumps revived third-country deportation policy, marking a rare but symbolic rebuke of Washingtons approach to African migration cooperation.

Speaking on national television, Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore described the proposal as indecent and contrary to Burkina Fasos principle of dignity. The request reportedly involved accepting not only Burkinabe nationals but also non-citizens expelled from the United States. Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation, Traore declared. His remarks followed the U.S. embassys abrupt suspension of most visa services in Ouagadougou, redirecting applications to Togo  a move Traore called blackmail.

The rejection comes amid a broader geopolitical shift. Since seizing power in 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traores junta has distanced itself from the West, reducing ties with France and the U.S. while strengthening relations with Russia and China. Traore, who portrays himself as an anti-imperialist Pan-Africanist, has consistently challenged Western influence in the region. In contrast, countries like Rwanda, Ghana, and Eswatini have accepted U.S. deportees, often in exchange for financial aid or migration cooperation packages. Rights groups have criticized the program, citing reports of poor detention conditions and secretive agreements. Burkina Fasos stance highlights growing resistance in parts of Africa to U.S. pressure and offers a glimpse of the continents shifting diplomatic landscape  one increasingly defined by sovereignty, strategic independence, and rising South-South partnerships.
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Kinondo Hospital, Kenya. Credit: Nina Linder

AI can be used to detect cervical cancer in women in resource-limited parts of the world. However, for this method to work, investments are needed in health care staff, reliable supply chains and trust in these communities. This has been shown in a new study from Uppsala University, Karolinska Institutet and the University of Helsinki, where researchers tested an AI-supported diagnostic method at rural hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania.

Cervical cancer recently surpassed maternal mortality as one of the leading causes of death among women globally. However, only one third of the world's women have undergone cervical cancer screening.

In the new study published in BMJ, researchers at Uppsala University, Karolinska Institutet and the University of Helsinki tested whether it was possible to use an AI-supported method to screen women for cervical cancer in Kenya and Tanzania.

"In our study, we showed how AI can be used to detect cervical cancer in areas where there is otherwise limited access to pathologists and laboratories. Using digital tools, samples can be analyzed faster and with fewer experts involved, meaning that more women can get access to screening. But for the AI to really work, it takes more than just the technologyit needs investments in staff, equipment and trust in the health care system," says Nina Linder, the study's lead author.

The study included a total of 3,000 women who would otherwise not have been offered screening for cervical cancer. They visited rural hospitals where cervical cell samples and human papilloma virus (HPV) samples were taken on site, digitized, and analyzed using AI. The samples were also examined by pathologists.

The researchers trained local nurses, laboratory staff and pathologists to use the system and collaborated with the health care authorities to integrate this method into routine health care. The women who had signs of cervical cancer subsequently received treatment in accordance with the national guidelines.

AI required consistency in the images

One of the biggest challenges with using AI was that the images it was given to analyze were not always sufficiently consistent. To make cells visible in the samples under a microscope, the cells are stained. Staining reagents and thus cell color could differ between countries and deliveries, which meant that the images that the AI was asked to analyze were not always consistent enough.

"The AI method worked well technically, but unreliability in the supply of reagents, variations in reagent quality and power outages all affected accuracy as well as the capacity to perform these tests rapidly, including HPV analyses," says Linder.

Another difficulty was finding the women who had shown signs of cancer and needed follow-up care.

"In Tanzania, we had quite a few problems with follow-up. Some women did not come back, and when we later checked their samples, it turned out that they had changes that needed treatment. Sometimes it is difficult for local doctors to find the patients and get them to understand that they need treatment. We followed up as best we could and tried to give all women the opportunity for further investigations," says Linder.

Can increase trust in the health care system

Although the study describes both opportunities and challenges with the AI method, the researchers see it as a first step in evaluating AI-supported diagnostics in more comprehensive health care programs and for more women's diseases.

"For decades, diagnostic methods that are proven to be effective for women's healthsuch as cell-sample based cervical cancer screeninghave been dependent on highly trained experts. With the latest advances in medical AI, we can now re-evaluate these methods and introduce them even in resource-limited settings, making life-saving diagnostics far more accessible," says Johan Lundin, professor at Karolinska Institutet and one of the co-authors of the study.

Another valuable contribution is that it raises awareness locally of why screening is important.

"When women see that there is reliable health care to go to and that they do get help, it lowers the threshold to seek care, which strengthens health as well as social engagement," says Linder.
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A major U.K. study of more than 165,000 dementia patients has found that risperidone raises stroke risk without exception, challenging safety assumptions by leaving no "safe group."

The powerful anti-psychotic is commonly used to treat dementia patients experiencing severe agitation, especially in care homes where other strategies have failed.

But stroke risk among dementia patients taking risperidone rose even in people with no history of heart disease or stroke. This counters assumptions about safety and raises questions about how the drug, the only licensed drug of this type for use in dementia, is used and monitored.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, will likely prompt calls for changes in clinical practice.

Most striking was how consistent the risk was across all groups. "We knew risperidone causes stroke, but we didn't know whether some groups of people might be more at risk than others. We thought if we might identify characteristics that make people more at risk, doctors could avoid prescribing to patients with those characteristics," said Dr. Byron Creese from the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Brunel University of London.

Of people with dementia, 50% experience agitation, often causing severe distress. When non-drug treatments don't work, doctors may turn to risperidone as a last resort. The findings sharpen the already difficult choices facing doctors and families, who must weigh the serious stroke risks of risperidone against its potential to relieve extreme distress.

KaplanMeier plots depicting the cumulative incidence of stroke in matched controls and risperidone users. Blue dashed line indicates risperidone users. Credit: The British Journal of Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2025.10419

The drug, used to calm aggression, carries known risks of stroke in older patients. Yet there is still no dementia-specific guidance on how doctors should monitor those dangers. NHS guidelines limit risperidone use to six weeks for severe symptoms, but many patients take it for longer, with monitoring standards varying across the country.

There are no U.K. licensed alternatives for risperidone in such cases, says Dr. Creese, so it is about making sure the risks are clearly explained and carefully weighed up. People with a history of stroke already face a high risk of another stroke. If a stroke happens after taking risperidone, it may not be just because of the drug. Doctors only use risperidone as a last resort.

"These findings give clearer information about who is most at risk, which helps everyone make more informed choices. Every decision should be based on what is right for each person, through honest conversations between doctors, patients, and families."

The team analyzed anonymized NHS records between 2004 and 2023, comparing patients prescribed risperidone with matched controls who were not. In people with a history of stroke, the annual rate per 1,000 people jumped to 22.2% on risperidone, compared with 17.7% in those not taking it. In patients who'd not had a stroke, the rates were lower but still significant2.9% versus 2.2%. And the risk was higher in patients taking the drug over the short term (12 weeks).

"We hope that these data can be used in updated guidance that is more person centered and based on particular patient characteristics," said Dr. Creese.

More information: Joshua Choma et al, Risk of stroke associated with risperidone in dementia with and without comorbid cardiovascular disease: population-based matched cohort study, The British Journal of Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2025.10419 Journal information: British Journal of Psychiatry

Provided by Brunel University of London
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Scientists have identified an unusual type of brain cell that may play a vital role in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), likely contributing to the persistent inflammation characteristic of the disease.

The discovery, reported today in Neuron, is a significant step toward understanding the complex mechanisms that drive the disease and provides a promising new avenue for research into more effective therapies for this debilitating condition.

MS is a chronic disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord, disrupting communication between the brain and the body. While many individuals initially experience relapses and remissions, a significant proportion transition to progressive MS, a phase marked by a steady decline in neurological function with limited treatment options.

To model what is happening in the disease, researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, and National Institute on Aging, US, took skin cells from patients with progressive MS and reprogrammed them into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), an immature type of cell capable of dividing and differentiating into various types of brain cells.

Using this "disease in a dish" approach, the team observed that a subset of the cultured brain cells was somehow reverting to an earlier developmental stage, transforming into an unusual cell type known as radial glia-like (RG-like) cells. Notably, these cells were highly specific and appeared approximately six times more frequently in iNSC lines derived from individuals with progressive MS compared to controls. As a result, they were designated as disease-associated RG-like cells (DARGs).

These DARGs exhibit characteristic features of radial gliaspecialized cells that serve as scaffolding during brain development and possess the capacity to differentiate into various neural cell types. Essentially, they function both as structural support and as fundamental building blocks, making them critical for proper brain development. Unexpectedly, DARGs not only revert to an "infant" state but also display hallmark features of premature aging (senescence).

These newly identified DARGs possess a distinctive epigenetic profilepatterns of chemical modifications that regulate gene activityalthough the factors influencing this epigenetic landscape remain unclear. These modifications contribute to an exaggerated response to interferons, the immune system's "alarm signals," which may help explain the high levels of inflammation observed in MS.

Professor Stefano Pluchino from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge, joint senior author, said, "Progressive MS is a truly devastating condition, and effective treatments remain elusive. Our research has revealed a previously unappreciated cellular mechanism that appears central to the chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration driving the progressive phase of the disease.

"Essentially, what we've discovered are glial cells that don't just malfunctionthey actively spread damage. They release inflammatory signals that push nearby brain cells to age prematurely, fueling a toxic environment that accelerates neurodegeneration."

The team validated their findings by cross-referencing with human data from individuals with progressive MS. By analyzing gene expression patterns at the single-cell levelincluding new data exploring the spatial context of RNA within post-mortem MS brain tissuethey confirmed that DARGs are specifically localized within chronically active lesions, the regions of the brain that sustain the most significant damage. Importantly, DARGs were found near inflammatory immune cells, supporting their role in orchestrating the damaging inflammatory environment characteristic of progressive MS.

By isolating and studying these disease-driving cells in vitro, the researchers aim to explore their complex interactions with other brain cell types, such as neurons and immune cells. This approach will help to explain the cellular crosstalk that contributes to disease progression in progressive MS, providing deeper insights into underlying pathogenic mechanisms.

Dr. Alexandra Nicaise, co-lead author of the study from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Cambridge, added, "We're now working to explore the molecular machinery behind DARGs, and test potential treatments. Our goal is to develop therapies that either correct DARG dysfunction or eliminate them entirely.

"If we're successful, this could lead to the first truly disease-modifying therapies for progressive MS, offering hope to thousands living with this debilitating condition."

To date, DARGs have only ever been seen in a handful of diseases, such as glioblastoma and cerebral cavernomas, clusters of abnormal blood vessels. However, this may be because scientists have until now lacked the tools to find them. Professor Pluchino and colleagues believe their approach is likely to reveal that DARGs play an important role in other forms of neurodegeneration.

More information: Integrated Omics Reveals Disease-Associated Radial Glia-like Cells with Epigenetically Dysregulated Interferon Response in Multiple Sclerosis, Neuron (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.09.022. www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(25)00710-X Journal information: Neuron
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One in three doctors and nurses in Europe report suffering from depression or anxiety, a study published Friday by the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The rate is five times higher than that among the general population in Europe, the report said.

"The mental health crisis among our health workers is a health security crisis, threatening the integrity of our health systems," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said in a statement.

"More than one in 10 have thought about ending their lives or hurting themselves. This is an unacceptable burden on those who care for us," he said.

Doctors and nurses who experience violence, work consistently long hours, and work in shifts (especially at night) are much more likely to be depressed and anxious and to have suicidal thoughts, the report said.

They also show double the prevalence of suicidal thoughts compared to the general population.

Nurses and women doctors are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, while men doctors are more likely to develop alcohol addiction, the report said.

Health workers in Latvia and Poland reported the highest levels of depression, with almost half of respondents.

The countries with the lowest reported levels were Denmark and Iceland, at around 15%.

The studybased on 90,000 responses from health workers in the 27 European Union countries as well as Iceland and Norwayalso revealed that a third of doctors and nurses had experienced bullying or violent threats at work in the past year.

10% experienced physical violence and/or sexual harassment.

One in four doctors worked more than 50 hours per week, the report said.

More than 30% of doctors and a quarter of nurses are on temporary employment contracts, "which is strongly linked to increased anxiety about job security", the report said.

It called for zero tolerance of violence and harassment in healthcare settings, a reform to end the culture of overtime and long working hours, and guaranteed access to mental health services for healthcare professionals.

The measures were even more urgent given the lack of healthcare personnel across Europe, the report said.

"With Europe facing a shortage of nearly one million health workers by 2030, we cannot afford to lose them to burnout, despair, or violence," Kluge said.

 2025 AFP
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Optogenetically labeled lateral horn neurons (green) in the sea of neurons in the brain (magenta). Credit: RIKEN

Researchers led by Hokto Kazama at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan have discovered how animals sense whether things smell pleasant or unpleasant, one of the abilities that allow us to appreciate the flavor of foods.

The study shows that these different sensations are computed by separate circuits of neurons in the brain but are not in fact opposites of each other. The findings were published in the journal Cell.

The sense of smellolfactionis one of the oldest senses, having its roots in the chemical receptors of ancient aquatic vertebrates. In mammals, chemical molecules in the air enter the nose, eventually encountering chemical receptors on olfactory neurons, which then send signals to the brain.

As there are countless airborne molecules, and because odors are often made from combinations of several molecules at once, a simple system with one receptor for each odor was never an option during evolution.

Instead, odors are encoded by thousands of overlapping neurons, distributed across the brain, which makes understanding how we judge smells very difficult.

In situations like this, scientists often look to the animal kingdom for less complex systems that still work very similarly. Kazama and his team focused their studies on the olfactory system of the fruit fly, where they can identify every single olfactory neuron and its connections. Even so, that's thousands of neurons and hundreds of thousands of connections and it remained a serious challenge.

To overcome this difficulty, the researchers developed a method of recording the activity of all neurons in each brain region of the fruit fly by combining two-photon microscopy and optogenetic cell labeling. They also built a network model that reproduces the activity of these neurons based on the connectomethe connectivity between all the neurons in the brainwhich was useful in understanding the circuitry underlying the computations.

They found that neurons in a brain region called the lateral horn represent the innate hedonic value of odors, pleasant or unpleasant. The model predicted that unpleasant odors were represented by feedforward excitation of neurons across the lateral horn, while pleasant odors were derived from additional local inhibition.

The most unexpected result was that the pleasantness and unpleasantness of odors are computed in circuits that are not only separate from each other, but also distinct in connectivity motifs. This means that in terms of the circuit, "good" is not simply the opposite of "bad".

The researchers were able to use the optogenetic setup to verify the model's predictions because optogenetics allows scientists to precisely excite or inhibit individual neurons of their choice. For example, when the model predicted that silencing a certain local circuit would make flies dislike an odor that they normally find pleasant, that is exactly what happened.

Because the olfactory circuit is very similar across animals, this work may contribute to a better understanding of the human brain.

According to Kazama, "by implementing the circuit mechanisms that we discovered in a compact fly brain, we may be able to develop more efficient algorithms as well as high-efficiency brain-inspired AI."

"Indeed, our development of a connectome-based network model is a step towards creating a digital twin of a brain, which is useful in predicting the output of a system under various contexts."

More information: Makoto Someya et al, Distinct circuit motifs evaluate opposing innate values of odors, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.08.032 Journal information: Cell
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Schematic representation of the Pan/Pf malaria workflow. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64027-4

Researchers have adapted a rapid diagnostic technology that is able to identify undetected cases of malaria, helping tackle the spread of disease.

A team of scientists from Imperial College London, the MRC Unit The Gambia, the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro in Burkina Faso, ProtonDx Ltd, and the NIHR Global Health Research Group (NIHR134694) have developed and validated a low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic that can rapidly detect low levels of malaria from a finger prick.

The test, called Dragonfly, relies on technology originally created at Imperial and its spinout ProtonDx. The technology allows users to diagnose malaria with high accuracy, without the need for extensive laboratory equipment or infrastructure. Results can be delivered in as little as 45 minutes, and the test is sensitive enough to detect even the lowest levels of malaria parasites in the bloodmeaning that people without symptoms of malaria can still be identified.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide, with about 95% of all deaths occurring in Africa. Asymptomatic infections are a major driver of ongoing transmission, as individuals who carry the disease without showing symptoms do not seek medical treatment. Mosquitos feeding on blood from people without malaria symptoms can still deliver the malaria parasite to other people when they take their next blood meal.

The new technology offers hope for combating this potential spread of infection, by offering a way to identify previously undetectable malaria cases rapidly and on the ground in countries which are most affected by malaria.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, have significant global health implications as this field-deployable molecular diagnostic method offers a sensitive, scalable solution to support test-and-treat strategies for malaria elimination across Africa.

Professor Aubrey Cunnington, from Imperial's Department of Infectious Disease and Co-Lead of the NIHR Global Health Research Group with Professor Halidou Tinto (from IRSS, Burkina Faso), said, "This is the first time that a diagnostic test for use outside of a laboratory setting has proven sensitive enough to detect low level malaria parasite infections in people who don't have any symptoms.

"These people are the main source of malaria transmission, and in countries trying to eliminate malaria, there has long been interest in trying to detect these asymptomatically infected people with a screening test performed in their communities, and then giving treatment to those who are positive.

"Until now, no test has been able to detect enough of these infected people to make this a viable proposition, but the Dragonfly test now makes this possible."

This research was developed as part of a global collaboration with the NIHR Global Health Research Group and Digital Diagnostics for Africa. The team's work was also highlighted earlier this year through a Global Development Hub STEM Impact Memo on developing effective digital diagnostic tools for African countries.

The testing kits used for the study were developed and produced in collaboration with ProtonDxan Imperial spinout co-founded by Dr. Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano, Professor Pantelis Georgiou and Dr. Nick Moser. This collaboration made it possible for the research team to manufacture and distribute the kits needed for the trial.

Health workers using the Dragonfly technology during trials in West Africa. Credit: Dimbintsoa Rakotomalala Robinson

Detecting the undetectable

By collaboratively working as part of the NIHR Global Health Research Group, scientists were able to develop and test this new technology with the help of researchers in the regions affected most by malaria.

Almost 700 blood samples were collected from the community in The Gambia and Burkina Faso to assess the Dragonfly test's accuracy against gold standard PCR testing and other common methods of testing, including expert microscopy and rapid diagnostic test (e.g., lateral flow immunoassay).

It was found that the Dragonfly tool could detect >95% of all malaria parasite infections, including 95% detection of those where the numbers of parasites were too low to be detected by looking at blood under a microscope.

Although Dragonfly is currently used as a research-used-only device, important progress is being made to understand the potential cost of a final manufactured versionespecially when deployed at scalea critical factor for effective deployment in sub-Saharan Africa. The team is already working closely with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to explore opportunities with local manufacturers in the region, ensuring that production and scale-up can be rooted in local capacity. Future studies will also need to assess the robustness of the tool in community settings which are less connected to laboratory facilities.

Dr. Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano, last author and technology development lead, from the Department of Infectious Disease, said "This research would not have been possible without the collaborative nature and all the organizations who took part in this study. The technology delivered through this work represents a game changer for malaria control efforts."

The testing equipment

In the Dragonfly testing process, a capillary blood sample obtained from a simple finger prick is processed in around 10 minutes, without the need for specialized laboratory equipment, to extract high-purity nucleic acids from malaria parasites. The prepared sample is then placed into a detection panel, which is inserted into a portable heater.

After a 30-minute incubation at a constant temperature, results can be read visually using a color chart: a pink reaction indicates a negative result, while a yellow reaction confirms malaria infection.

The Dragonfly can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of other platforms, is compact enough to fit into a backpack, and can operate on batteries, an important feature for bringing the tool directly to communities without requiring additional specialized equipment. Testing can be carried out by most people without extensive training, meaning that health care providers or scientists do not need to be present for its use.

More information: Dimbintsoa Rakotomalala Robinson et al, Sensitive near point-of-care detection of asymptomatic and submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections in African endemic countries, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64027-4 Journal information: Nature Communications
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US President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Thursday promoted another fringe theory about autismthis time linking it to circumcision or to pain medication given for the procedure.

The claim was swiftly derided by experts who said the main study cited by proponents of this theory was strewn with errors and it was yet another example of Kennedy's penchant for "pseudoscience."

"Don't take Tylenol if you're pregnant and when the baby is born, don't give it Tylenol," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting.

"There's two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism," chimed in Kennedy, adding: "It's highly likely because they're given Tylenol."

"None of this makes sense," Helen Tager-Flusberg, a professor at Boston University and autism expert, told AFP.

"None of the studies have shown that giving Tylenol to babies is linked to a higher risk for autism once you can control for all the confounding variables," she said.

Pregnant women are also advised by medical associations to take pain medication including acetaminophenthe active ingredient in Tylenolin moderation when needed, contrary to Trump's advice to "tough it out."

While a few studies have suggested a possible association with acetaminophen in pregnancy, no causal link has ever been proven. The most rigorous analysis to datepublished last year in JAMA and using siblings as controlsfound no link at all.

As for the circumcision theory, the most widely cited paper, published by Danish researchers in 2015, was "riddled with flaws" that were pointed out by other scientists at the time, David Mandell, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told AFP.

Specifically, he said, the study relied on a tiny sample of Muslim boys circumcised in hospitals rather than at homethe dominant cultural practice.

Because those children were hospitalized, Mandell said, it was likely they were "otherwise medically compromised," which could explain higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders.

"A more recent review of studies in this area finds no association between circumcision and any adverse psychological effects," he added.

Kennedya former environmental activist and lawyer who spent decades spreading vaccine misinformation before being appointed Trump's health secretaryhas made uncovering the root causes of autism a central focus, while cutting research grants in other areas.

He has hired vaccine conspiracy theorist David Geier, previously disciplined for practicing medicine without a license and for testing unproven drugs on autistic children, to investigate alleged links between vaccines and autisma connection debunked by dozens of prior studies.

 2025 AFP
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Cows walk outside Nieti Yone, northern Senegal, Dec. 9, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Jack Thompson, File

Senegal has recorded 17 deaths from Rift Valley Fever, RVF, a health ministry official said Thursday, in a rare major outbreak of the viral disease in the West African country.

With 119 cases reported so far, mostly in northern Senegal's livestock-producing region, the outbreak is raising concerns about further spread, said Dr. Boly Diop, head of RVF surveillance at the health ministry.

"This is the first time Senegal has counted so many people affected," Diop told local media.

RVF is a viral disease that mainly affects livestock. Humans typically become infected through mosquito bites or contact with infected animals.

While most human cases are mild or show no symptoms, severe cases can cause eye damage, brain swelling or hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal, according to the World Health Organization.

Transmission to humans usually occurs during slaughter, births or veterinary work, putting herders, farmers and slaughterhouse workers at a higher risk, the WHO says.

The current outbreak in Senegal was declared on Sept. 21.

Senegal's last major outbreak dates back to the late 1980s, when it killed more than 200 people in the country and neighboring Mauritania.

RVF outbreaks have also previously occurred in other African countries, including in Kenya and Somalia in 1998 when it killed over 470 people. In 2000, the virus spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemenits first cases outside Africakilling over 200 people and raising concerns of wider spread to Asia and Europe.

Preventing animal outbreaks through vaccination and reducing mosquito exposure are key to controlling the disease, the WHO says.

RVF has been endemic in northern Senegal since the 1980s and is becoming more frequent across Africa due to climate change, Dr. Merawi Aragaw Tegegne, an epidemiologist with the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told a news conference Thursday.

"If you see torrential rain with quick floods, then sunny days, expect RVF in the coming days with favorable conditions for the vectors," Tegegne said.

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Proportion of hospital referral regions (HRRs) experiencing pediatric and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) bed strain and load imbalance. Credit: JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.33943

In the fall of 2022, hospitals across the U.S. saw a severe spike in cases of influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a phenomenon that became known as the "tripledemic."

As someone who worked in a pediatric ICU that fall, Yale's Nadir Ijaz understood the challenges presented by the surge in cases; indeed, news coverage at the time confirmed that children's hospitals across the country were so overwhelmed that they were running out of beds.

"As a pediatric ICU doctor, I saw how tough it was for many kids to get the right care when they needed it," said Ijaz, an instructor of pediatrics (critical care) at Yale School of Medicine (YSM).

In a new study, Ijaz and a team of researchers found that many hospitals that care for children were indeed completely full during the tripledemic, even though other nearby hospitals still had open beds for sick kids. Sometimes one hospital was over capacity while another hospital still had space.

The findings, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, may offer critical insights into possible strategies for preventing bed capacity overload during future pediatric surges, the researchers say.

"With pediatric hospital beds decreasing across the country, we need everyone to advocate for systems that can care for all our children when they get sick, even during surges," said Ijaz, lead author of the study.

At the time, there was a surge across the U.S. in what is known as pediatric bed strainreported pediatric inpatient bed shortages; in past research, pediatric bed strain has been associated with increases in lengths of stays for patients, adverse events, and even mortality.

In the fall of 2022, anecdotal evidence and media reports linked the pediatric bed strain to reductions in pediatric inpatient beds during the preceding decade. Indeed, from 2008 to 2022, the number of pediatric inpatient beds in the U.S. decreased by 19.5%, impacting some geographic regions more than others.

For the new study, the researchers looked at whether having fewer bedsand the manner in which kids were spread across hospitalsadded to the pediatric bed strain of the tripledemic. They defined "bed strain" as when more than 85% of a hospital's pediatric beds are full. Research shows that once hospitals are over 85% full, patients often get stuck in the emergency department much longer, sometimes for days.

"Emergency departments aren't built to care for patients that long," Ijaz said. "Sick children should be moved into a hospital ward or ICU bed as soon as it's safe to do so."

The researchers combined two large datasets: one from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and one from the American Hospital Association. They looked specifically at bed strain at the hospitals in 254 different regions across the country from October through December 2022. They also looked at differences in the number of pediatric beds that were full across multiple hospitals located close to each other to better understand load imbalances that occurred, or whether some hospitals experienced bed strain while others did not in the same geographic area.

Through this work, the researchers discovered that almost half of the hospitals experienced bed strain (or more than 85% of beds full) during any given week. When they looked at small groups of hospitals close to each other, they found that almost two-thirds of the time, hospitals with bed strain were close to other hospitals that had more beds open to admit sick kids.

They also found no association between pediatric bed strain during the tripledemic and the pediatric bed capacity changes of the preceding decade, although they note that there may not have been enough hospitals in the study to conclude this definitively.

Ultimately, researchers say, their findings will equip other researchers and policymakers to determine how to best spread sick kids out across different hospitals while making sure all sick kids get the care they need. Some states, including Washington and Oregon, tried this strategy in 2022, but it hasn't become standard practice across the country yet.

"We will need to think outside the box and work across, not just within, hospital systems to make this happen," Ijaz said.

More information: Nadir Ijaz et al, Pediatric Bed Capacity, Bed Strain, and Load Imbalance During the 2022 Respiratory Viral Season, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.33943 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Health officials are warning residents to remain on guard after Missouri experienced an increase in human West Nile virus cases so far this year.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is urging residents to remain vigilant and take precautions, as surveillance data shows a marked increase in cases in Missouri and the United States compared to previous years, according to a news release from the agency.

As of Oct. 4, there have been 16 human cases of West Nile virus in Missouri, resulting in 15 hospitalizations and three deaths. Additional cases are under investigation.

In the Kansas City area, two cases were reportedone in Clay County and one in Jackson Countyand both patients required hospitalization, according to data from the health department.

In Kansas, there have been a total of 19 cases and one death so far this year, according to data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The West Nile virus remains the most common mosquito-borne illness in the United States, Missouri health officials said. Most people infected do not experience symptoms, but one in five develops flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache or body aches.

In rare cases, the virus can cause serious health problems like swelling of the brain or spinal cord or paralysis. Older adults or people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.

"West Nile virus is a serious public health concern, and this year's increase in cases is a reminder that we must remain vigilant," George Turabelidze, a St. Louis pediatrician who serves as state epidemiologist at the Missouri health department, said in the news release. "We are asking all Missourians to take simple but effective steps to protect themselves and their families."

The jump in West Nile virus cases comes as Kansas City's summers are stretching further into fall. Summer now ends about seven days later than it did in the early 1970s, according to Climate Central, a climate research group.

Other cities in the region are seeing longer summers too: St. Joseph, nine days later; Springfield, eight days later; Joplin, 15 days later; Columbia, nine days later; St. Louis, 11 days later; Topeka, seven days later; and Wichita, 11 days later.

This creeping summer heat carries health ramifications, including a longer allergy season and an extended period when disease-carrying mosquitoes are active, according to Climate Central.

Health officials urge using insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, or IR3535, dressing in long sleeves and pants, eliminating standing water around homes, fixing torn window and door screens and reporting dead birds to the Missouri Department of Conservation's online Wildlife Health Event reporting tool.

2025 The Kansas City Star. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
For the past few months, my daily commute has been on foot. Living as close to work as I do, Id rather walk 25 minutes each way than face the frustration (and rejection) of trying to hail a kaali-peeli. Though the monsoon is well behind us, walking still means braving unpredictable weather, pollution, and poorly managed trafficand with the October heat already descending on the city, my umbrella remains in constant use. While I have come to enjoy these walks, especially the quiet late evenings, I have been waiting to use the new Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 because the stationsKalbadevi and CSTfall directly on my commute route. And if it helps bring down travel time, it would be nearly perfect.



Hardly reluctant to try it out, I left home at 11:10 am on Thursday, umbrella in tow. The walk from home to the B entrance of Kalbadevi Station is a good three minutes, maybe less if you keep pace. Because it was the first day, there was hardly any rush. It took two escalators to reach the ticket counter. By then, Id lost phone network. Fortunately, I had loose change.



A single journey from Kalbadevi to CST costs only Rs 10. After a quick security check, I headed for the gate. The QR code on my ticket didnt work at the first turnstile, so I moved to the next. At this point, I was a little directionless. There were two boards indicating the different stations on the line, and CST wasnt mentioned. A Metro staffer guided me to the platform for Cuffe Paradetwo more escalators down. It really felt like going down a pit, and if youre claustrophobic like I am, it can be anxiety-inducing. At 11:23 am, I reached the platform. The Metro arrived in less than a minute. Spacious, quiet, and comfortable, it reached CST in under four minutes. Three escalators up, one broken, and I was outside the BMC headquarters. At The Times of India building by 11:33 am  my commute was shorter by two minutes, 1,500 steps fewer, and umbrella untouched.



 Jane Borges




Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam has landed in yet another controversy, this time for allegedly granting a gun licence to the brother of a notorious Pune gangster despite an adverse police report. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has gone all out demanding his resignation, calling it a serious misuse of power. Earlier, Kadam had come under fire after a dance bar in Kandivali  operating under a licence in his mothers name  was raided by the Mumbai Police. The issue was raised during the monsoon session by UBT leader Anil Parab. Kadam had then said that he was being selectively targeted. The UBTs fresh offensive appears more than coincidental. Kadam has been in the partys crosshairs ever since his father, senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, and he himself made a series of controversial statements against the Thackeray family. His recent remark claiming that Balasaheb Thackerays body was kept for two days to obtain his thumb impression has further deepened the rift. UBT legislator and Thackeray loyalist Anil Parab accused Kadam of brazen misuse of official position, alleging that he overruled a negative police report to issue a firearm licence to Sachin Ghaywal, brother of fugitive gangster Nilesh Ghaywal, who is facing several cases of murder, attempt to murder, and extortion. This is not just unethical, its a direct threat to law and order. The state Home Minister protecting criminal elements cannot be allowed to continue in office, Parab said. This is happening because Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde have assured Kadam of his support  and when those in power stand behind people who misuse their authority, such incidents are bound to happen, he said. Ive gathered information from Pune that several gangs involved in extortion, attempt to murder, robbery, and dacoity are active in the city  some of them linked to the Ghaywal gang. Despite this, a gun licence was issued. He was granted the licence on absurd grounds that he is a businessman involved in real estate for the past 15 years and needs to transport cash from one place to another. I questioned how this was justified when, under Prime Minister Narendra Modis regime, no one is allowed to carry more than Rs 2 lakh in cash without a bank certificate. The real question is, where is such a large amount of cash coming from? the UBT leader said. Kadam defends decision Kadam said the decision to issue the licence was made strictly as per procedure and the police departments report. He said that Sachin Ghaywal, a teacher and businessman, had no pending criminal cases against him. After reviewing all available documents and the court order, the licence was issued as per rules, he stated. Kadam added that linking his decision in this appeal to any other ongoing controversy was completely wrong and misleading.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and  most vocally  himself.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the prize, after she was nominated last year by a group that included then-Sen. Marco Rubio, who is now Trumps secretary of state. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was honoring Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Machado, however, said she wanted to dedicate the win to Trump, along with the people of her country, as she praised the president for support of her cause.

Her campaign manager Magalli Meda confirmed that Trump congratulated Machado in a phone call Friday.

At the White House later, Trump listed the peace efforts hed made while in office this year something thats become a frequent habit as he appears before the media  and was wistful as he spoke about Machado winning.

The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called me and said, Im accepting this in honor of you because you really deserved it. he said.

I didnt say, Then give it to me, he added, drawing chuckles from his advisers. I think she might have. She was very nice.

He also suggested the award, which has a Feb. 1 deadline for nominations, was given out for 2024 achievements.

You could also say it was given out for 24, and I was running for office in 24, Trump said.

The tone from the White House was much sourer early Friday, shortly after the award was announced. White House communications director Steven Cheung said members of the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace because they didnt recognize Trump, especially after the Gaza ceasefire deal his administration helped strike this week.

Machados opposition to President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela aligns with the Trump administrations own stance on Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously praised her as the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.

Trump, who has long coveted the prestigious prize, has been outspoken about his desire for the honor during both of his presidential terms, particularly lately as he takes credit for ending conflicts around the world. The Republican president has also expressed doubts that the Nobel committee would ever grant him the award.

Although Trump received nominations for the prize, many of them occurred after the February deadline for the 2025 award, which fell just a week and a half into his second term. His name was, however, put forward in December by Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York, her office said in a statement, for his brokering of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states in 2020.

A long history of lobbying for the prize

Jrgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the committee has seen various campaigns in its long history of awarding the peace prize.

We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace, he said. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.

The peace prize, first awarded in 1901, was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts. Alfred Nobel stipulated in his will that the prize should go to someone who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

Three sitting U.S. presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919 and Barack Obama in 2009. Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002, a full two decades after leaving office. Former Vice President Al Gore received the prize in 2007.

Obama, a Democrat who was a focus of Trumps attacks well before the Republican was elected, won the prize early in his tenure as president.

They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country, Trump said Thursday.

Wars in Gaza and elsewhere

As one of his reasons for deserving the award, Trump often says he has ended seven wars, though some of the conflicts the president claims to have resolved were merely tensions and his role in easing them is disputed.

But while there is hope for the end to Israel and Hamas war, with Israel saying a ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect Friday, much remains uncertain about the aspects of the broader plan, including whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. And little progress seems to have been made in the Russia-Ukraine war, a conflict Trump claimed during the 2024 campaign that he could end in one day.

As Trump pushes for peaceful resolutions to some conflicts abroad, the country he governs remains deeply divided and politically fraught. Trump has kicked off what he hopes to be the largest deportation program in American history to remove immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. He is using the levers of government, including the Justice Department, to go after his perceived political enemies. He has sent the military into U.S. cities over local opposition to stop crime and crack down on immigration enforcement.

Internationally, he also touched off global trade wars with his on-again, off-again tariffs, which he wields as a threat to bend other countries and companies to his will. He asserted presidential war powers by declaring cartels to be unlawful combatants and launching lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean that he alleged were carrying drugs.

The full list of people nominated is secret, but anyone who submits a nomination is free to talk about it. Trumps detractors say supporters, foreign leaders and others are submitting Trumps name for nomination for the prize  and announcing it publicly  not because he deserves it but because they see it as a way to manipulate him and stay in his good graces.

Global reaction

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who this summer said he was nominating Trump for the prize, on Friday reposted Cheungs response with the comment: The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen.

The facts speak for themselves, Netanyahus office said on X. President #Trump deserves it.

The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said Trump deserved the prize and said it was sheer stupidity for him not to receive it.

Lukashenko, whose government has faced sweeping Western sanctions for its brutal crackdown on critics after a contested 2020 election, had a phone call with Trump in August that sparked speculation of a possible thaw in relations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who sent troops to Ukraine in 2022 and has sought to show alignment with Trump, told reporters in Taijikistan on Friday that its not up to him to judge whether Trump should have received the prize, but he praised the ceasefire deal for Gaza.

He also criticized the Nobel Committees prior decisions, saying it has in the past awarded the prize to those who have done little to advance global peace.

Putins remarks nearly echoed the comments Trump made about Obama, and the U.S. leader responded to his Russian counterparts praise by posting on social media, Thank you to President Putin!

Others who formally submitted a nomination for Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize  but after this years deadline  include Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Pakistans government, all citing his work in helping end conflicts in their regions.

___

Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Regina Garcia Cano in Mexico City and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

By MIKE PESOLI and MICHELLE L. PRICE

Associated Press
LONDON (AP)  Britains antitrust watchdog on Friday labeled Google a strategic player in the online search advertising market, paving the way for regulators to force the company to change its business practices to ensure more competition in that market.

The Competition and Markets Authority said its investigation found that the U.S. tech giant has strategic market status because it has substantial and entrenched market power in general search and search advertising.

It marks the first time the watchdog has issued the designation since new U.K. digital rules took effect at the start of the year.

The label doesnt imply any wrongdoing. But the regulator said it means it has the power to consider using proportionate, targeted measures to make sure general search services are open to effective competition and that consumers and businesses are treated fairly.

Online search ads appear alongside results from Googles search engine, usually tagged as Ad or Sponsored  versus online display ads, which appear on a companys website. The CMA says Google accounts for more than 90% of the U.K.s online searches and more than 200,000 of the countrys businesses rely on Google search ads to reach customers

Google said it expects to face new rules and regulations on how its search service works.

The CMA didnt announce any immediate fixes, saying it plans to begin discussions later this year.

The watchdog has previously outlined possible remedies, including giving users choice screens for rival search services when they use products like the Chrome browser and Android mobile operating system. Another proposal is forcing Google to make search results ranking and presentation fair and non-discriminatory, and give businesses an effective way to complain if theyve been treated unfairly.

Many of the ideas for interventions that have been raised in this process would inhibit UK innovation and growth, potentially slowing product launches at a time of profound AI-based innovation, Googles senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, said in a blog post. Others pose direct harm to businesses, with some warning that they may be forced to raise prices for customers.

Google, along with Apple, is the subject of a separate U.K. investigation into whether their mobile ecosystems should be given strategic market status, with a decision expected by Oct. 22.
Thirty-five men have died by court-ordered executions in the U.S. so far this year, including one early Friday, with seven others scheduled to be put to death later this month.

The total for 2025 already far exceeds the number of executions carried out last year  25  and could be the highest since 2012, when 43 inmates were put to death, though still far below the modern peak of 98 executions in 1999.

The increase in executions is largely being driven by four states  Florida, Texas, Alabama and South Carolina  that have carried out 76% of this years court-ordered killings.

This is not an uptick of executions nationally  this is really down to just a few states, said Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.

Chief among them is Florida, which has already carried out 13 executions after performing just one last year. The increase comes as President Donald Trump has urged governors to expand their use of the death penalty.

Gov. DeSantis is scheduling all of these executions with complete autonomy and in complete secrecy, Maher said.

DeSantis office has not responded to questions about why the governor is increasing the pace of executions now and whether Trumps policies are playing a role.

Executions have been carried out this year in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

All but one of those states  Arizona  are run by Republican governors.

Heres a look at the executions scheduled for the rest of the year, by state:

Indiana

Roy Lee Ward died by lethal injection early Friday in the states third execution since resuming capital punishment last year.

Ward, 53, was convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne.

Attorneys said Ward is remorseful and has exhausted his legal options after many court battles.

Missouri

Lance C. Shockley is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.

Shockley, 48, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham outside his home in Carter County in 2005.

Authorities said Graham was killed because he was investigating Shockley for involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

Florida

Samuel Lee Smithers is set to receive a lethal injection Tuesday evening.

Smithers, 72, was convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond in 1996. Authorities said he met his two victims  Christy Cowan and Denise Roach  on different dates at a Tampa motel to pay them for sex.

Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is scheduled to be put to death on Oct. 28. He was convicted of raping and killing his neighbor Cynthia Campbell, whose body was found near the Pensacola Bay Bridge in 1998.

Smithers and Grims executions would be Floridas 14th and 15th death sentences carried out in 2025, further extending the states record for executions in one year. Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the states previous record was eight in 2014.

Mississippi

Charles Ray Crawford is scheduled to be executed Wednesday for kidnapping and killing a college student in 1993.

Crawford, 59, was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing 20-year-old community college student Kristy Ray after abducting her from her parents home in northern Mississippis Tippah County. Crawford told officers he had blacked out and did not recall killing her.

Texas

Robert Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Oct. 16, but his closely watched case was paused Thursday by Texas top criminal court.

Roberson, 58, had been set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.

Prosecutors at Robersons 2003 trial argued that he hit his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis and violently shook her, causing severe head trauma that led to her death.

But Roberson says he never abused the girl. A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers believe Roberson is innocent and have sought to get him a new trial.

Robersons lawyers and some medical experts say his daughter died from complications related to pneumonia. They say his conviction was based on flawed and now outdated scientific evidence.

Arizona

Richard Kenneth Djerf is set to be executed Oct. 17 by lethal injection for killing four members of a family in their Phoenix home.

Djerf, 55, had pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the 1993 killings of Albert Luna Sr., his wife Patricia, their 18-year-old daughter Rochelle and their 5-year-old son Damien.

Prosecutors say Djerf blamed another Luna family member for an earlier theft of home electronic items at his apartment and became obsessed with revenge.

Alabama

Anthony Todd Boyd is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen gas on Oct. 23.

A judge sentenced Boyd to death for his role in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega. Prosecutors said Boyd taped Huguleys feet together before another man doused him with gasoline and set him on fire over a $200 cocaine debt.

Boyd has long maintained his innocence, saying he never participated in the killing.

Tennessee

Harold Nichols is scheduled to be executed Dec. 11.

Nichols, 64, was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of 21-year-old Karen Pulley in Hamilton County. Authorities said he broke into Pulleys home, raped her and hit her in the head several times with a board.

Nichols had been scheduled to be killed in August 2020, but the execution was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By R.J. RICO

Associated Press
National Guard troops started patrolling in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday, even after judges stalled President Donald Trumps plans to deploy troops to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in other states.

The troops, dressed in Guard fatigues and protective vests, with guns in their holsters, patrolled at a Bass Pro Shops store and a nearby tourist welcome center beside the Mississippi River. It was unclear how many troops have been deployed to Memphis.

Trump has sent or discussed sending troops to many cities, including Chicago; Portland, Oregon; Baltimore; Memphis, Tennessee; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Protests have been ongoing at an ICE detention center near Chicago, where National Guard troops were seen Thursday. Two U.S. senators from Illinois say they were denied entry to the facility on Friday.

Heres where things stand:

Violent crime a problem in Memphis

Trump announced Sept. 15 that he intended to deploy the Guard to Memphis, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, embraced the plan to bolster law enforcement operations there.

Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat who did not request the deployment, said he hopes the task force will target violent offenders rather than scare, harass or intimidate residents.

Federal officials say agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE and the U.S. Marshals service have made hundreds of arrests and issued more than 2,800 traffic citations since the task force began operating in Memphis on Sept. 29.

Illinois senators denied entry to ICE building

Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth said they were denied access Friday to the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, a site of confrontations between protesters and federal agents.

It is appalling that two United States senators are not allowed to visit this facility, Duckworth said. What are you afraid of?

The senators said they have congressional oversight authority.

Something is going on in there they dont want us to see, Durbin said. I dont know what it is.

Illinois deployment blocked

A federal judge on Thursday blocked the deployment of troops in Chicago for at least two weeks.

U.S. District Judge April Perry in Chicago said the Trump administration violated the 10th Amendment, which grants certain powers to states, and the 14th Amendment, which assures due process and equal protection, when he ordered National Guard troops to the city.

Perry said her order would expire Oct. 23 at 11:59 p.m. and set an Oct. 22 hearing by telephone to determine if the order should be extended for another 14 days.

The court confirmed what we all know: There is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker said.

Another court battle in Oregon earlier delayed a similar troop deployment to Portland.

Lt. Cmdr. Theresa Meadows, a spokeswoman for U.S. Northern Command, said the troops sent to Portland and Chicago are not conducting any operational activities at this time.

Our soldiers are conducting planning and training but not engaging in any Federal Protection Mission operational activities, she said.

Troops patrol outside Chicago

Five hundred guard members from Texas and Illinois arrived this week at a U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, southwest of Chicago, and have been activated for 60 days.

They started patrolling Thursday morning behind portable fences outside the ICE Broadview facility.

A federal judge late Thursday ordered ICE to remove a separate 8-foot-tall fence outside the Broadview facility after the Village of Broadview said it illegally blocks a public street.

Also Thursday, another federal judge in Illinois temporarily ordered federal agents to wear badges and banned them from using certain riot control weapons against peaceful protesters and journalists outside the Broadview facility, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of Chicago.

In Chicago, federal prosecutors have obtained a grand jury indictment against a woman and man accused of using their vehicles to strike and box in a Border Patrol agents vehicle last Saturday.

The agent exited his car and fired five shots at Marimar Martinez, 30, who was treated at a hospital. The indictment filed Thursday formalizes charges of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon  a vehicle. Anthony Ruiz, 21, is also charged.

___

Associated Press reporters across the U.S. contributed, including Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Sophia Tareen and Christine Fernando in Chicago; and Josh Boak and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, D.C.

By The Associated Press
An explosion rattled windows across nearby neighborhoods. Orange columns of flame shot like blowtorches out of stacks and pipes, uncontrolled.

The incident that shook Chevrons El Segundo refinery last week once would have prompted a federal investigation. Not anymore.

As the Trump administration moves to weaken the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, California still hasnt said whether any agency, department or authority will take charge of a comprehensive investigation when a refinery erupts  something thats happened twice this year.

Separately, in response to fears over higher gas prices, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have opened the door to more drilling, and state agencies have delayed, or moved to loosen, new oversight measures.

It does raise the issue of whos watching the refineries, said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. Theyre the most dangerous manufacturing facilities we have in our communities.

Scholars and engineers as well as local agencies and fenceline communities have seen the now-inactive chemical safety board as a vital source of information into the causes of major incidents at refineries. The independent federal agency was the gold standard for investigations of these kinds of incidents, said Greg Karras, an environmental advocate and independent consultant.

But the Trump administration has argued that the board duplicates substantial responsibilities of other agencies. In President Donald Trumps first term, the White House proposed eliminating the board; in this second term, executive branch officials have again proposed to zero out its budget.

The California Environmental Protection Agency is not leading a broad, multi-regulatory investigation after the Oct. 2 explosion. Instead, says CalEPA spokesperson Diana Ibrahim, the agency is ready to support the El Segundo Fire Department, which will lead a safety review.

Other state, regional and local agencies are investigating for their own purposes  a specialized unit of the California Department of Industrial Relations for worker hazards, the South Coast Air Quality Management District for pollution and the California Energy Commission for fuel supply  while Chevron runs its own internal review.

Its quite siloed, said Earthjustice attorney Oscar Espino-Padron. Its often difficult to point to one body thats really helping to coordinate and compile all of the necessary information.

Earlier this year, an explosion at the Martinez Refinery, owned by PBF Energy, injured six workers and caused a shelter-in-place order. The Martinez and El Segundo incidents are the latest in a string of nearly a dozen major refinery explosions and fires in California over the past decade.

Some lawmakers and advocates are frustrated that the state has yet to get ahead of the problem.

A fire in El Segundo has to happen for us to  wake up? said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach whose bill to create a statewide standard for refinery air-quality monitoring was vetoed by Newsom last year. Its just so ridiculous.

Watchdogs said to struggle reining in refineries

State and local agencies that launched investigations after last weeks fire have struggled to enforce refinery rules in the past, according to observers.

In the five years leading up to the explosion, the South Coast Air Quality Management Districts inspectors issued 46 notices of violation to Chevron in El Segundo. The most recent, issued July 30, alleged that the refinery failed to properly control the burning of excess gases at a piece of equipment related to its Isomax unit, which uses hydrogen, heat and pressure to break down heavier oils into lighter fuels like jet fuel. Thats the same part of the refinery that caught fire last week.

That notice is not yet finalized, a process that can take months or years. Espino-Padron, the Earthjustice attorney, said the air districts oversight is often opaque, with residents having no easy way to tell when or how a notice of violation is resolved. Penalties also tend to be minimal, he said.

The reality is there isnt enough personnel to really provide adequate oversight of these operations, he said. What you see is not significant, robust enforcement.

Rainbow Yeung, a spokesperson for the South Coast air district, rejected criticisms of the districts inspection practices, enforcement and transparency. Yeung said the district is coordinating with other agencies on possible enforcement actions with an eye toward protecting the public going forward.

At the Chevron facility over the last decade, CalOSHA opened 18 accident and complaint inspections, eventually issuing nearly two dozen violations. The most recent CalOSHA investigation began on Sept. 11.

Garrett Brown, a retired employee of the agency, said that the inspection teams are short staffed. The agencys ability to investigate is compromised, he said, in part because of recent turnover.

Denisse Gomez, from the Department of Industrial Relations, says that Cal/OSHA has consistently carried out its duties in responding to refinery incidents and continues to strengthen its specialized workforce through active recruitment and training to protect workers and uphold Californias nation-leading refinery safety program.

Safety standards face rollbacks

California has some of the nations toughest refinery safety rules because of two earlier explosions  one in 2012 at Chevrons Richmond refinery, and another in 2015 at ExxonMobil in Torrance. The rules are built around the concept of process safety, which requires refineries to identify and fix hazards before accidents occur and to involve workers directly in investigations when they do. The system is designed to prevent the kind of cascading failures that have caused refinery explosions in the past.

But after the Western States Petroleum Association sued to block the rules, calling them burdensome, CalEPA and other state agencies quietly settled the suit. Unions and advocates say revisions to two regulations prompted by that settlement could weaken key safeguards.

The agency is updating the accidental release program rule for refineries and has yet to finalize those revisions. A companion rule at the states workplace safety agency is unchanged, for now; regulators are proposing to update the rule next year.

WSPA spokesman Jim Stanley did not comment on the settlement or process safety regulations specifically, but he argued that California refineries follow some of the industrys strictest rules.

From CalOSHA to local air districts to the California EPA, refiners work closely with regulators at all levels of government and our partners in labor to minimize the risk of accidents, keep workers and communities safe, and comply with environmental standards, he said.

But Mike Smith, chair of the United Steelworkers National Oil Bargaining Program, said that the heart of refinery safety is having experts on site who can fully understand whats happening inside the plant.

Obviously, any weakening of safety regulations in the refining sector is not good, he said.

Smith said that the rules have been under threat after the union was excluded from settlement negotiations between industry and the state over those protocols.

The foundation really is employee participation, Smith said. The experts in the plants playing a role.

The debate over those revisions comes as Californias political priorities shift  from tightening refinery oversight to keeping fuel flowing.

California eases up on oil

In an effort to lower gas prices and keep up with growing energy needs, Californias Democratic leaders have softened their stance toward the oil industry this year. For years, Newsom blasted refiners for high gas prices and promised to phase out drilling. Faced with the threat of refineries closing, potentially imperiling supply and pushing up prices, he too has changed course.

In 2024, two days after signing a measure aimed at pricing and maintenance schedules, Phillips 66 announced it would shut its Los Angeles refinery by the end of 2025, citing doubts about the sustainability of Californias market. In April, Valero said it would close its Benicia refinery next year, blaming a challenging regulatory environment.

Last month Newsom signed a bill that opened the way for new wells in Kern County. At the same time, the Energy Commission slowed implementation on many of the measures Newsom had previously pushed, such as ones on fuel inventories, resupply after outages, refinery maintenance and a long-promised price-gouging penalty.

Critics argue those moves have left the state more exposed to price spikes in the wake of the El Segundo fire and without strong tools to steady supply or hold refiners accountable. Thats very dangerous in moments like this, said Court of Consumer Watchdog.

Stanley, the spokesman for WSPA, said the refinery rules and other measures were impractical.

Following the fire, Chevron made adjustments to its operations to ensure fuel supply to Southern California, Reuters reported. Chevron spokesman Sean Comey told CalMatters that the refinery paused the flow of outbound product pipelines from the refinery the night of the incident, but restarted them after three hours.

The Energy Commission has said it is focused on keeping fuel supplies steady and prices down. But in a key report published this summer, commissioners warned that years of under-investment and deferred maintenance have created safety and reliability challenges at aging refineries. The report urged the state to stabilize fuel supplies through a mix of legislative and regulatory steps  including the postponing of rules to stave off further closures.

Niki Woodard, a spokesperson for the California Energy Commission, said the El Segundo fire is expected to hit jet-fuel supplies harder than gasoline, with jet-fuel prices jumping about 30 cents Friday and negligible changes at the pump in the wake of the incident.

Though prices at the pump have barely moved, some experts warn that the states effort to keep fuel affordable may be coming at the expense of safety. Environmental consultant Karras said the state should view refinery safety as an economic issue.

The states refining fleet has gotten to the point where it just cant keep blowing itself up without starting to have to import gasoline, he said.

With the federal government furloughed and Trumps newly passed budget moving to permanently wind down the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, Karras said state leaders could still assemble a strong independent investigation into the El Segundo fire by hiring furloughed or former chemical safety board experts.

Theres a tremendous amount of experience and expertise to do an investigation if state leadership had the political will, he said.

___

This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

By ALEJANDRO LAZO/CalMatters

CalMatters
STOCKHOLM (AP)  The announcement Monday that three laureates will share the Nobel memorial prize in economics for explaining innovation-driven growth brings this years Nobel awards to a close.

All but the Nobel Peace Prize, which was announced on Friday in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, are announced in Stockholm. The award ceremonies will be held on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, who founded the prizes.

Here are this years winners:

Medicine

On Oct. 6, the Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to three scientists for their work on the immune system.

Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi uncovered a key pathway the body uses to keep the immune system in check, viewed as critical to understanding autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

In separate projects, the trio identified the importance of what are now called regulatory T cells. Scientists are using those findings in a variety of ways: to discover better treatments for autoimmune diseases, to improve organ transplant success and to enhance the bodys own fight against cancer, among others.

Brunkow, 64, is now a senior program manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Ramsdell, 64, is a scientific adviser for San Francisco-based Sonoma Biotherapeutics. Sakaguchi, 74, is a distinguished professor at the Immunology Frontier Research Center at Osaka University in Japan.

Physics

On Oct. 7, the Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to another trio of scientists for their research on the weirdness of subatomic particles called quantum tunneling. That has enabled the ultrasensitive measurements achieved by MRI machines and laid the groundwork for better cellphones and faster computers.

The work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis took the seeming contradictions of the subatomic world  where light can be both a wave and a particle, and parts of atoms can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers  and applied them in the more traditional physics of digital devices. The results of their findings are just starting to appear in advanced technology and could pave the way for the development of supercharged computing.

Clarke, 83, conducted his research at the University of California, Berkeley; Martinis, 67, at the University of California, Santa Barbara; and Devoret, 72, is at Yale and also at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Clarke spearheaded the project.

Chemistry

On Oct. 8, another scientific trio won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their development of new molecular structures that can trap vast quantities of gas inside. Experts say the work lays the groundwork to potentially suck greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere or harvest moisture from desert environments.

Experts say the work of Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi may contribute to solving some of humankinds greatest challenges.

Kitagawa, 74, is with Japans Kyoto University, while Robson, 88, is affiliated with the University of Melbourne in Australia. Yaghi, 60, is with the University of California, Berkeley.

Literature

On Oct. 9, Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai won the Nobel Prize in literature for work the judges said upholds the power of art in the midst of apocalyptic terror. His surreal and anarchic novels combine a bleak world view with mordant humor.

Krasznahorkai, 71, has written more than 20 books, including The Melancholy of Resistance, a surreal, disturbing tale involving a traveling circus and a stuffed whale, and Baron Wenckheims Homecoming, the sprawling saga of a gambling-addicted aristocrat.

Krasznahorkai has been a vocal critic of autocratic Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, especially his governments lack of support for Ukraine after Russia launched an all-out war.

Peace

On Oct. 10, Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela won the Nobel Peace Prize, and was lauded for being a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided.

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against President Nicolas Maduro in last years presidential election, but the government disqualified her. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations. Maduros government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.

Machado went into hiding and hasnt been seen in public since January, and as a result its unclear whether she will attend the awards ceremony in Stockholm in December.

Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honored.

Economics

On Oct. 13, Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt won the Nobel memorial prize in economics. They were honored for their research into the impact of innovation on economic growth and how new technologies replace older ones, a key economic concept known as creative destruction.

The winners represent contrasting but complementary approaches to economics. Mokyr is an economic historian who delved into long-term trends using historical sources, while Howitt and Aghion relied on mathematics to explain how creative destruction works.

Dutch-born Mokyr, 79, is from Northwestern University; Aghion, 69, from the College de France and the London School of Economics; and Canadian-born Howitt, 79, from Brown University.
WASHINGTON (AP)  After months of gridlock, President Donald Trump finally landed a long-sought Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza  an agreement that only came together after a weekslong diplomacy blitz and a whole lot of help from some Arab and Muslim allies.

The breakthrough is designed to bring about a pause in the fighting unleashed by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The group is expected to release 48 hostages  about 20 of them believed to be alive  in the coming days.

The brutal war finally reached a turning point because a badly battered Hamas recognized the hostages had become more of a liability than an asset, according to two senior U.S. officials who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations.

One of the officials said negotiators, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, believed they finally had an opening when they sensed that Hamas had enough.

Still, the way to an agreement had remained complicated, leaving the U.S. administration in the difficult position of negotiating through a thicket of distrust between Israel and its Middle East neighbors that was in danger of further metastasizing.

Major questions remain, including over governance and reconstruction of a territory that largely has been destroyed as well as whether Hamas will disarm  a key Israeli demand that the militants have not yet publicly accepted.

But for now Trump appears to be headed toward a delicate truce and making good on his campaign promise to bring home all remaining hostages.

An Israeli strike on a U.S. ally

In early September, long-running ceasefire talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar were at a standstill.

Witkoff had walked away weeks earlier, blaming Hamas. The militant group then accepted a proposal that mediators said was almost identical to one approved by Israel, but there was no public response from Israel or the U.S.

Hamas stuck to its position that it would only release the remaining hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected those terms, saying the war would only end with Hamas surrender and the return of all the captives, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza.

On Sept. 9, explosions rocked Doha. Israel had carried out an airstrike on Hamas leaders and negotiators as they had gathered to consider the latest ceasefire proposal in Qatar, a close U.S. ally and mediator. The strike killed five lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security forces member.

It infuriated Gulf Arab leaders and angered the White House. Trump quickly went into damage control, seeking to reassure Qatar.

The strike alarmed U.S. allies across the region, including countries like Turkey and Egypt that have hosted Hamas political leaders. The war that Trump had pledged to end was at risk of spiraling across the Middle East once again.

But the Qataris remained engaged with Witkoff and Kushner, helping Trumps chief negotiators tailor what would become the presidents 20-point peace plan before he would ultimately present it to other Arab and Muslim countries for support, the U.S. officials said.

Two weeks after the Doha strike, Trump met with the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of an annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations that highlighted Israels growing isolation. The president said it was his most important meeting.

The president returned to Washington while Witkoff checked into the luxury Regency New York, staying near Kushners New York apartment so the two could continue coordinating as they fine-tuned the document.

All the while, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, they continued to meet and hold calls with Arab and Muslim country leaders to try to build support.

A ceasefire plan and an ultimatum

Less than a week later, Witkoff and Kushner were back in Washington with the finalized plan, as the president was set to meet with Netanyahu for the Israeli leaders fourth visit to the White House this year.

Witkoff and Kushner had come up with the idea of nudging Netanyahu to make a visible gesture toward reconciliation with the Qataris for the strike.

Trump dialed up Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and spoke to him before handing the phone to Netanyahu. The prime minister read from a written apology, expressing his regret for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty with the strike.

The White House later published photos of a grim-faced Trump with the phone awkwardly perched in his lap as Netanyahu delivered the apology.

In a press conference in Washington after the Sept. 29 meeting, Netanyahu said he had accepted Trumps plan.

Rubio said Trumps negotiators then stepped up their efforts through intermediaries in Qatar and Egypt to get Hamas on board, while Trump held phone calls and meetings with world leaders.

The U.S. plan calls for Hamas to release all the remaining hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, to give up power in Gaza and to disarm.

A crucial move by Trump

Hamas during negotiations made clear its willingness to release all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and to give up power to other Palestinians. But it said other elements of Trumps plan required more negotiation and offered nothing about disarming, a key Israeli demand.

The response was clearly a yes, but.

The U.S. and Israel could have taken it as a no and blamed Hamas for the failure to reach a ceasefire on Israels terms, as they had in the past. Israel could have vowed to press ahead with its invasion of Gaza City or even expand it.

But when the Hamas response landed late Friday, Israel was largely shut down for the Sabbath, and Trump was first to respond, concluding he believed Hamas was ready for peace.

In a brief statement later that night, Netanyahu said Israel was preparing for the implementation of the first stage of Trumps plan  the release of hostages  and was still committed to ending the war according to its own principles.

It made no mention of the fact that Hamas had not accepted some key demands.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Fox News on Thursday that he and many other Israeli officials were skeptical about Hamas heavily qualified acceptance. But he said Trumps decision to frame it as a sign of momentum created opportunity.

In an interview with Fox News host and ally Sean Hannity after announcing the agreement, the president said he hoped it would help repair Israels international standing.

I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu just a little while ago, Trump told Hannity, using the Israeli prime ministers nickname. I said, Israel cannot fight the world, Bibi. They cant fight the world. And he understands that very well.

___

Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario. AP writers Michelle Price and Will Weissert contributed reporting.

By JOSEPH KRAUSS, AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE

Associated Press
ISLAMABAD (AP)  The Taliban government on Friday blamed Pakistan for striking the Afghan capital and bombing a market in the countrys east, accusing its neighbor of violating national airspace.

A blast struck before 10 p.m. local time on Thursday in the Abdul Haq Square area of Kabul, close to several ministries and the national intelligence agency. Security forces sealed off the site.

The governments chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at the time that there were no reports of injuries or damage. He described the explosion as an accident and said an investigation was underway.

But Afghanistans Defense Ministry said Friday that Pakistan was responsible for that attack and for another, in the eastern province of Paktika.

Afghans Defense Ministry didnt say what the source of the bombing was or how Pakistan was able to carry out a strike in an urban center without being shot down.

Pakistan has, in the past, launched strikes inside Afghan territory to target what it says are militant hideouts and installations.

Pakistani Army spokesman Ahmad Sharif was asked at a news conference Friday if the military had attacked Afghanistan to target leaders of the banned Pakistani Taliban group. Sharif didnt give a direct answer to the question.

Afghanistan is being used as a base of operations against Pakistan, and there is proof and evidence of that, Sharif said at the news conference in the northwestern city of Peshawar. The necessary measures that should be taken to protect the lives and property of the people of Pakistan will be taken and will continue to be taken.

Pakistan has seen a surge in violence in recent years, mostly claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistani Taliban leaders and fighters are believed to operate from across the border in Afghanistan, something that the Afghan Taliban deny.

The Afghan Defense Ministry called the recent pair of strikes unprecedented, violent and heinous.

It warned that the Pakistani army would face the consequences if the situation became worse. The statement didnt include information on the alleged targets, casualties or damage.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project monitoring group said that it was unclear who was responsible for the Kabul strike or what the source was. But, if confirmed, it would be the first in the Afghan capital since the U.S. one in 2022 that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Pearl Pandya, a senior analyst with the group, said that Pakistan had increased its use of airstrikes within Afghan territory this year, targeting alleged Pakistani Taliban hideouts.

These alleged strikes coincide with the Talibans first diplomatic trip to India since they returned to power in 2021, Pandya said. An improvement in relations between India and Afghanistan is likely to be resented by Islamabad, fearful of any potential destabilizing impact on its western borders.
Emory Universitys annual Sophomore Summit returned to Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge, Georgia, in early October, bringing students from Emory College and Oxford College together for two days of meaningful discussion, self-reflection and professional development.

First launched by the Emory College Pathways Center in 2023, the Sophomore Summit aims to equip second-year students with tools for success  and general guidance  as they look ahead to the second half of their undergraduate career. This years event marked the fourth iteration of the program, which has become a student favorite.

The overarching focus is to help students think about their next steps in terms of their career, says Abby Holst, an associate director at the Pathways Center.

The retreat featured ice breakers, recreational activities and breakout sessions in an informal camp setting, encouraging students to take a break from the semesters academic hustle. In addition to the sophomore attendees, junior and senior students served as peer leaders, with faculty and alumni taking part in presentations and informational panels.

Darleny Cepin, Oxford Colleges senior associate dean of Campus Life, kicked off programming with a welcome speech at Oxford before the activities at Camp Twin Lakes began. Shijuade Kadree  who graduated from Oxford in 2003 and Emory College in 2005  presented the keynote address. She currently is senior director of culture and workforce strategies at Micron Technologies.

Kadree, who also earned a joint law degree and masters degree in public health from Emory in 2009, discussed varying definitions of success and the importance of authenticity.

There is a lot of storytelling in a safe space where the sophomores see peer leaders  who are juniors and seniors who attended [the Sophomore Summit] previously  and also Emory faculty, alumni and staff share their personal stories of navigating college and their career journey, says Holst.

In all, 70 sophomores attended this years summit. A total of 262 students have attended since the events inception.

Branden Grimmett, who leads the Pathways Center as vice provost and Emory College associate dean, says the program represents an opportunity to unite Emorys diverse communities before sophomores at Oxford College transition to Emorys Atlanta campus as juniors. Putting a spotlight on sophomore year also ensures that students maintain connections at a critical and often overlooked time in undergraduate life, he says.

We make it easy for students to make small decisions and reduce the enormity of the question that theyve been asking themselves, says Grimmett. They dont need to really have an answer to What will I do for the rest of my life? None of us know that answer, no matter how developed we are.

Passing the torch

Emory College senior Leia Marshall first signed up for the Sophomore Summit in 2023 on a whim, not knowing much about the event other than she liked the idea of spending a weekend outdoors.

Getting to make new friends sophomore year was such a cool opportunity, Marshall says, reflecting on her experience now. I think a lot of people assume freshman year, you figured everything out. You have your set friend group.

This was fun because it was a group of people who I really would not have met without the summit, adds Marshall, a neuroscience and behavioral biology major. It was people from different majors, different departments, who I probably wouldnt have run into on campus.

This years retreat marked Marshalls second time serving as a peer leader.

Being a peer leader, as always, was a wonderful time, she says. I always learn something new, either from the students or the fun speakers that they bring. And I just love seeing the sophomores at the stage of college that theyre in. I think it's a refreshing reminder of where I used to be.

Marshall now serves as a peer mentor for the Pathways Centers pre-health advising program  an opportunity she attributes to meeting Gregory Hollinger, associate director of pre-health advising, at the 2023 retreat. She also joined the Pathways Student Engagement Council to provide feedback on current services in quarterly meetings with Pathways leadership and staff.

Reflection activities at the Sophomore Summit also helped Marshall reevaluate her career path during her second year, resulting in her current interest in optometry, she says.

Part of the summit helped me realize what was important to me and some of the values that I wanted to center my life around, Marshall says. That led me to being open to different opportunities, like exploring different paths and different fields. That led me to optometry, which I am now fully set on pursuing.

Junior Ciera Butler, who is majoring in history, also served as a peer leader at this years event, inspired by her experience as a member of Marshalls small group last year. Like Marshall, Butler adapted her academic plans after the retreat, changing her major from political science. One thing that hasnt changed is her passion about pursuing law.

Butler says Marshalls example encouraged her to give back to the Emory community and let younger students know they have mentors.

[Im] just trying to be a resource that the sophomores could come to regarding any questions they have about Emory, the summit or life as a sophomore in general, Butler says.

Junior political science major Ikran Ismail, a peer leader who credits the Sophomore Summit with helping her bolster self-confidence and overcome imposter syndrome, echoes Butlers sentiment.

The Sophomore Summit made me realize, at the end of the day, its not good to compare yourself to other peoples timelines.

Ismail adds that despite the typical pressures of young adulthood, the summit has helped her feel more assured about her path at Emory and beyond.

You have time. If youre a sophomore, you have time, Ismail says. Even as a junior, you have time to figure out what you want to do.



Photos by Amber Tallent, Oxford College Marketing Team, and Ted Pio Roda
North Korea stages military parade

The parade took place at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. Photo: CCTV

North Korea on Friday staged a military parade in its capital Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the creation of its ruling Workers' Party, Xinhua news agency reported.



Premier Li Qiang attended the celebration ceremony and watched "grand mass gymnastics, artistic performances and military parades", according to Xinhua.



North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un praised Li's visit as "showing the invariable support and special friendly feeling" towards his party, the government and his people, state news agency KCNA said.



Kim also lauded Beijing's efforts to maintain "traditional Democratic People's Republic of Korea-China friendly and cooperative relations and further develop them", KCNA reported.



On the sidelines of the event, Premier Li also talked with Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.



Last month, Kim appeared alongside President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin at an elaborate military parade in Beijing. (Xinhua, AFP)
VMPL New Delhi [India], October 10: Today, we find imprints of AI in almost every aspect of life. It is also increasingly being used in the field of medicine. In fact, it can be truly said that AI in medicine has ceased to be optional in today's world. It has become an essential factor that is revolutionising healthcare. Against this backdrop, a premier medical institute, Bangalore Medical College, and a leading AI company, CellStrat AI Labs, is actively collaborating to bring together the best of technology and healthcare. They are all set to unveil a unique programme on November 2 this year where doctors, engineers and students can explore, apply, and lead with AI in healthcare. This is, in fact, the world's first doctor-led hackathons where doctors and engineering students co-create AI solutions for real medical challenges. This is a win-win situation for everybody, be it doctors, engineers or students. About The Programme This is an online workshop series that will start from November 2 at 10am. All participants will receive an industry recognised certificate. It is for everyone who wants to leverage AI in their work and exploit the maximum value irrespective of whether they are working alone or with a team. The am is to introduce doctors, students, and healthcare professionals to Clinical AI. MBBS/MD students, interns, residents, faculty, researchers, engineers, and data science students can enrol for this programme. While participants from the medical fraternity do not need any prior technical skills, engineers are expected to have coding skills. The workshop series will have 4 parts - * 4 sessions on AI in medicine where experts will present their points * All participants will receive an Industry-recognized co-branded certificate from Bengaluru Medical College & Research Institute & CellStrat. * There will be real-world case studies from healthcare AI * You can attend online from anywhere in the world Healthcare is very personal and essential human need. AI is a revolutionary new technology that can help solve problems in healthcare. We are pleased to present Docathon - a unique new program that provides a forum to bridge AI with healthcare. Here Doctors will team up with Engineers to co-create cutting-edge healthcare AI solutions related to optimising hospital operations, streamlining patient care, improving diagnostics and much more. Co-Founder & CEO Vivek Singhal, Cellstrat Information Systems Private Limited The Timeline Explained Once you register for the programme, you will be onboard for the entire duration of the 4-series workshop from November 2 to December 7. Let's look at the timelines here - November 2 - November 23 This time will be dedicated to a 4-part hands-on Workshop Series on Clinical AI, guided by global experts. From November 10, you will be teamed up with your ideal engineering or medical team, tailored to your profile and form responses. Each team will have up to 3 members. November 23 - December 6 You will be assigned a mentor who will help you build practical AI solutions for medicine. This will be on a one on one basis. Mentors are from CellStrat with solid experience in AI, data science and product innovation. December 7 You will have the opportunity to pitch your projects at BMCRI Bengaluru, gain national visibility, and compete for prizes & opportunities. Costs Involved On registration, you have to make a payment of 3,000 + GST. This covers the workshop series. When you are assigned to your teams, you make another payment of Rs 2000 + GST. How It Will Help You If you are a doctor, this workshop can help you use AI easily to improve and add value to your service. Let's see how exactly you may stand to benefit from this programme - * It will help you create better clinical workflows, diagnosis, and patient care. * It will help you lead Innovation. * You can use AI to overcome real medical challenges. * It will definitely give you a career boost. * The industry-recognized certificate that you will receive at the end of the programme will be an add-on for your profile and you may see more opportunities opening up for you. If you are an engineer, this will help you collaborate with doctor and work on real medical challenges. It can also help you get internships and grants from healthcare organizations. The best thing about this collaboration is that now doctors and engineers can co-create AI solutions that are both medically relevant and technically sound. It will also open doors for recognition and grants as well as the possibility of receiving guidance from global AI experts and healthcare leaders. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
The growing global recognition of Indian companies is being felt across continents, with nations increasingly looking to collaborate with India's fintech and startup sectors. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025, Sanjeev Mehta, Founder and Global CEO of Akashaverse, said the country's growing relevance on the world stage is clearer than ever before. "Earlier we used to go and do those tie-ups because we wanted to be an export-led global economy. But now, the relevance of Indian companies has been felt by every single country," he said. "UK trade agreements have demonstrated that, and now global companies are seeing how important it is to tie up with Indian companies, especially those led by MSMEs, fintechs, and startups." Mehta pointed out that this year's GFF marked a turning point, with the largest-ever UK delegation participating in India's fintech discussions. "The importance and relevance of India is shown by this particular thing that you have a first-time-ever, largest UK delegation coming down to India and business tie-ups happening," he said. "You actually compare any fintech fest, any kind of event, and you would have never seen two prime ministers coming together on a single platform," Mehta said. "This shows the importance and what India has created, a name on the global stage that we are a country of next generation, of millennials, and we are leading with technology." According to Mehta, India's strength lies not only in its economy but also in its technological problem-solving mindset. He explained how Akashaverse has used technology to address cultural and spiritual needs, such as enabling digital pilgrimages. "Normally what we say is that technology is the biggest driver of not only the economy but also how you can solve a problem," Mehta said. He elaborated on a digital innovation that allows devotees to participate in temple rituals remotely. "For example, you can actually do a digital diya lighting in Ayodhya sitting at home. The physical diya is lit on your behalf by the Ayodhya management authority," he said, adding that devotees can also offer prayers and receive prasad delivered to their homes. As India continues to grow as a global technology leader, Mehta said such initiatives highlight how innovation can connect tradition and modernity. "It's a great platform where people can actually do darshan, offer prayers, and feel connected," he said. (ANI)
Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. (Sona Comstar), one of the leaders in mobility technology solutions, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NEURA Robotics GmbH at Metzingen, Germany, as per a press release issued by the company. The official announcement serves as a basis for establishing shared objectives between Sona Comstar and NEURA Robotics regarding a strategic collaboration to jointly develop advanced technologies, components, and sub-assemblies, as well as the industrialization of robots and humanoids in the Indian and other mutually agreed-upon markets. "With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, advanced perception, and control technologies, as well as rapidly decreasing computing costs, the world is entering a new era of intelligent automation. This technological leap is fueling unprecedented growth in both industrial robotics and humanoid robots, transforming manufacturing and logistics industries globally," the release said. Sona Comstar, among the global leaders in the mobility space, has proven capabilities in electric powertrains, including motors, inverters, and gearboxes. The official announcement enhances the collaboration between Sona Comstar and NEURA Robotics, playing a crucial role in providing advanced automation solutions across various industries and creating products that are truly Made in India. Vivek Vikram Singh, MD & Group CEO of Sona Comstar, said: "We are excited to partner with NEURA Robotics to drive the next wave of innovation in industrial and humanoid robotics. This collaboration aligns with our vision to expand beyond the automotive domain, into a broader mobility space, supporting the future of intelligent manufacturing and service industries. By combining Sona Comstar's engineering and manufacturing expertise with NEURA's pioneering cognitive robotics technologies, we are well-positioned to deliver world-class solutions for the global market." David Reger, CEO and Founder of NEURA Robotics, said, "At NEURA Robotics, we believe true progress in robotics comes from strong partnerships that unite technology, engineering, and purpose. The collaboration with Sona Comstar represents the convergence of two innovation leaders: one redefining mobility, the other reimagining intelligent robotics. Together, we will set new standards for innovation and scalability in one of the world's most dynamic markets." (ANI)
PRNewswire Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 10: Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced a comprehensive suite of solutions - the Infosys Customer Experience Suite for Salesforce. Building on a longstanding collaboration, Infosys is enhancing its efforts to deliver advanced Agentforce solutions and support enterprises in their digital transformation initiatives. The solutions are designed to accelerate agentic transformation, empowering businesses to effectively scale their digital workforce, enhance customer experiences, and achieve tangible business results. * Infosys Topaz works with Salesforce's gen AI capabilities to help enterprises navigate their agentic transformation and scale their digital workforce Leveraging Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms, along with Salesforce's agentic AI capabilities, these Agentforce solutions enable enterprises to streamline customer interactions by automating processes such as service inquiries, sales tasks, and employee support. They enhance personalization by delivering tailored, context-aware experiences while ensuring seamless integration with broader ecosystems to optimize workflows and boost efficiency. With real-time processing capabilities, the solutions support immediate decision-making and dynamic customer interactions, all while adhering to ethical and regulatory standards. The goal is to equip enterprises with scalable, AI-driven solutions that drive measurable efficiencies across sales, services, and marketing channels and ensure operational success. Infosys deployed Agentforce SDR to revolutionize the sales process for a leading research institute, addressing inefficiencies and reducing response time. Infosys also helped a renowned media house in transforming its customer service operations. By leveraging Salesforce's agentic AI solutions, alongside effective service management techniques, the company achieved significant reductions in transactional inquiries, spam, and case handling time, ultimately elevating customer satisfaction scores. The solutions have already delivered measurable outcomes for clients. Dinesh Rao, EVP & Chief Delivery Officer, Infosys, said, "Agentic AI is redefining how enterprises operate. Through our strengthened collaboration with Salesforce and our capabilities for Agentforce, we are uniquely positioned to empower businesses to excel in this new era. By integrating cutting-edge technology offerings, such as Infosys Topaz, and a deep understanding of our clients' needs, we are empowering businesses to unlock sustainable growth, enhance productivity, and build a foundation for long-term success in an AI-powered world." Phil Samenuk, SVP of Global Alliances & Channels and Outsourcing Service Providers, Salesforce, said, "The Agentforce platform represents the next evolution of AI services, leveraging powerful generative AI and agentic AI capabilities to elevate value for enterprise as well as customer operations. The collaboration with Infosys enables Salesforce to help customers conceptualize and adapt Agentforce faster and at scale, through industry agentic AI solutions." Fluido , an Infosys company, has been a key enabler in this collaboration, championing Salesforce-powered transformations and ensuring impactful outcomes for clients. Fluido helped VTT, one of Europe's leading research and technology organizations, reimagine their customer experience, including changes to their operating model, approach and organizational values. Process simplification and data harmonization with AI at the core was applied to drive the business benefits and outcomes. Marko Koistila, EVP Commercial Operations, VTT, said, "Our sales team previously spent too much time on low-value tasks like lead grooming instead of fostering client relationships. Agentforce automated the lead process, including contextual emails and meeting setups, allowing our team to focus on collaboration and delivering superior customer experiences. Having Infosys, along with Fluido as our expert partners, VTT became one of the first organizations outside Salesforce to implement a live SDR Agentforce agent. Building on the success of this initial implementation, we are collaborating together to develop two additional Agentforce agents for other areas of organizational support." About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 320,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses, and communities. We enable clients in 59 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as artificial intelligence ("AI"), generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/5460444/Infosys_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
New Delhi [India], October 10: Sitarahub, India's fast-emerging trade and commerce ecosystem, has officially launched the country's first Premium 360 Trade Advertising Platform. Designed to serve brands, manufacturers, and exporters, the platform offers a unique model where media visibility, digital commerce, and Virtual trade networking converge into one powerful solution.

Brands joining Sitarahub gain access to three unmatched advantages:

1. Media Visibility on YouTube - Brands are showcased in the Tank-style launch format, gaining instant recognition with buyers, investors, and audiences.

2. Zero-Commission Global B2B Platform - A marketplace enabling direct global selling without commissions or intermediaries.

3. VIRTUAL Trade show Access - Through the Indo Global Trade Fair (IGTF), brands connect with domestic and international buyers, chambers of commerce, and venture capitalists virtually, without any bounds of border and unlimited access to multiple interested vendors across the globe

Together, these three pillars make Sitarahub the first company in India to offer brands not just participation, but a sustained growth pipeline connecting visibility to real orders.

Founder's Note - Vikas Kamat:

Sitarahub is more than a platform, it's an ecosystem built to empower brands. With media, commerce, and trade networking under one roof, we are giving Indian brands the global stage they deserve. My invitation is simple: if you're ready to grow, join us.

Call to Action:

Brands can now register at Sitarahub.com. For inquiries: 91373 44068 or write to us at info@sitarahub.com. Early participants will receive premium media features, zero-commission selling access, and exclusive networking opportunities with global buyers.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
US artificial intelligence chip giant Nvidia Corp. is seeking an alternative site for its new Taiwan headquarters after its plan to build at the Beitou-Shilin Science Park in Taipei ran into difficulties, according to a report by Focus Taiwan. The report stated that Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin confirmed that the ministry had received Nvidia's request a day earlier to provide alternative sites that meet its requirements by October 24. "At Computex in May, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced the firm's intention to establish a new headquarters, called Nvidia Constellation, at the Beitou-Shilin Science Park. The Taipei City government later confirmed Nvidia's preferred locations as T17 and T18 plots, covering 3.89 hectares in the park, to which Shin Kong Life Insurance has held the surface rights since 2022," the report said. Citing a 2021 agreement between Taipei City government and Shin Kong Life, the report noted that Shin Kong Life is prohibited from transferring its surface rights before completing construction and obtaining building use permits for the site. Although Shin Kong Life has expressed a willingness to directly transfer the surface rights to Nvidia, the city government has maintained that such a move would violate the existing contract. "On July 10, city government officials reiterated in writing that a direct transfer would contravene contractual obligations. To resolve the stalemate, the city proposed two options: Shin Kong Life could construct the planned buildings and secure use permits before transferring the surface rights, or both sides could terminate the contract by mutual consent, enabling the city to reissue the surface rights to Nvidia under an updated legal framework," the report said. Citing its 50-year surface rights to the two plots, Shin Kong Life has opposed terminating the contract, arguing that current compensation proposals would not offset the expected long-term revenue. However, the city government has rejected proposals that would allow Shin Kong to profit from a direct transfer to Nvidia. The report mentioned that on October 2nd, Shin Kong said Nvidia had indicated it would refuse to finalize the transfer after construction is completed, citing legal advice that a direct transfer would not violate related regulations. On the same day, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan said Nvidia wants the city to reissue the surface rights to it after the city government and Shin Kong Life agree to terminate the contract, but Shin Kong Life has yet to clarify the conditions under which it would do so. Amendments to related regulations are also required for the Taipei City government to avoid suspicion of illegally benefiting Nvidia. Quoting Kung, the report said on Friday that all relevant agencies had received instructions from President Lai Ching-te and Premier Cho Jung-tai to provide Nvidia with comprehensive support, and that proposed amendments have been submitted to the Cabinet for review. As alternatives, Lee has proposed another plot within the park, while Kung confirmed that the central government is identifying other potential sites, including the Songnan Barracks in Taipei's Minsheng community. Officials in New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, and other cities have also offered to host Nvidia's headquarters, presenting various site and incentive packages. However, Nvidia's preferred previously selected sites. These alternatives are just backup plans the report quoted Kung. (ANI)
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that India has the best democratic system in the world and urged people not to be disheartened by parliamentary disruptions. Rijiju defended the frequent disruptions in Parliament, describing them as a feature of India's vibrant democracy rather than a sign of dysfunction. Addressing the 120th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, Rijiju said, "As a democratic nation, vibrant parliamentary democracy, we have a very critical responsibility in our hands. Sometimes people see chaos in the parliament and ask why there is so much chaos. There are gaps between people's perception and reality. It is not that there is no work in the parliament. Sometimes there is no work. This is true. But when the opposition party creates a ruckus or does something, we give them space and respect. So, the parliament does get adjournment, but that is only when there are heavy ruckuses, scenes created by the opposition. But I welcome all the chaos in the parliament if it is based on some worthy issues which are concerning the nation." He further said that a parliament with different ideologies, set-up and diversity is bound to have ruckus. "Parliament is a platform where there are people from different ideologies and set-ups. That is the voice of the people. Parliament with diverse people is bound to have a ruckus. So when I was asked ruckus in the Parliament, I said, Where would there be a ruckus in the Parliament? It must be in the Parliament," Rijiju asserted. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister urged the people not to become dejected by the Parliamentary disruptions, saying that when the Parliament has to work, it does so and passes important bills, even in the face of ruckus. Rijiju stated, "My request to our learned audiences is don't get dejected by the news reports that Parliament doesn't work. It's not like that. When the Parliament has to work, it has to work for the country, no chaos can stop the Parliament. The Parliament will pass the bill." Citing example of last monsoon session, he asserted, "In the last monsoon session, the first two weeks, the opposition party created ruckus and we couldn't pass any bills. I kept on discussing with the opposition leaders, pleading with them, let us debate, discuss. All these critical bills are coming. Let us have an intense debate on each provision of those proposed bills. But, when the political interest overtakes the national interest, you don't listen. Then ultimately, we had to pass those critical bills in the deal. There was a ruckus. But we passed the bill. If there is a government, if there is a majority, then we have to pass the bill. We have to run the country." "All the 14 bills passed in the last monsoon session are critically essential for the national growth... So it's a very interesting Parliamentary democracy. My plea to the people of the country is, never get dejected by the system that we have. You may be disappointed at times because of the outcomes, but this is the best system available anywhere in the world," he added. The Union Minister also took a veiled dig at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Some people carry small books of the constitution. I want to ask them, first, to read the book in their hands. You must read the provisions and understand the essence of the constitution book, understand the intention of the constitution makers, the fathers of the Indian constitution..." Calling the Indian Constitution "the biggest and the best in the world," Rijiju said it was intelligently crafted to address challenges of the future and uphold freedoms fundamental to democracy. He said, "The Indian constitution is so intelligently prepared and created that all the challenges which are foreseeable in the future are addressed in the constitution. Our constitution is not only the biggest constitution in the world, but it is also the best constitution in the world. Our constitution is so beautiful. We are working with the spirit of that constitution... I cannot stop the one who keeps complaining that there is no freedom to speak. It happens in a democratic country. There is freedom of expression. I cannot stop any other person from speaking his mind. That is the beauty of our democracy." (ANI)
According to Additional Superintendent of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Sandeep Saraswat, the complainant informed the ACB that he supplies brain coils used in neurosurgery and had pending bills worth Rs 12 lakh.

Dr Agarwal allegedly demanded a bribe to clear these bills.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Additional SP Sandeep Saraswat said, "The complainant appeared before the Director General yesterday, stating that he supplies brain coils to the neurosurgery department (of SMS Medical College)... He has pending bills totalling Rs 12 lakhs. Dr Manish Agarwal, the Head of the Neurosurgery Department, was demanding a bribe from him to pass the bills."

"We immediately verified the demand and confirmed its accuracy. So, today we set a trap... We had a head constable posted outside his clinic... As soon as money was exchanged with a patient, the head constable went in and apprehended the doctor," he said.

After verifying the complaint, the Jaipur unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General Anil Kayal, conducted a trap at Dr Manish Agarwal's residence in Vasundhara Colony, Jaipur.

Dr Agarwal was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant.

The investigation and questioning of the accused are ongoing. The ACB will register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and conduct a further inquiry.

Earlier in September, Rajasthan Police busted a drug manufacturing factory in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh and seized drugs and chemicals worth Rs 50 crore, Superintendent of Police B Aditya said.

The police have arrested the accused Jamshed, who had a bounty of Rs 25,000 against him.

Speaking to ANI, SP B Aditya said, "During a police raid, a factory producing MD was busted. The individual making MD in that factory was Jamshed, who had a bounty of Rs 25000 on him."

As per the police official, 100 grams of MD, 70.72 kg of chemicals, and 17.3 kg of MD powder were seized. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday took a veiled dig at former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his government's failure to fulfil its promise of cleaning the Yamuna River, saying that when BJP leader Parvesh Verma made his cut-out take a dip in the river, it fell sick and had to be admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. Addressing the inauguration of a Sewage Treatment Plant, Shah said, "The 'AAP-da' government had said that if they come to seek votes for the second time, they will take a dip in the Yamuna. They did not do so. Pravesh Verma made his cut-out take a dip. The cut-out also fell ill and had to be admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. He did not take a dip. The people of Delhi drowned him." Shah further highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to cleaning the Yamuna, asserting that the long-standing promise to clean the river is now on track and the river would be cleaned before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. "Modi ji had promised you that we would complete the work of cleaning the Yamuna before the Lok Sabha elections. A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Modi ji. Officials said that it would require a lot of money. PM Modi said Don't worry about money. The more we eradicate corruption and reduce advertising, the purer the Yamuna will become. Today, the path to purifying the Yamuna, to realising the dream of a clean Yamuna, has been paved," he said. The Union Home Minister affirmed that a plan has been developed to purify the Yamuna, not just in Delhi, but in all the states along the Yamuna River's course. He further highlighted that all these states stretching from Yamunotri to Prayagraj, including Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, currently have a BJP government. "In seven months, under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, a plan has been developed to clean the Yamuna not only in front of Delhi, but also from where it meets the Ganga, all the way to Prayagraj. And look at the coincidence. By the grace of Yamuna, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, all these states, stretching from Yamunotri to Prayagraj, have formed the BJP government. This means that the path to clean the Yamuna has been cleared by the grace of Mother Yamuna," Shah asserted. He further congratulated the people of Delhi on the next-generation GST reforms, stating that taxes on more than 395 items have been either reduced to zero or capped at five per cent. Amit Shah said, "I've come to tell the people of Delhi that this time it's a double Diwali for you...We have reduced GST tax rates. Taxes on more than 395 items have either been reduced to zero or limited to five per cent...Income tax was abolished for incomes up to Rs 12 lakh. When the Manmohan Singh government came to power, everyone with an income of more than 2 lakh rupees was subject to taxation. Modi has increased the limit from 2 lakh rupees to 12 lakh rupees in 10 years. This change has been possible because the people of the country have elected Modi as Prime Minister for the third consecutive time." (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to Big Boss fame Ajaz Khan. Delhi Police's Cyber Police Station have registered an FIR over objectionable post on social media against a YouTuber and his family. This case has been filed by a woman and his son, a YouTuber. The Delhi HC said, "The freedom of 'speech' and 'expression' granted by the Constitution under Article 19 must be exercised within the bounds of the reasonable restrictions it places. When the speech crosses the line into insult, humiliation or incitement, it collides with the right to dignity." Justice Ravinder Dudeja granted anticipatory bail to Ajaz Khan, subject to furnishing a bail bond of Rs 30,000 and one surety in the event of his arrest. The High Court granted anticipatory bail to Ajaz Khan after considering the fact that the digital devices being in the custody of the Bombay Police and the petitioner's undertaking to cooperate in the investigation and give his voice sample before the FSL, tilts the balance in favour of the petitioner. "Accordingly, in the event of arrest, petitioner shall be released on furnishing a personal bond of Rs. 30,000 with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Arresting Officer or Investigating Officer or SHO," Justice Ravinder Dudeja ordered on October 9. While granting anticipatory bail, the high court imposed conditions, including that the accused shall surrender his passport before the investigating officer and shall not leave the country without prior permission of the trial court. He shall cooperate in providing his voice samples to the investigating agency as and when directed. While disposing of the petition, the High Court advised to use social media with caution. Justice Dudeja said, "The internet has made knowledge easily accessible by intensifying its circulation. With this, however, it has also brought a large audience of every age group. Thus, any content on the internet is porous and accessible to a large audience. Every content on the internet must be uploaded with great caution, especially when the uploader has a large audience and exercises influence in society." The High Court noted that both the petitioner and the son of the complainant are social media influencers, having a large set of audience. The audience may be influenced by the material posted by them, and thus even if the content is deleted after it is posted by them, it would reach a large set of audience, thereby leading to republishing of the same content/sparking a debate over the content among their followers, which eventually affects the victim. "Thereby, one should cautiously use social media before posting any content, as it might adversely affect not only the particular individual but their respective fans also at the same time," Justice Dudeja said. Anticipatory bail plea for Ajaz Khan was filed through Advocate Khalid Akhtar and Mohd. Shadan. His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the trial court on August 5. This case arises out of reposting on Instagram by the petitioner of a video originally created and uploaded on YouTube by the complainant's son titled "A DAY WITH NAJAYAZ KHAN". It was stated that the said video contains multiple offensive, defamatory, and obscene references to the Petitioner, including derogatory remarks, obscene gestures, and false imputations. The Petitioner neither created, scripted, nor endorsed the video, and it was already in the public domain before the repost. The Petitioner promptly deleted the reposted content, the plea had said. Ajaz Khan was called by the police many times to join the investigation, but he failed to do so. It was stated that Khan was not aware of the issuance of the first notice. He only became aware about during the arguements before the trial court. It was also stated that after second notice, Khan sent an email to seeking some time to appear. It was also stated that he has joined investigation pursuant to the Order of Bombay High Court in another case registered at Thane Maharashtra. The brief facts of the case is that the son of the Complainant who is a social media influencer, having about 16 million followers on Youtube and several million followers on various other social media handles, made a 35 minutes video titled "a day with najayaz khan" and posted the same on several social media handles, including "youtube", wherein he mimicked the applicant using all sort of derogatory words, abuses, obscene gestures and in its aftermath, the applicant (Khan) made a retaliatory Video. (ANI)
Assam Deputy Legislative Assembly Speaker Numal Momin on Friday affirmed the National Democratic Alliance's victory in the upcoming Bihar elections, stating that the polls will be based on the issue of "development versus undevelopment". Speaking to ANI, Numal Momin said, "Here is a clear-cut people's decision. Do they want to make an uneducated person the Chief Minister, or someone who is educated? Class 9th pass is leading this INDI alliance, and the BJP has been doing a tremendous job in Bihar. From Jangalraj during Lalu Prasad Yadav's regime, now, Bihar is prospering. All the Biharis are now getting their dues. So this election is between development vs undevelopment." Momin said that the result of the Bihar elections won't impact the upcoming polls scheduled in Assam and West Bengal. He stated that every state has its own problems and challenges. Numal Momin also predicted the BJP's victory in West Bengal and said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has become nervous ahead of the polls. "Every state has different demographics, challenges and population. Assam's issues are different from those of West Bengal, and West Bengal has its own set of problems. So it depends on the particular state. In Bihar, we are going to win, and after that, one by one, the BJP will form the government in states like West Bengal too. That is why Mamata Banerjee is very nervous and is using her goons to attack our BJP MPs," he added. The Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker also termed former India Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru "greatest vote chor" and defended the SIR exercise. "Ulta Chor Kotwal ko Daante. Who is Rahul Gandhi, the son of Rajiv Gandhi. Who is Rajiv Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi. Who was Indira Gandhi, daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru. Who was Nehru, he was the greatest vote chor. When he became Prime Minister of India, Nehru didn't get a single vote in CWC, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel got 13 votes and another member got three votes. Patel got 13 votes and Nehru got 0 votes, despite that, he became the Prime Minister, which means the greatest vote chor is Jawaharlal Nehru. So many voters have been eliminated from the voter list, who were Bangladeshi and Rohingya. It is a good effort from the government," Momin said. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta conducted raids at multiple locations in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case of a retired Public Works Department (PWD) Chief Engineer GP Mehra in Bhopal and Narmadapuram district on Thursday, stated an official release. During the raid, gold and silver worth crores of rupees, land documents, cash, vehicles and other things were recovered. According to the release, the Lokayukta received information that retired engineer GP Mehra had amassed substantial wealth through corrupt practices during his tenure. Following this, the information was verified, and then a case was registered against Mehra under section 13(2) read with 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The raids were conducted under the supervision of Director General of Lokayuta, Yogesh Deshmukh at various locations which include Manipuram Colony, Bittan Market in Bhopal, Opal Regency in Bhopal, KT Industries, Industry Area, Govindpura Bhopal and Saini village, Sohagpur tehsil in Narmadapuram district, the Lokayukta release read. During the raid at Mehra's residence in Manipuram Colony, the officer recovered cash around Rs 8.79 lakh, gold and silver jewellery worth approximately Rs 50 lakh, fixed deposits worth Rs 56 lakh, other goods worth around Rs 60 lakh and documents related to the property, it added. Similarly, at his Opal Regency, cash around Rs 26 lakh, 2.649 kg gold worth nearly Rs 3.05 crore, around 5.523 kg of silver worth nearly Rs 5.93 lakh 93 and property-related documents were recovered. During the raid at KT Industries, where PVC pipes are manufactured, factory-related equipment, raw material, finished goods, and property-related documents have been recovered, which will be further examined, the release read. Additionally, at Saini village in Sohagpur tehsil of Narmadapuram district, the lokayukta team discovered 17 tonnes of honey, expensive farming equipment, six tractors, 32 under-construction cottages, seven completed cottages, a residential building, two fish farming units, two cowsheds, two large ponds, and a temple. Along with this, land-related documents were also recovered, it added. Furthermore, four four-wheeler vehicles were also found registered in the names of his family members. Property-related documents, fixed deposits, shares, and insurance documents recovered during the raid would be examined further, the lokayuta release added. (ANI)
Following RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's announcement of ensuring government jobs in every household in Bihar if voted to power, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sanjay Mayuk slammed Yadav, saying that elections cannot be won on false promises. "Were he asleep? Mother, father, himself, and his sister have all wielded power. Why didn't you remember it then? Now you remember this. When they themselves are unemployed, the people of Bihar have shown them the door from power. His father used to lie, and he is doing it too. Elections can't be won on false promises. The people of Bihar are watching everything. The people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to the lies he constantly tells for power," the BJP leader told ANI. The statement follows Yadav's announcement on Thursday that, within 20 days of the formation of the Mahagathbandhan government, it will pass a law ensuring a government job for every household in Bihar. "We are announcing today that in every family in Bihar where no one currently holds a government job, a new legislation will be enacted to ensure employment. Within 20 days of forming the government, this law will be passed, and within 20 months, every family without a government job will have at least one member employed in government service. Tejashwi will ensure that no household in Bihar is left without a government job," Yadav said while addressing a press conference in Patna. Tejashwi also mentioned that he provided five lakh government jobs during his 17-month tenure previously, slamming the government by stating that the people who used to mock his party regarding unemployment are receiving unemployment allowances. "There's no need for Tejashwi to prove his credibility -- the results speak for themselves. In just 17 months, we worked to provide 5 lakh jobs, with appointment letters handed over for 3.5 lakh of them. Now, the same people who once mocked us are talking about giving unemployment allowances, not actual jobs," he said. (ANI)
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the alleged suicide of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, saying that violence against Dalits across the country is terrifying. "The entire country is shocked by the suicide of Haryana's IPS officer Y. Pooran Kumar ji, who was troubled by caste-based harassment. The ongoing chain of injustice, atrocities, and violence against Dalits across the country is terrifying," the Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad said in a post on X. She linked the IPS officer's death to other recent incidents, including the murder of Hariom Valmiki in Raebareli. "First, the murder of Hariom Valmiki ji in Raebareli, then the insult to the Chief Justice, and now the suicide of a senior officer--this proves that BJP rule has become a curse for Dalits. Whether it is an ordinary citizen or someone in a high position, if they belong to the Dalit community, injustice and inhumanity do not leave them alone. If this is the condition of Dalits in high positions, just imagine the circumstances in which the common Dalit society must be living." https://x.com/priyankagandhi/status/1976514809731448880 Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal said that caste-based harassment drove the officer to take his own life. He also demanded strict punishment for the guilty. In a post on X, Kerjiwal said, "Dalit IPS officer from Haryana, Puran Kumar ji, faced so much harassment due to his caste that he took his own life." He added that "the guilty must be given the harshest punishment as soon as possible." Kejriwal also condemned the recent incident of a shoe-hurling attempt at the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai. "When a shoe was thrown at the Chief Justice of the country, their trolls on social media are insulting Dalits, even abusing Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Where have these people brought India today?" he said. Earlier, the Chandigarh Police filed an FIR against Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Narendra Bijarniya following a complaint by IAS officer Amneet Puran Kumar, wife of the late IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, who was found dead at his Chandigarh residence on October 7. The FIR, filed at Police Station Sector 11 under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, cites abetment to suicide and caste-based harassment. (ANI)
Badarinath is one of the holy shrines for Vaishnavites among the 108 divya desams incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Badrinath town is also the part of Panch Badri temples including Yog Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri and Vriddha Badri, along with Badrinath temple.

According to Hindu Tradition, Badarinath often called as Badari Vishal, was re-established by Adi Shri Shankaracharaya to revieve the lost prestige of Hinduism and to unite nation in one bond.

Earlier on September 24, the Ambani family's Navratri celebrations commenced with the aarti of Goddess Durga which was performed by Nita Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Akash Ambani, Anant Ambani, Shloka Merchant, Radhika Merchant, and other family members of the Ambani family.

The celebrations were filled with heartfelt displays of devotion, tradition, and togetherness. The Reliance Foundation Founder-Chairperson, Nita Ambani, offered a soulful ode to the goddess Durga with her special performance, soaked in faith and festivity.

From the sacred rhythm of the aarti to the joyful beats of garba and the beautifully handcrafted decor, every element in the Ambani's Navratri celebrations honoured the Goddess. They showcased the craftsmanship of skilled artisans from Gujarat.

Following the prayers, the celebratory atmosphere came alive with the energetic beats of garba, where family members and guests joined in traditional dance, adding vibrancy to the occasion.

The intricately designed decor was another highlight of the Navratri celebrations at the Ambani family. The decor featured beautifully handcrafted elements by skilled artisans from Gujarat.

Nita Ambani mesmerised everyone with her soulful performance dedicated to the Goddess. She was joined by several background dancers, exuding a spirit of Navratri while leaving a memorable impression on the attendees.

The Ambanis' celebration of Navratri not only emphasised their faith in Goddess Durga but also underscored the importance of family, unity, and cultural preservation. Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani also performed Garba during the Navratri celebrations.

The Ambani family's Navratri celebrations stood as a heartfelt tribute to devotion, culture, and togetherness, while highlighting India's rich artisanal heritage. (ANI)
'True Security Lies in Protecting All Syrians' Says Assyrian Patriarch

His Eminence Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (center), with ISHR President Archbishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher (next to the patriarch on the right) and ISHR Secretary General Matthias Boehning (next to Schirrmacher). ( ISHR) Leaders of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) met Monday (Oct. 6) with His Eminence Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, in Damascus to discuss the challenges facing Syria's Christian communities following the country's first parliamentary elections since the fall of the Assad regime.

In a report shared with Christian Daily International, ISHR said its President Archbishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher and Secretary General Matthias Boehning met with the patriarch at the Syriac-Orthodox Patriarchate in a show of international solidarity. The visit took place one day after the Oct. 5 elections, which were held under the transitional government of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

ISHR said the meeting came at a pivotal time for Syria, as the nation continues to adjust after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's 50-year Ba'athist rule. Assad fled to Russia in December 2024 after a rapid offensive by opposition forces led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized Damascus, ending more than a decade of civil war.

Under al-Sharaa's interim government, 140 of the 210 parliamentary seats were chosen indirectly through electoral subcommittees, with the remainder appointed by the president. The elections excluded several provinces due to security issues and resulted in a nearly all-Sunni, all-male assembly.

According to an Oct. 6 Reuters report, six of the newly elected lawmakers are women, and ten seats went to religious and ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Christians, and two Alawites--the sect to which Assad belongs. Nawar Najma, spokesperson for Syria's higher electoral committee, acknowledged at a press conference that the results showed "unsatisfactory" representation for women and Christians, noting that Christians won only two seats. Najma said he believed President al-Sharaa would try to correct those imbalances when appointing the remaining 70 members of parliament.

The ISHR commented that the election results are "a stark reflection of the transitional challenges." It also noted, however, that while many Syrians expressed disappointment over the lack of representation, the vote "signals a cautious step toward governance reform."

Christians face uncertainty amid fragile pluralism

Syria's Christian population has fallen sharply from about 10% of the pre-war total--around 1.5 million people of the roughly 22 million total population in 2011--to less than 2%, estimated between 300,000 and 900,000, according to ISHR. The decline stems from years of war, economic collapse, and persecution.

ISHR reported that Patriarch Aphrem said Christians have not faced systematic targeting since the regime change, although isolated attacks occurred earlier in 2025 in coastal and Druze regions. He cited incidents of sectarian violence, including a church attack in June and house burnings in July, which have fueled fears within Christian communities.

The patriarch warned that despite public pledges of protection from the new leadership, the absence of pluralism remains a serious concern. "Christians seek equal citizenship in a civil state, akin to Turkey's secular model, rather than religious governance," ISHR reported him as saying.

During the meeting, Patriarch Aphrem described the regime's rapid collapse--achieved in just eight to nine days--as a shock to the population. He pointed to tensions between the ruling faction that emerged from Idlib, numbering around 1,000 to 2,000 core members, and Syria's Sunni business elite, many of whom established industries abroad, such as in Egypt's textile sector.

He called for international observers to help ensure equal rights for all faiths and minorities, noting that only five or six Jews remain in Damascus. "True security lies in protecting all Syrians equally, not isolating Christians under international safeguards," the patriarch said. He also cited ongoing risks, such as the closure of schools in Kurdish regions over curriculum disputes, warning that forced resolutions could further displace Christians.

ISHR calls for support to rebuild political capacity

Schirrmacher, who also serves as president of the International Institute for Religious Freedom, reaffirmed ISHR's support for Syria's minorities. "The voices of Syria's Christians must not be drowned out in this fragile transition; their call for a pluralistic society echoes the universal human right to equal citizenship," he said. "We stand ready to bridge Europe and Damascus, urging policies that empower local protections over external interventions, ensuring that the promises of liberation translate into lived freedoms for all."

Boehning highlighted the need for structured international engagement. "With no army left and governance offices still dysfunctional, Syria needs more than observation--it requires targeted support like training programs for Christian and moderate Muslim lay leaders in politics," he said. "ISHR calls for the establishment of national platforms that foster dialogue, helping believers return and rebuild."

ISHR said the Damascus meeting forms part of an ongoing regional initiative by its leadership to amplify marginalized voices amid shifting geopolitical realities. Recent ISHR visits have included meetings in Lebanon, where Schirrmacher met Syriac-Catholic Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, and in northern Iraq and Kurdistan.

During Tuesday's meeting, Patriarch Aphrem was invited to participate in the upcoming Munich Security Conference in February 2026 by delegation members Raid Gharib, a German-Syrian entrepreneur advocating for minority rights, and Dr. Philipp Hildmann, a Munich-based human rights scholar and ISHR advisor.

ISHR said the encounter underscored opportunities for civil society to play a role in Syria's reconstruction and in advancing inclusive reforms after years of conflict and authoritarian rule.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan requested PM Modi to release the NDRF grant for Wayanad landslide reconstruction and also urged immediate approval for establishing AIIMS at Kinaloor, Kozhikode.

"Called on the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and requested the urgent release of the full Rs 2,221.03 crore NDRF grant for #Wayanad landslide reconstruction. Also urged immediate approval for establishing AIIMS at Kinaloor, Kozhikode, and sought relief from the punitive cuts imposed on Kerala's borrowing limits. Submitted a detailed memorandum outlining these concerns," he said in a post on X.

https://x.com/pinarayivijayan/status/1976553952796692878

This comes as part of the Kerala CM's visit to New Delhi.

On Thursday, Vijayan met with the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and submitted a memorandum on Kerala's fiscal situation.

Kerala CM urged the central government to ease borrowing constraints and address GST-related revenue losses to ensure uninterrupted welfare and development initiatives.

https://x.com/pinarayivijayan/status/1976301110441935225

Vijayan met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and submitted a memorandum outlining key proposals to strengthen Kerala's internal security and development.

"Held discussions with the Union Home & Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji and submitted a memorandum outlining key proposals to strengthen Kerala's internal security and development. Highlighted the need for enhanced coastal security, women's safety, forensic infrastructure, and modernisation of emergency services. Also requested a review of the decision to remove Kannur and Wayanad from the list of LWE-affected districts," he said in a post on X.

https://x.com/pinarayivijayan/status/1976269614880583696

Vijayan also met with Union Health Minister JP Nadda and submitted a memorandum on key healthcare priorities for Kerala.

"Had a productive meeting with Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda Ji and submitted a memorandum on key healthcare priorities for Kerala. Reiterated the long-pending demand for AIIMS and proposed a National Institute for Geriatric Care, given Kerala's ageing population and leadership in healthcare," he said in a post on X.

Kerala CM met with Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed key infrastructure projects in Kerala.

"Met with the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari Ji, to discuss the urgent need to accelerate key infrastructure projects in Kerala. Submitted a memorandum outlining the steps taken by the State Government to facilitate these works and urged the Centre to expedite the delayed NH-66 project, along with sanctioning other vital corridors essential for Kerala's development," he said. (ANI)
The Principal District and Session Judge of Patiala House listed the matter of Chaitanyanand Saraswati for hearing on Monday. The Principal District and Sessions judge, Anju Bajaj Chandan, assigned the bail matter to Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Deepti Devesh for hearing on Monday. A Judge on Thursday recused to hear the bail plea of Chaitanyanand Saraswati. The matter was referred to the District Judge. Saraswati has moved an application seeking bail in molestation case. He is running in judicial custody after police interrogation. The bail application came up for hearing before the Principal District and Sessions judge in the morning Who transferred the matter. On earlier occasions, ASJ Atul Ahlawat had also recused from hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Saraswati in a financial irregularities case. Patiala house court on October 3 remanded Chaitanyanand to 14 days' judicial custody in a molestation case. The Delhi Police interrogated Chaitanyanand Saraswati for a 5-day custodial remand. It is alleged that he molested 17 girls in an educational institute in the Vasant Kunj area. Chaitanyanand Saraswati alias Parthasarthy, is in judicial custody till October 17. Chaitanyananda Saraswati was arrested on September 27 in Agra and was brought to Delhi. Delhi police had produced him before the court, and he was granted 5 5-day remand on September 28. His earlier plea seeking anticipatory bail in a financial irregularities case was rejected by the Patiala House Court. The Patiala House Court on Wednesday asked Delhi police to file a comprehensive reply on the application of Chaitanyananda Saraswati for a sanyasi robe and spiritual books, mentioning the rule of jail manual. The application will be heard again on Monday. In another application seeking the supply of a copy of the seizure memo to Chaitanyanand Saraswati, the court asked the police to file a proper reply. This application is listed for a hearing on Friday. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar pointed out that the reply filed by the Investigation Officer (IO) is not proper and there is no mention of any provision of the jail manual on clothes and spiritual books. The court said, "Prima facie, it appears that there is no prohibition on clothes and books, so how can I prohibit?" Advocate Manish Gandhi, counsel for the accused, also referred to the jail manual and submitted that there is no prohibition on an undertrial prisoner wearing clothes of their choice. During the hearing, the counsel for the accused also orally prayed for a direction to provide extra bedding as the accused is over 65 years of age and has ailments. (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday sharply criticised the Maharashtra government over its handling of the flood situation in Marathwada, calling it a "matter of concern". He also announced that Shiv Sena (UBT) will hold a 'Marathwada Morcha' led by party chief Uddhav Thackeray to protest the government's inaction. Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Raut said the government appeared more focused on welcoming the visiting British Prime Minister than addressing the severe distress faced by flood-hit regions. "The flood situation in Marathwada is still a matter of concern, but the government is not serious. The government was busy welcoming the British Prime Minister. It was expected that Modi would come and make some announcements for the flood victims in Marathwada, but to prevent this burden from falling on Modi, Devendra Fadnavis has announced a package that will blow away the dust," Raut said. He demanded that the government provide compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare to affected farmers, emphasising that the damage to farmland is so severe that "the next two generations cannot use the land for farming." Announcing Marathwada Morcha, Raut said, "Shiv Sena (UBT) is organising a Marathwada Morcha, and Uddhav Thackeray himself will lead it." Raut also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend financial aid to the region's farmers from the PM Cares Fund. "We demanded that Narendra Modi should at least help the farmers of Marathwada from the PM Cares Fund. If the flood-affected farmers are not helped, then it should be known to whom this money is for?" he said, warning that the suicide rate among farmers could rise further if relief measures are not implemented urgently. "Marathwada is still under the Nizam's rule. Atrocities and exploitation continue in Marathwada," Raut added. Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a relief package of Rs 31,628 crore for rain-hit farmers in the state. The government has also decided to provide cash relief of Rs 10,000 to affected farmers. CM Fadnavis noted that more than 68 lakh hectares of crops were damaged due to floods and heavy rainfall in the state. The relief package will cover the damage in 29 out of 36 districts of Maharashtra. (ANI)
The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday wrote to the Election Commission of India, urging them to take immediate action and address the numerous anomalies in the appointment of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across the state. Taking to 'X', Adhikari alleged that many District Magistrates have appointed junior officials as EROs and bypassed the senior WBCS Executive officers, which is a clear violation of the ECI's guidelines. "I urge the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take immediate action to address the numerous anomalies in the appointment of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across West Bengal. It has come to my attention that many District Magistrates have appointed junior Officers as EROs, bypassing senior WBCS Executive officers, which is a clear violation of the ECI's guidelines. As many as 226 appointments have been made, ignoring the ECI-mandated guidelines. This malpractice undermines the integrity of our electoral process," he wrote on X. Adhikari also referred to a recent order from the ECI, which emphasises the rank of officer before he was appointed ERO. He stated that only SDMs/SDOs/RDOS should be appointed as EROs, as per the ECI's order. "The recent order from the ECI emphasises that only officers of the rank of SDM/SDO/RDO should be appointed as EROs. I strongly request the ECI to enforce this directive strictly in West Bengal, ensuring widespread corrections and proper implementation to uphold fairness and transparency in our democracy," the 'X' post added. Earlier on October 7, hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the attack on BJP leaders in the state, assembly LoP Suvendu Adhikari demanded her resignation, stating that she is nothing less than a "dictator in denial". Adhikari said that CM Banerjee's attempt to whitewash the 'goondaism' (hooliganism) is as pathetic as it is "predictable". "You are nothing but a 'Dictator in Denial'. Resign if you have any shame left. CM Mamata Banerjee, your attempt to whitewash your Party Workers' 'Goondaism' is as predictable as it is pathetic," Adhikari wrote on 'X' while replying to CM Mamata Banerjee. The BJP leader also agreed to PM Modi's recent remarks over the attack on party leaders in West Bengal, stating that such violence was not expected from TMC's "lowly thugs" at such a time of crisis. "While North Bengal drowned in floods, you were busy dancing and merry-making with film stars. The BJP Leaders went to help victims, something your "Administration" has spectacularly failed at. Prime Minister is 100% Accurate. Such violence wasn't even expected from your lowly thugs in this time of crisis," he said. (ANI)
According to an official statement on October 9, following a suspected drone movement, vigilant BSF troops launched an extensive search operation with Punjab Police, which culminated in recovery of 01 big packet containing 03 small plastic boxes of ICE drug (methamphetamine) having gross weight- 3.049 Kgs from a farming field near village Bhaini Rajputana.

In another planned mid-night operation in the border area of Amritsar, the BSF troops successfully seized 03 big packets containing 15 small packets of heroin (Gross weight- 7.985 Kgs), Opium- 290 Grams and 34 Pak Ordinance made live rounds from an agricultural field near village Attari.

These high impact operations reflect the sharp observation, swift action and resolute commitment of BSF to thwart any nefarious design of cross-border Pak narco-terror syndicates to cause unrest in Indian territory.

Earlier on October 7, in its relentless campaign against cross-border smuggling activities, the Border Security Force (BSF) had recovered pistol parts and live rounds from Punjab's Tarn Taran district.

While carrying out a search on the Tarn Taran border, vigilant BSF troops recovered one plastic bottle containing the slide assembly of a pistol near Naushera Dhalla village of Tarn Taran. The bottle was wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with a metal wire loop attached, indicating a drone drop.

On Tuesday morning, while tracking a suspected drone movement, the BSF troops successfully seized one packet containing 75 live rounds of 9 mm calibre from a farming field adjacent to village Rajoke in Tarn Taran.

The ammunition had stamps of the Pakistan Ordnance Factory, confirming the involvement of Pakistan-sponsored elements planning terror activities on Indian soil. (ANI)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP), Nilesh Lanke, met suspended advocate Rakesh Kishore, who had attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai earlier this week. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Lanke said that Kishore showed no remorse for his act. "He still maintains that he doesn't accept the Constitution. We gave him a copy of the Constitution... He still has no remorse... Such people will become destructive to the country... The police also accompanied us inside," Lanke said. Earlier, Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday said that he and his brother Justice K Vinod Chandran were "shocked" by the shoe-hurling attempt made by 71-year-old lawyer Rajesh Kishore on Monday. However, the CJI said that the incident was now a "forgotten chapter" for the Court. The remarks came while the CJI's bench was hearing an unrelated matter where Senior Advocate Gopal Sankarnarayan had appeared. Following the CJI's comment, Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan condemned the act, calling it an affront to the judiciary. "It's not a matter of joke, it's an affront to the institution," Justice Bhuyan said. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who was also present in the courtroom, termed the act "unpardonable" and lauded the CJI's magnanimity."It was the CJI's magnanimity that the said attacker was pardoned by the Court," Mehta said. Earlier, Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Chitna Mohan also condemned the incident, terming it "unprecedented and deeply distressing." "It is a heinous stain. The man who threw the shoe at him is not apologetic at all. He has taken it as a pride. It sets a bad precedent, and it is not supposed to happen to anybody. However, it happened to a judge who belongs to the Scheduled Caste. This is the situation of the Scheduled Castes in the country," Mohan said. He further added, "The other day, a statue of Ambedkar was burned. Every day, incidents are happening, which is not a good precedent." (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on various pleas filed by political parties including Vijay's TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam), families of two deceased victims and other parties, with respect to the investigation into the Karur stampede that occurred on September 27, during party chief and actor Vijay's rally. Following submissions made by all parties, a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria asked the Tamil Nadu government to file a counter affidavit in response to pleas filed on behalf of the victims before reserving its decision. Earlier, on October 8, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea filed by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam through its General Secretary, Aadhav Arjuna, seeking an impartial investigation into the Karur stampede by a retired top-court judge-led panel. The plea filed through advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, and Yash S Vijay has challenged the Madras High Court's October 3 order to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Inspector General of Police to probe into the tragic stampede. The plea contends that despite the High Court's categorical observation doubting the independence of police probe into the matter, the High Court directed the constitution of an SIT comprising solely of three senior officers of the Tamil Nadu Police. "The Petitioner-party as well as its leaders are prejudiced by the order which appoints an SIT composed solely of officers of the State Police, especially in the face of the observations of the Hon'ble High Court expressing its dissatisfaction with the independence of State Police and its conduct, and prejudicial factual findings against the Petitioner", the plea states. It also argues that a pre-planned conspiracy by certain miscreants to create trouble at the rally site cannot be ruled out as a cause of the stampede; thus, an independent probe where contesting points of fact can be placed is necessary in this regard. Furthermore, the plea states that certain strong observations made by the High Court against TVK have caused severe prejudice to the political party and its office-bearers. It argues that the High Court's observations and directions in the impugned order were made in violation of principles of natural justice and fair trial. These were issued without conducting any factual inquiry, verifying evidence, or giving the TVK or its officials a chance to be heard. The plea specifically challenges the High Court's observation condemning the conduct of TVK's leadership members for allegedly "fleeing from the scene of occurrence" and failing to render assistance to the public. As per the plea, such observations are factually incorrect, misleading and contrary to the record. "The contemporaneous sequence of events clearly establishes that, upon receiving information that certain individuals had fainted during the event, the Petitioner's leadership and Party cadre took immediate and coordinated steps to ensure medical aid and relief were provided without delay," the plea asserts. (ANI)
In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He alleged that the government was attempting to shield those involved in what he described as a "daylight robbery" of temple property. "It is a clear indication of the fact that the High Court doesn't trust the Devaswom board and the government, because the court has said that it will do a criminal investigation... It's a clear indictment of the state government, nothing beyond that, nothing less than that. I don't understand how the Devaswom minister is still clinging to his chair and the Devaswom board president is still in position. Why does the government not dismiss the minister and dissolve the board? This has been our demand. Now the court has very clearly mentioned that there has been a robbery... It's daylight robbery," he said. The controversy pertains to alleged irregularities in the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple, which involved 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998 for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala. As the row deepened, protests erupted across Kerala. In Kochi, BJP workers held demonstrations in front of the Taluk Offices demanding a transparent probe into the alleged misappropriation. Police used water cannons to disperse the protestors as tensions rose in several parts of the state. Responding to the allegations, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan told ANI that a detailed investigation was being conducted under the supervision of the Kerala 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. (ANI)
As part of the UK Carrier Strike Group's (CSG) visit to India, State Defence Minister Sanjay Seth met bilaterally with Vernon Coaker, the UK's Minister of State for Defence (Minister for the House of Lords), in Mumbai on Friday, according to a Ministry of Defence (MoD) press release. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing defence engagements and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation between India and the United Kingdom. The Minister of State for Defence noted with satisfaction that the UK CSG, led by the Prince of Wales, successfully completed the sea phase of the bilateral maritime exercise Konkan-25 with the Indian Navy off the western coast of India. The CSG is currently engaged in the harbour phase activities at Mumbai and Goa. The release further stated that Sanjay Seth emphasised that such operational interactions enhance mutual understanding of operational philosophies and significantly contribute to interoperability between the two navies. During the meeting, both ministers reviewed the various facets of bilateral defence cooperation and discussed India's growing capabilities in manufacturing equipment and the development of indigenous systems bolstering Aatmanirbharta. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the ties in all spheres, including collaboration and opportunities in global defence supply chains. They also reiterated their commitment to strengthen maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions in support of a free, open and rules-based world order to ensure freedom of navigation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a robust, multifaceted and mutually beneficial defence partnership, guided by the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 'India-UK Vision 2035', adopted during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2025 to the United Kingdom. (ANI)
Launching a sharp attack on the Congress, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Friday accused the party's communication head Jairam Ramesh of spreading misinformation to "give oxygen to Pakistan in the information war." Patra alleged that Ramesh's tweet on an alleged Russia-Pakistan defence deal was part of a broader effort to malign India's image ahead of major international summits. Patra cited an October 4 tweet by Congress's Jairam Ramesh, claiming that Russia and Pakistan had agreed to supply RD-93MA engines for China-made JF-17 fighter jets. "On 4th October 2025, Congress party's Communication Head Jairam Ramesh posted a tweet...Through this tweet, the Congress party attempted to corner PM Modi and suggest that Russia and Pakistan have reached an understanding, wherein Russia will supply RD-93MA engines for the JF-17 fighter jets available to Pakistan, which were previously manufactured in China. Congress questioned the country's PM, diplomacy and strategic policy...Later, the Congress party's reality came to the fore. It has lost its credibility," he said. The BJP leader asserted that Russia has categorically denied any such agreement with Pakistan, calling the claim "baseless and fake." "Russia has made it that no such Agreement is being struck between Russia and Pakistan...This is baseless and fake and there have been no such discussions between Russia and Pakistan...Before G20 or any big Summit in the country, Congress definitely does such things. It does things that would dent the image of India," Patra added. Patra also directly addressed Ramesh, saying, "I would like to tell Jairam Ramesh that you are not a small leader; you are the Communications Head of Congress. You must have tweeted this only after getting approval from Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, after coming back, he gets such tweets posted and the entire ecosystem gets active...You give oxygen to Pakistan in information war..." Earlier, Jairam Ramesh had tweeted, "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)
"Crispy" generation seeks ancient cures for modern stress

Xinhua) 08:33, October 10, 2025

A visitor has her tongue checked by a medical examination device at the booth of the Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine at a fair themed on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and culture in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

JINAN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Young people were actively exploring traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), from consulting renowned doctors at free clinics to tasting medicinal cuisine, at a culture and tourism experience event in east China's Jinan city, hometown of Bian Que, China's ancient medical pioneer.

"I designed this bead bracelet myself using rose, astragalus and mint. After grinding, pressing and drying, these herbs can help relieve emotions," said Yang Jiashuo, a student at Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His stall, part of a student-run TCM product market, featured various original items like herbal tea bags, shampoo bars, and incense.

His classmate Li Jiahui was promoting their self-developed shampoo bar. "Young people often stay up late and suffer from hair loss. Our TCM-based shampoo bar helps strengthen hair," he said.

With passion for TCM, Yang and Li joined a university club where they develop and market herbal products.

On social media, the popular term "crispy youth" has emerged to describe young adults in suboptimal physical or mental health.

"TCM is a treasure of our culture. My 'crispy' peers are increasingly drawn to its health benefits," Li said, adding that a herbal ointment he and his peers developed this summer, effective for itching and swelling, sold hundreds of jars.

The event also featured promotions for youth night school TCM courses. Ji Yanyan, deputy secretary of the city's Changqing District Communist Youth League Committee, said that the district launched the "Bian Que Night Talks" program in May this year.

"Through surveys, we have tailored 24 themed courses attracting over 210 young participants," Ji said.

On Sept. 25, the second session commenced at the Changqing District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Participants learned to blend herbal teas, practice breathing techniques to reduce stress, and use TCM massage to relieve fatigue.

Li Ting (pseudonym), a 29-year-old interior designer, said she occasionally felt anxious. "The course on emotional regulation taught me tea blends and breathing exercises. With expert guidance, I gradually overcame it," she said.

"The lessons are easy to follow and practical for busy young people like us seeking wellness," she added.

Shan Zifeng, director of the youth night school, highlighted the program's relevance: "We invited over 20 TCM experts to teach courses including weight management and sleep adjustment. These address the urgent needs of youth facing fast-paced lives and stress."

In recent years, Jinan has capitalized on its rich TCM resources to integrate TCM concepts, culture, services and products into daily life.

The TCM experience event, lasting until Oct. 7, also featured health food competitions and cultural performances, further bridging ancient wisdom with modern youth.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Syria's 'Election' Farce -- When the World Claps for a Scripted Sham

Days after masked gunmen raided Wadi al-Nasara, Syria's Christian heartland, killing two and leaving one injured, the world celebrated Syria's "free elections"--elections that were far from free and proposed a new threat to Indigenous Christians in the country.

I recently called George, a Christian engineer in Damascus, who recently escaped a bomb attack while in church and prefers to give only his first name due to fear of ethnic and religious persecution. After speaking to a dozen other Syrians across the country--different beliefs, different ethnicities--I wanted his perspective.

"Nuri, I didn't even know [the elections were] happening until I turned on the radio at 8 a.m.," he said, a generator humming in the background. "They call this a vote? Six thousand hand-picked loyalists rubber-stamping 121 seats, while [Ahmed] al-Sharaa appoints 70 more like extras in his own play? Days after Wissam and Shafiq were gunned down in Wadi al-Nasara, Pierre is still clinging to life. Christians targeted again, like we're disposable footnotes in their 'new Syria.' We're not in a democracy. We're in a farce. And the world's applauding the curtain call."

"Footnotes" echoes in my ears. Before the war, Christians numbered 1.5--2 million (8--10 percent of the population). Today, roughly 300,000--450,000 (2--3 percent) remain in the country. Probably fewer exist now.

I know George's frustration. I've heard it from dozens like him--priests in Homs, shopkeepers in Aleppo, mothers in the diaspora clinging to hope since Bashar al-Assad's fall last December. Then, voices crackled with optimism.

"This could be our turn," a Syrian Yezidi refugee told me in Erbil, Iraq. "Equal citizenship, no more fear." Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, and Assyrian/Syriacs from Hassakeh in the diaspora dreamed of inclusion; Druze elders in Suwayda envisioned a mosaic mended. Alawites, scarred by massacres I documented--pogroms in Latakia that went unmourned. Now, 240 Alawite families are without food in Lebanon', asking my organization ADFA for help.

These past weeks, dialing into Syria's fractured heartland, the script has flipped again. "Theater for the galleries," a Druze activist in Suwayda texted after their province was "postponed" from voting--for "security reasons," as if exclusion equals safety. A Kurdish mother in Raqqa, voice breaking, told me, "Our lands skipped, our sons massacred earlier this year, and now this? No diaspora vote for millions abroad? It's rigged to erase us. Then we will build our own administration, without Damascus."

The elections? A mockery of democracy. Not a ballot for Syria's 15 million souls, but 6,000 regime-vetted electors--fewer than fill a mid-sized stadium--selecting a parliament to bless interim president and former terrorist leader al-Sharaa's whims. Three provinces locked out: Suwayda, Hassakeh, and Raqqa. No direct vote, no census counting the displaced, no seats for the diaspora. This isn't transition; it's consolidation, ensuring dominance in a body meant to draft a constitution. As Afram Ishaq of the Syriac Union Party told SyriacPress, it's "far removed from the spirit of participation ... a form of exclusion." The Syrian Democratic Council called the elections a "political farce" unworthy of Syria's sacrifices.

Days before this "vote," masked gunmen riddled Wadi al-Nasara with bullets, leaving two dead and thousands terrified. Christians in Syria still face persecution--silent ethno-religious cleansing. Months ago, a church in Damascus was attacked. Earlier this year, Alawites and Druze faced pogroms. Yet al-Sharaa jetted to the U.N., his "reforms" speech was applauded by world leaders ignoring blood on village streets. Speeches, as I previously wrote, don't stop the next bullet. They polish optics.

Enter the media's echo chamber of cautious optimism. While I've phoned priests burying the young and elders mourning Akitu, the Assyrian New Year's erasure in Syria, Western headlines serve a sanitized script. Reuters hailed a "milestone in the country's shift away from the ousted regime," a "major test of inclusivity," as if 6,000 proxies test anything but loyalty. They did note a Damascus resident's despair, who said, "I have no hope for anything. I don't feel anything new will happen," echoing George's sentiments.

The New York Times called the elections a "step toward more democratic rule," glossing over the indirect farce as "growing pains." The AP framed it a "cautious step in political transition," ignoring vacant minority seats. The Guardian dubbed it a "tentative step towards democratic polls," critiquing bias but burying it under Assad's shadow. Al Jazeera nodded to a "landmark moment," though whispering of Sunni male dominance. The BBC noted exclusions but pivoted to "progress," in a vote that happened everywhere except where it mattered--on the streets, and in the valleys.

George ended our call with a sigh: "We wanted a future, Nuri. Not this fog." He's right. The fog lifts only when we refuse the applause. Syria's mosaic isn't optional--it's the only map worth following. Ignore it, and we'll all lose our way.

Nuri Kino is an independent investigative multi-award-winning reporter and minority rights expert.
Jyoti Singh, wife of actor-turned-politician Pawan Singh, met Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor in Patna on Friday. She clarified that there was no discussion about elections or tickets, emphasising that her visit aimed to ensure no other woman in Bihar faces the hardships she endured and to advocate for justice and women's rights. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jyoti Singh said, "I did not come here to contest the election or seek a ticket, I came here to ensure that no other woman has to face the injustice I faced... I want to be the voice of all such women. So I met Prashant bhaiya. There was no discussion on elections or tickets. I have come here just for all those women..." She emphasised that her focus remains on fighting the injustice faced by women and that her intention is to bring about positive change in society. After the meeting, Prashant Kishor addressed the reporters, stating that while he cannot intervene in Jyoti Singh's family matters, he supports her safety and democratic rights and urged her to fight legally. "Jyoti ji came here as a Bihari, as a woman...We listened to her. First, she has not said anything about contesting the election. I felt that contesting the election or getting a ticket was not her motive. In her own words, she is facing a grave injustice. She wants what happened to her should not happen to any other woman in Bihar," Kishor told reporters. He further added, "She wants help from Jan Suraaj. I have told her that Prashant Kishor can have no role in her family matters, but I have told her that she need not be scared as far as her safety or democratic values are concerned..., Jan Suraaj will be with her, she should fight in a lawful manner... Pawan Singh is also a friend of mine. I cannot say anything about her family matters. If she has come to me, it is my social responsibility to meet her and listen to her. She has not asked for anything from me." On Thursday, Jyoti Singh had expressed her desire to contest from the Karakat Lok Sabha seat, citing that her husband has not visited the region since losing the 2024 election from the constituency. Earlier, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections. The 243 Assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on November 14. This upcoming electoral contest will be between the NDA, led by the BJP, and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), and the INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The INDIA bloc also includes the Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has also staked claims on all 243 seats of the state. (ANI)
The sacred relics of Lord Buddha, preserved in the National Museum here, will be transported to Russia's Republic of Kalmykia for an exposition. A high-level delegation of eleven senior Indian monks will also offer blessings to the local devotees and conduct religious services for the region's predominantly Buddhist population, a release said. The Holy Relics exposition, a first in the Russian Republic, is organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). It will be held in the capital city of Elista from October 11-18. The Holy Relics will be received by the Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choidak, Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and other eminent Buddhist Sangha members, the release said. https://x.com/PIB_India/status/1976593293799534907 The Sacred Relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Shedrup Choikorling Monastery, also referred to as the "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha." This is a significant Tibetan Buddhist centre, opened for the public in 1996 and is surrounded by the Kalmyk steppe. It may be recalled that it was the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who played a pivotal role in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and, subsequently, was also instrumental in reintroducing interest in Buddha dharma in the three regions of Russia, namely Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva. The delegation, led by the Deputy Chief Minister of UP, Keshav Prasad Maurya, will host additional activities during the week. These include teachings and discourses by His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Head of the Sakya Order; the presentation of the Holy 'Kanjur', a Set of 108 Mongolian religious texts originally translated from the Tibetan language. IBC will present the Kanjur to nine Buddhist Institutes and a University. These are from the Manuscripts division of the Ministry of Culture. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is likely to be signed between the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhism and the International Buddhist Confederation. A unique exhibition of Buddhist stamps, curated by Vinod Kumar of Dharwad, Karnataka--featuring around 90 countries will also be displayed. Another exhibition by IBC titled the "Sacred Legacy of the Shakyas: Excavation and Exposition of Buddha's Relics" will be presented through panel displays. It traces the remarkable journey of the Buddha's relics from their ancient enshrinement to their rediscovery. It opens with a map locating Piprahwa, identified with the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya clan. The panels guide visitors through the sacred geography in India of the Buddha's final days and the regions that hold the legacy of his timeless teachings. An exhibition on 'Bodhicitta'- Treasures of Buddhist Art from the National Museum of India and the National Mission for Manuscripts in India will also be displayed at the venue. It offers a unique opportunity for visitors to engage deeply with India's rich Buddhist cultural heritage, spanning over two millennia. Accompanying the Sacred Relics are other officials and Buddhist academicians. The Holy Relic will be transported from the National Museum with great reverence, escorted by senior monks with full religious sanctity and protocol, to Kalmykia by a special Indian Air Force aircraft., the release said. Kalmykia is a region characterised by vast grasslands. However, it also encompasses desert areas, and it is situated in the southwestern part of Russia's European territory, bordering the Caspian Sea. The Kalmyks are descendants of the Oirat Mongols who migrated from Western Mongolia in the early 17th century. Their history is deeply tied to nomadic lifestyles, which influences their culture. They are the only ethnic group in Europe that practices Mahayana Buddhism. Kalmykia hosted the 3rd International Buddhist Forum from September 24 to 28, 2025, in its capital, Elista. The holy relics of the Buddha have been taken to Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam in recent times. The Piprahwa relics at the National Museum were transported to Mongolia in 2022, whereas the holy relics of the Buddha and his two disciples, enshrined at Sanchi, were taken for exposition to Thailand in 2024. In early 2025, the holy relics of the Buddha from Sarnath were transported to Vietnam. The relics for Russia are enshrined in the 'Buddhist Gallery' of the National Museum in New Delhi for veneration. The holy relics being taken to Kalmykia belong to this same family of relics based in the National Museum. Earlier, in late July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the repatriation of the sacred Jewel Relics (from Hong Kong), one of the most spiritually and archaeologically significant treasures ever discovered of Lord Buddha. In a message, he said, "It would make every Indian proud that the sacred Piprahwa relics of Bhagwan Buddha have come home (to India) after 127 long years. These sacred relics highlight India's close association with Bhagwan Buddha and his noble teachings. It also illustrates our commitment to preserving and protecting different aspects of our glorious culture." It is worth mentioning that India successfully retrieved the jewels associated with the Piprahwa relics from Hong Kong, where they were being auctioned. In a move led by the Ministry of Culture, the relics were returned to India with fanfare and enthusiasm among Buddhists in India and across the world. Buddha belonged to the Shakya clan, whose capital was located at Kapilavastu. During an excavation in 1898, William Claxton Peppe discovered five small vases containing bone fragments, ashes, and jewels in a long-forgotten stupa in Piprahwa, near Birdpur in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh. Later, a team led by K M Srivastava performed further excavations at the Piprahwa site between 1971 and 1977. The team discovered a casket containing fragments of charred bone, which they dated to the 4th or 5th century BCE. Based upon the findings of these excavations, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has identified Piprahwa as Kapilavastu. (ANI)
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Friday has written to the Minister of Civil Aviation, calling for the grounding of all Boeing 787 aircraft operated by Air India following a series of serious technical malfunctions linked to electrical system failures and a special DGCA audit of Air India aircraft for maintenance. In its letter dated October 10, 2025, Captain CS Randhawa, President of FIP, the pilots' body, cited two major incidents that occurred within a week, involving AI-117 and AI-154, as evidence of worsening safety standards and poor maintenance oversight. The letter reads: Since 16 Jun 25 we have reiterated that all B-787's in the country must be checked thoroughly for the electrical systems. On 04 Oct the RAT deployed on AI-117 a/c while on approach at BHX. On 09 Oct, AI-154 from Vienna to Delhi diverted to Dubai which had major technical issues where the autopilot system suddenly failed triggering a series of technical malfunctions. The aircraft experienced failures across critical systems which included Autopilots, ILS (Instrument Landing System), Flight Directors (FDs) and Flight Control System Degradation with no Autoland capability. The pilots could not engage the autopilots due electrical malfunctions; thus, pilots were constrained to fly manually at night and divert to Dubai. Moreover, the FD's were not available withdegraded flight control systems. The aircraft landed safely at Dubai. We compliment the skill of the pilots to fly the aircraft at night safely to Dubai with limited automation/systems. However, Air India categorically denies any assertion that there was an electrical failure in the AI 154 aircraft. The Federation warned that such repeated failures, especially after the AI-171 crash, indicate deeper issues in the aircraft's electrical systems and maintenance practices. The letter alleged that the problems have increased since Air India shifted maintenance responsibilities from AIESL (Air India Engineering Services Ltd.) to newly hired engineers. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to take action. They called for a thorough investigation of both the AI-117 and AI-154 incidents. Additionally, they recommended grounding all Air India Boeing 787 aircraft until comprehensive checks of the electrical systems are completed. The FIP also requested a special audit by the DGCA of Air India's maintenance practices, with a particular focus on Minimum Equipment List (MEL) releases and recurring technical issues with the B-787 aircraft. "The safety of air travel is being compromised by not investigating the causes of failures on B-787s in the country," the letter emphasised. The letter has also been copied to the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Director General of DGCA, and the Joint Director General (Air Safety) at DGCA. (ANI)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted a comprehensive online training and assessment programme for Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) ahead of the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections and bye-elections, as per an official release. The two-day programme, held on October 9 and 10, included an online assessment and a doubt-clearing session focused on the nomination process and other key aspects of election management. A total of 243 ROs and 1,418 AROs participated virtually in the training. Under Section 21 read with Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, an RO is designated for each constituency to ensure that elections are conducted in accordance with law and the rules made thereunder. According to the EC statement, the ROs and AROs are subject to the control, superintendence, and discipline of the Commission during the prescribed period. The online assessment and doubt-clearing sessions will subsequently cover all phases of election conduct, including the nomination process, qualification and disqualification, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), withdrawal of candidature, symbol allotment, poll-day arrangements, and counting. National-level master trainers will clarify any doubts the ROs and AROs may have, ensuring they are well-prepared for the smooth conduct of the elections. ECI also conducted an online briefing session for the CEO, all DEOs and ROs on the Presiding Officer module of ECINET, which is under progressive implementation. Through this module, the Presiding Officers will upload voter turnout data on the ECINet App on a two-hourly basis and at the close of polls. The data will be automatically compiled at the RO level, allowing for near-real-time, approximate voting trends to be available. ECI will also organise a trial run of the Presiding Officers application at all Polling Stations before the poll. The sessions are in addition to the training sessions being organised by the concerned Chief Electoral Officers in their respective States/UTs. (ANI)
The Mangaluru City Police have arrested a 55-year-old man for allegedly promoting the activities of the banned organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI), on social media, as stated by the Mangaluru City Police Commissioner's press release The accused, identified as Sayyed Ibrahim Thangal, a resident of Ramakunja village in Uppinanagandi, was apprehended near Urwa Store in Mangaluru city on October 9. According to the police press release, a case (Crime No. 113/2025) has been registered at the Mangaluru North Police Station under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Further investigation into the matter is underway. The Popular Front of India (PFI) was declared an unlawful association by the Central Government on September 28, 2022. Police said that on October 9, the accused allegedly posted content supporting the banned organisation on a WhatsApp group. The post was reportedly aimed at promoting PFI's ideology and created a sense of public panic by displaying criminal force. Based on a complaint lodged by the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), the case was registered, and the accused's mobile phone was seized for forensic examination. Following his arrest, Sayyed Ibrahim Thangal was produced before the 49th Additional Civil and Sessions Court (CCH-50) and Special Court for NIA Cases in Bengaluru on October 10. The court has remanded him to judicial custody till October 24, 2025. Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Mangaluru City Crime Branch (CCB) recently unearthed a fake document racket linked to bail proceedings and apprehended several accused involved in the operation. According to officials, the accused were found using forged Aadhar cards and pahani documents as sureties in court to secure bail for individuals arrested in criminal cases. Acting on a tip-off received on September 9, the CCB launched an investigation and unearthed the racket. "Several individuals have been arrested for their involvement in a fake document racket. The individuals are accused of using fake Aadhar cards and Pahani documents to act as sureties in court for bail proceedings. The operation began on September 9, 2025, when the CCB received a tip about individuals creating and using fake documents to obtain bail for those arrested in criminal cases," Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy told reporters. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reaffirmed that his government is operating under a strict policy of zero tolerance towards corruption and irregularities, stressing that transparency and accountability in governance remain the highest priority. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated in a press release that any irregularities found at any level of administration would invite the strictest possible action, irrespective of the rank or position of the official involved. The Chief Minister's office stated that in this context, the Government of Uttarakhand has accelerated action regarding the case of irregularities in the purchase of land located in Gram Sarai by the Haridwar Municipal Corporation. The government has initiated departmental proceedings against three officers involved in this matter: then District Magistrate Karmendra Singh, then Municipal Commissioner Varun Chaudhary, and then Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajayveer Singh (currently suspended). According to the order issued by the Home Department, based on prima facie involvement, disciplinary action has been initiated against Ajayveer Singh under the provisions of the Uttarakhand Government Servant (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2003 (as amended). He was previously issued a charge sheet and given an opportunity to present his defence, in response to which he submitted a written statement on September 16, 2025, denying all allegations. To ensure an impartial investigation in the case, the government has appointed Dr Anand Srivastava (IAS), Additional Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand, as the Inquiry Officer against Ajayveer Singh. He has been directed to submit his investigation report to the government within one month. It is noteworthy that for the ongoing departmental inquiry against the other two officers -- former District Magistrate of Haridwar, Karmendra Singh, and former Municipal Commissioner, Varun Chaudhary -- the government has appointed Sachin Kurve (IAS) as the Inquiry Officer. Earlier this month, CM Dhami addressed the recent Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam paper leak incident, assuring that his government had acted promptly to maintain fairness and transparency in the recruitment process. According to the CMO, CM Dhami stated that as soon as the matter came to light, the authorities arrested the accused and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the entire examination process. "We are committed to ensuring that the youth of Uttarakhand do not face injustice," the Chief Minister stated. Aiming at the opposition, Dhami accused rival parties of politicising the issue. "The opposition tried to use the issue politically by making students a shield and attempting to create unrest in the state. Those who once questioned CBI and ED investigations are now demanding a CBI inquiry in this matter to derive political mileage," he said. Chief Minister Dhami further stated that, in order to address the concerns of the youth and foil the conspiracies of disruptive elements, he had personally met with the students and assured them that a CBI probe would be conducted and all their legitimate demands would be fulfilled. He emphasised that the state government has enacted India's strictest anti-cheating law to make recruitment processes transparent and curb cheating mafias. "As a result, more than 25,000 youths have secured government jobs over the last four years, a record. Over 100 members of the cheating mafia, who had turned cheating into an industry during previous governments, have been sent to jail under this law. All these steps have been taken to secure the future and interests of the youth," he said. The Chief Minister concluded by saying that some people are claiming that the government has bowed to the demands of the youth or those calling for a CBI probe. "To such people, I want to make it clear," he said, "That I can bow my head and even sacrifice myself to protect the interests of our youth," CM Dhami emphasised. The Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level competitive examination 2025 has come under intense scrutiny following allegations of malpractice, prompting the state government to launch a judicially supervised probe. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party National Spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of allegedly threatening riots following the SIR exercise on Friday. In a video posted on X, Patra alleged that the Chief Minister Banerjee stated that if SIR is conducted in the eastern state, riots will break out in Bengal and there will be horrifying consequences. "....Mamata Banerjee said that if SIR is done, riots will break out in Bengal and there will be horrifying consequences...The rioting will be done by you, because it is your government which is in power there, and it is your Police there. Mamata Banerjee you are issuing threats..," said Patra. The BJP MP alleged that the West Bengal Chief Minister warned she would not hesitate to shed blood for Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. "For Mamata Banerjee, she would not shy away even if she has to riot and shed blood in Bengal for Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. This is the warning she gave in Bengal yesterday..." claimed Patra. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her recent opposition to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and comparison of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Mir Zafar. BJP state President Samik Bhattacharya accused Mamata Banerjee of wanting to "incite riots and provoke conflict between the Hindu and Muslims communities" in West Bengal. Speaking with ANI, Samik Bhattacharya said, "CM wants to incite riots in West Bengal and provoke conflicts between Hindus and Muslims. The minority community in the state has also realised that 90% of the political killings over the past three years involve people from the minority community." Another BJP leader, Rahul Sinha, also slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), alleging that the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) is winning elections by "sheltering infiltrators from Bangladesh". "Let the SIR happen first, and then the NRC will happen. CM, rest assured, the SIR is not being done to delete the names of genuine voters. You gave shelter to Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh and added the names of Rohingya Muslims to the voter list, people who have died have been added in voter list. This is the basis for your victory, and when the Election Commission interfered with this basis, you started shouting", Sinha told ANI. Earlier, Mamata Banerjee opposed the EC's decision to conduct a nationwide SIR of electoral rolls, warning the BJP to "not play with fire." "I warned the BJP, don't play with fire. Be prepared for public outrage. People of Bengal never believe you. I heard that the Union Home Minister said in a party meeting that we will drop many names; who is he to drop them? Today, his government is there, but tomorrow it will not be there," the Chief Minister said. (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raised concerns over the current state of India-Afghanistan relations on Friday. She questioned whether the central government would apply pressure on the Taliban to respect women's rights. In her remarks about India-Afghanistan relations, Chaturvedi emphasised that India would not tolerate any problems arising from the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. She urged the government to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the country's foreign policy. "Afghanistan's foreign minister is on his visit to India. India and Afghanistan have had a long-standing relationship, primarily based on people-to-people connections. India has always supported its citizens. However, the government that is currently ruling Afghanistan is the Taliban. They are the same people who hijacked our Flight IC 814 with Pakistan's cooperation... They are the Taliban, who do not allow women to pursue education... So, will our government pressure them to respect women's rights as per democratic and constitutional values? Moreover, regarding the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, we will not tolerate any issues arising from their association. Also, we need to assess how effective our constantly changing foreign policy is for our country," Chaturvedi told ANI. On Thursday, Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arrived in New Delhi for a week-long visit to India. Muttaqi's October 9-16 visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry was cited by Tolo News as saying that during this visit, Muttaqi will meet with his Indian counterpart and other senior officials to discuss various issues, including "expanding relations between Kabul and New Delhi." Although India does not formally recognise the Taliban, addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal confirmed on October 3 of the continued engagement with the interim government in Afghanistan, highlighting both diplomatic exchanges and humanitarian assistance following a recent earthquake in the region. Previously, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken with Muttaqi over the phone this May, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had met him in Dubai earlier this year. Expressing his gratitude for the reception in India, Muttaqi said, "I would like to welcome all and am glad to be in Delhi... This is my first time visiting India as the FM of Afghanistan, and I appreciate the warm hospitality shown to us by the Indian Foreign Minister and the Indian government. "During bilateral meeting with Muttaqi, Jaishankar said that India would upgrade its Kabul mission to embassy in Kabul. The embassy was shut after the Taliban seized power in 2021. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar handed over five ambulances as a "gesture of goodwill" to Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, on Friday in the national capital. The five ambulances are a part of the gift of 20 ambulances to Afghanistan as a gesture of goodwill. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Also handed over 5 Ambulances to FM Muttaqi. This is part of the larger gift of 20 ambulances, and other medical equipment reflecting our long-standing support for the Afghan people." During the bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Muttaqi, the EAM had underscored how, as a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in Afghanistan's development and progress. (ANI)
In an effort to promote a culture of reading and to foster the development, preservation, and propagation of the Marathi language, the government has declared that October 15, the birth anniversary of the late former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, shall be observed as 'Reading Inspiration Day'. This initiative aims to inspire and encourage reading among the populace. "Let's take a step forward, let's make Marathi the language of knowledge" is the central theme of this year's initiative. All ministerial departments of the state government, as well as all government/semi-government offices under their jurisdiction, government institutions/boards, public undertakings, all commissioners and all district collectors' offices will organise various activities to celebrate 'Reading Inspiration Day'. Programs will be organised both online and in person, as stated in the release. According to the release, on the occasion of Reading Inspiration Day, the program will not be limited to fine literature alone, but will also encompass subjects such as science, technology, management, environment, health, computer science, and space science. Employment-oriented activities will be implemented to attract the maximum number of young people. In these workshops, topics such as translation writing, professional writing, e-books, self-publishing, online book sales, code writing, and short film/documentary writing will be covered. Along with this, lectures, seminars, readings, group discussions, book exhibitions, and the creation of 'Marathi Vachan Katta' will be organised, as well as Marathi virtual/live literary conferences. With the aim of maximising the use of the Marathi language, programs will be organised to increase awareness about the use of the Marathi language in judicial transactions, government administration, media, etc. "For organising these programs, help will be taken from literary organisations like Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Marathwada Sahitya Parishad, Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh, Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, Dakshin Maharashtra Sahitya Sabha and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh. Programs will be organised in libraries, colleges, technical colleges, and diploma institutes. The relevant institutions under the jurisdiction of the School Education Department will also organise various programs to enhance the reading culture. Along with this, institutions under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation/Municipality will also organise various programs," said Dr. Kiran Kulkarni, Secretary, Marathi Language Department. (ANI)
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary D Suresh Kumar on Friday called for a "fair and quick investigation" and the immediate arrest of the accused in connection with the death of senior IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who was found dead at his Chandigarh residence under suspicious circumstances. Speaking to reporters, Additional Chief Secretary D Suresh Kumar said, "We have requested for fair and quick investigation and immediate arrest of DGP Shatrujeet Kapoor and SP Rohtak..." The comments followed the lodging of an FIR against Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Narendra Bijarniya, based on a complaint filed by IAS officer Amneet Puran Kumar, the wife of the deceased officer. Earlier on Friday, the Chandigarh Police announced the formation of a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive and impartial probe into the matter in the wake of serious allegations surrounding the death of the senior IPS officer. The SIT, formed under the supervision of Inspector General of Police (IGP) UT Chandigarh Pushpendra Kumar, will investigate the case registered at Police Station Sector-11 (West) under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The SIT comprises IGP Pushpendra Kumar as head, along with SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, SPICity KM Priyanka, DSP Traffic Charanyit Singh Vik, SOPO South Qujt Kaur, and SHO PS-11 (West) Jarveer Singh Rana. Officers may co-opt additional experts as required to expedite the collection of evidence, the examination of witnesses, and the preparation of the final report, according to a statement. Reacting to the incident, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malvinder Singh Kang questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana government over the incident and urged it to heed the family's demands and take "action against the concerned officer". "I question the Government of India, where are you taking the country?... It raises many questions on the BJP government in Haryana...He was an asset to this country...I request the Haryana government to consider the demands of the family and take action against the concerned officer..." AAP MP said. Meanwhile, Congress MP Varun Chaudhry also demanded a fair probe and additional protection for the bereaved family. Outlining his three demands, the MP said, "I had 3 demands...The 2 prime accused, DGP Haryana and SSP Rohtak, should have their names displayed in the column (in the FIR). Secondly, for the inquiry to be fair, the chairmanship of the high court should be represented by a sitting judge, and third, the family members should be provided security..." the congress MP said. A day earlier, the wife of late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar had written a detailed letter to the Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini seeking immediate registration of an FIR, suspension and arrest of the accused named in her husband's suicide note and complaint, along with lifelong security for the bereaved family. On October 7, a senior IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar, died in Chandigarh under suspicious circumstances. He succumbed to a gunshot wound, police said. (ANI)
Dialog Syria Highlights Struggle to Preserve Assyrian Identity

Beth Zalin, North and East Syria -- A dialogue session held in Beth Zalin (Qamishli), North and East Syria, has shed light on the challenges of preserving Syriac culture and language while ensuring academic recognition for students.

The Olaf Taw Association for Syriac Language organized the event at the Armenian Benevolent Association Hall, bringing together representatives from the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo d'Bethnahrin, MUB), educators, and families of students to discuss the current state of Syriac-language education within the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES).

Discussions focused on the central dilemma facing the Assyrian community in the Gozarto (Jazira) Canton of how to preserve their linguistic and cultural identity through a formal education system while ensuring that the curriculum and its graduates gain wider academic recognition.

The Olaf Taw Association presented the Syriac curriculum currently in use in DAARNES schools, outlining its teaching methods and explaining that it was designed to reflect the unique linguistic and cultural identity of the Assyrian people. Association officials described the curriculum as an educational model that places local identity at the heart of learning rather than on its margins.

They emphasized that the curriculum remains open to development and improvement so that it can eventually meet national and international academic standards while maintaining its local character.

However, many families expressed strong concerns about their children's academic future, particularly regarding whether high school graduates following this curriculum would be able to enroll in Syrian or international universities.

In response, representatives of the Olaf Taw Association clarified that universities within DAARNES accept these certificates and that efforts are underway to establish future scholarship opportunities abroad. Despite these assurances, skepticism persisted due to the curriculum's lack of official recognition from either the Syrian government or international academic institutions.

One of the session's most notable interventions came from Ruba al-Farihat, an official from the Syriac Cultural Association. Originally from Suwayda and a graduate of Damascus University, she now works within the DAARNES educational framework.

"If the designers of the official Syrian curriculum are ordinary people with educational backgrounds," she said, "then we are equally capable of creating a stronger curriculum -- one that truly expresses our identity."

Addressing concerns over recognition, she added, "Recognition may come today, tomorrow, or even in a hundred years, but if we do not demand our rights, we will never receive them."

Her words resonated deeply with some attendees, capturing a shared conviction among that action must come before recognition -- not the other way around.

This educational debate unfolds within a broader political context. While DAARNES aims to establish an inclusive education system that respects ethnic and linguistic diversity, the Syrian government continues to reject it, viewing the curricula as outside the official national framework.

As a result, Syriac institutions are navigating a delicate balance of defending their historical and cultural right to mother-tongue education while also striving to secure the academic and professional future of their youth.

In this quiet but crucial struggle -- fought not in streets but in classrooms and lecture halls -- the Olaf Taw Association has emerged as a central force in advocating for a more localized educational curricula.

As the dialogue concluded, one message stood out clearly. The path toward a locally and internationally recognized Syriac education system is likely to be long. Yet through such discussions, uniting families, institutions, and experts, the Assyrian people continue their steadfast effort to anchor their language and identity amid the profound transformations reshaping Syria and the region.
Experts from the industry, academic institutions, and the environmental sector were present at this seminar.

The main objective of the program was to spread awareness about the use of new and renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, to reduce increasing carbon emissions in the environment. Experts provided information by presenting presentations at this seminar.

The experts present at the seminar stated that India is committed to achieving the "Net Zero Carbon" target in the coming decades. In this direction, industries and institutions can reduce their carbon footprint by extensively using solar energy.

Installing solar panels not only saves on electricity costs but also provides additional financial benefits through carbon credits.

Today, through carbon credits in India and Gujarat, organisations that reduce their carbon emissions can sell these credits in the global market and receive financial incentives.

Experts provided detailed information to industries regarding carbon accounting, certification processes, and opportunities in the international carbon market.

Experts mentioned that there are immense possibilities in India's solar energy sector, and it's time for all industries, small and large, to adopt clean energy.

With the proper utilisation of government schemes and incentive policies, significant contributions can be made to the sustainable development of the state and the nation, and the future goal of carbon net zero can be achieved.

A question-and-answer session was held at the end of this seminar Participants in the program expressed their commitment to adopting clean energy.

Dr. Aman Malik, CEEW; Dr. Minal Pathak, Associate Professor, Ahmedabad University; Darshana Singh, Research Analyst, CEEW; Dr. Gopal Sarangi, Head, TERI; Samrat Sen Gupta, PROCLIME; Asitava Sen, Head, CRIA; Avantika Gupta, along with entrepreneurs and students, were present at this seminar. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday strongly asserted that "persecuted" Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh have as much right over the soil of India as any Indian citizen. The Union Minister underscored the moral and civilisational bond that ties persecuted minorities in neighbouring countries to India. "Everyone does not have the right to come here. Those who have faced injustice are welcome... Hindus of Pakistan and Bangladesh have as much right over the soil of this country as I have over it.(Jitna mera adhikar iss desh ki mitti par hai, utna hi adhikar Pakistan aur Bangladesh ke Hinduon ka iss desh ki mitti par hai)," Shah said addressing the 'Narendra Mohan Smriti Lecture' and 'Sahitya Srishti Samman' ceremony organised by Hindi daily Dainik Jagran here. He said if everyone were allowed to come to our country, then it would turn into a "Dharamshala". "They ask what the difference between a refugee and an infiltrator is. Those who come to India seeking refuge to save their religion are refugees -- Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Christians. But those who come here without any religious persecution and enter illegally are infiltrators. If everyone is allowed to come, our country will turn into a 'Dharamshala'," Shah added. Shah cited demographic data from multiple censuses to highlight how infiltration has altered the population balance over decades. "Today, infiltration, demographic change, and democracy; I want to say without hesitation that until every Indian understands these three issues, we cannot ensure our country, our culture, our languages, and our independence. These three topics are interconnected..." Shah said. "Censuses were conducted in 1951, 1971, 1991, and 2011... In the 1951 census, Hindus constituted 84 per cent, while Muslims constituted 9.8 per cent. In 1971, Hindus constituted 82 per cent and the Muslim population was 11 per cent, while in 1991, Hindus constituted 81 per cent and the Muslim community accounted for 12.12 per cent, while in 1991, we accounted for 89 per cent, and Muslims accounted for 14.2 oer cent. I'm talking about the populations of only two religions because I want to talk about infiltration..." he explained. The Home Minister also recalled a conversation with an 18-year-old from Haryana who suggested allowing everyone to return with the land they took during partition. "An 18-year-old from Haryana came to meet me, and he said that everyone from all religions should be welcomed if they come back with the land they took (during partition)... I told him that it was not possible, at least not now... Refugees and infiltrators cannot be kept on the same page..." Shah added. Defending the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the Home Minister reiterated that the "law does not take away anyone's citizenship". "When the BJP won an absolute majority, Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, we introduced the CAA and worked to grant citizenship to them. It was widely publicised that the CAA would snatch the citizenship of Muslims...The CAA is a program for granting citizenship. None of the provisions of that Act provides for the removal of citizenship from anyone...There is a provision for granting citizenship to anyone who is a refugee. So, the Narendra Modi government, in addressing the historical mistake that occurred from 1951 to 2014, first issued long-term visas to Hindu refugees living here, issued certificates and later introduced a law granting them citizenship...," he said. He further added that the Modi government corrected a historical injustice committed between 1951 and 2014 by granting citizenship rights to displaced Hindu families who had lived in India for generations without access to basic entitlements. "For generations, they (displaced Hindus) couldn't buy a house in their own name. They couldn't get government jobs and rations. They weren't treated in government hospitals... The decision to partition based on religion was made by the Congress Working Committee, not by the Parliament. Because of that, these people continued to be oppressed for four generations... Don't they have the right to cheap rations available to the poor, to treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakh, voting, and property purchases? When this (CAA) law was introduced, it was unfairly maligned and even protested against..." Shah said. (ANI)
Despite the biting cold and cloudy skies, the festive spirit of Karwa Chauth warmed Shimla on Friday evening as local women and visiting tourists came together to celebrate the traditional festival of marital devotion. The city's iconic Ridge, usually bustling with visitors, was filled with groups of women dressed in bright traditional attire, eagerly waiting for the moonrise amid intermittent rain. Though tourist turnout was relatively low due to the chilly weather and light showers, enthusiasm among local women remained undeterred. Many were seen performing rituals under umbrellas, lighting diyas, and exchanging festive greetings. "I have been observing the Karwa Chauth fast for my husband's long life for the past fifteen years," said Pooja Taneja, a local resident, smiling as she prepared for the evening puja. Her husband, Hemant Taneja, who accompanied her, described the festival as "a celebration of love and tradition that keeps our culture alive. Despite the cold, everyone has come out with great enthusiasm." Among the senior participants was Priya Arora, who has been celebrating Karwa Chauth for over forty years. "This festival holds deep meaning for me. I pray for my husband's long life every year and hope this tradition continues in our family," she said. For Meena Sharma, another local devotee, the day was one of spiritual pride. "Being born in a Hindu family and celebrating this sacred festival fills me with joy. I feel blessed to perform these rituals for my husband's well-being," she said. The younger generation, too, showed great excitement. Sheetal Chauhan, celebrating her first Karwa Chauth after marriage, shared her delight: "This festival not only strengthens our bond but also gives us a reason to come out together, celebrate our culture, and promote our traditions." Adding a modern twist to the age-old tradition, Meenakshi, a local woman, expressed gratitude for technology. "I haven't been able to meet my husband for the past two years due to certain circumstances. But thanks to video calls, I was able to connect with him and perform the rituals virtually. It made me very happy," she said. Another resident, Sheetal Kanaujia, said she was thrilled because her husband had also observed the fast with her. "I have been celebrating Karwa Chauth for 15 years, and my husband started fasting with me about five or six years ago. Even though it was cold, we came out to celebrate together. I brought my children too so that they can learn about our traditions," she explained. Her husband, Naresh Kumar Kanaujia, echoed the sentiment: "This festival strengthens our relationship and helps preserve our culture. I fast along with my wife as a gesture of equality and love." Tourists also joined the local celebration, despite the weather. Nitu Singh, visiting from West Bengal with her husband, found the experience memorable. "We usually celebrate Karwa Chauth in Kolkata, but this year, celebrating in the hills under the cold sky was a beautiful experience. I will take home wonderful memories," she said. Her husband, Shardul Amit Singh, agreed, calling it "a unique and joyful experience to celebrate in the lap of the Himalayas." As the moon finally appeared behind drifting clouds, women broke their fasts, offering prayers, exchanging smiles, and sharing sweets. The chill of the evening was no match for the warmth of devotion and love that filled Shimla's air. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami handed over cheques of Rs 50 lakh each to the dependents of three personnel who lost their lives in separate road accidents while serving through the Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam Ltd. (UPNL). The cheques were distributed at the Secretariat on Friday, the Chief Minister's Office said in an official release. The three deceased personnel include Brijesh Kumar, who was posted at the Electricity Distribution Division in Jaspur and passed away in January 2025; Tasleem, serving with BRIDCUL Dehradun, who died in November 2024; and Sanjeev Kumar, posted at the Electricity Distribution Division in Haridwar, who lost his life in February 2025. In a post shared on the social media platform X, Chief Minister Dhami expressed his condolences and reaffirmed his government's commitment to the welfare of employees. "After the death of three personnel serving through UPNL in an accident, cheques of Rs 50 lakh each were provided as assistance to their dependents. Keeping the interests of the personnel paramount, our government is continuously making important and sensitive decisions. To ensure the welfare of government, semi-government, and UPNL employees in the state, an MoU has been signed between the state government and various banks to provide them with the benefits of a corporate salary package. Under this initiative of the state government, in unfortunate circumstances where a personnel's death occurs, financial assistance is being provided to their family. This ensures economic security and relief for their dependents," CM Dhami wrote. According to the official statement, under the Chief Minister's direction, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the state government and several banks to extend facilities and insurance benefits under the Corporate Salary Package, with the aim of promoting the welfare of government, semi-government, and UPNL employees in Uttarakhand. Through this significant initiative of the state government, financial assistance is being provided to the families of personnel who lose their lives in accidents. The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to Punjab National Bank for extending this facility to UPNL employees. Chief Minister Dhami said that while no financial aid can ever compensate for the loss of a human life, it can provide crucial support to the bereaved families in difficult times. He emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring a safe and dignified working environment for employees, along with comprehensive support for their families in challenging circumstances. He added that insurance and other security benefits are being extended to employees under the Corporate Salary Package. The Chief Minister further stated that, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government has undertaken several innovative measures and made numerous decisions in the interest of its employees. (ANI)
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said that a ring road is being built around Agartala city to ease traffic congestion. He stated that the overall development of the state is one of the main goals of the current government, and along with this, the process of implementing satellite township projects in Agartala, Udaipur, and Dharmanagar is underway. CM Manik Saha said this after inaugurating the renovation and beautification of MBB College Lake in Agartala. This project is being implemented through the Agartala Smart City Scheme under the Urban Development Department, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank. On the occasion, Dr. Saha said that MBB College is a matter of pride for everyone. "I also studied in this college during my first and second years. Then I got an opportunity to pursue medicine. Today, a beautiful environment has been created through the renovation and beautification of this lake. It has become a place of pride for the people of the state. Our government wants Tripura to be provided with basic facilities through a smart system," he said. CM Saha mentioned that before taking charge as Prime Minister in 2014, PM Narendra Modi served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for approximately 13 years, during which Gujarat was used as a laboratory for development. "He has done a lot for the development of Gujarat and started the Smart City Mission as Prime Minister. Agartala city has also been included in this mission. Since then, development has accelerated," he added. "Due to the renovation and beautification of MBB Lake, it has now become a potential tourist attraction. An opportunity for interaction among people will be created here. Water sports, children's play areas, yoga practice zones, and other facilities will be arranged. There is a walking path of about two and a half kilometres around the entire area. People can also come for morning walks. The entry fee has been kept at only Rs 10, and it will be open from 8 am to 8 pm. Through this, it will be possible to prevent various types of anti-social activities," he said. The Chief Minister also stated that the work of the Howrah River Bank Development Project for 2025-26 has almost been completed. "It will be inaugurated in a few days. The Tripura Urban and Tourism Development Project is being implemented with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank. Under this project, arrangements have been made for 12 different municipal corporations, covering sewage systems, water supply, road construction, and infrastructure development. The work is to be completed within two years, with an allocation of Rs 230 crore," he said. CM Saha informed that an allocation has also been made in the budget for the implementation of satellite township projects in Agartala, Udaipur, and Dharmanagar. He further mentioned that the work on the Unity Mall has started in Badharghat. "This is the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Its main goal is 'One District, One Product.' A five-star hotel with about 100 rooms will be built at Pushpawant Palace in collaboration with the Tata Group. This will be a game-changer for us in the future. One of the primary goals of the current state government is the overall development of the state. It has nothing to do with politics. The government is also working on the development of the health sector," he added. Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharya, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumdar, Advocate General Shaktimoy Chakraborty, Deputy Mayor Monika Das Dutta, Municipal Corporation East Zone Chairman Sukhmoy Saha, Urban Development Department Secretary Abhishek Singh, Agartala Smart City Limited CEO Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dilip Kumar Chakma, and other public representatives and dignitaries were present at the event as distinguished guests. (ANI)
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam General Secretary Aadhav Arjuna on Friday stated that the truth about the Karur stampede will emerge after the Supreme Court verdict. Speaking about the Karur stampede, he condemned what he called "false and baseless" accusations aimed at disrupting the party during a period of mourning, and stated that the party will pursue justice through legal channels once the 16-day rituals are complete. While talking to reporters, TVK General Secretary Arjuna said, "I apologise for not meeting the press outside my home for the past days. We're waiting for the Supreme Court's verdict as ordinary citizens, and the truth will surely emerge. District secretaries are being arrested; we'll use the law to bring them justice. We'll reveal all truths after the 16th-day rituals are completed. Justice will prevail. Truth will come out." He further added, "Once the 16-day mourning rituals are complete, we'll reveal the truth. False and baseless allegations are being made against our party president, Vijay, and our party, aiming to silence us during this painful period and disrupt our party's functioning. Our party president Vijay has approached the judiciary, the people's trusted institution, to uncover the truth and begin our fight to make the truth come out." Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has reserved its order on various pleas filed by parties, including Vijay's TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam), two families of deceased victims and other parties with respect to the investigation into the Karur stampede that occurred on September 27, during party chief and actor Vijay's rally. After hearing detailed submissions made by all parties before it, a bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and N.V. Anjaria asked the Tamil Nadu government to file a counter affidavit in response to pleas filed on behalf of the deceased victim seeking a probe by a central agency, before reserving its decision. TVK's plea, moved through its General Secretary, Aadhav Arjuna, has challenged the Madras High Court's decision to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Karur Stampede, despite raising doubts over the independence of the state police regarding the investigation. The plea has also challenged certain adverse observations made by the High Court against the TVK leadership and office bearers regarding their alleged conduct of having abandoned the public and failing to rescue them from the tragic stampede which killed at least 39 people and left many others injured. (ANI)
Karnataka BJP President and MLA BY Vijayendra has criticised the state government for making a hasty decision to conduct the caste census without adequate preparation. Speaking to the media at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Friday, Vijayendra said that even the teachers appointed as enumerators are facing difficulties due to poor planning. "Extending holidays for the census is causing problems for rural students, especially those studying in government schools. Every single school day is crucial for these children, yet the government has declared unnecessary holidays, disrupting their education," he said. Vijayendra further alleged that the government had convened the first meeting of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) without even sharing the meeting agenda with the legislators. "They are conducting the meeting in secrecy, without any transparency. They talk about holding elections in December -- but where is the preparation? How many officials will be appointed? What about the infrastructure? There's no groundwork at all. They are making politically motivated announcements without any planning," he remarked. Vijayendra hit out at the government's failure to maintain Bengaluru's roads, saying, "The people of Bengaluru are disgusted with this government. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is busy counting potholes near the Prime Minister's residence and elsewhere, while Bengaluru's citizens are struggling to find roads between potholes." He added, "The government talks about London and the Prime Minister, but shouldn't they first fix Bengaluru? The people of this city are demanding immediate action to repair roads, not empty promises." "The entire administration is in disarray," Vijayendra said. "Farmers are already in distress, and now heavy rains have worsened their situation in North Karnataka. Yet the Agriculture and Revenue Ministers haven't even visited the affected areas. If they don't have time to visit suffering farmers, why should they remain ministers at all?" he questioned. He further stated, "Had the opposition leaders and I not visited the flood-hit regions of Kalyana Karnataka, the Chief Minister would have sat comfortably in his air-conditioned office making decisions through video conference. We visited Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir, while Ashoka and others went to Belagavi and Bagalkote. The government must act urgently to compensate farmers; they cannot be made to wait indefinitely. Even Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda's promise to release compensation within 10 days has not been fulfilled," he alleged. Commenting on the MySugar factory issue in Mandya, Vijayendra said confusion continues to prevail. He also hinted that BJP members might skip the GBA meeting, saying, "What is the point of attending a meeting when even the agenda is not shared? Even ruling party legislators are opposing the way this has been handled. The government seems more interested in patching over internal cracks than serving the people. It has become an administration run jointly with the real estate mafia," he charged. Responding to questions about political developments, Vijayendra said, "Judging by the reactions of Congress ministers and MLAs, it's clear that all is not well within the ruling party. Even Congress insiders admit that the current political developments will reach a logical conclusion after the Bihar elections." (ANI)
A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel opened fire in self-defence after a group of 15-20 smugglers attacked and attempted to snatch his weapon during a patrol near Kalamchera Border Outpost (BOP) at around 8:45 pm on Friday. A Border Security Force (BSF) patrol party observed a group of individuals attempting to smuggle contraband items near the Kalamchera Border Outpost (BOP). When the BSF personnel intervened to prevent the smuggling, they were surrounded and assaulted by the smugglers. The miscreants also attempted to snatch the weapon of a BSF jawan. In self-defence, the BSF personnel fired three rounds from their rifle. One of the miscreants, identified as Suman Mia, son of Abul Kasim, from Village Karalatala, Kalamchoura, sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. He was immediately evacuated to GB Hospital in Agartala, where his condition is reported to be serious. "On 10th Oct at about 2045 hrs, BSF patrol party observed a group of 15 -20 miscreants trying to carry out smuggling of contraband items near Kalamchera BOP. When they tried to prevent the smuggling, they were gheraoed and assaulted by the smugglers, and they further tried to snatch the weapon of a BSF jawan. To save himself and in self defence BSF personnel fired 03 rounds from his rifle. It is learnt that one Indian miscreant identified as Suman Mia, S/o Abul Kasim, R/o Vill Karalatala, Kalamchoura sustained bullet injury on the chest. He has been evacuated to GB Hospital, Agartala, and his condition is reported to be serious," the BSF HQ said in a statement. Earlier on Friday, the BSF foiled multiple smuggling attempts along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura, seizing foreign-made contraband items worth Rs 8.5 lakh and rescuing 17 cattle from different locations across the state, officials said. According to Frontier Headquarters BSF, Salbagan, Agartala, the operation was conducted by BSF troops of Border Out Post (BOP) Rangoti under the jurisdiction of Police Station Irani in Unakoti district. The BSF troops of BOP Rangoti under PS Irani, on Wednesday and Thursday, District Unakoti successfully seized foreign-made Patron cigarettes, cosmetic items, and other contraband worth Rs 8.5 lakh. Additionally, BSF troops of the Tripura Frontier rescued 17 cattle from various locations within the state and foiled several attempts at transboundary smuggling. (ANI)
The Chief Minister performed the traditional rituals with his wife, describing the festival as a symbol of love, trust, and devotion.

He also prayed for happiness, prosperity, and good fortune for all women on the occasion.

https://x.com/BhajanlalBjp/status/1976708116202111319

In a post on X, CM Sharma wrote, "Sacred festivals like Karva Chauth are a symbol of that tradition in our culture, which is associated with love, trust, and devotion. Today, I performed the formal worship and rituals with my wife and broke her fast by offering her water."

He added, "I pray to God that this festival brings happiness, prosperity, and good fortune to the lives of all mothers and sisters."

Karwa Chauth takes place on Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the Kartik month. The festival falls on October 10 this year, and on this occasion, as every year, Hindu women will fast throughout the day for the good health and longevity of their husbands.

Before starting their fast, women eat from their 'sargi'. After the moonrise, they break their fast, gazing into their husbands' eyes and offering a special prayer to the moon.

Items required for performing the Puja are Water, Milk, Kumkum, Honey, chandan, Sugar, Curd, Incense sticks, Camphor, Karwa, Kalawa, Maththi, roli, and an oil lamp.

Karwa Chauth is one of the most significant festivals celebrated primarily by married Hindu women in India. It is a celebration of marriage, wherein the wife fasts for a long and healthy life for her husband.

Women can break their fast after the sighting of the 'chandrama'.

After watching the moon from a sieve, fasting women offer Arghaya to the moon and break the fast by eating a morsel of food and a sip of water from their husband's hands. (ANI)
A Parasia court on Friday sent Sresan Pharma owner Ranganathan to 10-day police custody in connection with the deaths of children allegedly caused by the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup. Ranganathan was produced before the Parasia court earlier in the day. Earlier on Thursday, Chhindwara Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Pandey said, "The SIT that left from Chhindwara has arrested Sresan Pharma owner Ranganathan. He was rounded up late at night and then arrested. As part of the procedure, his medical examination will be done, and other proceedings will be undertaken in Chennai. Then, after that, he will be brought to Chhindwara." However, the Chhindwara Chemist Association has announced an indefinite strike in response to the action taken on Wednesday against the seals of several medical stores in the district. Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla on Wednesday informed that 20 children have died in the state after consuming the Coldrif cough syru,p while five are undergoing treatment. Of these 20 children, 17 are from Chhindwara district, two from Betul district, and one is from Pandhurna district. "20 children have lost their lives in the unfortunate incident from Chhindwara, Betul and Pandhurna districts. The state government is quite strict. The police teams from Chhindwara have reached Chennai and Kanchipuram to arrest the owner of Coldrif manufacturing compan,y and strict action is being taken into the matter," Shukla told reporters. Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a directive to all States and Union Territories, calling for strict compliance with the Drugs Rules, 1945, for the testing of raw materials and finished pharmaceutical formulations. In a letter dated October 7, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi emphasised the "critical importance of testing new materials, including the excipients, before their use in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical formulations." (ANI)
Noting that today about 50 per cent of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that combining the UK's expertise in financial services with India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), can create immense benefits for all of humanity. Addressing the India-UK CEO Forum, he said Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the two countries is a roadmap for shared progress, shared prosperity, and shared people-to-people connections. The event was also addressed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. PM Modi said India-UK CETA will also empower MSMEs. "Amid the current global instability, this year has been remarkable. It has strengthened the stability of Bharat-UK relations. During my visit to the UK this July, we signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). I sincerely appreciate and congratulate my friend, Prime Minister Starmer, for his commitment and vision for this historic achievement," he said. "This is not merely a trade agreement, it is a roadmap for shared progress, shared prosperity, and shared people-to-people connections between two of the world's major economies. Along with market access, this agreement will also empower MSMEs in both countries and open new avenues of employment for millions of young people," he said. To help CETA achieve its full potential, PM Modi presented four new dimensions of this partnership. "These dimensions will perhaps give it a much broader base: C stands for Commerce & Economy; E stands for Education and People-to-People Ties; T stands for Technology & Innovation and A stands for Aspirations. Today, our bilateral trade stands at around 56 billion dollars. We have set a goal to double it by 2030, and I am confident that we can achieve this target ahead of time," he said. The Prime Minister said India offers policy stability, predictable regulation, and large-scale demand. "In this environment, there are unprecedented opportunities in every sector, including infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, energy, and finance. It is also heartening to note that nine UK universities are soon going to open campuses in India. In the near future, academia-industry partnerships will become the biggest driving force of our innovation economy," he said. PM Modi emphasised the need to convert possibilities into concrete collaborations with speed and determination. "Today, countless new possibilities for cooperation are emerging between us in fields like telecom, AI, biotech, quantum technology, semiconductors, cyber, and space. In the defence sector, too, we are moving towards co-design and co-production. Now is the time to turn all these possibilities into concrete collaborations with speed and determination. We must move forward in a structured and coordinated way in strategic sectors such as critical minerals, rare earths, and APIs. This will give our partnership a futuristic direction," he said. "You have all witnessed Bharat's strength in the FinTech sector. Today, about 50% of the world's real-time digital transactions take place in India. By combining the UK's expertise in financial services with Bharat's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), we can create immense benefits for all of humanity," he added. Prime Minister said that he and PM Starmer announced Vision 2035 to infuse new energy into our relationship. "This is a blueprint of our shared ambitions. Between open and democratic societies like India and the UK, there is no area in which cooperation cannot grow. India's talent and scale, combined with the UK's R&D and expertise, form a partnership capable of delivering transformative results. Your support and collaboration are crucial in realizing these aspirations and ambitions in a targeted and time-bound manner," he said. "Many of your companies are already present in Bharat. Today, India's economy is undergoing broad reforms, with a strong focus on ease of doing business by reducing unnecessary compliances. Recently, we announced GST reforms, which will further strengthen the growth story of our middle class and MSMEs, while creating new opportunities for all of you," he added. The Prime Minister said that infrastructure development remains a top priority for his government. "We are investing in next-generation physical infrastructure and are moving rapidly towards achieving our goal of 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. I am pleased to share that we are opening up the nuclear power sector to private participation. All these developments are creating new avenues for India-UK collaboration to reach even greater heights. I invite you to join India's development journey," he said. "I believe Indian and UK business leaders can together identify sectors where we can jointly become global leaders whether it is FinTech, Green Hydrogen, Semiconductors, or Start-ups. There can be many more such areas. Let India and the UK set global benchmarks together," he added. (ANI)
The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday announced sanctions against more than 50 individuals, entities, and vessels for facilitating Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sales and shipments from Iran, including Indian nationals involved in trading activities linked to Iran's energy sector. According to a release by the US Department of the Treasury, these actors have collectively enabled the export of billions of dollars' worth of petroleum and petroleum products, providing critical revenue to the Iranian regime and its support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States. The action targets a network moving hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian LPG, along with nearly two dozen shadow fleet vessels, a China-based crude oil terminal, and an independent refinery. "The Treasury Department is degrading Iran's cash flow by dismantling key elements of Iran's energy export machine," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. "Under President Trump, this administration is disrupting the regime's ability to fund terrorist groups that threaten the United States." According to the release, Indian nationals Varun Pula, Soniya Shrestha, and Iyappan Raja have been sanctioned under Executive Order 13902 for acting, or purporting to act, directly or indirectly, for or on behalf of shipping firms involved in transporting Iranian petroleum products and LPG. The release stated that Varun Pula owns Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc., which operates the Comoros-flagged vessel PAMIR (IMO 9208239) that has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since July 2024. Iyappan Raja owns Evie Lines Inc., also based in the Marshall Islands, which operates the Panama-flagged SAPPHIRE GAS (IMO 9320738). The vessel has transported over a million barrels of Iranian LPG to China since April 2025, the release added. The Treasury Department noted that Soniya Shrestha owns India-based Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited, which operates the Comoros-flagged NEPTA (IMO 9013701). The vessel has transported Iranian-origin LPG to Pakistan since January 2025. The US Department of the Treasury stated that the sanctions freeze all property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or under the possession or control of US persons. Any entities owned 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. According to the release, OFAC's regulations prohibit all transactions by US persons or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons unless specifically authorized. Violations of US sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on US and foreign persons. The release further noted that the ultimate goal of the sanctions is to bring about a positive change in behavior, and individuals or entities designated may seek removal from the sanctions list in accordance with established legal procedures. (ANI)
At least 30 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire agreement under US President Donald Trump's Gaza Peace Plan yesterday, CNN reported, citing a Palestinian health official. Residents had reported clouds of smoke and explosions in the enclave. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of the local Al-Shifa Hospital, said that 30 Palestinians have been killed since Wednesday evening, as reported by CNN. Gaza's Civil Defence said that the military strike by Israel trapped over 40 Palestinians under the rubble in northern Gaza's Al-Sabra neighbourhood. However, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that the attack was on a "Hamas terrorist cell" in northern Gaza that "posed an immediate threat", CNN reported, saying that it cannot verify the IDF's statement. A video by Civil Defence depicts emergency crews attempting to rescue men, women and children from the rubble. In one clip, a rescue worker gently lifts a little boy from the razed house. The child's body is covered in a thick layer of dust and bloodied scrapes. He can be heard screaming, CNN reported. Earlier, US President Trump on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan, which would end the war in Gaza with a ceasefire deal. In this, he said that the hostages will be released. Later, the US President held a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday morning following the announcement that the "first phase" of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas would commence soon. At the meeting, Trump said, "Last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza, and I think it's going to be a lasting peace, hopefully, an everlasting peace." "We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday. Getting them is a complicated process...I'm going to try and make a trip over. We're going to try and get over there. We're working on the timing, the exact timing. We're going to go to Egypt, where we'll have a signing, an additional signing. We've already had a signing representing me, but we're going to have an official signing..." he said. Trump also emphasised his administration's role in resolving global conflicts, stating that multiple wars had been brought to a close during his tenure. During the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the efforts of President Trump as Israel and Hamas agreed on the "first phase" of the Gaza ceasefire deal or "peace plan", saying that it was only possible due to Trump's involvement in forging "personal and close relationships" between partners in the Middle East region. "It's not an exaggeration that none of it would have been possible without the President of the United States being involved. It really began with your trip to the Middle East, where these relationships were forged with partners in the region, personal and close relationships that created the foundation for all of this to be possible," Rubio said while addressing a cabinet meeting at the White House. He said that the Gaza peace plan seemed impossible even a month ago, but was made possible with Trump convening a "historic" meeting of Muslim majority countries, including Indonesia and Pakistan, during his visit to the United Nations on September 23. Rubio also mentioned the US president met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on September 29 and presented the Gaza peace plan. "Where I think this really took a turn, remember a month ago, no one thought this was possible. It really took a turn about a month ago, less than a couple of weeks ago, when we were at the United Nations. You convened a historic meeting, not simply of Arab countries, but of Muslim majority countries from around the world, including Indonesia and Pakistan, and created this coalition behind this plan. Then, on the following Monday, you met with the Prime Minister of Israel here, and that plan was presented," he added. (ANI)
"Diplomatic reception hosted by Secretary (West) @AmbSibiGeorge to introduce Prof (Dr) Bimal N Patel, India's candidate for the post of Judge, International Tribunal on Law of the Sea for term 2026-35 to the Ambassadors/ High Commissioners and other diplomatic representatives of UNCLOS Member States in New Delhi," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X on Thursday.

The reception, organised by the MEA, was attended by Ambassadors, High Commissioners and diplomatic representatives of Member States of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

During the event, Ambassador George reaffirmed India's commitment to a free, fair, transparent and rules-based maritime order.

Dr Patel, a prominent Indian legal scholar in the field of maritime law, currently serves as a member of the International Law Commission and is also the Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat.

"At the event, Secretary reiterated India's commitment to free, fair, transparent and rules based maritime order. Dr Patel, a leading Indian legal luminary in the field of maritime law, is currently a member of International Law Commission & also the Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat," MEA spokesperson Jaiswal added in his post. (ANI)
University College London (UCL) President and Provost Michael Spence joined UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first official visit to India this week, advancing the university's strategic collaborations across technology and innovation. The visit has brought together senior government, university and industry figures from both countries to showcase cutting-edge partnerships and innovations that are driving technological and societal progress. According to a release, UCL's involvement as part of the formal delegation highlights its position as a global leader in AI, quantum and medical innovation, and a key academic partner in the UK's ambition to deepen strategic ties with India. During the two-day visit, Spence announced two major milestones in UCL's collaborations with leading Indian institutions: the launch of the first research projects funded through UCL's pioneering MedTech partnership with IIT Delhi and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and a new trilateral collaboration between the Global Disability Innovation Hub at UCL East with Indian partners to support assistive technology (AT) startups in Africa. The visit to Mumbai has been organised by the UK Department of Business and Trade to deepen UK-India collaboration, following the UK-India Free Trade Agreement that Keir signed with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July. It highlights the role of research and innovation in strengthening trade and diplomatic partnerships between the two nations. Also among attendees are Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade; Jason Stockwood, Minister of State for Investment; Lindy Cameron, UK High Commissioner to India; and senior government advisors in business and AI. UCL President and Provost Michael Spence said, "UCL is proud to join this delegation and to deepen our longstanding partnerships with India. As a global leader in AI, quantum, and medical innovation, we believe that international collaboration is essential to tackling society's biggest challenges. By bringing together world-class expertise across borders, we can accelerate progress in healthcare, technology and inclusive innovation, and ensure that the benefits of research are shared globally and equitably." Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said, "India is now the fourth-biggest economy in the world, and investing billions of pounds to back thousands of jobs from sectors as diverse as AI, education, and financial services shows the scale of opportunity this presents for British businesses. "Their success in India will only grow as our new trade deal galvanises economic partnership, brings our two countries even closer together, and ultimately delivers economic growth right across the UK." Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council, said, "UCL's participation in the Prime Minister's first official visit to India highlights the transformative potential of UK-India collaboration in research, technology, and innovation. "Initiatives such as the MedTech partnership with IIT Delhi and AIIMS, along with a new trilateral collaboration, showcase how inclusive innovation through assistive technologies can drive societal progress. Through these efforts, UCL demonstrates how international collaboration not only advances research but also strengthens trade, bilateral ties, and ensures that the benefits of innovation are shared globally," she added. At an event on October 8, UCL, IIT Delhi and AIIMS confirmed the first seven projects funded through their pioneering trilateral MedTech collaboration, launched last year. The initiative is designed to foster joint research between UK and Indian teams in areas such as diagnostics, imaging, surgical interventions, and digital health. Seed funding of 5,000-20,000 per project has been awarded to UK-India teams working on innovations, including "AI-assisted surgical tools for thyroid operations. Inclusive tech to digitise paper medical records. Light-based sensors and AI to improve monitoring during labour. Affordable early detection tests for HPV-related cervical cancer." These projects reflect the complementary strengths of the three institutions and the potential of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement to facilitate the development and deployment of cutting-edge medical technologies. Professor Alok Thakar, Head of Centre for Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIIMS) said, "This tripartite partnership between AIIMS, IIT Delhi, and UCL represents a transformative step in addressing some of the most pressing health and societal challenges. By combining our expertise in medical science, engineering, and global policy, we are creating a platform for MedTech innovation. Together, we aim to develop impactful solutions, set new benchmarks in medical technology and interdisciplinary research, and enhance patient care delivery." Professor Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, said, "IIT Delhi is excited to be working together with AIIMS and UCL in the area of medical technologies. We believe that science, engineering and medicine research and innovation can make a difference in people's lives by providing affordable healthcare. Our partnership is poised to make a difference through cost-effective innovations in medical technology." At the same event, UCL announced the launch of the FCDO-Global Disability Innovation Hub Africa Trilateral Internationalisation Programme. The groundbreaking approach to disability innovation will connect the world's best minds and expertise to support the African AT ecosystem. Following on from the successful Attvaran accelerator programme that has directly supported more than 20 Indian AT start-ups since 2024, this new FCDO-funded partnership will see promising African ventures receive mentorship from UCL, India's premier institutions (IITs and AIIMS) and start-ups, plus local business, people with lived experience and disability experts, while expanding into each other's markets. Linking Indian technical excellence with African entrepreneurship and UCL's strategic commitment to disability innovation, this unique North-South-South collaboration highlights how strategic internationalisation can accelerate prosperity, give disabled people better choices, and inject global expertise into local solutions. The 150,000 initiative (comprising 100K FCDO ODA + 51.5K AT2030 matched funding) is designed to accelerate disability innovation across three countries through strategic knowledge sharing and market expansion. It will support six high-potential African AT startups from Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. Assistive technology includes devices, software or equipment that help individuals with disabilities perform everyday tasks, enhancing independence and functional capability. During the visit, the delegation heard directly from senior trade and commerce leaders from key Indian states, providing insight into the opportunities for engagement in their regions. They have also connected with Indian industry leaders in key areas such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, education, science, technology and innovation, and have discussed the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in a plenary session hosted by Peter Kyle and Piyush Goyal, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited HMAS Kuttabul, a key Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base located at Potts Point in Sydney, New South Wales. He was received by Australia's Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil. During the visit, the Defence Minister was briefed on the operational capabilities and infrastructure of the Royal Australian Navy. He also undertook a water tour of Fleet Base East and a harbour cruise, gaining firsthand insights into Australia's maritime operations and naval preparedness. HMAS Kuttabul serves as an important administrative, training, logistics, and accommodation centre for naval personnel across Fleet Base East, the main operational base of the Royal Australian Navy on Australia's east coast. The base also supports navy personnel stationed across the greater Sydney region, symbolising the country's strong maritime readiness and strategic focus. Earlier on Thursday, Singh joined Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, for the inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue in Sydney. The meeting reflected the growing momentum in the bilateral defence partnership and the shared commitment to a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. In a joint statement issued after the dialogue, both Ministers underscored their determination to strengthen cooperation across all domains -- maritime, air, land, cyber, and space. The two sides discussed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to enhance maritime cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation. Highlighting progress in bilateral mechanisms, the Ministers agreed to institutionalise an annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue and welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. They also noted steady advancement towards operationalising the Air-to-Air Refuelling Agreement signed in 2024 and emphasised the importance of information sharing between the two defence establishments. Both Ministers appreciated the growing scope and complexity of bilateral military exercises. Australia welcomed India's inaugural participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 and looked forward to continued collaboration in Exercise Tarang Shakti and future naval engagements. India, in turn, welcomed Australia's invitation to participate in the submarine rescue exercise Black Carillon. The two sides also agreed to expand defence education and training exchanges. From 2026, additional Indian officers will join the Australian Defence College, and in 2027, for the first time, an Indian cadet will train at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of defence industrial collaboration, welcoming Australia's first Defence Trade Mission to India and the upcoming Australia-India Defence Industry Roundtable in Sydney. They also expressed interest in advancing cooperation in cutting-edge technologies through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research and Materiel. Australia thanked India for offering maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities for Royal Australian Navy ships during their deployments in the Indian Ocean Region. Both nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation to enhance the maritime capabilities of the Indian Ocean states. The Ministers further reaffirmed their shared vision for a free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, underpinned by international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They welcomed ongoing trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and progress under the Quad framework, which involves Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the growing engagement between their armies, including through Exercise Puk Puk and Exercise Austrahind, and agreed to deepen collaboration in emerging domains such as missile defence, uncrewed systems, and special operations. The Deputy Prime Minister also invited India to participate in future iterations of Australia's Operation Render Safe, while Rajnath Singh extended an invitation to Minister Richard Marles to visit India in 2025 for the next Annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue. (ANI)
UK Navy's Ship, HMS Richmond, is on a port visit to Mumbai Port after the joint naval exercise between the Indian and British Navies- Konkan 2025 concluded. HMS Richmond is part of the Carrier strike group of Royal Navy of UK. The Indian and British carrier strike groups linked up in a historic first during the 2025 edition of Exercise Konkan, the UK Defence Advisor in India shared on Tuesday. Exercise Konkan between India and the United Kingdom is aimed at increasing combined maritime and air capabilities between the navies on the high seas. Indian Navy and Royal Navy bilateral Exercise Konkan-25 commenced on October 5, off the western coast of India. Over the past two decades, this exercise has grown significantly in scale and complexity, fostering enhanced interoperability and mutual understanding in maritime operations between the two navies. 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, the official statement highlighted. The UK CSG, which is currently on an eight-month deployment known as Operation Highmast has linked up with the Indian Navy's Carrier Strike Group, led by INS Vikrant to begin 4 days of complex maritime exercises that will also involve submarines and various aircraft from both the forces. The UK CSG is formed around HMS Prince of Wales, the 65,000 tonnes Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier - the largest surface vessel ever constructed in the UK. She is supported by a Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless, a Type 23 Frigate - HMS Richmond, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Support Ships and ships of allies and partners. The CSG operates F-35B Lightning aircraft, and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, as standard. Participation of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG 25), led by HMS Prince of Wales, including assets from Norway and Japan, added sheen to this year's edition of the Exercise. The Indian side was represented by the carrier battle group of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in company with other surface, sub-surface and air combatants. (ANI)
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin is scheduled to visit India next week ahead of the planned state visit of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as both countries step up efforts to strengthen bilateral ties. The visit follows the sixth India-Brazil Strategic Dialogue, held in New Delhi on October 3, where delegations led by India's National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, and Brazil's Ambassador, Celso Luis Nunes Amorim, reviewed progress in areas including defence and security, energy, rare earths and critical minerals, and health and pharmaceuticals. Officials also discussed cooperation in multilateral forums such as BRICS, IBSA, and the upcoming COP-30 climate conference, which Brazil will host in November, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA statement said, "Both sides agreed to carry forward the work to implement the vision laid down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva." Trade and economic issues will be a significant focus during the President's outreach to India. Currently, both India and Brazil are facing hefty US tariffs, prompting discussions on expanding bilateral trade to offset global pressures. Brazilian President Lula has also repeatedly advocated for the dedollarization of global trade, a proposal India has consistently rejected. During Prime Minister Modi's state visit to Brazil in July 2025, the two leaders set a target to raise bilateral trade to USD 20 billion over the next five years. Bilateral merchandise trade between India and Brazil reached USD 12.19 billion in FY 2024-25, making Brazil India's largest trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, as per a press statement by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Alckmin's visit will also review the outcomes of the seventh meeting of the India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM), held in Delhi on October 7. The meeting was co-chaired by Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres, Secretary of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Brazil, according to a press statement. During the TMM meeting, both sides extensively discussed bilateral trade and investment relations, market access, expansion of the India-MERCOSUR PTA, sectoral collaboration in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, chemicals and petrochemicals, MSME, banking and finance, promotion of industries and internal trade, visa matters, multilateral issues, and other areas of mutual interest. Alckmin's visit will help lay the groundwork for President Lula's state visit next year and continue the implementation of the vision outlined by Modi and Lula during the July summit. (ANI)
The Baloch National Movement (BNM) held a powerful protest in the German city of Bonn, denouncing Pakistan's widespread human rights abuses, enforced disappearances, and acts of state brutality in Balochistan. The demonstration was organised to show solidarity with the victims and their families while urging the global community to intervene and hold Islamabad accountable for what the participants described as an ongoing Baloch genocide. Taking to the social media platform X, BNM stated that protesters carried banners and placards demanding international scrutiny and justice for thousands of missing persons in Balochistan. They called upon the United Nations, the European Union, and major democratic governments to end their silence and pressure Pakistan to halt its campaign of oppression. Speakers at the event highlighted that Balochistan, despite its vast natural wealth and strategic importance, continues to suffer from exploitation under Pakistan's military and political control. They accused global powers of complicity, arguing that many states support Pakistan's policies to serve their own geopolitical and economic interests. "The Baloch homeland is rich in resources but enslaved under colonial rule," the speakers said, emphasising that Pakistan has deprived the Baloch of their basic rights, dignity, and future. They further revealed that enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have become routine across the province, with victims often found mutilated or tortured. Entire communities, they said, live under constant fear as security operations destroy villages and uproot families. Despite such grave violations, international institutions remain indifferent, a silence that, according to the protesters, contradicts the principles of human rights they claim to defend. "Pakistan's actions do not just harm individuals; they shatter the entire social fabric of Baloch society," said one of the BNM representatives. Families of the disappeared, the speakers noted, endure continuous trauma, unable to speak out due to fear of reprisals. The Bonn protest was led by BNM Germany's General Secretary Jabbar Baloch, Habib Baloch and many other Baloch activists who vowed to continue raising the Baloch cause on global platforms until justice and self-determination are achieved. (ANI)
In a significant diplomatic move, India on Friday announced the upgrading of its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India. The announcement was made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during bilateral talks with visiting Afghanistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation. "India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan... To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India," Jaishankar said during his opening remarks. Jaishankar welcomed Muttaqi and his delegation at the Hyderabad House in the national capital and affirmed the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan. He unveiled a series of development and humanitarian initiatives, including a commitment to six new development projects to Afghanistan, details of which he said will be announced after the talks. Jaishankar also appreciated the solidarity by Afghanistan in wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Afghanistan's sensitivity towards India's security concerns. In his remarks the Union Minister said, "Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan." Noting that they had spoken once after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the second time, after the Kunar and Nangarhar earthquake, Jaishankar said that the meeting in-person holds a special value in allowing to exchange perspectives, identify common interests and forge closer cooperation. "India has long extended support for the health security of Afghanistan, including during the Covid pandemic. We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks. A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of good will and I would like to handover 5 of them to you personally as a symbolic step. India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunisation and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more", Jaishankar said. Speaking about cross-border terrorism as a shared threat to the growth and prosperity of India and Afghanistan, Jaishankar underlined, "We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations." "Continued food assistance, with a new consignment arriving in Kabul today, he said. Among the committments include aid for earthquake-hit areas, including reconstruction of residences and assistance for Afghan refugees forcibly repatriated, including building new homes and material support. Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a week-long visit to India. Muttaqi's visit from October 9-16, marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry was cited by Tolo News as saying that during the visit would see "expanding relations between Kabul and New Delhi." The United Nations Security Council has approved a temporary exemption on international travel restrictions for Muttaqi, allowing him to stay in India for a week beginning October 9. (ANI)
The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (UN), New York, organised the annual Commemoration of Hindi Diwas at the UN Headquarters on Thursday (local time), with the event being attended by the visiting delegation of Members of Parliament (MPs) from India, as well as Permanent Representatives (PRs), Deputy Permanent Representatives (DPRs), diplomats and UN officials from across the world. Speaking at the event, Leader of India's first delegation to the UNGA, MP and Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on One Nation One Election, PP Chaudhary, remarked that Hindi is not just a language; it symbolises India's spirit, identity, and unity. He noted that Hindi, spoken by nearly 600 million people, has been a unifying force in India's freedom movement and continues to connect communities globally. Chaudhary highlighted the Indian government's ongoing efforts to promote Hindi internationally, underscoring how the language serves as a bridge between India's cultural heritage and its global engagement. He further pointed out that Hindi's influence extends beyond politics into culture and art as well. The statement mentioned how Bollywood, the world's largest film industry, primarily speaks in Hindi. "Through Hindi songs and films, this language has reached Russia, Egypt, Africa, and Latin America", he said. Chaudhary expressed delight in noting that the use of Hindi is steadily growing across the world. In countries such as Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Fiji, and Guyana, Hindi is being taught and used in daily life. In the United States too, there is a large community of Hindi speakers, and universities like Yale organize debates in Hindi. In addition, renowned institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Chicago, and Texas offer courses in Hindi. The Indian delegation leader also highlighted the significant role played by India in sponsoring the United Nations General Assembly resolution on multilingualism. For the first time, this resolution specifically mentioned Hindi. It called upon the United Nations to continue disseminating important information in non-official languages, including Hindi. Ambassador P Harish, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasised India's rich multilingual tradition and recalled India's leadership in advocating multilingualism within the UN system. He reaffirmed India's commitment to supporting Hindi's wider use at the UN through initiatives such as the Hindi@UN project, to which India provides dedicated financial support. Permanent Representatives and diplomats from Nepal, Suriname, Mauritius, Andorra, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Burundi, and Micronesia lauded the growing global appeal of Hindi and its role in fostering cultural connections, according to the statement. "They highlighted Hindi's deep roots in their societies--whether through shared heritage, diaspora bonds, or local linguistic traditions--and acknowledged India's pivotal role in promoting linguistic diversity and cultural diplomacy at the United Nations", an official statement read. On this occasion, Members of Parliament from India felicitated the winners of various Hindi competitions organised by the Permanent Mission of India and presented them with certificates. (ANI)
US Ambassador-designate to India, Sergio Gor is set to visit India along with Michael J Rigas, Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, the State Department announced on Thursday. He will travel to India from October 9-14 and meet Indian government counterparts to discuss the wide gamut of India-US ties. "U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas will travel to India from October 9 to October 14. Ambassador Gor and Deputy Secretary Rigas will meet with Indian government counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues. The United States will continue to work with India to strengthen our strategic partnership and promote a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region", the statement from the State Department said. The US Embassy Spokesperson said that Gor's presentation of credentials and move to India will occur at a later date that has not yet been determined. On September 24, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met US Ambassador to India-designate Sergio Gor on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York. Both leaders expressed their commitment to further promoting the success of the bilateral relationship between India and the United States. In a post on X, the US State Department shared that they look forward to strengthening ties between the two countries. The official post read, "U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and Ambassador Nominee to India Sergio Gor met with India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. They look forward to further promoting the success of the U.S.-India relationship." Earlier, on September 12, Sergio Gor highlighted the "deep friendship" between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Senate confirmation hearing. He emphasised that the personal rapport between the two leaders is a key asset in strengthening the US-India strategic partnership. Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gor emphasised the unique dynamic between the two world leaders, describing the bond as "incredible" and "unique", while underlining India's critical role in regional and global stability. "India is a strategic partner whose trajectory will shape the region and beyond... India's geographic position, economic growth, and military capabilities make it a cornerstone of regional stability and a critical part of promoting prosperity and advancing the security interests that our nations share. As Secretary Rubio said, India is one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world... If confirmed, I will prioritise deepening defence and security cooperation with India," he told the committee. (ANI)
Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh participated in the session on 'National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial, Devolved Legislatures' at the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday. In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman apprised the participants from various countries about the key features of India's federal structure and how some of the constitutional provisions operate with practical insights, an official statement from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat noted. As per the statement, the session was focused on identifying the structure of decentralisation in various Commonwealth nations, focusing on the balance between national and sub-national Legislatures, and sharing of best practices. In his remarks, the Deputy Chairman touched upon the federal balance outlined in Schedule VII of the Indian Constitution and the critical role played by successive Finance Commissions in managing the fiscal transfers between the national and state governments. In this context he noted that, "Protecting the separation of powers is not only a constitutional necessity, but it also promotes a political culture of respect, dialogue, and accommodation." "In addition to the formal separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution, there are government bodies that facilitate vibrant discussions and foster the cooperative spirit of federalism. For instance, the NITI Aayog Governing Council provides a platform to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental, and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the national development agenda". The statement noted that in his concluding remarks, he stated that India's experience shows unity in diversity is possible while safeguarding federal provisions. India's journey can serve as a guiding principle for other nations in promoting equitable regional development within a democratic framework. During the conference, the delegation consisting of the Lok Sabha Speaker and various other Members of Parliament (MPs) participated in different workshops such as leveraging technology, climate change, financial transparency, and others. The delegation also held bilateral meetings with Presiding Officers from Jamaica, Australia, Zambia, and Barbados. The theme of the Conference is 'The Commonwealth: A Global Partner.' On the sidelines of the conference, the delegation also interacted with the Indian community. As per the statement, the Indian delegation is being led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Alongside the Deputy Chairman, MPs Anurag Sharma, D. Purandeswari, K Sudhakar, Dr. Ajeet Gopchade, D Rekha Sharma and Presiding Officers from various states are part of the delegation. The Secretary General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively are also part of the delegation. (ANI)
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner has been announced as Maria Corina Machado "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy." Terming her as a "brave and committed champion of peace," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said that the Prize has gone to a "woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness." "Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence." Machado has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people, the Committee said. "The Venezuelan regime's rigid hold on power and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair," the Nobel Committee said. "Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected, and their voices are heard," it said. Machado meets all three criteria stated in Alfred Nobel's will for the selection of a Peace Prize laureate, the selection committee said. "She has brought her country's opposition together. She has never wavered in resisting the militarisation of Venezuelan society. She has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy. Maria Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace," it said. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected, and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace. Wangari Maathai was the first female professor in Kenya and the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She founded the Green Belt Movement, which led to the planting of millions of trees. Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics, medicine and literature have already been awarded this week. The prize for economics will be announced on Monday. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sydney on Friday, where he was warmly welcomed by children singing devotional hymns and chants. Singh also performed aarti at the temple. Later, addressing the Indian diaspora in Sydney, Rajnath Singh said, "I arrived here the day before yesterday, and yesterday I had fruitful meetings with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. The discussions were very productive and meaningful." He said he was deeply touched by the community's respect for both India and Australia, noting the children's performance of the national anthems of both countries. "I was deeply moved to see the people gathered here showing respect for both the Indian and Australian national anthems, which were beautifully sung by children. This gesture reflects your large-heartedness and the spirit of mutual respect between our two nations," he said. Highlighting India's growing global stature, the Defence Minister said that during his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Australian leader praised India's rapid pace of development. "Yesterday, during my meeting with the Australian Prime Minister, he praised India's rapid pace of development and progress. Today, India holds a special place at international forums, our views are being heard and respected across the world. We have earned this recognition through our consistent growth and achievements," Singh added. Reflecting on India's transformation, Singh added that the nation has overcome past challenges and is now moving forward with confidence. "There was a time when India was considered a poor nation struggling with unemployment. But now, the country is progressing rapidly and moving forward with confidence and positivity," he said. Earlier in the day, Singh also held the India-Australia Defence Industry Round Table in Sydney, co-chaired with Australia's Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil. Both sides discussed strengthening cooperation in the defence sector and emphasised expanding collaboration between their industries and armed forces. Singh is on an official two-day visit to Sydney. He arrived in the city on Wednesday and held a series of meetings with senior Australian officials and delegations to advance bilateral cooperation. Earlier on Thursday, the Defence Minister visited the Australian Parliament in Canberra and held talks with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. During the meeting, India and Australia signed key defence agreements aimed at deepening strategic engagement and enhancing interoperability between their forces. The agreements were signed in the presence of Rajnath Singh and Richard Marles. Both leaders appreciated the rapid growth of India-Australia defence cooperation and described the talks as productive, forward-looking, and focused on expanding strategic coordination. Later in the day, Singh called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra and discussed ways to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations. In a post on X, Singh said, "Excellent meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia Hon Anthony Albanese in Canberra. He fondly recalled his deep association with India. I am confident that India-Australia bilateral relationship will continue to grow deeper and stronger." (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar handed over five ambulances as a "gesture of goodwill" to Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday here in the national capital. The five ambulances are a part of the gift of 20 ambulances to Afghanistan as a gesture of goodwill. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1976580872901136665?t=CiksU5p1xr9L3-wTrzOTJw&s=08 In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Also handed over 5 Ambulances to FM Muttaqi. This is part of the larger gift of 20 ambulances, and other medical equipment reflecting our long-standing support for the Afghan people." Earlier today, during the bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Muttaqi, the EAM had underscored how, as a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in Afghanistan's development and progress. In his remarks, Jaishankar said, " India has long extended support for the health security of Afghanistan, including during the Covid pandemic. We are now ready to commit to six new projects, whose details can be announced after the conclusion of our talks. A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of good will and I would like to handover 5 of them to you personally as a symbolic step. India will also provide MRI and CT scan machines to Afghan hospitals and deliver vaccines for immunisation and cancer medicines. We have also supplied drug rehabilitation materials through UNODC and are open to doing more." In a significant diplomatic move, India on Friday announced the upgrading of its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of the Embassy of India. The announcement was made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during bilateral talks with visiting Afghanistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation. "India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan... To enhance that, I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India's Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India," Jaishankar said during his opening remarks. Jaishankar welcomed Muttaqi and his delegation at the Hyderabad House in the national capital and affirmed the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan. He unveiled a series of development and humanitarian initiatives, including a commitment to six new development projects to Afghanistan. Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a week-long visit to India. Muttaqi's visit from October 9-16, marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. (ANI)
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India highlighted the growing popularity of Indian incense in China's Yiwu Market via a post on X. The spokesperson noted that Indian incense, ranging from sandalwood to Ayurvedic blends, is gaining traction among Chinese buyers due to its unique Eastern fragrances and competitive pricing. In her X post, "Indian incense is getting popular in Yiwu Market, China. From sandalwood to Ayurvedic blends, its unique Eastern fragrances and fair price are attracting Chinese buyers." Earlier on October 3, Yu Jing highlighted the resumption of direct flights between India and China, calling it significant for enhancing cross-border exchanges and cooperation. In a post on X, Yu Jing wrote, "As the world's two most populous neighbors, #China and #India together account for over 2.8 billion people. The resumption of direct flights between the Chinese mainland and India will further facilitate cross-border travel, exchanges, and commerce. She further added, "For some time, the Chinese side has been in close communication with India to promote the early resumption of direct flights between the two countries." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also underlined the importance of this development, stating it reflects the growing trend towards normalisation in bilateral ties. Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Yesterday we had issued a press release and thereafter I understand that commercial activity in this regard has started. This is, of course, in line with the growing trend towards normalisation in the relationship between India and China." As part of this understanding, direct flights between India and China are slated to resume by late October. The civil aviation authorities of both countries have held discussions on reviving services and finalising a revised Air Services Agreement cooperation." Earlier, PM Modi stressed that stable, predictable, and constructive India-China ties would contribute significantly to regional and global peace and prosperity. He later met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, where both leaders noted the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation. (ANI)
A full-scale Chinese attack or takeover of Taiwan would pose a grave threat to global stability, jeopardising the security of the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and other regional partners, while potentially triggering economic losses of up to USD10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan warned in an article published in Foreign Affairs on Thursday, as reported by Taipei Times. According to Taipei Times, in his piece titled "Taiwan's Plan for Peace Through Strength: How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing," Lin stated that the defence of Taiwan is not a regional issue but a test of the global community's ability to resist authoritarian expansionism. He argued that Chinese President Xi Jinping's long-standing ambition to capture Taiwan by force and establish dominance in the Indo-Pacific has been clear since he assumed power in 2012. Citing China's ongoing military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, frequent air incursions, and state-led disinformation campaigns, Lin said Beijing's approach is designed to erode Taiwan's confidence and weaken its resistance over time. "This is not mere intimidation, it's a calculated effort to destroy Taiwan's will to defend itself," he stated. Lin emphasised that the consequences of Taiwan's fall would reach far beyond its borders. If Beijing were to succeed, China would gain a strategic foothold in the western Pacific, threatening vital sea lanes, disrupting global supply chains, and undermining Washington's ability to uphold security commitments across Asia. Such a development, he warned, would fundamentally reshape the global balance of power in favour of authoritarian regimes. Highlighting efforts by the Tsai Ing-wen administration, Lin said the government had committed USD 18.5 billion over a decade to strengthen civil defence and infrastructure, a foundation that President William Lai is expanding through a comprehensive resilience initiative, as highlighted by Taipei Times. He asserted that Taiwan's defence philosophy, built on the belief that "surrender is never an option," echoes the determination seen in Ukraine, Finland, and Israel. Lin rejected opposition claims that military investments provoke China, emphasising that national unity and preparedness are key to deterrence, concluded with a stark warning that China's authoritarian ambitions threaten global peace and democracy, urging international allies to act decisively to safeguard the Indo-Pacific order, as reported by Taipei Times. (ANI)
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado who was named on Friday as the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize said she was "humbled, grateful and honoured", for the honour which said was a recognition of the Venezuelan people's fight for democracy and peace. In a conversation with Robin Hardy of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, 58-year-old Machado said she was still coming to terms with the announcement. "I'm still processing. I think this is... what can I tell you? I mean, this is something that I believe the Venezuelan people deserve. I am just part of a huge movement and I don't know, I'm humbled, I'm grateful and I'm honoured not only by this recognition, but I'm honoured to be part of what's going on in Venezuela today and very grateful. Thank you," she said. Earlier in the day, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the Prize would go to Machado for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy." The Nobel committee praised Machado as a "brave and committed champion of peace" who continues her activism despite threats from the regime of her country's president, Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. "We want to send a message to all authoritarian leaders: choose ballots, not bullets," Jorgen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said adding, that "She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage." Born in Caracas in 1967 and trained as an industrial engineer with a masters in finance, Machado, a mother of three entered politics in 2002 as cofounder of the volunteer civil association called Sumate, which seeks to unite people amid polarisation under Nicolas Maduro's rule. In 2010 she was elected to the National Assembly, winning a record number of votes. The regime expelled her from office in 2014. Machado leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party and in 2017 helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance, which unites pro-democracy forces in the country across political dividing lines. In 2023 she announced her candidacy for president in the 2024 presidential election. When she was blocked from running, she supported the opposition's alternative candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The opposition mobilised widely and collected systematic documentation that it was the true winner of the election. The regime declared victory and tightened its grip on power, according to the Nobel Prize committee. Looking back at her struggle Machado said, "It has been a very long journey at a very high cost for Venezuelan society. For many years, the world didn't realise how hard, how difficult, how painful and destructive this process had been. And when some people persevered, I believe that we are very close to achieving, finally, freedom for our country and peace for the region." She added, "Even though we face the most brutal violence, our society has resisted and insisted on struggling through civic means and peaceful means. I believe that the world will now understand how urgent it is to finally, you know, succeed because of the implications not only, I insist, for Venezuela and Latin America. This will have enormous impact for the hemisphere, the whole hemisphere, and for the world." Speaking about how Venezuelans might react to the news, Machado said, "I think that in the moment that we need most to stay strong, united and focused because we're living the darkest hours. But at the same time, there's enormous hope that has been rising in the last times. The news is probably breaking right now. It's being broadcast from downstairs. I'm getting everything's... Oh my God, it's really happening. Oh my God, I can't believe. I can't believe this is true." https://x.com/NobelPrize/status/1976623881847710079 Machado, who has been living in hiding due to threats to her life, was asked if she would be able to travel to Norway for the formal ceremony in Oslo on December 10. She replied, "Oh well, I trust the Venezuelan people and I trust our allies, and I definitely believe we are in the final stage of a very long, painful struggle for freedom. And certainly it would be the highest honour to represent my country and meet you personally." Machado said the award belongs to all Venezuelans. "I want to insist that I accept this as a recognition to our people, to the millions of Venezuelans that are, you know, anonymous and that they're risking everything they have for freedom, justice and peace. And I'm sure, absolutely convinced, that we will achieve it. Thank you very much," she said. Interestingly, Maria Corina Machado praised US President Donald Trump for his strong support of Venezuela's opposition, calling him a key ally in their fight for freedom and democracy. https://x.com/MariaCorinaYA/status/1976642376119549990 "This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy. I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!" Machado said on X. In the weeks following up to the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, there was speculation about the candidacy of US President Donald Trump. He had publicly invoked the idea of the Peace Prize stating numerous times that he deserved the Nobel for stopping "eight wars" in eight months. Incidentally a couple of days ago, Trump had announced a ceasefire and hostage deal to end the war in Gaza. White House spokesperson Steven Cheung took to his X social media platform to post "President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will." Cheung added, "The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace." Trump had on Thursday (local US time) said that not winning the award would be an "insult". When asked about his chances, he said, "They'll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this, I didn't do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives." Ann Al Jazeera report said that when asked by reporters about Trump's very public desire to win the peace prize, the Nobel Committee's chairman, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, told reporters that the committee bases its decision strictly according to "the work and the will of Alfred Nobel". "We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say, what for them leads to peace. This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity," Frydnes was cited as saying. "So, we base our decision only on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel." he said. In recent years, the prize has recognized women leaders confronting authoritarian regimes with courage and conviction. In 2023, Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was bestowed the honour for her advocacy on behalf of women's rights and her resistance to theocratic rule. In 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar won for her nonviolent struggle for democracy. Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia were the joint recipients of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for their non-violent struggle for women's safety and full participation in peace-building work. Bertha von Suttner the first woman to win the Peace Prize in 1905. Other women recipients of the prize include Jane Addams (1931) and Emily Greene Balch (1946), Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan (1976), Mother Teresa (1979), Alva Myrdal (1982) Rigoberta Menchu (1992) Jody Williams (1997), Shirin Ebadi (2003), Wangari Muta Maathai (2004), Malala Yousafzai(2014), Nadia Murad(2018), Maria Ressa (2021), Narges Mohammadi (2023). (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's suggestion linking Tomahawk missile supplies to a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Donald Trump, calling the proposal "ridiculous" and saying the Nobel Committee does not consider Zelenskyy's opinion when awarding the prize. Responding to a question on Zelenskyy's suggestion, Putin said, "Well. I think the opinion of the current head of the Kyiv regime was not something that the Nobel Committee was interested in when they were making a decision. But making this connection between the Nobel Peace Prize and weapon supplies is ridiculous, and it just demonstrates the level of the current Kyiv regime." Zelenskyy had earlier said that he would support Trump's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize if the US president provided Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and helped broker a ceasefire with Russia, Politico reported. "During our most recent meeting, I didn't hear a 'no.' What I did hear was that work will continue at the technical level and that this possibility will be considered," Zelenskyy told journalists in Kyiv about a meeting he held with the US president on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the end of September. He further said, "The plan for ending the war won't be easy, but it is certainly the way forward. And if Trump gives the world -- above all, the Ukrainian people -- the chance for such a ceasefire, then yes, he should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. We will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine." Zelenskyy also suggested that Tomahawk missiles, which can fly up to 1,500 kilometres, could strengthen Ukraine's position and "sober the Russians up a bit, bringing them to the negotiating table." He noted that Kyiv had requested the long-range missiles during US President Joe Biden's term, but the request was rejected, as per Politico. Trump has campaigned to receive the prestigious award, claiming he has ended seven wars. On the missile issue, Trump said, "I sort of made a decision pretty much. I think I want to find out what they're doing with them, where they're sending them, I guess. I have to ask that question," adding that he did not want escalation. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that supplying Tomahawks to Kyiv "would lead to a new serious stage of escalation in the Ukrainian crisis ... but also cause irreparable damage to Russian-American relations." (ANI)
Warning Pakistan against "playing games" with Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi has condemned the multiple explosions in the landlocked country, including the capital city Kabul on Thursday and said the "courage of Afghans should not be tested". A series of explosions and bursts of gunfire rattled Afghanistan's capital late Thursday evening, prompting social media speculation that Pakistan was behind the attack, Al Jazeera reported. Speaking at a press conference at the Afghanistan embassy in Delhi, Muttaqi said, "There has been an attack near the border in remote areas. We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Problems cannot be solved like this... We have kept the door to discussion open. They should solve their problem on their own. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years. No one should have a problem with it... We are an independent nation. Why are people troubled if we have peace... We want better relations with India and Pakistan, but it cannot be one-sided." "The courage of Afghans should not be tested. If someone wants to do this, they should ask the Soviet Union, America and NATO, so that they can explain that it is not good to play games with Afghanistan," he added on Friday. Addressing concerns about the use of Afghan territory for terrorism, Muttaqi clarified, "That can never happen. There is an Afghan rule on Afghan land. The government there is strong..." The Afghan Foreign Minister also stressed the country's territorial integrity, stating, "Even one inch of Afghan land is not captured by anyone... In the last four years, everyone has been removed... If everyone brought peace to their own countries, as Afghanistan has done, then there would be peace everywhere. There has not been even a minor incident in Afghanistan in the last eight months. Afghanistan has not caused any harm to any nation in the last four years." Furthermore, he emphasised the strategic importance of the Chabahar route for Afghanistan-India trade and urged joint discussions with the United States to address obstacles, including sanctions. "Chabahar will be a good way... India and Afghanistan should try to remove obstacles... because the US has also put some sanctions. India and Afghanistan should have joint talks with the US. It is the need for both of us to use this route. We understand the importance of trade, which has increased, and all trade routes should be open... If the route is closed, it affects trade between India and Afghanistan," Muttaqi said. He further spoke on enhancing economic cooperation, noting, "We will meet business here in India. We want people to work in hospitals, electricity, mines... We will welcome people there." On diplomatic engagement, the Afghan Foreign Minister said, "The Jaishankar has told us that we can send diplomats to New Delhi," signalling progress in strengthening formal ties between the two countries. Muttaqi also highlighted the cultural and educational connection with India, particularly the Islamic centre at Deoband. "Deoband is a big centre for the Islamic world. It is connected with Afghanistan. Deoband is a roohani markaz. Deoband is a big Islamic Markaz, and Afghanistan and Deoband are connected, and hence I am going to meet the leaders there tomorrow. We want our spiritual students to come and study here, too," he said. Meanwhile, the Taliban government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed that an explosion had been heard in Kabul, saying the cause was under investigation. The incident came amid worsening relations between Afghanistan and its western neighbour Pakistan, which has accused the Taliban government - in power since August 2021 - of providing safe havens to armed groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad blames for a surge in attacks on its security forces, according to Al Jazeera. The explosions also coincided with the arrival of the Taliban administration's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in India for a six-day visit, the first such trip since the Taliban's return to power. Following the Kabul explosions, speculation swirled on social media that Pakistan was behind the attack, allegedly targeting senior TTP leaders, including its chief, Noor Wali Mehsud, as per Al Jazeera. (ANI)
From young teenagers to older generations, people have been queuing outside the election offices to sign themselves up on the voter list for the upcoming March polls, expecting a fresher mandate. The sharp rise in the number of applicants comes at a time when the nation is transitioning through a political crisis and the recent Gen-Z movement of September 8. The nation is still trying to move forward, bringing change through ballots, electing a new parliament with a new mandate. "I am pretty excited (for the election) because this will be the first time that I will be voting for something, and I think something big is coming up. So, what mindset I have is, let's win from our home; some parents might be leaning towards some political parties, my father and mother might be leaning to some political parties. But I want to bring change from my own home. So, I request everyone, let's win from our home and then we can bring change in the country," Prashanna Dangol, a Gen-Z voter, told ANI. The Himalayan nation saw bloodshed and carnage on September 8 and 9 after the state used force to suppress youths demanding accountability, ensuring the end of corruption. The then government, led by KP Sharma Oli, could not withstand the force of the youths, forcing the communist leader to resign and take cover under the army. More than six dozen people were killed within two days of violence. Hopes are raging high again with the formation of an interim government under the leadership of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, which will complete the first month of its allotted six-month tenure on Sunday. Karki, who is working with her small eight-membered interim cabinet, has been highlighting the successful commission of the March 5 election as her only aim and would exit immediately after the new lower house commences. The interim government also introduced an ordinance amending the Voter List Act, paving the way for voter registration to include those who might not get a chance to exercise their franchise in the upcoming fray. "The changes were actually unexpected, so the excitement is mixed. It is not positive but not negative as well. I am hoping for a better future, better changes that we can observe in the coming future," Shashwat Subedi, a Gen-Z voter who registered himself for the voting rights, told ANI. The Election Commission, earlier this week, introduced a new system allowing people to register voter details from any election office nationwide. The electoral body has given the deadline till the end of October to let people get their names up on the electoral list. The Electoral Voter List Act ordinance issued on September 24 exercises the rights provided to the president by Article 114(1) of the Constitution, based on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. It amends Section 4(2)(2) of the Voter List Act, which had barred registration after the announcement of an election date. According to the previous provision, "once the date of election is announced, no voter registration shall be made for that election." This legal hurdle had prevented eligible citizens, particularly youth who recently reached voting age, from being listed in the voter roll. Tens of thousands of youths could be prevented from exercising their right to vote under the existing law. Section 4, subsection 2 (2) of the Voter Registration Act, 2073, stipulates, "No person shall be registered in the voters' list for the purpose of an election after the date of that election has been declared." If the present law gets continuity, only those registered in the voter lists by September 12 will be able to vote in the House of Representatives elections. As per the Election Commission's report, as many as 18,148,654 voters have been listed for voting as of Chaitra-end (mid-April)- end of the previous Nepali year 2081. As many as 17,988,570 voters, 9,140,806 men, 8,847,579 women and 185 from other categories were eligible to cast their votes in the previous elections held in November 2022. By April 2025, in two and a half years, the number increased by 160,054 to 18,148,654. (ANI)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday congratulated Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, saying the honour recognises her courage and conviction, as well as "every voice that refuses to be silenced." In her post on X, von der Leyen described the award as a "powerful message" to authoritarian regimes, asserting that "the spirit of freedom cannot be jailed" and that "the thirst for democracy always prevails," while reaffirming that "the fight continues". "Felicitaciones, @MariaCorinaYa, por recibir el Premio Nobel de la Paz.This award honours not only your courage and conviction.But every voice that refuses to be silenced. In Venezuela and across the world. It sends a powerful message. The spirit of freedom cannot be jailed. The thirst for democracy always prevails. Dear Maria, the fight continues." European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1976588233988337710 Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado who was named on Friday as the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize said she was "humbled, grateful and honoured", for the honour which said was a recognition of the Venezuelan people's fight for democracy and peace. In a conversation with Robin Hardy of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, 58-year-old Machado said she was still coming to terms with the announcement. "I'm still processing. I think this is... what can I tell you? I mean, this is something that I believe the Venezuelan people deserve. I am just part of a huge movement and I don't know, I'm humbled, I'm grateful and I'm honoured not only by this recognition, but I'm honoured to be part of what's going on in Venezuela today and very grateful. Thank you," she said. Earlier in the day, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the Prize would go to Machado for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy." The Nobel committee praised Machado as a "brave and committed champion of peace" who continues her activism despite threats from the regime of her country's president, Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. "We want to send a message to all authoritarian leaders: choose ballots, not bullets," Jorgen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said adding, that "She is an extraordinary example of civilian courage." Born in Caracas in 1967 and trained as an industrial engineer with a master's degree in finance, Machado, a mother of three, entered politics in 2002 as co-founder of the volunteer civil association called Sumate, which seeks to unite people amid polarisation under Nicolas Maduro's rule. In 2010, she was elected to the National Assembly, winning a record number of votes. The regime expelled her from office in 2014. Machado leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party and, in 2017, helped found the Soy Venezuela alliance, which unites pro-democracy forces in the country across political dividing lines. In 2023, she announced her candidacy for president in the 2024 presidential election. When she was blocked from running, she supported the opposition's alternative candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The opposition mobilised widely and collected systematic documentation that it was the true winner of the election. The regime declared victory and tightened its grip on power, according to the Nobel Prize committee. Looking back at her struggle, Machado said, "It has been a very long journey at a very high cost for Venezuelan society. For many years, the world didn't realise how hard, how difficult, how painful and destructive this process had been. And when some people persevered, I believe that we are very close to achieving, finally, freedom for our country and peace for the region." She added, "Even though we face the most brutal violence, our society has resisted and insisted on struggling through civic means and peaceful means. I believe that the world will now understand how urgent it is to finally, you know, succeed because of the implications not only, I insist, for Venezuela and Latin America. This will have enormous impact for the hemisphere, the whole hemisphere, and for the world." Speaking about how Venezuelans might react to the news, Machado said, "I think that in the moment that we need most to stay strong, united and focused because we're living the darkest hours. But at the same time, there's enormous hope that has been rising in the last times. The news is probably breaking right now. It's being broadcast from downstairs. I'm getting everything's... Oh my God, it's really happening. Oh my God, I can't believe. I can't believe this is true." Machado, who has been living in hiding due to threats to her life, was asked if she would be able to travel to Norway for the formal ceremony in Oslo on December 10. She replied, "Oh well, I trust the Venezuelan people and I trust our allies, and I definitely believe we are in the final stage of a very long, painful struggle for freedom. And certainly it would be the highest honour to represent my country and meet you personally. "Machado said the award belongs to all Venezuelans. "I want to insist that I accept this as a recognition to our people, to the millions of Venezuelans that are, you know, anonymous and that they're risking everything they have for freedom, justice and peace. And I'm sure, absolutely convinced, that we will achieve it. Thank you very much," she said. (ANI)
Following intelligence guidance, the fighters searched the building before destroying it and confiscated the weapons they found inside.

"The Hezbollah terrorist organisation's activity in the building constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," said the IDF. (ANI/TPS)
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 10 (ANI/TPS): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement Friday to the Israeli public declaring, "Today we celebrate one of our great achievements in the War of Rebirth: the return of all our captives, both living and dead." The Prime Minister stressed in his statement how, in spite of "commentators" saying this could never happen, his government will now return all of the hostages while also maintaining an Israeli security presence within Gaza. Netanyahu said in his statement that this was a central goal of the Gaza war that his government has "adhered to throughout. Throughout the two years that have passed since the beginning of the war, I have promised the families of the abductees - and I have also promised you, the citizens of Israel - that we would return them all, without exception." "We promised - and we are keeping our promise," he added. Netanyahu explained he believed that if they applied "heavy military pressure on Hamas - combined with heavy political pressure" they could "return all our hostages. And that is exactly what we did." The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to point to actions made in the Gaza deal he said he was pressured "both from home and abroad" to give up on, including, entering Rafah, taking the Philadelphia axis, and more. "But I firmly rejected all of these pressures, because I had one and only consideration before me: Israel's security," said Netanyahu. "And that means achieving the war's goals, including the release of hostages; removing the nuclear and ballistic threat from Iran, which has endangered our existence here; and breaking the Iranian axis, of which Hamas is a central part." Netanyahu also pointed out that, even before President Trump returned to office, he had returned 158 hostages to Israel - 117 of whom were alive. (ANI/TPS)
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that there is "no reason to meet" with Chinese President Xi Jinping after Beijing took "very hostile" steps by imposing sweeping new export controls on rare earth elements. Trump warned that the United States was preparing to respond with strong countermeasures, including a "massive increase of tariffs" on Chinese goods entering the United States. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "Some very strange things are happening in China! They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to countries throughout the world, that they want to impose export controls on each and every element of production having to do with rare earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if it's not manufactured in China." He claimed that several nations had reached out to the United States, expressing anger at what he described as "great trade hostility". Trump said the move came as a surprise because "our relationship with China over the past six months has been a very good one, thereby making this move on trade an even more surprising one." https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115350455734003647 "I have always felt that they've been lying in wait, and now, as usual, I have been proven right! There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the world 'captive,' but that seems to have been their plan for quite some time," Trump wrote, calling the move "sinister and hostile". Trump said that China's letters detailed, "with great specificity, each and every element that they want to withhold from other nations." He added that the timing of the move was questionable, noting that it coincided with a breakthrough in peace efforts in the Middle East. "The Chinese letters were especially inappropriate in that this was the day that, after three thousand years of bedlam and fighting, there is peace in the Middle East. I wonder if that timing was coincidental?" Trump said. He also revealed that he had been due to meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea in two weeks but suggested that the meeting may not go ahead. "I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so," Trump said. "Dependent on what China says about the hostile 'order' that they have just put out, I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move. For every element that they have been able to monopolise, we have two," he said. "I never thought it would come to this but perhaps, as with all things, the time has come. Ultimately, though potentially painful, it will be a very good thing, in the end, for the U.S.A.," Trump added. Beijing has ramped up sweeping restrictions on rare earth exports, expanding its control list and extending curbs to cover production technologies and overseas applications, including in military and semiconductor sectors, CNN reported. China, which dominates global processing of rare earths used in everything from smartphones to fighter jets, added five new elements, holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, and ytterbium, to its existing list of restricted minerals, bringing the total to 12 out of 17 types. Export licences will now be required not only for the elements themselves but also for technologies related to mining, smelting, and magnet production. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the move aims to "safeguard national security and interests" and prevent the materials from being used "directly or indirectly in military and other sensitive fields." It also imposed new restrictions on lithium batteries and graphite anode materials used in electric vehicles, CNN's report added. The new measures will come into full effect between November and December, pointing to Beijing's growing leverage in trade talks with the United States ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the APEC summit in South Korea later this month. CNN also noted that the latest curbs mirror Washington's own export controls on advanced chips, introducing a new phase in the ongoing US-China trade confrontation. (ANI)
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that India has announced several new projects for Afghanistan as part of its ongoing healthcare cooperation. The projects include the establishment of a Thalassemia centre and a modern diagnostic centre in Kabul, as well as the replacement of the heating system at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH). India will also construct a 30-bed hospital in Kabul's Bagrami district, an Oncology Centre and a Trauma Centre in Kabul, as well as five Maternity Health Clinics across the provinces of Paktika, Khost, and Paktia. "As a special gesture, India has gifted 20 ambulances to Afghanistan. In the field of capacity building, India will continue to offer scholarships to Afghan students under the e-ICCR scholarship scheme. Both sides also welcomed the commencement of the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor, which aims to strengthen direct trade and commerce between the two countries," the MEA spokesperson posted on X. The announcement comes amid Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi's week-long visit to India. Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a visit from October 9-16, marking the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Muttaqi also stated on Friday that Afghanistan and India have agreed to set up a trade committee aimed at enhancing economic cooperation. "Both sides agreed to create a trade committee. Due to opportunities opened in Afghanistan in terms of investment, and activities in minerals and energy, we invited the Indian side to explore work in these areas," he said, highlighting the potential for increased business and investment ties between the two countries. Earlier this year, in April, India's special envoy to Afghanistan, Anand Prakash, visited Kabul to discuss political and trade relations. Prior to that, in January this year, Muttaqi had met with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Dubai. The Afghan FM also highlighted that his discussions with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar covered a wide range of issues. "I had a detailed meeting with EAM Jaishankar, including economic, political, diplomatic, regional and security. Some of the achievements were the Indian government's upgradation of technical presence at the embassy. And a diplomatic delegation of the Islamic Emirate will arrive in Delhi." "We also agreed to strengthen the air corridor to strengthen our trade. EAM pledged to broaden health activities in Afghanistan, and we appreciate the assistance provided for the victims of the earthquake," the visiting minister said. Expressing his gratitude for the reception in India, Muttaqi said, "I would like to welcome all and am glad to be in Delhi. This is my first time visiting India as the FM of Afghanistan, and I appreciate the warm hospitality shown to us by the Indian Foreign Minister and the Indian government." During a bilateral meeting with Muttaqi, Jaishankar announced that India would upgrade its Kabul mission to an embassy. The embassy was shut after the Taliban seized power in 2021. Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar handed over five ambulances as a "gesture of goodwill" to Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, on Friday in the national capital. In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar wrote, "Also handed over 5 Ambulances to FM Muttaqi. This is part of the larger gift of 20 ambulances and other medical equipment reflecting our long-standing support for the Afghan people." During the bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Muttaqi, the EAM emphasised that, as a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan people, India has a deep interest in Afghanistan's development and progress. (ANI)
Former Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs MJ Akbar launched a sharp attack on Pakistan amid the ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, describing it as a "corrupt military dictatorship" sustained by "supremacism and fascism." In a conversation with ANI, Akbar said that people of Kashmir, on both sides of the border, had been misled into believing that religion could serve as the foundation of nationalism and statehood, but were now realising the truth. "The people of Kashmir who were fooled, or those people in their part of occupied Kashmir, who were fooled into believing this, now know the truth. The truth is that Pakistan is nothing but an acquisitive, corrupt military dictatorship which has seized the country's economy, which has taken over 60 per cent of the country and is running a fragile and deeply corrupt state and holding it up with ideas of supremacism and fascism," Akbar said. He further stated that "Islam lives in a mosque, not a country," adding that the credibility of the Pakistan state, "never very high", is now starting to collapse. "When the credibility of the Pakistan state, which was never very high, begins to crumple...the basis of Pakistan's creation was an illogical and absurd idea that religion can be the basis of nationalism, that Islam can be the basis of nationalism. If Islam were a sufficient basis of nationalism, please explain to me why there are 22 Arab countries. Not only do they have Islam in common, but they also have language in common. Political state formation is different from religion. Islam lives in a mosque. Islam doesn't live in a country. That this idea was fragile is being exposed today," Akbar said. Akbar also warned that Pakistan's reported attack on Afghanistan could mark the beginning of its internal degradation. "Let me touch upon the most important consequence of this attack (Pakistan's attack on Afghanistan). This is the starting point of the destruction of Pakistan, the split of Pakistan into various countries. Already, the tensions have been very obvious. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region has been struggling for independence. Right from Abdul Ghaffar Khan's time, it has taken a fresh momentum. The war for independence in Balochistan has been well recorded; it has been continuing," he said. Linking Pakistan's instability to its handling of dissent and its dealings with external powers, Akbar said, "That is one of the reasons the rare earths that China has now put on to play, and which Pakistan is trying to fool America with. We must ask ourselves a question: why did China never mine those rare earths? Because the situation is too fraught with danger." (ANI)
National Museum Director General Gurmeet Singh Chawla and a high-level delegation of 11 senior Indian monks on Saturday offered prayers to the sacred Relics of Gautam Buddha, before departing for Russia's Kalmykia Republic for an exposition. The exposition will be held in the capital city of Elista from October 11 to 18. The Ministry of Culture is organising the exposition with the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. The Sacred Relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also called the 'Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha.' The sacred relics of Lord Buddha, preserved in the National Museum here, will be transported to Russia's Republic of Kalmykia for an exposition. A high-level delegation of eleven senior Indian monks will also offer blessings to the local devotees and conduct religious services for the region's predominantly Buddhist population, according to a release. The Holy Relics exposition, a first in the Russian Republic, is organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). It will be held in the capital city of Elista from October 11-18. The Holy Relics will be received by the Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choidak, Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and other eminent Buddhist Sangha members, the release said. The Sacred Relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Shedrup Choikorling Monastery, also referred to as the "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha". This is a significant Tibetan Buddhist centre, opened for the public in 1996 and is surrounded by the Kalmyk steppe. It may be recalled that it was the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who played a pivotal role in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and, subsequently, was also instrumental in reintroducing interest in Buddha dharma in the three regions of Russia, namely Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva. The delegation, led by the Deputy Chief Minister of UP, Keshav Prasad Maurya, will host additional activities during the week. These include teachings and discourses by His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Head of the Sakya Order; the presentation of the Holy 'Kanjur', a Set of 108 Mongolian religious texts originally translated from the Tibetan language. IBC will present the Kanjur to nine Buddhist Institutes and a University. These are from the Manuscripts division of the Ministry of Culture. (ANI)
OSAKA, Oct 10 (News On Japan) - An officer of the Osaka Prefectural Police has been arrested and indicted for allegedly committing indecent acts against a girl he met through papa katsu, a practice in which older men provide financial support to younger women in exchange for companionship.

It has now been revealed that the officer is also accused of similar offenses involving two other teenage girls. The 53-year-old inspector with the Special Investigation Unit for Public Safety was first arrested in June for touching the body of a girl under the age of 13 in a private karaoke room in Osaka. He was indicted while out on bail.

Subsequent investigations found that he allegedly committed indecent acts with another teenage girl who was present in the same room, and was involved in a separate incident in July with another girl under 13. He has since been re-indicted and is awaiting trial.

The officer reportedly met the girls through papa katsu arrangements and has admitted to the allegations during questioning. The police department has stated that it intends to dismiss him through disciplinary action.

Source: YOMIURI
Trade between Libya and Italy fell sharply in the first half of 2025, with total exchanges amounting to 4.76 billion, down from 6.02 billion in the same period last year  a 21% decline, according to data from the Italian Trade Agency cited by Nova News Agency.

The downturn was primarily driven by a 25.3% drop in Libyan exports to Italy, which fell from 4.25 billion in the first half of 2024 to 3.17 billion this year. Crude oil supplies saw the steepest decline, plunging from 6.5 billion in 2023 to 3.3 billion in mid-2025, with export volumes also down by 15.7%, from 8.97 million tons to 7.56 million tons.

While natural gas exports rose slightly in value by 3% to 267 million, their volume decreased by 4%, reflecting the broader impact of global energy market instability. Italian exports to Libya also recorded a 14.4% decline, reaching around 1.6 billion, as trade between the two countries weakened amid reduced energy flows and lower industrial demand. Despite the contraction, Italy remains one of Libyas principal trading partners. Analysts note, however, that continued volatility in oil prices and production constraints in Libya are likely to keep bilateral trade under pressure in the coming months.
Moroccos government has approved comprehensive amendments to commercial code provisions governing check payments, aiming to restore confidence in this traditional payment method while reducing judicial burden and detention rates. Government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas announced Thursday that the reforms address a critical economic issue affecting investors and businesses nationwide.

Bank Al-Maghrib statistics for 2024 reveal the scale of the challenge, with 30 million check payment operations totaling 1,319 billion dirhams processed, 972,232 checks were rejected for insufficient funds. Between 2022 and June 2025, authorities recorded 180,223 complaints leading to prosecutions against 76,936 individuals, with 58,710 facing detention.

The reform introduces significant changes to Article 316 of the commercial code, replacing the previous system where non-payment cases remained in court with mandatory 25 percent fines on check values. Under new provisions, payment of the check amount plus a two percent fine definitively ends prosecution, dramatically reducing penalties while ensuring accountability.

Additional reforms establish amicable settlement mechanisms at all trial stages, including sentence execution phases. Payment or complaint withdrawal now prevents prosecution initiation or continuation, while exemptions apply to transactions between spouses or family ascendants, recognizing domestic financial relationships unique nature.

The legislation aligns with Moroccos strategic objectives to modernize financial and commercial transaction frameworks, adapting to rapid changes in commercial instruments while meeting contemporary criminal policy requirements in finance and business sectors.

These provisions specifically address the persistent problem of insufficient fund checks that continue concerning society, particularly investors, due to significant economic and social repercussions affecting all parties. The reforms are expected to stimulate economic dynamism while reducing detention rates and alleviating court pressure from check-related cases.
International momentum behind Moroccos autonomy initiative for the Sahara region gained prominent display at the United Nations Fourth Committee meeting in New York, where multiple petitioners highlighted unprecedented global backing for the kingdoms sovereignty proposal. The committee heard a testimony emphasizing that 124 countries now support the Moroccan autonomy plan as the pathway to regional stability and shared prosperity.

Peruvian politician and jurist Martha Chavez Cossio characterized the international support as unprecedented, noting that the growing coalition views Moroccos realistic and pragmatic initiative as the sole solution to definitively resolve the regional dispute. She emphasized that approximately thirty nations have demonstrated their recognition by establishing consular representations in Laayoune and Dakhla, translating a clear acknowledgment of Moroccos legitimate sovereignty over its southern provinces.

Spanish journalist Javier Fernandez Arribas described a global consensus supporting Moroccos position, with major powers including Spain, Germany, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom endorsing the autonomy framework presented by Morocco in 2007. The director of the Atalayar news outlet noted that these nations actively support the political solution outlined in Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2756.

Luxembourgs Dr. Henri Diederich characterized the Moroccan initiative as more than political proposal, calling it a human project developed through decades of dialogue with local populations. He emphasized that the plan enables southern province residents to manage local affairs while respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

French professor Christophe Boutin observed that the international community increasingly recognizes that resolution must occur within Moroccos sovereignty framework, while those perpetuating the artificial conflict remain in denial about evolving global positions reflected in increasingly precise Security Council parameters.
A high-level delegation from Burundis National Independent Human Rights Commission is conducting a week-long study visit to Morocco to examine the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) operational framework and best practices. The visit, running from October 8 to 14, focuses on monitoring mechanisms, complaints processing, and capacity building strategies employed by Moroccos human rights institution.

Commission President Martin Blaise Nyaboho leads the Burundian delegation, accompanied by Vice-President Gerard Rugemintwaza, Executive Bureau Secretary Beatrice Nkurunziza, and members Gloriose Nimenya and Jean Bosco Manirambona. The exchange program reflects CNDHs commitment to sharing expertise with African counterparts in advancing continental human rights protection.

At a meeting with CNDH executives, Nyaboho emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two nations human rights institutions, particularly in leveraging CNDHs expertise in protection mechanisms, surveillance systems, complaint management, and capacity development for human rights practitioners.

CNDH President Amina Bouayach characterized Moroccos human rights experience as a distinctly African model available to continental human rights defenders. She highlighted the significance of this cooperation phase between African national institutions, focusing on exchanging best practices and developing joint initiatives that enhance human rights promotion and protection across Africa.

The delegations program encompasses comprehensive briefings on CNDHs operational structure, including human rights protection mechanisms, violation monitoring systems, complaint processing procedures, communication strategies, and human rights education initiatives. Particular attention focuses on interaction with international mechanisms, especially accreditation processes with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

Scheduled activities include meetings with civil society organizations active in human rights advocacy and a field visit to the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Human Rights Commission. This regional exposure provides insights into CNDHs decentralized approach to human rights monitoring and community engagement across Moroccos diverse territories.
Algerias Council of Ministers has approved the draft Finance Bill for 2026, allocating $25 billion to the army at the expense of economy diversification, infrastructure, and social services.

The country has prepared a budget bill worth a record $135 billion, up from $128 billion in 2025 and $113 billion in 2024. Military spending represents 20.6% of the total budget.

This makes the army the largest receiver of public funds, surpassing even the ministry of finance, which accounts for 20.3% of the budget.

The surge in defense spending continues a trend that began in 2022, when Algeria doubled its military budget despite economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic and falling oil revenues.

Defense allocations jumped from an average of $811 billion between 2020 and 2022 to over $18 billion in 2023, followed by $22 billion in 2024 and $24 billion in 2025.

The 2026 budget increase comes amid declining hydrocarbon prices, currently hovering between $65 and $67 per barrel, and a projected $40 billion budget deficit, raising questions about fiscal sustainability.

Algerias defense budget now far exceeds spending on education (10.7% of the budget), despite the absence of major new security threats. Longstanding regional tensions, particularly with Morocco and in the Sahel, have either stabilized or diminished in recent years.
A growing number of Polisario members is challenging the decades-long obstinacy of the Algeria-backed Polisario militias, urging the international community to embrace Moroccos autonomy proposal as a path toward peace and dignity.

In a striking intervention before the UN General Assemblys Fourth Committee, representatives of an NGO called Sahrawis for Peace, which brings together former Polisario members, called for a decisive break from what they described as rigid slogans and radicalism that have kept thousands of Sahrawis trapped in refugee camps and political limbo for nearly half a century in full sight of Algerian authorities.

We are not the voice of the Polisario, nor of Morocco, nor of any neighboring state. We are Sahrawis who are tired of war and exile, but also the voice of those who still believe in a future of peace, Ahmed Barikallah, the groups First Secretary, said.

The movement, founded in 2020, has emerged as a grassroots alternative to the Polisario, which it accuses of spreading a false separatist narrative, while holding thousands of Sahrawis hostage.

Barikallahs speech painted a picture of disillusionment among Sahrawis, elders yearning to return home, youth rejecting inherited exile, and mothers longing to raise children in peace in their homeland in southern Morocco.

The groups endorsement of Moroccos 2007 autonomy plan marks a significant departure from the Polisarios long standing separatist demands.

Mohamed Cherif, head of external relations for Sahrawis for Peace, presented a detailed proposal for a special governance system under Moroccan sovereignty, including a locally elected parliament, council of elders, independent judiciary, and regional security forces.

Cherif argued that such a framework could pave the way for reconciliation and development, allowing Sahrawis- held against their will by the Polisario in Algerian territory- to reclaim their dignity and actively shape their future.
Tunisias latest defense agreement with Algeria, signed on October 7 in Algiers, has sparked renewed debate over whether the country is still a sovereign state, or simply a well-behaved vassal of the Algerian military regime.

The pact, signed by Algerian Army Chief of Staff General Said Chengriha and Tunisian Defense Minister Khaled Sehili, is said to include joint training, intelligence-sharing, and coordinated military exercises. But critics say the real story is not about defense cooperation. But rather, about quiet submission.

Political scientists define a vassal state as a nominally independent country that is economically, militarily, or politically subordinate to a more powerful neighbor. While the term evokes medieval feudalism, modern vassalization often occurs through economic dependency, and strategic coercion.

The defense deal follows Tunisias economic dependency. With its economy in freefall and its government unable to get loans from international financial institutions, including the IMF, Tunisia has little leverage. It continues to depend on Algerian charity, tourism, and gas.

In return for economic gains, Tunisian authorities have let Algerian security services operate freely on Tunisian soil, most notably in the 2021 arrest of Slimane Bouhafs, a UN-recognized refugee, who was arrested in Tunis. Bouhafs was abducted by Algerian agents and taken across the border, with Tunisian authorities complicit.

Tunisia has also backed Algerian diplomatic stands, putting itself inside Algerias sinking diplomatic ship.

Algerian officials have repeatedly referred to Tunisia as an extension of their own territory. In 2021, a senior Algerian parliamentarian called Tunisia an Algerian wilaya, a statement that now feels less rhetorical and more prophetic.

While Tunisian officials insist the new defense agreement is about regional solidarity, the language and logistics suggest otherwise. Intelligence fusion centers, joint command structures, and Algerian-led training programs all point to a deepening asymmetry.

The defense pact is just the latest chapter in Tunisias gradual loss of its sovereignty to its neighbor. With the deterioration of its economy, a return to autocracy and its security increasingly managed by Algeria, Tunisia appears to be subcontracting its statehood.
Moroccos southern provinces have emerged as a genuine catalyst for economic cooperation between Morocco and France, opening up new prospects for shared growth and African integration, economic stakeholders from both countries emphasized on Thursday in Dakhla.

This came during the Morocco-France Economic Forum, held on October 9, 2025, in Dakhla, by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and the French Business Movement (MEDEF). The event brought together more than 300 business leaders, decision-makers, diplomats, and institutional representatives from both countries.

This major gathering, held in the Pearl of the Moroccan South, highlighted the vitality of the MoroccanFrench economic partnership and the growing importance of the southern provinces as a new hub for Euro-African growth and cooperation.

All participants emphasized that holding this edition in Dakhla symbolizes clear recognition of the Moroccan Saharas strategic role in national and regional economic dynamics.

They underlined the regions large-scale investments, its agricultural and energy potential, and its strategic positioning as a hub for African integration.

The French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, who took part in the Forum, reaffirmed that the French government encourages and supports French companies wishing to invest in Moroccos southern provinces.

He highlighted the opportunities available in key sectors such as renewable energy, Euro-African electrical interconnections, and green hydrogen  areas in which French companies possess recognized expertise.

According to the diplomat, the remarkable developments in the South of the Kingdom reflect Moroccos ambition to position itself among the leading regional industrial and energy powers, offering foreign investors unprecedented prospects.

The choice of Dakhla to host the forum, he added, is a concrete expression of Frances clear and unambiguous stance on the Moroccan identity of the Sahara.

The Dakhla Forum marks a turning point in Moroccan-French cooperation. Beyond political statements, it establishes an economic relationship built around concrete projects, a shared vision, and mutual recognition of strategic interests.

Dakhla thus stands out as a powerful symbol of Euro-African cooperation  a platform for sustainable investment and a bridge linking Morocco, France, and Africa.

In this context, the Vice-President of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), Fabrice Le Sache, stated that the presence of French business leaders in Dakhla reflects a clear desire for tangible economic cooperation based on dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.

He highlighted the clarity of Moroccos development model for its southern provinces, viewing it as a project that transcends national borders and serves as a gateway to sub-Saharan Africa.

For his part, the Vice-President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Mehdi Tazi, stressed the importance of this forum in showcasing the considerable assets of Moroccos southern provinces, and the regions immense potential.

He recalled that the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region holds major agricultural promise, adding that its natural conditions are ideal for the development of renewable energies, thanks to consistent sunshine and wind resources.

The Co-President of the Morocco-France Business Leaders Club, Mohamed El Kettani, emphasized the symbolic importance of holding the forum in Dakhla, noting that it underscores Frances recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over its southern provinces.

He also highlighted the presence of French investors already active in the region, citing the seawater desalination project jointly developed by Nareva and ENGIE.

For his part, the Clubs Co-President, Ross McInnes, stressed the integrated industrial dimension of the Franco-Moroccan partnership, built on a comprehensive approach to the value chain, from design and investment to procurement, manufacturing, and export.

He commended the high quality of Moroccan engineering training, which enables the country to develop advanced technological projects, noting that key sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and energy rely heavily on the skill and reliability of local subcontractors.

One of the forums highlights was a panel dedicated to the Royal Atlantic Initiative, presented as a key driver of African economic integration.

Participants in the panel highlighted the strategic role of the Royal Atlantic Initiative in strengthening African economic integration and developing the Kingdoms Southern Provinces.

The panel, held under the theme The Royal Atlantic Initiative: Strategic Vision and Development Opportunities, shed light on the positioning of Moroccos Southern Provinces as a key hub for regional economic development, African integration, and value creation at the continental level.

During the event, Olivier Vincent, Executive Director in charge of export activities at Bpifrance, praised the Royal Strategic Vision, describing it as absolutely inspiring, and stressed the importance of partnerships with Moroccan stakeholders to connect, finance, and promote business flows, with entrepreneurs at the heart of this dynamic.

For his part, Bertrand Walckenaer, Deputy Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD), underscored AFDs longstanding commitment to Moroccoits leading country of operationwith over 3.2 billion in ongoing projects.

He highlighted cooperation with the Caisse de Depot et de Gestion (CDG) and alignment with Moroccos new development model, structured around three pillars: human capital, infrastructure, and natural capital.

Walckenaer emphasized AFDs contribution to vocational training, sustainable urban mobility, and natural resource management, noting their impact on shared economic development between Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa.

At the end of the discussions, participants in the MoroccoFrance Economic Forum conducted a field visit to the Dakhla Atlantic Port construction site, where they took note of the progress of this large-scale project and its potential as a major driver of economic and logistical development in the Southern Provinces.
Representatives pose for group photos before a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

DUSHANBE, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee.

The meeting, chaired by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, was attended by the heads of state of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev.

A total of 19 documents were signed following the meeting, including a declaration on cooperation in ensuring regional energy security, which provides a strategic foundation for developing relations among CIS member states in the aspect, said the service.

The summit also adopted the concept of military cooperation for CIS member states until 2030, a cooperation program to strengthen border security along the CIS external frontiers for 2026-2030, a cooperation program to counter terrorism and extremism, and a number of other documents.

It also decided that Turkmenistan will assume the CIS chairmanship in 2026 and Sergey Lebedev will continue to serve as CIS secretary-general for the next three years. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov (C) attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon (R) attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (C) attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov (C) attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev (R) attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 10, 2025. A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS was held here Friday to review security and military cooperation, said the press service of the CIS Executive Committee. (Xinhua/Li Renzi)
Rwandas ambitions to become Africas health and biotech hub received a major endorsement this week, as the European Union announced a 95 million ($103 million) investment to bolster the countrys vaccine manufacturing, biotechnology, and economic inclusion efforts.

Unveiled in Brussels during the Global Gateway Forum, the funding marks a deepening partnership between the EU and Rwanda, building on BioNTechs landmark 2023 mRNA vaccine facility in Kigali  the first of its kind in Africa. This is not just an investment in vaccines, but in Africas self-reliance, dignity, and preparedness, President Paul Kagame said, hailing the deal as a step toward health sovereignty and economic transformation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed that sentiment, calling the move a signal of confidence in Rwandas capacity to drive Africas health sovereignty.

The funding will support biotech start-ups, enhance advanced manufacturing infrastructure, and create opportunities for refugees and marginalized groups  positioning Rwanda as a model for inclusive innovation. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed Africas over-reliance on imported vaccines. Now, Rwanda aims to help flip that script. While challenges remain, particularly in equitable benefit distribution, experts say this investment could catalyze a continent-wide shift in healthcare resilience. As Europe moves from aid to strategic alliance, the Rwanda-EU partnership underscores a broader pivot: empowering African nations to lead their own development through innovation, infrastructure, and shared prosperity.
King Mohammed VI has affirmed that social justice and combating inter-regional disparities are not empty slogans, nor a temporary priority but a strategic policy.

In a speech made Friday on the opening of the Fall session of the parliament, the King, who was accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and Prince Moulay Rachid, said this strategic engagement is a vital, core element which must govern and determine all development policies.

He also called on stakeholders to adhere to this strategic policy saying that the efforts made by emerging Morocco to achieve social and inter-regional equity today require mobilization of all of the nations energies.

There should be no inconsistency or competition between national flagship projects, on the one hand, and social programs, on the other, since the goal is to achieve the countrys development and improve the living conditions of citizens, wherever they may be, said the King.

Special attention should be given to accompanying citizens, and shedding light on initiatives taken by public authorities as well as the various laws adopted and the decisions made, especially those relating directly to the rights and freedoms of citizens, added the Monarch.

He affirmed that this matter is not the responsibility of the government alone. Although it is everyones responsibility. It is, first and foremost, the duty as parliamentarians, as they represent the citizens. It is also the responsibility of political parties, elected officials serving on boards and councils at all territorial levels, the media, civil society organizations, and the life force of the nation.

In the last Throne Day Address, I called for accelerating the march of emerging Morocco, and launching next-generation programs for local development, said the King, noting that local development necessitates a tangible change in mentalities and work methods. It also requires actual consolidation of a result-oriented culture that is based on accurate field data as well as on the use of digital technology.

the King said he expects a faster implementation pace and stronger impacts from the next-generation local development programs he asked the government to prepare, making sure urban and rural areas equally benefit from them.

The Moroccan Sovereign puts emphasis in this regard on the promotion of local initiatives and economic activities, the creation of job opportunities for young people, and the achievement of tangible progress in the education and health sectors, as well as local rehabilitation policies.

He called on everyone  each from their position  to combat all practices that squander time, effort, and resources, stressing that one cannot be complacent when it comes to the effectiveness and return on public investment.

King Mohammed VI urged on all  government and parliament, majority and opposition  to muster all energies and capabilities, and to make the best interests of the nation and of the citizens prevail over any other consideration.

To achieve the local development goals, the Monarch called on government and MPs to give special attention to the most fragile areas, especially in mountainous regions and oases.

Harmonious local development cannot be achieved without effective integration and solidarity between regions and areas. It is necessary, today, to reconsider the development policy for mountainous regions, which account for 30% of the national territory, said the King, stressing the need to come up with an integrated public policy for these regions, while taking into account their specificities as well as their numerous resources.

The King also called for the optimal use of sustainable development mechanisms along the coastline, including the Coastal Law and the National Coastal Plan. The goal is to strike the required balance between the rapid development of these areas, the need to protect them, and the valuation of their enormous potential, within the framework of a national maritime economy that creates wealth as well as job opportunities.

The Monarch also called for expanding the scope of the emerging rural centers program as a suitable mechanism for the management of urban expansion and the mitigation of its adverse effects.

These emerging centers will also serve as an effective link for bringing administrative, social, and economic services closer to citizens in rural areas.
CUPE Launches Mental Health Toolkit to Strengthen Worker Safety and Well-Being

Canadas largest public employees union introduces a new resource to address psychosocial hazards, reduce workplace stress, and promote mental health as a core part of occupational safety.

Canadas largest union for public employees is putting a renewed focus on psychological safety with the launch of a new mental health toolkit designed to reduce stress, stigma, and other psychosocial hazards in the workplace.

The announcement came during CUPEs biannual Health and Safety Forum, where National Health and Safety Officer Troy Winters declared 2026 the Year of Health and Safety. The campaign will expand the unions commitment to workplace safety beyond physical risks to include mental and emotional well-being.

The new toolkit provides model collective bargaining language, practical tools for addressing workplace stress, and strategies to reduce stigma around mental health. It is intended to help health and safety advocates identify and mitigate the root causes of psychological strain at work.

Workers stop bending and start to break  no matter how much resiliency theyve built, said CUPE Health and Safety Representative Paul Sylvestre. We need to look at the systems that create unsafe conditions, not just the individuals who experience them.

CUPE leaders emphasized that mental health is a workplace issue requiring systemic solutions. The toolkit promotes a proactive approach, encouraging members to identify psychosocial hazards, implement preventative measures, and strengthen overall workplace culture.

The unions upcoming Year of Health and Safety will include expanded education sessions, policy initiatives, and outreach to locals nationwide to support healthier, safer workplaces for all members.
Israel and Hamas have accepted the first phase of a ceasefire-and-hostage deal brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, with Israels cabinet now having formally ratified the agreement ahead of implementation. The package pauses combat, triggers a partial Israeli pullback inside Gaza, sequences the release of remaining hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and reopens constrained aid channels. The first exchanges are expected to begin within 24 hours, according to mediators.

Hamas leaders say they have explicit guarantees from Washington and mediators that the war is ending; U.S. officials have confirmed a small American monitoring contingent (around 200 troops) will deploy to assist with ceasefire coordination. The U.N. is framing the agreement as a step that could reopen a path to statehood if it holds.

Failure risks are concentrated in five places. First, in Tel Aviv, where far-right whisperers oppose large prisoner releases and broad withdrawals. They can still sandbag ratification steps or backtrack after the first swap. Second, inside Gaza, where there isnt exactly strict discipline among various Hamas brigades and other clan militias. Any rogue fire during IDF redeployments could disrupt. Third, the ratio of living vs dead captives and the order of release on the hostage ledger could be explosive. Fourth, any incidents between Israeli settlers and Palestinians or a violent IDF raid in the West Bank could spill over into Gaza, and Arab capitals
Midway through autumn 2025, Russian crude oil continues to dominate Turkeys refinery feedstock, defying both geopolitical pressure and the Trump administrations assertive diplomacy. September import data show Russian volumes flowing to Turkey above monthly averages at 410,000 b/d, extending a pattern that began in early summer and shows little sign of reversing.

On 25 September, when US President Donald Trump met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdo?an at the White House for the first time in six years, the conversation predictably turned toward energy. Trump urged Ankara to curb its imports of Russian oil  a politically charged message delivered at a time when Turkeys dependence on Moscows barrels is at a four-year high. Yet the Turkish government quickly deflected any responsibility. The countrys energy minister reminded the press that crude procurement is a commercial decision made by private refining companies, and not a matter of state policy. Turkeys refiners  the state-controlled Tupra? (Turkiye Petrol Rafineleri A.?.) and Azerbaijans Socar-owned Star Rafineri A.?.  are the backbone of Turkeys energy system and the principal buyers of Russian Urals crude.

Since the start of summer 2025, Russian crude imports to Turkey have averaged around 410,000 b/d, roughly 20% higher year-on-year. The reason lies as much in refinery design as in economics. Turkish refineries were built to process heavier, sour grades such as Russias Urals  a crude with a 2930 degrees API gravity and higher sulphur content than lighter Middle Eastern or U.S. grades. Urals isnt the only sour crude available in the Mediterranean market but finding a viable substitute that matches both quality and price has proven difficult. The challenge has only grown since a series of Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted operations at Russian refineries, curbing domestic throughput and pushing more Urals crude onto export routes. Russias seaborne exports have surged to 3.4 million b/d, the highest level since the spring of 2024  a wave that Turkey, among others, has eagerly absorbed. In the first week of October alone, five Russian tankers arrived from Primorsk and discharged cargoes at Turkish oil terminals.

One theoretically promising substitute is Iraqs Kirkuk crude, a heavy grade now flowing back to the market after a two-year pause. Iraq recently restarted northern exports to Turkey, potentially offering regional refiners an alternative to Russian barrels. The oil passes through the KirkukCeyhan pipeline, carrying 400,000450,000 b/d before its 2023 shutdown. Current plans call for only 190,000 b/d to be sent to Iraqs state marketer SOMO for export via Ceyhan, with an additional 50,000 b/d reserved for domestic use in the Kurdish region. But Kirkuks comeback faces challenges. SOMO intends to sell Kirkuk at the official selling prices, meaning they would be priced at a premium to Brent ($1.25 per barrel in October). Faced with difficulties in selling the first Kirkuk cargoes from Ceyhan, this might be too optimistic as reported spot prices have been more than $1 per barrel below Brent. Moreover, even if flows rise, refiners note that Kirkuks volatile quality make it a supplement, not a replacement, for Urals.

Another potential feedstock, Kazakhstans Kebco (similar in specification to Urals), is not under EU sanctions and thus commands strong demand across the Mediterranean. But that popularity carries a cost: Kebco trades at a $2.75-per-barrel premium to Dated Brent, compared with an assumed Russian Urals $7-per-barrel discount as of early October. Price alone ensures that Russian barrels remain hard to resist. While the return of Kirkuk has diminished Kebcos premium slightly, market watchers attribute the shift more to expectations of higher Urals supply than to Iraqs renewed presence. For refiners squeezed by narrow margins, Russian crude still offers the most attractive economics  even amid political risk.

Complicating the picture further is Turkeys own rising crude production. Newly discovered oilfields  ?ehit Esma Cevik (SEC) and ?ehit Aybuke Yalc?n (SAY), announced in 2022 and 2023  have lifted national production from 70,00075,000 b/d in early 2023 to 120,000125,000 b/d in 2025. Unlike Turkeys traditional output, a 12 degrees API ultra-heavy crude, the new fields produce a lighter Gabar grade of 40 degrees API, significantly improving the quality of domestic supply. But theres a catch. Turkish law prohibits the export of domestically produced crude, meaning all output must be refined at home. And since Turkish refineries are configured for heavier blends, lighter domestic oil needs to be blended with heavier grades  most conveniently, Urals. In effect, Turkeys rising production reinforces (rather than reduces) its reliance on Russian feedstock.

The new fields also carry geopolitical baggage. Both SEC and SAY are located in the restive Kurdish southeast, a region long marred by insurgency and instability. Yet production has been steady, and the oil must find its way into the domestic system  blending Turkish light and Russian heavy crudes in a marriage of necessity. Turkeys position illustrates the collision of politics, economics, and refinery configuration. Washingtons calls to curtail Russian oil imports may resonate diplomatically, but they clash with the realities of Turkeys refining infrastructure and cost structure. Alternative supplies  whether from Iraq, Kazakhstan, or the domestic market  remain either too expensive, too limited, or too light to fully displace Urals. As of early autumn, with imports above average and Russian crude still offering the best value per barrel, Ankara shows no urgency to change course. For all the political heat surrounding its choices, Turkeys energy calculus remains coldly pragmatic: in a world of heavy blends and light politics, Russian oil still fits the Turkish outlook best.

By Natalia Katona for Oilprice.com

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Drake's lawsuit against his own record label has been dismissed.

Drake's lawsuit has been dismissed

The Canadian rapper sued Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation relating to their releasing and promoting Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us but a federal judge in New York City ruled against him on Thursday (09.10.25).

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the "vitriolic war of words" used in the song during a "heated rap battle" was not defamatory and that "the reasonable listener" would not take literally Kendrick's line that referred to Drake as a certified paedophile who should be placed on neighbourhood watch.

In a ruling obtained by People magazine, the judge wrote: "Although the accusation that [Drake] is a paedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that Not Like Us imparts verifiable facts about Drake."

UMG are "pleased" with the result and vowed to continue to work with the God's Plan hitmaker in future, despite the case.

They said in a statement: "From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day."

"Were pleased with the courts dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drakes music and investing in his career."

Meanwhile, the Hotline Bling rapper plans to continue to pursue the case by launching an appeal.

His representative said: "We intend to appeal todays ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it."

UMG had previously sought to have the lawsuit dismissed by arguing Drake had "encouraged" his feud with Kendrick and having "lost a rap battle that he provoked", decided to "sue his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds."

The record label noted Not Like Us features hyperbolic insults but Drake had also used their platform to "promote tracks levelling similarly incendiary attacks" on his rival.

The filing added: Drake encouraged the feud.

"For example, when he felt that Lamar was taking too long to respond, Drake released a second recording in which he goaded Lamar to continue the public rap battle. Lamar did just that, and collectively Drake and Lamar released a total of nine tracks taking aim at each other."

The motion notes Drake was "pleased" to see UMG promote tracks that accused Kendrick of engaging in domestic abuse and "that one of Lamars business partners and managers is the true father of Lamars son."

The filing noted: "But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that Not Like Us is defamatory. It is not."
The worlds next liquefied natural gas (LNG) boom is already priced inbut according to Adnoc Gas CEO Fatema Al Nuaimi, the coming wave of supply wont crush the market. It will create it.

Speaking this week, Al Nuaimi said falling prices from the surge in new projectsmany set to come online by 2030will spur structural demand growth that sticks. When price-sensitive markets tap into the LNG market, they dont go back, she told Bloomberg. Its a bold take at a time when analysts are warning of oversupply, but it reflects a growing split in the industry between those betting on a glut and those betting on permanence.

By Al Nuaimis math, the global buildoutfrom Qatars North Field expansion to Adnocs own Ruwais project, which will more than double its export capacityis less a bubble than a foundation. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects record gas demand in 2026, led by Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as import terminals sprout from Vietnam to Kenya. Once those facilities are built, their demand is locked in.

Thats not the universal view. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne warned in September that the United States is building too many LNG plants, citing NextDecades Rio Grande and Venture Globals Plaquemines projects as symptoms of an overheated race. Yet even amid those concerns, construction continues. Louisianas Commonwealth LNG just pushed its start date to 2031 after regulatory delays, while Exxon and Chevron are expanding LNG trading desks to capture the eventual glut.

If the market does flood, Europe could emerge the biggest winner. Its long-term reliance on U.S. cargoes is deepening, and cheaper LNG could ease its post-Russian gas bill. For producers, the short-term pain of oversupply may simply be the cost of buying the next decade of demand. As Adnocs Al Nuaimi put it: once the infrastructure is in, it sticks.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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BP has won an arbitration case it brought against Venture Global, alleging that the LNG exporter had violated its long-term supply contract with the supermajor in order to make bigger profits on the spot market.

The development delivers a blow to Venture Global, which has become one of the largest exporters of liquefied natural gas in the United States in a matter of years, not least because it tapped the spot market right when demand for gas was soaring. The problem that BP and half a dozen other energy companies had with that was that they had long-term contracts with Venture Global and were not getting any deliveries.

To do that, Venture Global used a loophole that allowed it to delay the official commissioning of its liquefaction plant. This is what made it possible for the company to sell substantial amounts of LNG to spot market buyers and not deliver any volumes to its long-term clientsand funders of the facility.

Related: Oil Tankers Jam Seas as Global Glut Builds

BP, Shell, and Spains Repsol, along with two other European energy companies, were foundation buyers for the Calcasieu Pass facility, meaning they provided Venture Global with the money to build the place in Louisiana in exchange for a commitment from the company to supply them with certain volumes of LNG over a long-term period.

Naturally, this did not sit well with BP, Shell, Eni, or Repsol, all of whom took the matter to arbitration court, accusing Venture Global of making billions from the above tactics while they had to source LNG from other suppliers.

Interestingly, just two months ago, the court looking into all the arbitration cases against Venture Global found in favor of the latter against Shell. The court said Venture Global had not violated its long-term contract with the supermajor by delaying the start of cargo deliveries.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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China vowed on Friday to protect the rights and interests of Chinese companies after the U.S. unleashed on Thursday a new sanctions package on Chinese entities for importing crude oil from Iran.

The U.S. Treasury on Thursday blacklisted around 100 individuals, vessels, and companiesincluding Chinas Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group, a Shandong teapot refinery accused of buying millions of barrels of Iranian crude since 2023. Also sanctioned were the Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal at Lanshan Port, accused of handling Irans shadow fleet tankerslike the Kongm, Big Mag, and Voythat quietly move sanctioned barrels across Asia.

In response to a question from Bloomberg at Fridays regular press conference, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China will do what is necessary to ensure its energy security and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens.

China opposes unilateral illicit sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council. We urge the U.S. to abandon the wrong practice of arbitrarily resorting to sanctions, the spokesperson said.

Countries normal cooperation with Iran within the framework of international law is legitimate and justified, the official added.

Thursdays sanctions were the fourth U.S. round this year targeting China-based buyers of Iranian oil, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowing to degrade Irans cash flow by dismantling key elements of its export machine.

UAE-based and Hong Kong-based tanker operators and a number of shell companies in various jurisdictions were also sanctioned.

The sanctions would even impact Sinopec, the Chinese refining giant, as they designate the Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co. Ltd, analysts and industry executives told Reuters.

The terminal is half-owned by a logistics unit of Sinopecs and handles about a fifth of the refining giants crude oil imports, according to Reuters sources.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Greece aims to finalize by the end of the year an offshore oil and gas exploration contract with U.S. supermajor Chevron and its partner Helleniq Energy, Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said on Friday.

We are working intensively with the U.S. company and Helleniq Energy to meet the timetables and conclude the contract within 2025, Papastavrou told Greek television Action24, as carried by Reuters.

Helleniq Energy has partnered with Chevron and last month submitted a bid to participate in the Greek tender for offshore exploration and production of oil and gas in four offshore areas south of the Peloponnese peninsula and south of the island of Crete.

Greece has been looking to boost its domestic energy supply by installing renewables and boosting offshore gas exploration after the energy crisis of 2022 and the halt of Russian pipeline gas supply to most EU countries.

After the government finalizes the contract with Chevron and Helleniq Energy, the agreement will need to be approved by Greeces Parliament and a Greek court of auditors, the energy minister said.

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These approvals will be necessary before any seismic surveys can be carried out. The oil companies will then have up to five years to locate potential reserves, and any test drilling would take place no sooner than 2030, Papastavrou added.

Greece has been hoping that its waters could hold giant natural gas resources, similar to the ones discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean offshore Egypt and Israel.

In October of 2024, Greece said that a consortium led by the other U.S. supermajor, ExxonMobil, had successfully completed the first exploration phase southwest of Crete and decided to proceed with the second exploration stage. The second exploration phase is expected to last three years, and its minimum requirement pertains to completing the collection and assessment of 3D seismic data.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has initiated a process to help restore external electricity to Ukraines Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), following weeks of diplomatic engagement with both Ukraine and Russia after the facility again lost all access to the national grid.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi announced that work has begun to re-establish off-site power through repairs to the damaged 750 kV Dniprovska and 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 transmission lines. These lines, located on opposite sides of the front line, are essential for supplying the electricity needed to cool the plants six shutdown reactors and spent fuel.

The ZNPP, Europes largest nuclear facility, lost its connection to the grid on September 23 - the tenth such outage since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Since then, the plant has been relying on emergency diesel generators to power its cooling systems, a situation the IAEA has repeatedly warned is unsustainable. Currently, seven diesel generators are active and 13 are on standby.

IAEA monitors on site report that reactor and spent fuel cooling systems remain stable, with no rise in coolant temperatures and radiation levels holding normal. However, the agency continues to observe nearby military activity, including recent explosions that shook the facility and drone sightings near other Ukrainian nuclear sites, underscoring the persistent risks to nuclear safety amid the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, the IAEA continues to deliver safety and monitoring equipment to Ukrainian nuclear facilities. The latest shipment - radiation survey meters funded by the Czech Republic and Japan - marks the 159th delivery under the agencys 20 million assistance program since the conflict began.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The contribution of national energy giant Petronas to Malaysias budget is expected to crash by 38% next year, to the lowest level since 2017, amid falling oil prices.

Petronas is set to pay to Malaysia $4.7 billion (20 billion Malaysian ringgit) in 2026, down from $7.6 billion (32 billion ringgit) it is contributing this year, the Finance Ministry said in its 2026 budget on Friday.

The decline of the dividends from Petronas will be the result of expected lower Brent oil prices next year. According to Malaysias Finance Ministry,

Brent Crude prices are set to average between $60 and $65 per barrel in 2026, down from about $70 per barrel average price estimated for this year.

Last month, Petronas flagged challenging macro environment in its first-half earnings. The Malaysian national oil firm booked lower revenues and profits amid falling oil prices and a challenging macro and operational environment, which also led to a 3% decline in first-half oil and gas production.

Petronas reported a 24% decline in revenues and a 19% drop in profit after tax, due to divestments, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, and lower average realized prices from petroleum products, crude oil, and condensates following the downward trend in benchmark prices.

The national oil companys average total daily production of 2.403 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the first half of 2025 was 3.2% lower compared to the 2.482 million boepd for the same period in 2024, mainly due to lower gas production from domestic operations and lower liquid production from the international portfolio.

Petronas has been struggling to boost output in Malaysia, while the volatile and challenging macro environment in the first half of the year contributed to the lower earnings and deepened the crisis.

In June, the company announced it would reduce its total workforce by about 10%, as it navigates a polycrisis driven by global pressures, coupled with heightened challenges to unlock the full potential of its oil and gas resources in Malaysia.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Nayara Energy, operator of Indias second-largest refinery, has ramped up its oil deliveries by train as export markets shrink.

Per a Reuters report, the refiner, which is 49% owned by Russias Rosneft, has been loading between two and three trains of 50 tanker cars each every day since late August, after in July the European Union slapped individual sanctions on the company for sourcing its crude oil from Russia.

The EU measures aim to further restrict Kremlin oil revenues, much of which now flows via discounted sales to Asia. Following the sanctions, Nayara asked New Delhi for help securing compliant banking channels and shipping for both crude and products.

The sanctions sapped imports of Saudi and Iraqi crude for the Nayara Energy refinery in Vadinar, and decimated the facilitys oil supply in August. Since then, however, it appears that things have started to turn around. Nayara Energy worked with Indian banks to start paying for its supply of Russian crude in rupees rather than sanction-sensitive currencies, and it focused its attention on the domestic market instead of exports.

The company supplies more than 6,500 fuel stations in India, Bloomberg reported recently, and has started selling more to a fellow refiner, Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Nayara Energy has also started loading more crude into floating storage and using tankers under Western sanctions to export its fuels.

The Indian government is helping by providing tanker cars for the shipments and coastal vessels for transport of fuels from Nayara Energy to consumers by sea, Reuters reported today, citing unnamed sources from New Delhi and the company itself. The Modi government, according to these sources, is careful with what and how much help it provides as trade talks with the U.S. continue and the threat of more U.S. action against India remains in the air.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Keira Knightley was "crunched up against" her co-stars while filming The Woman in Cabin 10.

Keira Knightley stars in the new film

The 40-year-old actress stars alongside the likes of Guy Pearce, Art Malik, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings and Hannah Waddingham in the new psychological thriller film, but Keira never imagined that filming onboard a boat would be so challenging.

She explained to People: "Because the boat was so expensive, we weren't allowed to touch any of the walls, we weren't allowed to walk on any of the carpets, we weren't allowed to sit on anything, we weren't allowed to lean on anything.

"So we really were all, for 12 hours a day  because we weren't allowed on and off either  crunched up against each other. So it wasn't quite the luxury that I'd been envisaging in my head."

Guy, 58, also found shooting the film to be a challenging experience.

The actor explained: "We couldn't really experience or enjoy the yacht as one might because we had a whole film crew with us, and the crew of the yacht were obviously very concerned about the wellbeing and the welfare of the yacht. So there was sort of restricted areas we could go and things we could sit on and we couldn't sit on."

Keira has previously enjoyed huge success with period dramas, but the actress is now in a new phase of her career and she's actively seeking fresh challenges.

Keira explained that she particularly enjoyed working on Black Doves, the spy action thriller series that also starred Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire.

Asked if she could be tempted back to period dramas, she recently told British Vogue: "I love that genre. I love history and trying to reimagine it. But, I have done a lot of them, so I dont like repeating myself. It has to be a character I havent played before.

"Right now, Im looking for stuff thats really entertaining, these proper genre thrillers, and thats what Ive loved about Black Doves. Its like, youre going to come home from a difficult day at the office, make yourself a drink and just think, 'Whats going to happen next?'"
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

The Portland ICE protests are claimed to be peaceful, which betray the dozens of arrests and disturbances occurring there.

We noticed a lot of messages calling or celebrating violence. The Taxpayers Association of Oregon noticed five different depictions of Charlie Kirk being murdered.

Consider this with the other violent messages that we documented.

Here are few more vile illustrations cheering Charlie Kirks death. Many are on street signs or traffic poles.

We did this graphic comparing the images and headline of the media verses what we saw on the same weekend.

Remember, ICE attacks are up across the nation:

.

 Was this helpful? If so, contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
Six bad ballot measures up for vote: Measure 36-237, Measure 3-630, Measure 3-626, Measure 3-629, Measure 15-238, Measure 26-260

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

 75% tax hike!!!!! Portland Park levy Measure 26-260: Its a 75% Tax Hike, Not a Renewal. This isnt a simple renewalit explodes your parks tax from 80 cents to $1.40 per $1,000 of home value. The average homeowner will pay more than $300 annually in new taxesmoney that could pay for groceries or gas. Families in large numbers have moved out of Portland because it is too expensive to raise a family here. Dont make it worse. No on Measure 26-260.

 18% hotel tax hike!!! Jackson County transient lodging tax increase from 11% to 13%  Measure 15-238. This is the SECOND lodging tax increase and it is hurting hotels. The more you raise room costs through higher taxes, the less tourists youll have. No on Measure 15-238.

 Near $200 million for shrinking school. West Linn-Wilsonville $190 million school bailout bond Measure 3-629: The district is cutting $15 million from its budget and firing staff because fewer students are enrolled. Yet theyre asking taxpayers for a massive $190 million bond. This makes no sense. Why should taxpayers approve nearly $200 million in new debt for a district that cant balance its daily budget? No on Measure 3-629.

 $50 million for luxury pool, gym, recreation center, more. Happy Valleys $50 million (unnecessary) luxury recreation center  Measure 3-626: Happy Valley wants you to pay for a $50 million community center. Its a terrible deal for taxpayers. A recreation center with a pool and gym is a luxury, not essential like police or roads. In this economy, we cannot afford luxuries. Forcing every property owner to pay decades of debt for a non-essential project is wrong. The city has already saved over $20 million for this project, proving they have other options. They should use private partnerships and user fees, not a mandatory property tax. Even worse, this creates a huge hidden cost. The $50 million bond only pays to build it. It provides ZERO money to run itno staff, no utilities, no maintenance. No on Measure 3-626.

 $100 million for luxury pool, recreation center, library, parks. McMinnvilles $98 million (blank check) bond Measure 36-237: The City of McMinnville wants nearly $100 million for a new pool and recreation centerwhich are luxuries, not essential city services. In this economy, we cannot afford luxuries. The city bundled this with routine maintenance for the library and parksitems that should be paid for through normal yearly budgeting. No on Measure 36-237.

 Oregon Trail School District (over-the-top) $172 million school bond Measure 3-630. Oregon Trail School District wants homeowners to pay a massive $172.2 million bond that costs too much and uses a classic government sales pitch. This bond will hit property owners with a new tax of $1.12 per $1,000 of assessed value. For an average home, thats an extra $323 every year in property taxes. To sell this tax hike, theyre dangling a $6.1 million matching grant from the state. Dont fall for it. That matching grant isnt free moneyits your own state tax dollars being used to bribe you into approving a much bigger local tax increase. Youre being asked to tax yourself $172.2 million locally just to get $6.1 million of your own money back from the state. Thats a terrible deal. No on Measure 3-630.

Follow this website to keep up to date on news regarding Oregon local ballot Measure 36-237, Measure 3-630, Measure 3-626, Measure 3-629, Measure 15-238, Measure 26-260.

 Was this helpful? If so, contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
You generally cant go wrong taking the time to read a District Court judges ruling. That holds for Judge Karin Immerguts decision in Oregon v Trump. Read it like Elizabeth Warren was the President of the United States, and you might appreciate why Trump appointed the likes of Immergut.

Under 10 U.S.C.  12406, the President may federalize National Guard service members if: (1) the United States, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions, is invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation; (2) there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or (3) the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States

Plaintiffs provide 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, 2025. The record evidence establishes that while disruption outside the Portland ICE facility peaked in June of 2025, federal and local law enforcement officers were able to quell . . . the disorder. As of September 27, 2025, it had been months since there was any sustained level of violent or disruptive protest activity in Portland. During this time frame, there were sporadic events requiring either PPB monitoring or federal law enforcement intervention, but overall, the protests were small and uneventful.

This deployment of additional federal law enforcement officers reduced the level of disorder between June and September to the point that in the immediate days leading up to the federalization order, around twenty or fewer protesters gathered outside the ICE Facility and FPS indicated no issues or criminal reports. On September 26, the eve of the Presidents directive, law enforcement observed approximately 815 people at any given time out front of ICE. Mostly sitting in lawn chairs and walking around. Energy was low, minimal activity. It is clear that the regular forces, i.e. FPS and additional federal law enforcement, were able to execute the laws of the United States.

The key fact in this case is not whether or not there has been substantial violence by protestors at the Portland ICE facility. There undisputably was. However, federal civilian law enforcement was able to quell that violence. Since federal power will eventually swing in a progressive direction, you dont want the willy-nilly use of military force to become normalized.

Eric Shierman lives in Salem and is the author of We were winning when I was there.
Victoria Beckham believes talking about her problems in therapy is "really healthy".

Victoria Beckham has opened up about having therapy

The Spice Girls star has revealed she's"happy" to be honest about having sought professional help over the years and admitted seeing a counsellor has given her the tools she needs to encourage her children to communicate properly.

She told The Sun newspaper: "Yes, I've had therapy. I think its really healthy. Its something thats so acceptable and positive to talk about out now.

"I'm happy to say Ive had it. And the way weve brought up our kids is all about communication. Its good to talk."

Victoria went on to reveal she and her husband David - who are parents to four children together - try to gather their family together every night for dinner and they ban phones in a bid to encourage conversation.

She said: "As a family we try to have dinner together every night - its phones down and: 'What has everyone done today?Just making sure that its a safe forum for everybody to be honest and talk and laugh.

"Were so much more aware of mental health these days, which is just so healthy."

Victoria has opened up about her life in the spotlight for her new self-titled Netflix documentary and she has compared talking about her past to therapy as it felt healing to relive old memories.

She added to the publication: "Doing the [Netflix] show was like therapy. It was emotional at times.

"There are certain things your mind has the amazing ability to forget because there were triggering things along the way.

"I went into this saying I didnt want to talk about the Spice Girls because Ive spent 20 years building this fashion brand. So Im mindful Ive been fighting these preconceptions that Im just a celebrity face for 20 years.

"Only now do I feel Ive earned my right to show in Paris. Now I can reflect and talk without worrying its going to affect my brand. I finally feel I dont have anything to prove to anyone. I am enough."

In the documentary, Victoria opens up about her battle with an eating disorder - candidly admitting she became "very good at lying" about her health troubles, which she hid from her family.

In the documentary, Victoria shares: "When you have an eating disorder you become very good at lying and I was never honest about it with my parents.

"I never talked about it publicly. It really affects you when youre being told constantly that youre not good enough and I suppose thats been with me my whole life."
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A male harp seal makes his way down the sands of Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown, R.I., after being release by Mystic Aquarium's Marine Animal Rescue Team on April 23, 2015. Credit: Sean D. Elliot/The Day via AP, File

Arctic seals are being pushed closer to extinction by climate change and more than half of bird species around the world are declining under pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion, according to an annual assessment from the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

One bright spot is green sea turtles, which have recovered substantially thanks to decades of conservation efforts, the IUCN said Friday as it released its latest Red List of Threatened Species.

While many animals are increasingly at risk of disappearing forever, the updated list shows how species can come back from the brink with dedicated effort, Rima Jabado, deputy chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, told The Associated Press.

"Hope and concern go hand in hand in this work," Jabado wrote by email. "The same persistence that brought back the green sea turtle can be mirrored in small, everyday actionssupporting sustainable choices, backing conservation initiatives, and urging leaders to follow through on their environmental promises."

The list is updated every year by teams of scientists assessing data on creatures around the world. The scope of the work is enormous and important for science, said Andrew Farnsworth, a visiting scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology who studies bird migration and wasn't involved with the IUCN report.

"Every time one is done and every time there's revision, there's more information, and there's more ability to answer questions" on species, some of which are still largely a mystery to researchers, Farnsworth said.

A hooded seal is released March 30, 2008, by the University of New England's Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center in Biddeford, Maine. Credit: AP Photo/Joel Page, File

Sea ice loss

Because all the marine mammals native to the Arcticseals, whales and polar bearsrely on the habitat provided by sea ice, they're all at risk as it diminishes because of human-caused climate change, said Kit Kovacs, co-chair of IUCN's Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group, which focuses on seals.

The three species highlighted in the latest IUCN reportharp, hooded and bearded sealshave been moved up to a designation of greater concern in the latest update, indicating they are increasingly threatened by extinction, Kovacs said.

The same melting of glaciers and sea ice destroying seal habitats also "generally will bring escalation in extreme weather events, which are already impacting people around the globe," wrote Kovacs.

"Acting to help seals is acting to help humanity when it comes to climate change," Kovacs said.

A Pacific green sea turtle swims near Fernandina Island, Ecuador in the Galapagos on June 8, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Alie Skowronski, File

Global bird decline

The update also highlighted Madagascar, West Africa and Central America, where Schlegel's asity, the black-casqued hornbill and the tail-bobbing northern nightingale-wren were all moved to near-threatened status. Those are three specific birds in trouble, but numbers are dropping for around three-fifths of birds globally.

Deforestation of tropical forests is one of a "depressing litany of threats" to birds, a list that includes agricultural expansion and intensification, competition from invasive species and climate change, said Stuart Butchart, chief scientist at BirdLife International.

"The fact that 61% of the world's birds are declining is an alarm bell that we can't afford to ignore," Butchart said.

The annual U.N. climate summit will be held in November in Belem, Brazil, with much attention on the Amazon and the value of tropical forests to humans and animals. But Farnsworth, of Cornell, said he was "not so confident" that world's leaders would take decisive action to protect imperiled bird species.

"I would like to think things like birds are nonpartisan, and you can find common ground," he said. "But it's not easy."

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) make their way into the ocean upon their release at Kuta beach, Bali, Indonesia, Jan. 8, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File

Researchers from the Aruana Project measure a green sea turtle after capturing it temporarily at a feeding site on Itaipu Beach in Niteroi, Brazil, May 24, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File

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Green sea turtles

One success story is the rebound of green sea turtles in many parts of the world's oceans. Experts see that as a bright spot because it shows how effective human interventions, like legal protections and conservation programs, can be.

Still, "it's important to note that conservation efforts of sea turtles can take decades before you realize the fruits of that labor," said Justin Perrault, vice president of research at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, who wasn't involved with the IUCN report.

The overall success with green sea turtles should be celebrated and used as an example with other species, some of which, like hawksbills and leatherbacks, aren't doing nearly as well, said Nicolas Pilcher, executive director of the Marine Research Foundation.

And even for green sea turtles, areas still remain where climate change and other factors like erosion are damaging habitats, Pilcher said, and some of those are poorer communities that receive less conservation funding.

But in the places where they have recovered, it's "a great story of, actually, we can do something about this," Pilcher said. "We can. We can make a difference."

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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The photo was taken in early May of 2023, about 10 years after this patch of forest in Yosemite National Park burned in the 2013 Rim Fire. Photo by Robert Wilkerson. Credit: Robert Wilkerson

Researchers have found that low to moderate-severity fires not only benefit many bird species in the Sierra Nevada, but these benefits may persist for decades. In addition to a handful of bird species already known to be "post-fire specialists," a broad variety of other more generalist species, like Dark-eyed Juncos and Mountain Chickadees, clearly benefited from wildfire.

This research will help land managers make decisions about how to manage forests and fires as they face a changing fire regime.

In the study, published in the journal Fire Ecology, researchers from The Institute for Bird Populations, the National Park Service, and UCLA examined bird monitoring data spanning two decades from Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks for 42 species, and high-resolution fire history data for up to 35 years before the collection of the bird data.

They found that 28 of the 42 bird species had higher population densities in areas that had been burned, and for most of these species, population densities remained higher for decades after the fire. The positive effect of fire lasted for at least 35 years for 11 species. Only five of the 42 species showed negative (one species) or mixed effects (four species) of fire on population density.

In the last few decades, the fire regime in the Sierra Nevada has been changing. Historically, fires in the region were more frequent, low and mixed-severity fires often managed by Indigenous people. These fires helped maintain forests dominated by larger, older trees with more open understories. After the 1870s, settlers ended Indigenous cultural burning practices and began suppressing naturally occurring fires.

More recently, a warmer climate, increased drought, and the accumulation of fuel due to this fire suppression have increased the extent and frequency of high-severity fire on the Sierra landscape.

Now, forest managers throughout much of the region are using controlled burns and other fuel reduction techniques to try to stall the current trend toward large, high-severity fires, sometimes referred to as "megafires."

The benefits of certain types of fire for wildlife are increasingly recognized, but lead author Dr. Chris Ray, of The Institute for Bird Populations, said the researchers were most surprised by how long fire affected bird abundance.

"Given the effects of fire on the nature and structure of bird habitats, and the long post-fire process of vegetative succession, maybe it's not too surprising that birds are responding to fires for so long," says Ray.

"But even low-severity burns had lasting effects on some species: for example, Western Tanager and Hermit Warbler were much more abundant at points that had experienced a low-severity burn 35 years ago than at points that never burned in the previous 35 years."

Ray emphasizes that 97.5% of the study's sampling locations in burned areas were in low to moderate severity burns.

"Our results don't necessarily apply to the very large and high-severity fires that have been occurring more often in these landscapes in recent years," she notes.

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Likewise, the 42 bird species included in this study were relatively common ones, so "these results don't necessarily apply to some of the species that are rare in these landscapes, because we couldn't apply our data-hungry statistical models to species that we didn't observe very often."

These results suggest that managing forests to create a mosaic of fire return intervals and burn severities, also known as "pyrodiversity," should benefit the majority of the birds in the forest.

Ray notes that there was a strong trend toward more positive effects in burns of moderate severity, compared with burns of low severity. "Land managers might be heartened to hear that many birds might benefit even from burns that aren't all low-severity," says Ray.

More information: Fire gives avian populations a rapid and enduring boost in protected forests of California, Fire Ecology (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s42408-025-00402-2

Provided by The Institute for Bird Populations
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A California physicist and Nobel laureate who laid the foundation for quantum computing isn't done working.

For the last 40 years, John Martinis has workedmostly within Californiato create the fastest computers ever built.

"It's kind of my professional dream to do this by the time I'm really too old to retire. I should retire now, but I'm not doing that," the now 67-year-old said.

Born and raised in San Pedro, Martinis said his California high school teachers influenced him to pursue his career. A physics teacher got him interested in the topic, he said, and a math teacher taught him rigor, work ethic and organization.

"I think before then I'd just write down the solution" rather than showing his process, he joked in an interview with The Times.

As an undergraduate senior at UC Berkeley in the 1980s, he met John Clarke, a British physicist and professor who would become his graduate advisor, and Michel Devoret, a French physicist who worked with him as a postdoctoral researcher.

"This was a fantastic experience, to be mentored by two wonderful people," he said during a news conference Tuesday at UC Santa Barbara, where he works as a professor. "I learned so much from them that, through my whole career, I was kind of trying to re-create that spirit that we had in there."

Martinis was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in physics, alongside Clarke and Devoret, for his doctoral project, a series of experiments in the mid-1980s that proved quantum tunneling was possible with large objects, which became the basis for the development of quantum computers as well as much of the current research in that field.

Both Clarke and Devoret are based in the U.S. and associated with the University of California systemClarke as a professor emeritus at Berkeley and Devoret as a professor at UC Santa Barbara.

"I loved Berkeley. It was great to be taught by these really amazing professors," Martinis said, noting the university's cutting-edge facilities that supported the experiments. "As a student, I could focus on just being a good scientist."

Martinis went on to do a postdoctoral fellowship in France, then returned stateside to Boulder, Colo., where he worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a U.S. government lab. In 2008, he moved back to California to work at UC Santa Barbara as a professor, and in 2014, Google hired him and Devoret to create an experimental quantum processor faster than any human supercomputerwhich his team completed five years later.

"It really was all this basic research we did for decades that enabled this to happen and enabled us to have a vision ... to build this thing," Martinis said.

He chose UC Santa Barbara as a workplace not just because of the great location and weather, but also for its advanced facilities and community. Researchers from other disciplinessuch as engineers and materials scientists who build semiconductorsare able to freely communicate and collaborate with his team.

"Working with talented and friendly people at the university is really special," he said. "You can actually get things done."

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Martinis said he has enjoyed hearing back from former students who have reached out to celebrate his award. Speaking to students years after they take his classes and grasp the effect on their lives has been refreshing. His work over the years has spawned an industry that created thousands of well-paying jobs for people across the country, he said.

He praised the UC system for its culture and collaboration with the private sector and government, but said that research and development for quantum computers in the U.S. must urgently speed up if we expect to see it in our lifetimes.

After leaving Google in 2020, Martinis co-founded his private company, QoLab, in 2022 with a belief that advanced semiconductor chips are the path to achieving usable quantum computers. The company has begun collaborating with other startup companies and academic groups involved in semiconductor production, he said.

"I think this collaborative model is going to be more fruitful because we really get a lot of interesting ideas," Martinis said. "We have a lot to catch up on. But it's a very good atmosphere to invent things."

2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Primary caregivers of children and adolescents say that broad outreach, easy enrollment, and low financial barriers are among key ways to improve access to out-of-school-time (enrichment and recreational) activities in urban, under-resourced communities, new research finds.

The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Maternal and Child Health, highlight the importance of parent and guardian input to boost equitable access to these activities, which they see as playing a crucial role in supporting the healthy development and well-being of children who often lack access to these resources.

Participants that the researchers interviewed recognized the value of the recreational and enrichment activities that encourage children to stay active, build confidence and strengthen family and community connections, said study lead Dr. Jaime La Charite, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

But participants also pointed out the challenges these families face in accessing these programs, she said. These include a lack of information about available programs, confusing sign-up processes or capacity limits, and the high cost of participating in some activities.

The caregivers' practical suggestions provide new insights into what organizations can do to help families take advantage of available low-cost programs for their children, La Charite said.

In addition, families felt that not all programs offered consistent quality, varying in how safe, inclusive, and enjoyable they were for their children.

"This is the first study we are aware of that asks parents and guardians in urban, under-resourced communities what they consider to be high-quality programming and what they recommend organizations do to achieve it," La Charite said.

"These findings suggest that enrichment and recreational programs may be powerful tools for improving child health, their future success, and the well-being of both children and their families. However, too many families especially in under-resourced communities cannot access these high-quality opportunities.

"This is especially urgent now, as the federal COVID-era Elementary and Secondary Education Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding ended, causing some after-school programs to shut down."

"The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is proud to support UCLA Health's commitment to equitable access and family-centered research," said Nichol Whiteman, the Foundation's CEO.

"This study amplifies the voices of parents and caregivers in under-resourced communitiesoffering actionable solutions to ensure all youth can thrive through recreation and enrichment."

The researchers recruited 34 parents and guardians of children ages six to 17 from low-income, mostly Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities in East and South Los Angeles County. Participants were recruited via urban parks and recreation centers, as well as local community organizations. Interviews were evenly split between English and Spanish.

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Three key themes emerged from these interviews:

The value of these activities to promote lifelong healthy living and well-being for children, families and their communities.

Recognizing the barriers that block youths' participation as well as ways that could improve equitable access to them.

Activities that support physical and psychological safety, promote an inclusive environment for children from diverse backgrounds or with special needs, and offer a range of developmentally appropriate activities were considered high-quality programming.

Among the strategies the caregivers suggested to boost participation and quality were broad outreach to their communities to make up for a lack of knowledge about available programs, structural investments in programming, facilities, and staff/volunteer training, and family engagement.

The researchers acknowledge some limitations to the findings. These include recruitment being limited to one urban county, participation being restricted to only caregivers proficient in English and Spanish, and an inability to achieve cultural congruence to participants identifying as Black or African American.

"The next steps are to explore if participants' suggestions are applicable to other communities across the country, developing tools to help organizations gather and act on family feedback to improve access to and quality of their programs, and testing whether implementing caregiver-informed strategies increases participation and improves outcomes," La Charite said.

As a first step, the study team is sharing the findings with local community partners to improve programming in the Los Angeles area, such as with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.

"This insightful study underscores one of our priority goals to improve the physical, mental and social well-being of youth with free and impactful programs at safe park locations," said Norma Garcia-Gonzalez, director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation.

"We focus several of our LA County Parks youth programs on those critical, afterschool hours when an adult caregiver is not at home."

More information: Jaime La Charite et al, Enhancing Equity in Access and Quality of Youth Out-of-School-Time Recreational Activities: Perspectives from Primary Caregivers and Parents in Under-resourced Urban Communities Using Semi-structured Interviews, Maternal and Child Health Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10995-025-04179-3
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A causal diagram illustrating overcontrol bias. Arrows order variables in time and show possible direct causal effects. Notes: The dashed line indicates an association that appears due to conditioning on a collider. Black dots represent observed variables while empty circles indicate unobserved variables. A box represents conditioning (e.g., controlling this variable by including it in a regression framework). Credit: European Sociological Review (2025). DOI: 10.1093/esr/jcaf038

Many survey-based studies have been conducted to try to understand how happiness changes over a person's lifetime. While there have been a few different outcomes, the most common has been the U-shaped curve. This pattern indicates that, on average, people are happier at the beginning of adulthood, they experience a dip during midlife (the so-called "midlife crisis"), and happiness then increases again in old age. Yet, other similar studies have reported inconsistent patternssteady happiness throughout life, steady increases, steady decreases or even inverse U-shapes.

Now, Fabian Kratz and Josef Bruderl from Ludwig the Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, argue that the widely reported U-shape is largely an artifact of methodological biases, instead of a robust empirical pattern. Their study, recently published in European Sociological Review, describes a different pattern, in which happiness declines slowly through adulthood, slightly increases in the early 60s (or the "golden ages"), then declines steeply in old age.

Initially, the team sought to find an explanation for the variance among studies in happiness versus age patterns and to determine a set of "best practices" for working with these kinds of studies. They used survey data from the long-term German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), taken from 1984 to 2017.

They say, "The social sciences have faced a challenge regarding the replication of research findings, raising concerns about the credibility of results. An illustrative case pertains to research on age-related changes in subjective well-being (SWB)."

In an attempt to remedy this problem, they decided to take a different route than their predecessors. "This study aims to demonstrate how insights from the modern causal inference literature can help explain the contradictory findings in this research field. We use these insights to develop a theoretically informed and empirically validated research design, to which we refer as the 'best-practice design.'"

Predicted agehappiness trajectories [including 95 per cent-confidence interval (CIs)] resulting from different model specifications. Credit: European Sociological Review (2025). DOI: 10.1093/esr/jcaf038

Their work involves identifying a set of common biases, including things like social desirability, in which participants report higher happiness levels due to societal expectations. Survivorship bias is another common problem in these studies. As people get older, those that are unhappy tend to have more health issues or may die by suicide, leaving the healthier and happier people to continue filling out surveys, and thus creating the upward happiness trend in late life.

The team also wanted to avoid overcontrol, by not controlling mediators like health or employment. They say, "Overcontrol occurs when analysts control for mediating variablesi.e., variables caused by age that also affect SWB. A growing body of causal inference literature clearly demonstrates that controlling for mediating mechanisms distorts estimates of total causal effects. The rationale is clear: including such variables distorts the causal effect by explaining away part of its mechanism."

To prove that these biases lead to the results from prior studies, the team also replicated older results using different combinations of biases and what they believe were misspecifications of data. They say the U-shape is a common result of these designs.

Finally, their improved best-practice design results in the steep decline of happiness after the late-60s. They also find no evidence for the midlife crisis.

"Overall, our findings do not support the notion of a U-curve, at least not in the sense in which it is often conceived. There is no basis for concluding that people in old age become happier again. Even the small increase during the golden ages can hardly be interpreted as evidence of a U-curve, since SWB remains well below happiness levels in the 20s, and the sharp decline follows immediately. Furthermore, we would argue that the dip in happiness around age 58 can hardly be interpreted as an indication of a midlife crisis, since the decline in happiness is gradual throughout adulthood," the authors write.

Still, there is no definitive, objective way to measure happiness. Subjective reports may be unreliable, and even if they are not, happiness over a lifetime can also vary by culture and location. The study authors note these limitations, as their data is only based on German surveys. They also note that compositional variables or contextual factors may not be fully captured.

Written for you by our author Krystal Kasal, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Fabian Kratz et al, Assessing age trajectories (of subjective well-being): clarifying estimands, identification assumptions, and estimation strategies, European Sociological Review (2025). DOI: 10.1093/esr/jcaf038

 2025 Science X Network
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Cold air flows down on a warm day. Tsanteleina Glacier, northwestern Italy. Credit: Thomas Shaw | ISTA

Glaciers are fighting back against climate change by cooling the air that touches their surfaces. But for how long? The Pellicciotti group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has compiled and re-analyzed an unprecedented dataset of on-glacier observations worldwide. Their findings, published today in Nature Climate Change, demonstrate that glaciers will likely reach the peak of their self-cooling power by the next decade before their near-surface temperatures spike up and melting accelerates.

Thomas Shaw keeps a vivid memory of this special summer day in August 2022. The postdoctoral researcher in Francesca Pellicciotti's group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) was in the Swiss Alps, with a blue sky and a pleasant temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. Except that he was on top of the Glacier de Corbassiere, at an altitude of 2,600 meters, collecting data about the glacier's health.

While ambient temperatures have been increasing steadily worldwide, the near-surface temperatures of glaciers seem to be lagging behind. The massive Himalayan glaciers are even blowing cold winds down their slopes in an attempt to cool themselves and preserve their ecosystems. Yet, this strange effect is far from being an indicator of the glaciers' long-term stability.

A new study led by Shaw demonstrates that this reaction of glaciers is likely to reach its peak in the 2030s. "The more the climate warms, the more it will trigger the glaciers to cool their own microclimate and local environments downvalley," says Shaw. "But this effect will not last long, and a trend shift will ensue before the middle of the century." From then on, the glaciers' melting and fragmentation due to human-caused climate change will intensify, and their near-surface temperatures will rise more rapidly, hastening their decline.

The melting Pasterze Glacier, Austria. Drone footage over the glacier. Research on katabatic winds was conducted there in the 1990s. Credit: Thomas Shaw | ISTA

Large glaciers and cold winds

It takes a tremendous effort to understand local climate effects in some of the world's remotest areas and map their evolution on a global scale. Often, on-site data is simply lacking. This poses a challenge to the precision of computational models which simulate the climate's detailed evolution. When Pellicciotti and her collaborators first saw the data collected at a 5000-meter-high climate station on the slopes of Mount Everest, they could hardly believe their eyes.

"Upon examining the data thoroughly, we understood that the glaciers were reacting to the warming air in summer by intensifying their temperature exchange at the surface," Pellicciotti says. Due to the sheer size of the Himalayan glaciers, this results in the cooling of large air masses in direct contact with the glacier surfaces. "These large, dense cold air masses then flow down the slopes with the effect of gravity in a phenomenon called 'katabatic winds.'" Other large glaciers around the world behave similarly.

Scientists going out of their way

Now, Shaw sought to develop a robust global model that overcomes the limitations of data scarcity. He developed a new method to estimate how long glaciers would continue to absorb the climate shock worldwide.

"We compiled data from past and recent projects across our research group, pooled them with all published data, and reached out to other researchers to request that they share with us their unpublished data," says Shaw. "Using this unprecedented dataset, we reassessed the physical processes to find generalizable aspects and developed a statistical framework that can give us a glimpse into the evolution of glacier cooling worldwide."

Installing a station on the Glacier de Corbassiere, Swiss Alps. ISTA researcher Thomas Shaw looking upward to the Grand Combin. Credit: Pascal Buri

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Peak cooling

Shaw and the team compiled an inventory of hourly data from 350 weather stations located on 62 glaciers worldwide, representing a total of 169 summer-long measurement campaigns. They specifically examined the ratio of near-surface temperature to ambient, non-glacier temperature right above each station and analyzed it over space and time.

"We call the difference in temperature 'decoupling,' because it seems at odds with the warming of ambient temperatures," says Shaw. They showed that, on average, the near-surface temperature on mountain glaciers worldwide warmed 0.83 degrees Celsius for every degree rise in ambient temperature.

They also investigated the glacier properties most likely to limit the decoupling effect, such as the presence of a debris mantle on the lower part of a glacier, and refined their model with this information. By modeling future projections, they demonstrated that this cooling effect will peak between the 2020s and 2040s, before the glaciers' steady mass loss leads to their large-scale retreat, reversing the cooling trend.

"By then, the worn-out and considerably degraded glaciers will 'recouple' to the steadily warming atmosphere, sealing their fate," says Shaw.

Accepting the loss and coordinating future actions

While the projection paints a bleak future for the world's majestic water towers, there are pragmatic consequences if the current trend continues. "Knowing that the glaciers' self-cooling will continue a little longer could buy us some extra time to optimize our water management plans over the next decades," says Shaw.

However, the team is fully aware that they can neither salvage nor recover the world's mountain glaciers. "We must accept the committed ice loss and put our full efforts into limiting further climatic warming rather than into ineffective geo-engineering strategies such as seeding clouds and covering glaciers. These are like putting an expensive Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The coming decades are a time for reflection, effective water management, and action to change public consciousness about human-caused climate change."

The researchers further underline the need for coordinated global climate policies to drastically reduce emissions and safeguard human life on Earth from the unforeseeable effects of global warming. "Every bit of a degree counts," says Shaw, echoing the words that scientists have been stressing for decades.

More information: Thomas E. Shaw et al, Mountain glaciers recouple to atmospheric warming over the twenty-first century, Nature Climate Change (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41558-025-02449-0 Journal information: Nature Climate Change
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European Space Agency director Josef Aschbacher is calling on Europe to pay up to compete in a booming space economy.

Europe must quickly get its own reusable rocket launcher to catch up to billionaire Elon Musk's dominant SpaceX, European Space Agency director Josef Aschbacher told AFP in an interview.

While the US company has an overwhelming lead in the booming space launch industry, a series of setbacks, including Russia's withdrawal of its rockets, left Europe without an independent way to blast its missions into space.

That year-long hiatus ended with the first launch of Europe's much-delayed Ariane 6 rocket in July 2024. But the system is not reusable, unlike SpaceX's Falcon 9 workhorse.

"We have to really catch up and make sure that we come to the market with a reusable launcher relatively fast," Aschbacher said at AFP's headquarters in Paris.

"We are on the right path" to getting this done, he added, ahead of the ESA's ministerial council in the German city of Bremen next month.

'Paradigm shift'

The ESA has already announced a shortlist of five European aerospace companies bidding to build the continent's first reusable rocket launch system.

That number will eventually be narrowed down to two, or even one, Aschbacher said.

"Ariane 6 is an excellent rocketit's very precise," Aschbacher said. "We have now had three launches," with two more expected before the year's end, he added.

Despite finally getting Ariane 6 and the new, smaller Vega C launcher off the ground, the ESA has decided on a "paradigm shift," Aschbacher said.

Europe's Ariane 6 rocket blasted off on its first commercial in March but the launcher has been criticized for not being reusable.

"The next generation of launchers will be very different," he told AFP.

When Ariane 6 was being planned more than a decade ago, reusability was not considered worth the extra cost and time.

But it has come under criticism when compared to the relatively cheap, reusable Falcon 9, which has completed well over 100 launches this year alone.

So the ESA has decided to emulate NASA, which also used to develop its own rockets but now outsources its launches to private companies such as SpaceX or Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin.

A European Starlink?

Many of the Falcon 9 flights have carried the more than 8,000 satellites that make up Musk's Starlink internet network into space.

The European Union is planning to create its own internet satellite constellation called IRIS2, scheduled to become operational in 2030.

"Europe needs it absolutely urgently," Aschbacher said.

"We have to make sure that we have the rockets to bring our satellites to space."

He stressed that IRIS2 would be "very different" from Starlink, with fewer satellites, while focusing more on "secure communication."

Aschbacher said Europe is 'on the right path' to get a reusable rocket to catch up with Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The constellation will mark a technological leap forward, even though Europe sometimes lags "a few years behind" its competitors, Aschbacher said.

Aschbacher noted that the EU's navigation satellite system Galileo and Earth observation program Copernicus started out 10 to 15 years behind US competitors GPS and Landsat.

Now both EU programs are "the best in the world," he said.

Aschbacher lamented that European public investment in space is declining, even as the global space economy grows.

He called for "very strong financial engagement" from the ESA's 23 member states, which includes the United Kingdom, at next month's ministerial council.

Impact of Trump cuts?

In the United States, President Donald Trump's administration has proposed slashing NASA's budget, signaling it wants to cancel the joint Mars Sample Return mission with the ESA.

If the cuts go ahead, Aschbacher said, they could also affect shared missions such as the use of the International Space Station and the Artemis program to put astronauts back on the moon, he said.

The three ESA missions most likely to be affected are the EnVision mission to Venus, LISA gravitational wave observatory and NewAthena X-ray telescope, Aschbacher said.

However, Europe intends to complete these "flagship missions" even if the United States pulls outperhaps by bringing in other partners, he added.

Aschbacher also said there had been "interest from our colleagues in the United States" in applying for jobs at the ESA.

 2025 AFP
Senior CPC official attends celebrations marking WPK's founding anniversary

Xinhua) 08:37, October 10, 2025

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attends a reception held at the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Beijing, capital of China, to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Cai Qi on Thursday attended a reception held at the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Beijing to celebrate the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).

Cai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, extended congratulations to the WPK on behalf of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee. Cai said that the WPK has a glorious, long-standing revolutionary tradition, and that the socialist cause of the DPRK has shown new vitality and vigor under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Un.

China firmly supports the WPK and the DPRK people in following a development path suited to their national conditions, Cai said. China is willing to work with the DPRK to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, strengthen strategic communication, deepen exchange and mutual learning, expand practical cooperation, write a new chapter in China-DPRK relations in the new era, and make positive contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

DPRK Ambassador to China Ri Ryong Nam said that the DPRK is willing to work with China to steadfastly consolidate and strengthen the traditional DPRK-China friendship, and to promote the development of bilateral relations from a new height.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Victoria Beckham believes good communication is key to parenting and family life.

Victoria Beckham says open family communication is key

The fashion designer and former Spice Girl, 51, says she and husband David Beckham, 50, make a point of having dinner together every night - with phones put away - to encourage honest conversations.

She told The Sun: As a family, we try to have dinner together every night - its phones down and, What has everyone done today? Just making sure that its a safe forum for everybody to be honest and talk and laugh.

Victoria added: The way weve brought up our kids is all about communication. Its good to talk.

Victoria has also been open about her own mental health journey, sharing that she has had therapy over the years.

She said: Yes, Ive had therapy. I think its really healthy. Its something thats so acceptable and positive to talk about now. Im happy to say Ive had it.

The couple have four children: Brooklyn, 26; Romeo, 23; Cruz, 20; and Harper Seven, 14.

However, recent reports suggest tension between Victoria and David and their eldest son Brooklyn, who is married to American actress Nicola Peltz, 30. Brooklyn has been noticeably absent from some family events, sparking speculation of a rift.

The strain is believed to have started around Brooklyns wedding, although both Victoria and Nicola previously dismissed any claims of a feud.

Despite the rumours, Victoria continues to emphasise the importance of family communication and mental health awareness.

She said: Were so much more aware of mental health these days, which is just so healthy.

Victoria's new self-titled Netflix documentary also sees her opening up about life in the spotlight, which she compares to therapy, saying it felt healing to relive old memories.

She said: ""Doing the [Netflix] show was like therapy. It was emotional at times. There are certain things your mind has the amazing ability to forget because there were triggering things along the way."
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Simulated images of the supermassive black hole M87*. Left panel shows radiation from astrophysical plasma and right panel illustrates potential emission from dark matter annihilation. Credit: Yifan Chen.

According to a new Physical Review Letters study, black holes could help solve the dark matter mystery. The shadowy regions in black hole images captured by the Event Horizon Telescope can act as ultra-sensitive detectors for the invisible material that makes up most of the universe's matter.

Dark matter makes up roughly 85% of the universe's matter, but scientists still don't know what it actually is. While researchers have proposed countless ways to detect it, this study introduces black hole imaging as a fresh detection methodone that comes with some distinct benefits.

The Event Horizon Telescope's stunning images of supermassive black holes have revealed more than just the geometry of spacetime; they've opened an unexpected window into the search for dark matter.

Phys.org spoke to co-authors Jing Shu from Peking University and Yifan Chen from the Niels Bohr Institute.

"I have always been fascinated by instruments like the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which allow us to probe the extreme environments around supermassive black holes and challenge the boundaries of known physical laws," Shu said.

Chen added, "I've been fascinated by the idea of using black holes as detectors for new particles. Their extreme gravity makes them natural concentrators of matter, creating a unique meeting point for particle physics, gravity, and astrophysical observation."

The research team focused on a striking feature of black hole images: the shadow region that appears dark in EHT observations of M87* and Sagittarius A*.

A cosmic darkroom

The Event Horizon Telescope is a global network of radio observatories working in concert to achieve Earth-sized resolution through Very Long Baseline Interferometry. Working at a frequency of 230 GHz, the telescope captures synchrotron radiationlight produced when electrons spiral along the intense magnetic field lines near supermassive black holes.

To understand what they're seeing, astrophysicists run complex computer simulations.

The magnetically arrested disk (MAD) model has consistently delivered the best agreement with EHT observations. The MAD model depicts strong magnetic fields penetrating the accretion disk, where they both regulate the flow of infalling matter and power jets that erupt perpendicular to the disk.

Crucially, the MAD model explains why black hole shadows appear dark: most electrons reside in the accretion disk, while the jet regions above and below are relatively particle-poor, creating a sharp contrast in the images.

"Ordinary astrophysical plasma is often expelled by powerful jets, leaving the shadow region especially faint," Chen explained. "Dark matter, however, could continuously inject new particles that radiate in this region."

Because dark matter is expected to concentrate densely near the black hole's center, even faint annihilation signals could stand out against this low astrophysical background, making the shadow an ideal testing ground.

Modeling dark matter

The gravitational pull of supermassive black holes causes dark matter to concentrate dramatically in their vicinity, forming what physicists call a "dark matter spike." These regions achieve densities orders of magnitude higher than anywhere else in the galaxy.

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Since dark matter annihilation rates depend on density squared, these enhanced densities could produce detectable signalsif the annihilation occurs at all.

The research team developed a sophisticated framework that builds directly on the MAD model by adding dark matter physics to the astrophysical baseline.

The team applied general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations along with detailed particle propagation modeling. With this framework, they could model how electrons and positrons from hypothetical dark matter annihilation would behave in the magnetic field structures extracted from the MAD model.

Unlike previous studies that relied on simplified spherical models, this approach uses the realistic, asymmetric magnetic field configurations extracted from the MAD simulationsthe same fields that shape the astrophysical emission we observe.

"What we see in black hole images is not the black hole itself, but light emitted by ordinary electrons in the surrounding accretion disk, whose behavior we can model using well-known physics," Shu said.

"If dark matter particles were annihilating near the black hole, they would produce extra electrons and positrons whose radiation looks slightly different from the normal emission."

The critical distinction emerges in spatial distribution. In the MAD model, electrons concentrate in the accretion disk with sparse populations in the jet regionscreating the dark shadow.

But electrons and positrons from dark matter annihilation would be distributed more uniformly throughout both disk and jet regions, because dark matter annihilation continuously supplies particles even where astrophysical processes produce few electrons.

The team examined two annihilation channelsbottom quark-antiquark pairs and electron-positron pairsacross dark matter masses ranging from sub-GeV to approximately 10 TeV.

For each scenario, they calculated the resulting synchrotron radiation and generated synthetic black hole images that combined both astrophysical emission (from MAD) and potential dark matter signals.

Morphology as a probe

The researchers' approach to exploiting the morphology of the black hole images rather than just the total brightness makes the work stand out.

They required that dark matter annihilation signals remain below astrophysical emission at every point in the image, particularly within the inner shadow region.

"By comparing these predictions with real EHT images at the 'darkroom,' we can search for subtle signals that may reveal dark matter," Shu said.

This morphological approach proves significantly more powerful than previous constraints based on total intensity alone. The analysis excludes substantial regions of previously unexplored parameter space, setting limits on annihilation cross sections down to approximately 10-27 cm/s for current EHT observations.

"Our exclusions based on current EHT observations already probe large regions of previously unexplored parameter space, surpassing other searches that assume similar density profiles," Chen said.

The constraints remain robust against astrophysical uncertainties, including variations in black hole spin and plasma temperature parametersfactors that typically introduce significant uncertainties in indirect dark matter searches.

Future prospects

The true power of this approach will be realized with anticipated EHT upgrades. Future improvements promise to increase dynamic range by nearly 100 times and achieve angular resolution equivalent to approximately one gravitational radius, enabling them to probe deeper into the darkest regions of the shadow.

"The key upgrade is improving the telescope's dynamic range, which is its ability to reveal very faint details right next to extremely bright features," Chen explained.

"A common example is the 'high dynamic range' (HDR) mode on many smartphones, which uses advanced processing to bring out details in both dark shadows and bright highlights in the same image."

These enhancements could enable detection of dark matter with annihilation cross sections near the thermal relic value, a theoretically well-motivated target, for masses up to approximately 10 TeV.

Looking ahead, the researchers envision several directions for expanding this research.

"The black hole shadow is not just a static image; it is a dynamic, multi-layered laboratory," Shu said. "Beyond the intensity maps, polarization data from the EHT also open new windows, because polarization encodes how magnetic fields and plasma shape the radiation."

Multi-frequency observations will also prove crucial, according to Shu. Different radiation mechanisms scale differently with frequency, allowing researchers to determine the source of radiationessentially using multiple colors to distinguish dark matter signals from astrophysical backgrounds.

Written for you by our author Tejasri Gururaj, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Yifan Chen et al, Illuminating Black Hole Shadows with Dark Matter Annihilation, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/yxqg-363n. Journal information: Physical Review Letters

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Hippos lived at the Upper Rhine in the same time frame as mammoths. In the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen a hippo reconstruction meets a mammoth skeleton. Credit: Rebecca Kind

Hippos, today restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, survived in central Europe far longer than previously assumed. Analyses of bone finds demonstrate that hippos inhabited the Upper Rhine Graben sometime between approximately 47,000 and 31,000 years ago, well into the last ice age. An international research team led by the University of Potsdam and the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim with the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archaometrie have now published a study on this in the journal Current Biology.

Until now, it was believed that common hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) became extinct in central Europe around 115,000 years ago, with the end of the last interglacial period. A new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Potsdam, the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim, the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archaometrie Mannheim, ETH Zurich and international partners, demonstrates that hippos inhabited the Upper Rhine Graben in southwestern Germany sometime between approximately 47,000 and 31,000 years ago, i.e. during the middle of the last ice age.

The Upper Rhine Graben is an important continental climate archive. Animal bones that have survived for thousands of years in gravel and sand deposits are a valuable source for research. "It's amazing how well the bones have been preserved. At many skeletal remains, it was possible to take samples suitable for analysisthat is not a given after such a long time," emphasizes Dr. Ronny Friedrich, expert in age determination at the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archaometrie.

The team examined numerous hippopotamus finds and combined paleogenomic and radiocarbon analyses. Ancient DNA sequencing showed that European ice age hippos are closely related to African hippos living today and belong to the same species. Radiocarbon dating confirmed their presence during a milder climatic phase in the middle Weichselian glaciation.

Left mandible fragment of a female hippopotamus from Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim, Slg. Reis Hippopotamus sp. Age dating: Between 46,000 and 48,300 years ago. Location: Bobenheim-Roxheim, Rhine-Palatinate district. Credit: Rebecca Kind

Additional genome-wide analysis indicated very low genetic diversity, suggesting that the population in the Upper Rhine Graben was small and isolated. These results and further fossil evidence show that heat-loving hippos appeared in the same time frame as species adapted to cold temperatures, such as mammoths and woolly rhinos.

"The results demonstrate that hippos did not vanish from middle Europe at the end of the last interglacial, as previously assumed," summarizes first author Dr. Patrick Arnold. "Therefore, we should re-analyze other continental European hippo fossils traditionally attributed to the last interglacial period."

Prof. Dr. Wilfried Rosendahl, general director of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen Mannheim and project leader of "Eiszeitfenster Oberrheingraben" is convinced that ice age research still holds many exciting questions: "The current study provides important new insights which impressively prove that ice age was not the same everywhere, but local peculiarities taken together form a complex overall picturesimilar to a puzzle. It would now be interesting and important to further examine other heat-loving animal species attributed so far to the last interglacial."

The study was conducted within the framework of the project Eiszeitfenster Oberrheingraben The interdisciplinary project contributes to understanding climate and environmental developments in the Upper Rhine Graben and southwestern Germany over the last 400,000 years. Objects of investigation are ice age bone finds from the Reis collection, located at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen.

More information: Patrick Arnold et al, Ancient DNA and dating evidence for the dispersal of hippos into central Europe during the last glacial, Current Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.09.035 Journal information: Current Biology
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Age-related changes in long bone diaphyseal cross sections. Credit: Charles University

Research led by Vladimir Sladek sheds new light on how bones age, questioning long-standing assumptions that sedentary lifestyles are the primary cause of weakening bone strength in modern humans.

The study analyzed 1,881 adult humeri, femora, and tibiae from European Holocene populations to examine how bone strength and structure change with age. Surprisingly, researchers found that patterns of diaphyseal (shaft) aging were consistent across both Early and Late Holocene adultsdespite significant differences in physical activity levels between the two groups. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.

"Our findings suggest that lifestyle differences may not fully explain age-related declines in bone strength," said Dr. Sladek. "Instead, the biology of bone growth and aging itself plays a critical role."

Key findings include:

Subperiosteal apposition insufficient: While bones attempt to adapt by expanding outward, this process does not fully compensate for the inward expansion of the medullary cavity.

Gender-specific differences: Diaphyseal strength remained stable in female femora and male long bones overall. However, female humeri and tibiae showed significant age-related declines, pointing to greater vulnerability in upper limbs.

Upper limbs most affected: Humeri proved more sensitive to aging than femora and tibiae, highlighting the critical role of postnatal growth in maintaining bone health.

Broader implications

The research underscores the importance of growth patterns in early life for counteracting bone loss later in adulthood. It also challenges prevailing views that reduced physical activity in modern societies is the sole driver of age-related skeletal fragility.

"Understanding how bones adaptor fail to adaptthroughout life is vital not only for anthropology but also for public health," Dr. Sladek added. "These insights could inform strategies to prevent osteoporosis and related conditions in aging populations."

This research examined diaphyseal strength and cortical bone loss in Holocene skeletal samples to investigate long-term patterns of bone aging. The work highlights evolutionary and developmental influences on skeletal health across human history.

More information: Vladimir Sladek et al, Bone health: Age-related changes in diaphyseal structural properties among European Holocene humans during the last 9000 years, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adx7981 Journal information: Science Advances
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Optical images measured simultaneously with five types of Pt curve. Credit: Nature Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02364-x

Ice cream comes in many different flavors. But even pure ice, which consists only of water molecules, has been discovered to exist in more than 20 different solid forms or phases that differ in the arrangement of the molecules. The phases are named with Roman numerals, like ice I, ice II or ice III. Now, researchers led by scientists from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have identified and described a new phase called ice XXI. The results are published in the journal Nature Materials.

The international team of researchers conducted their experiments at European XFEL, the world's largest X-ray laser, and DESY's high energy photon source Petra III. Ice XXI is structurally distinct from all previously observed phases of ice. It forms when water is rapidly compressed to supercompressed water at room temperature and is metastable, meaning it can exist for some time even though another form of ice would be more stable at those conditions. The discovery offers important insights into how high-pressure ice forms.

Water or H 2 O, despite being composed of just two elements, exhibits remarkable complexity in its solid state. The majority of the phases are observed at high pressures and low temperatures. The team has learned more about how the different ice phases form and change with pressure.

"Rapid compression of water allows it to remain liquid up to higher pressures, where it should have already crystallized to ice VI," KRISS scientist Geun Woo Lee explains. Ice VI is an especially intriguing phase, thought to be present in the interior of icy moons such as Titan and Ganymede. Its highly distorted structure may allow complex transition pathways that lead to metastable ice phases.

Because most ice variants exist only under extreme conditions, the researchers created high pressure conditions using diamond anvil cells. The samplein this case wateris placed between two diamonds, which can be used to build up very high pressure due to their hardness. Water was examined under pressures of up to two gigapascals, which is about 20,000 times more than normal air pressure. This causes ice to form even at room temperature, but the molecules are much more tightly packed than in normal ice.

Credit: European XFEL

In order to observe ice formation under different pressure conditions, the researchers first generated a high pressure of two gigapascals within 10 millisecondsa millisecond is one thousandth of a secondwith a compression rate of 120 gigapascals per second. They then released the anvil cell over a period of 1 second. This was achieved with a piezo-electric drive, which exploits the ability of piezoelectric materials to expand or contract when an electric field is applied.

During these cycles, the team used the X-ray flashes of the European XFEL to capture images of the sample every microsecondone millionth of a second. With its extremely high rate of X-ray pulsesworking like a high speed camerathey could make movies of how the ice structure formed. During a follow-up experiment at the P02.2 beamline at PETRA III, they determined that ice XXI has a tetragonal crystal structure built of surprisingly large repetitive units, called unit cells.

"With the unique X-ray pulses of the European XFEL, we have uncovered multiple crystallization pathways in H 2 O which was rapidly compressed and decompressed over 1000 times using a dynamic diamond anvil cell," explains Lee.

"In this special pressure cell, samples are squeezed between the tips of two opposing diamond anvils and can be compressed along a predefined pressure pathway," states Cornelius Strohm from the DESY HIBEF team that implemented this set-up at the High Energy Density (HED) instrument of European XFEL.

"The structure in which liquid H 2 O crystallizes depends on the degree of supercompression of the liquid," says Lee.

"Our findings suggest that a greater number of high temperature metastable ice phases and their associated transition pathways may exist, potentially offering new insights into the composition of icy moons," Rachel Husband from the DESY HIBEF team adds.

Sakura Pascarelli, Scientific Director at European XFEL notes, "It is fantastic to see another great outcome from our Water Call, an initiative inviting scientists to propose innovative studies on water. We are looking forward to many more exciting discoveries ahead."

More information: Yun-Hee Lee et al, Multiple freezingmelting pathways of high-density ice through ice XXI phase at room temperature, Nature Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02364-x Journal information: Nature Materials
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Unfair or pointless work tasks are driving more employees to mentally check out, turning to the internet to cope with stress, sleepless nights, and next-day burnout, new research shows.

The study, led by Hainan University in collaboration with Charles Darwin University (CDU), explored how so-called "illegitimate tasks" (or "i-tasks") influence workers' thoughts and behavior long after they clock off.

The research was published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.

"I-tasks are duties that fall outside someone's job role or seem pointless, like asking a nurse to handle maintenance requests or a software engineer to organize office parties," lead author and Hainan University Associate Professor Zhao Lijing, said.

"These assignments can leave people feeling undervalued, frustrated, and mentally drained."

Researchers tracked more than 200 Chinese employees three times a day over a working week to examine how i-tasks affected their after-hours rumination, and what that meant for their performance the next day.

They found that when employees stewed on feelings of unfairness and frustration after hours, they were more likely to "cyberloaf" the next daybrowsing social media, shopping, or gaming online to mentally disengage.

But when employees instead reflected on how to solve the problem, they often "task crafted," reshaping or reprioritizing their work in constructive ways.

CDU Senior Lecturer in Business and the paper's co-author Dr. Tianyi Long said the research challenges assumptions that i-tasks are purely negative.

"Frustration can lead to disengagement, but it can also spark innovation," Dr. Long said.

"The difference lies in resilienceemployees who can adapt and recover quickly from stress are better at turning frustration into problem-solving rather than avoidance."

The research highlights the need for organizations to recognize both sides of i-tasks, suggesting that while employers should avoid assigning staff unreasonable or meaningless work, they can also help employees reframe these tasks as opportunities for growth.

"Providing clear communication, autonomy and resilience-building support can help employees manage challenging workloads more effectively," Dr. Long said.

"By investing in resilience programs and flexible job design, employers can further reduce stress, boost engagement and build a healthier, more productive workplace.

"In today's 'do-more-with-less' workplaces, resilience isn't just a personal traitit's a performance strategy."

More information: Lijing Zhao et al, Can't erase it from my mind: How and when daily illegitimate tasks shape employee afterwork rumination and downstream behavioural consequences, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/joop.70039
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In this photo provided by the Bureau of Fire Protection, firefighters and residents hold on a toppled structure following a strong earthquake in Davao Oriental province, southern Philippines on Friday Oct. 10, 2025. Credit: Bureau of Fire Protection via AP

Two powerful offshore earthquakes struck the same region in the southern Philippines hours apart on Friday with the first 7.4 magnitude temblor killing at least seven people, setting off landslides and prompting evacuations of coastal areas nearby because of a brief tsunami scare.

The second one had a preliminary 6.8 magnitude and also sparked a local tsunami warning by authorities. It was caused by movement in the same fault line, the Philippine Trench, at a depth of 37 kilometers (23 miles) off Manay town in Davao Oriental province, Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology chief Teresito Bacolcol said.

"The second one is a separate earthquake, which we call a doublet quake," Bacolcol told The Associated Press. "Both happened in the same area but have different strengths and epicenters."

Bacolcol and other authorities expressed fears that the second nighttime earthquake could further weaken or collapse structures already undermined by the first one.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., facing his latest natural disaster after a recent deadly quake and back-to-back storms, said the potential damage was being assessed and rescue teams and relief operations were being prepared and would be deployed when it was safe to do so.

Quake toll

The first quake was centered at sea about 43 kilometers (27 miles) east of Manay town and was caused by movement in the Philippine Trench at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles), government seismologists said.

Residents stay under a tent at the earthquake-hit Manay town, Davao Oriental province, southern Philippines Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeoffrey Maitem

At least seven people were killed, including two patients who died of heart attacks at a hospital during the first earthquake and a resident who was hit by debris in Mati city in Davao Oriental, Ednar Dayanghirang, regional director of the government's Office of Civil Defense, told The AP.

Three villagers died and several others were rescued with injuries by army troops and civilian volunteers in a landslide set off by the first quake in a remote gold-mining village in Pantukan town in Davao de Oro province near Davao Oriental, Dayanghirang said.

Another resident died because of the first quake in the port city of Davao, disaster mitigation officials said without providing other details. They added that a few hundred residents were injured in the city.

Damage assessment

Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said that several buildings sustained cracks in their walls, including an international airport in Davao city, but it remained operational without any flights being canceled.

"I was driving my car when it suddenly swayed and I saw power lines swaying wildly. People darted out of houses and buildings as the ground shook and electricity came off," Jun Saavedra, a disaster-mitigation officer of Governor Generoso town in Davao Oriental, told The AP.

Motorists move past a house that was damaged by a strong earthquake in Manay town, Davao Oriental province, southern Philippines Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeoffrey Maitem

Schools evacuated

"We've had earthquakes in the past, but this was the strongest," Saavedra said, adding that the intense ground swaying caused cracks in several buildings, including a high school, where about 50 students were brought to a hospital by ambulance after sustaining bruises, fainting or becoming dizzy because of the first quake.

Governor Generoso is a town about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Manay, where school classes in all levels were also suspended.

Children evacuated schools in Davao city, which has about 5.4 million people and is the biggest city near the epicenter, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Davao Oriental province.

Tsunami fears

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said that small waves were detected on the coasts of the Philippines and Indonesia before the threat passed about two hours after the first quake. It said that small sea fluctuations may continue.

Residents bring out belongings from their earthquake damaged home as they evacuate to safer grounds at Manay town, Davao Oriental province, southern Philippines Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeoffrey Maitem

A tsunami warning that set off evacuations in six coastal provinces near Davao Oriental was later lifted without any major waves being detected, Bacolcol said.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said that small tsunami waves were detected in North Sulawesi province with heights ranging from 3.5 to 17 centimeters (1.3 to 6.7 inches) in Melonguane, Beo, Essang and Ganalo in Talaud Islands districts.

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History of quakes and storms

The Philippines is still recovering from a Sept. 30 earthquake with a 6.9 magnitude that left at least 74 people dead and displaced thousands of people in the central province of Cebu, particularly in Bogo city and outlying towns.

The archipelago also is lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making disaster response a major task of the government and volunteer groups.

Residents carry a woman on a stretcher at the earthquake-hit Manay town, Davao Oriental province, southern Philippines Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeoffrey Maitem

Also Friday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 struck Friday off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Geological Survey said that it was centered in the Bismarck Sea 414 kilometers (257 miles) northeast of Lae, the South Pacific island nation's second-most populous city.

Lae police official Mary Jane Huafilong said that no damage was reported.

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Yeast cells whose cell walls have been stained blue. A protein is marked green as an example. The amount of this or other proteins presentdiffers from cell to cell. The new study has now shown the genetic basis for such variation. Credit: Charite | Jakob Vowinckel

Every organism's genome contains mutations that often have unknown biological effects. In partnership with Stanford University, researchers at ChariteUniversitatsmedizin Berlin have now discovered a way to predict the effects of numerous mutations in yeast.

Key to this discovery was a detailed analysis of the proteomethe collection of all proteins inside a cell. The research team believes this new method to be a valuable tool for better understanding molecular mechanisms, for example, in the context of microorganisms' increasing resistance to medicinal agents. The study has been published in the Science journal.

Microorganisms are masters of adaptation. Even the smallest of genetic variations can help them adapt to changing, and sometimes hostile, conditions in their habitat. That includes, for example, developing resistance to medicinal agents.

"To be able to better assess the risk of a pathogen becoming resistant, or to develop new and improved agents, we need to learn to better understand the association between different gene variants and their resulting biological mutations," says Prof. Markus Ralser, Director of the Institute of Biochemistry at Charite and one of the two study leads.

"Since genome sequencing has advanced so rapidly, we can identify genetic differences very well nowadays. However, we often do not know their impact on a microbe's growth or resistance, for example, or under which conditions they are significant."

A glimpse into the molecular blackbox

To understand the effects of different gene variants, it helps to take a look at the proteome. The proteome works like a kind of gear train that controls and conducts cellular processes, keeping everything running. The various proteins interlock, almost like cogs, and influence each other.

"For example, a specific variant in a gene can mean that a protein is no longer produced, or is produced in a different form or quantity. And that can actually change quite a lot in the cell's inner workings," says Dr. Johannes Hartl of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charite (BIH) and one of the lead authors of the study. "As its natural genetic variation causes it to be so variable, the proteome is still largely a molecular blackbox. Our study was able to show that it was both possible and necessary to shine more light into this darkness."

The researchers used two naturally occurring strains of yeast cells for their investigation. Yeasts are single-celled microorganisms belonging to the fungi kingdom. One of the yeast strains came from a Californian vineyard, while the other was isolated from an immunosuppressed patient in Italy. The researchers crossbred the two strains over multiple generations.

"This created almost a thousand new yeast strains, in which the parents' genetic features were thoroughly mixed," explains Hartl.

The crossbreeding experiments and subsequent genetic analysis of the yeast strains were carried out in the laboratory at Stanford. The Charite team led by Ralser analyzed the proteome of the different strains using a high-throughput screening process and mass spectrometry. This allowed them to clearly identify different proteins and precisely quantify their respective amounts in the cell.

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Proteome reveals molecular basis

Together, the researchers worked through the vast treasure trove of data. The goal: to find clear associations between the individual gene variants and the resulting changes in the proteome.

"To achieve this, we compared the genome and proteome data and created a kind of map that shows the effect of thousands of genetic variants on the amount of thousands of proteins in the cell," Hartl explains.

"And to check whether the associations we found actually stemmed from this particular gene variant, and not from other processes within the cell, for example, we used the CRISPR/Cas 'genetic scissors' to insert the gene variant into the original parent strain of the yeast, which did not previously contain this gene variant. We then looked to see if the corresponding changes in the proteome could also be found here."

The researchers went one step further with some gene variants and the associated changes in the proteome, and they examined their specific effects. For example, they investigated whether the yeast cells could survive under the effects of an antimycotic agentalso known as an antifungal drug.

"The antmycotic agent binds to and inhibits an enzyme that is necessary for the biosynthesis of an essential part of the yeast membrane. This stops the cell from continuing to growprovided that the agent blocks enough of the present enzymes," says Hartl.

"In our genome-to-proteome map, however, we were able to see that certain gene variants contained raised levels of this enzyme. The experiment showed that yeast cells with this gene variant became more resistant to the antimycotic agent."

Small genetic mutations can have a significant impact

The study also showed that many genetic changeseven those that seem "unremarkable" at first glancecan have far-reaching consequences. The researchers observed that genetic variants affecting hundreds of proteins in the cell had no apparent effect under standard conditions. However, when those conditions were altered, such as through drug treatment or changes in nutrient supply, those variants had a significant impact on cell growth.

"The genome-to-proteome map is an outstanding tool for revealing associations in molecular biology and understanding the impact of mutations and genetic differences," Ralser emphasizes.

"As a result, it is now much easier for us to figure out many of the proteins' functions and interactions, which enables us to better predict how they may potentially develop resistances to agents and adapt to new environments, like humans as host organisms."

In subsequent studies, the researchers therefore wish to extend this approach to fungal pathogens that cause particularly severe infections in humans.

More information: Christopher M. Jakobson et al, A genome-to-proteome map reveals how natural variants drive proteome diversity and shape fitness, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adu3198 Journal information: Science
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The researchers found that soil microbes competing with each other release glutathione which enhances plant growth under sulphur-deficient conditions. Credit: SCELSE

Scientists have uncovered a surprising strategy plants use to thrive when an essential nutrientsulfuris in short supply.

The team, from the Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE)a biofilm and microbiome research centerand the National University of Singapore (NUS), discovered that when soil microbes compete with each other in the rhizosphere (the soil surrounding plant roots), they release a well-known compound called glutathione.

This compound enhances plant growth under sulfur-deficient conditions. The catch: while plants benefit, some microbes lose out in their own growth.

The researchers call this balancing act a "trans-kingdom fitness trade-off"where one kingdom of life (microbes) sacrifices part of its growth, while another (plants) gains resilience.

The work is published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

The global problem: Declining sulfur in soils

Sulfur is essential for plant growth, just like nitrogen and phosphorus. It supports protein synthesis, vitamin production, and stress resistance.

Historically, sulfur pollution from industrial emissions replenished soils worldwide. But with cleaner energy and stricter air-quality regulations, atmospheric sulfur levels have dropped. While good for air quality and human health, this has unintentionally reduced natural sulfur deposits in agricultural soils.

Over time, crops have drawn down existing soil sulfur, leaving soils deficient. To compensate, farmers increasingly apply synthetic sulfur-based fertilizers. These short-term fixes come with costs: runoff from farmland contaminates rivers, lakes, and ecosystems, exacerbating environmental degradation.

The new discovery: A microbial boost

The SCELSE-led study provides a novel mechanistic explanation of how plants and microbes jointly navigate nutrient stress.

The researchers found that when soil bacteria compete for nutrients, they release glutathionea compound that boosts plant growth under sulfur-deficient conditions, even though it reduces bacterial growth.

This improvement in plant fitness came at the cost of bacterial fitnessa biological trade-off across kingdoms of life.

"This work introduces the concept of a trans-kingdom fitness trade-off and provides a mechanistic explanation for it," said first author Arijit Mukherjee, who was a Ph.D. student at SCELSE and the NUS Department of Biological Sciences when the study was conducted.

"Plant fitness isn't just about the plant itselfit's about the whole community of microbes around it. Understanding these trade-offs helps us design better microbial solutions for resilient crops."

Such trade-offs are likely widespread across hostmicrobe systems, not just in plants, and may represent hidden strategies by which holobionts (hosts and their associated microbes) adapt collectively to environmental cues.

For agriculture, this insight is powerful: instead of relying on chemical fertilizers, researchers can design microbial consortia (or "cocktails") that naturally boost crop health under nutrient stress. This nature-based solution can reduce fertilizer use, improve soil health, and contribute to global food security.

Assoc. Prof Sanjay Swarup, Principal Investigator at SCELSE, explained, "This study provides a blueprint for sustainable agriculture. By tapping into natural plantmicrobe partnerships, we can reduce fertilizer use, protect ecosystems, and still secure global food supplies."

From discovery to application: Patent filed

To translate this breakthrough into practice, the team has filed a patent covering applications of this plantmicrobe mechanism in agriculture. This will enable the development of bio-based products that support crops in sulfur-deficient soils, reducing reliance on chemical inputs.

"By considering not only microbial functions but also their interactions, we can design more effective microbial consortia for agriculture," added Assoc Prof Swarup, who is also the Deputy Director for NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) and a faculty member of the NUS Department of Biological Sciences.

"This is the path toward resilient, climate-ready farming."

More information: Arijit Mukherjee et al, A bacterial signal coordinates plant-microbe fitness trade-off to enhance sulfur deficiency tolerance in plants, Cell Host & Microbe (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2025.09.007 Journal information: Cell Host & Microbe
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a new report, scholars from the Hoover Institution propose measures to secure biology now and in perpetuity.

"Biosecurity Really: A Strategy for Victory," a report calling for urgent action to secure biology now and in perpetuity, was released today by the Bio-Strategies and Leadership Initiative (BSL) of the Hoover Institution.

The report warns that biosecurity risks are increasing. Emerging technologies and other trends are making biological threats more numerous, frequent, and consequential. The authors outline how emerging biotechnology must itself be used to secure biology, akin to how software is required to secure software.

"Advancing and securing biotechnology innovation is essential for securing biology," stated Drew Endy, Ph.D., lead author and science and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Added distinguished visiting fellow Mike Kuiken, "Biosecurity requires U.S. leadership in emerging biotechnology. Leadership means innovation. We must advance the field to secure it."

Biosecurity Really urges attention to trends impacting the biosecurity landscape. "Yes, we have to buy time by minding existing (biosecurity) risks," noted Endy, "but we must also understand how the threat landscape is fundamentally changing. A stable, secure, and prosperous future is possible, but we must act. All hands are needed."

Recommended actions include the following:

Creating a sustained biological intelligence (BIOINT) program.

Managing mutual distrust via private-sector bio-audits.

Governing research with pandemic-potential pathogens more strictly and on a multilateral basis.

De-escalating and disarming nation-state bioweapons programs.

Creating a national biosecurity institute.

Creating new public leadership roles and coordination offices.

Leading on critical emerging biotechnologies, including DNA synthesis and generative biology.

Strengthening indoor air quality standards.

Promoting bio-literacy and rewarding biosecurity leadership.

Biosecurity Really breaks new ground by reframing biosecurity around several key principles:

"Pricing in" Pervasive AI and Biotechnology. Biotechnology will become a general-purpose technology. Artificial intelligence will be pervasive. Such shifts mean we can no longer rely on strategies that only seek to limit access to powerful tools.

Distrusting but Verifying. Biosecurity strategies must assume distrust as the default state. A private-sector system of "bio-audits" is needed to oversee research at labs, companies, and universities to certify safety, catch risks early, and enable public trust.

Using Biology to Secure Biology. We must harness the very technologies that create potential risks to strengthen surveillance, vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.

Developing Biological Intelligence (BIOINT). Biology is the only domain in which we wait for something bad to happen. New technologies can enable real-time, threat-agnostic monitoring of potential biological threats.

Changing Our Governance Regimes for Pathogens Research. Rules from when creating viruses was difficult no longer suffice. Research with live pandemic-potential pathogens should follow a "default-no" rule, subject to multilateral review and approval and only allowed if needed for diagnostics, treatments, or vaccines.

Preventing Stupidly Assured Destruction (SAD). In pursuing bioweapons out of mutual fear and suspicion, nations risk repeating historical mistakes, but with the tools of the twenty-first century.

"We can make a world in which we are safe from preventable biological harms. We can make a world in which COVID-19 is the last pandemic humanity ever faces," conclude the report's authors.

More information: Biosecurity Really: A Strategy for Victory: www.hoover.org/research/biosec  lly-strategy-victory
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:

Wild lupine, a plant of conservation concern across most of its natural range in eastern North America, grows along a Pennsylvania roadside. Credit: Isabella Petitta

Researchers at Penn State studying declining populations of sundial lupines in the eastern part of the United States are closer to determining how the plant's genetics could be used to inform reseeding strategies to help with conservation efforts of the blue flowering plant.

In a study published in the Annals of Botany Plants, the researchers report that they found low genetic diversity within most lupine populations they tested, but no evidence of inbreeding. Despite low genetic diversity, the team found significant genetic differentiation between the different sundial lupine populations.

In this context, diversity refers to the genetic composition variety of one population, while genetic differentiation refers to how two populations differ from one another.

The teamIsabella R. Petitta, who earned her master's degree from Penn State's intercollege ecology graduate program earlier this year; Margarita M. Lopez-Uribe, associate professor of entomology in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences; and Autumn Sabo, assistant professor of biology at Penn State Beavertheorized that carefully introducing seeds from areas with substantial populations into areas with declining lupines could help conservation efforts.

Their work builds on previous research conducted by Petitta, who was a U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, about the management of forest edge habitats to maintain native plant species like the sundial lupine.

The researchers measured genetic diversity, inbreeding and population structure in 25 populations of sundial lupine across 11 states by collecting samples in Pennsylvania and Virginia and utilizing a network of volunteer botanists and ecologists to collect plants and send samples from other states.

"We had a lot of help," Sabo said.

Losing a species

The sundial lupine is designated as a species of conservation concern, which means there is substantial concern about its ability to survive long term. The effect of losing a particular species, like the lupine, can have serious ramifications.

"Every time we lose a species, millions of years of evolution disappear," Lopez-Uribe said. "You lose both the function and the inherent value of a species."

Sundial lupine are a legume, which means they can transform atmospheric nitrogen into a form that enriches the soil. The lupine also live in a specialized habitat and serve as a host plant for several butterflies, including the endangered Karner blue butterfly, Sabo said.

The loss of a few species can lead to the loss of even more, Lopez-Uribe said.

The habitat that supports the sundial lupine, called an oak savanna, is rare in and of itself, Sabo said, so the lupine can act as a case study of what can happen to other plants that occupy this habitat.

The findings

Lupine genetics can help conservationists determine how plants from one population might do if they are transplanted to another location. The team found the most genetic diversity among the population in Florida, but the plants also showed admixture, Sabo said, indicating that they were descended from at least two distinct populations.

However, the researchers cautioned that plant transplantationvia the redistribution of seedsneeds to be done with care.

"One of the main impetuses for the project has been a big conundrum for conservation biologists, trying to figure out how to deal with shrinking populations and how to build them up by bringing in individuals from elsewhere," Sabo said.

"Without genetic testing, we're always worried, in our hope to do a good thing, that we might bring seeds or plants from another place that will be poorly adapted to the new conditions and location."

Genetic testing

Plants with higher genetic diversity could adapt better to changing conditions in a different location, Sabo said, but plants should not be moved without consideration.

Whatever is special about the population in one location could make them less able to survive in the conditions of another distant location, she said.

Essentially, conservationists "get worried and do nothing instead of maybe doing the wrong thing," Sabo said. "We're trying to give people a little more courage to rescue some of these populations with informed decisions," she said.

More information: Isabella R Petitta et al, Assessing the status of sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis L.) genetic diversity and population structure throughout its distribution, AoB PLANTS (2025). DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plaf047
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is glad her children are "still too young for social media" but she knows "that day is coming".

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry made an appearance at a charity event in New York

The royal made an appearance at Project Healthy Minds' World Mental Health Day Gala in New York City on Thursday (09.10.25) alongside her husband Prince Harry and during a turn on stage the couple opened up about raising their two kids, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, in the digital age - vowing to protect them from online dangers for as long as possible.

Speaking to the audience at the venue in the Big Apple, Meghan said: "Our children, Archie and Lilibet, are just six and four years old. Can you believe it?

"Luckily, theyre still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming.

"Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technologys benefits while safeguarding against its dangers. And that hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible."

The couple were honoured with the Humanitarians of the Year award in recognition of their work to make the online world safer for families and young people.

They were also honoured for their attempts to advance mental wellbeing around the world through their non-profit Archewell Foundation and The Parents Network, which they launched in 2023 to support families impacted by online harm.

According to PEOPLE, Harry told the audience: "Tonight we're all here together to focus on what remains one of the most pressing pressing issues of our time ...This is a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect children and support families in the digital age, and we cannot do it without you."

They also spoke about plans to team up with ParentsTogether - a US charity which advocates for online safety for families - with Harry saying: "We knew this movement needed to grow.

"These families are not only up against corporations and lobbyists, many of whom spend tens of millions of dollars every year in suppressing the truth, but also algorithms designed to maximize data collection at any cost."

Meghan added: "We know that when parents come together, when communities unite, waves are made. We've seen it happen and we're watching it grow and with your support we'll continue building a safer digital world for all of our children.

"So on behalf of my husband and I, thank you so much for being here tonight. Thank you all of you for your support and thank you for standing with us as we continue this vital work."
Prince William was left fighting back tears during a candid talk with a woman who lost her husband to suicide.

Prince William fought back tears during a moving interview to mark World Mental Health Day

The Prince of Wales visited Rhian Manning at home to talk about the death of her husband Paul in 2012 as part of a video filmed to mark World Mental Health Day on Friday (10.10.25). The heir to the throne was seen getting choked up as he sat with Rhian in her kitchen and talked about her loss, which came just days after the death of the couple's infant son George.

William said: "From the families I've spoken to who have had to endure suicide. There's a lot of unanswered questions that live with you forever, really, don't they? ... If you could say something, or wanted to say something to Paul. What would you  what would you have said?"

Rhian replied: "I would just like to sit him down like this and just say, Why didnt you come to me? Because hes missed out on just so much joy, and we would have been okay. And I think thats whats hardest - we would have been okay."

William was then seen getting visibly emotional and Rhian asked him: "Are you OK?"

The royal touched her hand and replied: "Im sorry. Its just  its hard to ask these questions that I  "

The widow then went on to tell him: "No, its fine. Its just  youve got children. Its hard  and youve experienced loss yourself ...

"Life can throw you these awful curveballs, but by talking about it, by, you know, having hope, you can continue."

William added: "The best way to prevent suicide is to talk about it. Talk about it early, talk about it with your loved ones, those you trust, your friends. So thank you for talking about it."

Since the death of her husband, Rhian set up the charity 2 Wish Upon A Star, to help others affected by the loss of a child or a young person while William has donated more than 1 million through his Royal Foundation to help set up the UK's National Suicide Prevention Network.
Ryanair will cut over one million seats to Spain in 2026 as its feud with the countrys airport authority intensifies.

Ryanair is scaling back flights across Spain

The airline announced this week it will reduce its Summer 2026 schedule by 10 per cent, including a complete withdrawal from Asturias Airport in northern Spain.

The cuts also affect regional flights this winter, with capacity to Zaragoza, Santander, Asturias and Vitoria down by 41 per cent.

The decision is tied to what Ryanair calls uncompetitive airport fee increases by Aena, Spains state-backed airport operator.

Of the newly announced cuts, Ryanair said: AENA should be lowering airport fees at underused Regional airports, but instead they plan to increase them by 7 per cent, the highest fee increase for over a decade.

The airline added: While we wish to continue to grow air traffic and connectivity to Regional Spain, we are prevented from doing so by the Aenas Monopoly high airport fees and the failure of Prime Minister Sanchez and his Govt, to restrain this overcharging Airport Monopoly, which they own and control.

Flights to the Canary Islands will also be cut by 10 per cent  equivalent to 400,000 seats  including the cancellation of all services to Tenerife North starting this winter. Routes to Vigo will end from January 1, 2026.

Ryanair boss Michael OLeary criticised Spains Consumer Rights Ministry for imposing illegal bag fines in breach of EU regulations.

He said: We look forward to returning to Growth in Regional Spain, when Aena fees are reduced, making them competitive with lower-cost airports elsewhere in Morocco, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and other EU States, who are abolishing Aviation Taxes and lowering airport fees to grow their traffic and tourism industries.
Kathmandu, Nepal  October 10, 2025: The recent first-phase ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has raised hopes for the safe release of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who was abducted during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Although Joshis current condition remains unconfirmed, it is believed that he is still alive. According to reports, 26 of the 48 hostages taken during the attack have been confirmed dead. Joshis whereabouts and health status remain uncertain.

Bipin Joshi, 24, was studying water and agricultural sciences at Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel when he was taken hostage by Hamas militants during the surprise assault.

On September 21, 2025, Hamas released a farewell photograph of Joshi, which suggested that he was alive at that time. Additionally, a video recovered by the Israeli military in 2023 had shown Joshi in captivity, further supporting claims that he survived the initial stages of his abduction.

Officials and family members remain hopeful that the ceasefire agreement will pave the way for Joshis safe return.
MUMBAI (Reuters) -Britain said on Thursday it had signed a 350 million pound ($468 million) contract to supply the Indian army with UK-manufactured lightweight missiles, as part of a deepening weapons and defence partnership between the two countries.

The announcement came as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was visiting Indian Prime counterpart Narendra Modi in Mumbai, where the pair hailed the potential of the commercial links from their months-old trade deal.

In its statement on the defence deal, the British government said the new contract for Lightweight Multirole Missiles made by Thales in Northern Ireland would secure 700 jobs at a factory which currently makes the same weapons for Ukraine.

"The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments," it said.

Starmer has over the last 12 months thrown his weight behind Britain's defence sector to try to drive higher economic growth, pledging to up spending in line with NATO targets, as well as focusing on winning exports, such as a recent $13.5 billion frigate contract with Norway.

Britain also said on Thursday it reached a new milestone with India on a tie-up for electric-powered engines for naval ships as both countries signed the next phase of a deal, worth an initial 250 million pounds.

($1 = 0.7481 pounds)

(Reporting by Muvija M and Alistair Smout, writing by Sarah Young; editing by Michael Holden)
By Steve Holland, Phil Stewart and Ismail Shakil

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States will deploy up to 200 troops to Israel to establish a task force to support stabilization efforts in Gaza, but no Americans are expected to be deployed into the Palestinian enclave, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The U.S. military's Central Command will stand up the task force, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center, or CMCC, one of the officials said.

The CMCC's job will be to facilitate the flow of assistance into Gaza, including security assistance and humanitarian aid, officials said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a social media post that the U.S. personnel will be tasked with monitoring the Gaza agreement in Israel and will work with other international forces on the ground.

Two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. troops would be the core of the CMCC, but it would also include representatives from Egypt's military, Qatar, Turkey and probably the United Arab Emirates.

The officials said the joint control center would coordinate with Israeli forces and other security forces to avoid clashes.

"No U.S. troops are intended to go into Gaza," said one of the officials.

One of the officials said the American troops being deployed would have expertise in planning, security, logistics and engineering.

The officials said it is hoped the Gaza deal, once set into motion, will cool tensions in the region and create conditions for negotiations on more normalization deals between Israel and Arab nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump in his first term brokered what are known as the Abraham Accords, normalization deals between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan.

The officials said Saudi Arabia is a candidate for such an agreement with Israel, as are Indonesia, Mauritania, Algeria, Syria and Lebanon.

(Reporting By Steve Holland, Phil Stewart and Ismail Shakil; editing by Diane Craft, Cynthia Osterman and Michael Perry)
Peru murder suspect on the run since 2016 finally captured in Mexico

Nezahualcoyotl, State of Mexico  A man wanted for the murder of two Peruvian police officers was finally captured in Mexico. The National Migration Institute (INM) and Interpol were part of the operation that lead to his Wednesday arrest.

Authorities located fugitive Adolfo N at a home in the Las Maravillas neighborhood in the municipality of Nezahualcoyotl. He had been on the run since 2016.

According to authorities, he fled Peru in March 2016 after being implicated in the murder of two non-commissioned officers of that countrys National Police.

In 2016, the Peruvian National Police arrested several individuals involved in the aforementioned incidents, however, Adolfo N fled to Mexico.

He has had an outstanding arrest warrant in Peru and a Red Notice issued by Interpol since. He was finally captured from a home in the State of Mexico and is currently waiting deportation back to Peru.

Authorities said he was located and arrested in an operation led by members of the Navy (Semar) in coordination with the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Ministry of National Defense (Defense), the Attorney Generals Office (FGR), National Guard (GN), the National Migration Institute (INM) and Interpol.

Likewise, Navy personnel provided security support to SSPC personnel during the transfer of the detainee to the INM facilities of Mexico City. The Security Cabinet institutions reaffirm their commitment to collaborate with international authorities to stop perpetrators of violence, they said.
The first appointment of a female Archbishop of Canterbury has been cause for celebration in some cornersand consternation in others. Whats really at stake?

The announcement was made on the morning of October 2, 2025, that the Rt. Hon. and Rt. Revd. Dame Sarah Mullally, currently Bishop of London, was the official nominee to succeed Justin Welby as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The appointment has been broadly welcomed.

However, in reality, the nomination represents nothing more than a rearrangement of the ecclesiastical furniture. Nothing much will change in the Church of England.

The church was for many a laughingstock during the vacancy in its senior office in comparison with what took place in the Roman Catholic Church. The process to replace the pope, after the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, was done and dusted in three weeks as the cardinals gathered in conclave. The Church of England, however, consulted everyone and their motherthe other faiths, anyone with an opinionand has taken nearly a year to even nominate to the post. It will be several months more before the formal taking up of office. If I may be frank, the word farce comes to mind.

Nevertheless, we must pray for Bishop Sarah and all in authority, civil or spiritual. First Timothy 2:12 insists that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all peoplefor kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. The pastoral epistles, of course, could not be clearer on the importance of sound doctrine, the clarity of the gospel, and the guarding of the good deposit (2 Tim. 1:14), a point made by the Church of England Evangelical Council, expressing the hope, in an otherwise really rather weak statement, that the new archbishop will lead the church back in the direction of the apostolic faith, biblical doctrine, and ethics. A truly forlorn hope, I fear.

We need to be clear that Sarah Mullally is a compromise candidate, and the compromise she represents is not a via media between the more evangelical and the more liberal wings of the CofE but between the more liberal and the middle. And she may, indeed, bring the middle with her, a reason perhaps for her appointment but of little comfort to the biblical Christian in the Church of England.

We must be under no illusion: Bishop Mullally has voted on each and every occasion for the most liberal positions on sexual ethics; although, to be fair, she did not sign a letter demanding that clergy be allowed to enter same-sex partnerships while remaining in office, which was signed by both of the other leading women candidates for Canterbury, the Bishops of Gloucester and Chelmsford. Hence my point about compromise.

Bishop Mullally is also the establishment candidate. She is viewed as a safe pair of hands (you know, just like Jesus was) and was a protege of Justin Welby, who was obsessed with women in prominent positions irrespective of conviction, competence, or training. (For example, he tried to appoint the former chief executive of the Post Office, Paula Vennels, who was embroiled in one of the most appalling corporate scandals in modern British history, to the post of Bishop of London.)

In 1999, at the age of 37, Mullally was appointed Chief Nursing Officer for England, precisely the sort of profile that would appeal to Justin Welbypublic sector, civil service, lack of real-world experience. Hence, she was fast-tracked as an ordained minister. Minimal theological training, then full-time curacy, a short period as an incumbent (that is, actually in charge of a parish, we should be grateful for small mercies), appointment to the staff of Salisbury Cathedral (never a hot bed of biblical truth), suffragan bishop (i.e., a junior bishop assisting a diocesan), and then straight to Bishop of London and now Canterbury.

There is a clear lack of substantial theological training (in significant contrast to her predecessor in London, Bishop Richard Chartres) or long parish experience, but she will be good at speaking to the nation about the NHS, migration, food banks, and poverty. Perhaps what we have here is pragmatism over principle; there has been nothing notably biblical, theological, or even spiritual in Bishop Sarahs press interviews to date, apart from love.

The emphasis on management, structure, and socio-political involvement is clearly at the forefront of this appointment, in contrast to biblical teaching, ethics, a passion for preaching the gospel in the parish, or theological depth. So, again, do not expect much to change.

Is there hope for the Church of England? This remains an open question. The headline in the Evangelical Times (the newspaper representing independent evangelicalism) that the Anglican rot set in long ago is undoubtedly correct. The appointment, of course, ignores completely the male episcopal headship question, but as conservative evangelicals in the Church of England have long recognized, even that departure from biblical truth set in decades ago with now-routine appointments of women clergy to lead churches, never mind dioceses as bishops.

Naturally, one strand of opinion, indeed the tradition in which the Evangelical Times stands, is that there must be separation from such heresy. It is a point that is carrying more weight. There are many who have left the Church of England, a steady drip, drip of individual resignations, as well as some churches and pastors joining organizations such as the Anglican Mission in England, a faithful, biblical expression of Anglicanism but one outside the Church of England.

Others are attracted to Rome, with its ethical certainty of teaching, the unwillingness to compromise with the culture on pro-life issues, theological depth, and passion for worship. There is some evidence of what is called by some a quiet revival, bringing new worshippers as well as defectors from a failed Protestantism to Rome.

There is also that large group of evangelicals, conservative and otherwise, who believe there is still a place for them within the Church of England. I personally used to be sympathetic to this position, but am increasingly skeptical about it and believe we either have passed or are very close to passing the point of no orthodox return. Many evangelicals, however, still believe that the bishops will make special provision for thembut they wont, because they do not have to, as the liberal position on sexuality is that of a large majority of the bishops. They are also convinced that the synod will reject further liberalization and reassert biblical doctrine; there is perhaps a little more hope here, as both clergy and laity on the synod seem willing to block further progress on same-sex relationships.

However, the status quo encouraged by the bishops will be very difficult to reverse, and we thus face the problem of a compromised church that preaches and practices an unbiblical gospel.

Another issue to be confronted is that fact that the CofE is still extraordinarily top-heavy. The number of full-time clergyparish ministers plus chaplainsamounts to approximately 7,500 in 2025, compared to approximately 8,700 in 2020, a reduction of some 14%, not nearly enough. At least 25% of clergy are now women. The number of bishops, 103, in 2025 compared to 108 in 2020 represents barely a change at all. A recent statement of needs (job description for a new bishop in a vacant diocese) revealed 90 clergy and 50 central diocesan staff plus some 30 other externally funded posts. These statistics are ridiculous and reinforce the image of a structurally overweight and managerial church.

And yet  there still is hope in God and with respect to the Church of England for a spiritual revitalization of active parish ministrythe essential ministry of teaching, preaching, prayer, worship, spiritual growth, and living the Christian life.

May I offer a few ideas for the new archbishop? Cut at least 10 bishop posts to match reduction in clergy. Limit terms of office for bishops10 years and then back to a parish. Maximum ratio of central staff to parish ministers should be 25%, that is, for 80 clergy, no more than 20 staff members. All released funding should support local parish ministry. Plant congregations in village halls and Bibles in every church. Install teaching elder posts in every deanery.

You get the idea: change from the bottom up. Spiritual revival will flow only from establishing a vital spiritual life in every community: praying, teaching, caring for the people. Pronouncements on the divinity of the NHS or the gender of God will not help.

I dont want this to be purely a negative assessment. As Bishop of London, Mullally has been respectful to and honored those opposed to the ordination of women. To her credit, she has not sought to impose her authority. Similarly, she has been highly effective in leading the opposition to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, commenting in the debate in the House of Lords of her concern for those who will face internal and subtle pressure to end their lives in the absence of adequate palliative and social care, or to avoid being a burden to their families. I understand the fear of many that they may be offered free assisted death before they are offered the care and equipment that they may live.

Our fear, however, is that her point of principle is more on the pro-choice side of abortion, assisted dying, etc., and that her current opposition is merely pragmatic. Is her real point that once real palliative care is made available, assisted dying then becomes an ethically acceptable choice?

The real problem with the new archbishops appointment is that we still need someone who stands on the bedrock foundation of Scripture: doctrine, ethics, and the true meaning of the gospel for the forgiveness of sins. We need someone deeply rooted in the historic faith presented by the Church of England fathers and of the Bible, one able to articulate the centrality of salvation through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. If we do not have that, do we have a church at all?

Pray for Bishop Sarah.
Thousands of jubilant Israelis gathered in a Tel Aviv square Thursday, hopeful for the return of hostages held in Gaza, after two years of fear and worry.

Many wore stickers reading "They're coming back", waving Israeli and US flags and clutching photos of the hostages after Israel and Hamas reached a hostage release and truce deal in a major step towards ending the war.

A group of beaming Israelis sang, clapped and jumped in a circle in Hostages Square, which has been the scene of weekly rallies calling for the captives' return.

"We have been waiting for this day for 734 days. We cannot imagine being anywhere else this morning," said Laurence Yitzhak, 54, a Tel Aviv resident.

"It's a great joy -- an immense relief mixed with anxiety, fear and sorrow for the families who haven't and won't get to experience this joy," she said.

"As I speak to you, I get goosebumps... It's too beautiful, and we cannot help but think of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for these hostages," she told AFP.

US President Donald Trump announced that both sides had agreed to a ceasefire and a hostage-prisoner exchange programme as part of a 20-point plan he had proposed last month.

The formal agreement is expected to be signed later Thursday in Egypt, a key mediator alongside the United States and Qatar.

"There are no words to describe the feeling today. It's indescribable, like spontaneous joy, excitement, tears," said Rachel Peery, 49, an employee in the tech sector.

"We all came here from the office because we are just unable to work. It's a day that the entire nation has been waiting for, for two years, every second, every day."

Businessman Gyura Dishon was equally jubilant that the hostages were coming home.

"It's unbelievable... You couldn't stop crying," he said.

"It's like something that you wouldn't believe can happen and you were wishing for it to happen and then it's coming true all of a sudden."

The deal could free the remaining living hostages within days, in a major step toward ending the two-year war.

Of the 251 people abducted during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack which sparked the war, militants still hold 47 in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.

Hamas's assault on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,194 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.

In Jerusalem, a newsagent told AFP he supported the release of the hostages, "but I am against ending the war".

"They started something, they must pay the heavy price," he said.

A man praying to mark the Jewish holiday of Sukkot said it was a "wonderful feeling" and something that "should have been done a long time ago".

"This is not a happy ending," he said. "We have lost many good people. But it was the right thing to do."

In Tel Aviv, Noam Ekhaus, a 36-year-old photographer and neuroscience researcher said she woke up in the middle of the night, saw the news, and went straight to Hostages Square.

"I can't just celebrate at home alone," she said.

"I haven't been smiling like this in a while and I don't think that I'm the only one," she added.

"I'm walking down the street and I'm feeling something different and I'm seeing something different and this is what hope feels like."
Personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection inspect damages to structures, following an earthquake that struck parts of Davao Region on 10 October. (Photo: Bureau of Fire Protection/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake which struck off the southern coast of Philippines on Friday morning (10 Oct) has killed at least two people, it has been reported this afternoon.

Authorities told AFP that a person was killed when a wall collapsed in Mati city while another died after suffering a heart attack.

The powerful quake led to tsunami warnings from Philippine and Indonesian authorities. However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its alert for the Philippines, Palau and Indonesia at around noon.

Dianne Lacorda, a police officer in Davao Oriental province, told AFP that power and communication lines had been severed and authorities were struggling to assess the damage in some areas.

The BBC said reporters observed a frenzy outside a hospital in Davao City, near the quake's epicentre, and scenes of panic as tremors rattled the province.

Richie Diuyen, who works at the local disaster agency in the town of Manay, said some students fainted after the quake and that it left her feeling dizzy.

"I am still scared and shook. We couldn't believe how strong the earthquake was. This was the first time I have experienced that," Diuyen told the BBC.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities were assessing the situation on the ground, and said search-and-rescue teams would be deployed when it was safe to do so, reported Reuters.

Friday's quake follows more than a week after a 6.9-magnitude quake killed 74 people and injured hundreds in Philippine's Cebu province.
CCTV: We noted that Foreign Minister Wang Yi just concluded his visit to Italy. Could you share more information about the visit?

Guo Jiakun: From October 8 to 9, Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to Italy upon invitation. In Italy, he met with President Sergio Mattarella. He also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, and together they attended the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee. The two sides had candid and in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and the international landscape and reached important common understandings on fostering a more stable and fruitful China-Italy relationship. The visit was a full success.

This was a journey to carry forward friendship. China and Italy have a long history of friendly exchanges, which have grown stronger over time. The development of China-Italy relations is built upon historical interactions and driven by the need for win-win cooperation. Both sides agreed to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, and actively implement the action plan on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to contribute to the economic development of both countries and benefit the two peoples. The Italian side stated its firm commitment to the one-China policy and said it will never waver in this regard.

This was a journey to deepen common understanding. Both sides agreed that China and Italy, both time-honored civilizations, should draw wisdom and inspiration from history, of which they have rich resources, to offer rational and practical solutions to pressing global challenges. Both China and Italy advocate the values for peace and cooperation, support multipolarity and multilateralism, and stay committed to addressing differences through dialogue and consultation. The Italian side agreed with the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and welcomed the series of major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, believing that they are what the international community needs and people across the world want.

This was a journey to expand cooperation. Both sides agreed that the China-Italy Government Committee, as the most important mechanism for planning and coordinating the development of bilateral relations, has played a positive role in delivering on the important common understandings reached by leaders of the two countries and promoting exchanges and cooperation across various fields. It has earned the trust and wide support from various sectors in both countries. The minutes of the meeting are detailed and substantive, covering economy and trade, investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and sub-national cooperation. They chart the course for China-Italy cooperation moving forward. The two sides stand ready to promote the sustained growth of trade and investment and provide facilitation for enterprises from both sides to invest in each others market. The two sides agreed to hold the 14th China-Italy Science, Technology & Innovation Week and the forum of university presidents this year, and promote cooperation and experience sharing in agricultural technology, marine science, renewable energy, health, environmental protection, disaster management and other fields. The two sides will take the opportunity of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics to enhance mutual support and deepen people-to-people friendship and bond.

China News Service: On October 10, Lai Ching-te delivered an address, in which he once again made Taiwan independence remarks, asking the mainland to cease its distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and saying Taiwan will work to uphold the status quo and ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Whats your comment on that?

Guo Jiakun: Lai Ching-tes address called white black and confused right and wrong. He peddled the false narrative of democracy v.s. authoritarianism, repeated the same old fallacies for Taiwan independence, and distorted and challenged historical facts and international consensus. These words once again laid bare his true nature as a diehard troublemaker, danger-creator and warmonger.

There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. This is the real status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The biggest threats to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at present are the separatist activities for Taiwan independence and external interference. The Lai Ching-te authorities made up various disinformation in an attempt to seek Taiwan independence and resist reunification through military buildup. Such moves will only push Taiwan towards the danger of military conflict. To maintain cross-Strait peace and stability, one must uphold the one-China principle and unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence. The Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair. Opposition to two Chinas or one China, one Taiwan and support for the complete reunification of China are part of the international communitys commitment to the one-China principle.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and the restoration of Taiwan. International legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, have affirmed Chinas sovereignty over Taiwan. Taiwans restoration to China is an important outcome of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. Once and for all, UNGA Resolution 2758 resolved, politically, legally and procedurally, the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the UN. It solemnly confirms and fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is not only the iron rule that must not be bent, but also an absolute principle that is part and parcel of the existing international order. Any attempt to tamper with historical facts or challenge Resolution 2758 amounts to challenges to Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, the UNs authority and the post-war international order. Such moves blatantly turn back the wheel of history. They are not only ridiculous but also extremely dangerous.

China firmly opposes any form of official interactions between Chinas Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China. We urge the few foreign politicians who are visiting Taiwan to stop interfering in Chinas internal affairs and stop abetting and supporting Taiwan independence activities at once. These wrongful words and moves, be it for selfish gains or for the malign attempt of using Taiwan to contain China, are all miscalculating, and it is just futile to try to stop Chinas inevitable reunification.

Anadolu Agency: Yesterday, the Israeli government approved an agreement to end the war in Gaza. The agreement is reported to include the withdrawal of Israels forces from the territories that they invaded during the war and exchange of prisoners with Palestinian factions. What is Chinas comment?

Guo Jiakun: China hopes that a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza will be realized as early as possible, the humanitarian crisis will be effectively eased, and tensions in the region will be diffused. China upholds the principle of the Palestinians governing Palestine and promotes the implementation of the two-State solution. We stand ready to work with the international community to make unremitting effort towards an early, full, just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question and a peaceful and stable Middle East.

Reuters: Taiwan will build a new multi-layered air defense system called T-Dome. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment?

Guo Jiakun: The Lai Ching-te authorities attempt of seeking Taiwan independence and resisting reunification through military buildup will only push Taiwan towards the danger of military conflict. To uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, one must uphold the one-China principle and unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence. China is firmly opposed to the U.S.s arms sales to and military ties with Chinas Taiwan region. This position is consistent and unequivocal.

Al Araby TV Network: The International Criminal Court accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza and started the judicial proceedings against Israeli government officials. There have been growing calls within the international community for holding relevant individuals, including Netanyahu, legally accountable. My first question is whether China will join them in making these calls? Many believe this is critical for ending the Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Second, does China intend to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians in the villages and towns on the West Bank? Will China impose sanctions on extremists within the Israeli government, like the sanctions that European countries imposed on Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich?

Guo Jiakun: On your first question, on the question of Palestine, China always stands on the side of fairness and justice, and on the side of international law, opposes all acts that violate international law including international humanitarian law, and condemns all moves that harm civilians and all attacks on civilian facilities. China supports all effort in the international community conducive to realizing fairness and justice and defending the authority of international law on the question of Palestine.

On your second question, China opposes Israel building settlements on the occupied territories of Palestine. The UN Security Council has clarified that the construction of such settlements violates international law. With a ceasefire just reached and the situation still highly fragile in Gaza, Israel should refrain from taking any inflammatory and escalatory actions.

The Paper: A recent Western media report said that China provided a large amount of weapon supplies to Cambodia. The report, which drew some attention, questioned Chinas neutral position on the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, and misrepresented Chinas defense cooperation with relevant country. What is Chinas response to this?

Guo Jiakun: Since the outbreak of the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, as a friendly neighbor of both countries, China has upheld a just and fair position and made active effort to promote talks for peace. The foreign ministers of China, Cambodia and Thailand reached outcome in Chinas Anning, Yunnan Province; the three countries held an informal consultation; and the Chinese Foreign Ministrys Special Envoy for Asian Affairs made several shuttle-diplomacy trips for peace between the two sides. With the active efforts of China, Malaysia and various parties, Cambodia and Thailand reached a ceasefire agreement and the two sides are in communication via bilateral mechanisms. Relevant parties have spoken highly of China for playing an irreplaceable role in this process.

China supports Cambodia and Thailand in settling disputes through dialogue and consultation, and supports Malaysia, as the rotating chair of ASEAN, in promoting the political settlement of the issue through the ASEAN Way. China stands ready to, in light of the will of Cambodia and Thailand, continue promoting talks for peace in our own way and playing a constructive role for consolidating the ceasefire agreement and advancing the peaceful settlement of the dispute.

China carries out normal defense cooperation with all ASEAN countries, including Cambodia and Thailand. Individual Western media outlet tried to use such cooperation to sow discord between China and relevant country. Such attempt will never succeed.

AFP: Can you tell us who China will send to COP30 next month? And also has the lack of accommodation in the host city affected the size of Chinas delegation which appears to have done with other countries?

Guo Jiakun: China supports Brazil in making the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem a full success. On Chinas attendance at the conference, we will release information in due course. Please stay tuned.

Reuters: The Trump administration on Thursday proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on route to and from the U.S., saying that the reduced flight time puts American carriers at a disadvantage. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment?

Guo Jiakun: Id refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. Barring Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the U.S. would hinder travel and people-to-people exchanges. Rather than punishing other countries and passengers around the world, perhaps its time the U.S. took a hard look at its own policy and the impact on American businesses.

Shenzhen TV: Weve learned that recently another Chinese national was wrongfully interrogated and detained when entering the U.S., whose personal freedom was restricted for more than 48 hours before repatriation. Can I have your comment on that?

Guo Jiakun: In disregard of Chinas repeated serious representations, relevant U.S. departments have been wantonly harassing, interrogating and repatriating Chinese nationals with harsh law enforcement. Such moves severely damage the lawful rights and interests as well as the dignity of Chinese nationals concerned, and disrupt normal people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. China expresses strong indignation and condemns the incident.

We call on the U.S. law enforcement authorities to immediately stop this kind of erroneous practice, act faithfully on the important common understandings between the two presidents, uphold friendly exchanges between the peoples of the two countries and take effective steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals overseas, and we once again remind those traveling to the U.S. to be mindful of such risks.

Bloomberg: The U.S. has sanctioned more than 50 individuals, firms and vessels involved in exporting Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas. This includes a Chinese company. Would the Ministry like to comment? Does the Ministry foresee this causing any energy security problems?

Guo Jiakun: China opposes unilateral illicit sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council. We urge the U.S. to abandon the wrong practice of arbitrarily resorting to sanctions. Countries normal cooperation with Iran within the framework of international law is legitimate and justified. China will do what is necessary to ensure its energy security and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens.

Kyodo News: Japans Komeito has decided to leave the ruling coalition formed with the Liberal Democratic Party. Whats Chinas comment?

Guo Jiakun: This is Japans internal affair and we have no comment on that.
On October 10, 2025, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Kim Jong Un on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the WPK.

In his congratulatory message, Xi Jinping said that on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the WPK, he, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and in his own name, extended warm congratulations and best wishes to Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un, the WPK Central Committee, all members of the WPK, and the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Xi Jinping said that over the past 80 years, the WPK has united and led the people of the DPRK to forge ahead and overcome difficulties, making impressive achievements in advancing the socialist cause of the DPRK. In recent years, Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un has led the Party and people of the DPRK to actively work to strengthen party building, develop the economy and improve people's livelihood. Xi Jinping wishes that under the strong leadership of the WPK headed by Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un, the socialist cause of the DPRK will continue to achieve new accomplishments, and the country will greet the successful convening of the 9th Congress of the WPK.

Xi Jinping emphasized that both China and the DPRK are socialist countries led by communist parties. In recent years, he has held multiple meetings with Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un to guide and steer the development of relations between the two parties and the two countries, opening a new chapter in the China-DPRK friendship. Xi Jinping recalled Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un's recent visit to China to attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, during which the two leaders had in-depth discussions and charted the course for further developing the friendship and cooperation between China and the DPRK. No matter how the international situation changes, it remains the unwavering policy of the CPC and the Chinese government to maintain, consolidate and develop China-DPRK relations. China is ready to work with the DPRK to strengthen strategic communication, deepen practical cooperation, enhance coordination and collaboration, and further advance bilateral relations, so as to serve the socialist causes of both countries and make positive contributions to regional and global peace, stability, development and prosperity. Xi Jinping extended his best wishes to the WPK for even greater success and for the everlasting friendship between China and the DPRK.
Good Job is Slates advice column on work. Have a workplace problem big or small? Send it to Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir here. (Its anonymous!)

Dear Good Job,

I had an office fling gone wrong several years ago. I thought he liked me, but the loser turned out to be lying about being in a relationship, and had also hooked up with two other female employees. One of the others complained to HR when she discovered his lies. I didnt get involved, but this was determined NOT to be a company issue and was considered to be poor personal conduct and nothing was done. At one point, dude approached me and said he didnt understand why I was pissed off at him, and told me not to take it so personally since he lies to everyone. I put in writing that he was not to communicate with me under any circumstances.

He, thankfully, left for a new job, and I moved on (married with kids). Except now, years later, hes back. Someone actually rehired him!

Now, he thinks its totally fine to walk up and greet me like an old friend, acting like nothing ever happened and asking questions about my life (as if he ever gave a crap). So far, Ive ignored him, but its getting uncomfortable in the elevator!

Hes married to the woman he openly cheated on, and I find the communication disrespectful to both of us. He never apologized or accepted responsibility for what he did. Just because Ive moved on does NOT give him permission to interrupt one more minute of my life! How can I tell him off without getting myself flagged by HR?

Trapped By the Past

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Dear Trapped By the Past,

As tempting as it is to tell him off, I hope you can stop yourself by recognizing that he would enjoy upsetting you. He would get a sick thrill out of thinking he still has so much influence over your emotions. He will never apologize or accept responsibility, so dont expect that. But if you insult him, especially if its in front of other people, he may retaliate by spreading lies about you or bragging that you had a fling.

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The best way to deal with this manipulative, deceptive creep in your workplace is to ignore him. As a bonus: Manipulative, deceptive creeps hate being ignored, so this will bug him more than if you ever told him off. Be prepared to respond to any questions or greetings from him with brief, dull, bored responses. Im fine, thanks. Excuse me, I have to get back to work. Yes. No. Huh.

That said, if you see fresh evidence that he is dishonest in the workplace, you may want to share what you know with other targets of his deceptions. Someone who takes pride in lying may well cheat on his expense accounts, take credit for other peoples work, or create weird dramas. Its not your responsibility to stop him, but if a group of people decide to go to human resources with complaints, and if youre promised confidentiality, your account might be relevant.

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You say you feel trapped by the past. Please forgive yourself and break down that trap. Lots of people have work flings. Sure, it ended badly, but you didnt know he was a proud liar who enjoyed misleading you and your other co-workers. You probably learned some weasel-identification skills from the ordeal. Congratulations on building a happy life; thats the best revenge.

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Get work advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Good Job, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Good Job following up) Submit

Dear Good Job,

I started a job at a new company about six months ago. Our company sponsors and has employees attend lots of local events, fundraisers, dinners, and the like. About a month ago, I went to my first one of these events, an awards ceremony/banquet for a professional organization that includes dozens of very important clients and potential clients.

Everything was going well during the cocktail hour and then our group, a mix of higher level employees and junior staff, proceeded into the dining room and sat at a table emblazoned with our company name and logo. The awards ceremony was first, and then dinner would be after.

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Throughout the entire ceremony (which included speeches and awards being handed out) my coworkers acted like they were raised in a barn. They were loudly talking and carrying on, taking selfies, playing videos on their phones without headphones, and getting up and down out of their seats the entire time, while the speeches were being given and the awards were being presented! The entire time! I was MORTIFIED. It got to the point that some of the people giving speeches jokingly/gently chided our table specifically a few times and asked us to quiet down. Then towards the end of the ceremony, but while it was still clearly going on and people were still at the podium giving speeches and handing out plaques, they all rushed to the buffet so they could be in line first, pushing and shoving and arguing.

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Obviously from a general human aspect, talking loudly and being disruptive while people are giving speeches in an otherwise quiet room is horrible, but on top of that we were sitting at a table with the name of our company clearly identified and the people giving the speeches and giving and receiving the awards are part of huge organizations that are or could be very important clients.

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I left as soon as I could reasonably do so without being rude and genuinely considered quitting my job the next day because I was so embarrassed. To make it worse, my boss was one of the people behaving badly. There have been talks about another event coming up and my boss added it to my calendar assuming Id be going and Im honestly dreading it.

I cant say anything to my boss because they are one of the culprits and also because Im relatively new and maybe I just dont understand the company culture, but I also cannot fathom sitting through one more of these events. How do I get out of this?

Humiliated in Honolulu

Dear Humiliated in Honolulu,

How awful. Those poor awardees should have been enjoying the admiration of their colleagues during a peak career experience. Instead, they had to speak over the drunk monkeys from your company. I hope all the award winners and presenters managed to bond over how awful your colleagues were. Your companys name is probably now a punchline in this professional organization.

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And poor you! You were stuck at a table with these drunk monkeys (with apologies to drunk monkeys), and your boss was howling and hooting the loudest. Mortifying is right. Unfortunately, you probably understand the company culture just fine. Its greedy (racing to the buffet!), disrespectful, and disgraceful. I doubt the misbehavior you witnessed is confined to one off-site event.

My top advice is to get out. This company either has or is acquiring a bad reputation, and you dont want it to tarnish your own. You cant trust your boss or most of the colleagues at that table to engage in basic professional behavior.

If youre not ready to jump, was there anyone else at your table who wasnt being rude? Or anyone else on staff who has been at the company a while and seems trustworthy and observant? Ask them if your colleagues behavior at the awards event was unusual. If that sort of thing had never happened before, stay wary. If its standard operating procedure for your company, again, get out.

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While youre deciding, you can decline future invitations. If you cant risk losing this job while youre looking for a new one, be vague about why: I wish I could make it, but I already have a commitment that night. If you have a little more power, allude to why: I dont think I should join you. The last event got a little rowdy for me. If you are willing to use your full power, explain to your boss what you observed last time, as you described it in your letter. Its possible your boss was so sloshed that they didnt realize or cant remember what happened. Tell them youre concerned that these spectacles will harm your business. Its possible, though unlikely, that your boss will be retroactively mortified at their own and the groups behavior and will apologize and assure you theyll do what they can to prevent future misbehavior. (We can dream.)

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If your boss denies there was a problem and tells you to lighten up, which is unfortunately more likely, request a meeting with your bosss boss. Share your concerns that staff behavior at external events is harming your relationship with clients and potential clients. The bosss boss may decide youre not a good cultural fit in this company (which, to your credit, youre not) and allow or participate in retaliation against you. But theres a non-zero (if close to zero) chance that company leadership will pay attention to your report and set new guidelines for employee behavior. If so, thank you on behalf of future event attendees and everyone else at your company who is fed up with their disrespectful colleagues.

Dear Good Job,

I just started a new job at a company I like about two months agothe pay is good, the position is good and I like my boss and coworkers. But during the application process, I also applied to a Dream Jobat a company Ive long admired and would love to work at. And about a month ago, I heard back. I decided to go through the interviews anyway, since I love the company so much  and I just got an offer. But now I dont know what to do! I guess I never really expected it to get this far, and now Im here and Im stuck. I think leaving after just two months feels like an extreme no-no, but it would also kill me to pass this up and think about the what-ifs. What should I do?

Wish It Were Easy

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Dear Wish It Were Easy,

Take the dream job. Sure, leaving your current job will be awkward. To do it as gracefully as possible, set a meeting with your current boss. Thank them for hiring you. Tell them youve been offered another job that you applied for before accepting this one, and its a better position for you. Apologize for the inconvenience your departure will cause them. Offer to stay another two weeks to hand off any projects you started and make the transition as smooth as possible. End of conversation. Your boss might make a counter-offer, which you should consider. Or they might ask you to pack up your things and go, especially if youre leaving to work for a competitor. It wont be fun, but you have to prioritize your own career. If it helps, remember that your company has almost certainly had brutal layoffs and would fire you in an instant if they felt they had to.

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But while were here, please beware that the concept of a dream job can be a trap. Even the dreamiest of dream jobs can turn into a nightmare if, say, you get a terrible manager or the seemingly benign owner of the company turns malevolent. (Looking at you, Jeff Bezos.) This might be the perfect job for you now, but allow yourself to leave any job if it turns out to not be as dreamy as it seemed, and allow yourself fresh, new dreams as your career develops.

Laura

More Work Advice From Slate

My husband and I have been together for 23 years. We met at a startup and he found a clever way to start the business he still runs today. Not long after, I joined the company where we worked together for almost 15 years. The problem is, outside a handful of good years, the business is a zombie. It produces a very modest income and despite general plans for a future payout, there is no measurable progress. I am fed up and exhausted from being the breadwinner.
This article contains spoilers for After the Hunt.

After the Hunt starts the way any serious movie about academia should: with Julia Roberts decked out in a white suit hosting a dinner of philosophy professors and their star pupil students in her parlor. The academic elites are quoting Kierkegaard while speaking on the human condition. But thats just about where the films met expectations end. The latest picture from beloved director Luca Guadagnino follows a Yale professor, Alma (Roberts), as she gets caught in the middle of a sexual assault allegation that her favorite student, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), launches against her closest male colleague, Hank (Andrew Garfield). After the Hunt is intended to be a thought-provoking film that debates the existence of cancel culture and the way todays thick political climate affects how we view identity and claims of misconduct. But, in 2025, were far beyond simply bringing these ideas to the fore and stuffing them full of A-listers. People have been ranting about the nonexistence of cancel culture and turning the politically correct into snowflakes for years. After the Hunt is, perhaps bravely, a movie about gray areas. But it is so worried about landing in the muck of todays stickiest discourses that it becomes a muddied gray area itself.

After the Hunt starts with a warninga loud, incessant, nondiegetic ticking sound, playing over shots of Alma walking through campus. Lest there be any confusion, a metaphorical bomb will eventually explode. When we first meet our cast of intellectual elites, though, its through the eyes of Maggie, who is staring, disaffected, at the African figurines on display in Almas living room. Alma looks on as Hank negs Maggiea wealthy Black lesbian studentand grabs her thigh while making sweeping generalizations about the younger generation. Maggie protests in little ways, chiding these generalizations and laughing off the crossed physical boundary. Almas husband, a psychiatrist named Frederik (played by the always great Michael Stuhlbarg), brings up the elephant in the room: Both Alma and Hank are up for the same tenured spot in the department. Despite a small number of nonsensical detailsthe 57-year-old Roberts playing a character still up for tenure, for onethe chess pieces are clearly set.

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The audience never sees what happens later that night. But Maggie soon confides in Alma that Hank, who was increasingly intoxicated and handsy as the night went on, sexually assaulted her after he walked her home. For the rest of the film, the audience follows only Alma as she struggles to ride the line between supporting Maggie and taking a stand against her close friend for an incident she has no proof of.

On one hand, the movie seems to want to agree with critics of todays oft-infantalized Gen Z: Maggie is a mediocre student who skates by because of her adoration of professors who are weak enough to fall for it. But it reneges at every point as well, portraying the ways in which Maggie, who is suspected of exploiting her identity for personal gain, is also exploited. She fights for credibility while the academic overlords experience a tug-of-war between what to believe and what they feel they must believe, because the optics of questioning a young Black lesbian are just too bad to risk even asking unbiased questions about the situation. Instead, everyone in Maggies orbit would rather wipe their hands clean of the mess. In their pursuit of handling the situation in an acceptable way, Maggies trusted confidants think only of how they will come out unscathed, rather than whether their student is all right.

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This is not a discourse thats ever been had before, of course. People havent been railing against the false boogeyman of cancel culture for years while Chris Brown sells out stadiums and Woody Allen continues to make films. And they certainly havent debated whether we need to #BelieveWomen. After the Hunts failure is not in bringing up these tired questions, but in failing to say something meaningful or interesting about them. The films first ending shows Alma forced to leave the schoolnot for anything to do with Maggie and Hank, but because she was caught forging prescriptions for pain meds. In an epilogue, we learn she was made dean of the philosophy department, having somehow secured the position despite committing a felony and with only a few years of tenure under her belt. Hank, meanwhile, is off to obscurity. Are either of these outcomes fair? After the Hunt cant decide. Maybe bringing these questions up would feel more apt if the movie was released five to 10 years ago. But weve been living inside of this discourse for too long to simply start a conversation and leave it at that.

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It doesnt help that the plot is more obvious than it lets on. The movie is built around the idea that the audience doesnt know whether Maggie is lying about the assault, but it seems clear to me that Hank assaulted Maggie, just as much as it seems clear that both Hank and Frederik are right about Alma ignoring Maggies mediocrity. That Maggie would use her connections and her identity to get ahead is as much a given as it is that a young woman desperate for Almas approval could be an easy victim for a sly man who gets high on his own intellect. This is hammered home in a scene where Hank scarfs down Indian cuisine while attempting to make his case for what happened that night to Alma, much to the detriment of anyone with misophonia. In the films final moments, Hanks true nature is so much as proven, even if we never get an official admission of guilt. This movie about the complexity of power dynamics and agencyin which the characters are scholars in the exact discipline that analyzes the complexity of mancant hold space for the complexity of people to be annoying and opportunistic as well as prey. If these are to be the thought leaders of this generation and the next: Were done for.

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The largest misstep in After the Hunt comes at the question of cost. If youre going to make a movie that wades in the murk of the changing perception of what it means to be Black, queer, and/or femme in spaces that traditionally have excluded these groups, if youre going to make a movie exploring whether hegemony has become so sympathetic to these minorities that it can actually be advantageous to be one, if youre going to make a movie about this backlash to woke-ism, then you better not miss. You better incur the risk for something.

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At the center of this movie is an oversimplification of a Black queer woman. Alma calls Maggie out for trying too hard to assimilate to her white colleagues and those with less money than her (best-evidenced by the truly horrendous wig Edebiri dons throughout the entire movie). Alma and Hank see through Maggies attempts to shape-shift into someone more relatable, sure, but if Maggies worst crimes are mediocrity and coming from money, then more of Alma and Hanks colleagues would be guilty than their students of color. Alma launches these criticisms while living in a beautiful home with a top-tier sound system and kitchen any Ina Garten disciple would kill for, plus owning an apartment on the side. (Lets assume Frederiks psychiatrist salary is keeping their living room, an ode to the Socratic method, afloat, considering Alma hasnt yet secured tenure.) Remind me: Whats rule No. 1 about casting stones?

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A less savory, but perhaps braver movie, would have dared to make Maggie the villain. Or, it would have at least followed her for a bit and tried to understand her. This movie only tries to understand Almain a truly great performance from Robertswhich would work if the situation Alma was caught up in actually had much to do with her. But Alma wasnt there; to Maggies dismay, she says as much. So what, then? Is this a movie about allyship? Because a basic tenet of allyship is not to expect it from the people who have the most power over you.

Its not like good movies about this quagmire havent been made. Cinephiles will remember the widespread love for Tar, Todd Fields 2022 film in which Cate Blanchett portrays a gay female classical conductor whose illustrious and dominant career is threatened by allegations that arise when her former mentee takes her own life. Tar was so deft because it was punching up. After the Hunt enters the ring but doesnt throw a single punch at all.

Guadagninos failure to reach this mountaintop feels surprising, especially given the films star-studded cast. But Guadagnino specializes in a feeling of timelessness, and this is a movie so intent on being pegged to the times that it actually feels behind them. In this pursuit, nothing about the film is subtle. And yet, despite its heavy-handednessbest exemplified by the literal ticking noisesyou will leave wondering what it was trying to say. Which raises an even bigger question: Can we afford that kind of ambiguity?
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It is now beyond debate that one of Donald Trumps key goals is the creation of a national police force that is loyal to him alone. To that end, the president has repeatedly federalized the National Guardoften over governors objectionsand deployed troops to invade blue cities whose residents oppose his administration. He has also transformed Immigration and Customs Enforcement into a kind of secret police that targets, with especially sadistic brutality, journalists, protesters, and others exercising their First Amendment rights. Trumps multifaceted attack on the Constitution creates a feedback loop of lawlessness: He first erodes the structural limits on his authority, then exploits his newly unchecked power to trample the peoples freedom to dissent.

A growing number of lower courts are aggressively pushing back against Trumps brazen distortion of the constitutional order. But will it be enough to stop him? On this weeks Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus, co-hosts Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed a spate of rulings that balk at the administrations consolidation of law enforcement around the presidents political vendettas. A preview of their conversation, below, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Dahlia Lithwick: Can you give us a snapshot of who is in court suing over the National Guard deployment and what courts are saying? Because it does feel like judges are now making very bold statements.

Mark Joseph Stern: On Thursday, U.S. District Judge April Perry issued a temporary restraining order blocking the federalization and deployment of the National Guard within Illinois, which was a huge win for Gov. J.B. Pritzker. She issued an order from the bench and said: Not even Alexander Hamilton could have envisioned one states militia to be used against another states residents because the President wants to punish those with views other than his own. She accepted Illinois representations that Trumps goal here isnt to keep the peace or prevent violence. Its to punish Chicago residents for daring to oppose and protest the Trump administration. She ruled that there is simply no credible evidence that there is danger of rebellion in the state of Illinois, or that Trump cannot execute the laws of the United States.

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There was a different big deal of a decision against ICE from a different judge on Thursday too, right?

Yes. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Department of Homeland Security agents, including ICE, from violating First Amendment rights. We all saw ICE agents shooting a pastor with a pepper ball, gassing protesters, brutalizing journalists, right? And Ellis said: Look, this cant go on. She ruled that officers cant arrest, threaten, or assault journalists. They cant forcibly break up a protest absent exigent circumstances. And they cant use riot control weapons like pepper spray and rubber bullets on nonviolent journalists, protesters, or religious practitioners.

Crucially, Ellis also ordered most officers to wear visible identification affixed to their uniforms or helmets and prominently displayed, including when wearing riot gear. In other words, officers in the field must have visible ID unless they are undercover or regularly work in plainclothes. That doesnt cover everyone, but its a pretty broad blow to the secret police: It means uniformed, on-duty agents are legally obligated to have identification at all times.

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Related From Slate With One Damning Question, Ketanji Brown Jackson Defined the Supreme Courts New Term Read More

This is important because its a drip, drip, drip, right? Almost since his inauguration, Trump has been making these grandiose statements that theres an exigent emergency and cities are on fire so the government should be allowed to do whatever it wants in this hellscape. And judge after judge after judge has said: No hellscape. No fire. Cut it out. Even Judge Karin Immergut, whos a Trump appointee, imposed a restraining order last week against the National Guard in Portland. That went up to the 9th Circuit on Thursday, to a three-judge panel with two Trump appointees. How did that go?

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As you would expect. The two Trump judges, Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade, used this hearing as an audition for the Supreme Court. They were falling over themselves to criticize Judge Immerguts ruling. They had already partially stayed that decision, and now it looks like theyre going to freeze all of it. They seem inclined to rule, as Judge Nelson said over and over again, that the president has unreviewable discretion to decide when he must federalize the National Guard to keep the peace. And courts just have to give absolute deference to the presidents determinationsthey can never second-guess him, even when there is a mountain of evidence that the president is lying.

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It all feels like the administration is ramping up the claim that its time to invoke the Insurrection Act before the midterms. How do you litigate your way out of a president who doesnt care?

I know its a little trendy right now to say the litigation doesnt matterthat lower court wins dont matter because the states are going to lose anyway in the end. But lets take a step back and look at where we are. The Constitutionwhich I do think still mattersgives Congress the power to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions. The National Guard is our modern-day militia. So as a constitutional rule, the president can only call up the guard in situations where Congress has deemed it appropriate. And under Title 10, Congress has said it is only appropriate during an insurrection, rebellion, or inability to execute federal law on the ground.

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Denying courts the authority to enforce Congress requirements, which Judge Nelson argued for on Thursday, essentially nullifies a provision of the Constitution itself. If the president has unreviewable discretion to decide when theres a rebellion or an uncontrolled riot, then there is actually no restriction on his ability to federalize and deploy the Guard. That constitutional limitation just goes poof. The president could make up any pretext whatsoever, fabricate the most fanciful fictions imaginable, and still federalize the Guard, because courts couldnt stop him. And that would completely undo the division of power over the militia thats set out in the Constitution.

Whats even more perverse is that Trump is trying to federalize the militia in retaliation against Americans exercise of their constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. The president is essentially claiming that the mere existence of protestswhich are expressly protected by the First Amendmentjustifies him sending in the Guard to invade states against their will. That he can lie about peaceful demonstration, claim that theyre violent, and use that as a basis to send in the Guard. That is anathema to our constitutional design. His lawyers know it, and thats why theyre looking to the Insurrection Act, an escalation that would not only allow Trump to deploy the Guard, but also to use it for domestic law enforcement, which is normally prohibited.

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This is where courts willingness to depart from facts, to give the president undue deference, leads us straight into the abyss as a nation. As soon as we let the administration abuse Title 10 or the Insurrection Act by ignoring the reality on the ground, we have entered into a world in which the president controls a national police force that can openly suppress First Amendment rights as violently as it wants to. That cannot be the law. That cannot be something we accept without at least litigating the hell out of it and giving every court proof that this should not be the country that we have to live in.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - At least 214 civilians were killed and almost 1,000 injured in Ukraine last month, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for the country (HRMMU) said on Friday
This past January, Tyler Moore was walking up to the stall of pacer House Edge Hanover at his stable outside Cambridge, Ont. As he approached the horse, panic set in.

The four-year-old Betting Line - Hug A Dragoness gelding was standing there with his damaged left eye dangling from the socket.

Moores first thought was what just happened?

It looked pretty bad," said Moore. "(He) wasnt worked up but he looked like it just happened.

He got House Edge out of his stall and loaded him onto the trailer immediately and headed for the vet clinic, about 20 minutes away. The plans for an already scheduled routine maintenance vet visit had changed drastically.

The vet looked at the eye but didnt have the means to handle it at the clinic. She quickly referred him to the Ontario Veterinary College, just 15 minutes away in Guelph. Prior to leaving the clinic, the vet warned Moore there was an 80 per cent chance that the eye would need to be removed.

Moore said it was a quick decision to remove it.

That was quite an afternoon for me as a newer trainer, noted Moore. Ive seen some eyes before, working around my father (Dr. Ian Moore) as a kid. I watched him put eyes back together like you wouldnt believe. He was amazing at it, but this one was pretty damaged and from what I was told from the professionals, it wasnt going to be saved.

According to Moore, House Edge Hanover's owner, Dr. Everette Hanson, was probably one of the best owners he could have during such an ordeal.

Everette was really good to work with, to help me get through it all. He made a big difference.

Hanson recalled his initial conversation with Moore after the injury.

I didnt know he was going to lose it. (Tyler) said he was injured and he ran off to the veterinarian. Then he called me back and said it had to be (removed), said Hanson.

The surgery took place on a Wednesday. Moore planned to pick up House Edge Hanover from the vet the following afternoon but the college offered to keep him for one more night under observation. Moore picked up the pacer on the Friday morning and received instructions on proper wound care.

Its amazing how quick and fast they can heal and what the horse can go through in the process, said Moore.

According to a 2010 study published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, 70 per cent of racehorses that had an eye removed end up returning to racing. The average timeline before they return was not included in the study. For House Edge Hanover, it was less than 45 days.

I had no idea that that was gonna be happening that quick," confessed Moore. "We didnt push him but he showed me so much confidence.

Hanson wasnt too worried about if House Edge would return to racing.

A lot of horses get the left eye covered up with a murphy blind anyway, said Hanson.

Moore kept House Edge Hanover in his stall for a few days before supervised daily paddock time. He had him back in a harness and exercising lightly just two weeks after the incident.

He was a little weird the first day or two, said Moore. But it did not take him long. It was a matter of just laps that it took to get him used to jogging.

A few weeks later, Moore began race simulations at slower speeds and quickly had him ready to race. As the pacer approached a return to action, Moore appreciated his owner's trust and knowledge.

Everette is a doctor himself, so he had lots to say over the phone to explain to me whats going on and what Im trying to deal with, said Moore. He explained to me what to be aware of and what to expect. He was asking questions on what Im seeing and he had confidence in me and I had confidence in the horse.

Hanson credited Moore's patient approach with the pacer.

He took his time letting the horse get used to having one eye...a lot more than I would have, but he took his time and let the horse get used to everything: the way they put on the equipment, the way they jog, the way they turn him out. I probably would have been a lot more aggressive with it but he did it the right way, said Hanson.

On Feb. 6, House Edge Hanover made his return to the racetrack at Flamboro Downs. Prior to the loss of the eye, Moore had listed catch drivers on House Edge Hanover but, out of precaution, Moore decided to drive House Edge himself and hes glad he did. In his first race back, House Edge Hanover made a break in stride and finished ninth.

I made a mistake with him his first start back. It was a mistake I had to learn from with what he was going through because he wasnt normal to drive, said Moore.

Three weeks later, House Edge Hanover and Moore were winners in just the horse's third race with one eye.

Moore recalls it fondly.

It was quite a soft feeling. We got a headshot in the winners circle with him, said Moore.

House Edge Hanover raced with Moore in Ontario for two more months before returning to Canada's east coast. He rested at Hansons farm for six weeks before he returned to action. The plan was to race him in Woodstock, N.B, but race cancellations forced him to be sent to trainer Ron Matheson in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Matheson was his trainer last summer when the three-year-old collected six wins in seven Atlantic Canadian starts before heading to Ontario.

Matheson hasnt noticed any differences in the one-eyed version of House Edge Hanover from how he was last year with full vision. House Edge Hanover has also returned to his winning ways with Matheson tallying four victories  including a lifetime best effort of 1:52.3 at Red Shores Charlottetown in early July.

This Sunday (Oct. 12) he will be competing in the $50,000 Premier's Cup Final at Red Shores against the best older horses in Atlantic Canada. He has drawn the far outside post position eight with Kenny Murphy driving. Just two weeks ago, the duo teamed up to upset the top class in Charlottetown defeating co-track record holder, Bee Two Bee and last years local older pacer of the year, Twin B Tuffenuff.

It will be a tough race for House Edge Hanover, with Hanson and Matheson just hoping for a small piece of the lucrative prize. The Premier's Cup is slated for the final dash on Red Shores' 16-dash Sunday card, also featuring the 2025 Atlantic Breeders Crown finals and more than $313,000 in purse money. To view the entries, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Red Shores Charlottetown.

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Grady Hachey)
James MacDonald drove five winners on Thursday, Oct. 9 at Woodbine Mohawk Park and took the lead in the national drivers win standings.

The reinsman completed his five-win performance by piloting Pure Ivory winner One Belle to a lifetime-best score off a four-week layoff. He slotted the filly in third before ordering a second-quarter brush, and she glided to the lead before taking on Land The Plane (Jody Jamieson), whom she held off by a head to win in 1:54.1. Sendi Ka (Doug McNair) was third.

The winning Matt Bax-trained filly won her first three career starts before seventh-place finishes in the Peaceful Way and Champlain, which preceded the four-week break. With the victory in the $18,000 conditioned dash, the daughter of Walner-Ms Savannah Belle improved to four-for-six and upped her bankroll to $68,850 for owner-breeder Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont. The win payoff was $3.40.

MacDonald doubled to start the card, guiding Oneformybaby ($3.10) to a dominant two-move victory in the opener and getting My Ghost ($8.30) up late in the second. The pilot then won the fourth race with All My Wishes ($4.90), who powered first-up to the lead on the turn and produced a :26.4 last quarter to win the $22,000 Pop-Up Series first leg for fillies. He made it a grand slam as Go Rossco ($8.80) drew clear in the last eighth of a mile to score in the fifth.

MacDonald, who entered the card level with Austin Sorrie on the national dash-winning leaderboard, is now ahead by four tallies. He is well clear of Louis-Philippe Roy in the Mohawk standings with 288 wins to Roys 214. MacDonald, Canadas four-time defending Driver of the Year, has 307 wins and $7.57 million in earnings on the year as he pursues a fourth straight 400-win campaign, and third in a row with eight digits in earnings.

After All My Wishes won the filly split, Out Of Ice ($3.20) captured the $22,000 Pop-Up Series first-leg contest for colts and geldings. Both series are for Ontario-sired three-year-old pacers that have not earned $100,000 or more this season as of Oct. 1, with horses in for a $50,000 tag also eligible.

To view Thursdays harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada; photo of One Belle and connections on Oct. 9)
Following an appeal held on Thursday, Oct. 9, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has advised the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) office that there will be no changes to the draw for the three-year-old trotting filly OSS Super Final.

The race will proceed as originally drawn, going postward as Race 6 on the Saturday, Oct. 11 program at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the first of four $300,000 Super Finals for the provinces top sophomores.

Complete entries for Saturdays card can be found at this link.

For more information, please contact the OSS Program Coordinator at [email protected] or 416-407-4841.

(Ontario Racing)
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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:

Researchers have created a polymer "Chinese lantern" that can snap into more than a dozen curved, three-dimensional shapes by compressing or twisting the original structure. This rapid shape-shifting behavior can be controlled remotely using a magnetic field, allowing the structure to be used for a variety of applications. Credit: Yaoye Hong, NC State University

Researchers have created a polymer "Chinese lantern" that can snap into more than a dozen curved, three-dimensional shapes by compressing or twisting the original structure. This rapid shape-shifting behavior can be controlled remotely using a magnetic field, allowing the structure to be used for a variety of applications.

The corresponding research paper, "Reprogrammable snapping morphogenesis in freestanding ribbon-cluster meta-units via stored elastic energy," is published in Nature Materials.

The paper was co-authored by Caizhi Zhou and Haitao Qing, both Ph.D. students at NC State; and by Yinding Chi, a former Ph.D. student at NC State who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Penn.

The basic lantern object is made by cutting a polymer sheet into a diamond-like parallelogram shape, then cutting a row of parallel lines across the center of each sheet. This creates a row of identical ribbons connected by a solid strip of material at the top and bottom of the sheet. By connecting the left and right ends of the solid strips at top and bottom, the polymer sheet forms a three-dimensional shape resembling a roughly spherical Chinese lantern.

Credit: Yin Lab at NCSU

"This basic shape is, by itself, bistable," says Jie Yin, corresponding author of a paper on the work and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. "In other words, it has two stable forms. It is stable in its lantern shape, of course. But if you compress the structure, pushing down from the top, it will slowly begin to deform until it reaches a critical point, at which point it snaps into a second stable shape that resembles a spinning top.

"In the spinning-top shape, the structure has stored all of the energy you used to compress it. So, once you begin to pull up on the structure, you will reach a point where all of that energy is released at once, causing it to snap back into the lantern shape very quickly."

"We found that we could create many additional shapes by applying a twist to the shape, by folding the solid strips at the top or bottom of the lantern in or out, or any combination of those things," says Yaoye Hong, first author of the paper and a former Ph.D. student at NC State who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.

"Each of these variations is also multistable. Some can snap back and forth between two stable states. One has four stable states, depending on whether you're compressing the structure, twisting the structure, or compressing and twisting the structure simultaneously."

The basic lantern object is made by cutting a polymer sheet into a diamond-like parallelogram shape, then cutting a row of parallel lines across the center of each sheet. This creates a row of identical ribbons that is connected by a solid strip of material at the top and bottom of the sheet. By connecting the left and right ends of the solid strips at top and bottom, the polymer sheet forms a three-dimensional shape resembling a roughly spherical Chinese lantern. Credit: Yaoye Hong, NC State University

By attaching a thin magnetic film to the solid strip at the bottom of the structure, the researchers were able to compress or twist the structures remotely, using a magnetic field. They then demonstrated several applications that made use of snapping between two stable shapes. These applications included a noninvasive gripper for grasping fish; a filter that opened and closed to control the flow of water; and a compact shape that rapidly expanded into a tall shape to open a collapsed tube.

The researchers also developed a mathematical model that captures the way in which different angles in the structure control both the shape of each variation and the amount of energy that is stored in each stable state.

"This model allows us to program the shape we want to create, how stable it is, and how powerful it can be when stored potential energy is allowed to snap into kinetic energy," says Hong. "And all of those things are critical for creating shapes that can perform desired applications."

"Moving forward, these lantern units can be assembled into 2D and 3D architectures for broad applications in shape-morphing mechanical metamaterials and robotics," says Yin. "We will be exploring that."

More information: Reprogrammable snapping morphogenesis in ribbon-cluster meta-units using stored elastic energy, Nature Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02370-z. Journal information: Nature Materials
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

OpenAI's recent rollout of its new video generator Sora 2 marks a watershed moment in AI. Its ability to generate minutes of hyper-realistic footage from a few lines of text is astonishing, and has raised immediate concerns about truth in politics and journalism.

But Sora 2 is rolling out slowly because of its enormous computational demands, which point to an equally pressing question about generative AI itself: What are its true environmental costs? Will video generation make them much worse?

The recent launch of the Stargate Projecta US$500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank and MGXto build massive AI data centers in the United States underscores what's at stake. As companies race to expand computing capacity on this scale, AI's energy use is set to soar.

The debate over AI's environmental impact remains one of the most fraught in tech policy. Depending on what we read, AI is either an ecological crisis in the making or a rounding error in global energy use. As AI moves rapidly into video, clarity on its footprint is more urgent than ever.

Two competing narratives

From one perspective, AI is rapidly becoming a major strain on the world's energy and water systems.

Alex de Vries-Gao, a researcher who has long tracked the electricity use of bitcoin mining, noted in mid-2025 that AI was on track to surpass it. He estimated that AI already accounted for about 20% of global data-center power consumption; this is likely to double by year's end.

According to the International Energy Agency, data centers used up to 1.5% of global electricity consumption last year, with consumption growing four times faster than total global demand. The IEA predicts that data centers will more than double their use by 2030, with AI processing the leading driver of growth.

Research cited by MIT's Technology Review concurs, estimating that by 2028, AI's power draw could exceed "all electricity currently used by US data centers"enough to power 22% of U.S. households each year.

'Huge' quantities

AI's water use is also striking. Data centers rely on ultra-pure water to keep servers cool and free of impurities. Researchers estimated that training GPT-3 would have used up 700,000 liters of freshwater at Microsoft's American facilities. They predict that global AI demand could reach four to six billion cubic meters annually by 2027.

Hardware turnover adds further strain. A 2023 study found that chip fabrication requires "huge quantities" of ultra-pure water, energy-intensive chemical processes and rare minerals such as cobalt and tantalum. Manufacturing the high-end graphics processing unitsthe engines that drive AI boomhas a much larger carbon footprint than most consumer electronics.

Generating an image uses the electricity of a microwave running for five seconds, while making a five-second video clip takes up as much as a microwave running for over an hour.

The next leap from text and image to high-definition video could dramatically increase AI's impact. Early testing bears this outfinding that energy use for text-to-video models quadruples when video length doubles.

The case for perspective

Others see the alarm as overstated. Analysts at the Center for Data Innovation, a technology and policy think tank, argue that many estimates about AI energy use rely on faulty extrapolations. GPU hardware is becoming more efficient each year, and much of the electricity in new data centers will come from renewables.

Recent benchmarking puts AI's footprint in context. Producing a typical chatbot Q&A consumes about 2.9 watt-hours (Wh)roughly 10 times a Google search. Google recently claimed that a typical Gemini prompt uses only 0.24 Wh and 0.25 mL of water, though independent experts note those numbers omit indirect energy and water used in power generation.

Context is key. An hour of high-definition video streaming on Netflix uses roughly 100 times more energy than generating a text response. An AI query's footprint is tiny, yet data centers now process billions daily, and more demanding video queries are on the horizon.

OpenAI showcases Sora 2s capabilities.

Jevons paradox

It helps to distinguish between training and use of AI. Training frontier models such as GPT-4 or Claude Opus 3 required thousands of graphics chips running for months, consuming gigawatt-hours of power.

Using a model takes up a tiny amount of energy per query, but this happens billions of times a day. Eventually, energy from using AI will likely surpass training.

The least visible cost may come from hardware production. Each new generation of chips demands new fabrication lines, heavy mineral inputs and advanced cooling. Italian economist Marcello Ruberti observes that "each upgrade cycle effectively resets the carbon clock" as fabs rebuild highly purified equipment from scratch.

And even if AI models become more efficient, total energy keeps climbing. In economics, this is known as the Jevons paradox: in 19th-century Britain, the consumption of coal increased as the cost of extracting it decreased. As AI researchers have noted, as costs per query fall, developers are incentivized to find new ways to embed AI into every product. The result is more data centers, chips and total resource use.

A problem of scale

Is AI an ecological menace or a manageable risk? The truth lies somewhere in between.

A single prompt uses negligible energy, but the systems enabling itvast data centers, constant chip manufacturing, round-the-clock coolingare reshaping global energy and water patterns.

The International Energy Agency's latest outlook projects that data-center power demand could reach 1,400 terawatt-hours by 2030. This is the equivalent of adding several mid-sized countries to the world's grid. AI will count for a quarter of that growth.

Transparency is vital

Many of the figures circulating about AI energy use are unreliable because AI firms disclose so little. The limited data they release often employ inconsistent metrics or offset accounting that obscures real impacts.

One obvious fix would be to mandate disclosure rules: standardized, location-based reporting of the energy and water used to train and operate models. Europe's Artificial Intelligence Act requires developers of "high-impact" systems to document computation and energy use.

Similar measures elsewhere could guide where new data centers are built, favoring regions with abundant renewables and waterthis could encourage longer hardware lifecycles instead of annual chip refreshes.

Balancing creativity and cost

Generative AI can help unlock extraordinary creativity and provide real utility. But each "free" image, paragraph or video has hidden material and energy costs.

Acknowledging those costs doesn't mean we need to halt innovation. It means we should demand transparency about how great the environmental cost is, and who pays it, in order to address AI's environmental impacts.

As Sora 2 begins to fill social feeds with highly realistic visuals, the question won't be whether AI uses more energy than Netflix, but whether we can expand our digital infrastructure responsibly enough to make room for both.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
A Morning of Design, Dialogue, and Inspiration in Chelsea

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 18th Street Design Collective hosted an exclusive daytime event, The Power of Collaboration, bringing together leaders in design, fashion, and cultural institutions for a conversation on creativity and partnership at Eichholtz Manhattan.

The event took place in the refined setting of the Eichholtz Manhattan showroom, highlighting how collaborative efforts can shape concepts into tangible experiences and translate narratives into thoughtful design. Attendees were greeted by Dennis Scully, host of the Business of Home Podcast, and participated in a focused panel discussion featuring Josh Romm, Global Head of Licensing & Partnerships at The Met; esteemed designers Corey Damen Jenkins and Vanessa Deleon; and Edwin van der Gun, Chief Creative Officer of Eichholtz. The conversation examined the impact of designer-driven collections, museum-inspired works, and interdisciplinary partnerships, emphasizing their role in fostering innovation within design and enhancing cultural engagement.

Guests were welcomed with a thoughtfully curated Dutch-style breakfast prepared by renowned chef Kalynn Dong. Her expertise in crafting extraordinary culinary experiences, shaped by years at the Ritz-Carlton, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, set the tone for an inspiring morning of conversation, design, and collaboration. The morning offered attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how collaborations inform the creative process and shape the future of interior design. From concept to execution, panelists shared insights on how partnerships drive artistic vision, sustainability, and storytelling within the design community.

The first 50 guests received a complimentary copy of Corey Damen Jenkins' new book, Design Reimagined, followed by a book signing and breakfast bites. The event fostered meaningful connections among New York's creative professionals, underscoring Eichholtz Manhattan's role as a platform where design, culture, and craftsmanship converge.

"Events like The Power of Collaboration are at the core of what drives our creativity," says Niki Cheng, Founder of the 18th Street Design Collective. "Our showroom is a space where fashion, art, and interior design intersect, inspiring fresh ideas and new perspectives. Hosting this conversation brought that vision to life in the most beautiful way."

About 18th Street Design Collective

Founded by Niki Cheng and Shaokao Cheng, the 18th Street Design Collective curates and operates showrooms for high-quality furniture brands in New York City, including Eichholtz Manhattan, Calligaris, Camerich, Connubia, Luce Plan, and Ditre Italia. Known for hosting collaborative events and exhibitions, 18th Street Design Collective continues to shape New York's design scene through its dedication to creativity, craftsmanship, and community.

Eichholtz: A Legacy of Luxury

Eichholtz, the renowned Dutch brand for luxury interiors, brings architectural precision and refined artistry to every collection. With a focus on form, proportion, and quality, Eichholtz creates harmonious spaces that balance modern innovation with elegance.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jordan Lee

[email protected]

SOURCE 18 Street Design Collective
NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria  A thunderous boom emanated as the tracer rounds fired from a M1A2 Abrams tank reached their targets.

Soldiers from the 1-16th Infantry, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division performed live fire exercises featuring Abrams tanks in Bulgaria earlier this week, according to reports from Army officials. The soldiers focused on emphasizing target engagement, effective maneuvering and crew development.

The 1-16th Infantry, known as the Iron Rangers, is stationed at Fort Riley.

Soldiers from the Iron Rangers conducted live fire gunnery tables by engaging tactical targets with their tanks in both day and night conditions. The training aimed to improve crew coordination and equipment effectiveness. Around 15 Abrams tanks executed six distinct gunnery tables while firing a 120-mm M256 cannon.

Gunnery training fosters crew unity and trust, preparing them to work seamlessly in combat situations by improving communication and teamwork. It requires each member to perform their specific tasks effectively, leading to a unified and cohesive team.

Each crew consisted of a driver, gunner, loader and tank commander. Staff Sgt. Riley Croft, a tank commander, described each crew members role in the exercise. The loader is assigned with loading the ammunition, the tank commander is responsible for bringing the driver in the direction of the target and the gunner is in charge of identifying the target.

Everyone has their piece to play, Croft said. Everyone has a vital role.

Croft emphasized the value of training while extending knowledge and experience to new crew members.

Training builds muscle memory, said Croft. The people underneath you are going to be the people that fill your shoes. Im always trying to teach them better ways to do things so when they reach my position they wont have the problems that I had or the worries that I faced.

Spc. Jocelyn Trejo, a gunner with the Iron Rangers, expressed the importance of communication between the crew members.

Communication plays a big part of being able to succeed, Trejo said. It goes all the way from the driver to the TC, telling the driver when to stop, telling the loader to load and then the commands to fire. Communication is the main key.

Sgt. 1st Class Corey Smith, a master gunner, detailed how training has impacted the newer soldiers in the company.

My favorite thing is watching young soldiers grow, said Smith. We have a lot of new soldiers in this company. Seeing how theyve progressed from the simulator, to gunner skill assessment until now, they are continuing to progress every day.
RIPON, Wis., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alliance Laundry Holdings Inc. ("Alliance Laundry"), the global leader in commercial laundry equipment, today announced the closing of its upsized initial public offering of 43,195,120 shares of its common stock, which includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 5,634,146 additional shares, at an initial public offering price of $22.00 per share. The offering consisted of 24,390,243 shares sold by Alliance Laundry and 18,804,877 shares sold by a selling stockholder. Alliance Laundry did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholder. Alliance Laundry's common stock began trading on the NYSE on October 9, 2025 under the ticker symbol "ALH."

BofA Securities and J.P. Morgan acted as joint lead book-running managers. Morgan Stanley acted as book-running manager. Baird, BDT & MSD Partners, BMO Capital Markets, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and UBS Investment Bank acted as additional bookrunners. CIBC Capital Markets, Fifth Third Securities and PNC Capital Markets LLC acted as co-managers.

A registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 30, 2025. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the final prospectus from: BofA Securities, Inc. at 201 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001; Attn: Prospectus Department; email: [email protected]; or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717 or by email: [email protected] and [email protected].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

About Alliance Laundry

Alliance Laundry makes the world cleaner as a provider of the highest quality commercial laundry systems. Our laundry solutions are available under five respected brands, sold and supported by a global network of select distributors. We serve approximately 150 countries with a team of more than 4,000 employees. Our brands include Speed Queen, UniMac, Huebsch, Primus and IPSO. Together, they present a full line of commercial washing machines, dryers, and ironers (with load capacities from 20400 lb. or 9180 kg.) and support service. You can also enjoy the superior wash and fabric care of commercial-grade laundry equipment in your home through our legendary Speed Queen washers and dryers.

Media Contact:

FGS Global

[email protected]

SOURCE Alliance Laundry Systems
After several months of planning which included a media launch on August 25, CannaBliss 2025, organized by the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA) was launched on October 02, with Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves cutting the ribbon to declare the second festival of its kind formally open. This followed the formal opening of a four-day event which included among other things a tour to a ganja farm, a series of panel discussions and lectures, a musical concert and a tour to the Grenadines mainly for the visitors.





Day 1 saw the formal opening at a CannaBliss village set up in the Victoria Park, which turned out to be the epicenter for the main CannaBliss activities which also included displays of cannabis related products, including but not limited to ganja wines, oils, edibles and fertilizers used commonly in the production of medical cannabis. Patrons were given samples of the ganja wines as well as other products.





The opening ceremony began with a drumming session by Rose Hall drummers, while the Arabesque Dancers thrilled the audience with their agile and acrobatic moves. The main speakers during the ceremony included MCA CEO Dr. Jerrol Thompson, with remarks being made by government ministers including Carlos James, Camillo Gonsalves and Saboto Caesar, with the keynote address being delivered by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. The audience included participants from Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, Bermuda, St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, Jamaica, Holland and USA. Fifth form students from several secondary schools were also invited to attend the opening ceremony and exhibition. Rastafari Sistren and Bredren from across the region also attended CannaBliss 2025.





Day 1 ended with two panel discussions focusing on regulations surrounding the use, sale and export of cannabis as well as views and perspectives on advancing the medical cannabis industry. The final panel discussion was led by local cannabis activist Junior "Spirit Cottle.





Day 2 saw several professionals in cannabis research presenting their findings as well as providing insights into best practices in the cannabis industry. Most of the presentations were live with one being virtual. An introduction was also given on the use of mushrooms in the treatment of neurological disorders as an adjunct to medicinal cannabis treatment. Dr. John Holliday President and CEO of Mushroom Technology LLC who has been conducting research in mushrooms in SVG for about four years, gave some valuable insight into the uses, effects and dosage surrounding mushroom use for specific medical and neurological conditions but not necessarily as a party drug.





On Day 3, the visiting delegates toured cannabis production and processing facilities where they were able to see firsthand, how the plant is grown in its various stages. The first stop was at Minors Farm in Gomea, then the Medicinal brand processing facility at Spring, with the last stop at the Summus facility in Georgetown.

Later that day the public was entertained at the Victoria Park by both Vincentian and Jamaican artistes. The Vincentian performers included rising star Hannah Archibald, Yaphatu, Bongo Prime and DJ Q. The foreign artistes included Spragga Benz with Beenie Man bringing down the curtains on lively night of music. The weather held nicely; therefore, patrons had a rain free outdoor event to enjoy.





The final event for the visitors was a catamaran ride to Bequia on Sunday, October 05. Chatting with some of the visitors, they all said the four-day activity was well organized and for some, was a learning experience. All of them looked forward to similar activity in the future as the cannabis industry expands.
A stabbing death in the community of Glen, has resulted in the death of a 31-year-old man and the arrest of a woman.





The incident which took place at approximately 12:50am on October 7, claimed the life of 31-year-old Denroy Black. According to the police, Black was stabbed in the neck following an altercation.





A report from the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) said the force has launched a homicide investigation following a fatal stabbing.





"The deceased has been identified as Mr. Denroy Black, 31 years old, a labourer of Glen. Preliminary reports indicate that Mr. Black sustained a stab wound to the neck following an altercation. The suspect is currently in custody assisting investigators with their inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the offence, the police report stated.





However, the deceaseds sister hinted at a toxic relationship between him and his female friend. In an interview with SVGTV, a sister of the deceased said that she was informed of her brothers death after her daughter received a late call.





"When I was asleep last night, I believe they tried to call me but my phone was on vibrate. So, they called my daughter, and I was like, I wonder who could be calling my daughter, you know shes 10, at this hour in the night. But listening to the conversation, I realized and then when I took the phone I heard he (Black) was saying, Girl yo go do me that, and then I heard screaming in the background but the screaming sound more like the same young lady, Brittney, said the sister, concerning what she heard during the telephone conversation.





She said that she heard the young lady screaming out in the background but she did not know what caused the argument.





The sister who didnt want to be identified, said that it seems like the relationship between her brother and the young lady was always in contention.





"You know its like it seemed as if the relationship was rather toxic. So, they are always in some contention, and I believed that my brother and my mother thought that it was just one of those nights. So, they werent really paying attention to them until when probably he (Denroy Black) called out to mommy and say, "Look Bri stabbed me, the sister stated.





The police are investigating the circumstances which led to Blacks death.
(L-R): Sandals Executive Chairman Adam Stewart and Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves signed the agreement for the construction of the new Sandals Beaches Resort at Mt. Wynnelast Monday at the Sandals Resort in Buccament.

The Sandals Resort opened its doors in March 2024 at Buccament Bay, an adjustment made because of the impact of the Covid outbreak.





However, Sandals Executive Chairman Adam Stewart is not one to give up on any venture. With the Sandals Resorts established as a haven for couples, Stewart is taking his companys investment to a next level. That will be the Beaches Resorts, expected to be opened by 2027 at Mt. Wynne in the Central Leeward constituency.





Stewart and Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves signed the agreement last Monday at the Sandals Resort in Buccament. This agreement for the construction of a new Beaches Resort at Mount Wynne, represents a US$500 million (EC$1.35 billion) investment, the largest single tourism development in the nations history.





Stewart is pleased with the progress his company is making here. He is happy with the product here, and competence and ethics of the workers and the Executive Chairman is happy with the welcome extended to his enterprise. He also points to the culture and warmth of the citizenry as attributes.





Stewart promises 20,000 jobs when the Beaches Resort begins operation. For him, "we are just warming up. We are building a product. While Stewart admits that "competition is stiff, he affirms that this nation has the ingredients to fulfill visitors wishes.





For him, "we stand on a world stage and are outperforming others head to head with the biggest brand.





For Stewart the Sandals journey from a 99 room venture made by his father Allan Butch Stewart in Jamaica 1981. Stewart and the Sandals script have become synonymous with the Caribbean and the Sandals Executive Chairman relishes the CARICOM stamp that Sandals endorses.





St. Vincent and the Grenadines is becoming part of that network. Vincentian are part of the Sandals workforce and Stewart is looking at training 250 workers in the Turks and Caicos Islands in preparation for the Beaches opening.





According to him, Designs are being finalised and he plans to work "as fast as we can.





Stewart further outlined that couples frequent the Sandals Resorts, and he projects that with the trend weddings here, the Beaches, aimed as a family oriented solace, will complement the Buccament facility.





The Beaches St Vincent and the Grenadines development, will be built in phases and is projected to create almost 2,000 jobs during the operational phase, providing significant employment and training opportunities for Vincentians across multiple sectors, from hospitality and construction to agriculture, culture, and other related industries.





Transforming our product





Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture Minister Carlos James is beaming with satisfaction with the fact that the Sandals Beaches Resort will be established at Mt. Wynne.





He sees it as adding to the room stock and is helping with "addressing lives and livelihoods.





He is happy with the approach to maintaining the eco-system, and keeping people "at the heart of this development.





James is pleased with the increasing stay over visitors and predicts a similar pattern for 2025.





According to the Tourism Ministry, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is experiencing a tourism renaissance, a four major hotel development projects, including Beaches Resort, will significantly expand our hospitality infrastructure and create lasting economic opportunities.





These transformative tourism investments include the Beaches Resort by Sandals Resorts International at Mt. Wynne, a world-class Marriott Hotel at Peters Hope, the rebuilding of the iconic Palm Island Tourism Development Project, and the Cumberland Resort and Marina, which will cater to small pleasure crafts and yachting visitors. Collectively, these four projects represent well over EC$2 billion in investment and are expected to create nearly 4,000 jobs, with the Beaches Resort accounting for approximately 2,000, providing significant employment across construction, tourism, hospitality, and supporting industries.
Approximately two weeks ago, Invest SVG, in collaboration with the Department of Culture, spearheaded the largest and most successful display of Vincentian excellence in Asia. As a participating country at the 2025 World Expo in Japan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines celebrated a National Day that highlighted the nations culture, creativity, and contributions to the global community.





Under the theme "Vincy Vibrance, two eventsa formal morning ceremony and a grand evening concertshowcased music, dance, and artistry that captured the spirit of the Vincentian people. Headlining performers Kevin Lyttle, Hance John, Bongo Prime, Saeed Bowman, and DJ Q, supported by local dancers, captivated over 500 attendees, both in person and online, with their homegrown Vincy energy.





"Our National Day is not only a diplomatic moment its an opportunity to share the soul of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with the world, said Glen Beache, Executive Director of Invest SVG. "We are proud to represent our country in any corner of the globe.





The success of this showcase has set the stage for the upcoming Everything Vincy Expo Plus, running from October 23rd 27th at the Diamond Industrial Estate. Building on the international attention and pride generated in Japan, the Expo will highlight Vincentian innovation and entrepreneurship, bringing together local enterprises, regional partners, and international investors. The event reflects Invest SVGs mission to present the nation as stronger, vibrant and growing, while offering a platform to explore trade, tourism, and investment opportunities at home.





Registration for booths is open until October 16th, and Invest SVG encourages local businesses to participate in this revitalized, exciting and modern showcase.





Applications can be submitted online at https://bit.ly/464bhX2 or in person at the Invest SVG head office on the 2nd floor of the Financial Complex.





For more information, follow Invest SVG on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn or contact us at 17844572159 / communications@investsvg.com.
Taiwanese Ambassador H.E Fiona Huei-Chun Fan offering a toast in commemoration of the 114th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

H.E Fiona Huei-Chun Fan again commended the local government for its continued support in the campaign for the Republic of China (Taiwan) to participate in global organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Interpol.





Fan, the Ambassador of Taiwan was at the time speaking at a ceremony to commemorate that nations 114th National Day which is formerly observed on October 10.





"Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1981, our two nations have enjoyed a partnership built on mutual respect, shared prosperity and unwavering faith in democratic values, H.E Fan said.





"We also thank your government for its continued support in our campaign for global organizations such as WHO concerning health, UNFCCC on climate change, ICAO on civil aviation, and INTERPOL on crime prevention, she continued.





According to the Taiwanese official, her country was a defender of democracy adding that Taiwan face constant challenges from Communist China through military intimidation, economic coercion and diplomatic suppression.





But Taiwan remains calm, determined and resolute she added saying that her country will never resort to provocation and remained resolute.





"We will continue to defend our sovereignty, safeguard our democracy, and preserve peace and stability in the region, she said.





Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said that St. Vincent and the Grenadines had diplomatic relations with a number of territories of which Taiwan was a part of.





He explained that while this country has diplomatic relations with Venezuela and Cuba for example, but those countries did not have relations with Taiwan.





"And people as the question, how do you manage this? Well, we are friends of all and we strive for a better world, Gonsalves said.





According to Gonsalves, there were Chinese companies and operatives who were seeking to influence the General Elections in order to secure the selling of passports and to get out a government who supported relations with Taiwan for one that supported relations with mainland China.





But SVG had no quarrel with China and this country work with them in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other world agencies and groups.





He said that SVG has maintained relations with many nations because we demonstrate our loyalty and friendship on the principle of noninterference saying that the people of Taiwan had the right to choose what type of government they wanted and how they should be ruled.





"That is fundamental, he said.





"That is a major precept in the charter of the UN. There are some who dilute that proposition and put power relations above it, but not St Vincent and the Grenadines, Gonsalves said.
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Beijing, Rome hail free trade

08:41, October 10, 2025 By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily

Foreign Minister Wang Yi has identified three phrases  mutual respect, opening and cooperation, and exchanges and mutual learning  as the shared belief and wisdom of both China and Italy, two ancient civilizations.

These three aspects help secure the growth of bilateral ties and "offer a viable path for the international community to tackle changes in this era", Wang told reporters on Wednesday in Rome, alongside Italy's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Antonio Tajani.

Wang was in Italy attending the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee, held with Tajani. The talks come as the two countries celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, with annual bilateral trade exceeding $70 billion for consecutive years.

Cultural and institutional differences, Wang said, should not hinder dialogue and cooperation. The key is to "understand and support each other's core interests and legitimate concerns", he said.

Unilateral bullying should not dominate the background of this era, and the international community should not repeat the mistakes of the law of the jungle, he said. "Treating each other as equals and engaging in dialogue and consultation are the only way to resolve conflicts and differences."

As representatives of Eastern and Western civilizations, China and Italy have made tremendous contributions to the development and progress of human society, he said.

Given the current complex and volatile international situation, the two countries should draw on the successes of past exchanges to provide valuable lessons for the development of international relations, he added.

China is willing to work with Italy to continue serving as constructive forces for maintaining peace, stability, development and prosperity, while "promoting unity within the international community to address global challenges", he said.

When it comes to openness and win-win cooperation, Wang told reporters that both China and Italy support free trade and an open world economy.

Italy is known for small- and medium-sized enterprises, he said, and China provides the most suitable and broadest platform for Italian companies to showcase their wisdom and talents.

Lasting impetus

Wang said the two sides have held the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week for 13 consecutive years, which "provides a lasting impetus for the two countries to strengthen trade, investment and technological cooperation".

Looking ahead to China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Wang said the country will accelerate the transformation and upgrading of its industries, making them more high-end, intelligent and green, while further expanding the high-level opening-up of its super-large market.

This "will provide a new list of opportunities for cooperation with China by countries including Italy", he said.

At the committee meeting, Tajani said China is Italy's priority partner and that Rome attaches great importance to the huge opportunities in the Chinese market.

Italy is willing to join hands with China to support free trade, maintain the smooth functioning of global supply chains, and make joint efforts to resolve international disputes peacefully through dialogue, he said.

Italy is now one of the European countries enjoying the most direct flights to China. The annual number of Italian visitors to China doubled last year following China's implementation of a visa-free policy for Italian citizens.

Wang said China will further extend its visa-free policy for Italy, allowing more "Marco Polos of the new era" to feel free to take a trip to China.

In a separate meeting with Wang, Tajani said Italy stands ready to open more direct flights and make good use of the opportunity of hosting the Winter Olympics next year to strengthen mutual support.

Italy welcomes more Chinese enterprises to increase investment in the country and is willing to create a favorable environment for this purpose, he said.

On Thursday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella met with Wang, and the two sides also exchanged views on the Middle East situation and the Ukraine crisis.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun)
DUBLIN, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, plans to announce third-quarter results on Friday, October 31, 2025, in a news release to be issued at 6:30 AM ET.

Aon's President and CEO Greg Case and CFO Edmund Reese will also host a conference call at 8:30 AM ET on Friday, October 31, 2025, which will be broadcast live through Aon's Investor Relations website at ir.aon.com. A replay will be available shortly after the live webcast. The earnings release and supplemental slide presentation will also be available on Aon's Investor Relations website.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better  to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up to date by visiting Aon's newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

Investor Contact

Hallie Miller

[email protected]

+1 847 442 0622

Media Contact

[email protected]

Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114

International: +1 312 381 3024

SOURCE Aon plc
WPC chases and helps capture her own attacker in Port of Spain
Strategic evolution opens new role to support the CEO as part of the expansion and growth of company divisions

DALLAS, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arnold Companies (TAC) has appointed Casey Park as President, a newly created role aimed at accelerating the strategic vision and ensuring continued growth across the diverse operations of The Arnold Companies.

Creating the president role marks the next step in a multi-year evolution of TAC as a family investment management and operating company focused on durable growth, operational excellence, and a culture defined by integrity, leadership, efficiency, and a passion for great service.

The Arnold Companies (TAC) appoints Casey Park as President, accelerating the strategic vision and continued growth. Post this Casey Park - TAC President

Under the new structure, Park assumes day-to-day leadership of TAC. Greg Arnold, Chief Executive Officer, will continue in his role, emphasizing that this appointment is not about him stepping back; it is about advancing the future of The Arnold Companies. "TAC has experienced tremendous success throughout its 60-plus-year history, and we're only getting started," said Arnold. "Instituting the president position grants us the opportunity to implement the ideas and strategies we've built as a leadership team at an even greater pace. Casey has the talent, drive, and commitment to lead us there."

Park joined TAC in 2013 and has led investments, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and enterprise initiatives, delivering long-term value creation over his tenure. Prior to TAC, Park held leadership positions at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. Park holds an MBA from The University of Texas and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and a Bachelor of Science in economics from Southern Methodist University.

"It is an incredible honor to take on this new role," said Park. "The legacy Greg and the Arnold family have built is truly inspiring. I am deeply committed to preserving and building upon that foundation. The real strength of this company lies in its people, and I am excited to work alongside the dedicated associates across all divisions to continue the innovation, exceed customer expectations, and elevate the standard for service excellence. Together, we will fuel the future of this great organization."

The strength of the organization development plan includes the expansion of four divisions to further serve the associates, customers, and portfolio of investments. The diverse divisions include:

TACenergy - One of the nation's leading independent wholesale fuel distributors and energy marketing companies, distributing 2.2 billion gallons annually, led by Fred Sloan. TACenergy provides customers with nationwide access to refined petroleum and renewable products, supported by an expansive terminal supply network, regional sales coverage, and a 24/7 supply and logistics center .

One of the nation's leading independent wholesale fuel distributors and energy marketing companies, distributing 2.2 billion gallons annually, led by Fred Sloan. TACenergy provides customers with nationwide access to refined petroleum and renewable products, supported by an expansive terminal supply network, regional sales coverage, and a 24/7 supply and logistics center TAC Investments  The private investment arm, led by Trip Hoover, manages a flexible mandate across a multitude of public company investments and private partnerships in various industries, guided by disciplined underwriting and a long-term partnership orientation.

 The private investment arm, led by Trip Hoover, manages a flexible mandate across a multitude of public company investments and private partnerships in various industries, guided by disciplined underwriting and a long-term partnership orientation. TAC Central Services  A shared services collection, led by James Henry Russell, provides financial, accounting, human resources, information technology, and operational support across the divisions and select portfolio companies of TAC.

A shared services collection, led by James Henry Russell, provides financial, accounting, human resources, information technology, and operational support across the divisions and select portfolio companies of TAC. Bar Cross Ranch  A 40,000+ acre working ranch in the Upper Green River Valley of Wyoming, led by James Rogers, focuses on responsible stewardship, productive cattle operations, and proper land management.

About TAC - The Arnold Companies

TAC - The Arnold Companies is a Texas-based family investment management and operating company. The diversified TAC portfolio includes TACenergy  an independent wholesale fuel and energy marketing company  Bar Cross Ranch, and investments spanning real estate, retail, banking, aviation, and technology, among other varied sectors. TAC investments are focused on high-value companies that support employees and communities while maintaining the core values of integrity, leadership, efficiency, and a passion for great service. TAC employs 150 associates across all four divisions. Learn more about TAC at www.thearnoldcos.com.

CONTACT: Tad W Perryman, VP Marketing

214-538-5475 [[email protected]]

SOURCE TAC - The Arnold Companies
By Marwa Rashad, Kate Abnett and Nerijus Adomaitis

(Reuters) -European nations, including France, are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Several have also stepped up their imports of Russian energy which pump billions of euros into Moscow's wartime economy.

Well into the fourth year of Russia's war against Ukraine, the European Union remains in the precarious position of financing both sides in the conflict. Its large deliveries of military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv are countered by commercial payments to Moscow for oil and gas.

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The bloc has reduced its reliance on once-dominant supplier Russia by roughly 90% since 2022. It nonetheless imported more than 11 billion euros of Russian energy in the first eight months of this year, according to a Reuters analysis of data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research organization based in Helsinki.

Seven of the EU's 27 member countries increased the value of their imports versus a year earlier, including five countries that support Ukraine in the war. France, for example, saw purchases of Russian energy rise 40% to 2.2 billion euros while the Netherlands jumped 72% to 498 million euros, the analysis shows.

While LNG ports in countries like France and Spain serve as entry points for Russian supplies into Europe, the gas is often not consumed in those countries but instead sent onwards to buyers across the bloc.

Vaibhav Raghunandan, EU-Russia specialist at CREA, described increased flows as "a form of self-sabotage" by some countries, given energy sales are the biggest source of revenue for Russia as it wages war against an European-backed Ukraine.

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"The Kremlin is quite literally getting funding to continue to deploy their armed forces in Ukraine," he said.

TRUMP SLAMMED EUROPE'S LEADERS

EU energy payments to Moscow have come under renewed scrutiny after U.S. President Donald Trump dressed down European leaders in his speech to the U.N General Assembly last month, demanding they cease all such purchases immediately.

"Europe has to step it up," Trump said. "They can't be doing what they're doing. They're buying oil and gas from Russia while they're fighting Russia. It's embarrassing to them, and it was very embarrassing to them when I found out about it."

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The French energy ministry told Reuters that France's value of Russian energy imports rose this year as it served customers in other countries, without naming countries or companies. Gas market data suggest part of France's Russian imports are sent onwards to Germany, according to Kpler analysts.

The Dutch government said while it supported EU plans to phase out Russian energy, until these proposals are fixed into EU law, it was powerless to block existing contracts between European energy companies and Russian suppliers.

The EU, which has already barred most purchases of Russian crude oil and fuel, has announced plans to speed up a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to 2027, from 2028. LNG now represents the biggest EU import of Russian energy, accounting for almost half the value of total purchases, the data shows.

The European Commission declined to comment on the 2025 imports data. The bloc's energy chief said last month the phased retreat from Russian fossil fuels was designed to ensure member countries don't face energy price spikes or supply shortages.

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The proposals, which envisage a total ban on all Russian oil and gas from 2028, mean European cash could be supporting the Kremlin's war effort for a year or more to come.

Trump says U.S. oil and gas could replace lost Russian supplies, and many analysts say such a switch is possible, though it would boost Europe's dependency on U.S. energy in an era when Washington is using tariffs as a policy tool.

"The EU has agreed to buy more energy from the U.S to accommodate the very strong U.S. demands to stop Russian imports," said Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. "However, it is an illusion to think that U.S. LNG would replace Russian LNG on a one-to-one basis. U.S. LNG is in the hands of private companies, which do not obey orders from the White House and the European Commission, they optimize their portfolios."

HUNGARY, BELGIUM AND OTHERS SEE BILLS RISE

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The EU has come a long way since 2021.

In that year, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the bloc imported more than 133 billion euros of Russian energy, according to CREA data.

In January-August this year, the EU's bill amounted to 11.4 billion euros - a fraction of per-war levels and a decline of 21% from the same period of 2024, the figures show.

Hungary and Slovakia - which maintain close ties with the Kremlin and reject any notion of renouncing Russian gas - remain major importers, together accounting for 5 billion euros of that total. They wouldn't be affected by the planned EU sanctions on LNG, which requires the unanimous backing of member states, as they could still receive Russian pipeline gas until 2028.

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Hungary was among the seven countries to see the value of Russian energy imports rise this year, by 11%, according to the data. France and the Netherlands are joined by four other countries whose governments support Ukraine in the war: Belgium, which saw a 3% increase, Croatia (55%), Romania (57%) and Portugal (167%).

Belgium's energy ministry said the country's increase was down to separate EU sanctions that took effect in March and banned "transshipments", or re-exporting, of Russian LNG to outside the bloc, meaning arriving LNG had to be unloaded in Belgium - a global hub - rather than being transferred from ship to ship to be transported onwards to a final destination.

Portugal's energy ministry said the country only imported modest amounts of Russian gas and that flows over the course of the year would be lower than 2024. The Croatian and Romanian governments didn't respond to requests for comment on the data.

The European Union's total imports of Russian energy since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, have amounted to more than 213 billion euros, the CREA data shows.

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That dwarfs the amount the EU has spent on aid to Ukraine in the same period, even though it has been the country's biggest benefactor: the bloc has allocated 167 billion euros of financial, military and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv, according to the Kiel Institute, a German economic think-tank.

ENERGY FIRMS STICK TO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS

France's TotalEnergies is among the biggest importers of Russian LNG into Europe, with other major players including Shell, Spain's Naturgy, Germany's SEFE, and trading house Gunvor. They all operate long-term contracts that last into the 2030s or 2040s.

TotalEnergies told Reuters it was continuing deliveries from Russia's Yamal plant under contracts that could not be suspended without official EU sanctions in place. The company will maintain supplies as long as European governments deem Russian gas necessary for energy security, it added.

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Shell, Naturgy and Gunvor declined to comment on Russian imports.

Ronald Pinto, gas research principal analyst at Kpler said companies were reluctant to risk incurring fines from breaching contractual commitments without the solid legal cover of an EU ban on Russian LNG.

"In the end, market players are buying this LNG, not countries, and for the most part, they are sticking to their long-term contracts," he added.

Pinto said flow dynamics studies suggested French imports of Russian LNG often flowed via pipeline to Belgium to then reach Germany, where there's strong demand from industrial users. He cautioned it was "impossible to track exactly the movement of gas molecules within the European gas grid".

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A spokesperson for SEFE, which operates 10% of Germany's gas transmission network, confirmed that the company imports Russian gas via France and Belgium.

The German economy ministry told Reuters that it welcomed EU efforts to phase out imports of Russian fossil fuels, but that SEFE was bound by a long-standing contract to buy LNG from Russia's Yamal plant with no option to terminate the agreement.

"Under the contract's take-or-pay terms, SEFE would have to pay for the agreed quantities, even if no delivery was taken," a ministry spokesperson said. "Non-acceptance would enable Yamal to resell these quantities, which would then provide double support to the Russian economy."

(Reporting by Marwa Rashad in London, Kate Abnett in Brussels and Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo; Additional reporting by America Hernandez in Paris, Francesca Landini in Milan, Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert in Frankfurt, Shadia Nasralla in London, Pietro Lombardi in Madrid and Andrey Khalip in Lisbon; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Pravin Char)
By Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday the NATO alliance should weigh throwing Spain out of its membership ranks over a dispute about the Western European nation's lagging military spending.

Members of the U.S.-backed security alliance agreed in June to sharply increase their military spending to 5% of gross domestic product, delivering on a major priority for Trump, who wants Europeans to spend more on their own defense.

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But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time that he would not commit to the 5% target, calling it "incompatible with our welfare state and our world vision."

At an Oval Office meeting with the leader of NATO's second-newest member, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump said European leaders need to prevail upon Spain to boost its commitments to the alliance.

"You people are gonna have to start speaking to Spain," Trump said. "You have to call them and find why are they a laggard."

He added: "They have no excuse not to do this, but that's alright. Maybe you should throw 'em out of NATO frankly."

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Spain reaffirmed its commitment to the alliance and appealed for calm, a government source said, adding that the nation was a full member of NATO and meets its capability targets just as the United States.

Spain joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1982. The 32-member collective-defense alliance has been in focus since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and launched the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Alistair Bell and Clarence Fernandez)
HA NOI  US President Donald Trumps decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks from November 1 is expected to create adjustments along global supply chains, including in Viet Nam.

Trump announced the tariff earlier this month, saying it would protect domestic manufacturers from unfair competition. The measure is expected to benefit American companies such as Peterbilt, Kenworth and Freightliner.

Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and Finland are currently the top suppliers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the US. Mexico alone has tripled its truck exports since 2019. Under the USMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA), trucks are exempt from tariffs if at least 64 per cent of their value originates from North America.

However, many manufacturers such as Stellantis, Volvo and Daimler rely heavily on Mexican assembly plants. Volvo is building a US$700 million factory in Monterrey, scheduled to open in 2026  around the time the tariff could apply.

Viet Nam does not export trucks to the US and is not a large supplier of truck parts. However, the country has become more integrated into global automotive supply chains over the past decade.

According to the General Department of Customs, by March 15, 2025, Viet Nam imported $1 billion worth of auto parts, while exports reached over $2 billion, posting a trade surplus of $1 billion in the first quarter.

Viet Nam has about 2,000 auto parts manufacturers employing 600,000 workers. Production focuses on basic components, with exports concentrated in wiring systems, plastic parts and metal components for passenger cars.

Japanese firms Yazaki and Sumitomo Wiring Systems operate major plants in Tra Vinh and Ha Noi, exporting wire harnesses worth $2.1 billion in 2019.

THACO Industries in Quang Nam runs 20 factories making body parts and chassis, while Bosch Viet Nam supplies transmission belts and sensors to Europe. Foxconn, LG Innotek and Panasonic produce electronic modules for commercial vehicles.

While the scale remains modest compared to Mexico or Germany, Viet Nams role is expanding. JETRO data show the localisation ratio at Japanese manufacturers in Viet Nam rose from 28 per cent in 2012 to 37 per cent in 2022, reflecting deeper integration into global networks.

Limited but real risks

Any decline in North American truck demand due to higher import costs could have a knock-on effect on intermediate suppliers, including those in Viet Nam.

Professor Vidya Mani of Indiana University told Investopedia: Changing the supply chain in response to high tariffs is a massive undertaking and lasts beyond any one administration.

For Viet Nam, the near-term impact is likely to be moderate. But the situation underlines the importance of market diversification and technological upgrades to reduce vulnerability to external policy shifts.

Machinery, equipment and auto parts are Viet Nams second-largest export group to the US, accounting for 18 per cent of total shipments, or $22 billion in 2024. If Washington extends tariffs to other product groups after its ongoing trade investigation, potential exposure could widen.

Tran Luong Son, director of the Entrepreneurship Program at SUNY Cobleskill  the State University of New York, told diendandoanhnghiep.vn that Vietnamese firms should be proactive, stressing that agility, trust and innovation are key. Companies need transparent origin labelling and early alignment with US standards.

Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Research of Industry and Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Le Huy Khoi, said Viet Nams automotive strategy sets clear goals through 2030, focusing on socio-economic efficiency and a stronger industrial base.

By then, the country aims to master key production technologies, meet green standards, boost domestic supply and expand its role in global value chains with higher export value.

According to the ministry's Industry Agency, more incentives are needed for domestic supporting industries, especially automotive, focusing on technology upgrades, product standardisation and stronger participation in competitive value chains.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Finance has submitted a proposal to include in the draft amended Law on Personal Income Tax a provision to impose personal income tax on transactions involving gold bullion transfers, with an initial tax rate of 0.1 per cent of the transaction value.

The proposal excludes raw gold, gold jewellery and fine-art gold from taxation.

Nguyen Quang Huy from the Faculty of Finance and Banking at Nguyen Trai University said the proposal marks a significant move reflecting the States effort to strengthen oversight of a market long associated with speculative risks and volatility.

In practice, gold bullion is mainly used for hoarding or short-term speculation. Therefore, taxing these transactions is necessary to enhance transparency, curb speculative trading and contribute to State budget revenue.

However, he noted that for most Vietnamese people, buying small amounts of gold to store is a long-standing cultural habit linked to financial security and prudence. Hence, the policy should include tax exemptions or reductions for small-scale, long-term holders. This would protect citizens legitimate interests and demonstrate the human-centred nature of tax administration, ensuring that the State primarily regulates large-scale speculation rather than traditional saving behaviour.

Huy said the proposed rate is low enough to avoid shocking the market or the public, yet meaningful in two key respects. First, it introduces a transparent mechanism where all gold bullion transactions must go through formal systems, enabling authorities to collect accurate data. Second, it provides the Government with an initial basis to observe market behaviour and make gradual adjustments later.

Meanwhile, Dr Nguyen Ngoc Tu, a lecturer at the University of Business and Technology, argued that a 0.1 per cent tax on gold bullion transfers may be too low. This rate equals that applied to securities transactions and is lower than that imposed on real estate transfers, making it insufficient to curb speculative behaviour.

He pointed out that ordinary business households selling retail goods are subject to a 0.5 per cent tax rate. Since gold is not an investment the State encourages, applying a tax rate even lower than that levied on food, medicine or dairy trading seems inconsistent.

Economists have long advocated for the development of secure financial products such as gold certificates, gold-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and flexible government bonds, giving citizens more transparent and stable investment channels.

They have recommended an exemption threshold for small purchases of up to one tael (around 37.5 grams) per year to protect traditional saving habits, especially in rural areas. Long-term holdings could be rewarded through tax reductions or exemptions, encouraging stability over speculation.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed a decision approving the Viet Nam Logistics Services Development Strategy for 20252035 period, with a vision to 2050, which aims to build a sustainable, efficient, and high value-added logistics sector with strong competitiveness, leveraging Vietnams advantages in global supply and value chains.

In the period, the added value of logistics services is set to account for 57 per cent of the countrys GDP, with an average annual growth rate of 1215 per cent. The strategy seeks to raise the outsourcing rate of logistics services to 7080 per cent and reduce logistics costs to around 1215 per cent of GDP.

Viet Nam aims to rank among the worlds top 40 countries and territories in the World Banks Logistics Performance Index (LPI). Meanwhile, 80 per cent of logistics enterprises are expected to adopt digital transformation solutions.

The logistics sector will pursue low-emission growth and green energy transition.

By 2035, 70 per cent of its workforce will be professionally trained, including 30 per cent with university degrees. At least five modern and world-class logistics centres will be established as key hubs linking regional and global supply chains.

By 2050, logistics services will make up 79 per cent of GDP and grow 1012 per cent annually, while the outsourcing rate of logistics services is targeted increasing to 8090 per cent, and logistics costs will drop to 1012 per cent of GDP.

Additionally, Viet Nam aims to rank among the worlds top 30 in the World Banks LPI. All Vietnamese logistics enterprises are expected to apply digital transformation solutions.

The industry is expected to develop efficiently toward low emissions, contributing to the national net-zero goal. The strategy also sets to develop at least 10 modern logistics service centres of international standard, which will act as a hub for connection with regional and global supply chains.

The strategy sketches out orientations to create breakthroughs in finalising the legal and institutional framework to improve the business environment, encourage all economic sectors to join logistics development, promote international integration, and strengthen state management and law enforcement in the logistics sector in line with market mechanisms and international law and practices

Other goals include promoting investment in modern and synchronised logistics infrastructure, especially transport, trade, and digital infrastructure, while ensuring environmental protection, disaster prevention, and climate resilience. The strategy also seeks to strengthen linkages across sectors, regions, and international partners; develop logistics markets and supply sources for sustainable growth; improve business competitiveness; and promote green and high-quality logistics services based on digital platforms. It further emphasises the need to promote research, innovation, and the application of advanced technologies to boost logistics efficiency in production, trade, and domestic and international distribution.

Attention will be paid to developing high-quality logistics human resources; enhancing the role of industry associations and pioneer enterprises; forming modern supply chains; and expanding value-added logistics services to meet domestic and international demand, towards positioning Vietnam as a global transshipment and distribution hub.

The strategy also aims to develop free trade zones linked to seaports, airports, border gates, and key production areas; modern hubs for sorting and processing e-commerce goods to handle large volumes efficiently and safely using advanced technology; logistics parks, distribution centres, smart warehouses, and specialised storage facilities for agricultural products, chemicals, industrial goods, and processed products.

Urban logistics models will be developed in major cities to ensure efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly goods circulation.  VNS
OTTAWA  As Canada accelerates trade diversification and Vietnam aims to increase its export presence in the North American country, the Canada International Textile & Apparel Expo has become a key platform for Vietnamese garment and textile businesses to explore cooperation opportunities and take advantage of tariff preferences under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

A trade promotion delegation from the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), comprising nine enterprises, is attending the fair with the goal of expanding market access and maximising free trade agreement benefits. While the US has traditionally been Viet Nams leading market, accounting for over 40 per cent of total exports, recent tariff barriers have prompted many Vietnamese firms to seek new destinations.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agencys correspondent in Canada, VITAS Deputy Secretary General Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai said the key objective is to expand Viet Nams export share in the Canadian market. She noted that, as a CPTPP member, Canada offers tariff advantages for Vietnamese textile exports. However, the greatest challenge lies in meeting rules of origin requirements, as the entire production chain, from yarn and fabric to finished products, must be sourced from CPTPP member countries.

Both Viet Nam and Canada were among the founding members of the CPTPP in 2018. Since then, Viet Nams textile and garment exports to Canada have doubled, from US$600 million to nearly $1.2 billion, and are projected to maintain a growth rate of around 10 per cent in 2025 despite adjustments to Canadas trade policy.

Steve Tipman, Executive Director of the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada, noted that although Viet Nams textile exports have grown significantly, many products still do not qualify for CPTPP tariff exemptions and are subject to import duties of 1518 per cent. He said Canada is working closely with Viet Nam to help businesses better understand rules of origin, ensuring their goods meet CPTPP standards for duty-free access.

During the fair, TFO Canada, in coordination with the Viet Nam Trade Office in Canada, organised a workshop to guide Vietnamese enterprises on material origin rules under CPTPP, particularly as Canada officially ends its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) for Viet Nam from early 2025.

Tran Thu Quynh, Commercial Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada, said Viet Nams key message to Canadian buyers, producers, and industry leaders attending the fair is that Viet Nam should be viewed not only as a reliable sourcing destination but also as a sustainable, long-term trade partner. She emphasised Viet Nams readiness to engage in production linkages, brand co-development, and future industry collaborations.

Vietnamese textile companies have demonstrated strong adaptability to market changes. Firms such as Viet Hong and Bao Minh, specialising in fabric and denim apparel, have developed closed-loop supply chains by securing yarn production and origin, ensuring their products meet the strictest international standards.

According to Bob Kirke, Executive Director of the Canadian Apparel Federation, both Canada and Viet Nam are diversifying their markets, and Canada sees significant potential for Vietnamese products, particularly garments.

Through the Toronto fair, Vietnamese enterprises have gained clearer insights into addressing rules of origin barriers and are exploring ways to either transform their production processes or build partnerships to establish integrated supply chains. These efforts aim to eliminate existing tariffs in the Canadian market and support the Governments target of boosting textile and garment exports by an additional 12 per cent.  VNS
HA NOI  As many as 169 businesses were honoured at the TOP 10 Vietnam Digital Technology Companies programmes awarding ceremony held in Ha Noi on Thursday evening.

The programme has evaluated and recognised leading reputable and outstanding companies in Viet Nam in this field, held annually by the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) since 2014.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui Hoang Phuong emphasised that over the past decade, with the efforts of VINASA, the programme has firmly established its position, becoming an annual event with significant influence and reputation within the Vietnamese digital technology community.

Phuong affirmed that science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation have been identified by the Party and State as the foundation for the country's development in the new era. Therefore, this year, the legal framework for this sector is gradually being completed with the approval of several key laws, including the Law on Digital Technology Industry, the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, the Intellectual Property Law, among others. These efforts aim to address challenges, solve bottlenecks, and promote socio-economic development.

He expressed his hope that digital technology enterprises will actively research, provide feedback, make proposals, and support the ministry in the process of implementing these laws.

VINASA is expected to continue playing a key role as a central hub for connection and leadership within the Vietnamese digital technology ecosystem, becoming an important bridge between businesses and government agencies.

After the awarding ceremony, in-depth reports for each sector and the publication of the Top 10 Vietnam Digital Technology Companies 2025 will be released in Vietnamese, English, and Japanese. These will be available on the websites top10ict.com and VINASAs website at https://www.vinasa.org.vn. Additionally, they will be shared with over 5,000 IT applied government agencies, organisations, and businesses nationwide, as well as potential partners both domestically and internationally across 100 countries and economies worldwide. This will help connect and open up new opportunities for cooperation and investment for the participating businesses.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Digital Technology Enterprise Map 2025 was announced by VINASA for the first time.

The digital map depicts 23 fields ranging from core technologies, artificial intelligence and blockchain to digital solutions for major economic sectors such as e-commerce, logistics, healthcare and agriculture. A total of 257 enterprises have been assessed, including 81 with fully verified data. All 23 maps for 23 fields will be made publicly accessible and free of charge.  VNS
HA NOI  The VN-Index continued its impressive upward trend on Friday, closing at a new record of 1,747 points with an increase of 31.08 points.

However, despite this positive performance, many investors expressed disappointment as the stocks in their portfolios declined.

The session saw a notable gain in the index, but the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) trading board reflected a more balanced picture, with 177 stocks rising compared to 125 that fell. This disparity left many investors feeling uneasy and dissatisfied.

The bourses liquidity stayed at a high level of nearly VN34 trillion (US$1.3 billion).

The VN30-Index, tracking the 30 biggest stocks on HoSE, also jumped nearly 40 points, or 2.04 per cent, to 1,980.57 points. Up to 22 ticker symbols in the VN30 basket gained points, while only five declined and three ended flat.

The index received significant support from Vin-family stocks, particularly Vingroup (VIC), Vinhomes (VHM) and Vincom Retail (VRE), which collectively contributed 21.3 points to the VN-Index.

VIC and VHM both hit their ceiling prices, rising 7 per cent, while VRE surged by 6.18 per cent. The strong performance of these three stocks not only propelled the index higher but also created a ripple effect of optimism throughout the market.

Another Vin-stock, VinPearl (VPL), also saw a notable increase of 2.06 per cent, closing at VN89,000 per share.

The real estate sector also showed robust gains, with several stocks performing well, including Hoang Huy Investment Financial Services JSC (TCH) up 4.66 per cent, Kinh Bac City Group (KBC) rising 2.15 per cent, NLG Group (NLG) gaining 3.2 per cent, Phat Dat Real Estate Development JSC (PDR) up 1.5 per cent, DIC Croup (DIG) rising 2.88 per cent and Novaland (NVL) up 1.96 per cent.

The banking sector remained a stable support for the market, with most stocks maintaining positive momentum. Of which, Techcombank (TCB) was up over 1 per cent, BIDV (BID) rose nearly 1 per cent and Vietcombank (VCB) increased 0.63 per cent.

Meanwhile, on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index closed the week on a negative note. It fell 1.32 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 273.62 points.

During the session, nearly 96.3 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth more than VN2.2 trillion.

However, foreign investors continued to experience a negative sentiment, remaining net sellers on both main exchanges. They net sold nearly VN460 billion on HoSE and VN189.2 billion on HNX.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams software outsourcing industry must rapidly transform its capabilities and move up the global value chain as the world enters the second half of the artificial intelligence (AI) era, according to Nguyen Huy Dung, Member of the Central Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation.

Speaking at the Rikkei Global Summit 2025 in Ha Noi on Friday, Dung said technology firms need to continuously upskill their workforce to adapt to the accelerating AI revolution, while placing employee growth and happiness at the centre of their long-term strategy.

He noted that the global outsourcing sector is expected to exceed US$1.1 trillion in 2025, demonstrating its continued importance to the digital economy. However, he warned that long-standing market dynamics are shifting. China is no longer the worlds low-cost manufacturing hub, Japan is struggling after missing the software wave despite its hardware strengths, and India has undergone significant transformation compared to a decade or two ago.

The competitive landscape has changed at lightning speed, he said. Viet Nams outsourcing industry must upgrade itself or risk being left behind.

Dung argued that the sector is entering the second half of the AI era. While the first phase was a race to develop AI systems to solve increasingly complex problems, the second focuses on selecting the right problems and measuring AIs true value. This, he said, requires a fundamental mindset shiftfrom purely executing engineering tasks to becoming value creators and product builders.

The rise of AI is forcing software engineers to move beyond the traditional role of code writers for hire and become co-creators alongside clients. Dung recalled an anecdote shared at the summit in which a CEO of a Fortune 500 company asked his outsourcing partner: If AI agents can automatically do this work, why do we need you?

This is no longer a hypothetical question, Dung said, warning that new AI agents are dismantling three long-held assumptions of the outsourcing sector: the scarcity of talent, the geographic cost advantage, and the irreplaceability of human intelligence. These shifts mean companies must redefine their value in the service supply chain, he said.

Dung broke down software development into three layers: the Concept layer, involving business understanding and problem definition; the Logic layer, involving system design; and the Physical layer, where code is written. Vietnamese engineers, he said, have long been concentrated in the Physical layer. However, advancements in AI and no-code/low-code platforms are rapidly automating this layer, threatening the traditional core work of thousands of developers.

As value moves upward, the need increases for professionals in Information Systems who understand business requirements and can design holistic solutions, he said.

At the same time, global competition is intensifying. Dung pointed to Japans recent strategic cooperation with India as a warning sign, noting that Indian engineersnow considered stronger in AIare willing to accept salaries 2030 per cent lower than their Vietnamese counterparts. The next decade will no longer be a race to the lowest cost, but a fierce competition for value, he said. Viet Nam has no alternative but to climb the value chainfrom the Physical layer to the Concept layer.

According to Dung, the most significant innovation needed is in business models. Companies must transition from transactional outsourcing to transformation partnerships. In transactional models, vendors simply code according to the clients design and are paid by project or man-hours. This low-level playing field, he said, is being eroded by AI.

In contrast, transformation models require technology firms to participate from the start, helping define problems and develop comprehensive solutions. In this model, companies sell expertise and outcomes, not just labour, Dung said. He cited a recent survey showing that 81 per cent of businesses want their outsourcing partners to act as strategic collaborators rather than traditional service providers.

Clients no longer buy service-level agreementsthey buy business results, he said. In the AI era, the question is not how to complete a task efficiently, but how to eliminate the task entirely through automation.

He added: The core competency of future engineers is the ability to combine human empathy with machine power to find breakthrough solutions, not just improve old methods.

Dung said Viet Nams strength lies in being small, agile and flexible. Instead of building large, cumbersome teams, he said the industry needs elite technology task forces that are highly skilled, resilient and capable of adapting quickly.

To develop such teams, companies must adopt sustainable talent strategies. This is not simply a race to hire top performers, but a commitment to deep investment in people. He stressed that global workforces, including in Vietnam, will need to continuously upgrade skills to adapt to AI, and companies must prioritise employee well-being. Businesses must place the development and happiness of their employees at the centre, he said.

Dung highlighted the importance of training missions such as Rikkeisofts Rikkei Education programme. He said the companys vision of helping farmers learn to code, which aims to democratise programming knowledge beyond the IT sector, has become increasingly meaningful. When technology empowers domain experts to create their own solutions, that is the pinnacle of efficiency, he said.

The summit also underscored a clear message: Viet Nams software outsourcing industry can only move forward by working alongside customers as co-creators rather than simply executing orders.

This mindset was reflected in Rikkeisofts new strategic direction, announced during the event. Chairman Ta Son Tung said RGS2025 marked not only a milestone in the companys 13-year journey but also the start of a new phase with a clearer global vision.

In the next stage, the company will focus on four strategic priorities: accelerating investment in AI as a core growth driver; expanding talent development through university partnerships and the three-house (governmentacademiabusiness) model; entering global markets by shifting from outsourcing to end-to-end consulting and technology solutions; and preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) with the ambition to become Viet Nams next tech unicorn.

We aim for 50 per cent annual growth, with the aspiration to take Vietnamese intelligence to the world, Tung said.

During the summit, Rikkeisoft signed several memoranda of understanding with strategic partners to support market expansion, technological talent development and international cooperation. These agreements, the company said, will help bring Vietnamese technology closer to global markets.

The event also featured a series of conferences and in-depth forums on AI applications in business, digital transformation and the development of advanced technology talent. International guests toured Rikkeisofts technology ecosystem, visited its headquarters and engaged with students at partner universities.  VNS
HCM CITY  A programme showcasing the culture and tourism of Viet Nam and HCM City is taking place in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, US, until October 12.

The event, organised by the HCM City Department of Tourism, features two key activities  a Viet NamHCM City tourism booth at the IMEX America 2025 trade show and a seminar introducing Viet NamHCM City tourism in Los Angeles.

According to Deputy Director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre Nguyen Minh Bao Ngoc the US tourism market remains one of the citys top priorities in its global promotion strategy.

She said the programme holds special significance as it marks the first overseas tourism promotion activity since HCM City merged with Binh Duong and Ba RiaVung Tau provinces. It also welcomes the meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE) business community and high-end tourists, showcasing the image and potential of a modern mega-city built on three pillars  a dynamic economic and financial hub, a high-tech industrial centre and a diverse marine and island ecosystem.

The event also provides a foundation for establishing strategic business partnerships, particularly in the MICE and premium tourism sectors. In the context of the merger, HCM has the advantage of developing large-scale tourism products, from experiences related to islands and mangroves to cultural and historical heritage and modern urban ecosystems. The port and logistics systems, along with the industrial park network, open up new opportunities for cruise tourism, MICE and industrial tourism, which are rapidly growing international trends, she said.

Participating in this IMEX America trade show also helps the city directly connect with global customers and partners and learn from professional organisational models, thereby enhancing competitiveness and affirming its position as a destination on the international tourism map.

We expect this event will significantly contribute to the goal of increasing high-quality international visitors and building the image of HCM City as a leading mega-tourism city in the region.

The first activity of the programme, the Viet NamHCM City tourism booth at IMEX America 2025, was held from October 7 to 9 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas. Covering 74.3sq.m, the booth featured an impressive design reflecting Vietnamese culture and focused on key tourism products such as MICE, premium, cultural and historical and culinary tourism.

The Vietnamese delegation will actively participate in conferences, workshops and themed forums organised as part of the trade fair. These events will feature professional speakers offering ideas, inspiration, innovations, technologies, new trends and exemplary success stories within the MICE tourism industry.

The HCM City Department of Tourism will organise a seminar to introduce Viet NamHCM City in Los Angeles on October 10. This event will serve as an important forum for meetings, discussions and B2B networking with leading travel companies in California, such as Goway Travel, AMA Waterways, Ritz Tours, WJ Global Inc and Uniworld River Cruise.

Le Hoa, founder and director of M.O.M Cooking Class, one of the Vietnamese units participating in the programme, said: As a business that has been actively involved in the promotion and marketing activities for tourism, trade and culture of HCM City both domestically and internationally for many years, we value the spirit of cooperation and support from the HCM City Department of Tourism towards businesses, which is why we are ready to participate in this trip to the US.

We hope to work together to promote the beautiful image of Viet Nam to international tourists and increase opportunities for buyers of domestic tourism products."

IMEX America is where the meetings, events and incentive travel industry gathers for the largest trade show of its kind in one of the biggest meeting markets in the world. Last year, the event attracted more than 3,500 exhibitors from over 150 countries, along with more than 5,800 buyers and over 16,000 trade visitors.  VNS
SINGAPORE, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Durapower Group ('Durapower'), a Singapore-based leader in advanced lithium-ion battery solutions, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkish industrial group Kvanc Enerji ('Kvanc') on October 8, 2025, in Detroit, United States (US). The partnership will evaluate a joint venture for battery cell and pack manufacturing in Turkey to supply the US, while supporting the adoption of clean energy and enhancing supply chain resilience.

From left: Mr. Sanjay Bakshi, Senior Group Director for the Americas Market, Durapower; and Mr. Nizamettin Derbil, Deputy General Manager, Kvanc Enerji.

"Durapower is proud to partner with Kvanc, establishing the foundation for a strategic battery manufacturing hub to serve the US and the Americas. By uniting over 15 years of Durapower's cell and pack expertise with Kvanc's strong industrial capabilities, this collaboration underscores our shared commitment to driving lithium-ion battery adoption through innovation, scale, and global partnership," said Sanjay Bakshi, Senior Group Director for the Americas Market, Durapower.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), US demand for electric vehicle batteries is set to more than double between 2024 and 2030, rising from 116 GWh to over 280 GWh annually. Through this alliance, Durapower and Kvanc aim to establish a sustainable, diversified supply chain to meet this surge in demand while supporting the global transition to clean energy.

Strategic Collaborations to Drive Growth

The initial plan centres on a GWh-scale facility producing Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP), Nickel Manganese Cobalt-oxide (NMC), and/or NMC-XNO chemistries. The collaboration envisions a phased capacity buildout, aligning with regional market demand for energy storage and commercial mobility applications. Subject to suitable market conditions, there is also long-term potential for establishing a local battery manufacturing facility in the US.

"This strategic partnership enables us to integrate Durapower's battery systems with Kvanc's solar modules to deliver comprehensive renewable energy solutions for institutional and commercial markets, including distributed generation projects. We will also explore direct-to-utility bidding and PPA-based deployment opportunities. Given Kvanc's active role in the Balkans as a renewable energy investor, this collaboration is expected to extend into those markets as well," said Nizamettin Derbil, Deputy General Manager, Kvanc Enerji.

For more information about the companies' operations, visit https://durapowergroup.com/ and https://www.kivancenerji.com.tr/homepage.html.

About Durapower Group

Headquartered in Singapore, Durapower provides end-to-end energy storage solutions for electric mobility and renewable energy applications, including on-and off-road electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric marine vessels, and stationary storage systems. Since 2009, Durapower has focused on Lithium-Ion cell R&D, manufacturing, and system integration, with a global presence in 25 countries and 70 cities across Europe, China, India, and Southeast Asia. The group is committed to scalable, sustainable batteries that support the circular economy, empowering lives and transforming the future towards a carbon neutral economy. Durapower does not manufacture, sell or distribute batteries intended for use in relation to household or consumer electronics.

About Kvanc Enerji

Kvanc Enerji is a family-owned industrial group with operations spanning textiles, renewable energy, recycled paper, and solar panel manufacturing. The Group is also involved in electricity production, trading, and power plant development, targeting 1.3 GW of mainly solar capacity with battery storage.

Kvanc Enerji plans to expand its solar panel output by commissioning a second production line, and its Board has approved further investments in Turkey to add 5 GW EVA-EPE-POE, 5 GW Ingot + Wafer, and 5 GW Cell capacity, enabling the group to offer non-Chinese solar panels and cells to the US market.

SOURCE Durapower Group
HA NOI The Vietnamese tea ceremony, an age-old cultural tradition rooted in Zen philosophy, communal harmony and reverence for nature, will be a highlight of the World Culture Festival in Ha Noi, held from October 10 to 12.

Organised by the UNESCO Office in Viet Nam in partnership with the Thang Long-Ha Noi Heritage Conservation Centre, the event celebrates the tea ceremony as a living heritage. It also underscores the essential role of culture in fostering sustainable development and international cooperation.

Set against the historic backdrop of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a site deeply intertwined with the nations cultural and historical identity - the programme will feature immersive experiences, including the re-creation of traditional tea-drinking spaces and live demonstrations by master tea artisans.

Adding depth to the celebration, three exclusive tea sessions will be hosted for international guests. These gatherings will blend storytelling, ceremonial rituals, tastings of rare and exquisite teas, and thoughtful dialogues on teas role in cultural diplomacy, sustainability, and heritage conservation.

This Ha Noi event builds upon the success of the 'From Tea Leaf to Heritage' series held in a Lat earlier in July, further advancing the recognition of Vietnamese tea culture as a strong contender for UNESCOs Intangible Cultural Heritage designation.

The Vietnamese tea banquet is part of a broader initiative at the World Culture Festival, which honours tea not only as a cultural treasure but also as a symbol of sustainable development. Through curated exhibitions, interactive installations, and cross-cultural dialogues, UNESCO will spotlight its key areas of collaboration with Viet Nam, ranging from heritage preservation and creative industries to cultural diplomacy.

These efforts reflect a longstanding, trusted, and forward-looking partnership between UNESCO and Viet Nam.

Jonathan Baker, UNESCO Representative in Viet Nam, said: Heritage is not merely something to be preserved, it is a foundation for shaping the future. Through tea, we tell stories of identity, of people, of connection. UNESCO is proud to accompany Viet Nam on its journey to transform heritage into a driving force for creativity, dialogue, and sustainable development.

The event also marks a collective endeavour to elevate the cultural significance of tea in community development, sustainable tourism, and the global positioning of Viet Nams heritage. It forms part of the wider project 'Enhancing Local Community Benefits through Strengthened Partnerships for Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Practices'. VNS
HA NOI  For the first time, a theatrical production honouring King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong will take to the stage, blending two distinct art forms  cai luong (Vietnamese reformed opera) and circus performance.

This groundbreaking show pays tribute to the revered Tran dynasty ruler and spiritual leader, combining the emotional depth of traditional cai luong with the visual spectacle of the circus to bring his life and legacy vividly to audiences.

Jointly produced by the Viet Nam National Traditional Stage Theatre and the Viet Nam Circus Federation, the production titled Tran Nhan Tong aims to pay tribute to one of the most revered monarchs in the nations history. Co-directed by Peoples Artist Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Viet Nam Circus Federation, and Meritorious Artist Quang Khai, the production is based on a script by Dr Bui Huu Duoc with the cai luong adaptation by Meritorious Artist Phan Ngoc Chi.

Developed over three years by the creative team, the play is crafted in a mosaic format that retraces key chapters in the life of King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308)  the third ruler of the Tran Dynasty and a Zen master who founded the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect on Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province. While the narrative spans his spiritual journey, the dramatic core focuses on his reign, portraying him as a wise and heroic leader who repelled Mongol invasions and unified the nation.

A hallmark of the production is its innovative fusion of cai luong and circus arts  two seemingly contrasting genres. In select scenes, cai luong performers deliver lyrical passages while circus artists simultaneously enact visual interpretations behind them, creating the impression of a vivid cinematic experience unfolding live on stage. This dual-layered storytelling allows audiences to absorb both the poetic and physical dimensions of the narrative.

According to co-director Tong Toan Thang, Tran Nhan Tong breaks away from conventional staging by harmonising traditional music with modern sound techniques. The open space of the Central Circus Theatre enables full use of circus disciplines such as springboard acrobatics, somersaults, net climbing and juggling  enhanced by contemporary lighting, sound and projection systems.

When the character of King Tran Nhan Tong sings about battle, circus artists perform movements that embody his spirit, strength and wisdom. The combination of auditory and visual elements creates an effect akin to watching a live film on stage, Thang said.

Peoples Artist Trieu Trung Kien, Deputy Director of the Viet Nam National Traditional Stage Theatre, noted that this is the third time the image of King Tran Nhan Tong has been brought to life on the cai luong stage.

This time, the production is more compact, lasting under an hour, but it is meticulously crafted in terms of artistic expression and stage technology to suit the sensibilities of modern audiences, he said.

The ensemble of artists and performers is currently rehearsing intensively to complete the production, which is scheduled to premiere in November. Looking ahead, the theatre plans to make Tran Nhan Tong a regularly staged performance to serve both domestic and international visitors.  VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese community across Europe is eagerly waiting for the Mrs Ao Dai Europe 2026 pageant, a cultural extravaganza honouring Vietnamese culture set to unfold in the Czech Republic next year.

According to the organsing board, the event will gather standout contestants from various European countries together with Vietnamese and European artists, fashion designers, and business leaders, promoting national pride as well as spreading values of humanity and integration.

Along with the traditional ao dai showcase, the contest will feature cultural exchanges, exhibitions, and artistic performances, creating a vibrant platform to connect Vietnamese communities across the continent.

At a press conference on October 9 (local time), Chairman of the organising board Pham Gia Hau said that the Mrs Ao Dai Pageant has been held since 2018 and received warm welcome from the public.

Hau described Karlovy Vary, the venue of the contest, as a world-renowned cinematic city, famous for its prestigious international film festival and stunning landscape, adding the city also boasts a vibrant Vietnamese community.

Nguyen Dieu Linh, Minister-Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic, emphasised the cultural significance of the event, stating it will not only celebrate the beauty of the Vietnamese women but also represent a cultural symbol of the overseas Vietnamese.

She added that the ao dai has been a bridge between Vietnamese culture and the international community. VNA/VNS
BANGKOK  Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung has expressed confidence that the relations between the two countries will continue to expand and deepen under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development regionally and globally.

Addressing a ceremony on October 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day, the diplomat briefed participants on Viet Nam's situation, saying from a poor, war-torn nation, Viet Nam has transformed into a dynamic economy, with GDP reaching more than US$476 billion in 2024. Living standards, education, and cultural life have improved markedly.

Vietnam now maintains diplomatic relations with all 193 UN member states, has twice served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and continues contributing military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, he continued.

The ambassador underlined Viet Nams commitment to addressing global challenges, saying the country will host the UN Convention against Cybercrime Signing Ceremony and a high-level summit from October 2526.

Present at the event, Thai Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi emphasised the deep-rooted and enduring relationship between Thailand and Viet Nam. He noted that over the past decades, both governments have worked together to advance cooperation comprehensively for mutual benefits.

This friendship is vital to the peace and prosperity of the Mekong subregion and ASEAN as well, Vijavat said.

The recent upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reflects the strong commitment of the two countries' leaders to deepening strategic dialogue, expanding economic and social cooperation, and strengthening mutual understanding.

Isarabhakdi said next year, Thailand and Viet Nam will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and noted confidence that both sides will continue to write new chapters of cooperation and success.  VNS
BANGKOK  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has called on Thailand to continue close coordination with Viet Nam in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including information exchange on violations involving fishing vessels and fishermen, as well as collaboration in fisheries and maritime affairs.

During her meeting with Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eksiri Pintaruchi on October 9 in Thailand, Hang reaffirmed Viet Nams strong commitment to addressing IUU fishing and thoroughly implementing the EUs recommendations. She noted that Viet Nam has issued legal documents, tightened fleet management through vessel monitoring and mandatory installation of tracking devices, and strengthened penalties for violations.

The Thai side highly valued Viet Nams efforts in combating IUU fishing, shared experience in marine resource management, and voiced support for deeper cooperation toward sustainable fisheries development.

At the meeting, both sides expressed their satisfaction with the positive outcomes of bilateral cooperation and coordination within multilateral frameworks.

Hang praised the effective operation of existing mechanisms such as the Joint Cabinet Retreat, the Joint Commission, and political consultation, while underscoring the coordinating role of the two foreign ministries in implementing reached agreements.

She also thanked Thailand for its support in citizen protection, particularly in assisting the safe repatriation of Vietnamese nationals detained in Myanmar.

The two sides agreed to work closely to realise the outcomes of the fifth Viet NamThailand Joint Cabinet Retreat held in May 2025, speed up the completion of the 20262030 Action Programme for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and make careful preparations for upcoming high-level visits and bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Later the same day, Hang attended a ceremony celebrating the 80th National Day of Viet Nam (September 2, 1945  2025) organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, which gathered representatives of the Thai government, parliament, diplomatic corps, business community, and overseas Vietnamese across the country.  VNA/VNS
BRUSSELS  Viet Nam remains steadfast in upholding independence, acting responsibly, and engaging in substantive cooperation with all partners to safeguard national interests while contributing to building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world, affirmed Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son.

He made the statement at the high-level session on global affairs within the framework of the 2nd Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium, on the afternoon of October 9 (local time).

Speaking about Viet Nams approach to adapting to the evolving global geopolitical and geo-economic landscape, Son stressed that the country consistently pursues the goal of maintaining peace and stability to create favourable conditions for national development.

Viet Nam adheres to a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralisation of external relations, being a friend, a trusted partner, and a responsible member of the international community.

Viet Nam is promoting green growth and deep international integration, diversifying markets, and seizing opportunities from science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to generate new growth drivers.

The country is also expanding partnerships across all sectors, enhancing resilience against global fluctuations, and making strong investments in science and technology. Viet Nam has identified 11 strategic technologies to reinforce national autonomy, aiming to become a modern industrialised nation by 2030 and achieve high-income status by 2045.

The Deputy PM underlined that Viet Nam will continue to foster multilateral cooperation, uphold international law and the UN Charter, and actively contribute to peacekeeping, sustainable development, and the safeguarding of maritime and aviation security, safety, and freedom.

On the same day, Deputy PM Son held separate bilateral meetings with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) Kaja Kallas, and EC Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera.

At their meeting, Kallas affirmed that the EU is ready to provide humanitarian support and cooperate on disaster risk reduction, while Son reiterated that Viet Nam values the EUs global role and supports its Global Gateway strategy.

The Vietnamese senior official proposed continued coordination at multilateral forums to promote multilateralism, strengthen the role of the UN, and uphold international law.

Both sides noted that Viet NamEU relations, after 35 years of diplomatic ties (19902025), have been developing strongly, comprehensively, and substantively.

They agreed to work toward upgrading relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Son called on the EU to step up support for Viet Nam in the green economy, energy transition, and innovation, and to accelerate the ratification of the EUViet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Regarding the fisheries sector, Son urged the EU to soon lift the yellow card imposed on Viet Nam for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, recognising the Southeast Asian nations serious anti-IUU fishing efforts and sustainable fisheries cooperation promotion. Kallas said that the EC will send a working delegation to Vietnam in November this year for further discussions.

Deputy PM Son took the occasion to invite Kallas to visit Viet Nam and the EU to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention) in Hanoi later this October.

During Sons meeting with Ribera, the EU official affirmed that the EU is ready to support Viet Nam in improving early warning and disaster response capacity, and views the country as an important partner in green and sustainable development.

The Deputy PM proposed that the EU continue to play a leading role in the International Partners Group (IPG) supporting Vietnams offshore wind power, renewable energy, smart grid, and circular industrial projects. He also suggested that the EU adopt a reasonable roadmap for implementing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to help Vietnamese businesses adapt fairly and sustainably.

Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in science and technology, green innovation, digital transformation, and industrial emission reduction, contributing to sustainable development goals and the upgrading of Viet NamEU relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

On this occasion, Son conveyed invitations from Vietnamese high-ranking leaders to EC President Ursula von der Leyen and to Ribera to visit Viet Nam. Ribera expressed her hope to visit soon to promote cooperation in the green transition.  VNA/VNS
BRUSSELS  The European Union (EU) has announced a support package worth EUR430 million (nearly US$497.7 million) to advance the Bac Ai pumped-storage hydropower project, one of Viet Nam's key projects under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The announcement was made at the second Global Gateway Forum, held in Brussels, Belgium from October 9 to 10.

In his remarks at the event, EU Commissioner for energy Jozef Sikela emphasised that the Bac Ai project serves as a key foundation in the joint efforts of Viet Nam and the EU to build a green, stable, and sustainable energy system while attracting private investment and promoting green growth. He affirmed that through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU is turning its commitments into concrete actions, for people, the planet, and shared prosperity.

The project is expected to enhance the stability of the national power system, facilitate the expansion of renewable energy development, and contribute to Viet Nam's goals of carbon emission reduction and sustainable development.

The 430-million-EUR support package is part of the Team Europe Initiatives, comprising the EU, its member states, and development finance institutions such as the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Germanys KfW development bank (KfW), the Italian national development bank (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti  CDP) and PROPARCO  the private sector financing branch of the AFD.

During the 20212027 period, the EU has committed to providing Viet Nam with at least EUR293 million, while total contributions from European partners amounting to over EUR2.8 billion for the JETP. This investment will help promote green infrastructure development and sustainable energy transition, and strengthen regional power connectivity within ASEAN.  VNA/VNS
PYONGYANG  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the inauguration ceremony of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh at the premises of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday (local time).

The event took place as part of the Vietnamese leaders state visit and attendance at the ceremony marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK).

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to the DPRK Le Ba Vinh stressed that President Ho Chi Minh is the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people, a national liberation hero, a great man of culture, and a close friend of the DPRK people. He noted that the installation of the statue within the embassy's ground is not only a source of pride and joy for the Vietnamese people but also for the local people, who extended strong support and facilitation throughout the construction process.

The ambassador recalled that Viet Nam and the DPRK established diplomatic relations 75 years ago, on January 31, 1950, with their traditional friendship personally founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung. Since then, the two Parties, States, and people of Viet Nam and the DPRK have continuously nurtured and strengthened their long-standing friendship and cooperation, marked by mutual support and solidarity in the struggles for national liberation and socialist construction in each country.

He also recalled that during his official friendship visit to the DPRK in 1957, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that although the two countries are far apart geographically, their hearts are close, and though separated by thousands of miles, they are bound together like dear brothers.

At the ceremony, General Secretary Lam and Cho Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee, and head of the Organisation and Guidance Department of the WPK, cut the symbolic ribbon to inaugurate the statue.  VNA/VNS
CAN THO  National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, together with the delegation of NA deputies of Can Tho, met with voters in the Mekong Delta city on Friday to inform them of the agenda of the upcoming 10th session of the 15th legislature, and listen to their opinions and petitions.

Accordingly, the session is scheduled to open on October 20 and conclude on December 12. It will be held in a single centralised meeting at the National Assembly Building.

Voters expressed their satisfaction and appreciation for the NAs recent effective reforms, highlighting its role as the highest representative body of the people and the highest organ of state power. They hope the upcoming session will introduce key policies to strengthen the legal system, boost socio-economic development, and improve living standards.

Most of them showed strong agreement and support for the Partys policies, particularly resolutions issued recently by the Politburo on science - technology development, international integration, lawmaking and enforcement, and the private economic sector's development.

The top legislator spoke highly of the voters' constructive and responsible opinions, stressing that these suggestions are valuable for the city, the Government, and ministries in managing and directing socio-economic development tasks, and ensuring national defence and security.

He noted that as the final meeting of the 15th legislature, the 10th session will have an exceptionally large and important workload, scheduled to pass nearly 50 laws and resolutions.

Briefing voters on great strides and positive outcomes in the national socio-economic development, the NA leader affirmed that these achievements help strengthen public trust in the Party and the State.

He urged the municipal authorities to vigorously implement orientrations set by the 13th meeting of the 13th Party Central Committee, particularly the directives of General Secretary To Lam, to promote socio-economic development, achieve set goals, towards realising the target of double-digit growth during the next five years.

The top legislator requested the city to effectively and drastically implement resolutions of the Politburo and the NA on Can Thos development through 2030, with a vision to 2040, and on piloting special mechanisms and policies for the city; continue to remove obstacles for investors and businesses; address pending projects; accelerate public investment disbursement; increase investment for education, science, and health care.

The city should also focus on promoting digital transformation and AI application in administrative affairs; and pay attention to culture, social affairs, education, and public healthcare, improving the quality of commune-level medical facilities and ensuring employment for local residents, especially to prevent youth unemployment in both rural and urban areas, he stressed.

The same day morning, the top legislator visited the Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve in Phuong Binh Commune, which plays a key role in conserving native and rare species of the Mekong Delta.

Highlighting the citys advantages in transport infrastructure, Chairman Man said Can Tho should leverage its unique riverine culture to develop tourism, making it a standout destination in the Mekong Delta. He underlined the importance of strictly protecting the local ecosystem, environment, and landscape. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  State President Luong Cuong on Friday handed over decisions on the conferment of ambassadorial title to officials and diplomats at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Ha Noi.

The title recipients were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Pham Thi Kim Hoa, Vietnamese Consul General in Vancouver (Canada) Nguyen Quang Trung, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Pham Hoang Kim, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkiye o Son Hai.

Besides, the President presented appointment decisions to ambassadors of Viet Nam to Portugal and Ireland.

Addressing the ceremony, President Cuong urged the newly-promoted and -appointed ambassadors to thoroughly grasp the Partys guidelines and the States policies and laws, particularly the Politburos Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context.

He requested the diplomatic sector in general, and the ambassadors in particular, to strengthen research, advisory, and early strategic forecasting work, and to promptly propose to the Party and the State major and important policies concerning Viet Nams relations with partners.

The President stressed that diplomacy must also serve economic development and make practical contributions to realising national development goals set for 2030 and 2045. He asked the ambassadors to give due priority to promoting, seeking, and connecting cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, and healthcare.

He emphasised that diplomacy should act as a bridge to spread the image of a Viet Nam of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, and development. The ambassadors, he said, must also effectively perform citizen protection duties, serving as a reliable support for the nearly six million-strong overseas Vietnamese community, while mobilising their human, intellectual, and financial resources to contribute to the homelands development.

The ambassadors expressed their honour and sense of responsibility, pledging to thoroughly follow the Party and States foreign policy lines, strengthen practical and effective cooperation with partners, protect national interests, and contribute to the countrys development and the elevation of Viet Nams international standing.  VNA/VNS
Company personnel ready to respond to outages caused by high winds and heavy rains

AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a powerful nor'easter heads toward the East Coast this weekend, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric companies are gearing up to respond quickly to any outages that may occur. Crews are on alert for outages caused by the high winds and heavy rains forecast to hit New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland beginning Sunday.

Strong Winds, Heavy Rains, Coastal Flooding

FirstEnergy crews are preparing for an East Coast storm that's likely to bring heavy rains and gusty winds.

FirstEnergy meteorologists have been monitoring the developing system for several days. In New Jersey, wind gusts could reach over 65 mph along the coast and 45-55 mph elsewhere, with heavy rain and coastal flooding likely. Far eastern Pennsylvania and central and eastern Maryland could see gusty winds up to 45 mph. These severe conditions may lead to power outages for Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) and Met-Ed customers.

FirstEnergy Storm Preparations

FirstEnergy is ramping up staffing, mobilizing crews and securing additional contractor and mutual assistance resources ahead of the nor'easter. Approximately 1,500 extra personnel are being deployed to central New Jersey before the storm arrives, where weather is expected to hit the hardest. Ongoing coordination with local agencies and officials will also help ensure a quicker response after the storm hits.

Restoring Power After Storms

Major storms can cause significant damage. Storm clean up and power restoration is a labor-intensive and timeconsuming process. Depending on the extent of the damage, this work may take several days.

When the power goes out, FirstEnergy works quickly and safely to restore service, beginning with clearing hazards like downed power lines, fallen trees and blocked roads. Once it's safe, personnel assess the damage so crews can begin making repairs, starting with work that addresses the largest numbers of customers and critical facilities like hospitals. Sometimes, repairs take longer if your house or street needs specific attention due to fallen trees or damaged wires, as crews must visit each individual location to complete repairs.

Making Safety a Priority

FirstEnergy puts safety first for crews and customers during rough weather. Crews will keep their buckets grounded when winds exceed 40 mph, focusing on repairs that can be managed from the ground. Saturated soil and flooding pose significant risks to the safety of crews, who must navigate dangerous conditions while working to repair equipment.

Keep safety a personal priority with these tips:

Stay at least 30 feet from downed wires and anything they may be touching; report to 911 immediately.

and anything they may be touching; report to 911 immediately. Keep out of floodwater , which can conduct electricity and hide hazards and debris.

, which can conduct electricity and hide hazards and debris. Use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns over candles to reduce fire risks.

to reduce fire risks. Never use grills or gas stoves for heat indoors to avoid carbon monoxide buildup.

to avoid carbon monoxide buildup. Operate generators outside , away from windows . View generator safety information.

, away from windows View generator safety information. Power up for the storm by charging all devices and keeping a car charger ready.

by charging all devices and keeping a car charger ready. Be ready with essentials including flashlights, a portable radio, extra batteries and ready-to-eat foods.

including flashlights, a portable radio, extra batteries and ready-to-eat foods. Secure your water supply if you use a well pump with bottled water or a filled bathtub.

How to Report an Outage

If you lose power during the storm, report your outage by:

Calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877)

Texting OUT to LIGHTS (544487)

Clicking the "Outages" link on firstenergycorp.com

Get Outage Updates

Text REG to 544487 to sign up for outage text alerts. Once signed up, text STAT to 544487 to get the latest update for your home.

Log into your online account

View our outage map at firstenergycorp.com/outages.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com .

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
HA NOI  Major Le Vinh Hoang, of the Brigade 229 under the Engineer Corps, received a decision to undertake United Nations peacekeeping tasks at a ceremony held in Ha Noi on Friday.

According to the State President's decision, Hoang will replace Captain Chu Tuan Linh as a military observer at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). He previously served a one-year term (20222023) at the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), where he worked as a military intelligence analysis officer and attended several UN peacekeeping training courses.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, also head of the ministry's steering committee for the participation in UN peacekeeping operations, commended the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and relevant units for their thorough preparations and personnel training for this important mission.

He expressed confidence that Hoang will demonstrate strong determination and a high sense of responsibility to overcome challenges in the area of operation and successfully fulfil his assigned duties.

Chien urged the officer to strictly observe the Partys guidelines, the States laws, the Armys discipline, and the UNs and host countrys regulations, ensuring absolute safety throughout his mission. The Deputy Minister also asked him to uphold the traditions of the Viet Nam Peoples Army, show professionalism, and actively learn from and cooperate with international colleagues.

With experience gained from his previous service at the MINUSCA mission, Chien expressed his belief that Hoang will quickly adapt to his new assignment in South Sudan.

The Deputy Minister noted that Viet Nams Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 7 and Engineer Team Rotation 4 have recently departed for UN peacekeeping missions, further expanding the scope and quality of Viet Nams peacekeeping force. To date, more than 1,300 Vietnamese officers and professional soldiers have been deployed to UN missions in both individual and unit capacities.

He voiced his hope that more Vietnamese officers and units will continue to take part in peacekeeping activities in the future, including in senior positions at UN missions and headquarters, thereby enhancing Vietnams reputation and image in the eyes of the international community.

Expressing his pride and honour in being entrusted with the mission, officer Hoang pledged to promote solidarity, both within his unit and with international colleagues, and to make every effort to fulfil the duties.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni has sent a letter of sympathy to State President Luong Cuong over the recent severe storms and flooding in Viet Nam.

In the letter, the King, on behalf of the Cambodian people, expressed deep compassion and solidarity with those affected by the natural disasters.

In this difficult time, we extend our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the President and the people of Viet Nam, he wrote, expressing hope for the swift recovery of the injured and a rapid return to normalcy for affected communities.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee has sent a congratulatory message to the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on the occasion of its 80th founding anniversary (October 10, 1945  October 10,2025).

In the message, the CPV Central Committee extended congratulations on the significant and important achievements that the WPK and the people of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) have attained in recent times.

It expressed firm belief that under the leadership of the WPK, headed by General Secretary Kim Jong Un, the fraternal DPRK people will continue to gain even greater achievements in the cause of national construction and development in the time ahead.

The message also affirmed that the CPV wishes and is willing to work together with the DPRK to further promote the cooperative relationship between the two Parties and the two countries in a more substantive and effective manner, in line with the interests of the people of both nations, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and Chairman of its Inspection Commission Nguyen Duy Ngoc visited the Workers Party of Korea (WPK) Founding Museum in Pyongyang on Friday.

The activity formed part of CPV General Secretary To Lam's state visit to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) and attendance at the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the WPK (October 10, 1945  October 10, 2025),

The museum was established on the foundation of the historical site where the WPK and President Kim Il Sung worked during the early years of the WPKs establishment. It was open to the public in 1970. The museum houses numerous artifacts and documents highlighting President Kim Il Sungs role in founding the WPK and leading the DPRKs revolutionary struggle and national development.

During the visit, representatives of the museums management board briefed Ngoc and the Vietnamese delegation on the museums principles, development process, and role as an important venue for the Party and the State of the DPRK to preserve and promote their proud history.

Ngoc appreciated the warm welcome and detailed introduction provided by the museums leadership. He extended congratulations to the WPK on the significant achievements in national construction and development under its leadership.

He also stressed that the valuable materials and historical lessons preserved at the museum will serve as a useful source of reference for the CPV in firmly maintaining its leadership and developing a museum of the CPV in celebration of its centenary.  VNA/VNS
PYONGYANG  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Pyongyang on Thursday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ceremony marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea.

Both sides expressed their delight at the strong and positive development of relations between the two Parties and the two countries over the recent past as seen in the continuously strengthened political trust, frequent high-level meetings, and enhanced cooperation in security and national defence.

Besides, economic, trade, investment, and tourism partnerships have grown rapidly while strategic connectivity, particularly in railway infrastructure, has advanced. Locality-to-locality cooperation and people-to-people exchanges have become more dynamic, and coordination at multilateral forums has deepened.

Party General Secretary Lam commended the significance and outcomes of the state visit to Viet Nam by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping in April, expressing his hope for the two sides to further deepen and substantively develop ties between the two Parties and countries.

He proposed that both sides continue to reinforce political trust to guide and expand cooperation across all fields, successfully organise the 17th meeting of the Viet NamChina Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, and promote the roles of the key pillars of diplomacy, national defence, and public security.

The CPV leader called for continued efforts to make breakthroughs in cooperation, thus turning commitments into concrete results and potential into practical benefits, particularly in expanding Chinas import of Vietnamese goods, including agricultural and aquatic products; increasing electricity exports to Viet Nam; and highly prioritising the early completion of the three standard-gauge railway lines connecting the two countries. He also asked for boosting high-quality investment cooperation linked with technology transfer and human resources training, along with promoting science and technology collaboration into a new highlight of bilateral relations.

With the hope of fostering friendship, mutual understanding, and trust between the two peoples, the Vietnamese leader proposed that the two sides encourage social and mass organisations to increase exchanges, step up communications about the Viet NamChina friendship and development achievements of each nation, and strengthening ties in education, particularly high-quality human resources training, and tourism.

He asked the two sides to properly handle sea-related issues in accordance with the common perceptions reached between the two countries top leaders as well as international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

For his part, Li appreciated the warm and fraternal reception given to General Secretary and President Xi Jinping during his visit to Viet Nam in April.

Highly valuing Party General Secretary Lams proposals for strengthening relations in the coming time, he affirmed that the Chinese Party and State attach great importance to the countries' comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the building of a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance with Viet Nam, and always consider this a priority in China's neighbourhood diplomacy.

The Premier called on both sides to accelerate the productive implementation of the high-level agreements and shared perceptions, enhance political trust, improve the quality and effectiveness of cooperation in all fields, consolidate public support, and properly control and address sea-related differences, thereby promoting the substantive and sustainable development of relations between the two Parties and the two countries.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) always values cooperation with the United Russia Party (URP), considering it a foundation for enhancing political trust and fostering bilateral cooperation, said Party General Secretary To Lam at his meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of URP and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, in Pyongyang on Friday.

The meeting took place within the framework of Party General Secretary Lam's state visit to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) and attendance at the ceremony marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea (October 10, 1945  October 10, 2025).

At the meeting, Party General Secretary To Lam and Medvedev emphasised that the two Parties, States and peoples attach great importance to the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Russia. The Vietnamese leader extended his regards to President Putin and other senior leaders of Russia and expressed his thanks to Russia for sending a delegation to the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of Viet Nam (September 2, 1945  September 2, 2025).

For his part, Medvedev conveyed President Putins greetings to Party General Secretary To Lam and other key Vietnamese leaders, and extended warm regards from the Russian Government and people to the people of Viet Nam, expressing sympathy over the recent losses and damage caused by storms and floods.

Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that Viet Nam consistently regards Russia as a key strategic partner and wishes to expand collaboration across major fields such as politics, security and defence, energy and oil and gas, science and technology, education and training, and culture and humanity.

Both sides agreed to continue promoting cooperation channels between the two Parties, welcomed exchanges between their youth, and supported collaboration between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the United Russia Party School.

Medvedev congratulated Viet Nam on its remarkable achievements over the past 80 years of national construction and development. On behalf of the URP, he wished Viet Nam great success in hosting the upcoming 14th National Party Congress, laying an important foundation for the country to achieve new milestones on its path towards becoming a prosperous, strong, democratic, equitable, and civilised socialist nation, contributing actively to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress in implementing recent high-level agreements and commitments, and agreed to further strengthen political trust, enhance the exchange of delegations at all levels, particularly the high level, and effectively implement the Master Plan on Viet NamRussia Cooperation up to 2030 and other recently reached agreements.

They also discussed measures to boost economic, trade, and investment cooperation; remove obstacles and open wider access to each others markets; and create favourable conditions for enterprises to expand partnerships in oil and gas, energy, science and technology. The two sides agreed to reinforce cooperation in security and defence, local and transport connectivity, and to improve collaboration in education, health, culture, sports, and tourism. They also committed to facilitating citizens' travel and to strengthening cooperation in energy, oil and gas, nuclear power, and labour, particularly in agricultural labour.

The leaders exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, underscoring the importance of multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

On this occasion, on behalf of Viet Nams leadership, Party General Secretary To Lam invited President Putin and Medvedev to visit Viet Nam again in the near future.  VNA/VNS
TOKYO  Japanese Professor Natsume Nagato has been reappointed Viet Nams Honorary Consul in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture for another three years.

The reappointment decision was handed over to the professor by Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu at a ceremony in Tokyo on Friday hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hieu emphasised that the extension of Professor Nagatos term reflects Viet Nams trust and appreciation for his contributions over the years.

With his deep affection for Viet Nam, we believe he will continue to fulfil his duties effectively, promoting multifaceted cooperation between Aichi and Viet Nam, supporting citizen protection, and strengthening connections within the Vietnamese community, the ambassador said.

For his part, Professor Nagato expressed his pride in receiving the renewed trust of the Vietnamese Government, affirming his commitment to further contributing to the development of Viet NamJapan relations.

Viet Nam is now rising strongly like an ascending dragon, he said, adding that he would continue to contribute to the prosperity of Viet Nam and the well-being of the growing Vietnamese community in Aichi.

Professor Natsume Nagato, currently teaching at Aichigakuin University, was first appointed Viet Nams Honorary Consul in Nagoya in 2017. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting bilateral ties, he was awarded the second-class Labour Order by the Vietnamese State President in April 2016.  VNA/VNS
HA TINH  Amid todays busy and hectic life, some people quietly look to the past through old items, tirelessly preserving and spreading traditional cultural values. Hidden beneath the dust of time, seemingly lifeless artefacts hold countless stories, capturing not only the length of history and national culture but also vivid personal memories, preserving the ancient soul in a fast-paced modern world.

In central Ha Tinh Province, a number of such individuals seek out and preserve artefacts every day to tell stories of the past.

Holding an old ceramic jar from his collection, Hoang Tung in Nam Thanh Village of Yen Hoa Commune passionately shared how, in the past, his mother used jars and clay pots to store seeds. For him, seeing and touching these household items once used by Vietnamese families allows him to fully relive memories of his beloved mother.

Most of the items in my collection were my mothers belongings. I witnessed my parents hardship so I really appreciated the old items my grandparents and parents left, Tung told baohatinh.vn.

Along with my familys old household wares, I also went to many places to look for more farming tools and production equipment.

A teacher who spent many years working far from his hometown, Tung always carried a deep longing for home and nurtured a plan to one day recreate a house filled with the simple objects once used by his parents and grandparents.

With a heart full of nostalgia and a love for cultural values imbued with traditional identity, after returning to his homeland, he devoted a portion of his house to rebuilding a three-compartment thatched house.

After many sleepless nights of reflection, he decided to preserve the houses original form. The scent of earth and the aroma of straw within each wall brought him a sense of peace and familiarity.

When I had the idea of building a house, many people advised me to use brick walls and floors to increase stability and withstand storms. However, thatched houses and mud walls were part of my childhood memories, so I still decided to build a house with local materials, Tung said.

This house is very dear to me. I sleep here and receive guests here. It gives me a very relaxed and gentle feeling, far from the hustle and bustle of life outside, he added.

His passion for old items has grown year by year. Initially, Tung collected ceramic bowls and jars, cassette players and black-and-white TV sets, but he later acquired traditional agricultural tools such as manual rice mills and mortars.

What began as a personal project to preserve memories gradually evolved. By 2024, as Tungs nostalgic space was completed, many people with similar interests came to experience it, regarding it as a museum.

For many visitors, the old items in Tungs display space are unusual and spark curiosity, while others return to reminisce about the objects they once used in daily life.

Nguyen Thi Hoa, a local resident, said: When we, the generation born in the 1960s and 1970s, look back at these objects, we are reminded of the past and the hard-working, difficult times of our grandparents and parents. I often bring my children to Tungs house to see these items and understand their value, educating them and reminding them to remember their roots.

Also a passionate collector of antiques, ang Huu Son in Ha Huy Tap Ward owns a diverse and extensive collection comprising thousands of artefacts, many of which are rare and valuable.

Sons exhibition space is divided into several thematic collections.

In addition to ceramics, bronze items, oil lamps, radios, and century-old record players, Son also collects numerous wartime memorabilia such as military water canteens, mess tins, and labour tools associated with memories of both production and combat.

Alongside everyday household items used by Vietnamese people, including pottery, earthenware, porcelain, plates, and stone mortars, Son has collected many objects connected to the cultural history of southern Viet Nam before and after 1975. Most of these items remain functional despite the wear of time, thanks to Sons dedication in transporting, restoring, repairing and carefully preserving them.

Son said: Since childhood, I have been passionate about the arts. At first, collecting was just a hobby, but during my research, I realised that each artefact represents a fragment of social history, a piece of artistic value. From there, I became more deeply devoted to researching and collecting in a serious manner.

These old objects have become a bridge connecting people with similar interests and passions.

In Sons display spaces, collectors gather on weekends, spending hours discussing and analysing the history and origins of newly found items, or debating the form and style of a bonsai tree planted in an antique stone mortar or ceramic pot.

Their shared love and respect for the past have united these antique enthusiasts in their journey to rediscover memories.

The most precious thing for collectors is the joy of uncovering cultural characteristics from different historical periods, not merely the ownership of artefacts. The effort we put into searching and collecting is not just to preserve objects, but also to provide a foundation for younger generations to learn about, maintain and promote our nations long-standing culture, said Nguyen Tien Dung from Cam Binh Commune.

Whether in the sandy lands of a coastal village or amidst the bustle of city life, there are still those who quietly and diligently hold on to the passage of time.

For them, this is a way to cherish and preserve the cultural and historical values of their ancestors, keeping alive the love for heritage so that the essence of the past continues to radiate within community life.  VNS
HCM CITY  Authorities in HCM City are stepping up efforts to redevelop aging apartment buildings, a move seen as critical to modernising urban spaces and improving living standards in Viet Nams largest metropolis.

The initiative, which requires cooperation between government, developers, and residents, aims to balance the competing interests of social welfare, commercial viability, and city planning.

Most of the citys old apartment blocks are located in central areas, making redevelopment both urgent and complicated.

Any upgrade must account for social infrastructure, transport networks, and technical systems, while also ensuring appropriate resettlement options for displaced residents.

Nguyen Quoc Bao, chairman of HCM City Real Estate Club (HREC), said this is a complex challenge, especially with smaller buildings under 1,000 square metres.

Redevelopment requires harmonising the interests of three key stakeholders: the government, investors, and residents.

He urged city leaders to streamline policies, provide resettlement support, and create incentives for developers.

Residents also need to be more open to relocation, while businesses must offer fair compensation and transparent resettlement plans to secure trust, he added.

Shared responsibility

Urban planners stress that rebuilding old apartment blocks is not only a commercial housing project but also carries a strong social responsibility.

Financial support, favourable credit terms, and simplified legal procedures are essential to help developers manage land clearance and negotiate compensation packages with residents.

Nguyen Tien Dung, CEO of real estate firm Savista, said reaching consensus with residents is often the hardest step but also the most important.

We need clear standards to evaluate the remaining value of residents properties and transparent formulas for compensation and apartment swaps, he said.

International models offer potential guidance. Japan and South Korea have pioneered systems to balance the interests of all parties, while Germany has experimented with preserving historic architecture alongside modern upgrades.

Singapores Housing Development Board (HDB) has also shown how state-backed efforts can successfully deliver large-scale urban renewal.

New policies for resettlement

The city recently approved a comprehensive plan to rebuild or replace degraded apartment blocks, with new policies designed to win public support.

Under the plan, residents will be guaranteed resettlement units at least equal to  and in some cases double  the size of their original apartments.

Those unwilling to move into new buildings will be allowed to sell or transfer their resettlement rights or receive cash compensation.

Investors, meanwhile, must submit redevelopment proposals together with detailed compensation and resettlement schemes.

The policy also allows developers to negotiate land-use transfers directly with residents, providing more flexibility to accelerate projects.

Bui Xuan Cuong, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, said redevelopment is urgent but complicated because it involves the rights of tens of thousands of households.

Our priority is to ensure a fair balance of benefits among residents, government, and developers, while keeping social welfare at the core, he added.

To ease financial burdens, the city has adopted Resolution 17, offering incentives and support for investors in reconstruction projects.

It has also pledged to cover costs for tasks under state responsibility, such as building inspections, planning assessments, and permit approvals.

Long-term urban vision

HCM City has set ambitious targets: to complete redevelopment of all apartment blocks built before 1975, and to rebuild those classified as unsafe or heavily degraded between 1975 and 1994 by 2035.

Authorities argue that beyond new housing, the programme represents a broader redesign of urban living.

Modernised buildings are expected to improve fire safety, security, sanitation, and community facilities, while giving the city a more modern and cohesive skyline.

Redeveloping old apartments is not just about bricks and mortar, Cuong said. It is about creating safe, modern, and liveable spaces that reflect the needs of a dynamic, growing city.

For residents, the benefits go beyond larger and safer apartments. Improved infrastructure, better services, and enhanced public spaces could transform the way communities live and interact, while boosting confidence in the citys long-term growth.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Ha Noi's outlying Trung Gia and a Phuc communes on Thursday night to oversee flood response and recovery efforts after learning that many areas were heavily inundated as river levels rose.

For more than a day, rising river levels have flooded parts of the communes, prompting the local civil defence command, together with military, police, and volunteer forces, to encourage and assist residents to evacuate to safety, while reinforcing embankments to prevent floodwaters from breaching them.

So far, the main and auxiliary dikes, along with smaller local embankments in villages such as An Lac and Phong My, have been raised by about one metre, keeping floodwaters from spilling into residential areas.

However, on October 9 afternoon, sections of the Ha NoiThai Nguyen railway passing through Trung Gia commune were eroded and washed away, causing track sagging and a temporary shutdown of the line. Teams from Viet Nam Railways Corporation were on-site assessing the damage and planning repairs, with work expected to be completed soon.

At the site, PM Chinh ordered Ha Noi authorities to closely monitor river levels and implement appropriate flood response measures to ensure residents safety.

It is essential to remain vigilant, keep equipment, vehicles, and personnel, particularly military forces, ready, and ensure shelters and essential supplies are in place to evacuate residents if needed, he emphasised.

The leader also called Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep for an urgent briefing on river levels, instructing agencies to closely monitor conditions and manage upstream reservoirs flexibly to prevent downstream dike breaches, including carefully timing spillway operations at hydropower reservoirs.

That night, he visited the forces working overnight to reinforce the dikes and local residents, urging the community to stay united and support one another, and, in the event of flooding, to strictly follow official guidance, with priority given to rescuing the elderly, children, and pregnant women.

The PM asked Ha Noi authorities and relevant agencies to study long-term, fundamental solutions for the dike systems, as river levels have now surpassed historical flood peaks.

He was accompanied by Secretary of the Ha Noi Party Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam Peoples Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence General Nguyen Tan Cuong, and other officials.  VNA/VNS
Employer poised to challenge state laws protecting workers who use cannabis off the job

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Halunen Law, a nationally recognized law firm representing plaintiffs in employee rights cases, has filed suit against a Texas-based home builder on behalf of a Minnesota realtor who was denied a job because of his medical cannabis use during non-work hours.

The realtor, who was enrolled in Minnesota's medical cannabis registry, applied for a sales position at a new-construction housing development in the Twin Cities. The builder offered him the job after a lengthy application and interview process but rescinded the offer when a pre-employment drug test revealed the presence of THC metabolites.

"Minnesota authorizes the use of cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes," said Halunen Law attorney Joshua Newville . "State law generally prohibits discrimination against employees for such off-duty usage. Most employers are thus barred from even testing for cannabis."

Responding to the lawsuit, the builder argues that Minnesota's laws are preempted by federal law. "It appears this employer is poised to mount a direct challenge both to states' rights and cannabis-related worker protections," explained Newville.

This case raises important questions not only for Minnesotans but also for workers nationwide as more states adopt similar protections. Lawmakers, state attorneys general, and civil rights advocates throughout the country may be closely watching as this matter unfolds.

The case is Bradley Sand v. Weekley Homes, LLC , Hennepin County District Court (27-CV-25-18190).

About Halunen Law: With offices in Minneapolis and Chicago, Halunen Law offers experienced legal representation for employees and whistleblowers who courageously challenge illegal actions in their workplace. Founded in 1998, Halunen Law has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs' law firm, with a laser focus on achieving justice and meaningful results for its clients. For more information, visit halunenlaw.com .

SOURCE Halunen Law
HA NOI  Severe flooding has forced authorities in Ha Noi to evacuate nearly 8,500 residents, with more than 10,500 people already affected and plans under way to move around 38,500 others, mostly in the outlying communes of Trung Gia, Thu Lam, Tien Thang, and a Phuc.

A report from the citys Department of Agriculture and Environment on Friday morning said rising waters from the Cau and Ca Lo rivers had inundated a number of riverside communes, including Kim Anh, Noi Bai, Soc Son, Tien Thang, and Trung Gia.

The citys Civil Defence Command said 5,866 residents in Trung Gia Commune  from the hamlets of An Lac, o Tan, Lai Son, o, and Trung Kien  remain at risk and need to be relocated.

In a Phuc Commune, around 30,000 people from 33 hamlets are also in danger and may need to move to safer areas.

Authorities plan to prioritise local, on-site evacuation where possible, using multi-storey buildings for shelter, while others will be temporarily relocated to military and police barracks in nearby communes.

Floodwaters breach dykes

Floodwaters from the Cau and Ca Lo rivers have overtopped the surface of the embankment along a 7.5km stretch, with levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.2m above the crest.

Local authorities in a Phuc acted swiftly to reinforce the dyke system and protect lives and property from the onset of flooding.

The department reported that while water levels in major rivers flowing through Ha Noi, including the a, Hong (Red) and uong rivers, remain below Alarm Level 1, they are still high.

The Cau River has exceeded Alarm Level 3 by 2.06m and now stands 0.66m above its designed flood level, while the Ca Lo River is 1.56m above Alarm Level 3 and 0.06 metres above its design flood level of 9.5 metres.

Water levels in most of Ha Nois irrigation reservoirs, including Suoi Hai, ong Quan, Tan Xa, Xuan Khanh, Quan Son, Van Son and Keo Ca, also remain high.

Crops submerged

As of 7am on Friday, a Phuc Commune reported 978ha of rice and crops submerged, including 547ha in inland fields and 431ha outside the riverbanks.

Irrigation systems have sustained multiple incidents, including a 15m embankment slide at the Tang Long pumping station, a 30m slide along the Ben Tre drainage canal and more than 250m of irrigation channels damaged or tilted.

Six local road sections have also been reported as partially flooded.

On the Ta Ca Lo dyke, three landslide spots have appeared, with sections at K17+700 and K8+270 each collapsing over 30m.

In Trung Gia Commune, severe erosion and washouts have caused water to breach the Ha Thai railway embankment near Thong Nhat, Trung Kien, and o hamlets along a 20m stretch. Eighteen hamlets, home to 4,041 households, have been isolated.

Authorities have also urged farmers to harvest their late-season rice as quickly as possible.

As of Friday, about 500ha remain unharvested.  VNS
PYONGYANG  The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) signed a cooperation agreement in Pyongyang on Friday (local time), as part of the ongoing state visit to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Party General Secretary To Lam.

The agreement, signed by VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang and KCNA President Kim Pyong Ho, aims to deepen and expand bilateral collaboration, with a focus on information sharing.

It also formalises a comprehensive cooperation framework between VNA and KCNA, covering the exchanges of information, officials and reporters, as well as potential multilateral cooperation if suitable.

On information exchange, both agencies will provide each other with free access to English-language news services and captioned photo news on topics of shared interest based on their respective ability. They can utilise and disseminate the shared content via their official websites and social media platforms.  VNA/VNS
SEOUL  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and discussed ways to broaden bilateral cooperation, including high-level exchanges and strategic communications, the North's state media reported Friday.

The meeting took place on Thursday in Pyongyang as Li visited North Korea to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North's Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. It was the first visit by China's No.2 leader to Pyongyang in 16 years.

Kim and Li discussed "issues arising in mutually expanding high-level visits, strategic communication, multi-faceted exchange and cooperation to develop the friendly and cooperative relations ... in a wider and comprehensive way," the KCNA said.

Li noted that the two countries are opening a new chapter in bilateral relations under the strategic guidance of their state leaders, the KCNA said, quoting him as saying that it is China's "consistent and steadfast strategic policy to successfully defend, consolidate and develop the China-DPRK relations."

Kim echoed the pledge, saying North Korea plans to work toward more vigorous relations through joint struggles to accomplish socialist causes with Chinese comrades.

Kim also wished China "greater success" in its journey to build a modern socialist state."

The trip comes only about a month after Kim traveled to Beijing to attend a military parade and hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a separate dispatch on the talks, China's Xinhua News Agency quoted Kim as describing the North Korea-China relations as "unbreakable."

"Consolidating and developing the friendly cooperative ties between the two countries remains the unwavering stance of the party and government of the DPRK, regardless of changes in the international situation," the agency also quoted Kim as saying.

This serves the common interests of both sides and contributes to regional peace, stability and development, he added.

The North Korean leader also reaffirmed his country's support for the "one-China principle" while expressing opposition to "separatist acts of Taiwan independence" and support for China's position on issues regarding Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Xizang, Xinhua said.

The KCNA separately said that Xi sent a congratulatory message to Kim on the occasion of the party's founding anniversary, reaffirming China's policy of steadfastly strengthening relations with North Korea regardless of changes in the international security situation.

Xi said his "deep" talks with Kim last month "indicated the way for further developing" the bilateral friendship.

"No matter how the international situation may change, it is the consistent policy of the Chinese party and government to successfully defend, consolidate and develop China-DPRK relations," Xi also said.

China "is ready to contribute ... to make positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity of the region and the rest of the world by promoting the steady development of China-DPRK relations," he added.  YONHAP
Tran Dinh Long, chairman of Hoa Phat Group. Image source: VGP

Speaking at a meeting with Prime Minister Chinh on October 9, Tran Dinh Long, chairman of Hoa Phat Group, said that to date, Vietnam's steel industry has risen to rank 11th globally and first in Southeast Asia. This is not only a remarkable achievement for the steel sector but also a shared result of the nations integration efforts and economic development.

He suggested that the spirit of Politburo Resolution No.68-NQ/TW on developing the private economy will be implemented even more strongly to create better conditions for businesses.

In today's highly competitive environment, time is the most important factor. Therefore, we hope that when enterprises submit proposals or petitions, the government and relevant ministries will review and resolve them more promptly so as not to miss development opportunities, he said.

Moreover, the European Union has recently decided to raise import tariffs on steel from 25 per cent to 50 per cent to protect its domestic industry. This move will directly impact Vietnams steel exports. Hence, he proposed that the government introduce flexible and timely response policies to protect the domestic manufacturing sector.

Additionally, for products that can already be produced domestically and meet demand, we hope national projects and demands will prioritise local goods. This not only supports local businesses but also gives concrete implementation to the policy Vietnamese people prioritise using Vietnamese goods, he said.

Long also called on the government to create more mechanisms for transparent procurement and bidding that prioritise domestic goods. This would motivate businesses to develop sustainably, he noted.

Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT Corporation

Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT Corporation, raised six comments. First, he thanked the PM and the government for all their tireless efforts. Government and Party officials have worked day and night to resolve the countrys critical issues.

Second, he said thanks for fostering a favourable business environment. We, all entrepreneurs, are lucky to live and work in the era of doi moi (renovation) that has given us the opportunity to grow, he said.

Third, he praised Resolution 68, which acknowledges the role of entrepreneurs and creates conditions for their future development.

Fourth, he pledged to work even harder for the development of the country. Large enterprises will support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Together, we will work tirelessly to achieve double-digit growth, not just 10 per cent, but 20-25 per cent, or even 30 per cent, he pledged.

Fifth, Binh vowed to study hard and master technology. A country cannot be rich and strong if it only serves others and depends on foreign technology. Vietnam must not rely on outsiders, so businesses must continuously learn and strive to become technological leaders.

Sixth, he pledged to join the PM and the government in conquering the skies, reaching out to the seas, and going deep into the earth. A nation is only truly prosperous when it can supply products and services to the world. Thus, globalisation is the responsibility of all enterprises, both large and small.

Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman of CMC Technology Corporation

Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman of CMC Technology Corporation, said that under the governments leadership, Vietnams administrative infrastructure, management platforms, and economic institutions have been significantly strengthened, becoming a true launchpad for national development. Moreover, the business environment is becoming increasingly transparent, market confidence is being reinforced, and the spirit of creative entrepreneurship is spreading widely.

In 2025, CMC has been honoured to be entrusted with two national-level tasks: building the CMC Cloud computing infrastructure and developing the AI knowledge platform AI Make in Vietnam.

We consider this not just an assignment but a commitment to action, a pioneering mission in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. We are determined to become one of the top five globally competitive digital technology companies, participating in the global value chain, contributing to the realisation of Resolution 68 and the National Digital Transformation Strategy, he said.

CMC is committed to playing a leading role in supporting SMEs and startups, helping build a dynamic, innovative business ecosystem in Vietnam.

Additionally, we hope the government will speed up the implementation of existing resolutions, particularly by completing legal frameworks and policies to provide a solid foundation for businesses.

What we need most is a stable, transparent, and feasible policy environment so that we can invest and innovate with confidence, he noted.

The Vietnamese tech business community is making every effort to build digital infrastructure, digital government, digital economy, and digital society, with the goal of turning Vietnam into a developed industrial nation and a global tech powerhouse by 2045.

We firmly believe that, under the wise leadership of the Party, the resolute governance of the government, and with the spirit of creativity, unity, and aspiration among Vietnamese entrepreneurs, Vietnam will surely realise this vision, becoming a prosperous, powerful nation with a globally recognised technology brand, Chinh said.

Thai Huong, chairwoman of TH Group

Thai Huong, chairwoman of TH Group, said that at this stage, businesses are witnessing immense changes, such as a national governance reform aimed at greater effectiveness and efficiency. The inner strength of the people is immense, and the entrepreneur class today has both the heart and the capacity to carry out the missions assigned by the Party and the state.

She proposed policies tailored to each historical period and each industry. While we already have resolutions, without suitable policies and enforcement mechanisms, all of this will remain difficult to implement, she said.

Huong raised two specific bottlenecks, including the issue of retroactive laws. Businesses see laws as sacred, but laws must also be guided.

For example, the law once required livestock farms to be at least 200m from residential homes. When we built ours, it was 270m away. Now the law demands 400m. Therefore, the law should not be applied retroactively, it needs practical guidance, she said.

Huong also raised staff restructuring. Ministries and agencies are now merging staff to improve performance. However, new units sometimes dont fully understand existing projects. Many legally compliant, well-prepared projects get suspended awaiting new agency approvals, and those agencies often restart the process from scratch, wasting time and resources.

We call on ministries and authorities to advise the government with more concrete and practical solutions to resolve these issues, she said.

Vietnam is progressing rapidly and integrating well internationally. Our businesses expect to grow 15 per cent this year. We pledge to follow the Party, the state, and the strategic directions of the government, while complying with the law and striving for effectiveness, she asserted.

PM calls on young entrepreneurs to lead Vietnams next development era The Vietnam Private Sector Forum (VPSF) 2025 concluded with the prime minister calling on young entrepreneurs to drive innovation and institutional reform.

Private sector proposes $10 billion international maritime centre Representatives from the private sector have proposed the establishment of a $10 billion international maritime centre in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the latest report from the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, an estimated 56,971 new vehicles  including both domestically produced and imported units  entered the Vietnamese market in September, marking a 5.4 per cent increase from August.

Domestic output reached 38,700 units in September, the second-highest monthly volume of the year, only behind June, marking a 2.4 per cent increase over August and a 19.7 per cent jump on-year.

In the first nine months of 2025, domestic manufacturers rolled out about 338,400 vehicles, surging 52.7 per cent on-year. This sharp growth highlights the expanded production capacity and aggressive push by carmakers.

Imports also continued to climb. September saw 18,271 completely built units arrive in Vietnam, worth $402 million, up 12.3 per cent in volume and 10.7 per cent in value from August. For the JanuarySeptember period, imports totalled 156,092 units, valued at $3.42 billion, representing increases of 24.8 per cent and 33.3 per cent respectively compared to the same period last year.

However, the surge in supply contrasts with slower-than-expected consumption. The widening gap between production and sales has triggered a sweeping wave of promotions, as companies seek to clear inventory and stimulate demand for new models.

Price cuts have spread across the board, from mass-market to premium brands, covering Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and European models alike. Even bestsellers such as the Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Xpander, Ford Ranger, and Ford Everest are offering heavier incentives to maintain their market share.

"The current price war is unprecedented in scope. Even leading models are being offered with steep discounts, showing how urgent the pressure is to clear inventories," said Tran Minh Hoang, an independent automotive analyst in Ho Chi Minh City.

As the market enters the final quarter when traditionally the peak shopping season ahead of Lunar New Year, analysts predict the discount race will persist. Strong supply and inventory pressure will keep competition intense, even as consumer demand gradually picks up.

For buyers, this creates an unprecedented opportunity to purchase vehicles at favourable prices. For carmakers, however, sustaining growth will require more than promotions. A longer-term strategy balancing supply and demand will be crucial to avoid overreliance on discounts.
Effective from October 1, Dwyer joins KPMG in Vietnam from KPMG in Singapore, bringing more than two decades of experience across capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, deal execution, and project management within the Big Four.

Throughout his career, Dwyer has worked across major international financial hubs including Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, London, and Singapore, providing advisory services to leading private equity, private credit, and financial services clients.

His extensive international experience has given him profound insights into both developed and emerging markets, enabling him to navigate cross-border complexities and deliver value-driven deal strategies across Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Dwyer has worked on a wide range of deals, from large to mid-sized buyouts and growth investments. He has supported clients on both the buying and selling sides, helping them through every stage of the deal process, with a strong track record of success.

Now based in Ho Chi Minh City, Dwyer will lead KPMGs Deal Advisory practice in Vietnam and Cambodia, overseeing a diverse portfolio of services including: Transaction services (due diligence, integration and separation); merger and acquisition (M&A) acquisitions tax; corporate finance (M&As and valuations); and deal strategy (value creation and commercial due diligence).

In his new role, Dwyer will work closely with other KPMG partners to continue providing clients with integrated, end-to-end advisory services supporting strategic expansion, transformation, and sustainable growth.

"Vietnams M&A market is undergoing a major transformation, driven by strong economic fundamentals, government reforms, and rising Asia-Pacific investor interest," said Dwyer. "Private equity is targeting scalable platforms in healthcare, logistics, and consumer services, while private credit is bridging funding gaps."

"Financial services lead key deals, reflecting confidence in Vietnams regulatory clarity and digital growth. New laws and stock market upgrades are positioning Vietnam as a hub for strategic capital and long-term partnerships. KPMG offers end-to-end deal advisory services, combining local insight with global expertise to support inbound and cross-border M&A," he added.

Dwyer is a Chartered Accountant with a Graduate Diploma of Accounting, Graduate Diploma of Taxation Law, Master of Professional Accounting, and Master of Finance.

Industry insiders believe his appointment reinforces KPMGs commitment to delivering world-class deal advisory expertise, combining global experience with deep local knowledge, and further strengthening the companys dedication to supporting businesses in Vietnam.

ACCA and KPMG forge path for business leaders to pioneer ESG excellence The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and KPMG Vietnam signed an MoU in Hanoi on March 6, reaffirming their shared commitment to promoting sustainable development and driving prosperity for the Vietnamese business community.

Removing hidden barriers to unlock ASEAN trade Non-tariff barriers in ASEAN, from hidden environmental rules to fragmented standards, are quietly stalling trade, demanding smarter, more unified responses from regional exporters.
On October 9, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc received Marco Dal Lago, vice president for Global Development and Partnerships at Tether, along with the companys delegation, to discuss potential cooperation in Vietnams emerging digital asset market.

Tether operates in the digital asset sector and is one of the worlds biggest issuers of stablecoins  cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value by pegging to another asset, most commonly the US dollar. As of now, the company manages over $177 billion in reserves, including approximately $120 billion in US Treasury bonds.

DPM Phoc said that the Vietnamese government has allowed a five-year pilot pschemefor the digital asset market.

Authorities plan to license around five exchanges that demonstrate strong financial capacity, credibility, and robust technical infrastructure. Once the pilot operates smoothly, Vietnam will move forward with a formal legal framework to govern this market, he stated.

He added that while digital assets are a new field with potential risks, they also offer significant opportunities for economic innovation. Vietnam seeks to learn from international experience to build a safe, transparent, and well-regulated market that benefits both investors and citizens. The DPM also suggested that Tether explore partnerships with major domestic companies to jointly develop a licensed digital asset trading platform.

According to DMP Phoc, Vietnam prioritises cooperation with reputable and trustworthy international technology groups to develop a secure and efficient market that contributes to economic growth and attracts global financial resources.

Lago praised Vietnams dynamic economy and regarded the country as a key market for Tether in the region. With advanced technology, cost efficiency, and extensive global experience, Tether is confident in its ability to support Vietnam in developing and managing digital asset trading operations, he said.

Tether is committed to collaboration, sharing expertise, and assisting Vietnamese partners in building a sustainable and transparent digital asset market that unlocks new opportunities for international investment, Lago added.
Introduced on October 8, The Kross is located at 3A3B Ton Duc Thang Street, placing it at the centre of the citys commercial and financial hub. Surrounded by major banks, multinational companies, and top-tier business services, the development underscores growing demand for modern, sustainable office spaces in Vietnams economic capital.

Nguyen Vu Hung, general director of The Kross said, "Our vision is to deliver developments that not only excel in architectural design and functionality but also set new benchmarks for modern, sustainable workspaces in Vietnam."

The building is just a one-minute walk from Ba Son Metro Station, providing exceptional connectivity and convenience for tenants and visitors alike. Comprising 36 above-ground floors and 5 basement levels, The Kross delivers over 34,000 square metres of premium office space, complemented by a robust suite of integrated amenities.

Designed to meet the highest international standards, The Kross is targeting dual certifications: LEED Gold for sustainable building practices and WELL for health and wellness.

The developer has placed a strong emphasis on creating a high-performance work environment, incorporating low-emission materials and optimising natural light, ventilation, and air quality to support long-term occupant wellbeing and productivity.

"The Kross is launching at a pivotal time, offering a forward-thinking, flexible, and environmentally conscious workplace," said Bui Trang, country head of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, the leasing and marketing agent for the development. "With its strategic location, advanced design, and international operating standards, we are confident that The Kross will quickly become a preferred destination for top-tier companies seeking a distinguished business address."

Ho Chi Minh City currently has around 1.64 million square metres of leasable office space, according to Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam. Grade A offices maintain an occupancy rate of 88 per cent, while Grade B sits slightly higher at 89 per cent. Over 100,000 sq.m of new space from central business district projects is expected to enter the market by the end of the year.

Between 2025 and 2027, an additional 287,000 sq.m is projected to come online, mainly in the former Thu Duc city, districts 1 and 7.

Demand continues to be driven by IT, pharmaceuticals, banking, and high-tech firms, which are increasingly prioritising smart-building features and sustainable workplaces. This growing focus on quality and environmental performance is reinforcing the shift towards premium, green-certified office developments.

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi facing large-scale disruption in office for lease Ho Chi Minh City is predicted to experience a period of difficulty during the COVID-19, while Hanoi will face accelerated pressure on rents but will remain stable.

Takashimaya deepens footprint in Vietnam through partnership with Trung Thuy Group Privately-held Trung Thuy Group and Takashiyama subsidiary Toshin Development recently clinched a co-operative agreement in the Lancaster Luminaire project which is expected to become a new symbol of Hanoi.
According to the General Department of Customs, exports of various types of leaves reached almost $1.2 million in August, up 13 per cent on-year. Cumulatively, the total value for the first eight months hit $9 million, representing a 27 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Photo: Le Toan

Among them, cassava leaves led the group with nearly $3 million in export turnover, while bay leaves recorded the sharpest rise of 68.5 per cent. Banana, lemon, and sweet potato leaves also saw growth rates of 20-80 per cent, driven by rising global demand in cuisine and food processing.

According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, cassava leaves remain in high demand in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and several Muslim-majority countries. They are commonly used in curries and meat dishes due to their high protein and vitamin content. Some enterprises have even started exporting frozen mashed cassava leaves, a higher value-added product for the food processing industry.

In Vietnam, fresh cassava leaves sell for only $0.12$0.20 per kilogram, yet their export value can be three to four times higher, reaching up to $2.80 per kilogram at retail markets abroad. Banana leaves, once used mainly for wrapping cakes and sticky rice, are now in demand as eco-friendly natural packaging materials. Meanwhile, sweet potato leaves have found a niche as a premium green vegetable in Japan and South Korea.

Although leaf exports still account for a small portion of total fruit and vegetable turnover, they create a dual advantage by utilising agricultural byproducts while opening new, high-value niche markets, Nguyen noted.

He added that Vietnams fruit and vegetable exports are rebounding strongly, with September exports estimated at nearly $1.3 billion, the highest level for the same period in history. At this pace, the sector could surpass $8 billion in 2025, far exceeding initial projections.

Vietnamese leaves are not only versatile but also highly nutritious, rich in protein, minerals, and amino acids that support cell regeneration and strengthen immunity. Their use as natural packaging or culinary ingredients aligns with the global trend towards green and sustainable gastronomy, Nguyen added.
On October 9, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son signed Decision No.2229/QD-TTg approving Vietnams Logistics Services Development Strategy.

The strategy aims to develop Vietnams logistics services sustainably, efficiently, and with high quality and added value, enhancing competitiveness while leveraging the countrys strengths in global supply and value chains.

The proportion of logistics enterprises applying digital transformation solutions will reach all Vietnamese logistics companies. Logistics services will continue to develop efficiently towards low emissions, contributing to achieving the national goal of net zero, stated the decision. At least 10 modern logistics service centres meeting international standards will be established, serving as key hubs for regional and global supply chain connectivity and development.

At the FIATA World Congress 2025 in Hanoi on October 8, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that Vietnam would accompany enterprises, organisations, and international partners under the principle of the three guarantees and three togethers.

In the context of deep global integration, logistics serves as the lifeblood of the economy, connecting production, circulation, distribution, and consumption, Chinh said.

At the congress, Nerijus Poskus, vice president and global head of Ocean Freight at Flexport, emphasised that data has become the key to everything in an increasingly unpredictable world, where supply chains have grown too vital to remain unreliable.

Supply chains are too important in this market to be this unreliable, and freight forwarders and logistics companies alone can't change everything. We are depending on data from shipping lines, airlines, ports, terminals, everybody. But what we can do is give that data visibility to you, your customers, and the government, depending if it's customs, essentially everybody, he added.

Poskus noted that having the right data at the right time allows companies to reduce costly errors and improve efficiency.

Having the right data at the right time makes you make less mistakes. Let's be real, problems with air freight happen because of some sort of a mistake, he said. If you can plan your supply chain a little bit better, or you have the right data at the right time, you are likely to ship less air freight.

Building on the theme of intelligent logistics, Mike Bhaskaran, group COO at DP World, highlighted how automation and AI are transforming port operations, cutting emissions, reducing congestion, and enhancing turnaround times.

According to Bhaskaran, AI and deep learning are now central to optimising container stacking and overall port efficiency.

We collect a lot of data, and then once we have this deep learning capability, the machine makes decisions about the best way to go back and choose the right optimisation, he said.

FIATA World Congress 2025 in Hanoi

Echoing similar views from the air logistics sector, Guillaume Crozier, chief cargo officer at dnata, stressed that ground handling agents sit at the heart of the ecosystem, where reliable, real-time data is essential for seamless cargo flow.

To do so, we absolutely need data, and we need to be able to consume the data in real time, and in a shape or form that is consumable. We need good quality data, he added. The air cargo industry is still working with experts and all stakeholders to understand the governance, the framework of which data we should use, which KPI and how we define it, and from here then start defining the protocol, data protocol exchange, that really helps us to make things happen.

Crozier concluded that digitalisation cannot succeed without human adaptability and collaboration.

We are in the middle of that stretch where we have to actually stitch everything together and really try to innovate and disrupt the market by using new capabilities, he said.

Together, the three executives painted a compelling picture of a logistics industry in transformation, one where data intelligence, automation, and human expertise converge to build a more transparent, efficient, and sustainable global supply chain.

Vietnam Superport launches AI-powered digital solutions at VIIE 2025 Vietnam SuperPort is showcasing new AI-powered digital solutions at the Vietnam International Innovation Expo 2025 to transform logistics and strengthen regional connectivity.

Efficiency entices players in logistics Vietnams logistics market is drawing in more foreign investors, with opportunities spanning across various segments.

FIATA 2025 Congress highlights Vietnams role in green logistics The 2025 FIATA World Congress in Hanoi spotlighted Vietnams growing role as a gateway for green logistics and regional connectivity.
New Division Specializes in Public Relations for Medical Practices, Aesthetic Professionals, and Wellness Brands

RYE BROOK, N.Y., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumination PR, a leading full-service public relations and media agency known for representing top lifestyle brands, influencers, and celebrities, proudly announces the launch of its new division, DR Media Group. This strategic expansion marks the agency's formal move into a dedicated healthcare communications divisioncreated to serve doctors, medical practices, and med spas with the same creativity and impact that have defined Illumination PR's success.

For more than eight years, Illumination PR has been exceptionally successful in servicing clients within the medical and aesthetics industries, representing renowned plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and medical spas nationwide. Through strategic media positioning and expert communications, Illumination PR's work has helped clients achieve multi-million-dollar buyoutsdemonstrating the tangible business impact of its public relations efforts. The launch of DR Media Group reflects the agency's commitment to building a more substantial and specialized footprint in this growing sectoroffering bespoke public relations strategies tailored to the unique needs of medical professionals.

"We've seen incredible results helping doctors and medical practices grow their visibility and credibility through media," said Robyn Bordes, Founder of Illumination PR. "After nearly a decade of success in this space, it was the natural next step to create a division solely focused on healthcare communicationsbringing our proven approach to an even broader network of medical clients."

"Our goal with DR Media Group is to give medical professionals the same level of brand elevation and exposure that lifestyle brands have traditionally enjoyed," added Deven Turner, Managing Partner at Illumination PR. "We understand the nuances of healthcare marketingfrom compliance to credibilityand we're passionate about helping doctors build trust, authority, and visibility in a competitive market."

DR Media Group combines Illumination PR's media expertise and storytelling approach with a deep understanding of healthcare branding, medical business development, patient trust, and industry compliance. The new division will focus on strategic media relations, digital reputation management, and business development for clients across various medical practices, including but not limited to plastic surgery, dermatology, and aesthetics.

With a proven track record of securing coverage in top national and regional outlets such as Vogue, Allure, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Forbes, People Magazine, and Good Morning America, DR Media Group also helps clients achieve awards submission, influencer collaborations, and brand partnerships that enhance both credibility and business growth.

The launch of DR Media Group represents Illumination PR's continued evolutionexpanding its reach from lifestyle storytelling to the ever-growing world of healthcare marketing and reputation management. Together, Illumination PR and DR Media Group bridge the gap between media exposure and measurable business growth, helping clients elevate brand equity, increase valuation, and achieve long-term success.

For more information about DR Media Group or to schedule a consultation, visit www.DRMediaGroup.co or contact:

Robyn Bordes

CEO, Director of Communications

[email protected] \ 914-843-1434

About Illumination PR

Founded in 2008, Illumination PR is a full-service public relations and media agency representing lifestyle brands, influencers, and celebrities nationwide. With a focus on authentic storytelling, brand visibility, and strategic partnerships, Illumination PR helps clients shine in competitive markets through powerful, results-driven campaigns.

About DR Media Group

Powered by Illumination PR, DR Media Group is a specialized public relations and media division dedicated to healthcare, aesthetics, and medical professionals. Built on over eight years of success in the medical PR field, DR Media Group offers customized strategies designed to elevate credibility, enhance brand recognition, and drive measurable growth for doctors, med spas, and wellness practices.

SOURCE ILLUMINATION PR
The activation ceremony marking the commencement of operations of the OACT, a strategic component within Vietnam SuperPorts multimodal logistics ecosystem

This milestone not only introduces a new option for cargo transportation but also stands as a testament to the strong collaboration between Vietnamese and Singaporean enterprises in enhancing Vietnams global economic position within international value chains.

At the event, Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Finance of Vietnam; Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower, and Minister in charge of Energy, Science and Technology, Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore; Nguyen Khac Hieu, Vice Chairman of Phu Tho Peoples Committee; Robert Yap, executive chairman of YCH Group; and Yap Kwong Weng, CEO of Vietnam SuperPort, jointly officiated the activation ceremony marking the commencement of operations of the OACT, a strategic component within Vietnam SuperPorts multimodal logistics ecosystem.

Just two days after announcing its development strategy and operational plan for the OACT at the FIATA World Congress 2025, Vietnam SuperPort has completed all necessary procedures and officially commenced OACT operations.

As one of the first OACT in Vietnam to fully integrate the functions of an off-airport cargo terminal, the OACT provides comprehensive services such as customs clearance, security screening, storage, ULD (Unit Load Device) build-up and breakdown, and transportation to the airport.

At the facility, cargo is processed under a stringent control system from the point of receipt to aircraft dispatch. Built and equipped with modern infrastructure that meets international air cargo security standards, the OACT is capable of receiving and handling goods from a wide range of companies and carriers, including those serving highly regulated markets such as the United States and Europe.

Strategically located along the northern economic corridor, the OACT connects more than 20 major industrial zones with key seaports and airports such as Noi Bai, Haiphong, and Quang Ninh, extending further to Yunnan and Kunming in China. This strategic positioning enables the OACT to serve as a vital transshipment hub linking Vietnam with the China-ASEAN region, establishing a direct bridge to the global air cargo network.

Yap Kwong Weng, CEO of Vietnam SuperPort, said, The OACT is a groundbreaking initiative, serving as an extended arm of the airport cargo terminal system. Its operation not only completes the multimodal logistics ecosystem of Vietnam SuperPort but also helps reduce cargo congestion at major airport terminals by up to 25 per cent, while expanding connectivity between domestic and global markets.

Cargo handling operations inside the OACT

Positioned as a modern and smart cargo terminal, the OACT will apply advanced technologies such as AI and robotics. Specifically, Vietnam SuperPort has partnered with Google and Kyndryl to research and develop next-generation AI systems integrated into security scanners to detect prohibited and hazardous goods. AI is also being applied to automate cargo document verification, enhancing both safety and security in cargo handling.

In addition, with the support of Singapores Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Vietnam SuperPort is developing Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs), robotic loaders, and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to automate the entire warehouse operation process. These innovations are expected to increase operational productivity by up to 35 per cent while reducing error rates by 50 per cent.

The OACT is expected to undergo full digitalisation through an integrated logistics platform, enabling businesses to track, manage, and book services online via a single system, from customs declaration and security control to electronic payment. This marks a significant step toward establishing a fully digitalised air cargo supply chain, connecting Vietnam to the intelligent logistics networks of ASEAN and the global market.

Robert Yap, executive chairman of YCH Group, emphasised, The official commencement of OACT operations reaffirms the strength and depth of the enduring partnership between Vietnam and Singapore. It reflects our shared strategic foresight, technological collaboration, and common vision to build a smart, sustainable, and connected regional supply chain. This forms a vital foundation for ASEAN to rise as a central player in global trade.

Vietnam SuperPort is a multimodal logistics hub spanning 83 hectares in Phu Tho. It is a strategic joint venture between YCH Group, Singapores leading supply chain solutions provider with nearly 70 years of industry leadership, and T&T Group, one of Vietnams top 10 largest private multi-sectoral conglomerates.

Vietnam SuperPort aims to enhance Vietnams integration into the global supply chain, reduce logistics costs and strengthen the nations competitive edge in international trade. With a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, Vietnam SuperPort is positioning itself as leading green and connected logistics hub in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam SuperPort to enhance railway development and transport to China Seeing room in Vietnam's logistics development and trading with China, Yap Kwong Weng, CEO Vietnam SuperPort, told VIR's Nguyen Huong about the company's plans to seize opportunities.

New YCH Group's partnership set to boost Tay Ninhs cross-border trade Singapores YCH Group has teamed up with Tay Ninh province to boost logistics, e-commerce, and green growth, unlocking new cross-border trade opportunities and strengthening ties with Cambodia.

Vietnam Superport launches AI-powered digital solutions at VIIE 2025 Vietnam SuperPort is showcasing new AI-powered digital solutions at the Vietnam International Innovation Expo 2025 to transform logistics and strengthen regional connectivity.
Board-certified psychiatrist and host of Real Mental Health Podcast launches insurance-based practice at 10323 Santa Monica Blvd, offering comprehensive psychiatric services under expert clinical oversight.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Century City Psychiatry, a new mental health practice founded by renowned board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Michael Mahgerefteh, best known by his patients as Dr. Mike Mah, has officially opens at 10323 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 108A, to serve the Los Angeles community with accessible, insurance-based mental health care. Dr. Mah, widely recognized as the host of the popular Real Mental Health Podcast, has established the practice with a unique clinical oversight model designed to provide comprehensive psychiatric care while ensuring the highest standards of treatment.

Dr. Mike Mah

At Century City Psychiatry, Dr. Mah serves as founder and clinical director, leading a carefully selected team of compassionate, highly trained mental health providers. While Dr. Mah does not see patients directly at this location, he remains actively involved in clinical supervision, diagnostic oversight, and ensuring every patient receives thoughtful, evidence-based care that aligns with his expertise and clinical philosophy.

"Opening Century City Psychiatry represents my commitment to making quality mental health care more accessible to our community," said Dr. Mike Mah. "By accepting insurance and building a team of exceptional providers under my clinical oversight, we can reach more people who need support while maintaining the highest standards of care. My role in supervising treatment ensures that each patient benefits from evidence-based approaches and receives the comprehensive attention they deserve."

Dr. Mah has gained recognition not only for his clinical expertise as a board-certified psychiatrist but also as a trusted voice in mental health education through his Real Mental Health Podcast. Through his podcast and social media presence, Dr. Mah makes complex emotional and psychiatric topics accessible to the public with honesty, clarity, and an approachable style that has resonated with listeners seeking to better understand mental health.

The new Century City Psychiatry practice reflects Dr. Mah's vision of combining clinical excellence with accessibility. By operating as an insurance-based practice, the clinic removes financial barriers that often prevent individuals from seeking more costly out-of-network concierge level care. The practice's team-based approach, with Dr. Mah providing clinical oversight and supervision, ensures that patients receive coordinated, comprehensive care guided by his extensive expertise and clinical judgment.

Located conveniently on Santa Monica Boulevard, Century City Psychiatry offers comprehensive psychiatric services including diagnostic evaluations, medication management, PTSD, treatment for anxiety and depression, ADHD assessment and management, and ongoing therapeutic support. The practice's providers work collaboratively under Dr. Mah's supervision to address various mental health conditions with personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient's unique needs and circumstances.

"Mental health care should be both accessible and excellent," added Dr. Mah. "At Century City Psychiatry, we're committed to breaking down barriers while never compromising on the quality of care. Our insurance-based model, combined with rigorous clinical oversight, ensures that more people can access the mental health support they need in a convenient Los Angeles location."

The opening of Century City Psychiatry addresses the growing need for accessible mental health services in Los Angeles. By combining Dr. Mah's clinical expertise, the practice's insurance acceptance, and a team-based care model, the clinic is positioned to serve a diverse patient population seeking comprehensive psychiatric care in the Santa Monica Boulevard corridor.

More About Century City Psychiatry:

Century City Psychiatry is a mental health practice founded by board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Mike Mah, who also hosts the Real Mental Health Podcast. Located at 10323 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 108A in Los Angeles, the practice operates with an insurance-based model to provide accessible psychiatric care to the community. Dr. Mah serves as clinical director, providing supervision and oversight to ensure all patients receive evidence-based, compassionate care. The practice offers comprehensive psychiatric services including diagnostic evaluations, medication management, PTSD, anxiety and depression treatment, ADHD assessment, and ongoing therapeutic support.

For more information about Century City Psychiatry or to schedule an appointment, visit www.centurycitypsychiatry.com or call (310) 340-0089.

Media Contact:

Dr. Mike Mah

Century City Psychiatry

(310) 340-0089

https://www.centurycitypsychiatry.com

SOURCE Century City Psychiatry
Industry leaders and artists gathered at Martin's solar-powered Commerce Lane facility to explore sustainability in music and manufacturing

NAZARETH, Pa., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- C. F. Martin & Co. hosted its first-ever Sustainability Summit on October 9, 2025, at the company's solar-powered Commerce Lane facility in Tatamy, Pennsylvaniajust a short drive from its historic Nazareth headquarters. The daylong event, themed "Setting the Tone: Sustainability in Music & Manufacturing," brought together more than one hundred artists, industry leaders, educators, and sustainability advocates to explore real-world solutions at the intersection of music and environmental responsibility.

Driving Change Through Collaboration

C.F. Martin & Co. Presents First Annual Sustainability Summit

The summit featured keynote presentations, panel discussions, artist-led demonstrations, and live performances, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices across the music and manufacturing industries. Representatives from REVERB, the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustain Music & Nature, Columbia University's Climate School, Hearne Hardwoods, Unified Wood Economy, and more shared case studies and actionable strategies for creating lasting environmental impact.

"Martin's been such a clear leader in sustainability, and that's what my nonprofit is all about," said Adam Gardner, co-founder of REVERB and member of the band Guster. "Our approach has always been to meet people where they're atwhether they're a fan, manufacturer, artist, or venueand help them move down the path toward sustainability. It's a process, not a destination."

Dylan Siegler, SVP and Head of Sustainability for Universal Music Group, added, "Being here has really opened my eyes to how musical instruments themselves are a mechanism for change. We all form the supply chain of the artistrecord labels, manufacturers like Martin, and everyone in betweencreating the possibilities that help artists be more sustainable in all of their practices."

Artists Leading the Way

Throughout the day, attendees experienced firsthand how creativity and sustainability intersect. Gardner and Jacob Tilley of Young the Giant performed live, reinforcing the summit's mission to inspire sustainable change through music.

Tilley reflected on the urgency of action after years of touring: "As a band, we felt it was our duty to look under the microscope at what we can do better to keep live music available for the next generation. The summit brought together like-minded people to forge relationships and create a path forward for a more sustainable future."

Kate Micucci, musician, comedian, and actress, led a reclaimed-art and sustainable ukulele demonstration, transforming discarded materials into new creative expression. "I started painting on discarded guitar tops that would've been thrown away otherwise," Micucci shared. "Today reminded me that sustainability is about what we can do dailyand also about making something bigger and more impactful together. The ukulele I played today [a Martin T1 Tenor Uke] was totally sustainable."

The day also included a special video message from Wilco frontman and Martin signature artist Jeff Tweedy, whose new FSC-certified signature guitars launched the same day. "Keep making sustainable guitars," Tweedy said. "It's great for everybody, and it's great for businessbecause what's better than sustainable? I'm proud to see more of these guitars being made and proud to be part of it."

Key Insights and Next Steps

Sessions throughout the day explored topics such as responsible tonewood sourcing, carbon-neutral touring, circular economies, and the use of reclaimed and alternative materials. From wood composites made of biodegradable matter to reimagined supply chain partnerships, attendees left inspired by what collaboration can achieve.

"The big takeaway for me," said Siegler, "is that any network trying to achieve real change needs a strong root systemjust like the trees that inspire us. And that's exactly what we're building here today."

Looking Ahead

The Martin Sustainability Summit marks the beginning of a broader, long-term initiative to connect and empower leaders across music, manufacturing, and environmental sectors. "I think today was a reminder that we all know what needs to be doneit's just about putting it into practice," Micucci said. "Martin has been doing this for years, and it's pretty cool to see that commitment inspiring others."

Martin Guitar extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, artists, and attendees who made the inaugural Sustainability Summit possibleand to the partners and organizations working every day to set the tone for a greener future.

For more information on Martin's sustainability efforts, visit martinguitar.com/sustainability.

ABOUT C. F. MARTIN & CO.

C. F. Martin & Co. has been making the finest handcrafted acoustic guitars for nearly two hundred years. For some of the biggest names and the most revered musical legends across every genre and every decade. And we've been doing it with pure artistic passion, a deep love for all things music, and an unwavering commitment to our community and the environment.

But most importantly, we're still doing it... for you. For current and future generations of pioneers, rebels, and dreamers. For the beginners, the pros, and everyone in between. We believe music is an unstoppable force. It raises us up. Tells our truths. Gets us on our feet. Expresses our deepest heartaches. And our greatest joys.

So, we'll continue to make the very best acoustic instruments and strings for as long as there are people like you who love music and love making it. We want to be there to help you tell your story. To help you share your music with the world. To help unleash the artist within.

We're ready for the next two hundred years. Want to come with us? Visit martinguitar.com.

SOURCE C.F. Martin & Co.
Ruabon Costa Coffee nomination earns 2,000 for deaf childrens charity

A Wrexham coffee shop has helped secure a 2,000 grant for a charity supporting deaf children across North Wales.

The Costa Coffee store on Watkin Way, in Ruabon, nominated Chloes and Sophies Special Ears Fund for the donation through the companys national Community Grants scheme.

The charity supports deaf children through activities, training and community events aimed at boosting confidence, wellbeing and mental health.

It also supports schools by training teachers with BSL-skills, as well as running holiday activities where children can connect with peers, explore new experiences, and thrive in a safe, inclusive environment.

Chloes and Sophies Special Ears Fun operates in Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire  as well as in Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire and London.

Carol Davies, store manager of Costa Coffee in Ruabon, nominated the group for the companys Community Grants scheme.

The organisation was nominated by the Costa Coffee store on Watkin Way in Ruabon to receive the 2,000 grant. Carol Davies, Store Manager said: This grant will make a lasting difference for deaf children in our community, helping them overcome challenges, enjoy new experiences, and build confidence, explained Carol.

By nominating them, we hope to support their work in brightening lives, supporting wellbeing and mental health, and empowering children to be their very best selves.

The funding will cover the costs to help Chloes and Sophies Special Ears Fund to continue to run their monthly Deaf Hub, which provides engaging activities and workshops tailored to the needs and interests of deaf children.

It is one of 44 charities and groups to receive a donation from the Community Grants scheme, which is now in its fifth year.

Karen Jackson, CEO and Co-Founder of Chloes and Sophies Special Ears Fund said: We are incredibly grateful to Costa Coffee for their generous 2,000 donation.

This support means we can continue running our monthly Deaf Hub in North Wales, a safe and inclusive space where deaf children can come together, build friendships, and thrive.

For many of these young people, opportunities like this simply didnt exist before. Costa Coffees donation is helping us make a real difference to their confidence, wellbeing, and sense of belonging.

Jodi Forbes, Community Programme Lead at Costa Coffee said: At Costa Coffee, we believe in the power of community and the potential of young people.

Were proud to extend a helping hand to charities like Chloes and Sophies Special Ears Fund who make such a difference locally.

We cant wait to see and hear how this donation helps them to continue their life-changing work across the United Kingdom.

In 2025, the company distributed 54,000 to 44 charities through the scheme. Since launching in 2021, the scheme has provided more than 225,000 in funding.
Tata Steel calls for level-playing field amid EU plans to slash imports

Tata Steels UK boss has warned of a difficult future ahead amid EU plans to slash steel quotas, prompting an urgent call for the UK to create a level-playing field.

Rajesh Nair, chief executive of Tata Steel UK, urged UK ministers to safeguard the domestic market after the EU announced plans to cut tariff-free steel import quotas by 47%.

Mr Nair called on the UK Government to design new quota systems in a similar way to the EU to safeguard steel by banishing imports, to ensure we have a level-playing field.

He said: Yes, you could look at it as an existential crisis or you could look at it as an opportunity to make a difference and I think the conversations that are happening today are how can we convert this into something that would work for the UK?.

Mr Nair warned trade wars and protectionism in steel have become the norm, so weve got to find our own ways of managing the domestic market.

He told Senedd members: The UK quotas are significantly disproportionate these quotas were set up, particularly in flat steel  in which south Wales is really a significant player  in 2017/18 when the demand was nearly 30% higher than what it is today.

We need to bring pace

The demand has declined, the quotas have remained where they are. The quotas in general are 70% to up to 140% of the demand in some product categories.

Mr Nair contrasted this with EU quotas of between 15% and 30% of demand before the latest announcement which will see levels reduce further.

He said: The key thing is the trade situation is becoming more and more difficult, and things are moving pretty fast, so one of the expectations is that we need to bring pace into it.

But Im reasonably confident that the government will also look to do things very similar to what the EU has done on one hand to protect the UK domestic market and, on the other hand, to work with the EU to ensure we have the right trading interests between the two.

Appearing before the Senedds economy committee today (October 9), Mr Nair called for clarity on how the EU announcement will work and apply to different categories of products.

The chief executive said the first intent would be to work with the EU to secure preferential treatment and concessions as one of the blocs biggest long-time trading partners.

Great confidence

Giving evidence just over a year on from the end of traditional steelmaking in Port Talbot, Mr Nair was pleased by progress on transitioning to an electric-arc furnace (EAF).

He said: I would like to believe weve dealt with it in the best possible manner, in the most responsible manner and, one year down the line, Im happy to see the progress being made, especially on the project in terms of bringing the EAF online by the end of 2027.

Mr Nair said he had great confidence of hitting the 2027 target to start green steelmaking in south Wales after securing planning approval and breaking ground in July.

He told the committee that orders have been placed for about 400m worth of equipment but construction on the ground, which is due to begin in the next few months, will be the key test.

Chris Jaques, chief HR officer, said Tata Steel UK employs just under 5,900 people, down from about 8,150, confirming 2,255 staff have left the business since the announcement.

Mr Jaques told the committee compulsory job losses were minimised to about 120 and Tata Steel UK expects to employ about 5,300 people when the EAF is fully commissioned.

Very, very volatile

Mr Nair was asked about the UK Government passing an emergency bill to protect steelmaking by keeping blast furnaces open in Scunthorpe  but not Port Talbot.

He said Tata Steel had a viable transition plan but Scunthorpe was a different story, confirming no talks took place on including Port Talbot in the rescue legislation.

As part of its inquiry on the future of steel, the committee also heard from trade unions which warned commitments on future investment have fallen by the wayside.

Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general-secretary of the Community union, said: Were not where we wanted to be. All of the trade unions thought there was a possibility of a more gradual transition which would have protected jobs and primary steelmaking for longer.

McDiarmid added: But the reality is this is where we are: those blast furnaces are not coming back on  whatever some irresponsible politicians might want to suggest.

Tom Hoyles, a senior organiser from the GMB union, told Senedd members: Theres obviously a lot of anger at whats happened but, in one respect, that is done. However, the bigger questions around Port Talbot and British steelmaking remain.

Weve seen the announcement in the past few days  it is a very, very volatile sector.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol says 62-year-old Susan Mae Goodenow of Reno was killed in a crash involving two bicyclists and a car on U.S. 395 Alternate near Pagni Lane the morning of October 4.

Troopers say the crash happened around 9:02 a.m. near mile marker 11.

A preliminary investigation indicates a 1995 Subaru Legacy was traveling north on U.S. 395 Alternate when the driver failed to maintain the travel lane, crossing into the southbound lanes and the designated bicycle lane.

Investigators say the driver then steered right, causing the car to rotate clockwise before hitting both bicyclists.

One bicyclist was ejected from their bicycle. The Subaru continued north, crossing back into the northbound lanes before coming to rest on its wheels.

Goodenow was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. The second bicyclist was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver stayed on scene.

The Nevada Highway Patrol Northern Command Major Incident Reconstruction Team is continuing to investigate the crash.
Vote demonstrates strong unity among RNs seeking safe staffing, affordable health insurance, and competitive pay at Northampton hospital

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), have voted overwhelmingly to authorize their bargaining committee to call a one-day strike if necessary, sending a powerful message to hospital owner Mass General Brigham (MGB) that Cooley nurses are united in their demand for safe staffing, affordable health insurance, and competitive wages.

Cooley nurses voted 99% or 295 yes votes to 3 no votes. With 399 MNA nurses at Cooley, turnout for the vote was a very strong 75%. This vote does not mean a strike will occur, and no strike has been scheduled. The RN bargaining committee will determine if and when to set a strike date depending on how MGB conducts itself in upcoming negotiations. Before any strike can take place, the committee would provide the hospital with the legally required 10-day notice.

"Nurses have sent a clear message that we are united and ready to stand up for our patients and our community," said Rosie Tottser, Cooley Dickinson RN and MNA Committee Co-Chair. "MGB is the wealthiest hospital system in New England, yet it refuses to invest in the frontline care that makes our community hospital strong. We are calling for the resources and respect our patients deserve."

"Our vote shows the depth of solidarity among Cooley nurses," said Aaron Winston, Cooley Dickinson RN and MNA Committee Co-Chair. "If MGB can pay its CEO more than $8 million a year, it can afford to ensure safe staffing and fair wages in Northampton. We remain hopeful that MGB will choose to negotiate a fair agreement so that a strike is not necessary."

What Cooley Nurses Are Seeking

Safe Staffing: Enforceable staffing grids to address nurse burnout, turnover, and patient safety. MGB refuses to agree to these protections and has failed to address the emergency department staffing crisis, even while expanding the Cooley ED.

Enforceable staffing grids to address nurse burnout, turnover, and patient safety. MGB refuses to agree to these protections and has failed to address the emergency department staffing crisis, even while expanding the Cooley ED. Competitive Wages: Cooley nurses make up to $15/hour less than peers at UMass Memorial for the same experience, and far less than nurses at other MGB hospitals who recently won raises. This wage gap fuels turnover and threatens safe patient care.

Cooley nurses make up to $15/hour less than peers at UMass Memorial for the same experience, and far less than nurses at other MGB hospitals who recently won raises. This wage gap fuels turnover and threatens safe patient care. Affordable Health Insurance: MGB wants to replace Cooley nurses' current insurance plans with three MGB plans that come with higher out-of-pocket costs and potential severe future increases in premium costs. Under management's proposal, premium costs could skyrocket because they would be tied to non-union costs without any contractual protection. MGB also wants to redefine full-time from 30 to 36 hours, which would negatively impact many nurses. Nurses are fighting for enforceable protections for premium splits and 30-hour full-time eligibility.

MGB Financial Background

MGB CEO Anne Klibanski made $8.4M in FY2023 (the latest year available)  a 40% raise in one year  including $4.3 million in bonuses, according to the Boston Globe.

From 2018 to 2023, MGB executives and key employees made $819 million in total salary. They made a combined $100 million in bonuses, according to MGB filings.

Cooley Dickinson alone reported $9.7 million in profit in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 according to the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA).

According to the Boston Globe, "the MGB system found itself $2 billion richer in the year ending in September [2024], almost doubling the $1.2 billion net margin the system reported the year prior."

MGB is spending $2 billion expanding Massachusetts General Hospital and Faulkner Hospital while proposing cuts for frontline caregivers in Western Massachusetts.

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses  Instagram.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 26,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
Delis are hardwired into the Jewish American experience.

They're the all-day diners where the corned beef sandwiches are the size of your face; the old-school eateries where bagels and lox arent just a breakfast food; the buzzing gathering place for having matzo ball soup and golden latkes nowhere near the holidays with which theyre associated.

On the East Coast and in L.A., delis are so ubiquitous that a childs first pastrami on rye is almost a rite of passage. But not in the Bay Area, and especially not in San Francisco.

Other than Sauls Restaurant and Delicatessen in Berkeley and Maxs in Burlingame, the city was virtually a deli-free wasteland until Wise Sons opened their first brick-and-mortar in 2012. Even now that they have five locations in San Francisco, the Jewish American deli still feels underrepresented in a place with a population of almost a million.

The illuminated menu board and bar at Super Mensch (Angela DeCenzo)

With its illuminated menu board, counter-inspired seating, and illustrations of legendary delis lining its walls, the pocket-sized Super Mensch is a direct descendant of those East Coast-style institutions. But its hand-built wooden booths, cocktail bar, and the Jewish-influenced films and shows projected on the walls (a nod to the buildings early days as the Presidio Theater, as well as the delis link to the culture of stage and screen) are evidence its as much a champion of its SF upbringing as it is its heritage.

The menu too, is a seamless combination of traditional deli favorites with Northern California culinary prowess. There are enormous sandwiches and chewy bagels heaped with lox, of course, but the pickles on the side are lacto-fermented, and all the bread is baked in-house. Theres chopped liver on rye, but it comes with the kind of celeriac-sumac relish only a chef could devise.

That chef is Adam Rosenblum, an East Coast transplant with fond memories of Ashkenazi food traditions both at the deli and around the family dining table. One of the owners of Causwells (2346 Chestnut St., Marina), Rosenblum, and co-owner, cocktail wizard Elmer Mejicanos, began testing out the goods as a pop-up at their former rotating take-out concept, Little Red Window in North Beach, in 2022. Now, as a brick-and-mortar, Super Mensch brings them full circle back to Chestnut Street, just a couple doors down from their original American bistro.

Housemade pastrami on housemade rye at Super Mensch (Angela DeCenzo)

Rosenblum slides into the booth to say hello over a table piled with food: wedges of zaatar flatbread with a rainbow of hearty dipstoothsome hummus, zingy herbed schug (zhug), and gently sweet honey bell pepper; cubes of watermelon and feta topped with a sort of olive tapenade made with everything bagel crunch; that aforementioned bagel, schmeared with a thick layer of scallion cream cheese and topped with cold-smoked salmon, red onion, capers, and dill; creamy potato salad crowned with Caviar Co.s wild salmon roe.

Because this kitchen, like Super Mensch itself, is tiny, hes spent the day at the Treasure Island commissary kitchen, in which they prepare some of the delis ingredients. Perhaps the most important is the two-week cured and smoked pastrami hes perfected over the last decade. A complicated dance of seasoning, dehydrating, and smoking thinly sliced beets produces the restaurants vegetarian version he says is almost as meaty as the real thing.

Rosenblum looks at one of the cocktails weve just ordered, the Cel-Raya spring-green combination of tequila, cold-pressed celeriac, celery hearts, cucumber, apple, and Meyer lemon reminiscent of (and named for) Dr. Browns famous celery soda. Thats my favorite, he says of the creation by Mejicanos.

For me, its the matzah ball soup margaritaa concoction of tequila, carrot tops, dill pollen, nori aperitif, and orange liqueur, in which floats a dumpling-shaped, parsley-filled ice cube that somehow turns a comforting classic into an astonishing savory cocktail. Its one of several drinks by Mejicanos with a similar kind of Jewish American inspiration: a babka old fashioned, an egg cream made with gin and cacao liqueur, a dirty pickle martini made with the brine from the housemade pickles.

Noshes at Super Mensch including latkes (top left), watermelon feta salad (middle), potato salad (bottom middle), and dips (Angela DeCenzo)

When the latkes arrivegleaming cakes of fried potatoes and onions served with creme fraiche, apple butter, chive, and wild salmon roeRosenblum takes his leave. Its not a moment too soon. Dense with crispy edges, theyre so much better than the ones my own mom used to make while still nostalgic enough to taste like home.

Choosing a dessert from the cases filled with sky-high cheesecakes and chocolate-topped eclairs is an essential part of the old-school deli experience. Super Mensch doesnt have the space for that kind of thing, but they werent about to leave cake out of the equation. The foot-tall confection ( #40 on 7x7s 2025 Big Eat ) sits on a stand at the kitchen counter, dripping chocolate buttercream and ganache over its devils-food-cake center.

A single slice is so big, finishing it after a meal would require the whole restaurant chanting, You can do it! a la Matilda cheering on her gluttonous classmate Brucie in the Roald Dahl classic. Though its not too sweet and not too cakey, we cant do it, but thanks to a to-go box, we will laterno encouragement needed.

// Super Mensch is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm, Friday from 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm, Saturday from 10am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm, and Sunday from 10am to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm; 2336 Chestnut St. (Marina), supermeschsf.com
MAJOR ADVANCEMENT AT MOJAVE: STRUCTURAL MAPPING EXPANDS SCALE OF ANTIMONY TARGET WITH A 400% INCREASE IN TARGET STRIKE LENGTH



400% Increase in Antimony Target Strike Length

Perth, Oct 10, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Locksley Resources Ltd ( ASX:LKY ) ( X5L:FRA ) ( LKYRF:OTCMKTS ) announces a major advancement at its Mojave Project in California. Recent structural mapping has dramatically expanded the target mineralised corridor at the Desert Antimony Mine (DAM) Prospect and identified a parallel structural target, enhancing the potential for a larger mineralised system across multiple mineralised zones. This expanded target has the potential to strengthen Mojave's position as a strategic U.S. critical minerals hub, aligned with accelerating domestic supply-chain initiatives.



Highlights



- Structural mapping expands target mineralised corridor at Desert Antimony Mine (DAM) fourfold to 1.2 km, dramatically increasing the exploration target footprint and scale potential



- New parallel structural target zone identified 150m west of the main DAM structure, indicating the potential for a multi-zone system



- Updated 3D geological model defines seven priority follow up surface sampling targets, supporting imminent exploration targeting and JORC Exploration Target work



- Regional mapping identifies lamprophyre dykes, highlighting potential for additional critical mineral occurrences including carbonatites



- Mojave emerging as a district-scale critical minerals hub, strategically aligned with accelerating U.S. onshoring policies



- Third phase structural mapping program to commence late November to continue building geological understanding of the project and identify new targets



- High-grade silver assays up to 216 g/t Ag returned from Hendricks Prospect, alongside anomalous Zn, Pb, and Cu, indicating a broader polymetallic system



The structural geology mapping completed in late August/September 2025 at the Mojave Project has expanded the strike extent of the target structure at the Desert Antimony Mine (DAM) Prospect from 0.3 km to 1.2 km, representing a ~400% increase and highlighting the potential of the system. Mapping confirmed the continuity of the NNE-striking structural zone that hosts high-grade stibnite mineralisation at DAM, and identified a second, parallel shear zone, approximately 150 m to the west, exhibiting similar alteration and structural characteristics.



The updated geological interpretation also highlights steep north-plunging intersections between the mapped shear zones and folded host rocks as possible mineralisation plunge controls. Collectively, these findings have been incorporated into a new 3D geological model, which has defined seven priority surface sampling targets to guide the next phase of exploration and support the development of a JORC Exploration Target to guide future drilling programs.



The scale and geometry of these target zones align with the type of high-grade, clean stibnite feedstock required to fast-track U.S. antimony supply chains under programs such as DPA Title III and DOE ARPA-E. The program, undertaken by a specialist structural geologist, delivered five key outcomes:



- Significant expansion of geological mapping to the northeast and southwest of the DAM Prospect, extending the target horizon to 1.2 km of strike and materially increasing the scale potential of the mineralised system.



- Completion of new geological maps for the Hendricks Prospect (2.5km south east of DAM) and the Junipero Prospect (1.1km north of the Mountain Pass Mine).



- Identification of multiple lamprophyre dykes across all areas mapped suggest the presence of deepseated mantle tapping structures.



- Updated 3D geological models across the claim package, providing enhanced structural understanding and supporting refined exploration targeting



- Definition of 18 priority target areas for follow-up detailed mapping and intensive sampling programs to further assess mineralisation potential (to commence in October).



Desert Antimony Mine (DAM)



Mapping at DAM focussed on extending to the NE and SW from the previous mapping campaign, resulting in a comprehensive geological map now covering ~1.8km of strike and the development of an updated 3D geological model (Figure 1*). This work has significantly enhanced the understanding of the structural framework and potential controls to mineralisation. Key highlights from mapping and modelling in this area include:



- Confirmation of continuity of the structural zone (which is host to the mineralisation at DAM) for approximately 400m NNE from the existing adits.



- Identification of a second parallel structural zone located approximately 150m west of the main mineralised trend, exhibiting a comparable alteration signature and kinematics to that seen at DAM.



- Extension of the target mineralisation corridor to ~1.2km (previously ~0.3km) representing a ~400% increase in strike length.



- Improved understanding of mineralisation controls, particularly the role of steep north plunging intersections between mapped shears and folded host rocks.



- Definition of seven priority areas for detailed follow up sampling and mapping to refine exploration targeting.



- Enhanced structural interpretation, revealing clear associations between E-W trending stratigraphy and regional fold hinges and NNE striking shear zones, critical for targeting additional mineralised zones.



- Completion of an updated 3D solid geology model, providing a robust foundation for refined drill planning, target prioritisation and the potential definition of a JORC Exploration Target (Figure 1*).



Hendricks Prospect



First pass mapping was undertaken at the Hendricks Prospect (Figure 1*). The area was selected as a priority target area for mapping due to rock chips previously collected by Locksley being elevated in REE.



A significant finding from the mapping was the identification of a substantial shaft and associated workings not previously known by the Company. Initial grab sampling has returned high-grade silver assays of 216g/t Ag with anomalous lead (0.3% Pb), Zinc (0.9%Zn) and Copper (0.1%).



Highlights from mapping and modelling in this area include:



- The overall structural architecture across the Hendricks prospect area shares many similarities with that surrounding the Desert Antimony Mine (DAM).



- Presence of multiple NNE striking shears throughout the mapping area which mirror the orientation of the mineralisation seen at DAM, demonstrating a regional structural consistency and potential for additional zones of mineralisation.



- Highly weathered and altered ENE to ESE striking shear zones with potential to host mineralisation



- Elevated scintillometer readings acquired from on syenogranite dykes, indicating potential for REE mineralisation.



- Multiple prospecting pits/costeans throughout the area proximal to the Hendricks Shaft targeting discrete NNE striking shear zones.



- Definition of 11 priority areas for detailed follow up sampling and mapping.



- A 3D solid geology model of Hendricks Prospect is underway and will be used for 3D target generation and drill program planning.



Mapping completed at the Hendricks Prospect Area has confirmed that target zones of interest continue to the south and will form part of the priority follow up mapping scheduled for late November 2025.



Junipero Prospect



First pass mapping was completed at the Junipero Prospect located just 1.1km north of the Mountain Pass Mine pit crest. The area was targeted due to a gravity high anomaly, the proximity to Mountain Pass and the potential for carbonatites to be found in the area. Highlights from mapping and modelling in this area include:



- Identification of multiple E-W trending lamprophyre dykes across the mapping area indicating deep seated mantle tapping structures highlighting the potential for REE hosting carbonatites throughout the area which could exploit the same pathways.



- Abundant felsic rocks (Tonalites, Syenogranites) providing potential sources of REE when assimilated with carbonatite magmas from the mantle.



- Collection of samples for multielement analysis and whole rock classification.



- A 3D solid geology model of Junipero Prospect has been completed and forms part of the DAM 3D geological model (Figure 1*) and will be used for ongoing 3D target generation and future activity.



Locksley Resources CEO Kerrie Matthews commented:



"Our second structural mapping program at the Mojave Project has markedly advanced our geological understanding and confirmed the substantial exploration potential of this critical district. The fourfold expansion of the Desert Antimony Mine (DAM) target horizon has fundamentally changed the scale of the opportunity, demonstrating the potential for a much larger mineralised system. This success, coupled with high-grade silver confirmed at Hendricks and the identification of multiple regional shear zones, has effectively lit up the entire Mojave Project for polymetallic vein discoveries. These outstanding results strongly validate our rapid exploration and development strategy, aligning perfectly with the accelerating U.S. government focus on securing domestic critical mineral supply chains."



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7WY0FHM0





About Locksley Resources Limited





Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) is an ASX listed explorer focused on critical minerals in the United States of America. The Company is actively advancing exploration across two key assets: the Mojave Project in California, targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony. Locksley Resources aims to generate shareholder value through strategic exploration, discovery and development in this highly prospective mineral region.

Mojave Project

Located in the Mojave Desert, California, the Mojave Project comprises over 250 claims across two contiguous prospect areas, namely, the North Block/Northeast Block and the El Campo Prospect. The North Block directly abuts claims held by MP Materials, while El Campo lies along strike of the Mountain Pass Mine and is enveloped by MP Materials' claims, highlighting the strong geological continuity and exploration potential of the project area.

In addition to rare earths, the Mojave Project hosts the historic "Desert Antimony Mine", which last operated in 1937. Despite the United States currently having no domestic antimony production, demand for the metal remains high due to its essential role in defense systems, semiconductors, and metal alloys. With significant surface sample results, the Desert Mine prospect represents one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the U.S.

Locksley's North American position is further strengthened by rising geopolitical urgency to diversify supply chains away from China, the global leader in both REE & antimony production. With its maiden drilling program planned, the Mojave Project is uniquely positioned to align with U.S. strategic objectives around critical mineral independence and economic security.

Tottenham Project

Locksley's Australian portfolio comprises the advanced Tottenham Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales, focused on VMS-style mineralisation in a well established mining region.

Locksley is committed to delivering value through discovery, development, and strategic partnerships, with a focus on securing access to U.S. aligned funding and downstream collaborations.

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A Texas Roadhouse employee is accused of shooting another man outside a neighboring restaurant in Northeast Albuquerque over a dispute over a stolen necklace.

Gabriel Sena, 28, has been charged with one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday and currently does not have an attorney.

The man who was shot, 23-year-old Joshua McKeough, has been charged with robbery and larceny over $2,500 for allegedly stealing a necklace from Sena, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

McKeough was recovering at a hospital after the bullet pierced his femoral artery and will be booked into MDC when he is released, according to Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department.

APD responded to the shooting outside the Sadie's near Academy and San Mateo NE around 3:30 p.m. Police said the men had gotten into a dispute at a nearby Texas Roadhouse before Sena chased McKeough toward Sadie's.

Sena told police he was working at Texas Roadhouse when McKeough punched him in the face repeatedly before stealing his necklace  which he said was worth $2,700  and leaving the restaurant. Sena said he did not know McKeough.

A Texas Roadhouse manager told police McKeough had asked if "Gabe" was working and pushed another employee out of the way when he saw Sena.

The complaint states Sena grabbed a firearm from his vehicle before chasing McKeough down the street toward Sadie's to get his necklace back.

Sena told police he found McKeough sitting near the patio of Sadie's and confronted him, according to the complaint. Sena said McKeough "changed his stance" and Sena fired one gunshot at the man because he believed McKeough may have been reaching for a gun.

A Sadie's employee told police he heard Sena tell McKeough to get on the ground before he heard a gunshot, according to the complaint. The employee said he saw a Texas Roadhouse staff member use his apron to apply pressure to McKeough's gunshot wound.

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Police said Sena told them he dropped his gun and called 911 after he shot McKeough. The Texas Roadhouse manager said Sena had been working there for roughly 10 months.

A spokesperson from Texas roadhouse said the company was aware of the incident and referred all questions to APD.
Driving a Sustainable Future: New Funding Supports Michigan Communities to Become Bird Cities

OKEMOS, Mich., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On World Migratory Bird Day, Michigan Audubon and Ford Motor Company announce a landmark partnership. This significant collaboration, with Ford as the Founding Sponsor of the Bird City Michigan initiative, is set to accelerate bird conservation and habitat restoration across the state. The partnership, a testament to the shared commitment to environmental stewardship, will provide crucial funding and support Michigan Audubon's efforts to rapidly expand the program's reach into cities, townships, and communities.

Ford Helps Michigan Audubon Scale Sustainable Bird City Initiative State-Wide

To drive action, Ford will also help fund bird conservation projects for communities across the state where it has operations, offering each local team up to $5,000 in project stipends, when they apply for Bird City Michigan recognition, and Michigan Audubon will waive the application fee. This additional funding is to help potential Bird Cities initiate the process of designation.

"This partnership with Ford is a monumental step for conservation in the Great Lakes State. Ford's foundational support gives us the momentum to scale the Bird City movement across nearly every corner of Michigan. We aren't just encouraging participation; we're directly empowering local leaders to create tangible, lasting habitats that showcase the sustainable life both birds and residents deserve. This initiative makes Michigan the ultimate birding destination." Kathleen Mennillo, CEO, Michigan Audubon

The Bird City Initiative is a rigorous, science-based program that supports communities in adopting bird-friendly practices, including controlling invasive species, reducing light pollution, using native plants, and educating residents. The expansion aims to boost Michigan's growing ecotourism sector by promoting designated Bird Cities as prime destinations for birding and nature-focused travel. Bird City Michigan is a member of the national Bird City Network.

"Ford is committed to being good stewards of the local environment, and we are excited to partner with Michigan Audubon on their Bird City initiative. This collaboration is a clear investment in a sustainable future, recognizing that healthy bird populations are important for a vibrant community. Not only do they play vital ecological roles like keeping pests in check and spreading seeds, but they truly enrich our lives with their songs and beauty, helping us feel more connected to nature and bringing a sense of calm and happiness that makes our communities thrive." Gabby Bruno, Director of Community Relations, Ford Motor Company

The timing of the announcement coincides with the peak of World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in the fall. Celebrated biannually in May and October, WMBD raises global awareness for the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats. The 2025 theme, "Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities," perfectly aligns with Ford's support of the Bird City Initiative.

Interested local leaders and community groups can learn how to access the Ford-sponsored funding and apply for Bird City recognition by visiting the Bird City Michigan webpage for complete details.

About Michigan Audubon Michigan Audubon connects birds and people for the benefit of both through conservation, education, and research efforts in the state of Michigan. Organized in 1904 and formally incorporated in 1905, it is Michigan's oldest conservation organization.

About Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company's Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 174,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com .

Media Contacts:

The Impact Kind | Kirby Wilkerson | 734-812-9032 [email protected]

SOURCE Michigan Audubon
Derren Nathan, head of equity research, Hargreaves Lansdown:The FTSE 100 has continued its shallow downward path this morning, after retreating from yet another record high yesterday, driven by weakness in the UK banks. The sector dip related to specific regulatory and strategic themes rather than the broader health of the sector, namely HSBCs proposed $14 billion investment in Hang Seng bank - and uncertainty over the size of car finance compensation pay-outs for Lloyds. Brick maker Ibstock has issued a downgrade in its third quarter trading statement. Underlying cash profit (EBITDA) is now expected to land at around 72 million compared to previous guidance of about 80 million. Demand in the Clay and Concrete division has been weaker than expected, reflecting the near-term 'economic and political' environment. Uncertainty around property taxes in the later-than-usual Autumn Budget, due 26 November, could mean construction starts hit a brick wall, so keep one eye on the ripple effect for housebuilders later today. US futures are faintly up, after Wall Street lost a little steam on Thursday, with the major indices also retreating from their all-time bests. The small matter of the US government shutdown hasnt gone away, with the Senate still stuck in deadlock after its seventh round of votes on funding proposals. Meanwhile, the great reality check otherwise known as third quarter earnings season is upon us. The overall outlook for reporters looks robust. Average earnings per share growth of 8% is expected for US large caps, up from the 7.3% forecasted at the end of June. Thats been fuelled by a record number of guidance upgrades. But one quarters numbers alone arent enough to justify the current market optimism. Rational investors need to keep at least one eye firmly on the future, so comments around the immediate and longer-term outlooks will be more important than ever. Thats particularly true for the tech giants that are fuelling the AI rally. While there's plenty of reason for optimism in the sector, the usual reasons to stay diversified havent gone away. Oil prices have softened, reflecting an easing of the risk premium, after Israel signed off on a ceasefire agreement with terror group Hamas, brokered by Donald Trump. Its a step in the right direction, with the release of Israeli hostages and an end to military action in Gaza set to bring relief to both beleaguered populations. But theres still a long way to go if theres to be a lasting peace in this multi-decade conflict. Brent crude oil prices at close to $65 per barrel remain on track for a weekly gain, with oversupply fears still dominating, despite the restraint shown by OPEC+ earlier in the week.


The slow, cumbersome transfer process is the elephant in the room: consumers can switch their bank account in seven days, yet pension transfers regularly drag on for months. PensionBee research shows nearly half of those who have transferred a pension described the process as difficult. This isn't just inconvenient - it's fundamentally unfair and actively discourages people from consolidating their savings.

Delivering good outcomes, avoiding harm, and supporting members' in achieving their financial objectives are central to a trustee's existing legal and regulatory obligations. Slow, opaque transfers do the opposite. They erode trust, create barriers to engagement, and trap people in fragmented, sub-optimal arrangements.

The arrival of pensions dashboards allowing consumers to gain a single view of all their pensions, will further expose the full extent of this fragmentation, creating an inevitable surge in demand for consolidation. If the transfer process remains broken, consumer anxiety and detriment will only increase.

We know 10-day pension transfers are possible. Major providers already achieve this through swift electronic transfers. The technology exists. The process works. What's missing is clear expectations being set by the government with enforcement from regulators, and the universal adoption of clear industry-wide standards.

Pensions should be as responsive and accessible as the rest of people's financial lives. A 10-day pension switch guarantee would unlock consolidation at scale, boost retirement outcomes, and restore confidence in a system that so desperately needs it.

Pension Data Project
The report from the Pensions Data Project, an initiative led by five major UK master trusts, reveals that over 2 million small pots across five providers could be consolidated if all five became default consolidators under current government plans. It is published as Parliament considers the Pension Schemes Bill, which proposes measures for the consolidation of small DC pots.

Patrick Coyne, TPRs Director of Pensions Reform, said: TPR welcomes the work of the Pensions Data Project to establish a database which supports evidence-based policy-making.

We have to solve the small pots problem, and this report highlights how fragmentated the DC pensions landscape really is. It also underlines the critical role that the pensions industry will need to play in implementing the Pension Schemes Bill and making the system work for everyone.

We look forward to discussing innovative solutions with the industry to ensure that the default consolidation of small pots works effectively in savers interests.
Bombay High Court | Image : Agencies

The Bombay High Court has directed the Mumbai Police not to file a chargesheet against a 15-year-old girl booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sending sexually suggestive messages to her classmate and her mother.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad questioned the polices decision to apply the POCSO Act in a case involving two minors. Why has the police registered the case under POCSO? There is no POCSO, the bench observed, highlighting the overreach in the investigation.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the accused girl through her father, seeking to quash the FIR registered by the Kandivali police on July 10. The complaint was lodged after a 15-year-old girl reported receiving obscene messages from an unknown number that claimed to be in love with her. Mistaking the sender for a man, the complainant blocked the number, but similar messages continued appearing on her social media posts.

Soon, even the victims mother began receiving messages of a similar nature. When both blocked the number, the sender created a WhatsApp group with the victims friends and continued sending explicit texts, prompting the family to approach the police.

During the investigation, police discovered that the sender was actually the complainants classmate  another 15-year-old girl  who claimed she was merely playing a prank without understanding the legal implications.

The girl later approached the High Court seeking relief from the FIR, arguing that the incident was a childish mistake and not a sexual offense.

Additional Public Prosecutor S.C. Gavand told the court that the POCSO charges were filed based on the initial complaint, as the senders identity was unknown at the time. During the investigation, it was revealed that the messages were sent by a girl, Gavand explained.

The petitioners advocate urged the court to ensure that the police do not file a chargesheet while the plea is pending. The bench agreed and instructed the prosecutor to inform the investigating officer about the ongoing High Court hearing.

The matter has been listed for further hearing next week.
SC Gives Centre Four Weeks to Clarify Stand on Jammu & Kashmir Statehood Restoration 2

The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Centre four weeks to file its response to multiple petitions seeking the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran heard the petitions filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik, who urged the implementation of the Centres assurance to restore J&Ks statehood at the earliest. The assurance was earlier made during the hearings on the abrogation of Article 370.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, told the bench that while peaceful elections were conducted in the region last year, the government required additional time to assess the situation in light of continuing security challenges, including the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Elections were held peacefully and an elected government is in place. Over the last six years, substantial progress has been made in Jammu and Kashmir. However, certain recent incidents such as the Pahalgam attack must be factored in before a final decision, Mehta said, adding that consultations with the J&K administration were ongoing.

Calling the matter sui generis (unique), Mehta emphasized that while the government acknowledged its earlier assurance, several factors need to be considered before restoring statehood. He also alleged that certain groups were spreading a grim and misleading picture of the Union Territory.

Chief Justice Gavai noted that security remained a serious concern in the region, citing the Pahalgam incident. When senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Zahoor Bhat, said Pahalgam happened under their watch, Mehta objected sharply, saying, It is under our government. I object to this.

Sankaranarayanan argued that the Centre had previously assured the court of restoring statehood in 2023, adding, Much water has flowed since then. To this, Mehta retorted, And blood too. This is a citizen before the Supreme Court who treats the Government of India as your government and not my government.

Sankaranarayanan also urged that the matter be placed before a five-judge Constitution Bench since the Article 370 verdict was delivered by one. He clarified that the petitioners were not reopening the abrogation issue but merely seeking enforcement of the Unions commitment within a reasonable timeframe.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for MLA Irfan Hafiz Lone, contended that the prolonged delay in restoring statehood was eroding the federal structure of the Constitution. If a state can be converted into a Union Territory like this, what does it mean for federalism? she asked. She added that the J&K Assembly had already passed a resolution demanding statehood a year ago and warned that continuing as a UT sets a dangerous precedent.

She cited Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Constitution, saying they did not permit converting a state into a Union Territory. If this is allowed, any state could be downgraded for political conveniencetomorrow it could be Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, another counsel added.

The CJI intervened when the Solicitor General objected to the remarks, saying, Why are you getting agitated? Let him complete the submissions, drawing mild laughter in the courtroom.

Counsel representing Jammu-based lawyers argued that the delay in statehood had led to unemployment and stagnation in development. There is hardly any developmental work in the Jammu region. Despite incidents like Pahalgam, peace has largely prevailed and tourism is flourishing. Security cannot be a perpetual excuse, they said.

Responding, Mehta said Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed significant progress. Everyone is happy; 99.9% of people consider the Government of India as their own. These arguments belong elsewhere, not in this court, he asserted.

The petitioners plea warned that further delay in restoring statehood would erode democratic representation and amount to a grave violation of federalism, a basic structure of the Constitution. It added that both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections were conducted peacefully in J&K without major security concerns, and therefore, there is no impediment preventing the restoration of statehood as assured by the Union of India.